When Dr. Oz makes your day go from bad to worse...

He looks like a nice enough guy, right?

And I think he probably is... and I was *really looking forward to his new show. I always loved when he was on Oprah talking about the interesting little health facts and the pooh and the like (you know about Oz and the pooh, right?)...

... but dear Mehmet (that's his first name in case you didn't know), you are *stressing me right out!

In the first week of his show, like every day was a life or death lesson - he showed how to do CPR, how to save someone from choking, talked about the dangers of belly fat (which will kill you), a high BMI (which will also kill you), dealing with sugar addiction (killer), importance of fibre (eat it or die), what happens if you eat too much meat (suffer same fate as the cow you're eating)...

And today, you just went too far and today of all days... with Archer's 4 month vaccinations and all the crying and the fussing, and his constipation, which lead to more fussing, and some other stomach stuff, which kept him inconsolable for most of the day (except a weird 20 minute period when he just couldn't laugh enough...soooo cute....weird, considering everything else... but cute) along with my eternally crying cat (he's old and pretty much senile) and my blocked milk duct (which is one of the most painful things I've ever experienced... and remember I just gave birth)... I *really didn't need to turn on your show which started off talking about the dangers of parasites (read: worms) in food which, if that wasn't bad enough (it it was bad y'all), led into a segment about dust mites in our mattresses and pillows. He had a big screen showing actual dust mites feeding on human dead skin, people!! And there I'm sitting there with my crying baby, my crying cat and my really super sore boob and I'm completely stressing because, Dr. Oz, "I DON"T HAVE ANY TIME TO VACUUM MY DARN MATTRESS!!"

Sigh...

So, now, exhausted, little guy finally sleeping (a little closer tonight poor buddy), I'm finally off to bed committing not to watch Dr. Oz for at least week and I'm not, I repeat, not going to worry about dust mites like at all. I swear.

Before I do this, however, I am putting all meat I currently have in my fridge into the freezer. This kills all possible living parasites. Or didn't you know that?

Don't Shoot the Messenger

Ok, I have good news and bad news.

The bad news is that bad weather is just around the corner. My mom told me that they were expecting frost tonight! So depressing. But we live in Canada, so we have to deal.

The good news? I just got back from Superstore and you can get some super cute parkas for next to nothing at Joe Fresh for both you and your little one and this week, their in-store flyer has a $5 coupon for children's parkas and $10 for you. You can print it out here as well...

http://www.superstore.ca/ontario/thisWeeksFlyer.aspx

Incidentally, you can also get a free DVD player if you spend $250 on groceries. Superstore, 2001 called and it would like its technology back (Downtown Mama, grade 8 called and it would like its joke back...).

Anyway, the women's coats and vests are actually pretty good quality - down filled and there are a lot of options in terms of style. They range in price from about $39-$89 (before the discount). I got Archer's parka one-piece for only $24 (after the discount).

Ok, that's not good enough news to negate the bad news. But it is what it is so you may as well look good while you're being depressed! :)

Food for Week of September 28th

Staying up later than I have stayed up since Archer was born (11:30pm - paaaartaaay) meant that Sunday was a very unproductive day...lots of cuddling but otherwise unproductive - all of this means that a) I'm just posting this this morning and b) I'm using an old menu. But this was a good one so enjoy!

Monday - chicken stroganoff /egg noodles/asparagus--Blend 1 T. no fat s.cream & 1/2 c. buttermilk-Slice meat thin. Brown mushrooms in marg & then add chicken- brown Low heat- add 1 c.onion soup, 1/4 c. wh. Wine, 3/4 c. h20, dill & pepper. Simmer 45 min. Shake cream mix with 1 T. flour- add. Blend with other stuff- don't boil! Serve over noodles.

Tuesday - Veggie lasagna-- St. Ives ground beef original. Layer bottled pasta sauce with 'beef', lasagna noodles, ricotta mixed with fresh chopped spinach 3times- top with parmesan cheese & bake at 350 55 min. ( salad opt.)

Wednesday - pork tenderloin- season, brown , & bake @ 375 for 20 min. apple sauce, baked sweet potato, peas

Thursday - Shepherd's pie- veggie beef or lean gr. Beef, onion, ( brown) 1 T.flour, h20 to make a gravy like mix, frozen peas, carrots ( opt)- top with mashed potato- bake 350 45 min

Friday - Order in/take out

Saturday - BTC sandwich- bread, cheese slice, tomato slice fried turkey bacon- under the broiler till cheese melts- hash browns or bought bean salad

Sunday - pot roast - boneless season & brown, with chopped onion & garlic- pour over1 c mushroom soup, 1/2 c. red wine, 1 c. beef broth, 2 bay leaves. Roast @ 350 3 hr. Mashed potatoes, froz mixed veggies

Grocery list

St. Ives ground beef original
Chicken breast boneless skinless
Pork tenderloin
Lean ground beef
Boneless beef chuck or similar roast
Egg noodles
Lasagna noodles
Pasta sauce
2 c. mushroom soup
Bay leaves
Onion
Garlic
Asparagus or greens
Spinach
Froz peas
Froz mixed veg
Apple sauce
Sweet potatoes
2Froz hash browns
Turkey bacon
Tomato
Cheese slices
Dempsters ancient grains bread
Potatoes
Beef broth
Red & white wine
Buttermilks
cream
dil
lparm cheese

Yay Bay!

We almost drove to Buffalo to buy Archer's crib.

I'm not kidding. It sounds crazy, but when you start looking for baby furniture, you too may realize that there aren't a lot of choices out there for a crib that will work in a modern space.

Oh sure, if you want to spend $1500 you can get a beautiful crib by Oeuf or Netto. But literally the only option I could find for a crib that I liked - sort of - was at Ikea and I have to tell you that I while I intellectually know that they must spend a million hours safety testing all of their children's furniture, it just didn't seem sturdy or stable to me. I kept on thinking of every piece of Ikea furniture I have had throughout my life and visions of a baby in a wobbly crib that I put together myself just didn't work for me.

And trust me, I checked like everywhere else for a well-priced modern crib. Everywhere. And there was nothing. If I wanted to put Archer in a princess-themed room or a pirate-themed room there were lots of choices. And there's nothing wrong with that. Clearly, a lot of people like this sorta thing. But not me.

