Autumn Yellow

 

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Blouse: H&M – similar / Denim: AG Jeans / Leopard Pumps: Liz Claiborne (clearance!) / Necklace: Coup de Coeur/ Sunnies: Vintage Kenneth Cole / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelets: Tory Burch, Baublebar / Nails: Essie Sexy Divide (amazing price!) / Lip: Lancome All Done Up

It’s definitely feeling like fall over here, which means it’s time for me to break out the darker hues and longer sleeves.  Jewel tones are my favorite for fall, and I love this topaz/mustard color yellow for the season.  It reminds of the leaves changing colors around me.

What are some of your favorite colors to wear during the autumn season?

Hope you are all having a wonderful week!

XO,

Gina

{28} Lately…

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Lately I’ve been…

reading I Am Hutterite by Mary Ann Kirby.  An inside peek into the life into a Hutterite community (similar to Amish), leaving the community, adapting to the English world, and trying to reclaim a heritage.

writing  A practice schedule for today’s soccer class this afternoon.  Since I have some free time on my hands these days and there was desire for a soccer class in the neighborhood, I have spent the last few weeks obtaining a permit from the Prospect Park office, and my class is now ready to go!  We had our first one last week, and seemed to go well, so my assistant, Nico, and I are looking forward to the next 8 weeks of soccer fun.

listening  To a lot of kid’s music.  Luckily, we have amazing bands like The Dad Beats around here which makes listening to kid’s music (somewhat) bearable.

thinking  About the next steps I want to take career-wise.  Soccer class is great, my Poshmark closet is selling well, and I love spending time with my little Nico, but still craving something a little more creative in my life on the job front (that – full disclosure – can also bring in a little more cash for the family).  I have a few ideas in mind, but still researching and will see what might come about.

smelling  I can still smell those apple cider donuts in my mind that we ate at Stakey’s Farm on Sunday.  Mmmmazing.

watching  I FINALLY watched The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.  I was a big fan of the series, but wasn’t able to get to the movie theatre when this one was released.  It was everything I thought it would be.

wishing  Congratulations to Nico’s former nanny who just presented the world with a brand new baby girl last night!  So happy for her, and can’t wait to meet that baby!

hoping  To find some time to carve the amazing pumpkins we got from the patch.  I always say I want to carve, and then I rarely get around to it.

wearing  My new custom made Guilty Jean bracelet given to me as a gift from a dear friend.  The coordinates are from the place where we originally met.  Love love love it!

loving  The fact that our neighborhood is currently the set of the newest Steven Spielberg movie starring Tom Hanks.  He’s pretty much my favorite actor.  And I got to see him on set yesterday which was pretty damn amazing.  The film is also starring a friend of mine who I met on an airplane, who at the time was a soap opera actor and asked me to rehearse lines with him on the plane.  Although, I was incredibly embarrassed, I obliged because he was so nice.  He’s now making movies with Spielberg and Tom Hanks.  Way to make it big Billy Magnussen!  Can’t wait to see you rock out this film.

laughing  At how my son continuously manages to outsmart me.

wanting  A date night for the hubby and I in the near future.  It’s been too long!

needing  To figure out what I am going to be wearing to the black-tie optional wedding we are invited to this weekend!  And needing to figure out what Nico will be wearing as well.  Looking forward to seeing my cousin walk down that aisle!

feeling  So proud of my little guy who took his first steps this weekend!  He took even more yesterday, and this mama is going to be in big trouble soon!

craving  Candy corn.  I’m still wondering why we only eat this one month out of the year.

clicking  Away on career research. Thinking of making a switch up.  We shall see!

*

What have you been up to lately?

Hope you are all having a fantastic week!

