Round Up – Issue 7 May 2013

There are some really cool things I came across this month (okay, last month too because I totally missed the boat in April -- toot toooooot) so I'm excited to do this Round Up.

Let's get started!

I finally figured out a way to archive all the Ask the Chicks questions.

I kept getting emails asking where to find questions that had been asked a few weeks ago, but here was no way of finding them without scrolling down the entire Facebook page which is both time consuming and tedious. So I've added a section that has all the questions with a direct link to the answers. You can search it by tags, categories, or with a search feature, but let me know if you have any other suggestions to make it easier. 

As always, thank you for being so amazing on this board. I can't tell you how many emails I get saying how wonderful the page is because it's such an amazing group of kind, supportive and helpful people that aren't assholes (I'm paraphrasing a bit there). So thanks.

 

Love this shot Ilana from mommyshorts did. The one on the left is her mother with Ilana and her sister and the one on the right is the recreation Ilana did with her two daughters. I love it.

If you aren't familiar with Mommy Shorts you should check it out. It's a great site with so really funny stuff on there including her "baby mugging" which was so successful that it has its own Faceboook page.

 

Next up is this amazing post from Banned from Baby Showers that brilliantly compares a hospital birth to eating at the Olive Garden. 

It's a smart, quick read that does a really good job of pointing out some of the challenges around hospital births without getting mean spirited or negative.

 

This site called Preggopager.com is really clever. If you live in Canada or the U.S. you can sign up for this free service that keeps important people in the loop with all your labour updates. Call one number and record a personalized voice message or send a text message to one number and PreggoPager will deliver that message instantly to your closest family and friends to share the news.

Smart, eh? Certainly beats calling each and every family member because you just know you're going to forget someone, or worse, get stuck on the phone with labour stories from a distant aunt. Screw that noise.

 

Remember how I was sent that Airocide Air Purifier to try? Well, I've been using it for a few months and guess what? I haven't had to take one allergy pill and no one here has been sick. High fives all round. 

Now sick-free may just be because it's Spring and the worst of the colds, flus and general snots tend to be Fall and Winter, so it is possible that was just coincidence. However, my seasonal allergies are the real deal and I get them something awful just before the trees bloom (I'm told it's ground spores I'm allergic to – sexy, non?). Historically they would always be at their worst when I woke up, then slowly improved during the day. With this Airocide bad boy cranking in my room, not once did I wake up with the stuffy, watery and general shittyness of my usual allergies. Not once. And that just blows my mind because I get them every year without fail regardless of how good or bad the allergy season is.

I'll let you know how we do in the fall when everybody comes back from summer holidays with a hot, fresh batch of puke germs clinging to them, but I have a feeling it will be up to the challenge.

I'm not saying you have to drop the cash and get an air purifier, but if you're in the market for one, I would seriously check this one out. It's pretty damn impressive.

You can check them out on the Airocide site if you want to find out more.

 

 

www.bforbel.com

Best ultrasound picture ever. Look, they're expecting a baby...... and a cat.

 

byrosenhoff.com – Charlotte Rosenhoff, Svelvik Norway

When I saw this photo I nearly shat my pants – in a good way of course. What a positively beautiful, smart, brilliant way to capture all the details of a child's birth.

 

Patrice Laroche – Beauport, Quebec

Speaking of clever photoshoots, I love this series from Patrice Laroche. I'm also trying very hard not to be bitter about how incredible his wife looks pre-birth, pregnant and post-birth. You go sit at the Gisele Bundchen table, Lady. I'll be over here eating cheese.

 

I found this picture on Pinterest and it made me all teary. Here's this beautiful baby girl that has four older brothers that are all going to look out for her. Sniff. I've already created a scene in the future where these handsome, corn-fed boys answer the door to a date coming to pick her up. They bring him in real close and tell him that if he makes their sister cry he'll have them to answer to. I haven't decided if they have southern accents in my scenario or not – they may be from Nebraska. Can't decide. 

In reality they'll probably shave her doll's heads and hold her down while hovering a string of spit over her face, but I like to think it will be a bit of both.

If you know the source of this photo (or these beautiful kids) please let me know so I can credit the shot.

Thanks!

Round Up – Issue 6: March 2013

Lots of good stuff to share from this month!

First off I can’t wait to read I Just Want to Pee Alone.

