Terror-Free Tales

You’ve got the costumes, mapped out the candy-blazing trail, and picked up the “adult sodas” to sip out of your coffee mug while being dragged door to door by Bob the Builder and Dora the Explorer.

Hopefully dinner will consist of more than just Tootsie Pops and DOTS, but if you still find yourself scraping Bob and Dora from the ceiling at bedtime, maybe a fun Halloween book will do the trick to get them to go night night… even if still in their costumes.

Before you reach for a copy of Cujo or The Exorcist, check out these nightmare-free spooky stories previewed and recommended by the writers at Babble.com in their Halloween Children’s Book Round-Up.

1) Tucker's Spooky Halloween by Leslie Mcguirk
2) Aaaarrgghh! Spider! by Lydia Monks
3) Sarah's Little Ghosts by Thierry Robberecht, illustrated by Philippe Goossens
4) The Crow: A Not-So-Scary Story by Alison Paul
5) The Mysteries of Harris Burdick: Portfolio Edition by Chris Van Allsburg

A Keen Fashion Sense

Who knew it started so early? A superior keen fashion sense has been instilled into my daughter. I've always thought of myself as a fashion savvy, good eye for design kind of girl. But, I think I have been one-upped by my daughter.

Today was my morning to sleep in, thank you husband. And, although sleeping in means 7:45 am, every little bit counts these days. As I stumbled in the living room bleary eyed and groggy, I found Cy and Lillie quietly looking at pictures in the latest National Geographic. Sweet baby, sweet Daddy, but wait something looks different here. Cy starts laughing and as Lillie realizes I'm in the room she gestures "hat".

My beautiful daughter was clad in green striped footed pajamas, with bright pink shoes over the footies and a dark green camo hat. I start to giggle and think what has gone on this morning? Cy explains that Lillie was adamant that she wear her shoes when she got up and of course her hat. Because you never know when you might need to dart out the door at 6:45 am for an unknown reason. And, she teetered around in her outfit for a good couple of hours.

I didn't realize that a person's innate fashion sense would start so early. But, there you have it. A 13 month old can decide she needs to accessorize her pajamas just as well as a 32 year old. Kudos to you little one. I will have to betroth my Vogue to you at an earlier age than expected.

Trick-or-Treat, Smell My Feet

Yes, Halloween sneaked up on us like a stinky diaper. Boo! But that’s no excuse for sending Junior out on the street this Wednesday night with a homemade costume a la sheet with the eyes cut out.

No need to bother with Target and Wal-Mart at this point – it’s been slim pickins there for weeks. The same moms whose kids show up at school with perfectly coordinated outfits, combed hair and square meals in their lunchboxes already raided the Halloween aisles in September to nab the good stuff.

You can use regular household items to concoct a clever, one-of-a-kind Halloween costume, but it will take a little work and imagination so your child doesn’t look like a kid with a metal colander strapped to his head rather than the cool martian you were going for.

One of our very favorite parenting publications is BabyTalk Magazine. First of all, it's free. Plus it’s chock full of useful information, refreshing articles, advice and "straight talk for new moms". Our friends over at BabyTalk have pulled together a couple of ideas for homemade Halloween costumes that are just to die for.

My favorites are the scuba diver and strawberry (pictured above). Check out their full Halloween Central section for the rest of the suggestions on how to make your little one the cutest trick-or-treater on the block. I bet even Polly Perfect and her store-bought witch costume will be tricked by your craftiness.

Minnie Mouse Socks

Two Blue Peas' vendor Trumpette has created a line of Minnie Mouse knee-high socks that are the cutest thing. First, I love Trumpette socks and had them on my daughter most of her 0-12 months. They are the only socks that I found that not only stay on Lillie's feet, but are absolutely adorable.

Trumpette's staple in their line of socks is the Mary Janes. A very popular set of socks that looks like little mary jane shoes on your baby's feet. Adorable, right? Well, let me tell you how adorable these Minni Mouse knee-highs are. Not only does the sock look like your baby is wearing little shoes, the leg part of the sock is dotted just like Minnie wears. Put these socks on your little one and you are guaranteed to start singing the Mickey Mouse theme song.

