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It’s next to impossible to get your kids to look at your phone camera. Especially if you are trying to take a photo of more than one baby or toddler and have them all looking in the same direction, good luck. When my son became more mobile, my husband bought one of these to clip on to the top of our phones to grab his attention, and it totally worked. I also like the idea of using it if you have to video chat and you don’t have great light in your house or in your office. It is $7.63 on Amazon and eligible for Prime. Selfie Ring Light This post contains affiliate links and CorporetteMoms may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!Sales of note for 4.18.24
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Ann Taylor – 50% off full-price dresses, jackets & shoes; $30 off pants & skirts; extra 50% off sale styles
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything; extra 20% off purchase
- Eloquii – 50% off select styles; 60% off swim; up to 40% off everything else
- J.Crew – Mid-Season Sale: Extra 60% off sale styles; up to 50% off spring-to-summer styles
- Lands’ End – 30% off full-price styles
- Loft – Spring Mid-Season Sale: Up to 50% off 100s of styles
- Nordstrom: Free 2-day shipping for a limited time (eligible items)
- Talbots – Spring Sale: 40% off + extra 15% off all markdowns; 30% off new T by Talbots
- Zappos – 29,000+ women’s sale items! (check out these reader-favorite workwear brands on sale, and some of our favorite kids’ shoe brands on sale)
Kid/Family Sales
- Carter’s – Up to 70% off baby items; 50% off toddler & kid deals & 40% off everything else
- Hanna Andersson – Up to 50% off spring faves; 25% off new arrivals; up to 30% off spring
- J.Crew Crewcuts – Up to 60% off sale styles; up to 50% off kids’ spring-to-summer styles
- Old Navy – 30% off your purchase; up to 75% off clearance
- Target – Car Seat Trade-In Event (ends 4/27); BOGO 25% off select skincare products; up to 40% off indoor furniture; up to 20% off laptops & printers
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And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!
- If you’re a working parent of an infant with low sleep needs, how do you function at work when you’re in the throes of baby’s sleep regression?
- Should I cut my childcare down to 12 hours a month if I work from home?
- Will my baby have speech delays if we raise her bilingual?
- Has anyone given birth in a teaching hospital?
- My child eats everything, and my friends’ kids do not – how should I handle? In general, what is the best way to handle when your child has some skill/ability and your friend’s child doesn’t have that skill/ability?
- ADHD moms, give me your tips to help with things like behavior in the classroom, attention to detail, etc?
- I think I suffer from mom rage…
- My husband and kids are gone this weekend – how should I enjoy my free time?
- I’m struggling to be compassionate with a SAHM friend who complains she doesn’t have enough hours of childcare.
- If you exclusively formula fed, what tips do you have for in the hospital and coming home?
- Could I take my 4-yo and 8-yo on a 7-8 day trip to Paris, Lyon, and Madrid?
Cb says
We talked about stains earlier in the week (thanks for all your suggestions!) and I read something tangentially related which I thought was such a good idea. It was a suggestion to pack an outfit that you don’t like (because it’s garish or ridiculous) but your child likes in their daycare back-up bag. It said that often we pack old or ill-fitting clothes as back-ups and if a child has had an accident, they might be feeling sad or vulnerable and could be cheered by the ugly unicorn or paw patrol tshirt.
I’m pretty sure my toddler spends his days literally rolling in the mud so there aren’t enough Thomas t-shirts in the world to keep up with his outfit changes but I thought it was a really lovely idea for big kids.
anne-on says
Corollary – I sometimes stuck ‘fancy’ clothes in the backup clothing bin. We got SO many outfits as gifts (baby’s first Easter! on both sides!) and it just wasn’t possible to wear them all regularly so into the backup clothing bin they went!
Anonymous says
Haha, yep! We stock the daycare clothes bin with the gifted extremely girly t-shirts that kind of horrify me but my toddlers love.
(Sidenote: what is up with the kitten-unicorn hybrid that is all over girl’s clothes nowadays? Does it scare anyone else?)
Cb says
We haven’t gotten any clothes gifts since my son was wee but if we did, this would definitely be my strategy.
Anonymous says
Gosh just so many unicorns. My daughter have unicorn shirts and toys and unicorn cats and unicorn everything. They have a toy unicorn pig. Ummm
So Anon says
All the unicorns all over everything for my 5 year old and all of her friends. She went to a unicorn themed birthday party last night, and wore her unicorn mask until bedtime. My son has a stuffed narwhal, so some version is all over my house. As an aside, am I the only one who thought that narwhals were pretend until the recent netflix show that showed them?!
