Have a kiddo who’s interested in sea creatures, water, fishies? Lyons Cub was over the moon when he received his first own fish tank. It was a half-gallon betta bowl in the shape of a castle. He could take the lid off by himself, put the four red flags on, and then admired his tiny…
Yay! Water fun in the summer heat! This gopher mat is small, 42 inches x 42 inches, and just perfect for a toddler who is learning to walk. S/he’ll enjoy stepping on those little gopher heads popping out of the mat, which will rise again after giving kiddo a delightful shower. Ours was a big…
This toy is actually genius for a half American, half German kiddo: on the top, he can play basketball, and at the bottom, soccer! Lyons Cub did both, just the middle part (throwing loops) wasn’t so interesting for him. He used it from ages 1-2.5, both inside and outside. This basketball hoop has seven different…
Which child doesn’t have a ride-on car? There is such a big choice out there; I was looking for one that I didn’t have to push (we already had one of those, the Step 2 Whisper Ride), where Lyons Cub would be autonomous at the age of 1.5 years old. I didn’t search for a…
Being a reptile breeder has its pros and cons. The pros are that one gets to witness the mystery of birth, and the cons are how to give all the little baby geckos a good, new home. Just like I received many breeder animals per mail with shipyourreptiles.com, I also shipped out many animals to…
Cuteness overload!!! As opposed to mossy leaf-tailed geckos, crested geckos are an ideal beginner’s pet and great to start kids on – to keep them addicted well into adulthood, haha! Especially when your child is allergic to cats and dogs, geckos are often a good way out. They can be tamed and held on your…
Do you like creepy crawlies, especially when they are a little ghoulish and not just cute? Then, these little horned geckos might be the ideal pet for you. Like crested geckos, gargoyle geckos stem from the island of New Caledonia and are also called, “New Caledonian bumpy geckos,” since they have two bumps or horns…
Master of deception, king of hiding – the arboreal mossy leaf-tailed gecko can do mimicry really well and assimilate into its surroundings. This way, it can hide from its predators. They are reported to have lived up to 5 years in captivity; their real life span in the wild is yet unknown. These geckos are…
Yep, Lyons Cub is a boy, but he’s a really good doll father. As soon as he could walk, he was pushing his two sons (a blond haired and a brown haired rag doll) around in their Hape Babydoll Stroller. He raced them up and down the hill, and sometimes, he lost a child in…
Dear NICU mom, You’ve probably seen them, those beautiful belfies from the breastfeeding mommy cohort, #Tree of Life (to normalize breastfeeding and to show the bond between mommy and baby), but you are stuck in the NICU with a micro-preemie, preemie, IUGR baby, TTTS (twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome) babies, or an otherwise sick and tiny newborn…
Pouring, streaming, flowing, turning, splashing…. lots of fun with this wheel-turning water learning activity, the Yookidoo Baby Bath Toy – Flow N Fill Spout Bathtub Magical Kids Toy! The colorful cups are stackable, and the swivel arm can be moved to the front or to the side. Lyons Cub was obsessed with this toy. The…
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. The Boppy Nursing Pillow is a miracle I couldn’t have done without. I needed it every day for a year to feed…
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Finally, a playhouse with a door bell that really works!! It literally comes with “bells and whistles”… Another bonus is the little…
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Are you nesting yet? I’m glad I started nesting when I was about 4 months pregnant, because Lyons Cub arrived at 8…
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Which child doesn’t like horses? If you have the extra money and want something aesthetic in your nursery or children’s room, what…
During my teaching years at Southern Illinois University Carbondale from 2007-2016, I did some research about graphic novels, especially their usefulness for struggling readers and writers in K-12 education. One of my interviewees in 2010 was the famous Joe Kubert, who had founded a well-known school for cartoonists. I was surprised that he granted my…
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Which child doesn’t love to be a pirate from time to time? Any child will like this climbing tower in the shape…
Dino lovers alert!!! This water table is suitable for one-year-olds up (it says 24 months, but we didn’t find any loose, small parts that could have been swallowed), and it was one of those investments that lasted us several years. It’s sturdy, easy to assemble by mom alone, has a separated water and sand side,…
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. This was Lyons Cub’s first outdoor pool (and when it turned too cold to swim outside, we put it inside as a…
That’s what I’m talking about! Finally, a marble race where a 3-year-old can put together columns, trays, wheels, connections, stairs, and feet without being totally dependent on the adults. What’s more, it’s translucent, colorful, and absolutely beautiful. Lyons Cub still needed a lot of help, but compared to the wooden marble run, this one here…
Back in the day, the toys were made of wood and lasted long. This was kind of my ideal when I purchased the wooden marble run from Eichhorn. Granny Lion and Lyoness built it together, while Lyons Cub ran out of steam and tried to intervene, knocking everything over again. If you have an impatient…
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Lyons Cub used this swing year round, even when it was covered in snow! He loved it so much and wouldn’t let…
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Lyons Cub was born weighing 3 lbs. When he came home from the NICU after three weeks at 4.2 lbs, he had…
Spooky days are around the corner, and you’re still looking for baby’s first outfit? He or she likes dragons? Well, looks like you found something. This Dinky Dragon infant costume was Lyons Cub’s first disguise, and he wasn’t bothered by the dragon head at all. The set contains a jumpsuit, a hood, detachable wings, and…
Winter will come; even we in Tennessee get our usual two days of snow per year 😉 Most of the time, we went sledding on leaves, but as long as it was fun for Lyons Cub, Lyoness was willing to pull hard… Faster, mommy, faster!!! This little blue plastic sled fulfills its purpose; of course,…
Toot-toot, here we come!!! This is the Step2 Whisper Ride II Ride On Push Car, and Lyons Cub got the blue one. A feature I like is the seat belt; it prevents him from getting out while we’re on the road and is a great safety feature. Didn’t have that yet back in my time…
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. The Little Tikes Turtle Round Sandbox must not be missing from any yard in summer. It has just the right size for…
How nice for moms to have this bath support, because at some point, the newborn bathtub with a net or sling becomes too small and baby too big and heavy. However, as long as the little one cannot sit yet, if you don’t want to hold him in your arms or place him in one…
First musical experience here! Alas, Lyons Cub was so tiny that his little tootsies didn’t quite fill the shoes of his jumpers, so treading the keyboard was a bit difficult for him. However, his face clearly shows his pleasure at reaching the keys and producing sound. This activity mat was less pricey than comparable ones…
Some babies just love, love, love the blue whale (Lyons Cub used it for teething), and others are fascinated by the battery-operated submarine that’s connected to a red sprinkler. Soon, the littles have figured out that they just need to press a button, and the water comes shooting out. And if you hold the sprinkler…