If you’re anything like us, patience is easier said than done, so we’ll get straight to the something free. After many (many) requests, we’re happy to announce that we’ve finally created a downloadable PDF or Word Doc (click here for print-ready PDF, here for editable Microsoft Word) of our “DIY Baby Book” that we revealed in our getting-ready-for-baby post a few weeks back. Just to jog your memory, here’s how we whipped it up:
The idea was actually John’s brain child (I’m telling you, he’s the sweet sentimental one and I’m the neurotic fool who worried about ruining our sofa if my water broke). He suggested that we get a fabric covered album and create our own little baby book of sorts, with fun patterned paper and printed prompts that you see in typical baby books like “The First Week Was….” and “My First Word…” I loved the idea of adding in keepsakes like Clara’s inked footprints from the hospital along with a ton of photos, so we headed over to Michael’s (with a 40% off coupon in hand) and snagged a sweet 8.5 x 8.5″ album covered in super fun Amy Butler fabric for just $9 after my coupon.
We also picked up a pad full of 8 x 8″ patterned paper to use as a backdrop in our keepsake album (to the tune of $6). So our entire DIY baby book project ran us $15 total. And after adding all the decorative paper and leaving room for notes about momentous occasions- along with photos and other memorabilia- we were left with a pretty sweet way to document many of Clara’s firsts (a few of which we’ve already written in!):
And since we made it ourselves we had fun sprinkling in a few quirky things, like this page of “Future Predictions” where John and I guessed everything from Clara’s hair and eye color to her first word, her favorite subject in school, and even her future profession – before her arrival of course. It should be fun for the beanette to look back at all of our goofy (and most likely completely wrong) guesses someday.
Plus the fact that it looks so cute in the nursery is the icing on the cake…
So now you can download the print-ready PDF or the editable (and then print-ready) Word Doc by following the links in the first paragraph. Then you just have to grab some pretty paper and an album and you’re ready to print out our little PDF/Doc, cut each caption out, and arrange them in your new homemade memory book.
And now on to those five lifesavers that we mentioned in the title. Much like the frequent requests for a version of our DIY baby book, we received a lot of questions about what household items have come in handy since Clara came along. And although this isn’t exactly home improvement related, it definitely falls under the “what makes your house more efficient” category so we figured we’d dedicate one post to this much asked question. Although at first we wondered if we’d even have any favorite items at just three weeks into parenting, but we’re happy to say that we most definitely have a small collection of items that we ABSOLUTELY LOVE. As in probably couldn’t have lived without. So although every baby is different and every parent has varying opinions, here’s what we’re so glad that we had on hand to help us adjust to life with Clara-Clara-Bo-Bara:
1. These Aden and Anias swaddle blankets are amazing. They’re made of thin stretchy (and breathable!) muslin and they’re giant (44″ x 44″)- which makes them perfect for giving Clara that back-in-the-womb feeling. Ever since we noticed how happy she was when she was swaddled by the all-knowing nurses at the hospital, we vowed to carry on that tradition at home. Have we mentioned that we actually have to set an alarm and wake her up to feed her at night when we swaddle her before putting her to bed? Note: be sure to securely swaddle your wee one before putting him or her to sleep since loose blankets can pose a suffocation hazard- just google “how to swaddle” for some great step by step tutorials.
2. This little clutch from Skip Hop can be slipped into any large purse to make it an instant diaper bag- which appeals to a deal hunter like me. See, I’ve noticed that bags billed as “diaper bags” can be over $150 for something that looks polished, while non-diaper bags of the same quality/size can be found for a lot less. In fact I grabbed a chic oversized black bag from The Gap for $25 (on clearance!) and just slipped the Skip Hop clutch right inside. Now I always have diapers, wipes, and an extra outfit on hand – I even have a clean mat to change her on while we’re on the go. Plus I can easily drop it the clutch into other purses and bags if I feel like changing up my look without buying another official diaper bag. Oh the versatility. We actually plan to pick up another one because the changing mat part (which can be detached) is great for dropping over our changing pad in the nursery. Clara LOVES to pee when she’s being changed- seriously the girl does it 8 out of 10 times. Thankfully, the slippery waterproof material makes those little impromptu pee-fests so much easier to clean up!
