Archives for October 2013

The coolest toddler Halloween costume ever!

October 24, 2013

Halloween is a week away! Yikes! Have you planned your kid’s costume yet?

If you’re feeling inventive, perhaps this video of a 22-month-old’s light-up costume will inspire you. Instead of dressing up his daughter as an adorable duck or happy pumpkin, this dad got techie and created a stick figure costume that glows in the dark. Her homemade LED light suit is a marvel!

Or, if you’re like me (read: not the DIY type), you can simply go with a store-bought toddler Halloween costume. This skeleton costume from Pottery Barn Kids also glows in the dark — and it’s currently on sale.

P.S. – Here’s a sneak peek at Levi’s costume, which I bought on sale after Halloween last year at PB Kids.

(via Mashable)

Thoughts on having a boy

October 23, 2013

Hold your congratulations. This is not the big gender reveal! However, it is related to the post I wrote the day of my ultrasound about dealing with gender disappointment when I was pregnant with Levi.

While promoting the post on Twitter that afternoon, I shared my assumption that most women (myself included) secretly wish for girls — or at least the ones who have a gender preference. To my surprise, several of my female followers replied that they had hoped/were hoping for boys!

One of the bloggers who responded to my tweet offered to expatiate on her reasons for wanting a boy–or two. (Per her request, I’m keeping her identity anonymous.) I have to say, she gave me a lot to think about; there’s definitely truth in her assessment of girls.

I’m not pregnant and I don’t have plans to become pregnant in the near future. But someday, if I’m so lucky, I would love to have a boy.

Now, I must mention that I come from a family of three girls. I had a wonderful childhood climbing trees, riding my bike, playing softball, swimming, and briefly, playing with Barbies. I am neither a tomboy (not athletic enough) nor a girly girl (I have no idea how to do hair). I float in some space between the two. I am the middle sister and the least girly of the three of us. I love my sisters. I love my family. I’m glad it is the way it is.

But still, my (not so) secret wish is to have a boy some day. Preferably two.

Part of this stems from my childhood and part of it comes from my experiences as a teacher. I have been teaching for nearly a decade now. I have been around a lot of wonderful kids. I love being a teacher. I could go on and on about how much I love teaching and why, but that’s another post…

Anyway, with only a handful of exceptions, my favorite students have all been boys. I know teachers aren’t supposed to have favorites, but we often do. These are simply students with whom we connect with on a deeper level. I wouldn’t say that I treated them differently from my other students (I hope not!), I simply enjoyed being around them more. I love the energy boys often have. I love their naughty streaks (which I view as a sign of brilliance).

Having said of that, I have very limited experience with teenage boys. And so, if I really think about this, if I have two boys, it means that some day I will have two teenage boys. I’m not sure how I would handle that. But they say ignorance is bliss, and I’ll cross that bridge if I ever come to it….

Also, girls can be complicated. They can be complicated to teach. They can complicated to parent. (Sorry, Mom!) They often have complicated relationships with others girls. And this starts early. Scary early. Like when they are three. And then it gets worse. This worries me. And part of me wonders if it might be easier to raise sons than daughters? I’m not sure, but I think this plays into my wish to have boys, too.

On a funny side, but related note: I asked my husband this question tonight at dinner and he also said he wanted two boys! And maybe a girl after that, too. But I think we should start with one and see how it goes…

I’d love to know your thoughts on having a boy. Do you secretly hope for one? Or are your fingers crossed for a girl? Let’s get honest here!

(image via J.Crew)

The most popular baby girl names since 1960

October 22, 2013

It’s no huge secret that I wasn’t terribly fond of my name growing up. After all, “PJ” is typically a boy’s nickname, and the only other one I knew was a guy a grade younger than me.

“Pamela,” my given name, reached its peak popularity in the 1950s and ’60s–several decades before I was born. The two girls I knew named Pamela — the mother of a friend and another friend’s older sister’s friend — both went by Pam, which always seemed very old fashioned to me.

As a child, I tried to convince my parents to call me by my younger sister’s name, Rachel, which I believed sounded way more modern. And in high school I begged them to let me change the “P” in PJ to Paige (despite not knowing anyone with that name!).

