OH MY GOODNESS, talk about feeling loved from the comments on our big {but still little (for now)} baby announcement earlier this week! :) I had a check-up this morning and Zackary came with, we heard the baby’s heartbeat and I couldn’t help it: I cried. So happy! This was also my last doctor appointment here in Minneapolis, my next will be in Santa Monica. And to think of the journey I’ve had with the office. I adore my doctor and will miss this office, and how kind/supportive they’ve been with our PCOS journey.
So I’ve been collecting some photos of a few baby things I am in L O V E with, and now that we’ve shared we’re pregnant I can share them. For a few weeks I’ve been daydreaming about our little one, and now that we’ll be moving into a new home soon I’ll be daydreaming even more. With our new space I’m really hoping for a lot of white, natural light + color accents.
Here are some of my favorite finds:
I was wanting a yellow + gray nursery but this neutral nursery is gorgeous!
{we will add pink or blue in March}
sweet pea bodysuit via Baby Gap
how to make a small nursery work — we need all the tips we can get!
natural wood baby gym — so easy to store!
portable washtub via Puj Tub {does anyone have one? thoughts?}
little fiona teething toy via Little Alouette
a single chalkboard wall — hey, I want to doodle too ;D
up, up and away swaddling blankets — swaddling is a must in my family :)
* * *
A few have asked if we’re going to find out the gender before birth and our answer is — NO! :) Oh yes, we’re serious! And while you may think we’re crazy for waiting until delivery to find out we couldn’t be more excited!!! I can’t wait until March to find out what we’re having — a little boy or a little girl. Either sounds perfect to us :)
FILL ME IN >> Do you have a favorite website for baby things: toys, furniture, cloth diapering, nursery decor, itty bitty clothing, bedding? I would LOVE to know what sites you absolutely adore. Leave a link below! xoxo
Hmmm…where shall I start.
Lansinoh for ‘the girls’ starting in 2nd trimester. You won’t have any painful cracks or bleeding if you use this stuff. SERIOUSLY!
Boppy! Wonderful for breastfeeding and even for visitors to comfortably hold that tiny baby.
Swaddle blankets for sure!
As for the small nursery- it can SO be done. Easton had a TINY room. You need a bed and a rocker for sure and a changing table. If you find a changing table that will accomidate, it can serve as a dresser for a litlte while too. Their clothes are so tiny at first. And we used his closet for a lot of his clothes. INVEST in a good rocker, with ottoman! YOULL SPEND HOURS IN IT!!!!!
http://www.kellymom.com A MUST HAVE WEBSITE! TONS OF INFORMATION!
SO thrilled for you!
I LOVE those Aiden & Anais blankets! They are so super soft. Some good sites I buy a lot from are Baby Steals and Mama Bargains – also Eco Baby Buy (I think that’s what it’s called).
Zulily.com is a great site! I’ve also found adorable stuff at Target before :)
Oh, and we waited to find out the sex of our first kiddo. That moment she was born and my husband got to say “It’s a girl” will definitely, always, be one of the most beautiful moments in my life :)
First of all, congratulations on your wonderful news! I just wrote a post yesterday with a few of my (new found) favorite baby products, specifically the ERGO baby carrier and the deluxe infant travel bassinet by Summer Infant. But I am also a huge fan of the Aden + Anais swaddle blankies that you already linked to. They are so soft – perfect for swaddling and as nursing covers!
When I was researching cloth diapering I used this website a lot http://simplemom.net/tag/cloth-diapering-101/ & I also used this blog http://ashleighlankford.blogspot.com/. I had to search for cloth diapering on the blog, but she has some great resources. This is the other blog written by the same girl, but it has more cloth diapering stuff & resources. :) Hope this helps! If you need any help with cloth diapers let me know. I am about to start my adventure as soon as my little one’s umbilical cord falls off.
Here’s the website forgot to copy paste http://www.thankfullythrifty.com/
Love my video baby monitor! Have you signed up with Babycenter.com yet? It is so nice to have other moms that are due at the same time and who are going through the same things together. I got so much help and no matter the time there is always someone online to talk to. My daughter is now 4 and there are so many moms still chatting and it’s fun to follow the babies after each one is delivered. The advice keeps rolling as the babies grow.
