On vacation! Please enjoy this post from 2010.

Julian noticed that I have been sewing a few things for Scarlett and asked me to make something for him.  I had hidden two plain Old Navy ringer tshirts in my closet, intending to embellish them in some way for him, but had not yet decided how.  I knew he really wanted to be surprised with something new.

I linked to this tutorial last week and thought I’d have a go at it last night.  I cut the tie shape from a work shirt that Ryan had tossed in the Goodwill pile. I used fabric glue to set it in place and then zig-zag stitched around the edges.  Not sure how it will hold up in the wash, but I thought it was darn cute when he wore it today.

For Julian, the best part was that when he woke up this morning, he found a post-it note on his bed frame that said

Find a new shirt on the coffee table.

Love, Mommy

When I heard him thump rapidly down the stairs at 6.30 am this morning,  I knew he had read the note.  Seconds later, he burst into my room cradling his new shirt, telling me he loves it. A lovely SuperMom moment for me.

Two-year olds are an opinionated lot. Discerning about gifts that relate to their passions, they tend to become hoarders, growing huge collections of vehicles, stuffed animals, or whatever they are most obsessed with. We have a few favorite picks with some universal appeal that may help round out your selection of playthings.

Inspire an art aficionado: Clear out a spot in the garage or throw down some paper for your would-be artist. Paints, paper, markers, and clips come standard. Good quality, this easel will last a long time.

Encourage a budding builder: If you don’t have any building blocks in the house, might I be so bold as to suggest LEGO DUPLO? The basic set is tons of fun and comes with simple patterns that Mom and Dad can figure out. This zoo is adorable with its little animals. DUPLO bricks also click into more complicated sets as your child ages. Great value.

Pro tip: Buy a big bundle on eBay and run them through the dishwasher.

Nurture a doll caregiver: Compassionate toddlers will be thrilled to mimic all the parenting activities they see you do when they become the mommy or daddy of a doll. Highchairs and strollers are fun additions to a stash of imaginative playthings, as well as this $20 DUKTIG doll bed from IKEA that comes with miniature linens.

Pro tip: Finger puppets make great stuffed animals for dolls.

Fuel a train fiend: Two is a perfect age for a train table if your kid is into that sort of thing. This kidcraft play table is about $100 and is compatible with LEGO toys by flipping the lid.

Pro tip: This is another great thing to scour Craigslist for, and your toddler won’t know the difference.

Music fan: You can certainly make your own instruments to please a toddler, but this set from Parents Magazine has been a winner in my house for more than seven years. This bug-themed music box is also a lot of laughs.

Outdoor adventurer: If you have a patch of lawn, we highly recommend picking up a tunnel, tent, or both to add to your next backyard festival. I borrowed Whitney’s tunnel for YEARS and we enjoyed it in the house and out.

Even more ideas? You got it!

• Future bikers are ready to start scooting with a Skuut Balance Bike. Dubbed the wobbly bike in my house, it is fabulous. [see also the many bikes before a real bike]
• Patient problem solvers will sit still for these beginner puzzles.
• Mommy’s little helper might like to start sweeping up with a real kid-sized broom and dustpan.
• Beach-goers and Playground-goers need their own sand toys.
• Silly toddlers will enjoy this pet alligator and dancing bug music box.

Please share your favorite gifts for two-year olds in the comments!

When I spotted this beanbag on Amazon, and shared it on our Facebook page, readers really liked it.

As I have mentioned before, my kids have a ginormous collection of Webkinz, which are small stuffed animals, plus assorted other plush friends that take up space in our playroom. I purchased a shelving unit specifically for them that I intended to be a sort of apartment house. It works sometimes.

Tossing them all in a beanbag that can be sat upon sounds brilliant to me. This photo is one that a happy customer posted on Amazon.

(Be careful, because I saw it listed on Amazon at $39.99 on most pages, but this link is for $30.27.)

The user on Amazon said that 44 stuffed animals fit inside. I love it! Also note that they sell double and triple versions of this, but the price starts to exceed $100, so I’m not even going to bother showing you a picture.

The reason I wanted to move this conversation further than Facebook is because there was so much good info being shared, I wanted to make sure you would see it.

Krista posted a link about washing stuffed animals, which is good information. Plus, this picture of her kids’ “friends” in the washing machine is priceless.

