Show Us Your Life

This week over at Kelly's Korner she's asking us to list out the baby gear we used and what we liked or didn't like about it and since I like sharing my opinion...oh anytime...here goes! ;)

Baby gear we used:

Bouncy chair - We used this constantly with the boys. I would say more with Owen. He literally slept in this for his morning nap until he was 6 months old. He would go in it every day while I took my shower and he would sleep for almost 2 hours.

Boppy - I loved my boppy...it was good for so many things....nursing being the most important. With Owen only weighing 5lb 14oz when we left the hospital he was so tiny it was hard to position him to nurse, but the Boppy really helped with that.

Owen also hated tummy time so it helped him feel like he wasn't being laid on his face.

It was also wonderful for sleeping. I tucked it into the bassinet we borrowed from our friends and then tucked Jack in and it helped him feel all snug as a bug. The Swaddle Me blanket helped too (Also a must)! Jack slept like this at night for the first 3 weeks of his life.

Swing - Both my boys loved the swing. Owen loved it for longer...Jack didn't like being confined as much. But they both slept and just hung out in there a lot. The music and the lights helped them be entertained so I could get a few things done.

Baby Bathtub/Sink - We definitely used the baby bathtub for the first few months, but once the boys started being able to hold themselves up I preferred to use the sink instead. It totally saved my back and since we have a really deep sink (I think it's 8 inches) they didn't try to climb out that much. The baby bathtub is totally worth the money for the first few months where they can't hold their head up. Plus someone always wants to buy those for shower gifts.

Double Stroller - We of course had a car seat...that's a given. What we got when Jack was born was a double stroller. It's from Kolcraft and it's the best thing ever! My parents bought it for us. The reason I love it is because it's so versatile. There is an attachment that comes with the stroller so you can put the car seat in (if you have twins you'll have to order another attachment), it comes with two big kid seats and they can be moved all around. They can both face me, they can both face out, one can face me and one can face out or they can face each other. I love it! They recline really far and the canopy actually keeps the sun out of their eyes. The bottom basket even holds up to 50lbs so when I do grocery shopping I don't even use a cart. This is probably my most important piece of baby gear I have.

Bumbo - My Aunt bought me this and at first I wasn't sure about it, but then I grew to love it. We used it all the time with both kids. I would put it on the kitchen counter and push it back all the way and make sure the baby wasn't close to anything that could hurt him and then I'd make dinner. It was a lifesaver...especially since both my boys HAVE to see what's going on and be in the action. They have trays for them now and I really want to get one.

Highchair - My Aunt also bought me a really nice highchair when Owen was born, but then later on I found this really basic highchair (sorry the picture doesn't really show the highchair) at IKEA. They are super cheap and super basic, but it serves it's purpose. I love that it's mostly plastic....the only part that can get yucky are the straps, but other than that you could just take the thing outside and hose it down. I love it!

Exersaucer - My friend's Nikki & Christa bought this for me when Owen was born. Like I said before Owen didn't mind being confined as much as Jack so he used it longer. It's definitely been well used though!

Portable Highchair - We have used this thing so much. It's almost always in the car. It can be used on a chair or just on the floor. It's really easy to clean and it keeps the kids contained when all you want them to do is sit down and eat. A must if you ask me!

Diaper Champ - This thing is only about $30 and it's totally worth it. You can use any old trash bag so you don't have to buy special bags like the Diaper Genie and it holds tons of stinky diapers. The only thing we noticed is it does start to smell after awhile, but Michael just put a bag of charcoal in the bottom and it absorbs the smell.

Aquarium/Noise Maker - Owen used his aquarium that was attached to his crib until he was almost 2 years old. He loved that thing! Now the boys have a noise maker that makes rain sounds and it's great.

Safety Equipment - Baby gates, plug covers, door knob covers & toilet locks all have come in handy at our house.

Crib - Kind of obvious!

Baby Gear we didn't use or like very much:

Wrap/Sling - I bought a Moby Wrap when Jack was born and I used it a bunch when he was a newborn, but after that not so much. I have back problems from all the accidents I've been in so I can only carry them around like that for so long before it starts to hurt. Plus the Moby Wrap can be kind of a hassle to put on. My friend Jen has a Ring Sling she's going to let me borrow with this baby so maybe I'll like that better.

Pack & Play - We use it when the boys need to sleep at other peoples houses, but not as much as I thought we would. I would still say it's a must, but I didn't use it everyday at our house. Jack liked to nap on his tummy on the couch before he started rolling over.

Wipe Warmer - I used this with Owen for about a week until I realized it's just a gimmick sort of thing. About oh 2 seconds after you take the wipes out they are cold and you have to buy these special pad things to keep the wipes from drying out. Totally lame! The baby just gets used to having a cold thing touch their bum for a few seconds.

Walker - Our pedi recommended not using one of these due to health reasons so it never crossed our minds to even get one.

Car Mirror - We have one of those mirrors that you put on the headrest of the backseat, but they always end up moving and you can't see anything so I would say save your $15 and don't buy one.

I could go on and on, but those are the big ones! :)