Being Dad

We’ve been focusing on mom’s the past week but I don’t want you dads to feel left out.  Do you remember where you were when you found out you were going to be a dad?  What about that moment when your eyes met your baby’s for the first time?  Becoming a father is an exciting, somewhat overwhelming, life changing event.  And while a mother and father are going through this at the same time, the experience is different.  The emotions are different…the perspective is different…

What if you…dads…could get an inside look into this thing called fatherhood…from that first plus sign all the way to “It’s A boy/girl?” Moms…wouldn’t you like to know what your significant other is REALLY thinking?  Now you can with a parenting series by and for dads.  Being Dad, and it’s soon-to-be released sequel are parenting DVDs aimed at helping fathers understand pregnancy, birth, and parenthood.  Here is a little more information about both titles from the site:

Being Dad is a surprising, hilarious and unexpected insight on pregnancy to delivery from 40 dads who survived it.  In intriguing accounts by remarkably honest new fathers from all walks of life, all over the US, the common thread of relief these men feel, having recently survived the pregnancy and delivery process, is entertainingly revealed in the personal experiences they share.

Being Dad 2 follows the transformation in the lives of dozens of new dads from around the world as they share their experiences, missteps and advice on becoming a father. Surprising, funny, poignant and revealing, Being Dad 2 will help men everywhere better prepare for the joys and challenges every new father faces once the baby comes home.

My husband and I took some time on several nights to watch both DVD’s that we were sent to preview.  My husband thought the series was ” informative, humorous, and a great way to give guys perspective on becoming a father.”  We both laughed and I cried (particularly during the segment on premature births).  We found ourselves nodding and shaking our heads in agreement as we reminisced.

There was a time in my career where I taught childbirth education classes for  the hospital I worked at.  I remember how creative I needed to be to engage the fathers-to-be.  I think that segments of this series should be incorporated into childbirth education classes across the country.  Fathers are taking a more active role and I think the series does a good job of modeling this.  Both series are comprehensive and even talk about the most difficult subjects such as sex, miscarriage, premature birth, and postpartum depression.  These are difficult subjects, but they’re also real struggles that families face.  It is important to bring these topics out into the open for discussion.  The expert advice intermingled throughout Being Dad, makes this series more than just an entertaining venture.The series does a great job at identifying common fears and anxieties while providing the assurance and confidence dad’s need.  Much of life’s struggles and arguments can be traced to a break in communication.  Both partners are encouraged to talk about these issues as they arise.

Being Dad is availabe now on DVD.  The sequel, Being Dad 2 is scheduled to be release on May 5.  Both titles can be purchased online and retail for $29.99 each.

A Wisp of Fresh Breath…

So…you know you’re supposed to brush twice a day right?  If you’re really ambitious you might aim for after every meal.  I work in an industry where I am in constant contact with people.  I am very conscious of my own personal hygiene, especially my breath.  I carry gum or mints with me most days but the constant chewing is wreaking havoc on my jaw.  And chewing gum is really only masking the obvious right?  Ideally, I’d love to be able to brush after every meal to keep my teeth clean and my breath fresh.  There’s only one problem. I’m not always in a place with running water and I don’t carry my toothbrush with me everywhere I go.

Colgate just released the coolest product ever (on April 1 to be exact)…a mini toothbrush that you can carry with you to brush and freshen your breath without water or toothpaste.  Now why didn’t I think about that?  Colgate Wisp is a single-use, mini brush with a refreshing liquid-filled bead, available in three flavors (Peppermint, Spearmint, and Cinnamint).  They come in four and sixteen packs and each mini brush is individually wrapped.  You literally open up a brush, use it, and toss it.  The freshening bead releases flavor as your brush.   I actually like all three flavors, but the Cinnamint is my favorite (I just love the taste of Cinnamon).  None of the flavors are overwhelming and they do in fact leave your breath feeling fresh for several hours. I’ve been using them at work on breaks and after meals and am actually really surprised at how effective they are, considering how small they are.  The cleaning bristles remove plaque and food.  The end of the brush is a soft pick which helps you reach in between your teeth or anywhere else you have difficulty brushing.

I have a package in my purse ready for any time I need a little wisp of fresh breath.  I’m thinking about how PERFECT these are for plane rides and camping and Disneyland and..  You can find Colgate Wisp mini brushes at retailers nationwide.  A pack of four will cost you $2.39.  Download a coupon for $1.50 off of a sixteen pack from Drugstore.com. Colgate also has a coupon for 50 cents off on their site. 

Making Life Better

I don’t like to cook.  There….I said it!  I feel so much better now.  Thankfully, I have a husband who doesn’t mind working all day and then coming home to cook at night (provided I have do the dishes and grocery shopping). While my husband does a majority of the cooking, there are many times when I have to don the apron, whip up meal, and hope we live to see the next!  In all seriousness, I tend to stick to the basics…pasta, baked chicken, etc.  Sometimes the basics are just boring and I admit that I’d like to dabble in something with a little more flair!

