SCICA

Last year was a biggie for the Hazels twins. I got pregnant and had baby Margaret in November and that same month Ann opened her own art gallery. Ann and her business partner, Kirby Scudder, are the duo behind the Institute of Contemporary Art, Santa Cruz.

SCICA opens its second show titled, Alter Eco: Exploring the Landscape of Change after closing a very successful run of Steampunk: Art & Technology. Running February 1 through March 31, Alter Eco wholly captures the feeling of transition through the work of eight artists. Since I’m dying to see the space, but cannot make it out that way at the moment, the co-directors were kind enough to walk danapop readers around the gallery with a video tour, which is the next best thing to being there. From where I sit, it all looks amazing, but I so wish I could be toasting with them at the public reception tomorrow night. Plus, my chair isn’t as cool as the ones on display in the gallery.

 Image: Crystal Kamoroff “Gonna Roll In and Float Away” installation and Jody Alexander “Sedimentals” installation

Best Baby 0-3

I found that the second I got pregnant I was bombarded with loads of parenting tips and advice on must-have purchases to make parenthood easier. There are a few items that I haven’t even taken out of the box, and others I’ve already had to buy seconds of because I use them so often.

Here are my favorites so far.

1. Even in my belly, our sweet gal responded to music. She particularly liked bluegrass stuff, the Punch Brothers and the Avett Brothers were her favorites and since being born that has remained. She loves this song and this. 2. I was told Sophie the Giraffe was the toy to get for teething. We’re a bit ahead of the game with it since our gal is still thankfully all gums, but Margaret loves to hold and squeak little Sophie. The only drawback, Otis thinks it’s a toy for him and constantly tries to steal it. 3. We got several of these as gifts and they are the sweetest. They are one part blanket, one part stuffed animal and Margaret is now at the stage where she cuddles with hers and it’s just about the cutest thing ever. 4. These plush animals from Jellycat are whimsical and the two we have are brightly colored with stripes, giving Margaret something to focus on.

1. After the third visit to a lactation consultant the first week Margaret was born, she suggested this pillow for a better position while feeding. So. Much. Easier. 2. Having Dan feed Margaret a bottle of breast milk was a big day in our house. It allows me to actually do things like get a haircut or go to yoga. The transition can sometimes be tough with some babies refusing a bottle – after trying several other brands, Born Free worked for us. 3. Because when you’re wiping up spit-up all day, at least you can do it with a chic towel.

1. About five hours after Margaret was born the night nurse at the hospital asked us if we were team pacifier. Through cries of our baby, we immediately said yes, and she gave Margaret a Soothie. That’s been our paci brand ever since and she especially loves her Wubbanub. 2. Swaddling has worked for our family. And I’ve found these sacks keep our little Houdini nice and tight all night. PS – I’m a little creeped out by the photos on this site, they look like floating heads. 3. When you have a girl, you’re a bit on pink overload. While it does have some pink, I love the pattern in our blanket from Weegoamigo and it is a perfect weight for Atlanta.

1. I adore clothes from Baby Soy. Margaret has a few pieces including gowns and a super cute kimono onesie. They are really soft and made from organic cotton. 2. Socks from Trumpette are made to look like shoes, making baby feet even more adorable than they already are (as if that’s even possible). 3. Gap is great for staples. Their clothes wear really well and have sweetest designs.

1. While this activity mat is more play for Margaret, it’s truly hands-free for me. As soon as I press the button for the music to start, she’s in her own world. 2. The Moby is great for when your baby needs to be held, but you need both hands. Margaret has been in the Moby for everything from dinner prep, to conference calls, and phone interviews. Snug as a bug in a rug. 3. Apparently the Rock ‘n Play Sleeper was recalled because of mold issues. I have no problem with mine and likely wouldn’t have stayed sane the first four weeks without one.

The Pop Five

Ever feel like the weeks with a national holiday on the front of it are the toughest? The past four days moved at a molasses pace, I thought. This weekend, I have plans to walk a part of this and try to stop by this fun fete. Until then, here’s a roundup of things I’ve stumbled upon.

Not only have I’ve written about Courtney Khail’s gorgeous stationery here and here, but I also love her work. I’m excited to hear that Khail is now selling her lovely watercolors as affordable original prints in addition to her successful design business.

I cannot wait for The Great Gatsby, directed by Baz Luhrmann, to come out in May. I’ve been a fan of Luhrmann from way back when he recorded, Everybody’s Free to Wear Sunscreen, based off the Mary Schmich essay published in the Chicago Tribune. At least once a year I like to listen that song to remind me of what’s actually important.

