With two kids, we’ve gone through a lot of daycare. We’ve had nannies, babysitters, and a daycare provider. Each had their own idiosyncrasies and each tested our patience in one way or another.

But they all had one thing in common: we treated them extremely well.

Now, I don’t say this because I’m trying to be all braggy-braggy or toot my own horn. But it’s true. We have a tendency to indulge our care providers a little bit…because, after all, our children spent a lot of time with them. In many ways, our care providers had as much to do with shaping their little minds as we did. We certainly didn’t want to tick them off!

I’ve talked before about the trials and tribulations of choosing childcare. It can be a tricky and stressful situation (most often more stressful for you than for your little one). But finding care is just half the battle; once you charge this person with the care and keeping of your child, you need to be sure to treat them right, too.

Why? Because, in case you wondered, your kid is not always an angel. Sometimes, yes, Little Johnny is great for five days straight. But inevitably, there’s going to be more than one occasion where Little Johnny thumps Little Tommy over the train set and it’s not going to be pretty. Sure, there will be tears. Maybe some dramatic screaming. Probably some time out. And sure, that might be a little stressful for your child…but what about for the person who’s caring for him.

Can you imagine how stressful that job is? I can tell you firsthand (since I worked at my older daughter’s daycare when she was a baby), taking care of kids all day is no picnic my friends. In fact, looking back at it now, I can’t believe I even had the energy to take care of my own kid after being around 12 screaming banshees for 10 1/2 hours each day. And if you think some parents don’t take advantage of a full 7 am to 5:30 pm schedule, you’re crazy. There are parents who do take advantage of it — either because their work schedule demands it or simply because they feel like they’re paying for it so they might as well use it.

And when you take care of kids all day, there’s nothing worse than a parent that doesn’t appreciate all the time you’ve spent loving their kid, even when he or she had the most difficult day in the history of days. Know what I mean?

So here’s a few things you can do to show your provider how much you really do appreciate all that they do.

Give them a paid vacation. Depending on the kind of care situation you have, your provider may not get a “paid” vacation. Some daycares work paid time off into their contracts, but many don’t. If you have a nanny, it’s up to you to say they’ll get a paid week off. Or, just surprise them and say, “Hey, we’re giving you a paid week off in April!”

Be on time. I know that it’s tempting to suck every last minute of daycare out of the day when you can. After all, you’re paying for it, right? But being on time (or perhaps early) is such a fabulous thing.

Take stock in what she likes. And be sure to treat her often. If you have a nanny, stock her favorite foods in the house or buy her a special stash of K-cups. If you take your child to daycare, drop off a care package every now and again.

Provide supplies. This is particularly important if your child attends daycare. Art supplies are accounted for in the price that you pay each week, but there’s often a need for extra supplies. Ask if you can donate supplies.

Be realistic about your child. This should go without saying, but you need to acknowledge that sometimes your child will be in the wrong. If your provider approaches you about a difficult situation that occurred during the day, be open to hearing what she has to say. And above all, be willing to work with your provider to reinforce the way she handled the situation.

photo credit: childcarecenter.us

It’s a funny thing. Yesterday I was “pottying a tinkle” (as my toddler calls it) when I felt a bit of skin on my belly sort of tuck under…that’s the only way to describe it. I thought, this couldn’t possibly be happening…not to me. It was fine when I was standing up. There was no sag or drag…a little pooch perhaps, but no sagging.

Cautiously, I put my hand to my abdomen. Yes, yes, there it was. A belly roll. Disgusted, I hopped off the loo and vowed that I would start a diet tomorrow. I would not let this get the best of me. I would be out running a half-marathon next summer…and the list when on and on.

Then I went to the kitchen, leaned against the counter, and savored a chocolate Super Bowl cupcake while I contemplated how I would do this. An app that records my every calorie? A blog about what I was doing? How would I keep myself honest? I made my decision and moved on, though I didn’t mention it out loud, because we all know how I feel about our own body images ruining our little girls.

