how to know if you are a mom entrepreneur

Some point's I've gathered about myself over the course of 2 years!

1. Your healthy lunch is a slice of bread folded over with some ham stuck in between.
2. Sending and receiving emails at 3am means nothing.
3. Hitting the stop watch as soon as someone goes down for a nap.
4. Don't Call. Contact by email only.
5. Asking yourself if you really need to use the washroom or is your bladder fooling you. Same thing goes for a shower.
6. The post man/woman only recognizes you with your pyjamas on.
7. You time your bookkeeping for the duration of the Wiggles show.
8. Typing emails with one hand.
9. Forgetting what you did a half second ago.
10. Your suppliers know your children by their first name.
11. Your closet is where you make your “professional” phone calls.
12. Assume standing position over your laptop for 10 minutes even though the chair is right beside you.
13. Your business cards have applesauce stains.
14. You bribe your child(ren) with candy and cookies before making a phone call.
15. A Happymeal is a business expense.
16. Diego is sometimes your best friend.
17. Your blackberry is another child.

pass the peanut butter!

Ok, it has been just way too long, but we've just been so busy. So I thought I'd share a little story. Just make sure you aren't eating.

So I was in the shower the other day when Mr. Hubsters runs up the stairs like an elephant, holding Buddy like he had some kind of plague. He plops Buddy into the shower with me and I'm like "what the..." and he takes off downstairs.

Ok great. So it turns out that Buddy had a diaper explosion. According to Mr. Hubsters, the story goes like this: Mr. Hubsters was fixing him a light snack and turned around to the all familiar quietness (which really means that Buddy is up to no good). Mr. Hubsters does a second take. "Who the heck gave him Peanut Butter?". He was staring at Buddy for like a good 2 minutes watching him smear this Peanut Butter all over the carpet, squishing it in his hands. He then realized it was only him and Buddy in the room and unless it was the Ghost of Christmas Past who happened to whiz by and pass Buddy some Peanut Butter, that it wasn't Peanut Butter, it was something unfathomable.

Needless to say, it took us an hour to clean our carpet. There was even "Peanut Butter" in all his Lego. Yum!

elizabeth pantley

I recently came in contact with Elizabeth Pantley and she had given me some articles that may be of benefit to you. They range from Colic, to Postpartum Depression to Toddler Cooperation to Airplane Travel and are full of awesome tidbits!

I remember during our sleepless year that I had ran to chapters scouring anything that would help us put our baby to bed with no fuss. And I remember sitting there reading Elizabeth Pantley's No Cry Sleep Solution. She had excellent tips! Of course, I took her tips and added my own concoction into it. As any mom would! :)

Thank you Elizabeth!
Visit Elizabeth Pantley's website at http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth/

>> Download set of notes here! <<

what goes around comes around

Before child, I was one of those individuals who thought "oh, my kid is never going to be like that".

That meant:

~ behave like an angel (ha!)
~ eat what I give him (an even bigger ha!)
~ no McDonald's (can I capitalize HA?!)
~ no negotiating (haven't really hit that point yet, but I'm sure I'll fold like a deck of cards)
~ no harness because he will walk beside me like a well behaved child!

Needless to say, that all went out the window with the 5th point happening today.

I went and bought a Harness. Why? Because once Buddy is out of his stroller, it's game over. You will exhaust yourself to the point of collapsing by chasing him, never mind in this heatwave of 40C weather. Or you will most likely find yourself diving from a moving vehicle as he plummets himself into oncoming traffic.

I haven't seen these harnesses before last weekend. I always thought they looked like dog leashes. You know, the ones that are retractable. I mean, who wants to walk their kid like a dog?

But these ones are made to look like backpacks. There is even a big pocket so you can store stuff in it. The tail of the monkey is actually the strap with a little loop where you put your hand in to hold it. They come in a Monkey, Dog, Horse or Unicorn style.

I talked to a couple of friends. Sure you get the stares and comments, some good some bad, but who wants to sacrifice safety? Tell the gawkers to take a picture!

These are available for $14.99 CAD. Check out the manufacturer at GOLD BUG

GREENMOM

Sorry it's been awhile! Just wanted to give an update for the GREENMOM Spring Market show we did last weekend. It was an amazing turnout and so much fun! It was great to see other local companies exhibiting their green products all with the common mission to make the earth a better place.

GREENMOM^TM is about building a community of caring people who look out for one another and our planet, because we believe that moms have the power to change the world simply by choosing healthier and more responsible buys to help us do what we do: take care of everything.

Visit www.greenmom.ca

the aftermath from the last post!

This will be a short post. Keep in mind, Mr. Hubsters NEVER reads any of my blogs. It's purely coincidental that this event took place.

