behind the leopard glasses

Chapter 3:

When you are having a baby, there are a ton of decisions to make

and it is quickly becomes overwhelming.

We got A LOT of stuff in anticipation of the arrival of our bundle of joy.

We only registered on BabyList which was very helpful

because it gives you lots of product suggestions

and good guidelines of where to start.

Overall our experience with BabyList was positive.

It was kinda annoying because they don't let you know when things are sold out

so things that are not actually available live on the list without notifying you.

I found this out only after people said something to me about it.

I had to manually go in and delete products that were not available.

Annoying and not the most user friendly.

🤷🏻‍♀️

Anyways...

Here is what we actually use on the daily:

{for context our baby is going to be 6 months next week!}

Row 1:

Evenflow Pivot Xpand Modular Travel System- (thanks to my Nonni for this!)- this is our car seat too with the SafeMax Infant Car Seat Base. I like this, it is pretty easy to use, I do think the tightening/loosening mechanism strap at the bottom is a little annoying. It drags on the floor and gets caught in the car seat base making it hard to take the baby out of the car seat without removing the whole car seat.

Bobby Original Feeding and Infant Support Pillow in "Neutral Jungle"- (thanks to my in-laws for this!) - this is incredibly helpful for breast-feeding but also for other people to hold baby. It takes the pressure off your shoulders and back while supporting baby. A word of caution ⚠️ - this will be in all of your early baby photos so make sure it is a pattern you actually like. I would consider getting the "My Brest Friend" pillow though, it attaches behind your back so it is easier to get be able to stand up and get baby and has a water bottle holder.

DockATot Deluxe+ Dock in "Charcoal Buffalo"- (thanks to the Wholesale Team at JV for this!)- this was so helpful especially when Little Charlie was a newborn. He would lay in this on the couch and on the table while we ate dinner, he was nice and cozy. I know that DockATot has been issued a notice of violation that they are not safe for sleep so that is something to consider. Now he can probably roll out of it so it doesn't get used as much but I will tell you that the cat is also obsessed with this...

Row 2:

Pampers Swaddlers Diapers- these are our favorite diapers we have tried, we have used them from NB - size 3 which we have just upgraded into! We also use the Pampers Club app so hopefully some brand loyalty will pay off? We also love WaterWipes.

How cute is this "diaper cake" from my Aunt Vicki?!

Loved that it had three sizes so it was a great starter pack of diapers!

eufy Baby Video Monitor- (thanks to my Aunt Loretta for this!)- I really wanted a baby monitor that does not use Wifi because I have been terrified since the stories of people hacking them. If I am being totally honest about this product- we are on our second one. The first one broke the first time we went to use it (the whole top of the camera fell into the crib which could have REALLY hurt Charlie if he was in there). The monitor also stopped working so we are on the second one of that too... Customer service has been responsive but not sure I love this. The quality of the picture and audio is good though. Range is pretty good wish it was a little longer though. This is the mount we got to be able to mount it to the crib or while traveling.

Fisher-Price Sweet Snugapuppy Cradle 'n Swing- (thanks to my in-laws for this!)- Little Charlie enjoys this, it was really calming for him when he was a newborn. I do wish that the spinning part and music lasted longer when it is on.

Row 3:

Dr. Brown's Options+ Bottle Newborn Feeding Set- (thanks to Charlie's coworker Cristina for these!)- this set is perfect for starting to bottle feed. We use these on the daily.

Keekaroo Peanut Changer- (thanks to my in-laws for this!)- this changing pad is perfect. I am so happy we didn't go with a cloth one, I can only imagine how many times we would have had to wash it already. We call the active poops/pees while changing "live action" and they are pretty common... thank god we can just wipe this down!

The accuracy of this one:

{source: @postpartumtips 🔛 Instagram}

BabyBjörn Bouncer Bliss- (thanks to my sister Bianca for this!)- we use this every day. Little Charlie loves to sit in it and giggle while bouncing himself. It is also good to calm him down in and we occasionally feed him in this chair. Love that it has three adjustable settings too. Machine washable but can't go in the dryer so when there is an accident waiting for it to dry it tough.

Row 4:

Skip Hop Moby Smart Sling 3-Stage Bath Tub- (thanks to Charlie's coworker Cristina for this!)- I enjoy using this bathtub and it is easy to clean. I like the sling but we recently moved it to the sitting position and we are struggling. I think it is because Charlie refuses to sit properly so he keeps sliding. Another word of caution is that the shape of this tub makes it hard to get close to the faucet so we had to rig a bowl to be able to fill the tub up.

BabyBjörn Baby Carrier One in Beige/Leopard- (thanks to my sister Silvia for this!)- I love this carrier! I think it is easy to use, comfortable and has a variety of carrying options. I do wish it had like a pocket or something that I could throw my phone in (like the front pocket of overalls or something) because sometimes it is hard to get into any pockets while baby wearing.

