These posts have been highly requested! I’ve been keeping a running list of our “most used” items during Jack’s first year for new moms. I personally found it so confusing to know what we really needed and when we needed it. Of course, every baby and every family is different but I thought it would be helpful to share just like what we genuinely use a lot. There are more items that I’m sure we use, but these are the things I’d say are “musts” or “really loves” for us. I’ve compiled what we used during the first in this post and what we used in the first three months in this post…. and now I’m doing our six month list. (I think the next one will be at 12 months unless the list gets too long and I’ll break it up at nine.)
Skip Hop Activity Center// My friend’s baby is two weeks ahead of Jack and she texted me one morning saying, “Jack is four months old! You need to buy this activity center… he’s going to love it” She attached a picture of her daughter having a blast. I had actually registered for it and it was sitting in our basement. I thought you couldn’t use it until six months, but it’s 4+ months. Anyway, Jack is obsessed. OBSESSED with it. We try to limit time he spends “contained,” but he would sit in there all day if you let him. Worth every penny– and it grows with baby too, even turning into a table for toddlers down the road!
Mushroom Teether // Jack got his bottom two teeth early and I was scrambling to find something for him to gnaw on. My bumper group was raving about this mushroom teether thing and… yep, I can confirm. It’s a huge hit. I bought multiples just to have backups.
Chew Animals // This set was a Christmas gift from one of Jack’s aunts… immediately Jack fell in love with them, especially the giraffe. I like that these are flat and can easily be washed and won’t collect mold inside.
Books // A kind of self-explanatory one, but books! We’ve been reading to Jack quite a bit since birth, but he’s really getting “into” books now as part of his bedtime routine. I usually cradle him with his back against my belly and bear hug around him to hold the book. One day he turned his head back and realized that I was the one reading the book. He whipped his head back and forth between the book and me and then belly laughed every time he saw my mouth making the words out. Our favorite right now (aka the one I enjoy reading the most is Good Night, Little Blue Truck. I have it memorized at this point.
Seat // Both grandmas have this chair now for Jack. It is a great little booster chair and has a built in tray, too.
Baby Utensils // I got this on a whim in a local store and I’m so glad I did. I had longer baby spoons that are pretty popular, but they were so long that it required me to feed Jack and he much prefers to feed himself. These little utensils are the perfect size and weight. He was using them independently from day one!!! Going to buy more so I can have a few on hand and not have to rewash the one over and over.
Bib // These bibs are genius!! How did moms do it before silicone bibs that rinses off in the sink? The little pocket really does a great job at catching food falling too. (Jack has figured out that he can store food in there for later too, ha.)
High Chair // Loving this high chair so far. It’s incredibly lightweight but sturdy. It also pulls up to the perfect height for our dining room table so Jack can join the party. I also like how simple it is and how easy it is to clean. It doesn’t take up a lot of space in our dining room and it doesn’t “scream” high chair!!!! If that makes sense.
Hand Pump // This is a little bit of a random one, but I’ve been using this hand pump to express a little bit of milk for meal times. Whether we’re practicing drinking from a cup or straw, mixing it into oatmeal, or using it to scramble eggs, it’s so nice not to have to lug out the giant pump or thaw out a full bag of breastmilk.
Straw Sippy Cup // Still trying to find “the one” straw cup, but we are practicing sipping through a straw and skipping bottles altogether. I think for this, we’re still in the process of trying different kinds, but hopefully I’ll have a favorite to report soon.
Tiny Cup // Another “on a whim” purchase. Jack has been practicing to sip from a cup too. It’s so freaking cute. And it’s wild to watch him discover how to do it.
Travel Stroller// With our first big flying trip during this time frame, we used (and loved) a travel stroller. Totally obsessed with it.
Travel Crib // We also used a travel crib multiple times. This one folds up so incredibly tiny and is super easy to set up and break down. My only caveat is that Jack definitely didn’t like the mattress. We borrowed mini mattresses twice for it and I think I’ll end up buying a separate one at some point. (It’s on my to-do list….)
Zip Top Boat and Tote// I looooove LL Bean’s Boat and Tote bags. I have a large one for Jack with long handles and a zippered top and it is such a good baby bag. The zippered top is key. I use it for overnights, his swim lessons, etc.
Converse Sneakers// These are such great little shoes for Jack to wear. They are soft– and most importantly easy to put on because the top folds back with velcro. I like that they are comfortable but look like real shoes without the bulk. It’s not like he’s actually walking anywhere.
Ugg Booties// I can’t remember why I bought these, but I know it was in a moment of panic. We had been gifted a bunch of darling baby booties for winter and all of a sudden Jack’s feet were too big!! I did a curbside pick up for these and they’ve become instant favorites. They are VERY soft and quite warm and easy to put on! He also can’t kick them off at all, which is a huge win.
