What I like so far

Seeing as how Oliver is leaving the brand new baby stage and entering a new realm of development, I thought I'd tell y'all what I have liked for a newborn.  I listened to a lot of people and read a lot of stuff prior to Oliver coming home and these products really held up and worked for our family. 

Let me just back up for a second and reiterate that I'm no expert.  I think some people are very quick to tell a new mom what she should or shouldn't do, which isn't fair.  It is VERY easy to say oh I'd do this or oh I wouldn't use that, until you are in the trenches and trying to calm a screaming human.  If I can pass on any words of wisdom it's don't buy into every fad you read.  Sometimes the best products are those that are old standards.   In no particular order:

Sophie 

I'm not sure what it is about Sophie but Oliver loves her.  She's a tad on the expensive side for a teething toy but I think she's worth the investment.  Oliver approves as well!

Baby Legs

I could probably do an entire post on Baby Legs.  They make diaper changes, especially at night, so much easier to manage.  The website has lots of promotions each month and you normally can get them for inexpensive.  Sure, they might be leg warmers but they are adorable!  As you can tell, this photo was taken when Oliver was extremely young so they are versatile and go from newborn to toddler and beyond.

Fisher-Price Newborn Rock n' Play Sleeper

See, more Baby Legs!!! In a perfect world we would have been able to get Oliver a gender neutral Rock n' Play.  However, this was all the store had in the town where we were visiting so we had to make do.  This was by far the best thing we bought.  Without a doubt.  Oliver has had ear problems his whole little life and sleeping at an angle has been so wonderful for him.  This thing is portable and was so perfect for us!  

Fisher Price Cradle n Swing, My Little Lamb

Unfortunately, the only pictures I have of this swing are really blurry so I apologize for the horrible quality.  I wanted to make sure I included a picture to show you just how much Oliver LOVES this swing. 

I am not joking when I say we would have been lost without this swing.  Oliver slept in it, every single night, for at least a month.  Baby boy had his days and nights mixed up and I couldn't stand making it a habit to sleep in the recliner with him.

Bumbo

I've read some previous reviews that they never used their Bumbo seat.  Considering Oliver is a big boy, he's in between a carrier car seat and a highchair so this has been a lifesaver.  We plop the Bumbo on the table whenever we go out to eat anywhere and he's content without me and Josh having to hold him the entire meal. 

Nuby spoons

Someone gave us these spoons as a shower gift and they are the best things ever invented.  While we were away recently, we had to use a different kind of spoon since I couldn't find one of these anywhere and Oliver wanted nothing to do with the food.  They are super long and make it easy for both mama and baby to eat from it.

Gerber zip Sleeper

It's going to be a sad day in the Branham household when these don't fit Oliver anymore.  He wears almost nothing besides these to sleep because the zipper is so unbelievably convenient.  We have a few snapped outfit but those are becoming more difficult because he's getting older and likes to squirm while we are changing him.  These are a great investment.

Fisher-Price Luv U Zoo Jumperoo

Oliver was a little hesitant about this jumperoo at first but now he loves it.  I know this one is relatively popular but it really is a great toy to keep them occupied for more than 5 minutes. 

Wubbanub

Oliver has never been much of a pacifier baby (boo) but the Wubbanub does seem to soothe him the most out of all we tried.  He is now getting to the point where he can use the plush part to put it back in his mouth, which is a lifesaver for mama and daddy.  Plus, isn't this thing adorable???

Target diapers

I can't say enough good things about Target diapers.  I had a stockpile of regular diapers that I amassed during my pregnancy and realized very early on that they wouldn't be right for Oliver.  We bought a small pack of these and have literally never had a single leak during the night.  Save your money!!!!  These are fantastic diapers.

Okay so there's a few things that have worked for us thus far.  I was in no way compensated for my opinions, just wanted to pass the love on to another new mama who could use the tips.