Month 24 Must-Haves

Ok, ok, so I'm waaayy behind on things. #bigsurprise I feel like, since the move, I just can't get into a rhythm. Our dining room is full of half unpacked boxes, I'm getting all soft and squishy from lack of exercise (although that is on it's way to changing!), and it's just so much more fun drawing Olaf in chalk on the back patio than anything that would be considered productive. Zoey is adding words to her repertoire daily ("shoe", "boon" (balloon), and "ucket" (bucket) all popped out in the last couple of days), and we've taken the front off the crib (giving that whole show a little more time before I post the details). So in the mean time (and while I eat a scoop of ice cream - did I mention I was squishy?), here are a few of our must-haves from the last few months...

1. Zoey loves puzzles, so we knew she'd go crazy for this alphabet puzzle.  Lately, she pulls it out every day, "names" the letters and puts each one back in place. I'd love to brag about how my two-year-old knows all 26 of her letters, but I'd be a big fat liar. Unless calling each one "I" or "B" counts. 

2. We've been giving Zoey these GoGoSqueez applesauces since way back. Easy to throw in the bag as an emergency snack, or add to a lunch. We love them!

3. So what if Little People today look nothing like the choking hazards we played with as kids? Same fun + less dangerous = an essential must-have! Plus, this little house makes the sound of a toilet flush. Win! 

4. Who doesn't love sidewalk chalk? 

5. This Radio Flyer Tricycle is a classic and Z loves hers. At our old house, she rode it in circles around the pool. Now we don't have enough paved space out back for her to ride, and we don't have a sidewalk on our side of the street, so she rolls around inside at top speed, where there's plenty of space. And the little trunk on the back is perfect for carrying remotes, spatulas, rocks, and all the other random little items a toddler picks up.

6. You guys know we love books around here, so it's always difficult to pick for the must-haves.  This time was pretty easy--picked the two books we read the most often...for the last four months! Extra Yarn might just be my most favorite picture book, ever! I can't put my finger on it's greatness...the illustrations are sweet (it's a Caldecott Honor book), and the story is fun to read out loud. Plus it has magical powers: it calms a fuss session down every time without fail. Angelina Ballerina is a great book for any little dancer. And it has such a great message: if you work hard, you're dreams will come true!

Reading Extra Yarn on one of our many looonnng trips to Virginia. 

A couple of posts ago, I mentioned Zoey's rock box, and some of you asked about it. It's just a plastic lidded bin from the dollar store that I filled with a (cleaned & rinsed) bag of pea gravel. Sand boxes are so messy, so I liked this solution much better. Z has a ball filling buckets, cups and her little dump truck with the rocks, and I love that sand isn't tracked in through the house.

I'm sure I could add a bunch more to the must-haves for the last six months. The iPad, the Frozen soundtrack, Olaf anything, the Magna Doodle, bracelets, things that can be worn as bracelets, tutus, books, rocks, measuring cups, and big sticks that can used to whack dandelion puffs. Such random, random things!