5 Favorites: New Baby Edition

Linking up with Jenna from Call Her Happy for my favorite materialistic blogpost!

So I'll take a break from talking about the items I love for myself (although I really could do another pregnancy one) and do one for ze babies. I've only had one! So I'm no expert - but this time around I have a refined idea of what I want and need...and y'know, what babies actually LIKE. These are my picks for my favorite things for the baby:

-1-

The Mamaroo

Hear me out - I know it's a mucho expensive bouncer thingy. I like it because from the reviews, it seems to last for a very long time (so the money is worth it? maybe?), it doesn't look dumb (I hate baby items that are hokey), and it appears to work magic. With Zuzu, I was not concerned about never holding her - because that's all I did. Hold her. For the first 8 weeks.
That was great! But I don't think I'm going to have that option this time around and I'm beginning to value things like showers and household cleanliness more than I did in the past. So I am counting on this sucker to be my ticket to 20 minutes of hardcore cleaning. Thanks to my incredibly generous parents, I am indeed the proud owner of one of these babies - so I'll let you know if they deliver.

-2-

Boba

I am not actually anti-stroller, but Zuzu hated strollers when she was little (along with carseats! you can see the source of my craziness!) and I hated not being able to go anywhere. Enter in the Boba. Although I also own a sling, Baby Bjorn Air, a Moby Wrap, and a Baby K'tan, the Boba is by far my favorite. I have since gotten rid of the Moby wrap because it was way too much fabric and SO HOT. The sling I can use till 10 pounds before it kills my shoulder, the Baby Bjorn is great fun once they have good enough head control to face out, and I haven't actually tried the K'tan yet, but imagine it to be a stress-free Moby, so I'll let you know.
BUT! The Boba! I love it. It buckles, so there's no confusion about tying things. You can use it from birth - 45 pounds (i.e., I still use it to get through airport security with Zuz), you can nurse in it (I swear - it's really easy), and it carries on the front or the back. The patterns are very cute - I have the Soho, pictured above - and you can wash it, if you need to (though I've only washed mine twice - mostly I spot clean it). It has been worth every penny, especially since we traveled a lot when she was little and this was the easiest way to get around with her.

-3-

Keekaroo

So my thing about hating baby items that look dumb? It extends to highchairs, majorly. Why are they all made of plastic with these horrible nooks and crannies that you can NEVER EVER EVER CLEAN? I'm all for the ones that hook onto the table, which are far easier to clean and space efficient, but I still fear my child plunging to their death.
Wooden high chairs are actually becoming popular again, which just means that you can't find a cheap vintage one on eBay and Babies R Us hasn't caught on yet and started carrying them again. Once again, my mom to the rescue with the Keekaroo. Pricey? Yes. But also made of real wood, extremely durable, can morph into a toddler chair, and then an adult chair. So those are my justifications. (I'm really good at this justifying thing, as you can tell) There are no hard to reach nooks or crannies, you can get it in the wood finish that matches your dining room, and I don't find it hideously ugly. I will say - it is big, so it's not a space saver. But I like it!

-4-

Baby Legs

Don't laugh - I know, what could be more unnecessary than baby leg warmers? But they are more useful than they first appear. First of all, they serve as a great anchor for elusive baby socks that never want to stay on skinny little feet. Tuck the socks under there and they stay put! Secondly, I hate it what I have to get the baby nearly entirely undressed for a diaper change - especially because then they get so mad because they're so cold. Baby legs to the rescue again! All you have to do is unsnap the onesie, but their legs stay covered as do their feet because of aforementioned anchored socks.

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Muslin Blankets 

It's not necessary they be Aiden+Anais that everybody loves, there are some knock-off brands that are sold that are just as great! But living in a warm weather climate, I found these blankets to be really indispensable. They weren't too heavy to be used constantly, washed up easily, were very soft, and fit very easily into my diaper bag. Also, they're huge, so they're really easy to use as a nursing cover if you happen to forget yours.

5 Favorites: MOAR Pregnant Beauty Things

Last time I did 5 favs, I posted the five things I WANTED to help me look less...frumpy in this pregnancy. I have tried some of them and found some others and thought I'd share with you all what has worked...

