A Modern Day Ricky and Lucy

Review: Chevy Traverse

2011-09-08T11:01:00.005-05:00

This?

Is what I normally drive.

This?

Is what I was lucky enough to drive for the last week.

Thanks to the kind folks at GM, I got to try out the Chevy Traverse for a week and Mama LIKES!

Not only is it GORGEOUS, but I loved having more room. Our biggest complaint with the ole Ford Focus is how small it is. When I bought it as a single, kid-free gal, it was perfect. But add a husband, a toddler, a car seat and a stroller to the mix and that car is PACKED. Forget road tripping in that car. Heck, forget going to the airport in that car. No way luggage is going in the trunk of the Focus once we put the stroller in.

But the Traverse had tons of room for strollers, luggage, groceries, etc.

The trunk space was a good size and you can put the 3rd row of seats down and have even more trunk space.

And there was plenty of room for other passengers. Yes, people can sit in the backseat of the Focus, but they are squished up against the car seat. The Traverse seats 7 (some models seat 8) and no one felt like their personal space was being invaded.

I also loved all the various compartments for storage throughout the car. As we were only in the car for a week, I didn't take full advantage of them. But if that car were mine, it would be great to have plenty of space for CD's, sunglasses, maps and more.

But who needs a map when you have this!

I was so excited to have the built in GPS. As I'm still learning our new neighborhood, it was fantastic to have the nice little lady in the GPS keeping me on track!

And that cute little screen also shows you what's behind you anytime you put the car in reverse! Awesome!

And now for my son's favorite part of the car.

The built in DVD player!

The first day we had the car, Little Ricky and I took the Traverse out for a spin. As we were stopped at a light, I was checking out the car, pushing buttons and down popped this screen. I couldn't really see what it was from the front seat so I said to my 2 year old "Buddy, is that a TV?" To which he excitedly replied "YES!"

We didn't have anything to play that 1st ride, but when we later headed out with a Thomas and Friends DVD, kiddo was THRILLED. Every few minutes he would shriek "Mommy! Daddy! Thomas the Train in red car!!!"

Yeah, we're gonna need one of those.

My only "negative" is that while we want more space, the Traverse is probably TOO big for us. Do I really need seating for 7 or 8? And in some of the tight Chicago parking lots and streets, I would break a sweat maneuvering that giant Traverse in and out. I did a little web surfing and saw that Chevy does have a smaller SUV, the Equinox, which would probably be more in keeping with my family's needs. But for folks with bigger families or who tote a lot of stuff on a regular basis, the Traverse would be ideal.

So, as you can see, I adored having this car for a week. The extra space was great, not having to bend over to get Little Ricky in and out of his car seat was heaven on my back and I loved having GPS and a DVD player built in. I felt thoroughly spoiled! Thank you, GM!

Disclosure: I was provided with a Chevy Traverse for a week to facilitate this review. But as always, all opinions are my own.

Whole Foods Back to School Campaign

2011-09-08T01:25:00.002-05:00

I'm a snacker (Cheetos? Yes, please!) and I'm always on the search for healthy snacks for my family. So when Whole Foods came a-calling asking me to do a brief video about our favorite healthy snack, I jumped on it!

I was one of 7 Chicago mommy blogger/writers chosen for this project and I had a great time sharing my Amy's Homegrown pretzel/cranberry/raisin mix idea. Check out my video (and the other great Chicago mom ideas!) here. Hope this helps you pack your kid's lunches this year!

And while you're there don't forget to enter your email address in the Weekly Special Sign-up for a chance to win a $500 gift card to Whole Foods Market!

Disclosure: I was given a Whole Foods gift card and Sony Bloggie video camera for participating in Whole Foods Back-to-School initiative, but as always all opinions are my own.

This was originally posted on Macaroni Kid Chicago Loop.

Mommy & Me Monday: Mother's Day 2011

2011-07-11T10:00:00.004-05:00

Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?
Well, how behind am I to just now be posting my Mother's Day pix and recap? Oh well, better late than never.

Do you remember last Mother's Day when Ricky surprised me with the beautiful photo book?

Well, since then I've been dropping subtle hints that I wanted another one. (Okay, maybe saying "I expect one of these EVERY year on Mother's Day!" is not so subtle but whatever.)

And Ricky did not disappoint. Once again he made me a lovely book that brought out the "ugly cry."

Ricky and Little Ricky also spoiled me with a lovely Stella & Dot necklace, flowers and a yummy brunch at Elate.

Little Ricky loves the fun statues outside of Elate!

So glad to be his Mommy!

Happy (very!) belated Mother's Day to all you Mommies out there. Hope your day was filled with lots of love and at least a little bit of spoiling!

Mommy & Me Monday: Carnival

2011-07-04T10:00:00.001-05:00

Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?

About a month ago we were out doing some birthday party shopping at Party City. Across the street we noticed a local high school was having a carnival as a fundraiser. After we stocked up on plates, napkins, party favors, etc we headed across the street and rode some of the kiddy rides. Little Ricky had a ball!

Riding the train with Mommy

Carousel--loved this one so much he rode it again and again!

The big slide with Daddy. I think I enjoyed this ride more than Little Ricky. Daddy kept getting stuck and Mommy laughed so hard she cried. :)

Mommy & Me Monday: Mommy's Birthday Boy

2011-06-27T10:00:00.005-05:00

Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?

Forgive another birthday post, but we have so many great shots from that day! (Thanks to our awesome photographer, Paige Baker from A Frame In Time!)

I do love that birthday boy!

Happy Birthday, Little Ricky!

2011-06-21T10:00:00.010-05:00

On June 11, Little Ricky turned 2! (I have a 2 year old?!?!?! How is this possible?)

We started the day with a present, Kipper's Birthday. Little Ricky LOVES Kipper and was really excited to get this life-sized book all about his favorite little British dog!

Little Ricky also loves music, loves to dance and loves people, so we threw a dance party for him and some of his favorite little buddies!

Sparkly water bottles

Practicing his dance moves pre-party

A little floor work...

Once our guests arrived, everyone had a great time boogie-ing down...

Getting punked out with hair glitter...

(Okay, maybe the hair glitter wasn't such a hit!)

And temporary tattoos...

Making tambourines at the craft station....
And dancing in the dark to Beyonce's Single Ladies (Little Ricky's favorite song) while wearing finger lights....

(Thank you, Oprah, for the finger lights idea!)

And of course there was cake. Well, cake pops!

(They spelled out "Happy 2nd Birthday, "Little Ricky"!)

We did buy a little cake just for candle blowing purposes....

All of the kids tried to eat the cake pops like lollipops. So cute!

More cake pops, please!

Little Ricky loved socializing with his friends!

The cutest party guests EVER!

As the party wound down, we said goodbye to our guests....

And thanked them for coming with maracas, sand pails, bubbles, blow up microphones, noisemakers, stickers and autographed Super Stolie CD's!

Then it was time for the big present from Mommy & Daddy....

He sees it! What is it?????

A bike!!!

Once we pried him off the trike, it was time for more presents.

(No, those aren't all from Ricky and me. And yes, Little Ricky is spoiled rotten.)

Then we headed out for the inaugural ride around the neighborhood. Little Ricky was in heaven.

He loves the bike so much that he did not want to get off and his birthday ended with.....

the official birthday party melt-down!

From cake pops to finger lights, from friends to tattoos, from bikes to meltdowns, it was an awesome day!

Happy #2, Little Ricky!

Cake pops from The Cake Poppery
Little Ricky's 2 shirt from Happy Family
Most pictures (all the good ones!) by Paige Baker, A Frame in Time

Mommy (and Daddy) & Me Monday: The New Bike

2011-06-20T14:12:00.004-05:00

Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?

Little Ricky's birthday was a week ago and his "big" present was a Schwinn Easy Steer Trike. We saved the trike for after the party was over (didn't want it to be a distraction), but once the last guest left we pulled it out.

I think you can see from this picture that the gift was a HIT!

Happy birthday, buddy! Mommy and Daddy love you!

And Then You Were 2

2011-06-20T13:33:00.003-05:00

Sweet Little Ricky,

On June 11, 2009 you were placed into my arms and my whole world changed. I thought I loved you before during the nine months I carried you, but that was nothing compared to the love I felt when I held you for the first time.

And now, today, 2 years later, I realize that the first moment I held you was nowhere near the amount of love I feel for you today. It's amazing--every day I think I can't love you more, there is no way my heart can grow another inch. But the next morning there you are and there's my heart even bigger and more in love.

I recently read a phrase in one of the many baby/toddler emails I get--"joie de toddler". I love that. It describes you perfectly. You wake up each day excited to jump into life and you go to sleep eagerly awaiting what the next day will bring.

I have so many wishes for you on this 2nd birthday--love, health, happiness--but the main one this year is this....

May you always retain that joyful spirit. That excitement for the world around you. The cheerfulness that overflows into an almost constant song. (Seriously, you wake up singing and you go to bed singing. I love it!) And the overwhelming love and happiness that forces you to fling your little body into my arms and exclaim "HUG!" No matter your age I wish for you to always feel "joie de toddler."

Thank you for bringing that joy into MY life. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine!"

Mommy

My Big Night with Oprah!

2011-05-22T13:36:00.006-05:00

Hello, friends! I have been away tooooooo long and have missed all of my blog buddies! But I'm back with big news!

And what is the big news that brought me back to the blogging world?

Oprah, my friends.

OH! PRAH!

Unless you live under a rock, you know that her show ends this Wednesday. Well, last Tuesday the show taped the 2nd and 3rd to last episodes at the United Center and I was there!!!!

Hear all of those women screaming? I was one of them!

Tickets to this big show were hard to come by, but I have some very sweet friends who work for Harpo and invited me to be their guest a few weeks ago. After saying yes and squealing like a little girl, I then got very quiet. In the weeks leading up to the show, I didn't tell my mom, I didn't tell my BFF, I didn't tell many people at all that I was going. It felt like such a once in a lifetime experience and I didn't want to jinx it by shouting it from the rooftops too soon.

So I sat on it.

And would occasionally look at Ricky and say "Holy shit! I'm going to Oprah!"

But mostly I sat on it.

And then the day of the show arrived. It was happening, I was going and I was about to burst. So I took to the airwaves...I mean, Facebook and Twitter.

As you've probably figured out from years of watching her show, bright colors are a must for an Oprah audience member so I pulled out my pinkest sweater (and my biggest grin, apparently!) and grabbed a cab.

When I told the cab driver "United Center" I just knew he'd know I was going to Oprah. But no. When we pulled up, he took one look at the lines and lines of ladies in their brightest colors and highest heels and said "Is there a Bulls game tonight?"

Sigh.

Once in the United Center, it was a sea of pinks, purples, greens, blues. Oprah's fan had gone all out for her!

And the energy! Holy cow. I can not explain what it felt like to be in that huge space full of Oprah fans waiting to see her and all of the surprise guests.

Oh, right! This show was a SURPRISE! Oprah knew nothing of who was going to be there and neither did the audience. To watch her get excited, amazed, awed and teary from surprise to surprise was really spectacular!

Now, I could go through the show guest by guest and tell you everything that happened, but other people have already done that. (Just Google it--you'll find tons of articles!) Plus you can watch the show tomorrow and Tuesday and see it for yourself.

So here are the highlights for me...

Patti LaBelle singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow. OH. MY. GOD! That lady can wail!

Madonna. MA! DONNA! She didn't perform but just having her walk on stage and talk was enough to (literally) knock the air out of me. I had to remind myself to breath. I have to say it again--MA! DONNA!

Stevie Wonder singing one of my favorite songs, Isn't She Lovely. Wow. Just wow.

Jerry! Seinfeld! I am a HUGE Jerry Seinfeld fan. As all of my closest friends know I can take any situation in life and relate it to a Seinfeld episode. I can also quote almost every Seinfeld episode word for word. I received the Seinfeld trivia game a few Christmases ago and no one will play with me. Because they know I will KICK. THEIR. ASSES! So to see him do stand-up in person? What a thrill!!!!

Aretha Franklin singing Amazing Grace. Made me want to go to church!

Kristin Chenoweth singing For Good from Wicked as many of the men who received scholarships from Oprah to attend Morehouse College entered the arena with candles.