3. Our next must-have Clara item is actually a super handy iPhone app that we downloaded on the day that we returned home from the hospital. We were obsessed with trying to keep track of how many diapers she was wetting and dirtying (since the docs & nurses stressed that as a great way to monitor her health and the quality of my feedings). I also kept blanking out about which side I needed to start nursing her from every few hours. Enter Baby Brain stage right. It’s just $4.99 and it keeps track of all my feedings (it even has a ticker at the top to track how long it’s been since the last one) and it also tracks wet & dirty diapers. We love that we can push a button and see everything there is to know about Clara’s day (and even compare that day to others) . Especially since products like the ItzBeen Timer are sold for around $25 and this app does pretty much the same thing for $4.99. Plus we didn’t have to acquire yet another baby gadget. Score.
4. This mouthwatering lasagna photo represents all the amazing frozen meals that were dropped off by friends & family members after returning home with our little bundle of baby. John and I joke that we’ve never eaten better. Seriously, the kindness of our loved ones has been amazing, and if you’re not sure how many relatives and friends will show up with meals as you adjust to having a wee one around we would definitely recommend making (and freezing) a few meals before delivery day, just so you have them on hand. Anything that makes things like feeding yourself a no-brainer is pretty much guaranteed to be a hit when you’re so focused on providing for your babe that you forget to eat!
5. This last gadget is totally a personal preference thing. We know some moms who scoff at the idea, but personally it’s been the reason that we sleep at least 8 hours a night (interrupted by just one feeding!) so we’re eternally grateful. Basically, it’s a monitor that detects movement in your baby as he/she sleeps- even just their chest rising and falling as they breathe. And if there aren’t any movements/breathing in 20 seconds it sets off an alarm. John and I can’t tell you how much peace of mind this gives us. Plus it allows us to sleep more soundly and not do that hover-over-her-crib-to-make-sure-she’s-breathing thing. Seriously, I haven’t done that once. It has also helped us to get her into her crib from day one (as opposed to a moses basket in our room) which has done wonders for her sleep schedule since she isn’t disturbed by us moving or the dog bounding around the bed at night. Remember, we have to actually wake her up to feed her or she’d sleep right through the night! Oh it’s also a sound monitor so we get to hear her cooing… and if she were to wake up and cry someday, we’d hear that too.
So those are the five things that have been indispensable these first few weeks. And in case it’s not obvious without this little disclaimer, none of the makers of the items mentioned above have paid us or perked us in any way to call them out here, they’re just honestly the five things that have helped us out immensely so we thought we’d share ’em (especially since we get so many emails from new parents or parents-to-be who want our opinion). We’re honestly kind of shocked that anyone cares about what we like, but there you go!
And now, since that’s an awful lot of words up above, let’s break things up with a few photos:
We’ve decided, like many other fellow bloggers, that we’ll be documenting Clara’s growth with a series of weekly photos. And we came up with the idea of using a white onesie (along with some Photoshop magic to add the week) and a colorful swatch of fabric for the background. We already had some great textiles laying around, but we also look forward to hunting down some cheap remnants to keep the project going (and using baby blankets and even our bedroom duvet if we ever get desperate). In fact the last photo was taken with Clara laying on the fun pillowcases I got for the hospital (mentioned in this post). By Clara’s first birthday we’ll have 52 weekly photos showing how much she’s changed on a slew of punchy graphic backgrounds to compile in a photo book (you know, one of those Snapfish or Kodak Gallery ones?). Should be fun. Oh and we’ll be adding all of our weekly beanette photos to this album in Flickr, just in case you’d like to follow along…
But back to the subject of those five favorite lifesavers, we’d love to hear your top five can’t-live-without-’em baby picks. And if you’re not packing the parental card in your wallet just yet, we’re definitely interested in hearing the five must-have items that make your life easier. What’s frying your bacon these days?
Psst- This post contains affiliate links.
Carin says
Another good one for the baby that likes to pee during diaper changes is water proof lap pads. We got a pack from BRUs. The cut down on the amount of times you need to wash the changing pad cover and when they pee while changing, you just pick up the lap pad, through it in the to be washed pile and put a new on on. Plus they are great when they get a little older and squirmy during diaper changes and they had a big poop that is messy, saves the pad cover. We loved them and still do, our little beanette is 13 months.
joni says
love the free templates! keep those coming :)
i loved your calendar you guys did and tried to download it once but remembered i don’t own the full photoshop version, i only own the elements. Is there a way to still do the template of this calendar? or would i need to buy the pricy photoshop? though i believe it would be worth every penny…
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Joni,
We have good news! Check out the update that we wrote on the bottom of the calendar post. It explains a method that a reader suggested which makes it possible to edit the file it without photoshop. Hope that helps!
-John
joni says
Clara is adorable by the way and i love your weekly shot idea!
Erin says
She is precious and I too love the photoshop idea!
