Simply Us

The Newborn Phase

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 05:01:00 +0000

Image by J. Mears

Hudson Jay Mears was born November 7, 2012. He arrived 13 days sooner than expected with an active labor and delivery totaling less than 5 hours. Motherhood took off like a rocket and I was not ready for what the early days had in store for me.

The last five months have been incredible and humbling. I've worked harder, felt more joy and more depression than ever in my life. Parenthood launched me into a world of extremes and I have had to re-learn how to balance. Before I launch into how wonderful things are now (which they are, Hudson's amazing) and how every day is full of more joy, happiness and challenge than I have ever known. I must start by being honest about how difficult the first three months were for me. I share this because I was shocked at myself for feeling what I felt the first three months. I had pictured strolls in our city neighborhood, picnics in Golden Gate Park, brunch with friends with my Bugaboo Bee parked next to me (it's laughable to me now). My reality was crying, nursing, swaddling, burps, shushing, crying and crying again (the baby and me).

The truth is, I was very naive about what life with a newborn would be like, even though I probably read over a dozen books to be as prepared as possible. Looking back now, I realize that I thought I was coming home from the hospital with a 4 or 5 month old. I had never really spent time with a newborn, all the babies I had seen strolling out and about were passed the newborn phase. I was clueless, but didn't know I was clueless and that was my biggest mistake.

It's true what everyone says, nothing can really prepare you for parenthood- you just have to experience it. I didn't believe that at the time. I thought, of course you can prepare, preparation is my middle name. I had a plan, I read The Baby Whisperer, Babywise, The Happiest Baby on the Block, Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child, the list goes on. But what I ignored was the fine print in each book which states "each baby is different." For a planner like me, the early days of motherhood were not easy. Let me caveat that by saying, I loved my baby boy to pieces, but I was devastated at every turn and overwhelmed by the smallest of decisions. Lucky for me, I had friends, parents (thank you thank you mom and dad), in-laws and an amazing husband (I could not have got through it without Jay) to help me get to where I needed to be. But it took awhile, 13 weeks to be exact, for me to feel like myself and get a grip on my new normal and my new life as a mom. Once I got through the newborn phase, it was like a switch went off and things just got easier. There were smiles, longer naps, 8 hour sleep stretches - and then came the strolls, the picnics and the general predictability which I had envisioned.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a mother. But I wanted to share my struggles with the blogosphere because when I was in the thick of it, I felt very alone. I wanted to let anyone out there struggling to know, it gets better - and easier - and completely amazing. Those smiles and laughs will come and they will melt your heart.

Image by K. Mears

Petit Oh!

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 23:54:00 +0000

Photos by K. Mears

I've been told and warned by many friends not to purchase too many clothes for the baby before the baby is born, since most likely I will receive hand-me-downs and gifts. But I found myself in the sweetest little baby store in Barcelona one evening when we were on vacation in July and I just couldn't help myself (teeny tiny clothing makes my heart melt). The store is called El Mon d'en Dada. I'm not sure how it translates, but it even sounds cute.

Truth be told, it was Jay that found the outfit above. I think it makes a great bringing baby home ensemble. It's a little kimono top with separate bottoms, which from my understanding is a good choice for a squirmy infant. The brand is Petit Oh!, which consists of many stripe and polka dot tops and bottoms. I really love those simple patterns for babies. Unfortunately, I haven't seen it in any of our neighborhood stores so I wish I would have splurged a little more while on vacation. All in good time, right?

Five Days in the South of France

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:51:00 +0000

Photos by K. Mears

Following our 5 days in Spain, we headed to the south of France for a little relaxation at a slower pace. We were so used to the go-go-go pace of Barcelona, it took us a day or so to get accustomed to the sitting-at-the-beach-all-day attitude. But once we adjusted, we were happy to have some very restful days.

We stayed in a little town a few miles from Cannes called Theoule sur Mer at a hotel overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. It was gorgeous (why doesn't the Pacific Ocean look like this?). We spent lazy mornings eating croissants on our balcony followed by lazy afternoons at the beach. After a few days of this we decided to check out a some of the inland hill towns, so we rented a car and visited Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Vence, Tourrettes-sur-Loup and Gourdon for a day trip. These little towns were so cute and picturesque, it seemed like each building belonged on a postcard.

