kara

Links I Love

• Why Finnish Babies Sleep in Cardboard Boxes (love)

• The Kendama: a wooden(!) toy that is about to go viral in the U.S.

• Cute, fun, beanbag toss game

• Gene Weingarten’s “Fatal Distraction” is one of the most horrific, has-stuck-with-me pieces of journalism I have ever read. It ran in The Washington Post in March 2009, when Sophie was almost 1 year old. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing in 2010. I read it, through heavy tears, and then became somewhat obsessive about it; some of the images from the article remain with me to this day. I hate those images. But I’m also thankful for the article, and the intense awareness it gave to me. Do I recommend reading it? I don’t know. It’s difficult to read. I know several people who couldn’t even get through it. But, as Lisa Belkin reminded us in today’s Huffington Post article, babies being forgotten in hot cars is still happening—in fact, it’s already happend 15 times, this year. So do I recommend reading it? Yes, if only to serve as a reminder to always check your back seat. Always.

• Oh how I would love to see New York Public Library’s “The ABC of It: Why Children’s Books Matter,” exhibit.

• 101 Best Written TV Series

• I long for a wardrobe made up of dreamy layers such as these.

• Ponden Hall, the house that inspired Wuthering Heights, is for sale.

• I found my very first four-leaf clover this weekend. (A sign of good things to come? I hope so!) I have books, of course (so many books) but I wish I had a true flower press to preserve it.

• So an intriguing party in an abandoned NYC subway station took place recently …

• As a bridesmaid, I was once gifted (by the bride) makeup professionally done for a wedding. The makeup artist covered my lips in L’Oréal’s Infallible Never Fail Lipcolour Compact in Grenadine. I used to never wear lipstick, always annoyed that it came off every time I ate or drank. This product made me realize it’s possible to have pretty, red lips and not starve. Also, more options.

“I have dreamt in my life, dreams that have stayed with me ever after, and changed my ideas; they have gone through and through me, like wine through water, and altered the color of my mind. And this is one: I’m going to tell it – but take care not to smile at any part of it.” —Emily Brontë

James & Owen’s Secret Tea Party

James and Owen have struggled with bedtime as of late. As in, they don’t go to bed. Tonight, hearing them up and about, Andy quietly went upstairs and secretly recorded this:

“There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea.” —Bernard-Paul Heroux

Things I’ve Neglected to Post (But Love)

A trip to Baltimore with …

jewelry-making with Grandma and …

ukulele-playing with Paw Paw.

parents’ night at Sophie’s beloved preschool

the delivery of a new-to-us swingset (with thanks to Craigslist)

and Easter!

“Time does not change us. It just unfolds us.” —Max Frisch

Welcome, Colin Gabriel + Vivienne Kate!

Our friends Megan and Javan are basically experiencing much of what we went through, a couple years ago. They have a gorgeous son, Cam, and on February 8 they welcomed Colin (7 lbs., 8 oz., 21.4 in.) and Vivienne (6 lbs., 11 oz., 18.5 in.)—I know, Megan’s a rockstar—at 7:33pm and 8:03pm. They are doing so well. And it’s so fun to have someone else to discuss twin babies + toddler experiences with. I have visited several times, always forgetting my camera. So this is a borrowed picture, with them already four months old (look at those smiles!). Congratulations, Megan and Javan!

“Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” —Elizabeth Stone

Welcome, Ryan Mark Sickmiller!

5lbs, 14 oz., 20 inches—born March 11, 2013 at 4:56a.m. We hung out with him this week and he’s already up to 15 lbs. He’s perfect, and bringing so much happiness. Congratulations, Mark and Jen!

