We're moms. We work all day, bring home the bacon, and fry it up in a pan. Oh, and while we're at it, we're raising young children, along with our spouses/partners. As any working mom knows, we often battle the big "G." Guilt creeps up on us when we least expect it. Join us in our ongoing struggle to resist the guilt and embrace the journey.
--Coffee-table blog. How cool would it be to have your blog printed in a nice hardcover book? Pretty cool. Blurb.com helps you create bookstore-quality books with a free software that supports Blogger, TypePad, LiveJournal.com, and WordPress.com blogs. It will import blog text, images, and comments into a template that you can customize and edit. Book prices start at $12.95 for 40 pages. Not bad!
--You got to see it to design it. Now that I’ve spent over five years trying to decorate our family room, this cool website comes around. DesignMyRoom.com lets you see what your room will look like with new paint colors, flooring, furniture, window treatments, accessories, and more. Soon, you’ll be able to upload your own picture, but now you have to choose from one of the room templates on the site. You can post your project on the community board to get others’ opinions. Or if you like one of the professional designers’ ideas, you can lift the look and place it in your room to experiment with. Susan's Finds --What's your Walk Score? Calculate how walkable a location (your house, office, etc.) is in relation to stores, parks, libraries, and other places. This is fun to do with where you live now, but would also be useful if you're in the market for a new home.
--Vote now on your favorite ketchup commercial. We Americans sure love to vote, don't we? Especially on things that don't, you know, really matter. So watch the 15 finalists' TV commercials in the Heinz Top This TV Challenge and pick your top choice. My personal fave was "Heinz Sight," featuring the dudes from a local biker bar.
Tela's Finds --It's back-to-school time for kids everywhere. Who knows more about what kids need for back-to-school thanmoms? Check out Cool Mom Picks for their Back-To-School guide--and it also includes stuff for preschoolers and kids in daycare. These cool moms pick out cool things year-round from indie designers and mom-run companies, so don't stop at the back-to-school stuff. They say they even get the budget thing. How cool!
What's going on in that photo you ask? It's a mom helping her 14 week-old baby pop-a-squat. A trick the baby will surely use when she's in her 20s, at Woodstock 2029, and can't wait in line for the port-a-potty. I wonder if a baby could get ticketed by the police for this? Hmm...
Anyway, the photo is actually from this AP article titled, "Parents begin potty training at birth." The mom is helping her young baby learn "elimination communication," ways to signal her when she has to go wee-wee or poop-poop. To help the baby go, the mom mimics going-to-the-bathroom sounds. Yeah, that's right.
Apparently, the diaper-free movement is growing in America. And, actually it's common in countries like Africa and Asia, where you can't find ample supplies of Pampers.
As crazy as it sounds, less diaper waste and diaper money would be nice. But, potty training at such an early age sure takes some dedication! And as much as I'm dedicated to my kids, you'd really have to be on top of your elimination communication all the time to be diaper-free. Plus, I'm not sure how convincing my bathroom-sounds would be.
Thanks to my pal Suzi for sending me this article!
If you took the time to vote last week on the BlogHers Act global health initiative, thank you! More than 1,000 people voted, and the top issue was maternal health.
Now, the organizers at BlogHer are cooking up a plan to get BlogHers everywhere to take action on maternal health next year. Maybe together, we can improve the health of moms around the world. Everybody now, "We are the world ..."
It's a nuttier week than usual around here for a lot of reasons, but the biggest is that Little One has started preschool! (I'll blog more about that later.) To kill some time during her first day, I ran to the grocery store for some quick and easy dinner food. And I found these Boboli pizza crusts that I used to use when I was in college. Get some canned tomato sauce, some cheese and pepperoni, toss it in the oven for a few minutes, and you've got yummy pizza. Can't believe I haven't tried this yet as a parent - especially since Little One can help. I got a couple of crusts, and we're going to make pizza tonight! Whoopee!
P.S. OK - I know this isn't really a recipe, but it's my first week as the mom of a preschooler. I'm not cookin', I'm survivin.' Just for good measure, though, the Boboli website has recipes. Check 'em out!
Usually, I only read US News & World Report when I'm at the airport or my hair salon. But this week, I'm going to make a special exception and pick up a copy, because the big cover story focuses on moms like us.