-1-

Crossback Maternity Swimsuit by Motherhood

I know, where most of you live it's freezing, but not all of us are in the frozen tundra - and some of you maybe are just beginning to plan for your summer vacations. If so, I highly recommend this reasonably priced ($36.99) and slightly retro one piece. I bought it in a hurry last week in preparation for Jen's 30th birthday weekend at Captiva and despite my concerns about looking like the hugely pregnant uggo all weekend, I actually felt confident and cute. And for THAT, I would've paid way more than $36! 

-2-

Gap Always Skinny Jeans

The skinny jeans for all of us thick-thighed ladies that swore we'd never rock skinny jeans. I am not built like a stick figure - when not housing another human being, my body shape closest resembles Nani from Lilo and Stitch. But my normal bootcut jeans just don't cut it when I'm pregnant, they look weird on me! Especially if I'm trying to rock a flowy top...suddenly I'm just wearing flowy stuff all over and it's like a badly stitched moo-moo.
These jeans! They are comfy, with mucho stretch, and their fit really isn't super skinny - it's more like a fitted jean. Plus! They are on sale right now ($26.99) - but don't try to use the additional 40% off, because that's NEVER good on jeans (because Gap is a jerk).

-3-

This Asos Tunic

I bought a batch of things from Asos in November and every single one of those pieces delivered, except for one which is just much bigger than I thought it was going to be. But one of them stands out as very comfortable, constantly stylish, and easy to pair with anything - this tunic (for only $24.62, although now sadly only available in a small). I have to consciously try not to wear it every day, especially with my gold flats and a red headband.
Side note: I'm not sure why it looks so long in the picture (maybe because that gal's probably not actually sporting a real belly?), but it really isn't appropriate to wear as a dress - even on me, and I'm only five feet tall! It rides up quickly because of how ruched the sides are and how stretchy it is. Even with tights, I feel pretty self conscious if I'm not wearing pants. 

-4-

I cannot get away with just concealer under my eyes, because my skin tone is fairly uneven and gets worse in pregnancy. But I don't have the time to put on war paint like those Pinterest contouring tutorials tell you to! Actually, most of the time, I'm doing my makeup at red lights or in the passenger seat. Also, I really don't have the money right now to figure out if the fancy pots of skin paint at Ulta or Sephora are worth the half-my-grocery budget they cost. 

Enter in this lovely, under $12, available at Walmart so I don't have to make a separate trip, CC cream. Apparently CC cream stands for 'color correcting' and is supposed to correct redness and other issues, but I'm not expecting any miracles - I just want something more sheer (sheerer??) than foundation. It's easily applied with my fingers, covers my unevenness, but doesn't cream "I have a mask on!" Sold.

-5-

The Blanqi

I do not look like this in this product. I am not claiming this product will make you look like this.

The one product I considered last time really delivered. Form-fitting clothing in pregnancy is more flattering (and can be comfortable with enough stretch!), but my body has odd lump and such, so I find this my invaluable companion to getting dressed in anything other than sweatpants. Also, since age-old wisdom holds with very small panties to avoid VPL (visible panty lines), and I am completely against very small panties at any point in pregnancy, I am grateful that the Blanqi successfully smooths out any of that as well. TMI? Too late!
I will say that it is so tight it sometimes rides up, which is annoying when worn under a dress. But I'm also an hour glass figure and a bit on the curvy side, so I think it has more to do with my childbearing hips than the product itself? It seems most reviews by women who have a different shape indicate it's not a problem for them.


PS I never did try the product from Lush, after discovering a dust-up over Lush's support of an anti-Israel group. Although I couldn't find any current info on their site indicating they still support this charity, I then became curious as to what they ARE doing with all the money they earn from their overpriced products. Their full list of supported charities is here and I felt uncomfortable with their support of the 'Hate Crime Hub' (I don't agree that we should criminalize words) and Education for Choice. I'm not a big boycotter, but if I have the choice, I'd rather avoid throwing tons of money at a company that probably sees me as a criminal. 

