Growing Up Wile

Long time, no post.

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:18:00 +0000

Wow! It's been a terribly long time, hasn't it?

It seems as though we caught the summer fun bug and danced our way through the sunshine filled days, without a care or pang of responsibility all season long. While I wish that were completely accurate, we have had a decent amount of enjoyment these days as well as a healthy dose of calendar overload, which is why we've been so distant.

Didn't meant to forget about our little cozy nook over here but I guess we just got caught up. My apologies.

We have had quite a lot happening over here to say the least. Plenty of fun filled days spent at the beach and with friends but also just growing and learning everyday. LM is walking, ahem, running around like a lunatic which is why perhaps I barely have time to eat a bowl of cereal in the morning before it turns soggy- let alone post a new entry as I'm always dashing to save him from some unfavorable fall or worse fate.

We have also celebrated a HUGE milestone, his 1st Birthday! And what a day it was! After sweating it out for weeks of threatening weather, the (outdoor) party went off without a hitch. We held his soiree at a sweet little park by our house, which we love. They have an old fashioned carousel, a train that rides around the park and a zoo, complete with exotic animals. All of the kids seemed to have a great time, including the b-day boy, which is what it's all about.

Here are a few shots from his big day:

It seems like yesterday that he was just born, now he has friends, words, steps, teeth, laughs, smiles, hugs and kisses to share with us. He is pure joy and I thank my lucky stars for him everyday.

It has been a fabulous summer and we are glad to be back.

It's good to be a Mom

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Thu, 13 May 2010 14:17:00 +0000

I'm still delighting in my fantastic 1st Mother's Day spent in sunny South Carolina to celebrate one of my dearest friends getting married. Believe me when I tell you that her wedding must have been THE southern event of the season! Everything, including the bride was absolutely stunning and it was an honor to share in such a special day with her and see her so happy.

This also translated for me into a sweet 5 day trip to basque in the sun with the family. Score! The weather was perfect, high 80's, plenty of sunshine, cold drinks, great friends and great times. What could be better, you ask? Well, for starters not coming home to 49 degree damp weather, but I digress.

I did get to spend my 1st Mother's Day with the little man, the hubbs and lots of friends, relaxing both on the beach and poolside, with champagne, which is a pretty great way to spend the day-trust me.

Simple pleasures.

Life is good.

I hope everyone else enjoyed their Mother's Day as well!

A special Happy Happy to my own Mother (who I did call on Sunday) for had it not been for her, I wouldn't be here and likewise, neither would Little Man- who simply rocks my world.

I love you Mom. xo

Here are a few snapshots of our trip.

Little Man taking in the view

eating his 4th fistful of sand

enjoying some puffs poolside

the gorgeous bride

the happy couple

just one of the amazing statues that was located on the grounds

a beautiful night for a beautiful life

Congrats Deana & Dave!

Stayin' Cool

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Mon, 03 May 2010 13:15:00 +0000

It feels like summer has arrived here in the Northeast. Yesterday was 90 degrees and sunny all day (aka HOT) so we headed south for the day to enjoy the gorgeous weather and have some fun. The hubbs had a soccer game earlier in the morning so Little Man and I went to cheer him on. We had a blast running around at the park and playing with friends while we watched the match.

After the game, we headed to the beach to our favorite summer lunch spot right on the water where we gorged ourselves with delicious seafood and ice cold refreshing cocktails. Ahhhh summer, how I've missed you. The above picture was taken of LM enjoying his day out, cool shades courtesy of Dad.

The hubbs and I are originally both from the same area at the beach but now live a distance away from it and it is always this time of year that has us yearning to get back. It helps that our family still lives there so we can visit whenever we want, but it would be great to have our own spot there again someday. I miss waking up to salty air and sand in my sheets. (sigh)

After a long winter, it definitely feels good to know that summer is almost here!

I hope everyone else enjoyed the weekend as much as we did!

Stupid Foolish Woman Update...

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 19:10:00 +0000

So, if you have been following along for quite some time then you will be familiar with my journey in trying to shed the rest of the Ben & Jerry's layer that I packed on during the last 2 months of my pregnancy.

