Ain't No Mom Jeans

Friday

I got a Pap smear yesterday.  Whoa, maybe I should say good morning first.  Hope you already had your coffee!  But I booked my appointment in honor of Megan's recent health scare.  The Happiest Mom says go get it done, Mamas.  I did mine.  Now it's your turn.

In semi-related news, I am a MILF.  (Love the folks at True & Co. for coming up with a funny tilt to that ridiculous acronym.)

Have you heard of Sakroots?  They make really cool products, all covered with...art.  I love this clutch for date night, am dying for this water bottle, and would love any of their iPhone cases.   They are currently holding a contest to find their next print, if any of you are art-inclined....

Are any of you on Chictopia?  I joined recently, just to see what the fuss was about.  I'm not totally convinced it's worth my time....between Pinterest and Instagram and Facebook...there's just so much.  Thoughts?  

Also?  I'm loving my old overalls again and Sarah Jessica Parker demonstrates how cool shoes can make even a hoodie look good.

On Monday, I talked about my resolution to spend more time in nature just...sitting....and then I found this article from a local parent's group.  They call it a "sit spot".  Isn't that clever?

I love when books lead to creative play...and Play at Hom Mom found a good one.

If any of you are interested in Reggio-Emelia...Play Outside has created THE BEST series on the Reggio-Emelia approach.  Their emphasis is primarily for pre-school classrooms, but I find a ton of inspiration to pull into the home.  

I think we're headed out to the Creative Clubhouse today (if any of you are local, it's my hands-down fav place to take the kids)....and this weekend I hope to do a little star gazing.  Gosh, I love a good Science Festival.

Happy Friday!

xo,

S

 

Friday Fun

Guess who is missing the beach right about now?  I mean...it's not like I don't like biting, 30 degree winds, it's just tha--  Right.  The drastic change from a freeing beach week to waaay too much "indoor family time" is driving the boys and I nuts.  NUTS!  And we're only half unpacked, so the house looks as if a bomb has dropped.  Luckily, our new nanny started this week.  I say "luckily" because I like to break 'em in early.  I just wish I had a picture of her face when she first stepped in the door.  There's a good chance she thought we were hoarders.  It's a fine line, though.  You want just enough crazy to keep expectations low, but not enough crazy to scare them off for good.  The just-got-home-from-a-trip level of disaster seems to toe that line pretty well.  We'll see.

Here are a few Fun Friday links that I've been storing up to share...

The Sartorialist wanted to know if anyone was thinking about turtlenecks.  Ahhhh Scott.  You sly dog you.  I'm always thinking about turtlenecks.  [bats eyelashes]

Hot mama Lena from Quality Rivets recently styled her plaid pajama bottoms and looked AWESOME.  For realz.  

Refinery 29 styled a windbreaker three surprisingly glamorous ways.  And OK:  I think they cheated by using an insanely gorgeous Stella McCartney for Adidas windbreaker (*cough $500 *cough)...but still.  I'm 95% sure you could use a regular windbreaker and it would still work, more or less.  I like this one.

We've been talking about ankle boots, and whether or not curvy, short Mamas can pull them off.  Have you seen this picture of Drew Barrymore in her ankle boots and skinnies?  The girl is all curves and gorgeousness, and she pulls them off OK.  However, the black bootie does shorten her leg a bit.  I'll bet that a slightly lighter ankle boot would look great (or a slightly darker jean).  Perhaps that's the key?

Reader Julie picked up this adorable wrap cardigan / cape at Nordstroms and swears by it for both pregnancy and nursing.  It's now on sale for $39!  Thanks, Julie!

According to The Budget Babe (who is now pregnant!  Congrats!!)...H&M is now accepting used clothing for recycling!  You can find out what happens to your donated clothing here. 

Lastly, how cute is Pax's little Superman tee?  It comes with an attached cape.  The cape just velcros on/off at the shoulders.  He has been wearing it EVERY DAY.  I now wish that I had stocked up (it's just a Target tee, folks).  Superman appears to be sold out online, but Target has a whole line of cape tees.  Bam Pow is my favorite.

Happy Friday!!!

xoxo

S

Hello, Friday. We're (Barely) Surviving The Chill.

