Meet the Moms: Joanna Dreifus

When you author a blog called MyMomShops, you know I'm going to be your friend. Joanna Dreifus and I often run into each other at trade shows--this mom has incredible taste and loves hunting down trends. Let's find out what else she is up to shall we?

What one word best describes your current state of mind? Relieved. My kids and I have been through two-and-a-half tough years and things are looking up now.

Tell us some of your favorite places to shop (online and off)? For my kids: Clothing from Mini Boden, CWD Kids, Lands End, and designer discount sites like Bargain Children's Clothing. For myself, I shop online at Boden, or in-person at Ann Taylor Loft or Macy's if I want a big selection. I buy most of our books and music (and the kids' toys) from Amazon, using Amazon Prime to save money on shipping. And I loooove browsing the handmade products at Etsy.com. I've bought tons of gifts here, from clothing to jewelry to stationery. It's always a big hit. Surfing the Etsy site is addictive.

When did you start blogging? In January 2007, when my younger child was 4 months old and never slept. I spent a lot of time online with him over my shoulder.

What term or phrase do you most overuse? "Absolutely", "of course" and "sure, no problem." I need to learn to say "no" to more things.(editor's note--totally with you Joanna!)

What 5 items do you think that new moms can't do without?

1) Another grown-up to help you out 
2) A friend who's already a mom who can tell you what to really expect 
3) A copy of the American Academy of Pediatrics Birth to Age 5 book 
4) Lots of ziploc bags for organizing stuff (bad for the environment, I know). 
5) A computer with a fast Internet connection for staying in touch with people, finding online support, and shopping for baby, of course.

What do you do in your precious down time to recharge your batteries? Power naps, working out at the gym, going out with friends, and watching reality TV (a guilty pleasure).

What are you currently reading? Going Away Shoes- a book of short stories by Jill McCorkle. My mom gave it to me.

What celebrity best represents your personal style? Jennifer Garner. I'm a jeans and no-makeup type of mom, too, on most days. I clean up nice, though.

Follow me on Twitter here: @mymomshops

Current projects that have you engaged and excited: I'm raising money for YAI's Central Park Challenge (www.yai.org/cpc) in NYC this June. I'm a board member of YAI's New York League division, which provides Early Intervention to children with special needs (both of my children received EI therapies). I'm going to address special needs products and tips more specifically at MyMomShops, too.

Also, just for fun, I launched my own Etsy shop, www.browneyeblue.etsy.com featuring some of my photography.

Meet the Mom: Jyl Johnson Pattee

There are so many things to love about Jyl that I hardly know where to start. This Utah-based mom started a fantastic business connecting brands with the moms who love them on Twitter.  She calls it Girls Night Out or #GNO as a twitter hash tag--those of us who attend the parties just call it plain old fun. Home base is the MomItForward site, where you'll find essays and tips from Jyl all infused with her wry sense of humor.

This summer Jyl is putting on a social media conference called EVO.  We say attending anything Jyl organizes is time well spent.

What one word best describes your current state of mind? Excited!!!

Tell us how you dreamed up the GNO? In mid-September 2008, a few of us jumped online for a girls’ night out to learn Twitter real time together. We had so much fun that we continued meeting, surprisingly drawing a crowd. In response, we formalized the party name a few weeks later with a hashtag (#gno), created a mission and a website (http://momitforward.com) a few months later, and started partnering with brands to bring expert information surrounding important issues, causes, or opportunities to women in the Twittersphere.

What term or phrase do you most overuse? Dude!

What is the best advice you would give a new mom? Focus on you and your love for your baby. Don’t compare yourself to other moms, your mom, or what you perceive to be the perfect mom. Don’t center on your inadequacies or anxiety about being the right mom for your child. Just love her. Do everything out of love for him with your whole heart. What you have to give and who you are to that child are more than enough! Be you!!!!

What 5 items do you think that new moms can't do without?  

I’d say the essentials are:
1. Support from friends and family, especially from spouse or partner.
2. Belief in herself and her ability to be a terrific mom.
3. Sleep!
4. Me Time.
5. Bonding time with the child.

