5 things to know before monday ~ 2.16.14

This week there was buzz in my social media feed and discoveries that had me laughing, crying, as well hosting a solo dance party in my office cube.  Check out my great discoveries of the week that include Le Tote, Happy Birthday Colin, iTunes Radio, and much more.

toddler ipad apps

Welp we finally gave in.  Over the holidays amidst a meltdown, Liam was introduced to interactive toddler apps and that was it.  Liam went from naive baby to future techie.  Instead of fighting our urge to keep him away from any Apple product, we decided to encourage it by buying the kid friendly ipad protector and finding the right ipad apps that wouldn't make him overly stimulated.  Thankfully he would rather run around playing chase, but on days where the windchill keeps us indoors these apps help keep him engaged and active.

5 things to know before monday ~ 2.2.14

Happy Super Bowl Sunday!  While I grew up in Seattle and love seeing my Facebook feed with so many hometown friends excited for the big game, I'm not a sports fan so for me it's another day.  However, to show support for the place I grew up I'll wear some blue today.  Let's be honest I don't own an ounce of sports branded gear.  On that note, here are some things you should know before you head back to work tomorrow!

ba·by (ba-be) | 10 things my son has taught me

Tomorrow we celebrate the birth of our wonderfully awesome little boy Liam.  This 1st year of motherhood has been interesting.  I mean DUH obviously I love motherhood, but I'm not going to be that mom who says that everything is coming up roses because let's be honest we know better than that.    I will say this though - being a mom has changed everything in a way I never thought was imaginable.  I loved my life the way it was before Liam was born and I had no idea how much better life would be until we had him.  He has taught me so much about myself and I've changed in a great way.  And the one point of clarification that I would like to make is that I voluntarily changed.  He didn't change me, I changed myself and this change has been for the better.

So what exactly has he taught me in the last year?  That life in it's simplest form should never be overlooked...

1. Appreciate the things you may have overlooked in the past
2. The small things ARE a big deal
3. Clap and celebrate every moment in life
4. Try everything once and if you don't like it once - don't be afraid to try it again just to re-confirm
5. Share. Always share - even with those who may not be good at sharing with us
6. It's ok to cry every once and awhile when you can't express how you're feeling at that moment
7. Sometimes a hug is all you need to stop you from being upset
8. Proceed in life with caution, but enjoy every minute
9. An early bedtime isn't a bad idea for a person at any age
10. Be fearless and don't be afraid by what you don't know can hurt you

It's amazing what you can learn from a tiny human being who is just getting started in life.  If anything it's a nice reminder to not let the stress of life get the best of you.

fit•ness (fit-nis) | running

There was brief stint in my mid-twenties when I thought I could be a runner.  I emphasize strongly on the word "thought".  I was active in a boot camp, which really should have been called a running camp, and even signed up for a series of races that year.  Welp - that was a few years ago.  Fast forwarded to today, where I still take fitness very seriously, but running is in a whole other category.  I was forced to put all cardio aside when I had major ankle surgery and solely concentrated on weight training for the last 3 years which proved to work really well for me.  While I'm at my pre-baby weight and perfectly content with my body, chasing after my crawling son the other day made me realize that I MUST get back to running.

While the little guy was crawling (quite speedy I must say) I was tiring out fairly quickly and it hit me.  I'm not in my 20s anymore and age is catching up to me.  So the next morning when I arrived at the gym, I went straight for the treadmill and established myself as runner in progress. It feels great to be able to keep up with Liam as he squirms away.  Even though I'm still working on my pace, I need all the motivation I can get so here are some of my favorite inspirational running boards on Pinterest!

bRUNch Running has a "I Run for Cocktails and Beer" board that serves as a reminder that hard work can be rewarded...preferably with a great bottle of wine or a bloody mary at the finish line.

Jill Will Run has a great "Running" board full of the inspirational sayings perfect to make you feel great about your progress.

As you can imagine, NIKE has a great "Gear" board that showcases all the fitness gear you wish you had to look adorable while on your run.

Last but not least, Travel Blah Blah has a "Workout Looks" board that will only make you work harder.  The board features celebs in their workout gear, which makes me hate celebs more because they prove that they look flawless even as they sweat, but it works as great motivation.

|What are some of your favorite Pinterest boards that motivate you to run or workout?|

ba·by (ba-be) | lessons of equality

Before Liam was born Matt and I had several conversations about him that started with, "What if...".  Everything from "What if...Liam doesn't want to go to college; Liam is a bully; Liam is being bullied and eventually we got to, "What if Liam told us he was gay?"  Out of all scenarios we discussed, un-surprisingly this was one that didn't go beyond the natural instinct of saying, "so what."  While we were both on the same page that Liam would experience un-conditional love regardless of what he told us, I realized this morning that we never discussed what we would do to ensure that he grew up understanding that there is no such thing as right or wrong when it comes to who you love...only that we all have the right to love whoever we want.

