Have a Fantastic Weekend!

Hello everyone, I was just picking up around the house and realized I hadn't posted my weekend post.  So here it goes. This weekend we are planning to attend the Crafty Bastards Arts Festival on Sat.  Then Sunday we'd like to also checkout the Turkish Food Festival.,which apparently is one of the best in D.C. And I bet!  Whatever you end up doing I hope you have a blast!  Speaking of blasts, here are a few Blast of the Past links I found around the web

1960's and 70s New York, Oh so retro.

It doesn't get anymore Retro than this Audrey Hepburn Ensemble

 Big Chill in kitchen appliances are so vintage and retro cool!

Multi-stripe wedges, 70's are back!

Banana Seat Bicycle Red Onesie

I found this Retro Coffee Quote poster, I think I might get it.

This entire print shop in Etsy carries art prints to your Retro heart content.

How about an entire blog dedicated to Retro stuff.

A magnolia necklace that's sure to give your Retro look a sophisticated boost. 

Giggle makes me giggle!

As a new post series, I will be exploring children's stores around town and posting the images in this blog.  Last week we were in the Friendship Heights/Chevy Chase neighborhood and found this amazing children's store I never knew existed. It's called Giggle and it's absolutely wonderful. One of the amazing things about being a new mom is discovering the world of baby-related things.  Yeah I know, it's always been there, but you would have never known it was there until you have a baby!

I love the modern lines of this dresser. It's perfection!

I'm digging the new Skip Hop Zoo Backpacks.

Animal design rockers and animal print storage bags.

This is the perfect bassinet!

When you live in the city, space is luxury.  This dresser/changing table is the perfect solution for a cramped style.

Miscellaneous

Ha! We had so much fun taking these pictures a few weeks ago.  She had just turned 4 months and I was sitting her more often.  Can you believe she's practically sitting on her own any moment now. In her 4 months appointment which took place Sept. 9th, she was weighing 15.9 lbs (79percentile) and measuring 25.6 inches long (75percentile).  And although the doctor was game for introducing solids, I'm only doing cereal, preferring to postpone the veggies and fruits for when she's closer to 6 months.  It's been a wild ride this past months with her, and as much as I'm tired, sleep-deprived, have no time to read the newspaper or paint my nails, at the end is so worth it. Just one laugh, one giggle and I'm putty.

Move, Learn, Eat

Check out these three wondrous flash films made by 3 guys who went to 11 countries in 44 days, traveling 38,000 miles, with 2 cameras. The trip of a lifetime. More info at Vimeo/Rick Mireki


MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.


LEARN from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.


EAT from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

(First seen in A Cup of Jo)

Have a Spectacular Weekend!

My most loyal companion, Piki.  I love this picture as it shows the changing seasons.

I finally downloaded the RetroCamera app on my Android phone.  So happy I did this, because I felt left behind in picture quality posts.  In the above picture, Emilu, Piki and I were at the park chilling and enjoying the balmy weather, which will soon turn crispy and cold.  I'm beginning to look forward to the Fall.

Below are a few sites that I really enjoyed this week.  Hope you enjoy them as well.  Have a wonderful, fun-packed weekend.  I know I will!

 Makeup mondays (Great snapshots on how to create shadowy eyes.)

Tutorial for side-swept bangs. (This one I loved, I think I might get bangs this Fall.)


Alice and Olivia fall dress, Oh la la I want i!

This is a great Fall look.

And another one.

Mila's Daydreams, a mom's inspiration to dressing up her baby daughter.

Cool objects, go crazy with these wool refrigerator magnets.

Goodbyn vento lunch boxes.

Teething 101

Emilu has been teething for the past three weeks.  She does many things to comfort herself.  She rubs her mouth against the bed or my shoulders.  She sucks at every toy including her fists.  She scratches herself with her tongue (so funny).  And now she sucks her thumbs! I have no idea how long this process lasts, but this condition has affected the sleep patterns in this household.  Only recently did she start to sleep better (thank God).

