Response to: “What are some of your favorite birthday party favors?”Yes I also hate creating trash. Things that they will actually keep and use like multicolored pens, reusable water balloons (these are a hit and any parent will reuse these in the summer months), mini lego ppl (at least they add up to a family’s lego pile rather than the trash). For older kids maybe a book series that they might like, give one book to each kid and once they have read theirs they can later exchange amongst themselves at school. There are some series like the Roald Dahl collection that end up being around $3 per book! Otherwise honestly I just shift to treat as at least that gets eaten!
Response to: “Salads...”Ohh I love making salads! I think the idea is to give them different textures and flavors. 1) Spinach, strawberry, goat cheese, and pine nuts is a favorite plus Balsamic vinegar + olive oil 2) capresse salad - tomatoes (heirloom works well) and cheese (mozzarella), again add some nuts and a nice vinaigrette. 3) baby tomatoes, arugula, cucumber, caramelized onions, and feta cheese crumbles make a yummy one as well Also @JackieR is a master mind at salads.
Response to: “If you could redo the baby phase, what things would you actually want?”My go to gift for every new baby is the Woolino, we have used them every single day from 3 months (±) to upwards of 2 years and my kids would just find comfort in it and it would get them on sleep mode. Also had it for every climate (with just a diaper for the beach or a cozy PJ for the winter). Our first Woolino has lasted till kid #3 so it’s great quality for 2 year of daily use per kid. https://www.woolino.com/collections/4-season-baby-sleep-sacks
Response to: “How do you clean squishmallows?”I don’t know about squishmallows specifically but in this household we are big on plush toys and they all take regular “baths” just like their owners 🤣. I put them in a laundry mesh bag for both washer and dryer which helps keep the eyes safe from scratches.
Response to: “What advice would you give yourself as a first-time parent?”The newborn face is difficult and is physically exhausting and its ok to acknowledge that. Just by doing that it will be much easier to pause and enjoy all the sweet moments that it comes with.
Response to: “Trying to get a handle on laundry....how do you keep it under control without it controlling you?”My kids are on the younger side still, so what I do right now is that on laundry day, once the clothes are clean, instead of putting them away (in closet or drawer) and then go back every day to fetch all the items I need all over their room times 3 (socks, tshirts…) I just do 5 daily bundles for each and set myself for the whole week. I put them in something like this: https://a.co/d/cod40u6 and keep those in the living room because that is where they/we dress them for school after breakfast. This also avoids drama as to what to wear, they only get to pick a surprise bundle each day lol. The rest of the clean laundry then goes into their ind shelves, but since it’s not that much anymore it’s easier. It might not save a lot of time on laundry day but makes my mornings 100% easier.
Response to: “Best water bottle for toddler? Seems like such an easy purchase but we’ve already gone through several and she is only 2”Yes! we have gone through so many trials, but we settled on the ZaK ones. Stainless steel, easy open and close for toddlers, bigger spout that can actually be cleaned. We have one for each kid permanently next to their bed, and by the door for outings. https://a.co/d/984mhxV
Response to: “What are the most important questions to ask when interviewing a nanny?”I think a lot of it is on the chemistry with the kids. I usually try to keep my kids around when interviewing and just see how they interact, kids pick up on “kid friendly” energy super quick. If possible a paid test of a few hours in the evening is a great way for both parties to get to know each other and ask questions.
Response to: “What’s your favorite episode of Bluey, and why?”My favorite episode is “keepy uppy”, most likely because it’s my kids’ favorite and now every time they see a balloon they play the game! Also, the fear of grass popping a balloon, I feel like it’s something innate that will make any human cringe, no matter the age!
Response to: “What was the best gift you received as a new parent?”The best gift I got as a new parent was a pair of Bombas Gripper Slippers. Specially in those first few months there is a lot of hanging out around in the house and doing it all with a baby in arms. These slippers kept my feet cozy, and also very importantly had a grip that prevented my sleep deprived self from falling down the stairs more than once! https://shop.bombas.com/collections/womens-gripper-slippers
Favorite bento / lunch box for school days?We’ll have to get a few of these for our older two as they’ll need them soon for the last week of camps and then for school3 answers