July 2009 Archives

Look like a total hipster yet still perfectly orderly in Diesel. There is a fine line between looking urban and being sloppy. That is a total mom thing to say, my younger me can't believe I'm going there but what can I say, I'm a mom now and my DNA somehow changed to match my new role. Little boys need to look neat. The still "cool" track suit is a great comfy choice but paired with the degrede tee shirt with the contrasting racing stripes on the sleeves and cool graphics, it is a trendy and stylish look that mom can still approve of. The Jacket is $69, Degrede Tee is $35 and Sweatpants $45 at Saks Fifth Avenue.

I just got this toy in the mail and my husband and I just wasted a half an hour having silly fun and laughing while playing with it. And that's without the tots! One is taking a nap and the other is at school!! It is so simple and incredibly cheap, only $1.25. I mean it really shouldn't cost more than that, it is a plastic valve and 3 thin plastic propeller blades but so much fun and very very cool!! So, you blow up the balloon and then attach the propellers. The release of the air from the balloon makes the blades spin and the whole thing takes flight. Unless you have a super high ceiling, it is way more fun to do this outdoors because it really does fly pretty high. Blow up the balloon as much as you can, without popping it of course, for maximum height. Little kids won't be able to operate this but I promise you, they will have a ton of fun watching it fly and chasing after it. At Super Cool Toy Store (they really do have super cool toys!) for $1.25. Shipping is $5.95 so I would buy a few to make it worthwhile (great favor for a goodie bag!!).

UPDATE: Word of advise, do not fly this outside right next to your house or it will get stuck on your roof like mine is right now.

I am so happy everyone is loving the Mom Snob Confessions. I will be bringing them on a weekly basis now so if you would like to nominate someone I should feature, please email me.

Jori was our Tot Snob editor when we first launched. She made Tot Snob what is is today and I owe her everything. Her responsibilities to her tots and family were always her #1 priority so she had to leave us =( Her mother in law is Florence Shapiro, a Texas state senator, so you can imagine she has a lot on her plate.

What can you not live without, no matter what it cost, you will sell your left arm for it if you have to?
Having a newborn, right now I can't live with my night nurse Heidi! I'd sell my diamonds and mortgage my house for her. She comes every other night, so I still get my nighttime bonding in...call me crazy but with 2 toddlers sometimes that is the only Olivia and Mommy time we get. Heidi is fabulous. The nights that she comes my husband and I rest easy knowing our daughter is in good hands. When Olivia gets a little older, she will help us train her to sleep through the night without a pacifier or swaddle - two things our kids have come to love. If you're in the Dallas area and interested in using a night nurse, I highly recommend Heidi!

What indulgence do you do that is just for you?
First, I exercise which helps me to clear my head. Then, to really unwind I head to the spa for a massage or facial. Nothing does wonders like a little pampering!

What special training or skill di you wish your husband has?
Breastfeeding?!!

What is the worst dinner you've ever served?
I am so embarrassed to have this written...Kid Cuisine frozen dinners. Could someone please invent nutritious ready made meals for when you're in a pinch?

Confession Time. What have you done to cut corners, save time, save sanity, just had no time or because you were simply lazy?
Two things. First, because my son is attached to one particular sippy cup (he has to drink his milk out of it or someone's going to have to pay!), I sometimes take them out of the dishwasher full of dirty dishes, rinse them, and call them clean just to avoid a meltdown. Also, I pretended not to smell a very stinky diaper while I finished shopping at a department store.

Believe it or not, the first time I saw these was at P.F. Chang's. Instead of crayons, they brought 3 of these Wikki Stix for each tot. I was like, "Come on you can't even get crayons? Wax sticks? This meal is going to be a mess". Boy, was I wrong. These waxy sticks bend and mold into any shape you can imagine. They stick together because of the wax but you can easily unravel anything you've done. You can keep it simple like twisting them together to make a candy cane design, or if you're creative you can make a cat with whiskers. For my 1 1/2 year old, she was happy just wrapping it around her fingers. The whole table started playing with them and we made a whole collection of jewelry from tiaras to bracelets. It was the coolest thing! I bought a pack of these to keep in my bag for the car and restaurants - they are very compact and light. But this Tons of Fun pack gives even more ideas for its use like cards, treasure boxes, bags and more. It all comes in a convenient briefcase carrier. At Amazon.com for $13.22.

