MOVING!

PoopPeePuke.com is moving so it can be more glamorous! Tomorrow I will not be posting and the website may look a bit weird at times. Don’t worry the name will stay the same we just need to upgrade ourselves. But, we will be back on Monday with more PoopPeePuke fun!

Stay Glamorous,

Shannon

CONFESSIONS OF A PREGNANT KNOW IT ALL

This is pregnant me. I read every parenting book, went to tons of classes, and felt completely confident and prepared to be a mom. I silently criticized parents on the street telling myself I would raise my kid better and thought I was completely ready for motherhood. I was a pregnant know it all. This is I just had a baby and have no idea what I am doing, am totally exhausted, insecure about everything I do,  haven’t showered since before my baby was born, why isn’t everything as easy as it sounded in the parenting books?, and tell me why again I took a birthing/newborn care class from a woman who had never had a baby? ME.

That’s a mouthful I know but it’s the only way I can describe myself in this picture. I am passed out in bed next to a wide awake Princess A. She was way smaller than I imagined and it totally freaked me out.

The point is no matter how many books you read or classes you take nothing can really prepare you for motherhood. Now that I am a mom I never judge parents with screaming children because usually Princess A was the one throwing the temper tantrum earlier that day. Princess A is now a toddler and I haven’t even bought “What to Expect in the Toddler Years” because I already know the only thing I can expect is the unexpected.

That’s why when The Husband and I went to the dentist for a cleaning I said nothing to the pregnant know it all nurse because I was once in her shoes. See usually one of us watches Princess A while the other one is getting their teeth cleaned. There was a scheduling error and they had us getting our teeth cleaned at the same time. The pregnant nurse suggested that the receptionist watch Princess A. I knew this wouldn’t work because Princess A doesn’t like strangers but I decided to go along with it. Of course, Princess A flipped out.

Next the nurse suggested we put Princess A in her car seat so she could watch me get my teeth cleaned. I knew this wouldn’t work because Princess A was antsy from the car ride and I don’t know maybe she would freak out watching her mom get her teeth cleaned. Sure enough the second the dentist started cleaning my teeth she started bawling and screaming “Mommy”. Then the pregnant nurse made some balloons and started dancing in front of her. This made matters much worse and the dentist decided he would change his schedule so that I could watch Princess A while The Husband got his cleaning done and I would get mine done after wards.

When I was watching a calm Princess A in the waiting room I wondered why I had even bothered trying to make something work that I knew would not work? I think the reason why is because I was once the pregnant know it all who thought a one year old could sit silently in her car seat while watching her mom get her teeth cleaned or that a kid would have no problem being watched by a complete stranger. Toddlers are so easy right? I think I had some sympathy for the nurse and didn’t want to burst her bubble. I am sure she went home that day thinking, “Wow, that kid was tough. My baby will be different.”

Since I was so unprepared for labor, delivery, and basically everything mom and baby related I always wonder if I should be brutally honest when a pregnant women tells me her plans for her perfect labor and easy transition into motherhood OR should I just smile and nod. I mean no matter what I say she is going to think I am wrong and really there is nothing anyone can say or write that can prepare a new mom. But then again I wish some one could have told me about the hair loss, bloating, exhaustion, crying, ect. ect. ect. But then again again could I really ever explain it? Is it something you just have to experience?

So I have no answers. What do you think? Should you be completely honest to a pregnant first time mom who asks you questions or should you let them live carefree until the bomb drops?

Stay Glamorous,

Shannon

A LETTER TO MY WALKING DAUGHTER

Dear Amelia,

Recently you took your first steps in becoming independent… you learned to walk. I still make you hold my hand so you don’t run away but you don’t really need my help. I realize this is the first of many milestones you will make but to me it is the most awesome and saddest one I think I will ever experience.

When you walk there’s no denying it. You aren’t a baby anymore… you are a little person. It feels so amazing when you run into my arms for a kiss and hug but I know some day we may argue and you will use those same legs to run away. I hope in those moments you always remember that I love you no matter what!

Right now you are so happy when you walk. I think you must know what a big deal it is. I hope you are always able to get excited about the small joys in life… even when you a super cool teenager.

When you fall you get upset for less than a second and then bounce right up and start walking again. I hope you meet all of your future challenges with the same kind of determination and enthusiasm.

Sometimes you look back and smile at me when you walk a long distance. Princess A, please remember the little people like Mom and Dad when you are older and off achieving your dreams.

Know that I will always be there for you no matter how many times you fall flat on your face.

No matter how much you grow up you will always be a tiny baby with a tiny hand that fits perfectly in mine. So forgive  me if I continue to mother you even when you are off at college.

Oh and don’t forget to look both ways, 3 times, and say a prayer before you cross the street. You live in Manhattan and one of the few things that never changes in New York are the crazy cab drivers.

I love you!

