Have you been kind today?

My, oh my, is it easy to be so self-absorbed and I'm horribly guilty. I love the idea of a "random act of kindness." We tithe regularly from our paychecks to a couple organizations and regularly donate to other causes as well when there's a need. But, we rarely "randomly act." Something tiny can bring a smile to someone's face and inspire them to pay it forward. This blog post is so great - she decided for her birthday to commit one random act of kindness for each year of her life. I love this idea. Wouldn't it be great if each one of us committed one random act of kindness every day (and what a great lesson for our children)! My, what a friendlier world we might live in.

Today, V and I emailed Wingstop to compliment one of their employees for her great, friendly service. Tim and I, even though we don't go there often, have always noticed just how sweet this girl is. She takes our order and our money and fills our drinks, but still manages to make the experience "above and beyond" what you would expect at a wing place. Hopefully the compliment gets passed on to her!

On the hunt for...new nursery decor

This week, we're on the hunt for some new "decor" for Violet's room. We're also on the hunt for a nursing cover for pumping in my office but that's going a little too far for sharing on the blog.

One of last week's hunt items were these tissue poms for her nursery. Found (of course) on etsy.

This spurred some new inspiration in finishing up the nursery (it's been "done" but I really wasn't happy with the walls). I found some absolutely dreamy inspiration on ohdeedoh, like this:

and this (which forced me to suggest to Tim that we repaint the room this color (denied))...
and these...
Love the vintage, eclectic, yet romantic feel of these rooms. So, we're working on a few new projects. Definitely in the shopping cart...


P.S. Last week, I was on the hunt for a coupon organizer - here's the one I went with, from here:

What She Wore...Two Months!

Violet turned two months old last Sunday! I can't believe how fast the time has flown - but even more -- how much she's changed and grown. And how much more we love her - who knew there was any more room!


When: Sunday, February 7th
What: KnottyLegs argyle legwarmers; onesie; Picky Sticky 2-months sticker (these make an AWESOME baby shower gift)
Why: Two-month birthday outfit. How fabulous are these legwarmers!

Unfortunately, the two-month birthday also comes with two-month shots and while daddy wanted to dress her in jammies to go the doctor, I'm teaching her early that looking good when you're not feeling good will always make you feel better!

Gap flowered top, ? pink gathered cuff coduroys. And she still screamed bloody murder when that mean nurse stuck her three times.

Is Skpe just hype?

No way! On a day when your kiddo just got her first round of shots and is feeling a little fussified, your mom, your dad, and your best friend (and neighbor)'s mom can sing her a little song, like "Happy Trails" or "The Bear Went Over the Mountain." Or, a whole medley of songs, harmonized straight into your living room. Even Opie the dog sticks his head in and barks a lyric or two every once in a while. Ah, modern technology...connecting the world one serenade at a time.

P.S. CL - Mike is feeling a lot like George Michael on these rainy days. And curse your blog for making me sing the song every.single.time.

What She Wore...Polo Preppy

Unfortunately for Lil V, she may have inherited my husband's freakishly long torso. Which means this is probably the first and last time she wears this cute little outfit.

When: Wednesday, February 4th

What: Polo one-piece with ruffle detail, Punk Princess paci

Where: NOWHERE! It's still raining!

Why: Both grandpas love polo, so I'm rocking this today in honor of them (although perhaps I should have popped my collar?)

A walking mommy contradiction

Apologies for the re-post...somehow this got posted for January 17th originally.

You know when you see those episodes of What Not to Wear with the moms that just "never have time to put themselves first" and you think to yourself -- that is NO excuse for pleated khakis*? Well...I have a bit more perspective these days. Although do not get your hopes up that you'll see me on the last page of Glamour in tapered jeans with a wide hip, there are a few things though that I'm shocked to admit about myself these days...

1) I've been wearing nothing but sweatpants for weeks. Well, at least they're wide-legged black yoga pants but who am I kidding - they really don't transition from walks around the lake to dinner. But, I have transitional body, people. I feel silly wearing maternity clothes but still have a lot of weight to lose before I can fit in my pre-pregnancy clothes. And, since I am losing weight, it doesn't seem like a good idea to invest in any clothes that fit now.

2) I recently found myself shopping for Vera Bradley diaper bags rather than Chloe satchels (okay...more drooling than shopping). Vera Bradley is widely considered fashion's nemesis. And quite frankly, I'm not really a girl who shops for accessories at the Hallmark store. But, they make a kickass diaper bag (seriously, who am i?).

3) I've been trolling around town not only in my sweatpants but in (gasp) wireless bras that make my boobs less than perfect. Turns out wire is not good for the boobs when you're nursing. I am actually one of that small percentage that wears a bra in the right size (confirmed by petticoat fair) and I have a lot to work with so it's important that they're "high and tight." I am so ashamed at the state of my current boobage. Have no fear, by the time I go back to work, I'll be back in wire...mastitis be damned.

4) I've considered a "baby on board" sign for the car. Next thing you know, I'll be slapping that puppy on with my Pooh window shade in my minivan. But seriously, would you drive like such an ass if you saw that I was next to you with my newborn? Well, considering you're a big enough d-bag to have a Jet Li vanity plate (dude, you're not even Asian), you probably would. I'll hold off on the sign.

5) And the most shocking of all, I currently own a shoe wardrobe that consists of nothing but sensible shoes...all flat. How sad is this? I am a girl who wears HEELS! I could climb a mountain in heels. I can walk across a wet field without sinking in every step in heels (if you're a real heel-wearer, you know what I mean). I jog in heels. I had every intention of wearing heels throughout my entire pregnancy but then my feet swelled to ham feet. And not only were they ham feet but they also grew. No one tells you this pre-pregnancy. I'm breaking the silence. And, although they're no longer swollen, they are also now too big to fit into most of my beautiful shoes.

What's next...a wash and go haircut and pert plus shampoo? Never say never.

* There is no excuse for pleated khakis.

Adventures in Mommy-land

As soon as the dryer dings, today is day 1 of our cloth diaper trial. But these aren't your mom's cloth diapers. These things are high-tech and cute, to boot! We're very much on a trial basis, and daddy has asked about a zillion times..."So, what do you do with the poop (except he doesn't say poop)." For those who've heard that the water to wash them cancels out the benefit of not throwing a million diapers in the landfills - we do have a high efficiency washer. I know those without kids are on the edge of their seats for the full report!

What we're trying:

Bum Genius 3.0 - a one-size (for diapering life) pocket diaper (which means it has an insert that comes out and gets washed separately)

FuzzinBunz - another one-size pocket diaper, just with a different fit and snaps instead of velcro

Bum Genius All-in-One -- like a disposable diaper but you put the whole thing in the wash instead of in the trash

Flip - A diaper-cover like thing with inserts; including a disposable option