sonnet james x the little sprig

i have such exciting news! the little sprig has teamed up alongside sonnet james and we're over the moon about it! now, if you're sitting there in your chair thinking, who on earth is sonnet james? well friends, you are in for a real treat today. you know that "aha" moment when you fall in love with a product and you wonder how on earth you ever got by without it? uh huh. yep. that's about to happen, right here, right now. 

when the fabulous jen over at sonnet james told me sonnet james would love to work with me, i squirmed in my seat. and to think that was only the beginning! sonnet james has launched their spring 2015 line for pre-orders & all dresses will ship out next week, and i'm telling you this dress doesn't fall in the "want"  category, this is a need, must-have, can't live without, staple kind of piece. the splurge is minimal when you consider cost-per-use. so if you must know what all the hype is about, i'll share with you my experience. when i first slipped on my pricilla pink marni dress (which gives back to mothers in Uganda who suffer from birth injuries, just see here--warning: completely heart-wrenching), i took in the smell of its fresh fabric, and as the material clung to me in all the right places--i, in that moment, knew what a game-changer this would be. 

my motto since motherhood (or since my pants felt far too snug to button during pregnancy) has always been: i want to look mod & sophisticated, but i want to feel like i'm wearing pajamas, so much so that i've coined this desire into term (read on). is that so much to ask for?! apparently so, because until now, nothing, other than a solid pair of leggings, had me feeling like i could keep up with luca & actually exhale (all the way). the struggle was beginning to get real, people! until this sweet package was delivered to my doorstep, i was honestly debating with myself whether or not leggings were a plausible form of clothing to wear daily if i dressed them up enough. i was weeble-wobbling somewhere in between yes & absolutely, but there, in this dress, i had found my "sophistajamas!" sophisticated clothing fitted like your favorite pair of pjs. 

i understand, full-heartedly, the struggles of a mama trying to hold onto her identity, yet desperately wanting to be in something comfortable & durable. i've been that woman, and i'd find myself wondering, why is it so difficult for comfort and style to intersect?! that question must have been exactly what whitney, mama & founder of sonnet james, had in mind when she thought up this delightful little company. she found a void in the market & decided, not only to patch up the hole, but to do so with elegance & love. i was already planning on purchasing a few sonnet james dresses, and after working with the brand, i feel privileged to be representing and supporting such a smart mother & her company. i love the feeling of being feminine, free, and unrestricted to get right on the floor with my lulu, no stitches or threads holding me back. i'm wearing one of sonnet's more simplistic pieces, but with a bright pop of color, it's subtle yet eclectic. a playful mama doesn't have to be a boring mama, am i right?

 i'm just smitten over their spring line. it's beautiful, colorful, and well, spring-y! with the warm sun out keeping us company all week long, it makes me long for the near days of tulips & sticky popsicle hands. lord knows those sticky hands will find their way onto my dress like i'm a dishcloth. this might sound silly, but i'll be lu's napkin anytime, if only i could keep those tiny dimpled hands little forever...

i want to give a huge thank you & congratulations to whitney, jen, and the whole crew over at sonnet james. thank you for allowing my family and i to be a small part of your beautiful story. here's to a successful spring line & more success than you could ever wish for in the future!

happy monday & happy shopping! 

comforably playful,

this post is brought to you c/o sonnet james. all words, thoughts, and opinions, are my own.

TODDLER TALK // LU LATELY

i haven't done a recent luca stat post in some time & i just have to share with you some of the funny things that have been coming out of this little man's mouth lately. it's so astonishing to me what a world of difference six short months make for. i dropped lu off at the gym's childcare the other day & as i was signing him in i spotted the cutest little boy wobbling around trying to steady his sea legs. he must have been about one year old. he was so squishy and itty bitty. i couldn't help but reminisce to the days when L was that small. little L looks nothing like a baby anymore, and with a heavy heart i confess we have officially entered the toddler phase. please hold for a moment as i grab myself a tissue to wipe my tears. motherhood is so so bittersweet.

i've collected myself, ok deep breath, back to the point...

