The Georello Jungle is a classic example of why I don’t include listed age limits for toys and books; rather, I note developmental aspects of the item that would mesh with wherever your babe is at.

This super cool toy is part puzzle, part color learning tool, part mechanics 101 lesson. The Georello Jungle is the one toy in our house that garners play irrespective of age (e.g., 21 months to about 60 years!). Toddlers love locking the base puzzle pieces together and, as I recently discovered, matching the colors of the animals to the colors of the base pieces. Adults cannot resist attempting to construct super cool, spinning gear patterns.

The 50-piece set includes base pieces, meshing gears, wild animals, and palm trees. I picked mine up at Henry Bear's Park (Huron Village, Arlington Center); also available at Amazon for $15.99.

A local mama of twins found her fabulous nanny through Craigslist. After seeing a friend tango unsuccessfully with a nanny agency (to the tune of a $2500 matching fee), this mama posted an advertisement on Craiglist, interviewed 25 (!) candidates who responded to her post, picked the top 4, did trial periods with each, and ultimately was able to hire Super Nanny.

Hiring a nanny was more economical than enrolling her twins in day care; this mama suggested starting the nanny search about two months prior to actual need so you can do a thorough search and not settle for a so-so candidate.

This strategy also would suit a search for a babysitter or mother's helper. Click here for the direct childcare link on Craigslist.

When you are next looking for an outing that is a little more Zen and a little less zoo, head to the peaceful, manicured Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain. The grounds are open from sunrise to sunset every day; admission is free (although donations are welcome).

The Arboretum offers seasonal two-hour school programs for students in grades 3 to 6 that are designed to encourage the investigation of plant science. Classes are free for kids from Boston schools, $4 otherwise. One-day and multi-session horticulture, botany, and landscape-related courses are offered for adults of all levels.

I've seen some really random things this month. 

1. A bike rack on a hearse.  It was on the top of the hearse, but it wasn't a roof rack - it was a trunk rack. I have no idea how it was affixed there, but I almost got in a wreck looking at it.
2. A car on fire on the side of the interstate - no emergency vehicles yet.  The owners were standing in the median, looking understandably dismayed.
3. A picnic of families whose children were dwarfs or midgets or little people.  I'm not sure if any of those terms are PC, but I mean no harm.  I've never seen a child displaying these physical characteristics before, so to see twenty or so of them playing in the park was startling at first.  I thought they were all the little angel's age until I got closer and realized the little angel can't ride a tricycle, let alone a moped, so maybe those weren't toddlers.
4. The little angel voluntarily eating soy sauce.
5. Poo in the potty-training potty, a first.
6. My rental neighbors doing yard work (they're new). No one has done yard work next door since my lesbian-firefighter neighbor, C., moved away.  She was my favorite, partly because she did yard work and partly because she always talked to me. None of my neighbors ever talk to me. Wah.
7. A woman swimming at the Y with an intact mouth of fire-engine-red lipstick. How the hell did she manage that?  I can't even keep my waterproof mascara from running.
8. A horrible painting of phallic stalagmites.  They were pink and brown. Argh.
9. A jeep with a six-foot can of Red Bull in the back. 

That's it.  I'm out.  I'll be back after BlogHer.

Parents always look distraught when their babe grabs a toy out of another babe’s hand, or exercises a death grip on an object when it is suggested that they share. But parents ought not to be so hard on themselves and think that their babe is destined to be greedy; self-centeredness is a natural stage of development and it takes time to learn what sharing is all about.

Dr. Cathryn Tobin’s article “Sharing: 14 Ways to Get Your Child to Play Fair” offers helpful guidance. She outlines common mistakes made when attempting to teach kids to share, offering insights into the long-term implications of well meant parental actions such as forcing a child to share or prying a toy out of a child’s hands. She then offers concrete actions to teach kids to share, including ways to model good behavior for your babe while understanding their developmental limits.

Dr. Tobin is the author of the well-rated book The Parent's Problem Solver: Smart Solutions for Everyday Discipline Dilemmas and Behavioral Problems ($13.95 at Amazon).

There’s a point to commuting after all. Yesterday, while mama multitasking before heading to the office (i.e., entertaining the babe on my lap while trying to clean up a few emails while talking on the phone), the babe reached over for the laptop, played for a minute, then made a break for it. I thought nothing of it. I begrudgingly headed to work.

I soon discovered that there was a foreign object lodged firmly under my “v” key. I think it was a crumb. All efforts to dislodge the crumb were unsuccessful. Copying and pasting became impossible. I spent the next 7 hours avoiding the “v” key.

The commute home was crowded and grumpy (trains were backed up and everyone was missing their connections) but I later discovered the silver lining behind the stinky train. While my explicit attempts to dislodge the crumb were in vain, having the laptop bounce along on its side in my bag during the commute home did the trick. So far I have yet to find the crumb under a different key.

Your babe will be happy to head to school with this super cute Fairfax Pre-School Backpack ($19) from Pottery Barn Kids. The wraparound alligator or elephant pattern is appliquéd, adjustable shoulder straps are padded for comfort, and hanging loops go well on a hook or the backpack easily stows in a cubby. Add your babe’s name or initials for $6. Measures 11 x 3 x 12" H.

Ready to rock out? The 2006 Lowell Folk Festival (July 28 - 30) transforms downtown Lowell into a haven for traditional music, dance, craft demonstrations, street parades, dance parties, and delicious ethnic foods. Performances and activities are free; you just pick up the food tab.

Kids of all ages are welcome. Check out the special family activities area, or stretch out on a piece of lawn to rest and rejuvenate. Bring toys and snacks for the babe, a blanket, and plenty of water so you can save your line waiting time (and money) for the terrific food vendors.

*Note: If you like Rush Limbaugh, stop reading before I piss you off. I'll be back with more potty training tomorrow.*

I've been watching some of the coverage of Israel v. Hezbollah.  Here's a sample story - note the Lebanese woman with the crying baby in the sidebar.  But yet, here's some coverage of the U.S. bombing in Iraq...and look at the photo.  Militant people in black holding up a picture of an evil-looking John Travolta impersonator.  Both stories are about bombing, but isn't the photo what we really remember?  Think of the 9/11 coverage...do you remember the stories or the pictures?

I don't know enough about the politics of Israel and Hezbollah to know what's really going on there.  I do think it's unfortunate Israel has bombed some cars containing fleeing families.  I also think it's unfortunate that my country has bombed, well, a lot lot LOT of innocent people over the past few, oh, centuries.  It all makes me want to throw up, because I am totally a dove when it comes to war. I don't like the fighting anywhere, but really, who does?  I mean, besides W., Rumsfeld and and Captain Hook?

What I do expect to see is even media coverage, especially from the photo editors.  I'm willing to bet there are crying Israeli, Iraqi and American mommies out there, too.  Don't demonize the enemy to the point we neglect to show the faces of innocent people, some of who are related to our own Iraqi-American citizens.  I don't necessarily want to see bloody stumps every time I turn on the news, but come on, medialand, don't give me another round of War brought to you by Xbox.  If we believe strongly enough in this war (I don't, but maybe "we" do, or at least our elected officials do) to engage in it, then we should be prepared to see all of its effects.  And if we're not, we should cover other countries' wars with the same detached embarrassment that we cover our own.