(All links and photos are from Amazon.com)
Car Seats:Infant Seat: Chicco KeyFit 30 - Cannot go wrong with this car seat. It is easy to install, easy to tote around, and fits using an attachment with many strollers. Raegan was even able to use this car seat up until Rory was born (17 months) as a back-up car seat in Chris' car.
Convertible: Britax Marathon - We love the Britax convertible car seats. We have the Marathon in my car and the Boulevard in the other. Once Rory is out of the infant seat, both Britax seats will be in my car. The Britax is easy to install and transfer between cars. Raegan started using this car seat about 10 months (maybe earlier). She is small for her age so Rory will probably make the switch in the next couple months. This seat can go forward or rear facing.
Strollers
Single: Bob Revolution - I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Bob. I am actually so sad to get rid of it even though realistically there will never be a reason for me to need a single jogging stroller. I love that is has the car seat attachment for the Chicco car sear. It is sturdy, well-made, and just an over-all wonderful stroller. Raegan was able to sit in it without the car seat as soon as she could hold her head up nicely and has always loved riding in this stroller. The downside to any jogging stroller is that it takes up a ton of room. Because we do not have a garage, we always kept the stroller in the back of my car.
Umbrella Stroller: Chicco Liteway - When I was registering for gifts, no one told me how handy umbrella strollers were. They are the most convenient, and in our case, most used stroller. If you are limited for trunk room, get a awesome umbrella stroller for use in places like the mall and other areas where there might be a tight fit. One thing we learned quick- it SUCKS having a stroller everywhere you go. You suddenly have to find elevators instead of using the stairs and you realize how many places are not built for toting kids through. Currently, I keep the umbrella stroller in my car because it takes almost no room. When carting the two about, I either have Raegan in the stroller and Rory in the carrier or Raegan will walk while Rory goes in the stroller. When I used the single Bob, I had both strollers in the car and used whichever was more convenient for the situation: Bob for outside, walks, and open areas and Chicco for small places like the mall.
Double: Bob Double I have had the most issues finding a perfect double stroller. We started with the Contours. This was just a monster. I felt like I was pushing a semi-truck. Then we got a Phil and Teds double. This one was okay. We got it because it is basically the size of a single. However, it was not as great of quality as the Bob- one trip to Disney and it was basically falling apart. Also, it was more of a pain. It was not as easy as just taking it out of the car and unfolding it. In order to use the double seat, you had to attach it separately. It only took a minute or so, but a pain none-the-less. Finally, we got the Bob Double, which is AWESOME. It is a monster with no place to go, but awesome anyway. I have been taking them on long walks with the dogs and even do a good bit of running with the stroller. It is light weight and both kids love riding in it. Again, if we had a garage that we could just store it in, it would be 100% the perfect stroller. I am still thinking of getting a lightweight double stroller for trips to the zoo or Disney, where I do not want to bring a huge stroller but would need two seats.High Chair
Graco 4 in 1: This high chair is great, especially because we are currently using it with both kids! It starts as a regular high chair that raises to different heights. It also converts to a travel or space-saving high-chair. Lastly, it becomes a toddler booster seat. Currently, Rory is in the high chair and Raegan is in the booster seat. So we only had to buy one high chair and both kids can utilize it at the same time!
Diaper Bag
I have two Ju Ju Be diaper bags and love them both. I started out with a Be Hip. This one is great as a take-anywhere bag. I have been using it since Raegan was an infant and it is still in great shape. It is durable and has great pockets. Also, it is the perfect size to just take the essentials without lugging around a huge bag. One thing I have learned as a parent, less is more. Even though I am paranoid about being overly prepared, I cannot stand to have a bunch of stuff with me that I do not need. When I got pregnant with Rory, I was nervous about the diaper bag situation. Both will be in diapers, plus I will need bottles, snacks, sippy cups, extra clothes, and the list goes on. I really, really, reallllllly did not want to carry all that around everywhere. I got the B.F.F. diaper bag to carry the endless amount of crap the two of them need. However, I learned early on to keep the giant bag in the car for emergencies and keep the small diaper bag with me with the most important items. This seems to be working out perfectly for now. Now that Rory is getting older and Raegan will soon be out of diapers, I would like to pretty soon downgrade to a smaller, backpack style. I will start to look into those soon.Carrier
Another of one of my most used items is my Ergobaby Carrier. I used it a ton with Raegan, but stopped pretty early on because I really did not need her in there. With two babies, Rory goes into the carrier at the grocery store, at the zoo, at the airport, at the playground, at Gymboree, on walks... the list goes on. It is a life-saver. This carrier is comfy, easy and quick to use, and unlike many carriers, designed to benefit baby and mommy. We have also used the BabyBjorn and the Moby but the Ergo is by far my favorite.Gear
Boppy Lounger : This is the gift of choice when anyone asks me what they should get someone for a baby shower gift. This item allows your newborn to sleep anywhere in the house. Newborns have so many gigantic items to sleep or play in- the swing, the bouncer, the playmat. The lounger is the easiest to take wherever you want to be and super comfy for baby. It is the perfect shape for babies to cuddle up in. We used it mostly at dinner time- Raegan and Rory would sit right on the table in the lounger while we ate. We didn't like putting them on the other side of the room while the rest of us ate and they were too young for the high chair. Side note: Rory was a roller from the start so we were not really able to use it for very long for him. With Raegan, we used the Boppy lounger for months- she actually slept in it in between us in the bed for the longest time. We now use it as a seat for her to read in!
ExerSaucer : Both my kids LOVE the exersaucer. They both started using it at around 4 months. Rory is taller and from the start had a blast with all the lights, noises, and colors. Raegan needed more support for a month or so before she really got the hang of it. The noises can be annoying for parents, but it is worth it when you have a place for your child to hang out while you do a quick chore or make dinner. Rory especially loves practicing standing so our exersaucer has gotten a ton of use with him!
Arms Reach Mini Co-Sleeper: This is another item that we had for Rory and not Raegan. For the first couple months when Rory slept in our room, the co-sleeper was amazing. It attaches right to the side of the bed, which is super convenient for nursing in the middle of the night and for soothing the baby to sleep. It is nice because it is small enough to fit right next to bed, unlike pack and plays and many bassinets. I do not know if it is because of the co-sleeper or just Rory's personality, but unlike Raegan, he has never had to sleep in the bed with us and his transition to the crib was effortless.Other Must-Haves
Boogie Wipes: People gave us tube after tube of diaper cream. We have barely used any of it. I wish I would have known to register for boogie wipes instead. Babies and toddlers HATE to have their nose wiped. Raegan had a runny nose basically from October to March of last year. Using tissues and regular wipes always left her nose dry and red, which only made it worse for the next wiping. Boogie wipes are great for her never-ending colds. The saline is gentle on her nose and it does not leave as much of a rash as regular tissues.
Boon Spoons : We found these spoons once we started feeding Raegan solids. The baby food pouches are great for when you are out and about. These spoons make feeding on the go a breeze!
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