lu and all his new unique little mannerisms rule the roost over here. if it's ok with you, i thought i would compile a list of some of our best moments lately. i'll try to keep it short and sweet, but this is a mom talking about her child, so i'm not making any promises.

the latest stats of luca lennox wood:
age: 19 months
height: in the 97th percentile, at 37 inches (aka 3'1")
weight: in the 97th percentile, at 29 lbs
favorite toy: bouncy balls and cars/trains
favorite book: "little blue truck leads the way" by Alice Schertle
favorite shows: mickey mouse clubhouse, tickety tock, jake & the neverland pirates, and zou
favorite movies: the grinch (original cartoon), any of the "wee sing" collection, but his favorites are the marvelous musical mansion, the big rock candy mountains, and wee sing together. these are older films from when i was a kid, but i assure you they stand the test of time. if your little loves music & loves to dance, i highly recommend them. and bonus, they are embedded with tons of good lessons for your baby with themes like sharing, friendship, and kindness!
favorite activity: dancing
favorite food: cheese (this is a wood family thing)
favorite songs: the itsy bitsy spider, "hot dog" from mickey mouse clubhouse and "snuggle puppy" by eric stoltz
favorite word: more! or "mo!!!!!" with mouth in the shape of an "o"
favorite ipad app (yep, went there): Peekaboo Barn (i'll do a post on our favorite apps soon)

the many quirks and peculiarities of mr. luca lennox:

we have a mini decision maker in the house, although miles and i often question the democracy over here.
the inevitable "no" has made its way into lu's vocabulary...
me: "lu, do you want to eat dinner?"
luca: "NO!"
me: "do you need a diaper change?"
luca: "NO!"
me: "want to read this book?"
luca: "NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!"
sometimes theres an "uhhhh...(long pause)....no!" which makes me feel slightly better knowing that at least he gave it some thought, right?

we also know "yes," although this word is used more sparingly.
me: want to watch mickey mouse clubhouse?
luca: "yaaaaaa!"
me: "want some snacks?"
luca: "yaaaaaa!"
me: "want to go to granny's house?"
luca: "ya ya ya yaaaaa!"
are you seeing the trend of what he answers yes to?

i always swore i wouldn't be a mother to bargain with her children. well, this mama recants. it's a continuous barter system over here at casa de wood. when lu becomes upset because of a diaper change or whatever, i'll say, "bath time?!" to which L  screams "baaaaa!" (bath!)  in approval as he starts shedding clothes and running to the tub. & when he's livid about bath time coming to an end, i'll come in with "how about we read "little blue truck!" & just like that, the pout concludes.

lu can now count up to four, although his favorite number is "theee!"

while watching one of his favorite shows, 'jake and the neverland pirates,' lu sings along with the theme song (the best to his ability). you'll hear him humming along and nodding his head with approval, and then he'll chime in right at the end. the end of the song sings, "jake and the neverland pirates and me!" he'll bounce around with anticipation, and then finally he'll hop in & scream at the top of his lungs, "and meeeeeeeeeee!" and of course he knows the pirate password, do you? well i'll let you in on a little secret it's, "yo ho ho!"

lu's favorite thing in the world is skateboarding. he loves watching skateboarding, any apparel with skateboards on it, going to the skatepark with "daaa," i could go on and on. but the cutest thing is how he says skateboard.  "duboard."

while holding lu in my arms he'll point to me "mama" and then point to himself "bee bee." and then he'll come in with puckered lips for a big smooch. my heart melts away and everything is right in the world.

lu is really into mickey "mouuuu," not mouse. and he loves his mickey stuffed doll. he tucks him into bed, he tosses him in the air like we do to him.  he hugs him and loves on him, and since lu was never into stuffed animals before, this is the cutest thing i've ever seen. when i think about having another baby in the future, this just confirms to my heart how great of a big brother lu will be.

manners are a must & thankfully luca is polite as can be, always asking for things with a "peas" and upon his receiving, he'll sign thank you (which looks like he's blowing you a kiss) and he'll hum the sound of thank you in a "hmm hm."

