Interrupted Bliss

I usually hate summertime (much more of a fall and winter girl), but that has changed since Miles has become more independent and outdoor-loving. On those hot days that verge on almost unbearable, we throw our swimsuits on and head to Pismo. Usually my sisters come with us, and we spend the afternoon following Miles around the beach while he chases birds, collects shells, and maintains a calculated distance from the water. We've been going quite a bit, and he's even added "beach" to his vocabulary, which I love. It makes me so happy to see him running around in his little wetsuit and digging holes to climb into. He's definitely a California kid.

Between those moments of playing at the beach or running in the sprinklers, we have spent a lot of time just the two of us- going to the park, reading, making up silly new games. He is constantly growing and changing into this little boy who can articulate his needs and wants and, to my delight, speak his affection. Does it really get any better than when your baby says, "Luh loo!" and gives you a kiss? No. No it does not.

This summer is a very crazy schedule school-wise because I'm taking twelve units in eight weeks. I love the craziness, though. It tests my time management way more than I'm used to, but it's great. I just keep reminding myself, "Only four more weeks!" and then it's on to the next semester, which is going to be huge and daunting but I'm excited and ready (two words I don't usually use when it comes to statistics and pre-calculus, but I'm trying to be optimistic!).

As you can see, I've been a very busy bee. I will try and post more- trust me, I have lots to talk about...it's just finding the time to write it all out!

Oh So Plush

It's been nearly a month since my last post and that is due entirely to the end of the semester (which means having no requirement to look at, let alone use, a laptop). This was the first semester I've been back at school full-time and I feel relief and a sense of accomplishment that neither my relationships with Parker and Miles nor my grades suffered with the amount of schoolwork I signed up for. Summer term starts on Monday and I am looking forward to it.

With my three weeks of freedom between school terms, I've been making myself luxuriate in the lack of things to do. Sometimes I feel like I almost need the pressure and to-do lists and timelines and deadlines because that is when I feel at my best. However, everyone needs a break and I've been soaking in the calm so I can be recharged for the next six months. My grandparents are visiting from Nashville right now so we've all been loving these days of just hanging out at home and watching Miles with all his adorable antics. He is such a goober- he totally hams it up in front of the camera when my grandma takes his picture (I wonder where he gets that from) and I love it.

This last weekend I took the opportunity to drive down to LA for Plush- a trade show that was open to consumers on its final day to showcase some of the best new maternity and baby-related products and services available. I was so excited when Parker said he would watch Miles so I could go uninterrupted (best husband ever!) and fully drool over all the cool things I knew would be there. I bookmarked a few brands I knew I wanted to visit- Sakura Bloom, Rosie Pope, and Clek to start- and then planned to just sort of wander around and see if anything caught my eye.

The show was on Sunday, so I decided to spend the night at my grandparents' house in Santa Clarita on Saturday night and enjoy some time with my family there. I stopped in at Shine Blow Dry Bar in Montecito on my way out of town for a quick blowout (is it the mom in me or am I the only one who immediately thinks of poop whenever someone mentions the word "blowout" now?) and I loved it. For some reason I always get the male stylist who wants to backcomb my hair into Toddlers & Tiaras-sized proportions so I mentioned something about not wanting to look like Honey Boo Boo and the stylist looked up at me in the mirror and said (I kid you not), "No promises." I think it was a joke. Off to shampoo we went, where I had the best scalp massage ever. I was a little sad when it was time to go back to the chair for the blow dry but I suppose it had to end sometime (sniff). When my hair was dry and it was time for the dreaded backcombing, he smiled and said, "Honey Boo Boo coming your way!" and I mildly panicked but thankfully he was joking after all and my hair looked great.

Sunday morning I woke up, got ready, and headed down to Beverly Hills for breakfast and coffee before the show started. I decided to try The Farm because it looked decidedly country (well, as country as it gets that close to Rodeo Drive) in the middle of a whole lotta bling. I was seated and finished ordering before I realized that David Spade was sitting immediately to my right! I can't help but be starstruck sometimes and when that happens I have to remind myself to get a grip (and sometimes that doesn't really work out either- like the time I met Sigourney Weaver in Williams Sonoma and I started gushing about how Dave is one of my favorite movies. Embarassing!) Anywho, it was fun.

I made my way over to the hotel where the show was being held and eventually made my way downstairs to start walking around all the different vendors. I wanted to visit Sakura Bloom first, but I had to bust out my map because the vendors were separated into two different rooms- one was like a ball room, and the other was like a really big conference room. Sakura Bloom was in the smaller room, which was a bummer because the energy wasn't as high and there were definitely less people coming through (I'm actually fairly certain there were people who came to the show and never even knew there were more vendors in that room!). Anyway, I finally found their booth and introduced myself to Lynne and her husband Eric. They were so great and I basically wound up sitting and talking with them for the majority of the day. Lynne and I walked around the bigger room a couple of times, too, so we could visit some of the other vendors and talk with them a little bit. I really enjoyed meeting Elle from Solly Baby and the ladies behind NüRoo- they were all incredibly nice and shared their stories about how they noticed a need for a certain kind of product and then went about filling that need. It was amazing to hear their journeys and even more amazing to see the success that has come from all their hard work. 

It was really interesting for me to spend the day with Lynne and talk with her about where Sakura Bloom started, how it has grown, and a lot of the behind-the-scenes details that go into growing a brand from the ground up. I even had some customer service work flashbacks when a really rude woman came up, asked for a demonstration, interrupted midway through with a "This is not gonna work!" and then just walked away! I was shocked! That incident was all but forgotten, though, when a mom came up with her fifteen-week old baby boy who was really wailing and upset in his car seat. Lynne showed her how to put him in the sling and within seconds he was asleep on his mama's chest. I almost cried, that's how sweet it was... it may have also been because that mom's face showed such relief and I remember that feeling when Miles fell asleep in a sling for the first time. Needless to say, Sakura Bloom has two new fans!

Lynne was so fun to get to know. She's a little bit OCD (a good thing when you're running a business!), super easy to talk to, and can pull off the jumpsuit look no problem. Oh! And she was in almost as much disbelief as I was when I won the Sakura Bloom raffle at the show! I won a Luxe sling in Jade and I love love love it. There were other things in my prize (an iPod and a collection of Rockabye Baby CDs) but I had my eye on that sling and I could not believe when Lisa Rinna called out my name as the winner. So exciting...I really treasure being able to wear Miles in something so gorgeous.

So, that's my weekend! I had an amazing time and I am so glad I was able to go (thanks again, babe!). I'm going to do another post soon about my favorite products from the show- stay tuned!

I hope you're all having a great week.

Foiled Again

This last weekend I was all over the place! Saturday was my brother's birthday so my mom, sisters, Miles, and I drove to Bakersfield and spent the afternoon with Ernie and my "brother from another mother", Corey. Miles had a blast walking all around their bachelor pad and figuring out how to unplug everything he possibly could. Ernie showed Miles how to use the Xbox controller and crawled with Miles up and down the stairs. It's always fun for me to see how my brother loves Miles and vice versa, especially since Ernie was mainly just my little pesky brother until a year or two ago. Seeing him living in another city so far away made me realize that we really are grown up. Well, mostly.

We decided to go get some dinner before heading home, so we went to Famous Dave's. There was a bit of a wait and Miles was already getting antsy, so I put Miles in the sling and we walked around the restaurant several times. He snuggled in happily and it made my heart happy to have him there with me.

On the drive home from Bakersfield, Miles was having a hard time falling asleep in the van and even though he had a bottle and a blanket, he was crying inconsolably until I turned around (my mom was driving), put my hand on his leg, and said, "Mama's here, honey. You can go to sleep and I'm right here." I gave him some reassuring pats for a few minutes and I watched him fall sound asleep. I know it doesn't seem like much, but it really made me feel good that Miles needed me in that way. The fact that he knows I'm there for him when he's tired but can't fall asleep, even though he's fallen asleep on his own so many nights before and for every night since. It just reminded me how much I love my independent boy but that I am right there, available for him whenever he needs me.

On Sunday, I drove to my grandparents' house in Santa Clarita to have my grandma color and cut my hair. It was a great day with her and I love my new 'do! I felt like I was having a real Kate Middleton moment and I kept sneaking looks in the mirror for the rest of the day.

I wound up staying in Santa Clarita later than I thought I would, but that meant I got to see my great-grandpa Cipriano at dinner and I hadn't seen him for a while so that was really special. I can't believe he is ninety-one years old- he certainly doesn't look like it and he was as charming as always!

I hope you all are having a great week!

CheeZe + Other Things

So, remember on my last post how I was all like, "Yeah! Fast food sucks! I haven't even given a drive-thru a second look!" and nonchalantly rocking this new diet change? I haven't caved and I'm super happy about that, but I have wanted to and it has been difficult to drive past McD's and into the health food store for a green juice. However, I do feel much better after having the juice so I try and focus on that. Miles is all for the juice and fresh fruits and veggies so that's an added bonus and I love mealtime where he and I can sit and eat together. Oh, and before I move on, I just want to reiterate that it is of the utmost importance to keep kinds of the "right" foods in the house! Between shopping trips is where things get real real.

Not as bad as it looks!

I've been doing a lot of research and looking into all these different diets (vegan vs. vegetarian vs. Paleo vs. Anne Hathaway's Les Mis diet) and instead of looking at where they differ, I've realized that they are all suggesting a plant-based diet (with the exception of Anne's starvation diet- obviously not suggesting it!). This isn't so bad- over the last month I've eaten way more veggies than I'm used to and I not only survived but also feel pretty good- however I know that I love bread, macaroni and cheese (note: I tried the Amy's Vegan Mac n' CheeZe- you know something isn't going to taste right if it's spelled with a Z- and did not enjoy it), and other things that definitely aren't "plant based". What I realized is that changing habits is a very slow process and it doesn't need to be all or nothing from the beginning. Changes take time, and all I need to do is the best I can. If I enjoy some real mac n' cheese every once in a while, it's okay. But I need to make sure I'm getting in a mostly plant-based diet. I forsee a juicer in my future.

