Time flies when you’re having fun!

Although we didn’t have an actual big birthday blow-out, we did celebrate often and in many ways, which meant lots of family, friends, food, outings and most important of all, cake!

Easy to get him to eat healthy with toy soldier food piks

Like mother like son – ready for cake!

“Can we do that again?”

Most of my girlfriends have babies on the brain. Either they have one (or three) or are talking about getting one soon. We’re constantly picking each others’ brains on must have items for infants and toddlers. Every year there seems to be more and more choices which only leads to more confusion. But one thing’s for sure, every mom has their all time favorites; things that they were so grateful to have bought and really filled a purpose for their little ones.

Here’s mine:

From Left to Right:

Boon High Chair – At about 3 1/2 months, my son had already outgrown his Bumbo. His chunky thighs kept getting stuck whenever I would take him out of it. I realized it was time bring out the big guns and splurged on this high chair. Now, even at 2 1/2 years, he still enjoys using this.

Melissa and Doug Trunki – To say that my monkey is obsessed with this suitcase would be an understatement. If you are looking for something that can store quite a bit, continue your search. I bought this for the fun factor. He loves to pull this along as we are walking to our gate at the airport and when he gets tired, it functions as a seat which he can scoot on. Super cute and fun.

BabyBjorn Travel Crib – We took this everywhere and it helped our sleep trained little one to continue having a good night’s rest.

Beaba Multiportion Freezer Tray – I was in love with the Beaba babycook until I was honest with myself and admitted it was nothing more than a glorified mini food processor. Yes, it also had a steaming component but I hated cleaning out that vessel so I never really used it. I was, however, really glad to invest in several of these freezer trays because it was so easy to use. Even though we’ve moved passed pureed foods, I still enjoy using these trays for healthy ice pops.

Graco Sweet Slumber Sound Machine – Great for travel when you need white noise to lull your babe to sleep. Also plays other sounds, provides a nightlight and can be plugged into your mp3 player.

Rain or Shine Kids Woobee Plush Blanket – A stroller foot-muff is necessary when living in NYC but when visiting places with temperamental weather, I much prefer this blanket. So much easier than a foot-muff  to use and remove. Keeps my little guy nice and warm and most importantly, dry. I used this during an unexpected snowstorm and my monkey stayed completely dry. Impressive!

Original Sprout bath products – Safe enough for babies but one whiff and you’ll want to use it too. The smell is incredible!

Jellycat Bashful Monkey – My little one’s best friend. Wherever he goes, Monkey goes too.

Tiny Love Take Along Mobile – My sister urged me to get this right after I gave birth. I really didn’t think it was necessary. Boy, was I wrong. It completely calmed and entertained my baby when he was in his car seat. I especially loved using it when dining out. Because of this mobile he was content to stay in his seat.

Neosporin Wound Cleanser for Kids – Perfect to have on hand when you can’t get your kid’s ouchies washed up at a sink.

Take and Toss Straw Cups – No fancy toddler bottles for us. He went straight from his baby bottles to these and prefers to use them over all the cool travel bottles I have wasted money on.

HALO Sleepsack – My monkey disliked being swaddled so we moved onto this fairly quickly. Kept him nice and warm when we were too nervous to keep a blanket in the crib.

Boon Pod Bath Toy Scoop – A great place to store bath toys and I love the fact that my little guy can scoop everything up himself. Helps him to keep his tub nice and tidy. Now if only I can get him to clean up his bedroom.

After witnessing a wedding where both confetti and rice were thrown into the air, my little monkey has tried his best to recreate that moment wherever we are and with whatever he has. Snack time had me glued to my toddler for fear the carpet and sofa would be covered in food. I had to hold his plate/bowl while he munched and played. I tried every plastic snack trap on the market and he would still manage to make a mess when left to his own devices. Discovering the Munchie Mug changed snack time forever!

• BPA, phthalate, PVC free and 100% made in America
• Secure Screw-On Top with easy grip handle
• Patented spandex opening feels soothing to little hands
• All parts clean in the top rack of your dishwasher
• Great for the car, on planes, at daycare and at home
• Additional air-tight lid included for keeping snacks fresh when mug is not in use
• Made from safe polypropylene #5 plastic and 100% recyclable food grade compliant materials .

What I love most is that no amount of shaking causes his snack to fall out (and lord knows he’s tried) and as clever as my little one is, he’s not able to pry the top open. Sure the design could be prettier but I’m not complaining; it allows my little monkey to become a little more independent and gives me a little more freedom.

I’ve been using California Baby products on my little one for most of his young life.  Even as a newborn, I was never concerned about his skin being exposed to sulfates and other such irritants when using these products.  They have wonderful shampoos, body washes, bubble baths and massage oils just to name a few. But my most favorite is their Calming Bubble Bath.

Smells like French Lavender

Added Bonus – Comes with a bubble wand to entertain your little one in the tub!

Bath time with California Baby means bubbles, soothing smells, soft skin, and sound sleep.

Sometimes even a stay at home mom needs to ‘phone it in’ due to circumstances and today is just that sort of day.  Still dealing with pain from a dental appt. on Saturday and bearing witness to some dark angry clouds rolling in, it looks like a day to spend indoors.  And thank goodness for some educational dvds for my monkey.

Preschool Prep comes highly recommended from a few of my girlfriends and I’m hoping it will help my little one. I don’t find them particularly entertaining but there’s a lot of repetition and toddlers like that sort of thing. If he will sit quietly long enough for me to find some pain meds, I’m happy.

My little guy is obsessed with his stuffed monkey.  I mean obsessed!  It goes everywhere he goes.  And at the end of some rather busy days, you can practically see and smell where this monkey has traveled.  This is why I have 5 in my arsenal. I keep 2 tucked away, in case of a shortage, 1 stays in his crib at all times, 1 to play with at home, and 1 in the car for travel.  On laundry days, they all go in for a much needed hot wash except for the monkey in his crib. That one I like to pamper.

Hand washing gently used stuffed toys is a great idea to maintain its softness.  They definitely look a little worn out when they exit a washer and dryer.  I like to use a body wash that matches my fragrance because it helps to soothe my little guy when I’m away.  Using calming scents like lavender or chamomile also help when washing crib toys. During a cuddle, the smell will help to relax and lull your little one to sweet dreams. I haven’t had a problem with air drying but to expedite the process, a hair dryer is handy.