Next Stop - Baby

A Proper Farewell

2013-03-13T18:17:00.000-04:00

Clearly, I'm checked out of this whole blogging thing. And I apologize for not giving you a proper farewell three weeks ago. Better late than never?

Motherhood is time consuming. I've found a groove and I'm back to showering and using the bathroom at regular intervals, but true "free time" is rare. While I could continue to blog, I know I could find fifteen minutes here or there, I'm going to hold off. I don't want to serve up half-arsed posts twice a month. That's not cool. Not cool for you - you should be able to count on a five minute break from life that's worth your five minutes. Not cool for me - I love writing and don't want to throw together grammatically incorrect, misspelled, boring nonsense.

So, I'm (finally) saying farewell. It's been fantastic. I've so enjoyed our exchanges, I'm no doubt a better mother for them. I won't say goodbye forever, but farewell for the foreseeable future. Thanks for reading. Truly.

I will remain available for a chat at nextstopbabyblog@gmail.com

Shoulda Included This on My Registry

2013-02-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

Shoulda, woulda, coulda. I registered for a lot of stuff for my baby shower (at Amazon.com and Buy Buy Baby). At some point, I will share an abbreviated version of that long list. But first, here's a short list of items that I should have registered for, but didn't. I own them all now.

Mittens - All babies rub their eyes when they're tired. According to my baby's pediatrician, it's instinctive and it can't be prevented. Some babies rub more than others...mine rubs like a professional. Mittens are a simple solution. I registered for one set of two mittens. Within a week, I lost a mitten. They're so damn tiny. Do yourself a favor and get more than two sets of mittens. Do yourself another favor and don't get the brand I did (here) because they sucked. The elasticity around the wrists stretched out quickly and the mittens would fall off. Useless. I ended up buying extra sets made by Gerber and they are fantastic.

Nose Frida - Okay, this is a pretty gross product in concept. It's called a "snot sucker" because it's a tool for sucking snot out of the baby's nose...literally. Mom's mouth goes on one end of the tube and baby's nostril is at the other end with a filter in between. Once you get over the sucking concept, you get on the sucking wagon. It works much better than the bulb syringe you get in the hospital or whatever nasal aspirator you get at your baby shower. It's much more gentle and much more productive.

Cloth Diapers - I do not use cloth diapers on my baby's bum...maybe next time. But, I do use cloth diapers as burp clothes. This is a staple usage for cloth diapers and for good reason - they're soft and absorbent. I registered for them, but not nearly enough. Cloth diapers/burp clothes are good for everything. They soak up spit up, wipe off drool and are the perfect tool to remedy a diaper disaster. So, get a lot. I got a dozen. I wish I got two dozen.

Wipe Dispenser - I didn't register for this because I thought it was unnecessary. I was wrong. The plastic containers that the wipes come in are cheap and don't work. I frequently found myself wrist deep in poop with my naked, screaming cherub on the changing table as I tried to pull out another wipe that just wouldn't come. Finally, I got on board and it's been smooth sailing ever since. I went with the OXO wipe dispenser on the recommendation of a friend, it's great.

What products should you have included on your registry?

What did you discover to be indispensable after the little one arrived?

A Real Conversation

2013-02-07T11:26:00.001-05:00

And now, I interrupt my previously scheduled post about more things I did when I was pregnant to bring you a real conversation...that happened yesterday.

First, I'll set the stage: I am sitting in a cafe with my bundle of joy, who is sleeping in the stroller and looking quite angelic. I've just sat down with a hot bowl of soup (it's cold in NY these days) and I'm about to take my first warm spoonfuls. Enter woman with a coffee and cookie who takes a seat at the table next to mine.

Woman - Your baby is adorable, so tiny. How old?

Me - Thanks! Around 3 months.

Woman - I've seen so many tiny babies lately. I saw a really small baby in the diner the other day, even smaller than yours. You baby is big for 3 months, right?

Me - Actually, yes.

Woman - I have to make a call to my husband.

Me - Okay. (I smile and assume that the conversation is going to end here)

Woman - I have to call my husband about my son. I got called into his school yesterday and they told me that he has (she starts poking around her scalp)...LICE.

Me - I'm sorry.

Woman - I was picking through his head last night and he asked what I was doing and I didn't want to tell him, so I said nothing. I have to call my husband and tell him that I got the special shampoo. I'll have to pick through his head again tonight.

Me - Oh.

Woman - It's so gross.

Me - Yeah.

