My mom and I never discussed menstruation (or anything related to sexuality, short of a discussion well into my 20’s where she advised me to beware, that “men have urges”), and that phase of life vividly stands out as one of anxiety (I was a late bloomer), cluelessness (I had but brief, periodic perusals of my pal Kate’s Our Bodies, Ourselves, and general confusion (when my period finally did come I had no gear).

The Dot Girl’s First Period Kit was designed to try to curb these all too frequent female experiences. The pink or blue carry kit ($18) includes a 12-page booklet with answers to common questions about periods, a yearlong calendar to track periods, a small reusable heating pad for soothing cramps, pad and liner samples, and hand wipes. (The case is just a bit too small for standard length tampons, but compact tampons would fit fine.)

If you aren’t heading to Disney for February vacation, no doubt you’ll appreciate the entertainment that The Institute of Contemporary Art’s vacation week activities will provide. Guided art activities are available daily (February 19-23) and are designed for children and adults to do together. No registration is required and this program is free with museum admission (kids 17 and under are admitted free).

The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, 100 Northern Avenue, Boston; Tel: 617-478-3100

What a difference a week makes.

Whether it was my shift in attitude, the time/learning factor, or an interaction between the two, Week 2 of potty training was a complete reversal from the previous week’s soggy adventures. With one or no accidents per day, a subsequent decrease in laundry, and longer stretches between potty visits, it finally feels as if the axis around which our life is spinning is moving from the bathroom.

We’re not out of the woods yet, but while it’s fresh on my mind (and since I have received some inquiries about the methods behind our madness) the following is our collection of potty training tips to date. Readers, if you have additional tips, post a comment!

Step 1 – Set Up Camp:

1. In the bathroom: potty chair or attachment seat/step stool (we use the Bjorn system), diapering supplies (for pre-nap/bedtime change following potty attempt), books and/or toys, basket with changes of pants, thick cotton underpants, and socks.

2. In the laundry room: bucket, rubber gloves, and Borax (or baking soda) for handling soiled underwear.

3. In the car: Kiddopotamus Piddle Pad

Step 2 – Readiness:

Rushing potty training isn’t good for anyone. Check for signs of toilet training readiness before proceeding.

Step 3 – Doing It:

1. Stay close to home initially; there will be lots of accidents. By the end of the second week we were more confident in being out for a couple of hours, but we also made sure we went places where we could easily access bathrooms. We didn’t have a portable potty seat; instead I laid down a paper seat liner or tissues, squatted, and held Laurel around the waist and let her plant her feet on my legs. And we double washed our hands after using public restrooms!

2. Use thick cotton underpants (e.g., Gerber training pants; we got ours at Babies R Us), which are less confusing than pull ups. Cotton training pants still get soaked through during an accident, but they at least absorb a little more than regular underpants and your child will know they are wet. We bought 6 pairs of regular cotton and 2 pairs of cotton with the vinyl cover; the latter provided extra protection but were bulky and Laurel didn't care for them. In the first week we did laundry daily; by Week 2 we were down to our regular laundry pattern.

3. Think about verbiage. Most people refer to the training pants as “big kid pants,” which worked fine for us, but we also read that if there’s a new baby in the house you may want to refer to training pants as “special pants” given that preschoolers may resist referrals to becoming a big kid when they see all the attention the baby gets.

4. Dress your child in loose fitting pull up pants (i.e., no overalls or dresses, where they can’t see what they’re doing). If you feel that you’re on the brink of an accident pull down your child's pants for him/her; otherwise, encourage your child to manage their pants independently.

5. Every 30 or so minutes, say “It’s time to go to the potty” not “Do you have to go to the potty?” At the beginning the child won’t know that they have to go; they need to learn the sensation of pressure and release and develop control. So at the beginning, the idea is to just visit the potty frequently and hopefully time it so they actually pee while on the potty. We found it good to head to the potty 15-30 minutes after Laurel had something to drink, depending on quantity of intake. As they gain more control, the timing will stretch out considerably.

6. Before you head to the potty assure your child that they can come back to their activity right after the potty visit. Kids are very concerned about losing their spot doing an activity. Laurel never pees so fast as when there is a painting project waiting on the other end of a potty visit!

7. Once you are done on the potty, encourage your child’s efforts (e.g., “Good for you!”). Some people like to build in incentives (e.g., a chart with different stickers for a pee or poop) but we followed our preschool’s protocol of not giving incentives other than kind words. And we did so whether or not Laurel made something in the toilet to encourage her to keep trying.

8. Wash hands after you are done! Encourage good hygiene!

9. Use a diaper at nap and bedtime; this will help them feel free to “let go” with BM’s and avoid constipation.

10. When there is an accident, gently point it out to your child (if they haven’t already identified it), then change them and point out how nice it feels to be dry. You’ll need to do this repeatedly at the beginning and then they’ll learn. Sometimes they’ll say they have to go to the potty when the accident already has happened.

