Comments on: Ask Maggie: Nine Toddler Things I Can’t Live Without

By: Christy

Christy — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:43:15 +0000

A jumbo pack of microfiber towels from the auto section at Costco. Those things soak up ANYTHING. We keep a pile where the kids (2 and 3) can reach them, and they clean up their own damn spills now with their “special” yellow towels.

Actually, add the word “special” to your list, too. We buy a lot of cooperation by calling any old thing “special.”

By: joanna goddard

joanna goddard — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 01:22:14 +0000

i LOVE LOVE LOVE this list! so cute. my friend has a four-year-old, and we played tic-tac-toe on the iphone the other day for like an hour

By: Lindsey @ I Run in Heels

Lindsey @ I Run in Heels — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:20:03 +0000

Just got the iPhone stand in the mail and I’m loving it! Plus, it’s always fun to get mail from overseas. Thanks for the tip!

By: EMQ

EMQ — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:32:20 +0000

I just wanted to weigh in on the sunhat tip. We found these amazing sunbonnets called Urban Baby Bonnets on etsy. I love my daughter’s! It’s cotton, reversible,has a chin strap and comes in the coolest fabrics. Lisel’s is rainbow on one side, green dottys on the other. Plus, the bonnet design is rad for when we have her in the Ergo (floppy hats get in the way).

And we just bought her a Britax Marathon. We do a ton of road travel, and wanted to give her a comfy ride. I have to say, it’s super cush and badass, and she really loves it.

By: RookieMom Whitney

RookieMom Whitney — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 06:15:23 +0000

Hi Maggie, I had to come see why there was a sudden resurgence of clicks from your baby items list over to rookiemoms.com, and now I see this awesome toddler post.

My husband just bought 24 of that exact piggy flashlight on eBay for like 19 cents, and I highly recommend that every parent do the same. Along those lines, pom poms from a craft store are a great distraction. Line them up, sort by color, put into cups, do “magic” tricks. Must-have for an airplane flight.

By: momma2731

momma2731 — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:32:33 +0000

Oooooooo, if you love the apple slicer, then you should dust off the old egg slicer! I use mine for strawberries and my life has never been the same since! I can slice a whole container of strawberries into perfect toddler size in under 5 minutes, with a hungry two year old hanging on my leg the whole time.
Also, tiny little boxes of raisins. Sure, lots of sugar and stick to the teeth, but a lifesaver when waiting for a meal at a restaurant. See how long it takes those little fingers to get the ones at the bottom of the box and I dare you not to fall in love. Fine motor skills too, amiright?
Oh, and LeapFrog Letter Factory DVD. In two weeks, my toddler learned his ABC’s while I was able to sit and breastfeed our newborn. One becomes a child genius, the other gets fed… it’s magical.

By: Jennie

Jennie — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:09:54 +0000

Albee baby (online) for the best deals on Britax car seats (get the Marathon, not the Roundabout as we did–we loved it, but found ourselves needing another car seat a couple of years later). We also got a great deal on a Maclaren Quest there–one of my top baby/toddler recommendations.

Maggie, I just ordered the water shoes…don’t know why I never thought to use them as sneakers before!

By: Bethany

Bethany — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:25:13 +0000

another vote for the Ergo here – I use it every day to haul my 4 month old into daycare while wrestling my 3 year old at the same time. Totally worth the investment.

We also own a Britax – easy to install, does go up to a higher weight so my bigger than average kid fits in it longer, and it does have safety features other brands do not have.

Yes, the cover is removable- and washable. Not sure I’d want to make my own but I don’t sew so perhaps others will prove me wrong.

Flashlight = HOURS of free time.

We tried a lot of twin strollers when my DS was born and I really like our Maclaren Twin Techno. Expensive? yes, and boy did I hear about it from my husband right up until he had to push both kids in it – a combined weight of almost 50lbs. He shut up shortly thereafter.

By: Kate

Kate — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 05:22:18 +0000

You guys have almost convinced me to get the Britax. Now I’m off to scour the Net to find the best price on it. I’m assuming the cover’s removable, right? I’m thinking if I get one with a funky-looking cover for cheaper (as paige said she did), then I could potentially make my own cover for it. Crazy, or a good idea?

By: The other Margaret

The other Margaret — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:34:48 +0000

We have the SAME apple slicer and lurve it. We go through a LOT of apples, and I am proud to say that I have convinced my kids over the past year to eat the skin. I seriously feel like I should get an award for that.