These are the perfect socks for the Fall season and will make and even better stocking stuffer. I can hear it now...M-I-C-K-E-Y-M-O-U-S-E...Mickey Mouse, Mickey Mouse, forever hold your banner high, high, high, high.

Paris on Ice

I wish I was talking about a new Ice Capades show featuring the heiress on skates alongside Elmo, but I’m not. I’ve always tried to keep my topics as far away from the not-so-fab four (Paris, Britney, Richie and Lohan) as possible, but I just couldn’t resist this one.

So it seems that not only will our generation get to enjoy Paris for the rest of our lives, so will our children and our grandchildren and our great grandchildren… According to all of my top gossip sources, Miss Hilton recently invested thousands of her well-earned, hard-working dollars in her eternal frozen afterlife thanks to the technologies of the Cryonics Institute.

Yes, she will be preserved on ice for hundreds, maybe even thousands of years. I know you’re all concerned for her and the loneliness she might have to endure in popsicleville, but don’t be. She also plans to take poor pups Tinkerbell and Cinderella with her – that is, if she doesn’t lose them again before she goes.

Earth's Best Snacks

So, Sarah's post had me thinking about food. And, I wanted to share my discovery of a line of snacks that Lillie loves and I am more than happy to feed her. Earth's Best has partnered with Sesame Street to make meals, crackers, cereal and more for your toddler. I've always liked the Earth's Best brand, but not until recently did I start to offer these foods to Lillie. She LOVES the crackers and snack bars, and especially the oatmeal "tookies".

We struggle most every day to find Lillie foods that she is happy to eat. Mostly I get the waving of the arms and the tiniest "nnno" from her at meal time. But, honestly, she never turns down the Earth's Best bars and snacks. I didn't even know they made meals until last night, and I cannot wait to try them out on Lillie. Especially the little personal pizza.

The best part about these snacks and meals is they are organic. Before I had Lillie, I never thought I'd be the parent who was crazy over organics for my child. But, when you start to make food decisions for someone other than yourself, you have to consider what is in the food. Certainly obstaining from pesticides and other chemicals is a good thing. And, you can feel really good about offering these foods that are healthy and fun.

Check out the Earth's Best Seasame Street line of food for your little one. It is a billion times healthier than the hungry man heart attack mentioned below (which I can't wait for Kevin to eat and report on), and will certainly have your pea excited for meals and snacks!

One frozen heart attack, comin’ right up!

I do all the grocery shopping in my household. I don’t mind one bit and actually prefer to go alone. It took my husband 10 minutes once to decide whether he wanted distilled, purified, spring or drinking water during one of our extremely few family trips to the store. It’s ok honey – the choices can be a little overwhelming.

If I had my way, I would avoid the frozen dinner aisle all together. The portions are small and the price and sodium counts are anything but. Unfortunately, these icy cardboard box entrees are a staple of my husband’s diet.

He mentioned last night that he could use something a little heartier for lunch to hold him over until quitting time. Evidently the ones marked “lean” and “organic” that I’ve been buying are not enough for my Hungry-Man. So partly to humor him, but mostly to humor myself, I wheeled by the grilled turkey and pasta primavera and went in for the kill: Hungry-Man Sports Grill Beef Taco with Potato Wedges. Wow. There are so many things wrong with this product I don’t even know where to begin.

How about with the marketing:
“1 LB. OF FOOD” and “Now you can enjoy popular varieties from your favorite sports grill in front of your own TV.”

Or maybe with the ingredients:
“Imitation Cheddar Cheese”, “Artificial Flavor” and “Artificial Color”. There are more 27-letter words on the back of the box than I can count on my entire family's hands.

