TODDLER BOOKS WE LOVE

A few weeks ago we were on a trip with three other couples and their kids, and we stumbled into the most adorable toy and book store for kids that I've ever seen. It had so many of the small shop products I recognized from Instagram, but in person. So often when shopping small we have to buy online without seeing it first, but it was so nice to get to feel and try out so many of these specialty toys and books in one place (It's Captain Little if you ever find yourself in small town Olympia, Washington.)

They had this incredible book display, and it introduced me to so many new books I wasn't familiar with. So fun to discover new ones and wanted to share some highlights here. (Organized by publisher.)

This is How We Do it, Marvelous Cornelius, Green is a Chili Pepper, Vehicles, ABC, and My Big Touch and Feel Word Book by Chronicle Books

These books are SO AWESOME.

This Is How We Do It highlights a day in the life of seven children from around the world, based on real families: the different things they eat, what school looks like, how they get there, what they wear, and so on. The book is illustrated but there are photos of the actual families in the back. The authors even note that while they did their best to find authentic representations of the cultures, that, still, "not everyone in Peru likes to play soccer, in the same way that you and your friends may have to do different chores and may wear different clothes. While none of these kids can be representative of their country, this genuine glimpse into their daily lives can reveal wonderful insights about lifestyles and traditions that may differ from our own." So well done.

Marvelous Cornelius is a folktale based on a true story of Cornelius Washington, who was a garbage man during Hurricane Katrina, and shows the power of people rallying together after destruction. The introduction has an inspiring quote from MLK: "Even if it's called your lot to be a street sweeper, go out and sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, sweep streets like Handel and Beethoven composed music, sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say, "Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well." -Martin Luther King Jr.

Green Is A Chili Pepper highlights Hispanic culture, rhyming, colors, and a few words in Spanish. Colorful illustrations and a Spanish glossary in the back make this book both educational and fun.

The last three are from the "Touch Think Learn" series, and the illustrations have these raised indentations, it's kind of hard to describe, but you can kind of see from the front cover that each page kind of fits together like a puzzle. So artfully done and so appreciated for children of designers of all kinds. The last one also has interactive tactile sensations with varied textures on each page. This style of "word" book is excellent for language and early vocabulary development. These are the only book boards featured in this post and perhaps the most appropriate for the toddler age range. We really love these three.

My Dad Used to Be so Cool, Tough Guys Have Feelings Too, and The Little Gardener by Flying Eye Books

The first two are both by a local author out of Washington, Keith Negley. I liked them for Trey because it's hard to find books that address feelings (especially specifically for boys) and I thought the Dad one would be cute for Father's Day.

The Little Gardener is a cute story about a boy and his garden, and working hard and giving hope. Beautifully done and perfect as we approach spring.

Home, Maps, and Jabari Jumps by Candlewick Press

These are as beautiful on display as they are in little hands. Maps is like a coffee table book, big, and intricately illustrated with lots to look at on each page. I've seen a DIY project of cutting out the pages in that book to use as a wallpaper in a boys' room, and I love the idea.

Home is a beautiful rendition of all the different kinds of homes people live in. It highlights different people, cultures, and the places they live so nicely. "Clean homes, messy homes, tall homes, short homes." Plus the illustrations look straight out of Anthropolgie.

Jabari Jumps is a heart warming story featuring a little boy demonstrating a courageous act of jumping off the high dive thanks to the encouragement of his dad telling him it's ok to feel scared. The main character is a race other than white which is rare to see, and I love that.

Additionally, Candlewick Press has a #weneeddiversebooks campaign, highlighting people and stories that you don't see as often in children's literature, and many of those titles are listed here.

Happy reading!

Shared in partnership with all publishers.

TODDLER EASTER BASKET FILLERS

Sharing some last minute Easter basket, spring birthday, or just because gift ideas.

-Ethically Made Bunnies. I've shared these before, but Cuddle and Kind makes my favorite dolls for kids. Bonus that they give back too.

-Sunscreen. Our California friends get to use this year round but we very much look forward to more sunny days. I like the more natural kinds and was thrilled to have found this brand that has a clean rating of 1. We have the spray and the (clear!) zinc stick.

-A fun hat. My friend from grad school has a child with hydrocephalus and this one supports that cause.

-New shoes for summer. Loafers/sneakers/boots/sandals

-Books. Easter or spring themed, or just because! A whole post planned of our favorites will go live soon.

