My New Back Seat Driver

In the last two weeks, I taught Noodle the basics of driving as it relates to traffic lights. Although I think she knew some of this prior to our recent car conversations, she now can correctly identify the proper traffic signal with the traffic light color - green means "go," red means "stop" and yellow (she likes to call it orange) means "slow down."

In the last week, she has taken every opportunity when we are in the car to tell me what to do at the traffic lights. Without knowing, the other drivers on the road probably appreciate her astute knowledge because she has caught me sitting at a green light a few times. Go Mommy! She yells from her car seat. Green means go! She says with such conviction.

When strolling along the sidewalk, she knows to look for the white pedestrian signal before safely crossing the busy street. While adjusting Bean in the stroller, I briefly missed the light change. Noodle taps my hand, Mommy, look! She points to the traffic light. White means we can walk! She was so proud of herself!

Later that morning, when we got in the car and she started to recite the traffic signals to me (for the tenth time), I started to think about how life really comes full circle. One day Noodle and Bean will probably know more than me about a lot of things. But, right now it's up to my husband and me to teach them about the world. The small things and the big stuff. It's difficult to think of the day they won't need for me to make them their meals, tie their shoes, teach them the alphabet, and even more mind-boggling, I won't know where they are every moment of the day. At some point they will drive themselves places and make their own decision on where to go and what to do. (This actually scares me tremendously.)  Some days I catch myself looking at Bean and thinking that in 3 years she will be doing all the things Noodle does. It's a daily reminder of how they grow and change just as we do as parents.

I have a while before driver's licenses are a reality for our daughters. Right now, I am enjoying and appreciating our light-hearted conversations. Although I can't stop time from passing, I am doing my best to savor these endearing and charming moments as they come...who knew the colors green, red and yellow could be so much fun?!

Sami

Product Review: Grandma's Secret Spot Remover®

After several attempts to remove dirt, grease, ink, food and grass stains out of clothes, about 2 years ago I used a product that does the job! My mom bought me a bottle of Grandma's Secret Spot Remover. This bottle performs stain-removing miracles!

Even better, it's environmentally safe, biodegradable, non-toxic, and does not contain chlorine or phosphates (per the Grandma's Secret Spot Remover Web site). This spot remover formula also offers a pleasant aroma rather than the off-putting scents of other stain removers.

I have seen this product sold in a variety of places - grocery stores, craft stores, hardware stores, fabric stores, etc. It's been priced anywhere between $3.99 - 5.99 for a 2 oz. bottle. You can also visit Grandma's Secret Spot Remover Web site to order the product.

So, stop having to wash the same shirt or pair of pants over and over again to get out that stubborn stain...a small amount of Grandma's Secret Spot Remover will do it on the first try! It's amazing!

Sami

The Coupon Conundrum

First off, I want to mention that I am an organized person. I do my best to keep on top of things. My house is pretty organized  (I do have a few "junk drawers" but who doesn't?), I am task-orientated, I try to be punctual for everything...you get my point.

However, I am awkward and unorganized when it comes to using coupons, gift cards and things of this nature. I can't tell you how many times I leave coupons at home when I have every intention of using them on a shopping trip.

Yesterday, for example, I went to Kohl's with Bean (Noodle was at preschool). I wanted to look around and see what they had for the spring season. I had received a recent discount coupon in the mail and brought it along. I spent about 40 minutes in the store. I purchased two pairs of capris and a shirt. I was super excited about the sale prices, and to top it off I had another 15% off discount to use before I paid. Whoo Hoo!

A little later in the afternoon, I called DH to touch base. I told him how the day was going and was giddy about my purchases at Kohl's. After I get through explaining the sale prices and savings, I also told him I got one pair of capris in TWO sizes smaller (much to my amazement!).  He then said, Did you use your gift card?

