Just Mom

Okay, I gave it my best.  I still love the work but, the industry isn't for me. 

If I'm not an esthy-mom, what will I be?

Hmm, we shall see. 

Professional rhymer, maybe?

Now, let's see about changing my user name...

Love it or Hate it, It's the State Fair!

It's fair time again! It usually takes a little convincing to get Esthypop to agree to go. At best, I get him on alternating years. We are both excited this year, though. It's the babe's first.

I've noticed that most people respond very enthusiastically to the fair. They love it or they loathe it. 

I just don't understand how anyone can miss the magic! The lights, the heights, the chickens. Carnies. That one can put anything on a stick or create "Deep Fried Pepsi" is a marvel that only the fair can manifest! It's kitsch and community. An assortment of oddballs. An excitment of the senses!

If you need more convincing, you should check out the images here. They'll have you ready for the Gravitron in no time! 

Sure, Fall begins with the September Equinox but it hollers at the fair!

Little Red Caboose

Oh Ella! Your felt crowns are charming. To an Autumn lover like me, these are irresistible. 

Your blog is full of wonder and you are the nicest seller I never bought from. 

I have decided to wait until the babe's 2nd birthday (at least) when she can cherish the bestowal. Right now, her arms resemble a furious, chubby windmill when most things approach her head.

Nap Blog and Pin-up Make-up Tutorial

Some really exciting stuff on the horizon...lunch with old friends, dinner with new ones...,sometimes it seems like all I have to do is step outside of my comfort zone and great things begin to happen. Of course, I can only tease you mercilessly with these puny nuggets of info. When the time is right you will be the first to know more ;)

One thing I can say is that I have a gig, as an instructor, at the school where I learned esthetics. It won't be easy. Nothing rewarding ever is. Esthymom the educator? It's an exciting challenge, no?

My first class was make-up application and Wednesday we'll practice with false eyelashes. This is probably the easiest time to jump in.  

This video is the perfect shout-out to all the influences currently tumbling around in my psyche. Besides, it's a righteous make-up tutorial. Girlfriend even wrote your shopping list for you!

Tricked out tweezers

That design can transform a utilitarian object into art is what makes it great. Simply as eye candy, a common tool can charm a hum-drum chore. 

Anything that can make you look forward to yanking hairs out of your face is magic, in my book!

Nap Blog

Grammy came to town to spend Saturday with the babe so that A. and I could spend some time together. We took obscene advantage of the opportunity!  We went to an all day "summer solstice" show that was rocked by The Thirsties and So Hush Hush, among others. The sound was fantastic. In this case, learn from esthymom's mistake. Always take sunscreen to an outdoor show.

After that, A. and I went to an event for National Go Skateboarding Day. We got there for the last hour. There was a lot of sweat and scalded skin. Clearly, I was not the only person who forgot my SPF. It was a very positive event and it brought lots of attention to Pour It Now, a local non-profit who are working to fund and build skateparks in South Carolina. If you are in a position to support their efforts, you will be helping to make Columbia a place for the babe to one day shred safely.  POUR IT NOW

Minor Setback, Major Disappointment

In a not-so-surprising turn of events, I have resigned from the spa where I've been working.  

I was accepted on a part time basis and then, once I started, demands for me to be full time were constant. I struggled against it the whole time. Eventually, the store manager practically begged me to resign so that she could hire a full-timer. You can't fire someone for being a mother but you evidently can encourage her to quit. I could have stayed. Frankly, the positives just didn't outnumber the negatives. 

I find myself a bit overwhelmed now by all the possibilities and very anxious about our immediate need for money. This has become a quest for balance. How do motherhood and professional fulfillment coexist? Maybe I am getting ahead of myself. Still...

Mad props to moms. Navigating your life is never easy but once you have another person to think about it seems impossible sometimes. I am paralyzed by the myriad of possibilities. Day care, school, job. A. mentioned he would relocate which brings on a whole new set of doubts and fears. His job is our only stability. But, wouldn't it be nice to feel the California sun again...

