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free printable 2024 oscar ballots
it’s almost time to print your oscar ballots! (the oscars are march 10th) i redesigned the ballot a bit this year because i got sick of the previous years design so i hope you like it.
click here to download your ballot
how to print and use your oscar ballot
download and print the ballots. they will print best if you download the file from the browser, then open from preview to print, versus printing directly from your browser window.
print out a ballot for every person watching with you. before the oscars begin, everyone writes down their personal predictions of what the winners will be — then you follow along with the awards and everyone tallies up how many they correctly guessed out of 24 categories. you can make it extra exciting and have everyone put down $5 for the winner to win the pool.
what to serve at your oscar party
some easy appetizers and cocktails that would be perfectly fancy for an oscar party and quick to make too.
gold sugar rimmed glasses — such an easy way to fancy up your glasses
cucumber and yogurt crostinis — these are so delicious and so easy to make! always a crowd pleaser in our house
roasted grape crostini — roasted grapes might sound weird but they are so delicious especially when paired with thyme and ricotta!
smoked salmon bites — another hors-d’oeuvre that seems very fancy but only takes 5 minutes to make!
mini chicken and waffles — everyone loves chicken & waffles, everyone loves miniature food, so no brainer. we served these at our wedding and they were gone in 5 minutes.
mini fish and chips — and because of what i just said, fish + chips but in appetizer form!
gin and juice fizz — a VERY simple method to making a fancy cocktail by just using storebought juice. you could make your own juice to make it more impressive as well.
french 75s (with golden fringe drink toppers) — one of my favorite cocktails, and so elegant, perfect for the oscars!
i’ve actually see a small handful of the best picture nominees this year (barbie, poor things, killers of the flower moon, that’s more than i usually have seeen lol) i’m going to watch a few more before the oscars but i hope barbie wins. i know it won’t, but i think that it should. there i said it.
anyway, i hope you enjoy the ballots! please tag me if you use them, i love to see it!
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black history month books for kids
mid-way through february, but better late than never– some books to read with your kids for black history month. you can click directly on the book to visit the link! -
our hallway : the plan
while i really should be working on one room at a time, my scattered brain won’t let me focus on one so therefore i’m slightly working on way too many at once, resulting in not finishing anything — but here we are! the hallway needs some love. it’s just felt like a really boring blank canvas for a few years to me now and i’d love to have it make me happy since i walk through it a lot!
anyway, this before pic is quite old as you can tell by the size of arlo– but it almost hasn’t changed at all since then!
replacing the runner rugs
after many years of the moroccan runner rugs we had in here taking a serious beating, i decided the first step would be swapping out the rugs. i still wanted something simple, soft and neutral, and i’m very happy with the runners i ended up with!
and now, still to do —
painting the cabinets?
ok this might be a mistake, but i think i want to paint the built in cabinets here. once upon a time, i wanted things never to stand out, things that weren’t necessarily beautiful i thought should blend in– but now i feel like if i could infuse some fun or personality here, i want to!
so i’m thinking i could paint the cabinets a sage green maybe? or another color? let me know if you have ideas! i’m actually more into blue now but i want to paint arlos room blue which is right across the hall so it feels too matchy. i’m also thinking of painting the wood knobs the same color.
i also considered painting the ceiling in here but the cabinets seem like a better move.
heres a quick mock up to just see what they would look like with a color…
swapping out the gallery wall
more than anything, i need to finally switch out this gallery wall! the pictures are from arlos baby years haha. i did an easy work-around to design the family photos with a large mat versus getting frames that actually had a large mat, so they’re not really easy to swap. so this time i’d love to make it easier to add or change the art so we can keep it updated. izzy deserves a spot on the wall finally!
i still love the look of the oversized mat so that’s what i’m leaning towards.
adding warmth with window treatments
even though the backdoor actually has a built-in shade, i want to add a roman shade because i really think it would warm the door up.
hiding our storage
we have bins above the washing machine that really are beautiful, but they don’t hide anything and it looks like an eyesore always. i’d love to get some storage baskets instead that would hide all the unsightly tissue boxes, excess detergent, etc. the ones in the collage are out of my budget but that’s the idea.
frames / rugs / SAGE paint / baskets / roman shades
ok so that’s what i’m thinking — please let me know if you think it’s crazy to paint the built in or if it’s possibly brilliant!?
