LilSugar

Bringing Sexy Back: Write a Love Letter

LilSugar — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:00:59 -0800

While your children are busy writing their letters to Santa, steal a few moments and put pen to paper for your partner. If you need inspiration, jot down all your husband's qualities that you take for granted or the 10 reasons that make him your better half. Whether you are thanking him for being the father of your babies or making your life more fun, there are no guidelines. The letter can be long-winded and encompass your entire relationship or a be a short and simple "I love you." Seal it with a kiss, pop it in the mail, and you can be sure he'll find you under the mistletoe.
Source

Mommy Dearest: Letting the Nanny Go

babysugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:00:31 -0700

Mommy Dearest,

It is with deep regret that I am having to let my nanny go. She has become an integral part of our family in the last five years and I am dreading telling her that we will not need her to tend to our children anymore. While I could certainly use her help around the house and with the kids, I was recently laid off and my youngest child is starting school this Fall. With an empty house and one income lost, I am having a hard time justifying her salary. I know she will understand my predicament, but I want to make sure I am doing her the best service possible.

– Pink Slip Mommy

To see the response from Mommy Dearest, read more.

Pink Slip Mommy,

It appears you have been blessed with a wonderful person to help you tend to your family for the past five years. While it may be tough to let her go, she will probably understand your situation and may even be expecting the bad news. There are a few ways you can make this easier on the both of you. First, give her plenty of notice and offer to help her find another job by referring her to friends and writing her letters of recommendation. Second, ask her if she would still like to babysit on occasion for date nights here or there so she can maintain the relationship with the family. Last, have a little "last day" party in her honor so the family can celebrate and show her how much she is loved and respected.

-Mommy Dearest

Submit a question for this feature at the Mommy Dearest Group on TeamSugar.

S Is For Sandy Seashores

babysugar — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 04:00:13 -0700

If mama likes piña coladas, she'll love a nursery decked in sand, sails and shells. Beach babes will feel right at home on a shaggy rug to tickle their tiny toes. Set up a tent-like cabana to make wee ones feel like they're taking a break from the sunshine. It's perfect for tea parties and other toddler getaways. Adorn bright walls with sea creature decals and oceanic paintings that will have the tot believing life really is a beach.

Lavender Home Sweet Play Home - $99.00	Roost Pebble Felted Wool Rug - $495.00
Crab Stencil - $37.00	Coastal Living Piecrust Mirror in Choice of Color - $649.00
Children Series Framed Art "Beach Fun" - $98.00	Nautilus Shell on Blue Outdoor Print - $159.00
Hanging Tent Canopy - $30.00	Day At The Beach Custom Canvas in Lime and Turquoise - $108.00
Small Shell Garden - $19.00	Island Surf Percale Sheeting - $14.00
Blue/Brown Sonogram Frame - $46.00	Vintage Faux Bamboo Chandelier - $2,195.00
Ocean Treasures Giclee Prints - $149.00	Florida Prints - $39.00
Red Coral Sculpture by Vivre Selection - $90.00	Doodlefish Taylor's Toile Baby Bedding in Blue - $690.00
Sand Vase Filler - $8.50	Beach Bike 22" x 28" Canvas Wall Art - $69.99
Nautical Frame - $46.00	Martha Stewart "Seaflora" Hand Knotted Sand Area Rug, 2' 3" X 10' - $1,459.00
Elephants on the Wall: Beach Scene D-I-Y Paint A Mural - $89.99	Day At The Beach Custom Canvas in Red - $108.00
Andrea Rug - $249.00	Sports Golf - $75.00

Come back for a musical addition to our alphabet nursery when we fire it up with letter T.

Non Voyage: A Capital Celebration Where You Need DC to Be

LilSugar — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:00:16 -0700

If the new administration has your family dreaming of our nation's historic roots, a trip to Washington DC is sure to inspire the next generation of public servants. We continue our week of big-city non voyages in the nation's capital with activities and food that will help families recreate the DC experience without breaking their wallets.

The National Mall is lined with some of the best museums in the world, and one of the most popular is the National Air and Space Museum. Teach your budding astronauts about the history of manned space flight and then have them create their own rocket ship that will transport them to the moon. Rockets can be built out of blocks, cardboard or with any scraps you have lying around.
The International Spy Museum is one of the most unique places to visit in DC, where children and adults alike can learn about the CIA and FBI's covert operations and the techniques used to keep the nation from harm. Recreate the experience with a backyard scavenger hunt where lil ones can search for hidden treasures and practice their detective skills. Don't forget the trench coats and magnifying glasses to make them feel official.
Even in the age of email, everybody still loves to get mail and the National Postal Museum shows kids how their letters get delivered. Visit your local post office and have the kids pick out their own stamps and mail letters to their family and friends. See if the postal workers will allow your tots to view the sorting machines in the back too.
It's hard to imagine what life was like before cars, computers and modern conveniences, but Mount Vernon, George and Martha Washington's home, does just that. Give your children the colonial experience by turning off the phone and computer for an afternoon of retro cooking with recipes from the birth of our nation, including johnny cakes, shepherd's pie and apple butter.
Washington DC brings Southern hospitality and Northern sophistication to the Mid Atlantic and the city's food reflects those cultures. President Obama has already visited the famed eatery, Ben's Chili Bowl, where the deliciousness is used to smother hot dogs, sausages and burgers, so make some of those goodies at home. The Obamas are also ushering in a new era in organic cooking at the White House so take your youngsters to the local green market or farm and let them choose the ingredients they would like to nosh on that night.

