we've moved! (again)

diplohousewife.blogspot.com has moved to sarahonsylvan.blogspot.com! Join me as I start a new adventure in the good ol' U.S. of A! Thanks for reading!

14 months

Dearest loo-loo,

14 months?!? Really?? My, what a difference a month makes. In a matter of weeks you have gone from baby to full-blown toddler. I am trying to wrap my head around all of the latest developments.

Two months ago in London, you could barely pull yourself up and still needed our help to walk. You weren't even crawling...you just wanted to be propped up so you could practice cruising the furniture. Now you are practically running around the house, squatting to pick things up and doing the "triangle" to get yourself from sitting to standing.

You have a lot to say, but no new words yet. You can say dada and mama and I think you said apple ("abbuh") when I was feeding you applesauce on June 3, but I'm not sure because you haven't said it again. You've started to point at things and do a half cry when you want something...this is not good. So we're attempting to teach you a bit of sign language so you can communicate your needs. You're catching on very quickly...so far you can do "more" and "please."

You're so smart. You know where your belly, knees, toes, ears and fingers are. If I ask you to go get a certain object, you usually come back with the right thing. Your favorite new activity is reading. You love to sit in my lap, turn the page and point at the words. I might go insane if I have to read "Where's Elmo?" one more time, but I know it will pay off in the long run.

You love to give kisses and hugs upon request. They're always open-mouth, slobbery kisses but we love them nonetheless!! I love to do "nosey-nosey" with you too!

I love to make you laugh. Things like silly faces and sounds tickle your funny bone and it comes out of nowhere. In the mornings you help me make the bed and you squeal with delight when I do the "parachute" with the duvet. You've also started covering your face with your hands or hiding behind the curtains to play peek-a-boo. It's so adorable.

You love to be outside. Lately Christiana has been taking you out in the afternoon so I can get some packing done. You make the rounds around the compound, say hi to the guards, dance for them, play on the tennis court and touch all of the trees. You love to practice walking up and down the stairs when you're outside too. I can't wait to have our own yard in South Africa where you can run free.

You're such a barrel of fun. I can't wait to do all sorts of fun summer activities with you when we get back to VA...only a week now!

Your #1 fan,

Mommy

best in show

Since we're going to be in South Africa for 2-3 years, I've also been working on a design for little man's "big boy" room. I love orange + aqua together (or pretty much any color with aqua) and originally wanted to do a scheme like this serena & lily room:

But then I came across this room designed by kate dixon featured on design*sponge:

How FUN is that?!! I love the vintage circus look and was blown away by the creativity. What kid wouldn't want a ferris wheel in their room? I obviously can't transport a ferris wheel to South Africa (not to mention the fact that C would probably destroy it), so I created my own take on the room:

I think theme rooms are sort of cheesy, but you can translate the basic elements without being too literal (i.e., a "big top" tent translates into a red+white striped rug).

I have this wonderful old dresser handed down from my Grandmother that I'll paint sun yellow and add fun knobs to (my take on the yellow in the ferris wheel).

I found the super fun (and super cheap) bedding from Target that reminds me of running lights used on vintage carnival signs. The table + chair set is also from Target and looks like pricer versions by mod brands like EcoTots, etc.

I did order the circus prints by Jeff Shumway, but they were only $55 for the set, so if C decides he doesn't want a circus room in a few years, it's no big deal.

I love the yellow Bertoia chairs they used, but at $400 a pop, they're a little over my budget. I originally bought a Thonet-style bentwood rocker for $50 off Craigslist for C's room, but it was too uncomfortable for nursing, etc. so I got a comfy rocker + ottoman instead. Now that he's a little older, I can move those pieces to our bedroom (thankfully they don't look like baby furniture) and use the bentwood rocker. I plan to paint it sun yellow as well and maybe upholster the seat.

It looks like they painted a chalkboard wall behind the Bertoia chairs. I don't know that they'll let me paint in S.Africa, so instead I'll use these fun chalkboard wall decals.

How great is that flashlight lamp? Reminds me of what kids use for a "spotlight" when putting on shows (at least we did).

What better way to start a kid's art collection than with this red Eames elephant? It's probably the most expensive thing in the room, but it's a design classic and will hopefully be a piece he'll treasure for years to come.

