Wednesday Wardrobe Upheaval!

yea, that new fad that's going around?

where people are spending $100+ on pair of LEGGINGS?

I've been knocked upside the head with it - and now own, wait for it please... 27 pieces of LuLaRoe clothing...

And now that I have nearly one of every item they make (except the guy stuff), I am finally able to try and remind myself to keep it relative - while I might spot a LLR Amelia dress (or Irma/ClassicT) for only $50 ($15 off retail!!!) and think, ZOMG I MUST BUY THAT! I remember that, were I to see the same dress on the rack at a store that I might frequent such as TJMaxx, I totally would be like - meh, not worth it....

with that said, here's my most recent wardrobe revamp (and, I guess, the money I spent on it... lol)

it all started (innocently enough - and I can't even remember at all how I first heard of it, or found the two local consultants I first bought from) with a pair of leggings and two skirts...

In fact, I was so new to it all - I had NO IDEA there were THOUSANDS of other consultants out there with different inventory... so I settled for the classic striped pencil skirt (STILL LOVE!) and floral leggings (trying to sell, if they don't sell I guess I'll keep, I've worn once or twice...) and floral pencil skirt (seen above as a shirt!) which I've sold... (I bought based on the small inventory from one consultant... lol boy have my horizons broadened...)

My next piece was a pair of leggings that a friend of mine got for free at a group meeting and then gave to me... (which I've honestly sold... weren't quite my type...)

My blinders were still on at this point, and I was unaware of the vast sea of LLR to choose from, so my next Cassie skirt was from a BuySellTrade group within a Parenting/PregnancyLoss/EverythingBaby message forum I'm on...

I like this skirt alot, I haven't worn it yet - and have listed it a few times to sell (just under retail, which is about what I paid for it) but each time I check it out, hanging in the guest bedroom with my SellStash, I like it a little bit more and more... and can see it with some brown boots and a sweater this winter... so.
I might keep that one... UPDATE: just got an offer on this an the blue Nicole (below!) woot!

and then, I found the MotherShip... er - the MotherGroup? -  a BST group on ThatFacePage now brings me giveaways, clearance sales, bargain bins, going-out-of-business blow-outs (seriously - with so many consultants "on-boarding" (joining the craze) the market is going to be SO saturated very soon, so I'll take advantage of any kind of sale - any way to avoid paying anywhere near retail!)

About the time I made my first purchase from the page, I won a giveaway!!! (I never win anything! I even repeated that to E 10 times in bed one morning upon waking and checking my phone (yes. first thing I do. sigh) and seeing my name tagged in a post announcing a winner!)

ohmyGAWD sorry for the sideways/slant. lol

I won a Lindsey - their loose-jacket-cardigan. As you can seen, I've worn it once, and recently photographed it to list and sell... those things go for $48 at retail and I honestly have a striped long cardigan (as well as a million other cardigans) and, well - as you'll see below - I could use some money back... lol

Around the same time, I cracked open the vault of LLR-craziness...

The first, the best discovery of all time, is that beautiful maroon (color is funky in picture) Amelia: zips up the back and has POCKETS you guys... (also - I've seen ways people wear it BACKWARDS for nursing access!) I also haven't worn it yet, it being a dark fall color and it still being 90 degrees at the peak of the day here...

The next was a used Nicole I found for $28 (retails for $48!) that, because of the low price, I jumped on it thinking I'd at least flip it if it didn't work for me... well, it didn't quite work, and I can't quite flip it for profit, but I do have an offer on it currently with the teal arrow Cassie skirt - hopefully I can just get back what I paid!

The third item, yes - that's another Lindsey that I found for wholesale - only $19 (it retails for $48!!!!) a pretty heathered peachy/pink, it goes with everything! I love wearing it with a big B&W striped tank and skinny jeans (any color!)

The second set of leggings I bought were these lovelies... I have not worn them yet (again - too hot, and too fall-sy) but I can't wait to pair them with coral, or teal, or green - they'll go with so much!!! (I totally shamelessly paid retail + $3 shipping for these...)

And so, once the flood gates opened, so did my wallet:

I got another Amelia (black with a light teal print, not pictured here - and I'll be wearing for the first time tomorrow to a funeral (distant family uncle on E's side) and then on to work...)
I got a black printed Cassie (which I purchased with the intent of pairing with a B&W striped shirt, but it looked way cute with the orange/cream stripes!) I also purchased this one with the intent of wearing it as a scarf (YUP you read right, a SCARF!)

