Comments (209)

By admin, September 4, 2009 11:36 am

I’m a smart shopper – I know how to do research online, purchase a home, purchase a car, plan a wedding, but somehow when faced with stroller choices, I become frozen.

My husband and I are starting from scratch for our little one.   I thought that picking out baby products would be easy and fun.  And registering – how much fun is it to shoot that scanner bar at all the cool baby items and add them to your list!  Well, if you know what you want, what you need, it would be a lot more fun.  Some items are easy, yet the more important items, like strollers, become perplexing at the very least.

I suppose it is a good thing that there are so many stroller choices out there.  And it also helps that the stroller is one of those items that my husband is most interested in helping to select.  But if you are new to this, and you walk into a baby store with no help and no advice, you run the risk of selecting an item that you may soon learn that you hate.   

The long and Winding Road to a Stroller Decision.
First, the woman at the registry suggested I get a stroller/travel system, and that seemed to make sense.  A car seat, a matching stroller, the knowledge that the car seat works with the stroller, and an affordable price tag.  Great – Done! 

But then I started doing my own research online and polling friends and discovered that many moms don’t use the travel system stroller.  I heard many complaints abound that it is too big, too heavy and bulky and all around unappealing.  Drat! 

Now I realize I should probably buy everything separately.  Should be fun.  But wait.  Not all car seats work with all strollers.  OK, more research.  I thought I was confident in my decision to purchase the Chicco Infant car seat, as it has such high ratings.   And then I’d get a snap and go style stroller base and worry about the fancy stroller after our baby outgrows the car seat.  Hold the phone.  You mean there is no official match for this type of stroller with Chicco?   I spent hours (literally) searching this on line, and plenty of moms say it works with this one or that, but none of the stroller bases say out loud “we work with the Chicco car seat.”  I just didn’t want to risk that.   I also learned that the Chicco infant seat is a bit heavy and with a bad back, I’m thinking that may not be ideal. 

So I guess I move to the Graco car seat and its own car seat frame stroller.  Phew.  But now guess what – my husband doesn’t like that idea.  He says it is just a temporary solution.  So he asks me to consider another option since even though 50-70 bucks isn’t a lot compared to other strollers, it is something that will not be using for more than the first months until the baby outgrows the infant seat and then we have to start over.

Back to the baby store!  This time we drive an hour to visit Buy Buy Baby.  Lo and behold, they have a huge stroller section and at least four staff members trolling about to help stroller-challenged parents like us. We ask about light weight strollers.  He walks us buy all the ones I have read about and stops in front of the Baby Jogger City Mini.  It is soooo light and when he demonstrates how it folds up, we are sold.   And it works with a Graco infant seat.  Ding!  But is it full-time, forever, stroller quality? 

As we ponder this, my husband’s eyes drift across the aisle to the Bugaboo Chameleon.  Trancelike, he walks over and the store clerk and I follow.  We get a demo; we learn that the Frog is just as cool, just less money.  We fall in love.  We realize we have just jumped many levels in price, but it starts to make more sense.  Frame that fits a Graco (with additional custom part), Bassinette, Stroller, Style and Quality.  But it is the “it” stroller – and we’re not sure we’re that kind of people.

We also look at the Uppa Baby Vista, which after more online research seems to be easier to deal with as you don’t have to remove the seat to fold it up.   The easier, the better for me.  It also may not have the same yuppie-parent association as the Bugaboo.  Just a few dollars more, same features – another nice choice.  Perfectly groovy for strolling our small downtown.  We took a deep breath and purchased it online and eagerly waited for its arrival.

Well, it is here.  It is the stroller of all strollers.  My husband is happy, as am I – but still in disbelief that strollers are so complex and so expensive.  Now we just need a baby to put in it!

Comments (161)

By admin, July 6, 2009 8:43 am

It’s that time of year (actually for me, ice cream is consumed in mass quantities year-round).  Trips and last-minute detours to get some ice cream happen regularly in the warm months. 

Pregnancy Cautions

If you are pregnant, you are already watching your diet and avoiding foods that carry a higher risk of foodborne bacteria.  We are told frequently to avoid soft, unpasteurized cheeses, undercooked eggs, deli meats, and certain salad dressings, etc., but warnings about our ice cream habits are sometimes unmentioned.

Soft Serve Ice Cream Risk

Soft-serve ice cream and soft-serve yogurt may also pose a risk for pregnant women.   It isn’t the ice cream itself that is risky, but the machines used to dispense the ice cream that could create a problem.  These machines need to be cleaned and sterilized on a regular basis to guarantee that no bacteria is present.  These machines are not easy to clean and if ice cream is left to sit in the machine, bacteria can grow and present a risk to you and your baby.   Proper temperatures must also be maintained, and often these machines are not monitored properly.

