My toddler’s current favorite words are “shooos” and “kacket” (jacket) because he knows that once those are on, it’s just a matter of time until we’re “ow-side.” Each morning we wake up and come out to our living room, and I’ll fix myself a tea and some breakfast, while my 2-year-old explores his toys, pulling neatly put away books and plastic animals off shelves, and scattering them across the floor.
Shortly after breakfast, we head to the first park of the day. The last year has been spent mostly outside, rain or shine. You never know until you become a parent, how much sand you can possibly track into your home after each playground visit.
As the weather is getting warmer, I have completely fallen in love with the Ace and Slater Kids line -- They are cute, easy to clean and don’t track a ton of sand into the house. When it comes to parenting a toddler, anything that makes your life simpler and less messy, is always a good thing. Have you ever tried putting shoes on a toddler? It’s like wrestling a tiny baby crocodile. Shoes that are easy to get on and off are an absolute must (for me and baby!) I’ve got the Rio shoes in Mariner Blue and Cloud Grey for me and the Slater Kids in Checker Picket White for my son. Who doesn’t enjoy matching a little bit with their little people? Plus, we’ve made a rule in our house of only slips on and Velcro shoes until he’s a teenager (or learns to tie his own shoes efficiently, whichever comes first. Ha!)
After the park, we head home and eat some lunch. Then, it’s naptime for the little one, and tidying and cleaning for me (plus a bit of TV and social media scrolling, I’m one of the 30-year-olds on TikTok.) After naptime, we head outside again. The weather has been unpredictable this Spring, and usually sunny mornings end with rainy afternoons. This is one of those days. We get on my son’s full rain suit – crocodile blue and green rain jacket (“kacket,”) blue light-reflector rain pants and the Senna Mariner Blue loafer shoes. Have you ever met a kid who didn’t love splashing in every puddle they come across? These shoes are perfect for puddle-hopping and make it easy for toddlers to move, splash, climb, and slide in, off and slide down any playground apparatus.
After we’ve splashed in every puddle we’ve seen (mom too,) we come back home, peel off our wet layers and kick off our shoes. It’s around 4PM by now, and I fix dinner as my son reads or plays “quietly.” After dinner is a quick bath, pyjamas, story time and bed. And that’s the day! Lots of small moments, big feelings and little shoes. And we’ll wake up, and do it all again tomorrow.