Rookie Moms

Parenting trends: muslin swaddling blankets

2010-02-08T21:15:04Z

When I first heard of muslin swaddling blankets, my children were already 2 and 5. And this was just last week. It hurt me to say, “Back when I had babies… ” But I did.

Well, anyhow, apparently muslin is they way to go these days. When Heather asked our readers via Twitter if they used muslin swaddlers, there was a significant show of hands for Aden & Anais Muslin Swaddle Wraps.

Funny, though, that when I had Scarlett, and had never heard of muslin, Heather made me a fake Moby Wrap, or as we called it, a Faux-by Wrap out of a colorful muslin piece of fabric.

I’m just bringing it to your attention because if you are a lover of the muslin swaddler, you might try making yourself a front carrier. You’ll be able to swaddle your baby to your chest basically, and reduce crying, which I believe is worth the time you’ll spend trying to figure out how the heck to tie yourself and the babe up in a long piece of fabric.

(Go to your crunchiest, fanciest baby store and ask for help. Then, practice, my friend. It’s worth it.)

Here I am back then, still wearing maternity clothes of course, about to take a walk with my homemade front carrier. Thanks, Heather!

You’ve read the site, now buy the t-shirt

2010-02-03T20:07:58Z

A million years ago when we started this blog, I put together some t-shirts for me and Heather to wear to BlogHer ‘06. Something inspired me to dig up the links to the shirts today and share them with you.

No Idea What I’m Doing by Rookie Moms

Rookie Moms T-Shirt – Untrained by Rookie Moms

Baby shirt – No tagline by Rookie Moms

These shirts are available on Zazzle.com. If you want to add anything to them, I think you can click the “customize” button when you get to Zazzle. It might be cute to add your frequent destination underneath the stroller illustration on the baby shirt, such as “rollin’ to cafe roma” or “on my way to totland”

Activity #320: Make a list of 50 things you like to do

2010-02-03T04:26:28Z

This sounds like a self-help suggestion, but it’s actually really fun and the best part is trading your list with your friends and/or spouse if you can convince them to do it.

Heather challenged me to do make a list of 50 things I like to do, and then she went all over-achiever on my ass and came up with more than 100. This month when she was trying to figure out what to do on her birthday, it was exactly her flavor of a geeky challenge to see how many of her favorite things could be packed into one day.

An excerpt of my list:

have adult slumber parties at Tahoe cabins
be complimented at work for my ideas
buy craft supplies
buy food at Monterey Market for Julian
check the mail
cross country ski when it’s sunny
design things
discuss things with Ryan
eat fish tacos and have pina colada at Picante on Friday night
eat soft chocolate chip cookies
fall asleep on couch
get 10K steps in one day
get pedicure
give handmade gifts

What’s on your list? Post an excerpt of your list (or the whole thing!) and comment with the link.

Let doing these things more frequently be a recipe for “you 2.0″. (Thanks to Kammie for the expression).

Be selfish, be happy

2010-02-04T06:01:17Z

As a mom of five children, Meagan Francis is no rookie. When she launched The Happiest Mom, I invited her to share some of her experience to inspire moms to have more fun during the first years of motherhood.

She offers us some tips and reassurance that happy moms put themselves on top of the priority list. (Advice that I need to hear right about now as I’m juggling a full-time job, sick kids, sick husband, the sniffles, and a carb-free fortnight.)

She writes:

So you’re stuck at home with dropping temperatures and a toddler climbing the walls. Seems like a good time to sign up for that class guaranteed to turn your baby into a musical genius by the age of 3, right?

Not so fast. While activities aimed at the preschool set can be a great way for your child to burn off energy, make new friends, and nurture an interest in a new activity, I believe there has to be something in it for Mom, too.

Yes, moms, I’m giving you a pass. You don’t have to sit through a Mommy and Me music class so boring you want to claw your eyes out. You are not obligated to suffer through story hours that require you, a grown adult, to get up and “shake your sillies out” if you find the prospect so embarrassing you can barely make it through a single silly-shake. There is no need to go into forbearance on your student loan payments so you can start Suzuki violin lessons at the age of 4, unless your child is a prodigy (and let’s face it, parents, fewer kids are prodigies than we well-meaning parents might like to believe). You absolutely, 100% are not required to set up playdates with kids whose parents you find repulsive just because their child and yours had a brief moment of connection on the playground. In short, moms, you are driving this bus, and it’s perfectly OK if you’d rather steer it toward activities you can tolerate, classes you can afford, and kids with parents you actually like.