Anonymous says
Nope! My husband also thought they weren’t real. He still doesn’t totally believe me.
Anonymous says
Nope. :)
HSAL says
Aha, we don’t have anything on clothes, but last summer a kitty-unicorn was my almost-three year old’s choice when she “won” a prize at the state fair.
Anonymous says
UniKitty!
FVNC says
Yes! We have the “Mommy’s Little Stud” (ugh) football-themed tracksuit in our son’s daycare bin. So far it has not been worn…I hope to keep it that way.
AwayEmily says
The daycare bin is where most of the clothing gifts from my MIL go to live…(metallic pants, really??)
Artemis says
Haha, just proof that everyone has different tastes . . . my toddler daughter and I would be all about metallic pants!!!
anon says
Honestly, this! Leggings with a floofy ruffle across the ankle? OMG, no. Daughter wore them at daycare this week and was thrilled.
Patty Mayonnaise says
Anyone have a modern baby book that they love?
Mama Llama says
Yes, I love this one. It’s very simple, and I’ve found it easy to keep up with for my second child. https://rubyroobaby.com/products/first-year-baby-memory-journal-book-photo-milestone-scrapbook-fox-bear-woodland
Anonymous says
Have and love “welcome, baby” book by Dan Zadra. Simple and modern and beautifully produced (high quality pages and cloth bound cover). Recommend adding plastic photo sleeves to include photos (they sell these sleeves that attach via a single sticker glue line so you can flip them up).
Anon says
Have any of you had your tubes tied? If you did it after a birth, did it change your recovery? My OB was putting in orders for my repeat c section today and asked. I told her I hadn’t decided but it has crossed my mind. I’m 99.9 percent sure this is our last (2nd kid) after a history of miscarriages, hyperemesis, and a kid with a rare genetic condition. And it’s appealing to not have to worry about it but it feels so final, I guess?
FP says
I was in a similar position as you – a repeat c section with our 2nd and final child. I decided against the surgery and instead, my husband went in for a vasectomy. I wasn’t quite sure how the hormonal changes of childbirth would interact with sterilization, and I decided that one surgery to recover from was enough for me. My husband was 100% on board and made an appointment for the V about 2 months after we had the 2nd baby. I don’t regret my choice – and I would be fine either way – but if you have a male spouse, know that he can shoulder that burden too.
Anonymous says
And if you don’t have a male spouse, you prob aren’t worried about birth control.
Anonymous says
Side note: this is probably my favorite thing about being in a lesbian relationship!
anne-on says
+1 to asking your male partner to consider a V. I had a rough pregnancy and other children weren’t medically advised. The IUD I had placed after my c-section migrated and after having to be sedated to take it out I was DONE. My husband to his credit totally understood and scheduled everything and took care of it all. From a ‘fairness’ standpoint I felt like it was his turn to step up and handle reproductive stuff since I was so over it all.
FVNC says
Same situation, right down to timeline of husband’s procedure. I might have considered having my tubes tied, as we were certain we didn’t want more kids, but I felt like my OB kind of sprung it on me as an option at one of my 3rd tri appts. I didn’t feel like I had the time or emotional bandwidth at that point to properly evaluate, research, etc. The male version was quick and easy.
Ducky36 says
Same exact thing happened with us!
HSAL says
I had mine done during the csection for my twins. I delivered my first hooha-style, so I don’t have a non-tubal csection to compare it too, but I will say I had a lot of pain and my doctor said some of it was probably attributable to the tubal. And my husband STILL got snipped four months later, because that’s just how serious we were about not having any more. Ain’t leaving nothing to chance.
But as a sidenote, I got asked FOUR TIMES during my csection if I was sure I wanted the tubal. FOUR TIMES. The third time I said “an enthusiastic yes!” and the fourth time I said “tell me again how many babies you’re about to pull out of me? Yes, I’m sure.” My husband had the consult, the doctor said “cool” and no one asked him if he was sure at the time of the procedure. I understand that it’s not quite as final as the tubal, but still. Please trust that I’ve made the right choice for me, medical community.
Anonymous says
Whoa, that is some serious birth control!
HSAL says
Let’s be honest, with a 3.5 year old and two ten month olds, we’re also practicing abstinence just in case.
