making sure baby products work for me

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FirstMomentsMadeSimple #ForBetterBeginnings #MomsFirst #CollectiveBias

When Addison and Lincoln wake up from their morning nap, Claire loves to rush in and say hello to the babies before I get them out of their crib. We usually spend a few minutes cooing at the babies, and then we get them out and have a few minutes of playtime in the nursery before we change diapers, do bottles, and head to whichever outing we're going on that day.

Last week I snapped some pictures of our weekly morning playtime - the babies are happy (until they remember they're hungry and their mood switches drastically), Claire loves to chat and play with the babies, and I love to see the twins' post-nap gummy smiles.

Details about this gallery wall can be found here, and a tutorial for the DIY growth chart (just out of frame) can be found here.

^^This book and this rattle toy have been used for all my babies, and they're still going strong (and played with multiple times a day). When you're a new mom, it is HARD to figure out what products to get and what your baby will like.

In fact, when the twins were just born, I got a fancy decorative bottle dryer that was supposed to sit on your counter looking cute and air drying all the clean bottles. You guys, it did NOT work for me. It took up so much space, didn't actually dry very many bottles, and was a huge pain in general. I used it for two weeks before I realized I was working for the product, instead of the product working for me.

And now that's become my mantra when it comes to baby products. Get products that make your life easier, not harder. Make sure they work for you, instead of you working for them. Basically, every baby gadget you buy should baby you and your baby; you shouldn't have to baby the product to make it fit into your life.

Exhibit A: the Playtex Diaper Genie® Complete that we picked up at Babies "R" Us.  (Remember when I raved about the Diaper Genie here?) We go through so many diapers around here, and there ain't no way I am going to take them all the way to the outside garbage every single time. I love the foot pedal, so when I have a dirty diaper in one hand and a baby in the other hand, I can just use the foot pedal and plop it in. No manually sliding it down the same chute hundreds of others of dirty diapers have been slid down. It's the hero of the room with a neutral, sleek design and Ultimate Odor Protection - so I never have to worry about how the twins' room smells. In fact, Diaper Genie is the #1 selling diaper disposal brand.*

One thing pregnant moms can agree on is that figuring out what baby products you need is HARD. It's overwhelming to sift through the literally thousands of brands, products, promotions, and testimonials. Then you have to think about price and convenience, how it will fit and look in your nursery, and whether or not your baby will like it.

If you're an expecting new mom, head to your local Babies "R" Us the first Saturday of the month so registry experts can help you get your registry started in a stress-free way, and then head back the third Tuesday of the month for a registry completion event after you've had your baby where you can get a discount on every single thing on your registry that hasn't been purchased yet.

Here are three questions I ask myself before buying any baby product. They help me determine ease, convenience, shelf life, and usefulness of baby gear and gadgets before I buy them.

1. Is this product low-maintenance? 

When you have a newborn, the last thing you have time for is baby product maintenance. Think about whether you have to invest lots of time to assemble, clean, store, and move the product - and how often you'll have to replace parts or batteries. The bottle dryer I was talking about earlier was not low maintenance, because I kept having to clean it, move it, and rotate bottles through it.

2. Will this product get a lot of use?

Think about the shelf life of a product. I only buy one sleep sack per size, for example, because I know each one will only fit for a month or two at the beginning. The Diaper Genie, on the other hand, I'll use every single day for two to three years, which makes it a lot more worth it to me. Baby swings are only used for about the first six months, but since my twins used them multiple times every day for hours and hours during those six months, it was totally worth it to me.

3. Does this product simplify motherhood for me?

Anything that helps my children sleep better (pacifiers, swaddle blankets, swings, a white noise machine) is definitely worth it in my book. I also have two diaper changing baskets around the house (each filled with diapers, wipes, cream, hand sanitizer, etc.) that simplify motherhood and save time because I can change a diaper wherever I am. Strollers that just click in and go are worth it for me too, because it saves the time and hassle of moving your child from place to place, buckle to buckle.

Cutest little contended faces, just sitting there watching me happily :)

What are your favorite baby gear must-haves?

*based on Nielsen scan data

The Memories Captured Project: how to get your baby to smile for the camera

Welcome to the Memories Captured Project, a series designed to help parents take beautiful pictures of their children. See more in the series here.

