Your algorithms need work...

Across the last two weeks more and more Social Justice activists have had content removed and have received temporary bans from Facebook lasting from 24 hours to 30 days. I'm sure you're wondering what they, well we, could have done to receive these temporary bans. Well, we spoke up against racism and used the words "white people." Apparently white people don't like being called white and Facebook is willing to help protect that level of white fragility.

It seemed as though it was a targeted attack since most of the people within my circle had in happening in babywearing groups. Because apparently talking about the racism we have experienced made them uncomfortable enough to want us silenced so they began reporting us. But, it has become clear that this is more wide spread since activist outside of those spaces are also being targeted.

The comments that have had us banned are tame in comparison (you can find examples of the comments here: Facebook Has a Problem and my algorithms don't see color) to the fact that many times actual slurs, hate speech, threats to kill are seen to be not violation of Community Standards. Yet, calling out racism is. This is very clearly a move to silence activists whether it is abuse of the algorithms that handle automated banning or if it is due Facebook upholding white supremacy and fragility.

We see you, Facebook. This is unacceptable.

Emmeline Textiles Partita

Normally, I at least wait until I have worn a wrap for a while before I even write anything about it. But, I am super excited about this new colorway of Emmeline Textiles Partita! I have tried both Partita Wisteria and Eleanor Pearl and both blew my mind, so I am sure this one will as well!

Also, this shade of yellow is PERFECT! I love the color yellow, but yellow doesn't quite feel the same about me. This shade however, is like the perfect soft yellow that will probably work for almost anyone. And the shimmer is absolutely amazing. It is hard to capture the exact yellow because it is so subtle. But, I'll keep trying!

Okay, enough talking, now I need to wear it some more now!

I'll Be the First...

I'll be the first to admit that I'm far from perfect. If I had the time, I could and probably would, make you a list detailing each and every flaw. But, honestly, that's not the point of this post. Maybe another day. In my imperfection, I've made a lot of questionable decisions. Though I wouldn't change any of those decisions because they have led me here (and I mean, have you seen The Butterfly Effect?!) there are still a ton of what ifs that keep me up at night. The latest and most often recurring choice that is keeping me up at night is college.

In high school, like most teenagers, I thought I knew best. Much to my mother's dismay, I decided not to apply to any 4 year colleges. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do and in my mind, I could knock out my gen ed classes then transfer to a 4 year school. Less debt & it would give me time to decide. My mom pushed for me to reconsider but, I was stubborn.  After graudation I moved to Orange County, got a job and I finished my first year. Then decided I wanted to move back to the Valley since I thought I missed my friends. I stayed in school for a semester and I worked my ass off. And then, life happened. By life, I mean I got pregnant. I tried to stay in school but I was barely able to handle life with how sick I was so I took some time off. I ended up moving back to Orange County with my mom and tried to get back into the swing of school and while I attended a few classes at University of Phoenix, I still just wasn't there mentally. I moved to Long Beach after another short stint in the Valley and left UoP. Once again, I went back to school, still with very little direction but did it because that's what I thought I should have been doing. I went to school through working full time, I went to school through pregnancies. I did that on and off until 2014 when I had my 3rd.

So, I have all of these credits and no degree. I have all of this debt and nothing to show for it. And it's wearing on me. I wish I had waited until I knew what I wanted to do. But, on the other side I wish I had listened to my mom. I wish I had at least stayed the course and finished... something. I mean, right this second, I am 6 classes shy of my A.A. in Child Development. 6. That's two semesters. Or like, if they offer the classes during winter, I could knock that out by the end of Spring semester. And I'm debating it... but... I don't know that I would actually use the degree.

I love children. I wouldn't have so many if I didn't. But, for the most part that degree is used for jobs in the classroom. I don't want to work in the classroom. I am more interesting in the paperwork side of well, life. Most of my adult life I've worked in an office. I kick ass in office jobs. I can type, I can file, I can answer phones and direct people, I can organize your life and Google all of your questions. I love deadlines and organized chaos. Basically, I love knowing what to expect. Little humans, I have learned, are actually the complete opposite of that. But, also... I'm so close.

