Strollerderby : Today Show

Womb Simulator Now Available in U.S.

Madeline Holler — Mon, 04 May 2009 17:32:00 GMT

Just because your child was born, doesn't mean she can't revisit the womb environment daily. Even until she's three-years-old (supposedly).

A product once only available in Europe now has an American distributor, "Bathed With Love." So curl up in the fetal position and get your orders in now.

The Tummy Tub, recently featured on the Today show with Matt Lauer, is a little plastic bucket -- oops, bath tub -- where you can, um, bathe your baby. Alone it sells for $45, but there are accessories, like a stand!, which are also available.

The Tummy Tub is designed to mimic the mother's womb, says Bathed With Love's Janis McKeller. Babies are covered in water up to the shoulders "so they can curl up and just relax." In a frank breech position, I might add.

Made of all natural materials, Tummy Tub has a non-skid bottom and a low center of gravity to prevent tipping. It holds children up to three years or 35 pounds.

Check out the video. Those kids, no doubt, are enjoying themselves. Kinda like my kids do in our un-natural, porcelein, adult-size womb simulator. Or what we call "the tub."

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Photo: NatureBaby.co.nz

Morning News: Hormonal Women the Answer to Economic Recovery

Madeline Holler — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Perhaps President Obama and his economic advisors have been thinking about this economic recovery all wrong. Instead of giving money and loans to banks and businesses, they should give it to the people who could really inject some cash into this economy: women. Specifically, hormonal women.

A new British study claims to show that women way overspend when they ovulate and that they do the real damage a week before their periods start. So one minute the gals are cranky and crampy, the next they're all "oh, look at those pretty shoes." We hate studies like this.

This will piss a (very) few premenstrual women off: "Guiding Light" is getting axed. The longest running soap opera (70 years if you count its run on the radio) just isn't attracting viewers like it once did. (Who knew it was even still on the air?)

Know what show isn't getting axed and has far more viewers than we'd even like to imagine? Glenn Beck's on FOX News. This guy is such a screaming, ranting, dangerous racist, it's unbelievable that he gets to have a TV show -- and suddenly, lots and lots of coverage (which, we realize, we're adding to here ...).

He probably even drives a Hummer, the vehicle that represents this most recent economic, carbon and car-size exuberance. The Hummer bubble has burst as well. The GM brand is searching for a buyer. Maybe the auto giant's now former CEO (fired by Obama ... yikes!) would be interested.

Other perks of the well-to-do, but this one isn't going away: buying one's way into college. In fact, it's now easier than ever for the college-bound with parents of means to get into fancy schools, even if they're crappy students, even if there's a waiting list a mile long for better students of lesser means. Ahhhh. Now that's some economic news we can wrap our minds around!

Here's what else money can buy: four-year-old Mercy Grace! She's the Malawian girl Madonna is trying to adopt. Folks in Malawi are being critical of this generous and entitled and well-meaning super star, so it looks like little Mercy will join the family later rather than sooner as a judge has delayed his decision.

Hundreds of school campuses in California are at-risk for outbreaks of childhood illnesses such as measles and mumps, according to the LA Times. Most of these schools are in more affluent areas, so yours truly is enjoying the breeze up here on the moral highground.

We would also like to share the best and worst shampoos, according to NBC's Today Show. Not surprisingly, what appeared to be a bar of soap made the worst list.

Oh, and fat babies are at risk for becoming fat toddlers. So get those chubberkins on a diet!

Photo: sheknows.com

Octuplets' Fertility Doctor Strikes Again!

Madeline Holler — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 19:01:00 GMT

The fertility doctor who is responsible for the birth of eight babies to a jobless single mother who already had six kids is in the news again.

The LA Times and KTTV Fox 11 are reporting that shortly after Nadya Suleman became pregnant with octuplets, her fertility doctor, Dr. Michael Kamrava, helped another mother get pregnant. She wanted one baby. But she's now five months along with quadruplets.

The mom-to-be's name has not been released, but here are the stunning details on her: she's 49-year-olds. She has no health insurance.

As with Suleman, Kamrava transferred eight embryos in treating this woman, who was recently hospitalized at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, where she is on bed rest for the next two or three months.

From the LA Times:

The California Medical Board has said it is looking into the octuplets' case to determine whether a doctor may have violated any standards of care.

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine, which has guidelines limiting the number of embryos that can be transferred depending on the woman's age and other circumstances, said it is also examining the doctor's practice. No laws govern this issue.

The guidelines apparently allow for the transfer of more embryos in the cases of much older women, which certainly raises some questions in the case of Suleman. However, the fact that this quads mom used eggs donated from a woman in her 20s means that the risk of carrying multiples was high.

Again, the Times:

"I do think it is concerning, and dangerous, especially to the mother. She is close to 50. When women get to be that age, our fear is the cardiovascular complications, such as stroke or heart attack. That's how serious this is," said Dr. John Jain, a fertility specialist with knowledge of the case.

The woman,an apartment manager, asks to be left in privacy and says her circumstances are different from Suleman's. She has three children from a previous marriage and her husband, a contractor in his 30s, has none.

A woman answering the phone at Kamrava's West Coast IVF clinic had this to say about the quads:

"If [a] mother wants to bring four kids, so what?"