Mamas, I apologize for the light week.  I had intended to post the promised hair article, but man.  I'm wiped out.  Mike has been gone (since Sun!!) on a business trip, and in his absence, I've broken one coffee cup and two plates, lost the car keys six times, left Pax's winter coat somewhere in Easton, PA (Crayola "Experience" - LAME), and have had to deal with snotty noses and freezing weather ALL WEEK.  Ugh.  (To make matters worse, Mike's trip took him to freakin' HAWAII, so my week has been peppered with super annoying texts like, "Aloha Baby!" and pictures of the big waves on the North Shore.  Awesome, but GAH!!!)

During weeks like these, our Kiwi Crates (full review here) are worth their weight in gold.  If you haven't checked them out in a while...they currently have a charming limited edition crate for Valentine's Day.  It comes with enough (pop-up!) Valentine's for an entire class and is nicely gender-neutral.  But be warned:  unless your little one is pretty dexterous, gluing on the pop-ups is a challenge.  R did exactly one, loved it, and then went about just making his own (non-pop-up) cards.  (Kiwi Crate, if you see this, we'd love more regular cards next year.  And more gem stickers.)  I ended up supplementing with plain folded cards (aka cut-up paper, LOL), and am planning to pick up a few sheets of gem stickers to continue the fun.  

I've been perusing through Laura Barr's list of Games That Make Children (and their parents) Smarter.  Raines is just starting to get into games (the old-school board game kind) and if this cold front keeps up, I may be making a large Amazon game purchase.  (R keeps asking for a chess set after playing a bit at the Art Museum.  How awesome is that??)

Also?  I'm feeling fat and old.  Fat, because my body is no longer making all of those holiday goodies magically disappear (GET WITH THE PROGRAM, aging metabolism!!) and old, because next week is my thirty*cough*somehighnumber*cough* birthday.  WOO. HOO.  To invigorate said metabolism, I signed up for Barre3's 28-to-great program...however, I have only managed to work out THREE times since the beginning of Jan.  Therefore, in order to complete my "goal", I must workout 25 more times before Feb 1.  Right.  Shouldn't be a problem.  

And thank you to Refinery 29 for these tips on how to eat healthy in the dead of winter.  Soup, here I come.

In the midst of one of my (many) pity parties this week, I bought myself a cute, cozy sweater.  (With hearts on it.  For $30.)  It's now sold out, but SheInside is my new favorite place for cute & cheap.  This might be my next purchase.  Of course, their things sell out in roughly 10 minutes, so.....

I also can't stop thinking about these Keds snow boots.  They have a super cool 70's vibe, and would be a fun change-up for anyone sick of their serious snowboots.  Did I mention they are on sale for $30?

Lastly, the highlight of our week was Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  If any of you follow me on instagram (@shanachristine) you'll know that I brought the boys to the art museum to see EB Lewis read from his latest book, Each Kindness.  Well.  Add this one to the List of Books That Make Me Cry.  In this very amazing book, the main character frequently rebuffs the attempts of the "new girl" to be friends.  In the end, the new girl moves away, and the main character realizes too late how she had not chosen the path of kindness.  The book ends with, "I watched the water ripple as the sun set through the maples and the chance of a kindness with Maya became more and more forever gone."  Heavy, right?  But I think it was good for Raines to hear that sometimes, when you make bad choices, you can't always fix it. Since then, we've been talking a lot about kindness, what it means to be kind, and how very small acts of kindness, when added together, really can change the world.  During Mr. Lewis' reading, he mentioned that the concept of kindness is so important that he wished we focused on it for longer than just a day.  I couldn't agree more.  So.  I've decided to act like the time between Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Valentine's Day is Kindness Month.  (I know it's not really a month, but still.)  I've been brainstorming ideas with the boys, and we're trying to do something kind everyday.  I'd love for you to join in - it's always so nice to get inspiration from others.  I'll be posting what we do to Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #kindnesscounts.  

Happy Weekend, Mamas!!  I can't wait for the love of my life to get back home...and I know he picked up some dried mango at the ABC store.  Yay!

xoxo

S

 

 

 

Wonder Box and Kiwi Crate Review: Which One Is Best For You?

Mamas, have you heard of these things?  These by-mail subscription packages where a box of kid-friendly projects (for ages 3-7) is delivered to your house?  

They. Are. Awesome.  And perfect if you (like me) are dreading the after-Christmas influx of crappy toys.  (Really, we don't have the room.)  Instead of _____ (fill in the blank with annoying toy), how 'bout the relatives get your littles something that is not only super-crazy-fun but also helps to keep you sane during the dark days of winter?  A win-win if ever there was one, Mamas. 

