White grout cleaning

Well it's done! I had to add lemon juice to kick up the bleaching process but it went well and smells FABULOUS!

In addition I basically just scrubbed my bathroom with peroxide, so the germophobe in me is pleased!

Dirty Housewife!

Well at least I'm trying!
Trying to get stains out of white grout. WHO PUTS WHITE GROUT IN A BATHROOM?????

Ugh. It looks like it's had coffee poured on EVERY.DAY.

How to keep that mold out of kids bath ducks, frogs, monkeys, etc.

Rubber ducky, you're the one!  You make bath time lots of fun!  Except when you get the inevitable gross, and unhealthy, mold inside the duck. Or frog. Or alligator. Or whatever rubber/plastic bath toy you have to squeeze water out of after each bath.  (If you haven't seen it, don't google it)

There is a really simple, REALLY simple solution that doesn't involve any kind of bleach or chemical or scrubbing. Well - besides not using the toys that is.

Cut a hole in the bottom.

Here are the super easy, super simple, and-it-still-floats, directions.

(1) Assemble your tools, which include scissors, a razor (or sharp pointy
cutting tool of any sort), paper towel, and your duckigatofrog of choice.

(2) Start an opening with razor.  Then cut a half circle with
with scissors. Usually there's a ring to follow as a guide.

(3) Bend back the flap a bit, pour out any water inside. 

(4) Make Rubber duckigatofrog do an endo. If needed use a
towel and wipe out any water droplets & let air dry.

See! They still float!  Thank you Fairy and Princess ducks!

(I told you not to google it. Now you're grossed out.  Click here to make your brain forget that image)

Mom Stuff on the Couch - Parenting styles and pretty girls.

Do you think telling your daughter she's pretty all the time is bad? Or not a big deal?  Do you have a parenting style? Do you consider yourself a natural parent? A gentle parent? Or just a parent?  Drop a comment after the vlog and let me know!

I have no problem being silly with my kids...

Vine - CLICK HERE...for some awesomeness...

Be silly.  

I tell my children when they've done a piss poor job - and I'm a good parent for it.

Today my daughter, 6 mos old, managed to hold a baby spoon and get a bit of avocado in her mouth. I reacted with praise and excitement, "good job!" I shrieked clapping and smiling. She beamed back at me with a face full of slimy green goodness.

It reminded me though of a post I read in a "gentle parenting" group I was invited to. I didn't stay long for a few reasons, namely I don't need to label myself nor do I subscribe to any one way of parenting. I've had three of my own children and assisted in rearing two others, and am STILL looking for answers and feeling around blindly in the dark when it comes to parenting.  I am by no means an expert, though I do have some experience. Those are not the same things.

The post in the Gentle Parenting group was discussing using the phrase "good job"and how when you use it you infer that they can sometimes do a "bad job" and how they didn't want to damage the self esteem of the child. It made and argument that you are saying "you pleased me, and that's good, that's what you should be doing" rather than (and yes, this is a real quote from the article in the post) 

"More than it celebrates, blanket praise imparts judgment and increases a child’s reliance on external validation."  

My eye rolls began. I muttered something to myself along the lines of "oh for the love of..." and then called a girlfriend of mine just to make sure I wasn't being a complete asshole.  She is much more level headed than most other people (unless you count commenting on threads about how breastfeeding is gross, then her inner fire-breathing-dragon comes out) and certainly more forgiving than I am.  I told her about this post and her exact comment was (and yes, this is the real quote) "Oh for the love of..."

I somehow managed to contradict myself in the eyes of new parents everywhere fifteen years ago when I said that babies under 6 months can't be spoiled, get them when they cry and ALSO that no child ever died from crying - sometimes you have to do things and can't grab them AT THAT EXACT MOMENT.  Also, I bedshared with my son until he was about 3, but I also had a crib for him.  I don't agree with hitting a child but I won't hesitate to get their attention however I have to if they are putting themselves in harms way by doing EXACTLY the opposite of what I've asked, (i.e., running into a parking lot, standing on the edge of something high, grabbing scissors/knives/sharp things, playing with fire)  all of which my now 15 year old did.  I baby wear, I breastfeed, and I make my own babyfood when convenient, and I co-sleep.

To those looking in at these items alone, they would label me an "attachment parent".  They would be wrong to do so, but I've learned in my 40 years that people need to label, categorize, and file things away neatly.

Honestly I have issue with blindly praising everything a child does as wonderful awesome and amazing.  At some point, they have to learn they are NOT the best at everything, or else what will be left for them to strive for if they've already reached perfection at 5?

But back to the reason I'm posting this.  Saying "Good Job" and imparting judgment.  I have no issue with imparting judgment.  As a matter of fact, I impart judgment with most every single thing I do with regard to reacting to my children's doings.

