This fetus is sucking my inspiration.
While I am still incredibly witty (ahem), all my thoughts are more appropriate for a Twitter feed or a Facebook status, versus a blog post.
I have no attention span.
I play Words With Friends. And (obviously), peruse my baby boards.
But, for all intents and purposes, I am practically braindead. The only thing I can think about is finding out my buddy is going to get a "brudder" or a "sitter" (who, according to him, will be a boy, no matter what. Toddler logic.)
So, #2, as soon as you are finished with it, I'd like to at least gain back some of the functionality of my brain, as soon as you are ready to give it up.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Thursday, May 12, 2011
The Land of the Living
I'm back.
Just pregnant.
12 weeks on Saturday and regaining functionality of my body and brain.
New blog up soon!
Just pregnant.
12 weeks on Saturday and regaining functionality of my body and brain.
New blog up soon!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Moms Gone Viral
We all know about videos going viral on the web (like this hot mess of a song)....the internet and its powers are far reaching, for sure. And for good or bad (music).
But, moms who hang out on internet mom boards and blogs can take not just videos, but a toy recall, a new recommendation or a deal on Ergos and spread the word just as quickly as Rebecca Black became a household name. The strength of mom board should not be underestimated, as I have seen boycotts of several products originate from a few scathing threads and re-posts.
Strangely though, I don't see this among my real life mom circle. Occasionally, I'll receive the odd email forward about the drop side crib ban or something similar but not with the vigilance or frequency of some of the recent hot parent topics floating around the web.
Last week, the AAP released a new recommendation on the length of time a child should rear face in his or her carseat.
Extended rear facing (or, ERF) is a standard mom board debate (discussion? argument? DRAMA?) and has been for several years. When this article came out last week, birth boards all over the web were posting the new recommendations.
On Facebook, the link kept being shared, over and over in my news feed....but curiously, the only moms posting it, were other internet mom friends.
None of my non-internet mom friends posted it...zero.
Now, this isn't a statement against my non-internet mom friends, who clearly, have better things to do with their time than waste away on the internet, as I do. But, this is important information about a safety issue that clearly, isn't reaching them. (The other explanation would be that they don't care and I'm certain that's not the case.)
So, without spending time on mom boards, how does this information - ERF and other hot topics - get to non-internet parents? From a ped during a 15 minute well check? I don't think so.
I don't have a grand solution to better disseminating this information to parents who aren't spending their online time on mom blogs and boards. Starting a website for the non-internet parent? The traffic would be close to zero. Magazines are nearly dead (and the free Parenting mag we get after a newborn only comes a few times). And if they aren't looking for the info, these parents may just never hear about these types of recommendations and other relevant kid topics.
At least I can say that all this time online has made me a more informed parent. And hopefully, there are enough internet moms sharing this stuff on Facebook so their non-internet friends can learn too.
See, my kid DOES benefit from my internet addiction! And yours can too.
But, moms who hang out on internet mom boards and blogs can take not just videos, but a toy recall, a new recommendation or a deal on Ergos and spread the word just as quickly as Rebecca Black became a household name. The strength of mom board should not be underestimated, as I have seen boycotts of several products originate from a few scathing threads and re-posts.
Strangely though, I don't see this among my real life mom circle. Occasionally, I'll receive the odd email forward about the drop side crib ban or something similar but not with the vigilance or frequency of some of the recent hot parent topics floating around the web.
Last week, the AAP released a new recommendation on the length of time a child should rear face in his or her carseat.
Extended rear facing (or, ERF) is a standard mom board debate (discussion? argument? DRAMA?) and has been for several years. When this article came out last week, birth boards all over the web were posting the new recommendations.
On Facebook, the link kept being shared, over and over in my news feed....but curiously, the only moms posting it, were other internet mom friends.
None of my non-internet mom friends posted it...zero.
Now, this isn't a statement against my non-internet mom friends, who clearly, have better things to do with their time than waste away on the internet, as I do. But, this is important information about a safety issue that clearly, isn't reaching them. (The other explanation would be that they don't care and I'm certain that's not the case.)
