THESE ARE A FEW OF AMANDA'S FAVORITE THINGS

As my son approaches his six-month milestone we have a really good idea of what our favorite items are so far. Hopefully, you had the opportunity to read my registry guide for all things baby, but here is a quick breakdown of our “can’t live without” items. - X0 Amanda

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UPPAbaby: GIVE US ALL THE UPPAbaby THINGS! I lovingly refer to this stroller as “the basic bitch stroller”. I love and use ours so much I am dedicating an entire post on why you need this stroller and all the accessories in your life. Make sure to check it out and see why!

Inglesina Fast Table Chair and Dining Tray: We started solid foods at four months. Since Sonny was still a “supported sitter” the highchair engulfed him. Mix that with (another) home renovation in our main living space and my dislike for more clutter and baby accessories everywhere I whipped out the Inglesina Fast Table Chair and Dining Tray. I love it so much I have no desire to take out our actual highchair yet. The Inglesina Table chair easily attaches to a table or counter with no damage. It is great for traveling and trips to friends/family with baby. One of my friends managed to use this as her only highchair and I totally understand how.

DockATot: This item has been a godsent for us, but I know not every baby enjoys it. Luckily, our son loved his DockATot from day one and still naps in it! We purchased the toy arch accessory and outdoor cabana too. Since Sonny spit up all the time, we considered purchasing an additional cover. They are expensive and such a pain to change that we just covered the DockATot with a muslin blanket.

Kiinde Gift Set & Baby Brezza: I will spare you the details of my breastfeeding journey (for now). Although I only pumped for six weeks, I highly recommend investing in Kiinde products. Kiinde allows you to pump, store, organize and feed all from one (recyclable) pouch. The Twist system has adapters to direct pump into the most popular bottle brands too. The storage pouches never leaked or spilled, and I easily stockpiled pumped milk. I loved the convenience of this quality product. Disclaimer: I did not purchase the Baby Brezza because my goal was to primarily breast feed. If I been taking the formula approach, I would have invested in the Brezza. My friends who use it have nothing but positive feedback. Also, I have NOTHING on my counters so the Brezza may have bothered my minimalist mindset.

Hatch Rest + Sound Machine: We use our Hatch everyday all day. It is probably our most used item. Our friends who have it felt like it is a necessity too. Unfortunately, I opted for the more expensive and newer version (Hatch Rest + Sound Machine) and have had connectivity issues. My advice is to purchase the $59.99 original model (Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine) because the reviews confirm the connectivity is much better. I am the only one out of my friends with the newer model and the only one that must constantly reconnect and reset my WIFI. This connectivity issue was resolved when I purchased a new iPhone too. The only bonus is that the newer model does have a clock on the front. I love that we can preset our favorite modes (sound, volume, light color, brightness) and it is portable/cord free. I have moved it throughout the house depending on where my son passed out.

Nursery Works Compass Rocker: Any rocker or glider is necessary in a nursery in my opinion. I spend hours on it pumping, feeding, rocking, and reading to my son. The reason I chose the Nursery Works Compass Rocker is because it was unique, modern, and had a slimmer design than most bulky traditional gliders. My hope is that my son will continue to use the rocker as he gets older since it is a higher priced seating option.

SKIP*HOP Activity Gym & Explore & More Jumpscape Foldaway Jumper: I adore the activity gym and jumper we have, but I am sure any brand and style will do the job. Typically, the more obnoxious, brightly colored, and hideous the more entertaining for baby! I registered for these ones based on the reviews and storage options. My parents have a Baby Einstein exersaucer that our son finds extremely amusing too. An activity playmat/gym and discovery center, exersaucer or jumper will come in handy when you need a few minutes hands free!

Joovy Spoon Walker: I did not register for a walker. I honestly did not think it was necessary since we got an exersaucer, but one day (out of nowhere) my husband ordered our son the Joovy Spoon. I hate to admit it was one of the best purchases he ever made. Our son is more entertained in his walker than anything else we have purchased so far. We started using it around 4.5/5 months since there are several height adjustments. There are so many variations of baby walkers, but what I like about the Joovy Spoon is it collapses for storage and has an extra-large tray. Some walkers have built in toys. The Joovy does not. At first, I thought that was a disadvantage, but love that I can put a variety of toys on the tray or a snack when he gets older. What brand you purchase is personal preference and the options are endless!

OXO Tot Splash & Store Bathtub: You can probably guess why I selected this bathtub. IT COLLAPSES FOR CONVENIENT AND COMPACT STORAGE. Clearly, I am a sucker for anything that saves space. This was the only tub we purchased. There was no need to get a separate infant insert, seat, or tub. We used this from day one since the design is suitable for newborns to 18 months.

Closet Organizers & Felt Hangers: Once again, I will purchase anything that helps keep me organized and both items satisfied my obsessive compulsive tendency. There is nothing better than a perfectly organized closet!

Copper Pearl Bandana Bibs & Burp Cloths: As previously mentioned my son spit up a lot. I was covered in spit up until we started eating solids regularly and his esophagus flap fully developed around 5/6 months. My friends with “normal” babies did not understand how I went through so many burp cloths and why my son was always in a bandana bib from birth. I swear Burt’s Bees Organic Cotton Burp Cloths were my saving grace. I bought so many since they were the most absorbent. I tried a few different styles and brands for bandana bibs but kept going back to Copper Pearl. They had the best fit, looked the best on and had the cutest designs. If you are blessed with a baby who does not vomit on you all the time the Copper Pearl bibs will eventually come in handy for teething drool. Trust me, your baby’s outfits will thank me.

Nest Camera: I touched on this briefly in my registry post. Our condo was already equipped with nest cameras, so it made sense that we put an additional one in the nursery. The version we received allowed us to communicate with our son too. One camera eliminated the need for an audio and video monitor. Eventually a baby monitor would be unnecessary, but we would continue to use the nest camera as our child grew to monitor play and sleep. Our friends who purchased a baby monitor ultimately purchased a nest camera or something comparable to it once they had a toddler. The nest camera was the best fit for our family.