Bee and I haven’t yet entered the craft stage (we’re still working on getting the spoon in the mouth rather than on the dog), but I’m so looking forward to a bright future of glue sticks and construction paper. Crafting was one of my favorite hobbies as a kid, and although I’m not much of a DIY gal now, I love the idea of reserving a quiet afternoon for creativity and play. Especially if it looks like this…

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Museum gift shops are kind of my best-kept secret for discovering new and unique (unewque?) kids’ gifts. From books to games to educational toys, the variety can’t be beat when shopping for all ages. (Also of note? Membership discounts!) And although I don’t have a museum we frequent here in the Midwest, I often take advantage of the following online museum gift shops to satiate my discovery-loving appetite!:

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Dear Bee,

Your will has entered our lives and your will hath fury. Just this morning you snuck your hand into my shirt to swipe a nursing pad from its whereabouts, and when I interfered with the attempt, your entire face ripped off and a screaming goat appeared behind your baby-like flesh. The wail was so intensely horrifying that it scared even you – the original singer/songwriter of Paranormal Farm Animals The Soundtrack – and tears welled up to wash off the goat parts and then you were a baby again. It was a close call. I’m buttoning my shirt higher to keep the nursing pads out of radar should the goat return.

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I recently shared the creative journey of Bryony Shearmur – a musician-turned-photographer-turned-author-turned-designer (are you as exhausted by that title as I?), and she mentioned something that has reverberated in my ears ever since – the idea of a creative ecosystem.  The realization that our creative lives and passions and dream jobs are the sum of little more than our past experiences or failures or experiments. That our creative life isn’t necessarily linear, but spiraling closer and closer to our core – the point where each interest overlaps and meshes together, creating the ultimate nucleus of passion. And although I haven’t yet reached my core center (although I like to think I’m rounding a close corner!), I was thrilled to read that England-based artisan Becky Kemp is happily crafting in her own passion-fueled nucleus of a kid’s shop, Sketch Inc:

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Ever since I covered Lenka Clayton’s amazing Motherhood in Residency project, I’ve been thinking quite a bit about how I view the relationship between work and parenting and creativity and all things good and perfect, Amen. Although I’m a big believer of compartmentalizing my work and home life (which is increasingly difficult as it’s a work-from-home life), I’d be lying to myself if I didn’t concede that Bee is endlessly inspiring to me. So it only makes sense that her play area and my office be one in the same, yes?

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Dear Bee,

You little nine-month-old, you. There are three party tricks you know: clapping, waving and shaking your head “No“. It’s always a “No” with you – never a “Yes” – and I sort of like your spunk, kid. I don’t like it as much when it’s Bedtime (No) or Avocado Time (No) or Stop Climbing The Dog Time (No). But overall, I like it. Sometimes we encourage you to use your party tricks in context, like waving at the mailman or your grandmother, but you get them mixed up and you start clapping bye-bye or waving no and then you get confused so you just do them all in a row. Clap-wave-No, clap-wave-No, like a scratched CD, skipping and disoriented.

You have five and a half teeth now, and your dad says he spotted a sixth but I sort of think it was a Cheerio part. We’re still on the fence.

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One of the most valuable lessons my parents taught me was the ability to budget wisely and save, save, save. So before Bee was born, Ken and I knew we’d strive to pass along that same wisdom our parents had given us. Although I always relied heavily on the envelope system as a kid, there’s something so very nostalgic about a good, old-fashioned piggy bank. (Of course, I’d hardly call the above picks old-fashioned, but they’re certainly full of charm, yes?) Today, enjoy a few of my favorite modernized, quirky piggy banks from around the web!:

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Yay – it’s the last installment of my registry update! Today I’m sharing which healthy & safety products I loved, hated and have purchased in multiples over the past nine months. I hope this series has been helpful for you, and for those of you embarking on your own registry experience – I wish you the best! I’m sure you’ll have your own list of must-haves and regrets, but know that no list of products can ever top a parent’s love! Now on to the list…

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When I lived in Los Angeles, visiting the farmer’s market was a huge highlight of my weekend. The sights and sounds and smells and flavors were the perfect way to kick-start two days of rest, relaxation and quality time with Ken and the pups. And now that we’re in the Midwest, the changing seasons make me all the more appreciative of our town’s small farmer’s market every Wednesday morning. Sure, we can’t visit year-round, but we can certainly enjoy the experience for a few giddy months. The good news, of course, is that our sweet minis can soak up their own farmer’s market fun at home (all year long!) with these delightfully delicious goodies from a few of my favorite shops (Hint: you’re not going to believe how inexpensive that market stand is!):

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Oh, man. I failed this section in the biggest of ways, mostly because I refused to purchase a swing until Bee was eight weeks old and still hadn’t napped in an area that wasn’t attached to my chest or lap or hip and I needed to accomplish things that people accomplish during the day, like answering emails or cooking dinner or, you know, going to the bathroom alone. So. After a particularly rough morning of fussing (Bee, not me. But yes, me also.), my mother-in-law dragged me to the store and placed Bee in the store model swing and she fell asleep in less than twenty-two seconds. Sold! Here’s the rest of the list of baby gear I loved (and hated!):

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