Favorite Toddler Moments and Reads

In this episode we’re discussing our favorite books to read with our toddlers and some of our favorite moments being moms! 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hey book lovers, it's TNT Bookhaven.

SPEAKER_01 0:03

Where Tyra is chaotic and free-spirited. Tabitha is organized and type A. And our TBRs are totally out of control. So today we're talking toddler life. Their favorite books, current obsessions, funny phases, and the little things making life easier right now. It's basically just a little snapshot of life with toddlers lately. So, Tyra, what's the weirdest thing your toddler is obsessed with right now?

SPEAKER_00 0:34

The weirdest thing he is obsessed with right now. Oh, the weirdest thing he is obsessed with right now is calling everybody bug eyes. Yeah. Oh my gosh, I love him. I can't tell you how many times in a day my husband and I hear, Mom, you're Bug Eyes. Dad, you're Bug Eyes. It just like smiling and laughing with it. It's so funny.

SPEAKER_01 1:01

I love that. And I actually didn't know what that was. I haven't watched the Spidey and Friends show. Um, but when you were telling me about that, I'm like, that is just so cute. It's just so funny the things that they latch on to. Like they see things and they're like, okay, that's my that's my thing.

SPEAKER_00 1:15

That's my thing now. Yes, it's so crazy. But what is the weirdest thing that your toddler is obsessed with right now?

SPEAKER_01 1:24

Um, I don't know if it's necessarily weird, but um she just says no to everything. Oh, yes, you you literally just gave me a little hint. It's not weird, but it is freaking hilarious. She, so I obviously and I'm obsessed with all things spooky. I it's unhealthy uh for myself and now obviously is rubbing off on my child. Um so I have a lot of shirts that have spooky stuff on them. Like we went to Salem as a family, and um, I have stuff that has like ghosts and pumpkins and different things like that. And so we started doing this thing where obviously when you have a toddler, it's like, what does a cat say? What does the dog say? What does this say? What does the dinosaur say? And so I started trying to teach her what does a ghost say? And she, it is the absolute cutest thing where she literally you say, What does a ghost say? And she goes, but then wait, you can't see it because we're on audio, but she moves her little chin back and forth like to make the noise. It is adorable. So um, yeah, not necessarily a weird thing, but she she is just it's just adorable. I love all these little phases where it's like you just get to see a little bit more of their personality. Um, and I was telling my mom, she's like, You need to get that on video because she's gonna stop doing it.

SPEAKER_00 2:56

I know it's like they just they hit one phase and then it really does truly just go by so fast. Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:03

Um, but really, obviously, since this is a book podcast, we wanted to talk about our toddlers' favorite books and like what we're we reading with them right now. Um it's not like gonna be a deep dive into anything because obviously they are toddler books. Um, but just a few of our recommendations of things that they are really liking and like that we like reading with them. Um, so just a quick little list for mine. Um, I Love You Like No Otter by Rose Rosner. Eric Carl's Carl's um is it Carlisle? Carl, I think I don't know how to pronounce his last name. Carl's Bedtime Rhymes with the Very Hungry Caterpillar, You're My Little Cutie Pie by Nicola Edwards, Nicola Edwards, and Why a Daughter Needs a Dad by Gregory E. Lang.

SPEAKER_00 3:56

Aww. Um, right now our favorite books that we are reading is Over in the Garden by Jenny Mathies, um Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell, uh Love You Forever by Robert Munch, and Lama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dudney.

SPEAKER_01 4:18

We actually have that one too, and that is a very cute one, that last one, the Llama Lama Red Pajama. Um but I feel like so. With those overall, do you feel like those the reason why they're his favorites? Do you feel like it's because they're more interactive? Like, are those more bedtime books or daytime books?

SPEAKER_00 4:35

Like, how how does that play into the day-to-day with I I feel like um uh well we have the Dolly Parton's uh library. We signed up for the Dolly Partons library. So if you are not aware of what that is um for our listeners, so Dolly Parton, um, based on where you live, if you qualify, you can sign up to get books for your children. Um and you for free. Yeah, for free. It's all free. You don't have to do anything, there's no catch. Um, and you literally just get a book sent in the mail every month. Um, and so we get those books obviously every month. So right now over in the garden, um, we got that one from Dolly Parton in the mail, and um, I feel like that one's just kind of a nice summer read. I I feel like it's relatable because all the pictures are them planting flowers and stuff like that. And um the other ones, like the love you forever, is just such a good bedtime story. It honestly, it's so ridiculous. It's a kid's book, but it makes me cry when I read it.

