You Suck!

I am completely turned off by this new breastfeeding doll that was invented by a Spanish toy company. Bebe Gloton (name of the doll) comes with a bra like halter top that has flowers for the doll to suck on. I'm not so bothered that my daughter has to wear a floral top, but totally annoyed that she has a doll latching on to her supposed breasts.

Why the hell do I have to teach my daughter about breastfeeding at a young age? There's a whole lot of things about life and growing up that I should share with her but I believe there is a right time and place for it (like when she is a mother already and she actually has milk coming out of her breasts).

Oh what toy designers come up with just to make money...

Toy Story

When the nanny told me that my daughter always took other children's toys, I thought maybe my daughter is deprived so I got her lots and lots of them that our apartment looks like a playground now. I bought her 1 or 2 toys every time we go to the mall and now I am thinking, if I keep on doing the same, I am setting myself up for a bigger problem in the future.

My brother was the same with his daughter, spoiled her so much and now whenever I see her, the first thing she asks me is, "Hi Tita! Where's my gift?" I must admit I am the same too with my aunts and uncles but there is no way I should pass this on to the next generation. If my daughter is as materialistic as I am, I am in trouble.

So, now I am trying to restrain myself from buying toys for baby. Even if in my mind, I think she needs more blocks, a new bike, a baby piano and another doll.

My friend told me that she bought her son one toy a month, unless there is something he really needs. Right, I should just spend for her playgroup or extra-curricular activities rather than some plastic toy from Vtech. Okay, I guess I'll have to buy this dancing flower/piano for her next month then...



But, this first cash register toy is so cute! I guess it's not for her age yet so this can wait. This was my favorite game of all time, "Cash or Charge?" No wonder!



I could also get my daughter her first laptop so she'll stop touching ours. Her Dad freaked out the other morning when he saw the Macbook on the floor and after she started playing with it. Good thing, it's still working now!



My nanny also said she loves the toy strollers. I want to get her a proper doll that goes with it (hers is just a rag doll). I find it cute when she tries to feed it with her own bottle. This one called Little Mommy by Fisher Price is so adorable.


Again, this vanity set is not suitable for my daughter's age but she always plays with my lipstick and blush that maybe I should get her own. Bad idea!


Uh oh! How many toys do I want for her now? If I am supposed to buy her one a month, then she has one already for January!

Sunday Adventures

Not so long ago, Saturdays and Sundays meant sleeping the whole day or at least a bit of shopping and then partying at night. Well, now that time with baby is only on these two days, I have to make sure we do something nice with her. And since I am trying to curb my spending habits, maybe it's a good idea to not go to the malls at the moment. Otherwise, I will be bringing up another shopaholic in the family. I thought going to an amusement park or go for some outdoor activity. I am not so keen on Disneyland and Ocean Park so am thinking of planning a trip to the following places:

Hong Kong Wetland Park, Tin Shui Wai. It's a bit of a journey to get there but because of lack of nice parks in Hong Kong, I think I am willing to go as far as I can just to show my daughter some greens and hopefully, some animals. I hope I find the energy to go there inspite of the heat. I'm a bit paranoid about the mosquitoes there though, so if ever we go, I'd have to bring some California Baby action.



Noah's Ark, Ma Wan. I know this would be a failed attempt to imitate the real Noah's Ark (if there was one) but I should give the Chinese A for Effort. My first question is what kind of animals are in there. Okay, I just read they are hand-sculptured so I guess no real ones there. I'm surprised that they even have hotel rooms. I know they are nowhere near the Peninsula's but pretty neat huh? I have to say that I know of noone who has stayed there yet so that says something. Haha! Too bad, I have to take the ferry to get there (I don't really like boats cause I get seasick) so will postpone the trip to this place as much as I can. In the meantime, maybe I should just get my daughter a book on Noah's Ark instead.



See, Hong Kong is not exactly all about shopping. Saying that though, I'm tempted to just go to the mall cause of the hot weather...