It’s a collection of hilarious essays from 37 of the most kick ass mom bloggers on the web. Including: People I Want to Punch in the Throat, Insane in the Mom-Brain, The Divine Secrets of a Domestic Diva, Baby Sideburns, and my all time favourite, Rants From Mommyland.

I Single-White-Female-stalk many of these gals so I have no doubt that it will be an amazing read. I wanted to give it a shout out before it got all popular, but it’s already on a ton of bestseller lists. Dang.

 

Next up are these really neat Hand Embroidered Silhouettes.

Pregnancy photography and belly casts can feel a little too “intimate” for some people so I love that you can capture your bump in a nice subtle way. You just send her a photo of your pregnant profile and she hand embroiders it on a little linen frame. The best part is they are only $20.

 

I get quite a few requests to do reviews but it’s obviously hard for me to review and kind of maternity stuff seeing as I'm not pregnant anymore. So when I get a chance to review something that would apply to both new parents and me, I’m pretty jazzed.

These Airocide guys got in touch with me about their air purifier and the first thing I thought was “Shit, this is going to be some weird thing that contains crystals hangs around my neck.” But it’s actually this pretty fancy state of the art air purifier that doesn’t use filters and it retails for about $800 so I was all, “Hell yeah, ship me that, stat.”

All I have to do is use it then tell you guys what I think about it.

So far I’m pretty impressed with them because I didn’t have to pay customs at the door (if you’re Canadian you’ll know what I mean – you think you’re buying a $20 bottle of shampoo from the States until some fucker from the post office is standing there saying you owe $30 in custom fees holding your shampoo ransom.)  I just got a knock at the door and handed the package with a tip o’ the hat. Well played, Airocide people.

It’s set up in my room so I’ll let you know how it’s doing in 6-8 weeks. It’s supposed to kill mold, viruses, and allergens so I’m pretty excited to see if it has an impact on this household that is in the depths of a constant junior kindergarten Ebola-monkey outbreak and spring allergy season for me.

It's slick and quiet and I'm pretty impressed so far, but stay tuned for the full review.

 

 

Love this site called WhenToExpect.com. You enter all your stats and it will give you the odds on when you'll have your baby, how much it will weigh, etc. The percentages are based on millions of birth statistics so, even though it's just a fun thing, I'd love to know how accurate it is for you.

 

This post written by The Sassy Curmudgeon is so awesome that I want to roll around in it like a dog on a duck carcass (sorry, farm reference there). It's called How to Be a Perfect Parent in 5 Easy Steps, or Probably Never and it's a beautifully written reality check about how we strive for this perfection in parenthood that doesn't exist.

She writes, "There is literally nothing you will obsess about more in the first year of parenthood than your child's sleep patterns. You will read studies. You will make logs of night wakings only to find in the morning that you accidentally used a lo mein-encrusted chopstick and a DVD case to record this vital information. You will volunteer nap schedules--without prompting--to total strangers. You will study the floorboards in your house like a military operative searching for land mines in Afghanistan."

I love her handy reference chart as well:

 

What is worse than having an ice-cream craving and finding out that some assbadger has eaten it all? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. So this Ice Cream Lock from Ben & Jerry's is a nice little find.

 

A while ago I posted this image on Facebook for the updated alcohol post and it was removed for "nudity". Let me tell you something, if I had that girl's bum I would post pictures of my ass on Facebook every single damn day.

Then I posted this picture and it was removed for nudity:

I was banned for 48 hours from Facebook and they told me if I violated the Term of Agreement again they would shut down my profile. 

Needless to say, if you want to side the hysterical plethora of side-bum photos I've found on the interwebs, you'll either have to check here in my Round Ups, or my Pinterest boards. Your loss, Facebook.

 

Lastly, some of you may be wondering if we've named our new cat. 

For those of you that don't know, we adopted a 3-year old cat from our local shelter and she is awesome. She came with the name, Suzie, but my sister-in-law is named, Susan so it's kind of weird to have it so close, plus, I love cool names for cats like, Dr. Jill Biden, so we were going to change it. I had one of those dumb parenting moments where I thought I would ask my kids what to name it and they would come up with some brilliant spark of innocence that only a child could invent, but they came up with "New Cat" and "Jenna". Er, okay. 

Now it's gotten to the point where no name is cool enough in my eyes so she remains nameless.

I can't think of a more stupid first world problem than, "I simply can't find the right name for our new cat that is both adorable and conveys the proper level of pop culture and cleverness." I should change my own name to "Dink".

