June 25th, 2010, posted by Marcie
It is not until you become a loving parent that you suddenly start to accumulate crap like never before. There’s something about having a child that drives people to buy shit and store it in cute Pottery Barn-style baskets. The stash seems to increase exponentially each year after a person turns thirty. We’re thinking it has something to do with the fact that 
we’ve had more years to gather stuff and less time to get rid of it (what with the baby, job, spouse and all). And don't even get us started about the hubby's pack-rat habits, including his ability to hang on to teen paraphernalia, posters and furnishings from his stellar bachelor pad.
Accrapulation typically begins innocently enough with “I-can’t-stop-buying-baby-shit-cause-it’s-so-cute” and eventually perpetuates a hoarding mentality with said offspring who simply can’t part with the broken McDonald’s Happy Meal toy or the goodie bag trinket from Sammy’s birthday party. Suddenly, a woman finds herself with a family of squirrels who schlepp their beloved goods around in adorable little gender-specific more...
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June 23rd, 2010, posted by Aimee, Tags: WoMoLists
This morning as I was getting ready for work in the pre-dawn hours, I noticed a vexing new crinkle between my brows, yet another “worry line” as they say (me, worry? Go figure.) Anyway, as I tugged and rubbed concealer into the crack trying to somehow massage it away, I suddenly remembered peering into that very same mirror many a time over the past 20 years stressing out over a fresh zit on my chin or cheek, often on the eve of a first date. My how things have changed, and yet have they really? It’s pretty much the same type of worrying, but new things to worry about. Got me to thinking about a few more “Now vs. Then” things.
Then: Spending half of my monthly income on rent so that I could live in just the right address in the City for seeing and being seen
Now: Spending half our monthly income on a mortgage so that we can live in just the right neighborhood for Tav’s school, families “like us” and curb appeal
Then: Freaking out because more...
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Tags:WoMoLists
June 21st, 2010, posted by Aimee, Tags: Just For Laughs
Sometimes on a Monday you just gotta start with a list of all the best things in life before getting bogged down in the negative muck. Here are a few of my little pleasures.
o The Sunday New York Times, a double tall nonfat latte, and an uninterrupted 45 minutes to read every single section other than sports
o Finding a few dollars in the back pocket of jeans
o Stumbling across a new episode of "House Hunters" set in San Francisco, San Diego or Manhattan
o Snuggling with Tav in bed watching "Franklin"
o Fresh, buttery albacore sushi accompanied by an ice cold Asahi
o Putting on a pair of skinny jeans fresh out of the wash and having them feel “loose”
o Fruit Stripe gum, Haribo gummy bears … or both
o Hot summer nights when you can stroll around outside without a sweater
o A cool glass of Albarino on a warm afternoon
o Watching Tav crack jokes with other little kids and trying to act “cool” for a three year more...
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Tags:Just For Laughs
June 19th, 2010, posted by Aimee, Tags: Bad,Bad, Bad Mommy
Confession #1: I don’t mind my husband’s late night Xbox habit. In fact, I secretly like it because it means I can watch as much HGTV as I want while checking emails, updating Facebook and surfing the Twitter-sphere.
Confession #2: Sometimes playing cars, trucks, trains and planes with my son bores me to tears. I love spending time with my little guy and cherish our unscheduled days … but sometimes the unending dialogue about “Lightning” and “Thomas” and the need to push small vehicles through tunnels and up stairs just makes me crazy. It’s all I can do to not whip that iPhone out and start scrolling through emails when he’s not looking.
Confession #3: In the battle of mommy guilt vs. employee guilt specifically pertaining to skipping out for a hair appointment, my boss always gets the short end of the stick. Specifically, if it’s a question of booking a Saturday highlighting appointment (requiring 3 hours away from my kid on our sacred weekend time vs. booking a Wednesday mid-afternoon slot, it’s the midweek option all the way.
Confession more...
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Tags:Bad, Bad, Bad Mommy
June 16th, 2010, posted by Aimee, Tags: Just For Laughs
o Checking Facebook on your lunch break after a particularly stressful morning at work, you see nauseating posts from SAHM “friends” like these: “Just finished a morning hike with Braden, then hit the park for a picnic lunch and now we’re both headed for a nap.” Double barfy when you happen to read these posts enroute to a business meeting thousands of miles away from your “Braden.”
o You get dressed in the dark and get to work … with two different colored pumps. So much for that brilliant strategy of buying the same shoes in many different colors.
o You can’t seem to stop the flow of incoming emails from your kids’ school – and the “classroom moms” at the school – reminding you of all the classroom volunteering and field trip activities you are missing out on.
o You notice that, despite the fact you just got a promotion and a hefty raise for working your ass off, neither your wedding ring nor your ride measure up to those of the SAHMs of your kid’s friends.
o You more...
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Tags:Just For Laughs
Living with my mom back in "the Ville" for the past couple months while our now outgrown city condo is on the market has been an adventure to say the least. I have already tackled a few of the situations encountered as one of the few WoMos in a sea of affluent SAHMs, but when I spend time at the pool of my mom's country club - admittedly an idyllic summer experience! - the contrast between my life and that of the surrounding moms here becomes frighteningly clear.
So picture the scene: Saturday afternoon, we throw on suits and grab some towels to hit the pool with Tav and help him practice his swimming. On the steps of the shallow end are a gaggle of gals my age, all well toned and nicely bronzed. They are all wearing Tom Ford sunglasses and pricey suits. One woman says to another, "Hey, you're so dark. Have you been laying out?" (First thought: "Laying out?" Who even says that anymore? Isn't that something we all did in the 80s?) Answer: "Yep, I have more...
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Tags:Juggling & Struggling
Twitter is down - I am sure there are bored office workers like me everywhere freaking out - so here is a quick post to share an interesting story from today's Wall Street Journal (Sue Shellenbarger "Work & Family" column) on daycare waiting lists and all the drama involved in finding a good care solution for your little one. I was blessed enough to have a mom excited to take on the nanny role, but this is a common situation for many of us WoMos ... even if we call it "preschool" instead of the dreaded D-word. Check it out. Day-Care Wait Lists: How to Cope
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Tags:Juggling & Struggling
June 2nd, 2010, posted by Marcie
Maybe you are one of those fortunate freaks of nature who somehow manage to drop all of the baby weight before returning to the rat race. But given the fact that most of us pack on 30 or 40 pounds during pregnancy, the odds are not in your favor unless you have the genes of a supermodel or the resources of a Hollywood star (i.e., personal trainers, chefs, nannies, night nurses, plastic surgeons, access to illicit diet drugs, etc.). Assembling a decent collection of work-appropriate garb that fits your new (temporary) larger proportions is critical. You may think you’ll feel fine revisiting your adjustable career maternity wear — but frankly, boxing them up and handing them off to the next pregger gal will feel a whole lot better! Plus, if you need to look like a professional gal, those threadbare knit drawstring pants will no longer fit the bill. And speaking of bills, who wants to spend hard-earned cash on clothes that you hope to toss in six months!? That’s where the idea of transitional WoMo apparel comes in.
Cheap Chic more...
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