Be safe and have a wonderful weekend!

Please read this excellent article titled, “Teachers Don’t Like Boys, Mom” if you have a son!

(Miley is now is the #127 spot!)

Below are the top baby names for boys and girls for 2008, as compiled by the Social Security Administration.

1. Emma/Jacob

2. Isabella/Michael

3. Emily/Ethan

4. Madison/Joshua

5. Ava/Daniel

6. Olivia/Alexander

7. Sophia/Anthony

8. Abigail/William

9. Elizabeth/Christopher

10. Chloe/Matthew

Emma’s surge to the top in 2008 ended Emily’s 12-year reign as the No. 1 baby name for girls.

Jacob held onto the boy’s crown for the 10th straight year.

Barack moved up a record 10,126 places to No. 2,409. Elvis slipped from 673 to 713.

In the midst of last year’s election, Isha Kallay of suburban Washington wanted to name her newborn son after the future president. But she feared that Barack would become too popular, especially if he won.

“That’s why I named my baby Obama because I wanted my baby to have a special name that other people don’t have,” Kallay said from her home in Lanham, Md.

Though Miley, as in popular teen singer Miley Cyrus, moved up 152 spots to No. 127, her stage name, Hannah — as in Hannah Montana — fell from No. 9 to No. 17.

Michelle continued a steady 20-year slide, falling from No. 94 to No. 103. But that could change now that Michelle Obama is first lady. The names of the Obama daughters, Sasha and Malia, were in the 300s.

The top five boys names remained unchanged from 2007. Jacob was followed by Michael, Ethan, Joshua and Daniel. Alexander joined the top 10 at No. 6 while Andrew dropped out.

New girl names in the national top 1,000 included Isla (623), Mareli (718), Milagros (731), Dayami (750) and Nylah (821).

Debuting among the boys were Aaden (343), Chace (655), Marley (764), Kash (779) and Kymani (836). Beckham debuted at 893, perhaps a nod to the British soccer star, David Beckham, who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Click here for the top ten baby names for 2007!

Ok…I feel a little ridiculous, but I kept the kids home from school today. They are outside picking flowers together instead right now. Our school had a vacation week last week and today would have been the first day back to school.

St. Francis Preparatory School In New York had its school vacation week the week after Easter and I worry that the pattern could repeat itself at our schools with many children and teachers returning from vacations. St. Francis Preparatory School is closed today and tomorrow.

Canada also has four confirmed cases of swine flu aquired by student travelers in Mexico and New Zealand said 10 students who took a school trip to Mexico probably had swine flu, and today it said three students in a second group just back from Mexico probably have it as well.

I may even keep them out for the whole week. This whole thing is so depressing and stressful!

Did you decide to keep your children home from school today?

I just couldn’t help but share this..I think it is a great find! I recently discovered Athleta and have been coveting their stuff for awhile and just ordered from them for the first time. This dress is super cute and comfy looking! It would be perfect for a swimsuit cover-up, errands, school drop-offs and pick-ups or just lounging around the house. I also like that it can be cinched around the waist for a more shapely fit. And it’s ON SALE! It is normally $69.00 but is now being offered on sale for $24.99. Anyway, it just looked like the perfect, versatile dress for every day!

You can find it here!

Dr. Laura Schlessinger just released her 16th book, “In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms,” in which she unapologetically urges mothers to remain at home instead of juggle a career and motherhood. Dr. Laura, 62, recently spoke to The Wall Street Journal about her new book.

WSJ: When did you get the idea to write about this topic?

Dr. Laura: Probably about 25 years ago. I’m very open about this issue because I’ve been on both sides of this choice. For a long time, I was a career woman and that was it. I didn’t want to have a baby. But I kept feeling as if something was not there. Then one day, I was watching PBS Nova, and a one-hour program they showed on the creation of a life. I just broke down. At that time, I was 35 and had already had my tubes tied. But in that moment, I realized what was missing: this womanly part of me. So I got married, struggled a bit to get pregnant and finally made it happen after a surgery. The feeling of your baby taking nourishment from your body for the first time is amazing, and it remains the most touching moment of my life. So that was the genesis of the book — my transition into motherhood.

WSJ: You’re very insistent that mothers should stay at home as full-time moms for the sake of the child. But given our current economic crisis, is that feasible for couples who may require two salaries to make ends meet?

Dr. Laura: Of course this is a huge concern right now with money issues being so tight. But what I have discerned is that people of modest means have been able to handle what’s going on far better than people who are used to having a lot of stuff; it’s the people who put their life’s worth into products, and not people, that are probably the most shell-shocked.

