The It List

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

This bad-ass unicorn by Aled Lewis. And only $20 for a print!


Ombre tights. [via]


Boysenberries, in particular boysenberry yogurt. I'm kinda addicted. Plus yogurt is one of those very easy things to eat when you're caring for a child all day and have no time to cook. [photo by sashafatcat]


Avril Loreti's paint chip placemats. [via]


"Castle." Something about this whodunit TV show is very calming to me, so I DVR it every week.

Connect With Me, Friends

Now that I have a smartphone I'm more connected to Twitter than I used to be. So come on over and chat, ask me questions, give me baby advice. Responding gives me something to do when I'm nursing for an hour (oh dear god girl learn to eat faster!).

Also worth noting that you can follow Little Gray Pixel on blog lovin' (which I think of as Google Reader's more beautiful sibling). And I've reopened my Etsy store. New prints to come shortly.

Tired. Mommy.

This is me. Unedited. Unflattering. This is me after I finally get Alexa down for her morning nap. Sometimes it's still morning. Sometimes it's early afternoon if she refuses to sleep. But still, I look like this. Raw, exhausted, wild-haired, eating a banana, taking a breather for my sanity.

Just keeping it real.

Photo of the Day: 03.29.11

How's this photo for avant garde? It's a reflection of me at 2 a.m., up for a night feeding. And another at 6 a.m. And we're up for the day at 8 a.m. Getting ready to go anywhere takes a lot longer now with a baby in tow, especially since she seems to have an uncanny ability to soil her diaper as soon as we're stepping out, but we did make it to Alexa's two-month doc appointment on time. While we waited I read her "Green Eggs and Ham," yes I did, Sam I Am. The vaccines have made her a sleepy, whimpering girl. We took a nap together. I can't hold her enough, especially when I know she's not feeling 100 percent.

Photo of the Day: 03.28.11

The sun is back! And my kitchen table is clean, thanks to a much-needed three-hour nap for Miss Alexa. Six query letters sent out for my novel. Why is it that so many agents send an auto reply that practically rejects your letter before it's been read? I'd give my right eye for a real, critical rejection letter. Enough of this Mr. Nice Guy routine, agents. Tell me how much I suck. Tell me a made a stupid mistake in my opening paragraph. Say something unique!

Photoshoot: Day at the Park

Last week we took Alexa for a walk in the park. It was a brisk, chilly, overcast day, so our photoshoot was rather brief before we transitioned her into the Moby wrap, where she got cozy and warm for the duration of our outdoors activity. I was excited to check out the children's play area of this park but was disappointed when I saw there were only TWO swings. I've noticed that fewer parks are installing swings, and the huge swing sets that already exist contain fewer and fewer actually swings. What is this world coming to when a child cannot swing? I remember the bulk of my childhood playtime was spent leaning back and forth, pumping my legs and looking up at the sky as the wind brushed my cheeks and hair. There's nothing like that feeling! Husband and I sat on the two lonely swings and I gave Alexa her first proper swing experience. She was already sleeping the Moby wrap, but I can vouch for her. She loved it.

By the way, the headband I'm wearing is Alexa's. For some unknown reason, it was in the baby section but clearly is too large for a baby's skull.

Photo of the Day: 03.27.11

A lazy Sunday, a day for staying in our jammies and streaming bad movies on Netflix. This weekend alone we've seen "Breakin'" and "The Stepfather." Someone must put a stop to our junk movie watching! The sun came out from behind the clouds in the late afternoon. We pretended we didn't notice because it's easier to be lazy when it's cloudy outside. The baby went down for all of her naps, but later made up for this feat of awesomeness by fussing well past her bedtime ... and ours.

Fashion Forward: April Showers

This is my aesthetic looking ahead at the next month. Kind of moody, kind of easy, kind of L.A. bohemian. I'm loving the free-flowing shirts and dresses with flats. Truth be told I could've picked a ton more stuff to fit this vibe off Need Supply, but these five are my favorite. The tribal feel of the earrings, the funkiness of the Jeffrey Campbell loafers, the stripes -- oh the stripes! What about you? What are feeling for the month of April?

