this is gonna be a good life

via



why I love a "new year"

I love a year-in-review post, I've been doing them in the last pages of paper journals for years.  But in the last few years I have only been blogging, sayonara paper journal.  I only have time for one form of self-expression.  Keyboarding is much faster (thank you Mr. Lilly) than writing. 

Every time I prepare to write this post I always peruse the years past....2008 2009 2010--- life is different now. 

A short review of my 31st year of life...

What I listened to:  I tried to branch out a little this year (don't worry, lots of Counting Crows were interspersed, new album in March, hooray!)

Adele, Bon Iver, The Civil Wars , Iron &Wine, Florence and the Machine

Read all about it:  Besides the bevvy of parenting books (thank you Dr. Ferber's Sleep Solution) I also enjoyed some pop-fiction by Jodi Picoult, and really enjoyed the debut novel Sharp Objects and sophomore follow-up Dark Places by a Missouri/Kansas girl with grisly prose, and real female characters:  Gillian Flynn.  Can't wait for Gone Girl. I really like why she writes about female violence.  I am hoping to get a Kindle fire this year, and then I can really get some reading done this year.

In stream of consiousness order: things that rocked my world (or what I obsessed about):
Baby Quinn was born and then got so sick, Being mama,  Finding the documentation for two years worth of continuing education credits in order to renew my drama therapy registry, Sloane learning to sign, the Joplin tornado, the earthquake/tsunami in Japan, War is OVER (in Iraq), Sloane teething, the Casey Anthony trial coverage and verdict, Moving from Kansas City to my much smaller hometown, leaving my job, finding a new job, the Royal Wedding coverage, Sloane can say "mama" the royally stupid wedding & then divorce coverage, Charlie Sheen, the cancellation of Brothers & Sisters (RIP), Baby Addison was born, Bin Laden is killed, the Occupy movement is born, 9/11 was ten years ago & the coverage surrounding the 9/11 tributes, worrying about the economy.

Desperately wanting (things I had to have):  I mostly just want a Kindle fire.  I think hope I will get one for my birthday. Time to pin things on my new addiction: pinterest. I joined the Studio Calico kit club (now my scrapbook supplies come to me *sigh*).

Loving on the small screen: Dexter, Homeland, Revenge, Ringer, and a small dose of reality tv: Survivor, Big Brother, The Amazing Race, Teen Mom, Hoarders

The big screen:  I went to the movie theater one time this year, and it was to see one of Keenan's choices: Pirates 3 (which was lame).  This is my own nightmare. I should probably MUST get a baby-sitter more this year.

the you tube:  the twin babies talking (never gets old) jace quoting presidents (let's be honest, I am going to make Sloane do this) hey jude (so adorable) i hate tom brady (as a fan of a team who tom brady has beat I understand this little guy)

The downside of becoming parents this year was there was no traveling, obviously no movies, live concerts or many plays (I did see Keenan in the KC Rep's A Christmas Carol, which was smashing).  But in other ways I feel like I've travelled a million miles, seen things I never thought I would and heard the best music once my daughter began to talk.  I am hoping that 2012 can restore a little bit of our prior lives to us while holding on to this new wonder as well.

Here's to your health and happiness in 2012!

Bring it new year.

title courtesy of one of my guilty pleasure-radio songs: Good life by One Republic

sleepless long nights that is what my youth was for

Fabulous weekend as my 4 gal pals were in town and we slumber partied at my house.  Every time we are together it goes way too fast and we stay up too late, but the lack of sleep is always worth it. 

I did get one gift done. From this tutorial, I found from Pinterest (where else is there these days?) I made a monogram for my brother's fiancee.  It will be her new monogram (in September).  Hopefully she likes it.  I had some doubts as I thought it looked a little mummy-ish.  I did white yarn and painted the ends of the G (other letters without ends would work best) purple/grey (the color of their living room) and embellished with a wooden tag of her first name.  I wish I would have used grey yarn...and this DIY seriously takes forever...9 million wraps later I had this....

Then after the embellishments-- fabric layered flower, pretty brad, and wooden M tag....

I hope she likes it, she hard for me to buy for.  Still have a few more things to finish up this week.  And wrapping of course,  I am a last minute wrapper every year.

title courtesy of Feist: 1 2 3 4

remember to let her into your heart....

  Ceramic Ornament

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After an epic fail trying to do a DIY handprint ornament with a child who is 1). too old to sleep through the inking of her hand and 2) too young to bribe to hold still.  I decided on these ceramic ornaments for the grandparents.  Hopefully Breann has better luck with Q. Although, next year-- DIY. 

