mommyhood memo #8: you know life has changed when...

...you’ve developed an uncanny talent for making up songs about things like cleaning someone’s bum, folding the laundry, brushing your teeth, taking out the garbage, or walking to the mailbox.



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mommy bloggy friends... what are your top tips for a newbie blogger? (in other words, how in the world do you do it?!)

I'm not gonna lie... although I am totally diggin' on this new world I've stumbled into for the last seven weeks... I'm also a *tad* bit overwhelmed by the blogosphere!!! I have a few questions for you regulars... Maybe you're a veteran, or maybe you're a rookie like me, but I'm sure we've all got something to learn from each other.

So... way back in May (Mothers Day actually) I "launched" this blog. I figured I should have some posts on here before I invited people and so had been writing a few things and "saving them up" before then. (You can tell by the fact that my first 12 or so posts have no comments... I was still an under cover mommy blogger then! *grin*)

I started out just writing... cause it was fun. Then I went back and started tagging all my posts (*ahem* I mean "labeling" as I'm told it's called) because that seemed like a good way to track and find stuff. I surfed around some other mommy blogs and was inspired to make mine look more personalized, so I made an original header. Then I realized I wanted a cool button, cause I saw that "everyone" had those and that's one way to share the love. :) I googled a tutorial and figured that one out. Then I decided I wanted a three-column format... and googled a tutorial on that one. (Yay for google!) Then I registered with Top Baby Blogs and Top Mommy Blogs and then my blog felt so... official.

I've learned heaps and had a great time developing the mommyhood memos, but seriously, I feel like I've only scratched the surface! (Ok, I know, I'm only seven weeks in... I've got plenty of time to keep learning the ropes... but I like to dive in and go for it.)

I'm having so much fun with this blog and have been really surprised by the friendships that have already sprung up out of it. I'm learning a ton (about motherhood and blogging) and delighted to be connecting into the world of mommies more and more. I'm also really enjoying having something that is just for "me" (not for work or taking care of the house or the family, etc). This is just mine for fun, which I love. My little blog has turned into a really wonderful hobby and great outlet for me.

I've also found so many other amazing blogs that I now look forward to checking out as much as I'm able.

But this is where I start to get stumped.

When you subscribe to so many, how in the world do you keep track? How do you not get lost? How do you find the time? These are just some of my questions.

I'm also wondering about "blog etiquette", if you will. :)

What I'm going to do now is write a list of other things that I'm pondering these days... in hopes that you will give me advice on your experience in the blogosphere! Cause I see all you beautiful mommies out there and wonder just how in the world you do it.... and do it so well!

Below are a few of my questions... I'd love your honest feedback on any or all of them! (And, if I do end up getting a lot of feedback on this post... I'll compile it and share it in a later post about what I've learned so we can share share alike... yay.)

Here goes:

• How do you read the blogs your subscribed to?
• How do you keep them organized?
• How many (on average) a day do you visit?
• How many (on average) a day do you read?
• When you read a post, do you always comment?
• When you comment on someone else's blog, do you "expect" them to comment back on yours?
• When someone comments on your blog, do you always then visit theirs?
• Can someone please tell me what the deal is with these Follow Me Fridays please? (And does it take up a lot of time? Is it worth it?)
• What sites do you feel are most helpful to register your blog with?
• Are you selective about what blogs you follow or will you follow anyone's?
• How many hours on average a day (or week) do you spend blogging (reading and posting)?
• I tend to write a bunch of posts in one day and then predate them for the week... is this normal?
• How in the world do you manage your time online when you're busy being a mom?!!!
• Do you prefer to read blogs where the subject matter is streamlined... or do you like a variety?
• What are the top three reasons you will read (and go back to) a particular blog?
• What turns you off from going back to someone's blog?
• Do you think good blogs post everyday? Or does posting every day annoy you?
• What's the best way you've found to boost your readership (and, honestly, do you ever feel like a sell-out for self promotion?!)?
• What's one thing you've learned that you wish you knew when you started?
• Do you have any blogging regrets?
• What's your top tip for a rookie blogger?