On a side note, I was blown away by how many people were impressed with us adopting a cat from a shelter. I didn't realize that it wasn't the most common place to get a pet. I've had animals all my life and they all came from shelters and they were all the most kick ass pets on the planet. If you're thinking about getting a pet, get one from a shelter, man. They need homes and they rock – just don't ask me to name them.

Update: We named her Commander Sally Pickles. I thought you'd want to know so you can sleep easy now ; )

Round Up – Issue 3: December 2012

Hey Gang, ready for a round up? I FINALLY finished writing the Pregnancy Calendar so keep an eye out for that in the new year as well as more posts from me now that I have that monkey off my back – I think it’s epic, man. 

Here are some of the things that landed on my laptop that I thought were cool and worth mentioning.

Bobee Diaper & Wipe Dispenser: This lands under the why-the-hell-has-no-one-thought-of-this-before? It’s a wall-mounted diaper and wipe caddy that allows for one-handed access so you can keep one hand safely on your baby. I can’t tell you how many times I cursed the wipe container because I couldn’t pull the wipe out with one hand while cleaning up a massive back-shit disaster. It also holds the diapers so your baby can’t grab five and drag them through said disaster (happened to me three times). It runs around $50 but it looks like some places have it on sale now.

 

Campchickaree Prints: Someone sent me a link to these and I thought they would be great in a nursery. This is the grizzly from California and they also have a badger from Wisconsin. I’m hoping they have a whole series of states but I never actually checked with them. As soon as you show me a picture of a bear, I just run with it and don't look back. It’s $16.

 

Dear Kate: At first glance these guys just look like they make pretty underthings, but all their underpants (I refuse to say “panties) actually have a built-in lining provides a leak-resistant, breathable layer to guard against leaks and other delightful surprises of motherhood. They sent me the pair in the picture (Which is exactly how I looked in them down to the noticeable space between my upper thighs. Snort.) Even though I didn’t test them through a wardrobe malfunction in white pants, they did hold up to sneezing on a full bladder and watching Community so I’d say they’re winners. I would consider them an environmentally friendly alternative to pantyliners. They also have a sale on now.

 

TOMgirl Apparel: While we’re on the topic of underwear. I should also mention these brilliant nursing bras from TOMgirl. When Amanda emailed me about them I was a little skeptical about a bra being sold on Etsy ­– I think I picture two quilted triangles held together with hemp – but she sent me one and it’s beautifully made with no hint of hemp triangles.

The Perfect Pregnancy Bra has a back closure, made with Velcro that adjusts eight or more inches to ease you through weight changes due to pregnancy and breastfeeding. They don’t have underwires and they have the nice padding in the cups to minimize headlights and the charming drink-coaster look you get from nursing pads. You can sleep in it and the open hooks allow for nursing. They are made in the USA and they run around $47.

 

Pregnant Banana Blog: Fantastic pregnancy blog where a woman chronicles her pregnancy. I’ve been meaning to tell you about this one for a while because I think it’s honest, fun and well written and as luck would have it, she just had her baby nine days ago!

 

Ask Your Dad Blog: I found this fella through one of his articles, 5 Things I’d Forgotten About Having a Newborn, featured on Huffington Post and I just fell in love with his site. He calls his two kids The Duchess and The Captain and his chats with his daughter will just melt your heart. Go read it.

 

Shit Stay at Home Moms Say: A reader sent me this video and I nearly died. When I posted it on Facebook some people got testy about the whole stay-at-home-mom reference, but I think all mothers, including me, have said half this crap at one time or another. I just can’t decide if the original or the outtakes are funnier.

 

I also love these cats:

 

I need these salt and pepper shakers (if they weren’t $125)

 

And I love this kid and his innocent, beautiful, unshitted outlook on life:

 

Lastly, I’ve stared a keepsake board on Pinterest that features all those personalized things that make us cry now that we have kids. Damn you sentiment!

Have a wonderful New Year’s Eve, my Pretties. Let’s have an amazing 2013, shall we?

Round Up – Issue 2: November 2012

Okay, so I missed October’s Round Up. So I’ll be damned if I’m going to miss November because I’ve found some really cool shit that I think you’ll like. Here goes:

 

Someone passed along this site called Family Bedrock and they have some really neat stuff. I’m particularly fond of the Tummy Tie – pregnancy aside, ‘tis the season for tight pants and I may get one myself. They have an interesting cross section of products including these wicked soothers and this Pure Poppet lip balm and powder for the little kid who’s keen on dress-up but without all the toxic ingredients.

