a toddlers intro to watercolor paints

I decided it might be nice to make easter cards for our friends and family. I'm no artist but I thought it might be fun to introduce Charlie to watercolor paints. It's always interesting teaching a toddler to do something. I found that it's best to keep them in their diaper for activities like these. Charlie had a mess of a good time. It was wonderful watching his little watercolor egg masterpieces come to life. I think we'll have to add painting into our weekly activities.

13/52

creating easter cards with watercolor paints

*a picture of Charlie every week for a year 

wednesday wants

Wear: 

Reese Scarf
(oh, the outfits I could make with this)

Need:

doTERRA essential oils
(perfect for aromatherapy and adding pretty scents to my homemade household cleaners)

Read:

Jackson Pollock a biography

Want:

yogitoes skidless yoga towel
(i need a yoga towel and the print is perfect!) 

she's crafty: getting "eggy" with it

This past weekend I hosted my annual egg decorating party. When you're the hostess it's kinda hard to get your craft/art on because you're so busy making sure everyone else has everything they need. Here are some snap shots from the night. I was able to get my egg decorating on earlier this week with one of my friends who was unable to make it. I love seeing what ideas my friends come up with. Everyone's is so creative and unique!

I don't like cadbury eggs but I made sure to have some on hand for everyone else.

my decorated eggs

a weekend in pictures

This past weekend I tried my hardest to catch up on much needed sleep. I even got some artsy fartsy alone time in with a wonderful soundtrack and hosted my annual egg decorating party. I also fit in good quality time with friends. In the world of jobs, kids, boyfriends and husbands it's easy to put friendships on the back burner. It's important to keep those relationships alive and kicking. Relationships can come and go and even if they stay - you need your friends and to step out of the relationship box. Charlie even got major park time in where he was able to explore and had some new and old favorite people to give him constant attention. I even got spoiled with a much needed relaxing mani and pedi (yes!). Here's to hoping this week is healthier and a lot more sleep is involved :)

We can from snuggling to me becoming his chair in minutes. 

this kid had the time of his life 

morning portraits

saturday morning bed head 

Yesterday morning I woke up from no sleep (again) and stared at the ceiling and I was still groggy from those darn sleeping pills I bought at 3am that didn't work. I was stressed about high my blood pressure is (hasn't been that high since January 2011 and there was a reason why at that time), worried about life and Charlie, and I felt nauseated (which I have felt every single day since I first got pregnant). Then out of the corner my eye I started to watch the sunlight trickle through my blinds and into my dark bedroom. It brought a smile to my face and made me think how beautiful mornings are. 

There's something amazing about mornings. Forget about how you may or may not look when you wake up, forget about how your hair is not perfect, how nasty your breath smells, how much or little sleep you got or that lengthy to do list you already started to plan in your head. Think about how lucky you are that you got another day of life. That it's a clean slate to start over if the day was crappy before, etc. One of my favorite morning habits used to be snuggling up to the one I love and sometimes kiss their faces till they woke up. I could've cared less how bad their breath smelled but seeing them in the morning started off my day on the right foot. I loved seeing their messy bed head, scruffy cheeks and the pillow indents on their face. They looked so real and beautiful to me in those moments. I can't wait to do it to Charlie when he gets a little older. 

On my personal IG (which is home to a redic amount of photos of my son mostly for close friends and family since I got rid of my facebook) I decided to start a morning portrait series to capture those "raw" moments in the morning. Charlie wasn't around so I captured myself "in the raw" right when I woke up. Bed head, morning breath, exhausted eyes, no makeup, etc. I may transfer the series over to my picklesandchapstick IG account. Here are some of the photos I took. 

