Keep On Keepin' On

photo credit

This week has been pretty rough (thank you all for the sweet comments- they mean so much to me) and I'm so looking forward to starting the spring semester on Tuesday. I can't wait to get back to studying and learning, even though the winter break was refreshing and much-enjoyed. You know the saying- "when you rest, you rust"!

I've always been at a loss for an answer to that often-asked question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" There's just always been so much that I want to do. This week, in the midst of many tears, I felt a bit more clarity about the answer to that question as I pursue becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife. It's been years in the making and on my mind, ever since I saw my first real live birth. Without really talking much about it, I've been slowly but surely finishing up all the prerequisites I need for the BSN program and I've been loving it. Reading extensively about birth and pregnancy, talking with women and midwives, and especially witnessing more births has just increased my love for it. And during the time leading up to the beginning of the BSN program, I'm just excited to extend my knowledge with each day of class and dive in.

This weekend I'm heading to the store to stock up on all those "back to school" things: notebooks, highlighters and pens, a weekly planner. And, of course, at the top of my to-do list is renting my textbooks for the semester! I'm using Campus Book Rentals, a company that makes renting textbooks simple and affordable- I was excited to see my psychology book listed for 65% less than at my campus bookstore, and with free shipping- with a donation to Operation Smile for every book rented. You can even highlight in the books if you need to! Campus Book Rentals also has a sister site, Rent Back, where you can send in your textbooks from previous semesters, rent them to other students, and earn money each time your textbook is checked out. If you're getting ready to head back to school this semester, definitely go take a look!

Have a great weekend!

This post was sponsored by CampusBookRentals.com; however, the views and opinions expressed in this post are purely my own.    

A Casual Vacancy

Props to J.K. Rowling for that amazing title which I am shamelessly repurposing for this post. Be warned that this post has nothing to do with her new book, but rather the state of my blog these last two weeks. I just decided to take some time away, without any warning (sorry, blog friends). I don't know if any of you have ever experienced the feeling I had a couple weeks ago- a feeling of being just a little too concerned with something that isn't as high a priority as, say, your family or taking time to just rest. Instead of really savoring life's sweet moments, I was perched- phone in hand- to get the right picture at the right moment. Life happens so quickly and I want to be paying attention. Today, the three of us went to the library and Miles and I went to the children's section while Parker went to pay his fines (I swear someday he's going to have a plaque or some sort of small monument built in his honor for the amount of money he's paid to the library!). I took a few photos, put my phone away, and a minute later Miles slowly got up and stood on his own. I'm so, so glad I didn't miss that.

Life is such a constant balance of give and take, and after this refreshing time-out I'm less afraid to just step back and find my equilibrium. 

Here are some photos from while I was away- you can tell from Miles's outfits how the temperature was fluctuating on any given day. Such fickle weather!

The loves of my life.

He loves riding in the cart!

Safe and sound (asleep) in his dad's arms.

Ten months old!

Someone loves the library!

Date night at the Far Western!

PS Follow me on Instagram @ joiedev and see the photos that don't make it onto the blog!
Happy Monday!

Our Week (In a Nutshell)

This week was pretty great. Miles has been having a lot of separation anxiety (also known as lots of tears and "Mamaaaaa" when I set him down), which is so not like him- he is normally so independent!- but I've just focused on the positive of having lots of extra cuddles and I wear him wherever we go so we're all happy.

On Tuesday, I found out that Rosie Pope was going to be in California over the following two days as a part of her book tour for her new book Mommy IQ: The Complete Guide to Pregnancy. I was beyond excited but was sort of wishy-washy about it from the start- lots of driving, traveling alone with Miles (who is normally great but you never know), gas prices through the roof (almost five dollars per gallon, can you even believe it?!)... Anyway, I was going back and forth all day Wednesday and at the last second decided not to go. I was regretting it all night. So, Thursday morning I  woke up and had pretty much decided that Miles and I were going. And we did! It was really fun having a Q&A with Rosie and talking about her show, her business, and the book. Because it was so last minute, there weren't a ton of people there and I liked it much better that way.

There was a couple sitting behind us at the Q&A who I chatted with throughout the evening. They were speaking Mandarin, and they were smiling and laughing at Miles, so of course I started talking with them (hello, Veralynn the Extrovert). The woman, Amy, asked me if it was really easy for me to get pregnant and I was about to answer as Rosie arrived. During the Q&A, Amy asked what Rosie's advice was to couples who had been trying for a long time to get pregnant. Rosie was really sweet and encouraging, and after the session Amy and I talked some more. I told her my story (which I talk a little bit about here) and she asked, "Did you ever feel alone when you were trying to have a baby?" I told her that I felt at times like my body was failing me and I felt really lonely, and that those feelings are perfectly normal. Her eyes filled with tears but she blinked them away as she nodded and said, "I thought I was the only one!" After some reassurance that she definitely is not alone, I gave her the name of a book that was really helpful and her husband bought it on their Kindle right away (if you're interested, you can find it here). I told them both that I would keep them in my thoughts and gave them my best wishes as we left the event. As Miles and I walked back to the car, I felt like I was meant to be at that particular Barnes & Nobles on Thursday night (and not at a different one the night before) to give some encouraging words to Amy and her husband who are going through a really, really crappy situation. I hope with all my being that they will be able to become parents soon. 

