Reluctant Subject. Not.

Finally got fancy tripod and self-timer set up.
So we took it outside for a bit.
And The King said "he didn't want his picture taken".
These pictures tell a different story...

He's got a water gun.
And he knows how to use it.
Be afraid.
Be very, very afraid.

I would like to thank the Academy...

On this rainy Saturday morning, I received a nice surprise all the way from Rome! 

From one of my favorite cities in the world, one of my new favorite bloggers bestowed the Versatile Blogger Award upon our little blog. Gush.
Visit Mom In Rome  if you haven't yet, it's like a little piece of Italy right here in blogland. 
Sigh.

Seven MORE silly things about me...hmmm.
1. I drive-thru McDonald's in my pj's every morning for coffee. I throw a jean jacket on so that it looks like I'm dressed. Smart non?
2. I have a work husband. Whose name is also Lee. Don't worry, my Li is well aware of his presence. And he's ok with it.
3. I love photographs. I still print them. And put them in albums and everything. 
4. I love reading autobiographies. I'm at S so Shania Twain's and Steven Tyler's are next. 
5. I will always be a smoker who chooses not to smoke. Especially hard when I am holding a glass of wine. Which is sadly not that often. 
6. I love platinum blonde hair and red lips. Just not on me.
7. I am more than happy to skip a real meal and just have dessert. And I do. Too often.


I am passing this fab award along to a few of my new faves...you should definitely visit.
1. WildRuffle 
2. Five Feet of Fun
3. Not Your Ordinary Agent
4. Minivan Diva
5. Object of MayaAffection 

Happy Saturday!
Have you entered little miss' gift giveaway? 4 days left...go NOW !

The white T

I am forever in search of the perfect white T shirt.

Many have tried.

The Gap.

H + M.

Banana.

None have conquered this girl.

I don't like them ribbed.

I don't like them v-necked. 

I like them just so in length. 

I like a little lycra.

I hate them too transparent. I really hate that.

Pause for inspiration...

The kids - the whole lot of 'em - rocking white t's some years ago.

B.A. as in Before Ava. 

Sweet non?

And all of them had a perfect white T. (whine)

I have found the perfect white tank.

These I enjoy ribbed.

It comes from Forever XXI. (and costs a sweet $4.50)

The search continues.

For now, I will continue my love affair with my old white T.

This one happens to be from Esprit. (akward self-portrait)

Not quite perfect but it will do for now.

Little miss tries her big brother's on for size.

With the must-have white T accessory...pearls. (and Bobo)

Have you entered here to win a fab Stella + Dot set for your own budding fashionista?

Who makes your fave white t? Do tell.

I promise not to buy them all.

The ONE!!!!

BIG news.

It's happened.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, get caught up here and then right here. 

I'll wait....

We've found her!!!! (happy dance)

The ONE!!!

Babymama's new live-in assistant, our nanny, Donna. 

Cue music.

Is it wrong that we walk around the house singing this song whenever we mention her name? 

We are singing out of pure joy I assure you.

Joy that we found her.

Joy that we do not have to interview another nanny.

She starts on July 4th. 

I can hardly stand it.

What WE wore Wednesday

For your viewing pleasure, we're linking up with Lindsey again this week ...check out her fabulous site here and see what everyone else is wearing this Wednesday.

Me, I'm just praying for warm weather. 

Which isn't happening.

And for a tripod and self-timer. 

Which hasn't happened yet.

3/4 sleeve off-shoulder top - Zara Woman
Ribbed tank - Forever XXI
Cargo pants - Zara TRF

Le rearview.

These are my very favorite cargos. They are unbelievably soft. And tres cute, non?

I would buy them in every color if I could just find them again. 

Les shoes.

They look like slippers. I know this. 

And are just as comfortable as.

Slippers Embroidered flats - Jeffrey Campbell

Lace trimmed T-shirt - BabyGap
Chambray jeans - BabyGap
Cardigan - H+M Kids
Hi-tops - Dr Suess by Converse

Our little miss rather fashionably enjoyed the outdoors this morning.
I somewhat fashionably enjoyed playing around with Photobucket. 

And that's what we're wearing on Wednesday.

And enter this little fashionista giveaway while you're at would ya? Right NOW.

A Baby Story

Our little miss is 14 months old. As of Sunday. It's funny how for the first couple of years every month is a milestone. 

In our house, every 22nd of the month is her "birthday". 

It's also funny how the older you get the more you want to forget it's your birthday. 

Sigh.

Sometimes we still can't believe we had another baby. Three kids.

We never planned on a third. But between you and me, I never really felt "done".

I'm not the type of woman who is envious of other women's clothes, shoes (maybe a little) or what have you; but see a pregnant woman...and I was all in.