So why Buffalo? Because Buffalo has Target where they carry a whole line of modern cribs by Dwell Studio. Heck, even the US Walmart's carry a line called BabyMod that has amazing options. Check out this crib for $299 US. http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8810319. You can order it online and have it shipped to any store you want.

We were about to make that order for a BabyMod crib and make a trip to Buffalo when at last minute, when I was obsessively searching Craigslist, the stars aligned. At the same time that I was searching Craigslist someone posted a "barely used" oval Stokke crib for $300. These cribs are upwards of $1500 new so this was literally the best deal ever.

If you're looking for a modern crib, you should check Craigslist because they do come up from time to time and remember that when you're done with your crib, if it's in good shape and it's not subject to a recall (which you should always check before buying or selling baby stuff on Craigslis), you can repost it and get some of you money back. Good stuff goes really fast.

But now you have another choice.

Yesterday I went to the Bay in downtown Toronto. I went there after seeing a Cityline fashion show which showed some great clothes and accessories at the Bay (and weirdly when I was there I saw Lynn Spence who clearly has not left the store since they did that episode of Cityline). I hardly ever go to the Bay anymore and I have to tell you, you should check it out if you haven't been for a while. They have some great stuff right now. Their accessories were incredible and well priced.

And lo and behold, on a trip to the baby section of the store, I saw an amazing modern crib for $499 which is featured above. We looked at the Bay before Archer was born and this crib was not there. If it had been, we would have bought it for sure. The crib is part of a whole set that includes a dresser and a dresser/change table combo.

I realize this post comes a little too late for all of you DMs but if you know someone who is pregnant, pass this on. I know, I would have wanted to know about this!

Clearly my baby is a genius and other reasons he won't nap....

Ok, dear readers, this is a call for help... I am not above giving out advice and right now, I am not above getting some back. I have read and re-read all my books, I have searched the internet, I have randomly stopped women in the street. But still, I sit here, baby monitor close by, listening to the little guy not nap.

And he's been not napping for months now. 

Ok, he's only been alive for months but really, other than like the 1st month when most of his life was a nap (and a milk drinking contest), the nap for Archer (and consequently, for me), remains elusive.

I knew I had a real problem when we recently did a family portrait photo shoot and after taking a bunch of cute active family shots, the photographer instructed me to "have Archer take a nap"... she thought it would be extra cute (and it would be) to have some shots of Archer sleeping. 

Wha?? Put him down for a nap? On command? Are people able to do that? Really?

So fine, maybe even this is a lot to ask, but when my girlfriend, and DM herself, T, came to town she said she would come over when Archer went down for his afternoon nap. "When would that be?" she asked, quite reasonably. "Ummm, whenever he wants" I replied. Her response was a delayed "Alrighty then" and I knew right then and there something was not quite right. 

Going back to my baby books, I confirmed that indeed the nap is important - babies Archer's age need anywhere from 10-14 hours of sleep a day to thrive. He's sleeping about 8 hours at night which means that we've got at least 2 lost hours. 

This is not to say that Archer doesn't sleep during the day but it's completely random. Like, for example, after trying and trying to get him to have a nap at around 9am, and then again at 10am, he finally fell asleep at 11:30am... 15 minutes before the start of his first music class.

Grrrreat.

So after thinking about it, researching it, and thinking about it some more, here are the best reasons I can come up with on why Archer isn't napping:

1. Clearly he's a genius. One of my baby books says that an early sign of genius is that the baby doesn't need much sleep. And well, look at the picture above. Do you need any more proof? I'm *not going to take it personally that my mom advised that I slept like all the time when I was a baby.

2. He loves me soooo much that he misses me when he naps. I mean, that pretty much goes without saying but I think it's a valid reason.

3.  He knows deeply how much I love him and miss him when I nap and is like super empathetic so stays awake to keep me happy.

That's all I got. 

Remarkably, my baby books and even the internet, don't really have a lot of advice on how to get baby to adhere to a napping schedule. That's probably because it comes pretty naturally to most babies... but not Archer! Sigh....

Do you have any tips to pass on to help here? If so, I'd love to hear them.

Oh, and btw, halfway through this post, I, of course, went and got Archer out of his bedroom where he was not napping and he is happily playing beside me on his playmat.... genius, I tell you! Genius.

It's like she was reading my mind...

On the back of the current issue of my new favourite magazine Cookie (see Friday's posting on this), there is an Eileen Fisher ad that I've featured here.

Ever since I saw this ad 2 weeks ago, it's been staying with me and I go back to it again and again to look at it. It's like it's haunting me... ok, that's totally overly melodramatic but you get my drift. And I think I've just figured out why it's staying with me - it's because when I think of it, this is how I want to be dressing right now.

As Archer's getting a little older and a little wiser - not content with just sitting there and looking ridiculously cute - I need to revisit what I'm wearing during the day. I'm starting to understand more and more why new moms end up in Lululemon - because at one moment, you're rushing to get your little guy from his crib, at another, you're on the floor with him singing to him "I wanna be sedated" by the Ramones while shaking around looking like an idiot to everyone else but him.

You do that, right?

Anyone?

Beuller?

Ok, but you see what I'm trying to say. He's more active and this leads you to have to be more active. You need stretch, you need the ability to easily go from cold to warm, you need to be able to nurse, you need to get dressed in less than 5 minutes... but you also need to look, in the words of Miss Jay and Tyra Banks, FIERCE!

Ok, maybe not fierce (I take any opportunity to over-use that word - it works better in person though) but how about not doing the sweatpants thing? And Lulu, while good for working out (although you can get cheaper at Joe Fresh...), is becoming, like a Bugaboo and mom's blogs (I will only make fun of you if I can also make fun of myself), a cliche for the new mom. It's time to shake it up.

I've always thought of Eileen Fisher as kind of an older woman's line but then I saw this ad I decided 2 things: 1) she is clearly trying to market to the new mom, taking out a full page ad in Cookie and 2) in fairness, maybe I am getting pretty close to being an older woman which actually kinda rocks when you think about it.

But an older kept woman I am not and when I went to the Eileen Fisher website (http://www.eileenfisher.com/) , I a) loved a whole bunch of other stuff I saw and b) had a bit of a cry when I saw the prices. Decidedly not in the DM budget.