I had the opportunity to try two of them:  Wonder Box and Kiwi Crate.  Which one is best for you?  Here are my thoughts on each...

 

Modern, Sophisticated Sleepwear...For Kids? Wah. I Want Some.

Have you heard of the Christmas Eve tradition where the kids are gifted with a new set of pajamas for the year?  I always thought it sounded sweet.  There's nothing more delicious than baby skin wrapped in clean pajamas.  I'll eat them up I love them so!

And kids need pjs every year, anyway.  So I started looking around.  Pajama-hunting.  Mamas, I am totally blown away by the adorableness available!    I am BABA! (blown away by adorable)  Andandand...it's the very best kind of adorable.  It's chic-adorable.  Chicdorable!  (Yes I know.  Stopping now.)

But seriously, I've found some insanely cool pjs for the littles.  All in soft, breathable, 100% cotton (or bamboo)...and many are organic.  Best of all?  With the exception of maybe one or two...most of these sets are totally unisex.  Finally.  

(And psst!  We have a special discount for Ain't No Mom Jeans readers listed at the end....)

TOP:  Hanna Andersson Organic Long John Pjs in Hoot Holly, $28 on sale | Tea Collection Lucky Dragon, $39 | Skylar Luna Cars Orangic PJs, $39

 

MIDDLE:  Skylar Luna Lace Organic PJs, $39 | Kicky Pants Bamboo PJs in Blackbird, $36 | Skylar Luna Robot PJs, $39

 

BOTTOM:  Skylar Luna Red/Silver Stars, $39 | Hanna Andersson Organic PJs in Fish, $46 | Kicky Pants PJs in Twilight Starry Sky, $39

 

I'm also loving J.Crew's hysterical union suit for kiddos...in buffalo check.  OMG.

 

Looking at my list above, you can see I was dying over everything Skylar Luna.   And had to restrain myself from including their entire line.  So I sent over some fan mail, begging for a discount code...and they were kind enough to oblige!  SO.  From Thursday - Sunday (that's now through the weekend), Ain't No Mom Jeans readers can take 20% off their entire purchase at Skylar Luna with the code 'Sleep20'.

Now I'm off to bed...which reminds me...does anyone want to see some chicdorable pjs for moms?  (And I promise to never use that word again.)

xo,

S

 

Little Boy Style Inspired by a Book: Iggy Peck, Architect

Mamas, do you know the book Iggy Peck, Architect?  It's awesome.  Not only does the entire family love to read it, but it's pretty much guaranteed to inspire a spurt of creative block-building in this house.  

Raines loves that Iggy builds with dirty diapers (among other things).  I love that this book reminds me that passion is everything, and that breaking the rules sometimes is a fabulously important life lesson.

But the other reason I love this book?  It has style in spades.  Whether you are marveling at the architectural engineering, or the mod, mod decor, or the fabulously dressed characters...there's plenty to inspire.  I particularly loved the little boy style - it hits the right mark between nerd and cool, yet is still so joyfully boy.  

Iggy Himself

Cowl Neck Sweater, $40 | Gap Black Skinny Jeans, $30 | Converse High Tops, $30 | Yellow Socks, $3

 

Iggy's Classmate

I so wish I could have found his striped pants...at least the red cord gives off a similarly cool vibe.  And how I love the quirky socks in this book!

Gap Fair Isle Sweater Vest, $30 | Polaryn O Pyret Slim Fit Cords, $50 | White Tee, $15 | Striped Socks, $9 | See Kai Run Christopher Shoe, $45

 

Mr. Gingham

We are all (Raines, Pax and I) obsessed with red sneaks lately. Love the shirt buttoned all the way up and the big cuffs.  

Gap Faux Selvidge Jeans, $35 | Crewcuts Secret Wash Shirt in Gingham, $40 | Red Converse, $35

 

Birkenstocks and Socks Guy

This little dude?  Is awesome. 

Levi's Plaid Shirt, $28 | LLBean Cords, $30 | Birks, $40 | Lafont Kid's Frames

Fab, no?

Also, we've done this before.  You might want to check out Little Girl Style Inspired by a Book - Charlotte Zolotow's I Like to be Little.  And Mamas, if you have any recommendations for our next literary style article, please let me know!!

xo,

S

Review: The YBike's Pewi Ride-On Toy and Walking Buddy (aka...Pax's BIKE)

Mamas, add this to the top of your lists:  The Pewi Ybike Ride On Toy and Walking Buddy is one of the best things to happen to almost-walkers in a long, long time. 

