LilSugar

What's the Best Sound of Your Day?

Rebecca M Gruber — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:03:32 PST

A baby's gurgle? Your child's voice? For Brad Pitt, the answer is the sound of his children sleeping - and he's not talking about the quiet he hears when his kids are finally asleep, but the sounds of their rhythmic breathing. While appearing on Inside the Actors Studio, the father of six took part in the Proust Questionnaire, telling James Lipton that hearing his kids' overnight breathing is the best sound in the world. When the audience of acting students gave a collective sigh at his answer, Pitt responded that they'd understand when they became parents.

Do you agree? What's the best sound of your day?

Is Going Organic Really Worth It?

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 03:16:10 PST

Going green has never been quite so hip, but is it worth the cost? Just last week Jessica Alba launched The Honest Company, an eco-friendly baby care line that is not only safe but affordable when compared to other organic diaper and skin care companies. But now one of my favorite organic nursery companies is changing course.

Canada's 3 Sprouts - the maker of adorable modern storage bins, hooded towels, and wall organizers - just announced that due to rising costs, they'll no longer be an organic line. In order to keep costs down - and, presumably, sales up - the company is switching to nonorganic cotton and new packaging for the coming year.

The change has me wondering if more mamas are switching away from organic given the state of the economy?

What's on Your Toddler's "Potty List"?

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 03:17:32 PST

Every season my kids and I create a "bucket list" of activities we want to do before the weather changes. Right now, given that it's Winter, that list includes everything from building a family of snowmen to learning how to play hockey (never mind that my son doesn't know how to ice-skate yet!). While some moms I know have their own "40 before 40 lists" of the 40 things they want to do before hitting the big 4-0, I never thought about actually creating age-specific lists for my kids.

Across the pond, Cow and Gate, a British baby-food maker, surveyed 1,000 parents to see what they wanted their kids to do before they turned 3. Among the top 10 items were "making a mud pie" and "climbing a big hill." Nowhere on the list were the ultracompetitive milestones often overheard on the playground here in the states. Rather, the parents named timeless experiences we could all desire for our kids.

Keep reading to see the entire list and, tell me, what's on your toddler bucket list?

Is Your Tot Going Gaga for Ga-ga?

Rebecca M Gruber — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:29:49 PST

Move over Lady Gaga, there's a new game in town that's changing the way kids say your name! In an age where bans on traditional recess games like tag and dodgeball are becoming more prevalent (seemingly due to the violent nature of the games), new sports are gaining a tot following, and they're gaining traction - fast!

Ga-ga - a fast-paced, Israeli game that has been called "a safe version of dodgeball" - is popping up on playgrounds and Summer camps everywhere. Using a soft foam ball, kids try to hit their opponents below the knees (this is where it becomes safer than dodgeball) while the opponents run, jump, and dodge around an enclosed ring, called a pit. Once a player is hit, she's out. As time passes, additional balls are thrown into the pit to speed up the game, ensuring no game lasts longer than five minutes, and allowing kids to jump back in the ring and start a new round.

Though previously reserved for the playground, New York City is about to see the opening of the city's first dedicated Ga-ga play-site. The Gaga Center will offer 50-minute classes after school every day for $620 per semester.

Have your kids been bitten by the Ga-ga bug yet?

Source: GAGABALLPITS.COM

Did You Have a Surprise Birth?

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:11:14 PST

Ready or not, here he comes! Regardless of whether or not you had a written plan for your lil one's birth, when baby's ready to come, there's little mom can do to stop him!

Such was the case for Rabita Sarkar of Harrison, NJ, who thought she was feeling false labor pains and decided to use them as an opportunity to do a trial run to test her route to the hospital. Soon after boarding the PATH commuter train into New York City, the contractions turned real and within minutes, the expectant mama gave birth to a son - while sitting on the train! She said:

He decided to come and that was it. Nothing could stop him. Nothing could keep him inside for longer. I don’t think anybody could actually dream of such a delivery.

We've heard of plenty of women who didn't know they were pregnant until they were in labor, and I've even had a friend who gave birth in her car outside of the hospital entrance, but were you so surprised by your labor that you gave birth in a strange place? If so, tell us!

Source: Flickr User Remy Sharp

Jessica Alba Says It Was Easier to "Snap Back" After Second Baby

Rebecca M Gruber — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:37:49 PST

Jessica Alba has suddenly become either the envy or the enemy of the postpartum mom. Just five months after giving birth to lil Haven, pictures of the unbelievably fit mama frolicking in the ocean in a lil pink bikini has moms talking and jaws dropping. Even mama-to-be Jessica Simpson took notice, tweeting, "New goal: look like @jessicaalba after baby. Job well done lady!"

