the dog days of summer

We are officially in August.  The days are still warm and humid, but the nights are a touch longer and cooler.  Everyone is still in summer play mode, yet back to school advertisements are beginning to crop up everywhere.  All of Boston is on vacation, but I’m beginning to think of Labor Day weekend just around the corner.

This summer has been a bit of a relief.  Last summer we were in full newborn mode.  After little miss was born, the months of June, July, and August were spent navigating breastfeeding, sleepless nights, and the intensity of new sibling rivalry. It was like one big, long exhausting day smooshed together.  I always joke that I can’t remember clearly that time period (except through looking back at pictures, and then still my memory escapes me) for either little miss or the dude; I was so sleep-deprived and tired that my brain was not capable of laying down new memories.  The dude was born in June '09, little miss two years later in May—those two newborn summers are just one big blur.

Some snippets I am able to piece together of last summer: every morning our nanny would arrive bright and early at 7am to take the dude out so I could catch up on sleep during the day while little miss napped between feedings. We treated ourselves to a weekly locavore food delivery service to maintain our sanity (highly recommended). Every evening when little miss was fussy before her bedtime, my husband and I would crank up the white noise (“Ocean Waves” was the #1 on our family playlist) on the iPod speakers and take turns walking her around the house.  To cope with our daily grind, we would share a g-rated nightcap: chocolate chip cookies and milk.  We were just getting by. 

Fast-forward through the little miss’ first year—ups and downs of infanthood, but easier and easier as her routine has become more predictable. She’s now officially a toddler, walking, “talking” (sign language and some first words too), and even using a fork and spoon.  Our son has graduated to “big boy” preschool-hood.  Slowly, the burdens of caring for two young children have lightened.  It’s not perfect, and we still have our challenging moments, hours, and days even—but compared to last August, this one is positively a walk in the park. 

I’ve been slowly ramping up my work responsibilities this year, but I am taking it easy this month on purpose to savor the summer.  It’s a rare privilege to have more time in my day than work I have to do for a change.  I’m enjoying the time—to myself and with my kids.  Something about the sultry August air reminds me of the lazy slowness of my childhood summers in New Orleans.  This year, I want to remember every wonderful moment of these dog days. 

The final countdown

Yeah it's hot outside. As I type this I am sitting inside my house, with all the curtains and shades drawn, with the AC on full blast, and I am still sweaty. I moved to Boston in 1996 for college to escape the heat of Florida (well that was one reason) so I am not a fan of this humid weather. I would honestly take 3 feet of snow outside over this swampy mess, but I think I feel so strongly about that now because not only is it record hot outside, but I am 31 weeks pregnant and a swollen fat beast of a woman...the final countdown for baby #2 has begun!

When people find out that we only have two months left until this baby girl arrives the first question they ask is, "are you ready?" And my answer is always, "I am ready to not be pregnant, but not ready to have another child."

I washed some of M's old baby clothes, does that count as ready?

I feel like once I start to get ready that this will all seem real. Not that I don't have, what I consider, a giant baby sitting very low on my bladder growing in my stomach - that does make it pretty real of course! But I have yet to cross things off my list to actually prepare myself, my house, my husband, my daughter, etc. for the arrival of this new baby.

There is painting to be done, rooms to be swapped around and set up, things to be cleaned, purchases to be made, items to be borrowed from friends...all things I have been putting off for weeks now.

As of late I have been focusing on trying to rest and stay comfortable, as well as enjoy my life as it is now, baby-free and somewhat relaxing. But damn if I could only enjoy a margarita in this heat!!

The other thing people ask me is "do you have a name picked out?" and to that question I just stare blankly at them and shake my head. Truthfully we don't have a name picked out - we have a list of about 15 names that we like but not one we truly love. M's name came so easily to us - it was a combination of my husband's mother's name, who passed away when he was young, and my grandmother's name, and M's middle name is my other grandmother's name. Easy peasy. It met all of our qualifications - it was rare (not seen in PB Kids catalogue), not too odd, easy to pronounce and say, it honors family members, it is androgynous (which has always been something my husband and I wanted in a name), and super cool (at least that is what everyone who hears it says). Little did we know we would have a lot to live up to with the naming of this second child!

