Now being a mom, I am realizing that our home is filled with things that I never even knew existed, but have proved to be complete life savers! So this month’s “Favorite Things” post consists of those types of items – the “don’t know what I would do without” items.

Another item that our family just can’t live without is our KitchenAid Waffle Maker. We received this as a wedding gift and have used this almost every weekend for waffles. Specifically, ours is a Waffle Baker with CeramaShield Nonstick Coating, and it can make one mean waffle! It has become a tradition (when time allows) to have waffles Saturday morning (and even sometimes Sunday morning too). We look forward to continuing that tradition with Mazy – she’ll be able to join us before we know it! It definitely beats an Eggo waffle!

In our attempts to eat healthier, I have read about a few books that help newbies do just that. Let’s be honest though – there are countless options out there! One book that I kept reading about was Food Matters. As I perused through it’s pages (I got it from our local library), it not only explains the whys of eating healthy, but also has very simple recipes to follow, to jump start the idea. The statistics and research is quite extensive in this book, so some I skipped over, but really, it was very interesting to read how America is what it is today, when it comes to food. It really made me think! The simple meal plans too, make it easy to start eating healthier TODAY!

If there is one teething item that I could recommend, it is the Munchkin Fresh Food Feeder. I have found this baby item to be incredibly handy. Not only does it give your child something to do, but it gives off healthy nutrients from the fresh or frozen food put into the holder. If I put an apple slice in it, she will chew and chew on it, until there is nothing left – just the peel! The bonus about this item is that you do not have to worry about your child choking on the food because the mesh is tight enough, where no food particles come through. I have put mango, pear, banana, and apples in hers. Really though, you could put anything in there! If you do not have these and you have a baby, do so. It will be worth every penny!

One thing that Mazy loves, is to just be outside. Whether it be just watching the cars and trucks go by in our backyard, going on a walk or bikeride, or just walking around the yard, Mazy loves it. Someone is generously letting us use their Schwinn Bike Trailer! I knew I wanted one when Mazy was born, but I never imagined getting as much use out of it as we are! It has a mesh cover and a plastic cover, so I can even take her out when it is a bit chilly, but not worry about her getting too cold. It pulls very easily and is easy to maneuver. The wheels are large, which means a smooth ride. Sometimes I barely even know she is behind me, except I hear her talking to the trees.

I can’t even begin to tell you how genius the WubbaNub is! Whoever thought of putting a pacifier on a stuffed animal, should be a millionaire! This little “toy” has saved us hours of sleep, prevented panic moments (except maybe one), and is the go-to item for our child. If we had to choose one toy or one thing to keep and get rid of everything else, we would choose the WubbaNub.

Our daughter was born with a very strong sucking reflex (so I was told by the doctor and nurse). As a result, they encouraged us to use a pacifier right from the get-go to help ease some of the pain when feeding as well. The thing is, her pacifiers would always get lost in her carseat or who knows where. It is impressive the little crevices those thing scan fit in and hide! My doctor recommended getting a WubbaNub, so that Mazy could find it easier, if it fell out. Unfortunately, the area we live in does not sell them, but I was heading back to Michigan that weekend and found one there. They come in various colors and animals, and let me tell you, we now plan on buying a backup, just in case we would ever lose this one. I think I would cry just as hard as Mazy would, if we lost it. Even at just 8 months of age, she wants it everywhere with her – it’s like a blanket. At night, it is easy for her to find, so I do not have to get up every time she spits it out.

We had one close call of her losing it. I was on a walk with a friend and apparently at some point, she threw it out of her stroller. We didn’t realize it and when I went to grab it when we got back, it was missing. Gone. I literally was panicking, wondering how quickly I could order another one. Meanwhile, I decided to drive around town, looking for it. Thankfully I found it on the edge of town, just hanging out in the middle of the street. As soon as I found it, I gave it to Mazy and she grabbed it like it was her long lost friend. So needless to say, it has been a lifesaver!