Finally, the woman reaches her husband on the phone and proceeds to discuss the gross lice situation, including the special shampoo. I am left staring at my soup and unsure whether my appetite is fully gone or just partially.

While I was pregnant I found myself the victim of similar type conversations where a stranger divulged very random and often very awkward information to me. Yesterday's conversation reminded me of those pregnancy days. Somehow they already feel a light year away. Time flies once the baby arrives.

A Pregnancy Book or Ten

2013-01-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

I have written about pregnancy books a couple times (here and here too). Those posts were, of course, written before I was actually pregnant. So, by the time I became pregnant and wanted to get on the knowledge wagon, I forgot the results of all that research. Easy solution - I went back through my posts.

I had written about serious pregnancy books and "Not So Serious" pregnancy books. I wanted a serious book. I knew ZIP about what was in store for me and relying on Jenny McCarthy as my sole provider of information seemed risky (though I've heard that Belly Laughs is a hoot). I also decided, after reviewing my posts, that I wanted to steer clear of What To Expect When You're Expecting. While several friends had recommended it as the true bible of pregnancy, others classified it as a fear-inducing encyclopedia. I wanted to err on the side of a fearless pregnancy. Lastly, I did a little re-reading of Amazon.com book reviews. With everything fresh in my mind, I headed to Barnes and Noble to make my big purchase.

I can't tell you what I intended to purchase at Barnes and Noble because I don't remember. What I do remember is going to the pregnancy section of the store for the first time and (sort of) freaking out. First, I couldn't find the book I had picked and was too nervous to ask for help. Maybe I chose the wrong book and the sales clerk was going to judge me..."already a bad mom and the baby isn't even here...tisk tisk." I quickly gave up my game plan and started randomly looking through the shelves, but there were so many books. SO MANY BOOKS. I picked up one and mindlessly flipped through it. Nope. I flipped through another. Nope. I didn't know why I was rejecting them or what I was looking for. At some point I decided that I had been there too long, my mission was a bust and I needed to just grab something and leave. My hands landed on the Mayo Clinic book and I nearly ran to the check out.

GREAT accidental choice on my part. About half the book is broken up into a month by month discussion of changes to the baby, changes to the mom and specific things that will occur in each month (prenatal tests, etc.). Monthly breakdowns felt like the perfect amount to consume in a sitting (versus weekly or by trimester). The other half of the book is dedicated to labor and delivery. The tone of the book is that perfect mix of straightforward information packaged in some friendly bedside manner. And, I later learned that my doctor's office carried a copy of the Mayo Clinic book in each examination room. That says something, right? Though it also made me a little nervous to imagine a doctor needing it during an examination to answer a couple questions for the patient.

In addition to the Mayo Clinic book, I was also gifted Pregnancy Day by Day.

This is a pretty awesome book. Each page is a day of pregnancy and each day there is something unique and special to read about. There are amazing sonogram pictures on each page, so the mom-to-be has a visual of what's happening that day inside her belly. This was especially nice in the beginning of my pregnancy when my bump hadn't bumped. Though the cover promotes this book to contain "comprehensive advice", I wouldn't necessarily agree with that characterization. This is a relatively light read and more about the images and novel tidbits (example - fetal hiccups) than hardcore information.

I was also gifted a bunch of other books: the Dr. Oz book, The Girlfriends Guide, What to Expect (yeah, it found its way to my book shelf), Belly Laughs (still haven't read this one...maybe next time?). My husband was even gifted a few books including The Caveman's Pregnancy Companion. Each book contains the same basic information, but differs in the tone (mellow versus alarmist) and the amount of information (a little and a lot). It ended up being really nice to have a collection because it gave me variety. Some topics I wanted to know everything about and so I could hit up that chapter in all of the books and learn it from every angle. Some topics I didn't care as much about, so I could read about it in a less intense book and move on.

There are a couple morals to this story. First, you may not want to buy yourself a pregnancy book because it's a staple gift for a first time mom and you're bound to receive a few. Second, each book provides something different and valuable so there's nothing wrong with having a collection. Last, at some point I found myself putting the books away and relying solely on my doctor because she knew me, she knew my baby and she knew my pregnancy...unlike the authors of any of the books on my shelf. More on this last lesson another day.

What pregnancy books did you use? How would you rate the books?

Pickles and Ice Cream

2013-01-23T08:00:00.001-05:00

The minute I revealed that there was bun in my oven, people started asking about my cravings. Friends, family and strangers alike all wanted to know what foods I suddenly and absolutely needed. It's one of the most talked about symptoms of pregnancy - food cravings. It's some sort of phenomenon that pregnant women have cravings for foods that they have never craved before (or even liked before). And, better yet, pregnant women crave unique combinations of food.

