Late nights & my must have newborn items....

I'm laying here rocking my 3 week old baby boy in my arms.  He finally fell asleep but I don't want to move him to his bed incase he wakes up.  It's been a rough day for the two of us, I ate Mexican food and its upset his stomach all night & day. He's been awake a lot today and has fought going to sleep tonight & finally zonked out.. So im just going to rock him for a bit more & enjoy these precious, timeless moments.. But as I sit here I remember thinking back to when I first found out I was pregnant.. We had been trying for a couple months and were so happy to find a positive test. He is our biggest blessing in life.  I was clueless on what to buy, when to buy things, what not to waste my money on, etc.  Now I know everyone is different and its up to you on finding out exactly what works for your family, but I decided to share some of my must have items. (Note: I don't know everything nor will all these items work for your kid. I'm just stating what I found out I loved & worked for me.) archer is only 3 weeks old and I'm sure in the next year I'll find things I love and hate about every item, but hopefully I can help some new first time moms out there try to narrow down there baby registery.  Cause I know were all full of questions & concerns when it comes to our new bundle of joy!

List of my must have baby items: (no order.) 

Item #1: 4moms mamaroo 

Let me just say this thing is the best invention ever. Archer loves it and always falls right to sleep when he gets put in it.  It's a little more spendy then a normal swing but I found I didn't have to buy a bouncer because this kind of doubled as one. I highly recommend it, and they just realesed a new version (can control from your phone.) so the old version is marked down.. Score!! I didn't end up buying the newborn insert (extra $30) and archer fit just fine in it without it.. It's complex movements make it seem like he is in the car or being rocked, it makes getting laundry & house work done! 

Item #2: halo sleep bassinet 

The halo sleep bassinet is one of the best thought out products.. When 4 am rolls around, you'll drag your tired body out of bed to walk across the room to pick up yor crying baby. With the halo sleep bassinet, it fits right up next to your bed and can even sit partially on your bed. It's soooo stable and heavy that nothing can knock it over, and it swivels 360 degrees so it can swivel away or close to your bed side.  It has a vibration option, music options, night light and a Breast feeding option where an alarm goes off to wake you up if you've fallen asleep. It also has a side that can be pushed down to help getting the baby in and out, especially if your recovering from a C section!  Archer loves to be in tight places, so we've put our #3 favorite item inside the bassinet and he sleeps like an angel. It's a bit pricey, but will last through all your children. 

Item #3: Summer snuggle nest 

This item wasn't on my to buy list until after Archer came.  The first week being home he hated his bassinet, he likes to be in smaller places and liked being near T and I.  I slept a couple nights just cuddling him in the rocking chair but I went to Tj Maxx and saw this and scored it for $35!  We put it between us for a week and he slept like a dime. I could check on him easy, and we could watch him.  It has a night light and music that you can play. It also folds in half and latches shut so it's so easy to travel with! We are always on the go so this will work awesome for grandmas house & motel rooms especially when we wont have room to pack the pack & play! It's deff one of my "most used" items! 

Item #4: Aden & Anais Muslim swaddle blankets. 

With the hot weather down here, and archer already being a hot body I knew he wouldn't last long with those thick, fleece blankets. I have about 15 of these & I use One everyday. They are large enough that I can swaddle him, and he can use them now & when he's 2 years old.  They are light weight but warm enough to keep him warm. Plus they are super cute & after you wash them, super cuddly. I highly recommend them! 

Item #5: halo sleep swaddle sacks

I was given one of these from the hospital & it's so good. Archer likes to kick His legs & stretch so this allows him to. Not to mention he has to have his arms out so this lets me swaddle his arms inside or out! 

Item #6: diaper genie 

This is the best invention to man kind.  It sits perfectly next to archers changing table & we use it every single day. It hides all those dirty diaper odors & doesn't stink up my house at all.  Some of those diapers can get pretty stinky and this hides all smells way good! It's a must have for any new mom! 

Item #7: chicco keyfit 30 car seat 

This carseAt has been amazing. It's stylish, the fabric is soft and easy to clean, it clips into my suv SO easy and doesn't make me work hard to change it from vehicle to vehicle. It's easy to loosen & tighten the straps, and did I mention it's just soooo cute? I'm obsessed with it to be honest.. AND it was rated #1 car seat in 2014.. What's not more to love? 

I have it in the "legend" color. 

Item #7: jeep adventure jogging stroller 

I was all about getting a jogging stroller because I've just heard better things about them. However after trying out several strollers I just didn't find one I liked. I wanted one that I could fold up easily because 75% of the time I'll be alone. I also wanted one that my carseAt could fit into snug and tight. I looked at the Chicco jogger and I hated the way it folded up. It needed 4 hands to fold it. My neighbor mentioned the jeep brand so I took a chance and ordered it off amazon. It is amazing. It has real air tires which makes the ride for archer so much smoother, not to mention it fits almost any type of car seat (score.), it has a boom box thing where you can plug your phone into and listen to music out loud while walking (or jogging.) and it's very affordable which is always nice for everyone! (Extra money for baby clothes.. Am I right?) we have taken our stroller already to several places and it never seems to fail,  I fall in love more and more each time I use it! It's easy to fold, and put away, it has 2 cup holders and has good storage underneath. You can lock the front wheel if you want and you can adjust the handle to push it. 

 Item #8: happy baby wrap 

This item has also indeed saved my life. Archer loves to be held .. All.the.time and it's the only way I can get anything done. I can wrap him up on my chest and he falls right to sleep. It's so nice to be able to edit pictures, pay bills, do housework, etc. he absolutely loves it also! Even the husband can wrap them ;) 

Item #9: aveeno baby lotions 

I was all for those johnsons baby lotion, having archer smell like a fresh new little babe was gonna be the best. Until, I got him home, applied some and he broke out in a rash all over. So we figured out he was allergic to johnsons baby lotion. I swapped to aveeno and it's been so much better for him. His skin is soft, and rash free since I swapped! It does make his skin a tad oily, so if your babe has dry skin,'I recommend aveeno! 

Item #10: 4moms infant baby bath 

I think the hardest item choice I had choosing was a baby bath. They have about a million different types that it was so hard to decide.  I spent countless hours researching and reading reviews (sounds silly, but when your pregnant & can't sleep you entertain yourself.) I finally settled on the 4moms and couldn't be happier!!  It's nice because it drains the dirty water while clean water flows in & it has a temperate gauge which is handy for new parents!! It also will fit in a double sink & bath tub! There is an insert you can buy for newborns so they don't wiggle and fall around. 

Check back for a post on what items I wasted money on buying, and when I started shopping for things, etc. 

Have a question? Feel free to contact me.

Can't do a post without a picture of Archer baby... ♡ 

Xoxo, Shalyn