Oh my cuteness. I’m smitten with these stuffed animals by Danish design company Maileg. Like my beloved blabla dolls, Maileg stuffed animals have a handcrafted, quirky style that I find so endearing. Naturally I’m drawn to the hat-wearing fox, but Bambi the deer is precious, too. And a Badger with an eye mask? I mean, c’mon!
Available online at Layla Grayce.
The theme of my Instagram feed this weekend appeared to be family trips to apple orchards and pumpkin patches — which reminded me that I never shared my pumpkin picking photos from our recent visit to Vala’s. We went with my parents two Saturdays ago, and while we didn’t actually go out into the fields in search of the perfect pumpkin, we didn’t leave empty handed. (We’ll see how long it takes before the naughty squirrels take bites out of the two large pumpkins sitting on our stoop.)
We also didn’t leave hungry. There was kettle corn, fudge, chili and hot apple cider to be eaten. Yum.
It was a blustery day, but we were sufficiently bundled up for the two hours we spent exploring the grounds. Vala’s Pumpkin Patch is enormous. It’s like an agricultural amusement park. Levi was mostly interested in the farm animals — goats, rabbits, ducks — but seemed mildly amused by the Pumpkin Chunkin Cannon. That is to say, he didn’t freak out when it launched a pumpkin way out across the open field!
He did not, however, feel the need to cooperate when I tried to take his photo sitting among a cluster of pumpkins. I was really hoping to capture a shot similar to the one of him taken last year, when he was just two months old. Ah, well! With three photographers snapping away (me, my dad and my mom), we got a couple of great alternatives.
Have you gone apple picking or pumpkin picking this season? Share a photo of your kids or your family on Bunny & Dolly’s Facebook page!
Our family is growing! My lil’ sis, who younger by exactly three years and one day, is having a baby! She’s expecting a boy of her own in early March, and I predict that Levi and his cousin will grow up to become best buddies.
Levi’s auntie rocks. His uncle does, too. My sister and brother-in-law are Levi’s godparents, and they have loved on my baby guy since the day he was born. I have absolutely no doubt they are going to tremendous parents to their own baby dude.
Side note: I’m still having a bit of trouble reconciling that my baby sister is pregnant. When did she become a grownup? And while I’m on the subject, when did I become one? Most days I feel as clueless and insecure as I did in high school. The idea that I am now the adult responsible for raising another little person continues to blow my mind. Will it ever feel normal?
Back to my sister. Although I’m able to share with her my pregnancy and early motherhood experiences (as well as some of my maternity clothing), I’m unequipped to offer her guidance about being a new mom in a big city. Her living situation in New York City is so very different than mine here in Omaha! Truthfully, I can’t imagine what it’s like to have a baby in Manhattan. (I heard that NYC hospitals make new moms share recovery rooms on maternity floors!)
But some of you live in New York City or other large cities. What advice can I pass along to my sister from one city mom to another? Is there anything you recommend she do or buy, either now while she’s pregnant or after she’s had baby dude?
Send me your recommendations via email or in the comments section below, and I’ll include them all in an upcoming post!
{photo of Levi taken 7/23/11}
My Lifetime Moms post this week featured some of my favorite “pink” products that give back to breast cancer awareness charities. Check them out here.
These are some of the craziest libraries I’ve every seen! How do you feel about super architectural or contemporary libraries? I’m afraid that some of the more modern ones would feel too sterile inside. In my mind, libraries should be somewhat cozy.
Do you patronize your local library? Omaha has a really terrific public library system. Earlier this week, Levi and I dropped by ours to return and pick up some children’s books. This morning we attended a story time session geared towards toddlers. Unfortunately, the kids in attendance were a bit older than we had expected, but my friend and her 16-month-old daughter met us there and we had fun socializing with them.
One of the coolest things about the Omaha Public Library is that they now have an app, so you can search for books, place holds and check due dates. Right now I have a hold on Gone Girl: A Novel
Have a lovely weekend!
PS: This is one of Levi’s most-read books and a list of parenting books I’d still like to read.
