Hakab Na 2013 ("Latch On 2013): A Breastfeeding Mob

Hi!

I am slowly moving to Wordpress to better suit the growing needs of this blog so kindly click on the link below for the details of this entry.  Enjoy!

https://multitaskingdoula.wordpress.com/2013/08/10/hakab-na-2013-latch-on-2013/

DIY Superhero Baby Shower

I'm doing some catch-up postings and I really wanted to post this DIY project I did for a friend's Superheros baby shower theme. When the date and theme was settled, I jumped into google and searched through as many inspiration and DIY projects as they come to pull off a good Superheros-themed baby shower.


I made a simple superhero (modern chibi take) invite to give a flavor to the party theme and the sky was the limit on creativity for this. The tags were also fun to make!

I thought of initially decorating their nursery to help the newbie parents before their bundle of joy arrived but due to time and location constraints (the room was still not ready to be decorated by the time the party rolled in) so I chose decoration where they can be displayed at the party and can be easily put up at their home or used by their little one when he comes out in May.
The very first thing that came into my mind that would look great in their nursery is the initials of their baby boy - "J" and "N", a DIY comic book covered letters and took inspiration and instruction from Bird's Party Blog and Cherish Bliss. I wasn't able to get wooden letters or know where similar items were sold so I did it via styrofoam and cut out the letters then wrapped used/old comic books around it. It was tough to fully cover a styrofoam letter since the surface was not flat compared to a wooden or cardboard letter but it will have to do. I was able to do thicker lettering than the normal wooden one, which came out quite nice. :)
I then bought some picture frames that would have cute baby chibi superheroes in them. The stuffed toys plaster on the windows are from a local stuff toy vendor.

For the banner, I got the idea for the comics and bib & onesies banners at Thriftress and PampersPlaydatesParties. I was able to find/source old action figurines & kiddie toys at a thrift store and loot bags had the same superhero theme in it.

It was a definite labor of love to see the expressions on the new parent's faces when they saw the whole place. Happy partying!!!

Worst Breastfeeding Advice -- Ever! (from the Bump.com)

Fair Warning: this is no way to criticize mothers who use the bottle or formula for their babies. This post is to educate and correct what others inform pregnant/expectant and even breastfeeding mothers about breastfeeding practices that are scientifically incorrect or misleading. 

Take the below as an FYI from a Lactation Consultant, Deirdre McLary.

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Say what? Bumpies shared the most outlandish breastfeeding tips they’ve ever heard, and then we asked lactation consultant Deirdre McLary, IBCLC, RLC, CD, to explain why the advice is such bad news. Take note -- this is what not to do.

“My dad told me once, ‘You’ll know within two days whether or not breastfeeding is going to work for you.’ He told me this while I was still pregnant -- needless to say, my instinct told me this was bad advice.” -- danienross 

Why it’s bad advice: Breastfeeding usually starts out tough and then gets easier as time goes on. “It can take several days to weeks to feel in balance with meeting the needs of your newborn,” says McLary. “Plus, your milk doesn’t come in until two to four days after the birth, so each day brings a new and different adjustment as you transition.” If you’re struggling, she suggests getting help from a pro -- problems can be corrected with just a single visit to a lactation consultant.

“A pediatrician told me to let my husband give our LO baby formula at night so I could get extra sleep. Apparently he thought extra sleep would increase my low supply.” -- pitterpatter129 

Why it’s bad advice: The exact opposite is actually true. “Replacing feedings with formula will sabotage your milk supply,” says McLary. “That’s because milk supply relies on supply and demand. If you skip a feeding because some well-intentioned loved one wanted to let you sleep, you’re sending the message to your breasts: ‘Hey, we’re done here. No milk is necessary at this hour.’” And your body, as a result, will make less milk. You don’t want that!

