Best baby wash EVER

I was contacted to do my first product review and boy, did I luck out! I reviewed the baby wash from ecostore, a New Zealand-based company that offers "genuinely clean and green products," ranging from baby care to bath and body to household cleaners.

I'd been using a popular brand of baby wash on Myles for quite a while and the first time I opened the ecostore Baby Body Wash, I knew it was radically different. First of all, it smells AMAZING! When I finish washing Myles, I want to sit and smell him for the rest of the night. I even sneak in a few sniffs after he falls asleep! It also leaves his skin very soft and seems to glide on easier and suds him up better than other products I've used.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that it includes "no nasty chemicals" - as ecostore's slogan states. And it's good for the planet.

My only gripe is the cost seems a little steep at $10 for a 6.8 fl oz bottle, more than three times what I pay for a traditional baby wash. But since the smell is just so amazing and Myles himself seems to enjoy being bathed with it, they've turned me into a believer - and a new customer.

Check out ecostore's USA site at www.ecostoreusa.com. And enjoy!

PS - I will also be reviewing ecostore's pet shampoo...I just haven't had time yet to wash the dog! Such is the life of the working mom!

Layout issues

FYI, I have obviously changed my layout. This is just a temporary solution though. When I logged on this morning, my page was covered with Photobucket ads and it was basically unreadable. I did some searching to see what the problem was and it was something with my blog designer's personal page. Since I don't have the time at work right now to go and find a new design that suits me and this content well, I'm going with a generic design until I do have the time. Hope everyone is having a happy Monday (or at least as happy as Mondays can get!).

Welcome to summer

I live in Florida. Therefore, I despise the summertime and live for winter. Our 70-degree days from December through February are far more appealing than the 95-plus-degree heat we feel from June through September. And if I had it my way, I'd be out of here in favor of the Pacific Northwest from about May 1 through November 1.

I digress though. There are some nice things about the summer despite the blazing heat that nearly melts your skin. Vacations are #1 and Myles was on one w/ my parents for the past week. He did Disney's Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Blizzard Beach (the closest we get to snow down here) and spent many other days in the resort pool. Below are some pictures from his fun week. All I can say is I'm glad he's home!

Myles at Animal Kingdom

Myles and a snowbaby at Blizzard Beach

Myles and my dad in the resort pool

Where are all of the working mommies?

I was talking to my co-worker yesterday about the need for so many "sick/personal" days when you have a little one. My place of employment only offers five sick days, four personals and ten vacation days until you've been with the company for five years.

Since I've had Myles, I burn through the sick days before we're halfway through the year and I always need to use at least two personal days for sickness as well. Then I have the daycare, which is closed for many more holidays than my place of employment. At my job, we only get SIX holidays. The daycare is closed for those six holidays PLUS six and one half additional. Well, even if my husband and I split those days, I've now burned through all of my personal days, plus a vacation day.

The co-worker then mentioned that when her boys were younger, she and her other working mom friends would take turns watching the kids on the days when they were scheduled to work, but the daycare was closed. They rotated holidays. What a great idea, I thought!

Then it hit me...in my circle of friends, I am THE ONLY ONE who has a traditional, 9-5 job! Yes, I do have other working mom friends, but they all have the type of job where they work when they are able and are not required to be in the office for 40 long, specific hours, like me.

About half of my friends are SAHMs. But I do have a few who work. One friend sells promotional products and does much of her work at home. She gets a sitter when she needs to go to the office, or puts her sons in a mother's morning out program. Another works for her husband...from home. Yet another is a wedding planner who works for herself and makes her own hours. A fourth works mostly from home and goes into the office one day a week. And another is a speech and language pathologist, who also makes her own hours and does her own thing.

When I come to realizations like this, I immediately begin to feel isolated. Like nobody understands me. Like I'm alone in this fight to help provide for my family while still trying to be a great mom and wife. Then I start feeling like I'm losing, even if I'm not.

I appreciate that I've met a few 9-5ers through this blog. And really, I know I'm not the only mom out there who works 9-5. Sometimes it just feels that way.

Back to reality

I took the last 3 working days off for a much needed mini vacation. I spent a couple of nights w/ family on Florida's Gulf Coast, then met up w/ a friend for a short girls' weekend near Naples. I had a great time, complete w/ a massage, pedicure, shopping, lounge time at the pool, tasty fruity drinks and a soft, comfy bed all to myself.

But the entire time I was gone, I thought about Billy and Myles...and how great it would be to see them again on Sunday. And it was!

Of course, I wasn't thinking that about returning to work. While my job has many perks, I don't think anyone actually wants to go back after a long absence. I have three hours left in my first day back. I already can't wait for Friday.

Little black cloud growing bigger

There seems to be a growing black cloud at my place of employment lately. In March, a co-worker started having serious marital problems. Another co-worker's wife had to have an emergency C-section at just 35 weeks due to severe eclampsia. She and the baby spent weeks in the hospital. Then, that same co-worker had his car stolen right out of his driveway just a few days after the wife came home w/ the baby.

Next, I had the miscarriage and another co-worker's husband lost his job. Of course, plenty of people at my company are losing their jobs...and have been for over a year now. I am starting to get used to it.

Now, in the past week, 911 has been called twice and both people were taken to the hospital for somewhat serious issues. Then, today, the co-worker who has been having marital problems announced she is getting a divorce...and may not return to work.

Wow...it seems this little black cloud that has parked itself at work is only getting bigger. And all of this bad news is becoming increasingly difficult to hear.

Mom 'do?

So my hair has suddenly developed a bit of curl and with that comes a little frizz. I have hated dealing with it so decided there was no better time to chop it off. The hair desperately needed to be tamed since I was having no luck making it look descent. Plus, with temperatures now reaching the 90 degree range, maybe a shorter 'do wouldn't be too bad.

Below is a picture of the new, chopped hair. It looks very much like a typical mom 'do to me. I'm getting used to it, but I miss my long locks (although I do NOT miss the hair I had just before the cut). It's the shortest it's ever been and seems like it will be a lot easier to manage, something every mom likes to hear!


Anyway, I just thought I'd share a photo. We went to the St. Pete Beach area for the weekend to spend time with family, who were visiting from out of state. On this picture, we were enjoying our annual tradition of cocktails at the Don CeSar with my uncle and his partner, Lee. The picture was taken around sunset on a day that was incomparably gorgeous. I think I need to stay at Don CeSar someday.