TheMommyBlog

Saturday, July 05, 2008 Fun Finds

Co-creator of New For Baby is celebrating the arrival of her new son, Grant, with a 20% off coupon–one-time use only–until August 1, 2008!

Friday, July 04, 2008 Familybits

Omfg, I am agog—AGOG—at this entry on The Irascible Chef. What kind of flight attendant gives an eight grader a RED BULL?

Did you ever hear the one about the chaperones, who take a bunch of junior high students, on an airplane for an educational trip across the country for a week? Goes something like this:

Flight attendants served the kids Red Bull and Fuel Energy drinks before anyone could stop them. And they arrived at the airport with bags of candy and Starbucks coffee, with an arsenal of electronics to beat the band. Oh, students are in the 8th grade—which means they’re 13-14 years old and going on their first coed sleep away (3000 miles from home), school sponsored, no parents, just their friends, a few teachers, candy, coffee, super caffeine drinks, electronics, their unchecked hormones, and their “I’m in 8th grade,” I’m the top dog, we need to test the fence attitude. read more…

Thursday, July 03, 2008 Familybits

This had me giggling tonight–it was published on DotMoms a hundred years ago, and it still makes me laugh. In a geeky, high-pitched, unstable sort of way.

roberts.css

body { color: white;
size: 4;
family: Mindy, Logan, Dylan, Daphne;
background-image: checkered;
background-repeat: repeat-y, repeat-x;
margin: slim to none;
style: inimitable; }

house{ color: #770D-4 clay pebble;
size: 1450 sq. ft.;
padding: fiberglass insulation, shake roof;
family-friendly: mais oui;}

expenses { position: Silicon Valley;
range: ridiculous;
display: if you have to ask…;
padding: for you, special deal today; }

preconceptions { color: #tranpsarent;
weltanschauung: tolerant, principled, slapstick;
philosophical bent: Thomasian;
tenderness: consistent;
grace: 85% }

blockquote { accuracy: 100%;
precision: not so much;
source: here, there, wherever; }

a { color: #transparent;
decoration: some exaggeration; }

a:hover
{ decoration: well, a little, I try not to be overbearing; }

a img{ border: line }

h1_mindy { color: blond, natural;
size: aspiring to 8, will settle for 10;
weight: see driver’s licence;
margin:  slim to none;
padding: slight adipose;
height: 5’9”;
decoration: cursive; }

h2_Logan { color: blond;
age: born May 1998;
weight at birth: 7 lb, 2 oz;
margin: two weeks early;
padding: moderate adipose;
height: 19.5 inches;
decoration: strawberry, right eyelid; }

h2_Dylan { color: blond;
age: born August 2000;
weight at birth: 6 lb, 15 oz;
margin:  one week early;
padding: slight adipose;
height: 19.25 inches;
decoration: impish disposition;
heart failure: imminent;
myocarditis: viral;
recovery: complete }

h3_Daphne { color: strawberry;
age: born February 2002;
weight at birth: 7 lb, 7 oz;
margin:  one week late;
padding: little or no adipose;
height: 20 inches;
decoration: flaming orange hair;
ears: elfin;
domination: complete; }

#menu{ dessert:absolutely;
top: cherry;
bottom: vanilla;
right: now;
left: none; }

Thursday, July 03, 2008 Me, Me, Me, Other people who write, Bad Mood Dude, BlogHer

I just checked in with my (way too) many profile pages, and on LinkedIn, I had a message that July 2 was the last day to register for BlogHer. That would have been great information to have YESTERDAY.

This is the first BlogHer conference I’ll have missed, and that’s sad. I was there at the beginning, stuffing binders and helping to fill in when audio failed during the keynote.

Even worse, it’s in my area this year, an hour up the Peninsula in San Francisco. Phil’s stomping grounds. Jesus H. Barnacle Christ in a potato sack.

I wouldn’t have been able to go anyway, especially as the collection call from the hospital this morning claimed the last remaining funds in my bank account.

If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be going now. Not to BlogHer, of course, but just over there, on the couch. I’m finding Julie Kenner’s Play.Win.Survive trilogy to be quite the escape these days.

(Seriously, I thought the Demon Hunter series was great, but this is something else altogether! Think DaVinci Code meets Devil Wear Prada meets The Matrix. Fashion, assassins, sex, and cryptology. What’s not to love?)

Thursday, July 03, 2008 Children's Health, Women's Health, Moms Like Us, PPD Resources

My best friend is pregnant with her second, and as always is Janie on the Spot with helpful backup. She sent me a couple of emails that are sent to her weekly from WhatToExpect.com. I don’t have the direct link to the articles so I’ll quote them here:

WEEK 11: DEPRESSION DURING PREGNANCY
“Could I have postpartum depression before the baby’s even born?
It’s not easy being blue — especially when everyone around you is expecting you to be rosy pink and giddy with excitement. The truth is, depression during pregnancy is as common — even more common, according to some studies — as postpartum depression is (though the postpartum variety gets all the press). And it’s no wonder. After all, pregnancy is a life-altering (not to mention body-altering) experience that can throw even the most eager parent-to-be emotionally off-kilter. The physical changes alone can take a tremendous toll (it’s hard to be giddy with excitement when you’re feeling crappy with morning sickness, fatigue, heartburn, fatigue, constipation, fatigue, bloating.…). Coupled with the emotional stress that pregnancy (and the upcoming transition to parenthood) can bring, it’s a recipe for depression — a recipe that’s shared by more than ten percent of expectant women.

No one knows for certain what causes pregnancy depression, but it’s almost a sure bet that those raging hormones play a significant role (just as hormone fluctuations can wreak premenstrual emotional havoc). Relationship problems, complications in the pregnancy (or a high-risk pregnancy), a history of fertility difficulties or pregnancy loss, or stressful life events (such as trouble at work or death of a close family member) can add to the strain. Depression is also more likely if you have a history (or a family history) of depression, or if you suffer from pronounced PMS.

Often, it’s difficult to diagnose depression during pregnancy because its symptoms mirror so many “normal” pregnancy symptoms: sleep and appetite changes (and every pregnant woman has those!), loss of interest in sex (ditto), anxiety, inability to concentrate, and general emotional instability. What’s not normal is to feel consistently sad, hopeless, or generally uninterested in life — especially if such feelings are keeping you from eating properly, sleeping regularly, or otherwise taking good care of yourself. To help you sort out whether your feelings are a result of normal pregnancy-related emotional changes, or whether they’ve progressed to depression, speak to your practitioner.