Favorite things: baby and post-maternity edition

So I was a mom to babies 5 years ago, but things have changed since then! I know, I know, it's not like it was really a long time ago, but they come up with so much new stuff all the time that I'm having to figure it out all over again! I'm not one to get a lot of stuff. I tend to spend money on only really practical things, but the following things are the "stuff" that I'm really into right now for babies and for their moms.

Weleda products. This Calendula Oil is my favorite for moisturizing everyone in the family (okay...not Matt, but the rest of us). I also like the Calendula shampoo and body wash for babies. I'm not a total health nut, but we do have really dry skin around here, so I'm trying to steer us away from the usual Johnson's baby shampoos and stuff which I've heard area actually kind of drying. This stuff is expensive but a little goes a long way. I get it at Whole Foods but also Target.

I've definitely narrowed down my favorite Onesies to the Gerber brand. These are also from Target. I hardly buy my kids any clothes because I'm just not a huge clothes person (and because I think a baby in a onesie is pretty darn cute anyway) but I am picky about my onesies. Gerber is long and skinny which fits a newborn baby much better than other brands. I don't know why other brands make them so short and fat. My kids are usually even chunky babies, but the proportions are so weird on other brands! They are usually so wide and then they look all floppy and stretched out. I also like them to be slim fitting because then they can wear them under other clothes better.

So, this is for the nursing crowd, but I couldn't live through the first few weeks of nursing without Lansinoh's Lanolin. Target of course.

This is something I've had for a long time, but I've started depending on it more since Luella was born. It is Revlon's Tourmaline Ceramic curling iron. It is digital so you can set the temperature for anything from 200-400 degrees (I like it at the hottest for speed) and it heats up in about one minute. So, even if I have to leave the house with crazy unwashed hair for the third day in a row, I can still straighten out my bangs if they are going 10 different directions.

 This isn't technically a baby OR mom thing, I guess, but Playmobils are becoming a huge thing at our house. They seem to be the one thing that my two kids will play together! Sammy got all kinds of pirates and soldiers for his birthday and they are keeping everyone very happily playing...and that is rare. So, if you are a mom of more than one child, get a collection of playmobil guys going once the baby is born to keep everyone happy indoors for the first few weeks.

I got the Jeep Liberty jogging stroller from my friend Brigitte and so far I love it. I know you aren't supposed to put a newborn in a big jogging stroller, but if you throw a giant pillow sham in there first it magically becomes a pram-type stroller! Haha. See how I roll? I mean, I'd love to get one of the $800 strollers that sorta grow with your baby, but this $100 stroller (on sale) will take me through toddler-hood I'm sure and it's working great now too!

The Moby wrap. I've mentioned this in past posts, but I have to reiterate that this thing is magical. It takes me like 5 minutes to get it on right, but friends have assured me that I'll get used to doing it much faster. It really doesn't hurt your back though (and I have a BAD back) and baby Lulu falls asleep in it in about 30 seconds! It's very cozy in there for the baby and it's really soft and comfortable to wear.

I can't actually promote this yet, but I'm ordering it because I really need some core strength after this pregnancy. My lower back and ab area feels super weak and with all the holding of baby and bending over and lifting stuff (like strollers in-and-out of the car) I'm determined to get my middle area strengthened. I'll let you know.

I finally figured out a sundress-style that I can wear comfortably all summer! I love these kimono-style dresses. I got two from Target. The pictures wouldn't copy from the website, but the ones I bought are here and here (except in black). See how they fit all the requirements? Good for nursing (check). Good for covering upper arm fat (check). Good for defining a part of your "waist" that isn't fat (check). Good for draping gracefully over the part of your waist that IS still a bit fat (check). Also, other sundresses with skinny straps show your bra straps and I can not be wearing a strapless bra right now...just not practical. Also they are cheap (check!).

Someone gave me this bathtub and at first I thought it would be a giant waste of space, but actually, we put it in our own bathtub and fill it up and it's awesome! That little green plastic piece holds the baby in a sitting up position so that they don't fall down into the water. She can actually sit in it independently! And Lulu loves the water already. The green piece is removable for when the baby gets bigger.

So...those are the things (in no particular order) that are getting me through the day right now.  Just thought I'd share for any other new moms out there (or third time moms who have been out of it for a while like me!!!).