Remember Lady and the Tramp? Of course you do. It's aptly described on IMDB as the "romantic tale of a sheltered uptown Cocker Spaniel dog and a streetwise downtown mutt".

This is from 1955, seriously.

Do you remember the scene when the voice of the pregnant wife asks the husband to go out in the blizzard to get her some watermelon and chop suey? That is how most people imagine pregnancy cravings. Watermelon and chop suey. Or, the classic, pickles and ice cream. I was constantly asked whether I craved pickles or ice cream or the combination. Much like Snooki, I happen to love pickles, and much like everyone, I happen to love ice cream. So, my answer was always "Yes, I have been craving both pickles and ice cream...as much as I did before my pregnancy, which was a lot."

What I find especially interesting about the association between pregnancy and food cravings is that it's a farce. Sort of. I didn't have cravings when pregnant, not really. There was never a moment when I absolutely needed a particular food. There was never a moment when I demanded my husband run to the corner store for pickles or ice cream or anything else. Most of my mom friends report the same.

This is a real maternity clothing store, check it out here.

I did, however, find myself eating a lot of tomato soup. I'm a bagged lunch type of lady, yet I would randomly find myself in line at Hale and Hearty, waiting to pay for a cup of Tomato Basil with Rice soup. Sometimes once a week. But, I'm not sure I considered this a craving because I didn't suddenly and urgently need tomato soup at 2 a.m. one morning, I just sort of ate it often. That and apple juice, but I think the apple juice was more about consuming something that was easy on my stomach and energy producing.

Has anyone ever actually craved pickles and ice cream while pregnant? Has anyone (pregnant or not) ever tried pickles and ice cream together? I wonder if it would be surprisingly good with the sweet and salty combo? I do love chocolate covered pretzels.

What did you crave when you were pregnant?

Registration Locations

2013-01-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

The title of this post made me think of Conjunction Junction.

Moving on. Today is all about where I registered. I wanted to register at two (or more) stores to give people options and to give myself options. After very little deliberation (unlike my crib choice, more on that here) I registered at Amazon.com and Buy Buy Baby.

My first choice was Amazon because, simply, I'm a huge fan. I do a lot of Amazon shopping, so I knew the ropes and liked the ropes. It's convenient and the prices generally can't be beat. But, I knew that not all shoppers are into the online forum, especially when it comes to baby stuff. People love to touch and feel baby stuff.

With an online option selected, I went with Buy Buy Baby for a brick and mortar option. The reason for my Buy Buy Baby choice was proximity and coupons. Other big retailers like Target and Kohl's aren't easily accessible in NYC and I'd been warned against Target in particular for bad registry policies. While Babies R' Us and Buy Buy Baby stores are equally accessible in NYC, I preferred the feel of Buy Buy Baby. I also loved that Buy Buy Baby accepts the 20% off Bed Bath and Beyond coupons as well as its own coupons.

How did my choices pan out?

AMAZON

Amazon.com was a mixed bag. Amazon itself was great, but friends and family were (as I had feared) wary to buy gifts for a baby shower via the interweb. Even the young, technology savvy folks shied away from online shopping. I had taken advantage of the universal registry feature, which allows you to add items to the registry from any website online (awesome feature). I chose a couple things from LLBean.com and some other online stores. Those items were especially avoided by gift givers. And, when people did take a leap and purchase a universal registry item, it wasn't marked as "purchased" on my Amazon registry. Huge downer. That's the whole point of a registry.

Just like gift givers were weary to purchase items without seeing them, I was weary to register for items without seeing them. I hadn't anticipated this draw back. I ended up checking out a lot of items in Buy Buy Baby and then registering for them on Amazon because they were less expensive (even with a 20% discount coupon at Buy Buy Baby).

One major positive about Amazon is the incredible diversity of their merchandise. Amazon sells everything that Buy Buy Baby sells, and a lot more. There were many things I wanted for my baby-to-be that were only available on Amazon (more on that in the weeks to come).

The last comment I'll make about Amazon is that it offers 10% off unpurchased registry items, which is great. But, there are a couple catches here that I didn't realize. One, it's not all unpurchased items, it's unpurchased items sold by Amazon.com itself and not an outside vendor. Two, it's a one time deal so you have to use the 10% in single purchase.

