Leah F's (only) recommendation for Preschoolers

Okay, so my recommendation isn't profound, though the title of my post might make it sound like there is only one possible thing to recommend :-) I like what Leah P and Meg have already said, I agree with them, and I cannot add much to their list at all. Also, though I have a four year old, I don't do any kind of structured preschool time with her yet, so I don't have much to suggest.

Disclaimers aside, here is my recommendation: LeapFrog Scribble and Write. I am generally opposed to electronic toys, but I like this one. It was given to Georgia about a year ago, and frankly I hid it away because I thought she was too young. I am glad I did, because when I brought out late fall, she understood and enjoyed it and was able to use it easily. The concept is like an electronic Magna-Doodle--children trace the lights with the stylus, drawing simple shapes and evolving to writing upper and lower case letters. This toy helps with alphabet and shape recognition, and also helps children learn to draw and write. The stylus is the perfect size for my little girl's hand, and the 'eraser' works just like her beloved Magna-Doodle, so she figured it out quickly. I have been greatly impressed with how much time she has spent playing with this toy! It is perfectly at her level (while some other computerized toys are a little above her skill set right now). So again, though it is "electronic", I find it to be a useful, fun, educational tool/toy for my preschooler. You should check it out! ($21.99 at Amazon)

Meg's favorite preschool resources

We haven't done a lot of preschool with Karis yet, but there are a few things that she and Karlie have really enjoyed. (When you have two littles, the youngest seems to learn everything right along with the older!)

1. This Melissa and Doug magnetic chalkboard/whiteboard with wooden letters and numbers:

It comes with some letters and numbers, but I went ahead and bought the extra set of letters because I think it is so important for them to learn the lowercase letters along with the uppercase ones. I cannot tell you how much fun they have had with this! I started with just one letter pair a week and slowly added the alphabet (the vowels first, then adding consonants), along with the numbers. We sit on the bed and I ask them questions as they take turns taking the letters and numbers off. For Karis, I ask questions like, "Which letter says, 'buh?' and "which number is first in line" or "which number is beside the 2?" or "which number is between the 4 and the 6?" With Karlie, I ask more simple questions like where is the "Jj?" or "what sound does the 'A' make?" or "what color is the 2?" They get really excited about their turn and after all the letters and numbers are off, I just let them play with them all. I love that it is magnetic and the letters are wooden rather than cheap plastic!

2. A calendar :

My girls really look forward every day to putting up the new number for the day, singing our days of the week and months of the year songs, and picking the weather for the day. I just use painter's tape that comes off easily to stick everything up there. I love doing the calendar with them because they learn to recognize numbers up to 31, and it helps them look forward to special days and visits from grandparents. I have tiny pictures of their grandparents that we put on the calendar to show when they are coming to visit each month and we will count to it each day. They also get really excited each month when I print out a different (seasonal) picture to use for the numbers. I plan to start doing patterns with the numbers soon (like alternating two different colors for an AB pattern, then adding more colors or shapes when they start to find that too easy). Sometimes I just let them play with the calendar (which is why the weather is all messed up right now :) The calendar has definitely been a fun and easy way to help my girls learn!

3. Tactile Letters and Numbers:

As a former pre-school teacher who saw too many energetic and busy little ones forced to sit down and practice writing letters before they really needed to or could even do it without frustration, I have not been in any hurry to teach Karis to write her letters. I want her to find learning fun! So I was excited to find these sand-paper letters on Amazon and quickly incorporated them into our letter book. As we discuss a new letter each week, I make a page for our binder that has a picture of different ways they will read the letter in a book, a little rhyme to help them remember the sound the letter makes, the sandpaper letter, and directions to help them learn to trace (and eventually write) the letter. We pull the book out a few times a week and chant the rhyme and directions and they practice tracing the letter with their fingers. That way, it will be very simple for them to know how to write it when they get the patience and coordination. They love the feel of the sand-paper letters and tracing them is probably their favorite part of looking at our letter book!