Anon says
I intend to get one on c-section #3. I don’t think at #2 (TTC now) we will be ready to confirm done, because we’ve always talked about 2, maybe 3. But we definitely don’t want more than 3 and my OB doesn’t recommend more than 3 C’s, and I can’t be on hormonal birth control for a variety of health reasons (yay me). So if we do have a third, I will likely do that during #3. My mom had it done on her third c-section and said the recovery was a little more painful, but still quite manageable. If we decide we’re done at 2, that will be a different conversation.
Anon says
Had it done after C-Section #2; the finality is a bit scary, but I ultimately decided that even if something horrible happened to one of my children, I would not want to go through the process of being pregnant again. Difficult to compare recovery because my first C was an “urgent” (had to be quick but not so quick I was under) and performed by a resident at the hospital I wound up at; second was by my doctor. Early recovery (first two days) was way worse for C/tubal-I passed out every time I tried to get up from my bed and wound up with an IV. After that, next few weeks were similar to my recovery from C#1, and after that, recovery from C#2 was significantly better, which I chalk up to a more skilled doctor (my scar is now much smaller, for example). I’m now about 15 months out, and one unfortunate side effect seems to be my periods are WAY worse and occurring more frequently, but I have yet to talk to my doctor about whether that’s just me (I have basically been on BC my entire adult life) or a side effect of the tubal.
Anonymous says
Measles. Can’t believe this is an issue but a friend just said she was nervous about visiting Brooklyn with her baby because of measles.
TheElms says
Its definitely an issue. I have a couple friends who live in the zip codes that are now under the mandatory vaccine orders, but have babies that are too young to vaccinate. Babies can get an early vaccine at 8 months, but my friends have a 2 month old and 6 month old and the wait is killing them. Especially the 6 month old who has to go to daycare. The 2 month old is at home and mom says she feels basically trapped in her tiny apartment. Mom to the 2 month old is considering coming to visit for a while because fewer measles cases where I am, more space, etc. etc. but it would mean being away from her husband so its a hard call.
Long time lurker says
I have read 6 months old can be vaccinated so your friend should research that. I am now deciding whether to get the second measles shot (usually given at age 4) for my 15 month old. I mean the chances that she’s not immune after the first shot are low but I don’t want to take a risk. By necessity we sometimes have to ride the subway and ride in Ubers to get places and measles is so contagious.
TheElms says
Thanks — I’ll tell her about this. I think her ped said no, but at this point, if there isn’t solid evidence it will do harm, I think she might be willing to switch to a ped that would say yes.
Anonymous says
We got the vaccine at 6 mo- our practice said can get as early as 6 mo if in an affected area.
octagon says
It’s infuriating. I have a close friend going through chemo, and she lives near one of the outbreaks. She is basically terrified to leave her house.
Anon says
Yeah, we are going to Manhattan soon. We were originally supposed to go see some family in Brooklyn, but I decided against it (admittedly, I’m not super enthusiastic about seeing this family and was looking for an excuse not to go). But I really didn’t want to ride the subway through Brooklyn with a not-fully-vaccinated kid and taking Lyft gets really expensive.
My ped would not give my 15 month old a second shot, fwiw. Even though we travel internationally a lot and have imminent plans to go to a couple of the US measles hotspots.
Anonymous says
I’m in no way jumping on you–this is an actual question. Are all 15-month-olds (or any kid who hasn’t had a booster yet) actually not-fully vaccinated? I thought it was more that most (91% 93%?) people are immune/fully-vaccinated after the initial vaccine at 12 months and the booster was just to bring that number up to the full 97% because it’s easier to give a second round of vaccines by matter of course than test titers on all kids. Am I completely off base here?
Anon says
Yes, it’s something like 93% are immune after the first shot, 98% after two shots. A 5% chance of getting measles if you’re exposed to it seems non-trivial to me. CDC is recommending boosters for all adults who haven’t had two shots or been exposed to the measles in childhood, so they seem to think the 5% risk is significant too. I don’t work in health care, but to me the phrase “fully vaccinated” means that someone has had all the recommend vaccines for a disease, not that they’re up to date on their shots according to the standard schedule.
Anonymous says
Not the poster above but I don’t think they consider your kid medically “fully vaccinated” until they’ve had their second shot. Lots of vaccines require multiple rounds. Like you couldn’t send an 8 year old to school with just one MMR shot (unless they have an exemption).
Anonymous says
That’s how vaccines work. Some percentage of people develop immunity after the first shot, but you get repeated boosters in early childhood so the kids who didn’t develop immunity the first time around have more chances. MMR is better than most vaccines at getting a large percentage of people immune on the first try (which is why only two doses are required), but you’re still not ‘fully vaccinated’ until you have all the complete set of shots (2 for MMR, 5 for DTaP, etc etc.)
