Links to love: Mid-summer edition

Babysitter info cheat sheet and other stuff we love right now!

It’s sort of a mixed-up holiday week, or at least mine has been over taken by unusual activities. Julian had surgery on Tuesday because he had a bone growth on his toe. Odd, but apparently not unheard of. In fact the pediatric orthopedic surgeon who removed it said that his niece had the same thing. Second, there’s a BART strike, and my husband takes BART to work in San Francisco every day. This means he worked from home Monday, took Tuesday off for the surgery, and hitchhiked to work today. Yep, it’s casual carpool around here, which means you hop in the car of a total stranger. Read more about it here >

Finally, tomorrow is Scarlett’s 6th birthday. My little firecracker is growing up. Her core personality has been pretty consistent, though.

Here are some things that caught my eye over the past month.

Before and after of a spraypainted playhouse

A new-to-me school year tradition: Buy a large shirt with your child’s graduating class year on it. Take a photo of your child wearing the shirt each year to document how he or she grows into it. This was on a Gymboree-branded parenting forum, but the page seems dead now. In the meantime, if you want to design your own “class of 2025” tshirt, see my recent post on personalized tshirts.

Cute first birthday — and every birthday — portrait: child holding a piece of black foam with metallic sharpies. See details at Callie’s mom’s site! (Isn’t she cute?)

Another milestone photo idea: Take a shot of your child holding the same number of helium balloons as the years he or she is turning. This lovely shot is for inspiration on the composition and setting — I don’t think that child is three! Photo from the amazing portfolio of Meaghan Curry.

Printable babysitter cheat sheet. Find it here. I think this is very cute, but I usually just tell sitters to call my cell, Ryan’s cell or 911 in a real emergency. When would a sitter call the pediatrician? Do you use a sheet like this? Should I?

Leave me ONE link today. What was the last thing you pinned or bookmarked or shared on Facebook? I’d love to see it!

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Whitney

RookieMoms.com co-founder Whitney lives with her husband, son, and daughter in the San Francisco Bay Area where she writes about parenting, crafts, and activities that moms can do with babies in tow. She and Heather also publish 510Families.com, a site for East Bay parents.