Calvin turns 15 months old this week (How?!?!), and after seeing Kelley's 6-9 month favorites, I realized that I never posted my own favorites for my own for months 9-12! At the start of 9 months (in February), Calvin was just learning to crawl, so a lot of these favorite have to do with movement. Then, by the time he was a year old in May, we were in full lockdown from COVID-19, and we spent (and still are spending) countless hours at home. We are making the most of it, so investments like the tricycle and a snack tray for each stroller are so worth it.
1. Crib rail covers: Calvin loves to chew on. anything. I started seeing little bits of something (turns out it was paint) on his face, so when I realized he was chewing his rails, I bought these. They tie on and don't really keep him from chewing but does keep him from destroying his crib and eating paint.
2. Bookshelves: These are close to the ground, next to his crib, and he loves picking what books to read and handing them to me!
3. Books: Calvin loves to read. He has tons of favorites, but anything with sounds or that move are on top of the list. His favorites at this age were: Noisy Baby Animals (sounds), Trucks (lift the flap), and Hello Farm (indestructible books).
4. Baby gate: Well, technically this was a pet gate so that the cats could get up and down the stairs, but this one works great. It's tall and wide enough for the top of our stairs.
5. Snack trays for Uppababy and BOB strollers: Since it's so hot out, we got both of these trays to keep his water bottle when we walk. He also loves bringing little toys with him on walks.
6. Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Tricycle: I got this in my neighborhood swap group for $10 and could not believe how expensive they are! I would absolutely not pay full price for this, so make sure you check out your local Facebook marketplace. That being said, it is actually worth its weight in gold because Calvin LOVES his tricycle rides around the block.
7. Melissa and Doug wooden toys: These are the best quality toys I've found. These are other Facebook swap group finds, and Calvin especially anything with moving parts and wheels like this car carrier: up and down lift, cars that roll, helicopter that spins.
8. Toddler utensils: A few months ago, when using his baby utensils, Calvin kept yelling and pointing at our fork. We switched to these and he loves them (I think they feel more like "big boy" utensils).
9. Golf set: Calvin just loves throwing balls and hitting them with the clubs. This is a toy I didn't picture using until he was older, but he's obsessed with it, when I ask him if he wants to "play golf" every morning, he crawls right out to the loft and grabs the balls.
10. Bubbles: We need to get a battery-powered bubble blower, because the amount of time I spend blowing bubbles is crazy haha! This little one is so great!
If you missed it, you can click on the photos below to see our other favorites:
