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My Girls

When I really stop and look at them, I am never not blown away that James and I had the privilege of creating these two people.  I’m excited to see who they become… but there’s no rush. It’s already going too fast as it is.

A Brave New World

Oh my heart, Courtland Whaley is such a little ham.

Here she is pictured in a cow suit at last year’s Homecoming, a suit that her big sister wore the year prior and soiled at the tailgating festivities due to overly ambitious parents who refused to put their newly potty-trained toddler in a diaper, and then proceeded to fill her with hot apple cider. We can all imagine the resulting bathroom emergency.

It was as (not) awesome as it sounds.

As of today, James and I can officially say that after (exactly) four and a half years, we are living in a diaper-free household.

*RUNSDOWNHALLWAYSSCREAMINGANDTHROWINGUNUSEDDIAPERSGLEEFULLYINTHEAIR*

Something clicked this weekend, and Courtland is now rocking life sans “dipes” (as she calls them). Even nap time AND bedtime are a full on undie-fest. And yes, I did just refer to underwear as “undies” and coin the term “Undie Fest.”

You’re welcome.

She’s been sleeping in a big girl bed (this floor bed that we designed for Sunny) since August and now, we have a household free from diaper trash and diaper expenses and, most importantly, diaper clean-up.

Hallelujah.

(Although, admittedly, a little, bitty part of me will miss diaper changing. Remember this?)

Currently Reading

My dear, and truly brilliant, friend Meg is dropping some knowledge over at A Year Above the Influence (a wonderfully thoughtful, raw, well-written blog if you’re looking for a good Internet read). Meg is one of the smartest people I know. I wish her Facebook stream were public space as it is the perfect combination of humor and insight and advocacy and smarts that is so lacking in so much of virtual (particularly social) space. Here’s a taste of all that:

I won’t try to boil feminism as a worldview or critical lens into a greeting card sentiment like, “everyone is equal,” but hopefully we can all agree that women’s agency is one of the core beliefs of a feminist outlook. The thing is, everybody loves to talk about agency until folks start using theirs in ways you find distasteful.

Read the full post here.

46/52

“A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013.”

Sunny: Even on this grey, drizzly day, her sunny side shines through.
Kaki: She’s the age Sunny was when she was born. While she hasn’t had to face the hurdle of becoming a big sister, she’s now fully potty trained and sleeping in a big girl bed. Big milestones!

More details about The 52 Project here. To view all the portraits in the series visit here.

S.A.D.

This time of year is really hard on me (and many others, I’d imagine). I have S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder), and these short, dark days hit me hard every year. I’m a beast to live with despite my best efforts at exercise, time under the sun lamp, daily Vitamin D, plenty of sleep and healthy eating. I still just feel unhappy. This season has been particularly difficult with Ursa gone. James is so patient and understanding and always finds ways to put a smile on my face as I move through the 2-3 weeks of adjustment and sadness and come out the other side (today’s I HEART U pancakes as a perfect example). I posted this exactly one year ago, and I think it’s an important reminder to myself and to anyone who carries a dark cloud from time to time, or who loves someone that does, that there is always an other side. Depression lies. And my girls are the best reminder of that.

School Pride

Last weekend was my final major work event of the season. Fall and early June are my busiest times at work, so I’ve been breathing a huge sigh of relief and enjoying a brief respite from a purple and gold wardrobe.

I’ll have more Homecoming snaps that capture the ridiculous bovine spirit of the weekend from my girl Kate Drew Miller soon. But I wanted to spotlight my spirited nails (and my newest obsession – knuckle rings from Catbird). I had an amazing day in Williamsburg, Brooklyn with Katie from Paperfashion during my whirlwind trip to the city early last week. I’ll be sharing more details about the day coupled with many more photographs, but it included a visit to Catbird where I stocked up on these lovely, delicate, stackable rings and to Primp & Polish for a nail art manicure. I asked my manicurist Joey to incorporate purple and gold and cow print, and she sure delivered. The nails were a big hit, and showed off my delightful Catbird stacks.

Have a happy weekend, friends! I’m off to edit my day with Katie and I’ll have that post up next week that’ll take you into her magical world that is truly the stuff of dreams.

Scrap Hats

I love these two people so very much. And boy, they sure do love each other. I asked them to be my hat models during Auntie Kimmy’s visit last weekend.

I whipped up these two hats using a bunch of scrap yarn and my favorite Bubble Hat pattern. It was a great way to put those stashes of yarn from previous projects to use. Donna, Kaki’s nanny when she was a wee babe and now the woman responsible for keeping my marriage together (she is our housekeeper, organizer, all around super hero), saw the hats and fell in love with them, so BOOM early Christmas present for Donna!

Now bask in the Auntie/Niece affection.

More details about the yarns I used for these hats and a link to the pattern in my Ravelry here. 

Currently Reading

While I had both my babies in a hospital (though, if I were to have any more children biologically, I’d totally try for a homebirth, assuming healthy pregnancy, mama and baby), what she says about the importance of birth and education about birth is totally what I’m all about.

Hospital birth just isn’t my bag, baby. You want to birth in a hospital? Have an induction? An elective c-section? Be my guest. (But sweet baby Jesus, please research those things before you consent to anything.) I don’t care what kind of birth you have, or your wife has, or your sister has…I care what kind of birth *I* have. (Ok, I *do* care about the ways other women birth, because there are too many women going into this blind and ending up with stories like mine. I did the research and I still ended up with a shit show for a birth. I care about how babies come into this world and how birth impacts the mother-baby dyad. But on a personal level, I’m going to respect your choice and your story the same way I expect you to respect mine.)

Full post here.

Also? This stand-up comedy? YES!

A&D

In early November, I shot a local rehearsal dinner. It was an extremely rare November evening, warm enough for  outdoor s’more roasting and for the bride-to-be to rock a sleeveless dress.

This is by far my favorite image from the evening. The bride’s father carved these pumpkins (complete with an Apersand pumpkin) that sat outside the restaurant entrance to the festivities.

I went to college with this couple, and it has been lovely to get to know them better since graduating. Thanks, Ariel & Drew for letting me play a part in your happy weekend. Here’s to many happy years to follow…

Currently Gawking

This is the truest thing I know. James and I talk about it an absurd amount…

I never tell my wife good night anymore. Now I just [put one hand on her shoulder, look her in the eye and] say ‘Good Luck.’