family blog

  You want to take your baby to a 4th of July parade, a football game, or your cousin's wedding. But the world is loud. A wedding DJ or a firework boom can exceed 100 dB, which causes instant, permanent hearing damage to an infant's ears. The Solution: Baby Banz. These aren't just cute accessories. They are industrial-grade hearing protection. The Fit: They don't squeeze the head. They just cup the ears gently. The Sleep Hack: If you are at a loud wedding, put these on the baby. The silence often helps them fall asleep right in your arms while the party rages on. Keep a pair in your car. You will use them more than you think.

  Here is a gross fact: Swim diapers do not hold urine. If they did, they would soak up the entire pool and become a heavy anchor, dragging your baby down. Their only job is to catch solids (poop). The Waste: Disposable "Little Swimmers" cost $15 a pack. You use them for 30 minutes and throw them away. The Fix: Reusable Snaps Buy a washable swim diaper (like iPlay or AlvaBaby ). Secure: They have tight elastic around the legs to prevent "Code Brown" leaks. Cheap: One pair ($10) lasts the entire summer. Cute: They look like swim trunks, not diapers. Stop throwing money in the trash. Buy two reusables and be done.

  Here is the scenario: You are on vacation in a hotel room. It is 7:00 PM. The baby goes to sleep in the Pack 'n Play. Now... you and your spouse have to sit in the pitch dark, whispering, afraid to turn on the TV or flush the toilet. Vacation ruined. The Fix: SlumberPod . This looks ridiculous. It is a bottomless blackout tent that goes over the travel crib. Total Blackout: It is pitch black inside. The baby thinks they are in their room at home. Ventilation: It has a pocket for a fan to keep air moving. Freedom: Once the baby is zipped in, you can turn on the lights, watch TV, and drink wine. It is expensive, but for the cost of one night's hotel, it saves your entire trip.

  You can buy a cheap scooter at the grocery store for $20. It will be loud. It will be hard to steer. And your kid will fall off it constantly. The Gold Standard: Micro Kickboard Mini . If you go to any playground in a nice neighborhood, you will see these everywhere. Lean-to-Steer: The handle doesn't turn like a bike. The child leans their weight to turn. It is intuitive and prevents "jack-knifing" crashes. The Wheels: They are polyurethane (like high-end skateboard wheels), not hard plastic. The ride is silent and smooth, even on bumpy sidewalks. The Math: It costs $90. But your child will ride it every single day from age 2 to age 5. That is pennies per ride.

  We all grew up with training wheels. We also all remember the terror of taking them off and crashing. Training wheels teach children to pedal , but they don't teach them to balance . When you take the wheels off, they have to learn to balance from scratch. The Better Way: The Strider Balance Bike . This is a tiny bike with no pedals. The Method: The child sits on the seat and walks with their feet. Eventually, they lift their feet and glide. The Magic: Because they learn to balance first , the transition to a pedal bike is instant. There are no crashes. No tears. My Advice: Get the Strider 12 Sport . It is indestructible, lightweight, and holds its resale value perfectly.

  If you have a dining room rug, you are playing a dangerous game. Babies drop everything. Yogurt, tomato sauce, and oatmeal. Scrubbing a rug three times a day is impossible. The Fix: The Splat Mat. A Splat Mat is basically a stylish tarp for your floor. Budget (Bumkins): A lightweight waterproof fabric. It catches the mess. You can toss it in the washing machine. Luxury (Gathre): A bonded leather mat that looks like a beautiful rug. You just wipe it clean with a paper towel. The Hack: Don't just use it for eating. Use it for Sensory Play . Put the mat in the living room, put a bin of Kinetic Sand or Play-Doh in the middle, and let them play. When they spill, you just shake the mat out outside. It saves your vacuum cleaner.

  New parents always buy cute cloth bibs with slogans on them. Experienced parents know the truth: Cloth bibs are trash. They stain immediately (carrot puree never comes out). They get wet and soak the baby's shirt underneath. You have to wash them constantly. The Upgrade: The Silicone Catcher. You need 100% food-grade silicone bibs (like Mushie or Bella Tunno). The "Bucket": They have a deep pocket at the bottom that stays open. When the baby drops a spoonful of peas, the bib catches it. (Free snack for later!). The Clean Up: You don't put them in the laundry. You take them to the sink, rinse them with soap, and dry them. Done. Buying 2 silicone bibs replaces 20 cloth ones. It cuts your laundry load in half.

