too many tornadoes.

Sorry for the lack of posts recently! We were out of town for the weekend and came to home to find that a tornado had passed through our neighborhood a few hours earlier. Our power came back on last night but we're still without internet. Our house is safe but most of the trees on our street are down. The next block over to the east and the block after that are pretty messed up. I'll be posting photos as soon as our internet is back.

friday fancies.

Well, it's actually Saturday. Nine minutes into Saturday. I'm here to apologize for not posting my Friday fancies this week. It's been a hectic week with the car issues and getting prepared for a weekend away and now being away. I'll get back on track next week and have an extra good Friday fancies post! Sorry! :(

olive is *almost* 3 months old.

We're driving to Iowa late Friday afternoon so I am posting this now instead of Friday. Tomorrow will be full of renting a car and packing and cleaning up the house so it's not a mess when we get home. Tomorrow Olive will be three months old! Wow!

Today I used photobooth to take a quick little video of us playing on the floor. Now everyone who has yet to meet Olive can see her fun smiles, her attempts at standing up, and how she holds toys. She's really great at rolling over but got totally lazy and wouldn't do it when I was recording. Sometimes when she gets so upset about being on her tummy she can't roll over.

So it's a day early - but this is three month old Olive!



Olive seems to be right on track. She rolled over for the first time about a month ago and is a pro now (except for in this video..). She's been holding her head up for quite a while and now it's less wobbly. She sits up pretty well with a little bit of support. And as you can see above she seems to think she can stand. :) She's getting more interested in her feet but can't really get to them too easily yet so she sticks to her hands. She loves to eat her hands. She loves to eat her blankets and her clothes, too. She's always putting things in her mouth. Olive can grab onto toys really well and no matter what they are, what size or what shape, she tries to get them into her mouth. She has a wooden rattle that's a little heavy and too big for her mouth - she usually ends up hitting herself in the face with it. Olive loves to eat my fingers. She's doing great at elimination communication - can't wait until we have a potty chair for her! Olive has tasted a cookie, a chocolate chip, an apple, and some pasta sauce. She is getting much better at not needing to be held and moving allllll the time. But she still needs to be held and moving a lot of the time! Olive is very attentive to everything still. Since she was about a month old she developed a bald spot on the back of her head because she is constantly moving it back and forth to look all over the room. She smiles a lot. She talks to us a lot. She's starting to laugh, too. She's great! :)

help!

Dear world,

We need a new (used) car. And I'm asking you for help.

Our car had a great run. It's been many places. It's seen many things. I've added over 100,000 miles to it! But it just can't take it anymore.

We need something... as soon as possible. We'd love a wagon. Nothing too curvy. Maybe something kind of boxy? We need something inexpensive. Something that runs and isn't about to fall apart. Something with a warranty would make me feel better. Something perfect for a lady, her husband, their baby, and their pup.

Can you help us out, great big world? Anyone have any ideas? Are you selling a car that I want?

Sincerely,
me & my carless family.

cutie bug baby butt.

Here are some recent photo booth photos of my little bug:

[slideshow]

Time to work on point #2 from yesterday's down list - calling around to find the best place to have our car towed. Any suggestions? Hopefully babes will sty asleep for a bit to make this easier. I don't like the phone...

nursing pad review - young blood!

Last week I received new nursing pads from a shop on etsy called Young Blood for the purpose of this review!
I received the two patterns pictured below.

Let me tell you a little bit about Young Blood nursing pads:
- They're constructed of 4 layers of super soft 100% cotton flannel, 1 layer of polyurethane laminate so you don't leak, and a pretty 100% cotton outer layer.
- They're about 4.25" in diameter.
- They're pretty! There are many different patterns offered.
- They're machine washable.
- They're only $3.50 a pair!!!

And let me tell you a little bit about Jenny, from Young Blood:
Jenny has a BFA in fibers/textile design from the Savannah College of Art & Design (I wish I had one of those!) and she's at work at home momma to a little baby girl (yay!). Like me, she knew right away that she wanted to cloth diaper and started making her own so her little babe could have a cute bum! She's been working on her diaper design ever since and now sells them, along with these nursing pads, bibs, and more, at her etsy shop, Young Blood, at craft shows, and in boutiques. Make sure you check out her shop - she's also trade friendly! :)

I began my trial of these nursing pads after trying the Bamboobies nursing pads for one week.  I immediately noticed the difference in size.  Young Blood nursing pads are much thicker then the regular Bamboobies but still thinner than the common store bought types I have tried previously (both reusable and disposable).

