Friday Favorites, April 17
And also, if you're in Austin, I'm helping to run the fourth annual Touch-a-Truck to benefit the Austin Children's Shelter in a few weeks, and it's looking like it's going to be HUGE. We have at least 20 trucks coming for kids to climb on and get inside, and we have almost $50K in sponsorships. Helping these kids is worth all of the work.
On to my favorite posts of the week:
Let's begin with some ridiculously adorable photos of babies dressed in awesome costumes.
Gloriously geeky newborns
And these photos of kids playing in Jamaica. Sunshine and beauty.
I could see how this tactic from Rachel Cox at BonBon Break could work for both spouses and kids.
Taya Dunn Johnson's story about parenting when it doesn't go according to plan is poignant and raw:
Peanut butter and jelly
Man, teaching your kids to stand up for themselves is hard. (Essay by Carter Gaddis at The Mid)
Pink is a rock star in more ways than one. I love the way she addresses her critics.
This post, Banks Staples Pecht's first published piece, is stunningly good. Her twins were a tiny, tiny one and a half pounds when they were born, and this is their survival story.
When others frustrate you, these tips from Leo Babauta are worth repeating.
This post from Wendy Wisner really resonated with me - mixing social media, friendship, and motherhood can result in conflicting feelings. She summed it up so well.
Kim Simon is one of my favorite writers, because she is honest and real and straight up. I appreciate what she is saying at The Mid about teaching her sons about sex.
My friend and Listen To Your Mother co-producer Leigh Ann Torres has a funny post at BonBon Break on passing the time while simultaneously attending an online defensive driving class and parenting three young kids.
Sarah Bunton had a high-risk pregnancy: she has Central Nervous System Lupus, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Type III Hypermobility, scoliosis and mitral valve prolapse. Her story at XOJane is harrowing but empowering.
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My big, big news this week is that I was chosen to be a BlogHer/SheKnows Voice of the Year for the second year in a row. This year's honored piece of writing is called The Four Letter Words I'm Teaching My Son, which debuted at Scary Mommy last year. I will be attending the BlogHer annual conference in NYC in July - let me know if you'll be there!
P.S. BIG thanks are owed to my Listen To Your Mother Austin sponsors: Con'Olio (I can't cook without their 18-year balsamic and delicious olive oils), Book People, AHD Video, Casey Chapman Ross Photography (she is so fantastically talented), Molly Austin realty, Free Fun in Austin, LiveMom, and Special Addition.
Love, Kristin