Write about something, right about nothing.

Check out Malta Mama

2010-01-22T16:10:00.002-05:00

Thanks everyone for supporting my personal blog but this will be my last post. I've recently started a public blog called MaltaMama. Visit me there where I will blog about events, activities, style, parenting, and lots more. Thanks for the love- Colleen

Is it time to suit up yet?

2010-01-07T16:05:00.005-05:00

I know you may cringe at the thought of purchasing a swimsuit in the dead of winter, but now is actually a great time! Once the spring/summer hits, you will almost always pay full price and most of the good suits are picked over. It's not like they take up a lot of room in your drawer, so go ahead and get yourself a swimsuit now so you'll save money and be ready to rock out in the summer, if it ever comes.

I checked out the Gap-owned Athleta and found that they have a super selection of sale swimsuits. Regularly priced at about $35-$65 per piece, there are some great styles on sale in the $15-$30 per piece range.

At $19 per piece, I will likely sport the Rio Riptide suit this summer shown here.

See you on the beach... after four freezing cold months!

Quick coupon post

2010-01-05T12:32:00.003-05:00

As many of you know, Gap is my fave spot for kids clothing. Now through January 7th you can save an additional 20% off all sale items using code GAPEXTRA20. This is only available online, so you have no excuse not to surf on over to Gap.com and enjoy the savings! Pick up a little something for yourself while you're there.

The Christmas photo shoot, take fifteen

2009-12-16T11:51:00.005-05:00

This is our second attempt at the amateur living room holiday photo shoot. Last year Robby was able to be propped up against the couch and sat there and looked stoic while we snapped away. He tipped over once and found it funny.

Overall, last year was a nice experience. This year = completely different.

Robby is a ball of energy. To think we’d be able to keep him on a chair by a Christmas tree full of ornaments was stupid. Even putting on his sweater was an aerobic workout.

(Note about the sweater, purchased at Baby Gap, my favorite children’s store BY FAR. Yes, I know not the cheapest store in town, but his Baby Gap clothes have best survived the multiple washings, wearings, stains, etc.) I digress.

Back to the photo shoot. The chair shots were snapped between ornaments in the mouth, standing on the chair, bummed that ornament got taken away, happy to get ornament back, attempt to get ornament on tree, and throwing ornament across the room. For those of you receiving our Christmas card this year, I hope you appreciate the work it took to get two far less-than-perfect shots. Maybe next year we’ll do a video card. That would be way more entertaining.

Happy Holidays! The Pierre family.

Kids holiday gift guide

2009-12-02T16:27:00.020-05:00

Tis the season to give and get gifts! I decided to put together a little guide to some of my favorite kid and baby products. These are all Made in the USA and ALL under $50!
Happy Holidays and happy shopping!

Tree. by Keri Lee
Clock $36

A clock is a nursery necessity! This clock feature a vintage toy image with contrasting numbers on raised wood circles. 4 available 7" square.

Purchase or see more neat items here!

Pixel Organics
Organic Longsleeve bodysuit: $28

Pixel Organics first ever holiday collection features our classic lap tee bodysuit in Poinsettia with Snow trim. Custom designed "Reindeer" embroidery will brighten up a winter day. Featuring 100% Certified Organic Cotton dyed with low impact dyes all made in the USA.

Buffalo Games
Likewise Party Game: $23.99

Likewise! is a thought provoking party game where it pays to think alike. In this game, individuals are presented with a random pairing of a Description and Subject Cards. The pairing might be "Exotic - Car", or "Massive - Breakfast Food" or something like that. Next, players write down or doodle their answers in secret. Finally, they flip their paddles, reveal their answers (and a little bit about themselves in a way).

Mary’s Softdough
Softdough play set: $18.50

Mary's Softdough is a soft, non-crumbly modeling dough that is fun to play with It holds up well to lots of creative play and when stored in it's containerwill last up to a year. Marys softdough is available in our classic solid colors and Rainbow tub versions. In addition, Sofdough also comes in new scented andglitter playdough. Also check out our wonderful and exciting glow in the dark play dough.

Dano2
Circus Teethers: $12

DANO2’s Circus Teethers are made in the USA out of the same medical grade materials that hospitals and dentists trust for use in their equipment.
Each set contains three variable-sized rings, 3 textures, colors, and sizes to allow babies options for what feels best on their sore gums. A stylish, compact case to keep rings together and clean. An opening on the large, green ring so that kids can hook them together for fun! PVC-, BPA-, and Phthalate-free. Dishwasher safe too.

Isabooties
Hemp Trekkers: $29

Natural hemp uppers lined with organic cotton
Non-slip, durable Toughtek® soles
Machine-washable, machine-dryable
Easy slip-on design doesn't slip off
100% animal-free, and very hip!

Fabric Books and Toys
ABC Activity Book: $46

This cool book contains fourteen pages that teach both upper and lower cases of the alphabet. Also teaches how to read short words that describe the item for each letter. 2-5 years. A perfect 'quiet' book for church or car rides!

CBH Studio
Chloe The Cat Backpack: $29.99

Meet Chloe the Cat. Little Packrats’ new “Tuxedo cat” is always dressed for a formal occasion. This dapper black and white cat will be much loved for her suave appearance and friendly personality. Adopt her today on this “tote-ally” cool cat backpack. This 9″× 9″× 3″ easy-care backpack features a cat collar with jingle bell, beaded zipper pull and adjustable straps. Perfect tote bag for car trips. Ideal size for snacks and toys

Stuffington Bear Factory
Funky Monkey: $24.95

A strong climber, this guy he really loves monkey business. Our Funky Monkey loves to jump and make noise, so he’s perfect for little trouble makers.

