2.16.2014

Winter (and a toddler)



<< I started this post in January, and though we are in February now, I thought, "Hey, it's still winter!" Also these are good ideas/blogs to read, though Talia is not sick anymore.  >>

This is my first January with a toddler and I keep rubbing my eyes and asking myself if this is really happening. Since we can't go outside much, most of the time, I lay on the floor and Talia runs around tearing things down and stepping on my head.

I am so glad Talia has awesome playmates and there are such things as indoor playgrounds. Seriously saved my sanity.

Until she got sick this week. So now I have been social networking with a purpose, and guess what? Other people have survived this!

Love Taza 


photo by lovetaza

Naomi Davis. For those of you who are not in love with her already, is a NYC lifestyle blogger. This post was actually inspired by her feelings on January. (What am I talking about; everything I do is inspired by her.) Then her next post was full of genius ideas on how to survive an indoor winter with littles. I seriously owe much of my hope as a mother to Naomi, who fills the world with her happiness of being a mommy. 


My Hull Heart

 

photo by cassie hull

Cassie and I are actually friends in real life. She has two adorable boys and she is a stay at home power house! She always looks fantastic and I feel like our mommy times are pretty similar. She is also super fun to be around. We recently got together at the City Creek playground and it was so fun watching the babes run around together (kind of; they're all pretty independent). I highly recommend that place; I mean, McDonalds is just right there! Anyways, here is a cute post about her indoor shenanigans: shaving cream cupcakes!


Rain or Shine

photo by Rain or Shine blog

I found Kira through instagram; she is a designer and a blogger who lives in Portland. Talia absolutely loves watching video's of Pearl, Kira's darling, hilarious little girl. I am pretty sure Talia has picked up some of Pearl's mannerisms. :) When I am too pooped and Talia is too grumpy, I know Pearl can always come to the rescue and cheer us both up. (She also has her own tumblr, which I love.)

Pinterest

photo by Mr. Printables.com


















As always, has delivered once again with pretttty cool ideas for indoor play.

 

Where do you guys turn when cabin fever is just too much?




 ^^This took place at the local mall, where Talia was offered some previously chewed gum that another innocent toddler found. Of course, she gladly took it before I arrived on the scene. Such are the risks of public play areas. 

2.11.2014

a pinterest discussion







































They say Pinterest is something that women spend hours on. True.
They say it makes them feel inadequate. Sometimes true.
They say it is a waste of time.
NOT TRUE.

Since joining the Pinterest site, my life has been unquestionably and irrevocably changed for the better:


1. It enabled me to hone my personal style.
    Prior to joining, I had taste (I think), but no education or exposure besides what I saw other people wearing in school or the magazines at the checkout counter. After having a baby, the postpartum depression came like a monster I didn't know about. I had to really think about what things actually  made me happy vs. what things should make me happy. I created a daily "look pretty" goal for myself to battle the grungy, exhausting, lonely haze of caring for a newborn. I cannot tell you how much hope I found in browsing through Pinterest and trying out fresh hairstyles, being able to shop with a purpose, and slowly rebuilding my identity. It helped me realize that though I was a mom now, I was still Evelyn. Evelyn-Mom.   


2. It advanced my artistic career.
    I recently wrote a paper on how Pinterest has become an essential tool for contemporary artists, male or female. It is a place where people have gathered all the great art in the world in a quick, easy access format. Its search engine is more refined, the images are generally high quality, and the storing capacity is endless. I have found new artists to love, and re-discovered old ones. I have found a community of artist consumers; people who care about what I and other painters, illustrators, and crafters do. I have found glorious inspiration for what I can create.



3. It helps me set goals for my home life.
Soon, I will be a full-time homemaker and I don't know two craps about what I am doing. But! Pinterest is the place where all the most brilliant moms/wives in the world have shared their experiences and genius ideas on how to not only survive the home, but make it a special, magical place. I look forward to implementing those ideas and changing our home and our lives to a happier, healthier, cleaner, more spiritual state.




4. Lastly, it makes me laugh. (very VERY important.)


Do you ever regret Pinterest browsing (besides, of course, when it takes over 4+ hours of your life in one sitting)? Or do you just love it?

(p.s. All these images are not mine. They can be found on my Pinterest page.)



2.08.2014

little baby talia


I know it's strange, but sometimes, it's hard to remember that Talia is still a baby.

Each day she gets taller, smarter, sassier. Most of the time, I have no idea how to react. I get so exasperated -- like when she is throwing food down on my head as I am trying clean the radius around the base of her high chair, or when she somehow finds all my feminine bathroom items and spreads them all over the living room, or when I find her chewing on one of my still-wet brushes --- it's those times I just stare at little Talia and wish that she had a "pause" button.

A few weeks ago, it was one of those days. Talia was reaching for me and I was all but running away from her when Jake looked up and said, " She's a little baby; she just needs to be held sometimes."

My interior mountain of anger and knives immediately dissipated. Of course. Talia will never be this small again. Her little feet pattering around the house; her round tummy, her curly little mullet. I scooped her up and hugged her tight. Every time I hold her now, I think about this season of "baby Talia".

This week, we had got her immunizations up to date. The day after, she woke up sobbing. I still haven't quite mastered the getting-up-before-the-kids gig, so it took me a minute to get to her. When I did pick her up, she collapsed on me and just cried. So even though my mom clock was telling me it was time to feed her breakfast, we sat on the couch for a while even after she was quiet.  For twenty minutes or so, I held my little girl and just thought about how special/rare this moment was and how love her so.

So thank you, immunization shots (though I still blame you for Talia's strict diet of peanut butter that day).


^ An instagram shot of that day ^