When time runs short it's so easy to spend more money.  Ugh.  Luckily I had a discount code and the ornaments were on sale.  But it will be replacing a gift for the grandparents, instead of tied to the package like the much more economical handprints were going to be.  Such is life.   

Tonight Sloane is joining her cousins at my mom's for the annual gingerbread house building night.  They craft some stuff for us parents and get to eat treats.  She will have fun and I will have time to get some more of my crafts done.  Crossing my fingers that they turn out better than the failed ornaments.

title courtesy of The Beatles: Hey Jude 

it's my worried mind that you quiet

Sloane is slowly weaning herself. She turned 1 yesterday. She is only nursing in the morning for about 5 minutes and at night for about 3 minutes. She signs "finished" or "play" and wrigges off of my lap. I nurse whenever she requests (by climbing on my lap and pointing her tiny index finger ever-so-lightly onto the top of my shirt, sigh so adorable). But she only requests twice a day.  She is growing up, so quickly.


I hope she wants to continue for a couple times a day for a little longer, but each time I nurse her I feel myself savoring it as it may be the last time.  I never thought I'd get to this state of peace: loving to nurse her.

 I didn't think I could make it through the first 6 weeks, let alone 6 months and now 1 year.  It seemed we had a million hurdles to get over: double the milk that I needed (thanks a lot nursing staff at the hospital), scouring the internet for help, La Leche League, post-partum depression, lack of gaining weight, waking up to nurse, reflux, latching, clogged ducts (worst pain ever), growth spurts, lanolin (best invention), ugly nursing bras, pumping at work, nursing in public, the boppy pillow, waking up to nurse, nursing 12+ times a day, nursing 8 times a day, nursing 4 times a day, teeth- ouch, nursing twice a day.

nursing, March 2011...photo by my friend Kate



a layout I did to inspire myself to reach my 12-month nursing goal



I read this on-line in the comments of another blog I read and bawled...totally how I feel. So bittersweet....


wean me gently by c. cardall

I know I look so big to you,
Maybe I seem too big for the needs I have.
But no matter how big we get,
We still have needs that are important to us.
I know that our relationship is growing and changing,
But I still need you. I need your warmth and closeness,
Especially at the end of the day
When we snuggle up in bed.
Please don't get too busy for us to nurse.
I know you think I can be patient,
Or find something to take the place of a nursing;
A book, a glass of something,
But nothing can take your place when I need you.
Sometimes just cuddling with you,
Having you near me is enough.
I guess I am growing and becoming independent,
But please be there.
This bond we have is so strong and so important to me,
Please don't break it abruptly.
Wean me gently,
Because I am your mother,
And my heart is tender.

title courtesy of Ray LaMontagne: Hold You in My Arms

just one look and I fell so hard in love with you

first look (please excuse the petechiae all over me, labor was hard work)

Dear Sloane,

Today is your birthday.  Your first birthday.  You got up and enjoyed (by dancing and smiling) me singing "happy birthday to you".  You ate oatmeal for breakfast and watched Elmo, took your nap, ate macaroni and cheese with butternut squash for lunch and I am making you pumpkin waffles for dinner.  Lots of playing with your new toys you got from your party. You took one step by yourself today from the edge of the couch to grandma.  All of this while wearing your pink cupcake shirt and your  baby pink tutu and  black leggings and mary jane socks (I couldn't resist).

It's hard to believe it's been a year in the way that you still seem like a baby to me, not a "toddler".  It's not hard to believe it's been a year in the way that I have forgotten what I did with myself and all my time before I was a mother. In some ways it's hard to remember how it was without you.   You make everything so different and so vivid.

What a year.

love you,
mama

title courtesy of Linda Ronstadt: just one look

sweeping the clouds away

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I might go into the details a little later.  But here are some shots from Sloane's 1st party.  She was a little doll for it.  So sweet, even though it was at the same time as her afternoon nap (way to go Mama!).  She got some awesome gifts...a little bit of everything (clothes, a pretty lamp for her room, a wagon, Sesame Street toys, crayons, and a baking set).

When it was over with I felt so exhausted and sad that all the planning and everything is over so soon.  Then I remembered:  Christmas is in 2 weeks.  Time to get busy again. 

I was lucky to have Breann there for a million reasons, but one big one is that she took all the pictures for me! Thank goodness because I was busy with a sweet little munchkin. 

title courtesy of the Sesame Street Theme song <3

home sweet home

Pretty Patterned Ornaments Holiday

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Sloane's first Thanksgiving



She heard you don't like Tebow.



