Pregnancy is a special and emotional time for any woman, yet for most of us, it also comes with a sea of nerves — and sometimes those nerves translate into confusion over our identity and how this new phase might affect our career. That’s why we’re hooking you up with a no-nonsense checklist. While no two women’s pregnancies are the same, these tips will put you on the right track and will guide you as you navigate these exciting months.

• Browse this maternity leave database to find out what your company’s policy is (or, if you’re job searching, figure out which companies have good leave programs).

• Not thrilled with your company’s policy? Read up on the basics of maternity leave, short-term disability insurance and FMLA to figure out what your options are and whether you might be able to negotiate for more maternity leave.

More: How to Create a Maternity Leave Plan

• If you have a male partner who’s working, find out what the paternity leave policy is at his company.

• Check out what other women have reported about your company's (or a prospective company's) work-life balance and flexibility policies. You may not tire of working long hours now, but when you have a baby at home you may want — or, let's face it, need — to be able to have a more flexible schedule.

• Figure out how to tell your boss you’re pregnant. And how to tell your co-workers you’re pregnant. If you're terrified, rest assured that you'll feel a whole lot better once you deliver the news.

• Do some research on how other mamas have navigated pregnancy week by week in the workplace.

• Start buying what you need to stay comfortable. You’ll want a good maternity pillow, pregnancy band and some cozy (and maybe even cute) maternity clothing.

More: How to Tell Your Boss You're Pregnant: 5 Tips

• Create a maternity leave plan to share with your boss and colleagues. In addition to helping them out, it will give you some peace of mind and help you combat maternity leave guilt.

• Start crafting your last-minute checklist before maternity leave. You’ll be grateful that you have it when you’re struggling to tie up loose ends before your last day.

• If you plan to breastfeed — and return to your job — it’s never too early to look into your legal rights and protections as a breastfeeding employee... and, of course, how to pump at work.

• If you’re thinking of working from home post-baby, check out these 13 great work-from-home job opportunities for stay-at-home moms.

More: How to Negotiate for More Maternity Leave

• Most of all, don't forget to enjoy the wonderful ride that is pregnancy — and if you're ever feeling like you need more support, let this checklist guide you, and don't be shy about posting a question or discussion topic to solicit advice from mamas who have been there!

Originally published on Fairygodboss.

Luna Legend will never be the same.

Her mom, Chrissy Teigen, posted a video clip on Instagram of Luna watching the episode of Sesame Street in which her dad, singer John Legend, guest stars.

The video says it better than we can.

Teigen's caption reads, "When John first posted this video to instagram, Luna had no idea what Sesame Street was. She was sick and couldn't go to set when John was filming so all the characters made this video for her. This is her first time watching it and knowing how freaking epic it is."

More: Chrissy Teigen's Best Mom Moments

You can almost see it dawn on Luna as she waves and smiles at the screen (while surrounded by what sounds like a roomful of cooing, adoring adults). Luna's like, "Dang. Daddy's hanging with Muppets. This can only bode well for me."

It's not, you know, a moment most of us experience during our lackluster childhoods with our dull Muggle parents. So we're kind of living vicariously through Luna right now.

More: Mom-Shamers Seriously Bummed Out Because Chrissy Teigen Triple-Checked Luna's Car Seat

The Teigen-Legend family's been very on-the-go this year, traveling as an adorable unit for Legend's Darkness and Light World Tour and posting pictures from various far-flung locales.

More: Chrissy Teigen Raps Bedtime Story to Baby Luna

But it's nice to see the fam has a night off to chillax and break Luna's little brain (in a good way!) with the knowledge that her dad rubs elbows with the crew from Sesame Street. We're thinking Luna will score her own visit to Sesame Street someday soon (or at least, we think she should insist upon it).

Kevin Payne of Cortlandt Manor, New York, should hire himself out to poor sleepless parents and their inconsolable babies. This father of two has got the magic touch. And by "magic touch," we mean that listening to him describe his job is a sleeping potion so potent, SWAT teams should keep him on staff to neutralize the most agitated bad guys.

More: Little Boy Thinks Mom's Tampons Are Batteries

Payne recently posted a hilarious video of himself holding his 5-month-old son, Carter, and telling Carter all about what daddy does for a living.

Carter, as it turns out, was less than enthralled with the details of his dad's job as a technology resiliency manager. (We would tell you what a technology resiliency manager is if we could, but we fell asleep too.)

"Hey bud," Payne starts out. "So I wanted to take a few minutes just to explain to you what I do for a living. It’s really quite exciting."

More: The Pregnancy Checklist Every Mom-to-Be Needs

Within moments, Carter's head starts to bob and his eyes begin to close.

"Hey, Hey," Panye protests. "It’s not that boring. It’s not that boring."

(Oh, but it is.)

Apparently Payne — who also has a daughter, Addy, 3 — leaves the run-of-the-mill bedtime stories to his wife, Eryn.

More: Can I Stop My Teen From Having Sex?

He told Us Weekly: "Eryn takes the more traditional route as she was blessed with a voice that doesn’t cause others to wince in pain."

Payne defends his bedtime career talks. "With two kids who are not good sleepers you try anything that will work and repeat it until it loses effectiveness!"

