It’s funny to think how Saturdays have evolved over the last few years — from sleeping in and sleeping off one too many glasses of sparkling wine after a Friday night out with friends to waking up bright and early to take Tilden to the dog park with a soy milk latte from our favorite hipster coffee spots (Wormhole or Buzz, if you’re local and wondering where we frequent) to snuggling in bed, bleary-eyed, at 5:45 a.m. with the whole fam (Tilden, mini, Mr. Magpie, and the debris that surrounds babydom included–HA. I’m always somehow sleeping on top of a bib, a baby sock, or a swaddle.). Whatever your Saturday looks like, I hope it’s gorgeous and cozy.
My Latest Score
I think y’all probably know this based on yesterday’s post, but my latest snag was this H+M bustier ($35) and matching skirt ($49). So sweet and summery and Zimmerman-esque. Also, good motivation to get in shape post-baby…though, more thoughts on that here.
You’re Soooo Popular
The most popular items on Le Blog this week:
+This asymmetrical eyelet dress ($88). Perfection in pastel pink.
+My go-to earrings for spring ($25).
+This dried hydrangea wreath ($45).
+This OTS lace dress ($129). PRETTY. Incidentally, would look great with the earrings above! Just the right vibe.
+This precious monogrammed baby girl bubble ($44). Isn’t Etsy the best? Can’t beat the price!
+The latest chick lit thriller on my reading list.
#Turbothot
Have y’all been following all these stories about airlines mistreating customers and booting them off planes? The latest involves Delta asking a family with two babies to get off one of its planes owing to an oversold flight and some sort of technicality. I know there are all kinds of arguments about whether or not the gentleman was entitled to the seat he purchased for his infant, but that’s not what interests me. What interests (or, rather, disappoints) me is what these stories reveal about the companies themselves: it’s clear that a lot of the employees on the ground are not empowered to navigate nuanced situations with any sense of autonomy. These stories reek of over-codified rules and regulations, over-operationalized logistics. Sure, someone could be in the wrong about something, but if you weigh the outcome of asking a young family of four to de-plane, thereby stalling the flight and a plane full of passengers, or frustrating a flier who is already on standby and therefore resigned to the possibility of not getting on the flight…how could you possibly pick the latter? Unless, of course, you’re forced to do so by a lock-step corporate mentality. Mr. Magpie also made the comment that so many airlines have merged over the last few decades that there’s no incentive for the few remaining airline companies to compete on the basis of customer satisfaction since there are so few to choose from anyway.
Of course, it’s always easy to “tsk, tsk” from the outside in. And, I could be wrong in my interpretation of the cultures at these companies. But something about it just ain’t right to me, and, in my opinion, could be at least in part mitigated by using a little common sense and courtesy at the check-in desk.
P.S. Guyzzzz! PBS is going to be releasing a Little Women series! Nothing can top Winona and Christian in the 90s classic, but I’ll obviously be tuning in.
P.P.S. I have several dear friends who are having a first, second, or third baby boy in the near future, including one very dear to me who recently told me that this second child (and second son) will likely be her last. They were all thrilled (and some, moved to tears) when I shared this piece featuring mothers who have had sons.
P.P.P.S. I received so many texts and emails about this post on body image. I was frankly surprised! Sometimes, as I’m writing, I just have this gut feeling that my words will connect with you. This was not one of those times. I was in fact a little worried that some of my comments on having mixed feelings about my c-section scar and not feeling like a goddess post-delivery would make me seem ungrateful or vain or something equally unappealing. So thank you for being right there with me, my loves, for giving me the space to speak my mind, and for sharing some of your own doubts and mixed emotions, too. Glad I am not alone here. Magpie Tribe unite!
Shopaholic
+Several of you asked where you could find the gauzey gorgeous dress from the street style snap in this post. Sadly, I’m not sure where her dress is from, but I just came across a strikingly similar one on sale at TheOutnet!
+An easy weekend dress ($49). Love the colorblocking.
+I have a few pieces from Scandi brand Polarn O. Pyret for mini and love the quality and gender neutrality of their pieces. Lots of stripes, and all in a great, heavy-weight cotton fabric. Amazon has a bunch of pieces by them at closeout prices, so I snagged this preppy polo onesie ($10???), this sailor shirt ($9????), and this cute romper thing ($10???). Seriously amazing prices!
+I have this amazingly comfortable cotton maxi dress from Gypsy 05 (such a brand of yesterday — it was so hot for a minute) in a solid gray color that I absolutely live in most evenings, when it’s too early for pajamas (Mr. Magpie has a strict no-pajamas-before-dinner mentality) but I don’t feel like wearing my daytime clothes. It’s SO breathable and comfy, and it’s even nursing friendly. Well, I tracked down the exact dress at NORDSTROM RACK (!!), on sale for $59 in a cool tie dye print. Nursing mamas rejoice! I may order in both colors. Its the new muu-muu.
+Love this little red dress ($95) — it reminds me of this Self-Portrait maxi I drooled over.
+The cookbook I’m ordering next. It got rave reviews.
+With mixed emotions, I’ve already had to shelve some of mini’s clothing because she’s outgrown it! I just ordered some of these storage boxes, which look sturdy and well-made and kinda chic, too. (Kinda works in my “bisque” nursery.)
I also was a flight attendant. If the seat is sold in one persons’ name you cannot substitute another person for that seat. Recently some friends were denied boarding of an international flight until they got the wife’s name straightened out at the last minute. There was a simple matter of one letter on her passport not matching one letter on her reservation. I don’t know who made the statement to the family that all children under the age of two need to be held by a parent or an adult, but that is not true. We would rather have children in a car seat because it is much safer than being held in arms. In case of an extreme sudden stop your arms simply cannot hold a child. The car seat is much safer but generally people do not want to pay for it because that means they actually have to buy a seat.
Interesting, Carolyn — so many odd parts to this story. I’m sure you have a lot of battle stories to share, too. Thanks for reading and sharing. xo
As a former flight attendant for Delta Airlines, I must say that gate agents, pilots, ground crew, etc don’t go out of their way to be cruel to families. Especially now days when people are filming everything. We are only seeing one of the story. No one knows what happened out in the gate area. There is only so much a gate agent can take from some of these people. I’ve seen the worst of the worst while flying. Also, you can’t just play musical chairs on flights. Imagine if everyone did that. I think this family had it planned the whole time. I think they didn’t want to hold the 2 year old so they had their son take an early flight so they could use his seat for the car seat. The name on the ticket is the one that should have been in that seat and when the son didn’t show up then that becomes an empty seat. Probably when the gate agent figured out that that’s what the family did then that seat became available. A lot of people don’t realize too that once the authorities come on the plane it is no longer a Delta, American, United etc aircraft. It is now in the hands of the police or FBI or whomever they called. It’s a big deal to call the authorities on an aircraft and they don’t take it lightly.
Ahh! So fascinating to hear from someone “on the inside.” Most of what I’ve found have been nobodies like myself trying to piece together the clues. Setting aside the intricacies of this particular situation, I’d be curious to hear your thoughts on what it was like working there! Maybe not the right place to share in such a public space, but…so curious! I’m sure you saw your share (and a half) of horrible passengers, too…