  When your child starts preschool, you enter the world of "Bento Boxes." Old-school metal lunchboxes are out. Compartment boxes are in. The two heavyweights are Bentgo and OmieBox . The Bentgo Kids ($25) The Vibe: It has 5 small compartments. It is perfect for "grazers" who want 3 strawberries, 4 crackers, and a dip. The Seal: It is leak-proof. You can put ranch dressing in one section, and it won't leak into the crackers. The Downside: It does not keep food hot. Everything is room temperature. The OmieBox ($40) The Vibe: It has a built-in Thermos . The Magic: You can pack hot mac-and-cheese in the thermos circle and cold fruit in the side square. It keeps hot food hot for 4 hours. The Downside: It is heavy and expensive. Verdict: If your kid loves sandwiches, get the Bentgo . If your kid refuses sandwiches and only eats hot nuggets or pasta, you need the OmieBox .

  Every parent knows the rule: You must cut grapes and hot dogs into quarters. Round foods are the #1 choking hazard for children under 4. But standing at the counter slicing a handful of grapes into tiny pieces every day is tedious. The Solution: The OXO Tot Grape Cutter This looks like a simple plastic plunger. Load: You pop a grape (or cherry tomato) into the chamber. Press: You push the plunger down. Done: The grape pops out the bottom, perfectly sliced into four safe quarters. Why it’s essential: It isn't just about saving time (though it does slice 20 grapes in 30 seconds). It is about consistency . When you cut by hand, you get lazy. You might miss one. This machine never misses. It is the best $10 insurance policy for your peace of mind.

  There is a moment in every meal where your toddler looks you in the eye, smiles, and swipes their entire plate of pasta onto the floor. It is frustrating. It is messy. And it wastes food. You need a Suction Plate . But not all suction is created equal. The Contenders The Silicone Mat (EZPZ): This is a placemat and bowl fused together. It doesn't "stick" as much as it "grips" the table. The Bamboo Suction (Avanchy): This is a heavy wooden plate with a removable rubber suction ring. The Winner: Avanchy Bamboo I tried to pull this off the high chair tray, and I lifted the entire high chair off the ground. The suction is that strong. The Release Tab: It has a tiny tab for parents to break the seal, but it is hidden under the curve of the plate so toddlers can't find it. The Material: Bamboo is naturally antimicrobial and doesn't taste like soap (which silicone sometimes does after dishwashing). If you are tired of mopping up spaghetti, this $20 plate ...

Winter is coming, and with it comes the first cold. Your pediatrician will tell you, "Run  a humidifier." But when you go to the store, you see "Warm Mist" and "Cool Mist." The Safety Rule: ALWAYS Buy Cool Mist. Warm Mist: These boil water to create steam. If a toddler pulls the machine off the table, the boiling water can cause severe burns. Cool Mist: These use ultrasonic vibration to turn water into vapor. It is room temperature. It is 100% safe to touch. The Maintenance Warning Humidifiers are great for congestion, but they grow mold fast. Look for one with a wide tank opening (like the FridaBaby 3-in-1) so you can fit your hand inside to scrub it. If you can't scrub it, don't buy it.

  We worry about crib safety and organic sheets, but we ignore the air . Indoor air can be 5x more polluted than outdoor air (dust, pet dander, cooking smoke, diaper smells). Babies take more breaths per minute than adults, making them more sensitive to air quality. The Double Benefit Getting a HEPA Air Purifier (like the Levoit Core 300) does two things: Health: It traps 99.97% of dust and allergens. If your baby has eczema or congestion, this helps. Sleep: It acts as a White Noise Machine . The gentle "hum" of the fan drowns out the sound of you washing dishes or watching TV, helping the baby stay asleep. Don't buy a loud box fan. Get a purifier that cleans while it soothes.

  If you are on social media, you have seen the Nugget . It is a "configurable play couch"—basically four pieces of foam covered in microsuede. It costs roughly $250. Is it worth it? Yes. Here is why. It isn't a couch. It is the ultimate Indoor Energy Burner . The Fort: Kids build castles and caves. The Crash Pad: They jump off the sofa onto it. The Slide: You can prop it up against the bed to make a slide. The "Save Your Furniture" Factor. Before we got a play couch, my kids stripped the cushions off our expensive living room sofa every day. Now, they leave our sofa alone and destroy the foam couch instead. If you live in a place with long winters or rainy days, this is essential survival gear.

