Tag Archives: boppy

Our Favorite Things: 9 to 12 Months

Emmett’s Favorite Things!

This is a bit delayed, seeing as Emmett is already 13.5 months old, but I am finally getting around to it. We had quite a few favorites this time around and I’m excited to share them all with you!

Philips AVENT BPA Free Contemporary Freeflow Pacifier

I know this may seem like a silly one to start with but in Emmett’s world, this is one of THE most important things to him. You’re probably wondering what made us choose to go with Philips AVENT, right? Well, we chose Philips AVENT for his bottles and we loved them so it made sense to give their pacifiers a try. He loved them from the very first time we put them in his mouth, when he was just a few days old. However, they did not become his love until in his 11 month. Now, he uses one everyday, most of the day. These are great because they’re made of silicone so it is nearly impossible for the nipple to be bitten off, I’ve tried and can’t with a mouthful of teeth. They are also designed for breath-ability, so there are little air vents around it so that baby’s saliva doesn’t just sit behind it and irritate the skin. Plus they have fun little designs on the base of them, while not an important feature for baby, momma might care. 😉 If you’re looking for a pacifier for your babe, I highly recommend Philips AVENT’s.

Fisher-Price EZ Clean High Chair, Coco Sorbet

We continue to LOVE this high chair! We have this Fisher-Price chair in the Luv U Zoo design and it has stood up to the beatings Emmett has given it. The cloth cover is removable and washable, so anytime Emmett decides to take a bite of yogurt and then spit it out on his high chair, it’s no big deal, we just take it off and pop it in the washer. The tray is easily connected and removed, I’ve done it with one available hand before and it is very sturdy. Since we live in an apartment we slide it to and from the table daily and it has not shown any signs of wear. It’s current $84 price point, makes it well worth the purchase!

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Boppy Nursing Pillow with Slipcover

This has once again made our favorite things list (this is the 4th time). It has been an amazing tool for breastfeeding, and I am comfortable saying that without it, I’m not sure how successful Emmett and I would have been. There are tons and tons of options out their for breastfeeding pillows but I truly believe that Boppys are one of the best. Our pillow and its slipcover have stood the test of time (13.5 months and counting) and many many washes. Oh and in case you’re curious, we have the sweet pea slipcover and it’s very cute!

Philips AVENT Toddler Spout and Philips AVENT Natural Drinking Cups

I swear that I do not work for Philips AVENT, nor is this a sponsored post, I just adore their products. Every Philips AVENT item we’ve purchased has lived up to it’s hype. We wanted a sippy cup that would provide a nice flow for Emmett but not just leak if dumped over. So many sippys out there, that don’t leak, require the baby to suck really hard to get any fluid out. Would you want to work that hard to get any liquid out?  With the Toddler Spout cups, it is absolutely leak proof until he sucks, but it requires as much suction as you would need to use a straw.

The Natural Drinking cups are great because they begin to prepare the toddler for drinking out of a normal cup but are leak proof until you tip it back and the toddler’s nose presses on the center circle. Emmett’s still learning how to drink using one of these, but it the perfect transition cup. I highly recommend both!

Philips AVENT BPA Free Classic Polypropylene Bottles

These made a previous list but Emmett continues to use one bottle a day at day care. The bottles have shown no sign of wear and we’ve not had one broken or cracked nipple in the entire time that Emmett has been using them (12 months). I learned about these bottles as a nanny and loved them enough to bring them into my home for Emmett, I continue to love them and will use them with any future children.

Pampers Cruisers

We  loved the Pampers Swaddlers and because of a recommendation from a friend we tried the Pampers Cruisers. We have not been disappointed. They work and fit as well as the Swaddlers. We will be sticking with them until he grows out of them.

Philips AVENT DECT Baby Monitor

Yes, another Philips AVENT product. Every single product I have of theirs is awesome, so we just keep buying more. Make excellent products and you end up with loyal customers. When I was still pregnant, we debated getting a video monitor, Seamus wanted one, I saw no reason for one. Emmett’s room is 20 feet away and at the first sound of distress I’d be charging in there. I eventually convinced Seamus to see my side and we started our search for a baby monitor and after looking over a ton of reviews, the Philips AVENT DECT Baby Monitor won out. It is affordable, and picks up every little creak or crack in his room. I NEVER felt like I was missing anything by not having a video monitor. This monitor has some seriously awesome features too, you can turn down the sensitivity so that it doesn’t run constantly and will only turn on at the first sound it hears. When I say it picks up everything, I am not lying. If he rolls over or sighs, it picks it up. The end that sits in the baby’s room does not have a rechargeable battery but you can leave it plugged in or you can use  batteries in it as a back-up. The parent end is rechargeable and the battery life on that sucker is amazing, I’m talking days. We’ve never struggled with interference or any sort of feedback and we’re going on 14 months of use. If you’re like me and don’t see a reason for the video monitor, check out this Philips AVENT product.

