Best Ways to Help New Moms

A dear non-mom friend emailed me the other day asking for advice.  Her friend has just given birth to a beautiful baby girl, and she wanted my opinion on the best ways she can help the new mom.  How timely, I thought, as I had just read the Rules for Visiting a New Mom at Scary Mommy.  I was about to send the link to my thoughtful non-mom friend when I took a minute to reread the rules.

I didn't send that blog post to my friend. 

Robyn has some really great suggestions for helping out new moms.  But they are buried in several layers of snark that I could not bear to share with my non-mom friend who was trying so hard to be thoughful.  Instead, I sent her an email in bullet points with some of the best help I received as a new mom, and some excerpts from Robyn's "Rules."  My friend's response: You should totally write a blog post about this – you have good suggestions that aren’t “bring lasagna.”

So here are the bullet points I sent my non-mom friend:

• I know she barely knows me, but I’m here if she needs another mom to talk to.  Seriously.  Give her my number – I text till 10pm, but check it till 11 and would answer her if she had a question.  (I doubt this new mom will ever text me, but isn't it reassuring for a new mom to just know support is out there?)


• I don’t know how laundry happens in NYC, but that will be really hard for a new to accomplish with her C-section stitches.  I have no idea if doing a few loads of laundry is feasible, but it would probably go a long way!


• Offer to clean the kitchen, or whatever while she takes a baby-cry-free shower.  Ah showers!  My favorite thing.  I love not hearing the kids cry when I’m in the shower.


• Bring some favorite moisturizer, or her favorite shampoo?  Things that feel clean and baby-puke-free are awesome.


• Check the baby’s room to see if there’s anything to put away so “cutely” that now she can’t reach because of her stitches.  (As a side note, how many seasoned moms out there can laugh at their attempts to decorate that first nursery?  Nothing from my original attempts worked the way I "planned!") 


• Drop off a pack of size 1 diapers.  You get a pack or two of newborn size from the hospital, and babies grow fast.


• Give her some soft (but cute!) jammies for lounging – pants sit funny on those c-section stitches, I hear.


• On a nice afternoon (when she’s healed and walking again), help her take the baby for a walk.  Fresh air is really helpful for new moms – but strollers are scary.   


• Chauffeur your new mom friend to the grocery store.  Help with that enormous baby carrier, and carry her bags of groceries for her.  But do wait a few weeks to take her grocery shopping - a one-week-old mom doesn't want to think about groceries!


• Most importantly, don’t… crowd.  Don’t show up unexpected.  Don’t come by if she has people over, or has had a full day of visitors.  Some sorts of company can be really draining for a new mom.  So sometimes that new mom just needs a break from people. 


• Don’t stop being sweet just because the baby is three weeks old and old news – that’s when you ask about the trip to buy groceries. 

I wanted to see if any other moms had tips for visiting new moms.  So I took it to Facebook & Twitter:

Kate Sluiter from Sluiter Nation said friends dropped off diapers and Starbucks cards.  What new mom doesn't love a free fancy drink from Starbucks!  Dunkin' Donuts would work for me, too!

KLZ from Taming Insanity said the chance to sleep or take a shower was the best gift she received as a new mom.

Kit said to bring cookies.  Obviously.

Teresa said washing the dishes.  Any of my friends can come over to wash the dishes any time they want.  Seriously.

Adrian was welcomed at home by flowers and framed photographs of her with her new baby, gifts from sweet friend Elizabeth.  I swooned a little when I heard that suggestion - how thoughtful to help remember your baby's first moments!

Amanda received breath mints and lip gloss, in case she didn't feel pretty.  Because sometimes (gasp!) new moms forget to brush their teeth.  It's not pretty, but it happens!

These are such wonderful suggestions from some of my favorite bloggers!  Thanks to everyone who contributed!  The first week of being a mom is so overwhelming.  It's great to know you have wonderful friends willing to support you with such sweet gestures!  What is your favorite way to help a new mom?

New Baby Smell

That newborn smell everyone always talks about? The one that has mommies nuzzling the fuzzy tops of infant heads? I finally get it.

I never got it when Laura was an infant. I couldn't smell her newness. I could laugh at her crazy spiky hair, but I didn't nuzzle into it to appreciate that soft scent. I can smell it on Gavin.

