Here’s some stuff I’m absolutely loving right now:
1. WALKS. I love walks. We went for a walk today and I feel SO GOOD. Meli slept pretty much the whole walk, which kind of sucks because she woke up as soon as we got home so I didn’t get to work or anything, but still the walking and being outside felt so good! I had a nice chat with Margene (because I also LOVE my bluetooth headpiece) and got to walk pretty fast and even though it was a tad cold and a bit windy it was GREAT. SPRING IS COMING!
2. Music Choice Party Favorites. I love this music channel. I’ve taken to putting on the music channel on the tv while Meli and I play (or Meli plays and I get five minutes here and there to, say, blog.) It’s always songs I know and they’re usually upbeat (it’s the PARTY channel) and there’s a great diversification. For instance, in the past half hour we’ve heard The Brothers Johnson, KISS, Right Said Fred, Blondie, The Beach Boys and Gloria Gaynor. Nice mix, no? And when a really good song comes on I scoop up DJ MeliMel and we dance dance dance! The best though is when she’s playing by herself and all of a sudden a new song comes on and she starts bopping her head and shaking her little tush and she’s just so cute!
3. Pyrex Glass Storage Containers. One day I was in the supermarket and passed these storage containers. On a whim I bought a bunch of them in all different sizes. I’m so tired of using plastic storage containers and having them get gross after you put one leftover spaghetti dinner in them and with all the news these days about how bad plastics are I thought this might be a really nice alternative. I love them for heating up stuff for the baby. They’re glass. I don’t have to worry! And they get clean. Really clean. No matter what you put in them.
4. Corolle Dolls. For the holidays, Meli received two dolls. Both Corolle. One Babipouce, and one Sorbet Melodie. While the Babipouce is very nice and we’ve been playing with it a lot more lately (she has a plastic face and Meli likes to point to her nose and mouth and smells like vanilla), I just adore the Sorbet Melodie doll. It’s so soft and so well made and it comes in this great box and it’s colorful and bright and really I can’t say enough good things about this doll. In fact, I love it so much I bought the other Melodie doll – Pink Melodie. I resisted it at first because I thought Sorbet Melodie was less girlie and it assuaged my feminist guilt at buying my daughter a doll (and not, say, a dump truck) but I saw Pink Melodie in the store and thought it was so beautiful that I gave in. (Sorbet on the left, Pink on the right.)
The pictures do NOT do these dolls justice. They are perfectly floppy with limbs Meli can grab and go. Unfortunately, as much as I’d love it to be the case, my daughter is not a lovey type. So far anyway. I, on the other hand, still sleep with my blankie. Every night. I even found the same blanket I have and bought her a bunch but I haven’t been diligent about making her love them and honestly all she wants is the boob. But maybe one day she’ll love one of these dolls, and if not, I can love them. Which brings me to
5. Nursing. I’ve been loving nursing lately more than ever. Maybe because she’s getting so old so fast but when we nurse she’s still my baby. It’s so freaking easy now too, she practically nurses herself. Yes, it’s annoying sometimes to still wake up a bunch of times at night but I don’t care. I know that at some point it will all end and even if we both agree that it’s the right time, I will still be very very sad.
7. Sesame Street. Cliche, I know, but there’s this one episode I taped off of On Demand and it’s something like Sesame Street Sing-a-long episode and every skit is a song. Meli LOVES it. Loves it! If I put it on when I need to chill for a minute she’ll dance along and squeal and we sing all the songs together. If she’s being particularly ornery or cranky and nothing I do will calm her down I can put it on and she’s quiet in seconds. Maybe not the best parenting, but whatever. It’s a miracle. Oh and add to this Thomas the Tank Engine. Specifically the episodes narrated by the late great George Carlin. Seriously. It’s like the most perfectly perfect thing ever. (Although, I just read that Ringo Starr narrated them at one point. I would love to hear those! We just watched A Hard Day’s Night the other day and Ringo might be my favorite Beatle. At least today.)
6. Knitting. Knitting. Knitting. And Monkey Socks. And Socks That Rock sock yarn. There will be much more coming on this but for now I think that says it all.
What are you loving these days? Share, please!
I am loving knitting these days as well. And cleaning out my stash. I lost my job in January, and haven’t secured a new one yet. I’ve committed to not buying any new yarn until my next paycheck. So far i’ve made a shawl, 2 pair of socks and a baby sweater. I didn’t realize I had so much yarn! And my favorite sock yarn is definitely Casbah by hand maiden. Soft soft SOFT socks!!!
Oh, gosh. I have a bunch of Thomas VHS tapes. You can have them if you want! I have a Sesame St. sing-along too. I love that tape (and was just discussing the Lady Bird Picnic song).
I LOVE those pyrex containers. I feel much better knowing that plastic isn’t leeching into our leftovers and attacking my husband’s reproductive abilities.
I’m also loving the Little House series, Season 3 of The Sopranos, and this recipe:http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/01/fig-and-walnut-biscotti/
I love (and am craving) warm weather, being with the people I love, crocheting socks (because I am jealous of knitters who knit them), and the wonderful tribute to Poe that I am reading.
* California weather… not to brag, but I suffer all the rest of the crap in SoCal because I’m so darn thankful for this weather. (It’s 72 and sunny out right this moment.)
* 3-ring binders and 3-ring hole-punches. I’m woefully behind on clutter and paperwork, and newly started filing in binders. I’m =loving= it.
* Little shelves sitting on big shelves. I just solved a clutter problem near my sewing machine last night, by adding a wooden “shoe rack” from IKEA to a large storage shelf. I can now neatly put away stacks of small things on the little shelves, in the big shelf space. 🙂
I love hearing from you when you’re on your walk!
I can tell you that I am NOT loving 19 month old temper tantrums that go on forever. Enjoy Meli now…
What I am loving is my Schacht Flip loom and learning how to weave. Not only is it fun to make the fabric but there’s something about learning something new in the middle of winter that is very rejuvenating, mentally.
I am also loving the batch of cookies I made John for Valentine’s Day — Double Chocolate Coconut Cookies from Martha’s Stewart’s “Cookies” book.
And my espresso machine… nothing like being my own barista and creating a nice warm drink to enjoy nap time with.
I’m loving knitting my Shetland Tea Shawl.
I love the pyrex too! I get them at an outlet mall not too far from me! You can get some great deals there (they may be mismatched-blue glass and a green lid…but hey they’re cheap!)
I love reading posts like this! I’m loving that one of my daughters (who is newly pregnant)and her husband is coming for a visit this weekend. I can hardly wait! I’m loving the spark of creativity that is finally starting to burn in me after a long dark period. So far, just a spark but I am hopeful something good will come from that.
I remember nursing my son when he was a year or so old, something would get us both started giggling and he would stay latched, but giggling up a storm. That memory is so precious to me.
I am loving my crock pot and my George Foreman G5 grill. Without these, we would not eat!
I am loving how you are integrating your awesome Mommyness into your Knitting blog. You rock.
I am loving the sunshine that is streaming in my window today. Still too cold for walks, but the sunshine can warm me right up.
I am loving that my 4 and 2 year old are playing together so the baby can sleep.
I am loving those dolls you posted — too cute!
I got a new book today – Sew Darn Cute by Jenny Ryan. I am loving it!!!
I am working on a secret birthday present for my hubby – he’ll be 30. I am loving what I am doing for him.
I am loving THE SUN! It’s been raining for over a week here, and finally, the warm sun came out today. I am so happy with it. And I am loving and thankful for my new job. And I too love glass food storage containers. They rock. Oh, speaking of storage containers – I am loving my new Montana Jars that I got on sale for 8 bucks each! (Stash storage!)
if lovin’ you is wrong I don’t want to be right.
You sound so HAPPY!!!!! Yeah!!!!
I too remember the days of having one child (I now have 3, on 13, 11, and 6) to this day if I hear Thomas the Tank theme music I remember the calm of the day, bread dough rising in our tiny kitchen and my little boy happily nursing through out the day…. aaaahhhh the happy simplicity of all…
Enjoy your days with Meli!!!! Spring is a coming!!!
When Richard was a wee one, Ringo was Mr. Conductor. He LOVED Thomas, and we have all the original zinc-cast engines.