Mom

THUNDERDOME VIDEO PROJECT

I am very excited to post about this. When Princess A was still small enough to play in a jumperoo she loved to bounce to music. Her favorite song to jump to was Spencer Bell’s “Thunderdome”. I have a video of this somewhere but can’t find it :(.

Anyway, Kerrie Castle is making an awesome video of people from all around the world singing Spencer Bell’s “Thunderdome.” In an effort to not mess up any of the submission guidelines here is exactly what Bill Bell posted on the Spencer Bell Legacy website.Thunderdome SBL Project

What:  The Thunderdome SBL Project will become a video collaboration of people from around the globe lip syncing to the song Thunderdome (The Stevedores Tamuawok version).

Who:  Anyone can participate in this project and all that is required is your imagination, a video camera, the song Thunderdome, and you.  If you do not have a copy of the song here is a link to the download from Itunes:  http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/tamuawok./id254546487  You can lip sync the entire song, or just part of it, it is totally up to you.  🙂  We would love, love, love to see your local landscape somehow presented in your video in order to show the beauty across the globe.

When:  Your video would need to be completed and uploaded no later than midnight EST of April 25, 2012 in order to allow enough time for the editing process.  🙂

Where:  You can send your videos along with your first name and city, country to the e-mail address:

thunderdomesblproject@yahoo.com

We will accept videos in any format, but we prefer .mpeg or quicktime files for easier formatting.  You can also upload your video to YouTube and notify us at the thunderdome e-mail of the link to your video.  But you must notify us, because otherwise we will not know the location of your video unless we have the link.

Why:  We feel that this would be a way for many awesome people around the globe to unite and collaborate on a wonderful project.  We plan on uploading the video to YouTube to share with everyone and possibly showing it at SBL Madison.

Any questions?:  Please feel free to e-mail thunderdomesblproject@yahoo.com or tweet Kerrie (Kiffy) @kiffyann on Twitter if you you have any further questions about this project.  Much gratitude to you all!  🙂

 

I am very excited about this!!!! I think we are going to do a fun video of my family singing with the Empire State building in the background or another fun New York City landmark! And if I find the video of Princess A dancing to “Thunderdome” I will submit that as well!

Stay Glamorous,

Shannon

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

I get tons of emails asking me how I get so many good pictures of Princess A so I just wanted to do a post to share some of my tips.

1- Take tons of pictures. I get my best pictures of Princess A when I am just randomly taking pictures. Sometimes I strike gold sometimes  Princess A runs out of the frame and bumps into me leaving me with a blurry picture of my kitchen like the one above. I take about 200 pictures a day but usually delete about 170 of those pictures. Thank goodness for digital cameras!

2- Kids are like wildlife so shoot them in their natural habitat. I take pictures of Princess A when she is busy playing. Whenever I try to do a formal shoot she gets bored and fussy.

3- Don’t push it. If your kid is getting upset with the pictures stop and try after their nap or tomorrow. Also, if your kid is in a crummy mood don’t try to get them in a good mood for the sake of a picture. You can even get some cute shots of your kid when they are moody… as mean as it sounds.

4- The less people the better. Princess A is pretty good in front of the camera when it is just myself, The Husband, Freckles, and her but when other people are around she gets nervous and distracted. Also, other people offer unsolicited help and all the sudden you have 10 adults dancing and singing behind the camera trying to get your kid to smile but instead freaking them out and causing a temper tantrum. Not like that has ever happened to me or anything…

5- Appreciate your kid for who they are. Princess A smiles in a lot of pictures but a lot of the time she gives the stink eye. I think the stink eye pictures show more of her personality than the smiling ones. If you always try to get a shot of your kid smiling you might be missing out on some great and unique facial expressions!

So those are my tips. What are yours?

Stay Glamorous,

Shannon

SPRING TIME IN NEW YORK

I love spring time in New York. I especially love the trees but they also give me allergies. The flowers that bloom on the trees get blown off on windy days and go everywhere causing me to sneeze. Anyone have any good tips for keeping allergies at bay without taking so much Benadryl I fall asleep at the wheel of a stroller?

Stay Glamorous,

Shannon

THE WAR ON ICE CREAM

New York is a hard place to raise a kid. With crazy cab drivers, small apartments, and expensive preschools you would think that ice cream trucks would be the last thing on a New York mom’s mind but you are wrong.

The scandalous topic of discussion in my playgroups and mommy and me classes is that some mom’s are trying to get the ice cream truck banned from parking outside our local playground. They don’t like that every time they go to the playground they have to say no to getting their kids ice cream or buy their kids ice cream. I am in the minority because I think the ice cream truck should stay outside the play ground because…

1- What if I want ice cream? Some days a cone with rainbow sprinkles just changes my mood. Should I be denied this luxury because other people don’t want to deal with a potential temper tantrum?

2- This is New York. My playground is in a one block  radius from a Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, and Candy Store. If the ice cream truck goes I think these establishments should be kicked out too.

3- People smoke next to the playground which I think is much worse.