Michiko Baby

Chalkbook: $18

This Chalkbook provides a compact, portable

chalkboard to help keep little minds entertained anywhere! With a generous drawing surface of approximately 10 inches by 10 inches, room for 4 pieces of chalk and a pocket for the eraser. It folds to just 5 inches squared and snaps closed! Easy to stick in mom’s purse or into their matching backsack! Includes matching flannel wipe and 2 pieces of chalk.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Review: Saratoga Children's Museum

2009-11-10T09:13:00.003-05:00

The Children's Museum in Saratoga Springs is a really fun place for kids of all ages. We took Robby for the first time recently and he loved every minute of it. Below is Robby enjoying just some of the cool exhibits they have at the museum. I think we're going to ask for a membership this Christmas. It's only $85 for a three person full-year membership. The three of you would only have to go five times to get your money's worth. (I think I did the math right...)

I highly recommend a visit to the Children's Museum at Saratoga. It's most appropriate for kids ages 7 and under, FYI. Regular admission is $6 per person, and their winter hours are: Tuesday - Saturday: 9:30a.m. - 4:30p.m. Sunday: 12 noon - 4:30p.m. Closed Monday and most major holidays.

The age that makes you want more

2009-11-02T09:30:00.005-05:00

18 and tattoos? No. 21 and drinking? Nope. 28 and wine and chocolate? Close, but no. 16 months and kids? BINGO! *and I mean that in a , B-I-N-G-O kind of way. I feel like lately I’ve been under the spell of my 16 month old. Like any minute he may turn into a raging and wild toddler but if we kept time frozen at 16 months, I would give Octomom a run for her money.

I don’t know how else to say this; I want more kids! Did you hear that honey? Maybe we can even get one that sleeps through the night sooner than 9 months! Robby, our late night rendezvous’ were cool and all but now that you finally “sleep like a baby”, life is even more fun!

Here’s a montage of my favorite autumn moments. Playing in the leaves with daddy, making hot beats in the new hat, kicking back with a magazine, and scaring everyone as a dinosaur for Halloween.

Turning the clocks back this weekend was a bummer, but spending that extra hour with my little man made it slightly more bearable. I'm enjoying the fall more than I ever have. Just think what it could be like with two...

Twice as much fun! :-)

Baby to boy

2009-10-14T10:25:00.006-04:00

My husband Jude adores this brown striped knit hat. The first frost on the windshield and out it came last week making its fourth winter debut.

Last January I took some pictures of Robby wearing the hat, and last weekend I took more to compare. Robby’s face went from baby to boy! It’s amazing how much they change, practically overnight.

New words like "outside", "diaper", "pumpkin" adorn his vocabulary. Actions like carrying heavy things, running, and jumping fill our days (with stress sometimes). And that little baby face is looking more and more like daddy's each day.

There are certainly things I miss about those little baby days, but we are enjoying every entertaining minute with our growing boy.

A few of my favorite things: children’s books

2009-09-17T15:18:00.008-04:00

I must confess, I am not an avid reader. I am super envious of those people that can juggle everything; working, raising a family, dinner, laundry, chores, and finishing novel after novel after novel. Those people love to chit chat about their most recent “page-turner”, the “keep you up all night” suspense-filled crime drama, or their seventh “how to get rich and do everything perfectly” book in a row. They even read the same book multiple times!

Whenever I even attempt to read a book at night, I stumble through a few pages and then my eyes say “no way, not tonight” and shut down. Enter the board book! Board books are so fulfilling and you can usually finish at least a few a night. They are typically characterized with bright picture-filled pages, large rhyming words, melodic, sing-songy rhythms, and clock in at around 6-10 pages. You will definitely read the same one multiple times until you can recite the book from memory ANYWHERE. You may even find yourself reciting stanzas on your drive to work or during an important meeting. That’s okay! There are some really great board books out there, and here are my top three…

I Love You Stinky Face
Author: Lisa McCourt
Illustrator: Cyd Moore

I loved this book from the start because when Robby was born he would make a mean face without even crying and we used to call it the stink face or stink eye. What makes this book awesome is that if you’re really in the spirit, you can play different roles. For example, the little boy is talking to his mother and asking her if she’d still love him if he were a “skunk that smelled so bad that his name was Stinky Face?”, or a “swamp creature” or a “meat-eating dinosaur”, etc. You can use your little kid voice for that part, and then when the mother comes in you can switch it up. In all honesty, the illustrations are beautiful, the story is endearing, and the message of unconditional love is wonderful for any child to hear.
This book retails for $5.99 and is sold on Amazon and probably at any local book store. There are a few more Stinky Face books like Merry Christmas Stinky Face, I Miss You Stinky Face, and It’s Time For School Stinky Face. I haven’t read the others yet, but I’m sure they’re just as witty and cute.

Ten Little Babies
Author/Illustrator: Gyo Fujikawa

A cute counting book with brilliant illustrations of babies doing all sorts of cool things; eating marmalade, riding on cars, climbing frozen trees, going to the beach and many more scenarios. Ten babies start out, but they lose a baby each page until there’s only one left, a sort of ‘survival of the fittest’ tale. Fujikawa is a wonderful illustrator and his books are timeless. So much so, that I have a few from when I was a baby.

Pick up Ten Little Babies online for $5.95 at Barnes & Noble

I Love You Because You’re You
Author: Liza Baker
Illustrator: David McPhail

A sweet and endearing book, “I Love You Because You’re You” is a quick read with great illustrations. The premise is simple; anything the child does, no matter what his mood, emotional state, circumstance or other, she will still love him unconditionally. “I love you when you’re happy, and grinning ear to ear. I love you when you’re sleepy, and want to snuggle near,” you get the point. McPhail’s illustrations are sweet depicting a mother fox’s love for her little fox son. A fox has never looked so friendly before! This is a great bedtime or anytime story. Robby loves the rhythm of the text and the bright and cheerful graphics.
Buy the hardcover book online for just $6.29 at the Scholastic store.