  The Diaper Genie is famous. It is also made of plastic. Here is the science of smell: Plastic is porous. Over time, the smell of dirty diapers seeps into the plastic itself. No matter how much you scrub it, the pail itself starts to stink. The Solution: The Ubbi Steel Pail. The Ubbi is different for two reasons: Material: It is made of powder-coated steel . Steel does not absorb odors. Period. Economy: The Diaper Genie forces you to buy expensive "refill cartridges." The Ubbi takes regular kitchen trash bags . The Math: The Ubbi costs more upfront ($80 vs. $40). But you save about $200 over two years because you aren't buying special blue refill bags. It is cheaper in the long run, and your nursery won't smell like a sewer.

  In the world of high chairs, there are two kings. The Stokke Tripp Trapp ($300+): The beautiful, adjustable wooden chair that lasts forever. The IKEA Antilop ($20): The ugly white plastic bucket on metal legs. I have used both. Here is the honest truth. The Case for IKEA The IKEA Antilop is ugly, but it is a miracle of engineering. Cleaning: It has no cracks or crevices. You can take it outside and hose it down. You can put the tray in the dishwasher. The Price: You can buy 15 of them for the price of one Stokke. The Case for Stokke The Tripp Trapp is furniture, not plastic. Ergonomics: It has an adjustable footrest. This is huge. If a baby's feet dangle, they get restless and stop eating. Supported feet = longer meals. Longevity: It converts into a regular chair that holds an adult (up to 240 lbs). You buy it once, and you keep it for 20 years. The Verdict: If you are tight on cash or hate scrubbing crumbs out of crevices, get the IKEA (and buy an aftermarket footrest...

  Your main car seat probably weighs 25 lbs and is a nightmare to uninstall. So what do you do when Grandma picks the baby up? Or when you fly on a plane? You do not want to lug your $400 Nuna through the airport. The Secret Weapon: Cosco Scenera NEXT This is the "cult favorite" among travel parents. The Price: It is often under $60. The Weight: It weighs only 7 lbs . You can hang it off your pinky finger. The Safety: It is simple, stripped-down plastic, but it passes the exact same federal crash tests as the $500 seats. The Strategy: Buy one. Keep it in the garage. Use it for Taxis, Ubers, Airplanes, and Grandma's car. It is the best "backup" insurance you can buy.

  A soft fabric carrier (like an Ergo) is fine for a 20-minute walk. But if you want to hike a real trail, your back will be screaming in an hour. You need a Framed Carrier . The King of the Trail: Osprey Poco This isn't a baby carrier; it is a high-end backpack that happens to hold a human. Suspension: It uses the same "Anti-Gravity" mesh suspension as Osprey’s pro hiking bags. The weight floats off your back. The Sunshade: It has a built-in "cockpit" sunshade (UPF 50) that pops up to protect the baby from burns. Storage: It has a massive compartment for diapers, snacks, and water. Is it worth $300? If it gets you out of the house and back into nature? Yes. It holds its resale value incredibly well, so you can sell it when the kid walks.

  We all want the fancy monitor that streams to our phone. Until the WiFi goes out. Or the app crashes at 2 AM. Or you read a news story about a stranger hacking a nursery camera. The Comeback of "Radio" Monitors The Infant Optics DXR-8 Pro is a best-seller because it does not connect to the internet. Security: It uses a closed radio loop (FHSS). No hacker can see it unless they are standing in your yard with an antenna. Reliability: It never buffers. It never needs a firmware update. You turn it on, and it works. Battery: The dedicated screen lasts all day (unlike your phone, which dies). My Take: If you travel for work, get the Nanit Pro (WiFi) to see the baby from your hotel. But if you are just sleeping down the hall? Get the Infant Optics for peace of mind.

  There is a myth that once your child turns 1 (or their legs touch the seat), you should turn them forward. Please don't. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends keeping children rear-facing as long as possible (often until age 4). Why? In a crash, a rear-facing seat cradles the head and spine. Forward-facing, the neck snaps forward (Internal Decapitation is a real risk). The Problem: "Where do their legs go?" Parents turn kids around because they think their legs look cramped. Kids are flexible. They cross their legs. They don't mind. The Seat: Graco Extend2Fit This is the #1 seat for this. The Panel: It has a pull-out footrest that gives 5 inches of extra legroom. The Limit: It allows rear-facing up to 50 lbs (most seats stop at 40 lbs). It costs half the price of luxury seats but offers superior safety features.