5 (Possible) Favorites: Pregnancy Beauty Edition

Now hosted by Jenna at Call Her Happy!

Well everything is my draft box is S U P E R  H E A V Y and I'm not just not feeling it, so here's some beauty/fashion blather to get us all through.

I'm pregnant again - 20 weeks now - and unlike last time, I am not interested in disappearing into a cocoon for 9 months. No, really - there are all of five pictures of me pregnant with Zuzu and they are NOT PRETTY. I was bigger anyway and didn't really take care of myself during my pregnancy, so I just didn't feel very great which automatically = zero pictures. No maternity shoot, no 'bump dates' (thank goodness, #weird), and only one bump selfie on the Insta (which is now private after this total stranger liked EVERY SINGLE picture of Zuzu where she wasn't fully clothed - no seriously).

View my attempts this time around to not look slobish: makeup, blow dried hair, etc.

This time around I'm 30 pounds lighter and more interested in not being a hibernating Mama. I'm trying to be vaguely cute. But y'know what I realized? All the maternity clothes I bought last time reflected my disinterest in my image, or more accurately, my total self-loathing. Most of it is weird silhouettes that aren't flattering, poor quality fabrics, and styles I don't even like. Yup, sounds like the wardrobe of someone who has lost hope! So I'm trying to re-do things, slowly, and I have some better ideas about what I like...

-1-

The Blanqi

First things first, shape wear is my life and this sucker is on my major wants list: 

A lot of women seem to need it for support, but I'm mostly interested in uh, smoothing my silhouette. Read: everything cuts in weird places now making unsightly bulges. Clothing that actually fits is more flattering no matter your size, so I need this sucker even under regular tshirts, $68 price tag be hanged.

-2-

Bodycon Maternity Dress

via Asos

I have always looked better in form fitting styles: pencil skirts, sheath dresses with plenty of lycra, etc. It shows off my curves. But I have no idea if the same will be true for my pregnant shape, since I've only ever been interested in hiding it. My deepest fear is that I will not look like the Swedish model goddess above and instead look like Kim Kardashian (it was bad, trust me). 

-3-

Lovely Jubblies 

from Lush 

This cream is designed for stretch marks on the décolletage area, but I've heard several reports that it works elsewhere - amazingly well. The price tag is hefty, but honestly, I'm intrigued by people saying it has a delightful floral smell (I love all girly smells all the time in my personal products) and that it's incredibly effective.  My stretch marks aren't intense, but I hope to have many pregnancies to go, so I'd like to flatter my vanity while I can pretend it does any good. 

-4-

Nursing tank tops

I didn't buy or register for any with Zuzu and I feel that was extremely foolish. I realize this is looked at mostly as a postpartum necessity, but as they are usually longer they can also double for maternity tanks - ever essential in the third trimester when you are constantly in danger of flashing your belly to all asunder. Although theoretically the Blanqi would also solve that problem, living in Florida means there will be plenty of winter days where a tank top and light cardigan will be plenty to ward off whatever 'chill' is in the air. 

I've heard the ones from Target are great, but I have no basis for comparison - anybody have a favorite they want to suggest? 

-5-

Strong lip colors 

Deepest berry, bright pinks, candy apple reds...I am feeling LIPSTICK. It's a great way to add color and I love that I cannot wear lipstick without wearing concealer and mascara, i.e., it forces me to put my face on. Oof and if there's one thing that's been slipping since I came to southwest Florida, it's my  beauty routine! Gotta get it together girls...husbands don't inspire themselves. ;) 

Lately I've been all about Raisin Rage by Revlon - which, by the way, is one of two lip colors that my mother has worn for thirty years. It's either Raisin Rage or Toast of New York, forever. My go-to red is No. 34 by Sephora, but I'd like to have a good pink and a berry color too. If you have suggestions, again, I look forward to hearing all about it.  

Five Anti-Favorites: On Living in Florida

I'm acting as anti-Hallie here...giving you not 5 Favorites, but 5 Least Favorites - of living in the Sunshine State.

Because it's May and the high has hit 90 for three days in a row.

As most of you know, I grew up in Florida. I'm a Cracker. Being raised here is a unique experience: I saw snow for the first time when I was twelve. The term 'skiing' is associated in my head with bathing suits, not snow suits. In high school, I sported permatan - mostly from walking to class in my outdoor high school (think like an outdoor mall).

Now, as an adult who's come home, I'm finding a whole new - more challenging - aspects to Florida living. Granted, I am still pleased about many aspects - we really only needs one season in our wardrobes, we can go to the beach more or less every day of the year, I could still have permatan if I wanted to - but now there are other things that make living in the sunshine state uniquely painful.

1. Serious weather (weather-related wardrobe) envy. Every year, round about September, we have to endure articles, magazines, Facebook posts, ecetera about impending Fall weather. Pumpkin everything! Leggings and boots! Sweater weather! Hot cocoa recipes!
Yeah, throw all that on your cozy log fires because we live in hot hot paradise. There will be no fall chill in the air or beautiful changing leaves! No snow! Piles of lovely plaid blankets are useless here, as are all those dang songs about letting it snow. And Halloween costumes?  There's a reason I went as a belly dancer for several scandalous years - no, I wasn't a junior Mata Hari, but just a very heat sensitive tween.

2. Insane bugs. I joked about roaches the other day, but they are no joke. In Florida, our bugs are so big they have faces. We have grasshoppers the size of locusts. Palmetto bugs (I can't bring myself to link; they are huge roaches that fly). Rats that live in palm trees. Fire ants - or worse. The thing about these bugs is that everyone has them - they're not a dirty house thing, or an old house thing. They're a Florida thing. If you don't want to shell out serious bucks to have some dude in a hazmat suit come to your place and spray toxic chemicals around, then yes, you will have to make peace with finding roaches in your dishwashers several times a week.

3. Seatbelts of death. You know how you jump in your car during wintertime and quickly turn it on, revving up those great seat warmers if you have them, waiting for the heat to toast your buns? Well, imagine you left those seat warmers on high with your car in the baking sun, maybe on the actual sun, for like a week and then got in wearing shorts and a tank top.
That's what it feels to get in your car in Florida 11 months out of the year. God help you if you have children, because they will - from the time they can talk! - shriek "HOT HOT" every time they get in the car, and make you feel like a horrible parent.

4. Insane humidity. I'm not even complaining for the sake of my hair (who pleads its own case every time we walk out of the house without professional styling). I'm complaining for the sake of anything that is supposed to be outside - patio furniture, hammocks, the siding on your house. Apparently, one of the benefits to living in Florida is all this outside time you're supposed to get. Well, everything you want to sit on outside has mold on it, or if it's a cushion, has a general spongy wetness that seeps up and onto your legs and behind.
Also, on the days where it is actually below 80 and breezy, you want to leave your house open, right? We do that (mostly because we are always trying to save on AC costs) and now one of my chores is scrubbing mold off of our TILE and the backs of our dining room chairs and oh yes, all of the 10,000 books we academics own.

5. Bikini-ready, 24/7. I probably didn't think about this in high school when I was, for the most part, bikini-ready 24/7 (because back then I didn't know Jesus or a swim burqas). But Florida is full of exercise buffs, who are always outside in the blasted heat keeping themselves ready to prance around half naked. It's more like a state of perpetual paranoia for me, where I realize that at any moment I could be asked to show up somewhere in my bathing suit - and I ponder the condition of all of my body parts that I must either bare to the sun or squeeze into lycra.
Sometimes, I just long for the comfort - and converge - of a snowsuit.

So to those of you in Minnesota who just got snow at the end of April, I am sorry. But at least you don't have to worry about shaving every day of your life.

Five Favorites

Just a few things I really love this week:

One.
This apple cake recipe, from the good folks at King Arthur Flour company. My family has really enjoyed it this week and it's kicked off my Fall baking season. Note: I added one container of child sized apple sauce to my batter, but otherwise made it as directed. I did not find it too sweet, like many in the comments said, so I would make it with the frosting.