Adirondack living

2009-08-26T15:51:00.008-04:00

A good friend of ours owns a beautiful home a few blocks from the Saratoga Racetrack. Her front porch is a prime spot to hang out, have some drinks, and enjoy the evening. She even has a little Adirondack chair that fits Robby perfectly.

It’s ironic that I found an Adirondack chair made by Little Colorado, but this chair, like all LC stuff is made in the USA and not outrageously expensive. To me, an Adirondack chair made in Colorado is still WAY better than one made in China. This one is reasonably priced at $69.95 plus $10 shipping.

The Little Colorado website, while not very user-friendly has some great items for kids. Step stools, play kitchens, toy boxes, personalized peg racks and much more. Check it out!

I just love this peg rack or a nursery or child’s room. Boys, this comes in primary colors too. It costs $34.95 plus $7 shipping for up to nine letters.

A few of my favorite things - bath & body

2009-08-17T16:39:00.008-04:00

Earth Mama Angel Baby: Angel Baby Shampoo and Body Wash

It dispenses easily (with one hand!), lathers nicely, rinses clean, makes skin feel so soft, and smells almost good enough to eat. Oh, did I mention that it contains no petrochemical or synthetic surfactants or foaming agents like sodium laureth sulfate or cocoamidylpropyl betaine? If that means nothing to you, just know that this product is made with only pure and safe ingredients that the average person can actually pronounce, like organic coconut oil.

I’ve been using this shampoo on Robby since day 1 and have loved it ever since. Despite using it on an almost daily basis, I am still surprised sometimes at how good it smells. Another added bonus, you don’t need to use a ton of this product, so it lasts a super long time. Friends, this product is worth it in every way. You can purchase a three pack on Amazon or the directly from the EMAB website.

Carol’s Daughter: Shea Souffle in Mango Melange

Believe it or not, my dad was the first to buy me this product. That sounds really weird, so let me explain. My dad takes an annual trip to Las Vegas with several other guy friends to watch the Superbowl. There’s obviously a little guilt associated with this trip, so he makes a redemptive visit to Sephora to pick up gifts for his girls. While there, he heavily relies on the store clerks to guide his product purchase and one year they suggested this Carol’s Daughter shea butter. Fantastic score for me! This stuff is super thick and emollient, smells amazingly good, and makes skin feel like silk. What I really love about this product is that is so penetrating that the smell stays with you almost all day, eliminating the need for perfumes. It is paraben, mineral oil, and artificial color free.

At $30 for a 16oz. tub this is definitely not a cheap thrill. Despite the hefty price tag, this product is damn good and one that I highly recommend.

Trillium Organics: Organic Body Polish

I purchased this on a whim based on the claim from Trillium Organics’ website that this body polish “moisturizes more than a lotion, cleanses more profoundly than any soap, and promotes healthy skin in balance with nature, and in balance with the body it protects”. Slight pause…add to cart, SOLD. Upon the arrival of my Clementine/Clove body polish, I was pleasantly surprised by its clever packaging and wonderful aroma. I couldn’t wait to shower with this little miracle and become a believer. I’ve fallen for my fair share of As-Seen-On-TV gems, and while this one doesn’t fall into that category, my hopes were as high as Tony Little (see left).

My first shower with the body polish and I probably don’t need to continue as this post is called “A few of my favorite things”, but this stuff rocks for real! My skin felt like it had been wrapped in a satin sheet. For a minute in my bathroom I actually starred in my own Caress body wash commercial! While I would hesitate to call anything a miracle product unless I was getting paid to endorse it, this product comes pretty damn close to its lofty claims.

You can purchase this on the Trillium Organics website.

Nature Boy

2009-08-11T11:41:00.002-04:00

Rarely am I inspired to do any type of physical activity. I do enjoy taking Robby out for a little run in the park after work, but all it takes is one miniscule hang up and my running dreams are dashed. I’m talking really little things like: last time I took Robby running he got two bug bites on his face. Or, I have to be home in time to make dinner and get him to bed by the time Megan Wants a Millionaire starts. Or, I got a paper cut at work which may impede my stroller handling ability. On those rare occasions when the stars are aligned, I do take Robby running and we really enjoy ourselves. Or rather, he enjoys throwing his sippy cup overboard and watching me struggle to bend down and pick it up while maintaining my little-faster-than-a-walk pace.

A few weeks ago Jude and I took Robby hiking on the trails of Moreau State Park. The smile plastered on his face for nearly the whole hike is inspiring me to get outside and hit the trails again! Granted he may have been smiling at my renditions of Wheels on the Bus and Old MacDonald, but it seemed that he truly enjoyed himself.

Living close to the Adirondacks is something we often take for granted. Having grown up in Brooklyn, my husband Jude is certainly no Eagle Scout. He can’t really swim, hadn’t mowed a lawn until age 30, has never been camping, and can barely start a bonfire in our yard! He’s quickly developed an appreciation for the outdoors and has even climbed several high peaks during the past few years. I’d like Robby to have an appreciation for nature too, which means I need to suck it up a little and get him out.

I’m not going to let a few bug bites stop me, Jude and Robby from enjoying nature in our own backyard and beyond.

What would Einstein do? (wwed)

2009-07-27T15:31:00.006-04:00

Now that Robby’s a year old, I have an itch to learn everything about how to raise a perfect child; how to properly discipline, keep him happy and engaged, teach him, nurture him, and I need to learn all of this stuff yesterday.