Well, today is my birthday. I was awaked to a nice little gift handed to me by Buddy and Papa. I opened it. It's was a bluetooth headset.

I asked. "Did you not read my latest blog! (see here)." He said "No. Why?" I laughed hysterically.

His answer for the gift was that, if he could convince me to get the Blackberry, he could convince me now to move onto accessories, hence the Bluetooth headshet.

Thanks Mr. Hubsters! I love you!

P.S. I can now update the stats. We now have 6 bluetooth headsets in our household. 2 for each family member (including the baby).

bluetooth headsets

Mr. Hubsters is an avid fan of technology. Infact, I should call him Mr. Gadget instead. But which guy isn't. And to think that I started him on it.

Back in 1998, his life was so disorganized using a little black organizer binder to handwrite all his meetings in. I then got so fed up of him forgetting our "dates" that I introduced him to the powerful "DaVinci", a handheld device to keep track of your life.

He then upgraded to the "Cassiopeia", this time a Pocket PC. Actually I bought it for him as a Christmas gift which then costed me $900. What an idiot I was.

Two years later, we went to Macao, China. He was like a kid in a candy factory. Just think of all the gadgets there that aren't available in North America. He then upgraded to the "O2", at a mere $1200 Canadian (the cost of each flight). A year later, he upgraded to the second generation O2 at a cost that I'm sure has been kept secret from me.

After that, I lost track. All I know is that he has had at least 4 other devices since then and has one just as an alarm to wake him up. HUH??? This doesn't count all the other wires, accessories, and other crap that comes with all this stuff.

Which brings me to the topic of my discussion. Well, it isn't really a topic, just a question.

Why do people feel it the need to wear bluetooth headsets? Is it to look cool? How lazy can one be to have this thing plastered to their ear rather than just pick up the phone and talk? Are you really THAT important that you are talking to someone 24/7?

I asked Mr. Gadget these very questions. He had an argument, but I turned my brain off and let him ramble. Today, I saw a lady wear it in the shopping mall while shopping for clothes. I just rolled my eyes.

I used to edit weddings. On one wedding I did, there was a woman who was about 50ish. She was the MC at this wedding. While she was there at the podium doing her thing, I noticed she was wearing a stinkin' new shiny bluetooth headset. Now, if someone calls her, will she answer it and say to the bride and groom "Um, excuse me, I have to take this call".

I think that's what did it for me.

But before I get bashed, fine, if you are a trader, a business person, in the car, on con-calls all day, sure. But at a wedding being an MC?

P.S.
Mr. Gadget just got home from work. I asked him how many bluetooth headsets he has. He tried to divert the question. I threatened him with unmentionables. He said 3 headsets and 2 stereo headsets. Perfect. One for each day of the business week. Just like me and my shoes.

poo, yes just poo

What better topic to start the day off with. I apologize for not writing for the past several days. Had to deal with some Poo.

Poo of all kinds: business poo, life poo, baby poo, cat poo, you name it.

Business Poo
Usual stuff, latest is that I think the Mail Lady is stealing my mail. I've been waiting on 2 shipments anxiously and having my mailbox completely empty for the past 3 days is sending me bad signals. She gives the term "disgruntled postal worker" a whole new meaning. If I have a door delivery, she is ringing the doorbell like someone lit her hand on fire. Who knows why? She doesn't wear a uniform (maybe they cut back). She doesn't drive a Canada Post Truck (maybe they cut back on that too) . So for all I know, she could be some lady from who knows where with a key to our mailbox.

Life Poo
Don't have the energy to tackle writing this.

Baby Poo
If it's not Buddy dealing with another round of constipation, then it's Buddy dealing with another round of diarrhea. The other day, I thought it would be nice to have him all nice and clean and have dinner prepared when Mr. Hubsters came home. (this domestic thing will have all my friends laughing for SURE). But just as you know it, with the water boiling, the cat getting on my nerves, Dr. Phil yapping in the background driving me crazy, Buddy decides to have diarrhea. This was EVERYWHERE. He needed to be hosed down. Poor guy.

Cat Poo
If not the above, then it's wrestling with Yoshi, our cat with his latest adventure; pooing on the carpet in the same spot. Why? Either a) he's mad because we pay more attention to Buddy now, or b) Mr. Hubsters hasn't completely changed his litter to a brand new box of litter. (I've given up on the whole poo collecting thing since being preggers as they say don't be near cat poo while expecting). I am hoping Mr. Hubsters doesn't notice that I'm not preggosaurus anymore.

And there you have it.

eco blankies here!

baby boomba eco blankies
{$30.00}

I'm happy to introduce our newest product handcrafted exclusively by Baby Boomba. Eco baby blankies. Luxuriously soft with a modern design.