And this is why - once a child leaves your home and goes out there, into the world - they will NOT do a perfect job every time. They will also sometimes to a crap job because they didn't try. ALL children.  EVERY child has the propensity to be lazy, to cut corners, to figure out a better way of doing something or an easier way. This isn't a bad thing - this is how we ended up with smart phones and fax machines and ear buds.  However - what boss has ever said, "thank you! this is excellent, whatever-it-is, awesome to have you on our team"?

Teachers will grade them with F's.  Enemies in school will call them losers, love interests will say no thanks pal, and bosses and potential bosses will tell them they failed. This happens in life.

If my teen goes to school and does a mediocre job and gets a C I will tell her she did a bad job and I'm not proud of her at that moment.  And I have done this. She is still an honor student and is still motivated to get good grades, go to college and do well. Her person and soul are not crushed because I said "Good Job".

If my 10 year old does a science project last minute, throws it together and gets a D - I say he earned that D because it was poor planning and not a good job.

This is the reality of the world. What's going to happen when all these kids grow up thinking they can do nothing wrong? How difficult is the world going to be when they realize that people judge you?  Harshly even?

I don't want to be there when they look back and say, "you didn't' prepare me for this world mom and dad, GOOD JOB".

Quick tip for young babies:

Target ball + Mam paci!

Oh...You Again (again, repost from WorkingMomFu)

Had a "date night" in tonight, and it was pretty cool. I made dinner, Okoi (yum yum) and we watched "You Again" starring Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver and Betty White!  There were other cast members, notably Odette Yustman who plays Kristen Bell's characters arch-nemesis.  She did a great job at playing the role of that evil, vile, mean - yet gorgeous, popular and beautiful girl we all knew in high school.  Not to ruin the movie - but she did redeem herself at the end of the flick.  In the movie, Kristen Bell's character's name is Marnie.  Marnie's brother is marrying this arch nemesis Joanna or "JJ" as she was called in school. JJ's Aunt Ramona, played by Sigourney Weaver, is Marnie's mothers' ex friend. Marnie's mom is played by Jamie Lee Curtis. Betty White is the grandma.  Of course, she steals the show.

The movie plays out with the with the four women working through their pasts and has the requisite amount of problems, issues and hilarity.  Even though it is decidedly a chick flick. The men in the movie do a good job of being props - the movie is TRULY about women and the situations we find ourselves in - but of course way more extreme than real life.

Over the past few years, thanks largely to MySpace, FaceBook and Classmates.com people from all over have found themselves (sometimes unwillingly) reconnected with people from high school.  I don't know about you, but that time for me was about 80% bad, 10% good, and 10% forgotten. In my opinion, I was more like a Marnie but I WAS on the JV cheerleading team. My situation wasn't extreme but I did have my share of bullies, girl and boy.

It's odd, but I have found one similarity, those that tortured you RARELY remember doing so. Mostly anyway.  I guess obviously it's because they were not nearly as affected by it, branded by it if you will, as you were.  I mean, it probably didn't hurt, embarrass or scar them - but it did you.  And probably left a huge memory burned into your brain.

Now granted, most of us lived somewhere happily in the middle, not too picked on and not too exalted.  Most of us floated in that teen haze of self absorption and shallowness, bad music and poor choices, awful hairstyles and even worse clothing options. I was an 80's child. I was an ASIAN 80's child. I was an ASIAN living in the South 80's child.  Have you ever seen pink and teal makeup on an Asian? Think Mimi from Drew Carey but with slanty eyes. Oh, and younger and way thinner.  And tan. OK so nothing like Mimi from that show but you get where I was going!  Yea, I tried so hard to fit in.  I wasn't just awkward and in high school, I was DIFFERENT and awkward and in High School.

For me it wasn't necessarily a death sentence. I had friends (HEY MARINA!!!), frienemies, and those people I both loathed and envied all at the same time.  It started before high school really. In middle school, one girl ripped open my Michael Jackson styled snap up shirt I suppose hoping to embarrass me. HA! I had a tshirt on! Still embarrassed me though.  Same girl liked to pick on me and snicker and giggle and exclude me.  A couple years later, she said I looked like I was having seizures as I tried out for cheerleading in 8th grade.

She was best friends with a girl I wanted to hate soooo much. That girl was perfect. She was Miss All-American, gorgeous, great grades, smiled at everyone, the teachers loved her.  Her mother was also all of that just in grown up form.  They went everywhere together, that mean girl and Ms. All American.   Straight through high school. They were loved by all.  Over time, I did manage to hang out with the Mean Girl once or twice, though I found out that Mean Girl was only doing it to get to the boy I liked at the time.  Ah....lessons.

Ms. All-American never did anything to me to make me hate her. I was just so jealous of her. I hated on her long before that phrase became a catch phrase.  She had everything I ever wanted (or so I thought).  To my knowlege, she never said a bad word to or about me. While her best friend at the time was, however, quite mean to me, she herself never EVER said anything or did anything mean to me.

Seems somehow I turned into the mean one around Ms. All American.  It's funny though - I did reunite with my ex Mean Girl - and she didn't seem to remember all those times she put me down in front of others, tried to humiliate me or some other form of emotional terror.  Not one thing.  She was friendly, funny, and dang it all, I liked her.

