How do you choose a last name for your child?
My husband, D, and I are eagerly expecting our second child in a few weeks. And while we’ve honed in on a handful of first names we like, there is a big, looming question about the last name this child will have. Through somewhat unlikely and eerily parallel familial situations, we are both the very end of the line for our last names.
Here’s something you can pull out the next time someone says you’re not parenting the way “people used to”
You know what I’ve learned since becoming a parent? Everyone just loooooves to talk to you about how you’re parenting your kid. This can be good, sometimes, when a stranger pauses to comment on how well-behaved your child is. It can be bad, sometimes, when a stranger pauses to obviously roll their eyes at you while you insist on counting backwards from ten before addressing your screaming toddler, or you insist on not using cups and utensils that aren’t BPA-free (because yes, those still exist), or maybe your kid is watching a third episode of Curious George because you need those twelve minutes for yourself.
What should I bring when visiting a friend in the maternity ward?
Last weekend, when I got a text that it was go time and mom was being induced, I found myself excitedly asking, “What do I bring to the hospital?” I ended up taking Oreos for waiting family members and a tiny bouquet for mom — figuring they could throw it away instead of taking it home if hands were full of new child paraphernalia.
Plugged in peeps: what parent OR kid-friendly apps do you love?
I’m a little worried about letting my toddler have free rein with my iDevices, but it’s still something that happens from time to time. I’ve done my fair share of app research, and a lot of my offline friends often ask me for advice about apps for themselves or their kids.
A courageous and victorious birth center water birth
As we began our four-hour drive home with our newborn son, Orean, my husband turned to me and said, “You have so much courage.” When I asked him to explain, he summed it up like this: courage is being afraid, but going forward anyway because you believe it’s right for you.
How does your family handle non-sexual nudity?
I’m curious how other families feel about nudity at home. My husband and I frequently walk around the house in various states of undress, but now that our child is a year old we’ve been wondering when we’re “supposed” to cover up, or if we even need to. I’d love to hear how other folks handle this!
On making the choice to connect, again and again, with my kids
This morning was a rough one. You know the kind where everyone is cranky and just can’t seem to shake the yuckies? The kind of day where everything spirals down down down and you find yourself acting in ways you wish you wouldn’t — yelling, blaming, threatening. Yeah, we had one of those.
Making your own playdough: it’s as easy to make as everyone says it is
So it turns out that playdough is actually as easy to make as everyone says. Who knew? Well, OK, nearly everyone. Despite frequently being told that it was super easy to make, I always thought it would be hard to get it to turn out just right. This is probably because I have a vivid memory of my Mom making a disastrous attempt at playdough when I was a kid. I’m not sure what we did wrong back then, but whatever it was, I was able to avoid it this time.