2. Enter e-mail for daily updates:
« July 2006 | Main | May 2008 »
Fall is coming, but that shouldn't stop you from trying to preserve visions of spring and summer indoors.
The handmade, hand-painted nylon Madame Butterflies ($12) from Land of Nod measure an impressive 22 x 10 inches and come in purple, pink, and green. Suspend these fluttery friends with the accompanying clear, 54” nylon hanging line.
As a music and brain scientist, the innateness of music appeared irrefutable when I saw my babe flap her arms to music (before she could walk), squat/bounce on her chubby haunches at her piano (during the cruising phase), and collectively rock out with her toddler friends at day care (think hoedown meets toddler mosh pit).
So why not keep feeding that natural creative spirit? Music Together offers music making programs for babes (infants – kindergarteners) and their caregivers. And it’s okay if you lost your musical mojo sometime en route to adulthood. The trained professionals will help you discover fun ways to be musical with your babe.
Use Music Together's class locator to check nationwide and international offerings. Among the many locations across Massachusetts, I've heard great things about Music Together of Cambridge & Brookline (also offering classes in Boston & Charlestown). In addition to your set of nine 45-minute classes ($195; sibling discount = $90; babes under 1 year old are free with registered sibling), fees include musical goodies (e.g., CDs, songbook, activities), a handbook on developmental music research, and, if desired, an assessment of your child’s music development.
I’m reposting information about the Movies for Moms series in West Newton, given that the cinema does not yet have a fixed schedule (i.e., the showings have been made possible by the efforts of one committed mama - thanks LL!).
Tomorrow’s (August 31) 11am showing is the critically acclaimed “Little Miss Sunshine.” Enjoy!
We’re lucky to be part of a generation of super involved and invested dads. “Peek! A Thai Hide-and-Seek” portrays a loving father/daughter relationship through imaginative writing and illustration within a lush, cultural context. Minfong Ho creates a catchy and playful rhyme scheme engaging a host of jungle creatures; Holly Meade’s watercolor and cut-paper collage work is a feast for eyes of all ages.
“Peek!” lists as appropriate for ages 4-8 but much younger babes will love listening to the rhyme scheme, naming the jungle animals, and finding the hiding toddler on each page.
Available at Amazon, regularly $16.99; currently on sale for $11.55.
Mamahood apparently comes without the warning label that potential side effects may include creative liberation and career change.
Case in point: Teri Dimalanta of giddygiddy, a self proclaimed “investment analyst turned craftaholic mom” (whose story is similar to my own). The giddygiddy collection features clips in the form of flowers (big and little blooms), food (fruits, veggies, and treats), and the cutest little animal collection you’ve ever seen (shown, “bow wow”; all clips are $8 each). And Teri’s clever styling goes beyond the "oohs!" and "aahs!" effect; the metal snap clip is sewn snuggly into the felt design to avoid snags, and stay put in fine baby hair.
What a pity that my food poisoning induced “labor” precluded use of our doula (the services of which were available gratis via participation in a doula study at our hospital). As first time parents, my husband and I loved the idea of having a childbirth expert in the room to take the pressure off of Jon, and keep our multi-paged (!) birthing plan on track.
Of course, the birthing plan and doula went out the window when I had my emergency C-section. So while I am unable to provide a personal reference, a dear mama friend from Cambridge – who searched long and hard for her doula – offers high praise for the following resource:
Wanda Blanckenberg (508-958-8437) was a calm and experienced presence throughout my 21 hours of labor, helping with everything from massage to relaxation breathing to deciding when to have an epidural to bolstering my husband when the contractions were slow. And when my spirits began to flag towards the end, hers was the encouraging voice that got me through to the birth of my beautiful baby daughter. In addition, she provides after-birth care with breastfeeding and other needs, all with the same calm serenity that makes her such an asset in the delivery room.”
My pal also recommends checking out DONA International’s list of questions to ask during birth and postpartum doula interviews; particularly taking care to find out the doula’s pain management philosophy right off the bat.
I’m writing on the heels of a local move that went impressively well, both logistically and toddler-istically; I thought I would pass on moving tips before the packing peanuts go to my head.
