gratitude is a state of mind

while i appreciate the attention that gratitude is getting on this day of the year, i can't stop to think that being grateful should be a full time endeavor.  we went to the waldorf school elves' faire last weekend and a cute elf came up to us at our table while we were eating lunch and presented us with a basket.  she said:  "choose a fortune."  bea reached her little hand in, still sticky from vegan beans and rice, and pulled out a tiny scroll with a tiny ribbon around it.  i helped her carefully unroll it.  in lovely calligraphy it read:

gratitude is riches.  complaint is poverty. 

our life is so rich.  we have food, clothing & shelter, we have family, we have friends and we have lots of love.  while our lives aren't perfect and we face challenges everyday {like disheartening phone calls trying to get health insurance and being told "yes, if you were married you would pay less each month."}, but above all we are so amazingly blessed.  everyday i wake up, i try to remember that and at the very least make a mental list of all the things i'm grateful for.  everyday.

every single day.

{photo credit:  jamie street}

music mondays {kitten}

loving this song from kitten right now.

our love for hyland's

yes...we really do love hyland's teething tablets. a lot.

family photography

a few months back, we were lucky enough to have the super talented jamie street, the blogger behind a desert fete and one half of the wedding photography sensation rad + in love, come and take some gorgeous family photos.

her documentary style is not only gorgeous, but so thoughtful as well.  she seems to capture the perfect moments.

if you are in the southern california area, and want some family photos in time for the holidays...definitely check out her mini sessions coming up.

check out the natural setting...so sweet.  if you're lucky enough to be in san diego, don't miss out.  if you are considering traveling in the socal area, it's worth the drive.

work, stay at home...is it a choice?

well, yes, it *has* been a while hasn't it.  hello there.  remember way back {you probably don't god knows how long ago i posted} when i said i wanted to stay at home? i did, for a long time.  but i've had to go back to work.  i've been blessed with jobs that are flexible and allow me to have at home time with beatrice, but i'm officially a working mama now.  it wasn't really my choice, i went back to work for financial reasons.  we decided that i would go back to work and patty would stay home with beatrice.  on the other hand, i'm happy and grateful that patty is able to bond with beatrice and we are demonstrating a true parenting partnership.

to me,  feminism is about choice, but what if i don't chose it?  well, i suppose i did choose to go back to work and stay where we are versus moving somewhere that might have a lower cost of living...but as lesbian parents, we can't just pick up and move anywhere.  i want beatrice to grow up with diversity and acceptance.  i don't want her to be the only one she knows who has two moms or two dads.  so we stay in the metropolitan area and i go back to work.

my priorities will always be family first and i will have to find ways for my life to reflect that.  i'm still continually inspired by other mamas who make it work somehow...that ever elusive work/life balance. will the story change and evolve?  of course it will.  but i'm doing my best to be a present and supportive mama to beatrice, whatever that means today.

steady as she grows {seventeen months}

this weekend, we went to a playdate for a waldorf charter school that is scheduled to open in 2013.  the idea of getting an waldorf education through the public school system is really appealing.  i love the idea of a waldorf education, but a private education is so expensive...there are even two different waldorf schools in our area, but i'm really looking forward to the progress of this charter.  this was our first playdate with this group and we are really excited to participate more!

this was beatrice's first time with painting...we bought her crayons the weekend before, but i was really inspired to get her painting...the set up was great, there were lots of cardboard boxes laid out on the ground and around in a circle.  at first, bea just watched all the other kids...but by the end, she was literally laying inside a cardboard box painting it!

at seventeen months, she's got more control over her body and really loves exploration...so the painting was an amazing experience.  i've been researching non toxic and homemade paints and now i have a use for all those cardboard boxes i've been inexplicably hoarding...

she is still signing and she knows more signs than words she can say, but she's really using her voice a lot more lately.  she also knows that i'm "mama" and patty is "mom."  we went through a million different names to call patty, but just sort of landed on mom.  it's still confusing, but mostly for us...she seems to know the difference!  yesterday, she saw a picture of patty and said "mom!"

i'm loving this age and the amazing growth spurts...she's also definitely demonstrating her toddler determination.  we are working really hard on not taking things from her (unless it's dangerous!), which is tough.  i want to respect her and not grab things from her, plus i ask her not to grab things from other kids, so "do as i say, not as i do?"...not so much.  but this morning i accidentally left my phone within her reach, and usually if i ask for it back she'll give it to me.  but this time, she pulled it away and said "nah!" so i've been trying to offer her alternatives and give her choices, so she is empowered...something like: "i'm not offering you the phone, but you can have this book or this toy..."

she's developing her own personality and it's such an exciting journey!

{photo credit: bug from mostly granola}

happy valentine's day!

happy valentine's day!  this year, we continued our family valentine's tradition of attending the true pablove event!  last year was the first year and patty & i volunteered...beatrice was only five months old, so i wrapped her up in my moby wrap and she was snug as a bug.  

true pablove is a family event to raise money for the pablove foundation: fighting childhood cancer with love.  this organization is really close to our hearts as it was started by our dear friends jeff and joann, in memory of their son pablo, who died in 2009 from cancer.  

the event was so fun and so joyous--there was gymnastics, ice cream, pizza, tacos, music and crafts, crafts, crafts galore!  we loved being able to give back to the community and have a wonderful time doing it.  i said to patty, however: "i wish we didn't have to do this...i wish there wasn't a true pablove event.  i wish that kids didn't get cancer." but kids do get cancer.  to which patty responded: "jeff and joann  have been able to use their story to give joy and help to others."  so true, jeff and joann are some of the the most amazing, positive people i've come across in my life and i'm honored to know them and so grateful that we are able to help in even just a small way.  the work that pablove foundation does is so important and they have found a way to infuse joy and positivity and love while helping children who need it most...

happy valentine's day send your love out to those who need it...help fight childhood cancer with love! 

{photo from the fotomatic booth at true pablove!  bea kept looking at the little screen on the bottom and not at the camera...}