I gotta tell ya, there were many touching, emotional moments throughout the evening. But this was the thing that sent me (and many others) into the ugly cry. I watch the show, I read O Magazine, but to see live and in front of me some of the many people she has helped (all while Ms. Chenoweth was singing in the background) was truly amazing.

And these are just a few of the many fantastic moments in the evening. There aren't enough adjectives to describe what an incredible, moving, inspiring, funny, unforgettable evening it was. I'm so grateful to my friends for including me and that I was able to be a tiny part in this moment in TV history.

I can't wait to see it all again tomorrow and Tuesday! If you're watching, be sure and look for me in the crowd.

I'm the one in pink. :)

P.S. If you're wondering why there aren't more pictures....we were told not to bring cameras, so I didn't. Before the show started, we were told to turn off our phones and anyone seen taking pictures would be removed. I did NOT want to risk getting thrown out of there, so my phone went in my purse (after I took that quick shot of the crowd!)

P.P.S. During Beyonce's performance, the audience wore finger lights. As soon as we were given the lights, I turned to my friend and said "Little Ricky is going to LOVE these!"

And he does. He has been dancing around in them for almost a week now (in mismatched pj's!) It's going to be a sad, sad day at our house when those lights die.

Wordless Wednesday: Bend It Like Beckham

2011-04-06T13:31:00.003-05:00

Wordless Wednesday: Enjoying A Good Book

2011-03-23T14:13:00.004-05:00

Mommy & Me Monday: St. Patrick's Day Parade

2011-03-14T12:31:00.007-05:00

Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?
I'm baaaaaaaack!
Didn't intend to take a month long break from Ricky and Lucy. Time just got away from me and here I am a month later.
So what have we been up to?
Lots!
Music class, Gymboree, Mommy/Tot yoga, play dates, mom's nights out, Valentine's, St. Patrick's Day parade, date nights with Ricky, making cookies and MORE!
Whew! I've got a lot to catch you guys up on. In the meantime, here's a little Mommy & Me Monday from this Saturday. We put on some green garb, headed out into the cold (seriously, Chicago, it's MARCH! I'm from Texas. March means SPRING!) and watched some of the Chicago St. Patrick's Day Parade.
Because of the cold we didn't last long and ended up at Eleven City Diner having lunch instead. So here are Mommy & Little Ricky in our green (his cuffs and plaid have green in them.)

He LOVES making silly faces for the camera!

I love my little leprechaun!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

What We Did On Our Christmas Vacation: An Essay in Pictures

2011-02-12T12:31:00.001-06:00

Little Ricky made some friends at the airport.

We enjoyed an in-flight showing of Classical Baby.

We REALLY enjoyed the Texas weather!

Spent a little time cuddling/wrestling with Pappy T & Little Man

Hung out with an old friend

Made new friends

Tried to figure out the presents before Christmas day!

Attempted photo shoots of cute boys in matching clothes.

Unsuccessfully.

Posed for the obligatory "baby w/ a bow on his head" shot

Checked out our presents!

Reunited with Auntie L and Uncle S

Napped

Played with Little Man

(I love how they both look deep in thought in this picture. As if they're thinking "what art shall I create?")

I want in on the joke!

Climbed on Nan Nan's furniture. (Notice my mom grinning away in the background. She would have NEVER found this funny if my sister or I had done it. But let a grandson do it? It's HILARIOUS!)

Cuddled with Little Man

Slept in the big bed with Mommy and Daddy (see my co-sleeping post!)

Cuddled with Nan Nan and Little Man and got the giggles!

Had a WONDERFUL time!

To my honey...

2011-02-12T10:00:00.000-06:00

Happy birthday, Ricky! I love you!

A (Belated) Year in Review: 2010

2011-02-11T12:31:00.000-06:00

I think this is becoming a habit. I didn't get around to recapping 2009 until February 2010. And here we are February 2011 recapping 2010. Better late than never.

Just like this year, I started off 2010 a little slow in the blogging department. But I did make time to share a cute football fan with you in January!

In February I set some goals and Little Ricky discovered ice cream!

March brought Ricky's birthday party, my first What We're Reading post, my first Mommy and Me and a new look for the ole blog (which I'm still loving; thanks, Jill!)

In April, Little Ricky celebrated his first Easter, I shared my love of Music Together, Meet My Friends debuted, I attended my first blogger event (and was spoiled rotten!) and Little Ricky and I spent some time in the Lone Star State. Whew, April was busy!

In May I told you more about a special little guy in my life, I celebrated Mother's Day with my sweet boy, I did my first author interview and my favorite city, Nashville, was hit hard by Mother Nature.

June was a big month as Little Ricky turned ONE and we had two great celebrations! June also brought Macaroni Kid, a first haircut for Little Ricky and a party with Oprah. (Okay, with the Oprah store.)

In July I had my first anti-baby encounter while out with my cute kid. (I'm still mad about it.) On a more pleasant note, we spent a great week at the beach. And we discovered it was time to baby proof the kitchen!

In August, we said goodbye to breastfeeding. Little Ricky was fine, I was sad. (As I've told some friends, I was willing to breastfeed until his wife kicked me out.) And Little Ricky went to the theatre...twice!

In September I spent an evening with my favorite band, I hosted a Cat in the Hat party and Ricky and Little Ricky enjoyed some baseball.

October brought the best Halloween costume ever! And we met Elmo! Best month ever!!!

In November I finally filled you in on my Vegas trip, shared a big pet peeve and one of Little Ricky's quirks and had a little cry over a Hallmark commercial.

Which brings us to December. Shaggy boy got haircut number 2, I recapped our unusual Thanksgiving, I was spoiled again at another blogger event and we visited Santa and the big tree at the Museum of Science and Industry.

2010 in a nutshell. Now back to our year already in progress...

What We're Reading: January and February

2011-02-10T10:08:00.008-06:00

From the moment I learned to read, books have been one of my favorite gifts to receive for Christmas and birthdays.

So I was happy Little Ricky received and liked so many books for Christmas!

Here's what Santa, family and friends gifted him with...

This summer when we spent a week at the beach with my family, my mother and Little Ricky started saying "Cha cha cha" to each other. I can't remember how it started but by the end of the week it even had a little dance that went with it. So when my mom found Cha Cha Chimps before Christmas she knew her little Cha Cha Cha pal had to have it.

Little Ricky loves the rhythm and rhyme in this book and I love the hilarious story of little chimps who sneak out to go dancing at the nearby jungle club. Similar to "Five Little Monkeys", one by one something happens so that by the end you just have one little chimp dancing. And then Mama Chimp shows up! Mommies will really love how this book ends!

Thanks, Nan Nan!

Santa knows how much we love Sandra Boynton at our house and left The Going To Bed Book in Little Ricky's stocking. With more of Ms. Boynton's great rhymes and silly storytelling, this book has become a permanent part of our bedtime routine.

And the part where the animals brush their teeth often reminds Mommy and Daddy that, OOPS! We forgot to brush Little Ricky's teeth! So not only is it a great book, it's helping us in the dental hygiene department too!!!

The next two books are from my aunt who always finds great books for Little Ricky.

The bright colors in Lemons Are Not Red have made this book a big hit with my little guy! Each page features a die cut shape on top of the wrong color for that object. When the page is turned the die cut object is now laying on top of the correct color. A fun way to start learning our colors!!

Not A Box pays tribute to the power of little ones' imaginations. A little rabbit is questioned why he is sitting on, in and under a box. Each time he responds "It's not a box!" The next page then reveals what the box is to him--a race car, a robot, etc. The simple illustrations are sweet and I love that the cover even looks and feels like a cardboard box.

These next two books hold a very special place in Ricky's and my hearts. While living in Amarillo, I had a theatre student named Elise who was not only a lovely dancer and actor, but also had one of the kindest hearts I've ever known.. She was also a dancer for Ricky when he choreographed TEXAS: The Musical Drama the summer of 2001. Ricky and I (and everyone who worked with her) adored Elise and were devastated when she was killed in a car accident that summer.

We have kept in touch with her mom (another lovely, kind woman) and were so touched when she sent these books to Little Ricky for Christmas.

The first, The Armadillo from Amarillo, follows an armadillo as he travels the great state of Texas. The illustrations are amazing and really capture the place I still consider home.

Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb is an adorable book full of silly monkeys teaching about hands, fingers and thumbs. As always Little Ricky loves any book with a fun rhyme and he especially loves all of the drumming these monkeys do with their thumbs! I love knowing that this was one of Elise's favorites when she was little. Makes this gift and book all the more special.

This book was not a Christmas gift this year. My parents gave it to us the Christmas I was pregnant and we've enjoyed reading it to Little Ricky pretty much since day 1. But what makes Goodnight Moon even more wonderful these days is Little Ricky's participation. About a month ago we discovered he has parts of the book memorized! Each night we read it and when we get to "and a quiet old lady whispering..." Little Ricky responds in the sweetest whisper "hush." Awww, breaks my heart every time.

And now on to February. You've probably figured out by now that I love holiday themed books, so here's what we're reading to celebrate Valentine's Day!

Little Ricky's love affair with Elmo continues in the next 2 books. Both Elmo Loves You and My Fuzzy Valentine are sweet, simple stories designed to introduce your little one to Valentine's Day. My Fuzzy Valentine even has flocking on Elmo on each page; Little Ricky loves touching it and saying "COH! ZEE!" (cozy)

Happy Valentine's Day, Mouse! is part of the If You Give A Mouse A Cookie series. This sweet story teaches little ones the joy of celebrating our friends. It's our first from this series, but won't be our last!

We LOVE lift the flap books at our house! Little Ricky never tires of going page by page looking behind lamps and inside cupboards in Where Is Baby's Valentine? So far all of the flaps have remained unscathed, but as often as he flips through this book I have a feeling I'll be making some repairs before Valentine's Day is over!

And now for me! I received a couple of books for Christmas and actually made time to read them. So nice; I miss reading.
My Mommy Hung the Moon was my Christmas gift from Little Ricky. I LOVE Jamie Lee Curtis' children's books and this one is extra special with its message of unconditional love between a mommy and her kiddo.

Committed is from the author of Eat, Pray, Love. After escaping a bad marriage in her first book, Elizabeth Gilbert must now decide whether to marry her boyfriend or risk never seeing him again as he's lost his visa. She spends a year researching marriage to help her come to terms with the institution.

I didn't find this to be as fun a read as Eat, Pray, Love (no chapters on gorgeous Italian food, sadly), but I did enjoy learning more about the history of marriage. I especially found interesting the information on early marriage and how it's really not what the anti-gay marriage folks want you to believe it to be. It might behoove them to read this book and discover that waaaaaaaayyyyy back in the day the Christian church was ANTI marriage. (They wanted everyone to be celibate.) So there goes that "that's the way it's always been and the way the church has always wanted it" argument.

Okay, off my soap box.

Another sequel. Cleaving is the follow-up to Julie and Julia which I loved. Cleaving? Not so much. I didn't hate it; in fact, I really enjoyed it. But God! Julie Powell is ANNOYING! I found her whiny and over dramatic in Julie and Julia, but that was NOTHING compared to her in Cleaving!

In this book, she has just ended (not by her choice) an extramarital affair and is learning to be a butcher. As she learns this new craft she also attempts to figure out what it is she wants relationship-wise. And let me tell you, she's a twelve year old. The ridiculous lengths she goes to to try to get her ex-lover to take her back made me want to reach through the page and strangle her. Middle of the night texts, driving past his apartment, sending him gifts when he has made it clear he is done. Is she an adult or a junior high girl?

And notice, none of this was done trying to win her husband back. He's no saint either, but after reading both of her books I think Jesus himself would have problems living with her.

So it sounds like I hated this book, right? I really didn't. It was very interesting and even while hating her, I wanted to know how it all turned out.

So there ya have it. Our current reads. What are you reading? Anything awesome you recommend for me or Little Ricky?

Wordless Wednesday: Chocolate Pudding and the Aftermath

2011-02-09T10:00:00.002-06:00

The Accidental Co-Sleepers*

2011-02-08T10:00:00.001-06:00

I’ve always been anti co-sleeping.

