The MomSpeak

So I was watching some home improvement show the other day — or maybe it was more of an informercial, or perhaps I dreamed the entire thing up — that had a little segment about these fancy baby-safe electrical outlets. Not the little plastic outlet covers we all know and use and despise and regularly snap our thumbnails off with, though. No, those are for parents who clearly DO NOT LOVE THEIR CHILDREN VERY MUCH, because now you can get your house wired with actual baby-safe outlets that somehow sense when fork prongs or knife blades are being stuck into them and slide shut, saving your curious child from electrocution. So hooray! You are now free to leave sharp metal objects lying around the house with confidence!

(This same show also had a bit about a table saw that can sense when your finger gets too close to the blade and shut itself off. The inventor was there demonstrating the mechanism by sticking a hotdog against the blade, and frankly, I was disappointed that he wouldn’t use his finger. Way to stand behind your product! Come on! I want some violence mixed in with my do-it-yourselfing.)

Anyway! The show reminded me of how seriously we took baby-proofing, and of how much money we’ve spent on fancy retractable gates and outlet covers and window-blind cord covers and drawer locks that snapped in two every time we forgot about them and opened the drawer with the tiniest bit of force. And obviously we DO NOT LOVE OUR CHILDREN VERY MUCH, because we never even bothered with the corner guards and door blockers and toilet locks and coating every vaguely hard surface with bubble wrap. Not that I didn’t stand in the baby-proofing aisle of the store fretting over each and every expensive plastic doohickey of safety. What if our baby DID fall into the toilet? What if he DID knock himself senseless on the corner of the dining room table? What if he DID somehow push a chair across the kitchen to the sink, climb onto the countertop, flip the garbage disposal switch and shove his hand down in there?

And yet, we’ve managed to bring one child through infancy and toddlerhood relatively unscathed, save for one tumble down the (carpeted) basement steps, but that was not for a lack of a working gate. That was more for the lack of me remembering to close the gate.

When it comes to my own holiday traditions, my fondest memories are of those involving the various ornament making sessions with my mom and my younger brother. Each year, my crafty and creative mom would pull out a bunch of organized craft supplies and we’d create everything from beaded Christmas balls to mini-gingerbread ornaments, all of which she’s since saved and now uses to decorate her tree every year.

So as my children get older and can actually do more than just make a gigantic mess, I’ve started my own tradition of yearly ornament making. But for someone whose craft closet contains nothing more than crayons, construction paper, and a few glue sticks, the idea of making ornaments can seem like a bit of a far stretch. However, I’ve found plenty of super simple ones that require nothing more than a few simple supplies and your kid’s little hands to create – no hot glue guns, special tools, or a sewing machine.

And whether you give the ornaments as gifts, hang them on the tree, or toss them in the “ornament retirement home” (ahem), it’s the time you’re spending with your kids that can be the best part of all. Well, at least until they start fighting.

Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments

Just combine cinnamon and applesauce until it forms a dough, roll out between two pieces of wax paper, and use your favorite cookie cutters to create different shapes. Make sure to poke a hole for the ribbon, and the let dry for around 5 days. No extra decoration necessary!

Phew! My youngest son just turned four and the last few days have been a whirlwind of activity.  I feel a bit bad for him because he’s never had a birthday party before.  We just always felt he was too young. And, to be perfectly honest, his birthday is so close to the holiday season, money is always tight and a birthday party is the last expense we need!

But now he’s four.  He’s being invited to parties and he wanted one for his birthday.  So, we decided to throw a party, but did not want to spend a lot of money.  

I’m a bit believer in Birthday’s without Pressure.  I don’t feel the need to compete with other parties, to reciprocate invites or to invite everyone in my kids’ classes.  I set a limit on the number of invites (usually their age +1), then ask them who they want to invite.  Helps not only keep the chaos minimal, but it also keeps the cost down.

So, what can you do to make sure your kids have a fun party without going over the limit?

