Advanced Motherhood

I could probably write 100 different posts about what it's like being a mom of two. It's wonderful in so many ways, it's challenging in so many ways and it's just a different beast than having one.

I am lucky that Nolan is a good baby and I am lucky that Kenley is a mostly good toddler. More than anything I am lucky that Jason is an incredible dad, is super involved with our kids and is super helpful with them when he's home. We divide and conquer.

However, a couple weeks ago, Jason left town. Jason works in sales and is really good at his job and works hard at it. As with any sales job, there are incentives that come along with it. My husband may just be the most competitive person on the planet and if there is an incentive up for grabs you better believe he's gonna do everything he can to earn it. For this reason, he earns quite a bit of incentive trips. So in mid-June, he went up north for a weekend of golf. 

It was me versus two for exactly 49 hours of which the first 30 went great. I was feeling on top of the world. Sure, I was tired. Sure, I was juggling a million different things. Sure, I would have loved some help. BUT, overall we were rocking it. I was a multitasking machine, I mean wiping your toddler's butt with one hand while holding your baby with the other is what being a mom is all about, right?! I'm used to being alone with my two peanuts during the day but surviving my first solo night without any kind of break felt pretty good.

Then...the ish hit the fan. Kenley became bored of me and got whiney, Nolan got fussy and dominated my attention making Kenley even more whiney. I hadn't eaten all day and was hungry. I had also developed a hacking cough from a cold I'd been battling for weeks. And then out of nowhere Kenley barfed....barfed all over herself, me and the entire kitchen. I spent the next 30 minutes listening to Nolan scream bloody murder while I bathed Kenley, put all of our clothes and the kitchen rugs in the wash and then scrubbed the whole kitchen. After what felt like an eternity, I put Kenley to bed and consoled my poor sweet baby. Once Nolan was fed and asleep it all hit me and I just cried, cried tears of sheer exhaustion. 

I texted my best friend and her response was the most perfect thing anyone could have said to me in that moment..."you are practicing advanced motherhood." It made me laugh, but then when I thought about it, I realized I really was. This was not the standard day. It was Me vs Two longer than I had dealt with before, Nolan was only 6 weeks old and the barf fiasco was not something that happened often, or ever really. I was practicing Advanced Motherhood and surviving. As exhausted as I was after those 49 hours, I had a new sense of confidence that even though some days are more challenging than others, I can do it. I can handle being a mom to two small kiddos. 

But, you better believe that when Jason came home after his two nights away and I immediately left the house and went to the pool for 2 hours of alone time. 

Mom-a-versary

It was 4 years ago today that I found out I was going to be a mom. 4 years since my life completely and totally changed in the most incredible way! Jason and I had been married just under 4 months, and I had a belated Valentine's surprise planned for him. I had a room booked at a Northern Minnesota resort and a wine tasting scheduled. Our plan was to start trying for a baby after my brother's wedding which was coming up that October. For some reason, on my way home from work on that Friday, March 2nd, I got the urge to take a pregnancy test. I had no symptoms and truly no reason to suspect I was pregnant but I just felt like I needed to know for sure before I left for a wine tasting. And sure enough....it was positive!

Every moment of my pregnancy felt so surreal. I just couldn't believe I was actually pregnant, that there was a real baby growing in my belly, that this baby was a little girl, and that I was really truly going to be a mom.

My little love was stubborn and just did not want to come out. My due date came and went and the anticipation of giving birth and finally getting to meet my baby was enough to drive me pretty close to insane. Finally, the day before I was supposed to be induced, labor started. It was a long 16 hours of contractions and an hour of pushing but then at 1:07am on Thursday, November 15th 2012 my Kenley Kouris was born.

The first few weeks of her life were tough, exhausting and such an adjustment but even through the tougher parts of becoming a mom, I felt so happy and so in love with this little human.

These past 4 years feel like a total blur. They have gone so fast and Kenley has grown so much but I can truly say that every day is better and each age is more and more fun! We have already made so many incredible memories as a little family of three and the joy that our daughter brings us is unmatched.

Watching my husband become a dad has been one of the most incredible things of my life. I never had any doubt that he would be a great dad but I could have never expected the bond that he would have with our daughter. These two are best buds and two peas in a pod. It warms my heart in the best possible way to see them together and I hope their bond is always this strong.
  