Ok, I better end the list there. I think I have a zillion other questions... but this list has probably gotten too overwhelming to earn me any responses already. (Mmmmm, I do have a tendency to get long-winded...)

Thanks in advance mommy friends! Like I said, please feel free to answer one or as many of the questions as you fancy. (Every little bit helps!) I soooo can't wait to hear what you've got to say!!

Love from a newbie. xx

P.S. I was just getting ready to finish editing this post and found an incredible article from Cameron at the Ingenue Mom (a blog that I love and visit often!) about how she organizes her blog reading. (Can't believe the amaaazing timing!) I got some great tips from her and no doubt you will too. Read her post on How to Efficiently Read Blogs and let her know that I sent you!

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ahoy matey: getting your kids involved in volunteerism

My husband and I have a firm belief that children should grow up knowing what it means to reach out to and serve others – particularly the poor and needy. Although Levi is certainly not at an age yet where he can comprehend something like this, we want him to be involved in volunteerism from the get go… so that this will be something he naturally learns and grows into.

We believe that as we model this in our family he will see that it’s not only good and right, but also lots of fun and so fulfilling! And of course we hope that someday, it will be his own convictions that motivate and drive him to extend himself and help others, and that he’ll find his own unique expression for it.

Recently we had the opportunity get a little taste of life on the high seas as we bunked in on YWAM’s Medical Ship. YWAM is the organization that we are full-time volunteers with, though most of our work as a couple is centered on training young people in leadership and volunteerism. Normally our work keeps us on the land, but it was so much fun to see first hand the ins and outs of how our field staff live as they travel on the ship into places like Papua New Guinea to provide health care to those in need (primarily optometry and dentistry and primary health care).

Our little sailing trip took us up the coast of Queensland and lasted only a night and a day… but in a few weeks the ship will take off to PNG for outreach and medical work, which will be ongoing throughout the next 5+ years. As a family we are working in Australia to aid in this happening… but that doesn’t mean we won’t jump at the chance to join them in PNG when the opportunity arises. (Perhaps later this year or next??)

If you’re interested in more, please take a minute to check out this news report that just did a feature on us:

And now for a bit about how the sail went with little bubby…

Basically in a nutshell, it was fantastic!

It was a nice sail – fairly uneventful, which is a good thing—no doubt—when you’re out on the ocean! We all stayed well (thankfully no sea sickness!) and we were given a single cabin to bunk into, which was awesome. It was tiny, tiny, tiny… but compared to where many of the single staff were staying, we had a deluxe suite! Levi and I shared a bed and Ryan spread out a mattress on the floor.

Levi had the best sleep he’s had in ages. (Thank you rolling waves and rocking ship!) And despite being on the floor, Ryan also had the best sleep he’s had in a while (thanks to Levi not waking up nearly as much as he had been the week before – woohoo!). And me? Well, not so good... I was too afraid of rolling over on Levi or him getting smothered by my pillow or blankets so I slept very lightly and fitfully all night. (No co-sleeping on a regular basis for this little family!)

But, in saying all that… it was amazing! Our time was so much more than just about the sleeping arrangements (though I know you’ll love these photos of our little space). We got to spend some quality time with some of the ship crew and get to know them more. We got to see first hand how our “field staff” will be living (which means we’ll better be able to support from our base in Australia). And we got to have a little adventure together as a family. (We so hope that Levi can grow up with outreach as a normal part of his life – and not just on special occasions.)

(This photo used courtesy of YWAM Ships.)

Oh, I should also mention here that throughout the Australian tour we’ve gathered literally thousands of pairs of eye glasses and raised thousands of dollars for the work among the poor in PNG. It’s such a delight to see the dream of lives being touched through care and compassion coming true in such a tangible way. (Please contact me if you’d like to get involved by donating some of your used spectacles or sunnies!)

