Wordless Wednesday - OUCH!

I figured with all the sun burn posting from Lynn & Brooke I would post mine... we went to a Dodgers game  week or so ago and I per usual mama mistake... i slathered everyone else up and didn't put any on myself... and of course, I got burnt... OUCH!

Custom Tote Giveaway from the ONE & ONLY: Brooke Van Gory!

Now, i can't even begin to tell you how excited about this I am... I realized that Tuesday had come again, and i didnt have a giveaway to post! So I gave Brooke a call and said - hey! Lets You should giveaway a wet bag or a gift certificate on my blog this week! Of course, in all Brooke's awesomeness she said yes, but she upped the ante ... and have a super special giveaway in store for you... but first, lets talk about the Mrs. behind Brooke Van Gory...

Brooke is one of my bestest friends... not only is she an amazing friend & mama... but she's an awesome seamstress... All of her diaper bags (Expedient Bags) are custom made just for the customer... you choose the color of your base, and the print of the pockets... and can even be as detailed as the piping & stitching... see?! i told you... amazing...


All of these diaper bags are her standard design... and you can even order it in a larger size. They are also GREAT for cloth diapering mamas who have to carry around a lot of diapers... and dont forget to ask her about the custom matching wet-bag that attaches to the outside of the bag so it doesn't take up room on the inside! But dont think that is all...  she doesn't just do diaper bags! She also makes beautiful camera bags...


as well as an awesome, simpler tote style bag... that I totally love.

The Fundamental is a generously sized tote-style diaper bag. It is perfect for daily running around, for trips to the park, or to leave with a sitter. A bit smaller (not by much) then The Expedient this bag was bult to allow for plenty of room inside to allow for diapers, blankies, toys, and bibs, and 2 outer pockets for "mommy things". Its perfect for daddy's on the go... Speaking of Daddy's on the go... Brooke made this tote for The Guncles to send along in my gift basket for them! Awesome right!?
And guess what... you will get one too. Brooke is going to give one lucky winner the "Doodle Skulls" Tote bag... customized to your liking...


The tote will be black, with the black & white doodle skulls print, and you get to choose the coordinating color for the straps. This print is perfectly neutral, so if you are wanting something daddy will carry too I would recommend maybe a red? Or.. oh, oh oh!! Turquoise would be awesome :) Totally fun & awesome right?
This bag is a $59.99 value that one lucky winner will get for free!
Heres how to win :)
How to Win:
#1: Make ANY purchase from  Brooke Van Gory and get 5 extra entries. 
#2: Follow Brooke on Twitter!
#3: Follow RockerByeBaby on Twitter!
#4: Tweet This: (up to once daily)
"Customized tote bag #giveaway from @crossbones_inc ($60 value)at the @rockerbyebaby blog Comment at link to enter! http://bit.ly/9OfsIv"
#5: Heart Brooke Van Gory and two items on etsy
#6: Follow the RockerByeBaby blog! (sidebar)
#7: "Like" Brooke Van Gory on facebook!
#8: "Like" RockerByeBaby on Facebook.
#9: Put the Rockerbyebaby flash button on your blog or website. (3 extra entries) *sidebar*
#10: If your the lucky winner, what color accents would you pick!?

Mentoring Monday: The people you might not (or won’t) get to meet.

If you havn't noticed.. Aymee has totally stepped up and taken over the Mentoring Monday posts... and i gotta say im loving these little letters to Maddie... hope your enjoying it too!

The people you might not (or won’t) get to meet.

Dear Madeline,

There are so many important people who you will meet in your lifetime. The first being your dad and I. Then you’ll meet and grow up knowing your grandparents, aunts and uncles (and pseudo-aunts & uncles). You will take them for granted because you will have always known them. But there are some people you might never get to meet in person or get to know. Someday, when you’re old enough, we will have the conversation about death so you will understand this better. But there are/were people in our lives who are very important to your dad and me; people who were a constant in our lives and whom we sadly took for granted as kids.

My grandmother, your great grandmother, is one of those people. She is my mother’s mother, and currently lives in sunny Florida with my aunt.