And just like that the air in my sail began to fade... NO! Dang it! How did I forget about that?! I was so mad at myself. On Sunday my parents gave me a $25 gift card to Kohl's for Easter, and already I forgot to use it! I seem to do this over and over again! I spent most of the afternoon ticked at myself. I thought... I could go back return everything, repurchase it and use the discount AND the gift card. No, that's just ridiculous and I don't have time! I talked myself right out of it.

You see, I do this ALL THE TIME. Back in January, I decided I was going to become more organized with coupons, discount cards and gift cards. After failing at it miserably for years, I got an expandable file to keep track of all of it.

I use the labels.

I make an effort to go through it every month, too.

And you know what is the most disgusting part of it all is? The gift card was in this file which was in my car during my visit to Kohl's. Ugh!

For some reason, I can't get my brain to focus and remember these things. I did something similar last week at the grocery store. I bought two packages of rice because I had a coupon, and thought I should use it before it expires. I didn't need both packages at this moment, but we eat rice regularly so I went ahead and bought both since it was a good savings. I didn't realize I forgot to give the cashier the coupon until I got home. What is my problem?

I actually follow a great blog that is all about coupons and savings. I visit it frequently and I am on the daily e-mail blast. I am not sure why because I am terrible at managing coupons and making a plan of where to go for the best deals. I find the blog fascinating and inspirational, I just can't execute any of it worth a darn.

Any suggestions? Is there any hope for me? I'd love to be able to stretch a dollar, but unfortunately my dollars are made out of paper and not elastic!

Sami

I Get So Emotional, Baby.... Sans Whitney Houston

"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." ~ Elizabeth Stone

Maybe you have read this quote before or perhaps this is your first time. Either way, it's a powerful and truthful statement. 

If you aren't a mom yet or if you're a mom-to-be, consider yourself warned.

If you already have been blessed with a child or children, then you already know what it's like to navigate this emotional roller coaster everyday. 

For all the moms out there, take a moment to think of the emotions you experiences in a 24 hour time span. Most nights I blame my exhaustion on all the running around I do (the two flights of stairs in our house provide me with good exercise each day), but I think I'm also wiped from managing my waves of feelings. It takes a toll on you.

Here's an example... One day last summer Noodle got hit in the face with a toy at daycare. When I got the phone call at work, her teacher said she had a cut under her nose and it had been bleeding pretty badly. Panicked, worried and concerned, I rushed over to the center as fast as I could. I don't even remember the car ride because I was preoccupied with my flood of thoughts and emotions. When I got there, her class and teachers were in the cafeteria and Noodle just sat there quietly in a different outfit. She didn't run to meet me like she usually did. I saw that she hadn't eaten anything on her plate and she had puffy eyes. My heart dropped. Then they sent us off with a bag filled with her bloody clothes and shoes. I brought her to the doctor to be examined. Luckily there was no major concerns and it healed after a week. What a relief!

I experience great empathy when my girls aren't feeling well. My heart feels heavy because I wish you could do something more to get that stubborn fever to break (beside alternating between Tylenol and Motrin every 4-6 hours).

Then they are those wonderful and exciting moments that I will treasure forever. Like when they smiled at me for the first time, let out their first belly laughs and the day Noodle recited the entire alphabet perfectly. Gosh, those are great moments!

Oh and who could forget about the routine doctor visits, which entail vaccinations those first few years. No matter if it was my first or tenth visit, I still get overwhelmed with sadness when the nurse comes in to administer the shots. My heartaches as I look into my infant's face and see her happy smile turn into a fearful expression, and then they bellow out a terrible scream when the needle hits the skin. Oh, it's just so heartbreaking.

Some of my favorite moments are when I watch my daughters interact with one another. I love how Noodle will sit and explain things to Bean. Though Bean is too young to understand, Noodle doesn't know any different and goes to great lengths to point out things and to tell her stories. Bean just smiles and laughs. You can already tell she adores her big sister.

