8 Month Favorites

This is a few weeks late and time is just flying by! Our little boy is growing like crazy! Pretty sure he's going through a growth spurt--he is eating so much! He's crawling, both army crawl and hands/knees, pulling up on everything, walking along the couch, chasing after our puppy and loves to be outside. He keeps me on my toes but I love being a mom and I'm so grateful to be at home with him.

Here are our favorite things from the past month...

Fisher Price Booster Chair We bought this right before Christmas and it's been really helpful. We take it with us when we go over to people's houses for dinner and it straps on to any size chair. It has two straps, one in the back and one on the bottom so it is very secure. The back folds down so it is pretty compact to store, always a plus with ALL.the.stuff. that comes with having a baby.

Robeez Shoes Walt will not leave his socks on, like the second I put them on they come off. This was my solution to that problem and it really has helped a ton! They have a soft sole and are really easy to put on which is a huge plus cause all those super cutesy shoes are a pain in the butt to put on. He can still crawl around in them and they have helped keep his socks on! They have all different designs but I went with the tennis shoe looking ones to go with the most outfits. It looks like they are having a sale right now!

VTech Turn and Learn Driver My parents got Walt this for Christmas and he loves playing with it! It has all different sounds and music, which is nice cause some of the toys play the same song over and over and over and over... The "key turn" is the volume and I wish it had a lower setting or was in a spot where the kids couldn't turn it up but that seems to be a common theme with the VTech and Fisher Price toys.

Straw Cups Walt learned how to use a straw and really like trying to drink out of any that he can find. I bought these cups for him and they have worked out really well! They are spill proof (for the most part) which is awesome. Just a friendly note--don't have the straw in the lid when you put the lid on the cup or the liquid will go EVERYWHERE. Something about the seal making it spill proof, believe me it's a mess. haha! We are still working on drinking water, every time he tries it seems like it chokes him I guess he's not use to the consistency? I've been making him smoothies lately and he drinks those out of these cups like a champ.

Portable Playard I never thought I would be that mom who buys a playpen for her kid, but I did and I am so glad that I did. Seriously I chase him all over the house all day long, and he is so fast. I use this mostly when I have to go to the bathroom or get something done in the kitchen. Most of the time he does awesome in it, he actually plays with his toys instead of just moving all over and trying to find his next adventure. It's collapsible, light weight, and doesn't take up much space. Reminds me of the foldable chairs you would take to a soccer game, but it opens up to be a good size. The bottom is real thin but you can put down a blanket easily. They also sell one with a sun shade but I didn't spend the extra money on it.

Stitch Fix #1

I've been wanting to try Stitch Fix for awhile and finally decided to give it a go. If you've never heard of Stitch Fix it's a personal styling company. You fill out a survey and questions based on your personal style preferences and make notes of any specific pieces you are looking for and you get a box with five items picked out especially for you. I am the worst at picking out clothes for myself. I never go shopping and if I do I buy something in the grey/comfy family.

If you decide to give Stitch Fix a try, here's my referral link.

I'm still deciding which pieces I want to keep, and would love some feedback!

Rada 3/4 Sleeve Knit Top

This is probably my favorite shirt in the box. It's comfy and can be dressed up or dressed down which is important in my book.


Rosa Tab Sleeve V-Neck Blouse

I don't think I've ever owned a red shirt, or at least not a nice red shirt. Overall I like the fit, it's just very similar to the other three shirts so I'm not sure which one I like best. I don't think I need all three.

Colibri Solid Tab Sleeve Blouse

I think this one might be my favorite of the solid long shirts. I like the green and I like the buttons in the front.

Sylvester Split Neck Blouse

I think this is my least favorite item in the box. I'm not a huge fan of the neck line. But it did grow on me the longer I had it on.

Dark Skinny Jeans

I wasn't expecting to like these jeans when I saw them. They are ankle length and they have a zipper on the outside calf. But they fit really good and that's not an easy thing to find when you are super short. They are also a little edgy and something I would've never picked out for myself. (You can't really see the zipper in these pictures but they are a really dark blue and the zipper is just on the outside at the bottom.)

What do you think I should keep?

7 Month Favorites

Well this is a few weeks late but we have been enjoying family time with Kyle off work. Now it's back to the everyday and that means writing this blog! Here are our favorite things from the past month...



Covered Goods Nursing Cover Seriously this might be my top favorite of all time. Breastfeeding comes with challenges, but we have been lucky enough to be able to keep it up for this long. The biggest challenge for me is breastfeeding in public--I am not here to start any kind of debate but when my baby needs to eat, he needs to eat and I don't want to sit in the car, or bathroom, or other room every time that happens. It's easy to feel like you're missing out on everything when you have to leave the room and I was starting to feel that way. Then I found this cover (seriously that sounds overdramatic, but it's so true). I had been following their Instagram account for awhile and was putting it on my Christmas list but ended up buying it for myself and I'm so glad I did! I love, love, love it. Unlike other nursing scarves this one is stretchy and very soft. It covers really easily, the top is a little smaller than the bottom so it covers easily, which is perfect when you have a wiggly 7 month old who likes to throw his hands up in the air and squirm when he nurses. Okay, I think I've made my point...but seriously it's awesome.

Laugh & Learn Remote We had a play date with some friends a few weeks ago and Walt found this toy and pretty much played with it the whole time. Good thing Santa heard that he liked it and brought it in his stocking... Walt loves playing with things that aren't toys (cell phones, shoes, remotes, etc.) So this fits the bill. My only negative about it would be that the volume is on the front and can be controlled by the kiddo, and it get's loud! Think we will be doing a tissue and masking tape trick on the back like my parents used to do.

Carter's Sleep Sack There are a bunch of different sleep sack options, this is the one that we have been using. It's cold outside, and even though we keep the heat higher than before we had Walt it still gets chilly inside. This acts like a blanket for Walt at night, but without the dangers of an actual blanket.

Sophie the Giraffe I really don't know what it is about Sophie that makes all the babies love it but all the hype has rung true for us. We keep this in the diaper bag and it comes in handy when we are out and about and Walt gets fussy or his teeth start hurting. Seriously guys teething is the worst and anything that helps is worth having.

Dekor Diaper Disposal We started solid food a few months ago and let's just say a good diaper pail is a must haha. I really like this one. It keeps the smell out of the room and is easy to change when it gets full.


An extra bonus...

Triple Paste Diaper Cream We've never really had any issues with diaper rash, but that all changed right before Christmas time. We tried two other diaper rash creams without any changes, in fact it got worse with them. It was bad, like screaming every time we had to change his diaper bad. Kyle found this at the store and it worked within hours. Worth a bonus mention!

6 Month Favorites

Six months, half of a year, hard to even believe. I can't think about it too long or I'll get sad because he's growing so fast. As much as I want him to slow down and stay little for forever I love seeing his personality grow each day.

This month has been one of the hardest because W hasn't been sleeping well and things are much harder when we aren't sleeping. When I say not sleeping well I mean waking up every two hours and taking an hour to fall back asleep, then not going down for naps during the day. In the afternoon I often drive around waiting for him to fall asleep and then I hook his car seat into the stroller and walk around the park. At least if I'm not getting sleep I can at least get a little exercise and fresh air. I think it had to do with teething because his first tooth finally broke through last week. The past two days have been much better so I'm hoping that we are headed in the right direction. I love being a mom, not getting sleep is difficult though and it makes me grumpy and start to isolate cause it's hard to think about going places. I'm grateful for my hubby who comes home on his lunch break and tells me to get out of the house, and wakes up in the middle of the night and walks around the house with W until he falls asleep. Here's to all the other mamas and daddies out there who aren't sleeping, may you find time to rest, accept help from those around you, and stock up on some coffee!

Anyways, let's get to the favorites...

Wubba Nub Dog W has never taken a pacifier well (kind of like the whole bottle situation) but this past month he's loved this little guy. He chews on the pacifier part, I think it feels good on his sore gums, and he loves the tag. Basically he doesn't use it like it's meant for but he still loves it.

