Rookie Moms

I love this idea that Thrifty Toddler shared as her favorite rookie year outing during our recent blog blast: Start a weekly Breakfast Club. She and her girlfriends take turns at each other’s houses serving breakfast and drinks and allowing the babies to play (or just roll near each other as the case may be).

She’s enjoyed meeting women she might not otherwise have met and the babies get to grab and slurp on all new toys. They’ve been going strong for over a year now.

It’s cheap, it’s social, and it’s breakfast — what’s not to love?!!

Related links:
>> Full story on Thrifty Toddler
>> Favorite pancakes on 101 Cookbooks
>> My favorite cheap mocha at home

I saw this activity on photojojo this morning and ran right out for bulldog clips to get started.

Unfortunately, my local Office Depot does not carry them in stock (nor does the next one down the street, which I stupidly thought was a different chain… but was the same chain!) so I got these over the top zebra-printed binder clips instead.

As you can see they match the weird zebra theme we have in the office. But that’s a story for another day.

Back to the activity.

Why’s It Cool?

Why would you cover your walls with bulldog clips and hang a bunch of photos? So many reasons. It’s super cheap, it’s ridiculously easy, and it requires practically no skill. Plus it means you can change the photos you have up at any time with practically zero effort.

If you have binder clips around and some fun snapshots that you’re meaning to Do Something With, this project can be done in the span of the tiniest nap.

The instructions on Photojojo for the bulldog clip photo wall give variations like OCD-style and tips for not creasing your photos. Check ‘em out.

If you want to go the high-end route, read Whitney’s instructions for the classier “Family Photo Wall.”

These ten-month olds (Theo, Del, Julian and Paxton) are having so much fun slurping on plastic toys and touching one another’s toes that they don’t realize their moms are having fun too.

Ingredients for a successful Margarita Mommies Group:

1. Shady backyard on a nice, warm day
2. Kiddie Pool with a couple inches of water
3. Mom-sized lawn chairs with toes dipping in the water
4. Plastic pitcher of margaritas
5. Plastic cups
6. Splashing babies (diapers optional) — keep them in the shade or slather heavily with sunscreen before the party starts!
7. Daddies available to pick up mommy and baby afterward

This was suggested by my hairdresser as an awesome way to enjoy the summer!

By the time you have a toddler, you probably know the best way to keep a small child occupied is to show them something they’ve never seen before (no, not TV).  And how about something that they can smush, squeeze, or secretly taste a tiny nibble of?  Even better!

In our recent blog blast, SusieJ generously imparted some wisdom that must come only with being the mother of four boys.  Her amazing post regarding eating out with the whole family (especially for those of you who aren’t rookies, but are dragging a larger crew around with you) is packed with tips.  My favorite part, however, is the suggestion to ask the chef or waiter for some dough for your children to play with.  I’ve been to a Mexican restaurant where giving the kids tortilla dough is part of their schtick, and it’s just brilliant.  I’ve never thought to make this special request at a different restaurant before, and you can bet your sweet buns that I’m going to start.

The uncooked dough is smooshy and wonderful to touch, and guaranteed to keep kids busy making “doughnuts” and snakes. And if you want to get all Martha on me, you can even bake it when you get home.  Or just toss it and be grateful for a relatively peaceful meal.