Things I Love: 3-6 Months Baby Edition

From time to time, people ask me which baby things I've found most useful. A few months ago, I told you about my favorite newborn baby things. I'm glad I jotted down my thoughts as babies change and along with it, my favorite baby items evolved too. Here's a run-down of my favorites for Tory - age 3-6 months.

- USEFUL -
Halo Sleep Sack
Pre-rolling baby, the Summer Infant swaddle wraps were a favorite of mine. Around 17 weeks, when Tory learned to roll from back to tummy, I turned a little freaky about her swaddling situation. The rolling transition inspired quite possibly my darkest month of parenting (a la, frequent wake-ups every hour or two until Tory learned to sleep without startling herself awake) but the little sleep I did get was peaceful knowing my baby was snuggled up in her Halo Sleep Sack. The fuzzy material is warm enough for her during winter nights and still allows her to move around without the threat of suffocating.

OxyClean
Oh, boy! This age brought lots of "up the back" messy poops. While I'm normally very good at keeping up with the laundry, Tory's diaper blow-outs were causing me to fret over the decision to wash one teeny tiny outfit by itself (because all of my other laundry was caught up) or let the poopy stain sit while I waited for the next round of wash to accumulate. Enter OxyClean. Too many times to count, I soaked the soiled outfit in a bucket in the laundry room until I was ready to wash it clean. The result? Bright, non-stained outfits and a life outside the laundry room.

Baby Bjorn
Somewhere around 3 months of age, I finally had the realization to "wear" Tory around the house and while running errands since she was never content to lay on a blanket by herself or quietly chill in her car seat like every other baby I saw at Target. I had a variety of options and believe me, I tried them all. I use the Moby wrap from time to time, but it's a little too complicated for me to maneuver by myself with a fussy, wiggly baby. I have a ring sling which I use around the house quite a bit but I never feel comfortable enough using it in public (as it looks like baby torture the way Tory's stuffed in there kangaroo style). The Baby Bjorn quickly became our "favorite" baby carrier because it's easy to strap the baby in one-handed, secure enough to wear in busy situations (the airport, on walks, shopping, etc). Speaking of the airport, we wore Tory right through security checkpoints many times which allows two free hands to manage everything else.

- BEST GIFTS -
Sophie The Giraffe
It's a rubber giraffe and the #1 rated baby item on Amazon. It costs $20. I have to admit, I didn't get it either until Tory hit teething age and went bananas over it. Sophie is, by far, one of her favorite toys. She squeaks and plays and chews on it for hours (ok, several minutes ... which feel like hours in baby time). Definitely worth every penny.

Baby Einstein Piano and Take Along Tunes
During 3-6 months of age, Tory discovered toys and especially loves the ones with lights and music. These two Baby Einstein ones are her favorites. The portable Take Along Tunes has diverted many car seat meltdowns over the months and the piano is a favorite for playtime on a blanket. I was surprised when she knew exactly how to push the "piano keys" and move the rattle on the top. What a smart cookie!

Books
My mom looked at me like I was crazy when I was back home a few months ago and proclaimed Tory's love for books. A few hours later, as we were driving in the car and Tory started screaming, I pulled out one of our favorite reads and she instantly stopped to listen to the story. Tory really does love books, especially board books with few words and vibrant pictures. It melts my heart when she touches the pages as I read to her and tries to flip the pages by herself. Okay, she tries to eat them too!