Family Archives - Page 15 of 47

What’s in my bag?

July 23, 2013

I’ve been carrying the same diaper bag — a purple MZ Wallace “Kate” bag — since Levi was born. One my favorite features is the detachable market purse, a small zip-top case I call my “mom pouch.”

If the contents of my diaper bag are primarily toddler-related (stickers, crayons, books, diapers, wipes, table toppers, animal crackers), the contents of my mom pouch are my grown-up essentials. When the opportunity arises to leave my diaper bag at home (let’s say, JB and I go on a rare date), I can quickly and easily toss my mom pouch into a smaller handbag and feel confident that I have everything I might need.

Here’s what’s inside my bag (aka mom pouch):

1. hello breath spray – I prefer a spritz or two of breath spray to freshen up while out and about rather than sucking on a curiously strong mint or chomping on a piece of gum, especially if I’m meeting up with somebody.

2. Honest Organic Lip Balm – The organic oils in this Lavender Mint lip balm moisturize lips from within rather than sealing them off like petroleum-based lip balms. And it smells so good.

3. Dental floss – After once being forced to use a strand of my own hair to wiggle out a rogue piece of food, I always carry dental floss in my bag for emergencies.

4. MAC Cremeblend Blush – I sometimes leave the house without any makeup, which is fine for running a brief errand or two. But if I’m going to be sitting in Starbucks doing work or heading to a play date with Levi, I’ll dab some bright pink cream blush on my cheeks for a healthy flush. The best part? Not having to carry an extra makeup brush.

5. Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara – Again, carrying a small tube of mascara is helpful for when I have to quickly put on my face in the car — all you really need is mascara, blush, and some lip gloss. I prefer to use the samples in those free-with-purchase gift sets from department store makeup counters. (PSA: Never apply makeup while driving!)

6. Bite Beauty Lip Shine in Sante (similar) – I discovered this all-natural lip gloss at Sephora. Infused with resveratrol, the super-antioxidant found in red wine, it (supposedly) has anti-aging qualities in addition to mouthwatering smell.

7. Sally Hansen Maximum Growth Cuticle Pen – Although I don’t use this cuticle-softening pen as frequently as I should, it’s handy to have on hand for when I’m tempted to pick at my skin.

8. Comb and ponytail holders – Because we all have bad hair days.

9. iPhone earbuds – I listen to music on my iPhone when I’m working at coffee shop or working out at the gym. Keeping my earphones in my mom pouch means I’ll never forget them at home.

10. Splenda packets – For the rare occasion when a restaurant only has the pink or blue stuff.

About hello oral care:

hello, the first line of seriously friendly oral care, debuted in March 2013, so they’re still relatively new. The brand promises a friendly mouth – healthy, white teeth, fresh breath and a clean, moisturized mouth – without artificial sweeteners, dyes or alcohol. The products feature chic, curvy packaging designed by BMW DesignworksUSA, and are made in the USA using naturally derived ingredients wherever possible. Never tested on animals.

The giveaway:

Two Bunny & Dolly readers will each win one hello breath spray and one Honest organic moisturizing lip balm. To enter, simply visit hello’s website and leave a comment with the breath spray flavor that sounds the most interesting. Winners will be chosen at random and announced on Tuesday, July 30th. (Note: Breath spray and lip balm flavors will also be chosen randomly.)

Update: Congratulations to our winners, Molly and Julia! Ladies, I will email you for your mailing addresses. And thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway!

P.S. – Get a coupon for $1.00 off any hello toothpaste, mouthwash or breath spray by “liking” hello on Facebook. Then click on the “coupons” box under the “like” button. Coupons are limited to one per person.

Thanks to hello™ for sponsoring today’s discussion. As always, all opinions are my own.

Tea goes to China

July 19, 2013

When you think of China, what comes to mind? The bustling streets of Beijing? Red lanterns? Kung fu? Pandas?

I recently got a sneak peak at Tea’s Fall/Winter 2013 collection, which was inspired by the sights and sounds of China. (Yes, the design team actually flew east to explore and discover the magic of China!)

Now that the collection is available to purchase online, I’m excited to be able to share some of my favorite pieces for boys, girls, and babies with you.

Eastern Pop is Tea Collection’s vibrant take on Chinese street style and pop culture. Over the next couple of months, looks for new arrivals that celebrate China’s blue and white porcelain and the art districts in Beijing and Shanghai. Classic Chinese floral patterns combined with Art Deco-inspired geometric prints and metallic-printed embellishments will also make an appearance this fall and winter.