Holistic health has always been an interest of mine. Unfortunately, I am taking a step back from esthetics. I am afraid the mother birdie of this industry that took me under her wing just pushed me out of the nest. Ouch. 

Nap blog

The babe and the buddy...behind bars

Our dog secretly rendezvoused with the busiest street in our neighborhood yesterday resulting in frantic hours walking the streets and questioning neighbors and, ultimately, a family trip out to a shelter in the country. I am grateful every five minutes for such a generous bundle of fortunate circumstances. He thought he had a grand adventure. I aged one dog year.  

The babe is finally contained. Her Grams had a play-yard delivered. It looks like a collection of baby gates all connected to form an orbit around her. It has devoured our living room floor. It gives us a little more piece of mind. Just a little, as she won't spend more than ten minutes on lock down before noticing she is alone and demanding parole.

A is for anti-aging antioxidant

Vitamin A, a.k.a, Retinol or Betacarotene or Provitamin A

A lot of products for mature and aging skin utilize this vitamin. It has been shown to improve the elasticity of the skin and aid in cell repair. It is integral for skin health and function. Fights cancer, free radicals, and sun damage.  Necessary for the health of your eyes, hair and mucus membranes. Keeps your immune system battle-ready. 

Lack of this vitamin can manifest in poor vision, night blindness, bacterial infection, follicular keratinosis, and dry, scaly skin.

How to use it: Apply directly to thick, dry skin to improve firmness and texture. As a supplement, pair it with Vitamin E for a super-dose of skin regeneration power but be careful of your dose. Too much Vitamin A is toxic. No more than 15,000 RE per day is the recommendation. As a matter of fact, supplemental Vitamin A is unnecessary for most people who eat well. I say, skip the pills and eat your veggies. Eat or juice lots of carrots and dark green veggies like spinach and kale. Vitamin A is also found in fish oils, liver, egg yolks and fruits that are orange in color.

When scanning the skin care aisle, look for retinol. Serums are a great choice. At your market, think betacarotene. (Remember betacarotene is 'bright' in color.) 

Yo Gabba Gabba

A friend once told me that the only moments of relief she got in the early days as a mommy were from The Teletubbies. She could put her high-energy son in front of the TV for the duration of the show. She could shower, she could shotgun a beer, she could take a deep, deep breath and get ready to start again. Just kidding about the beer. 

The AAP be damned, I searched for that show and, when I found it, I put the babe's little papasan chair right in front of the TV and...

...nothing. 

Her inner Al Bundy was still in the closet.

I tried other shows. She was vastly uninterested. What kind of a mother tries to entice her child to sit in front of a TV and rot her blossoming mind (especially with something so creepy)? A very tired one. I just wanted one show. One hour. Thirty minutes even! In thirty minutes I could make and eat a sandwich with both hands. I could shower and blow-dry my hair. I could power-nap. Just to use the bathroom alone would be nirvana. The babe dodged all of my best efforts. And now I understood why parents bought Barney videos.

By chance, a show happened to us. I never thought she and I could both be entertained by the same program. I just don't dream that big. Yo Gabba Gabba is that show and it isn't just for kids. I have seen a live performance from Cornelius, a lullaby by Red House Painters, and a Tony Hawk skate demo. Because of YGG, I have even been introduced to new bands like The Salteens. 

The babe is overcome with happiness the moment the host's big, hairy, orange hat appears on screen. 

       

She lights up like this when she sees me...her father...and DJ Lance Rock.

  

Diaper Covers

The diaper cover is an item of clothing I never imagined I could be so smitten by. I can honestly say, I have never spent a minute of my time thinking anything like, "hmm...I could really use an adorable, ruffly garment to cover the poop-sponge I wrap around my baby's hiney!" Oh, what I was missing!