She was born January 3, 1925, which means she lived through all the amazing historical times you will learn about in history class: the Great Depression, WWII, the legendary 1950’s, 60’s, and 70’s. As I’m writing this, she is 85 years old. Betty, as she is frequently called, always has a smile on her face, and gives the strongest bear hugs of any five-foot woman I’ve ever met. She would also always accompany her hugs with an eager kiss to your cheek, leaving a bright pink lipstick mark. When I was a kid, as we’d drive away after visiting her at her house in St. Louis, she would stand on the front porch and wave until she couldn’t see the car anymore: every time, without fail. These things I took for granted as a kid. But I now know the bear hugs, the kisses, the lingering wave--those were all expressions of the deep vastness of her love. She now has Alzheimer’s disease, which makes it hard for people to remember things. The farther back the memory, the easier she can remember it. But she’s starting to forget some of her later memories. Unfortunately, one of the memories she will have trouble remembering as time goes on will be that she has a beautiful great granddaughter whom she undoubtedly loves very much. Currently, we talk often enough that she not only remembers I’m pregnant, but calls to ask how you are. She is very excited to meet you, and I hope your dad and I can make that happen. It will prove difficult, because we live on opposite ends of the country, but one lesson I want to teach you throughout life is never say never. No one knows what the future holds: anything can happen.

Another person I took for granted as a kid because he was always around and available is my grandfather (my father’s father), your great grandpa. This is a rare case where you can use the word never. I regret you won’t be able to get to know your Great Grandpa Jones personally because he died a few years before you were born. But he would love if I show you pictures and tell you stories about him—so I will.

He was a simple, quiet, happy man, who always wanted to spread smiles to everyone in the room. He loved having the extended family over for holidays; the house buzzing with kids while the parents sat around the kitchen table, in the living room, or on the breezy back porch and chatted about life, and played card games. I will eternally remember him lounging back in a chair wherever he sat, enjoying a cigar, trying to make us laugh. “On the shores of Gitche Gumee, by the shining Big-Sea-Water…” he would recite epically. As a kid, I had no idea what it meant (it is “The Song of Hiawatha,” a famous 19^th century poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Song_of_Hiawatha) but he loved to recite it. It wasn’t until recently that I began to understand him. He was always a distant family figure, and I regret that now. We were two generations who loved each other, but didn’t know how to relate to one another. You will have people like this in your life too. They will generally be older; your dad and I, your grandparents, your teachers, etc. You might have trouble understanding them because you have not yet seen what they have seen: life experiences you are years away from that make them who they are. I promise you: this will become easier to understand as you get older. In the meantime, it is our job to relate to you, because we have been through what you’re going through. It is our job to make sense of this crazy thing called life, and lead you through it safely.

              Everyone involved in your life is looking forward to developing these kinds of memorable relationships with you. Much like how our grandparents loved us so deeply, and how we often didn’t understand just how much, your grandparents will love you the same. They simply cannot wait to see you, hold you, and watch you grow. Each of them is a different person who will show their love in different ways. Their limitless love will make a lasting impression on you, and you might not understand it until you have children of your own.

Love,

Mom

Another edit from me: Aymee... Maddie - ugh... this post killed me in all the greatest ways possible... eyes welled up with tears through the whole thing... As you know, I feel the same way about my grandpa - and my memories of him are so clear... i can still smell him. A mix of tobacco, zippo, and oil... mmm such a wonderful scent. Too bad they dont sell it as cologne. It literally breaks my heart that I will never see him squeeze on the boys... he would have been so proud of me... 2 boys in his sea of 5 girls. Such a mans man... ugh... i wish. i wish. i wish... I love you mimi and maddie, your not even here and I already love you... and miss you so so much... im homesick for the fact I havn't gotten to rub your mamas belly... and kick my hand and watch you wiggle about... and i miss you because i know i will not get to see you NEAR as much as I want to... think of me as the ultimate "god" mother... I will shower you with gifts, so youll know im always thinking of you even though im not there... and ill make your mommy ALWAYS show you pictures of me and the boys so you don't forget us... and maybe even tell a few embarrassing stories so your mama can giggle... i love you both dearly... mama - give maddie a little squeeze for me... or a wiggle? Or a hand kiss? I dunno whatever you can do to let her know im thinking of her ;) Love you. Amber

