The BFF

We dropped a few pennies into a well and made the wish that we would be friends forever.  We were three years old.  We were so small we took baths together, slept in the same bed, shared movie theater seats, Happy Meals and even toilet seats.  We were that inseparable.  We thought we were witches casting spells on the other kids at Vacation Bible School.  We were that anti-social with everyone else but each other. Two little peas in a pod. We peed on the floor because we were pretending to be babies.  We were five years old and that authentic.We grew into gawky girls together dressing alike, pouring over Seventeen magazines on our bedroom floors together reading aloud the articles and imagining ourselves ten years older.  We thought the movie Ghost was … [Read more...]

That Whole Depression Thing

"So how is that whole depression thing going?"  H asked this question a few weeks back regarding my past bouts with postpartum depression.  Let's not quibble on his delivery of that line.  Moving on... The Fifth Element has reached the six-week mark and I'm happy to report so far so good.  Except. Well, except the fact that in the past PPD hasn't nailed me against its dark, stained wall until about the two month mark.  With TD it was shortly after I went back to work and she was eight weeks old. The schedule, the commute, the lack of sleep all contributed to it.  I thought I missed it with The Comedian and then month two came up and BAM! There I was again back in its black hole.  Blech.  As I said last week on TheMotherhood's postpartum discussion, I am waiting for the other shoe to … [Read more...]

Live Chat on PPD Tomorrow (9/29) at TheMotherhood.com

I'll be hosting a live chat tomorrow at 1 p.m. EST with Katherine Stone of Post Partum Progress (the number PPD blog!) and Dr. Shoshanna Bennett at The Motherhood.com. Join us and several others in a lively and supportive discussion about any PPD related issues and other mental illnesses that occur around pregnancy and childbirth. Please come join in! What is The Motherhood? It is a great place for women and mothers that is organized around Circles and Talks based on the idea that we are all "in this together", which is exactly how I feel about PPD.  Circles are on-going conversations started by members on any and all topics. Join the circles that interest you, and if you don’t see what you’re looking for, start one! Talks are scheduled, live conversations that last a day with expert … [Read more...]

Fall 2010 Trends

Fall.  It is going for a run with a cool breeze blowing set against a clear, blue sky.  The scent of a campfire and burning leaves in the air and pumpkins adorning doorsteps.  It is my favorite season and not just because of the bright bursts of color on the trees but also because it is a new fashion season.  Light and airy fabrics give way to thick tweeds and shearling, this year at least.  I flip through magazines and rip out pages pasting them to my bathroom door to give me inspiration through the season.  Make-up undergoes changes as well. I look for ways to incorporate the current fall's latest ideas on the cheap and what to splurge on.  It gives me a sense of renewal each time as I use what's hot with my classics.   Here's … [Read more...]

How Much Do You Tell Your Children?

Cross-posted and archived from DC Metro Moms. Original post from May 13, 2008.Recently, The Washington Post ran a cover story for their Magazine titled, "The Secret Lives of Moms". The mother on the cover was portrayed as a June Cleaver type woman with a bottle of Jack Daniels and handcuffs hanging out of her apron pockets which made me cringe just looking at it. The line beside it began with, "If you have bongs or thongs in your past..." Thongs? What heck is wrong with a thong? Yes, they are uncomfortable but that is why there is the g-string. Are Moms not supposed to wear these?!But, I digress. The point of this piece is how much do we tell our children about our pasts? Do we lie and cover up our mistakes for fear they will follow in our footsteps? Do we use the brutal honesty … [Read more...]

Back on the Couch

That title can be viewed two ways. Literally.I went back to see my psychiatrist yesterday for the first time since mid-2009.  Apparently once you have had postpartum depression two times you are "red-flagged" in the system and a social worker visits you while you are still in the hospital nursing and wearing mesh undies.  That and they give you back your meds about thirty minutes after you push that new baby out.  It is a month after The Fifth Element's arrival and I need a new script so it was back on the psych's couch for me.  Aside from being tired I feel pretty good.I'm also back on the Couch to 5k program. I went for my first run on Sunday and it was glorious.  I felt stiff, a bit wobbly and tense at first, but it was fantastic to be out in the … [Read more...]

Where’s Mummy

Top o' the Mornin' to you!  It's Monday, the start of a new week and besides my shrink's office (got to keep up the preventative PPD script!) this is where I am at this week.TODAY!!!! I am honored to be co-hosting a new moms baby shower at TheMotherhood.com.  Join me for advice and information from Avent too! Noon EST or 9 a.m. for all you PST'ers.At MPR there are reviews galore- REphase Bio-Scrub, The Tassimo T20 Home Brewing System and Natural Vines Licorice.honestbaby has me talking about my need for an ugly playdate.Have a good one! … [Read more...]

Top Five Reasons to Get Excited About Fall

Cross-posted and archived from DC Metro Moms.  Original post August 22, 2008. My husband asked for hot tea the other day. My first reaction was to look at him like he was the 5th horseman of the Apocalypse but instead, I just sort of sniffed the air and agreed. It felt like hot tea time. Yet, here we are in August. Two days later a friend of mine stated that it was time to wear jeans. She was declaring summer officially over despite it being about 90 degrees outside. My inbox is loaded with back-to-school ads, requests for advice posts about the new school year and the latest fall fashions. There was even that one ominous Halloween craft story request. Already? It's not that I hate summer. In fact, it is my favorite season of the four. It's just that about this time every year be … [Read more...]

Hangliding on a Dorito

If you haven't seen this yet, you should.  I am in love with Marcel the Shells with Shoes On.  It's heartbreakingly sweet and funny.  It brightens my day and hopefully yours too. … [Read more...]

The Sugar Highs and Lows

The subject of screaming and tantrums has come up before within this blog, especially where TD is concerned.  At first we chalked it up to the Terrible Two's followed by the Troublesome Three's, which everyone declared was way worse than anything we had ever witnessed before.  Right.  It seems that the "F*ck You! Fours" (described quite adequately by a girlfriend of mine) are really what it was all about this past year.  We tried everything we could think of to rid our home of the yelling and tantrums and absolute hysterical meltdowns that occurred and went on and on and on and on and on.  There were time outs. We took away toys and other privileges, including play dates with friends.  We read and practiced '1,2,3 Magic' too.  We spoke to her … [Read more...]