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cute and doable ways to celebrate valentine’s day at home
i’ve always loved valentine’s day, not because of anything to do with boys – but because my mom always made it special for me. she would always send me something and make me feel loved no matter how single i was. so now i want to do the same for my kids, make it a holiday about how much i love them 🙂
this strawberry jam cake is our go-to year after year!
easy ways to incorporate v-day
set a festive table
when you have a small house and not a lot of room or energy to decorate — a fun table is all you need.
hang paper hearts
every year we cut out paper hearts and hang them from the ceiling. this year arlo wanted to draw faces on them. really easy and cute! you could also turn this into a garland if you wanted.
bows everywhere
tie pink ribbons on candlesticks, napkins, stemmed glasses! everything!!
add some festive art to your frame tv
i found a loooot of pretty frame tv art to download, everything is $5 or less.
make a heart shaped breakfast
as someone who specializes in festive breakfasts, this is obviously a go-to!
i’ve made heart shaped pancakes, waffles, french toast and egg in the hole.
wear something red
another thing my mom must have instilled in me, i always have to wear something pink or red and always dress arlo the same haha — i just got the most red thing i’ve maybe ever owned, i am obsessed with this soft cardigan!
little ways to make your kids feel loved
i have bequeathed my love of all holidays down to arlo– and i’m so happy he loves them all like i do. i absolutely think it’s because i always try to make them fun and special and festive, even if it’s just little things.
make a special dinner together
every year, gid and i go out to celebrate together another night, but on valentine’s day we stay home with arlo. that’ll change when they’re bigger i’m sure, but i love that he loves to celebrate as a family. we always make heart shaped pizza (although honestly i’d love to change it up and make something fancier but he won’t want to do that haha)
last year we had chips and caviar along with our pizza and it felt a little more romantic 🙂
bake something together
we always bake something pink, and i have a few very cute, very pink and VERY EASY recipes to try with your kids. (we are big on strawberry)
printable fill-in-the-blanks
i designed these little printables for your kids to fill out, but you can fill them out for them too!
cover their doors in heartsput a heart on their door every night (it’s ok to start now!) with things you love about them – i did this last year for arlo and he loved it.
holiday t-shirt or pajamas
a little festive gift
i try not to go overboard but i always love to give a book or stuffy — it doesn’t have to be much, but i almost always something pink or red, sometimes even crab claws lol.
i rounded up a lot of ideas on my amazon storefront here
some valentines things from my storefront :
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valentines frame tv art
wanted to find some cute frame tv art to download for valentine’s but didn’t intend to find this much lol.
lots of cute festive options, and everything is $5 or less. for a very easy way to swap your frame tv art without having to use the app, i have a tutorial here!
click on the art directly to shop it!
and how about a few more…
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butter cake bars
i know the name butter cake sounds a little rich for most people — but these are insanely rich IN A GOOD WAY.
i won a bake off with these many years ago and was racking my brain for what they were recently because i wanted to make for a school event. well i made them, and they were just as insane tasting as i remembered. no like, INSANE.
and obviously, because it’s me, EASY AS CAN BE.
butter cake bars
these gooey and rich (but not too rich!) butter cake bars are super easy to make and always a hitIngredients
for the crust
- 1 18 1/4 ounce package yellow cake mix
- 1 egg
- 8 tablespoons butter melted
for the filling
- 8 ounce package cream cheese softened
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 8 tablespoons butter melted
- 16 ounce box powdered sugar *plus a little more powdered sugar to garnish
Instructions
- preheat oven to 350 degrees F. combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
- in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. add the eggs, vanilla, and butter and beat together.
- add the powdered sugar and mix well. spread over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. i baked mine for about 43 minutes. make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey.
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all things valentines day
gathered up some cutesy pink things for valentine’s day — i kinda want everything! -
a “love” playlist
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cute valentine’s day kids t-shirts
some very cute lovey t-shirts for your kids! my mom always sang “i love you a bushel and a peck” to me as a kid, and then i sang it to izzy when she was born– so that one feels like i need it for iz. love all of these! -
my perfect baby registry
a looong time coming for this post, and many requests later i’m finally sharing my ULTIMATE BABY REGISTRY POST !!!
after doing it twice, you learn a lot! i’ve realize there are certain things you really don’t need, but another lesson we’ve learned after doing it twice is that certain things we used religiously the first time, our second baby hated and vice versa — every baby really is so different!
when you’re having a baby, everyone has their own opinion on the essentials, but honestly you don’t actually need all the things. however, there is a lot on this list because i wanted to give some options and varying price points. there are things i couldn’t have survived with, and there are things i enjoyed using that i may not necessarily have needed!