Books fill the imagination so it makes perfect sense to have themed bookshelves for a head start on getting the creative juices flowing while picking out the books. Both of these are adorable, the Safari theme is a favorite (tots love animals!) so would be an ideal addition to the room. The Barn is great because the silo of the barn provides extra shelf space for other smaller items. I had a barn animal theme when my tot was a baby and I wish I had seen this, it would have completed the room beautifully (we've since moved so the theme has changed, it is now retro beach cottage). The Sunny Safari book shelf is $109.95 and the Barn bookshelf is $269.95.

I am sure you have heard by now that Angelina Jolie opted for IVF when conceiving twins Vivienne and Knox. I read it in US Weekly in which there was a quote from Dr. Arthur Wisot of Reproductive Partners Medical Group. Since I know one of their partners, Dr. Andy Huang, I decided to have him sit down and answer some burning questions that has been swirling around regarding infertility treatment and all that it involves.

First of all, why did you get into infertility?

It's the best job in the world. Partnering with couples to help create families. (That's why we are "Reproductive Partners") What could be better?

What is the #1 reason for infertility?

There is really no #1 reason for infertility. 40% of the time, it's related to the male, 40% of the time it's related to the female, 20% you can't determine (unexplained).

Male factor has to do with the quality of sperm. Female factor can be associated with numerous reasons. This can include problems with anatomy, ovulation, or the quality of the eggs. Quality of eggs is most related to the natural process of aging. Women's peak fertility occurs around age 22. Until age 32, fertility remains relatively stable. Even to age 38, changes are relatively subtle. After age 38 however, fertility begins to drop more noticeably. Unexplained infertility means there is not a specific reason found for the infertility.

It's the summer and we've all gone swimming already at some point. If this HAS NOT happened to you already, I'd be surprised. This picture of Courtney Cox has been circulating but all this could have been prevented if she wore Nippies. When I was taking swim lessons with my tot, this was a daily occurrence because my tot is very timid and was always clambering and clawing at my bathing suit in the water. Everyone at swim class knows me really well, if you know what I mean. That's why these Nippies pasties are essential! I have the Nippies Silicone Nipple Cover to prevent nipple protrusion when going bra-less and they work really well. You can rinse them and reuse them over and over because they are non-adhesive. They mold to your skin with body heat. But they aren't meant to be seen. These shapes Nippies are for wardrobe malfunctions and the fun designs are a nice surprise when accidents happen. At Bristol 6, a set of 2 are $15.

And the winner is......Nalgene Tritan Grip-N-Gulp BPA-Free Water Bottle ($8.25). Chip Brantley of Slate.com polled 22 parents and came up with a method of rating sippy cups using point systems as follows:

• Leakproofness (20 points): It has to keep the milk in the cup.
• Ease of care (12 points): The fewer parts to dissemble and reassemble, the better.
• Ease of use (12 points): Is it easy to transport, hold, drink from, and refill?
• Style (6 points): Was the cup designed with a child's visual sensibility in mind? Or does it look like it belongs in a hospital?

The Nalgene scored a perfect 50 points! I immediately went on Amazon and bought one! A close second with 46 points was the The Safe Sippy ($12.90). One thing it did not mention about this sippy: the gasket ring around the inside of the cap gets moldy if not cleaned each time but it is hard to take in and out. It's a pain!

This story was so compelling, it was picked up on NPR (where I heard it). Read the entire review here.

If nothing else, splurge on the coat! After the age of 4, most tots' growth slows down so you can actually get 2 years out of a coat. So there's your justification =) Actually, the sizing of this coat is 3, 5, 7, 9 so it is meant for long term wear! Beautiful coats on a little girl is just the most precious. This classic double breasted coat has a twist with the mandarin collars. And if you think this is too serious for a tot, there are the pink buttons to perk you up! At Neiman Marcus for $375.

Have a special party planned and want something nice for hold your favors? These gable boxes are pretty, sturdy and re-usable! They are made from 100% recycled board so you can feel doubly good about giving these away. They come in a variety of designs as well as 2 sizes. Pack them with toys or treats (great for giving away homemade pastries, just make sure to line them with wax paper). You can even use these as lunch boxes for special outings. You'll be that mom everyone envies when you show up to a picnic with lunches delicately packed in these amazing boxes!! Mini $.80 and large $1.99 each, at Meggie Moos.