Mommy Style Monday #29: Pregnant, Postpartum, and Nursing, Boden Sale Edition.

I was asked by a blog friend, K., if I had any advice for her on choosing perfect pregnant/postpartum/nursing styles from the upcoming Boden clearance sale (set to drop anywhere between this Friday and next week).  She is currently 13 weeks pregnant, which is the beginning of the second trimester.  She wanted to plan for her pregnancy and future postpartum/nursing needs by seeking out the best prices on the very best options that Boden offers.

Having (obviously) just finished my pregnancy and (most of) my postpartum period wearing a whole buttload of Boden, I definitely know what worked for me and what should work for the vast majority of pregnant ladies.  There are some things that Boden does lack, and I will be mentioning them, but if you are savvy, and you do plan well, you should be able to grab the best prices on items that can work for the full ten months of pregnancy and beyond.  :)

I specifically chose items that can work year round, with the exception of the most hot and most cold days of the year. 

Below the photo of each item, I have included a link to the item, along with an explanation of why it works for either pregnancy, postpartum, or nursing.  I will also make note of if it will work for any other period, for instance, if a top works for pregnancy, but can also be useful for nursing.

Onto the picks!

Pregnancy:

Border Print Tunic.  Did any of you suspect I would go here first?  LOL.  I truly believe this is a magical clothing item as it worked on me during pregnancy, during the postpartum period, and will still fit me well five years from now.  The stretchy jersey fabric is amazing and stretches to accommodate a belly but doesn't looked stretched out after pregnancy.  It is worth the full price, but you can always get this with at least a 15% off.  However, there are likely to be at least a couple of popbacks on this item during clearance time, which means my friend could try and get it for the best price of the season (probably will be 35% off if past years are any indication).

This is not a great top for nursing, however.  As much as I love it, the longer length proves to be a hassle to pull up and the v-neck does NOT pull over enough for easy access for the baby.

Kimono Dress.  Like the Border Print Tunic, this is a great fabric for a growing belly, with the added bonus of looser armholes.  This is a nice feature if you happen to gain weight in your upper body, shoulders, or arms in pregnancy.

This would also be lovely during the postpartum period since it is super soft and a bright and cheery fabric. 

Again, not the best choice for nursing, for the reasons I listed under the Border Print Tunic.

I suspect this will go on deep discount, seeing as it is 40% off now.  It may stay at 40% off for a while, but if the stocks stay high, my friend can get it for much more off when the second cuts happen (usually three weeks post the start of the clearance).

Leggings.  Yes, I do mention the Boden Maternity leggings, but later.  For most of my pregnancy, I wore regular leggings.  Here's why...I happened to have a belly that sat super high and regular leggings fit fine on my legs and right beneath my belly.  Now, if your belly grows and sits lower, you will likely need maternity leggings earlier, but for most folks, especially in the first and second trimesters, you should be able to get away with normal leggings.  :)

These will work for nursing as well.  I do NOT recommend these for the postpartum period, especially if you had a c-section.  Your body needs soft, NON-constricting waistbands, and these elastic bands, while normally comfortable, can feel noose-like right after having the baby.  Do your body a favor and wear the loosest fitting items, at least until your body heals.

Leggings are such a staple that these MAY NOT go to sale.  If that happens, you can still grab them by calling the company (at clearance, any "normal" priced items disappear).  Or you can wait until the fall stuff comes on-line and buy it with whatever promo happens to be around then (it usually starts off at 15% off with free ship and returns).

Plait Trim Top.  Again, a non-maternity item for pregnancy.  I wore mine well into my third trimester and fell in love with the stretchy, soft material.  I also love how the neckline forces the eye up and away from the belly.

This top will work for postpartum AND for nursing.  It's a great buy.  It is nearly sold out, and I doubt the savings will be significant in clearance time, but still, 35% off is better than full price. 

Special Day Tunic.  I have this in the yellow color and I adored how pretty it made me feel.  It worked great with jeans and leggings, but now that I have had Gus, it works well as a mini-dress.  If you are a bit shorter than I am, you could wear it as an actual dress after you have the baby.

