MiniMagpie: The Finishing Touches.

It’s Thursday, so you’re owed a second post today, this time focused on #minimagpie.  I’m officially 8.5 months today, and I’m feeling pretty good about where things stand with regards to baby-readiness (or, as prepared as one can be amiriiiiiiteeeee).  Bag is packed, registry is more or less complete, and room is well on its way to assembly, with only the artwork left to hang (I’m currently waiting on the final frame from Framed + Matted to arrive — I LOVE their made-to-order framing service, as mentioned here):

{Full list of products in #minimagpie nursery here, but some highlights: Land of Nod Harmony Crib, washed dot crib sheet, and matching changing pad cover / Patricija crocheted dog mobile / Crate and Barrel Harborside glider / Target throw pillow / Wayfair side table / Target fur stool is old, but very similar one here / Melissa + Doug giraffe stuffed animal / Sharon Montrose giraffe print / frames from Framed + Matted in the gold Lincoln style}

One of my girlfriends is due any day now and she told me a few weeks ago that, in her final few weeks, she was just prowling baby stores itching to buy “the last few things I never knew I needed.”  I kind of get what she’s talking about now that I’m in the home stretch–I can’t stop making additional lists of “things I need.”  ARG.  Despite my BEST efforts to keep a minimalist approach, things are fraying as I cross the finish line and feel increasingly anxious for her to be here.

A couple of recent discoveries I’ve snagged, many of them affordable little accents from Target:

+You can barely see it in the above snap (#amateurphotographer), but I snagged this lamp from Target ($35) and am OBSESSED.  It was the perfect color of pink and I liked that the gold base tied things together.  BUT, more importantly, You turn it on just by tapping the base.  I can see this being an incredibly lovely affordance with my hands full.

+Another Target steal: this cute little giraffe figural by Nate Berkus ($11 — you can see it, vaguely, on the side table).  I don’t know what it is with my obsession with giraffes right now, but it’s all working for me.

+I spent way too much time researching bins/baskets for toys and books and laundry (like…way, way, way, way, way too much time), and wound up buying a few of these affordable bins from Target in varying sizes ($13+).  They’re lightweight, I won’t care if they get ruined, and they fit in well with the aesthetic of the room.  So la-ti-da.  I also loved this woven style, but the color wasn’t quite right (too off-white when everything else in the nursery is stark white).

+Once we’d assembled most of the nursery, I turned to Mr. Magpie and realized that we basically had no toys for #mini.  Well, we had a few stuffed animals and this $3 set of plastic keys, which someone had recommended, but the bin I’d bought for her “toys” was basically collecting dust.  I texted one of my best friends and asked: “Um, do infants need toys?”  And she assured me that, besides a playmat (check — we have this hideous one, which went against my better aesthetic judgment but which consistently gets top reviews, and, I KNOW I need to just give up on wanting baby stuff to look good, because it’s more important that she gets the developmental stuff she needs!), they’d only given their new daughter these “lovies” ($38 for 3 — read the reviews, people LOVE these things!) for the first few weeks, because they can’t see or do much when they’re that young anyway.  She’d just purchased toys as they went instead of buying a ton up front.  Phew.  That said, thanks to my friend Lara of the Glossarie and a few other amazing mamacitas’ recommendations, I did buy a select few additions, including this — and this and this are on my Prime shopping list for after getting through the first few weeks.  (I do, however, have dozens and dozens of books and I plan to read to her early and often, at the recommendation of my sister, who is an expert in early childhood literacy.  I’ll have to share some of the books she bought me in a future post: her shower gift was 1 age-appropriate book a month for #minimagpie’s first year!  So thoughtful.)

I did a little bit of damage in the bathtime/diapering area:

+We stocked up on diapers and baby wipes at Costco, and I snagged a combination of products from Mustela (lotion and face wipes) and Noodle + Boo (shampoo and body wash in 1) for bath-time.

+We’re using the PUJ tub ($45, super cool design: it folds to fit into any sink, and you can store it easily out of sight vs. the more traditional bulky plastic bath insert).

+Likely unnecessary purchase from my most recent Target run, but one mom listed this Skip Hop bath-time rinser as one of her favorite products for baby and I caved ($10).  I’m sure a good old fashioned cup would do.  Eh well.   (P.S., for when she’s big enough for the real tub — how cute is this spout cover?)

+I got her one bath toy for starters — this $3 munchkin rubber ducky, which conveniently will also tell you if the water is too hot!  So smart!  Again, I’m sure my fingers could do the job just fine, but…well, people, it’s the little things.

+I got several of packages of this Weleda diaper ointment ($9) at my baby shower, and people rave about it.  One package was from my mom, so I’m totally convinced this stuff will be magic.  Any rec from her is precious.  (I also have some of this stuff, which people also seem to like a lot.)

+Several blogs recommended these infant nail scissors ($8) as a better alternative to nail clippers — less scary to use and less likely to accidentally trim too much.  I don’t know why, but I feel like there was a lot of anxiety in these posts about trimming baby’s nails.  It seems pretty straight-forward to me, but we shall see … (Also, how cute are those little scissors?)

+I also snagged a couple additional sets of PJs from Sapling, including this sweet yellow bear print one (on sale for $24) and this fun whale print one ($33).

+Finally, I realized I didn’t have a brush/comb for #minimagpie, and read good things about this organic-looking set from (wait for it) SugarBooger (on sale for $12!)

Lastly…

+I’d thought I’d be OK with an audio-only monitor but too many moms warned against and insisted I’d be purchasing a video one in short order.  I’m sure they’re right.  We did a bunch of research and decided on the Infant Optics DXR-8 (on sale for $162).  It seemed like most sources recommended either the Infant Optics or this Samsung one, but if you read the Amazon reviews, Infant Optics is the clear winner IMO.

+A carseat cover.  I learned from my infant CPR and safety class that you’re not supposed to put the baby in too much clothing in the carseat or they won’t be securely in place.  The instructor recommended one of these over-the-carseat covers, and I thought this one in the khaki ($30) went nicely with our neutral Bugaboo set.  Important for us living here in the frigid North.

+I shouldn’t have, but I found an adorable monogrammed sunsuit from Etsy storefront Sweet Tea Embroidery on sale for $20 and had to have it.  I especially love this linen monogrammed dress from their store for when she’s a little older.

+I’m currently anxiously awaiting the arrival of mini’s monogrammed pillow from SouthernLinen (check out this post for an exclusive discount!!) and her nursing pillow covers from IvieBaby (I got this one — so pretty and Rifle Paper-esque! — and this one, which coordinates with nothing in her room but I just loved it and had to have it).

OK, guys, I think I’ve hit my limit on baby stuff.  I don’t know how I could possibly need more, and every last little thing has been so tediously researched, I’m not sure I can read any more reviews, anyway.   Whatever else I need–that’s what Amazon Prime is for, right?!

I’m curious, though: is there a random must-have item that I’m missing here?!?