Happy Belated Birthday, Logan

Logan turned 1 about 2 months ago and we celebrated with 2 parties. We wanted to host his birthday at home, so decided to split up our friends and family.

On Friday night, March 8th - Logan's actual birthday - we had our family over for cake and pizza (Logan and I ate chili).

After dinner, Logan got his big birthday present - a Hape Wonder Walker. He immediately took off running down the halls with his new wagon. (Sidebar - this is his favorite push toy by far. He can climb into the bed and it holds his weight. He also loves to put stuff in the flatbed and push it around.)

Next it was time for cake. We have a tradition in my family to let the birthday boy or girl attack their own cake, while stripped down because this part can get messy. I made him a smash cake for the occasion. I used Cherrybrook Kitchen cake mix which is dairy, soy and egg free. I used Duncan Hines Classic icing because it is also dairy, soy and egg free. Thank god for allergy alternatives!

After singing to him, we allowed him to dig in.

Except that he wanted no part in this cake. Maybe it was the large amount of people crowded around him, maybe it was being naked, who knows, but he didn't want any part of it. Cory finally helped him figure it out. 

The next time, it was time to reboot and do the party again. This time during lunchtime with Logan's friends. We set up a ball pit in the basement - a huge hit with the 1 year old set.

We also set up every pushing/walking/riding toy we could think of for the older kids. They had a blast!

We decided to give Logan a cupcake this time. We thought he might not be so intimidated by the cupcake....but he was horrified when it was time to sing. My nephews photo bombed our family picture making it the best shot of the party!

After we calmed him down, we fed him cake and took the obligatory family photos.

We also got a shot of all Logan's Hall Mercer friends. He has known these kiddos since he was 6 weeks old! Wouldn't it be great if they were all at each other's weddings one day? Am I the only one who thinks like that?

Toy Review: B. Toys Squeeze Blocks

For Chanukkah, Logan got some squishy blocks. I just got around to giving them to him but here we go.

Battat B. Elememosqueeze

I discovered Logan's obsession with knocking things over when we were in Florida. Whenever we would build a tower of block, Logan would crawl from wherever he was to attack and knock them down. 

While we used wood blocks there, I liked the idea of him having squishy blocks to play with while he is learning the art of building. He's into throwing things and wooden blocks hurt when they make contact with your body. Plus these are soft and nice for teething!

I actually think Cory might like these blocks as much as Logan. He loves to build the towers high and see Logan come knock them down.

They are a simple classic with a soft, colorful update. There are fun shapes to play with and the blocks each have a different letter and animal on them. Eventually, we'll be able to use them to teach Logan his letters and animals too. I love them and so do Cory and Logan. - 4 stars from each of us!

Toy Review: Little Tikes Activity Walker

As I mentioned in this post yesterday, Logan is becoming a champ at walking with push along toys. The one I'm reviewing today was featured in both videos - which is why you might find my review a little surprising.

Little Tikes Activity Walker

Lets start with the look of it. I'm a little confused - He is a nature lover or a postman? It seems like they went half in for each theme. I like the mail cart idea of it, Logan loves to remove the letters and put them in the slots but then why the bugs? The bugs are the part that do the most actually, but logan is interested in them at all - except for the little bee on top.

As for the make well - it's light weight and easy for Logan to maneuver, but the drawers are very off. Whenever he sticks in anything in the slot other than the letters, the bottom drawer flops open. It is an odd design too because the "drawers" are covering one long slot - so the item you put on the green falls to the bottom of the blue space instead of being two separate spots. It is just weird - apparently Logan thinks so too because he is constantly pulling the drawers off - a little too easily I might add.

It is a surprisingly strong piece for hold him though, he pulled himself to standing on it frequently without it toppling over, but when walking time comes around it lists slowly to the left - could that be Logan? I don't think so, but he tries to walk in a straight line and it always ends up hitting the furniture. Maybe it is Logan but I'm not totally sure. 

Anyway, Logan loves to push it around - not because of what it is, but because he is walking. He rarely plays with any part of it, like he does his other push along toys, but then again, he doesn't always push them around. Logan gives it 4 stars. I give it 2 - because it did function, but at the same price and more interesting design, I would put my money on Fisher-Price Bright Beginnings Activity Walker or for more - my personal favorite and a future birthday present I think - Hape Wonder Walker. The Wonder walker is on our list because of the wagon compartment. I think Logan will be using this to haul blocks to the construction site or pick up food at the grocery story during his pretend play years.

Any one else have a good activity walker? 

Toy Review: B. Sugar Chute

I originally saw this toy in the One Step Ahead Catalog and passed it by, then we got Logan the B. Zany Zoo and after we fell in love, I looked up the company on Amazon. This toy had mixed reviews, but after looking at it again and doing more research, I decided to get it for Logan for Chanukah.