I’ve been busy surfing the internet reading reviews on the best books out there to tame my appetite for child-rearing perfection before the ship leaves and I’m standing on the shore with a screaming toddler throwing toys at my face.

Are tantrums inevitable? Is it possible to say ‘no’ too much? How many times do I have to take that sharp metal object away from Robby until he learns? Is he sticking his hand in the garbage to spite me? When will he stop laughing at me when I try to be firm with him?

Clearly my mind is swimming with questions. I asked my mom about books and she recommended a book from a doctor by the name of Fitzhugh Dodson. The book is mad old but I trust a guy with a name like Fitzhugh. That’s a no nonsense guy.

Another book that was recommended to me is called Einstein Never Used Flashcards. It gets great Amazon reviews, which typically is a good sign.

I am currently trying to make it through Dr. Fitzhugh Dodson’s 1970’s classic and then I’ll choose a more modern selection to round it out. Once I acheive child-rearing perfection, I'll let you all know the secrets. In the meantime, I'll do the best I can with my limited knowledge and hope that motherly instinct will kick in and take over!

I kind of liked flashcards as a child... granted I'm no Einstein!

Toys rule!

2009-07-15T13:25:00.010-04:00

As promised, here are a few more birthday party shots of Robby showing off some of his new toys.

Veronika and Jermaine got Robby this great Green Toys Sand Play Set. Here's Robby modeling the rake.

I've admired Green Toys as a toy company for a long time. They have a strong commitment to the environment, their toys are all BPA-free and made in the USA to boot!

Check out their site for more info.

Another cool toy that Robby got from our friends Seth, Sara, and baby Grady was a four-wheeled Kawasaki ride-on thing. (I'm sure it has a more proper name than that. He totally digs it and I think he looks pretty damn cute riding it.

Because a little boy can't have enough ride-on cars, Grandma and Grandpa got him this cool Push Around Buggy by Step 2.

Robby loves going for rides in this and has this goofy perma-grin on his face the whole time while holding super tight to the steering wheel.

Mean mommy took some of Robby's new toys and put them away for a little while so we can focus on a few new things at a time, and then appreciate the rest later. I used the savings bond philosophy. It sucks to get a gift that you can't use right away, but you'll appreciate it even more later. Thanks to all who made Robby's birthday special and awesome.

Yummy cake

2009-07-13T09:15:00.003-04:00

I’ve been so bad, and haven’t posted in ages.

Robby’s first birthday was celebrated in a major way on Sunday, July 5th, 2009. We had a Luau party at our house and over 50 of our closest friends and relatives were there to celebrate with us. Poor Robby had just woken from a long nap and was ushered downstairs in a Hawaiian print shirt to find his home invaded. He was a great sport through the whole party. Here’s Robby enjoying his cake.

I’ll post more very soon, I promise!

Hair today, gone tomorrow

2009-06-30T10:03:00.010-04:00

Robby's hair has grown from straight, shiny black wisps to an adult-sized curly coif over this past year. I remember when Robby was a newborn how Jude used to comb his hair every day to make it straight and perfect, shiny and smooth. Over time it started to curl a little, and despite Jude's straightening efforts, we could not fight the curl.

My dad (who sported an afro back in the day) has this crazy hair that grows out instead of down. Robby's hair is behaving in a similar way, which is why we took him to my Uncle Jim's barber shop. It's called Star Barber Shop and it's right behind the new Rite Aid on Route 9 and 146. Uncle Jim made Robby feel relaxed and comfortable for his first cut. Robby cracked a few early smiles, but was ultra serious during the cutting process. Uncle Jim made fast work of the coif, and the end result is fantastic as you can see from the pictures below.

Robby tell Uncle Jim "just a little off the top"

Robby digs his new 'do'. (and standing on the barber shop chair)

Putting the 'date' in playdate

2009-06-25T15:44:00.004-04:00

Robby spent an afternoon recently with a beautiful baby girl named Syriana. Like Jude and I, her parents are of mixed race. Robby and Syriana had very similar features; big brown eyes, full lips, somewhat flattened noses, and curly afro hair.

Robby can be kind of a bruiser, so Syriana was timid at first as Robby thrashed through her toys with delight. She warmed up after a while and the two of them settled on a toy piano with room for two sets of tiny hands.

The picture on the top left was taken when both of them were still in playful bliss. Soon after, Robby started acting strange and made some weird noises that made Syriana roll her eyes in disbelief. He sure took the love out of loveseat.

Overall it was really cute to see the two kids together. Robby's finally starting to pay attention to other babies and actually have fun playing. I'm looking forward to another playdate with some other friends this weekend.

In other news, Robby is getting his coif trimmed for the first time tomorrow! I'll be sure to post some pictures.

Some good eatin'

2009-06-18T16:36:00.002-04:00

A recent delicious takeout dinner from Augie’s Restaurant in Ballston Spa somehow ended up on Robby’s forehead. Augie’s has a way of taking food and making it so yummy, that you just want to put your face right in it. Robby did, and this is what it looked like...

He loved that eggplant dish so much he just kept eating it and evidently smearing it all over his face. Maybe he wanted to save some for later. Too bad grandma had to go and ruin the plan by wiping his face off.

Fun at the hotel pool

2009-06-15T10:35:00.005-04:00

For our recent anniversary, Jude and I spent the night at the Courtyard Marriott in Saratoga. What a nice hotel! Everything was spotlessly clean and the decor was lovely. We checked in early so we could take Robby to the pool which was small but perfect for us. Robby was a little timid and unsure at first, but after a few minutes, he was relaxed as can be. We took the lifeguard floaty thing which was a perfect size for the little guy. After our fun swimming adventure, we dropped off Robby at my parents house so Jude and I could have a night to ourselves.