“A friend who’s also a nurse told me to give my baby bottles of water over the summer when it’s hot. She went on and on about how I wouldn’t want to drink milk when it was hot, so obviously baby won’t want to either.” -- tokenhoser 

Why it’s bad advice: It’s not a good idea to give your baby water before he’s around six months old. That’s because he could fill up on it and drink less breast milk -- which has the nutrients he really needs. “Breast milk is all that your baby needs during the first six months of life,” says McLary. And as far as quenching baby’s thirst, breast milk will do that too. “It’s actually made of over 85 percent water,” says McLary, and we highly doubt he’ll turn it down when he’s hungry.

“Someone once told me to scrub my nipples with a washcloth to ‘toughen them up’ for nursing. Um, ouch!” -- museummaven 

Why it’s bad advice: You won’t do much more than make your nipples sore. “This is a ridiculous old wives’ tale that seems to persist in some cultures,” says McLary. “It’s absolutely unnecessary. The best preparation for breastfeeding is understanding that it is a natural, normal process.” Your body is naturally prepping itself for breastfeeding. All you have to do is, well, do it.

“My mother-in-law said that my breasts were too small to give my baby enough milk and that I should give him formula.” -- k-renee 

Why it’s bad advice: There’s actually no correlation between breast size and milk production. “Breasts come in all shapes and sizes, and unless you have glandular development issues (which is rare), your breast size will not compromise your ability to produce milk to meet your baby’s needs,” says McLary.

“My friend gave me this advice: ‘Don’t breastfeed. Breastfeeding makes your breasts saggy and gross.’” -- damabo80 

Why it’s bad advice: Research shows that saggy boobs are more likely to result from pregnancy in general than from breastfeeding. “Pregnancy and hormones make our breasts victims of gravity,” says McLary. “Breastfeeding has little to do with it.”

“This week, my mother-in-law and sister-in-law both encouraged me to not breastfeed because it would take up too much of my time and I would end up a slave to my baby and boobs.” -- lolinshag 

Why it’s bad advice: Sure, you’ll find yourself spending a lot of time feeding your baby, but so do bottle-feeding moms. “Imagine the time you’ll spend buying formula and bottle gear, and cleaning, sorting, cooling and heating bottles,” says McLary. Plus, breast pumps make it possible to give baby breast milk while you’re away from her, so you don’t have to feel stuck if you want some “me time.”

“Drinking beer while breastfeeding will help baby sleep. Yeah, that’s gonna work….” -- dundasgirl 

Why it’s bad advice: “This is a scary and dangerous concept,” says McLary. Why? Alcohol can pass into breast milk like it passes into your bloodstream. Sure, baby will only be exposed to a small percentage of alcohol if you drink, but his body will process it at a slower rate. And rather than help him sleep, it actually could cause sleep problems for baby, not to mention impair his motor development (scary!). But McLary says that having a glass of wine on a date night with your hubby is okay: “The general rule on breastfeeding is, if she can drive a car, she’s okay to feed her baby. But don’t count on it making baby sleep any longer than usual.” So if you end up enjoying a glass of chardonnay at dinner, wait at least two to three hours before nursing baby -- just to be safe.

“My father-in-law believes that bottles are better than breastfeeding because ‘ you’ll know if the baby is getting enough.’” -- kelleylk 

Why it’s bad advice: Sure, if you breastfeed, you won’t have the luxury of ounce markings letting you know how much your baby is taking in, but there are ways to know she’s getting enough milk. “Make sure she’s happy, gaining weight, looking healthy and wetting between six to eight diapers in a 24-hour period -- and feeding every two to three hours,” says McLary. “Then, you’re meeting her needs.” And feeding her the healthiest way possible.

World Breastfeeding Week

August 1–7 is World Breastfeeding Week (based on the WHO website)!!! This is celebrated every year in more than 170 countries to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. It commemorates the Innocenti Declaration made by WHO and UNICEF policy-makers in August 1990 to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is the best way to provide newborns with the nutrients they need. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding until a baby is six months old, and continued breastfeeding with the addition of nutritious complementary foods for up to two years or beyond.