One thing I’ve been happy as peach pie about — because I’m all about the children and the happiness of a woman because that makes the happiness of the home — is that nannies, day cares and babysitters are all collapsing, which is forcing moms and dads to raise their children at home. I’ve gotten a huge surge of mail and calls from people who didn’t make the choice to be at home with their kids, but are just now realizing how wonderful and beautiful it can be. A home should be more than just a place to park yourself after a frenzied day of too much work. So even though there’s less cash, people seem to be happier.

WSJ: What do you tell women who are hesitant to leave their jobs?

Dr. Laura: You know how when you try to quit smoking you chew gum? You replace one thing with another because it distracts you. What I would tell these women is that they’re spending too much time thinking about what they have to give up, and feeling angry about not being valued. Look at me — I made the transition from being a powerhouse to being at home, folding laundry. What they need to do is find value elsewhere. I tell these women to look in their children’s eyes. When your husband comes home, wrap your body around him at the door and look at his eyes. What people need to learn is that it’s not about the drudgery of housework — it’s about being at home for all of those incredible moments that make your life more valuable than the person who replaced you at work. No one can replace mom. Kids who don’t have moms suffer a lifetime.

“I have been attacked incessantly for supposed hypocrisy concerning this issue of child care; I couldn’t possibly have done all the things required of my career without neglecting my son. Well, those critics are just plain wrong”
Read an excerpt from “In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms”

WSJ: What questions should working mothers ask themselves when deciding whether to quit their jobs and become stay-at-home mothers?

Dr. Laura: The nut questions should be: Do I feel fulfilled as a woman? Do I feel like my husband’s girlfriend? Do I feel like I have touched the soul of my kids? Those will help you decide.

WSJ: Where do stay-at-home dads fit into the picture?

Dr. Laura: I recommend that during the first three years, the mom should be at home because all of the research shows that the person whose body you come out of and whose breast you suck at, at that stage, really needs to be the mom — unless she’s incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial. After that, flip a coin.

WSJ: At what point do you advise mothers to go back to work?

Dr. Laura: The answer is never. One woman asked me the other day when I think mothers should be home, and I told her, “Whenever your kid is at home.” When [my son] Deryk started kindergarten, it was from 8 to 3. So I arranged to be on the air from 11 to 2. That was it. He always had a mom. Quite frankly, my mom was one of the least warm mommies out there. Nonetheless, when I came home from school, she was always there and it made me feel safe.

WSJ: What about the women who can’t choose their hours?

Dr. Laura: Well, everyone’s capable of it. For everything in life, you have to make a priority list. This must be done. If we truly believe in something and cherish it, we find a way to make it happen. Women go from making seven-figure salaries to staying at home, and things just start to be less important. I remember once our house burned down, and another time there was an earthquake in L.A. and I’ll tell you, this family [of mine] never had so much fun. My kid was still little so we played “Sorry” and card games and laughed and giggled and told stories — none of which costs money. Families across the nation are starting to discover that it’s the smallest things in life that make you smile. You don’t have to work 9 to 7. If your priority is to raise your child, it’s not just a matter of making sure they don’t get killed or have food to eat. The question is, “Do you want them to learn what’s moral and of value from your perspective?”

WSJ: Do you think it’s possible for a working mother to raise a smart, successful child?

Dr. Laura: I didn’t write this book about working moms. I wrote it in praise of stay-at-home moms. It’s a wonderful choice, but to be absolutely truthful, having been on both sides of this mentality, my heart hurts for what these women miss and what their children miss from them. No argument, no criticism. My heart just hurts — because when you get those pudgy arms around your neck, and being told you’re someone’s lullaby — the fact that a woman would miss that is so, so sad.

Source

What a funny invention! It is sort of cute I guess! It is called a Peekaru and it is a baby carrier cover. It retails for 79.95 plus shipping and tax.

Would you wear this over your Baby Bjorn?

The gorgeous Jools Oliver, who is expecting her third child with husband Jamie Oliver, has been busy decorating her nursery with some beautiful artwork.

One of Jools’s favorite purchases is a selection of prints from BelleandBoo.com. She described the enchanting prints as her “favourite find of the year!” The two illustrations that Jools bought were ‘Found’ and ‘Walk With Me.’

 
Belle and Boo’s illustrations are so charming and sweet. I love them! There isn’t enough stuff this innocent and adorable! Honestly, just check out their website! Bunnies, birds and everything wonderful!