B. Sugar Chute - Mango

I bought this because the reviews that I read said their kids loved the balls and Logan is very into throwing balls right now. He just sort of flings them in the air and they go pretty high. He had been using the wooden balls from the Haba pound bench I reviewed here, but those are solid wood and they hurt. Enter these light weight, plastic balls instead.

Every review I read mentioned the balls as being their toddler's favorite and that is certainly true for Logan. He uses them all the time, rolling them, throwing them, hiding them under the ottoman, and my personal favorite, holding the ones that make noise in his hand and moving his wrist back and forth to hear it. I am a little sad that of the 12 balls, 4 are solid, 4 are patterned and only 4 make noise. The ones that make noise are his favorites and I wish their were a few more in the pack.

This toy was designed to help kids learn cause and effect through using a lever, knob and key to release the balls to the bottom of the container. My cousin demonstrated the toy to Logan when he got it the first night and while the lever seemed hard to push at first, it has loosened over time. In fact, Logan can push it down already at 10 months old. Logan also likes to lift the cover up and down, removing the balls and putting them back inside the opening.

With encouragement, I can get Logan to fill the balls back into the container, though that is clearly not his favorite part. When he is seated, the Sugar Chute is actually pretty close to his size, so more often than not, he just tips it over.

As much as I love the knobs, fill and spill, and cause and effect part of this toy - it is still a little advanced for him. He really only plays with the balls for any length of time. In all fairness, it is labeled as being for kids 12 months and up.

All in all, I'd give it 3.5 stars. It has good potential for growing with him and he plays with it everyday, but I really am sad about the balls. I might come back and reevaluate this one based on how he plays with it when he gets a little older.

I think Logan might actually rank this one a little higher than I would - a 5 for the balls and a 3.5 for the actual machine.

Did anyone else have a similar experience with this toy?

Toy Review: Playskool Rocktivity Music Skool Table

I wanted to review a toy that Logan has had for awhile, the activity table he has from Playskool. We bought it back in September when Logan started trying to pull himself up on everything. I waite to review it to see how he would grow with it. But now that he can stand on everything now, I thought it was time to weight in.

Playskool Rocktivity Music Skool Table

I adore this activity stand. It has a ton of great features - like music mode and learning mode. Also it has spanish which I like to listen to for myself to switch things up. Additionally, the legs come off which is how we introduced it to Logan. We didn't buy this until he had been sitting up for a month or two, but it would have worked at 5 months old for us. 

Logan was immediately taken with the microphone which comes out and is a stand alone rattle. He use to just put it in and take it out repeatedly. After about a month, we ended up putting the legs back on. While we bought it to help him stand, when he was first learning he put too much of his weight on the table and it tipped over too easily. 

Once the legs were back on he stood up and discovered the piano keys and the guitar buttons. He only recently started using the drum and he just discovered the DJ spinner two days ago. Honestly, the DJ spinner is my favorite part. It sounds very realistic and when logan stood up and used it - it was the cutest, funniest thing ever. He was a little DJ spinning beats in a club. 

There are a lot of layers to this sound machine and not many lights which I like. When you hit the keys for the piano it plays a song (ABC by the jackson five) while the song is playing if you hit the guitar button, the piano button or the drum button, that instrument gets layered into the song so you can have all, one, two or none going to the song. It allows Logan to hear what the different instruments do in a piece of music and he likes making the sounds of the songs change again and again. The only part that lights up is the 3 starts above the piano keys. They are faint lights too and Logan completely ignores them which is great.

I really did my research before picking this table, but ultimately, I took Logan into target - put 4 in front of him and watched him interact with them. I vetoed the fisher price one IMMEDIATELY - too many flashing lights and loud noises. It was between this one and the leapfrog version but I'm really happy with this one. Unlike some of the others on the market, this one has a theme and not just a bunch of random stuff on a table.

 I think Logan would give it 5 stars. I would give it 4.5 - I do wish it was a little sturdier for when he was LEARNING to stand, but now that he has mastered standing it works like a dream and is plenty sturdy. 

Does anyone else have this table?

Subscription Addiction: December Little PNuts

While I was away, Logan's first Little Pnuts package arrived.

I was so eager to open it that I forgot to take photos! These Amazon pictures will have to do instead. So first, I was REALLY excited...maybe a little too excited. I feel like I have been setting the bar so high for each subscription box that I can't seem to have them quite meet my expectations except this one.

First we got the Haba Allegro Stacking Ball

I gave this ball to Logan who immediately started to roll it around and eat it. He loves a good ball so this was a hit. I attempted to show him it was a stacking toy too but he wasn't overly interested. He pulled it apart a couple times, but he hasn't figured out how to put them back on the pole yet. Hopefully, he'll learn to use it in a month or so. Really cute toy that I wish I'd had earlier in the fall.

