BABY BRAIN

Not Neutral Wall Decals: Easy, Cute, Re-Usable

2009-09-18T15:04:00.001-07:00

I've already mentioned Not Neutral on this blog before. (Their pillows are freakin awesome. Yes! I said pillows!)

Check out their wall decals, too. Easy to put up. Environmentally friendly. (Re-use! Re-use!) And if your kids are anything like mine, they'll love them. In the words of my daughter, "night night butterflies."

A Changing Pad That Doesn't Need a Purse the Size of the State of Texas

2009-09-04T15:48:00.001-07:00

Changing pads are one of those nice-to-have items that, seriously, sometimes I do without because there you are packing up (are you not forever packing, and unpacking, and re-packing and de-packing?) everything for your outing and then it's like, wait a second, hold your horses people, I need a bigger bag for the FREAKING TWO HUNDRED POUND changing pad.

Change them on the floor no more. Check out this awesome changing pad (did I just put the words awesome and changing pad directly next to each other on purpose?) from Baby Burrito. Small. Compact. Functional. Cute, even.

If You Have Ever Looked at Your Toddler and Thought: So Small. (Yet So Freaking Difficult!)

2009-09-03T14:29:00.001-07:00

Seriously, the baby stage is complete bliss compared to toddlerhood. OK that is not entirely true. But when your kid develops a mind of their own they will not, under any circumstances, let you forget it. What's that, mom? Don't touch that? Well take a close sweet look because hey, are you paying attention, I am going to touch it. In fact, you can pretty much bank on the fact that I am going to touch it today, tomorrow, and every day and the more times you tell me not to touch it the more I will continue to touch. Touch. Touch. Boom-shacka-lacka-lacka-touch-touch-touch! I am sorry, did you say something? I cannot seem to hear you because I AM HAVING SO MUCH FUN TOUCHING THIS FORBIDDEN ITEM!

I mean, it's a joke, right?

Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood: Practical Parenting from Birth to Six Years is a great place to start to reclaim the mind you lost while you were trying to reason with your toddler about why she could not wear her porcupine costume to bed. (And you think I am joking.)

Terrible title. Terrible cover. Yet the stuff inside is actually quite good. However, I do strongly disagree with some of the specific examples (I think there is a story in there where they tell an eight-month-old that "dinner is over" and put him directly in the crib. Um, hello, a little harsh?) But, the basic philosophy is genius:

1. ALWAYS give lots of choices, all of which you approve. (Especially at bedtime.) Shall we do the worm or the electric slide before your bath? Do you want me to put you in the crib or go-go-gadget-arm-catapult you in there? (These are my actual options. Do you think my kids think I am normal?) I learned from teaching middle school that kids love to feel in control and when they are offered choices the majority of the time, they don't freak out as much when they lose control.

2. When your kid does something you do not like, react immediately with empathy, and then with a consequence. (You have probably also learned that yelling, reasoning, explaining, commanding, coercing, are not very good at teaching children, but are very effective ways of driving you completely insane.)

For example. Marina throws her doll at her brother. Me: Uh oh, that stinks. Bye bye doll. The doll is removed, she is mad (I never said this was fun) and we move on. BUT IT WORKS.

Marina says: Milk, mama? Me: Sure! Her three seconds later: GIVE ME MY MILK, WOMAN!!! I waaaaaaant my milk nooooooooooooooooooow!!! Me: Uh oh, that really stinks. Bye bye milk.

I like this philosophy for four reasons:

1) It works.

2) It doesn't require any yelling, punishment, annoying reminding or cajoling.

3) It teaches kids to think before they act.

4) People learn from consequences. (If your neighbor towed your car would you block their driveway again?)

Case in point: Marina lifts up the metal shovel, contemplating how best to dig it into Taylor's head. We make eye contact as I say "uh oh." She puts in down and gives him a maybe not so genuine, but definitely over-my-freakin-dead-body-will-you-take-this-shovel-away-from-me hug and a sweet sisterly kiss.

It works.

Help is in Your Future. (Read: SLEEP)

2009-09-01T14:40:00.000-07:00

Did you ever have a friend who was like a baby whisperer? Um, that person was NOT ME. (I was the kid who babysat once and was on the phone with my parents in five minutes asking if, well, I was just curious, would it be rude if I called Mr. and Mrs. Thompson and told them I had strep throat?) Well, I do have a friend like that and her name is Dixie Hauth.

Why do you care? You care because Dixie has launched a newborn consulting business to help exhausted, frustrated, and seriously-I'm-getting-desperate parents just like you. Dixie is one of those peeps who literally has a sixth sense (no, she doesn't see dead people) when it comes to babies. She is a doula trained by Natural Resources in San Francisco who has years of experience working with newborns and families. Her personalized approach is nothing short of genius. This newborn specialist and mother of two will teach you how to get your little one on a thank-you-for-making-this-just-for-me routine in no time at all. (Even get you your sanity back, too.)

In a nutshell, Dixie has tremendous experience helping mothers with all the challenges that come with a newborn baby.

If you live in San Francisco, she will do an in-home sleep consultation for $500. BUT. Her expertise is not limited just to the locals. For just $150, she will do phone consultations for the first six weeks. (Read: You can program her in your speed dial, compulsively call her with every question, and she will actually take your calls! Answer your questions, even!) She will teach you everything you need to know: swadding, sleep schedule, daily routine, and more. If you do the math this is an absurdly, over-the-top, incredibly good deal.

Are you getting the picture here? You can call an expert, a real expert, one who is not your mother and will not tell you how to implement the parenting practices that so brilliantly made you who you are thirty-five years ago. (I'm sorry, was it just my family that did that?) If you think I am a little nuts (understandable) and don't believe me, check out yesterday's Daily Candy feature on Dixie's business.

If you have a new baby, you need to get in touch with Dixie. You'll be glad you did. (You'll also be rested, relaxed, and what is the other word I am looking for, oh yeah, SANE.)

Playgrounder: Website for Finding Non-Boring Stuff for Kids

2009-08-31T18:57:00.000-07:00

Buying gifts for kids is ridiculous. Isn't it? Hey, Hunter, here is another book you will throw in a pile and never read, a shirt that will be too small in forty-five seconds, or a toy that was maybe fun for ten minutes for a kid half the age that you are now. Go nuts!

My gifts will never be unoriginal again. My kid gifts, at least. My adult gifts, however, will still be purchased from Amazon about twenty-four hours before the occasion of note. (While the computer is freezing due to my spastic pressing of the "Buy Now" button while mumbling: Eek! Why do I continue to do everything at the LAST. POSSIBLE. SECOND.)

The people who created Uncrate (a site for cool but oftentimes very expensive gadgets and gear for the men in your life) just launched an interesting web magazine of kids products called Playgrounder.

Let's be clear: some of the things on this site are off-the-charts-expensive and completely ludicrous. Excuse me, but who buys a $600 toy Mercedes for their kid unless they have completely LOST THEIR FREAKING MIND? (If this person is you, I want you to call me because I have a list of, let me count, one, two, three, FOUR MILLION things that money would be better spent on.) But. . . BUT. There are some very cool and even inexpensive finds on this site of ridiculousness-slash-awesomeness for tots, and I am certain there will be more to come. (They just launched last week.)

For example, who doesn't eat lunch with just a teeny bit more enthusiasm when their PB&J is shaped like a dinosour? (I am seriously buying one of these for myself and never eating a non-dinosour sandwich again.) And would you not be the coolest mom, dad, aunt, uncle or random person on the planet if you bought this Yo Gabba Gabba DJ Lance Hat for a kid in your life? (Shh! Also buying it for myself and not ashamed because it is just plain awesome. Is it not?) There is some semi-practical stuff on there as well: Baby footprint maker. Cool wall art. Mary Jane Shoes.

The next time I go out, I am going to pull out the Yo Gabba Gabba DJ Lance Hat (It's just fun to say, isn't it? Go ahead. You know you want to.) for my two-year-old and I can guarantee you she will not shed a tear as I make a mad dash for the door.

It just might be the best twenty-five bucks I ever spent.

How to Get Baby to Sleep Through the Night (Part One)

2009-08-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

Babies sleep through the night at some point. For me the big question was: Um, hey guys, I was just wondering, WHEN WILL THAT POINT BE? Could someone tell me if it will be in eight weeks or eight months or will it be never because I will forever for the rest of my life be a zombie who stops indefinitely at stop signs, and not at all at stop lights, because I have not slept more than three hours in a row in, oh not that I've been counting, four months, two days, fifteen hours and thirty-seven seconds? Thirty-eight. Thirty-nine. SOMEONE STOP ME!

First thing you need to know: It would be extremely, unusually, incredibly unlikely that your baby will sleep through the night consistently on his own sometime during the first three months. (If yours does you should keep this information to yourself if you want to have any friends.) You may get the occasional full night of sleep. (Let's be clear: For them!) This eight hour stretch is one hundred percent for them because you will be in the nursery with one hand under the nostrils and the other checking for a pulse and, whoops, yep, she is alive and also AWAKE AND PISSED OFF!

My babies actually both did sleep long stretches on their own. We'd go around the circle in playgroup talking about sleep and moms would say: two hours, one hour, four hours, forty-five minutes and I'd say nine hours, opps, I mean, look out the window! Chocolate chip cookies falling from the sky!

Second thing you need to know: Even though you won't likely be looking at many zzz's until the fourth month at the earliest, there are many things you can do to improve your baby's sleep in those initial months. Here are the things that worked for me.

Getting Baby to Sleep (Months One - Three):

1. Give the baby full feedings during the day. Newborns like to snack for five minutes, but they will take a full feeding if you keep them awake. Tickle their feet. Put a cool washcloth on their forehead. Change their diaper or their clothes. This takes a lot of work but it is worth it!

2. Try to go two-and-a-half to three hours between feedings so they are hungry and take a full feeding. If they take in enough ounces during the day, they are less likely to wake at night.

3. Put them to bed with the Double Swaddle. (This is was a serious sleep enhancer for me.)

4. Follow a bedtime routine that includes: bath, feeding, double swaddle, loud white noise. (Don't make this harder than it needs to be. Only needs to take 15-20 minutes.)

4. Make sure baby is warm and comfortable. I used an extra pair of socks, a Vornado heater to keep the room at 68 degrees (Fans can apparently reduce SIDS by 72%) and mattress pad to make the crib a little softer.

5. Don't run in when the baby wakes up. (I know this is impossible. But if you can wait a second, sometimes they really do go back to sleep.)

Here was my evening routine for the first 8 weeks. (Weeks 8-12 were the same but the babies gradually started going to bed earlier. Asleep by 7:30 or 8pm around 8 weeks and older.)

