Photoshoot: 13 Months Old

Baby girl turned 13 months old on Feb. 28. Each month on the 28th I take a photo of Miss Alexa and her owl to mark her growth because, as everyone likes to remind me, "they're only little for a short while."

Well, here she is, standing up for her monthly photos now that she's a big girl. Of course, the first thing she did was ditch Mr. Owl.



Alexa's still wearing 12-18 month clothing. Her 12-month sleepers are getting tight. We're going to have to invest in some new nightwear soon. Perhaps pajama separates since she's such a toddler now. She is wearing size 4 shoes. Currently the only shoes that fit her snugly are her pink bunny slippers. She has about six size 5 shoes, barely too big, patiently waiting in the wings. Soon, soon.

It's easy to tell when she is ready to sleep. She will stop whatever mischief she's in and lie flat on the ground, face down. She's also become quite attached to her lovey: this little pink blanket attached to a plush monkey. She carries it around the house and holds it out for "kisses" from Mama and Papa.

She is still toothless. I know.

This little girl eats everything. And she wants to feed herself, thankyouverymuch.

A day before the 13-month mark it happened. She started walking. It has been nonstop cuteness ever since. In general she's a happier girl now that she's as mobile as she always wanted to be. She's been waiting for this since she was 6 months old. On the other hand, she's also three times as moody. God forbid anyone try to pick her up mid-walk. Hysterics, fake tears, the works.

She is starting to climb on things. So far, she's attempted scaling her little piano, pillows she's dragged onto the ground from the couch, and toys like her walker (which in hindsight wasn't a very smart purchase; she barely ever used it) and corn popper.

Today (13.75 months) I asked her if she was happy. She cheesed her gummy grin. I said, "Alexa's happy." She said, "Leksha hap-py." I repeated, "Alexa's happy?" She said, "Hap-py."

Movies My Kids Will Watch (Part 1)

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say I'm getting crotchety and old. I say this because I've found these words coming out of my mouth a lot: "They just don't make 'em like they used to" and "In my day ..." You would think I'm 90, harkening back to the days before the Internet and a time when there weren't 5,000 cable channels to choose from.

I'll probably still be saying these things when I'm 90, but I'll be harkening back to the days of smartphones and HDTV. Oh, what will they come up next?

Anyway. "They don't make 'em like they used to" is usually used in reference to movies. In particular children's movies, which I feel have been watered down and politically correctified within an inch of their lives. That isn't to say I don't like some modern children's movies (there's one on today's list), but mostly I find them milquetoast and lacking in soul.

But Vanessa, these movies are "scary." But Vanessa, this movie glorifies running off to the circus and a chimpanzee totes a gun therefore my kid will go crazy if he/she watches this!

Whatever. I believe in a child's capacity to understand complex and scary ideas. I also believe that children are smarter than you think they are. They're not going to run off to the circus. They will probably just want to pretend to. And isn't imagination a good thing? I think so.

Without further ado, here's the first installment (there are more to come) of movies my kids will watch, and yours should, too.


WHY? Mr. Stubbs, circus costumes, riding horses, joining the circus, the value of a buck, learning the importance of home and family


WHY? Traveling to new and exciting places, good music, vivid imagination, wizards and witches, using magic to fight evil, Angela Lansbury


WHY? Hayley Mills, doing a good deed despite encountering discouragement, standing up for your beliefs, having a sunny outlook on life


WHY? Perseverance, David Bowie, good tunes, stunning visuals, encourages a healthy imagination, gives value to make-believe, promotes self-empowerment, discourages judging others based on their looks


WHY? Unicorns, fairies, the quest for light to overcome dark, beautiful costumes, learning redemption


WHY? The beautiful AURYN necklace, enforces the power of believing in something, encourages fighting the "nothingness" aka depression or despair, Atreyu the fearless child warrior, standing up to bullies, the virtues of losing yourself in a good book, the idea that nothing is ever beyond repair, Falcor


WHY? Implies that with a little faith you can complete an impossible task, Gelflings, awesome animatronics, asserts that the "little guy" can do something to change the world, encourages imagination, teaches the idea of balance, shows good vs. evil


WHY? Lindsay Lohan pre-freakout, Jamie Lee Curtis, walking in a mile in someone else's shoes, mother-daughter lovefest, teaches empathy and understanding, selfless love


WHY? a flying car, a healthy imagination and knack for storytelling, Dick Van Dyke, promotes inventiveness and thinking outside the box, using ingenuity to make money


WHY? Dick Van Dyke again, Julie Andrews, a spoonful of sugar, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, fun adventures, the importance of being there for your family, making ordinary tasks exciting, great music and dance numbers

Photo of the Day: 03.01.12-03.15.12

Prepare yourselves for some scrolling. I'm dropping 15 days (of 365 Days) of snapshots on you.

