Exquisite Decay

Battle Wounds

2009-06-01T22:27:00.005-04:00

Audrey had her 2 month checkup today. She did really well, but I felt sooo bad when he gave her the vaccinations. She got 3 in her thighs and then one was just oral. Since she loves eating or having anything in her mouth, she didnt' mind the oral one. However, the other ones weren't so good. She cried so hard that she wasn't even making any noise when he got her in the thighs. I had tears in my eyes.

Here's a picture of the thigh that she got stabbed twice in:
Poor thing. But she's a little trooper. For a two month old, she did great. Just look at that pudgey little thigh and her little arm rolls.

Speaking of pudgey-ness, she now weighs 12 pounds 1 ounce and is 23 inches long. This puts her in the 75 percentile for weight and the 77 percentile for height. The nurse commented on how tall she is which I founda bit funny since she's only 23 inches long. But for a two month old, that is rather "tall" I suppose (since I know anything about two month old height). Oh, and her head circumference is 15 1/4 inches. That's a fun measurement. Hey, good to know.

Today she rocked her head to toe Polo gear :) So cute. However, she wasn't really in a picture taking mood apparantly.

She seemed pretty exhausted tonight and completely passed out pretty early. I guess we did have a busy day. We stopped in to see Uncle Chris at work, stopped at HACC so that I could sell my books back (a little over $100 for 3 books = boooyyaaaa) and get a new password for their website, and stopped at the Harrisburg Neato for a delicious Cowboy Crunch. Soo yummy, especially with chili instead of refried beans. I mean, she slept most of the time, but still, it was a lot of running around. My arms are killllllling me from lugging around that car seat. Good God, I'll certainly have some toned arms, that's for sure.

Oh, the drama

2009-05-31T22:25:00.007-04:00

Today Audrey, my mom, and I went for a long walk since it was soooo beautiful. Audrey seemed to really like it. She dozed off for a while with her hands up like she was playing air guitar or something. I really don't know how she can sleep like that. Her hands are always so dramatic. Here look, I have proof:

Exhibits 1 & 2 (Hospital Pictures):

They didn't even pose her like that. She just ALWAYS has her hands up by her face. Heck, she even came out with her right arm right up there. That's why my labor wasn't progressing for a little while; her darn arm was in the way haha. I don't know why they put that goofy bear in the one picture though. She was like, a day old, what the hell does she need a teddy bear for? At least she looks happy.

Exhibit 3:

Like, do I even need to say anything? I mean seriously, just look at her posing.

Exhibits 4 & 5:

And this is how she SLEEPS! So dramatic. She just kills me. It's like she has such a personality already.

Speaking of sleep, she has been sleeping through the night since about 6 weeks (which we loooove), but she has been having some trouble falling asleep last night and tonight. Once she falls asleep she's fine, but in the process of going to bed, she keeps waking herself up by jerking around. I don't know what's going on. I'm sure it's just a phase, but she has her 2 month check up at the doctor's tomorrow, so I'll see what they say or suggest.

She does have to get shots at her appointment tomorrow :( poor thing. I'm sure there will be some tears, but hopefully tons of cuddling will make up for it.

A New Edition to the Family...

2009-05-26T15:17:00.003-04:00

Sooo, it's been a while since I updated this thing, but I decided I'd get back into it...or shoud I say I decided that WE'D get back into it...

Yes, yes, yes, she's herrrreeee! I had a little baby girl! Her name is Audrey and she's pretty freaking cute if I may say so myself. She was born on March 30, and since then we've been pretty busy getting into a routine--or at least attempting to. But I have made a conscious effort to keep updating this blog of mine. I don't know what exactly I'll write about, but I'll do it. I may focus more on what it's like to be a mom. Cause with parenting, every day it's something new. And it's crazy how one poopy diaper or dirty onesie can completely change the course .of your day.

But really, I've got to say, so far, it's so good :)

Jil Sander F/W 09

2009-03-01T17:20:00.002-05:00

[style.com]

Raf Simons creates some prettttttttyyy great clothing for Jil Sander. I love the flashes of color and the interesting shapes. I mean, how cool is that grey coat? The collection was more dramatic than what Simons normally does, but he still kept the minimalistic approach that the brand is known for.