click on the section you want to jump to
bedtime
i know there are different schools of thought on how much assistance to provide your baby for sleep (i mean there are lots of schools of thought for everything baby related but this is a big one) i’m all for getting all the sleep you can, however you can. we are big on full darkness, loud white noise, and were very into the motion of the snoo (with the first baby who was also into it). here are some bedtime essentials i like!
also, a quick word on swaddles! for the snoo, we used the swaddles it comes with — but if you’re using a regular bassinet, you’ll want to swaddle your baby to sleep and i find traditional cloth swaddles to be very tricky! gid is great at it, but i am not, so i included some zipper swaddles that are much easier to use.and yet! i still included regular swaddle blankets as well, if you’re into tradish you could obviously use them as swaddles, but when you have a baby you discover that you basically need to have soft cloth things around at all times for various things — covering baby from the sun or while feeding, using as a makeshift soft place for them to lay/roll around, covering the diaper changing pad, you just end up wanting to have some soft (and bonus if they’re pretty) fabrics around, trust me!
a personal fave
SNOO smart sleeper
so, this wasn’t an essential with izzy, but i had to include it because it was so much so for arlo! he loved it and slept amazingly in it until 6mo.
izzy however never wanted the motion and i think she felt less comfortable being swaddled because once we moved her to her crib at 4m she immediately slept way better.
since every baby is different, i still recommend it but i’m glad i didn’t have to buy it again! i also really like the app and being able to track their sleep. i wrote a review of it here.
evolur
bedside sleeper
doesn’t have motion, but i love that its on wheels. that’s also great if you have a night nurse.
maxi-cosi
Iora Bedside Bassinet
this one has five heights so that you can adjust it to be next to your bed!
comfy cubs
zipper swaddles
if you’re not good at swaddling (i am not) zipper swaddles are the way to go! so much easier.
nested bean
weighted swaddle
my niece uses this and sleeps way better since trying it. you can also take off the mesh later so they can wear longterm with their arms out.
mushie
swaddle blanket
mushie makes such soft and pretty swaddle blankets! and their prices are amazing.
mushie
swaddle blanket
same product, but this pattern was one of my favorites with izzy and too cute to exclude!
wildbird
linen quilt
obsessed with this quilt. i like to have a nice baby blanket for the bottom of our stroller so that i don’t have to remember to pack one every time.
lewis
quilted baby blanket
i love lewis patterns, their baby blankets and all their bedding too. this blanket is the perfect thickness without being too heavy.
hatch
Rest Sound Machine
i love the hatch because i can control both kids devices from my phone. it has a program you can set so that it automatically turns on for their naps and makes things much easier.
hatch
Rest+ Sound Machine
the newer (and more expensive version) of the hatch has all the same features but also allows you to move it around with a chargeable base.
solly baby
coastal sleeper
izzy lived in solly sleepers, we loved that they were two pieces, we just felt it was easier for late night diaper changes!
cloud island
sleep and play pack
a very inexpensive alternative, i liked these a lot too! super soft and a bunch of cute colors.
west elm
leo convertible crib
i love the shape of this crib! and you can convert it to a toddler bed when they get bigger.
avocado
crib mattress
this is the mattress we got for izzy and it’s great. i love that it’s double sided so she now sleeps on the plushier side!
newton baby
crib mattress
another alternative that’s breathable, nontoxic, double sided and less money!
solly baby
crib sheet
their crib sheets are sooo soft! like, dreamy soft. and lots of cute patterns.
activities + toys
lots of fun cute things to keep your babies busy and even more importantly, be able to have your hands free to yourself for a moment. even if it’s just to hold your coffee for a minute.
we didn’t purchase a lot for izzy because we had so many left over toys and books from arlo days, but what’s weird is that they are obsessed with the same specific books! so i had to include them in case your baby loves them too.
a personal fave
lalo play gym
izzy loved this and used it for a long time. the toys that come with are super cute, and i added a few extras too. i love that lalo designs double use out of everything, you can turn it into a tent when they get bigger!
Beright
play gym
and a way cheaper alternative that is so cute and i love that it doubles as as a lounger
frankie lane
linen gingham play mat
when they’re super little, you find yourself needing so many soft mats to roll around on!
snuggle me
infant lounger
another case of one baby loving, one hating. arlo never used this, but izzy slept in it a ton! sometimes more so than the bassinet in the early days.
skip hop
activity center
they won’t need this for a few months, but it was a must for us to have free hands. both babies loved to hang out in it. and izzy still walked early so i don’t think it stunted her in any way.
