My Tiny Dancer

Pretty eyed, pirate smile, you'll marry a music man
Ballerina, you must have seen her dancing in the sand...

  And now she's in me, always with me, tiny dancer in my hand


Let me never forget these blissful summer days!!! 

Here's Sisi around this time last year...

 And here's Sisi, next year :)

photoshopped (obviously) by my cousin Jason

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Instafriday 6/7/12

On a whim, I met Joe at the beach after he got off work. 

Joe swam and climbed some rocks, the dogs sunbathed, and Sisi and I frolicked. Not your typical Tuesday evening, but it was seriously rejuvenating.

I call this photo series "Robinson Crusoe Baby"...

 

 A dear friend sent me a little pedicure set via snail mail "just because."  Who does that?  Super thoughtful people, that's who!  Thanks for making my day!

 I got my whole milk iced latte with one pump of mocha, and enjoyed about 4 sips before dropping it on the floor of Forever 21.  It was so embarrassing for sure, but I was mostly mad I lost my coffee.  I blame my Peg Perego stroller, which has the world's wussiest cup holder that only fits bottled water. What about us coffee drinking mamas? I'm forced to put the latte in the stroller's back pocket, which is quite precarious and sometimes ends in disaster, like today. Arg!

 Housewife fail!  The ONLY time I bust out my iron is when someone orders this belt and I have to iron the flowers flat.  The iron was so dusty.   Good thing hubby wears t shirts and shorts to work.

 Two noteworthy paleo dinners:  orange chicken,and shrimp skewers/sweet potato fries/salad with homemade ranch <-- the ranch tastes wayyy better they day after once it's thickened and the flavors have melded. The day of, it wasn't even edible.

 Siena is finally old enough to play in the fountain with the big kids!  It's hilarious how parents come so prepared with rash guards, swim diapers, water shoes, etc.  We didn't.

The kid loves water! 

Happy Friday, Peeps!

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Best Sippy Cup for Sisi and Me

Anyone else searching for the perfect water bottle?  I've gone through 4 or 5 in the last few years.  We've tried nalgene, metal, plastic travel cups, even the sexy glass bottles.  They were all either too big to fit in my car's drink holder, hard to clean, leaky, or way to breakable for my butterfingers.


This stainless steel insulated bottle by contigo is PERFECT.  We got a twin pack at costco, but it's available here on amazon.

Why I Luuuuv It:
-I left it in my hot car for hours- water was still ice cold!
-The flip top is well designed.
-The straw is more like a big nipple, or an adult sippy cup.  A little weird, but it's a pretty efficient way to drink and you don't have to lean your head back.  
-It's sleek and easy to hold- fits in my cup holder just fine.
-No condensation!
-Best part- Sisi can even drink from it super easily!  We use the tilty cup for Siena at home. It's a great, easy to use training cup for babies. But it's awkward to travel with, so now Sisi and I just share the contigo when we're out and about.  One less thing to carry! 

Or you could just stock up on coffee shop cups, which for some reason make water taste super delish! (i'm remembering the days when a plastic cup could entertain this child for at least 30 minutes. now? not so much!) 

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Instafriday 6/1/12

This week's theme was SUMMER FUN.

Here's to cheap target bikinis (and the confidence to wear them, despite my post-baby belly)

On memorial day, I hopped back on my surf board and caught a few!  I haven't surfed in years, but it really is like riding a bike.  Once you're out there, it all comes back to you.  I'm still very, very sore.

Homemade blueberry popsicles

 

I made a bunch of super colurful felt baby barettes (giving 2 sets away, keeping 1 set for Sisi)

 I bought a new (well, gently used) car!  Apparently, newer cars come with something called "XM" radio.  It's solved my total hatred of radio!  I've been listening to the 90's XM station nonstop.  I got to hear Paula Cole, Alanis Morrisette, Salt & Peppa, Enigma ("Return to Innocence"), and Britney Spears all in a row.  What radio station plays 5 chick songs in a row?  I LOVE it. 

 I decided to be "cool mom" and let Sisi lick the cookie batter. 

 The cookies were sugar-free and gluten free, and voted AMAZING by paleo and non-paleos alike.  Recipe coming soon.

 

Lots of fun with friends at the fake lagoon.

My sparkly seafoam nails match Sisi's mermaid bathing suit. This made me happy.

New fancy schmancy knives, and a rustic Italian seafood stew. 

 

 Raw fish can be so beautiful. 

 

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Just Listed! Anenome Floral Crown

Black-centered anenomes have always been on my floral top 5 (along with fringed tulips, scabiosa, dahlias, and cattleya orchids, in case you are wondering.)

I created this braided anenome crown using a variety of sheer and satin fabrics, with embroidery floss stamens to give them that characteristic drama. 

Wish I had a reason to wear this woodland crown! I do think I could pull it off as a sash to cinch in a billowy dress or blouse. 

photo by Ashleigh Taylor Lane Photography! 

Available in the shop! 

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Instafriday 5/25/12

women's church retreat (I won the bean game!)

enjoying every minute of this random post-church nap. she's an angel (when she's sleepin')

flowers for 3 fabric wands

 refreshing sashimi salad from the one and only fukada

 basil sleeps in so late i often make the bed with her still in it.last minute baby shower card in a jiff, thanks to my silhouette cutting machine!

 more convertible cruising

 and snoozin' pesto got a haircut!

 the baby did not.  rat tail alert!

met up with angel & baby olive and trista & baby ? for lunch

 it's supposed to be cloudy this long weekend, which is a big bummer. at least my feet scream sunshine and blue skies (essie "air" nailpolish)

 *for some reason, i really like when people blog pics of their nail polished toes.  it's kind of hilarious that i do it, too- post pics of my ugly bunioned feet for all to scrutinize. and don't look too closely, i applied that nail polish in the dark while watching a movie. i did my best.  this is real life, yo! who really has money for pedicures? :)

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2nd Generation Lovey

Think she'll notice the difference? 

original on the left, ebay find on the right

Sisi started to fall in love with ducky at about 10 months old.  He's the only lovey she's ever asked for by name or even noticed is out of sight.  This means he rarely gets a bath. When he does, I have to let her put him in the wash and say "bye bye" as we close the top.  Think he looks ragamuffin in the pics?  That was just a few days after being washed!

I realized if I'm smart, I better find a replacement online in case we ever lose him.  And being the airhead I am, it's quite likely I will, since we've gone through 6 previous loveys before introducing ducky.  We've had a few close calls with ducky, to.  o

Gund no longer makes ducky, but I was able to find him on ebay.  Phew!

When I gave her new ducky, she sniffed him and did a double-take.  But then she hugged him and stroked his fur and said, "Oh duggie duggie duggie".  

Lesson learned:  next child will have a lovey that is in stock.  I will buy 5 of them, and rotate them so they are all the same level of threadbare. 

Also, I must keep the two duckies separate.  If she ever sees both of them together, she might lose her whole sense of reality and her world might come crashing down.  :)

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