*sigh* I'm not those characters in the movie. I'm neither clever enough nor do I have a script writer to make sure everything works out in the end.  I didn't bring any of it up. I didn't remind her or ask for her apology.  I did take a look around using what I've learned in my 37 years of life to realize that well, it doesn't really matter. Sure, back then I thought she made me hate everything that was about me.  But since then, I've realized that I do like me.  Had it not been for me getting knocked down - I couldn't have ever stood up for myself.  Something I've learned to do. Do I thank HER for it? No - not really. She was just a small part of that, my first stepping stone.

But tonight, sitting with the love of my life on a couch with my two adorable pooches in my warm house under my beautiful and smart and healthy daughters blanket, fiddling with my snuggly little smart healthy son's toy car I realized that no matter what happened to me back then, or what happens to me in the future, THIS is good. THIS is happiness. THIS is enough - and life is good.  I also realized that while I may not be the VP of a PR office in New York (Marnie) or tall, thin, beautiful and popular (Joanna), or the owner of the most successful hotels in the world (Aunt Ramona) I am a lot like Marnie's mom.  I have a lot to be thankful for.

I also have an apology to the one I called Ms. All American. I don't know where she is these days - but to Crystal Williams from Leland, NC - I want to apologize for ever being mean to you. If I did or said anything that hurt your feelings EVER, I do truly apologize. I never meant to be the Mean Girl.  Hopefully, if we ever run into each other you won't say, "You Again".

SAHMing is like vacation

A vacation in HELL.

Ok, look, truly - I love being a stay at home parent.  I never ever EVER thought I'd actually utter those words, much less live them, but I do.  Both that is. Utter and live.  Anyway...

Whatchoo Talkin' bout Willis?

When J-Man and I decided the best option for our family was for me to stay at home and handle da bizness here, I thought, "hey, I can do that! I keep the house clean AND work now! It will be like a 2 year vacation".

I'm now officially in for one month and I have no meat in the freezer for dinner, 12 cans of green beans I got on sale with a coupon (and felt like a supermom doing so despite there being zero nutritional value), 3 gallons of milk (that I can't drink) and one single bagel. My living room looks like I run a daycare and I swear there is only one baby in this house. No one can find their laundry, I seem to have misplaced the cloth diapers and I think we have a dog missing.  Maybe?  Didn't we have two?

I'm not sure where I took a sharp right turn into "that lady" who is home all day and can't seem to keep her house clean. I know I've been in houses with SAHMs before who have sparkling counters, neatly piled laundry, vacuumed floors, AND they find time to put their feet up, have a coffee, and survey their kingdom of Martha Stewartness.

This new career didn't start out like this, though. The first week I had everything neatly planned out. Scheduled even. Grocery stores on Mondays - check. Laundry day on Wednesdays, check. Coffee date on Tuesdays with mom friends to avoid becoming SAHM in pjs forever with only Facebook to keep me connected - check.  Dr. Appts for new kiddo  in calendar with drive time and allowing for puke changes - check.  Dog walks each day to keep ass size in check - check, check and check.  Schedule time to sit down and review schedule - check.

That first couple weeks I was on it! J-Man, Diva, and the Boy would come home, the house would be clean, food cooking, and me smiling with clean baby and all was well. Then, it happened.  Baby girl decided to take a monkey wrench and firmly plant it right up my....well, calendar.

Like an accident on the beltway on a Monday in the rain at 4pm - my new "schedule" came to a screeching halt. I panicked. I tried to stay up that night and get it done.  Sans coffee because I'm breastfeeding.  Sans nap because I'm behind! Sans clothes because who has time to get dressed? Ok maybe scratch the dog walk today- we'll have the Diva do it.  Ok, so maybe laundry can wait because dinner is burning wait is the baby crying again? Oh look we DO have two dogs!

*sigh*

At some point in my failure to become June Cleaver I began just going with the flow.  Then magically - I found my Fu. Baby Girl was finally asleep, the other two were at school, the dogs were sleeping and all was quiet.  The house was an utter disaster, laundry needed folding, baby toys everywhere, but - it was peaceful.  I was watching HGTV and was absentmindly scratching off the dried puke on my nursing/pregnancy top and J-mans pj pants that I had on.  I was sitting in the glider enjoying my 1 of 2 cups of allowed caffeinated beverage daily. My feet were up. I noticed a smell, recognized it as milk vomit, realized what I was picking at and chuckled thinking, "I should hug Diva when she gets in...heh heh heh", which I promptly posted on FaceBook.

I also realized that in every aspect of my life right now I'm happy. I can't be that lady that lives a perfect life because I enjoy our life as it IS. Our house was clean before because no one was IN it. The dogs were always in my face because they never saw me.  My kids were...well wait, they were the same so no change there.

The biggest change for me honestly has been realizing what truly makes me happy.  It used to be recognition, bonuses, raises, and title. Now it's harmony, love, respect and showering 5 days in a row.

