We are just a little behind with our monthly favorites, but things sure have changed around here! We are rocking all new toys (much thanks to Christmas), more toddler gear & certainly a whole new world of food.

As I mentioned to some of you on Instagram, Harper is eating all of the food we eat now. I wouldn’t say that we necessarily went the traditional way or even the “baby lead weaning way”… we were just sorta winging it with a little direction from our pediatrician. Harper started baby cereal/oatmeal at 4 months, transitioned in fruit & veggie purees at 5 months, added in “puffs” around 7 months when she started crawling. Shortly after that I started to transition to similar, less expensive substitutes, like cheerios or regular natural applesauce.

The direction from our pediatrician was that once they are crawling with their belly off the ground & appear to be picking things up with their fingers instead of their whole hand, you can start them on solids. Just making sure that everything is easy to chew (even with no teeth, they can mash with their gums/tongue!) AND small enough that they would not choke. The very first “real food” that we gave her was steamed broccoli. I steamed the shit out of it. She could barely pick it up without it crumbling. We moved on to green beans, bananas & blueberries. Then, I cut up pasta into very small pieces & fed it to her (meat included!) and she LOVED IT! Now, we just kinda test everything. Some of her current favorites are mac n’ cheese, peas, tender pieces of chicken & most recently grilled cheese! Yes, I still have a heart attack EVERY TIME we try a new food… but I guess that’s what parenthood is all about? 🙂 

Although our favorite lists should probably include cords, door stops, mascara & the cat’s tail…. here’s the acceptable list of things we’re working with…

Britax Marathon Convertible Carseat – I know this was on our last month favorites post as well, but I can’t stress enough how amazing it is to have upgraded to a bigger bucket (as my husband calls it). Especially if you plan on roadtripping anytime soon & don’t plan to take the carseat out (because let’s face it, that shit is heavy)… give your little guy or gal some extra room while they ride! 🙂

Parum Pum Pum Drum – We sometimes can’t believe how much she loves this toy. She smooshes her face up against the lid, holds the straps in her hands while she claps & dances to the sound of all the little noisemakers inside. This was a big win! We did take away the drumsticks for now though, she wanted them in her hands at ALL times, and with her just learning to walk, we just knew the outcome wouldn’t be good.

Beaba Utensils – Perfect for when you start feeding your kids the things that you eat. Those little, shallow baby spoons result in a giant mess. These are perfect for cut up spaghetti, casseroles, etc.

Where the Wild Things Are – My child is definitely a wild thing, so this book is obviously very fitting. But basically, books in general are on the favorites list in the last few months. Finally Harper is more interested in us reading them than her trying to eat them or rip the pages. Just in time for her first birthday, where we plan to spruce up her little library!

Skip Hop Bath Spout Cover – For your little fishy who now swims in the big kids tub! Harper is WILD in the bath tub these days, she slips & slides all over the place, so this thing is a lifesaver.

LeapFrog My Discovery House – Probably the most entertaining kids toy yet. Harper got this as a Christmas gift and plays with it non stop. There are so many little gadgets & sounds to entertain her, she even claps at this toy!