My little guy is 10 months old and a few of our favorite things are:
1. Maclaren easy traveler…we used this and his car seat for the first 7 months.
2. BOB revolution jogging/walking stroller. Super smooth to push and great for runs and long walks.
3. Washcloths! When he was really little he use to pee during every diaper change and with a boy it shoots all over the place. We used a folded washcloth to protect us all. Also catches the pee really well so we don’t waste the clean diaper that is underneath.
4. Aden and Anais swaddle blankets…LOVE!
5.Summer infant video monitor. We can hear him if he cries, but what we really like it for is to check in on him when he is just making noise. We can see that he is ok without disturbing him.
6. Breast friend nursing pillow. Hated the boppy but loved the breast friend.
Lara C says
Have you seen the Better Homes and Gardens Life in Photos series? Their books are the cutest I’ve seen in ages, and priced comparably to other sites, although I’m still a huge fan of how clean/professional Apple’s printed books are too…and easy to create with iPhoto!
http://www.bhglifeinphotos.com/
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip on the BHG photobooks, Lara C! We were thinking we might use the Apple ones (they are so nice and clean) but now we’ll add the BHG options to our consideration list when it comes time! Just 49 more photos to go…
-John
Audrey says
My daughter loved to be swaddled too, but it’s really hard to break the habit! Just a warning! She started sleeping through the night at 6 weeks, but when we took away the Miracle Blanket at 4 months it was a nightmare! Luckily, my little sleeping beauty is back now though!
I love the Angel Care monitor too. We had maybe one false alarm. I don’t understand all the problems people have with them.
By the way, I love the baby posts! Keep them coming! I think you do enough design stuff to throw in a little Clara every now and then!
Jen says
Be really careful with the Aden + Anias blankets. I got them as a gift and loved their feel/look/size, but one night my son was fussing a bit and I decided to get up and check him, and he had somehow kicked out and wiggled down, so it was wrapped around his neck :( I don’t want to scare you, just be careful! Just to add, he was my third baby and I have swaddled each one of them, so I would consider myself a seasoned pro at swaddling (I can’t sing its praise highly enough). We still use them on a daily basis for fort-making, mini picnics, etc. I love the weekly shot idea! Congratulations again!
Liz R says
I *totally* second the diaper clutch thing. I have a few large purses that I regularly carry, and I just feel so much more like “me” when I can just put the diaper thing in my own purse, as opposed to being only “Jimmy’s mom” when I have the diaper bag. It’s funny how little things like that can go a long way in helping you stay sane… :)
Tori says
If you remember, would you mind sharing the details on the fabric in the weeks 1 and 2 shot? I’ve been thinking of redoing my bedroom, but just haven’t been inspired by any colors until I read your post. Thanks a ton!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Tori,
The first is a remnant that we’ve had around for years. We found it at a local store called Williams & Sherrill, but other than that we know nothing else about it. So sorry we can’t be more helpful! The second swatch is from Hancock Fabrics, which might be easier to track down since they’re a chain. We purchased it recently, so it should still be in stock. Hope that helps!
xo,
s
steph says
1. the happiest baby on the block dvd
2. kiddapotamus swaddleme blankets
3. bamboo blankets (with uv protection, wick away sweat, perfect for summer)
4. books: goodnight gorilla, clip clop, how to catch a star, where is baby’s bellybutton
5. honeywell cold air humidifier/vaporizer for keeping the air from getting dry while adding the perfect amount of white noise.
AmyM says
Favorite baby items:
1) Pouch sling
2) Ergo
3) Machine washable changing pads
4) Wool diaper covers
5) Wool sleep sacks
anna see says
She is adorable! Things sure have chnaged since I used to wear a scrunchie on my wrist to try to remember which side I had last nursed on!
Congrats on the sleeping. I am amazed and happy for you!
Krista Haws says
What great ideas for “must haves.” Clara is so cute and I can’t wait to see how she grows week to week!!!!
Alison says
Clara is honestly so cute!! I love your number 5 gadget, I was up almost every night watching my son sleep for the first few months and when my daughter was born I had to have an emergency hysterectomy so it was so difficult to get out of bed to check on her but I was still paranoid and struggled to get out of bed often. My must haves for babies are Costco kirkland wipes. I had to have them all the time. They got out every stain, even blueberry spit up on the white carpet. Also, silky blankets. Both my kids loved them as babies and my son is 3 and still sleeps with his, it could comfort him anytime.
Colleen says
Our top five baby picks:
1. The Ergo
We LOVE our Ergo baby carrier and wished we’d skipped using the Baby Bjorn altogether. This carrier can be used longer (because the weight is on your hips and not your back), is machine washable, and is easy to adjust (so you both can easily wear it in the same outing) and it packs up pretty small so is easy to carry around.
