Yeah Yeah Yeah

Word up, hipstahs.

Not much going on here. I mean, just the usual. Ian and David tend to be on different nap schedules these days, so I'm getting a bit less sleep but a few more chores done.

Still trying to figure out my post-baby wardrobe. I still don't fit into my pre-baby clothes. I'm trying to balance buying as little as possible while I still have the baby weight with having enough clothes to wear, especially clothes that are easy to wash and easy to thrown on in the mornings. I've been trying to find a maxi dress that I can wear while nursing. I fell in love with one on Old Navy's site, but they don't have it in my size. I've found some nursing-specific maxi dresses, but most of them are $100 and made of rayon and spandex. What nursing mom has an extra $100 and wants to wear anything containing spandex? Ick.

David's surgery is coming up in about a month. A couple of weeks before the surgery we'll go into a sort of quarantine to keep the kids from getting sick, so if I disappear from the real world for awhile, that's why.

We've had a lot of severe storms in the south lately, and it's spurred me to start to commence to begin to think about putting together our emergency kit. Today I ordered a solar/crank-powered radio and phone charger. Yeah, I mostly ordered it because I like gadgets.

So, my brother got me started watching the new version of Doctor Who while I was on bed rest, and I'm pretty much obsessed now. I like having a show I can geek out over, something I've been missing since Stargate SG-1 ended. Mostly because I can crack myself up by texting my husband random inside jokes throughout the day. (Fezes are cool.)

I've been able to increase my exercise time a bit more lately, which is nice. I try to hit zumba at the Y two or three times a week, and maybe once a week or so I'll walk on the treadmill and read. Yes, I'm finding time to read again! Huzzah! Now I just have to drag my bass guitar out of storage and my artistic renaissance will be in full swing.

Catch ya later, me lovelies.

The Dawdle

I am currently facing one of my greatest trials as a parent.

THE DAWDLE

[cue psycho strings]

Now that Ian is two, he finds enjoyment in inspecting everything. Each moment is to be savored for as long as possible, every experience to be explored to its limit. The applies to washing hands, going up (or down) stairs, walking through the house, climbing into the car seat, etc.

I am not a patient person, and that is amplified now that I have a newborn. Sometimes I feel like Ian waits until I have a crying, hungry baby to decide he needs to try a new skill.

"Okay, Ian, I'm going to put you in your high chair for lunch."

"ME DO IT!"

"Okay, climb up into your high chair."

[Ian climbs halfway into his chair and stops.]

"CAREFUL DOWN THERE."

"That's right, be careful. Now sit down so we can fasten you into your chair."

[squawk from baby]

"ME DO IT!"

"Okay, fasten yourself into your chair."

[Ian fastens his high chair latch while singing a song. Then he unfastens it. Then he starts to re-fasten it.]

[Baby squawks louder.]


The most trying times are right before naptime, when Ian, David, and I all are a bit grumpy and ready for naps. David is hungry and tired, I need to run to the bathroom and then close my eyes for a few minutes, and Ian is trying his best to avoid sleeping. The other day the nap avoidance took the form of Ian laying down on Every. Single. Step. and examining lint as I tried to get him upstairs to his bedroom. It was everything I could do not to shout, "WOULD YOU PLEASE GET UPSTAIRS NOW I NEED TO POTTY AND YOUR BROTHER IS SCREAMING AND WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING AAAAAHHHH!!!!!!"

Instead, I took a deep breath and accepted the progress toward naptime, bit by bit.

Yes, The Dawdle is a challenge for me, but tonight I can see the lessons waiting for me in it. I need daily reminders that life is about being, not doing. Finding joy in everyday situations is a beautiful way to live, and I am glad I have a toddler to show me the way.

Product Review: CoverGirl NatureLuxe Lip Balm and Foundation

Right now I'm testing the new NatureLuxe line of cosmetics from CoverGirl.

You might remember me testing CoverGirl products last summer and not being very impressed.

This time, though, I have been pleasantly surprised to find that the products are easy to use and very comfortable for me to wear.

Because I am a BzzAgent, I received full-size samples of NatureLuxe foundation and lip balm to try and review. I really wasn't very excited about the samples, but I thought I would give them a try.

I was especially nervous about the foundation -- I'm a mineral powder girl. Foundation is usually too time-consuming to apply and too goopy for me, not to mention the trouble I have matching my pasty white porcelain skin tones. However, the NatureLuxe foundation manages to be lightweight and easy-to-apply. I don't have to worry about uneven coverage, because it just blends right into my skin. However, the foundation provides enough coverage that most days I can skip concealer -- and with my sleepless-mommy under-eye circles, that's saying something. The SPF is an added bonus; I love having a product that protects my skin in addition to the vanity benefits!

The NatureLuxe Gloss Balm also is a joy to use. Yes, seriously, a joy. What an odd thing to say about lip gloss. But seriously, it has this cotton candy scent and flavor that makes me feel like a care-free little girl. The balm provides just enough color to brighten my face, but not so much that I leave lip prints all over my kids. Best of all, the lip balm leaves my lips feeling silky smooth, not sticky -- and it doesn't dry my lips out with repeated applications.

I must admit, I originally viewed the NatureLuxe line as a form of "green-washing" by CoverGirl. But really, the line doesn't claim to be particularly environmentally friendly. The NatureLuxe brand just refers to "natural" ingredients like jojoba and cucumber extract that are used to make the products.

I've already incorporated the NatureLuxe products into my daily routine. I've found the foundation and lip balm, plus a little mascara, creates a natural look that is exactly what I want for this summer.

P.S. - If you know me "in real life," you can hit me up for some coupons to try the foundation.

UPDATED 5/11/10 -- It's worth adding that the NatureLuxe line is paraben free, and the packaging is made in part with bioresin, a renewable and biodegradable form of packaging. I still wouldn't hail these products as truly "green," but I do appreciate the effort on CoverGirl's part. It's a step in the right direction. 

I was given free CoverGirl NatureLuxe products to review as well as coupons as part of a BzzCampaign for these products. My opinions are my own.