My focus is special education. I ended up taking a few classes on special education because I was starting the IEP process for my oldest daughter and I wanted all of the information I could get. And well, ended up taking all of them. So, realistically, I've toyed with the idea of being an advocate or working with an advocacy agency in any capacity. Which, would fulfill that love for paperwork and also my desire to continue working for a non-profit. (I've worked mostly for non-profits dealing with addiction.)

I have an appointment with a counselor on Monday to discuss next steps because it's very possible that all of my doubts are really being fueled by my fear of failure and anxiety. Anyway, wish me luck.

It's Ok to NOT be Ok.

Last month, I did sober September with some good friends. It was an eye-opening experience because I was forced to actually deal with my anxiety and other reasons why I drink. It also gave me a chance to work through some of the core issues that trigger those reasons.

One of my favorite things to remind myself is that it is okay not to be okay. The reminder is simple, accepting it is not. So, it is something that I have to remind myself of often. Usually this reminder is partnered with me reminding myself that it is okay to take care of me. At the very start of Sober September, an article from the Mighty regarding the least talked about parts of self-care came across my Facebook feed. It has been an open window in my phone's browser since that day because it serves as a reminder that there is more to taking care of yourself than just taking a break and allowing myself to be not okay. Self-care also means taking the steps to actually be okay.

I think right now the biggest struggles that I have in regards to self-care are both knowing when to quit and knowing when to ask for help, both are deeply tied with knowing my own limits. I have a very bad habit of pushing myself to a breaking point in order to not inconvenience anyone else, not recognizing the damage that I am doing to myself in the mean time. One of my biggest fears (and triggers) is rejection. So, in order to avoid rejection, I avoid confrontation. Sometimes the anticipated reaction is far worse than what would actually happen. But, my mind ALWAYS goes to worst case scenario. 

It's time for me to totally and completely acknowledge that I am a mother of four children, three of them being between the ages of 9 months and 4 years old, one of them with special needs. I have limitations and that's okay. It's okay for me to say no when someone asks for help that I don't have the energy to give. It's okay for me to not engage. It's okay for me to not hold others emotional bagage when mine is heavy enough. It is time for me to not only set boundaries but also stick with them. It's also okay for me to set doctors appointments for myself and make other appointments that I need in order to be a better me because I do have a partner and family. I need to use my resources better. I need to reach out and ask for help and not just wait or hope for it to be offered. 

It's going to be hard. For me and probably others, especially my kids. But, in the long run I think it will make us all better. 

Yaro Ivy Blue Review

Wrap: Yaro Ivy Blue 
Material: 100% cotton
Size: 4.6/6 (Base +1)

Though I have heard a lot about Yaro, this was my first time trying out a Yaro. And, spoiler alert, I loved it! I'm super excited that Marsupial Mamas is now carrying them and especially since they are at such an amazing price point!

The wrap arrived in loom state & I couldn't get over how soft it was already. I kept petting it while I was waiting to get in the washer. And then it just got softer after I washed it. I was a bit skeptical about it because of how thin it is because I generally prefer thicker wraps. Though, I live in Southern California and we were in the middle of an end of summer heat wave most of the time it was here so I did most definitely appreciate how thin, lightweight and airy it is! It became my go to wrap on the hotter days because of that.

When wrapping with it, the first thing I noticed was the amount of diagonal stretch and microtecture that it has. If you haven't noticed, those are my two favorite wrap qualities. The wrap slid into place, hugged all of the right places then stayed there. It had the perfect amount of glide to get it where I wanted it and held in both a half knot and full knot in both front and back carries.

I tried it with all 3 kids that can go up. (9 months, 2 years, 4 years.) With the 9 month old, it was great in every carry I tried it in. Double Hammock, Front Wrap Cross Carry, Double Hammock with a Poppins finish, blah blah blah. I tried a lot of carries with it because I loved it. It did great with him. Actually, it was great with my 26 lb 2 year old as well. With the 4 year old it was best in multi-layer carries, other wise it got diggy after a bit, which I expected because of how thin it was.

