On the way to the Raleigh airport, a Nerf dart rolled out from beneath my car seat. I picked it up and thought: “Tell me you’re a boy mom without telling me you’re a boy mom.”
Signs you’ve got a little boy:
+Routinely empty the laundry machine of loose rocks;
+Have been pressured into picking a favorite Pokemon;
+Unsurprised by Nerf gun darts in the couch cushions, air vents, and car cupholders;
+Will occasionally answer to “bro”;
+Know “who would win” in proverbial battles between obscure animals;
+Serve as his safest and softest landing;
+Constantly pick up discarded socks (most of which are mismatched and bear holes);
+Reach for your wallet in your purse, retrieve a Hot Wheels instead;
+Bite tongue when someone incorrectly calls a backhoe an excavator;
+Automatically chirp “Please wash your hands” when you hear a toilet flush;
+Mildly triggered by the phrase “mom, look at this” [you turn and he’s doing the same leap off the couch he’s done 122 times today];
+Have a specific, crown-to-toe feeling of tenderness when you hold him, as you know he permits no one else this privilege;
+Issue permutations of “Let’s leave the sticks alone” and “No sticks inside” more than seems normal;
+Spend non-trivial amounts of time restoring couch cushions to their rightful places and disentangling underwear from insided-out pants;
+Are his entire solar system — the sun, the moon, the stars, the gravity that holds it together
(My God, aren’t I lucky?)
What else would you add?
Post-Scripts.
+On muddling through long days of parenting — solidarity!!
+The saltings of motherhood.
+How do you handle sibling bickering?
Shopping Break.
+This just-released alpaca wrap cardigan looks like a dream come true.
+ICYMI: Jane Win is offering 20% off sitewide! This includes my beloved clover necklace and my courage pendant. Makes a great gift for a sister, mother, etc!
+This thin puffer is on my wishlist for the season. Reminds me of Herno, but 1/2 the price.
+And OMG this suede shirtdress is STUNNING. (Also comes in a chic pattern for much less — a Magpie reader top seller two weeks ago.)
+New in and VERY CUTE at Rhone (use code SHOOP20).
+My most-worn leggings. THE BEST. Soft, don’t cut in, but flattering on the leg. I absolutely love that these come in a short inseam! Meanwhile, Lululemon’s best-selling and ultra-soft Aligns now come in a “no line” variation (more flattering and comfortable!) in several inseam lengths.
+Just ordered some fresh kitchen towels for fall — you all know about Geometry, right?! The absolute best. Like, best best best. Insanely absorbent but have a nice low profile so they stack neatly without taking up much space. I was going to write “great for small spaces / low on storage kitchens” but honestly no matter how big your kitchen I think you’ll appreciate that you can fit a lot of these into a single drawer. They also come in the cutest prints! I got this, this, this. Use code JEN for a discount.
+Saw this jacket on a friend and it is SO CHIC IRL. (Use code JEN-15).
+Someone described these jeans as “airplane comfortable” and — color me intrigued. Love that they come in a short inseam…I own and love their legend jeans but they you must take your true size and the fit is TIGHT. These aren’t something I’d wear all day at my computer, but they do make your legs and butt look fantastic. I tried sizing up but then the waist is really gappy. They do give a bit with time but they’re still more of a “standing room only” jean.
+I’d been looking for a pair of navy flats and found them here! Love the toe shape and inky suede!
+Cute caddy for a girl’s bathroom or art supplies or even a guest bathroom with towels and soaps loaded up on it. While you’re there, pick up this cute little Halloween village! My girlfriend had this at her house and it was so cute. My kids would love it! (And get your candy and snacks delivered!)
+Meanwhile, what I’ll be wearing on Halloween. And ICYMI Boden just launched the greatest holiday capsule that will assuredly be gone by November. I love this tartan dress — or the skirt and top separates, depending on what you plan to have on your holiday radar. Also: this velvet-trim cardi promises to be highly useful during the season!
+I did a big shop for my kids over the weekend. Hill asked for sweatpants but “the skinny kind” (joggers) and I ordered him these in three colors, plus a matching sweatshirt in one color with his sports jersey number heat transferred on the back! (Use code EXTRACRISPY).
+Emory had also outgrown her sweatsuits so I got her a few matching sets from Abercrombie (sigh! but they do have cute patterns and I like that they offer different inseams; plus, they had/have a BOGO 50% off deal going), including this velour (!!), this patterned bow style, and this cute sherpa.
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