Toddler Must Haves

We are in full toddler mode and are needing and using different things to get us and Logan through the day as flawlessly as possible. Right...far from flawless BUT these items are serious life-savers. What are your toddler must-haves? (click all photos for source)

1) Sleep Sheep



This sweet, soft sleep machine is just what Logan needs to help him fall asleep. I know a lot of mamas use this for their infants, however I never thought to buy one and ended up being gifted it by my Grammy. Since Logan was a wee one we have always tried to lay him down to awake but sleepy so he could learn how to self soothe. Even without the Sleep Sheep he is pretty darn good at talking or humming himself to sleep. The sheep just adds and extra dash of comfort which Logan melts over. We leave it in his crib and allow him to press the buttons. He is especially fond of the singing whales. Every mama, whether she has a newborn or a toddler, should invest in this little sleep gem.

2) Paci & Clip



Ahhh yes. My 16 month old son has a more-than-mild obsession with his paci and the clip it hangs on. I tried not to even start giving Logan a paci when we first brought him home but after a super fussy night my mom talked me into it and ever since it has been a life saver for both Logan and everyone around him. Be it a melt down, not feeling good, falling asleep, or just needing something to suck on the paci is like gold in our home. About the clip: we used to clip the paci to him so he wouldn't lose it, which is exactly what it's designed for, however Logan loves just rolling the clip end around his fingers while he sucks on his paci. It's so comforting that I have seen him fall asleep doing just that. When will we get rid of it? I don't really think that is up to us. For now he is still so young and it's such a meaningful thing to him that I cannot take it away. I will say that we do our best to limit the time he has with it during the day unless he's sick or super fussy and leave it special just for naps and night time.

3) Water Play

The surest way to put a smile on Logan's face, even with a fever (when this photo was taken) is water play. This kid loves playing in the pool, the dog dishes, tubs, you name it. I snapped this photo on Sunday when he first began feeling pretty crummy and on a hot day there was nothing more soothing to him than plopping his hot little body into cool water. Plus, it's a great way for him to explore his senses.

4) Sunblock



Since Logan happens to be entering toddlerhood in the summer sunblock is a must have. And I don't buy just any kind. This stuff is expensive, but well worth every penny. I first bought it last summer and knowing that Logan has sensitive skin I had to find something that would not irritate him from tons of crap and chemicals.

5) Room to Run!

I don't know about you, but my toddler cannot sit still. He is constantly moving, dancing, jabbering, picking things up, opening cabinets, hiding remotes, taking CDs off the shelf, pulling toilet paper all over the place, and generally harassing the dogs. He goes from 100 to 0 super fast. When he tanks he's down for the count and sleeps a good 3 hours to charge up for his next round of running. And we love chasing him. We love walking with him outside while he picks up sticks and rocks and throws piles of cotton every where. Seeing the world through his eyes is the most rewarding, most important thing we have learned as parents. And we're still learning.

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Mommy Like

>April 30, 2010

I always enjoyed posts from other new mommies where they listed their super faves and least likes when it comes to baby gear. My list is short since I was given so much in the way of hand-me-downs. I have a cabinet full of clothes until Logan turns one! And over the last few days I have started to transition some 0-3 month clothing out and 3-6 month stuff in. It is soooooo bitter-sweet to see things that he used to swim in now barely fitting his chunky thighs! For whatever reason, moving out his newborn clothes was not this monumental in my book. I nearly teared up yesterday!

Moving on, here are some of my super faves:

Playtex VentAire bottles. Only recently has this become a super fave as Logan is no longer being breastfed (TEAR!). He is on formula with a mix of breast milk that I am still pumping twice a day. The bottle does not leak, it is easy to hold, I don’t have to give it an extra tilt to get the last swing into the nipple since it has that handy bend in it already. Logan is less gassy, burps better, and eats faster (this due to a better flow in the nipple). I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Exersaucer. Honestly, I don’t think which kind you have matters, as long as you have one. We have the Evenflo Triple Fun Learning Center and I.LOVE.IT! The first step is a play mat with a piece from the saucer that attaches to hang over the mat. We were putting Logan on the mat the first week he came home and while it took him a few weeks to actually focus on the animals and even longer (like in the last few weeks) to start reaching for the objects and smiling at what he’s playing with. Yesterday, I sat him in the saucer with a blanket to support him (he has next to total head control, but cannot sit up yet) and he loveeeees sitting in his seat like a big boy, batting at the toys that make music and lights! I love it! The third step is for when he is pulling himself up and walking around things.

Boppy. I know some moms are not a fan of this U-shaped pillow, but was given one and had no choice but to try it out and I love it. I brought it with me to the hospital and used it as soon as we could hold Logan in the NICU. Before my milk came in and I was super engorged, it helped support Logan in my lap and kept his weight off the sensitive area. Now, I can use it to help sit him up. I think our boppy days are coming to an end soon as he is getting bigger so I could see how that might be the down side in that you may not use it for very long but who knows.

Swing! Again, any swing will do. We have a Graco Infant Soother (not the one pictured). I am not in love with it. It takes EIGHT D Batteries which is a fortune in this household! The seat vibrates which I think Logan could have lived without and now, the batteries are dead in it and he seems to not know the difference. The swinging mechanism is iffy. Sometimes the swing swings great at the speed we set it to, and other times it seem as though the batteries are dying. Again, after two months, a little frustrating. Also, Logan really only uses it to sleep in it. I am not sure that he likes it as much as he used to. I have tried to put him in happy as a clam and he starts to fuss so we will see where this goes.

Breathable bumper. I know it might be awhile before we see a real use in this, but I still think this is the way to go. When I was pregnant, I looked at crib sets and they are so delicious with their cute patterns and themes. It made me sick! I wanted the frog theme and the baseball theme and the puppy dog theme. But after further research and assessment in what you get with a crib set and what you actually end up using, I decided to just buy my pieces separately. The bumper that comes with a set is not necessarily safe. SIDS experts steer clear of it. I did not care about the crib skirt or curtains. I wanted the sets to come with extra sheets! But no, they don’t.

My Least Likes: (no links. why would I link you up with something I don’t like?)

Advent Bottles. They leak!!!!!!!! Geeezzz! Just about every time I tipped it to feed my fussing, wriggling baby it dribbled milk all over my hand and his shirt! UGH…least fave baby thing so far.

Graco stroller. I don’t know which one we have as it was a hand me down and is a few years old. It may as well have been made with steel as the thing weighs more than the weight I gained while prego. I live in a 3rd floor apartment people! This thing is sooo not handy at all!

Gerber Onesies. The sizing is WAYYYYY off!! 0-3 may as well be for a premie. Logan has yet to fit in one in the size intended.

Changing table. I don’t have one. I think it is a waste of money which is why I bought a tall white dresser off of craigslist for $10 and use the top of it as the changing station. This way when Logan is older, he already has a dresser which we will continue to use and we will not have to find extra storage space for a changing table. It is the perfect height, it was cheep, and fits a changing pad perfectly. B installed a few shelves above the dresser for all the changing necessities like wipes, lotions, and meds.

That is about it. There are very few things I dislike which I have been surprised by. Most baby things are great and some are so-so but useful nonetheless. I hoped this helped if you are expecting! Any questions, shoot them my way! :)