Thinking about this baby's name keeps me up at night - so does thinking about all we have to do. But more so than anything what keeps me up at night is preparing M for all of this. We started to visit her school, at which she is starting "summer camp" in 3 weeks and our first visit was somewhat of a disaster. We were actually asked to leave and come back when she wasn't so tired and cranky - in the nicest way of course as the teachers don't want her associating school with bad times. We have two visits set up for next week so fingers crossed she starts to enjoy spending time there. Her world is about to be rocked by this new baby and I just want her to be settled into a happy place by the time her sister comes. One can hope!

So for now I will sit in my AC, putz on my computer while M naps away and enjoy my peace and quiet...and giant glass of water...which I will pretend is a Margarita with fresh lime juice and Patron Silver.

Urban Oasis

     Seeing that today had a high of 81 degrees, I wanted to head out and cool down (and still be home for 2pm naptime)!  After putting way too much sunscreen on my three year old son (baby D), we headed to the North End to meet friends.
      Christopher Columbus Park has a clean, safe, sand filled playground.  Perfect for active, energetic toddlers.  There is also a few family restaurants nearby for frequent potty breaks.
       A short walk away is the beautiful Rose Kennedy Greenway.  A mile stretch of land ideal for picnics and playing catch.  Baby D's favorite part of the Greenway is its spray fountains.  Kids can wet their feet or go all out and run through the water.  My friend and I had our boys in their swimsuits but there were plenty of kids running in the water with their clothes on.  The Rose Kennedy Greenway is a refreshing urban oasis!  Be sure to pack sunscreen (of course I left mine on the kitchen counter), a towel and dry clothes.  Have fun!
        We were home by 2pm!  D is sound asleep and I'm catching up on laundry and The Real Housewives of OC.  I'd say today has been pretty good, so far!

Hot Child In The City

Summer is unofficially upon us folks...

Memorial day weekend is over...June is right around the corner. This year is flying by for sure!

With the temperatures in the high 70s, we are already looking for ways to beat the heat. And without a pool in our backyard that means that the hose has become a part of our daily outdoor routine. Last year I had purchased a baby blow up pool that we put on the deck and M did her lounging and sitting thing, but this year with her being much more active, I wanted to find something a little more "big kid" friendly.

I found the amazing contraption pictured at the right for $30 at Target last week. Thankfully I have an electric pump to blow it up with, as my former smoker lungs or my husband's asthmatic lungs wouldn't have been able to hack it. Once it is blown up you attach the hose to the little nozzle, and water comes squirting out of different places to keep your babe cool.

What you see M doing in the photo is what she calls "goin' swimmin' " (which looks suspiciously like her lounging and sitting she was doing last year.) And "swim" we did a lot this weekend...Mama did more of lounging with her feet in the "pool" as the last thing I want my neighbors to see is my fat pregnant ass in a swimming suit! Speaking of which, M now only likes to go in the pool after doing a Full Monty, which of course is still cute when you are 2 years old!

Other ways we beat the heat was to simply just spray each other with the hose, play in the water table, and sit inside in the AC. Exciting I know! Thankfully my parents are now here for the summer and we can visit them in RI and go swimming in a real pool!

How do you plan to beat the heat this summer, if you don't have a swimming pool to swim in??

What a difference warm weather makes!

I don't know about you, but this weather makes me want to put on a sundress and run around in the grass ala the Sound of Music!

For those of you that don't live in the Northeastern US, let me fill you in on what is happening with regards to our weather. Mother Nature is giving us a little gift after she shat on us all winter long last year. Right now it is 65 degrees, and not a could to be seen in the sky. In the middle of March!! Normally in Boston we would have a few feet of snow on the ground around now, and be bracing for our next snow storm. But no, I am in a tank top and capris, lathering up with sunscreen to sit on my back porch and catch up on my mags as M sleeps one off upstairs (and by "one" I mean a hard day of playing outside yesterday).

Yesterday it reached 70 degrees.  You would have thought money was falling from the sky by looking around my neighborhood. Everyone was outside. Kids were on bikes, drawing on the sidewalk, swinging on swings, playing in the grass and doing cartwheels in bikinis...what? Yes, doing cartwheels on their front lawn, in bikinis.

