ethan's favorite toys - nine months old

I seriously thought I'd get around to posting my 'best toys' posts more often.... whoops!

The below toys are listed in order of the age that they could be used by, youngest to oldest, and not by what is his favorite. (Right now, the VTech walker is by far his favorite!) Great news: They're ALL under $30!

Play mat. I got mine at Garden Center for $13, you can get
them online from $15. Ethan LOVES peeling up the sides
and chewing them. Before he could do that, it was a soft
place to play. Great for wood floors or keeping dog hair off
your kid #dogownerproblems

I've posted this before, but we invested in Wubba #2,
which will set you back $13.
They're easy to grab, and Ethan's Wubbas are his best
toys at any age. I wish we had them from birth!
Having two means you can wash it. 

This can attach to his food tray, which is
great when he needs something to do and
you still need to eat your dinner. Spin it a
couple times and relax while he plays. $8.

This gumball machine got me in the checkout line at
Babies R Us. It's $15, sings in English and Spanish,
is interactive, and, let's face it, those balls are great
for teething babies.

This IS our high chair. We use it for meals and play time
if Ethan is fussy and we need to get something done.
$25, and there's a coupon on Amazon this week, too.

I got these on sale last Christmas. They're
meant for babies 12 months and up, but he can't
choke on the pieces (nothing small) so I let him
play with them. Another great toy for teethers. $15

We just got this baby. It does SO much, and, let's
face it, he stays put when he plays with this.
We don't quite have the walker part down, but the
party is definitely in the front. $28.

*All links go to Amazon, which I am not paid for. Most of these toys can also be purchased at Walmart, Target, Babies R Us, and Buy Buy Baby. I've linked to Amazon Smile because a portion of your purchase can be donated to a non-profit 501c(3) - like Little Changes International - if you use this site and select a charity.

I hope some/any of these toys help you keep your little one entertained!

xo,

ethan's favorite toys - four months

First, I want to briefly review Ethan's stats. He is in the 85th percentile for length (so, down a bit from 95%!), 60th percentile for weight, and 90th percentile for head size. He's growing into his head and he is starting to "even out". Our doctor told us that because we are still breastfeeding, Ethan's risk for obesity is down 30%, and that Ethan is one of the few new babies in his practice that he hasn't seen for any sicknesses this cold/flu season - we pray it stays that way! We're thankful for our healthy little man!

I think buying toys for kids is so hard. What do you buy a new baby? A toddler? A kid? A teen? So, for those of you gearing up for a baby shower, I'm posting a few toy ideas that Ethan loves! (Note that I am not paid for endorsing these products!)

Kick n Play Piano Gym

This is one of Ethan's favorite toys. He plays with the dangley toys, and he kicks the piano. There's an option for the piano to play for a while during tummy time, which he also likes. This is my go-to for a fussy baby!

O'Ball Rattle

My mother-in-law gave us this ball for Christmas and it has really helped develop Ethan's grasp (he was about 3 months old). He is a huge fan! It doubles as a rattle and he loves to try to stick it in his mouth.

Evenflo Exersaucer

This starts out as a floor gym - the arch in the back comes off as well as a couple other pieces for the 1-3 month old babies. Then, at about 4-5 months, they can stand in it. When they're walkers, it converts to an activity table. Since it's three toys in one, it's actually a money-saver and space-saver! He likes anything that he can grab, especially if it makes noise and/or goes in his mouth easily.

Lion Wubbanub Pacifier

We paid about $13 for this one on Amazon.com, and we LOVE it. Ethan can hold it now, and attempt to keep it in his mouth. When he was just born, it was great because it wouldn't roll onto the ground if he stopped sucking on it - it just stayed on his chest or in his seat. Now we tuck the lion into his swaddle when he naps so he doesn't lose it if he stops sucking on it when he is falling asleep. We love this thing, and rarely use other pacifiers at all. It's hard to lose when it is this big!

Sassy Crib and Floor Mirror

Ethan loves this mirror! New babies love the black and white contrast of toys (so look for those!), and this has plenty of that - not to mention that it is interactive because he can see his reflection. It's inexpensive, and we take it on any trips we go on because it's smaller than a square foot (estimating - don't quote me!) and he loves it.

What are your suggestions for toys for new babies?

xo,