Happy Halloween

Today we reached another milestone with Willa's first Halloween. I've been planning her costume for a couple of months now, and it turned out even better than I had imagined it. She was a Matryoshka Doll, or Russian Nesting Doll. An odd choice? Well, I wanted something unique and quirky, sweet and girly, homemade and a little kitschy. The doll idea met all of those requirements and even upped the cuteness ante with it's necessary babushka and rosy pink cheeks. My brainchild was brought to fruition by two very crafty grandmas, Sandy (pattern design and sewing) and my mom (painting.) I was so smitten with the finished product, I am determined to make this homemade costume thing a Heep tradition. My head is already spinning with ideas for next year.

We made the rounds, starting off with Omie and Opie Kaiser's house...

Then to Oma Heep's...

Then Grandma Sandy's...

And finally, we ended up at Chris and Wanda's for a little gathering for the small folks...

Grammy Pat was there...doling out kisses...

Willa got friendly with a Texas Tech Red Raider...

Jordan, who was expected to welcome a baby boy today, wore a patient smile and a cow costume. And Ashley was a witch...

(Another) Ashley and Gage visited from Dallas...

And some very muscular superheroes (Luke, Mark, and Blake) kept us all safe...and entertained...

Market Trip - Spring '09

I spent last weekend in Dallas for market, along with my mom and Willa. Believe it or not, this was Willa's 5th market, (and she's only 10 months old.) She is likely forming some opinions on fashion, perhaps even her own impeccable sense of style. In fact, before I know it, she'll be helping me around the shop and weighing in on buying decisions, if not taking it over completely. She has certainly left an impression on all of our Dallas and L.A. market friends. Its kind of like traveling with a celebrity, everybody seems to know her and remember her from the last show. They want to hold her while I peruse the racks; they know her by name, even if they don't know mine. It made me a little sad to think that this will probably be her last market until she is quite a bit older, like a teen. She won't need to stay close for the sake of nourishment for very much longer, and she is quickly becoming too active to just hang out in my arms as I conduct business. But I sure have enjoyed her company on these past trips. And I am quite the proud mama, as you would expect.

So this was a market for Spring '09, which is kind of hard to get excited about, since we've hardly moved on from the warm weather months of '08. But that's just the way it goes, and if I don't get my orders in now, I will miss out on the season. This market was especially difficult because of the current economic uncertainty. I needed to be extra cautious of price points and more discriminating with the trends. (Cautious + Discriminating = Bo-ring) But I did okay. I thought I would pass along some of my favorites as a kind of preview for Spring. Here's what you need to know: Skinny jeans are still big, but the washes are getting softer, lighter, more distressed and broken-in. The Boyfriend Jean is probably the biggest new trend in denim. This one is low-slung, cut slightly fuller through the hips and thighs, and rolled at the hem. (Uh huh, like Katie Holmes has been wearing.) Bootcuts, flares, and trousers, are old news, but still good. I also spotted a new wide-leg with a shorter inseam, perfect for pairing with flip-flops and your new Boyfriend Tee, which is the other noteworthy trend from my trip. Like it's jean counterpart, this tee is also slightly oversized, but so thin and soft that it skims the body. Its all about looking like you just threw it on, but still look natural, effortless, and chic. (It worked for Katie.) V-necks and exaggerated pockets are an added bonus here. (By the way, I LOVE this look!) Skirts are finally back and will come in many forms, from high-waisted pencils, to knee-length circles, to a-line maxis. Dresses run the gamut from so-short-its-really-a-tunic minis to ultra-feminine, nipped-in frocks, to floor-length boho halters. Shorts are still a big deal and are either high-waisted, full and short, or cut-off denim. Tops (other than tees) are delicate and girly, lots of silks and chiffons, floral prints or pretty solids in the most gorgeous colors - canary, coral, aqua, periwinkle, and lilac, to name a few. Another look worth mentioning is a full, billowy, button-front tunic paired with cropped leggings and a pair of wedge sandals. Belts are still in. Big leather bags, still in. Delicate, organic-themed jewelry in mixed metals, still in. Chunky cocktail rings in wood or matte finishes with rough-cut semiprecious stones, still in. Simple ballet flats, brightly-hued thongs and metallic gladiator sandals, yes, yes, and yes.

Baby's First Picnic

Its finally beginning to feel like Fall around here. The weather has been just beautiful. I'm trying to take advantage of it while it lasts, so on Saturday, I treated Willa to her first picnic in the back yard. We dined on cold pasta and watermelon (and Willa sampled a little dirt.) As you can see, I let her get real good and filthy. My mom always says that the harder babies play, and the dirtier they get, the better they'll sleep at night. (After a bath, of course.) I wish I could say it worked like a charm. Nights are still a little challenging, but it was a great day!

