•••

I often wonder what would have happened if I listened to the people who scrunched their noses at me when I told them, three years ago, that I wanted to cloth diaper. Boy was it different back then. Or at least it seemed different….these days it seems that my passion for cloth diapering (& subsequent education on this blog) has affected enough people around me that it is sort of a normal thing around here. I am THRILLED at how much of a shift there has been. Thrilled & amazed that it’s kind of going mainstream! I get so many questions from friends eager to understand and that always brings a smile to my face. I’ve gone from being the crazy one to being a resource. Even on days when I wonder why this blog even exists, I remind myself of those babies who no longer have diaper rashes because their mamas learned a new way to help the problem. I think about all the diapers that are not in landfills because there is just a smidge more information out there for others to absorb. I think about all of the babies that got a wonderful nutritional start on real food because my homemade baby food system helped their mama wrap her head around what seems like a daunting task. Thinking outside the box involves research, education & passion. I hope that you leave this blog knowing all three of those things are VERY important to me. :)

…So here I am. 39+ weeks pregnant. Contracting like crazy. Dilated. Ready. & yet…I had no CDing plans for my newborn baby. I just spent $50 on Seventh Generation diapers on amazon…thinking maybe they’d last until we could use our FuzziBunz. Enter my awesome MOPS group (Isabell specifically) and my “favorite things” item at Monday’s meeting. While we were all chatting about my beloved FuzziBunz & I was fielding some great questions, Isabell mentioned renting newborn cloth diapers until the baby was big enough to fit into the regular stash. Hmm. That is a GREAT idea…and I just had to ask Liz, of Go Baby, Go Shop about it. I visited her bright & colorful new store here in San Antonio and walked out with two dozen newborn diapers, that I will rent monthly until my new baby can fit into our FuzziBunz. How awesome is that?

I think the concept of renting newborn diapers is such a great option that I wanted to be sure that you all knew about it–instead of spending a ton of money on teeny tiny diapers that the baby will grow out of quickly. You can always rent a newborn pack from Go Baby Go (which requires a refundable $300 deposit on the diapers, and will cost you $50 a month). Then you can buy your favorite diapers from Liz once you are done with the newborn phase & decide what brands you like. Talk about a deal. I’d much rather use these adorable, tiny XS BumGenius & Lil Joeys she sent me home with than the disposables that came in the mail. They are so CUTE! (caroline has officially hijacked the pink-est one for her favorite baby doll…ha!) & none of them require stuffing–they are just an all-in-one diaper. I’ll be sure & do a full review of the different styles when I have given them a good enough run to decide what I like best & why.

& if you don’t yet know Liz or the Go Baby Go Shop, then let me introduce you! San Antonio now has a brick & mortar store where you can touch & feel all the pretty diapers–but you can order everything online too–INCLUDING NEWBORN RENTAL PACKS. Liz is having a grand opening celebration this Saturday from 11-1, full of really great door prizes–including a stylebabyLOG! (I’ll be there if I haven’t yet had a baby & feel up to it…) She’s got a rainbow of colors available in all the good stuff: Moby Wraps, Boba Carriers, BumGenius, FuzziBunz, GroVia & Best Bottoms. She also holds classes on Cloth Diapering & Baby Wearing if you have no idea where to start. :) I am, obviously, so excited to have her shop in town & strongly encourage you to drop in & explore. Or even just to learn. She is a wealth of information & I always learn something new when I see her!

Oh, and pretty soon she’s going to be the exclusive local retailer of the stylebabyLOG…in case you want to flip through one before you buy. Yay! ;)

Happy Friday!

•••

& Project 52 is off to a very collaborative start! If you’d like to join in–it’s not too late. Here’s everything you need to know about

my 2012 Project 52.

& those of you who are linking up (please let me know if you need to be edited/added!):

