Pizza Monster

I would eat a piece of pizza and she'd snatch up the crust. We turned our back for one second and she snatched the whole slice.....

Temi Picked a Fight With the Table...

...And the table won.

For weeks now, the round table has been quietly minding its business while Temi has picked on it. She's thrown stuff at it, banged on it, climbed on it.

Daddy and I have tried cushioning the table from her blows with pillows. She threw the pillows out her way.

We would pick her up and move her. She scurried back to the table as soon as we released her.

We gave her lessons in acceptance and nonviolence. She cried in protest.

Today, the table had enough. It fought back.

Temi has decided to pick on somebody her own size: Daddy's wallet.

Momfessions #2

Sometimes when we're outta Almond Milk and I've already started cooking, I substitute with Mommy Milk.

*I only do that when I'm cooking for T3. I would never do it for company and guests.

My Two Cents: Going Natural in an Unnatural World

Triple threat: Brains, beauty and brawn

I was catching up on my Mommy blogs and trying to sift through the various thoughts in my head when it finally hit me: Gabby Douglas is the PERFECT topic for the tresses part of Tresses N Treasures. There's so much to address here AND it ties into another topic that I have been wanting to address. I know I'm tardy to the party on this and my apologies. Hopefully none of y'all rely on me to be your number one news source :-) (If so, then I REALLY gotta step my game up!)

First, congrats to Gabby! I was (and still am) a pretty awesome, accomplished and good daughter/person/young lady. However, in all my accomplished greatness, at 16 I hadn't done anything anywhere near Olympic greatness. What she did is just amazingly history making. I'm not gonna front. I didn't watch or follow the Olympics, but I still read in awe and admire her. And I want one of those Wheaties boxes!

Apparently, her clips and edges were horrid?

Seconds after she won her gold medal, the Internet spiraled outta control talking about how horrible her hair was, mainly from black women. First off, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this girl's hair. And if there was, so THE F what??!!?? She's in a SPORTS competition, not a BEAUTY pageant. And she just made WORLD history, BLACK history, AMERICAN history. She can look however she pleases. This is such a problem with our society, black people. We have bought into a certain image of beauty and we berate anyone that does not fit into that mold. 

In 2010

Until 18 months ago, I had long, beautiful, shoulder-length hair. I could layer it, color it, flip it, pull it in a ponytail. Some days, I could even get away with merely finger combing it, and no one would say anything. It was long and it was permed. I was golden. When I cut it all off, that was a different story. I can count on one hand the number of positive responses I got. Everyone else was appalled. How dare I cut off my hair!!! It was as if I had committed some cardinal sin. I admit, initially I was a little insecure because the first reactions hadn't been favorable. But the more I looked in the mirror, the more I realized that this was what I wanted, the more I loved it. The more I dared someone to say something.

My big chop in Feb '11

Now that I've started the progress to locing my hair, many of my family and friends have come around. I get more and more compliments from people, mainly other women that have started a natural journey of their own or a few that haven't but still like my hair on me. I noticed that naturalistas, men and white people tend to be my biggest hair fans. (True story: My best friend braids and twists her own hair. She's currently rocking two-strand twists past her butt and when she's out and about, white men flock to her like she's some rare jewel straight off the mothership and she gets so many positive, albeit funny, comments about her hair.) Sadly, I still have certain family and friends that still greet me with the typical, "What is that in your head?" Well, concerned citizen, that happens to be my hair and it's as beautiful and healthy as it's ever been. AND it's not going anywhere until I see fit. Even sadder is that that question typically comes from females that wear permed hair or weaves. Now, I have nothing against how other people choose to wear their hair. Locs and natural isn't for everyone, but it is for me. It's something that I've wanted since high school, but was too scared of the reaction I'd get from other people to take that leap. It's amazing to me, how we can be a race that is so diverse and talented and yet get blinded by outwardly appearance. Afraid to admit that some people are comfortable in their own skin hair, we quickly try to justify their hair decision. "How old are you?...Oh yeah, it's something about that age that makes our girls want to do that?" "Why do you girls always run off to college and cut off all your hair?" (This was actually said to me by a "family member" when I went natural the first time. What she said was actually so much worse and insulting to my intelligence and independence.)

How I'm rocking these days

The outpouring of negativity towards Gabby isn't anything new. It's something that almost every black female has experienced at some point in their life, almost always from us. It's sad that so many other races can wear their hair naturally without being told it's ugly, unprofessional or inappropriate, but we're almost always told that. (For the record, I interviewed and was selected for both of my post-graduate professional jobs with natural hair. I'm just sayin'). I'm hoping that I can go against that cycle with Temi. I want her to know that she's perfect just the way she is. Everyone goes on and on about how beautiful her hair is. Some have even made comments that she has that "good" hair. Yes, she has good hair because it's her hair. And when she gets older, she can wear it however she wants - colored, short, long, loc'd, twisted, permed, curly, straight. All I ask is that she does so in a healthy manner. Natural or permed, you have to put in the work to take care of your hair. But at the end of the day, it's her hair to express herself however she chooses. And as her mother, I will be her number one supporter. 

BLACK HAIR ROCKS!!!

My first big chop in '07

Daddy Say What?!?! #2

Tempess you not even crying. You just made them tears up.


~ Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

New Motherhood Broken Down By Numbers

This is very funny and true. Wish I had come up with it myself lol

New Motherhood Broken Down By Numbers


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Happy Almost Birthday

Today my big girl turns 11 months. We're in the midst of planning for her birthday and it's bittersweet for me.

I love watching her grow and develop into her own person. It's exciting and I'm a very proud mommy. Buuuut with each day, she grows further from the baby that I wrapped in my Moby what seems like only yesterday.

Momfessions #1

I blast my music (or TV show) to drown out Temi's crying when I know nothing's wrong and she's just crying to hear herself cry....

For Your Viewing Pleasure

Here are some more videos of Temi :-)

Playing with Auntie Erica and Jack Jack:
Watch "Clap, Clap, Clap" on YouTube

Walking around the house:
Watch "Walking Like a Big Girl" on YouTube

Daddy Say What?!?! #1

She'll be ok; it's her throw up.


~ Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Dear Future Boyfriends of Temi

Remember this!!!


~ Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Look Who's Drinking From A Cup...

...and trying to get ice out of her Daddy's cup.

Temi's Toys

Now that Temi is moving about and getting into everything, we decided to bust out the toys she got at the baby shower that we packed away and completely forgot about. She seems really fascinated by the rollercoaster. She played with it for hours. But I'm not complaining. If it keeps her occupied....

Raising Awareness Of Domestic Violence

One of the mommy blogs that I follow recently posted about domestic violence at the request of one of her followers. The lady, a former victim of abuse created a video about domestic violence. It's really a touching video so please check out the blog and video linked below. I know one too many people in abusive relationships right now. The saddest Part is that not all of those relationships are physically abusive which makes it harder for the victims to recognize the abuse. Cheating, being put down or cussed out, being made to feel worthless are all forms of abuse as well.


Raising Awareness Of Domestic Violence

How I Know I'm a Mommy...

THIS melts my heart.

Relieved to have her sleep since she spends so much of her time fighting it. Yet, I had this strange urge to just hold, kiss and hug her till I fell asleep.

The Price of Beauty

I set out to do Temi's hair and she was an awesome sport...

Until I got halfway done. Then she cried, twisted, screamed. You would have thought we were in an England torture chamber circa 1800. She never stopped crying.

The bottom left is after I finished. She realized we were taking pix of her. Thus the rest. Smh. That girl.

CLASS ACT

Reunited And It Feels So Good

I swear I sent my mama my baby. I hardly recognize this big girl she sent back.

What a difference five days make.....