A year ago today...

...I was about to pop, and we were soon to meet W.

My, how this year has flown!

Egon Schiele on Breastfeeding

Nursing Mother (Stephanie Gruenwald)

1917, Egon Schiele

North Carolina

We had a completely wonderful time in North Carolina last week, so I wanted to share some of the highlights!

First off, the scenery was gorgeous. The photo above was the view we woke up to every morning. And there was a balcony with rocking chair right off the bedroom we stayed in! W loved climbing up into the chair and rocking the daylights out of it all of the time...

...a vigorous activity that usually led him to want a snack directly after...

...which was always a good idea, because of course we weren't just sitting around in rocking chairs all day! We had a few activities to attend to. Allow me to illustrate:

1. Making sure the playground equipment was in good working order

2. Perfecting golf technique with Great-Grandpa Budd

3. Hanging out lakeside with Grandma Riki

4. Going horseback riding and surveying the stables with a bunch of totally awesome cousins

5. Going fishing

6. Learning how to paddle a canoe

7. Visiting with a family of swans:

8. Making new (amazingly color-coordinated!) friends

9. Eating ice cream

10. Celebrating 65 years of love

Photo credits:

playground and golf photos by Riki

feeding the ducks by Ariella

ice cream and anniversary embrace by Uncle Rob

all others by Yours Truly.

Hive

I love this messy newfangled version of the beehive. If my hair was a wee bit longer and I was not such a klutz with the bobbypins I would totally give this hair DIY a shot.

Smiling Planet

I love the whimsical design and peacenik message of Smiling Planet's Earth-friendly plates and bowls. Here are my favorites:

See the entire collection, here.

New Frames!

My eyewear style has been feeling more than a little stale of late. As someone recently pointed out to me, how fascinating is it that many people think nothing of buying several pairs of shoes a season and yet it is common to go for years without updating one's glasses style? Of course, frames are usually a bit more of an investment than shoes, but on the other hand, (and here I'm going to risk sounding like Captain Obvious) they are on your face.

It could easily be argued that glasses impact your overall look and style and mood far more than shoes do. Personally, in close to fifteen years of wearing glasses I think I've had two pairs of frames. Hello, it wouldn't hurt me to have options! With these deep thoughts in mind, and my last trip to a mall Lenscrafters years behind me, I decided to pop into the Bond Street outpost of Selima Optique where my dear friend Angel Cruz works.

With the help of Joanna and Angel and the miraculous, combined

calm of three sleeping babies, I picked out the pair pictured

above. They are a style called "Mustafa" that Angel convinced me is evocative of a classic, glamorous, 1970's Yves Saint Laurent vibe but with a modern twist (he's good, that Mr. Cruz, and he knows his fashion references. He will reference your fashion references under the table).

We've been out of town most of time since that day, and I've been eagerly looking forward to getting back to the store so I could pick up my new glasses. Well, yesterday I made it downtown and now I have a new look! I love them. I feel equal parts geeky and chic-y in them, in the best kind of way.

Now if I can just prevent my exuberantly grabby almost-one-year-old from regularly yanking them off my face and chomping them to pieces, I will truly have won. See that crafty look on his face up there? That's the charming smile + gleam-in-the-eye that occurs moments before a glasses snatch. He's fast. And his cuteness is his secret weapon.

At least I can clearly see the tiny fingers coming at me, what with my updated lens prescription. So there's that, too.

Weekend Rad

Here are are a few bits of internet awesome for your weekend:

Hippies on Houseboats

Russia in color, a century ago

The most amazing woodpile ever, via this great blog

Even better than the mad dramz on Project Runway: The hilarious analysis over at Project Rungay

Another great costume idea

We will be:

Unpacking

Relaxing

Romping around NYC

Picking up my new eyeglasses!

...I hope you have a great one :)

Giant Bubbles

I just saw this on Urban Style Vibes and had to share! CAUTION: Video may inspire unexpected levels of joy and wonder ;)

We're Back!

We are home after our wonderful, exciting visit to North Carolina! I look forward to posting pictures of our many adventures as soon as I get unpacked and settled back in here in NYC.

Meanwhile, here is one of my favorite moments from the trip -- when J got to go on his very first horse ride!

Johann Baptist Lampi on Breastfeeding

Time Magazine

There is a story about home birth in this week's issue of Time Magazine, and it features photos of me and J, taken by Liz Rubincam during J's birth in 2007!

We are still vacationing in the mountains of North Carolina, so I have not yet read the article, but I thought I would let you know while the issue is currently on newsstands. If you've already read the piece, I would love it if you would leave a comment and let me know what you thought.

Thanks!

Weekend Wonderful

Photo via Tales of a Junkaholic

We're visiting Taro's grandparents in North Carolina! They are celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary this week and there's a huge party to mark the occasion.

Here's to love ;)

I hope you have a fabulous weekend, whatever you're up to!

Danny and Annie

A love story for the ages. So sweet and touching.

Domestic Reflections

Child's skirt by Chakra

I'm honored to be featured today as a guest on one of my favorite blogs, Domestic Reflections. Please hop over there to check out my post!

Sponsor Spotlight + GIVEAWAY: Cassandra Allen

Please meet the sweet and talented Cassandra Allen, children's book illustrator extraordinaire and a new sponsor of Marvelous Kiddo!

Cassandra is a prolific artist whose whimsical and enchanting work can be found between the pages of numerous picture books, as well as in her Etsy shop and on her lovely blog.

Some details...

I am excited to tell you that Cassandra has generously offered to extend two special offers for my readers:

1. A giveaway of one print to one lucky reader, incl. free shipping. Below is the giveaway print called Best Friends.
Info about the print:

Limited Edition of 50 archival quality Giclee prints

Print area approximately: 255 x 160mm (with a white border)
Printing medium: Giclee archival print
Paper: Somerset Enhanced 255gsm
Limited edition print (of very lovely quality) of Cassandra's original illustration created in gouache and pencil. Hand signed and numbered, eg, 2/50.

2. A 50% discount on all purchases for the month of August to all Marvelous Kiddo readers (doesn't apply to shipping).

Important Note from Cassandra: "With Etsy, there is unfortunately no way to offer a promo code during the checkout that automatically discounts the price, so people would need to do the following and then I'll invoice them with the updated discount price. When checking out, put the promo code "Marvelous Kiddo" in the "Message to Seller" section to receive the discount. Do no pay immediately or you won't receive the discount. I will send an invoice with the discounted price."

To enter the giveaway, please visit Cassandra Allen Illustration and leave a relevant comment on this post by Sunday, August 22.

Please be sure that your email or other contact info is contained in the comment to be eligible to win.

Thanks, and good luck!

Love. This. Photo.

By Ditte Isager, via Solid Frog.

Gauguin on Breastfeeding

Maternity (Women on the Seashore), 1899

Paul Gauguin (French, 1848-1903)

Camp Wonderful

These are a few of my favorite highlights from the last few days, all via the Camp Our Time blog. This is a place of great beauty, love, peace, creativity, triumph, acceptance and community. The enormous magnitude of fun just flows freely in that environment.

I'm so proud of my hubby for starting it all.