Parker Etc

Baby Mama Drama :: Jeanne of Shop Sweet Things

Amy Parker Anderson — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:00:44 +0000

As mentioned last week, I came to the conclusion that given my overall neglect towards any motherhood or pregnancy books, it was time for me to call in some reinforcements.... some all-star moms I have tons of respect for.... and then beg them to impart to me all of their wisdom! It's a lot like asking to borrow your roommates notes, cause you always skipped and slept through class, so you can cram for finals.

I'm thrilled to kick off this vibrant, quirky and information packed series, 'Baby Mama Drama', with non-other than the lovely Jeanne of Shop Sweet Things! She's the mother of two ridiculously adorable little ladies (I mean, look at those pinchable cheeks!) and lives in sunny San Fran. I've enjoyed following along with her since we first met a while back at Alt Summit. Since day one of finding her blog, I was hooked on her approach to motherhood, shopping, blogging and design..... so it was an obvious choice to use this series as a secret ploy to lure all her tricks and tips out! Read on below to find out her secret mama beauty products, her pregnancy essentials and what to do on mommy's day off.

NAME :: Jeanne Chan

BLOG :: Shop Sweet Things

TWITTER :: @shopsweetthings

CHILDREN + AGES :: Hayden, 2.5 years old & Hadley, 3 months

Honest first thoughts when you found out you were pregnant?

Both of my pregnancies were planned, so I was pretty excited when I found out I was pregnant. It did feel weird in the beginning knowing that there's another living "being" inside of me, and that the body is no longer just my own. The thought of no sushi, no fine cheese and no wine for the next nine months was just brutal.

If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently and what would you do the same?

I don't know if there's anything I would do differently as I was pretty happy throughout both of my pregnancies. What I would do the same is that I wouldn't go out spending money on maternity clothes unless I really have too. I'm pretty proud of the fact that I didn't end up having a bunch of pregnancy clothes afterwards. I'd rather save the money for later to reward myself with a new wardrobe after I settle in with my post-pregnancy body. (And yes, your body does change after pregnancy!)

Most embarrassing pregnant moment?

I think this one is pretty common... it's when I have crumbs or food stains on my big belly and don't know it until someone tells you, "oh, here's a napkin, maybe you want to clean that off your shirt?"

Golden ticket piece of wisdom for a first-time mom?

Letting your friends and family know in advance that you want to rest up and spend quality time with the baby first before you welcome visitors. It can get overwhelming the first couple of weeks and you don't want to seem like you're frustrated at the people who care about you the most. If you communicate that in advance, it will save you some headaches while you take care of a crying newborn in your hands.

You can’t possibly raise a child without …

Baby wipes! I can't leave my house without them!

Favorite mom blog?

I don't follow mom blogs per se. But I do follow bloggers who have kids and I love reading their experiences from time to time. Some of my favorites include A Cup of Jo, Oh Joy, La La Lovely, Kenzipoo, What Would Gwyneth Do, Inspiration Cooperative.

Lifesaving beauty products during pregnancy?

I don't know if this is consider a beauty product but I loved using the Bliss Lemon Sage Soap during my pregnancy. It smells so good and refreshing and it literally opened up my senses. This is especially good when you feel a little nauseous.

Lifesaving beauty products after pregnancy?

I've never been the type that spends a lot on skin care. But after having kids, a really nice Day and Night cream really makes a difference. I'm currently loving Restorsea. It's a little on the spendy side, but it's really worth it! My skin never felt so nourished. I think letting your natural beauty shine is really the way to go once you become a mother, so anything that helps improve your skin (and spend less time on make up) is a beauty savior.

Your pregnancy essentials?

Leggings, lots of water, pre-natal vitamins, soy milk, a nice pair of flats or sneakers.

Your now ‘go-to’ mom essentials?

Baby Bjorn (when I'm out), sleepy wrap (when I'm at home), Elle Macpherson Nursing Bras, and more cool sneakers.

Does the feeling of ‘I’m not prepared for this’ ever go away?

No, not really. A kid's pattern and habits change all the time. I constantly have to adapt and learn new parenting skills. I don't think that's going to stop until the day they get married, haha!