Oball Activity Center There are tons of activity and exersaucers, but I really like this one. It's compact and has a lot to play with. It has a few buttons that play music and is the same brand as the ball in the Four Month Favorites. They are easy to grab and W loves all the different things he can play with.

Einstein Aquarium I went out and bought this one day after W had been up all night and Kyle was out of town. It was kind of an act of desperation, I was willing to try anything. It's not a magic pill but it does help sometimes. It comes with a remote so we can turn it on and off without going into his room. He has also figured out how to hit the starfish and turn it on and off, which is funny. It hooks on the side of the crib and runs on batteries. We have had it for over a month and use it at least once a day and I just replaced the batteries this week.

Ergo 360 Kyle has been using this to carry Walt around the house during his sleepless nights/days. He likes how easy it is to put on and it feels like a backpack. There are four different ways you can wear it, we do the front inward facing right now. I like using a wrap, like the Boba, more I think just cause I'm smaller and the wrap helps W snuggle in closer. I'm sure as he gets bigger I will start using this more. It's much easier on your back to put him in a carrier or wrap, and he usually falls asleep while you move around. The difficult part comes in trying to transfer him from the carrier or wrap to the crib.

Starbucks I was trying to think what else should be on my list of favorites for this month and all I could think of was coffee.coffee.coffee. Like I said in the beginning we haven't been getting much sleep and coffee really does help. Just not too much coffee cause otherwise you miss out on possible naps. Starbucks gift cards made my Christmas list for this reason haha, I love coffee and I brew it at home but there is something special about going to get a coffee when you're having a bad day. If you have a mommy friend who has a little one especially one who isn't sleeping, maybe send them a Starbucks card. My sister-in-law sent me one and it brought tears to my eyes. Not for the coffee, but because it was sweet of her to think of me and send an encouraging note. Love my family.

5 Month Favorites

Sassy Wonder Wheel This is an awesome high chair toy. The bottom is has a suction pad on it so it sticks to the tray and has lots of fun parts that can keep a baby occupied. Walt plays with it while I get his food ready or while I'm cleaning up dinner. He loves spinning the wheel; I was impressed with how well he could do this from the very first time he played with it. He usually gets it unstuck from his tray and tries to chew on the suction pad, but maybe that's just him haha...

Phil & Teds Highchair We started solid foods this month. Originally we had planned on waiting until Walt was 5 months old but he was waking up every two hours at night to nurse so we decided it might help, and I think it did. This high chair is awesome. It's easy to use and cleans up well. The only down side is the legs stick out kind of far and I'm always worried about tripping over them. But otherwise it's awesome and it also can be turned into a lower chair for an older child.

Being silly in his highchair

In his highchair playing with the wheel

Mortimer the Moose This is the toy we usually bring on walks with us. It has a clip at the top so I just hook it on the stroller straps so it doesn't fall out (I lost a burp rag one day and had to retrace my path to find it) Walt likes to chew on the antlers and loves how soft it is. There are also rings to play with and the feet make a crunchy noise so it can keep him occupied while I get a good walk.

Baby Trend Expedition Jogger Stroller We own three strollers, which is probably crazy but they all have been useful. This one is my favorite. It's easy to push and the shade cover is awesome cause it can move down to the front tray, helping block the sun. The front wheel can be locked (meaning it won't turn) if you are jogging, but we have found that even at a quick walk it needs to be locked or the whole stroller starts shaking. We took this to the state fair last month and it worked out great!

Just back from a walk in the jogger stroller with Mortimer the moose

aden + anais bamboo swaddle I know these have been on my favorites already (I think it was Month One) but they are worth repeating. These blankets are awesome! They are super soft, way softer than traditional swaddle blankets from aden + anais (which are also great!) I keep one in the car at all times, when Walt is getting fussy I hand it to him and he will rub it on his face and usually fall asleep. They are magical! Plus they have really pretty prints. The one I linked to is a different set of prints the ones we have and I told Kyle I was tempted to buy them, but we already have two packs so he didn't go for that idea. They are a bit pricier than usual swaddles but they are worth the price in my book! 