I believe this could be worn postpartum, but I hesitate to suggest that because of its blatant "pregnant" style.  Since you carry a lot of extra weight in your middle postpartum, it could make you look still pregnant.  Once you shed that weight, the concern goes away, but bear that in mind if you want to wear it post-baby but pre-loss of baby weight.  :)

Boden Maternity does NOT go to clearance sale for the current season (for most of the items, anyhow).  This means the spring/summer maternity items will go to clearance next fall.  That does mean, though, the fall stuff will go to sale this upcoming week.  That works very well if you are going to have your baby anytime between October and January!

That said, the Boden Maternity stuff does sell FAST if it goes to clearance, especially to the very audience looking for it, so be quick if you see your item in the pink "low stock" box.

Postpartum:

Alfresco Top.  Yet another one of my favorites from the postpartum period.  This soft as silk top is able to stretch, but does not look like it is straining in any way if it goes beyond its garment measurements.  Its v-neck and empire waist highlights what is, for most postpartum women, their thinnest parts. 

This top would also likely work for a pregnant lady (not the late third trimester, though) and definitely will work for a nursing mom (wore mine last week, in fact).

This should go on some deeper discount but is also popular, so will need to be picked up within the first few days of the clearance.

Evie Dress.  I felt so good in this dress three weeks after Angus was born, I truly thought I had a whole new body.  In reality, I did still have many lumps and bumps, but the silk jersey fabric skimmed over my curves instead of clinging to my curves.  You may not want to leave the house after having the baby, but it is really nice to have a dressy option if you do end up going out for dinner (which you should, btw, you 100% deserve a nice night out!).

Great dress for pregnancy, I wore its precursor while in my early third trimester, but definitely not a great option for nursing as the v-neck is not capable of being pulled to the side.

Maternity Leggings.  Yes, I put the maternity leggings here, instead of in the "pregnancy" part.  I really, truly feel that the soft, non-binding, high waistband of these leggings are so SO nice for the first week after giving birth, that I want and insist all pregnant women buy them.  I was SO happy I had them to wear home from the hospital.  :)

Now if you do need the higher coverage leggings earlier, obviously these are fantastic for the pregnancy, but like I said above, many of you can get by with regular leggings for 3/4s of your pregnancies.

These will probably not go on sale, but their current price is more than reasonable.  

Wrap Jersey Top. I actually have seen this top on a non-pregnant lady, and she looked so comfortable and happy, it immediately struck me that a postpartum woman would feel wonderful in this top.

This could also work for pregnancy (stretchy fabric again) and nursing (pull the top up rather than moving the v-neck to the side). 

This is literally the only color left in stock.  It will likely be the only one to make it to clearance, and it won't be super-super cheap.  I do know you will get a lot of use out of it, though!

Nursing:

Drapey Jersey Cardigan.  I added this cardi with the rest of my nursing choices because the extra fabric there in the front is AWESOME for covering up baby when you are nursing.  I know some ladies can easily nurse with the goods all out there (and it is protected by my most states, so you all know), but I am not one of them, so I always have a cover-up with me.  This cardi, though, could easily take the place of the cover-up, so bravo for that.  Definitely not a summer option, especially around here.  ;)

Obviously a cardi can work whenever, so enjoy while pregnant and postpartum!

This will make it to sale and should make it to a great price.

Elegant Summer Maxi.  I am not crazy suggesting you get a maternity dress for postpartum...I promise.  Hear me out.  Since Boden is notorious for making shorter length maxi dresses (hello ANKLE length, lol), the extra length the fabric has for the belly will make the dress nice and long up front (and much more like a traditional maxi dress).  But here is why it is the perfect nursing dress...it can be pulled down from the straps for access to baby's breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. (I show the back of the dress...if the straps on the back are defined and separated, you can do the pull down maneuver, if the straps are not visible on the back and instead you see a swath of fabric, the front strap portion cannot be pulled down--not good for nursing).

This one can clearly be worn during pregnancy, and postpartum, but keep it around for later.  :)  It comes in a nice neutral so that in winter you can dress it up with a sparkly jacket or cardi and call it a night out.

This will not likely go to sale, but if you fancy longer gowns, then its current price will probably be decent enough to justify it (especially if you will wear it often).

Favourite Jersey Maxi.  Like the one above, these straps can be pulled down for easy access.  I own this one in the pink pansy color and loved it for that very reason.  I plan on wearing this for many years to come, but this was an added bonus.  :)

You can definitely wear it pregnant, but bear in mind that it will be shorter in front the further you get into your pregnancy.  It is definitely soft enough for postpartum, but it might be a touch too difficult to get over your head, so if your body is saying no to putting it on, just don't.  LOL.