Today has been declared ‘Mommy’s Day Off’.... what’s your ideal day?

A spa day spent at a pool with a glass of champagne and good food. A massage becomes even more of a treat once you have kids!

Photos :: via Jeanne

34 Weeks + Baby Mama Drama

Amy Parker Anderson — Tue, 07 May 2013 14:00:34 +0000

Over the past few months, I’ve started to realize why mothers really bond together. There aren’t many other people you could discuss, with a straight face, some of the things mom’s discuss with each other. Heck, I still whisper the word ‘breast feeding’ like a twelve year old boy. Admit it, it’s a weird thing to say out loud... at least for modest me.

Once this whole pregnancy thing became more real, and since I really haven’t read a single book or blog about how things in the motherhood department work, I’ve relied heavily on friends to keep me informed on all my ‘what to expect when you’re expect-ings’. If it wasn’t for them, I would still think all births are like they are in the movies. Oh, it lasts longer than 15 minutes and you don’t have a fresh blowout and full makeup on? Seems like a lot of work.

Once the panic set in that we had entered, what E calls ‘the red zone’, I knew it was time to call in some reinforcements. The big guns. The fellow mamas I know, new and seasoned, who have already ventured to the places I’m about to go. I decided to ask these ladies to share their advice, memories, tricks and survival skills with me in a little series I decided to call ‘Baby Mama Drama’. It started first from a selfish need to compile as much information as I can so I don’t have to read any motherhood books, but also, I realized every mom has been in the place I’m at. No one really knows what they are doing, you do in fact ‘fake it until you make it’... and even then, do you ever officially ‘make it’? Maybe that’s when you send them off to college or maybe it’s the first time they actually say ‘thanks mom’. It’s always refreshing to hear from others about their experiences first hand, the honest parts, the perfectly imperfect parts and the humorous parts. I’m deeply thankful these women took the time to depart their wisdom. Whether you’re a mom or not, we can all learn a lot.

So what better time to kick this off than the week leading up to Mother's Day. Be sure to check back later this week for the first ‘Baby Mama Drama’ post!

34 Weeks // dress (similiar) - jacket - boots - scarf (similiar) - bag (c/o)

My Dream Project :: Fishs Eddy

Amy Parker Anderson — Fri, 03 May 2013 14:00:35 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, I was invited by the lovely ladies over at Fishs Eddy to stop by and help with an in-store display they were putting together for their Vintage Collection. Since they are literally one of my favorite stores of all time on planet Earth.... I may have over eagerly committed my entire schedule and possibly my first born for whatever it was they wanted. On any given Saturday afternoon, you’re likely to find me in their digging through the sale section for one-of-a-kind dish finds or scouring boxes of old knick knacks they collect and display effortlessly. When E and I got married, they had yet to set up their gift registry options and I personally made my own online registry just for all my Fishs Eddy needs. This is a serious love affair y’all.

Along with Grace and Maxwell of Design Sponge, Todd Oldham, Nancy Matsumoto and Susan Brinson, we were set free to roam and raid the store to create our very own unique table setting out of both their vintage tableware and also anything we could snatch up. Fishs Eddy has more than enough to inspire anyone from conventional to quirky, traditional to odd and everything in between. The goal was to display the table settings to help inspire customers to not be scared to mix and match and dress up their own table in any way they please. Which, as you know, I’m one for unconventional table settings and mismatched decoration.... so this was pretty much my dream. Could I do this all day, every day? You betchya.

If you are also a lover of dishes, vintage table ware, rustic decor and fun accent pieces in your kitchen.... be sure to visit the store here in the city or pop onto their website and be ready to hand over your entire paycheck.

A Glimpse Into The Future

Amy Parker Anderson — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0000

I think it’s safe to say that deep down, everyone has a small worry bug in them about having an unattractive baby. Don't even deny it. We’ve all been ‘that guy’ who was introduced to a friend's kid only to turn to your significant other and say ‘Oh gosh, now that was not a cute baby’. I’m guilty. You always have to think, do the parents know it’s not cute? Will I know if my baby isn’t all that cute? We can control a lot these days, but a snaggle tooth or the 'old man river' look some babies get... well, they just have to run their course. Everyone.... keep your calm. There’s nothing a cute baby outfit and a good Instagram filter can’t fix these days. Plus, we all know the tale that unattractive babies usually grow up to be super attractive adults and that super cute baby features don’t always translate into model worthy adulthood profiles. Some couples gene pools create more attractive boys than they do girls and vice versa. Don’t shoot the messenger, these are just the cold hard facts of life people.

