oh california

Last December [yeah yeah, I'm just now posting the pictures. Don't hate.] Chris and I took a pre-baby-moon-vacation to San Francisco, California. It was an amazing trip.

There were SO many photos to choose from, but here are a few of my favorites.

Fun rental:

sun kissed self portraits

Beautiful scenery

hot tubs

the breathtaking SF

the highway 1 coastline

admiring great views

sweet and fattening breakfasts on the deck

sunsets

babymoooon

gorgeous redwood trees

fires

lovers

twin peaks

coast

pebbles

more trees

our rental house

beach wandering

snuggling

touristy things

incredible crepes

the golden gate in her glory

the whole reason we took this trip:

the belly

shameless plug

Not to toot my own horn here....but *toot* *toot* !

I am married to one smart, talented & swooningly handsome man. Chris started a side business creating beautiful, one of a kind light fixtures and I am here to brag on him.

Recently a friend and gallery owner of HMAC approached him about making 12 lights for his theater. We are excited about gaining exposure in our city's art scene!

Check out his etsy shop! And, please, remember to support your local artisans.

the many names of Rue

muffin.

chicken.

lovie.

bird.

turtle.

burrito.

dove.

bean.

monkey.

honey.

kangaroo.

sweetie.

bunny.

stinky.

boo boo.

joo joo.

rue rue.

ruekins.

ruester.

ruebean.

little mister.

muffalatta.

bean pole.

smunchie.

king rue.

just some of the names I've called him, so far.

EDIT: My husband calls him Broheim & Sleep Stealer.

My mom calls him Mr. Moo-moo.

8 weeks at Easter

This Easter I was flooded with memories of being a little girl full of excitement Sunday morning. Waking up with anticipation of the hunt for chocolates and plastic eggs that my mom hid around the house was the best! Someday, I will do the same for my little bird. The sweet part?

I will be just as excited to watch him on the hunt as he will...

happy first Easter & 8 weeks my little buttercup!

xo, mama

A is for Asian & Adorable

I can't wait to see Rue's cute butt crawling around in these adorable japanese leggings:

Dobutsu leggings available here!

6 weeks

happy belated 6 weeks my little angel...

Confessions of a New Mom

I'm debuting a new series!

'Confessions of a New Mom' has been rolling around in my head for the past 7 weeks, and what a humbling 7 weeks they have been. I want the series to be a very honest look at being a new mom, full of wonders, questions, concerns, tears & laughs.

Cheers to Motherhood!

1. So, you spend 9 months incubating a human. They stretch your body out to extremes you didn't know possible. You visit every public bathroom in your city because they love to use your bladder as a pillow. You plan, prepare, nest, spend money, and bother folding all the little itty bitty clothes and stack them neatly in their dresser. Then D-Day comes. You labor. Long and Hard. Hours or days later, somehow...you squeeze a melon out a hole the size of a lemon drop.

Your baby is hoisted up onto your chest, and instantly you're in flutterby-twitterpated-love. But, instead of going to a day spa to rest, heal and an recuperate, full with all you can drink cocktails, you have to care for a newborn. A pooping, crying, newborn. You waddle like you rode a bucking bronco for a few days and your derrière is 'out of order'. Your girl bits? Well, let's just hope your husband doesn't scream like a little girl when he sees 'it' for the first time?

OH THE JOYS NO ONE TOLD ME ABOUT.

2. I cried as much as he did the first three weeks.

3. household chores and laundry hava taken a back seat since Rue arrived. Between the constant feeding, holding, feeding, nuzzling, feeding, changing, feeding, burping... [did I mention FEEDING??] it's considered a 'productive day' if I've showered, brushed my teeth and am wearing mascara.

4. Ruehl is exploring his vocal chords, and nothing thrills my heart more than to hear him cooing, and gurgling. He also gave us his first smile at 6 weeks. Best moment ever.

5. It's very difficult to type one handed.

6. I'm an open bar, and my son is a milk-a-holic. No. Seriously. Feeding every 1.5-2 hours, at 40-50 minutes per feed....I'm basically one big PERMA BOOB.

7. Parenthood is more incredible, beautiful and awesome than I could've dreamed. It's also more humbling and challenging than I expected. I guess it's just one of those things that no one can explain. You just have to experience it for yourself.