bed, bath and beyond

bath toys, level one

Lil takes to bath time as if it's another dip in the pool.  Even though the water isn't as deep, and the kick-kick-kicking isn't nearly as splash producing, she still has a pretty good time.  Mama makes sure there's always a few toys floating around, a rubber duck here, a squirty sea creature there.  To keep Lil smelling sweet, Mama adds a bit of Baby Bee Buttermilk Bath Soak to the water, which not only smells like lovely heavenly baby, it also keeps her skin supple and soft (it doesn't hurt to add a little to Mama's bath time, either).  The only problem is that it is so hard to find in local stores- even online- that Mama is trying her best to hoard what she does find! So if you live here in the City, and you happen to see some of this at your local natural apothecary (or bodega), please comment below with the address! We will visit any of the five boroughs anywhere in Brooklyn or Manhattan to find this stuff.  It's like aromatherapy for Mama and Baby, especially after a long day of Lil action!

the spa at chez lil

Once Lil is all clean and the bath water is sufficiently splashed out of the tub, it can only mean one thing: Pajama Time.

look who's set to "pajama-dee-bop!"

There is a song and, on occasion, a little dance that must accompany Pajama Time lest Lil melts down into a pile of cranky.  On a good night, she gets a little chamomile and lavender oil baby massage, and some  poudre de miel in her GroVia diaper.  On a not-so-good night, she still gets the powder, but too much kicking Mama in the face can result in a loss of her spa privileges.  I know, I know... Poor Lil.

capturing Lil

Lil, in captivity

Oh Lil watchers, you have been very patient.  We promise this post is well worth the wait! This weekend was full of ups and downs, mostly ups for Lil, and downs for Mama.  (Don't worry, just a little under the weather, that's all.)  Mama had a mission to get some good pics of Lil's remarkable new teeth- the vampire fangs she's apparently sprouted in time for Halloween.  It was quite a challenge getting the right smile at the right angle with enough lighting.  Any wildlife photographer will tell you all the perseverance pays off when you get that one shot at the end.  Once she was in her leopard print romper (with kitten-eared hood) Lil bared her fangs for the camera.  Mama was very still, so as not to spook the critter, and just as the sun peeked through the clouds, Lil's lips parted and the shutter clicked at the right moment! 

All of the photos that led up to that perfect shot should not be overlooked.  So here is the collection of the weekend's best Lil pics.  Check out the captions to see what she was up to at the time.

morning nap. She fell asleep while trying to escape

wakey wakey, Lil! saturday morning means cartoons!

• • •

getting ready for swim class on a bright sunday morning

practicing her wave with a sweet smile

• • •

the elusive baby leopard approaches her mother...

Lil carnivore!

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!

pajama time

Lil's first two-piece pajama set comes courtesy of cousin Josie. So now Lil can...

"Pull on the bottoms.  Put on the top." and  "Get [her]self set to pajama-dee-bop!"

- Pajama Time, by Sandra Boynton

And see?  Another food motif!

a good morning

There was no opportunity to get Lil styled and dressed before she started with the face and the poses this morning.  After originally waking at 5am and still in her jammies, Lil graced us with smiles and even a bit of peek-a-boo.

The young miss then proceeded to roll over, and continued to shine with the sweetness and light of a truly happy baby.  Rather than try to recreate this perfect moment with appropriate attire, I decided to share it with you au natural.  Technically this is a new outfit.  Yes, she has been seen in this tee, and I know she's been photographed in those bottoms, but you have never seen them together.  And the fuzzy yellow blanket completes the pastel triumvirate.

Perfectly baby.

mid-peek-a-boo

discovering the world right-way up

a case of the mondays

What a miserable Monday for Lil! It's cold and rainy, grand-mary left, and we've got a little road trip hangover.  Worst of all, poor Lil has a mama who insists on making this a pajama day. Good thing she has plenty of animal friends, like her Sleep Sheep, and a Karen Katz book called Counting Kisses ensures her cuddles are at least educational.
See, pajama days aren't necessarily all bad.

power tulle

buttercup

Lil enjoyed her first day home with few major happenings... except the arrival of her gran-mary.  Adding in her belated 4-month birthday, we needed something special for today's pictures.  We feel pretty lousy having missed three days! To be honest, being on the road with a baby is hard enough, packing for spills, spit-ups, accidents, cold rainy Upstate New York weather, and something a little extra for our blog was a bit too much, and the new-to-you outfits I did pack were too unseasonable for Lil to wear.  Anyway, we have something extra adorable today.

pop culture

Lil was cooperative enough to don a tutu-inspired bodysuit and these gorgeous pink ballet-shoe tights.  Her tolerance for tutus is not so great, so having it attached to a onesie is much more comfortable for her.

sweet dreamsacks

She had a costume change before her afternoon nap, and her second look is part nautical, part pajama-inspired.  The top and bottom are from a company called Yala that created a line of pajamas called DreamSacks for adults and children.  They're made from viscose bamboo, and as if my Lil wasn't cuddly enough, well, I didn't want to put her down. I'm pretty sure she liked them too.  Check out that smile!
 

(thanks to Jojo for the sweet jammies!)

foots and legs

                                      "Tell me, O Octopus, I begs,
                                        Is those things arms or is they legs?
                                        I marvel at thee, Octopus;
                                        If I were thou, I'd call me Us."
                                                                                     

                                                                                      The Octopus, by Ogden Nash