Love this

2009-02-28T02:47:00.001-05:00

[knockedupcelebs.com]

Donna Karan F/W '09

2009-02-22T00:40:00.006-05:00

[style.com]

Oh, Donna Karan. The things you do with jersey.

Check It Out!!!!

2009-02-17T23:46:00.004-05:00

Loooook, it's me! On the cover of the Philadelphia Weekly!

I wrote a story a little while back about the first day that I found out I was pregnant. One thing led to another, and my Journalism and Society professor, George Miller (who also writes, takes photos, films videoes, etc. for PW as well as other Philadelphia publications) gave it to the editor of PW, Adamma Ince. She expressed an interest in publishing it, and I got to meet with her earlier this month. Then, it became the cover story!!! I got a friend of mine to do the photography. Her name is Elena Jasic, and she's really very talented. This whole process has been such a wonderful experience. Adamma is an inspiration as someone who's been through a similar situation herself and obviously succeeded.

I'm just so pumped!

Check out the story here :)

Jenni Kayne//Peter Som Fall '09

2009-02-12T22:49:00.004-05:00

[style.com (first two looks are Jenni Kayne Fall '09; the last two looks are Peter Som Fall '09]

Same season, different sense of what's "cool."

Jenni Kayne's looks are cool in an understated, I-wake-up-looking-this-chic kind of way, while Som's crazy prints take the more outrageous, in-your-face approach.

Regardless, I like them both. I don't know why I chose to post them together; I guess I just like the contrast.

Lily's back!

2009-02-10T22:57:00.003-05:00

[myspace.com/lilymusic]

I bought Lily Allen's new CD today on iTunes, and I've got to say I'm hooked. Her stuff is just so bubbly and fun without sacrificing wit and humor. Plus, she's moved beyond seeking revenge on a former lover, dissing him for being inadequate in bed, and scolding her little brother for smoking too much weed. Well, the size issue does still come up in "Not Fair," but in a different way. I mean, you wouldn't want her changing too much now would you?

How crazy is this dress??

2009-02-03T23:55:00.002-05:00

[style.com]

There is just something ridiculously awesome about this Jean Paul Gaultier dress from his Spring '09 couture collection.

J. Cauty & Son predict the endings to our favorite cartoons

2009-01-23T00:58:00.005-05:00

[hypebeast.com]

I've had these pictures on my computer since October but forgot to ever post them. They're from an exhibit in London by J. Cauty & Son entitled "Splatter." It's so funny in the creepiest way possible. I mean, the plot of all of the old Warner Brothers' Cartoons was simple: characters chased and TRIED to kill (or at least hurt) each other, but they never seemed to succeed. It's weird to think about the possible deaths of the characters and how gruesome the cartoons actually were. Is it weird that we live in a society where it's considered comedic entertainment to watch two animated creatures attempting to murder each other in the most ridiculous ways possible?

Guess who this is...

2009-01-21T22:54:00.008-05:00

[gofugyourself.celebuzz.com]

Have no fear; Charles Manson did not break out of jail. No, it's not John Lennon's semi-disheveled lookalike son, Sean. And no, Jerry Garcia did not come back from the dead. That's Joaquin Phoenix. YES, the evil guy in "Gladiator," Mel Gibson's little brother in "Signs," freaking JOHNNY CASH in "Walk the Line." You know, this guy...

What the hell did I miss? How did that happen? When did that happen? WHY did that happen? Let's just say I really hope that's for a role. I mean, I never thought Joaquin Phoenix was a total fox or anything, but seriously. I'm all for experimenting and being your own person, but really?! There is no reason to turn from a semi-attractive young man into a porky serial killer. No reason at all.

Unless you really have transformed from a semi-attractive young man to a porky serial killer.

CAT POWER IN DC!?

2009-01-21T20:55:00.004-05:00

[photo by Karl Lagerfeld, found on lastfm.com]

Cat Power is playing at the 9:30 Club in Washington D.C. on Sunday, February 8th, which just so happens to be 4 days after MY birthday. I HAVE to be there! I absolutely love Cat Power and have been obsessed with her ever since I was offered a free download of "The Greatest" like, 3 or 4 years ago. She has the most amazing voice, she's gorgeous, and I think she has a pretty cool personal style, too.

