3rd & 4th Month Favorites

These past couple months I've noticed that we have been going to and using the same items over and over again. The main difference between month 3 and 4 is that now, heading into their fourth month, the girls are actually excelling at the use of some of these favorites. 

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9

1. Sassy Spin Shine Rattle.  My girls love anything that make noise these days, so we go for toys and rattles that provide some kind of visual stimulus and motor development.  This rattle has color, mirror, and pattern allowing the girls to identify each as she watches the moving parts and listens for the sound.  It is small and lightweight- just enough for them to grasp hold without dropping it within 2 seconds.
2. Baby Einstein Busy Bellies - Cow.  LOVE this little guy.  Jolie especially enjoys this vibrating toy and over the past week she has finally figured out that she can pull on the cord and make it vibrate and shake the mini beads for sound.  Talk about sensory development with the feel of vibration and the colors of the mirrored cow's belly. It is the first thing P&J reach for when we lay them on the activity mat. 
3. Baby Leg Warmers.  Leg warmers have made our life so easy!  I love them not only for their adorable look, but for the ease of changing diapers.  No fussing with pants and fitting them around chunky monkey bellies.. just slide down the warmers and unsnap the onesie:)  I have bought from BabyLegs, but also have seen them all over esty.  I found a shop called Knotty Baby Wear that sells in bulk.  I ended up buying a group of 10 warmers for a pretty decent price.  When you are buying two of most everything buying in bulk is the way to go! 
4. Bumbo Seat.  Parker almost always wants to be in eyes view.  She gets bored pretty quick, but sitting in the Bumbo where she is able to see and observe the goings on about her really hold her interest pretty well.  Not to mention produces great head control.  We like to use the Bumbo for Jolie's head and neck strength, but will only use it for short times with her. She'll start to slouch and tilt her neck when she gets tired.  When it is time for me to make dinner I sit them on the counter with me and they are totally enthused by my chopping or mixing for prep of dinner.  It is an easy way to spend time with them while getting things done. 

**I never ever walk away from them while they are in the Bumbo.** 

5. Lamaze Junior Feel Me Fish Sensory Plush. Crinkle, crinkle!  Another great sensory development toy.  It is soft like a teddy but great for feeling and playing with the different sounds it makes.  Parker and Jolie spent forever sitting in the laps of myself, Aunt Beeki, and BB while they played with toys similar to this.. we don't actually have this particular toy, but after seeing them play long and hard with the one their Great Aunt Beeki had, I plan to get one just like it. 
6. Sophie the Giraffe She's loud and obnoxious and my twin babies love her.  My girls aren't teething just yet, but find and put anything they can in their mouths. Thats why we like Sophie.  She is soft and pliable- easy for their little slobbery hands to grasp ahold of and put in their mouths.  I also like the fact that the long legs on Sophie can reach back to their little gums where molars might be breaking through sometime soon.  They also like that she makes noise when they squeeze her.  You can squeeze that giraffe anywhere and she'll squeek.  $20 is steep for a teether toy, but worth it in my book.  Every baby needs one.   
7. Luv U Zoo Deluxe Musical Mobile Gym.  Hands down, the most used favorite of the month(s).  Jolie can lay under this activity mat for hours!  Parker, if she will lay still for 2.7 seconds, likes it as well and will actually play and shout at the hanging toys for at least 20 minutes- a record for her, no doubt.  We borrowed this activity mat from our sweet friends after their little boy grew out of it, and after seeing how much both girls love it we went out and bought another one exactly to match.  The gym plays music and lights up as well as has a moving mobile feature.  My only complaint is that the gym either lights up or the mobile moves, not both at once.. I kinda wish for both of them to move, but it maybe the rhyme or reason would be so that the focus is drawn to one thing rather than the babies attempting to focus on the lights or the moving hanging toys. 
8. Pampers Swaddlers Size 1 Diapers.  We love the Pampers Swaddlers!  We have yet to have a real accident/blowout while using this particular diaper.  Actually, I take that back.. Parker pooped on daddy once- but it was right before we transitioned her out of the NB diapers and it was definitely time to make that move.  While most babies heading into their fourth month would be in larger diapers, we are still fitting perfectly into the size 1.  We have begun to purchase these in bulk at Sam's Club, but for a similar price Diapers.com offers an automatic renewal and delivery of diapers based on your need.  We are close to setting ourselves up with that- we are going to Sam's almost weekly.  Going through over 200 diapers/week.  #notkidding #Icanchangeadiaperwithonehand  
9. Cloud B Twilight Turtle Constellation Night Light.  Since moving the girls into their nursery at night we have been using this little guy.  My girls are somewhat timid of the dark and through this transition into their own cribs rather than the boucey seat or pack and play in our room they have been waking up at night unsure of where they are.  This night light shoots stars and a moon shapes all over the ceiling and provides 'entertainment' while they are drifting off to sleep.  It has an automatic timer on it and goes off within so much time, so you aren't burning batteries for 8+ hours during the night.  Can I get an AMEN?  Batteries.  I can't stand you.  #buyingbatteriesinbulkannoysme

As for momma, my number one favorite would have to be my Medela Pump-in-Style breast pump.  I carry that thing everywhere these days..or so it feels like!  Since going back to work at the beginning of month 3, I use it often and LOVE it.  Let me make something clear.. I LOVE my pump.. I HATE the actual act of pumping.  I wish I could set myself up to nap or something while I do it.  Your pump will come with one set of pump accessories, but I would suggest to get a second set (membranes, valves, shields, and 5-ounce bottles with lids).  I have six (5oz) Medela bottles that I pump into and occasionally use as storage in the fridge- I would highly recommend getting 6-8 of the pumping bottles. I go crazy when I pump and have to immediately wash the bottles so I have them for use next pump session. Now that I'm back at work and pumping multiple times a day, I've found that the larger 8oz Medela storage bottles are helpful.  I typically pump about 30 ounces while I'm at work, and its easy to store my milk in three larger bottles rather than 6 smaller! For the most part, what I do express the girls gobble up pretty quickly, so I don't have a whole lot of extra to store at one time, but I do have a stash of these Medela Storage Bags in case I come to need them.  They are kind of expensive and so unless I'm putting milk in the freezer, I stick with the Medela bottles.  
For quick clean up while I'm at work I use the Medela Quick Clean Wipes.  Really easy and convenient for cleaning up post-pump session while I'm at work.  I don't think my boss or co-workers would really appreciate a pump-supply drying rack in the kitchen, so these are amazing and quick to use.  Lastly- don't forget the Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam bags for sterilizing once/day!  You can use these 20 times before you have to toss it:)

There you have it.  A combo of our favorites for months 3 and 4!