Running wishlist

Tomorrow is the Seattle Half Marathon (a race I'm woefully under-prepared for).  Yesterday, "Black Friday" was the expo and I have to admit, I got a little caught up in the buying fever.  I stocked up on these rad running kicks:

• Nike running headband
• Nike dri-fit running tights
• Brooks neon arm warmers
• Sony spiral neck-band headphones

Tomorrow will be my first time running with arm warmers, so we'll see how it goes!  I have yet to heed the guidance of not trying new things on race day ... one day.

My wishlist has now grown quite a bit, too ... and honestly, I don't think I need all (or any) of these things, but everything with a new promise has me intrigued:

• CEP running O2 compression socks
• TriggerPoint GRID - foam roller
• Black Mountainresistance band
  
  

To buy: Rockabye Baby

I can't believe it took us this long to buy these CDs...  Rockabye Baby is AWESOME!!!!!!!!  I just spent way too long on Amazon.com browsing and listening to CDs and bought:

• Queen
• Journey
• Guns N' Roses
• Radiohead

They're all to xylophone and are amazing.  The boys love these albums - I've been playing them on Pandora - so I finally decided to put my money where our ears are.  That, and I like listening to them even when not trying to soothe the boys.

The creator of this series is brilliant - music parents love, but with all the bad words and content nixed so it's baby prime time ready.  Brilliant!

To buy: earmuffs

No, I'm not talking about rad "grown up" ear muffs (although I do love my Burberrys and Banana Republic ear muffs ... can't wait to actually be somewhere that it's cold enough to wear them) - I'm talking function over fashion. It's going to be a nutty weekend in the city with the Blue Angels - not to mention a 49ers game and Oracle Open World - yeesh!

Let me introduce my latest purchase(s) - remember, for me everything comes in pairs!...

Peltor 90554 Junior Earmuff

What do running and newborns have in common?

Over the past few weeks I've been amping up my running (and loving it!) Hills, stairs, dirt - bring 'em on. During one of my runs, I started musing, as I often do, about all the gear I've acquired over the years. There are the necessities - good shoes, tights, a comfortable shirt, good sport bra, etc. And the not-so-neccesities - titanium bracelets, headbands, water pack attachments that I bought and put away ... and still can't find, and more.

Then I started thinking about all the stuff we bought our newborn boys. When I was still pregnant all the cool modern gadgets in baby stores seemed like a must! Moses basket - of course I needed it! Basinet? Well, duh, what else would the babies lounge in. Onsie with feet and ears - absolutely, it's cold in SF, right? Wrong on all accounts. The boys grow out of clothes in days, and they've grown out of furniture already. Luckily I did not invest in the moses basket or basinet that I had my heart set on - instead I used an (awesome) hand-me-down co-sleeper. Good thing, too, because they grew out of the co-sleeper in 3-weeks.

On that note, got to go - the 24ct. gold lined cashmere socks I've been watching on eBay and I must have them for ... uh ... OK, kidding.

To (not) buy: Mia Bossi Tobey Rootbeer - what I'm craving today

I stumbled on this bag when doing online "window" shopping on Mamas and Munchkins. Since the boys arrived I've been trying to get a lot better about spending money - in fact, browsing my credit card statements the only things I've spent on are groceries, delivery (a must), and diapers. Go me! But my God do these things add up.

So, instead of spend, I'll crave.

It may be dorky, or "so 90s," but I am loving this Mia Bossi hip pack. I've talked hip packs before with a nod to Sex and the City and Cari's infamous Gucci pack, but this one comes with purpose! It's stylie, for those dorky minded like myself, and practical ... if you only have one baby - it holds diapers, some wipes, cell/makeup/money, and a bottle. I think wearing one on each hip would ditch any cool potential so this one was an easy one to talk myself out of it. But I do love it so...

Money Saver Monday: College Fund

As if saving for diapers, doctors, and daycare were not enough we're come to the (painful) realization that longer term our wishes of saving for a house is not the only big ticket item - yep, that dreaded but well worth it expense, college is going to sneak up on us. With my mom's help, we discovered college alone will set us back nearly $200,000 (!!!) eeeeeeeek! While I'm sure our boys are going to be nearly famous by college time, and schools will be lining up with full scholarships, the price tag is astonishing and it's time for us to save.