My efforts were jump started with the impending nuptials of one of my dearest friends, as I am serving as one of her bridesmaids next weekend in South Carolina as she marries the man of her dreams. To reference the initial reason and panic in trying to get fit quickly, please read this.

I have been loosely followng a diet and exercise plan for the last few weeks in anticipation of this event. I had wanted to be more serious about it but well, life just sort of gets in the way sometimes and so does apparently, my love of dessert unfortunately.

So finally, doomsday came, in the form of a navy blue dress yesterday.

That's right, time to face the music to see if this hesitantly ordered 2 sizes smaller than what I measured out at 6 months ago, dress would zip.

As I drove to the bridal salon I couldn't help but feel like it was a final journey down the Green Mile. No turning back, your inevitable fate waiting for you at the end, no way of changing course now, what's done is done. My palms became sweaty, my heart picked up a pace or two as each mile ticked by counting off like a stick of dynamite until I reached my destination. I'm not going to lie, I thought of turning back more than once. At the traffic light 1/4 mile from my destination, I patiently waited at a painfully long red light right smack in front of a Baskin Robbins and even thought of stopping in for a quick cone. Then I quickly thought better of it, reminding myself that that is precisely how I got myself into this mess in the first place.

Once inside the bridal mecca, I nervously asked for my dress to be pulled and anxiously nibbled at my fingernails while little man and I waited for them to bring me my assumed blue sausage skin.

Crap, I thought. Why would I do this to myself? Why didn't I just order the size that fit and they could have just taken the damn thing in?! I swore to myself that this would be the last time that I ever did this for the rest of my life (lie) and felt shame for how I was going to explain not being able to zip my dress in front of the sales woman, let alone how I would explain this to my friend on the day of her wedding.

ugh. ugh, ugh. shame. shame. shame.

Then a seamstress emerged with my frock and showed LM and I to a "fun" dressing room with lots of mirrors designed to give you the ability to see yourself from every angle (aka, expose every flaw, flab, crevice and pasty dimple you've been hiding beneath swaths of cotton, denim and wool all winter long.) To little man, this was his idea of Disneyland, to me, my worst nightmare come to life.

As the seamstress waited for me to disrobe, I started to do that nervous overtalking thing where I could set the stage for what was about to come, my ultimate humiliation, about how I just had a baby and it's been so much harder to lose the weight than in my prebaby days, etc, etc, etc, (e.g excuse, excuse, excuse.) She kept nodding and agreeing and generally seemed sympathetic, but then, like pulling a band aid off of raw skin, she swung the dress over my head and started the ascent of the zipper. Wait! I thought, no countdown? I'm not ready! I didn't even realize that I was holding my breath until I heard her say "uh, oh."

"uh, oh?! What do you mean, uh oh?!" I said.

Just as I swung around to face the mirror and braced myself for the ultimate humiliation, I saw something I did not expect. There I stood, in my dress, fully zipped and gasp! It was too big! I blinked to be sure I wasn't dreaming and looked again. There it was, in plain sight- TOO BIG!! WOOT! WOOT! Fireworks went off in my own head and I immediately felt like I had won the lottery... or the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition (which is basically the same thing in mom fantasyland.)

Then it dawned on me. Uh oh was right. I hadn't planned on the dress actually fitting and so in turn, I hadn't prepared for any time to be taken into account should there be any alterations needed in time for our departure on Thursday. CRAP. "What do I do? I stammered, I'm so sorry that I came at the last minute but we're leaving Thursday morning and I can't go with my dress like this." She immediately put my mind at ease and reminded me why we live in one of the greatest countries in the world. Anything can be done, at any time.....for a fee, or course. A rush fee of $25 on top of the cost of alterations to be exact. God Bless America. Honestly though, I would have paid more just for the convenience and because I was still riding the skinny wave high.

So, it's official, I did it. Granted I still have a way to go to my goal and summer isn't even here yet, but I'm proud of myself for getting things off to a good start. While I certainly won't be practicing my poses for my centerfold pictorial anytime soon, I did leave that salon walking a little taller, with a little more sass in my step and I have to say, it felt great.

Here's what I'll be wearing next weekend in a slightly different shade of blue, minus the hat.

If having a crush on my son is wrong, then I don't want to be right.