11. Be patient with your child and yourself. And if you get to a point where you both are frustrated and your child is actively resisting the process, back off for a few weeks, and try again when everyone is calmer. They’ll definitely get the hang of it eventually.

**It usually takes children longer to let go of BM's in the potty (we had one unexpected BM in the potty last week; otherwise Laurel saves them for the diaper); we'll report back with any wisdom we gather on that front when we get there!

Good things can happen when a mom and daughter put their heads together.

Susan Slatmyer and Shaughna Giracca, the mother-daughter team behind Susie’s Swaddlers, found that while swaddling was a powerful means to achieve nighttime infant sleep, babies outgrow traditional 30” blankets well before they outgrow the need to be swaddled. The crafty response to this need evolved into Susie’s Swaddlers. Simple in concept but spectacular in effect, these 43” square, extra large receiving blankets are made to order from soft 100% cotton flannel in singles ($15) or 3-pack gift sets ($40) for boys, girls, or unisex.

And once your swaddling days are over, these blankets serve well in the stroller, crib, or car seat, or as a play mat in the yard or at the beach.

It’s been far too long since Jon and I have connected downtown for lunch, but on Friday, he reminded me of our last lunch date by bringing home a marvelous taste of Sel de la Terre.

With a variety of menus available throughout the day (including a kid’s menu), Sel de la Terre offers French fare in a warmly appointed, casual brasserie atmosphere. The restaurant is lovely for sit down (the assiette de charcuterie with toasted brioche, mustard, and chutney first course is a must for anyone who enjoys pates and a variety of nibbles), and their entrance way boulangerie is a particular boon. To celebrate my finishing an important deadline on Friday, Jon picked up a couple of desserts for us to enjoy after Laurel was off to bed. Particularly divine was the chocolate mousse, constructed in a round mold on a thin layer of chocolate nut cake, with another layer of cake hidden inside the mousse.

Sel de la Terre, 255 State Street, Boston; Tel: 617-720-1300

If you can’t beat the winter weather, you might as well join in. Throughout today and all day tomorrow, Lowell Winterfest celebrates the season with a full schedule, including free ice skating, face painting, magic shows, tundra rides, and fireworks, as well as crafts, live entertainment, a soup bowl competition, and the ever popular National Human Dogsled Championships.

I have this lamp at work. I got it from my friend J. when she sold her townhouse to move to another town to go to law school.  It's sort of beat-up, with chipped black paint and a rather unstable shade, but I'm not the kind of person to demand high fashion in my cubicle, so I took it off her hands.

When I left this job in 2005 to go work for another company, I left the lamp here. I was going to work from home in my new job, so I didn't have any place for the lamp.  When I arrived back in 2006, someone handed me back my lamp.  Then we moved buildings.  So here I am, still with this lamp, three years later.

Today I bought a five-year, energy-saving light bulb.

As I was replacing the old, normal bulb with my super-energy-efficient-making-me-feel-better-about-driving-an-Explorer light bulb, I wondered - will I still be sitting her in five years?  Will I outlast my light bulb?  After all, the lamp has almost as much tenure here as I do, despite it arriving two years later than me. It stuck around, even when I left. 

And so, I'll leave you to think about my light bulb as I take a week-long hiatus to go skiing with my beloved, while the little angel frolics with my parents and Sybil, the seventeen-year-old, thyroid-medication-demanding cat.  Hope to return with lots of new stories. See you later!

Every now and then duplicates of Laurel’s play clothes make their way to our laundry (a classmate’s clothing, sent home accidentally from school), and I let out a collective sigh for the convenience and commonplaceness that the mass clothing market provides.

Achieving individuality is not a problem at Nixie Clothing, where designer Nicole Frobusch has created a line of mostly one-off, boho chic children’s clothing (ages 1-8) made from 100% recycled wools and vintage cottons. The butterfly dresses (wool with vintage scarf sleeves) and leg warmers (knits and lace) make for an especially unique presentation (shown).
Check out Nixie’s online store, which is currently running an end of season sale; and be sure to visit again once their vibrant, whimsical spring/summer line launches in March. Note: prices are in British pounds but the shopping cart operates through Paypal; alternatively, stateside, Craftsbury Kids offers a small collection of Nixie items.

When I was in grad school I signed up for jazz, ballet, and hip hop lessons to shake up my fitness routine; it provided both a fabulous workout and a means to channel my closet desire to be a Broadway hoofer.

I’ve been thinking about revisiting dance here in Boston, and have heard great things about the Dance Complex in Central Square (the African dance classes are supposed to be especially killer). DanceNet offers a good directory of studios and freelance dancers in the Greater Boston area; the homepage also offers links to (less exhaustive) listings of classes and events in New England, nationwide, and worldwide.