So, without spending time on mom boards, how does this information - ERF and other hot topics - get to non-internet parents? From a ped during a 15 minute well check? I don't think so.
I don't have a grand solution to better disseminating this information to parents who aren't spending their online time on mom blogs and boards. Starting a website for the non-internet parent? The traffic would be close to zero. Magazines are nearly dead (and the free Parenting mag we get after a newborn only comes a few times). And if they aren't looking for the info, these parents may just never hear about these types of recommendations and other relevant kid topics.
At least I can say that all this time online has made me a more informed parent. And hopefully, there are enough internet moms sharing this stuff on Facebook so their non-internet friends can learn too.
See, my kid DOES benefit from my internet addiction! And yours can too.
Monday, March 14, 2011
One Ticket (and a "lapchild") to Paradise
We all know the problem with vacations is that...well...you have to come back from them.
I spent nearly the whole last week in Florida. Sun. Heat. Warm. Florida.
With my in-laws.
Normally, that would make most people cringe but I love my in-laws and we get along very well.
My son and I left a few days before my husband would join us and this meant two things.
My in-laws would be spending quality time with their grandson and I would be spending quality time alone.
Lounging on the dock.
Going for walks.
Reading books.
(Tiny white lie, I read two actual books and two books on my Kindle. You can put the girl in paradise but you can't completely take away her technology. I'm not primitive, people.)
Limited laptop. Limited cell phone. No TV.
And for a person addicted to her "mom boards" and Facebook, this was a big proverbial cord cutting, albeit a temporary one.
But man alive, coming back from a long vacation is brutal. I feel completely out of touch. I was so far gone into relaxation mode that my inspiration pool, my well of future blog ideas, was all but dried up.
I had such big plans to gaze over the river, have a glass of wine and let my conscious flow into a Hawaiian Tropic-scented haze of creativity.
Eh. Not so much.
I think my brain may have actually shut off and didn't produce one thought that wasn't related to the book I was reading or whether I was starting to burn.
As much as this vacation was necessary to ctrl-alt-del my soul, I'm happy to be back in Delaware, where spring hasn't yet sprung but it certainly is trying. Back to routine and normal things, like doing laundry and stress.
Vacations are vacations for a reason. I'm quite certain if I lived my life the way I did the past five days (with constant free childcare, at the drop of a hat), I wouldn't really do anything productive, other than burn calories from long walks and check books of my reading list.
So basically, I would be healthy, tan and well-read.
Psssh....who am I kidding? That sounds fantastic.
I spent nearly the whole last week in Florida. Sun. Heat. Warm. Florida.
With my in-laws.
Normally, that would make most people cringe but I love my in-laws and we get along very well.
My son and I left a few days before my husband would join us and this meant two things.
My in-laws would be spending quality time with their grandson and I would be spending quality time alone.
Lounging on the dock.
Going for walks.
Reading books.
(Tiny white lie, I read two actual books and two books on my Kindle. You can put the girl in paradise but you can't completely take away her technology. I'm not primitive, people.)
Limited laptop. Limited cell phone. No TV.
And for a person addicted to her "mom boards" and Facebook, this was a big proverbial cord cutting, albeit a temporary one.
But man alive, coming back from a long vacation is brutal. I feel completely out of touch. I was so far gone into relaxation mode that my inspiration pool, my well of future blog ideas, was all but dried up.
I had such big plans to gaze over the river, have a glass of wine and let my conscious flow into a Hawaiian Tropic-scented haze of creativity.
Eh. Not so much.
I think my brain may have actually shut off and didn't produce one thought that wasn't related to the book I was reading or whether I was starting to burn.
As much as this vacation was necessary to ctrl-alt-del my soul, I'm happy to be back in Delaware, where spring hasn't yet sprung but it certainly is trying. Back to routine and normal things, like doing laundry and stress.