But I think the Nutrition Facts speak for themselves:



I can’t believe I actually bought this thing, even if just for a joke. Now I just hope my husband doesn’t seriously reach for this heart-attack-in-a-box for his post-game midnight snack this weekend.

Weather change, feelings change

It finally hit here - Fall. The weather turned a chilly 55 degrees and all of the sudden I feel like Christmas has arrived. Now, I know all you folks in Minnesota will laugh at this blog, but when you live in the middle of Texas cold weather means Winter. I woke up this morning looking at the rain and my little one in her footed pj's and I thought, do I need to make a stew today? Or bust out the winter coats and egg-nog?

What is it about the weather that makes you have such strong emotions? Are we really that connected to nature? We must be. Our primal ancestors didn't live in climate control or insulated houses where the temperature is always a mild 75 degrees. The change in weather truly has an affect on your emotions. All of a sudden my gathering instincts kick in and I need to stock up on food in the pantry and bottled water. OK, well maybe just some hot chocolate and red wine.

The funny thing is that the weather is supposed to get back in the 80's in just a couple of days. Back to "normal" around here. And all my winter preparations today will be for not. The husband will laugh when I try to wear a long sleeve shirt in a few days or keep putting socks on my baby. Its hard to switch my Fall/Winter instincts on and off. Maybe I need to live in a place where October really means Fall.

Forgive Me Mommy For I Have Sinned

I have to fess up. Even though I don’t have any little peas of my own just yet, I read a lot of mommy blogs and frequently lurk a handful of mommy forums.

Mostly for the obvious reason – to find out what real moms need and hope to get out of their baby gear and the shops they purchase from. But also because there are some really funny ladies (with even funnier stories) out there who are willing to just air their dirty laundry in the name of motherhood.

A common thread in many of these online communities seems to be “Mommy Confessions” – a way for mommies to spill the beans about their guilty pleasures and the little white lies they sometimes tell to indulge in them. Here are some of my favs this week:

“I have knowingly handed a child with a dirty diaper over to a caregiver and feigned surprise when the diaper was discovered.”

“I have deliberately gone to the grocery store on sample night with the intention of letting my children eat free samples for dinner. Sometimes all I buy on those runs is milk for them to drink while they eat.”

“I give the kid the dog's toy and watch them chase each other for like 45 minutes. Let's me catch up on my blogging!!”

“Jr has been known to eat dog food or dog treats... But it's all natural! Whitefish and potato! It's good for him, I swear!!”

“My husband has been napping for about 2 hours, and it's almost our normal bedtime now. I should have woken him up, but I didn't because I know he would have wanted me to cook for him and I really hate cooking.”

Need a Giggle?

I have to do it, promote fellow blogging site Babble.com. If you have not checked out this site before, you are in for a real treat. They have many bloggers, stories, postings, videos, articles, etc from moms, dads and readers alike. I peruse the site occasionally when I'm looking for interesting tidbits about children or funny stories that make you think, I'm not alone in this crazy parenting gig.

Well, I stumbled across one of the funnier videos I've seen to date. I didn't know this particular video series existed until today, so I had to share. Although, we love that you read our little blog, this site is the CNN.com of the parenting world and I don't have guilty feelings sending you there.

"Ask a Toddler" is the video series I discovered. This precious little girl sits in her chair and answers questions that are submitted via email. In true typical toddler style, her answers are hysterically funny and go on tangents that only a parent can appreciate. And instead of sitting still, something which no toddler can accomplish, the chair becomes a prop in her performance. The question today (paraphrased) was "where do you get the cute dresses you wear?". Simple question, yes, but the answer is something you have to go check out and see.

Enjoy this video and series, I will be making it a part of my 'things that make me laugh on the web' list. Thank you Babble.com for putting this kind of content out there. It makes me smile.

video link:
http://www.babble.com/content/articles/video/foundvideo/askatoddler2/

"Deceptively Delicious" or Deceptively Dangerous?

