Things I Love - kid edition

1. Plastic Plates, Bowls and Silverware from IKEA

These are SUPER cheap - $1.99 per six piece set of each at IKEA. We use them daily. Mostly Lauren uses them, but I use them, too. The plates are great for a quick snack and the bowls make great prep bowls for cooking.

2. Britax Car Seat

I didn't think I'd really have an opinion about car seats when we first bought one. But I've seen car seats used by friends and family, and had to borrow car seats when we travel, and I really do love the Britax seat. It feels sturdier and safer than others, and it has handy little features, like velcro to hold the straps to the side when taking Lauren in and out of the seat. We just bought a second one for Natalie to use as soon as she's ready to face forward.

3. Books by Sandra Boynton

I can recite "The Going To Bed Book" from memory. I used to read it to Lauren all the time. I whisper it to Natalie when I'm trying to calm her. The books have adorable illustrations and a great tempo. You can almost sing each one of them. I do sing a lot of them, actually. Lissa just brought us the Spanish version of "Moo, Baa, La La La" (which is translated as "Muu, Bee, Asi Fue!"). Here is Sandra Boynton's website, and her books are available all over the place.

4. "Snacktime" by the Barenaked Ladies

Abby recommended this album to me. Lauren loves and I love it. I listen to it even when she's not around. My favorite song is "The Ninjas" and Lauren likes "Popcorn". She sings a lot of the songs on her own, out of nowhere it seems. It doesn't grate on parents like all those Kids Bop cover albums or how many repeats of "Wheels on the Bus". These get stuck in your head in a good way. This band is clever and really shows an ability to produce diverse music. Amazon sells it for $11.99, and you can listen to samples of the songs using the same link.