1. Stroller. I'd be lost without my stroller. Particularly before BB could walk, having a good stroller was key to get him outside--which is his favorite place. Pretty much every night we would stroll around the house to see the dogs and feed the cows and just explore. (Now, he walks to do these things or we pull him in his wagon.) Also, even now that he walks, most nights we still break the stroller out and get our nightly exercise--a 1 mile walk around our place. BB seems to enjoy the sights and sounds and it helps to calm him down before we kick off the bedtime routine. I need the fresh air and some peace and quiet myself.
What kind of stroller is best? I think that probably depends on how you're going to use it. We got a jogging stroller because (until I got all knocked up again) I was jogging with him, plus because we are so often off in pastures, at fair barns, and on dirt or gravel roads, so we needed the large wheels for that terrain. I've got the Graco Fast Action Fold Click Connect Jogger. The only downside is that this thing is big and bulky, so hauling it around to different places isn't so fun.
I also have a cheap-o umbrella stroller that I use if we are going somewhere that I know is tile or concrete. This wouldn't last 5 minutes around our house though on the gravel and grass.
2. Shoes. BB basically went barefoot his entire life until he learned to walk. Now, only because his Mom is mean and makes him, he must wear shoes to go outside. I know some people love dressing babies head to toe, but that wasn't me. So I basically didn't buy a single shoe until he took his first steps. And then I bought a pair of what look basically like little kids tennis shoes that BB loves. I couldn't find the exact shoe, but they're this brand and pretty similar to these. My advice here is to get one that does not have a super thick sole because those can cause tripping issues when the little ones are just learning to walk anyway.
3. Suction bowls. We're working on getting BB to eat out of a bowl rather than just off his his high chair tray. Enter suction bowls. My mom suggested these after BB was having a hayday dumping his bowl over, filling it back up, and dumping it again. These helps remove that issue and can make dinner time much more peaceful for everyone. You can get them anywhere--here are the ones we have.
4. Crib. We moved BB from his bassinet in the Pack and Play to his crib at about 4-5 months old. He had just gotten too tall for the bassinet and needed more room. It was a fairly easy transition, and now, good nights come and go. Sometimes, he sleeps all night long. Sometimes, he's up twice. I can't really figure out the pattern. Anyway, choosing a crib---I have no idea. We got this big monster one because I liked the changing table and extra drawers and because The Boy from Texas said it was the sturdiest one he found. (He knows this because he shook the crap out of every model in the stores.) We've never used the changing table--we use the one on the pack and play. The drawers are nice. But it's big and does take up quite a bit of room. So pros and cons....good luck.
5. Convertible carseat. When BB was about 11 months old, we decided to transition him into a convertible carseat. He seems MUCH more comfortable than he did in the infant one. Plus, he can see out the window now, which has really improved his attitude during our daily commute. We got this carseat and really like it. I think it's easy to get in and out when we have to move it (which is not very often) and BB loves the cupholder for things like binkies and snacks. I've gone back and forth about whether I should have just gotten this in the first place and never had an infant carseat, but honestly, the ability to click the infant one in and out to carry a sleeping baby was probably worth it, at least for those first couple of months. Again, I'm not sure there is a right or wrong with that.
6. High chair. Trying to wrangle a toddler and maintain to keep food off of everything is next to impossible. A good high chair is a must. I don't know that it matters what kind, so long as you have one. We have this wooden one, but we actually don't even use the padding that goes with it. Just got messy and I was having to wash it all the time. BB doesn't seem to mind just sitting right on the wooden chair, which I can easily wipe right down.
7. Balloons. Buy your kid balloons. It will be the best $5 you'll spend. BB strutted through the house dragging these along for days when we got them for his birthday. It's hilarious watching him play with them.
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