What do you do in your precious down time to recharge your batteries? For me time, I read, play the piano, chop veggies (so stress relieving and yummy at the same time). I am such an extrovert so to totally recharge, I love to spend time with family and friends. Engaging in one-on-one meaningful conversations are the spice of life to me, but usually spontaneously happen and aren’t planned.

What are you currently reading? What I’m really reading are all the amazing recap posts from the www.mom2summit.com attendees. But, as far as books, I have both the Life of Pi and Linchpin on my nightstand. Huckleberry Finn still remains my favorite though.

What celebrity best describes your personal style? I love Audrey Hepburn, but I don’t know if she describes my style. In fact, I have no idea who describes my style. I may need you to help me with this one :)! 

Follow me on Twitter here:

@jylmomIF or at @momitforward

Current projects that have you engaged and excited: I am putting on a social media conference for women this summer in partnership with Rachael from www.todaysmama.com. You can learn details here: www.evoconference.com. I’m excited about the hands-on and holistic approach we’re taking as well as the opportunity to have a girls’ weekend out in the Rocky Mountains. Think of the fun.

I’m also engaged with a group of women and we are planning a trip to India this fall to couple social media and service in an effort to raise awareness, funds, and do some real time good for a cause important to mothers and children there. I’m passionate about this endeavor and can’t wait for it to roll out.

Meet the Mom: Lucinda Cross

It's baby number three for author and blogger Lucinda Cross.  Lucinda's writing (www.corporatemomdropouts.com) focuses on Moms that have left behind corporate jobs for motherhood and are in the process of reinventing themselves. Let's check in to see if she's squared away in other matters of motherhood!


Due Date: June 3rd scheduled C-section (hooray)

If a stranger touched my belly right now I'd: hit them with my pocket book, feeling my belly makes me feel naked.

Career and do you have a post-baby career plan: I will be actively working on promoting my book and Corporate Mom Dropouts as well as pushing my services to support other moms who want to work from home and build their business.

Weirdest food I've craved this pregnancy: Crab legs and apple sauce.

True or false--I can still see my feet: False, I dont know what my feet look like, I only see them when I get ready to sleep...

Favorite maternity fashion splurge: A maternity sweater wrap in Macy's for $100, I love it.

Most worn item of maternity clothing: Leggings and my favorite red shirt that I streched out due to being in denial.

Did you find out the baby's gender? Why or why not? It's a boy! I like to get what I need for the baby and pick names and colors for the room theme.

Planning a babymoon? Where are you headed? We're going to Puerto Rico for 5 days and I can't wait.

Push gifts? Tacky or well-deserved? Well deserved.

I'm passionate about: My business and helping other moms live a lifestlye they love, by building a profitable business. My passion is to impact moms with corporate Mom Dropouts, book, blog and events.

Many mommies to be that are presently working think about the maternity leave and the length of time they can spend with their baby. I say take this time out to think about your passion and how you can start your own business so that you can have the time you need and want to raise your family and your income on your own terms. Take this time to write down your goals and next steps so that you can do what you want , when you want. Sounds easy but the main concern is health insurance, constant flow of income and many other concerns. Well there is support out there for the self employed mompreneur and all it takes is a little action on your part. Give birth to a baby and a business. 


Follow me on twitter: @corpmomdropout

Meet the Mom: Phyllis Rabinowitz

 

We love a motivated mom.  When Phyllis Rabinowitz suffered a tragic loss of her child she took action to prevent the same devastation from hitting another family. She co-founded the R Baby Foundation. R Baby Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that newborn babies, primarily those in the first month of life suffering from viral infections and other infectious diseases, receive the highest quality of care and service through supporting education, research, treatment, training and life-saving equipment. As Co-president of R Baby Foundation, Phyllis brings innovation and strategic thinking to the foundation through her seven years of experience as a consumer products marketing leader.

We picked Phyllis to highlight because she is all about getting moms active--both behind important causes and physically. For instance, R Baby holds an annual run/walk to raise funds on Mother's Day. Last year the NYC event raised over $650,000 and got thousands of moms out to the park for a 5K jaunt.

What one word best describes your current state of mind? Excited

What term or phrase do you most overuse? 'To be honest....'

What is the best advice you would give a new mom? Please keep perspective on what is
important....don't get frazzled over the little things.....also enjoy the small moments since they are priceless. My favorite moments these days are watching my two sons hug or have a dance party in our living room.