Overall - the best prices, the best selection...if you can convince people (yourself included) to use this registry

BUY BUY BABY

Buy Buy Baby was all around great. My husband and I went to the store and did most of our registering in person and then I added and changed a few things online. The staff in the NYC Buy Buy Baby were incredibly helpful each and every time we went, which was only twice because it was overwhelming. Every square foot of wall is covered with baby merchandise and nearly every square foot of floor is covered with shoppers.

The prices at Buy Buy Baby were comparable to Babies R' Us, Target and other major baby registry stores, though they were generally higher than Amazon.com. With a 20% discount coupon, most items were less than competitors and Buy Buy Baby does price matching. So, one could price match and use a 20% discount coupon for a double savings whammy.

And now the cons. Unfortunately, in talking to friends and family, most people didn't end up using coupons. I think people didn't know they could use Bed Bath and Beyond coupons. Also, I have a lot of friends and family outside the tri-state area who didn't have easy access to a Buy Buy Baby store - there aren't a lot. Many baby shower recipients actually purchased Buy Buy Baby items online rather than going to the store itself because it was easier, which totally defeated my intent of it being a brick and mortar option.

Overall - If you can get to an actual store, it has great customer service, good product selection and good prices, especially with price matching and coupons.

Where did you register? How did it turn out?

My Crib Choice

2013-01-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

I'm back and I'm sharing my crib choice. It was one of my first big decisions when I found out that I was pregnant. With that being said, it took me quite a while to pull the trigger because I had a pretty long list of musts-haves and would-likes. Overall, I was aiming for high quality versus high style. This wasn't an area that I was willing to compromise if at all possible. My baby-to-be was going to spend a lot time in the crib (hopefully 8+ hour stretches...) and I wanted it to last through moves to new homes, into toddler years and even for future family members.

Here's my list:

Relatively small - You know by now that I live in an small, one bedroom, NYC apartment. The crib was going to (and now is) sharing the minimal square footage of the one bedroom. I didn't want a true mini crib because I intended to use it in the future, in bigger spaces and with younger siblings. Rather, I wanted a standard size crib that would fit a standard size mattress, but otherwise small (minimal thickness and height). Some cribs are pretty bulky. I wanted to steer clear of those cribs, however gorgeous they might be.
Made of wood - Wood is better than pressed board (aka MDF) for a couple reasons. First, it lasts longer. Second, it's natural. Pressed board contains some gnarly chemicals and while I wasn't going to be obsessive about off-gassing concerns (Google it), choosing a wood crib versus a non-wood crib seemed easy enough.
Non-toxic finish - There are so many cribs with non-toxic finishes nowadays that it was simple to go with the safer option.
Light finish - This was purely aesthetic, but I preferred a light finish (white, birch, etc.) versus a dark finish (cherry, expresso, etc.). I work with the theory that light and bright colors help open up small spaces.
Simple style - I'm not into ornate things, cribs included.
No drawers on bottom - At first I absolutely, positively wanted drawers on the bottom of the crib. I figured the added storage was what every one bedroom apartment with a newborn needs. But I changed my mind. I realized that an open bottom crib gave me options. I could use the open space for more versatile storage like baskets or plastic bins. Or, I could just leave it open for storing playmats and other randomly shaped baby stuff.
Convertible into a toddler bed - Stretching the usability of the crib just made sense to me, especially because I wanted to purchase a high quality crib that I believed would last into (and beyond) toddler years.

And now my choice - the Robin crib by Oeuf

What you see above is what you see in my bedroom, with the exception of the toddler doing yoga and the funky shaped cow rug. So far, so good. I'm very pleased with my choice. It met ALL of my must-haves and even my would-likes. I didn't have to compromise on a single thing. The price point seemed mid range ($499 without the toddler bed conversion kit) compared to other models I was considering. I had looked at everything from cribs available on Walmart.com to the Stokke Sleepi crib. I really liked a crib by Argington (here), but was ultimately dissuaded after reading a number of reviews about faulty legs that snapped and broke. The Robin crib was the right crib for the right price and I happened to love the way it looked, bonus.

How did you choose a crib? What did you ultimately settle on?

The Reality

2012-12-15T16:32:00.001-05:00

The reality is, I don't have time to post. I don't. I am not good enough at multi-tasking in this early stage of parenthood, especially in the middle of the holiday season. I truly want to share everything about my pregnancy, like where I registered (Amazon.com and Buy Buy Baby) and where I got my maternity clothes (mostly Gap Maternity) and what I craved (tomato soup). But, I barely have time to pee these days. So, something has got to give...and keeping up with NSB seems to be that thing.

