Top 5 "You Didn't Know You Needed" Items for New Moms

If you've looked at my blog roll (on the side) or a few of my previous posts, you know that I'm a Yummy Mummy Club fan. This week they're sharing some Top 5 lists: Top 5 Purse Essentials When You Have Kids, Top 5 Yummy Summer Reads, which I thought were great.

Inspired I thought I'd share my own Top 5 "You Didn't Know You Needed" Items for a New Mom.

Now, I'm not thinking about big baby gifts here, I mean, the 5 things that every new mom needs to keep in her purse/diaper bag and wouldn't probably think to buy for herself. Gathered from the zillion times I've thought to myself, "Ergh. I forgot..."

Sharing on Strollers (also on Calgary CBCRadio News)

I was interviewed today about "posh" strollers and had to admit that I have four. Yes. Four. Four brand name strollers.

I realize this doesn't help the "rich spoiled mom with a nanny" perception. While I was answering the reporter's question, I kept thinking, "Don't sound like a spoiled brat! ...Do I sound like a brat?" I'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out (and you can to, just listen for a piece about strollers on CBC Radio during tomorrow's News segment.) However the interview turns out, I thought I'd share my thoughts here.

When we got pregnant and started looking for a stroller, I did some research and realized a few things:

• My stroller needs were going to be different from our nanny's
• I didn't want to buy a new larger car to fit a stroller, nor could I afford one
• I had to define and stick to a budget; and
• I am a snob. 

My Nanny Makes Me Look Good

See, because I have a nanny, I have tons of free time to work out. Bwaahahaha! Just kidding! For the truth, check out my recent article on Yummy Mummy Club: You Look Good...

Nanny is Back. Mondays Suck.

Mondays suck because the nanny is back. Not because of Dear A. She's wonderful at her job. But if she is here, it means I'm not. After a weekend of piling everyone into our bed to read Grumpy Bird and picnic lunches beside the Thomas table, I will sit at my laptop while Dear A plays with  K and cuddles MC.

These days it's beyond working mom guilt to life guilt.

My kid has a Filipina accent. On Sunday...funny. On Monday...guilt.

My kid doesn't need his portable potty seat anymore. On Sunday... glad someone else deals with his shit most of the time. On Monday...guilt.

My baby will only take a bottle from Dear A. On Sunday... relief that I can crack a beer! On Monday... guilt.

Nanny Upgrade & Poll: What to do about Baby #2

So, I had our 2nd baby 4 months ago....

A baby girl. She's amazing! She's gorgeous, funny, smart and kind of looks like Winston Churchill. Amazing. I spend hours each day amazed. It means so much to me to be home to see her each day. I really missed out, going back to work so soon with K.

Luckily, this time, I've been able to structure it so I only work a few hours a day, from home, around Mini Churchill (MC)'s naps. I'm happy. She's happy. It's working. But its not going to work forever.

I've only got about 7 more months of this pseudo maternity leave leeway. And even now, I do occasionally need to leave her with Dear A so I can take a conference call or meeting. At this point MC isn't difficult. She's cuddly and I'm taking care of diaper and boob milk duty, so its mostly just fun. But, I have started to consider how to eventually transition her full-time into Dear A's care.

Personality Test: Learning About Nanny, Learning About Me

A few months ago I was asked to review a new online personality assessment system parents could use when screening potential nanny candidates. The experience taught me more about myself as a blogger than anything else.

TakeCare offers an online psychological assessment tailored for caregivers such as nannies, au pairs and babysitters. Its a series of True/False questions that determines your perception of right/wrong, theft, lying and more. I'd been asked to complete similar assessments when I was interviewing for jobs. I thought they really helped my future bosses understand me, so I agreed. These assessments could be valuable for anyone hiring for an in-home, child-related role: tutors, music teachers etc.

Anyway, I settled in front of the laptop, logged into the test and quickly realized...this won't work for me, or anyone like me who's hiring an ESL nanny. Gulp.

Does this seem like a good idea?

Came across a blog post today about poor treatment of live in caregivers. I've touched on this a few times because I think its really really crappy. But, the thing that gets me the most? Even if you are the type of horrible person who thinks that a foreign worker doesn't deserve a decent wage, isn't the well being of your kid worth more?

Here's the blog post: A Snapshot of the Vulnerable Underclass of Foreign Workers in Canada