Two Monkeys and a Princess

Daily Darling 7/15

2010-07-15T20:19:00.000-07:00

Don't be fooled... She may look like a sweet, innocent, adorable little girl, but she is really an evil little troll, hell-bent on driving her mother, father, and both of her brothers off the deep end.

Zoe cries in the car. No matter what. We've tried everything. Toys. Singing. Sitting next to her in the back. Only driving when it's her nap time. Only driving when she's had a good nap. Stopping every 15 minutes to nurse her. Feeding her bottles of breastmilk in her carseat. Feeding her strained peas in her carseat. Begging. Bribery. NOTHING works.

Prior to our recent vacation to Kennebunk, ME, the longest Zoe had cried in the car is an hour, which was broken up by a pit-stop or two to nurse her, change her diaper, and make other vain attempts at making her ride a joyful experience. As we prepared for our vacation, I thought "Surely she can't cry the ENTIRE way there. Surely she will eventually get the idea that we can't take her out of her carseat, and just fall asleep". On the way there we got lucky- she only cried for two and a half hours straight. Yay.

No such luck on the way back. She cried AAAAALLLLLL the way home- 4.5 hours, with a nurse/change pit-stop in the middle. And the crazy thing is, the second she sees your face and realizes you are about to take her out, the horrible, strangled sounding, cry-til-you-puke screaming stops instantly. All she wants is to be held. On one hand it makes me feel better that she is not crying because she is hungry or uncomfortable, but on the other hand, it makes me feel awful. The poor little baby, I mean, um, evil troll, just wants a cuddle.

Daily Darling 7/13

2010-07-13T18:06:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been neglecting the blog, everyone! We've been on vacation in Kennebunk, Maine. Here is little Ms. Zoe on Mother's Beach in what I refer to as her "mermaid bikini". She had so much fun today. We filled a huge beach bucket with sea water and a little sand so she could sit there and splash while the boys built a sand castle. I also have a really nice mesh water sling that I wear her in, and I think it really helps make her feel secure during her first experiences in the water. Plus, it keeps the sun off her liitle body, and dries super quick, too.

Daily Darling 7/7

2010-07-07T20:16:00.000-07:00

Cute baby, nasty bug-bite. Yup, right there on the right side of her forehead. The kids were playing out in the yard yesterday, and let's just say our property is very much...um... ALIVE this time of year. Landscaped it is not. Rainforest-like, it is. I thought she got away without any of those nasty bugs biting her, but I guess not.

The heat wave continues here in CT, but since we left the house today, I actually had to put clothes on her. This skimpy little Life Is Good "Sweet Pea" outfit is as close to naked as we could get today. But it doesn't matter, because most of the day she spent in her bathing suit in my sister's pool. Hallelujah!

SOOO BIIIG!

2010-07-06T17:48:00.000-07:00

Zoe is growing up so fast.. too fast for my last baby:( She is six months old today! Yesterday she tried solids or the very first time (to my knowledge, god only knows what the boys give her when my back is turned, lol). I will post a link to the video as soon as I figure out how to upload it. She didn't take to it like Max did, but she wasn't totally opposed to it either, the way Elliott was. She greeted the home-pureed organic bananas with a mixture of confusion hesitancy, and curious delight. It's so much fun seeing her try solid food, especially for her Daddy, because he's never gotten to feed her before! Changing her diapers now that she's no longer exclusively breastfed, however, (sniffle) is NOT going to be fun.

She reached another big milestone today- sitting up all by herself! Okay, so it was just for a few seconds, but still, she did it! Of course, I caught it on camera:

Daily Darling 7/6

2010-07-06T17:38:00.000-07:00

More like Lazy Darling today! I think this 100 degree heat wave we're in is making her sleepy, and it's DEFINITELY making her cranky!. She took a 2 and a half hour nap this morning, and a 40 minute nap around 4 o'clock. Totally normal for most 6-month-olds, totally out of the ordinary for mine.

Sooo... she spent a portion of the day like this:

And most of the day like this:

Daily Darling 7/4

2010-07-04T19:01:00.000-07:00

My little firecracker! I loved how she looked in this tutu as much as she loved wearing it. She thought the tulle was so fun to crinkle and pull on, and as soon as I put it on her, she started pumping her chubby legs like a little ballerina. I spent hours tying the tulle to an elastic to make the tutu, and in reality, she only wore it for the minutes during which this photo was taken. Okay, so maybe a tutu is not the most practical outfit for a 6-month-old to wear to a water park. I had planned for her to wear it for the fireworks tonight, but all my kids were passed out LONG before the 9:15 start time. But the hours of tulle-tying were absolutely worth it for this one adorable picture.

Daily Darling 7/2

2010-07-02T19:38:00.000-07:00

See? Big flower bow= happy Zoe. She likes to be fancy. I love this outfit- I call it her florida retiree outfit, lol. I don't know how she can be so chubby and round, and still have those teeny arms and shoulders. This outfit is size 0-3, and the straps still slip off of that bitty little frame!

Daily Darling 7/1

2010-07-01T18:54:00.000-07:00

Where the f*ck is my bow, Mom? Yes, Zoe is pretty perturbed, here. I was wearing her on my back while the boys and I were weeding the yard today (20 square feet down, only a million square feet to go!). When I took her out after an hour or so for a nursing/diaper/change break, she was BOW-LESS! I looked and looked, but alas, her pretty light pink crochet band with the turquoise peony is missing. Oh well, she still looks pretty darn cute with her "sausage-fit" pink capris and "Ray Of Sunshine" onesie. But she misses her headpiece- a mother just knows these things;)

Daily Darling 6/30

2010-06-30T19:25:00.000-07:00

Here's little Zo-Zo sitting on Auntie Jenese's lap... I sware, Zoe loves her Auntie Jenese a lot more than this picture lets on! She looks too cute in this green gingham sunsuit with her fat little thighs hanging out. And what's that poking out from behind that pretty headband? Yes, it's hair! Now she almost has as much as she did the day she was born:)

I'm Sorry But It's Way Too Hot...

2010-06-30T18:39:00.000-07:00

For attachment parenting! Too bad Zoe doesn't think so... Yesterday she decided the only place she would sleep was on my back in the Oh Snap!. And to make matters worse, I had to vacuum the entire downstairs. Ugh, I love that baby, but she's like a sweaty little oven. And then there's the little issue of co-sleeping... THIS is what I get into bed with every night:

Cozy and cuddly on a winter night, downright cruel when the weathers like it's been. Oh well, today was actually nice, the weather was just right for babywearing, and I'm looking forward to cuddling up with my little cuties tonight:)

Daily Darling 6/27

2010-06-27T18:56:00.000-07:00

Aww, look at that little darling, she's so proud of her mama. I have to say, I maybe didn't put quite as much effort into her outfit today as I normally would, because a family of 5 with 3 kids UNDER 5 attempting to leave the house by 7am is just slightly stressful. Yet somehow, big surprise, she looks as adorable as ever.

Can I Just Say How Awesome I Am?

2010-06-27T18:13:00.001-07:00

So here I am just 2 minutes before the start of my very first half-marathon. Just to give you a little background, running has only recently become a hobby of mine. About 2 months after I had Zoe, I started a modified version of the couch to 5k program, which I highly recommend for beginners. When I started, running 1 city block was a challenge. Really. But after doing the couch to 5k, I was able to jog 3 miles without stopping, which was huge for me. I enjoyed running because I could just put the kids in the stroller and go... I got my exercise and they got some fresh air after being trapped indoors all winter.

