glad tidings

From our party of four.

.

in & out

My sidekick came early in the morning on December 12. We're in love.

.

watch me grow

I'm 39+ weeks pregnant, and contemplating carrying out an induction I have scheduled for early next week. I might be too sissy (careful?) to go through with it. I'm currently going through another bout of false labor ... unless something really exciting begins to happen. Send me your positive vibes.

In the meantime, I can't believe how big I am!

19 weeks

22 weeks

24 weeks

28 weeks

34 weeks

39 weeks

michigan house

My sister is an interior designer, currently taking a break from her career to raise her three young kiddos. If you ask me, she sits more on the side of interior architect than interior designer or decorator. She's a wiz at carving space, and making it look good and perhaps most importantly, function well.

This is her current home in Michigan, a cool marriage of modern and traditional, which she designed pretty much inside and out. I particularly love the red roof.



Her family is moving soon and I feel the need to memorialize her home in some way since it will no longer be "in the family." (And maybe I want to toot her horn a little.) It has been a safe-haven as well as a favorite place to visit and spend time with favorite people, big and small. I have the best memories of babies crawling after each other in circles, bathtubs full of little cousins, fingerprint-covered windows and nights around the fireplace.

That bathroom is a dream. And the kitchen. Michigan house, we will miss you. You have been good to all of us, at some point or another.

She is going to kill me for posting this. But sometimes a sister's gotta do what a sister's gotta do.

.

seeing stars

I'm trying not to start over with a nursery for baby girl. Instead, the plan is to girl-up O's room. (Not too hard, considering the color scheme is babyish ... some might even argue that it's girly. I prefer the former.) But if I was starting over, there's a strong possibility that stars would make a strong presence in her little room.

To be honest, I haven't really had the time to do much of anything. I fear the second child is already neglected.



I did a roundup of favorite starry baby items for Babble, and it remains one of my favorites. I love that stool.

Some of my other roundups:

*Fifteen Favorite Onesies
*Hot Air Balloon Nursery Picks
*10 Really Cute Baby DIY Projects
*Really Cute (and Really Free!) Baby Knits

And also, anyone in the market for baby thank-you cards?

.

have you met ... olive's friend pop?

The title of this post is a bit of an inside joke. My little O might have an imaginary friend. He frequently asks me, "Remember my friend, Duck?" I can't tell if this is an opening line to a two-year-old's joke, or if he really thinks he has a friend named Duck, and that I've met him/her.

At any rate, I smiled when I came across this line of kid's clothing called Olive's Friend Pop. It's really, really sweet ... and has a great name, too.



Images from Olive's Friend Pop's S/S 2011 and A/W 2011 collections.

.

wholly wraps

Hand-printed shawls pretty enough to hang as art, by Wholly Aesthetics/Mengly.

Colorful polka and colorful yellow.

via Kadie's pin.

.

friday already?

How did it get to be Friday already? So much to do, so little time. I'll be packing moving boxes today and throughout the weekend. I hope your plans are more fun than that. Don't be surprised if you find me living in a moo moo-like maxi dress all weekend long.

Here are my Babble posts this week. I think you'll like:

*I had hopes of practicing pregnancy fitness this week. Does packing up count?
*Am I the only one who thinks these instructional childbirth posters are a little weird?
*Documenting pregnancy with mommy and baby shoes.
*I'm 28 weeks pregnant, and officially third trimester material. Eeeek.

.

friday, and stressed

Operation: Meltdown might be under way in my house. I am doing the best I can to avoid it, but it just might be inevitable. And did I mention that I'm pregnant and in an seemingly-eternal state of emotional turmoil? Anyway. I know I have much to be happy about, but I'm having the kind of week that is making me forget that.

I love photography by Jessica Todd Harper. Isn't the above photo perfect in the most raw and real and beautiful way? It is a reminder that all is good, and it is good to live in the present.

I'm also blogging about my pregnancy at Babble. Please read!

*I would love to be hard-core enough to do a true fertility diet, regardless of fertility levels.
*My idea (reality) of a day off at 26 weeks pregnant.
*Cute and clever birth announcements! I want.
*My baby name story, plus a handful more.
*I'm craving and craving and craving.
*I'm seeing stripes ... on babies.

Photograph by Jessica Todd Harper via Whitney's pin.

.

sessun, behind the scenes

Lovely behind-the-scenes shots of Sessun's Autumn-Hiver 2011/2012 lookbook and catalog--which is also something to behold. I love the autumn colors and rich lighting. See more here.

.

dear utah

Zara is trying to sneak its way into our American hearts with a collection of artistic photographs of each of the 50 states in its series, Dear America. I think it's working. (Of course, they didn't really have to try with me.)

Dear Utah photograph by Nich Hance McElroy

.

fall at plumo

I am ready for bundling sweaters and cozy knits. Leaves, start falling!

wrap
headband
socks
cardigan

.

zara, t'marra

Zara's online shop goes live tomorrow, September 7. Finally, and hooray!

p.s. You can shop early following these lil instructions.

.

miniature knits

These mini costumes, knit by hand at the Miniature Knit Shop, are some of the cutest things I have ever seen. A bit of an investment, to be sure, but very detailed and special.

Strawberry
Sailor
Cowboy
Royal Guard

And did you see the mermaid?

.