 Your turn!

What were some of your favorites for you children when they were 9 to 12 months old?

Please feel free to check out my other Favorite Things posts, 0 to 3 Months3 to 6 Months and 6 to 9 Months.

Our Favorite Things: 6 to 9 Months

Fisher-Price EZ Clean High Chair

I love this high chair.

Let me repeat that statement, so you know how serious I am, I love this high chair!! It is the most amazing high chair I’ve come across (and I’ve had experience with a few). It isn’t the fanciest high chair but it does its job very well (better than the other ones I’ve come across). I think my favorite feature is the chair cover, in the description it says this, “Crevice free to prevent food from getting stuck.” That doesn’t even begin to explain how great it actually is. The cover is cloth and is removable, that means that you can take it off and throw it in the washer and dryer and remove every tiny bit of grime without needing to scrub it down. So for those OCD moms out there who really like things to be germ/grime free for baby, this high chair is for you! That being said, if you don’t want to wash it constantly, it does wipe down easily and there really are no crevices for pieces to get stuck in

It also has a double tray so that you can easily detach the top one and wash it without needing to lug the entire thing around with you. And the straps are also fantastic because they’re not cloth; they’re a plasticy rubbery material, which wipes with ease.

This is also a very affordable high chair; it’s on sale on Amazon right now, for $70.17. I absolutely recommend this chair to anyone looking to buy one.

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Playskool – Rocktivity Walk N Roll Rider

What a fun toy, with decent music!

When Emmett first received this toy, he wasn’t quite mobile so we would sit him on it and he would just stare at the different buttons and bump into the horn occasionally. He just loved it! As he has progressed into a mobile baby, he loves having it in the upright position so that he can walk around with it. It moves pretty quickly on its own, so Seamus or I will help it slow down by holding the wheels lightly or making sure it’s faced in a direction where it will bump into something before it takes off.

If you’re looking for a walking toy, I would definitely recommend this.

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Boppy Nursing Pillow with Slipcover

This is the third time I’ve listed the Boppy nursing pillow in my list of favorites. Emmett continues to be breastfed and I use this pillow several times a day and without it, nursing would not be as enjoyable as it is. I know there are other nursing pillows out there but I truly feel like nothing compares to Boppy. If you’re nursing or planning on nursing, register or buy yourself a Boppy. I promise that you will not be disappointed.

 Baby-Led Weaning: The Essential Guide to Introducing Solid Foods – and Helping Your Baby to Grow Up a Happy and Confident Eater

This book and its methodologies have led Emmett to be a happy and healthy eater. There are days when he doesn’t want certain foods but I have yet to come across a food that he refuses to at least try once and I believe that it is because of this method. If you haven’t started solids with your baby or are looking for a different way of handling foods, give Baby Led Weaning a try.

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Pampers Swaddlers

This is the first time that I’ve added these to my list but they should have been on here long before. They are the most amazing diapers I’ve ever used; they keep Emmett completely dry and comfortable. We’ve tried Huggies, Luvs and Pampers Baby Dry and none work as well as Pampers Swaddlers. Sadly, the Swaddlers only go up to size 3 and Emmett is reaching the tail end of wearing 3s. Hopefully we are able to find something that works as well as the Swaddlers have.

My favorite part about Swaddlers is the yellow stripe that runs down the center of the diaper. When the baby is wet this stripe turns blue and lets the parents know that the baby needs to be changed. This is ingenious to me, especially for newborn babies who pee very lightly.

I just cannot say enough good things about Pampers.

Books

No book in particular, just books in general. We have so many and Emmett loves to sit and read with us as well or just sit on his own and flip through them.

Dear Emmett,

You are half a year old, Emmett and I simply can NOT believe this! That means you have been a part of our lives for 6 months, it seems impossible that, that much time has past since July 23.

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We started the month with Christmas! Well actually technically, we started with a visit from your cousin. We went to Duff’s for lunch and you were such a good boy. You fell asleep in the car on the way there and slept for a while in the restaurant while we waited for you cousin and her family to get there. Once everyone arrived you woke up and were just so happy. You were passed from your dad, to me, to your grandma, to your aunt and you remained happy and smiley. You even got some good cuddles in with you grandma. You’ve come a long way from the baby that wouldn’t let mommy and daddy go out for dinner without melting down.

