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8-month-old9-month-oldbaby milestoneseco-friendlygross motor skillsparenting anxiety
A baby pushing backward on an organic play mat while a dad looks at his smartwatch.

What Age Do Babies Start Crawling? A Tech Dad's Reality Check

I'm lying flat on the cold oak floor of our Portland living room with a digital laser measure, trying to calculate the exact trajectory of my eleven-month-old daughter. She isn't moving toward me. She's pushing herself violently backward like a...

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11-month-olddevelopmental milestonesgross motor skillsorganic baby clothesparenting anxietytummy time
A tired dad sitting on a hardwood floor watching his baby scoot backward.

When Should A Baby Start Crawling? A Dad's Messy Timeline

I was standing in line at a Portland coffee shop yesterday with my 11-month-old strapped to my chest like a very heavy, drooling backpack, when I got hit with three completely contradictory pieces of developmental advice in the span of...

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baby developmentchildhoodinfant developmentmillennialparenting anxiety
Toddler sitting in a muddy puddle holding a yellow toy truck

Who Is Baby Gronk? (And Why My Toddler Is Retiring From Sports)

It was 2:14 AM on a Tuesday, the baby was aggressively attached to my left boob, the glow of my phone screen was fully illuminating my double chin, and I was deep-scrolling through videos of a ten-year-old boy deadlifting weights...

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11-month-oldbabiesfatherhoodinfant developmentparenting anxiety
Dad holding an 11-month-old baby in a carrier in Portland.

Why Are Babies So Cute? A Dad's Guide to Infant Hardware

My mom visited us in Portland last week and confidently announced that infants are adorable so we don't accidentally leave them in the woods when they haven't slept in three days. The very next morning, my lead developer coworker told...

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cradle capinfant caremotherhoodnewbornparenting anxiety
A stressed mom holding a coffee cup while looking closely at her sleeping infant's flaky scalp.

The Gross But Normal Truth About Your Infant's Crusty Flaky Scalp

Dear Sarah from exactly six months ago, You're currently sitting on your sister's absolutely hideous beige sectional—the exact one you told her not to buy because it shows literally every single spit-up stain—holding your brand new nephew. You're wearing those...

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animal learningchildhoodgrief supportmental healthmotherhoodparenting anxiety
A sad little girl standing next to a glass hamster cage in a messy living room

The Tuesday Morning Hamster Trauma: Why Do Hamsters Eat Their Babies

It was 7:14 AM on a Tuesday, and I was standing in the sunroom wearing one slipper, an oversized t-shirt with a questionable yogurt stain on the shoulder, and holding my second cup of coffee because my four-year-old, Leo, had...

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4-month-oldbaby healthbaby poinfant caremotherhoodparenting anxiety
Mother checking diaper for yellow watery diarrhea in babies

Yellow Watery Diarrhea in Babies: What I Learned at 3 AM

2:14 AM. Chicago winter. The sound from the bassinet wasn't a cry, it was a wet, unmistakable explosion. I turned on the dim nursery lamp and found my previously pristine infant lying in what looked like a puddle of melted...

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baby milestonesearly developmenteducational toysmotherhoodparenting anxiety
A frustrated mom sitting on a messy rug trying to get her toddler to clap.

What Nobody Tells You About the Clapping Milestone

I was sitting cross-legged on my living room rug, completely covered in pulverized Cheerios and dog hair, aggressively patting my hands together while chanting "yay!" like a deranged cheerleader. My oldest son, Tucker, who was about ten months old at...

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12-month-oldbaby sleepdevelopmental milestonesinfant safetyorganic baby essentialsparenting anxiety
Tired mom holding a coffee cup staring at a baby monitor at night

When Can a Baby Sleep With a Blanket? (The Honest Truth)

It was 2:14 AM on a Tuesday in late November. I was standing in my hallway in a pair of stained fleece sweatpants, clutching a breathtaking, hand-knit merino wool heirloom blanket to my chest like a shield, staring at the...

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