4. Before Five in a Row and Five in a Row books -- These books are pricey, so I would recommend getting them at the library, but I really like them. The author chooses some of the best books available, recommends that you read the book 5 times with your child, and gives you ideas of activities to do with them. The B4 book is very simple and a lot of the ideas I could come up with myself, but it saves me the trouble of trying :) The actual 5 in a row series is great, and tries to bring in ideas for all subjects, such as geography, Bible, and even cooking! My girls have really enjoyed each book selection and the things I have pulled from them.

5. Matching puzzles like THESE -- I could have probably posted these with the toddler products because Karlie has been obsessed with them since about 18 months, but the older topics like "opposites" and "rhyming" are great for preschoolers as well. Keep your eyes open because we actually found some similar ones at the dollar store! We currently have "pairs" (things that go together like a hat and a glove or bread and butter), "animal Mamas and babies," "uppercase and lower case," and "rhyming."

Those are just a few of the things that we use a lot right now. I'd love to hear your suggestions!

Leah P's Top Picks for Preschoolers

Our recommendations this week will cover the Preschool Years. Here's my Top 5:

1. Scholastic Storybook Treasures DVDs. We rent these from the library and my kids love them. They are short videos of classic children's books. They add animation to the original words and artwork. Super fun. (4 disc set on Amazon for $19.49)

2. Melissa & Doug See & Spell. This is great for practicing spelling without having to know how to spell the word. And it uses lowercase letters, which my boys need practice on. ($15.10 on Amazon)

3. Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards. Another Melissa & Doug toy that we like here at our house. This toy is good for fine motor skills and it's fun. ($13.55 on Amazon)

4. The Jesus Storybook Bible. This is the Bible we read out of for Family Bible Time. I like the pictures and the way each story points pretty explicitly to Christ. We have the original Bible, but I just saw that there is a Deluxe Edition out that includes a complete audio CD. ($16.49 on Amazon)

5. Bob Books. These books would be for the older end of Preschoolers. Bob Books are for beginning readers. The Beginner Set includes 12 books. Each book has simple illustrations with very simple sentences. Each book introduces new sounds and builds on the last. I tried these books with Samuel about a year ago when he was 3.5 years old. He knew his letters and their sounds, but he was not ready for the next step. I returned them to the library and put them in the back of my mind. Then about a month ago, I thought I might try them again. I checked them out from the library and we've had great success. Samuel gets so proud of himself when he can read a book. It really builds his confidence. And he is making big steps in learning how to read. ($9.93 on Amazon)

What about you? Any recommendations for a preschooler?

Meg's Favorites for Toddlers

Baby dolls and accessories -- My girls just love them! I think Karis got her first doll when she about 7 months old and it has been her favorite thing ever since! My girls carry them around and put them in slings and pretty much take care of them all day long! We simply can't do anything around the house without a doll baby :) My girls have been given many different dolls, but they particularly love the Little Mommy Newborn Nursery doll. Keep an eye out for consignment sales, because you can find really good deals on fun accessories like baby doll strollers, swings, pack N plays, and play mats.

Fisher Price Little People and animals -- Oh, how my girls love them! I think they are way overpriced at the stores, but if you factor in how many hours my girls have spent playing with them, they are well worth any amount of money :) But once again, these are easily found at consignment sales and we haven't paid more than $5 for any set. We currently have the Noah's Ark, School Bus, Farm, and Alphabet Zoo. We usually only have one set out at a time, and switch them out every few months.

Puzzles, esp. Melissa and Doug -- Both of my girls have been obsessed with puzzles, and it started at the toddler age. They pretty much taught themselves their letters, numbers, and shapes by doing puzzles with us and asking us to tell them the name of each piece. I especially love the Melissa and Doug puzzles -- they have ones with big pegs for babies, little pegs for toddlers, and big floor puzzles for the older ones. My girls have loved them all!

Books -- My girls would read books with me all day long if I let them. They are always following me around the house and bringing their books with them to look at as I cook and clean. They've always loved books by Boynton, Dr. Seuss, Eric Carle, any Mother Goose collection, Raffi and other "singing" books, Curious George books, 5 Little Monkeys books, and Biscuit books. We've really enjoyed the Alphabet and Pre-reading Skills Bob books, as well as the Big Picture Story Bible. They are currently obsessed with "Alfie and Annie Rose," books by Jan Brett, and "I Spy" books. I could go on and on about our favorite toddler books, but I think that is plenty!

