All's rosey in Pasadena

We live in Pasadena and that means the only thing to do New Year's day is the Rose parade. We walk 4 blocks from our house to watch the parade every year. It's been a great tradition and we've been spoiled this year becuase our neighbors saved us seats starting at 11 p.m. last night. We just show up with hot chocolate at 8:30 a.m. New Year's day and watch the show. Aren't we spoiled....and smart? Happy New Year!

Ahh...the holiday hoopla

We're back in full swing after days of holiday hoopla. It was so much fun this year, even though we chose to celebrate at home, rather than visit family, becuase my son finally understood that 1) it was okay to tear open the presents that were wrapped under the tree and 2) that he got to keep the gifts. It was so fun seeing how excited he was to own new toys - particularly his new Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal that he has yet to put down- but there was a part of me that wondered if I was already setting his expectations too high. Am I crazy to think that he social consciousness should start at age 2?

Doubt, the movie

My husband took my son to visit grandma and that gave me a few hours to run some errands and see some amazing acting. I saw "Doubt" this week and although it is not an uplifting movie, the acting is amazing. Meryl Streep, Amy Adams and Philip Seymour Hoffman make the movie completely worth seeing - unless you are looking to be cheered this holiday season, then wait until it comes out on video.

The clock has not started ticking on Santa yet

So, based on all the movies, television shows and my random memory, I thought my son would be born knowing about and loving Santa. Well, it's not true. He knows who Santa is now because of all the books we've read featuring the hefty man and his reindeer, but is he that excited about Santa at 23 months? Not really. Photos with Santa - not so happy. So this entire week I've tried to prep him for Santa's arrival - I've even told him about all the toys he's going to get, but still he's not that excited. I mean, he gets excited when he sees I am excited, but I don't think it's fully registered yet that he is about to rack in...that all 20 gifts under the tree are for him from relatives, friends, neighbors, etc.

We'll see how he reacts tomorrow morning, but for now I'll assume that he won't get it and that means I have a long time before he finds out that Santa isn't real. There is something sweet about that.

Goodie Bag Help!!

I'm prepping for my son's second birthday and need to figure out goodie bag items. He's only two so obviously no chokeables, but what are some fabulous ideas? I know you have them, start sharing......

Diaper Cake

Saw this diaper cake online and had to share - isn't it both adorable and genius?

Max won't lay down during diaper changes

Does your baby like peas one day and hate them the next? Does he or she like wearing one shirt one day and then never wants to see if the next? My little 23 month old has done all of this and then some, but the latest "i'm fine with it....no, no I'm not" involves diaper changing. For some reason, he refuses to lie down during diaper changes. He says "no wipes...no lie down" throughout the diaper changing process. I am hoping this is a phase because I am not very proficient and changing diapers in mid-air with a baby grabbing on to my hair at the same time. Not to mention the fact that the diaper is put on so poorly that it often falls off or drags down to his knees the way some high schoolers wear their pants around their knees.

As always....suggestions are welcom.

Today is the last weekend before Christmas and my husband and I have been invited to three holiday parties! Having not been out that much since our son was born, we are thrilled that we are still cool enough to be invited. Of course, we'll only be attending the one that is child-friendly and at 3 p.m. in the afternoon since our nanny is on vacation and we don't have much family in town to babysit, but we're still cool.....

I received a new cell phone the other day - I mistakenly threw my old cell phone in a public trash can and did not realize it until the next day. (Hey - I was holding baby wipes, a jar of baby food and some other things all at the same time). But yes, I am a genius. I like to call it my "rush to get to work while my husband keeps asking me about the water bill, my nanny keeps asking me about her vacation days and my son keeps saying "uppie, uppie mama" brain. It happens to all of us moms whether we work or not. At some point, too many people talk to you and make you forget everything that you are doing.

Can you honestly tell me you've never had the feeling that you are trying to remember what YOU need to accomplish and yet people keep talking to you? Didn't everything they say sound like Charlie Brown's teacher "wah,wah,wah, wah, wah, wah?" And yet, you were still able to understand what each person was saying!

Well, that is the reason I decided to start my blog. Becuase as moms we are the ultimate multi-taskers. And even though we have children, husbands, boyfriends, girlfriends, mothers, fathers, etc., at the end of the day, sometimes only other moms get it.

I don't intend to take over the world with my blog, but hopefully share some funny and interesting stories about my experience as a mom. We'll see if I have "funny" and "interesting" in me. You should also know that we love to eat, so if you're in LA or Miami, I'll have lots of fun restaurant postings, my family and I are weekend explorers, so you'll see a lot of child-friendly and family friendly activities, art lovers, so we'll have periodic movie, theater, museum reviews, and more.

Thanks for visiting my new blog. We'll be in touch very soon!

Shelfer