The Vintage Honey: A Review

A little over a month ago, I bought myself a nursing necklace in hopes that it would:

a) keep Miss Colette's little fingers busy so she would stop pinching when nursing or trying to fall asleep in the sling

and

b) Give me a little something extra special/pretty to wear with my very limited post-partum wardrobe. 


This sweet little necklace from The Vintage Honey totally came through!   In fact, my hubby took a quick iPhone snapshot, and the photo got a pretty immediate, happy response (I couldn't even include all the sweet comments, there were so many!):

 

So, when they asked for baby-wearing reviewers, I was all over that one!  (Yes, they did send me the pretty mint colored necklace you see below... but I actually purchased the one above myself and my opinions are all my own!) 

Miss Lettie enjoying my new necklace while she hung out with me in the kitchen.

As far as my hopes for the necklace(s), they were definitely fulfilled!  Lettie seems to like the shape of the necklaces to tug and pinch (rather than my skin, thank goodness).  I really like that the necklaces are adjustable, they tie with a ribbon in the back, so I can easily make it a little longer when she's nursing or awake in the sling and then I like to tie it almost like a choker while she's asleep so it rests in the hollow of my throat and I don't have to worry about her lying on it while she sleeps.  I was a little worried that the ribbon tie would slip undone all the time, but it seems to be the best of both worlds (stays tied, but comes off when I need it to). 

Dancing in the kitchen while our dinner cooked... love this sweetie!

The necklaces have also added a little somethin' to my rather limited wardrobe during these "in-between" months.  I love that both necklaces go with so much, and I get asked about them often (which means people are noticing the necklaces instead of any of the other wardrobe issues I worry about, score)!

Ready to go out for Daniel's birthday!  Well, almost, I had to change that shirt... cream cheese frosting is messy!

On the babywearing side of things: I've mostly worn it with my ring sling since that has slipped into top place for ease (and gorgeousness), but I did use the moby the other day and it still sat in a great spot both for her to play with and then me to keep it out of the way when she was sleeping.

Trekking through the zoo with a very sleepy babe.

I've worn the necklaces just about everywhere: church and lunch with the girls at Daniel's office, fireworks, the zoo, Anni's swim lesson (though not while swimming myself) and dancing in the kitchen. 

Fireworks on the 3rd of July!  Lettie actually was in the sling most of the night, but she stretched out a little before all the craziness began.

At the pool (see, didn't the necklace distract you from the wet hair?!)

Whether or not you're a nursing mama (I mean, aren't they just cute whether or not you have a baby to tug on them?!), check out The Vintage Honey Shop, I think you'll love them!

Seven Quick Takes: Volume V

-One-

"Comparison is the thief of joy." -Theodore Roosevelt 

I've been thinking about this a lot lately as get myself twisted in knots that "everyone else" has lost their baby weight and looks pulled together and fantastic, and that "every other business owner" knows what they're doing while I struggle to stay on top of things.  Is this true?  Probably not, and even if it is, I need to move on: this kind of thing is what steals all the joy from being a Mommy and having a job that I really enjoy (and am kind of good at, sometimes). 

-Two-

Daniel's birthday was on Wednesday.  I got him Jim Gaffigan's new book Dad is Fat... and I'm almost done reading it.  (And while he's hilarious no matter what, the fact that he's Catholic and has five kids squeezed into a two bedroom New York City apartment makes for a whole lot of hilarity... I almost never laugh out loud when reading and I have been giggling through this whole book).  I also made him a cake (Daniel, not Jim Gaffigan).  Well, cake is putting i milyy, it was like a teetering tower of cake.  See, I didn't read my recipe through very carefully and when I went to actually make the cake and was running back and forth to my computer to read the recipe from the kitchen (printer out of ink and iPad with Daniel at the office donchyaknow), realized they wanted me to use three 9 inch pans.  Um... I have one.  And my 9x13 pan is out on loan.  Therefore, I used my three smallest pyrex pans (ie the three I had left), and proceeded to make this monstrous tower that not even all of my homemade frosting could cover.  It did; however, hold 27 candles quite nicely.

This year, I asked Daniel's parents to tell us his adoption story beginning to end.  I would love to share it with you someday, but that'll be up to my love.

-Three-

We went to the nearby splash park for the second time. The first time a few weeks ago was a little chilly and Anni had a pretty miserable time as she just froze (and spent the whole time wanting, no, throwing a complete fit for, a snack).  This time it was hot, hot, hot, so the water felt amazing and didn't chill Anni quite as quickly, and, between the snacks I brought and our sweet friend brought, it was definitely a success.  There was a lot more bravery running up to the water, and a whole lot of happy smiles.  Lettie slept most of the time in the sling, but got to come out to test out the water for the last few minutes before we left.   

