25 Things

Mrs. Preppy did a 25 things tag, and I'm thankful, because I am out of ideas today. I didn't eat lunch until now, and I'm feeling a little put out after an unpleasant meeting. So, here you go, 25 things about me:

1. CHOCOLATE is my favorite thing to eat. But, I don't actually like milk chocolate very much. I'll eat it in emergencies, but the darker the better. Right now, I'm working on an 85% dark chocolate bar at the office. I must eat one small square after lunch every day.

2. I am incredibly superstitions. Like Middle Ages superstitious. I say a prayer anytime I see road kill, cut someone off in traffic, or otherwise mess up. I am especially a nut job about anything related to Baby Icing.

3. I love CSI, NCIS and Bones. I also love all the true crime shows like Forensic Files.

4. I am a lawyer who is a little sensitive about lawyer jokes. I don't think they are very nice. But, I can see how some members of my profession are not the most upstanding people.

5. Sometimes when I'm pregnant, I feel like a teenage mother, other times I feel geriatric. I chalk it up to living in LA - only here would a 30 year old feel young to be pregnant!

6. I LOVE watching football. I decided to learn to like it because Mr. Icing is passionate about it, but then found out once I understood what was going on, that I liked it too.

7. I have followed my current hair dresser to three different salons. I love her. We have been together for 7 years, and I visit religiously every 6-8 weeks.

8. I am much more concerned with the state of my toes than manicures. I only wear clear polish or Essie Mademoiselle on my fingernails.

9. I love my cats. I never grew up with pets, and it amazed me how quickly I became attached to them.

10. My brother is a very talented photographer. My mother is a decent artist and a very talented photographer. I am not. I'm working on it.

11. I LOVE coffee. As a little girl, I used to always smell the coffee grounds as my mum would grind the beans. I still have to sniff them now.

12. I really enjoy cooking, and buy an obscene quantity of cookbooks. Sometimes, I read the recipes without cooking - I find it relaxing.

13. Moon River was the song for our first dance at our wedding. I want to find a mobile that plays it for Baby Icing's room.

14. I really like beans and legumes. Lentils, black beans, chick peas, split pea soup. Mr. Icing is opposed to beans, so I only cook them for me, or for my lunch. I hope he changes his mind eventually.

15. I eagerly await girl scout cookie season for the Samoas.

16. I don't particularly like mint and chocolate together, but occasionally like an after dinner mint.

17. I miss my dad. He died the summer after my freshman year of college, and I have so much I want to tell him!

18. I am obsessed with skin cancer and spend a lot of money on expensive sunscreens. Some of them may include ingredients not yet approved by the FDA. I like to think that means they are extra powerful.

19. I am a Gemini. I also love my June birthstone - the pearl. I wear lots of pearl jewelry.

20. I love wearing dresses, and really don't wear pants at all when it is hot out, unless they are part of a suit and I'm going to court.

21. I have very traditional tastes in home architecture, but I live in a VERY modern/open townhouse and love it???

22. I dream of owning a lovely Chippendale mahogany dining room set.

23. I am from New England, and I miss it there. Some people think it's not friendly, but I think people give you room and aren't all in your business. You also know when people like you, they really like you.

24. I really hope my little girl likes to bake with me. I had so much fun baking with my mum as a little girl. My brother did too - and he makes DELICIOUS brownies.

25. I love getting real mail and magazines. Right now, I get Lucky, Domino (SNIFF), Real Simple and Bon Appetit. I'm going to add Glamour, In Style and Wine Spectator. (I got Wine Spectator for a few years, but thought it would annoy me while pregnant.

And I pass this along to anyone who wants to play!

Happy Friday!

Super Bowl - Super Fun

So, Mr. Icing is into technology. We own two ridiculously large televisions (one of which is hanging from our bedroom wall). So, that coupled with his love of football makes us a natural site for the Superbowl party. As you can imagine, it tends to be more popular among his friends than among mine!