On Monday night, I had my first solo night out with my best friend post-pregnancy. I drank my first cocktail in about a year. It was called The Other Shore, and it was delicious.

While researching an article I wrote this week I read the below about Diego Rivera, one of the most famous (second to only his ex-wife, Frida Kahlo) artists of Mexican Modernism.

Rivera began drawing when he was only three, just a year after his twin brother’s death. He had been caught drawing on the walls. His parents, rather than punishing him, installed chalkboards and canvas on the walls for the young painter to make use of.

This is what kind of parent I would like to be. Just think if Rivera’s parents were not so encouraging. My guess is he would’ve been a brooding writer.

Image: Diego Rivera (Mexican, 1886 –1957), Retrato De Natasha Gelman (Portrait of Natasha Gelman), 1943, oil on canvas, The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection of Mexican Art. © 2012 Banco de México Diego Rivera Frida Kahlo Museums Trust, Mexico, D. F. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

This week we firmed up Spring dates to head to Siesta Key for about five days. The thought of a breather at the beach in a few months makes the current winter weather palatable. Plus, I’m dying to see little Margaret in a swimsuit!

Nonna Noce’s Marinara

Several years ago, Dan and I started making homemade stocking stuffers. We usually make a batch of something big enough to give to friends as gifts as well. In past years we’ve made everything from limoncello to salted butter caramel sauce, to rosemary and lavender walnuts, to peppermint bark. Above all, the one we get asked the most often to do again is Dan’s maternal grandmother’s recipe for sauce. Or should I say gravy?

I always crave it this time of year when it’s cold outside and you want nothing more than to carb-load by tucking into a great big helping of lasagna or piles of pasta smothered in marinara.

In typical Italian fashion, there is no recipe. Just like his grandmother’s, Dan’s version varies slightly each time he makes it. Here’s the closest thing I could get to documenting it for readers to recreate.

Everyday Marinara
2 large cans of tomato sauce
1 large can of either crushed or chopped tomatoes (San Marzano tomatoes work really well)
1 small can tomato paste
3-4 cloves of garlic, very finely chopped
Several handfuls of fresh herbs (any combination of basil, oregano, parsley)

Method:
Simmer in a slow cooker for 6-8 hours. Makes enough to keep one large container in the refrigerator and one in the freezer for later.

Optional additions:
A splash of dry red wine (Chianti), a few pinches of crushed red pepper. Also, if the sauce seems too acidic, add a pinch or two of granulated white sugar.

Uses:
Fantastic over any pasta, as a pizza sauce, and for dipping.

My Funny Valentine

My friend Kenn came up with an incredible concept for Valentine’s Day this year. In lieu of tacky grocery store flowers or a box of waxy chocolates, send a terrarium.

He and his friend Alice are making these adorable plant villages in modern vases complete with children’s quotes on the tags about love. While the terrariums are so beautiful and alive, the quotes really do add something special. Here are a few:

Love is sloppy … especially when there’s some other person involved.
~ Arnold, age 9

Love is like a flower … don’t step on it!
~ Marv, age 8

When God saw Miami Beach he fell in love with it. That was the first example of love that is on record.
~Arnold, age 9

If falling in love is anything like learning how to spell, I don’t want to do it. It takes too long.
~ Glenn, age 7

Oh my gosh, I’m in love! What will my mother say?
~ Sharon, age 9

Don’t forget your sweetie’s name … that will mess up the love.
~ Erin, age 8

I’m not rushing into being in love. I’m finding fourth grade hard enough.
~ Regina, age 9

Holding hands is usually a sign that people like each other a lot. Or, it could mean they are afraid that somebody else might flirt with their lover.
~ Christine, age 8

Aren’t they fantastic? They are adorably honest (and true!). Here’s how to order one of these sweet gifts if you’re in the ATL-area.

The Pop Five

It’s been a cold, rainy, and zero sunshine week in Atlanta with January proving to be one of the few months of the year that the weather is absolutely bleh. But, it’s the perfect excuse stay inside this weekend and finish some projects around the house. Also known as #willweeverfinishpainting?

My aunt gifted Margaret this adorable book about a dog who thinks his name is, “No” because he hears it so often. It’s hilarious and has lovely illustrations by Marta Altés. I first heard about Altés’ gorgeous work here.

I made this coffee toffee for this year’s holiday season and we just finished our last batch of the portions I made for us. It’s addictive, easy to make, and I’m sad to see it go. Speaking of Smitten Kitchen, she just announced a second leg of her book tour and she’s stopping in Atlanta!