But, sometimes I find things to worry about. Bean might be playing around on the ground - happy and excited - and I think about "What Ifs." Like "What if she got sick with something terrible" or "What if she was kidnapped." (Ok, don't write me off just yet as psycho mom!). I think the fear turns into worry when I know I can't control everything in their world - like their health or bullying in school. 

Which brings me to the worry and concerns I will feel as my daughters get older. There's no hiding it that girls (and women) can be mean and hurtful. I dread the times when my daughters' feelings will be hurt or when they will be teased or bullied. I remember experiencing this growing up and I don't know how my mom kept it together and helped me get through it. When we talk about it now, she really opens up about it but she never let on at the time. She was strong and offered good advice. I just hope I can be like that with my girls if that time comes (I hope it never does, but I am not that naive.)

But I wouldn't change anything. After knowing all that I know about motherhood and time and emotion it requires to be a parent, I am so glad my husband and I embarked on this journey. The rewards are endless and the moments are priceless. Although, it's exhausting most days, it's well worth the effort and time because they are the most amazing little blessings roaming the Earth!

Motherhood has taught me a lot of things - mostly things about myself I never knew before. Probably the most important lesson is that loving with all your heart makes you feel complete yet vulnerable. But, in my opinion, the only way to love your child is unconditionally and with all you have. If you love them with everything you've got, then you know at the end of the each day you gave it your best shot. And that's all that really matters.

And for the worrying... and mommy guilt... I try to remind myself of this quote...

"Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere. " ~ Glenn Turner

Do you find yourself caught up in the same emotions? Please share your experiences and thoughts.

Sami

The Sugar Aftermath

I love that my daughters are spoiled by our family. It presents DH and I with challenges at times, but they are well worth it. It's just a wonderful feeling. A great sense of security, really. However, when the Easter Bunny visits a few different locations, the amount of candy starts to accumulate... quickly.

Noodle has more candy than any three year old should have. She started eating it early yesterday morning. After finding her basket, she downed a few Tootsie Rolls, then moved to Hershey Kisses, and before we knew it, she started to eat a solid chocolate bunny. It's wasn't yet 8:30 a.m. and she consumed more sugar than we would ever allow in one day.

We forced her to eat two spoonfuls of her oatmeal much to her dismay. After we cleared the breakfast table, she snuck a few more Tootsie Rolls and M&M'S.

Getting ready for church and attending Mass were good distractions, but unfortunately they were temporary. When we got home, she went right back at it. We had to police the baskets and remind her that she couldn't have anymore before Easter dinner.

She didn't eat much lunch. It was time for a nap. We did the usual naptime routine, and for about 15 minutes we thought she was sleeping. We were wrong. She wouldn't go to sleep. She looked me in the eyes and said, "Mommy, I am not sleepy at all." (This is very unusual because I don't think she has ever gone a day without a nap - even if it was a quick 30 mintue catnap.)

So by 1:30 p.m. she had consumed more candy than we could count, hadn't eaten a meal yet and refused to nap. This can't be good, I thought to myself.

My family had more candy for her when we arrived for Easter dinner. Of course, that meant more candy had to be "tried out." Noodle kept reassuring me, "Just one more, Mommy." Yeah, okay. She ate very little dinner and somehow managed to run around outside for 30 minutes and then downed a good amount of Goldfish crackers. By 6:30 p.m., when we were heading home, she had heavy eyelids and she just zoned out the window.

Then she got a burst of energy. As we headed to the bathroom to start her bath water, she insisted that it was nice outside and that she had to ride her tricycle. She fought with me in the bathroom,"You aren't listening to me!" she yelled. "I need to ride my tricycle!" I couldn't help but laugh. She was a mess and exhausted.

While I read her a few books, she could barely keep her eyes open. Less than a minute after we closed the last book, she was falling asleep.

Now, I must decide what to do with all of this candy. For those of you who may be thinking I am exaggerating, here's just a portion of our collection. It's not a good sign when you have several duplicates.

To get the full effect, sing this to "The Twelve Days of Christmas."

