Target in Five

Ran in to Target today while hub waited in the car with the kid. It's 7 degrees out, so he tells me to hurry, he'll drive around while I shop.

Well, let's just say this, the moment I walk through the door at Target, some magic dust must get sprinkled over me, because I cannot just get what I need. But knowing I had to hurry, I start acting like I'm on one of those crazy shopping spree shows.

Valentines Day shirts on sale for $4 - grab two... jeans for hubby on sale, grab a pair... off to the milk, ooh, Valentines Day towels on sale, grab those, ok, oooh, cashews, need cashews, ok, milk, yep, got the milk, ooh, a super cute lion DVD cover for Lauren's movies, ok... diapers? no, can't carry them... but a toothbrush, Lauren needs a new tooth brush!! GRAB, oooh, cute new container of Clorox wipes, grab those... then, the SLOWEST. CASHIER. EVER. And I'm out the door. Now only if I hadn't had to pay for it all.

Now that we have a Sephora nearby, hub has a no fail spot where he can shop for me (between Sephora and Parkleigh, he really can't go wrong), so one of my Christmas gifts was Comptoir Sud Pacifique Vanille Abricot perfume. Yum.

Speaking of Sephora, my sis had requested "the stuff to make your eyebrows thicker". At Sephora, that's Anastasia's NuBrow - but at $35, both sis and I thought that was a little ridiculous. But then I read on a discussion board about Ardell Brow & Lash Accelerator Treatment Gel - for less than $4 bucks!! Needless to say, I ordered it for her and me (haven't gotten it yet)! Hoping that the little bare patch on my left eyebrow grows back.

Visit with Santa

Saw Santa this weekend. She didn't freak out, but she wasn't thrilled either. She didn't manage to tell him that baby wants a new pair of shoes. She just looked a bit petrified and said, "Mommy? Mommy?" as I tried to snap a pic with my cellphone because I didn't have my camera with me.

"Santa" did, however, get her a new pair of shoes. Turns out she needed a size and a half bigger than what she was wearing. As the sales clerk was trying on a new pair, she commented that Lauren was "curling her toes because her other shoes were so small." Nice. So I replied, "Thank You. Would you also like to point out that her ears are dirty and her nails need clipping? OK, SO I'M A CRAPPY MOM - but I'm awesome where it really counts - like loving her and teaching her new things - BeeAtch!"*

*I didn't really say this. I just looked away in embarrassment.

Got bebe a pair of boots too. They were on sale (so were the shoes) and were too cute to pass up. Both pairs were on sale in the store, but not on sale online. I hate when they do that!

What a Girl Wants

Yep, ordered this KidKraft Pink Retro Kitchen for Lauren. I think it might possibly be the cutest non-human, non-animal (stuffed or real) thing that I've ever seen. Even if she doesn't love it (though I'm sure she will), I will enjoy looking at it.

I ordered it from Costco.com - it was $179 including s&h (+tax and a 5% non-member fee) - pretty awesome since I saw the exact one on another site for $249 plus $43 shipping!! And similar ones from Pottery Barn Kids are also crazy expensive. I am just praying that I don't get a "sorry, we're actually out of stock on that" email, which will then ruin Christmas - because an almost 2 year old is SOOO aware of gifts.

I am being sarcastic of course, because at this point I could wrap up her shoes (yes, the ones she's been wearing for months), some of our pots and pans, and the sleeve to the Shrek DVD and she'd be the happiest little camper ever.

Stuffed Animals are the new Black

As I begin to plan for Christmas, and wonder what I can get Lauren that won't be laced in lead, I come back to my favorite things - stuffed animals. I surrounded myself with them. I slept with them. I took them with me on trips. I hugged and kissed and loved them. Most are "put away" now that I am an, ahem, "adult". But now I have an excuse to get more. Now I can live vicariously through Lauren, so the stuffed animal collecting has begun!

Yesterday I got her a huge Jellycat sheep. I got him at Parkleigh, my favorite store (with my 30% off coupon!!). I also found Jellycat animals at this great site called Oompa toys - I love the look of their site and their selection, thought they seem a bit pricey.

The sheep is currently stuffed rather unceremoniously into a box too small for his body. I thought about him as I lay awake last night. Is he sad? Is he lonely? Is he having trouble breathing in there? I may have to let him stay with me until Christmas eve, when I can wrap a red bow around him and place him gently under the tree for Lauren to find in the morning.

Oh my Aching Feet - but maybe not

Ok, even if I could afford them, I don't think I'd buy a pair of Christian Louboutins (which I think are GORGEOUS) because I would never get enough wear out of them to make it worth it - because I am not ready to suffer so much for fashion. If I am going to suffer, I will do it with a $40 pair of shoes that I won't feel bad throwing away after they cause multiple blisters and intense pain, not a $700 pair of shoes (though I could put them on a little shelf on my wall and call them art!).

I've had my feet kill me after walking in a pair of Crocs, so the idea of walking any amount of distance on a non-carpeted substance in spikey heels makes me wince in pain.



I've tried many inserts, but they don't really seem to help that much. But MAYBE, JUST MAYBE - help is here. I saw an ad for these Insolia insoles that were developed in conjunction with Rocket Scientists at MIT. If they can't figure out how to make heels comfortable, then basically, we're screwed (we meaning the collective group of women and transvestites who love to wear high shoes).

I am going to buy a pair as soon as I can get my butt to the store! I will let you know what I think!

Jenny & Aaron & Bumble Ink

In looking at their adorable stationary, I also checked out the daily comics at bumble ink... OMG, I think they know Jenny & Aaron very well because these comics couldn't be more like the two of them!! Jenny even wears her hair exactly like that, and I bet a dozen dollars that Aaron owns a helicopter hat.

Ikea Dreaming

We really need to take a drive up to Ikea. Here are some things I want to get for Lauren:

This seesaw, which she will have to share with a very heavy stuffed animal or wait for her cousins to come over.



And this set with the bed, wardrobe and dresser to make for a very cute room:

Green Little Elephants

Have I blogged about these Little Animals Tees before? They are so adorable and, even though I KNOW Lauren will be mistaken for a boy (grow hair, grow), I must get her the Elephant tee (the Elephant is her favorite animal... not that she realizes this yet, but someday she will).

Aside from being insanely adorable, they are green (as in environmentally conscious) - 100% organic unbleached cotton, made in the US (ie, design is not made with lead paint), and the packaging is made from corn, so it's biodegradable.

Slowly but surely Lauren's wardrobe is morphing from neon to natural... but with my Mother-in-Law buying a closet full of clothes every couple months, this is no small challenge! The Grandparents still think GREEN just means the color of their perfectly manicured, pesticide laced lawn.

Can you believe that the retirement village they live in - The Villages in FL - does NOT recycle!! Way to give a crap about the state you leave the planet in, old folks! (Note that my in-laws would recycle if their community supported it, but apparently they don't feel strongly enough to take any action to make that happen.)