SPEAKER_01 5:50

I I'm glad you said that because honestly, there's some times where I'm like, I am a psychopath. Like, why am I so Why am I crying over this other book? Because the I Love You Like No Otter, I got that book before she was born, and that's been like our thing is otters, because um my mother-in-law, she had we got this book as a gift from one of her friends, and she had included the friend that my mother-in-law's friend had included a note about otters and like why it's so sweet and special. And there's something about like the way that otter mothers like take care of their baby. It just like literally just thinking about it, it makes me want to cry. It's so sweet. And so we got that book, and I got her a little stuffed otter that is like her little stuffy that I got for her before she was born. Um, and then is in her bed with her every night. Like it just, it is so it just it touches something in my heart every single time we read that. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:49

I feel like once you become a mom, you get so emotional over the list thing. Yeah. I'll be listening to songs and I start crying over this song and reading a this book. I start crying when I read this book, and Koa's probably like little man's probably just looking at me like, what is wrong with that? Yes, and he'll even be like, You okay, mama?

unknown 7:12

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 7:13

No, it's like I'm like I just love you so much it hurts. So yes. Um, but no, I think that they're all all of the ones that I mentioned, they're all good um bedtime reads. They're good in the daytime too. I feel like it's just any time that you need like a little slow moment of like, yeah, we need to sit down and read a little book because you're acting cray cray. Um or at the end of the night when you're going to bed, it's it's they are just very cute, easy reads. And honestly, some of them, the stories are really good and the um illustrations are really good, which is just funny to think about as like I I actually enjoy reading them because I think they're really they're really cute.

SPEAKER_00 7:49

Um I think that's what captures the kids too, is like it has to have good illustrations in order to capture those kids.

SPEAKER_01 7:56

I agree. Yep, to keep them engaged. Um, so that's kind of like the little book wrap-up. Obviously, we we don't have a lot of deep dive to go into with those, but um, if you do have recommendations on books that your toddler loves or loved, feel free to listen to it.

SPEAKER_00 8:14

You love in general reading with your toddler that just is kind of like maybe it makes you tear up a little bit. Yes, please say we're not the only ones.

SPEAKER_01 8:22

Yeah, we would love to know. Um, but kind of just getting into just toddler overall, um, because obviously that is what consumes our lives currently. So like toddler favorites, the phases that they're in. Um, so is there anything currently aside from buckeyes that uh your little man is obsessed with? Yes, golf.

SPEAKER_00 8:48

I mean, sports in general. He truly just loves sports, but he sleeps with a golf ball every night. Like he literally he doesn't want a stuffed animal, he wants a golf ball. And he just like we go to my brother-in-law's, and the entire time he just wants to be golfing, he will do it. Like he will just sit there and golf for so long. He's actually decent for like a two-year-old.

SPEAKER_01 9:18

That's what he's he's gonna be so good at that when he gets older. I can already tell.

SPEAKER_00 9:22

Oh yeah. Um, what are your little girls' current obsessions? Stickers, she Oh really?

SPEAKER_01 9:30

Oh my gosh, it is it's almost painful like to try to get her to stop. Like she and she's also obsessed with two, and I don't know if this is from daycare, like them teaching them that they're about to be two, because she wants two of everything. If we're giving her a cracker, she wants two. If she whatever it is, she wants two of everything. So if we're giving her a sticker, we will give her one and she'll stand, she's like, two, two, like another one, and then she'll have two of them, and then she's happy, and she wants to go put them on hers and my husband's arms, like literally like tattooing us, and she will not stop until that sheet of stickers is done, and it's like, okay, all gone, and then she'll be okay. But she if there is another sticker waiting to be had, she will she's obsessed. Um, so that is just a random, a random obsession that she has right now.

SPEAKER_00 10:24

Oh my gosh, that is so funny. Use that to your advantage when you're potty training. Oh, yes, that's a good idea. It's like you can have another sticker if you're like on Amazon. Yeah, you can go on Amazon and they have little boards for to put stickers on to like say you did good.

SPEAKER_01 10:41

Good to know. If anyone's listening and needed that tip, you're welcome. Thank you, Tyra. Um you gotta do what you can in that stage. Oh, I I am not looking forward to it. I think it's gonna be it's gonna be interesting. Um, toddler food chaos. Is there anything that's like food related that is just like, oh my goodness, this is the phase that we're in right now.

SPEAKER_00 11:09

Um I think the biggest phase that we're in right now is just he little man is constantly saying, Mama, I hungry. Mama, I hungry, mama, I hungry. And it's just like he he won't eat berries, he won't really eat fruit, only pineapple. Um, and he loves pizza, he loves pasta, he loves like, and sometimes you get him a hamburger, a cheeseburger, he will only eat the bread. Oh, how funny. I'm like, come on, dude. You know what's even crazier though? He loves salad.

SPEAKER_01 11:53

That's good though. I feel like that's pretty well rounded. That like the honestly, lucky for you, because freaking berries are stupid expensive. And it's like, okay, as long as you'll eat some pineapple and have some salad, at least you're getting some sort of nutrition there. That's I I'll call that a win.