And you know what? I LOVE it.  Stand back people, I've found my Fu.

Drawing a dotted wavy line from A - B

Today's post was supposed to be a 2-Minute Review of my travel system, but a news article discussing CougarLife.com's latest billboard debacle caught my eye.  As a mature woman of almost a "certain age" AND a breastfeeding mother, I feel the need to address this.

I firmly believe that there is no shame in an older woman dating a younger man.  I   see how society views men with younger women as acceptable but not women with younger men.

I accept that this is unfair and hypocritical and I think this website is kind of funny and entertaining.  

As a SAHM mother with three great kids AND an alternative model, I challenge anyone to find someone who would ever call me a prude, an over-reactor, or in any way easily offended. There are not many things in the advertising industry that truly offends me.  I worked in the industry for a short period of time (in a non marketing position) and I do not consider myself an expert of any sort.  However, I am a consumer and have been marketing to my entire life.  On this, I feel I am qualified to speak.

The issue I have at the moment isn't so much the sign - it's being taken down.  My chief complaint is the response to the public's outcry by the company spokesperson, Marlo Jordan.  This is Ms. Jordan (from the CougarLife website):

Miss CougarLife.com, Marlo Jordan

Marlo Jordan is the ultimate cougar... so say the millions of members at CougarLife.com! She is a successful business owner, a nationally ranked fitness competitor, a featured model, a professional dating coach, and a mom of three! Beating out thousands of hopeful cougars, Marlo has become our first "Miss CougarLife.com".

Being a cougar is second nature to Marlo... everywhere she goes, she attracts younger men. She maintains her busy cougar lifestyle by balancing her career as a professional dating coach, leading a healthy lifestyle, managing her family time, and enjoying her "me" time which includes dating lots of energetic young men. Everywhere she goes she turns heads, but aside from her sexy, youthful look, people everywhere fall in love with her for her intriguing, passionate and loveable personality. She epitomizes the cougar life.

Marlo enjoys traveling, fashion, working out, competing in fitness, and more than anything else, helping people reach their best. This last quality has in turn made her the perfect dating coach, guiding confident people to finding love. She is a 42-year-old single mother whose favorite pastime is dating eligible cubs all over America.

There's no denying that she's one hot mama.  She seems smart, sexy and confident - all things that are awesome.  So why then, does she fall flat on her face trying to convince OTHER smart, sexy and confident women that were offended by the (second) inappropriate billboard that they shouldn't be?  She is doing the *blink blink* whaaaa???? wide eyed thing mock innocence thing. Except she seems to expect us to buy it.  

My turn. Um, what?

She is, by her own admission, a divorced single mom who breastfed her own children.  When she tries to say, "A mother breastfeeding can still be sexy" it's justification for their bad decision.  I've taken photos of myself breastfeeding and it makes people uncomfortable, but I never tried to make it something other than what it was.  I shrugged it off and said, "yea well don't look at it."  I didn't tell people, "Oh, you should totally be into me with my infant on my breast, giggidy".  

She goes on to try and link, again, breastfeeding and relationships in this quote from the article "I know there are going to be some moms that look at it and think, 'What in the world?'" said Jordan. "But we don't think there's anything shameful about either breastfeeding or relationships between older women and younger men."  

Her biggest insult is where she further insults anyone's intelligence and basically calls us all idiots when she says there's no reason for the billboard to be taken down. Because it's next to a Farmers Market - it's the "...perfect place to showcase this ad," and follows up with, "There is nothing more natural than a woman breastfeeding."

Really?  Just what exactly are those farmers farming?  Uteruses?  Breasts?  Why is it the perfect place?  Do all farmers breastfeed AND date "cubs"? Or are you just drawing a line between your points A and B to make them seem related?  Let me try.

I enjoy music and because of that I should get my car washed. 

Follow the logic?  No?  Well, that's because there isn't any. Just like there is no correlation between breastfeeding and sex.  

I realize she is being paid to be the mouthpiece of the company, but shouldn't such an accomplished woman be able to come up with something better than this?  Or, possibly, it was such a bad decision that this WAS the best she could come up with. 

If you would like to contact the company and let them know what you think here is the contact information:

http://cougarlife.com/contact_us

Attn: Media Relations 
Cougar Life Inc. 

(DBA Cougar Life) 
20 Eglinton Ave West, Suite 1200
Toronto, ON Canada M4R 1K8 
1-877-740-3176

4moms Mamaroo Review - In Depth

When I first saw the Mamaroo by 4moms I was stuck by it's simplicity.  (And because it looked like some hybrid Jetsons/Mork from Ork baby gear.)

Someone forwarded me a link to the website for this item, http://www.4moms.com/mamaroo, and I decided, "I want".

LOL - and what pregnant mama wants, pregnant mama begs for.

I did get it as a gift and currently (though not when it was bought for me) it retails for about $230.

So here comes the review. This is more indepth than what the video has. That is only two minutes and goes only over the pros & cons.  Here we will break them down more.