 

I don’t have a belly button piercing, so I never would have even thought of this, but if you’re pregnant your piercing may get a little uncomfortable. Enter the Pregnancy Piercings™ Pregnancy Belly Button Ring. They are made from a medical grade plastic that is flexible and non-metallic. Great idea.

 

Oh, and if you want to really test the strength of your Tummy Tie and Belly Button Ring, check out my friend, Italo’s, food board on Pinterest. I don’t know how he finds this stuff but I am forever saying, “Holy shit, Nutella filled cupcakes with Nutella frosting?!” Bravo Italo. His other boards are really good too but I love the decadent edibles he pins – I just hope he's ready for my "Why am I fat?" whining.

 

Love, love this blog called Hysterically Ever After. She has some incredible posts about post partum depression that are insightful, witty and honest. I love this one called, A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.. in particular. She's funny and a good writer and I'd like to drink with her.

 

You know what I love? Craft kits for kids because it keeps them busy and I don’t feel guilty about them doing it like watching t.v. You know what I hate? Craft kits that need so much of my help that I am doing the damn craft instead of doing the task I was trying to keep my kids busy for. Toilets don’t clean themselves, people!

That is why I love these Eye Can Art kits. They come with everything you need to do the craft, and I mean everything. Scissors, pencil crayons (the good kind), and pre-folded and cut paper (thank you).

These kits are created by art educators, teach open-ended, authentic art techniques with no stencils or templates, and have won multiple toy awards including Parent's Choice, Tillywig, Education.com, and Oppenheim.

We got the Book in a Box Kit and my kids loved it and, more importantly, I didn’t hear a peep out of them for an hour. Glorious. I'm going to go out on a limb and even say it was even better than Dick in a Box. Bold, I know.

I figure they’d make an excellent older-sibling gift for someone with a newborn.

They also sent me a $5 discount code. Sweet. Just use the code HOLIDAYKITS12 at check out. Offer expires 12/17/12. Limit one discount per order.

 

If you’re looking to be cheered up, check out my new Bad Day Fixer Board on Pinterest. It has quality items like this incredible dog poster and two high-guys dancing around to Bollywood music that is sure to make your spirits soar.

 

This is a perfect example of something I would have thought was absolutely ridiculous before I had kids but I now I think is brilliant. It’s called a Pump Strap and here’s what it’s about:

• Extremely secure and form fitting
• One size fits all. So as your body changes, it changes with you.
• It goes on and off in seconds. Shift your bra and blouse up, wrap the strap snugly, tuck in flanges, and you're pumping.
• Works with any pumping system, including Ameda, Medela and Lansinoh.
• It is easy to take care of, easily washed in the washing machine and durable enough to stand several pregnancies as well as passed down to friend or family for many more years of use.
• It is just as effective but is much less expensive at $25 (other hands-free bras run at  $40).

 

Kati Ann Photography

As you know, I’m a real sucker for sweet little sibling photos. So this shot from Kati Ann Photography just melted my heart. I think the thing I love most about it is that it would be an amazing shot no matter how her son reacted to the baby – unless he kicked over the basket. I guess that would be bad.

Do you need a little something to add to your holiday list? Well, have I got the thing for you. Tieks. They sent me a pair of their ballet flats because their customers kept telling them how amazing they are to wear during pregnancy, and I can see why. You can tell they are really well made and, man, are they comfortable. They’re like the louboutin’s of flats (even though it’s probably not cool to compare one shoe designer to another). They come in every colour imaginable (I got leopard print because I’m bad ass and cutting edge – stop laughing) so I think I may spring for something more neutral like this pink pair next time.

 

Lastly, I found this neat site called Deposit a Gift, where you can let friends and family know what you need most with a customizable cash gift registry.

I find that people like to feel like they are buying something instead of just handing over the cash. Unfortunately, you can’t buy a gift certificate for the baby’s passport – and you may need that way more than jammies –so something like this does a good job of making the gift giver feel like they are doing something more personal than handing over a fifty, and you get to allocate the money where you need it most. Here’s a sample site to give you an idea of how it works.

Hope you like 'em. Giddy up!