Doll house and people -- Definitely something else that my girls will play with for hours! I love to hear them talking to the people, imagining all sorts of scenarios, and telling me about what each character is doing. We started out with a worn old Fisher Price dollhouse that we found at the consignment sale for $5. Then my folks got the girls this beautiful wooden one with cute wooden people (from Cracker Barrel) for Christmas. Oh, they love it so much!

Kitchen set/food -- My girls love to cook just like Momma! Kitchen sets can be pricey, but just keep an eye out at yard sales and consignment sales :) I LOVE the Melissa and Doug wooden food and this stainless steel pots and pans set that the grandparents gave my girls. My girls have also been known to take their play-doh into their kitchen and make their own food :)

Dress-up clothes -- It is a very rare day that my girls don't wear something from their dress-up bin! Karis is currently obsessed with a ballerina outfit my folks gave her for Christmas and Karlie loves some purple sparkly butterfly wings. They are always putting on their tutus and they generally wear about ten different hats over the course of the day!

Stickers! These are definitely one of their favorite things to do at the table while I am making dinner. Karlie still has trouble getting them off the page sometimes, but luckily Karis is at a stage where she likes to help Karlie with her stickers. Nina bought them each these awesome Melissa and Doug sticker books last weekend and in just two days, they have almost emptied them! They especially love the "dress-up" stickers (kind of like paper dolls, only they stay in place!) They also LOVE the foam stickers, and my youngest seems to be able to get the backs off them more easily. but get them at a dollar store; they are expensive elsewhere.

I'd love to hear about some of your toddler favorites!

Leah P's Top Picks for Toddlers

We're ready to cover the next age group this week with our favorite products for the Toddler Years. I revisted my original post on this topic when Samuel was 2 years old. I must say that my boys still play with all of these items (Sam age 4, Joel age 2). I am adding a few here that they have added to their rotation:

In the course of the day, Samuel and Joel play with the following:

1. Trains. We started out with a set from IKEA for $14.99 along with Thomas and James. We have since added to the collection with birthday presents, hand-me-downs and Craigslist purchases.

2. Cars. This is the boys latest obsession - Disney Cars cars to be exact. Our collection is a mix of hand-me-downs, Christmas presents, and just for fun purchases.

3. Dump Trucks & Backhoes. We have indoor ones and outdoors ones.

4. The other thing that the boys like to play with in the summer is a slide and pool. We purchased the pool for $4.99 from Menards and the climber w/ slide for $5 from a garage sale.

As far as non-toy Toddler Products that I would recommend:

1. NUK Gerber Scoopin' Spoons. These are the best spoons, IMO, because they are deep and food doesn't slip off. ($7.82/2pk on Amazon; also sold in stores)

2. Disney Pooh Soft Potty Seat. This is the potty seat we have used to potty train both boys. The great thing about the seat is the extra-high pee guard on the front. Not all potty seats have this. I bought a second seat one time that had a puny little pee guard on the front and it just didn't do the job. I definitely recommend the bigger guard (you will thank me, trust me! ha, ha). ($12.98 on Amazon; also sold in stores)

3. Leap Frog Letter Factory DVD. I'm not a big endorser of TV and movies, but I will stand by this DVD. It is GREAT for little ones to learn their alphabet and the sounds each letter makes. Both of my boys knew the alphabet and sounds before 2 years old. This is a cute 35-minute video. ($8.99 on Amazon; my link is to a 3 DVD set for $21.49 that I highly recommend)

We'd love to hear your thoughts. What Toddler Products are your favorites? What did you think you wanted/needed but didn't end up using all that much?

Meg's fav 6-12 month products

Oh, this age is so much fun! While I don't have any products that I wouldn't want to live without (other than the Ergo, which Hollie already mentioned and is by far the easiest, most comfortable, and hands free baby carrier I've tried), there are several products that I really enjoyed using with my girls. So here they are in no particular order:

Munchkin Blow-up ducky bath -- As soon as they were able to sit up, I switched to this bathtub and the girls just loved having the freedom to take a "real" bath and splash and squirm to their hearts' content. It fit right inside my tub and even left enough room for my oldest to take a bath beside my little one without the fear of her getting mistakenly pushed over under water.

