Things I Never Knew I Loved

This is the counterpart to my Things I Never Needed post.  There are a few things that were lifesavers that I would totally recommend to other moms, and some things that I never got but pined (and am still pining) for.

The first item that comes to mind is a video monitor.  I so so so so want one of those.  When I was registering, I thought, why would I need to see the baby?  I can just hear her through a regular monitor.   Well, that was before crazy worry all the time mommy existed (seriously, I have never worried so much in my life!).  Now, every little noise I hear and I want to peek in her room and check on her.  Baby is a very light sleeper, so when that happens, she usually wakes up and I regret every going in there.  However, there has been occasion when she has an arm sticking out of the crib slat, or is lying facedown and I freak out and think she isn't breathing.  It's times like those I want a video monitor.

Another item I originally didn't want was the baby Bumbo.  Remember the little chair that we used as a Highchair forever?  Well, I was offered one before Baby was born and didn't quite know what it was so I turned it out down.  After Baby came, she tried one out at a friend's house and it was really cool.  So much so that we took it home with us and used it like every day.  It became our high chair so she could sit at the kitchen table with us.  We would put her in it and stick it on the center island when we were cooking so she could watch us (note:  I do NOT recommend doing this.  It is highly dangerous.  Your child could fall and crack his or her skull open.  The Bumbo is only supposed to be used on the floor).  Right now we have it sitting on the floor and Baby likes to put things in the seat part, then take them out again.  It's the seat that keeps in giving.

The baby swing was another huge favorite.  Without it, my child would have learned to sleep on her own would never have slept.  That thing could rock her dreams for hours.  Even now, if daycare needs her to take a nap, M will plop her in there and asleep she will go.  She still hasn't outgrown it, although she has to be getting pretty close (score one for being in the tenth percentile).

I am also a huge fan of the Baby Bjorn.  I used the Moby Wrap a ton when Baby was nursing (hooray for walking around the mall with a baby stuck to me and no one the wiser- except those other moms who know what really goes on underneath all that fabric), but Husband refused to put it on.  That's where the Baby Bjorn came in.  It was easy for him to put on, not too girly, and he and I could switch it back and forth between us really easily to take turns holding Baby when we went out places.  The downside to it is that it doesn't convert to a backpack type carrier where Baby can be carried on our backs.  It is only able to be used for front facing.

That's all I can think of at the moment.  What items did you love/wish you'd had?