We feel so honored to be a part of this incredible work, even if ours is a small part.

Dear mommy friends, we all want our kids to grow up unselfishly and learn how to lend a hand to those in need… So how do you get your kids involved in reaching out into your community and beyond? I’d love to hear some more ideas – let’s inspire each other!

P.S. Not sure how to fix the edge of those videos from being cut off... sorry about that!

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dear God, thank you that learning is not only fun... but tastes so good.

it really is a shameless plug

So... I'll keep this short and sweet. I'm registered over at Top Baby Blogs and they have just reset their counters. What this means is that newbie bloggers like me actually have a chance to get a ranking among the big wigs! :) So here's my proposition... if you're diggin' the mommyhood memos, would you please take a moment and vote for me? I figure, even if only a third of you do... it launches me right onto the front page while it's still early in the game. Now wouldn't that be so super fun?!

Just clicky clicky on this pretty little button...



And you know mommy friends, as much as I want a good ranking... I bet you do too. Let me know if you're registered (leave your link in a comment) and I'll gladly vote for you as well. It would be my pleasure. :)

I hope you have a fabulous weekend! We're going camping... weeeee!

mommy friends, talk to me about camping with a baby!

Levi is a lucky little guy on the move. He's traveled overseas from Australia to America, he's taken a two-day sail up the coast of Queensland, and now we're getting ready for his first camping trip! So... I'd love your advice on camping with a 5-month-old baby as we get ready to head out bush in a few days to camp with a whole bunch of friends and coworkers for our annual staff retreat (with over 100 people... woohoo, tent city!).

Frankly, although I know it will be super fun, I'm also a little nervous. Of course I'm imagining the worst: a screaming baby waking the whole forrest at 3:00am or little critters sneaking into my precious baby's bed (eww!). But I'm sure we'll be just fine and absolutely love it. (Babies are so adaptable!)

The good news is that there will also be two other families with babies along with us, which alleviates some of the pressure we might feel if we were the only ones caring for a miniature person with very healthy lungs and the potential to wake bears out of hibernation! (Good thing there are no bears in the outback. *grin*) Oh yeah, and the other good news is that the childless campers among us are our friends (and adore our sweet boy) so no doubt they will be understanding and extend lots of grace.

So... here goes! We've mastered planes... and then ships... and our next challenge is tents! (And we're totally up for it - so fun!)

A few details: We're going for two nights and three days. It will be warm during the day and very cold at night. There is a (rustic!) toilet block with running water and also a shed with electrical outlets powered by a large generator that we bring (our tents are set up across the paddock from there). And of course we'll have clean filtered drinking water. Also, Levi's not onto solids yet, only breast feeding, so that part's easy (yay!) and we don't usually co-sleep, but for this I'm certainly open to it! :)

So... what do you think?

My questions for you are: Have you taken a baby camping? What worked for you and what didn't? What did you wish you would have considered ahead of time?

Thanks in advance for your advice mommy friends!



TBB was just reset! Would you please take a second to vote for little Levi and I and help us get ranked on the front page? Just click... Ta!

what's in a name?

One night soon after my husband and I were first engaged we were having a conversation about baby names. Immediately we agreed on a girl name… which will remain a secret for now. *grin*

Boy names, however, were another story! Pretty much every name I liked, Ryan hated… and every name Ryan liked, I hated. Thankfully we weren’t anywhere near having a baby at that point.

A couple years later when I got pregnant (yay!) we were both somewhat convinced it would be a girl. Probably our main reasons for this were that we had settled on a girl’s name from very early on and we had often talked about little “so and so” by name even before conception.

But of course, at that 20 week ultrasound we were directed on the screen to… a penis. (Hooray for little boys!)

As thrilled as we were, this did mean a predicament for us… coming up with a name.

