Motherhood Mondays: How do you prepare your older child for a new baby?

My one big worry these days is...
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Belly shots

This morning, Alex snapped a couple belly shots. It looks small in these photos, but I swear it's bigger in person!

A few observations about this pregnancy: I'm hungry like the wolf. And I go from zero to sixty—not at all hungry to suddenly in a blind panic to shovel food into my mouth. I don't remember that from last time! It's getting harder to sleep now, and I'm thinking of ordering one of these hilarious body pillows. My boobs are bigger! I'm more anxious than usual. Sometimes I know I’m being neurotic, but I can’t stop. And I discovered these chewable prenatal vitamins, which are awesome since the regular ones are like horse pills. Most of all, we cannot wait to meet this little one in July.

(And my belly was a little bigger after our Indian dinner on my birthday...:)
P.S. My belly shot last month, and my growing belly during Toby's pregnancy.

Motherhood Mondays: Potty training

Last week, we tackled potty training. Toby was a champ, but it was intense. Here's my diary, if you're interested (and I'd LOVE to hear your experiences)...

Saturday:
We went cold turkey. No more diapers. He was happy to sit on the potty, but wouldn't actually pee in it. Tons of accidents. In the evening, he peed on my lap and dissolved into hysterical laughter.

Sunday:
Stayed home naked. Hilariously classic reversion, poor thing. Kept saying, “I’m a baby! I’m sleepy! Waah waah!” Cried when we asked him to sit on potty. We were wondering if this would work out.

Monday:
Miracle! Woke up and was happy to pee! He would announce, “I pee on potty,” then walk over, sit down, pee, get up and resume playing. Alex and I gave each other a secret high five! A couple accidents, but overall a great day.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday:
Ups and downs. Some accidents, some resistance, some successes. We had him wear pants but no underwear, so he'd realize he wasn't in a diaper. Told me earnestly that he missed his diapers, which was kind of heartbreaking.

Friday:
Now, finally, he's reliably peeing when prompted. Instead of expecting him to initiate, we decided to have "potty time" every 90 minutes or so. We treat it like a normal part of his daily routine, just like lunchtime or nap time. Seems to be working so far!

Two tips from this website that surprised me: Instead of saying "pull down your pants," it's easier for your toddler to understand if you say "push down your pants." And if your child has an accident, don't say "It's okay," since that sounds as if you're granting permission; instead, just calmly say, "Oops! Remember, pee goes in the potty, not on the sofa."

How has it gone for you? Any funny/crazy/embarrassing moments? I'd love to hear. (One reader said she motivated her daughter with Lindt chocolate truffles!)
Toby wears Honest training pants for naps and bedtime, and we're going to have him start wearing Thomas the Tank Engine underwear—instead of going commando—for the rest of the day. (I've heard that swim diapers also work well for those first few tricky weeks, since they feel like underwear but are absorbant.)

P.S. Those little legs!!!

Of course, we're thrilled that it's working...
...but I'll secretly miss these anchor diapers:)

(This post is sponsored by The Honest Company, whose mission I adore, and whose diapers, training pants, wipes, lotion, shampoo, soap and many other awesome products we use for our family. In honor of all things baby, they're offering free shipping with the code JoFreeShip3, until February 11th)

Coral & Tusk

The other day, I was browsing around the home shop John Derian, when I spotted this embroidered duck onesie. It was so intricate and beautiful in person, and I learned that it was hand-drawn and designed by Brooklyn designer Stephanie Housley of Coral & Tusk. She also makes embroidered pillows, aprons, tea towels and artwork. How gorgeous are they all?!

The video below gives a peek behind-the-scenes. "I identify with the fox a lot," says Stephanie. "He looks so cute and so funny...but he's also really sneaky." Find her online shop here, and watch a behind-the-scenes video here.

(Photos by Kate Lacey)

Potty training advice?

Help! This weekend, we're attempting to potty train.

We were originally planning start potty training right before the holidays, but decided to wait until our trip was over. (We figured diapers would be best on car trips and airplanes.)

