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My latest Mama Gotta-Haves: Thongs, thongs and not-thongs

Peaked your interest, didn't I? Well, before we get down to the nitty, gritty (and, yes, wedgie) business of thongs proper, let's talk about my new favorite thong--shoe, that is. 

Thongs

I am a flip flop gal of the highest order. I wear them constantly and I hate--HATE!!!--wearing any other regular, choke-your-feet-slowly-in-a-sweaty-dark-hole kind of shoes. My toesies need to breathe! But, as you have probably experienced yourself, flip flops are not exactly foot-friendly:

"...researchers say flip-flops hurt our feet and lead to lower-leg injuries...Unlike more stable shoes, flip-flops do not absorb the impact of steps, forcing the arch, heel calf or back to bear the brunt of the force."

I've run hobbled to the podiatrist one too many times at the hands of my flip flop addiction. Plantar Fasciitis was the worst diagnosis I received (on top of the constant ankle and knee pain from which I suffered). My doctor's prescription? Ditch the flip flops. But did I? Um, no. Like women before me who proudly suffered the pain of wearing super sexy spike heels, I, too, suffered for my love of the toe-freeing thongs. I figured the only thing to do was limp about the rest of my life, toes breathing easy but ankles cracking and popping wherever I went. The act of sneaking up on anyone was one I'd long ago abandoned (*snap! crack! pop!*). But then I found FitFlops!

They are a bit pricey for a casual shoe (about $60 for the pair I grabbed at Macy's), but they DO NOT HURT YOUR FEET or any other part of your body. In fact, wearing them is a little like walking on sand. My knees no longer hurt, my back doesn't ache, my ankles rarely pop. And I've found that I can walk long distances comfortably in them (i.e. all over Sea World), something I could never do in regular ol' flip flops. The FitFlop tout is that they actually give your legs a work out while you wear them (note the focus on tight, brown, sexy legs on their web site instead of the shoes and by the way, exactly WHO has legs like that outside of a Project Runway episode [premiering August 20 by the way!!!]?). I can't really speak about that as my legs are just as white and spongy as they were before I started wearing FitFlops (I know, stop with the oversexed images of my calves already, right?). But I don't care. I do care that I can now wear a pretty pair of black, sequined FitFlops and finally not suffer for my idiosyncratic choice in footwear.

Thongs

OK, here's the dirt: I'm 38-years-old and I just started wearing a thong. I KNOW. It's as shocking as Grandma getting a Facebook account. I mean, really, what took me so long? While acting as my personal shopper (because I have NO taste when it comes to clothes) my sister goaded me into what will forever be known as The Thong Experiment. I was hesitant at first but once she introduced me to the bottomless, pantyline-less splendor that is a thong I (almost) never looked back. I must admit that wearing the "floss" took a little getting used to, but now I'm hooked (or wedged, as the case may be). I have no specific brand to recommend (yet) but what I can tell you is that lycra is my friend.

Not-thongs

What's a girl to do if she just can't jump on (or into) the thong bandwagon? Look, I hear ya. It took me THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS to make the leap (even though my pantyline screamed "I'm wearing UNDERWEAR!!!" Every. Single. Day.). Luckily, I'm here to offer you a nice, conservative solution. Try Naomi & Nicole's Wonderful Edge line of panties. They're sheer and soft and they've got rubber (silicone?) gripper lines that stick the panties to your rump (Why, yes, I do have a way with words, thank you for noticing) so they don't move or create bulky, uncomfortable panty lines. I bought a few pair the same day as The Thong Experiment in case it didn't work out. As you know from reading above, it did. But even I, Thong-wearing Matronly Sex Goddess of the Universe, occasionally enjoy extra coverage for my more ample assets, if you know what I mean. I bought my Wonderful Edge panties at Macy's but you can get them online too.

My latest Mama Gotta-Haves: The pucker up edition

If you're like me you tend to give your lips short shrift. Life is busy what with all the child-rearing, working, cleaning, grocery shopping, flossing, blow drying, skin-care regimenting and...oh, yeah, sex (when you can bother to fit it in). Let's face it, lips get left out. Any why should they? Between all of the speaking and eating and yelling and pursing and smacking and kissing (are you still kissing because I don't think I'm kissing enough since becoming a harried mother of two) our lips get a workout and we really oughta handle them with care. This week my Mama Gotta-Haves promise to treat your lips like they're VIPs at the fanciest spa in town. 

Philosophy Kiss Me

I've used exfoliators to improve the surface and smoothness of my skin for years. So why did I put up with cracked and peeling lips each winter? Because I had no idea you could rub sand (or something like it) on your lips and get the same result. I first read about Kiss Me from Dooce. So the next time I went to pick up a new tub of Philosophy's Hope in a Jar I dug a little deeper into my pocket to splurge on Kiss Me. Within three days of using it (twice daily) my lips had ceased peeling, were noticeably softer and, yes, pinker. But that's not the best part of using Kiss Me--it's the delicious peperminty scent and the light and lovely luscious oils that soak into your lips, softening them immediately. The only disappointment I've found with Kiss Me is that you can't gobble it up straight from the tube. Well, I guess you could but the grit would make you cough.

Sugar Lip Treatment

Sugar, from Fresh, is the balm I use right after sloughing my lips smooth with Kiss Me. It glides on like butter and doesn't leave a waxy build up or give you a Chapstick- or Carmex-like addiction.  It's as delicious as Kiss Me (possibly even more so) but with a lemon-sugar scent that makes you want to lick it. But use a little self restraint and save it for your lips. You'll be glad you did.

Dior Addict High Shine (680-Catwalk Mauve)

This lipstick was a free gift I received recently from Sephora and it's accurately named. I'm addicted. Dior Addict isn't stiff or heavy. It's as light as a lip gloss but it's not sticky and its sheer color lasts longer. And unlike most lipsticks I've used this one truly moisturizes your lips (which is great because it doesn't undo all the wonderful work that Kiss Me and Sugar have done for my lips). The color I received as a freebie (680-Catwalk Mauve) is great but they've got a ton of other colors to choose from and I can't wait to give them a try.

My latest mama gotta-haves

squeaky green™ baby hair + body wash rice milk + mallow Method Baby Wash
I love, love, love this stuff! I'm always on the lookout for a gentle, great-smelling baby wash for my eczema-prone kids. Aquaphor Gentle Wash gets the job done but is fragrance-free, which is OK but don't you love a wash more when it leaves your baby not only clean but sweet-smelling? HUGGIES® Naturally Refreshing Baby Wash works well and smells great but always seems to leave my kids' skin a little dry. But when I found squeaky green baby hair and body wash from Method, I knew we wouldn't ever want to bathe without it. It's heavenly--the scent is understated and gentle not flowery or overpowering. It lathers nicely and gives a great shampoo and it leaves my kids' skin feeling supple and smooth. Since we've been using it I've seen nary an eczema patch and that's something I couldn't say even when we used Aquaphor. Plus, it's from Method so I'm comfortable that the ingredients are natural and it's got their trademark chic and sensible packaging (the top doubles as rinsing cup).

Motts for Tots individual juice boxes
Even though my daughter is almost four I still dilute her juice. Why give her more sugar in her drinks than is absolutely necessary? She gets enough extra sugar from the lollipops I bribe her with (Kidding! Well, sometimes...). So when I pack her lunch for school I'm happy to drop in a box of Motts for Tots. Its 100% juice comes diluted with purified water and has 40% less sugar than other juices. I've sipped a few boxes when I've been on the run and even though it's a mix of juice and water I still find it thirst-quenching and flavorful. And, Delaney's baby brother, Waylon, loves it too.

My latest mama gotta-haves

Neutrogena's Pink Grapefruit Oil Free Acne Scrub
I used to use Neutrogena's regular Oil Free Acne Wash with fairly good results but when I came across their new scrub I just had to try it. It's amazing. Imagine and massage for your face with the clean scent of grapefruit. The scrubbing microbeads slough off dead skin and leave my face feeling refreshed and baby-smooth. The grapefruit essence gives me a pleasant aromatherapy session every time I wash my face. It's such an all-around exhilarating face scrubbing experience that you'll start inventing reasons to wash more than twice a day.

Philosophy Hope in a Jar
Pregnancy and even the unkind postpartum stretch I endured for a year was not kind to my skin. My poor face was ruddy and oily in some places, dry and flaky in others. I looked way older than my delicate 38 years and so when I turned that lovely number just a few weeks ago I finally gave in and tried this cream Oprah's been touting for years. I noticed improvements in just a few days. My skin tone became more even. The redness and flakiness disappeared. I could actually (gasp!) be seen in public without wearing make up! I now apply this light, almost-air-like cream twice a day now and continue to see improvements. Why, oh, why didn't I start using this stuff years ago? Hopefully it's not too late to play skincare catch up.

Nelle & Lizzy rings
Thanks to Facebook and our family photographer's page there I learned about these beautiful sterling silver rings from Nelle & Lizzy. For my birthday I received the double, two bands that intertwine and continually move around on my finger. Each band has one of my children's names stamped into it. They also offer singles and triples as well birthstone rings, necklaces, bracelets and charms. I'm in love with my new double ring!