• Our eco blankies are made from Bamboo French Terry. Reversible to natural, they are all made with a double layer which gives it a nice weight.
• Perfect cover for a light stroll, a nap or in mommy and daddy's arms.
• Caring Instructions: Gentle Handwash and lay flat to dry. 70% Bamboo / 30% Organic Cotton. Measures approx 20 x 30 inches.
• Makes a great shower gift!

Bamboo is sustainable and 100% naturally grown. It is perfect for any baby's sensitive or allergy prone skin! It thrives naturally without using any pesticides or fertilizers and is 100% biodegradable. As the fastest growing plant in the world, bamboo grows to its maximum height in about 3 months and reaches maturity in 3-4 years. It absorbs and evaporates sweat in a split second and doesn't stick to baby's skin. It’s extraordinary natural breathability keeps your baby comfortable and dry for longer.

visit babyboomba.com to see more styles!

rating playground equipment

The summer weather has hit us full force, so the little ones and I have stepped, blinking out of doors, which is a nice change. I’ve decided to find every playground within a ten mile radius of my door this summer. So far, every one of them has had its ups and downs (teeter totter pun). Overall, as a sun-hater, I prefer the shaded ones. But it’s not about me is it. I've devised a little rating of each piece of playground equipment. I’m sure I’ve omitted some, so please send me lists of whatever I've missed, or your own ratings.

The Slide
Takes a certain amount of bravery, and effort, each time to get up to the top, but the final two second thrill of hurling yourself down a slick surface is entirely worth it. The twisty slide gets extra points for bravery, since your final destination is not always visible. The hot reflective metal slides of my youth are a dying breed, being squeezed out of playgrounds by plastics, so the dangers of scalding bare legs on a scorching summer day is greatly reduced.
8 out of 10

Swings
The most sedentary animal of the playground. Requires the rider to simply sit stationary. Can be pushed by a ground dweller, or with a minimal amount of effort move their legs back and forth below the knee to start the pendulum swing. An all purpose piece of equipment. The highest highs can emit big thrills, while the leisurely melodic swinging can induce contemplation and introspection. Bonus points for tire swings, where the option of sharing a ride is possible.
10 out of 10

Springy Riders (do they have an actual name?)
Solid hunks of metal, often in the shape of odd animals or vehicles, mounted atop a large spring, which is stuck into the ground. Their appeal ends at their bright colors and shapes. The rider must throw themselves into rocking the beast, while it springs back to its original position after each movement. Generally not even a good spot to sit and relax since it usually requires the sitter to straddle it, feet in stirrups, body leaning forward, gripping on the handlebars. No child lasts more than 1 minute on these, guaranteed.
3 out of 10

Sand
Feels wonderful on bare feet or hands when dry, and is malleable and moldable when wet. Invokes unbounded creativity. Can be a delicacy for the young and a dirty weapon for all, Often of questionable cleanliness.
6 out of 10

The Teeter Totter aka Seesaw
Stipulations a mile long.
Must have a friend to ride.
Friend must be of similar weight and height.
Must take cooperation on both parties.
A tremendous amount of trust is required from whomever is the up.
The down holds all the power. Down rider can leave up stranded for an extended time period.
Down could make a quick dismount causing the up party to come crashing to the ground.
Down should always remember that their power is fleeting.
4 out of 10

everyday questions

Questions that I've come up with from the events that happened today in sequential order:

• Why does it take 20 minutes of mental prep and a half hour to get out of the house to make a trip to the grocery store to return canola oil?
• Why do you always get stuck in a line behind some woman who is arguing with the cashier over 2 dollars AFTER you have emptied all your groceries on the belt? Don't forget about the fussy baby in the cart.
  
• Why is it that no one helps you open the door when you have a stroller?
• Why does Buddy's soother always fall on something nasty? Like on the floor right in the same spot the lady just mopped up with that "clean" water? FACE DOWN!
• Why do people have staring problems?
• How do you manage to sweat from just walking to the mailbox?
• Why do teens congregate at the neighbourhood park and try to act all macho and intimidating? (hmmmm lemme think about that, I think I used to be one)
• How did my stomach survive after drinking that ice-cap?
  
• How does a clean kitchen magically transform into a war zone as soon as Mr. Hubsters arrives home?
  
• How in the living earth did Buddy manage to carry groceries from the dining room to the kitchen? A bag of cat food on the left hand along with a bag of brown sugar on the right hand? He's only 20 pounds.
  

get your own website!