Anonymous says
Just as an FYI, the Hep A shot is the same way.
Signed,
–person who got Hep A in Mexico last year after receiving the first shot
anon says
Just saw that a 5-mo in Alabama has measles. So sad & infuriating, hope she gets through ok.
Anonymous says
Huh. I live in Brooklyn and haven’t heard anyone with babies worrying about this. (Although my kid is older and I don’t know a lot of people with really young babies). The outbreak is really concentrated in the ultra Orthodox community, which is very insular and often uses community-based private buses, ambulances, etc. I’m not saying there is no risk, but I wouldn’t cancel a trip over this, especially if you were not planning to go to Williamsburg or Borough Park.
NYCer says
And on the flip side, I live in Manhattan and have a two month old and everyone I know with a small baby is at least somewhat worried about the measles outbreak. Not worried to the point of staying inside all the time, but the concern crosses your mind when you’re going out.
That being said, I definitely wouldn’t cancel a trip over it, but I would definitely avoid Williamsburg and Borough Park and the surrounding areas.
Chew chew says
2.5 year old always wants something in her mouth to chew. She has all her teeth and never used a pacifier, so I don’t know where this is coming from. Teething rings get punctured. Any ideas? I want to give her something appropriate to chew on, so I am not constantly telling her no – no chewing hair, pillows, stuffed animals etc
Mama Llama says
Google chew necklaces or chew bracelets. There’s a lot of stuff out there.
Legally Brunette says
+1 both of my kids used these a ton around that age. We used the Chewbeads brand. They wore them as a necklace to school every day. And then they just spontaneously stopped around age 3.
Ducky36 says
My son used chew necklaces around age 5. He is almost 8 now and still asks for them sometimes. We use mindfulness techniques to keep him from chewing now because it is usually a sign that he is repressing anxiety. That said, I don’t think chewing is a sign of anything negative in a preschool-aged child.
Anonymous says
My 2-year-old still uses the Nuby teething rings from when she was an infant. They’re much sturdier than the gel-filled teething rings, so maybe worth a look? We have the “Bug-A-Loop” one, but there’s several that are the same concept. Infantino Snap & Pop Pals are also a hit–sturdy to chew on and fun to assemble into towers.
Also, you’re not alone in having a chewing toddler! We have a bucket of chew toys in the living room so that when she starts biting her sister or chewing on something inappropriate we can say “Do you want a chew toy?” (to which the answer is always yes) and then offer her a couple choices.
TheElms says
I got a Hamilton Beach coffee maker at Wirecutter’s recommendation (as the best cheap coffee maker) and I’ve been really impressed. The coffee tastes good and its consistent. Its pretty fast, easy to clean. I guess my only complaint is it feels a little cheap — but it is, in fact, cheap so its kind of hard to complain about that.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N7VIDWY?tag=thewire06-20&linkCode=xm2&ascsubtag=AgEAAAAAAAAAATRnAAAAAEMlXTQAAAAAXK5UzA
Anonymous says
I also have this one and have been happy. Except it’s a hair too tall to fit under my cabinets.
FP says
Does anyone have advice for doing Disney World over Memorial Day weekend? We are headed to FL to visit family for 6 days, and they are within two hours of the park. We are thinking of taking my almost 3 year old for one day and leaving the baby for the day with my parents. My mom has heard the advice that Sundays are often slower at the park, since many visitors from out of town are using that as a travel day, but unsure if it is busier than normal because of the holiday weekend. We can change gears at the last minute if the weather is iffy, but wondering if anyone has experience with holiday weekends there.
Anonymous says
Omg it’s a crowded zoo. Memorial Day Sunday is one of the busiest days of the year. I would go if you’re going to wait to the last minute to plan tbh. You’ll want to bookfast passes in advance to have a shot at doing things, and with one day and a young kid I’d be trying to book one special dinning experience. I’d do magic kingdom, arriving before the park opens, lunch, fast pass rides in the afternoon, and depart. Or to be completely honest, I’d consider skipping it. It will be hot humid and hideously crowded.
SC says
I grew up in Florida, got married at Disney World during Memorial Day weekend, and have spent a week there most years during Easter, one of the busiest weeks of the year. And I agree. Disney during a hot, crowded weekend without planning is not worth the money or effort. You can go on a “normal” weekend without planning, or you can go during a busy time with lots of planning, but most people I talk to are disappointed when they wing it for a day during a busy time.