All natural, wooden or cloth teethers -- With my second baby, I started trying to get rid of all the plastic teethers in my house because I didn't know if they contained BPA or not. There are so many great natural teethers out nowadays! They are definitely more expensive, but you don't need that many and they are totally worth it to me. Karlie loved them! Here are a few options: Ringley Teether, Green Sprouts Blankie Teether, Little Alouette Teethers, Dad's Wooden Toys, Maple Teethers, and there are tons more if you search Amazon or Etsy. Oh, and how about this idea for a teething necklace for Mommas to wear? (Since the baby is going to try to eat any necklace I wear anyways :) I found one on a great sale and it is perfect for when I'm wearing my baby in the Ergo!

Mesh feeder -- This thing saved me many a meal time when my baby was too little to eat something we were eating but so badly wanted to! She could chomp down and chew as much as she wanted without worrying about the food being a chocking hazard. If she was teething badly I would fill it with frozen blueberries or peas and she would be a happy camper!

Leap Frog Music Table -- I'm not usually all about things that make a lot of noise, but both of my girls absolutely loved this! The legs come off easily, so when the baby was too little to stand, she could still have fun climbing on it, pushing buttons, and making music. Once I put the legs on, it quickly became a favorite thing to pull up on because it was so so sturdy. And it made for a slow walker as well.

Books! I start reading to my little ones from the time they are born, but around this age, they really start to enjoy looking at them on their own. Little chunky one are the best for such small fingers. They also really enjoy books that have texture and/or flaps. Some of our favorites: Touch and Feel Animals, That's not my... Usborne Series, Pinwheel Peekaboo puppet books, Karen Katz books, Brown Bear and Friends, Dr. Seuss Bright and Early Board Books

Exersaucer -- Both of my girls would go wild in this thing! We always put it in our kitchen and it definitely helped me to get dinner made :)

Munchkin plates, bowls, cups, utensils -- Although I am slowly trying to weed out the plastic in our life and are saving up for this cute stainless steel collection , the inexpensive Munchkin dinnerware is at least BPA free and my kids have loved the colorful designs.

Hollie's Favorite Newborn Items

I agree with the other POH authors about their favorite newborn items, and I'd also like to add a few other favs of mine that were very helpful with having my second child.

Knit booties that tie. I LOVED having these booties, since they did not fall off her feet, unlike socks. I was so sad when my daughter outgrew these booties. They were a gift from a friend's mother, so if you know someone who knits, have them knit you a pair of booties for your little newbie. You won't regret it.

Baby wearing: I'm a huge fan of babywearing. Here I had on a Hug-a-bub wrap made by a friend of mine when I had my first child.  I was happy to be able to use it again the second go-around. I believe it's similar to a Moby wrap. I liked this wrap for the newborn stage. Click here for directions on how to tie it.

With my second child, I found out about the K'tan, and I also REALLY enjoyed using this carrier.

And then you have the beloved Ergo Baby Carrier. Even if you haven't been a POHer for long, you at least know that the Ergo brings it, and I haven't met a person who didn't like it. I did carry my newby in the Ergo if I was walking long distances (like at the Fair) using the infant insert (and this was before I had a K'tan), but it wasn't my most favorite time to use the Ergo. Totally do-able though if you don't want to buy another carrier for the newborn stage.

At the Fair and nursing might I add!
I nursed while we walked around.
Would not have done it w/o a nursing cover.

Infant Insert: Picture taken from above,
so you can see how they fit in the carrier.



My friend Rachael Davis and I at the NC Zoo.  Both of our families went together
to the zoo. Mattie was 2 months old, and Tucker was just shy of that. He is 3 weeks younger than Mattie.

(Rachael, can you chime in on the comments section and share with us which carrier you had? I am drawing a blank right now.)

Basically, all I did in the newborn stage was nurse and carry my baby around in a carrier. Carriers are essential, unless you just want burning arms of flame and enjoy doing everything with one hand.

I loved this little newborn play-gym. Wasn't super sturdy, but did the job and she loved it. Here, I had her sitting in the bumbo and enjoying her new view.



 The Bouncer.

