ROYGBIV: Not Really (Feeling) the Blues.

Hey, all!  On the heels of the very blue Maritime dress I wore in the last post, I am publishing another installment of my ROYGBIV series, today focused on B or Blue.

(By the way, the next post--I or Indigo--is the one I have struggled most with...is indigo a navy blue or is it a purple/blue?  If you know the answer, definitively, would you comment with the answer?  I don't want to publish a whole slew of navy outfits and then discover that the post should have included only purplish outfits.  Hmm.)

Wore this outfit about a month ago.  I normally don't bother with accessories or nicer shoes if I am just chilling at the house with the kids, but that day I just wanted to put on some extra something something.

If you open up the photo, it has the info on the pieces.

The hair was my attempt at a side bun.  I like the side bun but it is a bit fussy to keep up, about an hour after I took this photo, the bun was completely unraveled.

BTW, my hair looks really red here.  I notice it looks redder when I have a white background, so I suspect the white background throws off my camera's color.

I do technically have some variation of dark strawberry blonde hair (if I never went in the sun it would always be this color), but it doesn't ever look this red in real life.  Only photos.  ;)

Added the Brompton clutch to see if it worked with the outfit.  I like it, but would probably not use it in real life (remember I was just at home, no need for a bag).  I would probably bring out a yellow bag to play off the yellow in the scarf.

I wore this dress to go out to sushi for Mother's Day with my brother.  He always takes me out for Mother's Day, which I think is completely unnecessary, but I appreciate it nonetheless.

This is the Starlet Knit Dress from Garnet Hill, and like I expected, it is made incredibly well and is very flattering.  It is a jersey knit fabric and definitely felt comfortable and cool.  I took it in a small.

The dress even has pockets, which I liked.  Most jersey dresses don't come with pockets, so this is a nice bonus.

The first photo cut off my legs, so I had my hubby retake the photo later than night.  As you can see the dress is not wrinkled and may even look better three hours later.

The Greta Suede wedges I am wearing are one of my best purchases of 2011.  I think I got them for $40 on super sale in September and I have found that I am wearing them a lot this summer.  If you can find a pair on ebay, definitely think about picking up a pair if you have a need for a pair of dressy casual heels.

Mr. Roy G. Biv...Not Feeling the Blues. by dinagideon featuring glitter jewelry

Above is the polyvore.

Okay this one is from a long while ago, April 10 to be exact.  This means I was 16 days postpartum.  Those are maternity cords, btw.

I like mixing this shade of blue and bright red, as evidenced by how many times I do it (with the Riviera shirt dress and the Maritime dress, for instance).

Bits of this outfit are...J. Crew Factory (Sweatshirt), Tzuri Gueta (necklace), Duo Maternity (cords), Shoes (J. Crew), and earrings (J. Crew).

Anyhow, I may have gone out to dinner in this outfit, but nothing more than Five Guys or McDonalds.

Still any reason I have to wear my Tzuri Gueta necklace, I will wear it.  ;)

I love my fedora!

This was worn around and about one day with the fam.  The blue is technically in the top's print, but it is hard to tell, so open up the photo for proof.

This outfit was also postpartum, but I was a bit more out of the woods (so to speak) at 5 weeks past the birth...

Fedora and top (may have cost all of 8 dollars): J. Crew Factory.
Pants: Talbot's.
Sandals: Loft.

Can't resist adding in this photo of Angus from last Monday.  Here is my little man, perched on his blue boppy throne in his blue seersucker overalls.  This one is making the rounds amongst my facebook friends and family.  One of them even suggested that Angus looks like a king awaiting his supplicants.  LOL.  ;)

Okay, that's all for tonight.  Hope everyone has a happy rest of your Monday.

OOTDs: Countdown Commences!

Well, with only 2.5 weeks to go until my scheduled c-section, I can definitely start the countdown. (Thank God, btw, I am a little bit worn out...the extra 30 pounds, yeah, I feel them every time I attempt to you know, do normal things like stand or walk.) ;)

I have here a few outfits that I have worn recently, almost all of them repeats from earlier this pregnancy. I don't even bother with "real" clothing outside of cardigans/jackets, shoes, and accessories anymore.

