Plus a photo interview, lying that you can feel *good* about, and the best party game for your next playdate 🗺️

LAST WEEK I RECOMMENDED watching Traitors during your next contact nap. You may recall that I was a SAG-AFTRA actor in my old life, so unfortunately I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to what I consider "good" TV or film. Well, Traitors is the one and only reality show that I watch.

Some of you replied and asked about the party game that the show is based on. It's a murder mystery game called Werewolf. (It's similar to Mafia.)

Each person is assigned a character like a villager, seer, doctor, witch, and so on. There will be at least one werewolf who tries to murder someone every night. It's on the rest of the players to identify and stop the werewolf before it's too late.

But they will be bluffing, throwing other players under the bus, or straight-up lying about who they are. So it's really difficult to know who to trust.

To play, you can look for an app for your phone or get a card deck. That's what I prefer. This pretty version is my favorite, by far.

It really is the most memorable part of any party. The next time you have a few friends over, play a round. If you're used to lying to the pediatrician or your mother-in-law about where your baby sleeps, I have a feeling you'll win. 😏

👀 IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Vanessa cosleeps, too

VANESSA DE CARVALHO (late-30s) is originally from Canada but now lives in Tauranga, New Zealand. She’s a biological and adoptive mom of three and recently got her Master in Creative Writing at AUT. She cosleeps, too.

LIVING ABROAD — My husband, Nick, and I met through a mutual friend in Berlin, where we were both teaching at International schools. Since then, home has been Italy, Vietnam, Tanzania, and now New Zealand — where Nick is from.

ADOPTION — When we lived in Tanzania, we were already in the adoption process when I found out I was pregnant. We kept going with it, knowing it could take a long time.

I had my son, and a few months later we found out we were approved to adopt our daughter. When she came home, she was 16 months old and our son was 8 months old. They're “artificial twins” and have a great bond. It’s been so cool seeing them grow up together.

FAMILY BEDROOM — I had another baby earlier this year! I do a mix of cuddle curling and chest sleeping with her on our king-sized bed. Our five-year-old son often joins us during the night, too.

We’re using cotton flannel sheets right now, to get us through winter. And I use a silk pillow case, as it helped when my scalp was really sore from postpartum hair loss...

💬 THE COMMENT SECTION

Cosleeping with a toddler

Last week, I posted about the hazards that are still at play after your baby's first birthday. Unfortunately nothing changes overnight, and all of the safety guidelines still apply.

In the caption, I talked about how the cuddle curl is not mandatory when bedsharing with a toddler, but it is still a helpful tool to keep them safe.

This comment from a mom named Ava caught my eye. Yes, you can absolutely sleep on your back when you're bedsharing with a 16-month-old toddler!

But if you can cuddle curl them (or at least sleep on your side, facing them) for part of the night, why not?

By 16 months, toddlers are typically very mobile, coordinated, curious, and adventurous. This means they could fall off the far side of the bed, climb over the mesh bed rail, get wedged in a gap, or get tangled up in your blanket.

So any time you can position yourself so that you are facing them, it will be much quicker and easier for you to wake up, assess, and assist them if needed. You'll open your eyes and they should be right in front of you. 🙌