the guizars

I know that many a people have composed many a lists on newborn necessities, but I thought it might be fun to compile my own, especially because I feel like there are pregnant women EVERYWHERE! I'm not even jealous of you!....yet. Till I meet your squishy babies then I'll want another one for myself! (Don't tell my husband.)

Anyway, here is the list. My things I cannot/could not live without when Lia and Siena were newborns. These are not in order of importance, they are ALL important to me.

Sound Machine: I am a huge believer in sound machines (white noise, etc.). They are a great tool in washing out the noise of the outside world so baby can sleep soundly without waking to loud cars, loud neighbors, loud cats, loud big sisters, loud dish washing, loud - you get the idea.
Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: I literally would not have survived without this book. I know that I owe so much to this book for how I learned to read/understand/comfort our girls. The Baby Whisperer's main philosophy is Eat, Play, Sleep. Meaning: baby eats, baby plays, baby goes back to sleep then the cycle starts all over again (basically you aren't nursing the baby for every nap, so baby learns to go to sleep without relying on the boob - please see #13). Also, this allows baby to digest milk/formula/food before they go back to sleep.
Cloth Diapers: Obviously, if you know me at all, you know I love cloth diapers. I talk about why I love them here and explain the basic systems. Basically, I would prefer to lower the toxins that are going into my babes' bodies, and disposable diapers are full of those. An added bonus to using cloth diapers (but #1 for my husband) is that it SAVES THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS! I've linked to the Bummis kit which has 36 unbleached prefolds, 6 diaper covers, 2 rolls of flushable liners, and an instruction book.
Cloth Wipes: I didn't use cloth wipes at very beginning, and I wish I had. These have come in handy for runny noses/little spit ups/etc. without wasting money on disposable wipes. They also clean up poo so much better than disposable wipes... I only use one cloth wipe when I probably would have used seven disposables.
Wrap Style Baby Carrier: I've linked to the Wrapsody carrier since it was the one I used and loved. It is not as stretchy as the Moby wrap, which is nice because it doesn't make the baby all saggy the longer you wear him/her (which makes you have to tighten it since it is not as supportive). This is definitely my preferred babywearing method during the newborn/infant stage because it is the most cuddly thing EVER. Also, buckle carriers (such as the Ergo and Boba) are just not as supportive/comfortable for the newborn stage. They also require different ways to wear the carrier to adapt it for a newborn, whereas a wrap is perfect for newborns all the way up to 35 lbs.
Onesies: I obviously have two girls, and people just LOVE to buy girls the cutest clothes! However, I literally need to make a conscious effort to put my girls in cute outfits and snap photos and all that jazz. I really just go for comfort when it comes to the newborn age... They are so little and squishy anyway, they look adorable in everything! Onesies are about all I had Siena in this time around, especially since I tried to wear her as often as possibly in my Wrapsody. Another necessity in my eyes are socks... all baby's heat leaves her feet! So I wrap socks on the babe and she gets to keep her heat where it's needed :)
Colic Medicine: I put the good ole' Gripe Water on here. This was my go-to when I just could NOT figure out for the life of me why Lia and Siena were crying. You're fed, you've slept, you're not overstimulated... must be gas! So I drop some Gripe Water into their mouths and voila! Mama feels better :) It's something I've highly recommended to many a moms who simply cannot figure out why their babe is fussing.
Baby Shampoo/Wash and Lotion: I don't go on the cheap in the next few categories. These are areas that are really important to me because they are things that are going onto the baby or the baby is constantly touching, and I know that the less toxic the substance, the better. Earth Mama Angel Baby is an incredible shampoo/body wash and lotion, and I cannot speak highly enough of it. It has a fantastic rating on the Environmental Working Group's Cosmetic Database. Check out that site - it is my go-to for knowing the toxic impact on the products I put on my skin.
Car seat: Since I was either wearing Siena in my wrap or put one of the girls in my stroller, I never saw the need for an "infant" car seat. I would go with the convertible version, where it will work from infancy to toddler-hood. Best bang for your buck, and you don't have to lug around a huge car seat wherever you go.
A Crib: I used to live in a dreamworld in my head where it would be awesome to sleep with your baby and Mike and I would be as comfortable as can be, and the babe would be nestled into my arms every night and I would get to smell her sweet scent for forever... Didn't happen. I loved sleeping with Lia and then eventually Siena for the first week and a half - two weeks. With Lia we put her in bassinet by our bed, but even that was hard for us - I would wake with every peep, and I would pinch Mike every single time he snored. It was just hard for us. Both of the girls went to their cribs pretty early on, which gave all of us a great night's sleep. (I rarely regret this decision, not co-sleeping for longer, but the thought of my snuggly baby close to me all night sounds so beautiful sometimes. But then I sprawl out in my bed with Michael and I remember how nice it is to be just us two.)
Organic Crib Mattress (with organic cotton sheets): Wouldn't budge on this if you paid me. This is where my baby is spending 18 of her 24 hours in a day, so it better not be a toxic environment for her to be on. Read more on the disadvantages to standard mattresses here.
Swaddle Blankets: Babies love to be swaddled... if you haven't heard of Happiest Baby on the Block, it's a great book that I've taken tidbits of info from. One of their "s"es is "swaddling." Basically, the babe was all up and cozy in your womb for the past 40 weeks, he/she wants to be cozy-ed once he or she is out - cozy them up, darn it! It is super important for the babe to be swaddled when she's sleeping because her movements are so jerky that it could wake her from her sleep. Swaddle away with these INSANELY soft swaddle blankets... they're uh-mazing.
A Boob: You cannot find this on Amazon, but if you search your body, you may be able to locate this. Obviously, if you are unable to nurse, bottles, etc would be in this spot :)

Hopefully this list is useful to you in some way. If not, I apologize. Come back again!

What would you add?

I always wanted to be good at something. No, correction, I always wanted to be great at something. I struggled with being "good" at lots of things, and not so "great" at much.

I played lots of sports growing up, and knew how to be a good athlete, just not a "great" volleyball player or "great" softball player or "great" basketball player. But a good athlete, I had that in the bag.

I loved playing sports, I loved being in dance, I loved being active, and I definitely want to pass those attributes onto the girls.

I also want them to have a creative side, and a side where they can express themselves in a different way than with physical activity. I would love for them to be artistic - whether it be writing, photography, art, theater, singing, music, etc. Never mind being great, I ALWAYS wanted to be at least good at these things, and I never was. I want them to explore these things in ways that I never did, to fully devote themselves to something they feel passionate about and give all of themselves for the glory of God.

What a joy that will be, to see what it is that they fall in love with - whether it be opera or lacrosse or sculpting - I can't wait to cheer for them on the sidelines and help them fulfill their dreams.

“Not all are called to be artists in the specific sense of the term. Yet, as Genesis has it, all men and women are entrusted with the task of crafting their own life: in a certain sense, they are to make of it a work of art, a masterpiece.” ~JPII