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 21:02:00 +0000

So it took exactly 8 months and 27 days but I got it!

Over breakfast this morning, through a banana coated smile, Little Man looked at me and said "Mama."

(SWOON!)

I'm pretty sure I only now just stopped crying and it's nearly 5pm.

Just to ensure me that it was no fluke, he has said it a few extra times for me today- only not when I'm holding the video camera. hmphfff.

It's just as well anyway.

It will be our special thing, until someone else is lucky enough to hear it.

I heard it and that's all that matters.

To be young again

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 19:30:00 +0000

How great to be young again when life is so simple.

No worries or stress created by work, family, personal issues, etc...

No- "I overslept and then my kid threw his breakfast all over the kitchen, then he peed on himself twice which resulted in multiple changes this morning, and then my babysitter was late so I couldn't get out the door on time and that's why I missed the meeting this morning."

Just simple joy and delight in the everyday, knowing that everything is A-OK.
Not a care in the world.
Everything is so new and exciting, everyday.

Take for example a carousel ride for the first time.

How exhilirating.

Reveling in the wind blowing in your hair.

The cheerful music that lets you know something fun is about to happen.

The exciting surprise the first time your animal lifts off the platform and sends you up into the air as you swing around the bend and catch a friendly wave from Mom or Dad.

3 minutes of pure bliss.
When 3 minutes used to feel like an eternity.

I want to be young again.

Doesn't it look great?!

Wonderful Weekends

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 19:01:00 +0000

Don't you just love a truly wonderful weekend?

This past weekend was just that.

Gorgeous weather. Great Friends. Good Times.

What could be better in life?

Friday we took an impromptu drive up to Connecticut to visit some of our dearest friends to celebrate our buddy Kevin's bday. It proved to be a trip worth taking, though I can't remember the last time that it wasn't.

Saturday morning LM and a group of adorable little loves were in a photo shoot for a non-profit that I run, which we are going to post on our new website launch later this Spring.

Saturday afternoon took us to yet another friend's bday bash, complete with a band in the backyard (how fun!) where we whiled away the rest of the day enjoying the sun and lots of laughs.

And Sunday I spent another beautiful day apartment hunting with my brother- in- law and his fab fiance. It was so fun to watch them scoping out different places to start their life together and it made me nostalgic for when the hubbs and I bought our first place together and the excitement that we felt.

Even though from the outside our weekend sounded really busy, I woke up this morning feeling refreshed from all of the down time with friends which I sorely needed. Sometimes just getting to spend easy time with people you love is just what you need to break from the everyday.

Holiday Haze

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 13:10:00 +0000

We're back from the holiday and post holiday haze.

Our Easter was lots of fun, we hope your holiday was as well.

The LM had a great first Easter filled with baskets of treats, a new tunnel courtesy of his godmother and a bubble filled car ride down the street in the afternoon.

Simple pleasures- what's better, right?

Here are some shots of us enjoying the day and the 75 degree sunny weather- Magic!

Surprise Easter Eggs

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:20:00 +0000

I just Love these DIY surprise Easter Eggs!

I saw them via the lovely blog Say YES! To Hoboken this morning and now have a hankering to try my hand at these adorable little treats.

How fun to crack a real egg and find chocolate and treats inside?! adorable!

For the full post and instructions from their talented creator,

Megan from the blog notmartha, click here.

Happy Easter everyone!!

The Friday Highlight

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:01:00 +0000

BEABA Babycook

Today's highlight is on the most used appliance in my kitchen at the moment, The BEABA Babycook.

I received this cute little device as a gift at my baby shower from my sister in law, who is well versed in my love of cooking and thought I might like to try my hand at making my own baby food once the Little Man arrived.

I have been using the babycook since LM started on solids and I have to admit, I LOVE it.

Could you make your own freshly made organic purees for baby with items you already own in your own kitchen? absolutely. I have to admit though, the BEABA makes it so darn easy that it doesn't make sense to dirty a bunch of pots, food processors, etc... when you don't have to.

You simply put the diced food in of your choice, steam for 15 minutes, then puree, all in the same bowl and voila! Homemade, not to mention seriously delicious baby food that you can serve to your hungry little bean. You also get to experiment and make whatever combinations your little love likes, to come up with dishes perfectly suited to their tastes.