2. Baby Signs by L. Acredolo
We taught our daughter to sign at about seven or eight months. It was so helpful to be able to communicate with her before she could talk!
3. KidCo Food Mill
When Clara gets ready for solids, this is a simple, hand-powered way to turn anything you are eating into food for her.
4. The Miracle Blanket
It sounds like you have a sound sleeper and a great swaddle already, but for us who had neither, this gift was a lifesaver. Our daughter went from sleeping four to six hours stretches the night we started using it.
5. Date Night
Especially if you have family around, I encourage you to start a regular date night – once a week, once a month, whatever you can manage. We found getting out of the house, even if just for a walk, a nice way to remember who we were before we were parents!
By the way, thank you SO much for responding to a question I asked last week (on the paint colors post) about a Sherwin-Williams yellow. I painted my guest bedroom Full Moon, and our bedroom Lime Granita, another of your recommendations, and love both!
Elizabeth says
What a cutie!
We have a 14-month old, and my favorite things so far have been-
1. Our cloth diapers. I love love love prefolds and Thirsties covers, and as well as FuzziBunz for when he won’t stay still and wool covers for night.
2. BabyHawk mei tai. I tried a bunch of baby carriers before discovering this, and it’s been my go-to carrier since about 4 months old. I’ve had prior back surgery and it doesn’t irritate it at all.
3. BOB Revolution. Turns on a dime, steers one-handed, great suspension.
4. Lots and lots of books.
5. Metal bowls and wooden spoons. I don’t know why, but nothing in his toybox tops them.
Bridget B. says
OMG! To be honest, I was wondering how you guys were so comfortable leaving your newborn by herself across the hall, LOL!
I SO wish I had known about the Angelcare Sensor when I had my little one. Fast forward 3 months and we can’t get her out of our bed and into her own room.
I’ll go ahead and get it and see if we can get some results.
Thanks for the tip!
Corey Maxwell says
I agree with Colleen, above. Her fourth suggestion, The Miracle Blanket, was an absolute lifesaver for me! My son had colic, and swaddling was the only way he would calm down enough to sleep at night. He used it until he was 6 months old!
As for your photos, you should really look into using Shutterfly. I started out with Snapfish, but Shutterfly is a far superior program. I have ordered many prints and projects from them in my son’s 3 years, and they have never ever let me down on the quality. Plus, you have free unlimited storage of your photos, even if you never buy a single thing from their site. And the organization is so simple. I sense that you and I have similar organization obsessions, and I promise Shutterfly will help make that task a lot easier.
Congrats again, Clara is a doll!
Erica says
I think you just changed my life with that baby breathing alarm thing! I LOVE that. I know I will be so worried about SIDS. What they don’t come up with these days. You guys find the best stuff.
Blayne says
Love the weekly photos! I am doing that as well but of course yours have so much more style than mine. I also agree with the comment about using the waterproof pads on the changing pad. We don’t even use a changing pad cover, just the pads. Also, B used to pee during diaper changes (and sometimes poo!) but she outgrew it so hopefully Clara will too! My 5 must haves… Aden and Anais blankets, Moby wrap, pack n play with newborn napper, summer infant handheld video monitor, and udder cover nursing cover.
Sarah says
Congrats on your little Clara – she’s a beaut!
We have two little girls: Esther is 2 years and Abigail is 7 weeks. There’s a list of things I can’t do without:
1. Camera – I still can’t believe my Esther is 2..time flies when you’re… procreatin’? … apparently. I love to take pictures of my girls because I love to look back at the ones my mom took of me.
2. Ring Sling by zolowear.com. Esther wasn’t a huge fan, but no matter what mood Abigail is in, she calms down immediately in her sling.
3. Food processor by Black n Decker, ice cube trays, and freezer bags. I never fed Esther food from a jar and don’t plan to with Abigail. The food processor was like $40 (no need for an expensive ‘baby food maker’!), ice cube trays are about $1 for 3 or 4 (I like to have 20 or so and do hours of cooking to cover months of feeding). I spent about $70 on fresh veggies and fruits from the farmers market and got busy. It lasted about 6 months with Esther! Cheap cheap cheap…and GREAT for her. Besides have you ever tasted jarred baby food? Yeesh…
4. Books, books and more books. Esther has over 200 books and will sit and read for hours. Much more desirable than the TV (although she does watch her fair share of VeggieTales!) and louder than life toys (especially now that little Abi has arrived and prefers a little more quiet!) We especially appreciate finding old learning books, they don’t make them like they used to for sure, at thrift stores and books with real life photos. We used these two types of books on Esther’s first flight (from the midwest to the west coast) and she was satisfied the entire time at 15 months!
