Tattoo Tuesday V.24

Happy 6 months, Tattoo Tuesday! I can't believe I've been doing this for half a year already. I've absolutely loved picking and choosing interesting people and tattoos to share with all of you, and I hope you've all enjoyed this feature too! I have a ton of fascinating people and artwork lined up that I'm really looking forward to sharing here. And as always, I love submissions, or even recommendations of friends you'd like me to contact about being featured. My email is on my left hand sidebar. Before I start this week's feature, I wanted to say THANK YOU to all of you for your support and excitement. I swear, I have the BEST readers ever. :)

This week I am proud to present the ever-so-darling Kaelah Bee. She is a graphic designer out of NYC, and has a lot of super neat tattoos! Her blog is also incredibly interesting and inspiring, so I recommend that all of you check it out if you don't already make it a daily stop. I'm excited about everything Ms. Kaelah is sharing with us today, and I know you will be too!




Name and blog name: Kaelah Bee of Little Chief Honeybee (www.KaelahBee.com)


Age: 22


Occupation: Art School Senior/Graphic Designer (art intern at BUST magazine in NYC), and Bartender.


Age of first tattoo: on my eighteenth birthday (a colorful sparrow on my right hip)


Favorite tattoo: I love every single one of them in their own way and for their own reasons, but I'm really in love with my full sleeve (which is still a work in progress). It started with a traditional style ship with the quote "I cannot change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails." I've always felt it was a very powerful quote and I try to live my life with the most positive outlook possible. There's a lighthouse on the upper back of my arm that is shining through the black clouds and navigating the ship through the rough seas. The inside of my arm has a Baroque style frame and my mom's 1978 senior portrait. The lighthouse symbolizes my mom and everything she's done for me. She's my guiding light, without a doubt. The bottom half of my sleeve features a Giant Pacific Octopus (which is my second favorite animal), a treasure chest, and what will soon be an antique compass.


Featured tattoo/location: Traditional wreath of roses and a vintage sewing machine on the back of my right calf.


Artist/shop/location of featured tattoo: Laura Saadati at Music City Tattoo in Nashville, Tennessee.




1) Tell us about the tattoo you are sharing with us- is there a background story or special meaning? Why did you choose this particular piece of art?

This is my most recent piece, done just a few months ago by the wonderfully talented Laura. I knew that I wanted a piece for each my Nana and Papa on the backs of my calves. My papa passed away when I was 8 but my Nana is alive and kicking! She was a seamstress throughout her life and I wanted to showcase that with the vintage Singer sewing machine, thread and needle. I chose to have the thread done in blue as it is her favorite color. When I move back to Nashville in August Laura will be doing my other calf for my Papa. He was a stonemason his whole life and ran his own business. I'll be getting the same wreath of roses (though they'll be yellow) and rather than a sewing machine I'll be getting the masonic symbol (the compass) and a few of his tools such as a mallet and chisel.


2) Do you have any other tattoos? If so, what do you have and where?

I have a full sleeve by Jason Smith featuring a ship, lighthouse, compass, and octopus. I have "Alis Volat Propriis" written in script across my chest (also by Jason Smith) which is Latin for "She Flies With Her Own Wings". I have a half sleeve of 4 Kurt Halsey paintings, including my very favorite piece "There are places and there are opportunities." I have a colorful sparrow on my right hip which was done on my 18th birthday, and I also have the words "Art" and "Love" on my feet.






3) Do you plan on getting more?

Absolutely. So many pieces in the works currently. I'm covering up my feet with traditional roses and a teacup and teapot (I collect teacups and I'm enamored with the femininity that goes along with them). I'm saving my favorite animal (Great White Shark!) for a very large rib panel I hope to begin before too long. It's my life goal to free dive with a Great White so I think both the goal and tattoo are something I'm looking forward to working toward. I'm also planning some thigh pieces and who knows from there! I love being a heavily tattooed woman, even if it comes with it's drawbacks at times.




4) How do your family and friends feel about your tattoo(s)? Have you run into any adversity or negativity because of them?:

My entire family was never really fond of them, and I started becoming much more heavily tattooed. My mom and my Nana would both practically beg me to stop getting tattooed, but then I got my mom's portrait and one fateful (read: drunken 21st birthday) night, I spilled my guts to my mother, crying and ruining her mother's day surprise (the tattoo) by telling her how she was my hero and I had been planning this tattoo for months. Afterward I think she started realizing that all of my tattoos are so very significant and they all have so many meanings. Same goes with my Nana. I showed her the tattoo I got for her and rather than scold me for doing it, she cried and said it was the most beautiful thing in the world.


