Baby Must Haves | 0-6 Months

I am so excited to share with you some of my must have items from age newborn to 6 months. I love finding new baby things or even seeing the same items on other mom's list so I know, "that must be a good thing to have!".

I could have listed more but I wanted to keep it simple and not have an overwhelming list! There is so much out there and a lot of it is kind of obvious (baby bath, favorite diaper cream, lots of jammies, diaper bag etc). If you want more of my favs like that let me know!!

1. DockAtot! This is a MUST have! You can read all about why we love our dock and how it's kept our sleep routine consistent here. If you plan on traveling it is so great to have!!

2. Milestone Cards. I love having an easy and fun way to capture my babes milestones! Especially when you're on a second baby you NEED easy ;)

3. The Ollie World Swaddle. First of all, the packaging is amazing! It comes in the most darling box that I am definitely saving! I love this swaddle because it is buttery soft and has velcro. Siena always liked to be swaddled with her arms up when she was a newborn. Around 2 months she started to break out of the swaddle, so we started to wrap her from the arms down. This keeps her snug and it doesn't move. It is a great combo with the DockATot! Talk about feeling snug :) I will definitely be saving this swaddle for the next baby. I love the gender neutral color I chose!

4. Finn And Emma Play Gym. How darling is this play gym?! I am in love. I feel like with traditional play gyms the baby has to be laying down to play with it and then out grows it. I like this one because it is height adjustable and she can play while sitting up. This is a toy that will grow with her and is just so cute! All of their toys are made from organic materials and are Eco safe. The play gym is finished in non-toxic stains and lacquers. I don't have to worry if Siena puts her mouth on it!

5. Gripe Water. This is a MUST have. Babies (especially newborns) have the hiccups and gas a lot as their digestive system is getting acclimated. I love having this on hand for tummy troubles!

6. Jumper. This toy was loved by Noah and is now loved by Siena! Around 4 months they hit the stage of wanting to sit up and stand (assisted) so this is so great. They have so much fun bouncing and the activities/toys provided keep them busy. I will continue to save this toy for future babes once Siena outgrows it.

7. Binxy Baby shopping cart hammock. I love this thing! Siena isn't a big fan of her carseat so if she's awake when we go to the store she sits in the hammock. This allows me to have room in the cart and I don't have to push a double stroller. Noah sits up front and everyone is happy! We can also buckle her carseat into the hammock and still have some room below. I get asked all the time where we got this and if we love it. YES YES YES. Get one!!

8. Solly Baby Wrap. I have loved this wrap from day one and we still use it! It's so easy to keep in the diaper bag AND it's easy to get on. I HATE confusing wraps! I will definitely use it until Siena outgrows it and save it for the next babe. It also makes having two kids easier when you need your hands free or don't have the stroller. I love to wear her and take Noah for a walk or to the park without the stroller.

9. 4Moms MamaRoo. We loved this! Noah's swing was huge and took up so much room in our family room. I love how space saving the MamaRoo is. It plays white noise which is great because both of my babies like white noise. It has several different motions and you can adjust how baby sits in it. I loved this when Siena was a new born. She has pretty much outgrown it at this point but I am saving it for sure!

10. Audrey's Bear Multi-use cover. I have loved this cover SO much. I chose the poppy print because it reminds me of Italy, and I love having it personalized with her name. It has been the best car seat cover as well as nursing cover. It is so easy and convenient to take it off the car seat or out of the diaper bag and use it to nurse when I am in public. We will use it as a cart cover when Siena gets bigger. I get stopped by people constantly when we are out to ask where I got this awesome cover.

11. Wubbanub Paci. Siena doesn't take it anymore but loved it in those first days. I will continue to try a Paci with each baby so I think it is a must have! Plus, they're so cute!

I'd love to know what your baby must haves are! Did I miss anything?

Our Sleep Routine Made Easy With DockATot

Thank you to DockATot for sponsoring this post! As always all opinions are 100% my own.