But, now, we're ready. A reader recommended this website, which instructs us to spend a weekend at home with Toby totally naked. Sounds strange, but the site says it helps your child realize that they're not wearing a diaper and instead should use the potty. Is that what you guys did? Did it work? I'd be incredibly grateful for any tips and advice.

Most of all: Go, Toby! What a little hero!

(Photo of Toby from the holidays)

Motherhood Mondays: When pregnant, would you find out the sex of your baby, or keep it a surprise?

After much debate, I think we're going to...Read More >

NYC plushes

Oeuf just launched a collection of NYC plushes, including the Empire State Building, a yellow taxi and a Brooklyn brownstone. (Can you imagine a little one cuddling with a brownstone?! Ha, I love it.) The plushes would also look great on a grown-up sofa.

P.S. Toby's not-so-cute pillow pet.

Very happy nine-month news...

After holding my tongue for months, I'm really excited to announce that Alex and I are expecting our second child! We are completely over the moon. I'm three months along, so the baby should arrive around July 3rd. Toby has requested that we have a "glurl" and name her "Thomas," after this friendly guy.

Pregnancy and new motherhood felt both wonderful and disorienting the first time around, so I'm curious how different it will feel the second time. Funnily enough, this pregnancy already feels much more real. With Toby, my pregnancy felt surreal and was hard to wrap my head around, but now we know more about what to expect. My friend Sari and I were talking about the experience of expecting a second child, and she said, "Because I knew what it felt like to love Jude, I was able to tap into this deep, true kind of love for Teddy from the very instant I knew I was pregnant with her." I loved that.

How mindblowing to think we're going to experience a newborn again along with all those sweet steps: growing a belly, finding out the gender, giving birth, choosing a name, cuddling a newborn, breastfeeding, doing tummy time, acting a little crazy, waking up early, swapping drool-y kisses, trying to figure out a good work-life balance, standing up, taking first steps, saying first words....

I can't wait. :)

(Photo kindly taken by our friend Shannen Norman. Thank you again, Shannen!)

10 ways to entertain a toddler on a plane

Will you be traveling with a little dude over the holidays? Last year, I wrote 10 tips for traveling with a baby, but now that Toby is an energetic toddler, he also needs to be entertained en route. Here are a few tips we've figured out...Read More >

Motherhood Mondays: An ode to rituals

My friend Jenny Rosenstrach wrote the cookbook/memoir Dinner: A Love Story, and as I was reading it for the hundredth time in bed this weekend...Read More >

Motherhood Mondays: What family traditions do you have during the holidays?

What are your family traditions around the holidays? When we were growing up, my parents would light angel chimes at the dinner table, and the heat from the candles would make the angels spin around and ring the bells. That little "ding, ding, ding" sound still makes me feel so warm and cozy...

Toby is two-and-a-half years old, so this is the first holiday that he'll really understand. I've been thinking so much recently about the value of rituals, and I'd love to create some for our family. So angel chimes are the very first holiday tradition we're starting with him.

Does your family light angel chimes? (Apparently, angel chimes are actually Swedish, but they were introduced to America about fifty years ago.) What other holiday family traditions do you have? A big Christmas Eve dinner? Homemade stockings? Super spiked egg nog? I'd love to hear—and get ideas!

(Many thanks to our friend Alpha Smoot for taking photos)

Brought to you by Cardstore. Visit Cardstore.com now and show off your seasonal savvy. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that keep Cup of Jo running.

Gift Guide Part #2: Your Chatty Toddler Who Cooks You Pretend Sausages and Eggs Every Morning.

(Symbolically) adopt an animal, $50 to $250, to support the WWF's global efforts to protect these lovely wild animals and their habitats.

PB&J candy bar, $4.25.

Along a Long Road, $11.55. Toby and I are both in love with this beautiful book.

Taxi leg warmers, $12 each.

Toy plane, $20, along with a luggage cart! A.k.a. his new favorite toy. (This airplane box set is rad, too.)