Congratulations!!! We didn’t find out what we were having either, and my husband was actually the first one who noticed and shouted, “It’s a BOY!” He said that telling our families in the waiting room made all the waiting worth it!
first yayyy! this time is so so so much fun so enjoy every single second of it. it may seem like it’s slowly going by because you’re just waiting for that little bean to make their appearance but cherish it and realize it ends much faster than you expect.
second. we have the puj tub, love the puj tub and tell every single person who has a newborn about the puj tub. we don’t have a bathtub so it was sink baths from day one and we used this baby until our little bird could sit up on her own in the sink. it’s one of very few things we are keeping around for baby number two. (we are getting rid of things we just didn’t use very often).
third. it’s hard to understand but less is more for newborns. you don’t need much. which if you’re in a small space is a lifesaver.
my biggest piece of advice DO NOT buy newborn clothes. everyone else will do that. if you’re going to buy clothes by clothes for 9 months and up. my daughter is 8.5 months and we are just now having to buy clothes. we got so many clothes as gifts for when she tiny we didn’t have to buy anything.
CONGRATULATIONS!!
Well of course I love MyWonderfulWalls.com for decorating the nursery. Have you checked out the new classic nursery stickers?
I love the baby clothes at Dimples and Dandelions. So cute!
Love the nightlights and lampshades by Star Lights by Amber. Here’s a link to her Etsy shop
http://www.etsy.com/shop/starlightsbyamber
congratulations on your pregnancy! whoo hoo. do you have a nickname for the baby yet? lil’ gus? haha.
i’d love to hear more about your pcos journey, if you’re willing to share, and maybe other people struggling would be inspired too – like when you were diagnosed, what treatments you tried, how long you were TTC, etc. if you don’t want to share details, that’s cool too :) IF blogs are just inspiring to some.
I agree with Lauren who says “less is more”. It is SO true. With our first we had a crib and rocker. That was really all I needed. We have four boys now, age 7-15 and NEVER had a changing table. We had the padded bit that goes on top and just changed diapers on the couch, our bed, kitchen counter, etc.
I cloth diapered the last three and found the old fashioned prefolded diapers and fleece covers to be the best for us. My sister is using fuzzibunz for her little guy and they’ve fit him from newborn to a chunky 24pound 18month and beyond. Good investment if you’ve got the $ up front.
An “itzbeen” is great for first time mommies. http://www.itzbeen.com I never had one but my mommy friends have and swear by them.
Lastly, my rocker died at the end of the second pregnancy and we invested in a rocker/recliner. OH my gosh. When you can lay back and sleep and not worry about baby falling off the rocker , just resting comfortably in your arms and up against the cushy recliner arms, you can sleep a peaceful sleep. I ended up having three guys in a row and used that recliner HOURS a day. It was a big BIG blessing. Nursing one, pregnant with one and holding another. What a lovely life it is to be a mommy.
Congratulations, Maggie!!!!! I’m so stoked for you and can’t wait to see the baby bump at Allume!
Tip on the Puj tub…. we bought one, but had to return it because the faucet in our bathroom (where I wanted to give most of the baths) wasn’t mounted high enough out of the sink. You need one with a big curve like a kitchen sink or a more decorative type faucet. It was awesome, just make sure it (and your wee one) will fit under the faucet…. :-)
I totally loved the Aiden and Anais swaddle blankets as well. They were/are the best and my 18 month old still uses hers to sleep with!!!
You’ve got some great advice here already :) Find an excellent baby carrier (stay away from Snuglis and Bjorns… they are awful!). Some good options are a stretchy wrap for newborn phase (Boba wrap is my fav), woven wraps like a Girasol are awesome for every stage, and a structured carrier like a Boba is amazing too.
love, love, love the puj tub and now it comes in fun colors like blue and green (we just have the white because it was all that was available when our daughter was born). Also, we bought these bottles: http://www.amazon.com/Lifefactory-Bottle-Silicone-Sleeve-Spring/dp/B003CJSXW8/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1345230836&sr=8-4&keywords=lifefactory+bottles and are so glad we did! We love ’em and recommend them to all the first time parents we talk to. Congratulations! Can’t wait to “meet” your little one!
love the all white nursery!! so cute!
I have that puj tub, and we love it! Out of all the space saving baby stuff we bought, that was my favorite.
First: CONGRATS!!! So exciting!!!
Jen and I don’t even have a child yet, but I still love looking through Old Navy’s baby section. Some of the cutest clothes and accessories for boys and girls – ever. I also ADORE Etsy! I’ve found a lot of crocheted and sewn cuteness for ittle babies and toddlers!