Our favorite part?

"If you work hard enough, you too can work on weekends," Payne tells his somnolescent son.

We laughed pretty hard at that. And then we all took a very long nap.

By Karen Schneider

I've been known to be a master of procrastination.

I have a level of skill that could easily rival a ninja. I stall, duck and dodge items on my to-do list with grace and ease. All seems to be well as I blissfully ignore my responsibilities and tasks. It's all fun and games — that is, until a deadline is looming. Then, I feel my anxiety shoot into overdrive. I can't stand the pressure at the eleventh hour, feeling rushed and overwhelmed to complete whatever task I once again decided to put off. Time and time again, I wonder, "Why did I wait so long to tackle this... why do I always do this... what is wrong with me?"

It turns out there's an answer to that question.

Self-sabotage

It's a coping mechanism as a result of anxiety, and it's more common than you might realize. In fact, this article on Psychology Today indicates there are at least six (count 'em, six!) different kinds of anxiety-related procrastination. With odds like that, it sounds like many of us are bound to suffer from time to time.

With all we have on our plates, it's normal to feel overwhelmed by the ever-growing to-do lists we have. So how do you combat this tricky habit/behavior?

More: My Career In Finance Has Made Me a Better Mom — Here’s Why

1. Learn to exercise the ability to say no in a disciplined pursuit of less

Ask yourself what the most effective use of your time and energy is. If it's not a resounding yes (or if it's an emphatic no), it doesn't belong on your list.

2. Get real with yourself & plan better

For me, this means being honest about the types of habits I know I am prone to. I.e., I can tell myself if I put Netflix on, I will just watch one episode, but I'll likely binge-watch five without blinking an eye. Productive? I think not. Figure out what your triggers are and stay away from them until you've checked off all of your to-do's.

3. Break up your to-do list

Make a list of what you need to get done, and then break your tasks up into smaller tasks. Not only does it seem less overwhelming, it's also oddly satisfying — and motivating — to be able to check items off your list.

More: 5 Career Questions You Should Answer Before Age 30

4. Just start

The next step is to just do it and start somewhere — even if you don't feel like it. Sometimes, the idea of a task can be much more overwhelming than when you actually sit down to begin.

5. Reward yourself accordingly

After you complete one of your tasks, allow yourself a small reward to help motivate you to continue along the path of productivity.

6. Still feeling blocked?

Breaks are warranted from time to time, and we all feel refreshed after a walk in the fresh air or even a good night's sleep. If you're trying to force yourself to finish a project that calls for some creativity, step away for a bit to get a renewed vision.

More: 7 Hobbies That Help You De-Stress

7. Most of all — be kind to yourself

Sometimes, the hardest part of procrastination is how hard we can be on ourselves for procrastinating to begin with. Show yourself empathy, and vow to be aware and cognizant of your habits. Continue refining a routine that best suits you, and you are sure to find a more productive (and less anxious) you.

Originally published on Fairygodboss.

Today is National S'mores Day, and we’re all finding fun ways to celebrate — or if we’re not, we should be — and Girl Scouts is marking the day by announcing their cult-favorite s'mores cookies are making an exciting return in 2018.

"We're incredibly excited to announce that our popular Girl Scout S'mores will return next cookie season!" GSUSA CEO Sylvia Acevedo said in a press release. "While the tradition of making and enjoying s'mores in the outdoors was popularized by Girl Scouts as early as the 1920s, our s'mores cookies are also an important reminder of how necessary it is to support programs for girls to explore the outdoors.”

More: Everyone will go nuts over this s'mores-cookie dessert mashup

S’mores are so loved, they come in two different varieties (apparently related to the different ways we enjoy traditional s’mores). There’s a crispy graham cracker double-dipped in a crème icing and covered in chocolate and a crunchy graham sandwich cookie with a creamy chocolate and marshmallow filling. We’re excited to have both back in our lives.

More: S'mores ice cream pie

As the Girl Scouts have a longtime association with the outdoors — as do s’mores, this really is a relationship made in (gooey cookie) heaven.

After that surprising Bachelorette finale, we expected there would be drama. But what one former contestant is saying about Rachel Lindsay's choice is...not very nice.

More: 8 Bachelor & Bachelorette Stars Who Don’t Support the Franchise Anymore

Third-place contestant Eric Bigger has been speaking out since the finale aired about said finale and Lindsay's engagement to Bryan Abasolo, claiming that she settled because she specifically wanted to be engaged, rather than simply be in a relationship with her best match.

More: Rachel Lindsay Is Chomping at the Bit to Get Hitched

"Rachel put herself in a bind from saying 'I want a proposal.' So she held herself accountable in a place where I think it was pride," Bigger said during an appearance on Ben Higgins and Ashley Iaconetti's podcast, Almost Famous. "Her pride wouldn't let her not do what she wanted to do, and that was she wanted a proposal, and Peter didn't want that. So if it wasn't a proposal, then you're out, which I get... Sometimes it's hard. It's really hard. She made her decision, and she's off to the races, but I just think if she never would've said, 'I want a proposal,' and made that the priority, she would've been OK."

I mean, Bigger might not be too far off. That's pretty much what runner-up Peter Kraus told Lindsay during the final episode. He straight-up told her she was settling for Abasolo just because she wanted to be engaged so badly.

