Baby Einstein

When H was about 18 months old, J, H and I were at a food tasting at a friend's house to support another friend's budding catering business. There were several kids there, and the hostess offered to put in a Baby Einstein movie to occupy them so we could visit a little more freely. I realized at that time that I had no idea if that would entertain H because I hadn't had H watch a movie before. Yes, I'd had the TV on in his presence, but we hadn't really sat down to watch something together for him before.

The hostess laughed saying that it was because I was being a good mom by not having my child watch TV yet, and I wish that were the case. The truth is in the go-go-go life of working full-time and socializing on the weekends, I felt like H was sometimes an extension of me, and just did what I was doing. Sure, I went to the pumpkin patch and other places I may not have had I not had a toddler, but I can't say that I felt like I carved out time for he and I to do toddler things. We didn't watch PBS kids in the morning, no Elmo's Potty Time or Letter Factory. No. All those things would start happening when I was home full-time. Alas...

Baby Einstein is celebrating their tenth anniversary. Ten years of creating books, movies and musical CD's, in addition to a lot of interactive toys, that aim to stimulate children in an age-appropriate manner. Ultimately, however, the goal is to create an opportunity for parents to have structured interactions with their babies and toddlers.

When I got the package, H was very excited, asking as I unwrapped the cellophane from the Special Edition Baby Mozart "Is that my surprise?!" Feeling the remembered guilt wash over me from that long ago incident, I realized I may have missed the interest boat with him for this particular DVD. I told him that he was welcome to watch it, and he sat dutifully for about ten minutes before finally asking "Are there going to be any words?" C, on the other hand, was enraptured. The colors and shapes that rolled gently across the screen had him mesmerized.

I know you're supposed to use it as a time to spend just with your baby, but Bless me Father, for I have sinned; I have a way to take a leisurely shower (I always showered daily before, I just get to enjoy it now) sans tears (mine and C's) and I even get to shave my legs everyday! I spend the first five minutes or so of the video talking about the different images on the screen and then I politely excuse myself to engage in my daily ablutions.

The board books, on the other hand, have been great for one-on-one time. Along with Baby Mozart, we were sent Baby Einstein Touch and Feel Farm Animals; more than anything it's nice sometimes to just be given a jumping off point...I have several textures in the book to have C try out, and then I can find other things around the house to mix it up a little bit. We already owned Mirror Me, the book about mimicking different silly faces, and H is still a big fan of it.

Lastly, we got the Lullaby Classics CD. I actually already owned this, and have to admit that I don't love it. I prefer some of the more fluid renditions of the classics but the arrangements have been "tailored for little ears" so I'll just get over myself on this one.

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it's so easy to get swept away in all the parties and obligations. Helping our kids discover the world in which we live may be our greatest responsibility as parents, but it doesn't have to feel like a chore. There are a lot of great resources out there to make our job fun, and Baby Einstein is one of them; I'm pretty sure it's because it was created by a mom!

Holiday Gift Guide

'Tis better to give than to receive, right? Well, that's all well and good, but it's sometimes and agonizing process to select the perfect gift for everyone on your list! MomCentral has compiled an amazing list of gifts for every category or recipient on your list at a huge range of prices and interests.

MomCentral has special daily giveaways with thousands of dollars worth of products in multiple daily drawings. Each provides the chance to win an entire gift package that includes gifts worth hundreds of dollars - a great way to combat financial stress this holiday season. We invite you and all of your friends and family to take a look at these great gift ideas and enter for a chance to win. Not only have they made the list for you, but they're giving you a chance to win some of the featured products!

To be eligible to win the daily prizes, participants must register at Mom Central, log-in, and leave a comment on the review post. If you want even more chances for some free swag this holiday season, you can 'tweet' (using Twitter) or email your friends about the giveaway. In order to earn the additional entry, simply go back to the Mom Central Review blog and leave a second comment letting us know.

Happy Shopping! (only 15 shopping days left!)

Shelter Me

I was offered the chance to review Shelter Me by Juliette Fay through Avon's First Look program. I was immediately drawn into the life of Jane LeMarche, a recently widowed mother of two young children, living in a Massachusetts town very close to my own. It's not often that a novel makes me think so much about my life; I'm usually just reading for pleasure, often with several books in progress at once (My GoodReads "currently reading" list is a little ridiculous). When I reviewed the letter from Harper Collins and realized that the review was due tomorrow (well, today, but this was last night) and I was half-way through, I buckled down and started reading in earnest. I had already become engrossed in the story, so it wasn't difficult. I read into the night, and picked it back up this morning while H ate his cereal, putting it down to 'interact' with my kids for a few hours.

