Chaton's World: A Working Mom's Quest for Balance in Stilettos©

Being a mom gives you a lens into personality formation. I have learned that the inclination to pass the buck starts early. I have also learned that my daughter is constantly listening to me. The other day my daughter reached into her bag and pulled out a rotten banana.  She exclaimed, "look what my father did!" The funny thing about her statement is it reflects what I say all of the time but it is a lie.

2013 has been a banner year filled with ups and downs. I could list all of the ups and downs here or you could read some of my old blog posts... Seriously, the biggest thing to mention is that my family and I were enormously blessed this year. We greeted the year together and we ended the year together. What is more important than that?! Here's a video of some of my highlights from 2013. There are photos of me, my family and friends. Check it out. You may find yourself in one of the photos. Enjoy!!!

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house were piles of –ish. I think I heard a mouse. The toddler was refusing to get in her bed. She is very strong willed and has thoughts in her head. With Dre in his boxers and me in my wrap Both praying the toddler will take a long winter’s nap The bras were hung on the door knobs with care with hopes that a housekeeper soon would be there. When upstairs in the crawl space there arose such a clatter. We sprang to our feet to see what was the matter. We got upstairs in a blink, in a flash There standing in her crib was the toddler with much sass That little girl was so lively and quick If she didn’t go to sleep she was going to meet St. Nick We were not surprised, every night was the same When in her bed too long she started calling us by name Now “Daddy!” Now “Mommy!” Now GG and JT! Somebody, anybody come and get me! We’re willing to try anything. So, a s

As you know, Andre surprises me in a myriad of ways. To name a few, he's away a decent amount doing home improvement projects for his parents, his brother and my brother. Soon, I may start calling him " Bob Vila "... In all candor, absence makes the laundry piles grow higher and my patience run thin.  However, you know this, because I have been known to whine about it on more than one occasion.

I've had a love for Summer for some time. I first publicly documented this love sometime ago in a blog post entitled, "The Summer is my New Boyfriend". (Below is a link to that post.) Now, I think it is more accurate to say that the Summer is my tried and true lover with whom I've having an intense affair.   Since I live in Pittsburgh , my time with Summer is fleeting. Also, as a mother who works full-time outside of the home, I am pulled in a lot of directions. Many of those directions involve attending meetings in conference rooms that have re-circulated air. So, I spend a great deal of time indoors staring at the sun but unable to feel the heat.    I savor my summer experiences.   For these reasons, I savor every moment that I get to spend enjoying the summer. I try to run along the river on most mornings. Feeling the sun shine on me and the intensity of the sun reflecting off of the water energizes me.

It’s a beautiful Sunday in Pittsburgh !   Why is it beautiful? I just looked outside and it’s one of the first days in a while that it hasn’t been snowing. Although Pittsburgh does not have perfect weather, we were spared Blizzard 2013.   I think that we owe it to ourselves to take advantage of that! As you may know, I am a huge fan of the National Aviary . It’s one of Pittsburgh’s treasures.   Inside it is a tropical oasis filled with beautiful plants, flowers and of course, lots of birds. A trip to the National Aviary is the next best thing to taking a Spring Break .

If you have ever traveled with a toddler you know that the key to success is ensuring that they are properly entertained. You also know that you need to have several entertainment options because they have the attention span of nats.   I try to bring things that will entertain my daughter and not annoy us or other travelers. Items that are high on my list involve her favorite things. One thing that she loves is “ Dora the Explorer ”. It is absolutely amazing to me that she is such a Dora fan. Indeed whenever the television is on she requests demands that we play a Dora show. She says, “Dora! Dora!” She’s a great kid, but a little short on patience…

  As you know, I have a toddler and  we travel . Indeed, my daughter is well traveled for a two year old. I think that she has four airplane trips under her belt. Even though we've traveled often, each trip has had its own challenges.   On our first trip we were harassed by the TSA agents. The biggest challenge was our baby 's first trip.   That trip included me getting into a fight with a TSA agent because she thought my breast milk was an explosive. My daughter was only 9 months old at the time. The TSA at the Charlotte Douglas airport was completely ignorant about the TSA rules for transporting breast milk. We went through security only to learn that they were concerned about my breast milk.   In the interest of time, Andre and the toddler proceeded to the gate.   We were actually running late because my sister had joined us on our trip and when we went to leave her car battery was dead. So, we had to stay to jump her and that pushed us bac

    What good mothers and fathers instinctively feel like doing for their babies is usually best after all." Benjamin Spock   Our trip to Parents Palooza in Atlanta began and ended on a plane . Our toddler is a perfect angel so long as she isn't being told "no" and she's not being confined. So, in some respects, putting her in a confining space like an airplane seat is the equivalent of cruel and unusual punishment .   So, we bribed her with snacks, iPad games and toys on the plane . For the most part, the bribery worked. However, on the way to Atlanta she had problems with her ears and she cried on the descent. Those were the only tears on the entire flight though and they were somewhat subdued. I got off of the plane feeling like a rock star mom. And I was confident that the trip back would go just as well.   Clearly, I forgot the first lesson of motherhood, "enjoy the good times, but take nothing for granted..."  

