Making Lemonade

Today was terrible. One of the worst of the worst. I haven't been sleeping well. My nights have been filled with terrible dreams of love, work, and child raising--- all falling apart-- again. I'm not sure what triggers my sleep problems (well, late night sugar doesn't help... and hormones don't help... okay, I guess I do know), but whether I know or don't know: my complicated relationship with sleep is back. I went to bed last night, excited for today... but today: nothing went as planned. I woke up to rain. Fine, it's rain, not a big deal. Rain happens, it's nothing to cry about. But how I was going to make it to two banks and city hall with a toddler, in the rain, was beyond me. (#firstworldproblems, right?) But I NEEDED to pay my bills. I knew I needed to. Five days past payment on rent (not a huge deal, I've got a great landlord, she knows the payment will come in-- this was my first day free this week) and a little overdue on utilities--- maybe, I never received a notice. I started gathering things together-- I was going to get Marlowe in that stroller and make quick walk east when there was a break in the clouds. I pick her up, I bring her in her room to change her: the power goes out. I hear someone outside. WHY. My bill stated the payment was due the 19th (of April). WHY. I go to the window and I see the man who shut off my power, getting in his truck, and pulling away. And I'm stuck, in the 90 degree, raining weather, with no AC and no power for fans.... and I'm confused and upset. Why the man who turns a switch to turn off all the power in my house couldn't wait for tomorrow, couldn't wait an hour until I made it to the office, is beyond me. We finally make it out of the house, neither one of us is happy. Marlowe vocally whines the whole time, I whine in my head, but I'm certain you can see it in my face. She whines more. She screams. I give up. I give her a lollipop from the bank--- ANYTHING to give me a slight second of a break today. The lollipop is not another person or a helping hand. The lollipop is hardly a minute distraction. And I don't feel completely guilty. We make it home. I prepare lunch. She screams the entire time. She seems hungry. I place her in the highchair and she is disappointed and unhappy. Whines. Points to nothing. Whines more. I beg, I plead. Finally, she gives up on her pointless whining and reaches for food. She begins to eat. I stand up in relief, wash my hands, walk back to the couch, and she is asleep: covered in food, in her chair. I lay her, dirty, covered in food, on my bed. I get some work done and I clean my messy home. She wakes up, in a better mood. For a short while, the clouds move, and the sun shines in... and I make lemonade. The rest of the day continues with more fits, more tantrums, and refusing to eat anything of value, and the day, once again, continues to fall apart. 

Currently: I'm happy to be in bed, with my child asleep in her cozy, tiny bedroom. I'm happy we both survived our moodiness today. I'm not pleased that my emotions have gotten the best of me a few times this week, but I'm proud for making it through another trying day, alone. I look forward to a fresh start tomorrow. Tomorrow will be a good day. Tomorrow: I drink my lemonade. 

2 parts lemon

1 part sweetener

6 parts water

(sounds accurate enough)

Happy Weekend everyone! Happy Easter, if you celebrate it. It seems the earth and the planets are moving in all kinds of weird directions, changing and adjusting our moods and cycles. I know very little about this. I failed (well, I got a C) on every exam relating to the pull of the moon and tides in my college oceanography course (hardest class I've taken to date). With Mercury in retrograde (whatever that means), we're not "supposed to" make big decisions, take on new projects, or deal with finances, but instead, deal with already looked at and older projects. Whatever is going on with moodiness and pulls, it's supposed to end soon. Again, happy weekend. Make some lemonade. 

Moving The Floor Bed

I decided to move the new floor bed from one side of the room to the other... giving me my much needed  workspace back. It was quite a (fun) task with Marlowe as my (ridiculous) helper, but maybe next time I'll just do it alone :)

Berries!

sneak attack

It's friday! Yippeee! I'm looking forward to sharing many bowls of berries with Marlowe. Also, you see this toy area? I'm looking forward to *hopefully* building an awesome play area with Eric. If all goes as planned, it should be pretty neat! *crosses fingers*

What are your plans this weekend? 

ps. did you enter the Mild by Nature giveaway? only two days left!
&what about Lacy's Boon giveaway too??

note: I know many people recommend postponing strawberries until at least one year of age, but given the fact that there are zero food allergies on either side of her family I thought it was safe to try it out. It's obvious to see, it was a good choice, the kid can't get enough. nom nom nom.

Ohdeardrea Giveaway! {Mild by Nature} -CLOSED

It's giveaway time! woot woot. When I was contacted to do a review (and giveaway) for iHerb's Mild by Nature baby line I was quite hesitant. I try to keep these things on a minimum on my blog and 99% of the time I turn them down. You wouldn't believe the amount of emails one will get regarding baby soap reviews--- all of them of not vegan and full of chemicals of course. Well, Marlowe got her diaper rash and I realized how important it was for me to find a more natural and vegan friendly option for her bum (we had a natural and earth-friendly option, but not vegan). Also, hopefully this will inspire you to choose a more earth friendly, natural, and vegan option on your baby's skin! So here we are.... with the entire line of Mild by Nature.