XO,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

Pattern Mixing

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Striped Top: H&M – similar here and here / Floral Skater Skirt: H&M – similar / Sparkly Flats: Nine West / Heart Tote: ban.do / Sunglasses: Vintage Kenneth Cole / Watch: Michael Kors / Necklace: Barami / Lip: MAC Snob / Nails: Essie Sexy Divide 

Here is the last of my summer outfit posts, and it’s definitely feeling like fall now.  To keep wearing these pieces into the new season, you could always throw on a pair of tights under the skirt or a blazer over the top.  I am very into getting as much use as possible out of every article of clothing in my closet for as long as I can!  I love the idea of pattern mixing, and I think it works as long as you stay in a similar color palette.  Stripes and florals are two of my favorites, so why not mix them together?

This past weekend, we took Nico to the pumpkin patch, and my what a difference from last year to this year!  He was so excited about the orange “balls” as he called them, and was crawling all around the patch exploring.  We drove out to Stakey’s Farm on the North Fork of Long Island for pumpkin picking, apple cider donuts, and a corn maze.  We also stopped off a Briermere Farm for apples and a raspberry creme pie.  One way to get me to embrace the colder weather is certainly through my stomach.

Hope you are all having a great week so far!

XO,

Gina

Give Forward: My Sister-in-Law, Andrea

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This post was written by my husband, Zack, in regard to his sister, Andrea, who is suffering from Parkinson’s.  I have known Andrea for over 10 years now, and have seen how this disease has affected her life.  The paragraphs below are an inside view on what it is like to live in her shoes.  The good news is that there is a very good chance that her quality of life may be able to change drastically with your help…

 

In 2005, at the age of 34, Andrea noticed an involuntary tremor in her left pinky finger. At the time, it seemed relatively insignificant. As time progressed, her whole left side became extremely weak and her left foot stopped lifting when she walked. Her step seemed to get smaller. If she did not focus on lifting her left leg, she would trip. At the same time, her left shoulder kept falling out of its socket, rendering her arm useless. More symptoms followed, including fatigue and insomnia, muscle and joint pain. Then came the dreaded shakes.

After 4 years and many second opinions, she was finally referred to a movement disorder specialist, who diagnosed her with Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease. As the unforgiving disease progressed, it began to affect her whole being. Her thoughts were scattered and cloudy. It became hard to focus. Her voice seemed to get quieter and quieter. Her handwriting got smaller and smaller. She frequently lost her balance and falling down stairs became commonplace. Due to Hypokinesia, or “Stone Face”, her once prevalent smile had all but disappeared and she avoided people, fearful that someone would see her shake, twitch, trip, or fall. Someone once asked her “If you could have any superhero power, what would it be?” Her answer was invisibility.

Andrea first heard about Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) on TV. It’s a neurosurgical procedure, involving the implantation of a brain pacemaker, which sends electrical impulses to the brain for the treatment of movement and affective disorders. It was approved by the FDA in 2002 for Parkinson’s and has since been deemed a miracle surgery by its advocates. Initially, Andrea was skeptical and intimidated at the thought of implanting something foreign in her body. As her symptoms worsened, she came to realize that this may be her only hope for recovery. Her Doctor agreed.

With this surgery comes the promise of a new life. Her shaking and involuntary movements will likely cease, making it much easier to walk (and even run) again. Many patients also experience a reduction of muscle and joint pain. It will make it physically easier for Andrea to smile again, something most people take for granted. There are so many activities Andrea would love to do again – from a simple walk through the park with her husband and two daughters to an endless hike in the woods without worry that she will be unable to make it out alive. She used to love kayaking with the sun on her face. She dreams of regaining her confidence in social situations, no longer being afraid of embarrassment. In her own words, “I’m 43 years young and I’m tired of feeling 95. I’m excited to continue my journey in life. I hope to climb the highest mountain and scream as loud as I can that I won’t let this disease define me and take my soul. I want to be free again.”

Unfortunately, DBS is not an inexpensive surgery. It is quite costly, and Andrea is lucky to have her insurance cover all but $3000. Still, it is $3000 that she simply does not have. This is where you come in. We need your selfless donation to help Andrea get her life back. Please help us by contributing whatever you can afford.  Andrea and her family will be eternally grateful.