Relatively odd since my pregnancies are a bit of a nightmare.

Nausea. Non-stop. Diclectin. Non-stop. 

Let me take you back to the summer before last. 

Our yearly trip to Florida. And the monthly gift that had yet to arrive.

I waited.

And waited.

And finally bought a pregnancy test. Or two.

I peed.

And waited for the results.

It was very faint but it was definitely there. 

My husband didn't believe me. (or didn't want to)

So I peed again.

And there it was. Faint. But definitely there.

I threw up. Once. 

I drank only virgin margaritas. Just in case.

The vacation ended.

We came home.

I threw up. Again.

Dr's visit. Stat. Said monthly gift had yet to arrive.

She told me that because of the "faint" results, chances were low I was pregnant. 

She was wrong. 

As evidenced by...

Ultrasound. Stat.

The ultrasound technician had no idea I had been told the chances that I was actually pregnant "were slim".

She was all "and there's your baby!!". Big smile.

I must have been in shock because all I could do was laugh. A tad hysterically maybe.

And so it went.

And our sweet baby girl joined our family.

I am not a religious person. But I truly believe she was a gift from God.

And meant to complete our family.

After all, I wasn't done.

But I am now.

PS - don't forget to enter little miss' FIRST giveaway here ! **CLOSED**

Stylish Blogger Award = Stylish Giveaway!

Happy Sunday lovelies!

I was so excited to find this stylish award bestowed upon our little blog this morning...

Thanks to Kathleen from www.coulditbeceliac.blogspot.com whose blog is equally stylish and more. 


Rules, rules...I'm to share 7 things about myself with you. Hmmm...
1. I was hypnotized for a fear of flying. It kinda sorta worked. 
2. I'm ridiculously anal. I could organize closets all day. Sadly true.
3. I played the violin and took ballet for years. I'm not that classical anymore.
4. The only sport I will watch is tennis. For us croatians, this is a religion more than a sport.
5. I have seen Rod Stewart in concert more times than I care to remember. I really don't like Rod Stewart all that much. Or ever did. I am a GREAT friend.
6. I have read and re-read the Shopaholic series twice. It is sort of a training manual as far as I'm concerned.
7. I am low maintenance. Hard to believe I know. I hate getting my hair done, massages and sitting through mani/pedi's. So I don't. At least not very often. 


I'm passing the stylish blogger award to these equally stylish bloggers...
1. Lauren at www.simplychicmom.blogspot.com
2. Jordynn's stylist at www.littlemissjordynn.blogspot.com
3. Janet at www.tulipandthelma.com
4. Yvonne at www.beadsyydiary.blogspot.com
5. Miss Rosie at www.hellorosie.blogspot.com
6. Michelle at mommylovesstilletos.com
7. Sarah at www.sunlightafterrain.blogspot.com
8. Ramona at www.bubbiandboo.blogspot.com
9. Carmen at www.clusterlove.blogspot.com
10. Ms. B at www.cleansheetsonsundays.com

Whew. 

And in other news...I've hit 100+ GFC followers!! Exciting, non? 

In the spirit of this, our little fashionista has an equally fashionable giveaway for one of her new friends. Feast your eyes on this little piece of heaven from the girls collection at Stella + Dot. 

One of Ava's favorites - see more here

Every little girl needs pearls I say...

To enter:

(Please leave a separate comment for each entry)

1. Follow me on GFC (if you're not already silly!)

2. Follow me on twitter here

3. Like our sponsor on Facebook here

4. Visit Melanie Knight's Stella+ Dot page here and tell me which other girl's piece you LOVE 

(She's offering 10% off any girl's piece starting NOW for Ava Graces Closet readers)

5. Tweet about this giveaway and let me know you did

Giveaway runs through May 31st, 2011. Winner will be chosen via random.org and announced on June 1st, 2011.

(approx. retail value $24)

GOOD LUCK fashionistas!

It's all about the SHOES

Our little miss has built up quite the shoe collection in her short life. 

Her selection du-jour (or for about the next 3 months) includes...

Clockwise from top:
pink patent - Pablosky Kids
black runners - Vans
pink hi-tops - Converse by Dr. Suess
brown polka dot - Pediped
black velvet maryjanes - Joe FRESH

Everything a girl needs. 

And then some.

Here are some of the recent finds I've added to my own collection:

Olive studded - David Dixon

Grey suede - Pegabo

Cheetah print - Nine West

Black suede ruffled - David Dixon

All at end-of-season deals so ridiculously good, I couldn't resist getting them all. 

And I will get around to actually wearing them. Eventually. 

I might even be a tad over-dressed for weekly playgroup. Don't judge.

And on this shoe-fetish Friday, it is only fitting that our budding fashionista wore...

It is all about the shoes after all!