We went round and round with names. Still, many of the names I liked, Ryan didn’t and visa-versa. Finally a few names made their way to the top of the list: Oliver (Ollie), Levi, Ezekiel, Miles… and we just kind of got stuck! For a long time we just didn’t speak much about the name and continued to “feel” it out, hoping that one would emerge as the winner over time.

We considered the nicknames (especially important in Australia where everything is shortened). Although I love the name Ezekiel, I don’t really like the nickname “Zeke”… because I immediately think Zeke the geek, Zeke the freak… Doesn’t work for me (though Ryan loves it).

We considered what the initials would spell. We considered how the name would be pronounced in each of our home country’s accents. We considered the “timeless” verses “trendy” factor. And finally we considered the meanings.

Through all of our deliberations the name Levi rose to the top… the others slowly faded in appeal and this one “stuck”.

We loved the name Levi because it was simple, but not all that common (we only knew/heard of one other Levi at the time). We also thought it sounded cute for a little boy, and strong for a teenager and man. It fit well with our last name, and most importantly we loved the meaning.

As parents we feel that the meaning behind the names of our kids are very important. (We love the meaning of our own names: Ryan means 'little king' and Adriel means 'strength of God' or 'follower of God'.) We believe that what we name them will mark them forever if we are intentional about it. Levi means “joined” which isn’t all that exciting… until you look at the context and the history of Levi. Levi was the head of one of the 12 tribes of Israel in the Bible. The “job” of that tribe was to be priests – to represent God to people and people to God. Levi means to connect (join) people to God. We love that meaning! (And on a side note I also loved that Levi was never allowed to go to war… I’m not gonna lie, I [selfishly?] hope my son will always be exempt from war too.)

So, Levi it was... Levi Scott (named for my dad) Booker. It has a good ring to it, doesn't it? *grin*

Now that he’s with us on the outside, we can’t imagine calling him anything else. He’s most definitely not an Ollie, not a Miles, not an Ezekiel… although those are names we still really like.

Our little Levi is... just Levi and we knew that his name suited him perfectly from the moment we saw him. (That photo of him above is when he's about three hours old - soooo sweet!)

Every parent has different (important and valid!) reasons for choosing the names that they do. How did you decide on your little one’s names dear mommy friends?

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don't sweat it momma... or do?

Delivering a baby is so glamorous. Any mommy can tell you that. And perhaps equally as glamorous are those first few post-partum weeks.

If you’re like me, you imagined those first few weeks filled with outings to the park, the shopping mall, and your favourite coffee shops... with your darling little babe all bundled up in his brand new pram. Everyone would look on at your beautiful bundle of joy with adoration and look at you as if you’d just succeeded in the most noble of human tasks.

I thought that surely their eyes would be nearly overflowing with the overwhelming emotion that came at the mere sight of my gorgeous little babe. They would ask how the delivery went and I would give a short, polite (censored) version of the magical water birth I had, and gush about how wonderful natural birth really is. Yes, I would be a bit tired, my boobs might be a little sore, but I would be glowing and grinning... everything but signing autographs.

Imagine my surprise when—15 hours into labor—I had to be wheeled in for a last-minute, unplanned c-section... and five days later I was still in the hospital due to some mystery infection.

Needless to say my recovery wasn’t all that glamorous! I was sore and hunched over and needed help showering for the first several days. Laughing and coughing and sneezing sent me to the verge of tears and getting up and down out of bed or the couch made me feel like a 95-year-old woman! My dreams of finally sleeping on my belly again were (temporarily) crushed and my back throbbed far more than when I was ready to burst at full term.

As unglamorous as the whole thing was, I was pleasantly surprised that the recovery seemed to go a little quicker than I had anticipated. Within the week I was keen to get out in public (to show off the baby of course – the world needed to see him!). And by three weeks or so I was back to driving and doing little things around the house. I was also starting to look more and more like my pre-pregnant self. In fact, by week three I was also down to my pre-pregnancy weight... and I’m not gonna lie, I was pretty happy about it.