5. Noise machine. We have one in the girls’ room and one in our room (as Abi sleeps in her bassinet in our room). They’re both on a rain forest setting and it really drowns out any sound (Rowdy, our dog shifting on the hardwood floor, Daddy snoring and Daddy’s alarm clock!)
Just a few! Thanks for the great blog! :)
Kat says
Love the weekly photo idea – Clara is beautiful.
My little girl is 4 months.
1. Angelcare monitor, we have a tummy sleeper who loves to put her face into the mattress, or you if your holding her she buries her face into your body, definitely eases our minds! And last week the alarm actually went off, good to know it works.
2. Our cell phones – white noise app, lullaby music, bright moving colors for her to watch when fussy.
3. Bumbo – She’s loves sitting up to see everything, she gets fussy if laying on the floor too long.
4. Sophie the Giraffe – We’ve had a major finger/hand chomper since she was 2 months, this gives those fingers a rest and she loves chomping on the nose/mouth.
5. And The Hubs and me, only way to get her to sleep majority of the time is to stand, bounce, rock, sway, patting her bum, plus we get a workout with some calf raises, haha.
Sarah says
Also, how did you put the week on Clara’s onsie? What program was it? Outrageously cute!!
YoungHouseLove says
We used Photoshop! It’s relatively easy (and happily 100% free!).
xo,
s
Sara says
I’m on baby #5 and the only thing that we have used for every single one of our babies is a wrap – like the moby wrap but I made my own. So easy and so nice to keep the baby with you.
I’ve never bought baby items like swings, cribs, baths, etc. but we got a Bumbo with this baby and we all loved it!
Elizabeth says
What an adventure you are on! I am the Mommy to two baby girls, 18 months and 6 months.
1. The Bumbo seat, I use it for feedings or just wrangling when you need the baby to be safe and you need your hands…
2. The Boppy Pillow, I use it for feedings, belly time, and although frowned upon, naps (with close supervision of course)…
3. Genetian Violet…an herbal remedy for thrush. Available over the counter, and it worked much better than the antibiotics from the Dr. (it is messy though, but makes for some cute purple mouth pics)…
4. My Baby Can Read DVD’s…all I can say is, My baby CAN read:)…
5. Cloud B light up Ladybug. It projects the constellations on the ceiling and is a great nightlight…
Jocelyn says
FYI: Blurb.com has pretty cool photo books.Check out this post at one of our other FAVE blogs… They used Blurb to make a few books and they look pretty cool.We have a puggle too but he’s not as cool as Preston hehe. You’ll see what I mean when you check out the site…
http://www.prestonthepuggle.com/?p=1315
Rebecca says
Hey guys, I love reading your blog. Congratulations on baby Clara. I am a mom of two (a three year old and a 2 year old) so infant-hood was not so long ago.
Some of my favorite items were:
-a nursing cover (baby au lait or hooter hider). This is essential for a breastfeeding mother. I would slip this on and pretty much nurse anywhere in public.
-baby wipes warmer. I loved this device and it made such a difference in diaper changing. Who likes cold, wet wipes anyway?
-a breast pump. I worked part time, and although you will be staying at home and working, it will be nice for you to pump and leave milk at home for your husband to give to Clara. It is nice to be able to have the freedom to have a date nite with your husband or for you to run errands or what not. Also, it is nice for bonding when the daddy can give her a bottle every once in awhile.
-water proof pads. Both my kids were explosive with their poop and pee, so this came in handy. I placed it on their baby changing pad, and this helped out with the laundry load.
-I really love my BOB jogging stroller. We purchased ours off of CraigsList (it was brand new, still in the box but $100 less). Such an amazing stroller and manuevers really well.
-Bourdeaux’s Butt Paste is awesome. Really great when they start eating solids and their poop is more acidic and harmful to their soft skin.
Kris {The Freestyle Mother} says
I posted my Newborn Survival Kit last December on my blog! My top 5 are: white noise, baby carriers, nursing pillows, swaddling blankets (love Aden & Anais), soothers. As you can see, all have to do with getting a baby to sleep. I must say I am green with envy that your 3 week old sleeps about as well as my 19 month old.
Some people have all the baby luck! (Maybe one day I will too. Maybe??)
Good luck. She’s adorable!