Holy Meniscus!

This is not my husband. 

But that is precisely the face he must have made while playing Rafa's sport in the summer of 2008 just before he was knocked to the ground and ended up like this.

Diagnosis? A fully torn achilles tendon. Ouch.

Immediate surgery required. Wheelchair. Crutches. Weeks of physio. You get the picture.

We still went to Florida that summer and honestly, were treated like we were famous everywhere we went.

Perhaps they mistook him for this guy who suffered the same injury?

Fast forward to earlier this week. My poor husband has been experiencing a tremendous amount of knee pain as of late and finally caved and visited a specialist. (what is it with men and doctors?!)

Diagnosis? Meniscus.

Often referred to in layman's terms as "torn cartilage".

Surgery has been booked for August. Weeks of physio to follow.

Not sure if I will become pusher of wheelchair again.

My poor husband. (and poor me)

What WE wore Wednesday

Guess what? 

It's raining.

AGAIN. 

Last time I checked, we don't live in Vancouver. Sigh.

This whole rain thing is putting a huge damper on our "can't wait to wear our spring clothes" plan. That said, we are still linking up with Ms Lindsey over at The Pleated Poppy - hope you find some inspiration there on this wet Wednesday. 

Hat - somethingspecial ('specially to hide bad hair day)
Tank - yummietummie (with built-in necklace)
Jersey Cardy - Brian Bailey
Leggings - Aritzia
Raincoat - Hilary Radley
Rainboots - Banana Republic

Little miss got in on the legging action herself. 

Black even. 

Because it's raining and miserable. Or did I mention that already? 

Double sigh.

T-shirt - Zara Kids
Leggings - Old Navy
Runners - Vans

Can't get enough of these shoes. Or her chubby little legs. 

I may eat both.

And that's what we're wearing on Wednesday.

My LOVE HATE relationship with Mondays

Sadly, no matter what I do, Monday still comes around. Like every week. 

The weekend over. 

The older ones back to school. 

And not much left to remind me of the weekend except a few half-emptied wine glasses on the kitchen counter - a reminder of the good company we had the night before. 

The Tylenol pm makes me slightly drowsy this morning (I may be addicted) but thankful for a somewhat better sleep. Even though little miss woke up at 4am. And cried on and off until 5am. (until I caved and gave her a bottle) Sigh.

Today, my cleaning lady did not come. Hate that. (I hate Mondays)
Routine. Alone time with Ava. (I love Mondays)

It is laundry day. (I hate Mondays)
Semi-standing (LARGE McDonalds) coffee date this morning. Weekend catch-up. (I love Mondays)

Raining.Again.5th.Day.In.A.Row. (I hate Mondays)
Pick-up mail. Received package I have been waiting on. (I love Mondays)

We have no milk. Which means grocery shopping. Hate that too. (I hate Mondays)
Lululemon tracksuit day. (I love Mondays)

Double-check homework. Read 50 notes from school in a panic. (I hate Mondays)

Caught up on bloghop visits. SO many new followers. And such lovely comments. Blush. (I love Mondays)

How is your Monday so far??

Everything OLD is NEW again

Happy Friday!

Fashion is so fleeting. It seems like one trend after the other appears and sometimes (the reallly good ones) reappear. 

Case in point? 

The legging. Back with a vengeance as of late, non? 

The 80's. Madonna. 

I was a very young tween and would have done ANYTHING to look just like her. 

See-through mesh. Leggings. AND a skirt? 

Swear. I watched this video 1000 times. She was the epitome of confidence. You had to be to rock this outfit.

And on this Friday, everything OLD is NEW again.

Here's our Ava kicking it old school with a look the ever-fabulous Madonna inspired. 

Flower headband is handmade (find equally fabulous versions on Etsy - my faves are from here and here) Eyelet onesie by Joe Fresh. Lace trimmed leggings by Old Navy. Denim skirt is italian. As in from Italy.

(note: she may or may not be giving me the finger in this picture)

Extreme close-up...

Lucky Star?

I think so.

What WE wore Wednesday

Thanks again to Lindsey @ www.thepleatedpoppy.com for hosting another edition of What I Wore Wednesday. Or in our case what WE wore.

Such fun!

Now try not to giggle. 

Little miss and I are kinda sorta matchy-matchy this week - both rocking coral.

So fresh.

Earrings - Coach
Striped 3/4 top - Joe FRESH
Watch - Michael Kors
Bangle - Coach
Jeggings - Forever XXi
Ballet flats - Coach

Extreme close-up...

How fun is the button detail on these shoes? My faves.

You again?

Headband - stolen borrowed from big sis
Ruffled T - Joe FRESH
Floral leggings - Children's Place

Ava's close-up...

And that's what we're wearing on Wednesday.