Adorable clothes, made in Brooklyn, $32 and up. (Here's their holiday sale.)

Mini Book of Names & Faces, a bedtime story about his peeps. $29.99.

Spaghetti twirling fork for funny dinners, $9.54.

His first assignment, $1.

Leaning Tower of Pisa blocks, $40.49. (Or the entire Coliseum)


Musical sounds puzzle, $11. (There's an animal sounds puzzle, too.)

Kazoobie Wazoo Kazoo! Extra loud! $7.98. (This trumpet kazoo is cool, too.)

P.S. More gifts for kids, and the 2012 gift guide so far...

(Pisa blocks via Abbey)

Motherhood Mondays: What are your favorite baby names?

Want to hear the top 100 baby names of 2012?
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Do or Don't: Kids sharing a bedroom

While househunting in Brooklyn, we've been seeing both two- and three-bedroom places. Needless to say, the two-bedroom spots are much more affordable. But since we're hoping to have two children, if we get a two-bedroom apartment, they'd have to share a room.

What do you think? My sister and I shared a room for a while, and I liked it; but Alex shared a room with his much older brother for a decade and was always dying for his own space. Should each child have a room to call their own, or is it fun to share? Did you share a room growing up? I'd be so grateful for any advice...

P.S. Smart way to divide a room, and nursery in a closet.

(Photo by Meghan McEwan)

Motherhood Monday: Do your eyes light up when you see your child?

Whenever I see or call my mom, she always acts ecstatic. Even though I'm usually regaling her with something super boring ("I’m ordering Mexican for dinner tonight,” "I’m kind of sleepy today,” “Did you see that it snowed?”), she’s always thrilled to hear every detail. And although I’m 33 years old, it feels reassuring to have someone who is so reliably happy that I exist.

Learning from my mother, now that I have a child of my own, I try to never hide how happy I am to see Toby. Even when I'm buried in emails or writing a post, I always look up with a huge grin and eyes twinkling when Toby walks in the door. Even when I'm sick, busy, tired or stressed, I want him to always know, 100%, that I'm glad he's there.

Author Toni Morrison shared a similar sentiment on Oprah years ago: "When my children used to walk in the room...I looked at them to see if they had buckled their trousers or if their hair was combed or if their socks were up. You think your affection and your deep love is on display because you're caring for them. It's not. When they see you, they see the critical face." Does your face light up when your child comes into the room? she asked. Because they notice.

Toby, for one, has definitely noticed. He'll sometimes even come through the door and announce, "Ta da!!!" It makes my heart sing that he believes he's worthy of such fanfare.

What about you? Have you ever thought about this? Maybe every mother does! It's one of those little things that feels really important.

P.S. The first time my eyes lit up.

(I wrote a shortened version of this post for SFGirlbyBay; thanks, Victoria)

Our holiday cards

Will you be sending out holiday cards this year? Last year, we chose a photo of all of us, but this year we went with a photo of Toby playing guitar, partly because he looked cute and partly because we didn't have a decent family photo:)

We of course turned to Pinhole Press for their lovely, simple designs. We ended up choosing one of the new Ultrathick Pinstripe Cards, which have a cool pinstripe on the sides of each card. And I like how the back simply says "Merry!" They have tons of other great cards, too.

Plus, a bonus for all readers: Pinhole Press is offering 10% off everything with the code CUPOFJO for the rest of the year. Happy holidays!
P.S. Personalized memory game, and photo notepads.

(Photos by Alpha Smoot for Cup of Jo; styling by Kendra Smoot)

Motherhood Mondays: Would you ever decide to NOT have kids?

We talk a lot about babies, but what about making the choice not to have children? Would you consider that? Here, five readers reveal their fascinating reasons...
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Danish bedding

Have you heard of the Copenhagen-based brand By Nord? Their bedding (for kids and adults), stockings and tea towels are seriously rad. Wouldn't the duvet be awesome for a guest room? I can imagine relatives calling quick dibs on who gets to sleep there.

You can find them here and here. (And here's the kids bedding in action!)

(Via Swissmiss)