Ok. I've never been a fan of blatant cross-promoting my own businesses. I used to eat at this Sushi restaurant way back and it was located in a little mall with no traffic. So there I am watching him pack up my lunch to go and I glance up and see 2 signs.

• "Photofinishing in the back"
• " Get your taxes done by a Professional"
  

Um. Ok. Do I really wanna eat sushi from a guy who does photofinishing in the back? What if my sushi touched the chemicals?

But Mr. Hubsters had convinced me to promote my "other" skill. Plus I was tired of answering everyone's question "Who designed Baby Boomba?". So, let me just copy and paste the text that you can find here:

------------------------------------

{get your own website!}

I get alot of inquiries about who designed the Baby Boomba website. The answer is Yours Truly. For those that know me, I've been a Graphic Designer for over 10 years and run another business with Mr. Hubsters at Qideas. If you are a WAHM or small business and would like to use my services for your company, send an email to: marina@qideas.ca or request a quote here.

I have special rates for WAHM that is not advertised on my website. I know what it's like to start a business with a limited cash flow! I specialize in:

• Logo / Business Card Design
• Web Design
• Company Branding
• Dabble in Photography
• E-commerce

Remember that at this day and age, you only have a split second to impress your customers! Make sure you have solid branding for your company. Another beauty of the Internet is that it lets me do business around the world! So that means you don't have to live within a 25 mile radius of where I am. You can be in the Antarctic. Although I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be needing my services if you live there.

Tweedlemum!
I musn't forget Tweedlemum. I should also mention that is a Graphic Designer. Infact, that's how we met. Working together in a Creative Department at a place that shall remain nameless. If you are interested in using her services, send me an email and I will forward it to her.

www.qideas.ca

breakfast television

I use to watch Breakfast Television religiously. However since the birth of Buddy, it got kinda of hard. But now that he's a little older than a screaming colicky newborn, I do tune in occasionally for 10 minutes a day. So I noticed that Tracy Moore was in her 9 month, (ya it took me a while) and decided to send her something special. A Baby Boomba Hideout made by yours truly!

So on a Friday, I tuned in and watch it for about 45 min. It was apparently her last day of work. 8:55 am rolls around and I decide to switch off the TV and bring buddy down to eat some breakfast. 2 min later, my friend calls and says "Did you know that Tracey Moore just mentioned you air?". I was like "AHHH!! I JUST TURNED OFF THE TV!"

But she had also wrote me a really cute card and mentioned that she had a blog. Check it out here! You will see the infamous Baby Boomba Hideout.

http://www.citynews.ca/blogs/babysteps_21438.aspx

Tracy if you are reading this, I hope you have a safe and healthy delivery!

photoshoot

As usual, I convinced Tweedlemum to do me a favour and be my model. Tweedlegirl is also the perfect baby to model these lovely slings.

Today's 20 degree weather made it perfect to go the park, have a little lunch and push swings for what seemed to be an eternity.

The pictures shown are the Maya Wrap Mama Baby Sling (Black) retail $45.00 CDN and the Organic Cotton Canvas Ellaroo Mei Hip (Pismo style- reversible to Natural) retail $89.00 CDN. The last shot is Buddy and I sporting my newest creation. The asian-style Mei Tai carrier. The fabric design is the "Merinda Fabric" you can find in the Hideouts selection. If you are interested in having a mei tai made for you and your baby, please send me an email to info@babyboomba.com. These are made to order.

See more slings at www.babyboomba.com

quiet doesn't mean good

As written in a previous blog entry, what I miss most about being a non-parent is staring at the wall and just thinking.

But at certain times of the day, something happens. Peace and quiet descends upon this household. Sometimes it's unnoticeable. But if it lasts more than 2 minutes, I know something is wrong. I can't revel in the delight.

This morning, I was able to shower in semi-peace. I put the gate up to the door of the bathroom and let Buddy wander around my bedroom. Of course, I had to prep for 10 minutes. Dump all his toys on the floor, flick on Barney and whatever else. Not to mention take off all the 20 drawer handles which required a screwdriver and makes it darn near impossible to get underwear and socks.

So there I am showering and then all of the sudden, I notice that Buddy isn't standing at the gate screaming in his baby jargon or throwing Lego into the bathroom, or running around like a chicken without a head. I poke out the shower door. Noooobody. With the shower still running, I step out nearly having a "help, I can't get up" episode. There he is, around the corner squeezing out the hand lotion he managed to steal off my night table. And eating it.

I climb over the gate almost breaking my neck, grab it out of his hand and pursue whatever left I had of my shower. A peeping tom would have had a field day.

