Year in Review

I have a whole list of resolutions for the year, but first -- an update!

2013 Resolutions:

1. Be a better dog mom.
Nope.  I've been slightly better about taking him to the dog park.  But only in the month of December.  And now I've left him for three weeks while the family vacations.  I did buy him four cans of spray cheese and instructed the dogsitter to use them liberally.
2. Plant an herb garden.
Not even close.
3.  Lose 5 lbs. (and maintain it).
Funny.
4. Knit everyone Christmas stockings by next year.  And knit more in general.  And while I'm at it, be more crafty in general.
Omg, this is depressing.
5.  Take Henry to more fun local places.
WIN!  Henry is one of the most adventurous toddlers I know.  We take him to basically every festival around.  We've gone to every playground in the city.  Indoor and out.
6.  Defend my comprehensive paper, propose my dissertation, write a grant for my project.  
Thanks to Tulane's shitty IRB, I didn't get approved soon enough to propose and write that grant.  But I DID propose by Nov. 1, which is pretty impressive.
7.  Ride my bike more.
Not really.  Though I did recently ride it to the NOLA H&M grand opening.  (Two words: Isabel. Marant).
8.  Look decent when I leave the house.  All the time.  Or at least most of the time.
I was actually a lot better about this.  For school and other outings, anyway.  I'm still awful about looking decent for walks.  And seeing as I take them almost daily, this is a problem.
9.  Get more sleep.
Nope.
10.  Take trips not related to weddings.
Hawaii was amazing.  Philippines is still in progress ;)
11.  Read a book unrelated to school or babies/toddlers.  Just one. Magazines do not count.
Read bookoo books.  Well, not that many.  But way more than one!
12.  Show more pictures of our families to Henry
Kiiiinda.
13. Stop seeking fairness.
Totes did this.

Almost 50%.  Better than last year!

What to Do with a World Traveling Toddler

I don't know who B and I think we are, but we've decided to take our very active two year-old on a 26-hour flight.  In-flight time is only 21 hours.  "Only," she says.

I've been gathering ideas and supplies for weeks.  But I need hellllp.  Suggestions, please!  I have a week to amass goods.  So far, I have:

Coloring supplies
Henry loves to color.  He asks to do it every day.  I've bought some Color Wonder supplies (supposedly mess free) and some good old fashioned coloring books.  And some plain paper.

Miscellaneous Scribbling Tools

Different from coloring, these nifty things will be novel and interesting.  We'll see if Henry thinks so.

Magnadoodle

Boogie Board

Snacks

Cereal, craisins, fruit, etc.  In a fun container.  Like this one.

Books

Henry loves to read but we're very limited on the amount of things we can carry.  Indestructibles, discovered for us by my mother in law, are amazing - light, rip-proof, and super cute.

Photos

I saw a great idea on pinterest to take a small album of 4x6 pictures.  I'm in the process of making a little book containing pics of friends and family.

Tech

Henry can be occupied for hours (jk...minutes?) taking selfies on my ipad.  He also likes looking at all the pictures on my computer.  Also debating a battery extender...just not sure which one to get.

Movies

Who am I kidding.  We all know our bread and butter is going to be movies, movies, movies.  I'm thinking Disney's Planes and Cars.  

Transitional Threads

Even though I've been a busy hot mess these past few months, I've tried my best to not look it.  And somewhere in the midst of all this, it got cold in New Orleans.  "Cold".  It's not that bad...but bad enough for me to shelve my sandals and bring out the boots.  See below for a summary of the transition.

August

Milly for Banana Republic top

Gap flat front shorts

Hayden Harnett sandals 

Cole Haan purse

Michael Stars silk blouse

Brandy Melville skirt

Random cardi from my mom's closet

Erica Michael suede sandals

September

Nanette Lepore top

fun super bright Gap ankle length pants

Lucky brand sandals

Really huge almost caftan-like dress from SoPo NOLA

cheap belt from Forever 21

Fossil sandals

Organic cotton top from Pret-a-Porter with which I am OBSESSED.

