Second Annual Parenting Party

The second annual Happy Healthy Hip Parenting Party is taking place on Thursday, May 21st at The Airport Lounge! Save the date, book your babysitter and get ready for an amazing time. If you weren't at last year's party, read about it here and check out the photos!

Join parents and parent educators for the 2nd Annual Happy Healthy Hip Parenting Happy Hour! Sponsors will once again provide amazing prizes that will be given away throughout the night!

Parents will be able to unwind and meet other like-minded individuals while being pampered by local parent educators who will ensure that everyone feels supported as they go home and continue their greatest role ever, as Mom or Dad!

Come out and enjoy the special Happy Healthy Hip Parenting Happy Hour drink menu and half-price appetizers, not to mention some pretty amazing music!

Tickets are ON SALE now!

If you would like information about sponsorship and advertising opportunities, please contact me for details.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

For those of us who have lost a child, having something to remember him or her by is the key to moving on. I came across a website devoted to bereavement photography for infants and stillborn babies which I think is a lovely testament to the ways in which our loved ones live on in our hearts and memories.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep is a non-profit organization providing resources and volunteer photographers to provide lasting images for parents who have experienced the loss of a child. For families overcome by grief and pain, the idea of photographing their baby may not immediately occur to them. Offering gentle and beautiful photography services in a compassionate and sensitive manner is the heart of this organization. The soft, gentle heirloom photographs of these beautiful babies are an important part of the healing process. They allow families to honor and cherish their babies, and share the spirits of their lives.

With her two daughters looking on,
Jennifer Clark holds her son Connor soon after he was born.
He died the same day. (Photo by Miyo Strong)

Each year nearly 3.3 million babies are stillborn, and more than 4 million others die within 28 days of coming into the world. [World Health Organization] With advanced medical technology, it is a parents expectation that those born unto us will out live us. When a baby dies, it is outside the natural order of life and families are left devastated and forever changed.

Every living being instinctually knows how to grieve. It is learning how to heal, that some need help with. Offering gentle and beautiful photography services in a compassionate and sensitive manner is the heart of the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation.

Remembrance Photography is a very important step in this healing process. Photographs are one of the most precious and tangible mementos that a parent can have, showing the love and bond that was given and shared with their baby. These portraits will last for generations, and will honor and remember a tiny life that is forever loved and cherished.

When I experienced a miscarriage - just about ten years ago - I knew that in order to heal, I needed something physical to hold onto, something to allow me to never forget. My tattoo is something that I see on a daily basis, when I look in the mirror or when I'm in the shower. It's there with me, everwhere I go, just as my unborn daughter is and I welcome questions from people wondering about the meaning behind my body art.

I am smiling now, thinking of my first pregnancy and how confident I was, thinking that I was prepared to be a mother at the age of 22. Little did I know that the world had something else in mind for me. Things fell into place as they were meant to and I am now a mother of an amazing little boy who energizes me, inspires me and fills me with pride.

Knowing that organizations such as Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep exist puts me in awe of the many people who have made it happen. Although I know the pain and suffering the loss of a child brings, I hope that sharing this resource will provide someone with a way to move forward without the fear of forgetting about the past.

Cruel and Unusual

Diane Hoffman tagged in a meme last month which I didn't come across until a few days ago. I felt bad that I didn't know about it when it was first posted, so I did what any good blogger would do - I followed the instructions immediately and took a photo of myself right then and there- regardless of the fact that I hadn't showered that day and was looking - and feeling - rather BLAH.

Warning: Photo is coming soon!

Diane is the blogger over at The Mommy Diaries who was tagged with this rather unusual game of GOTCHA! by Sassy Irish Lassie, who was tagged by Girl in the Glasses who was tagged by...I am determined to find out who started this madness!

OK - Before I share the startling photo with you, here are the rules:

1) Take a picture of yourself right NOW!

2) DON'T change your clothes, DON'T fix your hair... Just take a picture.

3) Post that picture with NO editing.

4) Post these instruction with your picture.

5)Tag 10 people to do this..

And, what you've all been waiting for (shield your little ones from the screen):


And yes, I'm tagging these 10 *lucky* bloggers whom I will harass daily until they participate:

1. The Bloggess
2. Motherlode
3. Mommas Tantrum
4. Busy Mom
5. Mom 101
   
6. Suburban Turmoil
7. My Tiny Kingdom
8. Mitch McDad
9. Sheena "Mommyblogger" Williams
10. Thursday Drive
    

Please don't hate me because I'm beautiful!