More: Bachelor Nation Turned on Bryan Last Night, & These Were the Harshest Tweets

But Lindsay and Abasolo seem pretty happy together, so maybe these guys should be focusing on that. They did just go through some significant heartbreak, so we can understand their hurt feelings, but Lindsay made a choice that seems to have made her happy, and that's kind of the idea of the show.

Yep — you read that right. Even though movies have been made for every book in the Twilight and Hunger Games sagas (in some cases, more than one movie per book), the studio behind those films is hungry to cash in on the franchise more. It just needs authors Stephenie Meyer and Suzanne Collins on board.

More: The Hunger Games Quiz: Which Arena Obstacle Would Kill You?

"There are a lot more stories to be told, and we’re ready to tell them when our creators are ready to tell those stories," Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer said during a quarterly earnings call this week.

This isn't a new concept. The Lord of the Rings trilogy was turned into three wildly successful movies, and then the studio turned its eye toward prequel The Hobbit, which became three more less successful but still well-earning movies.

More: How to Make a Katniss Everdeen Costume for Under $30

The same goes for Harry Potter. The seven-book series became eight wildly popular movies, and then filmmakers turned to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, creating one more film so far, with four more in the works.

These franchises all prove one thing: When a fandom is involved, continuing the franchise in any way possible means more money. Clearly, Lionsgate thinks that rule will apply to both Twilight and The Hunger Games.

More: I Can't Read Dystopian Books When Terrorist Attacks Are All Too Real

So far, though, the authors haven't given us any more stories to work with, so more films may never become more than a hope for Lionsgate. That may be bad news for the fandom, but every story has to end at some point, y'all. Dragging it out forever simply because movie studios want to make more money is a surefire way to get subpar material. Do you really want that for your favorite fantasy worlds?

After 19 seasons of Big Brother, you'd think we've seen it all by now: bad decisions, hidden alliances, way too many showmances. But this season, Big Brother 19 has blown our minds time and time again. First, Paul Abrahamian returns from Big Brother 18, the season where he lost to Nicole "The Snake" Franzel. OK, it wasn't surprising, but bringing back a veteran again? Really? Are we done yet? And don't even get me started on Josh Martinez and his erratic, pots-and-pans-banging, "meatball"-insult-slinging self.

More: All the Things I Yelled at My TV During the Big Brother Premiere

But it isn't just the players who are questionable. The editing of each show and what producers have chosen to show America has really gotten Twitter (and Reddit) talking. After you see the following list of moments you didn't see on the show, your opinion about the players (and who you're rooting for) might just change.

1. Who really stole the cat ears?

During that explosive fight in the kitchen between Jessica Graf, Raven Walton and Alex Ow, Alex brings up those dang cat ears. She truly believes Jess stole them, but really? It was Raven.

2. Questioning Cody Nickson's service

But that's not all that happened during that fight. Paul, Alex and Christmas Abbott (Christmas!) went as far as to question and mock Cody's service. Really?

3. The entire edit of the fight

But that's not it! You only saw a sliver of what actually went down during that fight. You didn't see: the high-five Paul gives Raven or Raven's sailor mouth, which is basically just Raven being disgusting.

4. Kevin Schlehuber is a liar and genius

Kevin may be coming off as the fun, goofy guy, but he's got a dark mafia past — and he's playing the game well. Here's a solid Reddit thread you should follow, solely about Kevin's game.

5. Raven has a disease!

Raven has a life-threatening disease that affects her G.I. but she eats the Most. Junk. Food. Ever.

6. Cody has auditioned before

Cody tells some of the houseguests that he auditioned for BB15... Could you imagine? Would have probably been infinitely better than this Paul vs. Cody storyline that won't die.

7. Elena Davies in the Diary Room

Welp, not sure how this one got out, but, hey, this is what really goes down in the diary room. (But y'all knew this already, right?)

8. Raven's accent

Live feeds viewers have noticed something fishy about Raven: her accent. Does she have one? Does she fake it? Either way, it's been discussed enough that someone created the nifty chart above.

9. The, um, butt poking?

So, apparently Jess (and the rest of the house, really) have been, uh, poking one another's rear ends. Alex got emotional about it and didn't appreciate it one bit.

10. Kevin and Christmas: cuddle buddies

So, he's married, and she's flirty. Acceptable or not?

11. Paul's "black face" comment

You probably know about this one by now, but if not, here's what happened: When Dominique Cooper was still in the house, Paul was seen debating whether he should wear a black mask (what he described as a "black face") and a snake-print romper (which he did do) in an effort to mock Dom, who called him a "snake." If you're still rooting for Paul, I don't know what say.

That's all for now. Let us know which unseen #BB19 moments we should add to the list, and we'll get right on it.

Netflix just dropped a trailer for the second season of The Crown, and the drama is coming, fam.

More: When 'Big Little Lies,' '13 Reasons Why' & 18 Other Shows Are Coming Back to TV

The show, which follows the early years of Queen Elizabeth II's reign, will be moving from England's exit from World War II into the '60s during Season 2, and y'all know what that means: John F. Kennedy (played by Michael C. Hall) and Jackie Onassis Kennedy (played by Jodi Balfour) will be visiting the palace — and you can catch glimpses of them in the new trailer.

