Stuff I'm Loving Right Now

#1. My Yoga Rocks class! Thanks to the best-invention-ever Groupon, I am actually getting to enjoy yoga once a week in a real class at a real, live studio as opposed to the confines of my 5x7 living room rug! I got 24 classes for $24, so I'm looking at six full months of this awesomeness. I bought this back in March as a post-baby treat to myself and it has totally delivered. My sweet honey really deserves a "you're amazing and I love you" here for rushing home to baby tend so I can go enjoy myself. I cannot even begin to tell you what this class does for my soul. They have a "dance party" at the end of every class where they turn up the 90s pop music, turn down the lights, and just have you go for it. It's so incredibly freeing. If you haven't tried yoga, particularly ashtanga or power yoga, you really might want to think about it because it could very possibly change your life. And that's not an overstatement.

#2. This beautiful, BODEN clothing line. Does every new mom do this? Discover that your post-baby wardrobe requires items that are not just the usual modest, inexpensive, and stylish (ideally) pieces, but also nursing-friendly, generously-sized and camouflaging? Only to discover your current closet has few to none of these items? And then you find yourself disenchanted altogether with what remaining items there may be because since you last wore them, 9 months have passed and you've had a baby, which means you're practically a new and entirely different person? Well I did. And by chance, my ever-fashionable sister and mother of three introduced me to my new favorite place to shop clearance. No tax, cause it's England, and occasional free shipping. And did I mention they sell their dresses in long? Long! Somebody finally heard my gripes about petites and no longs and decided to rectify the injustice! Hallelujah!

This is one of their dresses I snagged thanks to my super-thoughtful, gift-giving-loving dad. He is so incredibly generous. We really have to talk him down sometimes. My sister tipped him off, and next thing I know he'd ordered the thing. He's like Oprah, I'm not kidding.

#3. Our weekly trips to Costco. Jacob and I go with the baby every Saturday and I think it's so much fun. Like, I look forward to it all week. I make my list all week long of what we need, bring my coupons with me (oh my gosh--it gets even better with coupons!) and get a high from having food and necessities stock piled in my cupboards and various storage spaces. Buying in bulk is seriously underrated. And it keeps me from having to grocery shop alone with a little one, which for me, is the worst kind of shopping possible. I will happily brave the crowds on a Saturday for free samples and a little hubby time.

#4. My hair. That's right--my hair. I haven't colored it in over a year. I got tired. I had previously been coloring my hair for 12 straight years, and come to find out, I actually LIKE my natural color! Imagine that! I'm glad I'm actually getting to appreciate it before it all turns gray and I have to color it anyway. And you know those pregnancy hormones that are supposed to make your hair grow fast and look amazing? Well for me, it was not so much, but now it appears the nursing hormones are totally working the magic. Those too-short layers are FINALLY growing out and my hair is reaching the length I've wanted it to be for nearly three years. I'll take it!

#5. THIS song. I LOVE IT. I just heard it for the first time tonight. I have not gotten this excited about a song in a long time. Much, much too long a time. If I could, I would come back as Beyonce in another life. She is the ultimate performer, one of the very few who truly does it and has it all. What I would give to be in her shoes on stage for just one song.

Now if you'll excuse me, I will promptly be committing these lyrics and dance moves to memory so I can live out my music video dreams in the privacy of my living room.