SPEAKER_00 12:11

Yes. But what is your sweet little girl's food chaos moments right now?

SPEAKER_01 12:18

She is just she is so her mother's daughter, and I am so sad. I was an extremely picky child, and I remember telling my husband, I'm like, please, oh please, oh please, oh please. I hope she is not like me. And sadly, she is just like me. And she is pretty good. Like, she likes a lot of berry. She she'll have like applesauce and cottage cheese and yogurt and um she is slowly getting into like she wouldn't even eat chicken nuggets. And I'm like, chicken nuggets are not even like actual food. That that's like a kid's favorite thing to eat. Like, what are you talking about? And she won't, she wouldn't even eat that. But thankfully, she has dipped her toe into a couple different things and actually liked it. And I think she's a big sauce girly. She really likes ranch and ketchup and barbecue sauce and all of that stuff. So um, I'm trying to use that to my advantage of like trying to get her to try different things. Um, but yeah, it's just a little difficult when I'm like, I know you will like this. Like, this is actually good. Just give it a try. So it'll be nice once she gets a little bit older and I can actually communicate with her better. Um, but as of right now, we're kind of just surviving on um, she eats a lot. I we call them cookies. They're like the little whatever. Like thick bars or whatever? Yeah, like little bar uh cookie, whatever. They're quote unquote nutritional, I guess. I don't know if you could really say that, but she loves her cookies um and she loves smoothies. So she's at least getting to some.

SPEAKER_00 13:51

Yeah, you just get to a stage where you're just like, I just need them to not starve. Yeah, she needs to eat something.

SPEAKER_01 13:57

I'm like, okay, yeah. Yeah. So, and I know it uh it'll come in waves, so we'll see. Um, we'll see what the next the next thing is. Um is there any um specific item that is like survival for you guys right now that is helping with the toddler phase?

SPEAKER_00 14:24

I gosh, I don't even know. Well, I will say we just survive.

SPEAKER_01 14:33

Yeah, but I will say I which we haven't actually put it together, but I got a recommendation from another one of our mom friends who has a daughter who is three months older than your son. So we had him like three months apart from each other. Um, and she I was talking to her about how my daughter really likes to be in the kitchen and she wants to be involved, and I'm like having to set her up on the counter and um then I have to worry about her jumping off, falling off, or whatever. And she recommended the toddler tower, which like you can set up and they can stand up there and help you cook and all that. And we are so excited to try that out because I know that she is going to love it, and she she loves being in the kitchen, but the only option is to have her sitting in there in her high chair, and then she's kind of like constrained and like she's not able to like really do anything. So that is one thing I'm really looking forward to, and I think it's gonna be a huge win of making it easier for me when I'm cooking and getting stuff ready because she can help out and she's like in the mix, and I think she's gonna have a lot of fun. So fingers crossed that that one is a a toddler win.

SPEAKER_00 15:44

I hope so. I we have one, I don't feel like we use it as often, but I think it's because literally, gosh, I just feel like we run out of time. Like when I'm cooking, I'm like trying to hurry. Um I'm always in a rush, but I would say, I mean, obviously, like my little guy just likes balls, any type of ball, golf ball, basketball, um, bouncy balls. So if he it has a good ball, he's entertained. Um, he's entertained with golf, that'll keep him going for a long time. So that's nice.

SPEAKER_01 16:16

Well, and I I think that shows the shift between, or like not the shift, but the difference between uh having a little boy and having a little girl. Because like I said, this other mom friend, she has a little girl, and I think it is something about like they want to be in the kitchen and they want to be helping and all that stuff. And I honestly think little boys are like, cool, you got that. Just give me some food and I'm gonna go over here and play with my play with my stuff. Um, so no, I think it it does make sense that they're just in a in a they're just they're just different, they're different um little minds. Um but I I feel like that was I'm trying to think if there's anything else that we didn't touch on, but I feel like that's it, unless there's anything else that you wanted to chat about for toddler life.

SPEAKER_00 17:04

No, that is it. I will save you on my sanity.

SPEAKER_01 17:09

But yeah, like we mentioned earlier, send us your favorite toddler books because we are always looking for new ones. And if you are in a weird phase with your toddler currently, we would love to uh to hear about it. I feel like there's competition to the code. You're not alone. Yeah, we're we're all in this together.

SPEAKER_00 17:28

But yeah, that's it for our mini episode uh of TNT Bookhaven. So make sure you're following the show so you never miss a bookish moment.

SPEAKER_01 17:38

And also come chat with us over on social media. We're on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook as TNT Bookhaven, along with our book club on the Fable app, um, TNT Bookhaven Book Club. So feel free to come over and hang out with us. So we will see you in the next one. Happy reading. Bye. Bye.