PairPear
wooden push walker
they won’t need this for a bit either, but it makes for a great gift! my stepmom got izzys and she has been using it for months! still does even though she walks.
a personal fave
babybjörn bouncer
i couldn’t have survived without this! i had no idea with arlo and ordered it only days before he arrived, but to be able to put them down somewhere and have your hands free is crucial!
BabyBjörn
toy bar
not essential and very $, but the toys for the babybjorn are very cute and izzy loved them.
maxi-cosi
cassia swing
we didn’t use a swing with izzy, but i tried like a dozen with arlo out of desperation lol. some babies love them!
HEOMOONe
teething toy
this is really helpful because baby can wrap their hand around it and actually hold it!
blabla kids
duck doll
we love blala dolls. they’re so special and i love the idea that izzys baby might own them someday.
jellycat
octopus stuffie
also love jellycat stuffies! arlo has slept with his big octopus basically his whole life.
emmiebabyco
custom chain stitched lovey
my kids never took to loveys, but some kids can’t live without so i had to include a few.
lovevery
play kits
toy boxes make an amazing gift and it’s really nice to have new age appropriate toys arrive for baby.
lalo
play boxes
i’ve tried both boxes and think they’re genuinely both great. i would say lalo is a bit more aesthetic.
a personal fave
hi! (animal sounds)
i don’t know what it is about this book, but both my babies were obsessed. i have been reading it for years haha. and one of izzy’s only words is “hi” so i’m going to take a wild guess this might be why!
Jared Chapman
fruits in suits
another favorite for both babies! they loved it! i don’t know why! honestly i think the story is pretty weak haha
Camilla Reid
peeakboo: love
izzy loves this book and all the others in the series so much. the sliders are very fun and still mostly baby proof.
Jon Klassen
i want my hat back
last time i’ll say this, but BOTH KIDS. obsessed. izzy laughs and growls at the climax, pure delight from this one and now it comes in a board book!
itzy ritzy
crinkly book
soft books are another good thing to have a few of, i loved these for stroller entertainment.
ps. i have tons more fun baby + kids books on my amazon storefront!
nursing + feeding
again, every baby is different! arlo did great with a bottle for a long time, izzy stopped taking one entirely after a nanny doing a trial day fed her 9oz straight and she projectile vomited all night lol. here are some essentials, and perhaps some not-exactly-essentials items i think were/or would be super helpful.
i also included a few formula feeding items that were specifically recommended by moms i know!
motif medical
electric breast pump
you can most likely get a breast pump for free from your insurance! this is the one i got.
paruu
hands-free breast pump
i always wanted a hands free pump but never got one. for the price, this one is supposed to be great. i haven’t heard solid things about the expensive ones.
boon
trove manual breast pump
this is the thing i used the most to save breastmilk! especially in the early days with a lot of letdown, i always kept this on the other side and it’s a very effortless way to save milk.
a personal fave
silver nursing cups
these are going to be my #1 recommendation always. if you are nursing, i swear by these things. you won’t need any creams, any products, the silver in these do all the healing so quickly you’ll need and once your nipples toughen up you can stop using them.
they’re weird to wear and look ridiculous, but they work. i brought them to the hospital with me and wore them from day 1, and never had bleeding / cracking / anything. i did have some pain when they weren’t on, so i’d just make sure to wear them as often as i could and soon i was able to stop.
WORTH EVERY PENNY! (and pretty sure you gotta get the legit expensive silver ones for them to actually work)
momcozy
breastmilk storage bags
i tried using silicone storage bags but i found them to be smelly, i love that these ones are temperature sensing!
simple wishes
pumping + nursing bra
when i came home with arlo i didn’t even realize you need a bra with your pump so you don’t have to use your hands lol. i liked this bra, it was comfortable and doubles as a nursing bra!
Lansinoh
disposable nursing pads
again, i tried to be eco-conscious and i used the cloth nursing pads for a long time, but i would constantly leak through them and it was just such a pain. i never leaked through these!
a personal fave
my brest friend nursing pillow
i could not have lived without this with arlo, but i didn’t end up using with izzy! i think because she was so tiny, it felt like she didn’t balance well on it or something so i just used a regular pillow, but this pillow is amazing.
because of the clip it feels so sturdy on (i tried other nursing pillows and didn’t love), it even has a little pocket for your remote haha. breastfeeding was really challenging at first but this thing seriously helped.
