Ain't No Mom Jeans

Friday Thoughts....

Never have I seen so much rain, Mamas.  With inexplicably 80+ degree temps.  We're all...uh...steaming?  Is that the right cooking method?

Anyway, the best part about the Philly mainline is that the kiddos are free to play in the (relatively) clean street gutters.  Cause this would ne-eh-eh-ever happened downtown Denver:

 

I know you are wondering about the helmet.  (Or no one is, but I'll tell you anyway.)  P insists, basically.  If big brother is wearing a helmet (to bike, obvi), then P wears one.  Regardless of activity.

 

In any case, there are a few fun things I wanted to share....

Did you catch the article about the Dad who started wearing skirts as a show of solidarity to his son?  Nothing but awesome.  Made my whole day.  

This drool-worthy new maternity line has the most unexpected yet chic accessory:  beaded cuffs

Street Style photag Vanessa Jackman caught this little cutie in a big boy outfit, complete with striped socks and sandals.  Gotta love that.

I may actually buy a pair of Crocs for my guys.  Maybe.  This pair only.  (In black.)

Have you heard about that UnbabyMe app for Facebook?  The one that will delete all baby pictures from your Facebook feed?  It struck me as totally annoying and, well, mean.  Then I read MODG's response and laughed and laughed and laughed....love her.

Lastly, we've been busy blogging over at Mom.me.  M shows how to transition your summer dresses into Fall, I put together five Fall outfits that will do double-duty (work then playdate, for example) and highlighted 8 pieces that will help you hide a first trimester bump at the office. 

Enjoy your weekend!  Our last before Raines starts preschool. (sob!)

xo,

S

ps.  We have some giveaway winners to announce!  Congrats to Tamara of GlowingColor for winning the $50 J.Crew gift card!

And our Common Thread winner never materialized....so our new winner is  Alice McGuin!

Mamas, email us: aintnomomjeans@gmail.com so we can hook you up with your loot!

Dressing Boys Can Be Fun, Too! (Really)

Five Little Boys Back to School Outfits

Being a boy-mom is the best thing that's ever happened to me.  My boys are a constant reminder of how much fun it is to splash in puddles, get my fingers sticky and work my core in light saber battles.  But having three boys is something that never, and I do mean, not ever, occurred to me prior to my first 18-week ultrasound. 

Growing up, I'd always imagined myself having three girls.  We'd have tea.  Ballet lessons.  We'd hide electrical cords under tiny oriental rugs in impeccably decorated dollhouses.  There would be Easter dresses.  And bows.  And tights.  And patent leather shoes. 

But in reality, it took about five seconds of watching my healthy, perfectly perfect son flop around my belly in silhouette to realize that fringed moc boots, ladylike capes, and yes, even Chanel-esque tromp l'oeil tees, mattered very, very little in the scheme of my burgeoning life as a boy-mom. 

And really, how much fun is dressing a baby man?  Tiny messenger bags?  Driver caps?  Cardigans?  Check, check and check.  And these boys of mine rarely, if ever, protest against my sartorial statutes as long as I keep it comfy, so here are my back-to-school picks for little boys:

Little Boys Back to School by dynamama on polyvore.com

I'll keep the tiaras for myself, thankyouverymuch.  Happy back to school, Mamas!

- M.

 

Wedding Weekend Wrap-Up!

 

Mamas, we are finally back from our MI Summer.  My sister is now happily (ecstatically, joyfully) married to a man we all love and adore.  Except for a severe case of homesickness on my part, all is right in our little part of the world.  

Now.  As promised....wedding deets and pics!  All pics here are from Glow Photo Studio in Marquette, MI.  Not only did Danielle and her team get some ah-mazing shots (and we're just using a sneak-peak here - the rest are still coming) but she was a joy to have around.  

Let's talk about how cute my boys are!  (Totally self-indulgent.  I know.  I'm still not sorry.)

Enjoy Your Last July Weekend...

 

Oh Mamas.  We have been having so much fun.  There's just something ah-mazing about summer.  Perhaps it's the lack of responsibility, or just the sense that these unscheduled days are fleeting...but we've been thoroughly enjoying our days.  The downside?  Bedtime is 11PM.  11PM!!!  IknowIknowIknow!  In my defense, we're so far north (U.P. what-what) that the sun doesn't set until after 10PM.  Thankfully, both boys are rolling with it for the most part, so I've decided not to stress too much (even while I try to inch it back to something less crazytown).  

My sister gets married next weekend, so things will start to get crazy for us.  Happily, Mike will fly in again for the wedding.  We have MISSED him.  The next time you hear from me, I'll hopefully have some adorable pics to share (R is the ringbearer....think bow-tie, suspenders and a fedora.  Yessssss.)

Some good stuff:

Love this mom & daughter pic that the Sartorialist captured.  

The Style Bakery has recommendations for the best strapless bras for full busts.

You know those ugly plastic cars for kids?  They are usually bright red and yellow, and work like Flinstone cars?  Yes?  The Rookie Moms have a solution to make them cooler.  It's hysterical.  Yet brilliant.