6:30/7pm - feeding

7-9pm - fussiness extraordinaire, some snoozing but mostly fussing

9:15pm - bath, music, books, PJs

9:30pm - feeding, put in double swaddle, turn on loud white noise (it should be loud enough so you can hear it outside the room), and leave them to see if they will sleep. if no sleep, feed some more and try again, repeat until they are zonked.

10pm asleep

New Report: Infant Car Seats Can Cause Breathing Problems

2009-08-26T13:38:00.001-07:00

One of the things I filed in the "completely insane things I asked the pediatrician" folder was the question: Are infant car seats safe?

Well, it turns out I was on to something.

It seems obvious and is probably just one of those I'll-assume-someone-knows-more-than-me conclusions we often draw. But have you ever seen a newborn asleep in one of those contraptions? It looks like there is no possible way they could be actually receiving oxygen.

According to CNN and a variety of other sources, a new study from the Journal of Pediatrics reports that infant car seats can compress the chest wall and reduce airway size, which can result in lower oxygen levels in the blood. It is now recommended that parents use car seats for travel only and NOT for sleeping, which so many of us have done like it was our job.

Man. That throws a wrench in the whole parenting bliss that is my baby will sleep anywhere in the car seat, don't touch the zonked wee one in the car seat, I will carry my sleeping baby in that car seat until he is 20! What's next? The sling? (Well, it's not exactly alignment-friendly.) If you are a new parent I am sorry. I am truly VERY SORRY. Both of my kids logged hundreds of hours of blissful zzz's in that thing.

My suggestions?

1. Use the car seat only for for travel.

2. Use a baby carrier for non-travel or awake time. (I like the new Ergo Sport.)

3. Use the double swaddle for sleeping in the crib. (No exaggeration: THIS SAVED MY SANITY!) Gave everyone an extra three hours of sleep per night.

Oh, and ear plugs for the parent who is not on duty. (If you are still nursing or have no help, then you are totally entitled to yell YEAH RIGHT CRAZY BLOG LADY and throw the closest available item at your monitor.)

BabyPlays: I'm Sorry, Did You Say I Can Send the Crappy Toys Back?

2009-08-25T18:40:00.001-07:00

When your baby is tiny, the toys are tiny. When your baby is big the toys take over your house, eat whatever is left of your remaining shred of adult-focused style and stand up in the middle of your den screaming WE WILL NEVER BE STOPPED!

Seriously. It is ridiculous.

Not only do the toys take on the personality of a flame-tongued dragon, but no matter what your toy budget is, your kids will play with no more than 40% of what you buy. The rest will just sit here. There. Everywhere. You cannot escape the my kid will not play with you, but I cannot do anything with you, since I just threw away this month's rent on you, dust-collecting, decor-busting toys.

Baby Plays is the brilliant answer. Brilliant! They send you the toys of your choosing, and when you are done with them you can SEND THEM BACK. You pick how many, you select how often. They'll even send toys to your mother's for your vacation. (Well, more accurately described as your "family visit.") Now I know what you are thinking: Has this woman been living under a rock? Has she not heard of that teeny little insignificant thing known as the IMPENDING SWINE FLU PANDEMIC THAT WILL KILL US ALL?

I'm a little OCD when it comes to my kids, and I can tell you that I would serve meals on these toys. They arrive beyond clean, in excellent condition, and individually shrink-wrapped. Seriously. It is ridiculous.

Taga: If You Have Ever Jogged with a Stroller and Thought, THIS SUCKS.

2009-08-24T14:26:00.001-07:00

Yep. That jogging stroller you bought was a waste. OK. Maybe not a complete waste, but you can kiss jogging with it goodbye. Because, have you tried it yet? Let me save you the misery: it sucks.

This crazy contraption from Taga looks ridiculous, but I love the idea. Bike with your kid! (Um, definitely not revolutionary. People have been biking with kids strapped on to their wheels for years and years.) But this thing turns into a stroller. And a shopping cart. Accommodates a car seat. One kid asleep. One kid awake. Two kids in tandem. (Or screaming in a wooden bucket? Not sure about that one.)

Watch the video. From the looks of it, it is going to turn into a plane and take the kids to your parents for the weekend free-of-charge. (Unfortunate note: Not sold in the US. Made in the Netherlands, of course.) But maybe you can become a re-seller like that lady who made a fortune from the Tummy Tub.

Why the Language of Motherhood Needs a New PR Agent (And Fast)

2009-08-24T11:43:00.003-07:00

You might be one of those people who used to cringe at the words sippy cup, binky, or lovey. (What, in name of all things, is a freaking lovey? A pet rock? A british cousin?) And then something crazy happened: You became a parent. And you still cringed at those words BECAUSE THEY ARE TERRIBLE.

I love being a mom with every fiber of my pitocin-wrecked being. With every molecule of my levitating-into-the-sky-with-the-bliss-of-motherhood soul. I really do! There is so much about becoming a mother that turns your world upside-down, deletes everything you thought you knew, and pummels you from angles unexpected. But do we really have to start talking like complete morons, too?

Now before you go sending me hate mail or posting nasty comments, let me be clear: this is not your fault! Did you invent these words? I didn't think so. We all use them because they have become like Kleenex, Google, and Xerox. (Still scratching my sleep-derived head. . . what are those called?) So. I am proposing a change. A swift and immediate change. A Mothers Right To Talk Intelligently grass roots movement, if you will. If you have ever heard yourself speaking and thought to yourself: DID I JUST SAY THAT OUT LOUD? Pass this post along.

Five Words That Need to Be Immediately Deleted From Motherhood: (Unless you are in the privacy of your own home, in which case, GO NUTS.)

1. Sippy Cup. Am I the only one who hates this word? I'm sure a kid came up with it, and it sounded cute at first. But whoever thought of it probably did not think about the fact that kids would be drinking from these things for years and mothers everywhere would be saying: Babe, where's your sippy cup? Sweetie, you dropped your sippy cup! That's not your sippy cup! Sippy cup! Sippy Cup! SIPPY CUP! AHHHHH!

2. Mommy and Me. Now. Please, don't get me wrong. I love taking my kids to classes and having quality time with them. I'm serious! It's my favorite part of motherhood: you and your wee one, just chillin. I just would like to think we could come up with a much cooler name for what we are doing all the time. Don't you think?

3. Lovey. I seriously had no idea what this was until I Googled it. Moms I met would say: She sleeps so much better with the lovey! The lovey is getting so dirty! I was thinking: I'm very confused. . . are these people talking about Hugh Grant's girlfriend?

4. Playdate. I am not an actual fire-breathing monster, and I am bracing myself for your diaper bag strangle lock, but I have to say it: this one is lame too. Can't we just say "let's get together" or, I don't know, we could get really creative . . . "come over?"

5. Binky. I'm sorry, but where did this word even come from? Binky? It sounds like a bad name for one of those Paris Hilton purse dogs. I'll accept Scream Silencer. Or Baby Drag. Or maybe an acronym like MFSI (Mother Freakin Sleep Inducer!)

A day of playdates, picking up dropped binkies, and filling sippy cups doesn't always elicit intellectual dialect, but it can.

We are the ones talking, remember?

Avalisa: Awesome Modern Prints for the Nursery (Cool Rugs, too.)

2009-08-23T18:35:00.000-07:00

I spent more time than I would like to admit looking for cool modern art to go into the nursery. (As far as anyone else knew, I was doing my actual job.)

Avalisa makes hands-down the coolest modern nursery decor there is. Amazing stretched wall art: animals, letters, patterns, silhouettes, things that go, and my favorite, "imaginations." Artist Lisa Masterson will even make custom prints for you. I also bought one of her rugs, which is beautiful.

Here are the prints + rug in Taylor's room, captured on my iPhone a few days before he arrived. (And then sixteen-month-old Marina who said: This is so freaking awesome. I have two rooms now.)

Glug Baby: A Baby Brand to Last? (Hope So.)

2009-08-22T15:11:00.001-07:00

There is an absurd amount of baby clothing out there, to be sure. Anything you can dream of, pint-sized for baby.

But there are two enormous problems:

1. Much of the babyware out there is ridiculous for a kid. Hang on, let me finish fastening these 10,000 buttons, and opps, quick diaper change, ok 10,000 buttons again, oops the outfit doesn't fit anymore because it is TEN YEARS LATER.

2. Everything that is cute is made by completely different labels, sold in completely different places. There are very, very few brands that have made it from making shirts in the basement to Oprah's favorite things.

The answer? Maybe, just maybe I found it:

Glug Baby of San Francisco. Comfy, practical clothes. Stylish and hip. And my favorite: NO BUTTONS! Sold at boutiques, both storefront and online. (Glug: please, please sell your stuff through your site. So. Much. Easier.)

Bedtime Jedi Mind Trick: Confuse Them to Sleep (Genius, and it Works.)

2009-08-21T19:53:00.000-07:00

Marina has been fighting going to sleep recently much like she did as a three day old. Except now she can talk and this makes the prospect of getting her to bed near impossible. One more book! I need water! If you don't get in here right now I am going to email everyone in your address book and tell them you take naps in the middle of the day on a Tuesday!

I love the bedtime hour. There is nothing sweeter than the smell of freshly shampooed baby hair. Nothing more endearing than the sight of your offspring in footed PJs ready for slumber. But this not sleeping slash screaming until I came running in expecting to find a tiger only to see Marina curled up in hysterics that her mother was actually so gullible was wearing me down.

I think I Googled: Two year old who WILL NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES GO TO BED. I found an answer, and it's so easy I should have thought of it: the Bedtime Jedi Mind Trick. Here is how to implement the Bedtime Jedi Mind Trick on your toddler:

1. Take bath, read books, do your normal routine.

2. At the point where they usually start resisting, pummel them with a ton of questions. (No, not where does your dad hide the good wine, but choice questions with the conjunction "or.")

Ex: Curious George in the crib or out of the crib? Door shut or cracked? One more sip of water or two more sips? Tuck or no tuck? Kiss or Hug? Boxers or Briefs?

Huh? Good night! And you close the door to a feeling very powerful-and-in-charge but slightly confused toddler who is still thinking so hard that she forgets to scream.

I'm not kidding. Try it. It's genius.

Two Genius Items = Restaurant Dining Success (Happy Baby = Mom Enjoying Cocktails)

2009-08-21T10:24:00.000-07:00

Let me save you months of being clueless about how to keep your baby happy at a restaurant. (So you can enjoy your I'll-just-pretend-my-life-is-the-same evening out.) Once your baby wakes up from that whole business of learning how to breathe like a human coma, he'll perk right up when you go out to eat and say: I am infant! Hear me squwak!

There are only two things you need once your baby is six months old. And here is an example of where "thing" is a very accurate description. (Otherwise what word could you possibly use to categorize these bizarre inventions?)

