PP - I put Nina in a big bed when she was 15 months old. It was such an easy transition. We've never had any problems with it.

The DVD definitely came in handy. Also, I used to prepare Nina's food the night before, and have it all in a lunch box in the fridge. That way when meal time came, it wouldn't take much to get Nina's food out, in case I was attending to Nina.

Like Maz said, books, crafts, anything they can be left to play with and entertain themselves with for a while you look after the baby.