these are a few of my favorite things...

I am knee deep in babies and kids. I have a 3 year old boy and a 3 month old girl, most of my friends have just had kids or are pregnant. Life is full of baby showers, trading goods and endless discussions on what a new mother should have. When I started out none of my group had children. I was the first. No hand-me-downs, no new advice. I researched the web for the answers to my questions. Now with my second child, I have been blessed with boxes upon boxes of clothes, toys, swings and more. My cup runnith over! There have been more showers in the past year then I can count on one hand. Each time the mother-to-be has asked the same question, "Tell me your top 5 items for a new baby".  Here are a few of my favorites:

 
1. sound machine - I swear by it. We live on a corner street with no air conditioning. In the summer months this drowns out the cars, rodeo noise (yes! we live near a real live western rodeo), and neighbors walking their dogs at night.

2. swaddle - we wrapped our 1st child until he was 6 months old. Kepley is 4 months and loves the swaddle. This isnt for every child but I recommend trying it. Aden and Anais are my absolute favorite. Generous in size you can use them for a blanket, swaddle, sun cover, or to wipe up drippy chins. They wash like a dream getting softer with age. The designs are simple and oh..so..cute. I like to give them as shower gifts.

3. Clouds and Stars sheet set - have you ever had to remove a messy sheet in the middle of the night? I think we all experience it at least once in the early years. Called the "quick zip" sheet you simply zip off the top and replace. Simple! No removing the mattress or disrupting the bumper and the baby is back in bed super quick! I have had two sets for over 3 years and have washed them hundreds of times. They are still in great shape, are super soft and look like new.

4. The Chariot Carrier - okay, this may not work for everyone but I live in the mountains and it is a life-saver! We are outside a lot and winter is long here. We use this year-round. It takes on rain, sleet and snow like a dream! It is the ultimate for those who want a multi-purpose system for towing kids. By changing out the front wheel you can have a city/town stroller, jogging stroller, bike carrier, cross-country ski carrier, and hiking pack. This company knows what they are doing...there is full suspension, a comfortable 5-part harness and is really easy to change out the components. It comes as a single or double and you can purchase the optional baby sling - our newborn took her first ride at 3 weeks. The Chariot is our "group gift" for baby showers.

5. Cloth Diapers - Not just a diaper! I have a pile of these in the kitchen and by the changing table. Talk about cheap and functional these little pieces of heaven are perfect for spit-ups, cleaning up diaper blow-outs, wiping little noses and in a pinch perfect for napkins. Stains come out easy, they are inexpensive so you don't care if you loan it out or loose one, and you can add your own fun design to them. More on designs and ideas for dressing them up coming soon!

What are some of your "MUST HAVES" for a new mother?