Imperfect Parents

Every Tuesday, InsideLG features a blog post for our "Imperfect Parents" Column. Today, we welcome Sue.

Ahhhh, the dreaded sinus surgery is finally over. It was horrific, excruciating painful and I am still healing.

Here, this picture can pretty much sum up how it was and how I felt about it.

Those that know me, know that I have been getting sick on and off almost every month it seems, for the past 3-4 years. Yes, you read that right, 3-4 years.

It has been one sinus infection after another. The drill goes as such: kids get sick, I try my best to not catch their colds, I catch their cold just as they are on the mend and I am out for the count for a week or two until I can’t take it anymore, drag myself to the doctor for antibiotics to clear up yet another sinus infection that never really goes away, just hides for a bit while I “think” I feel better, but never actually “get” better.

It’s horrible and depressing to feel foggy and have a migraine from congestion 3 weeks out of every month of your life. I knew once we moved to CA and got settled I was going to dive in head first in researching how and when I could finally get rid of this horrible problem. Well, after lots of doctors, an allergist, more CAT scans than ...

Every Tuesday, InsideLG features a blog post for our "Imperfect Parents" Column. Today, we welcome Sue.


Thanks to The Bully Project for sponsoring my writing. Visit their website to join the movement and learn more.

A couple of weeks ago I was worried about my little man and my baby girl, when they experienced their first bout with bullying. First bout with bullying at the mere age of 3 and 5 years old. This, bothered me to the core, not only because they are my babies and I do not ever want to see harm come their way, but the fact that they are so young and they are already having to learn how to deal with this.

When I was asked to participate with the promotion of the new film, Bully, I jumped at the chance, because not only do I want to see the film, I am hoping, ...

Every Tuesday, InsideLG features a blog post for our "Imperfect Parents" Column. Today, we welcome Jessica.

Some of you may remember when Brandi Chastain kicked the fifth penalty kick to win the Women’s World Cup in 1999, and right afterwards fell to her knees and ripped off her jersey in triumph.



I remember watching this and just being so inspired, and so proud to be part of who she was representing in all of her glory. My female role model growing up was (and still is as I continue to grow up) my mother-I never really gravitated to any other women that I saw in the media (well, other than Tiffany). Raising a daughter now myself, I think a lot about who I want to introduce her to that would bring to her life things that I never could on a certain level.

We were invited by Electrolux to play soccer with Brandi and Kelly Ripa a couple of weeks ago, and I never thought watching my kids on a soccer field would bring me so much joy. Being that Jack and Zoe are on the shy side normally-at least initially-I didn’t know how they would react since they had never tried soccer-especially with a group of kids they didn’t know.

It was especially cool to my kids that Brandi is from the same area as us in California. They immediately ...

Every Tuesday, InsideLG features a blog post for our "Imperfect Parents" Column. Today, we welcome Sue.

This week marks an anniversary.

I’ll never get over this.

Been thinking about this week anxiously for a while now.

I’ll never be who I want to be.

It creeps into my mind when I don’t feel like getting out of bed, when my daughter giggles so sweetly it infects my soul, when my crying son is comforted by my silly faces, when my husband glances at me from across the kitchen table mimicking the exact same “whose crazy kids are these” look at the exact same time I do, when the house is quiet and I get my morning coffee all to myself, when I breathe and live my life.
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Every Tuesday, InsideLG features a blog post for our "Imperfect Parents" Column. Today, we welcome Melissa.

My old Beatrix Potter tea set is waiting patiently for my daughter to be old enough to use it. I keep a tab that says the weather in London on my iphone – even though I have not been there in years and probably won’t be for at least another decade. I have a teddy bear that I lugged with me to Paris two out of the three times I’ve been there.

These facts swirl together to create the person who happily jumped at the opportunity to attend a book signing tea party at San Francisco’s Crown and Crumpet - a whimsical British style tea shop. What a fun way to celebrate the lovely romp of a children’s book Kiki & Coco in Paris. I seriously think more events in my life should involve tea parties…. I’ll probably get my wish and then some when Ladypants is a bit older.
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Every Tuesday, InsideLG features a blog post for our "Imperfect Parents" Column; however, this week I'm a little behind so we're featuring Melissa on Thursday!

A few tips from a Farmers Market Junkie

Although parts of me still wish I was born in Victorian England or on a spaceship in the twenty-fourth century, overall I feel lucky to be a parent at this time and this place in the world. Bypassing obvious reasons such as sanitation and not worrying about interstellar conflict, one of the perks of living in the twenty-first century Bay Area is the wealth of farmers markets (I know, there were SO many ways I could have gone there).

Either I was totally clueless (which is possible) or this many farmers markets did not exist when I was growing up. While I was in college in Northern California I would romp about the market – but I was always a few dollars short of buying more than a handful of tasty veggies for me and my rabbit. Years later in Santa Cruz I would meet my mom for lunch and weekly grocery shopping at the rollicking market/drum circle off of the main drag downtown…But now? There are a dozen markets at my fingertips on a weekly basis.