Mid west vs. West coast Warped

So... Were driving home from warped tour stuck in traffic from all the vacationers/weekenders heading back from the beach to LA... I thought to myself wow, California traffic sucks!!! Ugh. it's one of the big things that makes me crazy living here vs the midwest... Which then got me thinking, almost everything is different... No family here... Very few friends... Rent is out of control for a tiny little place In a decient neighborhood... The weather - it's usually nice aside from the 120 degree face melting months... And on the flip side of that, Minnesota had -20 degree winters.. but like they say... "the cold keeps the assholes away..." which brigs me to my next point... Assholes. I'm so sorry to everyone I Cali that I love.... But I would say a good 75% of the people I have met here are total jerks.... Rude, snobby, stuck-up... Everyone is in a rush to get... Well, no where... Because your most likely stuck in traffic. Maybe that's why they're rushing... Just always late? I dunno... Anyways in the first 3 months here I went through two flakey and totally unreliable babysitters... And the 2nd one just stopped showing up... Who does that? Ugh. Anyways I'm rAmbling... California has been a huge transition for me... Minnesota nice is no longer :( if you need help, forget it... And don't ever count on someone holdin a door for you while helping yours kids in with a stroller. It will most likely swing shut and hit said stroller... And as I was reminded today... If someone if trying to get by. Don't expect an excuse me, they will shove their way through. With that being said... There was one kid that said excuse me today in the 7 hours at warped tour... Next, warped tour... I have been to a few warped tours and always had a great time.... But this was so different... I was having a great time if we were on the motion city bus... Watching everyone squeeze on little baby dot...






or even back stage watching the bands play... Totally awesome.




But alot of that changed shortly after... We went to watch a couple shows from the floor... Face to face... Riverboat gamblers (where we saw the cutest 4 or 5 year old boy rocking out with daddy) and alkaline trio... Through these shows, there was no stop pot smoking... And at trio right in front of me blowing right in my face. Don't get me wrong years ago I may not have cared... May even had joined! Who knows.. But I was looking around at the little kids and even the 14/15 year olds and it made me sick... It's not fair that kids can't go to a show or moms can't trust letting their teen out at a show without coming home with a contact buzz... Ya know? Maybe I'm older than I think, I dunno... I was just disappointed... I've never seen the drug thing as bad in the Midwest... Though here Its legal so I guess more people are willing to take the risk out in public... Guys... Heres a tip. Buy some cheetos... Go home.... Turn on pink floydd... And get baked. You will love it... And i dont have to smell you stanky weed. Another thing... The mosh pits are insane... I use to be all about getting right up front... Pushing people around and having a good time. But here I swear their out for blood! You shoulda seen the looks on some of these kids faces... Fun was gone... It was time to fight. I just don't get how bleeding & black eyes =fun. Again... Me= old?

Or maybe like zaq said... It may not be a west coast vs. Midwest thing.... Maybe it's just this generation of kids? Less care? Less respect? I dunno... I'm at a loss... Over all warped tour was great and I'm glad we went. Josh & Jill loved the goodies I brought for baby Dot... (especially the booger bashers :) and it was great to see some punk rock and some old friends... And drool over my MCS lover Matt... Lol and even with all the other drama... Let's face it... All warped tours should come with this view...



P.s. Would love to hear some input on this... how are shows different where you are?

- Posted by RockerByeBaby using BlogPress from my iPhone

Favorites Friday: Lets Make a Baby!

Hey guys! So - were back at trying again for #3 after last months unfortunate miscarriage :( And zaq says that he is starting to feel like a piece of meat... lol So this may be a little TMI, but Im gunna try to keep it rated "PG" so no one is like, OMG and maybe instead just does a little LOL'ing! Cuz well, i think were all grown up's here and know where babies come from... and seeing as most of you are mommies... im pretty sure you have a VERY good idea of the process, lol

p.s. this is probably the most fun i have had on a Favorites Friday in awhile :) Thanks awesome sellers!