I just want to make it clear that I am not a sleep training specialist haha. Not even close! I am just sharing our routine along with some tips! I am two kids deep feel like I have learned quite a bit when it comes to helping your babies sleep.

The number one thing I cannot stress enough when it comes to helping your little one is STAYING CONSISTENT. You cannot be wishy washy or have different days all week long. In my opinion, babies feed off of ROUTINE and CONSISTENCY. The great thing about this is once your babe(s) are used to a routine you can be a bit flexible and it won't be the end of the world. For example, if you go on vacation you don't have to stress if your baby will sleep there or when you get back home.

That's where the DockATot is a must! Noah didn't have one so we made it work with what we had, but I bet life would have been easier if we would have had it. The dock really helps us stay consistent with Siena's sleeping arrangement.  The Dock keeps the baby feeling like it is snug and for a baby who likes to be swaddled, or when they start to break out of it this is great! The material is extremely breathable and safe for baby to nap in (supervised). If you plan on traveling with baby this makes sleeping in a hotel or new environment so much easier. I was really interested in a DockATot when I knew we would be traveling from overseas and the from place to place after that. Siena spent time in our bedroom in a pack and play, then in her room in the pack and play and then I finally gave her Noah's crib to sleep in and she transitioned so seamlessly. It has kept her sleeping arrangement consistent which makes our sleep routine no matter where we are so easy!  Siena is currently in the deluxe size and that should fit her up until 8 months. I am hoping to eventually upgrade her to the grand size.

DISCLAIMER: DockATot does not recommend the dock in cribs. We are constantly watching Siena and she has a very strong neck. It is a great option for co-sleeping or like I said in a hotel environment in the bed. Check out all the safety info on their website.

I love that the dock can also be a lounger. Tummy time is made easy with the DockATot!

Babies are much smarter than you think and pick up on things super easily. Don't get me wrong, sometimes they can be a total mystery and you will wonder if they'll ever catch on, but I promise they will! I hear stories of little ones sleeping thru the night from a month old or so. Don't let that discourage you if your baby does not do that! Mine for sure don't. Also, are they breastfeeding? Do they take a bottle? There are so many factors to consider and every child is so different.
I highly recommend checking out The Wonder Weeks app for your phone. It helps show when your baby is making developmental leaps that might contribute to sleep. Both my babies went through the 4 month sleep regression and sometimes it was tempting to change things up, or give in to their crazy antics but I stayed consistent with what I wanted to do and I think that really helps when they're over that hump of a regression.

When I bring home a newborn I keep them swaddled tight until they begin to break the swaddle. Noah wasn't a huge fan of being swaddled but Siena was (every baby is different). Siena didn't begin breaking lose from her swaddle until 2-2.5 months old. There are other options if you want to stay consistent with the swaddle. We moved on to a sleep sack. I also love the Ollie World swaddle for below the arms. The dockAtot helps with that "swaddle" feel as well.

They both really like luvies and sleep with one. Siena only sleeps with hers during naps and I did not give it to her until I knew she could move it away from her face or turn her head. Never put things in with your baby when they are very small.
The important thing is finding what helps your baby self soothe. For my babies its the luvie. Siena rarely cries before a nap but she loves to run the luvie on her face or hold it. Noah was the same way. For your babe it may be a pacifier or something else. Whatever it is have that thing available every time they take a nap.

Once my baby moves past the extremely sleepy newborn phase (around 1 month old or so) I start to watch for sleep cues. It is SO important to not let your baby get over tired. If your babe gets over tired and misses the golden window for a nap then it can be really hard to get them to sleep. Siena starts to get fussy and will rub her eyes. She can only handle about 2 hours of wake time between naps. Right now she takes a morning nap, afternoon nap and a cat nap before bed time.