First I'll give the details or "specs". Then I'll discuss how they work IRL compared to what is advertised.  

Finally - I'll say whether I think it's a good purchase, a nursery must have, value, pros/cons etc. 

The Details

• Six patterns to choose from (shown is "green plush")
• Smooth reclining seat, locks to adjust (left picture, back bar is the adjustment)
• Built in nature sounds, with volume OR you can connect an ipod/iphone
• Reversible toy balls
• 5 Unique motions with variable speeds for each
• Up to 25 lbs

...And In Reality...

This item came unassembled but was a snap to assemble, truly.  Took a very round pregnant lady very little time.  It's a heavy item, which is good, you don't want to be knocking stuff over while lumbering around on invisible feet.  After the baby is born, you don't want something flimsy holding your kid. It's a solid item, and I felt safe putting my newborn into it.

However, the first test subject wasn't too happy.  We try out all our stuff on our 12 lb Shih Tzu. The Mamaroo is NOT intended for pets.   And Shih Tzus may get extra cranky. Just a warning.

Ok - so on to the Details and how they work.

• Six Patterns - not much to say about this. Pick your pattern and go with it.  We picked green, simply because I liked the green.
• Smooth Reclining Seat - This is actually pretty cool.  The bar that runs along the back of the Mamaroo is the bar that slides through the locking mechanism.  You can slide it to the lowest position for a more "laying flat" baby or up to have them sitting up straighter.  Note however, there are no shoulder straps.  This means if you have your seat in the most upright position, if your baby has great abs like mine, they could theoretically fling themselves out. So stay nearby if you put the seat this inclined.
• Built in Nature Sounds or music player - I use the nature sounds, which are called "white noises" every where else, frequently.  I have to, because I lost the little cord that goes from the Mamaroo to the iPod/iPhone. It detaches from the unit and is only about 3 inches long.  I never got to try out my stunning collection of Eminem or P!nk.  Dangit!  
• Reversible Toy Balls - Well yes. They are there. Three soft plush football shaped toy balls.  On one side of the balls are black and white images. On the other side of them are the same images in bright primary colors. And they dangle.  Just - dangle. All I could think of when I saw it was:  Angler Fish of DEATH!  Seriously - they just....hang. It's kind of odd. And the tags are 2 inches long. ON EACH BALL.  Very strange.

• 5 Unique motions with variable speeds for each- Here's where it gets good. This detail is the reason I wanted the Mamaroo.  Unlike regular swings which can typically go either side to side or front to back in a swinging motion - the mamaroo has two moving parts. First, the post that the seat is perched on slides side to side on the base. Then, depending on which of the "...five unique motions" you choose, the seat section bounces up and down to create a different movement.  Additionally, after you choose your motion, you can increase or decrease the speed of the motion.

• Up to 25 lbs. Well - no need to review this.  You can put a child, up to 25 lbs, into it provided he or she is not sitting on their own, crawling, etc.  This item is for babies that don't yet move too much. 

The Pros: It's versatile. It really can be tilted to just about any position to sit/lie in.  The style of it is good and its pleasing to look at. It's not an overly loud mechanical item either.  With the player attachment and decent speakers it's pretty nifty.  The movements and options mean they sleep well, and if they get tired of one movement, you have 4 others and various speeds to choose from.   The material literally zips off for easy cleaning should your little one have a blow out or upchuck.  (If you don't have kids yet and don't know what a blow out is, I'll let it be your pleasant surprise)

The Cons:  The cost is a big one.  While it's cool looking, no doubt, the price is prohibitive for parents who are, like most of us, on a strict budget. Shelling out $230 for an item Lil' Suzie will only use for six months seems a bit much, but I have one so clearly not all that prohibitive.  One thing I didn't like was the rounded seat, it often had her chin on her chest as she slept - which is a big no-no. If the back where straighter that would be better.  The player cord detaches from the base.  It's tiny and was lost pretty much in the first month.  There are no shoulder straps to keep babies like mine, who like to lean and move a lot, more secure.  I would love to see some plush straps. 

All in all - I like the 4Moms Mamaroo. For the first three weeks, my daughter wouldn't sleep anywhere else.  She needed the motion and the swing we were given just wasn't doing it.  Now at 12 weeks she is in it sometimes, but not as much for sleeping through the night as the occasional nap in it.

If you can afford it - I'd say it's a good purchase. Definitely not a necessity item, but one you'll appreciate.  It's also a conversation starter, and if all else fails...just keep shopping, just keep shopping....

*This is an UNPAID product review.  I was not asked to do it nor was I compensated or paid in any way. The item was bought by a family member and given to me at my baby shower. I have no affiliation with 4moms.

No Sexual Feet!

Feet.
足
chân
pé
Aleut
pairo
piedi
pies.