The essence to the clothes featured in this ad could become my new fall DM uniform and comprise of a few key items as I see it - all items that can *easily be recreated at a lower priced range and which you probably have in your wardrobe already:

1. Leggings - I would invest in both a black pair and maybe even a dark grey pair. Leggings are not going away (for good reason) so you probably already have some but if not, look for leggings that are totally opaque and have a nice weight to them. I saw some at H&M for $14.95 that would do the trick and these ones for $24 at Urban Outfitters also look like they'll do the trick.

2. A Loose, longer tank top in various colours - If you're just going to wear leggings, you need a longer tank and unless you have totally lost all of your baby weight (in which case I totally hate you), you also need a looser one. And yes it's fall and getting colder but I am finding myself overheating all over the place so being able to strip down in a hurry is a definite plus for me. Don't just look for cotton tanks - this is good for around the house but look for a rayon or dare I say silk tanks to dress you up a little when you go out. The EF ad features a gorgeous deep cranberry silk tank that I'm sure you could recreate at a lower price but I recently bought this tank at Urban in a salmony pink colour that looks great both dressed up and down.

3. A long, drapy, cardigan sweater - Again look for longer and loose. You'll probably need a neutral - the dark grey one in the EF ad looks great but branch out into some great fall colours too. I saw one for $29.95 at H&M in an olive green which I loved. Aritzia always does these sweaters but they are a little more of an investment so you might want to wait for a sale.

3. A belt - If you're going for an embellished tank like the one featured above, keep the belt simple (or skip altogether) but I love a thicker grommeted belt for an outfit that is otherwise simple and plain. Actually I love all things grommeted right now. I don't know what it is. I just do. Don't judge. And really, when you go to Walmart to go grocery shopping and you see a fabulous grommeted belt for $16.95 like say the one pictured here (I don't know how that ended up on my kitchen table with my hands in the picture... really I don't), how can you resist? Wear a thicker belt like this over your sweater - on your hips or at or above your waistline as you like. If you don't like a thick belt, I also love a long thin belt that wraps around you twice under a sweater just loose at your waistline.

Don't go overboard with accessories but I love a chunky scarf around your neck for when you go out into that cold and crisp fall day...

Easy peasy right? And for further evidence that Eileen and I are on the same page, check out her website. There's a section that talks about how to put together basic pieces so you can get dressed in 5 minutes - which you'll need to take advantage of once you have spent hours playing with that website!

Food for week of September 21st

As the weather continues to get cooler, I start dreaming of my favourite place in the whole world, Hawaii... it's not too early! So with that, comes some recipes for this week from a cookbook called "Best of the Best from Hawaii Cookbook" and these recipes are, according to my mom, the best of the Best of the Best... I think that makes sense. In any event, enjoy!

Monday - Sweet Ginger Chicken , Rice Pilaf ( from a pkg) green veg of your choice

SGC- 2 T honey, 1 ½ c.orange juice, ½ tsp grated orange peel, 1 tsp minced garlic pepper, 1 T grated ginger 1 tsp cornstarch or flour, 4 sb chicken breasts cut in half. Mix 1st 7 ingredients well & pour into Ziploc bag with chicken. Refrigerate for a couple of hours. Remove chicken & save marinade. Spray skillet with cooking spray. Brown chicken , add marinade . Cook til tender. ( You can marinate the chicken overnite if you wish).

Tuesday - Tofu steak with peppers : ½ c. soy sauce, ½ c. mirin, 1 med onion, chopped 1 tsp cut ginger. Process in blender & set aside. Dust 1 block firm tofu that has been cut into 3 with flour. Sautee tofu in pan with veg oil til brown on both sides. Remove from heat. In pan, melt butter; add 1 pack mushrooms of your choice, chopped & 1 each red & yellow pepper julienned.P;our over tofu steaks & sprinkle with chopped scallions

Wednesday - Butter Yaki: Butter or low fat marg 1 tenderloin beef sliced thin ( easy to slice if partially frozen) 2 bs chicken breasts sliced thin 1 onion sliced thin Chinese cabbage, sliced bean sprouts spinach Heat butter & stir fry meats quickly. Remove & keep warm. Add more fat & stir fry veggies Place beside meet & serve with dipping sauce Sauce-- 1 c. soy sauce ½ c. splenda 1/3 tsp minced garlic ¼ c. lime juice. Combine & heat pour sauce into individual bowls.

Thursday - order in/eat out

Friday (a little break from Hawaii here) - Corn chowder hot dogs or sandwich of your choice

Corn chowder: 2 c. veg broth, ½ c. ch onion, ½ c. ch celery, ½ c. diced potato, ½ c. ch parsley. Simmer all 10 min. Add 1.c. fresh raw corn ( Take from cob with sharp knife). Simmer 10 min more. Add 1 c. milk & heat but don’t boil ( milk will curdle). Add salt & pepper to taste, cayenne ( opt) & chilli pwdr. Puree ½ of this soup to thicken it. Delish!

Saturday: Your choice

Sunday: Cornish Game Hens with Tropical Fruit Brown rice Green veg or carrots & honey 2 hens ¼ c. peanut oil ½ c. soy sauce ¼ c cooking sherry 2-3 T grated ginger 2 cloves garlic, minced Mix marinade. Rinse hens inside & out. Marinate them for several hours in fridge. Or overnite.turning occasionally. Drain & reserve marinade.Bake @ 375 for 1 hr, basting occasionally ( an onion half or orange half in the cavity gives extra flavour. Serve each person) half a hen with a mix of diced tropical fruit over (mango, pineapple papaya etc)

Grocery List

2 Cornish Game hens1 beef tenderloin
Bs chicken breasts ( count the number you need)
Wieners1 pkg
firm tofu
Mushrooms
1 each red & yellow pepper
Tropical fruit
Chinese cabbage
Bean sprouts
Spinach
Gr veg
Orange
Scallions
Corn /cob (2)
Onions
Ginger
Garlic
H dog buns
Soy sauce
Cooking sherry
Orange juice
Cornstarch or flour
Celery
Potato
Parsley
Veg broth
Cayenne & chilli pwdr

All the reading I can handle these days...

In case you haven't noticed, I haven't been blogging as much as I have in the past. It's not really due to lack of ideas... for all of those who know me, you know that it's hard for me to ever run out of things to say... it's more that all of a sudden, I'm like super extra tired these days. Even though my little schnickle is pretty much sleeping a 9 hour stretch at night right now, he's falls asleep at 7pm which means I'm up at 4am. And daytime naps are still elusive. If I'm lucky, I get a 40 minute break in the morning (we're trying right now!) and 40 minutes in the afternoon... he's never slept more than an hour during the day. By 8:30pm me and my old bones are like crawling into bed. 

