products you can't live without: the dock-a-tot

Our entire house is tile, except for the bedrooms which have equally hard wood floors. This was such a plus when we purchased our home as a kid-less couple and is probably still a plus when you consider the messes that pets and kids are capable of. But once my first was a baby and learning to crawl, I quickly began to realize how irritating tile could be and how impractical rugs are with pets. Much like her big brother, Carmen is rarely not in my arms or being carried, but sometimes you just need to put the baby down. You know, when you need to pee or pop something in the oven or answer the door for the UPS delivery person. When I first heard about Dock A Tot, it was a proclamation by someone else on Instagram that you couldn't possibly live without one. I was intrigued but skeptical, and then overly excited when Carmen received the opportunity to try out her very own.

Guys? This thing. It's miraculous.

We have the Dock A Tot Grand in Minty Trellis. The materials used are hypoallergenic, breathable and washable. Carmen absolutely loves to chill in her Dock A Tot when I need a moment to put her down. It's the perfect place to lay down and chill while I'm helping her brother get dressed or to practice her rolling over and rocking-on-her-knees pre-crawling skills without the hindrance of tile. The Dock A Tot is lightweight and easily transferable from room to room. In fact, I just pop it in my trunk and bring it over to my mom's house whenever we're going to be there a while and Carmen will need to nap. It's snug and cozy and perfect as well to be placed in an adult bed for safe co-sleeping while traveling or keeping baby close in the same room.

With the Dock A Tot, I'm able to put laundry away from room to room while Carmen happily plays beside me. There is plenty of room for her to grow, which means the Dock A Tot will be functional long after Carmen is an infant.

In fact, Ethan (age 5) adores the Dock A Tot and has claimed it as the perfect place to sit down and read or watch a movie.

The Dock A Tot is offered in two sizes: the grand (which we have) and the deluxe, which is just a little bit smaller. The Dock A Tot's soft, breathable sides also act as bed rails when it comes time for safe crib-to-bed transitioning. The Dock A Tot is versatile enough to take you from those early days of diaper changes, sitting practice and tummy time to bed transitioning and reading nooks. A few weeks ago, Ethan even used the Dock A Tot as a mattress to camp out inside his tent on his bedroom floor. It is truly a remarkable must-have product.