miles taught lu to say "peace!" with the coordinating peace sign. it's so freakin' adorable, i cannot stand it. luca will throw up two fingers into peace and with squinted eyes and a smile overtaking his face, he'll utter "peeeeaaaaaas!" not to be confused with "please" aka "peas."

lu knows every animal sound in the book, and loves to yell "wuff wuff" at any dog we see, but miles and i agree that our favorite is his imitation of a kitty cat which is a squeal in some form of meow. i'll upload a video soon, so we can share in this hilariousness.

this is where i'll end (for now) because, like any other mother, i could go on & on. i'll share more soon, but hope you enjoyed a small snapshot of lu lately.

FRIDAY FAVORITES

hooray, hooray! it's finally friday! 

"you're off to great places. today is your day! your mountain is waiting...so get on your way!" 

- dr. seuss

i thought it was more than appropriate to end the birthday week of dr. seuss with a quote from one of his beloved books. he was such a wonderful writer who wrote so many wonderful things, and "oh, the places you'll go," like many, is one of my absolute favorite books of his. luca and i have been reading "hand, hand, fingers, thumb" nightly, and i love discovering some of the less popular books of seuss (if there exist such a thing). i never read "hand, hand..." as a kid, and in essence it's a short, sweet book with fun rhymes, lots of onomatopoeias, and adorable, crazy monkeys! lu recently learned what the monkey says, so he loves watching the monkeys drumming along singing "dum ditty, dum ditty, dum dum dum!" do you have any book recommendations for little ones? we've mainly been sticking to board books because, well, you know what toddlers are capable of doing to to paper pages...although, luca loves the paperback, "tap the magic tree," and we don't have any rips or tears as of yet, just a couple of cheese snack finger stains. 

with easter just around the corner, i've been searching for some fun crafts L and i can do together and i've fallen in love with this easter bunny & chick fingerpaint craft from the chickabug blog. i also cannot wait to try this coconut cupcake recipe with rave reviews from ina garten. ina always has good eats, so i doubt these will disappoint. 

photo from food network.com

my heart goes out to those in colder weather. i seem to always be reading about how gloomy and blue-ridden all my east coast friends and family are feeling. groundhog day usually doesn't mean much to us here in southern california, but i know when the groundhog predicted a longer winter, he wasn't greeted with excitement to put it nicely. we, here in california, were probably the only ones who jumped for joy. it's been beautiful over here, not too hot, not too cold, just right, but we've been desperate for rain. we did get some long overdue rainfall recently, and everyone was giddy with excitement. i'm hoping april will bring us her notorious showers because the drought is becoming a huge issue, and we need water! we, in the wood home, are trying to be as mindful as we can with our water usage, although many california residents aren't taking it seriously, which is posing a huge problem. in this instance, ignorance is not bliss, and i found the funniest article about the new law enforcement tactic of "water school." it's the equivalent of traffic school, but it teaches those in violation how to conserve water. so hysterically smart! i give law enforcement a high-five on this one. 

here are some of the things we've been doing as a family to conserve water in our home, maybe this will help you or a neighbor too: we're watering our grass only at night & in the early morning, taking shorter showers, turning off the water while we wash our hair, bathing lu every other day--and sponge bathing him in between if needed, planting more drought resistant plants (such as succulents), not allowing the water to run while brushing teeth or washing dishes, and were contemplating installing an instant water heater. what types of things are you doing to conserve our water? 

and speaking of water, i'm loving this new trend of infusing your water with fruit! miles calls it "spa water" haha. it does feel like you are at a spa especially if you put it in a fancy glass, and garnish the rim. get fancy at home, because why not?! you deserve it! the honest company has a great article about infusing water & they provide a handful of fun recipes to try! check it out, you may just find something you'll love and therefore end up drinking more water, double win! 

photo via honest blog

wishing you all a fun-filled, water mindful weekend!

peace, love & big hugs,

WAY TO GO CHELS, WAY TO GO.

i ask that you give me a nice slow clap once i finish sketching out, for you, the following story. why, you may be wondering? well, let me tell ya. if you were suffering from the typical monday blues, i assure you this will make you feel a little bit better. ok, it's 6:00 am and i finally decide i'll get out of bed. this is fifteen minutes past the usual time i rise, so take into account i'm feeling extra tired. i brush my teeth, i brush my hair, i put a light coat of foundation on. i've decided it's a mascara only type of day, so i totally surpass all eyeshadow. i reach for my eyelash curler and curl my right eyelashes. I go to curl my left side and as i'm holding my clamp, my hand totally slips and suddenly my curler isn't attached to my eyelashes any longer. and my eyelashes are no longer attached to my face. yep, you read it right, i tiredly ripped off half of my beautiful, long, lush eyelashes. that's right, slow clap it out. the funny thing is i didn't react like i thought i would. normally, i would have cried my poor bald eye out. i didn't shed a tear. i just kind of stared in the mirror for a good chunk of time thinking to myself "oh my lord." i then proceeded to see if i still had the pair of fake lashes i used on my wedding day two years ago (can you tell i was tired?). i then googled "do eyelashes grow back?" from what i read, i think i'll be ok. after that mini heart attack passed, i took my brown liner and quickly filled in the hairless gap. i for certain styled my bangs today, and also thanked my lucky stars i currently have bangs. i hope this little ridiculous story of mine adds some light and laughter to your monday! it's definitely safe to say i will be purchasing a pair of fake lashes. so, if you are wondering in my future photos why i've taken on a new habit of wearing falsies, please pardon me and my poor lashes. also spare me if you are some false lash expert, my experience is totally lacking. here's to a fast-paced work week and an even faster, fuller, longer, and thicker paced eyelash growing session.

think of me next time you're applying mascara, maybe even double-coat because you can,

until next time,

Easy like sunday morning.

 ah...more than midway through february. i'm not going to even ask where it went. is there some magical time curse that occurs to you once you give birth? when your pregnant, or at least when i was pregnant, it felt like time would just stop. i know must people count down weeks, but i used to literally count down the days of the weeks, one by one, until i were one week further along. i couldn't wait for my pregnancy to end. it felt like an entire lifetime bottled up into nine months. then in the blink of an eye, in the brief moments between one big breath & one last push, time actually stops. they set that little baby on your chest and all you can think about is how this indubitably is the happiest moment of your life. you wish you could jar up that moment forever and relive it over & over & over again. and as time resumes, it begins traveling faster than ever. that's what these photos remind me of, time-traveling. you were just a baby having a baby, and now you have a toddler on your hands. mines only about to turn two, tack on a five to that two & i can only imagine how my dad must feel. i wish i were a sponge sometimes, wish i could soak it all up and not miss a beat, you know? no sleep for the rad, right? well, i'm quickly losing cool points *yawn*

sundays seem to always come and go too fast. but as of right now, everything feels like it's falling into place just right even if we are in fast-forward mode. i'm on to something, i think. something i cannot share quite yet, but to quote the fabulous lourde, i'm "never not chasing a million things i want," and that's how it should be. 

heres to more many more adventures to come.
ooooh & also to the oscars. i cannot wait to see NPH host. also, i rented "boyhood" and found myself pleasantly surprised. (research it a bit before you watch it--it was a 12 year project, and an interesting story). i'll bet it wins something.
 signing off...

a post-valentines post.

hello again! how was your v-day? ours was perfect. we laid low and escaped the crowds by choosing to cook at home. i love to cook & i've been feeling really guilty lately about not doing so much of it. miles made me feel a little better when he said "even though we don't cook as much anymore, when we do it feels like something we do all the time & i love that." phew, i was thinking all the finger pointers were looking down on me in a way only judgmental eyes can. i'm always my worst critic. i listened to a podcast recently about the glorification of busy & how we need to stop paying homage to the idea that being busy is a good thing! busy isn't good. productive & present & hardworking are great, but to be busy to where you are in tears over the frustration that you cannot no matter how hard you try add more hours into your day, that type of busy isn't healthy. so lately i've been re-prioritizing my life and trying to escape this busy mindset. podcasts are my jam these days. you can learn so much from these free little segments & the good news is, there are podcasts out there on just about everything. everyone can find something of interest. you name it, it's been done & if it hasn't you should totally get on it because i'm sure there is someone out there who would love to listen.

 lately, we've been hitting the gym. i'm not going to lie, i totally hate working out...unless it is a structured hot yoga class, i absolutely dread the gym. i'm totally out of shape these days and i'm ready to get the last of this baby weight and additional holiday weight i packed on top of it off. i'll go to the gym and hop onto the elliptical and feel like i've climbed mount everest to see i've only burned maybe 10 calories and buried 5 minutes. it's awful. so lately i've been doing what i totally hate and listening to a podcast while i do it. now i'm taking the elliptical by storm and i'm totally addicted. i'm even more addicted to listening to all the new podcasts. so my tip to my fellow gym haters is to find yourself a rad podcast and i swear, before you know it you'll have an hour under your belt when you planned to do 30 & you'll have learned something. win, win. 

try it out and let me know what you think! also can you recommend any good podcasts for me? i'm currently listening to "the lively show" by jess lively and love it! 

well, that's all i got for you today! 

until we meet again...

from our bookshelf to yours.

happy day before friday friends! below is a list of our favorite books on love for the month of february. i usually will try and rotate out books on lulu's ledges each month, and these are his current faves on rotate. 

1:: romeo & juliet by jennifer adams. first off, we are huge fans of jen adams' baby lit series over here. she has an entire series of board books dedicated to priming children who are learning colors, numbers, sounds, etc. romeo & juliet is a counting primer and has the most adorable illustrations by alison oliver. i'm not quite sure if we're reading this for the romance (it being february) or because luca just likes to do his favorite things over & over & over. he likes r & j and so we keep reading r & j. the english literature nerd in me isn't complaining. i'm also happy L isn't allll miles after all. he's a little book lover & i'm over the moon about that. the book gives a brief overview of the classic romantic tragedy but leaves the unfortunate ending up to imagination. the book signs off with the classic line, "parting is such sweet sorrow"--and the author leaves it at that, because let's be real, two lovers killing themselves by drinking poison and taking a sword through the chest because they cannot live to be apart is a little much for a small child. overall, great series, and a perfect classic to read during this month of love.

2:: love you forever by robert munsch. if you have not read "love you forever," and you are a parent, drop what you're doing and get yourself a copy now...i should also mention you will need a box of kleenex to with you or your pages will become crinkled from dried up tears (i may or may not have had this issue in our previous copy). i cannot read this book without ugly crying my eyes out & luca just becomes puzzled as to why i am hyperventilating my way over each word towards the end. our copy is "loved" to say the very least. my mom used to read it to me as a child and now i'm reading to my baby & it's bittersweet. i used to crawl into lu's crib with him when he was a baby to help him fall asleep & despite miles telling me i was totally breaking the crib's weight restriction, i used to think of myself as the mother in the book. i'd whisper to my chunkiest little L, "i'll love you forever, i'll like you for always, as long as i'm living, my baby you'll be." i'm about to cry now!!! but i digress, this is a great book about unconditional love and a parent's love for their child, what more could you ask for in children's literature?!?!

3:: wherever you are: my love will find you by nancy tillman. you may know tillman for her most known children's work, "on the night you were born," but i personally like this one better. i like her beautiful rhyme schemes and even more so i like the themes she presents. it's a perfect bedtime book & luca loves the romantic illustrations. he growls like a bear every time he sees the cover!

4:: the day it rained hearts by felicia bond. luca loves the little girl in this story. her name is cornelia agustus and L is enamored by cornelia's dotted eyes. one day it rains hearts and cornelia catches them, crafts them, and sends them off to special friends. L seems to only be interested in the part where it rains hearts and after that the book must be closed and put away, so i had to read the ending one day during nap time because the suspense was killing me!

