First Valentine's Day | Kisses Countdown

Thursday, January 28, 2021

Even though Merloe is only 3 months old, we're still celebrating all the holidays! With Valentine's Day around the corner I thought it'd be fun to create a Valentine's Day countdown. This was a craft my mom did for my class in Elementary School -- I still remember it to this day! I'll have to try and find some photos.

It's a fun an easy craft, plus it includes chocolate! Who doesn't love chocolate?! And let's be real... this is for mom and dad to enjoy.

  

heart balloons / sherpa chair / onesie / tutu / hair bow


Materials Needed:

Plastic Wrap - cut 32" long

Hershey Kisses & Hugs

Yarn

Paper

Heart Printable 

Tape

click the 'kisses 25 cents' photo and print


Instructions:

Cut plastic wrap in half, about 6" wide

Lay plastic flat and gather at the top 

Tie your first string about 2" from the top -- this will leave space for the heart printout

Then place a Hershey's Kiss and wrap the plastic around it

Tie off with another piece of string

Continue until you have 14 days -- be sure to keep the kisses tight in line so you have enough space

Tie off the end with a cute bow

Print heart and place at the top

Hang in your home and enjoy a Hug & a Kiss each day until Valentine's Day!


    


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0-3 Month Favorites | Merloe's Must Haves

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

After a lot of trial and error for Merloe's first few months of life, we quickly figured out what items we LOVED and a few others that just didn't work for our family. I thought I'd save you the trouble (and money) and let you know what items are truly worth it!

  
Oatmeal Footie (similar) / Black & White Bow  featuring sleepy eyes

Sleeping

Ollie Swaddle - This worked so well for us, we ended up ordering another one to have on hand for any bedtime accidents. It's easy to use with velcro tabs, soft and stretchy. It's important to swaddle your babe correctly or they could pull the fabric over the mouths while sleeping. This one is currently out of stock, but I've also heard great things about the HALO sleep sack swaddle, another velcro option! Plus it makes midnight diaper changes a breeze.

Hatch Sound Machine - You can control the sound, volume and light color/brightness from your phone. This was especially nice if I needed to increase the volume while I was running around the house. 

VAVA Monitor - After doing a lot of research I decided to go with a monitor without wi-fi. I've heard too many horror stories about hackers watching babies. Plus I'm always on my phone so I wanted to be able to have the monitor propped up next to me while working.

Owlet Sock - I wasn't planning on registering for this because it's a little pricey, but my mom won it for me in a contest and it's the best invention ever! This allows mom and dad to sleep with some peace of mind that baby is ok. Merloe makes so many noises when she sleeps and at first I would get up and check her so often, I was exhausted. Now using the Owlet sock it'll alert us if her oxygen levels or heart rate drops below the normal rate. Users have mentioned false alarms, but so far we haven't had any alarming issues. There have been a few times where the sock comes loose and it alerts us with a loud but calming lullaby so you don't panic right away. MUST HAVE!!

Changing Area 

Wipe Warmer - So many people say this is not worth it, but I really love having it! Those wipes are cold, especially at night. And I'll do anything to keep my babe calm during a middle of the night diaper change. 

Tubby Todd All Over Ointment - Merloe had a little bit of baby acne, which is common, on her nose and cheeks. I had heard so many good things about Tubby Todd's All Over Ointment and it cleared her up within days! Now we use it daily on her face. It's unscented and even works on mommy's skin - double win!

Boogie Wipes - We got these as a baby shower gift and I really thought they were used for older kids but we've used them multiple times! It's easy to just swipe her nose and get her little boogies out. 

Nail Trimmer - I was so nervous to trim Merloe's nails and at first I tried a regular baby nail file/clippers. Until I found this! It makes it so easy to file her nails and doesn't hurt at all if you miss the nail and skim the top of her finger. I even tried it on myself and it's so soft. I try to do it while she's sleeping and she doesn't even notice!

Toys 

Kick & Play Piano Gym - We originally bought a different one, but this one allows her to kick the piano with her toes. She loves it! This allows me to finish a few things while she's playing. Not the cutest toy but totally worth it! 

Black & White Flash Cards - Black & white images help develop baby's eyes! This pack comes with cards for each age range -- 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-12 months and 12-36 month cards. 

Bouncer - We recently picked this up and it's a game changer! Merloe loves to look at the dangling toys and is completely entertained. It's nice to have on hand while I'm trying to get ready and lightweight so it's easy to move around the house. 

Diapers & Wipes

Huggies Little Snugglers Diapers  - We tried a few other brands including The Honest Company, Seventh Generation and Pampers but we ended up loving Huggies! She's barely had any diaper rash and they seem to keep everything inside...minus a few big blowouts!

Huggies Natural Care Sensitive Wipes 

Water Wipes - I haven't personally tried these but have heard great things if your babe is extra sensitive!


Those are our top items for 0-3 months. I hope that helps you with your registry or
if you know a new mama to be, these are great gift options! 

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Did I miss any of your favorites? What toys or gadgets did your babe like?

Let me know in the comments!


I have included commissionable links on this post. Thank you for supporting me and my family!