Nanobébé
bottle set
i loved these bottles, they’re flexible silicone and mimic a boob. they’re similar to comotomo but i personally found them less leaky.
heyvalue
sterilizer bag
you can boil water to sterilize bottles and pump parts but i found a bag made it much more doable with the first baby.
Tommee Tippee
Easiwarm Bottle Warmer
this is a luxury item you may not need since you can obviously go lofi — but it will also save you so much time and that seems worth the $20!
oxo tot
Formula Dispenser
this allows you to pre-portion 3 servings of formula that you can keep in your diaper bag. you can portion out the formula and then keep have the water already in the bottle and mix on the go.
Humble Bebe
burp cloths
these are actually cloth diapers, but i loved them as burp cloths! they’re super thick and absorbent and can be used as dish towels later! lol.
Looxii
burp cloths
if you want something a little thinner, i love these muslin ones too. lots of nice colorways to choose from too!
stokke
tripp trapp high chair
my nephew uses this and it’s really nice that it grows with them for so long, and fits under the table nicely without stubbing any toes.
hm-tech
adjustable high chair
this was the high chair i used with arlo, it’s in our backyard now but it has served us really well for the price! sturdy, the tray comes off pretty easily, and no splayed legs either.
oxo tot
Nest Booster Seat
if you have a smaller space or want something you’ll use for a long time, this booster is great. you can just stick it on a dining chair and they can use for years.
APLAINR
weighted silicone bowl
i loved the modern shape of this set and that they’re weighted so baby can’t pick them up super easily.
APLAINR
weighted silicone plate
i have the plates as well, and they’re my fave. i love that they look like real dinnerware too!
netany
silicone spoon set
these spoons are great, pretty, super inexpensive, dishwasher safe and i like how bendy they are.
kidsco.
silicone cup set
we love these sippy cups, the handles make it easy for izzy to hold and they’re dishwasher safe.
pandaear
silicone bib set
these bibs are nice and thin, so they fold up small enough that we can throw in the diaper bag.
our place
Splendor Blender
instead of a baby food cooker, i thought a blender would be a better purchase since you can use it longterm. not a thing you need but can be useful if you want to make baby food. very easy size for puréeing baby foods!
youngever
baby food storage set
i got some baby food jars from a neighbor and wasn’t expecting to use them as often as i did. it was nice to be able to save small portions of whatever food she was eating and differentiate from our food.
boon
ARC Drying Rack
a cute modern dish rack for bottles. we used this one and it was a way nicer design than the grass ones you’re used to!
forlife market
Bamboo drying rack
another alternative, i love a simple wood dish rack and this one is nice and small!
munchkin
Dishwasher Basket
the nice part about a dishwasher basket is keeping all the baby stuff together, you can even use as they grow for their dishware so it doesn’t get lost.
diapering
fyi, the hospital will give you diapers (and even more if you ask for more!) so i don’t think it’s crucial to stock up on a lot of newborn sized. it just depends on your baby, because izzy wore NB size for a long time and arlo wore NB for about a week haha.
one thing i learned as a second time mom, arlo had blowouts constantly and i didn’t experiment a lot with trying different diapers, i just chalked it up to him being a blowouty baby lol — but i think it’s worth trying a few types to see what you like! we tried two or three other kinds prior to millie moon but are now super loyal to millie moon.
millie moon
diapers
we’ve been using these for most of izzy’s life and love them. zero blowouts, super soft and feel a lot like the expensive diapers!
millie moon
sensitive wipes
i love their wipes too, so i had to include! i’m just a millie moon stan now.
coterie
diapers
coterie quality is incredible, and they have a subscription which is super convenient.
keekaroo
Peanut Wipeable Changing Pad
i had this pad with arlo and it was really nice. i loved that it was very easy to clean because that baby had a lot of blowouts. fyi over a few years, it did get pretty stained.
Leander
Changing Mat
another alternative, i’ve heard that this pad is amazing and i prefer the shape of it. i’ve read its got a less slippery bottom too and is a little roomier for wiggly babies.
a personal fave
ubbi diaper pail
we used a different pail (munchkin) with arlo and it smelled SOOOO BAD at all times. this one has been great. the smell stays completely contained (as long as its shut). i also find the bag mechanism to be less annoying than the old one. overall, i just highly recommend this over the alternatives.