When it comes to a mom wardrobe, accessories can definitely take your mom uniform from drab to fab in a pair of great earrings or the perfect ring.  But with the economy on shaky ground and the holidays around the corner, most of us aren’t dropping cash on things for ourselves. And we are, we’ve probably only got a few bucks to spare and that generally means something and your local mall and most certainly not handmade.

Of course, when you hear the words “handmade jewelry,” you might imagine either a noodle necklace your preschooler created at school, or a gorgeous artisan piece that will probably cost you an arm and a leg. But thanks to Etsy, a veritable online craft fair that allows anyone with internet access to thousands of artisans and their wares, handmade jewelry can be whatever you want it to be, and in this case, it’s stylish, affordable handcrafted pieces that can help make or break your wardrobe this Fall without you having to spend money on mass produced jewelry that everyone else might have.

If you’re not familiar with Etsy, then you might find yourself completely addicted and perhaps a bit overwhelmed. However, the search categories, along with their frequently updated gift guide and main page features, make finding cool items a bit easier. The key is to visit often, save your favorites, and remember that the items are handmade, so there might be some discrepancies or minor irregularities that just make it unique. But being able to support an artisan, crafter, and/or small business owner all while decking yourself out on a budget is a fantastic reason to click around and shop.

Admit it, we’ve all shelled out perfectly wonderful dollars on completely useless junk. Much of it baby- and child-related. Most of the useless stuff we’ve ended up with was bought in a fit of paranoia, (i.e. the baby won’t ever sleep a single MINUTE unless we buy a white noise machine, a top-of-the-line rocking chair AND at least three or four battery-operated baby containment devices with both rocking AND vibrating functionality), while the rest of it was bought in a fit of OMG LOOK AT THE CUTE.

At the top of that particular list? The pee-pee teepee.

There’s no denying that pee-pee teepees are cute. They’re adorable! Tiny little teepees for the tiny pee-pees and the little wee-wees and oh, it’s all so precious I could die or puke or both. And they (and all the other assorted pee-blocking devices out on the market) SEEM like a good idea, as anyone who has ever changed a baby boy’s diaper knows, baby boys are packing a loaded weapon in their pants. A weapon that tends to go off every time it’s exposed to air or sunlight or look! Mama’s mouth is hanging open in a sleep-deprived stupor! ReadyAimFIRE!

And so, the pee-pee teepee has become a HUGELY popular shower gift as well as a knee-jerk purchase by first-time parents who have just confirmed the presence of a penis on the ultrasound screen.

Starting on October 31, sweets seem to be a staple part of kids’ diets through the end of the year. Halloween candy, pumpkin pie, hot chocolate, cookies, candy canes…it seems like there’s no end to the sugar. Seasonal treats are part of the holiday fun, but eating something sugary every day for a few months sets kids up to crave it year-round.

Here are a few strategies for a more healthful holiday season:

Store surplus candy and cookies in the freezer. My kids were horrified at prospect of trashing the bulk of their Halloween candy, so we threw it into a Ziploc bag and tossed it in the freezer. Whenever we go to the movies, we dip into our stash so we can avoid the overpriced (and supersized) theater snacks. Otherwise, it’s out of sight out of mind.

Establish a dessert rule before the holidays. Before the holidays, we talk about what a body needs to be healthy, and we refer to those ideas as we celebrate. Believe it or not, our kids appreciate the guidance, even when they don’t like the restriction. Without supervision, our son has been known to take a dinner-sized helping from the dessert table.  Our new rule is “choose one treat and come see us about the rest.” We stop short of hovering, but be don’t allow unsupervised gorging on sweets.

Breastfeeding can already be pretty tricky for even the most seasoned moms, but then try feeding your baby in middle of the mall or your favorite restaurant and it can become downright complicated.

Some moms shrug if off like it’s no big deal and just have a go at it regardless of where they are or who’s around. Others take the “recommended” blanket approach, although most often they spend more time trying to figure out how to keep the blanket over their baby than actually feeding her.