Every time I pick him up, I nuzzle the newness of him. I breath in deep his infant scent. And boy does it smell wonderful.

I'm well aware that I didn't bond with Laura for a very long time. I bonded with Gavin with the first cry he made. I bonded when I held him sticky with birth in my arms. I have bonded with every goose honk cry since.

I smell the newness on Gavin's head, and breath in the wonder of this fresh chance to be a mommy.

Potty Pooper

Yes.  I'm about to talk about my daughter going to the bathroom.  I'm looking for advice, so please offer it if you can.  And if you don't want to read?  You are excused!

For several months now, Laura has shown signs of interest in potty training.  It all started when, at just over a year old, she would pee all over the bathmat every single time I got her diaper off for bathtime.  So we bought her a little potty to stick her on as the tub filled with sudsy water - with much success!  We would often lift Laura into the tub to see the little puddle left behind.  Cue much praise.

So lately, Laura has been grabbing the front of her diaper and hopping in front of us to get our attention.  If we fail to respond, she walks to an isolated corner, still holding her diaper, and squats down.  We've made it to the actual potty a few times, but mostly she tells us too late and isn't sure what "Can you hold it?" really means.

Nate and I are looking to get more serious about this whole potty training thing... BUT.  We have no clue what to do - especially at such a young age!  I never thought I'd be asking for advice on this subject at EIGHTEEN MONTHS OLD.  But here I am.

Have any of you potty trained early?  How'd it go?  Did you use a specific method?  Any and all recommendations are welcome!

Potty Pooper

Yes.  I'm about to talk about my daughter going to the bathroom.  I'm looking for advice, so please offer it if you can.  And if you don't want to read?  You are excused!

For several months now, Laura has shown signs of interest in potty training.  It all started when, at just over a year old, she would pee all over the bathmat every single time I got her diaper off for bathtime.  So we bought her a little potty to stick her on as the tub filled with sudsy water - with much success!  We would often lift Laura into the tub to see the little puddle left behind.  Cue much praise.

So lately, Laura has been grabbing the front of her diaper and hopping in front of us to get our attention.  If we fail to respond, she walks to an isolated corner, still holding her diaper, and squats down.  We've made it to the actual potty a few times, but mostly she tells us too late and isn't sure what "Can you hold it?" really means.

Nate and I are looking to get more serious about this whole potty training thing... BUT.  We have no clue what to do - especially at such a young age!  I never thought I'd be asking for advice on this subject at EIGHTEEN MONTHS OLD.  But here I am.

Have any of you potty trained early?  How'd it go?  Did you use a specific method?  Any and all recommendations are welcome!

Why shouldn't you tell a secret on a farm?

Because the potatoes have eyes and the corn have ears!

I am a sucker for a corny joke.  Get it?!

Sorry, but I couldn't resist a bad joke with this goofy picture of Laura eating corn on the cob for the first time last night!  When I first gave the cob to Laura, she looked at me like I had eight, crazy heads.  What was she supposed to do with it?  So I demonstrated with loud Cookie Monster nom-nom-nom noises and got the cob positioned correctly in Laura's hands.  Laura picked it right up from there!  Complete with loud Cookie Monster nom-nom-nom noises. 

Sometimes I worry about Laura's eating.  That she's not eating enough.  Or she's not eating enough of the "right" things. I worry that her diet isn't balanced at all, unless all those circus animal crackers in her tummy are doing some sort of unseen balancing act in there.  Somedays Laura refuses to eat pretty much anything, and I just have to toss my hands up in the air and call it quits. 

Then there are the days, like last night, where I hear "Moh! Moh!" every five minutes.  Where she eats an entire ear of corn + an entire og og (hot dog) + a whole steamed carrot + an entire snack bag of goldfish, which she earned for being such a good eater at dinner.  Those days astound me - where is all that food fitting in her tiny little body?!  But they also remind me that Laura is a toddler.  She'll eat when she's hungry.  As long as I offer healthy options, Laura will eat what her body needs most.  And no matter what she eats, she's still my tasty little morsel of toddler with that bend at the back of her neck that I bury my face in to kiss every night.

Why shouldn't you tell a secret on a farm?

Because the potatoes have eyes and the corn have ears!

I am a sucker for a corny joke.  Get it?!