So what? Just put'em on the tab ...

Ex-Employee of OctuDoc Shocked He's Still In Business

Photo: Telegraph.co.uk

Octuplets' Grandma Calls Daughter 'Unconscionable' as Babies Introduced to the World

Madeline Holler — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:01:00 GMT

The grandmother of the California octuplets (plus six others) turned on her daughter, Nadya Suleman, calling her unconscionable for undergoing IVF yet again -- the pregnancy that conceived the now famous eight babies.

The grandmother's change of heart comes after Suleman told the press she had a sad, dysfunctional childhood. On the Today show this morning, Suleman introduced to the world babies Malia, Nariah, Isaiah ...

... Noah, Mcai (where's his letter 'h'?), Jonah, Jeremiah, and Josiah.

Grandmother Angela Suleman told reporters that she and her husband pleaded with their daughter to stop having babies. When she wouldn't, they went to the doctor that had treated her for her six other children and begged that doctor to stop. Daughter Nadya, according to her mother, just went to another doctor. Nadya told NBC's Ann Curry, in an interview on the Today show, that she had the same doctor for all her pregnancies.

The grandmother of 14 didn't sound terribly happy even with life with the six oldest grandchildren, explaining they were up all night, kids clothes were all over the house, and that everyone's squeezed into bunk beds in their small two-bedroom house. In an interview with Radar Online, she says that she doesn't think Nadya is capable of caring for all 14 children. They also posted photos from inside the house.

Also from the Today interview, we learn that Nadya's 14 children were conceived with sperm from the same donor. He has not met any of her 14 children. Here's what she said:

When asked his reaction to the amount of children she had, Nadya revealed: 'He was shocked. He didn't know what to say.

'He needs time. So in the future, somebody day maybe, he would be open minded to knowing them... This probably makes him feel a little bit worried and scared and apprehensive, you know, to be in their life right now. And it's maybe just not the right time,' she said. 'Someday, he will.

But she added firmly: 'I'm not going to say that I am hoping or relying on that... This is my choice to be a single parent.'

The doctor that preformed this latest embryo transfer is now being investigated by California authorities. Ethicists, too, are concerned that a single clinic might be responsible for all of the children born to this single mother with no job.

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UPDATE on Sneak Peek! The Octuplet Mom Interview

Doctors Who Delivered Octuplets Say 'Don't Look at Us'

Report: Octuplets Mom Used Sperm Donor, IVF for All 14 Kids

Reports: Mom of Surprise Octuplets Already Had 6 Kids

Photo: Daily Mail

Sarah Palin Speaks To Esquire About Kids And Things

Brett Singer — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 04:15:00 GMT

Sarah Palin is back. In truth, the Hockey Mom/Lipsticked Pitbull/former Vice-Presidential candidate never left. So before anyone hits me with a "Why don't you leave that nice woman alone!", remember that all of these quotes are from Palin herself, via an interview in Esquire Magazine. It's not like people put a camera in her house. We'll stick with the quotes that are about her kids. Here we go:

On Trig:
I'll tell you, yesterday the Anchorage Daily News, they called again to ask — double-, triple-, quadruple-check — who is Trig's real mom. And I said, Come on, are you kidding me? We're gonna answer this? Do you not believe me or my doctor? And they said, No, it's been quite cryptic the way that my son's birth has been discussed. And I thought, Okay, more indication of continued problems in the world of journalism.

Now, I don't want to feed the beast here. And there are certainly problems in the world of journalism. But in that paragraph, she doesn't say that she's Trig's mom. I understand what she means. But she doesn't actually say that she is Trig's biological mother. Just sayin'. (UPDATE: per the comments below, this was meant as a joke, not serious journalism.)

On Bristol's pending nuptials:
This is what I've been telling Bristol, before she gets married, is, Bristol, there are definitely gonna be tough parts in marriage. You have to look at those tough times and remember that you have essentially a business contract with this person. You've signed an agreement: You're going to be together. And you look at it that way as you work through the tough times, because I guarantee the better time is there on the other side. That's how we've looked at it.

To quote another song by Heart (who sang her theme tune, Barracuda), what about love? I kind of hope that there was more to this one because if that's how she feels about marriage, that's kind of a bummer. Not that I'm all flowers and puppy dog tails when it comes to marriage. But it's more than just a "contract." Isn't it?

On Bristol's name:
Two meanings in Bristol's name: I worked at the Bristol Inn, and Todd grew up in Bristol Bay. But also, Bristol, Connecticut, is the home of ESPN. And when I was in high school, my desire was to be a sportscaster. ESPN was just kicking off, just getting off the ground, and I thought that's what I was going to do in life, is be one of the first woman sportscasters. Until I learned that you'd have to move to Bristol, Connecticut. It was far away. So instead, I had a daughter and named her Bristol.

OK. Hang on. First, she says "two meanings" and then provides three. Second – ESPN? Does that mean that she considered naming the girl Boomer, after Chris Berman? This might seem like another opinion from a "pathetic blogger" (another quote of hers), but that's a strange choice. I mean, I like the Cartoon Network but I'm not naming my son Mojo Jojo. (I did suggest that the name Luke, so I could say, "Luke! I am your father!" But then my wife hit me really hard and I gave up.)