Read great interviews of her here and here, in which she discusses all different aspects of her life--from her growth as an artist and road to recovery from alcoholism to kissing Jude Law, being photographed by Richard Avedon, and becoming one of Karl Lagerfeld's muses.

Hellz Bellz

2009-01-18T14:39:00.007-05:00

[above: hellz-bellz.com (Holiday '08 collection)]

[below: myspace.com/rockthehellz (older collections)]

Hellz Bellz is a great streetwear brand that is becoming more and more fashionable. They seemed to have started out with t-shirts, hoodies, jeans, etc. but have graduated on to create cute seperates without losing sight of the staples (or the attitude) that made them famous in the first place. The photography of their collections is always really cool, depicting women who are badass but beautiful. I don't personally own any Hellz Bellz, but I always like seeing what they're coming up with.

Some Very Stylish Pregnancies

2008-11-30T20:00:00.009-05:00

[pictures from: katemossonline.com (3x); pursepage.com; hollyscope.com; blog.baghaus.com; latimesblog.latimes.com; usmagazine.com; babble.com; superficialgirl.com]

As my stomach--and more accurately, the little girl inside of it--continues to grow, it is becoming more and more difficult to find clothes that are both stylish and comfortable. But pregnancy doesn't have to mean sweats and baggy t-shirts, and all the women above are proof of that. Granted, all these celebrities are certainly working with a bigger budget, but I do think it's possible for anyone. I kind of love the last picture of Kate Moss just because it shows that even she let that lovely elastic waistband hang out occassionally. Thank God for leggings because I've been living in them recently. I'll post pictures if/when I finally get a camera :)

And wow, talk about following in your mother's footsteps...

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2008-11-28T00:06:00.000-05:00

Fall! by exquisite decay

In the spirit of the holiday, I made this set on polyvore.com. It's such a cool site! You can make different style-related collages (whether it be fashion, interior design, etc.) and publish them for all to see. They have a bunch of pictures available to choose from, but if there's an image you have in mind, you can upload that, too. In regards to fashion, it's like having your dream wardrobe to play with, except unfortunately, I don't actually own those YSL Tribute boots or that cool Gap anorak (go Gap!). I just started an account today and already created four sets. It's sooo incredibly addicting.

Ch-ch-check it ouuuut.

Hope you had a happy holiday :)

Well would you look at that :)

2008-11-23T18:23:00.001-05:00

Soooo, here are two glimpses of the lovely little girl who is currently residing in my stomach! Sorry for the poor quality; I just took pictures with my phone because I don't really have a camera. Yes, I'm pregnant! I'm coming up on week 22, and I already love her to death. It's a connection that I felt immediately upon seeing her heartbeat on the sonogram screen for the first time over three months ago. Though I'm currently trying to decide between parenting and adoption, my feelings towards her will never be broken. The thing is, I'm just not positive that at eighteen, I'm best suited to be her mother. All I want is what's best for her. She deserves a wonderful life, whether or not that life is spent with me.

Regardless, she's pretty darn cute :) Getting this ultrasound done was really entertaining actually. The first thing the technician saw was the baby sticking her tongue out! She kept moving all around, so the lady was having a really tough time getting all of the pictures that she needed. She said it was one of the most active babies she had seen in a long time. (My friends have predicted that she was doing everything from exercising to modeling to moshing.) At first, she said there was no way to tell the baby's sex since its foot was lodged up in its crotch blocking EXACTLY what we wanted to see. That flexible little bugger. However, by the time the doctor came in, the leg had moved slightly, revealing that it's (most likely) a girl!

Oh, and when is this little beauty planning on making her worldwide debut? April Fool's Day!! (No, seriously.) She's a little trickster already :)

Why Hello, Mrs. President!!!

