My Latest Score: The Nuna Sena Crib
Because of our current living situation, shopping is, sadly, at the bottom of the priority list. We did purchase minimagpie the Nuna Sena travel crib. It’s super sleek (see photo above, where it actually kind of fits with the room’s aesthetic) and a cinch to set up (you literally push one hand down and it springs into shape), and I like how plush the mattress feels (super soft for my busy little seven month old who is rolling around like a crazy woman and often head-butting things), but it is heavier and bigger than I expected. I do think we’ll get a lot of use out of it in New York / while traveling to our friends and family on the East Coast, so I’m glad I snagged it. We got it in the black…er, sorry, “NIGHT” color. Excuse me. (The names of the colors on these baby items always cracks me up — why do I want a “merlot” or “cracked chestnut” or “sweet auburn nut-red brown heritage tree vintage heirloom walnut” anything? Just plain old red or brown’ll do. But that’s marketing for ya.) I’ve also heard great things about the lighter-weight, smaller Lotus crib if you’re in the market. And, P.S. — my entire baby registry.
You’re Sooooo Popular: The Slouchy Sweater
The most popular items on Le Blog this week:
+I already mentioned this yesterday, but this sweater has been SUPER popular.
+I’m sensing that many of you like the feel of utility joggers as much as I do.
+An easy sweaterdress in great-for-fall colors.
+The coolest costume from a great Etsy store for your wee one.
+Custom roman shades at a great price!!!
+SUPER chic dress from SUPER chic line Goen J.
#Turbothot: Single-Word Meditation.
“Breathe out like a lion. Make a hhhhhaaaaahhhhhhh sound.”
My dear friend A and I caught one another’s eyes and burst into laughter, interrupting the very serious mindfulness dozens of other UVA undergrads were channeling around us.
The instructor gave us a look and issued some sort of reprehension, insisting that this was not a laughing matter.
We couldn’t keep it together from that point forward. We’d glance at each other and crack up as we were told to roll on our backs with our knees spread wide like babies, making “wah” noises, or reminded that we should be “embracing our inner goddesses.” I can’t remember how the class ended, but I’m sure we either dipped out early or were told to leave. (Ababs, do you remember?!)
I’ve always found that kind of “new age self love” language, well, laughable. At this point, I can tune it out when I’m in the mood for yoga but sans the touchy-feely nonsense, SVP; it’s such a commonly parodied persona that it’s almost lost its comedic factor.
That said, about two years ago, I was going through intense stress with the launch of our business. I was experiencing heart palpitations regularly and would wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, panicked. I decided I’d look into meditation as a possible remedy for quieting my over-anxious mind, downloaded a a few podcasts, and stuck with it for maybe two weeks. It was hard work to get through even ten minutes of meditation, my mind was so cluttered with conflicting thoughts. The principle objective for many of the meditation programs was: force your mind to clear itself. Count to ten over and over again and any time a new thought weasels its way in between the numbers, push it away and return to the number counting.
It helped. I would emerge from my mini-meditation sessions (10 minutes max) and feel a sort of peaceful grogginess, as though I was waking up from a snooze.
At Church a few weeks ago, the priest shared a similar approach to prayer. He’d be sent to the hospital for an MRI, and, being intensely claustrophobic, was understandably anxious about the scan. He called upon one of the “oldest forms of prayer known to man”: he picked one word, put himself in God’s presence, and repeated it over and over again. Any time a stray thought or concern would crop up, he’d push it out of the way and return to his focus word. When the attendant let him know the scan was over, he was shocked — he’d thought he’d only been in there for a handful of minutes.
What timely advice, heading into this maelstrom of emotion, stress, and activity. I’ve been relying on this kind of prayer — or meditation, if you prefer — for the past few weeks. When things get hairy, I take a minute and focus on my word. It settles me.
What are your stress-relief techniques?
#Shopaholic: The Party Tub.
+A perfect drink tub for your next holiday party — fill with us, arrange beers and wine and sparkles within, and let guests help themselves. That hammered gold is EXTRA.
+This gown would be SO EPIC as a guest at a black tie wedding. Love.
+This dress, which was VERY popular in this post, is now re-stocked and 15% off!
+A fantastic rug — love the colors and the vintage vibe as much as the price tag.
+So sad this sweater dress is sold out in my size — so chic and flattering.
+Super chic cocktail napkins embossed with your street address.
+I LOVED reading this book for freshman or sophomore high school English class and just added it to my never-ending reading list. If you haven’t read it — it’s a MUST.
I LOVE your thoughts on meditation/prayer. I am going to try this — I have always sort of suspected that meditation would be good for my anxious brain, though I haven’t found a method that really works for me yet. (I love yoga, but I feel you on the eye-roll-y-ness of some of the aspects of new age-y meditation, etc.)
I’ve actually never read Rebecca! Taking your rec to heart and ordering myself a copy at some point soon.
We had to remove ourselves a mere 8 minutes into class, hahaha! But whatever, it wasn’t like a real yoga studio, it was in the ballroom of Newcomb Hall. And I still laugh when a yoga teacher chants…
LOL. So many adventures and misadventures we had together at UVA…PUT THAT THING BACK WHERE IT CAME FROM. xx
So what’s going on? We thought you had found a place to live in NYC, sent in multiple deposits, more money and then wait….sent in more money….and now you’re in a hotel and going to DC for awhile! Please explain. We are devastated for you all.
Oh my gosh, thank you so much, Louise! I’ll have to do a full update at some point but we’re currently embroiled in a litigious situation so I can’t say much yet. The short story is that we were waiting for a long time for our application for the unit to be approved by the condo board and were delayed in this process NOT through our own doing. Gr. The good news is that I am currently being cared after by my parents in DC, my husband has keys to our unit, and our movers should have all of our stuff delivered next Monday, SOOO there’s a light at the end of the tunnel! Thank you for looking out for me — you saying that you were devastated for us kind of broke my heart. Thanks for the sweet concern and words of support. xoxoxoxo