So you all know...the MOMENT I walk in my door after doing my day's events (preschool run, doctor's appointments, grocery store runs, etc.)...I go to my dresser, pull out my most comfy sweat pants, most comfy tee shirt, and change. It's nuts. I am definitely all about easy wear when I am behind closed doors. Even better is when the easy wear is made from terry cloth, such a sucker I am for soft fabrics.

Worn to a doctor's appointment two weeks ago.  You all recently saw this dress in this post.

It was super warm that day, probably about 70?

Dress: Merona Maternity.
Shoes: J. Crew Classic Printed Ballet Flats.  These are the ones with the adorable apple print (called orchard, I believe).  The normal size I wear, 9.5, was perfect.  One thing to note...the print is on an ivory background, which got a bit of dirt on it from my first wear out.  It doesn't really get to me, because I can live with cleaning them and/or accepting that they will get stained with my lifestyle, but if you tend to freak out over that, only wear them inside.  I bought them with the 20% off (recent promo).  I do not think they are worth full price.

Yes, it got to 70 that day, yet I thought that I would need this lightweight Pea in the Pod trench (bought during Rex's pregnancy).  Nope.  I wore it a grand total of twenty minutes.  I did wear it last night and wore it constantly during Rex's pregnancy, so it does get wear, just not as much as I expected during this time.

Having said that, I have worn this trench whilst not pregnant.  It's cut is fairly workable, with a tighter fitted bodice and a slight a-line shape to the bottom.  I often pull it out when I need a dressier trench for going out to dinner, etc.  It has light metallic threading throughout, giving it a bit of a dressy look.

I should have just worn pjs, I was so tired and uncomfortable that day.  Since I couldn't (preschool run day), I just dealt and wore my most comfy "going outside" clothes.

Top: Liz Lange for Target.  Super soft.  For those of you that watch Desperate Housewives, Julie, Susan's daughter who is pregnant, recently wore this top.  Good to know that they bargain shop, too.  :)
Leggings: J. Crew.
Shoes: J. Crew Dreamweaver in cobalt and tan.

Dance class and dentist day.  My dentist was mad at me.  My gums were a mess.  Oops.  ;)  At least he didn't say I needed a root canal, although he did tell me that I need to have my wisdom teeth extracted.  (Sigh.)

Cardigan: J. Crew Factory, Spring 2008.  This was a cotton cardi re-issue of a medallion print from Spring 2007 that was really really pretty.
Top: Merona Maternity.  I recently wore the green version here, in a very similar outfit.  At least I am predictable.
Pants: Duo Maternity.
Shoes: Lauren by Ralph Lauren driving mocs I have had forever.

I felt great that day, but the pants slipped a bit as the belly band sits below the belly instead of on the belly.

Target shades.  I love the colors of the cardigan and top, very saturated and lovely.

Preschool run day.  My hubby took the kids that morning, and I went and got them in the afternoon.  It was nice to take my time getting ready for the day.  Another gorgeous day, highs last Thursday were in the mid-70s.  Amazing.

Dress: Boden Maternity, Breezy Jersey Dress.  You saw this one recently, too.  (Definitely a bit more dressed up, though.)
Shoes: J. Crew Jacquard Ballet Flats.
Sunglasses: Target.

I straightened my bangs that day but decided to let the rest of my hair wave up a bit.

We went to church last night and then dinner.  I don't know if you can tell, but I am beat down here.  LOL.  I mean I literally had to be rolled out of bed in order to get the move on to get ready to go out.  Pathetic, really. 

Top: Liz Lange for Target.  I wore it a while back, when I was able to see Gus in 3D.
Pants: Mimi Maternity.
Shoes: Naturalizer Bates Booties.
Earrings: Eiffel Tower earrings from the actual Eiffel Tower.  (There is a reason I am wearing them.)

CW has on the cutest outfit, btw.  I definitely expended more energy on getting her ready than myself. 

CW's outfit:

Top: crewcuts Paris stripe tee.  Love this tee, very sweet.  crewcuts does a great job with adorable graphic tees, and unlike past incarnations, this one seems well made and of a substantial cotton.  Plus it has an Eiffel Tower graphic (like my earrings!).
Pants: Target. 
Shoes: Target.
Scarf: My "free" Marie Claire France scarf that I wore with this outfit last.  She specifically requested to wear this scarf.