Approaching Adoption: The Domestic Option

LilSugar — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:00:13 -0700

Not all mothers meet their babies at birth. For some, connecting with their child is more a labor of effort and love. Celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Meg Ryan, Edie Falco, Calista Flockhart, and Nia Vardalos have put familiar faces on adoption and made it a household word. Hopeful parents have reasons ranging from fertility issues to choice in deciding to adopt domestically. The process involves the placement of American-born children with US-based parents and can be facilitated by an agency, like New York's Spence-Chapin or a private attorney. Firms match birth mothers and adoptive families and usher them through the process while lawyers often work with doctors who have patients interested in handing their children over for someone else to raise.

Qualifications: Once families register with an agency, they go through a home-study process, which involves criminal and medical background checks, a safe home and stable living environment inspection, a financial records review and monitoring of marital status. The family also submits a letter to prospective birth mothers explaining why they want to adopt.

To see the rest of our look at domestic adoption read more.

Timeline: The average domestic adoption takes 12-18 months. The most lengthy part of the process is the home study that can take up to five months. According to Spence-Chapin, single parents tend to wait longer than married couples because birth mothers are the ones making the choice. Once a family has been selected and the baby is born, the families must sign the terms of their agreement before the child is placed. After placement, many states require three to six months of monitoring by a social worker before the process is considered complete.

Costs: Domestic adoptions through an agency range from approximately $12,000 to $30,000. Some use a sliding scale based on the couple's income while others, like Chicago's The Cradle, charge set fees. These costs include everything from registration to the fee paid to the birth mother.

Considerations: Before deciding to adopt, parents should be comfortable with the idea of what it means to be an adoptive family - that their child might not resemble them and that questions will arise throughout their offspring's life. Future moms and dads also need to choose between an open adoption - where birth parents and adoptive parents agree to ongoing contact of some kind throughout the child's life, be it exchanging letters or medical records or a closed adoption, where there is no contact once the baby has been placed.

K Is For Keen on Kettles

babysugar — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 04:00:08 -0700

When a lady is expecting a baby, she often trades her mocha latte in for a hot cup of decaffeinated tea. Then the baby makes its debut, but mommy doesn't have to give up her affection for the kettle. She can still sip on the brewed herbs and rock her newborn in the comfort of a tea themed nursery. In lieu of books, line a row of teapots on a shelf. Polish up antique and family silver cups and place them around the room for a bit of sparkle and shine. Sass up the pots and cups with a teapot lamp, a fancy chandelier, a pearl adorned box, frilly aprons, strings of pearls or a framed pair of gloves. Splurge on a tiered sweet stand that can hold the babe's keepsakes instead of petit fours. But if mama sneaks one in, we won't tell! L is up next on our alphabet nursery series! Love, letters, lions, oh my!

Abigail Aprons - $30.00	Leapfrog tag™ activity storybook: "miss spider's tea party" - $13.99
Flora Green and Pink Chandelier - $318.00	Poodle Party - $39.00
KidKraft Garden Party Collection Canvas Art Set of Four - $56.99	Personalized Dot Bowl & Cup Set - $64.00
Reed & Barton Corp. Reed & Barton Baby Beads Single-Handled Cup - $48.99	Wallcandy RoCoco Decals - $36.00
Blik Classic Must Haves Wall Decals - $55.00	Cupcake on Canvas - $52.00
Carton Vase - $6.95	Straw Eyelet-Trim Hats for Baby - $10.50
Uli - pillows by uli - $107.00	Eco-Friendly Tea Set - $25.00
Roost Branch Teapot - $58.00	Guidecraft Tea Party Extra Chairs - $78.99
White Ceramic Teapots - $12.99	Edo Red Teapot (1.4-qt.) by Arzberg - $106.95
Kidkraft® Teakettle - $24.99	Doodlebugz Crayola Crayon Apron Solid Pink - $19.99
Ralph Lauren Long Pearl Necklace - $58.00	Guidecraft Tea Party Rocking Chair - $109.99
Boho Holiday Teapot (46-oz.) by Rosanna - $39.95	Creative Designs Cushy Cafe Tea Party Set - $14.99
Flora Teapot - $6.95	Creative Designs Disney Princess Snow White Tea Set - $15.99

Kidoodle: Flag Your Love

babysugar — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:27:04 -0700

Buying a present for a one-year-old always seems a tad impersonal since the tot hardly acknowledges the gift. Give him something made with love that he can save throughout the years. It will keep mama from having to make a tough choice at the toy shop while keeping a few dollars in her pocket.

To see how to make this simple sign to hang in the nursery or play room, read more.

