Siena is 21 Months!

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Joe snapped pics of our big 21 month old during out Saturday morning ritual, the farmer's market and goofing around at UCI.  

She wasn't feeling too chipper at first...



But free samples and gorgeous zinnias cheered her up! 

 Sisi is curious about other kids, but still not very "social."  She's very much in her own world. 

Lunch time!  
This photo reminds me of a paparazzi picture.  Katie and Suri?  haha

All done!  Time to conk out in the car.  

Siena at a Glance:

  • October was a month of verbal explosion.  Suddenly Sisi is saying a ton of new words and has a knack for mimicking sounds (sirens, beeps, choo choos, etc.)  
  • New words, some more intelligible than others:  potato, pumpkin, watermelon, "I'm gonna get you", sip, soup, meat, apple, shoes, sit, read, treat, blocks, turtle, tickle tickle, lullabye, chips
  • She also mimics what we do- the other day I saw her slowly picking up a stick with two hands while huffing and puffing (aka dead lifts a'la daddy!) and pushing her lawnmower all over the house (aka vacuuming.like mama)  
  • I've been baking with Sisi often (too often!  Darn you Autumnal paleo pastries!)  She counts with me as I crack one, two, three eggs, watches in wonder as I pour the fluffy almond flour. And of course, taste tests the maple syrup for me.  By age 3 I want her to be able to bake an entire cake all by herself (like French kids!
  • We've been dealing with some biting and scratching issues.  My strategy is to hold down her hands and very firmly say  "I will NOT let you bite/scratch me"  while doing my big owl eyes.  This seems to get the point across without adding more drama to the sitch.  She usually turns to hit the closest inadamate object (such as a book or her ducky) while saying "oww oww oww!" It's interesting to watch her test boundaries and find acceptable outlets for her anger. It can also be disturbing seeing your sweet little toddler be such a meanie. This article by Janet Lansbury is helping me to cope with and understand Sisi's seemingly bizarre outbursts.  
  • Fortunately, the tantrums are dying down significantly.  It's been a pretty good month in that department!  
  • She still believes if she closes her eyes, no one else can see her!  I caught her reaching for a chocolate bar at the grocery store while closing her eyes and smiling mischievously.  
  • Personality-wise, she is still somewhat quiet and serious, but often whispers to herself and chuckles.  She thinks she's pretty funny.  She's very observant and cautious.  Super independent- she bumbles around the house and backyard all day long and reads in her crib for at least an hour a day.   I imagine she'll be creative, calm and reflective, with a quiet and witty sense of humor, just like her daddy. We shall see!  

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Belated Instafriday 10/20/12

Saturday, October 20, 2012

My life lately, in cell phone pics... 


 dog sitting + marigolds and irises
Sisi was too scared to ride on the horses, and even seemed scared to be on the lame-o bench.  She's definitely not a thrill seeker.
Finally organized my bling stash.
 Chocolate brown toes + sunflowers
 Her dream came true!  I finally let her push one of the mini carts at trader joes.  She almost ran into an old lady and a wine display, but overall did well.  She waited in line so patiently to check out and was just beaming with pride.
I bought 24 packs of potato chips on amazon. White potatoes are a debated issue amongst paleo folks.  While they are very nutritious, they can also be inflammatory and cause insulin spikes.  I tend to stay away from them and opt for sweet potatoes instead.  But my goodness, if you're gonna eat potato chips, these are the way to go! Avocado oil is super healthy and has a high heat tolerance, which makes it great for frying.  Best chips I've ever had.  Too good, really.  I have to keep them in the garage on a shelf so I'm not tempted by them all the time.
 Oops!  Mixing too vigorously I suppose :/




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At the Pumpkin Patch

Tuesday, October 16, 2012







We invited Grandma and Grandpa to the pumpkin patch for some hokey family fun.  Most of the time, Sisi just sat on different pumpkins reading her potty book.  She did enjoy the petting zoo, especially putting wood chips on the goats' heads.  Her brand new moccasins got goat poop on them though, which was a bummer.  Are robeez washable? But I think it's great that the sheltered kids of Orange County have this opportunity to get a little dirty and get a taste of farm life.  Except those poor kids whose mom made them tie grocery bags over their shoes and not pet anything in the petting zoo.  


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Upcountry Hawaii Photoshoot

Monday, October 8, 2012

From afar, I was delighted to participate in a photoshoot by the talented photographer Rebecca Arthurs and coordinated by Vintage and Lace. The vibe was "island bohemian" and took place in the lush grassy plains of Hawaii.  I created several headpieces for the shoot to complement the gorgeous dresses by upoppy, said "bon voyage" and shipped them off across the Pacific.  Wish I could have hand-delivered them :)  So happy there are still places on earth that look like this! 

Huge thanks to Utterly Engaged for including this shoot in their latest issue, Wanderlust.  See all the delectable details from the shoot here!

All I can say is this model is FIERCE.  So strikingly gorgeous with those green eyes.

My friend Aime made that lovely bridal bracelet for the shoot!

This is one of my favorites!  Soft and ethereal with draping tulle and ribbons. 





Well Hello, gorgeous white stallion! 

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Slowly Embracing Fall

Friday, October 5, 2012



Summer is way paleo friendly, with all the salads and fresh fruit and barefoot outdoorsy fun.  But Fall?  Frankly, it's been hard to get in the mood.   Especially when the weather is still warm enough to do this...



Fall is all about back-to-school clothes, pumpkin spice lattes* and warm apple pie, right?   So what to you do when you don't have a real reason (or budget) for a new wardrobe, and all the autumnal sweets are off limits?

Pumpkin Spice Latte Nutrition Facts Per Serving (16 fl oz)
Calories 380Calories from Fat 120
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 8g40%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 50mg17%
Sodium 220mg10%
Total Carbohydrate51g18%
Dietary Fiber 0g0%
Sugars 49g
Protein 14g
Vitamin A
15%
Vitamin C
0%
Calcium
50%
Iron
0%
Caffeine 150mg
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.


But I'm slowly embracing the season. Here are some simple Autumnal pleasures that don't involve crazy amounts of shopping, sugar or gluten :)


Really amazing tea:


Cozy new shoes (only $40!)

Boots that actually fit over my abnormally huge calves:

Squash! 
Acorn squash with butter and cinnamon; spaghetti squash sauteed with butter and parsley.

Fall placemats, and guilt-free pastries like Paleo Banana Bread!



 Time to switch to a black bag!  This Kirna Zabete bag from Target can be a shoulder or cross-body bag.

And of course, fall candles are the yummiest.

How are you embracing Fall??  




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