Lastly, a general comment on parenting and kids:
A courageous person is anyone who loses a child and can still get out of bed in the morning.

No disagreement there. I do wonder what prompted her to say that, but that's one thing she and I can agree on. (She was really worried about finding common ground with me, y'know.)

One thing that can't be said enough – when Palin says that she wants us to leave her kids alone, she has to realize that she puts them in the spotlight every time she does press like this. She doesn't have to do the interview. And if she does the interview, she doesn't have to mention her family all the time. I said it before and I'll say it again – if you don't want people to write about your kids, you should stop talking about them in the media.

There's a lot more, including the statement "Everything I've ever needed to know I learned through sports," a bit of "y'all" and "ya", and that she doesn't think of herself as "hot." Oh, and to make a good chili, you need mooseburger. The full interview is online at Esquire.com. G'wan. Read it. You know you want to. Y'all. Ya.

Source/Image: Esquire

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Sarah Palin Says Leave My Kids Alone

Brett Singer — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Remember Sarah Palin? Republican Vice-Presidential candidate, kind of overshadowed John McCain for a while, said the word "maverick" a lot? Tina Fey did an impression of her on Saturday Night Live? Ring any bells?

She's back. Well, to be fair, she never went away. But the Associated Press has published a story talking about how Palin "is going on the offensive against news organizations as well as bloggers she says are perpetuating malicious gossip about her and her children." They say she has, "personally reached out to media outlets such as People magazine and The Associated Press to complain about information she claimed is wrong."

What information? Well, that her daughter Bristol Palin and her fiancee, Levi Johnson, have dropped out of high school. She says that isn't true since they are taking correspondence courses. That sort of thing. Palin says that she is doing this to "set the record straight" and not because of political ambitions.

American University professor Leonard Steinhorn, described as "an expert on the presidency," isn't buying it. He says that Palin is positioning herself to run for Prez in 2012, and is "attacking the media as a way to generate support among a base she hopes will support her." (He's an expert, so he must be right.)

Here's the thing. I don't think it's fair to go after her kids. But someone needs to explain to the Governor of Alaska that if you don't want "the media" to talk about your family, you probably shouldn't invite them into your home, which she did with the Today Show in November after losing the election. No one forced her to do that. And if she wanted to do the interview, she could have done it alone. But she chose to do it in her kitchen while she cooked dinner. She clearly wants to have her family be part of her image, but she also wants to pick and choose what people write about them.

The problem is, it doesn't work that way. You can't have your cake and bake it on national television too. There are plenty of ways to keep your family out of the spotlight. One of them is very simple: keep them out of the spotlight.

Source: AP via HuffPo

Image

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Miss Piggy Wants a Bailout For Christmas

Brett Singer — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 22:30:00 GMT

I'm going to backtrack now on something I said earlier. I was bemoaning (OK, fine, I was whining) that Disney, who now own the Muppets, were going to ruin what I feel are great characters, thereby destroying the possibility that future generations will derive pleasure from Kermit and Company.

Are you sitting down?

I may have been wrong.

Various Muppets appeared on The Today Show this morning to promote their new holiday special, 'A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa' (airing on NBC tonight at 8pm EST; Newsday gives it an A). (No, I don't mean to imply that Tom Cruise, who also was on this morning, is a Muppet. Although that would explain a lot.) The best part, in my opinion, was Miss Piggy, who as far as I know is still being played by the great Frank Oz.

It's not even that what she said was so hysterically funny. But the way that the hosts just sit and chat with her as if she were something other than felt never gets old to me.

Anyway, here are two clips from Miss Piggy's recent appearance, plus one from earlier this year where the Muppets took over the show and Miss Piggy tied up 'Law & Order' star Christopher Meloni with crime scene tape. Good times, good times.

Miss Piggy Wants a Bailout

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Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Miss Piggy on Today Show

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Older: Muppets Take Over Today Show

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Muppets Take Over the Today Show and Miss Piggy Ties Up Christopher Meloni

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Hopefully these frequent Muppet appearances will get my kids interested in the characters once they outgrow Sesame Street. I grew up loving The Muppet Show, and enjoyed the same shows on DVD with my first son. (The second one doesn't seem interested yet.) With such a multitude of viewing choices out there, reminding us about the Muppets can't be a bad thing.

So there you go! I may have been wrong about Disney and their treatment of the Muppet property. Happy holidays, everyone.

(NOTE: Thank you to the commenter below who points out that the embeds of these videos aren't working. Go to MSNBC.com to find them.)

Source: MSNBC

Image: NYTimes

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Bronx, Zuma Don't Make Top 2008 Baby Names List

Madeline Holler — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:02:00 GMT

Maybe expectant parents didn't get enough lead time, but the names Bronx and Zuma (or Knox, Vivienne, Sunday, or Nahla ...) didn't top the 2008 baby names list this year. Better luck in 2009!

Experts explain that our reluctance to name children after an army fort or a day of the week is because we're living in more serious times (and, I would say, not in a safe, celebrity bubble). Instead, we're opting for old-fashioned, strong, serious.

So what names topped the charts?

Aiden for boys (for a second year in a row) and Emma for girls (knocking the too-whimsical Sophie off her unserious pedastal?). Emma's followed by Isabella, Olivia, Sarah, Elizabeth and Anna. Aiden is followed by Jayden, Ethan and Jacob.