Everybody knows that I love, love, love The National Aviary . We are members and our daughter visits there every week to see the birds, hear stories, and to get warm on a cold day. Well, I wanted you  to know that the National Aviary is celebrating Halloween in a very big way. They are hosting “Owl-o-Ween”. "Owl-o-Ween" Details: “Owl-o-Ween” will be this Saturday, October 27, 2012 from 11 a.m. to 3 PM. There will be great fun for adults and kids alike. There will be a Halloween party, trick-or-treating, costume contests, crafts, and even a creepy crawly bug station. Guests will also enjoy close encounters with raptors, owls and other creatures of the night. All activities included in price of admission. Price: Admission: $13 adults; $12 seniors; $11 children (over 2). Admission: Free for children under 2, and children 12 and under who wear a bird costume! For more information visit http://www.aviary.org or by calling 412.323.7235. a Rafflecopter giveaway

I returned from a business trip on Saturday afternoon. I'll be posting more details about that later. However, for now, I wanted to share what my return to work on Monday was like.   I began the day with a meeting. A friend looked at me and said that I looked tired. I told her about my trip. Then I confessed the secret to my usual youthful, bright eyed look— Laura Mercier “Secret Camouflage” concealer.   I pulled back the veil and let her know that while I may have good genes, I generally have a little bit of help.   I also confessed that I sometimes don’t manage to do it all. I wasn’t wearing my concealer because I hadn’t unpacked from my trip and the “Secret Camouflage” was buried somewhere in my luggage.   By the end of the day, I realized that it wasn’t just the missing cosmetics. I was really tired and probably coming down with something. I took a bunch of vitamins and crashed on the couch at 7:30 PM and only woke up at 9:00 PM to put the toddler to bed. God bl

What does it mean now that we're starting Fall ? Now is the time for football, pumpkin patches, and foliage. Now is the time for apple cider , jack-o-lanterns , and jumping through leaves. And as you saw in my photos from the Pittsburgh Steelers home opener last week, it is time for tailgating!

For most moms, summer ended when school started. However, today is the official end of summer. I live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and this morning it is only 57 degrees. So, I think that summer got the memo and is, "se fue". My love affair with summer is well documented. I love the sights, the sounds, and the smells. Even in Pittsburgh where the sun doesn't always shine brightly, I feel as if every summer day is God 's gift to me. Talk about narcissism...

Pittburghers, New York City just finished celebrating the “ Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week ”.   So, I thought I’d share a fashion deal with you.   If you have kids or like some, check out Snuggle Bugs and Company! It is a great consignment shop specializing in high quality, stylish clothes that sell for 60% to 90% off of retail! That way you can keep your kids in style without depleting their college fund! Snuggle Bugs & Company is having an upcoming event on September 15th-17th, and 20th-22nd. The store is located in the former Value City Store at 292 Curry Hollow Road. Visit the store and choose from a vast selection of high quality, current items. Shop with ease in a store that is super-organized and connect with other parents who can give you parenting advice for free. (Perhaps I’m the only one who seeks advice from strangers…)   Their site is located at http://www.snugglebugsconsignment.com/ . Check out the store and let me know if you visit!

Mondays tend to be challenging for everyone. It's often the first day back to work after the weekend and it takes some time to get in the groove. This Monday went a little better than usual though. Yesterday we achieved the impossible. We actually had the house resembling clean before 10:00 PM, which is quite a feat for us. That meant that we were not trying to clean the house in the wee hours of the morning. We actually went to bed at a decent hour. That hasn't happened in months. Because of our productive Sunday I woke up with energy this morning. I also had a car , which was a change from last week. Last week I had to rely on my feet and public transportation . This week I got to ride in style, or at least in my new "Jetta Sportswagen". I have to write "Sportswagen" because I am still a bit in denial that I own a station wagon . Is it possible that I have retired my sexy card and now I am merely a mom? "Merely a mom" seems

(Here's a post that I neglected to publish from a couple of weeks ago.) I've been working with a graphic designer to develop a logo. She changed strategies because she felt like our initial version was too busy and chaotic. Upon reflection, that image may be conveying the right image. It seems as if my entire mission in life is to find clarity in the midst of the chaos... It's Saturday morning and I am a presenter at a conference that is focused on effective communication in healthcare . So, while it is the weekend, I woke up at 6:30 AM, got dressed in real clothes and drove to downtown Pittsburgh so that I could educate a crowd of people things that I do in my real job. It went well and people at the conference probably think that I "have it together". My high school drama experience has served me quite well. Here's what they didn’t see...

When life hands you lemons go find some vodka! It's Friday and it's happy hour. Mama needs a cocktail after a long week. CHEERS!!! Perhaps as I toast the day I'll find some more worthwhile tip to share. Right now, that's all I've got! Related articles Vodka Martini, Vodka Martini Recipe & Martini Vodka | Pottery Barn (potterybarn.com)

@DisneyWorld  Most people visit Disney World in search of fun, adventure and rides . Apparently some people even go for the food because since we have returned everyone keeps asking us what we ate.  We may be the only family who visited Disney World and immediately went in search of a good place to nap.

I  am always thankful when it is Thursday. Everybody at work seems a little more upbeat. Once we get past hump day, everybody gets focused on the weekend. We seem to get more efficient. And we're in a better mood. This week though, Thursday is even more special. It has been a beautiful week in Pittsburgh . Who needs a Florida Spring break when you have seventy degree days in your hometown?! Yesterday my day was filled with working, writing and spending time with those I love. Andre and I compromised. We took a long walk and went for a run.  One would think that I'm back to my old running conditioning with all of the running I've been doing lately.  The truth is, it's just been too hard to resist Andre and the call of the weather.  In the interest of full disclosure though, I would have been content to have just walked yesterday.  However, like I said, he has a need for speed.  And when your man beckons you to join him for a run with the baby, you kind of have to

Here are some photos of our girl during the holiday season .  Enjoy!