I'm really excited about the room and hope it comes together in person as well as it does in my head.

to take or not to take

Let me preface this post with the fact that my family is as blue collar as it gets. My father is a general contractor and my mother is a receptionist. They worked extremely hard to give us kids everything they never had and more. They also taught us the value of hard work at a very young age. My first job was cleaning toilets where my mother worked. I payed my way through college and made sure I got my money's worth.

So never in a million years did I imagine that I would be living in Africa with my own housekeeper. This is Christiana (gotta love the expression on CW's face):

She is my angel. At first I scoffed at the idea "help"...thought it was way too pretentious. Then I learned that you have to clean everyday here to keep the bugs and dust away. I like to clean, but not that much. I also realized that this poor girl would have to move and find a new job if we did not take her (she was previously our neighbors' steward). Now I can't imagine life without her. She has become part of our family. CW actually burst into tears yesterday when she went home for the day.

So here I am at a crossroads, trying to decide if we should take her to South Africa with us. She has brought it up several times and has practically begged me to go. I am really struggling with this. Here I have the opportunity to change someone's life...how could we not take her?? I cannot imagine being stuck in a place like this with no way out. No opportunity to change your life if you so desire. People don't realize how good they have it in America. No matter how bad the economy gets, we still all have the basic American dream: that we can be whatever we want to be if we work hard. Opportunities like that do not exist here. The rich get richer and the poor stay poor.

Yes, she would still be our housekeeper in South Africa. But at least she would have the opportunity to see what a real, functioning economy looks like. To breathe in fresh, diesel-free air. To see what other opportunities are out there for her. Heck, to even get on a plane for the first time and see a place other than her village or Abuja. I would be begging to go too if I were her.

lemongrass love

Would you buy a yellow sofa? I normally wouldn't either, but I'm pretty much obsessed with this danish modern sofa from cb2:

It reminds me so much of the Orla Kiely "lusk" petite 3-seater that I fell in love with in London:

I know it's not very practical, but it's just so fun! I love the idea of a yellow sofa in front of a charcoal gray or chocolate brown wall. It would really pop. My husband usually gives me carte blanche when it comes to decorating, but he's drawing the line with this one. I'm trying to convince him that if he hates it we can always recover it or repurpose it, like as a settee in the bedroom or a banquet in the kitchen. I ordered a swatch of the "lemongrass" fabric it comes in, and sure enough it's a perfect match to my Orla pillows:

What do you think? Should I go for it?

scandi style

I use to be anti-Facebook. It weirded me out. But I love that it has reconnected me with old friends I've lost touch with over the years. One such friend happens to be a talented interior designer.

Since I will be making some major furniture purchases soon, I want to make smart decisions for once. Instead of buying things on impulse and hoping that they work together, I want to come up with as much of a plan as possible to avoid buyers remorse. I needed a bit of direction and to define my style once and for all. I needed a consultation.

After throwing a bunch of ideas at my wonderful friend, it was decided that my style is Scandinavian. Why didn't I know this? I'm very drawn to whimsical graphic prints like Marrimekko and designers like Alvar Aalto and Arne Jacobsen make me swoon. I don't like super mod pieces, but I love a good mid-century danish modern table. Oh, and I love IKEA...but who doesn't?

But even though I'm into bold & color, I am also very drawn to light & airy...things like Belgian linen. White-washed furniture. Blues and greens. Vintage chandeliers. Apothecary-style bottles. It makes me go "ahhh."

At first glance, it seemed my tastes were disparate. But upon further research, there is a definition for this soothing style that also happens to claim its roots in Scandinavia. The "Gustavian" (as in King Gustav III of Sweden) style was Sweden's response to the popular Louis XVI style of the time. The elements are similar, but the Swede interpretation was more indicative of their natural surroundings...a much lighter version. Distressed furniture, lots of blue & white and a bit of sparkle define the style. I was so inspired that I put together a little mood board:

I finally have a design style...Scandinavian!! It makes me feel much less schizo knowing that at least all of the looks I love hail from the same region of the world. I guess sometimes you need someone else to connect the dots for you.

13 months

Dearest CW,

I have to admit that this is my favorite age so far! You are doing so many new things and are such a barrel of fun lately! You started walking on May 6 and nothing can stop you now. There are cabinets to open, rooms to be explored, plugs to pull, shoes to eat...you are a little man with an agenda! Your current favorite objects include keys, phones, shoes and balloons. We had a little party for you and your friends on May 8 and two weeks later, you are still playing with the balloons (I don't know how they've stayed inflated).