Undoubtedly, heavily tattooed people will run into the more conservative types who think if you're tattooed then you're quite obviously in a biker gang or recently sprung from prison, but I think that's one reason I'm so drawn to the lifestyle. I wear dresses every day; I don't even own a pair of pants. I try to portray myself as a classy young lady and full of femininity. I try to show the naysayers that they couldn't be more wrong about tattooed women (or people in general). The most common thing I get is "How are you going to find a job?!" but I simply assure them that I have chosen a field which is much more understanding of body modifications and if I had to hide who I was at work, how on earth could I be happy doing that for a living?


5) Any advice for those interested in getting tattooed but haven't gotten one yet?:

Research research research! I think that goes without saying. Quality over quantity! And most importantly: You get what you pay for! I think everyone should take the artwork they want to get tattooed and hang it on their mirror or somewhere they will see it everyday. Look at it for 6 months. If you still want it after 6 months, go for it. But you'll be surprised at how sick you can get of something without even realizing it.



Source URL: http://sweettattooforgirls.blogspot.com/2010/06/
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summer in Prescott

Prescott is one of my favorite towns in the entire world, and everyday of my life I feel so lucky that this is where I call home, and where we will raise our family. Hank's family has been here for three generations (baby Henry will be the fourth), and I think it's amazing to be steeped in such tradition.

It's funny that during junior year of college at NAU, Shirley and I found ourselves lost in Prescott. She had followed me up here in her car so I could drop mine off at the local VW shop in town, since there wasn't a shop in Flagstaff that my warranty included. We spent hours and hours driving around the back roads- how were we to know that Whipple St. turns into Iron Springs Rd., and Willow Creek turns in Grove?! It was horrible. But who would have known that just a few years later I'd be calling that quirky little town home.

I love Prescott because it is such a small town, having about 40,000 inhabitants (compared to Phoenix's 1.6 million). I enjoy the vibe our town exudes, I adore the downtown area, and especially how in the summer there are events every weekend. I always daydreamed about taking our kids down there on a blanket during the evening concerts on the square, walking the perimeter of the courthouse with our stroller, and enjoying quiet picnics on a weekend morning. Now that we are about to become parents, it's sunk in quite a bit more that this is the place where my children will make their memories, this is where THEY will call home for their entire lives.

Prescott is far enough away from Phoenix (120 miles) but close enough to still be able to go down and shop when the mood strikes. It's close to my family, but still feels far enough that we're making our own little life for our little family. I do hope that one day my parents and sister move up here, but it has been nice to have a place away from home that I've made our home. Whenever our friends and family come visit, they always remark how much they love it up north. The weather is cooler, we get all four seasons, and the summers are completely manageable, staying in the 80s at most.

This weekend was a typical Prescott weekend. Each year we hold a Bluegrass Festival where hundreds of musicians flock to our town to play on the big stage, and also enjoy a weekend with fellow enthusiasts and fans. Although there is a large stage set up on Gurley Street, it's common to see twenty or so small groups of musicians on the opposite side of the courthouse playing music. It's a fabulous weekend, full of good music and fun people, and this time I was able to enjoy it on Saturday, and also stroll around a bit today with Amber following our yummy brunch at The Dinner Bell.











my darling friend Crystal (you've probably seen her on this blog quite a bit, she visits us often!)




one of the many smaller groups of musicians


So all in all it was a great weekend, spent with my family and our friends. It was awesome to have my parents and sister come up on Friday, and we spent the afternoon eating lunch at Bill's Pizza with Hank's Mom, step dad and sister, and then of course had to do some baby shopping before they headed back down the mountain. It's been two days but I'm still riding high from the amazing ultrasound, and it seems like everywhere I look now I see adorable little boys. I can't help but think about our Henry. What will he be like? Who will he look like? My heart is so full of love for this little guy that I can't wait until he arrives and we can shower him with affection!

The weekend is almost over, even though for a teacher the summer is one huge weekend, and I have quite the to-do list for the evening, after we get home from dinner. Now the countdown begins for the 4th of July, one of my favorite times up here in Prescott! My family and Autumn's family will be coming up to spend the weekend with us and I cant' wait. I hope whatever you did over the past few days you've had a great time, and Happy Monday tomorrow, to all of you!Source URL: http://sweettattooforgirls.blogspot.com/2010/06/
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These are a few (more) of my favorite things...

