So You Have A Toddler

As I was sorting through Walker's closet this weekend, I thought I'd do a blog post on good items to have when your little one is transitioning from baby to toddler. I know that a lot of my online friends have babies turning one this year, so hopefully there are some tips here you can use! And please feel free to add more ideas and tips in the comments area for others to see.

You'll see that most of these are tailored to boys - cause I have a boy of course! I know there are great things out there for girls, but I don't live in that world at all!

First up, The Girlfriend's Guide to Toddlers. I'm sure you've read The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy and there's even one for the first year I think, but this one is really good as well. Once they become toddlers, they start to really grow into their personalities, which makes for some frustrating times as a mom. This book lets you know you're not alone and that most of the stuff your toddler is doing is probably normal.

For bath-time, Walker always loved bath crayons. They are great for keeping them occupied while you scrub them down and they are fun to start learning shapes and letters. They wipe right off the side of the tub, so it's easy to clean up too!

For early swimmers, swim trunks from Boden are the best. They actually make it easier to swim and kick and they are just so darn cute, I can't stand it. Here's Walker in his little Boden bathers when he was around two. His little Buddha belly sticking out over them made them even cuter. And Boden makes the most adorable girl and boy swimsuits. I always make sure Walker has at least one or two for each summer season, and you can buy them on sale for the next year, which works nice!

For cute shoes that aren't your standard something you find in every store, check out Morgan and Milo. They don't make larger shoes, so Walker has grown out of them now, but he used to wear them all of the time and I would get asked all of the time where I bought his shoes.

A painting easel is wonderful entertainment for a toddler. If you're worried about making a mess, put it out on the screen porch or deck. Walker would play on his for hours. And I think creativity is something that should always be encouraged and isn't encouraged enough. Here's my little Picasso at work.

For those that don't like to brush their teeth (I have one of these), there's the FireFly toothbrush. It lights up for the length of time they are supposed to brush and they come in cute colors and themes. It really makes Walker actually get excited about brushing his teeth, so I'd say this little gimmick works.

Melamine plates are something fun I like to pick up when I'm at Target for Walker. You can also get them at Pottery Barn Kids (source below). We've got tons of them in the cabinet and he gets excited when I get a new one or pull out one related to an upcoming holiday. I have one for Halloween, Christmas, Easter, and on and on. They are just fun, not expensive, and make dinner time a little more playful and fun!

Some of these things may seem minor, but when it comes to kids, my philosophy is that every little thing you do makes a difference! So hope this gives you some great ideas for how to make life easier for you and more fun for your toddler!