-Zack Notes

 

We appreciate all of those who have helped Andrea to fund her surgery so far, and we are more than halfway there to reaching our goal.  If you can find it in your heart to help, we would be extremely thankful!  It would mean the world to Andrea.

Here is the link to make a donation.

Thanks and hope you are all enjoying your week!

 

XO,

Gina

Strawberry Sunshine

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On me – Dress: ModCloth / Shoes (1): ALDO / Shoes (2): Carrini via Hautelook / Sunnies: Amazon / Bracelet: Baublebar / Watch: Michael Kors / Lip: Lancome Red Haute

On Nico – Shirt: Carter’s / Shorts: Quad Seven

I scored this dress on sale from ModCloth at the beginning of August, and I love that it can work both for summer and fall.  I dig the retro/vintage feel of the dress in terms of the silhouette as well as the strawberry floral print.  It instantly puts me in a good mood!  I wore this a couple weeks ago for a family day in the neighborhood, and then changed my shoes for a long walk to the Prospect Park carousel and zoo.  As you can tell, Nico was a big fan of the carousel!

I am feeling SO MUCH better this week.  Thank you for all your thoughts and well wishes from my last post.  It definitely helped!  Looking forward to a busy week of catch up, and I’m planning to get outside as much as humanly possible!

XO,

Gina

Outer Banks Vacation Photos

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I can’t believe it.  The official start to fall is next week, so I thought I would end this week with some of my favorite photos from our last summer vacation to the Outer Banks, North Carolina.  Hope you enjoy them, and have a great time on this last weekend of the official summer season!

We are headed to Maryland to celebrate our nephew’s 1st birthday and our friend’s child’s 3rd.  Party party!  These kids are growing up too fast!  Time for me to get to packing.

XO,

Gina

Surviving the 1st Year: Gear

I am so proud of my little guy for all he has accomplished in his first year of life.  But I have to honestly pat myself and my husband on the back for surviving this first year ourselves!  Lord knows it was definitely not easy.  However, it was probably the most rewarding year of my life.  I remember back when I was registering for my baby shower and how overwhelmed I was at all the gear I didn’t understand how to use and all the options to choose from.  I decided to put together a little list of the gear we used and appreciated the most this past year…and let’s be honest, we probably couldn’t have survived without!

 

Medela Breast Pump:

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Nico and I had a lot of trouble with nursing in the first few months.  He had issues with latching, and even when he did latch, he would only do so for a short time before ripping away and screaming.  It was incredibly frustrating and made things really difficult when we were out of the house.  I’m still not exactly sure why to this day, and thank goodness he eventually got the hang of things to where we have a wonderful nursing relationship.  But those first few months were spent hooked up to a dreaded pump.  I was given a breast pump from my insurance company (a different brand in which I will refrain from naming).  It was absolutely terrible.  I mean terrible.  While it was supposed to be a double pump, only one side would really work at a time, and I would spend about an hour each time pumping multiple times a day.  When it was time for me to go back to work, it just wasn’t going to be acceptable for me to take one hour breaks three times a day.  I mean, that’s just crazy.  With a bit of help from my mother-in-law (god bless her), I forked over the cash to purchase a Medela Pump and Style, and I am SO glad I did.  It really made the transition back to work much easier knowing I had a reliable pump to make sure my son got the nutrition he needed from me.

 

The Dairy Fairy Nursing & Pumping Bra:

 

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This bra is an absolutely MUST for working, pumping moms.  There are many different size adjustments (since we are constantly getting bigger and small all day long), clips that come down for nursing and hooks that pull to the side for hands-free pumping.  The best part is that it is also a regular bra!  No more changing in and out of your regular vs. pumping bra.  This bra is incredibly comfortable and you can wear it all day long.  I wouldn’t have been able to get through work without this thing.  Amazing.

 

Aden & Anais Burpy Bibs:

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Nico spit up a lot in the early days, and these bib/burp cloth combos were the best for clean up.  We also really enjoyed this brand for their soft swaddle blankets.