The trailer also alludes to the scandal in both the Queen's personal and professional life during that time. Prime minister after prime minister kept resigning, her sister Margaret becomes the center of a paparazzi campaign and her husband Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, leaves the palace for long stretches of time, traveling to Hawaii and Antarctica.

More: The 2017 Emmy Nominations Are in, & There Are a Few Surprises

"I've learned more about humiliation in the past few weeks than I hoped I would in a lifetime," Elizabeth says in the trailer, adding a few moments later, "I've been queen barely 10 years, and in that time, I've had three prime ministers. Not one has lasted the course."

Season 2 will also introduce a few new characters to the show: Prince Andrew, born in 1960, and Prince Edward, born in 1964.

The Crown has been a big success for Netflix — Season 2 comes on the heels of 10 Emmy nominations for the show, including Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Actress for Claire Foy, who plays Elizabeth II.

More: TV Shows & Movies Coming & Leaving Netflix in August

Get ready to binge, because Season 2 will drop on Netflix Dec. 8.

Barbara Walters has had one of the most fascinating careers of any media personality out there. She was a pioneer for women in news, and she interviewed just about every famous person around the table on The View, where she was an original host.

More: Barbara Walters Sees All The View Drama (on Screen & Off) & Isn't Pleased

Now, on The View's 20th anniversary, she's revealing some of the behind-the-scenes secrets that made the show what it was.

In her memoir, Audition, Walters dished some insider secrets we can't keep to ourselves.

Like when Star Jones underwent gastric bypass surgery, but kept it a secret for the first four years after the procedure and asked her View costars to do the same.

More: Six Years After Open-Heart Surgery, Barbara Walters Is Back in the Hospital

"We expected her, when she felt well, to talk about the procedure on the air as it was such an important aspect of her life and could hardly be kept secret—or so we thought," Walters wrote. "After the operation Star said she didn't want to become what she called a 'poster child' for the procedure and have to answer a lot of questions. I understood that, but it put us all in a terrible position. It meant we virtually had to lie for Star, especially when she said again and again on the air that her weight loss was due primarily to portion control and Pilates." That's not the only drama that revolved around Jones. Walters also revealed that Jones used The View to promote businesses in order to get free services to her wedding to Al Reynolds, which is part of why she was cut from the show's hosting cast.

More: Barbara Walters Reveals This Year's Most Fascinating People

Even after all her time on The View and all the time that has passed since her time on the show, it seems that Walters' anecdotes about the show are quite juicy and quite evergreen.

Lauren Schulte had no intention of starting a company, but when she wasn’t able to find a period product that worked for her, she felt that she had no other choice.

She had tried everything: a vegetarian diet, getting rid of all her nice underwear, changing detergents and switching to organic tampons, but nothing helped to stop her yeast infections. Not wanting to use pads, she tried more than 30 menstrual cup products from around the world, but found that none of them really worked for her.

More: Orgasms Are Most Elusive for Straight Women

That’s when she developed Flex, a flexible disc that fits into your vaginal fornix, which Schulte, the founder and CEO of The Flex Company, described as “kind of like cul-de-sac almost, or the mouth of a river.” The fornix is wide and there are fewer nerve ending in that part of the vaginal canal.

“When you’re wearing a product internally that’s sitting inside, it’s pushing the walls of the vagina apart to stay in, which can cause pain,” she explained. So between that and having fewer nerve endings, the product tends to feel more comfortable for users.

And while she liked the idea that menstrual cups could be worn for up to 12 hours, Schulte wanted to make the Flex out of materials that were safe and comfortable, and wouldn’t grow bacteria or be prone to infection.

Once she had a prototype, she sent it out to people who menstruate to test it out, and one of the comments she heard most frequently was that the Flex can be used during period sex — something that differentiates it from other period products. With the new angle, Schulte and her team gave it to another set of consumers, positioning it as a product for period sex.

More: Why Mad Men's Take on Birth Control is (Sadly) Not Outdated in 2017

“The results blew us away,” she said, with more than 90 percent of those who tested it saying they would use it during their next cycle. She then tried the “period sex” position on the website’s homepage, and within 24 hours, it went viral on Reddit and they had 30,000 people sign up to be on the Flex waiting list — and that was before the story was picked up by the media.

Of course, you don't need a special product to have period sex, not to mention the fact that sex itself takes many different shapes and forms, but for those who don't feel comfortable getting intimate during their cycle, this could be a game-changer.

The Flex Company also makes a point of using the term “period products” instead of “feminine care” or anything that comes with a built-in gender slant to help make the conversation more inclusive of all people who menstruate. They also aim to create more diversity in the products themselves.

More: Reminder: Vagina Is Not a Dirty Word

“We envision a future in which there are different types of period products for different people, almost like any other product category,” she said. “If you think about chairs or glasses, there are infinite different combinations based on their own personal needs, and our hope is by normalizing this conversation, other companies will join us and change things.”

OK, but why would someone want to hurt Britney Spears?

