Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: american baby, fairmont kea lani, hawaiian vacation, maui, mommy wears heels, win a family vacation
Wanna go to Maui? The winner will get round-trip airfare for 2 adults and up to 2 kids, use of a rental car for 5 days, plus 5 nights at the Fairmont Kea Lani beach resort. To enter, go to www.americanbaby.com/maui from April 26 through June 15, 2010.
Filed under: Tips | Tags: alternatives to teethers, baby food mesh bags, bagels for teething, crib rail teether, land of nod, massaging action teether, onestepahead.com, teething blankets, teething tips, tips on teething, using washcloths for teething, wooden spoon for teething
Ahhh… the joys of teething. You just get to the point where you feel as if you have things under control, you’re getting the hang of this whole “mother” thing, then BAM… little junior starts teething. Tender and swollen gums make their little life unbearable and quite honestly, miserable for you as well. If you haven’t found the right teether to ease their cries, try one of these alternatives.
Washcloths:
Cold washcloths: Easy to chew on for the little one. You could also try to put a crushed ice-cube inside the washcloth, tie it up, and let your little munchkin chew until all of the ice chips have melted (hopefully not all over your floor).
Another washcloth tip: try soaking it in some chilled chamomile tea.
Alternative teether toys:
Sometimes the rings you put in the freezer are too cold for your little one. If that’s the case, try a massaging action teether from One Step Ahead.
Teething Blankets by Munchkin are also a good alternative. TIP: buy two. One can be washed while the other is in use.
You might think I’m crazy, but a wooden spoon does the trick! Just make sure it’s natural wood, with smooth edges. Also, if your little one has a thing for wood, I would highly suggest investing in a crib rail teether. Protects you from having a chewed crib, while soothing their gums at the same time… now that’s what I call a win-win situation!
Food as a Chew Toy:
I had one friend suggest to me that I use a frozen bagel. It doesn’t get as cold as some of the other teethers that you are supposed to put in the freezer and the spongy circle will help absorb the drool. Waffles work as well.
Even if the child is not onto solid foods yet, try using the baby feeder mesh bags and throwing in a few frozen grapes. You can put frozen bananas or even just crushed ice in it as well. It’s a little messy, but hey, isn’t your sanity worth it? Have daddy clean the kitchen…
For all you breastfeeding moms out there, a friend recommended pumping and freezing the milk in an ice-cube tray then putting the frozen milk cube into a mesh feeder bag. This is great for early teethers. Just make sure your guests don’t grab some “ice” for their drink when they are over!
Filed under: Tips, Baby Names | Tags: baby name tips, baby names, babycenter.com, celebrity babies, mommy wears heels, thebump.com, tips on naming your baby
There are hundreds of thousands of names out there… how do you know which is “right” for your baby? Picking the right name for your child is quite the task. It will stick with them for life, so the pressure is on you and your partner! I guess you are lucky that in the good ol’ United States, pretty much anything goes. I mean, come on… Pilot Inspector (seriously, Jason Lee?) and Bronx Mowgli (yes, I am talking about you, Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz).
With all the name options out there it can be extremely daunting, and at some point, maybe even stressful. Of course, you’ll regularly be fending off ideas from family, friends and co-workers. My mother hated almost all of the boys names we had picked out and wasn’t afraid to tell me! Now, it doesn’t hurt to be open to (some) of their ideas, but the decision is up to you, and maybe if he’s lucky, your partner. Don’t be afraid to say thanks, but no thanks!
Where to begin?
Start chatting with your hubby (or significant other) as soon as possible. Keep a list in your purse or at your desk at work so you can pull it out whenever something might pop into your head. There are tons of websites out there to help you find ideas as well. Check out the name finder tools on www.thebump.com and www.babycenter.com for inspiration.
Now, there are a lot of things to consider when choosing name, such as family name, avoiding embarrassing initials or nicknames and staying clear of any name that has a relation to anyone you or your significant other dated. No one wants to have a kid named after their husbands’ ex-girlfriend whom their mother-in-law adored and still likes to remind you of. Here are some helpful hints of what to keep in mind when you are naming that little prince or princess:
- How does the name you have picked out sound with your last name? The hubby and I loved the name Cole… but think about it… Cole Pipe. Yeah, not so much!
- Think about the initials. Might not want to name your little angel Ashley Suzanne Smith. I have a feeling they might not want to go by ASS.
- Uniqueness: sometimes it’s not all fun and games when there are 5 other Mike’s in your class. I hated having to go by “Nikki L.” in elementary and junior high because there were 4 Nicole’s in my class.
- Think of relatives and friends. A lot of people chose to name their kiddies after family members they were (or are) close to.
