happy birthday, grandpa + fresh produce clothing

Yesterday was my dad's birthday. After a somewhat ruthless day of running errands in the painful Florida heat, Ethan and I picked out two very special balloons from the grocery store and headed over to my parent's house for the birthday celebration. We ate dinner, sang happy birthday, opened gifts and had my dad's favorite dessert: key lime pie.

It was the low-key birthday celebration my dad wanted and, thankfully, the rest of us didn't spill chicken soup down our shirts and have to spend the evening in our underwear like Ethan! (Happy birthday, daddy! Hope your "5th" birthday was fantastic!)

Yes, I ventured out from behind the camera for a picture. It's a rare feat. That's because despite several trips in and out of the car in the grueling heat, I still managed to look and feel cute in my new Fresh Produce top! The wonderful people over at Fresh Produce sent me this top to wear and there are so many reasons why I love it. Ready for my list?

For starters, I often find that I spend the day wearing t-shirts that I used to consider my pajamas. My husband's old shirts, clothing suitable for my exercise class -- somehow these became acceptable everyday wear now that I have a child of my own and am tending to his every need. I'm tired of being the only one in pictures looking like I just left the gym while everyone else is put together and smiling. Okay, so maybe I don't have countless hours to devote to hair and make-up like I used to, but that doesn't mean I can't look cute!

Recently I went shopping for some cute new clothes. I bought a few tops that made me feel pretty. I wore one the next day to Monkey Joe's with Ethan. I quickly realized why this shirt was a terrible option for days out with Ethan as his tiny fits tugged on the ruffles that opened the entire shirt. Back to oversized t-shirts and tanktops.

Fresh Produce found me at just the perfect (desperate) time. The clothing line was created by a mother who understands that strings and buttons and bells and whistles aren't as realistic as they used to be in days where kids didn't tug and pull on your clothing all day long. They mix cute with functional. There is such a broad range of styles -- from casual tops to dresses to cruise clothing -- that I was almost overwhelmed when peering on the website. It's not everyday you find more than ten items that not just look good on the model, but fit you perfectly. There are so many options that everyone will find a style they love. Their motto is live life, enjoy color and I love that this holds true with the wide array of color options available for their clothing and accessories! There were so many options that it almost felt like I was designing the top myself, picking something that would look nice, fit the way I like and be the same color I felt like wearing! Bright, fresh, fun clothing perfect for every single day? You can't go wrong!

Even better, Fresh Produce now ships to over 200 countries so there is nothing separating you from an outfit that makes you feel bright, fresh and pretty, too!

Visit Fresh Produce online or on Facebook or Twitter!

sounds like hallelujah for the first time

Ethan will repeat mama on command if you ask him to and, believe me, I ask him to. "Mmma-mmma," I'll sound out carefully as his eyes study my lips. Eventually he repeats the sounds. "Ma! Ma! Mamamama! Ma! Ma!"

This forced repetition means that mama is not part of his regular vocabulary. Not like dada is. Or even not like that or cat are. Those are important words he excitedly stays when referring to something specific. "Dada," he will giggle, as he stares up at a family portrait hanging on our wall. "Mama," I will tell him, pointing to myself in the photograph.

Tonight I struggled to make dinner as Ethan ran circles around the kitchen in his wheeled car walker, slamming into the backs of my ankles until the skin felt raw and pulling magnets off of the refrigerator. I was mincing garlic when he stopped directly behind me. And then I heard it. For the first time, unprovoked.

"Mama!

I turned around in disbelief, still holding the clove of garlic in my hand. "Mama," he repeated, holding his arms outstretched towards me. I threw the garlic down on the counter, scooped up my little boy and hugged him as he repeated it one final time: "Mama."

and i heard from the hills a band was made

Each morning I spend nearly a half hour preparing Ethan's breakfast: chopped fruits, melon, oatmeal. Anything that I can whip up while dreaming still both of sleep and a double tall latte from Starbucks. He wakes up easily in the mornings, lately before the first glimpse of sunlight, eager to begin a day that holds so much promise and potential. This morning I spent twenty minutes peeling, dicing, chopping fresh fruits for his breakfast along with a sweet potato pancake. It only took him seconds to smash his palms into the food and mash it up onto his tray. He drums constantly these days, on any surface he can find: with his straw cup on the handle of the Target shopping cart, with a stacking block on the leg of his easel, with his open palm against his thigh. When you say the words dance, dance, dance! he smiles and drums harder and harder.

In high school, my husband played bass guitar in a band. In those days, when we were fifteen, he arrogantly signed a copy of their CD for me. In these days, he is embarrassed when friends ask to hear the yellowed Memorex disc that still sits in a cabinet shared by all of my favorite possessions, such as my first film SLR camera and my complete Roseanne box set. (Right now he's even more embarrassed of the fact I mentioned I own Roseanne DVDs than the aforementioned CD.) Through the days of band practices and local shows, I always hoped that my future children inherited my husband's musical abilities instead of my tonedeafness, so long as they weren't the drummer. I think of this each time he bangs things together once music begins playing. I think of this with defeat as I add a children's drum set to my list of potential gifts for his birthday.

He loves to eat the smashed food with his fingers, dripping lifeless remnants of honeydew and banana down the front of his pajamas. As he picks up the tiny pieces of crushed foods between his pointer and thumb, I am always shocked to find such a boy sitting there in front of me. That newborn baby, that infant, seems to be gone somewhere, banished to the land of photograph albums and scrapbooks. We've also closed the chapter on pureed foods and have moved onto meals -- real meals, to be eaten with a fork -- and life once again seems to have won no matter how much I try to drag my heels. Sometimes I lay in bed at night and can't escape the sound of his drumming against something, so sure that I hear it over the baby monitor when really there is only silence. Silence for very few short hours until my day begins to the sound of his babbling, the sound of his laughter, the sound of him drumming with his fists across the bar of his crib. And already my day will be made.

walking for babies.

I can't even figure out how to put into words the level of busy, busy, busy life has been reaching lately. Ethan has been on some kind of sleep strike that he was determined to carry out for as long as he possibly could (and which thankfully seems to have ended as he nearly fell asleep in his lunch this afternoon). Despite all of the general chaos of life -- from stolen Elmo dolls to birthday party planning and just about everything in between -- we've been having some pretty great times. Today was one of those times, as we walked with our local Stroller Strides chapter to raise money for the March of Dimes. In fact, Team Stroller Strides raised $1,420 for the March of Dimes!

It was hot as it normally is, being that this is May in South Florida and all. We were all sure that we hadn't yet walked three miles by the time we approached the end, but apparently this kind of stuff is way more fun when you have friends to talk with the entire time. We did it! Ethan and I both are honored to be a part of Team Stroller Strides and a part of such a great group of strong, wonderful mommies and their little ones. I'm proud of all of us!

thirty one!

A couple of my friends sell THIRTY ONE and after falling in love with some of their stuff, they helped me host a THIRTY ONE party at my house tonight. It was part mom's night out, part let's shop for cute stuff, part please eat all of this food that I made despite my husband urging that no one could possibly eat it all.

There was shopping, there were babies, there was coffee, there were good friends and new friends and that awkward moment when my DVR sold me out and notified the party I was recording Real Housewives of Orange County.

I wish all of you (and your little ones!) could have come to, but it's not too late to do some online shopping through my party! It closes on Friday -- go take a peek!

Do your shopping here!