Toddler Toys

As I'm purging through the girls toys (after bedtime, shhhhh!), I am constantly thinking about what toys make the cut. What toys do they actually play with regularly? What toys drive me crazy? I love it when my friends give me recommendations on toys so hopefully this will be helpful to others buying toys for young toddlers. A&Z are 27 months now, but started playing with most of these toys several months ago so these would be good for kiddos 18 months and on. If you have babies, check out our baby toy faves.

1. Play Kitchen
 

2. Kitchen pans and play food


3. Ladybug Tent (big enough for two toddlers!)

4. Wood puzzles (knob puzzles for under 2 and 24 piece for over 2 (especially the ones that show the picture underneath on the front side)




5. Shopping carts


6. Cozy coupes

7. Water table


8. Dr. Kit (the girls LOVE to play doctor! The stethoscope is the hottest item)


9. Consumable art supplies (crayons, paint, coloring books, construction paper, foam stickers)

10. Books, books, books (gifted, bought at library used books sales and kids resales)

A few favorite stuffed animals are played with in conjunction with everything above. The animals are served play food from the play kitchen, read books in the tent, pushed around in the shopping carts and cozy coupes and receive very regular doctor checkups!

We have LOTS of toys, much more than what I have listed above. The ones I listed above are the "keepers". Toys that have been played with for a year or more in some cases and are played with daily. I purge the toys and books regularly and donate or sell. Otherwise, it gets waayyy out of control!

Brave

Its so true that your kids teach you more than you teach them.

This little girl is so brave. I'm not sure where she learned it. Maybe its because her sister is a little more of a drama queen and she is the yin to her yang in pretty much everything.

Last week was kinda tough for Zara, but you would never know it. She had a mysterious rash on her arm and belly. After the hydro cortisone cream didn't seem to be working, Marcus took her into the pediatrician for something stronger and now it is almost gone. This girly has super sensitive skin.

The girls and Witney ran into a storm of bees leaving the library after story time and Zara was stung twice on the back. She just whimpered. She told me later in her matter-of-fact voice, "The bees stung me and Witney put ice and medicine on my back."

As she was finally getting over a head cold this weekend, the tell-tale sign of an ear infection showed up. Thanks to the tubes in her ear, the infected fluid gets pushed right out so she woke up with ear gunk stuck in her hair.

She didn't let any of this bother her. She happily went to the doctor with Mu and gave us a full report when they came home. She knows the drill and lifts up her arm for the cream and lays on her side so we can put the drops in her ears.

Every night as we walk out of their room at bedtime she yells, "I love you Mommy, I love you Daddy"

Love her so much I can't even stand it.

Rock A Bye Girls

Never a dull moment around our house. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Rock A Bye Twins from Natalie on Vimeo.

New Blue

It was a little claustrophobic being taped inside the house with plastic covering all the windows and doors for a couple days, but it was so worth it. With the hardwork of a large crew of painters, our house went from this tired pale grey:

To this. Notice the new roof from July and the red door. We have always wanted a red door. It says, "welcome, come on in." Of course, the red door is only speaking to friends and family. NOT the solicitors ringing the doorbell during nap time.

It took us a few, er nine, different test samples of grey-blue to find the perfect shade. Seeing it all come together makes the trips to the paint store worth it. Even the one where I stood in line for 15 minutes with one kid flailing on the ground and the other running around the store grabbing paint roller packs and paint samples. Oy vey.

Last Days of Summer

Today is the first day of fall so I think its a good time to wrap up the end of summer. We had a fantastic visit with my mom (the girls' Yiayia) full of yummy Greek food and free babysitting in August. Lydia and I ran the OR wine country half marathon Labor Day weekend. Can you tell these girls are obsessed with reading?



Z + A with Yiayia





Reading in mommy and daddy's bed while I take a shower - yes!!!