When I first heard about Jessica Seinfeld’s new "Deceptively Delicious" cookbook, I have to admit it sounded pretty brilliant. I have yet to meet a kid who can’t wait to scarf down their steamed spinach and brussels sprouts. And with Oprah’s seal of approval, it’s got to be more delicious than deceptive right?

But then I started thinking. Thinking about how childhood obesity is on the rise and average life expectancy may be on the decline partly due to poor food choices. Are parents sending the right message to their kids by encouraging them to eat more brownies and cake because they’re “good for you”? I don’t care if it’s packed with puréed beets. It’s still cake.

I’ve watched Helen go through the floor-stained, wall-spattered trials and tribulations of finding veggies that a 1 year old will actually eat. But she did it. She ruled out (for now) the ones that end up on the floor for the cat to clean up, and stocks up on the ones that make it in Lillie’s belly.

I obviously can’t remember as far back as my first tango with veggies, but I do distinctively recall sitting at the kitchen table still staring at my broccoli long after the dishes had been cleared and the rest of the family had retreated to the living room to watch Solid Gold. Thank you Mom for sticking to your guns and creating healthy eating habits for me at such an early age. It probably would have been a lot easier for you to slap a carrot brownie on my plate and call it a day.

The Swaddle of all Swaddlers

The word swaddle usually doesn't enter your vocabulary until you sit in your first parenting class while pregnant. Some genius somewhere discovered how to wrap a child in a receiving blanket and basically make them like a very large burrito. Wrapping techniques vary and swaddlers vary, but all in all the concept is the same, tightly wrap your little one so they feel safe, warm and cozy like in the womb.

My good friend Betsy had a baby girl 2 months prior to the arrival of Lillie, and she had given me a Swaddle Designs blanket as a gift. At first I thought, what could be different about this particular receiving blanket? But, for the first 6 weeks of life Lillie lived in that swaddler. It is a very large receiving blanket, which is part of the genius. And, because of its size and material, the Swaddle Designs blanket keeps your little one tightly wrapped, no busting out of the seams, arms flailing about. Giving your baby longer sleep periods and overall happiness.

Swaddle Designs blankets are the concept of Lynette Damir an RN and mother of two. She was frustrated by the lack of good swaddling blankets on the market and decided to forge the retail business herself. She has combined the right flannel material along with size and an instruction tag on the blanket to ensure you are creating the perfect baby burrito. The color and design options are modern and sweet, perfect for new little peas.

You can find this perfect blanket at Two Blue Peas. It makes the best gift, as my friend Betsy had already discovered, and even better can come with a monogram. Since receiving mine, this is the only gift I give to my friends and family members, because longer sleep periods and happier babies those first 6 weeks is so important.

No. 2 = Lower IQ?

Does birth order really have an impact on our IQ? There’s a whole slew of theories about the why and the how much, but a lot of folks seem to think that IQ decreases (even if only slightly) with each successive kiddo.

As second (and third, and fourth, and fifth...) children, we already have to deal with the fact that our photo albums are considerably slimmer than our older siblings’. Their books are chock full of photos, firsts documentation and other random tidbits like locks of hair and hospital bracelets. We’re lucky if our original birth certificates still exist in a dusty shoe box somewhere.

Now you’re telling me I have to worry that my theoretical lower IQ might be due to the fact that my parents weren’t as excited about my arrival? OK, I know that’s a tad dramatic. My parents love me just as much as my fabulous older sister.

I don’t know if there’s any merit to this theory, but I do wish I had known about it earlier in life. It could have been used as some serious leverage to weasel out of punishment for sneaking out and talking back.

Check out the latest story on CNN.com for a recent study on the matter.

Lovies and Cuddlers and Snugglers...oh my!

I think one of the best things you can do for your little one is offer a lovie to them when they are 6 months or so. A friend of mine gave me a precious duck lovie at a baby shower. I tried to offer it to Lillie several times at an early age, but around 6 months she really took to it. We would lay it in her crib at night as a comfort item for sleeping.