Sing it, Baby!

Gone are the days when I would line up for tickets for Michael Jackson. Not cause he is gone now, but because I have stopped watching concerts altogether.

First of all, when hubby and I watched Harry Connick Jr. and Santana last year, we were told the guards to sit down and were not allowed to dance. Umm... since when were the audience stopped from dancing in a concert?! Duh!

Second, I have not been listening to music as much since I moved to Hong Kong. When I was living in Manila, I would listen to the radio on the way to work and that's not the case now here in Hong Kong since I don't have my own car and have no choice to listen to the cab driver's taste in music.

Third, I am getting fat and dancing is not so fun anymore... more of tiring! Eeks!

Fourth, there are no good artists coming to Hong Kong for concerts.

Fifth, I would rather spend my money on a new blouse or a few drinks for happy hour!

But, who says I won't get tickets to the Tweenies Live? My daughter loves that show from BBC and dances to all their tunes so when I found out that they are coming to Hong Kong, I just felt I had to take her to their concert.

I asked my friend if she wanted to bring her daughter to watch their concert and we were both laughing because the former rave parties we used to attend have now become concerts for kids. Holy! This is really a whole new life for me. But, I am sure I will have fun just watching my daughter become thrilled at the sight of her fave characters. And because she loves music, I am sure she will be clapping her hands and swaying her head to the music. Now that's worth the 300 bucks for me! Oh what moms do to make their children happy...

Potter Fever

There's so much hype about Harry Potter's new film now. Good thing I am not a Potter fan (at least not anymore, wink!). I think the effects are amazing and all but I'm just not the type who likes films about fantasy. Hated the Never Ending Story, Labyrinth and The Golden Compass! Ugh! Just can't stand it for some reason.

Not that I don't have any imagination and was never a child before. I enjoyed Robin Williams' Hook and loved Julia Roberts as Tinkerbell in that film. Maybe my daughter can dress up as a fairy for Halloween this year? What I liked was this costume I saw on The Emperor's New Clothes. They have a pretty good selection of stuff on that site. I'm sure my daughter would like to be a fairy. If not, she can always dress up as Spiderpig hee hee. As least that's original right?



I don't like Harry Potter but I love love love Beatrix Potter! Those lil rabbits are just so adorable. In fact, I want to get the whole book collection for my daughter. Or maybe someone can give it to her for Christmas? Hint! Hint!


I also saw this bedding with the Peter Rabbit theme and I also fell in-love with it. Perfect cause it's time to get new sheets for my lil one. Maybe I should change her animal themed- beddings to simply rabbits.



Oh shucks now I've caught the Potter fever, Beatrix Potter that is!

Roller Coaster Rides

There's so much news about the Neverland Ranch, Michael Jackson's theme park. I wish they would just let it rest... let him rest! I pity his kids who are not only affected by the loss of their father, but also with all the news around. Reminds me of Prince Harry and William when Princess Diana passed away. Poor kids!

I wish they would make Neverland public though so I can visit it someday. I love going to theme parks! I'm one of those people who suffer from fear of heights but just love riding roller coasters. I enjoy going to Los Angeles for Superman at Six Flags America, Jurassic Park at Universal Studios and Big Shot at Stratosphere in Vegas. I have yet to try the Insanity Ride the next time I go to Vegas. Maybe when the H1N1 virus dies down. Now's the best time to go though cause plane tickets are cheap! I'd rather not risk it though, especially not with baby.

Oh well, there's always Hong Kong Disneyland! I read that they are expanding very soon. Looking forward to three new sections: Grizzly Trail, Mystic Point, and Toy Story Land. I'm sure my daughter would love to go there again, hopefully the next time her brother arrives. She was mesmerized with It's A Small World, just like how I was when I was younger. I am sure she would enjoy it more this time, now that she can walk (and almost run!)

