summer Archives - Leaf and Steel

Happy 4th of July, Right?

July 4, 2022

Happy 4th of July!

Whether you’re truly proud to be American, or a little on the fence, like me, I hope you have a wonderful holiday.

I looked up the Global Peace Index recently, dreaming of far away places to visit.

The Global Peace Index is the following:

A composite index measuring the peacefulness of countries made up of 23 quantitative and qualitative indicators each weighted on a scale of 1-5. The lower the score the more peaceful the country.

I thought we might be in the upper top-ten, things can’t really be that bad, right?

Guess how far down the list the United States is? 129th. We are in 129th place as far as peace.

It makes sense to me.

With everything going on in the past few years, I don’t feel very proud to be an American. I don’t see much to celebrate. Sure, there are people in other parts of the world living much harder lives. There are always people with less rights and freedoms. But, so many of those people are here.

Maybe this is just one of those dark times in history, maybe we’re all living through it. Maybe it feels worse because we’re “in it”.

Here’s to hoping for brighter days, right?

Oh, well. I’ll enjoy my summer night anyways.

Please remember to look out for your vets and pets on this day!

How to Keep Your Toddler Cool in the Summer

June 21, 2022

Summer is here and things are starting to heat up! I’ve amassed some easy ways to keep your baby or toddler cool in the summer.

Here on Long Island, the temperatures can easily reach the high 90’s in June. On top of the stifling humidity, it can get pretty dang hot!

Some of the links in the post are affiliate links, which means I may make a small commission, at no cost to you.

I’m always careful to make sure my toddler doesn’t get too hot. Some days, you just need to stay inside to protect yourself. However, we do try to get out as much as possible. There’s nothing quite like fresh air and sunshine!

Stay Inside During Peak Hours

Some days, it’s much to hot to stay out from 10-3pm, so we usually save our outdoor activities or errands ’til the end of the day.

Know the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

This is basic first aid that should be in your repertoire. Make sure to know the signs!

Water, Water, and More Water

Always keep your baby and toddler hydrated! Whether that’s with water or breastmilk or both. We also love the Pedialyte hydrating ice pops on days when it’s super hot.

Try an Ice Cream Maker or Make Your Own Ice Pops

This nostalgic ice cream maker is sure to keep your little ones entertained and cool. I still remember using one in my childhood.

These ice pop makers are perfect for frozen treats.

Did you know you can also make breast milk popsicles?

This one is another quick ice cream maker.

Use a Stroller Fan

A stroller fan is a registry must-have. It’s small enough to throw at the bottom of the stroller when you don’t need it.

This one is super cute! It is re-chargable via a USB port.

Invest in a car seat cooler.

Who ever invented these is a genius! Simply freeze it and place it in the car seat or stroller for a few minutes before letting your little one sit. If it’s really hot I give my little one frozen teethers to hold onto while the car cools down.

Get the Sprinkler Out

Running through the sprinkler is a childhood classic. It seems only kids can tolerate the freezing cold hose water. My toddler also loves playing in her kiddie pool for as long as I’ll let her!

Always Carry Ice Packs

You can use old teething rings, your own coolers ice packs, or these fun ones for kids.

They are great to use in transition from activity to activity, or just as an extra way to keep cool!

Are you looking forward to summer? What do you to do help your kids beat the heat?

How do you keep cool?

Let me know below!

Toddler Backyard Essentials for Summer 2022

June 15, 2022

Baby M (should I be calling her toddler M now?) is obsessed with ‘side. She wakes up talking about ‘side. She goes to bed talking about ‘side. She doesn’t care if it’s raining or 95 degrees out, she only wants ‘side.

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She means outside, of course. We are so blessed to have a large, fenced in yard perfect for her to safely explore. Between her love of the outdoors and the new puppy, we are getting a lot of use out of our yard.

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Our collection of outside toys started with a simple baby swing and has grown to a full kid-sized compound. It’s starting to look like a Little Tikes catalog back here.

Since we are outside constantly, I thought I’d share the items that we are using!

Let’s start with the house. Baby M is always asking for “house”, which means her house of course. No parents allowed (not by choice, we literally can’t fit in the house). It took my husband almost an hour to set up, but it was well worth it. Baby M moved a bunch of her toys in there and loves opening and closing the windows and doors. The best part – no taxes and we paid off her mortgage for her!

