Archive | January, 2012

My Favorite Thong (safe for work, promise)

31 Jan

Hot Totty Tuesday is cancelled! (This week.) Mainly because I thought I’d always have time on Mondays to get something together.

I WAS WRONG. Play this video as background music while you finish reading the rest of this post. Everybody loves a good 80′s jam.

I was super busy being a Mom today. Usually, I get some time during naps to get important stuff like blogging done. Today, Aidan was napping in my arms. And the only other nap he had was 20 minutes. And I washed bottles. For the whole 20 minutes.

Not to mention, my sensitive-pants boy is getting red stuff on his cheeks. I don’t know what the “stuff” is. Maybe a milk sensitivity, maybe eczema, maybe nothing. Hopefully nothing.

So there’s a little insight into our lives this Manic Monday. (I write to you the day before, you read it the day after. It’s like old fashioned mail.) Ozgur had a week off, so I got spoiled with an extra set of hands and nap arms around. But he’s back to work, and so am I!

Let me just share with you the highlight of my weekend:

My husband cleaned our bedroom and bathroom Saturday. Now I don’t know if your bedroom and bathroom is like our bedroom and bathroom, but ours is literally the last thing that gets our cleaning attention. Primarily because if we aren’t sleeping, we aren’t in there. And secondarily because no one sees our bedroom when they come over (thank goodness).

And I don’t know if your laundry habits are like my laundry habits (I doubt it), but even clean laundry has a hard time getting put back in its proper place. Let’s be clear – the dirty always makes it to the hamper. But the clean clothes, and particularly the I-wore-it-once-and-Aidan-didn’t-spit-up-on-it-so-I-should-probably-wear-it-again clothes, they start to take over the room after a while.

So when the hubs said he was going to clean the room and bathroom, I was in heaven. Grandma Turkey (that’s his mom – my mom is Grandma America) had the baby Saturday, so I got to work out. And afterward, I got to come upstairs to a clean bedroom, shower in our clean bathroom, smell the pledge-dusted furniture and bask in the glory that I didn’t have to lift a finger. Except put away my clean clothes. Sweet deal.

There was a minor casualty while Ozgur was waging war against our neglected bedroom. In an incident with the vacuum, he accidentally sucked up my favorite thong. Okay, favorite thong is an oxymoron. I’ll rephrase.

He accidentally sucked up my least uncomfortable thong.

So I said to the vacuum, “Honey, you can keep that thong. Small price to pay…”

I even thought about offering up my (truly) favorite granny panties that Jenny McCarthy told me I should definitely invest in while pregnant. But I’m not quite done with those yet…

XOXO

Manic, Thong-less Mommy

P.S. Thanks to those starting to leave comments! I love getting them. And to those of you who visit, but don’t leave comments, side-eye. Start. ASAP. What was the best part of YOUR weekend?

 

Favorite Things Friday

27 Jan

It took me a while to come up with something that was a) used daily, b) absolutely necessary to have, and c) something you’d also care about.

I have plenty of things that suffice for requirements a and b – binkis, Playtex Ventaire bottles, the Baby Pro First Year Bottle Sterilizer, milk bones (those are for Maddy, not Aidan). But I figured you probably didn’t care too much about the brand of Aidan’s pacifier.

Lightbulb. [Despicable Me, anyone?] Something for both Mom (and Dads, and non-parents alike) and baby!

Sony ICF C7IP Clock Radio

This thing is awesome. We put it on our baby registry so we could play white noise to help get him to sleep when he was a newborn. I had no idea just how much we would end up using it.

The thing about white noise is you get used to it.

He still listens to white noise. And because it’s Aidan’s World, so do we.

We actually (LEGALLY) downloaded about an hour and half of lullabies played over white noise, and for the first two months of his life, it stayed on repeat.  Twenty. Four. Seven. To save our sanity, we’ve ceased playing the lullaby-white-noise remix, and we now just play the radio on a station that doesn’t receive a signal.

I digress… for such a little device, this thing can crank out some music (or white noise). It’s super portable, and can play your iPod/iPhone devices, the radio, and CDs. It also has a remote, which came in handy the first month, but has since been lost in the black hole that is our bedroom (and currently Aidan’s, too).

I also rocked out the entire month of December to radio station Christmas music all day.

Two thumbs up for this bad boy. Get yourself one, whether you have kiddies or not.

XOXO, Music Mama

P.S. Big thank you to those starting to leave comments. They make me smile! Keep ‘em coming. What’s your favorite thing today?

Hot Totty Tuesday

24 Jan

Okay, here’s the gig: starting today, I’m implementing Hot Totty Tuesday. I’m spotlighting Hot Totties that I either know, or are referred to me by you, the reader. (Email me with suggestions at bambinomom [at] gmail [dot] com… typing it this way prevents spammers but remember to replace [at] with the symbol @ and [dot] with . to actually send the email.)

