Category :Florals

Dare I Hope For Soon?

Dress – Ruche
Sweater – made by my Babcia
The warm front we had for a few days made it seem like the fresh joy of Spring was just around the corner.  Now it’s freezing outside again.  So cold, that neither man nor beast dares to venture out of doors.  I long for the days when I pull out my sunhat and sunglasses and leave the toque and scarf abandoned in the far corner of the closet.  So I look wistfully outside my windows and wonder, “Maybe soon?”
Dare I hope?
True Story:
Drake the Dog reached for baby’s food.  
She frowned, looked at him and said, “No, no, no” while wagging her finger.  
It’s funny to see yourself reflected in your toddler’s eyes.

Resuming Life

Sweater – Jacob
Dress – Ruche
Belt – F21
Tights – Hue
Boots – Locale
I’m back!  Yes, I’ve been away and that’s why there’s been a great silence from me on social media.  I’ve been away ten days, and I came home last night to wine, chocolate, a foot massage, and some cuddle time with Andrew, and of course lots of quality time with Baby.  I missed her so much!  But at the same time it was wonderful to have the freedom to go out late into the night, have a little too much wine, dance like there’s no tomorrow, and just generally carry on silly.  Sometimes you need a vacation from the everyday.  But at the same time it’s amazing to get back to life as usual.
True Story:
Walked with Baby to a playgroup at the local school.  
She walked by a young woman waiting at the bus stop.  
Then turned around and said, “Bye, Bye” and waved.  
Then she blew the girl a kiss.  The girl blew a kiss back.  
Baby laughed and continued walking…for about three feet before she turned around and repeated the whole process. 
Again, and again, walking about three feet each time. 

This Reverie

Sweater – Gap
Dress – Ruche
Tights – Hue
Boots – Locale

Ever find that some winter days just feel so quiet?  It’s not necessarily a tangible thing, more like a feeling hanging in the air, but it feels like the world hushes itself a touch, and a stillness abounds.  Some days I look outside my window and feel this global pause…until my baby girl’s excited babbles interrupt my reverie and bring a smile to my face.

Oh, and don’t forget to check out two spots from BevMo here, that I shot a while back. 

True Story:
Baby made her first sandwich.
Applesauce spread on a piece of toasted and buttered bread. 
By her proud reaction, I’m guessing it’s yummy. 

That’s Love

Hair bow – Etsy
Necklace & Earrings – F21
Ring – Lulus
Top – Ruche
Corduroys – Le Chateau
Boots – Feet First
I wish I had something profound to say to you on this Valentine’s Day.  Something about the power and magic of love, but I don’t.  Love is not that which we find in romantic comedies.  It doesn’t end when the two people get together, it starts.  What the movies don’t show you is the hard work that goes into sustaining a relationship for the long term.  They don’t show the loyalty and faith that couples have in one another when they stay with each other through trying and difficult times.  That’s love.  
That, and a man who cooks for you, of course.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
True Story:
Baby looks at me, shakes her head, wags her finger and says, “No.”  
I wonder where she learned that from?
Don’t answer that.

Colors, Oh My!

Sweater – hand me down
Belt & Tights – F21
Dress – Ruche
Shoes – Payless
Bag – Aldo
Earrings – c/o  This Enchanted Pixie

I received these amazing earrings from This Enchanted Pixie along with a necklace and planned an outfit around both pieces *you’ll see that soon*, but they’re just so amazing that I couldn’t resist sneaking them into this outfit first.  I’m so glad I did!  Not only did I receive two compliments on them, but they feel so great on that I just felt like I had a little something extra, you know?  Personally, I think that these yellow ones are just too cute for words, so I suggest you grab them and rock them!

Bright colors are so hot for winter.  They’re no longer reserved just for Spring and Summer, and I’m so thankful because, as you can tell, I can’t resist a bold splash of color in the middle of a grey and cold February. I think what I like most about it is that it’s unexpected.  Not many expect to see such bright colors especially in downtown Toronto in a business district.  I know I turned a few heads because of that, but hopefully I brought at least a smile to one.

True Story:
Baby pulled out a bag of baby carrots from the fridge, and methodically bit into each and every one. 
Then handed each and every one to me.  
She expects them to be soft – like when cooked – and had a puzzled expression on her face as to why they were hard and crunchy.

Saturday Smiles: Ups And Downs

Can you tell I was very impressed with Husband’s witty banter?

Shirt – Esprit
Tank – Smart Set
Skirt – Zara
Booties – Ruche
Necklace – Mama’s Nest Designs
It’s been such an interesting week – ups, downs, and everything in between. Also, just a disclaimer, this outfit looked amazing in my head, not so much in the pictures when I saw them.  Oh well, can’t win ’em all!

Here’s what I’m thankful for:

1. The amazing necklace above from Mama’s Nest Designs. It’s super cute and it has a pearl on it for Baby’s birth month.  She loves it too.  We spent lots of time cuddling on the couch with her touching and playing with it. 
2. I came across a site where a blogger made a list of her favorite fashion/style blogs and I was so honored and amazed to find myself on that list!  Along with Kendi Everyday and Atlantic Pacific. Super cool!  Thanks!!  
3.  My healthy Baby girl – so many parents struggling with their child’s ailments makes me thankful that mine is just precocious, talkative, and active!

True Story:
We went grocery shopping with Baby and she ran around selecting things that we had to buy.  
Here’s her shopping list: 
Crackers, Sausage, and a Red Pepper.