Throughout my life I've dreamt of doing so many different things and seeing so many different places, but through my passions and aspirations there has always been one thing I knew for certain and that was that I wanted to be a mom. So much of motherhood is challenging and it's definitely not always glamorous, but boy do I love it. I love it more than anything else in the world. I look at my daughter now at 3 years old and cannot believe she is the same little nugget that looked like a jelly bean the first time I had an ultrasound or who loved to kick me in the ribs any chance she got. I am so in awe of her and so in love with her, I just truly don't know what I would do without her.

So today, as I prepare to welcome a second baby and attempt to wrap my head around that, I celebrate the one who first made me a mom and remember back on that day 4 years ago when I was in complete and total shock, panicked and scared and I thank God for my life's greatest blessing....getting to be a mama.

P-O-T-T-Y TRAINED!

Praise Lord Hallelujah! I feel apprehensive even writing this because I'm afraid I'll jinx it all but I am 99.9% sure that Kenley K is POTTY TRAINED. It's like Christmas, my birthday & the Gopher home opener all rolled in to one! 

There was no trickery, no treats and no fancy method - it was just a girl and her mom spending a week mostly at home in Doc McStuffins undies. 

It took two days of half accidents/half successes for it to sink in and then once it did it was "Nen doh pee", "Nen doh poop" all day long! Nen, by the way is what Kenley calls herself and it's fantastic. It has been, brace yourself, 8 days since we've had an accident and I just could not be more excited or more proud. 

The difference between this time and attempts number one and number two is that I was committed. I mean, I was ready to rid my home of diapers a year ago but I really didn't put the time and effort in to teaching Kenley what she needed to do. I just kind of thought if we had a potty, she'd figure it out. I truly think potty training is harder on the parents than the kiddo, but once I was ready to tackle it with complete focus and attention - Kenley nailed it! I should have given her more credit and stepped up to the plate a while ago. But Hakunah Matata - my kid is potty trained and I am a hot minute away from throwing away any and all diaper paraphonilia and then I am going to have a one person dance party because I AM SO HAPPY! 

 Next up....big girl bed.

Baby Bump Bundle {+ a giveaway!}

There must be something in the water because literally every day someone is announcing they are pregnant! I am so excited to have so many friends expecting because as you all know talking about pregnancy and babies is my all time favorite thing ever! One of the more recent initiates in to the mama club is my friend Katie from Keep Calm and Carry On. Katie and I have been blog friends since what feels like forever and when I got a text message with this photo:

I about died!

I knew right away I wanted to send Katie a little something to congratulate her{and big brother Rocky} on this super exciting news and knew a package from Baby Bump Bundle was just the thing!

BumpBundles are care packages featuring handpicked products specifically for expecting mamas {they have nursing, fitness and new baby bundles as well!} at each stage of pregnancy.


Adorable, right?

I opted for the Second Trimester Bundle for Katie and was so impressed when the bundle showed up at my door! The point is to have these bundles delivered right to the mama-to-be, but I wanted to check out the products and add a couple of little things of my own to the bundle first.

The bundle was filled with some amazing products and I have to admit it was a little hard for me not to just keep them for myself {even though I am NOT pregnant}!

Anna Naturals Glowing Mama Face & Body Scrub || Baby Words Green Sonogram Magnet
Sweaty Bands Headband || Mama-to-Be Tea Sampler

I threw in a couple little treats for Big Bro Rockstar, and a onesie & some diapers for baby Camden.

Then sent the package on it's way!

This is FOR SURE my new go-to gift idea for mamas-to-be! Those 9 months are really all about the baby and mama deserves to get some treats and be taken care of too!

My friends over at Baby Bump Bundle have very generously offered to give one of my readers $30 off any bundle {or product!} of their choice! I know that every one of you can think of someone {maybe it's yourself!} who could use a bundle - so enter to win below! Winner announced next Monday!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Baby Talk :: Flying with a Kiddo

Happy Tuesday mamas....it's time for another edition of BABY TALK!

Here's the rules:
{1} Write a post on ANYTHING baby related...pregnancy, parenting, products, stories, advice, you name it!
{2} Grab this button and put it somewhere, anywhere in your post!

