People put so much pressure on babies to learn things, and on parents to teach them. It’s hardly enough anymore for your child to just be doing all the normal developmental things, if they aren’t also doing something extra, it can feel like you really aren’t preparing them for life. Supposedly, babies are great at learning languages – their brains are little sponges. People say, “You’re bilingual, you should teach your baby Spanish at an early age!”

I like to start my yearly workout recommitment in the fall. I find it helps me get through the holidays without gaining too much weight, also, I can feel 3 months’ superior to all those posers who start their workouts in January.

The first time in a new gym often comes with a complimentary session with a trainer. It’s a fun way to really dig into your personal workout goals and challenges with a perfect stranger who is so in shape, you’ll wonder how she has time to get that amazing manicure in between doing nothing but working out and eating kale. Maybe the manicurist comes to her while she’s on the stationary bike, and she drinks her kale smoothies out of one of those beer hats with the straws?

Kids are not just loud, they have a whole range of annoying sounds to torment you with day and night. Crying, screaming, whining, constant babbling, telling you, “No!” as loud as they can in the grocery store. It’s actually hard to pick which sound is the worst. But there is a most terrible sound to parents, it is the silence.

Everybody knows that people like to give advice to parents, and we all know we shouldn’t. But we all know people who do it anyway.
If you’re reading this and you’re thinking, “I don’t know anyone who gives unsolicited advice to strangers, who would do that?” then look in the mirror, because that person is you.

The other day I took my 6-mo-old to Costco for some mommy and baby time. also, we and all the other SAHMs really needed 60 rolls of toilet paper.

When you’re pregnant, prepare yourself for lots of personal questions about your body, your pregnancy, and birth plans from family, friends, and of course – complete strangers (it takes a village, right?). There was one common question that surprised and disturbed me the most. Everyone asked me this question, and all I could think was, “I never knew someone in a grocery store checkout line would want to know this about me.” The question is: Are you having a natural birth?

First of all, I don’t think most people exactly know what they are asking with this question. Do people mean, natural as in, vaginal birth? Or as in, using no drugs? Or do they mean, natural as in, naked in a cave? That’s the most natural way I can think of, anyway.

More importantly, if a baby is born, and he is not prominently featured on his parents’ social media updates, does he really exist at all?