Logistical suggestions: 1) hire movers (once you have kids – and all of their gear – it’s time to stop hitting up your friends for moving help); 2) confirm your moving appointment (we would have been waiting around a long time had we not done this); 3) line up an extra set of hands to help with your kid(s) if you are moving on the weekend (Auntie Sha-Sha was a godsend on moving day); 4) ruthlessly prune your belongings; and 5) if possible, donate or sell items before or during your move. You’ll not be surprised by the correlation between discard rate and remaining packing time.
Kid-specific suggestions (they require more description and thus, separate paragraphs…):
1. Keep as many variables constant as possible. For example, if you’re thinking about weaning or potty training or transition to a big kid bed, wait until after the move. Set up your babe’s bedding and critical comfort objects as soon as you get to your new home. Keep to your basic routines as best you can.
2. With toddlers and older kids, talk up the move in advance (another mama pal related success with drawing pictures of the move process, e.g., big trucks, riding on airplanes). We had overlap between our leases so we took Laurel to the new home and let her run around, explore, and had her pick a few toys to place in her new room (she really liked this). During one of these visits she saw a broom on the porch and started pushing it around, saying “Laurel cleaning new home!”
3. We exercised the Pack n’ Play as a potential transition necessity. We set it up a couple nights before the move since we needed to break down the crib the day before the move, and in case the crib broke in transit or we weren’t able to get it set up in time for midday nap. It had been a long time since our babe used the PnP (and quite honestly, she’s a bit big for it…); when asked whether she would like to sleep in the “special camping crib” or the “plain crib” she took the bait. Never mind that she had to sleep on a diagonal to fit in it!
4. While maintenance of daily routines will help provide stability amidst the transition, appreciate that it’s a stressful time for everyone and your babe likely will need some extra TLC. Laurel has been a bit overwhelmed by the size of our new flat (“big home, little scared”) and not surprisingly sleeping time has been a little scary for her. Typically, Laurel falls asleep on her own after we leave her room, but during the first day in the new home she was clearly scared; she refused to take her midday nap (we ended up taking her out for a drive and she passed out immediately) and at bedtime I stayed with her until she fell asleep. Yesterday, after a full day of play in the new house, she was more comfortable; we still stayed longer than usual before nap and bedtime, but we were able to leave while she was still awake. She’s being a champ, but we’re rolling with things and bending our typical patterns when needed to help her adjust.
5. Make a stop to stock up on fruit and fluids. Moving tends to involve a lot of takeout; the novelty wears off in a hurry and you’ll find yourself craving clean flavors and rehydration.
6. If friends offer to have you over for dinner so you can escape the boxes, take them up on it (thanks Nic!).
7. Pick out a couple of new toys or books as housewarming gifts for your babe.
8. Settle what you can but feel OK about taking breaks from unpacking so you all can enjoy downtime in your new home.
Feel free to comment if you have moving tips to share!
Children’s décor options can be overwhelming; so why not keep the furniture and bedding simple and let your walls do the talking? Susannah Webster of Small Pond Murals is a local artist mama who creates custom murals for children’s rooms. Susannah’s murals manage to be both cheery and gentle, through use of vibrant yet soft color palettes, clean lines, and fanciful imagery.
Contact Susannah directly for a complimentary initial consultation.
I recently heard someone refer to Arlington as the new Cambridge. I won’t get into that argument in detail, but the fabulously yummy Za - minutes from the Cambridge/Arlington line - offers strong evidence for the case file.
Za followed the closing of Full Moon, the closing of which was a mystery given Full Moon’s seemingly steady stream of customers. Za has stepped up to the task, though, serving gourmet pizzas and salads that are suitable for both adults and kids. Kids will delight in the bright artwork and pig sculptures; the staff happily will fill up your sippy with milk, chocolate milk, or apple juice.
Za offers a regular menu (build your own and specialty pizzas, the latter of which change on occasion) as well as chalkboard specials that change more frequently and incorporate seasonal ingredients often garned from local farms. Za also recently made a smart move in developing a fine dessert menu.