I am a firm believer that breastfeeding is the most precious gift a mother can give to her child(ren). It is not a forever thing (as what some other critics around me say) but the benefits of this can be seen in the child's lifetime.  I breastfed my son for about 21 months only since I was pregnant with my second child. I wasn't educated well that I can still continue breastfeed even up to the 8th month of pregnancy. Please see KellyMom on this. I regretted not doing my research and had my OB decide when to totally stop cold-turkey my son's breastfeeding journey.  My initial target for C was to reach 2 years old. 
Now that I have given birth to our second child, S, I am more determined to reach this 2 years old mark and enjoy my breastfeeding lifestyle with the support of breastfeeding coach friends and supportees. With new-found determination and a strong support system behind me on this, there is totally nothing I won't be able to do!
Getting back to breastfeeding and being one of the many supporters, I tell friends and relatives that this takes a lot of sacrifice, commitment and conviction to do that only a mother can decide for herself.  My decision to breastfeed had made me the woman/mother/partner that I am today. I had to learn how to be stronger for my kids and provide a more vocal supporter to other mothers who are going through what I did.

August Breastfeeding Month has a full schedule of events in and around town can be found at Chronicles of a Nursing Mom here. The breastfeeding community is all excited to kick them off!

One of those activities that will be important to S and me since we will be there is the Breastfreeding MOB set in Manila on August 3, 2013 - 3pm at Rajah Sulayman Park, Roxas Boulevard Manila. This is the park beside the original Aristrocrat and Max's Fried Chicken. It is open to all, not only breastfeeding families but also supporters and everyone that would like to help raise awareness in breastfeeding.
Registration is requested since there will be buttons for the mothers who will be attending this event. Please make sure you register at the Eventbrite page here to get your personalized button.
To know more about the event, you can find it here at the BFP Event Page. I hope you come and introduce yourself to us if you do come. :)
Spread the word - let's make breastfeeding a norm and not a taboo!

The below are some wonderful posters from the WHO site that provides ways of promoting breastfeeding whether you are a parent, relative, co-worker, etc. I cannot wait to attend the other activities this August to promote Breastfeeding in the Philippines.
For now, happy Breastfeeding month to all my readers!

Solving Sniffles from Kidspot.au

- from Kidspot.au

10 flu remedies to beat the bug

With winter well and truly on us now, it's only a matter of time before the flu will begin circulating at mother's group, preschool, big school or work. If you've been too slow in getting your flu shot for the season, or don't feel comfortable bringing out the big guns of antiviral medicines, there are simple ways you can help protect yourself from the flu virus.
Read our top ten ways you can reduce the length and severity of flu, if you catch it, and other simple remedies to make you more comfortable while you get through this too-common winter bug.

Echinacea

When it comes to cure-alls, Echinacea is a natural wonder drug! Numerous studies have shown that Echinacea contains active substances that boost the immune system, relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and have hormonal, antiviral, and antioxidant effects. Particularly effective in fighting flu and cold viruses, Echinacea taken at the first sign of a cold or flu bug will reduce the length and severity of the illnesses and reduce the number of symptoms.

Liquid elderberry extract

Sold at chemists as Sambucol, liquid elderberry extract fights flu directly. Studies has shown that taking it immediately after the first symptoms of the flu appear will significantly reduce the length and severity of the flu. It seems that the compounds in the extract boost the immune system and stop the flu virus from sticking to cells so it is removed from your body faster.

Fluids

Drinking plenty when you have the flu is key to keeping your discomfort to a minimum, without continuously replacing the fluids you are losing through fever and mucous build-up, you can quickly become dehydrated which can delay your recovery as well as make you feel so much worse than you should. Cool drinks can be soothing when you have a fever and hot drinks can be soothing when you have a sore or tickly throat. Whatever you choose, just drink, drink, drink!

