Advice to new-ish moms

This isn't to brand-new moms, trying to figure out if their child can make it another half hour in the diaper they're wearing. It's to those with some miles on them.

If you're getting dolls, cars, or action figures, don't get just one. It won't have anything to do or anyone to play with. Your child loves Holly Hobbie? Get Amy or Carrie too. Loves Matchbox cars? Get two so they can race. Do you follow?

I figured this out just in the past two weeks. Back when Madeleine was first discovering Holly Hobbie, I had no clue. Now the tall version has no friends. When Rachel discovered her, she lost her clothes, too. I'm thinking maybe Santa will bring her Amy this year; we'll see how that goes.
I'd even go so far as to recommend that they should be friends, not the good guy and the bad guy. Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader can only have so many light saber battles, after all.

Baby dolls may be the exception to that, with that whole pretend-you're-the-mom aspect. But Barbie without Ken or PJ or whoever her friend is... is boring.

That is all. Carry on.