On the 5th Day of Easter, my true love gave to me....

5 Cartons of Peeps

4 Reese's Cups

3 Creme Eggs

2 Cotton Tubs

And a partridge in a pear tree And white Pez Easter bunny!

One word... RIDICULOUS!

Did you have a sugar-filled Easter, too?

Sami

Easter and the Sand Dollar

A few weeks ago on our weekly venture to our local public library, Noodle and I checked out Easter books. She chose a couple about Easter eggs and bunnies, and I chose one more pertinent to the holiday, The Legend of the Sand Dollar: An Inspirational Story of Hope for Easter by Chris Auer. The book is a little over Noodle's head, but I really enjoyed it and have read it several times on my own.

The book is about the symbolism between the sand dollar and Christ's life and resurrection. The main character, Kerry, learns of this legend from her cousin, Jack, while visiting the beach. At the end of the book, the author includes a poem illustrating the symbolism:

There's a pretty little legend

That I would like to tell

Of the birth and death of Jesus

Found in this lowly shell.

If you examine closely,

You'll see that you find here

Four nail holes and a fifth one

Made by a Roman's spear.

On one side: the Easter lily.

Its center is the star

That appeared unto the shepherds

And led them from afar.

The Christmas poinsettia 

Etched on the other side

Reminds us of his birthday,

Our happy Christmastide.

Now break the center open,

And here you will release

The five doves awaiting

To spread good will and peace.

This simple little symbol

Christ left for you and me

To help us spread his gospel

Through all eternity.

~Author Unknown

I don't think I will ever look at a sand dollar the same way again. I thought this was a touching book that represents the life and death of Jesus Christ. This poem reminds me the reason we celebrate Easter.

Happy Easter to you and yours!

Sami

Recipe: Spinach and Tomato Pizza

DH loves when I make homemade spinach and tomato pizza. It's an easy and tasty dinner option (and vegetarian, too).

You'll need:

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 package of frozen spinach, drained
1 tomato and/or dried tomatoes, sliced
1 cup of feta cheese
2 cups of mozzarella cheese
1 tube of Pillsbury thin crust pizza dough

Pre-bake the pizza dough for 5 minutes at 400 degrees. Drain the spinach and pick it with a fork to loosen. In a bowl, mix the olive oil and garlic. Spread a thin layer of the oil mix on the warm dough. Leave some oil aside as you will use it later. Next, place the spinach on top of the oil mix. Then, layer it with feta cheese and tomato slices. Drizzle a little of the oil on top of the feta and tomato. Last, top it off with the mozzarella cheese. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 7 minutes. (Some ovens may require more or less time).

This is what our pizza looked like last night. It was delicious!

Hope you try it out. If you do, let me know what you think!


Sami

My Internal Clock... And I Don't Mean Biological

It's probably a mom thing, but I have an internal stop watch. At almost any point during my awaking hours I can generally guess (within 30 minutes) the correct time even if I haven't looked at a clock in several hours.

It has taken me a few years to admit this because I think it's pretty odd, and for lack of a better term, dorky. I came to realize this "talent" more than 2 years ago.

In the winter of 2008, Noodle, DH and I would spend the dark and cold evenings after dinner in our TV room/playroom. We didn't (and still don't) have a clock in the room. We just refer to the time on the digital cable guide.

One evening, DH said to me It's probably bath time. That's his way of hinting that the bedtime routine should begin soon. Pretty confident he was a little early, I said I don't think so. It's probably only 6:30. At that time, Noodle was going to bed around 7:30-7:45. We generally started the bedtime routine around 7:00.

He gave me the look that means You wanna to bet on it? Then he said out loud What time do you think it is? I paused for a moment and pondered. Then I blurted out an exact time. I don't remember what I said, but he then clicked on the cable guide and sure enough I hit it on the money! He just looked at me and said You got lucky! So we continued to play the game during different points in the evening and he joined in with his guesses. I was almost perfect that night, and nearly every evening for the next few months during the "Guess the Time Game." DH and I are pretty competitive with each other, so it was very important to him that he beat me. He got frustrated when I won most nights.

