lifestyle – Joining Jordan

As a first time mom, you aren’t quite sure what to get. You may have check lists of the types of products you need, but who has the time to do research on different brands? I know I didn’t have the time or desire, so I ended up reaching out to my friends for advice. Now, I have several pregnant friends going through the same thing who are now reaching out to me!

Here is a list of products with links to their exact Amazon pages. Each one is a product that I own, have used, and wouldn’t want to go without! All you have to do is click on them, then either “buy” or “add to registry” 🙌

First up, I’m obsessed with my 2018 Uppababy Vista Stroller and Mesa Carseat. Amazon has a bundle that includes the stroller, stroller seat, bassinet, carseat, and carseat base! I know it is expensive, but look at everything that comes in this bundle. It is so worth the money. I’ve use each attachment on the reg and love taking walks because the stroller just glides. I know this is something silly to get excited over, but… the turn radius is awesome! Also, this link has FIVE different color combos to choose from.
Price: $1,121.00

We wanted a second carseat base to go in my husband’s car (my mom wanted one for her’s too), so here is a link to getting individual bases.
Price: $119.99

For the first six months, I nursed 95% of the time, but we would give Ford a bottle of breast milk when I needed to sleep in or when my family was watching him. Whether you are breastfeeding or using formula, you will want good bottles on hand. Every baby is different with different preferences, but Ford likes the Tommee Tippee Bottles. They are anti-colic and have varying sizes as he grows. Not to mention, it comes with a bottle cleaning brush, two pacifiers, and a travel bottle warmer!
Price: $32.99

With that, we love the Tommee Tippee Bottle Warmer. It works on all kinds of bottles (not just this brand of bottle). Before we got it, we were heating up water in a coffee cup and using that as a warmer. That method works perfectly fine, but when your baby is crying because they want food NOW, this warmer does the trick! My husband was impressed with how fast it warmed the bottle up. It’s easy to use and perfect for traveling.
Price: $25.04

As a parent, you always want to be prepared by having the right medicines at your disposal.
For fussiness, use Gripe Water.
Price: $8.59

For tummy bubbles, use Mylicon. Ain’t nobody got time for that!
Price: $9.25

For sickness, after shots, teething, etc you will want a Fever + Pain Reliever. You definitely want to keep this stocked in the house, but ask your pediatrician how much to give based off of your baby’s weight, age, etc.
Price: $6.68

I had a fear that after having a baby, my house would constantly smell like poop and diapers. Luckily, this UBBI Odor Locking Diaper Pail keeps that from happening! Warning, the smell will knock you down when changing the garbage bag 🥴 It comes in several different colors to match your nursery, but the price may vary by color.
Price: $62.80

People walk into the nursery and comment on how good it smells. We give all the credit to the Fridababy 3-in-1 Humidifier with Diffuser and Nightlight. I keep it by the changing table. We mix lavender into the water to diffuse into the air. We will turn it on as we get Ford ready for bed. This helps relax him before going down to sleep. We also brought this to the hospital with us when Ford was born to use in our room. It kept us calm and helped us sleep when we got the chance.
Price: $42.49

Don’t know where to get lavender for the diffuser? Here ya go!
Price: $12.99

A sound machine works wonders when getting your little one to nap and sleep. It not only helps block out extra sounds that would wake your baby up, but babies also learn by association. They will associate the sound with knowing it’s time to sleep, and reminds them of the womb where outside sounds were muffled. We use the Hatch Baby Rest. It is a sound machine, nightlight, and has time-to-rise (which is when the light comes on when it’s time for them to wake up so they wake up in a natural and calm manner). Plus, it has buttons on the bottom to operate by hand and an app to operate from your phone.
Price: $59.99

To help with nursing, we use the Boppy Nursing Pillow. I brought it to the hospital, so we have been using it since day one. I would even use it for myself to help me sleep in the hospital bed. When Ford got a little bigger, we started using it for tummy time and to help assist him when learning how to sit up on his own.
Price:$21.99

You’ll want to get a pillow case cover for that too! Here is the pattern I got, but they have several other patterns and colors to choose from.
Price: $14.99

Our Graco Pack’n’Play has been so useful! It has a portable infant seat and bouncer. We would put Ford in this as a newborn and turn on the vibration setting when we needed to sit him down. He loved the vibrations, so he was happy chilling. We would take it out and carry it to other rooms in the house (not with Ford in it of course- safety!), like when we needed to do laundry and wanted to keep an eye on him. To keep from co-sleeping, we put the pack’n’play in our room next to the bed. That way he was in arms reach for midnight feedings. When Ford hit eight months, the “play” part came in handy to keep him from roaming the house, haha! Multi-tasking with a mobile baby just doesn’t work at our house. Oh, and it comes in SIX different colors from this link.
Price: $279.99

Velcro swaddles are where it’s at! Ford has been so strong since day one. He broke out of swaddles so fast and easily. These SwaddleMe velcro swaddles really keep him locked in for longer and more restful slumbers.
Price: $48.30

Burt’s Bees Burp Cloths are my favorite and you can never have too many! The size, fabric, absorbency… they are perfect. You also have 11 different color options to choose from. You might think a burp cloth is a burp cloth, but these are superior in my book.
Price: $22.95

Make those clean bottle parts look cute on your countertop with the Boon Lawn Drying Racks. They work great and are easy to move, wash, etc. I even have non-parent friends who got these for their house just because they are a much cuter version of a drying rack!
Price: $16.37

Once your baby starts eating baby food and solids, silicon bibs with the catch plate are super handy! The silicone makes them easy to clean, are dishwasher safe, and 100% waterproof. I know there are some really cute ones with funny sayings (which we have those too), but these Happy Healthy Parent Bibs right here are the real MVP. The neck adjuster comes small enough to actually go under the baby’s chin so food doesn’t fall between the chin and bib. Also, the adjusters actually fasten well on these! Some of the other brands we have just don’t stay fastened. One little pull from Ford and it is off! This link has multiple color options from which to choose.
Price: $17.97

If you are anything like me, keeping plants alive is hard. I never had an interest in plants growing up, so as an adult who owns a house, I have been forced to learn.

Luckily, I am here to tell you, it’s not that bad! It’s actually kind of rewarding and gives a sense of accomplishment!

So if you want to keep a plant alive, here are a few tips and info about where to start.

HABIT: Everyone says to get a succulent because you don’t have to water them frequently. Well, I’ve killed almost every succulent I’ve owned living in Alabama. The plants that are easy to maintain for me are ones that you water everyday. That way, you can make it a part of your morning routine, and you don’t have to keep up with how many days or weeks it has been since you fed your plant.
CHOICE: The best plants for this are Impatiens (pronounced like “impatience” because ain’t that relatable), Basil, Vinca Vine, and my most recent discovery Geranium. Today I’m going to focus on Impatiens because they are a great plant to start out with and learn from!
CARE: These guys LOVE water and sun. If you forget to water them, they TELL you because let’s face it, they are impatient. When you see them being all dramatic and wilting away, you immediately run to get some water. This helped me get in that daily watering routine. It only takes them a day or two to perk back up to blooming beauties! Another great thing about Impatiens, they come in several different colored blooms. Last year, I got white blooms for a classic clean look. This year, I got bright orange because I thought a pop of color would be fun.

When I forget to water them VS when I remember to water them
DISPLAY: I set my little flower boxes on my front porch. Everyone can see them, plus they can get several hours of sun light each day.
COST: You should be able to get them at almost any flowering gardening store. They are a very popular choice, so retailers are going to be selling them. Plus, they are inexpensive! You can typically get about 6 for $10!