So as I waited for the El this morning, blaring Macklemore's "Same Love" on repeat I thought of things I want to tell Liam about equality.  So as of today, I will start telling him (and remind him throughout his life) that:

1. You are who you are...and whoever you become, you will be loved.
2. There is no such thing as normal.  What is normal, is that everyone is different. 
3. Learn from others who aren't like you. Embrace their interests, traits, and passions that differ from yours - and understand that those are the things that make each of us unique.
4. Respect each person's choices in life. This goes beyond who you choose to marry.  Respecting what others choose to do with their lives, is just as important as you choosing what to do with yours.  You will be respected in return.
5. Be the voice of change. While I'm confident you will embrace this lesson with open arms,  be the voice to teach others.  Choose to teach those who are not as fortunate to be taught at an early age that love is love and that everyone will be accepted regardless of their life choices.

|For the other moms out there, what lessons will you teach your son or daughter about equality?|

fash•ion (fash-uh n) | 5 things kids can wear that adults shouldn't

Let me preface this by saying that I'm guilty of wearing some (ok most) of these items.  Not recently, but at one point of my life I was proud to sport a few items that are on this list.  Now that I'm older in age, I've grown smarter to realize that there are some articles of clothing that are truly ONLY meant for kids. 

Crocs

This item tops my list.  Yes, these colorful shoes are easy to slip on and from what I hear they're really comfortable, but no grown man or woman should be calling this fashionable.  These are cute on little kids because things of miniature size are irresistible and work perfectly with play clothes, but for adults this is truly just a huge fail.

Overalls

Every time I see overalls I think of the famous quote from Clueless, "She could be a farmer in those clothes."  Overalls were so huge in the 90s for women (not girls, women) to wear overalls and I was guilty for taking part in this "trend".   I'm still scarred to this day to the point where I won't let Liam wear them, but on other kids they look cute.  Grown men and women...not so much.

Bucket Hats

This is the item that prompted this post.  A few weeks ago I was walking down the street and a man who looked to be in his late 20s was walking towards me wearing a bucket hat complete with side strings and all.  In all fairness that wasn't the only questionable item he was wearing, but I looked at the hat and thought, "Why would a man wear that that think it's ok?"  As a result, here I am listing out all the things that are made for kids...not adults.

Rompers

I'll admit I have a few rompers in my closet.  Not like the one below, but ones that are more designed for adults.  This made my list purely because of functionality.  Have you ever gone to a public restroom when wearing a romper?  Worst of all...a port-a-potty?  Rompers are great on babies and toddlers because they're made with snaps at the crotch for easy access.  The adult version isn't as sophisticated and if you ever wear a romper you essentially have to strip down just to go to the bathroom.  Not the easiest piece of garment for an adult to wear.

T-Shirts that speak for you

It's ok for a child to wear a shirt that says things like "Chicks Dig Me" or "Cute like my Mom" because honestly adults know that kids are not choosing to wear those shirts.  If an adult chooses to wear something like that they can come off really conceited or really egotistical.  Wearing a shirt that justifies your good looks only leave room for negative feedback.  Case and point, while at DisneyWorld many moons ago a man was wearing a shirt that said, "Your t-shirt says Princess...but your face says Troll." 'Nuff said.

|Do you have any others to add to this list?

ba·by (ba-be) | facebook etiquette

Ok, so I realize this is a sensitive subject because everyone has their own opinion and I'm trying to avoid truly offending anyone.  So I will start by saying this - what you do on Facebook is your choice, but it is also your "friends" choice to block your feed if you over share.

Before I was a parent, I was one of those people that said I wouldn't do this or that when it comes to posting things about my son, but alas I've become a hypocrite and find myself doing things I said I wouldn't do.  Thus is life, right?  However, I always try to be aware of those who are reading my feed and limit how much baby stuff I share because at the end of the day I don't want people blocking me.  I'm sure plenty of my friends have already done so, but I'm glad that it's all anonymous because I my heart would sink if I knew...then I would just feel really bad for over sharing.

