i'm in the zone, baby

Exciting news to share...

As I plunge into the life of the work-from-home mama (in addition to snack-preparer, snot-wiper and toy-picker-upper), I'm finally doing what I want to be doing with my life, creatively and professionally speaking... and that is to write on a consistent basis and actually get paid for it. I've joined the team at Baby Zone as one of their contributing bloggers, and you can look for content from me there on any number of topics, from traveling solo with kids to tips on surviving drama-filled days, otherwise known as life with girls. I'll be sharing thoughts on finding time for me in the midst of this crazy life to ways you can stay connected with far off grandparents.

And everything in between.

I haven't written much about this whole "transition" period I'm in, mainly because I've been busy trying to figure it all out -- and "it" is still a work in progress! The one thing that has been a constant, however, is realizing that time is of the essence (translation: I'm not getting any younger, people).Writing has always been my one true love from a creative standpoint, and the fact that I'm expanding my work on this level makes me giddy to no end -- in addition to giving me the confidence to keep moving forward.

I'm also looking to re-energize Baby Meets City with a new layout soon and who knows, maybe I'll write an NYC-based children's book one day (a girl can dream, right?). In the meantime, look for me on Baby Zone, your one stop shop for all things baby and beyond.

Woohoo!

on the go with OXO tot

The girls and I are on the go quite a bit, and our stroller is basically the equivalent of what getting around in a car might be like (though if that's really the case, I am seriously at the short end of the stick). Even a morning at our neighborhood park means packing all the essentials: diapers, wipes, snacks, water, SPF, snacks, bathing suit/change of clothes, and oh yeah, more snacks. 

Because I'm not dealing with a whole lot of storage space, packing efficiently is key. That said, I am in love with the new travel kit from OXO Tot. Here's a quick description of some of my favorites from the collection, and hey, want to win one of your own? "Like" the OXO Tot Facebook page, and check out their awesome travel tots giveaway!

I am loving OXO Tot's flippy snack cup. It's easy for the girls to hold, and the cleverly-designed top makes Goldfish (their snack du jour) easy to obtain without spilling all over the place. Having a snack container is good for the environment, too. I always feel so guilty when I have to use plastic ziplock bags, which inevitably just get thrown away.

Though my girls are past the point of formula, check out how easy it is to use OXO Tot's new formula dispenser as yet another snack container! I am all about re-purposing items as much as I can, and this one works like a charm.

With the aforementioned storage issue, I'm left with finding additional ways to use my stroller, and hanging lightweight items off the handles is often the answer. The OXO Tot on-the-go wipes dispenser works great for this, as does their stroller hook, which is also perfect for Millie to hold when we're crossing the street (these will be available soon via diapers.com!)

OXO's ever-expanding line doesn't stop there. They also offer an on-the-go feeding spoon, "baby blocks" (baby food storage), and a roll-up bib (coming soon!) that's perfect when you're out on the town.

Saving the best for last, I just love their new on-the-go drying rack. This would have been SO NICE when I was breastfeeding at work, and had to line up paper towels in the office bathroom to dry my bottles and use a brush (in yet another plastic baggie) for storage. Here in one handy compartment you have a drying rack and brush (which unscrews in two for storing inside). Also great when you're out for a while and don't particularly want to come home with a stinky bottle.

Here's to life on the go... an innovative products that make that busy life just a little bit easier!



Disclosure: Thanks to Oxo Tot and Linqia for sponsoring this post. An Oxo Tot travel kit was provided to me for the purposes of this review. All opinions expressed, as always, are my own.

hitting the road with the buick verano

Hope everyone had a great Independence Day!

GPS came in handy more than once!

Here's your first declaimer of the day: we don't drive much. Maybe 4-5 times a year? In fact, I'm basically impressed by anything that moves faster than a crosstown bus. When I approached the good people at General Motors about a car review, I might have written something like, "I'll take anything with four tires, an engine and a steering wheel," because I know this much: those parts are necessary to making a car go.

What they delivered to my door was a 2013 Buick Verano, and let me tell you, it got my attention (Quick sidebar: When did cars stop using keys? The whole push-a-button-and-your-car-starts thing is beyond cool). Billed as a "compact luxury sedan," the Verano is a mix of sass and efficiency. Clean lines and leather interior make it a hot little number, and as we quickly discovered, GPS and a video screen for parallel parking help you not get lost or wreck the car. Two big pluses!

Now, with two small children and two adults, I will say there wasn't a ton of extra room once the car seats were in, but it doesn't take a brain surgeon to come to this conclusion. That being said, the trunk is quite large. Sufficed to say, we don't travel lightly, and that's a fact we, of course, blame on the children. Between a large suitcase, pack-n-play, and numerous bags in all different shapes and sizes, we managed to pack the trunk with room to spare.

I think this is a great car for zipping around town with the fam. Cross country road trip? Probably not the best idea with two little munchkins in the back seat, but then, that's probably not a great idea in a motor home, either. We loved the fact that the Verano has awesome pick up and gas mileage (we were gone a week, drove every day and only spent $70 on gas). Additionally, I loved the tinted windows... they helped keep the car on the cool side, and outsiders from seeing a toddler having a temper tantrum.

Toddler sleeping after temper tantrum

Racing stripes were a close second to the Verano in terms of awesomeness

3 gals looking sporty next to their "compact luxury sedan"

True story: Husband was on a business trip last week, and he actually called me from the road to tell me how much he missed driving around in the Verano (no offense to his other ride, of course). You can read all about the specifics of the 2013 Buick Verano on their website, but take it from me, a newfound slightly knowledgable car person... comfort, style and efficiency can go hand in hand behind the wheel.


Disclaimer: GM provided us with a week-long Buick Verano car rental for the purposes of this review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

baby meets beach

We're back from a week at the beach in Ocean City, Maryland, and it's all too perfect that on the day we left on our trip, my mom forwarded me the following poem by my aunt, who was a talented writer and poet, amongst other things.

Beach Weather

by Irene Lofton

Sunshine

And lots of it.

After winter's cold

and gray

It's like spun gold

In a jar.

Let's pour it out

over morning

Make it last

Through noon

And paint it 

into a sunset 

at day's end.

Doesn't it just perfectly capture summertime at the beach? I'm excited to share a few reviews with you in the days ahead (we cruised down in a pretty awesome Buick Verano and were saved by the Amazon Kindle Fire more than once), but for now, I just wanted to share a few pics from our week away from the craziness of the Big A. Happy summer!