Year Two of Drowning in Kid Stuff

Last year it was pretty easy to come up with a list of things that were really essential for us to have as parents (well at least things that made life truly easier). Since we have heard from a couple of new parents that the list was useful, we thought we would do a repeat. This year, it is a bit harder to come up with a similar list. It isn’t because we don’t use things – we do, everyday in fact. It is more because it is hard to deem that something is really essential. So after much thinking and pondering, here is our list for year two. Most of these things make life easier, but I feel positive that if we didn’t have the majority of them, we would have found something else to take their place.

Lotions – Katrina has really dry skin and we would have been lost without Eucerin, Vaseline (for her thumb), and a prescription of Eucerin-hydrocortisone. I know – not a glamorous way to start off the list, but probably one of the things that we have used the most.

Books, books, and books – again, another generic category, but without a doubt, this is Katrina’s favorite set of items to play with. She loves to read. The only way that we can get her to sit through diaper changing in the morning is if we give her a book to read. We read in the evening a minimum of three books, and on the weekends many, many more. She already has a bookshelf half filled with her own books and a basket downstairs and one in her room. When she wakes up in the morning, she has books in her crib to keep her busy until we can come pick her up. This love of reading has developed more recently in the last six months. Her current favorites are: Richard Scarry’s Best Word Book Ever, My Big Tractor Book, The Monster at the End of This Book, and anything by Doctor Seuss. We just got library cards two weeks ago, so Katrina has been in love with all the tractor and race car books that we brought home, along with the Cookie Monster book (but only if read in a cookie monster voice).


Blocks – if books are her favorite things to do, blocks come in a close second. She has loved blocks for a long time, but in the past year has learned that she can make her own towers to knock down. This is very exciting and has resulted in our living room carpet sprayed with wooden blocks, plastic blocks, and fabric blocks.

Babylegs – a throwback to the days of eighties legwarmers, these were particularly useful for us in State College. Babylegs really do make diaper changing a lot easier than tights and were a good extra layer under pants and dresses. A bit pricey, but definitely worth having at least a couple of pairs. And how can you not get the biker chick ones?



Robeez shoes – Before Katrina was walking, we used Robeez to keep her socks on (the cheaper, pretty nice knockoffs at Target were much easier to pull off). Once she started walking, we still kept her in Robeez almost all the time because the thin rubber soles are recommended by pediatricians for being helpful in teaching infants how to balance on their feet. The nice thing about Robeez is that they also hold up really well. We have three pairs that we are saving for future kids.

Froggy – I don’t have a picture of this toy, nor can I tell you who makes it because I cut off the tag when I bought it, but Katrina has a small flat frog that is her constant companion at naptime and bedtime. Puppy and bear and baby and Iorek get a lot of love too, but it is froggy that is her favorite and who helps soothe her the best. Not all children have attachment objects, but when they do, I think that it makes life easier.

Big floppy hats – With Katrina’s fair skin and lack of hair until recently, it was very important for us to keep her head and face covered up during the summer months. The bigger, floppier hats seem to be the ones that she kept on her head the best. I think we got them at Target and one at Gymboree (a children’s clothing store).

Umbrella stroller and booster seat – These two pieces of equipment have definitely made life easier. We started using the booster seat when Katrina made it clear that she really preferred to sit with us at the table. The one that we got (from Fisher Price I think) has four adjustable settings and was really easy to take with us when visiting grandparents. Our lightweight umbrella stroller replaced our heavy-duty stroller sometime this year. As Katrina became more mobile and less willing to sit, the umbrella stroller was easy to just fold up and carry along and light enough for Katrina to push puppy in as well.





No cry discipline solution – This was the only book that we read this year. I didn’t think that if we had a healthy child that we would do much reading of parenting books. Then Katrina turned 16 months old and our mild mannered child began to throw fits. We weren’t sure that we were handling them in the best way and after reading reviews of toddler books, this one kept being brought up. I picked it up and was relieved to find that it reinforced a lot of the approaches that we were already taking with the mooch. Additionally, it made me realize that one of the primary reasons Katrina would have a meltdown (besides being tired), was because we weren’t giving her enough warning to know that things were going to change. So now, we tell her that in five minutes we will stop playing and go to take a nap, change diaper, etc. Then we tell her again in three minutes. This hasn’t gotten rid of all of her tantrums (if only!), but it definitely reduced them a lot. This book also has other useful suggestions that all pretty much boil down to being firm, treating your child with respect, and reminding yourself that your kid is her own person (which is easy to forget as you make the transition between baby to toddler).

Things that still got a lot of use this year – Maya pouch, pack and play, and breastpump