Five Fast Findings

1. Apparently, Brandy is telling people to stop comparing her to Beyonce (here). Honey, I don't think anyone's made the mistake of doing that. Beyonce is way cooler. Plus she's had a single during this decade. sorry.

2. Child actress Kyla Pratt popped up when I was watching Veronica Mars, which spurred me to find out what she's been up to. Turns out, she has a 1-year-old kid, and kept it a secret all during her pregnancy. Smart girl. Since the baby daddy is ah, less than impressive, she decided to avoid the negative backlash. "I didn't want to go through that with my pregnancy. The baby can feel what you're feeling..." (source) I think that's a really smart thing for a celebrity to do, if you're able. She was more popular in her younger years, so it was easier for her to drop off the face of the earth for a while. I've never been a fan of her acting, but as a person, she seems like her head is on straight.

3. I LOVE my MyTouch 4G Slide. It is the best phone, with a stellar camera. I took it to an All-American Rejects concert last night (yes they're back in the biz), and it took fantastic pictures (see below). I can also listen to music, watch Netflix, read a book on Kindle, or play Solitaire. It really is an all-in-one phone. AND it's lightning fast. I've had the phone for about 6 weeks, and it has only force-closed an app once. AND that app was a new one, with bugs.

4. I love having blonde hair. I need to get the roots touched up, but having blonde hair just makes me feel a bit lighter when I look in the mirror in the morning. I've always had brown hair, and it just feels dark and heavy. Blondes really do have more fun.

5. My new love is Pinterest. It's like a mass comparison of who has the best taste, except minus the intense competition. I have 6 boards, and I am a pretty active...pinner? Anyway, it's a fun site.

All-American Rejects pics with the band:

Self-reflections

I am

-searching, ever searching, for my passion in life

-obsessed with Romania. the children, food, culture, architecture.

-an artist, but haven't figured out how to express it yet

-a dog lover

-a lover and follower of fashion trends

-20 pounds lighter than I was a year ago

-the proud owner of an associate degree, even if I still can't get into the college I really want.

-a good driver

-a dabbler. I know a little bit about most everything

-finally learning what happens when past mistakes catch up with you.

Falling asleep on a cold rocking chair or co-sleeping? Ha.

http://www.newparent.com/baby/happy-baby/

An excellent article on basic parenting practices. I particularly support the idea of co-sleeping. I never thought I'd be planning on sleeping with my (future) infant, until I got a dog. I always feel much better with him sleeping next to me, and while a popular concern of co-sleeping is danger to the baby, I've yet to roll over on my dog. In fact, I have occasionally woken up in odd and contorted positions, due to unconsciously conforming and working around him in the night. Plus, who wants to drag themselves out of bed and schlep to another room to breastfeed at 3am? Not me. It's bad enough my dog wakes me up to go outside.

The article does express surprise that only 22% of American babies are still being breastfed at 12 months. Frankly, I'm surprised a quarter of American babies are still getting breastfed when they're a year old! There are a ton of reasons why breastfeeding is better the longer you do it, but I've also known quite a few babies who didn't want mommy's milk after a few months. I guess it's one of those things that you decide as you go.

Another idea supported in the article is that babies do best in households that aren't quite so structured. AGREED. Why does a baby need to be "on a schedule"? They'll get on one when they learn there's a world outside their crib. The oft-cited idea that always picking up a constantly-crying baby "spoils" them or teaches them improper habits is negated in this article as well, which I like. Secretly, I can't help but wonder if this American idea was started by busy career moms who didn't have time to pick up their screaming baby. But I digress. Anyway, the article is a good one, and cites a lot of valid studies.

Native Union POP Phone

Native Union POP Phone