The New Mommy Track talks about how "more mothers are finding smart ways to blend work and family." Supporting articles for this cover story include:
I never been very organized, which translates into a pretty cluttered house. Now my house isn't dirty--just cluttered. I have lots of "papers" that lie around, I have a lot of clothes that don't always get put away, O's toys sometimes litter the living room floor, and I have been known to leave a dirty dish in the sink every once in awhile.
I thought maybe once I had O, my "clean gene" would kick in. My mom is very organized and orderly--some of that had to rub off on me, right? Not so much.
The other day I was having lunch with some co-workers when we started talking about houses, cleaning, organizing, and the like. One co-worker mentioned a SAHM that had a foyer complete with drawers and organizing space so her children could put everything--shoes, backpacks, coats, etc.--away as soon as they walked in the house. I commented that my house was so small that I didn't even have a foyer.
"I just kick my shoes off and leave them behind my front door," I said.
"Yeah, I know," the co-worker remarked. "I've seen 'em."
Ouch. That kinda hurt.
I don't think she meant anything by it, but I felt embarassed--a little "less than." Both for not having a foyer and for putting my shoes behind my door.
But when I got home that night, I realized I didn't mind my clutter-filled home. As a working, single mom (Oh yeah, I'm single now. That's a different post for a different day.), cleaning can't be a top priority. I wish I could have a cleaner home, but I just don't have enough time. I don't think O cares that I'm not a neat-freak mom, either. I have more time to spend with him, and I don't mind when he does something like this:
What's that a picture of, you ask? That's O and me playing with "snow." (And yep, that's a diaper in the lower left corner, and what appears to be a Duke Energy bill behind O. Clutter, remember?)
O found a piece of styrofoam on the couch and started smashing it up with his hands. I joined in on the fun and started breaking it up and sprinkling it around. We had the time of our lives. And made a big mess. I'm still finding little pieces of styrofoam--even though I've vacuumed three times since.
-- It’s the new speed-dating for moms: MommyMixer. Instead of enduring short but awkward conversations with assorted single guys, you’re mingling with prospective babysitters and nannies. Pay $100 for your first mixer, and $75 per event after that. If you live in one of the 20 cities where MommyMixer operates, this might be a cool way to find extra childcare. What I want to know is, when’s MommyMixer coming to the Nati? (My friend Michelle gets the credit for this Friday Find.)
-- If you love Sting, try his son. I was listening to the radio the other day and heard a new song, “Two Sisters,” that I thought for sure was sung by Sting—or maybe the reunited Police. Yet it had a slightly more modern, youthful twist. Turns out, it’s Sting’s son, Joe Sumner. He’s the lead singer for a new band called Fiction Plane, which released an album in May, Left Side of the Brain. He’s also my age, 30, and hot! It’s like a newer, younger Sting with fresh musical offerings.
Cara's Finds
--If kids ruled the world. Have you seen the previews for the new reality show called “Kid Nation?” It takes 40 kids, ages 8 to 15, and puts them in some old western town where they have to figure out how to live together. No adults allowed. My first reaction was, “D-U-M-B!” But as soon as I saw some of those little buggers crying, I was like, “Aww...” So I think I’ll tune in--even though the show’s producers are under some legal heat. It premieres September 19 on CBS.
--Magically low prices.Magic Kids USA claims to offer kids' clothes 50% below retail. Browsing around the website, you can find brand names, like Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, and more. Check out this Cincinnati Bengals outfit and other NFL Reebok kids apparel starting as low as $4.49. Seems too good to be true. I wonder if they stick it to you with the shipping costs?
Mattel's getting serious heat lately for its product recalls, but most of the company's toys, games, and other items are safe (we hope!) That includes Barbie girls' apparel and Hot Wheels/Barbie oral-care products, which were sent to WMAG for review a couple of months back. Finally, the verdict is in ...
Susan Says While I consider myself a feminist, I also was quite the Barbie fanatic as a little girl. So I had no problem girling up Cassie in a pink camo Barbie outfit (shorts and top), topped off with Barbie sunglasses (which she promptly removed). It was fun to see my sitter Karen's 5 year old wearing another super-cute Barbie tee and denim skirt (with a little tulle ruffle peeking out). I say, when you just want to be girly-fabulous, bust out the Barbies and have a ball.