  If you are looking for a high-end travel system, you have probably narrowed it down to two giants: Nuna and UPPAbaby . They both cost a fortune. They both look beautiful. But which one fits your life? The UPPAbaby Vista V3 The Pro: It is a tank. The basket is massive (it holds 30 lbs of groceries). It converts to a double stroller easily if you have a second child. The Con: It is heavy. Lifting it into a trunk takes muscle. The Nuna PIPA + TRVL The Pro: The "One-Hand Fold." You literally press a button, and the stroller collapses on its own. The car seat (PIPA) is feather-light (under 7 lbs). The Con: The basket is smaller, and it doesn't convert to a double stroller as easily. The Verdict: Buy the UPPAbaby if you plan on walking everywhere (city living) and grocery shopping with your baby. Buy the Nuna if you drive a lot. The lightweight car seat makes moving from car to stroller 10x easier.

  Imagine walking into a restaurant with a 50-page menu. You feel overwhelmed. You don't know what to pick. That is how your child feels when they walk into a playroom with 500 toys on the floor. They don't play. They dump. They move from one thing to another in seconds. The "Toy Rotation" Method This is a Montessori secret that will save your sanity. The Purge: Take every single toy you own and put it in the middle of the room. The Sort: Group them. Cars, blocks, dolls, puzzles. The Storage: Put 80% of them into opaque plastic bins and put them in a closet or the garage. The Shelf: Leave only 6–8 activities out on the shelf. The Result Suddenly, your child plays with the blocks for 45 minutes. They focus. And next week? You swap the blocks for the cars. It feels like Christmas morning every Monday, and you didn't spend a dime. Pro Tip: Use Clear Bins in the closet so you can see what is where, but keep the playroom minimalist.

  We all swore we wouldn't be "Screen Time Parents." Then we took a 5-hour flight. Or we got sick. And suddenly, the iPad was our best friend. There is no shame in using screens, but there is a danger in using unrestricted screens. YouTube is full of weird, scary content disguised as cartoons. Why the Amazon Fire Kids is Better than an iPad The "Worry-Free" Guarantee: If your kid throws it down the stairs and breaks it, Amazon replaces it for free. No questions asked. Try doing that with an Apple iPad. The Content Walled Garden: It comes with "Amazon Kids+". It creates a sandbox. They literally cannot access the open internet or YouTube. They can only see approved books, games, and videos. The "Learn First" Feature: You can set a rule: "No games until you read books for 30 minutes." The tablet enforces it for you. The Verdict: If you want peace of mind, don't hand them your phone. Hand them a device built for them.

  If you mention the NoseFrida to a non-parent, they will gag. "You suck the snot out with your mouth?!" Yes. And you will do it gladly, because it is the only thing that lets your baby sleep. Bulb Syringe vs. NoseFrida The hospital gives you a blue bulb syringe. The Problem: It pushes air into the nose before sucking, which startles the baby. And since you can't see inside, it fills with black mold. The Fix: The NoseFrida is a long tube. You put one end in their nose and the other in your mouth. (Don't worry, there is a filter. You never eat the snot. Why It's "High Value" Safety: You control the suction strength with your own lungs, so you can't hurt the baby. Hygiene: You can disassemble the entire unit and wash it in the dishwasher. Effectiveness: It clears the entire sinus cavity in one go, whereas the bulb just gets the surface stuff. My Advice: Buy the "Sick Day Kit" that comes with the vapor rub and the gas passer. It’s th...

  Most parents drag potty training out for months. They do "one hour a day" or "only when at home." This is a mistake. It confuses the child. The most successful method is the "3-Day Bootcamp." It is intense, messy, and exhausting. But it works. The Gear You Need Don't start until you have these three things: The "Potty Watch": This is a cheap digital watch that sings a song every 30, 60, or 90 minutes. It reminds the child to go, so you don't have to be the nag. Thick Training Underwear: Regular underwear leaks instantly. "Training" underwear has a thicker absorbency layer to catch small accidents while still letting the child feel dry. The Floor Potty: Do not force them to use the big toilet yet. It's scary. The Strategy Day 1: Naked Day. Keep them bottomless. Watch them like a hawk. When they start to go, sprint to the potty. Day 2: Commando. Pants, but no underwear. Day 3: Underwear. Pro Tip: Use the Potty Watc...