Too bad my hubby's deal for Marvel Universe in Beijing did not pull through. That would have been an exciting project and a great theme park too! I guess it's just wrong timing because of the recession. Would have been perfect since Beijing is just 3 hours away.

I heard the roller coasters in Japan are fun though. I would love to try the roller coaster that drops into the water in Yokohama. Now, that is exciting! Hmm... maybe I should just plan a trip to Tokyo instead of buying a new bag. The last time I've been there was when I was only a year old.



Hmm... Prada or Tokyo? Can I have both?

Fairy- Tale Endings

At the party I attended last night, one of the topics we talked about (when we were still sober) was cross-cultural relationships. Since the expat community in Hong Kong is fairly large, it's normal to see a Korean-Belgian couple, Monegasque-African husband and wife or kids from French-Chinese parents. I could definitely relate to this since my hubby is half- Swiss and half- English while I am 100% Filipina. This type of relationship has its pros and cons, like any relationship, but it all boils down to having the same goals, same mindset and of course, same feelings! After all, no matter what "color" we are, we are all the same in God's eyes (whover god you refer to).

Speaking of color, I am curious about the "Princess and the Frog," the first Disney film that stars a black princess. I wonder if the frog will turn into a Black Prince as well. Not that it really matters.

Saying that though, I wonder who my daughter will end up marrying. I hope that's not til at least 25 years from now. Given the environment we are living in now, she can easily fall in love with a Chinese, Filipino, British or French man. Who knows he could even be black! Hmm.. not sure how I can handle that. I guess it's okay, as long as he's the son of Obama, Will Smith or Tiger Woods.

I just hope whoever he is, he'd be good- looking (and smart and nice and rich), or else my daughter can star in her own Disney film, Beauty and the Beast. The End!

Tent-alizing!

I'm happy one of my best friends and my daughter's godmother is coming to Hong Kong next week. Too bad she's only staying overnight for work and we don't have enough time to catch up. Sucks! Good thing she is coming back again after 3 weeks. Am looking forward to the stuff for baby she's bringing and I'll also get to send my godson's present and not spend on DHL.

I was so happy when she sent me her gift for my daughter's first birthday. She got her an apple-shaped tent where baby can play inside. Unfortunately, my baby does not want to go inside it, even if I went inside myself. I tried putting her toys inside and she most she will do is crawl under to get it and then leave again. That's when my hubby decided to make another window so she can crawl inside from one end and outside the other. Forgot that this baby does not like being confined in small spaces since she was little.

I found some cute little tents and tunnels online that would be nice if only I had more space in our apartment or we had a garden.



This little teepee tent from reminds me of Nikki beach in Miami. They have tents as such where you can go inside to drink or do naughty things. Oops!



Speaking of Nikki Beach, how I wish I can go on holiday and see their new resort in Koh Samui! I've been working so hard these days that I am already dreaming of my next vacation. Maybe I can schedule my next fashion shoot there.


Or better yet organize an event at this pretty beach! How I wish!

Baby Doll

Guess who just turned fifty? Nope, not my Mom... not the nanny and definitely not my hubby! Who else but Barbie? I remember getting one every time I got good grades at school. Believe it or not I was a nerd back in the day (wonder what happened to me now)!

Like all girls, I loved Barbie. My brother loved it too (I caught him kissing her boobs when he was five). My fave one was the Twist and Turn Barbie that allowed me to braid her hair with a few clicks. I used the toy on my hair too ended up with lots of tangles (and a bald patch). Good thing I wasn't into collecting them all (I think I only had a total of 7 dolls), my brother would just cut the hair when I'm not looking or take the legs apart when wrestling with He-Man.

Happy 50th Birthday Barbie! I can't believe that every girl's fave doll is already 50 years old and still looking hot with her 36-24-36 figure. Moscow pays a tribute to Mattel's no. 1 toy with an exhibit of different dolls wearing Russian designs. The exhibition takes place at the Cara & Co. concept store where it runs for another 2 weeks. Doesn't she look so fab in this number? How I wish I had her clothes... and her hair... and her body.