I used them immediately after opening the package because I was really excited!  The nursing pads were very rigid and looked really silly through my shirt so I proceeded to wash them in hopes of softening them a bit.  It worked!  I wear pretty thin nursing bras and it was pretty easy to see the shape of the pads as well as wrinkles in the pads through my shirt if it were a form fitting shirt.  The pads seem to become softer each time I wash them and the shape seen through my shirt decreases each time.

Over the past week of wearing these nursing pads I have not leaked through or around them.  They stay in place really well and are a great size.  The flannel layers are super soft and the stitching along the edges seems to be of good quality, but I have only had them for about a week.  And I can't forget.. they're such a great deal!

Overall, I would suggest these nursing pads be used in thicker bras than I wear so as to avoid the weird shape and the bumps.  Personally I will be using these nursing pads at night due to their thickness and absorbency.  I suggest you pick up a pair - you can't go wrong for $3.50!

In conclusion...

Do I recommend Young Blood nursing pads for leaky boobies?

Yes!

If you wear a regular (not sleep) bra these would be great! They are perfect for overnight use!  And they're very affordable!

I was provided a free sample from Young Blood in exchange for this review.
I was under no obligation to write a positive review of this product!!  I promise!

Look for review #3 in the nursing pad series coming next Wednesday! I hope you find this information as useful as I do! :)

ups & downs.

Maybe this will be a new Tuesday thing.  My ups & downs.  I'll start with downs so we can end on a good note.

Downs:
* Our car is leaking transmission fluid.
* Tomorrow morning I need to call around, pick out a place to have the car taken, call a tow truck, and cross my fingers that it gets fixed.
* We potentially need to rent a car to get to Olive's baby shower that's in Iowa on Saturday.
* I don't like to talk about money. It makes me feel weird.
* Talking about money leads to other down thoughts such as: why did we buy this house? I wish I didn't have this house. Why is this house in Minneapolis? And so on.
* I found a barely used lens on craiglist that I really really want. But it's too expensive. Oh, there's that money thing again.
* Our pup sheds too much this time of year - it makes me want to cry, scream, and send her to a distant relative's home for approximately one month.
* I keep trying to make cookies but it keeps not happening.
* I've been really bad at reading blogs so far this week. And I'm behind on posting on my own.

Ups:
* We're not crazy about our car so maybe we could get a new one?
* Olive is having a baby shower on Saturday - or maybe a welcome Olive shower? What's it called after the baby has arrived?
* We might get to rent a car for the weekend.
* The weather is nice.
* I won a store credit to Along for the Ride @ etsy on Much Love Illy's blog today. At least my day started off lovely! I've decided to get some of these:


I'm really excited.

* Olive is cute.

sucking on an apple.

Olive tried some apple today.  I bit of a piece and put the part that stuck out the most up to her mouth.  She immediately started licking it, sucking on it, and smiling.  I'm really excited to start baby led weaning with her but she's not yet ready.  She's already really attentive when I'm eating - she watches the food and watches me eat it.  That's one of the things you look for for baby led weaning readiness but the biggest is sitting up independently which she, of course, does not yet do as she's only 12 weeks old.  Her eyes were locked on to the apple as I ate the rest of it.  I think she was more interested in the flavor of the apple than the chocolate chip and the cookie that I let her lick a few weeks ago - good!

friday fancies!

I almost forgot!  It's Friday! :)

I made a mobile for Olive this week. But I think I like it more than she does. I'll post the details and some photos soon! Keeping with my mobile thoughts of late, here are some wonderful mobile's found on etsy.

Big Dipper Baby Mobile, Medium, in Lime Breeze from The Wonderland Studio in Massachusetts. $46

Made to order Owl Mobile from the EvelynX Gift Shop in California. $60

Tennessee Autumn Stylized Leaf Mobile from Moon Lily Mobiles in Colorado. $198

vela multi from The Starcraft. $78

Felted Wool Mobile - Pea Shoot from Sqrl & Bee Studio. $70

Um.  My mobile is not as cute as these.  Oh dear.

Happy Friday!  :)

may sponsors!

In case you haven't noticed (and in case you're reading this in Reader!) take peek over at the right sidebar. I have sponsors!

Today I would like to introduce you to Chrissy from Whimsical Poppysmic!

I am Chrissy from Whimsical Poppysmic! I love being creative - that's why I opened my Etsy shop last December! I am a knitter, crocheter, I love embroidery and cross-stitch and I have a passion for felt! I am in love with dandelions especially when their seeds get carried away in the wind, I am addicted to feathers and I think owls are the most whimsical creatures!

