who i am.

recently i was challenged to write about myself using 25 words or less. kinda like my own, self-describing personnel ad, complete with self-portrait. here was the end result...

cherry coke drinking, crushed ice loving, bike riding, apron wearing, marathon training, surprisingly shy, REAL orange county housewife & mama of 3 with ADD crafting tendencies.

care to play along? i'd love to get to know YOU even better.


step one: take your self portrait. no primping necessary (check me out in all my mountain biking glory... complete with helmet hair & a thin coating of dirt)

step two: describe yourself in 25 words or less

step three: introduce yourself to the world (or at least me), by posting it to your blog. just make sure to leave a comment here, so i can make the blog rounds. or, if you're feeling lazy, just post your 25 word bio in my comment section. either way, i can't wait to get to know you just a wee bit better.

friday five: must-haves for new moms

here's my list of 5 things EVERY new mom needs whether she's having her first or her fifth. the perfect shopping list for yourself, or pick up an item or two for the next shower you are attending...

1. the cuddly wrap: my all-time favorite newborn baby carrier. it may be overwhelming at first (it's one really long piece of fabric), but trust me! after you've practiced tying it on a few times, it will be easy. your baby will love being in it & you'll love that you will be able to get stuff down. unlike other carriers, the cuddly wrap keeps them all bundled up on your chest - i think it reminds them of being inside the womb. the material is like a t-shirt, so it's lightweight & very breathable. i can't tell you how often i am stopped by strangers to give my "cuddly wrap sales pitch." i can't say enough good things, i LOVE it soooo much!

2. ameda gel pads: if you're planning on nursing, then you must buy at least one pair of these. nursing, for me, has always been somewhat of a painful process... sore, cracked, bleeding nipples is pretty standard for me (& yes, i just said nipples). anyway, these gel pads are AMAZING! don't be fooled by other gel pads on the market. i've tried them all, & these ones are by far the best. another nursing favorite is the motherlove nipple cream (there i go saying the word nipple again).

3. oxi clean: stains no more! this is a serious must-have! with spit-up & diaper explosions happening on a fairly regular basis, you need something that you can count on to get those stains out. oxi clean hasn't let me down yet, & i've thrown some pretty hefty stains it's way.

4. aden + anais muslin baby blanket: i absolutely LOVE these blankets. they are lightweight & thin enough that i can stuff them in my purse or baby bag. but, don't let that fool you! they are HUGE in size (47" x 47"), which makes them perfect for swaddling. but that's not all, you can use these blankets as a sheet in a pack-n-play, on the ground for play time, as a nursing cover or draped over a stroller or car seat. there are so many possibilities!

5. benetint blush, dr. pepper lip smakers, and a cute hat or two: you know as well as i do, a new baby means late nights & lots of early mornings. often times, a shower is a luxury. however, i've always found that making a little effort makes me feel better. on days when i don't really have the time (or perhaps the energy) to get ready, i like to throw on some benetint (it provides you with natural, rosy looking cheeks which is an immediate perk-me-up), a little dr. pepper lip smakers (call me crazy, but the dr. pepper flavor has just the perfect hint of color & a nice smell to boot!) & a cute hat to hide that bed-head hair, & you are all set. no one will be the wiser that you haven't slept (or possibly showered) for days.

so now that i've shared, what are some of YOUR favorite must-haves for new moms?

you might think i'm crazy, & i probably am.

but i just couldn't resist. i spotted this beauty & bought it on the spot. i honestly don't know where it's going to go, my house is currently filled to over - capacity already, but i just couldn't pass it up - it was such a steal. i'm tempted to give it a little make over, a la design mom. have you done anything lately that has people questioning your sanity just a wee bit? i think my hubby is ready to ship me off to the funny farm, with this recent purchase. but the piano just captivated me, there was no way i could let it go home with someone else, it was calling out my name. now, i just have to figure out how to get it home.

ready to learn, to get some knowledge.

it's that time of year again. i can't believe it's been an entire year since i wrote you THIS letter, it still echoes the sentiments i'm feeling at this exact moment, to a T. you may have graduated to 3 days a week & seemed to have adjusted well, but i'm secretly wishing you'd rather stay home & play with me. i guess that's the hard part about being a mom... you always feel a bit "left behind."

potty talk.

i quit.  call me a failure. call me lazy. call me anything you want. but honestly, i don't care. sometimes, kids just aren't ready for potty training - and that's my professional opinion. i honestly thought it would be easy, but obviously those were just delusions of a sleep deprived mother. i was excited, i was looking forward to it, it looked so easy on the dvd. unfortunately, owen didn't share my same zeal for the project. one month later, i'm officially hanging up my potty training hat, at least for now. it's just not worth it. & honestly, i don't mind changing diapers all that much. in the mean time, i think i better come up with a better plan of attack. anyone out there got any suggestions for me?