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The 3rd Baby Dream Registry

October 17, 2017 By Sara M. 12 Comments

baby registryThere are so many things that are different with having your third baby. You typically know what to expect with pregnancy, delivery, and beyond. You’ve got other kids in tow. And… you probably have most everything you need, especially if the child is the same gender as at least one of your other kids.

Which is certainly the case for us. This little man, due in just 1 week, is our second boy. With the exception of a few pieces I’d given away before we decided to have another, I have all the clothes we would need for him for several years. We have most of the gear as well, despite my husband’s constant efforts to unbury us from “kid stuff.”

Since we have the basics covered, I created my ultimate dream wish list. Not that I want to go full out overspending on such time limited gear, but I am definitely willing to splurge a little on a couple of pieces that will make our lives easier.

I decided against having yet another baby shower or even a sprinkle so we will be responsible for buying everything for ourselves. Our friends and family have been so generous on behalf of our other children that it just didn’t feel necessary for our third child. However, I still created a registry on Amazon because even if we buy everything ourselves, most of the items are eligible for a 15% completion discount because we are Prime members (plus we get 5% back with our Amazon credit card).

Here is my dream registry for baby #3:

Baby Jogger City Mini GT Stroller System – a new carseat was a requirement because our infant car seat had expired and the matching stroller was falling apart from being abused by two kids. For some helpful car seat guidance, check out this article. Knowing what worked and didn’t work for us really came in handy when choosing a model that better fit our needs. This car seat is less than half the weight of our previous car seat at just 5.82 lbs (my back is so happy!). It can also be taken apart and cleaned, which is one of my requirements. The stroller has a telescoping handlebar so my husband can finally stop stepping on it, and it can be folded with only one hand.

baby carrierLillebaby Complete Airflow Baby Carrier – For my daughter and my son, I used a Baby Bjorn baby carrier that I liked… for the most part. Once they were each a couple months old and my body had adjusted back to its non-pregnant orientation, however, I found it very difficult to carry them in the front. What I love about this Lillebaby carrier is that you can use it in 6 different positions (more than any other brand I’ve seen on the market). I’ll be getting it in mesh, even though my son will be a fall baby, because I am confident that the breathability of the mesh will suit us better for year-round usage. Get $10 off with this link.

BathHaven Bath Kneeler– This was not something that was popular when I had my daughter or my son close to 3 years ago. But when I saw it pop up while perusing other items I instantly knew how ingenious it was. All those years kneeling at the side of the tub bathing the littles have killed my knees… This is definitely on my wish list!

The Dock-A-Tot Deluxe Baby Lounger –Dock-A-Tot All of my friends who have had a baby recently have been raving about this product. I was a little apprehensive at first because of the price but since I won’t have to buy much for this baby, I’ve decided to splurge! I will be using this lounger to cosleep so I will not have to purchase a bassinet or a similar product (I had an Arm’s Reach Cosleeper for my son). And for daytime lounging, I got the toy arch and toys to keep the baby occupied while I try to work (wish me luck!!). Get $10 off with this link. 

Ollie SwaddleThe Ollie Swaddle – Both of my youngest kids were anti-swaddle. It seemed like no matter what I did, whether using a swaddling blanket or a product like a sleep sack, once they were out they wanted nothing to do with being bundled back up once they were free of the womb. Which led to some very unpleasant times for us parents – colic and poor sleep. I have heard wonders about this new swaddle and am totally up for giving it a try. Get 10% off with this link.

Baby Bjorn Bouncer – With my son, we splurged on the Mamaroo – which he absolutely detested. This bouncer seems like a great replacement, although it is probably my most skeptical item on the list (as in why would it be so much better than a bouncer at a fraction of the cost?). But like I mention, this is my dream wish list. And of course, I’ll let you know if it’s worth the spend!

baby hammockBinxy Baby Shopping Cart Hammock – I intend to be out and about as much as possible with Baby G so when I kept seeing this item pop up in my friends’ feeds, I decided to give it a try. I really like the fact that you can use it for either the baby alone or to support the entire car seat and it can hold up to 50 lbs. I imagine using it mostly for the baby by himself because he’ll be able to relax instead of being squished into his seat for the whole shopping trip. Get 10% off with this link.