Vacations are vacations for a reason. I'm quite certain if I lived my life the way I did the past five days (with constant free childcare, at the drop of a hat), I wouldn't really do anything productive, other than burn calories from long walks and check books of my reading list.
So basically, I would be healthy, tan and well-read.
Psssh....who am I kidding? That sounds fantastic.
just a bit of a break from the norm
Thursday, March 03, 2011
Call 1-800....playgroup?
They (there they are again) say that the internet and electronic communication are making us socially inept. The "us", I assume, can't really be nailed down to one demographic but rather, is anyone with a Facebook account, anyone that prefers text message over phone call or email over mailing a letter.
Putting all the debates about this phenomenon aside, I would have to say that moms everywhere, with children of any age, are forever in debt to the internet and in fact, the internet is making us MORE social, not less.
My family and I recently located from Chicago to Delaware. We know a few people here, one family in particular that we see somewhat regularly, but for the most part, we don't have a ton of friends with kids within a close proximity.
As a new stay at home mom, I figured it would only be a matter of time before I totally lost my mind from lack of adult interaction from the hours of 8AM to 5PM.
That time was last week.
It was a subtle breakdown...no dramatics of Hollywood nervous breakdowns but it happened.
First instinct?
Google.
(Not Dr. Google, the family practitioner, OB and pediatrician that we all know and hate, just Mr. Google, the friendly purveyor of finding anything you want on the web).
Search terms including variations of mom, playgroup, toddler, Delaware, etc.
I made my way onto one site and found a playgroup in my area. Bam. Kid gets playtime, I get adult conversation. Done and done.
Now, 20 years ago, my options would have included the following:
1. Church
We don't do church. Not even a little bit enough to feign interest in joining any sort of congregation, only to infiltrate the circle of moms.
2. The Yellow Pages.
Nevermind. Pretty sure that was never a Yellow Pages category.
3. Making conversation with moms in public places, like the gym, the park or the library.
Putting all the debates about this phenomenon aside, I would have to say that moms everywhere, with children of any age, are forever in debt to the internet and in fact, the internet is making us MORE social, not less.
My family and I recently located from Chicago to Delaware. We know a few people here, one family in particular that we see somewhat regularly, but for the most part, we don't have a ton of friends with kids within a close proximity.
As a new stay at home mom, I figured it would only be a matter of time before I totally lost my mind from lack of adult interaction from the hours of 8AM to 5PM.
That time was last week.
It was a subtle breakdown...no dramatics of Hollywood nervous breakdowns but it happened.
First instinct?
Google.
(Not Dr. Google, the family practitioner, OB and pediatrician that we all know and hate, just Mr. Google, the friendly purveyor of finding anything you want on the web).
Search terms including variations of mom, playgroup, toddler, Delaware, etc.
I made my way onto one site and found a playgroup in my area. Bam. Kid gets playtime, I get adult conversation. Done and done.
Now, 20 years ago, my options would have included the following:
1. Church
We don't do church. Not even a little bit enough to feign interest in joining any sort of congregation, only to infiltrate the circle of moms.
2. The Yellow Pages.
Nevermind. Pretty sure that was never a Yellow Pages category.
3. Making conversation with moms in public places, like the gym, the park or the library.
I'm probably one of the most outgoing people you will ever meet but other moms intimidate the hell outta me. You must tread so lightly with other new mom friends anyway (avoiding the hot button mom topics just to build your mom-friend foundation) that trying to make something out of nothing in a public situation is just....frightening. I don't want to do it, they don't want to do it, but secretly, while we stand with our arms crossed watching our kids, we want the conversation. But no mom wants to strike first.
Now jump to present day and the internet has given us the more comfortable alternative to starting those scary, awkward first conversations. A few clicks and you have "introduced" yourself to other moms and can easily show up to a playdate and hopefully mesh with the existing group.
It may not be a match made in heaven but the point is, you can find another group that easily.
So, maybe I frequently prefer to email over making a phone call. And my non-Facebooked husband does get irritated that I spend so much time online. But now?