Here is my nap time routine with Siena:

• Once I see sleep cues (usually at 2 hour mark) I change her diaper
• bring her upstairs and put her in her DockATot. She sleeps with one light weight blanket and her luvie. 
• I put her white noise on
• either sing to her or wind up her toy that plays "twinkle, twinkle" and I leave. I do not rock her or anything like that. She is so used to our routine that she knows it is nap time and will go to sleep pretty easily. Sometimes she fusses but never for long. 

Now, when babies are a newborn I believe in doing WHATEVER works because sleep is so crucial, and you don't want your babe over tired. So if they need to nap in a swing do it, wear you baby, go for rides...whatever and eventually they will get used to sleep and work out a better schedule. Siena used to sleep in the Mamaroo when she was a newborn because she could sleep thru loud noises, but now she rarely uses the swing. She pretty much only naps in her crib and car. If we have to go somewhere in the morning we try to plan around nap time so baby can sleep or we go after she's napped in her crib depending on time so she doesn't get over tired. Some people might think we're crazy for caring so much about when our kids nap or having a routine, but it really does help.

At night I always try to have the same routine (see a theme here haha) so baby knows it's time for bed and they won't be getting up until morning.
With Noah I would give him a bath every night, but that isn't really doable with the two kids. Now we have a pretty set bed time of 8pm (give or take depending on her last nap).

Our routine:

• sometimes bathe, other days we just change diaper. I only change a poopy diaper at night which she never really has (I size up so she doesn't leak)
• put in jammies and sleep sack
• start white noise
• make sure room is dark 
• nurse and gently put her into her crib. I would give Noah a bed time bottle but Siena won't take a bottle. This is pretty much the only time I nurse to sleep. She is still so young that I think it's OK. Noah never became dependent on a bottle and learned how to self soothe that when we weaned from the bottle he did fine going to bed. 

If Siena wakes at night I pay attention to the kind of cry. She will sometimes go back to sleep pretty quickly if I don't rush in there. When she is legitimately hungry I go in with it still dark and I do NOT talk to her. It's almost like a "dream" feed. She is right back in bed after that feeding.
If she doesn't wake on her own by 8 am then I go in and get her up. I think it's important to have window  of when the baby wakes up each morning to keep your routine on track. Since she goes to bed around 8pm getting her up by 8 am is perfect.

Siena wakes up so happy in the morning in her DockATot!

My babies (so far) begin sleeping thru the night after the 4 month regression passes. So if your baby is going thru that, know there is light at the end of the tunnel! Siena was sleeping super well before the regression hit and now she is doing much better! Considering all the big changes she's been thru since being born as far as moving and sleeping in several different places she's done amazing!

Again, this is just what works for our family! I hope a few of these tips might help you with your baby and I can't recommend including a DockAtot in your little ones sleep routine enough! Use this code for $10 off your dockAtot.

Our Play Room & Why You Need a Lorena Canals Rug in Your Play Room!

Thank you to Lorena Canals for sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% mine.

You guys, I am so excited to share my first post showing a piece of our home here in Utah!

Here is our play room space for the kids! I love how cozy it is!

I think it is important to have a rug in your play space if you don't have carpet in the room, especially if you have a baby. They are often laying or rolling around and a soft surface is so nice! 

We love this grey ombre Lorena Canals rug for the space. It fits perfect in the space and really ties it all together. And get this...it is MACHINE washable.  When you have kids who snack, spit up and blow out this is essential!! and not to mention if you have dogs...the snow is melting here and mud is pouring in. It's always something right?! I have already washed it twice! YIKES! I know, right?! 

Lorena Canals rugs are all natural and so so soft! Just so perfect for a kid space, but I would totally put a number of their rugs in other rooms too.

