Couple of fun notes for you…

1. I kept meaning to clean my laptop, but never did. So in one of the close up shots of my computer you can see what looks like bits of orange crusted to it… or maybe just chunky dog slobber. Yummy.

2. After I put what looks like my peaceful son to bed for nap he screamed for about 5 minutes. No idea why they didn’t want that on camera.

I also kept a daily journal of sorts. You can read them here:

Internet Deprived Free Day 1

Roughing it 1990′s Style Day 2

Day 3, When I have to learn to use the phone again

Day 4, Oh, so that’s what a phonebook is for

Day 5, How to make friends the old fashioned way

Day 6, Is no internet making me a better parent?

Day 7, I’m out of witty titles

One week later, from the other side of internet detox

This was a really fun little experiment to take part in! I’m happy that Barb and Tina from Metroplex Baby thought of me and hooked me up with the great people at CBS 11. Now it’s their turn! The story of their week without their Blackberries will be on tomorrow night at ten.

Kendall is 18 and a half months old and he was OBSESSED with all the camera and light equipment

If any of you are new readers, let me first just say Welcome! and point you to a couple places. Here you can find a brief history, including some of my favorite posts on here. Here you can subscribe to my feed. Thanks so much for stopping by!

I was a little nervous about it, but figured it might be good for me.  I was feeling stressed and over-extended when she called me with the idea, and thought stepping away from the internet and email for a week might help me focus a little.  The call actually came when I was in hotel hell with Kendall, and I told myself that I would use this week to really focus on how to tame this wild toddler of mine.

I had a long list of tasks I planned to accomplish during my week of no internet, and I wondered just how anxious and lost I’d feel without being able to check in, google and connect with my friends. I planned to read lots of books on toddler behavior, and hoped my studies would pay off with some new tricks up my sleeve that would help me calm the beast that had taken over Kendall.

However, the week really didn’t go how I had envisioned. It was better. Admittedly, I didn’t accomplish too much more that I normally do during the week (leaving me wondering if I’m just a super awesome multitasker or lazier than I’d like to admit). I didn’t read any books on toddler behavior, but I did watch a lot of Super Nanny. I actually watched more television than usual (but no news, I really wasn’t in the mood to get caught up in the news this week), I read more, I enjoyed my coffee more. In general, I just slowed down.

I felt my stress and anxiety levels decrease throughout the week, I went to bed by 10:30 most nights and I slept like a rock. At the end of the week I also felt physically more relaxed. My shoulders weren’t painfully knotted, my back didn’t hurt, I felt more rested, and most importantly, I felt more relaxed and calm.

A recurring lesson I saw play out in all the Super Nanny episodes is that kids really pick up on your stress and anxiety level, and wouldn’t you know, Kendall seemed a lot more calm by the end of the week, too. We had far fewer tantrums than the week before (although some of that may be attributed to being home and not living out of a hotel), and I wasn’t so quick to get frustrated when the lines of communication weren’t working.  Turns out I didn’t need to read a bunch of books. I just needed to slow down and listen. I needed to listen to him, and I needed to listen to me. I needed to get back in touch with my mommy instinct.

It turned out to be a great experience and something I’m really glad I did. Sure, I have a ton to catch up on now, but nothing so pressing that I can’t step away. I think that’s the most important lesson I learned.  Sometimes I get so caught up in researching and planning, with the best intentions to be the best mom I can be, that I think it gets in the way of me just being… just living… just listening.

Now, I can’t live without the internet forever. I’m just hoping to phase it back into my life in a more balanced way. Still not quite sure how to do that, but I’m hoping if I just be still and listen, I’ll figure it out.

I can’t really share too many more details about the project I was helping out with just yet, but I’ll let you guys know when I can. All I can say is I’m so glad Barb and Metroplex Baby and Kids thought of me for this experiment. It was wonderful to team up with them.

For those of you in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, make sure you check out MetroplexBaby.com. I love going to their events when I can (especially Best and Hottest!), and they always have the latest “Scoop” on what’s happening in the area. Also, head over to my Facebook Fan Page to enter to win tickets to an MBK event this weekend. I’ll be giving away three sets today (November 3rd).

Kendall is 18 months and one day old (holy crap, that is crazy)

I had one such amazing experience tonight when I had the honor of joining some great gal pals at my second Metroplex Baby and Kids Best and Hottest event.  And, while I didn’t come home with the biggest prize of the night (but who’s complaining?  I won a Quinny Zapp last Friday at their Stroller Safari!), I did have a blast hanging out with these ladies without a baby in sight.  Because, for me at least, the night wasn’t about winning the Best and Hottest prize.  It was about having an excuse to put on a cute skirt and top that had not a trace of juice or Mum Mums crusted on them, leave the house for a few hours, and just be a girl.

Not only did I have meaningful conversations about the joys of approaching toddlerhood and how to improve my cake decorating skills, but I also learned the most excellent parenting tip to date from my friend Teri.  Are you ready for this?

So…whiskey looks a little like apple juice, yes?  And one would normally put apple juice in a sippy cup, no?  So it would be totally normal to take a sippy cup full of a substance that looks just like apple juice into, say, a sporting event, right?  I mean, especially if you actually had a kid with you.  You see where I’m going with this.  Just make sure you don’t give them the wrong cup!

Then I got to thinking…we received these lovely Boon Squirt baby food dispensing spoons in our goodie bags, and seeing as how we are a little past this phase, I immediately thought, “hmm…how can I repurpose this and make it work for us?”  Well, you can see where I’m going with that, I’m sure.  Put a little Jack in there, mix it around in your coke.  It’s like a bartender in your diaper bag!

Maybe this will not be nearly as brilliant and hilarious to me when I wake up in the morning, but for now I can’t stop gigglesnorting.  It’s been a good night.  I’m drunk on laughter.  Isn’t that just the best?

Kendall is 11 months and 2 weeks old