 I borrowed this one from a friend and really enjoyed it for the first few months of the newborn stage. After about 8 or 10 weeks, I really liked my other bouncer that sat more upright, so my girls could interact with the mobile, that was within arm's reach.

And for your enjoyment, Mattie had her hand was up in the air while she was sleeping/dreaming. I say she's praising the Lord! :)



I LOVED LOVED LOVED this little bath hammock. Walmart sells them and they are very inexpensive.



Can you tell I used it as long as I could? Look at how much she filled out..
....although, she did have a pretty big belly in that first pic too.



Two Newborn Questions for our Readers

It is amazing how quickly we forget the newborn stage and all the ups and downs that come with it! My children are not *that* old and yet I cannot remember many details of their infancy, or how we handled certain issues. So, I am asking our readers!

1--Do you use a pacifier? If so, for how long? Neither of my first two took a pacifier easily, but E likes to suck on things...a LOT! I don't want my nursing to become her pacifier, but I don't want her to be dependent on a pacifier indefinitely.

2--When did your newborn start sleeping in their bed during the day? Eleanor, of course, is less than a week old and very new, so she sleeps a lot. She falls asleep on me, on her daddy, on the couch, etc, but doesnt really like to rest in her bed during the day. Since her sleep patterns are irregular right now, I am not concerned, but I can't remember when I started putting my othet two in their cribs for rest/naps.

I would love your thoughts, friends!!

Leah F's Newborn Favorites

My little girl, Eleanor, was born on Monday evening, so I am currently right in the thick of NEWBORN-ness! Below are some of my favorite things, but I must say, this list could change daily depending on my/Eleanor's sleep and the other kids' needs:-)

Bravado Nursing Bras--Meg and Leah both mentioned nursing tanks, and I love those as well, but you need a good nursing bra. I have not found a better nursing bra than the Bravado brand. They are pricey, but they last a long time and provide tons of support with and without underwire.

Lansinoh Ultra Soft Nursing Pads--I think these nursing pads are the softest disposable pads available. Sadly, they are hard to find--Babies R Us carries them in store, and you can buy them online. They are different (and softer) than the regular Lansinoh pads.

Aveeno Soothing Relief Cream Wash--All of my kids have sensitive skin, and even things formulated especially for babies makes them break out. I really like this Aveeno baby wash because it is thick and creamy and moisturizing, and my kids' skin love it! I would also recommend the Soothing Relief Moisturizing Cream for the same reasons.

Bobble Water Bottle--As a nursing mom, I get thirsty a lot! And if I don't get thirsty, I still need to drink or I will not be feeling well. The Bobble Water Bottle has a built in filter that allows me to use water from anywhere in it! You simply replace the filter every two months. LOVE it! Now if I could only keep it away from Georgia and Baxter, who think it is cool too...

Amazon Kindle, reading light, and Memory Moleskine--Middle of the night feedings are low-key, low-light affairs, but sometimes it is helpful to have something to read so you don't fall asleep too heavily! The Amazon Kindle is perfect for having multiple books at your fingertips, plus it is much easier to balance in one hand than a thick book. A small reading light is a must as well! This week I have not used my Kindle as much, but I have taken the time to review Philippians 1:1-6 during the middle of the night feedings, and that has been very helpful.

Granola bars/snack bars--Along with needing water, a nursing mom needs extra calories. I find that hunger strikes at random times (like 2 a.m.), and I need to have something quick and easy at my fingertips. In general I don't keep a lot of packaged food around, but at this early stage of nursing, I like to have a few granola bars/snack bars within reach for when the hunger hits. I am enjoying Kashi products right now, but that is a personal prefence.

Bulk diapers and wipes--We were blessed to have generous friends who gave us diapers and wipes that will keep us 'stocked up' for a little while. I intend to switch to cloth diapers in the future, but right now, disposable diapers are going on Eleanor since she is going through so many! Having LOTS of diapers on hand relieves the stress of trying to get to the store when you run out:-)

I feel like this post might be a little rambly, even for me, and I hope you don't mind! Many of you have shared what products worked for you, but we would love to hear more suggestions.