I am, in a word, pooped.

So me and my pooped-ness have given up on trying to read anything substantial. You have this vision before you are on mat leave that you'll do all these things you meant to do when you just got some time ('cause you think that you'll actually have time when you are on mat leave)... like finally finish reading War and Peace, write a novel, train for a triathalon (ok, I never aspired to that)... that sort of thing.  And maybe things will change on this front but none of this stuff is happening in the near future. 

But I do love reading... so that's where magazines have become my new best friend - and in particular, no surprise, I am drawn (read: obsessed) to parenting magazines. And now I have my favourites which I pass on to you...

On the Canadian front, I have to give kudos to Canadian Family magazine. For me, I find it more stylish, informative and relevant than its counterpart, Today's Parent. This month, for example, they have a special "Health Issue" and I have learned such useful information like what to do when my baby has a fever and info on H1N1. There's even info on alternative health options. In addition to this though, there are a lot of short snappers on different products that have been tested by their readers. Indeed, you can, as a new parent, sign up to be a Canadian Family product tester off their website. I just signed up to do this - haven't heard anything yet but I'll let you know if this works out. Seems like a great way to get some free products!

The one major advantage I should pass on about Today's Parent is that it always includes a local section which will tell you about events, programs for young families in your geographic area. It is a great resource.

On the non-Canadian front, I just discovered and *love the ill-named Cookie magazine. It's like the best fashion magazine, the best home design magazine, all with amazingly informative and provocative (article this month on the vaccine-Autism debate) articles all in one. Based on one issue, I have signed up for a subscription.

Which leads me to my next point: you will save some major moola if you spring for a subscription. On the Canadian Family front, keep in mind that each issue costs $4.50. However, I just signed up for a 2-year subscription for $20. Consider sharing subscriptions with friends - get one to sign up for Today's Parent and then switch issues at the end of the month. And if even a subscription is out of budget for you, all of these magazines have fantastic and informative websites (www.canadianfamily.ca; www.todaysparent.com; www.cookiemag.com)  that will keep you coming back month after month and which include additional info not found in the magazine.

And finally, a word about other magazines to consider... even though not strictly about parenting, Canadians do fantastic home design magazines and they often include more than just strictly home design features. Canadian House & Home is probably one of the best magazines on the market - Canadian or otherwise. And I have high hopes for Style at Home which has just hired a new managing editor, Jane Fransisco, who used to head up my favorite Canadian magazine Wish which closed up shop earlier this year.

Now, if only one of these magazines would do an article on how to get your little one to nap during the day... during this posting, I got up 8, count 'em 8, times to try and settle Archer and just now again, he's started to fuss... help!

Dancing is the new black...

I'm not totally digging this season's So You Think You Can Dance Canada. I don't know, I'm just not bonding with anyone this year (I know, shocking with such likable dances such as Emanuel Sandu) and I don't know about you, but I just can't get over the ugliness of the costumes - these things bug me. If it weren't for Jean Marc Genereaux, and his wacky judging comments that slay my hubby and and I, I don't think I'd be watching. His comments alone make the show. They literally make no sense but in a good way. Like, last night, in judging a disco routine, he says something like: "Montreal was in this magic triangle of disco with New York and L.A. and Daniel, you are a smooth operator and I luv it... I have to change my V.I.D (ed note: very intense dancer in case you didn't know) to V.I.D.D. - very intense disco dancer!! Give it up!!"

Huh?

Nonetheless, there is no doubt that dancing is hot. Dancing With The Stars (this year I just noticed features... Tom DeLay? Wha?), a remake of Fame (although please stop playing that awful video on every show I watch these days). Dancing is back. And I'm so glad because I totally missed it in the last few years. Other than the occasional spontaneous events that uber hipsters throw in Toronto and which I'm far too old to go to, there aren't haven't been any places to go dancing.

And even if there was a good place to go dancing, I still can't stay up past like 9pm so I'd be totally missing out... and let's face it, dancing with Archer alone in the living room, just isn't the same (ok, it's actually better but stay with me for the sake of this posting).

So, how happy am I to have been given a tip about a new event called "Baby Boogie" described on the website (www.babyboogie.ca) as follows:

"Baby Boogie takes the coolest Toronto nightclubs and turns them into discos for you and your child.

Imagine the scene: Franz Ferdinand, The Cure, Coldplay, Duran Duran, Lily Allen and all your favourites playing in one afternoon. And you, sharing your love of music with your family."

Is this crazy or does this sound kinda fun? Add some Jay-Z (that's ok for babies, right?) to that playlist and I'm totally there. 

The next event is on October 25th at the Century Room on King West. I'm going to try and not think about the fact that this event is on a Sunday afternoon - i.e., after a Saturday night in the Toronto club district...i.e., what happens in clubs in the club district on Saturday nights and really, how clean can they clean before Sunday afternoon anyway....eeeeuuuuww.

But good times. We should all go.

My Credit Card Diet

So I admit it. I haven't been following my own advice...

Although I have been *extremely successful in finding some great DM deals - a cute dress for $24.99 here, a cool chair on Craigslist, there, coupons for groceries - the reality is that I have been finding too many great deals, if you know what I mean. And while for the first month or two, I significantly cut down my monthly credit card bill, this last couple months it has been slowly (fine. not so slowly) creeping up there again. And all this at at a time when I am on my last week of the beloved top-up on E.I.

In short, I am in denial.

But no more mamas! It is officially fall now and with the new season, I am turning over a new leaf (get it? fall? leaf? sorry, I'm tired). It's time to get our financial houses in order. It's time to ask ourselves the question: "What Would Suzie Do?"

You know Suzie Orman, right? She's Oprah's financial guru and she's kinda kooky. With her...ermm... unique fashion sense and even better common financial sense (or is that common financial "cents"... ha... seriously... I'm tired), there's a lot a DM can learn from the teachings of Suzie Orman... but not fashion... I repeat, not fashion.

For the next few weeks in particular, I'm paying close attention to what Suzie has to say about credit cards. Although she doesn't advocate giving up the credit card entirely and living on cash alone, she does point out quite rightly that credit cards usually lead us to spend on indulgences and not necessities. For example, buying groceries - a necessity... buying friends a round of cosmos (or whatever the kids are drinking right now...) is an indulgence. I mean, I'm not taking friends out for rounds of drinks don't get me wrong but I play the justification game a lot. And I always do that with my credit card.