After putting H and C down for their naps, I tucked back into the lives of Janie, Dylan, Carly and all the people that made the first year after the death of Robby maintain some semblance of normalcy. I don't want to put any spoilers in this review, but the basic storyline revolves around Janie who is self-admittedly in a 'shitty' place in her life following the day her husband was killed after being hit by a car while riding his bike without a helmet.

Just months after his death, a contractor, Augustus "Tug" Malinowski, comes to her door with plans for a porch that her husband had designed for their home as a gift to her. Janie decides to go forward with the building of the porch, as it's yet another way she can feel close to her husband.

While she is prickly, and angry and all the things you might expect from someone who's suffered a tragedy of this magnitude, she also reminded me of myself in a lot of ways; brusque and unafraid to speak my mind, but internally sensitive and bull-headed all at once. There were many times throughout the novel that I felt like it was me talking, probably amplified by the fact that my kids are about the same age as hers. There is one instance in which she is describing a 'breakthrough' with her daughter. Following her husband's death, she stopped producing milk and had to bottle-feed her baby. Their intimate breastfeeding routine was interrupted and I'm sure the emotional impact of the situation as a whole contributed to Carly balling up her hands in fists as she ate. The first time Carly again allows Janie to stroke her palm, is one of the gifts or "daily miracles" that Janie recognizes as the signs she needs to look for that life will go on.

She described the palm of her baby, and I just started to cry. Nursing C and H (when he was an infant, not now...blech) is one of my favorite things about baby-hood, and stroking C's palm as I look into his eyes...well, there's just not much that compares.

I could go on and on about the minutiae of my life that this book made me recognize is really special. I have been feeling in such a rut lately, and I know it sounds silly that a work of fiction has bolstered me so much, but I can't really attribute it to anything else.

Janie talks about that feeling of relief that used to wash over her as she realized her husband would be home at any minute to help out with the kids, and how that was one of her many losses. I have to admit that it's the touchstone in my day on the days that J's schedule works out that way. His working hours are crazy, and this month has been particularly hard. This quasi-single parenting is a lonely business, but reading Shelter Me really gave me the gut-check I needed. I'm not a single parent, and each comment I make to that effect is probably a slap in the face to J, who's missing out on all the little milestones that I've been complaining about. But I digress....

The details that Fay brings to life in these characters made me feel like I was reading the diary of a friend. Of course, it helped that I was practically reading about my neighborhood, and I could barely stop myself from googling Janie's town of Pelham, MA to get all the details and feel even closer to the story...okay, fine, I googled it.

The search is over. I have my next book club pick already selected. It will add even more fun that it will be read by a group of Central Massachusetts moms...Ms. Fay...do any local book club visits? :) Shelter Me is available for purchase on December 30th...less than a month!

Graco Travel Lite Table Chair

When H came of age, eating age that is, we were faced with finding a high chair that would fit in our apartment. We settled on a monstrosity that was put in the corner (I guess we didn't listen to Mr. Swayze's admonition) initially, only to later do the shuffle from the tiny corner to the tiny kitchen at feeding times because apartment designers always think it wise to put carpet in an eating area.

Now that C is reaching the age of solids, I began my quest for the perfect small chair. I didn't want one the strapped onto our chairs, because that takes one out of commission and we only have four. When we have guests over, it's always fun to take H's booster off the chair only to turn red with embarrassment when I realize I needed to have scraped the month's worth of nasty food debris before having company over.

I was at a friend's house and noticed that they had one of the old-school hook-on high chairs at their breakfast bar so that the baby was with the rest of the family for breakfast and lunch, with a traditional high chair in the dining room and the light bulb clicked on.

After searching on amazon.com, I added the Zooper Hook-on Chair in Margarita to the boys' wish list. It had a cloth cover that could be taken off and thrown in the washing machine and got overall excellent reviews.

After several feedings where I had C in his Exersaucer and he was lunging at the spoon in an artful bob and weave, I realized I should just go back online and order the chair, like, yesterday.

Because I usually make rash purchases, I decided to make one more foray into the world of Internet reviews and found the Graco Travel Lite Table Chair (for $15 less, and it still shipped for free with SuperSaver shipping). Not only did it have a higher back, it also had a tray that snaps on, and is as light as the Zooper for travel use. Since I am not purchasing this as a travel chair but as my full-time chair, I was happy to see reviews with the same sentiment.