Sorry, but I couldn't resist a bad joke with this goofy picture of Laura eating corn on the cob for the first time last night!  When I first gave the cob to Laura, she looked at me like I had eight, crazy heads.  What was she supposed to do with it?  So I demonstrated with loud Cookie Monster nom-nom-nom noises and got the cob positioned correctly in Laura's hands.  Laura picked it right up from there!  Complete with loud Cookie Monster nom-nom-nom noises. 

Sometimes I worry about Laura's eating.  That she's not eating enough.  Or she's not eating enough of the "right" things. I worry that her diet isn't balanced at all, unless all those circus animal crackers in her tummy are doing some sort of unseen balancing act in there.  Somedays Laura refuses to eat pretty much anything, and I just have to toss my hands up in the air and call it quits. 

Then there are the days, like last night, where I hear "Moh! Moh!" every five minutes.  Where she eats an entire ear of corn + an entire og og (hot dog) + a whole steamed carrot + an entire snack bag of goldfish, which she earned for being such a good eater at dinner.  Those days astound me - where is all that food fitting in her tiny little body?!  But they also remind me that Laura is a toddler.  She'll eat when she's hungry.  As long as I offer healthy options, Laura will eat what her body needs most.  And no matter what she eats, she's still my tasty little morsel of toddler with that bend at the back of her neck that I bury my face in to kiss every night.

Drama Queen

Did I ever show you this picture?  It was taken way back in May at my SIL's house.  Apparently, her low-to-the-ground coffee table really brings out the drama queen in Laura.  Yep, she's paired a romper with Uggs, as I'm sure some reality star has done recently.

May 27, 2011

Because here is Laura now sitting on the same coffee table, showing off her toenail polish, with the most dramatic teenage-girl look she could muster.  If I weren't laughing so hard, I would cry.

July 23, 2011

I am already worried for the teen years.  At this rate, they are right around the corner!

Drama Queen

Did I ever show you this picture?  It was taken way back in May at my SIL's house.  Apparently, her low-to-the-ground coffee table really brings out the drama queen in Laura.  Yep, she's paired a romper with Uggs, as I'm sure some reality star has done recently.

May 27, 2011

Because here is Laura now sitting on the same coffee table, showing off her toenail polish, with the most dramatic teenage-girl look she could muster.  If I weren't laughing so hard, I would cry.

July 23, 2011

I am already worried for the teen years.  At this rate, they are right around the corner!

A Good Mom Day

I was in a great mood all day, because I received a FedEx delivery notification much earlier than expected: Laura's slide had been delivered.  Laura's slide was at our home, needing only to be put together in speedy fashion.  At our home, almost ready for play. 

Before we could rush home to build and play with the slide, Laura and I had to stop at the grocery store.  We were out of milk - not something Laura could go without.  I don't usually enjoy grocery shopping with a toddler, since she gets a bit fussy sitting in the cart for as long as it takes for me to gather everything we need.  But today, Laura was an absolute dream.  She smiled and waved to everyone.  She told me grandiose stories of her day (I would love to know what she was actually saying).  She was delightful!

As soon as we got home, I pushed, shoved and slid the enormous box into the yard, pulled off the tape, and dumped out the colorful contents.  Laura saw the slide, and came running!

She sat on the little slide - the last piece to assemble - for several minutes.  Just sitting there, beaming at me.  Even in multiple pieces, Laura knew the awesomeness that was being built in her honor.

 She checked out the box, just to make sure I didn't forget any pieces.

 She moved back to the slide and read the directions to me.  In Spanish!  She's very talented.

 Then she helped me with the lone screw.

And then?  It was time to slide. 

Today was a good mom day.

A Good Mom Day

I was in a great mood all day, because I received a FedEx delivery notification much earlier than expected: Laura's slide had been delivered.  Laura's slide was at our home, needing only to be put together in speedy fashion.  At our home, almost ready for play. 

Before we could rush home to build and play with the slide, Laura and I had to stop at the grocery store.  We were out of milk - not something Laura could go without.  I don't usually enjoy grocery shopping with a toddler, since she gets a bit fussy sitting in the cart for as long as it takes for me to gather everything we need.  But today, Laura was an absolute dream.  She smiled and waved to everyone.  She told me grandiose stories of her day (I would love to know what she was actually saying).  She was delightful!

As soon as we got home, I pushed, shoved and slid the enormous box into the yard, pulled off the tape, and dumped out the colorful contents.  Laura saw the slide, and came running!