Little Tikes Cape Cottage Playhouse for Kids – Outdoor Playset and Indoor Playground for Toddlers with 2 Working Doors (Amazon, $129.00)

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Next, let’s talk about “sly” aka The Slide. This one is a little tall for Baby M, so she isn’t keen on going down completely independently yet (she’s 19 months as I write this). She does, however, enjoy pushing her stuffed animals down and trying to walk up it, which is a wonderful gross motor exercise. It folds up for easy storage!

Little Tikes First Slide Toddler Slide, Easy Set Up Playset for Indoor Outdoor Backyard, Easy to Store, Safe Toy for Toddler, Slip And Slide For Kids (Amazon, $29.99)

I know what you’re thinking – a brand new swimming pool? In this economy? You heard right folks; my kid has her very own pool. The water might run a tad cold if her butler (me) forgets to put it out in the sun to heat up in the morning, but it’s usually pretty refreshing.

The best part is it doubles as a dog swimming pool.

We got ours at Target last year – I can’t find it online anymore, but here’s a beautiful, classy second option!

FUNBOY Giant Inflatable Luxury Italian Tile Kiddie Pool, Year-Round Fun for Ball Pits, Swimming Pools, a Summer Pool Party and the Beach (Amazon, $54.40)

To complete the aquatic theme we have a splash pad, which also features your signature ice-cold water that only children can tolerate. This one has little sea creatures that float around and your spigot can control the height of the fountains.

Winique Splash Pad, Sprinkler for Kids, Wading Pool for Toddlers, 68″ Inflatable Outdoor Summer Toys for Babies (Amazon, $16.00)

Not to brag, but my not-even-two-year-old has a horse. A real life, plastic rocking horse. This one is from Little Tikes and is a classic summer yard staple. We make sure to feed it grass every morning.

Little Tikes Rocking Horse Magenta (Amazon, $29.92)

To add to the zoo we have a few cows that came with this amazing water table. This one is so cute since we love all things farm over here! Our only complaint is the dog won’t stop drinking out of it.

Theo Klein 3948 John Deere Farm Sand Play Table, Water Play Table I with Farm Animals and Vehicles I Water and Sand Basins I (Amazon, $120.21)

How does Baby M manage all her land and animals? With her tractor, of course! She got this one for her birthday and it’s been a wonderful addition to her outside set up.

John Deere Ride On Toys Sit ‘N Scoot Activity Tractor for Kids Aged 18 Months to 3 Years, Green (Amazon, $39.94)

Here we have the swing that started it all! We have the blue.

Little Tikes 2-in-1 Snug ‘n Secure Swing (Amazon, $26.99)

I wanted to include some of our other outdoor summer necessities below!

Cutter Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent Pump Spray, DEET-free Mosquito Repellent, 4oz (Amazon, $4.68)

RuffleButts® Baby/Toddler Girls Baby/Toddler Sun Hat with UPF 50+ Sun Protection and Floppy Wide Brim (Amazon, $19.99)

Badger SPF 40 Baby Sunscreen Cream – Reef-Friendly Broad-Spectrum Water-Resistant Baby Sunscreen with Zinc Oxide – Chamomile and Calendula, 2.9 oz (Amazon, $13.76)

Pampers Splashers Swim Diapers Disposable Swim Pants, 11 Count (Amazon, $11.99)

Big Bubble Bottle 12 Pack – 4oz Blow Bubbles Solution Novelty Summer Toy – Activity Party Favor Assorted Colors Set (Amazon, $14.99)

We have this lawn mower, but it looks like it’s sold out everywhere – here is another option that makes bubbles!

Sunny Days Entertainment Bubble-N-Go Deluxe Toy Bubble Lawn Mower with 4 oz Bubble Solution | No Batteries Required | Amazon Exclusive – Maxx Bubbles – (Amazon, $23.99)

Little Tikes Easy Store Picnic Table with Umbrella, Multi Color (Amazon, $89.99)

Lastly, I always stick our JBL Flip 5 portable speaker in our summer basket. It’s small and lightweight but powerful! It just hooks up to bluetooth on my phone.