8 great easter basket ideas for babies and toddlers

/

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission on anything purchased through those links (at no extra cost to you, of course). For more info, see my complete disclosure.

I can't believe it's almost the end of March already! Spring is here, and here in Germany, the storefronts are filled with Easter decorations galore. As a parent, one of the most fun things is getting to celebrate all these holidays with Miles and implement traditions that he'll hopefully cherish long into adulthood.

My sweet baby boy last Easter... where oh where did the time go?!

My sweet baby boy last Easter... where oh where did the time go?!

Leading up to Easter Sunday when I was a kid, we'd dye eggs in plastic cups using the kit from the grocery store, and I'd get a new dress and ruffled socks to wear with a fresh pair of white Mary Janes. We'd head up to my grandparents house for lunch and an Easter egg hunt with all my cousins, usually followed up with shooting some basketball in the driveway, playing on the swingset, or running down the huge grassy hill (after we'd exchanged our Sunday bests for shorts and tees, of course). Most of the Easter baskets I received as a child involved plastic eggs filled with candy, a chocolate bunny, and loads of plastic green grass that would end up everywhere. But, seeing as Miles is only a little over a year old, candy's not yet in the cards, so I've learned to get more creative with ideas to fill his basket. Here are some of my favorites this year...

 

A sweet pair of Easter jammies from Hanna Andersson is always number one on my list. I got a pair with a more babyish pattern (seen in the photo up top) for my sweet little four month old last year, but this go-round, I'm loving this Peanuts pair. If you've never bought a pair of Hanna Andersson's pajamas, you (and your little one) are missing out. They hold up well to multiple washings and fit for a good long time because most are footless.

 

Freeze Dried Fruit is a great (and healthy) substitute for candy for really little ones. Unlike regular dried fruit which can be a choking hazard, freeze dried fruit dissolves quickly and is easy to chew with few teeth. Miles sees these as such a treat, and you don't have to feel bad about rotting their teeth out.

 

Egg Shaped Crayons are easy for little guys and gals to hold on to and fit perfectly with the theme of the holiday. My little guy has recently gotten the hang of crayons (and stopped trying to eat them) and loves to draw on a nice big sheet of paper on the floor.

 

I am utterly obsessed with these magnetic, wooden Tegu blocks. We got a set at Christmas for Miles, and they provide loads of entertainment. For younger toddlers, they're amused just by the magnets and putting the blocks into and out of the pouch. Now, at 16 months, the little dude is starting to get interested in actually building things. There are lots of variations available, but a bonus to this set is that they're the perfect size for travel and fit easily into a diaper bag.

 

A classic children's book is never a bad idea, and I just love this board book format with the original illustrations. We're currently in a real paper ripping phase, so books that can withstand a toddler boy are a must. If this one's already on your shelf, here's a whole plethora of Easter themed books to choose from.

 

I am a little obsessed with the multicolor look of this sweet, soft little bunny from Jellycat. I have so many friends who are not into stuffed animals for their kids, but around our house, we love 'em. Miles hugs them and kisses them and tickles them and talks to them, and it's just the cutest thing ever. 

 

Everyone has the alphabet magnets for their fridge, but how cute are these wooden farm animal magnets?! And I love that they come in a milk carton!

Once you've got the goods, of course you need an adorable basket to put it all in. We bought one last year here in Germany, but I'm a little obsessed with this cutie from Land of Nod. I would even be tempted to keep it out as a nursery decoration.

Just as a personal preference, I would totally not include ALL of these items in one Easter basket. Personally, I find it a little nuts how much folks spend on these things - sometimes literally hundreds of dollars! That's not our style (especially since anything we accumulate now will have to be moved back to the U.S. with us in just a few months), but if you're into that sort of thing, go for it!

What will you be including in your kids' Easter baskets? Do you have any fun traditions for the holiday? I'm always eager for new ideas!

15 months with Miles

/

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission on anything purchased through those links (at no extra cost to you, of course). For more info, see my complete disclosure.

I can't believe we're already a quarter of the way through Miles's second year ... is it even possible that this one goes faster than the first??? I truly love this little man more and more every day. He has such a vibrant personality, is sweet as pure honey, and is just a really, really good child. We seriously hit the kiddie lottery with this one.

Here's a little update on what he's been up to for the last three months:

Knows lots of animal sounds: cow, horse, fish, chicken, bee, sheep, dog, cat, duck, mouse

Went through a brief picky phase, but is now into all kinds of foods - I credit this at least partially to implementing the meals-in-courses method in Bringing Up Bebé. Officially never wants our help at mealtimes and insists on using spoons and pouches himself. New things that he loves include artichokes, soba noodles, and pasta with truffle oil. Also, eats as much as a teenage boy.

Keeps us laughing all the time. For example, Josh was reading him a book with a chicken in it, and Miles said "mmmm" like he does when he's eating something yummy, but when I say he's having chicken for lunch, he makes a clucking sound. He's the best, y'all.

