Maternity leave…time away from work, time to spend enjoying your new addition to the family, time to bond and focus on the most important thing in the world during those few months- your new baby. Many people ask…What is she doing while she’s away? When is she coming back? Will she be different when she returns?

An amazing thing happens on maternity leaves it seems. Every time a woman at Graco leaves to have her child (sometimes planned, sometimes suddenly) it’s a little shocking. It’s like we are missing a piece of our puzzle here and it takes a little time to adjust to her being gone. However, it’s amazing to think she is leaving temporarily to accomplish something huge. She isn’t going on vacation; she isn’t kicking back and putting her feet up. Instead, she is embarking on one of the biggest and most rewarding challenges of her life. She is bringing a new life into the world. And that changes who she’ll be when she comes back to us at Graco.

She isn’t getting a break from her everyday job…she is starting a new venture that feels like much less “work” and much more “reward“. The fresh perspectives, the new memories, and the beaming face when she returns tell stories of all the fun (and sleepless nights) she enjoyed during her time away from the office. We hope they sometimes send the “boys” out for some fun so they can can enjoy some one-on-one time with their new little bundles.

For those of us who remain behind to hold down the fort while she is gone, it’s a reunion when she returns. It’s exciting to live vicariously through the Graco moms that take leave…we get all the great stories…we get to hold the baby when they get their first office tour…and we get to feel the love and excitement they have for their new little ones.

As you know, Amy Sleep just had little Allie and although it feels like three months will be forever until she comes back, time will most certainly fly for her. We couldn’t be happier to have her gone for such a special reason but hope she hurries back to us soon too. She at least needs to swing by the office so we can squeeze on her little one some! Then it won’t be long before we get to squeeze the cheeks of a little DeLoach and a little Lefko too!

It’s time to put the “O” back in Mommy and the “O” is Optimism!! How many articles are written about sleep deprived mothers, the challenges of balancing motherhood and work, how to whittle that waistline from baby #3 and more…

There is so much to celebrate about motherhood and we would all agree that even after a ‘tough’ day with a toddler, the next morning we can’t wait to get our little bundles out of bed. I think the “O” fell out of mommy when the tone took a shift…look at these “why’s” vs “why nots”
• Why the terrible twos? Why not the tremendous twos?
• Why is it sleep deprivation? Why not sleep efficiency?
• Why is it a struggle to balance being a working mom? Why not a gift to have the choice?

So, I’m going to go there…probably the ONLY conflict that exists between mothers today. Do you work or stay-home? (Also as a point of clarification Work-for-pay vs. Stay-at-home moms…because both are jobs) How many times have you been in a similar situation; you run into a complete stranger in the aisle of a Target – and as soon as you both realize you’re mothers, a conversation can spark-up with incredible energy and excitement. The only topic most women tiptoe around is “do you work or do you stay home”.  And I truly believe there is an envy and jealousy that triggers as a result of the other woman’s answer. And why the envy AND jealousy? …because we live in a world where we WANT IT ALL.

My point of view- why have a strong opinion about one over the other because both are GREAT!

Obviously, I’m a “work-for-pay” mother  (as I’ve now heard it put) and I wanted to offer an “optimistic” point-of-view for all working mothers out there. I had an awesome conversation with a great friend of mine (Tracy), who is also a working mother. As we sat on the beach we posed the question to each other; “If everything in your life remained the same; if you had the choice would you choose to work?” Put another way, “If you could remove the worries of providing stability and opportunities for your family, would you choose to work?”

My friend so eloquently described the situation a little differently; we shouldn’t get wrapped up in making the right decision for your family – staying home or returning to work. Rather, we should find peace in the idea that we have a choice! Every day we have the choice to work is a day to celebrate, because think about the many women who came before us. They didn’t have the luxury & freedom of choosing. The choice is what all women who came before achieved for us.

So next time we read Mommy Wars (looking for the answer on ‘how to have it all’)…celebrate the idea we have a choice. Here is a favorite quote that summarizes the sentiment, “Life is a journey and we can take a turn or detour anytime we want”. This quote offers incredible solace knowing that our decisions never have to be permanent.

Enjoy the journey of motherhood! Today we celebrate YOU!!

I didn’t do it. Nobody saw me do it. Can’t prove a thing.

This is a photo of Geneva Greenleaf’s (Fashion Team) 5-month Grandson in the Graco Baby Einstein activity center.  She said he takes his “playing” very seriously while he’s in there - like he’s clocking in and going to work.  (looks like a fun job to me!)

Every Wednesday we’ll be sharing a photo showing off a little bit of wonder in the lives of our extended Graco family of customers, employees and friends.

I fell in love with a post that I read about a mother writing a birthday letter to her daughter. Then I came across two other touching birthday letters. Seeing these letters, made me reflect on the past two years of my exciting & rewarding journey with PP. I keep a journal with letters to PP so she can read when she is older so I thought this was a good way to bring one of the entires to life.