Now before I get hate mail, let me explain.

I’m not anti the act of co-sleeping and I’m not anti co-sleepers. I’m just anti co-sleeping for MY family. For a couple of reasons.

My husband waffles between being a total insomniac and sleeping so hard that a nuclear holocaust wouldn’t wake him. When Little Ricky was younger, I would have loved to have cuddled with him all night, but I was scared my husband would roll over on him and not realize it.

The other reason we’ve never co-slept in my family is that I dreaded the transition from our bed to baby’s bed. I was worried that once it was time for our kiddo to move to his own room it would be a battle.

So Little Ricky slept in a bassinet-type thing in our room the first few months–close to us, but not in the same bed. And then he moved to his own room around 5 months and we never looked back.

Until this Christmas. When he decided he was TERRIFIED of any room but his own, any crib but his.

We were at my parents in TX for 2 weeks and they have a lovely room set up for him. It’s right next to the guest room my husband and I use, has all sorts of fun toys and stuffed animals and even has a comfy crib.

No way. My son wasn’t having it.

The first night we were there, we did our usual bedtime routine, put him in the crib and WAAAAHHHHH! He went CRAZY!

My kiddo is a good sleeper for the most part, but there have been times when he has fought bed and nap times so I know what that cry sounds like. That “you’ve got to be kidding me, I’m NOT sleeping!” cry.

This was different. This was “there are monsters and spiders and zombies and every other scary thing ever invented in this room with me. Help, help, HELP!!!!!”

So we rescued our red-faced, tear-streaked, shaking little guy and brought him to bed with us. And I’ve gotta admit, it was NICE! Stroking his little cheek, smelling his hair and the cuddling! Oh my gosh! Little Ricky likes to spoon! I never knew!!!

Each night we’d try the crib and it did get a little better. Each night he was a little less scared until 4 or 5 nights in he actually fell asleep there. Success.

Or so we thought.

From then on, he’d wake up anywhere from 11:30 to 2AM and start screaming. Because we didn’t want him to be terrorized in this new bedroom and because we didn’t want him to wake my parents (and to be honest, because the cuddling was sooooo awesome!) we’d go get him and he’d spend the rest of the night with us.

And that’s how the rest of the trip went. He’d sleep for a while on his own, get scared, come join us.

But now we’re home. And we should be back on our regular routine.

And we are, for the most part.

But last night Little Ricky woke up crying and my first thought was “let’s bring him in our room.”

And we did.

But only for a little while. My husband moved him back into his room once he was calmed down.

Although I would have let him stay.

I know, I know. I’m anti co-sleeping.

But now that the co-sleeping door has been opened, I’m having a hard time slamming it shut.

So tell me, are you a co-sleeper? Why or why not? Am I starting a bad habit letting him come to bed with us from time to time?

*This post originally appeared at DuPage Mamas. Check them out for more great articles from some awesome moms. While you're there, read about my evening with Dolly Parton!

A Kinder, Gentler 2011

2011-02-07T10:45:00.002-06:00

Well, I did it again. Came back from the holidays, promised some posts and then went MIA. I've been doing a lot of Macaroni Kid work. It's going well, but it takes time away from Lucy.

I've also been trying to chill out a little. I mentioned here that I'd be doing a goal a month for 2011. For both January and February I'm focusing on calm. This post I wrote for Chicagonista will fill you in...

Well, the new year is upon us and with the champagne and ball dropping comes the inevitable resolutions.

Last year I had a list of goals on my blog that I was going to work on throughout 2010. The list included everything from socialize more to workout 3 times a week to watch less TV to fixing myself up more. Each month I would go through my list, write a little about each one and then add SUCCESS, WORKS IN PROGRESS, FAIL in BIG capital letters.

It was a little disheartening.

Sure, there were months where the successes outweighed the WIP and failures. But that wasn't always the case. And there were some categories I just plain sucked at. Seeing that big FAIL for the same category month after month?

It wasn't motivating. It was draining.

So this year I'm taking a step back. Yes, I still have things I want to work on. But I'm going a little easier on myself. Instead of aiming for 10 successes every month, I'm going to make one goal a month and just focus on it. And all of my goals will be less outward looking and more inward.

I spent 2 weeks in TX with my family for Christmas and they were the calmest, most relaxing weeks I've had all year. I actually talked to people instead of sending off a fast text or email, I played with my son and nephew without running through my to-do list in my head, I NAPPED! And it was all divine.

So that's what I'm aiming for in 2011--calm, relaxation, being present. Maybe even the occasional nap.

Who's with me?

Wordless Wednesday: Telling Stories

2011-02-02T10:00:00.002-06:00

Mommy & Me Monday: A Trip to the Aquarium

2011-01-24T13:09:00.003-06:00

Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?
Last Monday we took advantage of the holiday and headed out to Shedd Aquarium to check out some fish. Not only was it a holiday with lots of folks off work and school, but it was also a free day at the aquarium so it was PACKED!

We did manage to squeeze in and check out the giant tank full of fish, sting rays and sharks. Little Ricky loved it and Ricky and I loved watching him watch the fish! We'll definitely go back.

But on a less crowded day next time!

I know you can't see our faces. We were too busy checking out the fish!

Again, no faces, but I love how he has his arm slung over my shoulder. Just hangin' out with mom at the aquarium!

Meet My Friends: Part Seventeen

2011-01-15T17:02:00.005-06:00

You may have noticed that I haven't done a Meet My Friends post in a while. What can I say? I'm busy, my friends (both real life and blog buddies) are busy, so I'm calling off the whole Meet My Friends thing. (However, if you ever have anything you'd like to share with me and the friends of Lucy, let me know! We could always bring it back on occasion!)

BUT! I couldn't just end it without one final post. And what better way to wrap it all up then in the same way we started--with something from Jess of Soulful Noel!

Jessica was my very 1st poster for Meet My Friends back in the spring and at the time she was super close to having her first bambino. He is now here (and ADORABLE!) so I asked her to close out Meet My Friends with a few thoughts on motherhood.

So without further ado, my sweet friend Jessica...

Hi friends of Lucy:

Jess Noel here again, this time as a new mom. But not as new as some—my son will be nine months old in a week! As they all say, time is flying by. When I was pregnant, everyone told me to enjoy the baby year because it will be over too soon. But, I of course couldn’t really fathom what that meant. Now, I understand.

Photo by Stephanie Curs

Sometimes, I have to remind myself that I am raising a man. When I’m wiping poop off my eye glasses (that’s a whole other post), or waking up from a three-minute power snooze by my kid who changed his mind about the nap, or holding him down with all my might to put his socks on, I forget that he has this incredible future ahead of him. It’s so easy to get caught up in the moment, and I certainly want to savor every second of his babyhood. But, on the other hand, I love to daydream about the days to come.

I have this innate drive to instill in my son the qualities that I deem most important in life, as I’m sure every mother does. I wanted to share those qualities with the Lucy circle because Lucy is a personal friend of mine, and I’m quite sure that she adheres to my sentiments. Lucy gets me.

Compassion and love: If I teach my son nothing else, I at least want him to find beauty in every living thing, to treat others as he would want to be treated, and to empathize as best he can. He’s a Taurus, so this won’t be an easy task. But, if he can learn to walk in other’s shoes, then I have taught him well.

Music is life, art is life: We named him Singer Nash Noel, if that says anything about our values. In our household, we respect and appreciate music and art above all else. Singer may choose not to be an artist, and he may choose not to be a musician. But, I hope that I can teach him to love both with an open heart.

Seek God and find God: I’ve struggled with raising a child in any one particular denomination, or religion for that matter, because neither my husband nor I are religious. We are, however, spiritual. I want to teach my son that God is real, and the best way I know how to describe God can be summed up in the following poem by Jill Phillips:

I am constant.

I am near.

I am peace that shatters all your secret fears.

I am holy.

I am wise.

I am the only one who knows your heart’s desires.

Also, lyrics by Mark Mancina from Julie Taymor’s The Lion King:

He lives in you.

He lives in me.

He watches over everything we see.

Into the water.

Into the truth.

In your reflection.

He lives in you.

I look forward to introducing my son to God, giving him the tools to make his own decision about religion and spirituality, and setting him free to journey into the world and discover his path.

Finally, I wanted to leave you with a book recommendation. Singer and I have cherished this beautifully illustrated poem since he was born, and I cannot tell you how important this book is to me. Please find it and read it. I promise you will love it! It’s called Mama Says by Rob Walker with illustrations by Leo and Diane Dillon.

Blessings, Lucy and friends! And a Happy New Year, too!

--Jess

of Soulful Noel

So there ya have it. A full circle closure to Meet My Friends.

Thanks to Jessica and all of my guest posters this year. I loved reading more about you!

Goals Update: December = DONE!

2011-01-11T10:00:00.005-06:00

Last goal update for 2010. Whew!

Turn off the TV at night--I've made peace with this one. We're a TV-loving people. What can you do.
Date night with Ricky once a month--No date night in December--the month was too crazy! We did do several family outings--Bronzeville Nutcracker, Prairie District Neighborhood Association Holiday Party, etc.--but we barely had time to breathe, so we definitely didn't have time to date. I'm not worried about this one though, because I know we'll get back on track now that life is calmer.
No take-out/delivery--Continuing to do well on this. And I'm finding more and more fun, yummy things to cook so it makes staying on track easier.
Eating/cooking healthier--(Stealing last month's answer) Other than Christmas when I ate my weight in sweets, I think we did pretty well. Especially considering it was the month of over indulgences.
Work out at least 3 times a week--I started working with a personal trainer!!! YEA! She kicks my ass 3 times a week and I love/hate her for it. It took me a year of fail, fail, fail on this goal to realize I was NOT going to do this by myself. So I'm seeing my trainer, Ricky and I have made a gym schedule for the 2 of us and I'm making gym dates with friends. 2011 might just be the year I get my sh*t together! At least on the work out front.
Socialize with friends at least once a month--Super easy since December was the month of holiday parties. Plus we had people stay with us a couple of times during the month, so we definitely socialized.
Take more time with my appearance when at home--Done. Not every day, but still better than a year ago.
Clean up house before going to bed--Still doing this and will DEFINITELY keep it up in 2011. Little Ricky's toys multiplied quite a bit at Christmas so we have to keep things cleaned up or Mama will go Cuh-Razy!
Deal with mail as it comes in--Yeppers. Although you should have seen the pile I had waiting for me when I got home after being out of town for 2 weeks. Made me want to cry. But that was January, not December, so it doesn't count!

So there you have it. A year of goal setting and following and kind of following and not following at all. I accomplished a few things, rediscovered some things about myself (I like being social. I LOVE TV. And I hate to exercise.) and learned some things too.

I think the biggest lesson is that a list like this is too much. I had so many goals I couldn't focus. So for 2011 I'm setting one goal a month. There may be a few repeats, but I think I'm mostly looking at a new list this year. Stay tuned....

Peace out, 2010!

Mommy & Me Monday: Cuddle Time

2011-01-10T09:31:00.003-06:00

Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?

I know, I know. I was gone longer than I said I would be, but we extended our Xmas trip and then I needed a week to get back on track. So here am I now after a wonderful holiday (more on that in an upcoming post) and what better way to get back into the blogging routine than Mommy and Me Monday!

This picture was taken by my dad (thanks, Dad!) while my little guy and I watched Kipper before bed.

(Those of you with little ones, have you seen Kipper? Little Ricky LOVES him and even Ricky and I find him enjoyable.)

We had such a relaxing time while in TX--lots of playtime and nap time and cuddle time. It was just what the doctor ordered after a frazzled end to 2010. And a good reminder of what I want 2011 to look like (again, you'll hear more in a future post!)

So here we are, Little Ricky and me--cuddling. There's no place I'd rather be.

Wordless Wednesday: Our Movie Star

2010-12-22T10:00:00.002-06:00

Llama, Llama Holiday Drama Review & GIVEAWAY

2010-12-21T22:56:00.005-06:00

**Contest closed. Congrats to Susan from Adventures at Seay! Happy reading!

This is only Little Ricky's second Christmas, but he already has a pretty good-sized holiday book collection. I like to find him a few new books for each holiday and I'm always excited to learn about new books. So I was thrilled to get the opportunity to read and giveaway the latest book in the Llama Llama series by Anna Dewdney.