More: Britney Spears' First Trip to Israel Has Been a Bit of a Circus

Spears just started back at her Las Vegas residency after taking a little summer vacay, and while she performed her '90s hit "Crazy," some crazy dude rushed the stage and tried to run toward her. He did a cartwheel onstage and kicked a security guard in the process before he was tackled by security. With the intruder safely on the ground, Spears wrapped up the song, asking the crowd, "Are you guys having fun?"

That's when her security team moved around her, and she could be heard asking, "Is everything OK?" Then her knees buckle as she asks, "He has a gun?" and security ushers her offstage.

More: Kevin Federline Opens Up About Co-parenting With Britney Spears

From the video, it's hard to see what's happening to the man as Spears is being escorted offstage, but according to reports, the real heroes here are Spears' backup dancers, who helped subdue the man onstage and kept him in one place until security could fully remove him and eject him from the building. And according to E! News, that's all that happened — he got kicked out, and nothing is reported about any charges filed against him, which is honestly surprising.

As he was removed from the venue, fans can be heard chanting "We love you" and "Asshole," but Spears didn't return to the stage after incident, according to The Daily Mail. The site reached out to Spears' team and Las Vegas police, but wasn't able to get any information on who the man was or whether any charges were filed.

More: The Biggest Mental Health Reveals From Britney Spears’ New Interview

Spears' residency is continuing in Vegas through December, and we can only hope the rest of it goes smoother than this.

I have three boys 6 and under, so I always feel like I’m drowning in poop. My youngest is still in diapers, and even my two older kids need a little assistance in the bathroom from time to time (unless I want to live on the wild side, which I usually don’t). I imagine all parents of little kids understand this feeling: with the strange mustard-colored stools of newborns, the nightmare-inducing blowouts of the toddler years and the disgusting gauntlet that is potty training, dealing with your kid’s poop is how you spend the majority of your life for the first several years of parenthood.

More: What Are the Pros & Cons of Delaying Kindergarten?

It was a huge relief to get my middle son potty trained — I officially had more kids using the bathroom than wearing diapers. I only had to buy one bulk-size box of diapers every month. I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our diaper days were numbered, and I was spending less and less time smelling stinky bottoms and asking, "Who pooped?!"

But then that same middle kid turned 4, and now I’m drowning in an entirely different sea of excrement: the nonstop potty talk.

To be clear, I'm not talking about the appropriate use of words for body parts like “penis” and “vagina.” Child experts are largely in agreement that children should be taught and encouraged to use those terms. They aren’t dirty words, and we don’t treat them that way in our house.

No, when I say potty talk, I’m referring to "poop."

In case you’re not acquainted with this phase yet, let me fill you in. My son’s baby brother is a “poopy-headed poop-face.” He wants “poop” on his hot dog at dinner. “Poop” is the punchline to Every. Single. Joke. He nonsensically adds “poop” onto the end of sentences, substitutes it for other words in song lyrics and shouts it out our windows at the poor souls walking their dogs in front of our house every morning.

While this fascination with poop is a developmentally normal phase for kids, it can get old fast — especially if, like me, you have more than one child in your house slinging the word “poop” around like a troop of monkeys who... well, who sling actual poop around. Neither my oldest nor my youngest sons showed much interest in using “poop” as common vernacular until it became my middle son’s word du jour. Now my kids’ collective obsession with potty talk has spread through my house faster than an outbreak of norovirus on a cruise ship.

More: How I'm Trying to Parent With Intention

To get some advice on curbing the 24/7 potty talk, I turned to an online community of moms on Facebook. Here are some of the best tips and tricks they shared with me.

Set some ground rules

"I've set the boundary that talking about body functions doesn't belong at the dinner table or in public spaces where it might make people uncomfortable. Beyond that, it’s fair game." — Jody A.

"I honestly don't mind the potty talk, but we did make a few rules about not when we're in public and not when we're eating, and that seemed to help." — Emily P.

Explain what the words are really for

"We've basically made it a rule that it's okay to talk about pee and poop when you're actually talking about peeing and pooping — i.e. in the bathroom.” — Kate C.

“Potty talk belongs in the potty. In the classroom... we gave them an appropriate place to use the words, and I use the same rule at home. They will run to the bathroom, say poop 15 times, giggle hysterically, and then move along." — Robin B., parent and former teacher

Embrace it (if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em)

"I used body part words and poop words when my kids were little sometimes because it made them laugh, and sometimes because that's what they're interested in. I feel like they talk about it less when it's just part of their lives." — Kimberley M.

"I find that being playfully 'annoyed' about the potty talk is a way to get the words out of your child's system. In the short term your child will say it more, as part of a fun game, but with lots of fun and laughter the charge is lost, and the novelty wears off." — Kate O., Hand in Hand parenting instructor

Just ignore it

"It lasted about 1.5 years. Very little adult reaction does the trick. The more you nag, the more it persists." — Magda R.

"I just generally ignore my three-year-old when he starts making jokes or songs about poop or whatever. My lack of attention is more effective than anything. I figure there are worse things." — Sarah N.

More: It's Time to Stop Shaming Moms Over Kids Using iPads

Personally, after trying out a few of these tips, I found the "explain what the words are really for" tactic to be most useful. Since so much of the potty talk was originating with my 4-year-old, I focused primarily on teaching him that potty talk is reserved for the potty. When he started repeating the word "poop" over and over, I reminded him that those were bathroom words and asked if he needed to use the bathroom (he usually declined).