The first thing I did was open and smell every product (if don't like the smell or if it's too heavy it's a NO). Well, I was really really pleased. Even the scented lotion, was wicked light and pleasant. Everything was super mild which is perfect for Marlowe (and me), cause as you guys probably know, if it's full of chemicals it stays far far away from this household. Also, Marlowe has a bad (ridiculous) habit of opening her mouth every time I try to wash her face (she's like begging to have her mouth washed out with soap). There's not too much I can do about it, and it would be a whole lot worse if there were nasty unknown chemicals in the soap..... regardless, I just wash her face as quickly as I can and try to get as little in there as possible. Well, she doesn't seem to mind when this little bit of soap goes in her baby mouth, so I guess thats a good sign that the soap is gentle enough and isn't full of nasty crap. Basically, what I'm saying is: we give Mild by Nature two mama and two baby thumbs up.

iHerb has also been gracious enough to send one lucky winner, not one or two products, but the whole Mild by Nature line! It includes: one soap/shampoo, one conditioner, two lotions (one scented and one unscented), one bubble bath, and one bitty bottom cream! Of course, Mild by Nature is: eco-friendly, natural, and vegan. With no their "no no-no's" going for them! No: sulfites, parabens, dyes, and no animal testing! (We wouldn't give it to you otherwise! DUH).

To enter: 
leave a comment with your name and email address
For an additional entry: tweet about the giveaway (Ohdeardrea Giveaway! Win the entire line of baby products from {Mild by Nature} http://t.co/Nc6jfTe @ohdeardreababy) &leave a separate comment with the link
For a another additional entry: blog about the giveaway &leave a separate comment with the link

(***Non-US residents: see below)


If you're interested, you can purchase any of the Mild by Nature products at iHerb.com. For 5$ off your first order use the coupon code: WOW123 (first time customers)


This giveaway will be open until Sunday 9pm (eastern standard time) and the winner will be announced on Monday! Good luck!


PS. We received this package after Marlowe's diaper rash incident, so I'm not really sure how the diaper rash cream works, and hopefully I'll never have to find out ;) Thank you so much for all your tips, tricks, and advice. I ended up using a little bit of the non-vegan product I already had (we were fighting off some sickies so I didn't want to take little M on the hike out for more stuff), plus she got an oatmeal bath, plus a little bit of diaper-free running around time... aka pee all over mama's floor time :) Her bum is 100% better now and as cute as ever! Thanks!


***If you are an international reader and would like to enter the giveaway: know that you will be responsible for any additional custom taxes and/or duties. Also, once the winner is drawn we will do a quick double-check to make sure we can mail it to your country. (Sorry for any inconvenience!)


Again, good luck &happy natural bathing :) 

What's In My Diaper Bag

Bag: Petunia Pickle Bottom. It's a good bag. No complaints. Doubles as a backpack-- I've never tried it this way.  But really, any large bag would do--- this is cute and holds my things: win/win.

I carry A LOT of stuff. I always have. I'm always one of those people with the big purses filled with things "just incase". I guess people call that "a bag lady" sigh. Now the bag is over run with Marlowe things, but before I would also carry: a bathing suit, a sweater, an ipod, a book, markers, a notebook, and so on. I would have been great on that show "Let's Make A Deal". 

1. wet/dry- dirty diaper bag
2. bum genius cloth diapers
3. burp cloth - suitable for spit-up, drool, or salsa messes
4. extra onesie
5. pants - in case it goes from hot to not-so-hot
6. butt wipes case - I only use 7th generation or earth's best wipes. &a changing pad. (both came with bag)
7. spare diapers - just in case. 7th generation
8. pacifier chain
9. piece of string- you never know- I might need a piece of string!
10. sun hat/crotchet hat
11. rattle/teether
12. head scarf
13. wallet- $$$$
14. raybans
15. pacifier case- when I got this I thought: "how unnecessary" (sorry Julia). Then I had a baby and realized: "how great! I do need a place to keep a pacifier from getting dirty and/or lost!"
16. wholefoods brand natural hand sanitizer
17. two types of stain remover- one natural, one not so much.
18. natural spraymist -for when my armpits start to stink. ew
19. hand lotion
20. eye drops - I hate using these things, but I'm supposed to be for a while since having Lasik.
21. lip balm- I think I've used this 3 times in one year. Why do I even carry this?
22. mac powder foundation- I'm in the process of switching over all my cosmetics to vegan/natural ones. Every time I run out of one thing I make the switch. Unfortunately, I go through my make-up so slowly that I still have this a year later. (Yes, I'd rather use a non-vegan product, than create unnecessary waste.)
23. boiron camilia teeth drops- I've been using these for a while and just added them to the purse since the India-Fest incident.

I don't know what I could even take out: besides maybe that lip balm and maybe the armpit spray? Whateva'. 

I also carry: a blanket, but this was left in the car seat. & sweater on colder days. another toy of some sort. &of course my camera &phone

My Breasts Are Offended?