All words for Feet. Imagine all that creamy soft supple skin, kept moisturized. Imagine how soft they would feel in your hands. Imagine how they would feel brushed up against your cheek as you rested there. How can you adorn the feet you love? Would you go to boutiques and buy the sexiest dainty sandals?  And how they would look all tanned up at the beach?  You could play with each little toe at the end of a long day in the bath, massaging and licking each one to your partners delight.  Throw on some soft music, light some candles and spend time caressing the feet.  You buy wonderful soft socks to keep them covered (only for you ya know!), provide good shoes for arch support, and (like above) buy adorable or sexy sandals! In your mind, your special foot "owner" shouldn't ever actually USE their feet to walk, because that would make them dry out, less soft, and not as supple as you would like and the "sexiness" might wane.  

How can anyone say no to feet? They are incredibly sexy, and you know you can't keep your eyes off of them!

No? Feet aren't sexy?  Well I'm sure SOME folks think feet are sexy but lets assume for a moment YOU don't.  How ridiculous would it be for someone to expect someone else to not use their FEET to walk around, simply because feet are considered sexual organs?

That's exactly how ridiculous it sounds to us breastfeeding moms when somoene who has sexualized all that is breast and we are asked to cover up or go elsewhere.  BREASTS ARE MEANT TO FEED INFANTS.  They were NOT incuded on our bodies to be "sexual".  If so, we'd just have nipples like men, no need for mammary glands.

(c) Duker Photography
Model: Me & Nila

Honestly, our culture could have sexualized any part of the body, making it shameful to expose that part in public. Breastfeeding is 100% normal and natural and mothers who breastfeed should never be asked to go elsewhere or cover up.  WHY is this still happening?  If you, or anyone else, feels uncomfortable when a woman is breastfeeding then here's an idea, don't look. Don't follow her with your eyes. Don't wonder if she's one of "those" women who will breastfeed until the child is 5.  It's none of YOUR business. Don't stare, that's rude dude.

Personally, I think seeing a mother feeding her child is a remarkable expression of love and selflessness. If you have never breastfed, newsflash: it's not easy. It's not impossible or difficult necessarily, but it can impose restrictions and you have to think about what you eat, drink, and expose yourself to.  You are solely responsible for the ENTIRE food of another human being. You are their lifeblood, so, to be responsible, you eat healthy, drink lots of water, and limit other things such as wine, beer, and that cigarette you REALLY want. Not too much coffee, not too much of anything really (except water. You need lots of that).

So for people who say that breastfeeding is unnatural or should be covered up ask yourself these questions:

1)  If you just don't want to see the woman's nipple, then why is ok for the Abercrombie male models to show THEIR nipples? The only difference is the fat part, so the argument that nipple showage is porn or something sexual doesn't work.

2) Do you stop eating when someone with anorexia or bulemia enters the room? No. Of course not.  So why should *I* (or any breastfeeding mother) have to stop feeding our children because YOU have sexualized a mammary gland and now have issues with doing what's natural?

3) Do you want to eat a steak under a towel? Try it one day. Put two people (you have to be one of them) under a blanket. Then YOU eat a steak.

So here's the deal. We're feeding our children with the tools nature gave us. It's natural, a gesture of love, and completely legal anywhere that mother has a right to be.

And just one more thing:

Just be glad society hasn't yet made feet the sexual equivalent of breasts.

2 Minute Reviews - pre and post baby

Hello out there fellow parents (and parents-to-be)!

If you're at all like me, you go out and google reviews, check Amazon.com, and go down your own checklist before committing to a purchase or moving on to the next product.

I like to look at videos as well as read commentaries - the videos help me understand size, how things move (if they are meant to) and basically how to put it together.

I'm going to be doing reviews of baby items, as a new-again mom (my youngest is 10), there are SO many new items out there that weren't even in the thought process stage yet when my son was born!

The difference between mine and many others, namely the videos, is that mine will be 2 minutes, will highlight the pros/cons, strengths/weaknesses and go right to the heart of the matter. There won't be a lot of talk, jokes about my dog, or unnecessary commentaries about my kid.  Thats what the rest of this blog will be for!!!

I have a YouTube Channel that will be used to Vlog and do reviews.  Stay tuned in the coming weeks for the first few reviews!!! 

Our New Arrival!!!

Our little peanut arrived! She showed up last week at 7 lbs, 19". She had a knot in her cord and it was wrapped around her neck! She recovered beautifully though and we are feeling incredibly blessed and thrilled to meet her.

Chef Boy!

I am one of those people who thoroughly enjoys cooking. If I could have learned to do it professionally I probably would have, but - as it stands, I just cook for friends and family.  That being said, I'm also one of those WOMEN who finds it incredibly impressive when a man who isn't a chef, makes me something to eat that doesn't involve boiling water and a jar of spaghetti sauce (not that there's anything wrong with your spaghetti J-Man...).

Because of this, and because my Little Man - the Boy - has shown some talent and enjoyment in the kitchen, I thought now would be a good time to teach him a basic recipe, quiche!

He put the pie crusts in, and was cutting off the excess!  He really enjoyed playing with the leftover dough....

