A Few Things

Today I was reminded how wimpy I am compared to my pioneer ancestors — and most of the population of Planet Earth. When we woke this morning, the temperature in our house was 53 degrees. (The heat had stopped working in the night — it was speedily fixed this morning and we're now a toasty 70 degrees again.) I realize 53 degrees is nowhere near freezing, but you would think it was the trial of the century the way I shivered in my sheets. Could I be more ridiculous?

Here are a few things I've been wanting to share with you:

-I've never been a consistent journal keeper, but I might be able to keep up with this. And it's pretty.

-What it looks like to fly into Salt Lake City.

-Can I give some sort of prize to her for Happiest Idea?

-Book jackets (with coordinating bookmarks) make me happy. Especially Sherlock's pipe.

-This photo series of "rusty neutrals" feels like January looks.

-Whoorl found the greatest invention of the decade. You will want this too.

-The prettiest winter festival I have ever seen. I might need to put this on my life list (if I had a life list).

-I still have houses on the brain. This one is the favorite I saw this week.

-The proper way to celebrate a 90th(!) birthday.

-School kids from PS22 sing the Alicia Keyes/Jay-Z New York Anthem. So wonderful. (Thanks, Etta!)

-This series of "hiding" photos made me look. Twice.

-Who knew a commercial about wearing your seatbelt could be so beautiful?

Have a terrific weekend. I hope your weekend feels like the cozy image above. Don't forget to enter the Blush Giveaway — 3 winners will be announced on Monday.

A Bedroom for Two Sisters

Just days before we left New York, I stopped at my friend Kathryn's house to snap some photos of her daughters' bedroom. I intended to post a little house tour on Cookie. And then (sadly) Cookie was no more. : (

Browsing through iPhoto this morning, I came across these pictures and remembered how darling this room is. Kathryn loves shopping. Kathryn loves all things vintage. And Kathryn is really good at shopping for all things vintage. Plus, she has a fantastic eye. In fact, I bet that Kathryn could open an etsy shop, sell off every item in this room and fill it up again from the goodies in her garage.

What about you, Dear Readers — do you have a friend like Kathryn? Someone that's really good at visual displays? Someone that can find the hidden gems at any estate sale? Man. I miss Kathryn.

P.S. — If you have similar talents to Kathryn, but live in Denver, please make friends with me — I need a shopping buddy who knows all the good sources.

Giveaway — Blush Bandeaus

Thank you for all your kind comments about my maternity wardrobe yesterday. You're so sweet! Here's a (sort-of) related Giveaway. It's from Blush. They are generously offering three $50 gift certificates. Which means three lucky winners. Yay!

Blush offers "topless undershirts," Bandeaus for your belly. Use them to add a bit of color or pattern underneath a basic tee, or to get more coverage if your low rise jeans feel a little too low — without adding another layer to your shoulders and chest.



Blush offers their bandeaus in pregnant sizes as well. Such a smart way to extend a wardrobe. If I add a Blush, I could continue to wear my favorite tees all nine months.

Leave a comment to enter for your $50 gift certificate — that's enough to try several blush bandeaus — nice. Three winners will be announced here on Monday. Good luck!

Edit: Bonus! Use the code designmom for 10% off your purchase. Its valid until February 1st.

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Congratulations to Tricia, The Moncurs, & Isabel! You are the lucky winners. Enjoy your Blush undershirts.

CardsInk

It's fun to see the clever stationery that pops up for Valentine's Day. This letterpress card from Cards Ink made me smile. Do you send love notes for Valentine's Day?

Mom 2.0: Defining A Movement

This time of year gets so busy for me. No doubt that's partly coping mechanism on my part — must keep busy until Spring (and its accompanying good vibes) arrive. But coping mechanism or not, here's the reality: Alt Summit wrapped up last Saturday, and I'm already getting psyched for Mom 2.010 Summit — only 22 days away. Hooray!

In anticipation of this great event, the talented author, Katherine Center, created a gorgeous video:



Beautiful, right? And an accurate reflection of the support, conversation and camaraderie you'll experience at Mom 2.0. If you're coming to Houston, I hope we'll get to meet.

What to Wear When You're Expecting

Today I am 25 weeks pregnant. Only 15 to go! (Although really, I'm not in any big hurry.) I've been trying to keep a record of some of my favorite outfits during this pregnancy. Here are five:


Tuxedo Jacket at Macy's Juniors Dept — not maternity. Tee by H&M. Tie by Brooks Brothers (via Ben Blair's closet). Pants by Nine Times Three (more on them later, they are my fave pants). Shoes by Guess.


Sweater by Gap. (Not maternity.) Skinny jeans by Gap Maternity. Shoes by Jessica Simpson.


Dress and coordinating jacket/robe from Target Maternity — saved from past pregnancies. Belt and tights — I can't remember. Hmmm. Shoes by Guess.


Dress by Gap Maternity. Just bought this a week ago — it was $13. Score! Belt by who knows? (The dress comes with a sash, but I liked this better.) Tights, probably from Walgreens. Boots by Nine West (they are at least a decade old).


Pants, cowlneck, and wrap all from Gap Maternity. (Wow. I've had good luck there.) Shoes by Biviel. Total side note: I heart the way my bottom looks in these pants — I should get a picture of that. For posterity. : )

Mom, you can see lots more photos here.

What about you Dear Readers? Seen any great maternity clothes lately? How do you like to dress when you're expecting — are you all about comfort? Do you incorporate non-maternity pieces into your wardrobe?

A Triplets Story from Courtney

Early in the morning of President’s Day 2004, I woke up and got ready. I was 35 weeks pregnant with triplets and scheduled to have a c-section at 7am. Before my husband, Jeff, and I headed to the hospital, I stopped in to check on Seth, my sleeping 20 month old who was very much still a baby. Like most second-time moms, I worried about how I would be able to give him the love, time and attention he would need when he was no longer my only baby. With a bit of an anxious heart, we headed out in the dark to the hospital.

As I lay in the bed in the labor and delivery triage area I was overwhelmed with feelings — excitement, discomfort, nervousness, hunger, curiosity. As we got closer to 7am and then passed it without a visit from the doctor, I started getting impatient and worried (and hungrier!). Finally around 7:30, the nurse told us that our doctor had not shown up for the delivery and they had not been able to reach him. Luckily, the doctor group I was with had two doctors at the hospital who would be able to perform the delivery I just had to wait another hour or two while they changed shifts and did rounds.

While Jeff changed into his paper scrubs, they finally took me into the operating room. Unlike birthing suites which are designed to look comfortable and homey, operating rooms are white and sterile. This was the point that I finally felt a little scared about the delivery. Luckily, the drugs were soon administered, Jeff came in and my nerves settled down.

At 9:06 Ellie was born and the doctor lifted her above the curtain so we could see her. A minute later I noticed that Jeff was no longer standing next to me but was instead lying on the floor behind me. As the anesthesiologist turned to check on him, Paige was lifted above the curtain and we met our second daughter. Unfortunately, her initial introduction was missed on video while Dad tried to recover on the floor. Even though Jeff remained on the floor, he did get the video camera up in the air in time to tape the introduction of Kate at 9:10. It turns out that Jeff doesn’t really like seeing doctors kneeling on the operating table as they yank babies out of my stomach — but as soon as the girls were all delivered he recovered enough to capture some of their first moments.



After the girls were initially checked out by the doctors and nurses, I was able to briefly kiss and snuggle each one before they placed them in a single isolette and rolled them to the nursery. If I had known I would not hold Paige and Ellie again for five days, I would have held on to them a little longer. If I had known that all three would not be together again for 3 ½ weeks, I would have made sure Jeff got a better picture of the girls squished together in the isolette.

The next weeks were spent experiencing the ups and downs of a new vocabulary — CPAP, red line, bili lights, craniosynostosis, surfactant, apnea — until a day in March when we were all together again. Now the initial anxiety of leaving one baby at home while I went to the hospital to deliver three more was replaced with the anxiety of how I was going to raise them. With four small children my time and attention were divided among them but luckily there were others to help fill in the gaps.


image by Jamie Hammond Photography

As every second-time mom discovers, a mother’s love is never divided it just multiplies with each new addition.

From Courtney of Five Under Five.
Image via Here Comes the Sun.

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Note from Design Mom: for the duration of my pregnancy, I'll be posting advice, memories and stories about pregnancy, childbirth, adoption and growing a family on Wednesdays. You can find them all by clicking here. I'd love to hear your story or memory or advice, feel free to submit it to gabrielle@designmom.com.

A Perfect Birth Story from Katy Dill

It took me having 5 children to finally have the birth I wanted. The most beautiful, wonderful, spiritual, perfect birth:

I had visions of calling Ryan as he was in the midst of teaching a class, proclaiming my water broke and it was time. He would announce to his class that his wife was in labor, run out, tripping over chairs, leaving them all bewildered. It's always been a no-contraction-calm-drive to the hospital, first thing in the morning (except Pearl, who was born in the car, but that truly was an exception of all sorts). That's not how it happened. As we went to bed Wednesday night, I commented to Ryan that other women tended to go into labor in the middle of the night, but that's usually when my body would stop any sort of "practicing". Hope, one of my midwives, told me Tuesday she was confident my body would do this without help. Just as her name, I believed her.

2 AM Thursday, I awoke to a familiar ache, though it was enough to be bothersome and deprive me of sleep. I didn't want to wake up anyone unnecessarily, so I got up to walk around to make sure this aching was consistent. I gently squeezed Ryan's foot and told him I was having contractions. I timed them as he fell back asleep. 5 minutes apart. Yes, I wanted to go to the birthing center. I was going to have the water-birth I had dreamed of since giving birth the conventional way with daughter number one.

I awoke my parents, and while they were scrambling to get dressed, I laid some towels in the car and got in. My mom came, Ryan followed, carrying the carseat, juice for me and other odds and ends. The drive was quiet, but hurried. We were there before Sharon, but at least the baby wasn't. She checked me, still just a 3, but very effaced. Her suggestion: walk the halls. I had never been given this luxury. Yes, it was a luxury. I took off my noisy flip flops and began to walk. Up and down. A quiet cricket crossed my path. He seemed to know my need for peace. My only company. No, I didn't want any other company at this point. As I was pacing, barefoot and solo, joy filled my body. My body did know what to do. It knew when this baby was ready to join the world. 40 weeks, 41 weeks, 41 weeks and 4 days, it wasn't rushed by the measurements of time. I was grateful for a supportive husband, midwives, and parents who allowed me to do this on my own. I was surprised to be grateful this journey was taking place in the solemn hours of the morning, with no outside onlookers to invade.

4:30-Sharon checks me. I'm a 5, but as she checks me, my water breaks. I decide to keep walking until that first contraction without my water manifests itself. I quickly return and tell her I'm ready to get in the water. She says it will be 10 minutes before the tub is filled. 10 minutes suddenly seemed like a mountain of pain before me. I waited until there were three inches of water and asked if I could just get in. She turned down the temperature and helped me in. My mom peers in the room and I tell her I now need Ryan. The glimpse she sees in her words: "Then I see her slip in the back room, water running for the underwater birth, four woman, quietly getting ready for a most amazing experience. Each woman knows their task and just join in the dance like it all had been rehearsed for months. I love the way they NEVER leave her side. It is all about Katy, all about her strength and ability to have a baby without anything but her body to tell her what to do." Ryan came to my side and began to pour the warm water on this mound of life preparing to make the most glorious and painful entrance.

3 contractions later, Ryan said he watched as this baby moved from the "pregnant position" to "down, really far down". I announced that I had the urge to push. Sharon asked me to wait for the next contraction. Moments later, it came, and I began to scream and push. Sharon pleaded with me to hold back a little so there wouldn't be tearing. I held back as much as I could muster, but this baby was coming. I continued to push and then she was here, on my breast. 4:56.



I held this new life. Gratefully. Reverently. It, the birth, was perfect. My body did everything perfectly in 3 simple hours. Nothing too soon and nothing too late. I held this new body in my arms, not knowing who it was I held. After some moments of reveling in what I had just experienced, I looked to discover another daughter had been given to us. She was not late. She was perfect. She is perfect.

From Katy of No Big Dill.
Image via ffffound.

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Note from Design Mom: for the duration of my pregnancy, I'll be posting advice, memories and stories about pregnancy, childbirth, adoption and growing a family on Wednesdays. You can find them all by clicking here. I'd love to hear your story or memory or advice, feel free to submit it to gabrielle@designmom.com.

This Week on Kirtsy

Hello Friends. I have two wonderful birth stories for you today — they'll be published in just a bit.

All these stories are suddenly feeling nearer and dearer. Why? Well, half my siblings are expecting little ones. In fact, my brother Josh and his wife Erin had a baby boy about a week ago. My sister Jordan (plus her husband Paul) is due any second. My brother Salem and his wife Megan are due in a few weeks. And then it's my turn. All the way in May. (Which might as well be 2011.)



In the meantime, here are some of my favorite kirtsy links from the last 7 days. (Kirtsy is a site where anyone can share cool links — I'm one of the co-founders).

-The cleverest business card I've seen in awhile.

-Think you can't wear skinny jeans? Read this before you decide.

-Should you eat food that's fallen on the floor? Depends. Check this chart to be sure.

-Fun! DJEarworm — the guy we were all crushing on at Alt Summit — was written up by CNN.

-Do you have a crazy but loving family? Here's a casting call just for you.

-This blog is in French, but even if you don't speak a word, you will fall in love with the images.

-You knew it was coming: the first tweet from space.

-When did you start your baby on solid foods? These guys argue you can start before 3 months. Hmmmm.

-How do you talk to your kids about something awful like the Haiti Earthquake?

-Did you watch Oprah's show on texting while driving? Conclusion: cell phones and driving don't mix.

-This is what my workspace will look like in heaven.


What about you Dear Readers? Found anything good on Kirtsy lately? Posted anything cool there? Also, isn't it fun when you have a sibling that's expecting a baby at the same time as you?

images via Little Circus

Alt Summit Highlights

For me, the best part of Altitude Design Summit was seeing this event I'd worked on with my heart and soul come together so beautifully. For ages and ages I've been craving a gathering of design bloggers — to talk shop, meet in real life, and just feel more like the community that they are. To see it come to fruition was a wonderful as I hoped it would be.

I'm eternally grateful to everyone who enthusiastially attended, prepared presentations, helped with organization and made the conference fantastic. I can't wait till next year. Can't wait.



Some highlights I don't want to forget:

-Getting to know many, many blog authors I'd been reading for years.

-Seeing people loving their welcome bags — you can get a peek at the contents here.

-The red carpet (with paparazzi!) and cigarette girls at the Old Hollywood Party. Plus fantastic live music by Dana Parish.



-Being inspired at the keynote breakfast — the speakers were so interesting:
Dooce announced her new deal with HGTV that day.
Maxwell from Apartment Therapy is in the middle of a big window design contest. You can vote twice a day (by text and by computer) here (go vote!).
Jean from NotCot paid a visit to a super cool (as in ice) Sundance party the night before.
And Grace talked a little bit about the new design she's working on for Design*Sponge.
All very exciting.

-Seeing Erik Natzke's gorgeous artwork come to be during the keynote lunch.



-Watching the audience get super-psyched during DJ Earworm's presentation. (This video is a mashup he created from the the top 20 Billboard hits of 2009.)

-Reading the tweets that were coming from the Alt Summit attendees from the slopes of Solitude on Saturday.




-Talking in the hotel lobby bar till super late every night. The venue was stunning. Absolutely 5-star service. On the day I checked in, my sister Sara arranged for the hotel to bring this grand piano to my room. Grand piano as in Grand America. Nice. It's completely made of chocolate. And there were truffles hiding inside. Maxwell took lots of great pictures of the hotel — see here.



The official event photographer, Brooke Dennis, is still uploading photos to flickr. But you can see my Alt Summit photos here. Also, if you want to read more about the conference, here are some excellent wrapups:

From Victoria of sfgirlbybay
From Liz of Say Yes to Hoboken
From Karey of Mackin Ink
From Ellie of Mint
From Joy of Oh Joy!

Raggedy Ann Party

Now that I'm home from Alt Summit, I can turn my attention to a (belated) birthday party for Oscar. There is no way in the world he would go for something this feminine, but I'm ga-ga anyway for this adorable Raggedy Ann Party.

How brilliant is this combination of real and paper flowers? Must. Copy.




photos by Nicole of A Little Sussy

Up Next

I'm craving the colors in this gorgeous bouquet I saw on Design*Sponge a few weeks ago. Rosemary and citrus. A lovely combination. Something to distract me from the grays of late January.

To further distract me, I spent some time this morning thinking about what's next. Some of the bright spots on my calendar:

-A visit to the Toyota Calty Design Center in (warm and sunny) Southern California. I was able to visit awhile back and I loved it. So inspiring to see how people approach their work.

-A ski weekend for the whole family to Copper Mountain. Three days. The whole family on skis. Except me — I will be manning the hot cocoa and the hot tub. And reading something excellent.

-Making valentines with my kids. Did you notice Valentine's Day falls on a Sunday this year? I wonder if the schools will be celebrating on Friday the 12th or Monday the 15th...

-Speaking at the Mom 2.0 Conference in Houston. I'm thinking this could be my last trip before I get to the very uncomfortable 3rd trimester — so glad it's going to be a fantastic event. You should totally come.

What's on your calendar, Dear Readers? Anything fun to keep the winter doldrums at bay?