He's thanking the internet for getting me OUT of the house and meeting new people, instead of wearing yoga pants every day and "forgetting" to shower. And my son is thanking me (well, not really, but maybe some day he will appreciate it) for getting him out to play with other kids, lest he be a weird, clingy mommy's boy into his adolescent years because he hung out with me 24/7 for too long.
So, as much as my life is online these days, the offline time that I needed so badly, is because of the internet anyway. Funny how that works.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Just say.....no??
In the wake of the 847th tantrum before lunch, here I am contemplating what sort of reaction bystanders would have, if I were to throw a tantrum every time I didn't get my way or just plain didn't like something.
Stuck in traffic?
I will bang my head on the steering wheel. This is a two part success as it will also honk the horn while drawing attention to my obvious displeasure.
Coffee shop out of muffins?
Throw myself on the floor until I split my forehead open on a sharp corner. Surely, after I am arrested in the ER for acting a sheer fool in a public place, there will be some sort of free pastry and stale coffee at the police station.
When my trainer at the gym asks for another set, I'll just shake my head and say "no, no" over and over and over again.
Ok, so obviously, I would never do any of the above, even when frustrated or insanely tired. There is a difference between an 18 month old throwing a tantrum and an adult throwing one; granted, neither is cute but the former is expected and somewhat accepted.
I've heard that the tantrums and the colossal meltdowns won't get any easier as we enter the 2s and 3s so I am off to go pick the minds of the internet mommies on discipline, coping and what's the best DIY method for covering your whole home in foam.
Here's to hoping naptime lasts long enough to get some answers and finish the cup of coffee that I made two hours ago.
Or I'm totally going to go limp, arch my back and stage the biggest freakout known to man.
Watch out, little man. You're about to have some competition.
Stuck in traffic?
I will bang my head on the steering wheel. This is a two part success as it will also honk the horn while drawing attention to my obvious displeasure.
Coffee shop out of muffins?
Throw myself on the floor until I split my forehead open on a sharp corner. Surely, after I am arrested in the ER for acting a sheer fool in a public place, there will be some sort of free pastry and stale coffee at the police station.
When my trainer at the gym asks for another set, I'll just shake my head and say "no, no" over and over and over again.
Ok, so obviously, I would never do any of the above, even when frustrated or insanely tired. There is a difference between an 18 month old throwing a tantrum and an adult throwing one; granted, neither is cute but the former is expected and somewhat accepted.
I've heard that the tantrums and the colossal meltdowns won't get any easier as we enter the 2s and 3s so I am off to go pick the minds of the internet mommies on discipline, coping and what's the best DIY method for covering your whole home in foam.
Here's to hoping naptime lasts long enough to get some answers and finish the cup of coffee that I made two hours ago.
Or I'm totally going to go limp, arch my back and stage the biggest freakout known to man.
Watch out, little man. You're about to have some competition.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
The Internet Demands an Apology. To You.
Dear Buddy,
I feel like I owe you an apology.
Other moms that I have interacted with on the internet have expressed that I may have made one or many wrong decisions, basically from the moment you were conceived. For these decisions, I owe you an apology.
From the beginning, I apologize that I got an epidural during your birth. Though I didn't really want one, I was weak and caved. Not because of the pain, mind you, but that's a story for another day. Regardless, I apologize for any medication that may have crossed the placenta. I didn't mean to get you high.
I apologize for your circumcision. Daddy and I disagreed on this decision and I let him have the final say. The ladies on the internet think I shouldn't have backed down. I'll have to apologize to your dad later for being a weak woman. Or maybe, just make him dinner and acknowledge his superiority. Either way, I'm sorry I ruined your penis.
I apologize for not successfully breastfeeding you. Nursing was a disaster and I tried to get you the "liquid gold" but it seems that the combination of your sensitive tummy and my stress were antithetical to the situation. I'm sorry that you were deprived of bonding and vital nutrients and I hope by the time you read this, you aren't fat and stupid.
