Q: My 8 month old is having trouble getting used to solid foods. I have breastfed her since birth (and am still breastfeeding. I started her on rice cereal at about 4 months old and she loved eating at first. But after a few weeks of the cereal I couldn’t get her to eat solid foods at all. I’ve been able to get her to eat every now an then by introducing different fruits and veggies, but it is still total hit and miss … some days she’ll eat well and others she won’t even open her mouth. A lot of other babies I know are eating much better. Any ideas? –Elizabeth, Albuquerque, NM

The Mommy Panel’s Advice:

Sounds like you have a real picky eater on your hands! We can all feel for you. A lot of babies have trouble converting to solid foods for a number of different reasons. Read on for information on the most common problems. read more

The toy chest is overflowing, but the dusty bookcase has become a home to diapers, wipes and loads of clutter … there is scarcely a book to be found. Of course we all promised ourselves that we would read to little Lula every night and are already saving for her Harvard tuition, but building her library has been a daunting task we’ve been avoiding. To take a little of the intimidation out of your book collecting here are a few tips to get you going.

1. Garage Sales. This one packs a double punch. We recommend a healthy home de-clutter session (Oh it will feel so good!) followed by your very own garage sale. With the extra cash you made it’s now time to go a book shopping spree.

Garage sales really are some of the best places to find steals on children’s books. Often you can sort through the piles and pick out a few you like and offer the seller one price for the bundle. Most people are so happy just to be getting some cash for their clutter that they’re willing to make you a deal. But beware of the temptation to pick up anymore clutter, instead stick to a strict book-only purchase plan.

2. The Local Library. Of course you know that you can always borrow books from the local library to keep your child’s book selection interesting. But what most moms don’t realize is that libraries often have book sales of their own and they usually sell for way below the cover price.

3. The Internet. The internet has taken a lot of the pain out of book shopping. One phenomenal bookshopping site is Amazon.com where at the click of a button you can have hundreds of new and used books at your fingertips. Some of the moms we know have picked up collector’s quality children’s books for pennies on this site. We also love the “Wish List” feature, which allows friends and family to pick books off your list to add to your little one’s library (think easy and thoughtful Christmas and Birthday presents).

4. Make them Yours. Now that you’ve got the books piling up, be sure to make them a special place of glory — perhaps your newly clutter-free bookcase? And personalize them with your very own Personal Library Kit
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– Bettijo B. Hirschi