Blow your nose

It's true, when it comes to mucous, it's better out then in. Blowing your nose regularly when you're snotty is so much better than sniffing the mucous back and swallowing it. Do be careful, though, to blow gently as blowing your nose hard when you have the flu or a cold can cause acute ear pain.

Equalise your ears

One of the common symptoms of the flu is having blocked and sore ears as the fluid builds up in the middle ear. Equalising your ears regularly - pinching your nose with your fingers and gently blowing air into your nose for the count of 10 then releasing your nose, and then repeating this five times while you have flu or cold symptoms will keep the fluid moving and significantly reduce the chance of a secondary ear or sinus infection. Equalising will also provide temporary relief from the uncomfortable stuffed-up feeling many cold and flu sufferers experience.

Gargle

Gargling is a great way to tackle throat ailments, everything from a ticklish throat to a it's-too-painful-to-swallow throat. Whether you choose a gargle from the chemist or simply use warm water and salt, gargling will soothe and disinfect your throat membranes and moisten a dry sore throat.

Steam inhalations

Steam inhalations help thin the mucous that's making you stuffy and clogging your chest. Several times a day, pour boiling water into a bowl - you can add a couple of drops of tea tree or eucalyptus oil into the water too. Place a towel over your head and then lower yourself so that your face is over the boiling water and the towel is creating a tent around you. Breathe the steam in deeply and slowly until the water begins to cool. As steam is generally good for getting mucous moving, hot showers also have a health benefit.

Chest rubs

There is something so automatically comforting about rubbing something menthol-y on your chest and back when you're sick that it has to be good, right? Happily, chest rubs do have a medicinal use beyond making you feel nurtured. Eucalyptus, camphor and menthol rubs all work to soothe chest congestion and the vapours that are released from contact with your warm skin will help clear your congested head.

Elevate your head when sleeping

Aside from the general aches and pains that come with the flu, chest and head congestion can make it really difficult to get the rest you need when fighting a bug. The best way to get and stay comfortable in bed when you have the flu is by elevating your head with an extra pillow or two. By keeping your head and chest higher than the rest of your body, you'll avoid them 'filling up' when you lie flat. Coughs too can be improved at night by simply sleeping with your head in an elevated position.

Cool compresses

If you're having trouble controlling your fever, use cool (not cold) compresses on the pulse points around your body - the wrists, neck and throat - to cool your blood as it passes close to the suface of your skin. You can also find relief from blocked sinuses by laying cool compresses across the painful areas of your face.

Tips on Expressing Breastmilk while Traveling

A good friend of mine, also a breastfeeding advocate, shared tips on expressing and storing breastmilk while traveling that I know is very useful to a good few of my friends. As an easy reference, I am re-posting the below for easy reference.

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PLEASE READ ARTICLE BELOW ON TRAVELING WITH BREASTMILK. THIS IS FROM
FRIDGETOGO.MULTIPLY.COM. HOPE IT HELPS!

Expressing breastmilk while traveling is not easy; but neither is it impossible!
With a little chutzpah and a whole lot of planning and logistics, you can keep
pumping even while you travel!

During my baby's first year, I had to travel thrice without my baby. By coming
up with a game plan and a system, I was able to bring home all of my pumped milk
each time I traveled.

Here are some tips that worked for me:

A. TRAVELING - EXPRESSING/STORING

Things to bring:

1.)  Your pump: Electric vs Manual

• Electric PumpElectric pumps that enable you to pump both breasts at the same time are time-saving. When you are in a hurry during travel, the 15 minutes you save by pumping both breasts at the same time as opposed to taking 30 minutes to pump both breasts one after the other is precious! Added up, it could mean 2 hours more for sightseeing, shopping, working, or sleeping each day!
• Manual Pump
  A manual pump is very handy during travel because it is so much lighter and portable than an electric pump. It is very useful during transit -- in the plane, a train, a bus, a car, etc -- any mode of transport wherein you will have at least 35 minutes to pump. Bring your manual pump along will enable you to make better use of travel time. Instead of still having to pump once you get to your destination, you've already gotten one pumping session down and it will be in another 4 hours or so before you'll need to pump again. It's also much easier to use when there is limited space, which is the case when you are on board a plane, in a bus, etc.