Today's post is all about those baby smiles. The question I get most often is how I find good light in my home (see the answer here!), but the second most frequent question is how I get my kids to smile for the camera so often. 

First of all, baby personalities do have something to do with it. My oldest was probably the most smiley baby on the planet. And of my twins, one is way more likely to smile at you, while you have to really earn a smile from the other one. 

That being said, I'm happy to share what I do to get my babies (and my photography clients) to give a big gummy heart-melting smile for the camera.

HAVE A SECOND PERSON HELP YOU

This is my trump card and number one tip! Babies are social creatures, and they're way more likely to smile when somebody else is there to say "Hi!" and "Boo!" and make ridiculous silly noises. Babies are much more likely to smile for a familiar face than a strange clicking camera. In the picture below, my toddler was standing right next to me making the babies smile.

PRIME THE CONDITIONS

Babies don't understand that if they smile for ten minutes, THEN they'll get fed. I like to take pictures when babies are the happiest - usually in the mornings, after a nap and a big meal. This picture was taken right after my daughter woke up from her morning nap, during the five minutes when she's just happy to be alive and doesn't realize she's hungry. Find what works for your baby and prime the conditions.

I was recently at a wedding and the photographer offered to take a snapshot of my family after the big group pictures were over. Honestly I told her no thank you, because we had a baby who had missed her nap for the wedding and was about thirty seconds from a breakdown. I knew if we tried to get smiles out of her it would only end in tears from the baby and stressed out faces on the parents. 


DON'T USE TOYS OR LOUD NOISES

If you're photographing a toddler, toys are a huge hit (especially toys you can whack yourself in the head with). But in my experience, if you pull out a toy mid-photoshoot, the baby will just get distracted and want to reach out to grab and drool on the toy. The exception: I once had great luck hiding behind a teddy bear and playing peek-a-boo with the baby I was photographing.

GET IN THE PICTURE

First of all, I say this because I absolutely cherish the three pictures I have of my mom and me together, and I so wish she had been in the frame with me more before she died. Please, parents, do yourself and your children a huge favor. Get out from behind that camera and into the frame with your children.

On a more practical note, babies are happy when they're being held and played with, so holding your baby + tickling them + swinging them in the air is a great way to get them to produce huge authentic smiles for the camera. 

BE PATIENT

All babies have off days. On some days, for whatever reason, babies are more tired and fussy and don't want to smile for anyone, much less the camera! I know some photography studios that will book a two-hour block for a half-hour newborn shoot, so you have some flexibility if your baby needs one more feeding in order to be happy. At-home photo shoots are much more flexible, so if your baby is not feeling it, try again later!

THE BEST PICTURES AREN'T ALWAYS CLASSICAL SMILING PICTURES

Some of my all-time favorite pictures of my children don't involve them smiling at the camera. Capture their tiny toes, their wide-eyed curious face, the little pout they make when they want to be picked up. You don't need a smile to call it a perfect photo. Exhibit A: my twins holding hands in this detail shot.

THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS TOO MANY PICTURES

Unless you're shooting on expensive film or have a super old 4GB phone, there is no such thing as too many pictures! In the picture below, I had basically given up on getting a smiling picture. The twins were NOT having it that day. So I let them roll around for a bit, and then they rolled themselves together like this (I just had to adjust my daughter's head a bit) and gave me these cute smiles. Even if you take 100 pictures and keep 5 from a shoot, it's worth the effort to capture those priceless memories.

Do you have any magic tips for me to add?

How do you get your babies to smile for the camera?

And what do you want to learn next?
I'm already planning a post about getting your toddlers and older kids to smile.

an often overlooked baby shower gift

Hello from our new place! Moving last weekend was the usual amount of crazy and hectic and super hot, but we were so lucky to get lots of help, so it went really smoothly and quickly. We had amazing volunteers who did lots of heavy lifting - and even dear friends who came and scrubbed my bathrooms and kitchen for me. We can't wait to get unpacked and make the space our own. I love thinking about decorating and how to maximize our space, so I'm excited for this week.

I also have two baby showers invitations for this week (although I can only make it to one of them). After years of trial and error, I finally found a gift that I consider my "standard" gift - I give it every time, and it's always a hit. What is it? A baby bath kit!

