The It List

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

This ridiculously cute camera bag. Shh, don't tell anyone, but I think it would make a cute diaper bag, too.


This photo by Hei Astrid. I want to re-create something similar with me and Alexa, both of us wearing matching outfits.


An ode to that damn honey badger.


Speaking of videos, how about a video of Joseph Gordon-Levitt singing "Lithium." Better than the Nirvana version, if I may be so bold.


An illustration for Alexa's room. Or mine.

As always, you can find more things I'm lovin' on my Pinterest page.

Photo of the Day: 08.27.11

On Saturday we said goodbye to my car of five years, John Jr., my little green bug. It was time. Alexa weighs 18 lbs. and getting her and the car seat in the back of the Beetle is challenging, just ask my wonky left shoulder. Also, our big stroller doesn't fit in the trunk.

You can imagine my elation upon opening the trunk to the new-to-me Toyota Highlander and having room to spare even with the stroller. And so much room for Alexa in the back seat. I never thought I would be driving an SUV. Guess I truly am a mommy now.

P.S. Alexa did a great job at the dealership for three hours. She was such a trooper!

Fashion Forward: Autumn Orange

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As soon as September rolls around I start to see orange. Well, truthfully, I've been seeing orange for at least a month already as you can tell from these two Steppin' Out posts. Orange is really that perfect autumn color. Just as nature intended, with the foliage and the pumpkins and the burnt sienna crayons that are synonymous with "back to school" to me.

Because orange is such a classic fall color I've had my share of misadventures. Thick, thus loud, corduroy jeans circa 1995, I'm looking at you. Crushed velvet babydoll dress circa 1993, I'm looking at you. I tried to create an oops-free, comfy-fabric smorgasbord for this fall. Enjoy.

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Stoned Soul Picnic

It's been a looooooong time since I added a new print to my Etsy store. You probably forgot I even have one. Meet Stoned Soul Picnic. It is pretty dreamy. I am thinking it would look great framed in a dining room or kitchen. A nice little housewarming gift for a dear friend, no?

Quick question: Do you think this photo would work as a card with the phrase "Let's do lunch" inside? yay or nay?

There will be more updates in the next few weeks; I've been working on a new series of surfer photos. I think I've been inspired by all the cheesy 1960s beach movies I've been watching lately like "Gidget" and "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini."

Take a Trip to Hilton Head Island

Good morning, friends! For our second trip I'd like to introduce you to Liv, whose blog is a daily read of mine. She has so much passion for life -- from her job as a nurse to her marriage of more than 10 years to being a wonderful mama to her beautiful daughters. I find myself nodding along in agreement to nearly everything she writes. I even found out that we were in New Orleans at the same exact time in 2001. Now if that isn't a blog friend made in heaven, I don't know what is. I highly recommend that you check out her site as soon as you finish scrolling through her trip.


Hello, my name is Liv and I am a free-spirited, new experience craving, music loving, peace seeking, soul singing butterfly. My blog is a special place where I store away all of my treasures, a place where I record our daily adventures and reflect on the simple blessings in life. I love writing, learning new ideas, making music, taking photos, and collecting sentimental pieces. I spend my days balancing my time between working as a nurse and building a career I am passionate about while also being a wife and mama to my precious family. Together, we spend our days striving for peace in our hearts, kindness in our words, and adventure in our souls.


Hello Little Gray Pixel family! I am so excited to be here, sharing a story that is near and dear to my heart. I absolutely adore Vanessa and her family and love following them on their little adventures. Today, I'd like to share one of my family's adventures with you: a trip we took a few summers ago to South Carolina.

This trip was sort of a "last hoorah," a chance to let loose and be free before we gave ourselves over to a new level of commitment. It was a time of celebration: I had just graduated from college, Shawn had just gotten a job promotion, and we were days away from signing paperwork and purchasing our first home. This trip was our last getaway before embarking on a whole new journey in our lives, and what better place to visit to let your soul dance free than the beautiful beaches of South Carolina!


