Well...come to find out all an infant really needs is a diaper and mommy. Who knew?!?! (And really, the diaper is just because mommy doesn't want a mess all over!)
Of course, there comes a time in a baby's life when you actually use some of those nifty things you were so excited about, and of course, some of them never make it out of the box!
As Rooster has moved into pre-toddlerhood, I've learned to filter my baby buying urges to more practical things. You know, purchasing things that we actually "need' rather than just...well everything! So I thought today I'd give you a run down of just a few of my favorite little conveniences around our house.
1. The Bathtub Seat (aka mommy's little safety net)
We bought this bath seat at Wal-Mart when Rooster was about 6 months old. He was too big for his baby bath, and not steady enough to sit in the tub on his own. This little seat keeps him snug and secure and still allows him to play and splash in the water. I love it because I don't have to watch him constantly while he's in the tub. I can sit against the wall and read a book without having to worry if he's going to stand up, slip or fall over any minute.
(Of course, I never leave him unattended while he's in the tub...although sometimes I do run into the hallway and grab a towel, but I can see him the whole time. Promise!)
The only down side is that he can't always reach his toys from the seat, so I do have to periodically float everything back into arms length. I used to just line the toys up on the side of the tub for him to grab when he wanted, but then he learned how to push them off into the floor and get mommy all wet. Yeah, that game gets old really fast if you're the one getting wet!
2. The Sippy Cup (aka the mess maker)
When we first started introducing Rooster to the sippy cup, I spent quite a bit of time in the store reading the back of packages, picking out just the right cup that was age appropriate, spill-proof, and of course, cute! Seven different sippy cups later we finally settled on the cheapo Take and Toss cups from Wal-Mart. Yes, they are supposed to be disposable. Yes, I wash and reuse them anyway. Yes, they are less than a dollar each. And yes, they are the best cups we've found so far.
For starters, I don't care what the package says; nothing is spill-proof. Secondly, no matter how "natural' a cup is supposed to be, it's nothing like nursing, so of course, my little man had some trouble adjusting. The first few cups we tried he would just turn them over and chew on the bottom, but when he turned this cup over milk slowly started dripping out of the top. After licking it up off his high chair a few times, he finally figured out how to get the milk out of the spout. Praise the Lord!
I also like this cup because the convenient snap on handles help hold the lid in place when Rooster throws it on the floor for fun accidentally drops it. Plus, since they are so cheap, I can throw them away when I find one hiding under the couch with curdled milk in it...hypothetically speaking...
This is our most recently acquired treasure. When Rooster first started walking, we had this great idea that we would teach him not to wander into rooms without permission. We wanted him to learn to stay where we are for his safety and for our sanity.
(And because this is what he chooses to do when left on his own!)
However, after getting up off the couch a million times to tell your 12 month old to, "stay out of the kitchen!" you just have to wonder if maybe you aren't asking a little too much. Yes, we still require him to stay in the room with us, but we accomplish this through closed doors and now a baby gate. It doesn't stay up all the time because at some point he has to start learning obedience, but after the 5th or 6th time of telling him, "no", we'll put this up to help drive the point home. You could call it cheating, but I prefer to call it practical parenting!
Enough about me. What are your favorite things for babies and toddlers?
We use the same take n toss cups! For the same reasons! And you're right - there will never be spill proof cups - as evidenced by all the little spots on the carpet where juice has spilled and dirt has stuck. haha. And we may or may not have also thrown a cup or two away for the same reason you mentioned. Hypothetically speaking of course. :)
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