Walks, or more often, runs everywhere! This has unfortunately resulted in several falls, bumps on the head, and scratches to the face. I guess that's life with a boy.

Loves playing with his soccer ball, hugging Elmo, and swinging and sliding at the park.

Still obsessed with books - favorites right now are The Pout Pout Fish, all of his Sandra Boynton books, and a couple of random books (specifically Night Night Forest Friends and Bubbles, Bubbles) he's received through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

Randomly bows (which he learned from the book Barnyard Dance) and loves doing Patty-Cake, especially the "mark it with a B." Will spin in circles to make himself dizzy and say "weeeeeee." Loves throwing and kicking his soccer ball around the house. Holds my phone up to his ear and say "hello?" and then proceed to have a "conversation." Basically will imitate anything we do.

Lets you know when he wants to go outside by trying to put his jacket on and get in his stroller. Enjoys being outdoors and especially loves going to the park to swing and slide.

Knows 15+ words (other than animal sounds): Dada, bye-bye, night-night, Bubba, cheese, banana, Mama, please, pout-pout, bubbles, eye, shoes, hat, bath, keys, Gigi, and more literally every day.

Has recently become obsessed with daddy after being a real mama's boy for the first year. Loves sitting in the rocker with him to read and seeing him off to work every morning. 

Is fascinated by the way things work - locks and latches (which he's learned to use from this toy), screw-on caps, door hinges, and anythings with working parts.

In the past three months, has traveled to Paris and Florence bringing his count up to a total of five countries.

Aside from some mean molars and a cold, is overall sleeping much better. Usually 9-11 hours completely through the night. Still takes two naps, but has started having a random one nap day from time to time.

And last but not least, we are officially completely weaned from nursing. Hallelujah!

We have so many fun adventures planned for the next few months, including a trip to North Carolina, Spain with friends, and visitors from the U.S., so I'm hoping this big boy who's always on the move handles the upcoming plane rides and roadtrips like a champ. If you have any tips for keeping a very active toddler entertained on a transatlantic flight, leave them in the comments below. I'm desperate for a meltdown free flight :)

Next update coming at you in another three months... I can only imagine what crazy things our Miles man will be up to by then!

my baby is ONE!

/

I'm playing catch up here as the past month has been an absolute whirlwind. It all started with a transatlantic trip to Nashville the Saturday before Thanksgiving. The U.S. of A. welcomed us with colds for everyone, starting with Miles the day after we arrived, which also happened to be the day of his birthday party. Josh's mom and stepdad made the trip down, and we had a nice little family affair along with my parents and grandparents. And by "nice," I mean that the three of us were jetlagged, and Miles was an epic grump due to said illness.

It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to!

It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to!

Despite the rough go of it, I did manage to make a pretty delicious cake (courtesy Smitten Kitchen, of course), and Miles got some awesome birthday presents from his grandparents - several wooden things-that-go... trains and tractors and such... some fun books, stuffed animals, some new clothes, lots of cold hard cash for his college savings account, and from Josh and me, Elmo to fuel his newfound obsession with Sesame Street on YouTube. 

In true one year old fashion, Miles was most amused by the bags, boxes, and of course, glorious, magical paper.

In true one year old fashion, Miles was most amused by the bags, boxes, and of course, glorious, magical paper.

 

Above is my (sappy) Instagram post from his actual birthday, but I'll give you a little update on what he's been up to for the last few weeks. It seems like overnight, my baby became a toddler - a miniature adult with opinions (and lots of 'em), an occasional tantrum, loads of personality, and curiosity.

  • loves climbing and can walk (but still prefers crawling as it's much faster)
  • will have "conversations" with you in his completely incomprehensible baby language but with inflections in all the right places
  • gives lots of kisses, particularly to mommy, his stuffed animals, and the characters in his books
  • still loves reading
  • has added the words "light" and "keys" to his repertoire
  • is still utterly obsessed with cars - I hear vroom, vroom all. day. long. every. day.
  • has suddenly become very opinionated about his food - my excellent, adventurous eater has suddenly decided that he prefers cheese, bread, fruit, and yogurt and he'll stare me down as he throws food over the side of the high chair. Mommy is learning lots of patience!
  • as of his one year checkup, was 20-something percentile for weight, but has shot up to 70-something percentile in height
  • likes to copy anything and everything that we do and wants to do everything himself, including feeding, dressing, brushing his teeth, etc.
  • has begun weaning (hallelujah!) and is now down to just wake-up and bedtime nursing
  • is always, always on the move!

Life with a toddler, though exhausting both mentally and physically, really is a joyous adventure. I love watching the person he's becoming, and though I find it an epic challenge to parent these qualities, I know that his fierce independence, passion, and his desires to learn and explore will serve him well.

I'm looking forward to seeing what 2017 and year two of adventures with Miles bring!

P.S. If you're looking for another good read, be sure to check out my hubby's newly established blog starting with a little personal 2016 recap :) He'll probably be mad at me for shouting out, but honestly, he's way more entertaining.