After comparing possible savings accounts (below is a handy chart to reference), we went with the UGMA/UTMA Custodial Account. This account allows us to direct deposit every paycheck to start saving for the boys now and when we pull the money out for college time the tax is paid for (i.e. we're paying the tax now - we chose this as I believe taxes are lower now than they will be in 18 years). Being a Custodial Account, when the boys are 18 the money is theirs (but shh, don't tell them that - they have to use it for college).

My mom was SUPER SUPER generous and put the minimum $2,500 into each boys' account. We're going to start direct depositing immediately (my philosophy - nothing is too small right now, and if the money comes out of my paycheck before I see it, I can't miss it). We're also hoping that our parents will put money into the boys' accounts for Christmas and birthdays as the gifts.

Handy chart:

Features	529 College Savings Plan	UGMA/UTMA (Custodial Account)	Coverdell
Any earnings grow tax-deferred and qualified distributions are federal income tax-free. See Income Tax Benefits		Part of investment earnings may be tax-exempt
High annual exclusion transfer tax limits. See Gift and Estate Tax Benefits	Up to $65K per Beneficiary in a single year ($130K per married couple)2	Standard $13K annual ($26K per couple)	$2,000 annual account contribution limit
Beneficiary can be changed1. See Ownership and Control
Parent (account owner) maintains control over distribution of assets. See Ownership and Control		Distributions must be used for minor
Contributions not limited by the income of the parent (account holder). See Ownership and Control			Cannot contribute if AGI is over $110k (for a single filer) or $220k (for a joint filer)
No age limit for beneficiary (child). See Contribution Limits and Other Features
Low impact on financial aid. See Effect on Financial Aid
Choice of investments. See Investment Management	A choice of Portfolios managed by professional fund manager	Owner (Custodian) researches and chooses investments	Owner researches and chooses investments

The baby shift

It seems moms and babies are the "it" things these days. Last week Matt and I were musing about the increasing number of maternity and baby stores - there are three new ones in Union St. (yes, even in the wake of countless other stores and restaurants going out of business). Recently my mom sent me a few articles (NPR and Orpah) on how marteters are targeting mom bloggers to tout products - no wonder all the mom blogs I check out have "my favorite things" almost daily pushing random mommy-must-haves ... wait, I've done that myself! Unfortunately I never got free stuff for my efforts I really did buy the goods.

Here's a fun one for moms and non-moms to take advantage of: "Mani and Nanny" - a Pac Heights nail spa with an on-site nanny who watches your kids behind a 1-way mirror. Today there's a half off deal to take advantage of - my boys are 4-weeks so they're not yet old enough for me to take advantage of the daycare, but you can bet when they hit 6-weeks I'll be in a chair drinking tea and having my feet beautified.

To Wear Wednesday: 2nd hand!

Pregnancy is not a time to break the bank. It's also not a time to trade in style for high wasted floral "maternity" dresses ditching taste for bump duds. During my pregnancy I wore Lululemon around the house and town daily, and sported Michael Stars tops or stretchy dresses to work. For readers who are currently pregnant or planning to get there soon, I'm selling my old duds on eBay.

Items I'm selling include:

• Michael Stars tunic tanks ($19.99)
  
• Michael Stars tees and long sleeve shirts
• Splendid dresses
• Susana Monaco dress
• One shoulder brown dress ($25.00)
  
• And more!

Email me (autreytaylor (at) gmail.com) if you want to bypass eBay and/or if you have questions.

Time Saving Tuesday: Shop Online!

We definitely have our hands full. And laps. And arms. And hearts.






The boys definitely have unique needs - when they're met, the boys are happy:











If we don' thave what they need, the boys are not so happy:







I prefer the happy and it's such a relief when we can get what the boys need - NOW!