When Richard was a wee one, Ringo was Mr. Conductor. He LOVED Thomas, and we have all the original zinc-cast engines.
i love love love reading about your days with your daughter. it reminds me of my first child (a girl) who will be celebrating her 21st in 3 weeks!!! thanks for sharing!!!
i love love love reading about your days with your daughter. it reminds me of my first child (a girl) who will be celebrating her 21st in 3 weeks!!! thanks for sharing!!!
I love Ringo Thomas episodes! And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with watching a little Sesame Street – it was the first TV I ever remembered watching! 🙂 I live for my daily (almost) walk. Thanks for the links for the pyrex and the dolls – they are adorable!
I would LOVE to have a little dancing baby. I can’t imagine how you wouldn’t smile with all that going on.
I’m loving throwing things away. We are moving which stinks. But the serious upside is getting rid of the crap I’ve held onto for too long. I took 8 trash bags of clothes to Goodwill this afternoon. Bye, bye stuff I can’t use! I hope you go to someone else who loves you!
I love baby snuggles – I just went up to visit my newest niece who is 4.5 months old and she took a nap on me all snuggled in – it was the best and I felt so calm
I am totally loving walks right now, too! (As are my “only super skinny day pants”)! Earlier this week, the super hard hill was only just hard! Woo!
I’m loving a square swallowtail I’m knitting in noro sock yarn. Lovely!
I am not loving a pair of mitts I’m knitting now. I love the pattern, I love the yarn.. apparently being sick is not conducive to this.
Nursing is an incredible experience, and one I’m very glad to have had.
As to Sesame Street, I still love it even though my kids outgrew it a long time ago. Sometimes I go to Sesame Street’s You Tube channel and watch some of the show’s musical performances by artists like Feist, Patti LaBelle, Diana Krall, Stevie Wonder, etc., because they’re just so much fun and the kids still enjoy those immensely. Honestly, i can’t tell who likes them more, though — me or them.
I love Party Favorites too! My one year old loves it as well. It is hilarious to watch him bop around.
I’m loving designing my own sock pattern, spending quality time with my family, the sunshine (even if we do have more snow), and nap time!
Oh, and I’m loving that H is actually cutting his teeth (instead of just teething for months on end with no actual teeth).
Also loving walks – they keep me sane. Spiced jelly beans because it’s apparently close enough to Easter that they’re available. Even though there’s still 7 weeks until then.
Also “Gavin and Stacey” from the BBC, I downloaded it from itunes and it’s just a fun, funny show.
I love you sharing your baby love so I can remember what it was like (18 and 16 years ago). My first words were: “Loves you, ya,ya,ya” and now my kids play Beatles on the piano and their own guitars. I had a crush on Ringo until I was 12.
you have to try and track down some Ringo Starr Tank engine episodes. He might be the exact British flipside to George Carlin’s deadpan, utterly non-ironic narration! for kids’ films! (i am a gigantic, gigantic geek.) and the old-school sesame street gets me every time. miss it so.
Maybe this link won’t work, but I just picked up this “Vulli Sophie the Giraffe Teether ” for my 5 month old and she LOVED it! She was laughing and chewing on it and having so much fun banging it and trying to get it to squeak. Maybe too young for Meli, but there are some other moms out there, I’m sure, that might like to know.
Vulli Sophie the Giraffe Teether
I’m lovin’ brekky in NYC with two fab ladies and a baby. XO I’m still thinking about how great that galette tasted!
i am loving that you are posting more often.
My mom gave me some of those pyrex with lids for Christmas this year — much nicer for reheating & washing, you’re exactly right.
Thanks for bringing back sweet memories — I (like Jennifer) have lots of Thomas on VHS — both the Ringo & Carlin eras 😉 I would tape them because they came on during nap time at our house. Now my Thomas kid is in college – Enjoy these little years.
An aside — you may also enjoy the older years — it’s just that you can never go back. So treasure each day.
We got a Corolle doll for Christmas too. I don’t understand why they scent them—given all the environmental allergies and scent free places these days, but I do like the scent.
Alex Baldwin also did the Thomas narration for awhile. We got to go to a “Day Out With Thomas” one year. I highly recommend it, if you can go to one in a nice area 🙂 My kids were never into Sesame Street 🙁 but I love the music anyway.