It’s now been a couple of weeks, and not only has his potty talk decreased dramatically, but my other sons are following suit too. So take heart, parents of potty-talkers. This too shall pass. However you decide to handle it, your kid won’t still be talking about poop at the dinner table when he’s an adult. (Probably.) 

Pumpkin spice lattes are as much a part of our fall routine as turkey and stuffing, but until now, the only way to get it was to go to our local Starbucks and get in line. Everything is about to change, though.

More: 5 Pumpkin spice recipes to get more fall flavor in your life (VIDEO)

Starbucks has announced that this season will be better than all previous seasons because ready-to-drink Starbucks' iced Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Flavored Ground Coffee will now be available exclusively at our local grocery stores, so don't bother asking your barista for any.

Each bottle of the Pumpkin Spice Latte means 14 fluid ounces of chilled espresso, which is exactly what we think we need to get thru the day. Every day, maybe.

The Pumpkin Spice Lattes are sold for $2.79 for a 14-ounce bottle, while the ground coffee, described as a light roast, costs $9.99 for an 11-ounce bag.

More: What's really in your Starbucks pumpkin spice latte might surprise you

Don't worry though, your old favorites from last year aren't going anywhere. In a press release, Starbucks assured us that we'll still be able to purchase all the delicious fall flavors that were available last year. "This year, customers will have six ways to enjoy the flavors of Starbucks PSL where groceries are sold as the new offerings join returning favorites Starbucks® Pumpkin Spice Caffe Latte K-Cup® Pods, Starbucks® Iced Espresso Classics Pumpkin Spice Latte, Starbucks VIA® Instant Pumpkin Spice Latte and Starbucks® Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino® Chilled Coffee Drink."

What does this mean? Our most basic of beverage addictions just got a lot easier to fulfill, and cheaper too — that supermarket bottled PSL latte is a bit cheaper than the one we’d get via our barista!

One of the cutest and most good-looking couples in Hollywood just introduced the world to their new baby daughter. Nikki Reed and her husband Ian Somerhalder announced the birth of their daughter on their respective Instagrams, and according to E! News, have given her the cutest name.

More: Nikki Reed says she & Ian Somerhalder will take 'month of silence' after baby

The Twilight actress and Vampire Diaries actor named their first child Bodhi Soleil Reed Somerhalder. Very unique, slightly appropriated. The name “Bodhi” is a Sanskrit name that translates to “enlightenment” or “awakening,” and has deep roots in Buddhism. And Soleil translated from French means “sun.” All together: Enlightening Sun. Absolutely beautiful.

More: Ian Somerhalder & Nikki Reed are expecting their first child

The vampire-parents and strong activist couple shared their excitement on Instagram with some beautiful words. Somerhalder wrote, “To our friends, family, and rest of the world. In my 38 years on this earth I've never experienced anything more powerful and beautiful than this. I can't think of anything more exciting than this next chapter and we wanted you to hear this from us first. This has been the most special time of our lives and we wanted to keep it between the three of us for as long as possible so we could enjoy this time with each other and our little one who is growing so fast...because that's what they do, they grow so fast. Thank you for your kind energy.”

And just last week, Reed released a video of her listening to music with her baby while in the studio for her upcoming album. She wrote, “Last day before mixing begins. Writing and recording this entire album with this baby in my belly has been the most beautiful experience. One thing I know for sure, this child is going to love music :)”

More: Nikki Reed answers 32 questions, revealing facts you never knew

And one thing we know for sure? Bodhi is going to have to coolest and most precious life with the coolest and most precious parents.

The Wedding Crashers are honestly amateurs compared to Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada and all around super cool human being, who recently crashed a wedding while riding in a kayak.

More: Obviously, Kelly Ripa & Justin Trudeau talked about how hot he is

While taking a nice holiday break in the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve by Victoria, British Columbia, the prime minister and his wife, Sofie, took a lovely kayaking trip on the water, where a couple dressed to the nines in the white gown and suit were spotted by the kayaking pair. Trudeau’s personal photographer, Adam Scotti, captured the moment that the prime minister noticed the newlyweds in their little speed boat and paddled over to say hello and congratulate them.

More: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended Toronto's pride march in the best way

He shook the groom’s hand and gave the bride a quick kiss on the cheek, then posed for a photo opportunity. The craziest part of all this is that Trudeau isn’t even the one who got dressed for a wedding that day, and he is truly the most gorgeous person in these pictures. I think it’s the tight blue shirt, the hair, those sunglasses, his face, and maybe his liberal political policies. But who knows?

The bride spoke with CTV News about the moment Trudeau parallel parked next to their raft. “He said, ‘I’m not going to take my shirt off this time,’” referring to a wedding appearance he made last year where he actually took his shirt off. Swoon.

More: Barack Obama & Justin Trudeau had dinner, so the Internet can die happy now

And, as if this weren’t already the most feel-good story you’ve read all day, Trudeau proceeded to fall out of his kayak while trying to get in, and took the most adorable spill into the water any person ever has before, including those spills taken by toddlers and babies who just learned to walk.

