What We Use

NUK Simply Natural Baby Bottle

The biggest negative when people talk about cheap bottles is the potential leaking from cheaply made products. We chose the NUK bottles as we had more people recommend them to us and said that they didn't leak.

We love these bottles and they have not leaked for us once. We give our son room temperature formula, but if you do warm up bottles, these have a temperature gauge that changes colors with heat. And it does work, as it changed color when we have sterilized. You can't go wrong with these!

VTech DM221-2 Audio Baby Monitor

We decided for our first son to just try an audio monitor since we were looking for something that was cheaper and didn't want anything that connected to the internet. The VTech audio monitor has been very helpful.

We like that it has two parent units that we could put at different spots in the house. The one that we have is actually discontinued, but you can find the same type on Amazon still.

Kidsneed Baby Monitor

For our second son, we decided to upgrade to a video monitor. We were still looking for a monitor that didn't connect to our WiFi, and this Kidsneed monitor did the trick. We were able to get multiple cameras with it. So, we could put one in each bedroom and we actually got a third one so we could keep an eye on our older son in his playroom.

The picture and sound quality isn't the best, but most monitors don't have great quality. And only being able to see one camera at a time isn't ideal (there is an option to continuously flip through each camera), but this definitely gets the job done

BabyTrend EZ Flex Loc Infant Car Seat

We got this infant car seat as part of the BabyTrend Expedition Travel System. We LOVE the stroller, but the car seat works well for the most part.

The plastic clip is sometimes hard to latch, especially with a squirming kid inside. Also, the head support is pretty much useless as it doesn't support the head as much as you would think. Our main complaint would be with the material. It's not very breathable and both of our sons would get SUPER sweaty when sitting in them. Not the biggest problem in the world, but if you are going to be travelling a lot, this probably isnt the ideal seat.

Graco Extend2Fit 3-in-1 Car Seat

For our first son a few years ago, we initially bought the Graco 4Ever DLX 4 in 1 Car Seat, and we do love it. But, the price has gone up considerably in the last few years. So, for our second we just went with the 3-in-1 Extend2Fit.

We like the Extend2Fit option specifically, becuase our boys are very big (their dad is pretty tall). Our first seemed to be really cramped as he was getting closer to 2 years old, and we are hoping that the Extend2Fit gives us a little more time to be rear-facing. But, the Graco Car Seats are wonderful and the option to convert them as the kids grow is invaluable.

Baby Trend Expedition Jogger

This is the stroller that we got with the infant car seat as part of the BabyTrend Expedition Travel System. To say that we LOVE this stroller is an understatement.

We absolutely love the big wheels. They can handle bumps very easily and go over any terrain you can imagine. Going places that have stone parking lots or a lot of grass and hills are no problem at all with this stroller. Definitely a must have if you take your kids places that are not simply a smooth surface.

Baby Trend Sit and Stand Double Stroller

We got this stroller when we had our second son as it works with the infant car seat that we have and it is a great way to have both kids in a stroller at the same time.

The wheels aren't as great. So, bumps are not handled so easily. And, this thing is a boat. So, steering can get tough (although any double stroller most likely is). But, we love the feature for out oldest to have an open seat or stand on the back of the stroller which he loves. Especially since he has pretty much outgrown a regular stroller. We are definitely very happy with this one as well, and it is not too expensive either.

Graco Pack 'n Play Playard

We use this Pack & Play for our bassinet when the kids are little to keep them sleeping in our room. It's another thing we love that we can use as the kids grow a little.

There is a mattress that sits in the top for easy sleeping. When your kids move to their own room, this can be converted into a playpen area to contain your kids when they are playing. Also, the changing area is a great benefit that we have used often!

Graco Benton 5-in-1 Convertible Crib

Not the exact style that we have, but it is the equivalent that is available now. This has been a very sturdy crib for us. And, of course, going along with our theme, it is something that can grow with your child.

This crib is very solid. It is very easy to put together and has 3 different height levels for the mattress. So, you can keep it high when your baby is young, but move it down when they start to stand. The only complaint is that the paint chips a little when your baby inevitably starts to bite it.

Safety 1st Transitions Baby Crib and Toddler Mattress

Another item that we bought that could grow with our kids as they got a little older as this mattress can be used for infants as well as when the kids grow into a toddler bed as well.

The mattress has a firm side to it that is ideal for infants. When your kids grow a little older, you can flip the matterss around for a softer side that is perfect for a toddler bed.

LINENSPA Memory Foam and Innerspring Hybrid Mattress

For our oldest son, we actually ended up getting him a mattress and laying it on the floor when he got a little older. He was a terrible sleeper and would bounce into every corner of his crib.

We know a mattress in a box sounds like a horrible idea (We had our doubts when we bought it too!). But this turned out to be one of the best investments that we made. This mattress is super comfy, especially if you need to lay with your toddler to help them fall asleep. We liked it so much, we even bought one for ourselves too!

Infantino Flip Advanced 4-in-1 Carrier

Having a good carrier is pretty essential for being able to do any tasks while having to hold your baby. This carrier is one that we have enjoyed and it even fits taller people pretty well which is sometimes hard to find.

This gives you the option to put your baby facing out or facing in depending on how old they are and their head control. You can also use this as a back carrier, but we haven't tried that. This carrier is very comfortable, pretty easy to use and adjust, and best of all...fairly cheap!

Bright Starts Whimsical Wild Portable Compact Baby Swing

Our baby swing has been one of our life savers while parenting! When we brought our first son home and set him in the swing and he was content, it was our first indication that we could actually do this parenting thing.

This swing works great! You can adjust the speed that it swings. It plays soothing music (that will inevitably get stuck in your head when you use it so much). It's fairly quiet when it swings. And, it comes apart and folds up for pretty easy storage when your baby grows out of it. We definitely see it as a must have!

Graco Blossom 6 in 1 Convertible High Chair

Another one of our signature convertible items that grows with your child. This is great to be used as a high chair that is very easy to move around with the wheels, and also comes with a booster seat that you can put no a chair.

We were thinking a little more for the future when we got this one and it worked out well for us. Our oldest uses the booster seat at our kitchen table and we can roll our youngest right up next to the table while we are eating as well. It's definitely a good buy for multiple kids!

Fisher-Price Baby to Toddler Bath

AS you might be able to tell, we love things that can grow with our kids. They save a lot of money having to buy only one thing rather than multiple as your kids grow. And, if you can find them cheap to begin with, then it's just a bonus.

This tub works very well. It fits over your kitchen sink for infants. As well as in the tub when your baby gets a little bigger. The sling works well to keep the baby up and out of the water, and the seat is nice when your baby starts sitting up a little better.

We used this for our first son, but the hard water that we have kind of ruined it. But, we actually found the exact same thing at a consignment shop near us when we were pregnant with our second because it works so well for us.