Run Baby Run

 Extreme heat plus a teething baby are a wicked combo. I pulled all the tricks out of the hat to try to distract Levi from his agony. My ability to imitate all varieties of motor vehicles, animals and bodily functions has become quite impressive. At three  o'clock I sent Ben what I like to call my "SOS" text message, come home NOW! 

Levi skipped his afternoon nap and after a visit to see our friends' beautiful new baby he was DONE. He ate his dinner in between sobs and the happiest he was all day is when I stuck him in a cold bath. Finally bedtime came and I'm pretty sure he passed out as soon as he hit the mattress. Did I mention that Levi was DONE? Well I was more DONE and GONE and I'm pretty sure my head hurt as much as Levi's little gums. Solution: Run. 

I don't run to get a killer physique. My abs separated like the Red Sea when I was pregnant and I'll forever have a little bump. You know it's bad when your mid-wife places her hand on your stomach and says, "Oh my goodness!" When I run I imagine I'm sweating out all the stress of the day. I cruise along the beach taking in the ocean and mountains and remind myself, "Man, am I blessed to live in Vancouver!" I allow my mind to wonder all over the place ("If I run fast enough Vancouverites look like a sea of lobsters") and then as I get into my groove I try to turn my mind to prayer and meditation. By the end of a run I am refreshed, renewed and the endorphins released make me feel high and happy. 

Tomorrow's a new day and hopefully it will bring me a happy little boy so we can continue with our mommy and baby adventures. 

Pretty in Paris

An amazing editorial is when the photo shoot is not just a girl in clothes but a character in a story. This editorial by photographer Aldona Karczmarczyk, with model Iza Olak, appears in the most recent issue of Poland's Twoj Styl. Iza Olak, styled by Maria Szaj, acts the part of a tourist taking in the sights, sounds and tastes of Paris.

 I love the juxtaposition between the tourists in the background and the elegance and grace of Iza. When I travel my wardrobe is runners and jeans but in a fantasy world, I would look like this and Ben would be dressed like James Bond.

*Photos via Fashion Gone Rogue

Life is Only Stinky For a Minute

This morning I was rudely awakened by Ben bursting into our room, shouting, "I need help with Levi, his poo exploded up his back and it's all over his clothes!" Oh, for the love.... It was quite the sight, Levi dangling by one hand as Ben tried to wipe him and remove his clothes at the same time. It was a two man job, so I don't blame Ben for disrupting my sleep, but sometimes I really wish I could wake up to the smell of flowers and not poo. 

When I go for walks I always stop to breathe in the aroma of my neighbors' gardens. The beautiful waft of fresh flowers reminds me there is more to life then smelly diapers. I don't have a green thumb but I certainly appreciate the work of those who do.

 My friend Jennie Hembruch of Paeonia Gardens runs a garden design, consultation, installation and maintenance company in Vancouver. The work that Paeonia Gardens does is fabulous because they treat their work as art. Literally. Look at this painting Jennie did and she grew those Paeonias! Lovely as a breath of fresh air. 

 I have some wild lavender and yellow (I don't know the name of) flowers from my neighbors garden in the kitchen. If my day begins with a big, baby poo, I can stick my nose in the bouquet, take a big long sniff and remind myself that life is only stinky for a minute. 

All That's Wonderful - Or Wonderfully Weird

Inspiration Board

1. Celine Wedges via seaofshoes. Yes please.

2. Forever 21 dress. Have it, love it. Perfect for summer and deliciously cheap.

3. Flower Head image by Amira Fritz via The Clotheshorse. Very weird but whimsical. 

4. Animal clutches by Tsurubride via The Clotheshorse. Not really my thing but I think it would be a great gift for a little girl. How cute are they?

5. Louis Vuitton Ad Campaign Fall 2010 via fashiongonerogue. News Flash: The body is back. Mine's always been around. I don't know about the rest of you....

6. Chen Karlsson via Design Sponge. Coolest light fixtures ever. Levi loves lights. Imagine his reaction to lights with figurines inside of them. 

7. White lace tank top by American Apparel. Great for layering to achieve a soft, romantic look. 

8. I heart Garance Dore photography. I especially love the chic outfit in this shot. 

New Steps

Our front steps have the potential to be a place of great memories. Picture this: Baby in bed, beautiful summer evening, glass of wine, comfy chairs to rest in.

Our stairs have two landings. The top one is ideal for Levi to play on. We've constructed a monster of a gate to keep him from going head first down the stairs. Oddly enough this is his favorite way of scaling down the steps.

 Perfect. We have a great little out door play area where Levi is confined and his plethora of ride em' toys can be stored. I love to sit out there and listen to our lovely Greek neighbor lady shout instructions, to the next household over, on how to make a proper roast. There are also some tolerable musicians on the street who play their guitars like street buskers trying to earn a living.  To me, city noise is soothing. I like to know that there are other people close by.

I digress, back to our steps. Right now they look like this. 

Another home project courtesy of our landlord. One day these steps will be fabulous. As will our kitchen with its half painted walls and our bathroom with its sad linoleum floor. Meanwhile, Ben is enjoying being destructive and Levi is learning that, when he's a big boy, he can go from destroying block towers to houses.

O So Many Reasons Not to Wear a Bikini:

Too similar to "I'm in my underwear in front of a crowd of people" nightmare.

I don't want Levi to think it's open concession

As the saying goes, "Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion." Take a hint girls: Discretion is sexy.

I think of my stretch marks as battle scars and dang it, I'm proud of them. However, I don't want to send the childless ladies screaming.

My husband is the Music Director at our 600 plus congregation church. Chance of running into peeps who I don't want to see me mostly naked is high. Hello, awkward!

I found a sweet $24.00 one piece from the Joe Fresh brand last summer. It is black, extremely flattering, and the straps can be removed for easy baby feeding.

*Please note breast feeding mamas, the same style is back this season in a gorgeous print

Raving About Rooibos

I quit caffeine when I had a baby. That is basically like stealing a crutch from a crippled person. It isn't just the temporary alertness I have missed. There's nothing like a warm cup of tea to soften the blow of a stressful day.

Thankfully I was introduced to Rooibos Tea by my naturopath. I'm a natural health nut, so you can imagine when I heard about the benefits of Rooibos I was quick to jump on the bandwagon. Rooibos is higher in antioxidents than Green Tea. Take that free radicals! It is found in South Africa and is used for its anti-inflammatory and anti-allergenic properties. Rooibos is thought to bring relief to insomnia, colic in infants and skin disorders like eczema.

It was a novel idea to me to give tea to my infant but Rooibos is full of goodness for our little ones. The low level of tannins in Rooibos prevents problems with iron absorption. Levi loves drinking Rooibos straight up, but it's easy to add flavor with a bit of maple syrup, or my favorite sweetener, agave nectar.

Loose leaf Rooibos can be ground very fine in a coffee grinder and used to make yummy latès. Now that summer is here, I'm mad for Rooibos iced tea. Here's my yummy iced tea recipe:

Seep three teaspoons of loose leaf Rooibos in boiled water, until water is a rich, brown colour.
Once the tea is cooled, squeeze the juice of three limes into the tea and then leave the limes in for flavour.
Add agave nectar to sweeten.
Put in some ice cubes.

A nice variation is to put in mint leaves or a few sticks of lavender.

Enjoy!