Pink Holidaze

A little something pretty to make a nasty diaper change not - so - bad (other than your sweet little babe).  I have one in a bird print , but I absolutely love this sweet monogrammed one  {by KatieBugBoutique on Etsy }.  Almost 7 months later, ours is still completely intact and nice-looking (and we are not gentle).

The Skip Hop Funky Farmyard Activity Mat . We just got this mat (in less than 24 hours with $4.00 shipping...thank you Amazon Mom !) yesterday.  I had decided to hold off on a playmat at first, then opted to use a hand-me-down from my parents when Eloise got old enough (next time I would have gotten one sooner).  But, years of play finally took its toll and the playmat died.  And as much as she liked it, I was really, really excited to pick out a new one.  I'm in love with the Skip Hop Treetop Friends (A certain friend and I have been eyeing its cuteness for months...:), but with the $15 difference it felt hard to justify right now.  And I do think it's cute!  So, I ordered it and Eloise LOVES it!  And so do I.  I have to say that the actual toys aren't as high quality as I had hoped (she still likes them!), but the mat itself is really nice, and I love the way the arches are tall enough that they don't seem to be in her face all the time. ...

The Infantino Swift Carrier .  After the post I wrote when I was looking up  carriers  back in March , I found this at Target!  It was only $15, which made me wonder how good the quality could be (something you don't want to skimp on when it comes to your baby's safety), but seemed worth a try before investing in a more expensive one.  Well, you totally don't get what you pay for in this case.  This carrier is great!  I won't be investing in a more expensive one...this works just fine.  Even Zach doesn't mind using it.  I use the Swift mostly for taking walks and doing housework.  For just hanging out and calming Eloise down, though, I still use a ring sling (a complete lifesaver).

I feel like when it comes down to it, these really aren't "finds" so much as they are favorites anymore.  Sorry about that.  Either way, too late now.  Favorite/Find #14:   Trumpette Socks .  Eloise wears these little metallic Mary Janes (the red look like ruby slippers :) she got from Megs all. the. time.  When she was first born, even though the actual socks were big, the elastic up top was one of the only ones that fit, so she's been wearing these for months.  They're really adorable, there's a color to go with every outfit, and they eliminate the need for shoes much of the time.  Which can be quite the feat to get on and keep on.

First Favorites from the Baby Gap .  They're incredibly soft, lightweight, and super stretchy.  If you happen to dress a baby who hates to be dressed each day, you'll realize why that's important soon enough.  They wash up really well, and I also love how slim cut they are for our long and lean little Eloise (did NOT get that from momma, that's for sure).  This little birdie print is one of my favorites (she's wearing it here ).

Said Manhattan Toy "Woodle" in action...

Another toy from Manhattan Toy .  I love our car seat and its smooth handle, but every time I turn a corner in the car, stroller toys have been completely falling to the side.  Meaning Eloise can't really look at them, which slightly defeats the point of having them.  Until now.  I stopped in My Favorite Toys  tonight and found this.  A toy which stayed on the handle the whole way home because of the little twisty doodad...and kept Eloise's attention.  It's pretty adorable, too, which I can't say for many stroller toys. { Manhattan Toy Woodle }

Honest time:  she doesn't play with these yet.  But they are cute.  That's why they're here.  And I'm sure she will love them when she does play with them.  They make a good gift, too. { Manhattan Toy Classic Baby Beads (if you're local, find them at My Favorite Toys )}  ...more baby finds  and baby posts ...

The Itzy Ritzy Wet Happened? Wet Bag .  I originally wanted to get a wet bag because we've gone back and forth about cloth diapers (still deciding), but then I realized it might be nice to have one anyways for dirty clothes, burp cloths, etc.  It's great to have something sturdy and reusable rather than just throwing away plastic bags time after time.  I'm SO glad we got one.  This past week Eloise has soiled her clothes quite a bit, and it's been great to just throw them in, not worrying if they will leak through or smell up the diaper bag.  And the lining is thick enough that you don't actually have to wash it every single time.  Also, I love, love all the cute patterns they offer.  So worth it! { Itzy Ritzy Wet Bag in Central Park West from Diapers.com }

Boon Grass Drying Rack  (other Boon products are really fun as well) .  I registered for this because we needed one (we don't have a dishwasher) and because I thought it was cute.  It's not just cute, though...this thing works really well!  Bottles and all those accessories can be a little hard to get completely dry, but the grass "blades" keep everything in place upside down, no matter what the shape or size, so they dry really quickly.  Which makes my life much, much easier.  Especially when down time is hard to come by. p.s.  If you're expecting, check out Nina's great post on maternity wear and Alanna's list of her favorite baby basics !

