Baby Gadget: Steam Sterilizer (for us moms who aren't in this century yet)

As moms in the new millenium we have so many products available to make our lives easier. Since the invention and common ownership of the dishwasher and microwave, companies have shaped their product lines around our needs even further. Dishwasher and microwave safe everything! So what's a mom to do when she doesn't have any of these technological advances in her house?

When we bought our house we knew there was no dishwasher. I was easily swayed by the 1920's charm of the place. The built-in shelves, crown molding, and designed glass windows swept me off my feet so I really could get over the fact that there was no dishwasher... until I had a baby. Bottles, nipples, breastpump parts, spoons, even the highchair tray are all dishwasher safe. Well that's really grand, but I don't have a dishwasher. Instead of reverting to the early 80's and boiling my baby's feeding supplies like my mom did, I registered for a bottle sterilizer. At under $50, this was sure to ease my fear of not getting everything clean enough.

To use the sterilizer simply fill the little metal "dish" on the bottom with tap water (we do actually have running water), place your bottles, nipples, rings, whatever onto the rack and press the button. That simple! The sterilizer works quietly and a beep lets you know when every thing's done. Be careful not to fill the water up too high. We learned this the hard way. We couldn't figure out why only the Playtex drop-in bottles were melting and coming out of the sterilizer in a deformed contorted version of what they were before we put them in there. They must have a lower melting point than the other bottles we used. Eventually they shrank down so much we had to toss them.

So for the Mad Moms out there that are still stuck in the dark ages before the glorious invention of the dishwasher, try out the Especially for Baby steam sterilizer at Babies R Us. This product is sure to ease your nervousness about all the microscopic germies on your bottles waiting to invade your baby.

Mad Mom - A College Graduate

Today, I finished college. It hasn't set in yet so that still seems like a dream statement. Off to the real world! Wait.. I'm already in the real world!!

As a twenty-something mother, my education is worth more than the tens of thousands of dollars in student loans. I am the first in my family to obtain a bachelor's degree. My son will be there when I walk across the stage (even though he's too young to retain that memory or even know what's going on). Not only am I getting my degree but I'm teaching my son the value of dedication and hard work.

Believe me, I know college isn't for everyone. It is an unfortunately harsh reality that in today's job market you need a degree to even be considered let alone competitive. Now that I'm finally done, I have something that will hopefully keep me with some sort of fragment of a chance at stable employment (but you never know anymore).

My college career lasted 7 long years. Through these 7 years I reflect and think about how much my life has changed. I orginally went to college right out of high school. Then two years later I decided to get a full time job and move out on my own. College became secondary to my new responsibilities. Years went by and suddenly I'm a wife, homeowner, then a mother... and still not done with school. My high school peers are out of college expoloring what the world holds for them. And there I was, still working at it.

Typically, college students go for their degree, it takes four years and they graduate at the ripe old age of 22. Some of them never even hold a full time job, pay rent, or have any form of major responsibility. I was looking at my intern today (yes, I have a staring problem) and thinking about how we're both graduating from college and what different worlds we live in. She is free from real responsibility and has the ability to put full focus on starting her career. I, on the other hand, have already started my career along with piling up a multitude of other responsibilities.

So, as a recent college graduate, am I on the same playing field as the younger twenty-somethings? I have experience, that's a plus. But does my mear three years of experience they don't have elevate me above the competition?

As a mom, wife, and home owner I have more at stake when it gets down to the nitty-gritty. Now that I've FINALLY finished college, I have a credential that I can carry with me for the rest of my career. With that said, I have my education to thank for the AWESOME job I have. I love going to work everyday.

Mad Mom, Class of 2009

Banana Bonkers

Now that school's out, here's another great mocktail to share with the kiddos!

INGREDIENTS
3 bananas
3 cups fresh grapefruit juice
2 cups lemon sherbet
1 cup crushed ice


DIRECTIONS
Puree bananas in a blender or food processor. In a gallon pitcher combine pureed bananas, grapefruit juice, lemon sherbet and crushed ice. Mix and enjoy!

**And for the Mad Mom adult version: Switch out a cup of the juice for a bit of rum. Captain Morgan will do the trick! The grapefruit juice adds a refreshing burst of citrus but the rum will add a refreshing burst of something else! ;)