This Weekend

This Saturday we had a cookout to celebrate our newly married friends. They had a very small, intimate wedding so the bride's father had an event at his house to include extended family and more friends. Great selection of good food, lots to drink, and plenty of friends.

Attire:
Old Navy - Green puff sleeve tee
Ann Taylor - White jeans
Born - Orange leather thongs
Silver jewelery

Hair:
Frederic Fekkai - Luscious Curls Cream
Added while damp, scrunched, let air dry.

Beauty:
Laura Mercier - Foundation Primer, Tinted Moisturizer in Sand
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Stila - Lip Glaze in Fruit Cake
Cover Girl - Lash Blast mascara in Rich Black
Maybelline - UltraLiner in Black
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis (just the ivory)

Sunday we did a lot of chores around the house, and then went to our friends' house for another cookout. This was a very casual affair - I wore my black nursing tank from Gap, my Gap Essential jeans and flip flops. Hair was second day, blown out a bit with round brush but left a bit to its self.

This week I am on Staycation so I will only be posting if I head out or do anything worthy of photographing. :) Chat with you soon!

Thursday

Attire:
Ann Taylor - Blue print matte jersey wrap dress
Sofft - Red patent leather T-strap heels
Silver hoops and cuff and necklace

Hair:
Next day. I brushed it out, and smoothed the bangs and some pieces with my dryer and round brush, but really my hair looked great thanks to the Frederic Fekkai Luscious Curls Cream. Yeah, a fan so far.

Beauty:
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3 where needed
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Clinique - Almost Lipstick in Black Honey
Pop Beauty - Shadow palette for Brown Eyes - the khaki shadow on lids
Cover Girl - lashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Maybelline - UltraLiner in Black

Wednesday

Attire:
Ann Taylor Loft - Burgundy dolman-sleeve sweater tunic
Ann Taylor - White jeans (fit much better with a good washing and drying)
Lands End - Tan leather sandals
H&M - Silver bead necklace
Silver hoops and cuff

Beauty:
Laura Mercier - Foundation Primer, Tinted Moisturizer in Sand
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Stila - Eye shadows in Kitten and Barefoot Contessa
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Benefit - Lipstick in Bouquet Dive

Hair:
Frederic Fekkai - Luscious Curls Cream: I added this after washing and conditioning, and dried the bangs. I wish I hadn't dried the bangs because it wasn't necessary. This stuff gave me the most amazing ringlets and shine and I still had it at the end of the day. My straight bangs looked stupid with such curls. The picture shows my hair still damp.

I have been looking for something to work with my thinning hair that will hold curl and not require a hair dryer or hairspray. A friend recommended Luscious Curls Cream and I am glad she did because I really like it thus far. not heavy, hair doesn't get greasy, and makes great curls without frizz or stickiness. I am NOT happy with the ingredient list (parabens), but I am finding it pretty hard to find hair products that don't ravage my hair and aren't full of scary chemicals. Hey at least it rates better at the Cosmetics Database better than Jonathan Product which is something I have been using for a while...

My goal is to check things on the Cosmetics Database before I purchase it to see how it rates and why. Lots of things on there get high ratings for essential oils and natural fragrances, and I don't have skin that is sensitive to those things. But I do worry about all the crazy chemicals. I will use up what I have, and won't buy something that won't work because it rates low, but I hope to find quality products that are low on the toxicity/scariness scale.

For those of you with kids, I encourage you to check their personal care products on the Cosmetics Database. It is a bit scary. We ended up getting rid of 90% of the care products that Emerson received as shower gifts because of the high levels of toxins (hello Johnson's products!). It's easy to find other products that works just as well for your little ones, even at local drug stores and Big Box retailers like Target. Icky ingredients aren't good for any of us, but it is especially bad for our little people with more sensitive skin, those babies with skin that absorbs things more easily, have little immune systems and big futures.

Tuesday

I am okay. Thank you all for your concern, you all are so wonderful!

My boss yesterday suggested I leave work early because I had to get in early today. I am glad I didn't. By time I got to the Metro (I do ride the Red line of the Metro for part of my commute) it had already happened and they were saying there would be a 15-20 minute delay. I, and many other riders chose to walk a few blocks to a different color Metro line to get home.

My neighbor who works a block from me also is safe - this accident happened before 5pm, before either of us usually get to the trains.

However watching those getting off the buses to the hospitals, I did see familiar faces. Almost two years of this commute, you start to recognize and become friendly with your fellow Metro riders. my heart and prayers go out to the families of the victims, and I wish much strength to those who are injured. Such a scary event, I dashed home to hold Emerson as I watched the news. I ask all of you to send your vibes, positive thoughts, prayers to those involved in the DC Metro accident and their families.

Monday

Attire:
Lands End - Orange cotton scoopneck sweater
Ann Taylor - White pants
Born - Orange leather thongs (been having some weird foot issues of late so been rocking the flattest shoes possible)
Silver jewelery

Hair:
Washed and conditioned last night with Pureology Volumizing
Matrix - Curl.Life Contouring Milk
Ken Paves - Shine Serum

I added the Curl.Life to the whole head of damp hair, and the shine serum to the ends and a bit on the top because I have been dealing with frizz. Scrunched, let air dry and then fell asleep on it. Woke to hair that looked greasy. I think this combo would work very well on coarser hair. So I took the slimy looking waves and smoothed them with a round brush and the hair was so limp. It was soft and not greasy looking, but limp. So I took large sections and put into my new curling iron and ended up with this effect. Not the best, way too much trouble, but I feel as though I am coming to find some sort of solution for my frizzy yet thin yet sparse (losing hair which is typical at this point post-partum) hair. My goal is to find something that works without the hair dryer - save energy and my strands this summer.

Beauty:
Laura Mercier - Tinted Moisturizer in Sand
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Benefit - Her Glossiness in Next Question Please

And yes, I like orange so much that my half-bath/laundry room is orange! :)

Thursday I had a photo shoot at The Capitol so my attire wasn't too exciting because I had to be on my feet and blend into the woodwork. Black puff sleeve cashmere tee from Banana Republic, black ponte trousers from Old Navy, black city boots from David Tate. It rained like cray so hair was a bit... beachy looking. Friday I worked from home.

This weekend was nice - very low key. We hung out with friends on Friday evening. Saturday we did a whole heck of a lot of nothing and it felt amazing. We spent several hours just watching Emerson roll from front to back and front. She is getting so strong! Father's Day, I took my husband out for breakfast, we took a long hike with two of the dogs and the baby, had my sister stop by and went to bed early. Exactly what he wanted! :)

Tuesday and Wednesday

Attire:
Carters - Orange and off-white striped tee
Old Navy - Off-white knit karate pants
Fuzzi Bunz - Hot pink cloth diaper
Avent - Pacifier

Oh wait, this blog is about MY fashion? I feel as though I have been so busy lately, I feel as though I don't really focus on it on here or any of my blogs (sorry Wardrobe Oxygen readers, I am really anti-posting utter crap and I don't have the time right now to write a worthy post for that blog. Hang tight, I see a light at the end of this tunnel).

However do know that I am not running around DC in rhinestoned flip flops, "Mom" jeans and Little Miss Sunshine tees with my hair in a scrunchie. I still take the time every day to not look like a hot mess. Maybe a bit of a cool mess, but never hot.

So anyway, Tuesday was not a mess day. In fact I had a coworker compliment me on my outfit (she came on board when I was in last trimester so I don't think she knows what I am capable of) and a stranger ask me where I got my pants.

Attire:
Ann Taylor - Ivory and black print jersey wrap top
H&M - black synthetic camisole
Talbots - Ivory troupical-weight wool trousers
Banana Republic - Black strappy kitten heel sandals
Nordstrom - Silver dangle earrings

Hair:
Washed and conditioned, air dried with a bit of Matrix Curl.Life Contouring Milk
Bangs straightened with round brush

Beauty:
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3 where needed, one of their Juice lipcolors in a Plum shade (left at home)
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Maybelline - UltraLiner in Black

Today my husband has a photo shoot so I couldn't get a nice well-lit full body shot. The outfit has been seen before so it's not that big of a deal.

Attire:
Ann Taylor - Blue print matte jersey wrap dress (saw another woman in the same dress on the Metro and complimented her on her fashion choice! Haha!)
Sofft - Red patent T-strap sandals

Hair:
Next day.

Beauty:
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3 where needed
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Benefit - Her Glossiness in Next Question Please

It was a hectic morning, my husband had a shoot, my mom came to pick up Emerson, the dogs decided to compete to see who is loved more by me... gotta love wrap dresses because they are so easy and make you look as though you actually took time with your attire!

Monday

I am in such a tough shape right now... the body is constantly morphing, tightening, loosening, changing. I bought these white jeans a couple weeks ago and they were snug. I wore them Saturday and they got super baggy. Today they look a mess, even after being tossed in the dryer. Way too large. Sucks because they can't be returned after being laundered and worn so much. I shouldn't have even worn them today but I am still low on trousers for work and my other pairs were either recently worn or dirty.

Same holds true for shoes - none of my shoes from last summer fit and I don't want to purchase any old crap so I am low on appropriate summer work footwear. On the lookout for some tan sandals with a wood heel!

Attire:
Ann Taylor - Blue scoop tee, off-white jeans
Ivory pashmina
Born - Orange leather thongs
Silver hoops and cuff

Hair:
Next day, just smoothed bangs with round brush and dryer

Beauty:
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Pop Beauty - Palette for Brown eyes: Celadon
Maybelline - UltraLiner in Black
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Stila - Lip Glaze in Fruit Cake

This weekend was okay... Saturday was my husband's cousin's son's 2nd birthday so we went to that and saw his family (who I adore). After that my husband had a photo shoot so E and I headed home for a nap. We woke exactly when my husband got home and went to a local diner for a late dinner. Sunday we pretty much hung around the home. I went to a couple Open Houses with my sister who is looking to buy a house. We then just spent time at home.

Contest: Win Perricone MD Skincare!

Big congratulations of Linda of Winnipeg, Canada for winning the Orient watch! Now here's a chance for another reader to cash in on an amazing prize!

This week's contest is to win a sample of the bestselling Perricone MD Advanced Face Firming Activator, which retails for $120.00.

Perricone MD skin care products are well loved by many celebrities such as Oprah and Dr. Perricone was named by Vogue magazine as the top dermatologist for 2001. Perricone MD made a name for itself a few years ago when Dr. Perricone arrived at the conclusion that cellular inflammation may be the underlying cause of wrinkles. Dr. Perricone's holistic approach to aging treats this inflammation in three ways: through diet, nutriceutical supplements, and his award-winning line of skin care products and cosmeceuticals.

About the Advanced Face Firming Activator:
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Customer reviews can be found on the Perricone MD site, which is a feature I LOVE. This product gets five stars from users.

Contest Details:
- Send an email to me with "SKIN" as the subject. Please have your name and mailing address in the email. Entries without this information will not be valid. I promise that unless you are the winner, this information will not go any further than my personal email Inbox, and will be destroyed after the contest takes place.
- Winner will be chosen at random and notified within a week of the contest end date.
- Contest is only open to those in the United States.
- Contest ends Sunday, June 21, 2009 at 11:59pm EDT.

Good luck!

Week in Review

Hey guys, long time no talk!!

So as you know, Monday I went to work and looked relatively put together. Hooray!

Tuesday I worked from home, and no one wants to see me in my yoga pants, so no picture was taken.

However that night I went to a concert (Nine Inch Nails/Jane's Addiction - utterly amazing BTW) and did clean up a bit. A BIT. The rain was insanity, though it completely stopped a bit before the show started and stayed clear the rest of the evening.

My hair was dirty, but it was behaving nicely and I knew once I got outside it would jsut become a curly/frizzy mess. Surprisingly it got curly/frizzy in a cool beachy way and not in a headbanger way.

I wore a black nursing tank from Gap, my Gap Essential jeans and *gasp* Crocs. You KNOW I despise Crocs, but it was a necessity as that we had lawn seats and the place was utter muckety-muck. I would have busted my arse in flip flops or destroyed a perfectly good pair of proper footwear. So Crocs it was. My sister and I HAD to get a picture of a ticket with the Crocs because it was so ridiculous.

Times like this I wish I still owned a pair of Doc Martens...

Well the Crocs help, I still slipped down a hill when heading to the bathroom. However it was already dark and later in the evening so I wasn't TOO embarassed. However I may have been one of the only sober folks who fell in such a manner. My friends HAD to get a picture of my muddy back as I was dancing to Jane's Addiction...

The show was awesome, we went with a whole group of friends and we all had a grand time. My husband's cousin watched E so we could get away. If it were a differnet show and different weather, I think we would have brought E so she would get used to live music. We already have a pair of baby headphones ready for the next concert!

Tuesday I felt a bit icky, and that night E and I both weren't feeling our best. Wednesday I took off work to take E to the pediatrician and get myself some needed sleep. She and I are now fine, just a little stomach bug going around.

Thursday I went back to work, though not feeling my complete Allie self. I wore a tangerine colored puff-sleeve tee from Old Navy, my blue-gray low-slung pants from Gap, some orange leather thongs from Born, coral cut glass bead necklaces from a shop in Rehoboth Beach and second-day hair. No picture because my husband also worked and the only picture I would be able to capture would be dark.

So now we are on to today - Friday. Feeling good, so though it's Casual Friday I decided to clean up a bit. Hair looks a bit strange because it was still wet (only dried the bangs, the rest dried by time I got to the Metro).

Black matte jersey wrap dress from Ann Taylor, red patent leather heels from Sofft, Silver hoops.

Makeup is really basic - just a bit of L'Oreal True Match foundation where needed, Nars blush in Orgasm, Benefit lipstick in Bouquet Dive and Cover Girl LashBlast mascara in Rich Black.

This weekend looks as though it's going to be pretty insane. Tomorrow we have a 2-year old's birthday party and a photo shoot immediately following. Sunday I may go house hunting with my sister, and I will surely be stopping by the farmer's market for produce for the week.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and I will "see" you on Monday!

Monday

Attire:
Talbots - Ivory tropical wool trousers
Ann Taylor - Black jersey wrap top
H&M - Black camisole
Banana Republic - Black strappy kitten heel sandals

Hair:
Let air dry night before. Just rinsed with conditioned since washed early Sunday morning and just a bit sweaty from being outdoors and walking. It was a bit weird this morning so I used my dryer and a round brush to smooth the bangs and took some large sections in a curling iron to smooth/define. A bit of Jonathan Silky Dirt to help the situation.

Beauty:
Laura Mercier - Concealer from the Flawless Face Kit in Sand
Chanel - pressed powder in Light
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis (just the Ivory)
Clinique - Almost Lipstick in Black Honey
Maybelline - UltraLiner in Black
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black

So excited, these are the pants I got from Talbots for an awesome price but were too tight. I tried them on this morning by chance and they slipped on without any issue. They are fully lined and still quite comfortable. Hooray, the baby weight is coming off slowly but surely!

And I will try to get my husband or someone to capture a picture of me until I get a full-length mirror in a well-lit room.

This Weekend

This weekend was great - we had little tasks already scheduled so we could enjoy it. Lately life has been so scheduled and structured it has been exhausting and impossible to catch up.

Saturday my husband got up to take the two newer dogs for a run (Ruckus doesn't have the strength to go more than ablock or two while these two need mile runs daily to burn off steam) and then he went to teach yoga. E and I lounged in bed and slept on and off. Such a luxury!

When my husband got home, we were all super hungry so we went to our favorite Greek diner for a VERY laqte breakfast (it was past noon). Here is my husband with Emerson in our booth.

