the best mom products {for twins and not}

So I've been a little obsessed over baby everything {can you blame me?} I really feel like I'm having baby No. 1 again- it's not only twins but boys. Oh my what fun!

Here are some of the best {twins and not specifically twins} things I've run across in the last few weeks that I'm dreaming to have for my boys. Please feel free to comment and add any other amazing products to the list that I've missed!

Best Twin Stroller

The Baby Jogger City Select

Yes it's a bit of a hefty price tag {I'll be trading up from my Phil & Ted's because although an incredible double stroller it's not the best for twins}. I love the City Select because although a tandem, it's compact like the Phil & Ted's and easy to push! And I of course love all the options.

Best Diaper Bag

Petunia Pickle Bottom Boxy Backpack 


{or really any diaper bag that can also be a backpack- but not necessarily look like one} Why? For two free hands! And look how adorably stylish it is! And plenty of space- again a hefty price tag, I have expensive taste it's true, but good news- you {and I} can find them very reasonable on Ebay.

Best Crib

PBK

LOVE this Crib from Pottery Barn Kids. {Don't get mad at me but I'm going to have Ben build a few for me... yes I'm confident that he can build a crib just as well as Graco, and yes I have all the crib specifications}. It's just too cute and about the same price to build as a Wal-Mart crib. I can hardly resist.

Also love the changing table that goes with it.

Best Carrier

Lovey Duds Baby Carrier

The Moby Wrap! No doubt best carrier overall for any baby and really the only option for carrying twins. I'm thinking of getting one for me and one for Ben for when I don't want to carry two. Moby's are very reasonable in price, this particular one is just a cuter version from the Etsy shop, Lovey Duds.

Best Co-Sleeper

 

We co-sleep with our babies {or at least we have so far. I'm still working out how it works with two at a time!} Here's the best bed-side co-sleeper option I've found. I like it because it's a Pack n Play! So when I'm done with it for co-sleeping I have it for other uses. Although not as cute, I think much more practical than bassinets. The first picture is the only "twin" option they have {sad right?} but I think any Pack n Play with the raised floor will work.

Best Vehicle 

We have been blessed to be able to buy a newer vehicle for our family. Now that we're having an addition of two at one time we've all of a sudden grown out of a car! 

Here's the best vehicle I've found for having twins:

A VAN! And more specifically, the Toyota Sienna {my favorite, although I also have been looking like crazy at anything and everything on the market- including the Honda Odyssey, and Chrysler Town and Country which are also both awesome}


This has been a hard one for me. I always said I'd never own a minivan. Here's why I changed my mind: dual sliding doors and space. Yes the Highlander and Pilot are way cooler but nothing beats the push of a button to load your kids in. Oh and the options... DVD- yes please!


...


There's many more amazing products out there, I'd love to hear about them, especially if you've had twins! {I'm still in search for perfect high chairs, nursing pillows, and several other things}. I love baby shopping! Too fun! 

date night

I want to share something my husband and I have done the last four years since we've had children.

We love getting out to have dates a few times a month or once a month {so good for your marriage!} - but can't always afford a big date- for one babysitters can get expensive. Here's what we do- and I love this. 

We take turns with some friends of ours watching each other's children. So every week, or every two weeks {really whatever works with everyone's schedule- actually it's better to just pick a day but our schedule is pretty irregular}- we will have our friends' daughter then the next week they will have our girls so we can each have a 'free' date night.

What works really nicely in our situation is our friends are right down the block so what we do is if I'm going to watch their daughter I just go to their house so their daughter can go to bed in her own bed and I can just get some time to myself {and Ben some time to himself at our house}. This way too they don't have to worry about putting her to bed again after they get home. It's worked really nice.

Highly recommended! And actually her mom and I do the same thing every week on Tuesday mornings so one of us can get some errands done, or just go have some time to ourselves. Also very nice.

And just for fun, here are some of Ben and my favorite inexpensive date night places- no need to spend $50+ just for a date! {Usually our budget is under $20- if that}

{1} Barnes & Noble - we grab travel books or anything interesting and talk at a table over cheesecake.
{2} Eat dinner before we leave and go to one of our favorite restaurants for an appetizer or dessert.
{3} Walk around the Plaza {a KC favorite... but any shopping center will do} I always like getting ice cream or buying little things I normally wouldn't
{4} Go to the art museum- ours is free {just call in advance, they can have some weird hours}
{5} See a movie on a weeknight- generally about half the price of a normal ticket
{6} Panera with our Bibles. 
{7} Game night with some other friends- after their kids go to bed
{8} Play Scrabble at a coffee shop
{9} Picnic in our favorite park- bring some nice dishes and wine glasses from home
{10} Star gazing. We used to do this all the time before we were married, just drive out to the 'country' {kind of challenging to find sometimes} and lay on the hood of the car watching stars. 