Parents attitudes about names changed too this year with the election and year-long recession.

From TodayShow.com

When parents were asked in the online survey what they wanted a name to represent, the most important qualities for boys were strength, kindness and compassion compared to strength and individuality last year.

For girls it was kindness, compassion, intelligence and strength compared to femininity and individuality last year.

Can't help but wonder if in a year of lots and lots of strong women finally getting a little air time (I'm thinking Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Tina Fey, Rachael Maddow and yes, even Sarah Palin among many others) has anything to do with the changing attitude about girls.

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Photo: TodayShow.com

Today Show Says: Doulas Get in the Way

Miriam Axel-Lute — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:30:00 GMT

Despite having been exceedingly happy with my own home birth, I know birth location is a very personal choice. When I have friends who are planning to give birth in a hospital, I don't go home-birth evangelical on them. I just have three words: "Get a doula."

A doula, or labor assistant, is a trained birth attendant, but not a medical professional. Their role is to provide support for the laboring woman—reassurance, massage, etc.—and her partner, and also to be a patient advocate when needed, not inserting their own opinions, but understanding what the parents want to happen under certain circumstances and sticking up for it. How many OBs read birth plans these days? Breastfeeding, circumcision, pain relief . . . In these days of understaffed hospitals, it's good have someone keeping track of you, your needs, and your decisions.

The extra, consistent support makes a difference. In fact as far back as the 1970s, all sorts of clinical studies show that the presence of a doula reduces complications and c-section rates and improves mothers' feelings about the birth outcomes. Sounds perfect, doesn't it? A nice middle ground in the birth-location fight, a win-win situation? DONA International, a group that trains doulas, was hopeful that that was the message that a recent Today Show segment on doulas would spread.

They, and many others who have used doulas, were dismayed to find that instead a huge amount of the segment was devoted to a doctor who wanted to emphasize how doulas get in the way, inserting their own (non-doctorly!) opinions, and arguing with doctors. Her hospital has actually banned them. I have to wonder if they had any hard numbers on birth outcomes that contradicted the larger clinical studies, or whether they just don't like being challenged.

If it had just been her inclusion that was the problem with the segment, I would have disappointed but understood that it was coming from the twisted meaning of "balance" that operates in journalism these days (i.e., "We must find one extreme opposing viewpoint, even if it's a lie or represents only 2 people out of the whole world"). But the host and resident expert were also astoundingly snotty and condescending throughout, full of smug phrases like "buyer beware" (You know, unlike choosing an OB) and "this is a luxury for most women" (You know, unlike an increased risk of major abdominal surgery, which is just fine) and "Make sure they know they're not there to get in the way."

Yes, doulas are not medical professionals and shouldn't be trying to act as such. But as this stunning article points out, unfortunately, laboring women often need someone adovcating for them, and it shouldn't always fall on the partner.

Interestingly, the text article on the Today Show's site is very different in tone and content, and much more positive.

DONA hasn't issued an official response yet, but it's planning one. Its supporters are, not surprisingly, already asking people to write in and complain.

More by this author:

Denis Leary Puts Autism Comments In Context

Brett Singer — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Remember when a passage was leaked from Denis Leary's new book? The one where he said, "yer kid is NOT autistic. He’s just stupid. Or lazy. Or both."

Well, that's not what he meant.

To refresh your memory, here is what he says in the book, titled "Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid":

"There is a huge boom in autism right now because inattentive mothers and competitive dads want an explanation for why their dumb-*** kids can’t compete academically, so they throw money into the happy laps of shrinks and psychotherapists to get back diagnoses that help explain away the deficiencies of their junior morons. I don’t give a [bleep] what these crackerjack whack jobs tell you — yer kid is NOT autistic. He’s just stupid. Or lazy. Or both."

He went on to explain himself to fourth hour Today Show co-hosts Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb:

"The chapter is not about autism…The chapter is about people who are actually seeking special-needs diagnoses for their kids because they are spoiled kids because the parents don’t pay attention to them."
Leary said he knows a family with an autistic daughter who needs special schooling with one-on-one attention. The classes make a dramatic difference in the girl’s life, he said, but they are expensive and there is no federal funding or health insurance coverage for them.
"That’s what I was angry about," he said.

Alrighty then.

On The Daily Show, he explained that in the next paragraph of the offending chapter he discusses that particular girl. The chapter – called "Austism, Schmautism" – is about, "the culture of victimization in America," specifically parents who are "seeking a low-level autism diagnosis" for their child.

As Jon Stewart put it, "You're not blaming parents for their kids' autism… cuz you're an a**hole, but you're not that big an a**hole…cuz that would make you a HUGE a**hole." Leary agrees that saying such a thing would make him, "the biggest a**hole of all time." To which Stewart replies, "I know you – you are NEARLY… but not the biggest." (If you want to know why I'm quoting it instead of showing you a video clip, it's because The Daily Show's website doesn't allow such you to do crazy things like embed videos. Here's a link to the full episode if you're interested; the Leary interview is at the end.)

Good enough? I don't know. I think Leary is trying to push people's buttons to sell books. And there are worse sins. According to The Today Show, he wrote the book by starting with chapter titles that he "thought would be provocative." Again, that's fine. But it does make it harder to take him seriously when he starts talking about autism as if he were advocating for better care. I think its difficult to be both a cranky prick AND talk seriously about such a hot-button issue.

So is he forgiven? Or do you not care what he thinks?

image/source: Today Show

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7-Year-Old Piper Palin Sports High Heels on The Today Show

SunnyChanel — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:49:00 GMT

The clothes have all supposedly been sent back, the bells and whistles of campaign life have been silenced, and now the Palin clan is back to their normal life. You know, just standing around the kitchen, makin’ a halibut and salmon casserole and catchin’ up with the Today show’s Matt Lauer.

If you saw the interview that aired on Tuesday, you may have thought something looked a little odd when 7-Year-old Piper Palin sauntered into the room. Was it her elitist, not from “real” America “I Heart New York” t-shirt? Was it her comfort in front of the camera? No, I think it was that she was wearing a pair of black pointy-toed Stiletto heels. She walked around the room with a casual and practiced prance. Yes, this is the same Piper that was seen with an allegedly fake Louis Vuitton bag on her arm. The girl likes her fashion, she must have really loved the 150k shopping spree! But kudos to the family/handlers for not editing her shoe choice when the cameras are around. Little girls proudly love their heels, just like their mommies.

To see Piper's video on the Today Show click here .

Via: Huffington Post

Matt Lauer Talks To Sarah Palin In The Kitchen

Brett Singer — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:35:00 GMT

Sarah Palin is off the campaign trail but not out of the spotlight. Now that she isn't running for anything, she's doing interviews left and right (that's not a political reference, by the way). This morning, NBC aired the first part of Matt Lauer's interview with the Alaska Governor; part two airs tomorrow, and there's even more coming on NBC Nightly News.

Sarah sat down with Matt in Alaska for a traditional interview (as morning news gigs go, I think Matt Lauer has it the worst – dude has to travel a LOT). He also spent some time at the Palin home, sharing a salmon and halibut casserole, which he said was quite tasty.

Some of the video is below (click here if the embed doesn't work).

Here are some highlights:

Matt says that the Palin family was, “down to Earth.” Palin herself is, “a working mom...making dinner for her family.”

As for Governor Palin, she was thrilled to be, “representing middle-class, hardworking American families” as part of the McCampaign. (I'm waiting for a candidate to say that they represent lazy people who don't care about money.) She “did not know” that the media scrutiny would be as intense as it turned out to be, and she was upset about the rumors that Trig was not her son. Still, it was all worth it because, “I knew we were on the right path...offering me and my family in service of my country.”

Todd weighs in, kind of. Asked about how the Palin family dealt with the crazy campaign schedule, the First Dude said, “our family is very adaptable.” As for the criticisms? It's just “part of the business.” It sounds like Sarah was more interested than Todd in tearing some of her critics a new one. Still, the Governor says that it's all, “part of this beast called politics in America.”

So what about all of the post-election mud that's been flying around our heads? And did the McCampaign keep her from doing interviews? Palin doesn't want to get into “inside baseball” with regard to “who was calling the shots in the campaign.” She makes it pretty clear that she, “loves doing interviews” because she wants to tell the American people what she plans to do to/for them. “You have to be able to speak through the media.” Lauer points out that she answered his question, “without answering it.”

Then we hear from Piper. She awkwardly answers Matt's questions about the campaign, saying that the hardest part was going to the rallies. She missed “a lot” of school, and its been hard to catch up now that she's home again. How would she feel about another campaign, like, say, in four years? “I don't know,” is the 7 year old's answer. Then mom jumps in and asks her daughter, “Would you want to do it again, sister?” Piper, without missing a beat, says, “Yes.” (UPDATE: apparently Piper was wearing high heels.)

I have several thoughts about this of course, but one thing comes to mind immediately. Governor Palin expressed frustration with what she calls a “double standard” regarding how the media covers her. “I don’t know if anybody’s asking Barack Obama, for intance, ‘Who did your makeup before you went on stage?’ But they’ve been asking me.” True. But when John McCain goes on Jay Leno tonight, I don't think he's going to be doing a cooking segment. Live by the mixing bowl, die by the mixing bowl, y'know?

Source/Image: NBC/MSNBC

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Killing Us Softly With Her Infertility Song

Madeline Holler — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:02:00 GMT

ICYMI - Today Show Cheers Up A Childless Woman with the Saddest Song Ever @ Yahoo! Video

Um, question. When reaching out to comfort women and men who face infertility, isn't rule No. 1 to avoid pithy remarks like, "oh, well, you can always adopt"? I'm right, right?

Somebody from the Today Show really owes this woman an apology.

Because not only did they break the aforementioned rule No. 1, but they also broke the rule's rider clause: don't sing the "oh, well, you can always adopt" sentiment. I'd feel safe in adding one should also not sing things like not knowing love and reaching out hands that no one's ever going to hold. Or maybe I'm the insensitive one.

Can you believe this woman came on TV to speak on behalf of women struggling with infertility, and she had to endure this little treat? Poor thing keeps looking around to see someone pop out of a cake and declare the entire thing a joke. Spoiler alert: it's not a joke.

What could the producers (and that singer) have been thinking?

National Infertility Awareness Week

Warning! Warning! The Today Show's Tantrum Checklist

SunnyChanel — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 19:33:00 GMT

I’m sorry, but if you have a toddler and you can’t identify a tantrum, than you have a much bigger issue than just a screaming, crying child on your hands. But if you just happen to be that clueless on whether or not your offspring is having a breakdown, the Today Show has provided you with a handy dandy check list. Print it out. Put it in your pocket. Reference when you need it.

Flushed Cheeks – Check.
Pounding Heart – Check.
Louder Voice – Check.
Clenched Hands – Check.
Grinding Teeth – Check.
Rapid Breathing – Check.
Body Vibrates – Check.
Drier Mouth – Check.

If you checked all or most of these, than color yourself in the midst of witnessing a tantrum. But as the commentors on Jezebel suggested, couldn’t the same list be used to describe a child in the middle of a seizure? Tantrums and seizures are both traumatic. Let’s hope you all, regardless of the above list, you as their parent can tell the difference.

Via Jezebel

Fake Dolls' Moms Get Reality Show

Madeline Holler — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:01:00 GMT

We've talked about Reborn dolls here at Strollerderby before. How they're creepy, and kind of sad, and also causing lots of confusion when left inside a car on a hot day. Well, there's more to say. These super lifelike newborn look-alike dolls, which sell for up to $4,000, and the people who, um, own? parent?, them are getting their own show.

"My Fake Baby" debuts tonight at 9 p.m. on BBC America. The above video is a clip from the show. How sweet is that guy in the grocery store? Could the doll maker send me a fake version of him?

Reborn dolls have been sold aruond the world. They've also got a pretty substantial American following. The Today Show featured a few ... moms? ... this morning.

You know, as much as I've written about these dolls, they still make me shudder. But I'm trying to keep an open mind. One woman interviewed by Matt Lauer said her fascination with the dolls is not different than a grown man's fascination with model trains. Sure ... but does he start crying when he holds the miniature caboose?

Video: RealityBlurred.com

Five Motherhood Myths

SunnyChanel — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 18:22:00 GMT

Yup, everyone has mom guilt of some sort or another. Recently there have been myriad of lists, essays and blog posts on why us moms shouldn’t beat ourselves up. No one is perfect. And every now and then, it’s reassuring to be reminded of that fact. That’s when we can sit down, have a big sigh of relief and celebrate with a glass of wine, or two. This week, the Today Show with a guest from Woman’s Day had a countdown on five motherhood myths just so we can all feel a little bit better.

Here are their Five Motherhood Myths

"Myth 1: A good mom likes her children all the time"
Christine Nicholson, PhD says “Some days you just want to pack their bags, drop them off at the train station and drive away,…That’s normal. If you can find the caring, kind parts of you 75 percent of the time, you’re doing really well!”

"Myth 2: A good mom bonds with her children immediately"
They cited that your newborn may seem like a stranger at first, many new moms don’t feel that strong motherly bond until much later. “Like any relationship, your connection to your children develops over time,”

"Myth 3: A good mom balances it all"
“Everyone knows at least one “perfect” mom — the one with the always-sparkling kitchen, the well-behaved children and the exciting career. How does she do it? She doesn’t…at least, not without help.” There’s always at least one ball that falls during the juggling act that is a busy mother’s life. They say we shouldn’t try so hard to do it all, that just makes even more stress.

"Myth 4: A good mom spends a lot of time with her kids—and they like her because of it"
Basically quality reigns over quantity.

"Myth 5: A good mom belongs to one big, supportive Moms Club"
Yeah, no mom is an island. Having a support group to vent to, get advice from and just have playdates can be a great and a resourceful thing. But just because these women all joined the Moms Club because of their ability to obtain offsping doesn’t mean you’ll get along with them. Some just aren’t supportive, are critical of other folks and many moms cite that they feel “undermined by other parents”.

To read the entire Woman’s Day piece – click here.

(image via SFGATE.com)

Dad Battles for Return of Son Taken to Brazil

SunnyChanel — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 23:02:00 GMT

This morning I was reading my morning papers, drinking coffee and watching the morning news (while also wrestling with my 2-year old…yeah, I’m a mean multi-tasker) when my heartstrings were tugged by the tale of David Goldman and his battle for his son on the Today Show.

In a nutshell, the story goes a little something like this, four years ago, his wife and his 4-year old son embarked on a 2-week vacation to Brazil where David’s wife and mother of his child Sean was from. Once they landed, she called David and told him she wasn’t coming back, ever. He attempted to obtain a custody heading, which according to the Hague Treaties, his son would have to return to the states to attend. But the Brazilian courts were late in responding and in turn the New Jersey courts ruled that too much time had past and that Sean should just stay with his mom in Brazil.

His wife remarried, to a “well-connected” Brazilian lawyer and last month she died in childbirth. Naturally, David assumed that since his wife deceased, that he would then get his son back. But it turns out the new husband had filed a petition to have David’s name struck from Sean’s birth certificate and replaced with his own. Which would, as David said “exclude me from ever even being my son’s father…So far, the Brazilian judicial system is letting him do this.” The boy is a US citizen and the question is how could a man that has no blood relation to him, claim sole guardian when his real father is ready, willing and able to raise his own son. To find out more about David’s plight you can check out the site here.