Despite being thin and airy, the wrap is pretty tightly woven. Even with my every day use of it for a month or so, I didn't notice any pulls or broken threads. I just noticed it getting softer and easier to wrap with as time went on. So, I would say it isn't very pull prone. Which is always a good thing!

The biggest surprise for me is that it reminded me of a thinner version of Pavo Textiles' Sketchy. The texture and stretch were incredibly similar as well as the soapiness that mixed perfectly with the grip.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this wrap for people that like thin, airy, supportive wraps with diagonal stretch and great prices. It would make a great every day wrap. It would be best for newborn through about 25 or so pounds in any size and base or longer for any children bigger than that. It would be great for both new wrappers and experienced wrappers.

Simple Truths that are Often Forgotten

I am often told that I am a good listener. I think most people fail to realize that it is because I spend a fair amount of time wondering if I am talking too much, listening enough or if I am simply taking up too much space just by existing. I try to take up the least amount of space, both physically and metaphorically. Being in the spotlight makes me uncomfortable. For this reason, idle chit chat might as well be a form of torture. But, nothing is worse than actually being asked to tell people about myself. Which, I can tell you, is a form of torture.

I've always made sure that I keep friends around that enjoy the attention. It makes it easier to retreat into their shadow because within a shadow my existence isn't being questioned. In the shadow it makes it easier for me to do a word count and measure my words worth. Day in and day out, I spend much of my time wondering "is this important?" "is this adding to the conversation?" "did I say 'I' too many times?" and most of all, "do they actually care?" And funny enough, the answer in my head is often times, no. No, people do not care what I have to say and no, people don't actually care whether or not I actually contribute to a conversation. This is often confirmed when even conversations in which I have opened in reference to myself, turn into people speaking over me and about themselves.

While this has always been something that I have done, I have noticed that it is happening more often. My need to not take up space has led to others also not leaving me space or consideration. Often times it is just assumed that I will be the one there to listen or I will be the one there to help. Whether I can or want to isn't ever taken into consideration and my lack of wanting to take up space often allows it to stay that way.

So, what's changed? Looking back to 6, 4, even 2 years ago... life has changed. In big ways and in little ways. My support system has dwindled. Both in real life and online. At one point I had friends and an active social life, now I am lucky if I am invited to hang out. My level of confidence has dwindled. I went from being comfortable and confident in my body to not even close. I have had 3 babies in the last 5 years and unlike my first two pregnancies, I have not been able to lose the weight and with each pant size increase there has been a confidence decrease. What makes it worse is the fact that if I even dare to bring up that I am not comfortable in my body, I am told that I am still small so what room do I have to complain. I guess the fact that I am 30 lbs over the weight I am most comfortable at doesn't matter. Add in the financial ups and downs of the last two years and I guess it makes some sense.

But, still... the idea of opening up to people is terrifying. The quickness in which people are able to turn conversations back to them as if what I am saying doesn't matter, the lack of interest in what I am saying. The lack of... reciprocity. All of that while I am drowning in a sea of toddlers and babies and big kid dramas. It's a lot. And it isn't.

And right now I am focusing on me and how I need to change it. I think that means putting myself out there more, more time for self care, and knowing when to walk away. I'm going to be doing a lot of walking soon.

Elsa and Anna Get a Make-over!

Like most small humans, my youngest daughter has Frozen Fever... STILL. How? I'm not sure. But, she does. Her 4th birthday was in July and we gifted her a set of Elsa and Anna dolls. A month of a half of daily use that often involves dirt, they dolls started looking a little rough. Their hair especially. (She might as well be Pig Pen, she is constantly covered in dirt. She even carries a blanket around with her.)

Today she came to me and asked me to help with Anna's hair. I was a little scared but figured Pintrest could help. I was mostly right. Pretty much every solution they had involved either wig shampoo (which I don't have) or fabric softener (which I also don't have.) But, by that point I had already promised that the dolls hair would be combed so I was kind of stuck...