Mashable shared this article about sharing things on Facebook that directly relates to babies.  On Twitter people expect you to over share...it's like Twitter was created specifically for all the thoughts you have in your head but never say out loud.  With Instagram, people expect to see what you eat, what you're wearing, pictures of your child and so much more - but with Facebook there's truly a different set of rules and they're making me a little self-conscious about what I share.  So while I know there are a ton of "rules" that have been shared, rules are meant to be broken and as Bobby Brown says, it's your prerogative to do what you want to do (on your social sites in this case), but just know that what you share could have people purposely shutting you off....literally.

|What are your rules on sharing on Facebook?  Are you self-conscious about the things you post?|

ba·by (ba-be) | back-up childcare

When it comes to parenting, everyday you learn something new.  Something that I've quickly had to learn was what to do when I need emergency back up care.  Whether you have a nanny, caregiver or send your child to daycare, be prepared with a list of options to call or reach out to if your primary child care provider is sick, daycare is closed for break or what happens more often - your child is sick!

For our family, we're very lucky to have a fantastic nanny, but when she started we never had a "contingency plan" in place should she ever get sick or want a day off.  Unfortunately we don't have family around so for us it's about calling in favors.  So if you're like us and need some back-up help last minute, below are some great places to start:

• UrbanSitter
• UrbanSitter provides an opportunity to post last minute jobs.  We did this for the first time recently and got a great number of responses.  The other great thing about UrbanSitter is that it is really integrated with your social feeds.  If you log on using your Facebook account it will pre populate your friends who have also used UrbanSitter's service.  When you look for sitters, it will tell you if anyone from your network has used them and if they are recommended. 
• Bright Horizons Back-Up Care Centers
• When I was a previous Time Warner employee one of the amazing benefits we had was a service through Bright Horizons Daycare where we had discounted day rates at any daycare center (that had room for Liam) or discounted service for in-home care.  I would HIGHLY look into your work benefits and see if this is one that you have available to you.  The service is absolutely amazing and they are 24-hours...trust me I know.  I've called at 1:30am (true story)!
• If this isn't a benefit, local Bright Horizons facilities will let you discuss emergency drop-off situations.  You have to contact each location individually, but trust me this is great to be set up for in emergency situations.  Just know that your child has to be registered ahead of time (with up to date medical records from your doctor's office).
• SitterCity
• We found our nanny and some babysitters through SitterCity.  We have been extremely happy with the online service provided and is another great place to post a complimentary job to other sites just to ensure you are reaching the best candidates.
• Nanny Poppinz
• This is a service my sister in law used when she was scrambling last minute for temporary child care as she was preparing to go back to work.  This is a national service that specializes in last minute care and serves like an agency minus all the fees.
• Local and national placement agencies
• There are several placement agencies out there dedicated to placing in-home care for elderly care and early childhood care.  Take some time to research ones available in your area, but specifically in Chicago we've been placed with someone from College Nannies and Tutors.  They are a great service and placed us with a wonderful temp who has asked us to consider her as a consistent babysitter for Liam.

I'm one to rarely give any advice, but I highly recommend having a number of emergency back up childcare options.  Whether you're a full-time or part-time working mom, or even if you're a stay at home mom, you never know when something might come up and you need someone to care for your child last minute - so I say be prepared before you find yourself in a desperate situation like we were in.  And to make things a little easier for you in getting your back-up childcare options ready, I'm hosting a giveaway for a $50 gift certificate to UrbanSitter.  The service has truly been a life saver in my 11th hour and I know I'm not the only one who has truly benefited from this service. 

Fill out the form below for a chance to win and be sure to check out their Facebook page filled with great tips on child care.  The giveaway will end on Wednesday, June 5th and the winner will be announced the following day on the Defining Tabitha Facebook page.  Good luck!

ba·by (ba-be) | little pim

Picture this.  It's 7:30am, your hair is wet, you have mascara on one set of eye lashes, you're halfway dressed, your dogs are following around because they're starving and your child is completely restless - demanding a ton of your attention.  

This is what it's like for us 2 out of 5 weekday mornings.  Good thing I never said I would swear my child off of television before the age 2 because I would never be able to put myself together in the morning.  

However, what I do control is the quality of programming he's watching.  We're raising Liam to be bi-lingual (English and French), and to help we bought this great language set called Little Pim.  The set includes 3 DVDs, a CD of French songs, flash cards and a Pim plush toy.  When I'm having one of those mornings, I turn on a Little Pim French DVD and voila like magic Liam is completely entertained.  

Aside from this, Liam isn't exposed to any other cartoons.  Majority of the time it's news and the occasional DVR'd Bravo TV show I'm catching up on, but otherwise that's it for TV.  These Little Pim tools, combined with conversational French, have already proved to be helpful.  Liam associates words/phrases like "L'eau" (water) with his sippy cup of water, "Mange" (eat) when he's eating a meal, and "Tu As Finis?" (are you finished) when he's over his bath.  Not only are the DVDs, CDs and flashcards helpful to him, but it's helping Matt learn key words and helping me brush up on some words I haven't used in awhile.  

