momXchange Blog

Mommy bloggers rule!

So I have been pretty down on myself about my inability to just sit down and write.  Yes, life is crazy, but isn’t it for most moms?  Well today I was inspired, again.  This time from the a great local mommy blogger, Sandra Foyt… yes the voice behind Albany Kid.  Just when I thought my blogging was over, I received this link on facebook: http://blog.kidsfunplaza.com/2011/03/22/tech-valley-blog-celebration-giveaway/

I am honored to be in such good company, and hope you will check out the opportunity to connect with other mommy bloggers, and possibly win an ipad2.  What could be bad?

It’s a New Year and a new mXc

I know it has been quite some time since we last shared in the blogosphere…fellow moms you know how busy life can be.  I am happy to report that we our working on re-organizing and hope to bring you some great info, and updates in 2011.  May this year be filled with great fun, fabulous finds, and health and happiness for all of our families.  Peace!

The Blog Takes Summer Vaca

The mXc blog is going on a brief summer vacation. While the blog is away, you can keep up with what’s happening with Capital District moms on the mXc Facebook wall and, of course, by visiting momXchange. 

(And by partying with us on June 28!)

The blog will miss you and will return shortly… 

A GOLDEN Opportunity Party

momXchange & Northeastern Fine Jewelry are teaming up for a GOLDEN Opportunity Party!

Eat, drink, mingle, network—and make some room in that jewelry box.

For ONE night only, mXc members will have the opportunity to sell unwanted gold jewelry and enjoy special event pricing on something new! Appraisers will be on site to offer cash or store credit. 

Mark your calendar: 

Monday, June 28

6-8 PM

Northeastern Fine Jewelry

1575 Western Avenue

This summer, we say, “Out with the old (gold) and in with the NEW!”

Save the Date: It’s (Almost) Party Time Again

You know we’re teaming up with Northeastern Fine Jewelry again and planning another party to get summer started, so…

SAVE THE DATE!

Monday, 28 June

6-8 PM

Northeastern Fine Jewelry

1575 Western Avenue

Details on the twist (or two) are coming soon!

I’m a Mom. Here’s My Card.

I just saw “mommy cards” advertised on Kodak Gallery as I was making the grandfathers their Father’s Day cards. As a stationery connoisseur, I love this idea. As a stationery connoisseur, I love any excuse for paper goods. And paper goods that sport a cute photo of the cutest kids ever? Even better. So their picture is on the front; your info—whatever info you want—is on the back. It’s your mama business card, applicable in all sorts of circumstances. 

Kodak Gallery suggests using them for sitters, for safety purposes (as in, you stick a card in your kiddo’s pocket before heading to the mall, that kind of thing), for mompreneurs (include web site, blog and Facebook URL), for introducing yourself to new mom friends, for lots of things.

But this is not a plug for Kodak Gallery or their products. It’s more of an observation.

I’ve seen these cards offered elsewhere, of course. You have, too, I’m sure. But I’ve actually never seen them in action.

Kodak’s suggestions make sense. The cards might come in handy—like at the playground when you don’t have a pen and your kid has just met her new best friend and is begging for a playdate. So why doesn’t anyone use these things? That’s a real question—not a rhetorical one. I suspect it might be because, like most things I’m a fan of (real books, printed invitations, wood-burning fireplaces), paper products are becoming obsolete. As long as you have your iPhone or BlackBerry at the playground (which you probably do), you’re good to go.

 What I’m not a big fan of is putting “so-and-so’s mom” as my title. Like, instead of CEO or Senior VP or Creative Director or whatever. They give an example of that option, and I don’t like it. My kids own enough of my identity, thanks. I don’t need to make my status as their mother into my official title. I furthermore do not have the personality to pull it off. But you might. 

I still like the idea of calling cards, though. I could use a little refinement in my life.

Of Birds & Boys: An Update

A couple of updates.

1.    The baby crow: The other day, I explained the predicament (which hadn’t changed—crows still converging on our yard and treetops, mother crow—I presume—still cawing like mad and baby still answering from undisclosed location over the fence) to a biologist friend. It turns out the situation was probably not as dire as I thought (aside from the constant cawing and unsettling activity overhead).  The baby was probably fine, just fledged too early, and the community was watching over it and feeding it until it figured out the flying business. I felt better; it was turning into a happy story. He said it might be another few days. I’m thinking—hoping—he was right. I’ve noticed less crow activity this week (it is rainy, but still) and it’s definitely, thankfully quieter. The neighbors are no longer looking at me suspiciously. We might be in the clear.

2.   My perfect three-year-old: It’s well past 8:29 PM so I suppose I now have to say that I may have been slightly optimistic in my expectations yesterday. We may not be bidding those terrible Terrible Twos adieu quite yet. But, looking on the bright side, I must admit that the (multiple) threats to scratch me, breaking the new crayons in his big bro’s “supply box” for the sheer naughtiness of it, and telling the hairdresser she’s “stOOpid!” and then threatening to kick her (which is, unfortunately, no longer easily confused with “kiss”), all occurred well before 8:29. So maybe there’s some hope. But I have a bad feeling that we might not be in the clear just yet. Also on the bright side: I’ll still have lots to write about and other mothers won’t hate me because of my perfect kid.