What's in my baby bath kit?

+ a cute bathrobe towel

+ a rubber ducky bath toy

+ a few stacking cups or a pouring bath toy (found in the baby bath aisle at Target)

+ Oh Joy! for Target Johnson’s® bath wash and baby lotion. I'm loving the playful colors, whimsical designs, and fun graphic prints. Seriously, how fun are the prints? Get them now exclusively at Target and Target.com until 7/22/16 or until sold out!

+ a few washcloths (parenting trick: lay a warm washcloth over your baby's tummy in the bath to keep them warm and happy)

+ a bin for easy bathroom storage

Why give a baby bath kit? Well, first of all, every baby takes baths, so my gift is always utilized. Secondly, it's useful no matter the personal style or preferences of the mother, which can be tricky to match when you're giving clothes or blankets. Third, it's fun and unique and easy to display (just tie a huge bow on your basket and consider it wrapped). Last, their baby won't outgrow this gift for a long time. We still use everything with my almost two-year-old.

Thank you to  Johnson’s® for sponsoring today's post! Check out the gorgeous Oh Joy! for Johnson’s® products here, or connect with Johnson's® on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
and Target on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter . But most importantly, go out and make yourself a baby bath kit for your next baby shower! Or maybe don't, so I can keep the good baby shower gift ideas all to myself. ;)

When You Have a Second Baby: Advice from over 65 Mothers

Before I had a baby, I was the most knowledgeable parenting expert in the world. I read all the books and had figured out exactly how I was going to raise my baby (ha). Then I actually had my baby and realized I know absolutely nothing and am not in a position to give advice to anyone. ;)

So that's why I better hurry and give advice about multiple babies quickly, while I still have only the one child. I've never been more qualified! :)

I wanted to get lots and lots of advice about what it's like to bring home a second (and third, for me!) baby, and how to help my toddler adjust the best. So I turned to the experts - actual mothers of multiple children. I posted my question on two different mothering Facebook groups, as well as for my personal friends. I was blown away by over 65 mothers giving paragraphs and paragraphs of their best tips and tricks for bringing home baby #2. I was also astounded by all the confidence and love mothers everywhere gave me, even though most had no idea who I was!

I cut a lot of the advice down to keep it simple and concise, and to eliminate repeats. I also edited a tiny bit to remove names of children, etc. I hope you find this as helpful as I did!

BEFORE BABY COMES

I found stocking up on things like toilet paper, pads, etc was helpful so if I didn't want to leave the house I didn't have to. Sammantha D

Freezer meals were awesome. I had a whole bunch ready in freezer bags before baby was born so it was easy to throw in the crock pot! It was seriously a life saver! Britney L

We talked about the baby with our son a TON before #2 was here. How exciting it was, how things were going to change, how he should treat/touch the baby, etc. I mean a ton! Katasha K

WHEN BIG SIBLING MEETS BABY

Get big sibling a really awesome present from the baby that they get when you all come home from the hospital. My oldest thought it was ok that baby came home because he had this amazing garbage truck from her, so she must be sort of all right. Elise C

We gave my oldest a gift from the baby when they met, and he still talks about it so I'm glad I did that. Carli F

Be sensitive to how difficult it is for the older child, it's a big adjustment for everyone. One on one time with daddy or grandma is great! Eventually just wearing baby 2 while you do something baby 1 loves helps. Stephanie P

Do NOT be holding the baby the first time when you see your toddler! Have your hands free so your toddler can hop up into the hospital bed to hug, cuddle, and talk with you for a few minutes. Then, have someone bring baby over and set him/her in the toddler's arms. That way, the toddler feels important and doesn't feel replaced. Cheree S

THE FIRST FEW WEEKS

Let baby #1 help! My daughter loves being a big sister to her twin brothers. We let her get diapers, shake bottles, find binks... Anything we can come up with to let her help us. Then we give her tons of praise for being such a great big sister and such a huge help to mommy and daddy! Her face just lights up! Rebecca K

I tried to carve out time with my older child everyday. Even if for just a few minutes when she had my undivided attention. Also on Friday nights, after baby was asleep I would let her stay up and have a pajama party with me! (Pjs, games, movies and popcorn) we both looked forward to it all week long. Sheritee H