In the jogger stroller with another one of the blankets

Asleep in the car with his blanket and Mortimer

Graco Bumper Jumper Walt loves standing and this gives our arms a little break! He loves the independence of moving around and the little toys on the straps keep him very entertained. It’s really easy to put up and can be put on any doorframe.

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Four Month Favorites

It's amazing how much changes in a month! Walt has been playing a lot more this month and is becoming curious, especially about our dog Buddy and any kind of electronics. We've had to really be intentional about turning the TV off cause he will turn his neck like an owl to watch it. One Sunday at church the man next to us had his phone out and Walt was just staring at it the whole time (until he got hungry and decided he was done with sitting in service). Anyways, here are our favorites for this month...

Munchkin LATCH Transition Cup Walt still won't take a bottle but we've had some luck with this transition cup. It's soft like a bottle nipple but shaped more like a sippy cup. He loves the handles on it and wants to hold it himself.

Oball Rattle Like I said, Walt has started actually playing with toys which has been so fun to watch. He loves this ball cause it's really easy to hold. He does get frustrated cause he wants to put it in his mouth and can't because of the shape. He also will get it hooked on his finger and end up throwing it across the room. It's a great toy for at home but I wouldn't take it in the stroller cause it would be easily lost

Wide View Digital Color Video Baby Monitor He's been doing great sleeping in his crib and this monitor makes it easy to feel comfortable with him in his own room. It has a bar across the top that goes from green to red depending on the noise level. Plus the camera works really well and allows you to check on him without having to walk in his room a million times (and risk waking him up when you trip over something)

Fisher-Price Sit-Me-Up Floor Seat This is by far the best purchase we've bought lately. Walt loves standing up and sitting up, which is awesome but makes it difficult for me to get things done. This chair is awesome cause it lets him sit up and lets me move around. I've actually been able to make dinner lately because of this chair! It also has two hooks on it and comes with two little toys but you can switch them out. Bonus-the fabric material comes off very easily and washes nicely. Which we had to do two days in a row...

Spiral Activity Toy This is a soft toy that works well for on the go! We hook it on the stroller when we go on walks and on the side of his carseat for longer drives. It also is nice to pull out over at other people's houses to keep him entertained without having a bunch of toys.

Happy 4 months sweet boy!

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Three Month Favorites

Walt turned three months a few weeks ago, hard to believe how fast the time has gone by! I had to pack up a bunch of his clothes yesterday, which was quite sad. He's developing such a cute personality though and I love getting to hang out with him during the day! Here are our three month favorites...

The Jesus Storybook Bible We have developed a bedtime routine of bath (every other night), diaper change, pjs, and then I feed Walt while Kyle reads a story out of here. I love how each of the stories points to Jesus and the pictures are wonderful. It will be special to keep reading this especially as he gets older and we can talk about the story when we are done. He loves books and I'm glad we've started reading the Bible to him at an early age.

Boppy Pillow  I used this to nurse every now and then but Walt loves to be propped up on here. It lets him sit up a little bit and he likes to look around. He usually tells his best stories while propped up on the boppy. You can also use it for tummy time but we haven't done that as much cause he does really well with tummy time on the floor.

Carters Lamb Blanket I grabbed this out of the toy box on a whim this month and Walt loves it! He grabs it and rubs it on his face. We call it his lovie and it has become a car ride staple. We did forget it at my parents' house one night, thankfully he isn't at an age where he needs it just yet. I think we will buy a second one as a back up!

Summer Umbrella Stroller We had been using the travel system stroller that we borrowed from my brother-in-law and sister-in-law for our carseat but Walt started getting really warm and didn't like how he couldn't look around. We tried out this umbrella stroller and he really enjoyed it! He looks around at everything when we go on walks and is so content. It helps at night when it's too early for bed but he's getting fussy. One afternoon I took him and Buddy on a walk and it started raining, quite an adventure to try and get home but Walt didn't seem to mind at all.

SwaddleMe As I mentioned in my last post I mostly do a "super swaddle" when Walt is going in his crib (which is all the time now!) But not everyone has the swaddle technique down, so this is a nice back up option. There is velcro on it so it keeps his arms down and works well, although he has managed to get his arms out a few times.

A Light That Shines is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.