 

We bought it for Pax a year ago, a month or so before his first birthday.  He wasn't quite walking...it was more like...squat stepping.

The Pewi bike was awesome.  Pax could push it around, and when he got going too fast...

 

The bike was stable enough that Pax could pull himself up.  Even with all of his...uh...girth.  (R calls it "chub".)  Before long, Pax was trying to climb on/off, and riding it himself....sort of.

Only one foot could touch the ground at a time.  But he was loving it.  And, as promised, this bike is fantastic both indoors and out.  Both boys, actually, have burned off huge amounts of energy on rainy days careening the Pewi around our sharp-cornered dining room table.  Awesome.

Now.  Here's the crazy-good part...a year later, it is STILL one of Pax's favorite toys.  Yup.  He now calls it his "bike".  

Which, considering his latest trick....is a good name.  Bikes, you see, require helmets.  His trick? Crusing down our neighbor's driveway...backwards.

 

It's his lean that worries me.  Leaning implies speed (Raines taught me that).  But I get it.  He wants to keep up with the big boys.  "Don't worry, Mum" Raines started to inform me.  "Pax turns around."  WHA?? 

But he did.  Right before the bottom of the hill.  Legs up, max speed, he spun around at the last second all WHAT MUM?  CHILL.

 

Since I'm someone who walks on the mild side and therefore rarely gets hurt (I am the world's slowest skateboarder), I often can't see it coming.  So instead of immediately insisting on a helmet, I videotaped him to show my mom.  

Of course, right in the middle of taping, Mike walked up behind me, "Babe!  That's what he's doing?  The kid needs a helmet!"  Oh. Uh...right.  Of course.  But before I could turn the thing off, Pax came careening down, the front wheels hit a small crack and CRASH.  omgit'sallmyfault  But Pax was fine.  Really.  He cried for roughly 6 seconds then wanted to get back on his "bike".  Which he did, clad in a helmet.  I would share the video with you, but am slightly worried someone will call child services or something.  Burn the tape!  Burn it! Burn it!

So there is our story of the Pewi bike.  We have thoroughly, exhaustively tested this thing. To it's limits.  Which are, evidently, an almost 30 lb baby careening full speed down a small hill onto a sidewalk full of cracks.  So uh...don't do that. 

But in all seriousness, this is one of those shockingly well-designed, well thought-out toys that will provide your little one with hours of fun.  For a really long time.

You can read more about The Pewi on Ybike's website.  It typically retails for $64, but is currently going for about $50 on Amazon .

xo,

S

 

 

 

 

Friday Play Inspiration....MOMA for Kids

Mamas, our dear friend J was in NY for a long weekend.  So of course we drove up. Really, we don't need much of an excuse to visit.  And our very favorite thing to do with the kiddos?  Visit MOMA.  Not only do they have cool activities for kids just walking around the museum, but they have an interactive space (which changes a few times a year).  Last trip, it was a Materials Lab, which was AWESOME.  They had a myriad of materials out for building chairs (which was surprisingly fun) and a whole arsenal of toys and books for playing.  We were there for almost two hours.  It's a great respite from a day of walking around.

This time, MOMA had installed a Reggio Emelia mecca.  I find the Reggio Emelia preschool philosophy so inspiring.  A hallmark of Reggio Emelia is playing with various forms of light, and this exhibit didn't disappoint.  They had a video camera trained on a set of playthings, projected onto the wall (see pic above).  Kids were so into this setup, that Raines had to wait for a while before he got a turn.  The imaginative play was intense.  So fun to see.

They also had a projector set up, showing an underwater scene.  Cool.  But then, being Reggio, they added some reflecting elements - a disco ball, various mirrors, and blocks, a waved surface.  R (and Pax, actually) were both totally enchanted, experimenting with the various ways they could mess with the projection.

Mom, look!  It shows up over there!

Also, the whole family was delighted to discover that part of this MOMA exhibit includes the ENTIRE LINE of Learning Materials Workshop's blocks.

Remember the Coloraturo block review we did a while back?  Yeah - we're big fans.  HUGE. 

I'm thrilled for Learning Materials Workshop.  Such nice people, such an inspiring product.  Love to see them in partnership with MOMA.

I always feel so....energized when I encounter such intentional, inspiring play ideas.  Expect me to go nuts on Pinterest soon.

