Lej's Fave Sippy Cup

Leji has always hated silicone nipples.  She gnawed on them incessantly and refused to be bottle fed in my presence.  She thinks pumped milk is gross especially when she sees it coming from a Hakaa (she really hates silicone). Thus, she learned how to drink water from a straw at four months and started drinking from Avent cups independently as soon as she learned how to sit.

But in her terrible twos, she developed a fondness for mixing things together and pouring stuff everywhere.  She would wipe her mess afterwards with a paper towel and try to prolong the activity as much as she can because it's so enjoyable for her.  She even thinks soaking up the couch is interesting to watch sometimes.  So we decided to back track a little bit and reintroduce sippy cups at home even if she has already mastered the art of using grownup cups and glasses with two hands.

Leji loves mango yoghurt shake

We have existing Dr. Brown's soft-spout toddler cups; but again she hates silicone.  She gnawed on them like there's no tomorrow before she turned one.  She also found a way not to make them spill proof; she removed the detachable handle in one and broke off the snap-on cap of the other.  Washing up soft spouts is also a chore; some of the milk residue remain in the crevices of the silicone spout even after exposing them to heat in the sterilizer.   I use a mini flosser brush because even an old toddler toothbrush can't clean it effectively.

We took Leji to Baby Company so she could choose a new sippy cup.  She opted for a Philips Avent hard spout (fuchsia with a penguin!) which claimed to be more durable than the soft spout.  However, it's not entirely true that it's spill proof and easy to clean.  Even with the silicone stopper inside, it still spills on the bed & it's quite easy for my toddler to accidentally open the cover while turning it around trying to figure which angle is most fun in milk sipping.  You also have to wash it immediately after use otherwise foul smelling milk residue will annoyingly remain in the spout.  It's tricky to scrape off even with toothpicks and hairpins.  We bought it at full price; a few weeks later it's not surprising to see the model 70% off at Unimart.   

My mom-in-law then gifted us with the Playtex Playtime Spout.  It has colorful 3D animals on the side which Leji happily identified.  She likes her flavored milk cold; its double wall insulation is pretty effective.  When we discovered it was easier to clean (my pinky could fit in the spout and effectively remove residue with soapy water), really spill proof (even when you throw it on the floor!), and harder to "accidentally" open during toddler experiments, she decided to buy it in other designs and colors which Leji could mix and match (one lid fits all!).  Leji says her Lola's really cool.  Thank you, Lola!