Next he got a Sevi Mini Pull Along Zebra Toy

I actually had a different pull toy on my list for Logan for his birthday (the one I mentioned in this post) so I was equally parts excited and sad to get this one. I was happy that he got a pull toy and that I wouldn't need to buy one for him after all - I decided to put it away for his bday, but I was sad that he wasn't going to get the one I'd picked out months ago. I might still get him that one...you can always have 2 right? This one is rather on the small side but is so adorably cute - the wheels are uneven so it has a little wobbly gait to it that is so fun!

Lastly, he got SEVI Jumping Jacks Stork

Like the pull toy, I was going to buy a Sevi Jumping Jack Basketball player for him for Hannukah next year. The warning say its for a 3 year old and since Logan puts EVERYTHING in his mouth, I'm not comfortable giving it to him yet, but this stork is REALLY, REALLY cute. So its going in the toy closet and he'll get it for his birthday instead.

So my analysis....well first I should note a couple of things. The total value of these items is about $53.00- $60.00 depending on where you are shopping for them. The quarterly subscription price for Little PNuts is $75.00. This is not one like Citrus Lane or Stork Stack that promises to get you boxes with items above what you pay, rather it is a service that finds unique toys so you don't have to do the legwork yourself.

I really, really LOVE the service that Little PNuts provides. I think the idea is amazing because there are far too many battery operated toys out there. Honestly, I would give this to anyone for sure. My only hesitation so far, is that I am a toy nut and 2 of the 3 products I received I had found and was ready to purchase. On one hand it saved me the money of purchasing addition toys (this subscription was a gift remember), on the other hand - I LOVE researching and finding unique toys for Logan. Soo..Little Pnuts and I are doing the same work - and coming up with the same conclusions - again mixed feelings on this (Yeah to me for finding the awesome stuff experts are recommending - sad face that I don't get to find some crazy new toy  I've never heard of.) 

That being said: I would 100% recommend this service because most people do not spend HOURS a week picking out cute toys and I believe whole heartily that simple, beautiful toys likes these inspire the best play and learning experiences and more children could use access to stuff like this as opposed to flashing lights, hours of TV and loud noises. 

I hope I laid out the differences between Little Pnuts and the rest of the bunch. I love them and can't wait to get the March shipment!

Toy Review: Travel Toys

This post is going to be a toy review/travel advice hybrid - tips and tricks from my 2 flights with a 9 month old.

Lets start with the advice part first:

1. Nurse during take off and landing (or give a bottle or a paci.) This little item is a positive and negative. Lets start with the negative first shall we? The eminem wannabe next to me saw my boob at least 4 times - even though I took every precaution to stay cover. On the positive side it definitely helped his ears. Case in point, when we started our descent and he turned to me, made a funny face and grabbed his ears, I quickly got him situated and he nursed the pain away.

2. Fly during nap time. The nap timing worked well with tip 1 - Logan fell asleep while nursing for take off and sleep 30 - 45 minutes each flight without any hassle.

3. Have extra diapers and wipes. Logan definitely pooped mid-flight. Not fun. Messy but Cory handled it (thank goodness!)

4. Bring a variety of toys that are small, inexpensive (incase you lose them) and NEW (novelty is a big help here. Now, onto the toy reviews.

We bought a number of new toys for Logan to play with - none of which made enough noise to bother our fellow passengers. All of these were under 8 dollars!

First up: Viking Toys Little Chubbies

Logan thought these were OK. He liked when we made car noises (he can say vroom for car now!) but they only kept him occupied for a little while. I've decided to put them away and try them again when we go on our next trip. They are made for slightly older kids, so these may be a bigger hit later on.

Next up: Melissa & Doug Giraffe Grasping Toy

On the flight up, the grandpa sitting next to us thought it was such a cool toy! I loved twisting it and Logan loves teething on the giraffe head. Again, a cool toy but may get more interest as he gets older. I put this one away again too.

Also: Schylling Ambi Twin Rattle

LOVED this toy. A local toy store owner recommended it to me and I had my doubts but Logan was fascinated by it. It kept him occupied for 15 minutes the first time as he tried to figure out how they moved around.

Next: Tolo Squeaky Dog

The second favorite toy of the trip - Logan loved the squeaky action and the puppy face - he even learned to say "dog" during our trip. He kept Logan occupied during meals out too. This will be permanently in my diaper bag for sure! Cory also started putting the dog on logan's head and logan thought that was too funny!

Finally: Tolo First Friends Piglet

The runaway favorite of the trip. This piggy will be with me at all times. I am actually going to buy another one soon to have for back up. Whenever we brought out piggy, Logan instantly started laughing and smiling. He held him and teethed on this nose and ears and he loved to twist his head and hear the clicking noise. Also used in the toy-on-head game, I think I might buy him a dinosaur or other farm animals from this series for his birthday (which is only two weeks away!!)

So there you have it! Any good tips you can think of that I am missing? Any good toys to bring with us next time?