But I have a little secret.

I didn’t try... It happened by accident.

But please don’t hate me. The next part is nothing to brag about.

About 10 days after giving birth I woke up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat. Granted it was the height of summer in Australia, but we sleep with the AC absolutely cranked to avoid melt-down and our room was a pleasant temperature. And you have to know I’m not talking about just a bit of sweat on the forehead... I’m talking about so much sweat that my husband seriously thought I had wet the bed!

My hair was soaked, my pyjamas were soaked, the sheets were soaked... this was profuse sweating at it’s best (worst?).

At first I wondered if my post-c-section fever and infection had returned... because what else could possibly make me sweat like that besides running a marathon? (Or, since I’m not a runner, running around the block?)

I felt fine but took my temperature anyway. No fever. (That's a good thing.)

The next night it happened again.

And then again.

For those of you that know me, I know what you’re thinking: what else should I expect after having a baby during the middle of summer in the tropics? But I’m telling you that my husband keeps the bedroom AC so cold during the summer months that I sometimes use more blankets as the temps climb.

Anyway, after the third night of ridiculous sweating I finally looked in my What to Expect When You’re Expecting (pregnancy bible) under postpartum recovery and found... I was normal.

I discovered that about one in ten women suffer from excessive night-time sweating after giving birth, and it even has a medical name for it: diaphoresis. There is no cure, no treatment, just a suggestion: sleep on a towel until it goes away! Apparently it’s hormonal (along with everything else) and is one of the ways that the body gets rid of the excess pregnancy-accumulated fluids.

No one tells you this stuff before you get pregnant!

Well, I continued to sweat it out for the next two or three weeks, unable to sleep with the blankets off (room too cold) and unable to sleep with them on (sweaty wet blankets in the cool room made me even more cold)... and constantly rotating the beach towels that now covered my side of the bed.

What a dilemma! J

And then as fast as the night sweats appeared, they were gone again. I had sweated out my baby weight... and I was back to my normal night time (dry) self.

I will probably forever look back at those first few weeks after having my son as some of the most unglamorous of my life... But, they were also the most precious. Adjusting to life with a newborn is like nothing else! I’ve never cried so many tears of joy and happiness, never wondered how my heart could be so full... and never thought I could be such a sweaty, slow-moving, emotional mess and yet not really be bothered by it.

After all, my dream had come true: I was finally a mommy. 

P.S. Dear mommy friends, did you experience any post-partum “glamour” that caught you by surprise?

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mommyhood memo #7: you know life has changed when...

...your friends are leaving after a lovely (adult) dinner party and you wave from the door saying "nite nite!" in a soft, high voice... with eye brows raised and an over-exaggerated goofy grin. (Oops.)

i heart... SOOKIbaby {baby fashion}

Getting a 5 month old to model baby clothes is... impossible. But I just wanted to share one of my favorite Australian baby fashion designers with you: SOOKIbaby. Levi has their little owl shirt and it's definitely one of mommy's faves.

Can't say Levi was successful in showing off the front of his shirt very well... but we sure tried.

(And the super cute jeans are from BabyGap.)

Love,  l o v e,  LOVE,  L O V E  the baby fashion from SOOKIbaby. Check it out and support a fab Australian company!

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dear God, thank you for men who are good fathers to our sons.

oh daddy... you're so fine. you're so fine you blow my mind.

My husband asked me if he gets Fathers Day presents in both June and September. (Australian Fathers Day is in September.)

"No, nice try," I said. "We’ll celebrate in September with the rest of the nation."

But since I’m American I can’t let this Fathers Day go by without writing something about my hunk-o-spunk hubs... especially since this is his first (American!) Fathers Day with a child on the outside. What a great excuse (as if I need one) to publicly affirm my man whom I am so proud to be married to!

So, here we go.

