Melissa Robinson 🥉

Have a big split level and I ended up returning two monitors before landing on something dependable. If money is tight and consider an audio only unit that runs on a dedicated radio connection. Those tend to punch through floors better than cheap video. You can always add video later once you know the range you need. If you do go video, look for pan and tilt and a parent unit with a good battery, plus a setting that only wakes the screen when there is sound. That keeps it from hissing all night and preserves charge. Test range before bedtime. Have one person in the nursery while the other walks to the spots you care about downstairs and outside. Note any dead zones then move the base a couple of feet and try again. Small moves help. Keep the parent unit away from the router and big appliances to cut interference. Mount the camera securely with the cord fully out of reach, and aim slightly down so you can see the whole crib without the ceiling fan in frame. Once dialed in, you should get consistent coverage across both floors. Works great.

Mini meatballs, veggie fried rice, and banana oat pancakes reheat well.

landed on seven meals a day with one eighth cup for most drops and slow feed on :) First at six in the morning, last at ten at night, with one tiny buffer at two in the morning to stop the dawn wake up. He quit puking after three days. Freeze dried bits do not go in the hopper anymore. I sprinkle a pinch after the motor stops so nothing jams. A thin silicone mat under the feeder killed the bounce scatter and the noise. Small changes, big win.

Use a warm greeting plus a firm time boundary, then physically keep moving. Say something like Hi, great to see you, I am running out and only have two minutes, so walk with me to the car. After work, try I just got home and need to start dinner right away, let me catch you another time. Keep your body pointed where you are going, keys in hand, and take a step as you speak to signal you cannot stop. Close with a friendly exit line such as I have to run now, enjoy your afternoon. Offer a specific future window so it does not feel like a brush off. For example, I am free most Fridays after six, or I take a walk around ten on Saturday if you want to catch up then. If they push past your time limit, smile and interrupt yourself with I have to go now, and then leave. You are not rude for enforcing the limit. Be consistent by using the same wording for a few weeks, carrying headphones or a coffee cup as a visual cue, and padding your departure by one minute so you feel less rushed and more in control.