Good Riddance to the Terrible Twos

It’s the eve of my terrible-two-year-old’s third birthday. You know this kid read the manual on the Terrible Twos. He’s an A student. Graduating Summa Cum Laude.

All year, I’ve told myself (and plenty of others) that his surprisingly naughty behavior (after all, his parents are so nice) was the terrible twos. A terrible case of the terrible twos, in fact. Surely that explains the language (“You’re stOOpid!”—directed at me a thousand times a day, but also at little old ladies out taking their morning constitutional around the pond who stop—at their peril—to remark on such a cutie), the physicality (which, if you don’t know this already, is a generous way to describe hitting, kicking, pushing, and other violent and dangerous behavior), the spitting, the screaming, the contrary, obstinate, and belligerent personality. The only thing this terrible-two-year-old hasn’t done is bite (outside the immediate family and close friend circle, that is). And I suppose he still has up to 28 hours to rectify that omission. The year has been frustrating, humiliating, mortifying, infuriating, nerve-racking, and just plain exhausting.

All that’s about to change at the stroke of midnight. (Or, if not midnight, then at the latest, tomorrow at 8:29 PM.)

I’ve been counting down. The year of the Terrible Twos is just about up.

Now I’m mere hours away from a total Cinderella-like transformation. Otherwise I’d be avoiding friends, researching the credentials of respected local child psychologists, and crying in the kitchen (like, ahem, usual). But tomorrow, all this changes. When he wakes up—ok, or at 8:29 when he’s going to bed—I might not even recognize him. After his fairy godmother is through with him, I’ll only have annoyingly good things to write about. How he loves to share with his little friends, how he keeps his hands to himself (no matter how many Lego starships his big bro rips out of them), how he always uses his words instead of attacking, how patient, sweet, and cuddly he is. When he’s three, in a matter of hours, I will have new favorite adjectives for describing him. He will cease to be fierce and feral and will morph into a delight, an utter joy.  You will hate me. He’ll be that good.

But… just in case that fairy godmother is running late, I better look up what you call a terrible-two-year-old who’s now three. 

mXc Pick of the Week: Indian Ladder Farms

I’m just telling you now that this won’t be the only time Indian Ladder is our pick. There are too many wonderful things about the place, and different things are wonderful about it during different seasons.

Fall might be the most popular time to hit the farm—apple picking, hot apple cider donuts—but summertime is full of family farm fun, too. And a lot less crowded.

I’ve already talked about the Indian Ladder birthday party. So we can skip that.

On to the pick-your-own. I think last year was the first year we made it out to the farm for every pick-your-own they do.  When we needed something to do one morning last June, we met friends out at the strawberry patch. Another afternoon in July, before leaving for vacation, we went to pick blueberries. We did apples in early October. We picked pumpkins twice later that month. You get the idea. I don’t know why kids have so much fun picking their own (I’ll resist a crass wisecrack here), but this is one simple, inexpensive, outdoors activity that never fails to yield cute photo ops and a good time.  This is, hands down, one of my kids’ very very favorite places. On earth.

While you’re at Indian Ladder, you will inevitably spend a while watching the kids play in the sand pit (they will absolutely need a bath), maybe harass the animals, and doubtless buy some yummy baked goods. If you get out of there with some local veggies and without another toy tractor from the gift shop, then you’re in good shape.

Check what’s being picked this week here or call (866) 640-PICK for the latest updates. Local food festival is on all day, June 20.  

We All Scream for Emack & Bolio’s

Since we’ve been talking about summer birthday parties lately, I should mention that in addition to trying out a swank pedicure this week, I also took my kindergartener to a party at the Uptown Emack & Bolio’s. Yup. It was a big week out on the town. 

We’ve been to birthday parties at the Delaware Ave. store—now known as Emack & Bolio’s Downtown—before. That’s such a great place—the tin roof, the picket fence, the Christmas lights strung between trees. For a winter party, you’re inside, of course. Which is still fun, but a little tight when a bunch of kids are jacked up on make-your-own ice cream sundaes. For a summer party, the yard at the Delaware Ave. would be fun. You’d just have to make sure those jacked-up kids don’t go outside the picket fence (where people might be jacked-up on things other than ice cream sundaes).

The Uptown store on Western Avenue (Guilderland Town Center Price Chopper Plaza) has more open space inside, but no outdoor garden. The party we went to was big. There was a whole class of kids there. But it didn’t feel crowded—and the staff seemed pretty laid back considering the whole place was overrun with five- and six-year-olds on sugar highs. They played a pin-the-cherry-on-the-sundae game and later a hot potato game with an ice cream cone (stuffed, not real—though most of the kids licked it anyway as it made the rounds). When they got out, they got to make their own sundaes, which I thought was a clever way of avoiding tears and possible fistfights. E + B’s let my friend (the hostess) bring in her own food to serve for dinner, and there was time and room for a craft project, too.

All in all, I’d say it’s a good option for a birthday party venue. In winter, I’d do Uptown. In summer, I’d try Downtown and move inside if the weather doesn’t cooperate. But no matter when your party is or what end of town you’re at, kids are always ready to scream for ice cream.