Recently, nothing has brought me more knee-slapping comedy than the world of online baby websites. Oh, the black hole. There’s a website for everything you could ever imagine and then ones you wouldn’t even want to imagine. My new favorite? The Baby Morpher! What briilliant and completely necessary life tool will they possibly think of next y’all?

I mean, the photo above pretty much sums it up. If you know me, than you could likely imagine the utter joy and jumping on the couch that ensued after we completed our baby morpher and received this glimpse into the future. If this thing has any truth to it, which I’m sure it does.... appears to be highly advanced technology my friends, then I’m basically giving birth to Blue Ivy’s twin sister. Which means my life long premonition that Beyonce and I are twins separated at birth, is in fact, real. Is that baby morpher photoshopped, you ask? We couldn’t even make up something this glorious if we wanted too.

Don’t forget to note the button that came up at the bottom of the page. Do I want to ‘make another baby’ right now? Heck no.

Photos via :: here, here

32 Weeks + A Nine Month Myth

Amy Parker Anderson — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:01:00 +0000

It’s interesting that the magical number decided for pregnancy was nine months. The way it’s spread out does help you acclimate to each stage and your changing shape in a slow, but steady, manner. What they don’t explain thoroughly enough, is that it’s actually ten months. Yep, ten. At least I wasn't aware that you are pregnant through the ninth month.... making it practically a full ten months. Make sense? Yea, I’m still trying to count on my fingers. But, what I do know is there should be a PSA distributed about the expectant length of being pregnant for women like me who slept through that whole ‘you-know-what' education class in middle school. I kept wondering why the numbers didn’t quite add up.

:: Confessions on Pregnancy ::

- We’re at the stage where the baby does these ‘grazing’ movements from the inside of my stomach. Nothing too extreme, but it’s like a slow elbow brushing from right to left. In those moments, I’ve come to start referring to it as Nessie, The Loch Ness Monster. Seems appropriate. Sometimes when it stops being so lazy and actually pushes or kicks up against my stomach, I’ll push and poke back. In my head, it’s like we’re high fiving each other. ‘Hooray, you haven’t pushed mommy’s belly button out yet!’......‘Thanks mom for letting me take all your energy to grow my kidney’s today!’.

- At some point, this whole process becomes ‘real’, right? Like, it sinks in? Everyone says it usually happens after your first baby shower and you start accumulating those quintessential things. Oh, does it? I recently came home, checked the mail and while walking to the stairs glanced over to see a box with a picture of a crib on it that had been delivered. I thought, ‘Huh, looks like someone got a crib. That’s nice.’ And proceeded to walk straight up to our apartment as if nothing else should’ve occurred to me.

- My new business idea is this, someone should start an Army basic training style boot camp for woman about to enter motherhood for the first time who are utterly and completely clueless on all fronts.... like myself. What better way to learn new skills than at a high stress situation. If the Duggar mom had more bite, I'd envision her with a whistle in hand, but I think it's best to assume Tracy Anderson would hold court. Activities would involve some, if not all, of the following:

1. Ninja Reflexes - How to dodge rapid firing pee or spit up.

2. Origami - The art of assembling a diaper with one hand in under sixty seconds.

3. Driver’s Ed - The basics on steering a stroller through Soho on a Saturday afternoon so you can run errands.

4. Mind Over Matter - How to assemble a pump and/or bottle.

5. Obstacle Course - How to take a full shower in under five minutes.

6. Survival Of The Fittest - How to function as a human and communicate with your spouse after forced extreme sleep deprivation.