*** One caveat that I must mention however is that my son seems to have become spoiled by developing a palette for fresh veggies and fruits, that he now refuses to eat jarred baby food of any kind. I have tried several kinds and he clamps his mouth shut and turns his head away as if to say "You're trying to pass that chopped beef off as the filet mignon I'm used to? pssshhhhh, yeah right."

The BEABA is a bit pricey as an initial investment at $149.95, but the only money I'm shelling out beyond that is fresh or freshly frozen organic produce to make purees out of, which when compared with the cost of jarred food, is a savings for sure.

I personally feel like it's worth it because I'm giving my son a great start in life by introducing healthy eating habits to him and a vast array of fresh natural foods, that will hopefully turn him into an adventurous eater. In an age where childhood obesity is on the rise in our country, it feels good to know that you're trying to form these healthy habits from the start.

FYI....the BEABA can also be used to make great recipes for toddlers as their eating habits increase, insuring that you get your money's worth once they move beyond baby purees.

Happy Cooking!

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:19:00 +0000

The last few days around here have been wet, cold and soggy.

Everyday the forecast has read : rain, rain, more rain, even more rain, some more rain, rain. blek.

All of this gloomy weather and being stuck inside is really starting to affect my mood.

After that tease of Spring weather we had 2 weekends ago, we are so ready for some sunshine!!

The second half of today's forecast says that we are on the mend and can expect a brilliant weekend of sunny skies and 75 degree temps.

Bring it on we say!!

8!

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:41:00 +0000

Today, Little Man is 8 Months! How quickly the time goes!

I cannot believe that we are slinking closer and closer to his 1st bday.

Last night the hubbs said that at times it feels like it was just yesterday that we brought him home but at the same time, it feels like he's been with us forever.

I couldn't agree more.

Maybe it's because since he's been here, we couldn't imagine our lives without him.

Well maybe we could- it would definitely involve more sleep, less poop and a closet full of clothes for me that actually fit.

Regardless, having lived on both sides, I'd take this side anyday.

Who Cares Who Saw It First?

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 19:10:00 +0000

So we have lots of exciting things happening around here in the land of Little Man.

As previously noted, he has successfully tried to escape from his crib for the first time, although his efforts were thwarted when we lowered his mattress to a height that is just out of reach... for now anyway.

His two front teeth are buldging through some stubborn gums that aren't quite ready to let them loose just yet but I feel that we are only mere days away from this happening, which will pretty much lock down LM's gerbil impersonation.

He has even shed his first drop of post accident blood on Dad's watch yesterday while I was at work. Nothing serious, although I'm sure the guilt that my hubby is suffering from is far worse than the actual injury ever had a shot at being.

However, the largest happening by far would be the progression of LM's movement. It would seem that he has finally jiggled the gear shift loose that has been stuck in reverse for weeks and thrown that sucker into drive. Yes he is finally crawling forward! This of course was relayed to me via TEXT MESSAGE. (gasp!) "What?!" you say? Yes, it is true, I MISSED IT! (forgive me for a moment while I lick the still very raw wound and regain my composure.)

You see, yesterday I worked a marathon amount of hours and was out of the house early in the morning and didn't return until dinner time. This is the sign of a great day in my job but a sign of the worst day in the life of a new mother, who doesn't want to miss any of her son's firsts. I love my job because it affords me the opportunity to make my own hours, which allows me to spend quality time with my son without sacrificing my career. However, yesterday I cursed it.

No offense to my husband who is always on my end of this recent spectrum, in that he travels exstensively and often misses many of LM's firsts, only to share in them through a text message or video that I email so that he feels a part of it. I'm always ecstatically sending these milestones without realizing that while my husband is so grateful to feel connected to home while he's away, it also simultaneously makes him feel horrible that he's missing out on it happening live. I always reassure him that it's no big deal, "he'll do it again for you when you get home." I now see how little comfort that offers to the parent who can't be there to see it for themselves. In fairness, he did try to soothe the burn by offering a white lie in the form of a "don't worry, it's hardly noticeable, I mean only I really notice it." riiiight.

