Friday, July 30, 2010
A random Friday fave.
I am seriously in love with ECOVER fabric softener. It's totally green, smells delicious, and I can use it on everything- even cloth diapers!! Totally obsessed weirdo. We get ours at Whole Foods for a very fair price!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Skinny Minny.
Today was Pea's 9 month doctor visit and she did as good as she always does. Our Pediatrician is awesome and Olivia likes her as much as we do! Here are the bug's 9 month stats:
Weight: 17 lbs (10-15% percentile) The doctor is super happy with her weight although the number seems small she assures us it's great. Everyone loves fat babies except her I guess!
Height: Around 29.5 inches (95th percentile) She's a pretty tall baby girl. I am 5'8" and Todd is above average, too.
Mobility: High. Olivia crawls at the speed of light and is such an explorer. She got the daredevil bone from her daddy and has no fear! She is still not walking but everyone predicts she will be an early walker since she is so limber and eager to get around.
Eats: Olivia has about four 6 oz. bottles of formula/breastmilk a day + lots of organic veggies and fruits. She loves sweet potatoes and avocados and her nightly oatmeal with banana dinner. We are doing some table foods too, but that totally depends on what we are eating! She has a major appetite but only knows healthy foods and loves them. I think we're on the right track.
Clothes: She wears 9-12 month size, though the waist of all her pants are loose and the leg/arms are always short.
Vaccines: Very selective/delayed.
Car seat: Still rear-facing, and will be for a long time! I am glad she is light because we can rear-face in her seat until she is 35lbs.! She will be about 3+ by then probably. If she suddenly chunks up, we will just replace her seat for another that will rear-face with a higher weight limit. This is why.
Weight: 17 lbs (10-15% percentile) The doctor is super happy with her weight although the number seems small she assures us it's great. Everyone loves fat babies except her I guess!
Height: Around 29.5 inches (95th percentile) She's a pretty tall baby girl. I am 5'8" and Todd is above average, too.
Mobility: High. Olivia crawls at the speed of light and is such an explorer. She got the daredevil bone from her daddy and has no fear! She is still not walking but everyone predicts she will be an early walker since she is so limber and eager to get around.
Eats: Olivia has about four 6 oz. bottles of formula/breastmilk a day + lots of organic veggies and fruits. She loves sweet potatoes and avocados and her nightly oatmeal with banana dinner. We are doing some table foods too, but that totally depends on what we are eating! She has a major appetite but only knows healthy foods and loves them. I think we're on the right track.
Clothes: She wears 9-12 month size, though the waist of all her pants are loose and the leg/arms are always short.
Vaccines: Very selective/delayed.
Car seat: Still rear-facing, and will be for a long time! I am glad she is light because we can rear-face in her seat until she is 35lbs.! She will be about 3+ by then probably. If she suddenly chunks up, we will just replace her seat for another that will rear-face with a higher weight limit. This is why.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Tuesday Tunes
Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette has one of the most well-rounded and brilliant soundtracks. Ever. She inspires me so very much.
Siouxsie and the Banshees- Hong Kong Garden
Ah, New Order of course!
And a Phoenix cameo in the film, just for fun.
Siouxsie and the Banshees- Hong Kong Garden
Ah, New Order of course!
And a Phoenix cameo in the film, just for fun.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Semi-Pro
There is a chance that I may be finally getting this whole mom thing down.
I started to hate going to the post office. Every time I had to go and mail something I was haunted by an experience I had once when Olivia was only around 2 months old. Back then (almost 7 months ago!) I was still new at the whole mom thing and I often put myself in hairy situations. I had to ship some packages so I wrapped the little monster up in the Moby wrap and stood in line. It was a nightmare trying to scribble down addresses on envelopes and stuff them with what I had to mail with a fussy baby. She was hungry, my boobs hurt because they knew it was time to feed her, and everyone was staring at me with intrigue/sympathy. I was sweaty and flustered and I am sure they wondered why I had my infant strapped to my body.