Thing number one: Sassy Teething Feeder. This contraption is like a pacifier on steroids. Pop something in that sucker (bread, fruit, any food that is age-appropriate) and your kid will be enjoying a happy hour of their own. Doesn't your drink taste a little better when your baby is not choking?

Thing number two: Baby Buddy Secure-a-Toy. (I know, the names of these things...) Use this non-strangling-device to attach the crack pacifier to the high chair and now you don't even have to pick it up!

Note: Don't make the same mistake I did and be afraid to give your baby real, non-pureed food until they are practically talking. I once asked my sister-in-law if it was OK to give bread to my eight month old. A PIECE OF BREAD! (She gave me her best it's-ok-you-are-allowed-to-be-certifiable-until-your-kid-turns-one look and said: Um, yeah.)

Pokkadots: Amazon's Stylish Cousin for All-Things-Baby

2009-08-20T14:23:00.001-07:00

I hate one-stop shopping. Places like Walmart and Costco, while great from an efficiency perspective, really give me a gigantic headache.

But one-stop-shopping on the internet, I totally do. My Amazon bill can back me up here. (What did we do before free overnight shipping? Go to an actual store?) For my kids, I find that I look on several sites for clothes, another few for gear, even more for all the crap that goes with feeding, do you see where you can spend an inordinate amount of time looking for what you need?

Pokkadots sells everything for the wee ones. It is the first site I've seen quite like it. Clothes, gear, gifts, feeding stuff, toys, (even the huge ones no one sells online) furniture, accessories, strollers, decor, everything. Here is the crazy part: none of it is hideous! This sounds quite logical, but somehow online baby stores tend to stock 30% of the site with terribleness so incredible I wonder how it is possible.

Pokkadots must have a warehouse that takes up the entire state of Virginia and eats all of their revenues, but that is their problem, not mine!

Weleda: Organic Toothpaste for the People Who Eat It. (Your Kids.)

2009-08-19T21:25:00.001-07:00

So. You probably read that title and thought: who the freak has time to write about baby skin care products? Seriously. Will I really give a rip? Yes. You will and you should.

Like a lot of you, I am more than a little freaked out about all the nasty stuff that gets into our bodies (and more importantly, into our kids' bodies.) Sometimes when I open a deodorant stick, or slather on some makeup, I feel like I am just throwing in the towel and saying: Welcome, Cancer. Come on in! I'm vain and want to look and smell good, and I don't care if you kill me!

Weleda is the answer. Awesome company in New York that uses fair trade practices and makes cool organic skin care products, some specifically for mom and baby. I bought some of their baby products a few months ago for my kids and they did not disappoint.

Honestly, I think most "baby" products are a marketing tactic. (Is the lotion for the wee peeps really all that different from the lotion for the big people?) However, I make one exception: toothpaste. Otherwise known as gel that kids eat like candy and it really could be served on a plate and called dessert the way my daughter shovels it into her mouth.

If you are going to buy the "baby" label anywhere, you could say toothpaste would be a smart place to start. (Weleda also makes diaper cream, lotion, any other skin care product you can think of.) We should be using all of their stuff because the alternative is usually NOT GOOD.

Minted: Cute Birth Announcements + Cards

2009-08-19T18:06:00.001-07:00

If you don't know it already, Minted is an awesome site for personalized kids' stationary, birth announcements, and all kinds of other invites and cards. (Excuse me, I'm sorry. I thought you said your kid DID NOT have their own stationary. Am I hearing you correctly?) Well, I am pretty much with you there. Stationary for someone who can't write may fall into the would-not-buy-for-myself-but-very-glad-to-have-received-as-a-gift category. Regardless, they are very cute! And who doesn't love birth announcements, holiday cards or invites that you can create without having to speak to an actual human? (Definitely me.)

Love that it is a local San Francisco business. Great, quality stuff and cool designs.

JetBlue: All-You-Can-Fly Pass for $599 (Sale Ends Today)

2009-08-19T13:27:00.001-07:00

I lived in Australia for a semester of college and purchased a "Boomerang Pass" which literally allowed me to jet-set around the continent for a few hundred dollars.

JetBlue is trying something similar with the All-You-Can-Jet Pass. These times create very interesting marketing and sales strategies, indeed.

You can fly anywhere you'd like, as often as you'd like, between September 8th and October 8th. (Pass sales end tonight at 8pm MDT.) Slackers like me can even book travel up to three days before departure, and there are no black out days. Ready for more? No change or cancelation fees within three days either. Let me say that again: NO BLACKOUT DATES OR CHANGE FEES.

This is seriously awesome! Planning my itinerary now. (Why not?) I'll go to Austin, TX first because I've never been there. Then head to Bermuda for a weekend of snorkeling and Dark and Stormy cocktails. Next stop: Nassau, followed by Aruba and Barbados. The problem is I have to go back to Ft Lauderdale in between. (Oh yeah, and I have two kids. Can they come for free?) Now there is a marketing idea.

The Mom That I Want To Be Vs. The Mom That I Am

2009-08-18T20:19:00.000-07:00

Dear Marina and Taylor:

The mom that I want to be lets you confidently take all of life's risks without sweating, worrying, or obsessing. The mom that I am cuts carrots into bites so small a four-day-old could eat them, does not let you sleep with clothes that contain buttons (because, hello people, choking hazard!), and screams CALL THE AMBULANCE! IMPENDING SPINAL CORD INJURY! when you are climbing on the playground like normal children with mothers who do not scream things that are completely insane. (I'm so sorry that you cannot pick your mom.)

The mom that I want to be cooks you healthy and nutritious meals, served effortlessly with a smile. The mom that I am re-heats your father's leftovers (at least you have one parent who can properly provide sustenance?), tries not to yell at anything between the hours of 5pm and 6pm, and generally fails at doing anything domestic whatsoever.

The mom that I want to be is strong, does not cry and handles life without emotional highs or lows. The mom that I am could not form complete sentences between the sobs on the days each of you were born, made Britney Spears look stoic the day you first said "I love you mama" and pretty much fell apart the day I realized that your dad was not even one percent joking when he said he was going back to work.

The mom that I want to be will not call the pediatrician asking him what serious disease you have because you are always walking your tiptoes, won't Google "is it because of me that my child is a genius?" and definitely won't put you to bed many nights in a row without a bath because she is tired. (The mom that I am has done all of these things.)

The mom that I want to be will never exist. (She sounds kind of lame anyway, right?) The mom that I am was born the day that you were. The mom that I want to be will incessantly chirp annoyingly good ideas into my head. The mom that I am will always win, oftentimes picking the non-dr-sears-but-better-for-my-sanity option.

I love you.

The Mom That I Am. (Yours.)

Clouds and Stars: If You Have Ever Changed a Crib Sheet and Yelled Profanities at It. (With Good Reason.)

2009-08-18T13:57:00.001-07:00

I have never been quite so angry at an inanimate object as I have been at a crib sheet. Well, sure! I'd love to dismantle the crib bumper and anything else attached to it so that I can change you! Why not? I seem to be doing a lot of other ridiculous things I never dreamed of these days, so why not this? (It goes without saying that this conversation with the crib sheet is at 3:45am because, really, when else would you talk to a sheet?)

Clouds and Stars is the first of what I hope will be many crib bedding designers who actually thought about the fact that changing a crib sheet is a twenty-minute task that usually involves untying (and don't forget re-tying!) all thirty-five of the adorable bows on that crib bumper.

Get this: the sheet actually zips off! It takes two seconds and does not require swearing, sweating, or dismantling. The QuickZip sheet comes in a set (the base and the zippered part) and they also sell flat mattress pads to put underneath. (Oh yeah, mattress pads are a pain, too.) Clouds and Stars sheets only come in a select number of basic colors and patterns, but if it'll save me the nightmare that is changing the standard sheets, I'll take it. (Leave the cool design for everything else in the nursery.)

And I did. I bought the white set for my son and still use it for the nine-month-old precious little guy. Freakin genius.

Small Helpings: Baby Menus for Busy Big People

2009-08-18T12:36:00.000-07:00

If you are like me, you run around the house every single day at 5pm yelling WHAT IN THE FREAK OF ALL FREAKS am I going to feed the kids!? (Like this is an earth-shatteringly new responsibility: the need to actually provide dinner for the peeps who can't even say the word refrigerator.)

Here's a thought: plan in advance. Well, great idea, but I am lazy, remember? And I plan to stay that way thanks to Small Helpings.

This awesome site provides a weekly list of menus (six days worth of meals and snacks per week) that are fast, healthy, free, ready in fifteen minutes, and did I mention created by someone else? This great service was started by a friend of a friend who is clearly not a part of the I Sip Wine and Pretend I Have No Responsibilities Club. I say this, because not only does she give you healthy menus for your kids free-of-charge, but she also creates a weekly grocery list so you don't have to! (Um, where can I find more people to do things I hate for free?)

Sign up online and receive her weekly recipes and grocery lists. (You can thank me later when you are watching Mad Men instead of doing all the crap this nice woman is doing for you.)

MilkDot: The Answer to the Purse Full of Milk Problem

2009-08-17T13:20:00.000-07:00

Moms carry a frick-load of liquids around. Milk to be exact. And here's what you will learn once you procreate: It leaks. Everywhere. (To be clear, I'm actually talking about your purse.)

Why? Why can't someone create a spill-free cup that does not leak? (I am boycotting the name "sippy cup" because whoever made that a household name should have their mouth permanently duct-taped shut.) Seriously. Is that really a difficult undertaking?

Well, I guess if the creators of all-things-beverages-for-babes are going to be complete slackers and continue to produce containers that fail to. . . what is the word i'm looking for. . . oh yeah CONTAIN the liquid, then someone is going to profit from it.

MilkDot stoh lunch totes can, drumroll, actually keep liquids inside! Without them leaking into your bag and ruining your camera, your old mail, and definitely your good mood. Stylish, compact and cute, you can tote around food + drink for your plus one, minus an embarrassing leak incident.

Not Neutral Nursery Pillows: Not Ugly. Not Boring. (and Not Just for the Baby's Room.)

2009-08-16T18:42:00.000-07:00

It is hard to find things for your baby's room that you might actually want (or be able to) use later. You can just go ahead and put the crib bumper in the WELL THAT WAS A COMPLETE WASTE file. Crib sheets pretty much go in there too, along with a whole host of other things that seemed very critical at the time, but will last maybe until toddlerhood.

If your nursery decor is very pink bunnies and butterflies, then your daughter is very likely to grow up into a bunny-hating two year old who screams BUTTERFLIES ARE LAME. LAME, MOM!

If you stick with things that look kid-and-nursery-friendly, but are made from cool designs that you might use elsewhere around the house, you might save yourself some Craigslist time and actually keep some items for many years.