Random Swaddle Question

Since we are talking about newborn products and it seems like many of you use a swaddle with your babies, I thought I'd ask how long you swaddle them. My first baby was such an awesome sleeper in the swaddle that I didn't have the nerve to stop using it til she was about 9 months old! (I know, it was a little ridiculous :) She definitely didn't need it that long, but she was addicted to it and I was addicted to such great sleep! It was hard for her to give it up, though, so with my second baby, I took it away around 6 months. Still a tough transition. I'm thinking that they probably don't need it any more once the "startle reflex" is gone, but I thought I'd ask about your experiences as I think about how long to swaddle my new baby. So let me know: how long did you swaddle your babies?

Meg's Fav Baby products

I laughed when I read Leah's post, because we have many of the same favorites! And in less than a month, I'll be experiencing the newborn stage again, so I'm sure I'll have other ideas to share. But for now, here are the things that I would HATE to be without the first few months with a newborn. (I apologize that the first 3 are similar to Leah's, but they are so important that they are worth repeating :) Please comment and share your favorites as well! I'm eager to try them out in the next month when our new baby comes!

1. Nursing tank tops -- I know Leah mentioned these, but I seriously wear them almost every day when nursing. In the winter, they make great layers under sweaters so my back isn't exposed when nursing, and in the summer, I wear them around the house by themselves. Target has the best prices by far, and if you look online you will find more color options and sometimes great sale prices. Cotton Babies has really nice ones that are more pricey, but they are currently on sale (with free shipping!) for about the same price as Target's.

2. Some kind of baby carrier -- Oh, how I love wearing my baby! I love the moby-style wrap or the ring sling for newborns. They are expensive to buy, but I have successfully made each of them myself for about ten dollars each. And I really don't do much with material, so please know that anyone could make them! They don't even require sewing! Here are the links again for instructions on making both of them: Ring Sling and Moby-style Wrap.

3. A Swaddle -- Both of my babies LOVED the swaddle! I will never forget our first night home with my first baby -- she was such a happy, content baby until I laid her in the crib... then she screamed and screamed. But the minute I put that swaddle on her, she was so happy and allowed me to lay her down and go to sleep! My girls just loved being snuggled up tight! We have used the Swaddle Me brand in the past, but after two babies, the velcro is slipping. I've read great things about the Miracle Blanket, so we are going to try that with our new one.

4. Nursing pads -- I've tried lots of brands and definitely like the Johnson brand the best. When at home, I use Cotton Babies' re-usable hemp nursing pads. They are definitely a money-saver in the long run!

5. Unrefined Coconut oil -- CO is good for so many things! I use it instead of lanolin cream on sore nipples, for moisturizing newborn skin, and as a diaper cream. It is antifungal, antibacterial, completely natural, and I love the smell! And it is actually good for my baby if she decides to chew on those cute fingers or toes :)

6. Nursing cover -- A must-have in the hospital so that I don't have to chase the grandfathers and other visitors away whenever the baby is hungry! I also use mine at church regularly. I was never talented enough to position a blanket correctly and keep myself covered well in public :) But the nursing cover stays right in place and allows me to peek at my baby while she eats. The cute ones can be pricey, but I found mine at a great consignment sale for about 2 dollars. A consignment sale is a great place to find baby carriers as well!

Leah P's Top Picks for 6 months to 1 year

This is an updated version of my original post on this topic in December 2007.I have since had another baby (now 2 years old) and have tweaked a few things.

1. Bumbo Seat. I started putting Samuel in a Bumbo seat when he was 3-4 months old (once he had good head control). He loved the new perspective on life and it was a great way to play with him in new ways. Joel was definitely the same way. He loved to sit in the Bumbo and be able to look at Samuel and interact with him.

2. Pouch Sling. I loved using a pouch sling with Samuel at this age. It was so easy to take him places because I could carry him around and still have my hands free to do things. He loved the tummy-to-tummy carry and then the hip carry. If we were out and he got sleepy, he would very often fall asleep in the sling. If you want to know how to make your own, click here.

3. I originally had a push toy thing here (see below), but I would definitely replace this with a stroller. A Joovy Caboose Ultralight to be exact, although I don't know if the Ultralight is worth the extra money. I bought ours off of Craigslist for $80 (retails $235). I bought this stroller after Joel turned 2, but it definitely belongs here in this category for anyone with multiple children. It is a great double stroller - it isn't too bulky, it's easy to manuever, and it has decent storage (a parent caddy and a basket underneath). My biggest complaint would be that the front tray doesn't swing so it's harder to get kids in and out.