Cara Says As you may know, brushing a temperamental two-year-old's teeth is no fun. Before we received the Barbie spin-brush, my technique to brush Zoe's teeth looked more like a wrestling hold. I was a little leery about the brush at first, thinking she was too young to use it. But to my surprise, she loved it! And she even let me help her.
My kids also liked the Hot Wheels and Barbie toothpaste. My son, Jonah was just beginning to get picky about the taste of his toothpaste, and didn't want to use toothpaste at all. But, he loved the flavor of his new Hot Wheels toothpaste. Tela Says O sprouted two teeth at three months, so I had to introduce the toothbrush early. At first I was using the little finger one (where you actually slip it over your finger), but had to abandon it with the quickness when O got even more teeth and started chomping down on my finger.
So we got a Hot Wheels toothbrush that's the perfect size. And it's cute. But the car on the end doesn't make it the most comfortable to hold...
Sara Says I wish I could say I didn't have qualms about dressing my daughter up in Barbie clothes, but I can't. The top and skort she received are supercute, and I'm going to put her in the skort for certain when she grows a size (at the moment, it's just a bit too big). But the top with the huge Barbie torso on it kind of weirds me out. Granted, Barbie looks a lot more wholesome than she did in my day--not so much boobage, and she's wearing a chaste tee-shirt. But still. She's so... white. And perfect. And blonde-cheerleader-popular-girl-ish. Little One is going to be comparing herself to girls like Barbie soon enough. Right now, I'm happier when she's idolizing grubby Dora (if she has to idolize a franchise character at all).
That said, I do like the Barbie toothbrush. Something about the shape of it makes it fit perfectly in my hand. Little One likes to brush her own teeth, but sometimes we have to get in there to make sure the job gets done right. And the Barbie brush really does the trick.
I remember at one former job, I took one every day. I drove home (about 3 miles from the office), watched my story (Port Charles ... I still miss it), and fixed me a sammich. Also, I gave my cats some love.
That seems like a million years ago. Lately, my once-sacred lunch hour has become overrun with work meetings. People just assume it's part of the work day, and I'm expected to labor through.
Sure, they order lunch in. But don't they know that a working mom's lunch hour is the one hour of the day that (supposedly) belongs to her and her alone? I can meet friends if I want, hit the gym for a workout (ha!), do a little shopping, or just veg out at my desk and catch up on my blogs.
Please, coworkers. Give me my lunch break back. I need it. I really, really, really need it.
BlogHer, the online blogging community for women, is going to tackle one global health issue on behalf of women this year. The project is called BlogHers Act. Their goal is to effect "measurable improvement" on the community's top-ranked health issue:
By measurable, we seek to demonstrate progress on Global Health via key metrics to be determined (e.g., signatures, votes, donations, letters, live births, etc.). We will use an array of online and offline resources, actions and initiatives to deliver and report on this impact.
Which issue(s) do you consider to be most important? Vote below (the deadline is Aug. 25 at midnight). I'll keep everyone posted on how we can contribute to the effort.
Hey, everybody! Today's Tasty Tuesday comes from Cara. She writes...
I love this dessert idea from KraftFoods.com. The Layered Pudding & Fruit Dessert makes a kitchen klutz look like a regular Martha Stewart. I've made this dessert three times this summer and have received so many compliments. Honestly, it's the glass bowl that really makes it look impressive.
The cool thing about this recipe is that you can make it four different ways: 1. Chocolate pudding with Oreos and cherry pie filling (pictured) 2. Vanilla pudding with ginger snaps and mandarin oranges 3. Banana cream pudding with shortbread cookies and sliced bananas 4. Vanilla pudding with vanilla wafers and apple pie filling
The only other ingredients are: - 3 cups cold milk - 1 tub (8 oz.) thawed Cool Whip (I usually buy an extra tub for the topping)
PREPARE 2 pkg. (4-serving size each) JELL-O Instant Pudding & Pie Filling with the milk as directed on package for pudding. Gently stir in whipped topping.