Online Dating Profile Pics: What NOT to Wear

Alright, I realize that this is going to come off as me being petty and will most likely offend some of you, especially those who have a profile online, but I have to share.

This isn't about me making fun of anyone in particular (alright, it is), but after ignoring my eHarmony profile for over a week, I finally went over there to check out my latest matches and guess what?

There were over 210 matches waiting for me...and not one single profile caught my attention, except for the fact that I suddenly started talking to the people (by name) in the photos and actually taking notes (yes, taking notes).

Here is what I have learned from the profile pictures that came up on my screen and here's what I would suggest to everyone (male or female) who plans on putting their pictures online (or who has done so already).

Don't upload a mirror shot: You know what they look like. You can actually SEE the camera and sometimes a flash...Get someone to take your photo. Anyone. A neighbor, your mom, the guy at the pharmacy who thinks he's taking your passport photo. Better yet, go in one of those photo booths that gives you four chances to get it right.


Don't include a picture from last Halloween: A potential date is not interested in how you look in disguise. She or he wants to see what YOU look like. On a normal day.

Don't include pictures from the bar: You know the one. You have a beer in your hand and you look laid-back and appear to be someone who knows how to have a good time. What this says to people is, "I like taking photos when I'm under the influence. Wait 'til you see what I look like when I'm WASTED!" Not a good message to be sending...

Please, please, please don't include your children (or anyone else's) in your main profile pic: I have a child and I love kids, but the first impression you give when you include children in your main photo is "I'm looking for a new Mom (or Dad) for these adorable kids." Usually, the kids are the first thing people see, not you.


Please put a shirt on: I really can't comprehend why people include photos where they're not wearing a shirt. Usually, when that happens, it's not flattering. No one wants to see you with your shirt off unless you're at the beach, and you're a Chippendale dancer.

Please remove your hat - and your sunglasses: Again, please refer to #2. A potential partner wants to see what you look like - eyes, hair - or whether you have any underneath the cap.


Don't upload a work photo: I can't even tell you how many doctors I've seen in their scrubs, firefighters I've seen with fires blazing in the background and military men in their uniforms. This all leads back to wanting to see what a potential date looks like outside the office (or place of employment).


Please include a photo where you actually look happy to be alive: I've seen way too many photos of people who can't seem to crack a smile. Pretend you like yourself. Then maybe other people will.

Don't include photos that look like they're 'still shots' from your sex tapes: You know the one - the shirtless, awkward angle and expression on the person's face = CREEPY.

Please don't include major close ups: They're never attractive and typically look like the WANTED posters from the nightly news.


If you're in the military, don't upload photos of you in your camo: You look like every other guy in camo...potential partners want to see what YOU look like, not what you look like when you're ready to head into battle...Unless you approach dating defensively, then I suppose it's OK.

Please do not post photos of yourself EATING (Yes, I did come across this one): Photos of you with your mouth full. Not going to earn any points with the women I know (let's face it, women would NEVER post a photo of themselves eating).

College students / military men - Please don't include your photos that showcase the nudey pictures on the wall behind you: The women who view these photos will not see you, but the pics behind you. And that's probably not going to get you a date. But, then again, you never know.

Please don't include photos of you and your friends: Petty, I realize, but if I see a photo with a bunch of guys, I'm checking out the hottest one of the group, and chances are, it's not the one who's looking for a date.

Don't include photos where you're in full scuba gear: So you like to go diving. Great. Why do I want to see a photo of you underwater, with a full wet suit on and a mask covering your ENTIRE face? I want to see what you look like. This photo only tells me what you like to DO.

Last, but certainly not least, please don't submit your profile to an online dating site WITHOUT a picture. I realize that the above "suggestions" might cause someone to want to pursue the online dating thing with just their personality to get them by. It WON'T happen. We all want to SEE what we're getting into and - as long as the above suggestions are applied - you may have some dating success (of course there are no guarantees).

Good luck. And if you see my profile on line, don't worry. The photos of me wearing a hat and glasses, alongside my son and in our Halloween costumes will be removed soon. I pinkie swear.

