Two Wishes

In Less Than 48 Hours...

We will be here:

Admiring the World's Most Giiiiiiaant Vegetables!

(Photo source one & two.)

Hope to post some photos from Alaska, but if not there will be lots to update upon our return.  Happy Labor Day, everyone!

Close Encounters

Mr. T and I had an OB appointment today.  And there was a little trouble finding Baby's heartbeat, so after a few tries the doc resorted to a quick sonogram.  Turns out a 10 1/2 week fetus looks exactly like this:

Much shorter, but same enormous alien head.  And it really was waving its stubby little arm!

(Image source)

Oh, Project Runway

You have entertained me this season.  But some of your ad breaks are really starting to bug  ("Saturn Vue inspired" designs, and naked Bluefly commercials, you know who you are).  

And what's with the lame questions in those weekly "text to vote" segments?  Seriously, who would we want to "jump into the backseat with?"  And you give us Kenley and Blayne?!??!? 

(Screenshot courtesy of Project Rungay. And no, I didn't understand this "Olympic outfit" any more than the rest of y'all.)

Clearly, the only correct answer to the backseat question is Jerell.  He wouldn't be interested in my lady parts (which is OK, on account of they're spoken for anyway).  But we could wear Peter Pan hats, eat jujubes, and trade catty comments about people on TV.... Now that's a backseat session I could get behind!

Farewell to My Weddingbee

My friends, the time has come.  Our wedding is over, the recaps have been posted, and it is time to bid a fond adieu to Weddingbee....  Though it's sad to leave such a vibrant, intelligent, and supportive community, I recently discovered something that instantly makes weddings a thing of the past (a/k/a, the ultimate cure for PTWS):

Pregnancy.

Yes, Mr. Tulip and I have a bun ... or, should I say Bulb? ... in the oven!

 

(This is a real book.)

Trust me, it was a bit of a surprise to everyone involved!  I am ancient (37), have been on chemo (which destroys fertility), and am in terrible health.  Just after our honeymoon, I decided to stop the Pill for a while to see if it contributed to my migraines.  Sure, it was a bit of Russian Roulette on the baby front, but pretty safe for an old lady with dead eggs, right?  6 weeks later, the EPT was pink.  And we're due ONE DAY after our first wedding anniversary!

Want to know more?  There will be updates on my personal blog.

Watch in wonder as my silhouette goes from this:

(Shut up, those are totally my abs. As pictured on FitStep.com.)

to this:

(Fertility goddess, borrowed from this blog.)

Cheer as our nursery-to-be morphs from this:

to this:

(Artist's approximation, courtesy of re:place.)

Or, just stop by and say hi.

It has been a pleasure and an honor to be part of Weddingbee these past months.  Cheers to Bee, my sister bees, and the fantastic Weddingbee readers for building the best wedding resource on the Web.  And thanks for being our virtual wedding guests!

With warm wishes to each and every one of you,

Mrs. Tulip

12 Great Baby / Child Gifts for Under $20

When I was young, one great joy of Christmas shopping was finding the Best Possible Thing for the few child's dollars I had to spend.  Guess I've never lost that outlook, because I still believe you can find wonderful gifts without spending a fortune. 

Inexpensive baby and child gifts can be particularly useful -- if you doubt we're in the midst of a baby boom, just ask anyone who's going broke on gifts for friends, family, and co-workers!  Here are a few delightful options I've come across in recent Web wanderings:

For the Wee Ones

"Very First Toy"

Simple, lovely, and handmade -- the classic baby rattle.

$12.00 at Romp.

Wee Gallery Flash Cards

Young babies are best able to process simple, black-and-white images ... but something about these fanciful drawings from Wee Gallery is just as appealing to adults.  Hang them as a "crib art gallery", turn them into a mobile, or use them as animal flash cards for slightly older children. $12.95 at Wee Gallery; jungle version also available at Anthropologie.

Babysoy Onesie Kimono

Onesies are a baby necessity, and kimono styles are both funky and practical -- no wrestling clothes over a wriggly baby's head.  These are made from eco-friendly soy fabric and come in 4 modern colors. $15 at Wild Dill (sizes from 0-12 months).

Bee Travel Basics from Little Twig

This one's a shout-out to all my gals at Weddingbee.  Sample sizes of diaper cream, baby powder, lotion, and wash, with an adorable Bee scrubbie-cloth. $15.45 at Cocotier Kids. 

Ring-A-Links

May not look like much, but parents rave that these are indispensable for hooking blankets, toys, etc. to strollers and carseats to keep dropped items off the floor. 

Also good as a teething chew.

$3.50 at ToysRUs.

Rockabye Baby: Lullabye Renditions of The Cure

So curious to hear how these sound!  If The Cure isn't your thing, they also have versions based on U2, Nirvana, GreenDay, Led Zeppelin, and others. 

$18 at Blue Ribbon General Store.

For Slightly Older Children

Organic Teething Toy

Because, even if you're still working on those first teeth, it's never too early to eat your vegetables. 

