My Latest Snag: The Birkenstock Pool Slide.
I’ve mentioned this several times this week (sorry), but I am loving these inexpensive ($29! free shipping!) waterproof Birks for traipsing around Central Park and its various splash pads with mini and micro this summer, whether wearing an airy caftan or athletic gear. I had been wearing much more expensive sandals (including, often, my buttery-soft Hermes Orans) and awkwardly dancing around puddles of water or — worse — stomping right through them, putting my shoes at risk for permanent destruction. I bought the coral, which looks more like a neon pink (seen above), though I hemmed and hawed over the stark white. Very happy with this purchase. WTTW: these are made of a very lightweight foam material, so I’m skeptical of longevity, but for the needs I have right now — perfect.
You’re Sooooo Popular: A Great Basic Tee.
The most popular items on the blog this week:
+The cutest puff-sleeved t-shirt dress.
+A floaty floral at a good price.
+An elegant caped dress on serious sale. (I don’t wear enough red…)
+My favorite bra, discounted as a part of the Nordstrom annual sale!
+A chic smocked, flutter-sleeved top for summer.
+An easy-to-wear, super affordable maxi dress.
#Turbothot: Future Me.
Mr. Magpie and I often talk about our future selves. Not in some kind of identity evolution sense, but in the context of tackling things now — even itty bitty ones — that will make our “future selves” happy. For example, I noticed that Mr. Magpie will often run the dishwasher just after we’ve finished dinner and cleaned the kitchen instead of right before bed, as he used to. This way, he has time to empty the dishwasher before bed instead of first thing in the morning — as our mornings are suddenly hyper-busy and stacked with chores we need to get done before he gets out the door.
I’ve found myself in a similar frame of mind. What can I do right now that will make “future me’s” life a little easier? A little happier? And so I’ve started to pack mini’s lunch the night before so it’s one less thing to do amidst the fracas of our morning routine. And when I think micro is coming up on a feeding, I’ll pre-mix his formula bottle, arrange all my nursing necessities on the couch, and make sure things I don’t want mini or Tilly to get into while I’m less mobile are put away. I’ve ordered little things that make future me’s road a little easier: a second formula dispenser that I can permanently keep in my diaper bag so I’m not constantly shuttling one between my bedroom, the kitchen, and my diaper bag; a longer charging cable for my bedside so I don’t need to unplug my phone one-handed while nursing in order to comfortably navigate it from my bed; enough bottles so that I’m never left hand-washing one at the last minute. I’ve more closely monitored the rate of our consumption of household products so that I can add them to my Amazon Subscribe & Save account and things show up at the right time, on the right cadence, without adding to my mental load. Even things like my nightly glass of wine: I’ll often defer it so I can enjoy it alongside Mr. Magpie after the babies are down to maximize enjoyment, even though I am ready for it by 5 P.M. sharp.
It’s a funny and gracious mental framework, if you think about it: what little kindnesses can I afford myself a few hours from now? How can I be most generous to future me, who might be harried or exhausted or in need of a little pick me up?
Try it — I think your future self will thank you.
Post-Scripts: John Johns for Next Summer.
+I just stocked up on rompers/shortalls/john-johns for mini for next summer at Maisonette’s sale — bought him several pairs from Busy Bee Kids, like this one.
+Still one of my favorite books in recent memory.
+A cute tennis dress for a little one.
+Super cute crib sheets, in case you didn’t get your fill here.
+This puff-sleeved tee, in the pale blue. Love.
+Affordable sources for stationery.
+These cateye shades are at the top of my lust list at the moment.
+The quality on this site is completely hit or miss, but for $18, I think I might need this button-front (nursing friendly!) frock.
+Eyeing this bargain of a sweater (reviews!) for fall.
+Love these gingham overalls.
+Considering this saucy dolci dress for an upcoming event.
Fellow Birk lover here! I have owned 2 pairs of the Madrid in EVA before deciding that I prefer the stability of the classic Arizona style (even though I appreciate the lines of the Madrid more). I currently have 2 pairs of Arizonas in EVA — one pink and one lavender — and they are PERFECT for the beach/pool/other wet summer activities/taking out the trash/etc. I have found that my pairs hold up well for 1-2 years, and then they have tended to develop too much wear along the sole (and sometimes even small tears near where the strap would meet the footbed). But given that they’re $30-40 per pair, I still think they’re well worth it. The cost per wear has always been in the pennies for each pair I’ve had! Love the coral color of yours 🙂
Ohhh, Normal People. I LOVED it even more than Conversations with Friends! I cried so much and found that I identified with aspects of both Connell and Marianne, which made it more of an emotional read for me.
xx
!! Woohoo, rave review!!
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Would love to see a post on all of the activities you do for mini! I have a 6 month old now and can never decide if gymboree, music, childrens museum etc is worth it at this age or not?? any educational activities you did with mini at home?
would love to hear your thoughts! i check your blog every morning with my morning cup of tea – my only solo moments these days and truly savor your writing! hope you are working on a book someday as well 🙂
You are so sweet — thanks, Raina! So glad we’ve found each other. Thank you for the very kind words.
For activities — I did take Emory to drop-in music classes as young as two or three months, but mainly, if I am honest, as an excuse to get out and socialize. It was nice to meet and interact with other moms going through the same thing. I’m sure that the sounds/stimulation were beneficial to mini, too, but — at least from my perspective — she was still so little that I doubt it made a huge impact (and half the time she’d fall asleep). I started taking her to other kinds of activities around eight months, if memory serves, once I felt she was really able to engage and react and hold onto musical instruments and that sort of thing. I think it was around that time that I started enrolling her in classes and going regularly/weekly. Prior to that, I was just doing drop-ins, scouting out free storytimes/music classes, etc. But I have never been over the top about classes. I have her enrolled in one thing at a time. Right now it’s tumbling. For awhile it was ballet, then music. Soon I am thinking soccer.
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These sandals look so cute, and I love the color you picked. Loading the dishwasher is definitely a big deposit in the bank of love.
http://chicfromhair2toe.com/
Haha – love that expression! “Big deposit in the bank of love.” In this case, self-love.
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Lol I laughed at this because I reference my “future me” constantly but you have a far more virtuous relationship with yours. In our home, whenever we’re worrying about something outside of current control we swat the worry aside, “that’s a future me problem” or “I’ll let future me handle that.” It does help with unnecessarily fretting or a preoccupied mind, which I am often unhappily wedded to. Although your future me is probably much more appreciative of you haha xx
Haha! I like this formulation, too — helpful for other kinds of things, like anxieties and concerns that can really be put off until the current fire is out. Mr. Magpie and I talk about future me in the context of tackling household chores, but he in particular is good about cordoning off decisions and deferring them until later. Just today, I asked him how something work-related was going and whether he’d made a decision on it, and he said: “Nope, but that’s a decision for tomorrow.” I respect his ability to organize even his thinking against a calendar so he can live more fully in the present.
Anyway — there are all kinds of ways to contend with “future me.” But cleaning/household tasks tend to make future me happier when done sooner.
xxx
I bought a different style of Eva Birkenstocks last summer to walk the dog in the park and I have worn them every day it’s warm enough since, and I am surprised but they are still in great shape. Pretty indestructible.
Love having a pair of durable, easy-to-slip-on-in-the-morning shoes at the door for exactly that purpose. xx