20 Things A Mother Should Tell Her Son

I saw this online today and it just melted my heart. I can't wait to have these conversations with Ben, and to mold my boy into the man he's going to grow up and be.

1. Play a sport.  It will teach you how to win honorably, lose gracefully, respect authority, work with others, manage your time and stay out of trouble.   And maybe even throw or catch.

2. You will set the tone for the sexual relationship, so don't take something away from her that you can't give back.

3. Use careful aim when you pee.  Somebody's got to clean that up, you know.

4. Save money when you're young because you're going to need it some day.   

5. Allow me to introduce you to the dishwasher, oven, washing machine, iron, vacuum, mop and broom.  Now please go use them. 

6. Pray and be a spiritual leader.

7. Don't ever be a bully and don't ever start a fight, but if some idiot clocks you, please defend yourself.

8. Your knowledge and education is something that nobody can take away from you.

9. Treat women kindly.  Forever is a long time to live alone and it's even longer to live with somebody who hates your guts.

10. Take pride in your appearance. 

11. Be strong and tender at the same time. 

12. A woman can do everything that you can do.  This includes her having a successful career and you changing diapers at 3 A.M.  Mutual respect is the key to a good relationship.

13. "Yes ma'am" and "yes sir" still go a long way.

14. The reason that they're called "private parts" is because they're "private".  Please do not scratch them in public.

15. Peer pressure is a scary thing.  Be a good leader and others will follow. 

16. Bringing her flowers for no reason is always a good idea.

17. Be patriotic.

18. Potty humor isn't the only thing that's humorous.  

19. Please choose your spouse wisely.  My daughter-in-law will be the gatekeeper for me spending time with you and my grandchildren.

20. Remember to call your mother because I might be missing you.

http://www.werdyab.com/2012/04/20-things-mother-should-tell-her-son.html

Stronger

This song has been my mantra lately, and i just love the encouragement it provides. Props to this lady for making a truly awesome video at her infusion center. I love it!

Rolled Chinos: The Look For Less

Emily Thorne- You Know You Love Fashion

I know, today is my last chemo and I really should be getting ready to go to the hospital. BUT I couldn't resist posting this lookalike deal that I saw this morning. Banana Republic has the most adorable rolled skinny chinos, much like the ones Emily wore on the beach in a recent episode of Revenge (looking for a photo). I snagged mine on huge discount and used rewards points so they were almost the price of the Old Navy ones. Can you imagine if I used the rewards on the Old Navy ones? Almost free!

City Chino from Banana Republic
These pants are $69.50 regular price. Banana Republic is having a lunchtime sale of 30% off full priced items today from. Details: 11-2pm local time online and in stores. Use code BRPOWER for online purchases.

Boyfriend Skinny Khaki from Old Navy
These pants are $29.94 regular price. Old Navy is having a sale of 20% off online and in store. Details: Use only 2/11/13, use code ONBIG20 for online purchases.

Favorite Baby Products: 0-3 Months

We've been at this for a few months now, and I thought it could be helpful to outline our favorite products. If you have something to add to the list, leave it in the comments!

Wubbanub

These pacifiers are the best. Our hospital uses the soothie brand of pacifier and Benjamin loves them. The wubbanub is awesome because it takes the pacifier and adds a stuffed animal. They're amazing because the stuffed animal makes them easy to find around the house, and it keeps the pacifier from falling off of his chest if the pacifier falls out of his mouth. We actually need to purchase another one of these, since one was taken and eaten by our dogs.

Snugabunny Rock N Play

Right now Ben is sleeping overnight in this, we haven't transitioned to his crib just yet. This Rock N Play is great because it's space saving, and keeps him at a 30 degree angle which helps prevent reflux. The bottom is like a rocker and it's easy to rock with one arm when you're sleep deprived and just want to lay in bed. Yep, mother of the year right here. It's affordable, and I think this option is way better than an expensive bassinet.

Snugabunny Swing

Same line as the bassinet above, and this swing is fantastic. We have it in our living room and Ben loves swinging in front of the fire place. It's great for allowing him to sleep, while being in our main room while we're close by. The swing can be operated by wall outlet or battery. There's music or animal noises that can be played, and the mobile has a mirror in the center. At two months old, Benjamin is beginning to be entertained by the mirror and the mobile.

Dr. Brown's Bottles

We go through a lot of bottles in this house. Dr. Brown's were recommended by the NICU nurses, and we took their advice. The construction avoids gas and we've been really pleased with them so far. As a side note, we started with Tommee Tippee and these are way more comfortable to hold while feeding.

Dr. Brown's Formula Pitcher

As a formula family, this pitcher is a huge win! We mix our formula for the day at one time, and use this pitcher throughout the day. It was recommended to me by some other formula moms and I'm so happy that we got it!

Aden + Anais Swaddle Blankets

My husband is the world's best swaddler. No matter how hard I try, I still can't swaddle Ben as god as Ryan does. These blankets are large enough that you have plenty of fabric to get a tight wrap. Also, the fabric has a texture to it that makes it grip better and it's less likely to get unraveled. We have the organic ones and I can't speak well enough about them.

Rinsin Fun Tub

This tub is the bomb. We follow the Mom's On call sleep schedule,  and do baths nightly. We're lucky that Benjamin loves bath time, and this tub definitely makes it easy. The fabric sling is great because it holds him well and we don't have to worry about handling a slippery baby the whole time. The tub also comes with some toys and a squirt bottle. The bottle is great for a final rinse before getting your baby into an adorable hooded towel!



Carter's Side Snap Tees
When Benjamin came home from the hospital he was on oxygen. Putting outfits over his head were out of the question. We'd have to slide the onesie down the tubing and it was really more effort than we wanted to put in. These kimono tops are great for wearing under one piece outfits, and having a winter baby the undershirts are a must. Benjamin just grew out of the NB size and now he's into the 3 month.

Neon Everywhere

Ah finally, a non-cancer related post. Today we went out to lunch and stopped into some stores to walk around. I couldn't believe all of the neon! JcPenney has completely upped their game and I loved a lot of their clothes. Looks like neon is going to be everywhere for spring 2013 and I'm pretty excited about it. Luckily I've already got some neon in my closet and I'm thinking of ideas for how to wear it. Also on trend for spring is floral jeans, but I don't think I'll be jumping on that bandwagon....I don't think. Let's discuss again in April!

World Cancer Day 2013

Today is World Cancer Day. Give yourself a breast exam, get a mammogram, and go see the doctor if something doesn't seem right. Early detection can be the difference between life and death. Cancer does not discriminate for age-- you are not too young to be your best advocate!