::happy birthday o::

Exactly a year ago today, at 8:19 PM, our little O was born. It has been the most challenging, yet the best, year of our lives. Architectdad and I are very lucky to have her in our lives.

Needless to say, with her birthday and Christmas being so close together, she received A LOT of presents. From fabulous new clothes to amazing new toys...she has made out like a bandit!

However, I must mention my favorite. It was given to her by her great-uncle, a NASA PhD engineer. He gave her two terry cloth bibs that say: "Future NASA Astronaut" across the front. Functional and full of positive reinforcement. I like that.

Grandpa + Teta threw her a pre-birthday party. The Teletubbies birthday cake is unbelievable! Yes, my child loooves watching big, alien babies that speak in broken English. I'm actually okay with the whole purse-carrying business, though.

Architectdad and I threw her another party today and invited her playgroup pals. Good food and great company.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY LITTLE O!!!

::holiday transportation::

Happy holidays!!! Not only is it Christmas time, O is nearly one year of age! Phew...we've made it! It has been the best year of our lives, despite the many challenges. Our little girl has brought us tremendous joy and humility that we could not have experienced otherwise.

Now back to holiday business. For those of you who are travelling this holiday season, please take care. Getting to your destination safely is more important than getting there quickly. And for the "tiny" travellers in your life, I highly recommend the Radio Flyer series of ride-on transportation as holiday presents.

You may already be familiar with the American classic Radio Flyer steel and wood wagon. You know, the ubiquitous old-fashioned, red wagon that always seem be filled with unbelievably cute kids and puppies??? Well, they've updated their product line to include adorable ride-on toys and learning bikes. The craftsmanship and durability remain outstanding. The simplicity of the designs are perfect antidotes to the My-Little-Pony purple tricycles out there.

V let us borrow the Radio Flyer walker which is perfect for pre-walkers like O. The walker is designed in such a way that it is virtually impossible to tip over.

You can find Radio Flyer products on Amazon.com. By using one-day shipping, you can still get your presents to your loved ones on or before Christmas Eve.

Merry Christmas!!!

::dirty dawgs::

Hound dogs are smelly. REALLY smelly. Actually, I think they enjoy their own stink--even though Mommy and Daddy can't stand it. To combat the nasty aroma, we use Body Shop White Musk shower gel on the beagles.

I find regular dog shampoo does not take away the stink completely, and the "nice" smell does not last very long. The shower gel smell stays with them for at least a week and it makes their coats silky and shiny, and keeps their skin moisturized. Although technically, beagles are supposed to have "hound coats" that are a little rougher and weather proof. They are utility dawgs after all!

::petite bebe::

After O recovered from some weird stomach flu, she has been eating non-stop. Cheeri-Os are her prefered snack of choice. She can polish a 14 oz box of Os by herself in a week! As a result, she has grown quite a bit. A little bulkier, but really tall.

So it was time for some onesies for Miss O that fit her newly expanded body. We found some lovely basic white cotton L/S onesies by Petite Bateau . Each garment is well crafted and the edges are beautifully trimmed with delicate eyelets.

PB also offers daywear and underwear for older girls and boys. The womenswear Ts have long been celebrity favorites.

::method acting::

If you are a neat freak who is also environmentally conscious, you'll love home products by Method Home. Not only are we excited about the "green" products, the clean and modern aesthetic of the packaging had us at "hello."

Our favorite Method product is the HE compatible baby laundry detergent. The cleaning agents are biodegradable and the solvent is non-toxic. It even contains natural enzymes that will dissolve disgusting poopy stains. Yes, that's right. To boot, the fragrance is soft yet not irritatingly powdery like other baby products. Since the detergent is HE compatible, one 32 fl oz bottle will wash 32 loads of 3.0 cu ft laundry. If you'd like to opt for a fragrance-free version for your sensitive baby, Method also offers the Free + Clear version.

For the compulsive hand washers like myself, try the self-foaming hand wash. Sooo much nicer than those ubiquitous, fruity-scented job-ies.

You can find most Method products in larger grocery stores and Target. The baby laundry detergent is a little tougher to find, but you can order online from Method directly or in bulk on Amazon.com.