Thank you Babbleboxx for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Not too long ago I was a first time mom buying every item under the sun for my child. Don’t even get me started on the amount of clothes he had! I quickly learned that little ones do not need all of the items and things that you think they do. There is nothing wrong with buying your little anything that you want, but when it comes down to it there is a core set of items that will be used on a constant basis.
Now that I have 2 kids under my belt, I’ve changed a lot of my habits and though process of what my favorite items are for the kids. I’m sharing some items that are great for babies, toddlers and even preschoolers!
Teaching Emotional Intelligence through Play
When toddlers and kids are starting to recognize their big feelings, they don’t always know the best way to communicate how they feel. Many times instead of telling you they are sad or angry, they will act out instead. While this is normal for young kids to show their feelings through actions instead of sitting down and talking, I’ve really worked hard on communicating with the boys and teaching them about the way they are feeling. I truly believe starting at a young age is the best. We’ve had the most success with teaching the boys about their BIG feelings through play.
The Not SO Scary board book is a great book teaching self awareness and emotions through a story about a bug island and the bugs feeling all sorts of way. The boys especially love this book because it is a slide and surprise book which helps keep their attention focused. They can’t wait to turn the page to see what the next bug is feeling
We also have the Hoppy and Poppie PinkCheeks Plushies and emotional wristbands. During make believe play, kids can use the plushie’s zippered pocket to insert the emotion wristband that name what Hoppy and Poppie are feeling. This introduces the internal and changing nature of emotions and develops empathic recognition of emotions in others. It’s also great for developing fine motor skills. My kids love to play with the antennae and formed them into different shapes depending on their feelings.
Both of these items can be found in the Hoppy and Poppie PinkCheeks Gift Box with a few other items that are great for babies – preschoolers. This complete set of emotional intelligence skill building tools is an investment in a child’s ability to emotionally adapt and thrive. This is not only great for your own kids but would make great gifts for others.
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Taking Care of Momma with Vichy Skin Products
After way too long, I decided that I need to start taking better care of me. There are a few things I do for self care and one of them is taking better of my skin so I look and feel better about myself. I’ve never been one to use tons of products, I like to keep the number of products I use to the minimum. That means that the products that I do use need to be amazing and do the job! Years ago, I discovered skincare from Vichy and haven’t looked back. All of their products are powered by their 15 mineral-rich volcanic water and dermatologist recommended active ingredients.
Two products I highly recommend are Vichy LiftActiv Vitamin C Brightening Skin Corrector and Vichy LiftActiv Supreme H.A. Wrinkle Corrector. Vichy LiftActiv Vitamin C Brightening Skin Corrector is very pure but potent, with only 11 ingredients that is paraben free and fragrance free. You will notice your skin brighter and firmer in just 10 days. Vichy LiftActiv Supreme H.A. Wrinkle Corrector is an anti aging face and eye serum with 1.5% pure hyaluronic acid to plump skin for a visible filling effect.
The Perfect Diaper Bag is a Backpack
From day 1 of being a mom, I have been a huge fan of backpack diaper bags. I learned very quickly that all hands on deck is no joke when caring for little ones. The last thing I want to be doing is trying to juggle a diaper bag on one shoulder while holding a child on my other hip and carrying items all at the same time. Moms are super heroes and can do all the things at once, if needed, but why not make life easier?
Lug Bags and Accessories is where you need to shop for your diaper bag. Whether you are wanting a tote, crossbody/shoulder bag or a back pack, they have it all. They have a large variety of colorful bags to pick and choose from. I have the Via 2 Convertible Tote Bag that can be worn as a backpack, tote or crossbody. I love that it is water-repellent because the amount of sippy cups that I carry every day is crazy and we all know they will eventually end up leaking all over the place. There is two small and one large zip pockets on the front and a soft lined slip pocket that is perfect to store my cell phone. The inside is very roomy and perfect to stash all the things plus more. I love that there are so many different compartments, it allows for the ultimate organization.
Use discount code BETSY20 for 20% off on a minimum order of $50 (Expires 08/31/21)
Diaper Care
One thing I forgot about after having my second baby was the amount of diapers and wipes that you go through the first 6 months of baby’s life. It is honestly unbelievable when I look back and think about the amount of diapers and wipes we have gone through. At the same rate, that means that my baby’s bottoms have been exposed to a serious amount of chemicals in wipes from the many times he’s been changed. With Myles, he was being changed almost every 2 hours throughout the day for over 6 months – that’s over 2100 times in the first half year of his life!
We started thinking about a non toxic way to keep him clean and to help minimize the amount of chemicals being put on him many times throughout the day. We discovered NOLEO 3-in-1 Diaper Care that only has 5 ingredients; Limewater (cleans skin and balances pH), Sunflower Oil (helps improve skin barrier), Olive Oil (nourishes skin), Glyceryl Stearate (naturally bonds water and oil) and Beeswax (holds in moisture). It’s as simple as adding a pump of the diaper care to a disposable cotton pad, wipe baby’s bottom and put on diaper! It leaves a natural oil barrier behind which makes for your next dirty diaper cleanup to be easy. No rinsing required!
I highly suggest giving it a try especially if you’re looking for a clean, organic product. Purchase directly from their website – https://www.noleocare.com/pages/try-noleo
Teething and Sensory Toys
Baby Banana teething toy has been one of our favorite items for both the boys. We actually have 4 right now, I kept buying them so I would make sure I would have one with me at all times. When teething started and Myles was constantly wanting to put things in his mouth to rub his gums, it was the perfect item. Not to mention, that Baby Banana created a training toothbrush for toddlers.
Whenever I’m out, I like to grab small sensory toys for the boys. Myles loves to hold on to toys in the car and we’re always on the go so I’ve tried to find items that will keep his attention and are small enough that we can carry along with us without any hassle. The Lil’ Squish Jellyfish has been a favorite of ours. It’s a sensory rattle and teether all in one. Myles was a late bloomer when it came to getting his teeth so it’s been a great toy that he can chew on and play with at the same time.
Bath Time Routine
I’ve never been one to be on a tight schedule with our routine but after having kids, things changed. I learned that my kids thrive on routine. One of our non-negotiables every night is our bedtime routine. If we have no sports, we eat dinner fairly early, I’m talking 5pm dinner is on the table and we are seated at the table eating together. After dinner, both the boys run to the bathroom for bath time fun. They usually jump in there together and play for as long as they want. Every night, Bryce gets his hair washed during the week because we used products in it for school and both of the boys get a thorough cleanse with soap.
I’ve been questioned more than a few times about what we use on the boys since we do wash them every single night. We’ve had zero issues with Baby Magic Cleansing Gel. It’s hydrating, sulfate-free, and tear free and worked great with the boys’ skin. I can’t get enough of the baby scent. Y’all, babies don’t keep and I will forever be putting baby lotion and soap on them to keep them smelling like the little innocent infants they once were. Real talk – we aren’t great about putting lotion on every single night but do it a few times a week. The boys love the way it feels and I like to sneak some on my feet too. You can grab some Baby Magic at Target or Walmart!
The key to finding the best products that fit you and your family is trial and error. I love taking suggestions from seasoned moms and talking to my friends that are moms with multiple kids. What are some of your favorite products?
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