Baby Boden for Toddlers

I'm in love with toddlers in dresses. My little one is wearing a Baby Boden from an old collection, but I totally love it. She can rock pretty much anything from any era. Boden has a huge quality in material and it lasts great amount of playdates and washes. I lost count of how many times she wore it during this past summer and it still looks like new every time I take out of the dryer.

Little S. wearing a Boden dress

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Anna Dusek

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a way to say i love you...

There are days where I have no idea where my mind is. I completely forgot to press publish when I finished this post and was on draft for quite awhile. So since I'm kinda lazy to post something today anyways, here goes the perfect post.

Awhile ago hubby made this mug with our daughter's pictures and sent me as a gift. Crazy for coffee and tea as I am, couldn't be the perfect nicknack to give me. Sometimes I think that I have the best partner in the world (at least the best match for me!). And showing through random gifts like this one is way more than saying I love you.

Around the same time, MIL sent me a new crochet book with such cute patterns that I can't wait to start. Talking about the crochet patterns, have you seen my shop yet? I try to always put something new and cute there, usually I focus on my crochet creations, but often you can find articles made of tulle, fabric, and other cute gifts.

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How to survive without a diaper bag

A oversized super cute bag that fits your style. There's nothing I liked less than a diaper bag. I'm not the most fashionable person in the world, even from my group of friends, but I like to look pretty, and I always promised myself that I would not let my pregnancy or the fact I became a mom to be all "mommy" when came to my style. And when I watched the movie "crazy stupid love", when Ryan Gosling tells Steve Carell "Your wife cheated on you because you lost sight of who you are as a man, as a husband and probably as a lover." Although I am not a man, you got the point, right? So at least I wouldn't be dragging around a diaper bag to ruin my style. Besides that, how long will you usually stay out to need an entire pack of diapers, wipes and 3 or more outfits (just in case!)? If we went out for dinner, and in 3 hours Sophia went trough five diapers, I would assume that something was disturbingly wrong with her. 

So I had a Coach bag from a long time ago that have been serving the purpose perfectly. It is spacious, classic and has pockets for what i need, also has snaps on each side to make it a bit more roomy in case I run into an emergency and have to carry a few extra items.

To not look too messy, I used an Coach clutch, that I got as a gift a few Christmas ago from one of my dearest friends, to keep my personal belongings organized. Things like my wallet, my convenience store cards, coupons, pen, makeup essentials, and some other girly thing I could come up with. I did that so in case I want to go out of the door, without the my full sized bag, I could just grab my clutch and be out in seconds, no worrying if I had everything with me, and searching through the entire house.

1. Wallet; 2. Business Cards; 3. Store Membership Cards; 4. Inhaler; 5. Pen; 6. Mints; 7. Moisturizer; 8. Floss; 9. Hair brush; 10. Zippo; 11. Pepper Spray; 12. Paper Tissue.

Additionally got at a Portable Changing kit, that I keep in my bag, so I keep all the diapers, wipes, rash cream, and trash bags on the go, and if husband needs to change her while we are out, all he needs is in there. I bought my at TJMaxx for close to nothing, but you can also make your own here is a pretty easy pattern for you. 

1. Diapers; 2. Wipes; 3. Changing Mat; 4. Trash Bags; 5. Rash Cream; 6. Bib

Just because I can't help myself, i always have with me my makeup case, just a few items to retouch. This case is from Coach and I found for a stealing price at a consignation shop, I couldn't even believe that was there. It looks more like a pencil case, than a makeup case, but works great for me, because it forces me to keep it simple.

1. Tinted Moisturizer; 2. Mascara; 3. Lipstick; 4. Eye Shadow; 5. Eyeliner; 6. ChapStick; 7. Lanolin Cream (everything here is travel sized) 

In my Coach bag fits: the clutch, travel diapering kit, make up case, a bottle, a travel formula bin, my cellphone, a snack (just a container full of cheerios to keep my baby busy for awhile), a charger, some more lotion and earplugs (the red circles in a plastic box), in case we go somewhere a bit louder so she can be protected. :-)

Now in the car we always keep a small backpack. So if dad wants to take baby out, he doesn't need to stroll my purse around, or if we run out of diapers, or need an extra outfit for baby we can go there and grab it. Accidents happen, but not every day, if they are happening everyday, something is being done wrong. 