4- I like the ice cream man. I have talked about him and shown a picture of him in a previous post but just wanted to say again that he is fabulous. He always dresses fabulously and when I was a new mom he always said hi to me and complimented my outfit even on days when I looked horrible.

5- If you don’t want your kid to have ice cream then just say no. When I go to the play ground Princess A just wants to swing. She would live in the swing if she could but after about 5 minutes I take her out and no matter what she throws a temper tantrum. What am I suppossed to do? Let her swing all day? Start a campaign to get the swings thrown out of the park because my daughter throws a temper tantrum when she sees a swing and another child is in it or when I take her out of it? No, I just take Princess A out of the swing. If she protests I say no, put her in her stroller, and leave the playground. I know it will be harder when she is older but she has already kicked me in the face so I feel like I have some experience with temper tantrums.

6-I think the ice cream truck provides me with a way to teach my daughter that some days we have ice cream and some days we don’t. Ice cream is fun and tasty but it is not an essential part of a healthy diet.

7-Kids throw temper tantrums end of story. If the ice cream truck gets banned I am sure the kids will find something else to get upset about because that’s how they test their limits and learn.

So I am against having the ice cream truck banned but I am interested to see what you guys think. Any thoughts?

Stay Glamorous,

Shannon

I AM WONDER WOMAN… OR AT LEAST MY HUSBAND THINKS I AM!

The Husband Aaron bought me some Wonder Woman sneakers. Most days I don’t feel like Wonder Woman… even if I am in a good mood and doing everything right. I don’t know what it is but I am very hard on myself as a mother and a wife.I also think there’s a lot of pressure on women “to have it all” and “do it all by ourselves”.Two of the many things I have learned so far from mother hood are…

1- It doesn’t matter if you “have it all” as long as what you have involves lots of love around you.

2- Asking for help doesn’t mean you are weak. Sometimes it is actually harder and takes more strength to admit that you can’t do it alone and ask for some help.

So I might not “have it all” in some peoples minds but I believe that I do because there is tons of love around me. The favorite part of my day is when I come home and I am greeted by a dog jumping on me and licking me, a baby tackling and biting me, and a kiss from The Husband.

I also have gotten TONS of help from everyone around me. When I was younger I thought I was to cool for assistance but now whether it is from my in-laws or the ice cream man I am not afraid to ask for help and LOVE it. It truly takes a village to raise a child but with Princess A it takes a major city!

So I guess I am wonder woman! Thanks again for the shoes Hubbie.

Shoes- Converse via Journeys

Stay Glamorous,

Shannon

BABY AND THE TRAMP

Last week I had a really hectic day and I was rushing home with Princess A because she hadn’t had dinner yet and it was getting close to her bedtime. Princess A is a pretty well-behaved baby but if she doesn’t get in bed when she wants to WATCH OUT! A princess needs her beauty sleep after all. The whole way home I was trying to figure out what I would feed her for dinner and how I could make it really fast.

When I walked into our apartment I realized how smart I was to marry The Husband. He had already made dinner for us and not just any dinner but spaghetti and meatballs. This was the first time Princess A had eaten spaghetti and it was a messy but fun experience. Freckles loved it to and it reminded me a bit of the spaghetti scene in Lady and the Tramp. Except there is no way Princess A or Freckles would willingly give the other one the last meatball! They would probably fight a duel for it so I had to referee the spaghetti experience!Princess A loved the spaghetti so much she got it all over herself!Whatcha looking at? Can’t a kid enjoy their spaghetti in peace?Of course Freckles had to help her eat it!It’s hard to tell because Freckles is a red head but he was covered in spaghetti and marinara sauce.Here’s another shot.And another!Princess A loved the spaghetti so much she fell asleep again at dinner!!!!

Thanks again Husband for the amazing dinner and for being psychic and knowing I wouldn’t have time to cook!!!

Stay Glamorous,

Shannon

I HATE CHICKEN BONES

I hate chicken bones. But you know what I hate even more than chicken bones?!?!?!?! The people who leave their old chicken bones on the streets of New York!!!!!!

Last night, I was walking Freckles and he jumped forward and grabbed something in his mouth. I looked down and it was a chicken bone. This chicken bone was literally 3 feet from a trash can. I hate lazy sloppy people.

Anyway, if a dog eats a chicken bone they can die from the splinters. So I grabbed that chicken bone out of his mouth as fast as I could and I got a cut on my hand because if you try to take a chicken bone away from a dog they will literally bite the hand that feeds them. It hurt but at least I got that chicken bone out of his mouth!

This is not the first time this has occured. Freckles finds a chicken bone and succsesfully gets it in his mouth once a week. I see chicken bones on the street almost every day! Not only is this disgusting but it is heartless to the dogs of New York City. I got Freckles when he was a small puppy and I have done my best to raise and train him but I don’t think any amount of training can make him not want a bone.

So please New Yorkers… for the sake of cute dogs like Freckles everywhere… throw your chicken bones away in a trash can!

Stay Glamorous,

Shannon