The coolest thing about our night at the hotel was that I actually won it from the World Awareness Children’s Museum in Glens Falls. They had a Sweetheart Raffle around Valentine’s Day and I entered and won this hotel stay and a host of other great prizes! This museum does some amazing work in the local community and the world. Check out their site to learn more about them.

I love that a museum of this nature exists in our community to help our children learn more about different cultures. You can even order reprints on their website of artwork from kids around the world. Robby has this print in his bedroom that I love. It’s a beautiful illustration drawn by a 10 year old in Africa depicting a street scene. I wonder what Robby’s ‘Malta Street Scene’ picture would look like. Hopefully by the time he’s ten it will look better than it does now!

Bang on the drum all day

2009-06-03T15:53:00.007-04:00

There are very few commands I can tell Robby that he actually listens to. Two that work are "Robby, go play the piano" and "Robby, go play the drum". He will rarely play either instrument if not asked, but as soon as you mention it, he will glady comply.

His gentle baby touch for now isn't doing these instruments any harm, but I can only imagine Robby at age four going to town on the drum and banging the hell out of the piano.

Don't tell Robby, but for his first birthday next month, I decided to get him some instruments of his own. Remo drums makes a cool line of products for kids that aren't too "kiddy", but are still kid-friendly if you know what I mean. I purchased this floor tom which looks awesome and I think he's going to love it. I'll share pics of Robby and his new drum later. Knowing Robby, he won't play his own drum because he's so spoiled by mommy's djembe. I may have to trade him for his floor tom.

A face that only a mother could love

2009-05-21T11:07:00.004-04:00

Robby makes this scrunchy stink-eye face all the time now. He squints his eyes like he’s staring at the sun, curls his lips up to show off two big front teeth and wrinkles his nose.

It’s truly a face that only a mother could love, and I don’t see any sign of it going away. The face often elicits laughter and varying frequencies of ooh’s and
ah’s from his adoring audience. The stinky face will live on.

Touchdowns and other cool tricks

2009-05-06T14:49:00.002-04:00

For the first several months of a baby’s life, they pretty much can’t learn anything. You could show a baby a hundred times to do something like clap, and then when you say in your high-pitched squeaky baby-talk voice “Ok __(name)__, clap!!” the baby would stare at you intently as if he were processing something. He will probably look the other direction, tip his head to the side, raise his hand, crawl away, cry, poop, etc. The only thing the baby is assuredly not going to do is clap. You may even start to question your own IQ, but you should not worry. Soon enough the change will happen and your baby will learn things that you wished you never taught them.

Robby’s picking up new tricks almost daily! Some of the tricks are really cute, like smacking his lips and throwing his hands up when you say “touchdown”. We’ve almost mastered hi five’s and we’ll be slowing introducing the thumbs up. He’s also started sticking his tongue out at people, which when you’re ten months is kind of a cute thing to do. But thanks to Robby, I’ve seen more adult tongues in the past few weeks than I have my whole life. Obviously when a baby sticks his tongue out at you and you’re an adult in the grocery store, you should stick your tongue out back at him! We must encourage this awesome behavior.

Kidding aside, it’s really adorable seeing him learn new things. He gets very excited with the positive feedback his little tricks generate. He has learned to clap on his own now and will break into claps when he hears music. As a musician, this melts my heart. He may not be a baby Einstein, but he’s the smartest little man in my world.

Babies can be mean

2009-04-23T15:13:00.003-04:00

To say that I love Robby is an understatement. That doesn’t mean that I love every last quirk about him though. For instance, I don’t love that he yanks my hair out, pinches me and laughs, bites me, kicks me, rips my glasses off, and scratches me with his razor nails. Despite being a massive 17lbs, he can be pretty darn mean sometimes.

Here he is just waiting for me to turn my back so he can take every thingy of baby wipes off the changing table shelf and put them all over his room. This past weekend he took one of my shoes and hid it under the bed and I could not find it anywhere! Yesterday he went thrashing through a pile of mail on the floor and ripped my Fast Company magazine and a bunch of envelopes, including some bills. (Why was the mail on the floor, you ask? I was "mommy multi-tasking", playing with Robby while sorting mail.)

He’s definitely getting to the age where items will start becoming displaced. In addition to taking things, he’s getting bolder by the day testing his limits by opening every cabinet, drawer, closet, door, stealing ipods, phones and Wii remotes, touching the stereo equipment and his latest trick, turning off the TV while smiling a devilish grin.

Robby gets more attention when he does mean things, which provoke's him even more. We're thankfully at the stage where his bold behavior is really kind of funny. He's charmingly mean, not tantrum-y mean. I know he won't be like this forever, but I like my little mean Robby just the way he is.

A trip down South

2009-04-16T14:19:00.004-04:00

Orlando, FL is a great place to have relatives and I’m proud to say that I do. We recently took a trip down there with Robby to visit Jude’s brother and family. (I’m not making excuses as to why I haven’t posted in a while but it has been a busy few weeks for us)

We took our first airplane ride with Robby on Southwest and all went well. Robby made friends with Sarah, the cutest flight attendant I’ve seen in years. (have you noticed the ‘caliber’ of attendants has seriously dropped?) Jude loved that pretty Sarah kept coming back to flirt with Robby and check on us. I didn’t mind that Robby had small spurts of entertainment and that Jude and I got a couple more shot-glass sized ginger ale refills.

