Musings About Life... After Birth

From People.com:

“Tattoo” singer Jordin Sparks is determined to get a tattoo of her own – and she wants it to be the name of her brother P.J., whom she misses terribly now that she travels so much.

“This past year has made me realize how much I took my relationship with him for granted,” the singer, 17, tells the San Francisco Chronicle of her sibling, who is two years younger.

“I’ve only been home a week and a half since the year started, and I really miss him,” she says. “He knows everything about me. And, unlike a boyfriend, I know he won’t walk away.”

OK, I’m all for sibling closeness and all, but seriously, is this not Angelina Jolie-and-her-brother weird?

As my 5th grade teacher used to say, times flies when you’re having fun…and even when you’re not. Do you believe that it’s almost Chanukah? And Christmas is right around the corner. Damn, when did December happen?

This past weekend I realized I needed to get my butt in gear and get my holiday cards ordered already. I’m a big fan of photo cards - especially when you have kids. It’s always fun to show off how cute your kid is and when you get others’ cards, see how everyone’s kid has grown since last year.

For my son’s first holiday season, when he was only a couple of months old, I sent out photo cards (I ordered them off Shutterfly.com) with this photo:

Though my son is not named Rick Jr. after his father, when I was pregnant with him, I referred to him as “Rick Jr.” because I knew he was a boy and I thought it was funny, particularly because Jewish people don’t name for those who are alive. We think it’s bad luck or something, and instead name for someone who has passed away. Though using your deceased relative’s actual name works, of course, you can use the name’s first letter. So, if your late grandpa was Mordecai, you’re not screwed; Max (or Meredith) is sufficient. Additionally, if you are having a hard time picking an “M” name you like (or you didn’t really like your grandpa that much but your mom is going to “die a thousand deaths” if you don’t honor him), the middle name works too.

Anyway, I digress….so, I guess I referred to this baby as Rick Jr. so much that one of my mom’s good friends actually thought I was naming my son Rick Jr., and purchased this pillow for me. I included it in his nursery, thinking it was so cute and a good reminder of what I called him in utero. Well, when he came out, he WAS (and, naturally, still remains) Rick Jr.  As I’ve lamented before, he’s a clone of my husband.  Therefore, the pillow - and the card -  was all the funnier.

Last year, I sent out a GORGEOUS card from Tiny Prints with a black and white version of this photo of my son, my husband and myself (with that annoying lock of hair over my forehead Photoshopped out) from our annual Cape Cod trip:

This year, I chose another cool card from Shutterfly.com, and I have to say, it’s my favorite holiday card yet. I’ll post it later so as to not ruin the surprise for those who will be receiving it, but I gotta tell you, it is really cute.

If you’re needing to order some holiday cards for yourself (and seriously, if you haven’t yet done it - you need to do it soon, people!), I definitely recommend checking out Shutterfly.com. Not only are its cards reasonably-priced, but have it has a selection of cards designed by well-known artists/personalities like avalisa, Martha Stewart, Stacy Claire Boyd and Shirley Lee. Additionally, Kodak Gallery has all sorts of beautiful cards (and photo gifts) too. A word to the wise: before ordering your photo cards from a big-time online vendor, check the site’s homepage or couponchief.net for discount codes - if you order early enough, you can often get 20-30% off your order!

If you’re looking for something different, check out Simply Silhouettes. Their cards are so cool; you take a picture of your child or childrens’ profile/s, which they turn into silhouettes and then place them on a card, like this:

Happy holidays (and card making!).

As I get ready for baby #2, I’m in the process of preparing to transition my son from his nursery environment into a real big-boy room, complete with big-boy bed.

Ideally, I’d like to have space for two to sleep in that room - if he and his sibling want to have a little sleepover, or if the cousins come over. My dilemma, therefore, is whether I should go the bunk bed route:

or the single bed with trundle route:

It seems everyone has an opinion on this issue. Little boys think bunk beds are cool, but I hear from a lot of moms that they’re kind of a pain in the ass, especially when it comes to making the beds (as they’re up against the wall, it’s tough to switch the sheets, etc.).

I’m interested in your thoughts, everyone. Any advice on this issue?

From the 11/19 issue of The New Yorker:

My husband has been out of town 3 nights this week, and Mama desperately needs a drink. Too bad I’m pregnant. Serenity now!

Luckily, Atlanta Momtourage member Melissa saved my sanity when she sent me this absolutely HYSTERICAL youtube video today. I usually think most youtube videos people forward me aren’t all that funny, but his one made me laugh out loud. What a stress reliever.

I so wish I had done that at my wedding. Perhaps if my husband and I ever renew our vows?

Tonight is the premiere of the latest installment of “Project Runway” (Wednesday night at 10/9C on Bravo), and I CAN’T WAIT. I freaking LOVE “Project Runway”. It has everything I love in a television show: high fashion, “reality”, bitchy women and bitchy gay men. As if I could be any more excited about the premiere, this season, according to my most recent issue of Entertainment Weekly, is apparently the “gayest ever”! Woo hoo, sisters - I love you all!

For those of you who are already hooked on the wonder that is PR, make sure you download Tim Gunn’s podcasts following the show (they’re free on itunes). On these podcasts, you get more of glorious Tim as well as insider behind-the-scenes info. Additionally, you HAVE to check out Project Rungay, which is a hilarious blog written about the show by two gay men. It’s almost as fantastic as the show itself.

If you’re not already on the bandwagon, get on already! It’s just pure genius. It’s “The Hills”, but gayer and with an overt competition component. You’ll love, love love.