This year, I'm particularly happy, because it's probably going to be our last party before Baby Icing arrives. And, it is an easy party to throw. We order lots of pizza and wings, I get together some veggies, dips, baked brie, etc. for the ladies and sodas/beer. Neither Mr. Icing nor I actually drink beer (obviously not now, but I just haven't liked it since college). This year, we are sending everyone home WITH beer :) Happiness all around.

But, my question for you all is - what sorts of dip? I like hummus and guacamole, but I'd love a good recipe for artichoke dip. Also, I've ordered red velvet cupcakes, but want an alternative. Which would you prefer - brownies or chocolate chip cookies? Decisions decisions. But, that's what happens when your team isn't playing...and I'm totally neutral between Pittsburgh and Arizona.

Happy Superbowl

Adventures in Glyphs

My Junior League project is a 6 week semester (fall and spring) where we put on fun reading activities and crafts for children who have some way or another become involved with our County's Dept of Children and Family Services. The kids are an amazing range of ages, talents and cultures.

This "semester" my group is going first, because I was a little worried about not being able to do anything for the last ones in March. So, we are presenting this coming Saturday. I LOVE children's books, and while totally devoid of any artistic talent, I actually really like arts and crafts. Our book is about a little girl in Guatemala who helps her grandmother with weaving. So, we are making some pot holders and coloring some Mayan designs. So, I was able to pick up two really neat coloring books on Amazon that have beautiful Mayan illustrations.

I've only been to Central America once - on a trip to Belize when I was in high school, but this project piqued my curiousity, and I'd certainly like to visit again. Now, just cross your fingers I can make it through two hours of arts, crafts and reading without getting totally wiped out!

Pink Pasta for Valentine's Day

This recipe comes from the New York Times, and it is the most delicious combination of macaroni, cheese and pasta. I added the broccoli so that it could be pink and green pasta, but you certainly don't need it. This is so easy to make on a weeknight when you have about 30-45 minutes, but you don't necessarily want to stand over the stove the whole time.

Macaroni with Tomato Goat Cheese Sauce

1 pound small pasta like elbows or penne
2 tbs olive oil
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, plus 1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes in juice (I bet you could just use two cans of crushed tomatoes, or two cans of diced too)
1/8 tsp sugar (I don't add this)
Salt to taste
Fresh basil sprigs (I toss in a couple of cubes of the frozen basil Trader Joe's sells)
1 tsp dried oregano (the original recipe says skip this if you use the basil, but I like both)
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 oz soft and MILD goat cheese (I think you could substitute this for ANY cheese that is relatively creamy)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I'm generally too hungry to bake after making the sauce)

1. Heat a large pot of water for the pasta.
2. In a separate large pot, heat oil on medium, and add garlic, stirring until fragrant (about a minute). Add the tomatoes, sugar, oregano, salt and basil. Stir and turn up heat. When it is bubbling, lower the heat to medium and stir (they say often, I say occasionally) for 15-20 minutes.
3. At this point, I like to add some fresh broccoli florets to the pasta cooking, (for about the last 3 minutes of the pasta cooking). I like it because it's a one pot meal, but the broccoli also tastes really good in the sauce!
4. As for the tomato sauce, add the fresh pepper and stir in the goat cheese and Parmesan (I turn off the heat). You're left with a pretty pink and creamy sauce.
5. Drain the pasta and dump into the sauce pot.
6. Now, if you want to bake this, preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 2 quart baking dish. Tip the pasta/sauce mixture in, cover with breadcrumbs (and drizzle them with olive oil). Bake for about 30 minutes until the crust is browned and the casserole is bubbly - about 30 minutes.
7. I bet this would actually taste delicious with a nice light red wine, so have a glass for me with it!
8. This also makes wonderful leftovers if you need to bring your lunch to work. It reheats very well.

The Good and the Bad

Aren't these darling! They are from shopbakersnook.com, and would be perfect if you like to bake for your Valentine!

I think I"m getting this print to frame for baby Icing's nursery. A pretty little girl deserves some pretty flower prints, doesn't she? And, if she doesn't like it, then I love it and would be happy to display it in the house!

Old Navy Maternity has really impressed me. The sweater posted above, well I adore it. It was like 20 bucks, and is just darling!

Now, the bad - Domino Magazine is closing! I'm crushed. This is not good news, as I loved looking through it every month - everything from the recipes to the renovation tips. First, Blueprint closed last year, now Domino???? I'm not a sophisticated design person, and these two were both just my kind! What am I going to read now?

Then, the horribly bad. It took me ALMOST TWO HOURS to get to work this morning. There was a horrible fatality crash shutting down the entire 10 freeway going from Santa Monica to downtown. I worked from home (all the better to enjoy my illicit coffee) until about 9:30, but then wanted to go in, and I didn't get into the office until 11:20! It normally takes me 45 minutes - max. Car accidents scare me so much, and I am praying for the families of the victims. Every time something like this happens, it gets me all morbid and paranoid about freeway driving.

But, the last good, I'm home on the couch, Mr. Icing is heating up leftovers for dinner (I already had a delicious grilled cheese, tomato soup and special salad dinner) and the week is halfway over! Hope your Wednesday went well!

Pretty

Isn't this pretty? I can't wait to wear non-maternity clothing...maybe it will still be around when Baby Icing is done baking?

Don't Try To Change The Subject

Public Service Announcement. When you are over 30 minutes late to a meeting to discuss working on YOUR project (and which was pushed back twice in the morning because YOU could not seem to get to the office on time), please do not try to alleviate the mood of general annoyance by walking in, looking at me and saying "When are you going to have that baby...any day?" It does NOT make me feel like going the extra mile to work on your project. I showed admirable restraint and simply smiled. Sometimes I feel like I work with a bunch of preschoolers. For interest, I have not yet received one insensitive comment from a male colleague. It's all ladies. What is up with the fairer sex?

Pregnant People Like!

My pregnancy pillow! You can order them anywhere (and like a bad girl, I cut off the tag the first day), but I ordered mine from Amazon. I like this one, because it is easy to turn over in the middle of the night without moving your pillow around (and waking up your husband, pets, whoever else is sharing your bed). Right now, we count the pillow as an extra person, throw in me, Baby Icing, Mr. Icing and at least one cat, it's a very good thing we have a king sized bed! It really has helped with my back pain and knee pain!

The Jacqua pumpkin papaya masque. It's a gentle exfoliating mask that works really well on my dry and flaky pregnant skin. It's gentle enough to use 2-3 times per week, and it leaves me soft and glowing.

My pretty coffee cups. They fit in your hand just perfectly thanks to the curved handle, and I just adore them! They are Villeroy and Boch new wave caffe. They aren't the biggest, but I shouldn't be drinking big cups of coffee anyway these days.

Tomorrow starts week 28. Do you have any recommendations for home stretch necessities?

Blue Monday

I love blueberry muffins. I'm going to be honest - I do think the best muffins are made with fresh MAINE blueberries, not frozen ones. But, I live in Los Angeles, so I don't get fresh Maine blueberries very often. However, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods both stock frozen Maine/Quebec blueberries, which turn into pretty excellent muffins.

Yesterday was a good day for lying on the couch, going for brunch and a walk, and then enjoying a muffin and a cup of tea for an afternoon snack. This is one of the easiest and tastiest recipes I know. It's my mum's recipe, and it apparently was the original recipe served at Jordan Marsh in downtown Boston back before it became a Macy's and had a fancy lunch/tearoom. Enjoy!

Blueberry Muffins (makes 12 muffins)

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

5 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup milk

3 cups flour (reserve a half cup to cup of flour to coat the blueberries)

3 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen, and you can use less or more depending on your preference)

1. Preheat oven to 425. Cream butter and sugar. Mix in remaining ingredients in order until just moistened.

2. Toss blueberries with flour. If you use frozen blueberries, keep them frozen until you are ready to use them. Make sure all blueberries are well coated with flour.

3. Gently fold blueberries into batter. Fill a greased 12 cup muffin pan, or use 12 muffin papers on a cookie sheet.

4. Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes (the muffins should be golden brown on top).

These freeze really well too - so keeping some in the freezer is nice for snacking!

Cat Studio

Check it out! You can get these adorable pillows for all sorts of cities, states/countries, etc. http://www.2catstudio.com/ I'm thinking of getting this pillow for Baby Icing's nursery rocker. It still surprises me seven years later that I don't live in Boston anymore.

Progress

Baby Icing has been kicking me hard lately, and it has motivated me to do some serious nursery work. First up, the little things. Thanks to the Container Store, I'm good on little hangers and canvas bins to hold her clothing and other stuff.

I'm addicted to these canvas bins. They are the perfect size for storing jeans/tees/workout gear for me, but they also work really well for storing baby things. And, I love the neutral canvas color - it goes with everything. Plus, the Container Store now lets you order online, then pick up in the store - at the Century City mall, they even walk your order down to the car!

We went with the Dream chair and ottoman from Pottery Barn Kids. I got it in the neutral canvas color, and got an extra slip cover for any accidents :)

We went with the kendall dresser and changer kit - but in espresso. Mr. Icing really preferred the espresso finish, and I think he may have better taste than I do...so we went with it.

And, here is Baby's crib! I love it- and it converts to a toddler bed, then to a "big kid/person" bed! We love you Pottery Barn Kids! I'll post the reviews when we get delivery!

Mr. Icing also took apart the large bed in the nursery, and we're having the Salvation Army pick it up next weekend. Now, let's hope the decision about sheets and the nursery rug get made as quickly!

Reads

People keep telling me that I'll never have time to read a book again once Baby Icing arrives. I understand they are trying to prepare me, but really - never again? I remember my mum reading while we played at the beach or at the park...but I digress. In the event that I won't read anything other than Goodnight Moon for the next 5 years (I can see how you wouldn't do a lot of reading with pre-elementary school children)...here are some books that I've been enjoying recently. I've included the Domino decorating book, because it's mostly pictures, but there are a lot of inspirational home decor and organizational ideas in there!

The above book by Norman Mailer was fantastically long, so I read it over a month about a chapter each night. If you liked In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, this will be similarly appealing, because it's another true crime book. However, it is incredibly well written as it explains the psychology of a murderer, along with the impact that his actions have on his entire community. It's riveting.

Julie and Julia was HILARIOUS. I grew up watching Julia Child on t.v. while my mum made dinner (or just watched). I own Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and highly recommend it as a great book for learning about French cooking techniques. Plus, she's sort of the Paula Deen of French food - and is LAVISH with the butter. But, Julie tries to cook the entire oeuvre in a year, in a tiny New York kitchen. She has such a great sense of humor and it's hysterical.

My all time favorite book is Pride and Prejudice. I love it and reread it every year. I'll even curl up with it more frequently when I'm having a bad day. A pot of tea, a few biscotti and P & P can fix pretty much any mood. Not to mention, it's pretty funny for being about 200 years old!

This is a sad book...I'm too hormonal and pregnant to read it right now, because it deals with illness and death among family members. It is beautifully written, and I'm looking forward to finishing it when I'm feeling like myself again.

So, have you read anything good lately? Any funny chick lit? I'm a big Marian Keyes fan, but I'm saving a couple of her books for my last month when I'm stuck at home with nothing to do.

Good Karma Needed?

Look no further. With the Superbowl coming up, get some delicious red velvet cupcakes, and help the Junior League of Los Angeles with our awesome work! Simply buy red velvet cupcakes from Susie Cakes (http://www.susiecakesla.com/) and let them know you'd like the Junior League special. Half the cost of the cupcakes is donated to the League, so that we can continue working with organizations doing good in our community.

Plus, these are seriously delicious red velvet cupcakes. I ordered mine already! (They also have a Calabasas location, in case you aren't close to the west side!)

Design Problems

(Via Habitually Chic)

(Apartment Therapy)

Our guest bedroom is becoming a nursery. So, our loft needs to become a guest bedroom when we have adult visitors. This comes with a set of challenges. It also needs to function as a small office, and be a place where I can do a yoga dvd if I feel like it. This is a tall order for a space that is about 8' by 10'. I thought the two images above were good ideas...especially the desk made of file cabinets! Habitually Chic is a beautiful blog I just found - the author does such a nice job of discussing all sorts of design issues, and includes interviews with really creative people!

Here's an interesting article about redoing a guest bedroom:

http://www.bhg.com/decorating/makeovers/room-makeovers/3-step-makeover-guest-bedroom/

The problem is that we don't have room for a bed up there, in addition to the office stuff, unless I put the desk in the closet...I'm working on it! Are any of you out there dealing with a baby-related decorating challenge?

The Nanny Diaries

I was having breakfast this past Sunday with the lovely A and her ADORABLE son M, when the subject of child care came up. A is returning to work in a few months and searching for a nanny. Apparently, in LA, you expect your nanny/babysitter to do more than just be kind to your child, and not feed them a diet of pure sugar, nor allow them to watch 12 hours straight of soaps and talk shows. No no no! You want them to be fluent in a foreign language, committed to organic food and NO TV, and weirdest yet...elimination communication. Here is the link to the definition from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elimination_communication

Sweet Mother of God as my father would say! I have to say, if it works for some people, that's fantastic. But, more importantly, it makes me feel much more normal. Every time I start feeling a little paranoid or crazy, something like this happens to remind me that LA really allows room for all kinds of people. Thank goodness for that.

Rockabye Baby

I was apparently not the world's best sleeper as a baby. I really hope Baby Icing is a good sleeper. On the off chance that she isn't, or even if she is, I want a nice comfy place to sit in her room. So, I trekked over to the Grove to Pottery Barn Kids and tried some out.
This above was the the "eco" glider. Tree hugging aside (I have no problem with it), the back of this glider was REALLY short. I'm 5'7", so not spectacularly tall, and Mr. Icing is 6'2", he would not be able to sit in this comfortably.

And this, the "Dream" which was not present in the store, and I couldn't test out. I like the look though...but I think I want to test the glider, cause I'll be spending LOTS of time in it!

This one was nice, but the back was a little hard. You sort of sank in then got trapped with the hard back of the chair. Still, much more comfy than the "green model."

Even More Things Pregnant People Like

Here are some goodies I got (hopefully the LAST order of maternity clothing, other than stuff for the home stretch when I am lying on the couch like a beached whale). Gap Maternity makes the most lovely and soft long sleeved tee shirts - I got this in yellow and lilac, and highly recommend it.



Babies need lots of calcium, and so do pregnant mamas. That said, I don't really like all sorts of yogurt. This Greek yogurt is thick, delicious and creamy. It's plain, so you can add your own frozen fruit or honey. It also has a lot of protein. I love it, and will even brave the dreaded Trader Joe's parking lot to pick it up. I think most Whole Foods carry it too - I've never seen a Trader Joe's in any city with decent parking!

This cotton and wool blend dress from Gap Maternity. Super comfy, and really cute for work. I'd even wear it on date night or out to brunch with friends. And, right now it is on sale for $24.00. Recommended!

I've only bought one pair of maternity jeans. These Seven for All Mankind from A Pea in the Pod. They are a nice dark wash, flattering, and incredibly comfy to wear. I bought them at about week 14, and didn't really wear them until week 20/21, but have been wearing them all weekend every weekend since! I did buy two sizes up, so they have been a little big and droopy. That said, I think I'll be able to wear them to the bitter end and probably afterwards! They are on sale right now, so you might want to pick up a pair.

Yes We Can?

It's pretty incredible when baby Icing is born, she'll live in an America where an African American man is president, and a woman was almost vice president. I don't discuss politics generally, but that's a pretty incredible thing to consider!

Adventures East of the 405

(Cost Plus - Chocolate Tasting!)

K's home made and DELICIOUS banana bread

How cute and petite are these little slices?

(My afternoon snack)

LA is a city of many neighborhoods (or a gross mass of sprawl if you don't like it)! Today I headed east to Toast for brunch/lunch with K and A. If you watch the Hills, you may recognize http://www.toastbakerycafe.net/ It's always adventures in skinny jeans, flats, aviators and slightly dirty hair (for men and women) over there - and the people watching is fantastic. People watching in Brentwood is much tamer and less interesting - it's just doctors/lawyers/ibankers and their spouses, their younger counterparts, or UCLA students - not a whole lot of skinny jeans and tattoos if you know what I mean. (I was wearing black ballet flats, 7 maternity jeans, and an Old Navy maternity tank and sweater - with a paisley headband and my red LV Alma) - definitely comfort over style these days here! I had my fill of the people watching, and a delicious egg white omelet with avocados, tomatoes, spinach and goat cheese. And, I got caught up on all the drama of weddings, jobs, drama - that happen when you can't see good friends as often as you'd like!

Then, K and I headed over to the Grove, for the ONLY Pottery Barn Kids in the city to check out gliders. Why there is only one store within a 20 minute drive of me seems odd - this is Los Angeles! That aside, I loved their gliders...but they are worthy of a separate post. We scampered over to Cost Plus - where we went straight to the food aisles. K is the most amazing cook I know. She baked the tiny banana bread pictured above - and it is superlative. It has candied ginger and chocolate chips inside, and came in an adorable little tin. We discovered that there were vast amounts of different kinds of chocolates available, so I bought a sampling of some interesting dark chocolates for my home samples. (BTW, I am always unreasonably paranoid at the Grove of terrorist attacks - not like West Hollywood is a worthy target, but there's something about it and the happiness, the dancing fountains and fake trolley that get me all worried...or maybe pregnancy just makes me crazy?)

At home, I beached myself on the couch for a little light reading for work and had some pomegranate herbal tea - please try it - it's a little tart and I think it would be perfect in the summer as iced tea. The work reading almost put me to sleep, but I got through it. Mr. Icing called and offered to pick up takeout on his way home, so the cats and I are awaiting delicious Indian food very soon! (They do not eat people food other than the occasional bit of hummus, yogurt or butter...but they are very interested in take out boxes and containers???) Indian food plus How I Met Your Mother equals happy Icing!

Oh, and I've been craving the Indian food since we saw Slumdog Millionaire on Saturday. It was good - very violent and some really sad scenes of children in poverty and ethnic violence. I was glad that I saw it, but it was very sad in places. Unlike Benjamin Button, a lot happened. I recommend it. We just need to find a way to see the rest of the good movies...living here you feel out of it if you aren't up on the films (probably the way people are in NYC or D.C. about important world events :)

A good end to a long weekend!

More Announcements

I discovered Reaves Engraving http://www.reavesengraving.com/ a few months ago from some wedding blogs. At the time, I was looking for some pretty engraved stationary (don't ask me why, but I love hanging onto the engraving plate from my wedding, and now this!). They do lovely work very timely (complete with that cute Southern accent). Plus, their prices are very reasonable for engraving - I am generally a straight up Crane's girl - being from Mass, you have to be! Reaves will do engraving on Crane's stationary...and it's beautiful!

So, I was poking around their website, when I learned that they also do baby announcements! And, if you send in your address list in advance, they can do the calligraphy. You can also order the announcements but not call to finalize until after baby is born (which gets around my superstitions, but also allows for a little more organization). I'm in love with the correspondence cards I ordered, and think I'll like their baby announcements too! What do you think? Obviously, I would request pink bows on the second option!

Right On Right Start

As you may have noticed, I have been better about the fun baby shopping than the practical stuff. So, yesterday, Mr. Icing and I ventured out in search of a car seat and a stroller. We had a lot of questions, and wanted to practice using the products before making any decisions - after all, we are stuck with these choices for a long time. So, we decided to start at "The Right Start." It's a chain of baby stores (you can find them online too at http://www.rightstart.com/). They don't really carry furniture, and the stores are manageable in size. What they do have are really nice and helpful sales people. We had a lovely woman help us for about an hour as we tested car seats and strollers.

I had gone in very interested in the Bugaboo Bee. As it turns out, I could not fold the stroller on my own. That is no good, because I want to be able to do most baby stuff by myself! So, despite the bigger size, it looks like we are going with the Chameleon. It was so easy to insert the infant seat, or to switch out the bassinet/child seat. Mr. Icing surprised me by indicating that he wanted the pink option (it will have a grey bottom, but a pink hood) to make it easier for people to see. Don't worry - you can swap out the hood if you end up with a boy the next time around! The Quinny didn't work with the car seat I liked, and the Bob was really heavy. Do you know of any other brands to consider? Since we're ordering, we have time to change our minds...please advise! (Mr. Icing likes the Bugaboo the best, but I think he is swung by the looks...and the fact that it kind of looks like an SUV stroller :)

Ok. On to car seats. I went in intrigued by the Orbit (which is pasted way at the top, because I can't figure out how to move it down here!). It seemed really neat on the web, and it looked like it would be easy to move from the car to the stroller because it has a unique snapping base. HOWEVER, without a baby in it, I had a difficult time lifting it. It was heavy empty! And, it was sort of an awkward shape, so not really easy to carry with one hand! It gets points for being very cool, but when the seat is that heavy, it didn't make sense to me.

We ended up with the Graco Snugride. It got great safety reviews in the Baby Bargains book, and it was nice and light. Plus, it's really easy to install on top of the Chameleon, and to take off to put back in the car. So, in short, we got a lot done on the baby front yesterday!

We also met nice people in the store who piped up with their love of our choices - apparently if you live in Brentwood/Santa Monica, you buy the Bugaboo and LOVE it. I promise I'll do some non-baby posting later this long weekend, but this was the big event. Tomorrow, I'm heading over to Pottery Barn Kids to check out stuffed and slip covered gliders. Any thoughts on those?

I'm starting to think about baby announcements and these all caught my eye on the Crane's website. I'm really drawn to the yellow one with the little ducks...it's very Make Way For Ducklings. Which one do you like best? I'm superstitious, so I don't think I'll order until Baby is here safe and sound, but I guess I could order and just not confirm until she does get here?

Will You Be Mine?

I'm a huge fan of Valentine's Day. I send cards, bake cookies, and for my 7th birthday, I had a special Valentine's Day tea party complete with crowns, heart shaped cakes, and my little brother trying to kiss all the girls. (My birthday is in June, but my mother likes parties and is a very good sport). So, here are some of my favorite Valentine's things so far. This will likely be the first of many posts - I LOVE Valentine's Day!

Aren't these cards darling? Perfect for all your Valentines - and available now at Crane.com.

This cake is for sale through Williams Sonoma - it's red velvet...but honestly, the heart shape has me interested. I know my mom used to make her own heartshaped cakes by cutting one round layer in half and baking the other layer in a square pan...I may need to try that.

This dress is arriving - I ordered it and loved it, but it fit perfectly at 22-23 weeks, so I went up a size to wear now for Valentine's Day. We have a little tradition of cooking dinner together on Valentine's, then going to our favorite restaurant another night. It's so much fun to plan the meal and set the table...plus traffic in LA is terrible on Valentine's Day, which can take the romance out of the evening! (I can't figure out how to get rid of the double image...in case you can't tell, I'm not very tech savvy).