The last few posts have been pretty heavy.

I promise that I’m not all weepy whiney all of the time!

So to balance some of my serious posts, I am going to interject some lighter posts in between, where I will randomly share some of my favorite things, or in this case, some of Baby O’s favorite things.

This is not meant to be a “must buy” or “need” list. (I remember as a mommy-to-be, I combed list after list of baby “must-haves,” in search of the “perfect” list – and I turned a fun activity (i.e. shopping) into a very stressful activity – as if not having a particular object would instantly make me ill-equipped to care for Baby O).

From my experience, such a list is very personal – and depends on all sorts of things like your baby, the size of your space, your preferences, your budget etc. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if the world raves about (insert expensive baby gadget here), your little one has to love it and a lot of the time, you won’t know until you try it. So my first tip is: save your receipts! Or save for the next friend who is expecting.

Without further ado, in particular order, I love:

1. Amazon Prime

For $99 a year, you get free 2-day shipping with most items. Ok, I’m already breaking the rule as I believe this is a “must” for working mommies. In my two months back at work, I’ve ordered a breast pump and breastfeeding parts, formula, diapers, WubbaNubs, headbands, socks, mittens, Dreft, a baby Qi Pao, among other things. And that’s just for Baby O. For the grownups, I’ve ordered toothpaste, deodorant, a wallet, and Starbucks refreshers. For me, the annual fee is well worth not having to shop, especially if time is limited.

2. WubbaNubs

WubbaNubs are Soothie pacifiers with stuffed animals attached, and they run about $13. Soothie pacifiers are a particular brand marketed as safe for newborns and babies who breastfeed. I wasn’t sure that I was going to use pacifiers until I discovered that they truly did soothe Baby O. I love that animals are attached because (1) they are cute, (2) easy to find in a purse or diaper bag or crib, and (3) she can hold onto them better. And I recognize that a $13 pacifier sounds expensive but for most mommies, a quiet, happy baby is priceless.

3. Dockatot

This is probably one of my more extravagant loves – essentially a $165 baby pillow. It’s chic and European, but that’s not why I love it. I love it because Baby O started sleeping 8 hours from the very first night we used this “multi-functional lounging, playing, chilling, resting and snuggling dock you can take anywhere.” For me, it was magic.

4. Aden and Anais Swaddles

$30 for muslin cloth, Mey? Yes, I know. But we get so much value out of these in our home. We use them as light blankets, nursing covers, burp cloths, towels, and to cover the baby car seat in bright sunlight. We use them for peek-a-boo and a make-shift changing mat. They are great quality and are very soft. The cute patterns don’t hurt either.

5. NoseFrida

Baby O thinks this $15 nasal aspirator is hilarious – but it’s probably because I try to make it a game as I suck the boogers out of her nose. The hubs won’t touch it. He is not convinced that Baby O’s boogers don’t end up in my mouth (they don’t). It works very well – and obviously worth having an easy-breathing baby.