Overdue

Hi all!

Sorry that I have been M.I.A for a while. With the holidays around the corner, things have been quite hectic. Not to mention getting everything ready for our home! We move in twenty days!

I have been looking for ideas for his room in our new home. I don't want to keep the same "baby" theme, but I also don't want anything too mature for him. Pinterest is my go-to when it comes for ideas, so I have been spending a lot of time on there, finding ideas for all throughout our new home.

Everything on our end is going well. Daniel will be 8 months old next week. Boy does time fly! He is now starting to crawl. He prefers to roll everywhere though, but that does not stop him from getting into things! I really have to keep my eye on him at all times. He can pull himself up to stand, and he loves that!

We are traveling to Gainesville tomorrow to spend Thanksgiving with family. The weather is going to be MUCH chillier than it is in South Florida, so he can wear all of his cute warm clothes!

With Christmas right around the corner, I have been comparing toys to get Daniel. He loves to make noise (lots of it) so we are really looking at musical toys. I think a drum would be fun! If any of my readers have an idea, feel free to comment!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving full of fun and love.

Finally.

The search is OVER!!!

Last week we put an offer on a beautiful home. Well after what felt like a decade of waiting, they got back to us yesterday (11/11/13) and accepted our offer!

We are so thankful that God has made us wait it out and He led us to the perfect home. It is everything we wanted and more and we are so excited to move in!

We close in ONE month, so time to get going on things!

There is not much to be done in the home, just painting and bedroom flooring. 

It is such a good feeling to know that we will be settled in and have a place to call ours. I feel so relieved now and can focus on other things.

Month Seven!

Where has time gone?

At seven months old, Daniel is growing like a weed. He is eating solid food three times a day, and still nursing in between. Some of his favorite foods are:

Apples

Sweet Potatoes

Peaches

Blueberries

Peas

Spinach

Puffs

Ever since he started solids, I have been making his food from scratch. I feel better knowing what he is eating and that it't not just a bunch of processed garbage.

He weighs 19 Pounds

He measures 29 Inches

He sits and plays with his toys, army crawls, stands, claps hands. He has two bottom teeth, and the top four are making their entrance.

Favorite things:

Bouncer

Playmat with LOTS of toys

Crawl ball

Babywearing

Leapfrog musical play thing (I have no idea of the real name)

Being outside

Least favorite things:

Being in the car for more than 10 minutes

Diaper changes

Strangers 

Stroller

I have been so blessed with such a sweet boy. He is always happy and giggling up a storm and telling us long stories.

I have already begun planning his first birthday party. Never too early! Pinterest is so addicting.

Favorite things.

Over these past seven months, I have realized what is needed and really useful vs what is not! I took some pictures and will add links to where I found them at!

Hope this can be useful for others!

Nose Frida & Saline Spray - Seriously, it looks like some crazy contraption, but it is such a necessity! The bulbs never worked for us and when I heard about the Nose Frida I immediately ordered one. The end of the blue tube goes to the baby's nose,  then there is a filter between that and the clear tubing, and you suck out from the red mouth piece. This is a must!!

Infant Tylenol - A must have for teething and fevers. I don't know how we could make it through without this.

Gripe Water - Such a relief for gas and tummy troubles. The gas drops do nothing for us, but one dose of this and he is all clear!

Hazel- Amber Necklace - I ordered this because it A) Helps refulx and B) Helps with teething pain. I notice a significant difference in both when he is wearing the necklace. I also have the anklet/ bracelet for him.

Shea Moisture Shampoo and Lotion - Daniel is super sensitive, so he always got a rash with Johnson&Johnson, Aveeno, and other popular brands. We found these at Buy Buy Baby, and he's been great ever since! They smell wonderful as well.

Hooded Towel- We have a zillion of these towels, and they're awesome!

Babyganics Hand Wipes- Just for on the go.

The Honest Company Diapers- We have tried many diapers and all leave his diaper area red and irritated! Switched to these and his bum never looked better :)

Coconut Oil- I LOOVE this stuff. It is great for momma and baby. I use this to make his baby wipes. Recipe will be at the bottom of this post =)

**Not Shown**- 

Bath Cushion- We used this the first month while he fit on it for his sponge baths.

Infant Tub- Once I was comfortable and he was a bit bigger, we switched to this tub. I love it because it comes with a shower hose, which is so convenient!!

Crib and Furniture Set- Everyone needs a crib! I love this one because it grows with him. The crib converts all the way up to a full sized bed, I just have to buy the rails separately. I really liked this set because of the sturdiness and detail on the furniture. I also have the glider... Awesome!

Rock & Play- Since Daniel has had bad reflux since he was born, we needed something more upright than a bassinet or a bed. Once I found this, he slept so much better and I was not as worried with his spitting up. After he outgrew it for sleeping, I would just strap him in while I got things done.

aden + anais blankets- LOVE these blankets! They are so lightweight and soft. Great for swaddling and just as a regular blanket. I always have one with me.

Burp Cloths- Can never have enough of these!

Breast Pump- I got my pump through the insurance company! Definitely give them a call if you are breastfeeding. Saves a ton of money!

Breast Pads- Definitely a must in the first few months. Don't want a wet spot on your shirt!

Storage Bags- Pumping and freezing is a big thing in my home. I love these bags because they are very durable and hold a lot.

Travel System- I love this system because it folds very easily, and the car seat is very sturdy and easy to install. And it looks good =)

Convertible Car Seat- Daniel outgrew his infant carrier around 6 months old. Once I saw this one my husband and I both agreed that it was the one! It has impeccable safety ratings, rear faces to 40 pounds and then forward faces to 70 pounds. 

Video Monitor- Once DJ was in his room, I got this monitor to watch him. I love that it is clear, switches from day to night, zooms, has lullabies, and scans!

Sound Machine- This is great! I use the white noise sound and it zeros out any other noises so he can get a great nights rest. It has a nightlight, plays noises as well as lullabies, connects to your phone, and stays on all night!

I will do another post about making his food and all that other good stuff =) 

Hope this helps some people out.

Homemade Baby wipes

2 cups HOT water

2 TBSP Coconut Oil

1 drop TeaTree Oil (optional, but used for antibacterial purposes)

2 TBSP Baby Shampoo (Shea Moisture pictured above)

Gauze (This is the kind they use in the hospital, works great)

We use a wipe warmer to keep our wipes in, but any container with a lid will do.

Mix all ingredients until well combined.

Stack the gauze half way (we do two stacks side by side).

Pour half of the mixture.

Stack the other half until the top of the container.

Pour the rest.

All done! These smell great, and clean great too. The best part, they are all natural and not harmful to your little ones sensitive skin!!