James and I got a kick out of watching this video from January of 2010 last night.
And now look at what Kaki can do!
I don’t know what’s more shocking about these two videos. A. The profound difference in video quality in just two years time or B. The size difference of the two kids. Sunny is three weeks older than Courtland in her video. And yet Kaki looks notably bigger.
James, watch out, your daughters are going to out height you!
Last Sunday I snapped some pix of Sunny disguised in a mound of bedding.
We know. We have an astounding amount of bedding for a household consisting of only two adult sized beds.
MOVING ON!
In the wake of James’ illness (which he had again this Saturday, ugh…) I wanted to impose some productivity on the weekend and accomplish this much-needed organizational task.
Fortunately, when it comes to linens, James is an organizational master.
He’s the sexiest fitted bed sheet folder I know…
And excel-sheet maker…
Apparently, when it comes to all things sheets, he’s a genius.
These photos garnered quite the response on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Many people requested a blow-by-blow video of how to fold a fitted sheet so that it could be mistaken as a flat sheet.
Well, ask, and ye shall receive!
The key tools here are your pointer fingers. You use those two appendages to find the proper corners of the fitted sheet and fold the part of the sheet that hugs the sides of the bed in on itself.
Here’s a more thorough video showcasing the process:
And may I recommend the brilliant tip of storing your bedding in one of the pillows of the set? I may! This is a trick that my mother-in-law taught James, and it is a brilliant way to keep all of the bedding in one place.
James suggested attaching index cards to each pillow case describing the contents within. We had an abundance of clothespins available and used those as fasteners.
We then stacked all the bedding in big tupperware bins and affixed detailed excel sheets to the top of each bin outlining the bedding within.
Man, I love that James is particularly OCD when it comes to linens. I feel so organized (for once).
So, questions? Do you think you too can now fold a fitted sheet a la a flat sheet? Turning this…
Into this…
Photos & Video: Courtesy of Ashley Weeks Cart
In defense of the majority of this blog’s content:
If you have a baby you, quite literally, have to deal with a lot of shit. And the only thing more disturbing than scooping poop clumps out of your daughter’s vagina or scraping off feces caked onto your son’s balls is that you will
wantneed to talk about it to anyone who will listen, which unsurprisingly isn’t very many people, unless you know a lot of other parents. But seriously, the experience of watching an unending stream of crap flow out of a human anus like it’s a Play-Doh Fun Factory is so intense that you have to talk about it just to even process the trauma.
Thank you for the hat tip, Kristen! Good to know that I am by no means unique in my desire to write in detail about my children’s bowels and share it with the whole wide Internet.
Courtland’s seventh month birthday letter is on hold as we have the following happening in our abode this weekend…
I know. It makes you nauseous it’s so adorable, right? That chubby cheeked baby with the perfectly spherical head and Gerber looks is the daughter of my childhood bestie, Lydia. Alison was born just 6 weeks after Courtland. It’s amazing how two blonde, blue-eyed Caucasian babies born so closely together could be so dramatically different. Alison is the most easy going baby on the Planet Earth, whereas Kaki wails in distress anytime anyone tries to hold her besides mom or dad.
Le Sigh.
Also, I am going to eat Alison’s delectably plump little thighs for breakfast tomorrow, if Kaki doesn’t get to them first. (I swear Courtland could devour Alison whole if she tried. She seems like a monster next to that little monkey). I realize I shall never know the joys of having a chubby baby. And this makes me quite envious of Lyd. I just… the chub! I love it so.
This weekend warms my heart as it marks the continuation of a long line of Guild/Ulmer female friendships. Lydia’s little sister and Kimmy, in fact, are currently on vacation together in SF and then Florida. The love runs deep!
Also? Apparently Kaki stuck her finger in a light socket last night because, WOW!
Photos: Courtesy of Ashley Weeks Cart
{Dolce Dress: Redfish Kids; White Bloomers; Tights: Oilily; Patent Leather Shoes: Carter’s}
I’m a lover of dresses. I would prefer to rock a dress any day over wearing pants or a skirt. A dress is a complete outfit in one garment. And I adore the simplicity and ease of that. Also? Dresses are fun. At any age.
I’ve passed on this preference to my pre-schooler who loathes pants (she’ll tolerate leggings and tights) and is constantly requesting to wear the twirly party dresses she has hanging in her closet. I mean, why not flounce around the house on a Tuesday morning in your patent leather shoes and party ensemble? You don’t need an excuse to dress up!
After all, in the words of the wise Muffy VanderBear, Life’s one big dress up!
When a friend passed along a link to a Redfish Kids outfit a few weeks back, I was instantly smitten. I loved the East Asian influence of the clothes (you’ll see more of that in Kaki’s outfit from Redfish next week) – and, of course, the array of party dresses. I mean, what little girl doesn’t love a twirly party dress? And I love the heavy cotton fabrics and high quality construction of the dresses. Just take a peek at the collection!
A pretty perfect way to kick off the weekend in style, no? Sunny just wants to twirl and twirl when she dances around the house in this Dolce Dress. It’s her way of welcoming the warm spring weather and celebrating the end of her upset tummy issues!
And guess what?! YOU can win the Redfish Kids Party Dress for a little party girl in your life. Woo hoo!
Here’s how you can win The Party Dress in Brown Floral. Yay!
