Balloon Class

While majority of my time over the past few weeks has been spent on either settling into our new home, or planning and working on my newest project, Babyccino, it dawned on me recently that Freida's birthday is in just a few little days!! The big 3 totally and completely snuck up on me!! And though I feel guilty about it now, I've really been working on convincing myself that I had every reason in the world to neglect planning her special day: a new place, a new job, a new city, a new and final trimester in my pregnancy (!!), and to top it all off - I've just gotten blood test results that show I am severely anemic! I was low on iron while pregnant with Freida was well, but this time it looks like the deficiency is far greater. I'm just so relieved to know that something is actually wrong with me, and that what's been going on inside of me is not, in fact, normal at all. Grocery shopping takes me falling faintly on the couch upon completion, small tasks look like treacherous mountains, and no matter where I find myself - that spot on the floor looks like an amazing place to curl up for a nap! So grateful to hear that something is off, and that this will not get worse and worse as delivery draws closer...! I'll be getting onto an iron supplement immediately, and I should be seeing results within a few days of medication. Joy!! Which, brings me back to Freida's party - threw a little backyard shin-dig together for the cousins this Sunday afternoon, and looking forward to a lovely few hours spent with family (especially since my mother will be in town - we are going to fetch her at LAX after lunch today!!!) celebrating our little lady and her divine entrance into this world 3 bright and beautiful years ago!

While on my quest for some last-minute-party inspiration, I came upon the realization that balloons can have some serious class!! Not just that, but while balloons have been used as props in fashion photography for quite some time, now they seem to be seriously stealing the spotlight!! Especially the giant round ones, like we had at Freida's first birthday - they are popping up everywhere!!

It seems lots of moms these days are either suffering from balloon-overkill or seem to think the balloon era has faded the way of pin-the-tail on the donkey, in any case these fashion shots are sure a strong shout-out that ballons are very much in the here and now, and proves they can be both chic and childish - providing perfect party pictures!

And for those of you adults who are still feeling a bit balloon-weary... check out Geronimo; not just for kids anymore!! I'd totally love to order one of these babies for a friends birthday - just imagine this being delivered to your doorstep, attached to your favorite cupcake! Magic...

Hatch!

As I've mentioned previously, I'm finally on the lookout for some versatile maternity pieces, and trying to put together a tiny and minimalist maternity collection - mostly things that will last me through pregnancy, into postpartum, and preferably beyond! Have you ladies ever heard of Hatch by Two Birds? Firstly, and foremost - how awesome is that name?! Just the word itself depicts the items in this collection as those functioning well beyond birth! Hatch! Anyways, the main idea is a teeny-tiny collection of the very best pieces an urban girl could live in! While the tags are quite pricey, it's not the very items themselves that could me - it's the idea of the signature and classic pieces that manage to make up a full wardrobe! Check this:

Cardigan, Errands Dress, Button Down, Overcoat, Soiree Dress, Afternoon Dress, T-Shirt, Dinner Party Dress, Wrap. 9 pieces I could live in.

                

You can start with the basics you should already have in your closet (great leggings, pencil skirts, and blazers), and move on from there, building piece by piece for a versatile, long -lasting "maternity" collection. Plus, buying like this should take you well beyond "hatched"!

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/28726307]

Wonder by Wovenplay

Once more, Wovenplay has managed to enchant me and inspire me. Fall 2011 collection is here.

Slavery Footprint

I was so compelled by this insanely well-designed website, that I thought I'd share it with you all here (especially since having children, i.e. toys, seems to up one's slavery footprint significantly). Check out SlaveryFootprint.org for some mind-blowing web design, but much more primarily for this important message about slavery, sweatshops, and human trafficking - happening here. And now. (If this doesn't interest you enough, take the survey for sheer web-design and graphics delight!)

Playing with Pie

Just wanted to drop a line to those of you heating up your kitchens in preparation for some Thanksgiving bounty!! I've been having deep pregnancy-craving dreams of fresh cranberry sauce dribbled over slices of juicy turkey...and sweet potato casserole topped with just-browned marshmallow...and oven-roasted brussel sprouts and fresh-herb-infused stuffing...mmm! Right now I'm feeling grateful that our Thanksgiving will be spent amongst family and friends (not to mention grateful that we got invited out to an old friend's legendary kid-free feast! Thanks Sariti - looking forward!!)

Freida came down with a bout of autumn cough/cold this week (I'm giving thanks that she held off on the illness until we were settled post-move and not in the interim of it all!), so we've got our own version of seasonal bounty cooking up on the stove. I'm all about attempting to "heal through foods", and I've got chunks of root vegetables (butternut squash, rutabaga, turnip, garlic, leeks, and parsnips) simmering in vegetable broth waiting to be processed into a velvety, sick-banishing, chock-full-of-vitamins soup!

Anyways, for those of you hosting Thanksgiving feasts, and planning on entertaining families with children (not to mention your own), I thought I'd share a little delicious tactile activity that is sure to keep tiny hands busy (for a little while, anyway). 3 words: pumpkin. pie. playdough. Yep, you read that right. And just wait til you actually try this stuff out - it's such an insanely yummy (not to mention stress-relieving!) activity - you will just want to keep some on you, available for relaxation and manipulation, all day long! Plus, making the stuff is easy as pie!

Use a general playdough recipe like the fool-proof one I posted here. While mixing it all up over low heat, add in:

- 2 Tablespoons Pumpkin Pie Spice

- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

- 1 teaspoon Maple Syrup

- Drop of Red and Yellow Coloring

Just kneading this stuff (I made it the night before the Babyccino launch - the class was "pumpkin" themed, and this dough went into one of the sensory tables), had all my senses in overdrive. It was warm and fragrant, and I simply didn't want to put it down!!

Not that you need anything extra to cook, but if you make it around to this, you can set up a kids table with pumpkin pie playdough, cookie cutters, empty pie tins, tart dishes, cupcake liners etc. and let the kids mess around with this tactile and olfactory activity while the grownups get started on cocktails! :)

Also, in case your looking for some more kid-busying activities for tomorrow, I filled another sensory table with pumpkin seeds (still shelled), and left out some measuring cups and spoons to play around with. Another 15 minutes of happy occupation makes all the difference while entertaining! And don't forget last year's hit popcorn turkey kid tablescape!!

Happy holiday of thanks to you all!! Wishing you heaps and heaps to be grateful for...!