• Babies are God's opinion that the world should go on. (Carl Sandburg)
• Babies are such a nice way to start people. (Don Herold)
• A good example of minority rule is a baby in the household.
• I asked the pediatrician when I should stop sterilizing my son's bottles.
  "Well," he said, "one day you will find Matthew in your bedroom closet busily gnawing on a pair of your husband's shoes.
  You will say to yourself, 'And I'm sterilizing his bottles?' That is when you will stop."
• I love these little people. And it is not a slight thing when they, who so fresh from God, love Us. (Charles Dickens)
• It's the little blessings that help us see just how lovely life can be.
• Reach for the stars and don't worry about falling - Mom and Dad will catch you!
• Roses 'round the door, babies on the floor, who could ask for more?
• We are always surprised to see girl babies behaving like girls from the very beginning,
  and boy babies behaving like boys; we seem to imagine that we had to learn it!
• When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh broke into thousands of pieces and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies.  (from Peter Pan) 
• You rose into my life like a promised sunrise,
  brightening my days with the light in your eyes. (Maya Angelou)
• A young father returned home from work to find his wife crying.
  "I had an awful day," she said. "The baby cut his first tooth and took his first step..."
  "But that sounds great," the husband interrupted.
  "But then," she continued, "he fell down and cut his lip on the tooth. And then he said his first word!"

Baby

(Janet Mensinga)

The day has finally come, the pain begins to reel
You never could imagine, just how this would feel!

Then when it's all over, and there's finally peace
There's this incessant crying, that doesn't seem to cease!

In between the whining, you try to catch a wink
But once again the wailing starts, so loud you cannot think!

Here's this precious bundle, that fills your heart with joy
Lying there so tranquilly, watch out he's being coy!

As soon as you sit down to eat, it's hungry he will be
And while your food grows cold and hard, he'll be spitting peas!

Now the day's so beautiful, you put him in his buggy
Suddenly you smell that smell, you best take stock in Huggies!

All of this is normal, but watch for what's ahead
'Cause it's when he gets older, that you should fear and dread!

Cute as a Button - (for girls)

(Darla Mae Seely)

I look at your cute little nose
And how you wiggle your toes.
I love how you smile at me.
You're cute as a button, don't you agree?

I look at the darling clothes you wear
And the tiny bow in your hair.
You seem to say to me,
"I'm as cute as I can be."

You're cute as a button, yes you are.
You were sent to earth from heaven afar.
I love you, niece, (daughter)(granddaughter) I hope you know.
I will always tell you so.

Cute as a Button - (for boys)

(Darla Mae Seely)

Look at my grandson (son) (nephew)
So bubbly and fun.
Did you happen to see
How he smiled at me?

Look at his lock of hair
And the darling clothes he wears.
He's cute as a button, I'm sure you know.
Just look at his eyes sparkle and glow.

I'm proud as can be
Of my grandson, (son) (nephew) you see.
He's precious to me
And cute as can be.

Toddler Property Laws

1. If I want it, it's mine.
2. If it's in my hand, it's mine.
3. If I can take it away from you, it's mine.
4. If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.
5. If it's mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.
6. If we are building something together, all of the pieces are mine.
7. If it looks just like mine, it's mine.
8. If I think it's mine, it's mine.
9. If I give it to you, and change my mind later, it's mine.
10. Once it's mine it will never belong to anyone else, no matter what.

Little Miracles

Potty Training

Page Toppers

• I think I can
• Let's Potty
• Potty Party
• Potty Time
• Too little, too late
• A whole lot of pottying going on

Potty Training Woes

I tell you Gramma, I'm in a mess,
that is why I'm sending this s.o.s.
my mom has started a new campaign-
she thinks I am old enough to train.
and I tell you, Gramma, that all this strife,
is taking the joy plum out of my life.
She won't let me have any peace at all,
and shows no mercy, even when I bawl.
She grabs me up (scares me to death)
and acts afraid to take a deep breath.
and I try to make a quick retreat,
but always end up on that goofy seat.
she brings a cracker for me to nibble,
and sweetly begs for me to "dribble".
so, I comply with her beck and call,
then watch as she wipes up floor and wall
now I really glory in all the loud praise
though I'll never understand in all my born days-
but if it pleases her and makes her glad,
I'll try to be a helpful lad.
but now , Gramma, I must say goodbye
'cause here she comes with that look in her eye!
I'll hide right here and await my fate,
for she doesn't know it, but she's a little late!

(I think this poem was written in the early 1900's by Judith (Johnson) Torell)

Potty Training Page Ideas

Use Linda and Lynell's border strip ideas on a page about potty training - the ones with the trains that say "I think I can" and "I thought I could". They are horizontal borders that go at the bottom of a page. Draw the track and use die-cut trains. Slope the first train to look like it is climbing a hill and the second so it is sloped downhill.
Take a picture of a child on the potty. Cover the photo with a brown paper outhouse shape with a door cut in it. The door could be left open or closed so they have to open it to see the photo.