Speaking of dolls, my baby does not have one yet. She's got lots of stuffed toys but not one doll (poor baby, so deprived). The first baby doll she played with was her cousin's Baby Alive, the toy that eats, drinks and pees. I found it entertaining to see the doll cry (sadist) when hungry. I have yet to see the version where the doll burps, snoozes and blows out her birthday candles. Can you dig that? There's even a Caucasian, African and Hispanic version. Hmm, unfortunately, my daughter can't relate to any of them since she's Swiss-British-Filipino. Doubt there's any doll like her!


I wanted to get her one but it's for babies ages 3 and up. Guess I have to wait for another 2 years. Gosh, I wonder what they would have invented by that time... maybe a human-looking robot like Small Wonder? Hope not!

Labor of Love

Aww... I just missed my godson's first birthday party! I wasn't able to attend his baptism either. That's what sucks about living so far away from my best friends (she is in L.A. while the rest are in the Philippines)... I just have to keep myself updated on her family's life through Facebook, Multiply or Flicker. Thank God for the internet!

I still remember my phone conversations with her when we were both pregnant. We were comparing symptoms, sharing lists of things to buy, or just simply whining about the changes in our bodies and everything else thereafter. We never thought we would come to that point in our friendship where our topics would be nappies, recipes and now, tantrums! Our babies are now officially toddlers! What's next? potty training, first words, parent-teacher meetings. Good luck to us! I just wish that by the time our babies turn two, both our babies have already met. Hmm... maybe I should bring baby to Disneyland in Los Angeles soon.

Anyway, pushing my sentiments aside, I just wanted to share how much of a good job my friend has done with her son's first birthday party. I can't believe how she managed to organize it all on her own while she working full-time. That's what we call supermom! The party was such a success (I don't need to be there to know it...) with 80 guests and perfect sunny weather.

She decided to hold the party in a park in their neighborhood which was a great idea! No more worrying about what the kids would do. (For my daughter's first birthday, I held it in a function room beside a Cartoon Network playground so the kids had fun while their parents were chit- chatting away. I organized a creative corner in the function room too so kids can make their own hats but they just chose to go to the playground.)

What amazes me is how she was able to convert the park to a party venue with decorations she made herself. That takes talent! She decorated the benches with pics of baby during his first twelve months which were complemented by paper pinwheels and stuffed animals.


She also made her own "Happy Birthday" banner which matched her blue, aqua, lime and white plus polka dot motif. Reminds me of Wheel of Fortune!


I loved her canvas goodie bags with the guests' initials on them. Very personalized! And since it is made of cloth, it's eco-friendly and reusable, inspired by Anya Hindmarch's I'm not a plastic bag!


And my fave part of all birthday parties, the cake! Too bad I was not there to have some. I liked the candy colored candles that spelled Happy Birthday Tyler. Looks so yummy... I want some cake now!


Now, isn't she fantastic? How I wish I can just hire her for my daughter's second party. Maybe she should just doing it for a living! Not! I must say no matter how "simple" we plan our kids' birthday parties, it is very stressful worrying about the guests, food, etc. (I know that for sure, my job includes organizing events and it's not a joke!)

Of course, it's all worth it in the end. Baby is happy, especially with all the presents from family and friends (I have to send mine soon too). Most important of all, Mom is fulfilled after days of hard work and preparation. Hurray! That's what love can do...

**Special mention to the Dads who spent for our children's birthday parties too! What would we do without them?

Shower to Shower

What would pregnancy be like without baby showers? Not as fun. Plus, the long list of things to buy for baby could be overwhelming and would empty hubby's bank accounts in a jiffy. Thank God for friends who are generous enough to shower us with presents for baby!