What items do you think that new moms can't do without?

-Gas drops for new moms
-Portable toys/crayons for meals out
-Non-skid socks
-Blackberry games when out with older kids

What do you do in your precious down time to recharge your batteries? Nothing recharges like a 15 minute nap!!

What are you currently reading? I just found out I am having my 3rd son...so I bought the book 'how to raise a gentleman'!!

Any New Year's Resolutions? My husband and I have a fun tradition where we make up New Year's resolutions for the other person. I felt bad since after I told him his, he didn't have one yet for me (not that I don't need it--just think he was being nice to the pregnant wife :)...so I'm still waiting for mine!

Why did you decide on a Run/Walk to help raise awareness for the R Baby Foundation?  Three reasons: 
1.) It's a fun day for the whole family to do something together for a charity that focuses on keeping families together.
2.) We hope to touch and reach as many people as we can in NYC so there is something for everyone that day...a run, a walk, kids races, a family festival with live entertainment, nike and appleseeds activities, giveaways and so much more.
3.) It's free to come to festival and the run/walk is around $30, so we feel we can raise more awareness getting more people engaged vs an expensive plate dinner in this economy. We are looking forward to more than 10,000 people attending the Run/Walk this year!

We hear you are expecting? What are some of your pregnancy must-haves?

Splendid tees...you can wear after pregnancy too,  BellaBand beacuse it rounds out any lumpy jean and Dusters (those open shirts that go over any tight tee).

Follow me on Twitter here: @rbabyfoundation

Current projects that have you engaged and excited: The R Baby Foundation sponsored POISE program that stands for Patient Outcome In Simulation Education. We funded this project with one of our many grants that focus on improving pediatric emergency care. The POISE program allows new doctors to practice their skills on a baby mannequin that responds like a real live baby before trying new procedures on a real baby for their first time when mistakes happen.

Its already proven successful and now we have 10 hospitals participating to train many new doctors and prove that this type of training should be mandatory since it is so effective. Simulation training is prevalent in adult healthcare and other industries (imagine letting a pilot fly your plane for the first time without practicing first!)...so R Baby Foundation is hoping to bring it in a big way to infant healthcare. To read about this or any of our other grants visit www.rbabyfoundation.org.

This yearPhyllis Rabinowitz and a few top mompreneurs of New York will honor the work of R Baby Foundation at round-table conversation. The theme is Passions, Priorities and Community. Join her on Friday, March 5, 2010. For more details on the event click here.

Meet the Moms: Latham Thomas

Trying to find a bit of zen and calm this year?  Busy parents would do well to connect with Latham (HHC, AADP, RYT). This Columbia grad and single mama is the mastermind behind Tender Shoots Wellnesss, a yogi, chef and health advisor. In her words, she tries to help moms by providing, "nutrition awareness, yoga, green culinary arts and plant medicine." She's one of the most connected and generous women in the world of yoga and parenting--we advise you get to know her better.

Any resolutions for the new year? My resolution is to take more time for myself, hence my trip to Tulum, Mexico next week! Mama needs a dip in the ocean and some sunshine.

What are your tips for finding a bit of calm as a busy mom? Keep your inspiration in your back pocket- whatever it is you love to do- knitting, jump rope, photography etc- if you make time for your passion on a regular basis you will get that much needed respite and feel more calm.

Get out and exercise- if that's putting a yoga mat on your living room floor and stretching it out, taking a jog outdoors, or taking a cool group exercise class at the gym- just do it. Exercise releases endorphins into the blood stream, activates your relaxation response and helps you to chill out! I recently tried a class with fitness guru Patricia Moreno- IntenSati and there were tons of mothers in class shouting affirmations while moving to the rhythm.


Breathe deeply- in through the nose, feel it deep in the belly- this helps me calm down right away when I feel myself starting to get stressed.

Best at home yoga dvd's or podcast?
Transform yourself with Jivamukti yoga- DVD, Be You. tv- www.beyou.tv- over 250 exercise videos online. A great resource for moms who don't want to invest in dvds, but wants a varied practice. There is always something new to discover.