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{3} Publish your post on Tuesday!
{4} Come back and enter your post in the super neat link-up tool found at the bottom of every Baby Talk post.
{5} Check back and read the other blogs who have linked up!

Easy as pie!

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Two weeks ago I took Kenley to Colorado for my grandma's 80th birthday. This trip marked Kenley's first time on an airplane and marked my frist time flying with a baby. You should know that I am a very nervous flyer. I haven't always been, in fact up until a couple of years ago I absolutely loved to fly and would actually laugh during turbulence. Now when I feel a bump I am certain I will be crashing to my death. Irrational and ridiculous? YES.

To say that I was nervous and stressed out about this flight would be a HUGE understatement! Before leaving for this trip I had a million questions running through my head in regards to surviving the flight and making traveling with a baby as easy as humanly possible.

How much earlier than usual do you recommend getting to the airport?
What should I carry on?
What baby gear do I need to bring?
How do we make sure Kenley's not "that baby"? 

After surviving two flights with a 10-month-old (who was an absolute perfect angel on both flights BTW), I have some tips and tricks that worked for us. 

1. Research the airline's baby / small child policies ahead of time. Each airlines does it a little different so be sure to double check what the rules & regulations are. We flew Southwest and they were INCREDIBLE. They allow you to check a car seat & stroller FOR FREE along with TWO bags. So I was able to bring our suitcase, pack n play, car seat and stroller for $0.00! I was required to bring a copy of Kenley's birth certificate to prove she was under 2 years old, but that was it.  
2. If you can afford it, get your baby their own seat! Unfortunately this was not in our budget, BUT we were lucky enough to have a spare seat next to us on the way there and it was amazing! Kenley was able to have her own space to move around and play and it made the flight so much easier. 
3. Bring snacks, lots and lots of snacks. I don't know if this is true for every kid but NOTHING keeps Kenley's attention longer than food. I brought two bottles (one for take off and one for landing) along with a bunch of little finger snacks and a squeezie bag of apple sauce. 
4. Pack only what you need for the flight. I brought a couple of diapers and food in our carry on for the flight and bought everything else once we landed. It was so much easier than trying to squeeze a ton of baby stuff into our suitcase. 
5. Bring a new toy. I grabbed a couple of new toys before the trip and didn't let Kenley see them until we got on the plane. I don't know about your kid, but mine is entertained significantly more by something she's never seen. 
6. When in doubt, turn to Mickey Mouse. Kenley is OBSESSED with Mickey Mouse, like screeches with glee when she sees him obsessed, so I made sure to have a bunch of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse shows downloaded to the iPad along with some new Mickey books for us to read.
7. Try and be calm. This one was FOR SURE the hardest for me. But as with anything else, if you're calm your baby is calm. Kids cry. Kids throw fits. A plane is no exception. No one wants to be the lady with the screaming kid, but you can't help it. Just do what you can and try not to worry about everyone else.  

Do those of you who have flown with your babies have anything to add? 

Mama Needs Some Help

You guys I am in a rut. Lately I've been feeling so blah and haven't been able to pinpoint why. Finally I've opened my droopy little eyes and realized it's because I look like a hot fricken mess.

When I daydreamt about being a mom, I always thought of myself looking something like:

I always said that I would still put on make up and get dressed for the day even if I had nowhere to be. I figured myself to be a person who kept a spotless house despite the mass amounts of toys and the mass amounts of time spent at work - not at home. 

Nearly 10 months in and I'm accepting the fact that I look more like:

I'm struggling to find the energy and motivation to "do it all". 

Of course I want my house to be clean. Of course I want to cook myself and my husband a delicious and healthy dinner every night. Of course I want to always remember to put on deodorant. 

I know I am a good mom. I think I'm a pretty decent wife. But right now, I am a terrible Kristin. My confidence is at like a 2 and it's time I do something to change that.

In past months I've set some goals for myself to help me take better care of ME but I think they were just a little too lofty and not a single one has been accomplished. So, this month I am setting a couple of little goals to help make steps towards taking better care of myself and getting my "momjo" back.

{oh Giuliana, how do you do it?}

1. Get a damn haircut. I will not be getting a mom-cut but I do desperately need to do something with this gnarly mane situated a'top my head. 

