Makeup Tips

I can't say I've always been a girlie girl.  Believe it or not, I was a tomboy.  I played sports and rarely wore skirts much less applied makeup.  Since working in television, I've learned a few tips from makeup artists in the biz.  Check it my video blog!  If you have any tips of your own, please share them.  Feedback is always welcomed!

Would You Raise Your Child Sexless?

Imagine raising your child sexless.  Sounds weird, right?  But, a family living in Toronto, Canada has decided to keep the gender of their four month old baby under wraps.  A recent article in USA Today, "Couple's Gender Secret For Baby Touches of Debate," explains that a family chose to go against society's standard differentiation of boy versus girl.   Instead, they rather the baby make the decision of which role to take on later in life.  


Can you raise your child without a specific gender?  Would you leave both gender boxes blank on the birth certificate?  This is definitely a topic that is worth debating.


When my baby girl was born, I didn't think twice about checking off female.  But much to my dismay, I was shocked when the official birth certificate came back with the box marked "male" was checked off.  I immediately sent it back to have the village office fix the mistake.  When I came across the article about the parents choosing not to make their baby's gender known, I have to admit I was left scratching my head.  In fact, I was also a bit angry.  The parents wrote to the Associate Press, "the whole world must know what is between the baby's legs is unhealthy, unsafe and voyeuristic. We know — and we're keeping it clean, safe, healthy and private (not secret!)."  This statement sounds a bit crazy, if you ask me.  Would this infant grow up confused?  Would he/she feel left out?  I'd say yes!  


Oh, did I mention that they plan to home school this child!  I've never been one to tell people how to raise their children.  So, I won't start now.  But, I wish them well.  I can only be concerned about my little Princess.  She doesn't have much hair to support cute girlie clips and bows.  But, I do dress her up in fun feminine hats every chance I get.

When I was pregnant with her, my hubby and I didn't want to know what we were having.  We loved the element of surprise.  Now that she's here, I never hesitate to put her in girlie dresses.  She's a girl for goodness sake!  I would never withhold that kind of information from anyone.  I tell her everyday that she is a beautiful baby girl and I'm sure she'll grow up to be a beautiful woman.  One that I'll be proud of, for sure!

Get Baby Tips Through Text Message

I just signed up for a free government program called text4baby.  It provides expectant and new moms with health information.  You get three texts a week during your pregnancy, until your baby is one year old.  With my busy schedule, it will help me keep my little Princess' progress on track.  I wish I knew about this when I was pregnant!  I only have a few months left!

Check out the story on CNN!

Bikini's For Babies?

With summer just around the corner, I've been shopping around for cute baby gear for my little Princess.  My hubby and I plan to take her to the beach this year, so I also went on the hunt for a cute swimsuit.  I couldn't help but notice that there were bikinis for babies in one particular store.  I took one look at it and thought to myself, there is no way in hell I would put her in a bikini at this age.  In fact, I don't think she'll be allowed to wear one until she's a teen.  Right now I think eighteen is a good age, but that can change.  If she gives be a hard time about wearing before then, we may allow a tankini.  It would really have to depend on the style of it.  This is the swimsuit I bought for her: 

It's cute!  I'm happy with it and so is the hubby.  But, I know there are parents out there who may feel different.  I came across a video online of moms discussing whether or not bikinis on little girls are cute or just wrong.  Check it out!  I would love to get your thoughts.

Weather Anchor Mama

Free Giveaway!

Whether you are an expectant new parent or a veteran mom or dad, taking time out for yourself is probably a rare occasion.  When I was pregnant with my little Princess, my hubby and I wanted to go on a pre-baby vacay.  Even though I never suffered from morning sickness, I dealt with a lot of fatigue.  Driving to work alone was exhausting.  I worked nine hours days (sometimes more, if I was working on a project or doing an appearance).  So, I was so tired by the weekend, getting out didn't come easy.  But we managed to do simple things together like checking out the latest flicks, going out to eat, and heading to the beach.  We cherished our alone time.


Now that she's here, alone time is almost nonexistent.  We've managed to get a couple of date nights in, which was such a relief.  I love my baby, but sometimes you need a moment with your boo or friends.  For many of you who may be planning a pre-baby vacay or just want some time away from the kids, this is something you may want to get in on:


I am giving away two tickets to Madame Tussauds in NYC.  All you have to do is become a follower of my blog, http://weatheranchormama.blogspot.com  and also follow me on Twitter.  It's that simple!!

You have until June 15, 2011.  You will be entered into a raffle and have a shot at winning the free tickets.  Good Luck!


Weather Anchor Mama

Look At My Little Princess Crawl!!