Boudreaux’s Butt Paste
Diaper Rash Cream
this is the good stuff. you’ll need a big ol’ tub of it because it works wonders on red butts.
mushie
silicone diaper cream applicator
we don’t have one of these but sometimes i wish we did lol. if you’re not into rubbing paste all over your babies buttholes, you don’t have to anymore!
boogie
diaper rash spray
this spray doesn’t have as much zinc as the strong ones, but having a spray is so nice so you don’t have to get your finger up in there every time!
west elm
diaper caddy
this caddy holds a good amount of diapers and i like that it has handles for moving around if you need to!
SMALIGOLA
Hanging Storage Basket
i also have a basket like this hanging off a diaper changing table and it’s super convenient for storing stuff out of reach for izzy and in reach for us mid diaper change.
transportation + travel
this is one of the most frustrating parts of baby shopping. we are told we need these behemoth strollers because they are compatible with the car seat and and then they can grow with them and all of this and that, but at the end of the day — i’ve spent too much money on strollers. i will say it is very convenient to have everything be compatible, but i think i nearly spent $1000 on a stroller system with arlo that i ended up finding too bulky and in the end i really just preferred a smaller travel stroller.
so i picked out a few things that i hope would be really good purchases for new parents!
a personal fave
2-in-1 convertible stroller
i debated getting this stroller and i kind of wish i did! it’s super well reviewed and you can use it in four different stages: with a car seat (if you have an additional adapter), bassinet, parent and world facing. plus the price is amazing and i love the design. i asked a mom out in the world with it once if she liked it and she said she loves it so much.
joolz
AER+ lightweight stroller
this isn’t cheap, but it’s served us really well. it’s the same price as the babyzen but i like it way more. it reclines so they can nap and it folds so much better!
joolz
Aer+ bassinet cot
if you wanted to go straight to the lightweight stroller, you could get this bassinet for the first few months. i don’t think a bassinet is an essential but if you walk a lot or live in a city, it would be!
maxi-cosi
Zelia 2 Luxe 5-in-1 Modular Travel System
i really like maxi-cosi (we use this one for izzy now) and i love that this is a beautiful travel system that isn’t $1000.
maxi-cosi
Pria Max Convertible Car Seat
we changed izzy over to this when she got a bit bigger, but it can be used from birth so i wanted to include it. i’m really happy with it!
lusso gear
backseat car mirror
you will want a mirror so you can see your baby! and this one is beigeeeee 🙂
mozah
muslin car seat cover
perhaps not essential, but we loved having this on izzys car seat if she fell asleep. might be more of an essential when you have an older very loud sibling.
Beliiyely
stroller organizer
a stroller organizer seems like it won’t matter much but it will! it’s super helpful! i love that this has a wipes dispenser!
Guiseapue
stroller cup + phone holder
i’ve used this on our big stroller for years, super convenient for a coffee and an iphone!
a personal fave
dagne dover diaper backpack
it’s expensive, but it’s incredibly well designed! i love the lanyards that you can latch onto essentials, it comes with a wet bag and changing pad, hidden zipper storage, stroller clips, insulated bottle holder… basically it’s the rolls royce of diaper bags.
red rovr
diaper bag
my SIL got this bag and it’s so beautiful and so much less expensive than the DD! 11 pockets, magnetic closures, comes with a changing pad and a really nice simple design that neither parent would mind wearing!
l.l.bean
zip-top canvas tote bag
i also really like a tote for our diaper bag, sometimes i find it more comfy to wear than a backpack and easier to rummage through. this one is super structured and has the option for long straps. you can also get a divider to make it more organized inside
itzy ritzy
car seat + stroller toy
a very cute little toy to keep them entertained on car rides or stroller walks.
phoebus baby
vegan leather changing mat
i love this little changing pad, it’s very pretty and folds up small.
ubbi
travel wipes dispenser
i find travel wipe dispensers can feel a little bulky but this one is nice because you can clip it on the outside of your bag or to your stroller too.
the honest company
baby wipes pack
i don’t know why more wipe companies don’t make travel size packs. if you don’t want to deal with moving into a wipes dispenser, this size is so convenient.
tiny twinkle
wet bags
you can never have too many wet bags, i like to keep one packed in our bag with spare clothes.
baggu
go pouch set
and zipper pouches in general. they are just so useful when you are hauling around a bunch of baby stuff. i love the baggu ones because of the wide bottoms so they can stand up.
almost makes perfect
baby on board car magnet
i just personally think you can’t live without this car magnet but what do i know?