5:: somebody loves you mr. hatch by eileen spinelli. this is a big favorite of ours right now. i'm not sure how, but lu actually sits still through most of it. hands down, best v-day book of all time! i randomly ordered this one off amazon because i thought the title was cute, and low and behold, i hit a pot of gold. i've been recommending it to all of my friends with children & when i tell anyone the gist of the story, they all respond "awwww." mr. hatch is a man with a mediocre life and he's stuck in his humdrum routine until one day he receives a package from mr goober the postman with a note saying "somebody loves you." the note has no signature and so mr. hatch spends the rest of his valentine's day in search of his secret admirer. you'll be surprised at what he finds in his journey and even more pleased with how it ends. L always paints me with kisses at the end and to be honest, i'd read it a million more times just for that. but really, this is a must read!

love is such a wonderful theme & i love celebrating love all year, but especially during the month of february when it seems to be everywhere. what are your favorite children's books on love? do you have any "must read" books on your list? please comment & share! we are so close to friday i can almost taste the weekend! and better yet, no work on monday! thank you president's day, and thanks for reading! 

valentines day gift ideas

1:: chocolate dipped strawberries: if your crazy busy like me these days, maybe making chocolate dipped strawberries just doesn't fit on your agenda, but that doesn't mean you can't still enjoy them! thank your lucky stars for the internet because sur la table makes it easy to purchase a dozen straight from their site. this my go to store for pre made type mixes and such, so if their strawberries are anything like their other gourmet desserts, they will not disssapoint! OR if you want to go totally rogue on the whole chocolate dipped business (like i probably will), the skinny confidential has an effortless recipe  that still looks cute here.

2:: heart shaped measuring spoons: if you are going to blow the rest of us out of the water and go all out baking something decadent, you should do so with these adorable measuring spoons that also have a matching measuring cup set. i may just have to get these to use all year because heart shaped anything is always a good idea. 

3:: heart banner: can't leave out the decorations! this dig-looking banner will look adorable draped across a mantel or pinned to a wall. 

4:: heart shaped rug: to step out onto as you get out of the shower or as a reminder to think about someone you  love. the best part about v-day decor is that it's appropriate for the entire month of february (at least in my book it is--don't let the ba humbugs ruin your fun).

5:: heart decorative pillow: (SOLD OUT similar here.) this will be a great addition to your rug and banner. i think there should be at least one heart decoration in each room.

6:: heart teether: if your little one is teething, this wooden teething ring will be perfect & i love that it is gender neutral. boys tend to get left out during valentines day, or should i say wiped out with all the bushy tutus and pink galore, which is why i always try to make sure i include festive items that work for boys too. 

7:: wall art printable: (little pony shop is offering buy 1 get 1 free with this printable!) I was also loving this card from debbie draws funny on etsy, which was featured on the huffington post, because i've yet to have met someone who actually likes those chalky tasting conversation hearts! maybe you do??i don't know, but what i do know is they just aren't for me. what they do have going for them is that they do make for really inexpensive & adorable decorations, so don't write them off entirely!

8:: red high-tops: these are perfect to wear on valentines day or any other day of the year which is why i asked for them for my "cotton" gift for my anniversary.

9:: heart knit mittens: what is not to love about these? and i'm sure they were knitted with love! get it?! haha. ok maybe not, but i was laughing!

10:: i l.o.v.e love this baseball T. luca will definitely be sporting this and maybe i'll get this tee to match him. but then i'll also have to get him red high-tops to match me too. oh dear lord, making these lists can be dangerous.

11:: stance lip socks: if you haven't heard of stance yet, you're late to the party, but don't worry, i was too. i'm bummed about it too because i love them so & my feet love them so & i could have been enjoying them a whole lot sooner. these are the only socks i'll sleep in. & because you've already gone all out, why not finish things off? am i right? spoil yourself a little, you deserve it.

i hope you find this list inspiring and helpful for planning out your valentine's day. what are you planning to do to get in the spirit? i'd love to hear! can you believe were already talking valentines? before you know it, we'll be talking christmas. 

dear 2015, please slow down. i can't keep up. sincerely, me 

xo