I don't know why I never learn my own lesson. Other long peace and quiet times means that Buddy has gotten the remote control, tossed it on the floor so the batteries come out, and then sticking it in his mouth. Other times means that he is squirting all the milk from his bottle onto the floor or table and using his hands as Kleenex. He's quiet for a reason. Because the sooner I find out, the sooner he gets in trouble. And he's only 14 months. Babies aren't dumb.

Just remember, if you have kids and your house seems disturbingly quiet, it most likely means a bad thing, unfortunately.

immobilized

Ok. I have absolutely nothing to do but type this blog or watch Buddy eat an apple. It is unfathomable how dependant we are on the basic power. In the middle of sewing, the power went out. That meant that Barney went out. That meant the iron went out. AHA! The laptop has backup battery! Great! I can surf. Nope. Wireless network out of range. Crap! Ok, let me call hubby at work. Nope. Phone out of Range. (Doesn’t these home phones have 4 hour backup battery?) ok….so I can write a blog about nothing. I think I should be a good mom and entertain Buddy for the 100th time. It’s only 10:30am and it’s totally OK that I’ve run out of things to do. Wait, those 4 pound weights are on the floor.

5 min later: ok I attempted to do some stomach crunches only to have Buddy climb on my stomach pretending I was a horse. I got out my hand weights with him lifting one for me halfway across the room almost killing himself. The silence is deafening. I got out the cordless vacuum and started vacuuming to simulate the feeling of power.

The last power outage we had was a month ago and lasted 2 hours. Those two hours were the longest of my life. I need to live on a Farm and get back to the basics! I also need to stop typing now since Buddy has found the delete key and making me retype everything again.

OH Wait! POWER IS BACK! Our lives are normal again. 20 crunches accomplished.

colic is here!

Something I wanted to get out of the way before I start this blog: Mr. Hubster's clean laundry is still sitting in his hamper UNFOLDED. Read all that blog written 7 days ago. We’ll see if my 2 week prediction works. 1 more week to go.

As promised a billion times, the post about colic is here. What makes me an expert? Because Buddy was blessed with this trait for 4 months. Mind you, I’m only an expert in my own situation.

What is colic?
Many people think that colic is just endless crying. It is, but there’s a reason for it.

"Severe abdominal pain caused by spasm, obstruction, or distention of any of the hollow viscera, such as the intestines. Often a condition of early infancy, colic is marked by chronic irritability and crying."
http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/colic

How did it start?
Buddy was extremely mild mannered for the first week. We don’t think we even saw his eyeballs until the third day. He slept for most of the time. Then a week came. The crying started. It wasn't general crying from hunger or a diaper change. It was constant crying and screaming around the clock.

The hospital emergency room.
One night at 1 am while doing a diaper change, his belly looked like the bottom of an hour glass. Though only on one side. We brought him to Emergency. They took him in right away since he was only 19 days old. After an x-ray to determine that nothing was lodged in his GI tract, they determined that the bloating was a huge gas pocket. The crying continued ALL night.

How did we know it was colic?
Well it was quite obvious. After every feeding, he would get extremely fussy, pull his knees to his chest (from the gas pains) and start the crying. It was confirmed by the ER Doctor and our aunt who works at a High Risk Birthing Unit. Besides the colic, he was generally fussy. Setting him down in a swing would last 3 seconds before he would start screaming.

Our (My) daily cycle:
Feed, Cry from gas for 3 hours. Get hungry again. Feed. Cry from Gas for 3 hours. Get hungry again. Feed. Cry from Gas for 3 hours. Get hungry again. I’ll let you figure out the rest. This lasted all day and into the night. Mr. Hubsters wore out the carpet by walking the same path endless hours trying to calm him down.

We tried:

• 3 types of Gripe Water (even scoping special West Indian Stores): None Worked
• Massage as led by a book: Kind of worked
• Swaddling: Buddy hated it like the devil
• OVOL: it was like a second bottle
• Shhhhhh in the ear: nope
• Researching: gave me relief knowing I wasn't the only person on earth dealing with this
• Yoga Ball: this was the only surefire way to make him stop crying. The only thing is, we would have to bounce on it 3 hours at a time. That ball was attached to us like underwear. Thankfully, I lost weight at the same time.

At the 5 week mark, I was ready to throw the baby out with the bathwater. One can say that when enduring endless screaming and crying 24/7. Everywhere said that this colic thing can last up to 6 months. There was no way I was going to live with this for another 5 months.

So I did lots of research. I found that there was treatment for infants with colic. It’s called Craniosacral Therapy. Huh? Yes, lots of people were looking at me like I was from Pluto. “You’re bringing your 5 week old to an Osteopath ? What is that? And are you crazy?”. I replied "live in my house fo 24 hours or even better 1 hour and then ask me that question again."