Don't feel guilty if your older one watches a lot of TV at first, or you don't get to spend as much time together. This newborn thing is just a season, and it's hard. Do what you can and lose the guilt. Leigh L

Give yourself a lot of grace. I'm only three weeks in with number two but the house is a mess. My first watches a lot of little Einstein and eats pbj and yogurt most days. I finally realized after a few days to stop worrying about the dirty house. Both kids are happy, fed and alive! Success. Lacey B

If your husband is home for a couple weeks make sure to take advantage of that. Kelsey C

Learn how to nurse while baby wearing. Life saver! Erica C

Ask for help!!! You don't have to be superwoman. Take at least a few days a month to take a break, even if it's for just an hour. If you don't take care of yourself then it's harder to take care of everyone else. Jessica D

Some good advice my pediatrician gave me is to keep your disciplining/rules consistent when the new baby comes. Lots of parents will relax their rules or their discipline on the older child because they feel bad about rocking their world, but this just leads to more problems/bad habits, so it's best to stay consistent those first few weeks! If you normally would put your older child in time out for something, go put them in time out (even if you're in the middle of nursing your newborn!) Then they learn that nothing in their routine/world is changing, just because they have a new baby in the house. It's best for them in the long run! Kassie M

Have daddy do a feeding at night if you are totally dead. (Build up a milk supply so this can happen) I was told for a mom to be functional she needs at least 4 hours straight a night. Daddy can help, let him. Ashley S

THE HARD TRUTH

There will be times when you're sitting there with the baby crying to be held, the toddler whining about being hungry and wanting to "help" with dinner, and you're trying not to go insane actually getting dinner on the table. Pretty sure I nursed standing up a couple of times. Kylie P

I once heard it said "Crying is okay. It means they're alive." But seriously, I had to learn that sometimes, someone needed to cry (including myself). If they both needed me at the same time, I went to whoever needed me more. And so far, the tears haven't killed anyone! Janae H

There will be days when the TV will be on nonstop and you will think, "Gosh, I'm a horrible mom." There will be mornings where you drag yourself out of bed and find yourself yelling at your toddler for no good reason because you are exhausted. You might get in the shower and feel guilty because you don't think you are meeting any of your kids' needs but gosh, you love them so much and you are trying so hard. Keep trying! You can do it! You are NOT alone!  Summer Ssmile emoti


LITTLE THINGS THAT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

Get them to nap at the same time! Start working on this as soon as your younger ones are on some type of a schedule (for me around 4 months old). It makes life SO much easier if you can have anywhere from 1-3 hours of quiet in the afternoon to nap, clean, blog, do your nails, whatever!! Justine Y

It's hard, but try not to physically push the toddler away from the baby. Even if he's climbing all over the baby or being too rough with them. Just gently help them down and explain how to be soft with the baby. If they get physically pushed away, they learn that mommy chooses the baby over them and start to resent the baby. Stacy M

Make sure the kitchen is clean every night! Alexa Z

Have a basket of fun things next to where you feed the baby for the older sibling. A snack, a couple of new toys, and when big sibling comes up so sad because she needs you, but you can't stand up because you're feeding or rocking the baby, you can give the special candy/snack/toy to the toddler. You can have multiple of these baskets around the house, wherever you might be feeding baby. Katie A

THE SILVER LINING

Kids are going to color on walls, trash the refrigerator, stick things in the toilet, spill bags of food all over the ground, and sometimes it's frustrating, but I think it's better to see it as the adventure of raising kids, and sometimes decide to just laugh with them, and then teach instead of discipline. And I think this works for any number of kids. Ashley B

Seeing that older sibling hold the baby, love the baby---your heart bursts. There is no more magical or exasperating thing than your kids making each other laugh blowing raspberries at the dinner table. It's truly a beautiful mess. Kylie P

"This too shall pass." Meaning, you won't die (even though you will feel like you're going to) and it WILL get better. Give yourself a break, and realize that survival mode is ok. You got this mama! Ashley M

I was in tears near the end of my second pregnancy daily thinking that I was somehow abandoning my first. Somehow your heart grows and the love you have with your first is the EXACT same. Kathy L

The biggest thing to remember when things get tough: I am giving my children the BEST gift ever - the gift of having a sibling! It's super hard and there can be jealousy and resentment at times but it's worth it for them. I'm so glad I have siblings and I'm sure my kids will be grateful for that too! Leigh L

In all seriousness, you're going to do great. It's so much easier than you would think. Sarah M

____________________________________

Aren't these moms awesome?