1. Striped Tailback Tee
2. Striped Jammy Jam Tee
3. Hunting Earrings
4. Flowers in Seaglass/Smoke
5. Elegant Loafer Jaguar

Photo of the Day: 03.26.11

It's been raining like crazy here in Los Angeles, which means one thing: I have to struggle to find appropriate footwear. Most of my shoes are either open-toed, suede or sandals. So I pulled out the one pair of sorta-boots I own and ventured out in the world with my little family. At Target the baby and I looped around the Easter section four times while Husband picked out a breakfast cereal. Then we headed to the grocery store, where we bought a pot roast to prepare for a friend's birthday dinner. We feasted on the beef, potatoes and carrots, as well as cupcakes from Frosted. Alexa napped for a while in her swing but mostly stayed up with the adults while we watched "Mean Girls" on TV. A far cry from the rowdy birthday celebrations of our youth, but can I tell you a secret? I liked it.

Baby Talk

Dear Baby Alexa,

Eight weeks old. This has been the shortest long week of your little life so far. Short because days and nights are running into each other. Long because you don't sleep. Yep, I said it. You are becoming THAT CHILD. The one who is super sensitive to sound, light and has a superhuman ability to know the exact second Mommy has snuck off to pee. Mommy and Daddy are delirious from sleep deprivation, but just when we think we can't take another minute of your fussiness you up and smile at us. And not just a tiny I'm a baby and babies smile smile. I'm talking full-on, gums-glaring happiness. We aren't sure whether it's glee over pushing Mommy and Daddy to the limits or whether you're just happy to see us (as if you haven't seen us for hours and hours and hours on end). Whichever ... it still melts us immediately to see that smile. So bravo, little one. You've cracked the code to Mommy-Daddy crankiness. Now will you sleep already?

Things you love: laughing when we rub your little chin, your hands, when Mommy sings a song for you in the morning, going for walks in your Moby wrap, being naked, scratching your cute face (stop it!)

Things you hate: sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep

Xoxo,
Mommy

The It List

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

"Taken For a Fool," easily my favorite song off the new Strokes album.


This adorable photo by Abby Try Again.


Nothing like a John Lennon reference to wear around your wrist, by Ponder and Stitch.


Help out Japan with a big bear hug by Sleepy King.


And seriously, my biggest vice during the Easter season is a Cadbury egg. And now this? Awesome.

Shut Your Eyes!

Never mind us. We're just working on our sleep over here. At 7.5 weeks, we realize it's too early to TRY to sleep train, that we're supposed to wait till she's 4 months old, but who are we kidding? The sooner, the better. This little girl refuses to sleep unless she's being held, rocked, nursed or some combination of the three. Even then, we have to tiptoe around her or she'll give us the stink eye. I'm looking into the future and seeing that this could be a big problem. How do you get an infant to sleep on her own around a normal amount of noise? I've been reading up on the cry-it-out method, and there is just so much conflicting information out there. How about it, mamas? Anything tried-and-true you'd like to share with this first-time mom?

Baby Talk

Dear Baby Alexa,

Seven weeks old. I don't know where the time's going. Well, actually I do. It's spent kissing your chubby cheeks. I can't get enough of them.

Bedtime is going to be a problem with you. After your bath you are taking longer and longer to sleep. There's more babbling/screaming involved, and you made Mommy and Daddy so delusional at one point that they actually heard you babble/scream "Mom-my!" We realize you're still a few months away from coherently saying that ... or are you?

You've discovered the joy of making spit bubbles. You love to smile and coo. You'll nap in your swing now (as long as it's rocking fast enough), but you're still apprehensive about sleeping in your crib. Maybe one of these days.

It's a rare rainy Sunday in Los Angeles, a rain of epic proportions. As I'm typing this dogs are barking in fear and ambulances are driving by in droves. It seems like craziness in the outside world but there you are, peacefully napping in your swing. I can't wait till you wake up again so I'll have a legitimate reason to scoop you into my arms and start nibbling on your cheeks again.

Xoxo,
Mommy

Fashion Forward: Gray Linen

Have you noticed the smell of spring in the air? Newly mown grass and the lingering freshness of dew ... as fresh as morning moisture can be in this dingy city, what with the smog and constant film of grime on your car. Oh, wait. Where was I? Oh yes, springtime. Dew. Birds chirping. Bunnies hopping. You get the picture.

Spring makes me want to dress myself in gray linen. Light, airy, easy, innocent.

Xiaolizi

Gysde

Pretty Things By Meg

Five Sisterz

KnitFrekkles

And something coordinated for the little one to wear:

Three Loves

The Written Word: Typos

I've been querying my novel for the past few months. It took me a long time to come up with a query letter I was proud of, that fit all the standards agents say they're looking for.