Oh, and pandas. You can’t forget about pandas!

I love Tea for a couple of reasons. First, their children’s clothing is extremely well made and of a higher quality than the pieces from big box stores that supplement Levi’s wardrobe. Second, you can pretty much mix and match all pieces from a collection, which makes life so much easier.

Finally, the graphics on their little boys’ shirts are modern and charming without being cutesy or garish. After all, Levi can’t exclusively wear solids and stripes — can he? Now, that infant, on the other hand…

Click here to check out Tea Collection’s newest arrivals for girls and boys.

Thank you for supporting the sponsors that allow me to keep Bunny & Dolly up and running. Please know that I’m very selective when choosing sponsors and will only work with those whose messages and aesthetics complement my own.

Natives vs Crocs

July 18, 2013

Remember back in February when I sang the praises of Native shoes, calling them the hipster alternative to Crocs? When I announced that Levi would wear a pair of sneaker-inspired Natives instead of slip-on Crocs as his Montessori indoor shoes?

Well, guess which mama bird has since changed her tune?

I still think Natives are better looking shoes; however, I simply could not slide Levi’s fat little feet into his pair of navy Native Jeffersons. His chubby footsies literally would not squeeze into the sneaker’s opening, and the rubber shoes were not stretchy enough for me to manipulate around his feet.

Desperate for a pair of easy-on, easy-off indoor shoes for school, I relented and bought Levi a pair of Crocs. Thankfully, I found a sleeker style more reminiscent of a sneaker than a clunky, bulbous-toed clog. And, if I’m being honest — I think they’re kind of adorable on him. Any shoe in a size 5.5 is adorable, right?

At first he was able to wear them with socks, but five months later, they only fit over his bare feet. There’s still plenty of room in the toe box, but the perforations leave faint circle impressions on the top of his feet after a day of play. It may be time to finally go up a size.

Would I rather have Levi wear a pair of Native shoes? Of course — they are way cooler. But sometimes being practical wins over being fashionable, especially when you’re dealing with little kids.

P.S. – Did you know that you can now buy copycat Native Jefferson shoes at Old Navy? I bought Levi a pair of the perforated slip-ons, but he doesn’t wear them anymore because the holes left major circle impressions on his bare feet when he wore them outside to play with his water table!

Neighborhood happenings

July 17, 2013

Did you know that I also write for The Neighborhood? I mostly contribute posts on various safety topics, but I sometimes write about my experiences as a military spouse.

I’d love for you to check out my two most recent posts on The Neighborhood. Who knows, you may learn something!

Using Technology to Communicate With Deployed Family Members

Gone are the days of solely relying on snail mail to communicate with our loved ones who are deployed. And thank goodness! In this age of instant gratification, waiting weeks to hear back from a deployed spouse or family member would be brutal.

Here’s how you can use technology to communicate with your serviceman while he’s overseas.

Keeping Track of Kids at Large Events

Growing up, I was always overprotective of my little sister. Now that I’m a mother, I’m just as vigilant about my son’s whereabouts in public places. Previously, my husband and I had been able to keep him secure in his stroller on family outings like, for example, to the Iowa State Fair. But now that he’s nearly two, he’ll surely want to walk the grounds with us when we go again this summer.

Whether you’re taking your children to a state fair, an amusement park, or an outdoor concert this summer, here are ways to keep track of your kids at large events so that everyone can feel relaxed and enjoy themselves.

(image source)

A polka dot birthday cake

July 16, 2013

At Levi’s second birthday party on Sunday I served a simple Costco sheet cake. Although it was delicious, I’ll be the first to admit that it wasn’t terribly creative — especially compared to other second birthday cakes I’ve recently seen. Ashley and Aron baked Hudson a firetruck birthday cake, and my friend Shira baked her daughter a polka dot birthday cake!

Shira’s polka dot cake was so impressive that I had to ask her how she did it. Lucky for us, she was happy to share her inspiration and step-by-step instructions:

(photo by Once Upon A Pedestal)

“My daughter, Naama, loves bubbles, so my original idea was to make a bubble cake. When I searched for “bubble cake” on Pinterest, I came across this pin and instantly knew I had to try it! (In fact, it wasn’t until I found that cake that I actually decided to invite people over for a party! Before that we were kind of on the fence about having a second birthday party.)