#1: SoapBySelena - EDIBLE Massage Candle - Chocolate Truffle (Possibly the most genius idea in history... yes... more genius than the wheel... or the lightbulb...)
#2: StitchPixie - Sperm & Egg Fertility Coin pouch... (in case your sperm loose their way... of you find some loose coins in the couch while having sex, lol love it.)
#3: Interrobang - Man Candy Coloring book... (In case you need both a creative outlet - and help getting in the mood, he he he)
#4: ConstantGalore - x-large Chocolate Penis Pop (anytime penis' come in chocolate & rainbow... is a win in my book... lol)
#5: ABitABite - Red Hot Prick Cushion... (for when its not doing its job... and you ahve to take out your aggression... but not on the real thing of course... it must be in tip top shape for next ovulation, lol)
#6: MuthaCrafter - Im so crafty, i make people... (This is a must have when i get pregnant again, hehe)
#7: Earmark - Baby Making Time (this is a must buy to be sure daddy knows he is appreciated, lol... and that its time...)
#8: Muncheys - I cuddle after Sex, t-shirt
#9: VulvaLoveLovely - Fertile Uterus Lovey (to uplift women trying to get pregnant... now I dunno it it would do that for me, but i think I would have lots of fun looking at it on my desk, lol SO cute.)

If anyone of you AMAZINGLY RAD awesome sellers would like to host a review and giveaway PLEASE let me know, we would totally love to have you :)

Thursdays Tunes - Wanna Grow old with you...

Hubby and I are watching the Wedding Singer... and lets face it... this is pretty much the greatest song in history, lol

Wordless Wednesday - New-ness!

This weeks Giveaway: Kaboogie!

I can't even begin to tell you how long I have been wanting & waiting to do this review... I have been pestering asking her FOREVER to do a giveaway... her stuff is SO cute... and so well made... and the best part? Totally eco-friendly...

Kaboogie uses up-cycled, re-purposed leather... to turn them into complete awesome-ness...
"I started KaBoogie Shoes as a way to make adorable shoes for my baby that weren't garish, or cartoony. Using repurposed suede and leather, I choose only those pieces that are gently used or new condition. Simple, soft and kinda groovy is how I like to dress my kids! No characters, soft leather and suede. "
Just what I like... I hate cheesy character stuff... The kids have a COUPLE pairs of character pj's... other than that were pretty much a closet full of skulls, guitars, pirates......and barley & birch... lol And for shoes? A couple handmade pairs of slip ons... Converse... and NOW our very own pair of Kaboogie's... for the hopefully future #3...

And let me tell you, i was totally blown away. Just from photos, I have been in love with her shop forever now... but seeing them in person was beyond my expectations. They are so well made... perfect sewing.... and so - so - so - sooooo soft. You just have to get a pair... she has all different designs... and something to suit every taste... and they come in 4 different sizes...
"Sizing in inches/CM
0-6 month - 4 1/4" - 10.8 cm
6-12 mo. - 5" - 12.7 cm
12-18 mo. - 5 1/2" - 14 cm
18-24 mo. - 6" - 15.25 cm?
See all this adorableness for yourself :) Here is a peek at some of my fav's.

These stars are Perfect for a gender neutral baby shower gift...

And these little flowers... SO cute with the button detailing!

Got a biker baby?? No problem... these will keep him cool & comfy :)

Adorable right? I bet you are drooling over the idea of having your own pair... i know i would be... :) But well, i already have mine... so now i just need a baby to put them on! So of course - Kaboogie has so generously offered a pair for one lucky winner! The winner of this giveaway gets to pick their prize. Choose from any pair of IN STOCK baby moccasins - Valued @ $24 (embroidered pairs are not available for your prize) If you click the link above you can see the list of almost 20 pairs to choose from! And keep checking back because her stock is always changing... Just follow the rules below to enter!
How to Win:
#1: If your the lucky winner, what would you pick!?
#2: Follow Kaboogie on Twitter!
#3: Follow RockerByeBaby on Twitter!
#4: Tweet This: (up to once daily)
"Custom eco-friendly leather baby moccasins from @kaboogie #giveaway ($24 value) at the @rockerbyebaby blog http://bit.ly/da5dbs"
#5: Heart  Kaboogie and two items on etsy
#6: Follow the RockerByeBaby blog! (sidebar)
#7: "Like" Kaboogie on facebook!
#8: "Like" RockerByeBaby on Facebook.
#9: Put the Rockerbyebaby flash button on your blog or website. (3 extra entries) *sidebar*
#10: Make ANY purchase from  Kaboogie and get 5 extra entries. (prices start at just $2.00 for destash!) Come back here and leave the transaction # in 5 separate comments...