Here is another bag I use around a lot, just to change a bit, but this one here is a bit smaller, so I can't carry my clutch in it, so I just throw my wallet in there, and so be it.

You can find this crochet bag to buy here

I hope you enjoyed this post and it was helpful. And take my word, you don't need to spend in a diaper bag, as cute as it looks (I never find them cute!). You won't use as much as you are paying for, so this way you make life a lot easier (meaning: cheaper) for you and your family. It can as well be a great excuse to get that so wished cute oversized bag you were looking for awhile but couldn't justify the cost. Now you can: a gift to you, and a diaper bag for the baby. :-)

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Anna Dusek

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Snowy Day

I don't have much to talk about today, but wanted to share the pictures of my little one playing on the snow all happy today (although she doesn't look that happy). She has so much fun out there, pretty much sinking in the snow, but going from one side to another in the backyard. Thankfully we do have a nice small backyard to enjoy safely. She was out and about for quite awhile enjoying the snow falling on her face. 

Well that's all. Just wanted to share a pretty face with you all.

Doesn't she look like Toad from Mario Bros?

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New music

So this past weekend was Carnival in Brazil and I'm not sure if you know, but I was never a big fan of the Carnival. As a Brazilian is almost strange to say that. I have seen plenty of friends in USA celebrating the party here, going all out with their costumes and so on, but honestly wasn't my thing while I lived in Brazil, and still not my thing now. 

Here I am, 2 days past Ash Wednesday looking for things to do during Lent period. I'm very well spoken about, me, being Agnostic (note here that is very different from being Atheist, being Agnostic is believing that the existence or non-existence of any deity is unknown and possibly unknowable. More specifically, agnosticism is the view that the truth values of certain claims—especially claims about the existence or non-existence of any deity, as well as other religious and metaphysical claims—are unknown and (so far as can be judged) unknowable.), and although I go to church here and there, and have a strong spiritual believe, I still have my doubts. In other words I don't judge you for believing and you don't judge me for having doubts. Plus being raised as catholic during my entire life, I can't say that sometimes the doubt doesn't affect me. But I don't want to get into specifics here.

You can call it whatever you would like to call, but I think that 40 days off the 365 we have in one year to use for reflexion isn't that much. No matter if you believe in something or not. It isn't about eating fish every Friday, or not listening to music, or dancing, or the fasting per say. It's more about the state of mind itself. I don't know about you, but the thing that calms me the most is music and reading, it makes me almost fly alway from my body. I read as much as I can, and having now a child following me around the house doesn't give me too much time for reading, so thanks to audiobooks here, but  nothing tops music to  me. I listen as I am working to calm down or to inspire me, when working out gives me motivation to keep on going (and I am honest to admit that I'm not proud of my workout playlist, but helps), to play with my little one. This is the moment I most enjoy music. Is a joy to watch her stop playing right the way when she likes a song, stand up, and start dancing. Her style of dancing of course, but still, how does she know that this is what we do? That some rhythms are to dance? It goes through your brain, your body and if the right choice is made, it definitely helps you.

Reading Douglas Gonçalves's blog other day, I found out about Ingrid Michaelson, a singer I had never heard about and with such a great voice and a nice ballad. As soon as I put the song on my 14 months old started dancing again (I'll figure out soon how to post a video of her here so I can proof how cute it is). And I set myself to a mission, to find nice songs, make a playlist of some indie artists, with appropriate lyrics so she can listen to (let's be honest, but we all get sick of kids songs sometimes).

There's someone out there can give me some tips? I would love to here from you. :-)

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A flower for you...

So last friday I woke up feeling a bit down. My green card renewal didn't get approved yet, what made impossible to travel to Brazil to see my brother's weeding. Knowing that, hubby decided to cheer me up sending flowers in the afternoon (with the nice touch of including tulips, my faves!!). 