When I got up this morning, this blog post at Scary Mommy was the first thing I read over my morning coffee. I’m the first to admit that I agree completely with what she’s saying…even if I preach otherwise. Though I do believe we need to keep our dismal body opinions to ourselves so as not to complicate matters with our little ones, I do hate the fact that, even after 10 years of being together, I now hate getting dressed in front of the hubs. In fact, I often get dressed in the bathroom just so he doesn’t walk in to the bedroom when I have only one leg in my jeans. Then I found Shape of a Mother and realized that there is this whole underground society of women who are horribly dissatisfied with how their post-baby body looks.

And, while this article at Baby Center talks about the “first few weeks” after you’ve had the baby, it says nothing about the fact that, for many women, post-baby jiggle is still going on when you kiss your kid goodbye on the first day of Kindergarten. Do real moms even write these stories? And if they do, why are they giving us false hope?

So, from vowing to lose the roll to a cupcake in the kitchen to finding another group of women who are sad about the flab, I’m still not satisfied and still not wanting to accept the little extra that is mine. And while I should stop eating the cupcakes, and I know I should accept my little belly, there’s one I’m just not able to do yet…the cupcakes are the easy part.

Let’s discuss. Have you accepted your post-baby body? What did it take to finally get you there?

photo credit: howtobeadad.com

Thank you Isabella Oliver for making maternity clothes look like real clothes! Now I wish I were pregnant just so I could wear these. You know the maternity line is good if even a non-preggers woman wants the look.

Here are my top many choices:

Like I said, I’d wear these in a heartbeat. And Isabella Oliver isn’t giving me anything to say this. Seriously. Well, she may be giving me a little wardrobe envy…

image credit: IsabellaOliver.com

Childcare is one of those things we agonize over. To send or not to send? In-home daycare or center? Nanny or babysitter? Part-time or full-time?

It can really drive a parent crazy!

But when choosing childcare, one thing is the most important: your gut feeling. I’ve been looking for daycare for one child or another since 1999. And in almost 13 years, it’s never gotten easier — or cheaper.

However, there’s a few questions you can ask yourself before you start looking for childcare.

Do you need part-time or full-time childcare? This is actually the very first question you should ask, and here’s why – it will have bearing on what type of childcare choices you have. In many places, if you are only looking for part-time care, a home-based daycare will likely be ruled out. Since states regulate how many children can be at a daycare, as well as the child/provider ratio, many home daycares are reluctant to take part-time children because it messes up the ratios and gives them one less full-time slot (and, frankly, full-time = money).

What is your budget? As parents, we are often reluctant to admit that we have a budget on what we can spend on childcare because we relate what we are able to pay with what we are willing to pay. Which is unfortunate, because these are two totally different things. If you have an unlimited budget, you have unlimited options; if you’re on a budget like most of us, you need to make some decisions. A home-based daycare is typically less expensive than a daycare center, but a center will have more flexibility. A nanny will typically give you the most flexibility, but will cost you the most money per hour.

What type of care do you want for your child? One-on-one? Lots of social interaction? A mix of the two? For most of us, a healthy mix of both is often the choice. A center will give the most social interaction, while a nanny or babysitter will give the most individual attention. Typically, a nanny is more willing to take your child out for story hours and play dates than a babysitter (unless you get really lucky) because a nanny makes more money. You can view our earlier post on how to choose a good nanny if you’re thinking about going down that path.

Are you able to set boundaries? This is actually a very important question, though you’re likely wondering why I’m asking it here. With a center or a home-based daycare, the rules are set for you because the people caring for your children are also business owners. However, with a nanny or babysitter, it’s your job to set their rules and enforce them; that can mean some uncomfortable conversations if you’re unhappy with your care provider.

I can speak from two camps: the home-based daycare and the nanny. My first daughter was in a home-based daycare with a wonderful woman and equally wonderful children. Twelve in all with one full-time and one part-time provider. Our second daughter is with a nanny — first a nanny share and now by herself. As she approaches two, we are thinking about a part-time preschool situation, just to get her some additional socialization with kids her own age (the only drawback I can think of with a nanny).

