Blog Posts by MomFinds

It's that time of year when moms like me are frantically buying any and everything their kid might need for the new school year. I've already splurged on more fall clothes than my daughter actually needs, but I am proud to say I do have my limits. There are things I just hands-down refuse to by my daughter. From booty-licious jeans to beauty products, here are 10 products you should consider boycotting, too:

1. Apple Bottoms jeans. Or Apple Bottoms anything for that matter. I've written about this before and I stand by it. As long as I'm paying for my daughter's clothes, she will never--ever--wear Apple Bottoms jeans. If you ask me, there is no reason for a toddler or little girl to be walking around with bedazzled apples on her behind.

2. Triangle bikinis. This is also something I've complained about before. If we're honest, the point of a triangle bikini is to be a little sexy. And if you're an adult, it's fine to choose to wear something that's sexy. But my

I wouldn't say I was a particularly bad or rebellious teenager, but I definitely had my moments. I never went so far as to actually tell my parents I hated them, but there were times I thought it.

Now that I'm a parent, nothing scares me more than the day my daughter has those same thoughts. Okay, actually this does scare me more, but after that I'm terrified for my daughter to become a teenager.

Right now, I have an awesome relationship with my 3-year-old daughter. She loves me unconditionally, always wants to be where I am and listens to my every barking order. But I know those days are numbered. I know one day the tables will turn and she'll be annoyed by everything I do, everything I say and simply being in the same room as me will be pure torture. Even though I'm probably still about 10 years away from that stage, the thought of it makes me so sad.

What about you? Do you ever lament the days when your sweet little child will grow into a teenager who isn't so

If there's one thing I wish I had known before my son started Kindergarten, it would be to wait until I met his teacher before cleaning out the Back-to-School section in every store I stepped into. See, like most people, I hit the stores early and stocked up on all the things I thought would be on that Kindergarten school supply list. I bought pencils, crayons, a pencil box, you name it, and of course a cute little backpack for my son to tote all his new school supplies.

Well, the first day of school came, and the teacher explained to the parents that she didn't want the kids to bring backpacks. Excuse me? Yep, instead she would supply each kid with a clear, reusable envelope because the backpacks just took up too much space in the classroom and the envelopes were simpler to use.

And it wasn't just the backpack. Pencil cases were to stay at home, and she wanted the kids to use a specific kind of crayon, Crayola Twistables to be exact. And the glue? Well, she preferred

Did any of you catch the segment on The Today Show this morning where they revealed those shocking mom secrets? As it turns out, more moms would rather have a night of uninterrupted sleep than amazing sex. That's sort of surprising. The real shocker, though? Almost 45% of moms would rather be thinner than have their children be smarter. Yikes!

Obviously, I'm on the other side of this one. Last week I was freaking out that my daughter might not be smart, so for me that question is easy. IQ points any day. But why the heck are so many moms more concerned about their own waistlines?

One theory is that the moms polled feel like their kids are already smart enough, so they'd gladly take the weight loss. Smart enough? What does that even mean? If given the chance to make your child smarter, who wouldn't do it? Does that mean these same moms would skimp on sending their child to the best school if it meant they had more money for a gym membership and a trainer?

If so, what

Maybe that's just how Ali Landry smiles, but it looks to me like she's thinking, "I wish this woman would get her hands off my stomach."

And you know what? If that is what she's thinking, I can't say that I blame her. Although the intent is generally nothing negative, you have to admit: it is weird to just have people rubbing all over your pregnant belly.

I've heard tons of expectant moms complain about this. One of my old bosses put it best: "It's not okay to go around groping a woman's breasts if they look particularly large one day, so why do people feel it's okay with a pregnant stomach?" Good question, right? In any other circumstances, it would be beyond invasive to rub all over someone's stomach. So why is it all hands on deck when there's a baby in there?

As much as it weirded me out when I was pregnant, I have to admit I've given a few of my pregnant friends the rub down. Of course, I always ask first, but there is just something so amazing about a woman

I'm not a doctor or a lactation consultant, but after nursing two kids past the age of two, I like to consider myself a bit of an expert when it comes to breastfeeding. And while it hasn't always been easy, it's been one of my proudest achievements as a mom and worth every second. So if you're pregnant and planning on doing the same with your baby, here are 10 breastfeeding tips that every mom should know. Pass it on! And if I missed something, please add the tip here.

Be Prepared: One of the keys to a successful breastfeeding relationship is preparation. Read up on it in your pregnancy books and on your favorite websites, and if you can, see a lactation consultant before baby arrives to ask specific questions about breastfeeding that your books don't answer.

Breastfeed Early and Often: Make sure to tell your OB and nurses that you plan to breastfeed. They should provide you with some breastfeeding supplies and help you get started within one hour after delivery. And as tired as

There is a Naturino store right around the corner from my house, so I pass these sparkly pink shoes every day. And every day my daughter asks, "Mommy can I get those?"

I will admit-they are cute. Who could resist something pink and sparkly. The reason I won't break down and buy them? They're $56!

I had a nice little staycation last week, but coming back to work yesterday was brutal. Okay, it wasn't really that bad, but every time I go back to work after a vacation I am immediately reminded of how sad I was after my maternity leave. Actually, I was miserable. On top of the fact that I hadn't lost all of my baby weight, I missed my baby girl terribly.

Three years later, I still feel pangs of sadness every day when I have to leave my little girl to go to work. Earlier this year I confessed that I often bring her gifts because I still feel guilty about leaving her. The guilt, it turns out, is actually pretty common. As are a lot of the other things I go through as a working mom. So in an effort to band together with all my other working mamas out there, here are a few things I feel/go through on a regular basis as a mother who works away from home.

1. It gets easier. But not much. Going back to work after maternity leave is definitely the hardest, but you'll probably still feel sad for many years to come. Mondays are especially hard, and the first day back after a vacation or a long weekend is also particularly brutal.

2. Be prepared with bribes. I know the parenting books and pediatricians will probably wave a finger at me here, but there will definitely be days your kid just doesn't want you to leave. And on those days, promising ice cream or a new toy will be your only way out.

3. The jealousy is normal. There will be days when you envy SAHMs because they seem to have it all. They get to spend every waking hour with their children, after all. But their lives are equally as challenging, just in different ways.