2. Get some fresh air and burn some cals. There is no reason why I can't take 30 minutes out of my lunch break each day to enjoy a little walk. This month I would like to do this a total of 10 times - not asking a lot Kristin! 

3. Revive the wardrobe. Ideally I would go on a massive shopping spree and replace everything in my closet but if I had that kind of money I would just hire a maid and a chef and all my problems would be gone. The goal on this one is to treat myself to a couple of new outfits and/or items to liven up my wardrobe. 

4. Spend 15 minutes cleaning each day. Our place isn't that big and we aren't that messy so realistically if I just spent 15 minutes after putting Kenley to bed picking up or dusting or folding laundry our house would be in much better shape. 

Alright people. Wish me luck. If I can't achieve these teeny little goals this month then I might as well accept that I'm on the fast track to mom-cut and house coat. 

Baby Talk :: Flu Shot

Happy Tuesday mamas....it's time for another edition of BABY TALK!

Here's the rules:
{1} Write a post on ANYTHING baby related...pregnancy, parenting, products, stories, advice, you name it!
{2} Grab this button and put it somewhere, anywhere in your post!

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{3} Publish your post on Tuesday!
{4} Come back and enter your post in the super neat link-up tool found at the bottom of every Baby Talk post.
{5} Check back and read the other blogs who have linked up!

Easy as pie!

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With summer quickly coming to an end, the fall and winter months are upon us, which also means it's almost Flu Season. At Kenley's 9 month appointment our pediatrician suggested that Kenley come in in early October for the first of two flu vaccine shots. Jason and I talked it over and we're both on the fence. I don't want to be naive and end up with a severely sick child but I also don't love the idea of pumping my baby up with something she doesn't really need. I really love our doctor and trust her but I also know that in her profession she is pro-medication, which I don't always agree with. 

So I'm turning to other mamas, I need your opinions...

Did you/Do you get your baby/kid the flu shot?

Here's what is currently running through my head in regards to the shot:

PROS

• Really the only real pro I see is that Kenley may not get the flu - which is obviously a BIG pro. Our pediatrician said that some of the sickest babies she's ever seen have been from the flu. Obviously, I don't want that for Kenley. 
• The doctor also said if Kenley didn't get the shot she would recommend asking everyone who cares for her to get the shot. Since Kenley has an entourage of caregivers I couldn't possibly ask each and every one of them to get the vaccine, especially when I don't plan on getting it myself.

CONS

• In general, medicine makes me nervous. I feel that it's unnatural and can potentially cause more harm than good. I try to only take Advil & allergy medicine when it's absolutely necessary and other than that I really prefer not to take anything. 
• I've never had a flu shot and neither has Jason. 
• My mom got a flu shot once when I was in high school and I've never seen her so sick.
• Kenley doesn't go to a traditional daycare - she spends her days with our parents so although she is exposed to a variety of people she isn't around a bunch of kids. 
• Getting a flu shot does not guarantee that Kenley will not get the flu, the flu shot is designed to combat three strains of the flu so if she gets a different strain - she'll still be sick.

QUESTIONS

• Does the flu shot prevent the immune system from learning to fight off other illnesses on it's own? I want Kenley's little body to learn to fight for itself, and I'm curious if the vaccine helps or hurts this. 
• What are the side effects of the shot? Our doctor mentioned a possible fever but I've also heard of sore and painful injection sites as well as actual flu-like symptoms. 

I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts, opinions and experiences. I really don't think there's a right or a wrong, I just want to make an educated decision and do what is best {in my mind} for my baby girl. 

THANKS LOVES! 

Baby Talk :: In My Diaper Bag

Happy Tuesday mamas....it's time for another edition of BABY TALK!

Here's the rules:
{1} Write a post on ANYTHING baby related...pregnancy, parenting, products, stories, advice, you name it!
{2} Grab this button and put it somewhere, anywhere in your post!

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{3} Publish your post on Tuesday!
{4} Come back and enter your post in the super neat link-up tool found at the bottom of every Baby Talk post.
{5} Check back and read the other blogs who have linked up!

Easy as pie!

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Ahhhh....the diaper bag. 

A diaper bag reminds me of Mary Poppins' bag that seems to have no limit and can fit endless amounts of stuff. 