What have your experiences been with childcare?

We’ve all been there. A baby shower to go to and no idea what to buy.

Like, do you really want to buy baby toys? Or more baby clothes? And yes, you can shop off the registry, but I’ve talked to more and more moms that aren’t registering at all because no one ever buys them what they ask for anyway.

So, what’s a shower-goer to do?

Try Citrus Lane.

Frankly, this idea is genius. The only fault I can find is that I didn’t think of it first.

Citrus Lane is a business which gathers the most popular and most highly recommended baby products and pulls them together all in one place. Then, they package them up and send them to new and expectant parents. As the gift-giver, these packages are part of a subscription service. Each and every month (for the term you specify), the new parents will receive a box in the mail filled with products valued at $50.

As an added bonus, there’s always helpful parenting tips included. I love that last part — I always hated it when another parent would tell me what I was doing wrong, so it was easier for me to read it from a magazine.

Here are a few examples of the boxes: Month 1 includes a bib, gripe water (a mother’s savior!!), an organic washcloth, diaper cream, and a small stuffed toy. Month 5 is all about starting solids. The contents of each box are for the parents to keep and it also includes a list of places where they can buy more of the products if they love them.

Subscriptions start at 3-month intervals and, if paid monthly, start at $25 per month. If you prepay for 6 or 12 months, you’ll save $25 (or basically get a free month).

This is such a fantastic service and I wish that it had existed when I had the baby just a few years ago. As a new mom, there were so many things I wanted to try, but hesitated because of price. And I was totally interested in everything being organic, but then the price issue crept again. If I had gotten boxes with organic products in the mail each month and was able to try out each and every item, I would have been far better equipped to pick and choose what was right for our family.

As a parent, would you have enjoyed a gift like this? As a shower-goer, is this something that you would consider giving?

When I was pregnant with our second daughter, my husband and I attended a birthing class.

With my first daughter, I suffered from severe depression both during and after my pregnancy. It was an extremely difficult time in my life and a decade ago, postpartum depression was not given the weight it is now. Additionally, there’s just a stigma that surrounds mental health issues of any kind, which (ironically) makes me really sad.

So you can imagine how well I did when the birthing instructor started telling women how beautiful labor and delivery was and how you would want to spend every waking second with your precious bundle of joy, from the minute he left the womb until he matriculated from high school.

When she first said this, I spoke up. I brought up how, it’s actually really difficult to want to spend time with your new baby when he’s been screaming all night because he’s colicky and you’re sleep deprived with an influx of hormones. And I told her I thought it was wrong that such an expectation was set up for new mothers.

I was quickly dismissed, both by the instructor and several sets of parents who really believed that labor, delivery, and the few months after would be filled with rainbows and roses.

During our lunch break, I spoke to a young mother who was terrified of giving birth. Not only that, she practiced ballet and theater and was worried about things like how having a baby would affect her career. What if her body didn’t bounce back? What if her baby wouldn’t nurse? What if, heaven forbid, she didn’t want to nurse her baby?

Again, I brought it up to the instructor, and again, I was dismissed.

So angry was I that during my next prenatal check, I complained to my own doctor about the instructor and told her that this is exactly why new mothers often feel such a sense of failure. I’m happy to say that the birthing instructor no longer leads a class at the hospital I birthed in.

But this story brings up an important point. New mothers are often set up for failure. And they need to know that it’s okay to feel like you can’t do it all. If you want to nurse, great! If not, that’s okay too! Want to have a combination of both so you can sleep for more than a few hours at a time? I think that’s an excellent plan. Here’s a few other things new mothers need to remember:

It’s okay to not adore your baby every single second of every single day. Guess what? If you were crying and screaming for hours on end, your baby probably wouldn’t want to hang out with you either. Now, I’m not saying that they can help it, because they can’t. But don’t beat yourself up if you really feel like you just need an hour to yourself.

