My bit of advice

When I see new moms the first thing I share is how it goes so fast. Babies are big before you know it. My great suggestion for remembering these baby-days is to write down little milestones or happenings on your calendar. Your calendar is always out in the same location, so you don't have to find it like a baby book. The date is already there, so all you have to do is write in what word they spoke today, or where you went for the first time, or how many times you were up in the middle of the night. I have done this for my two and I really like it. You can then later transfer that info to a baby book (if you are that kind of person), or just have one box to save all your calendars. I figure that one document box should be big enough to handle twenty or so years of calendars, and I can deal with that.

I think after I share that, my new bit of wisdom should be, never hesitate to call Poison Control Center. Really, not for a second. The people there are very nice, calm and helpful, and they don't judge you. And after your child has just injested something you believe to be poisonous, it is a relief to get the help without the judgment.

How do I know that the Poison Control Center people are nice? Because I have had to call them four times. Yes, four. The culprits would be a one-year-old boy and a bottle of mucinex, a two-year-old boy and a now forgotten substance, a two and a half year old boy and weed killer, and this past weekend my sweet girl was the poison eater.


She and big brother were playing out in the sandbox at the edge of the yard. I looked out and couldn't see Kate, so I asked Joe where she was. "She is right here, Mom, eating cherries." And that is when I went running, because we don't have cherries. She was right behind the sandbox, hands and dress stained bright pink, and a yucky look on her face. A plant had grown right off the edge of our property, dripping its blueberry imposters to lure her in. I ran her inside, cleaned her up, and got on the Internet to identify the berries (which I discovered to be a pokeweed plant) so I could call my good friends at Poison Control.

A lovely woman answered and informed me the berries don't taste good, she probably didn't eat many, if any, and the only way they can be harmful is if you boil them down and injest the concentrate. Thankfully, Kate lacks those cooking skills, so I figured she would be fine. The Poison Control woman then asked for my first name, Kate's first name, and my zip code, and told me to call back if I had any more questions. That was all - no warnings to be more careful next time, or scoldings for not keeping a closer watch on my toddler.

So, moms, don't hesitate to call.