From the category archives:

Month 9

Nice to have? Crib teething rail protector

January 12, 2012

Reader Carolyn, rookie mom to Clara, sent us an email to share her enthusiasm for a crib protector. It protects baby from crib (and crib from baby!) What Carolyn said: I was always confident leaving our 4 ½ month old daughter, Clara, in her crib to snooze, until one day she bumped her teeth on [...]

Activity #261: Throw an Inside-Outside party

October 3, 2011

Your 40th weekly challenge is to celebrate that your baby has been on the outside longer than she was on the inside! There are many fun ways to celebrate this milestone. We’ve done cocktails and sushi (pictured) and a moms night out at the hot tubs in the past. Unless you’re currently knocked up, I [...]

Activity #63: Buy some new jeans

August 29, 2011

Put away the maternity pants and take yourself out to Old Navy to get some interim jeans to make you feel normal. Go with a girlfriend you trust. Don’t look at the size, just find something flattering and comfortable. DO NOT THINK ABOUT OR TALK ABOUT THE WEIGHT YOU ARE GOING TO LOSE IN THE [...]

Activity #309: Get a free 8×10 portrait

August 15, 2011

Look at my son. Sigh. This photo was taken almost six years ago at a photoshoot for my former employer who had a last minute need for a baby model. Although I am usually opposed to studio photography, there is something about it that’s easy to look at. I guess that’s why our parents took [...]

Activity #75: Fake ‘em out

February 2, 2011

When Julian was a little guy and I needed to remove my cell phone from his little paws, a decoy cell phone was the way to avoid a mini-tantrum. Save old sunglasses, cell phones, remotes and key chains that are no longer needed in a drawer. To keep le baby busy: pull them out one [...]

Activity #271: Make a cheap-o rattle

October 28, 2010

Faced with all his usual toys, Holden turned toward his faux rattle and rolled it and shook it for 2 days. Here’s how to make this awe-inspiring toy: Wash and remove the label from a small container Let dry (important or it all turns to mush and is fun for noone) Insert about 6 Cheerios [...]

Activity #171: Have a ball

October 18, 2010

This morning, Milo was throwing train tracks at me. And some legos. And some scrambled egg. And a fork. It reminded me that I need to harness this energy and find something he could throw. Beach balls, like bubbles and 2- and 4-packs of crayons, are items I hoard and keep with me for when [...]

Erin’s Two Very Rookie Summers

July 30, 2010

Time for the fifth edition of our Very Rookie Summer series. Erin Goettsch shares two different days from her life as mom including her lessons learned the hard way taking a baby swimming. Baby Nathan taught his mama how to treat a baby at the pool; baby Anneliese benefited. Read more from Erin at her [...]

Activity #361: Turn your commute into happy time

June 2, 2010

If you work away from home, odds are good that commuting back is a rushed frenzied time. If that’s true, you’re ruining it! This is prime-mama-alone time. Take our advice and savor these tiny moments: If you’re driving a short distance: sing a song that takes you back in time. Really belt it out. If [...]

Activity #184: Swap your babies

March 19, 2010

Free childcare is a precious thing. I am far too embarrassed to tell you how much money we spend on childcare (beyond preschool) every weekend. If you are willing to put in some time watching other kids, then swapping babies is a great way to get some childcare. Also known as a babysitting coop, these [...]

Be selfish, be happy

February 4, 2010

As a mom of five children, Meagan Francis is no rookie. When she launched The Happiest Mom, I invited her to share some of her experience to inspire moms to have more fun during the first years of motherhood. She offers us some tips and reassurance that happy moms put themselves on top of the [...]

Activity #168: Help a mother out

September 1, 2009

Did you know that government assistance programs like food stamps cannot be used for diapers? Also, food banks don’t stock diapers. This means that mothers without the means to pay for the supply of diapers their babies require may be using dirty diapers for more hours or reusing soiled diapers in order to make their [...]

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