Never be afraid to ask for help. Again, this goes back to having a little time for yourself. No matter how much you want to be Wonder Woman, you need to put away your crown and knee-high boots for a while. As much as you dread picking up the phone and asking your mother-in-law to come over because you know she’ll think you’re weak, do it anyway. Trust me. You need to.

You’ll be exhausted. And not just because you are up five times a night to feed the baby. You’re tired because being a parent is draining. It’s filled with constant emotions (partly because your hormones are all over the place and in part because it’s both frustrating and joyous). And if you’re a first-time mom, you worry if you’re doing everything right. If you’ve been a mom before, you’re worrying about whether or not you’re spending enough time with your other kids.

Labor and delivery is not all roses and rainbows. And I mean that. Nine out of 10 women who tell you that labor is painless, beautiful, and that they left the hospital in their pre-pregnancy jeans are liars. Seriously. You do not gain 35+ pounds during pregnancy and leave the hospital in your skinny jeans people! On top of it, labor is really filled with lots of people looking at your most private areas and telling you to push like you’re pooping. Really. How beautiful is that?

Obviously, there are many things that are beautiful about being a parent – if it wasn’t rewarding I certainly wouldn’t have done it twice. But I, for one, am so tired of women feeling as though they’ve failed themselves and their children because of society’s expectation that we can be and do everything from the moment we give birth. It’s not realistic and it’s totally okay to say, “guess what? I really can’t do it all.”

photo credit: Upsilon Andromedae

A good friend of mine just sent out a Facebook status update in utter panic after her 2.5 year old boy hadn’t napped for the previous 2 days. She was desperate for him to hang on to it and reached out to us moms for help and support. Love that about Facebook!

Well, we all chimed in with nap advice from “grin and bear it” and “let him stay awake” to “baby massage” and “woo woo hocus pocus” to help him keep sleeping. I think she got him to hold on to his nap, albeit a shorter one, but all that different advice got me to thinking about how individual napping is for each kid.

Turns out, I’m not wrong! The New York Times recently posted an article on how napping behavior is not only a complex mix of biology, as one would figure, but also depends on cultural expectations and family dynamics.

So a mom really can ‘expect’ her child back to sleep…good to know!

Actually, not really.

Apparently, since sleep was first studied over 100 years ago, people were measuring their child’s sleep habits, worrying that the little tyke wasn’t getting enough. Isn’t that funny even 100 years ago when there weren’t TVs, computers or all these after school activities, parents were wondering if little Jimmy was sleeping enough?

It’s a fascinating article that, unfortunately, doesn’t answer that basic question: is my child getting enough sleep? It’s too complex and individual to have one set answer. It all depends.

Damn.

But the experts that The Times interviews do offer some interesting benchmarks against which to compare behavior of a sleepy child or a well rested one. Like does she run on a short fuse? That’s a sleepy child. Well, I say no sh@# Sherlock, of course a sleepy child is gonna scream and cry at the drop of a hat. Of course, well rested ones often do too, so who knows?

Seriously though, the kernel of the story: trust your instincts, eyes and ears.

So, I guess we moms are left to scour our circle of mothers for our own answer, dissecting the wee one’s behavior – her tantrums, her ability to cope with the world – to answer the question for ourselves.

photo: tempophage

I won’t lie; I’m still struggling with that last ten pounds.

In fact, I’m struggling with the second five pounds — I keep gaining and losing those same five pounds over and over.

And while I’ve started a pretty strict running regimen and totally enjoy the solitude of it, I still want to do something different. Yoga is great, but not quite what I’m looking for. I need something that will provide a little jolt to my system and get things energized again.

I need Baby Boot Camp (also widely known as Stroller Boot Camp).

It’s important to note that I did not come to this foregone conclusion all on my own — in some ways, I have Facebook to thank for it. While I was browsing the photos of an old high school friend and her new baby, I came across one where she was in a bikini with her husband and two kids. With an infant of roughly three months on her hip, she was rocking that string bikini like she was Kourtney Kardashian with a team of trainers.

I understand genetics play a part in what your body will and will not do. And I also realize I will never be 5′ 7″ with blond hair and blue eyes like my friend. However, if Baby Boot Camp can get her back in a bikini, it can certainly shock my system into melting off that last ten pounds.

