5 Months!

Madeline is 5 months old! I can't even believe it! Our baby girl is getting so grown up I don't know how it's happened so fast! I feel like in just the past few weeks, she has really made huge leaps developmentally and physically. She's growing so much and getting so strong! Her little personality is definitely making itself known and she is quite the feisty little one! We seriously love her more every single day - it's impossible not to! :)

Stats: 15lbs (42nd percentile), 26 inches (73rd percentile) <-- whaat?! I did this measurement myself so it very well could be a bit off, but baby girl is growing!!

Clothes: She is officially in the 3-6 month sizes now. Depending on the brand, some are still a little big (Baby Gap) but most fit well now! 

Sleep: She is still usually sleeping all through the night. Occasionally she starts stirring around 3am and I give her a bottle - I think she's in a growth spurt right now so I am trying to feed her more during the day to get her to sleep longer at night. Hopefully that helps! She really is cutting back on her daytime naps now too - keeping mama busy! 

Milestones in the works: Currently still working on rolling over - she's so close! She can do the final three-quarters of it if we get her started. She is also now able to sit on her own! She props herself up with her hands and if there is something interesting in front of her, she'll stay that way for a while! She gets better every day. It's amazing to see how strong she is getting! 

Favorite Activities: 

     - Standing. Still. She just loves it so much! Even if she's fussy or upset about something, if you stand her up she instantly perks up! Her doctor is very impressed with her leg strength :) 

     - Coughing. Not when she does it, but if anyone else coughs, she thinks it's hilarious! I swallowed some water wrong one day and was coughing, and she just laughed and laughed like I've never seen her do before. Haha 

     - Looking at herself in the mirror. She will look directly at her reflection, smile, and then shyly turn her head and nuzzle into my shoulder. Repeat x100. It's probably the cutest thing I've ever seen <3

     - Hudson! More specifically, Hudson's tail. She has finally started to really notice him and if he's in the room, no one else stands a chance at keeping her attention. She loves him! She is mesmerized by his wagging tail and if they make eye contact, she just shrieks with joy! I think he's in for it in a few months when she is more mobile!

Least Favorite Activities:

     - She still has the stranger danger going on with people other than Kevin and I. It takes her a while, but if she gets to watch you and check you out, she'll eventually warm up. 

     - Being held like a baby. She has to be held upright now. She always wants to see what's going on and look around. Standing and sitting up are the only acceptable positions :) 

We are so lucky to have such a happy girl! 

Baby Must-Haves 0-4 Months

I thought I would do a post about all the baby gear we've loved so far...so maybe for next time we'll try to keep ourselves from going overboard again (yeah righttt). I know a lot of this stuff really just depends on your baby, but I think it is a good general guideline to follow :) So, without further ado...

Baby/Registry Must Haves:

Nursery Works Sleepytime Rocker --I am obsessed with this rocker! Not only is it one of the most comfy and stylish ones I have seen, it also is very affordable too! I really hate the old lady look of the cheaper gliders out there do I have been really happy with this one. 

Babyletto Hudson Crib -- Obviously any crib will pretty much be the same...but I am very partial to this one! I love the modern look of it and it's also a little shorter than some so that's good for me. :) It converts as baby grows into a toddler and then full size bed. Quite reasonably priced also.
Motorola Video Baby Monitor--This one is pretty awesome! It seems like everyone complains about their baby monitors but we've really liked this one. The picture is so clear even in the dark. You can talk to your baby through it, which is handy, and it also shows you the temperature in the room.
Ikea Hemnes 8-Drawer Dresser -- We use this for both a dresser and a changing table...we just attached a changing pad to the top. It's big enough to still have space on the top for some things, and there is TONS of drawer space. Definitely essential when you can't stop yourself from buying way too much cute baby clothes ;)

Boon Lawn Drying Rack-- So handy with all those million bottle parts and pacifiers! I swear, I spend half my day washing bottles so this little drying rack gets plenty of use! Plus, it's freaking adorable! :)
Dr. Brown's Wide Neck Bottles --These are by far the best bottles we have tried! They have a unique vent system which prevents bubbles and we definitely noticed a difference in how gassy Maddie was after eating. They do have more parts which means more work with cleaning them, but I think they are worth it for sure! Don't bother with the 4oz ones either...just get the 8oz ones and you'll be able to use them for a long time!
Bumkins Prefold Diaper-- We use these for everything! Burp rags, bibs and any other mess that needs cleaning. Super absorbent and soft. We use these way more than any other more expensive bibs. 
Boppy -- Get one. Just do it. I can't even tell you how much we use this; it's absolutely mandatory. And of course get a cute cover or two :)
Munchkin Formula Dispenser-- For formula feeding moms, this thing is great! It's perfect for outings with your little one and small enough to not take up much room in the diaper bag. It comes with two parts - a single serving container and a four serving container. Very convenient. 