I remember my shower last year, it was the first among the group of friends that I hang out with in Hong Kong. We had so much fun playing games and snacking on cheese fondue that four of the girls got pregnant after that within the span of one year. Go hubbies! That means four more showers... Hurray! Okay, three as we missed one for our good friend since she gave birth early (Sorry! Presents for her are still welcome though).

We try to make each party different from the other and that means a different set of games, different food (my fave part) and of course, different gifts (my most fave part!) For those who are tired of the usual showers with cupcakes and pastries, why not opt for a more practical cake? The Diaper Cake!

Each cake has a set of diapers, receiving blankets, bibs, feeding spoons and baby toiletries. Choose from the many designs from the Sweetbabycakes website.





Cool, eh?

Sun, Sand and Water

Hurray for sunny days! Everybody seems to be at the beach nowadays. Well, living in between all these towering buildings in Hong Kong can get claustrophobic, that's why every expat flies out to Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia or Malaysia on holidays. Hmm... when's the next holiday again?

Now for regular weekends, there's always beaches like

Big Wave Bay, where you can practice surfing and wakeboarding
Repulse Bay Beach, just stay clear of maids practicing their dance numbers or getting baptized
Deep Water Bay, and have a hearty lunch at Copacobana
South Bay, grab a margarita at the bar and watch all the guys from Prada sunbathe
Lamma Island, don't forget to bring your picnic blanket
Lantau Island, mmm! yummy fresh seafood
Cheung Chau Island, walk around the old villages while you are at it
and Discovery Bay, and choose among the row of restos by the beach (just make sure you don't get tempted to join the orgies later).

That's the beauty of Hong Kong, there's a beach just an hour away. Let's not talk about the quality of the sand though...

Today, instead of hitting the beach... a friend is inviting us to swim at her place. My daughter would love that but she had a cough the last time she swam so maybe we can just wade for the moment. Besides, her mom does not know how to swim... loser!

I better deposit my first pay check (yahoo!) so I can shop for some summer paraphernalia for baby...

Help me choose from these toys at ItsImagical...

My baby loves playing with sand and this tent would be perfect so she doesn't catch too much sun which could be harmful to the skin. I hope I can stay underneath the tent too...


I like this swimsuit with a float sewn on to it. I don't have to worry about her wearing armbands anymore. I can drop her in the water and not worry about her drowning. Wish they had one for adults who don't know how to swim like me!


My baby is a bit too big for this baby parasol but this is perfect for babies who cannot stroll on the beach yet and would rather get a suntan...


This lil boat is cute too. I just hope she doesn't go island hopping on her own.


Gotta go and pack her bags and make sure I don't forget her California Baby sunscreen!

iLike

What is with me and losing phones? I lost a total of 4 phones in a year's time (or even less, can't keep up anymore). It's either I'm carrying too many things, it slips out of my bag or pocket in the cab or was too drunk and it falls when I fall haha! A friend suggested I tie them around my neck next time but I think my solutions are better:

1) bring the nanny with me so she can help me carry my things,
2) ask hubby to buy a car so if it slips out, i can get it back,
3) never drink (tequila) anymore and just settle for johnny!

Because, I was really pissed off (and broke), I decided to get the cheapest phone I can get my hands on. Forget the camera function, chat, games, etc. I just wanted a phone where I can call and SMS. I think Nokia and Sony Ericcson should come up with disposable phones for people like me!

I was pretty okay with my basic, unpretentious phone until I read Time's article on iPhone applications for new moms. 3 (the Globe or Smart of Hong Kong) is offering me a free iPhone since I am already a ViP cause of my expensive phone bills during my homesick days and of course, now, they are encouraging me to spend more even more with a new iPhone. Now, I am tempted!

Can you believe what these new iPhone applications can do?

Say goodbye to Baby Einstein, just get Toddlercards. These do not fold or tear.


In case you are tired of humming or baby is sick of the music on her mobile, play aSleep on your iPhone for new tunes.


I'm not sure about this calorie counter, Lose It! I wonder how many times will I enter cupcakes in a week.