Adventures in Mommyhood • Aubrey My Love • Blossoms & Vintage • Bugs & Boo-Boos • Candice Craves • Caynay Photography • Chronicles of KT • The Crain’s Nest • Dana Moran Photography • The Daulton Dabbler • Englexas • Everything Eatherton • Fairy Wings & Dinosaurs • Finding Joy • Firecracker Mama • Freckled Pink • From Stanwood to Seoul • Gin & Juice Boxes • Heather Marie Portraits • Ici & La • It’s a Graham Life • It’s a Strange & Lovely Ride • Kate L Photography • Keeping up with the Carters • Kim Percival Photography • Living for Love •  Lizzi Photography • Mahina & Lucas • Mama Bethany • McLain Padilla Photography • Mist Moments • Memories by Mere • Moments & Impressions • The Mommyhood Memos • Moo with Me • Moxie Made • My Tot Travels • Navigating the Mothership • Nicole Dina Photography • Oh the Places We’ll Go • Our Splendid Little Life • Phreckle Face Photography • Quiet Footsteps •Rachel Gray Photography • The Robersons • Shades of Bliss • Shutter Mama Blog • Side of the Table • Simply Us • Snaps of Our Life • The Todd’s • We Aren’t Scared of Sugar • We’re Better Together • Wicked Kate • Wokabout • Z as in Zebra

I love this show. I love this quote. I love her character. It’s so refreshing to see this kind of character on tv. I HIGHLY recommend checking out The New Girl…if you haven’t been laughing along since it’s debut earlier this year. :) It’s awesome. & so is Zooey Deschanel.

Today you can find me over on The Creative Mama tackling a fun Valentine’s Day project in the kitchen!

I promise…they taste as good as they look! :)

Metadata: f/2.8, 1/125, ISO 5000

•••

Back when I was livin’ life as a drug rep I used to spend nearly every day in OB offices over the lunch hour. I got to hear the ins & outs of patients & pregnancy. I listened to the doctors & nurses and I learned a lot. I chose my doctor back in Omaha based on her view of pregnancy–mostly the one that included the phrase “pregnancy is not a disease.” I never realized how often OBs get phone calls from women looking to use pregnancy as an excuse for…well…anything. Sometimes it was work. Sometimes it was a handicapped parking pass. & I know that some women have legitimate reasons and do need these things (I learned that this pregnancy–awful) but seriously. For most of us–it’s just another season of our lives. Uncomfortable? yes. Debilitating? Not so much. Staying active & making healthy choices have sure helped me during pregnancy and most definitely after too.

I’ve been pretty much single parenting since November. It’s not been easy. Thursday’s pukefest (which followed Monday’s sneeze & snotfest) in this house was just another reminder that life doesn’t slow down…even if you are 39 weeks pregnant. Toddlers will puke. Husbands will be unavailable. & Mama has to make it better. Whether she can bend over the bathtub or not. Whether she is sick herself, or not. Whether she is having contractions, or not. Life doesn’t stop just because of pregnancy. It’s all part of the preparation for the crazy that lies after baby. & Boy is it ever one wild ride!

So stick a fork in me. I’m ready to have a BABY! & to think…I thought I was huge in every one of these pictures…haaa! I am grateful for this pregnancy, for sure, but I am ready to put my pregnant years behind me. I wanted to have all my babies by age thirty. Luckily…it looks like that will be the case! Anyone want maternity clothes? I’m ready to purge–especially since I wore next to none of them this pregnancy!

I have a project idea for when the babe arrives…but until then…you can find me nesting. Or poking around my styleberry facebook page. Or sharing tidbits of my life & projects with instagram (username: miss_shawna). & if you don’t have instagram, you can find me on webstagram. :)

Happy Friday! Cross your fingers for a BABY…SOON! It’s time! (& this week…I am channeling boy….)

•••

& Project 52 is off to a very collaborative start! If you’d like to join in–it’s not too late. Here’s everything you need to know about

my 2012 Project 52.

& those of you who are linking up (please let me know if you need to be edited/added!):

Adventures in Mommyhood • Aubrey My Love • Blossoms & Vintage • Bugs & Boo-Boos • Candice Craves • Caynay Photography • Chronicles of KT • The Crain’s Nest • Dana Moran Photography • The Daulton Dabbler • Englexas • Everything Eatherton • Fairy Wings & Dinosaurs • Finding Joy • Firecracker Mama • Freckled Pink • From Stanwood to Seoul • Gin & Juice Boxes •  Heather Marie Portraits • Ici & La • It’s a Graham Life • It’s a Strange & Lovely Ride • Kate L Photography • Keeping up with the Carters • Kim Percival Photography • Lizzi Photography • Mahina & Lucas • Mama Bethany • McLain Padilla Photography • Mist Moments • Memories by Mere • Moments & Impressions • The Mommyhood Memos • Moo with Me • Moxie Made • My Tot Travels • Navigating the Mothership • Nicole Dina Photography • Oh the Places We’ll Go • Our Splendid Little Life • Phreckle Face Photography • Quiet Footsteps •Rachel Gray Photography • The Robersons • Shades of Bliss • Shutter Mama Blog • Side of the Table • Simply Us • Snaps of Our Life • The Todd’s • We Aren’t Scared of Sugar • We’re Better Together • Wicked Kate • Wokabout •  Z as in Zebra

This is super fun–today I am joining a group of lovely & talented bloggers/photographers in a month long series called Decorating with Portraits over on the cute blog of Kristen Duke Photography!