I'm not gonna lie here, there are days that I totally complain, in my head, about lack of romance in the relationship, wishing a bit more this of a bit more of that, but the truth is that i have nothing to complain about. Display of affection gotta come in the right amount, so doesn't become routine or isn't only in obvious occasions. I don't think I ever got flowers on my birthday or on Valentine's Day, and doesn't bother me that much (can't say I like to not receive either, right?), but hubby always find a way to surprise me. 

The flowers didn't make me forget about brother's wedding, but reminded me how much I'm loved here, and how things can change easily. Although I wasn't there for his wedding, it doesn't mean I don't love him or wasn't thinking about him, and even less that we won't be able to celebrate such a special date in other ways. Soon we will be together, and we will share other experiences and love will always be there.

:-)

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Anna Dusek

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Natal em casa

Totalmente esqueci de publicar o post sobre a decoração de Natal aqui em casa. Como já mencionei antes, a minha cabeça está nas nuvens ultimamente, mas pelo menos consegui um tempinho para fazer o nosso cartão de Natal mais do que personalizado e já enviei para todos. E para sair baratinho imprimi o nosso endereço na frente ao invés de comprar o carimbo com o nosso endereço, assim pelo menos posso ter vários modelos diferentes e não tenho mais uma coisa ocupando espaço no meu escritório que já é minúsculo.

Aqui em casa temos a tradição de sempre comprarmos um enfeite de Natal quando saímos para conhecer um lugar novo, e mesmo que vamos repetidas vezes para o mesmo destino, acabamos comprando mais um para simbolizar aquela viagem. Todos os enfeites que temos simbolizam algo em nossa vida, algo marcante, como quando eu estava grávida, ou o nascimento da nossa filha e conforme ela vai crescendo e o nosso o nosso casamento vai se desenvolvendo também, nós sempre adicionamos algo para a nossa árvore, e se torna especial quando estamos decorando, e cada um dos enfeites tem um significado especial. Com exceção das bolinhas, das luzinhas e alguns enfeites que algumas pessoas nos deram ao longo dos anos, nós tentamos manter a nossa decoração bem pessoal. E quem sabe? Quando formos bem velhinhos teremos uma árvore cheinha de memórias.

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Anna Dusek

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Lumberjack, lumberanna and Toad

We have a tradition, period. Since we got together, Chris and I go to Richardson's Christmas Tree farm and cut down our own Christmas tree. I can't say that I'm 100% proud of it, but we like the smell of a natural Christmas tree inside of our home, and the "adventure"of hunting down THE Perfect Christmas tree. It's our little thing. Tough. Just deal with it. And there we went for the first time with our little one. 

Since I got back from my trip to Minnesota, I am all about getting back in shape and back to my own wardrobe, for awhile I was letting the mom style get into me, and I would say that I looked as someone who was giving up. So I shopped through my closet and refund really pretty forgotten items. So today was as any other new day, and I had to have a outfit to go on our tree hunt.

After a 5 minutes search, I came up with a LumberAnna outfit (it's ok to laugh), inspired by what Chris was wearing. Unfortunately was freaking cold today (27oF) and we couldn't put our little one in any matching style, so we had to dress her up into her new snowsuit. So after looking at her for awhile we couldn't help but admit that she looked like Toad from Super Mario, LoL!!!

Usually takes us awhile to find our tree, but this year we bit the record, in less than 10 minutes we knew what we wanted and we had the winner ready to be wrapped up in put on top of our car. 

And the rest of the day was all about decorating the house for Christmas. Pictures to come later, and can be seen here. Ohhh, how thankful we are for Christmas. :-)

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Anna Dusek

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Dia de ação de Graças

Na quinta feira passada foi dia de ação de graças aqui nos Estados Unidos e, como todos os anos, foi um dia de comilança e de estar com a família. 

Aqui em casa começamos cedo: na quarta-feira à noite fomos às comprar para procurar os últimos ingredientes para o jantar e para os detalhes da decoração. Queria algo simples e baratinho, então comprei alguns metros de juta e fita laranja, pois laranja é a cor do dia de ação de graças, que combina com o outono e adicionei uns galhos de trigo seco, e voilá! Decoração pronta!