The rest of Saturday... you know I can hardly remember what exactly we did! I think my husband gave the dogs a bath outside, if I am recalling the correct day. Did some thank you cards that were overdue, watched a movie, we went for a long walk through the neighborhood, my husband worked on some photos for a shoot he had earlier that week. A lovely day of not much.

Sunday we got up and headed to the Farmer's Market. I wore a tangerine puff-sleeve tee from Old Navy, my light blue-gray low slung trousers from Gap, some coral glass chip necklaces I have had for years. Just wore flip flops and let the hair air dry.

My hair is very thin right now, it is falling out like crazy which is normal after pregnancy. But holding it back in an elastic or barette or straightening it too much really shows how thin it is and the patchy spots. Ugh.

Emerson had a great time bonding with all the other babies at the market, here she is checking out the jalapeno cheese bread we picked up.

After the market, we ran a couple errands. This is a picture of me and my husband in the car between the grocery store and PetSmart.

Funny how you can be with someone for over a decade and learn new things about them. I asked him why he was looking away in this picture and he said he was trying to cross his eyes to be funny. Who knew he didn't know how to cross his eyes! So we had a mini lesson. :)

Once we were finished with errands we came home to enjoy the sunshine on the deck. We had a late lunch/early dinner of a salad with goodies from the market and market sweet potatoes cooked on the grill.

Later in the day we took Emerson, Cindy and Alfie for a walk.

Here's my family (minus poor Ruckie who was home watching the roost - he got his own private short walk later).

End of Week

So I never got to Target to get a new mirror. I know the quality of these full-length shots suck... hopefully I can remedy the situation this week.

This is me on Wednesday. Blue print matte jersey wrap dress from Ann Taylor, red patent leather t-strap sandals from Sofft.

On Thursday, I wore my cobalt and gold print jersey top from Nordstrom with black ponte trousers from Old Navy.

Friday I wore Essential jeans, white ribbed tank and my gray and yellow striped cashmere blend cardigan - all from Gap.

Friday was me and my husband's Five Year anniversary. He sent me a dozen roses to work which was so sweet and nice after such long stressful weeks. I actually got off work early and we headed to our favorite sushi restaurant for their Happy Hour. We picked up Emerson from my mom's and headed home. My husband bought a bottle of port because he read that is what you are supposed to drink for five years. We each had a glass with some awesome super dark chocolate and watched Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist. Emerson got sleepy so we put her to bed, had ourselves a lovely bubble bath in our newish bathroom, another glass of port and talked for hours. Then early to bed. I think it was the most romantic and lovely anniversary we have had since getting married. Who says you can't have romance with a kid? :)

Horrible Pics for Tuesday

I really need to get myself a new mirror and put it in a different room. The problem is the office is not yet finished- you can probably tell from the backgrounds of these pics that it is boxes and stacks of books and randomness. This includes the curtain, which is just a tapestry thumb-tacked to the top of the window frame. Not easy to open up and let in light. I hope to have this situation remedied quite soon.

Anyway today's look...

Attire:
Gap Body - Black scoop neck 3/4 sleeve tee
Ann Taylor - White trousers
Banana Republic - Black leather strappy kitten heel sandals
Silver jewelry

Hair:
Next day (still feel too icky to manipulate hot tools)

Beauty:
Laura Mercier - Tinted Moisturizer in Sand
Stila - Illuminated Tinted Moisturizer (blended together in hopes of making me not look sickly - think it worked!), Lip Glaze in Fruit Cake
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Cover Girl - LashBlash waterproof mascara in Rich Black
Maybelline - UltraLiner in black (very thin line on top lash line)

I just got these white pants from Ann Taylor online and am pretty pleased with them. I am somewhere between a 16 and a 14 in bottoms (wearing Gap Long and Lean in 16 and they are too big but the 14s are trampy, Gap Essential in 14 fits perfectly, but I seem to be a 16 in Ann Taylor and Talbots) and these being 16 petite seem to be a decent blend of proper length and width. I fear I will be able to slide them off without unbuttoning by the end of the day, but that's better than a dreaded muffintop.

And because my outfit pictures are so utterly terrible, here is a family portrait taken by me on the way out the door.

Each morning my husband and Emerson take me to the Metro, it's our little family ritual (and a good way to save on gas, money and the environment).

We talk about the upcoming day, sometimes sing with Emerson (she is quite the "talker" and cooer, especially in the car). It's a great way to make the best out of having to trudge to work each morning and leave my lovely family.

As you can see, Emerson is quite bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the morning! :)

This Weekend and Monday

Not a ton of pictures lately... I hate taking the pictures in the office because the lighting is so poor. I keep saying I will get to Target for another mirror to put into the bedroom, but I just haven't had the time. SHOCKER! :)

Anyway, this is me on Saturday. On Saturday, we had a cookout to celebrate my husband's cousin's daughter's graduation from high school. It was a wonderful reunion of families, some we haven't seen since his dad's memorial service. The weather was fantastic, we ate outside and also played a few rounds of Bocce Ball. Emerson enjoyed the great weather trying to roll over on a blanket on the grass.

I wore a black knit nursing tank from Gap. I sewed the straps shorter to fit my petite self. With it are light blue-gray low slung flare trousers from Gap. Black flip flops from Reef and my silver jewelery.

My hair was second day - on Friday I washed it and let it dry naturally (with a combo of Matrix Curl.Life Contouring Milk and Jonathan Silky Dirt). For the hair in this pic, all I did was smooth the bangs with my curling iron and fingercomb out any bedhead.

Makeup is Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Sand, Cargo Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife, Nars Blush in Orgasm, Stila Lip Glaze in Fruit Cake, Revlon ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis - the ivory in the corners and on the brow bone and khaki on the lid. Maybelline UltraLiner super thin on top lash line and a coat of Cover Girl LashBlast waterproof mascara in Rich Black.

That evening we had two couples over for dinner and drinks out on the deck. I switched into the same pants in khaki linen blend because the others got dirty from being in the grass.

Sunday my husband had to take some photos at the local Farmer's Market for their Web site and I needed some provisions. We walked down with Emerson; another gorgeous day. I wore the same tank, but a different one (they were on sale when I just gave birth so I got two in black and one in white!), with my Essential Jeans from Gap and flip flops. Hair was third day, a bit pulled back with an elastic, the rest with my Ray Bans aviator sunglasses. Just tinted moisturizer and mascara.

No picture of me, but here is Little Miss E all decked out in her Punky Brewster finery ready to get some local produce!

Anyway, on a baby fashion side note - I love BabyLegs. They are lightweight so I am not heating up poor E while wearing them and they are great for sun protection on days like this. She also wears them to bed often because she wears a bulky wool cover over her cloth diaper and pants don't fit over it well. They will grow with her - right now they are obviously a bit long on her, but they will work as she gets taller under dresses or later on as arm or as classic legwarmers. We probably have six pairs of these, either brand name or from an Etsy seller and they are a must-have in our diaper bag!

Anyway on Sunday, despite Emerson looking so darn cute in her Gap sunhat and citrus-striped BabyLegs (and shirt from H&M and skirt from Carter's) I woke up feeling a bit icky. I thought maybe I didn't drink enough water the day prior. We walked down to the town center and once we got there my stomach was unhappy and my back was aching. By time we got home, my whole body was achy, my head hurt, my jaw felt stiff and swollen and I just KNEW I had a fever. Sure enough, I had a fever of 99.8.

We were to go to a cookout but I was in no shape for it, so I stayed at home. I slept, stayed hydrated, but the fever went up to 102.4. Some time last night my fever broke. I have a very low-grade one today, still feel crappy but not NEARLY as crappy as yesterday.

So today my hair was air dried because I had no energy to use any styling tools on it. Makeup is only tinted moisturizer, my Cargo Matte BeachBlush and some mascara and lip gloss. My outfit isn't bad - this top from Ann Taylor (love it when I can find nursing/pumping appropriate clothing with some style!) with a black cami from H&M under it, black twill pants from Gap, and I hate to say it but flip flops - there was no way I could get my achy self in real shoes today.

I actually wore this same outfit (but with kitten heeled sandals from Banana Republic) in this picture to the left, which was taken Memorial Day weekend. Not the best pic of me or E, but something semi-recent with that blouse. I actually just ordered it in solid black as well because it's a nice price point, can really dress up nicely, great for work or play and is mama-friendly!

Contest: Win a Watch from Orient!

Oh you dedicated readers, I thank you for sticking with me as I have been missing from the blog, busy taking care of adorable babies, husbands, dogs, and the communication and technology needs of various agencies and corporations.

And for that, I have another contest and it's a GOOD one!

I am offering one reader a gorgeous watch from Orient. If you haven't heard of Orient Watches, you are missing out. They are amazing, high-quality timepieces that rival many of the better known brands in America.

Orient makes beautiful and classic women's and men's watches. They are offering one of you readers the exact watch pictured here - a classic stainless steel women's watch with a pale pink face. The watch face is about 24 mm (9/10"), is water resistant, self-winding and has the calendar on the face.

To enter the contest:
Please send me an email with "ORIENT" in the subject line. In the body, please provide your name and mailing address. As always, these emails go directly to me, are destroyed after the contest, your information will never be sold, offered, etc. to anyone (except the lucky winner).
Winner will be chosen by random and will be notified within 48 hours of the end of the contest. If I do not hear from the winner within a week of that email, a second winner will be chosen.

Hey there international readers... this one is open to you too! :)

Contest ends Sunday, June 7th at 11:59 pm EDT.

Good luck to all of you!

MIA

(a few outfits from the last week...)

You wouldn't believe how many outfit pictures I have floating around on my laptop and PC. I take pictures, but don't have time to post. Or I don't have time to take my picture. Life has been busy to put it mildly.

So I last posted on the 14th... since then I feel that my life is remembered by what events and meetings I have had at work. So many, I didn't have to use PTO when I took off this past Friday for a wedding, I had more than enough overtime.

So much work, I can't even recall what I did the weekend of the 16th and 17th. No worries, I just whipped out my agenda book - my lifeline these days to know what I did! Oooh, Thursday night I got my hair cut and colored - pretty much same as usual (dark brown and auburn lowlights/highlights, trim).

Saturday my sister came to visit. She came over early in the morning and watched Emerson while I was able to sneak out and go to my husband's yoga class. To those of you who have friends or family who are pregnant or recently had a baby - stop buying them little dresses or footed sleepers. What they need is TIME. Watch the baby and give them a chance to go to the gym, the mall, to a class, to get a pedicure. It's the best present ever!

So anyway, first yoga class since my first trimester of pregnancy and it was delicious. I felt connected to my entire body for the first time in quite a while. Afterwards, our friend Mike came over. He was getting married the following week and decided to get a pedicure to be all cleaned up for his tropical honeymoon. My sister took Emerson to Old Navy since she had a recent pedi, and I went with my husband and Mike. First pedi since right after Emerson arrived so it was VERY much needed!

After, I went to an open house with my sister as that she is planning to buy a house this summer. The house was a dud, but it's still fun to look. That night my husband had a photo shoot, so my sister, Emerson and I hung out - watched movies and chilled. My sister spent the night, the next day we all went to brunch and the rest of the day was a whole heck of nothing.

Then this past week, which was a whirlwind at work. Long days, early mornings, hardly stopping for lunch. But it was okay because I had a four day weekend (which will be in the next post).

Monday and Tuesday

You know... I can't remember what I wore on Monday. Yeah, it has been that sort of week.

Anyway, this is what I wore on Tuesday.

Attire:
Nordstrom - Blue, gold and black print jersey top
Banana Republic - Black jersey camisole
Old Navy - Black ponte trousers
David Tate - Black leather city boots
Ann Taylor Loft - Silver and crystal necklace
Silver hoops and cuff

Beauty:
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Stila - Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer (mixed together)
Philosophy - The Present, The Supernatural Color Corrector in Light
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Maybelline - UltraLiner in Black
Benefit - Lipstick in Bouquet Dive

Hair:
Washed and conditioned
Redken SatinWear 02
Dried straight with round brush

Mother's Day Weekend

This was the weekend of the wrap dress.

Saturday night I had my first Girls Night Out since Emerson came in to my life. My sister and I had a fun evening in DC - dinner, a drink, to see Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings at the 9:30 Club, a post-concert drink and then a late-night snack at Ben's Chili Bowl.

I wore my black wrap dress from Ann Taylor, red shoes from Sofft, and usually wouldn't take a purse this large to a concert but I had to take my pump with me because I was going to be gone for so long.

This is a picture I took of myself in the lovely bathroom at 9:30 Club.

I did my hair straight because it is in DESPERATE need of a haircut and curly ends up looking scraggly. Silver hoops and cuff and my "Emerson" necklace from Tags-n-Stones.

The night was awesome - I always have fun with my sister and it was great to get out. Sharon Jones put on a phenomenal show as well. And for all my years living in the DC area, I had yet to go to Ben's Chili Bowl, so that was cool (and quite delish!).

Sunday, my husband made me his fabulous French Toast for breakfast. We just spent time enjoying the nice weather, took a nap, had a relaxing day. That night we went to dinner with my mom and sister (and of course Emerson!).

On Sunday I wore almost the same exact outfit, the same dress but in the blue print. Hair straight again, same shoes. Love having a collection of dresses, it makes it so easy to get dressed for almost any occasion!

End of Last Week

Sorry I have been missing from here. Life has been pretty hectic to put it mildly. Work is sooo busy, living with three dogs is not the same as living with one, there have been non-work activities taking place... etc.

So anyway, here's outfits from Thursday and Friday last week...

Thursday:

Attire:
Talbots - Orange and brown print matte jersey dress
Sofft - Brown suede Mary Janes
J. Crew - Gold necklace
Ralph Lauren - Gold bangles
Ann Taylor - Gold hoops

Hair & Makeup:
(no pic of hair and makeup)
Hair washed and conditioned night before
Matrix Curl.Life Contouring Milk
Air dry overnight
Next morning, large sections in curling iron

Typical makeup with the Revlon ColorStay shadow quad (made it a daytime version of smoky eye), Benefit lipstick in Bouquet Dive, Cargo Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife and my Cover Girl LashBlast mascara.


Friday:

Attire:
Banana Republic - Black cashmere puff sleeve sweater, black jersey cami underneath
Old Navy - Black ponte trousers
Ann Taylor - Black stretchy belt with patent leather buckle
David Tate - Black leather city boots
Silver hoops and cuff

Hair:
Next day, cleaned up a bit with curling iron in sections and finger-combed

Beauty:
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Stila - Illuminated Tinted Moisturizer (the two mixed togther), Lip Glaze in Fruit Cake
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Pop Beauty - Shadow palette for Brown Eyes

Reader Advice Wanted: Great Jeans

A request from my friend Karin, who is petite, slim but with some lovely feminine curves. I haven't had any luck with jeans lately, and was wondering if you fabulous women may have some suggestions:

If anyone has recommendations for (not skinny!) jeans that aren't reminiscent of a plumber but at the same time are not mom jeans, let me know. Bonus points if such jeans (i) come in short or petite, and (ii) are less than $75.

I figured answers would be useful to other readers too, so why not post it on here? I thank you all in advance. :)

Tuesday & Wednesday

Tuesday:

Attire:
Banana Republic - Teal merino boatneck sweater
J. Crew - Blue bead necklace
Gap - Navy low rise flare trousers
David Tate - Black city boots
Silver hoops and cuff

Hair:
Next Day
Straightened with round brush and dryer

Beauty:
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Benefit - Lipstick in Bouquet Dive

Wednesday:
Today I am working from home.