Then one day I was browsing in Walmart, killing time while Greg was in a dentist appointment, and I noticed a cover story on the March issue of Fitness magazine, entitled, "Yes, YOU Can Run A Half-Marathon". I bought the magazine, and read the article. The proposed training plan was for anyone who could run 2+ miles without stopping. That was me! In April I bought my first pair of real running shoes, and a double jogger marketed for "serious" runners.I began following the training program religiously, rain or shine, all the while falling deeper and deeper in love with the sport.When I finished the program, I still had some time before race day, so I began following the advanced "Race in Record Time" version of the Fitness Magazine program, which includes hill training and speed intervals. It kicked my ass, but felt AMAZING at the same time.

So here I am. 5 1/2 months after giving birth, down 12 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight, and in the best shape of my life. Here I am, a beginner, really, standing at the starting line of a 13.1 mile race, and not a flat and fast one either. This is the Fairfield Half-Marathon, and here is the course map, if you're interested. Those hills are no joke.

I wish I had an after picture, but I was too busy trying not to pass out to whip out my camera phone. I can tell you that as I was climbing those hills, a couple of things were going through my head. 1) Wow, this is a picnic compared to pushing 45 lbs. of kids and 25 lbs. of stroller! and 2) The worst hill on this course is about a million times more pleasant than my worst contraction during transition. If I can survive natural childbirth, I can ACE 13.1 miles.

And I did. I finished in 1hr, 46 min, and 7 seconds, #394 out of 2,824 runners. I finished number 34 in my division, and 91st in my gender. There is something to be said for hard work, dedication, and striving towards a personal goal. And there is even more to be said about the super-powers of your average, everyday, run-of-the-mill Mommy:)

Daily Darling 6/25

2010-06-25T20:17:00.000-07:00

10:17pm. Asleep. Finally. Getting sick? Teething? Gas? Spoiled rotten? Off to bed now, who knows what the rest of the night holds. I am probably the only mother on earth who is now about to pick up her sleeping baby from a swing and transfer her to my bed. But that's just the way I am,,, I can't sleep unless I know my baby is safe and sound, an arms reach away:)

Daily Darling 6/23

2010-06-24T19:40:00.000-07:00

Here's my girl, looking very much like the late Chris Farley wearing a giant bow... um, in a cute way. The dress is one that I snagged for her this weekend. It's a Piper and Posie, and was on the clearance rack at Marshall's for 6$! Up close, the pattern is adorable... it has the cutest little pink birdies... I couldn't resist!

Summer Sickie Update

2010-06-24T19:30:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I brought Elliott to the walk-in clinic near my house, because I didn't think it was fair to drag him on 2 buses across town to see our regular pediatrician. They did a rapid strep culture, which was negative, and didn't bother to do a 24 hour culture. "Soar thorat + fever= antibiotics" he said. So Elliott is on Zithromax, which absolutely kills me... I HATE giving my kids antibiotics. But I also hate seeing them sick, so when a Dr. tells me antibiotics will make them better, it's hard to stick to my guns... Who knows, maybe he did need it, because he seemed to be feeling 100% better after his first 2 doses.

But of course, this afternoon, Max suddenly came down with a fever. The walk-in clinic only sees kids 5+, so it looks like we'll be making that hike to the ped's office after all. Poor Maxy. I'm just praying Zoe stays healthy, and me, too, for that matter... I've got a 1/2 marathon to run on Sunday!

Daily Darling 6/24

2010-06-24T18:55:00.000-07:00

I don't know why, but I see so much of myself in her in this picture. She is wearing a baby pink eyelet dress with pretty ribbons on the shoulders. It reminds me of one of those pillowcase dresses, and I like it so much that I'm feeling insprired to make her some pillowcase dresses... I see a craft show and tell in this blog's future!

Another (Almost) Great Day

2010-06-23T20:14:00.000-07:00

Today was another day of summer bliss... Well, almost. We took the G bus out to Lighthouse Point Park here in New Haven and met up with my friends Stephanie and Jenese, and their younguns, including 3-week-old baby Kaleb! The kids all played so nicely together. Lighthouse is a great place to spend the day with little kids, because it has the whole beach/sand thing, and when they get bored of that, there's a HUGE splash pad with nice big umbrellas for the grownups, and when they get bored of THAT, there's a fantastic playground. And if you're really lucky, the beautiful old carasouel will be running.

So after the kids had done the entire beach/splash pad/playground circuit, I noticed Elliott looking really tired. I didn't think much of it... Hey, a day at the beach will wear anybody out. But as we were packing up, he just laid down on a towel and closed his eyes, and at the bus stop, he only took 2 bites of the popsicle he'd been begging for all day. By the time we got home, he had a 103 degree fever, chills, and a gray cast to his skin. Poor guy! I gave him some Motrin to bring his fever down, but he's saying his throat hurts, so I think tomorrow we'll have to pay a visit to the pediatrician.

Daily Darling 6/22

2010-06-23T20:01:00.000-07:00

Awww, look at that chubby, smiling face. My little beach babe looks so sweet in this romper my mom bought for her. I love the summery colors, the little whale applique is adorable, and my favorite part, of course, is that it shows off those gorgeous dimpled thighs! Ah, to be a baby... the only time in our lives when cellulite is adorable.

Hello Summer!

2010-06-23T19:08:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I have to admit I've been somewhat living in fear of Elliott being on summer vacation. Not that he's a lot of trouble, but having 3 kids under 5 under 1 roof 24 hours a day is enough to scare any stay-at-home mom. Now I don't know how the rest of the summer will go, but today couldn't have been more perfect. The boys were on their best behavior all morning, no temper tantrums, brawls, hunger strikes, etc., and Zoe even played quietly in her exersaucer while I vacuumed the entire downstairs. In the afternoon we walked down to the park on front street, where they have a little splash pad. Zoe and I lounged in the shade while the boys played in the sprinklers and dug trenches in the wood chips. Then we went home and had some BBQ chicken and corn on the cob. (we were supposed to have asparagus to, but apparently it had gone bad... Like, 3 weeks ago). Ah... If only every day could be filled with summer bliss.

Daily Darling 6/21

2010-06-22T18:22:00.000-07:00

There's my happy girl! She looks so cute and, dare I say,sophisticated, in this little black and white checked shirt with the strawberries on it. Although it is hard to look sophisticated when your shorts resemble a sausage casing, but I digress.

I think she looks so funny sitting up in a stroller like that, but I guess lots of people put babies her age in that kind of stroller. I just propped her there for the picture... She rose to the park in the Oh Snap!, Max rode in the Maclaren, and Elly walked.

Daily Darling 6/20

2010-06-20T18:20:00.000-07:00

Zoe was all coos and smiles today... Yay! Despite lingering nose drips here and there, she seems to have overcome this cold, and it really had her down for the count for a day or two. I'd like to credit exclusive breastfeeding for helping her to recover quickly from things like this, but Max nursed until he was two, and is still plagued with ear infections (until he got tubes), sinus infections, coughs, and colds that linger for weeks on end. But I have to remind myself that, although he does have trouble in the ear, nose, and throat department, imagine how much WORSE those issues might be if I hadn't breastfed him for so long? He might have ended up with allergies, asthma, or God knows what else. I really believe that breastfeeding gave his little immune system the boost it needed to get him through a bout of pneumonia at 11 months quickly and safely. Thank God for nursing... truly.

Anyway, back to Zoe's attire... This pink and green plaid jumper is, you guessed it, a MJ hand-me-down. The plaid is so vibrant and summery, and her gorgeous crystal-centered dahlia is a perfect match.