Not many people know about this type of care. It is recommended that EVERY infant do this! We found an amazing expert who specializes in Craniosacral and Osteopathic Manual Therapy. His name is Mark Levine. We brought Buddy to do 4 sessions with him. Half an hour each session over the span of 2 weeks. After the end of it all, Buddy was a like a “new man”. Or course, he wasn't 100% cured from colic. But his fussiness had dramatically changed. He can now sit content in a swing for 14 minutes. That was a great accomplishment.

How we kept our sanity
We didn’t. But if you are going through this, remember it does stop as their digestive systems matures. He was over it by 4 months. We were also lucky to have my mom help out ALOT. I won’t sugar coat it either. The general fussiness still lingers. Because of colic, the baby is constantly attached to you as you try to calm him. As a result, I think that this developed in him a greater separation anxiety. And that’s what we are dealing with now! And we have achieved our latest accomplishment: self-soothing to sleep which you can read about here in my "coming out of zombie land" blog.

Click here to visit Mark Levine: www.marklevine.ca - He is located in Richmond Hill, Ontario and I would HIGHLY recommend him even if your baby is not colicky. He also works on mom too! I talked with several other parents who swear that every baby should be “adjusted”!

Click here to visit Fussy Baby: www.fussybaby.ca – an excellent resource for any parent dealing with fussy, colicky and high-need babies. This website is founded by Holly Kehler Klaassen from Vancouver, British Columbia and provides a wealth of information on how to deal with your little one! Join her Facebook Group here.

Both are Canadian Resources!

gorgeous

The difference in the sexes was obvious to me growing up.

My younger brother and I were always treated differently. I remember coming home from the park to tell my mom that there was a boy throwing sand at me. My mom’s solution, bring your brother next time to protect you. My younger/shrimpier brother that I regularly beat up was supposed to protect me. (there was the infamous lawnchair incident which required him to get stitches but I’ll save that for another entry) My young mind did not get it, in fact my old mind does not get it either. Boy things like violence, dirt, and laziness were expected of my brother, girl things like passiveness, cleanliness, and responsibility were expected of me. And this was the 70’s! The feminist movement was at it’s peak! Surely we’ve come a long way since then. Or so I thought until I had my girl. Of course there was the obvious, namely the piles of pink and frills that gifters brought, I’m neither a fan of pink nor of frills so the gifts always came with apologies addressed to me, though they were really unnecessary. I will obligingly dress her in pink and all the frills that’ll fit on her little frame, just as I dressed my son in overalls and racecar motifs. My issue is with how my newborn son was addressed compared to how my newborn daughter is addressed. If it was one person that said it, I would not have noticed, but it has to have been about 10 to 20 friends and family who upon meeting her for the first time have said,

“She’s gorgeous.”

Which of course she is.
But that’s not the point.

And maybe it’s just the feminist in me, but I’m cringing every time I hear it. These gender roles are already being stuck onto this kid. Her value is in her appearance and she’s still bald. I‘ve trying to think back to the comments addressed toward my boy, (that was 3 whole years ago so it’s a little fuzzy) from what I can recall it was stuff like, “look how strong his neck is to hold his head up,” and “wow what a grip” His value was in his strength, obviously a male thing. I know, I’m stuck in semanticland again. I’m a frequent inhabitant. But I really think things we say are always these deep set ideals and perceptions coming to the surface. The English language is so vast, there are just too many ways to say anything. Although what do I know?

She is gorgeous.

Of which I’m glad. Otherwise nobody would have anything to say.

But as she grows up she’ll have to prove she has other merits.

move over lynda carter, I'm taking over

I have never felt so accomplished in my life. Today, I managed to get a shower (while buddy was awake), do laundry (as in drying it too), create 9 more Hideouts, answer a dozen emails, take Buddy to the mailbox and then to the park, MAKE DINNER (which included mash potatoes, veal, rice, and carrots). Keep in mind every item added to the menu adds 15 minutes of time. In between that, putting Buddy to nap TWICE and fighting with him to eat TWICE, trying to feed myself and not starve. I think that's about it. Wait, I forgot to mention finishing a design job for a client and of course writing this blog. All before 6:30 pm.

Last night I asked Mr. Hubsters to take Buddy upstairs and fold another set of laundry while I tackle some work. They were gone for a real long time. I'm thinking wow, he must have got alot done. He comes down the stairs with Buddy in arms about an hour later and said he got 3 shirts folded. I screamed "IT TOOK YOU A FREAKING HOUR TO FOLD 3 SHIRTS?", to which he answered "I was trying to fight buddy off from throwing all the clothes on the floor!" Um OK, all you had to do was MOVE the clothes to the CENTER of the bed where he can't reach it.