Since 6 months Lillie has a very fond attachment to her duck. I can see her in her crib via the camera monitor, genius invention, hugging her duck at night or using it as a pillow. She also invented a duck game when she first was crawling. She would put the duck on top of her head and crawl around shaking her head back and forth making a growling sound. Strange, I know, I think the growling part was taught to her by her dad.

There are so many fun things kids invent with their lovie, snuggler or cuddler. And, it makes sleeping in their bed alone so much easier. Fortunately, Two Blue Peas has a plethora of lovies to choose from. There are duck and monkey snugglers, giraffe, lamb and puppy cuddlers, and little giraffe lovies which right now are 20% off!

Whatever you choose for your precious pea I promise it will be a hit. What's sweeter than a toddler toting around their favorite lovie and sucking their thumb? Not much...

Deep Thought Thursday

On my way home from “the office” yesterday afternoon, I pulled up to a stop light next to a truck with a very hairy, but even happier four-legged passenger in the front seat. The window was rolled all the way down, his front legs were perched on the door and his nose was stuck straight up in the air so he didn’t miss a single glorious scent.

All of the sudden I started giggling out loud. I’m sure I looked crazy since I was all alone and didn’t have a Bluetooth headset sticking out of my ear, but whatever. You’re going to have to try hard on this one, but can you remember the days when you could stay up through the last skit on SNL each week? You know, because it was funny?

Rover triggered my memory of one of the best segments I can remember since tuning into the show when I was in high school: Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey. The first one goes out to the pup from yesterday afternoon. He did, after all, inspire this random, pointless post. The others are just some of my favorites for you to enjoy, and maybe even laugh out loud at.

"Better not take a dog on the space shuttle, because if he sticks his head out when you're coming home his face might burn up."

"Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes."

"Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words – "mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind."

"If you saw two guys named Hambone and Flippy, which one would you think liked dolphins the most? I'd say Flippy, wouldn't you? You'd be wrong, though. It's Hambone."

"How come the dove gets to be the peace symbol? How about the pillow? It has more feathers than the dove, and it doesn't have that dangerous beak."

Finally for all you mommies... "The face of a child can say it all, especially the mouth part of the face."

You can check out the rest of the hilarious thoughts at the official Jack Handey website, which I give full credit to for the quotes above.

Signing Time!

I have to admit I was a skeptic. Babies and sign language, that seems a little ridiculous. I watched videos on the subject, browsed through a few books. But, not until I actually started using signs with my 12 month old daughter was I amazed and shocked how quickly these little ones can absorb it. Lillie right now can sign milk, more and all done. We started not too long ago with signing and I'm super impressed by her progress.

One of Lillie's babysitters had recommended a show on PBS, Signing Time. When she first told me about it, all I could think of was C-SPAN and the ASL person signing the commentary on the bottom right side of your TV screen. I should give PBS more credit, they are, after all, the creators of Sesame Street. I set my DVR to record the show a few weeks ago and was more than pleasantly surprised by the content and format. It's bright, colorful and is full of songs and signing. One watch with Lillie and I was hooked. Not only is she watching and trying to say and sign some of the words, but I've just picked up a second language. I like to impress my husband at the end of the day with signs for grouchy, sick, happy or surprised (totally dorky, I know).

I hope we can progress and at least get the basics down for my daughter. Believe me, signing is a much better alternative than whining or moaning. We've replaced throwing all her dinner on the floor when she's done with a simple wave of the hands. Check out the show and read up on the subject, I promise you won't be disappointed.

Lunch is on us today.

Since we’re an online shop, we can’t exactly collect your business cards in a cheesy oversized margarita glass at the checkout counter. There is no checkout counter. Just a kitchen table with dueling laptops above and crushed goldfish crackers below.

So we’re going to have to do things a little differently. Rather than us randomly selecting a couple of winners, we’re going to leave it up to you. Today, two lucky fast-typing winners will receive a FREE "Lunch To-Go" kit on us! All you have to do is be the first or second person to visit twobluepeas.com, add one of the kits to your bag and enter coupon code "LUNCH" at checkout to see if you’ve won! Free gift, free shipping - what more could a girl ask for?