Starting .... now.

03.01.12 {pick me up}

03.02.12 {happy, so happy}

03.03.12 {i wanna hold your hand}

03.04.12 {the last crumb}

03.05.12 {a pink tail}

03.06.12 {drinking and walking}

03.07.12 {morning vignette}

03.08.12 {unflattering self-portrait no. 549}

03.09.12 {her lovey}

03.10.12 {cliffhangers}

03.11.12 {pruned garden}

03.12.12 {packing, packing, packing}

03.13.12 {parking spot vista}

03.14.12 {sorry i interrupted your catnap}

03.15.12 {for all that kales you}

The It List

Five things I'm lovin' right now ...

1. Geo floral paintings in embroidery hoops, by April Awakening.
2. This little fox dress (among others) by Wild Things Dresses.
3. Delightfully Tacky's three spring milkshakes. Mmmmmm.
4. The latest (and last?) adventures of Alexia Tarabotti.
5. All the recipes on Fresh365, including this onion and sweet potato tart.

As always, you can see more things I'm lovin' over on Pinterest.

Link up!
If you link up with The It List, I'd love it if you displayed our button on your post (so everyone else can find our party). Don't forget to spread the word.

<a href="http://littlegraypixel.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7204/6981336399_1b11ba6c43_o.jpg" width="200" height="150" alt=""></a>

Steppin' Out

What I'm wearing:

Sweater: Lane Bryant, thrifted

Skirt: Torrid, capsule wardrobe

Leggings: Old Navy

Pink flats: Capsule wardobe

What Alexa's wearing:

Dress: Hanna Andersson, eBayed

Jeggings: Thrifted

Bunny slippers: Old Navy, gift

What H is wearing:

The usual...

Why am I just now posting our Steppin' Out photos from this weekend? Well, let's start from the beginning, shall we? First thing Saturday morning, I'm awoken by an alarmed H, who is gingerly cradling Alexa. Or wait. Alexa is in one arm, but he is cradling ... vomit? Oh no.

Thankfully it seemed to be an isolated incident, so I suggest we go to the beach for a breath of fresh air. It is a beautiful SoCal morning. Like, close your eyes and imagine the most beautiful day possible. THAT. We are having a great time. Alexa is feeling better, walking all over the place, making friends with dogs.

Next thing you know we are picking up sandwiches for a picnic in the park. And that's when it happens. The nausea.

Fast forward to today, and I'm finally feeling better. Sorry for the absence, friends. And hello, I'm glad to be back.

A few things:

• You can find me over on Lollipops and Roses today, where I share my favorite painting on Show & Tell Tuesday.
• Tomorrow I will be posting The It List, and I'd like to invite you all to link up with your link roundups (doesn't have to be five things, doesn't have to be called The It List, just your favorite stuff from the Internet this week). I'll be posting this link list every Wednesday! Tell your friends, tell them to tell their friends. Let's have a linky party! Did I set a record for the number of times I used the word "link" in one paragraph? Whew.

CHANGE my diet, part 2

This is an update on My One Word for 2012: Change. Periodically I will stay accountable by letting you know how I'm doing. The good, the bad and the so-so. No holding back.

I tackled going meatless. So the next logical thing to cut out was chocolate. Conveniently I can just say I gave it up for Lent and no one gives me any trouble. Except for Pinterest. Why do you people hate me? Why must you torture me?

Damn you, Hi-Hat Cupcakes and the hundreds of people who have repinned you! [via]

Anyway, I've been chocolate-free for more than two weeks. It has been a million times more difficult than giving up meat. First, there are the Girl Scout cookies that arrived and have been banished to my freezer. Second ... well, isn't the first thing enough?

I see chocolate everywhere I go. It taunts me with its decadence.

Pros: I have not eaten my usual crate of creme eggs. In fact, my lack of business might endanger the future of Cadbury as we know it. On the other hand, I have learned that I am capable of restraint!

Cons: Unlike going meatless, I don't think I can go chocolate-less forever. I'm already counting the days. Those frozen Thin Mints won't stand a chance on Easter. I don't care if I crack a tooth.

10 Dollar Bill

You have a $10 bill in your pocket. Why don't you ...

... Send this cute unicorn package by Paper Beats Rock to a friend on her birthday. I love unicorns. You can send it to me. It's not my birthday, but it's always my unbirthday. A very merry unbirthday to me! (And to you, too.)