Will go to clearance in this shade, but will sell fast.  I am willing to bet on that one. 

Gathered Front Vest.  This has the pull down straps that I prefer to use (I don't mind tugging the shirt up, but it leaves my belly exposed, which I don't care for) and has the added bonus of being infinitely layerable.  Great on its own with some jewelry in summer, wonderful in the fall and spring with cardi on top, and perfection in winter with a jacket and scarf.

Usable in pregnancy, but may be too short for use in the last bits of pregnancy, especially if you have a long torso and/or bigger belly.  Definitely nice and cozy for postpartum.

This one should make it to sale, and be a decent price.

Oil Cloth Slouchy Bag.  I decided to add a bag to my "must have" lists because this one is so utterly right for the nursing momma.  It has a fabric that can withstand spills and gross bathroom floors (use a cleansing wipe on it afterwards), plus its large size and long strap mean that it can hold a lot (pumps! wipes! 5 size 2 diapers!!!) and can be worn across the chest (hands free, woo hoo!).

Yes it can be used by all sorts of women, even worn the silly way that Vanessa is holding it.  :)

It is fully stocked in the floral shade above, but sold out in the ditsy pattern in the lower photo. 

Shirt Dress.  Made from linen, it isn't my favorite fabric (bonjour wrinkles!), but it is definitely exactly what a nursing mom needs, easy access and a cool fabric.  This one has a placket that extends deeply, so you can unbutton the dress as far down as you need to (for me, I typically need to undo four or five buttons).

I don't recommend this for either pregnancy or the immediate postpartum period as those awesome easy access buttons will be gaping like mad with growing or shrinking bellies. 

This will make it to sale, but not at a super great price.  I have noticed Boden's linen items sell fast, too.

Strappy Beach Dress.  I love love mine, but only once I found the right fit.  I am a big fan of the straps which make Angus's life easier because he doesn't have to wait for food as long (these are the pull down type of straps).  Unfortunately all colors are sold out except for the top shade (still lovely, though).  I do not expect there to be a great reduction on this one even if a color pops back during clearance.  For all the sizing issues people had with it, the dress sold like hot cakes.

Not recommended for pregnancy (early pregnancy, maybe) or postpartum (possibly after a few weeks gone, though).

Notes on Sizing
I say in jersey fabrics you should buy your normal size if you are postpartum or nursing.  If you are pregnant and want to wear it pregnant, buy normal size if you are fine with not wearing it the last few weeks OR buy one size up if you want to wear it all the way to the due date.

Boden Maternity is sized generously.  I always take a size 4 in their dresses, tunics, and tops, and was taking a 6 in their maternity leggings.  I did NOT give their pants a try because they got pretty dismal reviews and I already had a stockpile of AWESOME duo Maternity (JCP) pants from my prior pregnancies.  I could have sized down to a 2 (!!!) for some of the dresses and tops because Boden gives a lot of room for growing bustlines, which mine did not (grow, that is).

In regular fabrics, the decision is harder.  I would say size up one if you want to wear something immediately after birth, but plan on getting a tailor to help you bring the item in once you have lost all your weight.  If you have never had a child before, I highly recommend waiting until you know what your body does.  My body does return to its normal waistline fairly quickly and I don't have porn star sized ladies (sadly, lol) ever, even at Angus's most hungry.  But I knew that from my past experiences.

So if in doubt on sizing, especially with non-jersey items, don't get it.  Boden will likely make something just as lovely and be on sale when you need it in the future.

Boden is Lacking?
No shorts!  I lived in my maternity shorts when I was pregnant with both CW and Angus (thank you, freaky warm winter).  This is a big oversight for all of us warm-blooded American women.  (They really don't have much in the way of shorts for non-pregnant ladies, so I am not all that surprised.)

Great Prices Elsewhere
Remember ebay.  Many great past season jersey items are available there, so definitely look into that avenue if you so desire. 

Good luck to all my pregnant, postpartum, and nursing mommas out there.  Hope this upcoming sale does you well!  :)


Any thoughts from any of you all on some possible good buys for this blog friend?

Mommy Style Monday #24--Party On, Pregnant Girl!