LOOK HOW CUTE!!!

The next two Cassies (B&W polka and black-lacy) were bought with intentions of flipping (selling for profit - ssshhhh LLR world hates flippers... but it's usually people that buy hard-to-find legging prints at retail and then price gouge, selling them for 4-5 times what they paid...) but the polka-dots are a medium so I'm debating keeping (especially after seeing this cute outfit)

I also now have a pending sale on the lacy Cassie (for about what I paid for it - at this point, I've realized it's a little silly to purchase with intentions of flipping - market is QUICKLY becoming over-saturated...)
The last item in that round of purchasing (all from one consultant, so boy did I see the money spent...) is an Irma tunic, which is made of that awful 1980's ribbed polyester material... got it at a big discount, didn't realize it was ribbed until I got it in the mail... blegh
but I found a consultant to do an even exchange with me (since it still has the tags on) for a plain grey Classic T... yay!

At this point, the frenzy started - browsing TheFacePage every twenty minutes (even keeping it open at work!) for FOMO - fear of missing out - on something that I "JUST HAVE TO HAVE!" because it's "SUCH A GOOD PRICE!"
I did wise up a bit and switch to more solid colors for the two Julias I got... (grey is medium, blue is large - figured I'd fit both sizes like I do in small and med Cassies... large is actually too big, but it's pending in the same sale as the lacy Cassie!)

(love my knotted Julia in the middle! it's just a hairtie done from the inside!)

I also got two pairs of leggings for which there's no pictures - one's a pastel pair (after I saw my sister in a pair that was super cute with a pastel oversized Tshirt!) in kind of 80's splash print, and the other is just solid gray. Buttery soft and GOES WITH EVERYTHING!



um... at this point, I had 20 items of LuLaRoe...

like I mentioned - I got smarter at shopping, no longer buying-to-flip, and sticking to solid colors...

and got picky - if I didn't love it? Go find another consultant to check out!

and the best are the "Destash" posts where people (unless they're flipping and price-gouging) just want to dump their stuff they don't wear... like a coral Amelia with a ROSE GOLD ZIPPER (for only $38! they retail $65!) ((also no picture... boo...))




And I found a solid grey Nicole with every intention of wearing it over one of these pretty thangs with some soft brown boots and a scarf this fall...






 I also got this fun Randy - which I am debating exchanging/selling, as it's too casual for work -but, I know it'll be fall soon and I'll love wearing it on the weekends =)

so now I've had about 8 different styles, but only 1 skirt and had been anxious to try a Madison, Maxi and Azure... well what did I find on good sales???

 why yes, that would be a Madison (for $11 off of retail!) and a Maxi (I have no recollection what I paid, most definitely under retail lol) and an Azure (not pictured, but used for only $15!!!)


By now, I'm thankful every day that I get home before the husband so I can clean out the multiple packages in the mail box...


and what were hopefully my last purchases of LuLaRoe (aside from exchanging that gross 1980's Irma for a grey cotton Classic T!) I had to get the most recent release, a Carly - and again, solid color, on sale!

(come to mama... over-the-knee light brown boots, chunky scarf, maybe long sleeves underneath.... OOOOOO I can already smell the pumpkin spice latte!)

I also impulse-bought TallCurvy leggings in a cute red-heart pattern thinking I'd rock 'em for V-day, but they're a little too big, so they're sold to a good friend for what I paid ($18!)














and my very last most-recent still-waiting-for-arrival purchase: 

yes, it's not a solid color... but how pretty!!!! 

and that's my LuLa-Wardrobe Overhaul on this Wardrobe Wednesday (ha - I'm not wearing a single piece of LLR today either! lol)

also - if you were keeping count, that's 27 pieces of LuLaRoe... not including the pieces already sold... 

"Hi I'm Mrs Buggy and I have an LLR addiction..."

a Birthday Splash Bash!

Just to cross it off the list of what needs to be posted about:

Button turned THREE YEARS OLD (ahem - um, 43 days ago...)

I can't even believe...

three years ago, sitting at work, wondering if my water leaked the previous night...

that same day, this little guy was born, weighing almost 7lbs exactly...

