where there is love there is always time

I have to admit, there are days when I think back on my childhood and wonder “when did it all get so complicated?”. I mean, have you been inside a ‘Toys r Us’ lately? Wow, what a lot of STUFF! Of course progress and research based learning toys all seem to be a great idea… but lets face it, when you are a year old you can have just as much fun rolling around in your parents unmade bed and practicing your consonants over and over again! The sheer enthusiasm over discovering a squirrel in the tree outside your house or the anticipation of a “boo” from behind the “peek a” hands. Growing up in a time of “go out and play” and “be home before dark”, granted, is a long lost time relegated to rural living and gated communities. Where I am going with this is: what if we were all being suckered by all the “hot of the press” products, promising child geniuses and an easier parenting experience?! Rather than spending an hour musing down the isles of gimmick after gimmick of baby can read, scientifically proven musical mobiles, we just sat with our child and interacted with them in the language of their age?… yes that means, gurgling and gargling with your 3month old. shopping is exhausting and in the never ending options for kids today, it can also be overwhelming. Save your energy for that 2am feed!

If ever a mom leaned on (age appropriate) TV and noisy toys to give her a chance to breath, that would be me! All I’m thinking as the moments fly past is, interaction and eye contact is the most fun both of you will have all day! I guarantee you that as your child becomes more mobile, they will have way more fun with the box the toy comes in than the toy itself! Imagination is alive and well in an empty cardboard box.

If ever there was a time to slow down and savor the moment, it would be now.

Akia & Krista

Something was in the air this last week… or in the water… either way, every mom I know seemed to be in a state of exhaustion! Not so unusual you might say, kids are exhausting! A joy and a treat but EXHAUSTING! Throw in a well meaning but “2 steps behind” husband who needs a detailed “spell it out” kind of list in order to get basic tasks done (faster to just do it yourself kind of deal) and you can’t help but wonder how it is that women traditionally live longer than men?!

There shouldn’t be a title “Superwoman”, all women are SUPER heroes in my book! Don’t get me wrong, I love men and I know that in a team (which we all know a family is) you don’t want every player to have the same skill set, complimentary talents and balancing dynamics are the beauty of a healthy relationship, men are magnificent and when they are “one of the good ones” they are irreplaceable! However, woman are my inspiration and i find even the simplest of days or the most chaotic sequence of errands enjoyable when spent with a good lady friend.

My dear friend and mother of two year old twin boys (resembling circus acrobats or slapstick clowns more than little boys), greets me most mornings with a text that reads “urggghhhhhh!”, I couldn’t agree with her more! I used to think I was a morning person, that was when my morning started with a slow roll into the day. Even when my toddler was a baby and still had night feeds, it seems like it was less of an effort to peel my eyes open and un-glue my head from the pillow (oh, my pillow, my trusty friend who I don’t see enough of). Maybe it’s a boy thing, but the 2year old energy is a source of a huge amount of laughter… conspicuous wrinkles and dark circles around my eyes!

I am of course not just babbling on about how tiring it is to be a mom in order to be negative or even cranky about it, being a mom truly is the greatest bounty and source of joy I have ever experienced, every single wrinkle and fatigued muscle is totally worth it! I do however think that sometimes we need a little push in the direction of self-care and maybe even a good friend to give us permission to go do something 100% totally just for yourself!

Sometimes, stepping outside, walking round the block is enough and sometimes something more involved like a mani/pedi or a spa day is more appropriate! How about taking a fun dance class or sipping a slow latte in a boutique coffee shop while scribbling a “train of consciousness” on the back of your shopping list!

There is a reason massive corporations give their workers scheduled breaks through out the day and I can guarantee it’s not because they have a conscience! Burn-out ends up costing more in efficiency and quality, we are so much more productive and effective if we have a few moments in the day where we can be still and re-energize our spirits.

beauty is everywhere

Aloha! Thanks for visiting our new blog! After spending 6 months getting our brand name out there, we thought it might be time to give a big, warm, personal HELLO and THANK YOU to our website visitors!