Dear PP,
Two years old! How time flies. I remember when you were a few weeks old & all you could do was eat, sleep, poop. I loved how I could hold & cuddle with you (you were such a snuggle bunny). You were a very good baby.

Fast forward two years, you are a vibrant and happy little girl. You have such a great personality & love of life. You are super funny (which I have to believe is inherited from me) and you love running around & playing. I love how you jump into things & aren’t afraid to try new things (except when it comes to food). You also have a wonderful love of animals. You are so kind to our little Peaches–giving her “treats” and sharing your goldfish & cheerios. You give Peaches kisses goodnight & get so excited to see her in the morning.

But I think what I love most about you is the way you make me feel. You make me feel like a million bucks when you run into my arms & yell out excitedly, “Mommy, Mommy.” You are truly one of the most spectacular things to happen to me. I look forward to the many experiences we will encounter together.

I love you, PP. Have a wonderful second birthday!
All My Love,
Mommy

A large part of joining in the conversation in the online parenting community, is reading all of the great conversation that is going on in the blogosphere. We are always sharing cute, funny, informative, and inspiring stories that we’ve read with each other, so we thought it would be a great idea (right?!) to share some of our favorite posts from the previous month with all of you. Every month we will be giving these bloggers a monthly “nod” - all while sharing their stories with you. We hope you enjoy the stories we chose below.

Lindsay Lebresco: Hormone-colored Days - “Baby’s First Petition Drive”
I love the quote from Gandhi “You must be the change you wish to see in the world” so it was with that in mind, that Jagger (at 3 months old) and I drove down to City Hall when the vote for Philadelphia’s smoking ban came up.  He had a little onsie on that said “I have the right to be smoke free” and I’m hoping to instill in him that same sense of activism that Kim has instilled in her son.

Melissa Parlaman: Balancing Motherhood -”Poopy Diaper in the Cookie Line”
I thought this post was hysterical! I love the Superwoman reference & I can totally feel her pain when you experience a temporary feeling of panic when you know you don’t have your diaper bag when you really need it.

Erin McHugh: Blissfully Domestic - “S-T-R-E-T-C-H Your Food Budget” 
As a young woman who is planning a wedding, buying a house and still trying to keep up with the Jones’s (a little bit- I have somewhat of a bag/shoe fetish) I am living on a tight budget. One of my favorite pastimes is cooking so when I stumble upon this blog about stretching your food budget it was right up my ally. I try to go grocery shopping only once every two weeks, but my fiancé is a 6.2” athlete who requires A LOT of food, so I usually end up grocery shopping once a week (sometimes more!). This blog opened my eyes about how to stretch my food budget!

Kristin DeLoach: BananaBlueberry - “What are the rules of the Easter Bunny”
Being relatively new to the “holiday characters” club (in the sense that this is the first year my daughter is old enough to get excited and remember the holiday characters/legends such as Santa, the Easter Bunny, the tooth fairy, etc), I was faced with the same exact dilemma at Easter –how do you explain the who, what, when and where and more importantly, make sure there are no holes in your explanations?! I’m in the same boat as Nicole on this one…

Jon DeHart: DadThing - “101 Sites for Men, Husbands and Fathers”
Being among a lot of mommy bloggers, this was helpful for me to find some reading I could connect with a little more as a dad.

Tracy Myerson: NYC Moms - “Flying by the Seat of My Pants”
No matter how fast life moves, I think this post helps remind us all that we have to slow down and appreciate the things that ground us. All the little things that occupy our time may come and go but friends and family are forever. Without these people in our lives where would we be? I love the little reminder at the end about spending time with your kids, talking with your significant other, and calling a long lost friend. I’m going to make that call tonight….and I hope I receive one too!

Kim Lefko: Tales from the Crib - “Making the Big Announcement”
This is such a great story and one that many people can relate too. However, the twist the story takes leaves you laughing pretty hard. Very Clever!!

Be sure to check back next month for our April nods.

I had the pleasure of attending a Baby Expo in San Antonio, TX in the beginning of March. If I heard it once, I heard it a million times- “Do they make that in adult sizes?” Yes, that was the question of the weekend. Parents seem to want the same soothing and comfy experiences that their offspring are getting. It makes sense right? There was a lot of other great feedback and funny remarks we heard at the event. I attented the event along with Kelley Maxfield, from our Direct Marketing department, and she had an interesting take on the event. Kelley is joining us as a guest blogger with her point of view. (what can I say- there weren’t any celebrities in San Antonio!). Now heeeeere’s Kelley!

Whether you like to admit it or not, you’ve probably seen an episode or two of Antiques Roadshow (oh yes, as far as guilty pleasures go, this show is right up there with Project Runway). Aside from anticipating the guests’ reactions from the value of their new found Kämmer & Reinhardt doll or glorified paper weight, the fun is in guessing what some of these unusual yard sale bargains and cherished heirlooms are and how they are used.

As expectant parents, the guests attending the 3rd annual Healthy Baby & Child Expo in San Antonio, Texas this month, applied that same curious enthusiasm towards discovering the world of baby gear. For some newcomers, our exhibit featuring the Touch Free™ Diaper Pail looked like a futuristic toilet with automatic-open lid just the right size for a potty training toddler (one guest even commented that this was a great idea for his own toilet – is it so hard to remember to put the toilet seat down!), and our imonitor™ digital video monitor could have been the perfect spy kit (no, Meet the Fockers fans, this is not intended for spying on the in-laws during those unexpected visits).

Good guesses, but here’s when the expert appraiser would step in, or in our case, a Graco representative. Did you know our sweetpeace™ Newborn Soothing Center has an MP3 connection to let you play Baby’s personal playlist or that our imonitor™ vibe monitor actually vibrates so you can hear and feel your baby’s call?  There’s even a vibrating mattress pad in some of our Pack ‘n Play® Playard’s (wish mine did that!). From understanding the basics to mastering the top-of-the line innovations in baby gear, there are a lot of choices and we can help.

Baby trade shows or expos are an excellent resource packed with educational seminars, health screenings, games, entertainment, beauty makeovers, maternity fashion shows, taste tests, giveaways (some say the size of the goody bag received at the admissions desk is a tell-tale sign of the amount of loot you’ll take home), and one of the few places to receive hands-on demonstrations and knowledgeable information from the actual people who make baby gear products (shout out to all Graco employees who have volunteered this past year). If there’s a show coming to your city, it’s worth the visit. Come see us April 12 & 13 at Baby Celebration L.A. at the Los Angeles Convention Center!

Do you find yourself, as a parent, always putting a positive spin on things with your kids? You say what you know is right instead of what you’re thinking. (first example below) We have to set the good example, after all. But one time, JUST ONE TIME, wouldn’t you like to say what you were really thinking? Here are some of mine:

Said instead: Let’s look in there together. See, no reason to be afraid!
I was thinking: Unless your Aunt could squeeze herself in there, there’s nothing  scary in your closet.

Said instead: They’re good for you and help you grow up big and strong!
I was thinking: To be honest, nobody likes brussel sprouts - I wouldn’t eat them either.

Said instead: I know you’re upset. Let’s sit down and talk about it.
I was thinking: How are you going to run away from home when you’re not allowed to cross the street?

Said instead: It’s time to practice your violin. Wow, “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”– that’s my favorite.
I was thinking: Let me grab my noise cancelling headphones.

Said instead: You know we don’t approve of violence in this house.
I was thinking: I think you’re right, I probably could beat up Billy’s dad.

Said instead: Please remember to use soap in the shower – it’s good to get squeaky clean.
I was thinking: You still stink – what happened? Did the smell scare the soap away?

Said instead: How would you feel if someone played a practical joke like that on you?
I was thinking: Next time, fold up a straw and stick it in the water fountain like this, the water will really shoot out and squirt the next kid right in the face!

Said instead: I’ll turn your night light on, okay?
I was thinking: The dark is nothing to be afraid of. I’ve been in it since I married your mother.

Everybody’s got at least one. What’s your “Said Instead?”

We are happy to announce that little Allie Joy Sleep arrived at 12:44pm yesterday and weighed in at 8 lbs. 15 oz. and 22″ long- right on schedule. 

Amy is feeling great (and looking good too, I might add) and getting some much needed sleep in the hospital before she heads home (where there will be a lot of “Sleeps” but nobody will be having any!)

Congratulations Amy and Stefan and big brother Tyler!!  Best Wishes to you and your beautiful family of four.

“See how it opens here?  There’s usually a treat inside. These are so much better than the other ones you can’t open. Plus, the chocolate inside these is better than the stuff that comes inside those…”

This is a picture of Kaye Hansen’s (Executive Assistant here at Graco) grandniece and grandnephew enjoying Easter down south.  Her family keeps in touch via Facebook - that’s so 2008 of you, Kaye!  She’s cool and they’re cute!

Every Wednesday we’ll be sharing a photo showing off a little bit of wonder in the lives of our extended Graco family of customers, employees and friends.

Wednesdays is usually reserved for a quick photo displaying the wonder of being a parent, however we thought the wonder of giving birth was certainly significant enough to alter our blog schedule.  :)

Today’s the day!  Amy Sleep (blog contributor), has scheduled to have her baby via c-section this afternoon.  (you can read all about it in her “I’d like to schedule my baby, please” post from last week.)  Yes-schedule.  She’s a busy woman, people!  In fact, on her way to the hospital, she is planning to drop off thank you notes for the office shower we held for her last week.  (This last minute errand was not on her Outlook calendar but apparently she really wants to squeeze it in).  I would have been ok with a late thank you note (actually I would be cool if she e-mailed me a mass thank you but that’s just me- my mom, on the other hand, would be waiting in the lobby of the office for that stack of thank yous).  The funny thing is, Amy thinks she’s busy now. Babies don’t care about Outlook calendars.  I have to hand it to Baby Sleep-he or she’s conscientious enough to not pop out before today. 

We’ll keep you posted- look out for another update - this one will hopefully have pictures of Baby Sleep!