Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper

As many of you know, we and Buggy co-sleep. We've actually gotten to the point of bedsharing, as it just feels right for our family. We first used the Safe and Secure Sleeper that I talked about in an earlier Can't-Live-Without post. We loved that thing. It worked so well for us when Buggy was a teeny tiny babe, but unfortunately, she outgrew it, and we moved on to the side car style sleeper.

The one that we used was the Arm's Reach Mini Co-Sleeper though the company makes different sizes. We chose the mini because it was a slimmer version, and our bedroom isn't very large on the sides of our bed. The Mini is just the right size to fit in between our bed and the wall.

Basically, it just hooks onto the side of our bed and Buggy can sleep happily in her "own bed" and yet, we have the convenience and comfort of co-sleeping and sharing the same room, which totally works well for nursing, fyi. The one side of it comes undone, so baby is right there next to you, instead of like a bassinet or crib where there is something seperating you. However, the side will snap up again, if you need to use it as a bassinet so baby doesn't roll out.

It also has a handy dandy shelf basket underneath the bed area that holds blankets, diapers, wipes, extra clothes or whatever you need to be on hand. Which is really great for middle of the night changes or cleanups.

It worked pretty well for us for the most part. It wasn't until the Hubster was off during Christmas and he decided he wanted Buggy to sleep with us in bed for a few days, that we quit using it. It's still there, and we use it every once in a while to lay her in, if we want to snuggle or aren't going to sleep right at that second.

Highly recommend if you want to co-sleep. We didn't plan on it, but really, one never truly can plan for a baby. It's really after baby gets here that you decide how you are going to parent.

Did you co-sleep or bedshare? How long? When did you transition? What are your thoughts on co-sleeping and bedsharing? Let me know in the comments!

CLW #3: Hotsling

The third cant-live-without that made my life a WHOLE lot easier, especially during the first few months, is my Hotsling. It made toting Buggy around super easy, plus she got to snuggle up against me and well, we both lurve that.

Let me break it down for you
12 pound baby
+5 pound carseat
50 pounds...at least.

Well, that's how it feels, at least. And that was when she was only 12 lbs. I honestly can't imagine toting her around in that monster now. I'd look like the Man Whose Arms Exploded. Yeowch!

After lugging my newborn around and feeling the incredible weight that an 8 lbs baby and seat together felt like, I decided to look into slings. I bought a NoJo one from a consignment store (I have a sick obsession with kid's consignment shops) but it didn't work too well for me. I'm...er... fluffy, and it didn't fit quite right. Consequently, I believed my slinging days were over, until I found the hotslings website and found that they have sizes! Sizes people! Not just a one size fits all, which by the way, most sizes do not fit all. Thank you very much.
So I sized me up and ordered the correst size (on clearance as well.) It was shipped to me and I was super stoked to get it.

I tried it on the moment I got it. I think Buggy was about 2 months when I got it. We still use it, though now we are into the hip carry instead of the cradle and front carries.

Check out Buggy in all her super comfy sling lovin' glory:

The First day we got it. Cradle carry. Excuse Mommy's messy hair.

Mommy and a passed out Buggy on a fun shopping trip.

She would literally just chill and sleep for as long as I let her.

She slept the whole time.

I don't have any pictures with her in the hip carry yet. I think you get the idea though.

Question: Do you use a sling or other type of carrier? What do you use? Why do you like it? Let me know in the comments section!

We made the switch!

To a big girl seat, that is.

That's right folks, Buggy has officially become too big to comfortable chill in the infant car seat and we had to switch over the the convertible car seat. Le sigh, she is getting so big.

We went from this

to this

*excuse the Hubster in the background there*

When purchasing our convertible car seat, we went back and forth between the new Safety 1st Air Protect Seat and the Graco MyRide 65. I loved the safety features of the Safety 1st. I mean, it makes sense. Airbags for baby's head. However, when I thought of Buggy at age 3 sitting in her seat, I couldn't imagine her tolerating the big blinders on each side of her head. And trust me, they would have been.right.there.