I decided to start a blog as a way to keep my creative juices flowing.  Since having Princess, I've had to cut back on some of my duties at work.  I love writing and producing, in addition to forecasting the weather and this blog allows me to work on my craft.  I know I wanted to focus on being a career mom.  But, I wasn't sure how much of my daughter I wanted to share with the public.

I've gotten tons of emails requesting to see pics of my baby girl.  But, I'd reply that my hubby and I made a decision not to publish any pics.  I know many of you may have posted pics of your little ones and I think that's great.  I guess the over protective mom that I am just wants to maintain her privacy.  Sometimes I feel that the internet can be pretty scary.  There is so much out there with just a click of a mouse.  But I'm torn because whenever she reaches a milestone, I want to share it with the world. I mentioned in my previous blog that she was beginning to crawl.  She would creep a couple times and stop.  But, last week she really got the hang of it!  I know babies do this everyday and maybe I shouldn't be so surprised.  I can't help in though.  I am so proud of my little Princess.

So without further ado, here she is crawling for daddy!!!

Parent Teacher Conference For a Nine Month Old?!

When my baby's teacher told me to set up an appointment for parent teacher's conference, I said "word!?"  She responded that it's something that's done a few times a year.  "What could we possibly talk about?"  I thought to myself.  


 I met with her this week and was surprised.  She whipped out a big packet with all of my little one's information which they keep on file until she moves up to the toddler stage.  This packet had everything regarding her development.  It confirmed that she scoots pretty well, she's beginning to crawl, she grabs onto things with a nice tight grip, plays well with others, and has great hand/eye coordination, just to name a few.  It was great to know that she's adjusting well.  But, that great feeling kinda hit a snag when she told me that her eating habits need improvement.  Apparently, Princess needs to be introduced to more solids with texture. 

I went on to tell the teacher that I make it a point to introduce more textured foods at home.  She's only in daycare for about 5 to 6 hours a day.  I usually grab breast milk from the refrigerator, and also pureed fruits and/or veggies that I make fresh everyday.  That's really all she needs during the time she's there.  

I introduce crackers, and other foods like mashed potatoes and banana when I'm home with her in the morning, and on weekends.  My hubby also chips in with healthy treats later in the day.  But, this teacher made it seem like my baby girl is never introduced to textured foods.  I know you may be thinking, "so what?" "what's the point?"  The point is that I felt a bit sensitive because this lady made it seem like I was depriving my child.  I was totally even keel throughout the entire meeting, she had no idea how I felt inside.  


I began to analyze everything (like I always do).  I asked myself, "Is my baby behind because of me?"  "Will she get left back and not move to the toddler group?"  My mind was going a mile a minute, while I maintained a poker face in front of this young lady.  She then said that I should buy puffs.  I asked, "what's that?"  She later showed me a container that had what looked like Cheerios.  I looked at the  label and saw that it had absolutely no nutritional value other than sugar, and I then mentioned that I would like to avoid giving her empty calories.  In the end, I was able to meet her half way.  I had my hubby pick up the puffs the next day and told him to get the organic kind.  It has iron, vitamin D, calcium, B vitamins, potassium, and half the sugar of other brands.  I understand that puffs are designed to get babies used to self feeding, but it's important for them to get some nutrition too.  

In the end, I did realize that I shouldn't be so sensitive and have an open mind.  Sometimes people are just trying to help.  My little girl is learning lessons everyday and so am I.  I am so happy that my Princess is happy and thriving, and has a great daycare to go to everyday.  I guess the parent teacher conference isn't such a bad idea.  It's great to know how your child is doing.  


I know a lot of mamas and papas that can relate to what I went through.  I would love to hear about your thoughts and experiences.  


Weather Anchor Mama

Gotta Get My Body Back

My little princess is nine months old!  I am so proud of her because she's developing nicely.  Even though she's not quite crawling yet, my independent little one is already trying to walk, talk, and feed herself.  I would post a pic of her, but the hubby and I have decided not to just yet.  

Anyway, I still can't believe how big she's gotten. This may sound a bit selfish, but I take all the credit.  I've managed to avoid formula, and have been nursing for the past nine months.  I couldn't be prouder.  Please don't get me wrong, nothing is wrong with formula.  I was formula and breast fed, and so were my siblings.  In fact, most people I know formula feed their babies and it's totally okay.  But, I do feel that there are a lot of benefits to breast feeding.  Besides the fact that it does provide a great bonding experience and builds immunity, it's also a great way to save.  Rather than spend money on Emfamil or Similac, I invested in a breast pump and I've been expressing my milk at least four times a day.  But I can't lie, another reason I choose to go this route is that it helps to shed those extra lbs.  For me, the pounds melted off like butter in the first few months, but has recently hit a stand still.  In fact, I might have gained some back.  Yikes!!

It's insane how the rubbing of my thighs generate so much heat when I walk.  So before things get out of hand, I must take control and get my body back!  I know you're probably thinking it's all in my head.  As you know, I work in TV.  Believe me, everything shows.  The camera isn't so forgiving.  I've managed to stand at an angle to hide my post pregnancy gut.  It's a little trick I picked up from my modeling days.  

Many people tell me how great I look, since I had the baby.  Although I appreciate the kind words, I don't feel like myself.  I can barely fit into my clothes and I refuse to go shopping because I don't want to buy a bigger size.  


I can't exactly go on a low calorie diet because I'm still nursing.  Plus, I don't want to rob my little princess of precious nutrients.  But what I can do is make healthier choices and up my workout regimen.  In the meantime, I'll be hitting the gym at least a few times  a week.  I'll let you know how I do.  I would love to hear from you.  Whether you recently had a baby, or struggling to knock off a few pounds.  We're in this together.


Also, if any of you mamas out there have any advice for me, send them my way!


Weather Anchor Mama

Ways to Save in a Bad Economy

I've always considered myself to be a frugal person. With a struggling economy, you kinda have to be.  Gas prices are on the rise again and the cost of living overall is just ridiculous. The other day I go into the grocery store to pick up a few items, only to later find out that the total is something like 50 bucks. The lady standing in line a ahead of me has a truck load of stuff and pays only around 40 dollars. My mouth drops to the floor in disbelief.  I return home and tell my hubby all about it.  And that's the beginning of what I call "somewhat" extreme couponing, not extactly "extreme" just yet.  We're working on it.


My hubby would kill me if I take all the credit because I have to admit, he does all the heavy lifting.  He searches the web, clips the coupons, and goes to the grocery store.  I just got the ball rolling.  You know I came up with the idea, that must count for something right?  Well anyway, I hope our discovery can motivate you to do the same.  We all need to do what we can to survive this economic mess.  No matter what tax bracket you fall under, everyone can benefit.  


He begins by making a shopping list.  Next he clips out coupons from the Sunday paper, then checks the circular to compare prices.  He says it's best to get an item that's already on sale, that way you get more bang for your buck.  Another important tip, stores like Waldbaums  have tripple coupon days, where they triple the manufactures value.  So if a coupon is one dollar off, you end up saving 3 bucks.  Other stores like Stop & Shop have double your coupon days as well.  That's some of many ways to save.  We also rack up on printable coupons by visiting websites such as thekrazycouponlady.com. 

Places like CVS and Walgreens even offer store credit for certain purchases.  Here's another tip: if a store has a product you want, search the store plus type in coupon on the web, and you may get lucky.  For example, you're looking to purchase something from Best Buy.  All you have to do is search "Best Buy Coupon" and wallah, a bunch of sites with potential coupons pop up!  It doesn't always work, but it's worth a try.  You may have to dig a little bit.  


Finding deals can be very time consuming.  But, in the end you may save a pretty penny.  With an infant, we do what we can to get by.  We've manage to save some dough on food and baby essentials.  Maybe you can too.  Happy shopping!

Please feel free to share your coupon saving tips.


Weather Anchor Mama

Mom Injects Her Eight Year Old With Botox



I'm sure you mamas and papas out there can agree that when it comes to our kids, we would do anything to protect them.  So when I saw the story about a mom who injects her daughter with botox, I  wanted to reach through the TV screen and strangle her.  I don't mean that literally, but how could this parent do that?  She claims that she wants her eight-year-old to be pageant ready by zapping away age her lines?!  How can a child have wrinkles?  She probably doesn't even have all her teeth yet!  Has this mom gone too far?  I often hear about parents who would do anything for their kid to win, whether it's sports or pageants.  But, I think injecting a child with botox is just crazy.  I would love to get your thoughts.

Are Doctors Just in it for the Gwap?

Giving birth is probably the most important and rewarding thing I have ever done. It's truly a miracle how human life is conceived. It's also a miracle how I was able to make it through the birthing process.  To this day I can honestly say I have never felt pain like that!  Some people say you don't think about it later because you focus more on your beautiful bundle of joy, once it's all over. I wish that were the case for me. Every body knows that giving birth is painful! Hello!!!! That's why some women get epidurals!! Duh!!   It's the pain that you go through afterwards that they don't tell you about.  Right now I'm in hurting bad.


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What Would You Do?

