Coast 2 Coast Mom

Hitting the Refresh Button

The past two weeks have been a welcome reprieve from my online social life as I focused exclusively on our family life and our plans and goals for 2012. Although I did get twinges of guilt that I was neglecting my social media friends and this site, it was refreshing to be present with whomever I was with and whatever I was doing all day long without checking my email, Twitter or Facebook every chance I got. I even managed to shut off my laptop (which BTW is brand spanking new and I can't wait to share with you later this week!)

Of course, our offline time hasn't been all relaxation as we work so much that we've been using this time to catch up on the tasks and projects around the home that needed tending to. As we put our holiday decorations away and look out at 2012, there's quite a bit of excitement on the horizon for us. As 2011 came to a close, there were several pieces of my life that have fallen into place that make planning and visibility for 2012 more manageable.

Over the fall, I joined Techlicious on a full-time basis, making it the sole place I'm contributing other than here on Coast to Coast Mom. This is freeing from the standpoint that I'm not running in a dozen different directions and can more fully think things through from the Techlicious perspective. Exciting things will be coming on this front soon.

There's so much to be excited about this month: the Consumer Electronics Show next week in Vegas, weathering our first real snow storm of the year (no, the freak Halloween snow storm doesn't count), a return to a family and school schedule, and the refreshing gleam of a new start with 2012. (Even numbered years just feel better to me.)

Happy New Year!

Here's to a positively memorable 2012!

A New Look for Coast to Coast Mom

So? What d'ya think? This (with a few more tweaks to come this week) completes the first phase of some exciting changes coming to Coast to Coast Mom this year. A new logo, feminine fonts, fresh colors...it feels wonderful to have a new face for this site, and I'm excited to share it with the world today!

This new site design came about through my recent personal style revival, and - how else - two key social media contacts. The first, Nicole from MomTrends, inspired me to finally take action with some of her recent fabulous and trendy monthly events for bloggers in NYC. Simultaneously, I met Shari online from SpearmintBaby (and SpearmintWedding, SpearmintDecor and SpearmintKitchen too), and found out that she was updating her logos and page designs. She raved about how she enjoyed working with her designer, Jo Klima, so I looked up her site, The Darling Tree. My heart started beating faster as my pupils absorbed the lovely and clean designs in her portfolio. These were exactly the genre and style that I was looking for. Then I came across Jo's inspiring design blog, August Empress, too. I was a goner.

Nike Advertising: What Type of Consumer and Athlete is Nike Targeting These Days?

Oh, Nike. (Sigh.) In case you haven't been following the recent Nike advertising and marketing announcements, Ad Chickadee has a thoughtful synopsis on just why I'm sighing right now. Nike announced that they've re-signed Michael Vick to their athlete roster, and also started selling Nike shirts with phrases like "Dope," and "Get High," on them - which while controversial, seem the opposite of phrases that a healthy active athlete would be touting anyway.

There was a reason we stopped getting excited about your products, Nike...and it had nothing to do with your marketing. We didn't start buying Under Armour (among others) for their marketing. Their products were innovative and sexy, so we gave 'em a try. We liked how they made us look (how athletic and flattering!) and how they wicked as we ran (how comfortable!).

Happy 100th Birthday IBM! Preparing the Kiddo for the next 100 years...

Today the iconic technology company, IBM, celebrates its 100th birthday. As IBM begins its 101st year as a company, I'm in awe of just how it has survived the ups and downs of economies, world wars, innovation revolutions, product "misses" and leadership changes over the years. Even looking at the technological innovations since 2000, some of the businesses and industries have barely weathered the recent financial storms of the last 10 years, let alone 100.

In fact, it amazes me as I consider the last decade and my experience with the more recent technology revolutions, just how fragile so many technology companies really are. I remember how it could be nerve-wracking living in Silicon Valley as companies emerged from the Internet boom and bust and seeing the investment capital chase different technologies and industries. Watching the result of those investments cycle their way through technologies - as the number of Internet companies shrank, the infrastructure, chip, servers and storage industries took a hit; seeing biotech and social media sites emerge.

A Watched Hermit Crab Never Crawls

This post is inspired by the book The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey. I received a copy of the book to read as a member of the From Left to Write virtual book club.

A few weeks ago the Kiddo was able to put his desire to be an animal rescuer, and all of his patience to the test. We had the opportunity to pet sit our neighbor's pet: a hermit crab. I thought it'd be good practice to see how dedicated my son would be in case Santa acquiesces to his requests for a dog this year.

As soon the door closed behind our neighbor dropping off the crab, my son was pressed up against the dry aquarium. He watched and waited. He waited and watched. Five minutes passed and the hermit crab hadn't moved.10 minutes passed without movement. We turned off the lights and left the room.

Style Me, Mom's Fashion Files: I've Become a Techcessory!

This post is my entry into the fabulous Mom's Fashion File contest for an opportunity to win a personal style session during BlogHer 2011. Wish me luck! :-D

I can see it in the eyes of my long distance family and friends when we see them after long spells and know I look visibly worse for the wear. Carrying more weight than the last time they saw me? Yep. Looking a bit less stylish? Sigh. These past two years lamenting the transition from office professional to work from home mom have taken the toll on my inner soul to my outward appearance.

What hasn’t changed, though is my interest and involvement in the tech industry. Working from my home office across the country has isolated me from the fashionable friends I used to be so in tune with just a few short years ago. Unfortunately, I'm not near my trusted mom or sisters to tell me the honest truth – in the nicest possible way saying:

“Why don’t you coach our Girls on the Run Team with us?”

Conversations with the Kiddo

I've had a couple of conversations with my son recently that felt like out-of-body experiences as they were occurring. Never did I imagine that I'd have such thoughtful discussions with my five year old. . .