There. Now you have no excuse to not go on a date! Seriously though, it's so good for your marriage to just focus on each other- talk about your goals, where you feel the Lord is leading your family, dream about impossible things, and just spend quality time together.

a garden tea party

This weekend we had a little party for my girls- Zuriah & Anah {now big 4 and 2 year olds}.

We went with a "Unicorn Garden Tea Party" theme {a nice compromise between the girls}. Here are some photos from our 'event' {all the good ones were taken by my talented friend Lacy Ferrell}

I made little flower hair clips for all the girls {in fact there was only one little boy and he was equipped with a pretend mustache}

Grabbed some $1 mason jars at Hobby Lobby and tied some floral wire around them so I could hang them with twine from the trees.

Decorated the table with scrapbook paper placemats and pinwheels

Zuriah got her American Girl for her birthday so I made Anah an 18" {fabric} doll so she wouldn't feel left out. She named it Kit. 

I tried to make a cute cake... I really did. But failed last minute and had to go with store bought cupcakes. Cake making is not my forte. 

Pillowcase races!

Clear winner- my little athletic girl {she doesn't get it from me!}

Pin the horn on the unicorn.

A fun party on a very hot day {especially for this pregnant mama} but we all survived! 

dreaming double

Wow was last week a busy week! 

Monday

Zuriah's birthday

Tuesday

We find out we're having twins 

{I may be paying more for my cell phone this month} 

Wednesday

Anah's birthday

Thursday

My sister's birthday

Friday

Family in town, my sister and brother-in law find out they 'got the house!'

Saturday

Girl's garden birthday party {pictures coming soon}

I'm ready for a little bit of relaxing and some more processing twins time.

Seriously, I'm just as excited about this pregnancy than I was with my first! It seems like I'm starting over in everything! A: I'm having TWO and B: I'm having BOYS! Oh my. 

I've made multiple trips to Buy Buy Baby in the last few days, looking at twin this and twin that. Twins. Still a shocker to me. Here are a few twin things I've been dreaming about!

{1} 

Baby boy A will be mostly wearing blue. Baby boy B will be mostly wearing green. So as to tell them apart- not so much for us {hopefully} but for family and friends. 

{2} 

Different letter first names. I'm thinking I'll be getting them confused enough without the craziness of super similar names. Oh and we've been having lots of fun trying to agree on {not one} two baby names!

{3}

Double nursery! This is a fun one... I'm thinking a little woodland theme {owls, squirrels, aspen trees...} I'd love to do some blues, greens, and grays and/or browns. Here are some inspiration photos I have so far...

via

via

Bedding from Dwell Studio

Cocoon Couture

{4}

A new stroller! My Phil & Ted's is incredible for two children of different ages- and I've even figured out how to get two car seats in it. However I'm pretty certain I'll be switching it out when the kiddies are out of their car seats for one like this:

City Select by Baby Jogger

{5}

Toys for boys! This is a whole new world for me! I'm so used to doll houses, princesses, and dress up. I suppose now it will be trains, trucks, and legos? No idea, but I'm kind of excited to explore a new section of the toy isles. What are your boys' favorite toys? I'd love to hear suggestions- once again this is a whole new world for me!

{6}

Clothes... I now know what people were talking about when they said there are hardly any cute boy clothes. Oh my goodness, even Target and Old Navy have failed to impress. I have yet to make it to Baby Gap, but was impressed with Janie and Jack {although I'll never be able to afford it!} So far the only rule I have when picking out clothes for boys is no sports shirts. I'd love to hear where you buy your boy clothes! Suggestions please! 

All from Janie and Jack {best baby store on the planet}

Yes a lot has been on my mind! But we're SO excited! Twin boys, we're so blessed!

birthday week

It's birthday week- for not only one, but two- of my daughters! 

Zuriah

Born on 7/11/07 at 10 pm

& Anah

Born on 7/13/07 at 1 am

They were only 3 hours away from having the same birthday! 

I love these girls!! Isn't it amazing how your heart can expand so much? I'm continually amazed! They're two and four, time goes so fast!


On that note... remember how I said we were expecting  B A B Y  No. 3? Make that 
 B A B Y  No. 4 too!


That's right... it's

Another shared birthday! We're totally in shock! Of course we have joked about it and thought, "wouldn't that be fun and crazy?" but never really thought it would happen! I guess just one of those things that always happens to other people, but never to you! 

So we're having fun coming up with names... oh I forgot to mention, we're having

ISN'T THAT FUN!? TWO girls followed by TWO boys! Perfect! 

We're incredibly excited, {and nervous, and anxious, and all those crazy feelings} Anyone out there have twins that can offer some tips to this mommy {who's only used to one at a time?}

Oh we're also very open to any adorable twin boy name suggestions! Fun fun fun! 

We're so blessed! What a wonderful birthday week!