The citrus infused beet, pea green, and goat cheese salad is spectacular, as is the Portobello mushroom (with roasted red pepper, caramelized onion, roasted garlic, and goat cheese) specialty pizza.
Za, 138 Mass. Ave., Arlington, Tel: 781-316-2334
Nothing says New England babe like a mini-version of your L.L.Bean barn jacket. The Adirondack Barn Coat is lined with flannel and constructed from soft, sandwashed canvas that feels broken-in from the start.
Machine wash and dry. Toddler sizes $29.50; kid sizes $39.50. Available in British Khaki (shown), Deepest Red, Sea Pink (toddlers only), and Bright Mariner (kids only).
A mama friend needs help! Her mother-in-law (MIL) appears to have a hang up about feeding her grandchildren unapproved and/or inappropriate food. Some data: 1) MIL fed my friend’s nephew his first solids (without his parents approval obviously), which resulted in a mild facial rash; 2) MIL tried to feed my friend’s daughter ice cream when she was an infant (luckily the parents were there to intervene); 3) MIL fed my friend’s daughter three new (i.e., not yet allergy tested) foods in one day, including meat, finger foods, and refined sugar products. The behavior persists despite repeated admonishments, conversations, interventions, instructions, and piles of prepared baby food.
At an emotional level, it is frustrating that MIL stole some major feeding milestones from these parents. MIL also doesn’t seem concerned about deviating from the food instructions provided, or the possibility of dealing with allergic reactions (or leaving it to the parents to deal with them). But MIL clearly loves her grandkids (she’s part of the weekly care routine) so what gives?
I was surprised to come up so short when researching this topic online. Other than a small section at BabyCenter on relative care (e.g., setting ground rules, payment), there is little in the way of professional resources in this domain. But the problem definitely exists, as evidenced by existing message boards at the baby, toddler, and preschool levels.
I could speculate on underlying power struggles or generational obsessions with feeding babies, but ultimately I think that the best you can do is have open conversations with your relative caregiver, provide detailed instructions, and pack plenty of baby food options. Beyond that, you have no control over the caregiver’s actions and thus need to focus on how to process your own reactions. You may find that over time (i.e., as the baby gets older and you have a better sense of what foods do and do not sit well) you’ll just care less about the specifics so long as the babe is getting nutricious offerings. But if you continue to find that the situation is a source of repeated stress and anger, it may be time to find an alternative caregiving arrangement.
Do you have thoughts to share on relative caregiving and food? Let us know what strategies you have used to cope.
Our babe recently picked up a nasty little yeast rash along with what appeared to be Coxsackie virus. She was generally in very good spirits, with not much in the way of fever and just a few tiny blisters on her feet and hands, but her bum was looking pretty bad. After a couple of days of diaper treatment, combing my baby manual and the web, and consulting with a couple mama friends, I finally decided it was time to check in with the doctor.
For the most part, time, fluids, and Tylenol are the best treatments for Coxsackie; but our pediatrician did recommend a great tip for the yeast rash. Typical application of antifungal creams is limited to twice a day, thus shortening the time window that the cream can work away at the yeast rash. Our doctor suggested making a 50/50 mix of antifungal cream and diaper cream, thus allowing the antifungal cream to continually treat the yeast rash while still creating a protective barrier via the diaper cream.
A new season is nearly upon us, a time made complicated by burning fashion desire + limited resources. A while back, my fabulous mama friend Paige hosted a terrific ladies’ event that perfectly suited said fashion desire + limited resources issue.
The event was a fashion swap, before which everyone weeded out their closets and laundered their fashionable, yet now tragically ill-fitting items. Wine and fondue accompanied the initial open browsing period; we then picked numbers out of a hat and, in order, went shopping. The only rules were that we only select one item per go around (so those later in the order had plenty to choose from), and that we tell the other ladies about our super cool find. It was a great way to relax with friends, refurbish wardrobes, and chat about the stories behind some of the clothes.
As it turned out, the event kept on giving. Even after everyone had shopped ‘til they dropped, there remained a pile of great clothing with lots of love and sass left in them. These items were donated to a local Goodwill.
