Throwback Thursday #9: The Draw of Marvel

There are several reasons I know my husband will be fond of this particular Throwback Thursday.

First: He's a parent.  We all turn into goo when we see pictures of our kids when they were tiny. #truth

Second: I remember him talking for weeks before finally searching the depths of the internet to find the perfect version of this "outfit".
And, after seeing it again, I bet he says something like "AWWW MAAAAN! That's it, I am finding another one in her (current) size."

Third: Marvel. Need I say more? With Civil War coming out in ONE WEEK (eeee!), our minds have been on Marvel! And OG has always been a little super hero in her own right, so it just makes sense.

Fourth: The surprise video at the end. Spoilers.


So, without further ado, may I present our little Captain Marvel:

Those eyes. Those chubby legs/arms/cheeks.  I love her so much and can't believe how much she's grown!

Then, 2 days after this picture was taken (thanks Ms. J!), our little OG decided that sitting idly by was not enough for her anymore. She decided to "spring" into action and try to crawl.
Her sidekick in that adventure?
Spider-man.
(and Auntie C, a bag of wipes and a coupon mailer, but shhhh...those don't fit the theme of Marvel!)

Beware of  the "feels"...

You have been a strong, intelligent, funny and beautiful lady since day one, my sweet OG. <3

Space Tank!

Happy Thursday, reader(s)! Yes, the title of this post sound like an awesome B-movie about war in outer space with a lot of green screen (can someone make that, please?  I'll take a writer's credit), but it is not. However, it IS about the worlds most awesome tank top, which is still pretty exciting, right?!
SPACE TANK!

On Monday, Ms. OG, Planetary Explorer, wore:
-Purple solar system tank top with braided racer-back (Target)
-Mint board shorts (also Target)
-Pink polka-dot Mary Jane sneakers (hand-'em-down)
-Pink flower barrette (because her bangs are becoming ridiculous but, as a stylist, I can't bring myself to have her "first haircut" be just a small bang trim. Right? No? I'm probably just being silly, but it just doesn't seem right. It should be more memorable. It should give her hair shape. Then again, if she can't see because she's blinded by rogue bangs...ugh.)

Anyhow...
it was a bit chilly in the morning, so this photo includes a cardigan (and Mickey, and Lucy...)

However, this is the outfit as it was meant to be seen/worn/experienced:

Is this what Tyra means by "smize"? I probably didn't spell that correctly.

Ok, maybe without a bottle covering most of it.

Let's try again:

Action OG: ready, set and GO!

Farts. Too blurry. This girl loves to move, that's for sure! Look at those biceps!

Anyhow, you get the idea. It's spectacular. I would wear it in a heartbeat if it came in my size!

A Weekend with Friends

With the "Peck Trauma 2016" firmly behind us, we decided to meet up with some of our non-stuffed friends over the weekend.

First, a late lunch/early dinner on Saturday with Miss Abby which ended in an impromptu dance party and a ride on the Hot Dog Truck. You know, how all good lunches dinners linners should end!

Ms. OG was wearing:
-Gauze bird dress with front pleat (purchased at Gabe's but originally from Old Navy)
-Black bow leggins (another offering from Charlie Rue's closet)
-Sparkly jelly sandals (again)

Dance party with OG's fashion inspiration, Miss Abby!

Model pose.

After the sweet dance party, OG came across a mini play land and proceeded to LOVE IT:

WHERE. IS. THIS. THING. GOING. (aka: the best facial expression in the world)

The Hot Dog Truck was by far her favorite.

We ended our long day of dancing and playing by checking out dada's new scooter. She ups the cuteness factor of this Ruckus 100% (although, ehem minestilllooksbetter, ehem)...

She doesn't even need to add foot pegs! ;)

**This was a closely monitored situation.  Toddlers, please do NOT try this on your own!**

On Sunday Ms. OG and I paid a visit to our pals, Team M! Unfortunately I didn't get many pictures, but OG had her first experience with sidewalk chalk ("YOU CAN DRAW ON THE FLOOR?!") and Dance Dance Revolution.  Both of which I did manage to capture. You're welcome.

OG was wearing:
-Yellow "Berry Cool" tee with chalk marks
-Lime pants with chalk handsmears all over them
-Socks with dirt and chalk covered bottoms

OG going crazy, dancing to DDR with Ms. Syd:

Dedi McStuffins to the Rescue!

