We've Moved

Since PARENTise has gone live, we've moved our blog over to the new site. Come and visit us at PARENTise! See you over there!!

We're Live

Wow! Today is the day! PARENTise finally went live. It took 2 years of thinking about it, months of detail work, what feels like years of stress, and then euphoria last night.

Today, I'm focused on getting the site out there and letting people know about it. But I'm scared. People could like it or not. So, after all this time working on it, it's a waiting game to see what happens with it.

Wish me luck!

P.S. Come for a visit and look around. Let me know what you think! www.parentise.com

Business Plan Review

This past week I had a business plan review with the local Small Business Development Center. My reviewer has a lot of experience with developing businesses, and he now has a part time gig helping entrepreneurs.

I was excited to get a chance to have a professional review my business plan, but since I don't have any experience with creating a business I wasn't sure what to expect from a discussion with a professional entrpreneur.

He went through my business plan with a fine toothed comb and tore most of it apart. He talked about critical assumptions, financial backing and the work that I needed to put into the plan to make it viable.

But he didn't really discuss the strength of the business idea or the long term planning. He didn't seem to have a real grasp on Web 2.0 marketing and creating a website that doesn't sell a product.

I feel like I got a lot of really good information, but that a lot of what he had to offer wasn't specific for the type of business I'm trying to set up. I recommend having a business plan review, but I'd suggest connecting with someone who has experience with your type of business or function.

Surprise!

This weekend was fantastic. My darling husband threw me a surprise birthday party with all of my closest friends and family. It was a true SURPRISE which was fantastic. It was also my first ever surprise birthday party! I have had surprise showers, which were awesome, but this was the first time it was just for me - just because something was happening to/for me!

I don't normally like surprises, but he did a great job. He set it up at our favorite restaurant, got a ton of our wedding flowers, got our friends and family to attend, and he even had a paper invitation!!! (applause for him inserted here!)

It was a big birthday and it made me do a bit of a life review. I was thinking about where I am today compared to where I thought I was going to be and where I am going to be in 10 years.

Things aren't perfect, but when I take a look at the big things - I think I've done pretty good so far, graduated from college and grad school, married to a fabulous man, 2 gorgeous baby girls, a good job at a leading organization, fantastic friends, good relationships with family, and days away from launching my first website (crossed fingers).

In ten years I have no idea where I'll be, but I hope I'll look back and be as happy with where I've been as I am today.

Next Steps

This was a pretty good week for the website. I had a call with our new lawyer on Monday, and by Friday, we had our Privacy Policy developed. Score! I was also able to secure a writer for a weekly article, and have another writer in the works.

In between all of that, I had a lot of fun with the babies, celebrated our anniversary with the hubby, ordered invitations for the Baptism and birthday party and did announcements for baby girl. Plus, we're getting ready for an incredibly busy weekend!

Oh yeah and did I mention I ran a few times! I'm getting better!

The Incident in the Grocery Store

I have been ultra productive during my maternity leave. I have done a lot of dishes, a lot of laundry and a lot of cleaning, but today was the first time that I went to the grocery store in the morning.

I got there at 9:10am and was done by 9:30am - I only needed a few things - and I thought I was moving fast, but then...when I was headed for the cash register to check out - this little old woman - javascript:void(0)she must have been 75 or older - ran right past me and snagged my spot in line!

I'm serious - she didn't knock me over or anything, but she did literally run past me to get into line first - I was flabbergasted...then I started laughing...and laughing...people would have thought I was crazy - but it was 9 in the morning and there wasn't anyone in the store!

Live Date

So, we pushed back the live date by 30 days to the first of October. I am pretty sad about that on one level, but super psyched on the other.

I really wanted to go-live, but I didn't want to go-live with a subpar product. So, we made the decision to wait. When we do go-live the site will be ready for it, adn we'll have made it into something that we can be really proud of - instead of thinking about the things that we could have would have or should have made better or changed.

I am ready. I have got a marketing plan in my head and am in the process of getting it onto paper. I am learning about SEO and PR...I am making headway in so many areas - I am really excited.

So, less than 30 days and counting! Wish us luck!

Pre School

Ahh...the first real day of preschool. It went well thank god, but it could have been better. I am already letting people get to me, and it's only the second day that she's been there and already I am feeling like I am just not doing it right.

