steady as she grows {nineteen weeks}

beatrice is really interested in two things this week: her toes & her toys. she's really starting to actually engage in her toys, rather than just reflex grabbing them...so i caved in and got her one of those horrifying excersaucers {or however you spell it--is it even a real word?}. we got it used, which makes me feel *slightly* better about all the plastic. why do kids toys need to be made out of so much plastic? i've been pretty good about avoiding plastic {we have some hand-me-down plastic toys} toys and only buying wood or cloth, but it's tough.

i use the excersaucer {or as my friend calls it "the office"} when i need to do something i don't want to do while i'm wearing bea, like taking hot muffins out of the oven {that post is coming soon, i swear}...and for the most part, she enjoys her time in it. she's in for about five-fifteen minutes at the most, then she's ready to move on.

so, i'm not choosing this battle, plastic "office" it is....until she's over it and ready for the next toy...

she's wearing:

photos 1, 2

{hand-me-downs}

photos 3, 4

{cute onesie customized by our little friend josephine "jo-jo"}

photo 5

{hand-me-down onesie}

{baby legs}

toys:

photo 1

{yellow label kids}

photo 2

{who knows, we got it off craigslist!}

photos 3, 4

{haba fairy & planet}

photo 5

{little sapling toys anchor}

{vulli teether}

{bumbo from craigslist}

baby legs...

beatrice fell asleep on my lap and i couldn't resist...love her chubby legs...

i know you covet a monique lhuillier gown...

so some friends are casting for a monique lhuillier series and are looking for a bride-to-be...who knows who might want to be on tv to get a monique lhuillier gown? so i thought i'd post. no judgement if you apply....

from their site:

"MONIQUE LHUILLIER DOCU SERIES”

NOW CASTING: Brides-to-be with stories that will touch hearts across America!

A Major Cable Network and Gay Rosenthal Productions are seeking brides-to-be for a new Docu-Series.

· Do you have an emotional or inspirational story connected to your upcoming wedding?

· Do you have a particularly emotional or dramatic story that led to your engagement?

· Have you always wanted to walk down the aisle in the wedding gown of your dreams?

· Do you know someone getting married who has a great emotional story?

Monique Lhuillier is among the worlds leading creators of haute couture bridal wear -- brides and celebrities all over the world have sought her out to design their gowns.

On this new show, lucky brides will have the opportunity of a lifetime to wear the dress of their dreams!

To apply visit: http://thecastingfirm.com/monique-lhuillier

steady as she grows {eighteen weeks}

beatrice is growing more and more everyday. i swear sometimes i pick her up and feel like she's grown since the last time i picked her up...like five minutes ago! she's definitely found her voice and is using it and she loves to laugh. thank goodness, with me & patty as her mamas! she loves meeting new people and has been going to her playgroups and yoga...

she also had a first this week: her first cold. it's so heartbreaking to hear her little sniffles and coughs. i feel so helpless and wish i could do something. although she rarely cries, she's been waking up at night crying and a little extra fussy. poor baby. i'm doing everything i can to boost my immunity so that i don't get sick and keep us both feeling miserable. but i know, like all things, this too shall pass, and she'll be back to herself in no time!

she's wearing:

{petit bateau top, from grow kid grow}

{babylegs leggings}

{trumpette socks}

{blanket hand-knit by my grandma}

work at home, stay at home, working....mom

ok, i know i'm not inventing the wheel here, but i've been thinking a lot about work & motherhood. well, obviously since now i'm a mom. and until recently, i worked. i worked a lot, actually. you could even call me a work-aholic. i was {am still?} in a field that is extremely demanding, my days were 12+ hours, my weeks 6+ days...some days i would get up before patty woke up and get home long after she had gone to bed. i loved my job...i was good at it and i was very career focused...

i assumed i'd have baby, recover, then pop back to work as soon as she turns three months old, right? not so much. i'm doing everything i can to try to be a stay-at-home mom for a little longer...something i never thought i'd do or want.

yes, i consider myself a feminist and i believe feminism means "do whatever you want," not "women need to be just like men." so, if you want to be a stay-at-home mom, you're just as much a feminist as a career lady in my book...so long as you choose it. i just thought i would choose career lady...

i realized that in choosing career i was choosing something that was fulfilling but something that also was based in some materialism. financial need of course, but i'll admit i loved having the extra income to fuel my etsy addiction, among other things...

so, my priorities have shifted. i choose beatrice and giving her the emotional attachment in these crucial early years. i read somewhere that your kids want you and your attention, not things. in reality, i may have to be work-at-home mom, too, and that's ok. can this all change tomorrow, of course. who knows, i may get a call for a job and have to take it.

but i'm not going to judge myself...{and i'm not judging anyone who makes different decisions than mine, it's all good: working mom, stay-at-home mom, work-from-home mom, you name it...it's a personal choice and as women we need to support each other's choices...}

now i find myself dipping back into old careers to make a little money here and there doing things from home...i know i've been hinting at other projects for a while, and well, i'm still gonna hint because nothing is fully developed yet...but i'm doing the best i can and loving beatrice and doing what's important for our family right now.