  There is a lie printed on every toddler cup in the grocery store. It says, "100%  Leak Proof." As a parent, you know this is false. A toddler can find a way to leak water out of a bank vault. So, instead of trusting the label, I tested them. I bought the 5 most popular cups and threw them on the floor. Here is what happened. The Contenders The Spout Cup (Nuk): Good for babies, bad for toddlers. The spout is hard to clean (mold grows inside the valve). The Straw Cup (Contigo): Excellent for travel, but if the straw breaks, it's game over. The 360 Cup (Munchkin): The weird-looking one with no spout. The Winner: Munchkin 360 If you want to save your rug, buy the Munchkin Miracle 360 . Why it won: The "Drop" Test: I dropped it from high chair height. It didn't leak a drop. The "Shake" Test: I shook it upside down. Nothing. The Dentist Factor: Pediatric dentists hate hard spouts (they mess up teeth alignment). This cup forces the child to drink...

  Most toys are exciting for 2 days and then end up at the bottom of the toy box. There is one toy that has stood the test of time in our house (and every preschool classroom): Magnetic Tiles . These are translucent plastic squares with magnets inside the edges. They click together effortlessly to build castles, towers, and rockets. Why are they the " Holy Grail "? Instant Success : Unlike Legos (which can be hard for small hands to snap), magnets just click . A 3-year-old can build a 2-foot tower in minutes. Open-Ended : It’s not a "one-trick pony." Today it's a castle; tomorrow it's a garage for cars. The Light: If you build near a window, the sun shines through it like stained glass. It’s mesmerizing. They are expensive, but they are the only toy that consistently gives me enough time to drink a hot coffee.

  The "Witching Hour" (5:00 PM to 6:00 PM) is the hardest part of the day. You are trying to cook dinner. The toddler is hungry, tired, and screaming at your feet to be picked up. You can't hold them and cook safely. The Fix: The Kitchen Helper Stool . Stop using a rickety chair; it can fall apart. Get a Learning Tower (a stool with safety rails on all four sides). Safety: They can climb up safely and cannot fall backward. Inclusion: It brings them to counter height. Give them a dull butter knife and a banana, or a bowl of water to "stir." Suddenly, they aren't crying for attention; they are "working" with you. You can actually finish cooking the pasta in peace.

  Here is a rookie mistake: Waiting until the baby is sick to buy supplies. When your baby wakes up burning up with a fever at 2 AM, you do not want to be driving to the 24-hour pharmacy in your pajamas. Build Your " Midnight Kit " Now: Infant Tylenol (Acetaminophen) : Check with your doctor for the dosage, but have the bottle ready. Rectal Thermometer : It is gross, but it is the only accurate way to check a newborn's temp. Forehead scanners are often wrong. Saline Drops : For the stuffy nose. Pedialyte : For rehydration if there is vomiting. The " All-in-One " Option: The FridaBaby Sick Day Prep Kit comes with a snot sucker, a medicine pacifier dispenser, and vapor rub. Buy it, put it in the closet, and pray you don't need it. But when you do, you will feel like a superhero.

  You want to be the "Fun Parent." You want to do arts and crafts. Then you hand a 2-year-old a marker, and within 30 seconds, they have drawn a line on the table, their face, and the dog. You spend the next hour scrubbing. The Fix: " Invisible" Markers Buy Crayola Color Wonder kits . The Ink: The markers are clear. If you draw on the wall, the table, or skin, nothing happens . It looks like water. The Paper : The ink only turns colors when it touches the special Color Wonder paper. You can leave your toddler alone with these markers and go to the bathroom without fear. It allows them to be creative without you needing to hover like a helicopter.

  Potty training is terrifying. You finally get them out of diapers, but now you are a prisoner to their bladder. When a toddler says, "I have to go," you have about 45 seconds before disaster strikes. If you are driving, this panic is real. You do not want to be sprinting into a dirty gas station bathroom with a toddler who is touching everything. The Solution: The " Trunk Potty " You need a Portable Travel Potty (like the OXO Tot ). It folds flat: It stores in a small bag under your seat. It uses bags: You clip in a disposable plastic bag with an absorbent pad. They do their business, you tie up the bag, and throw it away like a diaper. No mess to clean. It works anywhere: Park the car, pop the trunk, and set it up. Privacy and hygiene instantly. Keep it in your car until they are 5. It will save you from so many accidents.