When her sleeping is affected the feedings are impacted as well.  That's because if she doesn't nap when she's tired, the tiredness builds up and she ends up dozing off during her feeding, which she doesn't finish and gets completed half way through the next feeding.  I end up pushing forward her next feeding and this habit makes her miss one or (worse) sometimes two day feedings, which leaves her hungry at night when she's supposed to be asleep.

Ahhh it's exhausting. When are teeth due to come out? At her 4 months appointment the doctor felt her gums and predicted in a month.  We'll see.   

 

The story of Nella Cordelia

Via Enjoying the Small Things

As I continue to tweak Emilu's birth story, I came across the amazing birth story of Nella Cordelia, the second born daughter to blogger Kelle Hampton who was born with Down Syndrome, and was transformed by the love that transpired from the experience.  You will love this story, I promise. 

Thank you Kelle for sharing your inspiring story with us and for showing us that good things come in special packages. 

The Old Stone House

Since Georgetown is only a few minutes from our apt. I decided to run a few errands on M Street last week. The Old Stone House is an old house dating back to the 1700s right on M, and I finally decided to check it out.  It's actually the oldest standing building in DC.  There's a lot of history tucked in little corners around the city.  Someday I promise to give you all a tour of the old Washington, the one that makes it into movies and history books.  For now, the Old Stone House would have to be the sneak peek of that upcoming tour.

What finally made me go inside the house was watching The Conspirator on Netflix the other night.  If you haven't seen it, do see it, it's a powerful history lesson packed with solid performances.

The house is a good surviving example of pre-Revolutionary American vernacular architecture.

This is probably an addition.

Interior window overlooking the side lawn.

Part of the main level of the home.  It was probably used as a cupboard or storage.

The hearth was the main space of homemaker's daily activities in colonial and post-colonial homes.  Cooking, sewing, cleaning and socializing was done here.

The main lawn followed by the rest of the grounds, which extend deep into the property.

Anthropologie

Color me Wednesdays is back! One of my favorite stores, Anthropologie, is such an inspiring place for personal and home design. They are having a pre-Fall sale (20%off) on selected merchandise.  I love these Missoni scarves, they are the perfect fall item.  Below are the items that are hitting a note with me.

Grace Bonney's new book is a great holiday gift.  Mmm, I'm getting ideas....

Two very fall(ish) and Bohemian looks I heart.

This outfit screams Mediterranean simplicity.

I love these bulky letters.  They have so many uses: as pin cushions, wall decorations for nurseries, shelving accents, etc.

I love this owl vase.  Owls are my favorite animal accent decor.

These mirrors are fabulous.  You can lump them together on a wall or use only one as a focal point in any room.

I love the cottage feel of these hooks. 

You go crazy with all the knob designs to choose from.

More owls. 

Sleep no more

Remember that post I wrote about Emilu having a good night sleep the night she had rice cereal for the first time?  First-timer's charm I'd call it.  She's back to being a high needs baby, waking up an average of 2 times during the night.  This time, we will blame the teething. She's sometimes uncomfortable during the day.  As long as she's sleeping 12-14 hours a day I'm a happy mom, and she makes it up during the day.

Here she is wearing Mommy's favorite PJs:  the cow outfit.

"Oh my.. my rump has grown!"

I guess I could go crazy or lose my head over this, but I won't.  I don't read the literature out there or make it a point to "train" her to sleep or stay asleep.  I have decided to ride this as any other event we will face together.  Some people will gasp at this, but let them pass their judgements.  When she is ready, she will do it on her own accord.  

The Importance of Being Silly

Sometimes taking silly pictures can be fun. These pictures were taken in the car seat, which she hates.  They remind me of shots you take at those fair booths, well, now they have them at the mall. I guess that was the idea.  I own a very "non-photographic" camera, a Canon Power Shot with bad lens and only 6.0 pixels (gasp!) capacity.  I know, pretty outdated for today's blogosphere.  I'm hoping to buy a decent camera soon.