So I have to admit, yesterday I was heartbroken when I was alerted of this hugely exciting milestone. By the time I got home it was bed time and LM wasn't up to dazzling me with his new skills. I read him a story and snuggled him tight until he fell asleep, feeling like the worst mom ever for not being there to see him achieve something so great.

As if that weren't bad enough, this morning I had to race out to work again to tie up some loose ends from yesterday and missed most of the morning with him. Just when I was starting to feel disconnected and questioning whether or not I really am doing the best job of juggling all of my responsibilities and feeling fulfilled at the same time, my son did the best thing I could ever ask for.
At the sound of my voice returning from work, he became very excited and lit up like a firework when he saw me come into view and with that, feverishly crawled right to ME to collect his smother of kisses that I happily planted all over his chubby little cheeks. It wasn't until I loosened my proud, loving grip on him that I noticed that I had tears rolling down my cheeks.

You see, the most important thing is he's learning and growing everyday and that is an amazing thing to watch. With each new skill learned he seems so happy and excited to show it off, that watching him conquer all of these little hurdles in life is incredibly rewarding for all of us... no matter who gets to see it first.

Escape Artist

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:15:00 +0000

So I have recently woken up to this image of my son trying to escape from his crib.

Frightening.

Look at him being all stealth trying to stay out of sight of the camera.

You're not fooling anyone Little Man, Big Brother is always watching.

Looks like we have some crib lowering to do.

Stop The Clock

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 01:18:00 +0000

Is it just me or is this year flying by?

Sure I have probably said that before, as most people have, but this time I really mean it.

Ever since the Little Man arrived I feel like time has shot itself out of a cannon and here we are.

Just a few short months ago we were blessed with this new little bean. We spent most of our time trying to figure out the ins and outs of taking care of a baby everyday and catching a wink of sleep whenever we could.

Now we have a little guy living under our roof with a huge personality who is so very busy all day long. His new trick is pulling himself up on the toy basket to stand up, finally signing back some of the words we have been teaching him and cracking up laughing every time the dog walks in the room. He's chock full of love and happiness.

While I love watching him learn and grow every single day, I also secretly wish I could stop the clock once in awhile and freeze some of these moments in time. As I see him growing so quickly before my eyes, I feel a sense of panic that one day I'll wake up and he'll be all grown up and won't need me anymore. I suppose that's the point and a sign of a job well done but there are times that I do wish he could stay this little forever.

Stealing a smooch from a sleeping 2 month old Jax

The Best Medicine

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 18:18:00 +0000

Ever have the worst day ever?

Today is one of those days for me, unfortunately.

So bad in fact that as I was driving home from work this afternoon, I was using everything I have inside me to not break down in tears.

Then I came home and saw this face.

And suddenly I felt better. Funny how they have the ability to just wipe out anything and everything negative in a split second.

Today was the worst day ever. But now it's better.

Thanks little man.

Magpie Lovely

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:19:00 +0000

Has everyone discovered the Magpie Lovely site yet? I think they have some of the cutest things for the little ones. I was perusing their site today and came across a few of these cute finds.

You Are My Sunshine Pillow

French Alphabet Cards

Patiently waiting on my tax return, while I feel an intense spring itch to pick up a few new items!

Swinging Days of Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 13:13:00 +0000

We had the best weekend. For the last few days we have enjoyed unseasonably warm temperatures and lots and lots of glorious SUN. It felt like a warm hug from a favorite friend that you haven't seen in a long time. I'm so anxious for warmer days ahead now.

We spent the entire weekend outside and loved every minute of it. We enjoyed walks along the water, our very first ride on a swingset and clowning around in the yard just feeling the grass beneath our feet.

SPRING is finally here!

Back up and running

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 17:29:00 +0000

So we're back from our extended stay at my dad's due to the storm that trashed our area last week. I have to admit, I have a bunch of pics that I wanted to upload to accompany this post to show what we were dealing with but I seem to have misplaced the cord that transfers pics from my camera onto my laptop so unfortunately we're going photoless today.

I thought about waiting until I located it but then I could potentially be looking at several days again before I could throw up a new post and I promised last time that I wouldn't do that anymore.

