Horizontal Stripes

What to Wear on Valentine's Day: Romantic Dinner

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:13:00 +0000

If fine dining is part of your Valentine's Day plans, perhaps an ensemble like this would suit? Dress by The Look, clutch by Tory Burch, booties by Designers Remix Signature and coat by Miu Miu.

How to Celebrate Valentine's Day with a Baby II

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:30:00 +0000

Second up, if you're at home on maternity leave, and your husband's work situation allows for it, why not pack a picnic lunch and surprise your husband/boyfriend (aka Dad) at his office?

With any luck, baby will snooze on the stroller or car ride there, and will give you a few minutes to smooch behind his closed office door before waking up (how old school romantic, huh?). There's something incredibly sexy about showing up at your husband's work unannounced and stealing him away for a few minutes.

And what might you bring to munch on? A pair of San Pellegrinos and the most delicious chicken curry and raisin wraps. Images of the Mad Men set via Modernica.

Tips on Raising a French Baby

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:28:00 +0000

French women may be more stylish and slim than us Canadians, but do they also raise better behaved children? Pamela Druckerman is an American expat living in Paris who recently published Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting (which was also published in the UK under the title, French Children Don’t Throw Food: Parenting Secrets From Paris). Her observations pull out some of the ways French moms remain calm and poised, while toting around well-behaved children and maintaining an intimate relationship with their spouses. Her findings (which are genius by the way!)?

French moms teach their kids to say bonjour. It seems so simple, but encouraging children to greet friends and strangers makes them less self-absorbed and more aware of their place as social beings in a community.
French moms don't look for kids' menus. If you don't want your child to eat only pizza and chicken fingers, open them up to a wide variety of foods early on. All restaurants are child-friendly if your child is taught to appreciate and explore food like an adult, which begins by leaving 'family restaurants' and taking your little ones to 'adult restaurants' from an early age.
French moms allow their children to be independent. They pause before rushing in to the nursery at night when their baby cries, so as to see whether the baby can learn to transition from one sleep cycle to the next on their own.
French moms trust their children to cuss. Children are taught one swear word -- caca boudin (meaning poo sausage) -- and are trusted to use it appropriately. This teaches discretion from a young age and prevents young children from using adult swear words.
French women emerge from pregnancy as women, not just moms. Becoming a mom seems all-encompassing in Canada, but in France women remain women, which allows an individual identity apart from the role of mother to be maintained.
French parents think date night is a bizarre idea. Every evening is a time for adults in a French home.

I can't wait to pick up a copy of the book! Images of Jane Birken via Domestic Reflections.

What to Wear on Valentine's Day: Casual Date

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:39:00 +0000

Seasonal, yet sophisticated, here's the perfect solution for an unconventional, but fun Valentine's date, like bowling and a curry buffet. Cigarette pants by Joseph, studs by J Crew, sequined bag by Red Valentino, pink flats by Bottega Veneta and heart sweater by Sonia Rykiel.

How to Celebrate Valentine's Day with a Baby I

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:48:00 +0000

Over the next few days, lovely readers, I'll be sharing some ideas on making Valentine's Day feel special with a baby (or a new puppy or a hectic schedule or any other life situation where making time for your relationship seems impossible).

First up, pull out the champagne glasses. Even if you don't have any bubbly on hand, or are abstaining for breastfeeding (or other) reasons, serve up some lemonade, fizzy cranberry pop or even apple juice, and chill. There's something special about the shape of a champagne glass, and anything feels sexier to drink in a shapely glass than your everyday tumbler. With glasses poured, take a moment to savour whatever you're drinking with your loved one and focus on just each other (until your glass is empty and your baby starts fussing again).

Valentines

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:37:00 +0000

Have I mentioned that I know a circle of very fabulous moms? I'm talking women that run half marathons, mentor young girls through the Guiding movement and submit PhD dissertations while on maternity leave. Meanwhile, I'm just getting to a place where I can consistently do the dishes in a day while caring for my son.

This week, a few of us swapped valentines from our kids as mementos for memory boxes and scrapbooks. To my horror, I was the only mom with store-bought cards. All the others had beautifully handmade cards that clearly took a lot of time to construct. It was hard not to feel deflated (being competitive is one of my negative traits).

Upon reflection, I might never be a mom who seems to be able to find the time to make homemade valentines (I don't think I've made a homemade card since elementary school), but I have found a middle ground -- free DIY printable valentines! Here is a great roundup of free DIY printable valentines for personal use. Instructions for the Valentine above can be found at Alpha Mom.

