I’m sharing a few of the items that Annie (and we!) have been loving for the past six months!
I know I said that I wasn’t planning to write baby favorites posts for Annie. But there are a handful of new items this time around as well as old favorites worth mentioning again.
I have baby favorites and toddler favorites posts for Tommy and Olivia as well as preemie newborn favorites for Genevieve and an essential baby and toddler gear list with our absolute favorites.
Here are the items that Annie (and we) have been loving.
Boppy pillow
I bought the boppy pillow with breastfeeding in mind. It was somewhat helpful for breastfeeding. But I used it a lot more for bottle feeding. I wish that I’d had the boppy pillow for all of my babies.
Philips Avent bottles
I did a ton of research about the best bottles to use alongside breastfeeding. I still ended up buying the Philips Avent bottles, which is what I used for my older three kids. The only difference is that I bought the bottles with the natural response nipples. I still love Philips Avent bottles so much. They vent well and are very easy to clean. Annie did so well switching back and forth when we were breastfeeding and still uses the bottles with zero issues.
Lightweight car seat cover
I love the lightweight car seat cover for warmer weather and any time you’re out and about and don’t want other people’s hands in the car seat. I used it extensively with preemie Genevieve and during the warmer newborn months with Annie. The cover that I have also doubles as a breastfeeding cover, and I was able to use it that way with Annie as well. Obviously, I have very limited experience with breastfeeding covers. But I like that the cover is lightweight and so stretchy. I found it easy to navigate while on the go, even while managing Olivia and Genevieve.
I did try a lightweight car seat cover with Olivia that isn’t stretchy and simply drapes over the seat. I greatly prefer the stretchy design that I’m linking here.
Winter car seat cover
As Olivia and Genevieve were both little babies in the winter, I used the winter car seat cover extensively with them. They were fine with it but didn’t love it. Annie loves the winter cover. She’ll stay covered and napping once we’re inside somewhere.
Infant to toddler rocker
I didn’t buy the infant to toddler rocker until Tommy was a toddler. The girls have all used it from the very start. Genevieve and Olivia will still sit in it. We actually have two rockers and keep them on different levels in the house. It’s also nice to have one in rotation at all times when I’m washing the cover on the other one. It’s very easy to remove the cover, and it’s machine washable.
Activity gym
Annie may love the activity gym and kick ‘n play the very most, which says a lot. All three older kids liked both of them. But Annie’s longevity for them is impressive. When she’s in the right mood, she’ll stay for an hour. By five months, Annie was able to roll from back to belly and scoot right out of them. But you can still put her back in, and she’ll keep playing.
Kick ‘n play
Annie loves the kick ‘n play so much, too. We keep the activity gym and kick ‘n play in different rooms, so she can switch between them during the day. The version of the kick ‘n play that I’m linking here comes with a couple of the Fisher-Price soft rattles, which Annie (and my other kids) love as well.
Bright Starts rattle and ball
My mom got Annie the Bright Starts rattle and ball for Christmas, so they’re new items for us. I love that they’re so lightweight and so much quieter than similar sized toys that babies this age can grip easily. We keep both the rattle and ball in regular rotation.
Texture books
The older three kids all had texture books but didn’t love them nearly as much as Annie. Texture books are great for keeping her entertained for shorter stints, such as when I’m getting ready in the morning.
We have the Jellycat Jungly Tails book. The tails are so perfect for grabbing. We also have a soft version of the Shake Look Touch book.
Circle floor mat
We were gifted a circle floor mat for Annie. I never would have registered for or purchased it myself. But the mat has been amazing. I wish that I’d had it with all of the kids. I keep it under the activity gym or kick ‘n play or let her play on it as is. The mat has also been amazing for taking photos. You can see it in so many of my Annie monthly updates thus far. I have no idea exactly what mat I have, but I’m linking something similar.
Zutano booties
Olivia and Genevieve both wore Zutano booties. Genevieve has never wanted to keep on any shoes. But Olivia and Annie have both done well with Zutano booties. Until kids start walking, Zutanos hold up and can be passed down to other kids, which helps justify the price. I have a few pairs, so I can wash them regularly.
Bat costume
I wish that I’d put all of my kids in the bat costume for their first Halloweens because it’s the cutest. I love how you can see the wings when babies stretch out their arms. I dressed up Annie during the kids’ Halloween classes/activities where they wore costumes, and everyone got a big kick out of it.
Elf costume
Similarly, I’m not sure why I felt called to dress up Annie as an elf when I hadn’t dressed up any of my other kids. But I wanted to do it, so I went with it. I am so happy with this elf costume. The entire costume is adorable and made for great pictures. I had her wear it to the kids’ holiday classes/activities as well. Annie was able to wear the hat all winter. It fits much better than most baby hats.
Fisher-Price Soothing Motions Bassinet
Annie has been a great sleeper right from the start and did so well in the Fisher-Price Soothing Motions bassinet. She’s the only baby I’ve had who’s napped long stretches in the bassinet. I could put her down drowsy with a pacifier, and she’d sleep at least an hour or two at a time.
I used the baby lounger in the bassinet with both Genevieve and Annie because they were so little at birth. When Annie moved to her own crib right before she turned seven months old, I used the baby lounger in the crib for the first week or so, which helped a lot with the transition. I did the same for Genevieve.
Baby pillow
I’ve used baby pillows for Annie because she’s been so stuffy. They’ve helped her for sleep and while laying on the floor. The WelsLife baby pillow is the most similar to the one I got for Tommy and like the best.
Personalized name blanket
I never felt comfortable getting a name item for my adopted kids before they were born. I did get Annie’s name blanket before I had her, and we’ve been using it right from the beginning. The blanket is so soft, and I love the range of colors and fonts. I got my older three kids larger name blankets for Christmas.
[Disclaimer: There are a few affiliate links in this post. Thanks for your support!]
If you’re looking for even more baby favorites for this stage of life, I wrote separate newborn favorites posts for Tommy, Olivia, and Genevieve! I have lots of preemie baby recommendations in Genevieve’s post.
Pin this post for easy access to the newborn to six-month favorites post later!
