“Bring order to the chaos. And love keep loving each other. Show your boys your love.” The words of Marva Soogrim.

Ahh… words to live by.

I mentioned on Saturday that I was heading to the Ritz in New York City with my mother and Jane for Role Mommy’s at the Ritz event. The afternoon was spectacular. Beth Feldman – the amazing woman behind Role Mommy – did an amazing job putting together a fun-filled afternoon with great company, excellent entertainment and speakers and delicious food.

I was able to meet and chat with Marva Soogrim, “Nanny to the Stars.”

Marva just exudes sweetness. She is calm and relaxed warm and generous… just the kind of woman you want to be in the lives of your children. There’s this instant trust with her. She looked right into Henry’s eyes and talked to him… and then gently took him from my arms. Henry was instantly a happy little man. Oh, how he loved hanging with Marva.

Marva answered the question for me that I didn’t even have to ask. She said, “With 4 boys – 4 and under – just remember to bring order to the chaos.” Easy words. Simple words. But something I don’t always do. She said that “order” can just be special time with each of the boys. Letting each boy know that he is unique and different and special in his own way.

She said something that made so much sense to me… “They didn’t come into this world as multiples… ” they each need alone time. Marva is so correct. Here I have my 4 precious little boys – 4 and under… and they have known no other life than having brothers around every single day… but they do need to have their own special time with Matt and me to talk, ask questions, laugh out loud, hold hands and just be one with us. It’s crucial. It’s important. It’s necessary.

And Marva said to “show the boys love” through Matt and me as a couple. She said, “Even if it’s just holding hands in the living room.” Let the boys know the love that is there, the love that will always be the root to our family. The love and the most special bond between “Mommy and Daddy.”

Throughout my life, my parents have shown their love to all of us… you know, even when it wasn’t “cool” to see your parents holding hands on the bleachers of your swim meet in high school. And they would always do “special nights” with each of us. Once every 2 months – we would each get a “special night” with Mom and Dad. It would be dinner and a movie… or dinner and a play… but it was just one of us alone with Mom and Dad. And it did feel special. It was special.

Thank you, Marva… for bringing it all together for me on a Saturday afternoon at the Ritz.

And now for Day #27 – Fashion Advice for Moms –

So funny… I got a question yesterday from Lindsay Mollars (she told me I could use her name!) asking me,

“I’m a stay-at-home mom. My oldest daughter needs to be at school at 7:30 am. There are some mornings my hair looks like it has a Chia Pet on top! What do you suggest for mornings like this — when moms are having really bad hair days, and a ponytail is just not cutting it!”

Oh, Lindsay, you had me laughing at the “Chia Pet”… I know those days. I had one yesterday morning! My suggestion for this really bad hair mornings!?

It’s real easy.

Just “Baseball Cap” it. Yup.

There’s nothing like throwing on a baseball cap and heading out. It hides everything! I call them “baseball caps”… but any hat will do. It’s just a quick and easy fix. There are some mornings where we are so late or so “off” that our hair is the last thing we’re thinking about until we happen to pass the mirror or see our reflection in the car windows… hats are just convenient and easy.

See… now I’m letting my personal secret out of the bag for every morning I go and drop my sons off at preschool with my “Red Sox” hat – people will know I have “Chia Pet” hair underneath!

GREAT question!