Ultimately, we chose the Graco MyRide 65. I was super excited to purchase it, because we decided to get it in a girly print. Now, let me take you back to when we were purchasing Buggy's baby gear. We decided to get all gender neutral gear, so that we could use it with any other kidlets we decide to have.It just seemed more financially responsible and seemed like it would stretch our dollar the most. I admit though, I longed for the girly patterns and prints of all the gear and bedding out there, but honestly, it was the best decision for us.

However, when choosing a convertible seat, we decided, okay I decided, to go with a girly pattern called Sonata since she'll be in the seat for a few years and we'll probably have another child while she's still in this seat (if the Hubster has his way, I might be cool being one and done, but I digress.) So, off to the store we trotted and picked out this adorable seat.

Which car seat did you get for your kidlets? Why did you choose the one you purchased?
Sound off in the comments section!

CLW #2: Co-Sleeper

Well, the Cant-Live-Without #2 is really, now a Couldn't-Live-Without, as we can now live without it, because we can't use it anymore. Buggy has outgrown it. *pauses for a moment of "Awwww"*

However, the CLW #2 is the First Years Close and Secure Sleeper and we used it every night for the first, oh, 3 months of Buggy's life.

*not Buggy*

Well, okay, technically, for the first 3 weeks we were home, we slept in the den, in the recliner, with her on my chest. But, that was really only because I couldn't climb up into bed (it's a really high bed.) Then, we moved into our bedroom and put her in the bedside co-sleeper and she just seeemed SO FAR AWAY!

A week later, we took a trip up north to see the mother-in-law, and we purchased the First Years Close and Secure Sleeper to use in the hotel rooms. LOVED it. She was right in bed with us, and I slept so much better. I knew that we weren't going to roll over on her, and she was right there and I just felt so much better. We hadn't planned on bedsharing, but it really worked out really well.

I had such grand plans when I was pregnant. Buggy would sleep in a bassinet in our room until she was 6 weeks old, and then we would seamlessly transition her to her room in her own crib. Yeah, did not work out that way. I wasn't prepared for the connection and need to be near her all the time.

She's still in our room, but she is now in the sidecar co-sleeper, which I will focus on in another CLW post.

Cant-Live-Withouts #1: Bumbo

Seeing as how I've decided to write all about my baby crack items, I also thought it might be useful to chronicle my mommy can't-live-withouts, herein called clw's.

My first clw is a contraption that I learned about from an online forum called the Bumbo seat. It's basically a seat that looks like an elephants foot that the baby sits in and it holds them steady. It's great for when you need a second pair of hands for when your making coffee, using the bathroom, picking your nose, you know, anytime you can't hold the baby and do what you need to do. Plus, they come in a fabulous array of assorted colors. Who can complain about that?

My daughter loves to sit up, and already at the ripe old age of 4 months, is sitting on her own, but putting her in the bumbo keeps her from tipping over and what not.

I was skeptical in purchasing it because I didn't really know how or when I'd use it, but figured that it wasn't a terrible purchase, and honestly, if I didn't like it, I could always re-gift it (cuz that's how I roll) or consignment shop it.

In BIG letters on the box it says that this product should only be used on the ground and while the parent is there. I totally agree with this. However, and I should never be used as an example, we also use this at restaurants. We place it on the table (oh no!) and put our daughter in it, lock her in with the nifty tray that you can purchase to accessorize your Bumbo, and let her play with her toys. She is never near the edge, and one of us always has a hand right there to make sure she doesn't move it (though its honestly so hard to move.) We never leave her alone in it either.

While I'm not endorsing the incorrect use of this product, I have to admit that it works very well for us. She HATES sitting in her carseat, and gets so hot in it to boot. She's still too little to sit in a high chair. Plus, those things are so disgusting that I don't really want her in one while she's in the "I can chew on everything" stage.

Like I said, I don't endorse using it on a raised surface, but this works very well for us, and we've never had a problem. This seat has saved many a melt-down in restaurants, plus keeps her clean and safe. As long as she isn't left alone, or placed too close to an edge, she's fine.

The Bumbo is definitely our #1 clw! We own 2!