(source and photo from MSNBC)

Red eye? Nope, eye cancer

Brett Singer — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:00:00 GMT

You know those people you've befriended online? Never met them, but you trade baby pictures? It's all just a little casual thing, right? A way to connect with people who are experiencing the same things that you are.

For one woman, that seemingly casual connection actually saved her baby's life.

Megan Santos of Riverview, Fla. and Madeleine Robb, of London, were online buddies. They gave birth the same day and swapped photos of their bundles of joy. The U.K. mom noticed something odd about one of little Rowan Santos' eyes.

It wasn’t easy for Madeleine Robb to send an e-mail to another mom warning that her baby might have a deadly form of eye cancer. But she’s glad she did it — and so is the mother of 1-year-old Rowan Santos.
…
Just hours after reading the e-mail, Megan Santos of Riverview, Fla., learned from a doctor that Rowan has a potentially deadly form of childhood cancer called retinoblastoma.

WOW.

(For what it's worth, "retinoblastoma" isn't on my spell-check.)

Here's a video report from the Today Show:

source: NBC

Read more:

Man ejected from Yankee Stadium for lack of patriotism

Return of the son of stuff YUPPIE parents like

More Kids Stuff I like that my kids don't care about

Kids Stuff I like that my kids don't care about

Sarah Palin, Sportscaster

11 months old, 62 pounds

Dad arrested for leaving son at McDonald's (what is it about McDonald's, anyway?)

They Say: Make Lunch Fun

Airline removes life vests

Kathie Lee Gifford Likes Her Kids Dumb

SunnyChanel — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:36:00 GMT

This happened a couple of weeks ago, but it’s something that has puzzled me since. On the fourth hour of the Today Show (which they inexplicably gave to Kathie Lee Gifford, and even more inexplicably, I was watching), Kathie Lee and her co-host/sidekick/doormat Hoda Kotb were discussing a recent poll from some mass media outlet (I can’t recall which one) pertaining to whether parents would prefer to have a child that was smart, popular or polite among other things.

The winner was to have a child that is polite. Kathie Lee was completely stunned that ANYONE would pick having their child be smart rather than polite. She cited going to dinner with a family with rambunctious kids and the parents saying “well they did get into – insert name of super good school here”, in the same tone as if the parents said “well, I sold my child’s soul to Satan…”.

Now I love me some pleases and thank yous as much as the next mom, but to opt for a polite child over an intelligent one just doesn’t make any sense. It’s like the old proverb "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will eat for a lifetime” If your kid is really smart, they’ll learn that being polite will get them farther. Yes, a free spirited child can be more challenging than a totally obedient one, but in the long run, I’d take smarts over manners in a heart beat.

Photo: NBC Universal - Today Show

Marathon Mom runs big race after birthing sextuplets

Brett Singer — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:00:00 GMT

OK, she didn't do it RIGHT after giving birth. But that's about the only thing about this story that doesn't make me feel like a big giant marshmallow.

Jenny Masche, the mother who last year gave birth to sextuplets, recently ran a 26.2 mile race. Yes, in her spare time. She trained after the kids, who are now 1 year olds, turned in for the night. "They’re good sleepers," she told Meredith Vieira on the Today show last week.

And did she enjoy herself? You bet! "The marathon was so fun for me — until I hit 21 miles," Jenny recounted. "Then you hit a wall. You push through and you’re so exhilarated." Oh yeah, I know exactly what you mean. That first 21 miles – just great.

That, in case it's not obvious, is sarcasm at its most sarcastical. If I get to the gym once every two weeks, it's a freakin' miracle. Jenny trained for, and then ran, a marathon. This is in addition to feeding, bathing and changing the diapers (30 per day) of six infants. Her husband helps, of course, and so do the grandparents (Bryan, the proud poppa, also ran the race with her). But, like, yowza. Good for her. This might be the only time in my life when I think it might actually be OK for me to say, "You go girl!" Well, almost.

image: Today Show

Source: ParentDish

Billy Ray Cyrus: My Daughter’s Nudity is Like Stomping in Poop

Cole Gamble — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:00:00 GMT

Wha??

Billy Ray, he of the ever expanding soul patch, made his first public statements about his daughter Miley’s photo shoot debacle on the ‘Today’ show. And artfully enough, he was able to employ a poop metaphor.

According to Billy Ray, he was as surprised as everyone else to see Miley’s revealing photos, but figured there was little to be done about it.

My dad always told me the more you stomp in poop, the more it stinks. so I was just, 'OK, this happened. We got to deal with it.'"

When asked why he then posed shirtless with his daughter draped on top of him in a midriff baring top, Billy said "I'm sorry, if I offended somebody. That's just a daddy who loves his daughter a whole lot." I don’t think your helping your cause here, Billy.

Today Show Uncovers Obvious: Dads Stay Home, Too

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 23:01:00 GMT

At-home dadism is in the news again. And while Rebel Dad's Brian Reid did an excellent job, as always, explaining the life of a stay-at-home dad on the Today Show this morning, the "news" segment leading into his interview had a lot to be desired.