What can I say, I'm a woman of my word.

Alternatively, I do have something to share that I'm SUPER excited about. I realize that posting the next few sentences may incriminate me and my cool factor (or lack thereof) but I "recently" discovered (and by discovered I mean actually used, because I have known about it prior to now) SKYPE.

Last night we "Skyped" my brother, sister-in-law and niece who are currently living in California and I have to say that I am OBSESSED. It could quite possibly be one of the greatest inventions of our generation. I almost cried from excitement of being able to see my niece while we spoke over the computer and have her waving and blowing kisses to me while we live so far away. It makes the distance seem less so. I can't wait to try it out with my Mom in Florida next. It's absolutely great!

The best part is the software to download is completely free! It's terrific if you live far away from your family, grandparents, etc.... and you want to catch up and let them see the little ones as they're getting bigger each day. Plus it keeps your image fresh in the little ones minds as well so they don't forget about you.

If you haven't tried Skype yet, you should.

To download Skype, click here.

"There's no place like home, there's no place like home......"

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:09:00 +0000

Sorry for the silence over here but I am actually coming to you from a satellite location.

In case some of you readers are not familiar with the Nor'easter that struck the tri-state area over the weekend, I'll be the official mouth piece to tell you that it was bad. The Wile family was forced to pack up and leave our home on Sunday morning because we have had no power, heat or hot water since Saturday night at 7pm as a result of the storm that trashed our area.

What started off as a tres romantique evening with wine and candlelight after the little man went to bed on Saturday night, turned into a cold wet reality on Sunday morning when we woke up and realized that not only had our services not been restored but also that our entire County now resembled that of a completely devastated war zone. Huge 100yr old Oak trees that our town is famous for came crashing down taking out power lines and crashing into people's homes (no damage to ours, thankfully!) due to the 50mph winds that blasted the area and rain soaked ground that gave way to huge root structures being lifted up out from the soft soil.

We have been lucky enough to stay at my Dad's farm out in the equestrian fairyland of Morris County until we're able to go back home. We're having fun making an adventure out of it but it does start to get tiring being displaced with a little one and so many responsibilities left at home. Still, we'll enjoy the mini-vacation while it lasts. Which, by the way, we're told may last until the weekend as there are still 90,000+ people without power in the area!

I'll try to post while I'm here but my Wi-Fi access has been spotty at best, so if you don't hear from us in a few days, we'll give a full recap once we're settled back at home.

Hope everyone else from the area is making out ok and that all of your friends and loved ones are doing well in the aftermath!

The Friday Highlight

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:26:00 +0000

Today's Friday Highlight is dedicated to a site where I have become so addicted, so obsessed, that I think they should have a self-help group devoted entirely towards the people who LOVE this site.

Etsy is THE place to buy or sell all things handmade. You can sell your wares if you are super talented, which is a great way to get your entrepeneurial biz off the ground, or if you are less than inclined in that area, pick up some beautiful handmade items to buy and enjoy the fruits of someone else's creative efforts.

Etsy sellers literally sell EVERYTHING you can imagine. I have purchased items on there for my husband for christmas, cute unique items for Little Man and even a few special scores for myself. But for the sake of the blog, I shall only highlight the area of the website that pertains to the wee ones.

As of today there are 14,998 pages of items for kids for sale!

I swear every time I go on this site either just to browse, or specifically look for an intended item, I fall so far down into a shopping crazed rabbit hole that I often don't even remember what I went in for.

If you haven't discovered the delight of Etsy yet, I highly recommend you do.

You can thank, or curse me later.

Some of the items offered up for grabs today

Fabric Wall Decals

Penelope Dress

Portland Booties

Party Munchkin

delicate floral headband

Bundle bunny

Overheard at Chez Wile

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:22:00 +0000

7:34am

As I was racing around this morning having just given LM a bath since he woke up soaked and quickly trying to throw some clothes on for myself before our babysitter arrives and I have to leave for work, all while my son cries out for breakfast that I'm clearly late on making. I glance over at our daschund mutt Chino as he snuggles back into our bed, head under the covers because clearly all this commotion has disturbed his morning sleep.

Me: "In my next life I want to come back as Chino."