After he did that, I gave him all the ingredients .In this case, it was spinach  ham, onions and garlic for one quiche, and spinach, ham, onions, mushrooms and garlic for the other quiche.

Then we poured in our egg (one has no cream - due to my inability to have dairy).

 After that we cooked and ate them! I do believe he was really impressed with himself and quite proud of himself too!!

Look out Gordon Ramsey, Chef Boy is beating down your door!!!

I'm a Crafty One...

These days, down to one income, I'm looking at any way I can to save moola and make things better on our growing little family.

Everything from contemplating sewing things for the kids, to making my own diapers, to making diapers to sell, to knitting gloves, hats, diaper covers, etc. to just watching another kid for awhile.

I've also had the treasured and rare time to spend with my kids.  Having been a career focused mom for so many years, just hanging out with my son and daughter has been really nice!  The daughter has one heck of a great sense of humor, and the boy is still as sweet as he ever was, but he's growing up. Both of them are.  I've had a wonderful time this month teaching my son to make quiche and making my daughter her requested birthday dinner (filipino style!).

Even so - as much as it pains me - I do have to find something else to do with my time while they're busy having social lives.

I've been learning to knit (mostly to keep myself from going insane in the last few weeks of pregnancy).  It doesn't require much in the way of physical exertion, but keeps my hands and brain busy.  I've managed to knit a pair of mismatched sized (and shaped) baby booties, a pair of fingerless gloves, and now I"m working on a baby cap. Today I may run to Michaels and get a new pair of knitting needles and some different yarn.  

Another thing I've been researching is wool diaper covers. I did go to Goodwill and buy two wool sweaters and successfully felted them down for use. I debated on deconstructing the one and knitting with the yarn, but I opted to felt it instead. For those of you who don't know what Felting wool is - I have only done it once so I'm no expert - but it's the process of shrinking the crap out of it, basically. To learn more about how to felt wool, click here.   The two sweaters I felted down will become diaper covers for the baby one she's here.   I'll be doing another blog/vlog on that once she's born and I get my new serger!!!

Couponing - Well, I'm not getting all my groceries for .37, but i am saving on average about $7 bucks a trip.  That's nearly $30 a month.  Maybe it doesn't qualify for "Extreme Couponing" but it's pretty exciting to me!

Other than that, just working on slowly adding to my CD stash, thinking about the baby, and waiting.

"Stash", "Fluff", "Hemp", "Organic", no I'm not a drug dealer...

This week I am 37 weeks, and technically, if Baby Girl decides to make her entrance at any point from now going forward, there will be no stopping it!

I spent the last month frantically grabbing up as much Fluff Stash (which translates to "diapers" in Cloth Diapering lingo) as I could only to decide to use up all the disposables we got from folks at the baby shower first. Crisis averted!

About 7 months ago I made the decision to cloth diaper this little girl.  I immediately began Googling and realized I was WOEFULLY out of date on my cloth diapering lingo and knowledge.

First things first, there are so many terms now when it comes to cloth diapering, I had to get my head around those first.  Many an hour was spent on google.  Here is a short list of terms that may help you if you're at the beginning of your search. Where a longer definition is necessary, I've included a link:

Cloth Diapering Terms*

• CD - Cloth Diapering
• Sposies - Disposable diapers (think Pampers, Huggies, etc)
• Insert - the part that goes IN the diaper to absorb waste
• Cover - the outer part of the diaper. Used to be the plastic underpants.  Now it can be anything from colorful cloth to soft "minky" material.
• Minky - soft fluffy material used for diapers, can be used for both inserts and cover.
• Woolies - Wool outers that absorb liquid.
• Wool Longies - Long wool pants used as covers for cloth diapers.
• Snappies - 3 prong hooks that help hold certain kinds of cloth diapers on babies.
• Flats - the original cloth diaper. One layer of material, usually cotton.  But they can come in different materials now. Absolutely the most economical version. Needs covers.
• Prefolds - the next generation of cloth diapers after Flats.
• Fitteds - Diapers that sound exactly like what they are, "fitted" to your baby.  They usually come with a variety of snaps or Velcro (aka "hook and loop") to make them smaller or larger.
• Hemp, Cotton, Terrycloth, Microfiber - all kinds of inserts with different absorbency  The Hemp and Cotton can come as organic.  
• AIO - All In One. A kind of diaper that is all inclusive with an absorbent pad, a cover, all in one piece. When your baby wets or dirties the diaper, you take it off (rinse if necessary) and replace with a whole new diaper.  Similar to disposables.
• AI2 - All in Two. AI2's are usually the same as AIO's but allow for removal of the insert (the part that absorbs, and if nothing has spilled onto the shell or outer, that part can be used again. They have a hybrid option as well.  Technically, all other diapers are AI2's, whether they be pocket, snap, prefolds and flats with cover, or hybrid.
• Pocket Diapers - These are waterproof cloth outers with a "Pocket" on the inside to hold the insert.  When dirtied, the entire diaper needs to be washed. 
• Hybrid Diaper - this a diaper with a disposable insert.  Some of them are: Flip, Grovia, Best Bottom and GDiaper.  