You have very strong legs and are extremely flexible. You have this trick you do where you balance things on your toes while laying on your back. It's hysterical and you know it, so you do it often for me...sometimes we even do it together! :)

You're very smart. When I say "where's my nose?" you point right to it. When I say "where's your lion?" you go right to him, bury your face in his fur and squeal with delight. It's the cutest thing. You are starting to understand cause & effect now and how most of your toys work. It's fascinating to watch you figure things out. My current favorite thing you do started within the past couple of days. You retrieve a book from "your" shelf on the bookcase, climb into my lap and put the book in my hand. When I'm done reading, you put the book right back in my hand. I think I read "Who am I: Insects" about 20 times today. That's ok though...it thrills me to pieces that you love books! I will read to you for as long as you want.

You are such a good eater! We usually do cheese toast and applesauce for breakfast during the week and pancakes on the weekends. I have a feeling you're going to love Grammie's oatmeal pancakes...maybe she will make them for you this summer! Lunch is usually pasta and veggies or a chicken & cheese quesadilla with a banana or peaches. You love vegetables and the green ones are your favorite. If I give you mixed veggies, you will literally sit there and pick out all of the peas and butter beans first. I wish I could be like you!

You're very good at sharing. All day you offer your toys to me and you even try to feed me during mealtimes. I hope this continues!

It's amazing to me that a baby can go from completely helpless to walking around in one year! You've turned into a little boy in just a matter of weeks. I just love to watch you and your chubby little legs toddle around the house, picking things up and exploring. If only I could know what's going on in that little head of yours. But my favorite thing is when you turn around and give me that precious smile. It lights up my world.

All my love,

Mommy

out with the old

It's almost time to leave Nigeria, so I've been purging and organizing like nobody's business. I've managed to sell all of the junk and make a respectable sum to fund my new furniture purchases. Nigerians will buy anything. They'll haggle for it, but they'll buy it. We brought a bunch of stuff to sell at the community yard sale this morning and I actually sold all but 3 items. Amazing.

I even had a lady offer to buy my couch (furniture is extremely expensive here) and I'm considering it because it's a random slate blue color that's very hard to match. I can't remember why I bought it in the first place...I should have listened to my interior design boss at the time and gone with something classic. So I've been looking at sofas for fun and did a little mock up of what a different sofa would look like with my new Orla Kiely pillows and pouf (yes, I managed to smuggle those in as well):

I'm not sure about the sofa yet, but I think I like it. It's the "movie walnut" sofa from CB2 and has great reviews (all 62 of them). It's a very deep, lounge-y sofa that will be perfect for watching movies and curling up with the fam. I think it's also a very simple shape that could work with either traditional or modern accents. I've always been a fan of the Baldwin tuxedo sofa, but definitely can't afford it (even the Williams-Sonoma version runs over $3K). This one comes close though...the sides & back are the same height and I love the single mattress-like cushion...perfect for napping!

What do you think?

first steps

C started walking today! Christiana let go of him and off he went!

hable does prints!

I was looking at pillows on the Hable Construction website the other day and discovered that they are doing a limited run of hand-printed posters! The first one is called Cookies (my personal fav):

and the second one is called Geraniums:

Love! Takes me back to my 3 am printmaking nights at Duke Hall. Get 'em while they're hot!

boudior redux v.5

Ok, this is it. After countless designs, I think I've finally come up with the final plan. There a couple of reasons why the plan got revised again. 1) I ordered the Anthropologie curtains and hung them up in our bedroom. They're gorgeous and striking, but they hurt my eyes. It was just too much for a bedroom...perhaps better for a dining or living room. 2) After our recent trip to London and visiting various furniture stores, I fell in love with all things Orla Kiely. You may remember her line for Target last year, which included the green pear motif and a retro flower power-esque pattern. She also (obviously) has a regular line, but the U.S. website only carries her wallpaper and lampshades. I fell in love with this particular pattern (a stylized version of hydrangeas, my favorite flower!), but wallpaper does not work for my transient lifestyle:

So, imagine my delight when I discovered that the U.K. sells Orla duvets, pillows and placemats!! Of course I bought them all (I figured I could always ebay them if they didn't work out), and the duvet works beautifully with the rest of my furniture plan and color scheme:

Here's the breakdown:

1. Bed...I ended up going with the "Colette" from Crate & Barrel. It took my breath away when I first laid eyes on it at the Clarendon store almost 4 years ago. It took awhile to convince my husband, but I think he's on board now. I feel like it's the perfect blend of classic and modern and fits my "retro romantic" style. I like that it's a low platform and padded all the way around...no more bumping my shin in the middle of the night. Finally, a grown up bed! Now all I need is that Tempurpedic mattress...