Now, running errands with the babe is actually enjoyable. This morning I had some parcels to ship out and for a second I hoped there wasn't another super long line because I did not want another "episode". As soon as I had Olivia nice and snug in our beloved Ella Belly carrier I knew we were good to go. She was happy and chatty and loves how the old people always make the funniest faces at her. I still look really tired often, but at least people don't look at me weird anymore.
My #1 tip for a newbie mom: Wear your baby. It makes life so much easier. Free hands are a good thing to have.
(I warned you. I still look tired.)
The ham.
I started to hate going to the post office. Every time I had to go and mail something I was haunted by an experience I had once when Olivia was only around 2 months old. Back then (almost 7 months ago!) I was still new at the whole mom thing and I often put myself in hairy situations. I had to ship some packages so I wrapped the little monster up in the Moby wrap and stood in line. It was a nightmare trying to scribble down addresses on envelopes and stuff them with what I had to mail with a fussy baby. She was hungry, my boobs hurt because they knew it was time to feed her, and everyone was staring at me with intrigue/sympathy. I was sweaty and flustered and I am sure they wondered why I had my infant strapped to my body.
Now, running errands with the babe is actually enjoyable. This morning I had some parcels to ship out and for a second I hoped there wasn't another super long line because I did not want another "episode". As soon as I had Olivia nice and snug in our beloved Ella Belly carrier I knew we were good to go. She was happy and chatty and loves how the old people always make the funniest faces at her. I still look really tired often, but at least people don't look at me weird anymore.
My #1 tip for a newbie mom: Wear your baby. It makes life so much easier. Free hands are a good thing to have.
(I warned you. I still look tired.)
The ham.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Can I steal a minute of your time?
My lovely and super sweet cousin Jenny and her fiance Pablo are one of three finalists for the Four Seasons Ultimate Wedding Challenge in Dallas, TX. They grew up in the same neighborhood and met at the Four Seasons kid's club when Jenny was only four. They were labeled the "hometown favorite" on Good Morning Texas. Please just click on the link below and vote for them. It only takes about four seconds. THANK YOU!
To quickly cast your vote, click here!
To quickly cast your vote, click here!
Have a Happy Saturday
This evening I am going to see Elton John LIVE with my sister and girlfriends. Today I am just doing diaper laundry, catching up on the web, and hopefully taking a quick trip to Target to get some more random home stuff. I came across this site with some great tips and info on cloth diapering!
Have a wonderful weekend, friends. ♥
Amber teething necklace from Inspired by Finn
Have a wonderful weekend, friends. ♥
Amber teething necklace from Inspired by Finn
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Oh, hi!
I've been an awful blogger lately but I promise I do have good reasons! The main one is that my laptop was eaten by a virus so I do not have the internet at my new place. Hopefully that situation will be fixed soon. I did notice, however, that without internet I have a lot more time to read and hopefully start on those projects that I have been wanting to complete for a while. I want to make Olivia some felt toys and also begin writing my children's stories. I will be sure to share :)
Our new apartment is starting to feel more like home and it is absolutely WONDERFUL to have a large closet. There is space for everything + more and it's fun to walk in there and shop my own stuff for inspiration on what to wear. I will take photos of everything soon. The location is so great. We can walk to the library and the local natural goods grocery store within minutes! There are so many restaurants I cannot wait to check out, everything from Mexican to Thai food! Yum.
The babe has been such a delight, her personality is so much fun. She is silly but also craves attention and will get pissed if we ignore her/do not give her what she wants. I have to remind myself that she is still a baby and I can spoil her all I want but people's comments make me second guess myself. I do not want her to turn into a demon child that no one likes. So far we are doing okay, though. She brings happiness and smiles to everyone she is around. What more could I ask for?
Our new apartment is starting to feel more like home and it is absolutely WONDERFUL to have a large closet. There is space for everything + more and it's fun to walk in there and shop my own stuff for inspiration on what to wear. I will take photos of everything soon. The location is so great. We can walk to the library and the local natural goods grocery store within minutes! There are so many restaurants I cannot wait to check out, everything from Mexican to Thai food! Yum.