She sat on the little slide - the last piece to assemble - for several minutes.  Just sitting there, beaming at me.  Even in multiple pieces, Laura knew the awesomeness that was being built in her honor.

 She checked out the box, just to make sure I didn't forget any pieces.

 She moved back to the slide and read the directions to me.  In Spanish!  She's very talented.

 Then she helped me with the lone screw.

And then?  It was time to slide. 

Today was a good mom day.

At least... three times bigger than this!

We are big fans of Zoolander here at Chez MidAtlantic.  So we immediately thought of Derek Zoolander's Center For Kids Who Can't Read Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too.  Remember when he saw the initial mock-up for the center?

Derek:  What is this? A center for ants? How can we be expected to teach children to learn how to read, if they can't even fit inside the building?

Mugatu:  Derek, this is just a small...

Derek:  I don't want to hear you exccuses!  The building has to be at least... three times bigger than this!

Well, Nate and I fondly remembered that exchange this evening when Laura found this toy and tried to slide down it:

This thing is tiny!

Laura, sweetheart, you are a little too big for that slide!  That slide needs to be at least... three times bigger than this to fit your bottom!  It's a really good thing I purchased this slide just yesterday:

Source

The Little Tikes Hide & Slide Climber will be delivered on Monday.  Not a moment too soon.  And at least now I can be sure that Laura will LOVE IT!

At least... three times bigger than this!

We are big fans of Zoolander here at Chez MidAtlantic.  So we immediately thought of Derek Zoolander's Center For Kids Who Can't Read Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too.  Remember when he saw the initial mock-up for the center?

Derek:  What is this? A center for ants? How can we be expected to teach children to learn how to read, if they can't even fit inside the building?

Mugatu:  Derek, this is just a small...

Derek:  I don't want to hear you exccuses!  The building has to be at least... three times bigger than this!

Well, Nate and I fondly remembered that exchange this evening when Laura found this toy and tried to slide down it:

This thing is tiny!

Laura, sweetheart, you are a little too big for that slide!  That slide needs to be at least... three times bigger than this to fit your bottom!  It's a really good thing I purchased this slide just yesterday:

Source

The Little Tikes Hide & Slide Climber will be delivered on Monday.  Not a moment too soon.  And at least now I can be sure that Laura will LOVE IT!

Every Mother's Dream

Nate and I got engaged in June 2006.  I had been a flower girl as a five-year-old, and I was set on having one at my own wedding as a twenty-five-year-old.  I just had to find a little girl in the right age range to ask.  Thankfully for me, Nate's cousin had a daughter who was going to be three by our wedding.  I asked her mom if Emily would like to be in the wedding (since asking a two-year-old isn't very helpful), and was shocked by her response:

"It's every mother's dream to have her daughter be a flower girl! Yes!"

From the reaction I got, I would have thought she was the one getting married.  I didn't quite get her excitement at the time.  It's just a little girl in a little white dress, not that big a deal, right?  Then I had a daughter and Nate's sister got engaged.  I waited on pins and needles for my sister-in-law to ask me to have Laura as a flower girl.  And as I happily screamed my excited "YES!" I related the reaction of her cousin a few years earlier.  I didn't know it in June 2006, but I do now: it is every mother's dream to have her daughter be a flower girl.

My little flower girl will be walking down the aisle on Saturday.  I can't wait to see Laura in her pretty white dress, lovingly sewn by her grandma.  I can't wait to see her face as she toddles past all the happy guests in the church.  I can't wait to watch Nate and Laura dance together at the reception.

There is a picture of me and my mother outside the church to my cousin's wedding.  My mother is looking at the camera, her face radiant with happiness for the newly married couple.  I am looking at my basket of flowers, my curled hair falling softly around my face.  I was beaming and shy at receiving so much attention.  I hope I can get a similar picture of me with Laura on Saturday.  I can't wait to see my flower girl.

And a thank you to all my wonderful readers!  This is my 500th post in a little over two years!

Every Mother's Dream

Nate and I got engaged in June 2006.  I had been a flower girl as a five-year-old, and I was set on having one at my own wedding as a twenty-five-year-old.  I just had to find a little girl in the right age range to ask.  Thankfully for me, Nate's cousin had a daughter who was going to be three by our wedding.  I asked her mom if Emily would like to be in the wedding (since asking a two-year-old isn't very helpful), and was shocked by her response:

"It's every mother's dream to have her daughter be a flower girl! Yes!"

