Why The Riding Boot is a Winter Wardrobe Staple for all Moms-to-Be

Posted on December 16, 2015

This winter, if you are preggers and looking for winter footwear to purchase for yourself or put on your holiday wish list, you cannot go wrong with The Riding Boot. Traditionally, these are Equestrian boots worn by those who ride horses, but fashion houses have taken them and put a fashion twist on them and mass produce them for the cosmopolitan market of fashion-conscious female shoppers.

It’s a wardrobe “must-have” in my book. Pregnant or not, each woman should have a pair of Riding Boots in her shoe closet.

The Riding Boot is also the pregnant woman’s best friend compared to other types of fall and winter boots.

The Riding Boot is stylish and comes in a lot of different colors and variations. Most brands sell leather Riding Boots but occasionally, you will spot a pair made of tough suede.

The Riding Boot is also easier to slip into while pregnant compared to a wedge boot. A lot have zippered sides and the calf area is usually wider so if you’re experiencing swelling during your pregnancy, that wider shaft can assist that extra girth in the calf.

You can also get a Riding Boot in a supple and flexible material with some give.

The heels on Riding Boots are usually low or flat which are perfect for moms-to-be who have to adjust as their center of gravity shifts as their bellies grow. With high heel boots, a pregnant woman risks a fall that can be potentially fatal to her baby.

My fave brand is Via Spiga because they sell in a moderate price range and you can get a good boot between $70 to $100 and even way less if you catch a good sale or find a pair in one of those discount stores.

Vince Camuto and BCBG Generation boots are most stylish and appealing to me. I love the classic look of Tory Burch. Her signature gold insignia on the boot also stands out and lets others know you’re wearing a quality boot. Of course, the Hunter and Burberry Boot is a great brand that is quality and recognizable. They are long lasting. Take care of them by polishing and brushing them regularly.

They’ll be a great investment!

Here are a selection of my fave Riding Boots, powered by our partners at ShopStyle:

Easy Street Women’s Kelsa Wide Calf Riding Boot • Easy Street Shoes • $89.99

Journee Collection Women’s Taven Riding Boot • Journee Collection • $69.99

Women’s Fly London Axil Elastic Back Riding Boot • Fly London • $299.95

Women’s Blondo Pakita Waterproof Riding Boot • Blondo • $169.95

Burberry House Check and Leather Riding Boots • Burberry • $495

Crown Vintage Women’s Sporty Riding Boot • Crown Vintage • $59.99

Women’s SlimpackTM Riding Tall II Boot • Sorel • $215

Tory Burch Sofia Tall Riding Boots • Tory Burch • $348.60

Sam Edelman Portman Riding Boots • Sam Edelman • $175

G by Guess Harson Tall Riding Boots Women’s Shoes • G by Guess • $89

Tommy Hilfiger Ilia2 Wide Calf Riding Boots, Created for Macy’s Women’s Shoes • Tommy Hilfiger • $79.99

Style & Co Madixe Riding Boots, Created for Macy’s Women’s Shoes • Style&Co. • $49.99

Inc International Concepts Frankii Riding Boots, Created for Macy’s Women’s Shoes • INC International Concepts • $129.99

Croft & Barrow® Alice Women’s Ortholite Riding Boots • Croft & Barrow • $49.99

Women’s Cole Haan Katrina Riding Boot • Cole Haan • $219.90

Women’s Blondo Volly Waterproof Riding Boot • Blondo • $159.90

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Get Out of My Uterus: Talking Societal Pressure to Have Children on Stiletto Moms Radio (VIDEO)

Posted on December 15, 2015

Married or committed couples get asked repeatedly over the course of their relationship when they will start a family. For some, they are not ready. For others, they don’t want children ever. Still, many are actually trying to conceive but facing difficulty, yet get to have to deal with the intrusive queries from well-meaning family and friends.

The cost of having children also weigh heavy on many young couple’s minds and a lot of people still want financial stability in their lives before going down that path. Some single women get tired of waiting for Mr. Right and decide to have a baby on their own.

Others are more traditional and because of religion, their Faith or other reasons decide they will not have a baby out of wedlock or a committed relationship.