The babe has been such a delight, her personality is so much fun. She is silly but also craves attention and will get pissed if we ignore her/do not give her what she wants. I have to remind myself that she is still a baby and I can spoil her all I want but people's comments make me second guess myself. I do not want her to turn into a demon child that no one likes. So far we are doing okay, though. She brings happiness and smiles to everyone she is around. What more could I ask for?
Friday, July 16, 2010
Kinda late but here we go :)
Dress and ring on my right hand: Forever 21
Belt & Wooden Bangles: From my mom's vintage vault of amazing stuff (Old Oscar de la Renta, Diane von Furstenburg, YSL!)
Necklace: Tiffany and Co.
Jade Bracelet: Chinatown, San Francisco
Shoes: Thrift store find (looks like they were never worn!)
Dress and ring on my right hand: Forever 21
Belt & Wooden Bangles: From my mom's vintage vault of amazing stuff (Old Oscar de la Renta, Diane von Furstenburg, YSL!)
Necklace: Tiffany and Co.
Jade Bracelet: Chinatown, San Francisco
Shoes: Thrift store find (looks like they were never worn!)
(Untitled.)
Sometimes I will replay some random memory in my head and then feel a strange urgency to write it down. It's like some sort of gate opens up in my brain allowing my consciousness to completely remember every aspect of a certain moment. Each element is perfectly memorized: the smells, what I touched, what I heard, and naturally, what I felt.
Such a memory came to me as I drove home the other day. I was stressed and annoyed with the sudden San Diego heat and suddenly I was back in a hospital bed in the cotton pajamas I brought since I did not want to wear the awful hospital gown. The room was a dark gray and the only lights came from the myriad of unnecessary medical devices my baby and I were connected to. An IV pumped my body with so much fluid my face was grossly swollen and I had to bring an entire machine into the bathroom with me just to take a quick pee. I was almost 36 hours into labor and very uncomfortable.
I couldn't sleep since I rejected pain meds at that point and the hustle and bustle of the nurses outside kept interrupting my tiredness. Todd was sleeping on the cold linoleum floor next to me covered with a flimsy blanket. I wanted him to lay next to me and be warm but I knew we wouldn't fit in the tiny bed.
I closed my eyes again and felt a strange feeling of euphoria come over me. A sort of contentment, a knowing sense that I was loved and lucky. It was similar to the feeling a child gets during the holidays or after a warm bath and freshly washed sheets. I could hear the strong beating of Olivia's heart, Todd's faint snoring, and my own breathing in quiet room. I suppose that's the closest I've come to knowing my life is going to drastically change, being completely aware that something huge was going to happen, and being totally okay with it.
Such a memory came to me as I drove home the other day. I was stressed and annoyed with the sudden San Diego heat and suddenly I was back in a hospital bed in the cotton pajamas I brought since I did not want to wear the awful hospital gown. The room was a dark gray and the only lights came from the myriad of unnecessary medical devices my baby and I were connected to. An IV pumped my body with so much fluid my face was grossly swollen and I had to bring an entire machine into the bathroom with me just to take a quick pee. I was almost 36 hours into labor and very uncomfortable.
I couldn't sleep since I rejected pain meds at that point and the hustle and bustle of the nurses outside kept interrupting my tiredness. Todd was sleeping on the cold linoleum floor next to me covered with a flimsy blanket. I wanted him to lay next to me and be warm but I knew we wouldn't fit in the tiny bed.
I closed my eyes again and felt a strange feeling of euphoria come over me. A sort of contentment, a knowing sense that I was loved and lucky. It was similar to the feeling a child gets during the holidays or after a warm bath and freshly washed sheets. I could hear the strong beating of Olivia's heart, Todd's faint snoring, and my own breathing in quiet room. I suppose that's the closest I've come to knowing my life is going to drastically change, being completely aware that something huge was going to happen, and being totally okay with it.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Tuesday Tunes
Todd and I saw Belaire play in San Francisco at a super fun and totally appropriate hipster bar called The Hemlock. It is was such a fun show. Tiny crowd, lots of energy, and maybe a vodka or two. They totally rocked our socks off. Come to San Diego!!!!
And a little sweetness...
And a little sweetness...