Favorite spot for a winter playdate with your son?
This is a toss up, its a tie between Natural History Museum, and Moomah Cafe (161 Hudson). They have these do-it-yourself art tables where you and the little ones can engage in an instant art activity, have a healthy bite to eat, and stay cozy while avoiding the Jack Frost. The decor is gorgeous there as well.

What are some good resources for single moms?
Issa Mas's blog SIngle Mama NYC is great- www.singlemamanyc.com. I think Thebump.com has some great resources, Yoursingleparenting.com, also Realbirth offers single mother support groups which is a great way to meet other mamas raising their cubs in the big city.

Where do you shop for chic yoga gear (you always look so cool!)? Thank you! I love Hyde Yoga--, they make organic yoga apparel that is hip, comfortable and good for the planet. I love their colors, I'm a big fan of bright colors!

Follow me on twitter:  @TenderShoots

Current Projects: Raw Abundance Wellness Retreat- at Sivananda Yoga Ashram, Bahamas with Latham Thomas  May 3rd-5th, 2010 Sivananda Yoga Ashram, Nassau Bahamas.  I'll be leading a three day journey into the cleansing and healing benefits of raw food. You'll take home a recipe packet and practical tools to help jump start your raw diet and improve your health. For more details on course information, flight, accommodations, and more CLICK HERE

Meet the Moms: Jo-Lynne from Musings of a Housewife

Jo-Lynne was one of the first blogger's I started to follow and read. I loved her honesty and her approach to life, it was comforting and just wonderful. I am so excited to feature her today on Totsy!


Jo-Lynne, mom to 3 school-aged children, writes at Musings of a Housewife where she discusses everything from motherhood to fashion to nutrition to reality TV and anything else that crosses her mind. She absolutely adores the smart, encouraging community of women who read and laugh and cry along with her. She knows that blogging would be meaningless without them. Let's find out more about Jo-Lynne...

1. What one word best describes your current state of mind?

Muddled. LOL. I just got back from an overnight trip to NYC, and re-entry is always a bit rough.

2. What TV household does your family most resemble?

3. Brady Bunch
4. All in the Family
5. Brothers & Sisters
6. Army Wives
7. The Good Wife
8. Other -- I guess I'll go with F -- maybe Growing Pains? We're a fairly traditional modern family.

3. What term or phrase do you most overuse?

Okay. When I edit my blog posts, I see that I start almost every new paragraph with Okay. I guess you could say I have an issue with transition?

4. What are the five things/items you think that new moms (parents) can’t do without (sanity savers)?

Omigosh, this is hard. I hardly remember being a new mom.
1.Swing. (I didn't use it a lot, but when I needed it, I NEEDED IT.)
2.Lansinoh cream. (No explanation necessary, I hope.)
3.Swaddling blankets. (Swaddling my babies helped them immensely with getting to sleep and staying asleep.)
4.White noise machine. (We used to do a lot of entertaining, and the white noise machine was great for drowning out the noise from downstairs.)
5.Coffee. (Well, DUH.)

5. Family photos – best tips for getting kids to pose vs. fighting, making faces, running away?

Try to plan the photo shoot when they are fresh and in good spirits. Make sure they aren't tired or hungry. Don't spend a lot of time posing and making demands. And when all else fails, bribe them with something fantastic.

6. What songs and/or books have worked best for bedtime?

I used to walk the floors, singing hymns and lullabies to get my babies to sleep. I absolutely love Big Red Barn.

7. How many miles (of driving duty) have you logged in the past week?

Believe it or not, with three kids ages 4, 7, and 10, I actually don't do a lot of driving duty. We try to keep our kids' activities limited, and close to home.

8. One thing you want for yourself this year?

Get a facial!

9. What celebrity best describes your personal style?

a. Jennifer Garner
b. Sarah Jessica Parker
c. Nicole Richie
d. Gwen Stefani
e. Angelina Jolie
f. Victoria Beckham

Maybe Jennifer Garner

10. Best parenting resource you would recommend?

My mother! :)

11. Follow me on Twitter

@dcrmom

12. Current projects that have you engaged and excited:

The Tastemaker competition and my Vlogging Panel at the upcoming Blissdom conference. :-)

Meet the Moms: Danielle Friedland

Danielle may just be one of the most successful mom bloggers we know. The savvy mama started the Celebrity Baby Blog in 2004. She spent a few years following the bumps of the A-listers when People Mag/Time Inc. took notices and snatched up the site. Did the sale send Danielle into retirement. Nope. She's still super active in social networking (she's a tweeter extraordinaire) and recently became a Certified Lactation Counselor. She's one of the most generous mom media experts we know.

