A Million Words

Photographer Anita Maya. Love her. She's amazing. Isn't my one-year-old son just dreamy?

Thwack!

As a former high school soccer player, I love the feel of the Oball. It's easy to juggle, and then there's the satisfying sound it makes as it hits the garage door again and again. Lightweight, colorful, and good for all ages. I just saw them at Target, although they only had the smaller size (4.5" diameter) and not the larger (7.5" diameter). Happy thwacking!

Happy walls

On a whim this weekend, we finally started putting up these wall decals we bought for Ronan's room almost a year ago. They look fantastic! I'm so thrilled with how easy they were to apply (well, and also thrilled because my husband actually did the applying). We used the regular ones, so you can remove them easily, but not re-stick them.

They really look like they're painted on, and I love the sense of color and whimsy they add to the room. We also put some on his closet doors.

And yes, that's a Delta frequent flyer card JP is using to smooth them on. It was issued to Ronan when he was one. We declined the American Express card, however!

A most excellent stroller

The Phil and Ted's E3 is a single jogging-type stroller, but you can hook a second seat on. The maneuverability is unbelievable; there's never a worry about whether you'll fit through the door. The combined weight limit for the two seats is 88 lbs., but luckily the air-filled rubber tires make pushing fairly effortless.

The downsides: price (although I imagine the resale value is pretty good), lack of storage space (we sprung for the panniers, which you can see in the photo), and the possibility that the kid in the back will want to touch the spinning tires of death. People often comment that Beatrix, seated in the back, can't see anything, but she has plenty to see out the sides. At any rate, she's never complained!

In addition, if your kids are really close in age, I probably wouldn't recommend the E3. I'd check out the Mountain Buggy Urban Double, or something similar. The beauty of the E3 for us is that it's a great single, with the capacity to be a pretty amazing double.

An all-purpose essential

Before Christmas, I was lucky enough to get into a toy co-op that included a gorgeous German brand: Grimm's Spiel and Holz. I think my favorite item so far is the beautiful wooden nesting boxes. They're big, and they just have so many possibilities: little houses, garages, towers, pots for cooking.

S&H puzzles are also drool-worthy. Not all of their items are readily available in the U.S., unfortunately, but Three Sisters Toys carries some (check the Stacking & Nesting and Games & Puzzles links for the selection).

A box of books

This box of miniature board books makes a great baby shower gift. They are perfectly sized for little hands, and I'm partial to the illustration style.

My daughter often brings them to me to read. While my son isn't much of a reader, he has used them for a variety of stacking and sorting games.

The "X" installment includes "xenops," which is apparently a kind of bird. Huh.

This set is published by Chronicle and available on Amazon.

Lovey?

To the left you'll see a pile of rejected lovies. I don't know why I've always wanted my kids to adopt a special comfort item. I think I'm probably projecting my own desire -- how lovely to have one special, cozy, snuggly item that makes you feel better!

On the flip side, you have the risk of loss or damage. I still remember the family vacation when my younger brother's yellow quilted blanket was lost forever.

But still I persist. Here's the latest attempt. Baby Jayne's is owned by an acquaintance of mine, and this blanket is scrumptious. If Bea ends up discarding it, it's destined to become my lovey!

Why I love Hanna

Andersson, that is. This photo shows my son wearing his new deck pants in May 2006. He also wore them today, and it's late November 2007. They're above his knees now, but still fit.

HA uses a lot of organic cotton, and their styles are colorful and classic. Also, I've found that stains are much more likely to come out than in other brands.

Hanna can be expensive, but if you get on their email list for sales, you can catch good deals. And even if you don't live near one of their outlet stores, you can call them. Tell them you're looking for deck pants or playdresses or whatever, and they'll tell you what colors they have in stock and ship them to you.

Thirty minutes on an airplane

That's what this $14 hide & seek board bought me. Which, if you've ever flown with a 1-1/2 year old, you know is worth every penny. Each door opens to show a magnetic animal or object that can be removed. We didn't even lose any of the pieces!

Another hit was the sticker book her brother had just finished doing (Usborne's Wooly Stops the Train). She spent fifteen minutes carefully peeling the stickers off and sticking them on the window and all over me.

The magnet board is by Melissa & Doug -- I purchased it from Amazon.

D. All of the above

What can you use playsilks for?
A. Impromptu capes, scarves or skirts
B. Raucous games of peek-a-boo
C. Roofs/doors for your couch forts

Playsilks really are floaty, soft silk. They fold up into tiny squares and then unfurl to be lakes, slings or flags. Plus, they're machine washable: a practical parent's dream!

I got mine at A Toy Garden (click on "creative play"). If you're crafty and/or brave, you can buy them really inexpensively from Dharma Trading and then dye them with Koolaid and vinegar. I haven't tried it, but there seem to be good directions on this blog.

I think I'm going to get some large ones for the kiddos. Ronan insists that his favorite color is black (because it's the "spookiest"), so if I can find a large black one, that'll be in his stocking!

She's only one, and she's getting a pony for Christmas!

One of my favorite haunts, Kid Surplus, is offering free shipping now through October 25th. You must spend at least $75, and the code is FREESHIP1. They have a wide selection and good prices on brands including Playmobil, Haba, Selecta and others. My daughter's getting one of these Rody ponies for Christmas. Shhh....don't tell!

In and Out

The people go in. The people come out. The people get lost under the couch. One manages to end up under your bare foot in the middle of the night when you're desperately trying to get to the baby's room before she wakes up the neighborhood.

Made in the USA by a family-owned company. You can buy it at Rosie Hippo's, another great family-owned company. You'll want to keep this rainbow people mover for your grandchildren!

Mousie

Mousie was purchased for my daughter's first Christmas. She was seven months old. Who knew that my three-year-old son would completely claim this as his own? Mousie is solid, which is a good thing, because he's had to endure countless crashes, rescues, and meetings with Buzz Lightyear and Lightning McQueen. His car emits a pleasing squeak when you push it up and down, and a bell on the front twirls as Mousie races along.

Even the under-one set can get Mousie in and out of his vehicle. Made in Germany, I purchased this from Oompa.