Shades of Pink: Baby Must Haves

A few months ago, I shared my Newborn Necessities!  This was a very very popular post!  Now that Paisley is four months old (more about that on Mommy Monday), I've been thinking about all of the Baby Must Haves that I love.  These are things that have been essential as we move out of the newborn stage and into the baby stage!

1. A Highchair 
When your baby was a newborn, there was no need for a highchair!  But at some point between four and six months, you are going to start feeding your baby food!  Real food!  Not just breastmilk or formula!  And for that you really need a highchair.  We have two highchairs and I like both for different reasons.  The first one we had was a simple one that secured onto a regular kitchen chair!  This is great if you don't have a ton of space.  The downside of it is that it takes up one of your regular kitchen chairs (one less seat for when you have company).  The second highchair we got when we found out we were having a second baby was a freestanding highchair because I didn't want to take up another kitchen seat!  Lacie went into the big freestanding chair and Blakely got the little space saver one!  Once you have decided what kind you want based on your kitchen set up, pick one that is easy to clean with a big tray for baby to learn to feed themselves and also play on!

We have this freestanding highchair - in PINK of course!

We have this highchair that hooks onto a kitchen chair:

2. A Baby Carrier
I included this in my Newborn Necessities as well!  When my girls were newborns I love the Moby Wrap and the Ring Sling.  As they get older, the Ergo becomes my favorite.  It's really comfy to wear for long periods of time, and I always felt like the babies were really secure in it.  Plus it's super easy to use!  John wears it too!  We currently have a hand-me-down Ergo but how cute is this Pink and Gray Chevron One - I think it's time for a new Ergo!!!

3. A Play Mat
We have two play mats - one upstairs and one downstairs.  To be fair you can use them when your babies are newborns - we did - our girls were always on these mats.  But the baby won't start really rolling around and playing with the toys until three months and older.  So to me they aren't a necessity right away!  We have an older version of this mat:

4. Walkers/Jumperoos
Sometime between four and six months your baby will have the head control to be able to play in a jumperoo or a similar type of entertainer!  These come in handy because they contain your baby and entertain them for a decent amount of time - allowing you to take a shower or cook dinner!  We have a walker that the girls loved!  I loved it because it could also be used as a stationary toy before they are walking!

  5. A Baby Monitor
This could also be considered a Newborn Necessity but for us it wasn't until the girls were older.  Some people come right home from the hospital and put the baby in the crib, but we didn't do that.  Our girls slept all over the house - the swing, the rock and play, the bouncy seat, the moses basket - but never in their crib right away.  Lacie started transitioning to the crib around three months and we are currently working on getting Paisley to sleep in there as well.  Blakely was our earliest and went into the crib at 2 months!  I like to have a video monitor because I always wanted to be able to see the girls.  I also think the video monitor helps allow your babies to be better sleepers because you don't rush in there the second they start fussing.  Instead, you can look on the monitor and see why they are fussing - sometimes they just need to adjust their position.  The video monitor offers nice peace of mind!  If you are planning to have more than one child, get a monitor that has two cameras or at least has the option to buy additional cameras!  We have this one:

I could have probably kept going and added more items (like strollers - I could probably do an entire post on strollers), but these are the things I used for all of my babies every single day!  

What are your Baby Must Haves?

Today I am linking up with:

Momfessionals 

and 

September Farm

Mommy Mondays: More Milk Breakfast Bars

A few weeks ago, I shared my experience with breastfeeding Paisley!  At 3.5 months, we are still exclusively breastfeeding, which is a huge personal accomplishment for me.  This hasn't been the easiest journey!  I know that we will make it to the four month mark, and I am really hopeful that we can make it to six months!  I don't have the best milk supply, so I made some More Milk Cookies (also known as lactation cookies) to help with that.  But I wanted a healthier alternative - one that I could eat for breakfast (and not feel guilty about)!  So I came up with these delicious breakfast bars!

Your Shopping List for More Milk Breakfast Bars:

• 2 tbsp milled flax seed
• 4 tbsp water
• 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur brand white whole wheat flour)
• 1,2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp brewers yeast powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

Now Let's Make the More Milk Breakfast Bars:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan with butter or nonstick spray 
2. In a small bowl, combine the milled flax seed and water - set aside
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy
4. Beat in the egg and vanilla
5. Beat in the flax seed mixture
6. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, brewers yeast, and cinnamon
7. Add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, beating on low speed until combined
8. Beat in the oats on lowest speed until combined
9. Beat in the dried cranberries and white chocolate chips until just distributed evenly throughout the dough
10. Press dough into prepared pan and bake in your preheated oven for 25 - 30 minutes until edges are lightly browned and the center is set
11. Allow pan to cool completely (at least an hour) before cutting into 24 squares  
12. Store in an airtight container

In addition to making and eating these delicious More Milk Breakfast Bars, I am also taking a wonderful supplement called Lactation Boost from The Honest Company!  The combination of these two things have boosted my milk supply and allowed me to build a great freezer stash! 