Woohoooo! Here we go… it’s time to blog!

Having spent the last few days caring for my 2 year old with a temperature, it seemed wise to start out with a little mommy heart to heart. I mean really? Before having kids the only time I ever saw a thermometer was when I went to the doctor! Now it seems that every other week I have to rummage around the medicine cabinet for the trusty device! All I can say is that I often find myself thanking the stars that I am a mom in the 21st Century, and that there are alternative options to the thermometer stick you have to put where the sun don’t shine on your wiggley riggley little one! Phew! We have so many extra helpful gadgets, products and information aids to get us through the tricky challenges of parenthood; I mean I actually remember my mom washing out terrycloth diapers… so glad to have even earth friendly options that don’t involve actually touching poo! That’s right, I said the “p” word! Its pretty much on the tip of my tongue most days! Anyway, back to the temperature thing. I know  its a good thing that the little ones have to fight off illness at this age, you know, to build their immune system and all that… but really?? Preschool is a germ factory, no, a germ mecca! Every week there is a new bug that my son willfully smothers all over my loving face.  And so it goes, round and around and around!! My neighbors (who love playing and babysitting) have even created a quarantine policy as they have never had so many colds and bugs ever before!

The point is… when amongst all the “sick days,” whether caring for a family member or sipping on Nyquil myself, do we have time to run a fabulous clothing line?? I don’t know, it’s a mystery… or it’s called AKIA! That’s the beauty of being in a business partnership! Akia! I wish I was able to sing on this blog, although you will be glad that I can’t, because if I could, I would be singing her praises!

Back to the beginning…

First there was the “last cigarette” as the thought of pregnancy  became a reality. Then there were the daily foot rubs from my angel husband, as I groaned my way through nine months of “you are such a radiant pregnant woman” comments (which roughly translates to ” Wow! You gained a lot of weight!”… just kidding).  Fast forward to ready-set-go, baby on board time!  And the still pregnant looking/emotional roller coaster feeling/even more sleep deprived version of myself is looking for something to wear! OK, so for those of you not yet with kids, think of your worst EVER PMS day and trying to put on your skinny jeans to go out to a fashion forward social event… and how you threaten to not go cause you have “NOTHING” to wear!!  Multiply that aggravation by a number bigger than a trillion and you will have an idea of how uncomfortable and hormonal the “4th trimester” feels.  Now, just to be clear, I loved the whole experience and I love all the changes and challenges I have grown through, and I wouldn’t change anything for the world in a hand-basket.  And, to be honest with you, my tone is somewhat due to my direct and “cut to the chase” cultural upbringing… but since we are talking woman to woman about a subjective experience that probably has some universal through lines, I will speak as honestly about my experiences as suitable for a public forum

What I was not willing to do, was to be in sweats and scratchy camisoles for the year I planned to nurse! And so, TITI was born! Or, conceived I should say.  We had a sort of year long gestation period after Akia and I teamed up, and Titi was officially born and thrown out into the world 6 months ago!

So with that, enjoy our website, enjoy our products, and check in with our blog for a more personal experience with Akia and myself.  We will be sharing stories, experiences and whatever comes along that we think might resonate with a few of you out there. In particular, keep an eye out for some of our friends who will be joining us as regular guest bloggers including a medical expert, fitness guru, charity connections and more… we will introduce them as they join the blog.

P.S.  The languages we welcomed you with are English, Spanish, Welsh, Swahili and Mandarin.

P.P.S.  The above photo was taken on my recent trip to Yosemite National Park, where not only did I learn that every member in my family, apart from me, is full blown “outdoorsy”, including my 2year old! But, also that the Sequoia and Redwood trees of the region have been in existence as a species for over 175 million years (or some crazy large number like that). What?! I had to go watch ‘How The Earth Was Made’ just to get some perspective on what a number like that meant! We have only been on this earth as a species for 50 thousand years!! Talk about humbling.

Never forget love, beauty and self care…Nourish Yourself!