It is as temporary hiatus. A pause. Once I get into the swing of things and the holidays wind down, I will be back. I love to write. I love the dialogue we have on NSB. So, I will be back.

Talk to you later and happy holidays. What an amazing year this was. I am so excited for the joys that 2013 will bring.

A Revealing Method

2012-12-05T10:52:00.001-05:00

It's time to start sharing now that we all know I was pregnant for nine months this year. I'll start from the beginning. So, how did I reveal to my husband, family and friends that I was pregnant? Before I get to the answer, let's look back at my post from June 2011 about all the exciting ways that one can reveal that she is pregnant. Here is a brief summary of that post:

Online Method - blog about it, tweet it, post it on Facebook, make an online photo album with your sonogram photo, send an email, Evite everyone to a party featuring your baby bump
Phone Call Method - no explanation needed
Creative Face-to-Face Method - a dinner party, a colorful (think pink or blue) cake, a t-shirt with a message, etc.
Revealing Gift Method - a mug for your parents that says "I love Grandma/pa", a t-shirt for your husband that says "#1 Daddy", etc.

Check out the post for a full post (here) with awesome (might I say) suggestions.

So, which of my awesome suggestions did I take? None. Well, none when it came to the biggest and most important reveal - my husband. I just walked out of the bathroom completely stunned and said, "I think I'm pregnant." To which he said, if I remember correctly, "What does that mean?"

The conversation then proceeded with me explaining that I used the pregnancy test (like I said I would five minutes earlier). I waited the appropriate amount of minutes for an accurate result. I looked at the pee covered stick. There were TWO pink lines. Then I repeated, "I think I'm pregnant." This time he said, "You are pregnant." It wasn't a could be, might be, "think" situation. I was or I wasn't, and I was. Pure joy. Then I took another test, for good measure.

I will never forget that exchange. I will never forget that day. So, the lesson quickly became - it doesn't matter how one reveals her pregnancy. It's unforgettable no matter the method.

Being Thankful

2012-11-28T16:17:00.000-05:00

Today's post is a late tribute to Thanksgiving. I hope you had a good one.

During pregnancy there are so many rules. There are prenatal vitamins to take and foods to avoid, ways to sleep and clothes to wear. The list of to dos is dwarfed only by the list of not allowed to dos. And on top of all the guidelines dictated by science, there are wives tales that further instruct. All these rules create so many (too many) opportunity for worry - Am I doing this right? Did I remember to do that? Should I do that? One's mind can really get away from her. Mine certainly did at times.

When my worries became overwhelming, I coped by being thankful. It worked...usually. I tried to forget the lists of dos and don'ts and, instead, make a list of thanks. Sometimes the list included milestones, like reaching a big ultrasound. More often the list included just everyday things, silly things.

Some sample list items:

No one ever told me to lay off desserts. In fact, my mother encouraged me to eat ice cream...all the calcium.
I got some cute and comfortable hand-me-down maternity clothes from friends.
I bonded with other pregnant friends and mom friends in a way that I couldn't before I experienced pregnancy for myself.
At least once a day, a stranger would congratulate me.
My hair was shiny and thick from the prenatal vitamins and the hormones. And my nails were stronger than ever.
No one ever commented on how big my butt became.
I got a seat on the subway...most of the time.
I had a legitimate reason to discuss baby names whenever I wanted.

This list, as cheesy as it was somedays, was a great tool. Realizing that I was eight months along and no one had even joked that my ass looked as pregnant as my belly was a great distraction from all the do's and don'ts. Yes, there's a lot to worry about during pregnancy, but there's also a lot to be thankful for. It's just a matter of finding those small moments of sweetness or comedy. When you do, it's amazing how easily they can overpower the big moments of worry.

Were you a worrier during your pregnancy? Do you think you will be? How do you/will you cope?

My Surprise Baby

2012-11-21T10:41:00.000-05:00

Now that the cat's out of the bag (aka the baby's out of my bump), I have so many pregnancy stories to share. I have thoughts on baby showers and registering, cravings and maternity clothes, and everything else from the pregnancy test to reaching (and passing) my due date. But before I get to the sharing, I should explain why I didn't post about my pregnancy in real time.

When I learned I was pregnant at the beginning of the year, I wanted to wait to spread the news until I passed the twelve week mark. It's a traditional milestone and it felt like the right milestone for me and my husband. It was such a joyful, awesome discovery that we wanted to enjoy it between the two of us for a bit. So, we did just that. Then we told only immediate family and a couple close friends and let it settle some more. Then, at twelve weeks, we told the rest of our family and friends and enjoyed a whole new round of excitement.

