Ava Grace's Closet: August 2011
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Monday, August 29, 2011

The ABC's of Me

Voiceboks friends...it took a while a long while but here it is.
Everything you never wanted to know about me:

Addicted. To pinterest and my blackberry. Whatever.
Blonde. It's not real.
Croatian. I am.
Daddy's girl. Forever.
Emotional. I cry easily. And often.
Funny. I think. 
Girly. Very.
Healthy. Thank God.
Independent. Fiercely.
Jakovina. My maiden name. 
Klout. I'm there. And I don't get it.
Loud. Very.
Mama to 3.
Nausea. Extreme. With every pregnancy. 
Organized. Sometimes too much so.
Patient. Not enough.
Quiet. Never. 
Resourceful. I can help you find anything. Really.
Sleepy. As in no sleep.
Trustworthy. I won't tell.
Uniform. I wore one all through high school. 
Veiny. Is that a word? Mine are very visible. Hate it.
Wishful. A bit of a dreamer.
Xylophone. I can spell it.
Yellow. Not a good color for me.
ZZZZzzzz's. Wish I could get some.

Friday, August 26, 2011

What I Would Have Worn

My big brother and sis-in-law are renewing their wedding vows today.
At none other than the infamous Little White Chapel in Las Vegas.
Sadly, we are not there. (pout)
Because of a certain little someone. Who we can't bear to leave just yet.
Here is a peek at what they've got planned:
 (read as -- what we're missing)


So in an ode to my brother, and all things Vegas, here is what I might have worn.
For drinks.
One piece jumpsuit by Asos

To dinner.
Perfection in a pair of red, high-waisted, wide-legged trousers. 
Sigh.
Trousers by Alice + Olivia
And for the ceremony.
With black ridiculously high sandals. And red lips. Maybe.
Pleated dress by BCBG
Little miss chose this.
And was all dressed up with nowhere to go.
Except for the backyard.
Since Vegas was nowhere in sight. (cue crying baby)

Congratulations Brian and Dorothy!
Wish we were there. (like, a lot)

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

What that baby Wore : A girl and A chair


Top and pants - BabyGap
Le headband. By le fabulous Christina.
Get your own here.

Monday, August 22, 2011

A year in Reverse

Our sweet Ava Grace is 17 months old today.
It feels like it was yesterday that we brought her home.
Those first few weeks were so tough on me. A true testament to who I am as a mommy.
Sensitive. In a word. Hyper-sensitive. In two.
I cried for days about how I was going to get her up the stairs. So not kidding.
Post-partum at it's finest -
And I stared at her. A lot. Almost obsessively.
Perhaps every new mother feels this way? (please tell me I am not crazy)
I still ache when I look at her. I do.
Especially when she is sleeping. At peace
I love her with every part of my being.

I often wish I had started this little blog earlier and documented her first year.
But I know in my heart that I would not have managed. There was the whole no sleep at all thing.
So here is a glimpse into her first year - 
our little miss.
Dear Ava,
Friends told us that a new baby would bring so much love and laughter into the house - they were right.
 You are such a joy - always smiling. Always happy.
Each morning begins the same way...with you calling out for mama.
Clutching your Bobo and looking from room to room for your big sister and brother.
Playing "under". And giggling.
You love to be outside. Or to just walk around the house. And talk. A lot.
You give the best hugs and kisses.
And have finally started to sleep. I still get to visit at least once per night but things are much better.
I am so blessed to have been home to spend all of the early months with you.
I couldn't imagine a life without you in it.
xo
mommy

Friday, August 19, 2011

The Dream Closet

So...it's no big secret that I enjoy fashion. And as such, love to shop.
Storage? Yeah, it's a bit of an issue.
We have redone our bedroom's closet twice. Ridiculous I know. And still, it is barely functional. 
I will never understand how whoever built our home thought that two shopaholics people could ever share that space.
My dream closet might look like this:
You see, this arrangement would really work for me.
A place for everything and everything in it's place. 
Lots of good light. Tons of drawer space. And a chair...just in case I get a little tired from perusing my wardrobe. 
This could also be an option:
Cozy wood burning fireplace. A little place for me to write in my journal. If I actually kept a journal.
I imagine Audrey Hepburn in a dressing room just like this one. Sipping champagne even.
And lastly, perhaps a separate closet just to house shoes.
Sigh.
It is nice to dream.
And so I will.


All of the above images sourced via pinterest.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Insomniac

Sadly, true.
After all of these months of wishing for sleep -
I now cannot.
Regardless of what I try.
And I have tried everything.

Camomile tea.

Warm milk.
Cooler room. Warmer room.
Completely other room.
Tylenol PM. (these worked. but then I got addicted.)
Melatonin. For 2 straight weeks like "they" said to do.
Advil. Way too much of it. And sometimes motrin.
Wine. 2 glasses. (no, not with the motrin)

I still did not sleep
In spurts, absolutely.
But the awakenings are constant.
And sometimes lengthy.
Hence the late night twitter reads. And subsequent pinterest addiction.

I visited my longtime family doctor.
Who took one look at me and said I needed to sleep. very badly.
She prescribed sleeping pills. I can't recall what kind.
These also worked.
Although her plan of "relearning" didn't.
I slept on the nights I took a pill.
I didn't on nights I did not.

I am spent.

My body just physically can't take it anymore.
Pregnancy. A baby who has yet to sleep through consistently
=  almost two years since I have slept an entire night. Two years.



Before resorting to a sleep clinic, (who knew these even existed?) I decided to try the "natural" route.
I left the health food store with -
L-Tryptophane (2 horse-sized not kidding pills nightly), melatonin (in a larger dose) and some magical herbal relaxing tea.
I am on week two of the regime.
And honestly, it is killing me.
But, I will give this a fair shake.
Not sure what my alternative is.
And wondering if I will ever sleep on my own again.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Muse

Muse: (v.) to think about or ponder something deeply; (n.) the source of inspiration for an artist
For Marc Jacobs, Sofia Coppola.
Photobucket
Some muses stay the same. 
For Alexander Wang, Erin Wasson.
Some change.
For Karl Lagerfeld, for years, there was my all-time favorite, Ines de la Fressange. 
How fabulous was she?
And in later years, the equally fabulous Claudia Schiffer.
I am fortunate enough to have my very own muse.
The one that inspires me every.single.day.
Photobucket
Inspired?
Happy Friday Fashionistas!

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

What WE Wore Wednesday

The What WE Wore Wednesday that almost wasn't this week.
Between a new retainer for The King, an impromptu shopping trip to Buffalo and a studio portrait session that I would prefer not to talk about ever - it's been quite a week. Sigh.
Ava tried to escape this week's pics altogether -




Earrings - Forever XXI | Cream embroidered blouse - HM | Shorts - Aritzia | Sandals - Tory Burch
And that's what we're wearing on Wednesday.

Friday, August 5, 2011

The Essentials

So, here is my "fashion strategy".
 It has worked for me for (I'm not telling how) many years and has always made me feel on trend without being too trendy. 
It allows me to splurge on a few key items that can make an outfit while spending relatively little on the rest.
I rely on 3 staples:
1. High quality jeans
My favorites are by Paige, Hudson and Rock and Republic.
All in styles that can be dressed up or down. Some skinny, some full leg. Some hemmed for flats, others for a 4" heel.
For the fall, I will be on the hunt for two pairs -
A wide trouser-like pair. (these are by Derek Lam. love.)
And new J Brand skinnies. (apparently, fabulous - albeit they look so basic)
Worn perfectly by Heidi Klum.

2. Designer Sunglasses
I have shared my love before.
My current go-to's this summer have been my Ray Ban aviators. On hot days, they are the only shades that don't make your face sweat. (oh I know you know what I mean)
I am contemplating a gold pair for the fall. 
And 3. Designer Handbags
I have built up quite the little collection. And each and every one gets it's equal share of love.
And because I don't like to mix metals (OCD I know it) all the more reason to switch them up. 
My most recent addition was a steal and my current favorite when I'm not carrying a diaper bag. 
If I could only have one new (dream) bag for fall this one by Prada might be it.
But since the accompanying price tag is not so dreamy... 
I think this Marc by Marc Jacobs bag is a great option.
Both would look equally (well, maybe almost equally) good with all the muted colors I am planning on wearing this fall.
Good jeans. Good glasses. And a good handbag.
Allows everything else, even when it's just a simple denim shift, to look better than before.
Photobucket
Happy Friday Fashionistas!

Linking up with Blonde Episodes here for Fashion Friday -

Monday, August 1, 2011

The 'ole cottage

This long weekend, for the first time in almost 3 years, we made the drive to my parent's little cottage. It has been a part of our lives and our weekends since I was 14 years old. 
I have never really been a fan. Even though I grew up with an older brother who would rather be there then anywhere. 
He tried to pass along the love.
Man did he try.
He bought a boat. He taught me to water ski. He let me bring my friends along. 
But still I resisted.
A true city girl at heart I guess.
Token hot brother in his younger day's shot - (you're welcome)



I won't mention the socks and shoes. But whatever.
They lived for this stuff.
And the dream that one day, they would have a place of their own.
Places came before the cottage they own now.
In fact, story has it, the cottage pictured below is "where the magic happened".

I was born 9 months later.

My parents on the other hand, have always been HUGE cottage lovers and goers.
They love to be outdoors. Especially by a lake.

If there are fish involved - even better.
Not sure how many years passed before they sold this and decided to buy again. But I do remember weekend after weekend at one lake or another.
Until one fateful day - over 25 years ago.
This picture was snapped on the dock the very first time they visited what would become their now cottage.

The dock is larger now. And not this awful red color.
But otherwise, much has stayed the same.
There is a certain sense of nostalgia that lingers.
If you own a cottage, you will now that everything that gets discarded from your full-time home, somehow ends up there.
I know every framed picture by heart.
There is a cuckoo clock that hangs (and ticks ridiculously loud) in the living area that would not "fit in" anywhere but there.

And strangely, it all provides a certain comfort. As does the very scent of the cottage which I cannot put into words. But it is there. 
Always.


I didn't realize until now, older and wiser, how much a part of their lives, of our lives, this little cottage is.
All the memories it holds.
My folks are getting up in age. And as such, it's getting tougher and tougher for them to manage their second home.
They complain about all the work. Constantly.
But I know they secretly love every minute.
And I secretly loved every minute of being there.