Recipes are great from Big Oven, but better if I pass them on to hubby or nanny who can cook better than me.


Umm, I am done with breastfeeding and so my breasts are gone too. Nursing Tracker is a great application for moms who are still at it.


Games for toddlers on my phone? Hmm, I'm scared she might throw my phone when she is done with it (like she always does...) Get the Scribblebee or Bugsquash if you wanna see some insects squashed on your phone (duh,why would you want that?)


And of course, the BabyCam. My baby will definitely smile when she hears Mary had a little lamb being played when clicking. In case you want to take a photo of baby on a swing or running on the beach, you'll love the QuadCamera.


Should I give in? Hmm, I wonder how much my phone bill is after all of this! I might want to lose my phone again if it's too high.

Music to Baby's Ears

Some say that it would be good to listen to classical music when pregnant. Yes, the baby will be soothed by the tunes and will probably end up liking classical music when older. However, baby won't necessarily become smarter. The Mozart Effect has been debunked so I'm glad I didn't waste my time listening to music I didn't fancy. Actually, I hardly listened to music at all. But, I danced a lot and went to the club from time to time (but stayed away from alcohol and smoke of course).

Now that baby is growing older, she is becoming more and more interested in music. The only music she listened to in the beginning was the music from her Fisherprice Rainforest mobile and probably her Baby Einstein and Fisher Price DVDs (she loved the jingles of the ads as well). But as soon as she's been watching the Boogie Beebies programs, she's been dancing more and more. In case you are not familiar with the show, the hosts teach the kids some dance moves and my daughter just loves it! I find it funny that when she dances, she raises her hands like I do. I guess she got that from me. She likes singing too, sometimes she hums to music. Now, that I don't know where she got that from because my voice is just terrible (think Cameron Diaz in My Best Friend's Wedding).

I think I should enroll her in Kindermusik soon, especially since I am at work and she only has her nanny to play with now. I heard some good reviews about this program and I am becoming more and more convinced to try it. In the meantime, I plan to get her some more musical toys to play with.

Okay, this music bag by Chicco is not exactly a musical toy but isn't it cute? It even has a case for an ipod. My 4 year old niece already has her own ipod with all the Hannah Montana tunes, can you believe?


This Fisherprice piano is also cute, it even matches her current crib mobile.


When baby was in Manila, she watched some Barney DVDs with her cousin and they told me she just loved it. Nothing close to Guitar Hero but I think she can start with this one.


I just find this birdhouse xylophone by Lamaze so cute. I hope she doesn't slap the bird instead of the notes...


My daughter actually has this Leap Frog maracas already but I recommend that other moms get it. It is also bilingual (hers is English and French and there's also an English-Spanish version) like all Leap Frog products.


Perhaps our kids can form a band after? We can be the back-up dancers.

Baby IQ

I liked the idea of teaching my daughter word association and encourage language through flashcards. I even got one for my daughter's appointed best friend for Christmas last year. Until then my friend told me about this book Einstein Never Used Flashcards-- Why Kids need to Play More and Memorize Less? I haven't read this book but what it mentions how kids learn from merely playing and all these hype about classes or flashcards is not really necessary. The intelligence of a child does not rely on these Baby Einstein or Brainy Baby DVDs. In fact, when we push our children into regimented academics too early, they will become less creative and less enthusiastic about learning. Hmm... makes sense!

I just received two sets of flashcards for my daughter's birthday and thought I didn't want them to be a waste so I decided to read again about this book.

Some interesting points made:

1. Schedule activities around play instead of squeezing play time around our activities. Guilty as hell about this one! Oops!

2. Toys are not the only things baby can play with. My daughter plays with DVDs, remote controls, water bottles just about anything she sees (not sure if this is good)! But, playing with simple things such as blankets, pillows to make tents for example, enhance creativity and imagination.

3. Join them in kid's play. Most of the time, I also let baby play on her own and let her figure things out while I am on the computer. Now that I am working, I really need to set some time with her and get into her world instead of just letting her in on mine...

