Babies Who Lunch

One of the greatest things about taking your baby out for a meal with other parents of young children is that they get it. Crying spell two minutes after ordering?  Accepted! Mid-meal break to walk a fussy little one around for a distracting scene change? Encouraged! The sudden need to box up all remaining food and leave venue due to complete meltdown? Been there, done that – no big deal.

While not all these scenarios played out in yesterday’s lunch date, it was  wonderful to spend time with good friends who are on the same page with our redefined notion of culinary adventures. We may not have a table at the latest and greatest spot in town but the new era of successful dining experience is rewarding on a whole new level!

Roses are Red

This morning we headed to The San Francisco Flower Mart looking for some good deals on pretty and hard-to-kill plants for the deck. The selection wasn’t overwhelming but we found what we were looking for in some cute gardenias, pineapple lilies, and azaleas as well a pretty good looking tall topiary. 

Our little garden gnome was pretty patient throughout our deliberation. Perhaps we have a little green thumb in the making. 

The Written Word

Love me a handwritten note on some fine stationery. A few weeks ago, I popped into Soiréein Laurel Heights and went on a stationery spree for the whole family. I picked up our paper goodies today and was so pleased to find they met my expectations in every way!

What a lovely process right from the beginning. Completely absorbed by the charming selection of personalized paper goods, I finally decided upon the gorgeous hand letterpressed collection of Haute Papier. Then, the fun really began as I got to mix and match styles and colors, pick perfect envelope linings and add a few personal touches here and there. 

I love the end result!  And as I told a somewhat skeptical Nick, this is an investment in our correspondence for years to come!

I'm a Believer!

Serena and Lily's Zodiac Collection 

Cal has had strong opinions since birth. While he is certainly an addictive sweet and affectionate little bundle, a docile, “easy baby” he is not. After a particularly vocal public outburst a few weeks ago, I was assured by a very nice woman that Cal’s anger management issues were due to his Aries star sign. After coming home and diligently googling “Aries Baby,” I had to concede that this total stranger might be on to something.

Some choice key words and phrases such as strong-willed, impatient, vocal,  quick tempered, loud, stubborn, likes a challenge, fighting spirit definitely resonate. Don’t misunderstand, we adore our little spark plug and wouldn’t want him any other way, but we’ve got a true Aries on our hands and this little ram is ram-headed for sure and prone to butting horns under a variety of circumstances.

I came across the adorable zodiac collection from Serena and Lily above and had to snap up some Aries accents for the little ram’s room.  Inspired by a 1970s print found at a California flea market, the screen prints include character descriptions for each sign and I love the pop of color on the little zodiac pillows.

I never gave a second thought to astrology before I became a mother but my feisty little ram - you are making me a believer!

Back in the Saddle Again

Three days down and I can absolutely say that the anticipation of going back to work was far worse that the return to work itself. Yes, I miss Cal a ton and yes I walked out the door crying on Monday morning – but, overall, I have to admit that the transition back to the “real world” has been pretty smooth and a surprisingly enjoyable experience.

The days have actually flown by and I guess ultimately it just feels good to engage another side of myself. I know there are going to be stressful days and pitfalls along the way but it’s been rewarding to find that the work I enjoyed before I entered the all-consuming world of motherhood is still interesting, rewarding and something I still want to be a part of. 

Like so many of us I am looking to strike an elusive balance. It’s early days but I am happy to be on my way and am overwhelmingly grateful for the good start. 

For the Love of Flats

This weekend I am gearing up for Monday’s inevitable return to the old 9-5 with a little shoe shopping.

Having waddled two trusty pairs of ballet flats into retirement during nine months of city bus commuting, (apparently an extra 30 pounds will stretch shoes beyond a reasonable point of postpartum return) I am in the market for a little footwear refresh.

I am a big fan of flats for everyday wear. While my job is more corporate than creative, the office culture is still fairly relaxed (this is California, after all) and skirts the line of business casual. Although I can’t exactly flip flop my way into meetings, I can definitely get away with fun flats and bright colors.

Here’s to finding the bright side of returning to work!

Find these goodies - left to right
Chanel classics brown toe  multi,  red and black, tan with purple toe, multi paisley, sparkles, zebra orange, coral, tan, purple

WELL-LOVED RESOURCES:

Favorite Local SF purveyors of foot wear goodies:
Smash Shoes on Chestnut 

Gimme Shoes on Fillmore and Hayes 

London Sole on Maiden Lane 

Mornings with Mommy

In preparation for Monday’s return to work, Cal and I have been trying out recipes for successful morning quality time together.  I’m talking about the 6am - 8am stretch between when he wakes from blissful uninterrupted hours of sound overnight sleep (haaaaa) and the 8am first nap of the day/ arrival of nanny R.  Nick’s later start to the day is due to his amazing ability to successfully dream feed Cal at 11pm long after I have turned in for the night. 

While I am quite sure I should be using this first “alert time” of the day as a valuable opportunity to break  out the baby sign language flash cards, orchestrate some kind of world music sing along, or initiate baby ipad 101 – I have decided instead to engage Cal in more practical studies. 

No one can tell me Bjorning down the block for a large coffee at 6am doesn’t constitute healthy bonding (fresh air!) - and that chatting about everything under the sun while getting hair and makeup pulled together isn’t a valuable use of time. Between his place in the bouncer and mine at the bathroom sink, we trade stories and his are getting more animated and complex by the day.  I like to think he is seeing firsthand that 90% of life is just showing up (or getting out the door), preferably with mommy being a little caffeinated and looking somewhat pulled together. This kid is going to be a realist.

Happy Fourth of July!

-       We celebrated our first Independence Day as a family with an impromptu picnic down at Fort Mason, one of our favorite neighborhood green spaces overlooking the Bay.  It was a gorgeous sunny day. Cal rocked a patriotic legwarmers/onesie ensemble and had active awake time stretching on the grass. 

     

     Happy first 4^th, love bug! You melt my heart every day and I can’t wait to spend many more summer holidays with you.

Sitter Sunday

As most parents of young children will attest, a successful nighttime bedtime routine is a priceless, priceless thing. As we struggle to develop a consistent routine for Cal with varying degrees of success (although we are capable of 6 hour continuous stretches in the crib overnight now which – for us – is not a small accomplishment!) having someone else babysit Cal during the critical evening window is something that sends me tail spinning into panic attack. Not to mention that our current level of exhaustion renders us virtually incapable of social discourse past 8pm.

Needless to say, we are only capable of daytime socializing at the present time. Last week, I decided I was tired of Nick and me leaving Cal to venture out alone in shifts. So today, the amazing grandma Patti came over to spend some time with the little one while Nick and I left the house together sans Cal and had a nice little day in North Beach with some friends.

Yay for the restorative power of Sitter Sunday! We look forward to next time!