There are two mod prints to choose from, and you get to take your pick. We’re not out to embarrass little Johnny with a girlie pink and brown motif. Each stylish kit includes a fork and spoon set, 1 disposable bib, 1 disposable placemat and 1 individual pack of hand wipes all tidied up in convenient compartments. An easy grab-and-go solution for lunch on the run with little ones.

Thanks again for tuning in to our daily jabber, and good luck!
> Blue Mod Lunch To-Go
> Pink/Brown Lunch To-Go

Yes, I can still be alone!

I did it. Successfully made a trip alone sans child, husband, diaper bag or stroller. In the words of De La Soul, it was just me, myself and I! And, to top it all off, I didn't cry. Not one tear shed the whole trip. I thought for sure I would be wrought with anxiety or sadness, but surprisingly I wasn't. It probably helps that my husband is a great dad and I didn't worry about her care at all. And, my girlfriends are extremely entertaining, so there was never a dull moment.

Speaking of, the weekend turned out to be somewhat jinxed. I don't know if the stars weren't aligned for us or if the strong winds in Florida were swirling bad luck, but let me give you a rundown of all the craziness. Our host Lauren had broken her arm the Wednesday before people were to arrive. The poor thing couldn't dress, shower or drive very well and made it very hard to act as hostess, as you can imagine. Then, Thursday Amy missed her flight and had to hop on a later one. Amanda cancels her trip last minute because her child gets sick. Dana decides last minute to come and pays $600 for a flight that arrives Thursday midnight. Lauren's husband's car had a broken seat that wouldn't sit upright. The city was under a water ban with contaminated city water, so there was no drinking water. And, to top it all off, while we were all in the car coming back from lunch on Saturday, we get a flat tire in the worst part of town. Waited in our bathing suits, pregnant lady, designer bags and all for over 2 hours for a tow truck and taxi cab to rescue us. Thank you to the two police officers that kept watch over us during the debacle.

With all of that madness, we still managed to stay up until 2 in the morning laughing and talking. Even though its been over a year since the last reunion and 9 years since college, it feels like we never left each others side when we're together. Amy brought the wonderful news that she is over 6 months pregnant with a little boy, which to see her pregnant and feel that belly made all the bad luck go away. Another baby in the group. That makes 3 down and 5 to go. I didn't want to leave my girls, the trip seemed too short. As soon as we get in the groove, then we all have to leave. If only they had a sorority house for adults where husbands and children can live. OK, that sounds like a compound, never mind. But, I would like it if we were all in the same town. I love my girls and our friendship...

Martha, Martha, Martha

My husband is forever telling me I shouldn’t support a “crook”. So she made a mistake. A pretty darn big, embarrassing, life-altering, multiple-felony mistake. But it seems like Martha Stewart has paid her debts to society. She coughed up the monetary fine, did some hard time (and probably brought new hope to her fellow prisoners by conducting classes on how to create custom wall art with nothing more than toothpaste, TP and a couple of box springs), plus she suffered through a whole season of dead-on impressions every Saturday night by SNL’s Ana Gasteyer.

I’m so over it. Felon or not, Martha is still queen of the domestic kingdom. If I’m ever in a design rut or need ideas for baby shower favors or a fool-proof brunch recipe for overnight guests, I can always turn to her for inspiration.

My poor bedroom is currently a hodgepodge of antique and modern furniture, ill-fitted sheets and a mind-numbingly boring color palette. Thank goodness the eight hours a night I spend in there are with my eyes closed. For some irritating reason, I can’t seem to put my finger on what exactly I want to do in there.

I’ve been frequenting the usual suspects online – Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware – but I still keep coming up blank. Then I wandered over to marthastewart.com where I noticed an adorable little logo for a new publication of hers called Blueprint, Design Your Life. What the heck, right? Its only 15 bucks for a subscription and I’m desperate here.

