‘Tis very late February (please pause to celebrate the occasional use of ’tis, cousin to another archaic abbreviation of likewise importance–‘twas) that I get the itch. A good itch. More of a high, really. On pastels, on Peeps, on pink and lace and tulips; clean sheets, open windows, flowy skirts and bows. Little birds. Things with little birds on them. Mint green. Okay, I’m done. Wait, one more–skipping.

My internal celebratory clock does its thing every year. I just give in to it because there is no use fighting.

Hence (okay, pause for a good hence too) the new herb pots on my window.

The jars of pink tulips placed in almost every room in the house.

The new spring sheets that haven’t stopped feeding my happiness quota since I bought them.

Golden Disco Onesie from the funky, retro Etsy shop, La Marie

And I’m not going to hide the fact that I make very literal interpretations of holidays and seasons in my style choices. Valentine’s Day? Oh God, I showed up for Lainey’s ballet class looking like a cross between a Whitman’s chocolate sampler and a rose bouquet…by choice. So, these days basically I open my closet door and whisper “Wherefore art thou, Spring?” and it answers back in pink and ruffles and floral prints.

Alright, alright, enough with spring optimism.

Our weekend:

Lazy, lazy Saturday.

I cleaned the house, drank tea, browsed stacks of catalogues and watched the girls drag baby dolls across the driveway while the ends of their pony tails lifted and fluttered with the weekend breeze.

Lainey got picked up by a friend to go to the zoo Saturday afternoon. I watched her standing against the front door waiting for her ride, proudly wearing her backpack which was stashed with snacks, her camera and her favorite water bottle.

Her girlishness emanated from her smile–those Chicklet teeth, that dimple. She wanted little to do with the farewell as we buckled her in her friend’s car, so I downplayed my kiss goodbye and my “Have fun!” before I watched them drive away. She is growing, and it makes my heart ache and soar at the same time.

Nella once got picked up for a playdate with Lainey to give me some time to work, and Sister has never forgotten it. She missed me. So, when people roll in our driveway, she stays glued to the front door and says “No.” Sister is funny.

And if I was Billy Crystal, I’d transition into this next part with some jazzy song and dance that’d tie it all together. Alas (damn, pause for alas too), I am not.

Yes, I’m going to talk about the Oscars.

Nevermind the fact that this was our 7th Annual Pajama Glam-a Oscar Party. The rules are simple: wear your pajamas, bling it out, have a party.

Heidi and I do it every year. And most years, it’s mainly about the red carpet. I love the dresses (that big giant bow on Emma Stone’s red dress? Don’t even get me started. I want it. ) and the hair and pretending like we have some sort of fashion clout to judge when seriously, we’re huddled on our couch in Target pajamas and Claire’s rhinestone earrings.

Dogs like Oscars. Dogs like Bling.

This year was different though. I was so inspired by the whole idea that movies are another form of art. Each movie’s creator and everyone involved so passionately represent their film–films that started with one person’s idea. I loved the vignettes of actors they showed this year–thoughts about how movies move us, how they shape our culture, how they take us to a different time and place, how they teach us, how they start with dreamers.

Creativity was deservingly celebrated, and I’ll always toast to that. (Oh, that Esperanza Spalding performance gave me chills. And I saw her front in center from a little lawn in East Lansing when I was pregnant with Nella).

Moral of the story? Find more ways to celebrate. Things to get dressed up for. Occassions to invite your friends and make big nights of it all. And the other moral of the story is–Ben & Jerry’s Banana Cream Pie Ice Cream–Dude. RUN. TO. YOUR. LOCAL. GROCERY. STORE. That is all. That and a couple more happy pictures of weekending.

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Introducing new sponsor:
Rachel Baxter (her blog) is an Independent Consultant for Norwex, a mindful company that offers products that improve your quality of life while reducing our global footprint. They are well known for their antibacterial reusable cleaning cloths that reduce the need for chemicals in your house. We received a pack of Norwex’s best cleaning cloths last week, a nice incentive for our spring cleaning weekend. My favorites? The window cloth (no smears on my mirrors!) and the antibacterial cleaning mit from the kids cloth packet that allows Lainey to help with chores without being exposed to harmful chemicals. And plenty more products Norwex offers that help make your everyday home routines safer and more meaningful for your family and the planet.

Another reason to shop? You’ll be supporting a cause near to my heart. All of Rachel’s profits between now and April 8 will be given to a fund to bring Arnold, a Reece’s Rainbow orphan, home to his forever family.

One commenter on this post will win a free Norwex Enviro and Window cloth package

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Celebrating a healthy two-year check-up today. Grateful for health and growth and milestones…I never take it for granted.

Finally, I promised a while ago I’d be bringing some photo tips to the blog. I’m happy to finally be able to reveal these as Disney’s baby site Babyzone.com has just relaunched, and it’s bigger, better, and more beautiful, incorporating more real-life mom photos, stories, and helpful advice. I’ll be sharing a series of easy photo tip slideshows that will offer simple advice on capturing interesting, meaningful photos of your children. The first two are already up. Check out Capturing Childhood and The Power of Suggestion.

I’ll be back tomorrow for another Hallmark post. A fabulous week to you!

I’ve been sucked in. I joined Spotify and Pinterest in one weekend, and now I might as well just sell my soul to the devil. Or maybe listen to my Inspired playlist while I mod podge frames and pin cute vintage shoes.

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Thank you for your heartfelt comments on the last post. It felt really good to begin a weekend like that–to be emotionally moved in a lot of ways, to cry a little bit, to arrive home excitedly telling Brett all about what I experienced and to pull my sleeping girl from her crib so I could slide her next to me in bed and feel the tangible evidence of how lucky we are. I fell asleep with Lainey’s leg hugging my hip on one side and Nella tucked into the curve of my body on the other. Those quiet moments in the dark when I close my eyes and reach out to hold each of their hands, when I touch my lips to their foreheads and whisper goodnight and fall asleep thinking about how good it feels to be sandwiched between two little bodies that I created–those are the moments that center me. When past, present and future all melt into the comfortable reminder of “this is all that matters.”

You can’t effectively move forward in life unless you have those moments of letting yourself feel the darker side of reality once in a while. I do that, you know. Maybe not publicly every time, but I’m human (if you don’t count the unicorn gene). And even after those moments of pushing the bruise to feel the pain, I smile and think to myself…Life is so very rich. Even with the challenges.





Saturday evening’s sunset. Brett was driving and I made him pull over.



I don’t have a lot to say tonight other than we enjoyed one of the most unproductive weekends ever.

We stayed in our pajamas, made second pots of coffee, and Saturday morning, Brett stretched four eggs and a few potatoes into a giant late breakfast–like loaves and fishes to feed the masses.

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It seems my girls’ togetherness is extra special lately, perhaps brought on by the onset of Nella’s walking.

I find myself hiding in corners and sneaking up on their playtime as if their knowledge of my presence somehow cheapens what they have, just the two of them.

Usually when I take pictures, I naturally get a lot of shots of each of them individually. I’ve realized lately, without even intending to take pictures of them together, I browse a couple days worth of photos and there they are–perfectly together, as if I composed the shot for a shared frame.

And that makes me smile.

Our gardenia bush is in bloom. Our front yard smells like heaven.

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After a stay-in, unproductive weekend, Heidi texted me this morning in hopes of one of our let’s-wing-it-last-minute adventures. Sister speaks my language.

We loaded kids, crackers and a stroller into a minivan and headed to the Imaginarium in Fort Myers for the afternoon.

Look who’s tall enough to see over the edge of the stingray pool.

It felt good to be productive. It felt good to be helping a very pregnant friend fulfil her let’s-do-a-ton-of-stuff-before-I-have-this-baby list.

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And now, I’m here late on a Monday evening and I just received a text from my cousin in Northern Michigan who says the sky there is full of radiant stars and putting on quite a show tonight. I’m smiling. I love these texts. While our sky might not be as radiant tonight and certainly not contrasted by cold white snow, it is still the same sky, same stars. And I think I might take a little midnight walk to enjoy it.

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Congratulations to the Melody Joy $75 gift certificate winner:



Comment #172, Claire Imsen: Kelle, I cried during this entire video. Not just a few drops in each corner- I mean streaming tears. I have been reading your blog since my daughter, Elina, was born in July. Your bright rays of hope traveled all the way from Florida into my heart at a very dark and unstable time. Now I cannot imagine a more beautiful life for myself. Thank you.



Claire, you sweet mama, please send your contact info with MELODY JOY GIVEAWAY in the subject line to kellehamptonblog@comcast.net.

And if, like me, you finally feel like you’re in the swing of things post-holidays, don’t forget to check out Hatchedit.com to help easily organize your family’s schedules and to-do lists.

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One more thing. If you’re near Richmond, VA, my friend Abernathy is currently involved in this amazing new program with SPARC, and I’m so proud of her and the way this program is using art and theater to help children of all abilities. Watch this and be inspired. Their vision is growing, and they need your help.

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And that is all. Happy Monday, Good night.

I walked across the driveway tonight, careful to keep my steps only as long as Lainey’s legs could handle while she balanced on my feet and stretched her arms above her head. I clasped her wrists and guided her twiggy body–left, right, left, right–like a marionette puppet, and I stiffened my calves to support her weight through our synchronized dance.

She trusted me completely–giggling, letting go, giving in to my guidance. When her boot began to slip, I felt her body tense and take over. “Mama, don’t let me fall,” she said. I smiled and assured her, “I won’t.”

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Tuesday, we traded our yellow leotard to wear pink for ballet. It was Valentine’s Day.

As I gathered clean tights and pulled a pink tutu from the dress-up bin, I asked Lainey to find her shoes and fetch me a brush. We were going for a high bun which calls for wet hair, soft bristles and about a hundred brush strokes to pull all the fly-aways from the nape of her neck and to smooth the tiny bumps in her fine hair. Somewhere between brush stroke ninety-eight and ninety-nine–right before I secured the result of my hard work with a tiny rubber pony tail holder–Lainey shook her head and broke free. “Call Aleena,” she said. “Ask her mommy how she’s wearing her hair.” Running late and frustrated, I responded instinctively. “Lainey, you don’t have to wear your hair like Aleena. How ’bout you do your own thing, babe?”

We compromised with a half-pony tail which, coincidentally, requires half the brush strokes, and she was fine with it.

The thing is, I’ve had this idea that I have to raise a leader. That following is weak. It’s what we hear–Be a leader, not a follower. Blaze the trail. Set the trends. There is, no doubt, this assumption in our society that leaders are strong and successful and followers are somehow lesser. If “Do you consider yourself a leader or a follower?” was a question on a college entrance exam or a job application, I think most of us would be inclined to answer leader whether it was true or not because we think it’s a right answer. And, without even consciously making efforts to push leadership, I definitely sense it’s an underlying theme in my parenting.

Nella snuck into dance this week and followed along perfectly.

However, in my leadership cheerleading role, I came to a bit of an “Aha” last night when Brett’s few (cough, cough) years of age and experience on me had a moment of shining glory.

We were talking to Brandyn about the company he keeps at school, choosing good friends, making wise decisions. Brett was on a roll, doing a great job with his advice when I made the mistake I sometimes do of butting in because I want them to know I care. I am learning that caring can come in the form of a smile and a nod and doesn’t always have to be my two cents on a platter.

Last night, it was two cents.

“You have to be a leader, Brandyn!,” I exclaimed all Richard Simmons enthusiastic, checking off my things-you’re-supposed-to-say-to-your-kids list in my head. Brett flashed a look, and I knew exactly what it meant–thank you, but I’ve got this. So I smiled and nodded.

Later, when we were alone, Brett returned to the subject. “I don’t want to tell the kids they have to be leaders,” he said. “The world can’t be full of just leaders, you know.”

“So what, you want to tell them to be followers?” I asked, snarling at the preposterous suggestion.

“I want to tell the kids to be themselves,” he confidently answered.

And for a second, everything about parenting made perfect sense.

I’ve always hated Right/Wrong Parenting where things are black and white and parents make blanket statements about how things should be done. Parenting, like so many other things in life, is gray. There is no one right way to raise your child. And yet, I’ve had this black and white idea of leader vs. follower in my mind–Don’t be a follower. Do be a leader. And teach your kids to do the same.

But I love the truth that falls perfectly into the gray middle–teach your kids to be themselves.

It’s true. We can’t all be leaders, all the time. But we can help our children be themselves and, by doing so, discover ways in which they can both lead and effectively follow.

Lainey doesn’t need to hear me telling her “Be a leader.” But she will certainly feel confident when I tell her I recognized the way she took responsibility to help her sister learn some letters.

Or how proud I am to see her hold Nella’s hand and lead the way on our afternoon walks.

How I love that she makes up songs, creates new games, puts together crazy clothing ensembles and sets her friends straight.

Sometimes–lots of times–Lainey is an amazing leader.

But following is important too, and we all have ways in which we both lead and follow. At four-going-on-five, Lainey takes good direction, quietly observes situations and wants to wear her hair like her best friend. And that’s okay.

The older the girls get, I find I am continually reconstructing my parenting views–my own views–as I take on more responsibility of being a role model for my girls. I think about what I say more, how I act, what I teach my kids, and sometimes that involves changing my perspective.

I won’t always have the answers, but I do love the simplistic truth that lies in that one statement–be yourself. Letting that principle guide my parenting makes it seem so much easier. Whether my children are leaders, followers, extroverts, introverts, artists, scholars, sensitive listeners or strong influencers–I don’t need to worry so much about how to make them that way. I simply need to encourage my girls to be true to themselves. To never apologize for expressing how different or alike they are to someone else.

Same hairstyle as your best friend? Totally okay if you love it. Different hobbies than everyone else? Fantastic, you go, Girl.

There will be times in both my kids’ lives when they will have opportunities to step up as leaders. And there will be necessary occassions when they will need to follow. Through all of it, I hope they will be themselves. Because we showed them how.

I will both encourage leaders and guide followers, but for now? They’re still little. They walk on my feet and hold my hands. Baby steps for both of us.

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Check out the little silver barrettes, her nursery art prints, or the custom silhouette jewelry.

Use Code NELLA for 10% off your order, and happy shopping!

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Tomorrow, I’ll be dancing with some awesome people. More to come.