A huge event has taken place for Babycakes this week: FOOD! I've been on the fence between bringing food to Babycakes diet or keeping her solely on milk for a while (another month of two) longer, but my thoughts in baby-raising are: let her show me what she is ready or not ready for. And believe me, she was ready and showing *it's time to try food* cues all over the place. Every meal I ate she would watch me pick up the food and bring it to my mouth and chew.... and then she would mimic my chewing. Nom nom nom. Even with the cues, part of me has been hesitant, because I want to make sure she is always getting the max number of nutrients possible, and not just filler. But another side of me really couldn't be more excited to start having her mouth explore new flavors and textures. Food is such a big part of my life and I've been dying to share that with her. Every meal I have I want to give her a bite and be like: "Try this Marlowe!" but I can't (yet). 

With (the wonderful) Eric helping, Marlowe experienced whole grain rice cereal with apples (mixed with mama's milk) for the first (and second) time this week. I only ever see her this excited when I unclip my bra for meal time. I had a *very small* fear that she would turn away from my breasts after trying something new, but of course that didn't happen. I don't plan on weaning her for a while-- a long while-- unless she decides to wean herself, then thats a whole other story, but I doubt that will happen anytime soon. She loves boob time and I love knowing she is getting something vegan, wholesome, and most importantly: healthy and natural. 

It was quite a wonderful event with Eric holding Marlowe while mama was doing the messy spoon feeding. Marlowe took one sniff and got excited... I put a tiny bit in her mouth and her face lit up trying to grab the spoon for more. If I stopped for a second she would get upset and want more more more-- reaching and grasping for the cup. Every bite was the most amazing thing for her. She would move the cereal in her mouth and suck in her lips so hard to try to swallow it all. This girl is definitely like mama: born to eat. 

Bib was handmade by Heidi, fabric picked by Eric. Small serving cup is from Anthropologie.

And really, my breasts aren't that offended, they are pretty excited to maybe get a break once in a while! Like I said, this girl is an eater. 

Speaking of food, all the wonderful *favorite summer food* posts for the giveaway made me hungry and left me wanting some summer food for myself! I asked Eric to bring over vegan hot dogs, yes vegan hot dogs---- if you know me, I hate eating fake meat... so this dinner request was a pleasant surprise for Eric. Michelle came by and we had ourselves an all-american (vegan) summer dinner of hot dogs, crinkle fries, and cole slaw. Nom.

A Vintage Doll House For Marlowe

My mom has been itching to buy something nice for Marlowe. Just ITCHING-- since christmas-- She was planning on buying Marlowe a nice stroller but I kept saying 'wait wait wait'. I needed to find the perfect one and since little babycakes is always in the baby carrier anyway it felt a bit unnecessary to rush into a big investment like a stroller. And I was actually given a pretty nice used stroller around Christmas time that I have yet to clean up and even use... I figure if I need a stroller bad enough I can clean that one up. I digress... back to the point: because of me, my mom never got Marlowe a Christmas gift and she has not been to happy about it. Well, yesterday while antiquing/thrifting I found the perfect gift for my mom to give to Marlowe: A dollhouse. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined wanting a dollhouse for Marlowe. I was the one who refused pink items at my babyshower and cried when I found out I wasn't having a boy, but here I am lusting over this antique dollhouse. I know it will be years before Marlowe can actually use it, but it's incredibly lovely. I'm happy it is in our home. Now I will be waiting for Marlowe to really enjoy it and be old enough to not want to break or eat the pieces. I'm sure my mom can't wait to play house with Marlowe either :)

The house itself was a great find at only 20$. It was all the tiny pieces inside that really started adding up. I got more pieces than necessary, some original to the house-- some not. Ah, I'm so pleased with it! I've been doing some internet searching and it appears to be from 1966. I can't wait to add some more pieces and details to make it even cuter. I couldn't turn down the outdoor furniture.... and the sauna. Yes... a sauna:

Living in style.

I've been trying to get Eric to take my TV for his house for a while now... and now that the dollhouse is here, he really really is going to have to take it. *HINT* :) I have yet to actually turn on my TV and the dollhouse is much better suited for my shelf! Ah! I love it.

PS: I've received a few comments in recent posts about my ability to go walks without the snow standing in my way, like it is for much of you... well, I feel you guys! I grew up in Massachusetts and dealt with A LOT of snow! But don't worry, when it's beautiful and sunny where you guys are I will be sweating and miserable in the Florida summer heat :)

Another PS: Thank you for all the lovely comments about my home! My ottomans (ottomen?) in the last post were purchased from Homegoods. It was one of those *walk into the store as it opens and grab before anyone else does* situations. I have yet to see another set in the store since then! I would like to do a house tour like some of my readers have mentioned, but the truth it, you guys have pretty much seen my whole house! It's tiny! There's not much else to it other than a bathroom :)

I'm not sure if this is even necessary anymore, but if you'd like to vote for us it's still very much appreciated :)