I got my bangs trimmed yesterday.  I was able to get them trimmed for a grand total of ten dollars.  Thanks to all you ladies who spoke up and let me know that this was an option for between "big" haircuts.  :)

Okay, that's it.  You all have a wonderful Sunday.  I will.  I plan on doing very little.  ;)

OOTDs: Searching for Comfort. (Wherever I Can Find It!)

I am so not going to bore you with why I haven't published since Thursday, but I will ask you to take a look at this article on why those of us with baby are susceptible to a condition known as a suppressed immune system (you know if that's your thing--learning about stuff like that). I finally got over the nasal infection only to be walloped with a mild flu. I have been asleep in bed for the past two days. I suspect I will be going back to bed in exactly two hours. Fun!

What has helped me get through this? My Kindle Fire and episodes of Portlandia and Storage Wars on Netflix Streaming. Thank goodness for technology. :)

I have quite a few outfits of the day to get through that I have been meaning to publish for a while now.  This will be short and sweet, with just a quick look at the items in the outfits along with where I was going.  They ALL were comfortable.  At this point if anything pinches, rides up, or makes me feel like I am going to hurt if I wear it longer than twenty minutes, I nix it as a possibility.

This is one of my more dressy outfits of late.  I wore this one to go out with the family a recent weekend night.

Top: Liz Lange Maternity.  I wore this to the George Mason Basketball game, too.
Skirt: Mimi Maternity.  This has a large elasticized waistband to make it work at all stages of pregnancy.
Shoes: J. Crew Quorra high heel oxfords.  I love that these can be worn in the winter, although the cut-outs make them summer-appropriate too.  (FWIW, it wasn't that cold that night...really hasn't been here at all.  Winter was officially a no-show this year.)
Necklace: J. Crew from Fall 2009.

It was cold enough for a topper, though, so I pulled out my J. Crew Double Cloth Carlin Coat in Blackberry.

Mr. Dina's bday may have been a few weeks ago, but it took us until last week to go to dinner to celebrate (the very yummy Lebanese Layalina in Arlington--he actually proposed to me there all those years ago).

Dress: Liz Lange for Target.  This was bought during CW's pregnancy, so it is a summer dress.  Guess what?  The temps in the 60s that day made this more than appropriate, especially with the cardigan.
Cardigan: J. Crew Jackie.
Shoes: Anthropologie Schuler and Sons Chiseled Wedges.
Earrings: J. Crew Snow Sparkle Earrings.

Better view of the outfit.

I also was making a really stupid face (like I was in the last photo, but that one was less stupid).

You can see the bracelet here too (J. Crew Sunset Charm Bracelet).

I recall feeling nice this day, no yuckiness, etc.  Maybe a preschool run day?  Ugh.  Can't remember.  LOL.  I should probably just stay on top of the ootd posts, huh?

Top: Motherhood Maternity smocked bubble print tank.
Cardigan: J. Crew Soft Tee Cardigan.
Pants: Duo Maternity Cords.
Necklace: J. Crew Glass Bead Ladybug Necklace.
Shoes: Target Merona Meadow.  These are a mary jane style with a slight heel and a darling rosette "buckle" on the strap.

This was my Valentine's Day outfit.  I decided that although I LOVE the heart throb shirt, I didn't want to go over the top and "in your face" with my V-day ensemble.  :)

Top: J. Crew Tissue Pintuck Tee.  This is one of those tops that J. Crew makes that can stretch, stretch, stretch.
Shirt: J. Crew Tartan Tuxedo Shirt.
Pants: Duo Maternity Jeans.
Shoes: J. Crew Lula Bow Ballet Flats.  LOVE the Lulas!
Necklace: J. Crew.

I even wore red lipstick!

Valentine/Lumberjack. by dinagideon featuring j crew jewelry

I did create a polyvore of this outfit.  I felt it was a great mix of lumberjack and sweetheart.  {Snort.}

This was last week on the preschool run. It got up to 70 that day.  It was pretty incredible.  I even managed to fit in a walk at a local nature preserve, and after 2 miles, I felt it, but the sun felt wonderful.

Top: J. Crew Jaspe Pullover.  I loved the blue version so much that I bit on the grey as well.  I think these will be cozy comfy options for pregnancy, and for post pregnancy will be the perfect tops for traveling (ugh, long car rides and/or plane trips).
Shirt: Old Navy Maternity Ruffled Button Down.
Shorts: Motherhood Maternity Bermudas.
Necklace: J. Crew Carnation Necklace.
Shoes: J. Crew Piera Ballet Flats.  These stood up to the walk in the park well.  :)

Another view from inside, colors are more true to life here (the outdoor shot was a bit washed out).

This was worn this weekend for church.  We had also intended to go to a movie but because my slow as molasses butt was not walking fast enough, we got to the theater too late and every. single. seat. was filled up (not really, but you know my kids--as mature as they are--can't sit in seats away from us--there were only single seats left...ergh).  And my big belly didn't elicit gasps of "help a sister out," either.  LOL.  Nah, I understood.  ;)

We ended up going to Dairy Queen instead, which was a definite plus in my book.

I have worn this tunic before recently (in the red halfway down that post), but clearly it is being stretched to its limits now (but still is fine, yay for soft jersey knits!).

Tunic: Boden Terazzo Tunic.
Leggings: J. Crew.
Shoes: J. Crew Dreamweaver Ballet Flats, Size 9.5 (quickie review at the very bottom after the next photo).

I love ballet flats and wear them constantly.  I was drawn to these for the same reason I was drawn to the Quorras in outfit #1--they are summery with the cut-out/weaved fabric, but are perfectly fine in less warm months too.  (Can be worn with thin socks, if need be.)  I chose to get my true size of 9.5 and they fit beautifully right out of the box.  I have a feeling they will be a bit too narrow for some of you though...I anticipate you could stretch the shoes, though, fairly fast.  These seem to be made from a softer leather.  The footbed and sole are leather, as well, so more worth the price than other flats of the same price made from man made materials.

Okay, that's all.  I feel it would be a minor miracle if I actually post tomorrow, but who knows?  :)  You all have a great night!!!

Randomness in the Form of Outfits of this Last Week.

Hi, everyone.  I have been off the internet for a little bit.  Nothing I want to get into here right now (possibly in the future) but let's just say the things in overabundance in my life also included a few things that made me gun shy about publishing here.  Hence my need to take a few days to re-calibrate how I am going to go forward with this blog. 

I do appreciate some criticism, and felt that some of the things I was thinking and mulling over were constructive in nature, so I am choosing to do the things that make sense and should help this blog and not hurt it.  :)

One thing I will be doing is being MUCH MORE OBVIOUS about what the posts are about.  I know many of you come here for reviews, some of you come for the outfits of the day, some of you come for the stuff regarding my family and kids, and for some of you (!!!), you kind of just enjoy it all...BUT I really want to encourage the folks that only come here for one thing and one thing only (like Boden reviews) to look for the posts that have to do with that.  So from here on out, most posts will have a theme to it and the title will make it obvious what it is...like including the words J. Crew Review, Boden Review, Outfits of the Day (or Week--like today's post), and My Superfluities Family Stuff. 

I will be honest...a lot of what I do will focus on outfits of the day, then reviews, then my family stuff.  I am feeling discouraged to talk a lot about things going on in my family because some of what I have said here has made for some fodder for folks to enjoy...even if it isn't really all that funny.  Yikes.  So I will bring it up, eventually, like things that are working for Rex or my pregnancy, but I WILL FIRMLY LET YOU KNOW THAT THE POST IS ABOUT THAT and if you are here just for the clothes, you can go elsewhere, lest it bore the cr#p out of you.

Okay, so this week has quite a few outfits, and in no special order (other than maybe fanciest to most casual), are the ones I wore this last week.

It was warm here, so bear that in mind.  I had very little use for any of my coats, really, and found that by the middle of the day, I was happy enough in no coat.

Baptism Going Outfit.  Was invited to another baptism for another darling baby yesterday, so we dolled ourselves up.

Top: Liz Lange for Target.
Skirt: Gap Maternity.
Tights: George (Wal-Mart Brand).
Shoes: Biella High-Heel Loafers, Size 9.5.  Not especially comfortable, but found I could wear them for around an hour and a half before they became painful. 
Earrings: J. Crew Acorn Fireball Earrings.

Church Going Outfit #1.  This is from last Sunday.  CW is in snow boots only because she wanted to be...not because she needed to be.  She likes pink.

Top: Random (loving that word today) Maternity Top.  Can't remember the brand. 
Skirt (Dress worn as a skirt): H & M Mama.
Booties: Naturalizer.
Headband: J. Crew.
Necklace: J. Crew Crystal Track Necklace.

Going Out to Dinner and 3D Ultrasound Outfit.  Nice night.  Feeling good in this one.  The ultrasound went great.  You all get to see Gus soon enough, so I will not likely publish the 3D photo.  He is really cute, imo...but enough talk about that.  ;)

Top: Liz Lange for Target.
Pants: Duo Maternity (JC Penny).
Shoes: J. Crew Glitterati Ballet Flats.  Great buy at a super sale price.  Highly recommend.
Headband: J. Crew.

Going to DC and Church Outfit #2. Beautiful day in the city today, sunny, warm-ish, but January, so parking was easy peasy.  I knew we were headed into the city so I wore conservative clothing but fairly comfortable so I could do a lot of walking and museum going.

Top: Isabella Oliver.
Pants: Duo Maternity.
Shoes: J. Crew Lula Jacquard Ballet Flats.
Purse: J. Crew Cameron Satchel (2008).
Necklace: Heart Locket Necklace, given to me by Mr. Dina after Rex's birth.
Coat: J. Crew Elements Coat.
Sunglasses: Target, Xhiliration Brand.

Preschool Run Outfit.  Needed comfort and so went really casual.  The boots are lined in faux and real shearling, but again unnecessary, just wanted boots for this outfit and the brown ones I own were the wrong shade for this ensemble.

Top: Old Navy Maternity.
Leggings: Madewell Convertible.
Cardigan: Boden Cashmere Cardi Coat.
Boots: J. Crew Alpine Boots.
Earrings: J. Crew Snow Sparkle Earrings.

I promised a blog friend of mine that I would upload a picture from the internet for her of a J. Crew item from a few years ago, so that is what this is.  :)  Very pretty coat, and I hope she wears it in good health!  I look forward to seeing your polyvore sets, Lisa!

And for me (not for polyvore, obviously)...a photo of my darling CW.  This may well be one of my favorite photos of her ever. 

You all have a great night.  Talk soon.

J. Crew: Jaspé pullover and Mini Orbit Necklace Review plus OOTD.

Hey, all!  I have two posts today that specifically deal with reviewing J. Crew items!  :)  With tomorrow being an insane Boden review day (OMG, SO MANY REVIEWS for the roundup), I figured I will get these done, especially since the next review post is on an item that if it pops back up on the internet will be an extra 40% off (which would be awesome for whomever grabs the popback).

But right now I want to focus on two items that are "new" arrivals.  Technically the Jaspe pullover was in the last rollout and not the one on Thursday, but I know that a lot of you love this material, so I wanted to get this review out as soon as I could.

The necklace is in store only right now, but that doesn't mean it won't be rolled out on Thursday...I hope it will come on-line as it is a really wonderful necklace that is a decent price and a perfect "something something" for topping off a simpler outfit.

I wore all of these items today, which just shows how much I love them both.  I figure if I wear them quickly (bought them last night), then the items were definitely meant to be keepers in my closet.

Clearly I can't do that with everything I own right now.  LOL.  But for the things I can wear, I pull them out as quickly as possible.

I really really love this outfit.  I did a lot today, including a freaking run to Costco, and at no point did I feel uncomfortable or miserable.  Everything from the top all the way down to the shoes helped buoy my mood.  :)

Top: J. Crew Jaspe Pullover, Heather Indigo, Size Extra Small.  I picked this up last night at the store after having spied and fallen in love with it on-line.  I have no idea if this will sell out or end up in the clearance bin for $5, but I HAD to have it last night.  The unusual texture of this tee is soft and the fabric is pretty thick.  The three-quarter sleeves don't bother me at all since I normally scrunch my sleeves anyhow.  The scoop neck is really flattering, too.

The color is my favorite bit, sort of mid-blue with greenish undertones and a true white threading throughout.

Sizing is typical J. Crew, pretty large.  I find it utterly amusing that J. Crew's tops are stretchy and long enough that I can continue wearing my tts xs top size, even at 31 (!!!) weeks.  All this means is that the top will be looser and much longer when I am not pregnant.

