The best baby toys 0-6 months
Anything to keep a baby entertained I am all about. Paxton loved these toys when he was a baby and now Hadley is loving them just as much.
Tummy timeplay mats - you don't NEED multiple play mats. However, we were gifted with multiple and have one in 3 different rooms and it is honestly helpful to be able to set Hadley down to play in each room if I need to do something. If you set them down on their backs to play I recommend getting this pillow to prevent them from getting a flat head! She loves her water sensory mat! It keeps them so entertained during tummy time.
Oh Crap, I ruined my baby
If you’re a mom I know you’ve all thought this at least once. And if you’re like me, multiple times. I remember the first time this crossed my mind when my first child was a newborn. We were holding him to sleep so much that he wouldn’t sleep in his bassinet. So of course I thought “oh crap! I ruined my baby!” I held him too much. I didn’t give him enough opportunities to try and learn to put himself to sleep. He will never recover, we are doomed.
Wrong. When he was 3 months old he was fully sleep trained. It was almost as if holding your newborn baby a lot DOESN’T in fact ruin them. Crazy.
Toddler Toys- Paxton's Current Favorites
Entertaining a 2 year old can sometimes be a challenge. They get distracted so easily and move on to the next activity (or mischief). For the past few months these toys have been at the top of his entertainment list! He can play with each of these for several minutes (haha) at a time.
The Best Baby Sleep Products
This is just one mama’s opinion on the best baby sleep products. Sleep training is so important to me. I love following schedules and routines and I LOVE sleep. The first few weeks after bringing my first baby home I did so much research on sleep products and sleep training so that, selfishly, I could get MY sleep back. And of course because I knew how important setting up good sleep habits early would benefit both baby and mama. So, these are some of the best products that I’ve used with both of my babies that have helped us SO much in getting some real good sleep.
5 tips on surviving life with a newborn and a toddler
First off, I am no expert in being a mother. I feel like that just needs to be said. However, I have now done this twice. This being surviving the newborn stage. So I feel like I have a wee bit of insight that could possibly be useful to you! And so, after doing this two times now these are the 5 most important pieces of advice I tell to every new mama and now I am telling them to you. And chances are someone else probably told them to me. When I was a teacher we used to say “work smarter not harder” all the time. I feel like that goes with being a mom too. Who cares if you came up with it or if someone else did. Share it! Someone somewhere needs to hear it.
My Child has a Speech Delay
You know what sucks? Baby milestones. No I don’t mean when your child reaches a milestone, that doesn’t suck. I mean the chart at the doctor’s office that says “oh your child is 6 months? They should be eating now.” “You have a 4 month old? They should be sitting up on their own.” “18 month old? Ok at 10 words at LEAST by now.” I mean THOSE milestones. Those suck. Because what if my 6 month old isn’t eating? Do I have a broken baby? What if my 18 month old isn’t saying 10 words? Are they stupid? NO! But man, those thoughts sure do go through your head don’t they?
My child is 2 now. And he has zero words. That is now considered a speech delay.
Baby number 2 pregnancy thoughts
Y’all. I’m going to be honest. Paxton was NOT a planned baby. We were only married one year when we found out we were pregnant and we were just not financially - or mentally - ready. But when he arrived he quickly became our whole world. I cannot imagine life without him. Which I am sure, most of you feel about your first born’s. I always wanted children close in age because I come from a big family and siblings are just such a gift. Lifelong friends are you kidding me? Hadley was planned. We waited until Paxton was a year old and then - a few months later - found out we were pregnant with baby number 2. I was SO excited. And then… I was so sad!!