Baby Favorites

So I took a brief (ahem) hiatus from answering your questions but I'm back!  Today I'm sharing some of my favorite things for the twins.  I did a similar post several months ago, which you can read HERE.  I still stand by all of the items, though they've outgrown most of them. :(  On a similar note, please take a moment to look at the pictures of Jude & Sloane at the end of that post.

Someone give me a hug.

OXO Perfect Pull Wipes Dispenser
One of my biggest pet peeves is when I'm changing a dirty diaper and as I'm reaching for one wipe I get six.  This dispenser does a great job of giving you one wipe at a time and is easy to open by simply pushing the lid.  And it's not an eyesore on the changing table. While it doesn't work 100% of the time, it's pretty consistent.  I've found it works better when you push down the weighted interior plate before grabbing a wipe.

I was so pleased with this product that I purchased the OXO on-the-go wipes dispenser for my diaper bag.  I've been pretty disappointed with it.  It's hard to open and does exactly what I despise--multiple wipes at a time. 

OXO Tot Sprout Chairs
As you can tell, we're very fond of the OXO brand and these high chairs are fabulous.  While primary colors are slowly taking over our house, Michael and I really try to find items that don't scream, "THIS IS FOR A BABY!!"  We thought these chairs blended in nicely with our decor.  They are very easy to clean, small enough to fit almost anywhere, and grow with the kids (they can be used until they're five).  The high chairs are not cheap but I still put them on my must-have list.

BabyGanics Bye Bye Dry Eczema Care Cream
Sloane has always struggled with eczema and we'd heard so many wonderful things about California Baby that we stocked up.  Her condition worsened but I never once considered the shampoo/lotion because it was specifically made for sensitive skin.  After everything else failed, we picked up Babyganics Eczema cream and in less than a week her skin improved dramatically.  Did I mention BabyGanics costs a fraction of the price?  Her skin is not perfect but it is so, so much better. 

(This is a perfect example of how every baby is different.  A friend's daughter struggled with eczema and California Baby cleared it right up.  So while we no longer buy the product, others swear by it!)

Leapfrog My Pal Scout & Violet Dogs
This dog is so much fun.  You connect it to the computer and personalize it with your baby's name, favorite color, food, and animal.  You can also select songs and lullabies (they have several Christmas tunes--you better believe we'll be taking advantage of that in a few months)!  Unfortunately, it only allows one name so if you have twins you have to purchase two.  Or pick your favorite twin, up to you.  :)  The kids recognize their names so when I touch Scout's paw and he says, "Good morning, Jude" or Violet's heart and she says, "I'm feeling sleepy, Sloane," their faces light up.

Inchbug Orbit Labels
My friend gave these to us before the babies were born but since they rarely took bottles I didn't use them much.  Now that they're using sippy cups I absolutely love them.  They're dishwasher safe and are perfect for play dates or when we take them to the church nursery. 

Skip Hop Dunck Ducks
Being a new mom (or perhaps just an idiot), I always thought bath toys served no purpose other than prolonging bath time.  However, without toys we spent the majority of the time trying to keep Jude away from the drain and Sloane from crawling out.  And then I realized bath toys are a distraction for the baby so you can actually clean them.  Lesson learned.  These ducks are relatively new to the Haynes family but we love them.  The twins enjoy playing with the ducks and they also serve as a rinse cup for us.  Ironically, they make bath time shorter for us. 

Earth's Best Organic Whole Grain Oatmeal Cereal
This is Jude & Sloane's first meal of the day and they LOVE it.  I've tried it and it's about two steps away from cardboard but they eat it right up.  It's iron fortified, which is nice since breastfed babies tend to lack iron.  It costs about $2.50 at Target and we go through a box a week.  Once they're no longer breastfeeding we will probably find something that's more reasonably priced, but for now I'm really pleased with this.

There you have it!  Now it's your turn.  Jude & Sloane have a 1st birthday coming up--what must-have items do you recommend?