Pants: Duo Maternity, wear them constantly...

Necklace: J. Crew Mini Orbit Necklace, Sage Green/Blue, $39.50.  Considering the regular Orbit necklace is a hundred dollars more than this necklace, I think this is a great option for those of you who love the look of the regular orbit but want to save some dough.  (I do plan on buying the regular orbit at some point, but will wait it out a fair bit, just in case it makes  it to sale.)

You can see the mini orbit closer up in the last photo.  Also, Rose modeled the red version last night over at this post.

Shoes: Boden Lounge Shoe, Size 40.  I will do a more in-depth review of these shoes tomorrow.  Quick thoughts, though...these run LONG and NARROW, just like my feet.  :)  I sized down in length to a 40 (should really wear a 41), and the width/length exactly fits my foot.  This never happens to me.  I am a happy girl.

From the side.  Gus was a happy boy.  He was moving A LOT today.  I think he agrees with the Jaspe.

CW is wearing a pair of crewcuts tights that are as darling as her, grey knit tights with hearts (Girls' Heart Tights).  They are size xxs-xs and are large enough they should work for a year or two longer.  Great deal at $7 on sale.  :)

Hands on hips, including CW.  She RUNS to the modelling sessions every AM.  Cracks us up.  I indulge her as I figure some of you really like my reviews and my ootds, but the vast majority of you stop by to see her and her brother.  ;)

I can totally tell I am gaining weight from this pregnancy.  Normally my face is not this full.  It doesn't bother me, but it is weird to realize that of the 20 pounds I have gained, some of it has been in my cheeks.  LOL.  Bit chipmunky.

This is a good view of the necklace and the texture of the tee.  I actually like both pieces enough I may consider seconds when (and if) they go on sale.  The tee also comes in a pretty light grey and the necklace come in many colors, including red, navy, and one other color (can't remember).

OOTD with Jaspe and Mini Orbit. by dinagideon featuring bright jewelry

Above is the polyvore of the outfit as I wore it today (including the coat, which I did not get photos of but wore in the last post).

Hope this helped some of you!

A Ton of Pea in the Pod Coming Your Way.

Yeah, let's just keep the "theme" posts going since I clearly am unable to post outfit of the day posts in any sort of timely manner.  :)  (And I can't even blame this pregnancy for this, have been doing this since nearly the day this blog was born.  Whatever.  Seems to work for me.)

Okay, there are so many outfits to highlight, so let's just begin...

Quickly, though, the main thing that ties all these outfits together is that they were purchased from either Pea in the Pod, Mimi Maternity (now defunct part of the company), or Motherhood Maternity.  These three (now two) maternity outlets are sort of the American woman's dream mall store to turn to upon learning there is a bun in the oven.  I like them, but really had no choice of other brands six years ago when I was pregnant with Rex.  It was only after Rex and into the pregnancies of CW and Gus that there really were more options for those of us not in NYC and all the chic maternity boutiques.  (There was Liz Lange for Target, but again, not every mall has a Target, so for a great majority of women, these three are literally it.  And for every Pea in the Pod, there are far more Motherhood's, as the Motherhood Maternity is the least expensive option of the three.)

And to that end I say "thank goodness" for the newer offshoots of bigger brands, like the Loft Maternity, Boden Maternity, and the Gap Maternity.  Yes, you have to buy all those on-line, but now that the vast majority of the US is connected on-line, suddenly women can look beyond the two biggies. 

(Although I will say if you are in a bigger city the Gap may have a maternity section at your local baby Gap, the one here in NOVA is located at Fair Oaks.  This is LITERALLY the only shopping I do at the Gap anymore, btw.)

Okay...quick merchandise history lesson done...17 photos to go (!)...

Outfit #1:

Top: Pea in the Pod, Erge Burnout Top.  This is a size small and runs really long.  I think I bought it when pregnant with CW.

No head, slightly different view.  Besides the top, only the pants are Maternity, by Duo.  These are a recent acquisition, bought at another mall store that hasn't forgotten us pregnant ladies, J.C. Penney.  (Although I think women forget about them as an option, especially when there is one of the "big" two at their local.)

Non-Maternity:

Cardigan: J. Crew Merino V-Neck from 2009, Size Medium.  I haven't pulled this cardi out in a long time, but it was perfection with the tee.
Boots: Madewell Suede Hightower boots, Size 9.5.  I waited and waited for these to come down in price...bought them on Monday when they went down to around $100 with the 30% discount.  (They still are on sale and all sizes are available.)  I really like the look of these and find them to be super comfortable.  Be warned, they are a pull-on type of boot and the shaft of the boot runs narrow and short.  These are in no way knee high on me...if they were the thinner part of the shaft would hit at my knee and fit perfectly.  This, however, is more about me, I have freakishly long calves and all boots are like this on me.  They do have an extended size, but those are much much more expensive, so only buy those if you are sure you need them.
Necklace: J. Crew Bubble Necklace in Papaya.  I have already done a review here.  Love this necklace.  Way more versatile than I thought it would be.

This outfit was worn on Thursday night for a Thai dinner out with the family.  Amazingly, Mr. Dina and my dad offered to both drop the kids off at preschool and pick them up from preschool (respectively), so I was able to spend the entire day asleep or resting.  I have been sleeping really poorly lately (major leg and hip pain owing to the weight of Gus), so I desperately needed a day off.  :) 

After I had gotten enough rest, I totally had a spa bath and full make-up session.  It felt wonderful.  I even did Heidi braids (can't see them here).  LOL.

Outfit #2:

This is from early December, by the way, and from this point forwards all of the outfits are in chronological order, so there should be some belly growth, too.  :)

Dress: Motherhood Maternity, Size Small.  This is one of those dresses that are meant to be worn with a top under it, and I usually pair a button down with them, however...all of my pregnancy button downs are HUGE on me (even now, not just back then in December).  I anticipate being able to pull them out soon, but they look ridiculous on me currently.
Top: J. Crew striped tissue turtleneck tee, Size Extra-Small.  This is from the fall and I bought it for around $9 on sale.  Definitely does not fit now but in December fit just fine over the belly.  I think J. Crew's tops are ridiculously oversized...
Tights: Assets.
Shoes: Clarks Artisan.  Yummy!

My belly is so teeny there.  I love it.

Kids really wanted to be in this shot, btw.  They come running now.  I think they like posing with the belly, honestly.


Outfit #3:

I wore this on a date with Mr. Dina to sushi (not all sushi is off the table during pregnancy...as long as the salmon is frozen before they thaw it, salmon sushi is okay...as is uni--sea urchin--just so you all know).  We also went to a movie.  The dress wasn't the best for the movie, but I wasn't insanely uncomfortable, either.

Dress: Pea in the Pod, Size Medium.  This is a really short, silk, Asian-inspired dress.  I am glad I have it, but I definitely will sell this one upon not being pregnant.  I am going to sell a lot, but this one definitely.  I think I have gotten enough wear out of it.  I believe I bought this one with Rex.
Cardigan: Anthropologie, Decorating Committee Cardigan, Size medium.  This is such a fun cardi, love having it, even if I only get to wear it once a year or so.
Tights: Assets again.
Shoes: Ancient pair of Sam and Libby Heels.  I can tell they are ancient because they have that big chunky heel that was popular in the late 90s and early 00s.  I definitely take care of my shoes, but really, I should just purge some of these.  (I have started the process, btw, now onto the Goodwill.)

I love how sweet Rex looks here.  Such a cutie.

Another belly shot and another cutie pie pic from my first-born.

I publish this because I like the face I am making.  Really, I do.  LOL.

Outfit #4:

We were headed to Bethesda on New's Years Day, so I put on a fairly summery frock (paired it with a short khaki jacket--not seen).  It was warm-ish here that day (in the 50s), so I felt comfortable.  You all have seen this dress before, here in this picture.  I was pregnant (more fully pregnant--around 32 weeks, btw) with CW in that shot.

Dress: Pea in the Pod, Size Small.  Love the print and the cotton fabric.  I actually can get away with this one as a sundress non-pregnant, but haven't yet tried it.  Maybe I will this summer and then sell it.
Tights: I don't remember, but these have been around for a while...
Shoes: J. Crew Metropolitan Suede Ankle Boots, Size 9.5.  I have had these forever, too.  They get more comfortable the more I wear them.  They were really painful the first time I wore them out.

Hand on hips.  The top is smocked and has a high neck, so is really hard to pair with a cardigan.  It really is best on warmer days with sandals.

No belly shot, but you can see me cradling it here.

Outfit #5:

I promise you will see my head.  The first two you don't, but trust me, the faces I was making were just plain stupid and not even in a "cute" way.

Dress: Mimi Maternity, Size Small.  Honestly, this company of the three "big" ones was my favorite.  They ran a bit edgier, and were less expensive than Pea in the Pod.  Also, Motherhood runs really big, so often there size extra-small tops were too big on me.  Mimi was just the right fit.  Clearly they weren't the right fit for everyone else, though.  Sad!  This is a poly-blend and is darn comfy. 

CW is holding Rex's Saints pillow pet.  This was a Sunday that they were going to play in one of their playoff games.  Unfortunately for my favorite Saints cheerleader (she has a cutie pie toddler cheerleader outfit), they are done for the season.  (Mr. Dina is the most sad, obviously.  I am sad, too, as if they had made it to the Superbowl I could have visited one of my best friends in the whole world, who happens to live fairly close to Indianapolis.)

We were headed to church that day, btw.

The rest of the outfit is non-maternity.

Jacket: J. Crew Velvet Bella Jacket in Leaf Green, Size 4.  Definitely not doing up in the front, but still "fits" in the shoulders.
Tights: Assets.
Shoes: Madewell, Handbook Pumps, Size 9.5.  Oh, man, the first day I wore these (not here, fwiw), I almost keeled over from the pain.  However, now that I have worn them a bit more, they are more comfortable.  They are really cute, though, and worth the work.  They have sold out--except size 9--on Madewell, but they are worth the sale price (I got it with around 30% off extra) of around $90.  They also have a chunky heel (like the Sam & Libby pumps in the Asian dress outfit), but a much more modern cone shape.

There's my head making a fairly non-stupid face.  :)  Glasses can bring out the crazy face in me, not sure why, but when I take photos with my glasses, I often look silly.

Outfit #6:

We were headed out to dinner as a family, again.  (But remember, this post covers two whole months, so we don't go out that much.  Promise.  Hand on heart.  I make a mean casserole, fwiw.)

Dress: Pea in the Pod, Size small.  I bought this while pregnant with CW.  I have a very distinct memory of wearing this on the first day back to school two weeks before I gave birth to her.  I definitely did not have to wear it with tights, fur-lined boots, and a long cardigan.  It was cold the night I wore this.
Cardigan: J. Crew Soft Tee Cardigan, Size Small.  This is such a cozy cardi, wrinkles like crazy, but often just the perfect topper.
Tights: George (Wal-Mart), Size 3.  THE SADNESS.  After my LONG LONG run (sorry for the pun, btw) with no tights getting holes, etc., these awesome pair of tights bit the dust.  But not because the tights suck.  It was the boots fault!  As much as I love these boots, the zipper did catch on the tights as I was taking the boots off.  Having said that, I am thrilled to report that the boots fit perfectly now.  You can read more on that saga here.
Boots: J. Crew, Charley Shearling Wedge Boots, Size 9.5.  ON SALE.  RIGHT NOW.  They were 30% off extra yesterday, but will likely make it to the next 30% off again.  I (shh) re-bought as I am WELL within the 60 day return policy.  I didn't pay a ton for them initially (had received a 30% off), but um, $125 versus $275?  Yep, I will re-buy and return.  Since I rarely do this, I feel like I can get away with it this time (and you all do it, too, I know you do...you all admit it constantly over at the mothership).  :)

I did a review of the boots here.

Haha, look at Rex in that photo.  Love the look.

Rex perked up when I took off the cardigan.

For those of you following my story on the Rex front (was having issues with discipline in December), it is all coming around.  The book "The Explosive Child" has been a godsend.  Seriously.  I can't say that it will always be wonderful and he still gives us issues, but with the emphasis being on working with Rex to learn how to better communicate what he is feeling, there has been a major mood shift in the house.  (And school!  And out and about!)  It takes time and a WHOLE lot of patience and understanding and loss of pride on my part, but omg, so worth it.

Okay, you all made it to the end.  If I had "virtual" star stickers to give out, I would hand one to each of you.  LOL.

I promise...the next theme posts won't be as involved.  I just waited far too long to get around to these.  ;)