Jellybean’s 2nd birthday is fast approaching, not to mention the holidays, and the brainstorming of gift ideas has officially begun.  When it comes to buying presents I often feel like I don’t have enough options OR I’m totally at a loss as to what to buy.  Trying to decide on the perfect second birthday gift has actually made me think a lot about the things Jellybean has really loved over the past year.  Some of them we bought for her, others were gifts and a few we just enjoyed using at a friend’s house.

So if you, like me, sometimes draw a blank here are some of my favorite gift for a toddle who’s 1 to 2 years old …

Christmas, Hanukkah and birthday gift ideas for a toddler.  Perfect for 1-2 year olds  |  Life's Tidbits

  1. Corn Popper // I will admit this toy can be a tad bit annoying.  The constant popping noise might be annoying to us ‘adults’, however the kiddos love it!
  2. Magnetic Drawing Board // Perfect for a toddler who loves to color or one who’s just starting to build those motor skills.  Jellybean found this gift particularly entertaining when we were on vacation and on those morning’s when I’m running late and she has to sit in the bathroom while I shower.
  3. Radio Flyer Scoot-About Bike // I wish we had known about this bike earlier.  It’s great for scooting around the apartment and outside the little toddler bike posse is pretty darn adorable.
  4. Little People // Perfect for learning to play pretend or you know just chuck the different farm animals around.  Haha.  Oh the life of a toddler!
  5. Take-Along Shape Sorter // Great learning toy for colors, shapes and fine motor skills.  Also the perfect size to fit in the diaper or carry-on bag when traveling.
  6. My First Chair // This is probably in the top 5 favorite things Jellybean loves, and I’m a huge fan as well.  She loves to sit in her chair for snacks, tv, playing with a toy and often sets up all her ‘babies’ for tea or story time.
  7. MegaBlocks // Great for building, stacking, counting and identifying colors.
  8. Laugh & Learn Tea Set // Love the songs on the tea pot and it’s pretty adorable when Jellybean asks if I would like some “mor’ tea”.
  9. Chat & Count Cell Phone // This toy is great when you are on the go.  It fits in a purse or pocket.  It’s my go to toy for trips to the store, doctors and trips, especially, on the airplane!
  10. Jumbo Triangular Crayons // My daughter is not gentle with her toys and these crayons have held up really well over the months.  While Jellybean didn’t love coloring at 12 months, by the time she was 18 months it was one of her favorite post-nap activities.

So there you have it, our favorite gift ideas for a 1-2 year old.  And, seriously with all the toy choices out there toddlerhood is pretty darn fun on a birthday or holiday!

What are you favorite gifts for toddlers?

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It’s so cliche, but time really just flies by!  Jellybean is over a year old … and random question, but at what point do we stop saying our kid is X number of months old and just say how many year?!  I remember making a conscious decision to stop telling people how many weeks old she was and just say the month.  In part it was easier for me, but mainly because I felt bad making people do the math! Any-who…

Somehow over the last few months we’ve managed to identify even more baby gear essentials/favorites.  Seriously this little person’s stuff, who doesn’t even weight 20 lbs might I add, has somehow managed to literally take over our condo!!  We’ve even had to clear out the DVDs in the living room tv stand to make room for all of her books.  Honestly though, not complaining AT ALL that she’s already a little book worm!

If you are new to the baby essential series definitely check out our favorites for newborns, 3-5 months and 6-8 months.

Favorite Baby Gear Months 9 to 12 | Life's Tidbits

Nuk Sippy Cup // Doesn’t leak, which is hugely important.  Like many parents it took a few sippy cups to find the one Jellybean liked.

Stride Rite Shoes // These were gifted to us from Jellybean’s nanny share friend.  They are fabulous!  Easy to get on and have actual soles.  I found a lot of baby shoes don’t have real (rubber) soles on the shoes.  Jellybean wore through her first pair of shoes in just a couple of weeks.  These shoes have held up well considering the little lady is putting them to VERY good use.

Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker  // Jellybean always wants to be on the move.  Before she could walk on her own she tore around the house like a little bat out of hell on this thing!!  The toy attached to the walker is also a huge hit and great sensory toy.

Britax Marathon Car Seat // We made the transition out of the infant carseat to the ‘big girl’ carseat on the early side.  This was two fold … 1) I wanted a new stroller and the only way to financially justify it was to sell the old one with all the extras 2) Jellybean is tall for her age and I felt like her legs were just too long for the infant seat.  This car seat got rave reviews online and from friends.  It was an easy choice for us!

Toes, Ears, & Nose! A Lift-the-Flap Book // Jellybean loves ALL books, but peak-a-boo and flap books (think interactive) are just about the best thing in her world.  She points to where ever the book is and say ‘more, more, more’ until you fetch the book, sit down and read it to her … endlessly!  LOL

Baby Banana Bendable Training Toothbrush // Great for making good habits AND she had 8 teeth prior to her first birthday!  A little dental cleaning was and is in order.

