Live Life List

From the time I was a child until I became pregnant, I had always been a dreamer and an ambitious risk taker. Once I became pregnant, the priority was to stay healthy. Since peanut arrived, it has been about smothering peanut with love. But, something struck me the other day; I don't have to choose between goals and dreams and raising Truman. I can, and am now excited to do both. I have never been one to quite understand the concept of balance, but I am up for the challenge.

So...I came up with a Live Life List, not a "bucket list." My Live Life List (3L List) is about balancing aspirations and motherhood to be the best person and mama I can be for peanut, my family, and myself.

Here are a few things on my page and a half list:

Organize a group charitable act

Participate in a triathlon

 

Be able to order an entire meal in Italian

Sell my jewelry line at a huge festival

 



Take a cooking class

Host Thanksgiving or Christmas Donner

Rediscovered In My Closet

As you know from earlier posts, I am refreshing my style, my new mama style. I discovered this amazing silky animal print camisole in my closet with the tag still attached two to three years later. It seems to good to be true, it still fits and it's right in align with my redefined look. Score!

And, I wasted no time, I wore it on a sushi date with peanut and papa. I paired it with gray jeans, silver gladiator sandals, turquoise chandelier earrings, and a black 3/4 sleeve ruched jacket.

Forever 21 camisole $15.99

Antique Hooked

After our wedding, my husband and I explored different antique shops and flea markets in the area we got married, Galena, IL. At one of our stops, I came across two really rustic looking wall hooks. I scooped them up for a few bucks, and unfortunately for almost two years the hooks have been collecting dust in a drawer. I am a huge antique, vintage junkie and have felt guilty for not putting them to good use.

Along came peanut, and I finally found a way to use them. The hooks add the perfect touch to peanut's diaper holder. My only problem, is that now I want more of them, and I've actually discovered other ways to use them. I will have to keep my eyes out for more hooks with a similar aesthetic.

Mama's Tea Party in the 13th Hour

Two things inspired mama's tea party. One is London exposure, two is a lady who got tattooed on L.A Ink by Kat Von D.

Every time I've fed peanut the last couple weeks, I have been simultaneously watching the Olympics in London. All the London exposure inspired the Today show to do a piece on tea parties in London. After seeing the piece, I knew I had to whip out one of my three  tea sets.

Netflix reruns of L.A Ink have also been a guilty pleasure while feeding peanut. One episode had a woman who was getting an old pocket watch tattoo with the 13th hour reflected on it. She spoke of how her and many of us wait until when  "the time comes or is right", the 13th hour,  before we live life. She referenced that she was no longer going to put off using her good china, because the clock strikes the 13th hour NOW!

So I climbed on a ladder, washed my pink floral china tea cups and plates, invited my sister over, and had mama's tea party in the 13th hour! We had cucumber spread on toasted triangles, cantaloupe, green tea, and exotic caramels. The food was fresh, the company was amazing, and the 13th hour was celebrated!

Decorated With A Lullaby

I'm too old to audition for American Idol and dogs howl when I attempt karaoke. Regardless of pitch and tone, I sang peanut a lullaby everyday during my pregnancy. Thank goodness for peanut that for many of the months his ears and hearing were not developed.

I came up with a simple lullaby. The lullaby includes his family: God, mama, papa, aunts, grandmas, and grandpas. Peanut's papa sings the lullaby every now and then to calm him when he cries. The last time I heard my husband sing to Truman, I decided I wanted to come up with a way to forever remember the lullaby.

I typed the lullaby out in Word on premium paper, and then I placed it in a decorative frame.

Pushing a Stroller in Heels

I spent my entire pregnancy in flat shoes, not cute shoes, flat boring shoes. To be specific and honest, black Reebok flip flops.
We have a stroller. I have killer new cobalt platform ankle strap heels. Put them together and I'll be one outrageous and hot mama!

There's nothing stopping me from pushing a stroller in heels, except maybe a minor detail, my six week recovery. Hosh posh I say, that leaves three more weeks to prepare for my debut, I mean prepare to walk a straight line in them.



Shoes: Charming Charlie

I'm planning on wearing them with grey jeans and a teal silk top, with vintage gold earrings.

Schedule for Sanity and Structure

It is an interesting feat to balance motherhood sanity and motherhood responsibilities. There are twenty-four hours in the day, and many of the hours are spoken for by our adorable little peanut. Mainly, it's hard to not just stare at peanut for twenty-four hours cooing over how much I'm in love.
For some perspective, at least eight to nine breast feeds make up at least five hours of the twenty-four hours. Then, add the burping and the diaper changing after the feeds, and that is another hour and half subtracted from the top of the day. Then, subtract four hours of sleep, and there is thirteen hours loosely unaccounted for.

In addition, I planned out specific ways to spend the time in between each feed.

After 1st feed: (early a.m.) Sleep
After 2nd feed: (early a.m) Sleep
After 3rd feed: Clean one-two rooms in the house
After 4th feed: (based on planner above) Mama time!
After 5th feed: Relax with magazine, book, or Olympics
After 6th feed: Baby time!
After 7th feed: Family time!
After 8th feed: Attempt to convince peanut to close his eyes

New Perspective on Birthdays

The last twenty-four hours motherhood has spun a new perspective on birthdays. I've become determined to gather the birthdays of all our family and friends. I decided as a new mama, I need to have an organized list of birthdays to honor. My list is almost finished in Excel, and I excitedly feel like a more family-oriented mama already. (twinkle in the eye and proud smile)
I have two "cool cards" boxes, that are filled with expensive looking Papyrus-esque cards for all different types of occasions. I got one box as a gift and the other was purchased at Costco for $20. Think about it, you pay $3-$5 for a nice birthday card, and these boxes come with at least twenty different cards.

New perspective from motherhood: use the "cool cards" boxes, utilize the birthday list, and honor birthdays! I think peanut would be proud. I'll ask him when he wakes.

Hitting the Refresh Button on Mama's Wardrobe

To say my pregnancy style was lacking, is unfortunately an understatement. Before that pee stick changed our lives, my sense of style was thriving. After my belly started to show, style wasn't just about comfort, it was non-existent. Friends and family might have raised an inner eyebrow time to time on my pregnancy wardrobe choices, but no one was willing to risk the emotional backlash of a hormonal, sensitive pregnant waddler.

Now that peanut is out, this new mama is ready to hit the fashion refresh button!

Style refreshers:

1. No more skulls on any apparel or accessories

2, Revisiting my vintage blouse obsession

My main obsession is adding to my vintage blouse collection, so when I came across Lalamagic's website, I cooed over the peter pan collars and the retro cuts. I love the thrill of the hunt, so I only buy my vintage or vintage-inspired blouses from real vintage shops or secondhand stores, but Lalamagic is tempting and inspiring.

http://www.lalamagic.com/collections/blouses-tops




3. Consistency with silk, lace, more feminine flowy fabrics

4. Jewelry shall be dainty or chunky statement pieces (nothing in between)

5. Shoes are sophisticated opposed to sexy (no stilettos, fewer flats)

The Nesting Saga Continues : Labels

Like many moms-to-be and new moms, I did my fair share of obsessive nesting, I woke up early to nest and stayed up late, all to prepare for the little kicking peanut in my belly.

Now that peanut has arrived, I haven't been able to break the habit. Oh well, there are worse ways to spend my time, such as eating decadent dark chocolates, watching teen drama on Gossip Girl, and  reading senseless celebrity gossip magazines.

Upon Truman's arrival, labels on everything became a MUST! I whipped out my craft box, and created a simple way to stay organized and help the family baby-sitters navigate the territory.

All you need is: scrapbook paper, glue dots, decorative scissors, and a computer for lettering.

Label baskets and bins with a touch of style

My decorative craft boxes are filled with crafty goodness!

The Journey Begins!

Welcome! Today is mama and peanut's first day ALONE together! (insert serious music)

Truman Everett, the peanut of Mama and Peanut, is oblivious to the big day, but I on the other hand am quite aware. (sighing with a smile)

Papa's vacation is over and the new journey begins! How will papa survive an early day at the gym, a full day at work, THEN fatherhood? I'll let you know tomorrow. How will mama face the hiccups, lack of sleep, and breast feeding? To be determined, but already my mind is racing with tons of ambitious thoughts and crafty ideas.

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