I figured I might as well try shampoo and conditioner... I mean, I've had some luck combing the kids hair out with it.

Here's what I did:

1. This is Elsa and Anna in their before state. Quite sad. They're naked. They're clothes are somewhere in the house... but, much like my children, they rarely wear them.

2. We got their hair wet. I tried to be careful not to get their full bodies wet, but the 4 year old was helping so that was futile.

3. Next up, we shampooed. I always seem to have extra samples hanging out due to my thing beauty boxes. It helped get the dirt out & it smelled nice. So, that was helpful. After we got all of the dirt out we rinsed a few times to make sure the bubbles came out.

4. After we shampooed, we conditioned with the usual conditioner we use for our hair. I let it sit for about 30 minutes before trying to comb it. I was hoping it would help. I'm not sure if it did.

5. The conditioner sat and I was able to brush Anna's hair our rather easily. Her hair was mostly in braids which may be why. It combed out easily and looked pretty decent. Elsa's hair wasn't quite as simple. It took a little more work to comb her hair out and the ends looked like she needed a trim.

6. I let their hair dry, mostly. It was hard with an impatient 4 year old waiting (and the 2 year old trying to swoop in and swipe them.) I combed it one more time. Then up they went in pony tails. The 4 year old promptly asked for me to braid Anna's hair once I was done though. 

All in all, it worked. It wasn't the best and I may give the fabric softener a shot next time around. I'm sure the naked Barbies and tangled Ponies would appreciate it.

Be intentional!

I started this year off by proclaiming that this year I would make sure to be more intentional. However, now that we are 8 months into a year in which I had hopes of being intentional, I realize that I did not define what exactly that meant. Without defining my intentions, being intentional is... well, hard.

So, here I am. Starting this month I will be setting monthly aspirations. Things that I would like to achieve but leave room for growth. I will write them the first day of the month and revisit the previous months. I will be looking at what does work, what doesn't work and all that that falls in between. I also hope to do at least a weekly check in. I guess, that is my first goal. Blogging more.

Instead of putting it off until next year, I am starting now. Instead of starting when ______ happens, I'm starting now. What I've noticed if that setting start dates for goals that depend on other things happening, chances of it actually starting are well, low. Either the 'thing' doesn't happen, motivation is gone by the time it happens or its long forgotten. So, I'm starting in the now. Then I can set my expectations on the now vs the when.

All right... here we go. September goals:

1. Be more intentional about self care.

I need to give myself the same time that I give others. I need to take care of me because there are so many people that depend on me.

2. Find a hobby.

3. Read at least 3 books.

I'm already pretty good about this. But, I would also like to talk about the books. I've already got one down for the month (Coming Clean) & started another.

4. Sober September

In effort to support friends, I'm taking September off from drinking. It should be interesting.

5. Walk, run or crawl 80 miles.

I tried this last month and well, failed. But, this month I am hoping to get it done!

I'll check back in with y'all to let you know how I do!

Clothes update!

I wrote about my quest to rid myself of the excess clothing that had somehow started to take over my home and I would like to say that it was INCREDIBLY successful. I ended up donating about 10 trash bags full of clothes from myself and my four children. We have a ton more space and now hopefully less laundry! I have found it so much easier to get myself and the kids dressed in the morning now that we don't have to search through clothes that are ill fitting or ripped, etc. I am really hoping that I can keep a one in, one out policy.

Cleaning out the clothes inspired me to get it going with other stuff around the house as well. I am thinking the kids toys are next up! Maybe I should start with the ones that are all over my living room floor that I have asked that they pick up? ;)

Staying Positive

My life is starting to feel like it is really just a combination of a series of unfortunate events. I try my hardest to stay positive and keep my eye on the good stuff. But, if I am going to be honest with you, it is hard to stay positive when things just keep going wrong. Whether it is one big thing or a bunch of little things, there always seems to be something new to remind me that maybe, just maybe good things aren't supposed to come.

I really don't want much in life. I want stability. I don't want to spend my days stressed about where rent money, gas money, bill money will be coming from. I want my kids to have their needs taken care of. And every once in a while I would love to pee or shower alone. Maybe even sleep a solid six hours at once. I don't need to be rich and I surely would not like to be famous. I would just like to take care of my family.

The last like two years have been rough for my family. My boyfriend lost a really good job which sent us into a spiral that we have been slowly getting out of but there seems to constantly be SOMETHING waiting to pull us back down. After he lost his job, he found another that paid less and I was unable to find work due to the things I have mentioned in another blog post. He was able to find another good job with comparable pay and then that business closed right when we were fully caught up with bills. Years of living paycheck to paycheck tends to make a savings account a good idea but highly inaccessible. Especially when you add things like children and other emergencies that like to pop up. After losing the second job we also lost our apartment. Somehow we were able to get a hotel room and survive in it for 16 months. I was able to find a job as well. But, of course since me finding a job was a good thing, the other shoe dropped. However, those lemons were able to be turned into lemonade. We have survived. Some days I am not even sure how. But, we have. And now we have this sweet apartment and my boyfriend has his own business.

Some of my friends know that I have been looking for work, so they will send me job openings that they come across. For the most part, I haven't heard back from most of the places. It doesn't matter how many times I write and rewrite and have people review my resume. I just am not hearing back. BUT, I finally heard back. It is for a work at home position. Which would mean that I would be able to keep the baby home with me while the toddlers attend daycare and the big girl is in school. Awesome, right?! Right. But, then my computer decided it didn't like that plan and now my WiFi card is no longer working and the battery also needs to be replaced. Simple solutions really... when you have the money to do it. I'll figure it out, like we've managed to figure everything else out. But, I am so damn tired of lemonade.

Job Hunting is a Bitch...

I'm frustrated. I was supposed to go back to work at the end of February however after some daycare complications that were beyond my control, I ended up having to quit my job since they would not hold the position for me longer than the last day of my medical leave. Like, my medical leave ended on Thursday and they wanted me back on Friday first thing in the morning type deal.

Since that happened I have been looking for work. I have sent countless resumes out only to hear just about nothing back. The reality of the situation is, I get it. I have no college degree. And while I have some work experience, I do not have a solid job history due to being mostly a stay at home mom all of this time. The job search seems to be dead set on reminding me that I have no real value outside of raising kids and to be honest, even that is questionable at times. I mean, I've managed to keep 4 kids alive, fed and with a roof over their heads yet those things aren't really skills I can list on my resume. If anything, for most employers that makes me a risk.

There is little comfort in the fact that I am not alone in this struggle. There are a ton of moms who take time off, whether willingly or unwillingly, and are unable to reenter the job force. I have friends that are college educated, that decided to stay home and are now unable to get jobs. I have friends that were unable to justify paying high daycare costs due to what they were being paid and stayed home only to not be able to get a job after.

So, what are we supposed to do? If we stay home we are useless. But, if we don't we don't care about our kids. There is so much pressure on moms to be in both arenas and no real options for how to make it happen. It truly feels like a lose/lose situation most of the time. While there are some women who are able to balance both working and being a mom, there are many of us that would like to achieve the same but have many roadblocks.

Clothes!

Having 3 kids in 4 years had wreaked havoc on my body. After the boys, I didn't lose the weight as quickly as I did after my girls. Yet, I still held on to most of my clothes. Which has led to many tears when I attempt to pull on pants that don't want to go past my thighs or my shirts get stuck or aren't so flattering.

So, I am making a choice. Either I am throwing them all away and starting fresh or I am going to get rid of the stuff that doesn't fit and fill in the gaps. Realistically, I'll be filling in the gaps.

But, damn, there is such an emotional connection to some of the clothes. Part of it is holding on to my "past" life, holding on to what my body used to be. But, it is time to start letting go.

Here's to change!

Girasol Marsupial Mama Exclusive Titan's Rainbow

Wrap: Girasol Titan's Rainbow
Weave: Plain
Marsupial Mamas Exclusive
Size: 4.6/6 (Base +1)

I recently confessed that I wasn’t a big fan of Girasol until I tried their herringbone weave. Well, it turns out that it wasn’t just the herringbone that I like. I actually am really digging Girasol right now.

I was able to try out Marsupial Mamas Exclusive design, Titan’s Rainbow. It is the same warp as their exclusive Cosmic Rainbow but with a white weft. The white weft gives the colors a nice heathered look but they are still bold. The striped design also helps differentiate between the top rail and the bottom rail as well as keep track of strand by strand tightening which of course helps with a solid carry.

I was immediately stunned by the colors and how soft it was. I couldn't wait to wrap with it! My go to carry is double hammock with my toddler and now that my 5 month old has gotten more sturdy. So, of course that is the first carry I tried. And I am pleased to report that this is a great double hammock wrap! The wrap is thin, moldable, and slightly dry. Passes glide into place with ease and stay put. The chest pass is simply amazing. The shoulders pleat with ease. It’s also incredibly soft which makes it comfortable to wear. Because of its thinness, it also works great in the heat. It also helps that it is full of sleepy dust. 😉 My 5 month old slept in for over and hour and he was pretty weightless.

It isn’t very pull prone so it makes a great wrap to take along on adventures! It’s great for the beach, park and everything in between! I preferred it in multi-pass carries for my 26 lb 2 year old, but was able to comfortably ruck with my 16 lb 5 month old due to the shoulders pleating with ease. It is also great for an FWCC. I would definitely say a base size would last you from squish to midsized toddler with proper tightening.

Risaroo Exclusive: Dreamscape Purpura Romana Herringbone

Wrap: Girasol Dreamscape Purpura Romana
Weave: Herringbone
Risaroo Exclusive
Size: 4.2 m/5 (base)

I’ve got a confession to make. I was never really a fan of Girasol. I have a lot of friends that spoke very highly of the brand but I was less than impressed with the ones that I tried. Of course, I tried said Giras when I first started wrapping which could have… ok probably, had a ton to do with it. Notice how I said “was” in that sentence? Well, that’s because this wrap has totally changed my mind!

First of all, the colors are fantastic. The blend of the colors of the stripes mixed with purple weft remind me of a tropical beach somewhere. It screams summer. Which is why it’s already accompanied us to the beach plenty of times.
Aside from its colors, it being 100% cotton makes it an easy care wrap that can be thrown in the washer with wrap safe detergent without second thought. The herringbone weave also makes it sturdier than the typical twill weave.  The twill weave is not very pull prone either. That combined with the ease of wash makes this an excellent beater wrap that can go anywhere with you.

Despite the twill weave, It is still a thinner wrap. It was incredibly moldable with some diagonal stretch so passes glided perfectly into place. It is slightly dry but still felt like that perfectly broken in sweater. The one you wear just for the comfort of it? Yeah, that one. Because of the thinness, I preferred it in multiples carries with my 26 lb toddler. With the passes gliding as well as they did, that wasn’t much of an issue. My chest pass in this wrap was always amazing. It was also great with my 16 lb 5 month old. It was definitely one of his favorites!

This wrap would make a perfect beginners wrap. It breaks in easily, is easy to tighten, and the stripes make it easier to focus on strand by strand tighetening. It is also easily accessible with not only a reasonable price point but Risaroo also Layaway!

All in all, I’m super excited that Risaroo gave me a chance to try give their exclusive Girasol print a chance because not only is it beautiful but it also started a new love affair!

She qualifies for more services...

Those words are so damn biter sweet.

IEP meeting number three of this school year was Thursday. First was to discuss which evaluations. Second to discuss the evaluations. Third was because coping. Then funny thing about evaluations is a lot if the time you walk out with the same information you went in with, just presented different and with a name. And even then, that confirmation can gut you.

She qualifies for more services. She's having a hard time coping with normal situations. She can't self regulate. We're worried about her socially and what effects this may have. We're worried about how this may effect her academically.

Things I know. Things I've known. Words I've said myself. But still. But still they're haunting me. Someone else sees it. Someone else is concerned.

Emmeline Textiles Partita Wisteria

Brand: Emmeline Textiles
Wrap: Partita Wisteria
Size: 6 (base +1)
Width: 27 in
Weight: Medium

I got the chance to host another Emmeline Textile and! After being able to test Eleanor Pearl and falling in love with it, I didn’t hesitate to say yes when asked.

The wrap came in loom state. The first thing I noticed was the detail that went into the packaging. From the instruction manual to the tags to the ribbon neatly tied around it all. The wrap is a grayish purple herringbone, with contrasting sides. In loom state it was already soft and floppy, so I was excited to see it transform! The loom to bloom wasn’t too dramatic but there was a huge difference in the feel.

I couldn’t wait to get first ups in it so I tossed the 15 lb 4 month old on. It was even softer! It was like the perfect pair of jeans. It was soft, hugged in all of the right places, stayed put and the baby was weightless. We hung out outside for a bit, blowing bubbles with the bigger kids and there was no budge. Next up was my 26 lb 2 year old in a Double Hammock. The chest pass was amazing. The wrap had a smidgen of horizontal stretch, a smidgen of vertical stretch and the perfect amount of diagonal stretch the get the chest pass in place. And again, he  budge even with his trying to get out.

The next day I put both boys on. Most of my wearing is tandem, so I really appreciate wraps that can hold both boys with no issue. This was one of those wraps. I did the toddler in a DOUBLE hammock tied at shoulder with the tails as a rebozo for the baby. And it was perfect. It kept both boys in place with no issue. Later in the week I was even able to get my 36 lb almost 4 year old up with the same results.

The wrap is dry, grippy, has good diagonal stretch, holds a half knot. If reminded me of a less dry Pavo Gotham. I would definitely recommend!

Extraordinary hair

A year ago I cut my hair off with the plan of letting it regrow. A few months prior I chopped my long hair to a shorter style and was able to enjoy my hair in new ways. Cutting it has truly been a journey and has taught me to appreciate it in new ways.

One of the major challenges was finding products that worked well with my curls. Luckily, I got a Vox Box via Influenster which allowed me to try L'Oreal's Advanced Haircare Oil for free. The box included shampoo, conditioner and a leave in oil. And OMG. It is amazing. It smells fantastic and it works in my hair as well as my children's hair. All of us have different textures. The oil is light weight and doesn't weigh the hair down. The shampoo and conditioner help soften the hair. It's pretty amazing and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who asks.

Risaroo Woven's Perrault Cobalt

Company: Risaroo Wovens

Wrap: Perrault Cobalt

Material: 50/50 Cotton/Merc Cotton

Medium weight

I was lucky enough to be picked as a Risaroo Wovens Adventurer late last year. Which was really exciting as I was in my final weeks of pregnancy (impatience setting in) so it gave me a lot to look forward to. I got to pick which wrap I would use during my time as an Adventurer. Of all of the wraps shown, Perrault Cobalt stood out. The beautiful design and the amazing color, I was sold. I chose a size 4, which is base -1 for me. I figured I could do short carries with the newborn and modified base carries with the toddler. Win-win!

When it arrived, it was soft even in loom state. It quickly became softer with just a normal wash and dry. It had and AMAZING amount of texture. I love texture, I also don't believe in ironing. (I may not even own an iron. You would have to ask R?) I couldn't wait to wrap with it.

The cobalt threads which provided the texture give it the perfect amount of grip while the white provided the perfect amount of glide. It was easy to get the passes in place but they weren't going anywhere once they were there. It is moldable with very little stretch. It feels heavy in hand but that didn't translate to wear. It is breathable which is incredibly important in Southern California. Yes, even in January when it first arrived! It is great with the squish (13 lbs) for long periods of time in single pass carries, though I preferred it in multi-layer carries for my toddler (26 lbs.) It reminded me very much of Kerrington Pearl with a bit more texture.

Overall? I adore this wrap. Like most things Risaroo, this one is a keeper.