I got my diaper bag from Jason as a push present and until Kenley was born I really had no idea what the hell to keep in there {besides diapers of course}. Now that I've been at this mom thing for almost 7 months I have fine tuned my diaper bag packing skills and am here to share the diaper bag essentials with you today! 

For baby:

1. Diapers. Duh! I like to keep at least 5 diapers in the bag. Obviously more if we'll be gone for a long period of time. 
2. Baby Wipes. I get the ones with the re-closable {totally not a word} lid so they're easy to grab. I always have one in the bag and a back up in the nursery for when they run low. 
3. Hand Wipes. I use the Johnson's ones you can get at Target. They're great for wiping up Kenley's face and hands or cleaning my hands as well and I guess my face too. 
4. Pacifier Wipes. Things things are essential. Those toys and pacifiers are flying all over the place and when they land on the dirty restaurant floor, you just grab a wipe and clean it off! Amazing. 
5. Travel First Aid Kid. Thank goodness I haven't had to use this, but it's always good to have on hand in case of emergencies. 
6. Sunnies. Now that it's {sort of} summer I keep Kenley's sunglasses and actually her sun hat {which isn't pictured} in the bag.
7. Diaper Trash Bags / Dispenser. In most cases you can just toss the diaper in the trash but every once and a while you have to change your baby somewhere without access to a  trash can. These are also great for outfits that get peed or pooped or spit up on. 
8. Extra Outfit. I always, always, always have at least one extra outfit in the bag and thank goodness I do, because I've needed them!
9. Onesies. Kenley wears a onesie under almost every outfit she has so I always make sure that I have two clean ones ready to go in case of explosions. TIP: putting a plain white onesie under every outfit can save the actual outfit from most explosions! 
10. Butt Paste. I love this stuff. We only use it when the booty is lookin' a little red. But it's definitely something I keep on the changing table and the diaper bag. 
11. Sunscreen. The sun can burn that sweet little skin so quick. So I make sure I've always got some sunscreen nearby!
12. Blanket. I LOVE my Aden & Anais Bamboo Swaddle Blankets! They are so soft and lightweight and are perfect for keeping K warm or for draping over the carrier if she falls asleep. 
13. Toys. I try to have a couple toy options on hand to keep Little Miss entertained when we're out and about. 
14. Sophie!  When people say Sophie is the greatest toy ever...it's totally true! We have the little one and it's perfect for Kenley to grab. She gets so excited every time she sees Sophie and is entertained for at least 3 minutes...which in baby time is light years. Needless to say, Sophie comes everywhere with us.
15. FOOD. A surefire way to a cranky baby by not feeding the little love. I always make sure to have enough bottles with me. Since K is on to formula now, I pre-measure the formula in her bottle and seal it with a top. I pack the nipples separately because I found powder would get up in to the nipple during travel and was hard to dissolve. I've also started keeping a bottle of room temperature water with me to use to mix the bottles when we are somewhere where warm water isn't available. And, now that Kenley is eating solids I make sure to have a pouch of baby food {we use Plum's Organic} for when it's not feasible to bring my homemade, a little bowl {with a lid in case K doesn't eat it all and to avoid mess in the bag} and, of course, a spoon. 
16. Not Pictured - Changing Pad. My diaper bag came with a nice black padded changing pad which folds down. I'm not sure if that's standard for diaper bags and but I love that thing. It fits perfectly in the bag and is washable...which is why it isn't in the photo, I was washing it! 
17. Not Pictured - Pacifier: I always make sure to have a pacifier in the bag too. Kenley's starting to outgrow hers, but they still work great to soothe her or help her fall asleep when we're out running around. 