Kristal K. said that she bought a regular beanbag cover for this same purpose. Though it doesn’t have a cool mesh window, it still collects the little buggers in one place. Hers is rainbow tie-dye and comes from Wal-Mart, though not for sale online.

She also spotted this huge one at IKEA for $14.99.

Here are a couple of sources for empty beanbag covers. I found others, but some were so outrageously priced, I died.

• Land of Nod: Find the beanbag you like and then go to the specific product page to see the price for “cover only”. Not cheap, but if you have a picky aesthetic, you may be interested in browsing the selection. Similar to Pottery Barn Kids in style.
• Pottery Barn Teen: Any of their bean bag slipcovers can be ordered separately. They are the makers of the “Brooke” beanbag above.
• Grandma: (sorry, no link available) If you have a doting family member with sewing skills, you could describe this project to her. If I get motivated, I might go for it myself.
• Bed, Bath, and Beyond: Reasonable prices, finally! A few ugly designs and a few acceptable designs. $16.99 for a bean bag cover that looks like a soccer ball.
• Land’s End: Again with the $79 beanbag cover, but maybe worth browsing for inspiration.

Having checked these sources, I come back to the Boon Animal bag. It’s cuter, comes in gray as well as the bright colors, has a mesh window for seeing the animal’s faces, and seems fairly priced.

When Wittlebee, a kids’ clothing service, offered me the chance to try a box of their clothes, I gratefully accepted. I had been curious about it since Whitney had such good luck with her picky five-year old daughter. Based on your individual needs, they stuff a box full of name brand kid clothes and mail it to your home. You can continue on as a monthly subscriber or cancel anytime.

Since Sawyer inherited a LOT of hand-me-downs from his big brothers and our generous community, he didn’t neeeeed anything but I was excited to give him his own brand new stuff for a change. Every kid deserves a few special outfits, am I right?

Win. A monthly subscription is $39.99 and gets you some fabulous pieces that retail for much more individually. I received 6 items: 2 long-sleeve shirts, 1 short-sleeve shirt, 1 hoodie, and 2 pairs of pants. At forty bucks for 5 items of clothing, that’s less than $7 per piece (and much better stuff than you can usually buy for that price).

Win. I hate shopping and this saves me time in picking cute stuff without shlepping to any stores. I filled in a quick online style and preferences profile. I said I was open to little of everything except onesies. I specified in the notes that I want pants only with elasticky waistbands.

The package of adorable clothing arrived within a few business days.

Win. Now my sweet little boy has some brand new duds to call his own. (And he will be more than happy to share them with his little cousins when the time comes.)

When I showed the haul to big brothers, Holden and Milo, they were super excited for Sawyer to have his own stuff too. They each made a few picks of what Sawyer should wear on his first day as a preschool fashionisto. Milo lay his first choice out on the rug as a little man (including a threadless tee and some American Apparel sweats). It made me wish that Wittlebee came in their sizes, but right now, it’s just for little bro.

Both boys took turns making videos of what they liked best until the evening degenerated into a fit of giggles. Here’s a one minute video of brotherly fashion advice:

Given how filthy Sawyer gets at school, I think I’ll save the Appaman white hoodie (which retails between $20 and $50 by itself depending on where you shop!) for weekends.

Deal for you: If you are new to Wittlebee, you can save $10 on your first order with the code ROOKIE.

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Disclosure: I was compensated for this review but my older sons were not. All opinions are our own.

One year olds will make anything a toy — like that tube of butt cream or disposable coffee cup you keep trying to throw away — but since those don’t make the best birthday presents, we have some ideas for you. Here are our favorite go-to best gifts for a one-year old:

If you want a gift for under $10, this Playskool shape sorter is my fave. I’ve purchased it about five times for my own kids and small friends after testing others.

Need somebody smaller to love? Toddlers of all genders love to cuddle up with dolls. This one’s a cutie and less than $20. You can find African-American, Hispanic, or Asian dolls from JC Toys in the same general price range.

My little guys love to push a baby in a stroller like this one. There are several models for about $20. Baby beds and other accessories are a good bet.

Speaking of WHEELS, boys and girls love vehicles. Green Toys makes their popular dump truck in two flavors to suit your preferences for about $25. The trucks are super durable and made from recycled milk jugs so I’m willing to pay a little more.

Whitney’s kids always had fun pushing around play food or anything at all in this adorable and durable shopping cart from Melissa & Doug (about $50).