Today, I received my chair in the mail, and I let C do his wail of hunger while I quickly installed the chair and prepared his lunch. The Tango in the Tongo pattern's background is a little more green than in the pictures, which I actually like. It feels very sturdy, was extremely easy to install and didn't require any assembly; I just pulled it out of the box and hooked it on the chair.

There is a small gap in the chair, between the seat and the back, allowing for food to be cleaned up easily and it seems comfortable while still being very functional. The only drawback I've found so far is that I feel like I needed to hook it very close to the table since it's C's first real chair, and it's a little tight getting my hands in and out to buckle him in. Also, it is a 'baby' print, so if you're looking for something that says "We have a baby, but we won't tell anyone", this isn't the chair for you...the Zooper or Chicco chairs would be a better pick (although, simply having the chair will give you away).

The travel lite chair hooks easily and securely onto our tiny table, in our tiny dining area, for a tiny price...which gives me big satisfaction.

Knit Two

When I first started working for the State of Oregon, my co-worker and I tried to burn off some nervous energy/stress by learning to do what we called knitting but what others would call making a giant knot of yarn that resembles something a cat may yak up. Being extremely impatient, I moved onto the next task quickly.

Three years later, after having H, Portlandia and I had taken to walking together (one Starbucks further at a time) in my post c-section recovery. One of our talks led to a discussion about knitting, and I learned that she knew how...'would you teach me?!' I practically yelled in my excitement. She gladly, and patiently, taught me to cast-on and away I went on my first scarf...which then sat in a pile until almost a year later...I didn't learn to bind off before returning to work and with the hustle and bustle involved in my job, I didn't take the time.

Then providence intervened and it was off to another mind-numbingly boring training about 'paradigm-shifting' policy changes, which really amounted to more of the same worded differently. I saw another woman knitting patiently and glommed onto her at the next break, asking if she could teach me to bind off. A-Ha! I would have a task for the next days of training...and I haven't stopped since.

That week I picked up a copy of Stitch n' Bitch at Barnes & Noble which was practically my bible for my first 6 months of knitting, and then forayed into the world of knitting circle fiction. I first read Knitting Under the Influence, (because who can pass up a book with a martini glass on the cover using knitting needles and a yarn olive instead of a skewer?) and I was hooked.

When Friday Night Knitting Club first came out, I kept looking at the cover and lusting after the gorgeous skeins of yarn but had been on a huge chick lit run so passed it over in favor of Reading Lolita in Tehran (which I still haven't finished...). My mom came to help out when I had C, and offered to buy it for me also, but I passed it up in favor of the 'behind the scenes' book for the SATC movie.

When I finally read it, I couldn't believe I'd let it go so long. I loved it. They really aren't kidding when they call it the Steel Magnolias of knitting. I finished that book wanting to know more about the characters, and feeling like I'd been left hanging...what happens with Peri and her Pocketbooks? Does Dakota go on to lead a rich life, or is she lost in the shuffle of so many people trying to be a stand in for Georgia? What will come of Walker and Daughter?! So many questions, and no answers!

It wasn't two weeks later that I was sitting at my computer when I received an email from MotherTalk/MomCentral regarding advanced copies of Knit Two being available for review. I think I hit reply before the email had fully loaded. Less than a week later, I tore open the envelope that held Knit Two, and started reading immediately (not exaggerating).

Wow, you've read a long way to get to this! Knit Two did not disappoint. Kate Jacobs again brought KC, Dakota, Darwin, Peri, Lucie, Anita and Catherine to life, five years after Georgia's death. I thought she did a remarkable job of going through the range of emotions and grief stages that would be present in a group who lost someone that meant something different to each of them.

I was really hoping that she wouldn't have James end up in a romantic relationship with any of the girls, because it just would have been too easy, and was very pleased with how she resolved each person's quest to find out what they wanted and how to act on it. This is a quick read in that you become ensconced in the characters' lives so are able to race through it. That said, it has more substance and depth than first glance would grant it.

I was especially happy that she included the pattern for the "Georgia Afghan" and also a recipe for one of Dakota's muffins as they are so central to the story.

My favorite part of the book, just as in the first, is all of the rich and detailed descriptions of the yarn, stitches and various projects that are created throughout. Ms Jacobs knows knitting and it's very exciting and encouraging to see a fiber art that is gaining momentum with my generation being featured in mediums other than crafting magazines. Curl up with your favorite afghan and get ready for another great read.

**As I was looking Knit Two on amazon in order to include a link, I saw that Kate Jacobs has another novel called Comfort Food. What? Since my two favorite things are knitting and eating, I'll be sure to pick that one up next!

