Browsing Category: Parenting

Best Books for a 2-3-Year-Old in 2018

August 13, 2018 Zoe

I’ve written before about how I wanted Harley to be a bookworm, even from before she was born. I think that reading is so important for kids and adults. It’s about so much more than literacy, as there are plenty of skills that develop when you read to your kids.

So what should you read? There are so many great kids’ books out there. Seriously, we have a decent-sized library at home and I’m still always finding more great books that I want to buy. But these have been our favorites this year. Also, while I’m calling this post best books for a 2-3-year-old in 2018, most of these books will be great to read to a 1-year-old or a 5-year-old. But since Harley is this age, I’m working with what I know works for her age range.

(Full disclosure: Yes, I’m using some affiliate links below, which mean that I’d get cash if you buy from these links. But that in no way changes the content of this post or the recommendations that I make.) Continue Reading

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Comment Books, Parenting, Products

Top 5 Geeky Father’s Day Gift Ideas

June 3, 2018 Zoe

Mother’s Day came and went, and now it’s time to prepare for Father’s Day. Dean keeps saying he doesn’t want anything for Father’s Day, gift and celebrations are apparently unnecessary. But I really want to get him something, and I think it’s important for Harley to see how nice it can be to celebrate other people and give other people nice things.

Just like I did for Mother’s Day, I figure this is a great opportunity to look for some fun Father’s Day gift ideas. Even if I can’t or don’t buy them this year, they might still be relevant next year. At the very least, I hope they help you figure out some things that you might like to give a geeky dad in your life. Disclaimer: Yes, these are affiliate links so I will get money if you use them to buy awesome stuff. Continue Reading

Comment Gaming, Geek, Parenting, Products

Father's Day Gift Present

The second baby conversation that I keep having in my head

May 29, 2018 Zoe

Maybe it’s because Harley is almost 2.5 years old, and is acting more and more like a big girl. Maybe it’s because with Harley being such a big girl, people are asking me the question more. Or maybe it’s just a timing thing, but I keep thinking about the second baby question. Dean and I agreed that we would only have the second baby conversation when Harley was 3, but considering how ridiculously fast the time has been going, I feel like I’ve been getting a head start in my head.

But it’s so confusing for me. Not like children are a pros and cons list. There’s something inherently primal about the decision to make a new person. You can have all the reasons why and why not lined up, but when the animal brain kicks in and you want to make a baby, it’s hard to think about much else. So, I preface all of this with that knowledge – this is basically all the logical, reasoning, thoughtful stuff, which could all get thrown out of the window if the biological mandate rears its ugly head. Continue Reading

1 Comment Parenting, Pregnancy, Rambling

Baby hunger Pregnancy second baby

1001 Nights of Bedtime – The ups and downs of sleep in the early years

May 24, 2018 Zoe

(Photo credit: Becca Gutierrez with Rusty Metals Photography // @RustyMetalsPhotography)

Whether on TV or all the articles online, parents idolize bedtime. It’s that special time with kids, an important part of the routine and a key part of bonding. Or so they say. Let’s be realistic, though – unless you do sleep training or have a magic kid, it’s probably also a bit of a struggle. The first years are the hardest for obvious reasons, and I just keep thinking of them as the 1001 nights of bedtime, and just like Scheherazade’s story, it can be about survival more than love.

I know, I know, these will be the times I’ll look back on fondly when Harley is older. This is part of how I’m building a solid foundation of love and trust with her. But mostly, I end up trapped under a hot toddler who screams at me if I move. So yeah, the Scheherazade thing fits. Maybe. Continue Reading

1 Comment Parenting, Rambling

bedtime Routine Sleep

A day home with a sick kid

April 25, 2018 Zoe

(Photo credit: Kathleen White with Kathleen Elizabeth Photography // @_KathleenElizabeth_)

Yesterday afternoon I got a dreaded call from Harley’s school. I needed to come pick her up – she had just thrown up. Thankfully, I was already getting ready to get her, so it was just minutes between getting the call and holding my sick kid.

Turns out that another kid had puked an hour before. So, like something out of Theme Hospital, I figured it was a bug that moved through the class like a gross wave. Still, it meant spending the evening taking care of a sometimes miserable but still surprisingly peppy princess. Plus, the school has a policy that kids sent home sick can’t come back the next day without a doctor’s note. So, Harley and I were set for a day home together. Continue Reading

Comment Parenting, Rambling

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