Old ass skirt from Urban Outfitters

Stella & Dot necklace

Dolce Vita sandals

Club Monaco blouse

Chan Luu cardi (yes, she makes clothes, too)

Red Engine jeans

sweet beaded bracelet from Chicco's that B's gram got me one Christmas

Jeffrey Campbell boots

October

French Connection top

Phillip Lim for Target scarf

Red Engine jeans - also obsessed with these

Handmade sandals from the poet sandal maker of Athens

Ben Sherman top

amazing dog sweater from Joe Fresh for JCP

same Red Engine jeans

Superga sneakers

November

I don't even remember where I got this dress but it's in every little boutique in New Orleans

Banana Republic long cardi that belongs with a yoga outfit

random Forever 21 belt...realizing I need to step up my belt game

Frye boots

Stella & Dot bracelet

Keeping on Track

Henry loves trains, as many kids do.  Train tracks that you put together from loved brands like Melissa & Doug and the Thomas the Train folks are great; however, B and I tend to flock towards the more classic toys.  Which is why we love the bigjigs brand.  As beloved as the train sets are, it's difficult for any two year-old to enjoy them free-form.  I made this for Henry for his second birthday and it's been a huge hit.

The hardwood board from Home Depot cost about $8 and the crown molding was about half as much.  We have a full supply of exterior paint samples left from Mardi Gras so that took care of the grass and lake.  We affixed the board with four heavy duty velcro strips to an old Ikea coffee table and I intend to make a few more interchangeable table tops.  This occupies Henry for hours - a win for all.

Soul-Crusher

This only partially explains my lack of bloginess over the past couple months.  My dissertation proposal defense meeting was a doozie, and writing the actual paper was no walk in the park, either.  But I think it's a pretty decent piece of work.  Now, on to the actual project...

Hell Week

I guess it's been a hell month...hence, the no posting.  But in the last week, I:

Wrote a super long paper
Had lovely house guests (that was by far, the easy part)
Celebrated my beautiful boy's birthday with a bash at the house (complete with all the fixins of a 2 year-old's party)

Assembled a decidedly amazing costume for H.
Reveled in Halloween and trick-or-treating
Proposed my dissertation (successfully!  Very, in fact)
Applied to 3 internships (11 more to go)
Slept very, very little

I will be more fun soon.  I will post cool and interesting things.  Right now, I just don't have it in me.

Reasons My House Looks Terrible

If only H's puzzles looked as neat as this.  And if only he had one - just one- with all its pieces.  And don't get me started on the ones that make noise when you place a piece correctly.  Okay, I'll start - they talk to you even without the correct piece placed; in fact, they don't need a piece at all.  It's some poltergeist shit, let me tell you.

You might think why does this girl have army men, Henry might choke on them, they aren't educational, blah blah blah...you also might think about biting me.  He has a ball with his little green guys.  And I let him.  But damn do they hurt when you step on them.

This picture is not representative of the sheer amount of large legos, blocks,shapes, etc. etc. that are strewn about our home.  

We do not have a complete alphabet set in any capacity - fridge magnets, flashcards, block letters.  We might have one complete set combined.

Mardi Gras, how I love thee.  But why does your cheap crap remain with me all through the year?  So endearing in the moment.  So annoying later on.

Things I need for my sanity:  Toys with parts that stay in place.  Imagine that.

Targeting My Closet

In honor of the 3.1 Philip Lim for Target collaboration debuting on the 15th, I give you a few outfits of the day utilizing some pieces from the past; in fact, maybe in these next few days I'll try to show off all my cheap chic swag.  Also, I'm so backed up on selfies it isn't even funny.  I'll unload a few now.