Supplies for the project:

Old cereal boxes or manila folders
Glue
Ribbon
Hole puncher
Pencil or pen
Glitter
Ruler or straight edge
Newspaper
A traceable circular object like a can
Bright construction paper

Directions

Use a ruler to draw a few flags on the back of the cereal boxes.
Cut some newspaper in the same shape but about an inch bigger all the way around.
Glue the newspaper to one side of the flag. Fold the edges over and glue them to the back for the triangle.
Trace circles on the bright colored construction paper and cut them out.
Glue the circle onto the newspaper side of the flag.
Draw a letter on the circle and fill it with glue.
Sprinkle the glitter on the glue, shake it off and allow it to dry.
Once dry, punch two holes in the top of the flags.
Run the ribbon through the tops of the flags.
Put it in a cute package and give it to the birthday boy!

View 12 Photos ›

Wee TV: LeapFrog Letter Factory

LilSugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:00:55 -0700

Try as they might to keep their tots away from the boob tube, every mama needs a few minutes to herself to make a phone call, check Facebook or just chill out. Rather than put your preschooler in front of a dancing monster or singing tomato, try introducing him to some pre-reading concepts that will help prepare him for a major developmental milestone.

The LeapFrog Letter Factory DVD has been praised by parents, educators and speech therapists for its fun, yet educational approach to teaching phonics. Tots familiar with the LeapFrog toys will love seeing Tad, Leap and Lily walk through the alphabet singing cute little songs for each letter. The tunes teach preschoolers the proper pronunciation of each letter and encourage viewers to sing along. Educators like it for its ability to teach letter recognition and speech therapists have told me they like the pronunciations used by the characters.

Tell Mommy: Naming Traditions

LilSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 10:00:36 -0700

Selecting your lil one's moniker can take the entire nine months of your pregnancy. Finding a name you and your spouse like that isn't being used by your friends or relatives is enough to send many mamas-to-be over the edge.

For some families, the process is made a bit easier by tradition. From adding a third, fourth or fifth to a long line of namesakes to naming a child after a close friend or relative. In Jewish tradition, names are given to honor family members, traditionally deceased relatives. Recent generations have modified the custom by using the first letter of the relative's name for their baby, such as taking the "S" from Sadie and naming their daughter Sabrina. In doing so, the family can remember a loved one on a daily basis.

Does your family have any naming customs you plan to embrace?

Source

Interview With Michelle Duggar: Mother of 18 Children (Part I)

LilSugar — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 08:17:46 -0800

Michelle Duggar has been pregnant for 12 years if you combine all the time she spent carrying her 18 children. She and her husband, Jim Bob, have two sets of twins in their brood aged one month to 21 years old.

The mom and dad made famous by TLC's 17 Kids and Counting took time away from their family to chat with me via phone about their new book, The Duggars: 20 and Counting!, and the topics - marriage, raising children, conservative values, financial freedom, and faith - it covers, while their newest addition Jordyn gurgled in the background. The couple was candid, open, and incredibly kind. And if you assume they set out to have kids by the dozens and name them all with the letter "J," then think again!

After suffering a miscarriage, Michelle and Jim Bob, who are religious, chose to forgo the birth control they had been using and leave it up to God to decide how many children they would have. Michelle, now known for her soft voice and calm demeanor, spoke of a time when she had five children under five, was exhausted and shedding tears. She credits her faith for getting her though the challenges of motherhood.

As far as their children all having names starting with "J," in the text, Jim Bob and Michelle explain that they initially picked names they liked that all happened to start with the same letter for their first three children and then continued the trend not wanting the newest baby to feel left out - only they never suspected there would be so many names.

To see Michelle's candid responses to a couple of lil questions, read more.

lilsugar: The book answers just about every question a person could have about your family and the forces that have guided you in making those decisions. Did you write The Duggars: 20 and Counting! to dispel misconceptions people have about your family?

Michelle Duggar: I see how the book could do that, but I don't think that was our intention. We really just had a heart to answer the people who had been emailing us. We had thousands of emails and there was just no way we could do what we needed to do to take care of our family and take care of those. We've been in politics in the past (Jim Bob was a state legislator in Arkansas) and we know there's a lot of people out there that don't agree with us, so that goes on as well, but we wrote this for the people that ask us for advice and encouragement more than the other angle.

lilsugar: Online, some members of the public have been critical of your buddy system, saying that your older children are raising the younger ones; do you think this is a misconception?

Michelle Duggar: I'll put it the way my daughter, Jill, said it - she had really had a sweet answer. She said, "Mama, they just don't understand or know what it's like to be in our large family and how much fun we have and how sweet is it to have these little ones that look up to us and want to be like us. When people get this idea of oh my God, they have so many kids and there's no way you can spend one-on-one time with them and give them the undivided attention or that the older ones are raising the younger ones, love doesn't divide it multiples."

My older ones have a mentoring relationship with the little ones. We are still the parents, Dad and I are the ones to give them counsel and different things like that, but when they are working together on their music practice or playing phonics games and doing math drills, those times are precious because I see the relationships that have developed.

Check out what Jim Bob and Michelle had to say about homeschooling and keeping a calm home in tomorrow's post on lilsugar. For more information on the Duggars, check out their website.