The Unconventional Home

Amy Parker Anderson — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 03:49:52 +0000

Epic and unique are two of my favorite words when it comes to a home. There's something intriguing about a space being used for a purpose other than what it was originally intended for. Like the top floor of an old police station now being used as a studio apartment. A couple blocks north of our place in Brooklyn, there's an old school that has been renovated into an apartment building and I always walk by and daydream (slash, try to peek through the curtains) about what the space looks like inside. Our current place was originally used as a recording studio for a bit, so our bedroom is a bit oddly shaped and it appears it was an impossible idea to make any wall close to a straight 90 degree angle. Cause why would you want to do that? It all definitely lends to some fun and creative manners of interior decorating, which is my favorite part. One day down the road, I know E and I would love to live in an old firehouse or renovated schoolhouse. We're suckers for exposed beams and pipes, high ceilings and quirky spaces!

When I saw this feature in the recent New York Magazine, I figured it was obviously places that were way off the map of the normal living areas of the city. It's easier to find an old firehouse or church to purchase in rural Pennsylvania, but in New York City? Who knew real estate like that still even existed and hadn't been snatched up and chopped into teeny tiny apartments decades ago? If there's one thing New Yorkers love more than scoring The bargain of the year on an apartment..... it's being able to snoop around in other peoples apartments. Every space in this city is truly unique. Hop on over to the full feature and read about the how the owner's each tackled the transformation process. A little fun Friday read for you!

Photos by Henrik Knudsen for New York Magazine.

Gender Neutral :: The Choice To Wait

Amy Parker Anderson — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:00:00 +0000

With every decision you make during pregnancy, there will either come praise or opinions. No one will ever go straight to disapproval, they'll just offer 'opinions'. Which, thanks to your pregnancy brain, you'll likely forget in a matter of minutes anyway. Right now, the most frequently asked question to my bump is 'boy or girl'? Completely natural thing to inquire about and the always perfect 'go to' ice breaker when chatting it up with a pregnant lady. To which I kindly note with a shrug of my shoulders, 'We don't know.' Their faces usually say something like 'Don't know?'. Most people think it's a joke or we are hiding some super big secret as if the there's the possibility the third option to the gender of a baby is hiding inside my stomach.

Prior to even becoming pregnant, I always had a hunch I would probably want to wait. And why not? We could always find out if we ended up losing sleep over it. Took a little more convincing to get E on that train with me, and he wavered back and forth a little before becoming completely into it, but it's always helpful to boldly throw out the 'solidarity' card in those moments (you're getting some bonus marriage lessons here today)! One month, I was dreaming of little rockstar girl outfits and how E will be complete and utter putty in her hands. The next month, I was thinking how sweet it would be to have a boy first who could be the 'big brother'. Now, I'm completely neutral. As long as this nugget comes out in a speedy fashion with ten fingers and ten toes…. we will be high five-ing ourselves.

I wish there was some elaborate and deep parenting reason for why we chose to do this, but really, it's mostly because there aren't a lot of surprises left in the world. We've created a gadget, machine or hired a trend forecaster who will be sure we are one step ahead of everything at all times. And if those aren't adequate, we've still always got the lo-fi options of the fortune cookie or psychic. I love getting a glimpse into my future over a steaming bowl of fried rice, but I've never been one who needed to know before the rest of the world. Let's all remember, it's highly unlikely our own parents even had the option to find out when we were born. Thousands of years went by before the invention of the sonogram and it appears people survived. For now, we are enjoying the awkward moments on people's faces when they don't know whether to refer to my bump as 'baby', 'it' or a stuttering version of 'she/him'. On record, I call my baby an 'it'….. you're welcome to as well.

26 Weeks + Stage Five Panic

Amy Parker Anderson — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 14:00:20 +0000

