Lesson from a Vet

It's no secret that Dane is a very active child; he needs to be doing something at all times. He is also at the age where separation anxiety begins to rear its ugly head. This means Mommy has to be in sight at all times or Dane must be engaged in a non-destructive activity long enough to do dishes, laundry, cook, etc. Sometimes it's easier to have him right there with me so that I can ensure Dane is not ripping the dogs' hair out, climbing the bookcase, tearing the blinds apart, banging on our television screen, searching for electrical sockets to shove things into, and so on.

So when Dane makes his way over to the kitchen gate, he isn't shy to let me know he'd rather be in there helping me cook. A problem many moms have faced, no doubt. One mom in particular has given me some insight into a fix. I've heard stories of her doing this with her son, Danny. Yes, Dane has certainly inherited his activeness from his Daddy, and so who better to get tips from than the mom who dealt with Dane, Senior?!

Here's vet mom, Cindy's lesson. He wants to help out in the kitchen? Let him! She used to give Danny common kitchen items to play with on the floor out of the way to entertain him while keeping an eye on him, long enough to get things done. So Dane will sit down with a bowl, a spoon, tupperware, a silicone spatula, a rolling pin, and the like. The new "toys" are always a hit, promising several minutes of fun. He's close to Mommy, happy and safe while she gets things done. Everybody wins!

Wait a minute! You don't think Dane's early exposure to kitchen things will cause him to lick knives as a kid like Danny, do you?!

Lesson from a Vet

First one.

When you announce you will be expecting a child, people come out of the woodwork with all kinds of advice solicited and otherwise. Some is given lovingly by family who care about you, some is given by store clerks and passerby strangers. Some is helpful, some is not.

Here's an actual lesson from an actual veteran parent. The lesson is OxiClean and the vet-mom is Jennifer. We've used OxiClean before; our excitement nearly matched Billy Mayes' when the stuff came out, and we used it on shoes especially (hey, that's what's really important when you're in high school, you know?). Now to this day we have bought Dane fewer than 10 articles of clothing because he "inherited" an extensive wardrobe from his cousin. We kid you not when we say that not a single garment had the slightest stain. Jackie commented on this when we got the clothes, and Jen said she used Oxiclean. In one ear and out the other.

But Dane has this amazing capability of creating a mess out of nothing. Plus he's eating solids, and we use the term eating liberally for the act of mashing food into his face, and bib, and clothes. And with him getting around so much more now - crawling and cruising, the potential for accidents, spills and messes is immeasurable. It was pretty embarrassing that these clothes had been through one kid and came out in perfect condition, but the first time Dane donned an outfit it was ruined. I remembered the OxiClean tip after looking at our growing pile of damaged clothes, and quickly ran out to buy some. It's pretty reasonable at $10 for a tub that will surely last a while. A scoop in the washer and a quick soak (still on cold wash - better for the wallet, better for the environment) and wash as normal. Aaaaand we are once again stain free! And very happily putting away perfect clothes to be passed down when we brave another baby.

Rather painless lesson learned. Thanks Jen!