Miss You

Hello everyone! I haven't got a lot of time right now - I'm busy with listing some new goodies in the shop, and then will be spending the day with Marley. I just wanted you all to know (and perhaps this is too much information), that I've been missing you all, and thinking of so many things I want to share. 

For instance, I finished one of my WIP projects: a custom eye pillow for my pregnant and lovely friend, Jen. I created a custom herbal blend specifically for the needs of expecting women. If you need to feel light as a feather these days, take a look and treat yourself. At $18 USD, it's an uplifting remedy you can afford.

light as a feather herbal eye pillow for mommies

Also, I've been spending a lot of time this week working on my constant WIP: me. I'm constantly trying to better myself, it's been especially pertinent to me since becoming a mother. I want so much for Marley to grow up happy, healthy, and balanced - and without a huge therapist bill. Who knows how much influence any of us really have as parents towards that end - but it is one of my biggest goals in life. 

One of the most useful tools I've found recently, amongst MANY others which I hope to share with you, is the book,"Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline" by Becky A. Bailey. 

I found this book on super-mom Amanda Soule Blake's blog, Soule Mama. Most modern books about discipline emphasize gentle and loving discipline as a means of teaching, not punishing. This is easy enough to achieve on good days. But when everything is hectic, you're in the midst of crazy PMS, and your toddler just climbed the bookcase for the tenth time today - it can be really really difficult. So I'm sharing this book with you because it is different then most, in that it emphasizes the need for parents to FIRST gain self-control, and learn to view the world from a loving view; and THEN tackle positive discipline. Three days in and it's already working for me - in every area. And that is why I love it - it's helping me become a better person, not just a better parent. 

I hate to evangelize, but I seriously think I'd like to share some of what I've learned over the next few days. And if you're expecting - or struggling in this area - take a gander at this book. It's really good news.

Personal Style: The Departure

It seems to me that I had pretty amazing style when I was twenty-eight. The kind of style that was always well put together, unique, and comfortable. The kind of style that got a lot of positive attention from friends and strangers alike - my style was admired. When I became pregnant with Marley, hormones, shifting attitudes, and shifting waistlines conspired to knock me off my stylish pedestal. I remember when I started putting on weight in the middle of my fourth month: pants would no longer zip and a muffin-top was beginning to form on my once svelt waist. I doubt I'll forget the first time I stepped into GapMaternity: it was at once a haven of swinging tunics and secretive elastic-waisted pants; and simultaneously a sad demise to my own sense of personal style. Prior to that day, never once did I long to look like a humpty-dumpty version of a sailor, or a mass of pink ruffled jersey. But compared to the fit of my twentysomething wardrobe and the other budget-friendly options out there - these looks were a godsend. And so, in a misguided attempt to look halfway decent on a budget during my pregnancy, I lost all traces of my style. My post-natal looks were even worse: deprived of sleep and constantly nursing, it's been said and it's fair to say that when Marley was a newborn - there was something tragically reminiscent of National Geographic about my look. And that's okay. In the first month or so of life with your first baby, all bets and bras are off.

Last night I watched the Sam Mendes film, "Away We Go"; and found myself wishing I had a pregnancy fashion do-over. Wearing a few basic indulgences in the lines of maternity wear, Maya Rudolph's character is incredibly stylish in a predominantly vintage wardrobe. I have to say I think that is the answer to looking good and keeping your own sense of style as your belly inflates and your ego deflates during pregnancy. Professionally altered vintage clothing, great basics - like perfect jeans, belly bands, and t-shirts, and knock-out accessories. And don't forget a couple of pairs of chic flats when your feet get bigger (if you're like me, they don't get smaller again, sigh).

Maya Rudolph in "Away We Go"

Lucy Ox on Flickr

Although I lost my sense of style during my pregnancy, as my clock ticks and I go green with envy for every beautifully rounded belly and teensy weensy newborn, I finding hints of my style, like bread crumbs on a trail back home. If you're pregnant and looking for some style inspiration, take a look at this Flickr Pool: Pregnancy Style.