But in all seriousness, I am pretty good at managing time because I have this internal clock that guides me. I check the time throughout the day, but I am mindful of how long tasks take, especially the ones that I do each day (serving meals, giving baths, reading books, driving to certain locations, preparing to leave the house with both kids in tow).

(This is the clock in my house that I refer to frequently.)

I was reminded of this "skill" recently when a friend of mine asked me a few questions about my bedtime routine with Noodle and Bean. She is a new mom and was struggling to get a routine and schedule that worked for her and her infant. As I thought about our schedule, particularly the evenings when I fly solo, I was reminded of how I am able to manage my time. Mostly due to the redundancy of things. But, kids can be unpredictable because of meltdowns and Noodle's inevitable bedtime stalling tactic ("I need a drink," "I am hungry," "I need a pair of socks," etc.).

I guess I consider this "internal clock" a blessing. It's helping me get through the day and to places when I am suppose to. But, that doesn't mean we aren't late or out of sync some times.

Does anyone else have an internal stop watch? Can you related at all? I'd love to hear your experiences, too.

Sami

Product Review: Summer's Deluxe Baby Bather

We own three infant bath tubs. When Noodle was an infant, we didn't like the first one we received as a shower gift (we registered for it). When she was about 4 months, we purchased a different one, which we liked a little better.

After Bean's birth, we continued to use the second one. I was never fully pleased with it because both of our daughters moved around in it a lot (as Noodle did in the first one), which made it difficult to clean the hard to reach places (neck, bottom, etc).

When walking down the aisles of Wal-mart, I saw Summer's Mother's Touch Deluxe Baby Bather (see image below). It appeared to be just what we needed so I bought it.

As you can see, the deluxe baby bather is a different type of infant "bath tub." It's made with a mildew resistant, machine washable, soft mesh material. Although it doesn't have all of the bells and whistles that the other bath tubs offer, it has made bath time much more pleasant for all of us. Bean doesn't move around, which allow us to easily clean her from head to toe. It's also holds her in a comfortable resting position with a removeable head rest. The bather can be placed in a full-size bath tub as well as a large sink. In addition, it collapses so you can travel with it and store it (unlike the large bulky plastic ones).

One thing I would like to point out is that this tub is best-suited for younger infants. Once they are sitting up well and crawling, you will need to keep a watchful eye on them. In my opinion, it's designed for newborns through 8-9 months.

I really like this bather. I have recommended it to moms and moms-to-be. It's made Bean's baths cleaner, easier and happier for all of us.

I have seen it listed at varying prices. Generally, it's priced in stores and online between $15-22. It's an affortable must-have!

Sami

On Both Sides of the Babysitter Fence

Tonight DH and I are going out. I hate to admit it, but we don't do this all that often. We will be dining at a restaurant and then going to a concert. I am excited but also full of anxiety...for the babysitters. We have two young women watching our daughters tonight. Before I go into anymore details, I am going to rewind to when I was about 14 years old...

You see, when I was in middle school, one of my mom's friends asked me to babysit her son. She was going out on a date. She was recently divorced (an ugly situation - I do remember this) and seeing a guy. Her son was about one and a half years old.

Like most teenage babysitters, I enjoyed kids plus I liked making a little extra money so I agreed to do it. My mom's friend had recently moved into an apartment and her place still had quite a few unpacked boxes and she didn't have cable yet.

When I got there she was getting ready, and then as she was heading out the door, she said, When I leave, he'll get a little upset but after about 10 minutes he'll  settle down. It didn't sound too alarming.