Although most of my days are spent in your basic "SAHM style" outfits of skinny jeans, embellished tank, jacket/cardi, and a pair of fun boots or flats, I am occasionally called to bring my style game up a bit more...especially by my husband's work. They have parties like no one's business.

Their office parties don't even qualify as "typical." 

(You know what I mean, drunk people staggering around the copiers, etc.)

They have those, but they also have "functions." These occur at glam hotels that we can only ever stay in if priceline happens to accept our stupidly low offer (which, btw, happens. all. the. time.). I happen to love party frocks so getting kitted out is never ever a bad day for me, but I always feel challenged to make it just right.

Last year's attempt was my most successful, and one that I would love to be able to do again and again, but sadly for the two parties I have been to this year (so far, I have another one on Wednesday), my baby belly was just a smidge too big to let that particular ensemble out to play again (plus what if someone remembers, lol, just kidding, definitely not possible with the crowd Mr. Dina runs with).

I also liked the party outfit I wore to teach my Spring into Style class, but again, not an easy look whilst giving Gus a ride.

So what did I do and what am I planning to do?

The first event was a VERY BIG ONE.  On our tenth anniversary, the place where my husband works had their 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner.  Yeah, 50.  They showed us.  :)

I partly pretended that I was going to this amazing party for us, and that the hundreds of people there were all saying, "Happy Tenth, dinagideon and Mr. Dina, you all MADE IT, Huzzah!"  Ha.

In reality, it was just a nice way to celebrate the long, hard road that his non-profit has had to take.  I actually learned quite a bit about his company that night, which made me more appreciative of the work they do.

But...and this was a stickler, I needed a floor length gown that would fit.  And still fit after I was done being pregnant.  Fortunately I wasn't full term, but rather, just a bit bigger through the waist than normal (I believe I was 16 weeks at this point).  So I turned to ebay and the lovely sample purveyors that exist only there (well, at least for those of us who aren't in NYC for the sample sales). 

Turns out there was a size 6, J. Crew Madison Ave. Collection one-shouldered dress available...and had been available for a while.  I had been eyeing it ever since finding out I was pregnant AND knowing that this gala was on and I was going.

I first asked for measurements, which they sent, and looked okay to me (bit tight, but spanx can work wonders), and I made an offer, then a counter-offer, and finally, it was on its way to me.

It has pockets!

Best I can tell, this is a dress meant for either a mother of the bride OR for exactly what I did with it, a fab soiree that is black tie.

It is a silk/rayon blend with a poly lining, and it's decorated with little white dots and black fuzzy dots all over.  It looked like stars on the web, and from far away in real life, still does.

I needed to define the waist a bit so I could take the attention away from my baby belly, so I pulled out my black elastic blossoms belt from J. Crew last season (so stretchy!).  :)

The dress is really long, but because of the full skirt, glided nicely over my belly and exactly to the right length on the floor.  So you couldn't see my beautiful Tilly Satin Two Tone heels, but I showed them to all the women who wanted to see them. 

Makeup is always fun for me, and I spent as much time of the kids' naps getting ready.  Still didn't have as much time as I would have liked, but ah, well, that is life with toddlers.  You all remember being young and spending all day getting ready for prom or homecoming?  Yeah, I do, and I sometimes miss that level of "me time."  ;)

I needed a very lightweight fancy topper, so I pulled out yet another sample from my closet.  I bought this cardigan more for casual wear, but have yet to wear it as such.  This one is another J. Crew Collection piece that was never made for the retail market.  I think it is a really over the top piece, but definitely less so than some of the doozies they've pulled out in the past few years (porcupine popover, I am SO looking at you). 

That said, I bet Jenna Lyons thought this cardi read "too old," which I can see, but regardless, it is a really fab bit of shine.  It is all hand applied sequins and has a zip front...on very soft merino wool.  I believe the seller wanted some really low amount, like $40, so I bit.

The bag is another J. Crew piece, again, bought on super sale, the crushed glitter satin clutch.  It was an exact match for the shoes, which I don't normally care about, but liked that night. 

Just some simple earrings helped finish off the look, didn't want to over-bling, you know?

And then, THREE days later, we had a wedding of one of Mr. Dina's former co-workers.  At night, natch.  So guess what?  Cocktail dress!