I just celebrated my first Mother's Day!! I went out to dinner with my hubby and Princess, and I also visited my mom. It was a jam packed weekend. But, that's not all I did. As I mentioned before, I was asked to be a guest speaker at the Bayview Housing Community Center in Brooklyn, my old neighborhood. It felt great to be back!! I remember attending summer day camp at P.S. 272 back in the day. Needless to say, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to stop by for a visit. I was asked to say a few encouraging words to mothers and grandmothers living in the area. I went there hoping to inspire, but ended up being inspired by them. There was one lady in particular who left me thinking. I can't remember her name, but I will never forget her story.

She entered the room with a huge cast on her leg and what looked like a cane on wheels. After my speech, I went over to say hello. We struck up a conversation which led to her telling me about how she ended up in the cast. She said that about two months ago, she was visiting a friend in Far Rockaway. She went on to say that her friend decided to cook them dinner. While the food was on the stove, there was a knock at the door. The friend went to answer the door and forgot all about the food on the stove. To make a long story short, the woman I was speaking with said that she ended up falling asleep on the couch. She later woke up to a smoke filled apartment. She said she had a choice, either burn to death or jump out of a four story window. She chose to JUMP!

She leaped out of the window feet first, and that was how she landed. Fyi, many of the apartment buildings in the city don't have fire escapes. It's designed to keep fires contained within the apartments. So, there was no fire escape for her to climb down. She says it was either burn to death or break some bones. She obviously chose the latter. She said that all she kept thinking about were her three young children. When I asked what happened to her friend, she said that she was ok. I also asked if she blamed her for what happened. She said no, it was an accident. All is forgiven.


She may have a while to recover from her shattered heel and broken pelvis. But she is alive, which led me to ponder to myself. If I were in the same situation, would I jump too? Of course... but I can't lie, it would be hard to forgive my friend. I know that forgiveness is a powerful thing. However, it's not always easy to do. What would you do? Would you take your chances and jump? Would you forgive your friend?


Weather Anchor Mama

Old School Remedy or Just Nonsense

As I mentioned in my previous post, I am a mother of an 8 month old. I'm sure many of you moms can relate to teething. What a nightmare!! I've been dealing with it for the last few months now. I've tried everything from ice packs, teething toys, pacifiers, and wet cloths. I've also used Baby Oregel a few times. But, I got rid of it after learning about the harmful ingredient, benzocaine. It has a number of harmful side effects, which includes preventing blood flow in babies. Once I heard that, I tossed it in the trash. Most recently I've been using Humphrey's teething pellets. Some mothers I've spoken to swear by it. I figure I might as well try it because my little Princess has gone from sleeping through the night to not lasting two hours before waking up. I'm still nursing and she snuggles up to my boob ALL NIGHT LONG! Most days I am a walking zombie at work and I try to pretend like I have tons of energy. I know I have to be strong and deal with it. But, it's hard to see her in pain and it's hard for me to be up all night. So, I'll take all the advice I can get. With that said, I met a woman at a luncheon at Bayview Housing in Brooklyn today. She claims to have the perfect remedy for teething.


She told me to get three eggs, line them up in a row, and have Princess pick one. When she chooses one, hide it. The woman went on to say that after doing this, she should never have teething troubles again. I actually took her advice when I got home. When I told my hubby about this ol' school remedy for teething, he told me it's just nonsense. I'm an Island girl, born in Jamaica. I'll give anything a shot, within reason of course. What do you think? Would love to get your thoughts.

Weather Anchor Mama

My first blog

I never thought that I'd be a blogger. I'm not a great writer, and I wouldn't exactly call my life interesting enough for people to want to read my blogs. But since becoming a mom, my views have changed. While pregnant I would read other blogs and get great advice about everything from how to prepare for labor to what to expect after delivery. I find comfort knowing that there are other moms that can relate to my experiences. But what I find most challenging is balancing being a mom, wife, and a career.


After returning from maternity leave last November, it's been a constant juggling act. For many of you who don't know me, here's a little background information. I am a weather anchor in the New York area, I also do a bit of feature reporting on occasion. I've been married for seven years and I have a eight month old baby we'll call Princess. Prior to getting pregnant, I was a work horse. I would do weather hits for six news casts. In addition, I would produce, write, and edit features stories which meant working extra long hours. However, being a mom has taken over my life. I mean this in the best possible way. I love my little Princess so much that I feel guilty having to spend too much time away from her.  It feels like I'm on the go all day long. So, I'll take what ever down time I can get which is usually the weekends. That is why when my boss asked me to contribute to doing more feature stories earlier this year, I asked her if she was CRAZY. Just joking...I didn't. But, I did think it. I asked her, "When would I have the time?" I ultimately told her no. But, I can't help feeling torn. I've always loved doing features. But, do I sacrifice time with my new baby? I'd never see her!! What would you do? I would love to get some feedback!

Weather Anchor Mama