Teeny Manolo

Becoming a new mother means, among other things, that you suddenly become more laden with gear than a burro going down the Grand Canyon. A simple trip becomes something that must be planned and prepped for like a weeklong vacation.

Eventually you become used to carting around large diaper bags, backpacks, breastpumpers, sippy cups, bottles, bibs, you name it. For a little while, I had to use a checklist to make sure that I didn’t forget anything, because forgetting something means that somebody is going to be unhappy. And if that somebody is unhappy, then everybody is unhappy.

When your child gets older, you can dispense with the diaper bag, and instead utilize a large purse stocked with emergency supplies. Some wipes, an “in case” pull-up, snacks, and some extra toys for a long wait at a restaurant. Which doesn’t seem like a whole lot, but which require a fairly good-sized bag.

But Glinda says, it is time to stop the madness!

Now that my child is soon to turn six, I am reclaiming small purses and their rightful place on my sloped shoulders.

No more huge totes that weigh enough to cause one side of the body to be lower than the other. No longer will I have to secure my purse its own seat in the car. Now my husband might actually be able to walk right next to me on the other side since there won’t be a luggage-sized piece of leather in the way. Or maybe even (gasp!) hold hands!

And listen, shoulder bags are back in, so the timing is perfect!

Having already examined the pros of having an only child, now comes the flip side.

1. There is no opportunity to learn that toys are community property.
2. Mommy is supposed to be available to play with on demand.
3. They think the entire world revolves around them.
4. They will never have a sibling to commiserate with about how much their parents suck.
5. Only one wedding! Or should that be a pro?
6. Things should be done their way, which is the only way, and the right way, of course.
7. Possibly a bit too much exposure to adult conversations.
8. No convenient target to torment. Except maybe Mom.
9. I’ll never have a built-in babysitter.
10. No bunkbed necessary. I kind of like bunkbeds.

Click HERE to enter our stylin’ Stila giveaway!

Listen, there are not many entries in the contest, so all the people entered have a VERY good chance of winning!

Ahhhh, summertime! To me, summer is synonymous with sun, sand, and water.  Or even two out of those three. Here are some things to help you enjoy whatever combination you find yourself in.

Sunday Afternoon’s Kid’s Bucket Hat UPF 50I own this hat (in tan, no flowers over here!) and I have to say it is fabulous. The brim is very wide, and actually covers the back of the Munchkin’s neck. It is washable, crushable, lightweight, and has those all-important ventilation holes.

Kettler Digger on Wheels Dual Action Lever Digger Yes, it’s a wee bit pricey, but this is too cool.

Castle Bucket Set This is a nice, basic, fairly cheap set. Great for babies and toddlers, and I guarantee that watering can will be a big hit.

Complete Sand & Water Beach Play Set And here we have the “on steroids” version to the one above.

Sunny Striped Tri-fold Beach Mat A cute and roomy straw beach mat that when folded up, doubles as a tote! The price is definitely right on this one. One for me, please!

Large Lighthouse Zip Top Tote Take it from someone who has lived near the beach her whole life, the right bag makes all the difference. Waterproof nylon, smaller mesh pockets inside, and a zip top are what you need.

Rainbow Beach Umbrella with Carry Bag This giant 8 foot umbrella is a must so that everyone will fit under it! Good thing it comes with a carrying bag, because that is one big umbrella! And, due to its sheer bodacity, it is recommended that you get an anchor for it as well.

Santa Cruz Large Insulated Cooler Tote  Forget the bulky and difficult-to-lug from the parking lot hard sided coolers.  I like the bag ones because I can stuff more into them than the square ones.

Me Talk Pretty One Day  Yes, it is an old book.  But, it is perfect for beach reading with its little vignettes so that you don’t have to worry about losing the “plot,” and is truly one of the funniest books I have ever read.

Ahhhhh Viggo, art thou unconquerable? The likes of Clive Owen, Jon Bon Jovi, Denzel Washington, and Laird Hamilton have fallen to those icy blue eyes.

Is there no one who can beat you?

Here’s model extraordinaire Tyson Beckford giving it his best shot. And really, it’s a very good shot. I mean, have you seen him without a shirt?

vs.

Where I live, summer is very much here already, even though technically it doesn’t arrive until the end of the month. What does that mean? It means really sunny, pretty hot, and awfully dry. It also means that I change my beauty routine.