Hatch Rest Baby Night Light- (thanks to my former supervisor Gabriella for this!)- we use this every night and every nap. It is much easier now because I finally downloaded the app and can change it from anywhere in the house. I think that the lullaby does help the baby sleep longer but it will drive you crazy if you're not careful. I like the rain setting and the changing color light option. Also love this night light for the changing table- bought two to be able to rotate when one of them is dead.

Row 5:

haakaa Electric Baby Nail Trimmer- (thanks to my friend Renee for this!)- I use this every other day on Little Charlie's talons. I like that it is super easy, fast and you don't have to worry about going too short or hurting him. I also like to use the bigger grit options for my own nails (bonus!). I do wish that the little bits stayed in place in the carrier because they always fall out.

This made me laugh because it is SO TRUE

{source: @arynlindsey via Worthy Words on Facebook}

OXO Tot Space Saving Drying Rack- (thanks for my friend Krista for this!)- This is the perfect size for us and takes up little space on the counter.

Haakaa 4 oz Silicone Breast Pump- (I bought this- 3 of them to be exact, one for downstairs, one for upstairs, and one for my travel bag)- I will probably do a whole post on my breast feeding journey but this is such a helpful little contraption. I use it to catch milk from the other breast while feeding my baby. You get a good amount with no additional effort!

I also realized that I never shared any links to our nursery furniture

or anything really in the tour post...

I LOVE how it came out, it is so inviting and makes me happy!

Here are the main components of our nursery:

evolur Stilnovo Mid Century 4-in-1 Convertible Crib in Sugarcane- (thanks to my parents for this!)- We love it, it is currently in our room and fits perfectly in both spots. Love that it can convert to a toddler bed and then be used as headboard for a big boy bed!

Animal Laundry Hamper in Natural- (thanks to my in-laws for this!)- I love how this looks, right now we are using it to hold our baby carriers when they are not being used.

Design Dua Signature Bilia Bassinet in Harvest- (thanks to my parents for this!)- I love the look of this! Now it is being used to hold stuffed animals but we were able to use it for amount three months before our long boy outgrew it. We also have the stand & got some extra sets of sheets which was clutch for newborn life.

evolur Stilnovo Mid Century Double Dresser in Sugarcane- (thanks to my grandma & great aunt for this!)- this is beautiful, it did arrive a little damaged which was to be expected according to the reviews. Thankfully it was just one drawer that was broken and we were able to add some wood to it to fix it. I love how this looks with the crib. We add the Keekaroo Peanut Changer right to the top of this and it is perfect.

For a refresher on the nursery & to see these products in action:

Some other honorable mention products:

Baby Trend Lil Snooze Deluxe II Nursery Center- this was something we purchased the day we came home from the hospital when we realized that we needed a better solution for changing the baby on the first floor since I was suppose to limit the amount of stairs while recovering. We had it delivered same day with Shipt from Target. It was like $75 and a game changer. We still use this on the daily. Charlie outgrew the bassinet pretty quickly but he likes the crib part and it has two crib settings so we can use this as he continues to grow. The changing table part is a little slanted but it is usable. We use it so much, and it is such a great price, that we shipped one to my parents house for when we sleep there and it is so convenient.

We also have this one for traveling and love how compact and easy it is to set up (thank to my Aunt Loretta for this!)

Chicco Polly Folding Highchair- (thanks to my Zia Mina for this!)- we just started using this since we started solids! So far so good with this highchair. I like that it is adjustable, easy to clean and has a removable tray.

Woodland Animal Baby Mobile- (thanks to my sister Silvia for this)- this is so cute and I love the look of it but it is kinda a pain in the ass. It doesn't come with an arm to attach it to the crib and when you do attach it is too low, I have had to tie it up to try and higher it. I don't know how much longer we will be able to use this since Little Charlie is now grabbing at things. For reference: we started with this Wooden Crib Mobile Arm but it was just too unstable and fell into the crib. We got this one from Buy Buy Baby- I like it but didn't like the white so my hubby spray painted it and it is perfect!

This cartoon made me laugh:

{source: via Science Humor on Facebook}

Little Remedies Gripe Water & Gas Drops- we buy these monthly pretty much. We have a gassy baby and the doctor recommended using gas drops and I do think they help.

This handmade blanket that Charlie's coworker Chelsea made is one of my favorite things. I love that his name is like 3D. It is so beautiful and will be cherished forever!

This meme made me laugh:

{source: @iamthirtyaf 🔛 Instagram}

One last product that is not exactly a baby product

but was one of my favorite things from my baby shower(s).

The Cloud Massage Shiatsu Foot Massager Machine- (shout out to the fulfillment team at JV for this god send)- this was clutch when I was pregnancy and still now because I am constantly on my feet with this babe