Mr. Messy x2

2010-06-19T19:04:00.000-07:00

After a fun and exhausting day at Munga's pool, we took a detour to Rich's Dairy Farm
for some ridiculously tasty homemade ice cream. I got the "brown cow" flavor- creamy chocolate ice cream with orgasmic chocolate brownie bites. Max chose strawberry and Elliott chose chocolate... And Zoe fussed and whined and tried to grab my cone the entire time. A FEW MORE MONTHS, MAMA! Daddy dressed them this morning, and their matching "Mr. Messy" shirts couldn't be more appropos.

Daily Darling 6/19

2010-06-19T18:52:00.000-07:00

My baby's back! I've been slacking on the blog, because Zoe's had a cold and has been in no mood to have her picture taken. But today she was feeling MUCH better. Here she is pictured in her carseat on a visit to Aunt Munga's house ("Munga" is the name Elliott coined for my sister Meghan as a baby... It just stuck). Munga lives in a rental community that happens to have a gorgeous inground pool. Today we visited the pool for the first time this year. I wore Zoe in my mesh water sling, and the monkeys paddled around with their swimmies on.They had so much fun, although it was admittedly stressful monitoring 3 children near big, deep water.

Zoe is wearing a gorgeous spring green dress curteousy of one Mille Jane Olynciw- Olkuski. And this headpiece is one of my favorites... the green of the flower is so delicate and feminine against the ballet pink of the band.

Daily Darling 6/17

2010-06-17T18:45:00.000-07:00

Look at those eyes... She looks like a little doll. I love this dress on her (Ralph Lauren, Millie hand-me-down) because it matches the color of her eyes almost exactly... And because it has a matching ruffle-butt diaper cover... My favorite!

No smiles from this little girl today, she's got a nasty cold. And apparently no one has told her that when you feel crappy to you're supposed to sleep. She was up at 5am, and I didn't get her down for a nap until 11! And then, she only slept for 10 minutes before waking up again. But luckily, my Babyhawk Oh Snap! came today, so Zoe was able to spend the day catching ZZZ's on my back:)

Daily Darling 6/15

2010-06-16T17:52:00.000-07:00

Okay, I took this sleeping pic of Zoe for a few reasons... Mainly, I had forgotten to take her pic until I was climbing into bed next to her... Oops! But I also wanted to dispell the rumors and prove to everyone that, yes, I do remove her bow at bedtime:) And lastly, to show the world that, as cute as those big flowers are, the cuteness of those precious cheeks alone will knock your socks off.

Daily Darling 6/14

2010-06-15T20:20:00.000-07:00

Yeah, yeah, same old story. Zoe was wearing this super cute flowery purple dress that matches her headband, but she pooped all over it, and since we were a half hour from pajama time anyway, I just left her nakey. Besides, is there anything more beautiful than the simplicity of a baby wearing nothing but a fresh white prefold diaper... And a giant flower headband?

Drool With Me

2010-06-13T20:10:00.001-07:00

OOOH OOOH I am so excited! Look what I have coming in the mail! The Oh Snap! soft-structured carrier by Babyhawk in the gorgeous "Kimono Plum" pattern from metrominis.com, complete with hot pink straps. Yes, I am aware that 139$ is pretty goddamn steep, especially when an Ergo is between 110$-120$. (Although they can be up to 148$ in the organic fabric). But let's take a closer look.

Ergo VS. Babyhawk Oh Snap!
1) Obviously the most important here... Fashion! The Ergo is available in some cute color combos and patterns, the girliest of which being the Heartrose pattern. However, the Babyhawk Oh Snap! is fully customizable, available in over 100 fabric choices and strap colors. They even allow you to send in your own fabric and have an Oh Snap! custom made just for you, for just 5$ extra.

2) Weight limits- The Ergobaby has a weight limit of just 40lbs, while the Oh Snap! is recommended for little ones up to 45 lbs. And at the rate Zoe is going, we'll be needing that extra 5lb. allotment! Now granted, the Babyhawk does not market an infant insert and is therefore recommended for babies 15 lbs. and up. However, I have always found the Ergo infant insert at 25$ to be a waist of money. Swaddling you baby in a bulky blanket and placing them in the carrier accomplishes the exact same thing.

3) Manufacturing- Ergo has factories in China and India, while Babyhawk is made right her in the USA. I am always willing to pay more for stuff made in the United States vs. overseas.

4) Mama Weight Range- Ergo offers a waist extension for an extra 8$, but the Babyhawk Oh Snap! comes standard fitting women sizes 0-22.

So if you are a plus-sized mama who wants to get the infant insert, you are looking at paying between 110-48$$ for the carrier, plus 25$ for the insert, plus 8$ for the extension strap. That is a total of 153$ MINIMUM for a carrier made in China with limited fabric options. Not that I don't have TONS of love for the Ergo, but if you're in the market for a soft-structured carrier, IMO, the Oh Snap! is the way to go.

My Boys

2010-06-13T19:38:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted pics of those two sweet monkey faces, so I thought I'd share this pic of them out to lunch at Friendly's on saturday (Mamu's treat!). It is just ridiculous how grown-up Elliott is getting. For those of you who are friends with me on Facebook, you may have read that I accidentally put on Elliott's t-shirt the other day! It is a sad day when you actually momentarily consider "Hey wait, can I pull off this pokemon shirt?"

After we went to Friendly's, we headed over to Target to pick up some unnecessary necessities. Max decided he HAD to have a 20$ motorized R/C "Hiro" train from Thomas the Tank Engine, and, well, it just wasn't "in the budget", as my Dad used to say. So, because he is 2, he cried like his heart was broken through the aisles of Target, while people stared at me as if I was an abusive parent. THEN, I saw a display of little 2$ nail polish bottles.

Me: Max, do you want Mommy to pant your nails when we get home?
Max: (Gasping for breath between sobs) Yeeeeeeaaaaaah!
Me: Okay, if I buy you nail polish will you stop crying?
Max: (Struggling to regain composure) O... (sniffle) kayee!
Me: Ok, what color would you like?
Max:(Beaming as if he hadn't been crying so hard he was about to vomit 2 seconds ago) BWOO!
Me: Blue it is.

2$ is totally in the budget.

So an hour later, both my sons had bright blue fingernails and toenails.Today we went to a birthday party for the daughter of one of Greg's co-workers. At bedtime, Elliott told me sadly, "Mom... A lot of those boys were teasin' me about my nail polish." For a second my heart raced. Am I a horrible mother for allowing my son to do things that will doubtless make him the target of ridicule and disdain from his peers? Did I use poor judgement? Shouldn't I be encouraging him to "fit in"? "Elliott," I said "should we take your nail polish off so you won't get teased by the other kids?" Elliott says "No way! It's totally awesome!" That's my boy! This week I think I will check this book out of the library: "IT'S OK to Be Different" by Todd Parr... Every child (and parent) should read this book. It's one of my favorites:)

Daily Darling 6/13

2010-06-13T19:26:00.000-07:00

Oh my god, look at those thighs! Let's bite 'em! You've seen this dress before, I think it is my absolute favorite... The little ice cream sodas are just so retro-cute. And apparently the curse has been lifted, because she manged to get through the day without having an explosive poop. YAY!

Now just for fun let's do a little comparison from last month to now:

Is it just me or is she getting cuter?

Daily Darling 6/12

2010-06-12T20:50:00.000-07:00

Ah, what a goofy girl. This is her second outfit of the day... She of course pooped up the front of the first one, which I discovered as we were walking out the door for a run. Thanks, Zo! But seriously, I secretly like when she has an exoplosive poo and I have to change her outfit... It's an excuse to dress her up all over again, right down to the bow! I know, I know, I'm demented.

