My Mommy Must Have Gadgets

We all know I shop a lot. I shop more than your average human. It is no surprise that when I found out my little man was coming, I went into shopping overload. I stocked up on everything, big and small! Here are a few of my favorite things:

1. Maxi Cosi AP Infant Car Seat

This carseat is so light and airy. It fit my small baby perfectly from day one. It fits 5 - 22 pounds and it basically molds to the baby's body. It is always hard to see a sleeping baby with their head hunched over uncomfortably. We never had that with this seat. Twenty-two pounds is heavy. Parker just barely hit it at 16 months. You can use it for so long!
Recommendation: get extra bases for every car you plan to be in for the next year or so. I got one for my car, Eric's, and my mom's. Don't wait until after you have the baby! It is hard and time consuming to use the seatbelt and not as safe as using the base.

2. Bugaboo Cameleon

This bad boy is a little pricey, but worth every penny. The Bugaboo Cameleon comes with the seat and a bassinet! That bassinet worked miracles. He loved it. We went on walks and he just stayed nice and cozy, without any straps all over him. When I would cook, I would just lay him in there and stare while cooking. Yep. I did a lot of staring. I guess that was my first three months with him. Staring and kissing. You can add a kick board that you place on the back and your older babe can stand on it. PS They have an awesome warranty. I accidentally broke the bottom basket and all they needed was a photo and they sent me a brand new one immediately! I was shocked. 

Recommendation: if you are going to have kids close together, get the Bugaboo Donkey. It extends to  a two seater, but when you just have one, you get a nice little storage basket!

Breastfeeding… from a person who didn't think she'd do it.

I never thought I'd nurse. I thought it was weird and a burden (WHOA. I KNOW). Modern technology and all those formulas boasting about how amazing they are conned me… until I became pregnant. The first time I really started to consider it, I was just like 'whatever. I will do it for a few weeks.' After that, I thought I'd reward myself for every month I did it. If I made it a month, I'd buy myself that handbag I have been wanting. Three months and those Loubs Kim Kardashian was wearing in People Magazine would be on these feet. Six months, you better believe Eric is buying me Chanel. Well, I didn't get myself any of those gifts for making it to those goals. I got something so much greater.

I am not going to lie. I absolutely, positively hated breastfeeding in the beginning. Did you know your nipples can crack? Or that you can get so full and a milk duct can clog that you have actual pain and have to massage it out? I didn't. Parker so did not want to nurse. He had a small mouth and that made it hard. He lost too much weight too quickly (despite nursing him like 18 hours of the day) and I had to supplement with formula. At that point, a week in, I was ready to call it quits. I am already giving him formula, why do both? Why sit for over an hour, uncomfortable, when I will be giving him formula at the end any way? Man, I had my eye on the prize though! New things for me.