Dear Readers: our apologies, we tried to enable an upgrade during waking hours and currently are experiencing problems with our category archives (listings immediately on the left sidebar). Some of the links are there; some are not. We’re in the process of resolving this problem.
Meanwhile, fear not, you can still check out all of our posts by scrolling down to the Archives section immediately below the Categories, or by using the search engine.
Thanks for your patience!
UPDATE (1:30pm): Categories are back, but pages are loading slower than usual. We're working on the latter issue, but otherwise, happy browsing!
What a happy mama I would be if I had limitless closets; I’m a huge fan of straightening via stowing to create simple, clean spaces.
Tame the clutter beast in style with The Container Store’s Large Floral Crunch Basket ($19.99; shown in pink; also available in blue floral, stripes, and solids). This collapsible basket is part of the Container Store’s laundry collection, but it’s also great for toys, storage, or anything else that needs a home. Measures 17 inches in diameter x 25 inches high.
Sometimes housecleaning feels so onerous that you just need to vacate the premises. This Thursday (August 24) from 12 – 3pm, escape the mess but celebrate your good intentions by heading to the AMC/Loews Boston Common 19. Clorox is treating moms and kids to a free screening of Barnyard: The Original Party Animals. Before the flick, Dr. Kelly Reynolds, a mother of three with a PhD in microbiology, will share healthy home tips for busy moms, including information on how to manage the spread of surface germs that result in illness, and how to help limit exposure to home allergens. Clorox also will provide snacks and a goody bag full of their latest products; you'll be properly fueled and armed to tackle the mess back home.
You must RSVP (1-866-342-3115) to attend the screening. AMC/Loews Boston Common 19, 175 Tremont Street, Boston
Isn’t it ironic that as a nursing mama you spend so much time nourishing your babe that you barely have time to eat? Angel Milk offers a yummy supplement to the foods and vitamins you do manage to consume via their all-natural nutritional shake. Especially formulated for pregnant and nursing mamas, Angel Milk is fortified with vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K, folic acid, and blended with minerals like calcium, iron and magnesium. It’s also high in protein and low in sugar.
Although I’m neither pregnant nor nursing at the moment, I’m already a fan of Angel Milk. The texture and flavors (chocolate, strawberry, pina colada) are smooth, the subtle sweetness level is spot on, and it's a great, compact way to pack in nutrients.
Angel Milk is sold in 14 oz cans (14 servings, $19.99) or in individual packets (12 for $29.99). The company also offers an inexpensive starter kit ($9.99) that includes one individual packet of each of their flavors + the Angel Milk shaker cup (with liquid measurement markings and a cap for easy blending).
Angel Milk, Tel: 1-800-ANGEL76 or 310-547-1185
As much as I love pedicures, sometimes a home remedy is all that you have time (and cash) for.
EO's Peppermint & Lavender Foot Scrub offers a marvelous means to treat the feet while waking the senses. Organic brown rice and natural clay exfoliate and draw out impurities; the peppermint and lavender essential oils result in a delicious olfactory pick me up.
Available at natural food stores and independent grocers such as Whole Foods, Wild Oats, Fresh Fields, Central Markets, Nature's Harvest and Bread & Circus. The EO website offers a resale store locator search by zip code.
Newton Community Education offers an impressive range of programming for little ones (ages 4 and up) and adults, including Soccer for Moms. Even if your babe hasn’t yet made it onto the playing field, you are welcome to join. Coaches from Viking Soccer provide the equipment, officiate games, and offer skill pointers to players of all levels. Bring a soccer ball, wear shin guards, and stay hydrated; cleats also are recommended.
From 8 – 9am on Saturdays starting September 16, 2006. You need not be a Newton resident to sign up.
What’s not to love about Global Girlfriend? This online fair trade boutique offers unique handmade items made by women's non-profit programs and cooperatives worldwide. Proceeds support a host of women’s organizations, including Rosie’s Place in Boston.
Global Girlfriend offers apparel and accessories, jewelry, gifts, and décor items. A great pick is the Bold Silk Cosmetic Bag in pink and orange ($12). Made from 100% silk, this bag is handmade by a Southern Indian fair trade group that provides sustainable employment, competitive wages, as well as free meals, health care and education for employees and their children.