Accompanying us on this journey were some of our very best friends: Vinnie, Charlie, and their son Luka. We have been in each other's lives for over 10 years, served in the military together, witnessed one another live our dreams out loud. They are our favorite family to travel with, and we always have the most amazing time together.




We rented a condo on Hilton Head Island for a week on a very family friendly resort. It was beautiful: not the kind of beach you see in tropical magazines, but a woodsy, rustic vibe. It was like being in a thick, ancient forest with an ocean right along side. I loved the stark contrast, it was breathtaking.


Charlie and I rented bicycles to travel the island, strapping our little ones in and peddling the days away. We had the deepest talks on these magical bikes, the wind in our hair, endorphins flowing through our veins. We talked about everything, confiding in each other the way only she and I can, our babies blissfully riding and watching the beautiful scenery go by.

We began each day early, loading up on a healthy breakfast and riding our bikes down to the beach by 9 am. The babies chased the hermit crabs around while we enjoyed the early morning sun. Traveling with another family is so comforting, you are able to help each other with your children, form a team and make the most of each moment. You are on the same page with scheduling, aware that time must be permitted for naps lest you have a screaming baby on your hands. And so we started each day early, giving ourselves enough room for an afternoon siesta and a much happier clan as a result.




In the midst of our trip, we were blessed to have a babysitter for a few hours and an amazing double date night as a result. We got all gussied up and enjoyed an amazing meal, adult conversation, and a wine I will never forget. We walked on the beach at sunset, our toes in the sand and our hearts on our sleeves. Love was in the air: how could it not be with such a picturesque backdrop?




My favorite memory of this trip was on our last morning at the beach before we packed up and headed home. We found a couple of boogie boards at our condo and, with a grey and overcast morning, waves crashing in anticipation of a storm, we body boarded the morning away. We laughed until our bellies ached, playing with our children and enjoyed being children ourselves. On a journey where we were celebrating a new journey in our lives, this was the morning our souls got to be truly free. We had spent a week enjoying each other, confiding in one another, delving deeper inside ourselves and this was the morning to let all of that wash over us, letting the waves carry it all away in preparation of the next tide in our lives. It was truly magical.


I will forever remember this trip in my heart, it was such a significant time in our lives with some of the best friends anyone could hope to have. We kissed our friends goodbye and wished them an until next time. We returned home to our HOME, keys to our first house together. We began a new chapter, armed and ready with the spirit of the beach. And on our new bookshelf, we placed a photo of our trip to sweet Carolina...


Thanks for taking me on a trip down memory lane, Liv. We lived in Myrtle Beach for several years, and your photos are making me miss the Grand Strand something crazy. I can't believe we never made it to Hilton Head Island when we lived there. Another destination to add to our vacation list? Definitely.

Calling all tourists: Care to dust off some vacation photos? I'd love for you to take me sightseeing. Send an email re "Take a Trip" to littlegraypixel@yahoo.com for details.

Steppin' Out

What I'm wearing:

Maxi dress: Old Navy (I want this one)

Cardigan: Target (similar here)

Silver sandals: Thrifted (similar here)

Necklace: Anthropologie

What H's wearing:

Shirt: Lacoste, thrifted (similar here)

Jeans: Buffalo by David Bitton, thrifted (buy here)

Sneakers: Skechers, thrifted

What Alexa's wearing:

Dress: Splendid, thrifted (this one is cute, too)

Navy bloomers: Old Navy

Hair clip: Gifted

H woke up with Alexa and let me sleep in till 8, when he pronounced it was "time to go buy your car in Santa Monica." He is a wizard like that. He will look and look and stalk and stalk and when I'm about to give up, he will pounce in an instant on the perfect car when we're shopping. This is what we wore to the dealership, picked out specifically for comfort and lightness because it was HOT in L.A.

