Another lesson I’ve learned: You never really know what you need until you start using things. I’ve learned a lot from other mothers and even more from my own using.
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- If you’re going to get a Diaper Genie, get the one with the step not the one you have to hand push the diaper into with your bare hands.
Jan 1, 2013.
2 weeks away from 18 months. - A small heater has come in handy for Mila’s nursery. We have a decent sized house and to keep the entire thing heated, especially throughout the night, can get pretty expensive. We have a small heater that runs on a thermostat in Mila’s room. When the temperature gets too low, it kicks on, always keeping Mila’s room at a nice 71 degrees. We set the heater this high because she doesn’t like to be bundled and kicks her blankets off almost immediately after going to bed.
- A humidifier is a must in the winter time. The air gets so dry, add to that the space heater, and Mila gets all dried out. Don’t be fooled – a humidifier is a humidifier. You don’t need to spend a lot on a baby-advertised humidifier when a regular one does just fine.
- Block books, or any book with thick pages that a baby can’t rip, are good for babies and toddlers. Mila loves her books – even to munch on.
- Decals or some other form of visual entertainment is a must for those areas that have none, like the changing table.
- I’m sure I don’t have to say it, but I will. A thermometer and safety kit is a must. You can tell when your baby is running hot – you can feel it. To know exactly how hot and when it’s time to get on the phone with a doctor can only be determined by a thermometer. We have a standard thermometer that I stick in Mila’s arm pit
when I need to take her temperature and we have a temporal thermometer. The latter helps when Mila won’t sit still. That one works best behind the ear. - Toy bins are great. I picked a couple of these up at Target for $10 and it makes clean-up so easy. Sure, it’s not as pretty as a stand with different baskets (which Mila would certainly destroy) or a toy box (that Mila may hurt herself on), but it does the job and holds up to Mila’s abusiveness*.
- Remember those mesh snack holders? Well, they’re kind of difficult to clean, (and the dishwasher leaves them less than desirable). I found that a nail brush works great to clean them.
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Check out other tips, tools, fixes and baby items.
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*Apparently I make up my own words…