My husband took one look across our street and said to me, "uh, inappropriate!" so of course I had to look and see what was going on. Turns out our neighbors kids, who are somewhere around 10 & 12 years old, were on their front lawn with their girlfriends doing cartwheels and playing with water...in bikinis. Now their house is pretty much on a semi-main road, where there is a constant stream of traffic, so these girls were out there for all to see. Their mother right there with them on a chaise lounge basking in the sun. They have a fenced in backyard, so why weren't they back there? It just all felt a little too risque for me, and my husband laid down the law that Marlo won't be in a bikini until she is 18. HA!

But that wasn't he point of this post. The point was just to say how much easier life is when you are taking care of kids and the weather is nice enough for you to go outside! And I don't mean in the 40s wearing a coat, hat and gloves, I mean when you can feel the warmth of the sun on your naked arms and the grass between your toes. When you can get out the water table, and get soaked and not worry about changing clothing right away. When you can blow bubbles and run around the pop them, or kick a ball around the backyard...I mean when the kids can do this stuff...yeah, the kids!

Of course having lived in Boston for 16 years, and knowing that at any moment fickle Mother Nature could say "ok peeps, that is enough skin you are showing...here is some snow to shovel," I know I probably shouldn't get used to this gorgeous weather. But looking at the weather for the week (65, 70, 74, etc...) I can't help but feel a little relief that we might be out of winter's grasp.

I know, I just jinxed us...better get my shovel out of the basement!

Colored Bubbles are a TERRIBLE Idea

UPDATE: Apparently not all colored bubble solution is terrible, just Crayola. See the comment from Am below for another brand recommendation!

Over this past weekend I spent a lot of time blowing bubbles with M. We had a variety of different bubble wands (very long oval ones, standard circle, multiple circles, etc.) and modes of bubble blowing (battery powered, old-fashioned, etc.) as well as different types of bubble solution (fancy, cheap-o). It made for some good times with my parents, and made us all feel like kids again for a short time. During this bubble extravaganza I thought to myself, wouldn't it be cool if they had colored bubble solution so you could have different colored bubbles???

Well, to my surprise (and horror - I was going to make millions with this idea!!) I stumbled upon Crayola's "Washable Colored Bubbles" today at Babies R Us (where by the way you cannot get any sort of normal bubbles anymore - no I do not want a motorized aligator who blows bubbles for me). I purchased this amazing looking set that included 6 crazy looking wands (square?? my mind is blown!) and two "spill-resistant bottles" - one with orange solution, the other with green.

We got home, got set up outside in our chairs, and I opened up the packaging. Of course I gave M the yellow wand, and took the square for myself...and we popped open the orange solution. I put my wand in what looked like thinned out blood, and pulled it out and blew - and crazy looking orange bubbles flew through the air...and then landed...and made giant orange marks on the deck! And then the wand dripped on me, and I had what looked like blood all over my leg and hands. And as I am trying to get some water out of the baby pool to splash on the ground, M already has her wand in the disgusting bottle...and then yanks it out and it gets all over her legs and arms and hands...and she tried to blow bubbles and then gets it on her mouth and face!

OMG we looked like we just killed a small animal with our bare hands. It was freaking disgusting. I immediately put a stop to it, especially because what says is "washable" is not "rinsable" as the orange circles on the deck from the 3 small bubbles that I successfully blew were still there after a good rinsing. I had to go get a paper towel and scrub the marks to get it out. And then scrub our legs and arms to get it off of us - took a bath to get it all off of M. And this was after 15 seconds with it!

Soooooo - lesson learned: there was a reason they had so many of the "washable colored bubble" sets left and no normal bubbles on the shelf. They are ridiculous, and a waste of money. Only good thing that came out of it is that we now have a wicked cool set of bubble wands to use in our Gymboree bubble solution...which is still the best bubble solution on the market!

Damn am I glad I didn't put more than a seconds thought into this money making idea, because I don't think anyone is making money off this one!

Mama J's Summer Must-Haves

I hope everyone had a lovely Memorial Day weekend! It's really feeling like summer here in Boston now with this beautiful warm weather. We spent about 90% of the weekend outside on the deck and in the yard, so I wanted to share with you some of my "must-haves" for summer. Enjoy!

