Rain is wet...

It was so dark this morning when we woke up I swore my kid was up at 6, but then I realized it was raining and actually 8:15 - we had to spring into school morning action! And AB came to the realization that rain is wet. Good call, kid. My posts might be a little more high-end for today, but they are some really cute things...First off Stella McCartney kids is having a private sale today only for 50% off. There is a precious rain coat I'm contemplating for AB since our previous one is probably getting a little small. Here it is.Isn't it cute? Here is a cute boys plaid version, though this was about it that I saw of the boys stuff that I would go for...Cute top - can you say "camp", "mexican", and "rodeo" - so many options for this top!Hipster kid dress. Pair it with baby gap skinny jeans, boots, whatever. Would be so cute for a rainy day with rain boots...Beach portrait dress. Love the detailing. Not too traditional, not too funky.And now on to Neiman Marcus. They are having an additional 25% off sale prices and free shipping in June. Toms rarely go on sale. For the cool little man in your life.And the rest could be labeled my Fourth of July Faves....Kate Mack Tankinis. We are obsessed. Still wearing our 18 month one from last summer. They have adjustable straps and the tops are actually a little longer so there really isn't any belly exposure to the sun. Sale? And a matching cover up? I'm sold. Cute nautical style we have been eyeing. Thinking if I go for the 24 month one we can still wear next year...And they have held up great, too...Kate Mack again. These and the funtasia, too binkinis are my faves. They are so easy to get on, easy access to change swim diapers, etc. This one is cute b/c we have a red/white coverup from last year that is still nice and roomy. Sale? Sold again.Florence Eisman - love her classics and they wash suprisingly well. Also love when these high end dresses are on sale! Cute 4th look, cute back to school in humid Houston look.Papa d'anjo and this seasons popular ikat style in a shift - so cute.Mini milly - love me some milly for myself. And I know I would love it for AB. Still priced pretty high, but super cute...Another papa d'anjoMini milly - this might be the clencher. Love the color combo and bright colors! So fun.

the babe's turn

So, I know I showed off my potential going home outfit - now it's time for BBB's. Shopping for AB's going home outfit was one of my favorite things. They were precious. One was kissy kissy and the other magnoila baby. They as in, yes, I bought 2, though we only came home once. It's nice to have options. So here are BBB's coming home options (both Magnolia baby):The puppies are because we love our "bubbas" around here...that was a little tribute to AB and in hopes that dogs will be as popular to BBB as they are to the other family members.
And this one because it was sweet and blue with tiny little boats and good detailing. I'm pretty picky. Note to Houston baby stores: I like a hat and for some reason you don't like to stock matching hat/footie sizes! Boo. So my newest internet find is this cute store. And they are offering 20% off until June 19 with code JUNE2011. Take that, hubby, you challenged me to find something on sale - so there. Toodles!

Me, myself and I

I have plenty to buy right now in regards to baby rooms, big girl rooms, baby supplies, etc. (knocked out some of it last night on the CVS shopping spree 2011 - thanks, dad!) But somehow the postman accidentally slipped a Nordstrom catalog in my mail yesterday and it had the cutest and most reasonably priced things. Couldn't help but focus on myself momentarily. And picked out my "coming home from the hospital" outfit. Because not only BBB needs a coming home outfit, I do, too! Disclaimer: I have not thought ahead to the practicality of said outfit. Just go with it.The "new classic" Ray Bans, $139 (why not?)...Cara Bangles, $42...Cara Bracelet, $48...Bellatrix maxi dress, $98...Report hurache sandals, $59.95...Elliot Luca woven leather bag, $198 (I've had 2 - these hold up amazingly for the price). What do you think? all from Nordstrom.Honorable Mention bag, Kate Spade $145.And honorable mention Jeffery Campbell flip flops, $65. Why is it that after I buy my shoes for the season do they come out with such cuteness? I need another pair of shoes like I need a whole in my head, but what the heck!? These are a great price. They have a bow and sparkles. What's not to swoon over??!! You can blame it on the Miller girls for introducing me to Barbie, I guess. Where it all began...
From pinterest! Seriously - if you haven't joined yet and you are visual at all, you are missing out. Such cute stuff. Not to buy - just to look. It's harmless (I tell myself).

the mom suit

Well it's swimsuit season in full effect here in Texas these days...been that way for about a month now. We have a pool, my mom has a pool, AB's new fave word is "pool". So we've been hitting the pool time hard. My pool babies above. And because we are on baby lockdown and heading to a *pretty* beach is not an option, the Pool with a capitol P will have to do. If it were an option to travel, I'd be here. i.e. The Maldives.Or doing this with this beautiful dress on my non-preggo bellied body. Just kidding, I'd probably be more like here. i.e. Destin. Obsessively reapplying sunscreen to a wild toddler like this one. Pic via Paddy & Lily.And IF I wasn't HUGE, i.e. hopefully next summer, I'd be snatching up one of these very reasonably priced modest mom suits from Lands End. Cute, huh? They are like $35-45 right now on sale. And I'd be wrapped up in this thought. Specifically in regards to swimming in the sea! Love her art on Etsy.

Cant. Stand. The. Cuteness.

I've been holding on to this little gem for way to long. And it's just so cute that I'm finally about to burst if I don't tell someone about it. Rickshaw Design. You MUST check it out. Maybe I'm late to this party, but who cares? It's so cute. Love the bedding, though on the pricey side maybe for me. Thinking one of their cute tops is a must for post baby.

And this baby blanket is probably another must. The Taj blanket.

And why don't I have any of these already?? Such cuteness. Like sassier Ruffle Butts. If that's possible.
More post baby cuteness, this in the form of good ole Anthropologie. This one is $98.

And this one is $138.
And if you loved Rickshaw...check Roberta Roller Rabbit out, too. More kiddie cuteness and some reasonably priced pillows! But don't worry - I'll post some new designs soon. Been a busy worker bee lately, but need to have some "real parties" come and go before I can share their details! Stay tuned!

love story

Well it started out with a love affair with the J Brand Love Story jean about 5 years ago. They were the perfect jean. Lightweight, edgy, great color, perfect stretch. I had to get 2, maybe (???) 3 pairs.

Now 9 pairs of J Brand's later my love has rested on these little bad boys, the olympia legging the past 2 winters. Still in love with these. They have great stretch, have gone with me through 20 pounds of baby weight gain -hopefully back again soon -, are lightweight, keep their shape after multiple wearings, and are the perfect really dark blue almost black so they can be dressed up or down.

Now I just hope my heart has room for these bad boys in the future. I'll take any of their yummy scrumptious colors. Just hope my baby belly doesn't foil this new crush. Because these are the perfect summer jeans, beyond your white J Brand pair, of course.
As most you who read this know, I have a jeans issue. Kind of like my overall shopping issue - it falls in the category of "you can never have enough (fill in the blank)". Here the case is a pair (or pairs) of jeans.

I've craved a pair of J Brand maternity jeans for this pregnancy, but I've held off much to my husbands happiness and enlarged wallet. My Motherhood Heidi Klum's actually did a body good! But nonetheless, I'm ready to get back in my J's. So in the words of Ferris Bueller, "if you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up." I buy mine at Abejas (usually on sale, of course). They have a day after Christmas sale and usually a summer sale where the newest jeans are always at a discount. Through June 18th - they have 30-70% storewide.

BBB Nursery Redo

Least we forget the baby boy on the way for the decorating front! Other than doing AB's nursery 2 years ago, I've really neglected my house since we first got married. Got busy with my business, had a baby, having another baby. But I've got the bug. I'm going to take it room by room. First up, AB's new room, then the BBB's room makeover. Then the bath is getting a little facelift in the form of a new shower curtain a la buying the wrong fabric for the BBB's room the other day. I'm thinking new paint and rugs for living and dining...or maybe just some new window coverings for places I always intended on doing something but didn't. Cant. stop. brain. from. thinking. So here is the little inspiration board I put together for the BBB room. I'm working with some things we already have from AB. Was going to do a full overhaul minus paint color and some furniture, but I've decided a little upgrading will do once I pull out the pink. Will probably paint my own art. Can't decide if I want to go the dog route or the cattle route - but it will be more sophisticated than baby is all I have to say.It's been so much fun to look for this stuff, but I really just need to nail it down. So without further ado: We have existing glider and ottoman modeled after the one from Serena and Lily. The dresser we bought for AB will stay in the room b/c it's great storage. We need a new rug, probably a Dash and Albert one is my guess. I like either the simple stripes or geometric ones. We have Serena and Lily sheets in the mosaic top right fabric shown and the blue/white lattice shown that we will repurpose in BBB's room. Going to do some minky on the bumper and trying to decide on another fun fabric, but might settle for a simple white on white textured Dwell fabric. Premier Prints makes a great chevron zig zag fabric in blue and white and that might be fun. Just need to see if the color is right and I haven't seen it in person yet. I think I will switch out AB's mirror for a manlier round rustic job, like this Aidan Gray one, but on a bigger scale. I will paint the artwork - just deciding on my subject matter! And if I do a dog painting, I can throw in the FAO Patrick the Pup. The painting won't be the theme of the room, but will probably hang over the crib. And no BBB room would be complete without a bla bla mobile - one of AB's favorite things - we hung it over the changing table. Her "B's" as she calls them.

This is the wrong fabric below. Another Premier Prints - but it's going to look great in my guest bath! Always intended on having a custom shower curtain made/or me make but just haven't gotten around to it. This fabric would have been great on the crib bedding, but would have made us have to make too many other changes. One room's loss is another's treasure!

Lastly - I revisited this site tonight and man, sometimes I wish the UK was a little closer! I'm totally in love with some of these pieces! Boo to living so far away.

summer part 1: ice vs. ice

Now while I should be pining over the kind of "ice" I would like to receive when BBB is born, the only "ice" I'm dreaming of today is from Sonic. At this point, it sounds like the perfect gift. Endless supplies of "nugget" or "pellet" ice. Such appetizing names they give it! Anyway, I threatened to buy one of these the other day when the dude at sonic got snippy about selling me my daily route 44 cup of perfection. At the equivalent price of a nice push present I can't decide which sounds better! Brink doesn't remember me being nutty about the sonic ice my last pregnancy - I think it was b/c they would sell it to me in bags last time, this go round - no dice. And lo and behold, I've created another ice lover. Everytime AB sees the sonic cup she shouts "ICE!" and wants a handful. YUM. Flavorless cold crunch. I'm nuts. But apparently this nuttiness will come to an end in less than 2 months. Until then...I'll be dreaming of ice! Nugget ice machine below, $2200.

Pretty antique stackable rings. Always want some of these pups.


Pearl and diamond studs, a classic.

If I could only go out on a trendy limb a bit, I'd go for one of these guys. It's hard to pass up a timeless look when you only get diamonds every so often.

Or, if I wanted to go the birthstone route (which never have I found a peridot - august's birthstone- piece of fine jewelry I have liked until now) these $12K peridot and sapphire chanel earrings will do.

I'm thinking a men's watch would be nice also - then I could pass it on to the BBB on his 18th birthday... What would you want for a push present???