Daily Darling 6/11

2010-06-11T19:56:00.000-07:00

What is it about those cheeks that makes me want to bite 'em so bad? She's irrsistable. She looks so cute and comfy in these denim overall shorts with the heart and flower patches. You can't see it, but her onesie says "Little Ray of Sunshine". Cute, but lately, she's been acting more like a giant rain cloud:(
Teeth, maybe? She's usually so good about entertaining herself while I get stuff done around the house- she generally is content to sit in her swing or lay in her baby gym looking around, happily jabbering at me or her brothers for a good 15-20 minutes at a time. But the past 2 days, she will not let me put her down, even when she seems to be in a great mood- if I even try she immediately dissolves into tears. Oh, well, my mei tai has been getting plenty of use- thank god for that. Max has also been acting like, well, a two-year-old, I guess... but a very cranky, disagreeable one! And thank God for Elliott... he is certainly hard to deal with at times, too, but at least him you can REASON with. He actually cares how I feel about things. Empathy, that wonderful thing that kicks in around age 3, making a parent's life OH so much easier. Aye, they're lucky they're cute.

Daily Darling 6/10

2010-06-10T19:26:00.000-07:00

It takes one beautiful girl to pull off a 4.5 inch black and white leopard print velour rose, that's all I have to say! I was afraid she would never get to wear this outfit again, because it's more for fall weather. But this morning there was quite a chill in the air, so I jumped at the chance to put her in this adorable preppy plaid jumper from the GAP. Paired with a pair of gray footless leggings, black and white Mary-jane Robeez, and that fabulous headband, this little mama couldn't be more fashion forward.

She was wearing a cute little cotton rose print pants and onesie set, but she did a huge explosive breastmilk poop and then bounced in her exersaucer until it oozed up her back. Hey, even the fashion elite poop their pants every now and then:)

Daily Darling 6/8

2010-06-09T20:05:00.000-07:00

BIG is BEAUTIFUL! I'm talking about my chunky little princess, but of course her bow is of a respectable size as well:) I don't know what's going on with her, but lately it seems like she develops a new fat roll every day! And that is just fine with me, because each and every ounce is the result of a 100% breastmilk diet.

Today was the end if the year picnic in Edgewood Park for Elliott's school. I had her in a little Ralph Lauren dress and cardigan, but the weather turned out to be damp and chilly. I knew I had a warmer outfit packed in the diaper bag, but it must have been a while since I packed it because I could barely snap the crotch, and the pant legs were like capris. I ended up having to wrap her in Elliott's viking beach towel to keep her little cankles warm warm!

Daily Darling 6/7

2010-06-07T17:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know all moms are biased when it comes to their babies, but it's not just me right? Is this little girl not breathtakingly gorgeous? She is actually wearing her Easter dress today... I loved it so much I had to put it on her at least one more time. I can't remember who makes it... it was a last minute TJ Maxx score by my mother-in-law. The floral pattern is so soft and spring-like, and the coordinating stripes make it look so elegant. In fact, the only thing I DON'T like about it is that the two little bows on the front of the straps won't lie flat, no matter how many times I go over them with the iron. Argh. Okay, now ask me how many times I've ironed one of my sons outfits. (Hanging my head in shame.)

The Face Behind The Blog!

2010-06-07T17:35:00.000-07:00

So as camera-shy as I am, I just had to show off the FABULOUS haircut my husband gave me. My hair is naturally curly, and I rarely, RARELY blow it out... but Greg had to have it straight to do some detailing on it, so I thought I figured since I looked so chic, I should take a picture- and it's a good thing I did. Ten minutes later I was dripping in sweat on the elliptical with my hair plastered to my forehead. So much for my blowout...

Daily Darling 6/6

2010-06-06T19:41:00.000-07:00

This outfit is definitely one of my favorites. It was given to her by one of Greg's co-workers at the salon. For some reason the girl just looks fabulous in beige- don't ask me why. It is actually size 0-3 months, but I'm just not ready to let it go yet:) I actually designed a headband especially for this outfit- it was a HUGE 7-inch tan spider daisy on an ice blue band, and it was just stunning on her. Unfortunately, she, for some strange reason, found that particular headband irresistable. She couldn't stop pulling it off her head and trying to munch on it. So we switched to this one- a sassy turquoise chiffon bow tipped with blue and brown star printed korkers on a brown crochet band. Not quite the perfect match, but still very cute and playful.

Daily Darling 6/5

2010-06-06T05:11:00.000-07:00

Do I really need to say anything about this? C'mon, sing it with me... "She wore an... itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka-dot bikini... That she wore for the first time today."

Daily Darling 6/4

2010-06-05T05:03:00.000-07:00

What an angel! This is of course another hand-me-down from Millie, and I've never put it on her before because I always thought it looked a little silly... It's a ivory-colored diaper cover with a lacy sort of tutu around it, and a white baby-doll style top with little ivory rosettes. But now that I see it on her, I absolutely LOVE it. And her ivory peony headband couldn't be more perfect to complete the outfit.

Daily Darling 6/3

2010-06-03T17:07:00.000-07:00

Oh, baby blue. I looove this outfit, I can't believe it took me this long to put it on her. It was handed down from Ms. Millie. The material is so nice and light, almost like linen, and it has pretty white cotton trim with tiny little flowers. I know she just wore this headband on memorial day, but it just goes so nicely I had to put it on her again. The only downside to this outfit is that the straps falls off her shoulders. I am pretty sure she has inherited my abnormally tiny shoulders. I, to this day, have never owned a bra whose straps don't slip off my shoulders. Looks like she'll suffer the same plight.

Fun In The Sun

2010-06-02T18:29:00.000-07:00

Well, summer is here, unofficially. The weather her in New Haven has been hot and humid, so, like every other urban mama with no car and very little money, I went out and bought a kiddie pool. I put it out on the deck. Max took to it like a fish to... uh... water. Zoe, however, took a tad more convincing. I started by dipping her feet in her feet. She would retract them and do a few girly whimpers, but I could tell she liked the feeling of the cool water. Slowly but surely, I coaxed her into her little baby boat, and she ended up spending a half-hour lounging in it while Max pushed her around the pool making motor-boat noises. A good time was had by all.

Daily Darling 6/2

2010-06-02T18:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know this is quite a change of pace from our usual "Daily Darling" post. But I ran out of the house today without taking Zoe's picture, and by the time I thought of it we were in Jenese's backyard by the pool. She WAS wearing a cute little pink and white floral Gap dress, but it was too damn hot for babies to wear anything but a diaper today. So her she is, in all her cloth-diapered glory.

So today, Zoe is wearing a plain white Bumgenius 3.0 one-size pocket diaper. On her head is a large puff of soft white chiffon, with a sweet little 2-inch pink flower pressed into the middle. What a beauty.

P.S. Two seconds after this picture was taken, she started screaming because she's a priss and doesn't like laying in the grass... Girls (insert eye roll).

Daily Darling 6/1

2010-06-02T17:59:00.000-07:00

What a happy girl! People ask me all the time "Doesn't she try to take those headbands off?" or "I can't believe she lets you put those on her!". And no one believes me when I tell them Zoe LOVES her bows. Every morning when I get her dressed she smiles and coos as I'm diapering her and pulling on her clothes. But I sware, when I put on her headband, she smiles and looks at me with pure joy and her eyes say "Thank you, Mommy, for putting this gigantic flower on my head. I feel SO pretty." Yes, I realize I sound like a complete maniac, but c'mon, her face says it all. She loves it.

She also looks like such a BIG girl in her little t-shirt and shorts. The shorts are actually size 12 months, but they fit just fine over her big cloth diaper butt. And I love this onesie, it is the only one she has that I don't just use as an undershirt. The rainbow hearts have such a fun 80's vibe.

Happy Memorial Day!