2.) Storage Bottle/s or Storage Bags

• I bring only 1 or two storage bottles. After pumping or when I get back to the hotel, I transfer the milk into the Storage Bags. Sometimes, I also pump directly into the Storage Bags. This way, I keep the Storage Bottles clean longer and hence, will not have to wash it right away.

3.) Nursing Cover

• A MUST for pumping in public. If you want to continue pumping even while traveling, you must forget about being shy. It's the only way you will be able to maximize your time. Take comfort in the fact that traveling gives you a certain level of anonymity and you can get away with more things when you are abroad than if you were back home. (Then again, being in Manila never stopped me from pumping in public -- it's really a matter of finding discreet spots.)

4.) Detergent

• I normally use a dish detergent for babies when at home. However, the first time I used it abroad, I was not able to find a very secure container so it spilled. Thank goodness I kept it in a separate Ziploc bag. The next time I traveled, I used those paste detergents. I chose the one with the mildest scent and I think it worked fine. I am what some people call a "quack", wanting to use all things natural, etc. but every now and then, I compromise in the name of efficiency and practicality. If you find a good container for your liquid detergents, though, which I'm sure are available, then great. If not, get a detergent in paste form. Guaranteed, no spillage, no mess.

5.) Sponge for bottles and Sponge for Sink

• Bring a sponge to clean the hotel sink each time you use it to clean your bottles. Use warm water to rinse the sink just to be safe. Remember, just because it is "your" hotel room doesn't mean it's actually yours. It is still, technically, a "public" toilet and you will never know how well the cleaning lady really does her job.
• Do not use the same sponge you use for your bottles for the bathroom sink. Get sponges in different colors so you can distinguish them and store them separately as well when not in use.

6.) Small plastic container with holes or gaps:

• This will allow water to pass through even after washing the sink, do not put your pump parts directly on the sink. Bring a small tray or plastic container for this purpose. This can also serve as a drying rack. Please refer to the picture for a sample.

7.) Big Freezer Bags

• Put your storage bags (once filled with milk) in here. It will be a safeguard in case any of the bags bursts or leaks. You can also keep you milk in this bag when requesting the hotel to store your milk from you. These bags will keep your milk from absorbing any freezer or refrigerator smells.

8.) Dish rag

• Bring a dish rag that is to be used only to wipe your bottles / pump parts when you do not have time to wait for them to air-dry.

9.) Container for your pump parts

• Always helpful, even in Manila. You can store your pump parts in your cooler or the hotel's refrigerator for use throughout the day. It's really not necessary to sterilize after each use. I promise.

10.) Your Fridge to Go!

• Essential while on the plane and especially when you are bringing home your pumped milk. During travel, depending on the model you have, it may be a bit heavy to lug around all day. After all, any thing you have to carry all day while traveling becomes a hassle after a couple of hours. Some options are:
• If convenient, bring milk that was pumped outside back to hotel before you reach the 3 hour limit. Remember, freshly-expressed milk is good for 3 hours in room temperature. If you will make it back to your hotel room in 3 hours, you do not need to bring a cooler with you.
•  Put Fridge to Go in hand-carry luggage with wheels. This way, you don't carry it -- you just pull the bag that contains it.
• For travel, the best model to bring is the Victoria of course it always depends on the number of days you will be away. For overnight trips, the Pack N'Go and Mini-Fridge are sufficient.
• You need to use the best when cooler bag when transporting, and especially when traveling with, breastmilk. Fridge to Go outperforms any other cooler bag in the market. Check out my blogs page for the data.

