Grey Days

Bonjour, mes amis! Trying to stay cheerful at the House of Fawn, despite the dreariness of the day. I walked Gretchen to daycare through the rain and slush this morning, barely a hint of morning, misty streets and droplets on the window. Now we have hints of snow again... the weather is confused, as it often is in our city. I swear we have the strangest climate.




This morning the little one had a bizarre, grumpy fit from 4.30am until 7am when I finally bribed her with some iPhone Netflix "Flankin" and enjoyed 22 minutes of silence as she rested her head on my pillow. She was in a mood this morning, that's for sure, but I have to admire her sticktoitiveness when she's really after something... in this case, one breast, then the other, wash rinse repeat for hours on end. Usually I don't mind her morning marathon nursing sessions, but this was getting a little out of hand. I think this is probably a sign that the chicken pox she's been exposed to might be making an appearance in the near future. Thank goodness! (Anyone for a Pox Party??)

Anyhow, time to tackle my list of to-dos for the day... get some writing done, worky work, drink more tea, finagle the kitchen back into working order, oh! And make soup in the crockpot. Yum, yum.

What are you up to today?

Love List

♥ Mornings spent with friends, enjoying lattes, baby-wrangling
♥ Plaid shirts
♥ Bralessness
♥ New crayons for happy 2-year-olds
♥ The bits of my tattoo that peek out the bottom of my sleeve
♥ Combing a knot out of my hair with a fork because I couldn't find my brush
♥ Realizing it wasn't the first time I'd had to pull an Ariel
♥ Quiet afternoons and cups of tea
♥ A new vat of my favourite face cream
♥ Rekindling

Over The London Street Footbridge

My favourite part of our neighbourhood... I know I've posted several photos of this exact spot over the last year or so, and I probably won't stop.

There's something pretty wondrous about bridges.

Wordless Wednesday (Nights At Natas)

The Tuesday Diptych Project: Week Forty Seven

Desiree: It's been so wonderful having our happy little girl back after weeks of ear infections and bronchitis. I managed to snap little sweet little photo as she woke up from her nap today, not quite awake or cheerful yet, but enjoying the sunshine as I pull back the curtains in her bedroom. Oh so sweet.

Johanna: Since I am the one who takes the pictures at my place and at my parties, it's rare that I get to be in my pictures. This week out of the blue, I felt the urge to take a self portrait. Believe it or not, I'm not all that comfortable myself in front of the lens, but I think it's important to be the subject sometimes, just so that when I look back in years to come, I know that I was actually there. I also think it's nice to be able to look at myself as others do and to see past the insecurities that I may have about myself.

Oh, Honey

I'm having a love affair with honey.

I can't get enough of the sweet, sticky stuff & this morning was saddened to find that my cupboards are bare! There's not a drop in the house and my teacups are brokenhearted.

As am I.

Thankfully there'll be plenty at the market this week and so I'll stock up with happy new flavours for my tastebuds' delight.

Recently, I visited Etsy to scour the honey market, and was so happy to see that there are many sellers out there with yummy varieties to choose from. Perhaps I'll treat myself to a little order.

Mmm. I adore this little jar from River Farm, RI... and its contents look marvelous. 

Are you a honey lovah? Do you have a favourite kind? Do you buy local, online, or make (with the help of buzzy bees, of course) your own?

Source. 

Etsy Stamp Love: A Hue Of Duck Egg Blue

How sweet are these little stamps from A Hue Of Duck Egg Blue? The mind behind this adorable shop is Sarah who dreams up her creations in Greece. She even takes custom orders. I'd love to have a little sofawned.com stamp made up. So fun!

I Think We're Ready For Springtime

After a recent tease of 10 degree weather, we're feeling a little betrayed by these -22 degree afternoons. Fingers crossed that spring is on her way... I can't wait to spend our days outside again.

Is it chilly where you are? Are you hoping for warmth?

Family Day 2011!

It's Family Day in Ontario & a handful of other provinces today, and to celebrate, our day has been all about: movie theatre trips, tea, tasty treats, Chinese food for dinner (fingers crossed they haven't closed for the holiday), snuggle time, tidying & enjoying some wonderful sunshine.

What are you up to this fine Monday afternoon?

I'm Exactly Where I Want To Be

From February 1st to February 2nd, I attended my very first birth as a doula. While I won't go into much detail, I will tell you that after spending and incredibly powerful and life changing fourteen hours with my client, I feel absolutely certain that this is what I am meant to be doing. The affirmation of this experience was overwhelming and so incredibly clear.

I am very grateful to have had such a wonderful first client, and I can't thank her enough for honouring me with this opportunity. She did a fantastic job bringing her little one into this world & I loved being a part of every single moment.

Spring is going to be a very exciting time for me... summer too. I have births coming up in  April, May and June, my website is shaping up nicely and my business cards (designed by Marta) have arrived. Thrilling!

Thank you again to everyone whose words of encouragement and love have reached me these last few months. Since deciding to follow my doula dream, you folks have been nothing but supportive and I feel so cared for in this space. Merci. You mean the world to me.

