parenting advice

Here in Mexico we get lots of advice from everyone on parenting. Here are some of the things we commonly hear:

• Where is his hat? It's cold and he will get sick (said even when it's 70 degrees out)
• Cover him up better. Look, his legs are sticking out of his pants. He will get sick. (again, said even when it's in the 70s)
• Did you put honey on his pacifier? We always put honey on our babies' pacifiers.
  
• Don't hold him like that (cradled). It will make his back crooked when he gets bigger.
• He's drooling. That means that his diaper is wet.
  
• Give him a green onion to chew on. It will help his teeth come in quicker.

He actually seemed to like this advice. Not sure it will help his teeth much, but it keeps him happy!

Here he is happily chewing on onion.

We also get asked questions about Finney. The one we hear most often is, "Your baby is bald. Did you shave his head, or was he born that way?"

In addition to giving us advice, people like to give Finney things. It reminds me of when I was little and would go through the drive thru at the bank and we would always get dumdum lollipops. Recently whenever I take Finney to the little tiendas nearby, the ladies working there have been giving Finney suckers. Fortunately, he hasn't learned yet what is underneath them!

Mmm...a real lollipop!

Yesterday when we were walking home from town a little 4-year-old girl ran to catch up with us and started chatting with Finney. She took a little stuffed bear coin purse from her mom and gave it to him to hold while we walked. She kept telling him, "Don't drop it." Pretty cute!