Some opting out of raising a baby alone know the struggles of single parenthood and others were raised by a single mom or dad and know how difficult it was for them and do not want to subject their would-be offspring to the same challenges.

All of these complex issues were discussed on a recent episode of Stiletto Moms Radio.

I was a guest on the show and had a great lively, animated and very REAL conversation with the host, Neneh Diallo, and her other guest, Nina Perez of Mom Rising.org. who penned a popular blog post, “Stop asking me when I’m going to have a baby, because I just can’t afford it.”

The full show is 45 minutes. Watch or listen in the background! (AND SUBSCRIBE to STILETTO MOMS RADIO for future Shows)

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RHOA’s Kandi Burruss got a TON of Baby Gifts for Her Son

Posted on December 15, 2015

Woweee!!

As Real Housewives of Atlanta‘s Kandi Burruss and her husband Todd Tucker await the birth of their first child together, a son, they are also wading through tons of gifts for #BabyTucker.

The award-winning singer-songwriter shared a collage of all the presents that she has received for her second child. The biz mogul has a daughter, Riley, from a previous relationship. (Tucker has an 18-year old daughter, Kaela)

“So many people sent wonderful gifts for #BabyTucker that I needed help going thru it all,” she captioned the collage. “@mamajjoyce @carmoncambrice & Tracy are over here helping me go thru it all. Thanks for all the love everyone!”

My friend @phnewfula told me to make sure to get an eco friendly mattress for the baby. #BabyTucker will sleep safe and sound on this #organic @ColgateMattress Eco-Classica crib mattress. #BabyTuckerWillSleepGood
A photo posted by Kandi Burruss (@kandiburruss) on Dec 8, 2015 at 7:02am PST

Check out what else has been going on with Kandi.

I love #PattieLabelle but I wanted to learn how to make #SweetPotatoPie from scratch. My Aunt Sue came to teach me her recipe today! I love her pies!!!
A photo posted by Kandi Burruss (@kandiburruss) on Dec 11, 2015 at 12:38pm PST

I had been seeing everybody with these #DabbinSantaSweaters & I wanted one. Thanks @hairweavekiller for hooking me up! 2chainzshop.com get yours!

A photo posted by Kandi Burruss (@kandiburruss) on Dec 4, 2015 at 11:29am PST

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Parenting

These Christmas Movies Scenes Are the Best

Posted on December 15, 2015

There are fun Christmas movies for kids like Rudolph and Santa Claus is coming to town and then there are those with kids in them that adults enjoy more and are bonafide cult classics. The jokes and wise cracks in them can be appreciated by big kids of the adult variety! ha!

My favorite is A Christmas Story, the Great Depression era themed movie about a kid who just wanted a BB gun for Christmas and his adventures with his friends and trying to convince his parents, the mall Santa, teachers and other adults in his life that a BB gun is NOT a dangerous gift for a kid. The antics are hilarious. I actually remember nagging my parents to take me to see this movie when it was released in 1983.

Here are three other hilarious and funny Christmas scenes that you should watch online or rent this Holiday season:

A Christmas Story (Scene with Bad Mall Santa)

A Christmas Story (Trailer)

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This 2-yr Old Instagram Star Just Launched Her Own Fashion Line

Posted on December 15, 2015

Seriously!?! Someone’s 22-month old baby just launched her own fashion line.

An Australian toddler, with an expansive wardrobe, by the name of Mille-Belle Diamond boasts 144,000 Instagram followers and, according to the Daily Mail Australia, is set to sell a line of sequinned capes and jackets, fur coats, leather caps and studded leather jackets.

The IG account describes Mille-Belle as a “fashion and travel blogger”. It’s 2015. There’s no need to know how to talk to be a blogger. ?

Mille-Belle’s venture will be called MBD- The label.

“The new line will be a luxe line for babies and will also cater to that niche market for mums and bubs matching fashion,” the blonde-haired, blue-eyed Instagram star’s mom Schye Fox, told the paper. “We are getting the pieces made from the best in the world so we have people from all over the world working on it for us.”

Wow! Ok. WTG, baby. Well. WTG, Mom because really, the baby really isn’t doing any of this. Ha!

H/T Daily Mail

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Parenting

50 Acts of Kindness for Kids to Do for Advent (PRINTABLES)

Posted on December 14, 2015

We are in the third week of Advent, the period of time counting down to Christmas. During Advent, those preparing to celebrate the birth of Christ are expected to do acts of kindness, to show gratitude and give back to their family, friends, and community. The season is about giving and traditionally, Christians are asked to give back and do charitable works.

Children too can participate in Advent. If you are looking for activities or things your child can do during Advent, we’ve put together a list of 50 things in a Printable you can download and paste up on your refrigerator or pin on a bulletin board in your kitchen, office or school.

Enjoy!

Download these printables HERE and HERE!

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BumpNews

10 Tech Gifts Under $50

Posted on December 14, 2015

If you are holiday shopping this season and still looking for what to get that tech gadget enthusiast on your list, and make your gift fit within your budget, we’ve got you covered with these 10 tech gifts under $50 that you should consider.

1. Amazon Fire TV Stick $39.99

If you’re one of the millions of people who have cut the cable cord or are thinking about it, you’re going to need streaming services to provide you video content that you connect to your television set’s HDMI port. Amazon has its own version of the Chromecast called Fire Stick. It has 4 times the storage and memory of Chromecast. Amazon says you can “enjoy over 250,000 TV episodes and movies on Netflix, Amazon Video, HBO GO, and Hulu, plus games, music, and more.” These streaming portable drives are also a good way to carry your favorite programs with you when you are traveling, in hotel rooms, at airport boarding lounges, in the dorm and while visiting others out-of-town.

2. Google Chromecast $35.00

If you’re going to be streaming video content from your phone, tablet or laptop or other portable device, you can stick with Google’s Chromecast 2 which is a convenient and cost-effective alternative to Roku 4 or Apple TV. It is also slightly cheaper than the Fire TV stick which has come down in price since its launch. Every couch potato or man cave needs one.

3. Fit Bit Wireless Activity Tracker $46.98

We are several generations from when the Fit Bit activity tracker first was introduced. This means those who want the simple options of the original Fit Bit can now get it at a much lower price. The device auto syncs with your computer or Bluetooth-enabled devices. Like the more recent pricier versions, you can set goals, view progress and earn badges. The social media aspect of it lets you share your steps and compete with friends all day. The app is free. Help someone start out their New Year’s resolution to lose weight right!

4. Sharper Image Sports Action Camera with 1.5 Inch LCD Waterproof Case, Helmet and Bike Mount $49.99 (regularly $129.99)

GoPro cameras for the adrenaline rush addicted are all the rage. They’re also quite expensive, starting at about $100. Other brands have gotten into the market. Sharper Image, for example, has its Sports Action Camera which is just as good. It is a 12 megapixel camera that shoots in vivid 1080P high definition and has a built-in screen that can accommodate wide landscapes via its 120-degree wide angle lens. There is a 4x digital zoom and instant playback, along with high speed filming. It comes with a helmet mount; a bicycle mount; a waterproof case; and a 4GB memory card. Hook it up an HMDI and enjoy your footage on a television. Get this for that daredevil on your list.

5. Smart-Watch Sweat proof $49.99

This year, Apple introduced its much-anticipated iWatch. Before and after Apple’s product, various manufacturers revealed their own smart watch for non-Apple users. The Smart Watch boasts being the only smart watch that supports Facebook and Twitter as well as web browsing. It connects via a Bluetooth headset, enabling hands-free calling and answering. The watch supports music playback and comes with sedentary reminder, a sleep monitor, a remote camera, calendar, calculator, alarm clock, 130W camera and video recorder. It’s a great gift for anyone who loves staying on top of tech trends.

6. Syma X5C Explorers 2.4F 4CH 6-Axix Gyro RC Quadcopter with HD Camera $48.80 (regularly $63.99)

Drones are so big this year that they’re causing National Security concerns even. Given how ubiquitous drones are now becoming, you can get many at lower price points. Syma’s Quadocopter is equipped with with HD camera and 2GB Micro SD card. It flips 360 degrees at the press of a button and can be flown inside or outside. It’s a great gift for a teen because it’s not too expensive that if it crash landed you won’t be out a couple hundred bucks.

7. SoundBlock Wireless Bluetooth Stereo Speaker for Computers & Smartphones Bluetooth 3.0 $49.95 (regularly $139.99)

The era of the large stereo system or boom box is long over. These days wireless and portable Bluetooth speakers let you take the party anywhere. SoundBlock offers a speaker that could also be used in an office setting as a substitute for a conference phone. Various phones can pair with the device and users can communicate with the Speaker or play music from their own device. It’s rechargeable and has a built-in Li-Ion battery to guarantee up to 10 hours of play time. It can also be used by one person in a quiet setting by plugging a headphone in the standard jack. Get it in 36 different color variations.

8. Speck CandyShell Case for iPhone 6/6s $34.95

It’s been over a year since the iPhone 6 was first introduced and now there are more manufacturers designing cases to accommodate the extra large phones. Speck’s CandyShell Case for iPhone 6/6S gets great reviews on Amazon.com we noticed. It offers military-grate protection with its dual-layer design that features a hardshell exterior and an interior layer with shock absorbs. It’s scratch resistant and reportedly repels abrasions. It’s about time iPhone 6 users can get style with function.

9. Amazon Fire Tablet with Wi-Fi 8 GB ($49.99)

Tablets have come down substantially in price over the years. Amazon, earlier this fall, came out with its Fire Tablet and sold it so cheap you could get it in a 6 pack. Amazon wanted the 7 inch tablet it to be the portable device that can be strewn around the home giving everyone access to their own tablet. It’s great for large family households. A 6-pack lets you gift all your nephews, nieces or Godchildren on your shopping list their very own. It has a fast 1.3 GHz quad-core processor, rear and front-facing cameras, 8 GB of internal storage. It has expandable memory up to 128 GB via an added microSD card. Amazon promises up to 7 hours battery life. Sweet!

10. Samsung Wireless Charging Pad ($34.99)

Charging stations to have gone wireless. Samsung’s wireless charging pad is compatible with Galaxy smartphones, and other Qi–compatible devices, without the need to plug your device in to a wall charger or USB port. It’s great that you can still use your device while charging. Also, the phone or device is always accessible so you can answer a call without having to unplug it from the charger. It comes with a standard one year warranty. Great for that teen who is always on her phone!

There you have it: 10 gifts to inspire or get you thinking! Good luck shopping.

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REPORT: Zuckerberg, Mayer are Softening the Image of the Corporate CEO

Posted on December 14, 2015

This weekend, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared a photo of himself changing the diaper of his newborn daughter, Max. It was so cute.

This is a new way at looking at CEOs of big companies.

For a couple of years, there has been much chatter over the family planning efforts Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer, who gave birth to twins last week, and whose two pregnancies and previous birth experiences were the focus of a lot of articles, columns and conversations nation and worldwide.

Writer Jean McGregor of the Washington Post suggests that these two are part of a new era of corporate CEOs who share more and more about their personal lives than before, and perhaps it has to do with the fact they head tech companies which do things differently than traditional companies in the past.

But McGregor also hypothesizes that this new shift should be expected of Zuckerberg and Mayer given their relatively young ages, 31 and 40, respectively, and both are at the stage in life when many are starting or growing their families.

Historically, CEOs are in their 50s with parenting being less a focus of their lives. But older CEOs too are being more open about intimate aspects of their lives, McGregor notes.

Last year, Tim Cook,who is 55, penned a letter to the public announcing he was gay and Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini, 58, shared openly about a near death accident, yoga and meditation, and wanting to spend more time with his wife and less at the beck and call of his employers.

“We program C.E.O.s to be certain kinds of people. We expect C.E.O.s to be on message all the time,” Bertolini told a New York Times reporter. “The grand experiment here has been how much of that do you really need to do?”

These could all be nothing more than examples of people who-whether in an attempt to inspire others, thank a family member or highlight their personal brand-chose to open up more than we’re accustomed to hearing from powerful people in the corporate suite, McGregor writes.