ARRANGE half of the cookies in bottom of 2-1/2-qt. glass serving bowl. Spoon half of the pudding mixture over cookies. Layer with remaining cookies and pudding mixture. Top with fruit.
REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until ready to serve. Store leftover dessert in refrigerator.
Give this recipe a try. It's incredibly easy and delicious!
Everyone has to do a little give-and-take from time to time, but I think there are two life stages where you're forced to take compromise "to the next level."
First, there's marriage. Talk about a crash course in compromise. Suddenly you have to come terms with everything from the state of your home (constant disaster or Martha-approved?) to your finances (joint or separate? debt-free or debt-full?).
I must admit it was not easy for me to make allowances or budge on what I wanted. But Mama always said "compromise is the key to a successful marriage," so I tried really hard to be flexible. It got a little easier after a few years, and seemed to work pretty well. Mama was right.
Then, there's parenthood. It's the next next NEXT level of compromise, and you have no idea how much you have to do it until you're already fully committed (to parenthood or the nuthouse). Check out this Washington Post interview with Suzanne Riss, the editor of Working Mother, for her advice on compromise as a working mom.
Since Cassie arrived, I've compromised:
Sleep (though it's much better now than in the first few months)
Socializing (especially during the week, plus we host many fewer parties than we used to)
Money for fun stuff (formula, diapers, and a new set of clothes every few months get expensive)
Me time (unless you count my commute to and from work--which I don't)
Reading (I think I've read three whole books since she was born; I used to read a ton)
Extracurricular activities (Volunteering? Hobbies? Forget about it.)
I'm sure the list could go on, but I don't want to depress myself.
What I won't compromise on is my work (if I can help it), because that's a big source of income for our family and I want to keep it flowing. I do have to change the way I work sometimes (leave at 5, start again at home around 9), but my level of commitment and workload haven't decreased.
And I never compromise on the quality of care for Cassie, whether I'm watching her or leaving her with someone else. I also try hard to nurture my closest relationships, because it's awfully hard to get by without the help of your friends and family.
What about you? What have you compromised since you became a WMAG? What do you refuse to compromise? Do tell.
The other day, a SAHM friend said, "God bless the Y." She was talking about our local YMCA. And I couldn't have said it more perfectly. I love my Y. It was heaven sent for all moms alike. Sure, the family membership is a bit pricey (around $80/per month), but it's a lot cheaper than hiring a therapist.
The Y makes my family happy. The kids have a blast playing with other kids in the child-watch center, while I go sweat the mommy-guilt away in the workout room. We love the pool. We love the programs. We love it all.
It has been easier to get to the Y since I have Fridays off. But, even when I was full-timing it, I still tried to get there 3 nights a week. I remember getting a little peeved when I overheard a different SAHM make a nasty comment about a WM who went to the Y. She said the WM would pick up her kids at daycare and go straight to the Y where "she'd just give them to another person to watch for her." WHATEVER. I think a trip to the YMCA between work and home is just what the doctor ordered. I don't know how many times after getting my kids that I'm still in that work-fog. Give me a good heart-pumping hour at the Y, and the stress from my workday is instantly erased. I go home as a better, more attentive parent.
So, God bless the Y. Sure, Village People, it is a fun place to stay. But, I love it for so many reasons more.
--Babies at the disco. Ready to boogie with your baby? Check out Baby Loves Disco. This event takes the hippest nightclub in town and transforms it into a childproofed, disco-blasting dance party for parents and kids. Currently, you can find Baby Loves Disco in 20 cities. Sadly, not Cincinnati. However, moms and dads are encouraged to lobby for it to come to their town. I'm going to look into it. I think a WMAG Baby Loves Disco Party is just what my city needs!
--Yo Gabba... what? From the previews of Nickelodeon's new show Yo Gabba Gabba!, I thought it looked pretty weird. But after reading this article, now I'm interested in watching. The article says it's the first live-action show since Pee-wee's Playhouse that's entertaining for parents and children. Funny, because I just happened to find Pee-Wee on TV the other day and it scared my two-year old. Yo Gabba Gabba! has a recurring segment called, "Biz's Beat of the Day," featuring Biz Markie who teaches kids how to beat box. Go on the website and find cute Yo Gabba Gabba! printable iron-ons.