Lot's to do before this weekend!  The big party!  My mom is starting the cake today.  It is from a 1984 Wilton Yearbook--it's a Sesame Street treehouse cake, the treehouse stands up and has a little tire swing. 

Mom and I had fun at the candy shoppe picking out eyes for the character cupcakes (black sixlets), chocolate-sprinkled "shingles" for the roof, and sour watermelon oh's for the tire swing.  The treat buckets are almost assembled for the kiddos.  I am going to count out the M&M's for a guessing game tonight (which I am banning my math teacher brother Chance from playing) and work on some more little goodies for the kids. 

I have to paint a sleepy owl (yellow and lavender) on the doll cradle I scored for 2.99 at a thrift store (it is now sanded, primed and painted a beautiful white). I got two black paint markers so that Keenan and I can write her a message on the bottom of the cradle. Then I will unwrap the baby I got for her and place her inside inside of the huge bag.   I can't wait for her to see her very own doll and bed.  She loves playing with the dolls at Grammy's house.

Photos of everything-- including the smash cake, to follow! 

title courtesy of Home for the Holidays (Perry Como's version is my fave)

let your heart be light

Snowflake Stars Christmas

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One thing off the to-do list.  Order 25 cards from Shutterfly (using my free points from buying 9 gazillion Pampers diapers).  Now I just need to do the other thousand things on the list. Including ordering 25 cards from Tiny Prints using a coupon.  I did two separate cards only because of price, but I think it will be kind of fun.  Of course my mom gets one of each.   

Sloane's big birthday party is this weekend. Thank God my bestie Breann (craft vixen and party planning extraordinaire) is coming on Friday to help me prepare.  Last night I attached (via Modg Podg) a bunch of characters that I cut out of a vintage Sesame book (thrift store) to card board and cut them out again and then attached them on the pack with packing tape to some cake dowels that I painted white.  They are going to stick out of the food and peek out of some of the games I have planned. Only 5 kids will be there and they are all different ages so hopefully I can keep everybody entertained for at least a little while.  

title via our wish for you..."Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas"

they call me stacey, they call me her, they call me jane...that's not my name

One of my favorite days of the year...the day the top 100 baby names of the year list drops.  This is not only a child-bearing-years phenomenon.  When I was around 7 I bought a baby-naming book at a garage sale for a quarter.  My mom looked at me wondering.  I told her that I needed it to name my dolls.  My dolls, my paper dolls, my barbies, my bike and my roller skates all had first and middle names.  I was VERY in to naming.  I still am.  As soon as someone tells me they are pregnant, I get a little giddy feeling of wondering what they will name their child.  Naming my own child was a daunting task I took quite seriously.  I am not someone who has liked the same baby name for their whole life, if I had named my child in grade school she would have been "Aurora" high school she would have been "Carrie" in college "Annaliese" in young adulthood, my first 3 dolls as a child were "Janie" "Lolly" and the hipster babydoll "bluehead".  You can see my tastes change.  That's why naming a child for real was quite intimidating. 

I ended up choosing a name off of Keenan's small post-it note of names that I mostly hated (to be honest) because it was Irish in origin (just as mine and Keenan's are), it was unisex (just as my sister and mine are) and it meant "strong" and strength for a preemie is a vital quality, so we named her in a room by ourselves while the nurses got her clean and hooked up to her wires.  My family liked "Sloane" the least of our list of girl names (except my brother Matt who is a true Ferris Bueller fan)-- but now they all admit that they love it and it fits her to a T: our little early bird, our strong girl Sloane Jillian.

Sloane didn't make the top 100 (according to babycenter.com Sloane is #587 this year), but a few of my other favorite names did...(Piper, Paige, Harper).  Aiden has been on top for seven years!  I think Jacob has been in the top 20 for my whole lifetime. 

title courtesy of the Ting Tings: That's not my name

and you will be my guiding light

a little surprise for a friend I owe a wedding present to...inspiration here

this hat will be in her Christmas photos...isn't outrageous!

Someone is excited to turn 1!

too busy to breathe it seems...preparing for a Children's christmas party at work this weekend (I am in charge of decor for the Winter Wonderland Soiree...okay so I added the "soiree" part, I doubt the kiddos care), my nephew's motorcycle themed 3rd birthday party,  then Sloane's sesame street birthday next weekend, a much needed girls weekend in Kansas City the following weekend and then Christmas!  What.the.frank?

Of course I am planning to make a whole bunch of handmade goodies, plus need to create our family Christmas card between now and then.  I am notorious at biting off more than I can chew.  But my perfectionism will not allow me to sit by and buy everything from a party store (even though I wish it would). 

Cheers for your holiday season! 

title courtesy of Kate Rusby: Farewell

I remember the sound of your November downtown

So it has been about 2 weeks since I introduced the Ferber sleep method/night weaning to our household and I couldn't be more pleased.  Sloane and I are both sleeping so happily.  Sloane now grabs her blankie and crawls into my lap for naptime and waves goodbye to me.  At bedtime she sometimes still fusses a bit when I lay her down, but before I have even gotten to the doorway she is quiet.  Most nights she turns over happily after I cover her up and closes her eyes.  She also wakes up happy in the morning, instead of screaming.  She is not afraid of being in her crib/nursery alone anymore, I hear her for awhile in the morning babbling and laughing and she has a huge smile when I walk in to greet her. 

It was about 3 nights of using the Ferber intervals of time.  I didn't think I could bear 5 minutes of crying so I started at 3 minutes and then 5 and then 7 and so on.  She fell asleep at 15 minutes with 5 night wakings, which was typical for us (it was awful it broke my heart, and so many times I wanted to "rescue her" but during my checks & reassuring of her I could see that she was okay and that she was more mad then sad, there weren't tears just yelling).  The next night she fell asleep at 7 minutes with 2 night wakings and the next night at 3 minutes with no night waking.    Naps worked even more easily...she never cried over a couple minutes for a nap.  I have put to bed the worries over whether I did the right thing...I could continue to allow myself to feel guilty over the crying but I know that she is okay and that she seems happy about her newfound independence.  I am feeling like a new person. Maybe I will be able to put down the Zoloft someday soon (of course after I've spoken to a physician and gotten a titration plan).  I think I will get through the holidays first.

before Ferber cooed, coaxed, coddled and cuddled to sleep and then transferred to her bed...(after viewing this picture I note how many prints are shoved into my mother's spare bedroom)

 

now...bliss  (you can buy this here:  via )


title courtesy of my favorite November/winter song: Winter by Joshua Radin

you can't please everyone so you gotta please yourself

OK so I started to feel like a real hypocrite trying to get parents of children with autism who I work with to tow the line with their children when I go home and get manipulated by a tiny drooling baldy myself.

MOM!  I need you...you and I are ONE!

Sloane had been stretching out the night routine of holding and rocking for well over an hour and then was still sleeping poorly after that waking up to nurse numerous times a night and not sleeping well unless she was in bed with me.  I had to draw the line and I wanted to draw it before she could crawl out of her crib (she already pulls herself up and stands there).  Enter Dr. Ferber's Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems (revised 2006 edition). 

I wanted to be one of those awesome Dr. Sears (author of, Nighttime Parenting: How to Get Your Baby and Child to Sleep, The Attachment Parenting Book, and The Baby Book, among several others-- like that highly controversial Vaccine Book) moms all the way.  But in all honesty my sanity was suffering.  I haven't slept for longer than 4 hours in almost 1 year. And frankly, Dr. Sears method was awesome for my preemie, for my newborn, for my infant...but for my emerging toddler it wasn't working. 

This is one of those topics. You know the ones, the ones that start mom wars and mompetition (see also bottle or breast, private or public, stay at home or work outside the home, cloth or disposable, vaccinate or not, etc ad nauseum.

Immediately when I read the Ferber method the scientific language appealed to me i.e. "gradual extinction".  It also sparked my interest in the area of separation anxiety.  Part of the reason I keep Sloane with me so often is that I can't bear not to nurse her, hold her, sleep next to her because she is SO anxious, after I read the book I began to see this anxiety from a separate viewpoint. 

Ferber asserts that Sloane needs to see her and I as two separate people and the nursing and sleeping relationship (that we have) may be hindering that and that she needs my help to learn that gently (although that does involve some tears, which hurts).  Also I had the "cry-it-out" fears in my head, that I was just going to have to close the door and not open it til morning.  But gradual extinction involves leaving her for longer periods of time and going in frequently (and fading that) to reassure her that I am still there (easing the separation anxiety and feeling of abandonment).  I liked that part because my other worry was "what if she is crying for a reason?" (my mind goes right to the craziest most unlikely scenario: kidnapper). 

