Weekend Round-up!

Happy weekend, dear readers! Hope it's a long one for you and you're getting a bit of a break thanks to MLK! I usually teach Hebrew School for Shul By the Shore on Sundays, but on this sunny Sunday off my day started out with a very early morning "sweet shop" set-up by my two favorite little ladies...

Lots of people I know find it ridiculous (and even a little obnoxious) when parents "take turns". And I must say, before I had kids I definitely felt the same way. That was until we tried "taking turns". Since Freida was about 9 months old we've had pretty much a solid sleep-in schedule. I sleep in on Shabbos morning while Manasseh plays with the kids until he has to get ready for Shul, at which point he rises the slumbering mother-queen and I take over. On Sundays I wake with the kids and he sleeps in until he has to get up for minyan. As I said, we started it years ago just to give it a try, and it's worked so seamlessly that we've never stopped. Obviously, it's not something that's never tampered with, but for the most part we love it and stick with it. Honestly,  just the thought of sleeping in so late one morning a week gets me through some of the toughest days ever. And let me tell you, when I go to sleep every Friday night knowing I most likely won't wake until an ungodly teenage hour - the pleasure  and relaxation of conking out is so awesome!!

Anyways! Now that I've finished my little rant on parenting... :)

Here's a few things I thought you might like to check out over this extended weekend:

- This art form has got me in stitches - so cool!!

- This week's Babyccino is Mexico-themed and while googling snacks I happened upon these - yumm!

- Lovely printable wrapping paper!

- With the Superbowl coming up, score some brownie points by being a good NFL wife and email your man this hilariously bad lip reading!!

- I'd love to use this retro barber board as my new babysitter info center.

- Talk about playing "sweet shoppe"....

- #MLK

- Freida's school has been going on about the flu - this non-alarmist guide cracked me up!

- Booze + Botanics.

Hope you have a good one!!

The Best Moms Know the Heimlich

You know how at times we're all in awe of that mom that cooly click-clacks in her heels across the toy spillage on the living room floor on her way out the door for a date night, while blowing a freshly-lipsticked kiss to her neatly pajama-ed little boy? Well, that's about how I feel when I see a mom in total control during crisis. It always freaks me out that as a mom my job is to take care of my children, and I'm always worrying about what would happen in the case of an emergency where I don't know what to do and am completely out of control. Take choking for example, I know what I'm supposed to do, I'm just not sure I know how to do it properly. And so I wind up worrying about it in a really unproductive way...

During our previous Babyccino series ("Neighborhood and Community Helpers"), when we were chatting on "Doctor" week, some of the ladies requested a CPR course for moms - specifically geared toward infant and child CPR. And there it was. The simple solution to all the worrying. A proactive way to nix the nagging anxiety about childhood emergencies. One of the women (thanks so much Chani G!!!) took this by the horns, and worked on finding the best CPR trainers, locking down the dates, and organizing the program. We held the first one 2 weeks ago, and while I thought my mommy-brain attention spam might just not make it through a 90 minute lecture, the whole thing was entirely entertaining! The trainer was funny and engaging, and the course was very much hands-on (the dummies, that is). There is another one being held here in LA tonight, and I thought I'd let you all in on it since there are still a few open spaces.

Come join us tonight for a literally life-saving 2 hours! And enjoy some donut holes and hot chocolate to boot! :)

RSVP to babyccino@shaareitefila.org.

P.S. Feel free to RSVP for a babysitter, nanny, or grandmother - this course is easy, cheap, and saves lives!!

2013

So! Who's ready for 2013? Because it's here.