Sunny Days

Did you have a sunny Saturday? Sunny weatherwise, sunny in your hearts? Sunny with friends, family, caring moments, loving thoughts?

For the most part, I did.

Sometimes it can be hard to get through a whole day without losing a little of the sunny-ness here and there, but if you can get it back quickly, I think you're doing a great job. And if you can't, but you tried, then you're doing a great job too. Maybe that is a true mark of really living... taking things in stride, trying not to worry, and letting the bad chips fall where they may and sorting them back in order as you can. As best you can.

So yes, for the most part, I had a rather sunny day.

And I hope you did too.

Fawned Friday

01. The colours in this photo make me especially giddy.

02. Snow days.

03. The world's sexiest camera bag.

04. This deer collection has my heart in a tizzy.

05 A wonderful combination.

06. A perfect print for the powder room.

07. Loving this little hoodie.

08. Always aubergine.

09. A very sweet and simple bracelet.

10. Sewing pretties & a bit o' Pyrex.

11. Music style.

12. Some serious kitchen inspiration.

Late Last Night

Etsy Embroidery Love: Moxiedoll

I'm totally digging these funky bits of embroidery from Moxiedoll this morning. Suitcases, Atari and typewriters? Oh my! Visit her shop, or follow her on Twitter.

Oreos Are Always The Answer

As you may have guessed, our Valentine's Day ended up being a little less-than-spectacular this year as we spent our night visiting the after hours clinic at our doctor's office with a very feverish little babe. Not all that romantic, but we managed to make do.

As it turned out, the misery that struck baby G was a terrible ear infection (ouch) and a bit of bronchitis. After our appointment, we made our way to the drugstore to pick up her antibiotics, and thankfully this particular store happened to have one of my most favourite treats on sale for $1.99 a bag:


I may have asked the boy to buy me two bags.

Swoon.

You might think I'm being a little sarcastic in my excitement here, but honestly, there are few things that make me happier than nibbling on Oreos, especially while watching silly TV and snuggling up on the couch.

I even dipped them in my tea.

I even ate them for BREAKFAST the next morning.

Now, prior to succumbing to her illness, my little Fawn set about making some very sweet little Valentine's Day cards for her daycare friends. While she was playing away with her little robot and cupcake stamps, I managed to snap a few pics:

Gretchen, say 'Happy Valentine's Day'!

Nooooooooooooo!

What a charmer. She was actually too sick to be at daycare on Monday to partake in the celebrations, but we did visit for a quick moment to pick up her little bag of cards from her friends. She loved going through them all and learning who had sent each one. 

I hope you all managed to have a happy (and healthy!) Valentine's Week. My fingers are crossed for some springish weather to make its way here in the VERY near future.

EDIT: I might be in luck. Our local weatherman just tweeted about tomorrow's high of 8!

Things That Make Me Smile After A Long & Miserable Week

It's been a crappy week... no sleep, doctor's appointment, antibiotics, sad babies, zombie mamas. However, things are looking up (thankfully) and tonight, after (finally) convincing Gretchen to doze off into dreamland, I found this video:


And now I can't stop giggling. Thank you YouTube for making my day just a wee bit sillier. Now my less grumpy self can enjoy some tea and get some work done. No more blog neglecting for me. I promise. (And I'm sorry for the mini-hiatus... life with a sick baby is completely hectic and nutso.)

Lots o' love on this chilly Wednesday night. Go give your loved ones a squeeze.

Fawned Friday (The Doily Edition)

I spent my entire Friday snuggling a very sick and feverish baby (who is feeling a bit better today, thank goodness) so you'll have to pardon my Fawned Friday lateness this week. I think it will be worth it this time around... I always have fun doing a themed bit of fawning for your folks. Hope you're all having a lovely weekend! It's been snowing here a bit again, but rumour has it will be back in the pluses on Monday. Phew!

This week's theme was chosen partly because of my recent obsession (and tattoo) and as a nod to Monday's lovely holiday. Any big plans, mes amis?

01. Doily tattoo love.

02. So in love with these coasters.

03. A little mustard.

04. Lovely DIY lights.

05. Valentine's Day love & a purdy tattoo.

06. Can you imagine a little girl, spinning 'round, wearing this?

07. Just in case you'd like another peek.

08. Teensy magnet love.

09. A gorgeous lace-inspired ring.

10. Stripes and felt and pillows, oh my.

11. I'd love to play around with these.

12. Happiness is a good garland.

13. These are so unique and completely adorable.

FACT: The lovely lass pictured up there is a dear friend. Our tattoos were done by the same artist.

I Think We'll Spend The Afternoon Snuggling

The little miss isn't feeling so hot today... she's currently napping at daycare, but as soon as she's awake I'll be off to bring her home. She woke up feverish this morning, but cheerful, so off she went though I had a feeling she might be coming home a little early. This afternoon will be all about snuggling and "buckies" (nursing) on the couch. Maybe she'll let me finish the last season of Will & Grace. Maybe we'll watch Charlie Brown.