Sunday, July 11, 2010
A Sunday Flashback
Me when I was around 3 years old.
Todd when was he 4 (his shirt says so! haha!)
Olivia yesterday
Todd when was he 4 (his shirt says so! haha!)
Olivia yesterday
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
Sleeping in... not.
My Facebook status update this morning:
It seems like I will never get to sleep past 7am again, Olivia is a very hyper early bird. Every day I am woken up by her throwing toys at me, sitting on my head so she can look out the window, or very carefully trying to pull my eyelashes out.
Let's just say the Pea is stoked on life. And I drink too much coffee.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Hrm... interesting.
Pea doesn't watch television, but we do listen to The Shins. This whole kiddie program thing is new to me.
Articles like this one really help me reconsider our country's idea of the so-called "educational" television and how I plan to implement television watching as my daughter grows up. One thing I do know: No kiddie show will ever come close to being as enlightening and stimulating as going out and exploring the real world with your child.
One of my favorite examples of this can be found over at Urban Housewife Blog. Her two adorable kids have so many fun adventures and she happens to have a super talented eye for photography to capture it all!
Don't get me wrong. I am not anti-TV. I used to watch Sesame Street and then I'd go off and read a picture book. It's all about balance. One hour of television so mama can get a break is obviously not going to turn your toddler into a vegetable, but it is interesting to think of ways to expand your child's own imagination instead of spoon feeding them the marketing that is our highly profitable American media.
Articles like this one really help me reconsider our country's idea of the so-called "educational" television and how I plan to implement television watching as my daughter grows up. One thing I do know: No kiddie show will ever come close to being as enlightening and stimulating as going out and exploring the real world with your child.
One of my favorite examples of this can be found over at Urban Housewife Blog. Her two adorable kids have so many fun adventures and she happens to have a super talented eye for photography to capture it all!
Don't get me wrong. I am not anti-TV. I used to watch Sesame Street and then I'd go off and read a picture book. It's all about balance. One hour of television so mama can get a break is obviously not going to turn your toddler into a vegetable, but it is interesting to think of ways to expand your child's own imagination instead of spoon feeding them the marketing that is our highly profitable American media.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
The sweetest part of the universe II
My firm belief is that not everyone should be a parent. Many couples are childless and proud and more power to them. Some people decide to procreate and I am sure many of us wish they didn't. My grandmother says a woman is not truly a woman until she becomes a mother. Does that mean a woman who never has children never really becomes a woman? I do not agree.
There is obviously a selfish spontaneity to a life without a kid. Last-minute vacations, fancy furniture you don't mind ruining, and extra money to buy vintage YSL without having to worry about baby vom or the harsh reality that you never go out anymore. It means no stretch marks or awful nursing bras.
But then again, they miss out on something pretty huge. Humans who never become parents will never experience the sweetest part of the universe. That tiny little planet that closes in around you at night in a warm bed with a sleepy baby cuddled up in your arms. Not just any baby, my baby. My own flesh and blood, right after her bath. Her hair smells like heaven and she is so gentle, so pure. Nothing else can come even remotely close to having my little girl's breath on my face as I just let the rest of the world melt away.
from The Three Ages of Woman by Gustav Klimt
There is obviously a selfish spontaneity to a life without a kid. Last-minute vacations, fancy furniture you don't mind ruining, and extra money to buy vintage YSL without having to worry about baby vom or the harsh reality that you never go out anymore. It means no stretch marks or awful nursing bras.
But then again, they miss out on something pretty huge. Humans who never become parents will never experience the sweetest part of the universe. That tiny little planet that closes in around you at night in a warm bed with a sleepy baby cuddled up in your arms. Not just any baby, my baby. My own flesh and blood, right after her bath. Her hair smells like heaven and she is so gentle, so pure. Nothing else can come even remotely close to having my little girl's breath on my face as I just let the rest of the world melt away.
from The Three Ages of Woman by Gustav Klimt
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Tuesday Tunes
Regina Spektor is such a talented musician and the lyrics of her songs have always struck a chord with me. I discovered her in 2005 and she kept me company through lots of different stages in my life. I've enjoyed keeping her albums stored away and then bringing them out after a couple of months and falling in love with her music all over again.