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When we placed you and your cousin near each other, it was pretty much the most adorable thing ever. You or she would reach out your hand to one another and you’d either just lay them one on top of the other or you’d pull at her onesie or she’d pull at your binky. Seeing the two of you together filled my heart with love.

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THEN came Christmas! And boy oh boy were you spoiled by your grandparents on both sides. You received a new high chair, toys, clothes and other very special odds and ends. Your aunts and uncles were also very good to you, you are one LUCKY boy!

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You continue to roll over but there is a new element, since you’ve become so good at it, you will now roll from you back to your belly and stay there for a minute and then roll from belly to back, stay there and then roll over again. My little rolly polly olly! It’s really funny too, because we have a HUGE play area set up for you in the living room, with plenty of room for you to roll and roll and roll but yet you choose to roll the OTHER way and end up under the coffee table. You get SO mad when we pull you back onto your blankets and disturb your playtime but we want you to be safe and not put something into your mouth that you shouldn’t. You are just so darn cute and you make me smile.

You also encountered your first snow! You didn’t seem too impressed but I’d hate to break it to you kid, you better get used to it because your father and I don’t really have any plans on leaving the area so you’ll be in the snowy WNY area at least until you’re 18. 🙂

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You also seem quite smitten with my singing. I certainly don’t have a fantastic voice or anything; you just seem to enjoy the sound of the flowing melody. Oftentimes, when you get fussy or impatient on the changing table I’ll start singing, “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and you’ll quickly relax. It also seems to be your favorite song right now.  

You started doing this at the end of you fifth month but for some reason you love grabbing your daddy’s face. My guess is that you like the feeling of the prickles from his beard because you don’t do this to me. You take your little hands and grab the skin around his jaw line and pull and tug, probably trying to put it into your mouth (because that’s what you do with E V E R Y T H I N G). It’s humorous and while I’m sure it doesn’t feel great, your daddy doesn’t seem to mind.

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The above two pictures were not taken on Thanksgiving, you just had a blow out diaper and I didn’t feel like putting you in an outfit that you’d wear to day care.

You also had your first New Year’s Eve. It was very laid back for everyone, we stayed home and relaxed. Your dad and I did our own things, until just before the ball drop then we watched TV. We were curled up in bed cuddling and waiting for midnight to share a sweet kiss, when you decided that you wanted to join the party.  Your dad and I did get our kiss but then I went into your room and fed you and of course gave you a couple kisses,  you went right back down to sleep. You’re such a sweet boy!

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Baby New Year!

You finally truly understand how your bouncer works!! You still aren’t long enough to reach the floor without a large book underneath you but you now know how to bounce and to reach for the toys on the tray in front of you. There are two leaves that hang off of the poles that hold the springs, one leaf has a monkey and the other holds a rhino. They have been dangling just out of your reach but the other day you grabbed one and held on tight. It was the cutest! You refused to let go for the longest time, finally you did. Click the link to see Emmett bouncing.

You are getting closer and closer to sitting up like a big boy! We’ve been sitting you up with the boppy around your waste and you stay up for a little while before you decide to slide down or fall sideways. It seems that when we hold a toy at your eye level you stay upright best.  You also like sitting in daddies lap when you guys are on the floor. You use him almost like a boppy pillow. We do need to keep working on this skill because you have not quite mastered it yet, it will be happening soon, very very soon.

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You’ve also started to babble. Let me repeat that because it is so very exciting, YOU’VE STARTED TO BABBLE! You started with ‘da da da,’ the first time you did it, your dad went “Hey! He’s talking!” We both kind of couldn’t believe it. The night that it started you made a babbling sound and then the sound stopped but your mouth kept moving. It was really silly! It looked like you were trying to get the hang of your vocal cords. Here we are a week later and you most definitely have gotten the hang of it. Now when you yell, you no longer screech, you yell your DA! DA! DA! very loudly until someone starts paying attention to you. Click the link for an adorable babbling Emmett

You went through another one of your personality changes, at the start of the month you were a little cranky and needed constant attention,  now you are so happy! You are constantly smiling at me, daddy or anyone else who strikes your fancy. It’s the best to see you so excited about everything!

Well Emmet, my adorable 6 month old baby. We’ve had a great month, I look forward to everything else you have in store for us.

I love you!

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