Photography by Brandon John
I can’t believe Charlee is 1.5 years old! It’s crazy she will be 2 in less than 5 months. WHERE did the time go?! I have been doing these must-haves posts since she was a newborn. You can check all of those out here.
This stage in Charlee’s life has been really fun, but also really exhausting. Charlee was quite possibly the easiest baby of all time so it has been a tough transition into toddler life if I am perfectly honest! All of a sudden she has started to have melt downs and makes sure to let Matt and I know, along with the whole world when she doesn’t like something. I have been feeling a little out of control with this new phase of life with Charlee and decided to sign up for the Positive Parenting Solutions annual membership and feel like I have gotten some amazing tools to help me handle her changing moods and curveballs she has been throwing my way.
The below items were awesome in helping us navigate this period of Charlee’s life!
Toy Kitchen: We got this toy kitchen for Charlee for Christmas and it has become her favorite toy of all time! She loves to spend her time at the kitchen, making “soup” and “coffee” for Mommy and Daddy. The one we bought is from Ikea (you can see it above in the photo) and we really love it. The quality is awesome and it only took about an hour to put together. It’s also a great apartment size kitchen, plus it’s $79!
Silicone Toddler Plates: I found these on Amazon and ordered them on a whim. These are super durable, machine washable and I like the compartments. Charlee is funny about different foods touching so she is also a fan. I like that they are also silicon and soft.
Sippy cup with straw: This has been the best cup to teach Charlee how to drink from a straw. Plus they don’t leak.
Lid-less kids cups: I did a little research and decided on these lid-less cups for Charlee. Luckily, in Charlee’s daycare class they no longer allow bottles so she has gotten really good at drinking for a cup with no lid. I like these since they are non-toxic and reusable.
Sticker books: From 15-18 months, Charlee would sit and play with her sticker books for an hour at a time. I love this specific set since she is a huge fan of The Hungry Caterpillar book.
Large comfy sleep sack: Charlee has been in a sleep sack since she was out of a swaddle, but this sleep sack is a little different than the others. It is super cozy and a bit heavy making it feel more like a comforter or blanket, rather than a thin sleep sack. Charlee will eventually be sleeping in a big girl bed with a big girl blanket, but until then this has been a great item. She sleeps so well in it and it keeps her from trying to escape the crib since she doesn’t have much mobility in it.
Big Girl toys: My first purse, broom set, vacuum : Charlee started showing a huge interest during this development stage in copying Matt and I in household tasks or basic every day things. She loves to pretend to carry a purse, vacuum the house etc. Every time Matt and I vacuum, she runs to get her toy vacuum and join us! So cute.
Travel Harness: During this time we reached the point where it no longer worked to have Charlee sit on our laps on a plane. She is a really tall toddler and she hated feeling cramped. This harness makes her feel safe and snug and acts as a car seat. It has been such a game changer for flights!
Carter’s Toddler Pajamas: I have bought a few different types of pajamas, but I feel like the Carter’s PJ’s are the best option for the price. We just had to order 2T. She is getting so big!
Scooter: Charlee’s Nana bought her this scooter for Christmas! It’s such a cute little scooter and she loves rolling around on it in the house and at that park.
Best ipad games: Peek a boo Barn!: I love this app and we keep it on Charlee’s tablet. It has been the way that Charlee learned all her animals! It makes me feel better about giving her screen time since it’s such an educational app!
Baby Shark Book: This is the best thing you can buy your toddler!!! This book plays every single Baby Shark song and has pictures and buttons. Charlee LOVES it!
Did I miss anything that you couldn’t live without during this toddler stage? Leave a note in the comments!
Xoxo-J