weekend update #6- beer hall babies

Saturday gave Lil the chance to meet some new babies, and Mama the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful glass of Belgium-style pilsner.  ahhhh...

This wee cutie is Lil's new friend Chloe.  Funny how we walked clear across town to meet up with a family that lives just 3 blocks away.  Chloe is the only girl we've met who is taller than Lil, and she reminds us so much of cousin Josie it's like having a new cousin for Lil to play with.

Chloe makes sitting in the biergarten look effortless in a bold floral print skirt and ruffled tanktop.  It's OK, Papa, have another pint.  I don't mind at all!

well, orange you a cutie...

After all the fun, sun, and socializing Saturday brought, Sunday was much more low key.  There were a few attempts made at venturing forth to some exotic location, like the Central Park Zoo, but none of them were fruitful.  Mama and Papa and Lil just hung out in the A/C like a bunch of scruffs.  Lil did manage to pull together this smashing look- a nautical-inspired top and tangerine paper bag shorts.  There is a fabulous pair of blue and white striped shorts that match this top, but Lil's size -5 waist does nothing to hold them up- even with the fluffiest cloth diaper in Mama's stash.  The fiery flame color does give this outfit a little kick, and for an active 28-week old like Lil, every kick is important.

And for our weekly bonus photo, a rarely seen image of Mama, resplendent in her Sunday best:

stating the obvious

Maybe you looked at this picture and wondered, "What is Lil thinking?  She looks rather glum.  Is it the debt ceiling and pending ruin of the US economy?  Hunger in Somalia?  Stray kittens on Meserole Street?"  Who knows.  Maybe she does have those thoughts running through her head.  She is certainly mesmerized when we put on NY1 in the morning.  But just in case your head is only full of hyperbole, Lil wore this sweatshirt to remind you of the most important fact:

Of course, she might be wearing it so Mama doesn't try to put Kitty in the stroller, and give Lil the catnip toy.  Again.

and the cat came back

It's obvious that Lil loves picture time.  The click of the camera always gets her attention, even when she's busy at play, or crawling after an obscure piece of lint stuck to the rug. But it's always a nice surprise when the Cat decides to join us, especially for Lil.  She lights up for the Cat like no other furball on Earth.

Sweet.

This little bodysuit came from cousin Josie.  Not only do I love the marriage of calico and gingham, and the heart-shaped appliqué on the bum, I love that it looks like a complete outfit with the total ease of a bodysuit.  Well done, Carter's.  Well done.

now and again

July 26, 2011

April 27, 2011

It's rare that we post a repeat outfit, but I thought it would be fun to see side-by-sides of Lil in the same dress from three months ago.  This dress, from two owls, is made to fit a baby between six and twelve months, but the first time she wore it, Lil was a wee three-month-old! She still looks about as cute in it as ever.  And look at all that hair!

OH-m!

So much has changed since then, like the difficulty involved in getting a good picture of Lil wiggler.  She rarely sits still anymore, and would much rather be scuttling around on her tummy than laying on her back, gazing lovingly at Mama's face (or her camera).  At least this little organic dress makes her appear serene. 

zen bubble

shoe hungry

Look who dreams of shoes... as food...

rugby bugby

is there an 'unnecessary roughness' call in rugby?

Lil's rugby stripes compliment her first baby injuries quite nicely.  Perhaps that shiner came from a rough match instead of toppling onto a toy?  Did she scratch herself, or get in a scuffle on the field?  Don't know for sure, but this outfit makes her look a little tougher and less clumsy, even with the flower headband.

stiff upper lip

weekend update #5- still HOT

Unbelievable.  Three days over 100 degrees, an entire week above 90, and we were forced to limit our adventures to the living room.  We are not used to limiting our activities, so we had to be a little creative yet keep it simple at the same time.  Too much and we're subject to overheating and exhaustion.  Lil managed to stay perfectly comfortable in a simple tank bodysuit on Saturday, but on Sunday she donned a new lavender dress from Baby Gap.  She still has the same style in rose pink, which is one size smaller.  Hard to believe little Lil is already comfy in her 12 month dresses!

HOT part 2

We had to go out today.  This was Lil's last day of Starfish level swimming classes.  She wore a new swimsuit, which seemed to spark some Esther Williams quality in Lil.  Our bathing beauty was calm and graceful in the pool, even taking a couple of big solo swims.

princess mermaid

The afternoon became "clothing optional."  Instead of covering the baby, we covered the living room in sheets. It seemed to work for Lil.

blending in with her surroundings

HOT part 1

a Star Wars band-aid on her right thigh is the only accessory donned today.

Con Ed asked us to conserve energy in this heat wave.  At temperatures over 100, that means no tv, no computer, no laundry, and no walks.  Additionally, that means it's very hard to get dressed.  Babies are very sensitive to heat, and avoiding heat rash (which doesn't seem to bother Lil at all) is next to impossible.  Just like grown-up fashion at the height of summer, baby wear also needs to be lightweight, comfortable, tasteful, and above all, adorable.

This little bodysuit is from Ralph Lauren.  The polo collar and ruffle detail mean that Lil doesn't need  to wear much else to pull of her signature style.  A wide brim hat, perhaps, if we had ventured out.  And a long, cool glass of lemonade.

gingham thingham

I don't know if there is anything more classic that gingham on a baby in the summertime.  Maybe a baby dressed in gingham going to pick up her farm fresh veggies?  I look at Lil in this dress, and I think of the country, and green grass, and shade trees, and dandelions.  And kittens. 

Can't imagine why.

Lil Update:  As of today, Lil is 6 months, 4 days old.  She is 27 1/4" tall, and weighs 14 pounds, 14 ounces.  Her head has had it's own growth spurt, jumping into the 70th percentile from the 50th two months ago.

dot matrix

the never-ending ellipses

I envisioned spending sunny summer days in the park, photographing Lil's adorable outfits on a hand woven, organic picnic blanket surrounded by soft green grass.  But here we are, mid-July, and it's nearly too hot to venture out of doors at all.  So hand woven picnic blanket will be replaced by frayed old quilt, and soft green grass will be replaced by tattered gray carpet.  I can't tell if Lil minds much.  These days, as long as she can scoot around she's happy, which is why Babylegs have become a necessity even on hot days.  This morning I noticed a rug burn on her left elbow, so all her crawling limbs are now protected.  I am glad I hung onto some of those newborn styles.  They fit her little arms perfectly.

squirmy powers activated!

giddy-yap? nah, I don't think so.

reading rainbow

Look Cat! This book is about me and you.

In a bold tropical print, Lil picked up a new book called "My Friends," by Taro Gomi, and proceeded to share it with her friend, the Cat.

See, here is this little girl, and her friend the Cat.

From page 1: "I learned to walk from my friend the cat."

do you need a paci?

 Since she just learned to crawl yesterday, maybe the Cat will do Mama a favor and keep the lessons to a minimum.

do the locomotion

Sunday was your typical weekend day.  Lounging around in our skivvies, watching Iron Man competitions on the tv, chewing on the good 'ol music cube.

And then this happened:

Baby gates will be installed the day after tomorrow.

half year

I don't know how many pictures most parents take of their babies on their half birthday.  One or two would seem adequate.  

I took two hundred and ten.

hey, hey, the gang's all here

is there cake?

are those for me?

oh Paddington, I now know what Mama has seen in you for all these years

party doll

gone swimmin'

I never can figure out how to dress Lil for swim class.  She can't wear her swim dipe to the pool, it would defeat the purpose.  Plus it's early in the morning and a tad chilly, but warm by the time we head home.  This morning I just grabbed whatever was closest- her lipstick pink modal cotton hoodie, a leopard print diaper, and a pair of argyle Babylegs.  One of the mamas at swim class complemented her look and said, "you've got to get a picture of that one!"

Ohhh, if she only knew.

ready for the pool?

from the vacation archives

When I realized these photos were missing from the vacation reel, I was going to reshoot Lil in the jellyfish pj's from Sozo (another Zulilly score) today.  But I forgot to photograph before her banana rice smoothie.  So.... today's pics are from the vault.

from sleepy time to lounge wear

It's always hard to figure out what a baby should wear to sleep on hot summer nights.  A diaper and a bodysuit would be fine, except a bodysuit won't snap over her fluffy nighttime diaper.  So why not just let her sleep in a dipe?  Babies sweat a lot.  And it's much easier to change a set of pj's than a fitted crib sheet.  That leaves a couple lightweight sleep sacks, and some short-sleeved sets like this one.  The best thing about the jellyfish motif- the bubbles glow in the dark.

like Nemo's drop-off

For an added bonus, here's Lil on a rainy day at the beach, stretched out on a picnic blanket with a few toys, just rolling around on the floor.  Her little fish capris and A-line tunic are a new addition from Grandma, perfectly timed since Mama didn't pack any indoor play clothes.

a sunny yellow picnic blanket brightens up a gray day at the beach

the blanket happens to be as old as Papa!