1. What one word best describes your current state of mind?
Frazzled! Our son Asher was born November 20th and we're trying to acclimate to being a family of four now. There are no time outs for mama and dada since one of us always has a kid. I don't know how single moms or parents of multiple kids do it (like Audrey!) because these two are kicking our butts.


2. What TV household does your family most resemble?
a. Brady Bunch
b. All in the Family
c. Brothers & Sisters
d. Army Wives
e. The Good Wife
f. Other: _______


Well, we're definitely not the Brady Bunch or All in the Family and I'm not familiar with these other shows since I pretty much only watch criminal justice and forensic science shows like Law & Order, Bones, CSI, etc. and we're definitely not like those families!

3. What term or phrase do you most overuse?
I definitely overuse "definitely."


4. What are the five things/items you think that new moms (parents) can’t do without (sanity savers)?
1. Sling or baby carrier - I love our BabyHawk Mei Tai and Hotsling pouch but lately I've been using the Baby Bjorn Synergy and Cybex 2.go carriers a lot lately.
2. Swaddling blanket - we're getting a lot of use out of our Swaddle Designs and Aden + Anais blankets. Asher's starting to wrestle his way out of them so I think we'll transition to sleep blankets soon like Halo's Sleep Sacks and Gro-Bags (just ordered one from Amazon).
3. White noise machine or other recording. The White Noise app on my iPhone calms Asher in the car or at home when nothing else works. It's the best $2 I've ever spent. In his room, we have Graco's Sweet Slumber Sound Machine which is one of the least expensive white noise machines I've come across plus it has nature and womb sounds too (my favorite).
4 Nursing pads - if you're breastfeeding like I am, there's a tendency to leak like crazy in the beginning. I'm using the Lansinoh disposable ones which I like because they're super thin. Because I hate to add more crap to landfills, I occasionally use Bravado's cloth pads but since I've got such an oversupply I frequently leak through them.

5 Gowns for the baby - Since breastfed babies poop A LOT you're always changing diapers. I was getting so sick of unsnapping and resnapping the crotch on the footie sleepers so now we keep Asher in the gowns whenever they're clean. Unfortunately they ride up (like nightgowns) so I put BabyLegs legwarmers on to keep his legs from getting too cold.

BONUS I'd like to put a plug in for cloth diapers. We used disposables exclusively with Anya but I really wanted to try cloth with Asher but was skeptical that they would be way too much work -- they really aren't. I just dump the whole load in the machine along with the cloth wipes and don't touch any poop because breastfed poop is water soluble. I actually look forward to washing them every few days because they're so cute and soft. My favorites so far are the Bum Genius All-in-Ones, Thirsties Duo Pockets & Happy Heinys Pockets.

5. Cabin Fever relief-tips to entertain the kids during the frigid months?
Craft projects (I get them at Michael's and Target) and a Roku Player/Netflix membership! Anya also loves creating Mii characters on our Wii -- she would do it all day long if we let her. It's not even a game!

6. What songs and/or books have worked best for bedtime?
Anya listens to the Wonder Pets soundtrack every night when she goes to bed.

7. How many miles (of driving duty) have you logged in the past week?
Very little because my husband has been driving our daughter to/from school since our son was born 2 months ago and since I was on modified bedrest during my pregnancy.

8. Any resolutions for 2010?
To use my iphone less when I'm with my kids and really be with them. It's something Marcia Cross told me she does- to be with her children fully, not talking on her phone or texting.

9. What celebrity best describes your personal style?
a. Jennifer Garner
b. Sarah Jessica Parker
c. Nicole Richie
d. Gwen Stefani
e. Angelina Jolie
f. Victoria Beckham

Jennifer Garner because she's so casual and slightly sporty. She's the closest a celeb mom may come to your typical suburban SAHM so I think a lot of moms identify with her style and I'm no different!


10. Best parenting resource(s) you would recommend?
Kellymom.com is the absolute best web resource for breastfeeding moms. I also love Alphamom.com versus the way-too-mainstream Babycenter. Mothering.com also has some fabulous forums.