Actually, I’m going to be visiting my parents, who live 10 minutes away from Disney, over Memorial Day weekend. We are not planning to go to the parks. We’ll spend one morning at Disney Springs (the old Downtown Disney), which is free to get into–but not worth a special 2-hour trip.
Where is your family? Depending on where they are, I might be able to recommend some fun alternatives.
Anonanonanon says
100% not your question and this is probably obnoxious of me, but may I suggest Lego Land? We found legoland to be a delightful, low-stress themepark day trip in Florida and if I remember correctly there are sections for little kids (check out their Duplo section to see if it seems right for you)
Anon says
I don’t have experience with Disney specifically but generally tourist destinations are way more crowded on the Sunday (or even the Monday) of Memorial Day weekend than on a random Sunday. The logic that it’s a travel day doesn’t make any sense – Monday is a holiday for almost everyone in the US, so that would be the travel day for most people. Plus people travel more on holiday weekends, so if you’ve got more crowds to contend with than on a normal weekend.
anon says
I have no experience with Disney World, but I used this website when planning our Disneyland trip, and I thought it was great: https://touringplans.com/. I also borrowed the book from the library. They have a crowd predictor if you sign up, but I also think you can find crowd predictors elsewhere on the internet for free.
Govtattymom says
We recently went to Disney World with my 2.5 year old daughter, and it was AMAZING. People told me we were crazy for going during spring break (apparently a very busy time). People told me we were crazy for driving 15 hours one way with a 2.5 year old. People told me we were crazy for planning the whole trip in 2 weeks. In the end, it was completely worth it and MAGICAL. The fast passes helped a lot with the crowds issue- especially because kids under 3 don’t need their own so they can ride with their parent’s fast pass (meaning my daughter could cut the line with dad and then cut the line with mom for the same ride).
Anonymous says
+1 we went with a one year old and loved it. Did not book fast passes in advance and guess what – you can usually get one the morning of because people change plans or cancel theirs! We also went to the park in the early morning before lines. Daughter didn’t really care we were there, but DH and I had a nice time walking around and eating. We were also there with my side of the family and the older kids were in the “magical” age and it was the coolest thing ever.
TY to daycare says
I have a 9 month kid in daycare, and this is teacher appreciate week. I’m supposed to generate “thank you” pages for 3 individual teachers. I really do appreciate the work the teachers are doing with my son, and honestly, as a first time parent, I’ve learned a lot from them. I’m absolutely stumped, though, on how to individualize these notes. Also, I’m not sure how personal they should be. Older kids decorate the pages themselves, but my kid is really too young. Any advice?
HSAL says
Any chance that’s a code for “give the teachers money?” Because our daycare does a whole week that you can pick and choose from – breakfast, lunch, flowers, “favorite things,” and Friday is “card of appreciation” which I translate to “gift card with a little note saying thanks.” I agree it’s hard with an infant though, so if you need more maybe just pick one thing you think they’ve helped your child with? When my oldest was a baby I fully credit one of her teachers for finally getting her drinking out of a sippy.
TY to daycare says
Already gave the mandatory/optional gift of $25, which is collected by the parents association and pooled. I’m not sure if it’s good or bad but we were asked for money very explicitly, and not in code.
Anonymous says
How individualized do they really need to be? If they’ll be posted side by side, you probably don’t want to say the exact same thing. But if they’ll each be provided individually to the recipient, I’m not sure it matters. My teacher appreciation week cards are usually some variation of “thanks so much for caring for [kid], it means so much to me that she spends the day with teachers like you who show her love and provide such a safe, fun, and caring environment. I really appreciate all the work you do to keep this a happy place, and that you take the time to share your wisdom with me.” If there’s a specific conversation or event that stands out to me, or if it’s obvious that one teacher is my kid’s favorite, I mention that, but otherwise it’s a little generic. Honest, heartfelt, but not unique. I figure this is OK because good teachers aren’t doing anything radically different from each other, especially for babies.
EP-er says
If you really think that this is non-optional, I would give my 9 month old some non-toxic finger paint and decorate the sheet — or do a hand print on the page — and write his/her name with a brief “Thank you for all you do.” Turn it in with a gift card to Target.
SG says
I’ve just written a sincere card to each teacher and mentioned a specific thing about them or how my daughter is doing well/growing/what I’ve learned. Also include a Target/Sbux gift card. Once I did a tray from Chick-fil-a. I never do the required art projects, shrug.