The maxi dress I'm wearing has seen me through a lot. After Alexa was born I practically lived in the thing. I remember a specific stretch of three days when I wore it day and night. Of course I didn't really know it was three days because those were the newborn days of sleeping for 15 minutes here and there and nursing and being in pain and middle-of-the-night infomercials and omigod how far we've come.

Another interesting tidbit about my outfit is that every item was purchased for less than $15. The dress was on clearance for $9.99, the necklace was $9.99, the cardigan was $14.99 and the shoes were $6.99.

H can beat me in the thrift department, though, because his entire outfit (not including the hat, which is less an article of clothing and more a permanent fixture on his head) cost $25. Gotta love thrifting.

When I heard it was going to be a super hot day I went off in search of this dress for Alexa. It is the lightest, most comfy item in her closet right now. Have you ever worn Splendid? The fabrics are so, so luxurious and airy and very expensive, so if you see something in the thrift store in your size, scoop it up.

I'm pleased to report we made it through the sweltering day with only a tiny bit of dehydration, which I'm quickly quenching now with three bottles of water. It only took me 20 minutes to drink them all.

Baby Talk

Dear Alexa,

Twenty-nine weeks old. You are starting to communicate with us in Alexa-ese. I just realized that you have a distinct word for poo-poo, and appropriately it is "EWWWWWWWWWW." You raise your arms to be picked up now, and it made your Daddy's day because he's been trying to teach you this since you were born.

You've been babbling like crazy. Nananana. Mamamamama. Lalalalala. No Dadadada yet, though, haha.

Your biggest thing this week: THE SWING. You love to swing at the park, the faster the better.

You are playing with your wooden toys a lot these days. You let Mommy build something pretty, then you knock it down. You are really into hammering. You will pull your binky out and throw it. You are flipping around like crazy in your crib. There's no stopping you now.

You are even scooting around now. Those legs of yours cannot be tamed.

Thank god you're not a picky eater. You'll eat anything we give you, although you pause and make an icky face when I feed you soft fruits or veggies with texture. Still not a big fan of texture.

Perhaps that's because you're still waiting on those teeth to breath through. You've been sucking on your thumb, asking for the binky a lot and you even tried to eat a dried-up leaf at the park.


Things you love: eating solids (you're becoming a pro, less messy than ever), jabbering first thing in the morning, swinging!
Things you hate: poo-poo (ewwww), naps, waiting for mama to "wake up"

Xoxo,
Mommy

Photo of the Day: 08.26.11

Success! I mentioned earlier that I would be on the hunt for a used baby carrier, and I found one. Actually I found several, tried them all on and Alexa liked this one best. It was later Daddy-approved, too. Baby Bjorn in like-new condition: $100 new, $40 at the thrift.

It was a good thrift day. I scored a Holga for me, a shirt for H, books for Alexa and also some secretive stuff for my unborn niece. Sara found dress shirts for her husband, plus a ton of other things she will be listing on Anthropologie Treasurebox. I can attest that she got some great stuff.

Nothing like good old re-sale therapy.

Photo of the Day: 08.25.11

I went on an app spree, downloading all sorts of free fun for my Android. I took this photo in a very dark room with Action Snap. It's too early to tell how much I'll actually use it and the other photo apps I acquired, but I can share with you one app I will be using a lot: Pulse. It's a much prettier Google Reader, reminding me of magazine format. You can actually import your Reader feeds (up to 60 in the free version) and have the app notify you when there are updates. Of course there's nothing better than visiting a blogger's site (ahem) ... but this comes in a close second when you're on the go.

Psst: A fun drawing app for the little ones: Kids Doodle. Alexa drew her first picture today. I'm tempted to print it out and hang it on the fridge.

What are your go-to Android apps? Or am I the last person in the world who doesn't have an iPhone? I feel so left out of the Instagram fun.