There is an undeniable cuteness to a baby's bottom. To cover that bottom with ruffles, hearts, leopard print or screen-printed bombs has got to be the final frontier in cute. I double dog dare you to find its rival. It's a godsend for southern summers. Not to mention, it's a pretty budget-friendly fashion statement.  

favorites:

Sarah Louise Ruffle Panties

The drawls that started it all for me. With more ruffles than an Elizabethan court on pay day!

Wild Things of Noosa Aussie Bloomer and Hat

If you want your ruffles a little less precious, a little more pop. I think the hat makes this a beachy combo.

Vintage Lucy's Zebra Baby Bloomers

Yowza, Bombshell babe!

Pinkdixie Sassy Pants

Modern charm

low beam studios Wool Soaker

Funky and functional. Using repurposed sweaters, the wool is "naturally antimicrobial" and water resistant.  Especially good choice for those using cloth diapers. 

bean child bomb dropped diaper cover

For the rockabilly kitten with a sense of humor about what's inside the diaper. They come with cherries, too.

Honorable Mention:

Cutifruity Frilly Pants

These blur the line between diaper cover and mini-skirt. I almost didn't post them because I am hoping to buy them first!

What I'm Using

Philosophy Microdelivery Peel

It's a two part exfoliating system. Not as complicated as it sound. Just gently rub the vitamin-C peptide crystals onto your skin and then put the lactic/ salicylic acid "activator" on top. Leave it on for a few minutes to really let those vitamins sink in and allow the acids to do their thang. 

 

What you are getting is a double exfoliation: 

manual: from the crystals

and

chemical: from the lactic/ salicylic combo

The vitamin-C will brighten your skin like nothing else. It's a wonderful antioxidant for fighting age and environmental attack. I have sensitive skin and this product has never left me scratched-up. As a matter of fact, I always end up with a bright, even complexion that people really notice. But, respect the warning to "...not scrub, only massage". A time or two I thought...'but, I haven't exfoliated in a while and my skin is pretty dull and they must not be talking to ME...'and, yes, I looked like the victim of a sandpaper assault. It isn't necessary [or advisable]. This product is expensive for a reason. Just relax and let it do the work for you. 

This stuff is chock full of power ingredients in big doses. It is worth the investment. I bought mine in August and I still have lots left. 

For those who don't have the dough, you could still get some benefits from a home scrub.  From your kitchen, I suggest some brown sugar and sea salt in a base of olive oil and a touch of honey for a manual scrub. Pulverize some strawberries to deliver your alpha-hydroxy acid. Mix in a little yogurt if you want to make it gentler. Don't forget to apply your sunscreen, beautiful!

The Center of Attention

Said by the small elderly woman in front of S & S Cafeteria yesterday, "She's fiesty, isn't she." It wasn't a question.

Dogbone Art

Laura hand screen-prints on plushies, shopping bags and shirts of all sizes.  I am desperately fond of her pirate cupcake. 

The budget will have to accommodate at least one tee for the babe.

This onesie has her name on it. Actually, it has a cupcake on it...just like the babe, a fierce but adorable cupcake.

Super prices for handmade, mobile art! Her goodies are here.

Wednesday Waxing

My first Brazilian bikini wax was excruciating. Much more painful for me than the client. It showed up on my schedule even though I'm barely trained to do one. While I have been in the general area, I have never waxed a vagina in my life. 

I was stunned to see the appointment. A 5:15p.m. root canal would have been just as shocking. Why was I scheduled for this? I wasn't ready. I decided that a professional would take the appointment and do her best. Besides, my store manager was very aware of the situation and offered no other option. Is it more professional to respect your client's time or your client's body? If the appointment had gone well, despite my odds, I would have thought the former. 

In my pub days, time meant everything. If I was in the weeds, someone got her drinks a little late and my tips would suffer. Well, here, I won't be spilling pale ale. I'll be spilling hot wax. On your genitals.

I was lucky to have an exceptionally patient client. My luck ended there. A 15 minute service stretched into something like 40 minutes. The wax dried either too slow or too fast. Half of the time, the hair didn't even come up. I felt like time had stopped. The rest of the world was frozen in the middle of their conversations. Drops of rain were suspended in the sky. I was spinning like a firecracker in the middle of this silent world, holding a popsicle stick as if it were a magic wand...my only weapon against the dreadful standstill. 

We were closed when I finished.  They actually had to unlock the front door to let my client out. Another esthetician asked me if the client knew she was my first Brazilian and I thought...

She does now. 

Esthynerd

I knew I liked esthetics. I realized how much today when I heard myself interrupting my own conversation to ask-"Ooh, is that a book on rosacea?"

After resisting the temptation of the beer/wine aisle and avoiding the imported cheeses entirely, I was undone.  

Incidentally, once my resolve weakened, I re-visited the beer... 

Nap Blog

I should be vacuuming the dog hair off the rug.  The babe is in constant motion and is no longer contained within simple boundaries. She is fast, too.  Last night, I laid her at the foot of the bed. I blinked. She was suddenly and soundlessly at the head of the bed. She is trying to shimmy under the sofa when we aren't looking which means I finally have to battle the dust bunnies. 

A. has defended our borders well but now it is time to attack.

Spring

Babe,

I have been reflecting back to October and to how difficult all of this was in the beginning. We brought you home from the hospital on a cold, rainy night that epitomized our first weeks. The sky was always dark.  There were storms.  It was windy and cold.  We were all prisoners in this tiny house.  I lost a lot of blood during your birth and was still very weak.  My world shrunk into restless midnights in our dark bedroom.  Then, it shrunk further, into the stormy microclimate between you, your father, and me.  I retreated still, until I was living with only you inside the dark circle of my arms where I studied the furrows of your little countenance like a scientist. Sometimes I felt like those autumn clouds were hiding in my eyebrows.  I felt those cold showers in my brain. It was like the weather sympathized with us. 

 

Your heartbeat was always reaching out to me. I saw its power in the eyes of your midwives.  I heard the surprise of its strength in their laughter.  You have always been strong.  Those stethoscopes were foghorns predicting safety after the storm.   It was a beacon.  If I were wiser I could have rested in its promise.

 

I can talk about those cloudy days now because it is Spring.  I feel the importance of those learning times like the cycle of the seasons.  You are blossoming like the pretty pink bushes outside. Your father and I are blossoming, too.  We are being fed with the sunshine you beam into our lives.  Your innate fortitude is leading the way and your unconditional love is filling our hearts with warmth. We are becoming better people because of you.  Your growth is mirroring the Earth’s celestial path around its own sun and our world revolves around you.  

Las Vegas, It's a wild ride

A. returned from his Vegas conference bearing gifts.  A rad postcard for my collection and...

The world's best souvenir mug!

"I thought you would like it," he said. "It's the gayest one they had."

Wednesday Waxing

The only part they got right was the wooden spoon.

NKOTB reunion

For the first time in months, I favored the Today show over Noggin where it was announced this morning that New Kids on the Block are reuniting.  They all still look cute.  I don't know if my mom-vision has prejudiced my eyes.  I recently realized that my leading-man crushes have crept up the time line.  I find George Clooney wicked sexy where I was once like '...skip the old guy and show me Matt Damon!'  I never noticed how dreamy a well-worked tuxedo could be.

I hate reunion shows.   The main deterrent isn't the hell I would get from my friends or the fact that I would probably have to go alone. I don't want to look around me and see myself in the wistful, reminiscing eyes of the other women my age nor do I want to see the people who might show up seeking some irony or kitsch in something I used to love. I once worked with a girl who was 7 or 8 years younger than me.  She would wear an old New Kids t-shirt that she probably found at a thrift store.  It was the same shirt I used to have in high school.  Suffice to say, I didn't find it clever.   

[Side Note: When exactly did the t-shirt trend switch from ironic wit to elitist disdain? I remember when people would only wear band t-shirts to support a group they liked.] 