2010-05-31T18:07:00.000-07:00

And what a beautiful one it was! My husband so rarely has more than one day off a week that it would have been nice anyway, but the gorgeous weather made it even nicer. My mom bought the boys these adorable matching shirts at Walmart yesterday:

They're so handsome! They're such good big brothers, too. Zoe is a lucky little girl to have them. We went to a picnic today where there were around 100 people, and it was so easy to keep track of them... I just had to look for the red stripes! I'm gonna dress them alike more often:)

Although I have to say I'm more often embarrassed by my country than proud of it, I do appreciate those who have served our country with the intention of protecting all of our freedom. And today I felt the true meaning of the holiday... In the back of my head all day was a picture of my grandfather, a young man, dressed in his navy uniform. When I saw the picture at his funeral last December, I remember thinking how handsome, and strong, and ALIVE he looked. Though my sons were by no means close to their great-grandfather, I hope they grow up with the same values he had. Like my husband, my grandpa was the kind of guy who got up every day, and worked hard, and did what he had to do to provide for his family, and for the most part, never complained... It was just what he did. That's something to be proud of.

Daily Darling 5/31

2010-05-31T17:59:00.000-07:00

Look at that all-american girl... What a little beauty. My mom grabbed this little dress at Walmart yesterday for 6$! I like it because it's red, white, and blue, but it's not too american-flaggy, so she can wear it all the time. And I think the big tropical bloom and blue chiffon really bring out the blue in those big eyes.

Daily Darling 5/30

2010-05-30T19:43:00.000-07:00

What a terrific smile... She's looking up at her daddy in this picture. Can't you just see the adoration in her eyes? I actually see a lot of myself in her in this pic, especially because her eyes look brown here (they are really a bluish/greenish gray).

This dress is just so sweet and girly girl.It's another Millie Jane original, and it actually has a matching sun hat, too. It's really short, the bottom ruffle barely coming down past her cloth-padded heiny, but it has really cute old-fashioned style bloomers. On her head is a simple light-pink band with an ecsquisite spring green peony bloom.

Daily Darling 5/29

2010-05-30T05:54:00.000-07:00

Well, clearly today's head accessory is a repeat... I mean, who could forget that hat? I just love it though, the brown and pink is so cute and trendy, and what could capture the fun of being a little more than a big ol' pink curly ostrich puff?

This little sun suit is adorable... But unfortunately this will be the last time she wears it. With the cloth diaper it just too snug lengthwise, and the elastic that make the leg ruffles leaves red marks on her chunky thighs:( It was Miliie Jane's, and something tells me Ms. Chicken Legs didn't have the same problem.

Daily Darling 5/28

2010-05-29T14:02:00.000-07:00

Ribbit! Yes, those are froggies on her ribbon. Who says slimy amphibians are just for boys? This is one of the little Carter's cardigans my MIL bought her at Kohl's, and I have to say, I think lime green is her color! Those froggies on her headband must be princes in disguise, because she is definitely a little princess:)

The Latest Stats

2010-05-27T18:41:00.000-07:00

Sooo... I finally got Max and Zoe to the pediatrician for their 2 year and 2 month visits, respectively. So what if they're 2 and a half and almost 5 months? Seriously though, since I wasn't planning on doing vaccines at either of those visits, and since I didn't have any concerns about their health or development, I didn't feel the need to drag them into the ped's office where they would doubtlessly have picked up some nasty bug during the cold and flu season.

So I'll start with Max... He is a very healthy boy! He falls in the 50th percentile for both height and weight. That makes me very happy, because for a while there his weight was dropping a little lower than they'd like to see it, and he wasn't exactly shooting up height-wise, either. But he is right on track now. His ear tubes that were put in last winter are still in place, which is GREAT. He's been ear infection free ever since. The only concern I have right now is about his feet... He's a little pigeon-toed. Jennifer, our practice's APRN, isn't too concerned... She just wants to keep an eye on it. As far as vaccines, Max got DTAP and polio boosters, and his first dose of the varicella vax. I really didn't want to give him that yet, I wanted to wait and see if he picked up the actual virus before he hit adolescense. But he needs it to go to school in the fall, because unfortunately CT does not allow philosophical objection to vaccines. I'm waiting to give him the first MMR dose until right before school starts, but other than that he's pretty much caught up.

Zoe is also doing spectacular. She is in the 90th percentile for weight... and the 50th for height. Short and fat, lol. I guess all that nursing is paying off. She is right on target developmentally, and Jennifer seems to think her eyes will stay blue, although I'm still not convinced. I am still on the fence about piercing her ears... I was gonna do it at her next visit, but after seeing her get her first shots, I don't think I can cause her even brief pain for purely cosmetic reasons. She got HIB and Prevnar, and will go back in a month for IPV and DTaP.

I feel so fortunate to have found a pediatrician her in New Haven that is okay with a selective and/or delayed vaccine schedule. So many doctors are so close-minded and fear-mongering about the issue. We use New Haven Pediatrics, headed by Dr. Tamiko Jackson on Chapel street here in New Haven.

Daily Darling 5/27

2010-05-27T18:24:00.000-07:00

Ok, you caught me... Today's headband is a rerun. But I decided I have to stop custom-designing a new one every single day to go with her outfits... The storage alone is an issue! Who knew I would one day struggle with the organization of my 4-month-old's hair accessories?

This sweet little dress is the other one that my MIL picked up at Back on the Rack. I love the soft colors and the old-fashioned style, it's so classic looking.

And who is that spotted, long-necked character Zoe is so happy about? Why, it's Sophie the Giraffe, of course! I don't know why she loves this little teether so much, but she, like millions of other babies out there, finds Sophie's friendly eyes and perky squeak irresistible. It's basically an overpriced dog toy, but hey, if it keeps her busy, it's worth every penny! And after all, it IS made in France.

Daily Darling 5/26

2010-05-26T17:10:00.000-07:00

Poor baby, she looks so hot and sweaty in this picture! We had a high of 88 here in New Haven. On the way home from Toddler Tunes we stopped to buy a kiddie pool. The boys had a blast, even though the hose water was freezing cold in contrast with the hot, humid air. Zoe, however, was very prissy about the whole thing, retracting her feet and pouting each time I tried to give her a little dip. Oh well, we'll try again another time. Hey, she was BORN in a pool, she's gotta be a water baby right?

Anyway, this little ladybug number happens to be another Millie Jane hand-me-down that came to us with the tags still on. And, although you can't see them in the pic, she is wearing her brand new Robeez "Papillon" sandals. They came yesterday from Zappos, (God, I love Zappos VIP. Unlimited free one-day-shipping, and free return shipping, plus OUTSTANDING customer service.)And I just happened to have a bunch of 7/8 inch ladybug ribbon that matched PERFECTLY! I got it in a grab bag from HipGirlClips.com I think the yellows chiffon really brings it all together, don't you?

And WE... DONT... Have A Winner???

2010-05-25T18:02:00.000-07:00

WTF, I literally can't GIVE these headbands away? Not a single person entered my FFS shipping lotto. Guess it's just too much bow for YOUR baby! Oh well, more for Ms. Zoo-Bear:)

Daily Darling 5/25

2010-05-25T17:53:00.000-07:00

I know it's kind of a cliche', but this baby really is pretty in pink! And plaid, too, lol. I love this outfit cus it shows off her beautiful, chubby thighs. And the little diaper cover has ruffles on the bum, my favorite! This was a hand-me-down from Millie, but she actually never wore it, wrong size/wrong season, I guess. And I think peonies are my favorite flower for her headbands. They're just so feminine and fluffy, especially in PINK:)

FFS Lotto Drawing TONIGHT!!!