I forgot to pack her blanket, so she was the only kid without one. (but I did notice that another kid had a blanket, but no sheet, so at least I wasn't the only one who forgot something).

I forgot to tell the teachers that she takes a binky at naptime, so it took them half an hour to give it to her...I don't want to think about how she was crying while they were figuring it out...

I got caught peeking in the window trying to take a peek at her - and was chastised by the teacher...

Ahh...that's the big stuff...

Now for day two!

Surprise!

 

Did you know that Thomas' English Muffins used to be made with High Fructose Corn Syrup? I didn't! But apparently they've changed the recipe and they are now NOT made with High Fructose Corn Syrup. Who knew. Score one for reading labels...I just assumed that whole wheat muffins were healthy...you know what they say when you assume!

Maybe not good news...

Apparently Maya's Mom is closing down.

I can't figure out if this is a good thing - the members will need something to replace it - as apparently some of them are very upset and not planning on moving on to BabyCenter; or a bad thing - if it didn't work for them who am I to think that my site will work.

Yes, we have a totally different premise, but it is essentially the same demographic and well, having anything in the market that I'm focused on close down is scary. VERY SCARY...reassurance would be appreciated.

Hillary!

Go Hillary! The speech she gave last night was just great. Republican or Democrat I think that all women (and men) should be really proud of her! She almost made it to the Presidency (maybe in 8 years she'll try again) and she gave a great speech last night.

Check it out here and here and here

Good stuff...

Women's Equality Day

My mother-in-law sent this to me today so I thought I would put it out there. We've come a long way, and have a long way to go...sometimes it's good to be remembered that we're not quite there yet!

But hey - we only get 1 day - what's up with that?

Activities

 

Baby Girl #1 and I had a great time hanging out yesterday. I read about this activity over at Tutus and Turtles. I don't consider myself to be a creative person, so it's always nice when someone else lays out a cool activity like this.

I dyed the pasta on Friday and left it to sit overnight. It dried all day Saturday out in the sun (it didn't need all day, but we were busy, so it did). I pulled it out during our day together, yesterday, and baby girl had a great time. She played with the pasta for an hour! An hour of focused time for a not quite 2 year old - unfathomable! It was great. I sat with her and we sorted pasta, counted it, laid it out in straight lines, sat on it, saved some from the cat, etc...it was a good time.

I'll be sure to head back to Tutus and Turtles the next time I need an activity!

Maybe I'm Not Such a Bad Mom

I'll admit it - I was scared. Scared to have them both home alone at the same time. Yes, it's been almost 6 weeks, and I haven't been home alone with both girls for more than an hour or so.

But I was today. You see, my husband has this mistress - called hockey. He refs hockey from September through to May, and it takes him away from home for many many many hours...but you'll hear more about that another time. The point is that he was at hockey from 7am to 5pm today...

Last night I was anxious and scared. You see, Darling Daughter #1 has a tendency to grab and hit Baby Girl #2. I don't think she means anything by it - I think it is pretty normal stuff for an almost 2 year old who just had her life turned upside down when this new baby came to live in the room next to hers (well she doesn't quite live in that room yet, but you know what I mean). So, I'm not worried about her being a sociopath or anything like that - I understand that is normal, but the problem is that it is never ending. On Saturday - she grabbed her sister's face 5 times in a row - and by in a row I mean - she grabbed, we pulled her aside, sat with her explained why she couldn't grab and how it hurt, and went back to life. She went right back over to her sister and grabbed her again. Then did it 4 more times.

So, I was scared. Scared that while I was nursing Baby Girl #2, she would do something crazy. Scared that it would be a fight - her grabbing her her sister, me taking her aside, her sister crying and screaming, her crying...the scenario continues.

But it wasn't like that. It was actually really great to have them both home and together. We played, and walked, and hung out and it was good. #2, was doing good - had no problems, and #1 didn't try to grab her - not even once.

It was a good day - and it made me feel like maybe I'm not so bad at this parenting thing after all. Maybe...there's still tomorrow and the next 100 years to get through.

