Two Poll Tuesday: Sad About Jake and Vienna?

Shocker alert!!!! NOT.

The beautiful, emotional, slightly embarrassingly weepy, Bachelor Jake Pavelka has split from goofy Vienna. No surprise there. Apparently Jake thinks last seasons winner has been “stepping out on him.” This is about as mortifying as the bizarre separation of Heidi and Spencer.

Anyone watching The Bachelorette? I was very opposed to Ali being this season’s leading lady but I’m enjoying it enough so far. I’m rooting for Roberto for obvious reasons…..

– Megan

Two Poll Tuesday: Are You a Parent to Your Kid(s) or a Friend?

I was sitting here, twiddling my thumbs trying to figure out what to do a poll about today and then I got distracted by the internets and lost myself on Celebitchy. And Voila! I have a topic. Ms. Brandy (remember her?!) is dropping some parenting knowledge on the rest of us. She has an interview out in Parade Magazine this week promoting her new show on VH1 (surprise, surprise) called Family Business. She is doing it with her brother Ray J (yes, THE Ray J that did the nekkid video with Kim Kardashian). Anyway, in the interview, she’s enlightening us all with some interesting gems such as this:

“A lot of mothers feel like they’re the mom first, with that authority. But for me, I’m a friend first. I believe that just being there for my daughter as a friend more than ‘I’m in charge…’ causes her to be more open with me as a person.”

Sooooo…I get this. I do. And I think what she’s saying has some merit, however, I think this can backfire. Big time (I keep seeing Lindsay and Ali Lohan). I think being a parent is your main role when your kids are young. When they are older (think 20’s, 30’s, 40’s), that’s the time for friendships. Being a parent is a constantly evolving role – nurturer, disciplinarian, teacher, counselor, mediator, confidant, etc. – but no matter what hat you may have on, you’re still the parent.

Here are some interesting pieces about the topic:

http://www.empoweringparents.com/Your-Child-is-not-Your-Friend.php

http://www.parentingscience.com/parents-be-friends.html

– Abbi

Two Poll Tuesday: Did you watch Kate Plus 8?

I did, and I thought Kate actually looked lovely. Lovelier than she has ever looked anyway.  The hair looked fine and her bikini body, artificial as it may be, was bangin’. My favorite part was when a food service worker at an airport snack shop told Kate that she did great on Dancing with the Stars. “For a mom.” Teehee.

Still like to chuckle at the Gosselin nonsense and douchey behavior of daddy Jon?  A new video surfaced on RadarOnline of Jon and Hailey  Glassman being silly and stoned in St. Tropez. Enjoy.

– Megan

Two Poll Tuesday: How Long Did it Take You to Lose the Baby Weight?

My youngest is quickly approaching her first birthday and I was slowly approaching my ideal post-baby weight, except I’m now putting a few LB’s back on. Admittedly, I am one of those new moms that drops huge amounts of weight nursing. I’m also one of those moms that puts on more than the recommended 25lbs. With both girls, I gained right around 40, no matter what I did. With the first, I was desk-bound all 9 (TEN) months. I was also eating just about whatever I wanted. I did exercise, but my exercise was limited because I was working long days (that was totally an excuse…I could have worked out if I wanted to…I didn’t want to). With the second, I was chasing around two 2-year-olds (my own daughter and another little one who I watch), doing yard work, going to the park, walking the dog, and just keeping busy, busy, busy, yet I still gained right under 40. It’s just what my body does and I’m OK with it, especially since I do drop the weight rather quickly with nursing. By the time I hit 7 months postpartum this time, I was the thinnest I had been since long before the girls. Granted, I was working out quite a lot in preparation for a trip to Mexico, i.e., trying to prepare my body to look moderately less new-mommy like in a swimsuit. But now, here I am almost a year out and I’m gaining a bit. Boo! I was looking forward to dropping those last 5 pounds the female body holds in reserve for milk production, but no, I’m gaining. I guess this means I need to start working out again.

– Abbi

Two Poll Tuesday: Did You Use Candy/Treats as Incentive for Potty Training?

T-I-Double Ga-Errrr worked perfectly to get our little one to use the P-O-Double T-Y.

Megan is in the middle of her big trip that she used as a totally legitimate excuse to stall on the whole potty training thing. So, I thought it might be nice to gather some potty training information for her so she’s ready to hit the potty hard when she gets home.

When we (mostly me) potty trained our oldest, I used a special incentive in the form of a Pez dispenser that she picked out. The Pez dispenser (Tigger is pictured here just in case the image in your mind is incomplete without knowing exactly which character it was that was regurgitating the little strange-tasting candies) sat on the bathroom counter and she was only aloud to have one after she did her binis (from urban dictionary: slang for ‘business’ but much more gansta). The Pez dispenser was very exciting for her and it made the whole process that much easier for us.

What about you?

– Abbi

Two Poll Tuesday: American Idol

Are you watching? My hubby and I started watching American Idol when it was brand new, in our first apartment, on our 13 inch screen.  Truth be told, we couldn’t afford cable ha! But it has stuck with us and we look forward to Simon and now Ellen! I was a Paula lover so I was not pleased to see her go and my husband especially was very skeptical of Degeneres joining the cast, but she is awesome! And don’t tell the hubby I told you this, but he chuckles at her jokes week after week. She’s a keeper.  Not sure if it matters with Simon leaving the show but I guess only time will tell.

Enough with my sentiment, who do you think should be this season’s winner of American Idol?

Two Poll Tuesday: Matchy-Matchy

Cute Carter's Pajamas from Sears

Last night, when my husband was getting our oldest PJ’ed up and ready for bed, I watched in horror as he dressed her in mis-matched jammies. I said something to the effect of, “that’s an interesting combo, hun.” And he responded with, “who cares? She’s just going to sleep in them.” To which I said, “but what if something happens in the middle of the night like a plane crashing in our backyard and we’re that family with the unkempt kids talking to the reporters out in the street?” And he proceeded to laugh at me.

You’re probably wondering why I’m sharing this, huh? Yes, I realize I might be a little crazy (maybe even not as well-adjusted as I’d like to think) but I’d really like to know if I’m the only one? Does anyone else think about this sort of thing…and maybe not *exactly* this – backyard plane crashes can’t happen everywhere – but do you obsess over what your kids wear whether it be to bed or elsewhere? In short, are matching PJ’s as important to you as they are to me?

– Abbi

Two Poll Tuesday on Wednesday! Girls or Boys, Who’s Easier to Raise?

Two Poll Tuesday: Do you Wear Earplugs or Headphones When Your Kids are Pitching a Fit?

Gwyneth Paltrow does. Gwyneth is on Ellen on Thursday and she tells the crazy-busy talkshow host/American Idol judge that when her two little ones, Apple and Moses, are having tantrums she will, “…just put on headphones or earplugs.” Do you do the same?

See more excerpts of Gwyneth’s upcoming (pre-taped) interview with Ellen in People here.

– Abbi

Two Poll Tuesday: Would You Give Medical Marijuana to Your Child?

I know you’ve read my recent post about the mom who gives her 9-year-old son medical marijuana to combat his autism and other disorders, would you be able to do the same?

– Abbi