     

rested legs 

Sunday Morning

the way we get by

image

The moment I found out I was first pregnant was a very weird time in my life. I was planning to call it quits in LA and move. It brought back someone in my life who I was ready to let go of because it just wasn't what I wanted and I knew I deserved more. I don't like admitting that but it's the truth and if there's anything I learned in the past two in a half years it's that you have to be honest with everyone involved in your situation.The past two in a half years have been a wild and weird ride. It's had it's amazing passionate moments, it's rock bottom moments and beautiful Charlie. While all of this was going on I started to care too much what another person thought. I lost "me". How did I ever let that happen? I believed a lot of negative stuff that I was "fed" manifest in me and I made bad choices. I no longer was putting the two most important people forward. All that should've ever mattered was Charlie and I. When I lose sight of that is when you make wrong choices. Above anyone else your child's needs to be the main focus. What's healthiest for them - not you.   

As a parent you have to set a series of healthy examples for your child. Owning up to your actions, words and choices is one of them. In the past I'd let a situation like this eat at me but not anymore. This may work on someone who has been led to believe differently or doesn't know any better but it will no longer work on me. Even after all the crud - I don't carry an ounce of hate. I just know better who to get involved with and not get involved with in a situation like this in the future and it's been a learning experience. That's the beauty of life - it's a learning experience. At any given moment you're allowed to start over. Even if it's scary being alone doing so. It's better than being with the wrong person who you may have thought was the right one. I want to set an example for my son of what's okay and what's not. I want him to know that he should never settle for anyone or anything that he doesn't deserve. I know Charlie needs a healthy and peaceful environment and that what's I'm dedicated to. He's so young. There's so much he doesn't understands but yet so much he does. As a parent you always under estimate how much your child understands. I will do everything I can on my part to shield him from drama and the hurt. I've gotten the mama bear mentality of hurt me all you want but god help you if you harm my child in any way shape or form.      

I've been really happy with just Charlie and I. We take little trips together sometimes alone and sometimes with our favorite people. We sometimes have dinner alone and sometimes we have dinner parties. We take walks, go on hikes, explore, have dance parties and read lots and lots of books. I never in a million years ever wanted to be a single mother but here I am. I don't get sick days. I no longer know what it's like to sleep in. I don't have another person to help out out when he's sick and has gone through every sheet and blanket in the house and we're stuck at a laundromat at 3am doing laundry. My friends are true rock stars and have been so helpful. The ones who are always a phone call or text away, the ones who invite us over to eat so I'm able to sit for a moment and enjoy a meal, the ones who bring extra blankets or medicine at 1:30am, the ones who are a shoulder to cry on and the ones who are constant reminders of what I deserve and what I don't, etc. One day Charlie and I will have those extra set of hands to help us out at 3am or do a medicine run at 1:30am but for right now we're doing just fine the two of us and we'll keep truckin' cause that's what we do well. Here's to continuing the positive changes I'm making in our little lives :)      

 

oh, the places and spaces you will go: Autry National Center

Since I moved to California I have always wanted to go to the Autry National Center. Since the Autry National Center is right across the street from the LA Zoo I decided it was the perfect time to visit. When we entered the museum we were greeted with wonderful A/C. Charlie was over his flamingo incident and patiently sat in his stroller. We admired the artwork and sculptures together. I was hesitant at first because I was concerned that he'd throw a fit or get bored but that wasn't the case. He really enjoyed himself. I had a lovely afternoon with my little love and I think we'll have to pay LACMA a visit before we leave :)

more after the jump »

oh, the places and spaces you will go: LA Zoo

I took Charlie to the zoo when he was seven months old and he wasn't a fan of it. I decided that he may enjoy the animals now. That wasn't the case. He enjoyed seeing the monkeys but could've cared less about everything else. Oh, he also hates flamingos and the people who stare at the flamingos. He started batting at them when we saw them and then proceeded to hit two children who were staring at them for no reason. I took care of the situation but I've never seen such a violent reaction to flamingos!!

Hello, Mr. Alligator 

This bear was a little too close for comfort but still very cute. 

Tiger Paw. Rachel Paw. 

They were talking to us. Charlie tried talking back. 

This guy was deep in thought

this giraffe was anti-social. rude. 

Mama didn't put those socks on him this morning. 

He wanted to help push the stroller. He pushed it all the way to the koalas (our favorite). 

Moments before his flamingo attack

It was nice to see Natalie Portman at the zoo.
(black swans. natalie portman. get it? hahaha okay maybe not)