-Four-

 The theme of this moving process is "suck it up".  I can't wait to get into the house, but everything has to be packed first, and, for some reason, my littles still need a semblance of an every day routine (food, naps, mommy looking at them instead of packing, you know).  My inexperience is showing as I stand in the middle of a room and try to figure what to pack, how to pack it, and if we're going to end up needing it in the next seven days.  I shouldn't be an inexperienced packer, but the last two times we've moved, I have been pretty sick (an awful case of mastitis while caring for a wee Anni on oxygen the first time, and an out-of-control case of poison-ivy made worse by a bad detergent and therefore me a little crazy between the itchiness and steroid side-effects).  I was lucky that one of my sisters and my mom came out both times and helped finish the packing and pretty much made sure everything went smoothly.  However; my mom and other sister are coming the day after the big move this year to help un-pack, rather than before (definitely something I'm going to need as I try to organize an entire household for the first time), but, with Daniel being insanely busy at work, I've been kind of on my own.  It's got to get done; though, because we need to be completely moved out with the apartment cleaned for the sweet girls taking over our lease by the 23rd.  So, suck it up, Alzbeta.

 -Five-

Lettie discovered her feet this week!   She likes to hang onto them while attempting to roll over and chew on her other hand... multi-tasking at its finest.  She's also starting to get the sweetest, most kissable little rolls on her legs.  I just can't get enough of her!

 

-Six-

My Antonia.  She has been telling stories and making up songs non-stop this week.  While I can only follow a portion of the story-line, I adore listening to her.  Sure, having a three-year-old is like living with a ticking time bomb (that inevitably goes off at the most inopportune time), but it is also one of the sweetest joys I can imagine.  

-Seven-

Despite a lot of stress over the move and keeping up with everyday life this week, I also had a lot of moments where I was able to take a deep breath and really soak in how much I love being a mommy.  I'm loving the fact that while I am still a worry-wart, I have found a few little ways to let things go and just enjoy kissing my babies and telling them how wonderful, smart, beautiful, sweet and funny they are.

 Find more Seven Quick Takes at Conversion Diary.

   

Baby, don't worry...

 

We've hit a spell of bad luck.  Not terrible luck, mind you just eensily, weensily, bad as Anni struggles with the cruddy cough that immediately accompanies any case of sniffles she picks up (thank you, preemie lungs).  We went to the doctor today, just in case he thought we should check those oxygen stats since she has a history of needing extra oxygen when illnesses get a little long.  Happily, O2 sats were 99%, respiration was good, ears looks good, lungs were clear and really, we just have to wait it out.  

Oh, and things are about to spiral into the random.  Don't worry, I don't know where it's going either.

I have a little over half of our Christmas gifts planned... mostly because we are going as simple as possible.  This year was supposed to be the year we hang out with my family for Christmas... but as I'll be 32 weeks on Christmas Eve, and Anni came at 33... and we have no positive answer to *why* she was early, well, it's going to be Christmas in Colorado.  I love Colorado, but I haven't seen my family since this summer and I miss them rather terribly (just check how much time I spend calling my sister and mom).  Disappointment and homesickness aside, there are now 21 people just on my side (parents, siblings, their spouses and their kiddos), so everything needs to be easily shippable.  I think I've come up with a good solution... but, I happen to know my sisters read my blog, so I can't share everything quite yet!

Speaking of Christmas, what are your favorite Thanksgiving traditions?  We'll be at my in-laws for several days surrounding, so I'm trying to think of some fun crafts Miss Anni and I can do together to bring with us.   

I voted this week.

God is love.  first.  foremost.  and last. the end.

Tomorrow I turn 26.  I had to do the math... I kind of forget how old I am sometimes.  I think it's because most people assume I'm about 10 years younger.  

We did family pictures last week.  It makes me smile every time I look at them, at this little moment in our lives, when Anni is just two and a half and Lil' Bit is growing away inside and we are still oh, so, painfully new at all of this.  It will pass, and I am so glad to remember it.  Jenny, if you read this, thank you for documenting it for us... I don't think I can ever repay it!

I will always be good at picking apart my appearance (I wish that wasn't so), and so it is hard to get past myself sometimes and realize that our memories as a family are more important than that.  I like that, that they're teaching me what's important.  

My dear hubby, he has a secret surprise for me tomorrow.  Well, not so secret, because he has such a hard time keeping a secret that he had to tell me he *had* a secret just to keep from telling me what the secret is.  I love that we are so used to telling each other everything that it's hard to keep even happy little surprises secret.  I'm trying to help him out by not guessing at all this year. 

He's also making me manicotti.  That's not a secret, because he wanted to make sure it sounded good to my pregnant tummy.

Gosh, I have it good, guys.  Really, really good.

Happy weekend, my friends.

Every little thing's gonna be alright.

You are allowed to like yourself

Somewhere along the way, earlier than you think, something, someone whispered that you weren't good enough.

And from then on, you always felt a little guilty when you were proud of yourself, or when you wanted to share your accomplishments.

I'm going to share something with you, though, and you can tell anyone you'd like.

You can like yourself, really.  You can be proud of the things you do well without taking anything away from other people who also do things well.  And in turn, they can be proud of the things they do well, without in any way damaging you.

It's so simple, really, but it took me a long time to learn that hiding what we love about ourselves does no one any favors. 

So, I'm going to start... but I want to hear what you love about yourself as well.  Post it in a comment, blog about it, tweet about it, you are beautiful, special and unique and it's okay to say so!

I love:

- that I like to take care of people.
- that I can cook a good meal.
- that I've come so far in my photography, and yeah, I'm good at it.
- that I'm raising a happy baby.
- that I have unique handwriting
- that I sing well
- that I look good in red
- that my husband thinks I'm cute and maybe I am :)

Okay, now I want to hear yours.  Tell me what you love about yourself!