I'm not bragging. Before Buddy, I was an efficient bee. I've slacked off. When I do the laundry, it IS an accomplishment. Taking the hamper from the room to the landing will require about a day. Another day to make it to the basement. Another day to move it back up to the room. Another TWO days to fold it. Add Another TWO weeks for Mr. Hubsters to fold it. I'm not kidding.

Now multiply that by 3 people's sets of laundry. Mr. Hubsters likes to do his own because he doesn't like the way I wash his clothes. HUH?

And lastly, I must not forget to thank Treehouse for making this day possible.

kinda related: when I was 7, I was Wonderwoman for halloween and my costume caught fire (while I was in it) by a candle in a pumpkin while ringing someone's doorbell. I should have sued them.

lamaze for stress

Ok. I have been suffering from a little stress. (who isn't). Last week was no picnic either. You know something is very wrong when you pull out your old maternity pants. Except for the fact that you're not pregnant.

I couldn't find anything to wear. Mr. Hubsters for the first time got fed up of me changing 5 times that he ran to my closet and picked out something for me. This has never happened in the 20+ years I've known him. (We've known each other since we were 12). Then a week later, I "seem" to fit into my normal clothes. I guess that's what happens for being a woman.

I brought down some dumbbells to do a little workout. I might as well do something productive if I'm forced to watch Barney. Needless to say, those dumbbells haven't moved. Actually, correction, Buddy has moved them into his play box. Imagine, a 14 month old lifting 4 pound weights.

So back to stress. Like any other mom entrepreneur, I'm sure they've tackled this. My stress comes with rapid heartbeat and a slew of other stuff I won't mention. To combat this, I sometimes do the Lamaze exercises. It seems to be working.

Before Buddy was born, I use to watch those episodes on TLC like Baby Story and blah blah. I tried to get Mr. Hubsters to watch it to prepare for the birth, but who was I kidding. He said it was too "graphic". I said "If you call yourself a hardcore UFC fan watching bloody faces wrestle each other to death, you can very well watch a baby being born." He sat through maybe one episode with his hands over his face.

Anyways, there was one episode that showed a Muslim lady go through labour. I was fascinated. In their tradition, they were to be quiet and just breathe through. She didn't utter one peep. And I was determined to be her. And so I did. My midwives commended me for it. (I must also thank my Lamaze Lady who endured us for 6 weeks).

So I've used the same technique to handle stress. And it has proven to work (at least most of the time). So if you and I are having a conversation and suddenly you see me drift off into space, don't take it personally, I'm just doing some breathing.

at the mompreneur tradeshow

We had a fantastic time exhibiting the Baby Boomba booth at the Mompreneur Tradeshow at the Distillery District in Toronto. I dragged Mr. Hubsters and Tweedlemum with me who is slinging away with Tweedlegirl and Buddy on my hip munching a fry (bad baaaaad).

It was a fantastic turnout and we got to meet many other moms with really cool and unique products and who's stories are all incredibly inspirational.

• Click here to visit The Mompreneur.
• See us at the Greenmom Show on May 31, 2008 at the CNIB in Toronto.
  

sushi for the creatively minded

If you are a creative work at home mom and make your own products to sell, I highly recommend that you list yourself with Etsy. It's a great community of people who boast things all handmade. It's so great infact, that I have my Hideouts and Onesies listed on there. (see the Baby Boomba Etsy shop). You will also get addicted at browsing everyone else's creations. It will give you inspiration and appreciation for all the time and effort spent on creating that unique product.

While browsing, I came across this really cool Etsy shop. She has created this Deluxe Baby Washcloth Sushi Set valued at $25.00 (that's a steal!). While glancing at this firsthand, I was like "who is selling sushi online?!" But Look closer! (click image to see it bigger)

This is so ingenious, creative and most of all different! I mean, which parent wouldn't to receive this as a baby shower gift?

This super fun Washcloth Sushi TM Set includes:♥ Tako (green octopus finger puppet)♥ Kurodai (red & white striped snapper fish finger puppet)♥ Three sushi rolls (washcloth with felt center)♥ Five white Gerber baby washcloths♥ Grosgrain 'Seaweed' - hand-stitched!♥ Felt Ginger & Felt Wasabi - hand-stitched!♥ Reusable Chopsticks (color may vary from photo)♥ Bamboo & Acrylic Soba Noodle Plate (completely reusable!), 7.5"x7.5" square♥ Plastic decorative grass

While on the same subject of sushi, for Buddy's first birthday that happened a month ago, I decided to be creative and make a "sushi" dessert tray. Though it's not made up of sushi. The seaweed is made from fondant died green. The california roll is a marshmallow with coconut flakes on top to similate rice. I also have orange sugar to mimic the fish eggs on top. For the tuna sashimi, the bottom is a rice krispie square cut into a rectangular shape. The tuna salmon on top is a marshmallow sliced in half. And the seaweed and piece of wasabi is the dyed green fondant.