I was so happy when we found out our home in Utah would have a space to use as a play room. I was really crossing my fingers it would be it's own designated room, but turns out the only place that would be possible is where we made our living room, and we need that space for our sectional and entertainment center. We decided we would just have to make it work having it shared with our dining room. However, I like that Noah can eat breakfast and lunch and I can see him from the kitchen. I can also see him playing from the kitchen which is a plus. As a mom, I spend a lot of time the kitchen so having the play room too far away wouldn't work out! Noah is at the age where he can independently play but I don't want him upstairs in his room alone, so a play room space was necessary.  Also, the play room is right next to the back door where our big back yard is, which will make for easy access when the weather is warmer! 

And bonus, when someone comes to our front door they can't see the toy explosion that is usually happening! haha!

We bought a toy storage cubby pretty quickly after moving in. We had an early shipment arrive that was mostly toys. Guys, an empty house and toys don't mix! It was making me crazy! I love that these bins are nice and deep for a lot of toy storage. I am a bit OCD and keep things separated. Cars, track pieces, baby toys etc all have their own bin. This makes clean up and finding things so much easier! I think the colors all tie in really well with the rug too!

When we first moved in we also bought this small TV for $40 used to get us by until our things arrived. I think it's the perfect play room size. Anything bigger might look too large for the space.

We also have a little storage closet under our stairs that we keep bigger toys in. Noah will pull them out and then we put them back when he's done. In Italy we didn't have much storage for anything so we got really creative with baskets to "hide" the toys since we mostly kept them in our family room. We did the same thing in this play room. 

I chose neutrals that match my dining and kitchen since they're close. I wanted a fun "kid" area but I also didn't want it to scream "crazy, kid zone" when you looked at it. If I would have had a separate area for the play room I would have been a bit more bold with colors. Maybe next time :) 

This white tee-pee is one of my favorite parts of the space because it is just so darling! I would have killed for a spot like this as a kid. I just had to make a blanket fort ;) 

I can't wait to see the both of them play together in it one day. I also love the twinkle lights I added to the top to give it an extra fun feel! 

I love this little table and chairs. It was kind of squeezed into the space but it works. Noah like to sit and play with Play-Doh there, and I have a basket of essentials for easy access.

Here's what the play room looks like next to the dining room. I am often sitting in the end chair blogging away while the kids play on the Lorena Canals rug!

I bought the same table runner for the top of the toy cubby as I did for the dining table, which I think really ties the two spaces together.

Do you have a play room that is shared with another space? I'd love to know what you think of how I did this space! I am hoping to get more things on the wall, maybe some pictures of the kids as we start to get more moved in. 

Be sure to check out Lorena Canals and get a Machine Washable rug for your space whether it be a play room, family room or bed room! 

Siena August Rose | 5 month update Featuring Milestone Baby

You better believe I am holding onto this next month for dear life before she hits her half birthday! Wahhh. Ok, now that we got that out of the way let's talk all about little miss S. Boy is she loved in this house! Adored by her daddy, attached to mama's hip and soo loved on by big brother. She is so sweet and her eyes are getting more blue everyday (thanks daddy :) ) and don't get me started on her eye lashes. I am just a tad jealous. I still want to eat up her sweet rolls and hope they stick around since they're oh so yummy :)

I love taking Siena's pictures and tracking her milestones for my own memories, and for these monthly blog posts! I am so excited about these Milestone cards that make it so easy to snap a picture with my babe. Last week I posted on my Instagram that she giggled for the first time! Girl friend is SO hard to get to laugh. She just grunts like she can't quite figure out how to get that laugh out! I haven't been able to get her to laugh again since then, so I am so glad I wrote down that milestone! These cards make it easy to take the month-by-month photos in different cute poses. You could even frame the cards! I have some examples below of different milestones that come in the pack. I chose the limited edition pack and they are SO cute!! I will definitely be using these throughout the rest of her first year! If you want free printables head to their website!

EAT.

