And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
Giveaways: One Chic Mama is giving away a mother/daughter set of Cambodian jingle bell anklets from Baby Emi Jewelry. Classy Mommy is offering up a $100 Toys R Us gift card + 5 Veggie Tales DVDs. MomFinds is giving away a giant gift basket from Neat Solutions.
If you’ve got something to say that’s deserving beyond a typical phone call or email to a loved one, consider the unbelievably cute conversation birds from Gifts Define. Available in themes to celebrate babies, birthdays, or any day, these indie wool felt wonders are hand-stitched, stuffed with non-allergenic fill, and finished with sweet details such as a beaded eye, a blush to the cheek, and an embellished ribbon hang tie (theme printed if you wish). The bird comes gift ready with an organza bag + gift tag and can serve as its own messenger, keepsake, or present topper, or be joined with other birds to create an amazing personalized wall art banner.
Want to win a 10% discount to Gifts Define? Here’s how:
New mamahood sometimes seems akin to stepping into an amnesic vortex: you feel as if you’re spinning in a whirlwind of chaos and activity, but at the end of the day, you can’t recall how you spent your hours. Or rather, perhaps it’s just that the “little things” you’ve done all day don’t seem as noteworthy as your frantic working girl episodes. Never mind that many of those little things result in keeping another human being alive.When new moms ask me for coping strategies, my first line of advice is to do at least one concrete thing each day, aside from the diapers and feedings that will otherwise consume their hours. And when I say one concrete thing, I do not mean reading The New Yorker cover to cover (which, quite frankly, I can’t even manage to get through in a month) or finishing off that grant proposal. I am referring to the small and tangible stuff, like taking a walk around the neighborhood, meeting a friend for coffee, taking a shower, or doing a short set of yoga poses to calm you mind.
Rookie Moms shares this philosophy by offering new moms 250 activities to do with and without baby. The book is divided into chapters with the tips and tricks arranged for each of the first 12 months of baby’s life. And if you do the math (which I in fact did, in addition to verifying a roughly equal number of entries per chapter/month...old data collection habits die hard), they essentially offer moms a concrete idea for every weekday of baby’s first year (major national holidays excluded I assume). The ideas cover everything from basic baby interaction, to keeping connected to loved ones, to nutrition, to easy crafts, to fashion, to fitness, to reconnecting with your partner. I won’t give away all the goodies here, but a few of my favorite entries include #6 (call grandma to connect over her childbirth experience), #8 (write a ‘did do’ list where you jot down and check off the myriad baby care and other tasks you accomplished during the day), #150 (have a baby food puree swap party), and #247 (create an alphabet inspired DIY collage for your child).
In short, Rookie Moms is a great little gift for new moms. Gibbs Flett and Moss’s writing is candid and cheeky, and no doubt will provide a welcome dose of reality to new mothers who feel inept in the face of the glowing, breezy postpartum celebrity photos they see in the US Weekly issues they’re browsing while nursing all day.
And truly, rookie moms, if you read this book and still doubt whether you're accomplishing enough, consider this: While dealing with a blowout from your child’s diaper may seem less consequential than dealing with a blowout with your boss, just think about how effectively and efficiently you can wipe the slate on the former. You can, in fact, check that one off your ‘did do’ list immediately.
Note: For those who would like to share their favorite rookie mom tip over at PBN and thus have a chance to win a bunch of baby/kid swag, click here to learn about PBN’s blog blast.
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Looking to get back into the workforce, or figure out how to balance work and home? Next week (May 15) the Detours&OnRamps Forum hits the Boston area. This one-day event will cover issues facing working mothers and will provide resources for jumpstarting a job hunt, or ideas for making a career work for you and your family. I’ll be speaking on one of the panels so please feel free to stop by and say hi. And if you haven’t registered yet, there’s still time; mention 'BOSTONMAMA' on registration to receive $25 off the $125 fee.]]>
As the mama of a round-the-clock little artist, I’m always looking for interesting ways to post or preserve Laurel’s work. And the personalized child art posters by TADABABY offer a nifty way to do just that. Just pick your artwork faves from the pile currently obscuring your refrigerator, then email the images or send in the original art to be scanned. TADABABY will digitally touch up the juice spills and incorporate up to 9 pieces of your child’s art in a personalized 20 x 30 poster that will do justice to your little artist's masterpieces.