For mom: 

1. Super cute cosmetic bag. I got myself the cute little Coach bag so that in the giant mess of baby stuff I'd easily be able to find the couple items that were in there for me. It's been working great. And it allows me to easily transfer things from diaper bag to purse and back real easily. 
2. Wallet. In the beginning I always forgot to transfer my wallet to the diaper bag or vice versa. I really wish I had a tip for remembering, but I don't. 
3. Chapstick / Lipstick / Lip Gloss. My personal faves are EOS Chapstick, Smashbox lipstick and Chanel lip stain & gloss {not pictured}. 
4. Deodorant. Do you know how many times in the last 6 1/2 months that I have left the house without deodorant? More times than I have left with deodorant, that's for sure! So now I keep some on hand which has been very handy!
5. Hand Sanitizer. I got that super cute little Bath & Body Works sanitizer {it's a bee if you can't tell} as a shower gift from Kelly and I love it and use it all the time. Both before and after a diaper change! 
6. Nipple Cream. I obviously don't use this anymore, but during those early days it was essential to have with me at all times. And apparently it's still in the bag. 
7. ETC. Other things I try to keep on hand but aren't pictured are gum, Advil, Kleenex, my business cards and hair binders. 

I also have this handy dandy changing pad

{a gift from my friend Clara...thanks Clurrrra!} which I keep in the car with a few diapers and wipes. It's great to throw in the bottom of the stroller for when we're shopping or going for a walk and I don't want to lug around the whole diaper bag but need to be prepared for an emergency.


So there you have it!
What are your must have diaper bag essentials?

Baby Talk :: Favorite Products 0-6 months

Happy Tuesday mamas....it's time for another addition of BABY TALK!

Here's the rules:
{1} Write a post on ANYTHING baby related...pregnancy, parenting, products, stories, advice, you name it!
{2} Grab this button and put it somewhere, anywhere in your post!

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{3} Publish your post on Tuesday!
{4} Come back and enter your post in the super neat link-up tool found at the bottom of every Baby Talk post.
{5} Check back and read the other blogs who have linked up!

Easy as pie!

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I went crazy for posts like these when I was pregnant because I wanted to be sure I was registering for what I really needed and for the products that mom's loved and trusted. So, today I'm going to share some of our favorite baby items from these first 6 months. 

Fisher-Price My Little Lamb Platinum Edition Newborn Rock N Play Sleeper

This thing is probably my personal favorite. We didn't get a full-blown bassinet, instead we use this bad boy as Kenley's bed for the first 4 months. It's so comfy and cozy, it rocks, it folds up and it's really light so we can easily take it to grandparent's houses and the little cover comes off so it's washable. I frickin' love this thing and recommend it to every mommy that asks me about my favorite baby items.

Fisher-Price Ocean Wonders Deluxe Aquarium Bathtub

Bath time is a favorite time of day for both me and Kenley and part of that is thanks to this great tub! It has the newborn sling for when she was a peanut and is able to adjust through her toddler years. It has and easy to read temperature gauge on the bottom, which we love. But, honestly, my favorite feature is that hook on the end. We hang up the tup at the end of our shower which keeps our floors and cabinets dry and the tub out of the way!

The First Years QuickServe Bottle and Jar Warmer

This is Jason's favorite baby product and it really was handy. Since putting bottles in the microwave is a no-no and heating them with hot water takes forever, this was a great solution. You simply add water in to the chamber and in less than a minute this puppy steams the milk! This was most helpful when we pulled breast milk from the freezer and didn't have time to let it thaw in the fridge. 

My Brest Friend Deluxe Wearable Nursing Pillow

This sucker is basically a different version of the Boppy Pillow. Nothing wrong with the Boppy, but I LOVE this thing. It's made with foam versus a stuffed pillow so if offers better support. It also wraps completely around your body so it doesn't move. When Kenley first came home, I would nurse her in our bed using our pillows and I had the hardest time getting comfortable. She's always sink in to the pillows and I'd have to use like 5 of them to get her high enough. This pillow eliminated all those problems. The cover also comes off and is washable, which is key! Even though I'm no longer breastfeeding I still use it to support Kenley while she's eating from a bottle.

HALO SleepSack Swaddle Wearable Cotton Blanket

THESE THINGS ARE AMAZING!!! Our hospital use these while we were there and sent us home with a couple and let me tell you...whoever came up with this idea is my hero! We had a Aden & Adnais Swaddle Blankets and a bunch of the Little Swaddlers, both of which were great, but these Sleep Sacks win my vote for the best of the best! We wrapped Kenley in one of these bad boys every night for be. She was comfy, cozy and swaddled and has been sleeping through the night since 5 weeks old...which I partially attribute to these Sleep Sacks. 

What are your favorite 0-6 month products?