Knitting & Podcasts (but not together) says
Two completely unrelated questions!
1. Best source of (free) online knitting videos? There are obviously a ton on YouTube, but being a newbie, I don’t know what is good. I’d like one or two places that go through basics plus common problems. I got a great book that I really like but sometimes it is just better to see things visually.
2. Someone recently mentioned podcasts for children. I’ve got a 2 year old and a 4 year old and an upcoming car trip if anyone has any specific suggestions. Would also be open to an Amazon Prime audiobook.
Thanks!
SC says
I’ve enjoyed the stories on Circle Round. Each story has one or two guest performers, who are usually Broadway or TV actors and are very talented. The stories are usually adapted from fables/folktales but are drawn from cultures all over the world, so I haven’t heard most of them before. They run about 20 minutes or so, and there are a few “Road Trip Reels” in the library with several episodes strung together.
I’ve also heard good things about the Stories Podcast and Story Pirates but haven’t tried them yet.
SG says
Yes! On Spotify in the Playlist section there is one called Disney Stories, it’s songs and stories of all Disney movies.
anon says
For knitting videos, I just google the technique I’m looking for and see what comes up. But, I also went to a few drop in classes when I was a brand-newbie to it. Those were super helpful for troubleshooting, as was the shop when I hit a problem and it wasn’t a day when they had a class. I would definitely look for a small local shop in your area and get to know the staff a bit. They are probably happy to help!
Anonymous says
Re: #1 – try https://knittinghelp.com/
DLC says
Podcasts we enjoy:
The BBC Has two great ones: “Playtime” and “Listen and Play”. They’re on the shorter side, but are great for little kids because it’s a story, a song and some imaginative finger play.
Story podcasts: Sparkle Stories (is a subscription based, but they release one free story every week), Story Nory, Story Pirates.
For Music: Spoil the Rock is great.
Non Fiction: Wow in the World.
Walnut says
Laurie Berkner’s Song and Story Kitchen on audible is a win in our household.
Stroller wagons?! says
I just stumbled across the world of stroller wagons! We’re going to the beach later this summer with our 1-year old and I think something like this would be really useful. Ideally, I’d like something that is collapsible, is meant to have a seat (or two), has wheels that work on sand, and has a canopy. The Radio Flyer All Terrain folding wagon with canopy looks good – but I can’t confirm from reviews that it’s good on sand. The Keenz Stroller Wagon seems to be the Cadillac of stroller wagons – but I’m not sure I can talk myself into spending $400 on something like this (plus it looks like I’d need to separately purchase the All-Terrain wheel set for $100). Any suggestions? Anywhere to find the Keenz stroller used? Other products I should look into?
AwayEmily says
We got one at Costco for $50 that has worked great (Mac sports folding utility wagon). No idea about sand, though, and it doesn’t have a seat (though my baby rode in it starting at 12 months).
anne-on says
We have the radio flyer one and it is truly awesome – steers well, folds easily, sets up easily. It is HEAVY though, and took up a fair amount of space in our trunk. It works fine on packed sand but we just took the baby out once we were on the beach proper, really its the walk to/from the beach that it was best to have it for.
Plus if you’re feeling entrepreneurial I swear I could have sold about a dozen of those things on the main drag of BeachHaven Long Beach Island to tired, hot parents wrangling small kids ;)
anon says
OK, what’s everyone getting their moms or mothers-in-law for Mother’s Day next weekend?
My mom is easy. Every year, I get her a beautiful planter from a local nursery. It’s become a really nice tradition.
Mother-in-law … gah, I always have no idea. We’re just very different people and I struggle with gift ideas for her in general. I think she appreciates flowers, but they’re not really her love language, TBH. She would probably prefer a day at the casino over anything else. Which is my idea of he!!.
Anon. says
Are you married to my husband’s brother? Because that’s my MIL too. Nothing to add, but right there with you.
Anonymous says
I normally send flowers to my mom, but I’m out of the country this year until Saturday so it might be a little late. I don’t send MIL mother’s day gifts. She’s DH’s mother, he can send her a gift if he wants (he doesn’t). I have my own relationship with her and have sent her flowers and other things before when she was ill, but she’s not my mom and I don’t feel obligated to get her gifts on mother’s day.
Pogo says
We’re taking my mom out to dinner someplace she’s been begging us to go (one of their favorite spots but not close to us).
I assume husband is sending his mom a card and flowers. I usually try to do a card “from” LO for both mom and MIL, too.
