As we near the end of January, I am almost able to say I have survived, thrived, and everything in between when it comes to making it through your first year of motherhood. Reese will be 1 on January 31st and gosh doesn’t her birth seem like just yesterday? Ah!! Well, I know I put together some useful guides to babies along the way… from planning a beautiful baby shower, to packing your hospital bag and planning your take home from the hospital outfit, to decorating your nursery (gender neutral and baby girl), to essentials for the first several months, to traveling tips, to tips to getting things done at home when you don’t have a nanny, so now it’s time to round out the first year with a Cheat Sheet to everything you {or at least I NEED} for a one year old. From favorite toys, to bath time, to feeding, I tried to cover all the big topics. So shop below whether you need gifts or are planning for your little one!!
Cheat Sheet to Everything you Need for your 1 Year Old:
Favorite Toys:
- Toys with buttons that make sounds and music, especially ones that resemble laptops, phones, or remote controls are always a winner. I recommend the Fisher-Price Smart Screen Laptop and the Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Click ‘n Learn Remote {which is great in the car or in the stroller on-the-go!}.
- Toys with pieces that they can pick up, stack, place. I recommend the Fisher-Price Baby’s First Blocks, Melissa and Doug Shapes Chunky Puzzle, Melissa and Doug Wooden Animal Nesting Blocks {these are great for decor on your bookshelf as well!}.
- Anything animal – whether it’s toys that make animal sounds like the Fisher-Price Little People Animal Sounds Farm to a book like ‘Moo Baa La La La’, they are thrilled to show off when they know the sounds! Don’t know the sounds yet? This is a great way to practice!
- Something they can stand and push {essentially a crutch until they can walk!} like the Fisher-Price Little People Music Parade Ride-On or the Joovy Tricycoo Tricycle. Reese pushes hers around the apartment and down our apartment hallways {check my Instagram for evidence!}.
Shop Toys:
Bathing Routine:
- For cleaning, I do Mustela 2-in-1 Hair and Body Wash to create bubbles in the bath and then use as hair shampoo {the smell is absolutely heavenly}, then since Reese has very dry skin, my doctor recommended I wash her body with Aveeno Baby Baby Cleansing Therapy Moisturizing Wash. Post bath and dry off, I lube her up in Fragrance Free Aveeno Baby Baby Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream.
- For playtime in the bath {because at age 1, bath is one of the most fun times of day – I feel like it became fun months ago but is even more fun now that they sit up all by themselves in an adult bath tub and can splash around}. So for toys, I love ones that double as a sponge like the Sassy Soft Swimmers, but for squeezing and chewing I like the Baby Lagoon Party Bath Squirties. To keep the bath semi-presentable post baby usage, I have the 3 Sprouts Walrus Bath Storage bin to hold all of the toys.
- With all their new teeth it’s time to get in the habit of brushing, so an adorable little toothbrush is a must!
Shop Bath Time:
Feeding:
- The time has come to make some big switches… from bottles to sippy cups, from formula/breast milk to cows milk, and from purees to hand held foods.
- For sippy cups I like them both with a straw or classic sipper. For foods, you will need plates and bowls {although they are more for you to heat up food because the babies don’t really grasp the concept of picking up out of the bowl – I still place things directly onto the high chair platter}, and then for to-go containers, you need some good baby safe tupperware. I have some great multipack recommendations for all these: the Skip Hop Zoo Plate, Bowl, Straw Bottle and Utensil Set Bundle with plates, utensils, and straw togo cup, the Take and Toss Feeding Variety Pack 28 pc. with 7 spill-proof sippy cups, 6 forks and spoons, 5 snack bowls, and 4 bowls with lids, and then for tupperware, I love the Sistema Small Klip-It Container {I love that it can go in fridge, freezer, microwave and dishwasher}.
Shop Feeding:
So if you have also made it to 1, congrats! If you are prepping, get excited because this age is truly a blast!! Need other baby tips? Don’t miss a beat {or outfit} in my Baby section!