Stick with the Scoop

If you are pregnant, you may choose to avoid all soft-serve ice cream just to be safe.  You may also want to make sure your ice cream drinks, like milkshakes, malts, floats, ice cream sodas and even some coffee drinks don’t contain soft-serve ice cream.  You can ask for the soft-serve to be replaced with regular, hard packed ice cream, which is the much safer choice. 

So, if you have the pickles and ice cream craving, it’s ok to indulge, just think about avoiding the soft-serve!

Comments (106)

By admin, July 2, 2009 7:32 am

If a Can of Beans Falls on Your Foot and No One is Around to Hear You Scream…

I don’t like to cook. I love to eat, but cooking, not so much. I used to love to bake – from scratch. That was before being diagnosed with Celiac Disease and switching to a gluten-free diet. Now, I try to limit my time in the kitchen as much as possible.

Did I mention that I was smart enough to marry someone who loves to cook!?!

My husband not only loves to cook, but the more complicated the dish, the happier he is. If he asks me what I want for dinner and I request chicken and some veggies, he says, “that’s too simple and boring.” He has taken on the challenge of my gluten-free diet with enthusiasm! He has made everything from homemade gluten-free pasta, to cream puffs and empanadas. I want for nothing. And during my pregnancy, he has become even more enthusiastic about feeding me and our little one.

So what’s the problem? Well, I work from home, he doesn’t, and there are times where I either need to, or simply want to, pitch in and provide nourishment for us. Lunch is also a time where I am left to my own devices (thank goodness for leftovers!). I can’t really run out to the deli and grab a sandwich, so there are times that I am forced into the kitchen. And I have friends (and our co-blogger, Elisa) who hate to cook, yet can’t pawn that job off on anyone else, so they actually have to face the dreaded kitchen on a daily basis.

But here’s the thing. When I get into the kitchen, a funny thing happens. I become 50 times more accident prone than I normally am.

Very few kitchen experiences go by for me where I don’t do one of the following:
• Burn myself or the food
• Hit myself in the head with an open cabinet door
• Cut myself
• Spill something important
• Accidentally throw away a vital ingredient
• Drop something on my foot

I studied psychology in college and I know these things can’t all be accidents. I call them Freudian Kitchen Slips. It took me years to discover what was actually happening here. My husband and I used to joke about how dangerous I am in the kitchen, and I finally realize why.

Although these mini-kitchen-tragedies are not on purpose, I now recognize that they are subconscious protests or cries for help. I don’t like to cook and my deeper mind must have decided to sabotage most of my cooking efforts to prove, in fact, that I simply don’t belong in the kitchen!

But now I have a baby on the way and realize that I must step-up (or mom-up) and learn to navigate my kitchen without injury or disaster. I’ve tried to break down what I really don’t like about cooking and I am exploring the possibilities that I just don’t like being alone in the kitchen, or maybe I am too much of a perfectionist and don’t enjoy doing things I am not great at, and possibly, I am protesting against my dietary restrictions.

But it is time to fix this! Maybe a cooking class and a few calls to mom will help (my husband does not like to share his creative kitchen space, and I like to keep the peace). But something does need to change – at least until my son is old enough to make dinner!

Comments (182)

By admin, June 23, 2009 12:04 pm

Let’s talk about e-mail “warnings”.  You know the ones:  don’t answer the door if you hear a baby crying outside, Red Bull Energy Drink causes brain tumors,  sleep with your car keys so that you can readily access the “panic” button for extra protection, the air conditioning in your car can cause cancer, don’t use your “out-of-office” reply function on your e-mail because thieves will know your home is empty.  The list goes on and on. 

I once wrote this article in response to the numerous e-mail chain letter “Must Read! Pass on!”  I receive:

Latest Home Safety Recommendation:
 The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Office of Homeland Security have recently released   guidelines for preventing burglaries in the home.  This new tactic has proven to be extremely successful.   Some say motion sensors and house alarms may become a thing of the past due to the effectiveness of this new deterrent.

The FBI and OHS now recommend keeping one’s house decorated for a birthday party.  Then, when the homeowner hears rustling downstairs, they can flip on the lights and shout, “Surprise! Happy Birthday!”

“Sounds silly, I know,” states Lieutenant Robert Mercier of the Weskow County Police Deptartment of Weskow County, Kansas.  “But this new tactic has proven to be outrageously effective.  Imagine the surprise of the intruder when he is actually welcomed into the home by a party supposedly just for him”

The FBI and OHS suggest the usual birthday party adornment for one’s home: streamers, balloons and a sign reading “Happy Birthday”.   “I even went so far as to use noise blowers,” states Lydia Greenwood of Tallahassee Florida.  “The intruder seemed to like that the most.”