Friday Links and a little more...

Sometimes being a parent can be overwhelming.  I'm not talking about the day-to-day tasks of naps, diaper changes, stroller rides, nursing sessions or story time.  And while Emilu is still little to be hindered by my parenting doubts and fears, I still harbor them, and every once in a while they flood to the surface of my everyday life.  For instance, I talk about teaching my daughter the simplest of human virtues, like empathy, but what about if I can't really do this?  And would I still be a good parent is I let her watch TV when this is so frown upon nowadays.  I grew up with much love and guidance, but I was allowed to watch TV, and I didn't become feeble-minded.  Anyhow, this is a subject for another post.  Teaching your children to be good people. In today's world this is a task that seems insurmountable.

Changing subjects, I hope you enjoy your weekend, relaxing, catching up with family and friends and checking these links for fabulous ideas.

Do you love someone like this?  I do.

Friday favorites from Life: Styled.

My favorite go to dictionary online. 

Can't get enough Chevron inspiration?  Go here, you won't be saturated. 

I'm loving these diaper covers so much. They come in new prints. 

Have you ever wonder what legislation is on the floor of the House or Senate? Go here to find out.

I wished I had this book when I was little (i grew up in Dominican Republic).  Richard Scarry's books for children are the best.  I wonder if I can get some equivalent in Spanish.  

And speaking of books, here is a list for the cabin feverish kid. 

Alex and Alexa: Designer Baby & Kids Clothes

Alex and Alexa launched their online designer clothes store for babies and kids.  While everyone has been  hyped about Missoni for Target, I'm psyched about this store.  The prices are incredibly decent for designers like baby Dior and Burberry kids.  Their blog is an awesome way to keep up with giveaways and sales.  I'm so digging this.

Cereal = Zzzz

At the suggestion of her Pediatrician we started rice cereal for Emilu.  She wasn't staying asleep during night and she thought the rice cereal would help achieve that.  On Thursday night we gave her the cereal mixed into the formula and she ate it all and slept through the night without waking up.  That was incredible!

However, the next day she had big red spots throughout her entire body, especially the limbs.  Her skin had broken out in red rashes even though she didn't seemed to be in any discomfort.  So I called the doctor and she recommended we stopped the cereal for a couple of days to rule out an allergic reaction.

That day, she had her routine vaccines (5 in total) but the reactions to those were not consistent with the rash she suddenly developed.  It had to be the cereal.  I may have given her too much.

Tonight we will try again and hope that she takes it well and no more skin issues arise. She loved the cereal though, she kept grabbing my hand and pushing it into her mouth.  So cute!

Win this bag

 There's a cool giveaway over at Greige for a chance to win this cool French market basket.  It's only open until Sept. 18th when the winner will be announced.  I hope I win!

Quiet Sunday

Today I found myself glued to the TV watching every 9/11 remembrance program and footage.  The most memorable was the CBS 9/11: Ten Years Later, shot from the point of view of the fire fighters, Engine 7-Ladder 1 Company to be exact.  I got chills from the footage (they were in Tower 1 filming, when Tower 2 collapsed).  Ten years after and you feel the impotence and pain all over again.

We went out today to the farmers market and found a city in repose.  It was not a normal, end of the Summer Sunday.  People were quieter, and in a self-reflective mode.  There was a guy playing American hymns in a saxophone.  Some kids were wearing American flag t-shirts.  And District police were dutifully positioned at certain corners. 

The hardest and saddest thing is that  first responders who rushed to help the victims of the attacks, ten years later, and it is them who need our help now.  Half of them have illnesses borne from the toxic debris they inhaled during the countless days that followed the attacks.  These brave men and women are dying, quietly and unceremoniously.  Every day is September 11, 2001 for them.