Cynthia says
My “babies” are now 32 and 28, so I am passing on a recommendation as a grandmother. Shutterfly.com has wonderful photo books you can make, as I do for my grandchildren (ages 8 and 6) every year. They LOVE them! You can also make magnets, cards, posters, luggage tags, puzzles, calendars, lifesize wall decals, and many other one-of-a-kind gifts, as well as sharing your photos online with family and friends. It’s a fun way to be creative and find more than one use for great baby photos!
Tracey Dunham says
Love the clever way you are documenting Clara’s growth! Isn’t Photoshop so handy? It really allows you to be creative. Since as you say, I am not “packing the parental card in my wallet” but hope to one day, I would have to say the top 5 things that make my life easier are:
1. A Melita coffee pot- while a lot of people electrically program their coffee pot to pour hot java into their cups every morning, I prefer this old fashioned way of getting my morning fix. Plus it’s a quicker clean up too- you can’t beat that!
2. A GPS- I am directionally challenged even on my own two feet. The GPS has totally revolutionized my life and helps me get from point A to point B- plus it’s fun to name the different voices it comes with- Jeeves is a personal favorite for the male British voice.
3. The iPad- just kidding! But definitely I would have to say my laptop keeps me connected to the world and as a fellow blogger, I use it to find inspiration and remain up to date on news and the current ideas.
4. A bonfire. I will never tire of s’more roasting around a fire pit with good friends and good conversation.
5. Having dinner with your family. A nice homecooked meal and spending quality time with the people you love.
On a side note I just recently started a blog of my own and was wondering if you had any advice in regards to spreading the word about it. Or any other advice you have from your own experience blogging would be a big help! Thanks :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Tracey,
Here’s a post all about how our blog baby has grown:
https://www.younghouselove.com/2009/09/how-did-we-get-here/
It was pretty much a combination lots of hard work and some good luck along the way. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
LauraC says
It was really interesting to read through everybody’s “must haves”; people are all different! It’s fun to see Clara, as she reminds me of when our little Sophia was a newborn (she’s almost three now!) Yeah for little girls! I must say I thought I was a “relaxed” first-time parent, but looking back, I definitely wasn’t; I stressed over so many things that just didn’t matter, they worked themselves all out in the end (schedule, eating, sleeping). Now with a darling baby boy, it’s so much easier to relax and not worry so much.
Confession: I usually rebel against all of our cultural materialism and all the new things we are told we must have, so when I was registering a couple years ago, I didn’t want a baby monitor (“They didn’t have them 100 years ago”) but my mom pushed me to get one. I was sure I would never use it. But when it came time to move Sophia out of her bassinet in my room and into her crib (just a few feet down the hall) I was in tears afraid I wouldn’t hear her (even though she was 3 months old and sleeping through the night). So Mom reminded me about the baby monitor and I was so grateful! I had to eat a little bit of crow and put that monitor to use, but it was worth it!
Glad Clara is so easy!
Karen says
I love the onesie with the week number on them….and the background fabric. Beautiful! Just a quick suggestion… my daughter is documenting our grandson each month with something that is constant in each of his monthly photo shoots. For him it is a football (dad is a fanatic!), and it is fun to see how something so big at first (the football) is now beginning to be dwarfed by our almost 1 yr old! I have seen her friends also use a Tonka truck that the little guy will grow up and play with.
Just a suggestion you might like. She (my daughter) wishes she had thought of this with my granddaughter who is now 3!
Love your blog, and your baby is gorgeous!!!
Nicole says
I have to agree with Colleen that the Ergo is awesome. I carried my son in it until he was 3 and technically, I could still carry him, but he’s a big 4 year old now! :) When my daughter (she’s 5 months old now!) was smaller, I loved carrying her in my Chic Papoose sling. She got to be all cozy and I got to fold some laundry with two hands! Another must have is the Kiddapotamus SwaddleMe blanket. It has velcro to keep it closed, so you can effectively swaddle at 2am! My last favorite item is the Boon Grass drying rack. I’m back at work, so that means I’m pumping 2-3 times a day and have to wash my pump parts and the bottles everyday. The drying rack holds everything upright and allows air inside the bottles so they dry faster. Plus it looks super cute on the counter! Check them out, you’ll love the punchy lime green color!
alli says
fabulous! thanks for sharing!
just yesterday i was scouring the internet trying to find week-by-week onesies…had no idea it was all photoshop! if you get a chance, could you explain the how-to? i’d love to do the same for my little one coming in a few months :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Alli,
The photoshopped weeks on her onesie is an overlayed layered set on “Multiply” and I also decreased the opacity a bit, that way the shading of her shirt comes through. On the most recent one I had to transform the 3 a bit to make it match the fold in her shirt better too. It’s not perfect, but we think it does the trick. Hope that helps!