a personal fave
ergobaby aerloom baby carrier
so easy to use (on my own) and so pretty! i get compliments on this every time i have it on.
it also stays cool and i’ve worn izzy A LOT and it’s never hurt my back too bad. i have had a hard time with some carriers but this one is just so simple to put on. i truly love it!
ergobaby
KNIT NEWBORN CARRIER
also loved this one, it’s soft like a wrap but structured if you’re not good at the wraps (like meee).
solly baby
stripe wrap
but if you are into wraps, there is nothing cozier than a little snuggly newborn inside a solly!
maxi-cosi
travel crib
i actually don’t have this travel crib but i love it because: i like when they’re elevated off the ground, i find arlo slept better, and i love that it has the bassinet section for smaller babies.
KIPCUSH
portable white noise machine
we love this thing, it has a really soothing brown noise and can be strapped onto a stroller or car seat. we have used it 10000 times while traveling.
Inglesina
portable high chair
i love the ease and the design of this portable high chair, super easy to snap right onto the table at restaurants.
slumberpod
blackout sleep tent
they may not need this for a little while, but it’s a really good gift that you can use for years. perfect for trips when they won’t be in their own room.
bathtime
i wouldn’t stock up too much on things like sponges, creams and shampoos, toys — you’ll end up acquiring all that stuff over time! but here are some things i recommend that we’ve used for a long time!
angelcare
bath support
another item we used for both babies to bathe them in both the sink and the tub, super comfortable and just zero complaints!
lalo
bathtime essentials
i love this little bath set — a cute rinse cup, faucet cover and knee saver pads!
lalo
knee + elbow saver
when arlo was a baby they didn’t have pretty knee savers! love these for protecting my knees from the tile floor during bath time.
a personal fave
lalo washcloth set
we tried a lot of washcloths because of izzy’s sensitive skin and i love these ones so much. they’re so thick and so soft and totally worth it.
mushie
rinse cup
and another beautiful rinse cup, i used the pink hospital one forever and this is such an upgrade.
tubby todd
hair + body wash
i really loved using this on newborn izzy because it was unscented and her skin is so sensitive.
tubby todd
all over ointment
and i love that this stuff is gentle, unscented and works really well on sensitive skin and eczema.
wiley body
bath-time duo
the best grapefruit scent and the prettiest bottles! use code ALMOSTMAKESPERFECT for 15% off
mushie
hooded towel
i got a few cutesie muslin towels for the babies but honestly, terrycloth is the way to go. so much more warm and drying.
KeaBabies
Brush + Comb Set
you don’t need to spend a lot but i love little wooden hairbrushes for baby.
mushie
bath mitts
instead of a sponge, i love using washcloth mitts. lots of pretty colors and you can go really gently on newborns.
Austion
Bath Organizer
you somehow end up acquiring a lot of bath toys and i love that this organizer is nice and open.
health + safety
you can also spend a looootta dough on fancy baby monitors, even ones that you can put on your babys foot so you can panic all night when it malfunctions and wakes you up. but you can also totally not and survive just fine! honestly the bells and whistles would probably just give me anxiety during those early days but to each their own.
a personal fave
leapfrog baby monitor
i searched a LONG time for this– i wanted a monitor that has a screen but ALSO has an app, not sure why that isn’t a more popular request! bonus points for the screen being massive and pretty decent video quality! i’m really happy with this one.
nanit
Smart Baby Monitor with Wall Mount
have heard amazing things about this one though if you do want the extra security. it provides so much info!
fridababy
nasal aspirator
snot sucking is super gross but sadly, so is a lot of parenthood. this thing works well!
dr. noze best
Electric Nasal Aspirator
we got this one as well the second time and it’s been nice and strong, we use it on our 6yo too lol.
onwon
nose cleaning tweezer
these are amazing. they come with a little light and make picking so much easier.
fridababy
baby nail clippers
i used an electric file with arlo but they just do nothing. i know it’s scary, but i think clipping is the only way to go. these help!
canopy
nursery humidifier
you will need a humidifier for when they get sick, this one happens to be beautiful!
fridababy
3-in-1 Humidifier
this is the one we have — it works fine. we aren’t sure why you can use it as a nightlight but ok.
Mommy’s Helper
self closing outlet covers
these are great if you have the time and energy but if not…
clothes + accessories
again, i wouldn’t invest in a lot of NB sized clothes, we barely even dressed our newborn babies because they’re constantly pooping, but a few soft cozy outfits will be nice to have. i never wanted to spend a lot on tiny baby clothes so i picked out mostly inexpensive! they grow so fast! i loved little zippered footies most.
izzy was also on the very small side so i only got her a few outfits that she wore a ton. you really don’t need much! wait till they’re bigger to get them the fun stuff.