2. Nightstands...I also fell in love with these whilst furniture shopping. They're from Arhaus and got them for a steal. One was a floor sample, marked on clearance, and the other was 15% off. Score!

3. Lamps...oh how I love these Anthropologie lamps. I was completely dismayed when I went to order these lamps online and discovered that they were no longer available. They had magically disappeared. So I went to the store to investigate, only to discover they were also on clearance, marked down by $100! They had one left and they called around to find me another. Thank you Lord! The only bummer...lampshade NOT included, of course. I had to plunk down some more dough for RH shades that worked (believe me, I tried the Walmart ones). Thankfully they were 20% off!

4. Duvet...Orla Kiely!!!

So that's it! I've made the mistake in the past of buying things on impulse and not really thinking about how they would work together. This time I've spent a lot of time defining my style, doing research and making sure that I LOVE each and every item before I plunk down hard-earned cash. I think it's going to pay off...we won't move in our new house until September, but stay tuned for the results!

12 months

Dearest CW,

I'm sorry I missed your 11 month letter. Things have been quite hectic lately. You and I decided to go to the States on a whim for 3 weeks in March. Then we were home in Africa for a week when Daddy decided to bust a lung. So we packed up again and followed him to London for 5 weeks to help him get better.

As a result, you got to spend your first birthday in London! What a lucky fella you are! It was a pretty emotional day for me...I kept looking back at your newborn pics wondering where the year had gone. It's been a whirlwind of diapers, feedings, sleeplessness and the sound of your little lion cub cry...but totally worth it.

You are such a sweet boy. The other day you started giving me kisses! I've been asking for them for awhile and you finally gave me a big wet one. It completely melted my heart. Your smile lights up a room. I'm not sure if it's London or just your personality blooming, but you are the most outgoing baby I've ever seen. You smile and wave at EVERYone. I'm not kidding. No stranger anxiety here. You charm them and manage to reciprocate a smile almost every time...especially with the ladies. It's borderline ridiculous, but so endearing to watch. You definitely don't get that from me...when Daddy was a little older than you, he would walk up to strangers and introduce himself.

You're almost walking, but have yet to crawl. You still do the belly crawl and haven't gotten up on all fours yet. But you're very good at walking. You beg to be propped up on a piece of furniture every chance you get. Then you inch your way around it as far as you can go. In the past week you've become more brave and have made a couple "leaps" onto the closest piece of furniture. You've also figured out how to reach down to get something and today (4/22) you finally pulled up! It's very clear that you have your own agenda and that you're going to do things your way. Hmm...wonder where you get that strong will from??

You're testing your boundaries big-time. As soon as I say "no" to something, you go straight for it again. You're very curious and want to touch EVERYthing, but (hopefully) soon you'll learn that some things are off-limits...you definitely test my patience!

You're very talkative lately, especially in the morning. You babble away and entertain yourself for a good half-hr before I get you. You finally said "mama!" I don't remember what exact day it was...it was sort of a gradual thing. But it is a sweet sound indeed!

You still love music and will bang on anything. You also love cooking utensils. Grammie gave you a bunch of spatulas when we were home and taught you how to "stir the pot." You won't even let me feed you anymore because you want to hold the spoon so badly. Perhaps you're going to be a chef?

Your birthday wasn't exactly what I had planned, but we had a great time anyway. Grammie and Pop flew all the way to London to be with you! We went to our favorite brunch spot here and Daddy helped you blow out the candle on your cake while we sang happy birthday. You finally got your first taste of sugar in the form of a chocolate cupcake with blue buttercream icing from the fabulous Hummingbird Bakery! To be honest, I'm not sure if you liked it all that much..I think you would prefer to suck on a lemon! You were pretty worn out after all that commotion and fell asleep before we even got home! After a long nap, we rode the London Eye...a giant ferris wheel overlooking the city. It was a beautiful day.

I can't believe you are 1. You're no longer a baby and turning into a toddler. It's a bittersweet day...I'm so happy that you are growing so well, but sad that it's happening so fast.

Every day you take another little piece of my heart.

Happy 1st birthday, Calderloo. I love you.

Mommy

boudoir redux: take three

Somehow the india ink bedding went on sale and the king size sold out in a matter of days (UGH), so it was back to the drawing board AGAIN for the bedroom. It was probably for the better though because I am totally in love with this new design. Those curtains add some serious DRAMA and I love the aqua/brown color combo. The bedside chests stopped me dead in my tracks at Arhaus, but I couldn't figure out where to use them...problem solved! The lamps are a serious splurge, but I'm at the point where I'd rather "invest" in items that I love instead of settling for cheap things I don't really like, only to replace them 2 years later. The sheets are a serious find...John Robshaw for half price!! Ahh! The duvet is from West Elm and sounds heavenly..."organic cotton voile"...and wouldn't you know I just got a 10% off coupon in the mail...score!! I really hope everything looks as good in person!

lollipop

I've always been a sucker for candy colors (pun intended) and spring fashion is the best place to find them. After all of the grey weather we've been having, I'm sure we could all use a little jolt of color to brighten our day! Places like boden and kate spade never fail to deliver fun, retro pieces in saturated hues. I was so hoping JCrew would do the same, but alas they have yet to pull out of their skin-tone ruffle phase...bleh...makes me nauseous. I know the economy is bad and all and fashion usually reflects that, but give us some COLOR!

10 months

Dearest CW,

I cannot believe you are 10 months today. It's all happening way too fast. You have grown leaps and bounds this month and are doing so many new things.

You are on the move. Nothing is out of your reach...if you want something, you do the army belly crawl or climb into my lap to persuade me to prop you against the couch so you can cruise along the edge or go for something you shouldn't touch (Blackberry, remote, hot coffee, cords, cell phone, water bottle, etc.) You love to hold onto Mommy or Daddy's hands and practice walking. You are fearless...you're not afraid to let go and move to the next piece of furniture and falling doesn't phase you much. 

You're such a good little eater (see evidence above). You pretty much eat anything I offer you, unless it's that weird eggplant dinner I made the other night (sorry, I don't blame you). You're getting very good at eating table food. You love bread & cheese and even tried a pretzel today! 

It makes me kind of sad, but you don't need me to hold your bottle anymore. I prop you up on a pillow and you just go for it. Such a little man. I guess starting you on the sippy cup early payed off!

You're very easy going and full of energy. It doesn't bother you when someone takes your toy...you just look for another. And unless you're tired, you're always game for a fun activity like swimming. I'm so glad you love to swim because I do too! I can't wait for us to discover fun things we like to do together. I hope you like art as much as I do...I can't wait to finger paint with you, teach you how to draw and create whatever your imagination dreams up! I'm busy designing your new "big boy" room and it will most certainly include an art table with lots of fun materials!

Your smile and laugh are contagious. That toothy grin just makes me melt. I think you look like your Grammie when you smile...she has a beautiful, infectious smile as well! Sometimes things are only funny once to you, but the one thing that always makes you laugh is when I hide and bounce up out of nowhere like Tigger. It gives me a workout, but it makes you laugh hysterically and that puts a smile on my face!

Your little personality is starting to shine through and you're such a great kid. We just love you to pieces.

Love,

Mommy

boudoir redux

So I FINALLY received the dwellstudio comforter in the mail and it's gorgeous...but the wrong shade of blue. Too "slate." It depressed me. I need light and airy. So it was back to the drawing board for a new bedroom plan. 

I've always loved Anthropologie bedding. Every time I see it displayed in the store I just want to dive into the bed. And even though it always looks like a hot mess of pattern, somehow it just WORKS. This "india ink" duvet is probably one of their more conservative sets (no "hothouse" floral here), but it's striking nonetheless. Add to that "400 thread count cotton percale" and I'm sold. Sounds heavenly. Then I came across the cirrus sheets in the perfect shade of watery aqua. I love the cirrus duvet, but it's a little too marshmallowy for a his/hers bedroom. K agreed. But the cirrus SHEETS...perfect! I think this headboard from Pottery Barn would look gorgeous against aqua blue walls (provided the S. Africa GSO lets me paint). I would use those wonderful knobs to repurpose our old distressed entertainment center into an armoire/linen cabinet. And don't even get me started on those lamps. I'm hard at work selling all of my crappy IKEA furniture so that I can afford this gorgeous room. What do you think?

color quiz

I recently took Career Builder.com's "Color Career Counselor" quiz featured on YHL and my results were pretty spot-on. Amazing how choosing your favorite colors can help you choose a career...who knew? Try it, it's fun!

Best Occupational Category

You're a CREATOR

Keywords

Nonconforming, Impulsive, Expressive, Romantic, Intuitive, Sensitive, and Emotional

These original types place a high value on aesthetic qualities and have a great need for self-expression. They enjoy working independently, being creative, using their imagination, and constantly learning something new. Fields of interest are art, drama, music, and writing or places where they can express, assemble, or implement creative ideas.

CREATOR OCCUPATIONS
Suggested careers are Advertising Executive, Architect, Web Designer, Creative Director, Public Relations, Fine or Commercial Artist, Interior Decorator, Lawyer, Librarian, Musician, Reporter, Art Teacher, Broadcaster, Technical Writer, English Teacher, Architect, Photographer, Medical Illustrator, Corporate Trainer, Author, Editor, Landscape Architect, Exhibit Builder, and Package Designer.

CREATOR WORKPLACES
Consider workplaces where you can create and improve beauty and aesthetic qualities. Unstructured, flexible organizations that allow self-expression work best with your free-spirited nature.

Suggested Creator workplaces are advertising, public relations, and interior decorating firms; artistic studios, theaters and concert halls; institutions that teach crafts, universities, music, and dance schools. Other workplaces to consider are art institutes, museums, libraries, and galleries.

2nd Best Occupational Category

You're a RESEARCHER

Keywords:

Independent, Self-Motivated, Reserved, Introspective, Analytical, and Curious

These investigative types gather information, analyze and interpret data, and inquire to uncover new facts. They have a strong scientific orientation, enjoy academic or research environments and prefer self-reliant jobs. Dislikes are group projects, selling, and repetitive activities.

gulp

I love how he goes from laughing hysterically to completely serious...

nigerian nuances.1

I suppose if you read this blog you're curious about what life is like in Africa.

I guess I should write more about it, but it's hard because the Nigerian government doesn't allow us to take pictures and you really need visual aids for this sort of thing...to make it believable, that is. And in some ways, life isn't that different from our life in the States. We have American TV (Armed Forces Network, the same thing available to military families), we hang out with other Americans, we go to work, eat dinner, etc.

But there are many aspects of our daily life that are so NOT normal and took some getting use to. Like the fact that there are clearly marked lanes on the road, but people don't use them...any available space on the road is fair game. I could be attempting to turn left and situated in the respective lane, but the guy 3 lanes over on the right will cut me off. Or the fact that most stop lights don't work and many people (including my husband) ignore stop signs. And don't worry if there's a gas shortage and the lines at the gas station wrap around the block. There are plenty of black market resources on the other side of the road, waiting to fill your tank.

Although, as frustrating as Nigeria can be at times, it's become our home and sometimes it surprises me in a good way. Like when someone gives me the correct change. Or when I open my eggs and they're stamped with a happy message. That's right...

Happy Independence Day. Wouldn't it be great if all eggs were stamped? What a great start to the day.

tiffany & tocca

It's hard to believe that we will be leaving Abuja in just 4 short months. I am already in packout mode and therefore weeding through all of our stuff, deciding what to keep and what to toss. I've decided that our bedroom needs a reno. The queen mattress on rollers just isn't cutting it anymore...I need king-sized and Tempurpedic. I'm tired of my insomnia...literally, ha. 

My inspiration is Tiffany blue (my favorite color) and Tocca candles (yes I'm a sucker for the packaging, but they smell equally delicious). Another favorite candle scent is Trish McEvoy blueberry vanilla, but I digress.

We're not usually allowed to paint our provided Embassy housing, but we can ship furniture. So I'm going to bring in color with fabric and accessories. Here's my plan:

Do you not LOVE that aquamarine lamp?? It's like a piece of jewelry. Too bad it's $400. The other items are fairly reasonable though. The comforter, sheets and silver tray are from Target (dwellstudio) and the night stands/lamps are Pier One. The Audrey art is from IKEA and the rest is from Crate & Barrel. The bed I want is a beautiful platinum upholstered bed with nailhead trim from West Elm (they won't let me access their site from here) or the Colette bed from Crate & Barrel. The color palette is soothing but punched up with graphic prints and metallic accessories. LOVE!

9 months

Dearest CW

(bugger, baby buggins, chicky, chicken-loo, Gerbz)

I love this picture of you...you're such a goofball and always up for some fun (mind you I was mid-plank position when I saw this). 

You have 6 teeth so far and are a voracious eater. You weight around 22 lbs right now, but you are also very long so it's starting to even out. You love green beans and applesauce. You use to like bananas but have since started gagging when I give them to you. 

You are desperately trying to crawl. You are an expert at standing and rolling, but haven't figured out how to get that leg out from underneath you. Don't worry though...you'll get there. Besides, who needs to crawl when you can get everything by rolling? Silly people.

You are a little scientist and extremely smart. You love to study things, poke them with your pointer finger and flip them over. You don't miss a trick. You know when something is gone or is suppose to be there. But the simplest things amuse you...like hoodie strings or bottle tops.

You love to laugh. You jump at the opportunity to wrestle with Daddy or splash around in the bath and you're always a good sport when we tickle you or blow on your tummy. 

You started waving bye-bye last Sunday. We were at a restaurant and you just randomly started doing it. I'm not sure you know what it means yet but you're very good at it.

You love to talk. Ba, Da, Mm, Yee and various other intonations are all part of your current vocabulary. You also like to growl and occasionally sound like Darth Vader. We think it's just a different sound that you like and you've figured out that it makes people laugh. You're friend John does it too and it's referred to as a "man cry." 

You're an expert traveller now. So far you've been on 6 international flights and were a trooper for each one! I know it wasn't easy and we expected a lot of you, but you did great. Besides, what other baby has as many stamps in their passport as you?? Pretty cool! 

You're growing up so quickly and I don't want to miss a thing. I try to freeze frame moments in my mind so that I'll remember them forever. My love for you grows stronger every day.

Love,

Mommy

4 new teeth, 3 too many cookies, 2 plane trips and a cockroach in my bed

That about sums up my life for the last 6 weeks. CW and I went home early to spend some extra time with the Grandparents and K joined us 3 weeks later. It was wonderful Christmas chaos. I think we managed to hit every major city in Virginia and see (almost) everyone. It was lovely, but I must say I am glad to be "home" and settled again. Calder is back to his 12-hr schedule, praise the Lord. He was waking early (WAY too early for my night-owl self) when we were in Virginia due to teething/sickness/cold weather. But with good reason...he has 4 new teeth on top, in addition to the two on the bottom. Poor thing.

Now it's down to business. I didn't make New Year's resolutions this year because I don't like to make promises I can't keep:) I really think that resolutions are more about detox anyways. The holidays have become so self-indulgent, from overeating to overspending to overexertion, that we become sick of ourselves. I know I am. It's time for a detox and a shedding of the winter skin. Literally, ha. My plan to lose the baby weight was foiled by Bitsie's home cooking and the abundance of treats in the house. But I have no one to blame but myself...no one was twisting my arm to eat them. Seriously though, my window to use the "9 months up, 9 months down" excuse has closed. Time to hit the gym. I have an appointment with a personal trainer at 10:30 am tomorrow. 20 lbs to lose. How's that for transparency?

As weird as it sounds, it was really great to be back in Abuja. We have a wonderful home with a relaxed lifestyle and great friends. I was feeling the love until 2 nights ago. It's the Harmattan (dry season) and the bugs migrate indoors to find water...all manner of bugs, including finger-sized cockroaches. I had made peace with the fact they were there (such if life in Africa) until I rolled over the other night and felt one in my hair. I don't need to tell you the reaction. If that's not bad enough, I brushed one off my back last night and it proceeded to take flight onto the nightstand. Great...they fly too. Totally and utterly disgusting. I feel like a prisoner in my home and enough is enough. We've set traps, sprayed, and they are coming to bomb the place next week. The war has begun and they are dead meat. So far we have taken 15 prisoners.

Don't you want to move to Africa??

Happy New Year.