BOOKS

I've recently read some great books lately, that I thought I would share with all of you!

The Opposite of Me, by Sarah Pekkanen - click here to view via Amazon.



The summary on Amazon gives too much away, so click above if you want to order it, but I'd suggest refraining from actually reading the synopsis; it gives away the entire book! In summation, all you need to know that is that this book is about relationships between sisters, between oneself and who you "think" you are, and also who you really are. It's about coming into your own, following your passion, and realizing that life might not be what you've always pictured it to be, but that can be the perfect thing for you.

This book is part chick-lit book, part tearjerker (not in a Notebook way, more in a gentle tears in my eyes during various parts of the book kinda way)...and I really, really loved it. It's a great "beach read" kind of novel without being stupid or annoying, like a lot of those books are to me. I do love some Shopaholic-type books from time to time, but overall I find them to be mindless, and I often find myself getting irritated with the writing. I found this book to be witty, intelligent, and honest, and I couldn't put it down. It's a longer book, at almost 400 pages, and I found myself engrossed the entire time. I HIGHLY recommend it to all of you, and if you end up reading it please, please let me know what you think.

The second book I finished recently was a memoir called Falling Apart in One Piece: One Optimist's Journey Through the Hell of Divorce, by Stacy Morrison. Click here to view it via Amazon.


From Amazon.com:

The emotionally charged story of a divorce that brought the surprising gift of grace...

Just when Stacy Morrison thought everything in her life had come together, her husband of ten years announced that he wanted a divorce. She was left alone with a new house that needed a lot of work, a new baby who needed a lot of attention, and a new job in the high-pressure world of New York magazine publishing.

Morrison had never been one to believe in fairy tales. As far as she was concerned, happy endings were the product of the kind of ambition and hard work that had propelled her to the top of her profession. But she had always considered her relationship with her husband a safe place in her often stressful life. All of her assumptions about how life works crumbled, though, when she discovered that no amount of will and determination was going to save her marriage.

For Stacy, the only solution was to keep on living, and to listen—as deeply and openly as possible—to what this experience was teaching her.

Told with humor and heart, her honest and intimate account of the stress of being a working mother while trying to make sense of her unraveling marriage offers unexpected lessons of love, forgiveness, and dignity that will resonate with women everywhere.

This book popped up in my recommendations while I was browsing Amazon in search of books to put on my Kindle. As you probably already know, I love memoirs. I wasn't too sure about the topic of this book, but I had a sample sent to my Kindle anyway and began reading. Immediately I was engrossed in the writer's unique and wordy style. I'm not sure if it's for everyone though- she REALLY gets in her own head and the writing shows that. It's part story, part stream on consciousness that explains every single thing the writer is thinking about, why she is thinking it, and where this thinking gets her. Personally, I adored it. Everything she said made a lot of sense, and coming from someone who is happily married, I thought it was interesting to see the other side of things, especially from someone who never thought she'd be there. I found so many of her insights to affect me quite deeply- her thoughts on parenting, marriage, self, what it means to be a woman...all of it was hard hitting and although incredibly poignant, still extremely uplifting. I loved the author's writing style and couldn't put this book down either.

MOVIES

It's Complicated



I've always loved Meryl Streep and she's one of my all-time favorite actresses. It's amazing, but the older she gets, the more amazing she gets. I find her to be incredibly inspiring, and this movie is no different. I highly recommend to everyone- you will laugh (hard), you'll cry, you'll think about your life and where it's headed. It's another one of those movies that makes you think, but it's not one of those movies that throws anything in your face. It's more of an underlying "hmm..." as you watch it, and especially afterward. Go rent it!

The second movie I'm recommending is quite different from the first.

Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?



I love love love movies like this. Dark, macabre, suspenseful. My all-time favorite movie is Rosemary's Baby, and this movie has that same feeling. I've had it recommended to me a million times but Hank and I only just watched it for the first time a couple of weeks ago when it was on Netflix Instant Play. We were both immediately engulfed in the strange way this movie sucks you in. You have to see it! Let me know what you think if you do.

BEAUTY PRODUCTS

I've tried quite a few new beauty products over the past couple of weeks and I wanted to recommend one and NOT recommend the other. The first is a product I've mentioned on this blog before. It's the belly cream that Autumn had me get when I became pregnant.

Great Mother's Belly Butter for Babybearing Women- click here to view via mothernature.com



OH MY GOSH you guys, I LOVE this stuff. I will continue to use it even after I have Henry, because it's truly amazing. It's a thick cream/body butter kind of stuff that goes on pretty greasy. Greasy would probably bring about negative connotations, so try to think of it as a pleasant greasiness, and that fades as it sinks into the skin. There's no petroleum in it, so it is actually absorbed and used by your body to heal, prevent and repair.

Ingredients: Cocoa Butter, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Comfrey Root, Wheat Germ Oil, Calendula, Marshmellow Root, Hawthorn Berry, White Oak Bark, Red Raspberry Leaf, Passion Flower, Vitamin E, Pure Essential Oil

Due to it's heavy consistency I apply it only before I go to sleep, but I apply it everywhere I feel a little dry, not just my belly. I've had issues in the past with a small eczema like dry patch on both of my forearms and this completely took that problem away. At $20 a 4 oz. jar it's a little pricey, but if you order from mothernature.com and then search for coupon codes at retailmenot.com you can get anywhere between $20-30 off your order. I love this stuff and I think it's totally worth it!

The second product I am sharing but NOT recommending is Chanel's Double Perfection Compact- click here to view via nordstrom.com.



This product initially got me really excited. One of my formspring commenters recommended it to me, and I ordered it right away, after reading online that it was oil-free and wouldn't clog pores. I have extremely sensitive skin, so I need to be careful, but even the reviews on makeupalley.com were favorable for sensitive skin, so I took the plunge and ordered it. At first I liked it. Alone and dry, the powder (which is supposed to be of a foundation consistency) wasn't enough coverage, and to me was just like my Laura Mercier translucent finishing powder, which is in no way foundation. I found though that if I layered it over my Almay foundation it gave me a nice MAC Studio-Fix-ish look, without the breakout (or so I thought). I also tried it wet, which make the formula thicker and allowed it to work better on its own.

As time went by, I started to breakout. For some reason I didn't attribute this to the makeup- I'm pregnant with crazy hormones so of course it was my body. But I decided to stop using it for a week, and my skin went back to normal during that time. I haven't used the powder again and have had NO breakouts! I'm so annoyed with myself that I used the product for almost a month, dealing with imperfect skin, thinking it was little baby Henry's fault! ;) It was all the powder. And for $50, that's no good. So, my verdict is that this product may work for someone else, but NOT for me! No thank you.

I hope you guys enjoyed this mini-recommendation post! Let me know if you end up reading, watching or trying any of these things! I hope all of you have a wonderful Sunday.

ps, thanks again for all the congratulations about our happy news! Baby Henry is already so loved and I feel lucky to have such a great support system here on this blog! Love to all of you.
Source URL: http://sweettattooforgirls.blogspot.com/2010/06/
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Oh, Henry!

I am on a serious mission to find cute, cute boys clothing. I just tweeted about this, but baby girl's stuff is ultra adorable and for me, it's hard to find as cute of things for boys. I am definitely up for a challenge though, so I am determined to bring the CUTE into little Henry's world.

I'm instantly drawn to a lot of little button ups and polos, as well as simple jeans and tees, and I am kicking myself for not buying the little bitsy Penguin button ups and polos at Nordstrom Rack a few months ago. Alas, it would have been far too early to purchase something for a tentative boy, but now I am going to scour their sales racks in the hopes of finding a few. As much as I do love adorable clothing though, they're BABY clothes, and they grow out of them so quickly that I refuse to buy anything super expensive as far as clothes. I just can't justify spending money on something that will be obsolete to them in a month! So sales are definitely my friend.

I'm also really looking forward to decorating a nursery, whenever we find a house! I have a color scheme all ready to go, so now the house hunting continues, and hopefully end sometime soon, right?! :)

Soo, do any of you have little boys? Where are some of your favorite places to shop for them?

OH! Also: cloth diapers. I'd love to know which ones are the best, worth trying, etc! I've already said I really, really want to use them, but I know nothing about them so I figure I should research a bit before I commit. Any information is greatly appreciated!

xoxoSource URL: http://sweettattooforgirls.blogspot.com/2010/06/
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It's a...

BOY!

We are just so excited. Hank was convinced that we were having a girl (and I know deep down he wanted a boy), so when our technician announced the gender he just about died from excitement and surprise. It was also super reassuring to hear that every single thing, from the baby's thigh bones to brain to fingers to lips, were perfectly developed. Very relieving.

Hank and I are both the oldest in our families, so it's amazing to think about our next little ones having a big brother. It was truly a beautiful experience- we both definitely cried and it was just so neat to see baby Henry moving around like crazy! Legs and arms flailing, mouth opening and closing...it was so awesome. He calmed down a bit towards the end and we got some good photos of him as well. He is definitely, 100% boy (I made the technician check multiple times), and he'll be taking his Daddy's name, making him Henry Clarence Hampton IV. A big name for a little guy, but so adorable! I feel SO lucky that I love the name, if I didn't, I think I would feel too guilty to break the tradition! haha.

Here are a couple of the ultrasound photos from today. Before I was pregnant, these photos always looked like blobs to me, so it's funny now to be the person who's like "see the hand?! the foot?!" to poor, clueless friends and family members who nod and smile and say "oh, yes, what a cute baby!" It makes me laugh.





Thanks again for all the kind words and sweet sentiments all of you have left here on my blog, through email, and my formspring. I feel like through this entire journey I've had hundreds of you behind me every step of the way and for that I am so grateful.

I can't wait to be a Mommy to this wonderful, perfect little boy.Source URL: http://sweettattooforgirls.blogspot.com/2010/06/
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Fun with Old Wives' Tales

image via weheartit


Since we are finding out the gender of the little one tomorrow morning at 10am, I thought it would be fun to list 10 of the traditional old wives' tales (via parenting.com) for gender prediction, and see how they match up with the reality of our ultrasound tomorrow. Interestingly enough, today we ate lunch at Hugo's, and one of the cooks there, Manuel, told me I was having a little girl. He's usually right, but you really never know. As for me, if I had to put money on one or the other right now I'd say girl, but that inkling changes daily and it's never really a feeling I think I can fully go with. I've said it before, but either way we'd be totally happy. At first I really though I'd want a girl 100%, but as time has gone by, I've become really, really excited about the possibility of having a baby boy. The idea of our subsequent kids having a big brother, having it just be "me and my boys" for awhile...that's such a fabulous scenario. But on the other side, little girls are so magical and adorable. It's hard to choose, but luckily, I don't have to! The "choice" has already been made, and all will be revealed tomorrow morning, barring the baby isn't uncooperative. My friend Erin (who also blogged about me a couple of days ago, check out my feature by clicking here), recommended I drink something sweet, like orange juice, about thirty minutes before my ultrasound to get the baby moving. So I'll definitely be doing that. My parents and sister are coming up to attend the ultrasound, along with Hank's sister and both set of his parents and step parents. It's going to be quite the event. Of course they all won't be in the room when we initially find out, but the ultrasound tech will be projecting the image up on the large screen so towards the end everyone can come in and see the baby for themselves. Now I just need to focus on getting through the rest of the day- my anticipation level is so high I feel like I'm 8 and this is Christmas Eve!

So here are the old wives' tales-

1) This one you can do just by looking south: if you're carrying high, break out the pink. If your bump is low, you're carrying a boy.

I'm not sure how I'm carrying, since my bump isn't super big. Hank says it seems high but I'm really not sure! Someone else said high too, so I'll just go with that for this one!
GIRL!
2) Next time your OB pulls out the Doppler to listen to baby's heartbeat, ask her to tell you what the heart rate is. According to legend, 140+ beats per minute indicates a girl, and below 140 a boy.

The heartbeat has been consistently in the 150s at every appointment.
GIRL!

3) Craving ice cream every single day? Some people believe this means it's a girl. If you have to have salty or sour stuff, then it's a boy.

I've definitely been craving sweet things. I've never been a sugar or candy person but lately things like Starburst or other fruity candies sound really good, which is totally surprisingly for me! I don't go crazy but every once and awhile I'll have something sweet like that. So good.
GIRL!

4) This ancient method uses your age at conception and the month you did the deed to determine gender. Click here to see the chart.

GIRL!

5) This one's a little out there. Pee in a cup (you've been doing it at all your prenatal appointments anyway, haven't you?), mix a tablespoon of Drano in, and watch to see if it changes color. Green = girl, and blue = boy.

Okay, I was a little hesitant about this one but I did it! And it was blue.
BOY!

6) Legend has it that the Mayans determined a baby's sex by looking at the mother's age at conception and the year of conception. If both are even or odd, it's a girl. If one's even and one's odd, it's a boy.

27 years old at conception, in 2010

BOY!
7) This is one for a friend to try. Place a key in front of your preggo friend and ask her to pick it up. If she grabs it by the narrow part, she's in for sugar and spice and all that. If she picks it up by the round part, it's snips and snails.

Luckily someone did this to me earlier in my pregnancy and I picked it up on the narrow part.

GIRL!

8) If you're breaking out like crazy, blame it on your girl babe. The belief goes that girls steal their mother's beauty, hence, those annoying zits.

Oh lord. My skin was a total disaster during the first three months, and here and there it still gets crazy.

GIRL!

9) Pop off your wedding ring -- if you still can! -- and tie it to a string. Hang it over your belly. If it swings in a circle, a little guy's in your future. If it goes back and forth, you've got a girl.

GIRL!

10) Sick as a dog during the first trimester -- or still? Signs indicate you're having a girl. Little or no morning sickness points to a boy.

I haven't had anything even close to morning sickness, luckily. I've felt like a million bucks the whole time.

BOY!

Total count: 7 girl and 3 boy...so according to these old wives' tales, I have a 70% chance of having a girl! We will see soon enough.

I'll be back tomorrow with the results of the ultrasound! And don't forget you can still vote for the gender of Baby H up there in the right hand corner. As of now, 726 readers have offered a guess, and 316 (43%) think I'm having a boy, and 410 (56%) think girl!Source URL: http://sweettattooforgirls.blogspot.com/2010/06/
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What do you think?

Tonight I spent some time cleaning out my closet, and setting things out on our bed that I haven't worn in awhile. I'm really trying to simplify when we make the move into whatever house we end up buying, and I just have so many clothes. I last cleaned out my closet in the winter and I ended up giving away most everything to my sister and friends. This time, I thought I would try something new. I have a lot of items that are totally relevant and cute, but they just don't get worn enough, and now with being pregnant, I'm just in the mood to clean clean clean. So, out they go! I was trying to think of the best way to do this, and I was thinking of photographing each item, and listing them here in one big sales post. Nothing (besides a couple of MBMJ items, some Citizens, etc) will be pricey as a lot of it comes from various stores like F21, H&M, and other random places. My main thing is getting these out of my closet, not making money. :) So, my loss is your gain. I was curious your thoughts on this! Would you guys be into it if I posted something like this in the next week? It would be final sale and I'd only do it through paypal. I'd mail out within a few days and wa-la, we're both happy!

I'd love to hear what you think below, or even if you have other suggestions on the best way to go about this. xoxoSource URL: http://sweettattooforgirls.blogspot.com/2010/06/
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19 week update

There hasn't been much change in my belly since last week, and I do wonder when it's going to actually POP! It's funny though because I was wearing a dress that would make anyone "look"pregnant, and a woman at the salon this past weekend asked me, "So when are you due?" I looked at her with disbelief, because no one has asked me that yet, and I happily replied that I was about 5 months along and due in November. She said that it was quite the gamble to ask but she did anyway! It made me really, really happy because I truly don't feel like I look undeniably pregnant yet. I know it's different for everyone, but some of my friends are just adorably big right now and they're either behind me in our time frame, or right ahead. It's funny to me to WANT to be bigger, who would have thought that me, someone who has felt throughout her life that bigger was not indeed better, would be so at peace with all of this that I'd be hoping every week to expand?! I love it. I love the sense of true body acceptance I've grown to have. Like I've blogged before, it was hard in the beginning but now it's easy for me to see myself changing. I adore that my little one is growing every single day and literally going through changes at the same rate. Every change in my body is so worth it, and my focus isn't on myself anymore. I am grateful for this gift that I find to be truly peaceful and amazing.





My BIG anatomy/gender ultrasound in in THEE short days. You know...the one I've been talking about in every pregnancy update?! I am beyond excited. Every time I see a little boy I am filled with emotions imagining life with a little version of Hank, wearing Suns jerseys during the games side by side with his papa, being one of "my boys." But every time I see a little girl I am filled with the same emotions about having an adorable little darling to buy the prettiest dresses for and share a lifetime of mother-daughter fun, all the while her being the cliche "Daddy's little girl." haha! It's weird. I usually feel so in sync with the world- I have strong intuitions about everything, but I don't have much of one now. I go back and forth with thinking I do, and at this very moment if I had to put money on what we are having, I'd say a girl. I've thought this more than I've thought boy, but I don't put much weight on this feeling since it does go back and forth. Either way, I am going to be blown away on Friday when we (hopefully) find out the gender. Immediately my mind will be able to imagine HIM or HER, with a name, rather than just "the baby" or "little one." Planning with commence, registering, shopping, etc. The fun is about to begin! At the same time, it's highly possible that the baby won't cooperate and we'll have to come back to find out! I don't know if my patience can't handle it, but I'm also trying to be realistic about it in case that does in fact happen. Three days and we will see.

As far as food, I still haven't had any cravings or anything. I've actually switched from almond milk to regular milk (I LOVE Horizon's organic skim milk), so that's a change. I've found that throughout my pregnancy so far I haven't had much of an appetite which is weird, so I'm curious to see if that changes at the end of the 2nd trimester and into the third. I sincerely hope so. Food doesn't sound gross or anything, but I'm just not super excited to eat like I usually am, but obviously I force myself to, hungry or not.

As far as how I've been feeling, still amazing. I love being pregnant. I feel more centered, happier and at this point in my pregnancy, more energetic. It's hard for me to believe that next week marks the half way point. It seems that time has gone by so quickly, and when the summer is over and I am back to teaching for a short while this pregnancy will be over in the blink of an eye and little baby H will be here! We are still looking for our "perfect" house. We thought that we found it, but we were too late and someone has already snatched it up. We are waiting to see what happens with it this week, but we've already found some great contenders and will be going back out tomorrow morning with our realtor. My hope is that we are somewhere by September the latest so I can get the nursery going in time for the baby's arrival. I don't feel stressed or rushed about it though, but ask me again if we still are in our current house come the end of summer! haha.

Oh, and I almost forgot the "fruit and veggie" update.



Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you. Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

Well, I'm off to the gym. I hope all of you are having a beautiful day. Again, I'd love it if you'd click this little brown box to vote for me, it takes a minute. I've already met SO many new Moms from being listed in this directory and I'm enjoying it so much- I appreciate you doing this for me. I won't mention it again for a week or so, so don't worry that I'll make a big deal every post. They just reset the count so we have to start all over again. I typically hate having my readers do stuff like this, but it's such a positive thing that I hope you understand! Love you!


Source URL: http://sweettattooforgirls.blogspot.com/2010/06/
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Tattoo Tuesday V.23

This week I am featuring the ever darling Mia! You guys are going to die over this wonderful woman's beautiful tattoos. She's a full-time tattooer who lives and works in Hawaii (Waikiki to be exact!). Mia's blog is also a treat, and I hope all of you pop over her way, and while you're there, visit her Etsy shop and check out her gorgeous paintings and prints. I'm so, so in love with her Tea Party print. Thanks again Mia for sharing a little slice of your life with us all!


Name and blog name: mia graffam. www.gildedatrium.com



Age: 20


Occupation: tattooer



Age of first tattoo: i was sixteen and absolutely clueless when i got my first tattoo (a japanese style lotus blossom on my left hipbone). i picked a random shop and just had a vague idea of what i wanted. i’m lucky that i ended up with a good tattooer because i would have let just about anyone tattoo me at the time.



Favorite tattoo: i have a lot of favorites, but i especially like the tattoo on my upper right arm of a fancy lady holding a candlestick (brad stevens, fun city tattoo, nyc).



Featured tattoo/location: winged hourglass on my chest with a banner saying “this too shall pass.”



Artist/shop/location of featured tattoo: amy wagner who works out of tattoolicious in honolulu, hawaii.






1) Tell us about the tattoo you are sharing with us- is there a background story or special meaning? Why did you choose this particular piece of art?



my chest piece was one of my first visible tattoos, and one of the few tattoos i have that actually has a meaning. for the most part i tend to get tattoos that are pretty and decorative or i’ll let my friends draw up whatever they want to tattoo on me.



the hourglass with wings goes along with the saying “this too shall pass;” it’s basically a reminder to myself that everyday stress as well as the really tough parts of life are all very temporary.


2) Do you have any other tattoos? If so, what do you have and where?



left arm sleeve: zombie girl holding a lantern and skull, pocket watch, keyhole, feathers, roses. right arm: lady with a candle, rose in a shoe, australian seabird with a dagger and rose, and a space wolf. torso: snake with butterfly wings on the right side of my ribs, fleur-de-lis on my lower stomach, and a lotus blossom on my left hip. right leg: zombie hand holding a key on outer thigh, teapot and poppies on inner thigh, zombie lady holding a ram on the back of my thigh, penguin on my shin, and a circus elephant on my calf. left leg: hand holding opera glasses in a skull with a banner saying “only the dead have seen the end of war” on my shin, and a carousel horse on my calf. i also have a rose on my right foot and a dagger on my thumb.











3) Do you plan on getting more?



i plan on being almost completely covered, but i’m saving space for specific artists. right now i’m focusing on finishing my right sleeve and both of my legs. the last tattoo i want to get is an entire back piece, so i’m saving room for that.





4) How do your family and friends feel about your tattoo(s)? Have you run into any adversity or negativity because of them?



my family definitely isn’t excited that i’m heavily tattooed, but they are pretty accepting for the most part. most of my friends are heavily tattooed, so I don’t ever feel out of place or get any negativity from them. I’ve have run into a lot of negative people however, who either comment on my tattoos or stare excessively, but I’ve also met a lot of amazing people who only have positive things to say.






5) Any advice for those interested in getting tattooed but haven't gotten one yet?


tattoos are really attractive when done well, but they can also be complete eyesores if they aren’t executed properly. when i first started getting tattoos i wasn’t picky enough and i didn’t really know the difference between good and bad tattoos. i got a few tattoos that i either want to cover or i’m just going to have to live with. so know your stuff! don’t get a tattoo on a whim, and don’t be impatient. if you have to wait for an opening in an artists schedule, wait, don’t settle for someone who isn’t going to do a good job. and of course look at someone’s portfolio and make sure their stuff is clean and their style fits what you are looking to get. a tattoo can look nice at first glance but make sure to check out the artists line work (lines should be solid, flowing, and even), their shading/ color (it should be smooth, there shouldn’t be patches in the color unless its negative space, and it shouldn’t look rough), and see if they can actually draw well.



Source URL: http://sweettattooforgirls.blogspot.com/2010/06/
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Happy Father's Day!

This weekend Hank and I went down to Phoenix to spend time with my family in celebration of Father's Day! We had a nice, relaxing weekend and ate at Green twice. haha. Hank is newly addicted to their espresso barbeque sandwich- he used to always do the spicy Poor Boy but has turned over a new leaf. Once wasn't enough for him so we found ourselves in there two times in the span of 24 hours. Silly. But so delicious.

This morning we woke up early and headed over to IHOP (my father and Hank's choice...disgusting in my opinion but I kept that to myself since it isn't my day! haha). Our group consisted of my Mom, Dad, Hank, me, my sister Lauren and her fiance Abe. Breakfast was fun and it was so wonderful to have two dads at the table now, with Hank being a proud papa-to-be! It's seriously melting my heart to see him so excited about being a dad and today was extra special since we find out if we are having a daughter or a son in five short days!

Afterward Hank and I headed home and I fell asleep hard for the entire drive. I haven't been sleeping well lately so I've been feeling pretty tired for the past few days, which I hate...but I better get used to it, right?! When we got home we went grocery shopping quickly at Fry's and New Frontiers. We've been gone so much that our fridge was empty so we had to stock up. Now Hank is golfing with his Dad and we he gets home we'll be enjoying a nice evening walk downtown. So...that's OUR Father's Day! How was yours? I hope all of you are having a wonderful day and have a great rest of your night!

Some photos from today:

Nanny at breakfast






We were laughing because my Mom and sister accidentally got Hank the exact same card and almost wrote the exact same thing in them! Too funny.


my Dad and me! Happy Father's Day :)


my Dad is an avid gunsman (is that the term?) so Abe and Lauren got him a BB gun that he had when he was a kid! Great present. We got my Dad some home gym equipment.


my cute parents- married 31 years this past Friday!


Lauren and Abe! :)


Hank and Nanny- this photo makes me so happy!


annnd...the men of our family!


Again, Happy Father's Day everyone!

and ps, if you could click this banner below to vote for this blog, I'd truly appreciate it! They reset the count so we have to start again! :) It's a neat way to meet more Moms in the Mommy-blog world...and it's also a great site to check out if you're expecting or are already a mama. All you have to do is click once and click again to vote! Thanks so much everyone!



Source URL: http://sweettattooforgirls.blogspot.com/2010/06/
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