Mama Llama says
Oh Sh!t, mother’s days is next weekend! Thank you for the reminder. To answer your question, I don’t do anything for my MIL – that’s Husband’s domain. The past couple of year I have made a donation in my mom’s name to an organization that assists refugees (they have a special thing where you can say something like, “This donation provides post-natal care to 10 mothers”, or something similar), which is something I know she appreciates.
Ducky36 says
Yep, sounds like my MIL too. My husband always sends her an edible arrangement and she loves it. (It’s a bucket of fruit cut into shapes and arranged on sticks to look like a floral arrangement.) Not super cheap, but it’s easy because they deliver it to her house.
FVNC says
I send my mother flowers to be delivered on Friday so she can enjoy them all weekend (she still works full time). I do nothing for my MIL.
But if I had the kind of relationship with MIL that would warrant a gift, I’d probably also send her flowers — even if they’re not the perfect gift, they’re an acknowledgement of the day and your relationship, and you say you think she appreciates them….that seems like enough. Save the heavier emotional lifting for her birthday :-) My parents and inlaws are in their 70s–there are a finite number of non-generic gifts in this world, and I think I’ve just about given them all. So flowers it is.
Anon says
My mother texted me and told me to send her a check for some begonias she bought…so I did. I usually send my mother a plant that she can enjoy while it blooms and then replant in the backyard. No idea what we’re doing for MIL. We typically send flowers, but I will ask DH about it and task him with it (his last suggestion was geek squad subscription for them, but they were very adamant they didn’t need it (blatantly false)). We already had a “discussion” about how I want to have a celebration for me and I do not want to have to plan it (to which he responded that I hate everything he plans), and I think we finally settled on hanging out in the backyard and grilling (and then he ordered steaks, so yay for showing initiative) if the weather is nice and if not heading out to one of my favorite restaurants that is far enough away that it’s a special treat to go. He is correct in that I strongly dislike crowds, most restaurants and extravagant things and we will be exhausted from pre-planned Friday and Saturday events, so I will admit that does make it hard to plan.
anon says
Eh, I’m with you. Going out to eat on Mother’s Day weekend is not actually a treat!
anne-on says
+1. On Mother’s Day itself I plan to sleep in (till 8!!) go to my 9am gym class, take kiddo and myself to a movie and then nap. Dinner can be anything my husband orders or cooks that I don’t have to think about, we don’t go out as I also hate celebrating ‘big’ holidays in restaurants if I can help it.
Day before my inlaws will be up and I plan to use the day to run errands and duck out for a massage while they’re happily interacting with my husband and son. Win win!
My MIL will also get flowers delivered on Friday to enjoy all weekend. My own mother is impossible to buy for, everything is ‘too nice!, I can’t possibly use that’. So…I default to flowers there too.
anon. says
Similar to one of the commenters above, we do cards to moms and MILs that indicate their flowers are going to a womens shelter. The organization pools money and sends mothers day flowers to I think 200+ shelters nationwide. Better than flowers for them in my book, and it isn’t their love language so I don’t feel bad.
Mama Llama says
This is great! Can you share the name of the organization?
Emily S. says
Sister and I teamed up; I’m sending flowers to my mom on Friday and she ordered a phone case with pictures of our kids. I know what my mom really wants is to be spend time with me and sister, but we’re in 3 different states. Sigh. For MIL, TBD. A plant? Dinner with our family? Maybe a donation in her name; that’s a cool idea. I voluntarily add this to the mental load bc if I didn’t, it wouldn’t happen and I like my MIL.
Thanks for reminder to pick up some cards, tho! One year I sent my mom a pretty honest card with all the feelings and she responded really well to it. So I think a similarly sentimental card is in order.
SC says
I buy cards and have Kiddo make cards for my mom, my MIL, and DH’s step-mother. I usually buy my mother flowers or a gift. If DH wants to buy flowers or a gift for his mom or step-mother, that’s up to him.
anon says
I sent them the same bouquet of flowers. Sometimes I get irritated that I’m sending MIL flowers, but it doesn’t cost me extra to place a second order.
Handbag lady says
Do you have any suggestions for (1) nice handbags for going out on a dinner and (2) nice clutch or bag for special events like weddings? I tend to use my handbags day to day so everytime I am going out and look at my regular bag it looks shabby….
Price range for me is up to 500. Thank you in advance!
Pogo says
Following for clutch recommendations! I have one that is too small for my phone, and it’s also some cheap knockoff I bought on the street in San Francisco one time. Granted I only use a clutch for formal or black-tie optional events, I rock a normal bag for cocktail or semi-formal. Even more so now that I am a mom.