The mom of two - daughter Honor is 3 years old - says losing the baby weight was simpler this time around. Alba explained, "It was my second pregnancy so I think I just didn't indulge as much . . . It was easier to snap back." Running around after a toddler easily prevents an expectant mom from focusing on food while pregnant, leading repeat moms from gaining as much weight the second time around. Did you find this to be true?

Would You Ditch the Crib and Try a Floor Bed?

Rebecca M Gruber — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:34:46 PST

The crib is the centerpiece of a lil one's nursery, or is it? According to the Montessori educational philosophy, a mattress placed directly on the floor (of a child-safe room) is the ideal place for a lil one to sleep - the thought being that once the tot can crawl, he can play with the items in his room - meaning the crib has no place in the nursery.

One mama is sharing her adventures in trying to "floor sleep" train her 8-month-old tot. On Tall Tara, Tara shares images and insight into her son's adjustment to the unusual sleeping arrangement - five months into the "experiment" she says he wakes up on the bed approximately 95 percent of the time (though nap time is a whole other story!), while other times he can be found just resting his head on the mattress, or completely on the floor.

Would you consider ditching the crib and relying on a floor bed?

Photos courtesy of: Tall Tara

Check Your Library Book Due Dates or Risk a Visit From the Police

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 03:21:00 PST

With all that parents have on their minds, it's no wonder that something eventually falls through the cracks. If you live near Boston, just hope that it's not past-due library books that slip off your to-do list.

According to a mother in Charlton, a few months after she failed to return two of her 5-year-old daughter's library books, she received a surprise knock on the door - from a police sergeant! Once the officer left, the book-borrowing tot burst into tears, thinking her mom was going to be hauled off to jail. Both the mom and police officer said they thought the library's decision to send a law enforcement official to the home went above and beyond what was necessary, but Massachusetts state law does identify late library books as a misdemeanor.

Would the possibility of a visit from the police department make you more diligent about returning books to the library on time?

Would You Hire a Dudela?

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 08:36:23 PST

If a doula's job is to help a mom-to-be with her childbirth experience, who's there to help the future dad? The Dudela!

In a post to the parenting message board UrbanBaby, a new dad proposed being the go-to guy every father-to-be needs in the delivery room. Among his responsibilities are:

MOBILE DEVICE MANAGEMENT. We will meet before the due date to craft an announcement statement, which I will send via text message to contacts of your choosing within the first hour of your baby's life. During labor and up to two hours after delivery, I will respond to all incoming texts and phone calls, taking messages when required. The battery life on all of your devices is safe in my hands. And what if she's not feeling that Bjork playlist you made for her iPod? I'll put on some Sam Cooke instead. SOCIAL NETWORK COORDINATION. Check you in at the hospital on FourSquare? Check. Update your Facebook status with baby's first picture? I like. Tweet the birth announcement? #Yes FANTASY SPORTS ASSISTANCE. The world of sports will not stop for the birth of your baby. Don't worry whether Curtis Granderson matches up well against David Price (he doesn't) or if the 49ers defense can stop the run (they can). As a veteran of many fantasy leagues, familiar with both the ESPN and Yahoo! platforms, I will ensure your team doesn't miss a beat, so you won't miss a beat in the delivery room. CONCIERGE SERVICES. You're going to want to get some celebratory cigars. Good thing I've been a subscriber to Cigar Aficionado for the last 10 years.

Is it a joke? Yes. The Daily Mail interviewed the man behind the posting who said it was a joke, but who's to say that dad doesn't need a lil helper through the labor and delivery process?

Source: Flickr User Marc van der Chijs

Would You Admit to Having a Favorite Child?

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:38:23 PST

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe . . . How do you choose? Way back at the beginning of the year, Kate Tietje wrote a post for Babble titled "Mom Confession: I Think I Love My Son a Little Bit More." While some parents praised her for her candor, most took her to task for her admission. My thoughts immediately returned to her article while watching Barbara Walters's 18th annual 10 Most Fascinating People special last night. Though Walters's decision to put the Kardashian family on her list at all is worthy of its own post, an exchange between Kourtney, Khloe, and Kim and their momager Kris caught me off guard:

Barbara: Who is your mom’s favorite?
Kourtney, Khloe, and Kim (simultaneously): Kim!
Kris: You know, I think it seems -
Kourtney, Khloe, and Kim (simultaneously): Just say it!
Kris: OK, yes, she’s my favorite. (Pause.) No, she’s not!
Khloe: Whoever gives her the most percentage rights [is her favorite].
Kris: No, that’s not true. Just the most attention.

As parents we often strive do things fair and square among our children, but it doesn't always work out that way. Sure, sometimes one tot ends up with a few more goldfish in her bowl than the other, but would you ever openly admit that you loved one child more than another?

Photo courtesy of ABC