I've also posted a picture of the Pablo Cake (from the Backyardigans) that tweedlemum had so graciously helped me with. By the end of this whole 5+ hour process (not including the Sushi Dessert Tray), I was ready to throw out Pablo and every cooking utensil in my kitchen.

But again, all you need is imagination! And time of course.

interview with boombalady and tweedlemum

boombalady:

parenting style?
flip flopper: Mr. Hubsters says that I am reminiscent of a semi-dead fish. He should
talk since his butt is nice and cozy permanently affixed on the fence with any
decision.

good cop or bad cop?
BAAAAD cop (I wonder why).

how many hours of sleep do you average a night?
Eight hours and counting! (after 1.3 years of no sleep, so I deserve it)

what did your kid(s) have for dinner last yesterday?
ghetto Superstar (my version of Mac and Cheese with beans and sausage)

what's your typical day like?
dodging bullets.

current parenting work distribution
Dad 50% Mom 50% (surprising)

parenting job that mom always does
do not deviate from nap times or suffer the consequences!

parenting job that dad always does
lets him get away with murder

cleanliness of house right now
very dusty

thing you miss most from your pre-kid life
staring at the wall

regrets?
should have requested the epidural earlier

best advice you got
don't listen to advice

anymore kids?
if it involves a nanny and a therapist

tweedlemum:

parenting style?
hands off

good cop or bad cop?
good cop

how many hours of sleep do you average a night?
eight in total, always interrupted

what did your kid(s) have for dinner last yesterday?
tacos

what's your typical day like?
boring

current parenting work distribution
Dad 20% Mom 80%

parenting job that mom always does
food

parenting job that dad always does
bedtime

cleanliness of house right now
clean generally, just a maze of toys

thing you miss most from your pre-kid life
solitude

regrets?
should have had homebirths

best advice you got
let baby cry or you'll spoil them. That didn't work which made me question every piece of advice, which then lead me to never listen to advice. A real turning point!

anymore kids?
maybe 1 more but that's it!

sharing

Play Group, the giant socialization experiment, where 50 kids who’ve never shared, and a biased referee for every one of them, are thrown into what is essentially a giant gymnasium filled with hula hoops, and slides, and tunnels, and balls, and books, and puzzles, and babies, and toddlers, and big kids, and mothers, and fathers, and grandparents, and music, and chaos.
My boy loves it.
He spends most of his time dancing and running in circles, caught up in the internal frenzy of what to play with first. This morning he started with a grungy yellow ball, which we tossed back and forth. An older boy came and snatched the ball away when it was fumbled by my guy, which is by the way every time, he’s only 3. The little face contorted, and the eyes welled up, I knew what was coming, so I leaned in with a hug and whispered that he should wait and watch, because, I bet a trillion dollars that that little boy will throw it away any minute. Sure enough, within the minute, the boy tossed it carelessly to the side as he climbed up the slide. My watchful boy went after it, happy again.
Not wanting to lose it again, our game of catch was changed to a rousing game of I’m Just Going to Run Around in Circles Holding the Ball, (not nearly as fun I’m sure but he was happy again).
About 5 minutes later, the older boy came over, yelling and trying to snatch it out of his arms this time. I reluctantly intervened, (I so hate disciplining other peoples kids) and pointed out another ball that no one was playing with. He was not interested.
Thankfully, his mother came over.
But, this is what she said to him:
“I know it was yours, and you had it first but…”
ECK!
I silently retorted “It is NOT yours, and, you did NOT have it first”
(Silently is always the best way to retort.)
So, where’s the lesson for this kid?
You own whatever you touch?
You own anything you touch first, or have perceived to have touched first?
I’m sure his mom had the best intentions in getting her child to share, and maybe I’m the weirdo who just gets caught up in semantics. But I think kids are a lot more perceptive of these nuances than we give them credit for. Maybe it also goes back to my issues with things and just having too much of them. Objects are just things, people, and feelings, and general fairness to others, always trumps the object.
I can’t be sure of the lessons either of us taught our kids in that instance. But I do know that a few minutes later, when the older boy came back and snatched the ball, yet again from my little guys hands, both I and the other mom looked on quietly, while my guy reacted a lot differently. This time a grin spread across his face, and he actually laughed as he started a new game of Chase the Kid Who Took the Ball. The kid was unfortunately not into playing this game, but maybe he should have been. Maybe every kid there should have been,