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I've started going through Max's baby clothes and deciding what to keep for heirlooms (cant wait for a niece or nephew!), what we want to recycle for Vivienne and what we'll sell or give away. Today, I found the big bad baby blanket and hat that I knit for Max back in '04 and thought I should add it to the blog. It's knit in all seasons cotton and the pattern is from Stitch 'n Bitch.
I've been searching for a new diaper bag and I finally found two I like. I still can't seem to locate the perfect does it all bag. So I'm going with a friends advice and having a few for different purposes. Her suggestion was to keep a few packed so you're always ready to walk out the door. It'll still take a little time to pack snacks and drinks, but if I keep them filled with the basics it should help cut a few minutes off the getting out the door time.
I really like the fabric design on the Hoohobbers China Doll Diaper Tote. I just hope the long vertical design doesn't make it difficult to find what's at the bottom. The other bag I like but am waffling on how to justify the price, is the Skip Hop City Chic. It looks like right size and has a great shape for carrying goods for two kids and it straps on a stroller. It's too bad they don't offer better patterns as I find the four patterns really conservative and they scream "I am a diaper bag."
I've also been looking for a better changing pad surface. I'm over the teeny tiny nylon one that came with the Skip Hop Duo bag I've carried for the last three years. I saw the Patemm Pad somewhere along the way and liked the big round design. I was sad to learn that most of their products are coated in noxiously evil pvc, but they have a few they make in a washable cotton so I'm getting one of those too.
Technorati Tags: baby, mom, motherhood, parenting, pattern, shopping
I recently bought a "yoko" nursing cover from natural resources on Valencia St. The company that makes them is called bebe au lait. While at Thanksgiving dinner my soon-to-be brother-in-law's sister, who is from Texas, asked me if I owned a "hooter hider?" I chuckled, in fact I do have one I said and I thought how very "Texas" it was to call it that. Well, turns out it's not simply so "Texas" after all. The company that makes 'em calls the same product lines by both names— hmmm a strange marketing ploy. So, they market the frenchy high brow "bebe au lait" name to city dwellers and the daisy duke-like "hooter hiders" brand to others? They explain it as: "Hooter Hiders for tongue-in-cheek and Bebe au Lait for mama chic. "
Technorati Tags: baby, motherhood
By way of a groovy modern parents and their lucky offspring site called coochicoos, I found these darling handmade stuffies by Le Train Fantome (out of England). I love her retro avant-garde site design too.
Technorati Tags: bunny, inspiration, stuffies, textile
Robert & Sharon sent us this fabulous arrangement, thank you! It's so simple and fresh, I love it. It really makes me wish I could afford a flower budget on top of all the other indulgent habits I have!
Vivie takes all the oxygen she can get! Baby yawns are so adorable. Who am I kidding? Everything she does is adorable.
Baby Vivienne is prone to hiccups and spit ups so she spends quite a bit of time with an over the shoulder view of the world. Other than that she's a fabulous baby, eats, sleeps, poops and does it all over again and again and again without too much complaint. Of course she prefers to be held as much as possible, but who doesn't? She grins, puckers her lips, and makes lots of dolphin giggly noises when she isn't grunting.
Monica ( a room 5 teacher and after school playground guard) painted the kids faces this afternoon. Max chose to be a "kitty" and was so happy to run around and show off his painted face. We ate at Chow for dinner and Max beamed with pride at all the people who commented on his whiskers.
Technorati Tags: motherhood, parenting
We welcomed our newest family member, Vivienne Grace today at 4:19 p.m. She weighed in at 8 lbs 3.3 oz and 20 inches long. She's simply beautiful. I'm deeply feeling the meaning of "bundle of joy" and totally in love.
Labor was half the time of my first, the delivery was far better and kinder to my body, and my recovery has been remarkably faster. It's true what they say, that delivery is easier with each subsequent pregnancy. I can't say the pregnancy was easier though. I was sicker, more tired and irritable and physically taxed this time around. I also had horrid varicose and spidery cluster veins down one leg and covering both ankles and my vanity caused me to wear pants for seven months.
I have to write a few things here so I don't forget them — I blog mostly due to my lack of memory retention. I saved Ms. Vivienne from her father's name choices of Pandora, Nemesis or Helix. Her runner up name was Paloma — should she one day decide that Vivienne just doesn't suit her perhaps she'll choose it. I was truly tortured over the naming decision. There are so many wonderful names. I settled on our choice because of the lovely sound and meanings and of course that WE agreed on it. Vivienne means alive or lively and in the Arthurian romance she's an enchantress, the mistress of Merlin, known as the Lady of the Lake. Grace has so many meanings; effortless beauty, elegance, good will, mercy, and excellence of divine origin. Her brother is calling her "duck" when he isn't calling her "Sophia" or "Lucia."
When Maximillian arrived at the hospital the first thing he said was "where is my baby sister?" I'm so proud of him. He's handling this transition quite well. Of course calling her "duck" and constantly wanting to wake her up are just a few of the challenges we'll face along sibling rivalry road. But I'm touched each time he wants to choose her pajamas and brings extras like socks, wants to help her stop crying, and makes sure I'm feeding her enough "boobie milk." He's really being so sweet about her presence. Our pediatrician warned us that it may get rougher about month two, when he realizes she's not just a visiting guest.
Technorati Tags: baby, motherhood