Open Thread for June 13, 2014
This post may contain affiliate links and CorporetteMoms may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Thank you to everyone for your patience while we launch Phase 2 of the site — CorporetteMoms was originally envisioned as a pregnancy newsletter, and I’m excited that everyone wants more of a working moms blog, which will hopefully be Phase 2 — stay tuned for a survey for your input! We’re reassessing a number of other things as well (yes, fine, including the logo), and have already switched the site back to the regular Corporette layout instead of the magazine-style layout (which was supposed to be a lot more “mobile friendly” but never really seemed to be).
Something on your mind? Chat about it here. But first…
Pictured above:
- For maternity: This looks like a gorgeous white blouse if you’re dead set on having one for your pregnancy. It’s $148 at Nordstrom. Rosie Pope ‘Liv’ Maternity Blouse (Don’t forget to check out our free eBook on looking professional while pregnant — it’s a free download when you sign up for the newsletter!)
- For working moms: This washable ponté dress wins rave reviews time and time again from Corporette readers. I like the pockets and the high neckline, as well as the affordable price. It’s available in five colors and a zillion sizes (regular, petite, tall, plus) — it’s normally $69 but use code BEACH20 to bring it down to $55.20. Lands’ End Sleeveless Ponté Sheath Dress with Pockets
- For everyone: I’m particularly a fan of large necklaces while pregnant and nursing (they’re a great way to draw attention away from your bust and back to your face), and I think this pretty blue agate strand would look lovely against a variety of skin tones. It was $100, but is now marked to $49 at LastCall. Kenneth Jay Lane Graduated Kite-Shaped Agate Necklace, Blue
Also — don’t forget to check out the Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale for Men, which just started in time for Father’s Day — pieces are flying off the shelves. (I’m getting my husband four new pairs of pants — I’m sure he’ll be THRILLED (not).) Ladies, what are you getting for the dads in your life for Father’s Day?
Kat-just a random question, why don’t you link the Corporette and corporette mom sites? I’d be much more likely to go to the corporettemom page on a daily basis if there was an easy header/link on top of the regular corporette page for me to navigate here.
I have a question about baby shower etiquette and the office. I work in a small (8 person) firm, composed of six women and two men (of the two partners, one is male and one is female). I’ve been here for almost seven years — when I started it was basically me, the two partners, and one of the paralegals. As a result, I’m incredibly close with the long-tenured paralegal and the partners feel almost like family in a lot of ways. I’m also friends with the other paralegal and the three other associates, although the male associate just joined the firm within the past few months. I’m trying to come up with a guest list for my shower, and don’t know where to cut the invites off. I definitely want to invite the paralegals and the female associates, but what do I do about the partners and the male associates? I think there will be other men at the shower (friends and some husbands/relatives), and I feel weird about breaking invites down gender lines anyway since ideally gender would play no role in the work place and we’re not doing a cutesy shower anyway. But I have a feeling the guys might still be a little put off by a shower invite. At the same time, it’s such a small office I don’t think I can invite a few people and not invite everybody. Do I just invite the women? Just the two I’m closest with? Invite everybody? Send one invitation addressed to the office in general? I appreciate any guidance — I hate this etiquette stuff and really don’t want to offend anybody.
Q for you guys: has ANYONE had a comment go up without approval? According to the settings the site is supposed to automatically allow comments to go up once there is ONE approved comment from that IP address. But it feels like I’m approving things from people who’ve clearly already been approved, unless everyone is switching up which device you’re using in order to comment on this thread. Is something not working?
Thank you for being open to reader suggestions! I like the changes. And, I say this with love, but you sound pretty begrudging about the logo, but I would support a change. I am in the dislike camp. Practically in the rage camp, actually, though I’d be hard pressed to explain to you why the childlike crayoniness of it bothers me *so* much.
I have an 8 month old, so this Sunday is my husband’s first father’s day. This holiday has raised some unexpected feelings in me, namely: I actually don’t think he’s that great of a father. Since my little one was born, he’s worked such long hours that I am essentially a single mother during the week (this week, for example, he has not been home at any time when kiddo is awake). During the weekend, he’s understandably exhausted so I wind up taking on the bulk of baby duties. Like a lot of dual-income couples, we discussed dividing childcare as roughly 50/50. In practice, it’s been more like 90/10. In my head, I understand all the reasons why I shouldn’t be resentful (I’m fortunate enough to have a well paying job with flex hours, his work is completely inflexible; I just received a promotion, he’s working toward one; I work from home with no commute, he has to drive an hour). But I am resentful. Any ideas of how (or whether?) to broach my feelings without already piling onto the guilt I know he already feels? Or how to get a better attitude to ride it out until his job situation improves (which should happen in the next few months)?
I’m already happier and more likely to visit with the old layout back. And look – so many comments already! I think this is not a coincidence.
Cross-posted from the main site, as this is more of a Moms topic…
I am a fourth-year in regional mid-law, and also the mother to a toddler. It took me a few months after I returned to work to fill my plate again, but I have been meeting or exceeding my hours targets for the past several months.
I have a great husband who is a super father, so it’s not a question of needing more help on the home front. I want to be there – myself – for dinner, story time, etc. as much as possible. I generally leave the office at 5:30 unless I have a particular reason to stay, but that usually means that I am logged in from 8:30 or so until late at night. I am exhausted.
I am strongly considering approaching my firm with a proposal for a 75% target. I would plan on being in the office basically as much as I am now, but could hopefully cut down on those evening hours. My goal would be for those not directly told about the reduced hours target not to even notice. I love my work and my colleagues, but I have started to critically examine whether this job is compatible with my long-term goals. The only real downside to this job it the hours.
I would appreciate any of your thoughts, success stories, warning stories, etc.
Wow — so excited to have the regular layout!! Much more mobile friendly (as I report from my iphone). My 4-month old has started daycare and weighed in a little under weight at her latest checkup. Any advice on getting her to take more milk at daycare and still be hungry enough to nurse before bed? It appears she’s only drinking 15-18 oz per day and the doc says she needs closer to 30. Is this normal daycare transition?