11. Follow me on twitter: @that_danielle

12. Current projects that have you engaged and excited:
Besides having my son in November and completing our family (yes, two is IT for us!), in October I fulfilled a dream I've had since having my daughter and became a certified lactation counselor. It is my passion to help women learn more about how important breastfeeding is and to help them achieve their goals. I have been helping moms on twitter and will be helping moms in my area.

Meet Kristin Swensen Co-Editor Bon Bon Rose Girls

Online window shopping for designer baby apparel and high-end mom fashions is so much fun.  If you try to keep up on fashion trends, make it a point to stop by Bon Bon Rose.  This blog is run by two southern fashionistas with a great eye (hey NBC? need another reality show--send these girls shopping!).  Check out this ruffle post.  Thank you Kristin Swensen (on of the editors) for providing things witty and pretty for moms to enjoy and for answering our Totsy Mom questionnaire.

1. What one word best describes your current state of mind?
My little dude has me in quite a harried state, yet I'm so grateful to be his mama despite the fact that he's running me ragged!

2. What TV household does your family most resemble?


a. Brady Bunch
b. All in the Family
c. Brothers & Sisters
d. Army Wives
e. The Good Wife
f. Wife Swap

I can't say that any of them really describe us. We're pretty normal. I'd say we're not as G rated as the Brady Brunch or as R rated as All in the Family


3. What term or phrase do you most overuse?
I don't know if I'm the only one, but I've started to talk like my hubs. Dominate is a fan favorite of his. As in, I DOMINATED that cheesecake last night. You think I'm kidding. Ah ha ha. I totally dominated it.


4. What are the five things/items you think that new moms (parents) can’t do without (sanity savers)?
I learned the hard way that getting out of the house at least a little bit every day was vital to my insanity. Also, I'm a big fan of bubble baths, date nights, girls only time and occasionally a bottle of bubbly.

5. Holiday pictures – your best tips for getting kids to pose vs. fighting, making funny faces, running away?
Uh oh. You asked the wrong girl. One of us will usually stand next to the camera and ham it up for the dude, but as for getting him to cooperate for a picture that the three of us are in? I'm clueless.

6. What songs and/or books have worked best for bedtime?
We just recently got a set of board books by Studio Mouse that coordinate with a CD that has songs like Itsy Bitsy Spider and Wheels on the Bus. He's loving it!


7. How many miles (of driving duty) have you logged in the past week?
We (when I say we I mean I) carefully chose our home location to include my Mom and Target within a mile, so I don't have to do a ton of driving. Although we did just drive from Florida to the mountains in Georgia for Thanksgiving...with a 17 month old. I know. We're crazy.

8. One thing you want for yourself this holiday season?
I'm all about getting dolled up and going out for an adults only New Year's Eve this year. Last year the hubs and I barely stayed awake until midnight. We were still in infant land.

9. What celebrity best describes your personal style?


a. Jennifer Garner
b. Sarah Jessica Parker
c. Nicole Richie
d. Gwen Stefani
e. Angelina Jolie
f. Victoria Beckham

I would like to think I'm a combo of SJP and Nicole Richie as they're two of my style idols!

10. Best parenting resource you would recommend?
I found a lot of helpful information on The Nest. It was great to be able to communicate with other moms who were going through the same things!

11. Current projects?
My best friend, Megan, and I run a style blog where we cover fashion, decor and everything in between. You'll also find occasional anecdotes about my life as a new(ish) mama.

12. Follow me on twitter at: @gatorgrrl

Meet Whitney Wingerd Editor Mommies with Style

Need honest reviews on the best baby gear, tips about managing motherhood and a life? Meet Whitney--Editor of Mommies With Style. We love that she's generous with her tips and advice and has gathered a talented team of mom writers on MWS. Her blog, MommiesWithStyle.com was one of the first on the scene in 2004. In the past five years, she and her team have made a name for themselves staying on top of news in the parenting world. Whitney lives and works in the Philadelphia area but you can find her all over the blogosphere, traditional paper and on the tube. She's a global brand!

1. What one word best describes your current state of mind?
Happy - it's Thanksgiving Week! Family, good food, what can be better than that?

