At 18 months, Laura and Brady's love for toys is growing faster than they are. At 12 months and even now, they are all about toys they can push around the house. These are just a few of their favourites.
Bought originally for Laura, Brady plays with this toy as well. They both put everything from babies, stuffed animals, etc. in it and push it around. Very sturdy toy, so it's especially great if your toddler is just starting to walk.
Laura and Brady each have this ride on toy. Bought for them at 4 months old, Grandpa thought they needed it then wink, wink! Although it was several months later before they could ride on it, they loved it. So much so, they both still push and ride them around the house. FYI - if there's something we can't find of theirs, they have usually hid under the seat of this toy.
This has been a toy that Brady and Laura have fought over from the start. Perfect height for toddler's to sit on. When sitting on the chair it sings abc's, etc. With all of the musical features, this toy kept the twins busy for hours. Easy to clean as well.
All of these toys are available to buy from the ToyBox toy store.
Although this is in the 6-12 months category, the twins were in it by 4 months. This toy jumperoo is a little different than the one Laura and Brady had. However we thought the vibrating chair was a lifesaver, well the toy jumperoo was a sanity-saver! We ended up getting a second one so the twins could jump together. They loved it and so did Mommy and Daddy.
Laura and Brady were given this toy a little later then 12 months. However, I am sure they would have enjoyed it just as much if they had gotten it earlier. Doesn't take up much space, easy cleaning.
Another great toy that is taking up minimal space in our home. Easy cleaning too. Like the Little Tikes kitchen, this workshop was great for developing the twins motor skills.
All of these toys are available to buy from the ToyBox toy store
Laura and Brady played on this for hours. Twins friendly as both fit under it together for quite sometime. It's great for tummy time. At 18 months they're still playing with the toy monkey that lights up. Machine washable, hang dry, very little fading.
Lifesaver or should I say sleep saver! Brady didn't like the vibration at all. Laura spent a lot of time her in chair. The vibration calmed her. They enjoyed playing with the toy rattles as well.
Why didn't I consider this classic disney movie earlier?
So I think every child has a movie they watch over and over again. For Laura it has been the New Kids on the Block live performances from the Coming Home DVD. Not sure if it's because the twins attended I think 3 concerts while in the comfort of my belly or not, but she definitely loves them. Her preference is the DVD but she'll dance to their cd's as well. Both Laura and Brady have started with the famous "oh,oh,oh,oh"
Enter the Christmas season and out comes Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer the Movie. This animated movie is filled with great music and lovable characters. Prior to this past Christmas season I had never seen this version. Both Laura and Brady were glued to the television screen anytime it was put on.
Now let me be clear, I don't want people to think that all the twins do is watch television. I don't agree with them watching television all day everyday. But when it comes to preparing meals in my house, throwing on a movie to occupy them has served to be a lifesaver. It has avoided several tantrums which would have resulted in time-outs.
By mid January this Mommy had watched Rudolph, one too many times. I think I had started recited the movie in my sleep. I tried a few others animated movies to see if they would capture their attention long enough for me to prepare a meal, but no such luck. It was the music in the Rudolph movie that they loved so much. I needed to find a good children's movie with a lot of music but still good lessons for the children to learn.
It came to be one day, Mary Poppins . I had watched it several times myself as a child and loved it. I leery about the lack of animation in the film. Meaning I wasn't sure if they would reman enthralled by the movie, even though it wasn't animated the whole way through. Who's kidding who though, a classic, is a classic. They loved officially love Mary Poppins.
Here we are mid February, one month later and it's still being put in the VCR at least once a day. I'm glad they like it. I had forgot how much I enjoyed the movie. I catch myself singing the catchy songs during the day. Mary Poppins was one of their father's favourite movies as well. It's nice to put a movie on that the whole family can sit down and enjoy together.
It's also nice to put on a classic film that occupies the children and you are able sing-a-long with while trying to prepare a meal.
Thus far, the twins haven't had a lot of encounters with snow. They've come out with me a couple of times during the wretched task of snow shoveling, but other then that, they've been looking at it from the warmth of the house. Their first encounter with snow was funny, they more or less didn't move. Brady in particular, I believe he thinks once his feet are buried in the snow he's unable to move.
I have tried to play with them in the snow. Throwing it up in the air, making snow angels, etc. but they have continued to look at me like I am crazy. I'm sure have looked a little funny but I really want them to enjoy being outside all year round, not just the warmer months. At one point they ate the snow, no it was not yellow, I checked first. And to date I think that was probably what they enjoyed most, eating it. Can't blame them, I know I've ate snow once or twice. I don't remember eating any yellow snow, but it probably happened.
I figured what the twins needed was some time outside playing with other children. Seeing that Mommy isn't the only one who makes snow angels. To let Brady know that children try hard enough they can walk through snow. This being said, there wasn't a chance I could turn down a tobogganing invite from their Auntie Jennifer and some of her children. I had assumed they would love it, especially since playing with their cousins is one of their favourite things to do.
So this past weekend my husband and I bundled up Brady and Laura and off we went to experience their first rush of racing down a hill on a toboggan. Okay they didn't necessarily race down the hill, they are only 17 months old, but they did go down it. For safety reasons, we started a little more than half way down the hill. Laura was with her Auntie Jennifer and Brady was with me, their father waited anxiously at the bottom of the hill in case of any crashes. Down we went, Brady didn't make a sound the whole way down. I didn't hear anything from Laura and Auntie Jennifer's toboggan either, that is until they reached the bottom.
Sure enough once we reached the bottom, Laura let out the strangest cry. It was a cry/laugh mix. I'm sure every parent has heard it before, when their child can't seem to make up their mind, are they happy or not? I believe this is just what happened to Laura, that combined with her being a little tired. We didn't make her go down again. Brady, on the other hand went down again, but he wasn't much for it the second the time.
Needless to say I enjoyed the tobogganing trip with Auntie Jennifer and her girls. My plan of getting the twins to enjoy snow..... well we'll have to see next time they go out. For now we can say they have tobogganed, whether or not they enjoyed it, well ......... Mommy did.