Preceded by Llama Llama Red Pajama, Llama Llama Misses Mama and Llama Llama Mad at Mama, Llama Llama Holiday Drama tells the story of an impatient Llama Llama who can not wait for the holidays to arrive. As the excitement of the season begins to overwhelm, Mama calms him down by saying "Gifts are nice, but here's another: The true gift is, we have each other."

With the cute illustrations, fun rhymes and sweet message, Llama Llama Holiday Drama is a wonderful addition to any holiday collection as the non-denominational story teaches children (and reminds us parents!) the real meaning of the holidays!

If you also like holiday books, today is your lucky day! Not only am I giving away Llama Llama Holiday Drama, I am giving away the whole FOUR book series!!! All of these books are New York Times bestsellers and are fun to read while also teaching your kids valuable lessons! AND the newest book will be autographed by the author!

That's FOUR books to add to your kid's library and since Christmas is rapidly approaching, you will have a jump on your holiday book for next year!

If you'd like to learn more about Llama Llama, check out the new website for author and book information, author and costume tour schedules, games, activities, and a special section for teachers.

The contest will run until Friday, Dec. 24 at 9PM CST. A winner will be chosen using random.org and notified via email. Be sure to include your email in your comment so I have a way to reach you if you win. Entrants must be in the continental US.

MANDATORY Entry: Just leave me a comment below telling me your favorite holiday book.

Additional Entries...
(Leave a separate comment for each additional thing you do or are already doing. If you put everything in one comment, it will only count as ONE entry!)

1. Subscribe to my blog via my feed.
2. Follow me via Google.
3. "Like" A Modern Day Ricky and Lucy on Facebook.
4. Follow me on Twitter.

For an extra chance to win, check out this giveaway at Macaroni Kid Chicago Loop and leave a comment there as well. (You do not have to be in Chicago to enter.)

Disclosure: I was given a copy of Llama Llama Holiday Drama in order to facilitate this review but all opinions are my own.

Mommy & Me Monday: Checking out the Trees at MSI

2010-12-19T23:44:00.005-06:00

Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?
Last week we headed to the Museum of Science and Industry to check out all of the Christmas trees. Little Ricky and I both loved the giant pink tree inspired by the Muppets/Jim Henson exhibit.

I probably won't be posting much this week as we are off for the holiday, so MERRY CHRISTMAS, blog buddies!

Wordless Wednesday: Our Little Monkey

2010-12-15T10:00:00.000-06:00

Mommy & Me Monday: A Trip to See Mr. Claus

2010-12-13T16:50:00.002-06:00

Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?

We took Little Ricky to see Santa last week and it was only slightly successful.

But on the bright side, it did provide me with this week's Mommy & Me photos! :)

$75 CSN Gift Certificate Giveaway

2010-12-11T10:00:00.003-06:00

**Contest closed. Congrats to LizM . Happy shopping!

Recently I was given a gift card from CSNStores.com to purchase and review any item from one of their many stores. I chose a JJ Cole Arctic Bundle Me for Little Ricky's stroller and I'm so glad I did. It is COLD right now in Chicago, but Little Ricky is staying toasty warm!

Now the kind folks over at CSNStores.com have offered me another gift card. This time to giveaway! Who couldn't use $75 this time of year????

And if you're worried you won't find anything you like? Don't be! With over 200 online stores to choose from, you can find anything you need whether it be a chic handbag, bathroom shelving or even cute cookware!

The contest will run until Saturday, December 18 at noon CST. I will select a winner using Random.org. Be sure to include your email in your comment so I have a way to reach you if you win. Entrants must be in the continental US.

MANDATORY Entry: Leave me a comment telling me what you would purchase with the gift card.

Additional Entries...
(Leave a separate comment for each additional thing you do or are already doing. If you put everything in one comment, it will only count as ONE entry!)

1. Subscribe to my blog via my feed.
2. Follow me via Google.
3. "Like" A Modern Day Ricky and Lucy on Facebook (see sidebar).
4. Follow me on Twitter (see sidebar.)

Home for the Holidays Extravaganza

2010-12-10T10:00:00.004-06:00

A few weeks ago I received an invitation for a Home for the Holidays Extravaganza at the 1800Baskets.com Design PAC.

Well, I love an extravaganza of any type so I was immediately excited!

Then I saw that Shawn Rabideau, event designer extraordinaire and Bethenny Frankel's wedding planner, would be hosting the event and I was IN! Love him, love Bethenny, love extravaganzas.

So last week Little Ricky and I headed to Melrose Park IL for the event.

(Can I just say how much I love events that provide childcare? Not having to find a sitter, especially around the holidays, rocks my world. And Little Ricky had an awesome time playing with the other kids and eating pizza. I'm sure he's hoping he gets to come to more blogger events too!)

When we arrived at the 1.800.Baskets DesignPAC, Little Ricky was whisked off to the kids area and I was handed a delicious Cranberry Mimosa Twist and ushered into the gift basket-making area of the facility.

OH MY GOSH! This place is amazing.

Aisles upon aisles of chocolates and coffees and wines and cheeses and crackers and...and...and...

Any delicious thing you'd ever want in a gift basket, they've got it!

Here along with lots of other cool Chicago bloggers, I learned all about the basket making process. In fact, we all got to make our own gift baskets to take home with us at the end of the day.

After the great folks at 1800Baskets.com taught us some basket making techniques, Shawn talked a little bit about decorating ideas using some of the items from our gift baskets.

Display Cheryl's Cookies in decorative Christmas balls

Use The Popcorn Factory's cute popcorn balls as decorations.

Look at this cute wreath made out of cookies!

Then we heard from representatives from The Popcorn Factory and Cheryl's Cookies. The Popcorn Factory offers adorable holiday tins full of the all sorts of yummy popcorn flavors (I especially love the cranberry flavored popcorn!) And I knew I was going to be a Cheryl's Cookies fan when the rep started her talk with "At Cheryl's we dream in butter cream."

Amen, sister, amen.

(P.S. Those are Cheryl's cookies in the wreath pictured above.)

After learning more about the gift baskets and some of the yummy items that you can get in them, we moved to the kitchen where we discussed wine and cheese pairings followed by wine and chocolate pairings. I skipped the wine as I'd be driving, but I didn't feel like I was missing out too badly, because the cheeses and chocolates were amazing!

While we were sampling all of this deliciousness, reps from Fannie May Chocolates and winetasting.com were telling us more about their products and how to pair them.

Did you know that your wine should be less sweet than the dessert/chocolate your pairing it with? But if your dessert is a lot sweeter than your wine it will make the wine taste off. So less sweet, but only by a little!

(I must admit that I tend to buy my wine based on how pretty the labels on the bottles are so I got a little lost during some of the wine talk!)

While in the kitchen area, Shawn Rabideau talked to us a little more about party planning and hosting. Several times he mentioned using things we already own. You don't have to go out and buy all matching china or napkin rings. Mix and match. Find things around the house that can be re-purposed. Use some of the decorative items off of your 1800baskets.com gift.

He made this cookie stand using 3 different sized plates and small drinking glasses.

Here Shawn describes 2 beautiful tables he decorated using everyday items. They were both lovely, but I especially liked the silver table.

My china is very similar to the china he used so I could totally pull this off.

And see the jingle bell napkin rings? He made those from the decorations off of a gift basket. Smart.

When the event ended, everyone mingled and munched a bit more. It was so nice having time to chat with some of my favorite Chicago bloggers.

And of course I was delighted to chit chat with Shawn Rabideau who is just as nice as he is talented!

As we all left, we were given wonderful goodies--our gift baskets that we had made, Cheryl's Cookies, popcorn and popcorn ball kits from The Popcorn Factory, wine from winetasting.com, recipes from Shawn, Fannie May chocolates. Whew--I'm gaining weight just typing that!

Thanks to 1800baskets.com, 1800flowers.com, winetasting.com, Fannie May Chocolate, The Popcorn Factory, Cheryl's Cookies and Shawn Rabideau for an amazing event.

And if you are in need of delicious treats for holiday gifts, I can not say enough nice things about these companies and their products. Yum, yum, yum!!!! And you can get 15% off using the following promo codes!

1-800-FLOWERS.com - Promo Code = SHAWN

1-800-Baskets.com - Promo Code = SHAWN

Cheryl’s - Promo Code = SHAWN

The Popcorn Factory - Promo Code = SHAWN

Winetasting.com - Promo Code = SHAWN

Fannie May - Promo Code = 1225

Disclosure: I was given all of the yummy treats pictured above and treated like royalty at this event. But there was no expectation of me writing about it and all opinions are my own.

Thanksgiving Recap

2010-12-09T13:19:00.004-06:00

Well, I had hoped to have fun Thanksgiving Day stories to share with you complete with cute pictures of Little Ricky and the friends we were having over for dinner.

But we, Ricky specifically, ended up having some unwanted guests for Thanksgiving and our plans got hijacked.

By whom, you ask?

Not whom. What.

Kidney stones!

Wednesday night before Thanksgiving Little Ricky was snoozing and Ricky and I were doing some last minute stuff around the house before we had guests over the next day. Around 10-ish, Ricky told me he didn't feel good. He described what he was feeling and where and I thought he was getting a kidney infection and told him to start chugging some water.

He did and I went back to my chores. Later I realized he had disappeared. I went into our room and found him curled up in the fetal position on our bed.

Not good.

He was in a ton of pain and said he needed to see a doctor.

REALLY not good. Ricky never says he needs to see a doctor.

I wanted to wake up Little Ricky and take Ricky in, but he insisted he was okay to grab himself a cab. So at midnight off he headed to the ER.

Where apparently the pain got MUCH worse.

Like pounding on the walls begging for drugs worse.

Like if I had been there I could have re-enacted the scene from Terms of Endearment where Shirley MacLaine beats on the nurse's station screaming "Give my daughter (husband) the drugs!"

(Maybe it's best I wasn't there.)

Anyhoo, he was there several hours while they pumped him full of fluids, took cat scans, etc. He was finally diagnosed with kidney stones and sent home around 4:30AM.

The next morning we cancelled our Thanksgiving guests, slept in (thank you, Little Ricky, for sleeping until 9!) and then had a lazy day. We still got to have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner because I already had all of the food. It just wasn't served on our china with us all dressed up. Instead we ate on our every day dishes in our pj's and sweats.

And you know what?

It was kind of nice. I hate that Ricky went through all of that, but it was nice being able to just relax and laze about the day together. No deadlines, no specific time we HAD to eat. We could have done without the drama leading up to it, but all in all it was a good day.

So how was YOUR Thanksgiving? Any unwanted guests--people or kidney stones?

P.S. Ricky has been just fine since Thanksgiving (whew!) so fingers crossed that all of this is behind him!

P.P.S. We did go to a Thanksgiving potluck earlier in the month and took a couple of pix. So just pretend that this is what we looked like on the actual day!

What We're Reading: December

2010-12-09T10:00:00.000-06:00

Where is Baby's Christmas Present? was our 1st of the Karen Katz lift-the-flap books last year. When I pulled it out from our Christmas box, Little Ricky was so excited to read it again. He LOVES seeing the surprise under each flap and so far all flaps have remained intact! But I'm sure Mommy will have to pull out the glue for a little book repair before the holidays are over!!

Elmo's 12 Days of Christmas takes the familiar song and tweaks it Sesame Street style. Little Ricky enjoys singing the song and of course, he thinks anything Elmo is a masterpiece!

Bob and 6 more Christmas stories is another Sandra Boynton hit. As always her funny rhymes and silly illustrations keep us giggling!

My First Christmas Carols adds to our Tomie dePaola collection. Full of classic Christmas songs and cute illustrations, Little Ricky loves to flip through and pick a song or two to sing.

Christmas in a Manger is such a sweet book about the story of Christmas. Little Ricky enjoys the sing-songy rhymes and cute illustrations. We read it most nights before bed and he loves pointing out the star and the animals. Each time we finish the book, Little Ricky leans over and kisses the illustration of Baby Jesus on the last page. Awwwwwwww!