This is the same exact dress I wore to Mr. Dina's last office holiday party (link is in the first part of this post), except this is the Caspian blue one that I bought in a larger size for when my best friend got married a few years ago and wanted me to be a bridesmaid. 

Well, what do you know?  16 weeks pregnant is similar to dinagideon at nine months postpartum (hopefully not with Gus, though, lol), so with the exceptionally full skirt, it was the exact right dress for the night.

Again I paired it with a belt to hopefully draw the eyes upward (to where I am not gaining weight).  The unique halter straps of the sangle dress helps, too. 

I wore the dress with a pair of pewter heels from Nine West, and dangly earrings from J. Crew.  The headband is also J. Crew.

Pockets!  And at this angle, you can see a bit of the belly.

The bracelet is the amazing beautiful classic pave link bracelet that J. Crew must always sell, definitely classic, and definitely worth the price (especially if you can get some sort of discount).

This looks very Mid-Century Mom, I know.  In fact my dad said his mom wore outfits like this out a lot when he was growing up.  He said this is the way for a pregnant woman to party.  Hee.  My dad.  (Rolls eyes.)

This jacket was yet another ebay score...it is called the Metallic Mosaic Jacket and was made by J. Crew in 2008.  CW has a similar coat that I got for a song at one of their clearance centers. 

In fact, this jacket was noticed by the bride's sister, who happens to work at one of the NY magazines, maybe People Style?  Anyhow, it made me feel like I had chosen exactly right...

So what are my takeaways?  (BTW, this can work for you all without extra "baggage," too.)

1. EBAY, EBAY, EBAY.  If you know that you have a function and have some time to prepare, buy from there.  Not only do the sellers have retail party dresses and toppers, they also have many very cool and unique samples.  Admittedly it helps to have a dress size of 4-8, as the samples are usually a 6, but every so often, the samples will be made in other sizes, too.

2. J. CREW ON SUPER SALE.  Oh, yeah, baby.  That crushed glitter clutch was like $20 at the end of the season because of the markdown and then an additional 30% off. 

3. RE-USE.  Especially if you are constantly asked to dress up, have a staple set of six-eight dresses, in all lengths ready to go.  As of now, I have two floor length gowns (the other one was worn to the Inaugural Ball for Governor McDonnell a couple years ago and is far too small for my baby belly) and about ten knee length cocktail dresses.

I am very glad I didn't sell my larger sized cocktail dresses as it turns out I needed them, so you may want to bear that in mind if you have the room to store the extra frocks.

And finally, what the heck am I going to do on Wednesday?  I really don't know.  Isn't that crazy?  I have an ancient dress from my first pregnancy with Rex, and it is dressy, but I am not sure it is dressy enough.  (I am unable to wear my normal dresses anymore, they are all far too small in the middle.)

So on Friday I bought a dress from ebay for a fairly decent price (maternity is expensive and going to my local Pea in the Pod is not even an option right now), which I truly hope gets here by then.  Unfortunately the seller is in CA, but he did send it priority mail, and I have a confirmed shipping number, so I am crossing my fingers.  (And if it doesn't come on time, there are a couple more small events that require me to get dressed up, so I will just wear this dress then and over-bling the ancient pregnancy dress.)

I guess I followed my own advice by turning to #1, EBAY.  :)

Any of you have any yummy party outfit tricks that you employ?

Pineapple Print: Polyvore, Photo, and Catalog Image!

Good weekend to everyone! :) I have spent the vast majority of my weekend sleeping. I really hand it to every single elementary teacher out there, you all work your tails off! I have one week of summer school left, so I anticipate there being a few more naps in my future. LOL.

Up today is a skirt that many of you likely remember seeing in the Spring of 2006, and if you were like me, you chose not to buy it as it was very expensive at its full price. And by the time it went on sale, I was pregnant with Rex and was all, unh uh, nope.

Pineapple Print! by dinagideon featuring a crew sweater

Above is the polyvore of the set that I created with the pineapple print skirt. I truly believe the skirt can go with so much, but I chose to pair it with one of the items I am surprised J. Crew stopped making, the silk-linen v-neck sweater. Love the drape, color saturation, and how lightweight the sweater can be (making it possible for folks to wear in the summer, even if it is really hot). I have one of these, and would love to add more, but unfortunately this type of item was one of the ones that got the ax from the powers that be. (Many of our faves seem to go this route, sadly!)