Hubbs (calling out from the shower): "That would be like winning Powerball!"

This guy has the life.

Not feeling the L.O.V.E ?

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:55:00 +0000

The last 7 months have been filled with endless amounts of Joy and Love since I had my son. Every day is an adventure with him and he has such an adorable personality that I find just about everything he does to be infectious. But that's how every mom feels about their new baby, right? Unfortunately that's not always the case.

While I have been enjoying just about every single second with my son, there have been moments along the way where the exhaustion, mountains of dirty diapers, a to-do list of things that never seem to get done and a weekly shopping list that resembles Groundhog Day every time I look at it- that were it not for my still lingering Baby Brain, I would have already had it committed to memory- can make even the most confident and blissed out mom feel tired or stressed.

Going from a twosome to a threesome can have multiple effects on your marriage, your life and your career. For most women this new endeavor is met with at first, some trepidation, then some nervous excitement, a little juggling and then ultimately an easy settling in. For others the responsibility, as well as the drastic change in lifestyle and as an individual, can be downright overwhelming. (Whichever side of the spectrum you fall on is completely justified.)

Being responsible for someone else's life, as well as their overall well being and shaping as a citizen can be daunting. It's a huge task, one you most certainly should feel ready to take on. Even women who feel this however before their baby arrives can start to second guess themselves, or their ability to succeed, which is totally normal. Add those feelings of uncertainty to a household where a colicky baby has just arrived and cries for several hours a day, a baby that even after several months still isn't sleeping through the night, perhaps a partner that isn't necessarily pulling their share of the weight, or just the shock of going from a full time career where freshly blown dry hair and cute spit up free outfits are replaced with days where finding the time to shower can seem downright impossible and it's no wonder that 1 in 8 women suffer from post partum depression.

While some women never reach a full blown state of depression, over 80% have reported feeling some level of highs and lows following the arrivals of their babies. Fortunately for most women, this emotional roller coaster is mild and usually remediates itself naturally, but along the way I'm sure many could use a few pointers on how to handle it all while, well, handling it ALL.

Enter Mindful Mommy, where Jennifer Brosnick, MSW is helping mothers-to-be as well as new mothers, cope with this new life change through a wide range of techniques, counseling and products. Mostly, through various Buddhist centric traditions, she teaches women who are either embarking on this new journey or whom are currently in the throes of it, how to live in the moment and ultimately enjoy the ups and downs that come with being a new mother.

No matter where you are in your life and journey as a new or expectant mother, it is truly a time to cherish as these little ones grow so quickly everyday and amaze us with all that they learn, see and do.

However, no matter how put together any woman may feel at times, the old adage holds true, it takes a village to raise a child and there is never any shame in reaching out or accepting help when you feel less like Superwoman and more like barely a woman on any given day. The fact is, we all have our moments and like the good times, we should embrace the tough times as well because it is in those moments where we ultimately find the most strength and really see what we're made of.

Adventures of Little Man

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:39:00 +0000

Here is a shot of Little Man at Madison Square Garden yesterday for the Big East Tournament.

Call the mom police.... I brought a 7 month old to a basketball game to cheer on our Alma Mater, St. John's University, as they took on and ultimately defeated UCONN.

And guess what? He LOVED it!

Sadly, our fate during today's game vs. Marquette did not fare as well.

And by "NO" you mean...."YES?"

noreply@blogger.com (Jax's Mom) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:56:00 +0000

Just this past weekend, I was having an interesting conversation with some great friends about when and how we could start to implement some disciplinary structure into the lives of our little loves.

At what point do they really start to understand?
What is considered a temper tantrum at 7 months? (For the record, I believe I'm starting to recognize them.)
How do you really teach these little ones- whom I'm pretty sure do not posess the ability to reason just yet, to stop doing that thing you wish they weren't doing?
At one point do these exercises in discovery turn into bad habits?

Sadly, you won't find the answers to any of these questions here. I'm a first time Mom, remember? I have no idea what I'm doing!

I did however find this morning's post on Stroller Traffic to be interesting in regard to certain things we should take note of as we start to descend down the slippery slope of "NOville."

Turns out all that clapping and enthusiasm already has me off to a bad start....