Now? that big guy weights 34lbs12oz (apparently they still mark the ounces at three years old... or maybe they rounded to 34 for charting purposes and I was like, isn't he closer to 35?? lol)

That weight puts him at the 50th %...

And we are still in the mid- to high-90's % at 39"

(yes, this is downward dog... what, you don't know any 3-year-olds that love and do yoga?? lol)

He has been sleeping in his own big boy bed since April of 2015 (shortly after we found out of his sister's existence!) and will sleep from 9pm-7:30a (sometimes longer)

He's a pretty decent eater, with dinner being his weakest meal (unless we're having sushi, then he's all about the "eh-da-mommy" and the california rolls...

He is still such a daddy's boy (and will 100% prefer him over me if there's a choice - good thing my little Mack is such a mommy's girl!) and loves their weekly special treat of ice-skating on Friday afternoons (soon to be weekends once the school year starts and open skate changes times!)

He is slightly afraid of thunder, although afraid is a strong word - once I explain a little what it is (and and it must be a pretty scientific explanation, he wants FACTS!) he will settle down for the night...

He is totally day-time potty-trained, and I would say almost totally nap-time trained (summer time and trying to stay hydrated, so we slap diapers on him for now "just in case")... nighttime we've gone a few nights in a row with dry pants, only to have 3 mornings in a row of SOAKED sheets... so, diapers are worn then too...

He surprises us daily with the stuff he says... "I guess he's downstairs..." (when wondering where his lost Batman was...)

He knows all of his colors (and loves to sing the color song (to the tune of Frere Jacques)) and can count to at least 30 (THIRTY!) and will be starting in the big pre-school room at daycare in just a short week from now!

He got so excited as the week wound down to his birthday party, totally able to answer how old he was (2) and how old he was going to be... (3!)



His party was nice, low-key and casual : A "splash bash" in our backward, complete with SpiderMan sprinkler, Slip'n'Slide, and splash pools...

The boys of summer...

Ms. Mack kept me company that morning while I ran around getting balloons (one escaped it's string in the parking lot, and wouldn't you know that $1 Store charged me for another balloon...) and cake...

And then she had her first date:

also! an older man!

which must have been emotionally exhausting:

Button had been practicing all week, and performed perfectly:

also - he sang to himself. lol

He got the biggest Pooh he'd ever seen... (no, not that kind of "poo" - Winnie the Pooh!)

Happy third birthday to my little man!!!

Tits Up to Tits Down...

I was recently browsing through old posts (procrastination on writing a new post... lol) and came across this one...

I remember basically having a break-down one night when Ms. Mack was about two weeks old... it was pre-lactation-visits but a few doctor appointments into a shaky weight gain...

Well.


Here we are, 8months (and 1 week) later - STILL NURSING!!!! (and pumping at work...)

Now I feel like I should kick myself in the butt, because I somewhat blame my fatigue for her poor weight gain: I could barely keep my eyes open even while standing, so to get some sleep I just laid her on my chest, so we both slept for more 4-5 hour streches, when really - she should have been waking up to eat...
Que sera, sera...

Of course, it hasn't been smooth sailing the whole way - as I currently down 4 lecithin horse pills a day for a recurrent clogged duct and carry around tweezers/safetypins/alcoholswabs to keep the clog-causing milk bleb open... (a case of chicken-or-egg, this bleb/clog combo... I thought the bleb caused the clog, but then I'm opening the bleb nearly every nursing/pump session, so lactation-consultant-friend thinks the bleb is a symptom of a deeper clog, hence the lecithin (a fat-emulsifer))

This development has also totally impacted pump out-put: my first-morning session at work went from a typical 5-6ounces to a measly 3-3.5ounces, and the second session went from a typical 3-3.5oz to 1.75-2oz...

but - but...

My nine-month goal is fast approaching, and given Ms.Mack's affinity for all things food (baby purees, bananas, cut-up blueberries, pieces of bread, puffs, carrot sticks that she gums) I am anticipating a transition to cow's milk at the nine-month mark, releasing me from my indentured servitude (of work pumping twice a day). 

We'll heavily depend on the freezer stash (down to 75 ounces) for the next few weeks (the three previous work days she's taken all three bottles at daycare (10oz) whilst I'm only pumping on average 5oz at work...) and I'll squeeze in a hand-pump session before bed here and there (will usually yield just under 2oz!) and we should just* make it...