Feel like an expert yet? Or do you feel as if you're in over your head? Don't worry. I almost gave up on CD'ing when I began researching. There's just too much information!  Then I found a site called Kelly's Closet and let me tell you, their tutorials, articles and information saved me.  I would urge you to go there.

Please let me know if I missed anything!  Happy Diapering!!!

*This list is NOT all inclusive and any brand I have named I did due to searching, no one has asked me to, this is not a paid advertisement.  The websites I have linked to are large sites frequented by CD'ing parents and they also did not ask me to do this.  Their use here is simply due to how they appeared in my google searches.

RC Cars & Males.

There's no doubt that males, old or young, are notoriously competitive as a general rule.  I'm sure there are men (and boys) out there who would say they don't care, but I'm talking in a general sense.


I've never seen this more predominately displayed in an over blown manner than at a Remote Control Car Track.    I've seen more attempted swagger over buggies and track trucks, fancy $600 transmitters, and "the right tires for the right track" than I have at the ACTUAL track J-Man and I go to when he races REAL cars.





Let's be clear - I'm not putting down RC Cars, not at all. There is absolutely a skill level required to do this, talent and patience, experience, knowledge and just plain good hand/eye coordination.  However, putting a car on a track and running it on tires that MIGHT add up to $100 for four -MAAAAYYYYBE - is NOTHING compared to actual drag racing tires or motorcycle racing tires.  The cost of A SINGLE item on a full sized race car & motorcycle is usually the ENTIRE cost of an RC Car.

That and the Swagger. Oh...the Swagger these boys - errrrr...meant, Men - have or attempt to have. Not all of them, in fact only a small few. But boy, when they are there, they are there.  I've been to the local RC track exactly 3 times.  I've seen grown men melt down, I mean complete with cursing, stomping, slamming, banging, glaring and chest puffing - over a toy.

I get it.  It's an expensive toy. And it's important to them.  Yes, yes I know. But wow.  I've NEVER seen grown men behave more entitled IN MY LIFE.  And I know some folks who probably could walk around like that and not get a second look.

J-Man is fairly well known at a couple Human Sized vehicle tracks. He is often approached for advice and help and is normally always willing to help and answer questions. THe money involved in Real Car Racing is exceptionally huge. Folks have lost homes, mortgaged themselves, and not eaten just to run these cars. J-Man always helps.

Then you have the RC Car dudes.  Man - you'd think some of them were guarding state secrets!!!

Anyway -  The Boy and J-Man are busy bonding over dog bones, multi-battery Chargers, tire gluing, and the right kind of power to the car.  I couldn't be happier watching my little man grow up, and I adore J-Man even more for being the dad The Boy needs and more.

Thanks for visiting!!!

2013 Stuff. Stuff is good. I like Stuff.

There are quite a few things I’m planning on getting into when my SAHM status is actually SAHM.  Technically that doesn’t happen until 1/15 – but until then I’ll still blog/vlog and update FB.

The CRIBCAPADES!!!

Our beautiful Sorelle Crib was a given to us and has sat in our bedroom for about 3 weeks.  It was time to put it together.   The instructions that came with it told me to put the mattress frame together.  Then one more direction, then it says, in direction 3 – to do something BEFORE Instruction 1.  WHAT????  The instruction booklet left A LOT to be desired, but I muddled through.

After some trial and error (thank GOD I like puzzles) I managed to get it assembled and set up with the help of my Teen Diva – she was absolutely a help.  No way I could have done it without her.  She’s a good big sister. 

After the Diva and I got it assembled, the Boy and the Diva brought up the mattress, we made up the bed, put together the mobile and VOILA!  Instant cute!

Thank you to my family and friends who supplied the gorgeous bedding!!  I can’t wait to see Baby Girl in it!

My Cloth Diapering Dilemma

Here’s the sitch. I don’t have a big enough “Fluff Stash” – meaning, I don’t have enough diapers.  I’ve been in contact with a woman who makes them and she’s going to make me some Newborn sized diapers – I’ll try those out. Her company is called KyroBugz – and she has some SERIOUSLY cute diapers.  I can’t wait to put them on Baby Girl!  If anyone out there has a company, and they would like to have their diaper tried out – then please let me know. I’ll be happy to tell you what a newb thinks! I’ll be doing videos and commenting on them!

Also, I'm in the MD/DC area and have been looking for a place to get diapers that were maybe gently used.  I found a place called Greenberries in Columbia, MD.  This place is THE BOMB.  I will be shopping here regularly. While this is technically a "second hand" store, there is absolutely NOTHING second hand about this place. It is truly and upscale boutique where any parent can go to buy items, feel good about supporting local business, other parents, and leave without mortgaging your home to buy diapers, toys, high chairs, clothes, accessories - you name it!  Please tell them I sent ya!