Over the next several weeks you’ll find creative ideas galore–as there is quite a line-up of inspiring women ready to share their tips on getting your memories OFF the computer and up on your walls. You’ll see FOUR of my gallery walls up there today. Enjoy!!

Click here to see more!

Metadata: f/2.8, 1/160, ISO 4000

•••

As I am writing this, I am watching my girl (on our new video monitor) flip through books on her bed…two hours after I tucked her in. The fact that she is reading is probably the only reason I am not more frustrated right now. I totally get it. She is a night owl reader. How can I be upset? I am most definitely one myself! :) She’s being raised by two readers. Of course she is going to love books. “Can you read this?!!” she asks a million times a day. & the answer is nearly always “yes.” I cannot pass up the opportunity to teach. & for her to learn. & I don’t ever want her to stop asking me to read to her.

My husband reads more than anyone I know. He is buried in huge medical books or journal articles for hours a day. He loves learning. He loves knowing stuff. & so do I. I don’t care much for fiction, but I love reading to learn something new. I enjoy psychology reading material. I really enjoy learning HOW to do stuff. Loving reading means loving learning. & that is one of the most important things I think I can pass on to my kiddos. Education is fun. & I think that attitude starts at home.

•••

& Project 52 is off to a very collaborative start! If you’d like to join in–it’s not too late. Here’s everything you need to know about

my 2012 Project 52.

& those of you who are linking up (please let me know if you need to be edited/added!):

Adventures in Mommyhood • Aubrey My Love • Blossoms & Vintage • Bugs & Boo-Boos • Candice Craves • Caynay Photography • Chronicles of KT • The Crain’s Nest • Dana Moran Photography • The Daulton Dabbler • Englexas • Everything Eatherton • Fairy Wings & Dinosaurs • Finding Joy • Firecracker Mama • Freckled Pink • From Stanwood to Seoul • Gin & Juice Boxes • Heather Marie Portraits • Ici & La • It’s a Strange & Lovely Ride • Kate L Photography • Keeping up with the Carters • Kim Percival Photography • Lizzi Photography • Mahina & Lucas • Mama Bethany • McLain Padilla Photography • Mist Moments • Memories by Mere • Moments & Impressions • The Mommyhood Memos • Moo with Me • Moxie Made • My Tot Travels • Navigating the Mothership • Nicole Dina Photography • Oh the Places We’ll Go • Our Splendid Little Life • Phreckle Face Photography • Quiet Footsteps •Rachel Gray Photography • The Robersons • Shades of Bliss • Shutter Mama Blog • Side of the Table • Simply Us • Snaps of Our Life • The Todd’s • We Aren’t Scared of Sugar • We’re Better Together • Wicked Kate • Z as in Zebra

Metadata: f/2.8, 1/250, ISO 250

•••

This just makes me smile. We’ve been on a lot of coffee/hot chocolate dates lately. We bring books & read. We chit chat. We especially love the sale book cart parked in the Starbucks at B&N. Tractors & bugs are the topics of choice. Always. Even cry baby, her favorite baby doll, takes part in our dates. I wouldn’t trade them for anything. I know they’ll never be quite the same as they are right now & I am making the most of them.

Coffee shops have been a large part of my life. My first date with my hubby was at one. He took me to one minutes before he proposed. I did most of the work that earned me a college degree at the one in the Marketplace in San Ramon. We went to one the morning of our wedding, just to have a moment alone. We used to go every Sunday morning in Omaha…I’d read the paper while he studied & we watched the snow fall. These days, I go with my sweet girl. or my girlfriends. and sometimes…once in a blue moon…alone. But I love the quiet. I was never a bar girl. I much prefer acoustic music, a cozy chair, & something good to read. I hope I raise kiddos who feel the same way. Good things happen at coffee shops. Sometimes really good things.

•••

& Project 52 is off to a very collaborative start! If you’d like to join in–it’s not too late. Here’s everything you need to know about

my 2012 Project 52.

& those of you who are linking up (please let me know if you need to be edited/added!):

Adventures in Mommyhood • Aubrey My Love • Blossoms & Vintage • Bugs & Boo-Boos • Candice Craves • Caynay Photography • Chronicles of KT • The Crain’s Nest • Dana Moran Photography • The Daulton Dabbler • Englexas • Everything Eatherton • Fairy Wings & Dinosaurs • Finding Joy • Firecracker Mama • Freckled Pink • From Stanwood to Seoul • Gin & Juice Boxes • Heather Marie Portraits • Ici & La • It’s a Strange & Lovely Ride • Kate L Photography • Keeping up with the Carters • Kim Percival Photography • Lizzi Photography • Mahina & Lucas • Mama Bethany • McLain Padilla Photography • Mist Moments • Memories by Mere • Moments & Impressions • The Mommyhood Memos • Moo with Me • Moxie Made • My Tot Travels • Navigating the Mothership • Nicole Dina Photography • Oh the Places We’ll Go • Our Splendid Little Life • Phreckle Face Photography • Quiet Footsteps • Rachel Gray Photography • The Robersons • Shades of Bliss • Shutter Mama Blog • Side of the Table • Simply Us • Snaps of Our Life • The Todd’s • We Aren’t Scared of Sugar • We’re Better Together • Wicked Kate • Z as in Zebra

My daughter has decided her meals need to take foooooooorevvvvvvvvvverrrrrrr to consume. & I am bored. Problem is…if I get up from the table, she just stops eating & resumes her much more fun than eating activity. ::sigh:: So I have felt like a prisoner at the kitchen table for nearly three hours a day…sitting…watching…barking at her to eat. & I realized that I needed to change something about the situation because it was no good for anyone. Time to find something to do while she was eating…that I could do while still maintaining some soft of eye contact & conversation with her. Enter my latest project: the DIY rag wreath.

This was completed over the course of three meals. No creativity required. Just a wire wreath form ($3, Michaels), a bunch of fabric scraps, a scissors & the ability to tie knots. I first found the idea during Kelly Moore’s awesome 12 days of DIY series. Then Julie of ZozoBugBaby had a box o’ scraps sale (I purchased one!) and well…this is what happened:

This is made out of about 95% Zozo scraps & I needed a bit extra to fill in the gaps & make the flower & leaves. I also learned that it goes faster if you use longer strips–like 1 or 2 x 5ish inches. I made the mistake of starting with strips too small & it was taking forever! So make them a little longer than you think. You can always trim.

I made the flower out of a long ruffled strip, like I showed you how to sew here & how to make into flowers here. :)

I kind of don’t want to hang it outside…it’s too cute! ;) Happy…..spring? Sure feels like it down here! & you could totally do this with seasonal fabrics/colors for a fun holiday project for the front door! Halloween…Thanksgiving…Valentine’s Day…ooh. So many ideas!

Are you taking maternity leave?

You better take maternity leave.

But still take pictures! & share them! We want to see the baby!!!

Ahh. Welcome to my life.

I have never been a gal who can’t say “no.” I pretty much say “no” more than I say “yes” (a wonderful skill I have already passed onto my dear daughter) and I can manage my life because of it. This means I do the things I want to do & spend time with the people I enjoy. But lately I have been forgetting how to say “no.” & it is catching up with me. I am tired. & a bit overwhelmed. & despite having a very accomplished to-do list…I still have a lot of stuff I need–and want– to do. But I feel like a ticking time bomb. & it’s stressing me out.

So when do you say when?

Well. My when is now.

I’m choosing to live off the computer for a bit. caroline & I have very little time left as the pair we are right now and I want to enjoy every second with her. I have a couple of major projects I want to accomplish pre-baby (like my 2011 Blurb books & sewing a chair & ottoman slip cover) and I have to finish Ina May and Hypnobabies & I need to do it. Just DO it.

& take my girl to starbucks for morning chit chats over hot chocolate. & to the book store to browse the shelves for fun stories to read. & to lunch so we can enjoy our special mommy & me time.

So…I’ll still be here. Sometimes. Fridays for sure, but nothing regular other than that. If something strikes my fancy & I can find the time & energy to share, I will. I’ll be on the styleberry facebook page here & there too. But I need some down time. Some ME time. Some US time. Time to relish life as three. :)

I know you’ll understand.