This weekend I think we're going to check out the Fall Festival at the Morris Arboretum.  A little pumpkin painting, apple eating, and scarecrow viewing.  Yup.  It is Fall. 

What's inspired you lately?

xo,

S

ps.  Also, the MOMA gift shop.  OMG.  Pax was obsessed with this umbrella (we seriously had to tear it from his death grip, kicking and screaming) and I might buy Raines a fish.  Strictly for this fish hotel.  You see?  Totally irresistible.

Reader Q | What To Wear To a Thomas-Themed Birthday Party? (For Both Mama and the Birthday Girl)

 Mamas, we're taking a short break from our Fall Trends series.  Instead, we'll be focusing this week on reader questions.  (The break may have something to do with the reader question pile up....or the fat lip Pax gave me on Thursday.  I'll never tell.)

Reader Question:

Hello amazing and amazing.. yes, I know your names are Shana and Molly, but since I stumbled upon (or leapt on) your blog about six months ago you guys have been amazing and amazing in my books.

So enough gushing ... trust me I am capable of way more when it comes to you guys but I've got a bit of a fashion dilemma. My little monkey, girl monkey mind you, is turning two in a few weeks. Her birthday will be Thomas themed and at an indoor playground. Thomas theme means no uber feminine stuff for mama or baby and indoor playground means play friendly clothes and no shoes so there goes my fall uniform of boots with leggings/jeans. So I don't want to look like I am trying too hard but I also don't want to look like I was on my way to the park and popped in here instead. I know our outfits are not the most important things about birthdays but pictures are forever RIGHT? If you could suggest outfits for us (yes us) then I'd be so grateful, I'd even fedex you some Thomas cookies ... all the way from Canada. Really.

If you guys don't have time for my silliness that's cool, but don't get too bummed when you don't get Thomas cookies in the mail :-) 

Just kidding, much love to you guys for hosting such an awesome blog,

Sarah

 

Answer:

Sarah, I LOVE that your daughter wants a train-themed birthday!!  As a fellow tomboy, I had so much fun picking out some adorable (yet rough-and-tumble) outfits for her.  Happy birthday to your little one!   Here are three outfits for both you and her....

 

Make a Wish...

Indoor playgrounds tend to be hot.  So you want to dress for the activity, but also look pretty for pictures.   Pair a flowing, feminine top with denim for an easy (yet gorgeous) look for you...and for your daughter?  I'm totally drooling over Zara's shorts for little girls.  So train-conductor-chic, no?  Best of all?  The tee says, "Make a Wish" which is perfect for a little birthday girl. 

Zara Glossy Top With Ribbon Waist, $50 | Zara Star Shirt, $10 |  Zara Ribbed Tights, $10 | Zara Bermuda Shorts With Braces, $30

 

Goodbye Summer

Oh, Mamas. Summer's lease hath all too short a date.  R is in pre-school, mornings have a chill in the air, and time marches on.  This was likely my very last summer with a baby.  Good things are ahead, certainly, but I can't help feeling a little lost. I'd like one more beer at the end of the dock, please.

If the back-to-school routine snuck up on you...here are a few good things I found:

An awesome list of back-to-school books.  The title "Hooway For Wodney Wat" cracked me up.

Raines' new backpack.  The half-pack size is perfect for pre-school, the nibbler size for younger.  If you are local to Philly, Nest has them in stock.

We've been using Skip Hop's Bento lunchbox and it's awesome.  It's technically a bento, but simpler and less intimidating.  I can still throw a sandwich in there (cut up into fourths) on busy mornings.  I actually bought this set a while ago, but somehow* lost all of the lids.  When I called Skip Hop for replacements, they sent me out a new set - gratis!  

Also, this thermos keeps soup warm for five hours.  Perfect for grabbing something out of the crock pot in the morning.

I'm so happy with the pre-school we found for R.  They go outside everyday, regardless of weather (except for insanely cold temps).  We have to keep a pair of rainboots at the school, so I wanted to find something cheap-ish, yet durable and cool (no crazy animals or cartoon characters, please).  These plain black Tingley Stormtrack rainboots were only $14, and are awesome.

 

What are you up to this weekend?  I think we're going to try and catch Philly's Open Air exhibit, which lets you record a voice message, and then uses robotic lights in the night sky that will react to your voice's frequency and volume.  No joke.  They even have an iPhone app.  R will be totally geeked out (and so will we).

Happy Fall!

xo,

S

*Pax went through a "throw things in the trash" phase.