Mary McBride
Our Champion Traveler
My family and I spent the past week in Kansas City, visiting family and friends. It was high time that Elvie was introduced to so many that are near and dear to us, and it was a wonderful trip. I would say that regardless, as we had waited so long to be able to travel with Elvie that simply doing it was fantastic, but it also turns out that Elvie is a champion traveler. We had no idea how she’d do, as we hadn’t traveled with her since we brought her home from Ethiopia nine months ago, under very different circumstances. It was such a relief that she did so well.
I’d like to pretend that it’s because of our parenting prowess that she traveled so well and was well-behaved on flights in particular, but mostly it was her sunny disposition and willingness to make friends that made it so easy. There was one thing, however, that we did to ensure that flights went smoothly. We can take credit for that.
Fourteen Moments of Sunshine from Elvie's Fourteenth Month
Today Elvie turns fourteen months old, and as usual, I can’t believe that another month has gone whooshing by. I love this stage of Elvie’s life, as she slips from babyhood into toddlerhood. Well, maybe it’s more like she is charging from babyhood into toddlerhood; she’s not really the delicate type. She wants to reach out and grab everything, move faster, get into more stuff, make more faces, make more friends. She is full of such joy, and though I’ve captured some more serious moments this month, mostly it’s her happiness that always shines through. I say, “Keep shining, baby girl.” And as for the rest of you, enjoy these fourteen photos of our little sunshine’s fourteenth month.
Getting Out of the House Without the Hassle: A Tale of Two Diaper Bags
When I was looking for the perfect diaper bag to suit my needs as a mom on the go, I quickly found that no single bag would do for every situation. Because I already had one bag, purchased when we were adopting Zinashi, I felt a little guilty looking for something different, but I knew it wouldn’t suit a lot of situations. I finally decided on a bag, which fit the criteria of “could carry it even when I don’t have the baby along,” and my parents gave it to me as an early birthday gift. I didn’t expect the bag to solve all my diaper bag problems, but in a way, it did. Because with two bags, which were very different from one another, I could choose which one suited the situation best and take it. When I am just going out for a bit with the kids, I can take the more stylish bag, which is also lighter. When I’ll be out for the bulk of the day, I can take the hold-all bag. It didn’t take long to develop a little system for keeping the bags ready to go, so that no matter which bag I choose, I can have it packed and be out the door in just a few minutes. Here’s how I make it all work.
10 Things You Should Never Do When You're "Mama Tired"
As mamas of young children, we all have our moments where we are so tired that nothing makes sense. Do you know what I mean? It’s when the baby has been up eight times in the night, for so many nights you can’t even keep track anymore, or when your toddler is teething (again) and needs to be carried everywhere, every single day, and you fall into your bed in a heap before you can brush your teeth at night. Chances are, if you’re a mom, you’ve been there, and you’ll probably be there again. I find that I can wade through the tired feeling and keep my kids safe and mostly happy even when I am utterly exhausted, but there are a lot of things that I just shouldn’t do. Here are 10 of my don’ts for those super tired days.
The Genet Scarf: A Stylish Mother's Day Gift That Gives Back
I’m a big fan of giving (and getting!) gifts that give back, and I get especially excited when I find something that is truly beautiful that I can give. That’s why I’m so thrilled with the newest offering from ONE and fashionABLE. The Genet Scarf is a limited edition Mother’s Day scarf, now available for preorder. The Genet gets its name from one of the women who helps produce it in Ethiopia; because of the opportunity that Genet has been afforded through working for fashionABLE, she is able to have work that gives her dignity and has allowed her to reconnect with her little girl.
The design of the Genet scarf was the winning design from a contest hosted at Alt Summit in January. Janette Crawford, the designer, was so kind to answer a few questions about the design project, the scarf itself, and her Mother’s Day wishes for Genet.
