The Daily Grind of a Work @ Home Mom...

Would You?

Let me begin by saying I have been AWOL for a little while.  Life suddenly got very busy, I think it finally hit me that I'll have a small new person living in this house in about 8 weeks, and I have a lot to get done before that.  Not to say I've actually gotten much (anything?) done, but I've been spending time thinking about it.  Somehow, a nursery needs to get put together, complete with a new crib and change table but first, the room needs to be cleaned out.  This task both daunts and repels me.  So, I think I'll spend a little more time just contemplating rather than doing.

Life in the world of Alex Casey Baby continues to challenge me.  The good news is that business is getting better every month.  The bad news is that I am tortured by vendors who continue to change things around, ignore their customers, and discontinue lines without notifying me.  I guess with the privileges that come with working for myself come the frustrations of having to deal with stupid people on a daily basis. 

Alexcaseybaby.com is being updated as we speak with new products!  Apart from those new personalized albums you saw last week are personalized towels, personalized wall hangings and a brand new diaper bag line.  If you're not on our mailing list (which also entitles you to 10% off your first purchase), email jill@alexcaseybaby.com with Join Us in the subject.  The site continues to grow and just get better.

That's all for now.  I was going to write a post about Owen Wilson and the media's portrayal of his troubles versus those of his counterparts who seem to drown in the public eye, but I simply don't have the energy. 

Happy Hump Day!!! ;)

I leave for ONE day and...

I come home to a baby who walks!!  And I don't mean one step and then a fall.  I mean full throttle, cruising across the room walking.  While I couldn't be more proud, this leads me to wonder - isn't this the exact reason I left my office job to work at home?  So I would be present for these types of milestones?  And yet, I was to be the audience for the Mike/Nanny/Alex show last night upon my return.

Anyhow.  My trip to NYC was great.  I went to the International Gift Fair with my sister to check out the latest and greatest for Alex Casey Baby. While it was a lot of the same stuff I've seen before, I did discover one or two "finds" which I think will be great.  as for leaving Alex overnight for the first time, that went OK too.  I did have a few moments of feeling like I was not where I was supposed to be, but other than that, I had a good time.

And no matter what you've heard, the Acela really does rock.  :)

Alex Casey Baby Officially Hits Stores!

Alex Casey Baby personalized photo albums have hit the shelves at Milalilu, a Newton, Ma. children's store.  This is very exciting, since the albums have yet to even hit the website!  The albums are just a taste of the new personalized items to come at ACB in the next few weeks.  Expect towels (SUPER cute), picture frames and more.  If you're interested in an album, email me at jill@alexcaseybaby.com.  Oh, and HAPPY FRIDAY!!

An Interview with ME!

Check it out - http://thedabblingmum.blogspot.com/2007/08/interview-with-jill-notkin.html.

Leaving baby for the first time...

I'm leaving to go on a business-related trip next Monday and will be gone slightly more than 24 hours, but overnight for the first time since having Alex.  Don't get me wrong, we've traveled tons of times in the last year, we just always bring her.  This trip is a solo mission - no Mike, no Alex.  And I feel like a total puss because I'm NERVOUS!

Hold on - a little historical data might be necessary about now:

Pre-Mike description of Jill:

• Party-girl, very social, risk-taker, spontaneous.

Post-Mike description of Jill:

• Enjoys parties but enjoys quiet nights at home, still pretty social, semi-risk-taker (but quit smoking to help ensure that I live), still pretty spontaneous.

Post- Alex description of Jill:

• Enjoys take-out on the couch, social as long as it's with my husband, kid or any friend who lives within a 10 mile radius or will travel here.  Risk?  I'll risk driving in the rain to the grocery store!  And, spontaneity - I won't even bother to lie.  Really, none.

So you can imagine my anxiety level when I decided that I had no choice but to book a trip to NYC to attend a trade show.  The decision couldn't have been easier - I have free luxury transportation, a sister who lives in NYC, and no meetings to re-schedule.  However, it took 4 family members before I was talked into it.  And this makes me sad.  What happened to fun, spontaneous Jill?  Is she in here somewhere?  Will she re-surface once my kid(s) are a little more self-sufficient or is she in the attic forever?

I think part of the "Jill" that my husband fell for to begin with was the one that's "missing" for the moment.  After all, he doesn't seem to have "misplaced" his old self.  He has spent several nights away and attends work events often.  Is it the mother part of me that's taken over?  Can I combine the two to make a more ideal self?

In any event, I'm going and will give a full report on my adventures next week.  ;)   

Are they KIDDING????

Eleven New York City hospitals have banned giving baby bottles and formula to new mothers in hopes of tripling the number of breast-feeding moms.  Let me explain - typically when you're expecting or have given birth, formula companies distribute small diaper bags filled with everything a new mom needs to get started bottle feeding.  Is it really the job of public health officials to decide how I choose to feed my baby?

As you regular readers know (are you even out there???), it does not please me when government officials enter my home without knocking.  In fact, it makes me irate.  Do these MEN making the rules know why some mothers choose the bottle over the breast?  We all know breast milk is best blah blah blah, but some women simply CANNOT breast-feed.  Some women take medication precluding breast-feeding.  Some babies simply won't latch on.  The list of "whys" is long and more importantly, is often a source of extreme stress for new moms.  The very act of trying to nurse when odds are against mom and baby is a very stressful experience, and it is my opinion that most mothers do not take the decision to bottle-feed lightly. 

But that's beside the point.  Why is government once again casting a great big shadow over our personal rights and freedoms?  Isn't this the United States, home of the (somewhat) free and the brave?  Our "leaders" have troops over in Iraq fighting to maintain our freedom but who's fighting for our freedom right here at home?  Ironic isn't it that those same "leaders" are against a woman's right to choose what she does with her own body, in more than one sense.  When are they going to put fine print on how many times a day a man can masturbate?  Think about sex?  Pick up a disinterested women?

I'm getting one of those bumper stickers that say "Bush's Last Day - 01.20.09. 

Thought for the day...

Falafel is GOOD food.