From the category archives:

Month 2

Activity #63: Buy some new jeans

August 29, 2011

Put away the maternity pants and take yourself out to Old Navy to get some interim jeans to make you feel normal. Go with a girlfriend you trust. Don’t look at the size, just find something flattering and comfortable. DO NOT THINK ABOUT OR TALK ABOUT THE WEIGHT YOU ARE GOING TO LOSE IN THE [...]

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Activity #308: Hit the casino with a bambino

June 29, 2011

When we have new babies in our lives, it’s easy to go into a self-imposed exile or quarantine, reading only sleep habits books and looking only at the baby. Of course, Whitney and I think that mama needs to leave the house and thus this site was born. I read the story of how Vicky [...]

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Activity #266: Create a Modern Family photo

March 28, 2011

Do you guys watch the show Modern Family? We love it. The show’s credits show the family members holding frames with photos of the other family members inside. I was thinking what a cute holiday card photo this idea would make for grandparents, when I decided I’d like to do it myself. Below, my sister [...]

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Activity #57: Go to the theater where crying is allowed

February 28, 2011

Baby-friendly theaters? Yes, please. We sure love our DVRs and Hulu, but refuse to give up on going to the theater. Did you know some theaters also have special showings for new parents? These showings have different names in different cities, but the idea that yours will not (most likely) be the loudest baby in [...]

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Get a pedicure

February 21, 2011

While your baby is still small enough for the infant carrier, take advantage of your relative “freedom” to get your toenails done. We’ve experimented with many places and techniques and find this to be a favorite outing with (or without!) your baby. Your challenge this week is to enjoy a pedicure and report back. This [...]

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Activity #105: Practice yoga baby-style

February 14, 2011

Many yoga studios offer mom-and-baby classes. Search online for “post-natal yoga” and the name of your city to find one. This is your seventh weekly challenge. Benefits of these classes include getting out of the house, being kind to your body, meeting other rookie moms, and sometimes learning a little bit of baby massage technique. [...]

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Activity #515: Track your new mama milestones

February 9, 2011

When we look back in 25 years, we will marvel that our babies have become adults who drive cars and earn their own paychecks. (Here’s hoping!) You probably have a baby book to track your bambino’s progress through the first year: sitting up, crawling, first tooth, and so on. But how will you remember your [...]

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Activity #62: Paint your baby’s feet

February 7, 2011

Our challenge for you this week is slather your baby’s feet with paint and commemorate their tiny size. Many paint-your-own-pottery places know how to help you get cute baby footprints on plates and mugs. This is your sixth challenge. We made trivets (the cheapest pottery available was a flat tile). I recommend tackling the cheaper [...]

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Go to the market for just one thing

January 31, 2011

The day my husband went back to work and left me and our bundle of joy alone for a full day, Whitney generously took the day off of work to show me the ropes of maternity leave.  I accomplished three things under her tutelage: taking a walk, taking  a nap, and buying one thing at [...]

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How to behave: a Mom’s Group toolbox

January 25, 2011

Years ago, I went to my first mom’s group meeting, lugging my 5-week old in his bucket carseat. My c-section scar was still hurting when I lifted the seat and my breasts were so large from nursing that I felt unlike myself. Normally petite, abeit with C-cups passed down through many generations of voluptuous Russian [...]

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Guest post on colic: 5 coping techniques for moms with fussy babies

December 21, 2010

1. Step away from the baby Make a list of all those well-meaning friends who say, “Let me know if you need help with anything.” Then call one of them, hand over your screaming child, and leave the house. Even if you are nursing, you’ll have a 90-minute window after a feeding. Go get your [...]

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Activity #120: Find a mentor mom

November 11, 2010

My friend Samantha (mom of twins) said to me, “The valuable mom is the one who is six to eight months ahead of you in parenthood; any bigger gap than that and they’ve forgotten what you’re going through.” As a new mom of a little wobbly baby, I woulda thought 2 to 3 weeks max. [...]

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