Flickr Fridays #121

1. Graffiti Kiss, Paris, 2. Soar, 3. Moroccan Beni Ourain carpet rug detail, 4. Rippling

Happy Friday, friends! Miss Alexa and I are here together; I'm typing and she's playing with the mouse. We are going to get showered and dressed in a few minutes to go thrifting with Sara, who is looking for dress shirts for her husband. We are looking for a used baby carrier. I have a sling I'm going to test out today; the last time I wore it was when she was a newborn and it didn't seem stable. The Moby wrap is just TOO hot. I'm sweating thinking about it. As for the rest of the weekend, I'm not sure how it's going to shake out. There is talk of car shopping. We've only been looking for more family-friendly vehicles since last October, so maybe we'll find something by this October. Keep your fingers crossed for us.

What are you doing this weekend?

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Photo of the Day: 08.24.11

Our morning routine goes something like this: H feeds Alexa her wakeup bottle. He leaves for work. I bring Alexa into bed with me and put some toys in front of her while I lie there, half-comatose. She swats at the toys, then turns to me and grabs my face and pulls my hair and whines until I announce, "OK, I'm up." I put her in the jumperoo while I prepare breakfast, then eat while I watch her jump. And jump. And jump.

The girl loves to jump.

Photo of the Day: 08.23.11

This little vignette on my nightstand might actually be the perfect metaphor for my life right now. The abundant loose change being work, which takes up the majority of my time and energy. The two bows symbolizing Alexa, whose company I look forward to in the mornings and weekends. The ring being my marriage with H, which is strong and happy but suffering in the time nourishment department because we are new parents. And then there's the necklace -- my blog, photography, writing, my "creativity." Shoved all the way to the back and curled up into a ball, too tired to amount to much but too stubborn to go away completely.

Photo of the Day: 08.22.11

I don't know if I mentioned that I'm using up the rest of my maternity leave by taking Mondays off unpaid through the end of September. This past month of Mondays has been the most precious, even the ones where Alexa is the biggest fuss-bucket, because it's time that I'll never get back with her. Our very own "Time in a Bottle" if you will. Channel your inner Jim Croce, hum along.

We always try to do something fun on Mondays to make them special mama-daughter days, but we have to be mindful of spending because, like I said, this time off is unpaid.

Luckily Alexa is happy to just sit in the grass at the park, gnaw on leaves and watch mama make a fool out of herself taking 500 photos with her DSLR (true story).

Photoshoot: Swing, Swing

"We'll just sit her in the swing and see if she likes it," H said. "It's not too hot, is it?"

I felt the sun-scorched baby swing with a mother's discerning hand, and without a word I fashioned a seat cover out of a canvas bag stowed within the diaper bag.

H gingerly brought Alexa to the swing and sat her inside. He showed her how to wrap her little hands around the metal and hold on tight. She regarded us with curiosity and skepticism.


But when her daddy gave her a push, a mischievous gleam entered her eyes. Her mouth turned upward into a smile. Into a laugh. A few gentle pushes back and forth, back and forth.


"Do it again, Daddy!" her giggles seemed to say. "Only faster this time!"


I took post at the bigger swing next to Alexa, watching her adventurous personality shine. I remembered when I was a little girl. We lived a block away from an elementary school with two playgrounds full of swings and other jungle gym equipment. How I would spend afternoons, evenings, entire summer days dangling precariously from the monkey bars, pushing the merry-go-round and jumping on when it was moving really really fast, pumping my legs on the swing set till they were numb then jumping out to see how high I'd fly and how far I'd be when I landed -- even if it meant stumbling and scraping my knees in the process.

So I started pumping my legs again, letting the wind whoosh past my face and hearing the gentle creaking of the chains in motion. I climbed higher and higher, Alexa and I looking at each other the whole time. I thought about jumping. But I'm no longer a child. I have a child.


I know Alexa will want to jump out of the swing someday, just as I did.


And I'll be there to cheer her on. And I'll have bandages should she scrape her knees.



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