After our week of lounging, reading and eating, we were about ready to head home and get back to our regular routines. I know that travel will become much more complicated in a few months, but I look forward to sharing and exploring travels in a new way. I can't wait until our first overseas trip with our baby some day in the future!

Five Days in Spain

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 23:06:00 +0000

Photos by K. Mears

We are back in San Francisco after our two week vacation in Spain and France! It was an amazing trip but it's also good to be back. I was able to relax while we were on vacation but now I feel like I have a gigantic to-do list to attend to before our little boy's arrival. I was putting a lot of things off until after the vacation so now it's time to get to it! But before I launch into the everyday, I wanted to share a few tidbits about our trip while it's still fresh in my mind.

It was my first time to Spain and I must say, I just loved the vibe in Barcelona. We spent most of our time there aside from a quick day trip to Cadaqués where we lounged by the beach. We also visited the former home of Salvador Dalí in nearby Port Lligat which has since been converted into a museum.

As I mentioned here, Gaudi was the theme in Barcelona. We probably visited one of his creations in architecture almost every day. It's amazing that one single person had such influence on the look and feel of a city.

We stayed right on La Rambla which I would highly recommend because it's very central to much of the museums and major city sites and is also close to many metro stops. One of my favorite things to do was to walk down La Rambla and discover little neighborhoods in the Barri Gòtic down narrow winding streets to the left or right of the main street. La Rambla is also great for people watching.

Barcelona was full of energy day and night, which is why I think we enjoyed our time there so much. There was hustle and bustle all day long which made us constantly feel like we were always in the right place.

While I loved visiting sites such as La Pedrera and Sagrada Família, some of our most fun was taking breaks at cute little cafes such as El Bitxo for a quick drink and tapas. Anytime we would find ourselves a little tired of the crowds and heat, we would just stumble into an inviting cafe to reflect on our afternoon. I think that's probably what I will remember the most!

Hello from Barcelona!

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 16:26:00 +0000

Photos by K. Mears

We are spending some time in Spain and France to celebrate the halfway point of our pregnancy. I suppose you could call this our babymoon!

We've been in Barcelona for three days and I can sum up my experience in one word, Gaudi We've been enjoying the amazing art and architecture through the work of Antoni Gaudi. Thus far, we've seen La Pedrera, the Palau Música Opera House, Parc Güell and the gorgeous Sagrada Família. Above are some previews of our photos from La Pedrera and Parc Güell (more to share once we are back).

Tonight we head to Mountjuïc for some fountains and views!

Simply Us + 1

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 19:02:00 +0000

Photo by K. Mears

It's with great joy and excitement that we share, Jay and I are expecting a baby boy this fall! Our little bundle is anticipated to arrive at the end of November. I'm 20 weeks along and am feeling wonderful (thank goodness that pesky first trimester is over).

We are so thrilled and happy to finally share this news. There's much more to come as we begin to prepare our tiny apartment for our new family member. I'm looking forward to all the expected and unexpected discoveries ahead!

Project 52 {Fail}

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 00:13:00 +0000

Photo by J. Mears

Sometimes, good things come to an end. That's the story of my somewhat ambitious Project 52. I started Project 52 in January to help me become more present in the day-to-day and enjoy what's in front of me. In a way, it was meant to help me relax as well. It did accomplish that, but I wasn't able to keep up with the photo inspirations. I got stuck on week 12, which as it turns out, ended up being the beginning of something new.

I'm closing the chapter on my 2012 Project 52. Perhaps I'll give it another go in 2013. Currently I have a new very important project to embrace, one that will last far beyond 52 weeks. And it is one endeavor which I will not quit halfway, that I can absolutely guarantee!

Project 52 {12}

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 18:16:00 +0000

As most of you know, I'm a big time planner and control freak, truth be told. I believe it's best to be super organized and prepared. But every now and then, no matter how much you prepare and plan, things just don't turn out how you thought they would or should. I've definitely learned that lesson in the past few years (i.e. adjusting to a new city, settling into a small apartment, finding a new job).

