Real Fab Mom! Meet this Entertainment Insider… who’s pregnant in heels.

You ready for another *Real Fab Mom*?

MEET ANYA SARRE. She’s sassy. She’s smart. She’s sweet. She’s stylish. As in, THE celebrity stylist for TV’s top rated Entertainment Tonight and The Insider. Oh yeah… she’s also expecting her first baby in July. With her long blonde hair, head-to-toe designer duds and a glamorous lifestyle that’d make most anyone envious, she pretty much looks like a walking poster-child for the City of Angels… and she is. It’s part of her charm. But don’t let appearances fool you: She WORKS HARD for her fun. This is a chick who built her career in a cutthroat industry, thinks fast, juggles all-things-crazy and runs her butt off in a fast-paced showdown every single day. And she also happened to be really friendly and open when I approached her at a recent event. That’s real fabulousness. She not only dresses TV’s top entertainment news shows, she also cranks out additional on-camera segments for StyleHaul while moonlighting as a ShoeDazzle stylist (among other projects). Yeah, she pretty much looks and acts like a rockstar… who happens to be eight months pregnant. I was thrilled to chat pregnancy, baby style and spitup with her.

You are KNOWN for all things fab. What is the most UNfab thing you’ve had to deal with during the pregnancy and how have you dealt with it? Hormones, mood swings and crying mascara down my face is definitely not fab. Passing out at 9pm at the dinner table or an event is not so fab either.

You looked like a rockstar at the kickoff event for Pregnancy Awareness Month… and were rockin’ some seriously tall shoes (my kinda gal). Your biggest tip for keeping pregnancy fabulous on the outside? Just because you are pregnant, doesn’t mean you have to change your style. I always say if you look good, you feel good and if you feel good, you look good. During pregnancy you need to do whatever you can to make yourself feel good and look good. So for me that means wearing heels, getting dressed up and having my hair and make-up done.

Don’t lie: How much amazing pregnancy and baby products have you been privy to thanks to your job? I would never lie about that! I am obsessed with this little nautical outfit that Mud-Pie sent me. I am really in to the L’oved Baby clothing line because it is so organic as well as Kate Quinn Organics. However I have splurged on over the top stuff like this little baby shirt that says “I left my Louis in the Jet” from Kitson Kids and a Gucci baby carrier. Luckily, I already had a Chanel diaper bag, because I have been using it as my everyday tote for years. As far as all of the strollers and gadgets go, I am so excited to use my Quinny stroller. I am so lucky that I have been privy to a lot of products but I have also taken it upon myself to do a bunch of research and really investigate the natural organic products available for babies.

Poopy diapers and spitup can ruin an amazing outfit. Have you prepared your postpartum wardrobe yet? What is it? Pre-pregnancy, I always ended up changing my outfits 3-4 times a day based on where I was going so I am very used to having multiple outfit changes. I think my post baby uniform will consist of a maxi dress, a light cardigan and statement necklace because.

Yup. That's a CAKE.

You were so gracious to recently let me check out your FABULOUS baby shower first-hand… Do you wish that you could style/plan all your own baby showers because you love the process so much? Yes, I have planned dozens of baby showers for celebrities and friends. It was very hard for me to give up the control for my own shower, but I made a presentation with my vision and detail boards and requests and my 12 shower hosts created an amazing over the top event that totally wowed me. I was allowed to do the cake and the gift bags for my own shower so that made me happy.

All new mothers have first-time concerns or fears… what are yours? Well, not finding out if my baby is a boy or a girl has been stressful but exciting at the same time. So once I know I will be able to plan, organize and decorate a lot more.  I think I am just like every other mom, I worry about being able to do it all.

Don’t worry Anya… you’ll still do it all. It just might take you a teeny bit longer – and more cups of coffee – to get some things done. Trust me. (I’m living it.)

To keep up with Anya, check out her website and follow her on Twitter. (How else are we going to know if she has a boy or a girl??)

[REMEMBER HOW I FEEL ABOUT FINDING OUT BABY'S GENDER?]

And to get the juicy details about Anya’s fabulous over-the-top baby shower and her MOST INCREDIBLE GIFT BAG, check HollywoodHotMoms and ModernMom soon!

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My big Mother’s Day fakeout.

My second Mother’s Day is down. Over. O.V.E.R. And I faked it goooooooood. But not after I had a sincerely wonderful time with my beautiful baby girls and loving Hubby… at a Hollywood brunch spot that is totally inappropriate for children. But that’s what I wanted. And on Mother’s Day, the Mom wins despite better judgement. Because I said so.

Last year I worked my butt off on Mom’s Day (and I liked it), but this year (officially exhausted with TWO babies now) I wanted it to be an I’m-Queen-For-A-Day day. So I called my favorite restaurant: the fabulous Asia de Cuba on the famed Sunset Strip and made a reservation for 2 adults, 1 high chair, and someplace to put a carseat. For real. The pre-baby me would’ve died of embarrassment. (I find myself saying this more and more.) But I pulled off this inappropriate-dining-area-for-kids thing before, so why not try my luck again. It worked to my surprise… and my husband’s shock and awe.

 

We were seated in what I like to identify as the “Fab Mom” section of the patio… with (count ‘em in the picture) not 1, not 2, but THREE carseats! Yeah! We sipped mojitos… with real life rum and sugar cane an everything. We (LadyP) crammed chocolate-covered strawberries in her face. We (LilMiss) took a siesta in our carrier practically the whole time, until we (LilMiss, again) wanted to show off her ruffles and try for a bit of a tan. Brunch was deeeeeeee-li-cious! And then… it was over. The Mother’s Day gods granted me good luck that day.

And then, perhaps to prove to them that I deserved their generosity of good children on a most notable day, I did something oh-so-sneaky… something that babies do when they are content and don’t want to be bothered. Something only a desperate mom could do when she is absolutely at the end of her supply of energy. I went home, laid down in my bed, and faked a nap. It was Hubby’s turn to take over whether he liked it or not. I was not in the mood to be a team player on the only official day carved out for mothers, so I wasn’t. Maybe my mojito gave me the courage to be so defiant. With LilMiss not wanting to sleep and LadyP on the most insane sugar high that she will be on this entire year, I refused to open my eyes. The baby cried. My eyes stayed shut. LadyP ran around like a lunatic with the balloon I’d been presented with that very morning. My eyes stayed shut. I was out cold… except I really wasn’t and I heard every single nutzo thing that was happening in my house (although I think I did end up really falling asleep for a little while). Loud noises crashed. Papa could handle it. Babies cried for their bottle. Papa could handle it. Toddlers screamed to play the same damn music video that you’re sick of watching morning noon and night. Papa could handle it. And he did. Thanks Hubby. You did good and I appreciate it, despite that our house looked like a tornado hit it and Hubby looked like he’d been through WWIII when I woke up 3 hours later.

It was the most fabulous day I’ve had in a while. I highly recommend faking it next time you have a chance and can get away with it.

HOW WAS YOUR MOTHER’S DAY?

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Dear Mom: All the things you never did.

Ok Mom… Last Mother’s Day I blamed you for a lot of things. That was fun.

This year I’m going to call you out even more and tell everyone about all the things you never did as a mom. Brace yourself.

LadyP, LilMiss & the ORIGINAL Fab Mom.

You never allowed me to think that I couldn’t handle anything – and I do mean ANYTHING – that comes my way. Ever.

You never fed into my idiotic adolescent whining about how a performance, appearance or event didn’t go as perfectly as I had unrealistically imagined it in my head.

You never hesitated to use your famous words “Handle It” whenever they were remotely relevant.

You never tried to persuade me to become an attorney when I took that damn LSAT course so many years ago and hated it so much.

You never suggested that it was remotely okay to sit back, relax and not volunteer and/or contribute to anything greater than yourself.

You never conveyed that it was acceptable to serve chips out of a bag and/or desserts out of a box at any type of social gathering.

You never lied and told me that I looked like a million bucks when I actually looked like crap and needed to get my act together… and possibly add some highlights to my hair.

You never led me to believe that it’s ok to ‘let yourself go’ a little bit (physically & mentally) after having a baby… and then another baby right after that.

You never made me feel guilty, selfish or wrong for wanting to create my life and live it 3 whole hours away from you.

You never made me feel that I can’t call on you for anything at any time… even if it’s to talk about something really stupid or to whine about something that I can’t control (although “Handle It” often still sneaks it’s way in).

You never hesitated to call and tell me if there’s something on TV that I should be sure to watch (like Jennifer Lopez’s recent performance on American Idol).

MY MOM, MY FRIEND, MY MENTOR.

I LOVE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF IT… AND MORE.

Share with me! Is there something that your mom never did?

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Being a good mom is…

Meet the P.A.M. bloggers.

This weekend I got to re-live my pregnant days (as if they were so far away). Honored to be one of the ‘official’ bloggers of Pregnancy Awareness Month, I attended the huuuuuge kickoff event here in LA (I still can’t believe my belly missed it by a matter of weeks). If you were there, you got to see all the fab products (including an oh-so-posh mini-wardrobe set that I won for my 8-week old LilMiss, from Mod Swad), but the most memorable part of the day is what I learned about myself. Perfect for the week leading up to Mother’s Day, right? With hundreds of moms, dads, moms-to-be and tots in attendance, THE PLACE WAS A ZOO (in the best way, but still a zoo). Days later, I’m still recovering from it. Don’t get me wrong – IT WAS FUN! – but it was a lot to absorb with a toddler, stroller and no sunscreen. Good thing I used my head and opted out of taking LilMiss along for this ride. This day was all about me and LadyP. All 19 months of her. So here’s what I learned… thanks to the Pregnancy Awareness team…

BEING A GOOD MOM IS:

Figuring out how to navigate a stroller around THIS…

Feeding your kid muffins for lunch if it’s the only way to keep order.

Camping out to watch a very pregnant Lisa Loeb (singing her kiddie-friendly music)… and also not being afraid to cry a little bit when she sang her 90′s hit “Stay.” (Don’t ask me why… I just did ok.)

WE HAD A BLAST. It was challenging with that damn stroller and some ridiculously-high wedges that I stubbornly thought would be sooo fab to wear that day… but those are the times when you learn to handle things and teach your tot to find the fun in every situation. It. Was. Worth. It. I was a great mom that day. I AM A GREAT MOM ALL DAYS.

Which leads me to my point:

THE KEY TO BEING A GREAT MOM IS THINKING, BELIEVING AND KNOWING YOU ARE ONE AT ALL TIMES…. Even when you forget the sunscreen, feel like everyone’s judging you and feed your kid muffins for lunch.

SAY IT TO YOURSELF FIVE TIMES A DAY. NEVER FORGET IT. CELEBRATE YOURSELF. And check out some of the P.A.M. events near YOU this month! You just might learn something unexpected.

What are some of *YOUR* great mom moments?

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Keytastrophe 2012. The most fabulously-stupid thing I’ve done in a while.

These are the only keys I found in the house. If only...

I was this close to a divorce this week all thanks to my car keys. And house keys. And my parents’ house keys. I lost em all. ALL. They completely evaporated, disappeared, vanished, kapoofed. I was in denial the first few days, convinced that my LadyP had unintentionally (or, intentionally) hidden them from me so I couldn’t leave the house anymore without her. (I’m officially IN the attachment phase of toddlerhood.) But denial is now over. They. Are. Missing. And I don’t think they’re coming back.