I live in the suburbs of Chicago with my husband and our daughter as well as our pup, Kyra and our kitty Miley (guess who named her...haha)! We moved here 2,5 years ago from Germany for 3 years, which means we will be moving back in about 3 months (we just made the decision to go back)!

Come on over for a visit, I would love to have you! And, if you like tweeting as much as I do, come tweet with me here!!!

Yay Chrissy!  :)

Look for info on my other sponsors coming soon!  :)

nursing pad review - bamboobies!

Last week I received a very tiny but very powerful package.  Inside the package were two pairs of Bamboobies.



What's a "Bamboobie" you ask?

Well let me tell you! Bamboobies are nursing pads made of organic bamboo and hemp! I was extra excited to try these because Olive's gDiaper inserts are bamboo so I thought we could maybe.. match.. kind of. I was also extra excited because I know how absorbent bamboo can be. And I was maybe also a little excited that they're called Bamboobies. Say it with me - Bamboobies!!! ha! Oh, and they're in the shape of hearts!

But let's be serious. Bamboobies claim the following:
1. Simply the Softest Nursing Pads on the market!
2. Heart-shaped pads cup without wrinkling... Fewer Wrinkles = Less Visibility
3. Ultra-thin, High performance Eco-fabrics

1. I agree. In my experience with four other brands of nursing pads I have never felt pads this soft! They're actually softer than Olive's bamboo gDiaper inserts and those are so soft that I considered wearing them myself, just for comfort.
2. The regular Bamboobies are heart shaped which does reduce wrinkling though I still had a few visible wrinkles. I bet this is a little different for everyone though, depending on the size of your girlie parts and the bra you're wearing. While a little wrinkle was present it was by far less of a wrinkle than with most reusable nursing pads I have used. The overnights are round and therefore get wrinkly but if you and your significant other don't mind then it shouldn't be a problem!
3. The regular Bamboobies are extremely thin - I'm really surprised! The overnights are quite thick but not any thicker than other brand's regular pads. And they're for overnight... so that's kind of the point.

“Bamboobies were born out of my frustration with wrinkly, plastic disposables and thick, rough cotton
washable pads that showed through my shirt and still leaked!” says Kerry Gilmartin, mother of three in
Boulder, CO and creator of Bamboobies.

I've had a leaky start to breastfeeding Olive. The leaking varies day to day so I'm never sure what to expect. I worry when out in public or when having visitors because I never know if a big dark dot is going to show up and how long it's going to take me to realize it. After a few days using Bamboobies I have not experienced a single wet spot despite finding the pads wet. Honestly I was a little skeptical at first because I have leaked through everything else - how could these work? I thought the leaking had possibly slowed.. but wouldn't that be ironic timing? After a little investigation I decided that I was in fact leaking just the same but the regular Bamboobies held in all of the moisture and my shirt stayed dry! I even went out of the house this evening for a meeting and didn't feel nervous or stressed out about my shirt. What a relief! I did notice that the regular pads move around a little bit but not enough to cause a problem. I think they slide a bit because they're so soft. But with how many times I need to be messing with my bra when feeding Olive there is ample opportunity to adjust them. My only complaint is that I don't have enough!

The reason for the superb protection is in the construction. Below is a diagram of the regular pads.

And the overnight pads..

There is a lot of interesting information on the Bamboobies website about pad comparisons. For example did you know that a nine month supply of disposable pads costs approximately $360 while a pack of four Bamboobies costs less than $30? I don't use disposable pads and this reminds me why! (In addition to the environmental impact.) This is also one of the many reasons we cloth diaper.

In addition to being extremely effective at preventing leaks and reducing wrinkles, as well as being cost effective, Bamboobies are eco-friendly. Bamboobies fabric producers meet the Global Organic Textile Standards or are certified annually by OEKO Tex 100, OCIA or USDA and the fibers are not treated with toxic chemicals and only water-based dyes are used.

I encourage you to stop by Bamboobies and place an order for yourself or for a friend.  I am certainly going to order more regular Bamboobies and will most likely give these as a gift to expectant moms in the future.

In conclusion...

Do I recommend Bamboobies for leaky boobies?

Yes!

Use coupon code OWL20 for 20% off your purchase!!!

I was provided a free sample of Bamboobies in exchange for this review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review of this product. But I did! Because I like 'em! So go get some!

Look for review #2 in the nursing pad series coming next Wednesday! I hope you find this information as useful as I do! :)

interview with my mama!

Hey you!  

Head on over to a little blue to check out an interview of my very own mommy, Cheryl Anne, in honor of Mother's Day!  

:)

spring has sprung in north minneapolis!

I snapped these photos this morning for Northside 365.

engagement shoot.