My travel buddy got his nap in while I sat on a comfy porch outside a Gilly Hicks boutique

Tonight, Miles is spending the night at his grandparents' house- it's the first night I've been away from him since he was born and while I had a sudden onset of my own separation anxiety as we were walking out the door, it will be incredibly nice to sleep in tomorrow! My little boy is growing up (sniff sniff).

I hope you all are having a great weekend! Stay tuned, as next week I'll be announcing my October giveaway- my awesome sponsors and I have some great prizes lined up to help you get in the spirit of fall!

Getting Out of the Monday Slump

Today started out rather sleepily. I put on some coffee for Parker and myself (accidentally forgetting to pour the water into the coffee maker- fail) and the three of us sat in the living room. Scratch that- two of us sat and one of us was bouncing happily in his bouncer. We sat like this for a little while, sipping away, and then decided to go on an outing to the library. Once we got there, Miles and I headed to the children's section of the library while Parker went to find his books. While Miles and I were reading one of the cute cardboard books, a little boy (who seemed to be around four) came up to us and started talking and playing with Miles. It was really sweet.

I think that one of my hopes is for Miles to enjoy reading like Parker and I do. Reading is one of my favorite pastimes, whether it a magazine, and online article, or a new novel. When we were planning Miles's nursery when I was pregnant, we decided our theme would be Adventureland. Diving into a good story is one of the first ways we can encourage Miles to live a life of adventure!

How was your Monday?

Can I Borrow Your Notes?

Whitney and Miles 

Today was just plain nice. It all started when Miles only woke up once last night, and kept going when he napped for nearly three hours this morning. I was beyond excited that he was sleeping so long, but I was ready to head out to spend the afternoon with my friends Whitney and Becky and their kids. We had so much fun drinking way too much caffeine, eating doughnuts, and laughing about all sorts of things! I really enjoy connecting with friends, but especially now when we can relate to each other and compare notes as mamas.

Illustration by Sarah Jane Wright

Speaking of comparing notes, I have been reading and researching how moms introduce and set the stage for a healthy diet once their babies start solids. Miles isn't there yet, but he will be shortly, and I would be lying if I said I didn't have any anxiety about it. I read the book French Kids Eat Everything and it really got me thinking about how the way food is introduced to a child from the beginning probably will influence them one way or another for the rest of their lives. (Side note: if books like French Women Don't Get Fat and Bringing Up Bebe are any indicator, it would seem like the French just have everything figured out!) Here were the rules presented in the book- I'd love to know your thoughts! How do you introduce new foods and mealtime to your little one?

Leave a comment here!

~VP~

Mad Men and Ladies of Literature

I've been in an interesting mood lately- a combination of wanting to try new things and finding comfort in old favorites. Now that the spring semester is over, I have a full month before summer session starts and I plan on enjoying it fully. I want to take the first of many trips to the beach, reconnect with my piano (which has been sorely overlooked until very recently), and read. I dug out some of my cherished books from our various bookshelves around the house and was thinking of just how much I particularly enjoy an older read. The way they're written is almost like an entirely different dialect than the English I speak in my day-to-day life. Some of my most prized hardcovers are a first edition of Age of Fables from 1855 (I still cannot believe I found it for twenty-five cents at a thrift store) and The Emperor's Lady, a novel based on the life of Josephine Bonaparte. 


I'm antsy to dive into these treasures; however, I've been spending most of my time scouring The Baby Book by Dr. Sears and other infant guides in search of some answers for my sweet baby. Firstly, he's been sleeping so terribly the last month or so- it's not that he's hard to convince to go to sleep in the first place, it's just that he wakes up so many times during the night- and I don't know what's bothering him or how to fix it (before I had Miles I thought we'd just go the Ferber route but I just can't swallow the idea of letting him cry himself to sleep). Secondly, I'm still supplementing with formula and nothing I've tried thus far (including a $46 bottle of an herbal supplement- ouch) seems to be making a difference. I've read Ina May's book from start to finish at least three times while I wait to hear back from Kathleen, who is recovering from surgery. Obviously, I just want Miles to be happy and healthy- anyone have any suggestions?

Rolling around. :)

One idea I received was to spend as much time as possible nursing Miles throughout the day, so we've been flying through episodes of Mad Men like nobody's business. I actually like the show a lot more than I thought I would.

What are your summer plans?
Leave a comment here!

