Tuesday Tips - Post Script Pictures Added

TIP #1: Encourage your son's desire to be a beautician - everyone needs a beautician in the family...

This picture is so sad, because I heard that Santa worked hard putting all that yarn together last year, to make an extra fluffy tail...

TIP #2 - Encourage your daughter's inner artist (again) - help her feel like the world is her canvas (or your house...).


TIP #3: Encourage your daughter to be strong willed - it will pay off one day when boys try to make out with her... (hopefully?)

This picture happened in the early fall. We told Mallary to come on, and she literally sat down on the ground, folded her arms, and pouted her lips!! I was like, "WHAT??????" Then, I tell John to hurry and take a picture because he had the camera accessible. Trevan just sat down next to her to imitate her.

TIP #4: For your strong willed, curious child, I recommend these items:

A booster seat... (This one also has a tray to use for my next baby, instead of using a high chair. I am so done with high chairs! I can't stand having an extra piece of furniture in my kitchen!) Can I just tell you meal times have been SOOOO much more peaceful since getting one of these? No longer do we have to say, "Mallary, sit down. Are you ready to get down? Then sit down!" (She moved from the high chair a while ago, and we have a tall table, and after her second fall, and worrying about her falling, we got the booster seat - which we never had to get for Trevan...)

Another item we never had to get for Trevan - Mallary figured out how to open the faux apothecary cabinets and pulled out a lot of games. John came home the next day with these...

For your curious child that will NOT stay out of the freezer, and enjoys opening and closing the doors, just tie the door handles together with a scrap piece of ribbon.

I started at first tying it in a loose bow, so I wouldn't have to work to untie it every time I wanted to get in the fridge, and then she figured out how to shimmy the ribbon down to the bottom of the handles and untie it... so, now it's a knot.

Do you notice the door knob covers in the background as well? Every day I have to figure out another way to Mallary proof my house...

Me taking the picture laughing, "HA HA, FOILED AGAIN!! Mommy -1, Mallary - 0" (Though, usually by the end of the day, I've lost...)

It's amazing the sanity that a little piece of ribbon tied in a knot can provide you...