Two.
Bridal Bouquet Plumeria:

Last week, Mr. Oram and I went to the Botanical Gardens and while there, saw a lovely stand of this kind of plumeria. What made it especially nice was that the trees were clipped to be like tall hedges (think ficus, about six feet high) and the blossoms trailed all the way down the entire length of the hedge.
I told Mr. O that I seemed to remember Danielle Bean getting a tree or a plant every year for Mother's Day - or for the birth of a child? Anyway, we decided it's a lovely idea. So we have some catching up to do! Shop for plants? Twist my arm...

Three.
First birthday planning! Her birthday is harvest theme - pumpkins, apples, hay rides - so my mom and I have had fun finding decorations and planning. Bobbing for apples, donuts on a string, pumpkin cake, chili, cornbread...good times for all!
I have had more fun than I should making a list of gifts for Zuzu for her first birthday and first Christmas. When I think of lovely things for my girl, mostly what fills my mind are books, books, more books - and maybe some bows thrown in for good measure!
The fun part is that now she will sit in my lap while I read to her. She studies the pictures, watches where my finger points, and sometimes points to things herself, makes a questioning sound and looks up at me. I can see her brain working, trying to categorize those symbols while chewing on all these sounds...learning is so fascinating!

Four
Building a fabric stash.

From Whip Stitch

Full disclosure: mine looks nothing like this - it is not this large, color-coordinated, or even neat. Mine is strewn about in odd heaps in the guest room, helpfully organized by Zuzu. 

We coupon'd it up at Joannes the other day, and I got some great fabrics for last-minute Christmas projects I'm working on. I did apologize to my dear husband the other day that my two favorite hobbies, gardening and sewing/quilting, are so very expensive. But they're so very fun! At least I'm a simple girl...give me a gift card to Joannes, Lowes, and Homegoods and my cup runneth ovah.

Five
Quilts.

Rainbow Strip Quilt by Chicken Julie, made/sold 2011

Oh it's true - I'm beyond obsessed. While I nurse the baby, I just scroll through endless pictures of beautiful beautiful quilts. They're a bit intimidating to me on one hand - all that CUTTING and it has to be PRECISE - and as we know, I am never precise in my creativity. That's why up until now I've only done very simple quilts - strip quilts, or quilted lap duvets (basically, big pillow cases). But I have a big project ruminating in my head, so maybe I'll get ambitious soon enough and try to really quilt.

(Belated) Cinco Favoritos

Thank goodness Hallie allows late submissions, cause between Bar studying, a daily running habit, and y'know, dinner, the time to blog is becoming mighty scarce...

-1-

The Wailin' Jennys

The only thing I ever wanted to do in life, but never did, was be something of a folk/bluegrass singer. I always thought I'd be really good at it, but never knew how to learn. Singing along to these amazing ladies and their crazy harmonies is as close as I get! 

-2-

Escada perfume. 

In high school, I would buy every new seasonal fragrance Escada put out. I was never disappointed! On a whim, I picked up and sniffed their newest one while in Ulta this week and was pleasantly surprised - I still love them! So summery and nice smelling, nothing that hints at 'dusky' or 'spicy,' which always makes me want to puke. I adore perfume, it's an accessory I never want to be without, but I haven't worn it that much since Zuzu came along. I always worry - is my perfume messing with my natural musk that tells her I'm her mom? Am I overthinking?

-3-

Growing things. 

Delosperma, a particularly lovely flowering ground cover

With all this rain, the various plants I try to coax into life are flourishing. How lovely! My basil has all-but out grown its pot, my citrus tree is busy putting out fruit, my variegated ice vine (delosperma) is overflowing its pot, and after I severely cut back my mint, it seems to be coming back. Makes me hopeful that I can grow my family! 

-4-

Parenting: Illustrated with Crappy Pictures

Caption on this one regarding why her husband deserves Father's Day: Better yet, he doesn't even roll his eyes when I read a another parenting book and announce that everything we have been doing is wrong and now we are doing it like this.  On a biweekly basis.  

Have you seen this blog? Hysterical. Warning for language. But so many of her drawings really resonate and anything that can make me snort with laughter deserves a FF mention.