Are you kidding me with that? All these pictures of a politician in the water are making me nostalgic for when former-president Obama went kite surfing after eight years of being the coolest president we ever had. Sigh.

Hi, everyone. Let’s just talk about Mariah Carey for a second.

Obviously, she is a true queen. Her singing range and talents know no bounds, and her 1990s regal status will live on forever and ever. But if we’re being honest, why the hell is she still performing?

More: Mariah Carey Had Some Words of Wisdom for Lionel Richie About Judging American Idol

The pop star’s recent shows have been subpar, to say the very most, and to put it mildly, Mariah Carey is "really two performances away from just taking a nap on stage," to quote Twitter user @PrincessOfWifi. She’s been essentially motionless ever since her New Year’s Eve performance on live television, when she didn’t even try to keep up with her lip-syncing track. It was a disaster, but a beautiful one that we all just laughed about and moved on from.

However, the NYE debacle wasn’t so funny for Carey’s former lead choreographer and creative director, Anthony Burrell, who was let go immediately after the world laughed at her. He recently spoke with Elle magazine about his time with the superstar and what really could be going on with her these days.

More: Will Ferrell Says Working With Mariah Carey Was "A S***storm"

“Mariah is clear: when she doesn’t want to do something, she doesn’t do it. She’s performing with lackluster and no fucks given, and it’s taking away her star,” Burell said. Strong fighting words to start off. “Working with an artist like Mariah, who’s not a mover first, it’s always a challenge to get them to think physically and not just vocally.”

That definitely explains Carey’s sluggishness on stage, and I guess when you pair that with her infamous diva attitude, this is what we get.

More: Mariah Carey's Single Didn't Do Too Hot, and Her Label Isn't Happy

Burrell continued, speaking directly to Mariah now. "You're a legend. But you don't care, your team doesn't care,” he said. “They're not guiding and directing her. She's back to where she was before. It's not like she's never looked this bad before; I just stepped her game up."

Well, I guess we’ll just have to get used to this.

While twin pregnancies often occur after fertility treatment (such as in vitro fertilization), we have to wonder — what are the chances of naturally occurring twins? Since it seems many Hollywood babies pop out in pairs (the Clooney twins and Beyoncé's twins are recent examples), we thought we'd dive head first into a full-on twin investigation to see how common twins really are.

More: Just Because Someone Has Boy-Girls Twins Doesn't Mean They're "Done"

Twinning happens in two different ways

First, let's go over some groundwork. Dizygotic twinning, more commonly known as fraternal twins, results from fertilization of two eggs with two different sperm. Monozygotic twinning (or identical twins) results when a single fertilized egg splits and forms two embryos.

More: Knowing When to Draw the Line on Fertility Treatments

Dr. Michael Nageotte, associate chief medical officer at Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital in Long Beach, California, tells us that fraternal twins are more common than their identical counterparts and are the type that tend to increase with use of fertility medications.

Is twinning genetic?

Twinning in general can be affected by genetics, but again, we're only talking about fraternal twins here. Dr. Michael Haydon, the medical director of maternal fetal medicine at Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in Laguna Hills, California, notes that "there does appear to be a genetic component of fraternal twins. Certain families do in fact have a genetic predisposition to having twins."

One of the reasons may be due to the increased hormone levels in certain populations, he says. "For example, twins are more common in certain African countries and less common in Southeast Asia," says Haydon. "Another common reason for conceiving twins, even without assisted reproductive technology, is maternal age."

More: Trying to Conceive? The Important Test Your Gynecologist Isn't Telling You About

What is the incidence, then, of naturally-conceived twins?

Overall, the rate of twinning is around 1 in 90 pregnancies, says Nageotte. However, he notes that those rates do vary, as Haydon pointed out above — black Americans conceive twins more often than white Americans do, and the incidence is further decreased in Asian Americans.

It's important to note that twinning doesn't, in fact, skip generations — your chances tend to be higher if the women in your family have conceived fraternal twins, whether it was your great-grandmother, your grandma or your mom. Of course, if you've already birthed fraternal twins, your chances increase for it to happen again.

Also, since reproductive endocrinology has advanced over the last few decades, overall twinning rate (including fertility medication or assistance) is around 1 in 30 pregnancies.

Do twins increase pregnancy risks?

While many twin pregnancies progress without issue and delivery is a piece of cake, carrying twins does increase a few risks. For starters, Haydon says that twins tend to deliver earlier than their singleton peers (around 36 weeks).

Also, identical twin pregnancies can carry increased risks, as they share a placenta, and of course, if the lowest twin is breech, docs usually elect for a C-section. Twin moms-to-be are also at increased risk of developing gestational diabetes and preeclampsia.

You probably won't have twins

So, you can relax — it's likely that you won't have twins despite the dizzying number of Hollywood twins in the news, although as we've discovered, there are quite a few things that can boost your chances, including genetics — or fertility medication or treatments.

Y'all, we love fall. The changing of the leaves, that special smell in the air, the enthusiasm that comes with a fresh school year — and, of course, the shopping. Who doesn't love back-to-school shopping and the heady excitement of filling their cart with crisp composition notebooks and writing utensils galore?