Toy story 3... It's finally here.

They day has finally come where we get to go to Toy Story 3... I can't tell you how exciting this is for me... Yeah, yeah.. The boys too.. But for me.. This is heaven. The idea of having to hear one more time "mommy when can we go to see toy story 3" or "mommy, can we go to toy story 3 on Monday?" makes me think my brains will literally start oozing out of my ears.... As you have read in the last couple posts, they love toy story... And heck so do i.... But if I would have counted how many times I've been asked... It would be some ridiculas number like 184,627,957,538,294,013,438,906.... And that's a fact. Knowing today would bring a million more of those questions... I was prepared... First thing - movie time... 10:30am get me the hell out of the house asap. Two - prep the kids... I sat them both down an said listen "we are going to toy story 3 today." Kids: jsjdieknsjfkejshahhhhhhomgomgomgkshshsh yay!! We have to shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, then go.... DO NOT ask me again.... Understand? Yes mommy... Good. (I only had to hear it about 10 more times instead of the usual 50 an hour... Bonus!) so... We got showered, dressed and lookin good!


We loaded up... Got some breakfast at starbucks... Coffee for mom of course... (no no... Not size venti I said IV... like can you tap that right into my bloodstream? Thanks.) We then made the 5 minute trek to the theatre... Made a wish in the wishing well...


Got our tickets...


And then realized we had a half hour before previews even start... Shit... This could be a disaster... Killin time.... Lol

In this time... Zavery almost fell in the wishing well... The boys had a kiss mommy war... And then izzaq exploded my venti coffee all over the ground. (see if I could have had the iv this disaster would have been avoided.... Ugh!) all in all it was fine... We grabbed some popcorn and avoided the candy...


I'm glad I remembered their cute little reusable popcorn buckets. So cute and Eco friendly :)


So yes... We survived the morning... And I am literally sitting in the theatre waiting for the movie to start... Wish us luck!!
.....
Ok so movies out... I'm really disappointed... Really dark :( zavery who is ts obsessed was scared alot. They made fun of Ken alot for being feminine which I didn't like... And there was very little adult humor. They ended it really well and yanked at my heart strings.... But that's about my only real positive... I give it 2 stars... Maybe 3... And won't be adding this one to our collection :(

Mentoring Monday: How to Relate

How to Relate?

My mind constantly wonders about what kind of person my daughter will be. For most of the questions, I don’t care about what the answers are specifically. I am just excited to find them out because I look forward to getting to know her as a person. Will she be boisterous like her parents or the opposite of us: shy and quiet? Will her favorite color be something like pastel pink or neon orange? Will she be a picky eater like her dad, or eat anything put in front of her like her mom? Will she be straight or gay? It’s these kinds of questions I look forward to watching her figure out the answers for herself, all the while daddy and me loving and guiding her along the way. But I realistically know it won’t always be that romantic. There will inevitably be questions she answers that we will have to work hard at understanding. Answers that will make us wonder, “Where’d she get that from?” Answers that will cock our heads to one side and crinkle our brows upward, much like this:

What if she has no interest in baseball, but likes football (we’re not at all football fans)? ...Okay, so we learn to like football. What if she doesn’t understand our passion for music and arts, but instead is equally moved by agriculture? …Then we learn about agriculture with her, and encourage the passion even if it’s not our own. What if her favorite band is Insane Clown Posse or she’s into crunk core music? …I have to be honest: I shudder at this one--not sure how to bridge that gap.

