Babies

This looks cute. We're all so different, but at the same time, so much the same.

11 Months

W turned 11 months last week.  The big birthday is coming.  On one hand I'm avoiding any acceptance of him getting big.  On the other, I'm honestly shocked at how quickly the months have gone by.  He's still just a little baby, but, well, not so much a baby anymore.  I feel excited and proud for him.  And, like always, here's why:

**Open-mouth kisses and hugs.

**SO big!

**He said "Mama" -- finally!

**Always clapping and excited.

**He loves to yank his paci out of his mouth, put it back in, and yank it out again.  It's always so matter-of-fact.  He also thinks it's so funny when I hold his paci by the hook between my teeth with the actual paci sticking out.  He laughs and laughs and leans in to try to get it back in his mouth.

**This boy can eat!  He will eat just about any sort of finger food, his favorites being pear, black beans, rice, oh, and puff cereal.  W loves puff cereal to the point of obsession.  I think he would eat it all day, every day, for every meal if I allowed such things.  But honestly, I wouldn't mind a bowl of cereal for every meal, too.  He has good taste, I suppose.

(Yes, he drools, even in the bathtub.)

**W isn't much of a dancer, but the afternoon dance party is getting better and better.  How?  Well, although he (currently) lacks the moves, he does love to sing along.  The first sing-along-song:  Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'."  Like I said, he has good taste.  He also sings along in the car now, too.

**Another love of W's is his black spatula.  Oftentimes I will find myself trying to throw dinner together while W is trying to climb up my leg.  Naturally, I reach into a kitchen drawer to find some sort of distraction for him, and the black spatula/pancake flipper always seems to be available.  So, more often than not, W is found crawling or scooting around the house with this long, plastic, and completely obtrusive utensil.  He can't seem to get enough of it.

**First haircut.  W had a nice little "tail" on the left side of his neckline; it needed to go.  So She-She and I attempted a little trim.  I didn't anticipate being too difficult, however, it took several pacifiers, limes, and funny baby sounds to distract the boy enough to cut his hair somewhat even.  Although I thought I would get a little emotional at this milestone, I was able to hold myself together.

**W is now standing on his own and I would guess on the verge of walking.  But when we try to practice, he shows zero interest in taking steps on his own.  It will be nice to have him up off the floor a bit, but I have a feeling this boy is going to take off running as fast as he crawls.  So I'll enjoy him crawling as long as he'd like.

**And speaking of crawling, W is like a little mountain climber.  Not so much on furniture (yet), but when he is crawling around on the floor, he insists on climbing up and over every person, dog, toy, etc. within the vicinity of his intended destination.  He will not go around for anything.

So happy birthday to my sweet boy.  You're the coolest little boy I know, and I feel so lucky to get to play, laugh, explore, read and just hang out with you everyday.  xo

Happy V Day

Valentine's Day was lovely around here.  Snow.  A heartfelt card from the hubs.  Oh...and W said "mama" for the first time!!!

Perfect day.  

Compliments of Harvey

Welcome spring!  

The Harvey Faircloth spring/summer collection is out.  It is genius!  

These colors are nothing short of amazing.  Amazing!

I'd like to wear this on a Saturday.

High-waisted, wide-leg trousers:  a clever choice for a special occasion.

And I would wear this everyday if given the chance.  

Today I turned 27.  Can't say I feel older, but hopefully wiser.
Lots has happened in the last year of my life.  This time last year I was huge and irrational.  Like, really huge.  And even more irrational.

Last year my birthday ended with my finger slammed in the car door and me crying my eyes out in bed for 3+ hours.
And just a few days before, I was driving through a snow/ice storm calling D and accusing unkindly telling him that he'd done something to the defroster in my car.
I think my exact words were that he'd "unplugged my defroster!"
I smile every time I remember myself saying that.  I can't make this stuff up.
Irrational.  Totally irrational.

But the last year has been kind to me.
The sweet little babe finally came in March, giving me a whole new title, responsibility and outlook.
I have changed.  A lot.  But I am very much the same.
Perhaps changed isn't the word.  Learned and discovered are more appropriate.
Not too long ago I went through a little exercise where I typed as I thought -- rather off the cuff -- what I was thinking about myself, what I want, where I am, etc.  It was a painfully long entry by my standards.  But it was a good thing for me to think through.
However, it wasn't completely cathartic.

I've continued to put some thought into figuring out myself.  But I'm figuring out something rather different.
Every day is a pivotal moment in life.
It isn't a one-time occurrence when one finally discovers herself.  It's a process.  It's about becoming, developing, evolving into the person we are.  Being and choosing what we want in order to get there.
Trial and error, but progress.
If we just knew who we were, what else would there be to stimulate growth and progression?
Sometimes knowing who that "me" is can be confusing, perhaps frustrating, but sometimes delighting.
For me, the bottom line is I can choose who I want to be; I don't have to go out searching for her.  I am here.
New roles, jobs, experiences, decisions, feelings, triumphs, trials...that's all part of me becoming me.
With the outlook of another year of life complete and a new one lying ahead, I'm excited at recognizing more of myself.

So instead of a smashed finger, this birthday ended with a perfect gift.  An ID badge of sorts.
I'll gladly accept the mama bird over a damaged digit.

Here's to another year.  Hopefully a more rational one.

Rite of Passage

For years, my mom made a fruit smoothie for us every day for breakfast.  These smoothies (we call them "shakes") weren't just your average banana, strawberry, milk and ice smoothies.  No, no.  My mom took shake-making very seriously.  She loaded them with flax seed oil, avocado, yogurt, vitamin C, fish oil and this special hocus-pocus powder called Alive.  The shakes were full of enough nutrients to sustain a small army:  health in a cup.
Like clockwork, my mom made these shakes morning after morning.  (How lucky were we?!)  But it was expected that we would consume every last drop of our portion of shake.  Like a rite of passage before exiting the house, my mom expected us to be armed with a belly full of icy goodness.
Now, I like these said shakes.  I think they're rather delicious.  D, on the other hand, doesn't prefer them.  In fact, he thinks that Alive stuff is, well, hocus pocus.  Naturally we were concerned (not actually) about how W would handle this wedge in our morning relationship.  Well, upon taste testing his first shake, I think he takes after me.

***This video is specifically for Lizzy.  You may not have any interest in watching W sip and smack his lips for 30 seconds, but Lizz can't get enough.***

Spot On

I am...  

Cottage Chic

Who says that cottages can't be modern and chic? Who says that they have to be floral and cheesy? Not you! You love the carefree spirit that the cottage interior inspires, but you are also serious about your appreciation for modern art and hip treasures. You love old and new alike, and love to highlight them all to expose the uniqueness of each. What better way to show off these treasures than with a light background?

Your true inspiration (whether you know it or not) is the sea... the colors found at your favorite beach: white and light beige of the sand, a variety of blues for the ocean and sky, and greens and pale grays of the sea glass... but the key is white! The key with Cottage Chic is balance; in one corner there could be a rustic wood table that looks like it could have been found rather than made, but it is offset with a modern vase while another corner is adorned with a modern Lucite piece.

The furniture is comfortable. The more it encourages intimate gatherings the better!  The color throughout is light and airy - and though you love to accessorize with fun colors...the main color seen and felt throughout the house is white or very light versions of colors so that they feel almost white.

What are you?  Take the quiz here.  

So Big!

So Proud.