Traveling with a baby is for the most part, very cool and fun! We took him to the Kennedy Space Center, the Harry P Leu botanical gardens, Downtown Disney, the beach, and various other excursions. We didn’t do any of the major parks this year because I absolutely love thrill rides and was not about to pay $75 a ticket to eat Dippin’ Dots on a park bench with Robby. Good news is that, if you have family in Orlando, you will be back.

It was definitely one of those vacations where you feel like you need a vacation when you get back home, but it was fun overall. Plus Robby got to spend time with his cousins from whom he learned how to smack his lips and stick out his tongue on command. Fantastic.

Goodbye's can be shocking

2009-03-24T16:48:00.004-04:00

This morning I kissed Robby goodbye at daycare and our lips created a shock. The tingling feeling left with me while I walked out the door, got into my car, and finally started fading when I reached the highway. He was probably thinking "WTF mama? that hurt!" I was thinking that his kiss (or a mouth-opened mess that resembled a kiss) stayed with me for a pleasantly long time.

Goodbye’s are getting harder. When Robby was just a little baby, I would plop him down on the Boppy pillow near the other babies. He sat there like a bump on a boppy, half conscious and seemingly happy to be anywhere but his car seat. Now I set him down and walk to the door. Within seconds he’s zooming across the room, butt wiggling fast and furiously behind him to crawl at my feet. The kiss of death is picking him up and I’m a martyr for it. We play this game at least once until I finally kiss him and make the walk of shame to my car only to take the drive of despair to work.

OK, I’m being WAY dramatic because the truth is I do like my job and I feel that Robby is in good hands at daycare. Despite, they are not MY hands and I would love to spend the day kissing him (shock free).

***

And now for a completely unrelated but cute photo taken this weekend. Don't babies look cool in blazers? According to Jude, Robby has a 'swagger'. I have to agree!

Turn that frown upside down, or else it might get stuck

2009-03-06T15:15:00.007-05:00

I think we'd all agree that smiles are infectious. No one every talks much about frowns, but as I recently discovered, baby frowns are pretty damn cute!

Most people don’t take pictures of their babies frowning, but I caught Robby at this particular moment in time displaying one big-ass “woe is me” frown.

I've learned that while frowns are typically a sign of supreme discontent, they don’t always lead to full-blown crying. A couple months ago, Robby would frown at random people that were unfamiliar to him. Probably 70% of the time the frown would be the precursor for some crying, but sometimes the frown would just turn upside down. There was a rumor at my elementary school that if you frowned too much your face would get stuck like that. The Perma-Frown syndrome scared us. If I were to frown today, I would still only hold it for a second or two.

So what was Robby thinking during this particularly cute frown? Probably the same thing former President George Bush was thinking during his press conference frown: What am I doing here? Who are these people? Why are they staring at me? What's this stupid thing in my hand? When will this be over? I’m hungry and I need a drink.

Work ends, Work begins

2009-02-26T16:24:00.004-05:00

I probably ‘work’ harder from 6pm-10pm than I do from 8am-5pm. I don’t have time from 6pm-10pm to engage in a lengthy coffee break conversation, to Twitter, to gossip, or to scour the office in search of leftover food. I am simply forced to do more stuff in less time. (If I had a dime for every time someone said “do more with less” let’s just say I wouldn’t be writing about being a working mother.)

Despite that I do more, I love the stuff that happens between 6pm and 10pm. First of all, I get to spend time with Robby! He smiles at me way more than anyone in the office ever would. It’s not always easy to make people laugh in the office. At home, Robby laughs when I dance, make a funny face, spin him around, or make a weird guttural sound of syllabic nonsense. Last time I tried that in the office it raised more than a few eyebrows and didn’t get me any stand-up comedy gigs. At home, I’m the cats ass. If Robby were CEO, I’d be his top aid making beaucoup bucks for doing a few tricks and preparing the occasional dinner.

The other stuff I get to do from 6pm-10pm is spend time with my husband Jude. He has the most positive, laissez-faire (in a good way) attitude of anyone! Robby just adores spending time with his father and so do I. He’s a ton of fun, makes us all laugh and teaches us not to take things too seriously.

In addition to the cool stuff, there’s also the drag of washing bottles, preparing dinner, laundry on occasion, house cleaning, packing for daycare, lunches for work, sometimes more, sometimes less. I really like my day job and it doesn’t always feel like work. I really love my evening job and it almost never feels like work. Without my day job, I wouldn’t appreciate my evening job nearly as much.

Some days I'm as weathered as a pinata at a six year-old's birthday party, but some days I feel like I scored all the candy inside. I'll suffer a few blows for some of the sweetest moments life can serve up.

Baby vs. Blackberry

2009-02-22T15:31:00.006-05:00

You can give babies every toy known to man, but for some reason, they will always go for the one thing on the floor that is not a toy. I did a test with Robby the other day. Step 1: Surround baby with toys and get him engaged with the toys. Step 2: Place Blackberry out of reach when baby is not looking. Step 3: Wait for Blackberry procurement.
Robby took a little time to text some of his friends before he brought the Blackberry back to his den and would not take his hand off of it. Some people have dogs that eat homework, I have a baby that would probably swipe and eat my Blackberry in about three minutes. I don't think that would go over too well at the office.

A stupid cute hat

2009-02-11T14:21:00.003-05:00

Stupid cute - an adjective used to describe something that under normal circumstances would be ridiculed, but in this instance is endearing and funny.

Babies are the prime example of stupid cute. You can dress them up in the most insane things and they keep getting cuter. The more 'flair' you add to the ensemble, the higher they score on the stupid cute scale. This may not lead to nod on Regis and Kelly's beautiful baby contest, but it certainly will get a nod of approval from parents, grandparents, and random strangers.

