Get your nerd on and DIY your own Star Wars-themed “quiet book”
The other day my friend Michelle linked me to Julie Gillrie’s ever-so-adorable “quiet books.” I imagine she did this because a) the books are super cute and b) she and her fam are as obsessed with Star Wars as we are and Julie’s book is Star Wars-themed. As soon as I saw this UTTER BRILLIANCE I knew Offbeat Mama would never be complete without featuring it… so here we go!
How can I deal with pregnancy cravings for food I’m allergic to?
I’m intolerant to gluten — I’ve been tested professionally and have the paperwork to prove it. I’ve had no problem dropping it from my diet until now… while I’m pregnant. Apparently all the baby wants in the world is wheat products — noodles, bread, pastries, etc. No junk food, just anything and everything with wheat in it.
The (unnecessary) stress of picking preschools
With all of the unsolicited advice a new parent gets, I would have thought that the sheer panic and guilt over preschool would have been mentioned some place. I still remember all of the friendly warnings about sleepless nights and colicky babies. I have in my possession notes from friends and family with tips on how to calm my fussy newborn, why they prefer cloth diapers to disposables and the best place in the neighborhood to take a “Mommy & Me” yoga class.
How can we make sure my step-daughter feels comfortable with our future children?
I have a step-daughter and am worried she may feel jealousy or negativity toward any children her dad and I have in the future. I also don’t want our children to resent her. I’ve searched all over parenting and family forums and I’m not getting a lot — I’ve found plenty of typical sibling rivalry stories and advice, or stories from adopted/foster children who resented their parents’ birth children. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find anything about step/half sibling issues.
Vintage throwback-style maternity photos
I totally swooned over this series of vintage-inspired maternity photos Erica sent. Her photographer, Arkansas-based Devin Kuhl of DK Photoshoot definitely has a few wonderful tricks up his sleeve!
Why we’re not planning on cutting our son’s hair anytime soon
My son is newly two-years-old, and has long, blonde, curly hair. Aside from the fact that it’s usually a bit wild, it pretty much looks like the kind you’d find on toddler beauty queens — and we have no intentions of cutting it any time soon. Sure, we’re nearly constantly bombarded with mis-assumptions about his sex due to his hair, and family members are always quick to ask us when we’re going to finally cut it.
What my favorite teacher means to me
To me, teachers — whether they’re in a public, private, or home setting — are absolutely invaluable. I’ve always admired those who choose to enter the profession or opt to teach their own children. Teaching seems to be much more than standing in front of a classroom and dispensing logic — great teachers genuinely get to know and care for their students in the process, and students in turn for their teachers. So I thought that since it’s World Teacher’s Day it would be most appropriate to celebrate a few of my favorite teachers — and a few of yours.
I’m looking for winter pregnancy shoes that are comfy AND warm
My question for current and future mamas out there: what are the best possible shoes I can buy for safe, comfortable winter wear during and after my pregnancy? I’d love to find something that can be worn all day, and even better, something that I can wear in front of co-workers without getting the “oh, you adorable pregnant creature, you” face. I’m not necessarily looking for specific shoes or boots, just styles and shapes that mamas before me have found to be friendly for potentially size-shifting feet in less-than-perfect weather.