Introduce - online shopping. Online shopping has saved us tons of time, money, and stress. Here are some of my new mom favs:

• Diapers.com: great for diapers, formula (we have to use it to supplement and like to have something on hand just in case), toys, you name it! They ship SO fast - we ordered Saturday night and received our order Monday at 7am (the doorbell was shocking but a happy surprise)
• Amazon.com: pretty much covers the field - I've been able to find furniture for the boys' endless onsies, accessories, etc. Amazon can prove more expensive than other sites so I've taken to comparison shopping when possible.
• Barneys.com: OK, this one is for mom - a girl's gotta feel good, though! I only shop in their sale section and recently it's been only window (Windows - heh, get it, online in IE?... oh boy, my humor went out the door with my sleep). They have awesome sales on clothes and makeup.
• Zappos.com: another one for mom - I love buying my running shoes here when I can't get to Sports Basement (a local discount store). They have free shipping and free returns. I guess it's part for baby too because mom's feet have to be ready to run when crying starts up.

And now my online time is up! Got a post in, not shopping - maybe after the next feed/change/nap.

DwellStudio Pillow Giveaway!

As I'm in design mode (decorating the boys' room) I am always on the lookout for the perfect pillow or bedding to add fun and color to the room. I discovered the DwellStudio line a while back and am in love with their bedding goods. Now, I get to share my new found DwellStudio decor passion with you - Bedding Sets.com has offered a free pillow to readers of this blog!

What you'll get:
DwellStudio Blossom Giraffe Stuffed Animal Pillow

How you can win it:
As many readers know, we live in San Francisco and are having twin boys. This means quarters are tight but baby goods are necessary. Leave a comment with a tip on designing in tight quarters for a chance to win this DwellStudio pillow (design ideas are not limited to baby design needs).

Giveaway details:
The giveaway ends at 9pm PT on Friday, July 3rd. The winner will be announced no later than Monday, July 6th.

The giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents.

About the company behind this giveaway:
Bedding Sets.com, part of CSN Stores, offers a wide variety of bedding for children and adults.

Money Saver Monday: Sale sites!

As you've gathered by now, I'm a sucker for a sale. With the twins rapidly approaching we've been trying to buy things as we find them for cheap. The SF Parents of Multiples sale was a HUGE help! But that only happens twice a year.

Introducing, sale sites!

I'm a sucker for a great deal and there are a handful of sites that offer great discounts on designer and not-so-designer goods.

• Shnoop has a single item daily for great prices! Todays sale is an umbrella stroller for $99 down from $299 - yesterday they had a designer watch. You never know what you're going to get.
• Gilt Group offers great designer goods varying from Vera Wang to White and Warren (my new maternity favorite).
• Hautelook also offers designer goods - their shipping policies are a little lacking, but they'll get there (they don't let you order from multiple sales so you have to double pay shipping often).
• Editor's Closet is a step above Gilt with designer accessories and clothes.
• Ideeli is another designer site that has fewer sales but excellent deals.

My latest online discount purchase? Shoes of course! This time for the boys, not me. I bought these cute LAMB shoes for only $12.

Now if only the sites would sell diapers, wipies, and sitter hours ...

To diaper bag or not to diaper bag?

With babies comes so much stuff. Stuff for baby, stuff for house, stuff for mom - it's a never ending list. There are two buckets of stuff, I think, the need to haves (diapers, clothes, somewhere to sleep) and the nice to haves (cute diaper bags, matching onsies, sheet sets and curtains, etc.) I do love the nice to haves, though, I have to admit!

Today on Editor's Closet (email me if you'd like an invite to the site) were the cutest Timi & Leslie diaper bags for 50%+ off. I only fell in love with 5, but I refrained from buying any. I have a feeling diaper bags are going to become my new shoe - aka, a mini obsession.

diaper bags by Marathon Mom on Polyvore.com

To buy: Lululemon Jesus pants

I am in love with my new Lululemon Jesus pants. They're made with luon light which is awesome because they make for a lighter pant and can take me from Spring into Summer. I'm planning on sporting these to work when my boomin' belly goes beyond my jeans' capability (something I'm certain will happen soon).

Why I love them? Let me count the ways:

1. They're perfect for pregnancy as I can roll them up or down
2. They're a flowy fit and comfortable for those (very very rare) warm summer SF days
3. They're simple
   

To buy: stroller - the great strolloff!

