Since we'll be spending the next few weeks doting on the new baby, I've scheduled daily regular posts and guest posts, which I hope you enjoy. Of course, I'd love to pop in now and again to share family photos and our birth story, as well!
Everyday snapshots of kids are adorable—eating dinner, going down the slide, falling asleep—but sometimes it's nice to have more "formal" portraits. My photographer friend Alpha helped me set up a homemade photo booth. As part of a three-part photography series sponsored by Canon, here's a simple tutorial...
Read More >
Poof! Kids reach a certain age and suddenly don't want to be photographed. They hide from the camera, they sulk, they goof around when you tell them to smile. But! My photographer friend Alpha has figured out ways to get her adorable (and spirited!) niece to interact with the camera. As part of a three-part photography series sponsored by Canon, Alpha agreed to share six handy tips for photographing older children...Read More >
My photographer friend Alpha always takes beautiful photos of her nieces (remember this?) and since our new baby will be arriving in less than two months, I thought I'd ask for her advice on photographing wriggly babies and toddlers. As part of a three-part photography series sponsored by Canon, Alpha agreed to share six handy tips...
Have you guys heard of brag books? They're accordion-style books featuring eight photos, which you can carry in your handbag. They would make a lovely gift for Mother's Day, don't you think? We made them for Toby's grandmothers, and you could also make copies for beloved babysitters and teachers. They take about five minutes to create, and they're so sweet and heartfelt.
What do you think? See Pinhole Press's complete Mother's Day Gift Guide for more ideas, and get 25% off all photo books with the code BOOKLOVE, good through April 16th.
Sometimes you just need a bit of pampering, right? So, last week, Toby and I decided to do a mama/baby spa day...
Our particular spa day was held at my friend Gemma’s apartment. That way, Toby and her son Errol could enjoy the splashy fun together. (Also, they have a much nicer tub; ours is exactly 1 billion years old—and looks older.)
First Toby ran a bubble bath…(Nothing is sweeter than multiple babies in the bath!)
Then, since it was a special day, we busted out The Ultimate Toddler Treat: lollipops.
With that sugary snack, they didn’t mind when we shampooed their hair, made soapy mohawks and washed their nooks and crannies.
The highlight of the spa experience was when we brought a colander into the bath and made it “rain.” The boys were totally delighted. (Brilliant idea, Gemma!)
After the bath, the little guys dried off with their animal towels. (I am going to weep and then frame Toby’s duck towel when he grows out of it, I love it so much:) Also, you will note that Toby is wearing diapers—we’re taking a few-month hiatus from potty training, since, in the end, he didn’t seem ready. I can explain more in the comments below, if you’d like!
Finally, we gave them massages with body lotion—an activity which, we quickly realized, had been easier with infants than with squirmy toddlers! (Here's a tutorial.) But Errol blissed out during the foot massage, and Toby thought leg massages were hilarious. He would dissolve into giggles as soon as I pressed his little calf muscle, it was so cute. (Is that a baby thing?)
It was such a cute afternoon, and the boys ended up happy, sleepy and sparkly clean. Mission accomplished. :)
For our sweet babes, we used natural products from The Honest Company, which we trust and adore: bubble bath, shampoo and body wash, face and body lotion, diapers and wipes. We also lit one of their new soy candles, which smelled like gardenia jasmine.
My friend Ariane designs HATCH, the beautiful maternity brand, so when she invited me to her showroom to try on some new spring pieces, I jumped at the chance! Last week, I rode my trusty bike to Soho and arrived ready to play dress up. Here are a few photos...Read More >
Today I'm excited to share a second hair tutorial for curly hair (here's the first!). My hair-stylist friend Reagan agreed to reveal her secret to getting loose bohemian curls. How gorgeous is her hair, above? Here's her easy trick...
Whenever we did hair tutorials in the past, we got tons of comments requesting curly hair and short hair tutorials. So we've put together four new posts—two for curly hair and two for short hair. Thanks for the encouragement! Here, my hair-stylist friend Reagan, who has gorgeous curls, shows how to do a half-up braided crown. Here are her steps...Read More >
Have you ever worn gold nail polish? It's such a pretty color for the holidays (and New Year's Eve!), and I love that even if you're wearing pajamas, this nail polish makes you feel celebratory. I'm a big fan of West End Wonderland (and if you take a bottle home, you could do family manicures on Christmas morning:) Thoughts? Would you wear it? 
I look terrible in hats. I have a big head (always have), and hats just make it look bigger. But my friend Kendra has a simple trick for making winter hats look cool...
How inviting is this lace teepee? Since lots of readers loved the teepee in Abbey's apartment, we figured we'd share an easy way to make one yourself. Wouldn't it be a fun place to cuddle up, take a nap and read books? Here are the instructions...