These pillows from Not Neutral are awesome and will brighten up any room. I bought a few for my son's room, and ended up using a few that didn't work in the living room. Vibrantly colored pillows to accent the Diaper Genie, or the leather sofa. You choose.

Pippocampus Rocking Horse: Stylish and Safe (On Sale, Too!)

2009-08-16T14:10:00.000-07:00

I'm not exempt from the hoards of other parents who think: the baby crap will not take over our house. My baby will not require toys! She will read books, recite the alphabet and meditate! Clearly, he will not chuck things around the house leaving me with a perpetual one-man game of Fifty-Two Pick Up. The majority of the house will still be mine. Right?

Wrong. Oh so wrong.

I've collected a lot of really hideous-looking "stuff" that my kids adore, but most of it leaves my house looking like the Romper Room I swore it would never be. So I love it when I find something the kids like that doesn't scream: I AM UGLY, MADE IN CHINA, AND DEFINITELY TOXIC. ENJOY!

Check out the Pippocampus Rocking Horse. This modern take on the traditional "Horsey Neigh," as my daughter calls it, is made from polypropylene (a safe plastic.) It's also on sale at the MOMA Store right now!

Wee Web: Sharing Photos of Your Kids the Non-Facebook Way. (Um, With Your Permission?)

2009-08-13T15:25:00.001-07:00

So. You share photos of your kids on Facebook, right? So do I. And I was a bit concerned to receive numerous warnings recently from "friends" (we have to use that term loosely, don't we?) that Facebook was possibly using my pictures in ads.

I was concerned, but I was not surprised.

This is not the first time that Facebook has done something without its users permission. Did you know they once started alerting users about their friends' online purchases without any heads up? Hey Facebook, JOHN FRAZIER JUST BOUGHT HEMORRHOID CREAM on Drugstore.com. Thought you'd like to know!

Scared yet? Well, we all should be. That is why Wee Web sounds very promising. The Twitter-You Tube-Facebook-like site headquartered in New York allows you to share photos, videos and stories (140 characters or less) about your family in a secure, safe environment. Truth be told, I signed up for Wee Web a few months back but have not really used it yet. It's enough to manage one social networking site at a time.

But I'm dangerously close to signing off Facebook (I mean, who doesn't worry just a bit about what they might unexpectedly blast out to your friends) and sharing photos the Wee Web way.

Kidishes: Kid-Friendly Glass Plates (This Plastic Thing Is Nothing To Scoff At)

2009-08-13T14:56:00.001-07:00

If you are not yet concerned about what plastic is doing to our planet and to our bodies, you should be afraid. You should be very afraid.

While on vacation this summer, I read this New York Times article about Potomac bass transforming into "intersex fish." According to this article, more than 80% of the male smallmouth bass in the Potomac are producing eggs. That's right. MALE FISH PRODUCING EGGS. Further, I learned that these genital abnormalities are appearing in increasing numbers in human fetuses (mostly male) as well.

The culprit? Endocrine disrupters. BPA is one such chemical found in plastic bottles and plates, among other things. Endocrine disrupters can also be found in a number of other places including metal food cans (like ones containing formula), detergents, flame retardants, food, toys, cosmetics, and pesticides.

Upon reading that Times article, which was definitely not the first I'd heard of this issue, I vowed right then and there to REALLY (not just partly) give up plastic in every area possible. Particularly when it involved, oh I don't know, the possibility of putting those nasty chemicals INTO MY CHILDREN?

I ordered these stylish and practical Kidishes from The Soft Landing. Durable and safe. 100% recyclable. Made in France from tempered glass which does not shatter when you drop it. Not only are they safe, but they are also one heck of a lot more attractive then some of the dishes my kids have been eating off of that don't stack, look hideous and seem to multiply like Gremlins.

To test these "kid-friendly" plates MADE OUT OF GLASS, I bit my lip and dropped one of the sparkling new bowls on our hardwood floor. Nothing. (Except an ear-piercing clatter I don't really need to hear again.)

But don't take it from me. See it for yourself.

Oras Designs: Modern Mobiles + Art. (For Neurotic Moms Like Me Who Think YOU HANG THAT STRANGLING DEVICE OVER THE CRIB?)

2009-08-12T15:08:00.000-07:00

When my daughter was born two years ago, my stepmom gave me a really cool mobile for her crib. (It was by BlaBla. They make cute dolls, too.) I hung it above her crib thinking how great it looked with her modern nursery decor.

All was well until 12:56am that night when I thought: why am I awake? She's not crying. Oh right. She has silently been STRANGLED TO DEATH BY THAT MOBILE MADE OF YARN. I woke my husband up and asked him if he thought she had been killed by the mobile. (This one was right up there with a number of other completely insane things I asked him in the middle of the night.)

I kept the original mobile, but later bought this really cool one from Oras Designs that hangs on the wall, not over the crib. Sure, it is expensive but it is not "kids" art. It is just modern, cool art that you could use anywhere in the house.

Oras has some really cool new designs out right now including this one. You can get them at Modern Nursery, among other places.

The original mobile will eventually be sold or given away. But I'm not giving this one up.

Tummy Tub: Babes Assume The Fetal Position In The Tub. (Why Not?)

2009-08-12T13:17:00.000-07:00

If you are like me, maybe you stopped watching the Today Show years go. But even so, perhaps you have heard about the TummyTub that was featured on the NBC morning favorite a few months ago. (Again with the horrible names! TummyTub? A bath that sucks out the fat from your stomach? A bath where you put newborns face down on their bellies? Definitely not.)

The TummyTub takes swaddling babies to entirely new level. Now you can do it in the bath! Surrounded by water! Talk about creating a womb-like environment. Burn the swaddle, throw away the sling and just plop them in that thing until it is time to feed again. (Which, lucky for you, won't be long enough for them to get pruned toes.)

Now you might be saying to yourself: Seriously? A BUCKET THAT COSTS FIFTY DOLLARS? Well, yes. If it stops the screaming you would probably pay a lot more than that. Apparently this special bucket has been carefully tested and sized. (I don't want to be that mother who tried to go on the cheap and threw her kid into a ninety-nine cent bucket from Wallgreens. But be my guest.)

Truth be told, I have not tried the TummyTub. (Can we please, please re-name this thing? I have an instant gag-reflex just from writing it.) I did not buy it for my then six-month-old son, because I also had a twenty-two month old daughter and thought if I squeezed them into that thing together, they might really have issues to uncover with their therapist in 25 years.

But I have to admit it looks awesome. My kids hated the bath and it's probably because I their bath experience looked more like this.

Not actually my kid. Courtesy of Flickr search for "newborn screaming head off in tub"

Hmm. Not even close. I don't care what they call it, I'll take one, please.

Gustafer Yellowgold: Kids Band That Opened for Wilco. (Need I Say More?)

2009-08-11T14:14:00.001-07:00

You give up a lot of things when you have a kid. (Don't worry. I've gained much more than I will ever give up. I'm not that cynical!) One of them is the opportunity to listen to decent music before 10pm. Ever. Not only do you give up listening to decent music, but you will find yourself conducting a sing-a-long to tunes that would drive Mrs. Cheery Super Nanny Doubtfire completely and totally insane. INSANE. (I exaggerate not.)

Listening to horrific music on repeat (next to sleep deprivation) is clearly the fastest way to your grave. Because, need I say it? Not only do you listen to Biddy-Biddy-Bump-Bump ten thousand times a day, but despite resistance from every fiber of your being you will sing it in the shower. In the car. Walking to work. In your head when you are TRYING TO GO TO SLEEP FOR GOD'S SAKE! (Whew. Sorry about that. See what I mean about the insane part?)

What was I rambling about? Oh yeah. The music that saved my marriage. My life. My sanity!

Two Words: Gustafer Yellowgold.

It is truly the one-and-the-only children's music that I have actually wanted to listen to from time to time (don't get carried away, now) when the kids are asleep. This is not the usual "hey this is decent kids music" you have already been told. This is serious. (Did you read the part where I said they opened for Wilco?)

Gustafer has been called "Yellow Submarine meets Dr. Suess." Pretty accurate, I'd say. Or maybe U2 meets meets Curious George. (Or just U2 with trippy lyrics?)

Some of my favorite tunes include:

The Mustard Slugs (From Have You Never Been Yellow?)

Pinecone Lovely (From Have You Never Been Yellow?)

Butterpond Lake (From Mellow Fever)

Sunpod (From Mellow Fever)

Best of all, my two year old daughter requests it. She also, perhaps by sheer force of my will, actually requests Wilco now. So there is hope for us yet.

Picwing is Genius: Share Actual Pics of the Kids with Grandparents. (For Moms Like Me Who Write "Send Pictures" On A List Every Day And Ignore It.)

2009-08-11T12:12:00.001-07:00

I'm really good at writing lists. I'm also really good at selecting the things on the list that sound fun, and completely ignoring the things that sound like they might potentially make more than a half second of my life not-that-much-fun.

I know, I just might be the Queen of Lazy. Can't I be proud?

One of the things I frequently write down (on paper, on my hand, in my task-managing "Things" app, on my MacJournal, do you see why my family gets frustrated with me?) is "send photos of kids to the family."

Um, the last time I visited my parents their mantle displayed this photo of my daughter. Our holiday card from TWO THOUSAND AND SEVEN!

And poor second child Taylor, born almost a year ago now, ceased to exist in the Magher Hall of Grandchildren Fame! (But I am the daughter who doesn't follow through, remember?) See attached photo I should have mailed three months ago:

Well, meet the lazy mother's friend for all things photos: Picwing.

Picwing, I love you! My parents will think I have grown up! My in-laws might remember what we look like! And best of all, I don't have to write anything down on any lists, which will be added to more lists, that we all know will be ignored until it reads: GO GET A MASSAGE OR TAKE A NAP.

Here's how Picwing works:

1. Sign up (you can try for free.)

2. Enter recipients' addresses.

3. Specify how often you want pictures sent. (Might want to think less is more or be damned Mrs. Look! Baby Taylor Grew A Half-Centimeter of a Tooth!)

3. Upload pics (or email them to your @picwing.com email address.)

THAT IS IT. (They do the rest which includes printing the photos and mailing them to your loved ones.)

Now you really do have time to get that pedicure, watch that Entourage episode, or do something else that sounds, well, more fun than going to the post office?

Beaba Baby Cook: A Gift for Lazy Mothers Who Hate to Cook. (That Would Be Me.)

2009-08-09T14:56:00.000-07:00

When I pick up a pan, it literally shrieks at me. AHH! WHO ARE YOU? I had no idea you lived here. I just may very well be the worst cook in the world. (And that would be because I NEVER do it.) C'mon, people. Cooking is not hard. You just have to not be a completely lazy, pathetic person like me who would much rather, oh I don't know, read a magazine?