VS:

As we're nearing 6-months and getting closer to shower kind (the baby kind, not the ohmygodistink after spin kind), we're getting more into stroller research ... and it is daunting!

Our requirements are pretty simple:

• Work in the city (read: get through doors and fit on the sidewalk)
• Grow with the twins (read: infant through toddler)
• Be able to run/walk/stroll up and down the San Francisco hills
• Pack into the car
  

We've narrowed it down to two: the BOB Revolution Duallie and the Bumbleride Indie Twin .

BOB Revolution Duallie :

• Cost: $569 (need to buy the carseats and all accessories separately)
  
• Weight: 31 pounds
• Width: 30.8"
  
• Specs: 12" swiveling front wheel, side by side seats, fits infant carseats, holds up to 100 pounds
  

Drawback: only fits 1 infant carseat

Bumbleride Indie Twin :

• Cost: $590 - 650
  
• Weight: 34 pounds
• Width: 29.5"
• Specs: 4-wheels, 12" air tires, side by side, fits infants on up, holds up to 90 pounds
  

I'm going to have to sell off nearly half of my beloved shoe collection for a stroller ... now that's love!

To buy: crib

We're buying baby stuff as we see it. The cribs were the big purchase - they need to fit in the room, be safe, and be affordable! We knew we wanted white, hoped for adjustable (infant to toddler), and knew we wanted modern. The choices were endless...


cribs - by Marathon Mom on Polyvore.com

We wound up lucking out and found 2 cribs on Craigslist.com for $100 TOTAL!!! Including mattress and handmade bumper from Paris. I love Craigslist.com. I love checking things off our baby list.

Overwhelmed ... so many to dos

Matt and I are trying to buy goods now to jump on the sale bandwagon and check things off our growing list before we're battling lack of sleep with to-dos. We made our very first trip to Babys-R-Us yesterday and instantly felt overwhelmed - seriously, hives were present. There are hundreds of stroller options alone! And there are mixed reviews for every option - eesh.

We have 4-months to research and research we will do.

To buy: video camera

I know it's still early, but we're making our list and checking it twice on things to buy. There's the crib, the rocker, the changing table tiny clothes, oy vey so much! The good news is we still have 6-months to shop.

We are trying to capitalize on the post holiday sales, though, and are looking at investing in our memories (insert "awww" here) with a video camera. Here are a few we're comparing:

• Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder - this camcorder has optical zoom up to 8x (which according to Matt is way better than digital zoom because it takes the pixilation out), can go under water, and has a cool swivel look. It's on sale now for $199 down from $399 - still out of our price range but definitely better than some of the bigger models.
• Flip Video Mino Series Camcorder - this is a pocket camcorder and can only record up to 60-minutes of video. I'm not planning on being one of those mom's capturing everything, though, so that may be a perfect amount of time. This runs only $159 (down from $179) and has 4.5 stars out of 5 (I'm a big star watcher on Amazon). On the down side, it has digital zoom - translate, not great.
• Flip Video Ultra Series - this is another pocket version coming in at $126 (down from $145). The price and size are definitely right - like the camcorder listed above this only shoots 60-minutes and is a digital zoom version.

Gosh, all this camcorder research is making me nostalgic for my childhood days of slide shows and Polaroid pictures. My how far we've come! Pretty soon we'll be shooting our kids in 3D with instant upload and hologram features! Oo, now there's an idea ...

To buy: good shoes

Running can cause tons of injuries - knees, hips, ankles, and shins to name a few. The last thing you want when you're pregnant (well, the last thing any runner wants really) is to deal with an injury on top of everything else. Intro: good shoes. I've gone through quite a list of shoes - Mizuno, Nike, Saucony, and many more. I've found winners and losers in every brand.

My (and my orthopedic Dr's) current favorite? Asics 1130 - they're supportive, comfortable, and cute!

Oh, and on sale on Amazon (poor pre-Christmas stores (sales) can be good for us consumers - now's the time to stock up on shoes, shirts, workout pants, and more!).