THANK YOU to everyone who contributed!

If scientists can figure out a way for humans to thrive on no sleep before July, 

I think I'll be set ;)

First Annual Claire Awards! PLAY + TRAVEL + WEAR

I'm back with the last of the Claire Awards - the baby products that we couldn't live without. You can see part one, which features our top picks for sleeping and eating, here. Again, not all of these are the most expensive brands. They're just real tips from a real family about products we used every single day!

*All of these are clickable links. Click on the name in the description to view items, prices and color options on Amazon.

PLAY

Touch & Feel Books
Obviously, books top the chart when it comes to learning fun for any age. We loved these touch and feel books starting when Claire was about 9 months old (although I will admit some of these titles are better than others). We also love the Eric Carle board books.

Activity Gym

You would not believe the hours my baby spent laying under this thing! From about 2-7 months, she LOVED this. The sounds, the sights, the songs and lights, the colors and textures she could swat at and try to roll over to reach... it was definitely a favorite!

Walker

In my mind, this is another must-have toy. When they're younger, they can practice sitting up and playing with the interactive soundboard. When they get older, they can walk behind it. This is Claire's most-used toy right now.

Stacking Cups

The ways that babies play with stacking cups is endless. At first, they like exploring the patterns and colors. Then, they learn fine motor skills as they try to pick up the cups (and inevitably eat them). When they get older, they can use these to practice stacking them and knocking them over, as well as balancing them or hiding smaller ones inside bigger ones. We have these ones from IKEA and love them. They get played with all day every day.

Teething Toys

Teething toys are a win-win because they ease hurting gums, but they're also fun to play with. When my daughter was about 6 months, she could spend an entire church block eating this thing and twisting it around. We also like Sophie the Giraffe (mentioned here) and Hyland Teething Tablets to ease teething pain!

TRAVEL

Pacifier Clip
I didn't think I'd ever use a pacifier clip. I mean, babies can't even hold their own head up. How far away can their pacifier really get? Turns out, they can spit it pretty far! We love this cute shop for pacifier clips that are functional but also super cute.

Loose Wrap
I did a very bad thing when I was pregnant. I got the cheapest brand of baby wrap that I could find. I majorly regretted it. The wrap was so heavy and thick and hot that neither me nor my baby liked it very much. Then I borrowed my friend's Solly Baby wrap for a day and it was a million times better! So do yourself a favor and invest in a more expensive one. It's worth the money to make the wrap light, breathable and comfortable.

Structured Wrap
We love the structured wraps when the baby is older, or when you're going on a longer outing such as a long hike. I even used our wrap to go grocery shopping every week. We have an old BabyBjorn that my parents used, but I linked to a newer one I've seen lots of people with lately.

Carseat Cover
We liked our Carseat Canopy way more than we thought. When we were running errands, the cover helped keep away the germy hands of strangers. When we were in the car, we used it to keep the sun out of my daughter's face. We would even cover the car seat when we weren't in the car to keep the buckles from getting too hot and burning her.

Travel Diaper Kit
We love this mini diaper and wipe holder for when we're on the go. It's nice to have something ready so you don't have to dig around for a diaper and wipes when you're out and about and need to do a quick diaper change.

WEAR

Everyday Wear
I am a huge Carters fan for everyday baby wear! I will admit I'm not a huge fan of clothes with sayings on them (you know, Mommy Loves Me, or World's Cutest Nephew). Carter's does have some clothes like this, but they also have a huge selection of cute clothes with fun prints and a wide range of solid colors. Their onesies and leggings were all my daughter wore for the first few months, because they were just so snuggly and soft.

Stylish Wear
It can be hard to find baby girl clothes that aren't bright pink, or baby boy clothes that aren't covered with dinosaurs. We loved Baby Gap for photoshoots and other occasions in which we wanted something more stylish and neutral. I've found some amazing deals on clearance there over the past year.