My Life

My life on maternity leave continued...:

* 1 pumping session
* Changed diaper
* Drove to husband's office to drop off the items he forgot today
* Dropped off books (only 1 day overdue) at the library
* Nursed baby girl
* Ate breakfast
* Talked with Nicole by phone
* Played with baby girl
* Nursed baby girl
* Cleaned out the food cabinet
* Nursed baby girl
* Changed diaper
* Fixed a problem with a company I was dealing with
* Reordered prescriptions
* Watched more t.v.
* Nursed baby girl
* Reviewed grocery circulars
* Read the news
* Blogged....

All in a day's work...and tonight - we're off to Boston Market for Friday night dinner!

Math - Not so Tough Anymore?

A new study reports to show that the gap between girls and boys as it relates to math capabilities...Check it out here

I only wish that this were the case years ago. I want to go back to my Junior year math teacher who told my aunt, "she just doesn't get math", and tell her to shove it...

Maybe now no one will say this to my girls!

Score!

I just found a great deal - Seventh Generation offers coupons on their website for their diapers! $2.00 off, that's a really good deal. To think - I've been buying them for over a year and a half now, and I could have been saving money!

Bad news - they don't work online and we order our diapers from Diapers.com...so that sucks, but I can make it to the store every once in a while if it's going to save me money!

Just go to their website and register and you can print them from there!

Trying the big G

When we had baby girl #1, we used cloth diapers on her for the first 6 months. I would have gone on longer, but my mother-in-law and day care lady (who combined account for 5 days of childcare for her) weren't well...I guess the word is enthusiastic...about the use of the cloth diapers. I didn't really see much of an increased time committment to using them, but then again it was all I really knew...

Anyway - we would have done it again with baby girl #2, but we decided that since our child care arrangements hadn't changed it would be prudent to choose another option. So, we are going the route of a mix of disposable diapers and hybrid diapers.

You may be asking - what are hybrid diapers...well, they are a cloth diaper outside with a disposable inside - meaning you reuse the outside and throw away the insides. The great thing is that the insides are biodegradable, so you aren't throwing anything out into the environment that will last for the next 100 years or so, or pollute the environment. We'll probably make use of Seventh Generation diapers for her while she is in the care of my MIL or our day care lady, just because that is what they want, and they are great so, we like to make them happy!

Anyway - back to the G diapers...they aren't cheap - $0.41 a diaper where we buy them, compared to $.031 for the Seventh Generation disposables for her size, but I consider it an investment in the environment and in her future...

So far they've been easy to use - living up to their ability to be flushed in the toilet, and they come with really cute diaper covers - I just need to get a few more of them.

YEAH!!

Exciting news! We are so close to the Beta live at PARENTise.com and it's getting more exciting by the moment!

This past week, while I was virutally incommunicado, my partner did some major design work! I was so excited to see it - it was really exciting to see what has been in my head for so long come to fruition! I was giddy with excitement, I didn't expect to feel that way - but it is pretty darn AWESOME!!

Also, I was able to contact a few business owners I know about advertising, and they sent me their banner ads so that we could have them up for the Beta live - well, right now I only have one - but it looks great, and I hope to have the other real soon! Thank you to Angela from www.pbkisses.com and to Jen from www.elliebelliekids.com!

And I got a few of the content areas completed - which was time consuming and feels great to have accomplished!

Then today - I think I might have finally found a lawyer to help with our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy - which we need to go live! That would be a big weight lifted off of my shoulders!

So, all in all even with the lack of internet access, this week was pretty good for PARENTise - and we are so many steps closer to the real thing - I can feel it - and I am so ready!

Withdrawal!!

I am going through withdrawal - I am currently on vacation and the house that we are staying at does not have wireless (or any) internet connection! AHHH...the horrors!

No, seriously, this is hard for me. I was supposed to have some work for the website done this week, and now I can't do it because I have no internet connection to get to the stuff I need and to do the research I need, let alone to email it to my partner. Now we'll be a week behind getting the site up.

We stayed at this house last year, and we had wireless, this year we don't. You might be thinking - go to an internet cafe or a library...and sure that would work, except, I have a 3 week old baby and a 21 month old toddler who wouldn't do really well sitting still while Mommy works! I can't even imagine.

Anyway - I am on vacation - so I should enjoy it - the weather is beautiful, the beach is great, and baby girl is having a good old time! I could tell you some of the more sordid details, but that will have to wait until I get back...