Black puff sleeved tee and black yoga pants from Old Navy. Hair is next day right now but at 5:30 I am taking a shower and am going to let it air dry with some Matrix Curl.Life Contouring Milk in it so it will be curly for tomorrow.

Here is my current picture of Emerson - Miss E passed out in her Jumperoo and our new dog Cindy was checking her out.

It is amazing how quickly a baby grows - we got her beloved Jumperoo two weeks ago and she could only reach the ground if she was on her tippy toes. Now she reaches the floor!

Monday

Attire:
Ann Taylor - Black matte jersey wrap dress (currently on sale and got during the 30% off Friends and Family event - same cut as the blue print one); gold hoops
Ralph Lauren - Gold bangles
J. Crew - Gold necklace
Sofft - Red patent t-straps

Hair:
Washed and conditioned
Matrix Curl.Life Contouring Milk
Air dry, use dryer on low last little bit to fluff

Beauty:
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Clinique - Longwear Lipstick in Beauty
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Maybelline - UltraLiner in Black

Sorry I have been MIA. It's been a busy few days and I am just catching up.

Let's see... Thursday I wore the black Talbots jersey wrap dress with the red heels I am wearing today. Friday was a bum day because I was exhausted - black tank from Gap, black ponte trousers from Old Navy and a black dolman-sleeve cardigan-thingy over it with a bunch of silver jewelry and smoky eyes in an attempt to look artsy and not disheveled. ;)

Friday night we had friends over. Saturday and Sunday were super chill days and we NEEDED it! My gosh, every weekend has been so busy! Saturday we hung out at home, watched the Caps beat Pittsburgh, got a decent night's sleep. Sunday we went out to lunch with E, came home to watch the Red Wings vs. Ducks hockey game, and again got some sleep. It was so lovely.

And little Miss E may kill me for this picture once she is older... but I just HAD to share it now!

My husband says she looks as though she's trying out for Babies Gone Wild. This is her new trick - she can grab things like Mommy's hair, her hoop earrings, her Sophie doll, and the hem of her shirt! :)

Peggy Li Contest Winner

Congratulations to reader Pietra from Virginia - she is the winner of the "Falling Petals" necklace from Peggy Li!

Thank you to Peggy Li Creations for sponsoring this contest.

Stay tuned, I will be having another contest for you readers in the near future!

Wednesday

I am working from home today, so I am in olive cropped yoga pants from Old Navy and a black tee shirt from Gap. Hair in a ponytail.

It is raining out but I am cozy inside with my three dogs and sleeping baby.

Emerson is passed out next to me, in her Frog Princess tee from H&M, pink disco print diaper from Mommy's Touch, pink and black striped BabyLegs from an Etsy seller, her favorite cloud print fleece blanket and her Sophie teething toy.

Baby fashion is so much fun because you can make them look like Punky Brewster every day!

Tuesday

Attire:
Maggy London - Black matte jersey faux wrap dress
Banana Republic - Black leather heeled sandals
Silver jewelery

Hair:
Next day and limp. I tried a new styling product AND shampoo and conditioner (see below), and hated it yesterday AND today.

Beauty:
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Philosophy - The Supernatural Color Correctors in Light
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Stila - Lip Glaze in Fruit Cake
Cover Girl - Lash Blast mascara in Rich Black
Maybelline - UltraLiner in Black



Sunsilk - Using it causes my hair to need Hairapy...
I recently was sent samples of the Sunsilk Hydra TLC collection. I have put off using it because I love Pureology shampoo and conditioner. However I am in need of a color touchup so I figured right now was the best time to try a new product. Besides, my hair is pretty fried and dry right now and could use some TLC...

Hydra TLC Shampoo and Conditioner - I am spoiled by Pureology's herbal natural scents. The Sunsilk products smelled like cheap candy - I felt too old for such a product. The shampoo lathered like crazy, so I wasn't surprised to find that Sodium Laureth Sulfate was the second ingredient. Rinsing it, my hair did not feel silky yet clean - it just felt dry. Yep, even in the shower with water beating on my head my hair felt dry. I then used the conditioner which was pretty cheapy feeling. It was thin, heavily perfumed, and didn't rinse very well. Not impressed.

Hydra TLC 24/7 Creme - This product is supposed to be applied to wet hair, and reapplied to dry hair for touch ups. Apply, and style as normal. I applied, didn't apply any other product, and then dried my hair as normal with a round brush and dryer.

I end up with super soft, healthy looking hair that was utterly limp and unmanageable. It almost seemed greasy, but then at least I could then run a brush through it and it wouldn't still look unbrushed. My hair had flyaways, separated in weird ways, hung limp, created a bad cowlick, and wouldn't hold soft curl from the round brush. It felt like... 6-year old hair. You know the kind that always looks as though someone roughed it up, but it still won't hold a ponytail elastic? Yeah, that was the result with this product.

I fully believe in quality, not quantity. As I have gotten older, I find it more important to have good hair - regular trims, quality color application, and products that baby the hair and give you style without looking as though there is product in your hair. Sunsilk is cheap in price, and cheap in quality. Let's not even get into how their parent company still tests on animals "when necessary." I won't be using Sunsilk again.


Shop for Fit Flops at Bliss!

Friday Through Monday

Friday I worked from home, so no pictures. Nothing too interesting to be captured, I wore the same thing as Thursday, but with flip flops and a different white tank. Friday night, I had my women's circle but had to miss it because I had to care for my new dogs.

Yep, we are now the proud owners of three dogs. We already had Ruckus, but we just inherited my husband's father's two dogs, since he passed away. They are sweet dogs, though have a few bad habits we need to work out. But it's worth it, we love them to pieces and they seem really excited to join our family.

Here is a picture of Cindy and Alfie waiting to go out and play in our backyard.

Saturday was my friend Jamie's bridal shower. It was a "Breakfast at Tiffany's" theme and well done. Quite a lovely event, and the bride-to-be was adorable.

Attire:
Ann Taylor - Blue print matte jersey wrap dress
Sofft - New dark red patent leather T-straps

Hair:
Washed and conditioned, bit of Redken SatinWear 02, dried straight with dryer & round brush

Beauty:
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Stila - Lip Glaze in Fruit Cake
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Maybelline - UltraLiner in Black

I do love my new shoes - you know how hard it has been for me to find some cute shoes that fit these post-pregnancy tootsies. Sofft came through once more with a shoe that I can easily wear all day long.

Saturday evening, we had several friends over for dinner and socializing. I am so not yet ready for this - by 10pm my body shuts down no matter where I am or what I am doing. I fell asleep on my living room floor (I was bonding with the dogs, but that is NO excuse)! Sorry friends for being a bad hostess, glad my husband kept the party going... :(

Sunday, we went to my husband's aunt's house for a birthday celebration for his grandmother. I wore the same exact thing I wore on Saturday because it was still clean and it was easy to toss on. Hair was the same but it eventually went into an updo with sideswept bangs to keep it off my neck.

It was a HOT day on Sunday! Here's me with my husband and our glistening/sweaty faces!

The party was quite nice - I love my husband's family and am always happy to hang out with them.


And then of course no post is complete without Emerson photos!

Here she is at the birthday celebration, enjoying the nice weather and the love from all her relatives! She had a great time with everyone, especially her two little cousins!

As for today... I forgot my camera but I am wearing my red Maggy London dress with the tie at the waist with my black leather Banana Republic sandals!

Thursday

Attire:
Gap - Striped cashmere blend cardigan, navy (but looks almost like denim) low slung flare pants
Old Navy - White ribbed tank
Silver jewelry

Hair:
Washed and conditioned
Matrix Curl.Life Conditioning Milk
Air dry 80%, dryer rest, curling iron to smooth bangs and fix icky parts

Beauty:
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Maybelline - UltraLiner in Black
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Marina Cosmetics - Lipstick in Beach Breeze

I NEVER wear cardigans, and I NEVER EVER wear yellow. No clue why I was drawn to this on the Gap sale rack, and why I actually liked it on me...

BTW my curling iron died this morning. The spring in the clamp went kaput! It was a Revlon iron I had for over a decade (had it in college in fact!). So sad...

Wednesday

Attire:
Gap - Black low slung twill pants
Banana Republic - Teal merino boatneck, black leather strappy kitten heels
Ann Taylor - Silver necklace
Silver hoops and cuff

Hair:
Needing to be washed. "nuff said.

Beauty:
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Marina Cosmetics - Hydrating Lip Gloss in Sunkissed and Manila Mango (blended)

In honor of Earth Day, I tried out these lip glosses from Marina Cosmetics. They were lovely enough to send me some to sample (and I was going to visit them at Beauty 360 in Dupont Circle yesterday but got stuck in a lunch meeting). :( Hope to get a chance to meet them in the future!

About Marina Cosmetics:
We believe that Natural is beautiful. Our mission was to create a product that not only looks and feels beautiful on your skin, but one that nourishes your skin with every silkening, softening, caress of color.

Our products were developed to bring natural, hydrating, anti-aging care to your skin. Natural Sea Minerals, Ecocert, and Certified Organic ingredients bring the best in “green benefits” to your skin.

We believe in the benefits of natural ingredients, and in formulations that conscientiously eliminate hazardous toxins. All products are dermatologist tested, hypoallergenic, paraben-free, and are formulated with natural replacements for petroleum. Our products restore, renew, and refresh the skin naturally – just like the sea.

I really love the feel of these lip glosses. They have the slight powdery feel that you get with mineral-based lip glosses, but it's far creamier and the color is pretty potent. The glosses are very metallic, which would be awesome looking for evening, but I chose to blot for an office environment. The color lasted through my morning coffee and I didn't reapply until I was heading home at the end of the day. My lips felt soft and hydrated all day as well!

Tuesday

Attire:
Talbots - Print matte jersey dress
Sofft - Brown suede Mary Janes
Ann Taylor - Gold necklace, bracelets and hoops

Hair:
Washed day prior and let air dry
Straightened with Croc Wet-to-Dry flat iron

Beauty:
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Benefit - Lipstick in Bouquet Dive

Sorry for being MIA so much lately. Last week was hectic (though I looked super cute in my blue print Ann Taylor wrap dress) and yesterday I was home with a migraine.

This weekend was quite nice. Friday night we had friends over for a cookout to celebrate the gorgeous weather. Saturday we took a hike with Emerson and then went to a chili cookoff in our neighborhood.

Sunday, I went to the mall with Emerson and a friend. Gosh, this was the first time I had been to a mall for an extended amount of time since... since early in my pregnancy! My goal was to find sunglasses for Emerson and some shoes for me. My friend was checking out Mother of the Bride dresses as that she is getting married this fall. All we found was sunglasses for Little Miss E (jsut $3.90 at H&M, gotta love it!). Still on the hunt for some shoes that I like AND like my feet....

Peggy Li Creations - Review and Contest

Peggy Li has been creating beautiful handmade jewelry for over eight years. I have been a fan for a while, often going to her site and admiring her unique yet affordable pieces, imagining how they would look with an outfit I own. Her pieces are feminine, yet unique and wearable with any personal style.

Peggy Li Creations' handmade jewelry has been featured in Lucky and Oprah magazines, and on TV shows such as Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, and Without a Trace. Her pieces are great for everyday wear, special occasions and even a wedding.

Li states, "I enjoy designing jewelry, making things that help women feel beautiful. When women feel beautiful, they feel powerful and have more confidence." I couldn't agree more.

Recently Peggy Li sent me a piece of her jewelry - The "Falling Petals" necklace (see photo). Her jewelry is even more beautiful in real life - delicate details and well-crafted.

Li describes this necklace, "I hand-shape and hand-hammer light links of metal to form a tiered stack of falling petal shapes. Architectural and modern, yet soft and wearable."

CONTEST: I am offering one of you readers your own "Falling Petals" necklace from Peggy Li Creations! This necklace is a single "petal" style, gold-filled with an 18" chain.

To enter, please send an email to me with the text, "PEGGY LI" in the subject. Please include your first name and where you are from (city, state, country).

I will contact you by email within 48 hours of the end of the contest if you are the winner. Winner will be chosen by random. I encourage the winner to let me know what she thinks of the necklace - if you take a picture I would be happy to have you do a guest post about your Peggy Li handmade jewelry Creation!

Contest ends Sunday, May 3, 2009 at 11:59 pm. This contest is open only to those in the United States.

Contest at Chickdowntown.com - Win a Tibi Dress!

Chickdowntown.com (the great Website that sponsored the contest for the Tolani scarf) has a blog as well as their online store. The blog offers details and style ideas for many of their hot sellers, and it also has pretty regular contests of some fabulous prizes.

Right now, the Chickdowntown.com blog is offering a contest where one reader can win a Tibi mini green dress in Size 8!

It's a gorgeous dress (check out the photo of it!), and Tibi dresses usually retail around $350! Head over to the blog and enter the contest, I would love a My Wardrobe Today reader to be the winner!

Guest Blogger at In My Professional Opinion

Hi all, I recently was asked to be a guest blogger at In My Professional Opinion!

I love this blog and the two authors - Melissa Street (who has become a good blogging friend of mine) is a mom and professional, freelance makeup artist with 20 years of experience in the film, television and live event industries; Aileen Wrench has worked as a Strategic Marketing Professional for 13 years. The two offer very valuable advice on beauty and products from their "insider view."

My guest post is the second in a series of posts about How to Be a Budget Bombshell.

Many of us are feeling the pinch due to the current economic situation, and I have always believed that style can be found at any budget level, so I find this series of posts very beneficial to any woman.

I encourage you to go visit In My Professional Opinion (and check out what I wrote). Hope you find it entertaining and helpful!

Tuesday

Ya'll are lucky to get a picture. I went to sleep late, got up super early after E being fussy and hungry all night, and had to get to work early to complete an assignment for a meeting later today. I think this is how all of this week will be, so I may be MIA for many days. :(

Attire:
Talbots - Black jersey wrap dress
Duo - Bern boots in tan
Tolani - Blue Zig Zag Scarf
Silver jewelery

Hair:
next day, smoothed with round brush and dryer

Makeup:
Standard

This Weekend and Monday

No outfit pictures, this is a very busy week. My boss and peer were out last week; they were back on Monday so I knew it would be a busy early day. On top of that, I left early to go to Opening Day for the Washington Nationals. Nope, Obama didn't leave the Easwter Egg Roll to throw the opening pitch, and we didn't win, but we did get a decent amount of sunshine. This is me and my mom in our Opening Day caps during the sunny part of the day.

I wore my hair straight, makeup pretty basic. Wore a navy stretchy v-neck sweater from Banana Republic, my gray low slung flare pants from Gap (which look almost blue), and my black Chucks (can't wear heels to a baseball game... it's just wrong). Silver jewelery. Got there and they gave out free caps so I put that on. :) When I got cold, I threw on a black hoodie.

This weekend was fun.

On Saturday, the wedding didn't have rain for the actual time of the ceremony, but it still was a very cold and rainy day. The wedding was so nice - small intimate ceremony of family and dear friends. The couple was so sweet; the bride was GORGEOUS - I want her dress and the little vintage chubby she wore over it to ward off the cold. Her groom looked quite dashing too.

I myself wore the black wrap dress from Talbots with black tights and my black suede Mary Janes from Sofft so I sort of faded into the background.

Sunday I went to my Mom's; I wore my khaki low slung flare pants, my Chucks and a black puffed-sleeve tee from Old Navy. Pretty low-key day.

We had brunch and then just played with Em and had a good time together as a family unit. Had to give you some Emerson pictures - she tried out her Bumbo seat for the first time (and my mom had to have her wear bunny ears), and later in the day we took her for a stroller ride around the neighborhood, and stopped to visit some neighbors to show her off.