L’ovedbaby
zipper footie
loved this brand — cute colors and good prices/quality! honestly if you just have a few of these you’re set for clothes!
L’ovedbaby
short-sleeved kimono bodysuit
for summer babies, get some short sleeves too! i know some people like to keep their newborns super warm but i’m cool with some sleeveless.
colored organics
footed onesie
i loved color organics patterns, i had a few of their pieces that izzy wore a ton.
a personal fave
kimono wrap top + pant set
this would be such a cute coming home outfit (similar to one i had for izzy that was my fave baby outfit of hers!) cute color options too.
use code ALMOSTMAKES15
little me
20 pack of socks
if you think you lose a lot of your socks now, you will be shocked how many baby socks you’ll buy and never see again.
bibs
pacifier set
i didn’t have a binky baby but we did have a few just in case they wanted one! (neither ever did!)
nursery
this section is obviously more of just the fun stuff to decorate your nursery with — but i wanted to include it because i obviously love the fun stuff! some helpful baskets, shelves and cute wall art i think i would look good in any nursery!
pb kids
paxton glider and a half
after getting a standard rocker with arlo and moving all over the room, i decided a glider was way better. but now i’m all about a wider chair – i love that this can fit two kids!
allmodern
maxton swivel armchair
but if you want to invest in a chair that you’ll keep forever, a swivel chair does the same job and will work in your living room afterwards!
etsy
storage baskets
baskets are my #1 for keeping all baby stuff corralled — i stuff them with toys, stuffies, literally everything. i love these nesting ones.
etsy
floor baskets
these are the kind we have been using for years, i love that they have the big wide bottom so you can get to everything easily.
oxo tot
drawer dividers
drawer dividers make it way easier to keep all their tiny clothes in their own sections.
kidkraft
Wood and Canvas Sling Bookshelf
we have and love this bookshelf. i like that they can pick out their own books!
fun memories
set of 2 floating shelves
but if you don’t have the floor space, i like these shelves because i found the open ones to be dangerous with a little baby!
a personal fave
personalized duckling plush rocker
the cutest rocker!!! i love that it’s soft and that you can add babys name. what a perfect shower gift.
keepsakes
i admit i fully filled out arlos baby book by his 1st birthday, and izzys is… definitely not finished yet, but i think it’s really special to collect these memories because trust me, you will not remember most of it! even if you don’t write a lot (i certainly didn’t have the bandwidth postpartum to write much beyond blurbs, but i’m glad i did!)
artifact uprising
baby book
we love this baby book and that it’s photo heavy versus writing heavy. it is expensive though!
duncan & stone
baby’s first year book
and another option that looks beautiful enough to keep on your coffee table.
postpartum care
i’m one of the moms that is lucky enough to know how recovery is from both a c-section and a vaginal! so i’m sort of an expert on what you need. sort of!
i will say, postpartum is hard. you’re already insanely emotional, exhausted, and feeling physically bad, so if there are any little things you can do for yourself to make yourself a little more comfortable, do them! whether that’s some cozy loungewear you’re excited to wear or just ordering all the sushi, treat yourself a little because THIS PART IS SO HARD.
popped
peri bottle
i used a peri bottle for probably 7 weeks?! i highly suggest getting one! these work so much better than the hospital squirt bottles.
fridamom
C-Section Recovery Kit
i did a scheduled C with arlo and i wish i’d prepared a little better with a kit like this!
fridamom
Postpartum Recovery Essentials Kit
when i did my vbac, my SIL came to my house and left this kit for me and it was a life saver.
bodily
all-in postpartum underwear
you bleed, and for a long time no matter how you give birth, nice highwaisted PP underwear that feels good on seems great.
rael
disposable underwear
if you want to do disposable instead, these are organic and unscented. the scent of most of the other options repels me!
negative
Non-Wire Bra
i used this as a nursing bra. it’s so so soft! i’m not into the little clips on nursing bras, i’d rather just whip the boob out.
storq
3-piece lounge set
a perfect cozy set to make you feel good at the hospital or at home. and you can wear it for visitors and feel chic!
bink
mama water bottle
if you’re breastfeeding you will be soooo thirsty. i love this giant bottle because i love a straw.