AwayEmily says
I buy high-quality bags for my everyday use because they hold up better but for special events/going out I just have bags from Target or TJ Maxx. I figure if I only use them a few times a year they don’t have to be real leather!
anne-on says
Slightly above your price point but I’ve been lusting over the Strathberry collections since the Duchess of Sussex carried one:
https://us.strathberry.com/collections/the-mini-crescent
Anon says
Called my doctor’s office to confirm I had two MMR shots, and they assured me there’s no way they would have my childhood records, but 22 year old me had the records pulled from the pediatrician post-college and had saved them and gave them to the doctor of 33-year old me when I started going there 5ish years ago. Thank you to prior me! And they had the practice number on there so my mother can pull the same records for my sisters (and the practice is still in business!).
Patty Mayonnaise says
Just had my 36 wk sono and baby’s measurements (and tech & Dr’s comments) have me pretty nervous. They estimate this baby to be 6 lbs already. I had a really great birth experience with #1, who was 6.5 lbs at almost 42 weeks, but now I’m really scared about a much bigger baby! They noted that the measurements could be off, but also that you can already see rolls on the baby’s arms (I saw them myself!). Any words of encouragement? I’m pretty nervous now! Especially if I end up with like 6 more weeks to go!
Anon says
I was going to be induced for health reasons anyways, but because my kiddo measured more than 90% I was able to elect a c-section (my preferred outcome) without need for additional medical documentation. We scheduled for 38w2d and although she was measuring well over 10 lb at the ultrasound the week prior, she came out at 8lb 6oz. So just a bit of anecdata that even for big babies, the size can still be off.
Anonymous says
I can’t tell you how many people I know and stories I’ve heard about people being told this same thing and the measurements being way off. They told me my daughter would be like 9+ pounds at birth, and she was 7.5. Truly, these measurements are so wildly off that I can’t even believe they do them, TBH. Don’t be nervous.
Anonymous says
Fat is squishy. I was told I was having a 10+ pound baby and he was 9 pounds even at 42 weeks.
anne-on says
I think these estimates are always way higher. I was ‘measuring’ at about 10lbs and my son was 8lbs 6oz, so who knows?
Anonymous says
These can be notoriously off, as others have noted. That said, my ultrasound showing a big baby turned out to be correct, and it also turned out that I had developed GD late in the game. You might want to see if it’s appropriate for them to test you again (or you could even buy yourself an insulin reader to make sure your blood sugar is under control — I did this for myself with my next pregnancy even though I was never diagnosed with GD)
Anonymous says
I will add, in case this was too gloomy, that although this baby was big (10 lb, not to sugar coat it!), he was totally healthy and delivery was not that difficult (as deliveries go), and I healed about as quickly as I did with my less-big babies.
Boston Legal Eagle says
Estimates tend to be off but I’m just here to tell you that I delivered two large babies (over 9lbs and over 10lbs), without a c-section, so you can too and it’ll be fine! Anecdata but bigger babies tend to sleep better earlier, so there’s that…
Anonymous says
My kid was the opposite – they estiamted “average” (7.5 – 8 lbs at 40 weeks) and he was 7.5 lbs 3 days later at 38W+1 – BUT as mentioned above fat arms will not be the issue in delivery, head size will be. So if the kid is just FATTER than its sibling but otherwise somewhat similar, you will be just fine! Good luck.
Anonymous says
I have birthed a 9lb 11oz baby and two babies over 10lbs. I’m 5’7. The babies were a little late (2 weeks/3 days/ 2 days early respectively). No diabetes for anyone.
I tore a bit with the first and got a stitch. No tearing with the other two. One was super long and lean. Idk, don’t read too much into it. They’ll come out one way or the other.
FWIW my OB measured and swore each time they wouldn’t be more than 8lbs. The third time she wised up and said “looks like about 7lbs but knowing your history probably 9.”
Anonymous says
Weight is fat (squishy) and has way less to do with how hard the baby is to get out than head circumference. I pushed for 30 minutes as a first time mom with a 9 lb baby. I did read but the doctor said almost all FTMs do and my recovery was easy. Big babies eat and sleep better as newborns so I’ve never understood the fear of them!
Patty Mayonnaise says
Thanks for the encouragement, ladies! I know these measurements are not exact, it’s just freaking me out! They did say baby’s head is pretty large, but so was #1’s, so we’ll see…