Mom Cliches & Being Conventional
I apologize for being a slacker blogger these past few days. It's just that life is so FULL and BUSY now. I recently went back to work part-time, Todd is taking summer school classes, Olivia seems to be learning something new daily. The days are just too short. Isn't that a mom cliche? Always having a zillion things to do and complaining about needing more hours in the day?
Well, speaking of cliches it seems that my little family seems to be allergic to all things conventional. Sometimes I ask myself if I subconsciously choose the path that will take me down the road less traveled, but I really don't think I do. Let me better explain. Lots of changes have been happening around here. Now that I am working and Todd has cut back on work our roles are reversing. When I was staying home full-time it was my job to play housewife and Todd went out and earned the bacon while also going to school. After lots of talking, calculating, and filling out Google spreadsheets we came to the conclusion that once we move into our new apartment I am going to work and Todd is going to be home with Olivia and will work/go to school on my days off.
It's a crazy balancing act but Todd needs to finish his engineering degree and it just so happens that at this point in time I am the one that can make more money. So, here we are. I am getting used to juggling my job and being an attached parent while also trying to keep my sanity. I've realized that working moms are often scrutinized and non-working moms always have to defend their choice to stay home and to be honest I am quite tired of it. I think we all need to do what works for our families/is best for our kids and stop passing judgment because it does not benefit anyone.
I do have to say that I am lucky and my situation is not the norm. If I am at work and Olivia is home with Todd I know that she is being nurtured and stimulated by him. Not only that, he also cooks and cleans! If Pea happens to be with my mom, I know that we share the same parenting values. My daughter is so happy and loved and I am so relieved that the husband and I have a way of working things out and letting the bits that we cannot control just fall into place. I always try to keep a good attitude and positive outlook even when everything has gone bananas but it seems to really make all the difference in the outcome of everything.
Today at 3:00pm we sign the papers on our new place. YAY!
Well, speaking of cliches it seems that my little family seems to be allergic to all things conventional. Sometimes I ask myself if I subconsciously choose the path that will take me down the road less traveled, but I really don't think I do. Let me better explain. Lots of changes have been happening around here. Now that I am working and Todd has cut back on work our roles are reversing. When I was staying home full-time it was my job to play housewife and Todd went out and earned the bacon while also going to school. After lots of talking, calculating, and filling out Google spreadsheets we came to the conclusion that once we move into our new apartment I am going to work and Todd is going to be home with Olivia and will work/go to school on my days off.
It's a crazy balancing act but Todd needs to finish his engineering degree and it just so happens that at this point in time I am the one that can make more money. So, here we are. I am getting used to juggling my job and being an attached parent while also trying to keep my sanity. I've realized that working moms are often scrutinized and non-working moms always have to defend their choice to stay home and to be honest I am quite tired of it. I think we all need to do what works for our families/is best for our kids and stop passing judgment because it does not benefit anyone.
I do have to say that I am lucky and my situation is not the norm. If I am at work and Olivia is home with Todd I know that she is being nurtured and stimulated by him. Not only that, he also cooks and cleans! If Pea happens to be with my mom, I know that we share the same parenting values. My daughter is so happy and loved and I am so relieved that the husband and I have a way of working things out and letting the bits that we cannot control just fall into place. I always try to keep a good attitude and positive outlook even when everything has gone bananas but it seems to really make all the difference in the outcome of everything.
Today at 3:00pm we sign the papers on our new place. YAY!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Have a Happy Saturday
Tee by Faded Glory Organics
Fleece homemade cloth diaper cover
Helmet made by Scorpion
Crib made by Todd
Baby made with love :)
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Is it really July?
In San Diego that means... fireworks, beach days, flip flops, popsicles, roller coaster rides, bathing suits, veggie dog BBQs, and the birthday of the prettiest redhead on the West Coast :)
(This would be Leann, we have been friends since 4th grade. Here we are in Portland, Maine when I was 7 months pregnant. Yup, I had a tan and wore a bikini. I was pregnant allllll summer.)
images via: Google
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