Still looking for a swimsuit?  Girl's Gone Child covered some awesome post-partum friendly suits...and ANMJ favorite Sirens Swimwear has just restocked their fab line of retro suits and bikinis.

This post on Design Mom inspired me to set up a Pinterest board on the best pjs and loungewear.  This Mamas luuvs her jammies.  Let me know if you find anything gorgeous. 

Carrie from the Parenting Passageway wrote an article that brought tears to my eyes: I Hate The Mother that I Am.  Once I became a mother of two (and/or once R turned three - they happened simultaneously) being a mum became so much harder.  There have certainly been times I've watched myself handle situations with my boys and thought WTH?  Who am I?  FOR SHAME.  Carrie speaks from such a place of love and encouragement that I find myself buoyed by her words.  Certainly worth a read on those darker days of motherhood.

Are you getting Olympic fever?  Me too.  I'm loving Gap's vintage Olympic tees.  The women's version is surprisingly drapey and flattering (and Paris ahhhhh)...but I'm also loving the ones for little boys. Tokyo is my fav.

 Go USA!

xo,

S

TGI Summer!

I love summer for so many reasons.  Sunshine.  Pool time.  Free time (theoretically).  Crazy sales. 

I say theoretically because we’re putting our house on the market and getting it ready with three babes ages four-and-under in tow has been. . . fun?  Interesting?  We couldn’t have done any of it without help from Mimi, so I must shout out a big thanks to her.  She’s more than a mom.  She’s a friend, too, and an amazing one at that.

We’re also packing up our brood for a 10-day holiday (Fun?  Definitely interesting.), S. is off on a road trip (thank goodness they’re taking a break from flying) to NYC, then Michigan (after “camping” with more mosquitoes than wild ponies > she emailed me from a hotel after, get this: Day. One.  I kid you not!  LMAO), and in the midst of all that, we’re trying not to short shift ANMJ readers, and we’re doing galleries for Mom.me—here are our one-piece swim suit picks, and stay tuned for our celeb mom backyard BBQ style gallery.  See?  Fun.  And interesting.

Predictably, I can talk about crazy sales at even greater length than major life events:

I think I may have found the holy grail of kids' water shoes, Mamas.  I’ve always sprung for the $50+ Keens in summers past—they have great arch support, are incredibly durable and I once heard a story about a kid who was wearing them when he got his foot stuck in the teeth of an escalator and came out with all ten toes in tact, but mamas, do they stink or what?  Like, in a way that won’t wash off the foot, not even with several rounds of hot soapy water . . . So I’ve been on the hunt, and I thought, at $15, Old Navy’s Trek Shoes are worth a shot, right?  After two weeks of non-stop wear, by both my walking boys, there is no insane foot stink, and they’ve been in and out of rivers, pools and splash parks almost non-stop.  They probably wont last through next year, so they’re definitely not as durable as pricier options, but now, mamas?  They’re 10 flippin’ bucks!  Done and done.

The blue is mostly sold out, but the other colors are great, too.  Check them out here, and if you have a little chick who’s a size 7, be sure to click through to their adorable pink version.

Oh, and take a look at Boden’s crazy-cute swimwear for kiddos if you’re spending more time (like us) in the water than you thought.  It’s all 25% off, but do be aware shipping takes a bit—about a week-and-a-half, so if you need extra stuff now, skip it.

Birthdays are always a bit difficult to swallow—mine’s next month <gulp>.  Um, where’s the time going?  And why do I now totally get what my great-grandmother told me the last time I saw her, shortly before she passed away?  “I still feel eighteen, then I look in the mirror. . .”  So.  I like to pick up a little treat for myself during the crazy summer sales.  I’ve been coveting the Frye Corby ankle boots since S. wrote them up in January, and now they are on crazy sale in limited sizes.  They’re reduced to $198 from $298 on the page, and Garnet Hill is taking an additional 30% off + free shipping once in the cart through July 2^nd.  Yaaay!  See?  I’m totally distracted from the march of time.  I feel better.  A little retail therapy can a good thing.  Sometimes.

Oh, and these stylin’ Gap sunnnies for the baby man?  $5?  Um, yeah.  Or how about the Glam sunglasses for the little ladies?

Is this the holiday weekend, or is next week the weekend?  Or is it both?  Such is the beauty of summer, Mamas.  Who knows, but we’ll check in again soon!

- M.

 

 

 

 

A Hauntingly Beautiful ABC Book (and Wall Prints)

Mamas, I know I said we'd be taking it easy for a while, but I just came across this and had to share.  It's something so jaw-droppingly stunning and unique and wow.  Just...wow.

Kim Krans (who happens to be my mom's BFF's daughter...follow me?) is an amazing artist.  She recently created an ABC book for kids.  Instead of primary colors and juvenile B is for BORING BALLS and S is for SNOOZEFEST SNAKE (or whatever)....Kim's book is filled with black and white illustrations that strike a perfect balance between sophistication and whimsy.  The result is hauntingly beautiful.  Each page is, quite literally, a work of art. 

