Crappy Addictions I Am Addicted To

Thankfully I don't have addictions to crack or gambling. Let's all give a little nod of thanks for that.

I do, however, have crappy obsessions that won't kill me or make me lose my house but they are worth sharing with my friends (and anyone else who might be reading this):

Crappy Addictions:

1. IPod games - I have worked my way through a number of IPod games. These games have the power to consume me sometimes to the point where I don't speak to my husband, miss huge plot points in Lost or wake up in the middle of the night to get the baby her pacifier and then happily jump back into bed to play my game since I am up. Specifically, these are some of the super nerdy games I have been playing (although I rarely play more than one game at a time - instead I play and play one game until I bore with it and get a new one) in order: Build A Lot, Ranch Rush, Myst, Hangman, Sally's Spa, Cooking Dash, Where's Waldo and, currently, Bejeweled. I have my eye on Monopoly next.

2. Auction sites like Gilt Groupe.

3. Buying greatly discounted baby clothes on said sites.

4. Finding a table the sale size as a useless nook on my deck.

There are probably more but I have lost steam and, frankly, I want to play Bejeweled.

My Review of Yookidoo Kaleidodisk Crib Toy

Originally submitted at Toys R Us

Two amazing toys in one powered by colorful, musical disks! As each disk spins around, the surrounding mirrors and lights create a magical, musical kaleidoscope!

Yookidoo Kaleidodisk Crib Toy

Cannot imagine bedtime without it!

By laid back mom from Media, PA on 3/30/2010

5out of 5

Pros: Engaging, Fun

Best Uses: Sleeping

Describe Yourself: First Time Parent

We love this product! My infant daughter starts smiling as soon as we put her in her crib in anticipation of this toy turning on. At bedtime we turn it on once or twice and she is off to sleep happy and smiling.
I wish it had a lower volume setting because I thought it was too loud when she was a newborn but we just turned it on without the music.

(legalese)

How To Fake a Virtual Pedicure

Yikes. I am a bad friend. I am just now reading about the virtual pedicures we are supposed to be getting. It is sad that I cannot even get a virtual pedicure. Except that mostly I cannot get a virtual pedicure, because I spend all of my free time watching Battlestar Galactica. Now THAT is pretty sad.

Anyway, here are some thoughts:

1. I do not like those housewives or the people from Jersey. I have been watching Taking the Stage on MTV which is a real-life Fame. It is more my speed.

2. For my fake virtual pedicure I would choose a color that I got at my friend Amelia's bachelorette party called Bachelorette Bash. It is a garish pink and I love it.

3. I am wearing a neutral color on my toes right now so Jon can suck it. Tee hee.

4. Karley, I am sad that you didn't like the name of your nail polish because I, of course, love it. It's a pun! It's a nail polish!

5. I had to buy a product called the Woombie because little girl keeps busting out of her swaddle and waking up at night. I HATE that it is called the Woombie but it won't keep me from trying it.

6. If I was married to Brad Pitt I would try harder not to fight with him. Just saying.

7. Now that our secret blog isn't a secret I SHOULD feel pressure to think through my posts a bit more but I don't.

8. I still hate Nickleback and recently I realize that I also hate the use of DH, DS and DD.

9. Miss you guys.

Snowicane

Hello from the Philly edition. We are in the middle of our 4th snowstorm/blizzard. I did not think that of the three of us it would be me in Snomageddon! It was a great winter to pick for maternity leave though! I just snuggle with a cute baby, lazily drink hot chocolate out of my Keurig, watch Buffy reruns for the 3rd time, Battlestar Gallactica for the first time and watch the snow come down.

Side Note: Hot Chocolate, it is not even that tasty when it is from the Keurig, although don't get me wrong the Keurig has changed my life drastically in terms of coffee supply and I will never go without one for as long as I live.

Anyway, tonight we are supposed to be having a "snowicane." Jay is totally knocked out with a nasty flu virus and I let Honey Bea fall asleep in my lap as a treat and because I was exhausted. The snowicane doesn't seem to be happening which is great because my roof crapped his pants when he heard the weather report this morning.

Etsy Sellers I Love . . . Baby Edition

MOBILES!

I really love Etsy. When I was looking for a mobile for my daughter, I was trapped in waves of indecision. I couldn't find anything that I really liked until I stumbled upon thewonderlandstudio on Etsy. She makes lovely, floaty, mobiles out of wire and foam circles and can personalize them with a child's name. And she's from Newburyport, MA - so I have to support a local crafter!

I got this one for my daughter's nursery and chose colors to match her safari themed room.



BABY LEGWARMERS!

My daughter was a winter baby so I quickly became obsessed with baby legwarmers. Babylegs are cute, but kind of pricey for what they are. Etsy came to the rescue! Apparently, these things must be pretty easy to make, because everyone is making them and they are making them for cheap.

Check out these (2 for $15) from mamarunswithscissors:

Or these preppy ones (2 for $10.50!) from forevermybaby:



What a freaking good deal! I might have to order more!

British fashion is at least 3 years ahead of American fashion, no matter what you say

For Christmas my mother-in-law gave me this bag:



She carried a similar one at my wedding and I thought it was pretty fab. The label said Boden so I googled it and found a pretty awesome clothing and accessories website. The stuff is a little spendy, but it's got that cute "where did you get that" feel that comes from clothing that's made in (or at least originally sold in) England.

When I was younger, we lived in England. Then I came back to America and everyone looked like they did in England 3 years previous (apparently, writing "previous" at the end of a sentence is also something I got from living in England). I thought that with the advent of the internet, fashion would catch up. Wrong. I haven't done a lot of research, but I can tell you that the British dancers I worked with on a cruise ship 3 years ago were all wearing those "maxi dresses" which, at the time, I thought looked insane. Then for the next two summers everyone in the US was wearing them.

So, I don't think you can go wrong with Boden. Check out this coat on sale. Look at me, I'm hip and fashionable but also carefree. And is that an old Englishy looking building in the background? That's right I am worldly, too. SOLD!



And for those with CHILDREN, there is miniBoden. Any company that uses "mini" as a descriptor is all right in my book.

Quit it:

The Pregnant One

I cannot say that I have been sampling much of what Philly has to offer lately (or Media where I moved 2 months ago) because I am super pregnant.

However, I can tell you that I just moved from Queen Village in Philly and I loved it and miss it. It is a neighborhood with block parties, a sometime secret rave that I was clearly too old to attend and sweet neighbors who have block parties and always remember your puppy's name. On my street alone you could see the Mummers parade by, enjoy the best chinese food in town and frequent a real neighborhood book store or pediatrician. The ladies could rock a one-piece jumpsuit, the dads only strolled their kids in Phil and Ted's and the dogs were welcome at the coffee shop.