As for me? Not much reaching these days other than holiday catalogues, sales flyers and shopping websites!

Happy reading and Happy Holidays!

Wordless Wednesday: Haircut #2

2010-12-08T10:00:00.002-06:00

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

Read about our favorite Chicago kid's salon, Kutting Edge Kidz, here.

November = Not So Bad

2010-12-07T10:00:00.002-06:00

Second to last goal update for 2010. Are you excited to be near the finish line, because I sure as hell am!!

Turn off the TV at night--It's funny. About the same time Ricky and I have gotten better at this, Little Ricky has discovered the joys of TV. I know, I know, he wouldn't know if I didn't turn it on, but Ricky was out of town and I was desperate for a break. I found Go, Diego, Go on Netflix Watch Instantly (which I love, by the way! Netflix, not Go, Diego, Go.) and ever since then at least once a day, Little Ricky stands in front of the TV screaming "GO, Ga, GO!" Oh dear. WORKS IN PROGRESS
Date night with Ricky once a month--This remains an easy one. Still doing the baby swap which ensures at least one night out a month. Our anniversary was in November and we had a lovely dinner at Gejas' Cafe. Chicago folk, have you eaten here? Melted cheese and chocolate-YUMMMMMMM! (You can read more about our experience there at Chicagonista.) We also did a family date to the Children's Museum on Navy Pier. I love that place and so does Little Ricky! Ricky ended up getting sick on Thanksgiving (more on that in an upcoming post) so it was just the 3 of us for Thanksgiving, but that made for a nice little home family date. SUCCESS
No take-out/delivery--Still not perfect, but MUCH better than a year ago. WORKS IN PROGRESS
Eating/cooking healthier--(Stealing last month's answer) Everything I've cooked lately has come from a recipe I pulled off of the Weight Watchers site, so YES! SUCCESS
Work out at least 3 times a week--Still walking weekly with some of my mom's group when weather and schedule permits and have been to the gym a few times. Not 3 times a week, but better. December is going to be awesome though--stay tuned! WORKS IN PROGRESS
Socialize with friends at least once a month--Little Ricky and I had a breakfast date with friends at Yolk (one of my FAVES!), went to a kiddo's b-day party, had a lunch date at Panera with friends and went to a blogger event (more fun details soon) where I got to hang with fun bloggers and he got to play and eat pizza with other kids! The 3 of us went to a Thanksgiving potluck with my mom's group and to the Magnificent Mile parade with friends. We were supposed to have friends over for Thanksgiving, but Ricky's trip to the ER changed those plans. But I still call November a SUCCESS!
Take more time with my appearance when at home--(Copying last month's answer) Better. It's just hard for me to justify a full face of make-up and "real" clothes when I'm spending the day chasing after Little Ricky and having food wiped on me. WORKS IN PROGRESS
Clean up house before going to bed--More and more of Little Ricky's toys have more and more parts so if we didn't do this, we'd be stepping on toys, breaking toys or our necks, so this is a MUST! SUCCESS
Deal with mail as it comes in--MUCH better this month. Instead of trying to deal with it every day, I've set aside certain days to go through my piles. So every 2-3 days everything gets cleared. I like this solution, so I say SUCCESS!

September and October brought 5 WORKS IN PROGRESS, 4 SUCCESSES and ZERO FAILS. In November we had 4 WORKS IN PROCESS, 5 SUCCESSES and ZERO FAILS.

December should be a no-brainer for date nights, socializing and gym time, but the eating well???? YIKES!

Mommy & Me Monday: Writing a Letter to Santa

2010-12-06T11:01:00.004-06:00

Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?
The day after Thanksgiving we hooked up with our favorite Chicago photog and great friend Rachel of Rachel Hall Photography for a Xmas card photo shoot. We visited a few places that were all decked out for the holidays and as always she took some great pictures.

This is NOT our Xmas card pic (I'll share that after the awesome Shutterfly cards have gone out; don't want to spoil the surprise!), but it's one of my faves.

Little Ricky writing a letter to Santa at Macy's

I love how it looks like he's putting a lot of thought into what he's going to write. "Hmmmmm, should I ask for an Elmo doll or an Elmo DVD or an Elmo book????"

I know I'm not in these, but how cute is he mailing his letter? I could eat him up!

Lots O' Links

2010-12-02T12:48:00.004-06:00

Forgive the link-filled post, but I wanted to let you guys know about some awesome giveaways!

Kubit2Me Truth or Dare--deadline Wed., Dec. 15 at noon CST

Stocking Stuffers--deadline Sun., Dec. 12 at noon CST

Cradle Rock Lullaby CD--deadline Sat., Dec. 11

Mrs. Claus/Macaroni Kid North Pole--giveaway a day all month long!

Stella and Dot Bracelet--deadline Wed., Dec. 8 at noon CST

GOOD LUCK!

Wordless Wednesday: Comfy!

2010-12-01T10:00:00.001-06:00

My Life Story

2010-11-30T10:00:00.001-06:00

I've yet to meet anyone who doesn't have at least ONE Hallmark commercial that makes them cry.

The one with the dad and daughter who usually take a walk at midnight on Christmas Eve but can't be together this year? Get the Kleenex.

The little boy whose teacher gives him a card for being nice to a sick classmate? I'm on the floor.

The former student who comes by to thank a professor? Love it.

But there is one Hallmark commercial in particular that has always done me in more than any of the others.

And now that I have my own "light of my life", it gets me even more.

Enjoy. (But grab a Kleenex first.)

So tell me, what's your favorite sappy commercial?

Mommy & Me Monday: Watching the Parade

2010-11-29T10:00:00.001-06:00

Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?
I'm usually not a parade person. I'm not a fan of crowds and I always think "if you can watch it on TV, why get out in the middle of all that nonsense?" (Yes, I realize that I sound like a grumpy old woman.)

(Now get off my lawn.)

So we had never been to the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival Parade. And I honestly didn't feel like we were missing anything.

But apparently having Little Ricky has thawed my cold, cold heart, because last weekend we headed out with some friends into the cold, cold weather to watch the parade live and in person.

It. was. AWESOME! From the very first float with Mickey and Minnie Mouse to the fireworks at the end, Little Ricky was mesmerized! He giggled, he clapped, he bounced up and down on his daddy's shoulders (Daddy needs a massage after that!), he danced to the music of the marching bands, he oohed and aaaahhhed. He LOVED it.

We will definitely make this a yearly tradition.

(But seriously, get off my lawn.)

Little Ricky's "Lovey"

2010-11-27T10:00:00.000-06:00

Most babies have a lovey--a stuffed animal or blankie that they carry everywhere and sleep with. We've all heard the horror stories about lost loveys or loveys that have been so adored that they are falling apart.

Well, like a lot of kids, Little Ricky has a lovey. However we never have to worry about him losing his lovey or it falling to pieces in the washing machine.

Because his lovey?

Is his belly button.

Yep. While some kiddos cuddle with a teddy bear to fall asleep, my kiddo sucks his thumb and pokes his belly button.

And what he loves more than HIS belly button is MY belly button!

A couple of months ago we were wrestling on the floor and my shirt hiked up enough for my belly button to be seen. Well, Little Ricky thought that was hilarious!

For the rest of the evening any time I had the audacity to sit up, he'd come over, push me back down, poke my belly button and giggle.

And since then, when he's really tired he loves to lay his head on my tummy, suck his thumb and poke my belly button.

I know, I know, it's weird. But it's also kind of sweet.

In a weird way.

Hey, at least we'll never lose his lovey.

Christmas Equals CONFETTI!

2010-11-26T10:00:00.004-06:00

As we all begin to recover from our Thanksgiving food hangovers, it's time to start thinking about Christmas. Christmas shopping, Christmas decorating, Christmas cards. (And if you've already started or are, God forbid, DONE, don't even tell me!!!)

I've always loved Christmas and one of my favorite things each year is picking the best Christmas cards, matching stickers and holiday confetti to go in the envelope. (People who have been receiving cards from me for years have learned to open the cards OVER the trash can as I'm a huge fan of confetti!)

Since having Little Ricky the perfect card now has to include his picture!

(Yes, I'm one of THOSE moms!)

(At least I don't include the annoying, braggy letter with the picture!)

So I'm turning to Shutterfly. With hundreds of choices, Shutterfly's Christmas cards are folded or flat, on photo paper or cardstock and cover almost any style you can imagine.

Sweet card for baby's first Christmas? Check.

Retro cards for that hip couple? Check.

Religious cards? Check.

We are getting our holiday pix taken today, so it is time for me to make a decision on our cards. Last year we went with the Little Christmas design. This year I can't seem to make up my mind. Should it be....

Swirling ornaments?

Or Royal Elegance?

Or Elegant Cranberry Damask?

Or Plaid Bliss?

Or, or, or????

So many choices!

And then I have to pick matching address labels and stickers. And don't forget the confetti!

And after all that, I still have to shop for gifts!!

Do you want 50 free Shutterfly cards this holiday? Check out their great offer for bloggers! And be sure to send me a card!

YoBaby & YoToddler = YUMMY! Review & Giveaway

2010-11-25T10:00:00.001-06:00

**Contest closed. Congrats to Susan from Adventures at Seay. Hope your little guy likes his yogurt!

Little Ricky LOVES food. I have friends with toddlers who won't eat anything but bananas. Or will only eat peanut butter. Or mac and cheese. Or nothing at all.

We're lucky. The words "picky eater" have no meaning in our house.

But even though Little Ricky loves pretty much anything and everything, there is one thing he loves above all else.

Stonyfield YoBaby and Yo Toddler yogurt.

The first time he tried YoBaby yogurt he was only 6 months or so, but he was immediately hooked! In fact, he liked it so much that we quickly learned not to bring the yogurt out until the end of the meal. Because if he saw the yogurt before he finished his other food, a major fit was going to happen until he got that yogurt!

Once he got older we tried the YoToddler yogurt/cereal combos and again, we had a hit on our hands. But the YoBaby and YoToddler yogurt are NOTHING compared to the YoBaby drinkable yogurt!

Oh. My. God.

My kid sucks those things down in about 10 seconds flat and then has a mini-meltdown when he realizes it's all gone. Yeah, he's a fan.

As am I. When Little Ricky first started eating "real " food, I sampled everything he ate. Stonyfield's products are GOOD! And I love that it's organic and all natural. No pesticides, no yucky chemicals. What it does have are six live active cultures that strengthen the immune system, whole milk and omega-3 DHA. All good stuff!

Check out my YoBaby! (This is an old picture, but he's still a YoBaby fan!)

So is your kiddo a YoBaby? Would you like your kiddo to be a YoBaby? Then today's your lucky day! Stonyfield has given me a great prize pack for one of my readers. The winner will receive a YoBaby tote bag, Eric Carle growth chart, YoBaby bowl, YoBaby bib and a selection of YoToddler and YoBaby coupons!

You want to win this, don't you?

Well, here's how!

The contest will run until Saturday, December 4 at noon CST. I will select a winner using Random.org. Be sure to include your email in your comment so I have a way to reach you if you win.

MANDATORY Entry: Leave me a comment telling me your little one's favorite food.

Additional Entries...
(Leave an additional comment for each thing you do or are already doing. If you put everything into one comment it will only count as ONE entry!)

1. Visit Stonyfield Farms site and tell me which YoBaby or YoToddler product you would most like to try.
2. "Like" YoBaby Yogurt on Facebook.
3. "Like" Stonyfield Farms on Facebook.
4. Subscribe to my blog via my feed.
5. Follow me on Google.
6. Follow A Modern Day Ricky and Lucy on Facebook.
7. Follow me on Twitter.

Disclosure: I received several YoBaby and YoToddler coupons in order to do this review, but all opinions are my own.

Wordless Wednesday: Baby, It's Cold Outside

2010-11-24T12:00:00.000-06:00

Everybody Dance Now!

2010-11-24T10:57:00.005-06:00

*** Contest closed. Congrats to Tiffany from Stuff Parents Need. Enjoy your new game!

I am not a huge video game person. We have a Wii and I enjoy the games that came with it, we've purchased a few other fun games, but we don't play every day and we don't stay on top of the latest and greatest games. So I was pleasantly surprised by Just Dance Kids.