If you are (or plan to) raise your baby bi-lingual I highly suggest picking up a Little Pim set.  They come in more languages than I knew existed and you'll feel at least a little less guilty about what your baby is watching since it's educational.

|Are you raising a bi-lingual baby? How are you teaching he/she the other language?|

ba·by (ba-be) | doc band

A short 6 months ago when Matt and I were pushing Liam around the neighborhood, we saw a little boy wearing a helmet. I remember trying not to stare and softly asking Matt, "Would it matter if Liam had to wear one of those?" Of course we both agreed it didn't, but as any normal person would fear, there was the weird sense of insecurity that people would stare and think, "What is wrong with that child?"  At the time I didn't realize how that moment prepared me for today.

Last Friday Liam too got a helmet, which I now know is actually called a Doc Band.  While the Doc Band looks so much more serious than it really is, it will help to round out the shape of his head since he has a bit of a flat spot.  After getting his helmet on, which doesn't phase him at all by the way, we took him to the park.  While of course some parents quickly glanced and smiled, a group of 3 little boys (around the age of 5) approached us and asked, "Why is he wearing that?"  Stumped because I didn't know how to explain it to a group of kids, Matt quickly jumped in and said, "It's so we can bounce him around."  The boys looked at Matt slightly puzzled, looked at Liam, then went along their merry old way.   

I knew that he would get stares, but I didn't think I would have to explain it.  Feeling a little bummed out because my little nugget has to go through this, I realized that this moment does not phase him at all.  This Doc Band is temporary and will only help him in the long run.  

 

From the 1st day we found out that Liam would be needing this Doc Band, I've said to him every night, "You are perfect!"  The stares, the comments and the whispers don't mean a thing because with or without his "helmet" - he is a perfect little boy!

ba·by (ba-be) | goldfish swim school

As Liam gets older I look forward to all of the amazing milestones that he reaches and new activities he's able to participate in.  Early on we decided that Liam would take swimming lessons right at the 6 month mark and this was one activity that Matt was ecstatic about participating in.  All the other classes with singing, dancing and rhymes just wasn't his cup of tea.

I started researching various swim schools in the area right before Liam turned 6 months and I just couldn't get over the fact that half of the places out there are so expensive.  I knew that I would have to shell over a couple of hundred dollars for a swim course that only lasted a few weeks and it just didn't settle well.  If I'm willing to pay X, Y and Z on these types of activities at 7 months old, what more when he's 7 years old?  

Luckily it was brought to my attention that Goldfish Swim opened up in Roscoe Village because compared to some of the other schools out there, this was on the more cost effective end.  For $85 a month, the program runs like a "gym membership" - it's an on-going 30 minute class that meets once a week with a fantastic facility that caters to little infant swimmers.  The changing area is extremely spacious and has multiple changing pads equipped with extra diapers just in case.   On top of that, the water is a consistent 90 degrees - making it extremely compelling to visit the school on cold 30 degree snowy days like today.

The infant class isn't designed to teach technique, but more so to get your baby acclimated to the water.  Despite the fact that some babies love their baths, the pool is a completely different situation, but luckily it didn't affect Liam.  He loved the planned activities of chasing the giant rubber ducky, staring at himself in a mirror to work on his floating techniques and practicing his balance technique as he sat up on a floating mat.  Liam easily could have stayed in the pool for much longer, but sadly the class had to end. 

I have to say that I was a little skeptical about how the class is structured, but after our second class I had a better feeling for Goldfish Swim's offerings.  Although it's a little distracting to have 5 other swim classes going on simultaneously, the class serves it's purpose for introducing infants to the water.  I would just recommend that babies that get easily stimulated possibly find a time to take the class when the pool isn't full.  It's tough enough as it is to introduce your baby to water, but to do it when a ton of other kids are in the pool can be a little overwhelming.

Overall, we really like the Goldfish Swim School.  For the services that the school offers and wonderful facility, it's a great way to introduce your little one to swimming.  Luckily Goldfish Swim is located across the US and offers classes to various age groups. Visit their site to find a location near you.

Thank you to the wonderful team at Goldfish Swim School for giving me an opportunity check out a few classes and enjoy the great Roscoe Village facility.  Welcome to the neighborhood!

life (lahyf) | this week's little things

So many small things brought smiles this week, such as...

Finding Liam's little buddies scattered around our bed right before we're going to bed...

Bringing out my hot pink blazer and pairing it with a cat dress I bought at Loft for $12...