• visit Redfish Kids
• leave a comment below telling me about where your little girl would rock this Party Dress!
• for an extra chance to win…
follow Redfish Kids and me on Twitter, then tweet the following phrase (then, come back here and share a link to your Tweet in the comments): Did you catch @tweetalacart & @redfishkids Party Dress giveaway? I just entered!: http://blogalacart.com/2012/03/redfish-kids
• another chance to win…
‘like’ Redfish Kids and me on Facebook, then come back here and tell us you like us, you really like us! in the comments.
• and one final chance to win…
subscribe to my blog, then come back here and let me know that you’re reading along in the comments.
Make sure you enter a valid email address in the email section of the comment box so I can contact you if you win! Dress available in size 1-8. The winner will be chosen next Friday, March 16th at 12pm EST. Open worldwide. Total Value: $75.
GOOD LUCK! And get your twirl on this weekend!
Photos: Courtesy of Ashley Weeks Cart
Clothing: Courtesy of Redfish Kids
The past two days have been unseasonably warm. A cruel preview, if you will, as temperatures will drop below freezing by Saturday. But that didn’t stop us from taking full advantage of the warmer climes while they were in town.
Now that Sunny’s belly is on the mend, we felt up to hitting the streets for a stroll.
Sunny is obsessed with this pig hat that was a gift from Momar, intended for Kaki. Fortunately, it’s big enough for Sunny’s noggin. She insisted on wearing it, despite the 60 degree air.
Watch out, Blue Eyes.
We caught our first true glimpse of spring with these crocus buds. Addison was intrigued.
Then home for dinner. With daylight still above the horizon line. Oh spring, how I love you. Even when you are such a tease.
Photos: Courtesy of Ashley Weeks Cart
As I mentioned in my DIY Envelope Liner post, I’m planning a baby shower for Courtland’s Fairy Godmother. Now that the invite is in the hands of the guest of honor, I feel I can reveal the adorable design put together by Chloe Marty (the creative mind behind Kaki’s Remember The Day canvas).
I asked Chloe to design a dragon-themed invite because despite many hours spent combing through Google, I had yet to find a dragon design that worked for a baby shower. Why dragons, you ask? Well, this little one is being born in the Year of the Dragon, specifically the Water Dragon (thus the reference to water drops in the design) – so I wanted to run with that reference. I ADORE the idea of the Dragon as Stork! I have Chloe to thank for that brilliant idea, as my mind had been circling around baby dragons.
The color palette we developed is what I’ll be using for the shower. I knew I wanted to use a rich pink and turquoise, and dug Chloe’s suggestion of including red as well.
I’m so pleased with the result. And now I’m having a blast scheming the party decor and plans with this invite as my inspiration. I will reveal all those details after the shower so as not to ruin any surprises. But if you know someone expecting in 2012 – may I suggest this theme? Yes, I may. You can contact Chloe here. If you’re looking for a diaper cake, you can find them at eDiaperCakes.com.
Designs by Chloe Marty
Photos: Courtesy of Ashley Weeks Cart
Happy International Women’s Day! This video is a nice pop culture reminder of the fight that was had for our right to vote, our right to be equal in the eyes of the government. Given what’s been happening in politics recently, it feels like we’ve hopped a time machine to Crazytown, i.e. the Middle Ages, when it comes to women’s rights. All the more reason to vote this year to get our voice back.
Shame on you if you don’t exercise your right to vote, something for which generations of women fought. Hard.
All that is to say, Rah rah! Vote vote! (in Gaga-esque fashion, of course)
Zac (per usual). And his tee.
You can grab ’em here. We just need a “Some Gals Marry Gals. Get Over It” version.
We have a diagnosis! Or a hypothesis of one. One that has helped us keep our little girl from being sick for the past 24 hours. One that makes sense with all of Sunny’s symptoms…
The kid would be fine for two days and then suddenly announce that she needed to throw up. The peeing out of her bum has been a constant, but the throw up has been so on and off. And she showed no signs of lethargy or illness or fever or malaise. It has been a bizarre month indeed.
After all of her test results turned up nothing. Not Celiacs. Not hepatitis. Not parasites. Not Giardia. Not Rota-virus. Not LEUKEMIA! The C word can go stick it where the sun don’t shine (to then be dramatically expelled by Sunny’s warped gastro-system. *Ahem*).
All of that is to say that our pediatrician spoke to a GI specialist who suggested that she has something called Temporary Disaccharidase Deficiency. Which is just a fancy pants way of saying that she has developed a temporary intolerance to simple sugars.
Dude, what is sugar not in? AIR?! You try keeping a pre-schooler from consuming sugar and dairy. She wants her fruit and milk like Ursa wants her tennis ball.
There’s a lot of unsated want going on chez Cart.
Essentially Sunny’s bout of gastroenteritis four weeks ago caused some “intestinal mucosal damage” so that the enzymes responsible for helping breakdown sugar and lactose were reduced. Thus the vomit and diarrhea. It sounds like if we eliminate sucrose and lactose from her diet for a week or so, along with a regime of probiotics, her system will normalize and she’ll be back to consuming berries like the fruit bat she is.
Hooray hooray. Our intestines are crossed that this works.
And you’re welcome for today’s lessons in medicine and biology. I’m sure that’s why you come here. For all the talk of diarrhea and puke and enzyme deficiency.