4. As I mentioned in my former blog about playing, evaluate the structured activities by visiting babies' class to see how they play." Now, I finally got one thing correct!

5. Social interaction is still best for baby. It's one thing if your child is book-smart, and another if baby is socially inept. Kids learn about being sensitive to other people's feelings, values other people's opinions and needs. I don't think my baby has a problem with this as she always takes initiative and plays with other kids, she prefers older babies though (which I think is pretty normal).

I think flashcards are not really bad as long as this is not so much imposed on the baby. If I have a specific schedule where baby has to go through all the cards and punish her if she doesn't get it right, then that makes me a bad mama. But, merely showing her some pictures of objects around her is helpful, like reading her a story from a book. Just tried it this morning and she loves the photos on the cards and starts blabbing when she sees one. Like everything, it's about balance and not overdoing it, I guess.

But, I want to get my hands on this book and read more, it is a wake-up call!

Come Play with Me

Now that baby is growing older, it's not enough that I just tickle her feet and kiss her tummy. Playtime with mommy means starting to teach her shapes, sounds, letters, numbers, etc. And, this is still the easy part...can you imagine when I have to teach her chemistry, history and biology? Oh dear! Maybe my hubby can do that...

That's why sometimes I feel that playgroups are very helpful nowadays. It's not that I'm lazy (okay that too) but sometimes I feel that structured learning could be good for my daughter. Besides, I think these facilitators are better with their nursery rhymes and singing. Plus I'm gonna be busy at work real soon (found another excuse). My friend is recommending Block-A-Lot and she was kind enough to organize a free trial session for baby.

There are moms who question if this is the really the best for children. Taking baby to school when they are only a year old could create pressure. It would be very important to attend these classes (especially if you plan to let your baby go with your nanny) to see how the facilitator "teaches" the babies. I still prefer that my daughter is given some freedom when playing. My baby has always learned things on her own (one day she just crawled towards her walker and started walking and no one taught her that) and so I would like her to be independent and creative as she is now. But, I would definitely be happy for her to learn new things...

For full-time moms who have the time (and patience) to play with their children, I think the best learning environment is still at home. And since playgroup sessions are not exactly cheap, why not just get baby educational toys she can play with at home?

1. Blocks
According to the Block Play, children learn through block play as they learn cause and effect, develop problem solving techniques, form creative and critical thinking skills, and a whole lot more. My daughter loves her Fisher Price Little People. I got her one with a cute birthday cake a few months before her birthday. You could also buy Mega Blok which sells Dora, Disney, Cars, Winnie the Pooh blocks. Just make sure you get the one appropriate for baby's age so you don't need to call 911 because she choked on the small pieces.


2. Shape Sorters
My daughter also loves playing with her shapes. Unfortunately, she doesn't like putting them in their respective holes. She just loves throwing them around the living room. I got her a bucket of shapes from Fisher Price and because the lid with the holes is detachable, she just puts the shapes in the bucket and not the holes. Maybe I should get her a different kind.


3. Stackable Toys
Babies just love putting things on top of each other. My daughter plays with her Playskool stackable rings. I admit I got this for her because the giraffes look cute. If she becomes good at this, she I could bring her to the carnival one day and she can win the big stuffed toys or better yet become the next female basketball VIP player...


4. Balls
Playing with balls encourage baby to move around. Good for babies who don't know how to crawl yet. But beware, when they're a bit older, they will start throwing them at you so get a helmet for yourself too! My friend bought my daughter the Busy Ball Popper by Playskool and boy was she entertained not only with the balls but with the music!


5. Pull-Along Toys
If baby knows how to walk already, it would be good to get her a pull-along toy, I bought her a Vtech telephone which she can pull too but the string was too short so she doesn't really pull it. Good thing a friend bought her a wooden snail that crawls with her while she walks. Sometimes, these simple wooden toys are the best ones to get...