Whether you are mom-to-be or a new momma, you can find endless lists of what you MUST have to survive the newborn and early baby stage. A few years go by and people start to think you are an expert and no longer need advice or product information. Moms of toddlers know this is not true at all. Toddlers are their own unique form of crazy!
I am smack dab in the middle of toddlerdom and have put together a list of some must haves for this stage. Some of these are solutions to problems I have encountered; others are just pure convenience and/or cuteness. 
Munchkin Miracle 360 Cup – Your toddler no longer needs bottles, he or she bites the crap out of straws, and yet has not mastered the art of cup drinking. Do you find yourself here? The Munchkin Miracle Cup is your solution. One day at lunch I saw a child with this cup. I politely asked the mother what it was and then proceeded to the nearest store. My goodness, it is amazing! Not only is it leak proof – I challenge you to get it to leak – but it also starts teaching the process of cup drinking. After a few months of using it, my son is much better at this milestone. It’s great for traveling, preschool, and church as well.
Hanna Anderson PJs – My son was rapidly growing out of the zip-up pajamas, it was getting hot outside and yet all the common two-piece brands were SKIN tight. I know that pjs are supposed to be snug, but not cut off circulation snug! I posed this problem to a helpful Facebook forum and the majority of moms recommended Hanna Anderson. At first glance, I was not at all excited about the price. They can run about $$$ on the money scale. I bought some on sale in order to try them out. Y’all, these are worth every penny! Not only do they fit great, snug but they are also not tight. They feel amazing. They are made of 100 percent organic cotton and DO NOT SHRINK! I am notorious for shrinking clothes and despite my best attempts, none of our Hanna Anderson’s have lost their shape or size. These will be on the birthday and Christmas wish lists for a long time!
Intex Kidz Travel Bed – You are ready to go on your family vacation and realize there is no way your taller than average toddler is going to fit in a pack-n-play. Again, I asked around and discovered this little gem of a travel bed. We used this for a 10 day beach trip, week long stay at grandparent’s house, and two hotel stays. Needless to say, we have used it a lot! Pros: Easy to pack, great price, comfortable, quiet to sleep on, uses regular size crib sheets, built in railings. Cons: the hand pump is a workout and your toddler needs to be used to sleeping out of their crib. I thought about this last issue, and we practiced several weeks before our trip. It went surprisingly well. But, I know this could have gone the other way (whole other blog topic). If your toddler can sleep out of a crib pretty well, then this travel bed will be your best friend for any kind of overnighters.
Bumkins Diaper Liners – Confession: we are NOT potty trained. (Pause for criticism and judgment.) However, my little guy is not so little and is rapidly growing out of the size 6 night diapers. Every morning I would find his sheets and PJs soaking wet. I reached out again (see a trend here) to other moms and discovered these diaper liners. Their original use is for cloth diapers to help ease the mess since they are flushable. I started putting about 3-4 liners inside my son’s night diaper and it dramatically reduced the number of morning time soaks. It does not work 100 percent of the time, but enough to be list worthy.
Boo Boo Bunny – Yes, you read that correctly. This is one of those things where you kick yourself for not coming up with it first. I mean, really!?!? A bunny shaped ice pack that make boos boos disappear? Mommas, this thing is magic! From small to large boos boos, this bunny will stop those crocodile tears in a second. Except, of course, if you cannot find the bunny in your time of need. In that case, I recommend having a back up. (Nothing to fret over. The bunny was later found in the Little People’s Zoo because why would you not put a bunny in the zoo! Toddler brains are so strange.)
As I was writing this piece, I came to realize that no matter what stage you are going through or what problems you encounter, chances are someone has been through it before you. For the most part moms love to share their experiences and pass on nuggets of information. Don’t stay stuck in a rut! Ask a friend, family member, or write to the FWMB. We love to help out fellow Tarrant County mommas.
What products have you found helpful during the toddler years?