Safety Authorities also recommend keeping a birthday cake stashed in the freezer with candles readily available.  “I always have an ice cream cake in my freezer,” Greenwood says, “and in case he’s lactose intolerant like me, I also have a bundt cake on hand.”

Many are still leery of these new safety recommendations.  “I was afraid of shouting “Surprise! Happy Birthday!” to a man who may be armed and dangerous, “   Lenny Balsam of Marietta, Georgia said in a recent interview.  “How did I know the guy wasn’t going to blow my brains out?”

But the tactic has yet to result in injury or harm to the homeowner.  One intruder even broke down and wept when Lisa Bennet of Vershire, Vermont shouted her welcome.  “He started saying his mother never threw him a birthday party, and that was one of the reasons he turned to a life of crime.”  The Bennets have since welcomed the intruder into their lives.  “He was so alone and desperate,” Bennet states, “we are now the family he always longed for.”  Bennet says her intruder now shares Holidays with them.  “We’ve noticed a few items missing after he leaves, but we’ve come to accept that,” Bennet says, “It’s just how he is.  Nothing major is missing – just a few pieces of silver and once my husband’s watch.”

The Birthday Party Tacit does have its downsides.  One’s house always needs to be decorated for a birthday party – complete with streamers and balloons.  Some say it causes confusion with their children.  “When our son turned five, we had to actually change the decorations so that he knew these were for him and not a bad guy,” Bennet said, “but knowing we are safe at night – it’s worth it!”

Note:   Since the release of the Birthday Party Tactic, Part City’s stocks have risen substationally and more stores are opening nationwide.

Comments (142)

By admin, June 22, 2009 10:33 am

Pregnancy:

• “You’re how many weeks?  That’s how far along I was when I miscarried”
• “Aren’t you telling people too soon?”
• “I thought you might be pregnant.  You look fuller”
• “Don’t get too excited yet. It’s still early”
• “You’re how far along?  Goodness! I was that big at 9 months!”
• “Are you sure there’s only one in there?”
• “If you didn’t want to feel sick then you shouldn’t have gotten pregnant”
• “Really, morning sickness is all mind over matter.  If you tell yourself you won’t get sick, then you won’t”
• “Eating again?”
• “How are you feeling? Well, everyone is tired when they’re pregnant”
• “I wish I had thrown-up.  You’re lucky! Then I would have felt better”
• “This is what you wanted”
• “You certainly registered for a lot.  When I had my baby we didn’t need all of these things“
• “You must be having a boy/girl.  I can tell by how big your thighs and butt have gotten”
• “Should you really be eating that since you’re pregnant?”
• “I only gained 17 pounds when I was pregnant”
• “I thought you were eating for two, not four!”

Comments (150)

By admin, May 25, 2009 10:10 am

• “But you two barely know each other!”
• “It’s about time you two tied the knot”
• “You’re having your wedding reception there?  I heard the food is terrible”
• “Why are you having your wedding on a Friday night? That’s so inconvenient”
• “That’s the color you chose for the bridesmaids? Oh.”
• “You mean there’s no open bar?!”
• “Whatever you do, don’t sit me next to them”
• “I could never spend that much money on just one day!”
• “Wouldn’t you rather use the money for something else? Like a down payment on a house?”

Comments (2)

By admin, May 3, 2009 10:19 am

• “But you have unemployment pay.  You’re getting paid to do nothing!”
• “I wish I was laid off. I hate my job”
• “You just lost your job?  What a coincidence!  I just saw a ‘help wanted’ sign outside of McDonalds.  What perfect timing!”
• “Hopefully no one will get sick while you don’t have medical benefits”
• “My job is so busy anymore that I wish I had time to relax like you”

jtpmga5hws

Comments (2)

By admin, April 25, 2009 10:12 am

• “They were old.  They lived a full life”
• “Everyone has to die sooner or later”
• “I am sure it’s a relief on some part.  Their care was starting to become a burden”
• “Ouch! I have heard funerals are so expensive”
• “What restaurant did you choose for after the funeral? Oh.  You chose there?  The food is okay.”
• “Have you thought about dating again? It’s been several months since s/he died”

Comments (2)

By admin, April 1, 2009 10:16 am

• “I don’t understand why you’re so upset. It’s not like a person died”
• “You can always get another one.  The SPCA is jammed packed”
• “Maybe your next one won’t be so yipey”
• (If their dog was small) “Now you can get a real dog!”
• “Look at it this way: no more fur to vacuum”
• “Now you can go on vacations and not have to bother people to pet-sit”
• “No more veterinarian bills!”

Comments (0)

By admin, March 1, 2009 10:36 am

• “Maybe you’re just not meant to have children”
• “Just relax! You’re trying too hard!”
• “There’s always adoption”
• “Pregnant yet?”
• “My husband only needs to look at me and I get pregnant!”
• “I know just what you’re going through.  It took me four months before I got pregnant with our third child”