It finally seemed like a reasonable time to post my fantastic news on NSB. But, it didn't feel like the right time. Even with the news making its way through my social circles, I wasn't ready to share it with the public at large. So, I decided to wait until it felt right and ignore what seemed reasonable. Turns out it didn't feel right until last week.

From the start, my pregnancy felt like an immensely personal experience. My reaction to that feeling was to keep it intimate. I didn't share baby bump photos on Facebook and I didn't leave away messages on Gmail about my morning sickness (which I had). I instinctively wanted to keep social media away from my belly.

Many, perhaps most, women shout out their pregnancy from the rooftops, which includes Facebook and online announcements. I get that. It's the reverse of what I did, but it equally expresses the true awesomeness of being pregnant. For many, being pregnant is simply too amazing to contain. For me, keeping my pregnancy amongst family and friends made me feel like I was preserving that awesomeness. So, despite the fact that I constantly publicize my personal joys and junk on NSB, I pulled back and let this personal joy stay personal. I hope you forgive me for pulling a fast one on you. Now that my beautiful baby has arrived, I'm ready (at last) to share and discuss.

My Next Stop

2012-11-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Some of you know why I took a hiatus and some of you may have guessed. Some of you are just annoyed that I haven't posted in two weeks. Well, the wait is over. I'm back. And, I'm a mom. That's right, I'm a mom. My hiatus involved giving birth to my first child, recovering (ouch) from said birth and mostly staring for endless hours at the perfect little person who was one day in my belly and the next in my arms. There has also been a lot of poop, but we can discuss that on a later date.

For today, I'm just excited to share that I have officially reached my next stop - baby.

A Brief Hiatus

2012-11-02T12:00:00.000-04:00

Hey Everyone - Next Stop Baby and I are going on a brief hiatus with big, exciting changes to the blog when we return. Thanks for understanding and check back in about a week or so. Happy November and happy weekend! Talk soon.

~Leah

Stuff People Google 74

2012-11-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

Another week, another bizarre phrase that someone googled.

shop key boob

Am I just not in the know? Does everyone research and keep up with "shop key boobs"? Does this have something to do with a Halloween costume (it was googled the week of October 22nd)? Please explain, someone.

Sandra or Sanford Anyone?

2012-11-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

I've lived in New York city for a while and I've now officially lived through Hurricane Sandy. She was a real bitch, to be frank, but I can't complain because I was spared in some major ways. Some of my friends, family and coworkers were not so lucky and I give them major kudos for trooping it out through flooding, loss of power, loss of water, loss of sanity...

But, this post is not about Sandy the Frankenstorm, she's received enough attention. This post is about Sandy the name, sort of. Here's my question: Do you know anyone who named their baby after a storm, major historic event or natural disaster that occurred on the date of the baby's birth?

Any baby girl Sandra's or baby boy Sanford's named over the past couple days?

If so, tell me about it...stud.

Foxy and Refreshingly Private

2012-10-30T08:00:00.000-04:00

What kind of celebrity couple are Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green? Are they A list? B list? D list?

Let me make it easier. I think we can all agree that they're not as famous as Brangelina and likewise agree that they're more famous than Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott. Right? Meaning, they're somewhere between super famous and reality star famous, but I'm not sure where exactly on the spectrum. Most of that fame comes from Megan's success. No offense to Brian Austin, I'm totally willing to admit a brief crush during his Beverly Hills 90210 days, but he isn't Mr. Limelight.

Why does any of this completely ridiculous characterization matter? Check out below, which is a snippet from Megan Fox's Facebook page.

Who knew that Megan Fox was pregnant? I have to admit that I did. That's attributable to my unhealthy addiction to celebrity gossip websites. But I bet some of you, more mature folk, didn't know. The reason that some of you may not have known is because she didn't splash her pregnancy in every available media outlet. She wasn't showing up on red carpets rubbing her belly. She didn't do a spread in Us Weekly to discuss her cravings and nursery decor. She didn't announce the gender on twitter. She generally kept a low profile and privately enjoyed the pregnancy with her teen heartthrob husband.

For the record, I'm not a super fan of Megan Fox. I happen to think she's a ~~bad~~ mediocre actress. But I was impressed by her relative discretion when it came to being pregnant. She announced her son's birth not by PR blast, but in her own words on her Facebook page several weeks after the fact. There's still no photographs available to the public.

What a stark contrast from those celebs who sell their baby photos to the highest paying tabloid/gossip magazine (more on that here). So, back to my original question - what kind of couple are Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green? Non-exploitive like those A listers and non-desperate like those D listers. I'm still not sure where exactly on the spectrum that they exist, but good for them.