I’m not sure if there’s a term for what is currently happening in our apartment right now. It’s not technically ‘nesting’, as one would think, as much as ‘pure and total destruction’. I’ve discarded half my closet, but only managed to get the ‘giveaway’ box as close to the Salvation Army bin as my bedroom door. So that’s fun to trip over every day. Our front couch is in the back, we’re using E’s v-flats (definition: photo gear technical term for super tall foam boards) as fake walls to envision how the baby room would be built and every piece of furniture has been moved in order for me to get a feel for what it would look like elsewhere. And then, of course, only partially moved back. I basically can’t make a decision right now to save my life. So we’ve learned my feelings come out in the form of furniture rearrangement. Chalk it up to my stage five panic that set in after I went to my latest doctor appointment only to have her inform me that I’m on my final trimester. Huh, what? Yea, I said the same thing to her. Or at least my facial reaction did (disclaimer: I am 28 weeks in real time. I'm just lagging in keeping up the photos to correlate!) Thankfully, she’s my kind of lady. Took me a few visits to realize why I had a distinct feeling we understood each other. She’s slightly sassy, nonchalant and honest in a way some could find jarring, but I find refreshing. E was the one who acknowledged that she always complimented me on my fur, anything leather in my outfit or bold nail color. So pretty much the top three components to winning over my affection. Which makes her basically my OB soul mate and, therefore, the most qualified person to deliver this child.

:: Confessions on Pregnancy ::

- You don’t know what an OB is either? I just learned this week when making a follow up appointment with the zesty new front desk receptionist! Let me enlighten you too. “Are you making an OB or GYN appointment, dear?”. Blank stare from me. “I don’t know what that means? Are those like those texting codes teenagers talk in these days?”. Blank stare back from receptionist. “Are you pregnant or not pregnant?”. “Oh” I stare down at my obvious belly near her eye level and then glance back at the receptionist. “By golly, I think I’m pregnant.” There was obvious judgement all over her face....it wouldn’t be far off to assume she burned my records.

- Perk of pregnancy; random strangers feel completely comfortable talking to you and sharing their wisdom on a whim. Take the dweller outside the corner bodega on Washington last week. After noticing I was pregnant and fighting a slight cough, he informs me to be sure to really take care of my health. I smiled and said I appreciated his concern. He continues to inform me that his lady was sitting on the park bench down the street one summer day and had a sneezing fit so bad it made her water break. Now they call their child ‘Sneezy’. The end.

- What is a pregnant woman’s natural musk, you ask? Well, I’d have to say cocoa butter with a dash of Bio Oil. That’s right. I could spray perfume on myself with the intensity of an Abercrombie store, and it still wouldn’t hide the always present cocoa butter aroma that seeps out of every part of my skin. The best offense is a good defense, my friends. My fear of stretch marks is a close second to my fear of an outie belly button.

What I Wore :: 24 Weeks

Amy Parker Anderson — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 15:00:37 +0000

Shirt: H&M // Pants: F21 // Shoes: Louboutin // Jacket: Target (similar) // Clutch: c/o JustFab // Belt: Urban Outfitters (similar)

-------

It happened.

I knew the day was inevitable. It was bound to happen. But something in my mind kept convincing myself otherwise; that I was going to be prepared, composed and equipped for when the hurricane hit. Was I actually? Of course not. Have we met?

After months of waiting for my bump to officially arrive in hopes of showing it off and parading around in all the cute maternity outfits I had imagined and laid out in the endless closet of my mind, that day had finally arrived. From the moment I found out I was pregnant, one of the first things occupying my mind was how my body was going to change. It was in all the ways any gal thinks.... ranging from ‘I’ve dreamt since I was a little girl shoving basketballs up my shirt about what being pregnant will look like’ to ‘Holy crap, I don’t want to look like Jessica Simpson’. Both are completely normal reactions... in my book.

The honest truth is, your body is going to change. I repeat..... your body is going to change. And it won’t look like Giselle. Or maybe it will. In which case, we won’t be friends. Either way, I woke up one morning and realized I was living out an episode of Body Snatchers. I stood there in an outfit I had worn over a dozen times and couldn’t comprehend why it looked different. Things weren’t falling how they used too. My once chic oversized tee was now mere inches away from being a crop top. Then I did the worst thing you could do in that moment.... I turned to get a side view of my outfit. Annnnnd...... cue meltdown. Within the next ten minutes I had completely devoured my closet, trying on every combination of shirt/pant/dress/skirt/top I could get my hands on. Then immediately took them each off and over dramatically threw them on our front sofa. Everything felt weird. It was as if I was getting dressed out of a strangers closet. Where did these clothes come from? This was, of course, at 8:00am on the morning I had an 8:30am meeting. (Take note: perfect time to ‘blame the baby’.)