2. What TV household does your family most resemble?
a. Brady Bunch
b. All in the Family
c. Brothers & Sisters
d. Army Wives
e. The Good Wife
f. Wife Swap
a. Brady Bunch

3. What term or phrase do you most overuse?
"Totally"

4. What are the five things/items you think that new moms (parents) can’t do without (sanity savers)?

• MomAgenda or other scheduler
• A good swaddling blanket
• A Hooter Hider or other decent nursing cover
• Tivo/DVR
• Glamourmom Nursing Tank

5. Holiday pictures – your best tips for getting kids to pose vs. fighting, making funny faces, running away?


I'm sure it must depend on the age of the kids, but I like to use a little reverse psychology with my boys (ages 6 & 3). When they are putting up a fight, I challenge them not to smile, not sit still and certainly above all, not to laugh! 9 out of 10 times, it works for us, no matter how many times we do it.


And when all else fails, there's always toy bribery.

6. What songs and/or books have worked best for bedtime?
For books, you just can't go wrong with Goodnight Moon. It's a timeless classic that always helps to wind my kids down. One more obscure favorite of ours is from Barefoot Books - it's called Cleo the Cat. It's a sweet story that always seems to lull my youngest into a more restful state at the end of the day.


7. How many miles (of driving duty) have you logged in the past week?
Thus far, around 500. Gotta love the minivan, the miles don't phase us at all anymore!

8. One thing you want for yourself this holiday season?
It's cheesy but all I really want is some downtime for myself! I know that doesn't get wrap up well but it's truly what I (and so many Moms I know) would love to get.

9. What celebrity best describes your personal style?
a. Jennifer Garner
b. Sarah Jessica Parker
c. Nicole Richie
d. Gwen Stefani
e. Angelina Jolie
f. Victoria Beckman
a. Jennifer Garner


10. Best parenting resource you would recommend?
For websites: The Cradle, Hot Moms Club, She Knows... there's just so many great sites out there, it's hard to only list a few! For a first time Mom book-wise, What to Expect When You're Expecting and the Mayo Clinic Pregnancy Book are great first time parent books.

11. Current projects?
We're always busy with reviews on MommieswithStyle.com. Plenty of holiday picks being posted daily on our site. I've also been writing as a Parenting Expert on AOL Shopping so you can catch me over there as well!

12. Follow me on twitter at: @mommieswstyle

Meet Beth Feldman - Role Mommy

Meet the amazing Beth Feldman... founder of Role Mommy, an online community and events company created to inspire, entertain and inform today's busy moms. The mission of Role Mommy is simple: Helping your children realize their hopes and dreams doesn't mean you have to give up on your own. Beth is one of the busiest working moms we know! She is also the President of BeyondPR, an entertainment public relations agency representing television and Internet projects as well as best-selling authors. She's Lifetime Digital's Lifetime Moms "Just for Fun" Editor. And, Beth is the co-author of Peeing in Peace: Tales & Tips for Type A Moms and author of See Mom Run.


1. What one word best describes your current state of mind?
Harried

2. What TV household does your family most resemble?
a. Brady Bunch
b. All in the Family
c. Brothers & Sisters
d. Army Wives
e. The Good Wife
f. Wife Swap
I guess Brothers & Sisters - this is a tough one since we don't really match any of the families.

3. What term or phrase do you most overuse?
Absolutely. I am a yes person and when someone asks me to do something, I usually say yes whole heartedly. However, now that I'm stretched a bit too thin I'm starting to feel more comfortable saying no.

4. What are the five things/items you think that new moms (parents) can’t do without (sanity savers)?
1. A pacifier 2. sling or baby carrier 3. the ultimate umbrella stroller 4. food for baby - from formula to cheerios 5. diapers & wipes!!!

5. Holiday pictures – your best tips for getting kids to pose vs. fighting, making funny faces, running away?
Funny you should ask but we actually never pose for holiday photos. My best advice is to use your favorite vacation photo and ditch the sit on Santa's lap frustration.

6. What songs and/or books have worked best for bedtime?
Books for little ones: Good Night Moon, The Giving Tree, I Love You Forever. For older kids: Diary of a Wimpy Kid; a Series of Unfortunate Events (Lemony Snicket) Music: There's a great new CD series that just came out for babies-toddlers called Little Music Lovers - it's classical music for bedtime, storytime and playtime and it's receiving rave reviews.

