Critical Baby Gear/Gizmos/Thingamajigs: 9 to 12 Months

November | December | January

And just like that, he’s one. I have a one year old. My baby isn’t a baby anymore, he’s a toddler. Excuse me while I go cry about that melancholy fact. While I’m off mourning my teeny tiny little baby, you can check out my most recent favorite baby products. These last three months have been cold winter months here in northern Utah. Read on for my recommendations for 9 to 12 month old babies.

SLEEP AND COMFORT

• LetsFit White Noise Machine – our original portable white noise machine stopped working reliably after about 8 months of daily use. We still have it and keep it in the diaper bag for emergencies, but we replaced it with this one, and I actually prefer it! It’s louder, the battery lasts longer, and you can set it to run for a certain amount of time.
• FridaBaby Humidifier – with the changing of the seasons and the very cold, dry air, Calvin started sounding really froggy and his nose got all chapped. I really like this humidifier for him. It will run all night, I can add essential oils, and it has a night light option if I want to use that.
• Crib Mattress Protector – Calvin is a stomach sleeper, so he will occasionally pee through his diaper and these have kept his mattress in pristine condition. They work fabulously and fit our mattress safe and snug.
• BIBS Pacifiers – I’ve mentioned these pacifiers before, but we got new ones for Cal in the bigger size. We also got all shades of blue. That way, if we decide to add another baby to the family before he is weaned from his soothers, we can get the new baby a different color (yellow or pink or green or whatever) and we can always know who’s is who’s and we can keep toddler germs away from newborn baby’s mouth as much as possible.

FEEDING

• Boon Pulp Silicone Feeder – Calvin cut his first tooth in early November and it was a rough go for a little while. This little gizmo looks like a popsicle. You fill the silicone top with frozen fruit or milk and let baby naw on it. Calvin really enjoyed it during teething.
• Ezpz Mini Mat – once I started feeding Cal fewer purees and more of our food, having multiple sections on his plate was helpful. I love this mat at least as much as I love the ezpz bowl that we have.
• Reusable Pouches and Softsip Tops – I don’t often give Calvin pouches (because we don’t go places often) but it is nice to have one with me in case he gets hangry. I can fill these with my own mixes. I also love the tops. They can be used with any pouch and they keep Cal from squeezing the pouch and squirting food everywhere.
• Happy Baby Organic Teethers (Crackers) – Calvin loves these things. They’re definitely his favorite snack. Easy to pack, easy for him to eat, and I can spread a thin layer of peanut butter or avocado on it for a little more substance.
• RePlay Plates, Bowls, Sippy-Cups and Utensils – I absolutely love these dishes. They all clean up so nicely and they are eco-friendly. The plates have good sized sections and deep walls. The bowls are the perfect size for little portions. The sippy-cups are easy to clean, minimal parts, and leak proof. The utensils are the perfect size for toddlers to use.

HELPFUL AND CONVENIENT

• Columbia Snuggly Bunny Bunting – I purchased this bunting during a sale and got it for 60% off, but I honestly think it would have been worth paying full price. I purchased the 6-12 month size and even though it was huge on him at 6 months, he wasn’t mobile yet so it didn’t really matter. This bunting will fit throughout the rest of the cold season, it’s easy to put on, keeps him toasty warm, and will hold up for future babies to use.
• LazyOne Trapper Hat – this hat is by far the easiest one to put on Calvin’s head. It keeps him nice and warm, covers his ears, and it is perfect for going on walks in sub-freezing temperatures. I especially like that I can velcro it under his chin and it keeps his cheeks, jaw, chin, and neck warm too.
• Buff – I have two of these nifty little pieces of gear, so I decided to throw one on Calvin before taking him outside one bitterly cold day. It was so awesome. I could pull it up on his jaw to protect his neck from the cold and wind, without covering his nose or mouth and all and compromising his airway. I’m very careful to watch him when he’s wearing it and not leave him unsupervised (because it is around his neck after all). But for those really cold days, this has been awesome. They even come in kid’s sizes, but I just used my Original Buff on Calvin.

TOYS AND ENTERTAINMENT

• Lovevery Playkits – after being gifted the 5-6 Month (The Sensor) and 7-8 Month (The Inspector) playkits, we decided to purchase a subscription for Cal. We’ve now received the 9-10 Month (The Explorer) and 11-12 Month (The Thinker) kits and he loved each of them just as much as the first two. Like, over an hour of independent playtime the night we opened The Explorer kit. I highly recommend these toy kits. Every time we get one, I am reassured that my child is a genius.
• Wooden Walker – this walker was easily one of Calvin’s favorite gifts he received at Christmas. He had been pushing our bar stools around the apartment for weeks, but it wasn’t the safest play option. The second he figured out what the walker was for, he was absolutely delighted. This shipped from a Canadian company, but was delivered fairly quickly.
• Never Touch A… Books – Calvin absolutely loves these books! We started with Never Touch a Shark and he got three more for Christmas. They are, by far, his favorites. He will sit through the same one three or four times.

• Toys on a “Leash” – one day, Calvin found an old remote with a wrist strap on it and he dragged that remote around all afternoon. Ever since, he has loved to drag anything he can find along behind him. A tied up ball of yarn, a remote with a strap, a charging cord with an outlet block on the end…he loves them all. Don’t worry, I constantly supervise him to make sure he stays untangled and unstrangled.
• The Outdoors – this isn’t really a product, but my boy loves to be outside. I’ve also found that a really effective technique to help him calm down when he’s upset is to drastically change his environment. Sometimes we’ll go into the bathroom and play with the light switch, sometimes we’ll go out and just sit in the car with the heater running, but his absolute favorite is to just go outside. He doesn’t even need to be entertained, he likes to simply be outside.
• Melissa and Doug Geometric Stacker – my son really likes to unstack things. As you can imagine, this makes folding laundry anywhere near him very difficult. It also makes this toy a favorite of his. It’s a lovely toy and the quality it great. It also has a sticker on the bottom that suggests other ways to play to encourage thinking and problem solving with your little one.
• Mushie Stacking Cups – Calvin is recently interested in discovered what items will fit inside of other items. These stacking cups have been so fascinating for him lately and they are beautiful to boot! Easy to throw into the diaper bag and easy to clean slobber and food off of.

And just like that, a year of baby products has come and gone. Keep an eye out for my 18 and 24 month updates as we embark on a brand new adventure…toddlerhood.