A tradição pede por peru recheado, mas nós nunca comemos tanto peru, então decidimos fazer um pato recheado, com um pouco de peito de peru defumado e bolinhos de caranguejo, muito bom! Para acompanhar tivemos purê de batata, bolinhos de espinafre, e torta de abóbora para sobremesa. Delicioso! Aqui vão algumas fotos simples, que tirei rapidinho antes de atacarmos a comida. :-)

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Anna Dusek

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Uma tarde em Chicago

Não dá para perceber, mas este pai aqui estava com a maior cara de felicidade quando a filha caiu no sono com ele segurando ela no colo. Não se aguentou e resolveu sentar no banco do parque para poder curtir o soninho da filha. As alegrias de paizão que não dá nem para descrever as vezes. 

E como sempre Chicago, IL é linda demais. E mesmo que para ficar algumas horinhas sentada na praça e aproveitando o ventinho gostoso do lago Michigan, vale a pena pegar o trem e ir para lá.

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Anna Dusek

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Candy Corn Crochet Hat

Candy Corn by Anna Dusek Creations

I gotta say the truth: I do NOT like candy corn at all. They are sweet. They taste weird. They look weird. And I find gross the idea of someone touching it with their bare hands and handing them down to me or anyone else on Halloween. God knows what did they touch before grabbing that candy. But for the sake of Halloween mood I made a candy corn hat for my little one. I found several patterns (here, here and here) and worked my way around it to make this one. I doubled on the yarn for this one because I wanted a stiff look so would stay up while little S wears it. So I think I got it just right.  :-)

Candy Corn by Anna Dusek Creations

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mary had a little lamb, whose fleece was white as snow.

Lamb Hat by Anna Dusek Creations

I already said here many, many times about my crochet passion and here is one more of my projects. After working on the witch hat, I had to make something else so Sophia could wear this winter and be all cute, so here is the newest addition to her collection: the little lamb hat. Kinda cheesy I know, but I couldn't help myself when I saw this pattern. 

Here's the nursery rhyme to whoever didn't memorize it yet or the years made you forgot:

Mary had a little lamb,whose fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went,the lamb was sure to go.
It followed her to school one daywhich was against the rules.
It made the children laugh and play,to see a lamb at school.
And so the teacher turned it out,but still it lingered near,
And waited patiently about,till Mary did appear.
"Why does the lamb love Mary so?"the eager children cry.
"Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know." the teacher did reply.

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Se preparando para o Halloween

Tutu and Crochet Hat by Anna Dusek Creations

O dia das Bruxas, Halloween (ralouín) é um evento tradicional e cultural, que ocorre nos países anglo-saxônicos, mas com especial relevância nos Estados Unidos, Canadá, Irlanda e Reino Unido, tendo como base e origem as celebrações dos antigos povos (não existe referências de onde surgiram essas celebrações). A celebração do Halloween tem duas origens que no transcurso da História foram se misturando: a pagã e a origem católica.O Dia

A origem pagã tem a ver com a celebração celta chamada Samhain, que tinha como objetivo dar culto aos mortos. Sabe-se que as festividades do Samhain eram celebradas muito possivelmente entre os dias 5 e 7 de novembro (a meio caminho entre o equinócio de verão e o solstício de inverno). Eram precedidas por uma série de festejos que duravam uma semana, e davam ao ano novo celta. A "festa dos mortos" era uma das suas datas mais importantes, pois celebrava o que para nós seriam "o céu e a terra" (conceitos que só chegaram com o cristianismo). Para os celtas, o lugar dos mortos era um lugar de felicidade perfeita, onde não haveria fome nem dor.  Dizia-se também que os espíritos dos mortos voltavam nessa data para visitar seus antigos lares e guiar os seus familiares rumo ao outro mundo.

Já na origem Católica, desde o século IV a Igreja da Síria consagrava um dia para festejar "Todos os Mártires". Como festa grande, esta também ganhou a sua celebração vespertina ou vigília, que prepara a festa no dia anterior (31 de outubro). Na tradução para o inglês, essa vigília era chamada All Hallow’s Eve (Vigília de Todos os Santos), passando depois pelas formas All Hallowed Eve e "All Hallow Een" até chegar à palavra atual "Halloween".