Regardless of which “camp” you fall in, breastfeeding in public can take a bit of juggling so that you’re not only comfortable doing it but you’re not inadvertantly giving a peep show to half the dining section.

Thankfully, we’ve come across a slew of amazing products that can make breastfeeding outside of the comforts of your own living room much easier.

Nursing Wear

Many moms find nursing attire to be a luxury and not a necessity, but it can definitely make nursing in public more comfortable. From simple tees, try the organic cotton nursing v-necks from Momzelle or the BOOB’s classic nursing shirts. For something a bit fancier, you’ll love the kimono top from Isabella Oliver that allows you to feed the baby in style without stripping down.

And athletic moms will love active nursing mom line from Mountain Blue Eyes. Hey, you just never know when you’re going to have to nurse your baby out on the trail, right?

Children love to have friends over to play, but parties and playdates can be a little intimidating for parents.  High energy kids running amuck in your home or yard, refereeing squabbles over toys, and the potential for meltdowns or tears can deter even the bravest soul.  And the cost of these parties, big and small, can quickly escalate.  But it need not be so — hosting three, and even more kids at your house can actually be fun, worry-free, and inexpensive.  

Watching your little one develop friendships is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the preschool years, for you and your child.  And before you know if your child will be the one introducing you to new friends, little and big ones, that you may well keep for a lifetime.  So enjoy this amazing process.  Go ahead and invite over some friends.  These great ideas will make sure you all have a wonderful time and that you don’t go broke in the process.




Paper Bag Pinatas 
Activity for 3-6 year olds

Give your child a small brown paper bag and let them decorate it how they want. This can be elaborately, with sequins and glitter, or simply, with crayons. Put a few pieces of candy in the bag and close by folding over the top. Punch two holes at the top and run enough yarn through the holes to be able to hang it from a high place and still be at children’s height to swing at.

Materials Needed: Small brown paper bags, candy, yarn, crayons, decorative materials of parent’s choice

There are few things more irresistible to me than hotel toiletries. Those tiny bottles of shampoo and body wash, little bars of soap wrapped up in paper, individually-wrapped Q-Tips…I hoard this stuff like crazy. And I mean crazy, weird, compulsive hoarding. The first thing I do upon checking into a hotel room is survey all the free toiletries…and then shove them all in my suitcase so the maid will give me a full restock of everything the next day. Which I will also shove in my suitcase. I won’t actually USE anything, most likely — I usually opt to pack my own shampoo and conditioner and cleansers, as I am a fussy, annoying, delicate little flower. I don’t remember the last time I actually used a shower cap, but if I ever need one, I have at least eight or nine of them lying around. My sewing skills begin and end with sort of being able to sew a button back on, but the presence of a free hotel sewing kit is like hitting the hoarding jackpot.

I occasionally dip into my stash when I travel — I’ll pluck the best of the shampoos or some bubble bath to take with me to yet another hotel, just in case I don’t like their offerings. (Will still totally  steal them, all right, but I prefer OPTIONS.) Our guest bathroom is also stocked with hotel samples for any overnight guests who may fancy some mouthwash or a two-pack of cotton balls.

When was the last time you stopped and took some time to smell the roses? Your preschooler probably does it all the time. Give young children the opportunity and they will sniff every flower, turn over every rock, and inspect every leaf they can find. It can take them 15 minutes to traverse a single city block!

Children are extremely curious about their surroundings and genuinely excited about all things nature. And the park, your backyard, or a walk down the block are great ways to spend some time with your family without spending a lot of money. 

The next time you take a stroll outdoors, turn your trip into a little adventure. Gather some acorns or walnut shells, and when you get home, turn them into teeny boats that can actually float! Or if your child is more interested in an art project, collect leaves of different shapes and sizes on your walk. When you return home, you and your child can use those leaves to create a beautiful work of art.

There are many inexpensive ways to explore the great outdoors and bring back little treasures for your home. Here are some of Savvy’s very best: