Miskabelly: Vintage Mamas and Babies Blog

P.S.

2012-01-17T08:46:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I missed sharing my Lyla photos. I created a little tumblr account to post pics here and there, if you want to check up on Lyla (and I'm sure Aurora will make some appearances too!). xo Jayme
http://www.jaymeeileen.tumblr.com

(A Sort-Of Goodbye) Now find us at...

2012-01-03T08:58:00.000-05:00

http://www.miskabelle.blogspot.com/

In the grand tradition of making changes for the better in the new year, we've decided it is time to streamline things a bit in our online lives. Miskabelly started as a fun baby-focused spin off of our original etsy shop/blog, Miskabelle Vintage. But we've decided it makes more sense for us to combine the two shops and blogs into one--Miskabelle etsy shop will now have baby/kids and maternity sections (where we will only bring you THE best of the best, no filler pieces!) and Miskabelle blog will be more vintage fashion/lifestyle...where we share shop previews, outfit posts and bits and pieces of our family lives (again, only share-worthy stuff, no filler posts!). In other words, we are choosing to have one amazing shop and one amazing blog rather than two OK shops and two OK blogs that have worn us a bit too thin these past few months. We would love for you to come along and keep up with our adventures as sisters, mamas and vintage shop co-owners on www.miskabelle.blogspot.com.

Thank you for reading!

xo,
Amanda and Jayme
(& Aurora and Lyla)

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-23T16:53:00.000-05:00

Chances are things will be sparse around here the next week or so while we celebrate the holidays. We are so excited to watch our babies play together!

Love,
Amanda & Aurora, Jayme & Lyla

Lyla Georgette is ONE.

2011-12-21T13:08:00.000-05:00

Lyla turned ONE on Monday! It has been a wonderful, crazy, stressful but amazing past year and like all moms say--it has flown by!! Her birthday being so close to Christmas already has caused me enough stress to last a lifetime. To have a party after Christmas when more family would be town? Celebrate on her actual birthday? Have two celebrations? We went with the small, on-her-actual-birthday celebration. Small and simple. Lyla had a blast!

I had a clothesline hanging with our Christmas cards, which I switched out for the day with photos of the birthday girl from each month. I made her cakes (one for the guests and one for Lyla to have to herself) from a box. And I made her a paper and markers birthday sign (something I'm sort of known for in my family--I would make birthday signs for my mom, dad and sister's birthdays each year and I try to make one for Andrew when I remember!).

Oh, I also made a little party hat from scrapbook paper. Lyla wasn't a huge fan so she didn't really wear it for the party. Oh well!

So, as in the first photo you may have noticed, when asked "How old are you?", Lyla puts up her little finger! Little smarty. See also below (top right corner photo), Lyla has taken to making the most awful/hilarious face when getting her picture taken! Seems like all babies go through that phase. It's like a scrunched up, wrinkled nose face. Aurora was doing it at around 10 months. Does anyone else have a baby who did this?

Oh the presents. This baby has so many toys...and I can't even imagine what our living room will look like after Christmas. We gave Lyla a little stuffed Elmo (she says "Melmo?!" when we watch clips from Sesame Street) and sure enough she recognized the little guy when she peeled open the wrapping paper to reveal "Melmo". She has been carrying him around the house ever since.

The token baby-eating-cake-on-her-first-birthday photos:

Happy first birthday to my little angel! You are everything I could have ever hoped for and more!

Jayme

What Lyla's Been Up To...

2011-12-16T11:46:00.000-05:00

Lyla looked extra spiffy yesterday in her little outfit and I grabbed my camera, as usual, and began snapping an abundance of photos. Looking through these pictures, versus the last batch I took (a week ago maybe?) I realized she is changing and learning at warp speed these days! Here's what little Lyla has been up to lately: (a couple things: 1. yep, my house is a mess. there's no point in putting the toys away because they literally come right back out as soon as I clean them up. 2. I realize some of these photos are out of focus..this girl is hard to capture because she is on the move so much now!)

Happy Friday!

Jayme (& Lyla)

On Nursing...

2011-12-14T11:09:00.000-05:00

As I write this it is close to 1 am, and I am awake, nursing my grumpy teething baby. Moments like this make me so thankful that I have this cure-all to offer my otherwise inconsolable baby. I love being her comfort. I love that she needs me. But I must admit, as we close in on her first year (eek!) I am hoping to see an end to breastfeeding in sight....and it is seemingly nowhere on the horizon.

Lyla (and mama and dada) had a rough first few months. We battled colic and while I did also have a rocky start to nursing (low supply, scabbed nipples, plugged ducts...eesh.) I don't know how I would’ve survived her colic without having my breast to offer. We spent many a morning/afternoon/evening/night sitting on the couch just nursing. Because while the pain of her constant attachment to my breasts was excruciating, the relief it gave to Lyla was enough to stop her constant crying...and ultimately was the only thing that kept me sane during those first months.

Back to the present. My teething girl is now asleep, still half nursing. This isn't unusual. Lyla still wakes a few times each night and mostly refuses to go back to sleep without the comfort of my milk. At almost a year, she still nurses every 2-4 hours. No matter how much solid food we give her, she still is insistent on nursing at the same rate she was months ago. So obviously it is more for comfort than for nourishment (honestly, my breast is the equivalent to a pacifier for other children).

So much time is spent on that couch! Lyla mostly nurses herself to sleep for naps....
and then I sit and hold her till she wakes up. Wow. Is that crazy? I am taking attachment parenting to a new level.

I have mixed feelings on how to go about weaning her. I don't want to upset her and I gotta admit, I am just too exhausted to fight her on it. ‘Oh you actually want to sit with mama and be still for a bit? I can relax and simply watch TV? FINE.' Seriously, it’s the only real break I get. But I’m not sure that without some real boundaries that Lyla will gradually wean…ever. And what’s funny is that I always said I didn’t want to be that mom with kid who was walking and talking and asking for “milk” but as we stand now, it seems inevitable (because she IS walking and talking and asking for milk…). Needless to say, I am exhausted. I feel like our sleep situation won't change as long as Lyla is still reliant on breastfeeding and I won't be able to leave her for more than a few hours at a time (did I mention, she REFUSES my breastmilk from a bottle or sippy cup).

THAT FACE slays me. Makes me want to nurse her forever...just to see that sweet, content face.

Moms, is there a sudden change that happens, where your nursing baby loses interest in nursing? Does weaning happen gradually (within reason…like in a few months, not a few years) or should I be taking more initiative to turn her away sometimes when she wants to nurse? I’m afraid if I keep just following her lead that I will be breastfeeding a teenager. Help!

Jayme

Shop Preview: Holidays and Beyond

2011-12-13T09:40:00.001-05:00

We've had many a gray day here in Virginia, so while I've been doing a lot of shopping (thrifting and otherwise), I haven't gotten to photograph items for the shop. As usual, there's a pile developing in the studio. So, finally, on a sunny Sunday, I got some shots--these items, in the shop this week (as soon as I measure them!):

Smocked Polly Flinders Holiday Dress (Size 5), vintage Lord & Taylor Argyle Vest

Puffy Coat with Faux Fur/Hood, Belted Corduroy Shirt w/ Artwork Print

And in case you're already dreaming of spring: Neon Poodle One Piece, Buster Brown Polka Dot Dress (it has a sweet back keyhole!)

See something you like? Let us know, and we can get your measurements/dibs!

**Sidenote: a month or so ago, we featured some shoes on the blog. Unfortunately, my computer died and the photos died with it, so they need to be re-shot before I can post them. If you want/need them (someone had wanted the mustard flats!), please convo us!!! **

Festive

2011-12-11T14:43:00.000-05:00

In hopes of getting a little more into the holiday spirit, we went to our local "Festival of Trees" this past Thursday. The event consists of local businesses and organizations decorating their own tree and then you "vote" by donating money towards the organization who's tree you like best.
Lyla has been loving all the Christmas lights this season (she points and smiles) so I knew she would enjoy it. There was even a Santa there so we did a little impromptu photo shoot (I hadn't planned on taking her for Santa pics this year because I didn't think she would appreciate it too much...and judging by her reaction I think my assumption was correct).

Some of my favorite trees/ideas:

Our low-rate Santa photos (seriously? He could have at least sat in front of the trees for a nicer backdrop...):

And just some extra snaps of the pretty trees, Lyla with her new top front teeth (!), and the necessary family shot [and on a side note--notice we're carrying around a blanket here. Is that what other parents do in the winter? I mean, you can't have their winter coat on in the carseat and it is SUCH a pain to get it on and off. So we have just been wrapping Lyla in her blanket (that we cover her with in the car) when we're going in and out. We really only use her coat if we're going to be outside for an extended period. Are we lazy?] :

Andrew has been off work for the past 5 days and it has been GLORIOUS. So I will be sad for tomorrow. Back to our regular schedule. It has been a while since I've had the Sunday blues this bad. Christmas, please come quick!

xo
Jayme

It's the Holiday Season...

2011-12-08T16:46:00.001-05:00

Hello there! We're busy bees over at our house, between working and playing and decorating I haven't had time to blog anywhere. This is Aurora's first Christmas where she knows something special is going on, and so far, it's really been a blast, from our daily Advent calendar/activity to trimming the tree. I thought I'd share a few pictures of our cozy space!

The first night of advent with our Santa calendar. He also gives out Hershey's Kisses, so Aurora LOVES him!

Some vintage touches around the house...and our new indoor fireplace! It's the BEST.

Trimming the tree with our girls. Aurora put on the middle ornament by gently setting it on the branches. It was the cutest.

The finished tree and a little craft I saw on Pinterest (the owl--formerly a toilet paper roll!).

So that's what we've been up to. Hope that you and your loved ones have been enjoying this wonderful season as well!

xo,
Amanda & Aurora

Holiday Dress Up--for your little guy

2011-12-07T15:27:00.001-05:00

I am so stoked to dress up Lyla for Christmas. Red velvet dress, white tights, black patent mary janes and some kind of ridiculous hair accessory, I'm sure. I love having a little girl! But I can't help but think of how fun it would be to dress up a little boy for the holidays-- in head to toe vintage, of course! We have some super cute options in the shop: a traditional red velvet romper, a green corduroy suit, a super-70s turtleneck and a blazer and oxfords, if you want your guy to look like daddy's mini-me!

Shop these pieces:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

How's everyone's holiday prep going? I am waaaay behind! Gotta get shopping....

xo
Jayme

Tis the Season (for dessert)

2011-12-04T16:06:00.003-05:00

Thanks to Duncan Hines for sponsoring my writing. There's no limit to the baking possibilities, so grab your favorite Duncan Hines mix and Comstock or Wilderness fruit fillings and Bake On! www.duncanhines.com. 

I keep reminiscing in my mind about this time last year—the anticipation of a baby on the way mixed with the upcoming holidays was just SO exciting… and overwhelming. I ended up doing, well, absolutely NOTHING to prepare for Christmas—I didn’t send out cards, I did very minimal Christmas decorating and certainly did not partake in ANY sort of holiday baking. This year I am hoping to be a little more celebratory, not just for me but for Lyla. I want her first Christmas to be special (well, she was 6 days old last Christmas, so it’s technically her second--but this is her first Christmas pre-season!). Decorating will still be minimal (because babies and Christmas baubles just. don’t. mix.), but I do have this lovely scene in my head: baking in the kitchen, yummy smells in the air, the heat of the oven warming our home, Christmas carols blasting, and of course, Lyla crawling around at my feet.

I am not usually the entertaining-type, but I love the idea of a [very small] get together with friends, to share my delicious holiday treats. In fact, for Lyla’s first birthday party I may do just that. Save making a huge meal, and simply have desserts (along with the classic birthday cake—which I can’t WAIT to watch Lyla smoosh into her face!). A table full of pretty desserts sounds like the perfect party food to me! So now I suppose some planning is in order. This will include collecting some pretty vintage trays to display all the desserts, coming up with recipes (including both gluten free and vegan ones, so there’s something for everyone), and creating invitations. An evening of indulging in sweets, our [small, tabletop] Christmas tree glowing in the background, and celebrating the holidays with our happy baby girl and good friends and family is my equation for holiday perfection.

Jayme

Remember to check out Duncan Hines' website www.duncanhines.com to find some great recipes for your holiday get-together! I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. 

Up Up Up

2011-12-01T09:52:00.001-05:00

Since teaching Lyla to say "up" (when she wants picked up), she constantly follows us around saying "up pup pup". We were so diligent at picking her up as soon as she said anything that sounded remotely like "up" (not only to teach her that cue, but also because when she says it, it is so darn cute you just wanna give her a bear hug) that now she feels like "Wow, I've got the magic word!" So pretty much any time I'm not looking her way, Lyla crawls after me, wanting to be "up". This week has been especially trying, as I think she is on the verge of MORE TEETH, so I have hardly been able to put her down. She even follows me into the bathroom when I'm blow drying my hair (which isn't actually that regular of an occurrence, because I usually feel lucky if I simply get a shower). She thinks the wind from the hairdryer is quite hilarious... Andrew snapped some pics...

What color is her hair?? Seriously, it looks red, blonde and brown, depending on the light.
There are worse things in the world than being chased by the cutest baby ever, I suppose. ; )

xo
Jayme

Give Thanks

2011-11-29T10:14:00.000-05:00

We have a lot going on at my house...lots of stress and stupid grown-up woes. But we also have a LOT to be thankful for (the number one obviously being miss Lyla). I want to remember that even when Thanksgiving has come and gone.
Last year for Thanksgiving Lyla was still in my belly, but this year she got to experience Turkey Day firsthand. Aurora was there too (oh, and Amanda and Quentin...but to Lyla, "Ah-wah-wah" is most important). The girls visited great grandparents, met cousins for the first time, ate lots of mashed potatoes, and had a blast!

I pretty much died when I saw Aurora in her first pigtails! (ok...so more like, I almost CRIED because she looks so grown up!)

Best friends.

Finally some photo evidence of Lyla standing on her own! She also took some steps this past week (*tear).

Our family.

Amanda, Aurora and Quentin

This group of cuties are ALL of the great grand children on my mom's side (I still can't believe we got 5 children to sit still all at once for a photo)!

We spent Friday with Andrew's family for our second Thanksgiving. Lyla got an early birthday/Christmas gift from her Aunt Jen--a rocking horse. She is in LOVE! I can't hardly stand the cute....

Oh, and to add to the photo-overload, Lyla and Aurora had matching horsey outfits (Amanda thrifted them, both originally from Gymboree)!

Lots to be thankful for these days.

Jayme

Just to say thanks...

2011-11-23T11:34:00.001-05:00

Close Shave

2011-11-23T10:04:00.001-05:00

Hello, it's Amanda (and Aurora!). It's been a while since we posted. We (well...me) have been shopping for and stocking the vintage shops and blogging occasionally on our other blog, but not doing a lot of talking here.

The truth is that Aurora is just a big bundle of movement and almost every picture I get of her is blurry! Fortunately, I was able to capture this scene one quiet, sweet morning last week:

On Monday and Wednesday mornings, Quentin goes into work later. Sweet husband that he is, he lets me sleep in on those days and has morning time with Aurora. They eat breakfast and play together and then come and wake me up. "Coffee, mama?" Those are some of my favorite words...Aurora is a morning person, just like daddy, while I am a night owl.

Aurora is starting to mimic a lot of actions and words (oh, goodness, I need to be more careful with my language). She's such a little smarty-pants! The other day I said, "Hi, babe!" and gave her a kiss, and she said, "Hi, babe!" back. It's absolutely adorable. She is so much fun these days.

And here she is, already shaving. Sigh. They grow up so fast... ;)

We're about to embark on our Thanksgiving travels...wish us luck! So excited to see Jayme, Lyla and family! We have MUCH to be thankful for.

We'll say hi again soon! Happy Thanksgiving!

xo,
Amanda and Aurora

Xmas Prep

2011-11-21T16:00:00.001-05:00

Last year I did pretty much nothing to prep for Christmas. My due date was December 28 so I was very pregnant and sort of used that as an excuse to barely decorate, not send out cards, etc. This year I have a feeling things will be the same if not worse-- a tree is out of the question with this very curious almost-one year old crawling around. But I did decide to do an easy Christmas card. Yesterday I took some photos of Lyla in her festive Christmas outfit and simply ordered a collage/card on Shutterfly. Just wanted to share one photo for now--this one shows her little bottom tooth that's popped through! Looks like the top front ones are close on their way too....

(A little over exposed/washed out...I haven't got my camera settings figured out. But the expression is priceless!)

xo
Jayme

Lyla Georgette {11 months}

2011-11-19T08:00:00.001-05:00

Love a little just-up-from-her-nap, rosy-cheeked baby!

Today Lyla is 11 months old. This past month her biggest milestones include (all of which I have no photo evidence, so I'm filling in with some random favorites from the past month):

1. Getting her first tooth. This involved lots of crying, crazy fever (which resulted in a terrifying little fever seizure followed by a trip to the doctor, followed by a diagnosis of a urinary tract infection... sheesh), and refusal to eat (but trust me, she nursed enough to make for the lack of regular food). All I can say is--holy crap...we still have a whole mouthful to go?!

This poor gal's poor gums--they are SO bumpy and crazy looking! I think more teeth are definitely on their way. Oh...and in case you were like "oh wow! She's in her pj's in her crib!"--it is certainly not because she slept there. It is full of toys and she plays there if I need to go put in a load of laundry!

2. Standing on her own. So funny how babies just decide one day to let go and stand hands-free. She didn't even think twice--she just let go and stood there like it was nothing. Lyla is one confident baby--once she's standing, she excitedly bounces and claps. We're trying to coax her to take a step, but so far no luck (Is that a bad idea? Is a walking baby ten times harder to chase than a crawling one?).

I think I have a million photos of her standing at the front door like this. And also--I photograph her in pj's a lot! Trust me, we get dressed everyday...but something about babies in pajamas that makes me want to grab the camera.

3. Adding to her vocabulary. New words include: "up" (so now she follows me around the house saying "pupp up up pup") and "nana" (banana). If I'm in the kitchen, making my morning coffee, she crawls up to me and does her sign for 'eat' and says "nana? nana?" Cutest ever!!

Oh those bangs...always in her eyes!

I am just ever so slightly starting to think about a 1st birthday celebration. Part of me is feeling super emotional and sad about it but the other day, as Lyla napped in my arms, I looked down at her and thought "she is still SUCH a tiny little peanut"....and not just in size--I really still feel like she is such a baby. She needs me so much and I love that. Being an attachment parent (having her sleep in our bed, nursing her on demand, carrying her everywhere) is trying at times but I think that the connection we have is so much stronger because of it. And I think it will stay that way no matter how old Lyla is.

xo
Jayme

Shop Preview: Holly Jolly Holiday

2011-11-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

It's almost Thanksgiving...which, in our crazy-busy lives, basically means it's almost Christmas. I spent some time tonight scouting some vintage holiday dresses for Aurora on Etsy, and no doubt, some of you are looking for the perfect outfit for Christmas photos or holiday events. We've added some beauties to the shop, and there are more to come...

See something you like? Well, then....................... SHOP!

Holiday Bow Dress, Size 9 months, $14

1960s Plaid Jumper Dress, Size 4T, $13

Holly Cardigan, Size 18 months...coming soon!

Little Lady Plaid Cardigan, Size 2-3T...coming soon!

Christmas Print Dress, Size 4T, $12

Ski Lodge Sweater Outfit, Size 2-3T, $18

Red Velvet Shorts Suit, Size 9 months, $12

Plaid Shorts Suit with Vest, Size 6 to 9 months, $13

Lyla Style: Legwarmers

2011-11-14T11:08:00.000-05:00

I keep seeing DIY's for legwarmers around the internet. Simply cut the arms off an old sweater and finish the other end and voila! Homemade legwarmers. Initially I slipped on these sleeves (from a shrunken-in-the-wash cashmere sweater) on my own legs, but quickly realized they'd be much cuter on Lyla. I had to take them in a bit, but it was super easy. Now I have the chicest baby on the block, rocking her heather gray cashmere legwarmers. (And here she is getting in the way while I attempted to photograph some boots for a post on the Miskabelle blog.)

I have a feeling she will be rocking these legwarmers a LOT this winter!

Jayme

Through Dada's Eyes...

2011-11-09T09:28:00.000-05:00

So. I'm still doing the whole working part-time thing (I first talked about it HERE). I still don't love leaving Lyla but I must admit that I love that she has time alone with Andrew. He has been a very hands-on daddy from day one, changing diapers, rocking Lyla to sleep when my boobs just can't handle any more nursing, keeping her occupied while I attempt to have time to myself... He is pretty amazing. I knew before I married him he'd be a great dad but WOW, he has taken all my expectations and blown them out of the park (does that saying make sense?? In other words--he is the bomb diggity. Yeah, I just said that. I am still living in 1999). What pretty much gets me through my six hour long shift is receiving and anticipating photo texts from Andrew, showing me what he and Lyla are up to. He has this theory that she likes being out of the house, so most evenings they go do something when he gets done at work. Usually it's a trip to Walmart (eh...it's right up the street from our house. I support small/local businesses when I can. I'm sorry, but sometimes I just want my 99 cent bag of pretzels). Sometimes she's happy in the photos, sometimes she's eating and most often...she's SLEEPING! Yep, Andrew's the baby whisperer. Lyla goes to bed by 8:30 on the evenings she's alone with Andrew. Granted, he has to hold her/rock her until I get home at 11:00. But STILL! Dada's arms are magical. She seriously just melts when he picks her up. Passed out in seconds.
I wanted to share some photos that Andrew has sent me over the past few weeks. A little peek into daddy-daughter time.

1- Asleep in daddy's arms.

2- Happy little lady.

3- At Walmart...with the scarecrows (she calls them "baby").

4- Yesterday, he was holding her like this, talking on the phone to me on my break and she fell asleep! This is seriously unheard of around these parts. She even stayed asleep while he changed her diaper!

5- Asleep in the car.

6- Daddy made her a pancake for dinner. She wasn't impressed.

7- At Walmart (again!).

8- Sharing some of daddy's dinner.

9- At a high school football game, in the front carrier (oh my...wish I could've been a fly on the wall! haha. Also? ASLEEP, again!).

Hope you're all having a lovely week!

Jayme

The Shirt Before the Shirt

2011-11-04T14:23:00.000-04:00

I'm trying to decide if I should really use that title. It's a quote from Jersey Shore and I am totally embarrassed to admit that I watch the show. I guess I could've just not foreclosed that and then only other people who watch Jersey Shore would get the title (and since they watch too, I don't need to be embarrassed, right?). Oh well. I'm using it. Make fun of me all you want.

SO, Lyla obviously didn't wear her skunk costume all day on Halloween. But I did keep her festive-looking in black and orange and with candy corn socks! She was so cute and happy that day...playing with her little pumpkin.
Here is her pre-costume Halloween outfit a.k.a. "this is the shirt before the shirt."

Black tights on a crawling baby don't mix well with our light-colored doggy (I was tempted to photoshop those hairs from her tights in the last photo, but opted not to). Added to my to-do list for this weekend: vacuum and mop the floors!

Happy Friday!

Jayme

Shop Preview: Happy Feet

2011-11-03T12:31:00.000-04:00

Just popping in to share a sneak peek of some of the cutest little shoes and boots, coming to our shop very very soon! (There is a bit of a moccasin theme, as you can see...)


Clockwise, from top left: Minnetonka blue kiddo booties (kids), yellow toddler lace up moccasins (toddler), red heart maryjanes (toddler), mustard yellow sueded cutout flats (kids), beaded Minnetonka moccasins (kids)

You like? If you have any questions, just message us--readers always get first dibs! :)

xo
J&A

Lyla's First Halloween

2011-11-02T11:02:00.000-04:00

I used to LOVE planning my Halloween costume each year. Some of my favorites included a vampire (complete with slicked back hair and face paint), a pink lady from Grease (I even created the signature jacket from a pink hoodie I already owned), and a mime. When I got Sophie, our dog, I would create a little headdress for her each Halloween--a pumpkin head, a witch's hat, devil horns... So I thought for sure when a baby came into the picture I would be creating some crazy elaborate costume for her first Halloween. Well, these days I am lucky if there are no dirty dishes in the sink. In other words--I barely have time to shower, let alone sew a costume! Luckily my cousin's kids handed down THE cutest little skunk costume that their kids wore for their first Halloweens. It had a red bow tie, that I removed and re-sewed onto the ear, to make it a little more girly... but other than that, I just put on overtop Lyla's black leggings and shirt. Voila! Cutest. Skunk. Ever.

My parents always hand out juice boxes (that's the big Kool Aid box in the background). The trick or treaters LOVE it! Those kids work up a thirst, running around the neighborhood gathering their candy.

I attached Sophie's little witch hat to a headband to look festive for the occasion.

These days, Lyla calls EVERYTHING "Baby?" She says it as a question..it is the cutest thing. I will try to post a video soon! So any scarecrow or pumpkin was "Baby?!"

The best part was, she didn't even mind wearing the costume! She crawled around, dragging her little tail and searching for candy (though, she still has no teeth. So she was just crinkling the wrappers with her hands). We visited all the grandparents' and she did great! First Halloween: SUCCESS.

xo
Jayme

Aurora Style: Party Girl

2011-11-02T09:00:00.000-04:00

Not only do Jayme and I borrow stuff from the vintage shop to wear, but we also borrow for our babes. When Aurora got invited to her cousin Zoe's 2nd birthday, I had to put her in something festive. I remembered that these overalls were her size and decided to try them on: they were perfect!

ruffle tee-hand-me-down, Buster Brown overalls-vintage/Miskabelly, saddle shoes-vintage, hairbow-random Target pack

I know a lot of little girls like to wear dresses for parties, but I knew there would be a lot of playing outside or crawling around on the floor, so pants were a more comfortable option--yet still festive enough for a celebration! :)

Aurora has started to get into colorings and drawing (perhaps she'll be a visual artist like her auntie?), so these pics don't quite do the overalls justice. Here is a closer look--coming to the shop soon:

Light pink corduroy. White heart buttons. A ribbon applique with a lamb that reads "I Love Ewe." Heart ribbon ruffle at the back. And the cutest 80s balloon shape. (Size 2T!) By Buster Brown.

I love finding little quirky pieces like these! Kids clothes are so much fun (and we promise to keep adding fun things to the shop!).

xo
Amanda

A Happy Halloween, Indeed.

2011-11-01T11:21:00.000-04:00

Aurora couldn't quite enjoy Halloween last year: not enough teeth to eat candy, unable to say the words "trick or treat," and not even able to walk around. She was briefly dressed as a mermaid, and then went to bed at 7:00pm.

But this year was a totally different ballgame. It was fate: we found her costume at the thrift store and it fit perfectly. Then Q got the Halloween bug and decided to go all out. His enthusiasm got me going too, and an invitation to our neighborhood Halloween parade/block party sealed the deal: we were doing a family costume!


Meet the Pirates.

Q spent a good part of the previous weekend and evenings during the week turning Aurora's bike trailer into a real pirate ship. You wouldn't believe the detail that went into this thing, from a plank (with footprints!), to an anchor, a crow's nest, a treasure chest (complete with map!), netted ladders...it was pretty amazing.


My creative husband at work.

Heading out to the parade.

Pirate Parents.

Our neighborhood was so amazing! We were out of town for Halloween last year, so we didn't get to go, but they organize this parade and a party/potluck for the whole neighborhood. There was a DJ, lots of food, a cotton candy stand, pumpkin carving contest, and prizes for best costume! (Aurora took second place in her category for 3 and under! WOOO!) We had so much fun...and after a day of freezing cold and snow, we were thankful for clear blue, sunny skies. It was the perfect day.

Aurora and Dada sharing some cotton candy.

Watching the big kids in awe.

She walked right over here with her cookie and sat down. Yes, she's an extrovert.

Spiderman is always a good friend to have.

Hope you enjoyed this little peek into our very fun and family-filled Halloween! We're already looking forward to next year.

xo,
Amanda, Q & Aurora

Vegan for a Day: Marinated Soyaki Tofu on a Bed of Sesame Slaw

2011-10-31T11:55:00.000-04:00

Hello friends!!! I'm back. Don't worry: I'm still vegan. I just keep forgetting to photograph my meals and honestly, sometimes the photography takes the joy out of the preparation and eating!

I have been getting really good at preparing quick and simple meals for the late nights Q works (or the weekend when we're running around and don't have a lot of groceries in the house). This was a clean-out-the-fridge meal that turned out fabulous! I'll definitely be making it again.

Note: I shop pretty exclusively at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, but you should be able to find similar products at your grocery!

Marinated Soyaki Tofu on a Bed of Sesame Slaw

For the tofu:
1 block extra firm tofu, pressed* to remove liquid and sliced into rectangles (approximately 12)
1 bottle Trader Joe's Island Soyaki or Soyaki marinades (or any Teriyaki-style marinade)

1. Cut tofu and place in a large bowl. Cover in bottle of marinade and let set in refrigerator for at least one hour.
2. When marinating is done, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Place tofu on large baking sheet, shaking off any extra liquid.
4. Bake for 15 minutes; flip tofu and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

For the dressing: (adapted from this Sesame-Ginger recipe)

1 t. minced garlic
2 T. sesame oil
2 T. rice vinegar
1/4 c. tamari (GF) or soy sauce
1 T. agave (or maple) syrup
1/8 c. water

1. Place all ingredients in a small Mason jar and shake it up! A regular bowl and a whisk would work well too.

For the salad:
1 bag Trader Joe's Broccoli Slaw (you could substitute cabbage slaw too, but I love the broccoli for a change!)
1/2 c. sliced almonds

1. Toss both in a bowl and mix well!
2. Cover in dressing (as much as you'd like--we like things saucy over here so we used it all!) and mix again.