So, this week starts my credit card diet. I am locking away the credit card and am living on cash. Again, Suzie doesn't necessarily advocate this but for me, for now, I'm giving it a try until I get back on the straight and narrow. I have come up with a number that I think I can live with for the week and hubby and I have decided what his pay cheque pays for (mostly our reoccurring monthly expenses - mortgage, utilities, that sort of thing) and what my measly E.I. pay cheque pays for which is most of the reoccurring weekly expenses - groceries being the most notable of those expenses. If I have any money at the end of the week, I am putting it aside for moi. So at the end of the month, I might be able to get that cute dress or yes, take you out for cosmos (people really don't drink those anymore do they?).

And let's get this straight - this is not an allowance - that would be insulting to us DMs. But this is a recognition on my part that I need to make choices - something that for me falls out of the picture when I use a credit card instead of cash.

Yesterday I had my first full day of my cash only diet and it went well. I ended up in WalMart to do grocery shopping for the week and only spent $67 - the groceries included a lot of local and even organic produce. I did some window shopping and although saw some great deals, I left it at that and made a mental note to come back at the end of the month to see what was still there. Today I have to go get Archer a couple of items of clothing for the cooler weather but I am actually walking in with a budget and I'm going to Old Navy where this week starts their baby sale. And even though the Old Navy website promises a lot of stuff for me, today I'm just looking.

Wish me luck!

Food for Week of September 14th

I wanted healthy and I wanted cheap and my mom delivered on both counts...

Monday - Crispy Breaded Pork Cutlets ( Martha Stewart):
1 ½ c. panko or plain bread crumbs
2 T veg oil
4 boneless pork loin chops
3 T Dijon mustard
Salt pepper or Mrs. Dash

Preheat oven to 425. On a rimmed baking sheet toss crumbs with oil. Bake tossing once til brown. 7-10 min.Transfer to a bowl. Reduce oven temp to 400. Pound chops flat with a mallet. Coat pork with mustard, season, then dip in crumbs coating both sides. Place a rack on the baking sheet.Place pork on rack & bake without turning, 10-15 min. Serve with corn/cob & sautéed multi coloured peppers in veg oil & seasoning- sliced thin -10-15 min T

Tuesday - Pasta /arugula/white beans/walnuts: ;
Bow tie pasta (farafelle)
Seasoning;
4 Cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 T butter or calorie reduced margarine
1 can ( 15 oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed & drained
1/3 c. walnuts toasted if desired
Cook pasta, drain & set aside. Reserve ½ c pasta h20 Saute garlic & 1 T butter about 1 min Add arugula to pot. Toss til wilted. Add beans, pasta, & remaining 3 T butter., season. Toss adding enough pasta water to coat pasta. Add walnuts.

Wednesday - Meatloaf mashed potatoes & a green veg
Meatloaf recipe:
1 lb. g. beef or g turkey
1 c bread crumbs ¼ c milk
1 beaten egg
Dash worchestireshire sauce
Seasoning:
¼ c. finely chopped onion
½ tsp mustard
Mix well together . Form into loaf . Drizzle ketchup over top & bake in oiled loaf pan 1 hr @ 375. Let sit 10 min before slicing.

Thursday- order in/eat out

Friday- Throw together pasta
Penne , chunks of leftover meatloaf , fresh tomatoes cut up, garlic, evoo, -Toss & top with parm cheese- French bread Perhaps?

Saturday - Fat free ham baked with any topping eg peach jam, chutney marmalade or oj or pineapple j, scalloped potatoes (from a mix) bean, spinach, & pepper stirfry

Sunday Buy a ready made BBQ chicken Serve with spinach salad & Vikram Vij’s Turmeric New Potatoes (which you will become addicted to)
Spinach salad: Assemble spinach, red onion, bacon bits, & walnuts in a bowl & pour hot oil & vinegar mix into which has been dissolved 1 tsp splenda. The oil mix will wilt the spinach TNP: Slice new potatoes into thin rounds- Do not peel. Heat ¼ c canola oil in pan on med heat. Add 1 c/ chopped onions-Saute 5 min-Add 1 tsp turmeric,1 tsp salt & ¼ tsp cayenne. Cook 1 min. Add potatoes & ¼ c. h20 bring to a boil, stir & reduce heat to low. Cover & cook 10 min. Stir & cook 5 more min. Stir in ½ c chopped spinach, cook 1 more min & serve

Grocery list

Boneless pork chops
1 lb gr. Beef or turkey
Fat free ham1 BBQ chicken ( don’t buy this til Sun)
Panko or bread crumbs
Evoo
Veg oil
Butter or marg
Dijon mustard
Farafelle Penne or similar
Walnuts
1 c. cannellini beans ( white)
Turmeric
Garlic
Spinach (lots)
Onion
Arugula
Tomatoes
New potatoes
Red potatoes
Scalloped potato mix
Corn/cob
Red/yellow peppers
Green veg
Red onion
Bacon or bacon bits
Vinegar
Eggs
Wor…sauce
Mustard
Milk

And you thought diaper creme was just for bums...

Bums.

Funny word. 

Funny body part.

And now the topic of  today's posting. Well, not really but it does give me the excuse to pass on this strange but true advice with the word bums in the title of this posting. And well, it's Friday and I'm super tired (I thought we agreed that you were sleeping through the night now, Archer) so this is all I am capable of blogging about today.  

Yesterday when I was at a hair salon with a good friend I ran into an esthetician - Bea - that I used to see at a very tony Yorkville spa. This spa gave *the best facials in the city. I first learned about them through my sis who takes her skin care extremely seriously and those who take their skin care seriously went to this spa.

Problem was it was ridiculously expensive. Worth every penny but on top of the $150 for the facial (it was in fairness a 2 hour facial) it was impossible.... impossible.... to walk out of that spa without spending another $200 on skin care products. This was all because of Bea and her relentless sales tactics. You'd be all zen coming out of the facial and then Bea would start - she would tell you while you were getting ready to pay why you were basically crazy if you didn't buy this cream or that exfoliant. And trouble was most of the products were like really good. It was a vicious cycle and was becoming a very expensive habit so you might understand why I was particularly happy when I got pregnant only to discover I no longer needed any of these products because all of a sudden, my skin was, well, in a word, perfect.

