A few weeks into the new year, and this Connecticut weather has me thrown for a loop.  Some snow storms here, a little rain there;  and then a string of balmy forty-five degree days before it drops back down to freezing, Just to keep us on our toes. 

When I was pregnant with MM, my mother and I serendipitously came upon the most magical baby store a girl could ask for. It was a cold, snowy day in NYC, and we were determined to ignore the weather and enjoy a shopping day in Soho. Looking for some much needed warmth, we hopped into what world be one of my very favorite baby boutiques: Bonpoint.

I loved everything. The decor. The color palette. The whimsy of the little French dolls, stuffed animals and keepsakes. And the clothes. Ahhh, the clothes. And so the addiction began. 

If you looked outside, you'd never know it. But we got one heck of a snowfall last weekend. And it was the perfect opportunity to bundle our little girl up and take her for a sled-ride in one of her very favorite Christmas presents. Because she's just a little thing and it was cold {like really cold} we didn't venture too far; my other half just leading her around the front and backyard.

A year ago I shared my 10 favorite Netflix shows for the littles. MM was just seven-months old, and admittedly, the shows were more for me than for her- kid-friendly shows for baby to hear in the background without driving mom crazy. 

Now that MM is nineteen-months old {tomorrow?!} many of those shows remain some of our very favorites

A few months before Madeline was born I shared the start of what I referred to as her Neutral Nursery - the beginnings of a room for a baby girl, free of pinks and frills and anything too girly. I put my heart and soul into creating that room- artfully choosing pieces for every nook and cranny; envisioning our girl someday enjoying all of them. 

Since MM was an itty bitty newborn, we've always taken a few minutes before bed time to read stories to our girl. Over the past year we have acquired a few favorites- Giraffes Can't Dance, Llama Llama Red Pajama, I Love You Stinky Face- children's books that have now become some of my most loved stories. And since day one, our favorite has been an adorable book about a little one's worries called No Matter What- a sweet story that I can now recite blindfolded.

When I look back on the holidays of my childhood, I have the fondest memories of our annual family photo shoots. Each year our mama would dress us in perfectly coordinating outfits- matching denims, white button downs, the occasional mixed print- and take us to our local park for our annual day of modeling. The fruits of these labors proudly displayed in our parents' homes- chambray-clad kiddos with goofy adolescent smiles. Some years were more awkward than others- in the most wonderful way possible- and I've always adored remembering different stages of our lives through those images.

Before I had MM I had a very specific vision of how I'd dress my mini. I pictured a trendy little girl clad in gender-neutral tones and cool Marc Jacobs-style prints. And no pink. None. So I guess if memory serves me,  I more took a firm stance on how I was not going to dress her: No pink. No frills. No lace. No Peter Pan collars. No prep. Nothing girly. And in the end, this list of "no's" couldn't more accurately describe my daughter's entire 'drobe- the contents of which scream "Little French Girl" much more than the kidchella-vibe I had envisioned.

When I was pregnant and it came time to register for my shower, I was clueless. Beyond a car seat and stroller, there were so many "must haves" that I was in the dark about. With a little research, I unveiled a whole world of newborn essentials- from Diaper Genies and Mama Roo's to Nose Freidas and Baby Bjorns. Yes mamas, we need things like this for our bundle of joy. But we also need a few of the more beautiful but oh-so-necessary trinkets for baby- burp clothes and bibs, blankies and booties, onesies and sweaters. And when celebrating a mom-to-be, who doesn't love to add a bit of luxury when showering the ones we love?

Four years back in my native town in New England, and I've officially caught the preppy bug.

This weekend I wore Vineyard Vines + Roberta Roller Rabbit, and even toted a Lily beer bucket to the beach. It just felt right.

As for Madeline, I've dressed her up as a mini-prepster from the beginning- she wears corals and prints; seersucker and gingham; and has just about every pair of RRR PJ's on the market. The girl's collection of Lily dresses is enviable, and a peter pan collar was made to frame that little face. And now that I've found the most adorable monogram shop, I've taken this look to a whole new level.  

Monogram Mary has spurred a monogram craze in this household- a fun and easy way to make Maddie's pieces just a hint more special.

We started with an adorable red, white and blue number for the holiday weekend, and some super sweet Roberta Roller Rabbit PJs- successfully making this blue pair of PJs just a touch more girly with a pop of hot pink.