Ryan is an incredible dad, as I knew he would be. The way he relates to children is one of the things that first attracted me to him early on in our dating relationship. But for the sake of this post (cause if you haven’t noticed by now, I sometimes have trouble keeping things short!) I’m going to list the first ten things that come to mind about why Levi’s daddy is such a great father:

1. Levi’s daddy is humble. He is secure enough in who he is to be willing to admit when he’s made mistakes. When he’s wrong he’s not too proud to say “I’m sorry” and ask for forgiveness. What an awesome thing to have modeled to our children.

2. Levi’s daddy is kind. He is as respectful and kind to strangers as he is to those he loves… and he’s as respectful and kind to those he loves as he is to strangers. I know our children will always be treated with kindness by him.

3. Levi’s daddy is pure-hearted. He doesn’t manipulate and doesn’t use others for his personal gain. He has integrity and is deliberate to keep his motives in check. He will not push or use our children to fulfil his own unmet dreams or expectations.

4. Levi’s daddy is fun. He is light-hearted, always joking, and wonderfully silly. He is creative and imaginative and will bring laughter and playfulness to our home, which every child needs.

5. Levi’s daddy knows how to treat women. He is polite, honouring, and very much a gentlemen. He will teach our son how to treat women and—if we have any daughters—he will teach them how they should expect to be treated by men.

6. Levi’s daddy is always learning new things. (This is especially when it comes to gadgets and anything mac!) He’ll show our kids that learning is a life-long process, and that it’s not only necessary, but enjoyable.

7. Levi’s daddy is concerned with others. He is not self-consumed and he cares about what goes on in the world. He will inspire our children to have a local and global perspective and to play their part in making a difference where they can.

8. Levi’s daddy values people’s individuality. He doesn’t expect everyone to be the same and loves to see people thrive in who they are – personality, gifts, skills, quirks, and all. He will help our children to find themselves and be secure in their identity.

9. Levi’s daddy is a great encourager. He freely cheers people on and constantly offers optimism and encouragement. No doubt our kids will grow up feeling like they have a dad who believes in them.

10. Levi’s daddy is an amazing coach. He has an awesome ability to get alongside people and train them as they go. He’ll offer input and suggestions along the way in a very on-the-job, side-by-side style of teaching, rather than just giving instructions from a position of superiority. Coaches are focused on the needs and successes of the people they coach, and he will most definitely do the same with our kids.

By the way, these are not written in order of importance; they are literally written in the order they came to my mind. And of course I could write many more reasons... but we'll leave it at ten for now. J

I’m so grateful for Ryan - my husband and Levi’s daddy. We are so blessed to have him in our lives!

Happy (American) Fathers Day to you, babe! (And yes, I think you're hot.)

Love me. xx 

p.s. We only have one son right now (which is plenty for the moment!), but I’ve pluralized when talking about “our kids” because we definitely want to have more than one child in the future. J

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mommyhood memo #6: you know life has changed when...

...you head out the door (as baby stays home with daddy) with your wallet, phone, lip gloss, and keys in a small clutch and feel as if your left arm is missing. (Buh-bye diaper bag!)

and the winner for the cutest baby on the block give-away is...

Congratulations Georgia! You have won the wooden blocks from Magens Bay Designs! You have 48 hours to email me at themommyhoodmemos@gmail.com to claim your prize.

And for all those who missed out, remember that Magens Bay Designs are offering a 20% discount from now until the end of June on all of your orders. Just mention the Mommyhood Memos in your order to receive your discount! (And don't forget the blocks can be customized for free - so fun!)

Thank you to Magens Bay Designs for the awesome give-away.

baby loves a shopping trip

Shopping just got so much more fun thanks to Levi’s latest milestone and our new Jeep Shopping Cart Cover!

Last week Levi sat up on his own for the first time... but what was really amazing to me was the fact that he went from being able to sit up for about 30 seconds on his own to lasting for several minutes all in the space of a week! As much as I was surprised at his latest (seemingly) overnight milestone, I was also really keen to try out our shopping cart cover.

