Author Archive

11 months pregnant: a photo gallery

July 30, 2010 |  by cool mum  |  reality check  |  No Comments

You know those cute pictures you see on Facebook where a pregnant women takes pictures of her growing belly every week? I was just thinking the other day that no one seems to continue taking those belly pictures for the weeks after the baby was born.  The shrinking belly is just as much as part of the whole experience as the growing belly, right?

In an effort to be cool and different, or maybe uncool and entertaining, here goes a picture gallery you probably won’t find anywhere on Facebook.  It pretty much explains why people are still walking by me on the street telling me “Congratulations!!” when I don’t have any children with me.

I can only post these because this week I found out I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight.  Yay!  The last picture was taken a few days ago.  Here goes…(gulp)

(L-R) Day 4, day 9, day 44.

(L-R) Day 4, day 9, day 44.

Cool Mum’s Project Mom casting video

July 25, 2010 |  by cool mum  |  fun and games  |  6 Comments

A TV production company is looking for mom bloggers to be part of a reality show.  Cool Dad thinks I might have a chance because what other mom is foolish enough to willingly live the way we live, right?  If they like my video, they’ll call me in to interview at the big BlogHer conference here in NYC in a few weeks.  Yikes.  I always enjoy seeing CD step into the cameraman/director/editor role, so I agreed to all this.  Here’s the final product!

Oh yeah, and some of you might notice that we taped this right after I cut off (by myself) about 8 inches of hair for some upcoming video posts.  Check back later this week to watch me butcher my hair for the sake of frugality!

Did anyone else do this? If so, please post a link in the comments. And in general, would you be willing to be part of a reality show?

Checking our cool: Jennifer Garner

July 24, 2010 |  by cool mum  |  awsc?  |  5 Comments

Jennifer Garner went out for a stroll with her two girls in New York the other day. I wish I could say that I ran into her. I also wish that Cool Baby would stop waking Cool Newbie up from his naps. But seeing this article on Jennifer made me wonder if I’m still cool now that I have two kids. Let’s see –

1. THE LOOK

JG can wear an LBD that short because she has a nanny to help her out. If you’re by yourself and you’re always bending over to help the kids, you’ll earn a bad reputation on the playground. That’s why I often opt for the black nursing tanktop and maternity jorts. [-5 cool points] At least I was cool enough to wear a similar LBD on a date night when I was 9 mos pregnant.

jg_cm_lbd

2. THE STROLLER

JG’s three-wheeled stroller, Bob, could easily be friends with my Phil & Ted. [+2 cool points]

3. ENTOURAGE

JG’s entourage includes Victor Garber, an award-winning television, movie, and theater actor that played her father in Alias. Perhaps because some guy named Ben Affleck couldn’t make it that day. My entourage includes, um…Cool Dad? [-3 cool points]

NET CHANGE: -6 COOL POINTS

I’ll point out that Jennifer Garner has a little more experience because her kids are older. My only excuse is that I’ve only been a mom of two for six weeks, so sometimes I sacrifice cool points for the sake of just getting by.

***UPDATE 7/25:  I went to church today with my infant and toddler, without Cool Dad or any kind of entourage, and wore a different little black dress!  I did it!  A couple of close calls with Cool Baby about to lift my dress.  Other than that, I was okay!

Housecat gives Cool Baby some skin (or tries to take some)

April 9, 2010 |  by cool mum  |  growing up  |  No Comments

Last week, Cool Baby and I went to a friend’s house and he was amazed by their unsocial cat. At one point, the cat wandered into the bathroom and CB followed. After a minute, I started worrying about how CB was tormenting the poor kitty. I guess I didn’t have to worry because he ran out and said, “That cat gave me a high five!”

CB is a positive thinker, but I don’t think kitty was happy to see him.

cat-claws

Have you ever had kid vs. pet problems in your home?

How did you/will you celebrate your 30th birthday? I need ideas!

March 29, 2010 |  by cool mum  |  growing up  |  14 Comments
Cool Mum hopes to stay as cool as Cool Great Grandma

Cool Mum hopes to stay as cool as Cool Great-Grandma

The big day is approaching. Unfortunately. I’m at the waddling stage of pregnancy and our budget is limited. I face two options.

1. Accept the reality of being older and go (by myself) to all of the NYC places that I’ll never visit if I keep waiting for another interested person to come along. That would mean spending a day at the Tenement Museum (Cool Dad asks, “Why go there?  We have first-hand experience living in one.”), the WTC visitor center, and the Museum of the City of New York.

2. Deny the reality of being older by doing something only a person in their 20’s would be likely to do. I haven’t quite figured that part out yet. This option could be fun, but also sad and uncool due to the rather large belly and limited physical capabilities.

A long time ago, back in Florida, Cool Dad turned 30 to the tune of Dark Latin Groove and 30 of his closest friends in a reserved restaurant with dance floor. He even had a “30 Years of Eric” tribute, with one dance song from each year of his life. I don’t like the spotlight, so I’m not wishing for that kind of thing, but so far my plans seem pretty lackluster, don’t you think?

So…what did you do or what do you plan to do to celebrate your 30th birthday?