Another big hit from Whitney’s family, this ball pounder from Melissa + Doug teaches cause and effect, fun with balls, and the joy of whacking things. Just keep it far from your glass coffee table, ok? It retails for less than $20.

This Radio Flyer wagon is so well-loved at my son’s daycare that I wish we had it at home. Kids take turns riding and pushing. If you don’t have a friend to drive around, your teddy bear will also enjoy the ride (Or more likely, my left shoe and our remote control).

Related:
Clutter-free gifts for babies and toddlers
First birthday party ideas
Favorite ride-on toys for toddlers and wobblers

In keeping with our new Tech Tuesday theme, I want to share a few tip-full blog posts and some techie products for parents and kids.

Tech product picks for parents on giggle.com

1. GLO nightlight is a funky piece of decor, practical fading-over-time nightlight, AND a clever toy. Cool.
2. Babycook PRO (at $200 yowzer!) makes cooking homemade baby food easier & less messy, now twice as fast.
3. Cute, hygienic humidifier that looks like an elephant. Aww.
4. Ultra-portable smilie face speaker set would even fit in a tiny nursery like mine.
5. Find more electronics like video monitors and more over here. The technology changes too quickly for me to make a pick. Sorry!

I’m curious. What technical innovations do you love as a parent?

January blog posts on giggle

Why Google Calendar is a must-have for new parents
Question: What’s a free and easy-to-use organizing tool that makes family life easier and works on both your home computer and your smartphone? [read more on giggle gab]
Parent Talk: Best of 2012
Five fave posts from our giggle gab column in 2012 including 10 REALLY Creative Birth Announcements, 4 Ideas for a Modern Baby Shower, and more new mama tips on topics like DIY Halloween costumes, gear that will last for years, starting solids, and more.

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Disclosure: We’re happy to share our picks and posts as bloggers for giggle GAB. We hope you like them too.

Seeing her around the blogosphere, I always marveled at how pretty, feminine, and put-together Alli Worthington seemed from a distance, so I am beyond thrilled she let me pick her brain for our Rookie Moms Boys Club. Alli is extremely busy being a builder of companies, blogger, consultant, and general curator of awesome. She is the founder and publisher of Blissfully Domestic women’s magazine and the force behind the BlissDom conferences. Oh yeah, and did I mention she has FIVE SONS?!

How old are your boys?
My husband and I have 5 boys who range in ages from 4 to 14, and we live outside of Nashville, TN. All the boys are about two and a half years apart, and all of their names begin with J. Yes, all J’s; we are of of ‘those’ families.

I tell new friends who visit just to call the boys all ‘J’ at first. Otherwise I see the look of panic when they hear everyone’s names and wonder how they will remember all the names later.

What has most surprised you about being a boy mom?
I don’t have siblings, so living with six males is a constant education. I both enjoy and am horrified by watching the boys interact with each other in ways I never would have imagined. They hug, wrestle, fight, and then hug again. When they start fighting I yell, “Hey guys, are you happy fighting or angry fighting?” Nine times out of ten, they are happy fighting.

On nights at home with sports on TV, all five boys cuddle up with my husband in our bed. I, of course, try to avoid this at all costs. I stay in the living room because it’s quiet!

Of course I hear everything that happens in the next room. It is hilarious how predictable they all are. This is what happens:

1. At first, they snuggle up and watch the game with Daddy.
2. After 15 minutes I hear them all laughing and talking.
3. Then they wrestle and someone gets knocked off the bed.
4. Then I hear one boy fuss at another.
5. Then someone gets mad and punches another brother.
6. Then my husband asks them to shush, get along and watch the game.
7. They never do.
8. Before you know it, I hear my husband yell, “Everyone out if you can’t behave!”
9. They leave and come back over and over again- each time promising to chill out.
10. Eventually they do chill out and all snuggle up sweetly.
11. Until they start yelling to celebrate a touchdown on TV.
12. Then the boys get excited and get rowdy.
13. Can you guess what happens next? Yep, it happens all over again.

I will never understand their boy worlds, but I don’t have to…and I love peeking in.

What is the most fun thing about being a boy mom right now?
The best moments right now probably involve the bonds between the brothers of varying ages. Recently our youngest (4) decided he was afraid to sleep at night and would walk down the hallway to his oldest brother’s (14) room, curl up like a puppy on top of the covers and fall asleep.