Contest Winner - Inspired by Finn

Congratulations to reader Gerry from Hungary for winning the Baltic Amber necklace or bracelet from Inspired by Finn!

I hope you enjoy your new jewelery - be sure to come back once you receive it and let us know what you think of it!

I will have another contest in the next week or so, so be sure to come back and visit!

Friday

Attire:
Banana Republic - Teal merino sweater
Gap - Low-slung pants in black
David Tate - Black leather city boots
Same jewelery as yesterday

Hair:
Washed and conditioned with Pureology Volumizing
Redken - Satinwear 02
Dried upside down with paddle brush, then used round brush to smooth
Jonathan Product - Silky Dirt

Beauty:
Body Shop - Vitamin E Face Mist
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Stila - Lip Glaze in Fruit Cake
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Avon - Glimmersticks in Black
Cover Girl - LashBlast waterproof mascara in Black

Sorry, left my camera at work so you get a picture of me at my desk as soon as I arrived, gosh bra strap and all (whoops!). :( No body shot.

The weather is a bit ick today and tomorrow - chances of rain and cloudy (as you can see from my office window). Please do a non-rain dance for tomorrow in the Annapolis, MD area - I am officiating a wedding for a really lovely couple and they are having an outdoor ceremony at a beautiful location. They know the chance of rain (April showers bring May flowers...) and because of this it is a short ceremony. But still, I would like some lovely weather for these lovely people!

For the rest of my weekend... think the hubby will be out tonight. The plan was for him to leave tonight for a bachelor weekend (he is the Best Man) but instead they are leaving early tomorrow morning for the trip. I think tonight they will all just get a meal and maybe hang out at a bar in the city. That means it's me and Little Miss E.

Tomorrow my sister and a good friend are coming over. We'll hang out until I have to leave for the wedding, and they will babysit E for the first time. Sunday we will head to my mom's house for Easter brunch (not a big holiday in our family, but we like to spend it together). My sister is planning some Easter-related crafts that we can do with E - like maybe some pastel colors and do some hand and foot prints, etc. Should be fun!

Thursday

Attire:
Talbots - Black jersey wrap dress
Sofft - Black suede Mary Janes
Ann Taylor - Silver and crystal necklace
Silver necklaces, cuff and hoops

Hair:
Next day
Straightened with round brush and dryer on dry hair

Beauty:
Body Shop - Vitamin E Face Mist to prep/hydrate the skin
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Stila - Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer (the two mixed together)
Philosophy - The Supernatural Color Correctors in Light
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis (just the ivory)
Maybelline - UltraLiner in Black
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara iN Rich Black
Clinique - Long Wear lipstick in Beauty

This is the same dress as my navy print one. I liked the other one so much, I went back and found it in black AND for less than $30! Seriously, Talbots is having some ridiculous sale items right now. I also got some ivory flannel wool trousers in a very classic cut for less than $20, originally $148. They are five pounds away from fitting well, and for that price I figured I could break my rule of buying things I do not yet fit into.

Wednesday

No pictures for today. Sorry, was running late today.

I am wearing the orange, brown and purple print dress from Talbots that I wore the other week, same shoes. I am wearing my 6 gold bangles from Ralph Lauren, small gold hoops from Ann Taylor and a gold necklace from J. Crew. Hair is curly today, makeup is pretty basic.

To compensate, here is a picture of me with Little Miss E from a couple weeks ago when my mom babysat Emerson the whole day. This is when I came to pick her up that evening.

Good example of how my hair and makeup look after a long day at work and commuting on the Metro...

...and yes, another outfit combination put together by my wonderful, smart, sweet and sexy yet baby fashion-clueless husband. "Red and lavender go together... you need red to make purple, doesn't that mean they coordinate?" Ah, who cares, she's cute and comfortable (and the socks were green BTW...)

Tuesday

Attire:
Ann Taylor Loft - Dark blackberry dolam sleeve tunic sweater
Gap - Black low rise flare trousers
David Tate - Black leather city boots
Express - Purple beaded necklace
Silver hoops and cuff

Hair:
Next day, just brushed

Beauty:
Laura Mercier - Tinted Moisturizer in Sand
Stila - Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer (the two mixed together)
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Benefit - Lipstick in Bouquet Dive
Three Custom Color Specialists - Shadow Trio in Sweet Indulgences
Avon - Eye liner in Eggplant
Civer Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black

Monday

Attire:
Gap - Black scoop tee, gray low rise flare trousers
David Tate - Black leather city boots
Silver hoops, cuff and chains with wedding set (almost fits but not quite)

Hair:
Washed and conditioned night before, let air dry
Straightened with round brush and dryer on dry hair
Jonathan Product - Silky Dirt

Beauty:
Laura Mercier - Tinted moisturizer in Sand
Philosophy - The Present, The Supernatural Color Correctors in Light
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Stila - Glossy lipstick in Amber

Super Dad is in the background of the full-length shot, changing Emerson's diaper. Gotta love that! :)

This weekend was awesome - we spent the majority of it outside. There was still a bit of a breeze so Emerson got to sport many of her cute sweaters and hoodies. Here she is ready to go for a walk in one with little ears - too cute!

Friday I went to work late because I was exhausted and my boss felt bad for me. No picture, but you didn't miss much - blackberry cotton v-neck sweater from Lands End and black ponte trousers. Saturday we went to a friend's birthday party and I wore my navy print wrap dress from Talbots. Sunday was a home day and I wore a black tee from Old Navy with khaki low rise flare trousers from Gap.

So these are the new pants. Okay, I don't LOVE them but I like them and they actually fit! I find them to be a hair too short (but not willing to spend money right now to have the long ones hemmed - and also think if I lose a bit they will be longer on me) and I don't like side-slash pockets, but they are comfortable, they don't ride up, they don't crease like I feared they would, they get the job done. Oh gosh, I never thought I would be the type who would purchase something that "gets the job done." But desperate times call for desperate measures! I have them in this gray color (on sale - sort of like an oxford shirt with the weave and color of the fabric) and then got them in khaki (sort of textured like linen but heavier), and black (classic twill but not lint-attracting like most black twill pants).

Contest: Amber Necklace from Inspired by Finn

Little Emerson will soon be at the age where she will be teething. I have been researching ways to help her with the pain of this process, and having these remedies be as natural as possible. This research led me to Baltic Amber necklaces, and the company Inspired by Finn came highly recommeded by many mothers.

Baltic amber is not a stone, but a fossilized tree resin. Historically, Baltic Amber has been used in Europe as a natural and traditional remedy and curative for many ailments for centuries. Long ago it was considered one of the leading ‘medicines’ of its time. The healing qualities of Baltic Amber make it unlike any other type of amber found in the world. When Baltic Amber is worn on the skin, the skin’s warmth releases trace amounts of healing oils from the amber. These oils contain succinic acid and are absorbed into the skin.

Baltic Amber has some of the highest concentrations of Succinic Acid found in nature, and this is what makes it so special. Succinic Acid is a natural component of plant and animal tissues, and it's presence in the human body is beneficial in many ways. It contains analgesic properties and helps take the edge off of many types of discomfort associated with dental issues (such as teething), headaches, joint pain, etc. Succinic acid helps boost the body's natural immune system, helps restore energy, break chronic inflammation and boost all over wellness.

On top of this, it's really pretty! I have always loved amber jewelery for its beauty, and love that Baltic Amber jewelery from Inspired by Finn is pretty as well as possibly healing.

Inspired by Finn has offered to let me have a giveaway for one of my readers - one of you can win the necklace of your choice that is in stock (up to 17" in length) or a bracelet. This does not have to be a necklace for a child - this can be a lovely prize for you to wear an enjoy!

Hey international readers - you too can enter this contest!!!

This contest ends Sunday, April 12th at 11:55pm ET. Please enter by sending me an email with "AMBER" in the subject line, and your first name in the body of this email. Winner will be notified by email. Winner will be chosen at random.

For those who are interested in purchasing anything else at Inspired by Finn, they have graciously offered My Wardrobe Today readers 20% off their next purchase.
Promotion Code: blog

Good luck!

Thursday

Attire:
Old Navy - Black ponte trousers, gray sweater tee
David Tate - Black leather city boots
Ann Taylor - Silver and crystal necklace
Various other silver necklaces, silver cuff
Nordstrom - Silver dangly earrings

Hair:
Next day
Brushed, curling iron on big sections

Beauty:
Laura Mercier - Tinted Moisturizer in Sand
Philosophy - The Supernatural Color Correctors in Light
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Pop Beauty - Shadow palette for brown eyes - black
Avon - Glimmersticks in Black
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Maybelline - Shine Seduction lip gloss in Blushed Bass

Check out little Miss E, she's wearing her first pair of shoes - some fabulous retro Vans that were a gift from my friend Tiffany. Rock it girlfriend! :)

I am TIRED TIRED TIRED. I think I hit snooze at least three times this morning and I am not the type to hit snooze.

Little Miss E is... probably going through a growth spurt. She ate at 11, 1:30, 3:45 and 6:30. I had dreams last night about trying to schedule sleep into my day. She's not being too fussy, but she just wakes and wants to be fed and gobbles it up as though she hasn't eaten for days. She also is going through some long sleeping jags, so sometimes she is ravenous during the day (yay for me) and sleeps through the night (double yay for me), and sometimes it's the opposite (boo for me). Ah well, it's all worth it for this little chubby-cheeked smiley fabulous bundle of baby!

Wednesday

Attire:
Ann Taylor - Blue print matte jersey wrap dress
Sofft - Black suede Mary Janes (and bruised-looking ankles... no other shoes quite yet)
Silver hoops, cuff and necklaces

Hair:
Washed and conditioned
Matrix Curl.Life Contouring Milk
Let air dry 90%, dried rest with dryer
Curling iron to smooth bangs and frizz

Beauty:
Laura Mercier - Tinted Moisturizer in Sand
Stila - Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer (the two blended together)
Philosophy - The Supernatural Color Correctors in Light
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in neutral Khakis - the ivory on the lid
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Clinique - Almost Lipstick in Black Honey
Maybelline - UltraLiner in Black

Tuesday

Attire:
Lands End - Orange scoop fine gauge cotton sweater
Old Navy - Black ponte trousers
David Tate - Black city boots
Ann Taylor - Black and silver necklace
Silver cuff

Hair:
Next day
Straightened while dry with round brush and dryer

Beauty:
Laura Mercier - Tinted moisturizer in Sand
Stila - Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer (the two mixed together), Lip Glaze in Fruit Cake, Eye Shadow in Kitten
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Smashbox - Photo Op Under Eye Brightener
Pop Beauty - Shadow Palette for brown eyes: Shadow in Black
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Avon - Eye liner in Black

So I could open a shoe store in my house. I haven't had the time yet to return the unsuccessful black pumps I ordered, and three more pairs arrived yesterday and none of them fit either. One pair - a basic black leather pump from B.P. for Nordstrom is the cheapest and surprisingly the best fit. They are 8.5M, afraid an 8 will be too tight but these are too big. Not sure if I should try to stuff with FootPetals or something, or keep trying. Too bad they don't come in 8W, I think that would work.

I really need to get myself to a shoe store but life is just too hectic for that right now. I was proud of myself for getting to a Talbots today at lunch to return an online purchase that didn't work.

I went to Gap at lunch as well and found that their low slung flare pants fit me in a 16. They don't hurt and they don't make too extreme of a muffin top. I sat in them and they seemed to do quite well. Of course they didn't have 16 ankle in the store, so I went online and ordered two pairs - we'll see how they turn out. My maternity pants are now too big; these literally are the only pants I own that fit, and with only owning summer shoes or brown suede Mary Janes for dresses (the black suede ones rub off on my skin if I wear them with bare legs), I am feeling a bit trapped. Argh... will keep looking...

Monday

Attire:
Talbots - Blue print jersey knit wrap dress
Sofft - Brown suede Mary Janes (not the best shoe for this dress but all I have at this moment)
Silver necklaces, hoops and cuff

Hair:
Washed and conditioned with Pureology Volumizing
Matrix Curl.Life Contouring Milk
Scrunched and let air dry
Hit with dryer and scrunched while dry to remove crunchiness, used round brush and dryer to smooth bangs

Beauty:
Laura Mercier - Tinted Moisturizer in Sand
Stila - Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer (mixed the two together), Lip Glaze in Fruit Cake
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Smashbox - Photo Op Eye Brightener
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black

Well I got over Friday... it's funny my supervisor had a similar thing the same day. Stomach bug? Needless to say that day was not a high point in my social calendar.

Saturday was the grand re-opening of my sorority house. Yes, I was in a sorority in college and had a great time during those years. I am still friends with many sisters (and my blood sister was in the same sorority on the same campus). The house was renovated over the past year or so, and they invited us alumni to come back and check out the new digs. I went with my actual sister, and saw many familiar faces at the open house. After the event, we went to a local bar we loved back in college tohave a few beers and reminisce (and talk about babies, husbands, careers, houses and all the things we never thought we would talk about in that very bar).

The invitation said "pin attire" so I wore the same exact thing I wore Friday, plus my sorority pin. Hair looked more like it does today, since it was a drizzly day in the Nations Capital. This is a picture of me with my sister sitting on the couch in the sorority house living room.

Sunday started off "rusty," as my husband puts it. It wasn't too much drizzle, so we got Emerson in her (covered!) stroller and went for a walk to get coffee at a spot in the center of town. Got home and spent a couple hours being productive - my husband working on his father's house to get it ready for sale, me getting our house clean and tidy. We then did a very suburban couple thing - headed to get a score from Craigslist. We got two more bases for our car seat so there is one in my car and my mom's and we can just snap the seat in any car in a jiffy. Two for the price of one if purchased in the store AND an extra carseat (we won't use but it's nice to have another liner in case she gets hers perma-icky). Stopped for lunch at a restaurant with an outdoor terrace so we could enjoy the now gorgeous sunny weather. We came home, decided to take E for another fresh air stroll and it got cloudy again. We walked about 10 minutes and headed home before we got caught in a storm.

Early to bed, early to rise to head back to work this week!

Friday

I am working from home because I an not feeling so hot.

Black yoga pants, black Bravado Body Silk nursing bra which looks a bit like a cropped tank. Peeking out of a hot pink scoop tee from Gap that is a bit too big. Desperate need of a shower, which I will do once I am finished with work stuff. Hopefully then I can also take a nap because I got very little sleep last night.

The weather is gorgeous, have the windows open and am working on the living room couch, E next to me sleeping in her swing.

Thursday

Attire:
Talbots - Matte jersey surplice neckline dress
Sofft - Brown suede Mary Janes
Ann Taylor - Gold necklace and hoops
Ralph Lauren - Gold bangles

Hair:
Next day, just brushed

Beauty:
Philosophy - The Present, The Supernatural Color Correctors in Light
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Benefit - Lipstick in Bouquet Dive
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black

One of my new dresses - depending on how the shoes work that are en route to my house, I may wear this one on Saturday. I love matte jersey, and this neckline works jsut fine for feeding or pumping.

And I haven't had an Emerson picture lately... here is one of her from this morning. Happy little baby is sporting one of her newest onesies.

A couple of days ago we received an unmarked brown shipping envelope addressed to Emerson. Inside was nothing but this onesie, which has the logo and the name of the band Umphrey's McGee. No invoice, no card, nothing.