Don’t get me wrong. I do believe we, as parents, have an obligation to guide our kids’ social lives and intellectual development. But when you’re talking about an infant or even a one- or two-year-old, their needs are simple. Kick a ball, play patty-cake, pick a flower—young kids can do all those things without much supervision and without Mom and Dad paying a dime. Sure, kids need time and support to pursue interests and find out what they’re really passionate about. But they’ll have plenty of time for that later—you know, when they can actually speak.

Moms, on the other hand? Our needs are more complex. We’re used to adult conversation and have developed to seek out entertainment that extends beyond watching colorful shapes spin on a mobile. We don’t have a grown-up or two attending to our every need, picking us up when we fall, or rubbing our behinds with powder. Instead, we have to seek our own comfort and stimulation. Parenting is isolating and exhausting and tedious. We’re tired. We’re lonely. We may even—though we are loath to admit it—be a bit bored.

And I think it’s OK if we’re a little selfish when it comes to what we do for fun.

Let’s face it: you and your child are going to have conflicting desires and needs every single day, probably for the rest of your lives. 97% of the time, your child’s needs are going to win out. So when it comes to activities and friendships, I say Mommy gets to choose. Sign your 2-year-old up for art if you find it more tolerable than that pricey toddler music class. Or just listen to music at home while you color. If you’re like me and the idea of putting on a swimsuit and slipping into a frigid pool makes you cringe, by all means put off swimming lessons until they’re old enough to do them without you (at the YMCA, that’s age 3. Not that I would know, or anything…) And it’s perfectly OK to seek out moms you like and set up a time to get together, even if your kids aren’t automatic best friends or even the same age.

Of course, it’s important to watch your kids closely to make sure they’re getting something out of the deal too (or at the very least, aren’t being bullied or mistreated). But don’t limit yourself to seeking out friends with kids whose personality or age seem a perfect complement to your child’s: a two-year-old can play happily with a four-or-five year old under the right circumstances, and both the kids might actually learn something from the interaction.

Small children are, for the most part, easy to please. Give them time and space to move their bodies and raise their voices, a play-based activity (organized or not), and another small person to interact with, and they’ll have a ball. They don’t have to engage with a mini-soulmate at every playdate or train with the most renowned musical instructors before they’re out of Pull-Ups.

Someday—sooner than you might think—your kid will be begging you for hockey equipment and karate lessons. You’ll be roped into PTA committees and booster clubs and find yourself working closely with people you might not have otherwise chosen to spend time with.

Until then, exercise your right to be a little selfish. Choose the activities you can easily afford, the ones you enjoy. Spend your limited time pursuing friendships with other parents you really like, ones you can see yourself staying friends with for the long haul.You need them now, and you’re going to need them later.

And when Mom’s engaged, happy, not stressed over finances, and supported, her kid will be happier. Even if he never sets foot in that acclaimed foreign-language for tots program.

—
Thanks again Meagan. Want more of her? See if you’re bored, then you’re boring. Read her blog. Or check out her book, Table for Eight: Raising a Large Family in a Small-Family World.

Activity #442: Make a conversation heart

2010-02-03T04:24:48Z

‘member those candy hearts that say “Me Too” or “Love Ya”? They’re called conversation hearts. A few years ago, Rookie Moms reader, Veronica, suggested that we use our babies to make cards with this Valentine’s Day theme for our family members this year:

Pay homage to the throwback days when you made Valentine’s for every kid in the class! Have baby pose with a cut-out construction heart and matching attire. Once you have a keeper, use Photoshop or your favorite scrapbook program to add fun, quirky sayings to the “conversation” heart!

Be creative and come up with one for everybody on your recipient list! You can send it as an email attachment or have them printed as a 4×6 picture at your local photo center for an instant keepsake!

I just read that the new conversation hearts say “text me” and “tweet me”. Sigh.

Activity #266: Remember your kegels

2010-02-02T04:46:16Z

Sorry rookie dads, this one is for the ladies.

So, we’re all supposed to do kegels, right? How we’re supposed to remember to do them with all the other stuff new moms are juggling is totally beyond me… so I came up with a brilliant little technique that I can share with you.

Do one for every email you receive in a day. This way, each time you check emails, you can bust out (7) or (12) or (34) depending on how cluttered your inbox is and if you get a lot of junk mail.