Perhaps, my memories are too dear to challenge with a revival.  

My very first concert was the New Kids (No More Games). The fever hit me late. When Hangin' Tough dropped, I was a huge metalhead. My sister and I would make fun of the girls who liked New Kids.  But then, I don't know what happened...it was my sophomore year at a new school...my best friend was dying her hair magenta and trying to turn me on to The Cure...and I was taping NKOTB on Oprah.  My friends thought I had microwaved my brain.  

I have enduring love for the unabashed predictability and the cotton candy harmonies of the boy band. The incomparable Jackson 5 was a boy band.  New Edition was a boy band.  The Maurice Starr oeuvre of new editions and kids was followed by the managerial touch of the even sleazier Lou Pearlman.  Funnier even than this quote,  "I got involved with Chippendales before Backstreet and it's Chippendales and New Kids on the Block that gave me the idea to pursue Backstreet.", is the fact that he created a band and then created their own competition! (Backstreet Boy and then N'Sync).  God, there is a lifetime of scandal, innuendo and synchronized dance moves in the boy band niche!   It's yummier than a waxed pec! 

Blockheads may be the new Fanilows... ( http://newsroom.mtv.com/2008/04/03/dear-new-kids-on-the-block-fans-aka-blockheads/ ) ...we shall see if Vegas has a permanent stage for them to hurl their panties.  Until then, and unless Tiffany is opening for them again, my memories of the New Kids are good enough for me.  Probably.

Time to shine

I start taking appointments for facials and limited waxing on Monday.  I'm excited that I'll be liberated from my home for two working days. I am also glad to finally be using all this knowledge and skill to make people smooth. I am still really nervous.  No one expects me to be perfect right out of the starting gate.  Most of the pressure is coming from myself.  I just want to do a good job and I'm really not ready to be thrust back into a service industry.  In any service industry, every mistake you make is a reason to call a manager.  And in this occupation, every single hair remaining on a waxed leg is a big mistake.  One single hair could damage my reputation.  Think about that.

Last night, the babe slept in her crib from 9something to 5:30 this morning.  I couldn't sleep at all.  I checked her breathing every couple hours.  I really missed her.  I'm glad she is ready for this important step.  I'll try to match my newborn's courage and leap into the unknown with grace.

Nap time

This post is my first real-time nap blog.  The babe is down, after fighting me all day.  She made it to 4:30 with a mere hour of sleep under her figurative belt.  Oh, why do the wee ones dread naps so much?  When she stirs, I'll publish.

I had wax training yesterday.  I thought I bungled my facial.  Yikes! Get hairy. If you live in the area, you are going to be my guinea pig. You may tremble, you may yell but, you will thank me when I'm done! More later.  The babe bellows...

Chet and Dot

I can't stop haunting this shop!  Everything is so precious.

 

Coffee sweaters!  So affordable and utilitarian.  They are made even more brilliant by the fact that they are customized from recycled sweaters.  Just slip one onto a re-usable container and you're Al Gore's darling.

How much do I want one of these!  So much that I put an exclamation mark at the end of a question!  I would totally gift this to a sewer.  It includes a tape measure and pincushion with coordinating pins.  Bonus: The box is twee, too! 

Cuted-up clippies.  Once the babe has hair, she will need these.  

Shop is here

They Might Be Giants Podcast

For the young and young at heart!

The babe and I were searching for some tunes in our music library today. The slow, lullaby jams are our daily. (Btw, I highly recommend Azure Ray, Pinback, The Album Leaf, Early Day Miners and Sigur Ros. It really isn’t necessary to listen to Mozart unless you crave it. I think variety expands their noggins anyway.) Anyhow. this was the first occasion where I was looking for something danceable. Until now, it was never a good idea to add any spice to my infant’s day. She arrived saucy! But tummy time and mobile chasing lost their charm without yawns. Today, the babe was ready for more.