- Avoid names that rhyme with your last name. No explanation needed there. Parker Marker is just not cool. Talk about getting beat up on the playground…
- Avoid names that could have an embarrassing nickname. Of course, some little snot-nosed third grader could come up with something you never even thought of when you named your kid, but at least try to steer clear of the obvious ones.
- Family traditions could be the thing to do in your family. If you aren’t sold on having a junior, or even worse, a Joseph James Smith VIII, consider using the first name for a middle name.
Remember, never let anyone pressure you into a name you don’t like. It’s your kid… they either had their time when they named their child, or they will have their chance once they go through pregnancy hell. This is your time―it’s you and all you! The most important thing is that you and your partner like the name… who really cares if anyone else does!
Filed under: Work/Life Balance | Tags: exercising after baby, how to lose baby weight, losing baby weight, mommy wears heels, new baby, new mom, pole dancing workout, running after pregnancy, working out after baby, yoga after pregnancy
If you’ve ever had a baby, you know those last 10 pounds do not come off very easy! Most doctors say it can take up to a year to lose your weight you gained during pregnancy… if you even get back there at all! Personally, a lot of my weight has shifted and I am a little more “soft” in some areas. I’m sure my hubby just loves my little muffin top I have going on… yeah, right! 
As much I would like to say I am exercising, I’m not. Where the heck do I have time between my son, my husband, work and writing this ever-so-delightful blog for you all to enjoy? My house is a disaster and I am 7 pounds from getting to pre-baby weight, but I wanna lose 10. Unfortunately, I am not a celebrity with millions of dollars that can afford a nanny to watch over the munchkin while I go to my personal training sessions.
I’ve tried restricting calories and cutting out some of those tasty desserts, but let’s face it—that’s not me, I like food too much! So, I sincerely want to make the time to start working out and I need some advice from all those mom’s out there…
Filed under: Tips, Work/Life Balance | Tags: back to work after baby, mommy wears heels, new baby, tips when going back to work, working mom
The dreaded time has come upon you… it is 6-8 weeks (12 if you are lucky!) since you’ve had the little one and now it’s time to go back to work. Take a deep breath and try to relax. Most moms have to go back to work after their maternity leave—it’s hard on all of us. Here’s a little advice on making the transition from stay-at home mom to working mommy a little easier.
Make sure to practice your morning routine a week or so before you go back to work. I didn’t do this and gave my self an extra 15 minutes that first morning… BAD idea. I think it took me 15 minutes to say goodbye! By getting in a few days “practice time”, you’ll be able to time yourself doing your morning routine (or figure out what that morning routine will be!) and will know just how much time you will need to get ready. It will also allow you time to “tweak” what wasn’t working so your first day back will be seamless… that is until you get to work! A few things to think about:
• Who is going to get up with the baby?
• Who will be feeding him or her in the morning?
• What is the showering schedule like? You first or hubby?
• What does the little one need packed for daycare?
• Who will be dressing the baby?
• What needs to be done before leaving for the day?
The week before you go back to work, go through your closet and try on a few work-appropriate outfits. You are still in the process of losing your baby weight so things aren’t gonna fit like they used to! You just need to make sure you have a few basics you can get by with in the interim. The Juicy track suit or your yoga pants with your college sweatshirt isn’t gonna cut it at the office. If you are anything like me, you probably refused to go out and buy new clothes to fit your “new” size because you don’t plan on being that size for too much longer. I hate to be the barer of bad news, but you just might have to go out and buy a few basics to get by. Make sure you have the following:
• 2 pairs of dress pants. I highly suggest 1 black and 1 brown. Rotate them every other day and no one will know the difference. I wore the same pair of black pants 4 out of my first 5 days back and no one said anything! (at least to my face)
• A white collared button-down shirt.
• 2 neutral colored cardigans or other layering-type top.
• 3 additional plain colored tops. • Black blazer or other type of black jacket. (I adore my cropped leather motorcycle jacket)
• Accessories: Once you have the clothing basics in hand, you can switch up the look with different colored scarves, necklaces, other chunky jewelry and shoes to make the outfit look completely different. The best part about this—accessories are not “sized” so everything you had before baby will still fit!
Lastly, my favorite thing… you are going to have to treat yourself to some pampering. I know, hard as it is… you need to look good when you make your debut back to work! Be prepared to be bombarded your first day back with everyone stopping by your desk to congratulate you and wanting to see some pics of your little tater tot—you are going to want to look good. The week before going back, get your hair cut and touch up those highlights! Also, a mani and pedi is always nice—even if you do your own! We all know when you look great, you feel great.