She left and sure enough he started to whine and cry by the front door. I tried to distract with toys, but he wasn't interested. I remember looking at the clock and thinking that There will only be a few more minutes of this. But, he kept crying well passed the 10 minute mark. Since the cable wasn't connected, I looked for VHS tapes in several different boxes in hopes that I could find one to play, but I had no luck. I tried singing to soothe him. Nothing worked. He just stood by the front door and sobbed. He had huge tears running down his face. My heart was broken and I was beginning to get a bit overwhelmed. 

After this went on for about 45 minutes, I called my mom. She immediately heard him screaming and she asked me what was wrong. She later told to me that she thought he was hurt. I explained the situation and she suggested that I get him a snack or something to drink. Good idea! I hung up the phone and went to the kitchen. I found a snack and offered to to him but he refused. Same reaction when I tried giving him his sippy cup. I was starting to get anxious again.

The phone rang. Hoping it was his mom, I answered it immediately.

Did he stop crying yet? It was my mom. Having been at this for more than an hour, I explained that he was whining at the moment, but he did that for a little bit before he went into hysterics again. She offered to come over to help me but I told her to give me another 20 minutes to try to calm him down. She agreed but I knew she could sense the anxiety in my voice.

I was unsuccessful again, and then phone rang and I remember thinking that either 20 minutes went by really fast or my mom had grown impatient.

Did he stop yet? Was the first thing she said. Before I could answer, she must have heard him crying because she said I'll be right over.

We didn't live far so she arrived fairly quickly. I don't remember specifically what my mom did but she helped me calm him down. He finally moved away from the door and caught his breath. He had a snack and my mom helped me put him to bed in case he had another meltdown. (I have a wonderful mother by the way - you will learn this more and more as you read my blog).

My mom's friend called to check in about 3 hours after she left. I didn't want to alarm her so I told her he was upset for a while but he was sleeping now.

She returned home about 2 hours later.

This experience really made an impression on me. It took me a while to babysit another young child again, and when I did later on, I always had this experience in the back of my head. As a mother, I fear that I may put a babysitter in the same situation.

Which brings me to the point of this post - I am a bit obsessive when it comes to leaving my kids with a babysitter for an extended amount of time, especially in the evening. Not that I am concerned for my children's well-being, but I fear the babysitter may lose her sanity if one of them has a complete meltdown for a few hours or refuses to go to bed. Even if it's a family member, I call or text within 10 minutes after we leave so that everything is ok.

Since Bean joined our family, I insist that there are two babysitters with the girls, especially if we get home after they are in bed. Bedtime can be crazy when it's just me so I do not expect someone else to go through it alone. Strength in numbers for sure.

I also leave very detailed notes. I mean, the kind that include the time of when things might occur, the food available in the house to eat, the bedtime routine pretty much step-by-step. (Ridiculous, I know.) For example, my note might say, If Noodle says she is hungry when getting ready for bed, ask her if she wants a drink of water. If she says yes, then just go in the bathroom and fill a Dixie cup with a small amount of water. She does this to stall the process. 

My antics are quite embarrassing.

I am fairly certain I have made family members feel incompetent with my notes and play-by-play. I don't mean to be offensive. I am just reminded of that terrible babysitting experience each time we leave our kids.

When I am (usually) typing out these notes, I think to myself Have I gone overboard? Generally, the consensus is yes, but then I recall that stressful and anxiety-filled evening, and power through the note-taking. In the event something were to set one of them off, the babysitters will appreciate my notes. And if they don't need all of the details, then I will be a proud mom because that means my kids behaved pretty well!

In all seriousness, I plan to have fun tonight, but that doesn't mean I won't be checking in with the babysitters a few times this evening.

Sami

Product Recall: Infantino Baby Slings

More than 1 million Infantino baby slings have been recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC urges parents to stop using them on infants under 4 months due to possible suffocation in the soft fabric. Three infant deaths last year are linked to the Infantino slings.

The recall includes the "SlingRider" and the "Wendy Bellissimo" carriers sold in the United States and Canada.

For more information, please read the article by the Associated Press.

I will try to post recall announcements as often as I can. Please share this information with your mom friends.