Patagonia Bunting // Ending with a personal fave… The Patagonia Bunting. Ugh. My heart. I love seeing Jack’s big cheeks in the baby bunting! It’s just so good and can’t be beat. Should have definitely registered for this in a few age-appropriate sizes for winter.
Stroller Gloves // The minute the weather got cold, I ordered these to make our walks a bit more bearable. 100% necessary for cold weather climates!!
So many great ideas and products! Thank you for keeping track of them all in one place! I can’t believe how much he’s grown. http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
He is so precious and adorable. Thank you for sharing all the Jack photos and info. Love seeing him grow!!!! You’re obviously doing a great job. Look at those smiles!
Our year can undoubtedly be measured in love 🫶🏻. While 2024 wasn’t without its challenges, it was also overflowing with moments of joy and gratitude. Welcoming Rory into our family in February was the absolute highlight—nothing quite compares to the magic of those first newborn days.
This year was also filled with adventures to some of our favorite places and plenty of meaningful time with friends and family. Rory has grown from a snuggly, snoring newborn into a lively ten-month-old who loves to eat and play with his big brother. And Jack? He’s gone from my baby to a full-fledged kid—a social butterfly with a love for all things sports (and the skills to match).
For me, this year was a whirlwind—a beautiful mix of the magic and monotony of motherhood: pregnancy, delivery, breastfeeding, and endless caretaking. But amidst the chaos, I found space to nurture myself and pursue what lights me up. I embraced new hobbies (hello, sourdough baking!) and deepened my love for old ones (Rory’s needlepoint stocking is finally complete, and I read 50 books!). I prioritized my well-being with new workouts (@sotomethod has been a game-changer!), dialed in my beauty routines, and even got my colors done.
I also stepped outside my comfort zone, making my first investment in a company beyond my own and hitting a few stretch goals that felt out of reach just a year ago.
Here’s to a year of love, growth, and resilience—and to the excitement of all that 2025 has in store! 💫
This and yap 🤍 Don’t forget to create holiday magic for yourself too! I can’t tell you how nice it was to do some gingerbread decorating without having to follow a three year old’s vision (or fight the sugar battle)! It’s fun to do it with kids, too, but sometimes you just need coffee, baked goods, and little bit of kid-free catch up time with your mom friends! Thank you for hosting @blueskyehouse!!
I wrote down a list of things I wanted to do for fun in 2024. I crossed off exactly zero of them (having a baby will do that to ya) and my only hope of accomplishing one would be to host a cookie exchange! I wanted to SO bad but I was also feeling exhausted after a long year (losing a dog, having a baby, running a business, etc.) and I didn’t know if I had hosting a party in me. I sent out the invitations and told myself I’d figure it out. There was no going back! It was SO FUN though and I will be doing this again. I feel like so much of the holidays as a mom is spent making the magic for kids. It’s Santa meet and greets, Christmas shopping, holiday pageants…. And then seeing Santa again (and again and again). THIS party was for us! 🥂
🎧 Five 5-Star Audiobooks I Listened to This Year ✨
Audiobooks have been my secret weapon for fitting reading into a busy life. Whether I’m folding laundry, driving to preschool drop-off, or squeezing in a solo walk, I can dive into a story at the touch of a button—and @Audible makes it so easy. Eligible new subscribers can sign up for a one month free trial of #Audible Premium Plus anytime! #AudiblePartner #amazoninfluencer @amazoninfluencerprogram
This year, I listened to some incredible audiobooks, but these five stood out as absolute favorites:
📚 A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith: A beautifully written coming-of-age classic. I didn’t want it to end and could absolutely see myself re-listening in a few years.
📚 None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell: A psychological thriller with unreliable narrators that kept me guessing the whole way through.
📚 Such a Bad Influence by Olivia Muenter: Part mystery, part family drama—flawed characters, a gripping storyline, and a chef’s kiss ending.
📚 All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker: A masterpiece of storytelling that starts as a serial killer mystery and evolves into something much bigger.
📚 Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors: A stunning exploration of sisterhood, grief, and imperfect people. The ending left me in tears (happy ones!).
Perfect! Thank you so much! Just made the biggest Amazon order because of this post 😀
So many great ideas and products! Thank you for keeping track of them all in one place! I can’t believe how much he’s grown.
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
He is so precious and adorable. Thank you for sharing all the Jack photos and info. Love seeing him grow!!!! You’re obviously doing a great job. Look at those smiles!
Jack is honestly the cutest little baby around! His smile makes me smile 🙂
The age/milestone card in the photo of Jack at the top of this post is just so darling! Mind sharing where it’s from?