With over 40 popular songs performed by kids (not as annoying as it sounds, I promise!) this game gives players a chance to bring out their inner dancer.

In my case the inner dancer is buried way, way, waaaaaaaayyyy inside. I love to dance, but I'm not so great at it. However I had a blast following the dancers on the game and getting down to some great music, like Kung Fu Fighting, All Star, Beautiful Life and MORE! For the younger kiddos, the game offers songs like Wheels on the Bus, the ABC's and music by the Wiggles and Yo Gabba Gabba!

I expected to do some simple step-touch-step-touch action to all of these songs, but I was wrong! This is REAL choreography and I broke a sweat even on the "easier" numbers! (I told you my inner dance was buried!) I will say, 80's girl that I am, my best score came while dancing to Madonna's Holiday! Naturally!

My little guy is still too young to follow the steps in this game but he had a blast doing his own original be-bopping around me while I played. Just Dance Kids is definitely going to become part of my exercise regimen (did I mention I broke a sweat???) and it will be nice to be able to work out while enjoying myself and while my son has fun too! And I'm definitely adding Dance on Broadway to my Christmas wish list!!

Just Dance Kids would make a GREAT holiday gift for the little music lover/dancer in your life and retails for $29.99. However one of my lucky readers is going to win this game!!!

The contest will run until Saturday, November 27 at noon CST. I will select a winner using Random.org. Be sure to include your email in your comment so I have a way to reach you if you win. Entrants must be in the continental US.

MANDATORY Entry: Leave me a comment telling me your favorite Wii game.

Additional Entries...
(Leave a comment for each additional thing you do or are already doing. If you put everything in one comment, it will only count as ONE entry!)

1. Subscribe to my blog via my feed.
2. Follow me on Google.
3. Follow A Modern Day Ricky and Lucy on Facebook.
4. Follow me on Twitter.

Disclosure: While Ubisoft sponsored this review, the opinions I've expressed here are solely my own and represent my honest viewpoint. Ubisoft, Clever Girls Collective and I promote Blog With Integrity.

JJ Cole Toddler Arctic Bundle Me from CSNStores.com

2010-11-24T10:00:00.000-06:00

Remember a few weeks ago when I mentioned a winter item we needed for Little Ricky?

Well, it has arrived and it is GREAT!

Living in the heart of Chicago, we walk a lot. Even in the winter, we walk. A lot. Parking is such a pain in the ass that if we can get somewhere by foot, we do. But that means we all need to bundle up.

Enter the JJ Cole Toddler Arctic Bundle Me. This super-warm, water resistant stroller cover is perfect for those uber-cold days out and about. In fact, it keeps Little Ricky so warm that he doesn't even need a coat!

I love that the Arctic Bundle Me has a hood-like feature that you can cinch around your kiddo's head to protect their little ears. Little Ricky HATES hats, so this ensures that every inch of him is covered.

The Arctic Bundle Me also has slots in the back for the stroller safety straps so even while covered up, Little Ricky is still safely buckled in. Those slots are the one downside for me. I love that Little Ricky is safe, but the Velcro on the slots doesn't always stay closed, so we have to readjust each time we put Little Ricky in. We have a Bob Revolution stroller, so this might not be a problem on other strollers, but it is (albeit a minor one) for us.

However that is my only negative on this product, so all in all, not too bad! I think a little readjusting is minor when you take into consideration how warm and cozy my little guy is!

Do you live someplace super-cold and need a way to keep your little one warm in his stroller or car seat? Check out the JJ Cole Bundle Me at CSNStores.com Baby and Kids . It's available in both infant and toddler sizes and a few different colors. You can also get it without the hood feature. Depending on what style and size you get, prices range from $35 - $100.

Disclosure: CSNStores.com sent me a gift card to purchase an item for review, but as always all opinions are my own.

Vegas Recap

2010-11-23T10:00:00.000-06:00

I've been dropping little teasers about my Vegas trip for a couple of weeks now, so I guess it's time to stop toying with you and fill you in!

As y'all know, I started working for Macaroni Kid back in the spring. I've really enjoyed publishing the Chicago newsletter. I've met some cool people and been given some great opportunities (comp tickets to shows and events). So I was excited when I found out they were having a meet-up in Vegas in October.

After waffling back and forth (I'd never left Little Ricky over night before!), I finally RSVP-ed YES! And am I glad I did!

What an amazing trip! I learned so much more about the Macaroni Kid brand and the AWESOME folks who started it, I met great publisher moms from all over the country and got some fantastic tips from them and participated in some entertaining and educational sessions.

Oh, and I also stayed in a gorgeous hotel AND won a little money playing craps. Not a bad weekend!

My gorgeous hotel room at Red Rock Las Vegas. Did NOT want to leave!!!

GORG bathroom. And yes, that is a TV over the tub. I'm gonna need one of those.

Stunning pool area.

Check out the cabanas! So Hollywood! :)

DELICIOUS dinner at Simon

Dessert tray at Simon was homemade kiddie favorites--sno-balls, ding-dongs, caramel corn, cookies, brownies AND.....

Homemade cotton candy!!

I'll never be able to eat a regular ding-dong again.

The weekend ended with a little bowling. Check out our stylish footwear!

Some of my new Macaroni Kid buddies!

As you can see, it was a great weekend. I learned a lot, got some rest and relaxation time and met some really amazing, supportive, smart women!

Can't wait for next year's meet-up in Miami!

Is there a Macaroni Kid in your community? If not, why don't YOU start one??? Contact me for more info!

Mommy & Me Monday: Halloween

2010-11-22T19:59:00.003-06:00

Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?

Several Mommy & Me opportunities this Halloween....

Mommy & Dwight check out a pumpkin

2 Mommies & 2 Mes--Lucy, Little Ricky and our good friends E & C (how cute is that owl!)

Way more fun things to look at at the party than the camera!

Cool--a gourd!

Not sure what that face means, but it makes me laugh.

Halloween Recap

2010-11-22T10:00:00.004-06:00

Since Thanksgiving is almost upon us, I suppose I should recap our Halloween. But before I show you pictures of Little Ricky, I need to give you a little background.

From a very early age with Little Ricky, we noticed that he had a bit of an.....ummmm....interesting hairline. He has not one, but TWO cowlicks in the front of his hair making it curl in an interesting way on his forehead.

Luckily he's not alone. He shares this hair style with someone pretty famous.

Ladies and gentlemen, our little Dwight Schrute (from The Office).

Dwight says "Get to work!"

"Now!"

We had FIVE Halloween parties to attend Halloween weekend and Little Ricky...um, I mean Dwight...had a ball at all of them.

The 2 pictures above and the one below are from the party thrown by the mom's group I belong to. The wonderful Rachel Hall (she's done most of our pix since Little Ricky came along) took the shots at that party.

This is the BEST! Halloween party. EVERRRRRRRRRR!

Another in-character Dwight shot on the way to our building party. Bossy, bossy!

I love this picture! Look at that sweet face.

Playing a little ring toss at the building party.

While Halloween was a super fun holiday it also had a bit of sadness as one of our absolute favorite people moved back to TX that morning. Here we are after having breakfast with Auntie LA (she's the one holding Little Ricky) before she hit the road. If you're reading this, Auntie LA, come baaaaaaaack!

My little pumpkin (or punkeen as Little Ricky says)

Halloween isn't Halloween without a little Rocky Horror Picture Show. (He really liked the Time Warp!)

My little family at the Prairie District Neighborhood Association party. (This was party #5 and Little Ricky was still rockin and rollin, but Ricky and I were EXHAUSTED!)

Even Dwight Schrute loves Elmo.

Checking out his stash. And yes, I did I steal his peanut M & M's.

We're already thinking about next year and what Halloween costume can top our little Dwight. We've recently come up with what we think is a pretty damn good idea, but you'll have to wait a year to hear about it. If we end up going that direction I will tell you it's another famous person and it will be a nice little walk down memory lane for those of us who grew up in the 80's.

Stay tuned....

Wordless Wednesday: My Little Reader

2010-11-17T10:00:00.000-06:00

MAJOR Pet Peeve

2010-11-12T10:00:00.002-06:00

On Sunday, Little Ricky and I went to Chicago Shakespeare Theatre to hear the Chicago Chamber Musicians perform Carnival of the Animals and The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant. The performance was fantastic and Little Ricky thoroughly enjoyed the music. You can read more about how we liked the show on Macaroni Kid Chicago. But here you are going to read about something that TOTALLY annoyed me during the show.

The show began at 11:30. Around 11:45 a large group (10 - 15 people) of adults and kids filed in.

Yes, this annoyed me, but I could have overlooked it.

Not only were these people late, but they spent the rest of the show (which was only an hour and they'd already missed 15 minutes!) wandering back in and out of the theatre to (I assume) go to the bathroom.

Really? You can't hold it for 45 minutes.

But the absolute worst part were the 2 oldest kids of the group. The group consisted of young kids, maybe 4ish, up to 14-15 year olds. The 2 oldest kids sat on the front row. One of them leaned over his arm rest and SLEPT through the whole show. While the other one slumped really low in his seat and PROPPED HIS FEET on the stage.

Are you kidding me?

As I was telling this story to my husband, he said that people don't know theatre etiquette anymore. And I agree with that to a point.

But feet on the stage? Sleeping? To me that just seems like common courtesy.

You wouldn't wander into someone's office and throw your feet up on their desk (I hope), so why would you do it on what is basically the musician's office?

And yes, they were just kids. But the adults in that group should have prepared them, told them what kind of behavior was and was not acceptable and then they should have enforced it.

Instead they sat on the back row and let their group do whatever they want.

I'm a theatre person. I've been going to shows since I was a little girl (thank you, Mom!) and it was always very clear to me what was expected of me as an audience member. And it really upsets me every time I'm at a show to see the lack of common courtesy and respect given to the people working their asses off on stage.

If you're bored, if you don't like the theatre, don't go! And if you do go, for God's sake, sit up and keep you're feet off the stage.

So what do you think? Am I being a hard-ass? Does this kind of thing bother you too? What's YOUR biggest pet peeve?

Goal Update: September = So-So, October = Okay

2010-11-11T10:00:00.001-06:00

Another two-fer with Sept. & Oct. goal updates rolled into one.

Turn off the TV at night--I feel like we've done better with this. Having Project Runway (P.S. Mondo was ROBBED!), Rachel Zoe and Flipping Out end for a while certainly helps! WORKS IN PROGRESS
Date night with Ricky once a month--This one is still going well. We have some good friends that we do a baby swap with each month so that ensures at least one date. We saw Big River (amazing!) and had a lunch/shopping date. SUCCESS
No take-out/delivery--We've definitely done better, but it still happens on occasion. WORKS IN PROGRESS
Eating/cooking healthier--Everything I've cooked lately has come from a recipe I pulled off of the Weight Watchers site, so YES! SUCCESS
Work out at least 3 times a week--Started the ReVamp boot camp (yea!), hurt my knee (boo!), started a yoga class (yea!), damn knee injury got in the way (boo!), walked 3 times a week with friends (yea!), had something come up 2 of the 3 days so now can only walk with friends on Fridays (boo!), joined the gym (yea!), was stood up by the trainer when I went for my initial assessment (boo!) WORKS IN PROGRESS
Socialize with friends at least once a month--Saw Billy Elliott with a friend, threw a b-day party for a friend, walked with friends in the morning, threw a party for the Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That premiere, had several play dates with my mom's group, threw a going away party for friends (BOO! Come back!), participated in the ReVamp Project Soul to Soul Parenting workshop, lunch with a friend, movie night with mom friends, b-day party for one of Little Ricky's friends, went to VEGAS (I swear I'm going to fill y'all in soon!), went to the pumpkin farm, saw The Lion King with a friend and went to FIVE Halloween parties in 3 days. God, no wonder I'm tired. SUCCESS!
Take more time with my appearance when at home--Better. It's just hard for me to justify a full face of make-up and "real" clothes when I'm spending the day chasing after Little Ricky and having food wiped on me. WORKS IN PROGRESS
Clean up house before going to bed--Ricky is still a huge help in making sure this happens. SUCCESS
Deal with mail as it comes in--OH. MY. GOD! You should have seen the pile of mail, paperwork, etc. that piled up while I was in Vegas. But I've cleared it out. Although it did take a couple of weeks. However while I was in Vegas I heard Lisa Quinn speak and she said something that really resonated with me--"Our piles scream at us." SOOOO true. So I've really been working at simplifying. I've cleaned out closets, donated clothes, I'm planning a book swap with friends. Basically I'm trying to lessen the piles. Hopefully that will apply to the mail too! WORKS IN PROGRESS

August had 1 WORKS IN PROGRESS, 3 SUCCESSES and 5 FAILS. September and October brought 5 WORKS IN PROGRESS, 4 SUCCESSES and ZERO FAILS!!! Better than I expected.