Oh! One more thing… You mentioned cloth diapering. I love cloth diapers! We use bumgenuis 4.0 diaper. I love that as my little one got older I could just stuff another insert there and it still worked! They are also nice necause they arent any different than disposables for the hubby or nursery workers. I bought the diapers from thanksmama.com. I did a TON of research and they had the best deals. I would love love love to answer any questions you have about cloth diapers. I’ve also written a couple times about them on my blog. I think the biggest reason I love cloth diapers is the money savings.
Praying for you and your little one!
AHH, love that nursery. Very simple and sweet. And that onsie, how could you resist??
Maggie, seems like just yesterday I wrote you and a friendship began over infertility. Now this. A much more fun side to share, yes?! I find stuff on lots of sites, but I would highly suggest a boppy (if you plan to breast feed) and a bumbo chair. We also had two infant swings and the small, portable version is great because you can easily take it places + it is easy to fold and put away. :) One of my fav pic poses though is super easy with baby feet, wedding rings, and your hands. I posted it in this blog post http://melissanesdahl.blogspot.com/2012/05/faithful.html
Have fun looking. Baby Gap and Gymboree (especially if you have a girl) will do you in. The cuteness overwhelms me!!!
I would love to hear, too if you are willing to share. I have recently been diagnosed with mild PCOS and we have been trying for over 6 months. :( It took us over 14 with #1, but I wasn’t diagnosed with PCOS at the time which I am wondering if that was some of the reason it took over a year. So thrilled with your baby news. Many many blessings to you!
Congrats!! So excited for you guys. We did not find out the sex of our first baby either. It wasn’t going to matter. One baby….one nursery. The second was a different story. We needed to know to do space planning in a small house! I’m not sure about that little sink tub, I thought I was going to get one with our foster babies but someone gave me a foam turtle that is placed just in a sink or the bottom of the tub and I loved that Little Mister stayed put without slipping all around. That is the hardest part of bathing a baby. They are a slippery mess of baby shampoo goodness!
xoxo, April
So happy for you!
My husband and I are expecting our little one to arrive any day now! Although I’m still learning and am new at this, there are a few etsy shops and things I bought that I’m so happy with!
-nursery bedding (amazing!)..Jess from Nursery Dreams on Etsy was incredible to work with and made the most amazing bedding for my nursery.
– Mary from Foxy Vida makes amazing change clutches and pads (also Etsy)
– I just bought a Blooming Bath to bath the baby in …you should look it up.
My saving grace for our budget has been http://www.zulily.com and http://www.babysteals.com
Have fun shopping!
I am so, so thrilled for you!!!! Congratulations to you and Zack!
I love Kelly’s Closet for cloth diapers. http://www.kellyscloset.com/
I second the above comments for Baby Center (so fun to get the weekly updates!) and kellymom.
Old Navy is a favorite for baby clothes. Also, Crazy 8, Jumping Bean (Kohl’s) and Target are popular around here.
Every woman is different, but I really liked the Medela line for breastfeeding needs. They make everything!
I really loved wearing my daughters in a sling, so I’d invest in one you love.
Can’t wait to continue following your journey!
Thrilled for you and SUPER thrilled you’re not finding out the sex!! Just had my third baby last May and we didnt find out with any of our darlings. I LOVE the surprise! Enjoy this special time!
Aden & Anais swaddle blankets are my favorite! We loved them for swaddling and still love them now (my daughter will be 2 in October). I’m so looking forward to following your journey!
Congrats! Wishing you guys the best! Take lots and lots of pictures. It goes by so fast. And yes, less is definitely more. We used a small dresser as a combo dresser/changing table. You can get a little cushion at the baby stores to use on top. Much cheaper than going the traditional changing table route and you can gussy it up the way you want (paint, cute knobs, etc) You guys go out and buy a favorite outfit to bring baby home in (and don’t forget Mama) because like the other moms said you will get tons of clothes, but it’s your special day. Prayers and love for you all!
I love that you aren’t finding out! It is the best! We didn’t find out with all 3 & it is so fun hearing, “it’s a…..” And, I didn’t decorate the nursery until after they were born. I just had the basics, white crib, white dresser & neutral walls. Luke is 1 week old now & I am busy getting items or his nursery, it’s so fun!
Congratulations! We didn’t find out with what we were having either and it was a wonderful journey. Our daughter was born in January. It was the most amazing moment to have my husband say…”It’s a girl!” It is truly one of the best moments in your life! We decorated our nursery in green and white. I love the color green and it’s gender neutral. I bought my linens from Serena and Lily and they are wonderful. If you follow them on facebook or get emails, they do occasional sales, etc. Also a great site for nursery inspiration! And I love Hanna Andersson for sweet baby pajamas. One of my favorite baby items is the sleep sac. I swear it is what helps my daughter sleep through the night!