Sami

Book Review: Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference isn't a new book. In fact, it's 10 years old. But, the premise of the book is still very relevant. Had I not read this book, The Mom would not exist (well, at least not now).

In this best-seller, Gladwell discusses social phenomena, such as the regain in popularity of Hush Puppies shoes, the decline in New York City crime, teenage smoking prevalence and teenage suicide patterns, through "word-of-mouth epidemics." He discusses how the tipping point for each phenomenon is reached once a large portion of society behaves in such a way that the world is forever changed. It is when a behavior or idea hits its critical mass.

Gladwell introduces other notions, such as "The Stickiness Factor," which is when a message influences (or "sticks") with a group of people or a population which causes them to act in a certain way. His theory is that social epidemics exist because of three types of influential people - Connectors (those who bring people together), Mavens (those who share knowledge with others) and Salesmen (those who persuade others). While discussing these social personalities, Gladwell uses interesting stories and entertaining anecdotes, such as the success of the children's show Blue's Clues, the actions of the influential historical figure Paul Revere and the rise and decline in popularity of the shoe company Airwalk.

The reason I chose this book to be my first review is because it inspired me to start The MOM. For about a year, I had contemplated starting a blog about motherhood (see my Welcome from a few days ago), but needed a little nudge. Earlier this year while in a search for a good read, a friend recommended this book to me. As I read through the chapters, I started to see the world and social popularity in a different way. When Gladwell went into great detail to explain the social personalities, I saw where I fit into the puzzle - my interest to host a form to discuss topics related to motherhood (Connector) and to share my thoughts, opinions and recommendations with others (Maven). Bingo! This book gave me the confidence to move forward. It illustrated how I could serve as a Connector and Maven in a larger role to bring mothers together to share information and experiences.

As briefly discussed in the second publication of The Tipping Point, I believe social phenomena take place more frequently than they did when this book was published due to technology, specifically the Internet. Ten years ago, social media hadn't gained its popularity. Blogs, Facebook, Twitter and My Space were in their infancy, if even yet developed. Going "viral" hadn't yet been discovered. And a "YouTube Sensation" like Susan Boyle was a thing of the future. Technology has taken "word of mouth" to another level.

In my opinion, today's society social epidemics are more prevalent but still follow Gladwell's concepts. The difference is that in some cases they take less time to reach their tipping point. The Internet has accelerated the process in many ways.

(January 5, 2010 - ABC's Katie Couric interviews Malcolm Gladwell. He discusses The Tipping Point and his other three books.)

So what does this have to do with motherhood? Good question. I think it helps us explain the world in which we live. The world where we raise our children, nurture our relationships and marriage and discover our roles in society. Mothers are an important part of social phenomena.

The Tipping Point is a fascinating, intelligent and thought-provoking book for all ages. In addition to Gladwell's social concepts, he shares a wealth of information, stories and history lessons that will appeal to several audiences. This book will change the way you see the world from personal and business standpoints. I feel like I am a smarter person having read this book. It was definitely time well spent.

Sami

Night Owl Mom + Rooster Daughters = Rough Mornings

My daughters wake up early every morning. I know it's not good to use absolutes, but in Noodle's 3 years of life, I can think of only one time she slept past 8:00 a.m. (You get my point.)

Bean is under a year old so maybe she will surprise me and sleep in later as she gets older. (Doubt it.)

Noodle wakes up anytime between 5:45 and 6:30 a.m. ready to seize the day. She is always smiling and now has learned to hand DH and me our eyeglasses so we can see her clearly and share in her morning joy. She is ready for breakfast as soon as she wakes up - she literally drags us out of bed. (Pathetic, I know.)

Never would have thought MY children would be roosters! I am most productive at night. I love to stay up late to finish a good book or surf the Internet. In college, I pulled all-nighters more than I should have. Growing up, I always slept in late. I attended afternoon kindergarten for this very reason, and frequently missed Saturday morning cartoons. (At some point I will have to explain to my kids that Nick Jr. didn't exist when I was young.)  DH on the other hand is a "morning person" but even he can't get over this phenomenon.

