Fashion Week - Stella Style

Fashionista, trendsetter or stylish have never been used to describe me.

I am not the world’s worst dresser, but on my good days, my style is attributed to whatever fashion-forward person I copied.


One of her favorite things to wear...and not on Halloween.

Sometimes I wish I could be that person who could throw on random clothes and accessories and look absolutely dashing. But I am not.

Stella appears to have been born with some generation-skipping gene that allows her to do just that. She has a certain style about her and knows what she wants. Some days her outfits are “crazy” as she likes to call them, but I can only appreciate the uncensored choices that she makes for herself.

This is all good until it is time to step outside. We (before parenthood mostly) have all looked at little kids with the crazy outfits on and thought to ourselves: “Their parents REALLY let them go out in public like that?”

Like many other situations since becoming a parent, those things are now being said about me.
I have chosen to not care. I have decided that my daughter’s (and one day my son’s) creativity and fashion freedom are more important to me than those judging stares that I get when she is in a tutu, leggings, her dad’s beanie and purple rain boots. Or, like a couple of days ago, the stares I got at Rite Aid when I took her in with her pants inside out (she happens to like the inside piping.)

Shouldn’t the strict dress codes come later on, like in her teenage years? Is it really hurting anybody that she often looks like a hobo (as my mom likes to say) or like some odd princess or garden fairy (depending on her dress up mood.)

Am I wrong here? Was my common sense more in line when I used to look at other children and wonder why their parents didn’t change their clothes? What are the fashion rules for a toddler and where can I find them?

Until I get ahold of the rule book, I am going to live vicariously through my daughter and enjoy watching her in her fashion glory with all the glitter that it holds.

In case you want to join me, just look for us around town. She is easy to spot.

Holiday Photos and Some Cheese

Family cheese

The holidays seem to be the time for family photos. Whether taking them for your Christmas cards or just an annual photo opportunity, photographers get booked up in preparation for some season’s greetings. I was never a picture person until we had Stella. Once we had our first child I realized it was important to share how our family has grown. So, in 2010, the holiday season family photos became a tradition.

I am not a very traditional person so I really wanted to capture our family in a way that was different than most family photos. I wanted to find a place that represented us in some way, without being too cookie cutter in location and pose.

I called a photographer who had actually taken a random picture of Stella at the beginning of the year; one that turned out beautifully. He was immediately my first choice for this year’s pictures, especially since we had our newest addition, Carter, to include.



And a little fun

His idea was to go to Disneyland and have a little fun while taking pictures. Being that we are there basically on a weekly basis, I thought this was a great idea.

Our family photos were a great success and I learned some things along the way.

Let them be natural! Our best shots were those caught off guard. Have fun!

Family photos can be stressful! I had extra outfits for both kids in addition to snacks, diapers, and all the other essentials that you pack on a trip to the Magic Kingdom. I was hot, sweaty and irritated until I realized that we were supposed to be having some fun. If hair was out of place or a bit of Disneyland goodness was caught on Stella’s shirt then so be it.

Photos are important. They can be expensive and a lot of work but I can’t think of anything more priceless then being able to look back at all the pictures of our growing family. Yes, if you are anything like every other parent, you take pictures all the time. But, someone (usually mom or dad) is left behind the camera. A complete family photo is a must, at least one a year.

So smile, and enjoy the “cheese”, with your family.

Superstorm Sandy Sends a Strong Reminder

In the midst of the devastation on the East Coast, I have received constant reminders in various forms that we need to be prepared for emergencies. I hope that all of you who were affected by the storm remained safe.  It is actually all of you East Coarst haute moms that I have to thank. Your suffering was my reminder.

Working for the school district, I am aware of the steps that are taken in the schools should disaster strike during the day. Blankets, extra food supplies, and evacuation plans are all a part of the districts’ attempt to keep kids safe in an emergency situation.

Precious goods

But what if our kids are at home? Is there a plan to meet should we all get separated? Could we live at home for more than a day if roads were closed or stores were shut down?

There was a part of me that for many years felt that as long as our family was together, we would be able to take on anything. That is foolish.

I began to realize we needed to do more to prepare when I began hearing tips on the news about disaster preparedness. I started talking to my husband about water supplies, food and extra batteries.

So, we got emergency kits for our home and cars. I found some reasonable kits online that were ready-made. I went for these since, although more expensive, they came with most of the recommended supplies without me having to chase them down at numerous stores.

If I had more spare time, I would not have minded hunting down all of the recommended supplies, but — considering how long it has taken me to take this first step — I figured it was best just do it all now. Knowing me, I would take my time crossing items off and get caught without something important, like drinking water.

I feel better knowing that we are prepared for an emergency situation. As I told my hubby last night while I was purchasing kits, I hope that this is something we end up storing and never needing.
As a parent, it is our responsibility to make sure we can care for our families in any situation. Whether pre-made or homemade, it never hurts to stash away supplies.

Halloween Thoughts

Happy Halloween to all! 

I thought about posting the usual blog hop today - an extra spooky one - but when I turned on the news this morning, it just didn't seem right.

Stella's first pumpkin.

With all the devastation on the east coast, where many of you haute moms live, I just couldn't help but think about all of the families and children who will not be celebrating this holiday today.  If they are lucky to celebrate, I am sure it will be in a way that is drastically different than what they are used to.

There are so many events that remind me of the need to be prepared, especially now that we have two little ones. Every day I put it off thinking that I have time.  I wonder how many families experiencing the devastation thought the same.

I feel funny celebrating this holiday today; it seems so...unimportant.  At any rate, as you haute moms know, nothing squelches the excitment of little kids so we will, of course, be channeling our inner Halloween spirits.  Stella will be a memaid this year.  Last night she carved her first pumpkin (with a liittle help of course.)

Wishing all the children out there a safe and spooky Halloween!

Roadtrips: Are You Prepared?

This week we did the unthinkable.

We were warned against it by many other veteran parents, but we didn't listen. Nope. Instead, we packed the kids in the car and drove 400 miles to San Francisco to visit grandma and grandpa.

It may not seem like much to some, but for those of you that have done it, you know that this is no easy feat. A road trip with just two people is hard enough. I have been known to pack the entire trunk full during the days that it was just me and the hubby. Add two little ones on top of that and you can imagine. We bought a big SUV when we found out we would soon be growing into a family of four. It proved to be not big enough.

With Stella being in 2 years old and Carter being a mere 2 months old, preparation for this trip was a non-negotiable. And that preparation meant packing lots and lots of stuff. Aside from the normal kids stuff (the snacks, books, videos and diapers), I also started thinking about things that I'm not sure enough families think about: emergency things.

A worry wart by nature, I am always worried about driving with the kids. I mostly worry about my hubby's sometimes too aggressive driving nature and unsafe lane changes.

But some recent conversations among friends have led to another concern. When packing for this trip, I started thinking about the possibility of being stranded in the middle of nowhere. A broken down car on some desolate highway could be a disaster for a family. We tend to think that with our cell phones we are never out of touch, but even driving from southern to northern California, reception is spotty.

So I started packing bottles of water and extra food. I thought, sure why not bring some additional layers of clothes, just in case. I checked to make sure the car was well-stocked with First Aid supplies — going beyond just Band-Aids and ointment.

There are so many things to think about when traveling with children. It's easy to accidentally leave something important behind.

To put my mind at ease for the trip, and in general, I've decided that It doesn't hurt to always leave some emergency items in the car.

There are many roadside emergency kit checklists online that can help parents, or anyone, to increase safety, reduce stress and get back on the road faster. Check out this list by Consumer Reports, for an example, and customize it to fit your family's needs.

WELCOME WEDNESDAY BLOG HOP

Happy Hump Day! I am so enjoying time with Carter, our new addition who arrived two months ago today but I am ready to do some hopping! It's a great time to make some new bloggy friends. I hope you join in! What better way to get over the midweek hump then to kick off your heels and check out some new blogs!

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Blog Hop Rules: This is a low key hop. After all...it is Welcome Wednesday, here to get the inspirational juices flowing and find other blogs we can stalk! Put those feet up, relax, and join the bloggy fun.

There are a few rules though:
1. Follow the hostess, Haute Mom and the guest hostesses. Be sure to leave a comment so that I can follow you back.
2. Follow one other blog.
3. Link up your blog for all of us to love.
4. Make an attempt to check out at least two new blogs. Don't know where to start? How about the two blogs above you? If you love the blog, become a follower and leave them a comment letting them know.

So link up! You don't have to post about the hop...but you know how we ladies work, the more the merrier. We would love it if you would help us spread the word and help Welcome Wednesday grow! One of you could be next week's spotlight guest hostess!

You're a mom but do you "own" it?

A recent video of parents “rapping” about their household has been circling Facebook. The message is simple: Kids radically change your life and you should own it.

I’m sure I have talked plenty about all the changes kids bring, but the “owning” it part is new. With a two-and-a-half-year-old and a six-week-old, I am finally getting ahold of this concept.

I don’t stay out late anymore. I always have wet wipes in my purse. I have replaced designer duds for those that wash easily. Unfortunately, I spent a good part of my first child’s infancy struggling to maintain part of my old life. And I missed out on enjoying my new one.

There is so much that goes into parenting that it is easy to wish for the simpler life you had before. When there was nothing to worry about but you and your significant other. The hubby and I still reminisce about those days, but we have realized that — although more complicated — our lives are so much fuller now.

Crumbs, endless laundry, and pajama time at 9 p.m. works perfectly for me. Getting dressed up means I have to put make-up on. Nights out are still fun, and as I said last week, much needed. But things have changed from frequent nights on the town to family time at home. My recent adult-only nights out have shown me one thing, the only thing I am missing out on are my kids.

I am a mom of two. And like I used to with my designer jeans, I am going to own it — in style.

Check out the video that inspired this post. Hilarious.