And in order to give you a quality example of what Hot Totty Tuesday looks like, I’m spotlighting my #1 fan this week: The Husband. (Actually, I like to think he’s the number one fan since he’s my HUSBAND, but I’m thinking it’s actually my mom. SHE reads my posts every day…. I digress.)

THE HUSBAND

Hot Totty Tuesday: Ozgur

Hot Totty Tuesday: Ozgur

What’s your favorite part about Bambino Mom?

It’s a good outlet for you, because you’re pretty high-strung when I get home.

What’s the big thing in you life these days?

I got a new job. I’m excited. I have a week off… hang out with the baby, work on my physique…

What’s your New Year Resolution?

To be the best at my job.

Explain your job.

It’s consulting. So, I don’t have a really specific task, but just be the best at whatever is thrown my way. Be the go-to.

How long have you been styling your hair in that fashion?

This particular fashion? There’s a couple variations of this fashion. This particular… only about 4 years. The one before this was more stand-up-everywhere. That one, about 10 years.

Who do you want to win the Super Bowl?

 I don’t know, I’m undecided. I hate both teams. I hope it’s a tie. Deep down, I’m really struggling to find who I want to win. Early on, I was leaning toward New England because I hate the Giants. But then I don’t want New England to win because of the Boston fans… I don’t know any Giants fans…. So probably the New York Giants.

How does it make you feel to be the spotlight on Hot Totty Tuesday?

I wasn’t even sure what it was… but now I feel quite honored… who were the other candidates?

If you could interview me, what would be the first question you’d ask?

How tired would your boobs have to be before you got implants? JK. If you weren’t a mom, what would you be?

Clever man, trying to reference stuff I’ve already written. But now, and every week, I will close with answering the interview question Hot Totty would ask me (both, in this case): as for the first, I’m not down with unnecessary procedures. In fact I border on hypochondriac…ism. I’d be deathly afraid of a popped saline sack in my chest poisoning me from the inside out. NO THANK YOU, SEPTIC SHOCK!

As for what I’d be if I wasn’t a mom? It depends… If I couldn’t be a mom, I’d either be a cardiac pediatrician, or I’d write for National Geographic… less saggy boobs of Africa, more neanderthals, volcanoes, etc.

If you couldn’t be what you are now, what you have been… what would you be? LEAVE A COMMENT! I see you guys visiting, but I don’t see the comments. Leave one. It’s the life blood of this blog. It will keep me going.

Kiss a Hot Totty Today,

High-strung Bambino Mom

Tired boobs (GUYS: this may be TMI. Feel free to come back tomorrow.)

23 Jan

Aidan runs the house. Since it’s his world and all, he naps on mommy’s tempurpedic (the bed definitely goes  in my favorite things category). This prevents me from doing much of anything in my room or bathroom, unless it consists of tip-toeing, plugging binkis back in crying faces, turning up the white noise, or adjusting the monitor.

So the other night, I showered in his bathroom to make sure he stayed soundly asleep in my room. Scrub, scrub, scrub, and 15 minutes later I’m standing naked in front of the mirror doing the usual: stretch mark cream (rip-off or lifesaver? Tbd – the jury’s still out), combing my hair, and putting my breast pads in my shirt.

TMI? No? K, good. I’ll continue. As I was applying my night cream (hey if my stretch marks get there own cream then so does my face!), it hit me like a freight train. My boobs look tired. … I’m 25!!! I shouldn’t be saying that… right? Not yet, right?

And suddenly, I’m reminded of Cameron Diaz’s skit from The Sweetest Thing…

Yes, I just pumped, so they were missing that full-of-milk look I still don’t take for granted (pretty much the only positive effect pregnancy had on my body), but they just looked tired. And for a second, I wished they were small again, because small tired boobs don’t look as tired as big tired boobs.

I knew it was a pipe dream, but I suppose I was hoping my body would come of the whole having-a-baby thing unscathed. Now, with stretch marks galore, yet another scar on my belly from the c-section (the first from appendicitis in Turkey – a story that deserves it’s own post), and baby weight I’m still working to shed, the pipe dream is very much gone.

But then I remembered what those tired (temporarily bigger, yay) boobs have been doing for over four months, how my skin stretched to carry my boy, and how my body isn’t the only thing that’s changed forever. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’m just going to have to get some good bras (once I’m wearing normal ones again…).

 

Introducing: Favorite Things Friday

20 Jan

Needless to say, I’m no Oprah. You all won’t be getting one for free. But every Friday I’ll share with you one (or a few) of my favorite things.

Today’s featured favorite thing: The Kindle Fire.