I have tried everything to help the situation.

We have maintained the same bedtime and nightly routine since she was about 6 months old. (Bath, books and lullabies.)

We tried putting Noodle to bed later in hopes that she will sleep in later. Didn't work. She still got up at the same time and was cranky and tired the next day. (Backfired miserably.)

I read books that told me to put her to bed earlier because she may actually be overtired, which would explain the early rising. Didn't work. She woke up even earlier those mornings.

So, I have come to the conclusion that my daughters are roosters - plain and simple. They love to get up early and start the day off with a bang!

I, on the other hand, struggle every morning.

But, I am very thankful for coffee.

Sami

The first post is probably the hardest....

Welcome to The Mark of Motherhood (The MOM)! I am very excited to get The MOM up and running. The purpose of this blog is to discuss various topics and issues related to motherhood. I have envisioned this blog for more than a year so I am keeping my fingers crossed that it isn't a complete flop!

I have found it difficult to come up with a great topic or story for my first post. I have several ideas but I keep telling myself I'll use that one later.... It isn't a good first post. As you might imagine, I am putting a lot of pressure on myself (in typical mom fashion, of course)!

Well, enough of paralysis by analysis! My first post is going to explain the conception of this blog. It's always good to give followers some context and background. I will list just a few reasons for starting The MOM.

Reason # 1: I love blogging and I want to share my stories and follow other bloggers' experiences during this incredible journey called motherhood. Some of us have support networks among family members, friends and co-workers. I think an online network can be just as helpful to connect with other mothers. I believe blogs can offer honest discussion and insight, more than you might get from a friend over a cup of coffee.

Reason # 2: I want to serve as an informant and maybe sometimes an educator. I don't plan to give teaching lessons (well, at least not any formal ones)! Rather, I want to share information and news that I think are important for moms and women to know about. If I do go into a teaching moment, I'll try to make the lesson a little more interesting than the one in this clip from Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Does anyone remember the teacher's name? Anyone? Anyone?

Just so you get the idea, I will share an example of me in the informant role...

A few months ago I was walking out of GapKids at our local shopping district when I saw a mom strolling her baby in a recently recalled Maclaren stroller. Maclaren recalled several models due to severing the fingers of at least a dozen children (Yikes!). I went up to the mom and felt pretty confident she was going to think I was a little crazy, but I felt compelled to say something. ...  

I am sorry to bother you, I said in a calm voice. I just wanted you to know, in case you aren't aware, that Maclaren recently announced a massive recall on their strollers. I don't mean to alarm you. I feared I was going to send her into panic mode.

She replied, Yes, I know. Our repair kit is on the way. Thank you.

Huh? I couldn't decide whether she appreciated my candid approach or not. As I reflected on her response while walking away, I felt dumbfounded as to why she knowingly had her child sitting in a recalled stroller. Perhaps she was the crazy one after all!

In addition, I have much to learn from my followers. This is why I encourage you to send me an e-mail or post comments. I love healthy discussion on various topics related to motherhood.

Reason # 3: I enjoying sharing stories (see above), attempting to be humorous, and recommending products, books and ideas with others. An example... After the birth of my oldest daughter, I did a lot of trial and error with baby products, parenting tactics and everything else you could imagine. When I found something I liked and worked for us, I wanted to tell every mom I knew about my discovery. Probably because I felt a sense relief, but I also wanted others to know about, what, I thought was, an incredible invention or approach. Often times I would receive enthusiastic feedback from my recommendations. Now when I have one of these exhiliarating moments, rather than contacting my rather small network of moms, I can tell all of you, too!

Well, there you have it! My list of reasons for this blog. I could go on for a while but I will keep it to three. I appreciate you making this far.

Thanks for visiting and I hope you stop by The Mark of Motherhood again soon!

Sami