You can tell by the photo what he thought of the whole experience! He’s never smiled and laughed so much on a shopping trip before. His new big boy status was obviously thrilling to him and the excursion was a big hit.

So, now that this Jeep Shopping Cart Cover is being added to my list of baby gear faves, I wanted to pass along the tip from one mommy to another. I did a lot of shopping around and comparisons and reading reviews online before I decided on this one. [Note: this is not a sponsored review.] 

Let me tell you why I personally recommend it:

Price. I got this one for $24.99 with free shipping on Amazon. That’s half the price of similar covers from other leading retailers (and a third of the price of one purchased in Australia). Bargain!

Germs. It covers not only the seat part of the cart, but also the sides and handle and anywhere that baby (and mommy for that matter) can reach. This is especially great at the moment since bubsy has decided that  everything is fair game to chomp on and put straight in his mouth for devouring. Genius!

Comfy. There’s lots of padding, making it oh-so-comfy, even for the novice sitter like my little guy. Lovely!

Safe. It has a safety harness to attach over little one’s chest to help keep him secure in the cart. Good for little monkeys like mine who are still perfecting the art of sitting up independently and also good for little monkeys who are older and want to be on the move. Phew!

Stylish. I love this brown, blue, green, and orange graphic combo. It’s a little more “boyish” looking than “girly”, but is still unisex enough for me to use for the next several years as we add to our family. Funky!

Convenient. I could easily put the cover in/over the cart with one hand while holding Levi with the other. (If you want to tie it in place with the little fasteners, that will obviously need both hands after bubby is in… but I personally don’t think that part’s all that necessary.) Great!

Portable. When not in use, the cover easily folds/rolls up inside an attached carry bag with handles – perfect to throw in the trunk of the car. Nice!

Handy. There’s a large zippered pocket big enough for a spare diaper, a small packet of wipes, and a burp cloth, as well as my keys, wallet, and phone. Oh, to consolidate! Bye bye diaper bag - woohoooo!! Freedom!

Detail. There are a few little cloth rings sewn onto the front of the cover so that you can attach a couple of toys or teethers without having to worry about you kiddo constantly throwing them over the edge. Wonderful!

Multi-purpose. It’s is also able to double as a restaurant high chair cover… And—though not marketed this way—I also thought you could use it as a change pad if you find yourself in a bind and need to use the floor or a bench or the back seat of your car for a diaper change while you’re out and about. Perfect!

Washable. This cover is fully machine washable. No explanation needed!! Fantastic!

So mommy-friends, I just wanted to pass on my latest and greatest baby gear find. We love it!




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only 24 hours left for the cutest baby on the block give-away!

This give-away is now closed.

Don't miss your chance at winning the cutest baby on the block give-away for these super funky wooden blocks by Magen Bay Designs! The contest closes in 24 hours, and winning is as simple as dropping by and leaving a comment. (Pictured here is one of the adorable sets that are up for grabs: the "All Sorts of Animals" alphabet set.)

For more about these blocks, the give-away, and instructions on how to win... see my original give-away post by clicking here. Give-away closes on Wednesday the 16th at 12:00 midnight, Pacific Standard Time (Thursday 17th at 5:00pm, Eastern Australian Standard Time).

Oooh, so fun!! Good luck!

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an ode to poo

Oh baby poo...

You strike at any given time.

You are no respecter of gender, or role, or status. You're no respecter of clothing. No respecter of mood or mental state. And certainly no respecter of time or schedule.

Poo, you come when you want, the way you want, as much as you want, and as often as you want.

You come as brown. You come as black. You come as yellow. You come as green. You have no favorites when it comes to color or consistency.

Sometimes you are small. Sometimes you are big.

You are anticipated, expected, observed, and interpreted.

Sometimes you are exploding. Sometimes you are running.

You can be liquidy, chunky, smelly, or mild.

You're usually warm. 

You're definitely gross.

Often you are funny... And always you are... COMING.

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