Getting a free travel size Kleenex...

Getting a "Buy one, get one free" card at Starbucks the same day I received the free Kleenex...

Opening a Valentine's Day card from his buddy Sienna...

Having a much needed moms night out with a group of fantastic moms!

ba·by (ba-be) | bobobib

Ahhh bibs.  Unfortunately for a teething child (or a messy adult), bibs are a mandatory accessory.  No matter how stylish a baby's outfit is, it automatically will be taken down a few notches because of a bib....or so I thought.  I never thought bibs could be stylish until I was introduced to Bobobib.  These stylish bandana like bibs compliment any mini fashinista (or fashionisto in Liam's case) perfectly, and absorbs drool/messes quite nicely.  Even when Liam isn't making a mess, I have him wear his Bobobib because I love the way it makes him look like a rockstar cowboy.

Bobobibs come in such fun different prints with a large variety of colors and are such great inspirations for outfits.  Because I love how stylish these bibs are, I've put together looks for a boy and girl inspired by two of my favorite Bobobibs. 

bobobib - lions & tigers | pants - gap | tee - gymboree | cardigan - h&m | shoes - old navy

bobobib -gingham sky | henley tee - mini boden | denim shirt - h&m | jeans - old navy | shoes - toms

If you're looking for a great gift or need to add some stylish bibs into your little one's wardrobe I highly recommend getting some Bobobibs.  The good news is that they're having a sale right now so you can stock up on all your favorite prints.

life (layhf) | this week's little things

After the week I had, the little things seemed to mean so much more to me.  Things like....

Getting my Baby Cargo Georgi Stroller Bag in the mail...

Having not one, but TWO much needed drinks (both at the same time) with some of my favorite girlfriends...

Taking Liam to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum to see the butterflies...

Watching Liam's face as the butterflies flew freely...

Sporting my favorite owl sweater...

Watching Liam as he awes over the rotating colors on his Crane Hip-Hippo-Ray Belly Glo Night Light...

|What were the little things that happened to you that made this past week better?|

life (lahyf) | best apps to keep moms busy in the city

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of being part of Bump Club and Beyond's monthly brunch that highlighted secrets of being a new mom in Chicago.  I sat on a panel of bloggers that also featured 2 Moms Media duo Caitlin Giles from Wee Windy City and Sara Fisher from Self-Made Mom, as well as Samantha Lande from Eater.  The panel was centered around sharing our favorite city secrets that moms should know.  I was so thrilled to be sitting among a group of amazing (and accomplished) moms who had awesome things to share.  Since I'm obsessed with building new relationships with moms in my neighborhood, I shared my favorite apps that have helped me meet new moms and find new things to do in my area.  If you're looking for new ways to converse with mom friends, meet new people or are looking for new things to do, check out some of my favorite apps and sites.

Meetup:  This app is great when finding people who have the same interests as you.  The more groups you join - the more events you and your little one can attend such as free mommy and me yoga classes, free days at the museum, infant massage workshops, playdates and more.  A few of the great groups I would suggest for moms in Chicago are:

• Chicago Moms Network
• Working Mom Chicago
• MOMVO
• Lakeview East Moms

Every Block:  This app/site is fantastic when it comes to finding out everything and anything that's going on in your neighborhood.  Learn about open houses at daycares, things to do in your neighborhood (like art walks), new restaurants, properties for sale and "talk" to others in your community to find out the best secrets.

Facebook:  Create a private "group" on Facebook with mom friends and use it as a forum to post questions about things going on this weekend, schedule playdates or simply ask for mom advice.  A friend of mine created this group for all her mom friends and it's genius.  It's the perfect way  to only communicate with all those mom friends you meet!

Pinterest:  There is so much to do and see in the city, but sometimes we forget what those things are when the time comes to find something to do.  Use Pinterest as a way to bookmark all of the great things to do in the city so you never forget  to try them all with your little ones.  Check out my "Things to do" board here.

Instagram:  When your calendar is filled with all these great activities for you and your kids to enjoy you definitely want to document every second.  Use Instagram as a way to take fun pictures then go to Printstagram or Mixbook to create memorabilias like flip books, calendars, picture books and more by syncing your Instagram account with either of the services.

Yelp:  The Yelp app is amazing when you're trying to find something to do or eat within a few miles of where you are.  If you're in a neighborhood that you're not familiar with, this will share some of the best places to check out.  Also use the "search" function on the Yelp site when finding specific things - there are TONS of lists that users create that highlight the best of the best in the city such as indoor playrooms, restaurants to take kids and much more!

To read more about the secrets that were shared at Bump Club's brunch, check out BCBabble!