Realizing that I cannot be on top of everything all the time, I've opened up to the idea of luck and being slightly more free spirited. On my nightstand sits a lucky bamboo plant, miniature clay pig (a Chilean good luck charm) and orchid. All these little gifts were given to me by friends and family, a sweet reminder that even though some things are out of my hands, I'm always surrounded by love (and a bit of luck).

With that in mind, here's this week's installment of Project 52.

Photo By K. Mears

Check out my fellow Project 52 friends: Styleberry Blog, Wicked Kate and What We're Sayin.

Project 52 {11}

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 03:35:00 +0000

While most of the nation was enjoying above normal temperatures and sun, we had nothing but grey skies and rain all week long. In fact, it is raining at this very moment and will continue to all weekend here in San Francisco.

But I must admit that even though the rain can be inconvenient, it is much needed. The greenery can definitely use some water given the lack of rainfall this winter.

One thing that made this rainy week go by much easier is dressing for the occasion. The more you embrace the rain and stay prepared, the better. Keeping that in mind, here's the week's installment of Project 52.

Happy weekend!

Photo by K. Mears

Check out my fellow Project 52 friends: Styleberry Blog, Wicked Kate and What We're Sayin.

Project 52 {10}

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 03:33:00 +0000

It's been a rainy mess this week but last weekend it was nothing but blue skies and sun. It worked out great because we had some very dear friends from Michigan visiting and were able to show them the very best of the city under the sun. It's the inspiration for week 10's installment of Project 52.

Photo by K. Mears

Check out my fellow Project 52 friends: Styleberry Blog, Wicked Kate and What We're Sayin.

Rewinery

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 01:08:00 +0000

Photo by K. Mears

San Francisco friends, I just have to share this little wine distributor and delivery service called Rewinery with you.

All you have to do is place your order online or by app and three boutique bottles of wine show up at your doorstep by bike courier. I realize it sounds like something out of Portlandia, but it's really quite fantastic.

I cannot take credit for this discovery though. Jay found it one evening when we were making dinner and realized we had no wine to go with our lovely pappardelle with mushrooms. Enter Rewinery and in an hour we were enjoying our delicious pasta with a glass of 2007 Rewinery "Cozy" Barbera. Rewinery wines all have super cute labels and descriptions, which makes choosing the wines all the more fun!

I really hope this little company makes it, we've already ordered a few times since discovering them last month!

Project 52 {9}

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 19:40:00 +0000

I must admit, Jay and I tend to eat out a fair amount here in San Francisco. However, recently Jay has taken the reigns and started cooking at home more frequently during the work week.

It's been fantastic! I have happily signed up for dishwasher duty in return for coming home to fresh meals like cheesy zucchini & mint risotto and orecchiette with broccoli, chili & pecorino. Jay is a big fan of the Jamie Oliver cooking apps which feature these dishes among some other great 20-minute meals.

All this home cooking has inspired this week's Project 52 installment.

Thanks for keeping us healthy Jay!

Photo by K. Mears

Check out my fellow Project 52 friends: Styleberry Blog, Wicked Kate and What We're Sayin.

Project 52 {8}

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 19:44:00 +0000

Happy weekend friends!

I've had the pleasure of my mom's company all week. And although she's been on her own during the day while Jay and I are at work, she's been having fun exploring our neighborhood. She loves the liveliness of the city and that so many things are accessible just blocks away from the apartment.

She has especially been enjoying our fresh produce market steps away from our front door. It's one of the things I enjoy as well, so much so that it's led to this week's Project 52 installment.

Photo by K. Mears

Check out my fellow Project 52 friends: Styleberry Blog, Wicked Kate and What We're Sayin.

Project 52 {7}

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 22:26:00 +0000

I love my apartment. It's small but bright and airy. We get a lot of natural sunlight (even though San Francisco is known for foggy days). As much as there is to do outside in the bustling city, there are days that I just want to stay in because I truly love our living space.

Even though outside my window there's noise from people, cars and buses that go along with city living, my sunny bedroom feels like a bright cottage of peace and quiet. It's the love of my small space bedroom which led to this week's Project 52 installment.

Photo by K. Mears

Check out my fellow Project 52 friends: Styleberry Blog, Wicked Kate and What We're Sayin.

Happy Valentine's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:18:00 +0000

Image from {this is glamorous}

Today marks a very dear anniversary, nine years together with Jay! I can't believe how quickly time has passed and how love does truly grow even more with time.

Wishing everyone a beautiful and loving day.

Project 52 {6}

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:24:00 +0000

When Jay and I lived in Michigan, we knew we were very lucky to be living in a neighborhood surrounded by many of our closest friends. It's just the way it happened to work out.

Many of us settled down in a handful of suburbs around the Detroit area, like Berkley or Royal Oak. We would get together often for a yoga class, a walk to our neighborhood ice cream shop or a cocktail after work. Sometimes our outings were planned but most often it was an impromptu phone call that triggered a fun meet up.

It's taken some time, but I feel like I'm beginning to cultivate similar friendships in San Francisco. There's definitely something to be said about friends you have history with (from grade school or college), but it's also really important to make new friends and begin new histories! It's this idea that led to this week's installment of Project 52, have a look!

Photo by K. Mears

Check out my fellow Project 52 friends: Styleberry Blog, Wicked Kate and What We're Sayin.

Tieks by Gavrieli

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:07:00 +0000

Photos by K. Mears

Living in San Francisco means you cannot get very far in heels (oh so many hills!) so I have welcomed the addition of flats to my style. I'm always looking for a new pair to add to my ever growing collection.

My friend Jennifer introduced me to some very cute flats by Tieks, a company that's putting a designer twist on standard ballet flats. Tieks was actually started by one of her husband's grad school classmates. I love a good entrepreneurial story, so I pulled the trigger and made a purchase.

My Tieks arrived in the mail this week and I was immediately won over by the beautiful packaging. I also love all the extras that came with my order, including a little travel bag (small enough to stash in your purse) for days I wear heels in the morning and give up by the evening.

I ordered my ballet flats in clover green, which I think will perk up many of my winter outfits!

Project 52 {5}

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:43:00 +0000

Welcome February!

This week was full of moments that just felt right. We had a dear friend visiting from Michigan, so we took her to a few of our favorite spots, but also ended up discovering new ones. It reminded me of how much more there is to explore and experience here.

I've mentioned before that I've always wanted to live in San Francisco. I still find myself waking up in my apartment two years later, smiling that this is my home. With that in mind, I bring you my latest installment of Project 52.

Photo by K. Mears

Check out my fellow Project 52 friends: Styleberry Blog, Wicked Kate and What We're Sayin.

Project 52 {4}

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:07:00 +0000

Happy weekend friends!

January just doesn't seem to slow down! This week was a very hectic work week (two photo shoots plus day long media meetings). As much as I groan about being so busy, the truth is I quite enjoy it.

One of my favorite parts of the day is the five to ten minutes before my train arrives in the morning. I grab a latte to go and have a moment to myself before starting my morning commute (I love living and working in San Francisco!) With that in mind, here's this week's installment!

Photo by K. Mears

Check out my fellow Project 52 friends: Styleberry Blog, Wicked Kate and What We're Sayin.

Project 52 {3}

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:07:00 +0000

Happy weekend friends!

I'm ready to put this week behind me, anyone else? Sometimes, it's best to just look forward, even if my participation in Project 52 stemmed from the idea of being present. I'm just going to let it go this one time. Onwards and upwards!

Because it's been a tough week, it was difficult to come up with an appropriate installment of Project 52 since my theme is "makes me happy." But I was able to look past my challenges and come up with something I feel is quite suitable. Have a look!

Photo by K. Mears

There are many others around the blogosphere doing Project 52, here are a few you may want to check out: Styleberry Blog, Wicked Kate and What We're Sayin.

Project 52 {2}

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 04:22:00 +0000

Happy Friday friends!

Here's this week's installment of Project 52. My dear friend is visiting from Michigan this weekend and we had an amazing day enjoying the city. The best part was that she reminded me of the importance of long chats and laugh attacks! There's just something about friends that you've known since you were a kid.

There are many others around the blogosphere doing Project 52, here are a few you may want to check out: Styleberry Blog, Wicked Kate and What We're Sayin.

Photo by K & J Mears

Butternut Squash Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 04:08:00 +0000

Photo by K. Mears

After watching Food, Inc. over the holiday break, Jay and I have become very committed to buying most of our produce and meat from our local Farmers' Market. We have a weekly Farmers' Market just blocks away, so it's hard to admit that we don't visit it nearly as much as we should!

Visiting the Farmers' Market is such a great way to truly know what is in season. Just this past weekend, I was surprised to find butternut squash at the market. I typically think of butternut squash as more of a fall season item, something that appears around Thanksgiving. But I suppose it must be in season if the Farmers' Market is selling it, right?

Since I found the squash, I couldn't' resist the opportunity to make some soup! I found a really simple recipe here on the Sweet Fine Day blog. The recipe calls for apples, which I didn't use this time around, but it sounds like an interesting addition.

The recipe makes 4-6 servings, so it's a good one to make on a Sunday evening and eat throughout the week! Enjoy!

New Year, New Project

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 05:06:00 +0000

I've been reflecting for awhile on starting a new project for 2012, so I was thrilled when I came across a great idea for a personal project on Styleberry Blog. It is called Project 52.

The premise of the project is that you select a theme and post a photo every week (plus small description) for the full 52 weeks of the year. Shawna, the author of Styleberry Blog, did her 2011 Project 52 on the theme of motherhood. She's a professional photographer so her images are really beautiful. In fact, she's going to put all of her images together to create a coffee table book. I think that's a fabulous idea and I definitely would love to do that as well!

For my Project 52, I've chosen the theme "makes me happy." It's so easy to get ahead of yourself and overlook the things that make you happy right in front of you in the moment. This project will give me a gentle reminder of all the things that are worth being thankful for right now, both small and large. I tend to hang on to the past and be in a rush for the future, but this year, I want to focus on being present! I think my project will be a great tool to help me achieve better balance and will be a fun collection to mark 2012.

So since this is the official first week of 2012, here's my first official installment of my Project 52 (I'm hoping my photography skills improve with time and practice). Hope you like it (also, check out Styleberry Blog's 2012 Project 52)!

Photo by K & J Mears

Happy Holidays!

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 22:59:00 +0000

Photo by J. Mears

Season's Greetings and Happy Holidays! Jay and I are super lucky to be able to be in Michigan with our family and friends for a full week. We are definitely in relaxation mode and we are savoring every minute of it!

Wishing you a wonderful holiday and quality time with your loved ones! See you in the new year!

Weekend Wishes, Holiday Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Kavita) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 20:45:00 +0000

Image source unknown

Happy Friday friends! Today Jay and I experienced a bit of a Christmas miracle!

We started our journey from San Francisco to Grand Rapids, Michigan last night knowing that we had a very tight connection in Minneapolis. Our flight left San Francisco on time and arrived in Minneapolis on time, but two planes were blocking our gate when we arrived because they were getting de-iced. So there we were, on the tarmac, as time ticked away and our 40 minutes turned to less than 20.

The flight attendants were fantastic (our first stroke of luck) and told anyone who's final destination was Minneapolis to stay put and allow those with connections to exit first. Jay and I took that as our cue and raced out of the plane. We were at gate F and we needed to get to A with just 15 minutes left of our layover. We ran for it. It was more of a walk-run since we had just woken up from our 3.5 hour red-eye sleep, but we gave it our all.

We were beginning to think we were doomed and that we weren't going to make it. We had been running for awhile and were exhausted, only to find that we were still two terminals away. But that's when we saw him. A tall burley man, beard and all in overalls and a fluorescent vest. He asked us where we were headed, we told him gate A. He directed us to the tram and hopped on with us. Then he asked what gate we were running to, and we told him A2. And that's when we got our Christmas miracle. He reached for his radio and called out, "alpha two, we've got two runners, can you hold the doors for a few more minutes." And they did!

I don't know his name, but I'll never forget his random act of kindness. His kind gesture made such a difference in my and Jay's day. Had he been indifferent, Jay and I could still be sitting in the Minneapolis airport right now trying to make our way home through who knows what kind of standby situation. But instead, we are home with our family soaking up all the fun that comes along with the holidays!

Have a wonderful weekend with your family!