Baby Boot Camp incorporates cardiovascular, strength-training, and core strengthening all into one workout. And the resistance training comes from your stroller. The class is held outdoors, with a group of other people, and for obvious reasons they encourage you to bring your baby. It’s like a social event and a workout without the stress of finding daycare.

I’ve also heard that these classes are so much fun, you don’t even realize you’re working out.

Since the first class is free, I figure I have nothing to lose. My only potential roadblock is the fact that my daughter hates sitting in her stroller. And because that’s an integral part of the workout, her screaming to get out could become problematic. But I’m going to give it a shot anyway – even if I do have to leave early, it’s worth a shot to take advantage of the benefits:

• It’s personal training without the major investment: all class instructors are nationally certified and classes are small which allows for more one-on-one training time
• It helps combat the baby blues: socialization with other moms, endorphins from the exercise…classes provide a great foundation for combating the baby blues
• Participants don’t get left behind — for any reason: with a commitment to “come back for you” if you need to stop for a diaper change or quick feeding, you’ll never feel like you’re exercising alone

Photo Courtesy of Baby Boot Camp

Handbags and I have always had a love affair. Whenever I travel, I always buy a new bag. Typically it tends to be something reflective of where I’m at.

A visit to a coastal town? A kitchy, handmade bag that can also be used at the farmers market. A trip to the city? Something big and bold.

But once I had a baby, I had to find a way to marry my love of beautiful bags with the practicality of a diaper bag. I will say, this was much easier to do this time around than a decade ago when we had our first child. At any rate, I did find that some of the same diaper bag cliches still existed – some had cartoon characters on them, some were totally utilitarian, and some just looked like diaper bags.

Needless to say, none of these fit my personality. And frankly, if I’m going to be carrying a bag for the next several years, I want it to at least fit my personality. So I started looking and I was psyched with what I found. Here’s a few that caught my attention, didn’t bust my budget, and as a bonus, could be used as a handbag well after I was done carrying diapers.

timi & leslie: Pictured up top, the timi & leslie line is stunning. Soft buttery leather, slouchy styling, these bags look like a handbag but come equipped with deep pockets, changing pads, and in many cases detachable shoulder straps. Widely available at Amazon; Bed, Bath and Beyond; and Zappos.

Kalencom: Pictured above, this is a slightly smaller bag, perfect when you’re dealing with a toddler who doesn’t need as much gear. Or, you’re making a quick trip out and about. It’s fair to warn you that this bag does not have a lot of pockets, so I didn’t even try this bag until my own child reached about 15 months. But I have to be honest: I’m quite smitten with the Kalencom diaper bag now — especially the outer shell because it cleans up so easily.

OiOi: Pictured above, the OiOi Jungle Leather Slouch Tote is as stunning as it is functional. And it screams “professional mom” instead of “covered in spit-up mom.” The entire OiOi line is great, don’t get me wrong – this just happens to be my favorite at the moment. Roomy, lots of pockets, and all the standard equipment you’ll need come with each of the OiOi bags — including detachable stroller straps.

JJ Cole: Full disclosure: I own two JJ Cole bags so I’m a little bit partial to this brand. I started with the Mod Tote Bag (pictured above) which I find perfect for overnight trips to see the grandparents) and transitioned to the Technique Bag which is my go-to for any trip that will take longer than a hot second (basically any day trips). I also love this one so much that I’ll keep it after and use it as a handbag — seriously. Both bags have lots of pockets both inside and out, detachable shoulder straps, and the Technique Bag includes a smaller bag tethered to the interior that I use to hold keys, cash, and my cell.

DadGear: You didn’t think I’d leave out dads, did you? There was no way my hubs was going to carry a “flowered purse” when he went out with the baby. And being that he’s so manly and all (ha!) I hooked him right up with a bag from this company (shown above). It was a huge hit and he doesn’t mind lugging the diapers now! He loves the styling, the room, and of course, the fact that it doesn’t look like a diaper bag.