I don't mind eating frozen pizza, takeout Indian or last week's leftovers. But it would make me happy if my kids did not grow three heads from the incredible amount of stuff (that is not anything remotely close to actual food) that resides in the things we call "food." I believe in the Slow Food Movement. I really do! It makes perfect sense! But me standing over the stove (is it still called that?) cooking something slowly just will not happen.

My husband and I were at Williams-Sonoma a few weeks ago and he, the uber-perfect-husband, who not only grows a garden with the kids in the backyard but also cooks four nights a week (does he not know about reading magazines?) shouted: OH MY GOSH! Check out this awesome baby cooker! It was the Beaba Baby Cook. (HORRIBLE NAME! I've had to Google it five times while writing this to remember the exact name.)

I nodded, like I usually do, and said: Perfect! Let's get it. When my internal conversation went something like this: Um, if it takes more than five minutes to learn how to use, into the dust collection kit it will go. Did you forget you were married to Mrs. I Don't Read Directions And I Hate Domestic Tasks?

I did not read the directions. I did not spend more than five minutes trying to figure it out. And in two weeks I have used this thing almost every single night.

1. Wash and cut veggies and place in cooker.

2. Pour water into water reservoir.

3. Put on lid and press steam.

THAT'S IT! (Unless you want to puree the veggies in which case there are an unfortunate two more steps of: take out basket and place water into cup; press puree. I know, what were they thinking!?)

I have an eight month old and a two year old and I use this thing every single night to cook their dinner. I also use this awesome cookbook (DEFINITELY two words I have never used next to each other) which I also found at Williams-Sonoma:

Thank you, Beaba. (Is that bee-bah? be-AH-bah? Whatever.) My kids might actually make it to middle school without dysfunctional organs.

It Rhymes With Carolina

2009-08-06T08:46:00.000-07:00

Taylor, 8 months

I've been up nights lately, thinking a lot about my mom. As I lay down at night, eyes feeling heavy with impending slumber, I am jolted into a hyper-alert state thinking about the incredible, amazing woman who brought me into this world.

Sadly, I know little about her.

If she were here, what would we talk about? If I had not lost her at such a young age, how would I be different? If my daughter Marina--her namesake--could meet her, what would that be like? Uh...I'm going to go ahead and say weird. Meeting your dead grandmother would be weird. (But awesome. Absolutely, positively awesome. More awesome than anything awesome that has ever been described as awesome.)

Before you go calling her Mareena, Mariana, or anything else, let's get something straight: Marina is pronounced MA-RYE-NA. It rhymes with Carolina. And NOTHING ELSE. Carolina is the ONLY word that rhymes with her name.

Marina, three days old

Once when we were traveling in France together as a family, my mom woke up in the middle of the night and ate all of the croissants that were in our hotel room. Her excuse: What if someone came and took them? Right. You know, I did hear something about those pesky middle-of-the-night-hotel-room-croissant-snatchers. She used to smoke the occasional cigarette in the bathroom. PRIVATE TIME! MAMA NEEDS PRIVATE TIME! (I guess this is better than the alternative: Um, kid, you are driving me abso-frickin-lutley nuts and I need a smoke. Or Fifty. Now.) Her best friend got hit by a drunk driver and was paralyzed for life, so she threw her a party. She was on to something. (Hello people? Lets have fun for god's sake! Don't sit around being sad!)

She used to tell me that she loved me more than life itself. She used to sing Edelweiss from The Sound of Music and stroke the sides of my face, her rings cold against my cheeks. She used to say "Gee-Mah-Knee!" when she was laughing really hard on the phone with friends. (I used to think that Gee was a man, and that Mah Knee was his last name. Who was this Mr. Mah Knee? Did my dad know about him? Why was she talking to him so much?)

She left a man at the alter, colored her hair blonde, and loved the song "Cocaine." (Clarification: This was only because my brother listened to Eric Clapton a lot. She was not that hip.) She could boil water, toast a pop tart and pour a bowl of cereal like nobody's business. People who knew her well said she was one of the sweetest, most fun people on the planet. And the most incredible mother imaginable. Even after only nine years as her daughter, I can remember that.

Marina, age two

These are the random things I remember about my dear mother. My beautiful, incredible mother born Marina Harris Meade. My serene, kind mother taken suddenly from us on October 13, 1985. If she walked into the room at her would-be-age of sixty-seven, I probably would not know her. If she suddenly appeared on my doorstep, I would have no idea where to begin.

But if she did, we'd start by eating croissants. And smoking cigarettes. Hell, maybe even a whole pack. (I don't even smoke!) We'd laugh about Mr. Mah Knee and the poor guy at the alter while singing she don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie . . .

Maybe I'll see her again one day. Maybe we will share a drag and plan a party for no reason other than the fact that life is good if you want it to be. Or maybe, just maybe, she'll knock unexpectedly on my window one day and say to my then middle-school-aged-daughter: Marina, sweetheart, tell them you have no idea what they are talking about.

IT RHYMES WITH CAROLINA!

The Fly Never Wonders Why

2009-08-05T19:35:00.000-07:00

Best. Wedding. Ever.

2009-07-27T08:44:00.000-07:00

Dear Marina and Taylor:

If and when you get married, please do it like this:

In fact, you should bookmark this sublime wedding awesomeness as a reminder of how to live life in general. When you are in a bad mood, crank up the volume really loud and watch again because it will most certainly make you laugh. Or cry. Or both. (You can probably guess what my reaction was.)

I hope you learn much earlier than I did to say: Um, who cares? I hope you are not afraid. Of anything. (Except me when I say things in my I'm-in-charge-stern-voice. I MEAN IT!)

These moves were impressive (was not expecting the groom summersault!)

but I think we could even kick it up a notch. Maybe a couple of groomsmen and bridesmaid dance sandwiches? Your dad could dance down the aisle with Marina standing on his shoulders and she could front-flip catapult into the groom's arms? I'm just brainstorming here. You get the idea.

Have fun. The rest doesn't matter.

I love you.

Mom

Look What We Have Created!

2009-07-24T14:00:00.000-07:00

I love the idea of the slow food movement. Living off the land and cooking everything on an actual stove sounds great in theory. Here is our strawberry bounty. Sorry kids, you can have another quarter of a strawberry next year.

You'll Thank Me Later.

2009-07-23T21:19:00.000-07:00

Dear Taylor:

Why are you in such a hurry to grow up? Honestly, I hate to break it to you, but you really don't have it all that bad right now. I gather from your ear-piercing shrieks that you do not like the fact that you are immobile. Thought I'd make you aware of a few things that you may not yet realize about this "moving beyond a two inch radius" thing:

1. Once you can move, you will be asked to do things. Look at your sister. She is already feeding you while I relax on the sofa.

2. When you reach a certain age, you will want nothing more than to just sit around and let everyone else bring you things, most of which you can eat. Have you not figured this out? If you scream, Mom brings food. (Hot tip: If you scream really loud, you get to go back to sleep.)

3. If you cannot walk then you are in no way responsible for taking out the trash, walking the dog, or cooking dinner. (Don't worry, I don't do anything of these things either. They are completely overrated.)

4. If you stay Scoots in a Circle forever, then you can never walk away from me. I can pick you up whenever I want, squeeze your chunky legs, and press your skin-so-soft cheeks against mine. Doesn't this sound perfect? Great. Glad we agree.

I love you.

Mom

You Are SO My Child. You Are So NOT My Child.

2009-07-23T20:11:00.000-07:00

Dear Marina:

You are SO my child.

Today I took you to music class with Taylor. I gazed over at you, enamored as always with your impossibly sweet smile and your floating-on-air cheery demeanor. You were running around with your best friends Riley and Anja, giggling and squealing and generally having a delightful time. Then, you started to dance. Oh man. I'm sorry, sweetie. This total lack of anything close to resembling rhythm is one hundred and ten percent my fault. The bad news: it usually comes with complete tone deafness, too. The good news: you are still the most adorable creature on earth.

You are so NOT my child.

Today you were happily painting in your new playroom (the room it took your lazy mother four weeks to complete because--honestly--does that sound like more fun than watching Entourage?) when you spilled a speck (and I mean SPECK!) of paint. This caused a very alarming reaction. You shouted, "NAPKIN! WIPE! CLEAN IT!" and in a nano-second you had sprinted to the kitchen to retrieve this "napkin" and cleaned the spilled paint before it had time to even realize it was there. This immediate inclination to clean, coupled with desire to get up and actually do it, clearly comes from another gene pool.

I love you.

Mom

Hi Tech Mommy

2009-07-21T15:17:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much to Hi Tech Mommy for writing about Baby Brain, my baby tracking app, on her blog!

For anyone who does not know Hi Tech Mommy, it is written by the fantastic Cat Schwartz: eBay Gadget Director, frequent Today Show tech contributor and fellow mama.

If you are a parent and love all things high tech -- check out her blog. It's fantastic.

Thank you, Cat!

No Friends Like Your Old Friends.

2009-07-21T15:05:00.000-07:00

My mom died when I was nine, and I thought it was so odd that a hundred people came over to our house that night to eat our food, clean out our liquor cabinet, and in general have a seemingly fantastic time. Um, hello people!? Did you not get the memo? Someone passed away! I mean, they DIED! As in, gone forever? Hey, you over there re-filling your glass of merlot: PUT. IT. DOWN. There will be no partying!

Thankfully, I have not been to many funerals since then. Unfortunately, this weekend I did fly back to my hometown of Atlanta to attend one for a dear friend's mom. (Universe: You should not be allowed to take away mothers. Of any age. I mean it.) My brain has matured a little bit since 1985, and I now understand the whole gathering in sadness concept. It makes sense to celebrate the lives of the deceased with good times, happy memories, and the occasional cocktail. (Otherwise, I truly don't think we could bear it.)

But I still left the event scratching my head. This weekend I saw many friends that I had not seen in ten years. TEN YEARS! A decade! When will I see these people again? On the five-hour flight back to San Francisco I thought more about it: does it really take death to re-unite us with some of our oldest and closest friends?

In college you've got it better than you could ever realize, living just steps away from some of the best friends you'll ever make. In your 20s, it is not all bad either. Figuring out your career. Living it up with friends. Weddings. Reunions. Footloose-and-fancy-free. But as I've entered my 30s those gatherings have really started to slow down. Most of us are busy having and raising kids. People are moving up in their careers and although they have more income to travel, they have less time.

Don't get me wrong. Meeting new faces is fantastic. (New friends: I love you! I'm serious! No offense taken!) Maybe I have not even met some of the people who will become my closest confidants in life. But as I sat watching my friends' kids (some of whom I had never met!) running around, I was reminded of just why old friends are so very special. You don't have to explain the story about the time that you wrecked your parents car and tried to cover it up using a hammer. (For the record: not me.) Or the time that you flooded the apartment below yours as a result of a sprinkler "malfunction." (Full disclosure: this one was me.)