Headbands
When it comes to baby headbands, we've tried them all! Yasmi and Crew has definitely been a favorite. Their soft bands that expand and shrink to fit any head (pictured above) are amazing. They are so soft and sweet - and one of the few headbands my baby doesn't immediately pull off her head!

Moccs
Is there anything more cute than baby moccasins? We love Freshly Picked moccasins, but now that I'm moving away from Provo and won't be able to go to their warehouse sales, I might have to stick with my other favorite, The Golden Polka Dot. Both these brands have beautiful, high-quality moccs that my baby has loved.

Swimwear
There's something about a fat baby in a little swimsuit that makes me laugh. There's always a good selection of nice suits at Old Navy, and we also got a few rash guards that we loved at Target. (Don't bother with baby tankinis. They just ride up and bunch under the armpits.)

So there you have it! The baby products we couldn't live without in Claire's first year. In case you missed it, part one, all about eating and sleeping, is HERE.

Any suggestions in these categories?

I'm always looking for new products.

What are your favorite baby brands and items for travel, play, and wear?

The First Annual Claire Awards! SLEEP + EAT

Baby girl turns one this week (WHAT), and I've been going through her nursery in preparation for our move. We take a pretty minimalist approach when it comes to baby gear; we think babies can be happy and healthy without a million toys, three different types of rockers, and multiple stroller systems that you have to remortgage your home to afford.

That being said, there are a lot of essentials that babies can't live without. I decided to share our favorite products that Claire used daily in the first year of her life. These aren't always the most expensive accessories or the most "in" brands. This is a real-life collection of items that have been tried, tested, and loved by the world's cutest baby. ;)

If you're expecting a baby or have a baby shower coming up, hopefully this will be useful to you as you see popular items that my baby loved. I broke it down into a few sections. First up: sleep!

*All of these are clickable links. Click on the name in the description to view items, prices and color options on Amazon.

SLEEP

SwaddleMe Velcro Swaddlers 
I didn't think I'd need these, but my cousin lent me some, and we ended up using them every single day for the first three months! They are so easy and convenient. There are lots of color options too.

Rock 'n Play Sleeper 
We had a fancy plug-in rocker, but we also loved this portable one. I used to drag it into the bathroom every morning so Claire could take a nap and I could peek out at her while I showered and got ready for the day. I have heard excellent things about the Mamaroo as well.

MAM Pacifier 
Some babies take any kind of pacifier, some take only one certain kind, and some don't take any at all. We tested one of each brand and Claire ended up with these Mam brands. Tip: If you don't care for the design, a quick swipe of nail polish remover on a cotton ball will take it right off!

White Noise Machine 
This was especially helpful when we went on vacation with my loud family, or when the lawn maintenance crew used to use loud machines every Wednesday morning while Claire was trying to sleep. This one was a great value, and I'm really impressed with the quality too.

Breathable Blanket
This was handmade by Claire's great-grandma, so I have no clickable link. Sorry! We love light, breathable blankets on warm nights and car trips.

EAT

IKEA Bib
These bibs were originally manufactured as art smocks, but they are the only thing that keep Claire clean during meal times. We use them every single day, and I love that I can just throw them in the washing machine.

Bumbo and tray
Another everyday use item! We used the Bumbo for sitting up practice, and then we attached the tray and used it as a high chair until she was nine months old and grew out of it. Definitely worth your money!

Sophie the Giraffe
I swore I would never spend $20 on a baby toy. But Sophie was worth every penny! Claire chewed on this giraffe for about two months straight when she was teething. She ate it so much that I just had to include it here in the eating category with all the food items ;)

Sippy Cup
This is the only sippy cup Claire will use. Any suggestions on how to get her to drink from a regular sippy cup? Or maybe it doesn't matter and she can just start drinking from a regular cup?

Tommee Tippee Bottle
When I was nursing and supplementing with bottles, Tommee Tippee was our favorite bottle brand. We also love our Avent bottles, which have held up well after months of use.

Part two, all about our favorite products for travel, play, and wear, can be found HERE. Thanks so much for reading along!

Which items do your little ones love?

Any that you hated?

What should I add for any future babies?