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So, there you have it. A dream wish list for this mama’s third and final baby. I will be sure to let you know how each product works for my son.

I’m off to complete my registry and get my completion discount. And the rest is a waiting game.

Thinking of signing up for an Amazon registry? Use this link to get a Discounted Prime Membership and save an additional 5% on your completion discount.

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TheSanityPlan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. All products recommended are used personally by us and opinions about them are our own.

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: baby, newborn, products, registry

8 Products for Encouraging Your Child’s Independence

April 6, 2017 By Sara M. 9 Comments

It must be so hard being little! I have watched my children go through so many phases, but one thing in particular stands out to me. They have ALWAYS wanted to do so much more for themselves. Long before they are even capable of accomplishing a task, they want to give it a shot.

It is this determination that has often made me think about how I can help them to be able to do more for themselves. We’ve tried tons of products for kids in the past four years, but the following items really made a difference in terms of our children learning to be more self-sufficient.

Grippy Bowls


These brightly colored bowls have a rubber gasket on the bottom that keep the bowl stable while little ones are learning to feed themselves. The shape of the bowl/lip also help to push food onto the spoon for less spill offs.

Sippy Cups

I’ve gotten many, many different types of sippy cups and my favorites are these. They are the only ones that are as close to no spill as possible. I mean, it will spill if thrown violently to the floor (which happens on occasion) but otherwise spill proof and not subject to leaking with pressure changes like other models.

EZ Socks

I can’t take credit for this one. My sister actually found these socks and gave them to my daughter as a gift. And I’ve since bought several sets for my son as well. The little loops on the sides are much easier for a toddler to grab than trying to use the sides of a typical sock. If the look of the loops bother you, they are actually easy to tuck in.

Seatbelt Buckle Holders

It’s hard enough for me as an adult to reach over the booster seat for my daughter to get her seatbelt buckled. I was skeptical about this product at first, but it holds the buckle pretty firmly, making it easier for my daughter to be able to get the latch in by herself.

Removable Potty Seats

As you probably know, there are tons of potty seats available. We chose this particular version because we wanted one that was fully removable, had handles on both sides, and had a splatter guard in the front. It is also antimicrobial, which is a plus.

Stools


We have four different types stools in our house. Yes, FOUR. Stools are one of the easiest ways for little people to be able to participate more in their environment. In the kitchen, I wanted stools that were on the larger side (large surface area), very stable (rubber feet), lightweight (so the kids can move them), tall enough (two steps), and flush with the counter (to avoid leaning). After experimenting with several versions, here is my favorite that met these requirements.

For around the house, in bathrooms, etc., I like to use these folding stools. I wanted something that was tall enough that they could use it to get on the toilet or reach the sink and wanted it to be able to be stowed away easily. In addition to Amazon, I seen this model at both grocery stores and Walmart. My only word of caution on these is that there is a risk of pinching when a child (or adult) is trying to unfold the stool – this part should be supervised.

Coat Rack

Any coat rack or multipurpose hooks would work, but the trick is to install it low so that the little ones can reach it to hang up their own coats. This idea is also great for additional belongings like lunch bags and are great for use in their own rooms as well.


Hands Free Faucet

Warning! This one’s a bit extravagant. That said, I will personally never go back to using a non-hands free faucet. I love the fact that I can turn it on with a clean part of my arm when my hands are full of chicken goop. When it comes to the kids, even with a stool it is still hard for them to reach most faucet handles and control the temperature. They have mastered the touch function and have also learned the color red/purple/blue codes for temperature, which warns them if the water is too hot. Really great product.

 

Have you found any other great products that help your children to be more self-sufficient? I am always interested in hearing your ideas.

TheSanityPlan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. All products recommended are used personally by us and opinions about them are our own

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: gifts, preschool, products, toddlers

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Welcome to THE SANITY PLAN! Here you will find my attempts to restore order in my crazy life post kids. I'm just getting started & I have a lot to say. So far I've written a lot about my perspectives on parenting (sorry, it's where I am at), but I'd love it if you followed my journey to improve my habits, get more organized, redefine my career, and generally live a good life. Or, you can follow just for the entertainment, I promise there will be lots of that. Do you want to learn more about building A Sanity Plan?

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