Our babe has always been a sensitive, empathetic little person. So it's no surprise that she's been a little nervous about recent changes in her world (e.g., teachers at her school moving on to other careers, older friends transitioning into new classrooms, our local move preparations). While I know that her periodic bouts of clinginess will resolve once life gets back to normal, I have been reminded of how difficult it was to cope with separation anxiety when it first cropped up during babyhood. If your babe is entering this phase, check out these resources from KidsHealth and BabyCenter; they offer description of how separation anxiety develops and strategies on how to cope.
Some might say that babes don’t earn their keep, what with their relentless consumption of Cheerios and diapers, but this week my peanut got me out of a traffic ticket. We were en route from day care and, eager to get home, I tried to catch the right turn light and basically ended up blowing through the red. As soon as I cleared the corner I got pulled over. Busted mommy.
Well, our babe loves emergency vehicles; she apparently couldn’t believe our good fortune that the flashing blues were right behind and for us. When the officer peered into the backseat Laurel said “policeman!” and offered him her red shovel (still in the car from our beach adventures last weekend). The officer asked about the shovel and Laurel proceeded to tell him about going to the beach, visiting Grandma and Grandpa, and the fact that there was too much water in the ocean. He was incredibly kind and patient in the face of all of this chatter.
I’d like to think that my clean driving record was my ticket to redemption, but really, the babe’s cuteness (documented here with her flower fingers) likely was the decisive factor in my only receiving a warning. I am truly grateful that the officer showed compassion towards the frazzled mom behind the wheel, and he still did his job even without issuing the ticket; I’ve been careful and law abiding ever since. Now I just have to figure out how to get the babe to stop saying, “Mommy ran the red light!”
I will save my seminar on music and innateness for another day. Meanwhile, consider taking a drive to Tanglewood in Lenox. At 3pm tomorrow (Saturday, August 19) members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra will perform The Tanglewood Family Concert, “Musical Storytelling: An Afternoon of Music, Stories & Drawing.” The program includes Tchaikovsky’s Children’s Album Op. 39, Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals, and Satie’s Sports & Divertissements. Kids are invited to bring their favorite stuffed animal, drawing pad, and crayons or markers. Tickets are $10 for adults; children 12 and under are free.
There are few places on earth like Tanglewood. What with the music, stories, and art framed within Tanglewood’s verdant, expansive backdrop, your family no doubt will be in for a whole brain experience.
Believe in miracles. This week, our carb and fruit lovin’ toddler voraciously consumed vegetables by choice. On Monday she demanded and ate all of the mushrooms off of a pizza we ordered, on Tuesday she munched bell peppers from a quesadilla her dad made her (typically the veggies are picked out and discarded), and on Wednesday she kept requesting more zucchini (yes, green vegetables!) once she finished the pieces in her chili bowl. I'm intrigued to see whether the streak continues today.
It’s possible that this was a string of freak occurrences; or perhaps the babe’s recent weekend vacation diet of cheese sandwiches, blueberries, and Grandpa’s birthday cake finally got to her and she could feel the scurvy coming on. Whatever the reason, I’m chalking it up to more evidence for the case file that less is more when it comes to stressing out about kids and eating. The best you can do is keep putting the veggies and other nutritious stuff out there (and/or use camouflaging techniques...) and eventually they will come around.
Canada is a great place to be a mama. Everyone has access to health care, typical maternity leave is one year, and homegrown products and resources for babies and moms abound.
One of my Canadian mama pals from graduate school pointed me to a couple of especially cool companies. Milkface.com offers a cute array of nursing clothing (check out the comfy and stylish tops!), nursing supplies, and slings. The cloth diapering products from Motherease.com also get high marks. Designed by a seasoned mom who grew tired of the cumbersome and leaky workings of traditional cloth diapering systems, the patented Motherease design offers a snug and streamlined fit for excellent function and comfort.
Both companies ship to the US and internationally.
I knew I was in trouble this past spring when the torrential rains hit and I was left to grovel at the hospital gift store for a plastic bag to protect my laptop.