Want to win a personalized child art poster from TADABABY*? Here’s how:
]]>*Winner will receive a personalized child art poster from TADABABY; if JPEGs are not available of the artwork, winner will be responsible for paying to ship the artwork to TADABABY.
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Here’s a fun twist on the camping experience. Reader Maureen from Newton wrote in with this tip: “I wanted to share with you a vacation spot my family has enjoyed together [since 2003]. Medomak Camp (3 hours north of Boston) is a family camp in Maine. It’s similar to a traditional summer camp but the whole family attends. A chef prepares three meals a day, families stay in comfortably clean cabins, activities run from 9AM until the campfire is lit after dark, and adults have their own activities to chooses from (yoga, massage, rowing, sailing, archery, etc.).” 
As grateful as I was for my first cookware set, I distinctly remember Jon and my later disdain – sometime before the Teflon safety scare actually - when we looked at the set's scratches and thought about all of the little Teflon flakes we likely had ingested over time. We’ve since stuck with stainless steel or cast iron, but recently have enjoyed GreenPan as an eco-friendly nonstick solution. Constructed with a PTFE/PFOA-free Thermolon coating, this line is safe for use at high temperatures, heats evenly, and is scratch-resistant. Despite the nonstick, we still do like cooking with a bit of butter or oil, and with the lightly buttered GreenPan frypan over low heat, my scrambled eggs have reached a light, fluffy, and thankfully flake-free perfection.
Want to win a GreenPan Entertaining Set*? Here’s how:
*One lucky winner will receive a GreenPan Entertaining Set that includes a saucepan, fry pan, round grill pan, and dutch oven.
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Today, Jen reports on a recent eye opening green event in Boston:
"I recently had the pleasure of attending a vegan luncheon and book signing at the Four Seasons's Aujourdui in honor of Deirdre Imus's new book, Growing Up Green. Over a spectacular meal prepared by executive chef Brooke Vosika, Imus spoke passionately about environmental toxins and their effect on our children's health. I must confess that both the food and Imus's message surprised me. The vegan food was surprisingly elegant and Imus's message was surprisingly scary. Although in retrospect, given our host chef and the state of our environment, I should not have been so surprised.
And then I woke up. In the rare time of calm that is otherwise known as my daughter's morning nap, I began to look through Imus's book. Arranged chronologically from pre-conception through adolescence, Imus's book alerts parents (and parents-to-be) about environmental dangers and specific ways to minimize their impact. She provides personal anecdotes from her own experience as a mother, cites leading medical experts, and devotes a chapter to the concept of 'green pediatrics.' At the back of her book is a helpful list of resources as well as a summary of relevant legislation and medical studies.
Imus acknowledges that the subject of environmental toxins can be overwhelming, not to mention scary. She recommends starting with one positive change, such as making sure your child's toys are PVC free or buying his or her favorite fruit from an organic supplier. When you're ready to go further, Imus's book is an excellent resource that, like her favorite African proverb, seeks to empower parents."
Editor's Note: Many thanks to the Four Seasons for generously providing Boston Mamas with a complimentary entry to this event.
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If you don't have anything special lined up for this weekend, don't fret. Our friends at The Regent are hosting the Grammy nominated Quartet San Francisco for a special Mother's Day family concert (Sunday, May 11 at 7pm). Whatever your musical mood, QSF will delight; this group is renowned for transcending the bounds of traditional chamber music by crossing over into everything from jazz to tango, pop to funk, blues to bluegrass, and gypsy swing to big band.
