{the one in the slippers} Hello! My name is Meredith and I’m the one behind the computer in sock monkey slippers. In October of 2008, my wonderful husband and I had our first baby. A beautiful, brave, amazing little girl that has as much fight and determination in her little pinky finger than all of us combined. She came into this world sixteen weeks early weighing only one pound and thirteen ounces. It’s been a long journey but she is doing fantastic now. Since she was so early and spent five months in the hospital, the doctors asked us to keep her out of daycare and at home for at least the first three years. Thus creating a stay-at-home mom, something I wasn’t used to.

When I  left my job as a graphic designer and became a stay-at-home mom my world changed. Trading logos and billboards for dirty diapers left me with a yearning for a creative outlet. So, I got back into my love for all things culinary, picked up a camera, and started this blog. It first was a way to keep my stories about motherhood and recipes organized for my own usage. It was to my surprise that I was hooked and found myself stuck in the world of “professional” blogging. This is where I ask myself daily, “What have I gotten myself into?” Today the blog is full of stories about life and how it realtes to food. My goal is to create a place where we all can relate and bring a moment of laughter, inspiration, creativity, knowledge, healthy and fresh meal ideas, or just a break to the life of parenthood. I hope you enjoy.

Mia {the sidekick}

Born in October 2008, Mia came into this world fighting. Weighing 1.13 pounds at birth and born at 24 weeks gestation she is our little miracle. After a long hospital stay and rough first year Mia is still trucking along with her fierce spirit. It was this spirit that gave her the nickname the “feisty little bear” in the NICU and it’s still carries on today. When she’s not reading Mia is climbing everything and always getting into something. She is the inspiration and official baby food taster for the blog.

the review panel

***ISMS no longer has a review pannel. Although sometimes I ask these guys for an opinion!

When I first found out I was pregnant I felt I was always asking, “Is this a good product?  or “For the love of everything holy what spoon, car seat, diaper, burp cloth…do I use ?” I found that it was hard to either get an honest opinion or advice from someone I had something in common with. In an answer to this problem, I present to you The Review Panel. A group of mothers with varying careers, tastes and lifestyles! Here you can hopefully relate to one of us and get an opinion on products that hopefully make our jobs as parents a little easier!

Me again. Meredith Steele, the creator of In Sock Monkey Slippers. Ex-designer turned pro diaper changer, head chef and baby food maker. Stay-at-home mom extraordinaire and mom to Mia and wife to “the husband.” A Texas native and lover of music, art, food, the outdoors, and anything to do with my family. My favorite escape is getting lost at our family ranch, the 308, in the Texas hill country and belting out Ramones tunes while no one is looking.

Ashley Bass is the owner of Baby Wait, Waco’s premier maternity and baby boutique. She is the mother to two awesome children, Jake (20 months old) and Libby (3 years old). Her energetic spirit will make you wonder what she’s on but will lift you up and also keep you going. She is the “go to” woman for mamma products!

Ashley Ashton Capellini grew up in the dusty West Texas town of Odessa; a flatland of oil and Friday night football.  She earned her BBA in Entrepreneurship while attending Baylor University where she also met her husband Diego Capellini of Brazil. After a few years under her belt as a top-selling mortgage loan officer, Ashley formed property investment company Dashcap Investments.  Ashley and Diego’s greatest collaboration is the expansion of their family with Blaire Elyse, 18 months, and Marc Ashton born in May 2010.  When she’s not wrangling little ones or developing her new business, Ashley loves swimming, is a reality TV aficionado, and a committed animal lover. She is a member of the Austin Avenue Methodist Church, a board member on the City of Waco’s Building Standards Commission, and gives back to the community through Junior League and the LEAPS Program at North Waco Elementary.

Kim Kellison was born in Raleigh, North Carolina.  After graduating from Erskine College in South Carolina she attended the University of South Carolina, where she earned her Ph.D. in History in 1997.  She is currently Associate Professor of History at Baylor University.  Kim and her husband George have two children, Emery, who is seventeen months old, and Rory, who is one month old. She just happens to be my next door neighbor  and is the creator of the most awesome brownies in the world.

the guest writers

Words From The Husband {by Tim Steele, aka the husband} You have all seen the comments form the husband on the blog. Well, now he has his own column! Yes that’s right, I must have lost my mind to hand the reins over. Tim is an amazing husband and father, fantastic runner, a great hunter / fisherman/ outdoors-man, musician by heart and he stole my heart the moment he said he would take me to Big Bend. He is full of #*&@, I mean, enthusiasm, wit, and humor. Although he can’t speak of breastfeeding and pushing babies out, his posts bring the other side of parenting into light.

Musings of a Mid-Life Mom {by Ashley Bass} Oh lord help us, she has a vehicle to speak her mind! I’ve never known this woman to hold back on ANYTHING. She’ll either have you rolling on the floor with laughter or rubbing your sore chin because it keeps hitting the floor. Her monthly posts bring us her views on kids, men and all the other stuff that gives us wrinkles! By the way, I’m not responsible for anything she says.