But God help me now that the holidays are upon us.

Wordless Wednesday: Our Trip to the Pumpkin Farm

2010-11-10T10:00:00.001-06:00

What We're Reading: October AND November

2010-11-09T11:04:00.007-06:00

As I was MIA for a while I never got around to last month's What We're Reading, so forgive me for combining Oct. and Nov!

OCTOBER

We love all of the books in the Where is Baby's series and Where is Baby's Pumpkin? is no exception! In fact, Little Ricky liked this book so much that I had to repair the pages several times as he kept ripping the flaps off! A torn-up book is a loved book!

As I've mentioned many times, Elmo has a special place in Little Ricky's heart. So when I saw Elmo's Monster Mash at Target, I had to get it! This cute story of Elmo's Halloween party has textured flocking on each page and most importantly for us this year, lots of pumpkins! (Or PUNKEENS as Little Ricky calls them!)

NOVEMBER

So technically it's not Little Ricky's first Thanksgiving, but this story is more about the first Thanksgiving EVER and not your baby's first Turkey Day. We have a couple of books by Tomie de Paola and we really love the simple, sweet stories and illustrations. I know My First Thanksgiving is going to be read a lot this month!

Continuing with our Turkey Day theme, we have also added What Is Thanksgiving? to our library. With a nice sing-songy rhyme, Little Ricky is really enjoying this story about what it means to be thankful.

And as for me? Well, I'm still wading through my pile of magazines. However, my Vegas trip (again with Vegas. When is she going to tell us about Vegas????) gave me some free time to polish off quite a few. Two 5 hour flights all alone with no husband or baby provided lots of reading time!

Once I make it through my magazine pile, I do have a VERY tall stack of books by my bed (we're talking a couple of feet tall!) and will share those reads with you (hopefully) soon!

So tell me, parents. What are your favorite children's books for Halloween, Thanksgiving and the rapidly approaching Christmas season?

Mommy & Me Monday: Pumpkin Farm

2010-11-08T14:47:00.003-06:00

Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?

I know, I know, I've been MIA lately. What can I say, playing catch-up after being in Vegas has taken longer than I thought it would.

Vegas? She was in Vegas?

Oops, guess I've kept you guys more out of the loop than I realized. Vegas stories coming soon!

In the meantime, here's a little look at our fall/Halloween festivities. I'll post more Halloween pictures soon (Little Ricky's costume ROCKED!), but until then...

Our Day at Goebbert's Pumpkin Farm

Lots of Giveaways!

2010-10-21T14:30:00.004-05:00

I have several giveaways going on right now over on my Macaroni Kid site and I wanted to share them with you guys. A couple of them are specifically for Chicagoans (unless you want to come to Chicago for a concert!), but the other 2 are open to anyone!

YUMMY fair exchange chocolate giveaway. I sampled some this weekend and you WANT to win!

2 concert tickets and a CD for the Okee Dokee Brothers on Oct. 30 at 11AM in Chicago

2 concert tickets and a CD for Justin Roberts and the Not Ready for Naptime Players on Oct. 31 at 11AM in Chicago

Cool kid's t-shirts. This one ends TOMORROW (Oct. 22), so hurry!

Good luck!!

Wordless Wednesday: Little Ricky's New Friend

2010-10-20T10:00:00.001-05:00

Soul to Soul Parenting

2010-10-14T00:26:00.002-05:00

Last week as a continuation of the ReVamp Project I was invited to Annie Burnside’s home to take part in a mini-workshop on parenting and creating deeper connections with our families. I wasn’t sure what to expect but as soon as the session started I felt like I was exactly where I should be.

Since having my son I have been constantly aware of what lessons I’m teaching him just by how I’m living my life. Laughing off spilled milk? Good. Watching me drink my 3rd Diet Dr Pepper of the day? Bad!

Annie Burnside is the author of Soul to Soul Parenting. During the mini-workshop she focused on how we as moms live our lives and what that means to our kids. The evening was less about traditional parenting and more about following our dreams. When we give ourselves permission to live freely, to give up “shoulds” and instead take on “wants”, we teach our kids to live freely. We give them permission to be their truest self when they watch us be our truest selves.

It’s something I aspire to, but definitely a hard lesson for me to follow. I have a list a mile long of “shoulds”. Now some “shoulds” you have to do. Obviously I SHOULD go to the grocery store, because my family needs to eat. But do I have to have a perfectly clean house every second of every day? Will the world end if I don’t pursue that friendship with the person who leaves me feeling stressed out and emotionally tired?

As women we often feel the need to do and be everything to everyone. But until we are being that for ourselves we can’t offer it to anyone else. It doesn’t mean being selfish; it just means being true to yourself. And in turn, true to your family.

I am a perfectionist so I have this running inner monologue of “when the house is perfectly cleaned, the laundry is all done, every email is answered, every blog post written, THEN I will work on and perfect myself.” What Annie Burnside reminded me was that there is no finish line! Changing yourself and your way of looking at the world is an ongoing process.

So I’m going to start now. I’m going to read a little bit of Annie’s book everyday. I’m going to put some of her exercises into practice with my husband and child. And I’m going to give myself a break.

Okay, I’m going to TRY to give myself a break.

Hey, it’s an ongoing process, right?

I received a copy of Annie’s book and her workshop experience for free as a part of the ReVamp project.

This post was originally posted on Chicagonista.com for the ReVamp Project - A Chicagonista and Mom Renewal Focus on Fab!

Wordless Wednesday: Beach Hair

2010-10-13T10:00:00.001-05:00

Never Change!

2010-10-12T10:00:00.002-05:00

A couple of weeks ago through my work with Macaroni Kid I was lucky enough to be given tickets to the Baby Loves Disco event at Metro. Baby Loves Disco is an awesome event that tours through the country turning adult night clubs into kiddie "night" clubs for an afternoon complete with a DJ, tattoos (temporary, of course!), food and beverage (fruit and juice boxes), a dance-off, a station to get an updo (girls) or faux-hawk (boys) and more! I went to do a little Macaroni Kid work, but Ricky and Little Ricky were able to tag along as guests and they had a BLAST!

We weren't sure what to expect. Would it be uber-kid-friendly, but boring for the adults? Were we in for an afternoon of Barney music and the Wiggles?

NO!

As we walked in we were greeted by the sounds of Abba singing a little "Dancing Queen!" As the day progressed we heard "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge, "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang and Michael Jackson's "Thriller!" The music was all classic stuff from the 70's and 80's. This mommy was HAPPY!

But what made me the happiest was watching Little Ricky. As soon as he and my husband arrived he made a bee-line for the dance floor and boogied down! He danced, he clapped, he squealed in delight. He had an amazing time.

Me taking a picture from the balcony + club lighting = blurry picture!

The crowd was made up of babies younger than our kiddo all the way up to a few 8 or 9 year olds. Plus all the parents. Everyone was dancing and having a great time and I loved the freedom that all of the kids felt. They were too young to have any hang-ups about dancing in front of people (the kids in the dance-off were ADORABLE!), they didn't worry about who was watching or what they were thinking. They just DANCED.

All I could think as I watched Little Ricky dance his little heart out was "never change." I know there will come a time when he is self-conscious. When the thought of doing a little solo in front of his peers may paralyze him with fear and self-doubt. When he may hang on the sidelines instead of jumping in and dancing with all of his might. And I want to do everything in my power as his mom to hold off that moment and if possible, make sure it never happens!

Last week Little Ricky and I had a date at the Chicago Children's Museum and as I watched him climb, paint, "drive" a bus and explore, I again got that "never change" feeling. That inquisitive nature that drives him to put everything in his mouth (okay, maybe that part can change!) turn every toy upside down to see how it works, to climb and run and holler is such a gift.

I look back on myself as a teen and remember my "whatever" stage. Where I was too cool for everything. I didn't care to question things. Duh, BORING! (Sorry, mom!)

WHY do we get that way? And what can I do as Little Ricky's mom to keep him singing, dancing and questioning as long as possible?

And so I work on my own insecurities. I dance in front of other people even though I feel like a fool. Each week in music class I am one of the loudest singers of the parents. Is this music in my range? Heck no! (And I apologize to the teacher and other parents!) But I want Little Ricky to sing his little heart out. And how can he learn to do that if he watches me hold back?

Now, I'm not naive. I know he will hit the teen years and I will get the eye rolls and the "whatevers", but I want to instill such curiosity and joy in him NOW that maybe that time will be short-lived. And when he outgrows that, I hope his need to explore life with utter abandon returns.

I want him to always feel the excitement of the music more than he feels his own insecurities. I want him to always feel free to express his joy and love without fear of what others are thinking.

The longer I do this mom thing the more I'm starting to think that is the best gift I can give him.

My tired club kid with a faux-hawk

Checking out the museum.

The driver on the bus says "Move on back!"

Painting Daddy a picture

Making sand sculptures

Being that curious wears a boy out!

Mommy & Me Monday: At the Planetarium

2010-10-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?

A few weeks ago we took Little Ricky to the Adler Planetarium. After having a great time in the kid's area, I decided their beautiful view of the lake would make a great Mommy & Me photo op. As you can see, Little Ricky didn't agree.

Stay tuned...

2010-10-09T12:30:00.001-05:00

Having a baby brings all sorts of joy. It also brings all sorts of STUFF! Thankfully, I've discovered CSN Stores, a collection of over 200 online stores where you can find everything from baby gear to a platform bed to cookware and MORE!

I'm a Texas girl, so even though we've been in Chicago for a couple of years now I'm always surprised when it starts getting chilly in September. To me September has always meant more summer.

But not anymore.

And now that I have Little Ricky I really have to plan ahead for the cooler weather. I can't stick him in his stroller and expect him to suck it up and be chilly because the cold weather snuck up on me.

Last fall/winter there was one item that helped keep him warm and cozy more than all the others when we were out in the cold. Sadly, he outgrew it, but thanks to CSNStores.com I'm going to be able to replace it at little to no cost.

Intrigued? Then stay tuned, because I will soon have an update on what that product is and a review filling you in on all of its pros and cons.

October 7

2010-10-09T12:07:00.005-05:00

I intended to write this post on...you guessed it...Oct. 7, but life got in the way. So just pretend for me, mmmkay? Thanks

Two years ago, on October 7, Ricky and I discovered that our little twosome was becoming a threesome when the word PREGNANT popped up on the pregnancy test! Last year I wrote about how that evening felt here. At the time we knew things would change, but we had no idea in what way. Even a year ago, once Little Ricky was here and things had changed, we still couldn't have envisioned what life would feel like this year. And I can't imagine what a year from now will feel like either!

Every now and then, Ricky and I will be watching Little Ricky play and Ricky will say to me "can you believe he's ours?"

And I can. We didn't realize it beforehand, but he is what we needed to complete our family.

What I can't believe is how close we came to never having him. As I've mentioned before we had been told that a baby wasn't in the cards for us. Knowing that, there are times I look at Little Ricky and he literally takes my breath away.

I can't imagine my life without this beautiful child. And I am so grateful.

Wordless Wednesday: Giddy Up!

2010-10-06T00:38:00.001-05:00

Mommy & Me (and Daddy and Elmo) Monday

2010-10-04T10:00:00.001-05:00

Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?
This weekend a local bank hosted a pre-Halloween BBQ. I'm not a BBQ fan, but what caught my eye was the fact that Elmo would be there. Little Ricky LOVES Elmo!