Place a heaping stack of sesame slaw on the plate and top with 3 slices of tofu (recipe serves 4). YUM!

More recipes to come--I'm back in a cooking groove with this new fall season! Any recipes you're looking for? I'm happy to try it out on the blog!

Bon Appetit,
Amanda

Playing Dress Up

2011-10-28T15:32:00.000-04:00

Some photos of Lyla (and one of moi) playing dress up. She looks like a little doll, huh? This could almost pass for a Halloween costume of sorts (a new take on Raggedy Ann?). But this little stinker was passed down a super adorable costume that she will be rocking on Halloween (there was hint in that sentence as to what she will be dressed as!).

Have a lovely weekend!

xo
Jayme

A 24 Hour Visit

2011-10-25T13:31:00.000-04:00

Last week I had the opportunity to go on a mid-week girls night out, to see one of my all-time favorite bands. What band, you ask? Get ready for it....Hanson. Please spare me the "they're still around??" and other cliche jokes about high voices and long girly hair. I get really defensive about my boys! They've actually been touring and putting out new records since the Mmmbop days and I always make it a point to go see a show if they're in my close vicinity. Actually, this time around (did you catch that Hanson inuendo?!) they were in Amanda's neighborhood. So Andrew, Lyla and me traveled to Falls Church, VA for a 24 hour mini vacation. I met up with two of my good friends (one who I hadn't seen in 7 years!) for the show. It was a lovely evening. I still don't like leaving Lyla when I don't have to, but I knew she'd have fun with Aunt Amanda, Uncle Quentin, Aurora (and her Daddy).

My evening started with this heartbreaking text from Andrew:

Lyla was fine when I left, but apparently Aurora was crying hysterically. Breaks my heart!!

Here is my one and only photo from the show:

And Andrew continued to document the evening while I was away, via Instagram:

Lyla with her Aunt Amanda

Aurora and Lyla, playing in the mirror (yep, Lyla is licking it).

The next day, we stayed for the afternoon to get some more time in with Amanda and Aurora. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the day:

They think I'm hilarious (at least someone does!).

Amanda, with the new blonde hair (she looks gorgeous...I'm so jealous!).

So, there you have it! A 24 hour trip filled with good friends, good music, and cute babies.
(Click HERE to see me and Amanda's full outfits, posted on the Miskabelle blog!)

xo
Jayme

Baby Sign Language (a video!)

2011-10-23T22:09:00.000-04:00

I never really planned on teaching Lyla baby sign language. While I always thought it was super cute to see babies signing, I thought it would be too difficult to teach my baby. But one day out of the blue, I decided to look up some signs to try and teach Lyla (awesome website with video tutorials HERE). After the first day I was quite baffled and SURE that it would never work (sorry little Lyla, mama should've had more faith in your smarts!). But persistence paid off and after repeating repeating repeating, Lyla picked up on all the signs that Andrew and I taught her. It is pretty much the funniest and cutest thing ever to watch. SO, without further ado, here is a little video of Lyla doing her signs...ENJOY!

Pretty great, right? I think "milk" is the most hilarious one...and the one she picked up first, of course.

xo
Jayme

Aurora Style: Boot Season

2011-10-19T09:15:00.002-04:00

I have a MAJOR thing for boots. I have many, many pairs (mostly vintage). So of course, I'm attracted to boots for Aurora too. And when our thrift is having a 50% off sale how can I resist purchasing a few pairs?

These little black boots also do double duty because they work with her Halloween costume (it's a surprise!). They aren't exactly what I had in mind, but they are pretty darn close. And how cute do they look with leggings?

spotted top-thrifted, leggings-gfit from Aunt Jayme, boots-Children's Place (thrifted)

Aurora is busy all the time. She will rarely settle down and stand to pose for a photo. Here, she is drinking her milk and holding her teddy, post-nap...speaking of naps, she has transitioned to one longer nap in the late morning/early afternoon, but she has also started sleeping in ('til 8am!). It may just be a growth spurt, but we are certainly appreciating a little more time under the covers on cold mornings!

More cute boots and babes coming soon!

xo,
Amanda & Aurora

Lyla Georgette {10 months}

2011-10-18T09:59:00.000-04:00

Okay. This one's a little tougher than the last nine months. 10 months? Really little Lyla? How are you two months away from your first birthday?? I wake up every morning excited to see Lyla practice all her "tricks" and learn new things. She's a little sponge, this one. She will pretty much try anything you show her to do or tell her to say. Last week when Andrew left for work he blew her a kiss and she responded immediately by putting her hand to her mouth and then facing out, wave-style. Her words include: mama, dada, papa (my dad's version of 'grandpa'), baby. Her sort-of words (which she attempts but are questionable...):
Lyla --"Yai, Ya"
Aurora----if we say "Aurora?" She repeats back three syllables.
Fie--for our dog, Sophie
Hi--she repeats back the same tone we say, but the H-sound isn't quite there.

Still not standing on her own. Still no teeth. LOVES Yo Gabba Gabba. As I type this she is laying on the floor watching it. This is unheard of! Normally this baby does NOT stop moving. Great mom, right? Well, considering I don't have her "nap time" for me-time (yep, still holding her for naps...) I am giving myself this leeway.

All summer Lyla and I would walk through this park on our morning stroll. We would see little kids playing and swinging and I would whisper to her "Someday you'll be big enough to play here. Pretty soon you'll be able to swing too." Well, last week we took her to play on the swings. Gosh, time moves so fast these days.

xo
Jayme

P.S. If you like our blog, would you mind voting for us?

Back to Work

2011-10-13T15:50:00.000-04:00

So, this week I started my part-time job. I haven't mentioned it much because I think part of me felt like maybe if I didn't talk about that it wouldn't happen. Or that I wasn't going to actually do it so I didn't want to mention it and then have to be like "oh nevermind. I'm not really going to start working again." Even as I type this I feel like maybe somehow this part-time gig isn't going to last. Like something will fall into place. That my husband will get an extravagant raise or our etsy shops will suddenly start bringing in twice as much money each month. I guess it's kind of my survival mechanism. Take it day by day, pretend things are going to change soon. I know, I'm sounding a bit dramatic. It's only 18 hours per week (and a seasonal position so it's only till February or March...so I really do have an end in sight). What's funny is that I thought I was thankful for my stay-at-home-mom life before. When we finally decided I needed to find some part time work, In my head I would think "God, if you're trying to teach me to be thankful for what I have, it isn't necessary...I KNOW I'm lucky or blessed or whatever you want to call it. I know I have it damn good" (it's ok to say swear words to God). But you know what? After the past 3 days of working 5-11 each evening, I am even more grateful for tonight, when I will be home when my husband gets home from work. When I get to cook a nice meal and sit at the table and eat with my family. When I get to clean up dishes afterwards and listen to Andrew play with Lyla in the living room. Spending time away makes my good life seem even better.Admittedly I was annoyed when everyone was trying to console me with 'it'll get better' and 'it'll be ok.' I didn't want it to get better. I didn't want it to be ok. I wanted to fail. I wanted to refuse to go. But I got my good cry out that first day when I left Lyla. The next day I got a bit teary when she hugged my neck as I was leaving (ahhh....I know, right?!) and the third day there were no tears. I survived. Andrew got Lyla to sleep on his own all three days (no boob necessary!). I'm hoping this is the start of some sort of sleep training. Though I must admit, I will not give up curling up beside Lyla in bed when I get home from a six hour shift (it's hard enough not squeeze her and smother her in kisses). xoJayme

Pumpkin Picking

2011-10-12T11:59:00.000-04:00

It's time for the token baby blog pumpkin patch photos....
We had a lovely weekend: Amanda and her family came to visit, the weather was gorgeous and our babies got to pick their Halloween pumpkins.

I think it's safe to say they LOVE each other.

The baby who NEVER sleeps decided it would be best to take a nap once we got to the pumpkin patch.

Aurora was super excited about riding on the "WAGON!" to get to the pumpkin patch.

Lyla's new "thing" is pointing at everything and everyone. (I need to teach her some manners!)

And of course, we ended the day with a photo shoot. (This pic is an outtake and it kills me!)

Hope you all had a great weekend too!

Jayme

Shop Preview: Whimsical Kiddo

2011-10-11T11:55:00.000-04:00

I love cutesy clothes for women (novelty prints, frilly things, etc.), but could never really pull them off. That's why it's so much fun to shop for and dress my gal in vintage! There are so many fun prints and designs for the babes.

Here are a few of my favorites, coming to the shop this week!


Clockwise from top left: Puppy Cardigan, Pin Buster Brown Overalls, Ice Cream Sweater Vest, Mickey and Minnie tee, Teddy Bear Flying a Kite Playsuit

If you have any questions about these items or see something you like, don't hesitate to let us know. Readers get first dibs! ;)

xo,
J&A

A New Kind of Beautiful.

2011-10-10T09:00:00.023-04:00

Motherhood doesn’t have to mean the end of looking or feeling great. If you’re reasonably healthy and fit before a baby, odds are good you’ll be reasonably healthy and fit afterward. But every time a magazine that’s been slavering for months over a celebrity’s “bump” turns around and blares about her POST BABY BIKINI BOD, it sends the message that the normal, natural process of recovering from birth, from nursing and nourishing a child, and from the very real and often permanent changes of pregnancy are but temporary obstacles, to be eradicated with extreme haste. It’s unfortunate, because it doesn’t consider the possibility of a new kind of beautiful. You’re not the same after you have a child. You’re not supposed to be. And that’s a good thing.

-Mary Elizabeth Williams in an article for Salon

I have struggled with my weight as early as fourth grade. The curve of my belly is where it all started. I remember it vividly; pictures of me on our family vacation wearing a purple two piece still haunt me (I was 11.) When puberty started to hit, I looked a lot different than my other classmates (and my tiny, younger-by-a-year sister), though I started to notice before anyone else did. I stayed relatively "fit" through high school with a healthy regimen of cheerleading and teenage metabolism, but by the age of 18, I felt the pressure to be thinner than I was. (If I could have the body I had then, I would be ecstatic.) I did Weight Watchers, and then a low carb diet, and then Weight Watchers again, and then another low carb diet. I would lose the weight, but would always end up in the same place, get bored, gain it all back, and be depressed again.

Part of my depression has always come from this, even at my thinnest (about 40 pounds below where I am now): I love fashion. I love clothes and I love fashion blogs and I love glossy magazines and pretty things. But in that world, very few people look like me (and very few clothes fit me). In the plus-sized fashion world, I occasionally feel represented physically, but being labeled plus-sized is just another small offense against a body that I try my best to take care of. Becoming a mom has added another level to that desire to achieve: I am comparing myself to women who have never gained 35 pounds in three months or pushed out a baby that changed their entire life (and body).

I know I will never be skinny or small or even thin. At best, I will be curvy or athletic. Currently, I am: squishy and husky. I feel my own heaviness. Some days, I come to terms with it, and think that it's okay. Other days I hate it passionately, eschewing all the pretty clothes in my closet for a pair of stretchy jeans and an oversized tee shirt, covered by a scarf to hide any rolls.

I went vegan because I felt tired and blah. I wanted to eat healthier, and I wanted to make better choices for myself (and the world). But also, I had read so many stories about veganism leading to incredible (almost effortless) weight loss and clear skin: two things that have alluded me for so long. Since having Aurora, I just haven't felt like myself. I don't recognize my own body. It seems that no matter what I do--eat high raw, eat a lot of cooked foods, bike 5 days a week, walk 2 days a week--nothing changes. I am stuck.

I see baby bloggers (ew, I hate that term) who have newborns writing about fitting into their old jeans or answering reader questions about how they're losing the baby weight so quickly. I wish they would be honest and answer that it's genes. If you were naturally thin (or "reasonably healthy and fit" as in the quote above), you aren't going to come out of pregnancy as obese. Your body is good to you. Don't try to tell me that doing that yoga DVD once a week is really helping tone you back up (or blame it all on the breastfeeding, which is wonderful, but is different for everyone, and not a magic weight loss cure for mamas).

I am alive. I have no diseases. I can run, jump, bike, play with my daughter. And yet I often feel like my body hates me, and in return, I hate it back. It's a vicious cycle.

I wanted so much out of veganism, and I am not giving up on it. I think I wanted the wrong things. But I don't know how to want the right things. I don't know how to avoid wanting what I'm told I should want: jeans in a single digit size, the scale to read what it did 2 years ago, waking up to a face that doesn't need a single ounce of makeup.

I try, daily, to give myself grace, but there are so many messages being sent my way that I just want to go into my bedroom and shut the door sometimes. Every time I am feeling better or more positive, something (or someone) else knocks me down.

I am so used to dealing with these issues that I don't know who I am without them. But now that I have Aurora, my beautiful girl, I am more concerned than ever about becoming healthy: physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy. I want more for her. I want to protect her from this kind of thinking as much as I can.

But how? Where do I even begin to erase years and years of conditioning and hurt and habit?

The only time I can recall these issues almost "magically" disappearing was when I was pregnant with Aurora. It was amazing, focusing on the little person growing inside of me instead of on all the other growing I was doing. I walked because it felt good and I knew it was good for Aurora, I ate well, but indulged in little things I wanted (I was a slushie and Sour Patch Kid fiend!), and I found ways to dress myself so that I was both comfortable and looked cute.

one of my favorite pregnancy photos.

I truly glowed--it's not just a cliche! And I find myself missing that and wondering if I can only ever feel that way by getting pregnant. Considering the fact that I will most likely only be pregnant one more time in my life, that's a scary prospect.

I feel stupid for voicing these things, just another girl with low self esteem or body issues. As I write all of this, I feel shame. I feel shame about my body, I feel shame that I think this way, I feel shame that there are people who read this to whom I'm a "thin person." I'm writing this because I know I'm not the only mom (or woman) who feels this way. But I am writing this with no answers.

I want to find that "new kind of beautiful." And some days, I think that I do. I have moments, like this week, when the air was crisp and the sun was bright and the sky perfectly blue and Aurora and I were walking up the street and I couldn't help but sigh...every person and every thing was beautiful then. Even me.

The Giveaway Winner is...

2011-10-06T07:38:00.000-04:00

We had 33 entries, and Random.org chose #2, Shannon and Jeremy!

Jeremy and Shannon said...: Just LIKED Sarah Council Dance Projects on FB as well! :-)Congrats! We'll be getting in touch with you soon to find out where to send your pendant!Thank you to everyone who entered, not just for supporting Sarah Council Dance Projects, but for supporting our blog as well!xo,J&A

Go-To Cool

2011-10-05T09:58:00.000-04:00

I haven't done a "mom style" post on here for a while. I'm just not convinced that people are interested in seeing my daily shirt and jeans combo. But now that it's fall I'm finding myself pulling on more layers which gives my outfit a little more interest. (Amanda and I also post vintage inspiration outfits on our other blog !)
I usually end up having a couple go-to pieces to spruce up my outfits (and keep me warm!). A chunky knit cardigan, an oversized scarf, a cool pair of boots. That's it. A combination of those three pieces go on top of whatever I'm wearing and I instantly feel put together. Here I'm just wearing the scarf.

black top- super old (hand me down from Amanda), scarf- vintage, skinny belt- H&M,
super flare jeans- J. Brand (via a discount store--not gonna lie--they were $10!
I had to patch a hole, but SUCH a steal!), blue clogs- Steve Madden

This scarf belonged to my husbands grandma (and is most certainly vintage). It is super long and super wide and the prettiest shade of peachy pink.

Lyla's toile print outfit is from Gymboree (a gift from her Aunt Jen!) and her hat is from Baby Gap

Lyla is also wearing her go-to cool accessory--her little tam hat. Cutest. Ever.

What are your go-to cool accessories?

xo
Jayme

Hello Autumn

2011-10-03T17:04:00.000-04:00

Autumn is by far my favorite season to decorate for. I love switching over to warm colors and burning my various spice-scented candles. Our home has accents of red and orange already, so I simply add some pumpkins and leaves, a wreath on the door and mums in our hanging baskets out front. Here are some of the vintage and non-vintage pieces I love.

Dining Room:

1- I found this beaded chandelier in an antique shop. My guess would be that it's from the 60s. The hardware was bright and shiny silver when I purchased it and the beads were vibrant orange. I finally decided to spray it with a coat of copper paint to tone it down a bit... There's no electricity hook up above our dining room table, but this gives the feel of a lighting fixture.

2- This card was recently sent to me by my grandma. It was so pretty I had to put it on display! I think I will save it to decorate again with next year as well. Or perhaps even frame it.

3- I recently re-did this wall. It used to be home to a print in a thick black frame and black iron sconces on either side. I think the new mix of various copper and gold frames warms up the wall.

4- Full view of the bureau. Lots of orange and yellow candles. So pretty to light them all at night and see the shadow of the chandelier.

Living Room:

1- This little vintage pumpkin was from my great-grandparents house. I love how dainty it is.

2- The ceramic pumpkin sits on the TV stand where there usually is a candle. It's next to a pewter pitcher (vintage, via my husband's grandma).

3- This plush pumpkin was gifted to me by my grandma while I was in college, to decorate my dorm room. Not sure of it's origin....but I like that it is a baby-friendly decoration!

4- The pumpkin sits on top of the TV next to some (more!) candles and a vintage pitcher. I have a whole table setting worth of these leaf-y pieces. Very 70s.

Thanks for taking a peek into my home! I'm sort of a minimalist when it comes to decor... but I think a few little things can make a space feel special (and festive!) and pretty vintage things certainly do the trick.

xo
Jayme

Aurora Style: Pattern Mixing (Again)

2011-09-30T09:00:00.000-04:00

I couldn't help it. I had to share MORE cute photos of Aurora. She is really taking a liking to getting dressed up...mostly the shoes part (so much like her mama). This weird in-between weather in conjunction with my laziness about laundry has caused me to be a little more creative with her clothes.

But this creativity turned out really cute! Aurora is wearing a dress (12 months) as a tunic top--since she's now 19 months and it's too short--and a pair of pants as cropped pants/capris (since they're also 12 months). I was worried it might look a little like she simply outgrew her clothes (which, she did), but instead I think it was a really cute look! Especially with the red and white stripes and leopard. I added her little gold bow flats to give her that "petite jeune fille" look. All that's missing is a beret! (She has one, but it's brown and pink, so it would clash too much with this ensemble.)

I also had to share that Aurora is becoming the sweetest little helper. She helps to put away silverware, take things to the recycling, clean up her toys (sometimes), and most recently, she's started helping to bring the newpaper in for her dada.

Cute in cotton--->dress-Under the Nile (thrifted), pants-Carter's, flats-Gymboree (thrifted)

We are very careful about making sure no cars are coming/around when she gets the papers, even though it's a quiet neighborhood. Don't worry, Grandma and Papa (if you're reading this!).

I really don't think she could get much cuter...and then she does something TOTALLY cute and changes all that. I love that her personality is a little sweet, but a little feisty, and of course, very social (again...so much like mama already that it's scary). We're looking forward to a fun fall weekend together, with weather cool enough to wear some of her new (thrifted) fall duds. More photos to come--of course. :)

HAPPY FRIDAY!

xo,
Amanda

Aurora Style: Back to Preschool

2011-09-29T09:00:00.005-04:00

Aurora isn't going to preschool....yet. She's not even 2. But we are touring a Mother's Day Out/Preschool place next week where she might go to play (if we like it, there's a short waiting list) two mornings a week. I am definitely a little nervous (I will miss her!), but I know she will love the opportunity to be around other kids. And two free mornings a week would give me a lot of time to get additional work/cleaning/etc. done, so that's not a bad thing.

I think this is the perfect little Back to School outfit...the mustard corduroy and the saddle shoes/ruffle socks combination? I die. This jumper is great because you can add a long sleeve blouse or tee/onesie when the weather gets cool. (And it's in the shop here!)

She was trying to wear the gourd like a bracelet! Such a little smartie (and fashionista!).

Picking flowers/Picking up pumpkins (unsuccessfully).

Doing a little dance! (dress-vintage from the shop, socks-random, saddle shoes-vintage, hair clip-homemade)

Some days she seems grown up. I love seeing her learn new things and become independent. I love having little conversations with her. I love seeing her personality start to come through. We have so much fun together! I think she'll be a big hit at preschool. ;)

xo,
Amanda

A Cute Mama in Miskabelly!

2011-09-28T12:10:00.000-04:00

We love, love, LOVE getting appreciation photos (if you have any, please send them to us! We'd love to feature you on the blog!). We just got this adorable photo from a mama-to-be in Georgia! How cute does she look in the Miskabelly Tribal Print Tunic Tee?

We love it! Thanks for appreciating us--we sure do appreciate you (customers AND readers!).

xo,
J&A
(Aurora and Lyla, too!)

My Vintage Baby {the return of...}

2011-09-27T11:06:00.000-04:00

Gosh, it has been months since I have done a "My Vintage Baby" post! In fact, last time I did one, Lyla still wasn't even sitting up on her own. Yesterday I dressed Lyla in my favorite vintage dress and chased her around the house ~~trying to get a decent picture~~ taking photos. We used this dress in a photo shoot for our Miskabelly ad/button, when Lyla was just six months old. It still is quite roomy and I'm hoping it will work as a tunic/top as she grows (how cute would it be with a long sleeve tshirt layered underneath?!). One thing about selling vintage is that it's always hard to decide whether something is worth keeping. I know this dress would sell for a decent amount of money....but I think it is just too special to let go!

dress: vintage C.I. Castro, leggings: Gymboree

Here she is holding a candle she pulled down from our TV stand...T-R-O-U-B-L-E.

This poor little baby has a bit of a stuffy/runny nose as of late. It is heartbreaking listening to her trying to breathe in her sleep and when she's nursing. Pretty sure she picked up the cold at her 9 month well checkup at the doctor's last week (little miss is now 15.6 lbs. and 27.5 inches!). Despite being sick, she is still a ball full of energy!

Jayme

Vegan for a Day: Fall Favorites

2011-09-26T10:06:00.001-04:00

I'm back with some recipes after a little hiatus. I've been cooking a lot, but mostly the same things. I was in a little bit of a rut. And also, I tend to be so hungry that I forget to take photos of the meals I cook. In fact, I am borrowing photos from a few food websites for this post BUT the recipes are 100% mine/real!

It's officially fall, and you know what that means: boots and blazers (two of my favorite things), warm drinks (though not the soy pumpkin spice latte, which I just learned--after consuming TWO so far this season--is not vegan. Not even close. Time to try it at home!), and, of course, with cooler weather comes the desire for comfort food, which inevitably leads to delicious-smelling homes, like mine was last Tuesday.

Often, I load up on veggies, but they end up sitting in the fridge because ~~I am lazy~~ I don't know what to do with them. So it was with two pretty butternut squashes in my refrigerator. I tweeted a cry for help and got a fantastic recipe in return (that was non-vegan but easily adapted to vegan! Thanks, @PopFizzVintage!). Once I got in the cooking mood, I couldn't help but make my first batch of Maple Apple Walnut Bake (my own recipe, created in my first week as a vegan, and adapted from this recipe from Angela of OhSheGlows).

Vegan Curried Butternut Squash Bisque
(adapted from Better Homes and Gardens recipe)

image via instructables.com

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds butternut squash

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 14-ounce can vegetable stock

1 13-1/2-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk

1/4 cup water

2 teaspoons red thai curry paste (an easy shortcut that adds lots of flavor!)

1 heaping teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped cashews (for garnish)

1 cup quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat couscous (to serve)

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove and discard seeds. Arrange the squash halves, cut sides down, in a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Turn squash halves cut sides up. Bake, covered, 20 to 25 minutes more or until squash is tender. Let cool slightly. Carefully scoop the pulp from squash halves into a medium bowl; discard shells. Mash squash slightly with a potato masher; set aside.

2. In a large saucepan, cook onion in hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and curry paste; cook and stir 1 minute more. Carefully stir in mashed squash (or use immersion/stick blender for easy blending, like I did!), veggie stock, coconut milk, water, curry powder, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium heat until heated through, stirring occasionally.

3. To serve, spoon hot grain and bisque into bowls. Sprinkle with cashews (and cilantro, if desired). Makes 5 or 6 servings.

Rustic Maple Apple Walnut Bake

(Vegan and Gluten Free)

image via eccel.com

INGREDIENTS

Fruit

4 large apples (Granny Smiths are best!)

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. salt

1 T. lemon juice

1 T + 1 t. cornstarch

1 t. maple extract

Topping

1 c. chunky walnuts

1/2 c. rolled oats

1/4 c. sugar

1 T. maple syrup

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

pinch of salt

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 400%. Grease baking pan/dish (approximately 1.4 L).

2. Roughly chop apples (you can peel if you want, but I don't! Hence, the "rustic" descriptor on the recipe). Add the sugar, cinnamon, lemon, cornstarch, salt, and maple extract. Mix well and set aside.

3. Process walnuts, if needed, until chunky. Add topping ingredients to chunky walnuts and mix well (keep chunky!).

4. Mix 1/2 of the topping with apples and add to baking dish.

5. Sprinkle remaining topping over fruit mix.

6. Cover with foil (poke a few holes) and bake for 40 minutes.

So there you have it! Amazing smells and tastes, super easy, and best of all, vegan! I have a feeling I'll be making both of these things at least once a week--they're THAT good.

Let me know how you like them if you try (and I hope you do!). Also, if you're looking to vegan-ize any recipes of your own, that's my favorite thing to do. Send me a challenge and I'll feature it in an upcoming Vegan for a Day post!

xo,
Amanda

Checking In...

2011-09-24T14:22:00.000-04:00

Hi all, just checking in. Sorry it's been quiet around these parts lately--we've been taking a bit of an [unintentional] break. Hope you're all enjoying the first official weekend of fall. And don't forget to enter our giveaway from Crafty Dancer (a gorgeous hand painted pendant, a $35 value).

xo
Jayme

CLOSED. GIVEAWAY for a Great Cause!

2011-09-21T11:00:00.002-04:00

This Giveaway is now closed. We will be announcing the winner on Friday, September 30th. Thank you to everyone who entered, and to Sarah for sharing her work with us!

xo
J&A

It's been a while since we've done a giveaway here on Miskabelly, but it seemed like a good time to change that. We sell on Etsy to make money (to hopefully, one day, make a living!), but there are some shop that make things in order to support other creative endeavors. Enter my friend Sarah Council and her shop, Crafty Dancer.

Sarah runs her own dance company in New York ( no small feat), but even more amazing is that she's about to become a mom! The profits from the shop help to fund her dance projects. I want to share a little more about Sarah and her project here. Sarah's work is also near and dear to Jayme and I as girls who grew up in dance classes and who have a passion for art (and for women who are living their dreams!).

Sarah, hard at work.

How did CraftyDancer start?

I am a choreographer living in New York City and lifelong Craftster. I am most at home sitting right in the middle of the creative process. As I was looking for ways to support my dance company Sarah Council Dance Projects, CraftyDancer was conceived. What better way to raise funds for my dance projects than sharing and selling my crafty projects.

Who makes the crafts in the shop?

I make most of the crafts in the shop with an occasional Craftydancer guest artist.

Are you involved in any other arts besides dance? Crafting, etc?

I am addicted to color and line, my creations range from original paintings and one-of-a-kind wearable art, to paper crafts. I would love to learn to sew but beyond the occasional dance costume alteration I really haven't had much success. Maybe that's my next project!

Are there other ways to support Sarah Council Dance Projects?

Sure!! Along with visiting our Craftydancer Etsy shop, take a peek at our some of our latest dance projects at on our website. You can check out pictures, videos and help keep us dancing by giving a tax-deductible donation here.

You can also catch up with us on facebook for the latest news from the studio and the stage.

Images from Sarah Council Dance Project performance of Shadowlands

Do you have any favorite Etsy shops (besides your own!)

I love the bags and fun graphic fabrics at fromnancy.

The abstract wood sculpture art from paintsquare is so interesting. I especially enjoy the lines and texture.

The illustrations at mamarobot are so fun! As an expectant mom I've been eyeing the robot baby onesie made of soft organic cotton.

What's your favorite item/bestseller in the shop?

I really love the newest miniature painting pendants just recently added to the shop. I worked with some different shapes and sizes and added lots of bright colors!

Sarah is giving away one of her beautiful miniature painting pendants from the Craftydancer shop to one lucky reader.

About the pendant: This pendant is an original miniature abstract painting on canvas set in a 5/8 inch square tray and preserved in resin. Hang it on your favorite chain, cord or bit of ribbon and you'll have a beautiful one-of-a-kind necklace, an original work of art and a wonderful conversation piece. Pendant tray is silver plated, with a base metal of pewter and is antiqued, oxidized and lead free.

How to Enter:

Mandatory Entry

1. Visit the Craftydancer Etsy shop, and leave a comment letting us know what your favorite item is.

Additional Entries:

1. Become a follower of our blog...and leave us a comment to let us know! (If you're already a follower, keep reading for other additional entry opportunities).

2. LIKE Sarah Council Dance Projects on Facebook...and leave a comment.

3. Follow @miskabelly on Twitter (if you don't already)...and leave a comment. :)

4. Tweet/Retweet this giveaway...and again, let us know you did in the comments!

This giveaway is open to everyone and will end Wednesday, September 28th. Good luck!