Siena nurses like a champ when she is not distracted that is. We have hit the "nosey" phase and she doesn't want to miss a thing, especially if big brother is around. She will stop eating so she can look at him while he talks or she will want to see the Tv if she hears something that catches her attention. I get the best feedings when we are alone in her room. The first feed of the day can be the trickiest if Noah is awake and around because she just cannot focus on nursing. I sometimes have to stop to try to feed her a few times in the morning to get a full feed, but don't worry-if she's hungry she def eats!
She still won't take a bottle *eye roll*. I am still trying every so often tho. I tried just the other day and she acted like I was nuts. I don't get why when she was younger she took a bottle but definitely lost interest around 3 months or so. She nurses after each nap and then I nurse her to sleep at night.

We tried solids earlier in the month starting with rice cereal mixed with breast milk. She seems to like it alright so I tried pureed sweet potatoes with breastmilk, and she wasn't too excited about it. So I held off for a week or two before trying again. So different from Noah! He started solids at 4 months and demolished it! He was smacking it down faster than I could give it. She was not a fan. Now she seems to like peas and apple sauce. I always try to introduce veggies first but since she wasn't seeming too interested we tried pears and apples, and she seems to really like the apples. I feed her solids around dinner time only.

SLEEP.

Sister girl is an awesome napper! She wakes between 7&7:30am most days and can stand being awake for about 2 hours before needing a nap. Her morning nap is her longest, usually around 2-3 hours. She then repeats the cycle of eating and being awake for 2 hours before going down again. She wakes up so happy too! Always greeting me with a big cheesy grin.
Night time sleep is another story. She does well once she FINALLY gives into going to sleep for the night. Usually only waking once to eat at night. She begins to go down between 7&8pm. Ill get her to sleep and then she typically wakes up several times needing to be nursed back to sleep before she will go down officially around 9. I had a few nights earlier this week where she went down and didn't wake up and it was SO nice. I actually got to watch my shows with my hubby and relax! She is legit usually up every 20 mins before falling asleep for the night. I.DO.NOT.GET.IT. I can only guess it's the 4 month sleep regression and I am hoping we see a turn around this month! Noah was a brand new baby at 5 months so I am hoping she will do the same :)
She is now sleeping in a dockatot which has been so nice! A bit more snug than the baby nest. I love being able to keep her sleeping arrangement consistent and we will be moving her to big brothers crib this month and I think that will make things easier!

WHAT'S NEW?

Siena has definitely found her "voice" she is a little jabber box! You can usually find her with a toy or fingers in her mouth nawing away.
We got her first giggle and I am still working on getting more.
She is a little Rollie-pollie and if I hear her whining from the other room I know she probably rolled over, and sometimes she can get herself back to her back!
We just got our stuff delivered from Italy so she is now using the jumper activity center Noah had and she LOVES it!! She is so curious and so good at picking things up and grasping.
And of course, she tried solids for the first time.

 Trying out rice cereal!

Trying Sweet Potatoes 

FAVORITES.

• Still loves to eat!
• Her big brother! They love each other! Well, he shows her love most of the time. When he is sour to her I say just wait until she gets big! haha. She takes it like a champ tho. She shows interest in his toys and will reach for them and I try to have him share with her when he is playing near her. She usually just eats it but it's good for both of them! 
• Dock-a-tot seriously a must have! I will be chatting more about this in an upcoming post! 
• Her jumper. Guys, I wish you could see her move in this thing! She is in her glory!
• Being worn. I don't find myself wearing her as much as I was before but she still seems to like it! I need to upgrade soon to a forward facing carrier! 
• Bath time. She loves to lounge in the tub and even splashes! She is so chill in the bath and Noah loves taking a bath with her too. 
• Her luvie. I am still on the hunt for an extra cute one but she seems to like napping with the one she has! Noah is still super attached to his "baby" and it's so cute! 

NOT A FAN.

• Car seat- I know shocker but I feel like it's getting better! 

MISS SIENA ROSE

You are such a happy girl and a joy to be around! I love watching you blossom each month. It is passing much too quickly, but what a blessing you are to this family! I hope you know how loved you are! 

PHOTO DUMP 

That tongue! *heart eyes*