wedding crasher

"All the single ladies? That's me!!"

This past weekend Mama, Papa, and Lil headed to Cooperstown, NY for a very special wedding. Without going into too many details, it's fair to say that next to the bride and groom, Lil had more fun than anyone. She literally danced the night away, staying up hours past bedtime and coercing boys to dance with her. I had to drag her off the dance floor when it was time to go home!

Sweet Lil made friends with everyone she met, but her best "budday" was Ethan, the 3-year-old son of Mama's childhood playmate known as Little Vic, and Mama's good friend Chelsea from middle school. It was some kind of special watching our kids play together. I wonder if these two will ever hear stories that start out, "When your mom and dad were little kids..." and end with, "... so we washed their hands with dishwasher detergent," and include pictures of shared baths and dirty faces, birthday parties and dance recitals (yes, someone's daddy did a year of ballet, and yes, those pictures still exist. [insert bribe here]). I know you can't force two kids to be friends, but when you see these two together, it seems destined.

(also a big thanks to Papa for gathering all the footage while Mama was busy being the pregnant, hungry bridesmaid.)

Guess who filled Lil's dance card.

i want to be with you... on new year's day

Leo spots Lil across the crowded room...

It may be possible that I have concocted a little love interest for Lil among the group we hang out with. I admit it's a bit pathetic, even creepy. But with every last soap opera gone off the air, what was I supposed to do? 

... their eyes meet...

Anyway. A young man named Leo first appeared on the blog back in September, when Lil "borrowed" his had on a windy day at the waterfront. (So chivalrous!) New Year's Day, was Leo's first birthday, and his family threw a little party for him. Lil was eager to attend, but not wanting to seem like she was trying too hard, she opted for some pink pants with her fancy Nicole Miller tunic, and a pair of metallic mary janes. Since Lil was the first girl to arrive, it was hard for anyone to keep their eyes off her. Especially Mr. Birthday Boy (yeah, sure).

but it's just too crowded.

Leo was looking pretty dapper in his airplane print Oshkosh overalls and old man cardigan. If anything will get Lil's attention, it's a nice pair of Oshkosh.

Happy birthday, lucky Leo!

another One

party baby... but where's the birthday girl?

boogie babies Evelyn, Ariel, and Ethan (front to back)

Tis the season for baby birthdays! This month Lil has celebrated firsts with several friends, and we've had plenty of fun and good food. And there will be more birthdays in the coming weeks. There's even one tomorrow, but with Lil under the weather, it may have to be her first "will not attend."

Today is Sully's 1st birthday!

§  §  §  §  §  §  §  §

Poor Lil! A week-long cold and fever festered into an ear infection. It's been a lot like having a tiny baby again. She just wants to sleep, be held, and drink as much milk as possible. I just wish she could still fit in those sweet little sleep n' play outfits that she used to look so snuggly in. One of my favorites easily converted to a gown just by snapping it differently. It was pink with little gray princess crowns, and it was made of a fleece-lined cotton knit and felt so nice against her skin. Now though, she'd just assume undo all those snaps and run around naked. She's much slower with a fever and infection- closer to "sleep" than "play." Reminds me of the old days...

just 2 weeks old.

happily Everett after

It is definitely November.  Leaves are down, wind is whippy, and scarves are wrapped around necks. That doesn't mean we are finished with late afternoons in McCarren park though. We layered up and headed out, strolled down the Ave in the sun. The combination of brisk, fresh air and warm sunlight lulled Lil to sleep, so I kept walking. We arrived at the park with the time to spare before our playdate, so I took the opportunity to capture a few priceless sleeping baby photos.

That gorgeous hat was crocheted by our friend Melanie at Crayon Jungle. She helped us choose a beautiful cotton yarn, and Lil now has a one-of-a-kind creation! Thank you so much, Melanie!!

sampling a homemade shaker

When our friends Kelley and Everett arrived, we took to the grass and let the babes have at it.  We first met Everett when he was just a wee thing, and now he's such a little man!  This afternoon he was looking quite lovable with a fuzzy monkey hat and a chunky zip-up sweater. Perfect combination of little man and cuddly baby.