However, my go-to name when playing Barbies or make-believe in the 1980s was Stephanie. That name just seemed like the epitome of cool to me. Isn’t that random!

This fascinating gif highlights the most popular baby names for girls in the United States since 1960. (You must watch it!) Not surprisingly, “Pamela” doesn’t make the cut.

Also not surprisingly, “Jennifer” tops the chart for a solid decade-and-a-half. If you’re in your 30s or 40s, I’m sure you can validate the popularity of the name Jennifer!

How many of your classmates were named Jen, Jenny, or Jennifer? And besides Jennifer, what girl names were the most popular in your grade? I had quite a few friends named Jessica, Lauren, and Michelle when I was a kid!

P.S. — On the subject of names, the art of naming stuffed animals. And hilariously embarrassing stuffed animal names.

(images of famous Jennifers: Jennifer Lawrence, Jennifer Garner, Jennifer Aniston)

How would you describe your personal style?

October 21, 2013

I was recently asked to describe my personal style in three words. Surprisingly, I struggled to come up with an answer. After racking my brain for a simple way to explain my design aesthetic, I settled on easy, chic, and preppy.

Weeks later, those adjectives still don’t feel completely authentic to me.

Is my style easy? I suppose so, since I tend to shy away from fussy outfits, and my house is not particularly over-styled.

Is my style chic? Maybe. I like my home and wardrobe to be current and fashionable, but I’m not sure either are especially elegant or sophisticated.

Is my style preppy? Not really. I’m hardly the poster child for L.L. Bean, Lilly Pulitzer, or Ralph Lauren, although I do appreciate some classic elements of fashion and design.

Then I randomly stumbled upon a Twitter link to Lonny’s MyStyleFinder Quiz. Curious as to how Lonny would describe my style personality, I took the short quiz over the weekend. According to the design magazine, my style is trad with a twist:

You’ve never met a chevron-striped area rug you didn’t like. A bright turquoise foo dog sits atop the latest issue of Anthology on your nightstand (right next to the iPad edition of Lonny, of course). It wasn’t too long ago that a “Keep Calm and Carry On” poster took pride of place above your bed. You’re a tastemaker with a touch of quirk, inspiring anyone who walks through your doors to take his or her own style to the next level.

Trad with a twist. I can go along with that. “Practical, stylish, and timeless” with “plenty of room for fun” pretty accurately describe my taste in fashion and home decor. And I’d agree that trendiness in small doses seems to work best for me.

The “trad with a twist” living room in the top photo is a bit too ~~stuffy~~ conservative for me, but I do love the bedroom and kitchen above. And that reading nook anchored by a mid-century modern chair is the perfect combination of classic and quirky, I think.

So now I’m curious: If you had to describe your personal style in three words, what would you chose? And if you’ve taken the MyStyleFinder Quiz over on Lonny, I’d love to know your results. Leave a comment below!

(all images via Lonny)

This is not a sponsored post. I’m just genuinely curious about personal style!

Nine no-carve pumpkin ideas

October 18, 2013

Have you picked your Halloween pumpkins yet? We’re heading to Vala’s Pumpkin Patch to collect our pumpkins for decorating and jack-o-lantern making when my parents come to town this weekend. While we’re there, I’m sure we’ll sample some of the fall-themed food. Perhaps hand-dipped caramel apples or freshly popped kettle corn?

This will be our third consecutive year picking pumpkins at Vala’s, and I’m especially excited because it’ll be the first year that Levi can walk the grounds himself! He’s going to have a blast exploring the various kid-friendly attractions and live shows. And I definitely want us all to take a ride on the Pumpkin Creek train — it’ll be his first train ride!

We’ve been talking up this family outing for weeks, and whenever I ask Levi what he’d like to do with all of the pumpkins we pick, his answer remains the same: “Eat the pumpkins and put a happy face on it.” I’ve been researching pumpkin crafts appropriate for toddlers (no carving knives!) and found a whole bunch of inspiring DIYs. (Obviously, some would make better projects for preschoolers than others!)

Here are nine creative no-carve pumpkin ideas. Which do you like best?

(Top image: Confetti brad pumpkin)

Ombre pumpkin