I made the cake using this recipe, but I adapted it to make it parve (dairy free), as all my baking pans are parve. I would’ve used a cake mix like I did last year for Naama’s first birthday cake, but I could only find a parve yellow cake mix, not a white one. I thought this polka dot cake really needed white cake, so I made it from scratch.

I made the dots first using my adapted recipe for the parve white cake and baking them in a cake pops pan. I knew I wanted six different colors for the dots, so I divided up the batter into six small bowls and added a bit of Wilton Gel Food Coloring.

(I used regular food coloring last year for the purple cake, and although I felt like I needed to use a LOT, the colors didn’t turn out that vibrant. The gel worked so much better and created much brighter colors!)

I baked the cake pops for half the recommended time — until they were just formed but not cooked through. Then I let them cool completely. They were a little funny looking when they came right out of the pan; there was a volcano top and a ring around the middle where the two sides of the pan met. I simply trimmed off the excess to make nice little dots.

Next I made a second batch of white cake batter and layered a small amount in three pans. To make one cake big enough for the whole party, I used three nine-inch round pans (the original recipe called for six-inch round pans). I placed nine cake balls in each of the three pans, trying to stagger the colors, although I wasn’t too concerned because I knew any pattern would be fun! Then I covered the pops with the remaining batter and hoped it would bake up around the dots.

(photos by This Little Life of Mine)

When the pans came out of the oven, I finished the cake like I would’ve any other, frosting each layer and then frosting the three tiers together. I used canned frosting because a) it’s delicious! and b) I wanted it to be really white so that the colorful polka dots really popped. The “2” created from sprinkles was also a Pinterest find.

I was so nervous to cut the cake at Naama’s birthday party because I wasn’t entirely sure how the polka dots would come out. But it turned out perfectly, and Naama’s face when she saw the cake and candles made it totally worth it. She was so super excited!”

P.S. – The beautiful purple ombre cake that Shira baked for Naama’s first birthday last year!

Happy always and ever

July 12, 2013

Today is Levi’s second birthday! (But if you ask him how old he is, he’ll tell you that he’s four!) My parents are in town for the weekend, and we’re going to celebrate Levi’s special day by eating chocolate cake — the birthday boy’s request.

Next week I’ll share Levi’s two-year-old portrait and my letter to him, as well as photos from Levi’s birthday party this coming Sunday. I’ll leave you with a sweet birthday sentiment from Sandra Boynton’s book Happy Birthday, Little Pookie.

So here’s to a child who is joyful and clever.

Happy day, happy year, happy always and ever.

Happy birthday to my big guy! I love you!

What’s the best age difference between kids?

July 11, 2013

My younger sister and I are three years apart. Three years and one day, to be exact.

Growing up, the majority of my friends were either three years younger or three years older than their sibling. (The majority of them also had just one sibling.) So I always thought a three year age difference between siblings was standard. Standard and practical — that way, only one child would be in diapers at a time.

When my husband and I first started talking about having children, I expressed an interest in becoming a family of five. Although my sister and I are close now, there were times when we didn’t get along. If there were three instead of two of us, there always would’ve been somebody else to turn to during conflicts.

Plus, three’s a party! A fun mix of personalities!

As we pondered our future family, I realized I’d have to rethink my three-year-age-difference philosophy if we were going to have three kids. Would I really want to deal with maternity clothing and leaky breastfeeding boobies over the span of six (or more) years?

But if we were to have three kids who were each two years apart, I’d have to get pregnant every 14 months. I had barely reclaimed my post-pregnancy body when Levi was 14 months old. Would I be willing to give it up again so soon after getting it back…twice?

When Levi was one, I spied two pregnant moms at Gymboree supervising boys around the same age as Levi. At the time, I couldn’t imagine chasing a one-year-old Levi while visibly pregnant with another baby. But is a two year age difference (or less!) between kids the new normal? It seems that more and more parents are choosing to have babies two years apart (or less!) rather than three.

Perhaps families are favoring a two year age difference because many woman are getting pregnant “later in life” (in their 30s instead of their 20s — so old!) and therefore have a shorter window of time to make babies. Or maybe they just want their children to be close in age. But at what cost to mom’s sanity (and figure)?

What do you think is the ideal age difference between children?

P.S. – Do you want to know what Levi is not getting for his second birthday tomorrow? A baby brother or sister!