And here it is on me. The skirt is a size 8, and is about an inch too big in the waist, but it just means I can wear it a bit longer and tuck a top into it, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I wore this to a teacher meeting two Fridays ago, and I felt like it was just right, a bit fun and bright, but definitely conservative. The other teacher I am working with is also a huge fan of fashion, so she and I have bonded over our daily interpretation of "stylish teacher." She even loves the idea of this blog, which made me smile from ear to ear! :)

I did go shopping at the grocery store after the meeting, and much to my chagrin, not one person asked if I was planning on buying a pineapple. Come on, people, it's called an opening. LOL.

This is the image from the catalog. Ms. Lepere looks lovely in this photo, and if I had that bike, the jacket, and top, I would have totally copied it.

FOR SALE! by dinagideon featuring anthropologie dresses

Yeah, and I am still selling a ton from my closet. :) That green skirt that you see above in the polyvore? It came, and while the 4 fit, I didn't like how it fit, so when I saw it come on ebay in a size 8, I bit. I would love for one of the JCAs to have the size 4, so I am offering it up here and on the exchange before I send it back to ebay. If you want more info on any of the items, click on the polyvore set itself.

You all have a great Sunday. Talk with everyone tomorrow!

Surely Peeps Can Pick a More Flattering Photo to Put of Me Online, Right?

LOL.  Like this one?  Maybe?

I had done my hair, I wasn't wearing a top for a review post just so my JCA friends could see how horribly the Saint James Naval tee fit me...

Well, I guess if this ebay seller thinks that the image of me is going to help her sell this top, then more power.  But seriously, hon, there have got to be images that do that top (and me) more justice.  ;)

And, no, I don't care if she (or he) uses it...after all, as I mentioned above, I don't know if I am going to help their selling cause.

P.S. Just found this one where they just took a pic of the shirt in the navy colorway (same seller, btw).  Clearly they think my torso image is a better image than just a shot of the red and white version.  Somehow, I just kind of doubt it.  LOL.

Come Sail Away...Part Two.

I am nothing if not thorough.  :)

Whilst watching my babe slumber this afternoon, I decided I needed to clear out some other photos from my files.  Those poor ootd photos just sit there waiting, and waiting, and waiting.  I blame Boden this month, after all, between the fantastic summer sale and the release of the new fall items, a bit more of my blog's time has been devoted to goings-on across the pond.

I did a post over at True Crew Love on how to score on J. Crew samples (for those of you in a hurry, it is called ebay), and now I want to finish up all possible nautical themed outfits of the day I have had lately.  I guess I have been on a naval expedition, sartorially speaking, anyhow.  (And here's another thing, I have three more outfits that I am planning on wearing soon that all could fall under the heading "seaworthy.")

I am convinced that the people in CW's dance class think I only own dresses, skirts, and tops with some sort of fish, sailboat, lighthouse, ocean animal or scene, or are in the color range of red, white, and blue.  Maybe I will wear a plaid button-down and grungey shorts next week to mix it up, so to speak.

Dress: Anthropologie Castle Lake, Size 6 (or is it small, can't remember).  I have seen people reverse it so the rope tie is in the front, but this way flatters my neckline more.  Belt: J. Crew Skinny Metallic Belt, size small.  Sandals: J. Crew Jolene (or Joellen?) O-Ring Sandals, Size 10.  (BTW, if you have these in a 9.5, ANY COLOR, I will buy them from you, I LOVE these sandals and should have bought an extra pair or two.)

Speaking of nautical/fishy things...an ebay seller is currently selling the above top with bids starting at 6.99.  I love mine, and have worn it over and over since purchasing it in January 2007.  I believe it was called the Ringspun Tee in the fish print. 

And the very famous School of Fish skirt (same basic look as the tee, but in a more stunning fashion) is for sale in a size 12 with a starting bid of $64.99.  These always go out of control, but I have heard it is worth it (and was willing to save my pennies to grab one a while back).

And last, but certainly not least, another ebay seller has this school of fish dress in a size 2.  The current bid is at $51, but it still has a few days to go.  I suspect this one will top out at near $200, if not higher.  Very pretty dress, btw, and my wallet is so happy it isn't a 6 or 8 for sale.  LOL.  :)

Have a great day, and yo, ho, ho!