A Glimpse of My Sunday

Make sure your volume is up before you play the video. Turns out, she's ticklish!

Baby Plans in the Making

I came across these photos of a nursery designed for a Cookie Magazine Exhibit. I do love the room, but I am obsessed with the hanging bassinet. It is vintage, of course, which means that I will have to figure out a way to recreate it. If all goes according to plan, I guess I have about a year and a half to work on that. However, having Jordan and Rebekah around, flaunting their adorable, expanding bellies, is truly testing my patience. I loved being pregnant. From the "good news" to the final push, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I am certain that there were some uncomfortable and unpleasant moments during those 40 weeks, but I can't really remember them. What I do recall are the instantaneous sense of responsibility and pride, and the nervous excitement of the upcoming, life-altering event, the subtle movements of the precious being forming within, and the sweet anticipation of meeting the newest love of my life. I look forward to going through it all over again, but with less fear of the unknown and more confidence in my motherly abilities. For now, I am living vicariously through my friends, Jordan, Rebekah, Sondra, Amy, Kelly, and Heidi, who are all currently with bun!

Mommy and Me (Guest Post by Willa B. with a little help from Daddy)

Me, Mommy & my Puppies

That's us at the beach. Aren't we cute?


Mommy sure is pretty.

Mommies are special. I was taught not to brag, but I think my Mommy is the best one. Just by looking at her blog, you already know that she is creative and talented but you don't know the half of it. Our days are filled with so much fun and excitement I do not know what's going to happen next. From the moment I wake up at 7:30 to when I finally hit the sack at 8:00, she is always there. She feeds me; takes me on walks; we play all the time; she even lets me take naps (but for some reason I don't think she thinks I sleep long enough.) Of course Daddy tries to help sometimes, but he is nowhere near as good as Mommy. She juggles her time running two businesses, our household, and still has time to take care of me (and Daddy of course.) I do not know where she gets the energy, but I sure do admire her. I want to be just like her when I grow up. I sure love Mommy.

One of the main reasons she started this blog was for me to have a recorded memory of my childhood. If you didn't already know, everything she writes/posts can be made into a book made especially for me. If you read my Mommy's blog, please, please, respond to the posts. That way I will have a personalized, "frozen in time" memento I will cherish forever.

Next time you see my Mommy, let her know how good a job she is doing raising me and tell her I love her (and Daddy too.) I gotta go, my puppies just walked in and they want me to pull on their ears. I'll see you guys later.

Willa-Wednesdays

There's this fabulous thing we do around here, called "Willa-Wednesdays." It's the one afternoon a week that Sandy, my mother-in-law, babysits. The benefits of Willa-Wednesdays are two-fold. First, Sandy gets plenty of quality one-on-one bonding time with her grandchild. She loves her to pieces, and it shows. Second, I get a regular and much needed solo (that means productive) afternoon for running errands, shopping for groceries, and tending to any necessary business at Root. It started, I believe, as a generous effort to provide me, the frazzled new mom, with some relief and assistance, as well as to delay our commitment to hired child care. But it has become so much more than that. Each week, Sandy comes straight over after work, and has lunch while we catch up on Willa's most recent developments and any family business (or gossip) that has occurred in the previous week. On many a Willa-Wednesday, I probe Sandy with baby-related questions, having complete confidence that she has experienced it herself, at least once between her 14 children and grandchildren. And in her pleasantly nonchalant way, she delivers the most reassuring advice. I so appreciate her easygoing way and like to think it is starting to rub off on me. Anyway, back to the advice...Sometimes, Sandy even offers a story to go along with it, which is always entertaining and helpful. I usually linger a while and watch the two of them interact. Sandy certainly has a way with her. And if anybody has ever had a doubt, she loves this grandbaby every bit as much as she does her previous 8. That's a lot of love. Impressive. Eventually, she encourages me (drags me kicking and screaming) out of the house and assures me that all is well on the Willa-front. And it always is. But I still have a hard time leaving the baby for even a few measly hours. There's just this insuppressible (and quite ridiculous) fear that I might miss something - a first step, a word, a great milestone. In fact, last Willa-Wednesday, I was so gloomy, in my Willa-less state, that the girls at the shop tried to send me back home. Eventually (gulp) I do plan to enroll her in some type of regular, non-family care which will boost her social development and independence, as well as ease our transition into (gulp) Kindergarten. But for now, I am content with our arrangement, and ever so grateful for our Willa-Wednesdays. And for Sandy, of course.