mismikado down the sidewalk: Our Favorite Three Month Gear

Could this post be any later? We got back from our nearly month-long vacation after Minion already turned 4 months and then both of us came down with a summer cold. We are still recovering, but I wanted to take the chance to put this post together. The past month experienced a lot of developmental changes for Minion. Plus he gained tons of weight, weighing in at 15lbs 1oz for his 4-month checkup. But since we traveled for the entire month we didn't introduce too many new things. Here's what we did use:

ABSOLUTE NECESSITIES

Nuk silicone cushions
Footie PJs & Sleepers
North American Bear 8.5" Loppy Baby Cozie Blankie, Bear
Stage 2 bottle nipples

1. I really took advantage of the Babies/Toys R' US Clearance Blast sale the last several weeks. I wound up shopping at 6 different stores and snagged tons of awesome gear that was so cheap I could justify trying it even if it wasn't something I thought I would need. These were an example of that. I was able to get them at 80% off ticketed clearance price which came out to $1.20. I had really been hating pumping but desperately needing to because of the previously discussed breastfeeding issues. Well, these cushions, fortunately, fit my Nurture III Deluxe Breast Pump perfectly and have made pumping so much more bearable. I no longer feel raw afterward.

2. We previously had Minion sleeping in onesies but he would wake up a lot and we quickly realized it was because he would get cold. So footed PJs and long sleepers have been perfect for regulating his temperature at night sans blanket.

3. I admitted to not being impressed with this toy when it arrived in our Citrus Lane box. Well, boy was I wrong. Minion absolutely loves it and it was definitely his favorite toy this month. With all our time on the road, this was a life saver. We would give it to him and he would start cuddling with it to self soothe and go to sleep. It is now called "teddy" (real original I know) and coincidentally matches the main character of his favorite book. I actually believe he recognizes this similarity and that contributes to his obsession with both. There were many hours spent this month with us reading to him while he held his teddy. It melted my heart a little more every time.

4. Upgrading his bottles to stage 2 medium flow nipples was also a necessity this past month. He just couldn't get his milk out of the slow flow bottles fast enough anymore that he would get so frustrated.

GLAD WE BOUGHT/WERE GIVEN

Infantino Activity Pal, Daisy The Cow aka "Moo moo cow"
Carrier Car Seat
Mamas & Papas Morph Carrier Bib (2 Pack)
All free & clear mighty pacs
Baby Einstein Around The World Discovery Center
Cloth Swim Diapers
Inflatable Baby Safety Swimming Seat
NuRoo Pocket

1. Minion's "mom moo cow" was a gift from his great aunt and uncle and spoiler alert has possibly become his new favorite toy. It's very interactive and he loves to grab and cuddle with it and make all the different sounds rattle and jingle.

2. I had never planned to get a big travel system with the carrier car seat and stroller. Well, I am so happy that someone gave us one anyway. Having that smaller carrier seat was great on our trip since we could easily transfer it to different vehicles. Plus it was nice to keep him in when we were going into a restaurant or a store with a shopping carriage.

3. These clip on bibs were not designed for the Beco but still clip on nicely which has been great since Minion drools so much now. Plus they were another Clearance Blast steal at $1.40.

4. I have been making our own detergents for both us and Minion and have been very happy with both. But when CVS had a sale where I could get these detergent pacs for cheaper than I make and they were decently rated for baby laundry, I decided to stock up. Tossing a bag of these pacs in our luggage was perfect for traveling. Such a simple convenience!

5. This was a gift from my father-in-law that Minion has really put to use. He loves every toy on it and when he gets bored with one, we can just spin him around to the other side (he isn't strong enough to spin himself yet). It was very handy for putting him in while we were in Dallas and needed a second of free hands and serves the same purpose at Ama & Opa's house now.

6. I am very pleased with the cloth swim diapers we invested in. I purchased this one in the 12 month size and this one in size small and both have been perfect for this summer. Minion is definitely a water baby and I'm sure we will be putting them to even more use when I hopefully enroll him in a Mommy & Me swim class at 6 months.

7. Along those lines, this swim seat was perfect for his first time in the pool. The handles meant we could easily hold onto him and guide him. But this seat helped him confidently make his way through the water. We were amazed how he immediately started kicking his legs constantly to tread water and even propelled himself around the pool. It was such a fun experience to watch and be a part of.

8. This skin-to-skin top was another Clearance Blast find at $8 and I wish I had one of these for the newborn phase. I can't help but wonder if it would have helped our breastfeeding relationship. The little I was able to use it before he sized out did help during his nursing strike so I definitely plan to have it ready to go for baby #2.

HAVE, BUT HAVEN'T USED/NEEDED

Crib
Pack n' Play
Baby Monitor

1. We have not used his crib at all save for the first night and (2) 10 min naps in the last 4 months. It was my goal to have him in it by 3 months but with us not being home at all that month, that became an impossibility. He did make progress though by napping in a friend's crib and on his own in a bassinet for one night while we traveled.

2. This has been another item we have not used at all. Since Minion hasn't slept on his own yet, this really hasn't been needed as a travel crib. And we have other smaller devices for keeping him in when we need to get stuff done. Maybe next time we travel he will be more apt to use it.

3. Since he is always with us and our house is so small, we have not needed to use our baby monitor either. I'm so happy we just stuck to a hand-me-down one.

DON'T HAVE, HAVEN'T NEEDED

Video Baby Monitor
I had the opportunity to get one for very cheap at Target with coupons but there wasn't a need for us considering we don't even use the old school kind. So I was able to pass the savings along to a friend. Maybe when he's more mobile I'll look for another deal but right now I'd rather spend the money elsewhere.

THINGS WE STILL USE REGULARLY