2010-05-24T06:31:00.000-07:00

For an entry, just become a follower and comment on the headband you want to win in any of the "Daily Darling" Posts 5/18-5/24, telling me why you love it. A winner will be selected at random tonight at 8:30pm eastern. All you pay is 2$ for shipping if you win.

Daily Darling 5/24

2010-05-24T06:09:00.000-07:00

Oooh, I love her face in this picture... Sassy! This dress is so beautiful... My mother-in-law has been shopping again! This she got at a second hand store called Back On the Rack in Hamden. It's Laura Ashley... so sweet and girly... just like the big pink loopy polka dot bow on her head! I know it looks like a special occasion headband, and that's because it is! Today is a VERY special day. My good friend Stephanie gave birth to her 3rd baby boy in the wee hours this morning. Right now he's Baby Boy Maples, as far as I know. Name and stats to follow!

Daily Darling 5/23

2010-05-23T18:08:00.000-07:00

Is anything more darling on a baby girl than a pure white eyelet dress and a little cardigan? And of course, the fact that it's the same color as spit-up is a bonus, too(;
The dress is a hand me down from MJ, it's from the GAP. The cardigan is a Circo from Target thatI bought to go with her Easter dress, and I wish I had more of them... A baby can never have too many cardigans this time of year, especially here in New England, where the temperature can range from the 40's to the 80's within the same week. And ooooh I just love this headband. I have to credit my mother on this one though... She came up with the idea of putting, not one, but three sunflowers on the chocolaty brown crochet headband. Stunning, if I do say so myself.

Day at the Beach

2010-05-22T19:50:00.000-07:00

Wow, what an unexpectedly fun day. I usually spend Saturdays with my mother (Mamu, as she is known to my kids). But today Mamu had to to go over to my recently deceased and immensely missed grandparents house to do some cleaning and tie up loose ends. So we were on our own, and since I don't have my own car, whatever we were doing, we were walking. So before my mom left for the day (we are lucky enough to have a live-in Mamu)I went for a run with Max and Zoe in the Ironman. As I was running, I decided I would head to East Shore Park here in New Haven, and have my mom meet me there with Elliott. East Shore park has a huge, beautiful playground, equipped with a standby ice cream truck, baseball and soccer fields, port-o-potties, and paved pathways ideal for a jogging stroller, leading up to a surprisingly quiet and private-feeling beach. So after purchasing a few jumbo jet pops that quickly melted into sticky blue rivulets down my children's faces and arms, we walked down to the little (and I do mean little) beach. My boys had such a great time, just being little boys, digging in the sand, discovering sea glass, tiny hermit crabs and huge horseshoe crabs, 1,000 varieties of seaweed, and even a jellyfish! Zoe spent the entire day strapped to my back in the mei tei, snoozing away.By the time we headed home, they were filthy beyond filthy, lightly sunburned, and deeply tired.

Daily Darling 5/22

2010-05-22T19:16:00.000-07:00

"Awww, how cute," you're thinking. "She's sleeping." Yes, she is. And why is Ms. Zoe sleeping at 8 o'clock in the morning? Because she's been up since 5, that's right, FIVE o'clock in the morning. (I apologize to all the mommies who's babies ALWAYS wake up at 5 a.m.. I know you're out there, and kudos to you, I don't know how you do it). So why was she awake at 5am? Well, , let's rewind to last night. You may recall that friday night in the Edwards home is pizza night. So, I'm doing my pizza-making thang, I've got one in the oven on my wonderful new pizza stone, and another one all rolled out, olive oiled up, and ready to go, on the kitchen island. So, I take the beautiful, bubbly cheese pizza out of the oven, transfer it off of the pizza stone, and go to put the next pizza onto the stone... So, where is it? Where the f*ck is my pizza dough? I KNOW it was right here, on the island. Oh, my god, why is Roxy (little black Staffordshire Bull Terrier) licking her dog lips like that??? What is that in her mouth, is that? DOUGH?! She ate an ENTIRE pizza's worth of dough?!! Oh dear god.

This morning, 5am. I hear Roxy trit trot over to the bedroom door. Then I hear this awful splashing sound, like a glass of water being dumped on the floor. Oh, that can't be good. It's not more than 5 seconds before the smell of dog poo permeates the air. Long story short, I was up at 5 this morning, cleaning up puddle after puddle of dog diarrhea. And of obviously, since my nipple was not in her mouth, Zoe was also awake (She thinks mommy is a pacifier, how cute.) Hence the 8am nap.

So, the outfit is Carter's again, and from my MIL, again. So cute, so comfy, and I wish you could see the cute little flower on her rear end. And yes, that is a polkadot onesie peeking out from under her hoodie. On her head is a nice big red rose, accented by orange chiffon, and set on a pink crochet headband.

But is it free?

2010-05-21T19:48:00.000-07:00

http://thefeministbreeder.com/hold-enfamil-accountable-for-lying-to-parents/

I just stumbled upon a link to this article on Facebook and thought I would repost it. She talks about how ridiculous the claims are that Enfamil is making. Here is a little sample:

“Our new Triple Health Guard is found only in Enfamil Premium. The result of years of leading edge research, new Enfamil Premium is clinically proven to promote growth, improve* brain and eye development, and improve* respiratory and immune system outcomes.”

I had actually never seen this commercial, because I try to keep the TV the kids watch on the commercial-free networks, but I am not surprised at all. Formula companies keep coming up with more and more outlandish claims, trying to make formula sound like this magical cure-all that turns your baby into some sort of super-hero. Let's face it... Human milk is the perfect food for human babies. Feeding my baby a powdered, canned, or bottled version of cow or soy milk and a bunch of synthetic vitamins will never be superior to feeding my baby the food that my own body makes for her. End of story. I understand that a very very small percentage of moms are unable to breastfeed their babies for whatever reason, and I can't imagine having to go to work full time when my baby was just a few weeks old, and going back and forth between the breast and the whole pumping/bottle thing. In our society, breastfeeding has sadly become somewhat of a luxury... But it is definitely one that my family is willing to make sacrifices to have. My husband works 65+ hours a week so that I can stay home and nurse our baby. But for some moms, formula seems like the only realistic option... I get that. But saying that formula is as good as breastmilk, or that it can do things like create immunities and improve respiratory function, is just a bunch of bullshit. Breast is, and always will be, best.

The next thing you know, Enfamil will be saying that their new formula can protect mothers against breast cancer and help them fit into their skinnie jeans faster after giving birth(; But until they make it FREE, like the stuff I feed my little princess, there's just no comparison, lol.

Daily Darling 5/21

2010-05-21T06:40:00.000-07:00

Polka dots again! My mother-in law gave her this dress a few days ago. I had almost bought the same one myself the day before, but my husband has placed a moratorium on Zoe-shopping until further notice:)It's by Carter's. I LOVE Carter's stuff... so cheap and so cute.

And what compliments polka dots better than korkers!? I love the pink and green ribbon against the orange chiffon... SO fun.

I think Zoe is a fan of this outfit too... In fact, she finds it simply delicious(;

A Few Words About No Pudge Fudge Brownies

2010-05-20T20:06:00.001-07:00

What could be better for a calorie-conscious chocolate addict than 110 calorie per serving brownies? This is exactly what I thought to myself when I saw No Pudge Fudge Brownies as Trader Joe's last tuesday. However, having bought and made this box of brownies, I have discovered a few things:

1)These brownies are so simple to make... You just add a 2/3 a cup of vanilla low-fat yogurt. But because the mixture contains no raw eggs, there is absolutely nothing stopping me from consuming sickening amounts of the uncooked batter. I kept saying "Max, if you keep eating the batter, they'll be nothing left to bake," all the while shoving spatula-full after spatula-full into my own mouth. This fact was made painfully obvious when our brownies were only a quarter inch thick when poured into the 8x8 pan:(

2) Despite the name, I do not think these brownies can be considered "No Pudge" if you consume the whole tray.

