A Girl Named PJ

Making “date night” a reality

November 13, 2012

JB and I have been saying for a long time that we’d like to have a weekly date night. Actually, it’s more than just a want of ours — it’s a need. We need time to reconnect after a busy week of working and taking care of Levi. Time to focus on our marriage instead of on our child. Time to talk about anything other than poopy diapers and teething and toddler temper tantrums.

Sure, JB and I hang out in the evenings after Levi goes to bed, but decompressing on the couch while watching TV is not exactly spending quality time together — even if we are cuddling. I miss getting dressed up and putting on makeup to eat at interesting restaurants. I miss going to the movies, something we used to do at least once or twice a month. I even miss walking around the mall holding hands, which is hard to do while pushing a stroller.

Friends in Omaha told us that they do something every Tuesday night. (Have fun tonight!) And Ashley just wrote about doing date night every Friday. Tuesday, Friday…I’d be happy going out on either of those nights. The only thing stopping us is that we don’t have a babysitter, and I’m not sure where to find one.

We know a couple of girls we can use for the occasional night out, all previously recommended to us, but none of them are available on a regular basis. There aren’t any teenagers in our neighborhood, our friends haven’t been able to refer us to anybody, and I’m wary about using a website like Care.com. Any babysitter would have an easy time watching Levi — he goes to bed at 7pm — but I am beyond paranoid about trusting a stranger to care for Levi (especially after what happened in New York City a couple of weeks ago).

Do you have a weekly date night? How did you find a babysitter?

{image from our engagement photo shoot with the amazing Heather Waraksa}

Time to make the donuts!

November 12, 2012

Let’s play a quick game of word association. Ready?

Veterans Day

What was the first word to pop into your head? Military? Soldiers? America? Old people? Yes, those words come to my mind, too, but the very first thing I thought of when JB reminded me that he would be helping out at the Veteran’s Day parade this past Saturday was…

Donuts

Yes, the very first thing I asked JB when he told me about the parade was, “Will there be donuts?” Isn’t that random? Why I associate Veterans Day with donuts is a mystery, but clearly I have a problem. Or a crazy donut obsession.

(By the way, donuts are the new cupcakes. You heard it here first.)

Because there isn’t a Dunkin’ Donuts in Omaha (yet), our donut bakery of choice is Winchell’s. Their apple fritters and coffee rolls are crazy good. Oddly enough, the closest Winchell’s to our house is located next door to a Krispy Kreme. The first time I remember hearing about Krispy Kreme donuts was when I interned at a technology PR firm in New York City the summer before my senior year of college. My co-workers were obsessed with getting hot Krispy Kreme donuts–maybe the Penn Station Krispy Kreme store had recently opened? Anyway, I think Krispy Kreme donuts are too light and airy, although I know that’s the reason why people love them.

In case you don’t have a Dunkin’ Donuts or a Winchell’s or even a Krispy Kreme near you — or if you’re just more adventurous in the kitchen than I am — here are a couple of donut recipes that look really delicious.

Clockwise: 15 Minute Donuts, Bella Cucina Basic Donut recipe, Spiced Sweet Potato Donuts, Old Fashioned Doughnuts with Chocolate Glaze

On a more serious note, I’d like to wish all members of our military — past and present — a heartfelt thank you on this Veteran’s Day. That includes you, too, JB.

PS: Today is Levi’s 16 month birthday! Perhaps we’ll share a donut to celebrate.

{top image source}

Pacifier Nicknames & Some Friday Links

November 9, 2012

At the library this week, I stumbled upon the book Binky by Leslie Patricelli in the children’s stacks and began to read it to Levi — only I changed the word “binky” to “sucky” because that’s what we call it. Of all the pacifier nicknames we tried when Levi was born, including binky and paci and nuk, somehow sucky is the one that stuck. Isn’t that a strange pet name for a pacifier? I’ll admit that I sometimes feel silly referring to his pacifier as a sucky when we’re out in public, but I guess it could be worse. (Not really.)

Do you have a nickname for your child’s pacifier?

Here are a few things that caught my attention this week:

Get 10 free holiday cards from Tiny Prints (a $24.00 value) through Tuesday, November 13th.

Goodnight Moon is now an interactive app!

I’m a sucker for lists of drugstore beauty buys. Surprisingly, I don’t use any of these products…yet.

Did you watch election night coverage? I bit my fingernails and binged on leftover Halloween candy until Romney conceded and Obama finally delivered his acceptance speech (although I may have fallen asleep for a few minutes towards the end of it).

Instagram web profiles are here!

Occupy Sandy created an Amazon registry of the supplies that are needed the most in areas hit hardest by last week’s hurricane.

Supposedly this cult-favorite lipstick (now with gloss!) looks good on everybody. Have you tried it?