My nurse advised me that my little email strategy only works if you get between 50 and 100 emails each day. My friend Susan (a fellow mother of two, and thus an expert!), told me that this is the only way to go: THREE TIMES A DAY DO THE FOLLOWING

10 where you hold for a second and release for a second
10 really quick ones
10 times of 3 seconds holding and 3 seconds resting

Other ideas for squeezing them in:

Do a set of 10 for each diaper you change.
Do 3 sets of holding in for 3 seconds at each stoplight.
Do 50 for each thank-you note you meant to write but didn’t.
Do one loooooong one while you wait for any web page to load.
Do 1 for everything on your to-do list that you’re not going to get to again today.
Do a quick set every time you want to yell at your kiddo, but don’t.
Follow the KegelFairy on Twitter.

Activity #555: Wear Sexy Jeans (Apply the Hand-Grab Rule)

2010-02-01T06:15:32Z

It’s February! Time for romance (says Hallmark). We’re going to try to provide a little inspiration for prioritizing the sexy aspects of your life with romance and self-esteem boosting activities this month. Today, we kick off a series of guest posts from Shana of Ain’t No Mom Jeans. (If you missed her series on sweatsuit alternatives, start here.) And now, I’ll let Shana take it away:

I’m always astounded by the number of extremely attractive moms who still wear jeans that are baggy in the bum. (Editor’s note: GUILTY!) I’m not sure if it’s a holdover from saggy-bum maternity pants, but seriously. It’s really, really, really hard to feel sexy in saggy-bum jeans. So apply the Hand-Grab rule:

Put on your jeans.
Recruit your most honest girlfriend to grab your bum.
If she can grab a handful of jean (or anything close to a handful of jean), then your jeans are too saggy in the bum. It’s time for new jeans.

If you absolutely hate tight jeans, then I suggest you try jeans with sophisticated bum styling like Hudson’s Signature Bootcut Jeans, True Religion Jeans, or William Rast Jeans. These jeans have seams and/or pockets strategically located to make your bum look good, even when buying a size up.

Look for more sexy tips from Shana next week!

Too cheap for Shana’s jean suggestions? We think it’s ok to go to Old Navy for your first pair of post-partum jeans.

photo credit: shellular kellular on flickr

Baby activities in Salt Lake City, UT

2010-01-31T00:19:54Z

Vanessa Brown was awesome enough to share a week’s worth of fun activities for rookie moms that are just as fun for mama as for baby. She is the busy mother of two girls that have a blast living in Utah enjoying nature and all of the wonderful attractions here. She is married to celebrity dog trainer Ty Brown and is also the mother of two dogs.

Vanessa Brown blogs over at INeverGrewUp.net, UtahsNaturalKids.com and is part of the Utah blogger review site SassyScoops.com.

Vanessa with her family. Photo by Sanae James.

Vanessa tells us:

Visiting or living in Utah provides you with a bit of an advantage for finding establishments that are friendly towards babies, breastfeeding mothers, families, etc. because we are sure the capital of BABIES! But even after having two babies right in a row, it took me a while to figure out where I could go that would work with a newborn and a 17 month old. I am afflicted with a constant sickness of “Cabin Fever” and need to be out and about. And now that I have passed this sickness on to my girls, they have to be out and about as well!

So here are some of our favorite places in the Salt Lake City area for “Rookie Moms” to test the waters and have some fun together.

Monday: Outdoors.
When living or visiting Utah you have to take advantage of the outdoors, even with your “itty bitties,” by roaming around outside and enjoying the beautiful mountains we have. Here in Utah we have quite a few canyons that can seem intimidating, but don’t be daunted! I still remember my first outing with my oldest daughter. We went up Provo Canyon with a picnic and found a spot along the river. We lay in the grass and stared at the mountains and clouds while listening to the river. Whenever we went on one of these outings, we would just venture up the canyon only a little bit. We would stop at the first park or trail that we could find so it wouldn’t be too chilly or steep if we decided to walk around.

Tuesday: Storytime.
Utah has amazing libraries that are very baby and toddler friendly. After all, most of us out here have a baby or toddler! The libraries put on great story times, lap times and singing times. In lots of the local libraries, these programs are taught by other mothers who have their own babies on their laps or by very friendly and understanding librarians. All upcoming Salt Lake County library activities are listed online; from reptile shows to story times to puppet shows to magic shows. It’s a real treat all around.

Wednesday: Stretch.
Looking for a great class for you and Baby or Tot to have a chance to relax and bond? Utah is full of Yoga Centers. The Yoga Center in Salt Lake City is an amazing place to be rejuvenated in a yoga class along with Baby.