Also I wasn't sure that I should continue night nursing (upwards to 6 times a night!).  Ferber has a way in his book to continue but I found that it might be too confusing for her (since she does not understand time she would not understand why sometimes I come in and pick her up to nurse and other times I come in only to comfort her briefly).  She is not nursing for nutrition at night she is nursing to comfort herself and have herself drift back to sleep.   

She does not seem to have "shut down syndrome" as Sears cautions in his Sleep Book   (the reason I have tried to avoid any and all tears for eleven months, which is frankly exhausting) although it's only been 2 days of this method.  She did not cry at all for naps today.  She snuggled in to me and I said "it's nap time." took her to her bed and laid her down.  She gave me an anxious look and I reassured her that I would see her in the afternoon.  She rolled over quietly and closed her eyes.  This.is.huge.

For us this is working, now.  I fully expect that no one method is a cure all. 

And now, something non-controversial....

how cute am I?

And a series of shots of Sloane and her cousin (14 month old) Kolten....

trust me, I'm a doctor

this is your first problem

It's not a tumor

I'm going to listen to your heart

Don't cry

You were a good girl for your exam

title courtesy of Ricky Nelson: Garden Party

her hair is always a mess...she's beautiful

So I am a bit of a (faux) single mom these days and it seriously makes me want to bow down (Wayne's World style) to all the kick @ss real single moms and declare "We're not worthy...we're not worthy!" Keenan is in & out doing theatre. I am lucky to have my family to help me, and of course Zoloft. 

I have only been at this for a few days but I have been using the 2 hours that she is asleep and I am not to do some projects.  I touched up some of her things from the nursery that got scratched in the move.  And I did two projects from my holiday Pinterest files (ahem, addiction)...

via

Here is my version for Miss Sloane, and chef Dudley

via

I made an ornament based on the one above for a "first Christmas/gee I never sent you a wedding present?how embarrassing! gift".  I need to get a ribbon and a little charm to finish it off...and then off in the mail.  By Emily Post's etiquette guidelines I still had until April 2012 to get them a gift...but the early bird does catch the worm, so I won't wait the full year since their wedding. 

Hopefully my new found loneliness will help me keep up my crafty distraction so that I can get a few more projects on my to-do list to-done.  It's better than copious amounts of liquor, tears and kleenex...although I can't promise that I will make it through the next two months without a night or two like that.

Linking this up to the un-official Fall pinterest challenge on YHL. <3


title courtesy of Train: Meet Virginia (classic)

beneath this bold and brilliant sun

I took Sloane to the pumpkin patch on Sunday.  It was so fun to see it through her eyes.  She was captivated by two giant Clydesdale's who were pulling a hay rack ride and she waved at them and danced the the clomping of their hooves on the gravel.  We cut our own pumpkins from a giant patch.  We picked a big one for daddy, a pretty white one for me and a funny little one for Sloane.


lima bean at the pumpkin patch

Fall is here.  The weather is crisp and cool and therefore the migraines are here.  I love fall except for the constant change in barometric pressure that is happening every day.  A good hard freeze helps my sinuses and my headaches. 

Busy planning Sloane's Halloween costume and first birthday and still unpacking and arranging the new place.  Of course I do all this planning by pining over projects on Pinterest.  (Blergh I am SO blissfully addicted). 

Anxious for the weekend already and it's only Tuesday! 

I have put myself on a craft/DIY moratorium.  I am not allowed to buy another thing that I will somehow "fix" "alter" "paint" or otherwise change until I finish one of the half dozen projects I already have going...

I have ordered a couple of goodies from Etsy lately...

for Sloane's big day

for our bathroom...order your own here

and in other news inside my mind...


sometimes I still miss our old house...

title courtesy of The Decemberists: Don't Carry It All

i'm so in love with ya honey...

As I fed my daughter breakfast and put my hair up in the prerequisite post-baby up-do (only a bit more chic than rocking a ponytail every day) I remembered that tonight is date night in honor of Keenan and my 5 year anniversary of sorts.  We don't celebrate our real dating anniversary because we don't know when it is.  Our relationship just naturally evolved from a single conversation that occurred the first time he spoke to me on October 5th, late at night at a party we were both attending after the play Seascape by Edward Albee. 

The conversation began with a compliment (he walked up and said to me "Shannon I think you're gorgeous." I was immediately struck speechless and my eyes hit the ground), which whenever I think about the way we met I remember how much impact we have with our words.  I remember that a well-timed compliment can change someones life.  Another time in my life an apology had the same effect on me.  It wasn't something I sought or expected but it came to me in a free and sweet fashion and it changed the way I thought about significant things in my life.   

I find a lot of relationship inspiration in the blog Today's Letters.  I love how unabashedly the couple speaks of working on their relationship and they share what makes their marriage work.  Every time I read the letters they write each other I remember the power of words and I tell myself to be kinder, speak more sweetly and listen harder. 

When I contemplated what type of person I wanted my child to become I kept coming back to the notion that I want her to be kind to others.  I think that there is less and less focus on kindness in our culture, in fact being "nice" can be seen as weakness, or undesirable.  So many times I hear people "apologize" for their words in this way:  "I'm sorry but that's the way I am" or "I am sorry but I am just a bitch."  That isn't an apology it's a rationalization.  And when I apologize during an argument I often find the time to attach my rationale for my comment to the apology.  This isn't the type of apology I'd like to receive "I'm sorry but..."  Usually when we attach a "but" you can throw away everything that came before the but and only listen to what came after. 

So today 5 years after a compliment I want to commit myself to being as kind to Keenan as I am to those whom I work for. 

buy this beauty here

 title courtesy of Anne Murray: Danny's song

a piece of love in your face

lately....

I've moved back to my home town and spent a month here without Keenan as he finishes his job up in Kansas City.  Saturday we will move into our new little place and Sunday he will be here finally.  Sloane cannot wait (she "talks" to him everyday on speakerphone and everytime he greets her with a rumbling "BAMBINA!" she squeals and kicks her legs with delight) it will be a joyful reunion indeed.

Sloane says "Happy fall" I wish you could see her adorable bow with her name on it
made by my fabulous cousin Courtney

I am enjoying being present for all the family events as of late: my dear grandma turned 90, my brother had his 27th birthday dinner last night, my nephew turned 1, we had a party for a "good TV night" when the finale of Big Brother and the premiere of Survivor was on, we watched our beloved Broncos win last week and lose this week together and I've been able to head out to my high school to watch my the dance team my sister coaches during the football games that my step-brother coaches and watch my little brother put on pads and a helmet and play junior high football (so cute).  Sloane is in heaven with all of this activity and love.    

title courtesy of Ingrid Michaelson: breakable

i'm yours

Click here to view this photo book larger

I had a free photo book I had to use. I love the colors. All photos are copyrighted by Jenna Huffman.

title courtesy of Jason Mraz

you and me baby, we're stuck like glue

via

This is definitely the rehearsal dress.  I love it. <3 So soft, delicate and pretty and vintage-ish--and affordable.  One thing checked off the list...now for the other million things-- well maybe I'll start tomorrow.    

title courtesy of Sugarland

made from love

via

I have inherited a few things from my grandparents and an obselete roll top desk with a old stereo system in it is one of them.  My step dad gutted out the old stereo and I found this image which is exactly what I am looking to do with it.  Would love to have a space in my kitchen, or scraproom for it.  Isn't it lovely!? She painted the inside of the drawers that lovely Tiffany blue and the desk black then white and then sanded parts of it.  I adore it.  Can't wait to finally move into a new place and get busy making it home.

title courtesy of Stevie Wonder: Isn't she lovely?

pump the jam

adventures in lactation follow:

It's my last 2 days at my job, which fortunately means...my last 2 days utilizing my pumping spot. It's been so nice that my employer has followed the federal law in providing me a place to take a break during the day to use my awesome "pump in style" (that's really the name of the ugly leather black bag...you can't make this stuff up! as if the bag style matters when you are sitting in the oh-so-sultry position of having your work clothes hiked up and 2 pumps attached to you praying someone respects the lock on the door) Medela.

style in a nutshell black bag

danger in the pump room, I told my work bestie that if I am electrocuted
while pumping to make me look to decent before allowing in one in to the room.

respect the signage

title courtesy of the 90's, I had to do it.

these are the people in your neighborhood...

So I am cleaning off my favorites bar on my laptop today and I find these two DIY's from the internet neighborhood that I have had flagged for a while...

I never knew you could DIY your own subway art but I thought Keenan would like something like this since he used to live in NYC.  

via



via

This would be a cute little project to do with Sloane's next room.  They are meant for valentine's crafts but I think the book pages would be sweet for a children's reading nook (like Clara's awesome one on YHL)

If someone can entertain this chunky monster, I will get right to DIY'ing


title courtesy of Sesame Street (and thus courtesy of Sloane-- it's her jam at the moment)