The Land of Nod’s pop-up toy shop opens today in NYC! I so wish I could go because I”m a huge fan of the brand. Somebody please go check it out for me!

Have a happy weekend!

Dealing with Daylight Saving Time

November 8, 2012

Has your child recovered from Daylight Saving Time? Have you?

Before Daylight Saving Time ended Sunday morning, Levi would sleep until 6:30 AM or so, but every morning this week he’s been waking up at 5:30 AM. I’ve had to sneak into his room to retrieve the pacifiers that fell on the floor and reposition him on his tummy so he’ll fall asleep for another hour. I’m grateful I get to go back to bed, but I’d rather I didn’t have to get up at all!

How long does it typically take a toddler to transition back to Standard Time?

Besides messing up Levi’s sleep schedule, I hate Daylight Saving Time because it means the start of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). I’m not sure I’ve ever been clinically diagnosed with SAD, but I definitely suffer from many of the symptoms during the winter months: loss of energy, social withdrawal and difficulty concentrating. My mom bought me a light therapy lamp a year or two ago that I should really start using on a regular basis. Have you ever used one? I’ve heard they actually do help combat the “winter blues.”

But really, how could you not feel depressed when it’s nearly pitch black outside at 6pm? And it’s not only dark, it’s cold! Ugh, if my entire family didn’t live on the East Coast, I’d move to some place like San Diego in a heartbeat. I think I’d be a much happier person overall if fall and winter were just eliminated from my existence all together!

How are you handling the time change?

{photos of Levi taken this past weekend when all three of us were sick with a stomach virus}

On my mind // 3

November 6, 2012

I’ve had a lot on my mind this past week. Mind if I share?

I can’t stop thinking about…

Hurricane Sandy and the destruction she left behind. One of my grandmothers is still without power! (Luckily, she might be part polar bear and is likely more frustrated by the lack of electricity than she is about the heat.) My heart is heavy for the communities that lost everything, including Staten Island, the Rockaways and the Jersey Shore. Click here to learn where you can donate or volunteer to Sandy relief efforts.

Today’s presidential election and what is at stake. With the race at a statistical dead heat, there is a very real possibility that big changes are around the corner–and that scares me. Did you vote today?

This little blog of mine. I think about it all day, every day — how can I attract more readers? How can I improve its content? How can I improve my graphic design abilities? How can I find more time to make these improvements?!

After Levi, my blog is the second biggest thing taking up space in my mind — though perhaps it shouldn’t be. Truth be told, I want Bunny & Dolly (or some iteration of Bunny & Dolly) to become my career. It may be a blogger faux pas to admit this, but I’d like to be able to significantly contribute to my family’s income by being a blogger. I love to write. Writing is more than just a hobby; I’m pretty sure it’s the only thing I’m actually pretty good at (and I mean that in the most modest way). And to make a living doing something we love to do is everyone’s ultimate goal, isn’t it?

But lately I’ve been feeling like a teeny tiny drop of water in an ocean full of blogs.

How do I make myself and my blog stand out among the masses? How do I make a name for myself? Sometimes I think I lack the self-promotion gene necessary for becoming a blogging success. (I also think I’m missing the self-important gene that I’ve noticed many — but certainly not all! — big bloggers seem to have.) If I don’t think I’m a big deal, why should you? Why should any reader? Like I said, the blogosphere is like a vast ocean. There are a gazillion other blogs you can read.)

So why do I blog?

I’ve been asking myself that question after reading Erin’s honest post yesterday. I blog because I want to share real-life experiences with other women and new moms who, like me, are sick and tired of reading about other people’s perfect lives. Perfection is not reality! At least, it’s not my reality. My goal has always been to truthfully share the ups and downs of motherhood — and of life in general, I suppose.

At the same time, I’d like to use my little corner of the blogosphere as a safe place to discover more about me. I’d like to more clearly define my style, to explore new interests and to become more well-rounded. Ultimately, I’d love to be considered an expert or tastemaker in something, anything! But what…

I began blogging in 2006 at Somewhere in Middle America, late in the game compared to many of the “big bloggers.” Still, six years is six years. If I were working in corporate America and had not been promoted after that length time, I would be out-of-my-mind depressed. I’m not that miserable, of course, but I’m still frustrated. Frustrated enough to need to vent on the blog, at least.

I have no expectations that this post will lead to any resolution, but since honesty is my policy, I wanted to share with you what I’ve been thinking about. Perhaps you can relate in some way.

What’s been on your mind lately?

PS: For the record, I love to pieces all of you who read Bunny & Dolly and who follow me on Twitter and Facebook. I’m truly grateful for your support. Thank you, thank you!

{photograph by Anna Kay}