Queen City Gems: Toddler Proofing

And I thought baby proofing was tough enough in our wee space?! But toddler proofing?!

This has been quite the task - everything from sticking chef's knives on the wall to toddifying (if it wasn't a word before, it is now!) Soren's bedroom. We have undergone many changes in the last couple months.

1 We are now equipped with a new sofa sleeper couch from Ikea - much closer to the floor for easy toddler take-offs (needed anyway since our old one was from my college years and having guests in town is a thousand times more comfortable)

2 Soren is now in bumGenius diapers as he dabbles in training (easier removal and Flip,makes a fantastic training diaper that the bumGenius inserts fit!)

3 Placing good, wholesome RAW food into Soren's eating cycle has forced me to be even more creative (with help from Weelicious - check it out! great site for feeding wee ones like Kale popsicles in the pic below!)

4 My little buddy is now attending shows with me and has the appropriate head gear to do so, an easy, inexpensive ($6!!) solution from Meijer

5 Of course he is 2-wheel bound at 18 months, he's my kiddo!! Anyone that knows me in the Nati, knows my enthusiasm from cycling - now that my balance is back I will be on my steel steed soon! This Strider was a MUST from Campus Cyclery. Great for ages 18 months to 5 years!!

6 Like I said - Knives up and away!!! Far, far away from those long stretching hands on the countertops. A quick $17 fix from Bed, Bath and Beyond

7 And finally - one of the true signs he is getting older. The toddler bed (yes, a tear just fell). Soren learned how to climb out of his crib and thus, it was time to convert. Unfortunately, he IS only 20 months, so rolling out was a bit of a problem with the conversion and it was still pretty high off the ground. So, we had to look at alternatives and pack the crib away (hopefully for #2!!) - which was a sad day. I never knew how much I would miss the gnaw marks on the rail.... Alas, we opted for a toddler bed from Ikea - it was decently priced, sturdy and well made and since we are dreaming of a second and we live in a small place - it seemed like good size. The Ikea bed also made strong enough for even me (clocking in at 120 pounds) to cuddle with him and sneak in a few stories before bed time AND long enough it should last a few years.