So where does a busy working mom go to find healthy, creative, affordable meals for her family?  I have just discovered Making Life Better, a website that was created by Unilever to “help you feel good, look good and get more out of life.”  One of the categories you’ll find on the site is a food and recipes section.  Here is where you’ll find thousands of family-friendly recipes and affordable meal ideas.  You can search for recipes by name or use a more general search for meal types, holidays/themes, ingredients, or cooking style.  Once you hit the search button, the site will pull up a number of recipes that fit your search category.  The page you come to shows you the names of recipes and the prep/cook time.  I like this because I can scan the list of recipes by prep/cook time without even opening up a particular recipe.  This is great if I’m looking for something quick and simple to make for my husband and my son.  Each recipe also includes pictures and ratings which is helpful for determining how “good” a recipe is!  I did a general search for breakfast recipes (since that is my favorite meal of the day) and found a Chocolate Chip Scone Recipe that sounds divine!  And this Broiled Halibut With Warm Lemon Shallot Sauce only takes 5 minutes to prepare and twelve minutes to cook.  The only thing I’d love to see is the nutritional information on each recipe (right now some do and some don’t).

Easter is rapidly approaching so you definitely want to be sure to check out their brunch recipes.  Be sure to check tomorrow’s paper for a coupon that will get you $20.00 back on your ham/turkey purchase when you buy $40.00 worth of Unilever products in April.

The Women

I have an awesome husband.  He takes such good care of my son and I, he works really hard to provide for us, he makes me laugh, and holds me when I’m sad.  He’s loving and giving, respectful and honest, supportive and encouraging…. Regardless of whether we’re out running errands or spending time with our son, I truly enjoy his company. But there are some things that men just don’t quite understand about us women.  Like when I cry at commercials, stress about my leftover baby weight, or feel the need to call him 20 times a day to say hi and give him a running tally of what I’ve done all day.  These are the moments when I look to my female friends for support, advice, and a listening ear.

When Dove first launched it’s Campaign for Real Beauty in 2004, it initiated global discussion about the true meaning of beauty.  The campaign seeks to redefine the meaning of beauty, broadening it to include women whom society would not conventionally stereotype as “beautiful.”  How freeing it is to see real women, of all shapes, sizes, and colors, in Dove ads on TV and in print.

Out of this campaign emerges a film for women, about women, directed by a woman, starring a cast comprised entirely of women.  The Women is a remake of the 1939 classic film of the same name and stars Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett Smith, Cloris Leachman, Bette Midler, and Candice Bergen.  The movie is clever, sassy, and moving.  It’s a story about relationships, weaving in themes like body image, self-esteem, female empowerment, acceptance, and true beauty.  It’s about love and mistakes, forgiveness and second chances.  I laughed and cried and walked away with a broader definition of beauty.  It made me think about how our society dictates the definition of beauty and inspired me to work just as hard on my inner beauty as I do on my outer beauty.

So what is true beauty?  Discuss amongst yourselves!

And don’t forget to grab a girl friend and go see The Women.  You can watch a preview here:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3TCy9EqpBA&hl=en&fs=1]

I also highly recommend watching Dove’s exclusive mini documentary, The Women Behind The Women, created “to encourage women to challenge today’s beauty stereotypes, celebrate opportunities for women to empower one another and explore the diverse definitions of beauty, through interviews with some of the cast and crew of The Women.”  You’ll find it on Dove’s website here.

Profuse thanks to Dove and the Family Review Network for the opportunity to review The Women.

Win It!  Dove is giving away 100 tickets to The Women every day through September 19, 2008.   Head on over for your chance to win!

Going Bananas With The Banana Splits!

I have to admit that up until a week ago, I had never heard of The Banana Splits, a costumed rock band popular in the ’60s.  They are well known for combining kid-style comedy and contemporary music.  Band members Fleegle the dog, Drooper the lion, Bingo the gorilla, and Snorky the elephant hang out in their Banana Pad dabbling in their music and telling jokes.  

For those of you who missed The Banana Splits, they’re returning this fall.  Starting September 2nd, you and your children can watch The Banana Splits in comedy shorts and music videos on The Cartoon Network, Monday through Friday between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm.  They’ve just launched a new website (it’s still in beta) geared towards children ages 4-7.  Sit down with your kids and groove to the upbeat tunes and fun music videos, watch comedy shorts from the show, play games, and send your child’s favorite band member an email.  Children can even join The Banana Splits Club.  

Here is a sneak peak at a past clip…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtD4mn9CeH4&hl=en&fs=1]