  There is a lie on every sippy cup package. It says "Leak Proof." Parents know the truth: If a toddler shakes it upside down or throws it across the room, it will leak juice onto your white rug. The Exception: The 360 Miracle Cup. This cup looks weird. It has no spout. It simply appears to be a regular cup with a flat lid. How it works: The child drinks from the rim like a regular glass. Their suction opens a tiny valve. The Magic: The second they stop drinking (or drop the cup), the valve snaps shut. You can hold it upside down and shake it—nothing comes out. Bonus: Dentists love it because it teaches "proper" drinking muscle movement, unlike hard spouts, which can mess up teeth alignment.

  It is a law of physics: If you put socks on a baby, one will disappear within 15 minutes. Babies kick. They rub their feet together. And standard baby socks are just loose tubes of cotton with no grip. The Fix: "Squid Socks" or "Sock Ons" —You  have two options to solve this mystery forever. Squid Socks : These have little silicone "dots" on the inside of the cuff. The silicone gently grips the baby’s leg, making it impossible for them to kick the sock off. Sock Ons : This is a little elastic "jacket" that goes over a regular sock. It locks the sock around the heel. Stop buying the cheap 10-packs that fall off. Buy 3 pairs that actually work.

  Bathing a baby is cute. But physically? It is brutal. You are kneeling on hard ceramic tile, leaning over the tub rim, holding a slippery baby for 20 minutes. After a week, your knees are bruised, and your back is aching. The Solution: The Bath Kneeler . This is a thick, waterproof memory foam pad that sits on the floor next to the tub. Some versions also come with an Elbow Rest that suctions to the top of the tub rim. Comfort: It feels like kneeling on a cloud. Storage: Most have pockets for shampoo and toys. Drying: They usually have a velcro strap to hang on the towel rack so they dry out between baths. It turns a painful chore into a comfortable bonding time. Your knees will thank you.

  There is a special place in parenting hell reserved for " Snap Pajamas ." Imagine this: It is 3 AM. It is dark. Your baby is screaming. You have to change a diaper. You undo 12 tiny metal snaps. You change the diaper. Then, in the dark, you try to match the snaps back up. You miss one. You realize the baby's leg is in the wrong hole. You have to start over. The Rule: Zippers Only But not just any zipper. You need the " 2-Way Zipper " (or Double Zipper ). How it works: It has two zipper pulls. One at the neck, one at the foot. The Magic: To change a diaper, you just unzip from the bottom up to the waist. The baby’s chest stays warm and covered. You change the diaper, zip down, and you're done in 30 seconds. If someone gifts you snap pajamas, smile, say thank you, and use them as rags.

  Traditional baby gates are awful. They are clunky metal bars. They damage your walls. And you trip over the "threshold bar" every time you walk through them. Enter the Retractable Gate . This is the modern upgrade. It works like a window shade on its side. Invisible: When it’s open, it rolls up completely into a small tube on the wall. You don't even see it. No Tripping: There is no bar on the floor. It is just a soft mesh fabric that stretches across the hallway. Quiet: It locks silently ( unlike the loud CLANG of metal gates ), so you don't wake the baby. Where to use it: Top of the stairs? No. (Always use a screwed-in metal gate for stairs). Hallways and Kitchens? Yes. It is perfect for high-traffic areas where you want the gate to disappear when the baby is asleep.

  Does your living room look like a bomb went off? The problem isn't that your child is messy. The problem is Too Many Toys . When a child sees a pile of 50 toys, they get overwhelmed. They dump everything out and play with nothing. The Solution: Toy Rotation Buy Opaque Bins: Get plastic bins you can't see through. The Purge: Put 75% of the toys in the bins and hide them in a closet. The Display: Leave only 5–8 toys out on the shelf. The Magic Result Suddenly, your child plays with those 5 toys deeply. They focus. When they get bored (usually after a week), you bring out a "new" bin from the closet. It feels like Christmas morning every single week, and you didn't spend a dime. Get a Cube Organizer with fabric bins to make this easy.

  When you start solids, you have two choices: Buy jars (Expensive). Make your own (Messy). If you plan to make your own, you will be tempted to buy a fancy machine like the BEABA Babycook . It steams the raw veggies and then blends them in the same cup . Is it worth the price tag? YES, if: You hate washing dishes. The magic of " Steam & Blend " in one button means you aren't washing a steamer pot, a strainer, and a blender jar. You wash one cup. You want " Set and Forget. " You throw raw carrots in, press a button, and walk away. 15 minutes later, it beeps, and you have puree. NO, if: You already have a high-end blender ( like a Vitamix ). You can steam veggies on the stove and blend them. It takes more steps, but the result is the same. My Take: If you can afford it, the time saved on washing dishes makes the Beaba worth every penny.