powder blue with polka dots (a hodgepodge)

Friday, December 12, 2014

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Before this coat, I was a neutral coat kind of girl. I bought a coat that would go with everything. My coats were always gray or black. That was it. It wasn't the coat's job to put on a show! It needed to match a lot of stuff and keep me warm, that's it!

Then I met this ruffly beauty, and my world view changed. Okay, maybe not my world view, but my coat view. I no longer thought the coat needed to be a muted neutral. Oh no! Sometimes all you ever see is the coat! Let your coat have something to say!

What does my coat say? Well, it says "I am a coat. I am very red and very orange. I am reddish-orange, and I am ruffly. My owner is looking fabulous thanks in large part to me. You are welcome, owner. You are welcome." To which I say, thanks coat. Thanks.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

My new thing

I bought this gray sweater at a thrift store when I was visiting my little sister years ago in Santa Barbara, California. Like everything else in California, its thrift stores were more expensive than our North Carolina thrift stores, but I thought this gray short-sleeved sweater was worth the cost (which was probably still under $10).

I liked the neckline, and it's gray, which is Robert's favorite color on me (weird, I think, but true). So I wore my gray sweater and my black maxi-skirt and my moccasins to hang out with my baby and husband.

Sidenote: These shoes make me think of that "Thrift Store" lyric "Passing up on those moccasins/ someone else has been walking in them" because they are moccasins and someone else has walked in them. Whatever. They're cute. I wasn't going to pass them up.

Blue bangle: Also second hand. I wear bangles now. It's a thing. Okay, now let's look at my precious baby's face. In this picture, my baby is about to seriously spit up. Pre-spitting up he looks pensive and thoughtful, like he's pondering the difficulties of life.

Post spit up, he's all like "Hey guys! Wanna play?!" Also let us take a minute to admire his second-hand playsuit situation, which has an adorable three-toothed monster on it. I think monsters are my new thing. And since they're my new thing, they're Thomas's new thing. That's just the way it works, kid.

Sunday, December 7, 2014

A tale of two babies

First up: I bought some shirts from Out of Print with my first back-to-work paycheck because I have been wanting them forever. I bought "A Wrinkle in Time" because it's a great book, and it's one my students read. I plan to wear my book T-shirts to work, and Robert told me I'm "a hair's breath away from becoming Ms. Frizzle." (Becoming Ms. Frizzle is my ultimate dream.)

Second up: Remember how I moaned and moaned about how my favorite boots no longer fit because my feet grew during pregnancy? Well I followed the advice of you guys, and did not get rid of them, and they fit! Most of my old shoes still don't (and I did donate a lot of them that were too small), but these are back, baby!

So I wore my old favorite boots and my new literacy teacher shirt out to a mall to visit with my friend Sherrie. I hate malls, but I love Sherrie, and it was rainy, and I'm not sure where else to go with two babies in the rain, so mall it was! Plus, I thought I might do some Christmas shopping, which I did not end up doing.

Sherrie lives in Illinois so it's big news whenever she's in town. This was her first time meeting Thomas and Thomas and Sabria's first time meeting each other. (Sabria and I, on the other hand, totally old friends.)

It was really lovely to hang out and have our babies stare at each other. It was also nice to catch up between being distracted by our babies' needs! How's your job? (Insert baby paci into cranky baby mouth.) How's the husband? (Shake toy at baby. Give baby the toy.) Love your hair! (Feed baby. Burp baby.) And so on.

Friday, December 5, 2014

Unapproved action

So... motherhood is interesting and not what I expected, and I think the best thing I can do for my baby/myself is just roll with it, live in the present and accept life as it is. For example: Once upon a time, I thought I wouldn't let Thomas have sugar until his first birthday, maybe his second.

But then his great-grandmother gave him a bite of banana pudding (without permission, people!), and so his second food was banana pudding (first food: peas). Not what I had planned.

And while it was not planned, I found it to be hilarious. We are back on a baby-appropriate diet now. He's tried peas and rice cereal mixed with formula. It's a terribly exciting time. (Also terribly exciting: my bobbed haircut. I don't know why I didn't cut my hair sooner for serious. I may never grow it out ever again.)

So, yes, out of the very few foods Thomas has tried, banana pudding was his favorite. Look at that little grin! (No sugar again until his first birthday! Or maybe his second! Allegedly! So I claim!)

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Style Icon: Joanne Woodward

This post is ostensibly about Joanne Woodward's fabulous '60s style, but really, it's an excuse for me to post photos of my favorite Hollywood couple of all time. Oh Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, you two were the cutest.

They seem so happy and domestic together. They love their children and pet their dogs and read newspapers and eat breakfast together. And they stayed together until death did them part (Paul's, Joanne is still around and still looking fab).