You can just say one word, and they know the rest. Old friends can finish your sentences for you. They can order you breakfast, lunch and dinner and know exactly what to get. Old friends can make you laugh so hard you pull an abdominal muscle (that is, if you still have some.)

There's just no denying it: old friends truly are the best.

Today for Me. Yesterday for Them

2009-07-15T20:42:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much to Momversation for allowing me to guest post on their site this week.

Check out my post here: Today for Me. Yesterday for Them.

And check out the rest of Momversation for great blog posts and videos from some of the best bloggers out there.

I especially like Heather Armstrong, author of Dooce. She's very funny and also a very talented photographer.

Excuse Me. Are You Seriously Reading My Email?

2009-07-15T14:47:00.000-07:00

Start up. Work from home. Sure, it all sounds good. You stroll into a coffee shop, order up a chai latte, check your email and social media as you sip a piping hot beverage while listening to fresh tunes via Pandora. In many ways, having a coffee shop as your "office" is a fabulous option. Indeed, there are many perks.

You can wear your pajamas if you want. (Never done this but a few of my "outfits" may actually pass for comfy sleepwear.) You can set your own hours. You can "work from home" even though your real home -- as anyone with a toddler knows -- is the furthest thing imaginable from an actual office.

I cannot complain. I started a small iPhone app business that helps pay the bills. I'm working on launching another business soon with my talented brother and clothing designer Sumter Pendergrast, creator of EFCI Designs. (Stay tuned.)

OK, I said I wasn't going to complain, but -- as you probably guessed -- I am going to.

4 Things I Hate About Not Having a Real Office

1. The Angry (but young and very hip) Barista. If you go to a coffee shop every few days, and stay there for several hours to get work done, you begin to see more of the staff than you would like. You know what kind of music they like. You know how drunk they were last night. And you hear them complain about their roommate. Or their sister. Or the world at large. Again. And again. And again. Enough!

2. The Oops-I-Kissed-Him-Confessional. I am a mom who works part-time, and I want to do just that. Get my work done, so I can get home and play with my kids. But inevitably I end up sitting next to the two college students who are BFF and having a play-by play-tell-all about their latest escapades. Please ladies. Keep it to yourself!

3. The Uber -Anxious Sales Guy. Another type I tend to see in the land of can't-afford-a-real-office is the very desperate sales guy who is ranting endlessly about "bandwidth," "scalability," and other buzz words you probably hate as much as I do.

4. The Thinly Veiled Stalker. OK, this is a new one. And I must say I had to change my coffee shop of choice because of it. I'm innocently sitting there working on my laptop when I hear "Where's your two year old? Hey! How's your wrap? Hey! You in the green shirt!?" ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Excuse me, but how do you know I have a two year old unless you are listening to my calls or reading my mail?Unbelievable. This guy goes on to tell me that he's been trying to figure out what kind of work I do based on what he has seen on my laptop. (Which he reals off to me in very alarming detail.) Scary.

So, farewell Greenhouse. You treated me kindly enough for the past few months. I'll find myself in another coffee shop next week, trying to get the job done. Barista, please be happy. College girls, please keep it PG. Sales guy, confidence sells.

And to the other latte-sippers, I thought it went without saying: do you think you could possibly not read my email?

A Lesson From @Pogue

2009-07-10T15:39:00.001-07:00

A few months ago, I joined Twitter. I'll admit it, when my husband joined (a full year before everyone else and their mom--just like he does with every other emerging technology) I did not get it. Seriously. You send text messages to anyone who will listen? On purpose?

In May I launched an iPhone app for parents, and I was eager to spread the word in the "Twitterverse." (It really does feel like its own universe -- a place where you might get a nod from a celeb who would otherwise pass you right on by.) So, I started tweeting. And DMing. And @replying. And retweeting.

I got hooked on David Pogue's "Nightly Book Question." David Pogue is freaking hilarious--in addition to being a brilliant technology critic. One night he asked the question: Explain one of life's ironies. I tweeted "Before you give life, you have a life. After you give life, you have no life." David DMed me back "HA! Good one!" (I admit I felt a bit proud getting an "email" from the New York Time's tech critic.)

But honestly, @Pogue's question really got me thinking about life's ironies. Parenting itself has got to be one of the most obvious ones. Every day is a joyous celebration of your wee one's new abilities; every day sad goodbye to the memories of yesterday.

Yesterday my daughter turned two. How did this happen? I blinked and she aged from one to two. Last night as I read her one of her favorite stories, "Ten Little Ladybugs," I got tears in my eyes. When did she go from being a baby to a little girl? Last night she turned the pages herself, finished all of the rhymes, and peppered me with a thousand questions: What's that mama? Where'd he go? Why? Why?

When I blink again, I fear she'll be in 8th grade. (Thankfully I have an eight-month-old too, but he's not far behind.)

Being a parent is amazing: it's been the best two years of my life. But I realized last night that all those voices saying "enjoy it while it lasts," while seemingly annoying, have a damn good point. My daughter is by no means grown up. But it's true that she is not a baby anymore. Goodbye swaddle, farewell middle-of-the-restaurant-snoozes. So long rides in the sling, adios Mama and Me classes.

Hello, preschooler. First words of the day: Mama! Let's go see the caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaake!

Give A(pp) Ways

2009-06-15T20:50:00.000-07:00

We're giving away some free copies of Baby Brain this week! Check 'em out:

Celebrity Baby Scoop is giving away six copies of Baby Brain to three lucky peeps. Give that extra one to a mom-to-be. Or a new dad (he needs something to help him from being clueless, right?) Or to anyone you please!

MomFuse is giving away one download code for Baby Brain to a lucky reader.

Also, check out the great reviews and mentions we've been getting in the blogosphere. Thank you mom and dad bloggers :)

It was my intention to write a separate blog post about each of these mentions, but honestly, it is hard to keep up! We've been inundated with emails and calls from bloggers, sleep consultants, lactation consultants, doctors, nurses, etc. who are interested in telling their readers/clients about Baby Brain.

High Tech Dad says: "Baby Brain, in my opinion, should be at

the top of the list for any parents who have newborns, infants, or babies...it should be a tool used by all new parents."

Urban Baby included Baby Brain in their "BUZZ"

section and suggested that new parent

s check us out!

Miami Munchkins says: "It's genius."

Va. Beach Babies posted about our app on their blog to let their readers know about our popular app.

M othertalkers says: "Here's a clever app created by a mompreneur. Forbes was impressed enough to write about it."

To see the complete set of Baby Brain press, check out our website.

Celebrity Baby App: 10 out of 10!

2009-06-12T13:12:00.000-07:00

Hooray! Celebrity Baby Scoop (an incredibly popular blog for the mom and mom-to-be community) gave Baby Brain for the iPhone two huge thumbs up! We are very flattered.

(Thank you, thank you CBS!)

The rave review was written by a Senior Editor of the as-fresh-as-it-gets-baby-scoop blog. As a mom of two and a fellow iPhone addict, Jenny knows the value that Baby Brain presents to moms and moms-to-be. She called Baby Brain the "perfect app" and gave it a 10/10 rating after using it around the clock for her seven month old--her second addition to the family. (I also used Baby Brain with babe number two.)

As many have said of the iPhone, Jenny wants to know, "How did I live without this thing?"

Here are five reaons she loved Baby Brain:

1) It is the perfect app for us busy moms!

2) Baby Brain makes tracking all-things-baby fun and easy

3) It's easy to email and print for the baby book

4) This app is not only for the first-time parent (Jenny uses the app "non-stop" with her second child, seven-month-old Ava.)

5) Baby Brain is the perfect accessory for moms on the go...to keep us in the know!

Baby Brain is getting rave reviews on iTunes, and is available for a steal of $4.99. Download Baby Brain today and see what all the buzz is about.

Press + Tantrums

2009-06-09T14:51:00.000-07:00

We were thrilled to be featured in the popular Moms on Call newsletter today. Thank you Moms on Call! (This is a GREAT parent resource - if you have a baby or a toddler, check them out.)

Also got an amazing review yesterday on The Dirty Shirt. Thank you, Jennifer! This is a very popular mommy blog where you can find all kinds of excellent product reviews. Jennifer is a mom to three children, and a very active blogger and social networker.

Baby Brain 1.1 is selling like crazy. We've been overwhelmed at the response since our new release came out last week. I love hearing from new parents who are using the app, and are basking in the joy of a brand new baby.

Each day I open my email to receive many words of thanks, suggestions, and feedback from parents. We have not received one negative comment yet! The people who are taking the time to write are pleased with the product. Some have a few great ideas for future features. Got an idea? Let us know.

Don't frequently see tantrums and press go together? If you are a mom and working on starting a business, then maybe you can relate.

My daughter had her 2nd birthday party this weekend. Good friends. Beer. Sunburn. Golden Gate Park. It was a great time. So fun, in fact, that everyone stayed for hours and hours. I was exhausted yesterday, so you can imagine how Marina (bday girl) and Taylor (7 months, pictured above in awe of older sister) felt.

I've often remarked about how having "two under two" has never been what I expected. I have honestly found it to be way more fun than advertised. Lots to celebrate. When I got pregnant with #2, I was thrilled. But I have to admit that images of me pushing a stroller with two kids screaming bloody murder popped into my mind. That has honestly never happened. Until yesterday.

OK, I get it now.

First Update: You asked, We Listened.

2009-06-02T20:04:00.000-07:00

Baby Brain 1.1 has been released!

We just received word from Apple. Here's what is new in our latest version.

Thank you again to everyone who wrote in with comments, suggestions, and feedback. We listened and integrated as many changes as we could into this version, and our development team worked incredibly hard to get this update out so quickly. They are awesome. There are more changes ahead soon--keep those emails coming in.

We love hearing from you and couldn't be more thrilled about how many of you are getting great benefits from our app. Here is one of my favorite quotes from the many customer testimonials I've received in the last few days:

"With your help, when my wife asks me 'when was the last time he ate?' I won't have to just give her a blank stare and feel like an idiot."

Oh man. Do I know that blank stare. Hey, at least you didn't put the baby to sleep without a diaper, or forget to feed him all day because your wife didn't explicitly tell you to "feed the baby."

(True stories. But, thankfully, not mine!)

LilSugar features Baby Brain!

2009-05-29T15:42:00.000-07:00

We are honored to be included in another great post on LilSugar today. Thank you LilSugar! The article suggests some great tools for logging your baby's details. A few weeks back, a full article on Baby Brain ran on LilSugar. We are thrilled to be receiving such great press from popular moms communities and blogs like LilSugar. Thank you moms!

We continue to get great feedback from parents using Baby Brain, as well as from parents-to-be who are excited about using the app. A few people have asked us what our "parenting style" is, and whether Baby Brain might be right for their style.

