Here’s what Em loved when she was 2 years old. She also loved a few big things like her Magical Castle Dollhouse but I wanted to focus on the smaller items that are priced nicely for gift giving.

Moon Dough - Like Play-doh but doesn’t dry out.

Crayola Washable Markers - She loves coloring with these. 

AquaDoodle Classic Mat - Like painting but without the mess since it just uses water.

Cloud b Twilight Constellation Night Light Lady Bug - She enjoyed bringing this ladybug into the dark bathroom, flipping on the colors and searching for the moon. I think it helped her not be scared of the dark [yet].

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Figure Play Set - Em plays with these and her Disney Princess Figure Play Set in her Castle. She puts them to sleep, wakes them, and feeds them dinner around the dinner table. Now that it’s Christmas time, she puts each of them peeking out of the window looking for Santa.

Because Em’s birthday is in the spring, she was about 18 months old around Chirstmas time. These are the things she loved.

Around 16-18+ months, coloring was a real hit with her. She loved this Crayola Sidewalk Chalk Bucket, these Melissa & Doug Jumbo Triangular Crayonsand these Crayola Twistables Crayons. We got her a huge roll of white butcher paper so we could place a long sheet on our coffee table for her to color.  

She also was gifted this VTech Preschool Learning Alphabet Apple. At 2.5 years old, it’s still her favorite game in the car. It has a ton of settings so that it can grow with your child.

These are the things Em loved when she was one. She also liked big things like her water table but I wanted to focus on the smaller things. The things that are perfectly priced for gift giving.

Fisher-Price Magical Tea for Two - She loves playing tea party and this tea set has everything she needs.

8″ Minnie Mouse Plush - Em loves her Minnie + Mickey dolls. She’d take them on a pretend picnic, feed them a pretend lunch and serve them pretend tea.

B. One Two Squeeze Blocks - These blocks were great both in and out of the bathtub. They have different things on each side so Em used them to learn her numbers, colors and animals.

Mega Bloks Maxi - Like legos but for toddler hands.

Em is the oldest in a circle of friends. The little girl next door is a year younger. And a friend of ours has a little girl a year younger too. So, when it comes time for holiday + birthday giving, I usually gift them something that Em loved when she was their age.

I thought I’d share with you some of Em’s favorites + my go tos for gift giving. First up, her newborn favorites.

Aden + Anais Swaddlers - I’ve blogged about these before. We love the big 47″ square ones. In the early days, we used them as swaddlers. Then nursing covers. Now with Em 2.5 years old, we use them as sheets.

Manhattan Toy Winkel - This was the first toy she could use on her own. Thanks to the loops, she was able to grasp it easily.

On the Night You Were Born - Hands down, my favorite book. It was given to us my Em’s aunt. It’s such a sweet, sweet story. I’ve teared up many a time reading it to Em.

Vulli Sophie the Giraffe Teether - A classic teething toy. I’ve gifted Sophie many times including this variation.

The toddler stage brought a new set of changes + challenges. We began potty training. We moved Em out of her crib and into a toddler bed. She began day care.

These are the little things that helped us with the transition.

1] Name Bubbles - Essential for day care. All of her clothes + shoes need to be labeled. These fabulous stickers go through the wash over and over and can be removed very easily when needed.

2] Crib rail – Em started climbing out of her crib very early. We decided to convert her crib to a toddler bed. However, although Em’s crib converted it wasn’t ideal at all. She was so young that we knew she would easily roll out of her converted crib. So, we put the mattress on the floor instead but she spent most of her nights on the carpet after she’d roll off the mattress. Finally, we discovered this crib rail. Now, she’s in her converted bed. This rail keeps her from falling out and helps her to climb into bed on her own.

3] Built-in toilet seat – There are a ton of potty options out there. We opted for a small floor potty to begin the training process. Then, we moved to this built-in seat. It’s made of wood so it’s very sturdy. It’s has a quiet + slow close lid. And it keeps our bathroom a little more clutter free.

4] Travel cot – Once Em outgrew her Arm’s Reach Co-sleeper, we looked for another alternative and found this travel cot. It’s awesome. Inexpensive. Lightweight. Folds up. Has a cover/sheet. And best of all? It’s very low to the ground in case she were to roll out.

5] Toddler pillow + pillowcase – Once in her toddler bed, we figured she was ready for a sheet + pillow. Finding a set was not easy. I stumbled upon this toddler pillow + case at Pottery Barn. It’s the perfect size.

6] Aden + Anais swaddlers – These muslin swaddlers are still getting lots of use. They make the perfect lightweight + breathable sheet/blanket for her toddler bed.

7] Aden + Anais bib – I love these bibs. They are big to catch the food mess. And, they snap instead of velco which means less hair tangling.

A new year means new shoes. These are the ones that have been on Em’s feet this spring + summer.

1 / An everyday shoe - Em goes to day care twice a week and they require the kids to wear a full shoe with heels + toes covered. Since we loved the Pediped Originals, we moved up to these. At first, we were unsure which to go with – the Grip ‘n’ Go or the Flex. Technically, the Grip ‘n’ Go come after the Originals. However, after trying them on in the store, we quickly realized Em was ready to go straight to the Flex because she was such a confident walker. These shoes go with everything and have held up extremely well!

2 / Knock around shoes -  I resisted Crocs for a while. What made me come around? They are so easy to put on + clean. These were the first shoes Em could put on by herself. They also are the only shoes we found that she can wear without socks and not get blisters.

3 / Sandals - These are super cute sandals with interchangeable bows. As much as I adore them, we’ve realized that all the sandals we’ve tried – including these – give Em blisters. So, we stick with Crocs and use these for special times like pictures.

4 / Water shoes - With frequent trips to the lake house + swimming pools these were a must. They fit well and held up all summer.

In the fall, we plan to get a pair of black Pediped Flex shoes to finish out the school year and to use as her holiday shoes. We also plan to buy another pair of Crocs when she outgrows her current pair. We should be able to get by with just two pairs of shoes since it will soon be too cold for sandals + water shoes.

Previously – em approved // infant shoes age 1

In a couple of weeks, Em will get her first haircut! It’s just a trim but I’m a little nervous and for a silly reason. Her hair is straight except for the ends which spiral into the sweetest curls. I just hope the curls get to stay and they don’t cut them all off. We shall see!