Parenting is a long game. Moms especially don’t get many pats on the back. Noticing these little moments of sweetness can be a huge encouragement that I’m doing a good job as a mother. No one is perfect, no mother can do it all, but seeing my boys care for each other tells me I’m doing just fine.

What is the hardest thing about being a boy mom right now?
Forcing myself to make them take personal responsibility for their actions, choices and decisions. It’s much easier to rescue and make excuses for children at all costs. Moms want to make hard times go away for older kids just like they did when that child was a baby.

It’s also hard not to give them things they haven’t earned. Sure, I could buy them a new game or a new football, etc.. but I know that it is only what is earned that is truly appreciated. It’s a disservice to my kids to spoil them because the want never subsides. There will always be an upgrade or a better toy thanks to commercials.

To value an item, and themselves in the long term, things (and the money to buy those things) must be earned.

Do you have a tip to share for moms of younger children?
Break the motherhood cycle of catering to your kids. It will make you miserable. By enabling their dependance and giving kids too much, we can accidentally allow our kids to become entitled. That becomes self-centeredness, and that can make kids grow into little emotionally-unstable dictators. C’mon, before you balk at how upfront I am, tell me you don’t know a kid like that? We all do. Those kids probably have parents who think they are very loving, but are actually enabling their children.

I also think moms would suffer less depression if we expected kids in the US to lift a finger.

If your kid can use your iPad, your kid is bright enough to do chores.

I constantly battle with this myself. Some days I want to let the chores slide and just do everything myself so I don’t have to suffer through all the whining. Trust me, it’s worth the hassle of forcing your kids to be responsible and do their work.

For example, all children have a tendency to take their parents for granted and fall into a pattern of expecting their mothers to cater to them.

That type of unnecessary constant sacrifice serving the the whims of kids who can do things for themselves is what wears many mothers down. I actively teach the boys about boundaries by what I do not do for them and what I expect them to do.

They pack their own lunches and empty the dishwasher starting at age 8. And I expect them to be responsible for themselves and work for the benefit of the whole family more and more as they get older. The boys do all the kitchen work, have to cook dinner once a week, put away laundry, vacuum and do yard work.

Instead of me doing it all and becoming overwhelmed and quietly resentful, I teach the boys to honor their family and their mom by pulling their own weight. In return, they have much happier parents.

Now, this sounds lofty, but it’s not in daily life. They still whine about chores and have farting contests with each other while they work. As long as no guests are over, I ignore the obnoxiousness.

I want to hear more about this. I’m wondering how much work my 7, 5, and 1 year olds are ready for.
Sadly, not much for the under 6 crowd. My littles are slackers. Depending on personality, the 7year old can pack his own lunch, vacuum living room and empty dishwasher. I never had any luck getting any of my boys under 5 to clean up after themselves. All the advice of having preschoolers tidy their toys was lost on us.

When my oldest was in Kindergarten he had to unload dishes and vacuum before school. I’m slacking with all his little brothers. Ha.

What do you do to stay girlie in a house of boys?
I think my company grew out of my need to be around other women! The conference I co-founded, the BlissDom Social Media Conference, has 1000 attendees all of whom just so happen to be women.

I built an entire media company that focuses on connecting smart women, big ideas and great resources. BlissDom is a business conference with parties with an excessive amount of glitter. Well, at least on me…

Is there another mom of many boys you look to for advice or inspiration?
My friend, Wendy Scherer (on twitter as @WendyScherer) is a wonderful person who is a fantastic mom of teen guys.

Related dude-friendly links:
Today I’m sharing fun stocking stuffers because Whitney told me to.

1. Punch balloons — the very best small things to get out big energy when housebound in the winter so you don’t punch out your brothers (as recommended to me by Alli last year; for some reason 50 balls is just a bit more than 12 so buy 50.)
2. Adhesive mustaches — I did not need to buy 50 of these but they’re so darn funny and now I’ll never run out. They’re in my stocking too. What?
3. Iron-on ties — spiff up your child’s t-shirt or onesie while supporting this adorable etsy store.
4. Any kind of small vehicle — matchbox cars, hot wheels, baby versions… I don’t care, we all get ‘em.
5. Lego minfigures — I like to buy the surprise packages that include one random mystery dude, even for myself. Sawyer will get a DUPLO dude that is already in our house. Shhh.