"Emerson has a secret admirer who likes jam bands!" We figured out pretty quickly which friend of ours sent her the onesie. He was the one who saw this band with my husband in Jamaica and with both of us when I was in my last trimester. We gave him a call to thank him. But it was pretty funny. This picture was taken so I could put it in his thank you card. :)

Tolani Scarf Contest Update

Congratulations to reader Jama from Connecticut! She is the winner of a fabulous Tolani scarf, courtesy of chickdowntown.com, a great place for women's designer clothing. They carry items from designers like Nanette Lepore, Elizabeth and James and Diane von Furstenberg. You can also keep tabs on them on Twitter, Facebook and ChickdowntownTV. I own this scarf and can attest to the fact that it goes with almost everything and will be a fabulous wardrobe addition for this spring.

Hundreds of you applied, flooding my inbox (and thank so much for the personal little messages in some of them - I tried to read most of them!!!). Winner was chosen by random, so congrats again Jama! Another contest will be taking place next week and I hope to be having little contests from time to time this year, so keep visiting, you may be the next winner!

Speaking of winners, chickdowntown.com is having a contest where one person can win a $1,000 shopping spree. Contest ends April 10th, so be sure to register soon!

Tuesday & Wednesday

No pictures from yesterday - I got to work at 6:45 am so taking pictures was when it was too dark to see in that room (have to work on it), and the rest of the family was asleep and didn't want to disturb in any way. However I decided to wear my black matte jersey wrap dress from Old Navy with a gold chain from J. Crew and my gold twig bangles form Ann Taylor and my black suede Mary Janes from Sofft. Hair was straight, makeup was basic. It was totally appropriate.

After work I stopped by the Talbots near my job because everything in there is 20% off, they have petites that go up over size 12. I ended up getting two dresses, one with a surplice neckline, one a wrap style, both together came to less than $140 which I felt was pretty good. Both are a 14 petite. I couldn't find a pair of pants that fit this weird body except some like yoga pants, and well... if I am going to go with pants like that I might as well stick with the ponte maternity ones I have been sporting. But I gave my husband a fashion show and he thought both dresses flattered my figure and were fun prints (you will see in upcoming posts).

I am still struggling with shoes. Before Emerson, I was a 7.5 medium. I could buy certain brands like Nine West, BCBGirls, Enzo Angiolini and Jessica Simpson and know that they would fit in that size. After her... I am not sure. These two pairs of Mary Janes from Sofft are 8.5W and they are a tiny bit big, but in a "wow they don't hurt at the end of the day" sort of way, and don't rub at the heels. My city boots are an 8W and feel good. My Duo Boots still fit, but in a different way from before/do feel almost half a size small since I usually buy boots big. I can get my foot into some of my 7.5M shoes but that's about it - no walking or even standing.

So I decide to order a pair of classic black patent pumps from Circa Joan & David. I order 8W and 8.5W, since I have free shipping and returns. The 8W is ginormous on me in width and length. So big, I think even a 7M may be good. What the heck? I ordered an 8W in a boot from Sudini and I can't even get it on, it's so tight. These are two brands I have worn before so I am very confused. I have an event this weekend where I need to dress up, and figured one of my new dresses and some basic black pumps would be perfect. I ended up ordering like 5 pairs of shoes from Nordstrom because they are doing free shipping on shoes and they do super fast delivery. I will not have time to hit a mall until Sunday at the earliest, and honestly I hate malls. Fingers crossed one of these pairs works!

Oh, and yesterday in the fitting room at Talbots I look at my ankles and they look all bruised. Nope, it's just that I had my ankles crossed at the conference I attended and the black of the shoes rubbed off all over my skin. Awesome.

Today I am working from home and I am glad because I need a chance to go through my clothes and figure out what to do for the time being. A Bella Band is not an option because of my height. If I wore one, it would show with all tops I wear. Also I don't wear baggy tops because they hide my waist, and an zipped pants covered by a Bella Band would show lumpy under tops. And these breast feeding boobs make it impossible to wear anything but stretchy knits.

Sorry to vent on here, but fashion isn't always easy. However I would rather wear the same thing three days in a row than go out of the house looking like a shlub. I feel far more confident and myself in repetitive wardrobe than in something that I know makes me look less than what I can possibly be! As I always say, it's about quality, not quantity! :)

Weekend and Today

Attire:
Boob Maqternity - Black jersey dress
Banana Republic - Black jersey camisole
Duo Boots - Tan Bern Boots
Tolani - Blue Zig Zag Scarf
Silver hoops, necklaces and cuff

Hair:
Saturday, it was Day 2, bangs smoothed, hair brushed in AM and left as-is (see picture).
Sunday, it was washed, conditioned and straightened
Monday it is Day 2

Beauty:
Philosophy - The Present, The Supernatural Color Corrector trip in Light
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Cargo - Matte BEachBlush in Tenerife
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Benefit - Lipstick in Bouquet Dive

Oh yes, I wore the same thing three days in a row. Saturday I wore this out to dinner. Sunday I wore this to go wedding dress shopping with a friend (who found The Dress and ordered it!!!). Today it was worn to work. I saw different people, did different things.

I am in desperate need of some clothing that fits this new body, but no time to go shopping. I have ordered a few things online but none have worked thus far. A few pants and a dress are en route, I hope they work because I am getting really strapped for proper clothing. For example, I have a meeting tomorrow offsite where I am supposed to "dress appropriately." Oh geez. I think I will wear my red Maggy London dress because I have no suiting that fits right now, and all my pants look like heck after being worn and washed so many times. Also the maternity pants are too big now, while old pants do not fit. So yeah, the same dress is worn three days in a row these days. At least it is clean and looks relatively cute...

Friday

Attire:
Gap maternity - Long and Lean Jeans
Banana Republic - Black merino crewneck
Shop in Rehoboth Beach - Gray patterned shawl
David Tate - Black leather city boots
Silver hoops and cuff

Hair:
Washed and conditioned
Matrix. Curl.Life Contouring Milk
Let air dry completely, occasional scrunching

Beauty:
Philosophy - The Present, The Supernatural Color Corrector Trio
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Benefit - Lipstick in Bouquet Dive
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black

Today Emerson is being babysat by my mom because my husband has a photo shoot. I called at 1pm and both ladies are doing well. :) Tomorrow my sister is coming over to help with organizing/furnishing our office (which is currently a junk room to the left of where I take my picture). Sunday I am going wedding dress shopping with another friend who is getting married later this year.

Last night I got to get a sneak peak of the new location for the hair salon I frequent. The owner is awesome and asked me stop by to help choose where to display the retail products. The new site is twice as big as their current location with lots of more perks like pedicure chair, tanning beds (not my thing but I know lots like them), and a room for a massage table and therapist. It's opening at the beginning of April and I couldn't be more excited! If any of you readers are near College Park, Maryland I highly recommend Bananas Hair Salon - I see Kathleen but know there are many other talented artists there (John used to cut my hair back in high school when he was with a different salon, Casey is the owner and is quite the artist, etc.).

Thursday

Working from home today; chillin' on the couch in sage green cropped lounge pants from Old Navy, a thin navy cotton v-neck sweater from Banana Republic and some hair that needs a good washing. However I had an internal Webinar this morning and had to use my Webcam, so the hair was brushed, and I did put on a bit of concealer, bronzer (Cargo Matte BeachBlush) and mascara. Would you expect otherwise? ;) Emerson participated in the Webinar, before it actually started I put the cam on her swinging in her swing. She was quite the crowd pleaser. :)

Wednesday

Attire:
Ann Taylor Loft - Dark plum batwing sleeve tunic sweater (it's like 2 years old)
Old Navy maternity - Black ponte trousers
David Tate - Black leather city boots
Express - Purple beaded necklace
Silver cuff

Hair:
Second day, brushed out and then ends hit with curling iron

Beauty:
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Philosophy - Concealer trio in light
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
3CC - Shadow trio in Sweet Indulgences
Benefit - Lipstick in Bouquet Dive
Avon - Glimmersticks in Black
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black

Tuesday

Attire:
Old Navy - Black Matte Jersey wrap dress
Sofft - Black suede Mary Janes (yep, my old shoes still don't fit...)
Ann Taylor - Gold necklace and hoops
Twisted Silver - Gold bracelet

Hair:
Washed and conditioned with Pureology Volumizing
Matrix Curl.Life Contouring Milk
Air dried, 75%, low level dryer the rest of the way, weird places hit quickly with curling iron but I was running late and couldn't do much

Beauty:
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Laura Mercier - loose powder from Flawless Face Kit in Sand
nars - Blush in Orgasm
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Maybelline - Shine Seduction lip gloss in Blushed Bass
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black

Very very busy day today, the next couple of weeks are going to be slammed at work so I will try to post when possible. Like today, you may get a cluster of posts all at once at the end of the work day. :) But hey, in this economy I am grateful that my company is so busy!

Friday through Monday

Friday I worked from home and spent the day in a dark red nursing tank from Bravado, black yoga pants from Old Navy and a black hoodie from Gap.

Saturday, we had some friends stop by. They have a son who is six months older than Emerson, and they got to meet one another. It was pretty cute so I just HAD to share with you all!

That evening, we went to the house of my best friend to hang out. Emerson went along and had a blast all until the very end of the night, but it was her bedtime (and bad Mommy forgot her pacifier at home).

All Saturday I wore my dark orange scoopneck cotton sweater from Lands End and my black ponte trousers from Old Navy (black leather city boots). No pics of this outfit, though you can see my bracelet and cuff of my shirt in the picture of me holding Emerson up to meet her new friend...

Sunday I went with my sister to assist the same best friend in finding a wedding dress. She had already hit up some locations closer to DC, so we decided to visit Betsy Robinson's and Bridal by Elena, both closer to Baltimore. We found great dresses at both, had a FAR FAR FAR better experience at Betsy Robinson's (which is the place where where I found my wedding dress in 2003 though I ordered it online for 50% less) and possibly found The Dress (or at least a contender) on our trip.

I wore a magenta dolman sleeve sweater from Nordstrom's sale rack and my black ponte maternity pants from Old Navy. Hair was washed and conditioned in a rush and dried just as fast. Makeup is the standard, except I used black shadow with an angle brush to look like liner, and wore Clinique's Longwear lipstick in Beauty.

Monday was not a good day. Not sure why, but I only was able to sleep about three hours. Emerson slept through the night (Murphy's Law) but I had major insomnia. I went to work with second day hair (luckily it looked decent), a black 3/4 sleeve scoop tee from Gap, the same pants worn on Sunday, my black city boots, silver hoops and cuff bracelet, a quickly applied foundation, powder, mascara and Clinique's Almost Lipstick in Black Honey. No picture because I was running late.

My 1,0001st Post!

I just went in to the bacend of Blogger and saw that I have 1,000 posts on this blog! My, how time flies!

Happy Belated Birthday!

This is a chance to show off my cute little girl (who turned two months this past Sunday), but it's also a review of a very cool product I found on Etsy.


For those who have never visited Etsy, you MUST and right NOW! You will thank me and also hate me for such an addiction!


Etsy is a site where people can sell their handmade wares. As for what types of handmade things... omigoodness you can find ANYTHING. Jewelry, clothing, food, art, I get my laundry detergent from there, I have found some diapering products on there and I got these adorable stickers to track Emerson's birthdays.

These are temporary stickers that can be placed on one of her tee shirts or onesies just to take the birthday picture. These are created by the Etsy shop called PickySticky.

PickySticky offers these cute stickers in colors for girls, for boys, for surprise gender.

Also offered are stickers for years (older kids), for expecting women (what week that baby bump is - wish I knew about these when I was pregnant), and my favorite idea - monthly stickers! Get the kids together and put stickers of the month on them and use these photos for one of those custom calendars from places like Snapfish! What a perfect gift for grandparents or to show off your brood at the office!

I keep being asked about where I got these birthday tee shirts. So many times, I figured I should write about it here. And then when I tell people about Etsy, most people have not heard about it. Well gosh, these are two pretty awesome things so I just HAD to share!!!

What are your favorite Etsy shops?

Guest Post at Already Pretty

I love Sally McGraw and her blog Already Pretty. She has an amazing sense of style, and gives wonderful advice that works for most any woman. If I lived closer to the Twin Cities, I would totally have her as my favorite shopping partner!

Sally asked me to do a guest post on her blog about pregnancy chic and I was happy to oblige, and honored to be considered. You can check out my post here!

Friday

Today I am working from home. Last night Emerson was major fussy... okay bad word choice. Emerson wasn't sleepy while I could hardly function. Around 10pm my body was going into Shutdown Mode and she was ready to boogie. She was happy, cooing and smiling and dancing around and I barely had the strength to remove my contacts. Oh, she was also super hungry. So we lay down in the bed to have her eat and she ate her fill, got burped and wanted more. Fed her more from the other side, burped her, changed her... and she wanted more. And by now it was past 11pm and I was empty - milk-wise, mentally, spiritually. I was walking Emerson around the room, talking to her. I asked her if she could please take a little nap, maybe until 3am and then we could eat and play to her heart's content. She loved hearing my voice but wasn't very interested in what I was saying. :)

And at this very moment my husband came upstairs, all knowing and scooped up Miss E for some Daddy time. He took her downstairs, gave her a bottle. After only an ounce she seemed finally full, and passed out in the Boppy swing while he dozed on the couch and I was completely conked out upstairs in the bedroom.

At 2:59am I wake with a start, I hear Emerson crying. Not fussy, but full out bawling. I get up, yep I hear her downstairs crying. I walk out the room and down the stairs and see her passed out in the swing and my husband passed out on the couch. "Was Emerson just crying?" I ask my husband. He looks at the clock. "Uh no, I think she's been quiet and asleep since before midnight." I KNOW I heard her crying, and heard it when awake as well as in my dream. How freaking weird!

At that moment, she wakes up, gives me the biggest grin ever and coos good morning. I pick her up and the three of us go upstairs. She eats a bit, passes out immediately and doesn't wake again until 7am. No crying. I wonder what it meant to hear such a thing, and believe so strongly that she was upset. Not in trouble or pain, but more the cry of "I am hungry and I may have a dirty diaper and I want assistance NOW!"

Anyway, getting those few hours uninterrupted before the crying, and a couple more after was soooo what I needed. A week at work without regular sleep really can kick you in the pants. By Thursday I am almost completely out of brain cells. So it was nice that my supervisor let me work from home today - I didn't have to get up at 5am and yes, I do tell WAHMs to look nice, but since this is one day I am in my teal NY&Co dress from the summer with a Bravado tie dyed nursing bra underneath and green chenille puffy grippy socks. I'm sitting on the couch with my laptop working on a presentation while Emerson sleeps in the swing next to me. Yeah, no pictures of this getup! :)

This weekend looks to be pretty fun. Saturday we will be hanging out with my best friend and her fabulous fiance. Sunday I am going wedding dress shopping with this same friend (who is getting married Labor Day weekend - I am her Matron of Honor) and my sister. Sunday evening I am meeting with a couple who may have me be their wedding officiant for their big day in early April (for those who don't know, I am ordained through the Universal Life Church and have married two friends thus far, a third in November and offer this to other couples in the area from time to time). No plans for tonight which is pretty nice... though that may change. So I will try to take pictures and recap on Monday. Everyone have a wonderful weekend!

Thursday

Attire:
Philosophy - Dark purple cashmere deep v-neck sweater
Banana Republic - Black knit cami
Old Navy - Black ponte bootleg trousers
David Tate - Black leather city boots
Silver hoops and cuff

Hair:
Washed and conditioned with Pureology Volumizing
Redken Satinwear 02
Dried with round brush

Beauty:
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Laura Mercier - Concealer and powder from Flawless Face Kit in Sand
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
3CC - Sweet Indulgences Shadow Trio
Clinique - Longwear Lipstick in Beauty
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black

Another day where I am sharing the pictures with Miss Chubbalicious! Actually, Emerson is pretty proportional for a two-month old. Per her pediatrician appointment on Tuesday, her height and head size are in the 90th percentile, her weight is in the 93rd. So big, but proportionally big! I actually liked this smaller self-portrait picture better (it's a typical Emerson happy face), but I forgot the flash so you can't see my makeup.