Although that bag saved my laptop’s life, it left something to be desired functionally. I scoured the market for a protective, stylish laptop tote. I didn't want another black bag, but some of the funkier bags were either too pricey and/or huge. As in, so huge they were practically approaching flight speed on their own. I nearly caved and bought one of the pricier totes, but I decided that I didn't want to be wed to one bag for laptop carry.
I finally hit upon just the right solution. The Sumdex Padded Laptop Sleeve fits laptops 13” x 10” x 1” and is available for $17.99 at Ebags. The sleeve is compact and protective, and so long as my bag du jour is big enough, I can match my bag to outfit instead of vice versa.
Note: At Ebags, click on the “Will my laptop fit?” link in the Product Features section to check for your laptop model’s size compatability.
Since villages typically no longer raise children, parents often are faced with the guilt of their babe not recognizing beloved relatives and friends during visits and holidays. I picked up a great, easy idea from my sister in law to work on face recognition: a family and friends photo book.
For babies, just load up an inexpensive album with photos given that your little one first will be fascinated by looking at the faces, then likely will rip the pages once he/she learns how to pull the photos out (an entertaining game in itself...). For toddlers, you have an instant activity together: engage their help in picking out the album at the store; when you get home, have them choose which photos go in which slots. Ask them to decorate the book with stickers. Toddlers love helping out and you’ll be amazed by how quickly they pick up the names of loved ones.
For older kids, or as your own personal project, create a keepsake book. A cute album that won’t break the bank is the Studio K Stripes Dots Album (regularly $19.99, currently on sale for $14.99 at Joann.com). Acid and lignin free, this album includes 20 top-loading page protectors with white inserts to hold 40 layouts.
Nearly a year ago, the local art community lost a dear friend in Nathan Smith. Gentle, generous, and creative, Nathan was an independent artist and co-manager at the Paper Source in Cambridge.
Tomorrow, August 16th from 7 - 11pm, stop by the gallery show to benefit the Nathan Smith Foundation for the Visual Arts. “From the Ground Up” is open to the public and will feature the work of immensely talented local artists Heather Pilchard (oil, shown), Jason Arledge, and Laurie Mee.
At Vernon Street Studios, 6 Vernon Street, 2nd floor, Somerville.
Traveling with a babe isn’t exactly relaxing, but the right toys (and, if you are lucky, temperament) can make a trip enormously easier.
We just returned from a long weekend involving 8 hours roundtrip car/boat travel. We planned our timing carefully, scheduling the longest car leg over mid-day nap. Based on previous travel experiences, the options were: 1) use naptime to travel; 2) spend 2 hours twisted uncomfortably picking up dropped books and toys; or 3) try ineffectively to placate squirmy, screechy babe.
Our well-laid plans of course went out the window. In one direction we hit traffic that woke the babe up for the remainder of the drive; on the way back she didn’t sleep at all because she had fallen asleep during the earlier 45-minute ride to the ferry. We thought we were doomed, but: 1) the babe was in terrific spirits (i.e., she enjoyed babbling to herself and singing songs); and 2) we were armed with the Anatex Shape ‘n Color Coaster.
Anatex is famous for its wooden toys; the bead maze cubes at your pediatrician’s office are likely Anatex. The Shape ‘n Color Coaster couldn’t be simpler, but the wooden base, five pegs, and 50 slide-on pieces (five shapes and colors) offer a fun and compact way to learn about shapes, colors, counting, and grouping.
On the boat the babe enjoyed the toy in traditional format (i.e., base on table); in the car, we just gave her the flower shapes (her request, 10 pieces) and she spent all of her non-singing time making “flower fingers.”
Retails for $19.99; I got mine for an apparently accidental (mismarked) $9.99 at Whole Foods.
I love anything monogrammed. Perhaps the identity permanence appeals to me, having grown up on hand me downs. In fact, when recently shopping for a new lunchbox for my babe, I only considered styles big enough to allow for monogramming. The L.L. Bean Super Lunch Box, Regular ($16) offers functionality and monogrammability. The main compartment is insulated to keep items cold; the outer pocket keeps crunchy snacks from getting crushed. The pack also includes a side mesh pocket and