Thursday: Movies.
Are you itching to go to the movies with your little one but afraid of being asked to leave? At the Scera Movie Theatre, they have movie times during the summer three days a week when you can bring your noisy kids! When I was a nanny watching three little ones, this was their favorite thing to do. Crying babies fit right in.

Friday: Window Shop.
The charming Mom & Pop children’s boutiques are quite family friendly and provide a good afternoon of fun window shopping. They have a large section for kids of all ages to sit and play and have very “kid friendly” displays so you don’t have to be stressed bringing your little one into the store. The Red Balloon Toy Store, Children’s Hour and Oopsie Daisy are fantastic stores where you will find hidden gems to buy for your child’s future birthdays and holidays.

Saturday: The Arts.
Want to explore art but are nervous to walk into an art museum and be shushed out immediately? Then visit the Utah Museum of Fine Arts on the third Saturday of the month from 2-4 pm during “Family Day” where tons of other noisy children will be. My girls have loved to just stare at the different sculptures and paintings from the time they were only a few months old. Even if they last 30 minutes it is a nice trip for Mommy and Baby.

Sunday: Temple Square.
Take a walk to explore Temple Square which is extremely family friendly. It’s bustling every Sunday night with large families full of kids of all ages. You can visit the visitor’s centers where they have interactive displays for children. There is room to run around outside in the gardens. You can even catch an outdoor concert with your little one.

====
Thank you Vanessa for this terrific itinerary! We look forward to your jam-packed week of fun for toddlers and preschoolers next month.

Date Night at Cobbs Comedy Club

2010-01-30T19:52:47Z

I'm a Mac, I'm a PC, I'm a Blackberry

Good stuff I found for you

2010-01-31T04:50:53Z

I’ve been collecting some links and feel the need to dump them all out here.

See Jane Fly has a checklist for flying with a baby 0-6 months. Every time we travel I wish I was one of those people who has a check list stored in her suitcase. I just wasn’t born with that gene.
KidsEatFor.com lets you type in your zip code and get listings of restaurants with deals for kids eating free. The main event, however, is the iPhone app you can download to put that content right in your purse.
The Bee and The Bobbin published a tutorial for making felt slippers that are ohmygod so cute with a little cut out design. See pictures below.
Lisa from Picnic is pregnant! with twins! which is nice for me because in about 6 months I bet she’ll let me hold a baby whenever I see her. I am wishing her a very healthy pregnancy.
CafeMom editors assembled a slide show with a bunch of eccentric celebrity baby names. I had seen most of them, but a few were new to me.
Wendolonia, another blog-turned-real-friend, made these tie-dye window decorations with her son that I know mine will go nuts for. That’s my activity plan for this afternoon.
Simple Wishes is the maker of a new hands-free pumping bra. Hooray for the women who brought this awesomeness to market. (Anyone tried it yet?)
The Bump has a whole section on birth stories. For those obsessed with the topic, enjoy.

Activity #548: Make ‘em tap

2010-01-28T04:24:35Z

When fellow parenting blogger and amateur fashion designer Mike posted about tap dancing with his daughter Emme, I knew Julian and I had to try it.

Mike gives Charlene credit, and she gives someone else credit, but it doesn’t really matter as long as Julian gives ME credit for the idea of taping quarters to one’s shoes in order to convert them into instant tap shoes. And if you take action on this activity, your preschooler will give you credit.

Julian and I used blue painter’s tape on his Ugg-style boots. As soon as he realized the pleasing sound he could make by dancing spastically rhythmically on the hardwood floors, he began channeling Gene Kelly, who, by the way, he has never heard of. He asked me for a top hat and a cane. I swear, this kid is destined for the theatre.

With my umbrella as a cane and his dad’s derby hat on his head, he went about his tap-dancing way, clicking all over the house for the rest of the evening. I’m sure a young toddler would be intrigued by this opportunity to make noise as well.

I guess he told his teacher Steve about his new hobby. This morning when we arrived at school, his teacher Steve, a straight man who often wears a pink tutu over his cargo shorts just to screw with the rigid gender rules that five year olds impose on the world, offered him a set of washers to tape to his shoes. (See photo above.) Two washers on each shoe, Vans this time, took the tapping to a new level.

Try it yourself. You’ll like it.

What’s new on the review blog?

2010-01-28T04:33:14Z

Whitney reviewed a high-tech family cruiser and we are giving away a $500 Visa gift card. Your odds are still good!

I explain why I love and hate the book Nurtureshock. Did you read it? Share your thoughts. I beg you.