You can order the Lactation Boost on its own or you can add Lactation Boost to a Health and Wellness Bundle from The Honest Company with another vitamin (like their PreNatal Vitamin) to save money!  !  

If you are a first time costumer of The Honest Company you can get $10 off a minimum purchase of $25 with promo code AMBASSADOR10 at checkout (first time customers only, may only be used once per new user) 

Friday Favorites: Newborn Necessities

The HiloskyHouse is currently in the newborn stage! Yesterday Paisley turned 4 weeks old and Sunday will mark her 1 month birthday! I consider the newborn stage to be from birth to about 12 weeks.  I'm sure that at least one well meaning person has told you that all the baby needs during this time is you. And while that is a basically true statement, there are lots of things that can help during these amazing (and exhausting) first weeks with your new baby! Now that we are experiencing this stage for the third time, I have a pretty good list of what I couldn't live without in those first few weeks! 

1. Swaddle Blankets

Swaddle your baby!  I gave up swaddling Lacie after a week and that was a huge mistake. She never slept. Ever. For 6 months!  Blakely wore her swaddle day and night for the first 6 weeks and then wore it for nighttime and naps until 5 or 6 months! She slept like a champ. We are carrying on with swaddling Paisley all day and night and she is super peaceful. She will be fussing at me after a diaper change and as soon as I begin to wrap her she calms right down! I promise that swaddling will help your baby be a better sleeper, especially in those first weeks when they tend to startle themselves awake. Get the nurses in the hospital to teach you how to do swaddle properly.  If other people comment on how tightly your baby is swaddled, you are doing it right! If you can't master the swaddle blankets there are lots of great cheat wraps out there that work great!  I have two favorite swaddles:

*The Halo SleepSack Swaddle.  It's a sleep sack and swaddle combo!  These were Blakely's favorite!  

*Aden and Anais Swaddle Blankets.  These blankets are amazing.  I have a set of four that I've had since Lacie was born.  They seriously get softer everytime you wash them.  They are also really big, which makes swaddling easier!  They fold up tiny for the diaper bag too.

2. A Cozy and Safe Place for Baby 

You need to be able to put your baby down so that you can rest or shower or tend to your older children! New babies love bring placed in cozy small spaces (rather than a big open crib). I personally love the Swing and the Rock and Play sleeper. You only need one but if you can have both that's great too. Lacie loved the constant movement of the swing and my other girls seem to prefer being still. Oh and I swaddle them before placing them in their cozy spot. 

3. Mustela Cold Cream Stick

I've blogged about it before but this little stick is like chapstick for your whole face. It's amazing for little kids but especially newborns! It protects their delicate skin and gets rid of dry flakey skin fast! You can also use it on their lips for babies who get those little sucking calluses from bottles or pacifiers.  

4. Mustela No Rinse Cleansing Fluid

I could not live without this stuff. It's not recommended to constantly give brand new babies baths.  However, they get messy a lot between the spit ups and the crazy poop explosions. That is why this stuff is your best friend. It's perfect to clean little baby behinds or the spit up that dribbles down into their adorable neck rolls! And it's great for giving "baths" until the umbilical cord falls off! 

5. A Boppy Pillow

Whether you decide to nurse or bottle feed your baby, having a Boppy pillow offers a lot of support during all of those feelings. This was especially helpful to me since I had 3 c-sections. It allowed my babies to rest across my lap without directly pressing on my incision. 

6. An Infant Carrier Style CarSeat
When I was pregnant with Lacie, I felt like there was a big push to get a convertible carseat that could grow with her from infancy through kindergarten.  But I opted for the carrier seat, and I have never regretted it.  Yes they outgrow it quickly and you have to buy a new carseat within the first 12 months.  However, it is so so easy when you have a brand-new baby!  No worries about waking them up when they fall asleep in the car (and they will always fall asleep in the car).  Just pick up the entire carseat!  Easy!  We love Britax brand carseats! 

7. A Sling or Hands Free Wrap
This was not an essential for me when I only had one baby.  Now that I have two toddlers and a baby, I need my hands free during the day.  I have both the Moby Wrap and a Sakura Bloom Ring Sling.  I like them both for different reasons.  The ring sling is really easy to use and put on.  It also folds up small - perfect to throw in the diaper bag!  The Moby can be complicated to put on if you have a fussy baby.  However the Moby does distribute weight evenly where the Ring Sling keeps the weight on one side.  


8. Newborn Nightgowns
When you find out you are having a baby, you will go out and buy tons of cute outfits.  Other people will buy you lots of clothes too!  In fact, I don't think I had to buy any clothing for Lacie's entire first year!  But the best piece of clothing you can get is a newborn nightgown - even if you are having a boy! They are awesome for nighttime!  Just put one on and swaddle the baby.  These will make your life so much easier when you are changing a diaper in the middle of the night! Seriously you do not want to deal with tons of snaps or zippers at 2am.  

9. A Memory Book and Box
Your life is about to change in the most amazing way!  Make sure you have a place to write down memories and save little mementos like hospital bracelets, hats, footprints, etc.  

Today I'm Linking Up with

 and Momfessionals