Tattooed Moms

I got my first tattoo when I was in high school. My best friend pulled out some Indian ink and a safety pin to permanently mark me up as I lay on the bathroom floor at her mother's house. It's hidden below my bikini line so not many people get a chance to see it.

Years - and several more tattoos - later, she's still my best friend (she's getting married in a few weeks) but the tattoo I'm most proud of is the one that lies on my chest. LaSara Firefox has a tattoo on hers as well and when I mentioned this coincidence, she asked about mine.

LaSara's tattoo

People comment or ask me about this particular tattoo all the time (when it's not covered up by clothing) and I enjoy sharing the story behind it.

Permanent reminders are often painful and this one is no exception. While the process of getting the tattoo was not painful, it does bring up a past experience that was and has brought me to the place I am today.

I found out that I was pregnant (unexpectedly) during my Senior year of college. I was dating a guy one year younger than me and I was working part-time and attending school full-time to try and finish my college career in exactly four years.

While the news of my pregnancy was not something that I was truly ready to embrace, I decided, after several sleepless nights and many emotionally-charged debates with my then-boyfriend, to keep the baby. As pro-choice as I am and have always been, not having the baby was never the choice for me.

I grew fond of the idea of being a mother very quickly, almost instantly. In a matter of weeks, I was a proud, pregnant woman who was ready to graduate from college and embark on the amazing journey of motherhood. My boyfriend would be joining me on the adventure.

Family, friends, classmates, and professors were made aware of the pregnancy and of my plans to get my degree and raise my child with the father. I was ecstatic and ready and yet so unprepared for what was to come.

I experienced a miscarriage in the third month which is not unusual at all. Everyone knows that the first twelve weeks are the most critical and my announcement very early on in the pregnancy only led to greater heartache when it was time to share my loss with everyone who was still getting around to congratulate us.

Without realizing it at the time, that was the beginning of a great state of depression for me. I ended up running away - or at least trying to - by moving across the country to San Diego (after dropping out of school).

I started my life over in a new place where no one knew me or my story but I still longed for a way to keep the memory of this experience with me as a reminder of the change and evolution that pregnancy brought about within me.

My then-boyfriend and I had been creating a tattoo together in honor of our unborn child. With the design in hand, I marched into a tattoo parlor on the date she would've been due (October 18, 1999) and sat down to have the symbol permanently placed on my chest, the place where my hand always went whenever I talked about the pregnancy and miscarriage, or thought about my unborn child.

I think about how old she would be now. I think about what type of relationship I would have with her. I wonder if she knows how much she means to me.

She is very real to me and when I see other nine-year-old girls, I struggle to picture a face that I will never be able to see.

My life started over that day, the day I had the symbolic tattoo placed next to my heart. I began a new life then, a fresh start on the adventure that has led me here: I'm Mom to a nearly five-year-old boy. I have a wonderful career, great friends and enjoy single life in San Diego and I truly believe that everything happens for a reason.

I've always loved the quote that states, "That which does not kill us only makes us stronger," and I know that I am a much better parent for having grown and evolved from the person I was before that first pregnancy.

Living without regrets is my ultimate goal in this life. Every moment moves us forward on this great journey that has been mapped out for us.

My son and I, 2004

I am still friends with the father of my unborn child. We share pictures of our children and exchange stories and I know from the sparkle in his eye when he talks about his role as a father and husband, that our daughter was put in our life for a reason. She has taught us to let go, enabled us to evolve and inspire us to love without expecting anything in return.

And yes, when you see me talk about my tattoo, you will see that same sparkle in my eye and perhaps a tear or two that fall, not in mourning for a child who will never age, but for the hope that she will never be forgotten.

You're Invited!

These days, cell phones, MP3 players and even sneakers are stylish, personalized and technologically progressive. So why are online invitations so stubbornly stuck in the past? This simple realization was the genesis behind pingg. pingg begins where others leave off seamlessly fusing style, design and customization with robust delivery and management features.

• Create an actual invitation, as opposed to a mere link to a webpage, by choosing from a variety of unique images that reflect your own personal taste, including our Designer Series. Or you can upload your own images for a more personal touch.


• Choose to send invitations via ONE or ALL of pingg’s methods- email, print (pingg will print, stamp and mail the invitations to your selected guests), sms/text, or easily share it with your social network. By integrating online and print invitations, pingg makes it easy to reach your guests in a variety of ways, while managing all guest replies online.