Also available as a very cute green bean, as well as grapes, broccoli, and strawberry. $6.00 at GapBaby.

Snack Ball

Ready for real foods? This "snack ball" -- like everything else from Boon, Inc. -- is amazingly well-designed. (Dishwasher safe, free of BPA and other nasties, recommended for 9+ months.)  $6.50 at Boon, Inc.

Moo Sticker Book

Little kids love stickers.  And Moo Sticker Books can be customized with family photos, a child's artwork or favorite things, or basically anything else you dream up.

Starting at $9.95, at Moo.

"Le Petit Constructeur" Building Block Set

My all-time favorite building blocks were Muji's "City in a Bag" series (simple wooden shapes depicting landmarks of NYC, London, Paris, and Tokyo), but sadly they no longer seem to be made. 

Perhaps we can alleviate our sorrow with these tiny French building blocks.  Little architects couldn't help but be inspired by all the flourishes -- so much more exotic than your basic rectangles. 

$18 at Posh Chicago.

Decor

Elephant Pillow

This bright, simple 10 x 10" pillow has been on my own wish list for ages.  Now that we're expecting, I may finally have an excuse to purchase one!

$20 from Etsy seller JamTartBaby.

"No Monsters Allowed" Poster

Adorable 6 x 10" poster from Etsy seller JohnWGolden.  And if your little one is afraid of monsters, you can always just remind her of the policy.  (Who can argue with management policy??!?)

$20 from JohnWGolden.

Anyone else experiencing the financial effects of the recent baby boom?  What are your own favorite low-cost baby gifts or gift sources?

I'm on a Very Short List

I've always been a "joiner", and the Internet world is no exception.  I'll sign up for anything the slightest bit intriguing, with the theory that I can always unsubscribe later if it bugs me.

Sure, I encounter a lot of "misses", but there's also the occasional hit: among them, Travelzoo's weekly travel deals, you-go-girl Notes from the Universe, Dover's free clip art sampler, and the low-cal recipes and reviews from Hungry Girl.

 

My most recent infatuation is Very Short List, a regular email suggesting books, music, points of interest on the Web, and other worthwhile randomness.  Based on where I first learned about Very Short List, well, I wasn't expecting much -- probably corporate PR, but still maybe useful.  But, as it turns out, they take no money for recommendations.  And the recommendations run to the hip, alternative, and lesser-known ... the majority are things I haven't heard of elsewhere.

This week, I've gotten a lot of mileage out of their recommendation of Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, a new album by David Byrne and Brian Eno that streams for free over the Web.  Plus, there's a show on BBC America that I plan to check out, and a couple of books now on my library list.  And I've only subscribed for two weeks!

They also have specialized emails for Science and The Web, with more topics to come.  To subscribe to any or all, visit Very Short List.

Take One Minute, Help a Soldier

In connection with the series Generation Kill (anyone seen it? any good?), HBO is donating thousands of much-needed comfort items to overseas Marines.  All you have do to is ask!  To participate, visit the Generation Kill website, click on "Troop Drive", and select an item to be donated.

And if enjoy it so much you want to keep right on helping?  Visit AnySoldier.com for a list of soldiers' requests (usually very simple -- think hand lotion, granola bars, and socks) and where to send.  Putting together a care package feels great, and the packages make a real difference for a young soldier far from home.

52 Seconds of Cuteness

Our dog has fans.  Recently, in our local park late at night, Luke Wilson** paused while jogging past to say, "Hey, I caught your act the other night -- your dog is awesome." 

** (Or a close approximation thereof.)

And the "act" he mentioned was just Zoe Come Here, a lazy way (on our part) to run off energy (on her part), in which we walk in different directions and she runs between us at top speed.  For sheer entertainment value, Zoe Come Here doesn't come close to her favorite game: Sheltie Soccer.  Give the girl a soccer ball, and she's in heaven.

Today, we finally got around to videotaping a game of Sheltie Soccer for posterity:

An Update

Sorry to be so silent, friends.  I have been S-I-C-K, and am barely making it out of bed.

The highlight of my week so far?  Riding the Metro with a jug of my own urine.  (No exciting story there; the docs wanted a "24 hour collection" to be sure my kidneys are working.)  I'm just glad the Metro doesn't have airline-style security.  Imagine explaining that to the TSA!

Fun Paper from Boatman Geller

I am a giveaway junkie ... put me anywhere near an entry form, and I can't resist!  Sadly, I am only rarely a giveaway winner.  So I was particularly delighted with a recent contest from Boatman Geller, where they actually sent consolation gifts to those of us who didn't win.

Included were an adorable plaid luggage tag (not this pattern, but I also love this one):

And a notepad (couldn't find "my" preppy alligator on the website, but this is super-cute):

Don't know how Boatman Geller escaped my notice before, as they have been featured in every imaginable magazine.  But I spent a while browsing their site tonight, and I'm really enjoying their classic-but-fun designs.

 

 

Most items are available on their website; the rest from your local stationery supplier.