Lyla Georgette {9 months}

2011-09-19T11:21:00.000-04:00

Hmmm....wasn't it just the other day I was writing Lyla's 8 month post?? Not much new around these parts after last months big milestones. Her one new trick? When asked "where's your nose?", Lyla points to her nose! It's funny how these new things just happen. It amazes me everyday what a quick learner Lyla is. Crazy how babies just pick up on the smallest things.
Lyla is such a playful, silly girl. She's is SO sneaky. And she has this coy little smile and giggle/snort when you catch her [eating paper, pulling clothes out of the laundry basket, crawling into the dog's cage].
I think these photos attest to this...

playing peekaboo with the curtain

sitting in her high chair, having a snack

playing tug with Sophie

I'm pretty lucky, huh?

I love how our gestures mimic one another's in these photos! And the matching messy hair (oh--notice my new 'do?).

Yes, yes I am.

Jayme

Birthday (in photos)

2011-09-16T11:45:00.000-04:00

I turned 28 on Wednesday. It was a strange birthday for me because I can distinctly remember when my mom was that age. My little friends would say "your mom is so pretty and young! how old is she?" and I felt cool telling them she was in her 20s... I was in 4th grade. I always thought I'd be a 'young mom' too (not that 28 isn't young!) but here I am just starting my family and still feeling a bit like I'm in over my head. I keep expecting to feel more "grown-up" but so far I still feel like silly little Jayme. If you're only as old as you feel, I would say I'm about 16 in mind and 50 in physical condition (due to lack of sleep and/or time to exercise). haha

Okay..now on to too many photos...

My actual birth-day was spent with Lyla and Andrew. I was treated to homemade breakfast and dinner and a shopping/coffee/lunch outing.

My vintage birthday blouse! More outfit photos on the Miskabelle blog.

The day before my birthday, my parents made me dinner (gluten free lasagna) and GF cake and ice cream. Photos above are of Lyla crawling around, being sneaky at my their house. Makes me wish we had more space for her to explore! And carpeted space, at that.

My mom always gets me some pretty mums to plant as a birthday gift. But my parents' big gift for me this year was a haircut! I went yesterday... photos soon to come.

So another birthday has come and gone. But hey, I still have leftover cake and lasagna for days! So it's all good.

xo
Jayme

Aurora Style: The Comb-Over

2011-09-15T09:11:00.000-04:00

Aurora loves bath time, and I love how she soft and sweet-smelling she is after her bath. I also love brushing her hair, which is getting really long (and which I refuse to cut, though I do trim her bangs). The other night I brushed her hair over to the side. We were playing in her big sister's room and she caught a glimpse of her cute self in the mirror. I had to capture the moment on camera.

This isn't exactly a style post, so we aren't linking up. If she had on one of those camo/denim diapers (no), then maybe it would qualify. But for today, I just wanted to share her sweet little moment admiring herself....if only we could all be so pleased with ourselves and how we look.

On another note, sorry we haven't been blogging! We are evaluating our priorities. The shop is doing great, and we have things we like to share on the blog, but it's definitely lower on the priority list. That doesn't mean we don't love our readers and supporters, but sometimes we need a break. And working at home means just that: watching a baby full time and WORKING in any spare moment we get.

The shop has also been kind of slow, but we promise, we have adorable new kiddo stuff on the way!

xo,
Amanda and Aurora

Funny Friday with Aurora

2011-09-09T10:45:00.001-04:00

I think Aurora gets more and more funny with each month that passes. She is doing so many new things and talking up a storm. But sometimes the things she does are naughty...and yet hilarious. How do you keep a straight face when you want to scold her because she did this?

Well, before really scolding her (and taking this photo...luckily I had just uploaded some photos and had the camera with me!), I had to rush her to the bathroom to scrub her face. Fortunately, a little Johnson's Baby Wash did the trick because the writing was fresh. I sighed with relief, thinking I was going to have to explain to people why my toddler had a tattoo on her face. She also drew a line on the rug, the chair I was sitting on, and her arm and leg (pants). Those lines did not come off so easily.

I was sitting in the same room. I don't even know where she found the marker.

The problem is that she has been using those Color Wonder markers that only color on the special paper. She can make lines anywhere else and they don't show up. But permanent marker is a different story.

The other problem is that I do some editing work for an hour a few days a week: usually I can put one of Auroras shows on (Elmo or Yo Gabba Gabba) and sit in the play room/TV room with her. She'll watch TV and play with her toys and I'll edit. I guess I just got too caught up in what I was doing to notice she was wielding a dangerous weapon. I think I learned my lesson...but at least I got a good laugh in the meantime.

We are so happy it's Friday! No big plans this weekend, but we need the time to relax--can you relate?

Have a great one!

xo,
Amanda and Aurora

Rocker Chick

2011-09-08T10:24:00.000-04:00

Lyla is getting more and more active by the day. She's starting to notice sounds and music and bounce a little to the beat (I die of cuteness overload!). Yesterday we introduced her to Yo Gabba Gabba...oh my. She could not take her eyes away!

Here she is in her ACDC tshirt. She's totally into classic rock.

Notice Sophie the pup in the background...those two are still attached at the hip! Unfortunately, they've started to, um, share their toys. You can see in the photo below the tiny doggie tennis ball laying near the pink bunny. Not sure who was playing with what. Terrible right?

ACDC tshirt- Old Navy, printed leggings- C&C California

I guess this is Lyla's version of "everyday wear"--onesie and pants (and a bow to hold back her rogue bangs that are about 3 inches longer than the rest of her hair). Usually for Small Style Thursday posts (we're linking up with Mamas Loves Papa as usual!) I have specially planned outfits/photo shoots and try to include at least one vintage piece. This week has been rainy and blah so I feel content with myself for the fact that I even managed to get a post up!

Hope you're all having a productive week!

xo
Jayme

Real Mama Style: Rainy Day Errands

2011-09-07T10:37:00.002-04:00

I think this is my first (Amanda) style post on the Miskabelly blog! I post my vintage looks more frequently over on the Miskabelle blog because I get dressed up from time to time to show readers how to wear vintage. Jayme had lots of pregnancy photos just in time for our blog start and has been doing a great job looking stylish while toting a baby (and breastfeeding! yeah!). But what do real mamas of toddlers wear?

I am finally to the point where I can't stand being in pajamas all day. Even if it means just going out for a long walk, I force myself to get dressed. I am definitely more stylish in a regular 9-5 job setting (because you see many more people and have to make an impression), but in terms of working at home, it's just not necessary. But I've decided to start thinking of my jobs as real work...since they are, after all...and maybe I should take myself more seriously and get dressed!

This is what I wore yesterday for a trip to the post office, a vegan cupcake, a run to CVS, and some late night Starbucks with Q and Aurora (had a drink around 8 since I had to teach 12am-2am last night!)

blood orange cardigan-thrifted, white tee-old, jeans-Seven (old), heels- UO (last fall), pyramid necklace-vintage

This is a really easy and comfortable look! (In total, the whole outfit may have cost me about $50). A comfy tee with a bright cardigan (and heels!), your favorite jeans, and a standout accessory. Just make sure the heels aren't too high, since you may be chasing a toddler around the post office lobby...

I feel like I'm finally hitting my stride with post-baby fashion. I've gotten rid of a lot, I'm settling into my (new) size (though still trying to stay fit and, of course, eating vegan), finding things that work together, and saving the sweats for bedtime.

Also, the next time you see a photo of me, I may look a little different...stay tuned for that. ;)

xo,
Amanda

Meet in the Middle

2011-09-06T14:17:00.000-04:00

In attempt to get the whole family together and avoid anyone having to endure a 4 hour car ride, my parents planned a family camping trip in Maryland for Labor Day weekend (the halfway point between PA and VA). It's always an adventure when you're traveling with babies but our gals were pretty darn good all weekend--other than the 2 babies taking turns waking up the 2 grandparents, 4 parents and 2 teenage girls during the night (we all shared one tiny cabin!).

We lounged around camp, playing cards and flipping through magazines at the picnic table, cooking mountain pies and s'mores on the fire and being participants at the camp's activity offerings of mini golf, canoeing and swimming.

Sunday we took a break from the "great outdoors" and went to some antique shops (where we scored two awesome dresses for the Miskabelle shop) and out to lunch. It was so nice seeing Amanda and her little fam and I'm thankful my parents put together this little trip for us all! But as my dad said--sometimes the best part of vacation is that you come back appreciating your own home and surroundings (yay for non-communal bathrooms and comfy beds)!

Hope you all enjoyed your long Labor Day weekend as well!

xo
Jayme

P.S. Like our new look? We're still tweaking some things here and there, so please bear with us! : )

I think she likes me....

2011-09-02T10:26:00.000-04:00

The other day I went outside to sweep off some leaves from our front porch (yay, leaves falling! Autumn, is that you??) and Andrew snapped these photos of little Lyla. She pulled herself up to the window to look out at me! Cutest. Thing. Ever. She is also saying "Mama" a lot these days. Though she says it when she wants another bite of food, wants to nurse, wants picked up, is tired/grumpy....so it's kind of more of a "I need you/something!" default word.

This weekend we are going on a camping trip with my parents and Amanda's family. I can't wait! We're sharing a cabin so let's keep our fingers crossed that this sweet little lady decides to sleep more than usual. Have a lovely Labor Day weekend!

Jayme

Aurora Style: Hi, Rain!

2011-09-01T11:39:00.000-04:00

Aurora loves to be outside in the rain, so VA's hurricane weather was just fine by her. Q and I took her outside to play (pre-65 mph winds, mind you), all dolled up in her rain gear. She likes to say, "Hi, Rain!" when she feels it on her hands, which I think it about the cutest thing ever, wouldn't you agree?

Hi, Rain!

Puddle jumping with Dada

jacket-vintage, top-Oshkosh (thrifted), leggings-gift from Aunt Jayme, boots-gift from Aunt Jayme

We made the most of the natural disasters...like we do of every trying circumstance. We're always "making it work." I hope that resilience is a quality that we pass down to Aurora, as well as joy despite circumstances. We were healthy, happy and dry (except for that half an hour in the driveway). Our house did not flood. No trees fell. We cleaned out our gutters just in time. We counted our blessings. At the end of it all, I didn't want the weekend to end...

It's Small Style Day over on Mama Loves Papa, so we're linking up too!

Enjoy the day,
Amanda

Cool Weather Cardigans

2011-08-30T14:23:00.000-04:00

I don't know about the rest of the states, but Pennsylvania has been spoiling its residents with some cooler temperatures as of late. Days are still pretty warm but evenings and mornings are cool enough that long sleeves are a necessity. My go-to clothing item this time of year is a cardigan--something to throw on over my tank top or dress that makes my outfit cuter, rather than just covering it up entirely. Kiddos deserve to stay cute in cooler weather too! So we've stocked the shop with a variety of cool weather cardigans...

For the girls:

For the boys:

All items are for sale now in the shop and we're add new stuff daily!

Jayme

Vegan for a....Hurricane Interruption.

2011-08-29T12:33:00.000-04:00

Hello there! We just got power back late, late last night after the hurricane. No power means no cooking which means another week with no vegan recipe! However, we made the best of it...even better than the best, maybe. Yesteray morning Q stoked a fire in the backyard firepit and we made breakfast (see? I did do a little cooking...). He heated hot water for coffee/tea and we made breakfast mountain pies. Aurora loves being outside, so she ran around and we picked up a lot of stray sticks.

bread + vegan cream cheese + fresh tomato + dash of garlic salt into the mountain pie maker.

Later, the big girls came over...as you can see, Aurora is getting not only soccer skills from her big "sissies," but also fashion inspiration. I was just telling Q yesterday how grown up and pretty they both were...and he agreed (though begrudgingly--I know he still thinks of them as Aurora's size). We played outside int he gorgeous weather, then went searching for some internet (for me) and ice cream (for them).


fedora- Gap (thrifted), top-random (thrifted), jeans-boys/Target, hi tops-Old Navy (thrifted)

We went out for a quick thai dinner (which was vegan, but not very good) and after Aurora went to sleep, Q and I watched Waking Life (which I can't believe I've never seen!) by candleight, as he'd had the foresight to charge our portable DVD player. I love that man. Our power returned at about midnight last night, so everything is pretty much back to normal. And I'm excited to cook dinner tonight!
I hope everyone else stayed safe and dry during the storms. I'm trying my best to catch up on blogging and posting and other work after a very crazy last week!

xo,
Amanda

Strike a Pose

2011-08-26T12:28:00.000-04:00

I've said this before, but it seems like us moms are always the one behind the camera. When I see Andrew holding Lyla, whether she is fast asleep on his chest or they are grinning at one another (and the light is juuuust right) I can't help but want to snap a photo. Maybe being a mom has made me uber nostalgic and I don't want to miss a moment or maybe it's the artist in me that sees everything as a picture. Either way, I love photographing my family.
Andrew has a pretty darn good eye for photography (even though he is the athlete, smart/practical, left-brained one in our relationship). But unfortunately I mostly have to ask to have my picture taken if I want photo documentation of something (sorry babe, it's true!). It's a little embarrassing to ask, but when it comes to capturing memories of Lyla and I together, I am certainly not too proud.
Here we are yesterday, just because. (Okay, maybe it was because my hair was looking particularly better than usual....)

And because this is a "vintage" blog, I must mention my t-shirt in the photos! I first started getting into vintage when I was in college and vintage-looking logo tshirts starting to become popular (2002ish?). Because I am a cheapskate, I would scour thrift shops looking for authentic vintage tshirts instead of buying $25 'fake' ones from Urban Outfitters. I have scaled down my collection quite a bit, but can't seem to part with my Pittsburgh sports tees (Pirates, Penguins Steelers). Anyway, my love for vintage stemmed from there and has grown ever since!

Hope you all have a lovely weekend (and hurricane free!).

xo
Jayme

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed....

2011-08-25T10:09:00.000-04:00

I am welcoming cooler weather with open arms. Not only do I have a super low tolerance for the heat since giving birth (anyone else experience this?), but also I am really excited about wearing fall clothes--and dressing Lyla in fall clothes!

Something Old:
This sweater was mine when I was little (or Amanda's? I guess she probably wore it first and then I might've worn it as a hand me down). I have it on display in Lyla's nursery, along with other pretty vintage pieces that are too big for her still.

Yesterday was a cool morning and I decided I would try on the sweater. I had to roll the sleeves, but it pretty much fit! I'm glad that it is still a bit too big because this means it will fit her for most of the winter.

Something New:
This past weekend we spent time with Andrew's family. Lyla acquired a small fortune of new clothes, including this little fuchsia top with hearts all over it. Her matching sandals were a gift from earlier in the summer...now that she is standing they look even CUTER!

Something Borrowed:
The cargo pants were Aurora's...as are a lot of Lyla's clothes. We take good care of Aurora's hand-me-downs because we plan on returning them to Amanda if she has another little girl someday. It is really such a shame how short of a time baby clothes get worn for--which is why when shopping for vintage, baby clothes are a good thing to search for. They're pretty much always in great condition!

sweater-vintage, heart top-Osh Gosh B'Gosh, cargo pants- Baby Gap, pom pom sandals- Gymboree

Sorry for the photo overload! This girl is just too cute...
One more, an outtake! Lyla's BFF, Sophie interrupted our photo shoot to grab a quick kiss:

We are linking up with Mama Loves Papa for Small Style (every Thursday! SO many cute and stylish little babies...go check them out!).

xo
Jayme & Lyla

The Post About [Lack of] Sleep

2011-08-23T10:25:00.000-04:00

My husband and I sleep with our feet touching. It is all that is left of our “perfect spoon”—the position we would curl up in each night when we would lay down to sleep, ceiling fan whirling, blinds pulled tight. The position we would sleep in for afternoon naps, windows open, breeze blowing in. All we have now are those toes touching. The spoon is gone. The naps are gone. The sleep is gone.

It’s not all bad. I mean, the divider between us when we lay down in bed just happens to be the most beautiful baby girl I have ever seen. She is the sweetest little thing. But she HATES sleep.

Lyla is now 8 months old and still in our bed (I hadn’t even planned on being a co-sleeping family) and has been waking every two hours since month four (she never was a great sleeper, but we used to at least get 4 hour stretches out of her). I have grown a bit attached to having her sleep beside me. On the [rare] nights we lay her in bed before we ourselves lay down for the night, I sit in the living room watching TV, longing to go curl up beside my girl--to put my hand on her belly and feel her breathing. But two hours after lying down she awakes, rolls on her belly and crawls on top of me, looking to nurse. Sounds kind of cute, doesn’t it? Sometimes it is. But lately by the second wake-up I find myself seething. I am so frustrated that I can’t even see straight. Muffled curse words spew from my clenched jaw. I lift up Lyla and hand her to her daddy for fear that I might squeeze her just a little too tight. I immediately feel remorse for being so impatient with her. “She’s a baby,” I tell myself, “She doesn’t know any better.” But there’s just something about being woken up in the middle of the night that puts you in a different mindset. Personally, it makes me a crazy person. In the morning I'm fine. Lyla is an angel and the horrible night before is a long lost memory. But the night....

Something has got to change. So far our efforts have been in vain. We tried techniques from “The No-Cry Sleep Solution.” We tried crying it out. This past weekend I tried to wean her from nighttime nursing and gave in on the second night. I feel like Lyla’s sleep has gotten worse with each attempt to make it better. She is a willful little baby. So should I just keep following her cues (at the sake of me and Andrew’s sanity…and intimacy)? Or am I being a ‘softy’ and I need to work harder at sleep training? My sleep-deprived brain can’t think properly—am I missing something obvious?

Jayme

Vegan for a Day: Crunchy Asian Sesame Noodle Salad

2011-08-22T11:10:00.001-04:00

Hello friends! It's a sad, sad Monday here, even though it's beautiful outside. Q is at work, and I'm here working up a storm. There are no beach smells, no kiddos running around, no family laughing. Just back to our regular routine. Of course, sleeping (the whole way through the night) in our own beds was heavenly.

Q's family has a cool tradition at the beach: each family takes a turn cooking a meal one night of the week (we order in/do our own thing on the couple of other nights). The girls and Q were totally on board with making a totally vegan meal--as long as it included the VegNews mac and cheese I posted a few weeks back. But I also made a massaged kale salad and this delicious, easy Asian noodle salad. My mom makes it all the time, but I just veganized her version. With the cabbage, sesame seeds, and almonds, I could definitely eat this as a meal, but you might just make it as a side dish with some marinated tofu or even another salad.

Crunchy Asian Sesame Noodle Salad

INGREDIENTS

SALAD
1 large package (1 lb.) cole slaw mix (or 1 large head of cabbage, shredded)
8 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 packages Oriental Flavor* Ramen Noodles (only noodles--seasonings will be used for dressing!)

*Any of the noodles work, but the flavor packets are used for the dressing, and the oriental flavor happens to be vegan. My mom uses the chicken flavor in hers. Also, beware of some of the organic ramen noodles if you're keeping it vegan--I checked their oriental version and it contained milk!

DRESSING
3/4 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. toasted sesame oil
3 Tbsp. rice vinegar
4 tbsp. sugar
2 Ramen noodles Oriental flavoring packets

PREPARATION
1. In large bowl, combine cabbage, onions, sesame and almonds. Break up noodles and set aside to be added later.
2. In a blender or jar, combine oil, vinegar, sugar, and seasoning packets from noodles. Blend/shake well and refrigerate 1 hour (if possible...but if you must use immediately, like I did, it's still delicious!)
3. To serve, our dressing over salad mixture and toss well. Add crunched up noodles on top, and mix again gently, just so they get a little coated with some dressing, but not soggy.

So there it is: your easy, yummy Meatless Monday meal! Or do you have something else planned? Share/link in the comments!

Bon Appetit,
Amanda

Lyla { 8 months }

2011-08-19T10:10:00.000-04:00

And here we are... 2/3 of the way through Lyla's first year. I want to be nostalgic but honestly, the older and bigger she gets the more fun (and easy) she gets.
This past month Lyla has learned SO much. She pulls herself up to stand, waves, claps....
Recently we've been sharing a nectarine each day. I take a bite then hold it up to her mouth and she gums the fruit and sucks out all the juice. She loves it! If I grab a nectarine and hold it up to show her, she smiles, crawls full speed over to me and pulls herself up on the nearest piece of furniture (or my leg), waiting for her bite. It makes me so happy. Sharing a piece of fruit with my girl.

Our sleep situation is still in dire straits. I pretty much dread nighttime. I will save that for another post though.... Naps are getting a little better. She prefers being held, but I'm starting to lay her down after she's slept a good hour or so in my arms (so if she wakes up, at least she got some sort of nap time in). Other co-sleepers--where do your babies nap? In bed? On you? In a crib? I lay Lyla in our bed with pillows piled up on either side. If I lay her in the crib she immediately wakes up. Ugh. (again...more on that in a later post)

Napping on daddy. Moms always seem to be the one behind the camera, huh?

No doctor's appointment this month so I don't really know how much bigger she's gotten. She still has hardly grown out of any clothes. The onesie she's wearing in the photo above is 0-3 months. Granted, she used to be swimming in it and now it fits just right. Andrew and I were both small kids so we're thinking she'll be a tiny kid too. Which is good considering that she loves to be carried and held.... And I am such a softy. I never pass up the opportunity to hold and snuggle Lyla. I am honestly savoring every. single. moment.

xo
Jayme

Aurora Style: Hand-Me-Down Dress

2011-08-18T09:00:00.001-04:00

It's Amanda (and Aurora!) writing from the beach. We took these photos of Aurora last weekend before we headed off to our ocean vacation. We got this dress from Aunt Jayme in the mail the day before (along with a sweet card, some photos, and a magazine for me to read at the beach! Care packages are the best!) and I had to try it on her! I love the color and the tie back detail. The dress is actually on loan from Jayme's sister-in-law...who is now on her way to her first year of college in the fall! How time flies...

dress-vintage, shoes-Gymboree (thrifted)

I have another post to prep for tomorrow, and then it's on to a cold drink and a good book to wrap up a perfect vacation day! See you when we get back...

(And don't forget to check out more Small Style over on the Mama Loves Papa blog today!)

xo,
Amanda & Aurora

We are here:

2011-08-17T21:45:00.000-04:00

The sweet Jacki from Roots & Wings featured one of our items today (little plaid shorts with suspenders). We LOVE seeing kiddos in their vintage goodies from Miskabelly!
Go check out her blog, where she has regular "We Rock Vintage" posts!

Thanks again Jacki!

xo
Jayme

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-17T10:34:00.000-04:00

(okay, maybe a couple words)

Lyla: setting the trends in baby fashion statements.
Or just....squirming away mid outfit change.

xo
Jayme

Lyla's First Concert

2011-08-16T09:35:00.000-04:00

Life certainly changes once you have a baby. The most noticeable change (well...second behind LACK OF SLEEP. I'm using all caps because I can't stress enough how LITTLE sleep we get around here) is the loss of freedom/spontaneity. Most evenings are spent at home where we have space for Lyla to crawl around and play, food and diapers on hand and privacy to nurse comfortably and not be self conscious if she decides to have a crying fit.
Our town was having a concert series this summer where each Thursday a cover band would come and play a show--for free, outdoors. Artists covered included Journey, Elton John and this past Thursday, the Beatles. We decided that because it was free (so if we needed to leave it wouldn't be a big deal) and outdoors (plenty of space to pace with a fussy baby) we would take back some of our pre-baby spontaneity and go. It also helped that my parents decided to come along which meant extra helping hands (and they got us take-out to eat before the show)!

Note: doting grandma in the background!

The result: success! Lyla loved seeing the band on stage (they even dressed up like the Beatles--wigs and all!) and she loved hearing the music. It was perfect to display her new 'trick'--clapping. And of course, she was a crowd pleaser, smiling at the other concert-goers. As the sun went down, she got a little fussy. I nursed her right to sleep and she slept through the last few songs, in daddy's arms. Perfect. Angel.

(click to enlarge)

I was so pleased with my gal. I think this small success will give us the courage to do more outings with Lyla. If not just for an excuse to dress her in a tutu again!

xo
Jayme

Vegan (and Gluten Free!) for a Day: Fried Eggplant

2011-08-15T12:37:00.000-04:00

Hey guys--Jayme here! Amanda is at the beach this week so I thought I'd take over her Meatless Monday post and share my own recipe. I do not follow a vegan diet (or even a vegetarian diet) but I do have my own dietary restrictions. I have been eating gluten free for almost 2 years now (I wrote a little about it HERE). So I'm sure you can imagine, when Amanda and I get together it becomes a bit of challenge to find foods that work for both of us. Recently I made this recipe for fried eggplant (you can also use zucchini--which I actually prefer! But I just happened to get out the camera when I made the eggplant version...). It calls for egg, but just as a way to make the breading stick--so go ahead and use vegan egg replacement (suggestions below) and the final product will taste just the same!

Gluten Free Fried Eggplant

Ingredients:
1 medium sized eggplant (zucchini also works well!)
1/4 cup rice flour
1/4 corn meal
1 tsp. garlic powder
*1 egg, beaten (this is for egg wash before dipping eggplant flour/corn meal coating. For VEGAN version-- replace egg coating by a simply dipping eggplant in soy milk or blended silken tofu)
4 tbsp. margarine
salt (to taste)
*parmesan (for VEGAN version sub with nutritional yeast)

1. Combine rice flour, corn meal and garlic powder in shallow dish.
2. Put egg or egg replacement in separate small bowl.
3. Slice eggplant or zucchini into 1/4 inch slices.
4. Heat margarine in large, deep pan and keep at medium-high heat.
5. Dip eggplant slices in egg/egg replacement wash, coat in flour mixture then drop into hot margarine. Cover entire bottom of pan with your eggplant slices.
6. Fry for 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned, then flip over and brown other side.
7. Remove slices from pan as they are ready and lay on napkin (to absorb extra margarine). While still hot, sprinkle with salt and parmesan/nutritional yeast to taste.

I served my eggplant slices alongside a fresh organic heirloom tomato (woohoo...fancy schmancy). If I didn't have fresh tomato on hand I would serve with a side of marinara sauce for dipping!

I love this recipe! It is fried food but the batter is super light and you can still taste the veggies through it.
Bon appetit!

Jayme

Deep Thoughts with Q: Superheroes

2011-08-12T09:18:00.001-04:00

Q is back by popular demand with another post. I guess you could say he's becoming a regular around here. This post made me tear up a bit, so Reader, beware. ;)

___________________________________________________________________________________

Superheroes, Volume 1, Issue 1

Every boy want to discover his super power: express his X-gene, absorb too many gamma rays, get bit by that radioactive spider, get selected to receive the power ring, participate in a super-secret project, anything. Then to put on that cape and start making sure everything goes the way it’s supposed to, protecting the innocent, preventing disasters. And you had better believe that if the wish came true, they would be sure to save their friends and family. That would be awesome. Right?

None of the superheroes seem to have an uncomplicated situation regarding family and friends though. They all seem distanced from everyone else. They have people they care about especially, and they do take special care of them. Supe always saves Lois, Spidey always saves Maryjane, Logan’s always looking out for some protégé. But there’s always a distance, isn’t there? Is the power to protect the ones you love worth the isolation from them?

Just to be clear, no one’s considering asking me to join a League or Friends of any sort. The Avengers don’t need me to help them. Well, maybe if Cap rolls his ankle, or if a shoulder problem is preventing Tony Stark from patting himself on the back, they should consider calling. Otherwise, not too many super villains are going to respond to a stern talking to explaining the error of their ways. Their Dad should have done that for them before it was too late. I know about the distancing effect though, and I was reminded of it last week.
Manda and Emma and Aurora and I were all out riding bikes – Aurora rides in a trailer behind me calling out to every puppy we pass and occasionally calling out to see if Mama is still there. We were going for a ride out to dinner. It was a great evening for it, not stiflingly hot and humid like it had been for what had seemed like weeks. Amanda and Aurora love getting out to bike; Aurora only needs to catch a glimpse of the safety flag out the window to get worked up and start demanding to go out to the “B-Ikes!” and if she finds where the helmets are hidden she wants everyone to put them on. Emma especially likes bike riding too, and I love sharing that with her. We were all having fun and happy. In the comics or the movies, you’d know something was about to happen.

We’d almost gotten there, about another half mile to go, when I heard something bad. I don’t know if it was Emma or Amanda that I heard call out, but it was a sound that made my heart stop, and jerked my head back over my shoulder. I also don’t know exactly what I saw: it happened fast, some of my attention was still on controlling my bike, and everything was in my peripheral vision. But what I know I saw was Emma’s bike with the front wheel turned awkwardly as she was going down, and Amanda right behind her ditching her bike to keep from hitting her. The power of flight didn’t come to me, I had no webbing to shoot out to cushion their landings, no mysterious green force field emitted from my ring to catch them up before they hit the ground; if I had any super power, it would have come forth unbidden at that moment. Absent that, I could only watch them fall. And be horrified. For a moment. And then I shoved that down somewhere it couldn’t get to me. I had to keep it together right now, had to make sure everything went the way it’s supposed to, protect the innocent, prevent disaster.

I grabbed Aurora out of the trailer and ran back. They had both sat up or rolled over. They were both stunned, not really sure of themselves. Emma’s knee was bleeding. She didn’t cry, but I could tell she was scared, that she was going to hurt when she was done considering it. Amanda was still being careful, and a bit dazed from hitting her helmet on the pavement (yes, HELMET, wear your helmet people. I’m not just talking about the kids; parents’ brains are important too.). I checked Emma out – nothing broken or dislocated – and helped her to the side of the trail to clean out her knee with some water. Not that deep. She started to get a little shocky – her vision was getting dark – but cleared right up with a position change and a little breathing. Amanda had scraped her hand, and her foot hurt, and she was going to have some colorful bruises too. In the end, we got everyone up and walked that last half mile, and I kept a watch on them while we waited for my mom and brother to come pick them up and take them home. All the while I had that superimposed detachedness, still not feeling safe to let that down and be myself. That part of me that loves them and aches to have to see them hurt or scared had to make way for my alter-ego who’s not too paralyzed by that to be able to think clearly and help.

Emma's knee a few days later...looking a lot less scary.

Amanda's forehead from the helmet/ground collision.

The tools of a superhero?

It wasn’t until after we were all home that I let myself feel it. I was driving to pick up our carry out order when it hit me. Palm sweat, heart racing, shallow breaths, mind racing, full-on freak-out. When I think of that moment looking over my shoulder now, it all happens again. I have to be careful not to think about it right before trying to go to sleep, because it snaps me into high alert still. And I’m happier to be my mild-mannered self, the one who is close enough to them to suffer with them. But in times of danger, it’s good to have someone to call on.

Lyla Style: Little Levi's

2011-08-11T09:41:00.000-04:00

I love baby girls in ruffled frocks, white and pale pink, delicate floral prints. I like things that make baby girls look really "baby-ish." But there's also something undeniably cute about a tiny baby in "big girl" clothes. Here is Lyla's version of 'hipster': high waisted denim Levi's shorts, a logo t-shirt and ballet flats.

Some mama-made details top it off (a felt bow in the hair and a found ribbon used as a belt).

She is one sturdy little stander. Daddy's finger tips are spotting her here (since the cement stairs are not the safest place for baby).

And here she is showing off her other new trick--clapping! She hasn't quite got enough gusto in it to make a sound...but she will make the motion on cue (both if you tell her "clap clap!" or if you clap for her so she can mimic). She also waves. Little smarty. [Excuse the dirty knees... apparently I need to mop our floors!]

hair bow-made by mama, shirt-Carters, shorts-Levi's (vintage?), belt- found piece of ribbon, shoes- Baby Gap

A special thank you to 'Dada' for being in these photos with Lyla! I was in full-on mama mode yesterday which means: I hadn't showered and was still in my comfy morning walk outfit with a messy bun on my head. He's cuter than me anyway. ; )

We are linking up with Mama Loves Papa for Small Style (every Thursday!).

Jayme

Oh, Blogging

2011-08-10T10:56:00.000-04:00

I have a such a love/hate relationship with blogging and reading blogs. I mean...we're writing about our lives and sharing photos of ourselves and our families and when you think about it, it's all a bit conceited. We're basically admitting that we think we are interesting or attractive enough that people all across the internet would want to read about us...or at least, the "us" that we present on our blogs. And maybe that's the loop hole--blogging can become an art form we use portray our happy/beautiful moments in photos and words. A picture of when we wore a cute outfit (and actually showered!) or a recipe of a delicious meal we cooked for our family (woohoo! a successful attempt at making dinner!) or documentation of our baby's undeniable cuteness (when she's not screaming in my ear and splashing in the dog's water dish). I keep seeing comments flying around on twitter or on other blogs about not being "real" or "acting perfect." But really? Do you you want to see photos of my sink full of dishes? Or read about how money is tight? Some of us use blogging as an outlet to vent (and anything goes...the good, the bad, and the ugly) but I don't think there's anything wrong with using a blog to show pretty pictures and practice our skills in creative writing. I blog because it's fun. I like to write and I like to take pictures. Simple as that.
(I'm going to be all over the place with this post)
I also think that the blog-world is a community where you can look to for support and advice. So it's totally cool to share your downfalls and struggles too. It's YOUR space, so you can do whatever you want! (Free speech is tha bomb.)

So...because I feel like it, along with this pretty picture of Lyla and I, I want to share a struggle I'm having lately: I think (well, I KNOW) I need to get a part time job. To be a stay at home mama is my dream and I love devoting my days to my baby. But it doesn't pay the bills. And Amanda and I work our butts off with our Etsy shops...but it is very inconsistent. So this is what it's come to. I'm looking for a part time job for evenings/weekends. Probably my worst nightmare. My husband will come home from work...and I will leave for the evening. Fun stuff.
So yeah. Life is far from perfect! But in lieu of these struggles I will continue to post silly photos and write about how amazing my little girl is. Blogging is the layman's form of art therapy.

xo
Jayme

What Aurora Wore: The Maxi Skirt

2011-08-09T09:52:00.000-04:00

I found this little tie dye skirt while thrifting, and while it looked like the length of an older toddler, the elastic waist seemed small. I thought it might work as a longer skirt on Aurora...and I was right! It was even cuter than I anticipated: I think you'll agree.


tank-hand-me-down, skirt-thrifted, shoes-Baby Gap (thrifted)

Aurora is once again between shoe sizes, which is so hard since she runs around all the time. These little poka dot espadrille mary janes are a 5, and I see her only having another month in them (at least she'll have them for the beach!). They, of course, matched the outfit perfectly. Only a cute little gal like this one can pull off tie-dye + polka dots.

You will also see Teddy in the photo. He's her security blanket. If she wakes up in the middle of the night and can't find him, she cries, and says "Teeeeeeeeeeeeeedy, Teeeeeeeeeedy." Like she's searching for him in a game of hide and seek. Except when she does it, half-asleep, it admittedly sounds kind of creepy. Still, we love Teddy, as he has made for many easy car rides and nights in a Pack n' Play in an unfamiliar bedroom (next week--the beach!).

Have a happy Tuesday! We are on vacation countdown, so I feel like it's dragging...

xo,
Amanda and Aurora

Vegan for a Day: Have a Little Rice

2011-08-08T12:04:00.001-04:00

Okay, okay, don't judge me, but I didn't make vegan food for today! We had a few mini home catastrophes yesterday and taking photos of my quickly made dinner didn't even cross my mind. Yet here it is again: Meatless Monday. What is a vegan-word-spreading girl to do?

Kill two birds with one stone, that's what. (Except no killing birds because, well, you know, I'm vegan and care about animals and stuff.) I'm going to introduce you to one of my favorite vegan blogs by one of my favorite people ever. Katie, of Quick Cook Rice!

She's super cute!

On top of being an awesome vegan, writer, wife, yogi and pug mama, she's also a very close friend--my DC vegan partner-in-crime since she's the only "real" vegan I know here. We met in grad school...became friends...lost touch...became friends again...oh, the drama (which you can read a little about here.) I even found a few photos of us from that crazy time. (K, I hope you don't mind!)


This St. Patty's Day did not end well.

Dancing. Georgetown. Justin Timberlake. Who ARE these people?!

Phew, glad those days are over. We are both healthier and happier now. Who knew that veganism could be so life-changing?! (I do now.)

Katie is working to explore more than just recipes with her vegan blog, but the culture of veganism, vegan roadtrips, the whole vegan experience. I love her writing, and I think you will too. She's funny. And smart. And her blog posts really make you think. Or salivate.

But it's Meatless Monday and we do need to make something....so here's a link to Katie's delish recipes (especially check out Meatless Monday Man-Foods!).

So go, check her out! Show some love.

Bon Appetit (and happy reading!),
Amanda

A Smile for Your Weekend (and a little shop preview!)

2011-08-06T11:41:00.000-04:00

Aurora knows what the camera does now. For a while, she used to pose for it, and then she started getting too antsy, but she's come back around to the posing phase--which I, of course, LOVE.

She posed for these photos before we went out for a family picnic/concert in the park on Thursday night. I found this little cotton lamb shirt (which I think is a baby dress, actually) this week. I'm in love with it, but it won't fit her much longer...so into the shop it shall go!

top/dress-Saks Fifth Avenue (vintage), wide leg pants-Janie&Jack (thrifted), red corduroy sneakers-Koala Kids (thrifted)

We hope you all have a fantastic weekend! The weather here is perfectly summery, and we're planning some little adventures.

xo,
Amanda & Aurora

Guest Post: Meet Q

2011-08-05T09:00:00.022-04:00

I went to school to "be a writer" and along the way, I met my husband, who is also a writer (when he's not swamped being a physical therapist and kick-butt dad). So it would make perfect sense that he could chime in and share some of his perspectives on life and fatherhood (would you believe he asked me if he could do a guest blog here and there?). He has two beautiful teenage girls, my stepdaughters, who are bright and talented and kind, in no small part due to the fact that he is their Dad. And lately, he also happens to be Aurora's favorite (and always mine).

Enough gushing...here's his first guest post. __________________________________________________________________________________

Aurora and Dad took in some vintage this weekend. (That’s me: Dad.) You might have gotten used to thinking of me as “Q”, since that’s how I get referred to here. I’ve got a funny kind of tu-vous stupid hang-up about it though, and would prefer that you wait until we’ve been introduced and shared a conversation before you start calling me that out loud. Names before nicknames, something like that. That makes sense, doesn’t it?

Well, anyway, this weekend, Aurora and I shared some vintage of a slightly different sort. For the most part here, she’s in front of the camera, or Amanda is, and I’m behind it. I can tell the pictures that I took. Not from the lighting, or the composition, or the exposure. Just from the look on their faces. That’s a good look to be under.

This weekend, we both watched something that Albert Lamorisse photographed of his children. The clothing is all circa 1956, and we drift and run and climb around Ménilmontant in the heights of Paris. I think about children, and growing up, and how to hang on to the best part of a child’s innocent imagination. I even get a little nostalgic for Paris (though I've never been) when we get taken thrifting in the middle of the story. Amanda would love to do that. I wonder if we’d even make it to the Louvre or La Pomme d’Eve? Aurora shares two things that she thinks about as she watches (she’s getting so verbal now, really trying to tell us and her sisters what’s up). The first is “ki-y”, when Pascal stops on his way to school to pet one. Soon though, all she wants to see and talk about is “boon”, or rather, “BOON!”

I guess I should back up a couple days to help you see how we got here (you probably saw some pictures earlier this week). Tuesday, we went out to dinner at Joe’s, someplace Amanda and I went way back when we first started dating. Little kids get balloons there. Aurora has always loved balloons. Let’s face it, who doesn’t? But this is the first one that she’s gotten since she became so involved with seeing what she can do in the world. I can see her measuring it up, trying to see what she can make it do, laughing when it surprises her, and then going back and making it do that same thing over and over while she laughs at it. I could watch her doing those things all day.

We bring the balloon home with us, and I’m careful to hold the ribbon just below where Aurora is holding it as we walk inside. I didn’t need to, because there’s no way she’s letting go of it. Later that evening, we’re going out onto the back porch. Aurora wants to come with us, but she also wants to bring her balloon, so I make a loop on the end of the ribbon, and pull it through itself so that I can tighten it on her wrist. Did I mention that she’s getting really clever about things, and that she wants to be in control now? So, of course the moment comes when she’s saying “boon!” more anxiously, because she’s gotten the ribbon off her wrist and the balloon is floating up through the tree over the back porch and out of sight. We tried to get to where we could at least see it, but it was already gone.

Getting back inside, I feel I need to find something to take her mind off the balloon, or else she’s going to be asking about it, and I don’t have any answers for the questions she’s trying to ask. Here’s one of her favorite books, we should read that together. Oh, right, I forgot the two pages in the middle of the book about balloons. You know what? Maybe Yo Gabba can work its magic. Pick an episode at random…get it started…yeah, this’ll work. Wait, what’s DJ Lance giving out at the beginning? Yes, you guessed it: balloons. Well, at least Brobee’s got a balloon.

I stopped on my way home the next day to pick up a mylar balloon at the grocery store. I think there was something else we needed too, but that was secondary to getting the balloon. Aurora is always excited to see me when I get home, even if she’s tired and cranky. She was that evening too, but I faded into the background as soon as the balloon was pulled through the door after me. For the next two days, she held on to it no matter where she went in the house and no matter what else she was holding. There was at least one anxious moment when she was struggling with how to hold her milk with both hands without having to let go of the balloon. She figured it out.

Which brought us to Sunday morning, and my searching the instant selections on Netflix for something I was pretty sure wouldn’t be there. But still…it might…in fact, it is. It’s kind of a crapshoot, going back to check out something you remember liking way back when. It’s hard to know whether you’ve changed too much, or gotten too cynical, or maybe just smarter. Speed Racer is pretty doofy, Yellow Submarine is still pretty cool, Looney Tunes (the classics, not the watered down later versions) are hilarious.

And The Red Balloon is still beautiful.

What Aurora Wore: Minnie Mouse-y

2011-08-04T09:00:00.002-04:00

I still love getting Aurora dressed every day...it's actually getting more and more fun. I've found some of the best stuff at the thrift lately (as Aurora grows out of her 12-18 month clothes and size 5 shoes!) and am really looking forward to fall.

It's actually more fun to dress Aurora than it is to dress myself to be honest...she looks super cute everyday, while I mostly look "meh" and sometimes get a little more dressed up for events/occasions.

Jayme thrifted this dress for Aurora, but it's the strangest size...2T Large or something...for extra pudgy toddlers? I'd never seen it! But it's the cutest vintage-y looking dress, and it's just a little big in the waist, so I tied on a vintage scarf as a belt. The bow shoes and bow headband seemed meant to be together. Of course, the black and polka dots reminds me of Minnie Mouse's ensemble (hence the title).


dress-Baby Gap (thrifted/gifted), shoes-Gymboree (thrifted), headband-mama's, vintage scarf-mama's

We're linking up with our friend Morgan of Mama Loves Papa for another week of Small Style...we love seeing so many other cuties in the blog world.

Have a great Thursday!

xo,
Amanda and Aurora

Lately...

2011-08-03T22:04:00.000-04:00

Lately there are days that I feel silly for ever posting this piece about high maintenance babies. It seems that the more independent Lyla becomes, the happier she is. Barrel rolling across the living room led to scooting around to reach her toys which led to crawling to other rooms in the house and now pulling herself up to stand and lean against furniture (or to reach off-limit items such as the remote control, DVD player, my shelf full of cookbooks...).

She pulls herself up on anything at arms height...

She giggles with delight as she crawls full speed towards an object that catches her eye across the room. She shrieks with joy when she finally gets her sticky baby hands on said object. She certainly keeps me on my toes, but high maintenance? Not really...

Playing with a bookmark she pulled out of one of my cookbooks...naughty baby.

But then come the hard times. Naps still spent in my arms (I'm telling you--she barely touches the bed and her eyes instantly pop open) and nights spent waking every 2 hours on the dot to nurse. Her knack at getting her way is also now reflected in her newfound independence. She crawls (or should I say claws...) up my leg and onto my lap when she wants to be held. Oh, and did I mention she now says "Mama"? Gets me every time.

Oh, that face! Who could say no to that face??

The other night Lyla was awake from 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. My frustration escalated the longer we were awake. I finally laid her in her crib (we co-sleep, so normally she's in bed with us) and let her cry. "We're not having any more babies" I proclaimed. But we finally got her to sleep (snuggled next to me in bed of course) and I woke up to a smiling little lady. It's funny how that sweet morning baby makes the evil nighttime baby seem totally worth it.

So that's how things are around here lately.

xo
Jayme

Carolina On My Mind

2011-08-02T13:38:00.001-04:00

A few weeks back, Q had a conference in the Durham area of North Carolina, and he asked if Aurora and I would come along. Of course, we said yes rather than be without him for three and a half days! And we're always up for a little adventure. Not only that, I had two friends to catch up with: one from college and a new friend from blogging (it was our first time meeting with our little babes who are a month apart in age!). The weather was almost unbearable, but the hotel had working air conditioning and a pool. We had some delicious eats (one of the best parts of traveling!) and even some time to relax. We both said we'd like to go back sometime when the weather is nice enough to be outside and when we have more time to explore as a family.

Here are some photos from the trip:

Aurora loved the pool at the hotel, and tried, in her little lifevest-slash-wetsuit, to swim by herself a number of times. She also loved the water noodles. We went to the pool every evening to tire her out before bed!

We got to meet up with my (new) blogger friend Rici and her precious little Teagan for a little thrift shopping, lunch and coffee/smoothie time in Greensboro. It's a cute little spot (with an amazing vegetarian/vegan restaurant that Rici graciously allowed us to eat at!) It was a little hot for the four of us (well...FIVE, since Rici is expecting #2), so we didn't get to visit as long as we wanted, but it was an awesome afternoon!

My friend, Jess, suggested we take Aurora to this kids museum in downtown Raleigh, which was amazing! Aurora played non stop and loved seeing all the kids since she's super social these days. I wish we had something like this in DC...we also went to the best vegan joint I've been to you (I also wish we had something like Remedy Diner in DC!)

My college friend, Jess, just also happens to be a vegan of 2 years and offered to make us a delicious vegan meal at her house. We haven't see each other in over 5 years, but we picked up easily where we left off, and it was fun talking about being vegan, and of course, eating yummy vegan food.

The trip also made me wish I had such awesome girlfriends in DC. :)

We're now planning our second big trip of the summerr, for family beach week. I think Aurora's going to love it! And yes, there will be LOTS more pictures, I'm sure. I'll try not to overdo it.

Have a great Tuesday,
Amanda

Vegan for Day: Mock Mac and Cheese (and Pancakes!)

2011-08-01T11:06:00.001-04:00

Okay, so we didn't really eat mac and cheese and pancakes together....we had mac and cheese for dinner on Friday night and pancakes for breakfast on Saturday. We had Q's teenage girls for the weekend (the youngest just turned 14 this week!), so while I still like to make some vegan dishes, they have to be extra-yummy to please everyone.

When we were in North Carolina two weeks ago (post on that this week!), I met up with a close college friend, Jess, who has been vegan for 2 years. She offered to make Q and I and our friend a vegan dinner...complete with vegan dessert (cupcakes!). She made this mac and cheese dish, and I had to have the recipe. It's from VegNews (the premiere vegetarian magazine) and it's amazing. I'll just link you to the recipe, but I did take some of my own photos. The cheese sauce is made mostly with veggies...and cashews. But you won't believe there's not cheese in this somewhere! The girls loved it (including Aurora!) and I could eat the whole dish full--it's that good.

The noodles, covered in "cheese" sauce

Breadcrumbs on top (I used storebought, but it's best w/ homemade like the recipe calls for!)

A sprinkle of paprika for color and flavor.

Out of the oven, looking and smelling delish!

THE RECIPE HERE:

Veg News Vegan Mac and Cheese

As for our pancake breakfast...you can easily make it into a breakfast-for-dinner Meatless Monday (we do this a lot!) Just add a fruit salad or some veggie sausage or tofu scramble on the side.

I found a really easy vegan pancake recipe...the pancakes are really fluffy. Q made them and added some dried blueberries to the second batch, which was super yummy.

Easy Vegan Pancakes

INGREDIENTS
1 cup flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup soy or almond or coconut milk (we used coconut!)
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
(optional mix-ins: dried or fresh fruit, chocolate chips, nuts)

PREPARATION
1. Mix dry ingredients together.
2. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well.
3. Pour onto skillet, flipping when bubbles begin to form.

The pancakes went fast, so I don't have a lot of photos...but I do have photos of someone who REALLY liked them with some blueberry peach butter on top:

We had a great weekend as a family, made better by great food. Just how it should be.

Enjoy your Meatless Monday! What are you having?

Bon Appetit,
Amanda

Taking Pleasure in the Little Things

2011-07-29T10:56:00.002-04:00

It's been a rough week here...between busyness and stress and a plethora of other things, I felt like I was in the worst mood. Every time I felt like I got somewhere, there was another obstacle. As Q said after getting a surprise bill in the mail one night: "And the hits keep comin'!" Just one of those weeks...

Ray LaMontagne sings, in one of our favorite songs (Empty): "I never learned to count my blessings/I choose instead to dwell in my disasters." That is so true of me. I know that gratefulness is an important part of happiness, and yet I can't help the but's: I love my daughter but...I wish we could find a regular babysitter. I am so glad I have this new job but...I wish I could work more hours. I'm so thankful for my husband's job but...I wish he could get home earlier. On and on.

My friend, Katie, and I are always talking about how it sucks to be an adult. Sometimes it really, really does. The weight of the responsibilities is enough to drive you crazy. It makes you miss being a child, when all you worried about in the summer was who you were going to play with and if you were giong to get to the pool.

Aurora gives me a taste of that childhood lightness every day. She laughs so easily. She loves so openly. She is entertained by the tiniest things. Yesterday, it was a balloon:

Q brought this balloon home after Aurora lost a balloon she'd gotten the day before (it was also for my stepdaughter Emma's birthday!). Look at that smile! She literally played with that balloon for half an hour straight. Sometimes I let myself get too carried away, imagining her growing up and learning about all the ills of the world, experiencing her own hardships, and it makes me beyond sad. I am prone to overthinking things and thinking about the future way. too. much. This morning, I'm making an effort to be more like Aurora. I'm taking these quiet moments, while she's napping, to write this post and remind myself of all the things I'm grateful for PERIOD. In this moment. Right now. No but's.

I have an incredible husband. 3 beautiful daughters. A supportive, loving family (and in-laws!). A job that pays (most of) my bills. I have some wonderful friends. I am healthy. The good in my life outweighs the bad. Life is not perfect (and it never will be!), so I'm choosing gratefulness. I'm taking pleasure in the little things this morning: my cup of coffee (w/ soy creamer!), a sweet good morning text from Q, a vintage sale to a friend, the thought of last night's birthday party leftover awaiting me at lunchtime, the fact that it is Friday and we have the girls with us this weekend...

It's all so very good.

xo,
Amanda

Lyla Style: Bright as Yellow

2011-07-28T10:06:00.000-04:00

First let me address the post title--Bright as Yellow. I am a little obsessed with 90s music/culture and that Mazzy Star song (I'm sure you've heard it in the movie Empire Records!) is classic 90s. Moody chick rock? Yes, please. Ok, now for some pictures of my little chick...

I love this yellow sweater (it's the same one she's wearing in the blog header) and I'm hoping it will still fit her once fall comes around. But in case miss Lyla decides to beef up in the next couple of months, I wanted to get some more wear out of it now. Other notable pieces of her outfit? Her sterling silver baby bracelet (which she quickly figured out how to take off and immediately put in her mouth, like most things these days). Her tiny vintage sandals (a gift from Aunt Amanda). Her shorts--paper bag waist bloomers (cutest ever!).

cardigan- vintage, daisy print onesie- Target, shorts- Baby Gap, sandals- vintage, bracelet- gift

I went a bit overboard with the photos this week--it's just SO much more fun to take pictures now that Lyla can sit up! We are linking up with Mama Loves Papa for Small Style as we do every Thursday!

Jayme & Lyla

A Trip to Vermont

2011-07-27T10:45:00.000-04:00

The first summer after Andrew and I started dating, we spent apart. His family has a house in Vermont that they go to for the summer each year. That was a really tough couple of months....in a time before cell phones, we actually wrote letters (on paper! with a pen!) to each other. And here we are, 10 years later, married and taking our baby (!) to visit his family's home in Vermont.

Vacations are certainly different with a baby in tow. We spent a lot more time hanging around the house--which is right on Lake Champlain. Andrew's mom made us some awesome dinners using lots of local ingredients (and gluten free to boot!) and we would sit outside and listen to the waves. We did go on a couple of little adventures...

We visited the Magic Hat Brewery...and I failed to bring my camera. These are a couple of cool snaps Andrew took back at the house (while HE was enjoying a beer... wine for me, since beer is made with wheat).

Our last night we went to a family favorite--Blue Paddle Bistro. A cute little restaurant in an old lake house. The photos above are of Andrew's family (3 of his 5 siblings)...they are a fun group!

I don't think we could've asked for a more well-behaved baby. She was such a trooper on the 9 hour car ride, there and back! She loved the water and she loved having an audience to show off for.... she even started sitting on her own and pulling herself into standing position while we were there. Vacation does a baby good!

Jayme

Guest Post: Bella Bambini Vintage Nursery Inspiration

2011-07-26T07:57:00.000-04:00

Hello friends and readers! Today we're excited to have Cara of Bella Bambini Design guest blogging! Bella Bambini is, as Cara explains on her website, "a baby planning company dedicated to creating beautiful spaces and inspiring fashionable mamas." Cara has an amazing eye for bold pieces and--our favorite--vintage treasures! Check out her blog and consider having her consult with you on ideas for your nursery design!

________________________________________________________________________________

Hey Miskabelly readers! I am so excited to come for a visit from the Bella Bambini Blog and share some vintage-style nursery inspiration. Aside from two fun design boards I've put together, here are a few tips for building your own vintage nurseries:

1. Family heirlooms are a great starting point.
2. Look for one piece to inspire you and build a room around it.
3. Balance authentic vintage pieces with retro-inspired new things for a functional & aesthetically pleasing room .
4. Make sure any real vintage pieces you are using meet safety requirements.
5. Don't be afraid of color - vintage can be bold too!

wall stencil: Royal Design Studios ($49) artwork: framed vintage bookplate, Little Imperials ($50) curtains: Woolrich, Target ($30) lamp: CB2 ($100) dresser: walnut low dresser, CB2 ($499) rocker: mid-century rocker, UO ($199) rug: zigzag rug, West Elm (from $49) fabric: (for crib sheets) Reprodepot.com crib: Jenny Lind (vintage) buy a new one here! blocks & game: vintage

artwork: photo, etsy ($30) lighting: IKEA ($40) curtain: waterfall ruffle ($79) blocks: etsy ($22) crib: pottery barn kids ($899) crib bedding: vintage fabric, etsy ($40) rug: Urban Outfitters (from $34) chair: vintage, etsy ($84) print: vintage inspired alphabet, etsy ($20)

Thank you so much to Amanda & Jayme for inviting me to share some of my nursery inspiration today. And for the love of all things vintage, happy decorating!

For more nursery inspiration & mama style visit us at the Bella Bambini blog.

Vegan for a Day: Wilted Kale with Baby Red Potatoes, Grape Tomatoes, and Warm Sweet and Sour Vinaigrette

2011-07-25T11:20:00.000-04:00

We are back from a long, hot (but fun!) trip to North Carolina. We came home late Saturday night to empty cupboards and a lack of cooking motivation. But we hit the grocery store on Sunday and even though it was still sweltering, I managed to create this delicious, healthy meal...by accident. I made the two part of the salad separately, but then realized how delicious they would be together! And a star was born.

Wilted Kale Salad with Baby Red Potatoes, Grape Tomatoes, and Warm Sweet and Sour Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS

1 bag fresh kale, stems removed (7-8 cups)
1 small tub grape tomatoes, halved
3-4 pounds baby redskin potatoes, baked and cut into chunks

DRESSING
1 small sweet onion, sliced thin
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. brown sugar (or 1/4 regular sugar + 1 Tablespoon black strap molasses)
salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION
1. Rinse kale (or chop if using not bagged), dry, and add to a large bowl.
2. Add 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil to frying pan on medium heat.
3. When olive oil starts to sizzle, add onions and brown, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Add remaining olive oil, vinegar and sugar, cooking 3-5 more minutes until sugar dissolves.
5. Add potatoes to bowl of kale.
6. Pour warm dressing over potato and kale mixture and mix well. the heat from the dressing will help to wilt the kale and coat the potatoes.
7. Add chopped tomatoes at end (you can add them before, but I like them to stay cool!). Mix again if you'd like.

I love the variety of textures and flavors, and I'm always excited about finding yummy new ways to eat kale. It's so good for you! This is a variation on potato salad, but the kale makes it extra-filling...enough for a meal! (Q and I were certainly full!)

Have you tried any vegan recipes lately? I'm looking to find a few more new ones this week...

Bon Appetit,
Amanda

Aurora Style: Cutest Jorts Ever

2011-07-21T09:53:00.001-04:00

Hello! It's Amanda (and Aurora) reporting to you LIVE from North Carolina. This little style post isn't live, however. It's a little number that Aurora wore this past weekend while visiting her grandparents and aunt/uncle/cousin in Pennsylvania!

This is a head-to-toe thrifted outfit, even though the pieces are like new! I had been looking for jean shorts (aka jorts) for Aurora every time I stopped at our thrift, but I could never find the right size. I bought a pair of 2T's that were still too big on her and just fell down. So when I found these adorable Levi's, I was really excited! And I think every little girl needs a pair of jellies for summer...it's practically mandatory. ;)

Top-Carter's (thirfted), Jort-Levi's (thrifted), Jelly Sandals-Old Navy (thrifted)

It's also your lucky day, readers. I have two Aurora style posts in one! I couldn't resist sharing this cute little idea for growing toddler hair. I tied a silk scarf around Aurora's head like a headband, and she loved it! Maybe because she matched her mama or maybe just because she looked extra cute. This is a silk scarf from years ago (I think it may have even been Jaymes?!) the size of a handkerchief (the extra large square scarves might not work as well on toddler heads.)

As we do every Thursday, we're linking up with Mama Loves Papa for Thursday's Small Style post! Check out more stylish babes over on her blog.

Now, I'm off to get some more work done while my pretty little babe is napping.

xo,
Amanda (& Aurora)

Miskabelly: Vintage Mamas and Babies Blog

P.S.

(A Sort-Of Goodbye) Now find us at...

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