On Laurel’s first birthday my friend Anne gave us art supplies and a box of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers and said, “These erasers will save your life.” Remarkably, whether it’s due to Laurel’s nature or our vigilance, the product sat untouched under our sink the last couple of years. It wasn’t until after a recent play date where we needed to break out the magic erasers to cope with a major bout of pencil + red crayon wall scribbling.On Laurel’s first birthday my friend Anne gave us art supplies and a box of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers and said, “These erasers will save your life.” Remarkably, whether it’s due to Laurel’s nature or our vigilance, the product sat untouched under our sink the last couple of years. It wasn’t until after a recent play date where we needed to break out the magic erasers to cope with a major bout of pencil + red crayon wall scribbling.
Today, Carole Arsenault of Newborn Nurses shares information on vitamin D supplements for breastfed babies:
A lot of breastfeeding moms ask me whether their baby needs a vitamin D supplement. The answer is yes; the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all children receive 400 IU a day of vitamin D, beginning within the first few days of life. This is double the previous 2003 recommendation of 200 IU per day. The change follows data from new clinical trials, and the historical precedence of safely giving 400 IU per day to the pediatric population.
Today, parent educator Hetti Wohlgemuth shares tips for coping with parent preferences:
“Parent preferences happen, even in the best of households. One sunny spring morning my husband took our then 3-year-old daughter tricycling. She soon fell off her tricycle and cried and cried. When Bob tried to help her (and all the way home) she cried, "Mommy! Mommy!" Today, it's Bob who gets the homemade Father's Day cards, the birthday phone calls, and the adoring looks from our daughters while I get, "Moooomm, you're not wearing that are you?" and " Moooomm, you're so embarrassing!"
Growing up, people often commented (somewhat inappropriately it occurs to me...) that I didn’t look like either of my parents (in the way my six siblings distinctly do). But I’ve always definitely felt like my mother’s daughter, so I couldn’t resist participating in the Parent Bloggers Network’s Mother’s Day Blog Blast in partnership with the Celebrity Hand Me Down charity auction. PBN is asking bloggers what they think their mothers handed down to them, and I decided to make this post a family effort, canvassing Jon and Laurel for their thoughts, and following with my own. I hope this weekend will offer you some time to reflect on and celebrate motherhood.
I’m well aware that my passion for preserving and sharing memories – via photos, videos, and on paper – is related to the fact that I have very little documentation of my own childhood (other than school photos, I have about a dozen baby pictures, all shot on the same day). And as someone who relies on technology (both for work and said memory preservation) yet desires simple spaces and clean lines, I’ve long felt defeated by the battle of cords and cables. So it’s no wonder that I am totally in love with the ridiculously easy to use, blissfully cord-free Flip camcorder.
Before it gets too hot to turn on your oven, try this bread recipe from Tracy:
“There are few memories of my grandmother better than those of making bread with her when I was a young girl. Even in the heat of summer she could be found kneading pristine white dough into impossibly smooth, elastic, round balls and baking with the back door wide open. But as fond as I am of these memories, the reality is that I don’t have the time or patience to deal with multiple knead sessions. Luckily, a friend passed along a great “no-knead” bread recipe that satisfies my love for fresh baked bread.
As I mentioned in March, ever since experiencing BlogHer Boston, I’ve been super excited to attend the big BlogHer meeting in Chicago this summer. And I’m enormously grateful to have not one (Boston-based firm 360 Public Relations, which I announced in March), but two companies sponsoring my trip. Thank you, Stonyfield Farm, for acting as my secondary sponsor for BlogHer Chicago! Please read on to learn about Stonyfield's impressive environmental initiatives, and a yummy but lesser known organic product they offer.
I’m thrilled to introduce new contributor Paige, a home décor guru among many other things. Today, Paige shares a ridiculously clever idea for custom window treatments:
“I believe that window treatments are like mascara for rooms – you don’t have to have them, but when you do, the room looks finished. I’ve had a long, sordid history with window treatments – not really loving most inexpensive pre-made ones and having limited ability to make more unique ones because of sub-par sewing skills and (cue the standard motherhood excuse) lack of time.