Baby Jogger City Mini GT Stroller --LOVE this stroller! The ride is so smooth that you can steer with just one hand. It is a dream to fold and unfold and it's lightweight enough to be able to easily take in and out of the car. Plus, there a lot of accessories that go with this stroller as well, (hello cup holder!) as well as car seat adapters for every major brand. Love love love!
Fisher-Price Cradle 'N Swing -- Kevin and I like to call this the 'Magic Poop Machine' haha. About nine times out of ten when we put Maddie in this, within 10 minutes, she poops. It's awesome. lol Definitely not it's intended use, but I'll take it! This came in very handy when Maddie was in that fussy phase around 6 weeks old. It helped to put her back to sleep in the middle of the night. It is big though and takes up a good amount of space. 
Lillebaby Complete Baby Carrier -- This was the baby carrier we decided on after hearing some really good reviews. I've really liked it so far! It's so easy to use and I really liked that you can use it on a baby as small as 7lbs. A lot of carriers like this cannot hold a baby that small without having to purchase an extra insert, and since Maddie was a little teeny thing for a while, this was just extra easy. I really prefer this type of carrier to the Moby style ones because it just feels more secure to me...but it's all about your preferences. 
Maxi Cosi Mico Carseat -- I researched a lot about carseats before choosing one and this brand came out on top for me. The reasons being that these carseats have significantly less toxic chemicals on their seats and harnesses, and they are also very lightweight and cool (temperature-wise). I also really like the look of them and they come in many different colors. 
4Moms MamaRoo -- We got this as a gift and it is awesome!! It works as a bouncer/swing combo which doesn't require you to be there bouncing it. You can also plug in your phone and play music...it's very cool.
Fisher Price Rock N Play Sleeper  -- I cannot even tell you how much of a lifesaver this was for us! Madeline slept and napped in this for the first 3 months and it was wonderful! I just put it right next to the bed and it made middle of the night feedings a little less miserable. Plus, it's super lightweight and is so easy to travel with/move around the house. 
Petunia Picklebottom City Carryall Diaper Bag -- OBSESSED with these diaper bags! Besides having a ridiculously adorable name, these bags are very functional. They have tons of room/pockets for all of your stuff, and a changing pad that folds out -- so cool! Plus, there are a billion different colors and patterns to choose from!

 

Aden + Anais Muslin Swaddle Blankets -- First off, yes, they are expensive for blankets. You can definitely find similar ones for half the price...but are they just as good? NO WAY. These little blankets are amazing for swaddling! They are plenty large so they will grow with your baby and they have just the perfect amount of stretch to get that tight burrito wrap. I really can't find anything close to as good as these. They are also very lightweight so baby isn't getting overheated when swaddled. 
Nosefrida Snotsucker -- The name always makes me laugh haha. But in all seriousness, this thing rocks. Those little bulb suckers they give you at the hospital are awful at getting anything out! Maddie has a pretty tiny nose so this little thing has been awesome! And it is definitely not as gross to use as it sounds!
The Baby Book-- ESSENTIAL FOR ALL NEW MOMS! Seriously...there were so many times that I was concerned about something but couldn't decide whether to call the nurse line or not. Out comes this baby and all is well. It has so much important information...basically an encyclopedia of babies. Great buy!
Halo SleepSack Swaddle Blanket-- Another lifesaver! Around 4 months, Maddie decided she was too big to be fully swaddled anymore. However, she isn't quite ready to have both her arms out at night (they go flailing and wake her up haha). This is awesome because you can swaddle both arms or just one or none at all! And she can have the freedom to stretch her legs out. This baby got us sleeping 9 straight hours a night so needless to say, it's worth buying!
Triple Paste-- Maddie got a pretty bad diaper rash when she was just a few weeks old and NOTHING else worked for us! We tried lots of other creams, but then within one day of using this stuff, it was already noticeably better. It is a bit more pricey, but a little goes a long way and it really works! 
BabyGanics Hand Sanitizer  -- We have at least three bottles of this around the house at all times. It's gentle on your skin, smells great, and is awesome for visitors wanting to hold a new baby (or after diaper changes). :)  
Fisher-Price Musical Gym  -- Maddie loves this thing! Since the first day we laid her on this, she was just mesmerized! Even to this day, she will happily entertain herself under here for hours if we let her. We hang toys from the links and she loves the mobile that spins, lights up and plays music. This has been a huge help when I need to make dinner and she won't nap :) 
Jacques the Peacock -- This is BY FAR Maddie's favorite toy! She just lights up the second she sees it. It has so many fun things to look at and touch on both sides. We've been playing with this toy for about 6 weeks now and she still loves it just as much as the first day.
Aveeno Baby Wash & Shampoo -- With so many different brands of baby wash out there, it was pretty overwhelming to find one I thought would be best. I have pretty sensitive skin and Aveeno has always done well by me so I leaned towards this one. It is very sensitive, doesn't have a strong smell, and doesn't have tons of weird chemicals. We also use their baby lotion and really like it! 

So there you have it...all our favorite baby stuff thus far on our journey of parenthood! We're definitely going to need a bigger house at this rate ;)