Hello, dear reader(s)! We suffered a bit of a loss on Friday...but first, allow me to rewind:

My husband has a thing about cardinals. They are his spirit animal.  They remind him of his grandma, and when they appear we both take it as a good sign/sign of luck/sign that someone is watching over us.  One day while he was out shopping, Husband found a stuffed "cardinal" for Ms. OG to fall in love with, so of course he bought it.  Turns out this cardinal 1) isn't a cardinal at all, but a woodpecker 2) and is from a show called "Sheriff Callie's Wild West".  Those of you with children (or adults who like this particular cartoon) know him as Peck.  Regardless of his species, OG fell in love with Peck,

Fast-forward to this past week when we came home to the scene of a crime. Peck was on the ground next to shredded paper towels (Lucy Poochie's M.O.)...

We didn't know if we could save him, so we  waited until the next day rushed the brave Peck to Dedi's for a professional opinion.  Dedi MsStuffins came back with good news and bad news...Peck would survive.

But...she would need to amputate.

Evidence: after the brutal attack // After the amputation, Post-Op Peck is feeling much better!

Thanks to the quick thinking of Dedi McStuffins, Peck will live to see another day.  And OG didn't have to lose a friend - although she is curious about what happened to his leg. It makes for a great "people come in different shapes and sizes" conversation starter!

Oh, and through all of the turmoil, OG's outfit on Friday was still darn cute.

Because, #toddlerfashionblog.

Concerned friend OG was wearing:
-Creamsicle colored oversized tee with white sparkle print graphic (a Charlie Rue donation)
-Black, white and silver striped leggins (Once upon a BabyToddler)
-Sparkly black jelly sandals (also a CRD donation)
-White and peach colored hair flower

What can I say? She's a happy lady, even if her friend might lose a limb.

"Bahtmahn"

Happy Friday, dedicated reader(s)! I was going to try and save a few new posts for later (so I wouldn't show all of OG's fun summer looks in one week) but, it's Friday...so I can give you at least one more, right? Right!

On Tuesday, OG wore dada's new favorite shirt.

Side note: Have I mentioned that one of OG's few clearly spoken words is "Batman"? All the props to dada for that one. :)  She even uses a deep growl a' la Christian Bale! It's awesome. I'll try to record it so we can all share in the magic!

Superhero OG's "civilian clothes" from Tuesday were:
-Grey and purple metallic Batman shirt (Target)
-Black leggin's (Thanks to Charlie Rue!)
-Black cotton flats
-Wooden bug "necklace" (a new lace & learn toy for the Target $1 bin)

And, we can't forget her Super Sidekick, Mickey!

OG teaching Mickey how to fight beat the "bad guys" in a dance-off

Have a safe and fun-filled weekend! If you're out and see OG and Mickey serving up awesome dance moves in attempt to stop the "bad guys", say hi!

Throwback Thursday #8: Favorites from March/April 2015

This edition of #TBT is brought to you by the "look what OG did around this time last year!" preservation foundation (aka: Google Photos)

A pretty generic "theme" for sure, but there were some really great moments captured from late March into April last year that didn't really have a common thread, so don't be too hard on my lack of creativity! :)

In this photo, OG is sitting with her good pal Jojo wearing her "hippie pants" - purple bell-bottom pants with modern flower print. I'm unsure what's happening on top because those were the days of non-stop drool-soaked bibs 24/7

March 2015: OG & Jojo celebrating his Straight-As award. Matching smirks! 

In this series of photos OG is wearing a mix of old and new-to-her clothing. Easter dress, pink layered look and sunglasses were compliments of Ms. Syd and the Weber Ladies.  The blue sundress/romper with bird print in the center was from Walmart. Life-sized Ducky was an Easter gift from GGH. <3 And, of course, her accessory of choice was lots of drool.

April 2015

This is a photo of the first time OG went to Ms. Lauren's house to finally met Katie & Karen! OG was skeptical at first, but that was to be expected. Katie and Karen are...very loved. :)  The hat is from Ms. Julie, and to be honest  I am not sure what else she was wearing other than a look of confusion.

"Momma...why is this hairless doll with ripped "skin" next to my face?"

And finally, one of my favorite pictures from the summer of 2015...OG & Auntie T rocking some sweet shades at Cars & Coffee!  Shades were (again) compliments of the Weber Ladies. The dress, I believe, is another from Ms. Syd. The mega sassy expression is all OG though!

My future's so bright...I gotta wear...shades.

Enjoy the rest of your Thursday, reader(s)! xoxox

Here Comes the Sun(day and Monday)!

80 degrees, eh? Wasn't it snowing last week?

OG was thrilled to bust into her summer gear...not necessarily because she's gung-ho to wear new (or new-to-her) clothes, but because she just realized SHE HAS LEGS! #winterbabyproblems

In case anyone else is unaware, there are these things called legs that live under your pants...they usually only come out for special occasions like diap changes and baths, but now they are out FOR DAYS AT A TIME! EEEEEEEEE!!!!**

**please note that OG had legs last summer as well, but she didn't really pay them any attention.

I knew OG was happy about having legs when she kept rubbing them with her hands while trying to walk - it was adorable.  Then, on Sunday she realized that a person can use a PEN to DRAW ON THESE RANDOM LIMBS?!? WHAAA?!?! AMAZING.

It's far less amazing when momma realizes it's a gloppy old pen that is smearing all over.  However, that didn't keep her from using her best model pose to show off her new skin art:

Strike a pose!

The weather over the weekend was lovely, but the Monday morning forecast promised the warmest day of the week. Yes...I was a rude momma and still dressed OG in pants and cardigan because it was only 55 degrees at the moment, but shorts were available for later in the day.

In the AM, OG was wearing:
-Yellow butterfly-sleeved shirt with pink buttons and pink embroidered cat (thanks to Ms. Charlie!)
-Navy cropped leggins with ruffle
-Purple jelly shoes! Don't call it a comeback... (thanks again to Ms. Charlie sharing her past fabulous finds!)
-Green floral hairbow (from the Claire's outting with Ms. J)
-Pink cardigan with rosettes (hand-me-down from...Sydney, maybe?)

"Chh(eese)!"

"Didn't you already take my picture a minute ago?"

Later in the day the temperature jumped to  80+ so OG ran around outside for a bit, so she ditched that cardigan and changed into her yellow polka-dot shorts.  Normally this wouldn't be blog-worthy news (even though it IS a wardrobe change!)...BUT...Awee also decided to give OG her first pair of big-girl piggy tails!

Warning: look away if you don't think you can handle the ultimate in cuteness.

Are you prepared?

Are you sure?

Ok...

...if you're sure you're sure...

PIGGY TAILS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! XOXOXOXOXOXOX!!!!!!!!!

You can't tell in this photo, but she was still rocking her "knee tattoos" from the day prior.  That old, clumpy ink didn't want to budge! I STILL have a spot on my hand that won't scrub off, but it's buried deep in my elder person hand wrinkles.

More importantly: MAY I EAT HER FACE?!?!?! AHHHH!!!!  Just a nibble...

I'd also settle for an arm.

Nom. Nom.

Other fun things that happened on Monday at Auntie C's:
-OG tried her first matzo ball and loved it!
-Auntie C tried to paint OG's toenails...one big toe later, OG decided that wasn't her thing.
-OG maaaaay have totally TINKED ON THE BIG GIRL POTTY!  Whaaa?!? I KNOW. Let's hope this is a sign that diapers will soon become extinct!

Fingers crossed, faithful reader(s)! Fingers crossed.

EDIT 4/25/16:
I have had 3 separate people tell me that Ms. OG looks like "Boo" from Monsters Inc. when she wears her hair in pigtails, so I have decided to create a side-by-side. Let me just say: she may have to dress as Boo for Halloween this year! ;)

A Sublime Saturday

Hello and Happy Monday, beautiful reader(s)!  We've finally been having good weather around here, so I have a lot of #outfitenvy to share.

And oh...the envy was strong this weekend...I was thisclose to trying to fit into OG's outfit. Now THAT would have been quite the picture-worthy endeavor!

Early Saturday morning, our little family decided to go to the local Cars & Coffee event to check out the "vroom vroooms" and spend time with Auntie T and Uncle W. After a fun morning in the sun surrounded by family, fun cars, dogs and other little kiddos, it was time for a nap so we could gear up for celebrating Auntie C's birthday later that afternoon!

In short:
Weather = Sublime
Company = Sublime
Plans = Sublime
Outfit = Sublime

Sublime in every way <3

OG, fashion muse extraordinare, is wearing:
-Oversized 'Sublime' burnout baseball tee (Target, of course)
-KITTY PANTS (take 3 - also Target)
-Black cotton maryjane flats with bow (One Upon a Child)
-Black headband
-(p)Leather jacket (not pictured...yet.  Also...Target)

Prancing down the street with her BFF (or at least her BFF for the day), Ducky.

And what type of fashionista would OG be if she didn't have a wardrobe change for a party?

(She'd still be a bada$$ fashionista regardless, FYI, but we thought it would be nice to have her wear something lighter since it was hot outside)  :)

OG swapped out her SUBLIME shirt for something more festive:
-B&W striped dress with tutu and rosette heart (hand-me-down from Ms. Charlie)

OG trying to walk Lucy in style (and not realizing the leash must be attached to the dog for it to work)

"Why isn't this working?"

I would also be remiss not to mention OG's pal, Liam.  He rocked the Sublime shirt a while back (and looked very handsome while doing so!) and therefore I'd like to give him a very special shout-out.

Please welcome our first "guest" to the blog, Mr. Liam!

Mohawk, Sublime shirt, cuffed fitted jeans, suspenders & fly kicks make for a fabulous first "guest blogger"!

Mr. Liam isn't just a pretty face with great fashion sense...this little man has been dealing with CHD since birth.  He endured open-heart surgery at only 6 months old and will require further surgeries in the future, but you'd never know it when you meet him! He's a strong-willed sweetheart who has never let his heart condition bother him. He's also (literally) a poster child for Heart Awareness month:

His mama is a dear friend of mine, and she's very involved in the CHD awareness effort.  She's an inspiration to many other Heart Mommies, and even I am inspired by the love and courage she shows on a daily basis. She also has a killer fashion sense which is reflected in her children's wardrobe! :)

If you are interested in learning more about CHD or how you can help, please visit
Cincinnati Children's Heart Institute

Thanks for being a part of our blog, Liam! xoxox


P.S. It's  difficult to find an "appropriate" Sublime song to add to this post, so I'm adding this one - it may not be "clean" for the kiddos, but at least it has a good message.

Throwback Thursday #7: Up Close & Personal

Happy Thursday, reader(s)! A very good friend of mine returned to work this week after being home on maternity leave, and it reminded me how tough that time was for my husband and me.  I will try not to go on a political rant about how ridiculous it is that the US doesn't have guaranteed paid maternity (or paternity) leave (coughcough like this cough or this coughcough), but after speaking with my friend, I decided to take a look back at the photos I took of OG and I on our last day together before I was forced to return to work.

I use the word "forced" because the mortgage won't pay itself (although, can someone please invent a self-paying mortgage?! kthnx!), and I had only saved up enough to get us through 6 weeks of unpaid leave.

And to put this into context...#realtalk...I was never the woman who lived to have children.  I have always loved being around kids, and kids usually really like me (probably because my inner child is alive and well), but I never had the ticking of a biological clock in my brain. Everything I had read said most women need at least 16 weeks to heal/bond after birth, but I figured I'd be able to manage with 6-10 weeks...mainly because I didn't have enough money for more time, but  also because every woman is different, and I assumed (silly me) that I was the type of woman who would be excited for a bit of "normalcy" and "adult time" after that amount of time at home with a newborn. Spoiler alert: I was so very wrong on so many levels. It was a huge miscalculation on my part.

Back to the OG TBT topic: I looked at a series of pictures I took on our last day before I returned to work.  They are some of my favorite pictures because we both look so comfortable (especially OG, since she's sleeping in most of them) and I remember every moment perfectly. They are also close-up pictures, which we don't have many of anymore now that she's a toddling monster.

I have always wanted to eat this baby. Always <3

OG didn't want me in this picture...heh.

"I see myself!" - OG's thought process

so. much. love.

So good luck to all the mommas (and dadas!) out there who have to leave their precious nuggets and go back to work. If you don't feel like you're emotionally ready, that's ok.  It eventually does get easier.  But it really sucks. I still get sad some days when we drop off OG, or if one of our sitters tells us about something new she started doing that day.  I just try to focus on all of the fun adventures she is having, and the quality time she'd getting to spend with her family/friends.
Also, you're most likely extremely sleep-deprived if you're heading back to work, so BE SAFE.
And you're not alone. <3

Just keep fighting for family rights! Our country needs to step it up and offer guaranteed paid family leave in order to give our children (and future) the best start possible!

Oppa Grandma Style

HEEEEEYYYY, sassy reader(s)! Today my little snugglebiscuit taught me that she and I definitely  have some things in common:

1) Neither of us are what you'd call "early morning people"

2) Pants are no fun. We don't like pants.

No joke...recently whenever I try to put pants on Ms. OG, she revolts. Limbs and emotions are flying every which way! And believe me, I get it.  Pants mean it's time for business.  The fun and lounging of the morning is over and we have to get. going.

Plus, they are glorified leg sweaters.

After wearing dresses 99.9% of the last 4 years of my life, when I DO randomly wear pants they feel so... hot. Restricting too, but mostly just too warm. Who needs all that fabric?! It's like my legs feel separation anxiety. Ok, maybe it's not that bad, but our casual "jeans day" on Fridays doesn't feel like a reward but a punishment. Free the legs!

I digress...I got off topic. The most important part of OG's outfit today was not pants (or lack-of-pants); it was her wonderful floral sweatshirt. Swoon!

As you may have noticed by now, I have a strong affinity for what I lovingly refer to as "Grandma Style".  The base of this style boils down to this one question: would my Grandma wear and/or appreciate this? This style is old time-y but classic and usually involves embroidery, floral prints and/or quilting of some sort. I am pretty sure this is also where I get my love of wearing a cardigan ALL. THE. TIME.

Today, little "old" lady OG wore:
-Floral water-color print sweatshirt (another Ms. J find)
-Jeggins (but only because momma made her!)
-Pink hair bow (Claire's Boutique)...
-...that's attempting to tame a portion of her wild'n'crazy bed head

The flash was a little intense, but OG made it work!

Hanging with Mickey, checking out this number....

Mickey was ditched for a plastic egg. Sorry, Mickey. :(

I love this sweatshirt. I couldn't get a good picture of the back, but it has a keyhole opening with button closure detail. It's precious - especially on such a tiny person. And GGH would approve.

All hail Grandma Style!

Weekend Shennanigans

Welcome back, dear reader(s)!  The weather has been predictably unpredictable, which is making everyone's sinuses as confused as Mother Nature.  Due to this wonderful winter-like weather, OG has been wearing things that have been seen & done many times before.  Once the warmer weather actually shows up we should have much more new #outfitenvy.

In the meantime please enjoy this weekend recap!


On Friday, OG and Auntie C found a fun new game to play...recycling basket choo-choo!

What's that, you say?  Well, it's pretty much exactly what it sounds like:

CHOO-CHOOO! Mickey and OG on the recycling basket train!

OG and Mickey taking in the sights of the kitchen

And picking up more passengers...

I guess at this point the train was getting a bit crowded, so OG caught the Laundry Express at her next stop.  ALL ABOARD!

Yes, ALL...

There has never been a happier toddler in all of toddler history! Trust me.


Then, on Sunday OG and I went to visit GGH & G3 at their new apartment! Unfortunately (for you) I was too busy experiencing life and forgot to document most of it, but I did manage to take a few pictures as OG founded her new private investigator business!

I think she's calling her new business "O(h) G(ee), I See You!".  Or "Peek-a-Boo Super Spy Services"

Diligently taking notes for an upcoming case

She found an important clue!

More notes...

I think this case is almost solved!

GGH maaaaaaaay have also snuck/sneaked (?) OG her first "real people" snack food - Bugles. Needless to say, she LOVED them.  As G3 pointed out: "Babies love salt!"

Maybe when she gets a bit older we can teach her how fun they are to put on your fingertips.  Witch fingers!

Kitty Pants 2: The Return of Kitty Pants!

I warned you this would happen.

KITTY PANTS STRIKE AGAIN!

Maybe that should have been the title of the post!? Oh well, too late now...

As promised, OG once again wore my her new favorite pants. Yep, twice in less than a week. I'm flipping this fashion blog thing on it's head!

OG and I are frugal innovators, in case you haven't noticed.

OG & Stella, calling their pals

OG is wearing:
-Black & silver striped shirt
-KITTY PANTS!
-The cutest face EVER!

Best. Smile. Ever.

Also, earlier that morning, OG was showing dada and I how she can put on her own shoes.  She's getting so big! And...girl knows how to put on a shoe! #beamingwithpride

"Look, momma! I can do it by myself (kinda)!"

Getting in the right position to step into shoe #2

xoxoxo