I apologize for letting you "cry it out" to sleep on occasion. You weren't/aren't exactly what I would call a "sleeper" and I did reach the end of my rope a few times. This method failed anyway so any neglect or possible long term psychological damage was avoided. I hope, by the time you read this, you won't be sleeping with Daddy and me anymore. Funny how I failed at doing the "wrong" thing on this one anyway. So, I'm sorry for not being able to follow through on the method as well.
I apologize for having to work for the first 14 months of your life. Though we loved the daycare girls (and you did too), according to the mommies on the internet, I shouldn't have had you if I was going to let someone else raise you. Now, I stay at home with you so hopefully, you have realized that I am your mother. I think you have.
I'm sorry you started watching Sesame Street at the age of 17 months. Coincidence or not, your vocabulary exploded the past few weeks. But, TV is bad. Very bad. I vow to make sure that you are active and eat healthy, because again, I hope you don't end up fat and stupid. I'd feel terrible.
I'm sorry for being hyperaware of every decision I make for you. I'm sorry I spend too much time worrying about what strangers on the internet think of my parenting.
I hope you know that for all the "mistakes" I've made, you are still perfect.
And happy.
And smart.
And I love you so much.
No matter what those mean ladies on the internet say I did wrong, there is NOTHING wrong with you.
Love,
Your Mama
PS - Get off your computer. Go get some fresh air. Read a book. I ain't raisin' no lazy bum.
cause you're amazing
just the way you are
I feel like I owe you an apology.
Other moms that I have interacted with on the internet have expressed that I may have made one or many wrong decisions, basically from the moment you were conceived. For these decisions, I owe you an apology.
From the beginning, I apologize that I got an epidural during your birth. Though I didn't really want one, I was weak and caved. Not because of the pain, mind you, but that's a story for another day. Regardless, I apologize for any medication that may have crossed the placenta. I didn't mean to get you high.
I apologize for your circumcision. Daddy and I disagreed on this decision and I let him have the final say. The ladies on the internet think I shouldn't have backed down. I'll have to apologize to your dad later for being a weak woman. Or maybe, just make him dinner and acknowledge his superiority. Either way, I'm sorry I ruined your penis.
I apologize for not successfully breastfeeding you. Nursing was a disaster and I tried to get you the "liquid gold" but it seems that the combination of your sensitive tummy and my stress were antithetical to the situation. I'm sorry that you were deprived of bonding and vital nutrients and I hope by the time you read this, you aren't fat and stupid.
I apologize for letting you "cry it out" to sleep on occasion. You weren't/aren't exactly what I would call a "sleeper" and I did reach the end of my rope a few times. This method failed anyway so any neglect or possible long term psychological damage was avoided. I hope, by the time you read this, you won't be sleeping with Daddy and me anymore. Funny how I failed at doing the "wrong" thing on this one anyway. So, I'm sorry for not being able to follow through on the method as well.
I apologize for having to work for the first 14 months of your life. Though we loved the daycare girls (and you did too), according to the mommies on the internet, I shouldn't have had you if I was going to let someone else raise you. Now, I stay at home with you so hopefully, you have realized that I am your mother. I think you have.
I'm sorry you started watching Sesame Street at the age of 17 months. Coincidence or not, your vocabulary exploded the past few weeks. But, TV is bad. Very bad. I vow to make sure that you are active and eat healthy, because again, I hope you don't end up fat and stupid. I'd feel terrible.
I'm sorry for being hyperaware of every decision I make for you. I'm sorry I spend too much time worrying about what strangers on the internet think of my parenting.
I hope you know that for all the "mistakes" I've made, you are still perfect.
And happy.
And smart.
And I love you so much.
No matter what those mean ladies on the internet say I did wrong, there is NOTHING wrong with you.
Love,
Your Mama
PS - Get off your computer. Go get some fresh air. Read a book. I ain't raisin' no lazy bum.
cause you're amazing
just the way you are
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