We are parents too, and we strongly believe that there are no better parenting tools than your own instincts coupled with lots of love and attention. Baby Brain is not designed to deliver a particular parenting style. Only you know what is best for your baby. Only you know what your baby needs, when.

Baby Brain is simply a very convenient (and fun!) way to record, tally or share information about your child. Regardless of parenting style, we've found that most parents do jot things down (and are also quite forgetful in those early weeks. . .) We've also heard from parents that they like to share this information (with babysitters, doctors, or spouses.) Or quickly view what the baby did in previous days, weeks, or months. Parents are also currently using Baby Brain to record important information like: temperatures, medicines given (also very easy to forget at 3am!), reactions to new foods, etc.

For us, Baby Brain is extremely helpful as a convenient recording and sharing tool. Baby Brain is available in iTunes now - and the next release will be coming next week! Check out what is coming in version 1.1.

We're busy working on the next release, as well as new apps for moms. Have a great idea for an app that you need? Let us know!

What is your parenting style? Would love to hear from you in the comments.

Love from Moms On Call

2009-05-28T19:21:00.001-07:00

If you are a parent of a baby or toddler, you need to know about Moms on Call. Started by two pediatric nurses -- in my hometown of Atlanta, GA -- the Moms on Call are about as close as you can get to actual baby whisperers. I first learned about them from a good friend who is a pediatrician. She recommended I read their book.

This book is one of the few out there that was actually designed for parents. It is SHORT. It answers all of the key questions (how to get your baby to sleep, what to do when they are sick, when/how to start solids, etc.) All in a format that's very easy to search through at 3am. They recently launched online seminars on their website, too.

None of this information is rocket science, but these women are pediatric nurses, and they know how to: 1) stay focused on the really important topics and forget the rest 2) explain in two paragraphs what takes other baby/parenting books five chapters of nonsense to cover 3) perhaps most importantly, teach babies how to sleep.

Here's the best part: they love Baby Brain. Jennifer Walker, one of the nurses and founders, said they will be recommending it to their clients and thought it was a great idea. She actually thanked us for thinking of it!

It is exciting that we're hearing from so many nurses, pediatricians, doulas and sleep consultants about the value of Baby Brain. We are getting some great testimonials - thank you to everyone who has let us know how Baby Brain has helped them.

iPhone Mom Approved!

2009-05-28T19:05:00.000-07:00

This morning, the iPhone Mom gave Baby Brain her seal of approval.

If you are a mom and you have an iPhone, check her out. She reviews a new iPhone app just about every day, and she catalogues them into helpful categories. A great resource for finding out about cool new apps, and particularly ones that are useful as a mom.

The iPhone mom loved Baby Brain and said that our app would be very helpful to new moms. She especially liked the help screens and the simplicity and ease-of-use of the app. Check out her full review.

Thank you iPhone Mom!

We're listening

2009-05-26T19:48:00.000-07:00

With only two weeks under our belt, we've received great feedback from Baby Brain users. Thank you to everyone who contacted us with comments, suggestions, and feedback!

We are listening.

Today we submitted version 1.1 of Baby Brain to Apple. It should be available in about 5-7 days. We will continue to improve Baby Brain based on your feedback, and we are also working on some exciting long term enhancements (as well as some cool new apps for moms!)

Here's what is coming in version 1.1:

-The time since "Last Sleep" now calculated from baby's wake up time.

-New feature: Delete any log entry (feeding, sleep, diaper) with a left-to-right swipe.

-Fixed issue with special characters causing problems with notes.

-"Spinner" icon now displayed when switching various views.

-Now even faster and more stable.

I'll let everyone know when the update becomes available. Want to hear about release updates or new apps from Maternia? Follow us on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook, or send me an email: jackie[at]maternia[dot]us

In the meantime, I hope everyone in our house actually gets some sleep tonight. The four-hour pukefest last night for Marina + Taylor's six month shots today make that an unlikely prospect.

And we're off. . .

2009-05-22T19:04:00.000-07:00

OK, this picture has nothing to do with Baby Brain. But it is damn cute, right? (My almost-2-year-old Marina and her best buds Anja and Riley - the rest of the Charlie's Angels.)

We've been live for exactly 12 days, and I can honestly say its been crazy! Here are the highlights:

- Great press: mommy bloggers, trend-spotting sites, and communites are talking about Baby Brain.

- Incredible Support: I've been contacted by sleep coaches, pediatricians, doulas, and pediatric nurses who are very impressed with our product I am so thrilled that these infant experts see the value in Baby Brain and are enthusiastic about recommending it to parents.

-Fantastic feedback: We're getting great reviews. But the most fun part about this whirlwind launch has been hearing directly from moms (and lots of dads actually) who already feel that Baby Brain is making parenting a much easier task. What more could we ask?

-Exciting developments: I wish I could spend all of my non-existent free time telling people about Baby Brain, but I'm really spending a ton of time working on the product itself. Jay and I are committed to making this app the very best one out there for parents. The next version is coming soon, and I am super fired up about the new features we're planning longer term.

Somehow in the last two weeks I also managed to take a kid-free vacation with my husband to Vegas and fly from SFO to ATL and back alone with my two babies.

I'm pretty sure this is the most tired I have ever been.

Thank you for checking out Baby Brain, and for the awesome feedback and support. We're really excited! If you are using the product and have questions, check out our FAQs. Or send me an email.

I'd love to hear from you: jackie@maternia.us

Happy Mother's Day: We're live!

2009-05-10T19:19:00.000-07:00

I received the best Mother's Day gift possible: the word from Apple that Baby Brain was accepted! The "end-all-be-all of newborn notetaking" is finally here. (Remember, the app works on the iPhone and the iPod Touch.)

Get your copy on iTunes today:

BabyBrainApp

My husband and I have been working so hard over the last several months to create what I truly believe is an amazing product for parents. Check out a review on Forbes.

We are standing by anxiously awaiting your feedback...

How Forbes found Baby Brain for the iPhone (and decided it was the coolest of all cool gadgets for mom)

2009-05-06T13:08:00.000-07:00

Last week, I tucked my six month old son and almost two-year-old daughter into bed for their naps, telling them -- as I always do -- see you in three hours! (It rarely works, but I am persistent.)

Par usuale, I instantly checked email on my iPhone (otherwise known as my iObsession.) There was an email from a Forbes.com reporter, wanting more info about Baby Brain. Hurray! She called me up a few minutes later, and I told her the story of how Baby Brain was born.

Expecting soon herself, she was clearly very intruiged. She told me she was researching cool tech gadgets for new moms. Why do new moms need these fun gadgets, you ask? To put it in her words, "Baby Brain for the iPhone makes Mom's job easier."

Fast forward a few days later, and we became the featured product in the Forbes article. All right!

(By the way, the kids DID sleep 3 hours that day. The stars must have been aligned...)

Here I am again, hoping the kids will sleep 3 hours again so I can tackle my inbox which is cluttered with emails coming in from the site. We've received incredible traffic since the recent press on Forbes as well as popular mom blogs like Lilsugar. I am thrilled about all of the interest, but I am not very good at being patient. Of course I wanted the app launched yesterday! (I am still using it with #2: Check out my reasons why). Baby Brain is coming, and soon. Thank you for your patience and support.

We continue to wait for word from Apple, but should be live very soon!

Only a matter of days!

2009-05-01T09:39:00.001-07:00

I just received word that Apple is reviewing my iPhone app as we speak. I've been told that once the app is "under review," it only takes a few days for approval.

Baby Brain should be in iTunes in a matter of days!

What Do I Celebrate About You?

2009-04-30T19:11:00.001-07:00

I was asked today, in a class with my 21 month old daughter, "what is something you celebrate about your child?" As usual, I jumped right in and answered with the first thing that popped into my head. (I tend not to think before I answer, but rather, to answer first.) My friend Lisa thought intently and said, "Celebrate. That is an interesting choice of words."

To celebrate (in this context) means:

*to make know publicly; proclaim

*to praise widely or present to widespread and favorable public notice.

I thought about this on the way home. There are so many things I cherish about each of my children. I guess I don't tend to "proclaim" all of them, because I don't want to -- don't get me wrong, I love talking about my kids -- "brag" about them. But I do strongly believe that kids need to hear (and often) what we love about them. So tonight, before I forget all the adorable little things that happen along the way, I am going to write a few of them down...

For Marina. I celebrate you because...

1. You run, dance, and jump on your tiptoes.

2. You are named after my mom and you share so many of the same wonderful qualities: infectious laugh, genuine sweet disposition, and true compassion for others.

3. You love to give unsolicited hugs and kisses. To me, to Dad, to Taylor, to Mason, to your toys and stuffed animals. "Hug-a-mama. Hug-a-Dada."

4. You love games. Throw-Marina-on-the-bed-game (otherwise known as "Ah...boom.") Chase-Mason-around-the-house game. Put-a-diaper-on-your-head game.

5. You are a curious, nature-and-animal-loving little kid. Insects, flowers, leaves, rocks...you could spend hours inspecting them and collecting them. I think heaven for you would be having free reign of the zoo.

6. When you get excited, you run in place, squeal, crinkle up your nose, and wave your arms. You get excited a lot. It's nothing short of awesome.

7. You are more empathetic than a lot of adults I know. When you see that someone is sad, you say "Kiss him, hug him, bunny (meaning you want to give him your lovey, the bunny), he needs mama."

8. You are a giver. You love to hand things to everyone and say "Here you go. For you. Here mama, try some. Its for you. Here, for Dada, he needs it."

9. You can repeat words with, literally, 99% accuracy. If I say, "Nika is in Nicaragua, you say "Nika. Nicaragua." It's amazing. You also have an incredible memory. If I tell you something once, you remember.

10. You are, and will always be, my first born.

For Taylor. I celebrate you because...

1. When the nurses handed you to me, I felt like I had known you my entire life.

2. You are a survivor.

3. You are an intent listener. When I talk to you, I really feel like you are listening, understanding what I am saying, and about to talk back.

4. You are an observer. You like to watch the world, especially your sister.

5. You laugh louder and harder than I thought it was possible for a five-month-old to laugh. Are you happy? Do you find things really funny? I'm not sure yet, but I love it.

6. You are a stoic, calm little fellow. You don't get startled or spooked. You don't get riled up by a lot of changes, activity, or stimulation. You are one chill dude.

7. You are super flexible. Missed your nap? Going to have to eat a little late because we're doing this or that? Eh. Whatever. It's fine by you.

8. You love to snuggle. You could sit in my lap all day, every day. You love to grab my cheeks and give what I call, the face hug.

9. You love thrills. Once you gained some good neck control, you wanted to be thrown about and whirled around. Not afraid.

