How I Survived the Chaos of Measuring Tiny Feet
I'm currently holding a tiny, pristine canvas high-top in one hand and my daughter Mayaβs fiercely clenched foot in the other. She is looking at me with the deep, pitying expression of someone watching a dog try to do long...
A Letter to My Past Self About Surviving the Baby Shark Dance
Dear Priya from six months ago. You're standing in the kitchen right now. There's a half-eaten piece of toast on the counter and your chai is stone cold. Your sixteen-month-old is in the center of the living room, bouncing at...
Surviving a Baby Praying Mantis Hatch With an 11-Month-Old Kid
It was 6:15 AM on a Tuesday, and I was staring at a plastic mesh butterfly pavilion on my kitchen counter like I was waiting for a server to reboot. I held a plastic spray bottle in one hand, completely...
Why I Put Down the Baby Melatonin (And What Actually Worked)
It was 3:14 in the morning on a Tuesday, and I was standing in the kitchen in my boxer shorts, staring into the harsh blue light of my phone. The kettle had gone cold an hour ago. Upstairs, Twin A...
Dear Past Priya: The Real Truth About Baby Steps Mods & Gear
Dear Priya of six months ago. You're currently sitting on the faded rug in our Chicago apartment, staring at the sharp edge of the West Elm coffee table. You're entirely convinced it's a lethal weapon. Your nine-month-old son just pulled...
Why trying to rush your infant into walking usually backfires
My mother-in-law was holding a samosa in one hand and pointing at my ten-month-old with the other. We were at a Diwali party in Naperville, surrounded by people I see exactly twice a year. Sangeeta's boy is already running, she...
Dear Past Me: The Completely Messy Truth About Baby TV & Screens
Dear Sarah from exactly six months ago, You're currently hiding in the tiny downstairs half-bathroom. It's 6:14 AM on a Tuesday, and you're wearing Daveβs giant gray flannel shirtβthe one with the missing buttonβand mismatched socks, clutching a lukewarm Yeti...
Why That Online Growth Chart Is Making You Lose Your Mind
I'm standing naked on my cold Chicago bathroom tile at four in the morning. My baby is also naked. I step onto the digital scale, memorize my exact weight, step off, pick up my thrashing three-month-old, step back on, and...
The Bizarre Lifecycle of Infant Hair (And Why We Don't Shave It)
My mother-in-law was dead serious when she handed me my beard trimmer. We were sitting in the living room, staring at the side of my 11-month-old's head, which currently looked like a poorly maintained lawn. He had thick patches on...