Kindle Fire

My husband surprised me with this gift recently, and I love it. Even laptops aren’t as convenient as this bad boy. I love having it around during the day when I’ve got my hands full with Aidan (and when he’s sleeping, my hands full with Maddy, our puppy).

If I need to Google something, I don’t have to sit down at the computer or drag my bulky laptop out (that also has a dead battery and must remain plugged up to the wall…) to look it up. Or if I want to read in bed (or check my email, or play on Facebook), it’s perfect. Also, Aidan loves to watch songs (specifically Elmo’s Song) from YouTube on it. When he’s fussy, this is a go-to.

And yes, you can do all of these things on most phones these days, but this has a bigger screen, so you don’t have to zoom nearly as much, if at all. If you’ve been thinking about getting a “reader,” do it. It’s worth it… particularly if you love to read! (See below…)

In keeping with the reading theme, some additional faves of mine include the entirety of the Hunger Games Trilogy (that link will bring you to the paperback trilogy – the images below will take you to the respective Kindle eBooks).

  

I couldn’t put them down. Flew through the series. I will say, the beginning of Mockingjay is s-l-o-w. However, it ended up being my favorite of the entire trilogy (and in my humble opinion, I think it will make the best movie). Loved it. The entire time I’m reading it, I’m thinking:

(Jaw drop for emphasis) “This is crazy! Who could even think this stuff up?!”

And in that way, I think Suzanne Collins has a little in common with Stephen King.

I haven’t felt this way about a book (or books) since the Twilight Saga. Twilight haters, don’t let that comment scare you away. My husband read the trilogy, too. I assume he liked them because he finished them, and he does not like reading books. 

So there you have it – this week’s favorite things. If you’re using the Kindle Fire already, leave a comment and let me know what you think about it. Or, if you’re reading the Hunger Games Trilogy, talk to me. And mark your calendars for the big screen debut March 23rd!

Modern Day Book-Burning

19 Jan

Yesterday, Google was blacked out, Wikipedia shut down… the internet was CHAOS. By now, you’ve probably heard about this PIPA and SOPA crap. If not, check this out.

Take Action Against SOPA and PIPA with Google

Don’t let the conversation die down after yesterday’s strong stand. If you haven’t yet, do your part in preventing censorship on the web. 

Let me be clear: I’m down for protecting copyrighted material and putting our heads together to come up with the correct way to do it. But I know for certain that the correct way is NOT by giving the government the ability to BLOCK or DELETE entire sites from search results.

This is the modern day equivalent of book-burning – a tactic employeed by the Nazis, among others. I can’t even believe it’s being considered here in the free world.

Sign this petition, or contact your representative to speak out against SOPA and PIPA.

Leave a comment, let me know what you think.

 

Four Month Reflection

18 Jan

My son is four whole months old! I know. I can’t believe it either.

And since pictures are worth a thousand words, I’ll forego spewing words of a mother’s adoration all over your screen. Eat your heart out.

Instead, I’ll take the self-reflection route… What’s the most important thing I’ve learned about parenting so far? I’ve learned a ton… and a breastfeeding rant is on the horizon so check back for that post… but today, I’ll stick to just one – the most important thing:

Trust your instincts. You know your baby better than anyone else.

I’d say this one is the most crucial for first-time mommies like myself, particularly in the first few months, because it takes a little while to realize it’s true.

I cannot tell you the amount of preparation I did during pregnancy in terms of reading, trying to learn everything I could about “What to Expect…” (and soooo many more great books). And knowing all that information gives me even more confidence in my choices as a parent. But the bottom line is, you really do come to know your baby better than anyone else. 

The first week we brought Aidan home is the first time I should have been secure in this fact. But I hadn’t quite learned it yet.

THEY say (and because THEY = every reputable book and website at your fingertips, I was totally convinced) a newborn must breastfeed 8-12 times a day. Consider the fact that they are still learning how to eat just as much as you are learning how to feed them, then add time in for diaper changes, and you can quickly see you have minimal time to eat or sleep.

So, sleep-deprived, food-deprived, emotional-basket-case me lost it when, around day three or four, he only got seven feedings in a 24-hour period. And when I say lost it, I mean cried like an inconsolable baby – a big baby, not a newborn. Actually, I think sobbed is a better description.

It didn’t matter that he seemed satisfied and was pooing and peeing like normal. I felt like a total failure! I felt like a bad mother, and that I wasn’t taking care of him well enough, like other moms with newborns do it so much better… I felt like I needed to take him to the ER.

In retrospect, I laugh out loud at this fictitious ER trip, mostly because I can actually see how it would play out… MY SON, MY SON, HE’S STARVING, HE’S ONLY EATEN SEVEN TIMES TODAY!!! SAVE HIMMMM!… They’d probably strap me to the gurney first.