Since 2013 is the Year of the Snake (my year) and my goals are to relearn how to take care of myself, what dietary change should I try next? I am thinking March will be No Dairy March. Gulp. That scares me and it's probably a sign that I should go for it.

Here's some photos of Miles and I from this last weekend (we are hoping to be in the next installment of Sakura Bloom's Sling Diaries so my sisters took pictures of Miles and I doing our evening neighborhood walk)!

We're always goofing around...

One of my favorite reasons to babywear- snuggles!

On our walk

Daily uniform- yoga wear, hat, and shoes without socks

I hope you're all having a great week!

Our Week (In a Nutshell)

I am not a morning person, but Miles seems to think I am. As I wake up and groggily toss my blankets aside, I can't help but smile as I walk into his room to excited shouts of, "Mama mama!" and the sight of a bright-eyed and smiling baby boy standing up in his crib to greet me. Parker and I take turns letting each other sleep in- which now means until nine at the latest- and it's a delicious luxury. This view isn't bad at all, though:

When I was pregnant, I told myself I would do my best not to fall prey to a house full of gargantuan baby gear that lights up and makes noise. We've done pretty well, but of course that jumper is the thing Miles loves best (on loan from my sweet friend Morgan). Oh, how the mighty have fallen. (Ivanka Trump has a baby and her apartment still manages to look very chic- which closets is she hiding her daughter's stuff in?)

This last week, we've had some glorious fall weather. Cool winds, beautiful clouds, and even a little bit of rain. Too bad the weather forecast for the coming week shows the temperature reaching almost ninety degrees! I was almost fooled.

Miles and I drove to Pismo Beach to visit the Carter's outlet and enjoyed some fresh grilled salmon from Splash Cafe afterward. We ate our lunch facing the ocean and Miles was fascinated by the seagull waiting nearby, perched to swoop down on any stray tidbits.

On Saturday, we went to cheer on my sisters at their soccer games. Miles held out as long as he could, but he fell asleep in the Ergo during the second game. I love when he falls asleep on me- it is the sweetest thing. After he woke up, my brother held him and was showing him a soccer ball when Miles started kicking it without any prompting! Who knows, he may be the next Oliver Kahn!

I have to say, Miles is one mobile little guy right now. He can hardly stay still! After we got back from an afternoon run, I laid down in the grass (quite out of breath) and watched Miles crawl back and forth across the lawn. He's growing up so quickly!

Thanks to all of you who entered the October giveaway- I've announced a winner on the post. I'd also like to thank my amazing VIP sponsors who contributed such great prizes. Head over to my sidebar and visit their blogs!

Happy Monday!

February Favorites

Hello again, blogosphere- it's been a while! I've been so wrapped up in baby love that I haven't really sat down to write much (although after all those weekly entries, it was nice to have a bit of a break). Even right now as I'm writing, Miles is propped up next to me smiling and making cute baby sounds as he's looking curiously around the room. He's so chubby and kissable and perfect!

This last week Miles and I have been in Nashville visiting family- flying solo with a baby wasn't as hard as I imagined it, with the exception of the security checkpoint. TSA must have thought Miles looked suspicious, or at least that's how it felt- I had to completely disassemble the stroller and then sort all the normal stuff (electronics, shoes, jacket) with one arm while holding Miles with the other. Then they took all the fabric off the carseat, swabbed the seat with a giant Q-tip, and just tossed the fabric back in the carseat when they were done with it. I know people were getting irritated at the mom stupid enough to be traveling with a baby, but I actually didn't care! I've been very go-with-the-flow about this whole trip, and it's gone flawlessly thus far. Miles is a natural at traveling and didn't make more than the occasional happy squeak on the flight. We're heading home tomorrow night.

Cellar at Novo

Backtracking a little, Valentine's Day was pretty wonderful. Parker and I headed to SLO for lunch at Novo, where we had the whole wine cellar dining room to ourselves. It felt romantic and the food was delicious. We walked around downtown afterward and ran into Michael Shaw, so Parker got to have some bromance for Valentine's as well.

Motherhood is going fabulously. I think Miles sleeping nine hours straight at night may have something to do with it; at any rate, I'm enjoying all the challenges and surprises that having a baby brings. For example, I had no idea nursing would be tricky in the beginning, but trimming baby fingernails is every bit as nerve-wracking as I imagined. I'm learning the importance of time management, and part of that is setting time aside for myself. Even if that means turning my iPod up really loud and enjoying a song or three before bed.

Kimbra

Here are some of my February Favorites:

Music- Kimbra. If you haven't heard her voice, look her up immediately!
TV- Grey's Anatomy. Wow, it's addicting. I haven't gone through episodes this fast since Gilmore Girls!
Book- Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman. I just started reading this on my Kindle, but I like the writing style so far.

I will write again soon, promise!
Leave a comment here!

 ~VP~