From the reaction I got, I would have thought she was the one getting married.  I didn't quite get her excitement at the time.  It's just a little girl in a little white dress, not that big a deal, right?  Then I had a daughter and Nate's sister got engaged.  I waited on pins and needles for my sister-in-law to ask me to have Laura as a flower girl.  And as I happily screamed my excited "YES!" I related the reaction of her cousin a few years earlier.  I didn't know it in June 2006, but I do now: it is every mother's dream to have her daughter be a flower girl.

My little flower girl will be walking down the aisle on Saturday.  I can't wait to see Laura in her pretty white dress, lovingly sewn by her grandma.  I can't wait to see her face as she toddles past all the happy guests in the church.  I can't wait to watch Nate and Laura dance together at the reception.

There is a picture of me and my mother outside the church to my cousin's wedding.  My mother is looking at the camera, her face radiant with happiness for the newly married couple.  I am looking at my basket of flowers, my curled hair falling softly around my face.  I was beaming and shy at receiving so much attention.  I hope I can get a similar picture of me with Laura on Saturday.  I can't wait to see my flower girl.

And a thank you to all my wonderful readers!  This is my 500th post in a little over two years!

A little experiment

Laura has tons of toys.  More than she could possibly ever play with.  So most of them are completely ignored on a daily basis.  I bet a lot of you moms out there are nodding your heads in agreements.  Too many toys from too many loving relatives, and not nearly enough time in the day to play with them all.

I bet all you non-moms are shaking your heads in disgust.  Why would a parent cave to the pressures of a capitalist society and buy all those damn toys?  The answer: we didn't.  Thank you to the aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends for that one!

Not to sound ungrateful.  The presents bestowed upon my daughter are lovingly selected and thoughtfully presented.  We appreciate the sentiment behind each gift, and I am fairly good at remembering who gave us each toy.

The fact remains that our house is littered with toys that Laura isn't even interested in.  So last night, Nate and I went through them all.  We matched up all the loose pieces (none missing!), and decided which we would keep upstairs, and which we would hide in the basement.  We kept the toys Laura plays with the most, and hid everything else.  I don't think Laura will even notice that her (once much loved) activity table is missing.  She just doesn't play with it anymore. 

The puzzles, books, purses, and kitchen accessories made the cut.  Isn't it funny how the favorite toys are the least complicated?

A little experiment

Laura has tons of toys.  More than she could possibly ever play with.  So most of them are completely ignored on a daily basis.  I bet a lot of you moms out there are nodding your heads in agreements.  Too many toys from too many loving relatives, and not nearly enough time in the day to play with them all.

I bet all you non-moms are shaking your heads in disgust.  Why would a parent cave to the pressures of a capitalist society and buy all those damn toys?  The answer: we didn't.  Thank you to the aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends for that one!

Not to sound ungrateful.  The presents bestowed upon my daughter are lovingly selected and thoughtfully presented.  We appreciate the sentiment behind each gift, and I am fairly good at remembering who gave us each toy.

The fact remains that our house is littered with toys that Laura isn't even interested in.  So last night, Nate and I went through them all.  We matched up all the loose pieces (none missing!), and decided which we would keep upstairs, and which we would hide in the basement.  We kept the toys Laura plays with the most, and hid everything else.  I don't think Laura will even notice that her (once much loved) activity table is missing.  She just doesn't play with it anymore. 

The puzzles, books, purses, and kitchen accessories made the cut.  Isn't it funny how the favorite toys are the least complicated?

The Best Part

It's hard being a go-to-work mom (let's be honest: all moms are working moms).  I go to work, away from Laura, five days a week.  I love my job and adore my coworkers, but I spend a lot of time wondering how my baby is doing.  I'm busting to leave work every night so I can get home to see Laura.  I spend forty minutes on the train decompressing, followed by a speed-walk to my car.  I hurry as fast as I can to day care.  That's when I get to the best part of my day.

I walk down the cool hallway, passing whichever bigger kids are still at play.  I slip off my shoes and gather Laura's bag and papers from her cubby.  I slowly open the door to the nfant/toddler room and look around till I see the familiar poof of hair.  I call Laura's name and watch as her head swivels in my direction.  Her eyes open wide and she drops whatever toy she's playing with.  She runs toward me with her chubby arms wide open for a hug.  She clambers into my arms as the teachers gather her remaining belongings into her bag.