I tried to do this glitter mousepad project from brit.co, but alas I’m not exactly a DIY’er. Honestly, I’m awful at stuff like this. Case in point, this photo of my after can only be classified as a disaster. The problem might’ve been because I chose burlap instead of glitter, anyhow, I’ll be ordering something custom on zazzle instead.

Ryan and Jen Hidinger are very well known in the Atlanta restaurant industry and the recent news that Ryan is fighting for his life with stage IV gallbladder cancer that has spread to his liver and lungs has rocked the city. Jake’s Ice Cream created a Team Hidi ice cream flavor contest and is taking submissions through January 22. The winning flavor will be served at the Team Hidi fundraiser on January 27. Read about the grassroots effort here.

Margaret went to Parents’ Morning Out for the first time this week and I survived. She goes two days a week allowing me almost eight hours total of uninterrupted writing time. It was so hard to leave her since we’d never had anyone outside family watch her and I bawled the first day she went. Her teacher sent me a text with this photo on her first day, which made it all a little easier.

Travel in Style

My husband gifted me a gorgeous infinity scarf for Christmas this year, and while it’s perfect for everyday, it’s even better for travel. It got me thinking about travel attire. Some folks I saw roaming the airport terminal this past holiday season were pieces of work.

I’m all for comfort when I travel, but pajamas are not a proper choice when leaving the house (unless you’re a newborn), let alone for someone meeting you at baggage claim with you sporting a snowflake flannel number paired with an oversized sweatshirt. Ditto Juicy Couture velour tracksuits. Though I must admit this look (thank goodness!) is fading out, but there’s always at least one person in the boarding area strutting around with Juicy written in metallic across their rear.

My comfort comes in the form of a dark wash jean, and a smart cardigan layered over a simple tank top. Side note—I read an article once from a fashion editor who swears by el-cheapo Hanes tank tops and tees in every color and style. I can get behind that trend. Usually I wear boots through an airport because they are so much easier than packing, but lately, cozy flats are more my speed. Lastly, a neutral bag that’ll double as a purse at your destination will make electronics, sunglasses, and snacks easily accessible. And just like that, you’re destination-ready.

1. Blanket cardigan, Madewell
2. Abby skinny supersoft stretch jeans, Liverpool Jeans Company
3. Women’s ribbed tank top, Hanes
4. Thatcher striped sassafras, Warby Parker
5. Swedish Fish
6. Vinyasa scarf, Lululemon
7. Metallic Pewter ballet flat, Tieks by Gavrieli
8. Giraffe print Kindle keyboard cover, Zazzle
9. Graf & Lantz wool felt carryall, Huff Harrington

Full of Grace

I, like most of the rest of the world, loved Grace Coddington ever since seeing her in The September Issue. She certainly was the standout of the documentary, for me. Her autobiography simply titled, Grace: A Memoir, published November 20, 2012 and I was so excited about its release that I preordered it.

But between skimming the American Academy of Pediatrics guide to my baby’s first year, scouring hundreds of other pages about how to make my kid the happiest around, and breezing through Arrested Development episodes on Netflix, I have yet to read it.

I am so drawn to Coddington’s story (and stories similar to hers) of a life seemingly heading in a certain direction, only to have a monumentally altering experience that changes the course of everything that follows. In Coddington’s case it was a car crash that abruptly ended her modeling career, ultimately leading her to a junior editor position at Vogue, to her current title of creative director.

I must find the time to read this one.

The Pop Five

This week I’ve managed to add work back into the mix of motherhood. It’s been a nice balance of reconnecting with clients and starting new projects, between feedings and naptimes. During the past two months, I missed the creative outlet my job brings, but I wouldn’t trade the bonding between us for anything. We’ve truly gotten to know each other without the distraction of things like deadlines and conference calls. It makes me smile each time I pass my desk and see a pacifier next to my laptop. It reminds me that both are important. This week’s pop five is a reflection of that.

On Wednesday, I interviewed Margaret Cho for a coffee table book I’m writing. She gave incredible insight to the project and I cannot wait to see her how her perspective fits within the rest of the copy and photography.

Image: Courtesy of Zoetica

My twin sister, Ann, met our Margaret for the first time over the holiday. I just love the look on both their faces … pretty special stuff. Also, I adore baby Margaret’s hat. It’s from a local company called B-boxx.

The Motherhood ad from Fiat that’s made the Internet rounds cracks me up. I’m trying to overlook the obvious plot hole that there’s no way her family of three kids and husband can fit comfortably in that car (along with her hose and bitches).

Margaret was an awesome traveler over the holidays. We had three flights and she did fantastic on every one. I even got to read a few chapters of a book!

Do you have a word of the year? The one word that’ll encapsulates your mantra for 2013? I’m trying to be more open to life’s possibilities this year. Get outside the box a bit. Open. Several words from friends and family – forward, intent, clever, poised, better. Word.

On The Night You Were Born

I think every child loves to hear the story of the night they were born. My twin sister and I never tire hearing my mom talk about making it to the hospital in the nick of time during a snowstorm in the middle of Chicago when we arrived. Or putting herself into labor by scrubbing the bathroom floors because, as she puts it, “She wanted those babies out of her.”

I planned to go all natural with Margaret, which I talked about here. I wasn’t against Western medicine during the process, but was the most afraid of an induction via Pitocin followed by an epidural because I thought it would take me into too hard of a labor too fast and something my body wouldn’t want to do. I wanted to be in control of what I needed and when and be flexible during it all, but have enough sense to change course if necessary.

Let’s just say no amount of meditation, yoga, or aromatherapy candles could prepare me for the physical pain of birthing a baby. Labor and delivery looked like a war zone with me playing the role of fallen soldier. Vomit, blood, oxygen masks and screams of agony were all there. And then, I felt nothing.

Let me back up a bit. When my doctor scheduled an induction for seven days past my due date, I knew I had to pull out the big guns before that. On my due date I started doing natural inducers. You can read more about that here. On Wednesday, three days past my due date, at 4:15 p.m. I went in for an hour of incredibly intense acupuncture. At 3 a.m. I woke up in a really emotional state. Woke up my husband and had a mini-meltdown about being a mother, working, and all the changes in our life. He calmed me down, and I fell asleep for a couple of hours. A short time later, just before 6 a.m. Thursday morning, my water broke.

The plan was always to labor at home for some time. I spent several hours very comfortable with Otis, my mom, and Dan around me on our living room couch. In just three hours, by 9:30, contractions were coming faster and it was time to head to the hospital as Atlanta rush hour was thankfully ending. My mom couldn’t have been happier, as she was a Nervous Nelly with us deciding to stay home for the beginning parts of labor. I don’t remember much about the car ride except the Driving Miss Daisy in the Jaguar going a whopping 20 miles per hour in a 45 for what felt like an eternity of the trip. I cursed the day that biddy was born. I think every woman can vouch that contractions in a moving vehicle aren’t for the faint of heart. Actually it’s just about the worst idea ever. I’m certain my mother was appalled at the truck driver potty-mouth daughter she raised.

Once inside the hospital I scared every man, woman, and child on an otherwise uneventful elevator ride and proceeded to sit on the floor of labor and delivery upon arrival, just to let them know we weren’t kidding around (and my blood pressure had dropped making me feel like I was going to faint). Now seems like a good place to say nurses (other than one lone Nurse Ratched at check-in) are saints. They truly are. Between my labor and delivery nurse, Lucy, and several night nurses, particularly Carolyn and Meghan, I wouldn’t have had the positive experience that I did.

When we arrived at the hospital just after 10 a.m. I thought for certain I’d have a baby by 3 p.m. at the latest. That’s how fast and hard labor was coming. I was dilated to a six when I was admitted. But, I then stayed stuck between eight and nine for hours. Finally, around 3 p.m., I got an epidural and felt absolutely nothing (except for a little pressure during contractions). It was HEAVEN. There were a few scares with my blood pressure going shockingly low and me needing to breathe oxygen for a bit. For as much planning as I did with music and candles, I wanted none of it. I wanted the room absolutely quiet.

Another thing we planned was my husband’s role. I was very adamant about where I wanted him to stand (my shoulders up), but when it came down to it modesty went out the window. He played a very active role and was the most encouraging voice I could’ve asked for. About 5 p.m. it was time to start pushing. After about an hour my husband put on a playlist called Little Miss Seith upbeat—and upbeat it was. The music helped so much! It charged me through that last hour of pushing (I won’t hold it against her that it took that long), and the mood in the room was actually really lively. No joke, our doctor and nurse were singing along to Mumford & Sons.

Margaret Ainsley Seith came out to the song, “We Are Young” by Fun followed fittingly by Lady Gaga’s “Born this Way.” That moment is one I will remember for the rest of my life. I was crying. Dan was crying, and Margaret was crying. We’re now nine weeks from that day. It does go by fast. And it’s worth every ounce of everything it took us to get here.

So far, motherhood hasn’t defined me, but I certainly like the feeling of knowing I’m hers and she’s mine, already seeing the world through her eyes, and making all the small stuff seem just that. She has already changed me–for the better.