Dads staying home to raise the kids is nothing new, and yet the Today Show breathlessly "breaks" this story with a my-goodness, my-golly form of college-style hack journalism that really should have been aired years ago -- after a good rewrite, of course. But there it is today -- one more comparison to Mr. Mom and one more good yuck about kids taking over the playgrounds while dads sit on the sidelines and talk sports.

Please.

Any good journalist covered this trend -- much better -- years ago. (Census figures show the trend of dads staying home has been growing steadily since 2002 -- does it really take the Today Show six years to get its head out of its ass?) Maybe tomorrow the Today Show will get around to spotlighting important, up-to-date society movements like parachute pants and Tab. Coverage like this makes it difficult for dads to fit in at playgrounds and playgroups, because it perpetuates an underlying notion that they don't know what the hell they're doing -- and that's just wrong.

You Can't Pick Your Kids, But Can You Tell Your Kid To Stop Picking His Nose?

Amy S.F. Lutz — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:01:00 GMT

"Just thinking of this creeps me out. How could a parent allow such a disgusting habit to have developed?" Dr. Ruth Peters wrote this morning on the Today Show website, about the habit of nose-picking.

A little vehement for such a common practice, in my opinion. To misquote Shakespeare, "Methinks the lady doth protest too much."

If in fact Dr. Peters is a closet nose-picker, she's not alone. A 1995 study in the Journal of Psychiatry found that 91% of those surveyed admitted to picking their noses.

And the other 9% were probably lying about it.

Ever since I read that study, a couple of years ago now, I've backed off telling my kids not to pick their noses. I've grouped that with other charming behaviors, like finger-sucking or the intense, masturbatory hip grinding my middle child has engaged in since she was in diapers, that I've instructed are best done in private.

But, if you feel as strongly about nose-picking as Dr. Peters, she does offer some suggestions on how to stop kids from doing it. If distracting your kid isn't enough, she recommends putting a little petroleum jelly up the nostrils (now that really does sound gross to me), since most children don't care for the feel of vaseline. Bandaging the index finger, to make it too big to fit in junior-size noses, might also help. Dr. Peters also recommends keeping fingernails short, choosing a code word or phrase to alert your child if he's unconsciously picking his nose in public, and - my personal favorite - making children wash their hands every time they're caught red-~~handed~~ fingered.

That sounds smart to me, teaching kids that washing their hands is a punishment. Sounds like Dr. Peters is promoting the development of a really hygienic generation.

The fact is, there's only one sure fire way to keep your kids from picking their noses. And that's not having any kids.

Pregcellent: Babymoons. As In Trips, Not Bare Behinds.

Kelly Mills — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 14:33:00 GMT

I'd totally take a media bullet for y'all, and I really feel like I did by watching this Today Show segment on babymoons. "Babymoon" is the cutsie-poo name for the vacay you take with your beloved (or perhaps your spouse) before your progeny springs forth from your loins and you are knee-deep in diapers and sleeplessness and can't imagine even going to the corner store, let alone Maui. The ladies of the Today Show segment are pregnant themselves, so they know! Omigod! It's all just so ah-may-zing and wonderful, and one of the destinations they recommend even gives you a baby bag with bottles and (sound the siren) formula. Let em rip, lactation-pros!

Okay, there were a few good tips on here, I'll admit that. And I'm going to share them so you can choose to watch the clip based on whether or not you can stand the bright perky sunlight of a cracked-out morning show segment anchor. So you should travel in your second trimester when you feel good (I didn't, but maybe you will); avoid long treks (though I bet some of you hiked a continent pregnant and were just fine, thanks); and you can't go on a cruise--well, some cruises will refuse to let you on the boat, so call ahead. Make sure there's a medical facility handy. I'll add my own: Choose a destination with GOOD BATHROOMS. You will thank me for that when you don't have to squat in the road behind a yak three times in one day.

Beyond that the show features a few locales that have pregnancy vacation packages for a pretty penny. One will serve you sparkling apple juice. Live large, ladies.

One Doctor, 24 Hours, Bunches and Bunches of Twins

Madeline Holler — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 00:02:00 GMT

Wasn’t I just saying that twins are the new black?

Exhibit B: a doctor in Wisconsin clocked in for a regular day of rounds and wound up delivering not one, not two, not even three sets of twins in one 24-hour period. But …

Four! Count’em four sets of twins, plus one sadly underwhelming singleton (I bet her mom loves her though). All in the same Lacrosse, Wis., hospital.

The doctor’s shift started out very quiet, like all catastrophes and great events do. And then the first couple called in very active labor (sidenote: you can tell the reporter doesn’t have kids, because he wrote “and very active labor,” but I digress). Then another couple would come in as the previous twins were delivered. One after the other – what good babies!

Toward the end of the shift, one final mom hatched her lone child. By then, the staff was doing this with their eyes closed. (Not really.)

The doctor said he couldn’t remember attending the births of two sets of twins, much less four, in a single day. All the moms are well, all the babies are fine, including the third set of twins who were born seven weeks early (and, incidentally, while their father was on a deer-hunting trip. Ahhhh, Wisconsin.)

So what, big deal, you say, you nasty cynic! Well it was. Proof? The doctors, the parents and all those babies were featured on the Today Show with Matt Lauer. And you thought the world stopped when your babies were born!