As I have said before, my fantastic friend R. (of lucky uterus fame) is one of the coolest ladies I know. You know how some people just always know about cool little quirky shops and websites and just all around neat stuff? That’s R. I can’t wait until she officially becomes a member of The Momtourage this May; I know she’s gonna have a handle on all kinds of rockin’ baby stuff.

Today, she sent me the most hilarious e-card, a tribute to my wanting my son to grow up and be gay, from a site called someecards.com. Check out the hilariousness:

The site has all sorts of other laugh-out-loud funny cards for birthdays, holidays and all sorts of other random occasions and moods. The Thanksgiving ones are particularly timely and, of course, funny:

The Momtourage and I have recently been fully obsessed with transitioning away from the use of our diaper bags. Now that our kids are all over two, our diaper bags have not only become rather weathered, but we also no longer need a big-ass bag to tote all of the full-on diapering gear. At the same time, however, we still do schelp around a bunch of crap: snacks, sippy cups, toys, table toppers, our own wallets, keys, sunglasses, etc., so we do still need a bag that is big, yet we’dlike said bag to be something that could pass as a cute purse (read: not something that is covered in Asian-print silk brocade) . Big enough to tote the essentials, but cool enough to not scream “Diaper Bag”. Sounds like a reasonably easy find, no?

Think again.

Momtourage member Alison kicked off the elusive bag search, wanting to ditch her Caden Lane Kalyn bag. I agreed that the quest was a worthwhile one; as much as I love my 2 Red Hens Chop Suey bag, I’d love something a little more chic.

“I just want something cooler - but that will still survive if a cup of milk spills inside it,” Alison explained, searching high and low at Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom, to no avail. Knowing of her quest, her husband purchased the Kooba Aram bag for her as an anniversary present, but upon review, it was deemed too small to fit all of the necessary gear (she does have twins, after all).

We soon all hopped on the bandwagon, sending each other emails with links to potentially good bags. The topic soon dominated our weekly lunches and the conversations we shared at each others’ kids birthday parties. The only thing about the Grail/bag we could definitively agree on was that ideally, it should be patent leather, as it was both fashionably cool and spill-resistant.

This one? Too small. The one I found in the Nordstrom Juniors section? “Nice size, but looks like a garbage bag,” Alison and Jessica concurred. “What bag was Lauren carrying at the end of the last episode of ‘The Hills’?” Alison emailed me the other day, referring to her very cute oversized patent leather satchel. “It could work, maybe, no?”. Of course, after some internet research, I found it, backordered until December 15th. Damn you, LC!

Alison thinks she may have finally found it, Botkier’s Sasha Duffle in black patent leather. Still,  however, she is not convinced it is The One, wondering if its lack of outer pockets just screams for a sippy cup mishap. I’m thinking Mia Bossi’s Caryn in Caviar may be the key.

Does anyone have any suggestions? There are the things that make The Momtourage go hmmmmmm. This, and global warming, of course.

Finally: she speaks!

BTW, check out this photo of her on Perez Hilton. Someone’s enjoying eatin’ for the first time in years!

I’m not sure what is up with the latest trend in celebrity pregnancy denial. What I am sure about, however, is that it annoys the crap out of me.

First there was Christina Aguilera, who despite an ever-expanding belly (and even more significantly ever-expanding boobs - have you SEEN those things lately?) and a public “outing” by the loathsome Paris Hilton, did not confirm until Sunday that she was pregnant. She looks about 6 months along.

The latest in those denying bun in the oven is Jennifer Lopez. Once she began rocking all sorts of empire-waisted ensembles that covered not only her belly but also the motor in the back of her Honda, people started suspecting something was up. Once photos of an obvious belly bump surfaced, and Roberto Cavalli, the designer responsible for her tour costumes confirmed her pregnancy, one would have assumed she’d come out with it.  Even after Us Weekly ran a cover screaming “Yes, she’s pregnant!”, inside which the corresponding article suggested her own mother was roaming around town telling everyone it’s twins, no revelation occurred.

I totally get that deciding when to reveal your pregnancy is a very personal decision. Some come right out with it the minute they get 2 pink lines on their pregnancy test stick. Others wait until they’re past a certain gestation timeline before revealing to others that they’re pregnant. Either way is cool with me. Do what you (and your partner) gotta do.

What I don’t get, however, is the intelligence-insulting denial of the utterly, ridiculously obvious - especially when it seems everyone pretty much knows the truth. The argument that these ladies wish for a little privacy is downright hilarious to me. Are people honestly suggesting that Aguilera and Lopez, “vocalists” who dressed their barely legal selves up in leather assless chaps and writhed to a song called “Dirrrty” and wore a see-through Versace scarf dress cut down to her hoo-hoo to an awards show, respectively, want privacy? “No, no,” some have said, “that is their job, this is their life.” Really? If these two women hold the “intimate” details of their personal lives sacred, why then, did both make hugely public affairs of their engagements and weddings? Honestly, when it comes to publicity-seeking starlets, these two chicks are some of Hollywood’s prime examples. It just doesn’t compute.

The best hypothesis I can come up as to why these ladies kept and/or are keeping their mouths shut is that it’s yet another way to stay in the headlines. Even that’s not a good explanation, though, because the media is eagerly trailing the heels of Halle Berry, who has been more than public about her pregnancy. In fact, she’s getting more press than ever before.

Therefore, I’ve decided that what must be going on is that these women are total morons who think the American public - or anyone interested enough in what’s going on with them - are total morons. Who’s the biggest moron of all, however? Me, for writing about them.

Sucker.