But it’s not my fault. Misplacing keys runs in my blood. I could tell you stories about how my dad had to case our whole house before finding his keys when I was a kid. My mom’s even had a few inexplicable instances with her own keys ending up in other people’s purses (don’t ask). Now I’m that parent. It drives my husband CRAZY. Not to mention, our keys consisted of a bunch of ridiculously-techie devices that are expensive to replace (computerized car keys, a remote alarm, the keyless access to my gym… not to mention an old BMW keychain that has more meaning to me than most of my keepsakes. I’m MOST upset about losing that one). I remember having them in the house a week ago… when I took the girls for a walk and then came back into the house. But that’s it. Gone. Hubby yelled at me. We argued. It’s over. I now can’t be trusted. Whatever. Let this be the most serious thing that happens to me this month. Life could be worse.

This might become a habit.

But I was pissed (still am actually). Being fabulous means keeping your head together in the midst of newborn+toddler chaos… obviously something I haven’t quite mastered yet. But I did learn that buying a $6 bunch of spider mums from the grocery store can do wonders for the look of your kitchen and boost your mood.

But I’m still confused by the mystery of the disappearance. It’s like I blacked out. Where could they possibly be???

WHAT’S THE MOST ABSENT-MINDED THING YOU’VE DONE?

Watch me discuss this and other things pregnancy, mom and style related with Angela of The Zen Mom and Andrea of Savvy Sassy Moms:

 

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Rachel Zoe’s Jeremiah Brent dishes on his boss & his own UNfabulous trait.

Recently I attended a posh little soiree that celebrated the re-launch of resource 100% Natural Spring Water (thanks to Savvy Sassy Moms).

Jeremiah Brent. Photo courtesy of Cone Communications.

The water was crisp, the company was cool… but the kicker was how the fabulous Jeremiah Brent (from The Rachel Zoe Project) admitted that he’s got a little UNfabulous in him. (Ok, I may have coerced him to come up with something for the sake of having a fun tidbit to write/read, but whatever… we’ve all got a bit of UNfabulous that sneaks up in all of us, right?)

Turns out, Jeremiah’s got a problem with bath towels. He throws them on the floor. Gasp! That’s ok, J, I do too (sometimes). “It used to drive my mom crazy” he laughed. Keep in mind that Jeremiah looked like 100 million bucks in a sharp black suit, skinny black tie, smiling green eyes and hair more perfect than Ryan Seacrest could ever hope to get his ‘do as he told me this truth.

Photo courtesy PopSugar.com

As for the truth about his boss Rachel, well, he pegged her as a “breath of fresh air” while she was pregnant (citing her as a “really good pregnant woman”)… and lovingly gushed how Zoe really is obsessed with putting her family and toddler son Skyler first these days. Jeremiah also admitted to having the same leather jacket as Skyler (except Jeremiah said it took him a few years to get his, while Skyler didn’t have to wait that long). “That kid has more clothes than I do…” But we coulda guessed that one. Maybe next time I should ask Jeremiah if Rachel’s got any UNfabulous traits… Nah, highly unlikely.

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So I’m getting pregnant again, and YOU can win free Britax!

Kick Mats

Don’t flip out. I’m not aiming to actually grow a bump again, but I am getting a little pregnant for the month of May… it’s kind of a requirement if you’re involved in Pregnancy Awareness Month… And I’m totally excited about it!

EZ-Cling Window Shades

EZ-Cling Window Shades

PAM celebrates, supports and empowers pregnant women and families. Sunday May 6 is the FREE PAM kick-off event for the Los Angeles area (RSVP here!) and will feature shared insight from famous mommies TV personality Ricki Lake (yeah! she’s leading a panel discussion called “Real Birth Stories” WITH her documentary filmmaker!), model Josie Maran (a PAM advisor), Bump It Up pregnancy style guru Amy Tara Koch and my personal blogging fairy god-mommy Andrea Fellman of SavvySassyMoms (aka the woman I hold responsible for my second pregnancy thanks to a fab event of hers that I attended about a year ago). Not to mention, TONS of more panels and informative sessions all specially tailored to expecting families (including a foodie-type session led by Cameron Diaz lookalike Weelicious founder Catherine McCord)!