Thankfully, E overheard the commotion and slowly talked me off the ledge.... and out of a crop top. But the moral of the story is not about the dangers of crop tops, it is about the inevitable closet related temper tantrum no woman is immune to. Take it from me, it takes a couple of weeks with your new accessory to really get a handle on how things will look and how you will feel in them. I’ve never been one to wear body hugging anything, and now, I’ll rock a bodycon dress..... without the need for Spanx (read: rebel). Cause really, when else in life can you do that? It’s quite liberating.

After that fateful morning, I vowed to never let my closet explode again. Mainly, because I didn’t want to have to take an entire Sunday afternoon putting everything back on hangers, but also, because I wanted to love every minute I have with this bump-a-roo. You only have it for five of the nine months. And you only get to experience being pregnant for the first time.... once. I didn’t want to waste time being in a fight with my bump. My advice? Take a day and go through your entire closet of what you already own. Try things on and take pictures. Trust me, those photos will come in handy when you need to talk yourself off the ledge again one morning..... ‘Oh right, I don’t look like a blimp in this shirt if I just add a blazer over it’. I went through my closet and noted pieces I could still fit and how to style them with the bump. There were also pieces I had to admit just weren’t going to fly, no matter how I pinned, tucked or tied them. Just remember... they aren’t gone forever, merely on a relaxing vacation until next season. I used this as an opportunity to note the few ‘maternity’ specific staple pieces I was going to actually purchase. But that’s a whole post of its own!

What I Wore :: 23 Weeks

Amy Parker Anderson — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:00:53 +0000

It's likely your first thought after reading the title of this post is that I'm really bad at math. Do I admit there have been some days where I have confused what week of pregnancy I'm on? You bet. Counting in weeks as they relate to a nine month spread is not one of my strengths. Hence the blank stare I usually project after asking a parent how old their child is and the response I get is '20 months'. Hmmm, what exactly does that mean? Can I get a year in there as a starting point? Like a year and six months. Now, that I get.

So yes, here I am posting a 23 week outfit... when in reality.... I'm 26 weeks pregnant. Which is like six months and some change. This isn't so much a reflection of my math skills as much as my time management skills in posting these photos. So be prepared for some back-to-back baby mama outfit posts coming your way.

WHAT I WORE ::

Jacket: Beluah // Dress: Topshop // Bag: c/o Brahmin // Hat: Urban Outfitters // Jewelry: F21, vintage // Wedges: Target

:: Confessions on Pregnancy ::

- Never in my life have I questioned on a daily basis if today may be the day I pee my pants in public.... as an adult. Yes, there were times in college where after an impressive consumption of alcohol and while standing in a long single line for a single bathroom at a party where I may have thought the odds of me wetting my knickers were high. But, at least back then my ability to 'hold it' was still functioning without the obstacle of a baby firmly standing on my bladder. That's no longer the case. At least I have the baby bump to point to and blame, if I in fact end up peeing my pants in public. Which brings us to the next confession.

- Blame the baby for everything. Really this is just the beginning of what I see as a lifelong ability to blame your child for things completely unbeknownst to them. Late to work? Sorry, I couldn’t run to catch the bus (and motion to your bump). Dirty kitchen you said three times you’d clean? Sorry babe, you know with the baby and all I can’t inhale the chemical fumes. You forgot to: pick up the laundry, grab coffee at the store, lock the door, call back your mother-in-law, take out the trash? Sorry, you know how much this baby gives me pregnancy brain and all. Most recently, I blame this baby for bringing me to the moment where the word 'pee' has now been written on my blog.

- Having a pregnant belly is an oddity. Some mornings I wake up and don’t feel pregnant at all until I’m reminded when applying the hair band to the button of my non-maternity leather pants I still insist on wearing. I’m also not quite fully aware of my belly’s size. As noted when trying to squeeze in between two co-workers chairs and in my mind I was still ‘sucking in’ to get by. You know the feeling. But in reality, my belly hadn’t decreased a millimeter and I side-smacked a guy in the head..... with my belly. Whelp, that’s a first.... for both of us.