“Every child begins the world again …” —Henry David Thoreau

In the 5 Minute Van Ride to the Grocery

Owen: “Why do we have to get butter at the store?”
Andy: “Because we don’t have butter.”
Owen: “But we do have butter!”
Andy: “No. We don’t. We have margarine.”
Me: “Daddy doesn’t like margarine.”
Owen: “What’s margarine?”
Me: “Fake butter.”
Owen: “But I like margarine!”
Andy (jokingly, I think): “You are not my son!”
James (singing): “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me haaapppy, when skies are graaayyy.”
Owen: “I want to play I Spy!”
Andy: “OK, you can go first.”
Sophie: “I want to go first!”
Andy: “It was Owen’s idea, so he gets to go first.”
(Complaints from Sophie. Stern words from me.)
Owen: “I spy with my little eye something pink.”
Me: “My nails?”
Owen: “No! That cup!”
(He’s still learning the rules of the game.)
Everyone: “Yay!”
Sophie: “My turn! I spy with my little eye something red and white.”
Andy: “That’s pink.”
Sophie: “No. A lot white and just a little red.”
(We guess a million things.)
Sophie (beyond frustrated): “It’s a lollipop stick with just a little bit of cherry lollipop still stuck on it!”
Me: “Where did you find that?”
Sophie: “In the holder!”
(The holder is a little compartment next to her seat in the van.)
Me: “Um, what else is your holder?”
Sophie: “Old Oreo cookies, old pita chips, a pinecone and a rock. Oh! And a barrette!”
James: “It’s my turn!”
Me, to Andy: “We have to clean out the van.”
James: “I spy with my little eye something green.”
Andy: “The trees.”
James: “No.”
Andy: “The grass.”
James: “Yes!”

And so on.

“A suburban mother’s role is to deliver children obstetrically once, and by car forever after.” —Peter De Vries

And the Winner Is …

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Shabby Apple giveaway!

I wrote everyone’s name on a slip of paper (and am now guessing there’s a way to do this on the computer—ha), and then had Sophie close her eyes and pick one.

The winner is … Sarah K!

Thanks again! I hope to do more of these in the future.

“Be it jewel or toy, not the prize gives the joy, but the striving to win the prize.” —Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton

Green Bananas

Owen wanted a banana this morning. I told him they were still too green to eat. He then spent much of the morning trying to convince me to go to the store to buy—not yellow bananas but—yellow paint.

“Ding-a-ling-ling-ling-ling-ling-ling-ling!
Boo-ba-doo-ba-doop!
Boo-ba-doo-ba-doop!
Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring
Banana phone
Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring
Banana phone
I’ve got this feeling, so appealing,
for us to get together and sing. Sing!” —Raffi

Shabby Apple Giveaway!

This isn’t the first time I’ve been asked to host a giveaway or write a review. I’ve always declined, though, because the products didn’t seem fitting. But when Shabby Apple, a lovely site that offers a modern take on vintage clothing, asked if I wanted to give away a dress or skirt to one of my readers, I said yes. I thought it would be a nice way to say thank you for reading and commenting all these years—plus, I’d love to own something from Shabby Apple and so I thought you would, too. Please note: I’m not receiving product or compensation for this post—I simply thought a giveaway would be fun.

To enter, please click on the links below and tell me via a comment directly on this blog which item is your favorite. The giveaway will close Friday, June 7 at noon EST. I’ll write all your names on little slips of paper and let the kids choose one from out of a hat, and I’ll post the winner no later than midnight.

Good luck!

Please choose from the following:
Snapdragon
Heart of Me
Dressage
Grand National
Hackney
Admiral
Cut the Cake
At last
My vow to you
Maid of honor
Together forever
Ever after
Save the date
Moon River
Ski Bop
Tiber
Andes Skirt
Jetty Skirt
Ballerina
Nantucket
Boogie Woogie
Marigold Skirt
Lime Ricki Skirt
Hully Gully Skirt
Newcomb Skirt
At First Sight
Picnic Park Skirt

“Just around the corner in every woman’s mind—is a lovely dress, a wonderful suit, or entire costume which will make an enchanting new creature of her.” —Wilhela Cushman

Sophie’s First Sleepover

For months Sophie has been begging to have a sleepover. She’s still so young, though—I feared no one her age would be allowed to spend the night or that if she spent the night at a friend’s house, we’d be called around 2am to come and get her.

Then my new friend Sarah had a fantastic idea. Andy often games on Friday nights. As such, every once in awhile I’ll have girlfriends over for tea/wine after the kids are in bed. Sarah suggested we get together on a Friday night and let the girls have a sleepover in Sophie’s room—just until it was time for Sarah to go home.

So we did!

Sophie was so excited. They wore their pjs and cuddled up in their sleeping bags on the floor of Sophie’s room. Madeleine brought two kinds of popcorn and I made pink milk. They played board games and watched a Barbie movie and “The Last Unicorn” on the little portable DVD player we set up in Sophie’s bedroom. Eventually, around 10:30pm, they both fell asleep.

Sarah gathered Madeleine up in her sleeping bag, and took her home. Sophie crawled up in her bed, and fell asleep.

It was the perfect 4- and 5-year-old sleepover.

“The older you get, the few slumber parties there are, and I hate that. I liked slumber parties. What happened to them?” —Drew Barrymore