-Bubbles

-Chalk

-Play mats

-Water bottles

-Bow ties/Hair bows

-Sunglasses

-Swimsuit

-Outfit

-PJs

-Art supplies

-Legos/Duplos/Blocks/Magnatiles

-Play Dough

-Sand toys

-Kids cooking supplies

-Stickers

-Puzzles

-Balls

-Puppets/finger puppets

Just some ideas to share. I'm a firm believer that we all have enough toys and these toddlers really don't need much at this age. They're happiest with just us and our attention. Enjoy your littles this Easter! Holidays with kids are the total best.

WHEN FLYING WITH TODDLERS GOES SOUTH

"He's doing great. I know it's hard."

We've taken Trey on many, many, plane flights during his life. Our last one was definitely the hardest.

We were flying from southern California back to Seattle, and going north the flight is almost an hour longer than going south because of the direction of the wind. We had survived the two hour flight down kind of ok, there were tense moments, but nothing too crazy or unmanageable. Until yesterday. We had a three hour flight ahead of us, right in the middle of nap time, after a full weekend seeing lots of family, immediately following a two hour road trip, and Trey had been sick. The cards were already stacked against us.

We tried every trick in the book: magnets, stickers, the tablet, snacks, snacks, snacks, all the things we brought that entertained him (mostly) on the way down. (There is a great post on Instagram here where other moms shared what worked for them.) He was not having any of it.

Trey is a generally easy going kid. We haven't really dealt with extreme tantrums or screaming, and we've never had to leave a store or restaurant early, or even anywhere with him and us in publicly in tears. Maybe because we were so far out of our league, but at one point before we took off Daniel and I looked at each other and exchanged that glance that can only mean one thing: HELP. We didn't know what to do, and were drowning like we've never drowned before.

There was screaming. There was kicking. There was crying. There was so, much, crying.

There were moments of peace too, and the second half of the flight was easier than the first, but overall, it was kind of a nightmare.

Our one saving grace was, the passengers seated all around us were some of the kindest people we could have possibly had as neighbors. When we'd walk the aisles with Trey they'd smile and wave, the people behind us were playing peekaboo with him, the woman to our left told us she had four kids and flew with them many times. I've found that people, for the most part, get it. We were doing the best we could.

At one point the woman behind me leaned over her seat and said "He's doing great. I know it's hard," at which point I started crying. It was so, exhaustingly, hard, and to have someone see that and recognize that and verbally encourage me was just what I needed in that moment. She could have just as easily been annoyed. But she was the reverse. It was almost too much kindness to handle.

Flying with kids, like all of motherhood, is unpredictable. The things that I've found that help me the most are connecting with other moms (our text thread is my lifeline), having grace with myself, and wine. Lots of wine.

This is not a post about what to pack to have a quiet, painless, flight. This is a post about what to do when everything goes wrong and you're left staring at your spouse (or yourself), out of all your tricks, exhausted and spent, and needing a little encouragement.

They're doing great. I know it's hard.

Chances are, someone else has been there too. Toddlers can stretch us beyond what we thought we were capable of. But then we do it. And we do it again. And then someday down the road you get to be on the other side, encouraging a young mom, "They're doing great. I know it's hard." Because you do. You know it's hard, and that mom is doing the best she can. And just like that, the plane lands. They turn five. They can tie their own shoes. And then someday they're out of the house and you're wondering where all those years went.

The longest/shortest time, for sure.

I was asked to share the list of the items suggested to make flying easier. These are some of the things that worked as activities for us, mostly on the flight down:

-Paint with water reusable books like this

-Stickers. Tons

-Magnets in a tin

-Target dollar section toys and games

-Photos and videos of our trip and our family members (right now the videos where Trey knows the people in them are more fun for him than a TV episode)

-Wipes easily accessible

-His own water bottle. I am so glad I packed this, we avoided so many spills by having him drink from this instead of the airplane cups. Also worth noting that while adults can't bring liquids through security, you can bring children's water/milk/juices in their water bottle or bottles through security, and their shoes can stay on too.

-So many snacks

-Lollipops for altitude change during take off/landing (or applesauce pouches and other snacks)

-Kids Tablet

-Quantity. Pack what you think you need then double it. Bonus points: Saving some toys/books for the return flight.

Didn't use but I thought was brilliant:

-Putting pipe cleaners in and out of a water bottle or old spice bottle with holes

-Wind up toys

-Window cling stickers

-Glow sticks

-Triangle crayons (they don't roll off the tray)

-Calculators

-Post It notes

-Tape

-Wrapping the toys

I had this great idea to use this suitcase that he can ride on and converts to an in-flight bed, but he had his own ideas of pushing the other rolling suitcases through the airport. We will try again when he's older. It seems like a great idea for someday.

That's my flying with toddlers advice! Basically, over-pack, over-prepare, hope for the best, and if it all goes wrong, know that someone else has been there too. The plane will land and you will get through it.

You’re doing great. I know it’s hard.