I am so grateful for all of you who help to support, encourage & inspire me through your comments & your sweet facebook messages. I have about a zillion unanswered emails from many of you & it kills me that I cannot respond to each one, but I just can’t. My facebook wall is the best place to keep in contact with quick questions. I promise to reply there as time allows.

You can also direct all stylebabyLOG questions to shawna [at] stylebabyLOG [dot] com. Orders will continue to ship ASAP (usually within a day)–with the exception of the week that I deliver. You’ll get a special message should you happen to order during that crazy window. :)

You can also catch me over on my latest obsession–instagram. My username is miss_shawna and I’m pretty sure the first pics of the new babe will be there before anywhere else. :) I’m loving what I can do with my iPhone images…and it’s a fun little community too! Here’s a peek at my life through instagram…

1. girl time…from forever ago, but it’s still one of my faves. :)
2. eff sewing.
3. big sky country, indeed!
4. top pregnancy craving #3. yummm.
5. POP!
6. B12=sanity.
7. yuck. yuck. yuck. trade you for snow?
8. red toes…in hopes of a valentine’s day babe! ;)

Now…off to tackle that four post-it to-do list. Yowza.

 HAPPY MONDAY!

oooh. & I also want to direct you over to the home of my latest collaboration–a place I will now be contributing regularly! You can find my first article up today on Honest to Nod, which is the lovely & inspirational blog from The Land of Nod. I’ve shared my love of all things Nod before, but it is one of my absolute favorite places to shop for my caroline! :)

•••

I often get asked how I “do it all.” & the truth is…I don’t. I make choices. I let go of what doesn’t matter to me & cling tight to what does. But one thing that really affects my productivity is my schedule. I can pretty comfortably survive on about 6-6.5 hours of sleep, just so long as I get to sleep past eight am. If you’re an avid reader of this blog, you know I am a major night owl (up until about 2am usually) but I am also a morning sleeper. & thank goodness my girl is too. I absolutely dread the day where she has to get up for school & get there by 730. I am just not wired for that. I sleep 2-8ish. & that works for us…but someday it won’t!

Lately, my girl has followed my sleep patterns. Despite getting tucked in at eight, she’s reading and playing and all over her room (though gated in) and awake until about ten. I absolutely love going upstairs & seeing how I find her. She’s been asleep on the floor lately…sometimes missing clothing (or adding it!) and often surrounded by babies & books. It’s pretty funny. I hope someday she finds my iphone snaps as amusing as I do. (& don’t worry…I always carry her back into bed & tuck her in…again.)

Oh, to be two.

& ’cause I know you’ll ask, her room details can be found here: the nursery & nursery details. The bed was her crib that we converted. & her amazing duvet & shams are from Land of Nod & are on sale now! There are some great deals to be had here:

& I know I am missing some of you on this list below. PLEASE let me know if you are participating & I missed your link!

Also, many of you are having trouble with copying & pasting my button. Do any of you have a great “grab a button” widget? Mine is obviously not working. If you want my button & can’t get it above, email me at shawna [at] styleberryPHOTO [dot] com. ;)

•••

& Project 52 is off to a very collaborative start! If you’d like to join in–it’s not too late. Here’s everything you need to know about

my 2012 Project 52.

& those of you who are linking up (please let me know if you need to be edited/added!):

Adventures in Mommyhood • Aubrey My Love • Bugs & Boo-Boos • Candice Craves • Caynay Photography • Chronicles of KT • The Crain’s Nest • Dana Moran Photography • The Daulton Dabbler • Englexas • Everything Eatherton • Fairy Wings & Dinosaurs • Finding Joy • Firecracker Mama • From Stanwood to Seoul • Gin & Juice Boxes • Heather Marie Portraits • Kate L Photography • Keeping up with the Carters • Kim Percival Photography • Lizzi Photography • Mahina & Lucas • Mama Bethany • McLain Padilla Photography • Mist Moments • Memories by Mere • Moments & Impressions • The Mommyhood Memos • Moo with Me • Moxie Made • My Tot Travels • Navigating the Mothership • Oh the Places We’ll Go • Our Splendid Little Life • Phreckle Face Photography • Quiet Footsteps • Rachel Gray Photography • The Robersons • Shades of Bliss • Shutter Mama Blog • Simply Us • Snaps of Our Life • The Todd’s • We Aren’t Scared of Sugar • Wicked Kate • Z as in Zebra