All photos courtesy of the respective manufacturers.

If you’ve been pregnant, you know finding a maternity wardrobe that is both stylish andaffordable can be tricky. And not tricky like it’s not possible, because it is. There are plenty of stores you can shop that have affordable maternity clothes.

The problem is, the clothes often don’t fit more than a few months at best. Then you’ve outgrown them. And for months the cycle goes on. To make matters worse, you’re a hormonal basket case who already feels like nothing fits and by the end of your pregnancy (if you’re anything like me) you’re almost always in tears over how bad everything looks on you.

Do I hear a round of applause ladies?

Fortunately, other women have experienced the same and recognize the need to fashionable maternity clothes that can be rented.

Yes, rented.

Mine for Nine is one such site. Featured on a variety of sites including People, Glamour, and DailyCandy, Mine for Nine is quickly becoming a go-to place for maternity rentals.

Offering clothes from Shabby Apple, Olian, Hatch, Jules & Jim, Ripe Maternity, Seraphine and more, it’s hard not to get entranced by the collection. And I do mean collection – like, pages and pages of clothes to choose from. Fall in love with something you’ve rented? No problem! You can purchase it.

It’s like Bag, Borrow, or Steal for pregnant mommas!

Borrow pants, skirts, tops, and suits in 1, 2, or 3 month increments (evening wear for 2 weeks) with prices starting around $20. When you’re done using them, just pack them up, affix the provided shipping label, and hand it to your postal carrier. Totally easy!

And when your order equals $75 or more, you’ll get free shipping.

A service like this is great for so many reasons! It allows you to easily expand your maternity wardrobe for a significantly smaller investment, you don’t have to worry about what to do with your maternity clothes once your baby is born, it gives you access to designers that are not frequently carried at major retailers, and this makes switching clothes from season-to-season a cinch!

All clothes are in new or like-new condition and are dry cleaned before being sent to the customer, which also means you don’t need to worry about dry cleaning before you send them back.

Check out Mine for Nine and tell me what you think!

Photo Courtesy of Mine for Nine 

Here’s the thing about baby soaps and shampoos: they all smell the same.

I grew up in the decade of Johnson & Johnson baby bath and No More Tears Detangler…….if I try really hard, I can still smell that stuff. Don’t get me wrong, I love the stuff, but after a while a girl just wants something a little different.

Luckily, I was introduced to California Baby products shortly before our youngest daughter was born. Its calming scent was enough to soothe a cranky, pregnant momma and worked like a charm on a cranky, colicky newborn baby too!

A mom-created product, California Baby was born when newly-pregnant Jessica Iclisoy decided she wanted to raise her baby in the most natural and non-toxic environment possible. Her key ingredient, Decyl Polyglucose, is a gentle, biodegradable cleansing and bubbling agent derived from renewable and biodegradable plant sources. Add to that a variety of essential oils and you’ve got a fabulous product.

Our first California Baby product was the Calendula Shampoo and Bodywash from the Aromatherapy line. And because we cloth diaper, we also use the Non-Burning & Calming Diaper Area Wash (instilled with tea tree, calendula, witch hazel and aloe vera and great for cleaning baby’s bottom as well as treating scrapes and cuts) and the Calming Diaper Rash Cream. We love all three products!

California Baby also has products for the home like hand wash, diffusers and essential oils, and air spritzers, as well as products for pregnancy and spending time in the sun (their baby sunscreen rocks!). All-in-all, I’m a huge fan.

I will admit that California Baby can look a bit pricey at the onset, but after you start using the products, you’ll see that a little goes a very long way. In fact, our daughter is now 16 months and we’re just now finishing up our second bottle of both the shampoo/body wash and the diaper area wash. So that should give you an idea of just how long the stuff lasts.

If you want to try the products but aren’t sure you want to invest in full-size bottles, visit the California Baby website and order one of the prepackaged gifts where you can purchase travel sizes of some of their most popular products. Ready to jump right in? You can find California Baby at Target, Whole Foods, and Babies ‘R Us.

photo credit: California Baby

Written by my sis, Adele, who is chronically tired, or as we say in the south, “taared.”