To cheer her up I bought a few little presents this morning -- one for when she gets home, and a book for Valentine's Day -- so hopefully that'll put a smile on her sweet little face. She's such a trooper when she's under the weather. Hopefully this fever breaks and she's able to fight off whatever virus has decided to pick on her. I'd hate her to miss out on another day of daycare -- she adores her friends there so much and talks about them all the time. She's such a heartwarming little soul.

I can't wait to squeeze her up in my arms.

Wishing you all a wonderful afternoon.

Friends, Baby Girls & Embroidery

Have I mentioned lately that I'm surrounded buy the most talented friends a girl could ask for? Because my gosh, I really am. One of Gretchen's honourary aunts embroidered this for her 2nd birthday.





Amazing, yes?







That sweet little garland is just so sweet & the backdrop is a cushy corduroy. Gorgeous. And Gretchen adores it. She likes to carry it around, turning it back and forth, spelling her name and saying, "Gretchen! Write Gretchen!" over and over.




I love that she will grow up surrounded by my wonderfully crafty chosen family. It makes my heart sing.

PS. The friend who made this also got a doily tattoo yesterday. We're twins, and I dig it.
PPS. If you're over there in Google Reader land, I invite you hop over to the blog for a moment to check out the new layout. Hope you like it!

Wordless Wednesday (Quiet Moments)

The Tuesday Diptych Project: Week Forty Six

Desiree: This morning got off to a rock start, but things are looking up. The tea is warm, the baby is napping & thanks to one frantic email, my night is in order too. Deep breaths, and sigh.

Johanna: There is something so beautiful about a mess of arts and crafts. At first glance I saw a mess. A table that needed to be cleaned and organized. But then I looked again and saw beauty, colour, layers, patterns, all created by a creative little soul. I think I like my second impression better than the first.

The Many Hats Of Miss Gretchen Fawn

This morning, I got an email from our fabulous daycare providers containing this photo:


Gretchen thinks that everything (in this case a doll's dress) is a hat. I handed her a pair of her panties once, and in less than a second she had finagled them into some sort of helmet.

Hilarious.

She's also been known to sport my tea cozy as headgear. Boots too. And bowls. And the dog's water dish.

Good Morning, Good Monday!

Want to start your day off with an adorable puppy video? Of course you do!

Oh my gosh, did you see that drool?

Perhaps it's mean to tease a pup before breakfast, but you can't deny how sweet his little face is!

I've done this to Winston... on many occasions, actually. Now he knows to wait a moment before he starts eating (instead of trying to body check me out of the way). From time to time he's also been known to chomp down his food at an alarming rate (so much that we had to buy him a special dish to prevent it). But years later, he's mastered the dish, and sometimes I have to watch him eat, and stop him so he remembers to breathe and swallow. He's a quirky one, that Winston Hendrix.

I think I'll go kiss his smooshy little face right now (although I think he might still be in bed with the boy, stinking up the sheets).

Have a wonderful day!

Snowy Days & Doughnuts

I really adore our city in the wintertime... especially right after a big, big snow, when everything is covered and fresh and you get to make those first footsteps outside your house.

The boy took this photo on our walk a couple nights ago as we made our way to the closest coffee shop (Tim Horton's, unfourtunately) to indulge in a doughnut & hot bevvy. Side note: I really do wish we had a little independent cafe on this side of town, but it doesn't really exist. There's a little tea house (cute, but pricey and not always open) and a breakfast joint (cheap, amazing food, only open in the morning) and a really great burger place (Reggie's, insanely good food, wanting some right now) but what I'd love to see is a little cafe, just like we have downtown, but I fear they'd never stay in business because of the Timmy's. Sigh.

I can't deny my love for Boston Cream doughnuts though... so perhaps I should just shush up right now.

Guilty!

I hope you're all enjoying the snow too (if you're trudging through it like we are) and if it happens to be summery where you are... well then bottle it up and send it my way.

Have a wonderful afternoon, mes amis. Peace.

Fawned Friday

Good morning and happy Friday! We're buried in snow here and I love it! There's more than a foot of the fluffy white stuff on our back porch and two nights ago, when the boy & I took Gretchen for a walk, we had to shovel ourselves out of our front door, and down the sidewalk to get to the road. Everything outside is completely beautiful, but Ill admit, I wouldn't be opposed to spring hurrying along. I want to spend a lot more time outside without freezing my nose, and I miss sipping tea outside and hearing the birds and enjoying the garden. But, I suppose it's already February, so we don't have to wait too much longer for kinder weather. 

I hope you enjoy this week's edition of Fawned Friday... there's some pretty cute stuff waiting for you in those links. (Also, as you may be wondering, I attended my first doula birth this week and it was incredible. More on that another time.)

I'm off to enjoy my morning tea now while I tackle a bit of work. Have a beautiful morning, dear hearts! Be good to one another & have fun.

01. This is exactly where I'd like to be right now.

02. Tiny kitties take tiny steps.

03. This little sweater makes me heart smile.

04. For all my fellow Star Wars fans.

05. I think I'd like to wear one of these myself.

06. These boots make me really happy.

07. What an amazing comparison.

08. One simple way to help someone feel happier.

Wordless Wednesday (My Stylish Little Lass)