Hope your holiday was super-special and adventurous! Mine wasn't. But that was okay. We were getting back into routine after having Freida home sick for a week with a temp' of 102! 'Twas not much fun. So with her finally back to normal; our New Year's was spent hanging out at home, going for a long walk, doing arts & crafts, having a family dance-off, a casual playdate, and ordering in some dinner. :)

Personally, the solar new year doesn't really mean much to me, but what it does mean is switching over my planner. And that's a pretty big deal. I love looking back at the year and seeing how much I accomplished and how far along I've come since this time last year. 2012 was huge for us as a family: we settled into a new city, a new home, and welcomed a new baby!! Plus, I started up a new work venture with Babyccino and it has been a fabulous experience, and growing ever since!  Plus, I even started doing another one on Tuesdays in Burbank. It's been truly wonderful and I'm so grateful that it all worked out so well, and mostly grateful to all the moms who make it happen by continuously showing up for the fun!! This year ahead of me looks like it will hopefully be one of growth and stability as opposed to last year's change and novelty. (Thank G-d we are very happy and settled here in Los Angeles, and we've grown so accustomed to our life and routine here. It's kinda like we've been here forever... Freida started school this year and is absolutely in love with it, Hudi has her own little schedule and social circle of playmates, and I've been relishing in being able to head out to dinner or a movie with a girlfriend and be home before 10pm, as well as loving having my husband at home for dinner with the family since negating his daily commute.) I'm anticipating  lots of growth in the coming year, as Manasseh and I are on the precipice of a very exciting joint career path - I'll tell you more about that as it continues to develop! :)

But for now, here's what's going down on my desktop! Here's to a very happy and prosperous 2013!

P.S. New Year image via.

Winter.

Welcome to winter dear readers! Hope you're all snuggly and warm this first winters weekend night - wrapped in a throw on the sofa, enwrapped in an old black and white film, perhaps? :)

Over here we rang in the season with some cousins visiting for dinner (thanks for coming Tzip!!), and all the kids whipping up a few batches of hot cocoa - whipped cream, marshmallows - the works! Freida was completely over the moon about the general invention of hot cocoa, and was pretty munch bouncing and bounding off the walls with excitement while Hudi swiped and popped mini mallows like a pro.

I always wonder if everyone gets all "nest-y" as the winter season sets in...? I always find myself cleaning, sorting, sprucing, cooking etc. this time of year. It's as if I have some intrinsic anthropological clock inside of me telling me it's time to hibernate and bolster my nest for the cold. I always buy a warmly-fragrant plant or two (this year I picked up a lush lavender bush for my entryway), invest in a new wooly throw (I'm coveting this one), and re-stock my coffee&tea station (we've been sipping lots of "get" teas). It's as if I walked out of a chapter in The Birth House! Please tell me some of you ladies relate??

In any case, in an attempt to inhibit my winter weirdness, I started pinning on my "winter" themed Pinterest board. Check it out for some winter-y inspiration!

Fabulous Wishlist

I'm so weirdly vulnerable to Fab. And while I'm not one to casually cave to impulse online ordering, at Fab it all just seems so available, so tempting, so irresistible! But alas, I'm resisting. Even so, here's what my Fab wishlist looks like, since this is the gifting season after all, and I'm sure lots of you are on the market for just the right gift for him, her, or someone else:

1. Material Mash-up Hamper: I don't even need a laundry basket, but this design concept of contrasting matter is just so wickedly cool!

2. Guns n' Roses: I think I've been wanting this ceramic guns vase ever since my love affair with "Sweet Child O' Mine".

3. Nautical Knotted Bracelet: Dip-dyed perfection.

4. Comical Carryall: I first spotted this insanely awesome pop-cult-object on a random LA woman in an Apple store, and I have not been able to forget about it.

5. Retro Can: Need one of these for a cleaner, sleeker, and more discreet diaper disposal system than our open bathroom trash bin.

6. Reading Lamp: Solves a lot of problems. :)

7. Toilet Paper Strand: Would love to quirk-up my bathroom with this dud.

8. Space-age Space Heater: Our exorbitant electric bill for central heat is the only justification for this price tag. Plus, Dyson. Freaking. Rocks.

9. Bright Immersion Blender: I love the one I have, but would love to whip up some dairy blends. Cream of broccoli bisque, anyone?

10. Lovely Tea Time: Sunday brunch never looked this good. Love the cool colors mixed with the gold.

11. Wooden Gem Studs: Cutest, cleanest, greenest diamond earrings!

12. Arrow Marquee: Just what I need to brighten up the hallway (and point out the loo!).

P.S. If you're not yet a Fab member (gasp!), get signed on up here.