Everett tastes nature

With her batteries recharged, Lil set to work exploring Everett's toys, while Everett was off exploring dead leaves (with his mouth). The babes did come face to face at some point, but were most interested in the world around them. No matter. The longer Lil shows no interest in boys, the happier her papa will be.

what have you got there, little Lil?

After a little while, some more friends showed up, and soon we had a baby pile-up on our hands. Little Sully was very fond of Lil's hat, and Lil was very fond of crawling away as fast as she could! Poor little Lil ended up in tears –a little too cold, a little bumped, and plenty worn out. We strolled home as the sun began to set over Williamsburg, a little chilly, but thankful we found such a great group of mamas and babes in our 'hood.

right here in Brooklyn, the place where we dwell

happy birthday Liam and Charlie!

Liam & Charlie, pictured here at 5 months adjusted.

Our favorite twins turn one today!! Happy birthday to our Canadian friends, Charlie and Liam. What a year they've had. Born prematurely and weighing less than 6 pounds combined, it took 70 days to get these guys home to their mama and papa. But now they're big, strong, rollicking lads whose combined weight equals that of a kindergartner! Like Lil, they love plaid, argyle, and chasing the cat. I've got a feeling life's got something special in store for these guys. We look forward to following all their big adventures!

Congratulations to Mama and Papa, too! You've done some fine work.

heaps of cute

It was a little brisk for the park, but our babies are pretty resilient here in Williamsburg.  Plus, they're very well-dressed by their mamas.  Today Lil was sporting an old sweater dress, which at this stage fits more like a sweater, and a pair of suede booties from Robeez.  Her knit polar bear cap topped the ensemble with a touch of warmth.

Lil and Evan, right

it's Miss Ivy!

Lil's buddies, Ivy and Evan, met us at the park, and the cooler temps charged these babies' batteries.  They were off and about, crawling and cruising all over the place.  Occasionally, there were some baby pile-ups, collisions, and well-intentioned mishaps, but all in all our wee ones has a wonderful time together.

With their little jackets, jumpers, hats and booties, these little people are not just ready for the temperatures, they look ready for a fashion spread in baby Vogue (does that even exist yet? No? Well call Anna Wintour and tell her the first feature is ready to print! Whatever is she waiting for?)!

wrap party

Ava's snack pod catches Lil's fancy.

To celebrate International Babywearing Week, Lil and I went down to Caribou Baby on Friday for a workshop on advanced wrapping techniques.  The mamas all got to check out some new ways to wear our growing babies, and the babies got to check out each other.  Lil bumped into some of her pals, like Ava, who looked comfy in her leggings and boyfriend-style v-neck cardigan. Lil was a little too squirmy to wrap up in her carrier, so she just crawled around the room in those Nicole Miller giraffe-print leggings. Giraffe is slimming, which is important when wearing pound-packing cloth diapers. It must be the only print that doesn't enhance that fluffy bottom.

summer revival

Lil Bee in her Bee top

Columbus Day is good for lots of things, like parades, sales, no mail delivery.  But this Columbus Day was perfect for sitting on a blanket in the park, surrounded by babies in their last summer outfits.  Lil finally got to wear a signature Bee outfit her grandma J purchased way back when she was a 3-month-old.  Lil almost went through the entire summer without fitting into it, but the warm day was perfect for this set.  A happy bee is always a nice thing to have on your belly, especially when new teeth has you somewhat cranky after hours.

Lil's friend Ivy was looking quite beach-y in her matching hat and diaper cover.  Miss Ivy was quite curious about Mama's camera, Lil's toy, a snack, and a blade of grass.  Good thing for Mama little Ivy is also quite friendly, otherwise we would've missed these great shots...

who else could match their hat to their underpants?

hello there, Miss Ivy

the skinny on lil

Old Navy skinny embellished jeans, size 6-12 mos.

I used to say, "who the f*!k thought of making skinny jeans for babies!? what kind of sick, perverted idea is that!?"

baby's got back

That was before Lil fit into a pair of embellished jeans I received at our baby shower. Man.  They're not just cute. They are beyond cute. Paired with black ballet flats, they actually give Lil that "heyyyy girrrl" attitude.  How is a Mama to resist?  So not fair.

8 months old... yaaay!

Fall made it's first appearance this week, so Lil tried out her first pair of baby jeggings (jean-leggings, if you didn't know). GranMary was always a fan of jeggings- all the style and none of the bunching.  We met up with the other mamas and babes at the waterfront in Williamsburg, and Lil was let loose to wiggle those fluffy curves with all her friends.  It was a breezy day, but Lil stayed plenty warm in her fuzzy sweater and a merino wool long-sleeve shirt. Worn close to her soft skin, this baby wool thermal will keep her warm under all her fall fashions.

Lil borrows Leo's hat

Lil flirt?

Leo makes his move

all quiet on the eastern (williamsburg) front

Right when it looked like Everyday Lil was back in full swing, technical difficulties caused another break in Lil coverage. Although Time Warner failed to provide internet service, and Mama's smart phone experienced a drool-related systems failure, it doesn't mean that the Lil miss wasn't photographed extensively over the last few days. And now that we're back, here's a full rundown of Lil and her early Fall cuteness.

On Friday, Lil met up with her buddies at Agnes' house.  It's great to have a backyard to roll around in, grass to pick at, even some stones to throw.  Even though Lil was plenty busy exploring her surroundings, she still took time to socialize.

Lil's friends, Ava Mae (with Lil, top), Agnes, and Evan. Benjamin Bunny was rolling around somewhere!

On Friday, Lil wore a special dress she got from her cousin Josie in honor of GranMary's birthday. We don't know for sure, but we suspect that GranMary gave this dress to cousin Jos when she was a wee thing.  Maybe Lil was dressed for a party rather than a romp in the grass, but the pastel tulips looked lovely on the lawn.

On Saturday, Lil went out with Mama and Papa and her Grumpa Mike to the biggest Babies R Us ever, someplace in East New York.  It's amazing what you can accomplish with an automobile.  This was not a fun shopping spree, rather it was high time for baby-proofing. This task is not easily accomplished in our household.  Baby hazards are everywhere, and as Lil becomes more mobile- guess who pulled herself up to standing that very morning- Mama and Papa must be all the more vigilant, lest more gadgets fall victim to baby slobber.

special bonus footage!

Sunday was a quiet day, one that normally features Lil's swim class.  This Sunday Lil woke up with a sneeze, a cough, and a face full of snot.  Mama discovered a low-grade fever, and decided it was best to miss class.  Lil didn't seem to mind, she just cuddled up and took a little nap, Papa was the one who began to pout.  With our extended visit Upstate, Lil missed a total of 3 classes in August! Let's hope she's still a little fish when she gets back in the water.

stay-dry play time

Later, we took a stroll to Tuffet with our friend, and Lil got lots of attention, and snacked on some nectarines.  A low-key weekend filled with lots of love, and little excitement.

Just the way mama likes it.

master of puppets

the lights, the sounds- the theater!

To celebrate our 150th blog post (and because it was mentioned by the other mamas in our group), Lil & Mama dropped in on a Puppetonia puppet show at the Brick Theater.  Lil was captivated by the lights, the sounds, the and the soft plushy faces of the theater.  Best of all, we had floor seats.

ohhh, other babies...

The show only lasted 30 minutes, but they were 30 action-packed minutes featuring teddy bears, a pirate, and bubbles! Lil made good use of her new found clapping ability, but it's possible she was more interested in the other babies.  We saw a whole bunch of her friends, including 2 out of 3 of the "E" boys (Everett and Evan), Chloe, and that darling Leo in his plaid romper.

Leo: captivated by puppets, captivating in plaid

Baby puppet show or not, Lil was dressed for a Broadway matinee (or better).  This little capped sleeve dress with smocking can take her from the playground to a tea party, but with a pair of black leather ballet slippers she's ready for dinner and a show.

They say the moves make the man, but Lil knows the shoes make the outfit.

happy 150th blog post, lil Lil!

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:

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?