10. You are my baby.

New report: Pacifier does not impede nursing

2009-04-29T13:34:00.000-07:00

According to a new study done at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, pacifier use does not interfere with breastfeeding success.

When my first was born, I was paranoid about making sure breastfeeding went well. I didn't give my daughter a pacifier until she was two or three weeks old (at the suggestion of a lactation consultant, I might add.) Our pediatrician told us that pacifier use at bedtime reduced SIDS. If there is any question as to whether or not newborns have opinions, I can tell you: they do. She wanted nothing to do with that so called "pacifier." She loved to suck my thumb. Or my boob, of course. I spent many an hour trying to slip that thing into her mouth when she wasn't paying attention. My daughter was a difficult nurser, but never used a pacifier.

When #2 came along, like most things, I was a bit more relaxed. We gave him a pacifier in the hospital. (Poor guy needed something to comfort him when he was put into the "circumstraint!") It was love at first sight. At five months, he is still happily sucking away on any pacifier-like object he can get his hands on. The nursing? It was actually much easier. He was a natural pro. Maybe its a #2 thing. Maybe I was more relaxed. Maybe temperament or preference or digestion related reasons.

But was it related to the pacifier? My experience says no. Does yours?

i heart the double swaddle.

2009-04-28T15:03:00.000-07:00

I am a big fan of the swaddle. But what is the double swaddle you ask? The key to getting your newborn to sleep long stretches from the get-go.

Both of my newborn babies started sleeping 6-8 hours on their own at night. Lucky? Perhaps. But I think there was an external factor at play: the double swaddle.

I'll admit, the hospital swaddle is impressive. (Is it just me, or does every single postpartum nurse know a completely different technique for the swaddle?) And even if you stink at swaddling, your newborn stays pretty cozy and snug in there for the first few weeks. But fast forward to months two and three (or earlier if you have a bigger baby,) and your baby is busting out of there like nobody's business.

At two months old my daughter, now twenty-one months, would wake up screaming and thrashing around. It looked like she didn't need the swaddle any more. It seemed like she was trying desperately to get out. But don't be fooled! They need that swaddle. Your sleep depends on it. Newborns don't lose the morro reflex until they are three months old, so they wake themselves up in the night with those flailing arms. When your baby starts breaking out of the regular swaddle, its time for the double swaddle.

Here's how to double swaddle:

1. Take a muslin wrap (or another super light breathable blanket) and do your regular swaddle. There are many techniques..whichever you like best.

2. Take the swaddled baby and put them in a velcro swaddle. (I like the Swaddle Me by Kiddopotamus. Comes in different weight fabrics.)

3. Put them in a crib, and voila.

4. For extra zzz's, add a loud white noise machine and a pacifier. (Pacifiers reduce SIDS and apparently, do not affect breastfeeding.)

I know, it looks like a torture device. But for my babies, it worked wonders.

Whew, Finished.

2009-04-27T20:35:00.000-07:00

Baby Brain has been submitted to Apple and now we wait for approval! Should take about a week.

I have learned more about programming, software, and bugs in a few months than I learned in three years of working for a software company. I worked all weekend testing the final version of the app and I have to say, it looks great.

In a few days, you can see for yourself...

8 reasons I log those feedings, naps, etc...

2009-04-21T20:12:00.000-07:00

Not all moms feel the need to log information about their newborns' feedings, diapers, or sleep. But for many of us, keeping track of this information is a lifesaver. Many pediatricians, post-partum nurses, baby nurses and doulas actually recommend it.

I've had two children (just tucked in my almost-two-year-old and nursed my five month old to sleep) in the past two years and keeping a log -- for me -- has been incredibly valuable. As my little guy and gal grow, I continue to find value in that information.

Here are a few of the reasons why I find value in keeping a log:

1. My pediatrician recommends it. (The nurses in the hospital and our doula did, too.)

2. Full tummy. It helps reassure me that my son is eating enough (producing regular diapers.)

3. Enough sleep. Even though it seems like I spend more time putting my daughter to sleep than she actually spends in dreamland, I am assured that she is getting plenty of rest.

4. Sharing information with my husband, caregivers, or doctors. I simply share the log with my husband or babysitter, and they have much more information about my baby's rhythms and patterns than I could ever remember to say.

5. No missed feedings. Once my son settled into a more regular feeding routine, I paid attention to how many feedings he had each day. Maybe he won't wake up any earlier if I feed him eight times instead of nine, but I don't want to take that chance...

6. Remembering what the heck you did with #1. When my son came home from the hospital, I got out those old logs to see what in the world I did the first time around with my daughter.

7. Finding the best nap and bed times. In the early months, my kids' sleep was all over the place. Keeping a log helps me see their sleep patterns emerge before they become really obvious. (It's hard to remember what time they napped yesterday, much less two weeks ago!)

8. Happy mom, happy baby. I've found that my babies are happier when they follow a flexible routine.

What do you think? Do you find logging this type of info useful?

Summer Search: This is not our recession, this is our redefinition.

2009-04-21T14:53:00.000-07:00

I attended a luncheon today with my brother and his wife. My sister-in-law has recently become involved in this organization and, particularly since I am former teacher, she thought I might be interested. And interested, I was. More like blown away...

Summer Search is an organization that finds altruistic high school students from low-income backgrounds and provides them with year-round mentoring, career coaching and life-changing summer experiences.

Their stats are impressive. 100% of their students graduate from high school. 93% are first-generation college students.

Reading these stats doesn't begin to explain what I saw on the faces of these kids today, and heard in their remarks. I heard life stories that were too difficult to imagine....escaping the Taliban in Afghanistan, surviving the streets of the Mission while caring for a father with brain cancer. The optimism these students had was inspiring, and contagious. One student alumni gave a moving speech that was part-poem, part-stream-of consciousness, part-pep-rally. The refrain: this not our recession, this is our redefinition.

It reminds me why I loved teaching at an inner city charter school in DC (that's actually me on the home page.) I miss it. Those kids taught me more about life than I ever hoped to teach them about math.

wow. incredible feedback...

2009-04-20T19:54:00.000-07:00

I've been contacting Mommy Blogs, as well as high-profile sites in the mom's community and have received great feedback on Baby Brain.

I also showed my demo to local moms this weekend. They were impressed.

Just about everyone I've talked to has said that Baby Brain looks like an incredible app, and they can't wait to check it out. Wow. This is exciting.

It's looking like the launch will be very soon. In the meantime, I'm working on a few other great ideas for apps that will be fantastic for moms...

new iPhone app for moms: Baby Brain

2009-04-18T14:12:00.000-07:00

My iPhone application, Baby Brain, should be available in iTunes very soon! I am so excited. This is a really cool application that will help parents in a tremendous way.

5 ways Baby Brain will help you as a mother:

Log feedings (breast or bottle), diapers, and sleep information with just a few taps.

Incredibly easy-to-use. Log data with just a tap.

View the last time your baby slept, was changed, or was fed (and on what side.)

View daily, weekly, and monthly stats (hours of sleep per day, avg daily sleep, etc.)

Email reports to spouses, doctors, or caregivers with one tap.

Are you a blogger? Interested in a free copy to check out? Email me!

Interested in learning more about Baby Brain?

Follow BabyBrain on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/babybrainapp

Check out our site:
http://babybrainapp.com/

Become a fan on Facebook:
http://tinyurl.com/babybrainapp

5 reasons I still needed Baby Brain with #2

2009-04-16T15:13:00.000-07:00

In November, I was lucky enough to deliver a healthy, 8 pound 4 ounce baby boy. Born sixteen months after his older sister, he has been a dream in every way.

I don't need something like Baby Brain, I thought. And I began to wonder if Baby Brain made sense for 'experienced' parents. Here's why I found I needed it the second time around, perhaps even more:

1. Sleep deprivation doesn't get easier the second (or third, or fourth...) time.

2. When you are coaxing your older child off the top of the fridge while nursing, you forget if you fed the baby on one side. Or both. Or at all.

3. I found myself, the I-don't-need-to-log-anything-old-pro, jotting notes down on receipts, unopened mail, and the back of my hand.

4. I still needed to share my son's daily info with my husband, and caregivers.

5. My son's natural sleep rhythm was totally different, like everything else, from my daughter's. (She slept until 6am. He until 9am. She took three shorter naps early on, and he gravitated towards taking two longer ones.) Baby Brain allowed me to see his sleep patterns very, very early.

Why I created Baby Brain

2009-04-16T14:29:00.000-07:00

When my now almost-two-year-old daughter was born, I was determined to do everything "right." The hospital sent me home with a binder and told me to log her feedings and diapers.

But I was so tired, I would bring my leashed dog into a coffee shop without noticing. Or pretend a stop sign was really a red light. (I wonder how long I'd been sitting there when the honks jolted me awake...)

It was impossible to remember what I had done, even if it was five seconds ago. So I wrote it all down. I had just bought an iPhone and was in love. (With my daughter, of course. Although I did receive multiple emails from friends congratulating me on the iPhone.) I spent those early days nursing my daughter, stroking her impossibly soft neck with one hand, and tapping my iPhone with the other.

Wait. I'm sitting here with my iPhone for 30 minutes, many many times per day. Wouldn't it be cool if I could, with a few taps, log all of this info into an app?

And view reports that tell me her pooping, peeing, sleeping and eating stats by day, week or month?

And I could email it to my husband so I could get 15 minutes extra sleep and save the explanation? And. And. I could figure out her best nap times and we could all get more rest?

Now I really was in love with the iPhone. And the Baby Brain app was born...

Is your peanut counting sheep?

2009-04-14T14:18:00.001-07:00

Sleep. A touchy subject for parents of newborns. Or toddlers. Or kids of any age for that matter.

My two year old daughter woke up last night at 4:00am with a nightmare. What was she dreaming about? When did she start dreaming?

What about fetuses? Do they dream? Until now this has remained a mystery. But dream they may says MathematicianKarin Schwab and a team of neuroscientists at Friedrich Schiller University in Jena, Germany. They completed a study which showed that, in the womb, sheep (who apparently carry some offspring with a similar size and brain development cycle to humans) dream several weeks before rapid eye movement occurs. That little peanut of yours might be California Dreamin' after all.

This research is exciting. It might tell us more about the purpose of sleep. And even shed light on the cause of unexplained crib deaths, or diseases that develop later in life.

So even if we're not getting a lot of it, at least we'll know why we want it so badly.

Baby Brain is coming...

2009-04-14T11:06:00.000-07:00

Trouble remembering the last feeding? Trying to figure out your baby's best nap times?

Baby Brain to the rescue.

Baby Brain is the ultimate iPhone app for parents. With just a few taps you can log your baby's meals, diapers, and sleep. So you don't have to remember. Because, frankly, you won't.

Baby Brain is coming to iTunes soon. Read more at:

http://babybrainapp.com/

Stay tuned.