As I was copying and pasting into yet another email, I reread my masterpiece. What. The. Eff.

Come to find out I botched the opening paragraph of my query letter. It's tiny, very tiny. But there's a big difference between "of" and "off."

That pesky letter "f."

Eff!

So embarrassed.

Breastfeeding vs. Formula feeding

A lot of times I feel conflicted about supplementing with formula, mostly because of the breastfeeding nazis I've encountered online who act like you're committing a crime against humanity by giving your baby even an ounce of something other than boob milk. Talk about a guilt trip for those of us mamas who are suffering low supply, lazy eaters or other issues!

Anyway, the guilt subsides a little bit when I see H feed Alexa her bedtime bottle. The two of them get precious bonding time they might otherwise not get. My own dad told me he did the same thing with me and my brother, feeding us when my mom was at work. And today we're both successful, intelligent adults who are very close to our dad.

Breast is best, for sure, but there's nothing wrong with a bottle of formula here and there, either.

It's About Damn Time

My first beer in 10 months. I chased it with garlic. It was delicious. The end.

Just kidding. The garlic was for our meal.

The It List

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

An adorable lantern makeover by You Had Me At Bonjour.


For the love of god will someone make me some grasshopper brownies before I drool all over myself?


Six weeks after giving birth I finally read this book, and just in time. It's so true, and so hilarious. Highly recommended.


I'm already planning this cloud room for Alexa, when she gets a little older!


Cabin + Cub's stamp collection is so, so pretty. Well done!

Baby Talk

First bath sans crying! She likes baths! Yay!

Dear Baby Alexa,

You are 6 weeks old. Lots of things have happened this week. First, all the visitors left. It was you and Mommy all alone, and we learned a lot about each other. We learned that Mommy has a hard time talking to a baby who doesn't respond and ends up giving you a running commentary of your day. "Mommy is changing Alexa's diaper. Alexa is screaming. Alexa doesn't like wet diapers, but she also doesn't like to have her diaper changed. Alexa likes to kick Mommy during diaper changes. Mommy is losing her mind." We learned that you are unpredictable and will sleep whenever you damn well please, thankyouverymuch. Speaking of sleep, you are averse to doing much of that at all. One day you stayed up for nearly 12 hours with only catnaps for rest. What is up with that, Little One? Can we get on a schedule already, for Mommy's sanity? Mmkay.

Things you like: Smiling really big, sighing in your sleep, having your hands free, music, your nightly soak in the tub, "Miss Lina's Ballerinas," being rocked, sitting on Daddy's lap to see the world, cuddling with Mommy in bed
Things you dislike: Sleeping, Target's pasta aisle, stoplights, manicures from Mommy, sneezing

Can't wait to see what the next week will bring, my little raspberry.

Xoxo,
Mommy

Photoshoot: 1 Month Old

I know, I'm late. Baby Alexa turned 1 month old on Feb. 28, and that's when these photos were taken. They just weren't uploaded until, oh, last night.



Each month on the 28th I plan to take a photoshoot with Miss Alexa and her owl to mark her growth because, as everyone likes to remind me, "they're only little for a short while." During this photoshoot, Alexa was distracted by the cat skulking nearby. She also couldn't stop kicking her legs and pumping her arms, which I know must make her kung fu master of a daddy happy.



We didn't dress up because it was COLD that day. We have tons of cute little dresses and adorable bloomers for the baby in the 0-3 month range but unfortunately only a few pairs of pants. Because it never gets cold in Southern California. Except when it does.

Design Dialogue: Sectional Globe

How cool is this globe? My living room is seriously being overrun by my globe obsession, but I might have to make space for this. After all, it's educational -- it sits at the same angle as Earth's axis. (23.4 degrees in case you were wondering.) [via Happiness Is]

Baby Talk

What is with all the cute but technically unnecessary baby stuff that I can't afford because diapers, formula and other boring essentials have declared a monopoly on my bank account? I feel like I'm being mocked by cuteness! Damn you bank account.


Like these pants by Thief and Bandit. Who wouldn't want their baby to sport these sweet pants?


And these ridiculously adorable owl dolls from Blabla.


And OMG I love these jammies by Hanna Andersson, especially now that I've discovered how awesome zippered jammies are. Seriously. The best thing ever. If I could go back in time I'd fill my baby registry with zippered jammies and zippered jammies only.