Want to win tickets to Quartet San Francisco? Here's how:
We're thrilled to announce that our fabulous new featured contest is in partnership with Britax, makers of top notch car seats. Britax generously will provide one lucky winner with a Diplomat Convertible Car Seat in the style of the winner's choice (retail value $259.99). CLICK HERE to enter to win the Britax giveaway. This contest closes at midnight, EST Friday, June 6, 2008 and is open to entrants in the US and Canada. Good luck!]]>
Given my belief in karma, last week I was left to wonder whether I had wronged someone when, without warning, our hosting provider pulled the plug on my ability to publish. Despite the stress and frustration of the last several days, Im happy to report that were up and running again with a different, decidedly more friendly host. Thanks for your patience while we work out the final kinks of moving the site to a new home. ]]>
Whether it’s a function of post-winter pounds or running in circles with mamas who lack the time to run for real, I’ve recently found myself amidst several episodes of collective discontent over muffin tops (as in, the unwanted roll that hangs over your jeans). To negotiate this problem, as well as that of rear crack or undie exposure, I’ve been recommending the hip-T. This shaped band of comfy stretch cotton covers the potential vulnerable zone between your outfit's top and bottom while creating a stylish, layered look. Offered in a variety of colors (some with lace trim…ooh la la!), you can breathe more comfortably in your clothes since the hip-T’s got your crack covered.
Want to win a hip-T*? Here’s how:
*Winner will select style and color, subject to availability.
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These days, Laurel is all about looking fancy and colorful (current favorite color = “pink and green and purple and blue and yellow and orange!”), and we’ve recently found a way to bridge her love of color and flounce with comfort through Twirly Girl’s bright and cheery clothing. ]]>
Offering head to toe creations bursting with colorful, traffic stopping patterns, Twirly Girl’s reversible skirts and dresses are particularly fun. Dual patterned to suit your daughter’s day-to-night (or let’s face it, hour-to-hour) whims, Laurel’s been rocking the Dancing Dots reversible skirt, which features a kaleidoscope of multicolored dots on one side, a shimmery blue/black disco dot pattern on the other, and a contrast waistband. The skirt’s material and reversible construction make it weightier than something like a standard cotton skirt, but Laurel hasn’t had a problem taking flight to twirl.
Want to shop Twirly Girl? Use coupon code Boston at checkout to enjoy a 10% shopping discount.
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Today, Carole Arsenault of Newborn Nurses offers basic lessons on infant sleep:
"'Lack of sleep' is a phrase that most new parents are all too familiar with. The first few weeks at home with a new baby can be exhausting and overwhelming. Despite the happiness and joy a new baby brings, parents often find themselves eagerly anticipating the time when their newborn will sleep through the night.
Brief awakenings (night waking) actually are a normal part of human sleep regardless of age. We all experience night waking on a regular basis, but it isn’t a problem because we know how to get ourselves back to sleep. But infants and toddlers need to be given the chance to learn and figure out how to get back to sleep on their own. It’s very common for loving parents to rush to pick up the infant and try to feed him/her, assuming the waking is due to hunger. It is important to recognize that babies aren't always awake when they sound like they are; they can cry and make all sorts of other noises during light sleep cycle.
Also, the American Academy of Pediatrics notes that it is important to remember that healthy infants under 6 weeks of age generally need at least one feeding between midnight and 6am. If your baby is very restless and unable to get himself back to sleep within 15 minutes, or if she/he is crying then she/he may need to feed.
As someone for whom the word Clorox tends to elicit middle school memories of fad-driven bleached denim experiments, imagine my surprise when I learned that the makers of Clorox products were rolling out a natural cleaning line. And happily, these green goods deliver. Plant and mineral based, biodegradable, and petrochemical-free, the Green Works line cuts through the most determined grime (OK, I’ll admit that my formerly neglected shower tile now stands as evidence), and does so with a pleasant lemony scent that is thankfully far from my fumed middle school denim.
Want to be one of 5 winners to receive a Green Works Starter Kit? Here’s how:
]]>*Each winner will receive a Green Works Starter Kit including the full line of 5 Green Works products!
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