M with her Chucky smile in full affect

1. Step 2 Water/Sand table: So we technically use this as a double water table, as I refuse to set up a stray cat litter box in my back yard. Got it at Costco for $40, and it was the best $40 I have spent there! We have practically spent ever waking moment we can outside standing next to this thing...of course your kid will get soaked, but what kid doesn't love getting all wet!


2. Inflatable Baby Pool: I purchased a giant one of these off Amazon in December and filled it with plastic balls. It has stood as a placeholder for the dining room table I have yet to buy for the last 6 months, and has provided hours of entertainment for M, my husband and I, and any other human (big and small) that has walked through our doors. It is now free of the plastic balls (but still holds the beach balls) and filled with a few inches of water...and it is providing even more good times for children and adults alike. I grew up with a pool, and can't imagine summers without one - this one just happens to be inflatable.

M & E in the pool. Notice M pouring water down her swim diaper

3. iPlay Ultimate Swim Diaper and Swimwear: When M was really little I purchased those "little swimmers" diapers for her to wear in the pool. They are expensive, and you go through them like crazy, as babes can't sit in them after they is out of the pool. I then discovered the iPlay Ultimate Swim Diaper and haven't looked back since. It looks just like bikini bottoms (or banana hammocks if you will for the lads), and is super absorbent, and you don't have to wear the disposable diapers underneath. I have two so I can swap them back and forth if she is going in and out of the pool. They dry super quick out in the sun, and are machine washable. We have yet to have a poop incident in them, so I can't report on how they work in a #2 sitch, but I love them! Plus most of them come with really cute matching sun protection tops.

4. Arbonne Baby Sunscreen: I have crazy sensitive skin (hives, rashes, red cheeks...and that is all before 9 AM - yuck yuck) so I am used to having to try 10 products before I find a brand that won't leave me itchy or burning. Unfortunately for her, M has inherited my sensitive fair skin and not the dark mocha silkiness that her father has, so it took us a few tries to find a sunscreen that worked and also didn't give her red splotchiness all over her body. Enter Arbonne Baby Sunscreen - it gives you great protection, it isn't thick (you don't stay white after applying), it is practically fragrance free, and is one of those good for you products without all the crap most other sunscreens have in them (how is that for science talk).

5. Foogo Sippy Cup: I am currently in the process of doing a big experiment with every brand of sippy cup I can find (stay tuned to a long and involved post entitled "The Great Sippy Cup Experiment of oh-11") and I have so much to say about them I don't even know where to start (to sum up my findings - most are crapola). But one I wanted to tell you about as soon as possible is the Foogo insulated sippy. If you need to travel with milk, and it is hot outside, you need one of these. It seriously keeps the milk cold for 4 hours...like crazy cold too. This is our go-to sippy right now...get one.

6. Water-Resistant Outdoor Blanket: It is picnic time, and if you are camping out on the grass a bunch and want your babes, and yourself, to be comfortable you have to get one of these. We got the Tuffo brand off Amazon.com and love it so much. Folds up easily into the nice little carrying apparatus.

7. A Paloma: What is a Paloma you ask? Well it certainly isn't for your kids, Mamas. It is a delicious cocktail that I wish my dear friend Miss Hall never introduced me to, because it was love at first site and I am a little obsessed. It is like my stoli & raz of '11. I want to bottle it up and make millions (wait, maybe I will do that, so forget I said it) like Bethenney. It is simply freshly squeeze grapefruit juice and tequila (don't skimp on the tequila as you are basically drinking it straight - my favorites [and I have tried many in the last month] are Patron Silver or Cabo Wabo silver)...and it is heaven. And yes, I am drinking one right now as I write this. Ahhh I love summer!!

Important information about sunscreen

Mamas -
A friend of mine from high school, Chase Polan, has written a couple articles about the good and bad of sunscreen, and since it is 85 and oppressively humid outside I figured I would share her wise words with all of you.

First Article: http://cleancuisineandmore.com/organic-sunscreen-myth/
Second Article: http://cleancuisineandmore.com/best-sunscreens-2/

If these help me to look half as beautiful as she is I will get my monies worth :)