It's the Time of the Season

I'm long overdue for a post on here, but this time I have an acceptable excuse- my daughter was finally born! Tuesday, December 21st around 11 pm I started having some contractions and by 3am I was having enough regular contractions to warrant a trip to the hospital. Unfortunately, it was all back labor, which was the most excruciating pain I've ever felt. Also, for some unknown reason that night just happened to be the same night that like 30 other women went into labor as well. I seriously thought I'd be sent home until I was further along, but I was determined not to leave until I had the baby, whether it be in the hallway or a broom closet. Luckily, I was dilating fairly quickly. Almost too quickly, in fact, as they didn't give me my epidural until I was 9cm along. I honestly thought I'd have her before the medicine kicked in, but once it did, it was like heaven. Honestly girls, if you're thinking about having natural births, then you're freaking Superwoman. However, the medicine worked too well, as I then had trouble pushing. Over an hour went by before she actually came out. Finally, at 8:26 am on December 22nd, Lia Rose Pilaczynski was born. She was 7lbs, 14 oz. and is 21" long. After she was born I spent the rest of the day in a drugged haze, with visitors trickling in and out. Sadly, we had to stay in the hospital for four days because had an infection, which was scary to hear, but luckily antibiotics cured it and we were allowed to go home on Christmas day. Best Christmas present ever. She is absolutely precious and easy to take care of as she's not fussy at all.

I've forgotten what real sleep feels like, both before and after the delivery have been difficult, and I'm have a hard time recovering, especially since I have guests visiting from Korea. The majority of my day is spent breastfeeding, changing diapers and desperately trying to catch a moment of sleep here and there. But it's all worth it for her. I think that within the next two weeks or so things should settle down a bit. I'm literally falling asleep as I'm writing this, so that's all for now. Hope everyone had an awesome Christmas, and have a Happy New Year as well, I know I will.

Any Given Sunday

I sincerely apologize for the lack of decent posts lately. I keep thinking I'm going to go into labor, therefore I've been wearing nothing but sweats and sleeping most of the day. I woke up early this morning and thought my water had broken, but four hours in the hospital later, turns out it was a false alarm....the second this week. Only two days until my actual due date arrives, so maybe she'll come tomorrow...maybe. Once everything is settled, I promise to be back in full blogging mode. I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas....eat lots of candy and drink lot of eggnog or cider and appreciate this time with your family and friends. Cheers!

Holiday Dressing

With only 9 days or less left of my pregnancy, I am so miserable and grouchy that I don't even want to be around me. My days are literally spent sleeping and waiting, accomplishing nothing and just waiting to go back to sleep again. The word "sleep" being used loosely here. The false labor pains keep getting my hopes up and I'm continually keeping my swollen, sausage sized fingers crossed that she'll come any moment. Like, as I'm typing this.

Because of this waiting game, I have found little motivation to get dressed, other than in anything that stretches. So for the time being, I've posted some fun holiday looks that I would love to be able to sport once the little one arrives. That is, if I suddenly get rich as well. My goal is to be able to get dolled up for New Year's Eve and not look like I'm still pregnant...which hopefully I won't be.

By the way, Polyvore is my newfound (well, re-found) obsession. It's kept me occupied today, which is good for everyone else :)

Just Throw It Together

Sweater- Cheap Monday, via Karmaloop.com; Dress worn as skirt- thrifted; Beanie- Forever 21; Combat boots- thrifted

As I get closer to my due date (two weeks to go) I find that I'm having difficulty being motivated to put together an outfit. I've spent the last several months mostly in leggings and pajamas. I've forgotten what it's like to wear jeans, or anything that zips. It will be a relief to be able to wear clothing without looking (and feeling) like I swallowed a watermelon whole. Not to mention I have items I've been saving to wear. But today I had to run errands, so I managed to put together this bummish bag lady outfit. Kinda liked how it turned out though. This sweater is so comfy and floppy, I've been wearing it religiously. And this dress I'm wearing as a skirt is great because the top is elastic. With some clever planning I've managed to avoid resorting to maternity wear. I have to say though, my feet have apparently gotten pretty swollen, because for the last couple months, every single pair of shoes I own have been squeezing them like lemons. That's why I can't wear rings anymore either, because my fingers look like mini sausages. Ah, the joy of motherhood.

And I think I'm getting sick now, with all the running around in the cold weather. Just what I need now. Off to drink some tea and take a hot bath. Btw, been drinking tea like mad lately, if anyone has some good suggestions for tea let me know!

RAD by Rad Hourani SS 2011 RTW

Based on several collections that have been previewed, the upcoming trend for Spring/Summer 2011 appears to be white and black minimalism. Rad Hourani went a step further with this approach by making his collection not only minimalist but genderless, with his signature PVC leggings and draped layering pieces with flowing oversize lapels appearing on both men and women . He even sent them out in matching Aldo heels (I know, random collaboration). Now here's a collection that brings The Matrix to the real world.

Seeing Spots

As if my leopard print obsession wasn't deep enough, H&M had to go and produce this green spotted beauty. I am so in love with this dress! It's flowy, comfortable perfection. I made a trip to H&M specifically to hunt this dress down, and thank the fashion gods, it was one of two left, and luckily this was the last one in a size 2. I'm telling you, it was meant to be. The downside is that it's actually too long for me, and the reason I can wear it now is because the baby bump and high heels shorten it, but once the bump is gone, I may have to have it shortened. And, knock on wood, I've managed to make it this far and still haven't fallen on my ass wearing these 6" heels.

I am so tired lately, I can't sleep anymore out of discomfort and impatience. Bear with me for the next month or so, as December is going to be hectic for me. My sister is coming to visit from Korea for a month with her daughter and nephew, and my twin Liana will be visiting with her bf and son as well. Needless to say, I'll have a full house and can hopefully squeeze in resting time. But I am looking forward to Christmas- can't wait to make gingerbread houses and watch A Christmas Story. What are you looking forward to?

Now off to rest and drink hot chocolate.

Baby It's Time

Sweater- Yesstyle.com; Footless Tights- Target; Leopard slippers- Target

So after much anticipation, I finally got to have my Thanksgiving. Made waaay too much dessert, so I am forced to to eat leftover apple pie, German chocolate cake (my first homemade one) and cheesecake. Poor me. Also, as good as the food was, I wasn't able to eat as much as I wanted- I was at a disadvantage considering most of my stomach room is already occupied. Still, I managed to fill up quite nicely and have been recovering from my food coma ever since. And of course I forgot to take photos. It has been freezing here as well, and the rain has once again put a damper on any outside outfit shots. But to tide you over, here are some pics of the baby's room. A lot of the decorations were left over from my baby shower. And yeah, I like Hello Kitty. All we need is a mirror behind the door (the old one broke) and some curtains. Oh yeah, and the baby. 3.5 weeks to go....keep your fingers crossed she'll wanna come out early, I could use the breathing room.

The Iceman Cometh

Blouse- H&M; Jacket- Sears; Beanie- Forever 21; Shoes- Dollhouse

Winter has definitely crept upon us. It was beyond freezing today, with colder temperatures soon to follow. Had to go run errands, so I wore my trusty beanie (my lazy way of covering hair that needs styling) and my leopard print top from H&M. So cute, but sheer and lightweight, definitely not winter material (not to mention the buttons kept popping open -my baby belly is at it's fullest capacity) so I got to finally wear my faux fur and faux leather jacket that I got from....Sears. Who woulda thought? I never shop there, but I happened to be getting something else there months ago and this was on sale for a mere $20, so who was I to pass on that awesome steal?

I'm a sucker for a great deal, which brings me to my boots. I've been eyeing this style of boots for quite some time (and shearling happens to be in right now) but couldn't seem to find the exact style I wanted, nor did I want to pay the high price tag that most seemed to come with. Enter Ross. Yes, Ross. I've bought some decent stuff from there before, but these shoes definitely trumps them all. Especially for $22. Seriously. The style is exactly what I've been looking for, and bonus, they are 5" high, which is rare that I find anything locally with a decent heel height (with the exception of stripper-esque platforms). And even more amazing, Mike actually LIKED them, not just noticed them, but actually admired them and even went so far as to rub the suede on them. Must be because of the work boot style.

Finally finishing up the baby's room, Thanksgiving is in a couple days, and I have a strong feeling the baby is going to make an appearance earlier than expected. Here's hoping, anyways. I'm utterly exhausted.

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Scarlet Fever

Sweater- Yesstyle.com; Footless Tights- Target; Wedges- Jeffrey Campbell

So grateful this week is finally over. My son's school had minimum days all week, so not only was he home early, but I also had to watch two of his friends all week as well. Needless to say, I have gotten nothing accomplished this week whatsoever. I planned on doing a better outfit post today, but as my luck would have it, the day is gloomy and raining heavily. I had no energy to put into my indoor shoot, hence the crappy bed shot. Here's hoping next week is better. I finally got my sweaters from Yesstyle.com, this being one of them. I absolutely love the oversize, chunky knit. It's soft and warm without being too stuffy and bulky. And, red being my favorite color, this one is glaringly vivid, just how I like it. I wore it with sheer footless tights from Target. It was all about comfort today. Planning on going to the casino tonight....I paid my dues this week, maybe luck will be with me tonight. Have a great weekend everyone!

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A Web of Black and White

Jacket-H&M; Boots- Urban Original; Necklace- Forever 21

Hectic Monday as usual. Weekend was low key; the most exciting thing that happened was my dishwasher was finally fixed...I don't remember when I passed into the age where things like that mattered, but apparently I have. So nice not to have to manually wash a ton of dishes everyday. For some reason, they have been neverending, so it's a nice change to have one less chore to do. Plus, Mike's so excited about it too that he's been the one loading and unloading the dishes....but I'm sure the excitement will soon fade.



I made a trip to H&M recently to hunt down that awesome green leopard print sheer maxi dress I'd seen floating about the webisphere (by now you guys should be aware of my deep appreciation of leopard print) and while I was stoked to successfully snatch the second to last one (it must've been fate) I was also happy to get this lightweight jacket. Love the crazy design in subtle black and white. It brings to mind a certain designer's somewhat recent show, but for the life of me I can't remember who it was. I paired it with my gothic-victorian-esque choker I got some time back from Forever 21. Ever since I was younger I have always had a penchant for big, chunky chokers dripping beads and chains. Reminds me of, well, the Victorian era where ladies wore full dresses with corsets and huge hair. The green dress I'm saving for Thanksgiving...which by the way, I am so excited about. Months ago I was watching a TV show where the characters were having Thanksgiving and I've been impatiently waiting for the holiday ever since. Just the thought of turkey and a full table spread gets my mouth watering. Must be the pregnancy hormones. I love having an excuse to blame all my cravings on....although my time's running out on that end.

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Cruise in Style

blouse- Goodwill; shorts- Express; knee socks- F21; shoes- Sam Edelman

Mike and I have a passion for old cars, hot rods, etc, as well as motorcycles. We picked up this car awhile ago off Craigslist, not entirely sure what it was, but liking it nonetheless. Turns out this car (a 1960 Mercury Monterey, cruiser style) is pretty desirable, as well as looking cool. I've seen some totally fixed up and they are stunning. This one is a work in progress. Mike just got all new wheels for it, but it still needs interior work and a new paint job. Love it though, especially the red. It also provided the perfect background for today's outfit post, since my top sorta reminds me of a retro secretary blouse. Thrifted it from Goodwill awhile back, only to notice a rip in the chest and both armpits. Easy fix though. Also discovered a tear in both stockings as well. Apparently I need to take better care of my clothes.

Had a dr's. appointment the other day. I am officially about six weeks from my due date, although in two weeks I'll be considered full time in case she comes early. Which means we are scrambling to finish her room. And we still have absolutely no idea what to name her, so suggestions are welcome!

Happy Friday everyone!

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A Black and Grey Landscape

Foley + Corinna $240.00

Donna Karan Collection $1,995.00

Givenchy

Alexander Wang $245.00

Topshop $100.00

Some pieces I'm admiring as of late. The black and gold fur bag is amazing, as is the perfectly oversize ribbed sweater. Not normally a huge fan of gladiator sandals, but covered in gold studs such as these, I couldn't resist them if I tried. A poncho of sweatshirt material with a leather pocket? Could only come from A. Wang, genius that he is. And the velvet jumpsuit is the perfect combination of casual, sophisticated and sexy. The only thing not agreeable to my taste are the prices. Well a woman can dream, can't she?

On a different note, a hectic weekend has just concluded, which consisted of shopping with my sister (got some stuff from H&M, including a sweater that is somewhat similar to the Donna Karan one above, although at a huge fraction of the price), my baby shower, and worst of all, taking Lucy to the hospital. If you've read previous posts, then you'll know I recently lost a puppy to the Parvo virus. Well, on the day of my baby shower, we ended up taking my other puppy Lucy to the vet hospital with the same virus. We had to leave her there overnight, but luckily she is out now and much better, and hopefully is on to a full recovery. As for my baby shower, tiring as it was, it was also absolutely adorable- my mother in law outdid herself. As I had to take most of the photos, I didn't really get a good picture of the red dress I wore, but I loved how vibrant it was. I will likely wear it again at Christmas. That's all I can think of for now. I'm off to whoop Mike's butt at old school Tetris, our current activity du jour. Cheers!

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