~VP~

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~

Currently Reading (Again): Diane von Furstenberg's "Book of Beauty"

One of my favorite thrift store rituals is to go through the book section. Although often futile, sometimes I find gems tucked between numerous discarded copies of The South Beach Diet and dusty 1980s romance novels. A few years ago, I picked up a copy of Diane von Furstenberg's Book of Beauty and found it extremely informative and interesting- especially considering the book was published in 1976! She writes of many things like exercise and healthy eating, all the way down to the specifics of applying makeup, but I found her chapters on making the most of our time (yet taking a day each week to just relax) and being confident in our life choices the most enjoyable. The tidbits and photos she includes about her early life, loves, and career in fashion are an added bonus.

Definitely worth the $1.99 I paid for this hidden gem!

Leave a comment here!

~VP~

Joie de V: March Book of the Month

Last year, I read Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and couldn't believe how quickly I tore through it. It may have been because, to my relief, I discovered that I wasn't the only one questioning life's little choices in light of the grand scheme of things. It was also comforting to realize that someone in this world just may love Italian food as much as yours truly. My conclusion: live an adventurous life, and eat the darn breadstick.

This month, I'm reading Gilbert's follow-up book Committed. I'll let you know how it goes!

Leave a comment here!

~VLP~

Bam!

Lately, I've had some encouragement (meaning: poking, prodding, etc) to turn these musings into a "real" blog featuring my current music, movie, food and fashion favorites. I'm going to try, but sometimes I wonder if people even read this old thing. Thus, the blog facelift. A new template for a new year, and a new year for new pursuits!

So far I've only failed one of my New Year's resolutions and that is to attempt a new culinary feat made entirely from scratch. This means I'll have to do two in February to catch up. This month I read My Life in France by Julia Child, so I should have plenty of inspiration! I really enjoyed this book for a few reasons: firstly, it brought a smile to my face to read about how much that girl loved butter (you're not the first one, Paula Deen). Secondly, I was really struck by how much time they spent around the table; a three hour dinner was not uncommon. How great is that? It's a completely different idea to someone like me who is used to dinners being about thirty minutes, tops (and that's probably including prep time).

So, any ideas for what I should make this month?

Leave a comment here! (Or simply click on the title of this post.)

~VP~

Oh, For the Love of Books!

Today I was looking around my room at all the books I have and thinking about some of my favorite literary characters. I have more than a few, but one in particular that I was pondering over today.

So, I don't know how many people who read my blog have read the whole Anne of Green Gables series, but you should know that it's my favorite book series ever. This is partially because I've never really read any other book series, but mostly because I love all of the books and have read them all more times than I can count. My favorite book of the series is Anne of the Island- this could be because this particular chapter of Anne's life is the one I'm in right now: college, thinking about future goals and dreams, educational aspirations, etc. This book is also my favorite because in it you will find the introduction of Phillipa Gordon, fabulous character #1. She is a lot like me in that she is a little vain (like she is always making sure her hair is perfect, she knows the boys love her...), but is happiest with verbal confirmation from others of her own opinions about her looks. She's indecisive but perfectly happy with her choices, because she always makes the right one. She wins two major academic scholarships to show her man that she's not only pretty but also "enormously clever". She's an aspiring domestic goddess but faces multiple obstacles in the kitchen, like me... Her man adores her despite all of her shortcomings and personality quirks (also like me! Sigh.) I love her.

Aren't books the best? I admire anyone who can write a believable character with such feelings, emotions, and imperfections to where I can imagine them being just the sort of person I'd have as a friend in real life.

~VL~

A Novel Idea

I should be going to sleep right now but I really want to write this blog. It's been brewing in my mind for a couple days, since I found four books at the thrift store. Wouldn't you know, when I'm looking for nothing in particular, I do judge a book by its cover? That's how I stumbled across these new finds. To decide which one to read first, I read the very first sentence of the first chapter. Here's what I've got (I'll tell you the titles of the books after):

"I never knew her in life."

"A white light seeped through the shoji windows and into the room, along with the morning chill."

"Seven years ago, I had my first tutorial in becoming a man."

"To borrow, and slightly bend, a line from the movie Kindergarten Cop, Arnold Schwarzenegger is like the ocean."

What kind of crazy mix do I have going on here? The first line is from The Black Dahlia, the second from The Street of a Thousand Blossoms, the third from Self-Made Man, and the fourth from Why Arnold Matters: The Rise of a Cultural Icon. I have no idea what any of these are about (except maybe for Dahlia- I saw the preview for the movie- and obviously the last is about the Governator), so I'm excited to read and see what they're all about.

Some people have plans of what books they'll read and when (and sometimes I wish I did, especially when all the used bookstore shelves are coughing up are dusty cookbooks and romance novels...). But so far I've found it to be a lot more interesting to have no plan at all.

~VL~