Did you experience this? It was amazing. Never had a pimple, was always kinda glowy (without being greasy) and any suggestion of a wrinkle was filled out by all the extra collagen you produce while pregnant.

It was a great excuse to break the habit of Bea and the Yorkville spa.

But alas all good things come to an end and I now sit here writing this with two massive pimples on my face. My friend T told me that literally the day after she gave birth she felt like she had aged 10 years. All the pretty plumpness in her skin was gone.

So you must understand... here's me in this zit-filled vulnerable state, walking into the hair salon (with T incidentally) in Liberty Village - far away from Yorkville... and there was Bea.

I panicked. My heart started racing. Oh no! What is she doing out here (new job)! How am I going to get outta here without committing to 10 facials and like $1000 of skin care! I'm weak, I'm pimply and totally sleep deprived! Ack!

Well two good things then happened. First, I almost immediately told Bea - like randomly, it was awkward - that I had no money to spend on facials now that I wasn't working (just confronted the problem head on, you know?) and then Bea revealed to me that she too had just had a baby! So she understood my predicament entirely... she also told me her baby was a "baby model" which was weird and has nothing to do with anything but I just thought I'd share that.

In any event...  did all of this mean she was going to let me out of the salon without addressing the 2 pimples that had invaded my face? Not Bea. 

She said that right now - I guess until I have some money again and I can be a sucker and spend ridiculous amounts of money on skin care? I'm not actually sure of the expiration on this advice - I should just use a little diaper cream like Desitin on my pimples and after washing my face before going to bed (note to self: start washing my face before going to bed... whatever, don't judge) I should spread a thin layer of said diaper cream on my face. She said that this was all she used right after she had her baby and that it immediately took care of her pimple problems and generally improved the overall appearance of her skin. 

Huh. You don't say. 

I can't attest to the fact of whether or not this works yet (I was too tired last night to do this before bed....) but I pass the advice on to you so we can experiment together. Or not. Up to you.

Have a great weekend mamas.

And on a positive note...

Just finished watching the second episode of the new fall show, Glee and I can officially say I love it. Funny, smart and it's ermmm... basically a musical. But, like, in a cool way... Glee club does Kanye and Salt n' Pepper and Rihanna. Love it although it's weird - there are 3.... count 'em 3....actors from Heroes. What's with that?

Anyway, more fall show recommendations (or not) as they come out... 

Oh, also, my mom, who just caught up with some past postings, corrected a *very important fact for me from my Williams Sonoma posting a couple postings back... my grandma - the one who is still a wicked cook and oh, did I mention, makes the best perogies ever - is 97. Not 92. 

And at that age, it's definitely worth correcting.

You get to go to TIFF, I get to watch this crap...

I promised myself that when I started this blog that I would stay positive - breezy even...

So here are the positive things about The Hangover (this week's Movies for Mommies screening - and in fairness to them, they don't pick the movies, the theatre does...):

1. There is a cute baby in this movie.

That's about all I can come up with.

I loathe movies like this because if you are a woman and you criticize a movie like this - one that has received critical acclaim, has been called the "sleeper" hit of the summer - then you are seen as taking things too seriously, that you have no sense of humour or irony or you are just outright prudish.

Well, too bad. You can call me all of those because I'm pretty sure this is the most misogynistic movie to come out in a long time and it reminds all of us downtown mamas why it's important to keep feminism alive and kicking.

So, let's see, the lessons that women should take away from this movie are as follows:

1. Women should just stay at home and look pretty and dream about weddings (I mean, that's what we all do, right?) while their men go to party with strippers and hookers in Las Vegas.

2. Women should never question why their men might be interested in a bachelor party in Las Vegas or said men will leave you for a hooker who is a stripper as was the case in this movie.

3. Strippers and hookers (or in the case of the Heather Graham character - both) are actually interested in men and will of course marry the first loser to pay any attention to them.

Are you getting the picture yet?

Oh, and lest you think this is just insulting to women, please be sure to include in the list of groups insulted, gays, animals, all people who aren't white and oh yeah, babies, which was evidenced in a seen that I find beyond disgusting in which the "boys" make the baby mimic masturbation. I should have walked out right there. I don't know why I didn't. Isn't this some form of child abuse?

By the end of the movie all is well - main guy gets married (of course) and Bradley Cooper guy (I don't care how good looking you are Bradley Cooper... you suck for making this movie) is seen with his 8 year old son in his arms reminiscing about the boys' "crazy" weekend. Something about the image of him holding his son - suggesting maybe that the tradition of the bachelor party would live on in the next generation - made me want to burn my nursing bra on the spot (ok, not really, I really need my nursing bra). But you know what I mean...

Can someone explain to me how this movie got good reviews and why it did so well at the box office?

If you haven't seen it, please keep in mind that I have already told you the only redeeming quality of the film - the cute baby. And further keep in mind, I have included a picture above of said cute baby. This means, if you are keeping up, that you no longer have to see the movie.

So there.

I promise to be happier in the next posting.

Separated at Birth

So, I'm not sure at all if I believe in reincarnation. It's a bit of a long shot in my mind. But Archer's starting to change my thinking on that...

When he's listening to The Beatles - whether it's daddy singing "I Will" (I'd try to sing it too but I literally cannot get to the second verse without starting to sob uncontrollably - try it, I dare you) or his Grandma singing "I Wanna Hold Your Hand", I'm convinced he's John Lennon reborn because I've never seen him so happy in whole life (which has only been 3 months long but no matter) as when we sing Beatles songs to him. But then I note that both of these songs are Paul songs and who are we kidding, John would never be happy listening to Paul songs in his next life.

And then I've also thought he is the next Dalai Lama. Ok, strictly not a reincarnation thing but aren't we (or rather, Tibetan Monks) waiting for the next one to be born? In any event, I am convinced of this by the look that Archer always gives to me when I am shopping - a sort of peaceful yet judgmental look that makes me ask in my inner-soul "Aren't I above materialism?" (the answer being decidedly no)... but then this can't be it either because I am convinced he is also a little happier when he is in the baby section of Joe Fresh.

It could happen.

So what about Buddha? And in particular, the chubby smiling Buddha? I mean, common, the resemblance as evidenced above is uncanny.

I thought I would test out this theory today by going to a post-natal Yoga class with my little buddha. Now, as I write this, I realize that in addition to already probably being insensitive to Tibetan Monks... and probably too Beatles fans, I am not *really sure if there is a connection between Yoga and Buddha. I mean, there's always a Buddha at the front of the class but that's probably not really empirical evidence of such a connection.