P.P.S. – What’s the best age to become a mom?

(Photos of Jora Vess from Domestic Reflections and her adorable children taken by Kim of 180360. These insanely gorgeous images make my uterus ache for two more babies.)

Levi’s last day of school

July 10, 2013

(photo of Levi sliding down a toddler-sized slide at a neighborhood playground)

Today is Levi’s last day of school. School’s not out for summer. It’s actually his last day at his current Montessori school. I’m pulling him out. He’ll begin a new Montessori program at a different location next week.

I feel guilty about taking Levi away from the teachers and classmates he’s gotten to know and like these past five months. I also feel guilty because Levi is thriving at school. But I’m not pulling him out of his current school because I’m disappointed with his Montessori education. I’m pulling him out because I’m disappointed with the administration.

In early May, I sent the following email to the administrative assistant, asking her to forward to it the appropriate contact person:

I appreciate that there is a jungle gym, swings, a sandbox, and a backyard available to the kids, and I know that the teachers do their best to keep their eyes on everybody. However, with the toddlers and primary students running around at the same time, it gets a bit hectic out there!

In the five minutes I was in the backyard this morning to pick up my son, I saw an older kid near the jungle gym sprawled flat on his back, a toddler girl hit with a ball, and Levi fall down a concrete stair while following two older boys (who know how to use stairs!).

I’m not necessarily sure what the solution is — fewer kids on the playground at once? more teachers outside? (I know that 1 of the 3 teachers in Levi’s classroom will go on a lunch break at that time.)

I thought I would bring my concern to your attention because another mother confided in me that she shares the same concern. Yes, I know that kids will be kids, and that we can’t shield them from everything, but I do wonder if there’s a way to make the backyard a little bit safer for them to enjoy.

Though enraged from what I witnessed on the playground, I thought I handled myself professionally and was anxious to receive a response from somebody in the office acknowledging my concerns.

I didn’t receive a follow-up email or a phone call that day.

Only the toddlers were in the backyard at pick-up time the next day. Even the teachers commented on how much less chaotic it was in the backyard. Although the children were safer, I was fuming because my concerns were never acknowledged by the staff. At that moment, I couldn’t think of anything more unprofessional than ignoring the concerns of a parent who pays for their child to attend that school.

A couple of days later I did end up meeting with the liaison between the teachers and the administration to discuss my email. However, I found her too agreeable during our chat, too willing to consent to the safety issues I brought up, including the fact that the jungle gym was too big for toddlers. It felt like lip service.

In the following weeks, I became hyperaware of potential safety problems. My frustration levels with the lack of attention paid to maintaining the facility was rapidly rising. When the door fell off Levi’s beloved play kitchen, it took days for his teacher to address the problem — only after I brought her a screwdriver from home. She ended up popping the screw through the wooden door, which wouldn’t normally be a big deal except that the kitchen’s still out of commission…two months later. Why doesn’t the school have a handyman on call? Or a toolbox?

I had to listen to my gut rather than my heart.

We found another Montessori with newer facilities and two separate outdoor play areas, including a toddler-sized space with sandboxes and age-appropriate Fisher-Price slides. The icing on top? The cost of admission will be nearly $200 cheaper a month.

(Yes, I did ask how they could afford to charge so much less than his current school while maintaining their standards and felt comfortable with their answer.)

I still feel guilty about making Levi say goodbye to his teachers and friends, but I have to follow my maternal instincts. My son’s safety comes first. I also wonder if maybe I’m more worried about my ability to transition than Levi’s. After all, two year olds are quite adaptable. Thirty-somethings, on the other hand…

The Dolly Half-Dozen

June 28, 2013

The Dolly Half-Dozen offers six tasty treats to nourish, inform, and entertain. On today’s menu…

1. What kind of summer coffee drinker are you? (Plus, how to make cold-brewed coffee at home.)

2. Geek vs Nerd: Do you know the difference? (And is your husband either of the two?)

3. Sofia Coppola’s films always have amazing soundtracks. Here are the 11 best songs she’s used.

4. Oh, Stacey, you are not alone! In fact, I’m not only selfish but often terribly jealous, too.

5. Can white jeans actually make you look…skinny?

6. Wondering if I can trick Levi into consuming a green vegetable by making this kale and mixed berry smoothie. (P.S. — Do you have any good kale smoothie recipes?)

Have a happy weekend!

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