The 3 Marthas Moses Basket from The Land of Nod (Seriously, I don't get paid to talk about Land of Nod stuff.).  This was a gift from my aunt and cousin.  I hadn't really considered getting one at first, but now I know how great they are!  Eloise slept in this the whole time we stayed at my parents house while Zach was gone.  Right now we keep it in the family room under our coffee table and we can pull it out so she can sleep when we have company.  Or anytime for that matter.  We have a bassinet in our bedroom, but I know many people use these for the first few months every night.   Added bonus: it's super cute in photos. :)

Aden + Anais Burpy sets from The Land of Nod (the swaddle blankets are great, too).  They're really cute and super functional (they're larger than they look in the photos).  These are burp clothes that are actually shaped like your shoulder (not as common as you'd think) and with one little snap they become a bib on a baby or toddler.  I use them on Eloise all the time.  And I think she kind of looks hilariously cute wearing one.

Womb bear .  You've GOT to get yourself a womb bear (he attaches to baby's crib and sounds like a womb).  We love this thing.  It helps little E fall asleep and I like the fact that I can hear something in the monitor (which reassures me that the monitor is working, so my paranoid self doesn't have to go in and check on her five times an hour).  Womb bear just has womb sounds, so if you're looking for something with a few more options, Sleep Sheep is your guy.  :)

The Itzbeen Baby Care Timer .  I'd never heard of this before we got it as a gift (thanks, Amanda!) and it has become my best friend.   You can keep track of the last time you fed or changed your baby...a lifesaver when you're a zombie in the middle of the night.  And also wonderful when you're trying to keep track of everything to take to the pediatrician for your first appointment (tomorrow for us! :).  

his sweet baby book, the  Hello Baby! Baby Journal (again, by  Hello! Lucky ) from  The Land of Nod .  It feels sweetly vintage with these classic little illustrations!  And I love the fact that it's not huge and complicated.  I know I sadly wouldn't keep up with something too complicated.  This book has blanks for your responses rather than a bunch of scary open pages.  And, it has a cute growth chart to take out in the back.  Oh, yes...and I appreciate the price.  Love much. {There it is in Eloise's bookshelf in photo one; photo two from The Land of Nod }

This awesome bookshelf ( Kids' Shelves Kids White Wall Book Bin - White Wall Book Bin ) from The Land of Nod.  I heart this thing.  It's really adorable in person.  And when you don't happen to have room for a regular bookshelf, it's a perfect solution.  I think I also love the way it shows off all the fun books you receive.  I've found that although it's not huge, it holds a ton more than I thought it would!   Here's the photo from the site and a few photos from Eloise's nursery .

At my last shower, I opened up this awesome surprise from my mom.  A hand knit bunny mobile.  Yeah.  Cookie's got some serious talent.  I love it.  Love, love it.  It makes me happy every single time I look at it hanging there.  My mom used a pattern from  Vintage Knits for Modern Baby  ( here ), but if you're not a knitter or don't know any, blabla kids has some great hand knit mobiles.  These photos are from our nursery, so there's a peek at our bedding in place and the " love" print we ordered.

Numero uno: Land of Nod Changing Pad ( Baby Pink Dotted Changing Pad Cover ). It's cute.  Really cute.  And the best part is that it's got a super thick quilted top that I'm sure baby will appreciate.  I've already washed it once and it did well, plus I'm thinking the dark color and dots will be a great advantage when it gets stained.  Because I'm guessing it will.  :) {p.s.  This photo is from the website...I'll show it in the room when I put up nursery pics!}