-John
Kate says
It’s sad that you were convinced that the itzbeen timer (or similar app) is necessary for having a healthy baby. Why not just trust your own body to tell you what side you need to feed on? And your baby to tell you when there’s a problem? If you get to know her rather than what a machine is telling you, so much the better!
Likewise with the Angelmonitor. What a silly idea! If she was in your bedroom her breathing and heartbeat would be regulated by yours and you wouldn’t have to be so worried about SIDS. I’m glad you’re getting so much sleep, but there are solid nature-based reasons why mothers don’t get much sleep in the early days.
Even the AAP, who I don’t always agree with, states clearly that babies should be in their own cribs IN YOUR ROOM to lower the risk of SIDS. They don’t suggest that you should buy a machine (which can malfunction) to pay attention for you.
Just different ways of doing things, I guess.
Jocelyn says
Congrats! I love the stamps/labels on your photos with Clara’s age on them. It’s much easier than always trying to calculate how old lil ones are in pics. I am going to go back and label some of my lil guy like that. He’s 5 months old now and calculating weeks get tricky! hehe. My fave 5 are:
1. Wellements Gripe Water- It’s organic and works miracles if your lil one has discomfort from gas!
2. Breastpump- I have a Medela (hands-free, though I always hold the bottles anyway). Lets you build up a store and hey, now dad can wake up for early AM feedings too.
3. Halo Sleep Sac- My lil guy moves around like crazy in his crib and it’s nice to know he’s safe from suffocating and also warm since he can’t kick the covers off!
4. Medela Microwave Steam Sterilizer bags- They are cheap, good for 20 uses for each bad (3 come in the box), and they save time in sterilizing baby items like nipples, pacis, and even breastpump parts.
5. Flip HD videocam- Crazy how time flies and how you forget what your newborns cry was like. So awesome to have a tiny, portable cam that takes quality video and is super affordable too!
Natalia says
I love, love, love the photos of Clara! They are too cute, especially the one from 3 weeks. You’ve given me some inspiration for my 4 week old, I need to get that camera out before the time passes.
Thanks!
Dee says
My (fourth) little one is almost 6 months old and I couldn’t live without my ring/pouch hybrid sling, swaddleme blanket (I suck at swaddling otherwise), bouncer (so she can be near me when she can’t be *on* me), and support. Help from family and friends…even if it’s just over the phone, has always been essential.
Natalie says
Thanks for all of the great tips! The hubs and I aren’t planning to expand our family for 2-3 years, but I saved all of the items you listed so I can have them when it comes time for baby #1!
P.S. Clara is soooo cute! So glad you’ll be doing weekly photos! Congrats again on your precious little one :)
gretchen says
Clara is darling! What a great idea to document her first year.
I still have the feeding/pooping diary my husband and I dutifully kept with our first baby. It makes me smile. All the detail, the tracking, the seriousness of it all…sigh.
I’m expecting our 8th baby in August. Here are my 5 essentials (leaving out the obvious diapers and car seat):
1. Many, many oversized light flannel receiving blankets. They serve a zillion purposes, from swaddling to nursing covers to makeshift changing pads.
2. Cotton onesies and sleepers. Other wardrobe items are mostly silly and have to be uncomfortable for the baby.
3. Old Navy socks because they do not fall off like other socks. Also, Hanna Andersson’s Swedish moccasins are a great footsie cover.
4. Blue hospital snot sucker, especially for winter babies.
5. Method’s baby wash and lotions. They smell like rice krispie treats.
Julie - A Fine Tooth Comb says
I LOVE these weekly pictures of Clara — and the fabric swatches are gorgeous! Wish I had done something like that with my son. Hard to believe he’ll be 5 next week. Enjoy these days while you can — to quote Darius Rucker, “it won’t be like this for long.” (sniff)
Melinda J says
I love the cuteness! Keep the pictures coming! I’m sure you can find a way to strategically pose her in your remodeling shots. :)
Here are our top five baby items:
1) Aden & Anais blankets. We couldn’t love them more! Our son is 13 months and is still soothed by the feel of them.
2) The Happiest Baby on the Block DVD. It seriously saved us when he was about 3 weeks old and stopped sleeping easily.
3) This hammock! My DH swings our DS to sleep in it. They are so cute snuggling in there together. It’s set up in our kitchen, which isn’t so cute, but it’s totally worth it!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001A71UR4/ref=oss_product
4) The Kelly Mom website and forums. We had a rough time nursing for the first several months and the ladies at Kelly Mom saved us!