If you knew that Megan Fox was pregnant, how did you find out? Did you know she gave birth? Did you think she was discreet or just as shamelessly exploitive as the rest of them?

Stuff People Google 73

2012-10-26T08:00:00.000-04:00

What is this week's edition of Stuff People Google about?!!

hot process soap cupcakes

This scares me. I have a feeling it has something to do with cooking meth. Have I watched too many HBO/Showtime series?

A Couple of Baby Name AHAs!

2012-10-25T08:00:00.000-04:00

Last week, a friend (thanks B!) sent me a very cool article from iVillage about my #1 fav topic - baby names. The article (here) lists ten categories of baby names (think places, spiritual, antique, etc.) and what choosing a name from each category says about the parent. For example, parents who choose places as names (i.e. Brooklyn, London, Paris, etc.) envision their child in the limelight. There's ~~probably~~ definitely no scientific research behind the assertions, but I thoroughly enjoyed them.

This short, sweet article, beyond providing some entertainment, provided two serious AHA! moments for me. For those of you who don't know what an AHA! moment is, shame on you and I'll explain. It's Oprah's term for an epiphany. She made it up and I think it's now in the dictionary or at least the urban dictionary. It's AHA! as in "I get it!", which is literally how Oprah defines it in her video explanation below. So strange that this video exists on Youtube.

My first AHA! moment inspired by the iVillage article was the realization that my theory on uniqueness being the single most important factor in choosing a baby name (remember this post?) is not true. Well, it's not true for everyone. People have many reasons for choosing their perfect baby name, many of which are totally unrelated to uniqueness. Aha! There's more than one end goal for finding the perfect baby name and there's more than one path to get there.

Here are the categories of names listing in the iVillage article:

Place Names
Religious Names
Vintage Names
Nature Names
Political Names
Celebrity Driven Names
Pop-Culture Inspired Names
Ethnic Names
Family Names
Really Unique Names - this is my category, right?

Here's the other, more significant AHA! - I don't prioritize uniqueness in my baby name preferences. I don't fall into the "really unique names" category. What's that?! Hold up now...

The article, understandably, listed names like Apple and Pilot Inspektor as really unique names. I don't like either as I've previously mentioned (here). There both a bit too out there for me. Too unique. On the other hand, I'm don't like Isabella or Jacob (the most popular names of 2011). They're too common for me. Not unique enough. But, here is where the AHA! really hit home, if I'm forced between Jacob and Pilot Inspektor, I'm going with Jacob. Turns out that uniqueness is more of a secondary concern for me. I know, I'm baffled too.

This double AHA! left me totally confused about what type of baby namer I am. For a woman who's written about baby names several dozen times, this was concerning. I was suddenly without a baby name identity.

Don't feel too bad for me...pretty confident you didn't...all that happened was a daily trip over to Nameberry.com to search around and rediscover who I am. The process was quite quick and here are the results: my taste is vintage, classic and traditional with consideration (not absolute prioritization) of how popular the name is according to the SSN website.

What type of baby names do you like? Any of the categories listed by iVillage? Maybe you're a mesh of more than one or fall into a category overlooked by iVillage?

Stylin' Flower Girls and Ring Bearers

2012-10-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

How cute are flower girls and ring bearers? Right? Sometimes they cause a bit of unwanted drama (think screaming, flailing tantrums), but mostly they cause a collective "awwww" from all the wedding guests as they slowly, awkwardly, adorably make their way down the aisle.

Not everyone welcomes babies, toddlers, children...anyone under 18... at their wedding for a plethora of reasons (including the screaming, flailing tantrum potential), but that's a whole different post. Today, I'm focusing on wedding fashion for the mini members of a wedding party. It's not wedding season, but it is the season of wedding planning for all those folks who will be getting hitched in 2013.

All the clothes, shoes and accessories below are for infants and toddlers (0-2 years) ...aka babies...but many come in larger sizes (and alternate colors), so be sure to click on the hot links below each image to get product details. Also, most of the Etsy shops featured in this post specialize in infant/toddler/child formal wear, so check out the entire shop for other adorable products.