*ok, we'll make it if I use no more than 3.4ounces a day from the freezer stash... yup, I am that freak that creates and runs formulas to calculate if Sally has 1,000 ounces of breast milk, and wants to make it last for 49 calendar days, but wants to wean and use 1 ounce less per day as each week passes, at what rate should she decrease....
ok yea, you get it - I ran those formulas... lol and I can't use more than 3.4 ounces per day, or I'll run out before she makes her nine-month appointment!

And this mathematical brain of mine always feels so much better with a plan in place, The Plan now being: keep pumping x2 a day at work; if the freezer stash diminishes too quickly before her 9 month mark, we'll supplement with a little formula to get us there...
Once nine months hits, I'll drop to pumping once a day at work (still nursing in the am and pm, and weekends) and eventually all-together drop pumping at work (OMG CANNOT WAIT! the work-wardrobe options that will open up when I no longer have to access my boobs twice a day!

Celebrity-Monday

intrigued by the title?!

so am I - not really sure what I'm doing here, but I recently read a cute blog entry where the author turned the "celebrity interviews" (the ones you see in magazines- "What's in My Purse?" for example!) on herself..

this is always good when I need to blog (i.e. it's been awhile) but I've gotten so back-logged in "updates" that it's become that tedious looming chore...

lol


so, for the first "I'm a Celebrity!" interview (where you get to learn things about me you may not give a crap about. lol)

I NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT...
a good pair of sunglasses! (of course, there's the assumed "cell phone" but that's a boring answer...)
A nice pair of Jackie-O sunglasses can both hide any under-eye bags that came from your kids waking you at 6am on a Saturday AND disguise the fact you haven't washed off your mascara from the night before... ALL while polishing off your outfit of leggings and new LuLaRoe top! (yes, I've become obsessed... fashion post soon to come!)

THE MOST STYLE YOU CAN GET FOR UNDER $25...
Well I can find some pretty cheap clothes personally, but we'll stick with a universally "cheap" item of a scarf! Patterned, solid, knit or cotton - it's my out-fit topper all fall/winter long, and it helps to serve as a nursing cover!

MY VANITY IS ALWAYS STOCKED WITH...
Make up wipes! (except it's currently not stocked right now - I just ran out last night... lol)
A fabulous piece of beauty advice my mom and grandma gave me - WASH YOUR FAVE EVERY NIGHT - even if "washing" sometimes means taking a pre-moistened cleanser wipe to your skin... get that gunk off before bed!


BEST SHOPPING ADVICE...
make sure it's VERSATILE! (especially if it's a piece you're spending a bit of money on... if not, then go for the $2 impulse buy at that thrift-store sale *wink wink*)
but if not - if you're going to spend a pretty penny, make sure you can already envision multiple outfits/ways to wear this piece... as with my new LuLaRoe obsession, I "splurged" $40 on a "Julia" dress - but made sure I already have multiple ways (and the accessories needed!) to wear this!

I ALWAYS SPLURGE ON...
No particular thing, but always one or two items per season... three years ago it was a splurge on my Michael Kors watch. Two years ago it was a maxi skirt from Anthropologie... If each season you splurge on one or two staple pieces (black wool dress! fabulous riding boots! the perfect pair of jeans!) then you can easily supplement with cheaper/thrift-store pieces!

I ALWAYS SAVE ON...
The most current fads/fashions - especially if they're ones that are pretty funky and are most likely going to be lining the give-away bins within a year... So while current styles aren't always available cheap or pre-owned (thrift store queen here!) that means I dress more in the timeless classics... Shift dress and cardigan - don't forget your scarf!

EVERY WOMAN NEEDS...
a piece of clothing/outfit that she feels fabulous and confident in EVERY TIME she puts it on... whether that's a little black dress with all-the-right-places rouching, or a leggings-and-oversized-Tshirt paired with a favorite pair of flip-flops and a cute pony-tail...

MY SECRET STYLE SOURCE...
everyone, everywhere... that ingenious little teenager, wearing a skirt as a tube-top! the librarian with a to-die-for stripes+floral combo within her cardigan and pencil skirt set! the A-lister celebrity listed on the style pages with the most recent fad - acid-wash jeans back from the 80's! (not really that fad... but you get where I'm going...)
My younger SIL's (still in highschool) keep my style young, and my conservative coworkers keep it classic!

from hip, to nerdy - a bit edgy to good old jeans and a scarf!