Kiddo: How come there aren't many Jedis in the plain Star Wars movies?

Me: Huh?

Kiddo: There aren't as many Jedis in the plain Star Wars.

Me: Well, a lot of the Jedis died in the Clone Wars.

Kiddo: Oh, yeah, like Padme at the end.

Me: Right, how she died after she had the babies. Like that. So there weren't as many left after all of that. Hey c2cDad, are you listening to this? Care to jump in?

c2cdad: No, I think you're holding your own.

The next day:

My husband was prepping to attend a golf outing and the Kiddo was asking him about each of his clubs. After c2cDad showed him and explained each one, the Kiddo said as innocent and earnest as you can imagine: So Dad, when you're older, like about to pass, and I'm a grown up, can I have your golf stuff?

A bit later, I asked them if I needed to take some lessons so the three of us could go golfing together. I offered to drive the cart, or be their own personal beverage cart girl. The Kiddo laughed. "Beverage cart girl - Ha ha ha! What's that?" I explained there were drinks available to people out in the middle of the course, and that his aunt actually was a beverage cart girl on weekends in the past. He rolled with the concept. "Yeah, selling ice cold water bottles and beer. Like Blue Moon and stuff." (I think c2cDad ordered a Blue Moon the last time we went to dinner, so that must have been fresh in the Kiddo's mind.)

 

The Perfect Baby Blanket

Blankets must rank high on the list of most popular baby gifts. I think we received 10 baby blankets - four handknit by family members or friends - when the Kiddo was born. Of course we treasure all of them and found a use for each. Some covered the floor during playdates, some became stroller blankets, others stayed in his baby room, or traveled with us in the car.

One blanket instantly became his baby blanket of choice. It was a gorgeous off-white Neiman Marcus cable knit baby blanket that we wrapped him in to attend nicer events when he was a newborn - he's even wrapped in it in his baptism photos. It then transitioned into a blanket we folded up under his head to help elevate him and prevent spit up while he slept in his crib. He took to it like a moth to a flame and has slept with it under his head like a pillow - laying atop of his pillow - ever since.

Some babies and tots have "lovies" or favorite stuffed animals that they can't sleep or travel without. For the Kiddo, he can't sleep without his white blanky under his head. He doesn't play with it, doesn't carry it around, he just sleeps on it, cleanly folded three times into a rectangle under his head.

White blanky has traveled more than 100,000 miles with us around the country, and looks about like you'd expect a blanket used everyday for the past five years would look. It's been caught in luggage and backpack zippers, has been slightly mangled in a dryer, but has maintained it's luxurious cables and soft touch. Not too thick, and not too thin, it's just right.

One night recently I was helping the Kiddo to bed and started hinting at him about storing the blanket away. (Although the thought reminds me of the talk Michael Keaton has with his son "Kenny" in Mr. Mom to convince him to give up his woobie.) Because it lays in his bed all day, is 95% in tact, and it hasn't caused any separation problems in the past, weaning him away from it was never much of a priority.

I was talking to the Kiddo about chores and habits he needed to establish for when he starts kindergarten this fall: like making his bed every morning before heading downstairs, brushing his teeth on his own each morning and night, picking out his clothes, taking the bathroom trash down on trash days, etc.

"Yeah, and we'll have to find a place to put white blanky when you start kindergarten, because you won't want white blanky on your bed when you have friends over after school."

"I think my pillow is a good place for white blanky," he said innocently and pure.

"Well...don't you think white blanky's . . . a liiittle bit . . ." I started.

"Perfect!" he finished grinning earnestly, and digging his head into the pillow - so blissfully ignorant about leaving his baby blanket behind.

It caught me off guard and I burst out laughing in surprise. Not the "babyish" I was leading him to say, but it works.

Yes, I think perhaps it is the perfect baby blanket, for our perfect li'l boy.

 

Signs Your Kid Is Going To Be Smarter Than You (Maybe)

There have been several moments recently that caused me to pause and honestly consider the possibility that my son is well on his way to becoming smarter than me. Which says a lot, because I'm smart . . . and my husband's smart. So while I'm finding it a bit hard to fathom, I'm seeing the signs and getting the distinct impression that our son is going to surpass us in intelligence - perhaps sooner rather than later.

I'm not talking about the sneaking around or lying to us type of thinking he's smarter than us...I'm talking about him understanding concepts and things beyond what my husband and I may be capable of comprehending or solving ourselves.

I should be thrilled, right? Or beaming with pride. I am, but those emotions are mixed with anxiety. I want him to lead an ordinary fun life and remain happy at his age and I don't want him to grow up faster than other kids. How can we mentor and parent him successfully if he'll be a step - or two - ahead of us? Admittedly, the kiddo's five years old and beginning kindgergarten in the fall , so we have a long time before he'll surpass us (if he ends up doing so) academically.

Here's why I think our son's going to be smarter than us:

Ford's Driving Green Technology Blogger Kick-off at the Detroit Institute of Arts #fordgreen

I was in Detroit with Ford Motor Company earlier this week to attend press day at the North American International Auto Show, visit the Rouge plant and take a spin around the track at their product review center (I know, a dream, right? :-D). They hosted 100 green, technology, and automotive bloggers as part of Ford's Driving Green Technology initiative and put us up at the swank Motor City Casino Hotel, where I had an amazing view of downtown Detroit, Canada and the Ambassador Bridge. 

Once everyone arrived at the hotel Sunday night, they shuttled us over to the Detroit Institute of Arts for dinner. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself wowed by the museum from the moment I walked through the door. It was my first time visiting the beautiful facility, and I was ashamed to think that I had lived in metro Detroit for nearly a year before moving to Cali and never once visited. Here's the impressive entry-way and great hall: