What Layla loves - 12 - 18 months

Wow Layla has turned into a walking talking mini human over these past 6 months and along with this is a whole host of new things she is loving.




Ride a longs
Again Layla is one very lucky girl as was given two ride alongs. One for her birthday a beautiful pink horse and one for Christmas, a Minnie Mouse car. Although Layla hasn't quite got the hang of sitting on it and riding it (I'm not sure if her legs are quite long enough yet) but she loves using them just like her walker and pushing them around the house. She also loves it when you push her around the house on it and get her to crash into the furniture. The car has an added feature of a seat that you can open so as you can imagine as soon as things go missing this is where we now look!


Trike
This has been one of our recent purchases, with a little help from Grumpy. Layla hates being in her pushchair and will do anything to get out so the idea of taking her on a walk was the stuff of nightmares. I did lots of research one which ones were the best to buy and decided on a middle of the range one in a neutral colour. She loves it! So much so every sight of sun we are out on walks in her new trike. I can't wait to see how the trike adapts as she gets bigger.


Books
I have been desperate from day one for Layla to be into books and for the first year things weren't working out. I would have story time and she just didn't want to know, preferring instead to roll around on the bed or try and rip the pages. I'm not sure when the change in her happened but all of a sudden she started looking at books! One day she just picked up a book and sat down on my lap ready to listen. We have books everywhere in the house but of course she has her favourites. We only have the cardboard books out though as she's still ripping the paper ones. She loves the 'That's not my' series and the movable picture books. She's even started to be able to 'read' the books herself!

Walkers
Layla took her first steps at around 15 months (am I a bad Mum for not remembering exactly when?) but before then and indeed even now she loved pushing around her walkers. She has the standard one most babies have 'Welcome to our learning farm we have lots to show you'. Her favourite game with it is to chase you (or the cat) saying 'get ya, get ya!' She also has a trolley that she can push along and a pram. The pram is my personal favourite as it comes with its own dolly and allows for her to role play too. She loves giving her 'baba' kisses and takes her out to 'change your bum' then walks around the house and garden with her. I'm guessing in the next few months she will outgrow the walker but the pram will most probably be a firm favourite for years to come.





Picnic baskets
This was a Christmas present from one of my besties. This is by leap frog and is so cute! It comes with 2 plates, 2 cups, a blanket and food. Again Layla is learning how to role play and loves watching me and her Dad interact with the picnic basket. We pretend to eat the food and drink the drink (which she finds hilarious). She has now started copying us doing this and loves our reactions. The leapfrog picnic basket also has an interactive setting where it asks the child to find certain shapes or colours and place them in the basket. I'm looking forward to seeing how this toy grows along with her.

Stacking Cups
These only cost around £3 and boy were they a good purchase! Layla spends ages playing with these. Stacking them, pretending to drink from them, hiding things underneath them and stacking them to make towers. I honestly didn't think that something so simple would keep her occupied for such a long time.

Pens and paper
I'm not sure where she learnt it from but she can now say 'pen' and 'paper'. In fact every time she sees one or the other she demands it. She doesn't draw for very long but I love the fact she's interested and I hope this is a something she will always love as its one of my great passions too.


Peppa pig
This has only happened in the past month or so but Layla has finally found the TV! I know I shouldn't want it but those 5 minutes of her just sitting are bliss! She only has eyes for Peppa Pig though and can get quite grumpy if you try and persuade her to watch something else. I can already see the Peppa Pig merchandise creeping into out house. The pjs, cuddly toy, crayons, colouring, soon we will be over run! Well until the next craze kicks in.

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