We get into the car and set off toward home.  Almost immediately, Laura starts babbling away.  Sometimes her babble is serious and earnest.  Other times, her babble is energetic and excited.  Laura is telling me about her day.  At quieter parts, I quickly turn my head to make eye contact as I ask a question about her day:

"Oh, really?  That sounds pretty exciting!"

"Oh gosh, Laura.  I just can't believe that.  I think you're making it up!"

"Did you get to play outside today?  I bet you loved that."

Laura answers each of my questions with corresponding babble.  We are discussing her day.

And it's the best conversation of my day.

The Best Part

It's hard being a go-to-work mom (let's be honest: all moms are working moms).  I go to work, away from Laura, five days a week.  I love my job and adore my coworkers, but I spend a lot of time wondering how my baby is doing.  I'm busting to leave work every night so I can get home to see Laura.  I spend forty minutes on the train decompressing, followed by a speed-walk to my car.  I hurry as fast as I can to day care.  That's when I get to the best part of my day.

I walk down the cool hallway, passing whichever bigger kids are still at play.  I slip off my shoes and gather Laura's bag and papers from her cubby.  I slowly open the door to the nfant/toddler room and look around till I see the familiar poof of hair.  I call Laura's name and watch as her head swivels in my direction.  Her eyes open wide and she drops whatever toy she's playing with.  She runs toward me with her chubby arms wide open for a hug.  She clambers into my arms as the teachers gather her remaining belongings into her bag.

We get into the car and set off toward home.  Almost immediately, Laura starts babbling away.  Sometimes her babble is serious and earnest.  Other times, her babble is energetic and excited.  Laura is telling me about her day.  At quieter parts, I quickly turn my head to make eye contact as I ask a question about her day:

"Oh, really?  That sounds pretty exciting!"

"Oh gosh, Laura.  I just can't believe that.  I think you're making it up!"

"Did you get to play outside today?  I bet you loved that."

Laura answers each of my questions with corresponding babble.  We are discussing her day.

And it's the best conversation of my day.

Budding Interests

For whatever reason, I keep getting surprised by the fun aspects of motherhood, rather than the not-fun parts as one might assume.  Somehow I anticipated  getting frustrated, being tired, and wanting to die on the couch in a pile of Twinkies and Cheetos while watching mindless TV.  But the fun parts, like watching Laura's interests emerge, have been a total shock.  It never even occurred to me that I would literally watch my daughter turn into a kid.

Yesterday, Laura and I were playing on the porch after we got home from work and day care.  I was quietly reading my book when I looked up to see Laura covered in dirt from a planter (that incidentally has had nothing planted in it yet this year).  She was having a blast grabbing handfuls of dirt, then opening her little fist and watching as the dirt slipped to the ground.  Like so many things, it never occurred to me that Laura would be curious about the mundane features of the outdoors.  You are thinking right now, "Um, DUH!"  But for me, this was a totally foreign concept.

Isn't she cute, all covered in dirt?  And since the planters are just holding dirt right now, I think I'll use Laura's interest to plant a cheery little garden with her. 

Budding Interests

For whatever reason, I keep getting surprised by the fun aspects of motherhood, rather than the not-fun parts as one might assume.  Somehow I anticipated  getting frustrated, being tired, and wanting to die on the couch in a pile of Twinkies and Cheetos while watching mindless TV.  But the fun parts, like watching Laura's interests emerge, have been a total shock.  It never even occurred to me that I would literally watch my daughter turn into a kid.

Yesterday, Laura and I were playing on the porch after we got home from work and day care.  I was quietly reading my book when I looked up to see Laura covered in dirt from a planter (that incidentally has had nothing planted in it yet this year).  She was having a blast grabbing handfuls of dirt, then opening her little fist and watching as the dirt slipped to the ground.  Like so many things, it never occurred to me that Laura would be curious about the mundane features of the outdoors.  You are thinking right now, "Um, DUH!"  But for me, this was a totally foreign concept.

Isn't she cute, all covered in dirt?  And since the planters are just holding dirt right now, I think I'll use Laura's interest to plant a cheery little garden with her.