Tela's Finds
--How do those celebrities look so good? Retouching! Check out this site for a photo retouching studio. Click "Portfolio" to see some pretty crazy before and afters.
--Mydeathspace.com. I've heard of this site before, but everytime I tried to go, it was down. Maybe that's a good thing. Because when I finally did get through, I spent WAY too much time there. Cara hates it. You can check out the obits and the myspace pages of myspace people who have died. Lots of people die in car accidents.
--Get paid to shop! And it doesn't have anything to do with becoming a mystery shopper. The new shoe site, Endless.com, will pay you to get free shipping. They have lots of cool shoes, and their site is pretty neat, too. Check it.
--I like purses and bags.We all know that. So I really liked Baghaus.com, as site that features replicas of super cool designer bags at super cool price points.
Susan's Finds
-- Could your brain use a workout? Personally, my noggin aches at the end of the day (too much “brainstorming”). But if you want to challenge yourself, sign up for a free daily brain fitness tip at Mindermast.com. (Get it? Neither did I. Maybe I do need a brain workout.) There’s also an interesting little map of the brain that explains how it all works (in layman’s terms).
-- A fun little shop run by a WMAG. I met a woman named Jazz at BlogHer who has her own store, The Finery, in Amesbury, Massachusetts. I finally got a chance to check it out online and it’s got some cute stuff! Plus, I love the idea of supporting Jazz, a cool lady with her kids hanging out in the shop as she sells her wares. Maybe you’ll like it, too.
-- Who taught you how to drive? Relive the good ol’ days of being a newbie behind the wheel with this BMW viral video site, Relearn to Drive. It features nine different characters (and boy, are they characters) “teaching” you how to drive. Funny stuff. Thanks to my South African coworker Nico “In the Pickles” Coetzee for the link.
OK, so here's something I had to share that's bound to be a little controversial. A few weeks ago, I was asked to be on the Mike and Juliet show to talk about breastfeeding, in relation to the recent NYC ban on formula bag giveaways at certain hospitals. At the time, I thought that the ban was kind of extreme. Women should have a choice in what they feed their baby, I thought (and said), so they should be given a choice of what type of bag to take home. Why not provide both types of bags, and let the mom choose?
But then I thought about it more. The point isn't about choice, it's about what's good for your baby. Hospitals advocate that new moms breastfeed, yet when mom and baby go home, they give them diaper bags filled with formula. It sends a mixed message. "You should breastfeed, but when you fail (because you might and so many moms do), here's some formula." Well, that's not right. It's sort of like going to the doctor's office, being diagnosed with high cholesterol, and then given some McDonalds coupons as you walk out the door. You should eat a diet to control your cholesterol, but you might not, so here's something to help you out when you fail.
The formula companies will find you. They found the hospitals--they aren't dumb. They knew that was a way "in" to new moms. (Hey, I work in advertising--and I used to work on a diaper brand. You are always brainstorming ways to expose your product to potential new consumers.)
It's not like moms depend on those formula bags given away at hospitals. I got tons of free samples and discount coupons in the mail when I had O--from all the major formula companies. In fact, I think Enfamil thinks I had another child, because I'm suddenly getting regular Enfamil samples again (I was getting that Next Step stuff). If breastfeeding doesn't work for you, it's easy to find free and discounted formula and formula coupons--at pediatrician's offices, day care centers (that's where I took all my samples and coupons), Craig's list, eBay, and I'm sure various other places I haven't even thought of.
I would've loved to receive a diaper bag filled with breastfeeding accessories--nursing pads, creams, storage bags, cute T-shirts. And if breastfeeding is what doctors and hospitals want new moms to do, then that's what they should give new moms.
Good grief! Mattel Inc., issued more toy recalls on Tuesday--for about 9 million Chinese-made toys. Polly Pocket playsets, die-cast cars, and Batman action figures are among the recalled.
We talk a lot here about food working moms can make for their families. Well, it's time to let the kids into the kitchen - it just might win them a college scholarship! Susan passed this along to me, and now I'm passing it along to you:
It's that time of year again – one kid chef will win a $25,000 college scholarship fund in the 6th Annual Jif® Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest! Four runners-up will each receive a $2,500 college scholarship fund. This national contest, open to kids ages 6 -12, is about fostering creativity and bringing parents and children together in the kitchen. Over the past five years, thousands of kids have created and submitted their own creative peanut butter sandwich – everything from sushi rolls and paninis to lettuce wraps and empanadas.
