oshkosh ohmigosh

oh, is it Christmas already?

Recently I decided that every baby must have a pair of Oshkosh B'Gosh overalls. What I didn't realize is that Oshkosh does so much more than plain old overalls, especially when it comes to girls. My favorite item in Lil's 12-month stash has got to be this corduroy jumper. It's playful, it's festive... it's just about the cutest thing that's covered her butt in a minute. And look-a here, it even looks a lot like a Christmas outfit! How perfect is that?

cuteness abounds with folksy footwear

Even though today was the shortest day of the year, we managed to get the perfect amount of sunlight in the living room. Just enough to get that extra bit of sparkle from those baby blues. Golly gosh, isn't she something?

like a baby one minute...

....and a little girl the next

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

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.

daisy, daisy...

 "... give me your answer, do. I'm have crazy all for the love of you."

Pink. Florals. Peter Pan collar. Everything I like least in babywear.  But on Lil, it all looks so sweet together.  Just this once I was powerless to resist.

 

I was hoping for some pictures outside in the park today, but this outfit got slimed about five minutes after this photo was taken.  We had to revert to this previously seen dress instead.

double header

We actually had two different outfits today. The first one is a red and yellow daisy set that we inherited from Lia which Lil is about to outgrow in about five minutes.  Unfortunately I couldn't get a good shot of the bum, which has a big flower applique matching the onesie. That, plus the scallop-edging on the pants, really makes this a special little outfit.

Lil ended up changing clothes a couple times before we made it out of the house.  It was a strange day- kind of humid, kind of cool, and quite a bit of crankiness.  When I finally had her ready to go, she didn't want to ride in the stroller.  I carried her in a wrap which just happened to match the little flutter -sleeve crochet dress she wore. When I unwrapped her once we returned home, I couldn't help but snap a few photos.  Since both outfits (and both Lils) are so sweet, I thought I would share both looks.  It's important to remember that between all the fussing and fighting there are these perfect, serene moments that I can share with the world.  (We'll leave the crankiness for Mama and Papa.)

 

        

miss peep

lil bunny

Lil's first Easter was some kind of wonderful.  Her day started with a beautiful basket of baby goodies- a fuzzy bunny, Vulli teether, new BabyLegs (I couldn't help myself), and several beautiful books to add to the collection.  Her grandparents arrived with baskets upon baskets of good things, including a rack of lamb with mint sauce, spring veggies, and two desserts (that was just dinner- Grandma also made brunch!), and a few little gifts for miss Lil.  Such special people deserve a special outfit, and since this lovely little babe was so happy and well rested, she was willing to play dress-up.

If you are thinking you've seen this dress before, you are half correct.  On April 16 she wore the same outfit- but with pink flowers instead of the yellow flowers on today's dress.  Also she didn't have the matching bunny ears. It's actually a fluke- the two dresses came from two different people at different times, but I don't mind.  It's a stunning little number.

It was a beautiful Easter Sunday, and we were happy to spend it at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.  Even though the Cherry Blossoms weren't quite in bloom, it was still a beautiful place to spend Lil's first sleeveless afternoon.

my flower face

birthday bash

Today Lil went to her first kid's birthday party.  While she was much too small to socialize with the other children, she was big enough to impress the adults with this frilly frock.  She was just as juicy as her raspberry sweater, but even sweeter.  Whenever we're out, Lil seems to transform into this little fairy princess with the ability to make everyone fall in love with her.  And here I thought it was just me...

on her best behavior

so excited for party time!

delicious birthday spread

Even in all her cuteness, Lil did not distract from the main attraction.  Birthday girl Lia sparkled in her Brazilian party dress, and there were several little boys trailing after her the entire time.  I am sure this is something Lia will be getting used to as she gets older, though I don't think her papa will ever get used to it.

All of the attention did Lil some good, and she was all ready for pajama time as soon as we got home.  I also learned some very important lessons for Lil's future birthday parties: have plenty of juice boxes, plenty of good wine, and avoid any kind of time table.  The gifts will get opened and the cake will be consumed, as they say- all in good time!

birthday girl Lia turns 2!

partied till she dropped

three months!

Every baby gets dressed up special on their birthday, but Lil gets a special outfit and pictures practically every day.  On her anni-birth-ary I wanted one of those pretty benchmark photos, like one that you'd put in the baby book (if I had a baby book).

In honor of her one-quarter birthday, spring, and next week's Easter celebrations Lil is sporting a lovely pleated cotton dress with matching pleated bonnet (thank you, Miss Mary).  If you're curious why we're not saving this perfect little frock for Easter Sunday, it's because we also received the same outfit in yellow!

happy quarter birthday, my little one!

vintage-inspired, or just old-fashioned?

I am surprised they still make baby clothes with the Peter Pan collar.  I first encountered it on a few of Lil's hand-me-downs, and I just figured those were items from several years ago.  But as I was shopping some trendy baby shops I noticed girls' and boys' layette still featured this frivolous, dated style.  I know that every so often designers will show the Peter Pan in women's wear, and when they do I ridicule it and make jokes about Popeye's Olive Oil.  On baby wear, I usually have a different reaction: I flashback to the days before Polio vaccinations, when it was preferred that children be seen and not heard.  

Alright, that may be taking it too far.  Instead I'll say that this look is vintage-inspired, it's classic baby girl fashion.  The soft pink rosebuds are really sweet with the drop waist, and I can't deny that the Peter Pan is not just darling, it really is the perfect detail for a simple silhouette.  And besides, it functions like a mini bib!

I won't grow up

She did look pretty sweet, even walking around the hipster capital.  We were hanging out at the coffee shop sippin' iced coffee, and all those cool chicks took one look at Lil and started to coo.  It just goes to show that classic baby is a sure thing, no matter the crowd.

dress by Ralph Lauren

Every infant's favorite friend, Sophie Giraffe!

even lil gets the blues

So, our day started out with big beautiful smiles in a fuzzy floral sleeping gown...

goodmorning, sunshine

 Apparently, Lil's mood grew funkier as her clothing grew less fuzzy.  All this woe called for  minimum clothing.  All Lil felt like wearing was a tee and a diaper.  And even though the rain stayed away, and we had the first warm day in weeks, my little person and I stayed in. 

Who could possibly forget about you?

someone needs a "lillaby"

Lil rocked, swung, and hollered.  She was bounced, held, shushed, fed, massaged, changed, and sung to, until finally we both got what we wanted...

Let's hope tomorrow my little fashionista will feel like sporting a new spring look!

ramble on rose-y

Lil's out while we're out

On a bright and sunny Sunday, there are countless places for us to go.  In our corner of the Williamsburg/ Bushwick/ Greenpoint triangle the choices are few, so we strolled all the way to Roebling and Grand Streets, down to the heart of hipster-dominated Williamsburg.  It was nice to get out of our hoody 'hood. The further west we traveled, the more strollers we saw,  and the more we assimilated.  Finding a brunch spot in the late afternoon was tricky, but not impossible.  Unfortunately, our former favorite restaurant presented an obstacle in the form of a high staircase at the entrance.  While not insurmountable, it would certainly be a pain in the arse with Lil and her stroller.  Finally we came to a stroller (and wheelchair) -friendly spot called Fiore.  Papa and I dined on scrambled eggs, biscuits, sausage gravy, and mimosas, while Lil... well, Lil decided this place was snooze-worthy.

Flower girl

Of course Lil got dressed up for the outing, even though she stayed snuggled in her polar fleece bunting.  I chose a rosy floral look for this beautiful spring day.  The vibrant fuchsia and bright florals are like a bouquet of springtime blooms. So colorful, and so lovely!  I don't need flowers, though- my arms are always filled with this rosy little bundle.