Hats are an accessory that scores very high on the stupid cute scale. They are an easy accessory for a baby to rock, assuming they actually like hats, and the had doesn't fly off with a gust of wind leaving you with a decision to drop the baby and chase after that damn hat or leave it blowin' in the wind. (totally kidding about leaving the baby for the hat)

I digress. Robby loves wearing hats. I think he knows how sharp he looks in them. We can thank Grandma and Grandpa for this recent newsboy number from BabyGap. Here's a picture of Grandpa and Robby. I challenge you to think of a better adjective than 'stupid cute'. Bring it on!

Say cheese

2009-01-31T18:40:00.011-05:00

Sometimes I look in the mirror and I'm almost surprised to see a fairly attractive person looking back at me! I'm less surprised these days when the scary version (which could include crazy hair, non-existent makeup, dark circles, snot and/or drool on my shoulder, etc.) appears in the mirror.

On those rare days that I think I actually look halfway decent, there's not a camera in sight. But boy, on those scary days when you don't even want to walk into Price Chopper for risk of seeing your eighth grade science teacher, photography is abundant and inevitable!

I'm not a hater, but I could fill several gigantic photo albums with great shots of my husband Jude and Robby. Each shot cuter than the next; big smiles, all eye's open and looking at the camera, everyone's head relatively centered. You get the point. I'm not asking for a lot here!

Maybe someday when I'm actually looking well-rested and normal, someone will take a good picture of my baby and me. I can't let my own insecurities get in the way of a great shot. I need to just suck it up and say cheese.

A (cold) walk in the park

2009-01-22T21:02:00.010-05:00

As a skier and snowboarder, my motto for winter sports is the faster the better! If I'm going to freeze my ass off, I better be flying down a mountain at (my) top speed on the edge of 'out-of-control'. At least that's how I used to feel.

These days the pace has definitely slowed down. If skiing is like thoroughbred racing, snowshoeing is more or less a pony ride. Nevertheless, I geared up head to toe in snowboarding gear only to sport a pair of snowshoes for a leisurely walk in the Saratoga State Park with my dad and Robby. Robby got a pelican baby sled for Christmas and we were dying to take him out for a spin.

Snowshoeing may not be thrilling, but it definitely is fun in its own way. What made it even more fun was seeing Robby's wide eyes through the windshield of the sled, open with wonderment at the sight of the snow. Apparently the snow got boring after a few minutes because he pretty much napped for the entire three mile trek. Maybe Robby will be a skier or a snowboarder but these days, mama is taking the easy road and trading skis for snowshoes.

Everything I need to know I learned from my baby

2009-01-15T12:15:00.005-05:00

Eating and Drinking

- It's perfectly acceptable to be cranky and fussy if you haven't eaten in three hours. Throw a fit and get some grub.

- Messy eating is okay, as long as you laugh and smile while you do it. Go ahead, smear that food on your face.

- Food in your hair washes out. Food on the ceiling may not.

Bathing and Bathroom

- If you have to go, just go! Don't let anything stand in your way, even a half hour drive to the next rest area.

- Splashing in the bathtub can be quite fun. Don't be afraid to get innocent (dry) bystanders involved.

- Rubber ducks can and should be used.

Socializing

- If you greet everyone with a big smile, they will almost always be happy to see you.

- Insomnia is best experienced with others. If you can't sleep, wake up the others and have a little 3am party.

- Crying is a pretty good way to get attention if used properly.

The coolest boots EVER!

2009-01-07T22:46:00.000-05:00

One gift that Robby received this Christmas from a dear friend of ours were these boots...

Our friend Veronika is from the Czech Republic and now lives in Brooklyn, NY. I'm so happy she is closer to us now because she is one of the most thoughtful people I have ever met.

This Christmas was no exception! These handmade boots were made for walking (in sub-zero temperatures) and Robby loves touching the fur and pulling the tassles. He's really warm and super cute!

As an adult, it's nearly impossible to be warm and cute. For example, the parka. Parka's are super warm because they are typically bulky as hell and completely cover your butt = not cute.
Sorel boots are another example. If you find yourself in a Northeast snow storm, there's no better boot to keep you warm and dry than a trusty pair of Sorel's. The problem is you won't want to as much as walk into your local grocery store with these bulky shit-kickers on!

I've given up on looking cute this winter. Thankfully when I'm with Robby, no one pays attention to what I'm wearing! Looking cute and staying warm this winter is certainly possible for some adults. For me this winter, I'll let Robby be the cute (and warm) one, and I'll stick with practicality.

Two turtle doves and a stomach flu

2008-12-26T16:43:00.000-05:00

The day before Christmas Eve I was violently ill with some sort of stomach flu. Apparently the bug had been 'going around' and happened to land in my stomach (which eventually was heaved up in the toilet).

The only thing worse than me getting a stomach flu is if my husband got a stomach flu. You see, like most men, my husband Jude does not cope well with even the common cold. He likes the "kill a bird with a machine gun" approach and loads up on Advil Severe Cold and Sinus at the first sign of a runny nose. Thankfully both boys (Robby and Jude) remained well throughout the holidays and we had a wonderful time! Robby's first Christmas was much more fun for us than for him, but we're looking forward to many wonderful years ahead!

***

And now for a completely unrelated (but cute) holiday photo of Robby and his cousin Mariana....

Tub time!

2008-12-18T22:16:00.000-05:00

It was bath time, so I dressed Robby up in a hooded bathrobe and animal slippers just to make the 10 step trek from his bedroom to the bathroom. The ridiculous outfit elicited an uproar of laughter from Jude and I which made Robby squeal and smile with delight. We put him in front of the mirror where he proudly admired his reflection.

