Best Baby Investments: 12 Months into Parenthood

We think it is neat to look back at some of the things that have helped make parenthood just a little bit easier. You can find out our newborn essentials and our 6 month list by clicking on the links. Here's what we have loved during the 6 month to 12 month stage:

Top 100 Baby Purees: 100 Quick and Easy Meals for a Healthy and Happy Baby by Annabel Karmel- This book made making purees so easy and everyone of them tasted delicious. I have my Finger Foods cookbook by Annabel Karmel ordered right now. I highly recommend this book if you have any desire to make your baby's own food.

Food Processor- Used daily to make purees.

Ice Cube Trays- A must if you make your own baby's food. We didn't buy any fancy trays that were expensive. The kind with lids would have been nice, but we just used Saran wrap to cover them until the food was frozen. We went with the Rubbermaid kind at Wal-mart. I would not recommend the kind at the dollar store. They broke very easily the few times I tried using them. Thank goodness they were 2 for only a $1.00.Orajel- This provides instant relief for Seth when he is teething. Because his teeth have been coming in two at a time, the Orajel really helps him sleep better and feel better during those few days when he is most uncomfortable.

Fisher-Price Healthy Care Booster Seat- I know I have said it before, but this little chair is so handy. It makes eating out a breeze and we don't have to have a high chair taking up space at home since it sits in one of our existing chairs.Walker- I found a walker at the consignment store for $8 but we have recently received a race car walker/rider that we are going to use instead. I think these have really helped Seth become more confident in his walking skills. He is not completely walking but he is definitely toddling around.

Stacking Cups- found at the Mighty Dollar, these stacking cups entertain Seth for long periods of time. He loves to stack them, nest them, scoot with them, and even rub them on stuff. This video was taken a couple months ago but is an example of how Seth likes to play with these cups from Mighty Dollar.

BumGenius 4.0 with Snaps- We started our cloth diapering journey with Fuzzibunz. We recently had some diapers given to us which included Swaddlebees, Blueberry Diapers, Preston's Pants, and others. So we have tried quite a few kinds. Since we bought perfect sized diapers in the beginning we had to purchase larger diapers when Seth was about 9 months old. We opted to go with the one sized new BumGenius 4.0 with snaps. They are amazing! We love everything about them.