But for the sake of my posting, let's go with it.

Anyway, postnatal yoga. A lot of you probably did prenatal yoga. I know I did. It was really the only exercise I could do. I know you see pregnant women spinning and jogging and such but I was definitely not one of those women. Yoga, was more my speed and, in all seriousness, aside from helping relieve some of my pregnancy pains, it brought a sense of peace and actually allowed me to bond with Archer very very early on.

So given all of these benefits and the fact that I hear that a lot of other women had similar experiences, why was I the *only person at today's post-natal yoga class at the Yoga Space on Ossington?

Don't you hate when that happens as it does on occasion? You get there, you wait for others, you realize others aren't coming and then you have that awkward conversation with the instructor that goes something like "Do you wanna continue on with the class?" "I dunno, do you wanna continue on with the class?", "I don't mind, what do you wanna do?". Normally, at this point, I say nicely, "Thanks but I'll come back next week, don't worry about continuing".

But today, I wanted to continue. I needed to continue. As I've mentioned in past postings, my back, my shoulder and my left wrists are about to totally give out on me. I sit hunched over most of the day - whether it be from nursing or over Archer's crib or changing table. I hurt y'all!

And I'm so glad I did stay. Taught by a doula-by-day, yoga-instructor-errmm-also-by-day, Geraldine specializes in making all of those aches and pains go away. She showed me some moves that I'll be able to do at home when I get a breather that I know will bring me some much needed pain relief. And unlike before, this class is now a drop-in class at the Yoga Space so you don't have to commit to a full session when you know sometimes it's hard to get out. Check out http://www.yogaspace.net/ for more details. There is also a pilates class on Thursday that looks great.

So going to the yoga class was amazing but it also made me realize that Archer is sadly (or not, I'm not really sure - being Buddha probably comes with a lot of pressure - which, I guess Buddha would never feel but you know what I mean... or maybe you don't; in any event, read on)...not Buddha. Within 15 minutes of the class starting, Archer started crying... and crying... and despite sweet Geraldine picking him up and holding him for the rest of the class (thank you, by the way)... crying some more.

Poor buddy.

Anyway, please don't let this class die from poor attendance. Get there and pass this on if you can!

Food for week of September 7

So, as will be the subject of some future posting, I need to get back on the financial restraint bandwagon - the end of my employer's top up on my E.I. cheque is soon coming to an end and I'm in total denial. Urgh.

In that spirit, I thought I'd make this week's meal plan all about making your meals stretch as much as possible. This week is dedicated to the left-over. All of these meals should allow you something left for lunch for the next day - for you and your partner to bring to work. 

Then again, you might find these all so delicious, that there are no left-overs whatsoever! But don't blame me for that.

And, btw, since its labour day, I'm giving my mom a break this week so this is all me on the meal planning front. I'm scared. I've probably missed something below so feel free to correct me if you see anything wrong!

Monday - Taco Pie - Fry 1 lb low fat ground beef and add one pack of taco seasoning as per package Layer 1 can of low-fat refried beans in a lasagna dish, top with ground beef mix and grated low fat cheddar and jack cheeses; warm in 350d for 20 minutes. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, green onions. Lay out a cheesy Mexican blanket (common, we all have one) in the middle of the floor and eat with taco chips and sides like sour cream, salsa, guacamole. Ole!

Tuesday - Tuna Casserole -  Boil whole wheat rotini noodles. Fry 1/4 cup chopped onions for a few minutes until onions softened. In a casserole dish, combine noodles with 1 can tuna,  fried onions, 1 can low-fat mushroom soup, 3/4 cups low fat plain yogurt, 2 tbls mustard, salt/pepper, 1/2 cup low fat mozza cheese. Top with more cheese and bread crumbs or Parmesan and bake in 350d for 30 mins. Serve with side salad.

Wednesday - Easy Vegetarian Lasagna - Warm 1 1/2 bottles of prego or similar tomato sauce with 1 package of veggie ground round and 1 grated zucchini. In lasagna dish pour 1/2 cup sauce on bottom, then layer of no cook lasagna noodles, another layer of sauce, 1 cup of ricotta or cottage cheese, 1 cup low fat mozza; repeat layer and add Parmesan on top. Bake for 45 minutes at 350d. Serve with side salad and crusty bread.

Thursday - Order in/take out

Friday - Veggie or beef burgers and sweet potato fries

Saturday - Kicken' Pot Pie - Back by popular demand of my husband. Check August 24th posting for recipe. Serve with side salad.

Sunday - Beer Can Chicken & Corn on the Cob - See July 26th posting for recipe.

Grocery List:

Ground beef

Taco Seasoning Mix

Iceberg Lettuce

Tomatoes

Green Onion

Taco Chips

Salsa

Sour Cream

Guacamole

Can of Tuna

LF Plain Yogurt

Whole wheat rotini noodles

Onions

LF Cream of Mush Soup

2 Bags of Salad

No Cook Lasagne Noodles

St. Ives Original Veggie Ground Round

2 jars prego or similar

Mozza Cheese

Cheddar Cheese

Jack Cheese

Frozen Burgers

Whole wheat buns

Frozen Sweet Potato Fries

Boneless Chicken Breasts

LF Cream of Celery

Pilsbury Crescent Roll Mix

Frozen Peas & Carrots

Whole Chicken

Can of Beer

Corn on the Cob

Laugh while you can...

It occurred to me recently while catching up on my PVR'ed episode of True Blood - while nursing Archer - that this was probably the last season of True Blood I would be able to watch....

I mean, have you seen the show this year? I love it, don't get me wrong. But man, it is over the top. Seriously gory, violent, overly adult, if you know what I'm saying.... As I write this I wonder actually why I like it so much. But that's another column for another time. Or not.

Anyway, I digress.

The point is that while your little guy is a really little guy, you can get away with continuing on with watching regular old grown-up movies, tv shows, listening to your uncensored Jay-Z, without overly worrying that your damaging him for life. I mean, again as I write this, it occurs to me that in general I should probably read more than always watching movies, tv, listening to music but whatevs. I'll work on that.