{photo credit american express via celebrity baby blog}

music mondays {sierra swan}

i've been following sierra swan on twitter and she's been posting tidbits and videos...and i'm hooked. i love her voice, it's so velvety and sensual...i kinda get lost & dreamy when i hear her. and to top it off, she's a mama to an adorable little guy. hooray for the mama's...

if you are lucky enough to live in los angeles, she has a show coming up at the end of the month: january 31 at the hotel cafe...since beatrice won't take the bottle, i don't think i'll be able to make it...

follow her on twitter for the magic...

steady as she grows {seventeen weeks}

they really do grow so fast...just today i cleaned out the first batch of clothes that beatrice grew out of...so for that reason it seems so silly to buy a lot of new clothes! yes, i know i confessed to the occasional gilt group or zulily purchase, but that's not the norm. most of beatrice's clothes have been hand-me-downs or have come from re-sale shops like grow kid grow in our neighborhood. until now, i haven't had anything to sell them, but now i do! you can bring your clothes in to sell and you either get a credit or cash, i'm taking the credit every time if beatrice is outgrowing clothes every three months!

she's such a wonderful baby, so calm and such a sweet disposition. she is really actively grabbing & playing with toys {read: putting in mouth}...i've found some used toys for her, but with toys it's a bit tougher. they are not as easy to find...

she had so many activities last week: we went to a play group at the los angeles gay & lesbian center for the first time. it was really great to meet & connect with other lgbt parents! there were quite a few people there, it was really cool. i have to admit it's tough sometimes being the only gay at some of the support groups and yoga we attend...everyone is awesome and i've made tons of great mom friends...it's just nice to connect with folks who are doing the same thing we are doing as far as the "non-traditional" family {whatever that means}...

she's wearing:

{old navy top}

{children's place pants}

{trumpette socks}

{all gently used from grow kid grow}

+

{bla bla doll}

{blanket hand-knit by my grandma}

soapwalla keeps me fresh...

ok, so i'm going to blog about deodorant. yes, deodorant. it seems like it's so tough to find an organic, green deodorant that *works*...it's important to me to find something healthy, as skin is our largest organ...what i put on my body is just as important as what i put in my body...why spend extra money on organic blueberries if i'm going to put yucky chemicals on my skin?

i've tried them all...from the fancy ones to the rock you see in the hippie health stores, but i've found the best one by far. i've been using the deodorant cream from soapwalla for almost two years now. it's amazing. yes, i used amazing to describe deodorant. it has great consistency, smells nice and IT WORKS! and remember i live in los angeles, hot los angeles...{confession: when i got home from the hospital with beatrice, i probably didn't shower *every* day, well, it still worked...} i started ordering two at a time because i hate running out...

i love that it's hand-made by the soapwalla chef, it's so decadent...i've tried some of her other yummy products and they are wonderful {i used the pregnancy oil on my belly throughout my pregnancy}...but i'm a huge fan of the deodorant!!

here are the ingredients:

Organic jojoba, sunflower, and rosehip seed oils; shea butter; a combination of all-natural and gluten-free vegetable clays and powders; aluminum-free sodium bicarbonate; organic vegan kosher glycerin; a combination of organic lavender, peppermint, sweet orange, bergamot and tea tree essential oils.

{photo credit: soapwalla}

music mondays {karen elson}

i first heard karen elson sing at a citizens band performance in los angeles. i was pretty blown away, i had no idea she could sing! and loving red heads, i knew had to hear more when her album dropped. well, i wasn't disappointed.

the video, directed by my beautiful friends, the belles of the black diamond field, is gorgeous & haunting...

steady as she grows {sixteen weeks}

first of all, happy friday! i'm late on this post this week...

sixteen weeks is four months...so unbelievable that beatrice has been with me for four months...we're out of her so-called 'fourth trimester,' where she nurses and sleeps all the time...it's amazing to see her take in the world and learn to grasp, smile, laugh and start to play...

i'm so excited to continue to watch her grow and get to know her personality, but i really love this stage--she's such a small little bundle that still falls asleep when nursing. what an amazing gift that i've been able to nurse her, i hope that i can keep it up for at least a year, if not longer...

i've been reading about how facebook deleted, then re-instated, then deleted, then re-instated {confused yet?} the breastfeeding support page, the leaky b@@b...it really saddens me that the natural process of a mother feeding her child can be so provoking. breastfeeding obscene? really? i'm so grateful that i've had nothing but support as a breastfeeding mom. there's really nothing more amazing that a mom can give her child...

she's wearing:

first three photos

{baby gap dress & luvette leggings}

{hand-me-down socks}

{blanket hand-knit by my grandma for me when i was a baby!}

last photo

{splendid thermal}

luving luvette...

i have to say it's been pretty cold here in los angeles. i know, i'm spoiled--no snow blizzards or anything, but for sunny so cal, drops into the 4o's are considered cold. so beatrice has been keeping her little bum warm with cashmere. yes, cashmere. she got a pair of bum warmers as a gift from luvette.

luvette is run by an eco-responsible mom who re-purposes sweaters into adorable baby & toddler wear. you'll find pants, diaper covers, even blankets, all lovingly hand-crafted for your little one. how genius & adorable...beatrice's little pants are made from an old cashmere sweater {the sleeves are the legs!}...so soft & luxurious for her little tush!

i think beatrice needs to sport that little skirt...

{photo credit: luvette}

hand-made eco toys on etsy...cuteness abounds!

it's unfortunate that one needs to make sure that a toy is non-toxic these days, so i tend to stick to hand-made and made responsibly. plus, the hand-made ones are the cutest! so sweet and special. here are some of my favorites from etsy sellers:

{cloth play blocks from the polka dot spot on etsy}

{soft baby rattle, bee from by handmade by marika on etsy}

{crocheted organic rattle, monkey {there are lots of animals to choose from!} from locomomma on etsy}

{little anchor teether from little sapling toys on etsy}

{felted sheep from woolies on etsy}

{matilda, the eco friendly owl also from woolies on etsy}

music mondays {anna waronker}

i'm loving this song right now....anna waronker was the lead singer of that dog back in the nineties and she's back with another solo album. really excited to hear what she's got in store... album not available until feb 8, but be sure to check it out!