With back-to-school and packed school lunches right around the corner, we hope this contest will encourage you to get creative with their children in the kitchen. For Official Rules and entry forms, visit www.jif.com. Entries will be accepted through November 15, 2007.
I don't know about you, but I am crazy-busy today. If you happen to have a little time on your hands, check out these articles. I'll be back later with a more substantive post.
Moms: Do you, too, yearn for a wife? According to this New York Times article, more working moms these days want the advantages their male counterparts have -- a wife to take care of household stuff. I think the idea of wanting a "wife" to perform such tasks sounds horribly sexist, but maybe that's just me.
When it comes to working motherhood, we don't all have a "choice."This San Francisco Chronicle op-ed piece points out that only moms with high-income households can "opt out" of work to raise kids. Most moms in America need the money, so they have to work. Sort of puts a damper on the "mommy wars" if you think about it like that, eh?
Ohio moms at smaller companies might get (unpaid) maternity leave. What a dream! Another NY Times piece discusses the Ohio Civil Rights Commission's push to give employees up to 12 weeks of maternity leave at companies with four or more employees. Maybe my sarcasm comes from the belief that we should all be guaranteed PAID maternity leave for up to one year after we have a baby. I know, I know, I should just move to Canada already.
Do your kids drive you to do drugs? This Babble.com "Bad Parent" post has the momosphere abuzz. Here's a quote for ya: "It turned out I could not only manage taking care of my son while I was high; I could excel." Hmmmm ...
--I want my old MTV. I love reminiscing about old music videos. They sure don’t make them like they used to… Cheesy storylines slapped together with random tour footage. That’s why I love Vh1Classic.com. It’s where you can find fun video playlists from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Watch one of your old favorites. Believe me, you’ll instantly be in a better mood! I’m starting my day with a little “Nothin’ But A Good Time.”
--Sick of astronomical phone bills? If you are a mathematician, maybe you could do something similar to what this guy did. Check out the "memo" for an extra laugh. (Thanks to my kickin' cubemate MK for finding this.)
--Public Service Announcement videos are usually pretty cheese, but these two are downright scary. Check this one (courtesy of our co-worker BP) and this one, but be forewarned: They are slightly shocking. Shocking, but still entertaining because it is TV after all--not real!
Susan's Finds
--Welcome to The MotherHood. This new online mom neighborhood provides the usual network stuff--cool links, groups, blogs, and people. It was started by two moms, Cooper and Emily, who came up with the idea a year and a half ago while talking in a coffee shop. Isn't that how all great ideas begin? Check out their charter--I love it! If you decide to join, check out the Working Moms group.
--If you have a fancy mobile phone and a pet, raise your paw. Purina and go2 joined forces to launch go2 Pets, a mobile-friendly yellow pages for all things pet-related. Enter a zip code to find dog parks, pet-friendly accommodations, camping, airlines, fun places, kennels, vets, and more. Visit the website to preview the mobile version and get a link texted to your phone (or just text "pets" to 462411).
--When office workers stop being polite and start getting real. Remember when I talked about True Mom Confessions in a previous Friday Finds? Now it has a new sister site, True Office Confessions. The tagline: "A lot can happen between 9 and 5." I'll say. A whole lot of nothing, judging from these Lazy McSlackersons "confessing" on the site.
around. DesignMyRoom.com lets you see what your room will look like with new paint colors, flooring, furniture, window treatments, accessories, and more. Soon, you’ll be able to upload your own picture, but now you have to choose from one of the room templates on the site. You can post your project on the community board to get others’ opinions. Or if you like one of the professional designers’ ideas, you can lift the look and place it in your room to experiment with.
around. DesignMyRoom.com lets you see what your room will look like with new paint colors, flooring, furniture, window treatments, accessories, and more. Soon, you’ll be able to upload your own picture, but now you have to choose from one of the room templates on the site. You can post your project on the community board to get others’ opinions. Or if you like one of the professional designers’ ideas, you can lift the look and place it in your room to experiment with.