I live in a state of exhaustion. As a full time working mother of two, one of whom is only 10 months old and not yet sleeping through the night, my sleep is not what it should be. Not even close. On a good night, I get five hours in a row that is uninterrupted by baby cries.

As a result, I suffer from what sleep medicine doctors refer to as “excessive daytime somnolence.” In plain English: I’m too damn tired. I can fall asleep on a dime if the environment isn’t stimulating enough.

When I’m chasing my three-year-old around, that’s not an issue. The problem is work. I love what I do, really. The problem arises when I’m doing paperwork.

Let me set the stage for you: it’s two o’clock in the afternoon, and I had my usual gargantuan lunch, thanks to my nursing appetite. The small sugar and caffeine burst from the Coke that accompanied lunch is long gone. My office is warm and pleasantly sunny. I’m writing a report, and suddenly my handwriting gets smaller and increasingly illegible until it is just a line…. and I’m out cold again.

Needless to say, repeatedly falling asleep while trying to write a report is not good for my productivity. I tried everything: going to bed earlier (that seems to be the ONLY time I can’t fall asleep), more caffeine (jumpy yet still falling asleep), jumping jacks (sweaty yet still falling asleep), rearranging my schedule (I then fell asleep whenever I did reports). Nothing worked. I found myself closing my door and taking a very uncomfortable catnap to get through it.

In desperation, I was inspired: Fruit Ninja. For those of you who are not acquainted, Fruit Ninja is a game app for the iPhone and iPad (I presume it is available for other types of devices as well) in which the player uses the touch screen to slice fruit (as if with a sword) that has been thrown in the air while avoiding bombs.

Slice! Squish! It’s oddly satisfying, and it’s so easy that my infant can even do it. (Yes, I’ve let her try. Kate was aghast.) Plus, it has nifty sound effects. The “arcade” version gives you 60 seconds to slice as much fruit as possible, so you don’t have to play for an hour once you gain skill to still get the same thrill.

A few quick games of Fruit Ninja, and I’m awake again. As long as I have the discipline to stop after a few games (and I usually do), it works really well for me. My reports get written, I’m not falling asleep on the job, and I’m even improving my visuospatial skills in the process. I’m not so sure my boss would entirely approve, but luckily she is more interested in results than process.

Unfortunately, my husband downloaded the game and now plays it all the time. For him, it’s relaxing, so he plays it before he goes to bed. In bed. While I’m trying to fall asleep. Slice! Squish! Did I mention that it lets you know that time is up by ringing an alarm clock? So, my saving grace at work is now creating more sleep deprivation for me at home. At least I have my fix at work.

If it ever stops working for me, there’s always Angry Birds, right?

I just found the David Lerner Collection – have you heard of him? Talk about great basics with style and flare, but still basic enough to look effortlessly stylish not fussy or trying too hard. I could see wearing his clothes until they fall apart! He’s 28 and amazingly he has clothes that are perfect for a stylish mom.

I say amazingly because how many 28 year old men understand the need for moms to be comfortable but look nice? He says, “I wanted to create clothing that combined both aesthetics that is flattering and comfortable. A versatile, incredibly wearable collection that makes women feel sexy and confident.” Way to go.

As a (cough, cough) almost 40 year old woman, I’m not looking to compete with 20 somethings in body or in dress. I mean, c’mon. But I do enjoy looking nice and I need to be comfortable. So, when I see his collection, I think I could wear a t-shirt with my regular jeans or maybe his leggings with a shirt that is a tad more covering. Kinda mixing and matching his hip style with my style.

Here is his ad video that is remarkably approachable:

And while I cannot imagine my body ever – and I mean ever – looking like his pregnant model’s body, I do love his maternity line. Just because you’re wearing a preggo pillow doesn’t mean you actually look pregnant. How awesome is it that he’s even made a stylish maternity line?

Check out the DL Collection if you want a little infusion of stylishness AND comfort.