And remember, moms:

[All photos from Alli Worthington used with her permission; family pic taken by Jana Warnke]

Back by popular demand, we present the best gifts that don’t need to be put away, stepped over, or shoved in a closet when company comes over.

We have 25 clutter-free ideas for every member of your family: babies, kids, other mamas, the men in your life, and grandparents!

Babies and toddlers

1. A series of classes. Find one you can take together such as Mommy and Me yoga, music, or swimming. More details about finding a a fun class with your baby.
2. The box your other toys came in. We’re serious. I will let Sawyer enjoy boxes of different sizes for a couple of days and then when it’s time to clean up, into the recycling they go. Big ones are vehicles; small ones are hats. Then he can focus on other new toys. [Related: toddler fun sitting in boxes]
3. Love. It doesn’t take up any space and it lasts forever.  But seriously, if you want something to show them in the heat of present unwrapping, make a video of yourself to keep on your phone playing peek-a-boo or singing a song with hand motions. Your toddler will love to watch it. And lick it.
4. A savings account. Put your kid’s name on some money. You don’t need to have a whole plan in place, but whatever you put away now will only start growing sooner.

Preschoolers and older kids

1. A major outing. Are you ready for Disneyland, Six Flags, or some other big adventure? Make a big deal out of putting it on the calendar.
2. Theater tickets: Seeing a play or a concert on a stage is so much fun. Consider a children’s theater group in your town or splurge on one of the branded live shows that tour all the big cities such as Sesame Street Live, Disney on Ice, or Yo Gabba Gabba Live. We just learned that Phineas and Ferb will be a live show in 2013.
3. Membership: Pick up an annual pass to a kid-friendly museum, indoor playspace, or the Zoo. Pro tip: Split it with a girlfriend.
4. Ride tickets for local destination. The carousel at the zoo, or train tickets. Put the purchased tickets (or fake homemade ones) together with a picture of the ride.

Your lady friends and sisters

1. Spa credit: A pedicure, massage, or scrub either booked or merely suggested with a nice printed paper tied in a bow.
2. Entertainment: Take her to a concert, a play, or just a movie. Tickets in an envelope are so exciting.
3. Workshop or class: Would she love to learn a new type of dance, wine-tasting, love-bombing, or cake-decorating skills? Heather would like a class from HackerMoms or Stitch Sewing Lab.
4. Chocolate: It’s not clutter if you eat it and throw away the wrapper.
5. Experience: Create personal and customized goals for a new year of stuff you want to do together (perfect for list-makers like us). Sporty girls can sign up for a winter run together.

If she’s also a mama

1. Babysitting swap or you host a playdate that she can leave, but you have to really do it so put it on the calendar on the spot.
2. Real food: Who wouldn’t be thrilled to receive a batch of soup, lasagna, or pumpkin bread? Package in a disposable container and the whole thing will soon disappear.
3. iTunes credit, you bring the dessert for Girls Night In to watch Downton Abbey.

Dads and men friends

1. A challenge. Whitney booked her husband for four personal training sessions for his birthday. Disclaimer: He had been talking about changing up his exercise habits. For the men in your life, look for a martial arts class, a rock climbing gym, or other physical activity he doesn’t normally do.
2. An escape. Lift tickets, a day-long mountain biking tour, or greens fees along with your blessing to enjoy the day. With or without you. (REI is a good place to look for extreme excursions.)
3. A Task Rabbit. Is there something around the house he’s wished would be magically changed? Can you outsource it? Whitney needed her kids’ bunk bed to be disassembled and removed from the house to make room for new beds. She knew her husband was dreading spending his day off on the chore, so she hired a Task Rabbit to take care of it. Their website has lists of tasks to inspire you.
4. Tickets for a sporting event. Hockey, basketball, local college soccer games, whatever makes him happy.