But time is running out on the "I can pretty much carry on with my regular entertainment consumption" habits which makes me super happy that I just received an invite to an afternoon of comedy for new moms (and dads). Like, adult comedy. Not Barney or Dora comedy (can someone tell me, btw, whether kids still like Barney and Dora? Am I behind on that front?) Even the name of the event makes me chuckle... "Mothersuckers". As I would say to Archer (in a rather high-pitched unnatural voice), that's super hilarious.

Check it out if you can - we have to support stuff like this if we want more of it. It's on September 22nd at 1pm at the Comedy Bar at 945 Bloor Street West and is $10. It will be a stroller friendly event and promises to be in general "baby-friendly".

In the meantime, I'm going to work on a couple of jokes so I can strike up conversation with some new moms at the event... right now, this is what I've got: "So, did you hear the one about the baby who walked into a bar? Boy, did that hurt." Errmmm... yeah... I've got work to do.

Enjoy your long weekend y'all.

I am my mother's daughter...

I come from a long, distinguished line of amazing foodies... on my mother's side anyway. Sorry, dad, but the fact that you have lived with our mother for 40 odd years but still don't know how to do more than barbecue (which, incidentally, how is it that so many men can bbq but can't actually cook? it doesn't really make sense when you think about it...) does not speak well to your culinary lineage.

But my mom, and my mom's mom, grandma - who, at 92, still puts together an amazing thanksgiving dinner and wicked perogies - they're one step away (if at all) from Martha, Julia, Mario B. stature when it comes to all things in the kitchen. It's a lot to live up to!

But having Archer has finally given me the time and inclination to try in earnest. I am trying to cook everything my mom throws my way recipe-wise - although she said she's not going to give me the Julia Child Beef Bourguignon recipe until Archer graduates from college because I'll have no time to make if before then - and I'm trying to improve my actual technique in the kitchen.

Like, for example, cutting and chopping stuff. I am a terrible cutter and chopper. It's a special skill to cut and chop things properly...like being good at art almost, which decidedly, I am not good at. But I'm trying. Looking things up on the internet, consulting cookbooks and calling my mom a million times a week with questions like, "if I don't have cooking sherry, what can I use?"

So it came as little surprise to me that last time I was at the mall I had, pretty much for the first time, an overwhelming desire to go into Williams Sonoma.

And OMG (I'm too old to use that I know), I love this store...

Have you been in lately at all? Do you share with me all of a sudden a desire to have a set of really good knives, the perfect pots and pans and like a library of cookbooks? I am! I spent like an hour talking to a very friendly sales lady about a bunch of things in the store that I'll talk about in future postings... of course said sales lady wasn't that friendly after she realized I wasn't really buying anything (WS is a wee out of this DM's budget at the moment - hint to hubby, Christmas is really just around the corner... really) but I learned a lot!

And if not for yourself, Williams Sonoma also has stuff for the little guy... up top is a display of items all devoted to the pint-sized palette. They have the Beaba Babycoo line which includes a steamer and processor for you to prepare your own baby food. Maybe I should just not be a sucker and just use a blender or my current food processor a la 1984 but it looks like this one actually has some specific benefits for baby. Check it out here: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/e203/index.cfm?pkey=xsrd0m1%7C16%7C%7C%7C0%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7Cbaby&cm%5Fsrc=SCH.

Archer's a little ways away from solids but this - along with a cookbook called appropriately "Cooking for Baby" http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku5344569/index.cfm?pkey=xsrd0m1%7C16%7C%7C%7C0%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7Cbaby&cm%5Fsrc=SCH has me inspired to start thinking about scrapping the notion of store-bought baby food for fresh food made at home. Is that crazy? Probably. I'll report back in a couple months time to tell you if this was just a pipe dream...

Random posting to Wasps

Dear Wasps,

You suck and are ruining what's left of our summer.

Go away.

Luv,
All of us.

I would like to party vicariously through you...

Around this time of year, when the weather starts getting a little crisper and cooler, I start to become nostalgic about university. I think a lot of us feel this... I don't want to do it again (I still have those exam nightmares when you show up - late - for an exam and you find out its a math exam and of course, you never took math) but I have fond memories of it.

This year, it's a little strange because I'm finding myself also feeling quite nostalgic about... ermm...partying. In particular Toronto International Film Festival Partying.

Because of what I do in my other job (other than my current Downtown Mama job) I am fortunate enough to sometimes get invited to TIFF parties... not like any of the A-list parties (who gets invited to the InStyle party anyway?) but some pretty fun ones. Ones that give me a great excuse every year to try and find THE PRETTIEST DRESS EVER.

I think I've been pretty successful at it too... I remember the pretty olive green silk Theory dress I wore to the Citytv party a couple years ago and the Philip Lim 3.1 navy backless number I found last year (which I got to wear for a whole month before I found out I was pregnant with Archer). I don't particularly remember much of the actual parties... other than in general that they were a little overrated - but I remember the dresses. Getting ready for me is actually more fun than going to the parties. But I'm weird like that.

I won't be going to any parties this year... unless they are between the hours of 7-9pm (I can't stay up any later than that), have plenty of available places to sit (my back is too sore to stand up in heels for any length of time) and they serve Guiness Beer (which is the only alcohol I will really drink while nursing since I've convinced myself that it is actually good to drink Guiness while nursing - if you don't know about this, btw, google it after your done reading.

I thought I'd be ok with my decision to be TIFF-party free until I walked into French Connection at Sherway Gardens.

You wouldn't think that either Sherway Gardens or any given store would evoke nostalgia for great parties but if you haven't seen the dresses that FC has out for Fall 2009, you are missing out. There are *so many dresses to choose from as part of their collection that I wouldn't have been able to select just one. And although they're not dirt cheap, they're much less expensive than their designer counterparts and quality-wise, they are top notch.

This dress for $178 came in a mustard yellow that I just loved. The picture doesn't give it justice but it is a wool blend mini dress and there is a thick inside out zipper at the back. It will also suit a lot of figures.

There was a gold backless dress that I couldn't find a picture of that will literaly knock the socks off anyone who sees you in it and I also like this avant-garde grey and gold number that seems like just enough of a statement for a film festival. This dress is only $148.

The dress featured at the top will not suit a lot of figures but it's so cute. If you are petite, preferably with a pixie cut, have an invite to a great party (TIFF or not) buy it! Incidentally, I have noticed that like *everything is one-shouldered this year. Even walking by LuluLemon, there was a one-shouldered workout top, which seems very impractical but maybe not.

Wonder if there is such a thing as a one-shouldered nuring bra. Hmmm...