Babies have a way of taking life's ordinary events and turning them into the absolute highlight of your day (and maybe even your week if it sucks). Being a working mother I cherish our evenings together as a family. I pity those that feel it's a burden to feed a baby, or to give him a bath, to take a walk, or even to change a diaper (unless the baby just ate sweet potatoes). Since I'm not the one doing these routine things during the day, I look forward to performing these basic tasks after work. Robby loves bath time and I love anything that makes him feel special. One smile and my stress goes down the drain.

After he goes through that embarrassing phase, I hope Robby will be able to laugh at these bath pictures someday. They will always make me smile.

The yin and yang of travel

2008-12-16T19:14:00.007-05:00

I'm starting this post in the Philly airport waiting for my 6:50pm flight home. The problem is that it's 8pm and the airplane isn't here yet. A "wintry mix" mucked up the flights this evening and I'm pissed. Travel can be maddening at times when there's no one to blame but the weather. If mother nature had a call center, the lines would be buzzing with irate passengers! Other than pleading to God and begging for sunny skies, I'm helpless.

*Update* Plane showed up, dropped off, loaded up, defrosted, blasted off, and landed in Albany. Three hours late, but I'm home and thankful.

I resume... Despite some frustrations, travel comes with some cool opportunities, like Monday Night Football! I got to attend a Philadelphia Eagles v. Cleveland Browns game on Monday night and sat in our our company box!

It certainly doesn't make up for being away from my family, but perks like this definitely ease the pain. Go Green!

Eat up little bird!

2008-12-11T20:01:00.000-05:00

Robby ate pears for the first time last night. So far there's nothing that boy doesn't like to eat!

He waits in his high chair and watches like a hawk the spoon dip into the oatmeal/pear concoction and make the short flight into his mouth. Who knew that feeding a baby could be so much fun!

I was told that when Robby started eating solids he would start sleeping better. Every night I hit the pillow optimistic that I might wake up to my alarm clock, and not to the baby monitor.

Not so much. That whole "sleeping like a baby" expression is total crap. The person who said that would be eating his words in our house, right next to Robby eating his pears. Maybe the 'sleeping like a baby' person could also wake up with Robby during the night and the next morning we can ask him what he meant! Until next time, bon appetit, and bon soir!

It's for the baby, really.

2008-12-09T13:16:00.006-05:00

Babies do not need Guitar Hero.

My husband Jude felt otherwise on a recent trip to Target. Right on the endcap in the electronics department was a tempting special on Guitar Hero World Tour. He stared at Robby in his stroller and back at the case which contained two shiny new "guitars". He was daydreaming of he and Robby rocking out to AC/DC in the living room, spending the day parked in front of the Wii practicing sweet licks on their axes.

I'm not against playing Wii (I actually really enjoy it), nor am I against Guitar Hero. It's just that in my house, we own several real instruments! Want to be a "hero"? Try the Fender Jazz Bass, the Gibson SJ-200 Limited Edition acoustic guitar, the cherry red Takamine acoustic, the Remo djembe, or maybe the piano! (Piano Hero?!) The point is, I love music and would be thrilled if Robby someday wants to play an instrument, a REAL instrument! I don't think Guitar Hero is going to make the cut this Christmas, but I would sure welcome Vacuum Hero or Laundry Hero.

The good 'ole Christmas photo card

2008-12-07T13:59:00.006-05:00

I'll admit it, I despise writing cards. It's not that I despise composing warm holidays thoughts and heartfelt wishes to my loved ones, I simply do not have the time, energy or the handwriting prowess to do it.

Enter the holiday photo card. The cheat of all cheats, the "it" item, the answer to the Grinch that lives deep inside me. The premise is simple. Dress your child(ren) up in something festive, take about 100 digital pictures, choose one, upload to snapfish, drop in to a cutesy card template that already says Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah/Happy Holidays/etc, pick up at Walgreens 15 minutes later. Voila!

For those of you that don't have kids, pets are acceptable photo cards. Don't have kids or pets, then too bad!! You have ample time to write your own holiday cards this year. This is my first year with the cheat, and so far I'm loving it. I still have to write out the envelopes and buy stamps, but at least my hand won't get cramped writing Happy___, Merry___, Can't wait for___, It's been so long since____, Enjoy____! Love __, ___, ___. I'll let Robby say all that in a much cuter package that has a better chance of making it to the refrigerator.

Right about nothing!!

2008-12-05T11:45:00.000-05:00

7/2/08, 10:52am - Became a mother
7/2/08, 10:55am - Became right about nothing

On July 1st, 2008, I was ON. Had my head right, had my shit together, knew how to do things in my life. On July 2nd, that all changed. Robby looked at me utterly amazed to be outside the womb, and I must have looked back at him, utterly amazed that I became a mother, just like that! I remain amazed that this beautiful baby boy actually thinks I knew a thing or two about being a mother!

My cousin Karyn recently made a very good point. In any other profession you don't just become the highest title you could reach. You don't just become an expert overnight, President of the company without having first at least held a few more titles beforehand! Couldn't I spend at least a little time being 'assistant mother' or 'associate mother'? "Not so fast mommy!, you've got diaper rash to treat, noses to suction, strollers to navigate, and a myriad of other tasks I didn't think of on July 1, 2008.

But on July 2, when my son Robert Henry was born it was a moment that will never slip back into the depth of my mind. It was (and still is!) every positive adjective you can pull from your brain and then use a thesaurus on every word you came up with to find more words.

It's been five months since Robby came home with us from the hospital. I've learned more in five months than in my 27 years on this planet. The most important thing that i've learned, is that although I don't always have the answers, it doesn't always matter. My journey into motherhood has just begun. I'm still riding in the carseat (which was probably installed incorrectly), but I love the view from here.