Head/Body Support Pillow

PAM offers additional support through fun and informative events in your area during the entire month of May… and is big on CONTESTS too (yeah, they’re giving away all kinds of cool free stuff on their website daily). That said, as a PAM blogger myself, I’m thrilled to offer up FREE BRITAX products for your wee one! Yes, BRITAX… as in, the safest gear for babies in the whole wide world (that’s not their official slogan, of course, but if you look up their products that pretty much what they are). TheFabMom is thrilled to offer a BRITAX Accessories package (valued at $55.97): Kick Mats ($15.99), Head & Body Pillow ($29.99), and EZ-Cling Window Shades ($9.99)! All items are universal and can be used with products other than BRITAX.

Just drop me a note to enter the contest and a winner will be selected at random. Entries close Tuesday May 1 at 6pm PST. Contest open to U.S. residents only.

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The woman I *really* need to to thank. Even though she ruined my morning news.

Ask me about George Zimmerman. Or the latest is in the Republican primaries. Or even what movies are opening this week. Chances are you’ll get a semi-blank stare. And an Armenian children’s singer by the name of Taline is to blame. I don’t understand a lick of what she sings and says, but she’s officially taken over my usual morning news.

Aside from being in a bit of a {temporary} information bubble, I do give myself credit for keeping up with work pursuits, maintaining this blog and feeding everyone that needs to be fed around here (including Hubby). I just miss my morning news. But there’s no other way. For those of you who’ve asked me “How do you get so much done with a toddler and a newborn?” Answer: Taline. Now you know what I’m sacrificing. It’s the only way. I’ve tried other music DVDs. Elmo’s cool. We like Barney too. But Taline is LadyP’s favorite. She begs for her: Ta-ta! Ta-ta! I resisted forever but finally gave up. To hell with the philosophies that putting a toddler in front of the TV for an hour is wrong. It won’t hurt. It’s music. It’s wholesome. She sings. She dances. She gets exercise. SHE’S MESMERIZED FOR A WHOLE HOUR. Luckily the newborn usually sleeps through the whole thing. I get work done. DONE. Afterall, my next opportunity isn’t until 1pm nap time. I end up waking up in the middle of the night with the tunes – and words that I can’t understand, despite that I am Armenian – running through my head. Sheesh. The things we do for our kids… and ourselves.

DO YOU HAVE A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH *YOUR* SAVING GRACE?

 

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THIS is how to do a shot.

A little over a year ago, I wrote about LadyP getting her first shots at the doctor’s office and how I inexplicably laughed my way through it. (Call it my own adverse reaction. Not to mention a great way to make a nurse think you’re the devil as your child screams.)

This time? I was hurting. I guess my second babe has turned me into a big wimp. Now I’m one of those sensitive mommies… at least I was recently when LilMiss got her first round of vaccinations. Ping. Right in the thigh. Ow. Seeing her tiny face wince, squeal, cry and look at me like “Why are you doing this?” made my own eyes well up. (I guess that’s more of a normal reaction, as opposed to the one I had with LadyP.)

Lucky for LilMiss (and me) the doc made everything better with a fabulously-shiny bandage to make us forget our pain. It sparkled. It reflected. It accentuated our curves.

Now THAT’s how you do a shot.

HOW DO YOU REACT TO YOUR BABE’S SHOTS?

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The scary-a$$ thing I bought for my girls.

Correction: I don’t think this is scary. MY HUSBAND DOES. He says he sees “skeletons” when he looks at it. Anyone else on his side?

LilMiss on left, LadyP on the right.

I, for one, don’t see skeletons. I see two fabulously-adorable fairy princesses that remind me of my sassy LadyP and sweet LilMiss.

LadyP on left, LilMiss on right.

So I’ll hang this whimsical find (thanks to my local HomeGoods) in their room until one of them wakes up screaming in the middle of the night with nightmares and proves me wrong.

AM I THE SCARY ONE? WHAT DO YOU SEE?

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