One of my favorite time and energy savers these days is store-bought rotisserie chicken. I don’t need to remember to prep and bake it (perfect, since there’s no way I’m turning the oven on today…), my kitchen is saved from pan dripping smoke, and the chicken is ridiculously versatile. Today, I’m sharing our latest favorite usage of rotisserie chicken: fast and fantastically yummy chicken pesto salad.
Today, Kate recommends visiting a new taste in town:
“The Boston suburb I grew up in is primarily residential, with stores and services arrayed in clusters along its municipal borders. One of those clusters once included a corner wine shop, which went out of business many years ago. The empty storefront remained unchanged for at least a decade, with the wine shop signs still in place and the same cheerful green color decorating the outside walls. A few months ago, I learned that a new venue - Sofra Bakery and Café - was breathing fresh life into the space, and I knew that I had to check it out.
Welcome to Boston Mamas Rock! – where we’re giving a voice to fabulous local mamas from all walks of life. Read on for today’s interview with Mila Cole, mother of two and lawyer turned designer behind the children’s clothing line Laughing Out Loud Kids. Then go ahead and nominate a fabulous fellow mama!
Once upon a time I was financially savvy. My checkbook was perfectly balanced, I paid off my school loans well in advance, and I did my own taxes. Then as the years passed and Laurel entered our lives, it was all about divide and conquer; I focused on domestic jobs and Jon took over the finances. And then one day I realized I was an independent businesswoman absurdly paralyzed by the prospect of dealing with my finances.
Given said paralysis, I have a habit of tuning out financial talk, but yesterday, on an amazing call with finance expert Suze Orman, it wasn’t long before I was hanging on to her every word. Here's the amazing advice Suze shared, spanning women in business, student loans, saving for your child’s education, and home and personal finances. Also, at the conclusion is a gift from Suze (expiring at midnight 4/25)!
Today, Kate shares a local gem with an uncertain future:
"Like many Bostonians, I had never heard of The Rose Art Museum - located at Brandeis University - until financial concerns threatened to shutter its doors last winter. Newspaper articles covering the funding crisis also described a small but spectacular collection of modern art, largely unknown in a town famous for its large and crowd-pleasing museums. So we decided to take my toddler for a visit, to see the art and show our solidarity for an institution that is clearly going through tough times.
I’m thrilled to introduce new contributing writer Sarah, a mom of two and lifelong fashion addict. Today, Sarah shares a clever idea that will stimulate your child’s crafty and categorical skills while sprucing up your spring wardrobe:
“I’ll admit it: I dread April school vacation week, with its unpredictable weather and crammed museums, libraries, and movie theaters. To cope, I have devised a family activity that will keep the kids occupied and help you achieve the very thing you want most (okay, other than a good night’s sleep) this spring: a wallet-friendly wardrobe update.
Despite having lived all but a few years of my life in Boston, I’ve never gotten around to some of the classic Boston experiences. Given Laurel’s love for Make Way for Ducklings though, I imagine it won’t be long until we take a ride on the Boston Swan Boats. Open tomorrow for the season, the swan boats run daily, weather permitting, and are wheelchair accessible. And while you’re in the Public Garden, be sure to check whether Pack (duck #7) is back. As of our Public Garden visit last week, Pack was recovered but not yet remounted.
Here’s a handy household tip from Heather; walnuts apparently are good for the body and the home:
“I went to my mom’s newly renovated beach house to be there for furniture delivery. Her only instruction was to make sure the delivery guys didn’t scratch her newly refinished hardwood floors. I subsequently was horrified when I realized that I had scratched the floor when pushing a table that I thought had furniture pads.
Last night my willpower was put to the test when I gathered with some lovely mama pals for an evening of wine and desserts. As I described in yesterday’s post about negotiating sugar battles, in addition to trying to decrease Laurel's obsession with dessert, I’ve also been working to curb my own sugar intake. So, I decided that last night I would enjoy a small treat (read: not sample everything like I normally would) as my one indulgence of the week; the one cookie I tried was worth it! Many thanks to Karen for sharing her Rosemary-Lemon Sandwich Cookie recipe, and to Paige for the use of her camera!