To toddler bed or not to toddler bed

Hazel is still in a crib and we're debating when to move her to a bed. I'm thinking it would be better to move right to a twin size bed and skip the toddler bed all together. Why transition twice? I'm still on the fence about it though. Some people say to wait as long as possible, even until your child starts to try to climb out of their crib.

What if she NEVER tries to climb out of her crib?!

There's a wide range of beds out there, many of which we can't afford (or are really nutso). Here are some of the examples I've found:

This is one of the more reasonable choices.

It's from KidKraft and retails for less than $200. It's clean an modern looking and has a little bench at the end so kids can sit and read or put their shoes on there.

Flexa also makes fairly reasonable beds
with fun add-ons like curtains and slides.

Matrix makes beds with slides as well, though their beds are a bit more finished looking than Flexa. They might be a little too precious for us.

There's always good ol' IKEA

This loft bed is reversible, the bed can either go at the top or the bottom so it grows with your child (if it lasts the rebuilding process). I love this starry tent. I think I would have really enjoyed this bed when I was little.

I love this Oeuf Sparrow trundle bed.For over $1000 (trundle price included) it's a high price to pay for style (for me at least).

Nurseryworks makes a bunk bed with a lot of extra storage but it's a little too modern for my tastes.

I've found some beautiful antique beds on ebay, like this French one. As you can see, it would require supports, it's basically just a frame but it would be nice to get something unique that has character.

Perhaps we'll just get Hazel this little cottage bed from PoshTots.It's only $14,450 but hey, Hazel's worth it.

Strollin, strollin, strollin

Kids love to imitate and I basically guarantee that there will come a time when your child will want to push a stroller. Hazel’s stroller goes out for walks with us, it folds and easily fits under our stroller when she gets tired and needs to ride. It gets run up and down the hallway and acts as an impromptu high chair for dolls & animals. Even though we spent under $10 on it, it seems to never fall apart. There are toy strollers on the market that fit every style and budget from vintage prams to ultra modern. Here are just a few.

You & Me Umbrella Stroller
Metal folding stroller, features a clip for umbrella (sold separately).
$8.99


Chicco Padded stroller
Features swivel wheels, storage basket & reclining seat, for sleepy dolls. Folds.
$34.99


Merrily We Stroll Along
$49
Made from sustainably sourced wood, rubber tires, recommended for indoor use.


Troll Doll Stroller
Handmade of bent birch plywood. Designed by Wolfgang Sirch and Christoph Bitzer. All-surface wheels. Reversible bar faces doll towards you.
$260



English Style 3-in-1 Doll Pram
Includes a pram, carrier and stroller. Has 7.75” wheels.
$32.99

I heart my daughter's highchair

We have the high chair from IKEA and seriously, it's amazing.

We fed our daughter in a bouncy seat until she was sitting upright really well and then switched to the IKEA seat. We wanted the Stokke seat but we haven't looked back since (not once).

It comes apart easily and fits in the trunk of our car for trips to the in-laws (who have no high chair). It has an extremely low profile and goes great with our table. The seat fits under the edge of the table for times we want Hazel to eat with us without a tray. It's all plastic and easy to clean. It doesn't have a million parts and it’s only $25 so if you don't like it, you really haven't made a huge investment.

We actually made no investment because a friend found ours on the side of the road and brought it to our house but I would have paid for it, knowing what I know now.

Six thumbs up (and no I’m not being paid for this endorsement, unfortunately).

The Manipulator

I love these photos by Jill Greenberg...some of them are a little TOO manipulated but they're still excellent. The underwater photos are also great.

Hazel likes...today

MILK!!! Hallelujah, praise Jesus and all that stuff. After a month and a half of not drinking milk, the light finally went on in her head and she loves the stuff. I don't really get it but it works for me. We've been feeding Hazel dairy with every meal hoping to get whatever it is in milk that makes it so important for babies to have, into her. Two days ago, BOOM, she's drinking it like it's the greatest stuff on earth. Yay! Here's a shot of Hazel, pre-milk days, happily sitting with her cup o'water. She still hasn't had juice (the big lie), which is just a-ok with me.

Spinners & Saints

I found this Flickr Group Spinners & Saints and it is so delightful! Hopefully we can follow the instructions and perhaps add our own spinning photo of Hazel one day.

Little Friends

I love this kid's bedding from kukunest, as seen on mod*mom. kukunest has lots of adorable stuff.