5) The Ergo baby carrier. It really does surpass the others. I hesitated because of the cost and finally found one on Craigslist, but still felt like it was a splurge. The first time we used it we laughed at ourselves for not spending the money sooner. It is incredibly comfy for me, my husband, and our son.
amanda says
Has your pediatrician suggested waking her up in the middle of the night to eat? Just wondering since I was told not to wake them up to eat – they will eat when they want to eat – and I have a very good friend who did that with her first baby, and he has turned into a two year old who still doesn’t sleep through the night. Just wanted to share that in case you haven’t talked about it with your ped (but you guys are so on top of things, I’m sure you have). Enjoy parenthood – it’s awesome!
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, being first time parents we basically have the pediatrician on speed dial! Not to worry! Luckily Clara is an excellent sleeper so we’re crossing our fingers that she stays that way.
xo,
s
JenS says
Awesome pictures of Clara! Love the white onesies with the text!! So cute!
I turned my sister onto this FREE program on iPhone for tracking baby stuff – http://www.babybix.com/
Wish they had it for my first time around!!
And ITA about the SkipHop clutch! That’s all I use in my non-diaper bag too!!
Renee Smith says
1. LOTS OF BURP CLOTHS… we used the plain-old cheapie Gerber cotton diapers that came in a 12 pack. They made those impromptu pee moments easy to clean up, stopped me from ruining every other shirt I put on with breast milk (tuck one in tube top style across the front and use it to catch spillage while nursing), spit-up catcher (though I think that starts a little later), and so on!
2. Zolowear ring sling, which made nursing hands-free a possibility, as well as tons of other hands-free functionality when I just couldn’t put our son down… he was too cute to put down!
3. A lightweight snap-on stroller (we used the snap-n-go for a while, then switched to the Maxi Cosi Pearle umbrella stroller with the snap in feature.
4. Postpartum massage from my doula: I literally lost INCHES around my rib cage and hips because she pushed all those bones back into place… I was shocked by how much they had moved during the pregnancy! INCHES in just a couple HOURS of laying down being massaged (a little rough but worth it!).
5. Wish I had: Breast pump; we later got the Medela Freestyle, and I regretted that I didn’t have it right away as my body adjusted to the correct amount of milk (even just for some relief… not even for “back up” pumping).
Marcie says
The weekly pictures of Clara are adorable. Thank you for sharing them. I love the idea of using a different colorful background for each photo. I was wondering if you could tell me anything about the fabric that was used for Clara’s two week picture. It looks a bit like Orla Kiely but I’ve not seen those particular colors. I love the color combination.
YoungHouseLove says
We actually found that fabric at Hancock Fabric and it was super cheap! Hope it helps.
xo,
s
Nicole says
Here’s the Boon Grass, so cute!
http://www.amazon.com/Boon-Grass-Countertop-Drying-Green/dp/B0032G9E0G
Lauren McCormick says
Hey guys – here’s a great, easy, relatively healthy no-fail recipe:
– 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
– Peppridge Farm stuffing (it comes in a bag not a box)
– Parmesan cheese – shredded, not the stuff in the green shaker box
– stick of butter (or less, depending on how healthy you want to be)
– S&P to taste
Clean and trim chicken of all fat. Pre-soak in water with a little bit of salt for an hour (makes chicken VERY juicy!!)
Preheat oven to 350.
In a food processor, blend the stuffing, parm. cheese, and s&p. I use basically a handful of cheese, but depending on how much you want you can change. Transfer mixture into a bowl.
Melt butter in a bowl.
Using tongs, dip chicken in melted butter coating completely. Then dip and cover the chicken in the stuffing-cheese mixture.
Repeat with the rest of the chicken, and place chicken in an oven-safe container. Bake chicken at 350 for 60 minutes or until no longer pink in the middle.
Very easy recipe, always turns out fantastic!! :) I made it for me and the hubs earlier in the week… making it again for myself right now b/c it’s so easy and so good!!
Let me know if you like it, I usually make 4 for us and then we have it for lunch leftovers the next day. :)
Congrats, you two! And thanks for letting us all be a part of your lives :)
Crystal Clark says
I have a 4 and 2 year old and the 5 things I can’t live without are:
1. 1 change of clothes for each kid
2. wet wipes everywhere (in my purse, in the car, in every room)
3. healthy, handy snacks/treats
4. sound machine in each of their rooms to drown out noise
5. I’m not an advocate of a lot of tv but a dvd player for long car trips is a must
Marissa says
The prince lionheart washpod (http://www.princelionheart.com/site/n_bc_7301.html). It “cured” my little one’s colic at the end of the day and because she was more calm she would go to sleep better. I give it as a gift at EVERY baby shower I go to now.