-5-

Modern advancements in weather technology. 

Having lived through a tornado, I'm more than a little skittish about bad weather during the Spring and Summertime. In fact, I'm probably downright crazy about it. It makes me jumpy and sometimes causes minor panic attacks (which is awesome when I'm in public places!). And so I'm so grateful that now we have technology that will tell me when tornadoes have been sighted or when they're likely; unlike so many in the past, I have the ability to know when it really is bad or when it's just another Florida thunderstorm. 

(on my mind because we're under tornado watch today)

5 Favorites

In case you thought I'd pass up a chance to tell you all the things I'm coveting lately...

you're wrong. 

-1-

Monogrammed tervis.

Although you can find these on Etsy, they're technically  just a plain tervis with a vinyl label on the outside...so although Etsy sellers have cooler fonts, at least the above won't wash off ever. This would go nicely with my previously mentioned monogrammed beach hat.

Can you tell I love monograms? Is it a Southern thing? 

-2-

Orient Expressed. 

Not to be confused with the cheap purveyor of excellent party goods, this store is based out of New Orleans and carries beautiful traditional children's clothing. I was raised wearing clothes out of Little House on the Prairie (that is not a joke - boots with long dresses plus braids was my life), so this place appeals to my love of smocking and dresses that don't look like they came from Cissy's House of Whores (what? isn't that a place?). 

Notice I did not say they were cheap. 

-3-

FOURTH OF JULY. 

AKA my (second) favorite holiday. 

I LOVE 4th of July. Love it so much I got married 4th of July weekend and reeeeally want to have a Yankee-Doodle baby. I know it's still a ways off, but I am already gearing up. Last year, I kept my Fourth wreath up...for all of summer. I also kept my American flag table cloth on the table and of course, we fly Old Glory every day on the front porch. 

Party at my place on the 4th?? 

-4-

Ikea. 

Do you have one of these near you? 

Neither do I. There's one in Miami or Orlando; either way a significant drive. 

But when I was visiting the fam up in Orlando, we visited. I love it everytime I go...not for furniture so much, but definitely for kitchen stuffs! 

My haul: 6 cloth placemats, one bread pan, a strainer, a big hanger thingy for cloth diapers, plus a queen size duvet cover and pillow cases - under $50. Score. 

-5-

Lilo and Stitch

I love this movie. LOVE IT. When summertime comes, I want this movie playing - which is dumb, because it's about Hawai'i where it is eternally summer, not unlike where I live now. But still. Love it. So many great lines...

Aloha, y'all.

Five Favs: Around the House Edition

Today's post is coming from my big sister's guest room, as the babe and I are visiting my family in Orlando. My poor husband could not come, so I am blogging to distract me from his absence, as I miss him terribly...
Back home, as more and more work goes on in L'Orangerie, my mind has been dreaming about all the lovely items I want to fill it with to make it feel more like home. Here are some of those items...

-1-

 San Pietro Balloons

Done by Etsy artist Magnesia, I just love this photograph! Ever since visiting Italy, I have a great fondness in my heart for St. Peter's Square and that wonderful way that it feels like home for all the millions of Catholics who visit each year. The balloons make it real the joy that I felt when stepping into that space for the first time...!

-2-

A Child's Prayer by Jessie Willcox Smith

I adore this print - I adore pretty much anything by this illustrator! Unfortunately, I cannot find this particular print for sale, anywhere. I can find many others of hers that I like, but I can only find pics of this one. Weird, huh? 

Still I love it. I already have Books in Winter, given to me by my mom, and it hangs in Zuzu's room. This artist also illustrated my favorite version of Little Women.

-3-

Vintage Inspired Alphabet Print by JPress 

I love me some ABCs - and this fun whimsical one is one of my favorites! I had this game I used to play as a kid (I'm not even kidding), where my job was to make the other kids laughing by counting sequentially. So all I could say was, "1, 2, 3, 4..." but I had to say in such a way that made all the other kids laugh. Guess what? I ROCKED that game - and this print reminds me of the same idea. The letters  are presented like words - with personalities and a message. 