SeatSnug

As C is getting close to being too big for the bucket, it's time to transition him into a traditional rear-facing car seat. The seat that H currently uses is for both front and rear facing and had been our 'back-up' seat in J's truck in Oregon, so has only been used as the primary seat for one year. H is getting too tall for it, and very close to the weight limit for the harness, so it was a natural progression to hunt for a new seat for H, while giving his to C. There are still over 3 years left before the 'expiration date' so I knew it was fine to use this as my game plan.

I was fairly nervous about the prospect of H being in a booster with just the seat belt, as he still seems so young to me, but we couldn't afford the Britax, which has a much higher weight limit than our current Graco car seat. Luckily, I was talking about the dilemma with one of my friends and she told me about the Graco 3-in-1 of which she had just purchased two for her girls. The 3-in-1 has a 65 pound weight limit for the 5-point harness, then transitions to a seat-belt booster, and finally to a backless booster for up to 100 pounds.

Had I not found this car seat, however, I would still have felt more confident about having H in a backed booster given the new product I was sent by MomCentral called SeatSnug. SeatSnug is manufactured by Lap Belt Cinch, Inc., and is both ingenious and very easy to use and install. They developed the product as one of the failings of seat belts is that they "represent a compromise of safety and comfort" in that they allow slack to develop in the lap belt portion which is acknowledged by the auto industry as a major contributor to injuries and deaths in car accidents.

Although H won't be using the seat belt in his booster for awhile, I installed it in our car regardless because I occasionally take friends' kids that do, and the seat belt can be used by an adult or older child with SeatSnug still installed by using the on/off switch.

I was impressed that they provided not only clear and concise directions for installations with lots of pictures, but also an online video to make sure that it's used properly. The Safe'n Snug guarantee also allows for, among other return/exchange reasons, a free replacement of the product should it be installed and in use during an accident as, like car seats, they should not be used after involvement in an accident.

SeatSnug is available on amazon.com for $34.95. Who knew peace of mind could come at such a small price?

TokBox

Moving so far from family and friends was a very daunting prospect. The furthest I'd ever roamed from my sleepy Northeastern Oregon hometown was the big city about four hours away. This country looks mighty large when you're moving to the opposite coast.

After a few months of living sans family and friends, I realized that it didn't feel quite as lonely as I'd expected. Email and Instant Messaging had made it so that I could virtually talk to my friend just as we had when working across the wall from each other. I didn't miss the way kids were growing up because I got lots of pictures.

Before we moved, my in-laws gave us a web cam so that we could have H call and say hello. I don't know if you've tried to wrangle a toddler in front of a computer before, but it's less than successful.

How fun, then, to have the ability to get them to say a few words in a video email? That's just one of the options available with the program TokBox. The best part? It's free and there's no software to download (or upload, I never quite get those straight.)

Upon starting my account, I was a little dubious, because you have to allow the program to "talk" to your camera and computer. I guess one of the downfalls of having a career where you attend multiple conferences with information about Internet predators is that you can never truly let down your guard (and shouldn't really). Like all camera-based (or chatrooms in general) programs, I would strongly suggest to anyone that they never have the camera in the child's bedroom, and that it be centrally located in the family home (i.e. the living room or kitchen). After performing several functions, however, I realized that each time I attempted to initiate a call or email, I had to physically 'allow' the communication to happen...phew!

Paranoia aside, I immediately mailed a test message to myself and was pretty impressed with the clarity, and 'real time' speed. It didn't clog my inbox either, because it's not a big attachment, it's just a link to the site. I also received an email that the message had been viewed, so you don't have to wonder.

Now for the real test. I sent a message to my parents who love all the opportunities that having a computer gives them, but are fortunate to have a daughter who works for a phone/Internet company that they can call for assistance at any time (thanks, Myrtle!). Easy for Senior Citizens? Check.

My sisters and I have 'sister chat' weekly through messenger, so I was really excited to see that this has a conferencing feature and we can truly chat live. If we keep having all these advancements, living in New England forever may become appealing.

As I was writing the review, I kept noting that something was pinging in the background, and realized that my TokBox screen was still open, and a friend was IM'ing me. I was surprised that she had an account and asked how long she'd had it...turns out, she was IM'ing me from Gmail and because my contacts were imported, she was able to contact me while I was logged into TokBox. What a great feature! You don't have to be logged into different programs to get all the features in one.

The only downside? Wow, I've got some serious jowls that the web cam seems to highlight more than in normal life, and my loft area looks like Hurricane Ike made an appearance. Maybe just talking on the phone isn't so bad after all!