But with all the bustle and the enjoyment of picking out fun new supplies also comes the part when we all get a little distracted from staying on task and reaching our end goal. Yup, there are two things that usually happen when we are in the throes of BTS shopping: We start haphazardly tossing things into our cart and get so excited we freeze and forget half the things we came for.

More: So Your Kid Wants a Cellphone: How Young Is Too Young?

The following must-know back-to-school shopping tips will help you become a master and make it out of the store without having to schedule a follow-up trip. Because everyone wants a one-stop shopping experience that's time-efficient and a blast.

1. Follow back-to-school hashtags

Take advantage of living in the digital age. When you follow back-to-school hashtags, you can catch wind of great deals as soon as they hit the shelves. Bonus? Other mamas will share their secrets and scores for your benefit. Check out: #backtoschool #backtoschoolshopping and #bts for starters.

2. Sign up for email alerts

If you have your eye on a particular prize — say, this super-cute Cat & Jack shooting stars backpack your kid has been begging for — see if you can set up an email alert for the brand (or even that specific item). If you set these up a few weeks out, you'll have time to monitor the price and spring into action when it's too good to pass up.

3. Utilize technology

Instead of toting around a handwritten list that's been folded so many times it looks like origami, consider filing your list digitally. After all, you'll probably lose a piece of paper, but it's far less likely your phone will wind up in the lost and found. Wunderlist and Todoist both offer great options, but a quick Google search will yield a wide variety of apps to choose from for your list-making needs.

Or take things a step further. Target's School List Assist tool is everything. Quickly shop from your own list or search to see if your child's class is in the database and Target will instantly match it to the items you need. You can even opt for delivery or pick up. How amazing is that?

More: Let's Weigh the Pros & Cons of Mandatory School Uniforms

4. Create an online spreadsheet

Hop into Google Docs and create a shareable online spreadsheet to keep track of exactly what your student needs for the new school year. Not only is this a great visual to recenter your focus when you start wandering down the aisles aimlessly, but it is also perfect for sharing with family members who might be picking up supplies for your child.

5. Map your attack

If you're heading to Target for supplies (and, really, who isn't?) and prefer to shop in person rather than picking up or delivery, their store app is a lifesaver as well. It'll tell you what items your home store has in stock and even has a map of where each department is located. Organize your list by department too. Then you can use the store map to figure out where you need to go in order, instead of zigzagging and going from the clothing department, to the office supplies and then back to clothing. Cutting out the back-and-forth will save you hours. Trust.

6. Nail your timing

Back-to-school, like Christmas, is one of those seasons when everyone is shopping — so stores tend to get a little crowded. But if you avoid peak hours, you'll have a little more room to breathe and enjoy yourself.

How do we figure out what peak hours are, you ask? Don't worry. It's easy. Go to Google and search "[the name of the store you are going to] near me" ("Target near me," for example). A list of the nearest stores will pop up.

Click the store near you and scroll down a little below "See what's in store," and you'll find a graph of popular times. It'll even give you a live view of how busy it is at that moment in time.

7. Eat breakfast

Now is not the time to skip your morning meal — we need sustenance, people! Back-to-school shopping is always fun, but it's also pretty much a marathon. You need your energy while looking for the best loose-leaf notebook paper and three-ring binders. If your kids are coming along for the shopping experience, make sure they eat a wholesome breakfast and have an energy-boosting snack to scarf down too.

This post is sponsored by Target.

Lena Dunham is once again using her voice to speak up for her friend during a harrowing time in her life. Very early on Friday morning, Dunham tweeted her support for Taylor Swift following Swift's publicized testimony given during her ongoing sexual assault case. Dunham is one of the few celebrities publicly commenting on this event in some manner. The case has maintained a comparatively low profile since it began (as compared to Kesha's highly publicized and commented-on sexual assault case), making Dunham's public support of Swift not only heartening but all the more meaningful.

More: Taylor Swift Is Expected to Testify in Her Sexual Assault Case Today

In the wee hours of Friday morning, Dunham tweeted this out to her followers: "Proud of @taylorswift13 for her fierce & cutting testimony & her refusal to settle for being treated like property. Her example is powerful." Dunham has been a longtime friend of Swift's, and while it's not entirely surprising that she would use her social media to support her friend or speak out about an important topic, it's nonetheless worth drawing our attention to because it's a wonderfully supportive message.

Swift has been locked in a court battle with a Colorado DJ who allegedly sexually assaulted her during a meet-and-greet following one of her concerts in 2013. While Swift and this DJ kept their dispute out of the courts for some time, it has finally made its way to trial, where more public attention has been drawn to the incident.

Her testimony from the trial drew attention due to her unwavering position that she was indeed sexually assaulted. Her reportedly calm, confident, yet subtly terse statements give insight into the well of strength she must be drawing on to make it through this harrowing ordeal.

More: Taylor Swift Is Suing Her Alleged Assaulter for a Mere $1, & It's Amazing

More: Lena Dunham Doesn't Want Superficial Props for Her Weight Loss, Thank You Very Much

Swift and Dunham have been friends for some years now, with Dunham notably being invited on stage in 2015 at Swift's concert as part of her girl squad showing. These women are clearly in each other's corner, and it's times like these that friends definitely need each other most.