DIY FELT EGG

For fun, I decided to make the LO a felt egg.  Pinterest has a lot of tutorials and templates on DIY felt foods and it was so tempting to make all of them!  I decided to make the egg because it seemed the easiest.  I didn't even use any template for this one.  

DIY CARDBOARD KITCHEN

I have been eyeing Ikea's kitchen for a while now for the LO.  But when we went to Ikea, it was still a bit high for her, so I did the next best thing... I made her a kitchen made of cardboard box.

BUSY BIN: COFFEE CUP HOLE FILLER

Do you know there's a lot of free stuff out there for the taking? Amazing what you could come up with a little creativity.  Here is the LO playing with coffee lid hole covers (I am not sure what you actually call them lol) that I got from a coffee shop. 

BUSY BIN: STRAWS

 Are you familiar with task boxes? I LOVE them.  Task boxes aims to help children concentrate and focus on a tasks.  Task boxes are very structured.  They have one goal in mind -- transferring one object from a container to another container, sorting objects by color or completing a pattern.  They could also be easily made using a shoe box.  Though I love the idea of task boxes, I do not like the idea of how much space it will take if I were to make them.  We live in a 480 square feet after all.

DUKE'S CARDBOARD KITCHEN

How cute is this? This is Duke's kitchen made out of a cardboard box! My friend Cita made this for the little guy using a box, markers, tape and paper!

HOW TO INTRODUCE A SHAPE SORTER TOY TO A TODDLER

Does your toddler get frustrated when playing with a shape a sorter toy? Mine does.  Shape sorter toys are great for toddlers. It helps them with their eye hand coordination, pincer and palmar grasps and problem solving skills.  Introducing a shape sorter toy is a little bit tricky.  The LO is only 16 months and she gets frustrated that she can't fit a shape into a hole.  So, I had to go back a step and teach her to put objects into a container first.  I started with an open basket then moved towards to a plastic container to a pringles tube.  All sucesses!! The key is to gradually introduce a smaller hole opening.  Now, here's the next dilemna, as you introduce a new concept, you need to make sure that it is challenging enough that it pushes the LO to persevere but not difficult enough that she will just give up.

LO'S FIRST BAG

The LO is obsessed with my bag.  She dives into it and go for the good stuffs -- my wallet, keys and planner.  She walks around the house with my bag in her arm or my Iphone in her ear.  I figured, I can buy her her own very bag and found this in Amazon: Kidoozie My First Purse

HOW TO PACK BABY CLOTHES USIING ZIPLOCK BAGS

 It is common knowledge among my friends that when I travel, I travel light. I once traveled with a back pack for a 3 day weekend.  Now, however, that we have a toddler, packing has taken a new meaning.  It now means check in baggage, mixed up clothing and looking for things in a haystack.  On our first family trip, I over packed.  Half of our check in luggage was LO's; and her clothes are tiny compared to my clothes and my husband's.