4. Exersaucer. A friend of mine (Thanks Ashlee!) gave me her exersaucer when Samuel was around 7 months old. He really enjoyed being in it for shorter periods of time. But it was nice to have something to use when I wanted to take a shower or get dinner on the table. I can't recommend one type over the other (maybe one of the other ladies really loved theirs). The link I included is very similar to the one I had and I liked it just fine. Check out this video to see how much he loved it. We bought a different one at a garage sale for Joel and he really liked it as well. You can see in the picture that he liked being able to be up and play with his brother.


5. Safety 1st Recline & Grow 5-stage Feeding Seat. We used this seat with Samuel as opposed to a high chair because we didn't have the space or the desire to spend more money! We got this seat for $30 at Babies R' Us and were really happy with it. It snaps onto one of your kitchen chairs and can be taken with you if needed. It has a snap-on tray on top of the regular tray, which is great for cleaning. The seat is padded vinyl - also super easy to keep clean. We absolutely loved this seat and I highly recommend it. You can see that Joel (in the second picture) is sitting in a similar, but not the same seat. We sold the Grow 5-stage Feeding Seat when we moved from California. I bought this second seat at Walmart. I don't love it as well and would still definitely recommend the first seat.



Step Start Walk N' Ride. This was the item bumped from the original list. Our church body owned one of these and Samuel started playing with it there. He loved being pushed around on it, and then around 9 months, he loved to walk around with it. We didn't have one of these with Joel. It was the middle of winter in Chicago when he was 9-12 months old and so he just couldn't push things around as much. I'm not sure it should stay on my list.

"Wordless" Wednesday

Introducing Eleanor Ruth Finn, born January 3, 2011, at 6:04 p.m., weighing 7 lbs. 3 oz., and measuring 20.5 inches. We praise the Lord for his blessings!

Do you love your Boppy?

One of the items that I had on my original newborn list from September 2007 was a Boppy Pillow. When I revisted my list I decided to take it off (along with the Baby in View mirror). I would say that I still like both of these items, but they're not on my Top 5 for New Moms.

What do you think? Do you love your Boppy pillow? Do you nurse with it?

I used the Boppy to nurse in the beginning - for maybe the first month or so. But once my boys were bigger and I had a better handle on nursing, I didn't use anything. It mostly became something to lay the boys in after they nursed. And I did tummy time with it. Hmm, maybe it is still a worthwhile pick. I'm torn. Is it on your top 5?

For that matter, what is on your top 5? I considered putting a nursing cover on the top 5 (also a frequent shower gift from me). Or how about a glider?

I'd love to hear what you all prefer for new moms. Feel free to comment here...

Leah P's Top Pics for a New Mom

This was the very first topic we covered on Prayer of Hannah in September 2007. I can't believe we've been blogging for over three years now! I am updating my list and sharing it with you all here. This would be a care package that I would give to any new mom:

One – Nursing Tank Top. This is a high recommendation by me. It is great for sleeping and around the house – believe me, you’ll need all the extra support you can get. (Target $16.99)

Two – Ring Sling. This is my favorite type of carrier for newborn through 4 months. It’s nice because you can cinch the baby close to your chest. It’s excellent contact for mom and baby and makes it easy to be hands-free. If you have the money, there are beautiful ones for sale at http://www.zolowear.com/. If you’re like me, you can’t spring that kind of cash. I show you how to make one on my blog http://www.slingyourbaby.blogspot.com/. (Handmade $10.00)

Three – Lanolin Cream. I recommend getting some of this before you go to the hospital. I used it each and every time I nursed, right from the beginning. It was a lifesaver. (Babies R Us $6.99)

Four – The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. I remember having SO many questions during those first few months with a newborn. Even as a second time mom, there were questions I had that I wanted to look up. (Amazon $12.92)

Five – Swaddle. I used a summer one when Samuel was born in August and a winter one with Joel, who was born in March. They are very handy for wrapping baby up to sleep snuggly. (Amazon $10.99)