YAY!!!! I just had my baby, so everything is very fresh, and I have LOTS of things to share.
Here are a couple websites:
http://www.ontobaby.com
http://www.lucieslist.com- I really wish I would have found this earlier. (Has some vulgar language, but very real website)
http://ohjoy.blogs.com/my_weblog/2012/01/baby-registry.html
I am sure you will get lots of advice, but here is a little bit more. Only buy what you need now. You will get so much as gifts and a lot of the ‘extra’ really are not needed. We did bare minumum for our babe and we are doing great! All they need is Mommy, Daddy, food, clothes, and diapers. OH, and LOVE, but I think you have that covered! Enjoy!!
Maggie,
I am so over the top excited for you and your family! God is good!
Hey Gussy!
I agree with the person above who mentioned babycenter- it really helped me throughout my pregnancy. I have a lot of items that I could mention, but this is one of my absolute faves (for baby and parents!)
http://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Twilight-Constellation-Night-Turtle/dp/B000BNQC58
The twilight turtle comes in different colors (and I think they even have different ones too- ladybugs, etc), and it’s so sweet to look up at the stars every night while cuddling with baby ;) Well, we cosleep too, so maybe this is why we love it ;)
I love the teethers from little alouette.
And I love this for bathtime: http://www.bloomingbath.com/
Maggie, you have to check out Little Blue Feather on etsy. She has the cutest onesies including a “Love for Africa” one! :) Here’s the link- http://www.etsy.com/shop/LittleBlueFeathers?section_id=7634065
We didn’t find out either. Not too many surprises in life so it was great to hear in the delivery room.
So exciting! I actually love craigslist for everyday baby clothes. Sure all the little outfits out there are ADORABLE, but they can also get expensive, especially when they grow so fast! When I was still pregnant (we knew what we were having) I bought a giant box of gently used baby clothes 0-6 mo.- even the basic onsies were included- for super cheap. I saved $$$ by buying them used. No shame! We did have plenty of cute outfits for when we were going out, but let’s get real, when we were just hanging out at home, it was basic onsies and cotton pants. :-) I recently bought a ton of 12-18 mo. oufits, also gently used, from Children’s Place, Baby Gap, and Old Navy from someone on craigslist for next to nothing. I love the internet! Don’t be afraid of gently used clothes! And good for you for not finding out the sex during your pregnancy! When/if we have another baby, we’ll find out in the delivery room.
First of all CONGRATS! Very happy for you and your hubby! You guys will be fab parents. It’s been a while since I’ve had little ones running around so not sure how much my advice will help. I do highly recommend the boppy and a newborn carrier. Lansinoh is a must if you plan to breastfeed. Anyway, just wanted to stop in and say congrats and wish you the best with the move and the pregnancy!
Congratulations!! My favorite place to shop for the Best Baby Products is Burlington Coat Factory’s Baby Depot. They have the same name brand baby things the other stores have, but they cost less than half the price. That easily makes it my favorite place to shop. You should check them out.
Such wonderful happy news……many blessing to you both!
So excited to hear your wonderful news! I have an awesome website for you!
thelittlebeeco.com
It is an amazing company that donates item for item, when you make a purchase the same item is given to an orphan in need! The owner happens to be a close friend of mine and she has an incredible heart for orphans! Worth a few minutes to check out her sight.
Hi there.. I’m a first-time commenter, but I had to respond to your post. A friend told me about the Patemm Pad, so I got it after we had our first baby – I use this every day, and it’s probably the only thing I use every day (except for diapers :)).. I don’t even have a real diaper bag because this thing has been more than enough.. http://www.patemm.com/Default.asp. I highly recommend :).
[…] with you, and today is finally the day. Once we decided to move to Los Angeles I started gathering inspiration for decorating the nursery. Since we are keeping the gender a surprise until delivery day we wanted to keep the nursery colors […]
With havin so much written content do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright violation?
My blog has a lot of exclusive content I’ve either created myself or outsourced but it appears a lot of it is popping it up all over the web without my authorization. Do you know any methods to help protect against content from being stolen? I’d genuinely appreciate it.
What is the production crew building in the place of the Eyrie castle set? There are calling it a “secret.” Perhaps viewers can only discover the secret when the “Game of Thrones” Season 4 airs.