Rookie Moms

I am the first person to get superstitious about what works and does not work with Holden. Try a new thing, schedule, toy, routine, etc for at least four days before writing it off (or on).

Make your baby the subject of your own psychology experiment: tie a string or ribbon to a familiar toy and put the toy just out of reach. Does little einstein a) pull the string or b) scoot toward the toy? What happens if you show him?

Once he masters this skill, watch for low hanging table cloths.

P.S. Whitney would like to add that even though she is not a doctor or a paramedic, she is actually a toy industry expert, and you should not use a string longer than 12 inches around your baby.

Having trouble motivating to clean the house? Me too!

One idea is to set the oven timer for 15 minutes and tackle as much as you can before it runs out. Pick up toys, clear the kitchen, make your bed, whatever makes you feel like the house is tidy. Baby should be ok for that long “self-entertaining” (AKA jumperoo, excersaucer, zoning out)

When the bell sounds, take a deep breath, relax, get on the floor together and make a new mess.

Does baby love to pull your earrings and necklace? Suck your hair? If so, he’s gonna love it when your necklace is made out of real food. A Cheerio necklace is a fun, educational, and healthy alternative to those candy necklaces you loved as a kid.

• fun, because slurping on mommy is awesome
• educational, because everything is a lesson in something right about now
• healthy, because candy is cute but not so good for us

So, thread your Cheerios up and try wearing them. Yes, this is what your fashion statements have come to — oatmeal-colored edible necklaces worth approximately $0.05.