11.) Wet Wipes and Hand Sanitizers

• Get the ones you can place in your bag for when you really do not have access to soap and water to wash your hands before pumping.

12.) Tissue

• Very helpful for accidental spills.

13.) Bottle Brush / Tongs (Optional)

• I did not bring these anymore to save space and to minimize the number of things I need to pack although if you prefer, these do come in handy when cleaning bottles.

14.) Sterilizing Tablets (Optional)

• You can find sterilizing tablets in the US or Singapore. I used them during my first trip but not on my succeeding trips because I figured, if the Medela manual says just wash in hot, soapy water then surely it is safe to skip sterilizing, right? Especially if it's only for a few days. What I do as an extra cleaning step is to pour freshly-boiled water on my pump parts using the electric kettle provided in most hotel rooms.

15.) Medela Quick Clean Wipes (Optional)

• This is handy. You can use this to clean pump parts when they're dirty and you have no way of properly washing it until you get back to the hotel. Just wipe it thoroughly with the Quick Clean Wipes after use and it's good to go the next time you pump. OR, rinse in hot water. Of course I always try to find a way to rinse it in hot water before using. Makes me uncomfortable not to rinse coz the wipes have soap. Thought of using pump cleaned with soap without rinsing first is scary. I never dared to follow Medela's instructions on this one.

B. TO FREEZE OR NOT TO FREEZE YOUR PUMPED MILK

• For trips below 6 days, there is no need to freeze your milk because freshly pumped milk is actually good for 7 days in the refrigerator. I say trips below 6 days just to be on the safe side. One Fridge to Go fan, however, went on a 7-day trip to Japan and brought home all her pumped milk chilled only, not frozen, without encountering any problems with her baby.
• When you get home, that is the time you FREEZE your chilled milk.
• For trips that go beyond 7 days, you must freeze. One Fridge to Go user was able to successfully bring home all her frozen milk by using dry ice -- just make sure to wrap the dry ice in newspaper to prevent it from "burning" your milk. She said she came home with all her milk still frozen. I have not personally tried this but have always kept it in mind should I need to bring home frozen milk in the future.

C. HOW TO BRING HOME YOUR PUMPED MILK:
1.) Keep all storage bags in the Big Freezer Bag. Make sure the freezer bag is not too full so as not to cause any of your storage bags to burst.

2.) Ask the concierge to freeze your Fridge to Go in the hotel freezer at least 2 nights before your departure. This is to ensure that it is frozen very, very well.

3.) Packing your breastmilk into your Fridge to Go should be the LAST thing you do before you leave the hotel. This is to minimize the amount of time your milk is exposed to room temperature and to lengthen the performance of your Fridge to Go.

4.) As an extra precaution, use blue ice to extend the performance of your Fridge to Go when traveling. You do not want to risk your milk getting spoiled in case of delays, traffic, or other unforseen events. In addition, the time you leave your hotel to the time your plane lands in your destination to the time you actually reach your home will take longer than 12 hours (even for short trips) and the cooling power of Fridge to Go, while already much longer than other cooler bags, is only up to 12 hours.

5.) For extra long flights, some have successfully used dry ice. This has even enabled some to bring home frozen milk.

6.) You may pack your Fridge to Go with breastmilk into your luggage for check in. Your Fridge to Go cooler bag will not condense and cause contents of luggage to get wet. As a precaution, you may place your Fridge to Go in the big laundry bags hotels provide.

7. If you prefer to bring your Fridge to Go and pumped milk with you on board the plane, you MUST have with you a doctor's certificate to prove that you are a breastfeeding mom. Even if you show your pump parts and even if your cup runneth over and you are obviously lactating, airport officials will, as a matter of
policy, make you THROW the milk away. So, if you intend to carry any of your pumped milk on board a plane, you MUST have a doctor's certificate.

8. The rule in the HK airport is that as long as your CONTAINER is not more than 100ML, you can bring it in without a doctor's certificate. Otherwise, you need to throw out the contents.

9. The advantage of hand-carrying your pumped milk is so that you can make sure it stays cold. If, after several hours you notice that your Fridge to Go is losing its coolness, you can ask for ice from the airplane staff. Just make sure you have a Ziploc bag ready for you to place the ice in. This will tide you over until you get home.

Like I said, pumping while traveling is not impossible. The rewards, on the other hand, are that you do not lose your milk supply and your baby will have so much nourishing milk once you return. That, my friends, is the best "pasalubong" (gift) you can ever bring home for your baby. Pumping while traveling, as is practically everything a mother does for her child, is truly a labor of LOVE.


REGARDS,
STEPHANIE
MOM TO COBY AND RAFA

October Updates: Bohemia, Books and Culture

Just wanted to update you all that I survived my Europe - Bohemia Trip, with flying colors! I was not tired and carried my own weight. That includes my luggage and my parents' luggages. I didn't have to take my contraction medicines and was able to participate in all of the activities by the group. I was also able to be the navigator in our city walks and found interesting places when I was assigned like lunch, sites, etc.

I'll share some of the photos on my next post.

Speaking of unexpected surprises, I was also able to get some book for C to donate to his school...part of the school's anniversary celebration request. Although it's not mandatory, I felt that the school has given (and still giving) a lot to C in his development, how can I refuse to do this.
Would you believe that I found the below two books in a small village in Czech's Republic (Czesky Krumlov) en-route to Prague? Yes, it's in English!

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce : I bought two of these - one for the school and one for our home since I loved the story!

It's a Book by Lane Smith : I am reminded of C's love for books and his iPad...all at one go in this book.

There's Going To Be A Baby by John Burningham & Helen Oxenbury : a really touching book that would or might help me introduce C's new sister while encouraging to read and look at wonderful illustrations. It's got to be one of the best "new family member" book that I've currently seen in the market. I love it even if it's a bit worn out and the lady in the store wouldn't give me a discount for its age...

One of the highlights of my Bohemia trip was being able to squeeze in some museum time to see the below in real life. It took me back to high school/college years wherein I was still an Art History student. Amazing on how much impact art has been in my life and it still never tires me to sit in front of these sort of works and just "soak up the culture".

The Kiss by Gustav Klimt, 1907-1908
Oil and gold leaf on canvas, Belvedere Museum, Vienna Austria

It's one of the most powerful and memorable works of art that I've seen in my life aside from the below that I can still remember "taking in the moment". (I.e. "excited-out-of-my-pants / time-stopped / heart-pounding-with-excitement" sort of moments!)

Here's to reliving "moments in art" and more works of art to see in real life!

The Birth of Venus, Sandro Botticelli, 1486
Tempera on canvas, Uffizi Gallery, Florence

One: November 31, 1950, Jackson Pollock, 1950

Oil and enamel paint on canvas, MoMA, NYC

Untitled, Mark Rothko, 1968

Synthetic polymer paint on paper, MoMA, NYC

Reflections of Clouds on the Water Lily Pond, Claude Monet, 1920

Oil on Canvas, MoMA, NYC

Study for a Sunday on La Grande Jatte, Georges Seurat, 1884

Oil on Canvas, Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC

Pieta, Michealangelo, 1499

Basilica di San Pietro, Vatican Italy

Irises, Vincent Van Gogh, 1889

Oil on Canvas, J. Getty Museum, LA

Dancer Taking A Bow, Edgar Degas, 1878

Pastel and gouache on paper, J. Getty Museum, LA

October means Halloween's around the corner...I'm excited this year since I get to dress-up C again with another round of costumes. Now that he's going to be participating more and especially before I head off to give birth, it's one of the special seasons that we can both share as mom and son before his sister arrives.

Here's what I did....using last year's Halloween photo with his cousin, Zack.

Credits: Freakin Adorable The Kit by Mari Koegelenberg and Danielle Engebretson available at SSD; Font - Another Typewriter