NoseFrida // Jellybean came down with her first cold … queue theme song from Jaws {or whatever else sounds scary}.  While it’s bound to happen at some point during the little ones 1st year there isn’t a parent out there that wouldn’t do just about ANYTHING to relieve their pumpkin’s symptoms.  The NoseFrida is amazing at providing sed relief.  That is assuming you can actually use it on your kiddo.  If your child is anything like mine it takes two parents to ‘administer’ the NoseFrida, however it was well worth the struggle.

Favorite baby gear for months 9 to 12?  Any recommendations for 12 to 24 months (or should I say 1 to 2 years??)?

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It’s funny each month the husband and I remark at how this is our ‘favorite’ month and what I’m starting to realize is … every month/year/decade will always be the best!  Just a few of the highlights of the past few months include Jellybean crawling, pulling up on everything in sight, holds her own bottle, clapping and producing FOUR teeth!  The whole teething thing was not a high point, but her adorable smile with 4 little pearly whites certainly is.

I have already shared my newborn and 3-5 month must have baby gear.  I’m excited to continue the series with more essentials for months six to eight!  Careful consideration goes into each product before we purchase it.  It’s important to ensure things are a good match for both Jellybean and our lifestyle.  Over the past few months I have found so many baby and mommy approved items that I had trouble narrowing down the list of essentials to share with you!

Favorite Baby Gear – Months 6, 7 & 8  |  Life's Tidbits

Burpy Bib  // This is a burp cloth and a bib in one!  It’s definitely a little bit pricier than your typical bib or burp cloth, but totally worth it!  I with I had invested in a few more of these earlier on.  Though I still swear by the cheap burp clothes I mentioned in my newborn necessity post, I’m a big fan of these as well!

RazBaby Raz-Berry Teether // Despite not being a pacifier lover, Jellybean is fan of this teether. There are a bunch of textures on it and has come in handy when her gums have been especially itchy.

Squeeze and Teethe Elephant // This is the same brand as the as Sophie Giraffe, which seems to show up on EVERY baby registry list I’ve read.  Honestly I liked the Elephant way better than the Giraffe.  The giraffe has long legs, which Jellybean has gagged herself on more times than I can count and the elephant’s legs are shorter.  Plus it’s nice to be a little different!  Tip – this also come in a lion you just have to look past the ginormous giraffe display. :)

Snack Catcher //  We call it the Cheerio cup!  This comes in handy both at home and when we are on the go.  Keeps, most, of the cheerios in the cup and Jellybean can feed herself without any issues.

Sleepwear – Cupcake Onsie // These are my favorite nighttime onsies.  The come in the cutest designs, plus they are footless.  Jellybean is pretty tall so when we tried to go up a size in clothes for her length and they were too big around the waist I realized footless onsies were the perfect middle ground.  JB still sleeps in a sleep sack so we don’t worry about her toesies getting cold.

Having a Ball Get Rollin Activity Table //  When the pulling up began I quickly realized we needed a toy Jellybean could pull up on and play with.  The coffee table was effective at first, but it wasn’t interactive or stimulating … even with toys on the table.  I love this activity table and so does JB.

Peak-a-Boo Forest // This was given to us as a gift and Jellybean has been a pretty big fan for a while.  The book makes that crinkle noise, which is a huge hit.  Over the past few weeks Jellybean has gone from liking the book to being completely obsessed. She carries it everywhere (by the handle) and cries when you try to take it away … sorry JB, but the book can’t bathe with you hahaha.

Booster Pads Diaper //  I can’t even remember who suggested I tries these, but I was sold after 1 night.  Instead of purchasing specific night time diapers we place one of the booster pads into the diaper each night and we haven’t had a leak or issue yet!!  PLUS the booster pads fit into every size diaper we’ve used so far (sizes 1 -3) … no need to purchase new pads when your little one outgrows their diapers.

Munchkin Lake Buddies Bath Tub Toy //  These double as bath toys, regular toys and teething toys.  Jellybean LOVES the different characters and at least one can be found in every room in the house.

Puj Spout Cover //  No real explanation needed here.

Butt Paste // When registering and purchasing maternity clothes I got a lot of bags with free samples.  One of the samples was Butt Paste.  I gave the name a little snicker and threw it into my ‘master’ bag of samples.  Little did I know Butt Paste would become our go to when a diaper rash was developing.  Jellybean’s skin is very sensitive and it took a few tries to find the right tush cream.

So there you have it our favorite for Jellybean’s 6th, 7th and 8th month.  What are your must have baby gear items?  Any recommendations for months 9 to 12??

Oh and it’s so cliche, but how do they grow up so fast?

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