It’s easy to fantasize our children-to-be being like us; being interested by the same subjects we are. Partly because we understand no one better than ourselves and partly because it’s romantic to think we’ll relate so intimately with someone we already love so much. Surely we rub off on our kids. For proof, you don’t have to look any farther than the mirror. We have, to varying degrees, already started to become our parents. But it is inevitable that our children will throw us personality curveballs, just as we did to our parents.

The greater question is, “How will I relate to my child’s interest when I’m not naturally interested in the subject?” What efforts will I have to make to relate to Madeline; to get inside her head and more adequately understand where her head is; what she is going through; how she is feeling when I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. I’m only 25, and I say all the time, “I just don’t understand kids today.” I sound like my 85 year old grandmother. But it’s the same every time there is a generation younger than another with a culture all their own. We use our experiences to relate to others, but this is a fallible tactic. Our experiences are, more often than not, different from those of others. And instead of trying to see the world from their eyes, we try to understand them from ours.

How many times when you were a kid did you say to your parents, “You just don’t understand?” And how lost and alone did it make you feel? It’s true: they didn’t understand (insert Fresh Prince comment here), and neither will we unless we use a different approach. The thing I will have to remember when I get frustrated because I just don’t understand my child is that when you break it down, she’s going through the same phase that I did: it’s just that she has different influences (parents, friends, culture, interests) that color that phase than I did. A co-worker and friend of mine told me early on in my pregnancy, “Don’t ever forget what it was like to be a kid.” That is quite possibly my favorite advice so far. When I want to say, “Oh grow up,” when she’s being juvenile and trivial, I need to remember she’s trying to (grow up, that is). I need to remember that what she’s going through, no matter how dumb it may seem to me, is a huge deal to her because it’s the biggest deal she’s had to deal with yet. The tribulations of youth pale in comparison to adult responsibilities when you’re an adult, but when you’re a kid, having the right clothes, the right friends, etc. is necessary for survival: emotional survival. Because all you know at that point is emotional survival.

This mentality will also come in handy when all she says is, “No,” and “Mine!” When you are used to the world as you know it (your home and parents) revolving around you, sharing is a strange and frustrating concept to try and wrap your little head around. And although I will persevere in my dominant role as parent, and as impossible as it may seem to keep cool while she goes through her bratty stage, I must remember that the defiant “no” is her exercising her first revelation of free will and independence: qualities I want her to have to become a strong confident woman.

Testing...1.2.3.

Hey guys!! I'm super excited about this... I'm blogging from my new iPhone app - blogpress so want to test it out! I'm hoping it works well and makes blogging on the run a little easier....
Hmmmm let's try a picture...


Easy as pie...... Yay!!
Video?

And nooooow to try to post and see if it works!! Let me know what you guys think!!! And what works... Etc. Etc. :) thanks!!!

- Posted by RockerByeBaby using BlogPress from my iPhone

Singer Sunday - "Happy Fathers Day... toooo meeeee..."

FINALLY back to Swinger Sundays - yay! This week... i though it was only appropriate for my hubs to write seeing as it fathers day and all... interested to see what he has to share with you all!


Check check..one...two..is this thing on? Ok so let me begin by saying I am NOT writer or a scholar like some of the other guests that have donated to Tg's blog here. (Sorry you may know her as Amber but she's TG to me) I have never "blogged" or "tweeted" but it seems to be all the rage these days, so when Tg asked me to write something seeing as its Fathers Day and all I figured why the H E double hockey sticks not. Sticking with the theme of the holiday, I figured Id write about what else but being a Dad(and a husband). After a few years I think Im finally starting to get the hang of this adventure, although from what I hear the ride get even more interesting as they get older. I'll let you know. Anyways one of the greatest lessons I've learned while being a parent, I learned from my old boss Tod Ericsson. Keep in mind I am FAR from mastering this lesson, and my reaction time is still something of concern (TG can still tell quite a bit when Im applying this lesson to our own moments of disagreement) Even still in my rookie status, this has saved me from what Im sure would be nothing short of a news van worthy incident on more than one occasion. Ok here it is..
THOUGHT BUBBLE
WORD BUBBLE
Simple right? Now some people, Id say 5% of the human population, are born with an amazing filter where this never has be be applied. Ironically I think those same 5% are either incapable of having children or are born with a chemical imbalance where everything a toddler does is "oh so adorable."
The rest of us on the other hand need to take a split moment when stressful situations come up and make sure we carefully weigh the possible outcomes if our thoughts became words. Still confused? Here's an example.
"Daddy what are you and Mommy doing in the shower?"
THOUGHT BUBBLE= (Well I was trying to put a big enough smile on her face that she'll be able to handle an entire afternoon of you torturing her about when can we go see Toy Story 3 and sucker punching your brother, but now that you've broken my concentration I have to start all over)
WORD BUBBLE= "Mommy needed my help to wash her back while she shaves her legs. Can you go make sure your brother is ok matching his movie buddy?"