MY MUST-HAVE FOR WINTER...
Tights. In a goes-with-everything shade of gray.  Got a favorite sundress that you miss mid-snow-storm? Rock it with a collared-blouse and tights underneath!  How about a tailored pair of shorts? Tights, booties and a cute sweater! (OMG now I'm ready for fall!)




Well there you go, a first interview of (hopefully) many to come! 

Lucky Number (aka 7 Months!)

oh my gosh,,, BAD BLOGGER (slaps wrist)

I fall into this trap: I get a little bit behind in blogging, and then to post becomes a bigger (and bigger and bigger) deal, to get all caught up and current with what's going on... the bigger it gets, the more inclined I am to put it off even more, which makes it become an ever bigger endeavor...

which is how we end up here: with a 7-month post needed, a three-year BigBoy post needed, a wedding we went to weeks ago, my parents' trip (haven't seen them since January!!!) and birthday celebrations...

we're just going to vomit all these out in this and the next (few) post(s)...

first all - we flew past Maddie's 7 months! (We flew so quickly past it, I never took pictures with her cute month-stickers that SIL got me...  oops...)

Miss Madeline was 7 months on July 21st!




while there's no stats, she's nursing approx 3 times a day (at 5am - girl sleep in! and at 8am before daycare, and around 8pm before bed...)



speaking of bed - she's sleeping around 9pm-5am (she's sometimes a struggle to put down to bed - I've recently read about FEED-PLAY-SLEEP and may try it tonight - no more nursing to sleep... eat/nurse early, play and then bedtime with big brother...
(I wonder if I'll want to hand-pump a little before I go to bed now...)



When she wakes at 5am (ish) I usually bring her back to bed with me where we side-lie nurse and usually both go back to sleep for another hour or so...

(Google auto-awesome does these animations... so friggin cool!)
She likes to stand while holding on, sometimes lets go and checks herself out...

We're eating LOTS of food! Breakfast is usually 1/2 a banana, another pureed fruit, and some yogurt...
Lunch is usually a vegetable and some wheat bread - yup, wheat bread - broken into puff-size pieces... this girl can eat!
Dinner is usually another vegetable/meat puree and some more bread...
I've veered a little away from 100% homemade food (shit I just didn't have the time anymore...) but I just made some butternutsquash+corn and spinach+applesauce last night... big menu-planning trip tonight, I'll pick up some fruits to puree (strawberries and peaches??)

She naps well at daycare (typically 2 short ones, minimum...) I guess I shouldn't say "well" - the naps usually run less than an hour...

We had a bit of an enterovirus recently during which she napped for almost 3 hours!!  (Her appetite also decreased for a few days, so little Miss isn't as chunky-cheeks anymore, hopefully we're getting back up there!!)

She loves to watch her brother, whatever he is doing - whether it's showing her his toys while they play in our bed, or shake tissue paper in her face (she gets SUCH a kick out of that... weirdo! lol)
She likes rattles (shake shake shake!) and still enjoys baths - developed a little bit of eczema behind one of her knees, hopefully it will clear up with some aquaphor...

We've started trying out different sippy-cups, so far she only likes to chew on them, but I switched out the nipple on our recent favorite and she seems to have recently realized she's getting something yummy!

I'm still pumping twice a day at work, getting about what she's drinking at daycare (2- 3.5oz bottles) and I've still got a very decent freezer stash (90ish ounces at last count!)

With 1.5 months left until we can start a cow's milk transition, odds are looking pretty good to finish up EBF! (of course, plus our solids...)

still wearing Size 6M clothes (feetie sleepers getting short!!!) (can rock hand-me-down (pre-washed/shrunk) size 9M)
Wearing size 3 diapers!! (would totally fit into 2's, but our local food store had a sale on Huggies recently and all they had were 3's and up, so... well, they don't leak! lol)

loves her frozen yogurt bars!

Despite having no teeth yet (following in her brother's footsteps there!) she still LOVES her puffs and bread, I can hear her crunch into the star-shaped puffs... =P

Happy 7 Months, Big Girl!!!