Well, change meaning I try not to wear a whole lot of makeup, because I will just sweat it all off by the end of the day. But, the one thing that I cling onto like a liferaft is lipcolor. I just feel naked without lipcolor of some kind. In the summer, I am usually on the go and don’t feel like messing with a tube of heavy lipstick, and I am not a huge fan of lipgloss.

There is, however, a very happy medium in Stila’s Clear Color Moisturizing Lip Tint. It is a nice sheer wash of color, and I think it would actually be hard to go wrong with any of the shades because the color is so sheer.  But not so that it looks like you don’t have anything on, because what would be the point? It lasts a surprisingly long time for something so light. I use coral, the shade featured below. I realize the color looks a bit alarming, but it looks nothing like that on your lips.

Better than the Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer in my opinion, (although I have to admit it is hard to beat Burt’s on the price) Stila’s Clear Color is very creamy yet not heavy feeling on the lips. It is very slim and fits anywhere, has SPF 8, aaaaaand smells like marshmallows. Mmmmmm, marshmallows….

Stila’s Clear Color Moisturizing Lip Tint

And it shall be proclaimed that “Yeah!” and “Hell yeah!” are the overwhelming cries when asked if a third grader is too young to dye their hair. A goodly thirty-one percent weighed in that temporary dye was fine, but not permanent dye. You have to laugh at the dilemmas of modern parenting, really. Or else find oneself curled up in a corner, sobbing uncontrollably.

Today I’m going to bring up the subject of gender in education. Some experts and schools are advocating the separation of boys and girls in the classroom. Usually for certain classes such as P.E. and English, but sometimes for the entire school day. There is no doubt that taken as a whole, boys have a different learning style than girls. Which is neither good or bad. But is it a good idea?

Last week’s question about becoming a surrogate mother was split fifty-fifty between those that would absolutely not, and those that might, under the right circumstances. I think that I would seriously think about it, but no one in their right mind would choose me, because of my health and pregnancy history. Which is pretty much why I only have one child. I think I might have to pay someone else instead of the other way around.

Today, I want to know all about hair coloring. Specifically, boys coloring their hair. A friend of a friend (really!) allowed her son to dye his hair black. Oh, well, teenagers are teenagers, you might be thinking. If that is how he wanted to rebel, then bless his little heart. Except, this young man is only in third grade, and it wasn’t temporary hair color either.

This was a contentious one. There was, naturally, unanimity in the TeenyManolosphere on the unattractiveness and inappropriateness of these outfits, but I, personally, was shocked by the fact that no-one singled that ridonkulous hat out for particular ridicule. Honestly, that poor girl looks like Gumby! No, not the one you’re thinking of: that one looks like a gay Huggy Bear.

In any case, it’s time to announce the winner of the most hotly-contested caption contest since the Junior Justice League:

pomme Says:
May 11th, 2008 at 2:14 pm

Delurking to suggest:
“Honey, I Shrunk the Pussycat Dolls”

And the virtual rewards of de-lurking are both hypothetical and fabulous: the eye-catching, yet tasteful Nahui Ollin New Ritual Tote.

Rely on the Daily Martini to come across with three different, all tasty, recipes for a Mothers Day Martini! The Blushing Lady, the White Lady, and the Pink Lady (although my own Pink Lady recipe differs somewhat, but is tasty as well). The most important thing is that someone else mix it, very strong, and they bring it to you in bed.

Me likey! But I’ve got a bit of working out to do before I rock the skintight catsuit or the lead role in a $85,000,000 stinker. While I root around my pad for that personal trainer I misplaced, you can enjoy this selection of the week’s finest posts from around the Parentosphere:

Man Babies (ManBabies)

Banksy Unmasked? No superhero is sacred! (Gawker)

The fine art of grocery criticism (Defamisher)

File under That’s Just Wrong: Wine in a baby bottle (Gastrokid)

Thank you, Mommy (ExtraordinaryMommy)

The Great Truths, according to kids and parents (Fracas)

Cloned mare gives birth (Bridlepath)

Don’t call me Mommy! (WorkItMom)

You know you’re addicted to blogging when… (MagnetoBoldToo)

Celebrity moms speak out on motherhood (CelebrityBabyScoop)

What this world needs is fridge-based sex meters (TrueDadConfessions)

Dear “friend” (TrueMomConfessions)

Ninjas are everywhere! (TheBloggess)

Quick, easy money (GoodMom/BadMom)