Missoni x Target

Marc Fisher flats

J Crew belt

Knockoff Cartier ring from Jewelmint Collaborative

Erin Fetherson x Target

Calvin Klein pant

Lucky Brand wedges

Erica Anenberg terrain ring

Thakoon x Target cardigan

Topshop tank

really old Urban Outfitters skirt

Matt Bernson sandals

Growing Up

A warning up front:  this post is about Miley Cyrus.

Everyone has their opinions on her recent VMA performance, and I do too, albeit scattered.  In sum, I think the performance was tasteless.  I am not sure whether I am more disturbed by the exploitation of a young woman  in several ways, including her pairing with a much older gigolo artist or the ignorance of the racist undertones regarding black women.  I also admit that I have a guilty pleasure of seeing people's seething reactions to her clowny performance.  I also think she looks like she's having fun, and you know...girls just wanna.  But then I come around full circle and remember the operative word to that lyric: girls.  She is a girl in so many ways, and that performance, her music video, so many things...they can't be undone.  So yeah...I don't know.  And she's naked in her new video:

I do know this.  I'm a mother of a son and he is being raised to respect women.  He will also understand sexuality to the best that his parents can educate him, and from an early age.  I do not have a little girl, but I might some day.  And it scares me how much difference a few years can make.  

Baby in a Box

My baby loves to play in boxes.  And really, he just loves to play with them in general.  Which is why I'm totes doing about five of the ideas in this post from apartment therapy.  Love!

Making Room

I already bragged about finishing a book on my Hawaii trip, but shortly after, I actually read another.   Imagine that.  I actually began it in Hawaii because it caught my eye at B&N at the Ala Moana center.  Room, By Emma Donaghue.  I picked it because it is about a mother and her son.  But I wasn't prepared for how haunting, creepy, and traumatic this read was.  I should also mention that I loved it.

It's about a mama and her boy.  She's been held captive for years, kidnapped while in college, and yeah, her baby daddy is her captor and a disgusting old man.  Despite the scariness, it's a literary accomplishment.  Anyway, heard they're bringing it to the big screen.  The author is writing the script and to be honest, I can't wait for the movie.  Even though I might need a xanax to get through it.

Lego Those Stereotypes!

Lego released their series 11 minifigures...and one of them is a female scientist.  My worlds collide!

To quote Cool Mom Picks: "Meet the new female LEGO scientist minifig who's wielding two Erlenmeyer flasks, isn't dressed in a pink lab coat, and her torso doesn't include cleavage."

But sadly, also read this and see this:

A selection of women minifig torsos.  And also note some of our scientist's friends from the current series.

Meet Pretzel Girl

Diner Waitress

And my favorite, cat lady grandma.  At least she doesn't have the boobage like the diner gal, or the corset of the "pretzel girl".  And on that note, guys - let's call a spade a spade.  You made a beer wench and are selling her to kids.

Geez, Lego.

Anniversary Threads

B and I celebrated three years earlier this month.  We celebrated with our traditional dinner (Domenica, yum) and movie (Fruitvale Station - go see it).

Club Monaco dress
Dolce Vita sandals
Jewelmint Collective bracelet (total Cartier knockoff)
Stella & Dot Signature hoops

Make A Statement with Stella

I held a Stella & Dot trunk show at my house before my birthday party back in May and have since been hooked on the jewelry.  I'm a huge fan of their necklaces.

Joe Fresh shorts

Tank from Fab, sorry, can't remember the brand

Rebecca Minkoff handbag (obsessed)

Dolce Vita archer sandals

Stella & Dot Carmen Necklace, $158

Really old Old Navy dress 

same shoes

Stella & Dot Lilith Fringe Necklace, $69 (on sale!)

I loved hosting the trunk show because it was no sweat off my back and I got jewelry credits.  I'm doing an online trunk show that goes through September - so if anything strikes your fancy, shop away using this link!  Here are a few things I'm looking at:

Carobella hoops, $16, on sale!

Sutton necklace, $129

Nancy studs, $24

Rebel Pendant necklace, $79

Sanibel pendant, $69