The grandparents

1. Walking tour: Whitney and her husband sent two sets of grandparents on an ethnic food tour of L.A. where they live. They loved it. Google “walking tour” and the city they live nearest. For Heather’s folks, wintery weather means this is a better birthday gift. No good snowy walking tours where they live? Read on.
2. Charitable donation in their name: If they have everything they need, pick a cause close to their hearts. We’ve donated to a Jazz Society for a Jazz-loving grandfather, and made Kiva loans on behalf of those who love to learn about cultures around the globe.
3. A class: For those with a lot of time on their hands, learning something new is a great source of entertainment. Think cooking, computer skills, yoga, or swing dancing.
4. A delicious meal: Pick the place they’ve always wanted to try but have been too practical to go on their own. Alternatively, restaurant.com offers discounts to many places and gift certificates (with a few funny exceptions and exclusions).
5. Tech support. Help Granny and Papa set their configurations for Skype or iChat; install their new Wii; or put books on their Kindle.

Rookie mom, Kiaran, shared her pictures from her son Ashton’s first birthday and I couldn’t wait to share them with you. How cute is baby Ashton in his ‘stache? Between juggling her fulltime job with work-related travel and parenting a teething pre-toddler, planning the party was pretty easy with some strategic etsy purchases.

We had a blast and he enjoyed every minute of it. We did a mustache bash and had Mexican food, a keg, and some homemade cupcakes and s’more party favors. I got all of the décor and his little tie from Etsy (Jar wrappers and tags and Little guy ties) – too cute!

All photos and party details from Kiaran Locy. Thanks Kiaran and happy birthday, Ashton (whom I totally want to call ‘Stashton after this)! As with any first birthday party, we urge you to celebrate in a way that you love.

Related posts:
More first birthday ideas
Parenting trend: mustaches for babies
Celebrating #Movember

In real life, Whitney is the crafty one and I’m the other one. About a year ago, I asked her what should be included in a basic arts and crafts kit. Armed with these supplies, I would have a few more tricks up my sleeve on rainy days. At that time, my sleeve was full of board games and play-doh.

She told me to get these 10 craft supplies:

1. Kid scissors
2. Colored cardstock – pack of multicolored stiff paper available at Target or any craft store
3. Hole puncher for connecting things
4. Water colors for least painful painting experience
5. Tape – Scotch tape for crafts, blue tape for forts, duct tape to ruin your furniture
6. Pipe cleaners
7. Stickers or labels intended for office things – ie not licensed characters or holidays – for more open ended usage
8. Beading kit – buy packages of manly colors or rainbow colors – do it now before little man becomes a hazard to all types of tiny object activities
9. Kid catalogs and magazines they can cut pictures out of
10. Wrapping paper

Whitney took pity on my fragile sleep-deprived mind and offered…
10 activities to DO with all these goodies:

1. Make an alphabet or color book for the baby. Milo draws pictures, Holden writes the words. one word per page, ie banana, dog, car.
2. Cut out and tape or glue eyes nose mouth from magazine faces (need entertainment or fashion mags) to make a new face.
3. Make and send a card to cousins
4. Print a picture of self in black and white and then watercolor it
5. Make a paper chain to countdown days til x (holiday, birthday, grandparent visit!)
6. Draw with crayons and water color on top
7. Make jewelry out of pipecleaners
8. String beads on pipecleaners
9. Make a tic tac toe game to play
10. Decorate a cardboard box

I loved Whitney’s suggestions because they sounded simple enough. Because I was stretched thin with a newborn, my quick run to Michael’s craft store was delayed for a bit (and blogging was pushed off for a year!). I reluctantly admit that the big shop finally happened because we were testing out TaskRabbit so I sent one of the rabbits out with my shopping list. Score! I purchased the items and stored them within my older sons’ reach.

Milo needed no further instruction to make the most of the new materials. This past weekend, he cut out foam masks (from the leftovers of my R2D2 baby mobile), made a frog puppet named Holden, and used up the tape (again!) making superhero wrist cuffs.

I love that he has the imagination to power his projects and the craft balls (sorry, that sounded wrong!) to turn into aliens and flowers.

I don’t love the little bits of shrapnel I find every time I walk near his work table, but it seems like a fair price for all the fun he’s having.

What’s in your craft supply kit?

Amy Corbett Storch is the mom of three little guys living in the DC area and a busy blogger for amalah.com, mamapop, and alphamom among others. In addition to writing about realistic post-partum outings, she also said she liked our book once in her cool pregnancy countdown. I love what she shared in this profile of her life in a boy-centered house as part of our Rookie Moms Boys Club.

What are the names and ages of your children?
Noah, just turned 7, Ezra, just turned 4, and Ike is 17 months. We live in Maryland, just outside DC.

