We were eager to identify Bean’s first “official” word. Of course there was a subtle competition between my husband and I whether Mama or Dada would debut first. (As an aside, I could swear she has called me Mama, or a variation of, and knows exactly what it means. My husband argues the same case for Dada. I am not sure either of us will ever win this one.)

Since Bean was born, I never left the house without my “in case of emergency” bag stocked with every possible toy, snack, diaper, and change of clothing. It’s comes from that kind of omniscient sixth sense you have as a mom: hope for the best, expect the worst, and prepare for it all.

So imagine my shock when I was caught in a rather unfortunate situation regarding Bean and a surprise number two.

When you have friends with older kids, you think you know what to expect from certain milestones, like mobile babies, for example.

I was forewarned about this stage. "Just wait until she starts moving around," they'd say, explaining how much busier it gets once your little one is on the go. But no matter how often I was told, nothing really prepared me for the constant vigilance that is needed when your baby discovers the glory of independent movement. For those moms who haven't reached this stage yet, let me decode what this really means—you will never rest again. Or at least, not for awhile.

Raising a family in a condo takes a certain mindset. You don’t have the luxury of extra space so you plan and organize accordingly. Yes, the limitations can be frustrating when you are sharing with not one, but two (and maybe more?) other people. But there are some advantages to living in tight quarters. As condo dwellers, we are becoming quite savvy in gear control and maximizing space.

I have a new favourite saying ... "nothing lasts forever."

It's brilliant, really. I have been saying it on repeat. It gets us through the tough stages, like six hours of screaming when Bean cut her first tooth.

And keeps us humble when we think we have nailed a routine, like sleeping through the night. Because we know something will happen (like a new tooth), and the stellar sleep schedule will change again. But that's OK, because nothing lasts forever.

Moms, help us build a reading list to share with other moms! Why? Here’s the story…

A respected associate of mine, pharmacist Kelly Grindrod, is reaching out to other mamas in a quest to build a list of favourite books to read to babies. Her inspiration comes from an encounter she had with a new, and young, mama.

Bean and I were at the park playing on a blanket in the shade. Bean had just taken off her hat for what seemed like the 100th time, and rather than going through the on again off again routine, I finally gave in and let it be. She was covered in sunblock and we were under a tree so I figured she would be OK.

Now that Bean is entering the mobile stage, the dynamic around the house is changing, fast. And we're trying to keep up. The almost-crawling Bean is finding creative ways to get from point A to point B, and even though the knee-hand coordination hasn't quite clicked, we know it's just a matter of time before she starts moving. This means we have to be ready.

Bean's quest to crawl is nothing less than impressive. In the last five minutes she has transitioned through three different yoga positions. She seems to have already mastered plank, lotus, and downward facing dog. She may be mastering flexibility, but she hasn't been able to actually crawl anywhere, yet.

For the past eight months “mat-leave” also meant “gym-leave.” I've enjoyed the time off—having a baby is probably the best excuse for taking a hiatus. However, I knew it was time to get back at it when I stepped out of bed this morning and pulled a muscle.