Where would you go first? They Might Be Giants just seemed the obvious choice. They’re fun, they’re frisky, they’ve actually covered educational songs. The babe worked it out to "The Statue Got Me High". It made her so happy that I thought I might look around and see if they have done anything new. Not that they had to but, they have made CDs and DVDs specifically for kids. They also have a podcast which includes a special Friday night edition just for children and families. Puppet involvement makes it irresistible! 

You can clicky at itunes for freebies and they’re website takes you to all the fun places where their stuff is.

 

http://theymightbegiants.com/ 

Our generation is doing things their own way, especially with music. I kinda like that TMBG bridges the gap between puerile infant junk and things with more sophistication. I’m not quite ready to expose my PYT to certain themes. For example, I used to love singing her to sleep with "My Mother was a Chinese Trapeze Artist" until it occurred to me that one day soon she might ask: "Mommy, what’s a brothel?’ or even worse: "Grammy, what’s a prostitute?". I realized that I wanted her innocence intact. She’ll have to be at least 3 before she hears that again. :)

I Write the Songs

Another step forward into my babe-induced dorkiness.  I invent songs now.  Bad songs.  I only sing them because they make her smile.

Months ago, my fellow mommy friend confessed to me that she did this.  "I'll never do that," I thought.  "I'm too self-conscious."  Show me a self-conscious mother and I'll show you a gnome on a leprechaun on a woman who hates shoes!  It would seem that nobody's opinion of me is more important than my daughter's smile.

So you won't be surprised if you hear:

"You've Got No Pants"

"You Aren't Wearing Any Pants Right Now [Papa remix]"

or

"Let Me Wipe Your Mouth (With a Burp Cloth, Girl)"

Sunday

I had my second facial interview yesterday.  My technique was a tad Jack Tripper.  I was obviously out of practice.  It was understandable that I was awkward with the products and the unfamiliar environment...I mean you don't just throw heated hand mitts at a girl and not expect a little slapstick.  I'm convinced that the esthetician who received the facial noticed every amateurish mistake I made.  She was generous when I asked her how I did.  She said my pressure was really good.  

She is supposed to give me a facial next.  One of the many perks of this job,...this is actually part of my training.  The store manager is going to call to arrange my next training.  I am assuming that I am hired.  It is hard to tell.  Since day one I have felt completely at home but nothing official has been done to hire me.  

A. panicked a little bit when I told him I wasn't feeling any pressure to find a job.  I had to explain that it just means that the way I look at things has changed so much since getting pregnant and quitting my job.  I realize that I can trust myself to move ahead.  Change is scary. The things that have happened for me in the past year have been anything but.  I feel like I am just starting to live with purpose.  So far, I have been able to check several things off of my 5 year plan.  My recent good fortune just makes me feel like I can accomplish all of it!

Shots

This would have been a very different post a year and a half ago.

Today the babe had her second series of vaccinations. Ugh. What unique torture to soothe your infant while she gets poked by needles. My eyes filled with tears when I laid her down and began whispering in her ear.  I had been distracting myself from this inevitability all day. The psychological burden was doubtlessly increased by my foreknowledge.  I knew I was bound to become hysterical. I was hoping super-mommy might come to my emotional rescue. Even though she definitely inhabits a cozy space in my sub-conscience, I don't know how to summon her. Fortunately for all of us the babe does.

Once she started to cry, it was mom-power that stopped my tears. It is the same phantom energy that flowed through my fatigued limbs during three months of colic. It's the source of the spooky strength that helps mommies throw cars off their babies. It isn't that my feelings stopped. It was like a spotlight that had been shining on my guilty feelings was now being swung in the direction of the one who really needed the attention.  My mind set itself to the task of comforting her. I couldn't be selfish when my baby needed me.

Once again, I am amazed by mothers. How can something so powerful awaken in women every day?

And the babe snoozes peacefully...

Hello Blog

Today I managed to start a blog, have a bath, make and eat my lunch and last through an entire session of yoga with the babe.  I call that success!

Hello Blog!