Every year in the United States , we celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May . So , in honor of mothers and mothering , today we are talking about expressions that use the words “baby ,” “child ” or “kid .” Babies need lots of love , care and attention . Most new parents spend every waking moment caring for , worrying over and thinking about their baby . This applies to other things too ! In American English , anything that you have focused and worked on for long periods of time can become your “baby .” Let's say your friend Sam is opening a new coffee shop . He has invested his own money into it . For months he spends all day every day getting the shop ready for customers . In the evenings , he works on hiring , advertising and menu options . And at night , as he tries to sleep , he worries about it . He really wants it to be a success . So when Sam's friend asks about the progress of the business , she could say , "So , how's your baby coming along ?” Yes , using “baby ” in this way is slightly informal . But it is very common and okay to use in just about any situation . The opposite of caring for a baby would be throwing it out with its bathwater . “That is terrible !” you might be saying . Yes , it is terrible except -- when we do it in conversation . Then it is a useful expression . We often use this expression when we advise people to not act rashly or go to extremes . For example , let's say a married couple has been working with a designer for months on redecorating their home . They choose furniture , carpeting and wall color . But then suddenly , the designer pulls out of the project . The husband and wife are upset . The husband does not want to start from the beginning . He didn't enjoy doing it the first time ! But the wife says , "Look , there's no need to throw the baby out with the bathwater . Let's keep all things we have already chosen . We can hire a new designer just to help us put them in the house ." Now , not all expressions related to children are actually about children . Some of them are about adults . If a grown-up is a babe in the woods , he is defenseless and naive . He is easily fooled , and nobody expects much from him . The opposite of a babe in the woods is a veteran , someone who is seasoned or experienced . For example , the law office had mostly seasoned , professional lawyers . But one young man was just out of school . He did not even know the most basic rules for the courtroom . As a result , he lost his first case . The judge called him a “babe in the woods .” Such a person is different than a new kid on the block . A new kid on the block is simply a newcomer to a group of people who know each other well . Here , “block ” means part of a neighborhood . When you are the new kid on the block , you do not know yet how things operate in a new environment . Your ignorance can be good or bad . Maybe you bring new energy , skills , or talent to the group . Or maybe you spend a lot of time wandering around looking for the bathroom . Do you know what is not uncomfortable ? Children do it naturally and effortlessly . So when we say a job is child's play , we mean it is very easy to do . Let's say in a meeting one of your co-workers says that she finds creating a spreadsheet really difficult . You say loudly to everyone , “Really ? I finished mine in a few minutes . It was child's play ! You just input the information .” This makes your co-worker angry . She is so angry with you that she looks for a way to get you back . In other words , she might do something mean in return . At lunchtime she finds her chance ! When you step outside for something to eat , you leave all your notes about an important , top-secret meeting on your desk . When you return , your co-worker is telling everyone else about the details of the meeting – details that no one was supposed to know . You say to her , “Where did you get that information ?” She looks at you coldly . “On your desk ,” she says . “It was like taking candy from a baby .” Of course , babies should not be eating candy . But if a baby were eating candy , and an adult took it away , the baby could not fight back . He might cry and be upset , but he is helpless compared to the adult . And that is the situation with your co-worker . She just walked in and picked up your notes . She is the adult . The notes are the candy . And , unfortunately , you are the baby . Now , if someone takes candy away from a baby , the parents might demand that the person replace it . This isn't so bad . Going to a candy store is fun ! For many kids , being in a candy store is pure joy . Wide-eyed and smiling from ear to ear , they run from sweet to sweet , imagining how everything will taste and trying to decide what to choose . So , if someone is very excited about all the possibilities in front of her , we say she is like a kid in a candy store . For example , whenever I go into a library , I feel like a kid in a candy store . There are so many books I haven't read and I don't know where to start first ! Have you ever felt like a babe in the woods , a new kid on the block or a kid in a candy store ? Tell us about it . Or simply practice with the language you heard here . Oh , you swept me off my feet ..”