• Customize your event webpage by uploading photos or videos, writing longer personalized messages and attaching additional information about the event. pingg also has advanced features for gift & charity registries, money collection and ticketing.


• Manage all RSVPs, lists, guest messaging, follow-ups, reminders, last minute changes and Thank You notes efficiently and easily from one place.

Coming to a Nursery Near You

It's Monday and it's Giveaway time! Snapfish is a great on line site that provides prints of your digital photos with a user-friendly website and the convenience of ordering the images day or night.

Coming to a Nursery Near You is hosting a giveaway and you can enter to win a pre-paid print card - good for 50 digital camera prints! Plus, if you’re a first time Snapfish user, you get an addition 20 prints!

Head on over and enter to win!

Summer Photo Contest

Java Mama has announced their 2008 Summer Photography Contest:

We know many of you have been anxiously awaiting our next photo contest and we are happy to say we finally sorted out the details:

Theme: "Memories of Summer"
Format: Color only
Size: Prints must be 8x10 or larger (11x14 or larger prints preferred); mounted on a 16x20 black or white board
Deadline: July 21st
Entry Fee: $8 per entry
Prizes: $75 for first place in professional photographer category; $75 for first place in amateur photographer category
Turn in: Entries at Java Mama

Please include the following information taped to the back of each photo:

• Name of Photographer
• Professional or Amateur Category
• Title of Photo
• Phone Number
• Email Address
• Asking price, if any
• Photography business website/contact information to be displayed next to the photo
  

Parenting Party Sponsor - SUMMERSKY

SUMMERSKY “dares to be different”; you can see that not only from the designs but also through their models.

Together with the Down Syndrome Foundation, they have photographed models with Down Syndrome to model their collections; a group which is sadly seldom or never shown in fashion photography.

Why not? We couldn’t tell you, because look at their beauties. These children represent all children with a disability, handicap or anyone who feels, or has ever felt, "different".

Donations and Support

Of every sold item Summersky donates: in the USA, $1.50 to the "Oprah Winfrey's Angel Network" and in the Netherlands, 1 Euro to "stichting down syndrome".

Corporate Greenery

Yes, I realized I stole the idea from the first collage that inspired me, but I think it's safe to say that I took the Go Green fad seriously...

New Addiction

I have found the website of my dreams. A cool way to create a colorful collage of material things. How creative and fun - and addicting - is this?

I can't wait to share more...

First Kiss

It's your first kiss and several questions might come to mind:

Is it the right time?


Is anyone watching?


Does your partner even want to?


Is your breath fresh?


And... Should you use some tongue?


Then you lean in and just go for it!

Videos of my Little Guy

Photobucket Album

Stuffed

One of my favorite Kane/Miller books is Dougal the Garbage Dump Bear by Matt Dray of Australia. It's a photographic collection of stuffed animals and a tale of what happens to them when they get tossed in the dump. Not that you or I would actually throw these plush, stuffed or slightly-worn toys in the garbage, since there are several places that accept these gently-used and much-loved buddies to pass along to others who could use them.

The Salvation Army
Project Night Night
Stuffed Animals for Emergencies (SAFE)

These organizations were listed in the November issue of Wondertime magazine, a wonderful resource for parents.

San Diego Shopping

Finally, I've compiled a list of just a few of the trendy boutiques found in San Diego:

For Kids

Gracie Kids










Leaping Lotus




Because Diamonds (and Silver) Are Forever







LUZ


Photography

Just Hatched


For Hip Moms and Dads









Neighbourhood Boutique
(Tell Christine you read about her here!)



Viejas Casino & Outlet Center

Happy Shopping!

Trendy Tots

Are you a photographer? Do you have a baby between 3-12 months who you've been told should be a model? Trendy Tadpole needs you!

If you're looking for ways to get your infant or toddler started in a career of modeling, or if you've been searching for a way to get your name out there for your photography business, contact the people over at Trendy Tadpole today!

In exchange for some amazing photographs of your little ones in the hip clothing that Trendy Tadpole offers, they're willing to let you keep the clothes - FREE clothes - what could be better than that for us hip, trendy folks who are constantly getting compliments on your little ones' wardrobe?

Make sure to let them know that you heard about Trendy Tadpole from us here at Happy Healthy Hip Parenting. Exchange links are available through their website as well to help promote your business.