So yesterday was pretty busy from even before sun up until late in the evening. We were going to have friends over for dinner and a Lost viewing party (yeah, it was a rerun, we didn't think to check that out beforehand). I got up a bit early to prep the food for dinner (grilled artichokes - I boiled them and threw them in a Ziploc bag in the fridge to marinate; a salad and then sourdough bread) and toss in a load of diapers int he laundry and sterilize bottles and storage containers for the day. I then headed to work, where I had two meetings in the office, and then one in Silver Spring. Headed back to the office, and then went home. Didn't get home until like 30 minutes before our firends were to arrive - enough time to brush my teeth, take off my shoes and feed Emerson. We all had a great time, the day ended around 10pm and we have plans to meet next Wednesday to see a new episode of Lost (we ended up watching America's Next Top Model and American Idol instead).

People ask how I can get everything done and still have time for sleep and to do makeup and hair. It is all about creating systems and keeping things simple.

I think living in a small home for the past decade has helped me with this. Everything HAS to be in its place because there is no where else for it to be located. If your makeup is in one place and you don't have your fun false lashes and body glitter in the same place as your taupe shadow for work, you don't have to root around as much. If you fold the laundry at the dryer, when you bring it upstairs, you can put it away while getting ready, or even put away part of it and have it sit on the bed until later without it looking a mess (or end up being on the floor or slept on by a dog). Any beauty products I don't use on a daily basis are not in my bathroom - they are in the linen closet. This means it's a super quick grab, use and go. Same with the shower - I don't have multiple body washes, loofahs, scrubs and shampoos. Just what I use so I can't be distracted. Once you have the system down pat, you find you have the time to adjust it - a different hairstyle, a new choice for breakfast, etc.

Of course my systems go haywire all the time now that I have a child (and the more mobile she is, the more I know it will go haywire), but I am constantly reducing steps from my life - less shoes to choose from, less variety of lingerie and socks so what I pull will usually work under what I am wearing, less items that require ironing or dry cleaning, a cosmetic bag full of what needs to transfer from laptop bag to purse to diaper bag (and keep it in there) so I don't forget my lip balm or cell phone... etc. My out of season clothes are clearly marked in my attic or organized in my office closet, I have one drawer for lingerie etc., one for bottoms, one for tops, one for sleep/lounge/workout pieces. My clothing in my closet is hung with all skirts together, all pants together, all blouses together. Anything that is dirty or damaged is removed from the collection. Now that I have a baby, I switched from my train case of makeup to a drawer in a dressing table with only the regular cosmetics. Anything that takes a long time, only works with certain skin tones or situations is still in the train case in the closet. This means I have only a couple of choices, everything is visible so I can get ready quickly.

Save 15% at The Body Shop!

Many long-time readers may remember that I used to be a trainer for The Body Shop retail stores and after leaving the company, became an independent consultant for The Body Shop at Home. My skincare-slinging days are over, but I still have a very large place in my heart for this awesome company, and the fabulous people I met while working for them.

Andrea is one of these fabulous people. When I started with The Body Shop, I went through training at a store in suburban Maryland. Andrea was the Assistant Manager there, but she knew more than most managers or trainers in the entire company. We stayed friends as we transferred from store to store. When I left The Body Shop, I always made sure to stock up on my products at her store because I knew she would know the skinny on new products, deals on customer favorites and was passionate about what she sold.

Andrea's husband is in the military and they were transferred further south. She decided to stick with The Body Shop by becoming an independent consultant for The Body Shop At Home. She still is my go-to woman to know which products would be best for me, and I shop through her exclusively for my Body Shop needs.

Right now Andrea is offering 15% off any purchases that are made through her personal Body Shop at Home Web site. This promotion is running only through the end of March. Anyone who lives in the US (sorry International readers - I SWEAR I will have some good deals for you in the future!) can receive this 15% discount on their final total if purchased through Andrea. This is especially awesome, because right now Body Shop skincare is Buy Two, Get One Free AND there is a fragrance gift with purchase.

If you have any questions about what may be the best skincare for you, or if you are interested in learning more about The Body Shop at Home, there is a "Contact Me" button at the top right hand corner of Andrea's Web site.

Some of my personal Body Shop favorites:
Vitamin E Sink-in Moisture Mask - This stuff is amazing for really tired and parched skin. I sometimes put it on and leave it overnight, or for hours on a lazy Sunday. It will totally refresh, perk up and plump my skin without causing breakouts.

Vitamin C Face Spritz - When I traveled on business, this was a must-have in my carryon luggage. I would spritz it on my face during flights to stay hydrated, would use it once we landed to refresh my makeup, and it would take the place of toner. The bottle is an airline-friendly size for carryon, I never had leak issues, and the light citrus smell would perk me up when feeling all icky after travel.

Body Butter - I have yet to find anything that absorbs as well, lasts as long and smells as good. I have used the Coconut for YEARS without tiring of the natural scent. My mom is a Cranberry addict and stocks up every winter when the limited edition scent is available. My husband likes the Olive because it's lighter, absorbs really quickly, doesn't smell "girly" and doesn't cause back acne.

Chamomile Gentle Eye Makeup Remover - I love this stuff because it will completely dissolve liquid liner and even waterproof eye cosmetics. I douse a cotton pad and just hold it over the eye for a few seconds. When I wipe away, the makeup is gone. No rubbing, and my contacts-wearing eyes are never irritated. One bottle seems to last forever too.

Tuesday

Attire:
Banana Republic Outlet - Black ponte collarless jacket
Old Navy - Tangerine puff sleeved tee
Liz Lange for Target - Black ponte trousers
David Tate - Black leather city boots
Silver hoops, cuff and necklaces

Hair:
Next day
Gently combed the ends, hit the bed head with a curling iron

Beauty:
Philosophy - The Present
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Laura Mercier - The powder and concealer from the Flawless Face Kit in Sand
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Stila - Lipgloss lipstick (don't know the product name off hand, like a gloss but in a silver lipstick container) in Amber

Very busy day at work and heading out to the client meeting so no details. Emerson had her two month appointment yesterday with a few shots. She was such a trooper - she kept trying to smile all day but would tear up. Then she would try to pull up her boot straps and smile again. She was cool through a trip to the grocery and even dinner out and even slept straight from 1:30am - 5:45am. Love that gal!

Adventures in Baby Rearing...

I told this story to my mom tonight at dinner and I hadn't heard her laugh so hard or so long in years. Thought I would share it with you readers...

So for those who have breast fed, you know that the breasts can leak. For some women, it is occasional, for others... it's a constant thing. I had no clue - this is one of the things that women forget to tell those who will become new mothers. They don't give details about childbirth, and they don't tell you how your body will go utterly wacko after the baby.

So anyway... leaky breasts. As I mentioned in a previous post, I have had the problem with this. Well Saturday night I enjoyed my first bubble bath since Emerson arrived (put her on the bathroom floor in her Boppy swing with the music going and she was totally chill). After the bath I put Emerson in her Pack and Play (she sleeps in our room right now) and I decided to lie down on the bed to let the Neutrogena Body Oil soak in and air dry. As with most new moms, I instantly passed out. I woke when my husband came to bed, he curled up next to me and just like new dads, also quickly passed out.

I woke a couple of hours later from a weird dream where I was really sweaty and clammy and not feeling well. I sat up with a start and realized I was damp in real life. OMG, I rolled over onto my stomach in my sleep and had leaked ALL OVER THE BED. I think if I had peed the bed it wouldn't have been as much liquid as this. I didn't know my breasts held that much, especially since I had just fed Emerson a couple hours prior. Thank goodness for the waterproof mattress pad!

I got up to clean myself up, get on a bra and tuck in some nursing pads. When I came back to the bed, I saw my husband was still in the same position where he was spooning me - he was curled around the milk puddle, deep in sleep. I couldn't get back in bed in the puddle; I put a towel over it and the milk seeped right through. Since my husband was curled around where I used to be, he was mostly on my side of the bed. So I decided to slip in on his side of bed and spoon him.

Guess I got a bit territorial in my sleep because I pushed him, and he rolled... right into the puddle. He said he had a dream about drowning and woke up in a cold sticky milk puddle. Poor guy, but man it was FUNNY!

And this was a night where Emerson decided to sleep through the night. I swear, when the girl decides to do that, there is always something that takes place where we still don't get a good night's sleep!

Reminder: Enter the Contest

Just a reminder to you all to enter my contest for a great Tolani scarf from chickdowntown.com! I am psyched to offer such a great contest.. and there will be a couple more contests coming up in the near future!

Tuesday

Attire:
Lands End - Blackberry fine gauge cotton v-neck
Liz Lange for Target - Black ponte trousers
David Tate - Black leather city boots (put on after picture because downstairs)
Limited - Silver and purple necklace
Silver hoops, necklaces and cuff

Hair:
Washed and conditioned with Pureology Volumizing
Matrix Curl.Life Conditioning Milk
Scrunched and let air dry 90%
Dried rest with dryer on low, hit frizzy parts with curling iron

Beauty:
Laura Mercier - Flawless Face Kit in Sand (minus primer and tinted mositurizer)
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Stila - Shadows in Kitten and Barefoot Contessa, Lip Glaze in Fruit Cake (applied after photo because in bag downstairs)
Avon - Luxury Eye Liner in Black
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black

I love clothing like this that can be put together practically with your eyes closed. I had a hard time getting up this morning, Emerson was being fussy (maybe she knew she had her two-month pediatrician appointment today), and I just didn't budget my time well. Black pants and solid colored sweaters are such an easy go-to!

Tomorrow I have a meeting at a client site so tonight I will have to go through what actually fits this bod and see what can look a bit more professional. Possibly my Banana Republic Outlet ponte jacket with the pants I am wearing today... we shall see if it works or if I resort to another knit/knit combo with just a more interesting necklace or scarf.

Hello Subscribers

I have noticed in the past couple of weeks that I have had a major switch in subscribers - tons of new ones, and a bunch of people decide to leave. I can only assume this drastic change is due to me posting about my daughter.

To those who are not happy with it, I do understand. Before I gave birth to Emerson, I promised this would not become a Mommy Blog. I despised those blogs where people constantly posted pictures of their "little pumpkin" and raved about first smiles, laughs, spit ups and such. This blog is called MY Wardrobe Today for a reason - it is about the wardrobe of an average woman - average American size, average budget, average lifestyle.

However after having Emerson in my life, I see how her existence affects my wardrobe just as much as my office environment, my work commute, my activities on a Friday night. To ignore her is if I ignored the reason why I only wear denim on Fridays and weekends - it's a major aspect of me and my wardrobe.

As I have stated before, I was NOT a baby person pre-Emerson. I found babies messy and loud and weird. I didn't like to hold them, I did often find them cute, but didn't go gaga over them. I felt disconnected to friends once they became parents because it seemed like a whole different culture and language from my own. So if you unsubscribe due to me posting about Emerson, I don't blame you and I fully understand. I have had people unsubscribe when I have lost weight, when my attire got less professional, when I got older. This blog cannot be relevant to every woman - my goal is to have it be relevant to many women, but also be a true reflection of myself as a woman.

For those who do like the Emerson photos and updates... I plan to keep them at least for the time being. They will be secondary on posts, will be smaller photos and take up less text... but they will remain. Also I will be posting pictures from events I attend, pictures of my husband, friends and family (when they are cool with it), and what in my life makes me me... and determines what is in my wardrobe today! :)

Monday

Attire:
Old Navy - Black matte jersey wrap dress
H&M - silver necklaces
Sofft - Black suede Mary Janes
Silver hoops, necklace and cuff bracelet

Hair:
Second day, just smoothed with round brush and dryer
Previous day, washed and conditioned. Redken Satinwear 02 and dried straight.

Beauty:
Philosophy - The Present
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Stila - Eye shadows in Kitten and Barefoot Contessa, Lip Glaze in Fruit Cake
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife

This is why shimmer shadow and flash photography don't mix. Keep this in mind brides-to-be: the last thing you want is brow bones (or under eye circles) that look like aluminum foil. In real light, it may look ethereal and pretty but when you get your proofs back from the photographer, you will be disappointed. That's my PSA for the day :)

This weekend was awesome, the weather was so lovely! Saturday we sat out on the new deck and had lunch, Emerson of course joined us in her Boppy swing. We then took a walk and saw some friends of ours who invited us in for a drink.

Yesterday we took Emerson for another walk around town.

That evening, we had dinner at the home of some new neighbors. It was great to get to know them better, and we are happy to know they are also rabit LOST fans - we may be having a viewing party on a Wednesday night in the near future! :)

Oh, also had to add another Emerson's Daddy Original - Little E is sporting a pink onesie with floral applique, a vintage turquoise crocheted cardigan (originally mine when I was a baby), aqua knit pants tucked into purple Hello Kitty socks, and neon striped BabyLegs on the arms (he thought her arms and hands would get cold). All topped off with a cream colored organic cotton bib! Again, she is happy as can be. I think he does this on purpose to see how I will react. The thing is, she's a little baby who is just hanging around the house.

I think it's tres Punky Brewster, no?

Friday

Attire:
Banana Republic - Navy stretch cotton v-neck sweater
Gap Maternity - Long and Lean jeans
Tolani - Blue Zig Zag scarf
David Tate - Black leather city boots
Nordstrom - Silver dangly earrings
Silver cuff and necklaces

Hair:
Washed and conditioned with Pureology Volumizing
Matrix - Curl.Life Contouring Milk
Let air dry 80% and dried rest with dryer on low setting because I am not sure where my diffuser is (still not settled from the remodel)

Beauty:
Philosophy - The Present
Stila - Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer
Laura Mercier - The concealer from the Flawless Face Kit
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Benefit - Her Glossiness in Next Question Please
Three Custom Color - Sweet Indulgences Shadow Trio

Check out the Tolani scarf, thanks to chickdowntown.com! I love it - it's a great quality, thick yet stretchy, really rich colors. I can't believe how quickly it shipped! It arrived in a lovely white chickdowntown.com gift box tied with a black satin bow.

So as you can see I tried out some new makeup today. The Stila tinted moisturizer - FAIL. It's so sheer, it's as though it's nothing. more sheer than Cover Girl or Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer. I think the illuminating feature makes me look a bit greasy, when I was hoping it would give me some brightness that is lacking due to sleep deprivation. You can see how it just doesn't give that bit of coverage needed to not look like a cadaver. I had to up the blush to balance it out.

As for the shadow trio from Three Custom Color Specialists? WOW. Talk about some intense pigment. A light swipe gave me three times the color than I get from any of my other shadows (Revlon ColorStay, Clinique, Pop Beauty, Body Shop, etc.). As for wearability, well I just went to the bathroom and checked out my eyes and they still have as much intensity as they did at 7am. I only used two of the colors, I hope to play with this trio more this weekend (looking forward to see how the colors do wet as a liner alternative).

And for all you Emerson fans, here's the little one in the car just before I left for the Metro.

I know it's a weird face, but I thought it was too cute. We were playing Nose, where I would touch hers and say "Nose!" and then touch mine and do the same. This is the face she would make when I touched her nose, and then she would usually grin afterwards.

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you have a wonderful weekend. We don't have much planned except for dinner with some new neighbors on Sunday night. Looking forward to that, and getting to know them better!

Thursday

Attire:
Maggy London - Red crepe jersey dress
Black tights
Sofft - Black suede Mary Janes
Silver hoops and cuff

Hair:
Second day, just combed

Beauty:
Philosophy - The Supernatural foundation in Beige
Clinique - Shadow quad in Like Mink (lighter of the two colors), Almost Lipstick in Black Honey (applied and patted away with tissue)
Maybelline - UltraLiner in Black
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black

Little Emerson is not always a mini fashionista... sometimes her Daddy dresses her!

My husband dresses himself quite nicely, but that may be because his wardrobe is very simple and predominately shades of blue, gray, black and green! This picture doesn't show it, but those socks are argyle knee socks. And to get her ready to take me to the Metro, he put a red velour hoodie on with this outfit. Hahaha.

Obviously she doesn't care though, happy as can be!

Contest: Tolani Scarf from chickdowntown.com

To celebrate me coming back to work and to blogging, I have a great contest for you readers!

One of you can win a Tolani scarf that has been seen on the likes of Jessica Alba (pictured), Sienna Miller, Vanessa Minnillo (pictured), Halle Berry and Mary-Kate Olsen.

The Tolani scarf is courtesy of chickdowntown.com, an awesome site that sells hip women’s designer clothing from the likes of Black Halo, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Diane Von Fürstenberg and Vera Wang Lavender Label.

I am so excited, because you KNOW I love scarves, and these beauts from Tolani are fabulous!


How to enter:
Send an email to mywardrobetoday@gmail.com with the word “TOLANI” in the subject.
In the body of the email, please provide your name and mailing address (I promise these addresses will only go to me – except for the winner, and will be deleted once the contest is over). Winner will be chosen by random.

Contest ends Friday, March 20th, 2009 at midnight ET. Winner will be contacted by email. Scarf will be mailed out from chickdowntown.com. Sorry international readers, but the contest is only open to those in the United States.

Get to know chickdowntown.com:
Facebook (friend "shop chickdowntown" and/or become a fan of the chickdowntown page)
Twitter (twitter.com/chickdowntown)
YouTube (chickdowntownTV.com or youtube.com/chickdowntowntv)

Good luck!

Wednesday

Attire:
Lands End - Fine Gauge scooopneck sweater
Old Navy Maternity - Ponte trousers
Ann Taylor - Silver necklace
Silver cuff
David Tate - Leather city boots

Hair:
Washed and conditioned with Pureology Volumizing
Redken - Satinwear
Dried straight with round brush

Beauty:
Philosophy - The Present, The Supernatural foundation in Beige
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Benefit - Lipstick in Bouquet Dive
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black

Emerson wanted part of the action... and as you can see in the full length photo, so did Ruckus. Last night my husband gave me the best present - he stayed with Emerson all night with a bottle so I got six hours of UNINTERRUPTED sleep! I thought I was doing okay, but last night I went to hug Ruckus and fell asleep on him. Didn't even realize it, it was like once I hit his fur I passed out. I have also hard a hard time finding the right word for what I am thinking. Now I feel so much more like... me! Don't get me wrong, Emerson is a fabulous baby who goes to sleep right after eating, but still she eats around every three hours. This was a much needed treat for me to keep plugging through the work week!

Tuesday

Attire:
Banana Republic - Tissue weight cashmere puff sleeved sweater
H&M - Synthetic camisole
Old Navy Maternity - Ponte trousers
David Tate - Leather city boots (put on downstairs)
Ann Taylor - Statement necklace

Hair:
Second day
Straightened with Croc Wet-to-dry Flat Iron

Beauty:
Laura Mercier - Flawless Face Kit in Sand
Philosophy - The Present
Nars - Blush in Orgasm, Lipstick in Dolce Vita
Pop Beauty - Shadow palette for brown eyes - Khaki and Celadon on lid, Black in crease and along lash lines
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black

Monday was quite a lot of snow in the Nation's Capital so I worked from home.

I also worked from home on Friday which is why there aren't any pictures.

This is what I saw today as I left for work... too cute!

Thursday

Attire:
BOOB Maternity - Black jersey dress
Banana Republic - Black knit camisole
? - Black tights (found them in the attic and was so glad since all retailers think it's 90 degrees out and I can't find tights anywhere)
B.P. for Nordstrom - Silver necklace with black stone pendant
MD Ren Fest - Silver necklace
Silver hoops and cuff
Sofft - Black suede Mary Janes (found the black version of the brown ones that saved me during pregnancy at Marshalls for like 1/4 the price at Nordstrom!)

Hair:
Washed and conditioned with Pureology Volumizing
Redken - Satinwear 02 applied while damp
Dried with round brush to smooth
Matrix - Sleek.Look Water Lockout Spray

Beauty:
Philosophy - The Supernatural foundation in Beige
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Laura Mercier - The concealers from the Flawless Face Kit
Pop Beauty - Shadow palette for brown eye - celadon and khaki blended on lid, black in crease and along lash lines
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Benefit - Lipstick in Bouquet Dive
Avon - Eye Liner in Black

So funny how the bod keeps changing every day. I wore this dress at five weeks to the hair salon with these shoes and bare legs and though I looked cute as a button. Now the dress looks too long and loose and dumpy. Problem is the one pair of black pants are dirty... The gray dress I wore like crazy pre-Emerson I tried on and it would look cute... if I cut off 4" from the hem. I think I may just do that because that dress is phenomenal - can be washed and dried and is good for work (would wear bike shorts underneath so when I pump I won't be completely nekkid in my office) or play, winter or spring. I went up in the attic and found a few more sweaters I can wear to work... so tempted to purchase a pair of non-black pants but really want to "shop from my closet (and attic)" until the next season at least.

By the way, the photo doesn't show it but I am having a FANTASTIC hair day. It takes about two weeks post-cut for it to really come into its own; also the Redken product really made blow drying easy - really held the shape I made with the brush while looking and feeling soft and healthy. I will use it a few more times before I post an official review of it.

And for those breast feeding moms I bet you can relate... Emerson woke up a bit before 5am for a feeding and the alarm was set for 5:00 (guestimating her next feeding from how she is usually around three hours between each one). She decided this morning was a good time for a multi-course gourmet feast and fed for almost an hour. This made me run late (had a meeting at 8:45 and would have to pump beforehand), so I dashed through a shower and getting dressed and dashed out the door. Got all the way to the Metro and realized I left the cooler bag of pumping bottles in the freezer. Had to go all the way home to get them. Go back to the Metro, get on and three stops in I feel something wet on my shirt... yeppers forgot the nursing pads. Glad I am wearing two layers of black knit and that I had my ivory pashmina on as a scarf. Got to work, made do with a few carefully folded Kleenex and have left the pashmina on all day (and got a compliment on how well I wear scarves). Happy Thursday! :)

Wednesday

Happy Wednesday!

You get to see Emerson instead of me because I am working from home today. Face is washed, teeth are brushed, but that's about it. I don't think anyone needs to see me in my Bravado nursing tank, capri yoga pants from old Navy and Gap hoodie... oh yes, and green chenille grippy socks that I got for Christmas a few years ago. Nothing sexier than puffy green socks with capri pants...

My mom's next door neighbor got her these Days of the Week bibs and I thought it was fitting for this picture!

See you tomorrow!

Tuesday

Attire:
Banana Republic - Teal merino sweater
Liz Lange for Target - Black ponte trousers (get used to them, it's pretty much all that fits right now)
David Tate - Black leather city boots
Limited - Silver chain with charms
Silver hoops and cuff

Hair:
Washed and conditioned
Redken - Satinwear 02 applied while damp
Dried while twisting
Jonathan Silky Dirt to smooth and finish

Beauty:
Laura Mercier - Flawless Face Kit in Sand: the concealers and powder
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Clinique - Longwear Lipstick in Beauty
Pop Beauty - Shadow palette for brown eyes: khaki and celadon blended on lid, black in crease and along lash line
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black

Okay, today being away from Emerson really has hit me. Last night I came home and I felt as though I had to reintroduce myself to her. She was very fussy and also clingy. This morning I was late because she slept longer between feedings last night (hello 5.5 hours in one session!) and it was either feed her and be late or have my husband feed her from a bottle as soon as he got back from taking me to the Metro. I wanted that last chance to do something for her that no one else can do. I work for an amazing company, like what I do and who I work with, but if I won the lottery... I would be home with Emerson. Yes, I would still care about what I was wearing, but it would be with her. Too bad I can't bring her to work, put her in a sling, have her swing next to my desk, a Pack and Play next to the file cabinet... ;)

In Allie Fashion news... I am so not my old size or shape. I was going to wear a dress today, but realized I don't own black tights. So I tried plum, which made me and my dress look like middle-aged goth wannabe. So I thought... I used to wear my plum tights with my brown suede tall boots and my dark red merino dress from Banana Republic... I put on the boots and they fit - the swollen legs are gone! I go and put on the dress... and that which used to be a shift is now a skintight tube dress and NOT cute. Husband said, "are you really going to wear that to work?" Yeah, that was my attempt at some sassy fashion this early on... need to work out some before I can attempt the cute clothes in the back of the closet...

Monday

Attire:
Philosophy - Blackberry cashmere low v-neck sweater
Banana Republic - Black cotton cami
Liz Lange for Target - Black ponte trousers
David Tate - Black city boots
Express - Purple bead necklace

Hair:
Second day, straightened with round brush and dryer

Beauty:
Philosophy - The Present, The Supernatural foundation in Beige
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Avon - Eye Liner in Eggplant, Pro-to-Go Lipstick in Warm Pink
Clinique - Shadow duo in Like Mink

Today may not have been my first day back, but it's the beginning of my first actual week. I drove myself to the Metro versus my husband driving me to the office on Thursday. Carried that heavy pump and laptop bag, building some muscles!

I had lunch with a dear friend which made the day easier, and I also took a picture of Emerson asleep in her Daddy's arm just before I headed out the door... (sorry so dark but I didn't want to turn on the light and wake them)

Oh those baby CHEEKS!!! :)

Ch Ch Ch Changes...

Moms, you probably already know this. Those who are not may have heard about it... my mom told me some stories but I didn't believe it would happen to me.

Your body chemistry changes after having a baby.

My mom said her feet stopped smelling after having me. I could only pray the same would happen to me. If you notice, my shoe wardrobe rarely lasts through one season. I wear down shoes quickly in the city, but usually before I can go to get a pair reheeld and resoled, I need to toss them because they are FUN-KAY. I have tried insoles, sprays, home remedies, you name it but if you know me, you know I have stinky feet. The only shoes that last more than a season are my dress shoes - often if you see a shoe worn a lot and for a long time, it is because I re-purchased that same shoe (hello leopard print peeptoes from BCBGirls - I am on my third pair).

Well I don't have stinky feet any more. They don't sweat, they get cold (I used to be the type who stuck her feet outside of the comforter when sleeping), and they don't smell. Hallelujah!

I don't really get B.O. any more either. I can forget deodorant for a day or two and hardly have a scent. Well I do smell like milk (side effect of breast feeding), but not like stinky pits.

Also my hair doesn't get oily any more. This morning (3am after Emerson spit up over my shoulder and down my back so I had milk all down into my underwear - the sexy aspects of motherhood...) I decided to take a shower. And I stopped and thought... I haven't taken a shower since Wednesday night. My hair still looked pretty good, I smelled pretty fine... it was not at all like how my body would react pre-Emerson. After three days before I had a baby, I would be a funky grease pit.

My face is also drier than it was pre-Emerson. I still get a bit oily on the nose, but my makeup doesn't slip away by lunchtime as it used to. I am still getting breakouts around my mouth from time to time, but even they are different - little skin colored bumps instead of whiteheads.

Now if childbirth would just cause all my leg and armpit hair to fall out permanently, I would be a happy camper!

Sunday

Attire:
Old Navy Maternity - White wrap tee
Liz Lange for Target - Black ponte pants
David Tate - Black leather city boots
Silver hoops

Hair:
Washed and let air dry, nothing else except fluffed a bit

Beauty:
Philosophy - The Supernatural foundation in Beige
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Clinique - Shadow duo in Like Mink
Avon - Pro-To-Go Lipstick in Warm Pink

Today was errand day and Emerson handled it like a champ. We visited Target, Marshalls, Starbucks, a local restaurant for lunch and then a quick stop at the market!

I also see with this picture that I need to retire the maternity tops. This top (have it in olive, black and white) was an awesome staple through all trimesters of my pregnancy and the first month postpartum since it works as an awesome nursing top. However these tops have been laundered far too often and are a little too big now in the belly. Will add them to the maternity clothes in the attic because though they are kinda faded, they are still a great go-to top. Old Navy are you reading this? Bring these tops back. You had them short sleeved and long sleeved and they are AWESOME! Consider also making them in matte jersey or a dressier (yet still easily laundered) fabric. These and your also discontinued maternity ponte pants were lifesavers for MONTHS!!!

I finally replaced my Nars blush in Orgasm.

I have mentioned before how I feel this product is worth every dime. Well four years later I finally retired the original compact. Here's the old one (actually could have kept it longer since there was still product), and the newbie. Sometimes department store cosmetics are worth the money - this is after wearing this blush almost every day since my 30th birthday.

Pretty awesome, Nars!

Friday

Attire:
Lands End - Black fine gauge cotton v-neck
Gap Maternity - Long & Lean jeans (regular jeans don't work yet)
David Tate - Black leather city boots
Silver hoops & cuff

Hair:
Second day
Straightened dry with round brush and dryer

Beauty:
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Benefit - Lipstick in Bouquet Dive (though applied a couple hours before this picture)

Today I worked from home and had my six-week post partum appointment. They say I am healing just fine and I have the green light for exercise and what got me pregnant in the first place. ;) I wanted to weight myself (I don't own a scale) but completely forgot so not sure how much I have lost. That's Life reminding me it's only a number and what is important is feeling good, being healthy!

I haven't lost a ton - I do not fit in any of my old pants and don't really fit in a size above except in some forgiving cuts. However my arms and shoulders and lower legs do feel as though they are back to normal. I haven't been exercising other than 11 lb. Baby Curls each time I pick up and put down my daughter (and breast feeding burns 400 calories a day). However since her birth, I have had French fries once (last night to celebrate my first day of work), pizza once, and that is the only fast food.

Other than an occasional veggie, carrot or orange juice with breakfast or a random glass of wine immediately after Emerson's feeding I have only consumed water as a beverage, and tons of it (at least 60 oz. a day). I really think it is being stuck at home - portion control, no fast food, not really any alcohol, fresh foods (and yes, you can find time to cook with a newborn - you just have to know how to cook fast and fresh beforehand). I hope to continue this when back to work by being good about bringing my lunch and having breakfast at home before I leave.

Success Foods The Past Two Months:
Pre-made Quinoa for Breakfast - Quinoa is awesome for fiber and protein as well as many other things. I cooked up a whole bag of Bob's Red Mill quinoa and stuck it in the fridge. I took a bag of frozen blueberries and dumped it in a food storage container, and with it added brown sugar and raisins. For breakfast I would take a cup of quinoa and pour some blueberry mixture on top, drizzle some water on top and heat it up in the microwave for a minute. Super fast and delish. The first couple of weeks I would add some of that no-flavor fiber stuff to help with... well you read about it in the post about Emerson's birth.

Stir-fry Dinners - Uncle Ben's 90 second brown rice packets, and then in a frying pan I would toss some frozen or fresh veggies, occasionally mixed with a can of water chestnuts or bamboo shoots. There are tons of pre-made sauces on the market - teriyaki, chili sauce, etc. A bit of that and in a couple of minutes you have a really great, healthy, and speedy meal.

Chik'n Sandwich Lunches - We throw the faux breaded chicken patties (I love the spicy ones) in the toaster - two times on the highest setting gets them crispy (foil under the toaster to catch drips). Multigrain bread, horseradish mustard, half a smashed avocado, a slice of cheese, and various veggies (field greens, tomato, thinly sliced carrot, cucumber, red onion, whatever is on hand). I add mayo or hummus on occasion to switch it up. Can be made in under five minutes and it tastes super yum and fun. These are great ot be made ahead of time, toast the bread, then wrap in foil and take to work. All the stuff melds together and it's a delish bag lunch.

Not Your Average Spaghetti Sauce - We use regular or whole grain pasta, and the sauce is a random mix. Can of crushed tomatoes, leftover spinach, two leftover mushrooms, can of black olives, some faux beef, crushed red pepper, shredded carrot, a bit of salsa, cream of mushroom soup, the drips of red wine at the bottom of the bottle, feta cheese... not all at once, but a combo that makes sense and cleans out the fridge. At least as much sauce as pasta so you're filling up on veggies and protein, not carbs. We do this like once a week before we go to market to gut out the last of the crap in the fridge.

Well the day is done so I am off to hang out with the family! Have a wonderful weekend!

Thursday

Attire:
Lands End - Orange fine gauge scoop sweater, black ponte trousers
David Tate - Black leather city boots
Silver cuff and hoops
Tags-n-Stones - Silver "Emerson" necklace

Hair:
Washed and conditioned night prior; let air dry sans product
Curled random pieces this morning and used curler to straighten bangs
Jonathan Silky Dirt to smooth and separate

Beauty:
Philosophy - The Present Clear Makeup
Laura Mercier - Flawless Face Kit in Sand
Cargo - Matte Beach Blush in Tenerife
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Benefit - Lipstick in Bouquet Dive
Cover Girl - LashBlast waterproof mascara in Black (in case I cried when leaving the baby.... which I did)

I love my new necklace from Tags-n-Stones. Since I am still not able to comfortably fit my wedding set on my finger, I have it around my neck and then have this necklace. It's as though all I love is together near my heart! Feel free to click on the image to see it in detail...

Well as you see I am back to work! And as you can see by the bags under my eyes, I am going on very little sleep. However I am still functioning and have yet to consume any caffeine!

It was hard going back, but I feel good now that I am here and using my brain. I just called my husband - he and Emerson are doing well. She was a bit fussy this morning but was napping when I called. Instead of taking the Metro, my husband drove me into work so I could use the commute time to hang out with my baby. Tomorrow I will be working from home; not sure if I will be able to post a picture.

I know the photo is dark - it was still dark out when I took it and it is in a different room from where I used to post (one with green instead of bright white walls). The old room is now Behr's "Cornsilk" and is Emerson's nursery. This room used to be our old bedroom and is now a pile of stuff waiting to become the office. The door in the background is the door to our new bedroom.

My original plan for 2009 was to start using a tripod for better pictures. I just haven't had the time (I wonder why?). I eventually will upgrade to that when I get the chance and the proper space to do so. So hang in there! :)

Baby Announcements

I just received the proof for our cool baby announcements and just HAD to share with you guys!

This is the picture I sent in...



And this is the announcement...



How utterly cool is that? I love how the baby announcement looks like a concert poster. The announcements are from Rattle-N-Roll; each order comes with two 11x14" posters of this announcement. Rattle-N-Roll creates unique and custom announcements. Communication and service with this company has been awesome and I cannot wait to send these to all our loved ones!

In other news, I go back to work on Thursday and I am not looking forward to it. Well, in some ways I am. I miss my coworkers a lot, I miss the camaraderie, and I miss the brain stimulation and the daily challenge. However I will miss Emerson even more. I was emailing with my supervisor and he joked about how I will spend half of Thursday balled up in a corner sobbing, and then most of Friday (which I will be working from home) latched onto Emerson feeling guilt for abandoning her the day prior. My husband is also nervous about having the "food provider" being gone all day, though I have already started a milk stash in the freezer and plan to pump at work.

Emerson went to the pediatrician this week for her one-month appointment. She's a big baby - 90th percentile for head circumference and length (she is 22 1/2"); 97th percentile for weight (11 lbs., 4 oz.). Today our neighbor came over to see the baby. She recently moved from China and is still becoming comfortable with the language. She looked at Emerson and said, "she got tall from your husband and she got fat from you!" The doctor says Emerson isn't fat, she is just proportionally larger than most babies at this age. I think she is utterly adorable. Oh, for those into the baby fashion, you may like this onesie...



And yes, she had matching black Trumpette socks with that onesie! ;) Too bad the onesie is Newborn size, it barely fits her any more. She has outgrown almost all of her newborn diapers and all of the newborn diaper covers. We put a Newborn sleeper on her the other day and it fit like a unitard. I swear, she grows so fast we can practically see it right before our eyes. She is also gaining so many skills - she is doing far more eye contact, more responsive facial expressions (and I swear it's not all gas, she does smile!), and she has realized that she has a tongue (likes to play with it and stick it out) and a voice (she makes all sorts of squeals and sounds). She sleeps 3-4 hours at a time and at night she USUALLY passes out immediately after feedings (of course last night she was fussy much of the time), and as you can see by her size we have both learned the fine art of breast feeding.

Fashion has been tough. The body is so... saggy in the middle. My maternity pants don't fit, yet normal clothing is binding. I am still living in the ponte maternity pants from Old Navy, but they are starting to look dumpy and too large. I have a pair of Gap's Long & Lean jeans in maternity version and they are okay but not great. Yesterday I wore the black jersey dress from Boob Maternity that I sported most of my pregnancy. The surplice neckline makes it good for breast feeding, and the cut doesn't look super maternity. I am too small for an XL top, but a L top is too tight in the bust. Size 16 pants look a bit dumpy, but 14 can't fit over my thighs. I just ordered some basics from Lands End and hope something works. I have a few new knits from Old Navy, but due to them being too large (XL), they are better for being at home instead of going to work. I fear I will be living in my blackberry cashmere sweater, those old ponte pants and the one black maternity dress for WEEKS. Oh well, I have my six week appointment next Friday; if they say I am healed I will be starting up yoga two times a week and that along with walking should hopefully tone me up a tiny bit so I can actually fit in "real" pants again (don't care about the size, just need some clothes that fit).

Hope everyone has a lovely Valentine's Day on Saturday!!!


Shop for Fashion Glasses!

Friday... AKA It's me!

I know there haven't been any pictures of me - I have been the main photographer so it makes it a bit tough. :) However I decided to go the blogger route and do a self-portrait with Emerson...

Today we took Emerson to visit her paternal great grandparents. They were so excited to meet her, they cried when they saw her and said they could see their son (my husband's father who passed in October) in her face. Sometimes I see him in her face too.

But she was very good on the long car ride and interacting with Gi Gi Ma, Gi Gi Pop, her Great Aunt and two Great Uncles.

I had a reason to get out of the house so I cleaned up a bit. Always feels nice to do so, and it's good training for when I go back to work. Whole face done while bouncing Emerson on my shoulder (all except the mascara which I did a few minutes later)!

Attire:
Philosophy Dane Lewis - Blackberry cashmere deep wrap front sweater
Banana Republic - black knit camisole
Old Navy Maternity - black ponte wide leg trousers
Sofft - Black suede "Veronica" Mary Janes
Silver hoops and cuff

Hair:
Let air dry
Smoothed super fast with round brush and dryer
John Freida Brilliant Brunette Satin Shine

Beauty:
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Laura Mercier - concealer and loose powder from Flawless Face Kit
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Avon - Pro-To-Go Lipstick in Warm Pink
Clinique - Shadow duo in Like Mink
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black

For those who contacted me about weight loss... well I know at my one-week checkup I had lost 15 pounds (had gained 50 pounds with the pregnancy); I know I have lost more since then - I fit into size 16 trousers from Gap, some L tops, some XL (this sweater is a L). I'm not really too worried about it. I did buy a Belly Bandit before I gave birth in an attempt to assist with the tummy tightening, but ended up returning it because it wasn't comfortable, showed under clothes, and was a PITA to deal with on top of everything else. Yes, my stomach looks like a deflated balloon, but I knew this would happen and it doesn't really bother me. It has only been three weeks... gosh I don't even expect to look back to pre-pregnancy at three months. It took nine months to gain the weight, it's crazy to think it will take a few weeks to lose it (no matter how quick Angelina lost her baby weight). I am comfortable in my skin, my husband still finds me gorgeous, and I am working very hard to eat a nutritious and balanced diet for her, and for me. :)

Good Morning...

Emerson and I are chillaxing this morning. She has been on a bit of a feeding frenzy - yesterday it seemed as though I constantly fed her from dawn to dusk. Well, not constant feeding, but constant fussiness between the feedings so there was no break. Somehow she realized we were a bit exhausted, and she decided to take a three-hour nap after the 8pm feeding and since then has been taking naps between eats. Whew! I got a few rounds of sleep and now I am letting my husband crash for a few hours. He decided to crash on the couch downstairs so Em & I are hanging out in the bedroom, which means I have time to hop on the Internet while she coos in her sleep next to me.

Camera is downstairs; must say these pictures are from last week but she doesn't look like this any more. She has gotten so much bigger, and now makes so many more awesome facial expressions - smirks and smiles and such. She has also grown into that nose more... she is all cheeks (good eater!).

Tomorrow is my 34th birthday. It's funny, usually I would be considering drinks with the girls, sushi or some cool restaurant with the husband, my annual gift to myself (usually from Sephora). This year... my best friend Shelly said we could go for pedicures (close enough to home that we could dash between feedings), and on the actual day I plan to go to Target.

I know, TARGET? But do keep in mind that I have been in the house with Emerson for almost three weeks, only leaving for the pediatrician or my own doctor appointment. Spent a week prior in the hospital, and before that I was on bedrest for like a month - again only leaving the house for hospital appointments. Through all this my house has been renovated and I am in desperate need of certain things like shower curtain rods, bath mats, trash cans, deodorant and razor blades. I look forward to wandering through the aisles, getting what I need and checking out what's new. Maybe I'll even get a decaf latte from Starbucks on the way home!

My mom is coming over that night with dinner - her fabulous mac and cheese and spinach (since I am on a spinach kick) and dessert. My dad used to always get me a Boston cream pie for my birthday. Well I asked her to get me one. He passed away in '98 and I think I have only had that dessert once since. Often I see my dad in Emerson's face, especially when she yawns or looks concerned. It would be nice to start up that tradition again.

As for my present to myself, I can't think of any material item I really want or need right now that is pampering and indulgent. I know... not too much fun especially for this type of blog. But really, life is pretty good and I want for nothing. Once I head back to work, I may be craving some new clothes or a fab lip gloss but right now I have what I need to be happy.

For those who asked, I will be going back to work full time; since my husband works for himself (photographer and yoga instructor) and makes his own schedules, he will be staying home with Emerson. My mom will watch her if he has any shoots that are during the day, but he plans to try to keep classes and shoots to evenings and weekends.

I know my birth story was scary to many who have yet to have children. Do know it's less than three weeks after the fact and I am feeling pretty good and for over a week have been pain meds free. I won't go into details, but I can tell I am healing well and progressing nicely. I would do it all over again in an instant for the end result that is squirming and cooing on the bed next to me. :)

Cool New Blog...

One of the coolest things about blogging is making new friends all over the world. I have been blogging since early 2005 and have made friends that I have met, that I have gotten to know on a personal level, and that have helped me become a better blogger.

One of these friends is Melissa Street, a very talented professional makeup artist. I don't know who found whom first, but we have communicated via blog comments, email and social networking for quite a while. I have learned so much from her - cosmetic brands to try out, products that have changed my life, etc. And just wait until Emerson is big enough to sport the adorable "Gucci Gucci Goo!" tee shirt Melissa got for her! :)

Anyway, Melissa has a new blog entitled, "In My Professional Opinion" and I adore it. Melissa has over 20 years in the TV and film industry, so has a great idea of what beauty products can really work for special events or every day wear. Her blog isn't just high-end lines; Melissa will mix drugstore with higher end brands.

I have learned a lot from Melissa Street; I hope you will check out her blog and enjoy it as much as I have! :)

Very Busy...

Sorry I have been gone so long... it's near impossible to blog and care for a newborn. She doesn't sleep through the night, she eats a lot and only I can provide that (though my husband the SuperDad wishes he could lactate so he could bond with her on all levels), and when we do have quiet time, it's about sleeping or just chilling out. But I will be going back to work in... sigh...four weeks and can resume daily lunchtime posts at that time.

But Emerson is doing great - she went to her two-week pediatrician appointment today; she had gained an inch and a pound at her one-week appointment and today we found out she gained an additional 13 ounces. Doc says she's healthy as an ox and looking great. She is gaining strength and personality every day!

No pics of me with her because... well I seem to always be the photographer! Also with the renovation, the full length mirror has been removed from the back of Emerson's nursery door and is currently propped against a wall in my bedroom closet so it's hard to take pictures of my fashion. I am still in maternity clothing (natch) but shrinking by the day. Last week I put on the Old Navy jeans (the last pair of maternity jeans I fit into when expecting) and they were so tight I was miserable when sitting in the car and took them off as soon as I got home. Today I put them on and they slid on easily and actually were sliding down because I didn't hav enough belly to hold them up. But to go to the pediatrician (and an exciting visit to CVS) I wore the black Motherhood turtleneck sweater, those jeans, my Chucks (feet are still very swollen), silver hoops and cuff. My bangs were straightened, the rest of the hair was wavy. L'Oreal True Match foundation in C3, Bare Escentuals Buxom Lip Gloss in Dolly, and Cover Girl LashBlast mascara in Rich Black.

When at home, I usually try to clean up and look nice - no PJ's all day. Yesterday I did bum and felt like crap. At least brushing the hair, putting on the one minute makeup and comfy street clothes makes a world of difference. I am still loving those ponte pants from Old Navy because they are as comfy as sweats. The faux wrap tees from Old Navy were flattering maternity tops and are awesome nursing tops. I also got this cardigan in black and it's great over tees and tanks for warmth, bit of style but still nursing ease.

As for nursing bras, I have two that are great and very different. The Bravado "Body Silk" nursing bra is pretty decent for a no-wire option. The bra has removable molded foam cups to add shape and support. The bra looks a bit like a skinny strapped sports bra, so if it peeks out of a top's neckline it isn't bad. I take the cups out and it's a good sleep bra; with the cups it's great for going out (and the cups help hide any nursing pads).

I also have the Anita International '5041' Nursing Bra which is pretty fabulous for an underwire bra. It fits great, is comfortable, gives good shape, is easy to open and close with one hand, and looks like a normal bra. I have it in nude and am tempted to get a second one in black.

Desperate need of a hair cut and color, but figure that will happen closer to when I have to go back to work (sigh). I also need a pedi - may go next week as my birthday treat (since the place is down the street I think I can fit it in between feedings and have Daddy watch over E).

Hot Fashion For 2009

All the stylish men will be sporting black jersey Moby Wraps this Spring.

Baby accessory is sold separately...

I just thought this was too cute.

We received this baby carrier at our shower - thought it was a good choice for a 5'3" mom and a 6'5" dad. My husband shows that it does work on a variety of body types and Emerson is snug as a bug in a rug against Daddy's chest!

Daddy's off to wash a load of dirty diapers while Mommy takes a cat nap until the next feeding...