Here are a few of my favorite prints from her book:

 

Each letter is available as a 12" X 16" print (pictured above) or collectively in Kim's book, aptly named ABC Dream.

ABC Dream can be purchased on Kim's website, The Wild Unknown, for $25.  I can't imagine a more perfect gift for a new mom, a budding artist, or a curious, inquisitive toddler on a rainy summer day.  (You can see more of the book in this charming video.)

And I'm dying for the LOVE set of prints ($120).  Awesome for a nursery, and cool enough for a living room.

xo,

S

ps.  Mamas, thank you SO much for all of the love and support regarding my recent travel woes.  Your comments seriously cracked me up.  Life is funny, no?

Ten Tips For Flying Alone With Kids (Including What to Wear & Carry On)

Gang, I (mostly) stay at home while my husband works.  And we live far, far from family.  This may not be a forever arrangement (both the staying at home or living far from family...) so I'm taking advantage of it while I can.  So Raines and I?  We flew.  Lots. And now that Pax is here...we three fly.  Lots. 

In preparation for our first few flights, I did a ton of research online about flying with kids - what to bring, how to get through the gate, etc.  Most articles were a bit overwhelming and...scary, actually.  I felt as though I was embarking on a fool's mission.  Something only a cah-razy-person would attempt.

Thankfully, I am a crazy-person.

But honestly?  It's not that hard.  I mean YES - kids will poop, tears will flow, flights will be missed...but IT'S NOT THAT DIFFERENT FROM YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE.

My philosophy?  Focus on the fun.

Here are my favorite tips for flying with kids...especially flying solo with kids:

Little Girls Swimwear (As Chosen by a Boy-Mom)

I see this scenario play out a lot at the pool playground: the adult swim whistle blows.  A collective cry of "awwww!" goes up from the kids as moms breathe a sigh of relief that they'll finally be able to get the babes out of the water to go home for nap, eat lunch or take a bathroom break.  The remaining kids erupt onto the pool playground, where mayhem ensues, with little damp-dry people running, climbing and sliding to great delight. 

Then I hear a weird screeching, which is invariably the sound of some swimsuit-clad little girl's bottom ripping down a hot slide.  It probably feels something like your first bikini wax, and this is one of the many, many moments--though I obviously would have cherished a daughter (who wouldn't!?)--that I count myself lucky to have boys (three!).

How Did I Live Without This Backpack-Kid-Carrier? (A Kokopax Carrier Review and Giveaway)

Mamas, you know those hiking backpacks?  The big ones?

Hi, Dad.

Yeah.  They are heavy.  I bought this one (after trying on, like 10 others), simply because it was the only backpack I found that didn't make me feel like I was going to fall backwards, turtle-like (It's MEC, btw. WOOT WOOT Canada).

Notice, however, the date. Raines is juuuust over one.  And he was in the 7th percentile for weight.  7th, Mamas.  THE SEVENTH.

How much use do you think I've gotten out of that pack since?  Yup - you guessed it:  Nada.  And certainly not with Pax.  Not. Even. Once. 

I could eat my brother for breakfast.  75%, baby.  75%.

I had pretty much abandoned back-pack use.  The Ergo I love, and used it quite a bit with Pax...but in the last several months, the kid is just too big.  Even with the Ergo on my back, I can only wear him for 20-30 minutes.  And my beloved Belle baby carrier in leopard?  Running errands (in and out of the car) only. 

Which is too bad, because Pax loves to be carried.  Like the big, 'ol baby he is.  Sorry buddy - your Mum is just too small.

Enter the Kokopax carrier:

 

My Favorite Potty Training Tip For Boys (Hint: The Cutest Little Boxer Briefs You've Ever Seen)

Mamas, I attended a Montessori workshop when Raines was roughly two-and-a-half.  We learned a ton - some of which I've shared with you previously, in our Independence Building: Cheap and Easy Montessori Style Shelves article.

But my hands-down, favorite Montessori tip ever was in regard to potty training boys.  And while true Montessorians (is that a word?) advocate that you start potty training at 18 months....that was SO not gonna happen.  But happily, this tip worked wonders for our little man.  And here it is:

While potty training, your little man must wear...underwear.

You know the conventional wisdom that says that you are supposed to wait until summer to start potty training?  The thought being that the kiddos run around naked all day and will eventually figure it out?  

Yeah.  This strategy might work well for girls (I wouldn't know), but there is one key difference between boys and girls:  Boys love to pee...all over, on everything.

Running around naked for Raines was awesome.  Running around naked and peeing was even better.  "I pee on tree!!!"  was often shouted, gleefully.  He peed on rocks.  He peed on the sidewalk.  He even (since we were living downtown Denver at the time) peed on a fire hydrant.  There was absolutely NO incentive to use the potty.  None.  None whatsoever.  Peeing on things, peeing at things, just peeing peeing peeing was fun.

But...once I slapped some underwear on the kid, things got serious fast.  It turns out that wetting your pants is actually uncomfortable.  And wetting your pants and then having to take time-out from playing to wipe up the floor and yourself?  Total. Torture.  So here's what the Montesorrians had us try: