Whatcha Expecting?

Welcome to Season 4, Babies! Claire and Kate are both officially mothers to TODDLERS. And … is Claire expecting another little one on the way? Or does Kate just enjoy asking her that? They’ll discuss the semantics of “toddlers” vs “babies” vs “twaddlers.” What IS a twaddler? Maybe just the friends we made along the way. Enjoy! Weekly Plugs: Luxurious Matching Pajamas (for adults. Don’t buy luxury...

It’s the end of Season Three, and Kate’s baby is almost not a baby anymore! This week, Kate and Claire discuss Kate’s plans for her soon-to-be-toddler’s birthday, and the two consider how far both their children have come. Claire shares the new milestones Rodney is reaching, and Kate answers rapid-fire questions from Claire of Anthony facts. Kate shares her new year wishes for Anthony, as we close...

This week, Claire’s in charge, which obviously means everyone is taking a Buzzfeed quiz ! Having never seen the questions before, Kate and Joe patiently take the quiz and don’t have any criticisms at all of how the questions and answers are written. When will they get their kids a phone? What would they do if their kids were sent to the principal’s office? Who is REALLY the lazy parent here? Find...

It’s summer, so you know what that means…it’s time to go for a swim! This week, Kate’s baby-almost-toddler had his first swim lesson. Claire’s son, meanwhile, has been in swim lessons for awhile, and Joe’s kids are basically on the Olympic swim team at this point. Hear Joe’s hot takes on swim lessons for babies, Kate’s anxieties about submerging her baby, and Claire’s experiences getting Rodney co...

Once the babies are down for the night, what do you do with yourself? Do you hit the hay? Drink a beer? Scroll for hours? How important are these quiet(er) moments for you? This week, Kate and Claire selflessly spend their precious moments recording this podcast episode, sharing what they would normally be doing and reflecting back on to what their own parents did once they went to sleep. Or, at l...

This week, Kate is moving far, far away to the distant location of slightly further south within her own neighborhood! Meanwhile, Claire is trying to secure a house for her and her family. With all these big moves come big feelings (but that’s a different episode, go back and listen, we’ll wait). Kate shares the ways that packing, naturally, makes her think of death. Kate and Claire discuss the pa...

Your favorite MAMAZ are taking a quick reset for the week while they navigate impending and finalized moves, schedule conflicts, and just being all around BOSS BABEZ! To that end, please enjoy one of our favorite episodes from Season 1 that felt very on-brand. See you next week! --- Claire’s moving! This week, Claire’s packing for her imminent move to Kansas. She considers the things she’ll miss a...

This week Kate and Claire welcome Tori Wade -- aka @kccoolmom -- to the show. Tori was a woman with a plan. She planned to have her baby girl and be a stay at home mom while also nannying part time. Fast-forward a couple of years, Tori realized that to be the best mom and best version of herself, she needed a creative outlet and began creating social media content. A little over a year later, she...

Get your own personality! This week Kate and Claire share how their sons are starting to mimic those around them with varying degrees of success. Gestures, words, and even personality traits! Is this normal, and should we be flattered? We also reflect on what we would like them to mimic and who we ourselves mimicked growing up. Weekly Plugs: Mornings at The Farmers Market Queens Night Market Music...

Content warning: Abuse This week, an expert parent/comedian/all around fabulous human joins as a guest -- Carolyn Castiglia! Kate, Claire and Carolyn discuss how to not totally mess up your child. Carolyn shares her insights from having achieved the seemingly impossible -- successfully raising a child (on her own!) through the teenage years, who is now a happy, well-adjusted adult. How do you avoi...

When they go low, we go high ... chair. This week, Kate shares how Anthony has gone from restaurant accessory to restaurant consumer; what they pack and don't pack, how he prefers his steak prepared, and whether or not we should all be mopping the floors once our kids have torn through. Claire shares the early-bird strategy she and Cody employ for taking Rodney out to eat. Weekly Plugs: BRAT diet...

It’s the week we’ve been waiting for…Kate’s baby’s nine month appointment! Having learned from Claire’s experience in Season Two (go listen to the whole thing, we’ll wait…), Kate had a bit more of an idea of what to expect. Claire shares recent milestones of Rodney’s, and issues a formal apology to her pediatrician’s office. Tune in for such insightful questions as, why does poking at a Cheerio in...

Content Warning: Suicide, Alcoholism This week, Kate and Claire are joined by an actual mental health expert… Aimee LeCours ! Aimee is a stand-up comedian, improviser, mom, and licensed mental health counselor. She produces and hosts Psych!, A Stand-Up Therapy Comedy show (how cool is that)?! Kate and Claire ask Aimee the hard hitting questions like, should every parent be in therapy? Why did she...

This week, we’re getting a GRASP on things – because Kate’s baby has his pincer grasp! Seemingly overnight, he can now pick things up with his thumb and index finger, a milestone that Claire didn’t realize was a thing until Rodney’s nine month appointment. The two talk about how quickly big changes can happen, and how something seemingly so small can mean the beginning of the end of the baby phase...

Big news! Claire is finally…unemployed! With Claire’s job having ended, Claire has a clear sense of her identity and everything is fine. Kate and Claire discuss the logistics of the workday, and how Claire will be balancing her time now between freelancing and being a MAMA! The two discuss the role that your career plays in your sense of self as a mother, and what the future might look like for th...

This week, Kate spent her first night(s) away from her baby for a humor writing reunion! Claire also spent her [insert large number here]th night away from Rodney for one of the final weeks at her job. What was the trip like for Kate? Has travel away from family gotten easier or harder for Claire? Kate and Claire discuss how spending time away from your family can be occasionally guilt-inducing, b...

This week, Kate and Claire (mostly Claire) are having some big feelings about big feelings. As Rodney has fully entered his tantrum-having toddler era, Claire is struggling to navigate whether to give him what he wants to hold her ground. (She definitely never gives in, obviously.) Kate and Claire marvel at the size and newness of all their kids’ feelings, and reflect on the big stuff making them...

This week, Kate and Claire discuss who is and is not currently the preferred parent in their household. Is it permanent? Is it cyclical? Does breastfeeding have anything to do with it? And, how can Claire sabotage Cody so that she can finally have a turn? Real-Life Example of Rodney Preferring Cody Weekly Plugs: Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (undercooked) Salted Brown Butter Rice Crispy Tr...

This weekend, it finally happened…Kate’s family hung out with Joe’s family (and Claire’s family wasn’t even invited!) How did Joe’s kids react to having a baby in their space? How did Anthony respond to playing with such bigger kids? How will Claire ever forgive them for not flying her out for this epic hang? Kate, Claire and Joe discuss how hanging with the big kids can push you to stretch out of...

This past weekend, Claire brought Rodney to a play cafe and an indoor playground. It was (mostly) super fun at the time, but reflecting on the experience, obviously, has sent her into an existential crisis. When you experience something as a parent that you enjoyed as a child, it can be really rewarding – and, surprise surprise, also anxiety inducing! What places are Kate and Claire excited to tak...

This week, it’s an episode to sink your two tiny baby teeth into! Anthony’s got his first tooth and Rodney has…molars? Wisdom teeth? No, just two and a half teeth! Kate and Claire discuss soothing your child through this painful moment of growth, and both reflect on the foods their babies can eat even without teeth. With this new phase of development comes new facets of independence and that defin...

We’re back, baby! This week, Kate and Claire chat about morning routines. What do mornings look like these days with a baby? How has that changed with childcare in the mix? What weekend morning rituals have Kate and Claire picked up? Claire recounts childhood memories of “big breakfast”, a cherished tradition she wants to continue on with Rodney — and which Kate may or may not steal. And they retu...

Well, it’s the end of season two, and this time Claire and Kate have actually planned for their season finale instead of just going right up until a baby is born! Kate and Claire take the occasion to revisit this season’s topics and update us on where their babies are now. What milestones have they both reached? Is Rodney saying mama yet? Has Anthony been sleep trained? And what might be next in s...

This is the week that Claire has finally sleep trained her baby…sorry, toddler. What method did she use? Were earplugs required? Claire talks through how being competitive with Kate helped drive her to sleep train (you’re welcome), and the benefits it’s had for her and her family. Meanwhile, Kate shares her own plans for upcoming sleep training, and the considerations she’s weighing in managing ni...

This week we’re talking…about talking! While Kate’s baby is babbling up a storm, Claire’s toddler is starting to use all kinds of words. Just one problem; the one word he won’t say, is mama! The two discuss the different methods Claire’s tried for getting him to say her name, and the two marvel at how babies understand our identities as mothers at the most primal level. Will Rodney say “Claire” be...