3)Running 13.1 miles on sunday does not make it okay to to eat brownies in place of 2 out of 3 meals on monday. And tuesday.

4) If you would like to maintain the "No Pudge" status of your brownies (and your heiny) it is best not to add things like marshmallows and peanut butter to the batter, like I did.

5)Moral dilemma: Is it okay to continously offer your baby the breast when she does not appear at all interested, with the sole motive of burning off some of those formerly No Pudge Fudge brownie calories?

That is all.

Daily Darling 5/20

2010-05-20T11:11:00.000-07:00

What is it about little girls in polka dots that just seems so RIGHT? This is another hand-me-down from MJ, except the little shorts didn't fit Millie like a sausage casing like it does Zoe. And the hat... well, what can I say about this hat? It makes her look like some wonderful, adorable Dr. Suess character. Man, I searched high and low for curly ostrich feathers that were not listed for some astronomical price... Finally found them by the foot for 20% off. YAY! My name is Suzanne, and I'm a bow-a-holic.

Cinnamon Play Dough Recipe

2010-05-19T18:46:00.000-07:00

Here's another neat project I found in Elliott's High Five magazine this month. It smells so good, and my kids liked that it looked like real dough. Just makes sure your little ones are old enough to understand the whole "Fun to play with not to eat" thing.

Ingredients:

2 CUPS BAKING SODA
1 CUP CORN STARCH
2 TEASPOONS CINNAMON
1.5 CUPS WATER

Mix all the dry ingredients in a pot and whisk. Add water. Mix. Heat on medium flame, stirring continuously, until it is the consistency of mashed potatoes. Allow to cool, then kneed until smooth. I found it to be a little crumbly, so I put some water on my hands during the kneeding stage and worked it in.

Frienships are Forever

2010-05-19T18:28:00.000-07:00

I love this picture! I think it goes along with my "Whatever they'll be they'll be" themed post from the other day. I find it interesting, not just that my son Max dressed himself in a purple satin princess dress, but that his little girlfriend, Millie Jane is dressed as Batman. People are usually forgiving of little girls who favor more "boyish" clothing. They are called "tomboys" and it is, for the most part, socially acceptable. However,little boys who choose to sport pink, purple, flowers, glitter, or whatever their little hearts desire, still provoke stares and dirty looks in public. Recently a friend recounted a story to me of her son choosing a pair of pink polka dot rain boots. Everywhere she goes, strangers, adults, stare, and make comments such as "Silly boy, did you put on your sister's boots today?" Her little boy, obviously confused, answers "Uh, no, they're mine". Rude Adult: "Are you sure?". As if this person just could not rest until she felt satisfied that this was indeed a mixup, and that no gender roles are being violated nor comfort zones or social norms being pushed. And the thing that really gets me is that, at least on the preschool level, the other children are completely accepting of this sort of thing... They don't even bat an eyelash. Once again, I think we all need to step back and take a lesson from our children.

Oh, and my favorite part? Embroidered on Max's princess dress are the words "Friendships are Forever". I hope that one is:)

Daily Darling 5/19

2010-05-19T18:11:00.001-07:00

Well, you can dress 'em up, but you can't take 'em out- note spit up in corner of mouth. Zoe is a habitual spitter-upper, but I refuse to put bibs on her because I can't stand her cute and painstakingly chosen outfits being covered up... So I just change her clothes 17 times a day, lol. Today's outfit is another warm n' comfy cotton number, because today is another cold and yucky day. It's basically pajamas, but my rule of thumb for dressing babies is, if it doesn't have feet, it isn't pajamas. The hot pink color is so vibrant, it can brighten up any rainy day. Hmmm, I feel like I'm missing something. Oh, right, the enormous mountain of hot pink chiffon strapped to her head, lol. These are what I call "party bows". They just scream "I'm special!" and, the contrast of the cool bluish violet flower against the pink is just striking.

Daily Darling 5/18

2010-05-18T12:15:00.000-07:00

Poor Zoe had the hiccups this morning, hence the " I am NOT amused" expression on her face. Today is a cold, rainy day here in CT, so I dressed her in a warm, comfy cotton one piece, with a delicate pink and green floral pattern, and a little bow in the front for that extra girly touch. And I love the headband, the sprawling, pink tropical flower is almost big enough to serve as an umbrella! Really though, the picture doesn't do this piece justice- the petals have a pretty sheen, the shape of the flower I think is very unique, and it has a large crystal in the center for a touch of bling(;

We have a winner!

2010-05-17T18:25:00.000-07:00

So I held a little Free For Shipping Lotto on my favorite parenting site Diaperswappers to win one of the headbands Zoe is wearing in last week's Daily Darling posts. I just asked people to comment on their favorite headband and tell me why they liked it. Then I chose a winner at random, and she wins it, all she has to pay for is shipping. So our winner is... Jamie AKA Jameism! Thanks, Jamie, for playing!

I just love spreading the girliness, LOL. I think I'll make it a habit, so join us next monday for another round of "WIN ZOE's BOWS!"

Just so everyone knows, I am not one of these creepy pageant moms...I know my daughter is much more than a little doll for me to dress up. She is a person, who will one day grow into an independent, intelligent, creative, beautiful young woman. Her personality is her's alone, and I will never try to pidgeon-hole her into my idea of what a daughter is, or make her into something she's not. When she is bigger, she can be a cheerleader, or join the softball team. Wear tutus and tiaras, or baseball caps and overalls... or all of the above! I will always love her for who she is and encourage her to be proud of being a girl, in whatever way feels right to her. But for now, while she is still my baby, when all that matters is being cuddled to my breast and fed and changed and loved, I am going to put giant ridiculous bows on her head and take pictures:)

Daily Darling 5/17

2010-05-17T07:17:00.000-07:00

This outfit is so unique...Just like ZOE! My mother-in-law gave it to her on the day she was born, and I remember thinking "This thing is huge, it's never gonna fit my little peanut". And now it's a perfect fit... I also just put away all her size 0 Kissaluv's and the tiny newborn pocket diapers I made her. She was pouring out of them, and my friend Stephanie is going to be having her baby any day, so I figured I better send them her way. But it just broke my heart, especially because she is my last baby. (Greg got the snip-snip while I was still pregnant). They grow too fast!

Anyway, my favorite detail about this outfit is the green lettering across the chest that says "All Girlbugs Need Hugs," and it even has a little stripey buggy sewn onto it! Oh and the heiny is covered in girly green ruffles! And on her head is a sweet violet crochet headband with a nice fat brown gerbera daisy.

Daily Darling 5/16

2010-05-16T11:51:00.001-07:00

Ok, so today Zoe WAS wearing this adorable pleated dress, with little tiny soda-shop style milkshake details that make it look oh-so-50's. I love how bold the big red flower looks against the pink headband, and it has just a touch of brown chiffon underneath. The dress is a hand-me-down from Millicent Jane, my friend Jenese's little girl. Millie reportedly only wore it once, and did a huge explosive breastmilk poo up the back before anyone even got to see her in it. So why did I say Zoe WAS wearing this dress? You guessed it, she did a huge explosive breastmilk poo up the back right after this picture was taken. The damn thing's cursed! Poor daddy had to give her a bath! And where was mommy that she was unavailable to assist with the poo aftermath? I was out running, solo, doing a "dry run" for my half-marathon in June. Thats's right, I ran 13.1 miles this morning, in under 2 hours! And now if you'll excuse me, I need to go take 800mg of ibuprofen, ice my knees, eat a pint of Ben and Jerry's, and then sleep for the next 18 hours.