Backyard

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:16:00 +0000

Our yard is an adult space (think manicured bushes, pebble walkways and a slate patio, and no grass), so making our large two level patio as baby friendly as possible for Tom this summer. is a priority. Sure we have two lovely playgrounds (including one with an outdoor pool!) within 5 minutes walking distance of our home (yay for living in an urban neighbourhood)!, but we also want Tom to enjoy being closer to home occasionally.

The upper level of our deck, which is accessible by patio doors from our kitchen, will be the perfect space for the boy to play while we bbq, so we're going to buy a wooden gate system to make the space safe and outfit the deck with some weather resistant foam mats to prevent splinters and bumps.

I'd also like to hang a swing from the upper level of the patio so that it is accessible on the lower level (I love this baby swing!) and to buy a standing hammock for us to take naps in the shade together. This bench would also be the perfect cheerful addition to our space.

When Tom's older, I hope he has a tree house (but that's a plan for a larger home and a bigger yard). Do you dream about making changes to your outdoor living space now that you have a child?

Baby Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:16:00 +0000

So, I have a list of things I'm working towards with Tom. I've always been someone whose functioned best with goals, and as we get closer to the six month mark I'm ever aware of the fact that I'm going back to work and baby T will gain some independence from me. To prepare, we're working towards:

Sleeping through the night -- I'm ever hopeful that some combination of solids, routine, and sleep training will get us there.
Greater love of and use of pumping -- Tom's always been a hungry boy, I attachment parent and feed on demand, we don't use a pacifier, we didn't introduce a bottle until about 2 months and then rarely used it, and I loathe pumping. All this amounts to a boy who isn't so keen on the bottle. I'm going to recommit to pump daily and ensure Greg gives the boy a bottle a day. This is vital to reaching my goal of breastfeeding after I return to work, and hopefully until Thomas is at least two, as I travel with my job fairly regularly and work long hours.

Do you have goals with your baby? I'd also like to get more of our naps happening in the crib, but I'm aiming for the two goals above first. All in time, right?

How to: Recover from a Sleepless Night

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:36:00 +0000

Our family loves sharing music together (we even take a music class on Sundays). To get geared up for a fun day (or to recover from a sleepless night), we simply have to play the right upbeat song. Vampire Weekend's A-Punk has long been a favourite of ours for this purpose.

Valentine's Day Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Dear Lovely Readers,

For fun, our sweet Thomas Walter, has entered into a Valentine's Day photo contest with a local boutique -- Bellies and Bundles. We'd love it if you'd click here, and 'like' our photo. The photo with the most 'likes' wins a gift basket!

Thank you,

Katie and Greg and Thomas xo

Coco de Paris

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:47:00 +0000

Coco de Paris is a French mixed media designer who paints on antique paper. I think her paintings are really beautiful.

Our Favourite Places: Cook St. Helena

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:39:00 +0000

A friend recently asked for advice on vacationing in the Napa Valley, which got me thinking about our honeymoon and the many delicious meals we enjoyed during that time. I found myself recalling the most casual and affordable lunch we enjoyed on those first blissful days of marriage - sharing a platter of antipasti at Cook St. Helena complete with salumi, roasted garlic, percorino, olives and crostini. Sometimes it's these simple meals that leave a lasting impression. Images via Magourty and Wander and Whimsy.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:48:00 +0000

How do you organize your Pinterest account? I categorize my finds by the sense (sight, touch, smell, taste, sound) that finds the image most appealing. I'd love it if you checked out my pins! xo

P.S. Here are some of my favourite pinners:

Joe Fresh

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:42:00 +0000

Joe Fresh is the perfect, affordable, Canadian way to clothe the whole family. I can scarcely get through my local supermarket without taking a peek each week.

Q: Will you tell your child that they have a RESP?

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:36:00 +0000

One of the first things we wanted to set up for Thomas financially when he was born was a Registered Education Savings Plan. Greg and I both paid our way through our undergraduate and graduate degrees with scholarships, earnings from summer and part time jobs, and assistance from our families. Thankfully we didn't have to take out student loans, but many of our friends did (and are still paying them off) so we know the challenges they can create. We wanted to make sure Thomas had a little socked away to assist with his savings in case our financial situation when he's ready for post-secondary doesn't allow for us to contribute, and to ensure that the money we can contribute now has an opportunity to grow through investments before that time.

Living where we do, our provincial government and federal government both offer financial assistance towards raising a child for the first year ($2200 total) and first six years ($7,200 total), respectively. We've decided to put all this money directly in the RESP and top up the remainder of the yearly space ($2500). Now that this is all sorted out in a tidy monthly contribution plan, we're wondering whether (and how) we should tell Thomas that he has it. The company that holds our investment sent us a certificate to show Thomas when he's older that states he is the holder of a RESP. Until receiving it, we hadn't given any thought to when and how we might tell him that he holds this investment. After discussing, at least given what we know now, we think we'll tell him when he's finishing high school and (hopefully) making his plans for further education. We don't want him to think of it as a free ride, and want to encourage him to seek out scholarships and employment opportunities to help make his education plans come to fruition as we did. What do you think? If you have a RESP for your child or expect to open one soon when do you plan to tell them about it? Photo via Queen's University (one of my alma mater).

Heart Scarf

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:59:00 +0000

What a beautiful scarf for Valentine's Day and 5 ways to wear it! xo

February

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:05:00 +0000

Looking forward, I hope this month brings snow angels (and snow days!), homemade pizza dinners, freshly cut straight bangs and a good book to devour.

Our Favourite Places: Rocket Bakery & Fresh Food

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:25:00 +0000

Our favourite place in St. John's for a casual lunch and chat? The Rocket! We fit in at least one meal a week at this bakery. Images by Lisa Moffat and Matt Jiggins .

A way to share our favourite places (shops, restaurants, hangouts, vacation spots etc.), I'll be posting images of the locations where we make (and have made) our favourite memories occasionally here on Horizontal Stripes.

What We're Reading: Fox in Socks

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:25:00 +0000

I can't say that I brought a love of Mr. Seuss into parenthood, but when Greg was given a box set of Dr. Seuss books for his last birthday (a kind, soon-you're-going-to-be-a-parent type gift from my brother and his girlfriend) I discovered how fun these books are! Now I love the fun rhymes and illustrations. It's hard not to get tongue-twisted though!

How to: Knock Down the Last Bowling Pin

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:43:00 +0000

As a kid, I took one informal bowling lesson, and this one tip has stuck with me forever. I guarantee it will improve your score! Want to hear? So, after your first (or second) ball, only 1 pin on the far right (or left) remains. To hit it, aim the ball towards dead centre, and launch it from the opposite corner. So if you want to hit the far right pin, release the ball in the far left corner of the beginning of the lane aimed towards the centre. It works every time! Image via Westheights.

Pipapo

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:43:00 +0000

Right now, this is Thomas' favourite clutching toy. I can't say enough good about it!

Monokini

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 14:02:00 +0000

Found: the perfect swimsuit for a new mom - forgiving and flattering, without looking too matronly. Saturday (yes in a snowstorm), I splurged on a Gossip monokini at Le Boudoir. Greg suggested I try it on (shock!) and surprisingly it was super flattering. It's perfect for when you want a little more coverage, but still want to be stylish.

Hairspirations

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:20:00 +0000

I'm getting my bangs cut next Thursday (whoo for excitement in the mundane), but have no other changes to my hairstyle planned in the short term. I haven't coloured my hair in almost 4 years (which still sounds odd because before then I'd been colouring it every few months (or less) since I was 13!) and I've been wearing it long with bangs (of some sort) for as long as I can remember. However, I'm loving Wit + Delight's Hairspirations for 2012. I second every single one.

Local Business

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:03:00 +0000

This building has been vacant in downtown St. John's for years (post-reno). I'm so curious why something hasn't opened in it yet. The space looks amazing and the facade is so much fun! Image via Rebfoto.

Speaking of local business, Greg and I daydream about all sorts of businesses that we'd love to see in St. John's such as:

A casual and current men's clothing store that targets the young professional
More restaurants with patios and ocean views
A modern housewares and furniture store
An antique shop focusing on mid-century modern pieces
A true diner
A blowout salon

Do you think about the same? What businesses would you like to see open in our community?

Solids

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:45:00 +0000

As we prepare for Thomas to begin on solids in a few weeks, here's my roundup of must-have baby food supplies.

Stokke Tripp Trapp / Boon 2-in-1 Feeding Spoon / Kids Konserve Nesting Trio / Klean Kanteen Sippy Cup / Lifefactory Sippy Cup Lids for Weego Bottles / Mimi the Sardine Messy Bib / The Wean Machine / Built NY Lunch Tote