Mas o que importa mesmo é que é o dia em que saímos fantasiados nas ruas, indo até para o trabalho com as fantasias e no final da tarde vamos de casa em casa para "colher" os nossos doces. Ultimamente, as travessuras não tem sido aplicadas, apenas ditas no famoso "Doce ou Travessura" (Trick or Treat). 

E entrando no clima do Halloween aqui estou eu crochetando um chapeuzinho de Bruxa no capricho para a minha Fofolete e ainda fiz um Tutu de arrasar para ela.

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Anna Dusek

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Bora caminhar no parque?

Como havia dito anteriormente, nós fomos passear no parque e aproveitar uma longa caminhada, afinal ainda não perdi todos os meus quilinhos adquiridos durante a gravidez, e do jeito que amo comida, é super difiícil emagracer, mas pelo menos não engordei mais nada. Só empaquei. Aqui perto de onde moro há várias trilhas bacanas para irmos e ajuda muito quando queremos um pouco de natureza sem querer estar muito longe de casa. 

Algo que recomendo muito a qualquer mamãe de primeira viagem (e até as mais experientes) é a compra de um Baby Björn ou qualquer outro produto similar para poder carregar o seu bebê por aí. Muito mais prático do que um carrinho de bebê, mais compacto e você sempre tem o seu neném pertinho de você. A minha filha já vai fazer nove meses (nossa! como o tempo passa) e ainda uso com ela em todos os lugares que vou. Ela ainda não é grande o suficiente para sentar em um carrinho de compras, então a coloco no Björn e assim tenho sempre as mão livres para poder pegar o que eu quiser, e ter certeza que ela não está se metendo em confusão. 

Em longas caminhadas como a que fizemos n este final de semana onde as fotos foram tiradas, o maridão e eu nos revesamos para podermos aproveitar mais o passeio, e durante o dia, ela caiu no sono duas vezes enquanto a carregávamos. Bom aí foi o jabá de hoje, mas deixo claro que a recomendação é sincera.

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Anna Dusek

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Vou virar bailarina!

Eu sei que sou meio chata com os posts da minha fofucha aqui, mas é que eu amo ela demais, e tendo família morando no Brasil ajuda um pouquinho a mantê-los informado no que anda acontecendo por aqui. A última é esta história da Sophia querer ficar de pé apoiando-se em todos os móveis que ela encontra pela frente, e aqui está o resultado. Acaba escorregando e fica empacada. Mas ela não desiste não e continua à toda. E agora temos que cuidar ainda mais com o que deixamos ao alcance dela, pois tudo é motivo para aguçar a curiosidade dela.

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Anna Dusek

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Os oito meses - tudo é uma descoberta

Pode ser que seu bebê esteja ainda se rastejando, engatinhando ou ainda esteja se movimentando com o bumbum no chão, usando as mãos e os pés como apoio. O primeiro método que os bebês adotam para começar a se locomover é se rastejando (apesar de a Sophia nunca ter tentado e pulou direto para engatinhar). Depois disso os bebês aprendem a se levantar usando as mãos e os joelhos. Então começam a mover os joelhos para frente e para trás e quando menos esperamos estão engatinhando ao redor da casa.

Em pouco mais de um mês a Sophia foi de girando ao redor em circulos para quase estar caminhando. O mundo agora parece ilimitado para ela, e tudo é uma novidade. As folhas que vem do quintal para dentro de casa (o outono está chegando aqui), um papel que caiu no chão, uma moeda é algo de outro planeta para ela, principalmente quando começa a batê-la no chão e descobre-se que faz um som diferente. Barulho. E a cada passo, cada movimento, som, objeto novo que ela descobre, ela olha para nós esperando um sinal de aprovação parece. Um sinal de que nos diz "eu fiz algo novo, você viu?".
Pode-se dizer o que quiser mas a cada dia vejo o quanto importante é estar acompanhando estes momentos com ela. Ver cada passo que ela desenvolve e estar lá para dar apoio a ela. Não consigo compreender como algumas mães preferem não fazer isso (não estou falando das que precisam trabalhar e não tem opção). Ter um filho e acompanhar cada momento é mágico e não há preço que pague por isso.

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Anna Dusek

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