The Pendulum Swings

 

Sweater – hand me down
Belt & Tights – F21
Dress – Etsy
Shoes – Payless
I sometimes feel like a paradox, or maybe an oxymoron, if I can become a concept or a grammatical term instead of a person that is.  I strive for simplicity and complexity at the same time; for minimalism and shabby chic clutter.  In life surroundings, to design, to well everything, I seem to swing from moments of restraint to indulgence, thoughtful self-possession to emotional impulse.  My sartorial sense swings from the extremes of ruffles, lace, florals, and colors, to that of monochromatic minimalism.  I have yet to find the perfect balance that could define me. 
True Story:
Baby says with purpose, “A yaba gaba do do me goo.”
Husband says, “Now that, whatever she said, was a full sentence.”

Guilty Confessions

Sweater – Esprit
Dress – Trollied Dolly from Ruche
Tights – Hue
Boots – Locale

I’m going to confess something that I’m not sure I should confess but I kind of need to because it’s weighing on me and I need absolution. Here goes:

Andrew often snores, and so I have to wear earplugs because I can’t sleep through it.  He was going to be leaving for work at 7am, so he told me he would get up with Baby and wake me just before he left.  But at 7am she still wasn’t sleeping and he wondered if he should go up and take my earplugs out, but he decided that he didn’t want to wake me.  Not a big deal since I usually hear her crying through the plugs anyway.  But I didn’t this time.

I woke up at 8:45am…and panicked!  My first thought was irrational – that he had left for work and left her unattended alone downstairs.  My second thought was fearful – that something happened to her and she’s not breathing in her crib.  I ran into the room and found her lying there wide awake sucking her thumb.  That’s when the panic and fear were replaced by sheer, unadulterated guilt.  I had neglected her.  She might have been there crying awake for an hour and half and no one came for her!  Yes, she was safe and could not come to any physical harm in her crib, but the thought that she might have felt neglected or abandoned for so long sent me into a downward spiral of guilt.

I hugged her and apologized to her three times and explained what happened *though she probably didn’t understand*  My guilt let her watch two shows that morning and have a cookie as part of breakfast in the living room.

Mother’s guilt!

I felt better the next morning when she slept in until 8:30am – that means I might not have ignored her or if so then perhaps only for 15 minutes.  Phew!

Toddler Gym 2000

Dress – ASOS; Belt & Earrings – F21; Boots – boutique in Roma.

Husband away?  No one there to cover you for your regular solo workout?  Well fret no more!  The Toddler Gym 2000 is here!  It’s fast. It’s easy. And it’s loads of fun!  *actually it’s neither fast nor easy, just the last one*  Core work is done in a flash with a toddler on your back as you hold the plank for three minutes.  The added weight will make your workout super efficient, and the wiggling babe will work your muscles from a variety of angles!

Need an upper body workout?  Old pushups are tossed to the side when you have a toddler straddling your bum for that extra added bonus challenge, and once that toddler migrates to underneath you the sloppy kisses will keep you coming down then up for more!

Forget those old boring lunges and squats.  Toddler Gym 2000 lets you get double the workout while you hold your babe in your arms and bounce her up and down with the movement of your body.  Her growing weight will give you buns of steel in no time, and the added challenge of holding her and moving her up and down will tone your biceps and triceps in 20 minutes or less!  And it doubles as a toddler entertainment center – Jolly Jumper for the sophisticated babe!

Act now, and for an unlimited time the Toddler Gym 2000 comes with your very own set of laughs and giggles that not only make the time fun, but give you and your toddler an added core workout.

True Story:
*see above*

First Solo Mission

Sweater – swapped; Dress – Ruche; Tights – Hue; Boots – Locale.

So you know how yesterday I said that I tackled my first sewing project with my brand new sewing machine?  Well, this is the result of what I did. 

As I mentioned, I felt the dress was a tad too short for my comfort, so I wanted to let down the hem.  It wasn’t as easy as it sounded.  See that top horizontal pleat?  Well, it was completely attached to the dress, so first I had to remove the whole thing.  Then open it making it a double horizontal pleat, and iron it.  Then I had to attached it back onto the dress, with a finished stitch so it doesn’t fray.  And lastly, I had to fold the hem and finish the new hem of the dress.  

It just looks like there were meant to be two double pleats now.  And I felt so great wearing it: proud and finally comfortable with the length! It’s amazing what three inches can do.   I think I did pretty well for my first solo mission. What do you think?

On a totally separate note…

I really, really need to find a martial arts school to study at.  I’ve been out of the studio for far too long and there’s only so much that self-motivation can do.  But my problem is two-fold.  One, I can’t find a place that I really like.  I’ve looked at probably a dozen schools all over Toronto to find an art that I really want to study.  I’ve tried Muay Thai, BJJ, Karate, Tai Kwon Do, MMA, Krav Maga, and various blends of these, and I have yet to find something that I love as much as Kung Fu.  So that’s my first and major dilemma.  Two, it has to be affordable.  I’m not rolling in wads of dollars, so the place I go to has to be affordable.  But the issue of fees is really secondary to finding something that I truly love.

You know what you want to do, and that you love doing it, but you’re having trouble finding a place that reflects you.  Have you ever felt that way?

Quote of Today:
“It’s amazing what three inches can do.”  
*Oh Lordy Lord! Sometimes I don’t realize what I’m saying until it’s too late*
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