Daily Darling 5/15

2010-05-15T08:15:00.000-07:00

This is one of the few outfits Zoe has that actually isn't a hand-me-down. It was a gift from the "shower" my husband's co-workers at Steven Mancini Salon (he's a hairdresser) gave him while I was pregnant with her. It was a total surprise, and they gave us sooo much cute stuff- this little dress is one of my favorites, though. It's from the Gap. The colors are so vibrant, and I love the little blue elephants in the pattern. Speaking of vibrant colors, doesn't this headband just scream SUMMER? The fancy organza bow is courtesy of the Bowabra, of course(;

Pizza, Marshmallows, and Jelly Donuts

2010-05-14T17:14:00.001-07:00

Ok, so Max had a jelly doughnut for the very first time today, and I just had to share. The look on his face when he realized there was something yummy INSIDE his something yummy was just priceless.

Anyway, tonight was pizza night, as is every friday night. It's a tradition I stole from my friend Jenese, that she carried on from her Catholic childhood when they couldn't eat meat on fridays (although I often make meaty pizzas, lol). Usually Max and Zoe and I hike down to Ferraro's to buy dough, and then walk over to wooster square to meet Elliott and get some pre-dinner italian ice (naughty mommy). But today was a little iffy weather-wise, so we took a chance and walked into our favorite local pizza joint, Grand Apizza. We got them to sell us some dough, and a meatball too, lol. Yes, I know pizza dough is something that can be made, as well as bought, but that was not a new venture I was willing to attempt on this particular friday. (Maybe next week?) The pizza came out superb. We made one cheese, one, meatball, and one chicken-sausage and pepper pizza.

We also whipped up a cute little recipe that we found in Elliott's High Five magazine for Apple-Marshmallow happy mouths. Here's what you need:

1-2 red apples
cream cheese (we used light cream cheese)
mini-marshmallows

1) Core the apples and cut into thin slices. Leave skin on. (Obviously a grownup does this).
2) Spread a thin layer of cream cheese onto all the apple slices.
3) Stick mini marshmallows into the cream cheese on half the apples, and then top with the other half of the apples slices.

Cute, easy, yummy.

Daily Darling 5/14

2010-05-14T07:55:00.000-07:00

I just love this outfit. It's actually another hand-me-down from Riley, I believe it originally cam from Babystyle. Anyway, I wish you could reach into your monitor and feel this fabric.It is sooo soft, and has such a playful texture. It reminds me of one of those fancy poodle dogs. And the criss-cross ballerina style top is so Zoe. On her feet right now? Well, nothing... I forgot to bring down socks this morning, and now she's napping. But when she wakes up, I think I'll go with her little pink socks that are made to look like ballet slippers. Oh, and how could I forget that stunning headpiece?! It's a crochet headband with a breathtaking frosted peony. The color is so pretty, like an ivory with just a hint of gold tones.

And just in case anyone was wondering, this is what Maxwelll has chose for today's outfit...

It's pretty much his signature look(;

And I can't remember what Elliott put on this morning, but you can bet the shoes are on the wrong feet, the waistband of his underpants is twisted, his shirt is by this time covered with smears of peanut butter, and that the outfit is, in some way, Star Wars related.

Hey Girlfriend!

2010-05-13T17:57:00.001-07:00

I love thursdays, I really do. Not only is it just one day away from friday (Pizza night!), but it's the day I go visit my best girlfriend Jenese, who lives across town. A typical thursday goes something like this: Wake up, get the kiddos fed and dressed, and get Elliott off to school. Then I run around like a maniac trying to get the morning chores done- dishes, laundry, putting away the breakfast aftermath, etc. Then I load Max and Zoe into our Bob Ironman Duallie, turn on my headphones, and forget the kids/husband/dishes/laundry/dinner/groceries/dog-walking, and anything else I'm responsible for, and run behind that stroller like a bulldozer for the next 3-5 miles. Then we go home and I run around like a maniac once again, finding something for Max and I to eat for lunch, showering, packing a diaper bag and snacks for our day's adventure, trying to remember important little details like sunhats and bus money. Then we're off to the bus stop, Zoe in the sling, Max either sitting in our handy little Maclaren Volo, or else pushing it himself, with me begging him ton "Quit stopping to pick dandelions and run or we'll miss the bus!". We (usually) get to the corner just in time to jump on the D bus, which is about a 20 minute ride down Grand Ave., New Haven's very own Spanish Harlem. Once we get downtown, we hop on the B bus for a 5 minute ride into Westville, which as far away from where I live as you can get and still be in New Haven. But it also happens tom be where Elliott's nursery school is, and where Jenese lives too. I get off at her house, and together we walk to Elliott's school, where we let the kids play on the playground until they're coated with a thick layer of dirt-sand, and ready to fall down from exhaustion. It's just so nice... Our 2 oldest are about 6 months apart, and happen to share the name Elliot(t). Our toddlers are 4 months a apart, her's is a blonde little girl, but I think they actually have more in common than the Elliot(t)s. And then Jenese and I get to play. Yes, grown-ups need playdates too! Sometimes we chatter like a couple of 6th grade girls, sometimes we sit there and goo at baby Zoe together and laugh at her multiple chins and the chub rings on her legs, sometimes we just sit side-by-side in silence and fiddle with our phones. During a visit with Jenese, I can count on two things. 1) No matter what parenting issue I'm dealing with at the moment, be it diaper rash or sleepless toddlers, she will totally get it, and 2) She will make me laugh so hard I almost pee my pants at least once. There's something about that once a week visit that just recharges some internal battery that belongs to the person Suzanne, and not just the Mommy. And it makes me be able to get through, and even love, all the insanity. Thank God for girlfriends.

Daily Darling 5/13

2010-05-13T07:04:00.000-07:00

Today, Zo-Bear is wearing a fuchsia floral print button-down Ralph Lauren dress with adorable ruffles down the front, and of course, matching ruffled bloomers- hand-me-downs from 4-year-old cousin Riley. On her legs are some comfy ivory colored cotton tights with a few flowers sprinkled in for fun, that I picked up at the annual Jump-A-Thon tag sale at Elliott's school. On her little feet are a pair of cream colored, patent leather Pediped mary-janes, with satin ribbon laced around the ankles. Of course, one of the ribbons is stained pink from a drip of Max's watermelon italian ice landing on it last friday:) And no outfit is complete without a giant flower headband, in my book, so today's headband, custom-designed by me to match her outfit, is a fuchsia crochet headband, accented with a simple 5-inch crystal gerbera daisy in ivory.

Summer is on it's way!

2010-05-12T19:09:00.000-07:00

I know it's a little early, but I just couldn't wait to get started on Ms. Zoe's 4th of July ensemble... And everyone knows that any fashion forward outfit starts with the accessories... So here is a sneak peek at her independence day head gear:)

I chose not to post the pic of poor Maxy crying because I wouldn't let him wear it:( I'm gonna have to to make him a "snazzy" beanie copter or something to wear while we sit under the fireworks. This was my first attempt at making korkers, I found a pretty good tutorial here.

I didn't have 5/16 rods, so I used some bamboo skewers I had lying around. Instead of using a wood burner to cut the ribbon, I borrowed my husbands wire soldering tool. It did essentially the same thing, but was a little cumbersome for my small hands. I think scissors and a little Fray Check would do just fine, too.

I am hopelessly bad at tying bows. I even have a weird way of tying shoelaces. But I stumbled upon the mini Bowabra at Joann's. It really is a neat little tool, especially for those of us who are bow-challenged.