title

:: me! ::

My photo
CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT: Family. Friends. Hounds. Books. The Beach. Autumn. Cameras. Computer. iPhone. The color orange. Caramel frappucino. The words "dude!" and "nice!". Oh...and world peace ;-)

follow me

Follow Me on Pinterest

Labels

babies (16) family (32) kids (113) newborn (8) pets (5) Project Life 365 (165) promotions (22) Tips and Tricks (20)

pin it

28 February 2008

::forget about it::

I just started reading a local parenting online forum regularly. It opened my eyes to a variety of parenting topics and diverging points of view. It has also reminded me to respect everyone's parenting style.

I'm a stickler when it comes to sleep schedule. For us, a regular sleep schedule has worked out extremely well. However, to others, it may seem a little too rigid. That's ok. Different strokes for different folks!

Personally, I cringe every time I see a school-aged child (5+) being pushed around in a stroller by a parent. I used to think: " OMG, that is ridiculous! That child should get up and walk!" The truth is, I don't know the specific circumstances, so I shouldn't judge. Dirty looks are just as bad as if you were to verbalize your dismay directly to another parent. Maybe worse.

Certainly, if you are an unfortunate witness to child abuse or neglect, it is your duty to report such incidents to the governing authorities. Otherwise, forget about it! Not everyone has the same priorities....be kind to your fellow parents...

Just my two cents...

26 February 2008

::cuddley toys::

My friend V taught me this trick a while ago: stock up on O's favorite stuffed toy. Our boy beagle, Z (who by the way competed again Uno's dad in his show-boy days...and lost of course), loves stuffed toys. He loves them so much that he can put a ginormous hole in one in under 1 minute. Especially ones that smell like O.

Instead of worrying all the time about Mr. Z and his nasty habit, I bought multiple "beagle" stuffed toys by Douglas Cuddle Toy. Appropriate, right?! Douglas offers several dog breeds as well as other species, in various sizes. I found the 9" Kohair model to be the best option for us. The plush Kohair material is soft yet completely machine washable and even tumble-dried. The medium size is perfect for little O's hands. I always keep one attached to the stroller, using a secure-a-toy strap. I keep the rest in her crib for her naps and nightime. O loves her plush beagles so much she gives them "kisses" by giving them love bites on the muzzle :-) She also just started calling them by name...PUPPY...very original.

With O's current fascination with fish (or as she calls them "p-ish"), we might need to stock up on the Lady Moorish Idol Fish!

21 February 2008

::run, forrest, run::

Now that O has mastered the "drunken walk", it's time for her to wear some real shoes. There are obviously tons of options out there, but there are very few brands which offer comfort AND style.

See Kai Run shoes for toddlers and kids are amazing! The designs are contemporary yet appropriate for young children. More importantly, these leather shoes (with pliable rubber soles) are extremely flexible and comfortable--perfect for beginning walkers.

I purchased O's new SKR shoes from Baby Boat. This online store has a wide selection of SKR shoes. They even have shoes from past seasons on sale in many sizes. Be sure to check out the new Sprint/Summer 08 line. Too much cuteness for words!

Baby Boat will ship the shoes to you free of charge. You can even return/exchange without a restocking fee. You can also choose USPS Priority (2 days), USPS Express (1 day) or UPS as your delievery method for a small fee.

15 February 2008

::elegant maternity::

I just visited my friend T. He and his wife are having a baby in August/September! Congratulations! And in honor of his beautiful wife, I'd like revisit my favorite maternity designer.

Isabella Oliver--a company orginating from the UK--offers simple, elegant maternity wear for those of us who refuse to look like giant circus tents. My favorite piece from my pregnancy is the wrap around top. It can be dressed up with trousers or dressed down with a pair of jeans. Best of all, it can be worn through out the pregnancy--there is enough wrap fabric to take you to the nineth+ month. In fact, they have designed their maternity wear in line with your pre-pregnancy/normal clothing size. No need to guess your "pregnancy" size. Since most pieces have a bit of stretch in it anyway, your comfort is ensured. Also, most IO fabrics are machine washable, which is great because it means you only need to buy some strategic pieces that you can wash over and over.

I bought my IO pieces online. If you place your order before 10AM, your package will be shipped to you the same day. I recommend FedEx as the delivery method, since it only costs $5 more than standard shipping (which could take up to 2 weeks to arrive). The clothes arrived in a beautifully wrapped package the next day. How awesome is that?!

12 February 2008

::he ain't nothin' but a hound dawg::

Not true. Uno , the 15" beagle, is this year's Best-In-Show winner at Westminster Kennel Club!!! Ch. K-Run's Park Me in First is the first beagle
BIS winner at the prestigious show...ever. Arrrooo!!!


Big 'congratulations' to Aaron Wilkerson--the best beagle handler...ever.

Mona, Fanta + Renzo are so proud to see such a tremendous win by one of their own. Hooray for Numero Uno!

10 February 2008

::these boots are made for walking::

O started walking on Friday during our playgroup. Finally, we have lift-off at 13-months! She also just said "mommy" clearly for the first time. Hurray!

06 February 2008

::happy new year: :

It's New Year's Eve--Chinese style. As Uncle M reminded us, it will be the Year of the Rat tomorrow. This means I will be 36 years old this year (12 year cycle)...hmmm...

A little Rattus rattus anecdote for you. While in college, I worked as a research assistant at the National Museum of Natural History. I had the honor of assisting the coolest, nicest professor in the world, Dr. Joe T. Marshall from the University of Arizona. He was close to 80 years of age, yet he was more vibrant than most folks half his age. We used to sprint the three flights of stairs inside the museum everyday instead of taking the elevator. He was ahead of me every time.

At the time, his research at the time focused mainly on birds and rodents. He used to document his research subjects with beautiful pencil drawings and gorgeous water color paintings. Not are they works of art, the drawings and paintings also contained real dimensions and porportion of the subjects. Amazing.

In addition to having the honor of learning from a well-seasoned zoologist, I was working amidst one of the best collections in the world. Drawers and drawers full of rare specimens...for me, it was like a kid in a candy store!

One drawer was particularly memorable. While cataloging specimens for Dr. M's research, I stumbled upon drawers labled "Rattus rattus." The Common Black Rat. Not cute at all. Out of curiosity, I opened the drawer of Indian (subcontinent) rats. OMG...I was speechless.

NYC and DC rats are nothing compared to these suckers. Minus the tail, these rats measure at over a foot each! Yech! In fact, Dr. M told me these rats are city dwellers that sometimes chew through concrete sidewalks or asphalt, dig a tunnel under the city and come up in a rice patty. EEEeeeK!

Happy Rat Year!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. PLEASE, PLEASE VOTE IN YOUR LOCAL PRIMARIES !!!!!!!!!! *if you haven't already*