She notes, “and for every CEO who speaks freely, there’s one who chooses to keep an illness private. Mayer, for one, may be sharing the good news and basic details about her maternity leave (as she did with her first child in 2012), but it’s hardly a topic she’s dwelling on beyond that.”

Interesting.

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Parenting

WINNERS ANNOUNCED! Bellyitch 5th Annual Holiday $1000 Giveaway

Posted on December 13, 2015

We’ve got WINNERS!

We were so overwhelmed to receive close to 30,000 entries for our 5th annual Bellyitch Christmas/Holiday Season Giveaway powered by our partners at KMart! This year, we gave away 9 of the 15 Kmart Fab15 Toys we received and unboxed earlier and a Baby Jogger City Mini GT Stroller, compliments of Graco!

Thanks so much for your patience as we weeded through the entrants to validate them. You wouldn’t believe this, but there were some winners drawn based on a winning tweet, for example, which the winner deleted before we could confirm/validate it! Doh!

There were also entrants who did not fulfill all the requirements and some had suspended social media profiles that we also couldn’t validate. Crazy, huh?!

Nonetheless, after wading through all of that, we were so happy to randomly pull via our Gleam.io widget Winners from all regions of the United States and Canada! (and one in Puerto Rico!)

We are also happy that we got winners who entered through various social media formats: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter

And, get this: we had THREE winners named Heather! What are the odds?

Without Further Ado! Here are the Winners who have been contacted before this post to let them know they won. They have 48 hours to claim their win or we will draw from the pool and select a new winner, per contest rules!

WINNING ENTRANTS:

Ashley Morrissey, Instagram Winner, Mascoutah, Illinois

Crystal Gomez, Facebook Winner, Fredericksburg, Texas

Andrina Goetz, YouTube Winner, Panama City Beach, FL

Melissa Cunningham, Twitter Winner, Shippenville, Pennsylvania

Heather Howard, BONUS Entries Click Winner, Moncton, NB Canada

Heather Pasley, Instagram Winner, Dawson Georgia

Mary Carmen Boez, Facebook Winner, Los Colobos, Puerto Rico

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Jessica Carroll, Facebook Winner, Georgia

Trisha, Delgago, Instagram Winner, Location Unknown

Grand Prize!

Dana Ganu, YouTube Winner, Peoria, Arizona

CONGRATULATIONS!

Thanks to all who entered and helped us promote the contest!

To get daily postings delivered to your Facebook stream and to get exclusive Facebook Fan giveawaysLIKE

THE BELLYITCH FANPAGE on Facebook!

For insider tips on the places that celebs go and love, follow Bellyitch on Foursquare

and to keep track on the stylings and comings and goings of your favorite Bellyitch Bumpwatch Babe, follow our Pinterest Board or our Instagram page.

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Weekend Celeb Style Pick: Hilary Duff’s Chic Casual Wear (GET THE LOOK)

Posted on December 13, 2015

We combed through our favorite gossip sites and mags to come up with our fave celeb mom weekend street style and the winner was….Hilary Duff!

With the weather getting colder, a zippered Broome motorcycle jacket in a soft supple leather by IRO is the perfect accompaniment for a chic weekend outfit that includes basic black denim skinny jeans ( like Stella McCartney’s long skinny jeans) and a plain white tee shirt (like T by Alexander Wang). These Marc by Marc Jacobs Jacobs Carroll studded booties Duff is sporting go great with the look. She can keep warm in a snug orange wool scarf.

We like LaCoste’s scarves because they feel great against the skin and do not itch because they are made with all natural materials. The actress and recording artist can keep the sun out of your eyes with smart cat eye sunglasses like these Celene Audrey Black Acetate shades.

Love the look! GET THE LOOK:

T by Alexander Wang Classic T Shirt with Pocket • Alexander Wang • $85

Stella McCartney Long Skinny Black Denim Jeans, Blue-Black • Stella McCartney • $295

LACOSTE Orange Wool Scarf • Lacoste • $58.33

Marc by Marc Jacobs Carroll Booties • Marc by Marc Jacobs • $224–269

Céline CL41805/S New Audrey Black Acetate Sunglasses • Celine • $324

IRO Broome Leather Jacket • IRO • $801.50

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