7. How many miles (of driving duty) have you logged in the past week?
Well, if you count last week, I probably logged about 500 miles since I was on tour for my new book "See Mom Run" and traveled to several cities including Philadelphia, New York City, Ridgewood, New Jersey and Larchmont, NY.

8. One thing you want for yourself this holiday season?
I would love a "Heavenly Bed" and five days straight of 10 hours sleep.

9. What celebrity best describes your personal style?
a. Jennifer Garner
b. Sarah Jessica Parker
c. Nicole Richie
d. Gwen Stefani
e. Angelina Jolie
f. Victoria Beckman
I'm totally casual and conservative so Jessica Garner all the way

10. Best parenting resource you would recommend?
RoleMommy.com of course and LifetimeMoms.com where I'm one of the Just for Fun channel leaders.

11. Follow me on Twitter:
@rolemommy

12. Current projects that have you engaged and excited:
My new book, See Mom Run. I'm thrilled to be traveling across the country and meeting the moms who have contributed to the book. And, I'm loving that audiences are laughing and loving the book! It's been a lot of fun connecting with moms and sharing stories of our most harried moments. It's time to put the "me" back in "mommy" this holiday season and thanks to Swiffer WetJet who is sponsoring our cross country tour we're awarding the most harried moms with a Peace of Mind gift basket filled with tons of items to make their lives easier. Our next stop is Chicago on December 3, then Los Angeles and Seattle. Check out RoleMommy.com and SeeMomRunBook.com for tour details!

Meet the Moms: Momologie

We all love shopping and getting the inside scoop on style.  Gia Russo and Michele Adams have made it their mission to make obtaining style easy and fun with their new newsletter and site, Momologie.  The two women are the masterminds behind MiGi Style a brand of designer bedding and furnishings, and did a stint with Martha Stewart before that.  When the babies came along, the ladies decided to expand to the motherhood community.  We caught up with them to find out more about the launch of Momologie and how they keep it all together.

1. What one word best describes your current state of mind?
Gia - Exhausted
Michele--overwhelmed

2. What TV household does your family most resemble?

a. Brady Bunch

b. All in the Family

c. Brothers & Sisters

d. Army Wives

e. The Good Wife

f. Wife Swap

Gia - None of the above
Michele--none


3. What term or phrase do you most overuse?
Gia - “That’s amazing”
Michele—Great!



4. What are the five things/items you think that new moms (parents) can’t do without (sanity savers)?
Michele—a lunch with a friend. Dinner out with your husband. Sleep. Connecting with other new moms. A little “me” time, even if it’s only 15 minutes reading a book or magazine or having a glass of wine.

Gia--Spending a time alone with your partner

5. Holiday pictures – your best tips for getting kids to pose vs. fighting, making funny faces, running away?
Michele—candid shots are the best! Take them to the park, beach or go on a hike and don’t try to pose. Take shots of the experience as it happens.
Gia - I wish I knew. Please share your secrets with me. My son hates taking pictures. :)


6. What songs and/or books have worked best for bedtime?
Gia – The Secret Life of Bees
Michele—The Sleepy Book, Cordouroy, The Secret Shortcut


7. How many miles (of driving duty) have you logged in the past week?
Gia – I’m lucky because my daily life is within a 4 mile radius.
Michele—probably 200 miles. I’m all over the place.

8. One thing you want for yourself this holiday season?
Gia – sleep!
Michele---To get really organized and enjoy spending time with my family

9. What celebrity best describes your personal style?

a. Jennifer Garner

b. Sarah Jessica Parker

c. Nicole Richie

d. Gwen Stefani

e. Angelina Jolie

f. Victoria Beckman

Gia - a mix of Nicole Richie and Jessica Alba
Michele—a mix of Jennifer Garner and Angelina Jolie.


10. Best parenting resource you would recommend?
Michele and Gia--Babycenter and Dr. Marc Weissbluth’s books

11. Current projects?
Momologie — a daily newsletter for moms featuring editorial content in five lifestyle categories


12. Follow me on twitter at:
@momologie
@MiGistyle