Friday night I got a new lens and on Saturday I got to try it out with a great couple, Sara & Ben. After about 20 minutes of searching for parking at Como Park we met up and had a great time! I snapped nearly 300 photos of the couple in the Como Conservatory as well as in Como Park. The weather was wonderful (which led to the parking issue!) - Spring has finally arrived in the Twin Cities!

I sifted through the photos and narrowed it down to 57. This is an area needing significant improvement - I am t e r r i b l e at deleting photos. And to make it worse I could only upload 9 to my flickr. Tough stuff!

Without further ado, here they are!

:)

Happy Mother's Day, mommies!  :)

friday fancies!

Today's Friday Fancies are things that I would love to have for my photography business, frost on flower. As these are things I fancy.. I kinda went all out... :)



1. A camera bag from Jill-e. This is the medium size in bone & black. It fits the camera body, a couple of lenses, and of course all of your accessories such as battery, memory cards, etc. $239
2. A camera strap cover from Polka Dot Bungalo on Etsy. I love the ruffles and the rosette! I have a lot of grey in my wardrobe and I think this is adorable yet subtle enough for weddings and other events. $38
3. A shootsac! This little number is pretty darn cool. It's used in addition to your camera bag as it only holds lenses. You carry this while you're shooting and it keeps your lenses close by for quick changes. It holds 3-6 lenses and/or other accessories. It has interchangeable covers, too, so you can look pretty cool. $179
4. This one is a little funny. I want this box from IKEA. It's part of the Komplement system but I couldn't find it online. As shown in this photo (from IKEA hackers) and on IKEA hackers, you can easily turn it into a soft box. Neat!

But... In real life land I need a few new lenses (asap!) and a nice, but much cheaper than $239, camera bag. And a flash. And another battery. And a new computer. Oh my.

What do you fancy these days?

some things.

* Today Olive's diaper was dry/clean from about 9:30am - 6:15pm. She used her "potty" throughout the day. :) But I still have to rely on timing it after she wakes up and after she eats as I can't seem to find a single sign she needs to go!

* I'm really looking forward to hopefully getting the little green Baby Bjorn potty for her at our baby shower in Iowa later this month.

* I used my brand new Kitchen Aid mixer twice today - to make cookies and to make dumplings.

* Today I cooked dinner early so it was ready when Tyler came home. I love when that happens. We had sour beef stew. Yesterday we had a root vegetable thing. The next few days we're having lots of beans. Next week we're having sushi. I plan dinner. Do you?

* I think my pup needs more attention.

* I have so many projects and have done very little recently. :(

* My friend Amber, her baby boy, Olive, and I are going to have play dates at the beach this summer. We decided today. :)

* I spent quite a while today trying to figure out what lenses to buy. My goodness it's a tough choice with a limited budget.

* Today I asked my mom 10 questions about being a mother for someone's blog.  I was hoping it would be a chance for a nice conversation but all of her answers were really short.  :(

* Check out our friend's blog for another perspective of our Easter adventure.

Oh, dear, cute Olive...

The end.

nursing pad review.

Hi everyone! I'm writing to give you a heads up about a new series I'll soon be starting. But I want to caution you that if you're not into breastfeeding talk read no further!

I'm going to be reviewing various types of nursing pads because, well, I'm having some problems. I am leaky. I've been known to leak through multiple layers of clothing and am terrified of this happening while out in public. For that reason I typically wear a thick button up sweater when I'm out so I can button the top button or so. The first time I noticed a big wet spot on my shirt I literally screamed. Occasionally I laugh. But mostly I say eww.

I have tried disposable pads and two types of store bought fabric pads. These were all given to me and I will be reviewing how they have worked for me in the past two months. In the coming weeks I will be receiving at least two more nursing pads in the mail courtesy of their markers, for the purpose of this review series.

I'm excited to be trying various types of nursing pads and, believe me, they will be put through some pretty vigorous testing! Personally, as always, I'm rooting for the handmade but we'll see what happens! For the next few weeks you'll be seeing an update from me on Wednesdays with the first starting next week.

Yay!

Are you leaky? What nursing pads or other remedies do you use?

who is dead?

If you haven't seen this yet it's worth clicking play:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMP7Ys57ha4]

Honestly I was getting a little confused last night staring at the television and twitter reading Obama and Osama over and over. Some tweets saying things like "Obama: bin Laden is dead" really threw me up. I was tired.. clearly.

Also I wanted to put a little apology out there for having so few and unsubstantial posts lately. My dad was in town for a few days last week, we went on a day trip this weekend, and Tyler had the day off today so we were running errands. Hopefully this week I'll get back on track!