See. Two totally different outcomes. Had the THOUGHT bubble come out, Id have one confused 3 yr old. As well... I would've sparked the obvious follow up question, being: "WE'RE GOING TO SEE TOY STORY THREE????!!!"

Heres another scenario.
"Daddy Daddy I made a HUGE BIG GIANT POOPIE in the potty! You come help me wipe please?"
THOUGHT BUBBLE=(You know I can't wait. I can't wait until he has his first girlfriend over, and is trying to act all cool and rebellious and I can relive this moment with her over and over again. Or even better when I get old and he has to help me wipe MY ass...oh that'll be the day. Just you wait. Chipotle EVERY day!!)
WORD BUBBLE="Be right there buddy! You're such a good boy! Great job!"

Last scenario... talking about getting a baby in mommy's belly... *Thought bubble FAIL*
Izzaq: Daddy, does mommy have a baby in her belly? I want a baby in MY belly...
Me: No buddy, boys can't have babies in their bellies, only mommies can.
Izzaq: No daddy, I want a baby in MY belly...
Me: Buddy - we have the babies in our penis... and then the daddy puts the baby in mommies belly.
Izzaq: Daddy, can I put my baby in mommies belly?
*Head/Desk*
amber edit: i could have killed him while listening to this conversation. As soon as i heard that, yelled ZAQ! No! Were all about keeping things open & talking... so when 13 comes around there is no "sex talk" its always open and honest and understood... but DUH! He is 3!!! He can't possibly understand that... UGH! Then we proceeded to hear for a week how he wanted to put a baby in my belly. SO GLAD that is over with... i was waiting to be walking through the grocery store and have him blab about that... i woulda died.

See? Easy right? Well, not always obviously... but doable. Although, I grin when I think about a world where this rule doesn't apply or work. Where no one has a filter. Unfortunately, the world NEEDS men and women to stay together to procreate, which wouldn't be humanly possible in that world. Think about it. Everyday we hop, skip and jump over LANDMINES to keep the family unit together.
"Does this dress make my butt look fat?"
"You don't mind if I stop after work for a beer with the guys right?"
"Hey do you care if my parents come stay for a couple weeks?"
"Really? Its a good size?"

Wow. Talk about a dooms day theory. Maybe the Aztecs calendar ends when the filter is lost!
Luckily the THOUGHT BUBBLE / WORD BUBBLE rule is alive and strong. Happy Fathers Day out there to all the Dads that are lucky enough to have amazing wives that put up with our crap. Trust me. They KNOW we don't want to go to Bed Bath and Beyond. They KNOW we'd rather watch the game or grab a couple rounds with the boys than watch "Valentine's Day" And they DEFINITELY know when we're not saying what we're thinking. But they're happy just to know we care enough to try. Well that and because we'd do anything to make sure the family is happy.

Favorites Friday: Father's Day... In Punk Rock form of course...

You won't see typical baby gear floating around the RockerByeBaby house... so why on earth would you see typical daddy gear? Ugh, not allowed ;) Except of course for the random Twins hat or Vikings jersey.. but thats just cuz daddy is a sports geek... So this weeks Favorites Friday is everything the punk rock daddy deserves on his special day...