Well I got my first issue in the mail yesterday. Normally I like to spread my magazine reading over several days so it will last longer and the wait for the next issue doesn’t seem so grueling, but every page in this glorious issue (Issue No. 6, pictured above) fit my style to a T. I had to read through to the last editorial on the back page. I got some great ideas for my bedroom, but also took away tidbits about "Dressing the Part" (finding your personal style and then dressing accordingly) and the "Secret Shortcuts of Healthy People" (11 easy ways to live a healthier life).

I may be jumping the gun since I’m only one issue in, but so far the only downside I see is that Blueprint is only published 6 times a year instead of 12. I guess I have to start spreading my reading out again. If I’ve piqued your interest, you can sign up for a FREE preview issue of the mag here.

Girl's Weekend

This weekend I am traveling to West Palm Beach, Florida to my friend Lauren's house for a yearly get together with my college friends. There are seven of us that get together every year to catch up, laugh, drink and basically act as if we were still in college. Last year the girls were nice enough to travel to Texas, because I was big and pregnant. And, this year I'm quite excited to be traveling, all by myself, no baby or husband in tow to sunny Florida.

Now, out of most of my friends I probably have had the most change in my life. Since last year, I became a mother, business owner, had a gall bladder removed and lost 35 pounds of pregnancy weight plus another 10. Mentally I feel like I have matured and started to really make my mark on this world. So, it will be exciting to see what all my friends think of my accomplishments.

In order to showcase my beautiful baby girl's first year to my friends I discovered the greatest tool. Our friends at Shutterfly have created a way for you to make memory books online. They provide the background, layout and tools you need to put together a beautiful scrapbook. Now, I know this is not an original idea, Apple has been doing this for awhile, but Shutterfly has taken it a step further to really give you that personal touch. I created my book last weekend, ordered it with 2 day shipping and voila 55 glorious pages of Lillie to really bore all my friends with!

Other than documenting last year for my friends, I will be at my favorite shop, Anthropologie, to find the perfect outfits for the beach weekend. Fingers crossed I don't ball my eyes out leaving my sweet baby girl for the first time. And, hopefully, the excitement of being away will dull my anxiety of leaving Lillie with her Dad all weekend. All the preparations have been made and I will be nervously traveling on Friday cute outfits and memory book in tow for a weekend of laughs and fun.

Patience, the long lost virtue?

I don’t live in an upscale neighborhood by any means. We’re certainly not slumming it, but the houses are modest (we even clean them ourselves) and the average car in the driveway is a Honda or Chevy. It’s your typical suburban subdivision really.

I trucked around the corner last night for my weekly grocery run at the good old H-E-B, and as I waited in the checkout line reading the latest on Britney’s addition, diet and custody woes, I looked up long enough to notice something out of place. It was a designer handbag haphazardly slung over the shoulder of what appeared to be a 12 year-old girl. And she wasn’t alone. Her whole group was toting bona fide, latest-style Coach bags.

I feel like I was pretty spoiled growing up. I was allowed and encouraged to join any sporting or art activity I wanted, my mom made my lunch through my senior year of high school (I love you mom!) and I definitely owned several pairs of colored Guess jeans in my day – complete with zippers at the ankles. But we’re talking $40 a pop here, maybe.

I didn’t even know what a designer handbag was back then. I didn’t get my first until earlier this year when my sweet husband surprised me with one as a reward for starting my own business. There’s just something so satisfying about working hard and treating yourself with a well-earned luxury like that.

Maybe it’s a sign of a parenting job well done by my folks. Or maybe it’s a sign of how quick kids are to grow up these days. Why are they in such a rush? Why are they indulging in the finer things in life at such a young age? Sure it might be fun to show up at school with the coolest bag on the block (boy has the popularity contest ever evolved), but I bet that dreamy football player would notice you just as much, if not more, with some good old-fashioned, free flirting.

