Whether you are bringing home your first child or your third or fourth, documenting your baby’s first years can be difficult, time consuming and sometimes boring. If you aren’t that jazzed about filling in page after page of the typical firsts, and want something with a little more personality and zest, here are a few unique ideas to try. From documenting pregnancy stages till your little one is off to college, there are never ending ways to commemorate that path.

Pictures of baby

Most likely, you’ll find that you have more pictures than albums, or wall space, or friends wanting pictures of your precious bundle! When you have snapshots you love but don’t want to bury them away in an album on a shelf, try collages. You don’t have to just lump baby pictures in the same old way; with online photo companies like Snapfish and Shutterfly, you can create calendars with your pictures, including those from your pregnancy stages. { read more }

Photo: Brian Samuels

Blooms are blossoming and birds are tweeting. But busy moms and dads still need to put dinner on the table even while the world is ripe for frolicking. Fresh spring pasta salads are a great way to highlight seasonal produce easily and affordably.

These pasta dishes are easy enough to make on a weeknight but elegant enough to serve for a weekend dinner party with friends. Both adults and children will ask for second helpings, but if you have a particularly picky little one, you can always omit some of the ingredient add-ins. Serve with a simple fruit salad and a pitcher of lemonade. These dishes will have you celebrating the warmer weather and longer days. { read more }

Photo: www.sp.life123.com

You may have noticed that being a parent is a full-time job. As your household grows, your couple time can eventually get squeezed out of your life if you are not diligent about guarding it. Pretty soon, you will feel more like you have a roommate than a lover. You might even begin to forget what attracted you to your partner in the first place and wonder how in the world these kids got here. If you don’t want that to happen to you, consider a few tips for creating couple time alone with your sweetie.

1.  Plan something quick for starters

If you are a new parent, the idea of leaving your baby can feel scary. You have to remember you are doing this for your baby as well as for yourself, because healthy partnerships build healthy families. If you’re already feeling overwhelmed and stressed at the idea of getting away, don’t give yourself unrealistic plans. Try a quick getaway for just a couple of hours. This website will give you a few ideas. { read more }

Photo: crimfants, Flickr

For new parents, leaving a child with a babysitter can be an anxiety-producing proposition. It gets a little easier after the first time, but there’s always a bit of a risk, and some parents worry a lot about leaving their child. With a second child, it is usually easier to leave the kids with a professional babysitter; but how old is old enough for one child to babysit another? Read on for a list of questions to ask yourself (and your child) to find out.

What is the age difference between your children?

Sibling rivalry is pretty natural among children, but it is often more intense among siblings with little age difference between them. So while it may be okay to leave a twelve-year-old with his six-year-old sister for an hour or two (or more, depending on your specific situation), the same twelve-year-old’s ten-year-old brother might be a bit more of a challenge than for which the former is prepared. A good rule of thumb is: the closer the age difference between an older child and his next youngest sibling, the older he needs to be to be ready to take on a babysitting role. { read more }

Photo: Zugaldia

You and your husband have been trying for years with no success or maybe you just received that painful diagnosis. Either way, infertility can be immensely stressful on you and your relationship. While it might seem that everyone around you is pregnant or carrying a baby in tow, thousands of women and men struggle with infertility.

Therapists and doctors agree that some of the best therapy can be simply realizing you’re not alone. Infertility support groups are a great way to connect with women (and even men) who are struggling with infertility issues. You can talk about how frustrating it is when your best friend calls to tell you, “Oops, I guess we’re pregnant!” or how you break down walking by the diaper aisle at the grocery store. These groups, often facilitated by a skilled mental health counselor, can help you find healing and explore new ways to start a family of your own. { read more }

If you like long drives as much as I do, you might be saving your gas money and planning behind-the-wheel spring breaks and summer vacations right now. And if you have a wrecked back like me, then you could be relieved after trying these tips from spinal injury expert, Dr. Jay M. Lipoff, on how to avoid back pain during those trips.

An aching back resonates through your whole body — and brain. There’s nothing quite like a backache to make “Are we there yet?” sound like fingernails scraping a chalkboard.

Dr. Lipoff says back pain isn’t trivial: It’s the most common type of pain reported by Americans and is the leading cause of disability for those under 45 years old.

“Unfortunately,” he adds, “some of the best opportunities to hurt your back and neck actually happen on vacation — while you’re in the car, on the plane, or sleeping on a lousy hotel bed.”

Take some advice from Dr. Lipoff’s new book, Back at Your Best: Balancing the Demands of Life with the Needs of Your Body, and you might have one less pain in the back during your excursions. { read more }

Photo: sellers Patton, Flickr

It’s no mystery that when it comes to feeding a baby, there is no better natural food than breast milk. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office states breastfed babies are less likely to develop a disease, while breastfeeding mothers experience a better quality of life after giving birth, including decreased chances for depression, and fewer health risks such as ovarian cancer, Type-2 diabetes, osteoporosis and even breast cancer.

With all these benefits, partners of breastfeeding moms should be compelled to do all they can to help a nursing mom succeed. Providing the proper support to a breastfeeding mother is essential to a parent partnership, and fathers who learn proper ways to support their partner can experience the benefit of having a healthy, happy family in the long run.

Here are some ways you, as a partner, can support breastfeeding in your family. { read more }

Photo: Anecdotes and Apple Cores

Easter is just around the corner, and grocery store shelves are swelling with packages of candy and plastic eggs. As fun as it can be to hunt in the backyard for candy and treats, all that refined sugar and preservatives aren’t good for your little one or you (f you happen to be one of those parents that eats the leftover candy). Easter brunch with those heavy potato casseroles and sugary hams is also not the most nutritional-friendly Easter event either. But there are ways to make your Easter healthier and happier this year. This naturally sweetened carrot cake is a wonderful alternative to the traditional variety that is loaded with granulated sugars, oil, and cream cheese.

Replace the usual 1-2 cups of sugar with mashed bananas, and you and your kids won’t notice the absence of the granulated sweetener. The  natural sweetness of bananas paired with a dash of maple syrup will not only make your carrot cake healthier, but moister too.

{ read more }

Photo: emdot, Flickr

Pacifiers can be very useful tools for your new baby. Suckling comes naturally to babies, and a reliable pacifier can be a great way to soothe them when nursing is not an option. Sooner or later, though, you’ll want to wean your baby off her pacifier. But doing so is sometimes easier said than done. Read on for some helpful tips and methods on weaning your baby off a pacifier.

Weaning method #1: Cold turkey

Only for the brave of heart, cutting out the pacifier “cold turkey” (in other words, altogether, with no transition period) is a sure-fire method of ending your baby’s pacifier addiction. But if you choose this method, be prepared: while some babies adjust easily to the transition, others may find the sudden loss difficult to bear. Mentally prepare yourself for a few long, sleepless nights. { read more }

Photo: lolilpopmika, Flickr

“For better or for worse.”

This vow in the marriage ceremony is often misunderstood or undervalued, especially when issues such as disagreements come in. Culture has long implied that marital arguments are taboo in a marriage, and may be a sign that something in the relationship isn’t working.

However, studies in recent years claim that fighting can actually be good for your marriage, and even make it stronger. One study, for example, suggests it is beneficial for married couples to fight at least once a week. { read more }