For the Flower Girls (ladies first)

White knit and tulle dress by Ralph Lauren ($175)

Tulle ballerina dress by Us Angels ($146+)

Jeweled collar by JCrew ($48)

Lace bow headbands by Little Blooms Handmade ($12 each)

Barefoot baby sandals by Happy Threads ($18)

For the Ring Bearers

Sage boys jumper by Beane & Company ($70)

Two button school blazer by JCrew ($158)

Alexander baby boy shoes by Pink2Blue ($32)

Elephant bow tie by Olive and Vince (~$16.44)

Name That Bump 5 - Revealed

2012-10-22T11:30:00.000-04:00

As always, before I reveal the lady behind the bump from Name That Bump 5, here is the headless photo to refresh your memory:

And the lady is - Gwenyth Paltrow!!! Amy and Ella Mae were correct.

WW and Mother of Pearl, the headless image definitely looks as if it could be Posh. But, Posh Spice (aka Victoria Beckham), while married to a Brit (soccer player David Beckham), is not what I would consider an accomplished actress. She may have starred in Spice World with her fellow Spice Girls bandmates, but an Academy Award winner she is NOT.

Remember Spice World (circa 1998)? Okay, I never saw it (shame on me),

but I hear it's a cult classic. I've just never met anyone in the cult.

Stuff People Google 72

2012-10-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

I was truly baffled by today's edition of Stuff People Google:

louis borgenicht baby ägarmanual

The non-English words were the primary source of confusion. The word "baby" made me hopeful that the search was appropriate for NSB, but I didn't know. So, I googled it...of course. Turns out that Louis Borgenicht is the co-author of The Baby Owner's Manual: Operating Guide.

I don't own it, so I can't vouch.
Check out Amazon.com reviews here.

Still a little confused as to why the typist wrote half in English and half in (what I believe to be) Swedish. But, that's neither here or there. Very excited to welcome Swedish readers/followers! Come back anytime.

Fact Checking - Baby Style

2012-10-18T12:34:00.000-04:00

In celebration and acknowledgement of the upcoming presidential elections, I thought it was fitting to do some fact checking. No, I'm not going to reveal the truth behind Governor Romney's plan for reforming the federal tax code or expose what really happened at the US Embassy in Syria. What I will do is throw out some interesting baby facts for us to ponder. Let's get this party started (click on answers to see the source of my info):

Average weight and length of baby at 40 weeks - 7 lbs 10.08 ounces and 20.16 inches

Original Gerber Baby - Ann Turner Cook

Ann Turner Cook in December 1996

US State with the most births - California

US State with the highest birth rate (number of births compared to number of women) - Utah

Top selling baby toy on Amazon.com - Sophie the Giraffe, obvy

What's So Great About Sophie?

Doctor who delivered the most babies (arguably) - Dr. Walter "Papa Doc" Watson, practice in Augusta, GA, delivered 18,000+ babies, still delivering at age 100

Year that TLC's A Baby Story premiered - 1998

Highest amount of money paid for photo of celebrity baby - $11 million was allegedly paid by People Magazine for photos of Brangelina's twins (Vivienne and Knox)

The Money Shot

Busiest Labor and Delivery Hospital in US (arguably) - Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, TX

Best selling baby book (through 2000) - The Poky Little Puppy

Now in it's 65th edition!!!

Number of children fathered by Eddie Murphy - 8 (Bria, Myles, Shayne, Zola, Bella, Christian, Eric, Angel)

Amount of money Jay Z and Beyonce spent on Swarovski encrusted baby shoes for Blue Ivy - $800

Name That Bump 5

2012-10-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

So, you're starting to get into Name That Bump based on the slight increase in participation on Name That Bump 4. This week's edition features a headless blond who has won an academy award for a starring role (aka - she's a film actress) and is married to a Brit. I think I've said too much...

Blue Boy Baby Shower

2012-10-16T08:00:00.000-04:00

Maybe I created today's mood board because I love Jones soda, maybe not. Either way, here are a bunch of fun and yummy items to pull together a classic, blue baby shower.

Clockwise from top left

Cupcake toppers by Apple Candy Design ($2 digital file)

Blue gummy bears ($10/1.5 lbs on Amazon.com)

Jones blue bubble gum soda ($55/24 on Amazon.com)

Blue polka dot paper straws by Back to Zero ($4/25)

Lucky star origami by Origami Delights ($13/100)

Name That Bump 4 - Revealed

2012-10-15T13:08:00.002-04:00

Before the big reveal, here's the headless photo from Name That Bump 4:

AHA! You guys are getting a hang of this. Everyone guessed correctly. Nicely done. The lovely lady with the lovely baby bump is Alyson Hannigan, who stars in How I Met Your Mother and has two daughters, Satyana (born in 2009) and Keeva (born earlier this year). Alyson is pregnant with Satyana in this photo.