There are three markets that I regularly partake in and a handful more that I will visit every other month or so. (Granted, this was all on ...

Every Tuesday, InsideLG features a blog post for our "Imperfect Parents" Column. Today, we welcome Gabrielle.



The Bucket List.

My bucket list is never full of all the things I need to do before my impending death.

That just stresses me out. I like to make lists which can easily have items to cross off.

Instead I love creating a list of all the things I.never.want.to.do.Ever. (which easily get crossed off!).

So here's to my "Not So Desirable Bucket List":
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You might remember the "Over Achieving Elf on the Shelf Mommies" article we featured on InsideLG awhile back. Well, Jen and some over achieving mommies have done it again. Thanks, Jen, for sharing this hilarious piece with us!

Oh no they didn't! The over achievers are at it again and this time they've taken on Valentine's Day. If I see one more picture of heart shaped pancakes and dyed red milk I'm going to scream. And don't even get me started on this:
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Every Tuesday, InsideLG features a blog post for our "Imperfect Parents" Column. Today, we welcome Rachel.

I am just going to go ahead and give you fair warning.

There was lots of wine this week.

Which means lots of wine pictures.

Two out of the seven days I was in San Francisco at ZinFest, short for Zinfandel Festival.

In other words, LOTS of wine.

In other words, a damn good week.

Have I mentioned how much I love Zinfandel?
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Every Tuesday, InsideLG features a blog post for our "Imperfect Parents" Column. Today, we welcome Sue.

Girlie is not a word anyone or anything would ever use to describe me.

I have been a bonafide tomboy since birth. Even my mother will tell you that I was never one to play princess, like pink or purple, or get into a dress without a fight. Plus, when she did manage to get me in a dress, it was usually paired with two dirty Doc Martins.

I am more comfortable in yoga pants and a pair of TOMS than I am in a dress paired with cute jewelry. I’m not sure why, but for me its ingrained in who I am. The trouble is, just because I am more comfortable in pajamas, doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate beautiful clothes and all things feminine. One of my biggest insecurities and wishes is to be more feminine naturally since I have never really felt feminine.

Enter Queen B.

She is a girlie girl. Hands down, from birth, girlie to the bone. She talks about being a princess, everything has to be pink or purple, loves to go to the salon and get her hair cut and recently, has been begging me to paint her nails.

I love getting my nails done, but like all moms, I rarely carve out enough time or money to make it possible. However, while in MI visiting ...

Every Tuesday, InsideLG features a blog post for our "Imperfect Parents" Column. Today, we welcome Rachel.

It’s that time of year again…time to make resolutions. Time to promise yourself to exercise more, eat less and drink less.

However, I never make these types of resolutions because I know myself very well. In fact, last year I made my Top Not-So New Years Resolutions based solely on the fact that I knew I would continue to do what I do best.

So, how did I do?

Well, believe it or not, I actually kept my Not-So New Years Resolutions. In fact I even improved on them.

Let’s check them out.

My Top 5 Not-So New Years Resolutions from 2011 ~
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Every Tuesday, InsideLG features a blog post for our "Imperfect Parents" Column. Today, we welcome Sue.

Babies come with a lot of baggage.

Let’s face it; all those gadgets, wipes and diapers have to go somewhere. Plus imagine if you are stranded at the mall of all places, with nothing to rely on but your wits and your properly stocked diaper bag?

It’s a jungle out there and you need to be prepared. That’s why; when my kids were younger I would never leave the house unless I was packin’ major diaper bag heat.

7 Things You Should Always Have in Your Diaper Bag If You Want to be a Good Mother

(1) Diapers. I mean, obviously no idiot would leave the house without diapers in their diaper bag right? Where do you think you are going to be when the blow out of the century happens and you are out getting your daily stroll on down at the local trail. I’ll tell you where you will be, #%*& out of luck. (Pun intended.) If you don’t do anything right as a parent, just remember to do this and you will be okay.

(2) Wipes. So you are prepared and you have diapers on hand for the nasty of nastiest explosions. ...

Every Tuesday, InsideLG features a blog post for our "Imperfect Parents" Column. Today, we welcome Jessica.

Today marks the 14th day since our third baby was born, and while I’m struggling to believe it wasn’t just yesterday that we were in the hospital together, each day has brought a sense of newness all it’s own.

I’ve been thinking for the past nearly two weeks about how I want to share the story of his birth. While it wouldn’t be remarkable to most people, it was one of the most profound moments of my life.

I spent the day before I went into active labor running around from a meeting on 5th avenue to a hair appointment at Bergdorf Goodman. I was out nearly the entire day, tying up loose ends and trying to find a few moments of peace by myself, knowing that they would be the last for a very long time. This adventure out included a trip to my OB so that he could check my progress. At only 1 cm dilated, I was told nothing would be happening for a few days at least. Given my history with prodromal labor (basically non-productive labor) I ended up out until 8:00 pm that night just busying myself to distract from what I thought were Braxton Hicks.

I didn’t sleep that night. The contractions got progressively more painful but never closer than 8 minutes ...