 

Uppababy Vista Stroller:

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Now this item was definitely our splurge item (and many thanks to my parents and sister for making this splurge for us).  For a family that doesn’t use a stroller very often, maybe this wouldn’t be practical.  However, this stroller is essential for us!  Nico used the bassinet that came with this stroller for two and a half months before we moved him into his crib.  We used the adapter for the Chicco carseat which made it easy for us to transport Nico from car to stroller in the early days.  The best part about this stroller for us though is the convenience for our city lifestyle.  The basket is HUGE, and I was able to take so many trips to the grocery store, Target, etc. without having to use a car.  I didn’t drive much during the week, so I would load up this stroller and go out for the whole day with Nico on foot.  In the wintertime, we had TONS of snow in New York, and I don’t think I would have made it over the giant mounds of ice and snow without this monster of a stroller.  When Nico got bigger, we also ended up purchasing the Uppababy G-Luxe umbrella stroller (which I love as well; it’s fantastic for subway use because I can carry it up and down the stairs myself, and it’s also great for traveling.)  I still like to use the Vista when I am staying in the neighborhood.  Both strollers have a recline feature which is a must for us, because Nico will not nap in his crib, but he will nap for a long time in his stroller.  These strollers also have fantastic sunshades.

 

Beco Gemini Carrier:

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This carrier was (and still is) absolutely essential to our life in the city!  Like I said above, it’s not always easy to lug around our big stroller, especially on the subway, and sometimes you just need to get out of the door quick.  Nico enjoys being carried, and it used to be a sure bet to a great nap.  He will still nap in it sometimes now.  I love this carrier because it has great back support.  The weight is distributed to both your shoulders and your hips, so neither one is left strained.  Nico can face forward or backward, and you can carry him on your front, side hip, or back.  I have climbed three mountains on four mile hikes with Nico on my back in this thing.  I’m telling you, it’s amazing.

 

Halo and DeeDee Sleep Sacks:

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Due to the fear of SIDS, blankets, bumpers, stuffed animals or anything else really are not recommended for the crib until one year of age.  Sleep sacks are an awesome alternative.  We used the Halo velcro sacks when Nico was still being swaddled.  He would easily pop out of regular swaddle blankets at night, and those waving arms would wake him up every time.  The Halo sacks kept him sleeping soundly.  Once he got a bit bigger and we stopped swaddling him, we switched to the DeeDee sleep sack.  The winter one was my favorite.  It feels like a big comforter, but you wear it.  Kind of like a baby snuggie if you will.  Our apartment got frigidly cold this winter, and even with warm pjs, these sleep sacks were completely necessary.

 

J.J. Cole Bundle Me:

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This snuggly sack lines the inside of the car seat and kept Nico warm on all of our winter walks.  Of course you must still layer, but you don’t need quite as many layers when you use this.  It’s essentially a really warm blanket that stays put and won’t fall out of the stroller.  I have heard that you really shouldn’t use these in the car though, because there shouldn’t be any extra fabric between the baby and the car seat for safety reasons.  That’s just my side note safety tip, but we used it while strolling around all the time.  We plan on getting a toddler one as well for this coming winter.

 

Zutano Booties:

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I don’t know about your babes, but mine would always take his socks off as soon as I put them on.  These booties were phenomenal because they snapped on.  Nico wasn’t able to take them off, and there was no more searching for missing socks.  His feet were also kept super warm all winter long.

 

Phillips AVENT Pacifier:

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Nico was never really hooked on the pacifier and still isn’t, but this bad boy definitely got him to fall asleep for naps when he was cranky.  He only liked these in particular and spit most of the other ones out.  I am ever grateful for this paci!

 

Cerave:

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Last winter, Nico started to get a bit of eczema, or dry skin.  We tried all different kinds of lotions, and nothing seemed to work.  The doctor recommended we buy a tub of Ceravae, and this worked like magic!

 

Bright Stars Safari Gym:

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Nico absolutely LOVED this play gym.  There were times when I couldn’t get him to stop crying, and as soon as I put him on the play mat, he would stop and start smiling.  He always wanted to be on that mat, and he would just kick, kick, kick away.  I’m sure any gym would be fine, but this is the one we had, and we loved it.  I know Skip Hop also makes a good one that comes with a tummy time pillow.  We borrowed the pillow from a friend, and that encouraged Nico start embracing tummy time.  So I would recommend that mat as well!

 

Fisher Price Snug-a-Bunny Swing:

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We had the Rock and Play, the Jumperoo, borrowed bouncers, etc.  Nico loved all of them.  A lot.  But this swing was definitely the most loved and used for the longest amount of time out of anything.  This little here swing is what gave me the opportunity to shower on a daily basis.  Nico took the longest naps in this swing, and I sometimes wish they had bigger swings for bigger babies!  Haha.

 

Oball:

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This is the first toy that Nico was able to play with.  It helps with grasping, and they even make some of them with rattles.  Nico can still play with it now and he learned to throw, roll, and catch a ball with the Oball.

 

Panda Pals Book:

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At first I worried about Nico’s lack on interest in books, but cue the Panda Pals soft black and white contrast book, and he was hooked!  This was his first favorite book, and it opened up the doors to many more books.  He is now obsessed with them, and wants us to read and re-read to him all the time.  “Book” is one of the few words he can say out loud as well which makes me a proud mommy.  Some of our favorites are Dr. Seuss’s ABC, Hop on Pop, and Maisy’s Train.

 

Ella’s Kitchen Food Pouches:

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Most of the time, we made Nico’s food ourselves with a food processor.  We generally gave him whatever we were eating in pureed form or in small bites.  These pouches, however, are perfect for on-the-go or for vacation when we didn’t always have the equipment or storage for homemade food.  We used a few different brands of pouches, but this is this one that Nico seems to like the best.

 

Music Class/Mom’s Group:

I know these two things aren’t really gear, but I have to say, my Mom’s group in the neighborhood was absolutely essential to my survival of the first year!  We had multiple playdates, mom’s nights out, shared stories, texted and called each other constantly, and eased each other’s concerns and fears about the first year of parenting.  I seriously consider them to be some of my nearest and dearest friends because we share such a bond going through this experience together at the same time.  I would definitely recommend finding a mom’s group in your area!  As for the music class, Nico is a huge music fan, and we regularly went and still attend the Munchkin Music Club Class.  It’s great to have a weekly activity to look forward to that he loves so much.  We love the class so much, we even had him come play for Nico’s 1st Birthday, and it was a hit.  I would definitely suggest trying out a variety of different classes and activities and discover what your little one is interested in.

There are definitely more things we used and loved, but these items were all at the top of our list.  Happy to answer any other questions you have about gear, and I also have advice for things that you can probably skip buying as well.  Comment below for any questions! 🙂

Hope you are all having a great week so far!

XO,

Gina

*As you might notice, most of my gear links to Amazon.  We used the Amazon Baby Registry, and absolutely loved it!  We could find almost everything we wanted on the site, and if we couldn’t, they allow you to add links to products from any site on the web.  This was incredibly convenient and kept our entire list in one place.  I would use them again in a heartbeat!  FYI, this post is not sponsored by Amazon.  I was just really happy with them, and wanted to share!

 

Summertime Sadness


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Dress: Free People (sold out – similar here and here) / Shades: Borrowed from my niece – similar / Bracelets: Guilty Jean / Necklace: Family heirloom / Lip: MAC Up the Amp

Summertime sadness…I get all weepy this time of year due to the fact that summer is coming to an end.  The days of last minute drives to the beach, toes in the sand, and piña coladas are just about over.  The kids are back to school (luckily mine is not old enough yet, so I can still pretend it’s summer for longer), and fall is just around the corner.  Now, I do really enjoy the fall for everything it’s worth.  Pumpkin spice lattes, hayrides, a new wardrobe with jackets, Halloween parties, trips to the farm for apples and gourds…these are all things that make me love the fall.  But I get sad because I do really despise the cold.  Winter is my least favorite season because I’m constantly bundled up trying to rid myself of goosebumps.  Sure I love a cup of hot cocoa and the first snowfall just like everyone else…and of course I love Christmas…but after that, I am just ready for the winter to be over and summertime to arrive again.  The end of summer to me means that it’s only getting colder, and that is not something I look forward to.  I am a summertime gal, and I’m going to miss jumping into that ocean.  I know it’s still currently warm out, but I think it’s time to start planning that winter beach getaway.

We celebrated my Little Monkey’s 1st Birthday over the weekend with a big nautical themed party with family and friends.  He was on cloud 9 hanging out with all his little buddies, jamming out to music with the Munchkin Music Club, and eating a fabulously decorated (and tasting) cake from Betty Bakery.  Pics to come on that later, but wishing everyone a Happy Monday!

XO,

Gina

All About Hair

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As most of you know, I recently got my hair cut by the amazing, Tim Dueñas, at Arrojo Studio.  Having recently celebrated my 30th Birthday, I decided to treat myself to a fancy hair cut, and I am so glad I did.  Tim asked about my lifestyle and my daily routine, and without even needing me to show him a photo, he knew exactly what I needed in a hair cut.  Long enough to still put up in a pony and go (mom life doesn’t give me much time for styling), but plenty of layers and shape if I do find a moment to wear it down.  I am incredibly happy with how it turned out.

That being said…Irresistible Me sent over their fantastic extensions, and I couldn’t wait to try them on!  Now, let me be straight with you.  I know ladies have been rocking extensions for awhile now, but I never jumped on board.  To be honest, as much as I wanted to try them out, it was extremely intimidating to me.  I am not the best stylist when it comes to hair, and even when I received the box, I took one look, and e-mailed my contact there freaking out about how I was supposed to apply these things!  She sent me a video tutorial, and I have to say, I am completely surprised at how easy it was to clip them in.  While, I love my fresh new cut, it’s exciting to know that if I am craving a longer, fuller look for a date night or event, I can now achieve that without spending a fortune at the salon.

I have posted Before and After shots, and you can really see how natural they turned out.  A lot of other extensions I have seen have the potential to appear mullet-like, showing a clear separation between the real hair and the “fake” hair.  These flowed beautifully with my natural hair.  Speaking of natural…Irresistible Me boasts 100% natural hair in all their clips.

So what do you all think of extensions?  Have you tried them before?  Which look do you like better?

Before:

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*** I apologize for the blurriness in some of these photos.  We are trying out a new lens, and my husband was also taking these with a baby strapped to him, so there was some shake-age.  Haha.***

Hair Extensions: c/o Irresistible Me / Top: Necessary Clothing / Scalloped Shorts: Necessary Clothing / Shoes: ALDO (similar) / Bag: Rebecca Minkoff / Shades: Vintage / Earrings: c/o Stella & Dot (now on sale!) / Bracelets: Henri Bendel, Baublebar, Stella & Sparkle / Watch: Michael Kors / Lip: MAC Impassioned

And can you believe my outfit is actually a top and shorts set?  I wore them together, but apart, I think they would be just as cute styled in a different way.  I went on a sets kick this past shopping trip.  I don’t know what it was, but I was alone for once and excited, and I kept seeing adorable sets, so there you go.  The one I’m wearing is sold out online, but if you live in NYC, you may still be able to catch it in-store.  I also purchased this adorable two-piece top and skirt set, and I hope I can find the perfect occasion to break it out.

We spent the weekend in Brooklyn with our nieces, celebrated Nico’s 1st Birthday with a slice of rainbow cake (the big celebration is coming up this Saturday), and reminisced back to last year’s Labor Day Weekend when I was actually in labor.  My how much has changed since then.

Hope you all had a fantastic holiday weekend as well!

XO,

Gina

Happy 1st Birthday Nico

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Dear Nico,

Wow.  ONE whole year.  I cannot even begin to explain the emotions I am feeling today.  I will do my best to put it into words.  I am tearing up as I write this, but I’m not exactly sure why.  When I brought you home from the hospital one year ago, I couldn’t believe they were actually going to let me take you home.  Aside from babysitting my cousins and neighbors in my teen years, what did I know about raising a baby?  Especially a 5lb baby who had come two weeks early.  It was a strange feeling after carrying you around inside me for 9 months to then have you right there next to me or in my arms, outside of the womb.  To actually see the little face I could only imagine for so long.  You were so tiny.  So delicate.  I felt as if I might break you.  I was scared to put your clothes on, to swaddle you, to wipe your little tush too hard, or seal your diaper too tight.  Breastfeeding was a bitch.  I’m not going to lie.  It was hard.  You didn’t want to latch.  And I pumped for months, because I was bound and determined to make sure things panned out the way I had planned.  Although, of course things never turn out exactly how you think they will.  But we made it work.  And we eventually came to have a fantastic nursing relationship.

People said this year would fly by.  They said to make sure to enjoy it.  I believed them, but when you’re up around the clock with only a few hours sleep and you can’t tell the difference between night and day as you are in those beginning weeks, sometimes I admit it was tough to enjoy things.  Those weeks were hard.  But sometimes I wish I could rewind and see you that tiny again…before you wanted to squirm away from me after a quick hug.  When you would just lie on my chest for a three hour nap completely content.  Those days we cannot get back.  I look back at those photos from those first couple months, and I barely recognize that little baby anymore.  You have grown and changed so much in what feels like such a short amount of time.

When you gave me that first smile, I just about melted.  As hard as motherhood can be sometimes, it’s all worth it for every little smile, belly laugh, hug, and kiss you have given me.  Anytime you accomplished something new in the past year…it was such a complete joy to watch.  To know that maybe hours before you didn’t know how to roll over, but now you could…I felt such a sense of accomplishment for you.  You were so frustrated when you couldn’t crawl.  You would flail your arms and legs about like a flying fish, and spin in circles trying to make your move.  But that day you learned to army crawl, you were so excited.  You slid around the entire living room.  And once you could really crawl, you took off to explore the entire apartment.  Your sense of adventure and exploration reminds me of your Papa, and I love that you inherited that trait from him.

You are so curious.  You have always loved to see what is going on around you.  You really pay attention and focus on things, especially the alphabet, animals, and people playing music.  I am shocked at the amount of focus you have sometimes to sit and entertain yourself with a toy or a book for a long time.  You love to be outside whether it’s at the park, walking along the city streets, playing in the sand at the beach, or in the water at the pool.  You have flown in airplanes with us, hiked mountains with us, and rode on endless car trips.  You have made so many friends in the neighborhood, and you have attracted attention from admirers wherever we go.  You are definitely a people person, (which I like to think you have inherited from me) and you are incredibly sweet and lovable to all of your stuffed animals.

I am feeling such a mix of emotions.  I’m sad that you are growing up and moving from baby to toddler.  I’m happy that you have accomplished so much in this past year.  I’m excited for all the new adventures we will have in year two.  I’m nervous about the new changes we have coming our way.  I’m sentimental that we will never get back some of those amazing moments from when you were small.  All of those old firsts are now taken for granted.  However, I am anticipating all of the new firsts you will take on.  I am proud of the person you are thus far, and I’m hopeful that your father and I will continue to guide you in the “right” direction…whatever that means.  Most of all, I feel such an intense sense of love for you that grows by the minute.  Every day I think it is impossible to love you that much more, and every day my love still grows and grows.  The more time I spend with you, the less I want to be away from you.  You make my heart full and it’s hard to imagine what life was like before you came into the picture.

You are my Little Monkey, my Nico Bonzo, my Booski, my Boo Boo, my Stinky Butt, my Bubba, my Babycakes, my world.

Thank you for making me a mother.  Thank you for being you.  Thank you for the constant light and joy you bring to our family every day.

I love you like crazy.

Happy 1st Birthday, Nico.

Love,

Mama

*First photo by Justin Goldberg.  The rest, my own.*