Needless to say, we got through the first week (with Grammy doing shift work and quelling emotional meltdowns – mine, not Aidan’s), and we got through the second week, and he was gaining weight. And I was starting to feel a little better, a little more confident.

But it wasn’t until the 6th week that I really began to understand that my husband and I know our baby better than anyone else. A decision about breast feeding was the catalyst. I can’t remember now what the issue was (we had so many), but I finally realized, it’s not that I need to learn more about it or be more educated to make this decision. I just need to trust my instincts, because I know my baby.

And I was right.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m the biggest proponent of reading that you know. And I absolutely still recommend saturating your brain with as much good stuff as you can before the babe pops out. The key is just to keep it in check, understand your baby may be different than (or exactly the same as) what THEY say, but foremost, TRUST your instincts! Because even the newborn golden rule of 8 to 12 feedings is broken from time to time.

My LIFE list

17 Jan

Having a bucket list is all the rage these days… so I’m gettin’ in on the fun.

This is what I would look like before skydiving… if I were ever out of my mind enough to put skydiving on my list… which would be never. Unless maybe everything on the list was already done. And even then, probably not.

But before I go there, let me digress. The term “bucket list” has always had a negative connotation to me. I suppose that’s pretty normal since it means a list of stuff you do before you kick the bucket, or die. But to me, the stuff you have on your “bucket list” isn’t about getting it done before you die, it’s about doing it in life. Making sure you fill your life with good things.

I guess stuff you do before you die is the glass half empty. Stuff you want to accomplish in your lifetime is the glass half full. And I’m definitely a glass-half-full kind ‘a girl.

So, I’m nixing the term “bucket list” (click here to find out why “kick the bucket” means to die – it further illustrates my point!). I’m coining the term LIFE list.

Without further adieu, and in no particularly order, here it is:

  • Cut off and donate at least 10 inches of my hair five more times (to Locks of Love… on average it takes six donations to make a full wig, and I’ve done it once before)
  • Get married to my soul mate, someone I can’t live without
  • Have babies (one down…)
  • Own a home
  • Own a dog
  • Take a self-defense class (side note - I almost signed up for one last year when I was preggers and didn’t know it)
  • Learn a second language fluently (looks like that second language will be Turkish, although I’m hardly fluent yet)
  • Take a romantic trip to Tuscany (if I don’t cross this off, can we do it again?!)
  • Swing by the MacNeil family castle on the Island of Barra in Scotland, maybe stay a night or two
  • See a Moose
  • Visit the Grand Canyon
  • Car trip down the West Coast
  • Car trip across the country (a little Route 60 action…)
  • Declare a cause yearly for which I contribute to and make a difference (not just monetarily – unless it’s like a million dollars, and then I’ll let myself off the volunteering hook)
  • Become an excellent cook (I’d rate myself as mediocre as it is… but I do enjoy it)
  • Write a book (one that sells, not just one that I publish and put on my own shelf like I did in Kindergarten)
  • Own my own business (… so I can be my own boss)

Alright, I think that’s a strong start. I’m sure I’ll come up with more, and periodically, I’ll update this LIFE list. But in the mean time, it looks like I have some things I can start working on. Namely, continue to learn Turkish and declare my cause for the year…

Any suggestions? What’s on your LIFE list? Leave me a comment below.

 

Bambino Mom Kick-off

16 Jan

Sometimes I find myself staring at my son and thinking, “I can’t believe that I am responsible for a baby.”

Not too long ago, I couldn’t manage to keep my car clean or do my laundry regularly. But now I have a baby, and I take care of him. And I do a good job. (The purse is a lost cause. Baby or not, it will never be pretty.)

Having a baby is crazy. Amazing and beautiful and lovely, yes. No one has to convince you of that. But it’s crazy. Before you have a kid, you might think to yourself, “How would a baby fit in my life?” Let me tell you… a baby doesn’t fit in your life. You fit in the baby’s. It is Aidan’s world, and we all just live in it.

I had a different kind of life before Aidan. Ozgur and I went out on the town with friends, had plenty of time for dates and traveled whenever and wherever we wanted. As Aidan gets older, we are rejoining society, seeing our friends occasionally and even planning date nights. ‘They’ say that’s important. I agree. Emerging every once in a while from spit-up soaked clothes is good for my mental health… and cleanliness.

In a nut shell, this is my story, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. So that’s about what you can expect to find here at Bambino Mom. A lot about life in Aidan’s world, peppered with the occasional tale about how I’m not just a mom.

I hope you enjoy it. And if you don’t, tell me why.

First Post Coming Soon

15 Jan

Thanks for stopping by. The first post here at Bambino Mom is scheduled to drop January 16, 2011. Check back then!