Over the past few days I’ve gotten a bunch of emails asking about this custom print hanging in Dee’s room from Hoot Design Co. (I don’t blame you – I love it too.) So, Kristen, the lovely and talented designer behind Hoot has offered to give away one of her sweet Simply Baby Prints to one lucky reader of The818. CLICK THROUGH to not only enter to win & find out how you can get $25 off a custom baby print by the ultra talented Kristen. Yay Friday! Yay Free Stuff! Yay Hoot! (I had three cups of decaf this morning and I’m having a psychosomatic caffeine high!)
When we brought Delilah home from the hospital (NINE FREAKING MONTHS AGO) we had a plethora of baby-wearing apparatus-i at the ready. Scott quickly laid claim to the baby bjorn, while I initially liked the moby wrap, because well…I was carrying around about 10,000,000 extra lbs, and I liked how much of my postpartum body the moby covered. But Sara and my sister kept clicking their tongues and echoing each others chants of “Ergo Baby, Ergo Baby, Ergo Baby.” So we decided to give it a go. Actually I lucked out and Ergo Baby was nice enough to send me their Ergo Organic Carrier in Black/embroidery and I instantly fell in love. The first morning I wore it around the house, Delilah fell asleep on me.
It’s like a giant cuddle with my sweet baby. I love wearing her in it. I love feeling her warm little self close to me, she hums a sweet little hum and she always falls asleep. And when she’s awake, she peeks over the edge with one eye, sneaky, cozy, safe from the world. And on thursdays when my wonderful mother-in-law watches Delilah, she borrows our ergo and wears her while she waters the lawn. And even though our particular ergo has pink and purple and yellow embroidery on it (which I totally love) even Scott gets in on the action – unafraid to wear his girl in front of even his harley-riding, bandana-wearing, crotch-scratching business partner. In short? It rules.
Want one? Need one? I’ve got one to giveaway. CLICK THROUGH to enter!
And in writerly news, my friend and favorite English teacher Metta is hosting a poetry blog hop that she publicly challenged me to participate in, and it’s kind of like literary mad-libs (I think that’s actually redundant, but whatever…) It came out kind of cool. I took some liberties. There’s some hokey rhyme and almost no reason to it. I couldn’t control myself. Enjoy.
{You can click HERE to see what this blog hop business is all about and HERE to join.}
I’m from brass vintage wall art
from bar stools and swag lamps
I’m from oddly formed arches set back from the street
I’m from teak and linoleum, walls of glass, thick concrete
I’m from night blooming jasmine
and pink bouganvilla -
From north of ventura,
behind the galleria
I’m from sweet cream cheese frosting and dark chocolate cake
I’m from leopard bikinis and eyebrows as bait.
I’m from everything has a place and counting to three
from expletives in yiddish and strong brooklyn accents
I’m from LA and new york
halva and french toast
From butter knife suicide survivors
and a garage filled with the treasures of long lost loved ones
the family that curses and laughs and interrupts together
stays together
and grows
and grows
{I felt like it needed that second “and grows.” Y’know? Anyway, Whew! That felt weird. But kind of good weird. I think my therapist would be proud of me. Thanks Metta.}
I can’t believe it’s effing May. It seems so recent that Scott and I were anxiously awaiting our 20 week ultrasound wondering if our little Danger Baby (as we often called Dee in utero) would turn out to be a boy or a girl. And yet here we are and a whole year has gone by. My sweet Dee is nearly seven months old, and Mother’s Day is fast approaching. My first Mother’s Day as a Mom. Which is pretty freaking crazy.
Sometimes I look at Delilah and I try my hardest to comprehend her very existence, and I can’t. I simply can’t wrap my mind around the fact that she is my child. I’ve waited my entire life to meet her, and here she is. And she has a personality. And it’s wonderful. She’s a quirky little thing. She has a surprising sense of humor. She’s very determined, and really doesn’t bother much with crying unless she absolutely must…usually she’s too busy singing and chirping, and smirking at things…she likes to make you work for a smile, but once you get it – she can’t hold back. She’s a whole amazing person, and I made her. I simply can’t believe it.
Today my Mom stopped by and when Dee saw her, she immediately reached for her neck – brushing her collar out of the way with her tiny hands, as if searching for something. My Mom laughed and said “Oh, sweetheart – I’m not wearing a necklace today!” I couldn’t believe it. My baby has memories. Not only does she recognize her Grandma on sight (I know, I know she’s been able to do that for months now, but it still blows my mind to think about what might go on in that tiny head) but she knows that Grandma Margie always wears fun necklaces for her to play with. I got a little emotional, because I remember being small enough to be held by my Mom and play with her necklaces…back then it was two thin gold ones that I often wear now.
And I know that soon Delilah will be big enough to start forming lasting memories of her own. And when she does, she’s going to remember those same thin gold necklaces my Mom wore. And she’s going to remember the necklace that used to be my Grandmother’s which my parents had reset and gave me for my high school graduation. And she’s going to remember the pearl drop and stamped brass necklace in the picture above.
That’s the Mama Necklace from Mother-Daughter design duo Kathie and Lindsey of Ripegoods. It’s stamped with Dee’s initial and birth date, and I am absolutely in love with it. And in honor of Mother’s Day, the lovely ladies from Ripegoods have generously offered to give one reader of The818 a Mama Necklace of their very own… Click through to enter!
Thankfully, I am no longer pregnant. But if I was, I would totally want that dress up there. Because when you are pregnant, it is really important to get dressed and look cute and stuff. Y’know, for the mental health. So Pregnant women, in support of your mental health (and wallet) I have a giveaway just for you! It’s a $100 Gift Card to [super cute LA-based maternity line] MoodyMamas.com – to celebrate the launching of The Moody Mama’s new line at Target!
Uh huh. That is a picture of me breast feeding my child. On the internet. With my boob out of my shirt. And I’m not even campaigning for anything. Look closely. See that shirt I’m wearing? That is a Milkstars nursing top. Can you see my nipple? [No, thirteen year old boys googling breastfeeding hoping for pictures of boobs and winding up on this blog, you can't.] Dee’s head is exposed to fresh air while my boobs/nasty postpartum belly flap are not. That is the miracle of Milkstars. And that’s not all. These shirts are soft. And comfortable. And generously long. And flattering.
CLICK THROUGH to read my complete review and find out more, including how you can get free shipping on your Milkstars order for the Month of January.
Oh, and Delilah was extremely entertained by the bright red lips I donned for that picture, which inevitably resulted in her spending the better part of the afternoon looking like this:
You've found my "About Me" page. Congratulations. I haven't made it easy for you. {If you're sitting there thinking "what an a-hole, a monkey could find this page" then you'll be surprised to learn how many tweets/comments etc. I receive from PR folks telling me they can't find my email anywhere on my site, which is located on the tab directly to the left of the one you are reading right now.}
So, tell me about The818.
With pleasure. The818.com is my personal blog which focuses mostly on style and parenting related topics, with an occasional essay, rant/rave, op/ed, pictures of my kid, bitching about my hair, life altering revelation, discussion of crappy television show, and interior design DIYs thrown in. As you may have guessed, "The818" refers to an area code, and thereby, a geographical location - specifically Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley where I was born, raised, and currently reside. (And yes, it is ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY 10 degrees hotter here. Not than everywhere. Just than the rest of Los Angeles. 20 degrees hotter than the beaches. Yikes.)
and I instantly fell in love. The first morning I wore it around the house, Delilah fell asleep on me.