Poor guy. If he ends up marrying one of these girls, he’s in for some serious spending. Designer handbags and new cars now, what’s next? Slow down girls. Patience really is a virtue. Save some of the good stuff for later when you’ll really appreciate it. You’d never catch me stashing my Dr. Pepper and half-eaten Snickers bar in this bag. And I’d never lay it on the bottom of my cart under the frozen pizzas like that. Somebody really ought to rescue that thing.

Swinging in the Rain

My daughter has found the best thing in her 1 year old life, a swing. We purchased a Little Tykes blue swing last week and this weekend we hung it outside on our oak tree. The minute it was up Lillie was dying to get in it. She had been on swings before at the playground, but never right in her own backyard. Once you sit her in the plastic bucket seat, her face lights up and a big grin appears from ear to ear.

Yesterday rain was approaching as we were swinging, I was becoming nervous about the weather, and the meltdown that would occur if I took her out of the seat. We only got a few sprinkles, so we stayed outside and continued back and forth, pushing and smiling. The breeze was cool, for once, and the whole neighborhood was quiet. As I pushed Lillie, I watched the breeze in her hair and the look of complete contentment on her face. She watched the trees sway in the wind, listened to the birds and every so often gave a little giggle.

The serenity of the situation gave me feelings from my own childhood. Quiet outside, no singing toys, television, computers or phones ringing. Just a good breeze and a swing. I talked to Lillie about what she could be when she grows up, and how one day she'll have a little brother or sister to fight over the swing with. And, as we continued I realized that the swing really is the greatest toy, 1 year old or 32. Peaceful, calm, time together.

The “It” Color for October: Pink

I’m a summer girl. I love my flip flops and tanks. I get a natural high from a perfectly sunny day, even when it’s a scorching 100 degrees out. In fact, I’m such a freak about the heat that I’ll drive home from work without turning on the AC, much less cranking it to high like everyone else in Austin. Did I mention I drive a black car that sits outside all day? I know, weird. Give a girl a break.

So usually when the fall/winter months approach, my annual winter blues start to set in. I have a hard time getting out of bed, I develop flip flop separation anxiety, and my normally colorful and quirky wardrobe turns to a uniform of sweats and fleece.

Not this year. This year I’ve decided to grow up and take control of my icy mood by finding something cool (no pun intended) to celebrate, get into, support or just plain have fun with every month until the temp starts a risin’ again. What better time to start than today, October 1st.

Hopefully you’ve already noticed a plethora of pink around you this morning. That’s because October is breast cancer awareness month. Breast cancer is unfortunately something that’s touched nearly all of our lives in some way or another – ourselves, friends, sisters, mothers, neighbors...

For those of you already actively participating in the fight by chairing fundraisers, donating time and money, joining races or whatever other selfless acts you’re doing, kudos and thank you! I think the subject weighs on most women’s minds throughout the year, but some of us might feel helpless or overwhelmed by not knowing how we can contribute. There’s a whole world of information out there on ways we can help make a difference, but here’s a short list of little things we can do that just might add up to a whole lot.

Check yourself:
I know I’m guilty of waiting to let the doc check me at my annual.

Wear pink:
Not just because it complements your skin tone, but because it might just lift someone’s spirit or even better, it might remind someone to schedule a mammogram or to begin checking themselves at home. There are a ton of online stores that offer pink shopping where proceeds are donated to the cause.

Run, walk, crawl… just move:
I know Austin is not the only city that has a Race for the Cure. Check your city’s calendar to find other events too.

Put your money where your mouth is:
If yogurt and frozen dinners are already part of your diet staples, opt for Yoplait® and Lean Cuisine®. Yoplait’s Save Lids to Save Lives and Lean Cuisine’s Do Something Good For the Cure™ progams are a couple among the many ways large corporations are helping customers get more from their purchases.

Fly the friendly skies:
One of Delta’s SkyWish Charities is The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. You can donate your SkyMiles to support the foundation.

Like I said, these little acts barely skim the surface of ways to contribute. But every little bit helps. Happy October.