So Saturday we headed out to meet Little Ricky's favorite furry monster. Ricky and I weren't sure how he'd react seeing Elmo OUT of the TV and BIG. But we shouldn't have worried, because as soon as Little Ricky laid eyes on Elmo his little face lit up and he began giggling and babbling away to Elmo. They were immediate BFF's!

Thank you, Harris Bank, for making my little guy's weekend!

Time for a Little ReVamping!

2010-10-03T22:29:00.001-05:00

At the start of 2010, I set a few goals for myself. I tend to avoid resolutions but there was something about the start of a new decade that inspired me to make some changes.

Some goals have been easy to fulfill. Socialize more with friends? Check. Date night at least once a month with my husband? Done!

Others have been more of a challenge. Eat healthier? This one comes and goes. Put more time into my appearance? I have a one year old. Some days I’m lucky to brush my teeth. Exercise three times a week? HA!

I had just forced myself onto the exercise bandwagon about a month ago (yes, it took me EIGHT months to start working on that goal. Don’t judge me!) when I heard about the ReVamp Project for moms.

As I read about the project I KNEW I had to be a part–boot camp, financial advise, info on being closer with your kids and spouse, a make-over? All things I need and want! I’ve always been a super-organized, pulled together person. And then I had a baby. All semblance of organized and pulled together has gone out the window!

My son’s room is always clean. His laundry is always done. He’s always dressed well. My room is often a disaster and many days I’m scrambling looking for something that doesn’t have baby pee on it to throw on.

The ReVamp Project is all about learning to take care of ME again and not just my husband and child, so I was thrilled to be chosen to take part.

Two weeks I gathered my yoga mat in it’s cute little bag (hey, I may not like to exercise, but I love accessories!) and headed off to my first boot camp. I was terrified.

Would I be the most out of shape one there? Would I be able to keep up? Would I end up weeping in a corner while everyone else happily jogged around me?

I shouldn’t have worried. Everyone there–the other moms, the regular boot campers (who are in AMAZING shape. Maybe there is something to this whole exercise craze after all.) and the trainers–are super-nice. (And I don’t know if any of the other moms have said this, but our trainers are really cute! Another incentive to keep going to class. Hee hee.)

So I was immediately at ease and didn’t feel like I was being judged or watched or considered “less than.” And so I worked out, free of any of that nonsense that I usually put on myself. And I liked it. I jogged (and walked), I did lunges (which I have always and will always hate!), I crunched, I bicep curled, I stretched. I did it all. And I kept up!

And the next day I HURT!

But it was a good hurt and I was happy! And I have remained happy every night after each boot camp. I’m exercising, I’m not hating it and I’m sticking with it! This is a new one for me.

Sadly, a week later an old musical theatre knee injury (don’t I sound tough!) flared up, so I’ve had to sit out the last couple of classes.

In the past this would have made me happy. Whew, an excuse to stop pushing myself.

But this time it just makes me mad and frustrated. I WANT to do this. I want to prove to myself I can do it. I want to make exercise a priority so my son grows up knowing how to be healthy. I want to inspire my husband to take better care of himself.

So I’m icing and resting and hoping to be back in the game.

Until then I’m dreaming of boot camp…

Except for those damn lunges.

The ReVamp Project fitness bootcamp is sponsored by Total Results Training.

This post was originally posted on Chicagonista.com for the ReVamp Project - A Chicagonista and Mom Renewal Focus on Fab!

Mommy & Me Monday: Ridin' a Carousel

2010-09-28T00:00:00.002-05:00

Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?
A couple of weeks ago we spent the weekend in St. Joseph's, MI. St. Joe's is an adorable beach side town and one of it's highlights is the refurbished carousel. Of course, we had to take Little Ricky on a few spins. We couldn't get a smile for the camera, but once the carousel started moving he squealed and giggled his approval!

Meet My Friends: Part Sixteen

2010-09-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

After a bit of a hiatus, Meet My Friends is BACK! I know you've been desperately wondering where it's gone, but never fear. It has returned!

I first "met" Krystyn about 6 months ago. I was mom to a 9 month old and starting to realize that I rarely showed up in the hundreds (who am I kidding? THOUSANDS!) of pictures we took of him. And then coincidentally, I stumbled upon Krystyn. Not only does she write a great blog, but on that blog she hosts Mommy and Me Monday! Just what I needed to encourage me to get in FRONT of the camera more often. And a new internet friendship was born!

Krystyn blogs over at Really, Are You Serious? and has two little girls. She also hosts a fabulous Mommy and Me Monday meme where you feature a picture of you with your kiddos. You should check her out.

Our previous neighbors had a beagle. He barked a lot, but the neighbors always brought him inside when we went out.

They moved.

Now, we have these new neighbors. Friendly is not a word I use to describe them. The day they moved in, we immediately noticed the pit bull in their backyard, which is on the side of our yard (we live on a corner). The yard that only has a 3.5 foot picket fence.

We've only had to call animal control like a zillion times because that pit bull gets out. Now, I think people are entitled to their dogs of their choice, but when it interferes with me and my yard or neighborhood, I have issues. So, after all of those calls, that dog stays in most of the time.

However, since then, they got a German Shepard. He barks when the wind blows too hard, when a person walks by, or we are standing in our kitchen. He's fierce, too. He stands with his paws on the top of the fence and scares all of us.

Scares us all to the point that we can't and don't go into our backyard.

One day, the girls (ages almost 4 and 2) wanted to play on our swing set. We went out and the German Shepard wouldn't stop barking. Mr. Serious (my hubby) went over to their house to politely ask them to put their dog inside so we could enjoy our backyard. They.ignored.us.

About 5 seconds later, we hear a loud banging inside their house, and then the dog goes inside.

A couple minutes later, the neighbor comes out (who has never introduced himself, or given us a chance to do the same) asks whose fence it is and that it's on his property. (We don't know, the fence was here when we moved in…and we said this to him). He was trying to bully us.

He then said "Dogs bark. We have a right to have a dog to protect us." Thank goodness I wasn't outside then, because I would have gone off on him.

Protecting them from what? My 4 and 2 year old small children? Maybe the little Bassett hound that was walking by the other day that set him off for 20 minutes?

We are at the point now where we can't go into our backyard. We don't know what to do. We've called the police and animal control with no luck.

Tell me, do I have a right to be in my backyard without feeling like I'm going to get attacked by a huge dog? What would you do? Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated.

(And, while the thought is mildly appealing, I will not resort to doing anything unethical or illegal).

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Boy

2010-09-22T12:00:00.001-05:00

More beautiful pictures from the wonderful Rachel Hall.

An Award!

2010-09-21T10:00:00.000-05:00

Mommy Only Has Two Hands was kind enough to gift me with the A Blog With Substance Award! I'm lucky she gave this to me BEFORE I wrote my last post on my husband's spam email lover!!!

And now I get to pass the award on!! Here are the rules...

•Thank the blogger who awarded it to you.

•Sum up your blogging philosophy, motivation, and experience using five (5) words.

•Pass it on to 10 other blogs which you feel have real substance.

My blog summed up:
Truth, Humor, Honesty, Family, Friends

And I'd like to share this with some of my blogging friends.

This was supposed to be my symphony
The Girl in the Kate Spade Mittens
JK! The Fictional World of Joy Woods
Military Martha
Baby Love Slings
My Blogalicious
Suburban Scrawl
Honest & Truly
InJayne's World
Soulful Noel

I know I only picked 10, but EVERY blog on my blogroll is a blog of substance and offers something entertaining and/or educational. So if you are looking for more blogs of substance after reading the 10 lovely ladies above, be sure and check the rest of my blogroll out!

Mommy & Me Monday: Hangin' Out with My Boy

2010-09-20T10:00:00.000-05:00

Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?

Thanks to Rachel Hall for another great picture!

A Little Competition

2010-09-19T19:17:00.002-05:00

A few months ago I wrote a post about how busy I had been lately and how it was keeping me from spending a lot of quality time with Ricky. Then recently I wrote about my love of nursing tanks and how despite the fact that I don't nurse anymore I still wear these comfy tanks most days.

But now that I've read this email Ricky just received I think it may be time to step up my game again!

I'm just browsing now in the Internet and i found your profile and it captured my interest i decided to drop few words to you.I'm miss Alice Dokie by name, please i will like us to hold a good relationship with a real love, I'm happy to look at your profile today, you sound so gentle to me that is why i feel very much interested in writing you, contact me at my private email for more introduction, also i will send my pictures to you so we can know more about each other, i will be happy to see your response my dear, age or colour even distance can't deny any genuine love, so please lets give our self a trial, thanks till i hear from you.

Oh dear. I hope Little Ricky likes his new step-mommy.

Things I Love Thursday: Counting Crows

2010-09-16T10:08:00.002-05:00

I have been a fan of the Counting Crows since the first time I heard "Round Here" back in the 90's. "Anna Begins", "Sullivan Street", "Miami"--some of my favorite songs--not just favorite Counting Crows songs, but favorite songs.

I am a big lyric girl and so many of the Counting Crows songs have wonderful stories and meaning to them. And if their music wasn't enough, Adam Duritz (the lead singer) is a theatre lover, like me! Several years ago I sat behind him at a Broadway show and it made my night!

Soon after that I saw Counting Crows in concert in Raleigh. Prior to the concert I had read something about Adam Duritz blowing out his knee at a concert a few years before.

I couldn't figure out how that was possible. I mean, he's a singer/piano player. It's not like he's Madonna with some slick dance moves.

And then I saw him in Raleigh and the blown knee made sense. No, he's not Madonna. But yes, he is high energy. When he sings, he is all over the stage, jumping off of amps, running into other band mates, etc. No actual choreographed dancing, but he is rarely still!

Since that concert I have eagerly waited for a chance to see the band live again. They were at Taste of Chicago last summer, but I had a 5 week old and didn't feel like braving the crowds yet.

But lucky me, they performed a few weeks ago at Ravinia and my sweet husband knowing how much I loved them surprised me with AMAZING tickets. We're talking 6th row center amazing!

A few (of the MANY) pictures...

This concert had a different feel from most concerts. Instead of having an opening band followed by CC, this tour was more of a collaboration with Augustana and the rapper NOTAR. Most of the time almost every one was on stage--full Counting Crows band, full Augustana band (look at all of those people in that picture!)--and they performed each other's numbers together. There were a few times when half the group would leave the stage and just Counting Crows would perform or just Augustana, but for the most part this was a huge group musical extravaganza!

Ahhhh, Adam. So not my type, but once he starts to sing I don't care!

Dan Layus, lead singer of Augustana. He's adorable and has a great voice. When he and Adam would sing together the harmonies were AMAZING!

This concert really had the feel of a bunch of friends just hanging out making music. And to add to that feel, on occasion actress and Adam Duritz girlfriend, Emmy Rossum, would come on to sing back-up! (Yes, she's ridiculously beautiful and ridiculously thin!)

The concert had so many highlights for me (the all hands on deck performance of Bob Dylan's "Just Like A Woman" was stunning!), but what I loved most was the collaborative feel. These were people who obviously loved music, obviously loved performing together and the audience just soared on that great energy.

This was the last concert of a 2 year tour, so energy and emotion were especially high at this performance. The second to last number, "Hangin' Around", was accompanied by band members throwing rolls of toilet paper back and forth across the stage (you can see a little flying TP in the pic above). (Did I mention it just felt like a bunch of buddies hanging out? Love it!)

They then performed an amazing encore mash-up of "Rain King" and the Beatles "With a Little Help from My Friends". A perfect ending to what had obviously been a great 2 year ride for everyone involved.

NOTAR (who I really liked even though I'm not usually a rap fan!) tossed the play list into the crowd after the show. The lady in front of me caught it and sadly, didn't want to give it to me. She did let me take a picture though.

I am so glad that I got to see the Travelling Circus and Medicine Show and I'm especially happy I saw it on it's closing night. After watching the wonderful collaboration between bands and the obvious enjoyment in each other's music I don't know that I will ever be able to fully appreciate a traditional concert again. THIS is the way music should be made and shared!

So, tell me. Are you a Counting Crows fan? (Please say yes or I may have to rethink our friendship!) What's the best concert you've ever been to?