What has most surprised you about being a boy mom?
How crazy affectionate and loving they are! You hear stories about boys being all spastic energy who think girls/kissing is “gross” and would rather beat on everything, but all of my boys are cuddly snugglers who want hugs, kisses and physical affection from me (and their dad) all the time. It’s awesome.

What is the most fun thing about being a boy mom right now?
Being with all three of them together, seeing how much they look like brothers while each being completely unique little people.

What is the hardest thing about being a boy mom right now?
I doubt this is strictly a “boy thing,” but man, they fight a lot. They are ALWAYS antagonizing each other and even fun playtime escalates into someone getting hurt sooooo fast these days.

Also, the clutter level in my house is ridiculous. I swear they all just walk around leaving a never-ending toy and junk trail behind them, like slugs.

What do you do to stay girlie in a house of boys?
Around the house I’m usually in jeans and no makeup, but whenever we’re heading out — even if it’s just to the super family-friendly pizza place — I usually will wear a dress and ALWAYS do my hair and makeup. Cute shoes, lots of big fun jewelry (bonus because it amuses the baby), etc.

That’s always been the extent of my girlie-ness, though. I have the taste, interests and humor of a 12-year-old boy otherwise.

Do you have any tips to share?
For me, going from one boy to two was WAY harder than going from two to three. We more or less kept doing everything we were doing before, just hauling a newborn in a sling everywhere like it was no big deal. (I also learned to streamline my diaper bag to only the bare essentials.) It’s a bit of a game-changer when the third baby started walking, but since we were pretty good about not becoming new-baby hermits earlier, it wasn’t quite the shock it would have been to suddenly be attempting trips and outings with SO MANY FULLY-FORMED CHILDREN.

Also: date nights. We gotta have our date nights.

Is there another mom of many boys you look to for advice or inspiration?
My mom had two boys of her own before becoming a stepmom to my dad’s two sons. They were practically grown by the time I was born so I only remember our house being calm and orderly, and my mom being the perfect picture of patience with me. She regularly reminds me that it wasn’t like that when she had all four boys, and that my house (and patience level) won’t be like that either. And that’s OKAY and I’m still doing a good job.

Thanks so much to Amy for answering all my random questions; I really love what you said about your mom.

Here are three of my favorite boy things right now:

1. How much my littlest son is starting to reciprocate his big brother’s feelings
2. The LEGO advent calendar is so fun; Star Wars or City are both cool but Star Wars costs about $10 more
3. (Temporary) tattoo monster hands, good for snowy days inside

Roxanna Sarmiento is the mom of three beautiful boys and the founder of the The Frog & Snail Society, a lifestyle blog for everyone who has a boy in their life. She has been blogging since 2005 at places such as Babble and Cool Mom Picks. In addition to writing about her adventures throwing an Indiana Jones birthday party, she has an MBA and is the brand marketing director at Sway Group.  We’re so excited that Roxanna agreed to be our first feature in the Rookie Moms Boys Club! Woohoo.

What are the names of your children and where do you live?
Sebastian (7), Benjamin (5), Matthias (almost 3!). We live right outside of Boston.

What has most surprised you about being a boy mom?
What surprised me the most is how much of myself I see in my boys.

What is the most fun thing about being a boy mom right now?
They keep me on my feet; I find that in order for all of us to be happy, the boys need to be tired. So we’re outside A LOT.

What is the hardest thing about being a boy mom right now?
Understanding how important “boy” things are to them — things like Beyblades and Spiderman. I hate to be a cliche, but I just don’t get it.

What do you do to stay girlie in a house of boys?
I treasure my girlfriends! I love my boys, but I would never give up my girl friends. They keep me sane. [Ed. note: Roxanna says her other blog, Everyday Treats, is a girl]

Do you have a tip to share?
I’m learning as I go along, but I always remind myself that this too shall pass — both the good and the bad.

Is there another mom of many boys you look to for advice or inspiration?
Alli Worthington — she has five (!) and she told me once that she would never be able to do it if she didn’t put them to work. So now I do.

Thanks so much to Roxanna for going first in our little club for boy mamas. I appreciate it! Here are three of my favorite boy things right now:

1. Every good idea and feature you’ve ever wanted to know about LEGO from F&S society (storage, downloads, party ideas, MORE!)
   
2. Cool shoes from Whitney’s son’s closet.
3. How my son became a football fanatic.