Love that. 

-4-

Volary of Words: Collective Nouns Fine Art Print

Collective nouns are possibly the best thing in the English language. The number and poetry of them is staggering and lovely; I can scarcely get enough. Unfortunately, good posters illustrating such wonderful imagery are few and far between. The above is the best I've been able to find, but that isn't saying much. There's another one out there that I don't care for, but it's by Woop Studios if you care to check it out.

-5-

Virgin Mary Art Print by ModHMary (aka Elise Faurote)

I really love so much of this lady's work, and I encourage you to check out her Etsy shop! I think this print is particularly nice as it has the Hail Mary in Latin, if that is important for you to teach your kiddos. I would like this in Zuzu's room...

So that's it for me, reporting live from Orlando, dreaming of Naples - and hope your favorites are all coming true! 

5 Favorites Tiiiime

I think this link-up is a secret ploy by Hallie to make me people more positive...although if someone came up with a "five things that pissed me off this week" link-up, I think it'd be VERY popular (albeit non-holiness-producing). 

Oh - this week it's hosted by Grace. Go see her and laugh laugh laugh.

-1-

I hate to admit it, but this puzzle mat is coming in handy these days: 

Babykins can practice going from sitting to crawling position and I don't worry if she goes in head first. Usually our tile floors (yeah, tile - in the ENTIRE HOUSE, welcome to SW Florida) prevent a whole lot of time on the floor, because no carpet can make up for the cold unforgiving 16-inch tile. Enter in this hideous mat which announces to all and sundry "OUR LIVES HAVE BEEN TAKEN OVER BY A BABY. WE NO LONGER CARE ABOUT TASTEFUL FURNISHINGS." 

But hey - it makes life easy. And it doubles as a yoga mat.

-2-

These two posts by Dwija and Jen, respectively. 

I don't know either of them IRL (although I did meet Jen at an apologetics conference down here...but she met a lot of people, sooo I don't think I'm super special), I'm amazed at how close the blogosphere can make you feel to people you've never met. I am unreasonably excited about Dwija's pregnancy...and more than a little jealous, to be sure. And I'm proud that Jen articulated that a huge part of being Catholic is just saying, well we'll see what the future brings - not making any drastic decisions. 

-3-

This Chai tea: 

I looove chai tea lattes, but cannot stomach spending $4 on a drink without alcohol in it. So then I started buying the pre-made chai tea mix, only to discover it has sugar in it like everything. So then I thought, could I make my own? 

Yes, yes I can. 

For a little over $2 a box, I have infinite amounts of lattes at my disposal, that I can make using agave instead of whatever crazy preservative/fake sugar they use in the other ones. Just brew the tea with a 3:1 ratio of water to milk/cream/dairy substitute and add sweetner. Lovely!  

-4-

No, not Mr. Rogers - my neighbors!! 

We REALLY lucked out in the neighbor department and this was made infinitely more clear to me today. The lot at the end of the street is being cleared because someone bought it and is building on it. 'Cleared' down here means, as one neighbor girl put it, 'deforestation!' But that also means...free mulch! 

So my neighbors, knowing that I was inside with a baby I was trying to get to sleep, brought over some of this lovely free pine mulch and spread it in my side yard, where I had mentioned I wanted it. 

This is after they took care of Mr. O and I during our encounter with the plague, and oh yeah, cleaned OUR WHOLE HOUSE when we left for the birth center to have Zuzu. 

Really really really really reeeeeeheeeheeeheeally good neighbors!! 

-5-

Though I am loathe to admit it, I might need a wee bit of help getting the last of this baby/law school/lazy weight off...enter in myfitnesspal.com. Wow, talk about an eye opener - never knew rice could pack that many calories! 

In order to be more mindful about my eating and activity levels, I downloaded the app on my phone and use it on my computer too. It's been a great way for me to bring more intentionality to my eating - instead of my usual, oh my gosh the baby is asleep and I can eat with two hands so watch as I gorge myself habit. Ew. 

Hope your week is going as well as mine, but with more sleep!