#1: WeROnesieful - Worlds Coolest Dad Tattoo t-shirt
#2:  Small Threads - I Heart dad tshirt
#3: DnaCreations - Dia De Los Muertos stainless steel flask - The Golfer
#4: SilverBeyondOrdinary - Skull Belt Buckle
#5:BreadandBadger - Blue Shot Glass Pirate Skull
#6: dedalo - Skull n Bones meets Classic Cufflinks
#7:PolkaDotMadpie - Skull Money Clip
#8: RokGear - Paisley Skullz Peacock Blue Nexktie (because we can NEVER have too many RokGear ties :)
#9: MetalTaboo - Rock Star Sterling Silver Guitar Pic

If any of you AWESOME sellers would like to do a review & giveaway we would love to have you!

Thursdays Tunes - Hurricane J, The Hold Steady

mmmm new Hold Steady record... daddy has been drooling over this song since he cracked the cellophane on the cd. And i know why.... why? Cuz its friggen amazing.............



Jesse, I'm not joking around.
I see the crowd you're hanging with.
Those kids don't seem positive.
Don't all the cigs make you tired?
You know I'll never ask you to change.
I'll only ask you to try.

I know you're gonna do what I know you're gonna do.
But twenty-two and banging around in restaurants
Isn't that much prettier than banging around in bars.
Why do you keep going to his car?

I don't want this to stop.
I want you to know.
I don't want you to settle.
I want you to grow.
Forget all the boys that you met at the harbor.
They're too hard already.
They'll only get harder.

Jesse, let's go for a ride.
I know a place that we could stop.
I know a place that we could drink and kiss for a while.
I know a place that always makes you smile.
I know you're gonna say what I know you're gonna say.
I know you'll look around at the ground.
I know you'll probably cry.
You're a beautiful girl and you're a pretty good waitress.
But Jesse I don't think I'm the guy.

I don't want this to stop.
I want you to know.
I don't want you to settle.
I want you to grow.
Forget everything that I showed you this summer.
You're too hard already.
You'll only get harder.

But they didn't name her for a saint.
They named her for a storm.
So how is she supposed to think about
How it's gonna feel in the morning?

She said if heaven's hypothetical
And if the cigs keep you warm.
Then how is she supposed to think about
How it's gonna move in the morning?

About how it's gonna move in the morning?
About how it's gonna move in the morning?

Hurricane Jesse's gonna crash into the harbor this summer.
She don't want to wait til she gets older.
Hurricane Jesse's gonna crash into the harbor this summer.
She don't want to wait.
She said it only gets harder

GIVEAWAY! Poppy's Sprouts!

A day late - sorry... been a crazy week... BUT  - ill make it up to you... right... now...
This weeks awesome shop is the super talented Jennifer from Poppy!
And were specifically shouting out to her "Poppys Spouts" branch...

You may have seen her around etsy... she is also known as:
poppyswickedgarden.etsy.com
XpoppyswickedgardenX.etsy.com
poppysgardengate.etsy.com
She is a "jill" of all trades, no doubt... but lets talk tots for a bit!
In March of this year Ms. Poppy sprouted a new leaf and ventured into childrens' clothing... She does everything from dresses, to shirts...... and from skirts to coordinating hair bows...
Check it out :)



Recgonize that little lady in the photos? You should! I referred photographer Beki & her daughter Maddie to Poppy for modeling and photos! Adorable-ness...
Poppy sent over a couple shirts for the boys to try out and we totally love them...



And of course, this is giveaway day so you get one too!! One lucky winner gets their choice of onesie or t-shirt in the poppy sprouts store...
How to Win:
#1: Make ANY purchase from  poppy sprouts store and get 5 extra entries. 
#2: Follow Poppy's Garden!
#3: Follow RockerByeBaby on Twitter!
#4: Tweet This: (up to once daily)
"@PoppysGarden custom tshirt or onesie #giveaway ($15 value)at the @rockerbyebaby blog Comment at link to enter! http://bit.ly/9MjHoL"
#5: Heart Poppy's Sprouts and two items on etsy
#6: Follow the RockerByeBaby blog! (sidebar)
#7: "Like" Poppys Wicked Garden on facebook!
#8: "Like" RockerByeBaby on Facebook.
#9: Put the Rockerbyebaby flash button on your blog or website. (3 extra entries) *sidebar*
#10: If your the lucky winner, what would you pick!?