2008-11-06T00:10:00.000-05:00

[(photos from) dailymail.co.uk; weblog.clvt.com ; gettyimages; abcnews.go.com; glamour.com; huffingtonpost.com; sanfranciscosentinl.com; digitaljournal.com; msnbc.msn.com; babble.com; washingtontimes.com; swamppolitics.com]

In the spirit of the election and our new first family, I thought Michelle Obama deserved some major kudos for some of her lovely fashion choices throughout her husband's campaign. Though I wasn't that crazy about the dress she wore for Barack's victory speech last night, I've been pretty impressed overall by her choices. Besides from being an inspirational woman in general, I think she dresses pretty well. She's one of those rare women who look comfortable and classy in whatever they're in. You can tell that she knows what works well for her body, so she sticks to those silhouettes without being boring. Ladylike dresses and skirt suits become modern with the use of some great accessories, such as bold necklaces. I really loved the floral Thakoon dress she wore to the Democratic National Convention (second row, second picture from right). Yet she doesn't depend on designer duds all the time, as proof from her jcrew.com ensemble on Jay Leno. I don't know, I just feel that she illustrates everything positive about the position of first lady. She's smart, she's got her own style, and she knows how to speak for herself. She's not one to blend in to the background, and I respect that. Hey, just because her husband has been elected 44th President of the United States doesn't mean he should get all the attention :)

I know it's cliche, but here's a closer look at the correlation between the styles of Jackie Kennedy and Michelle Obama. Maybe I just have a thing about first lady style; I saw an exhibit of Jackie's clothes at the Corcoran Gallery in, like, 2001 with my stepmom (a Kennedy fanatic) and it was sooo cool.

I'm all lost...

2008-10-26T21:06:00.000-04:00

[photos (clockwise from top left): SID AND NANCY sociallysour.org; THE CLASH drfeelgood.de; THE RAMONES rollingstone.com; DEBBIE HARRY spoiltvictorianchild.co.uk; THE SEX PISTOLS tcs.cam.ac.uk; THE CLASH theclashonline.com]

Lost in the Supermarket--The Clash
I'm all lost in the supermarket
I can no longer shop happily
I came in her for that special offer
A guaranteed personality

I wasn't born so much as I fell out
Nobody seemed to notice me
We had a hedge back home in the suburbs
Over which I never could see

I heard the people who lived on the ceiling
Scream and fight most scarily
Hearing that noise was my first ever feeling
That's how it's been all around me

I'm all lost in the supermarket
I can no longer shop happily
I came in her for that special offer
A guaranteed personality

I'm all tuned in, I see all the programmes
I save coupons from packets of tea
I've got my giant hit discoteque album
I empty a bottle and I feel a bit free

The kids in the halls and the pipes in the walls
Make me noises for company
Long distance callers make long distance calls
And the silence makes me lonely

I'm all lost in the supermarket
I can no longer shop happily
I came in her for that special offer
A guaranteed personality

And it's not here
It disappeared
I'm all lost

and in the present-day spirit of punk in the most fashionable sense:
[photo: jakandjil.com/blog]

Keep in mind that these Christian Louboutin for Rodarte heels, spiky as they may be, in essence go against everything that punk (originally an anti-fashion movement) once stood for, but hey, that doesn't take away from the fact that they're pretty freaking sweet.

Please Don't Vote

2008-10-06T21:18:00.000-04:00

This video is pretty clever and catchy. I like it. Too bad today was Pennsylvania's last day to register, but if your state is still registering people SEND IT TO YOUR FRIENDS!!

Best Lines:

Jonah Hill: "I've never fought a War on Drugs. I've never done shit on drugs besides play Halo 2."

Sarah Silverman: "You can literally register to vote while your pooping...if you have a laptop."

Lovin' me some Lanvin

2008-10-06T18:15:00.001-04:00

Oh, Alber Elbaz, why do you do this to me?? You torture me with your beautiful clothes, covetable footwear, and charming insights about your collection such as, "Whatever's happening now, it's the end of fake. What's not real will go. What we have to do now is make life easier for women" (style.com). I wish all men wore oversized bow ties and were this adorably sensative. Season after season, Elbaz REPRESENTS, and Spring '09 was no exception. I'm absolutely in loooove with this collection.

Here are some of my favorites:

If only I wasn't a poor college student...

Maybe I'll post about other collections I've liked as fashion month comes to an end, but for now, I thought you should know my current obsession.

(all pictures from style.com)

Cool Site Alert (besides the blog you're on of course)

2008-10-03T01:42:00.001-04:00

No, no, before you start thinking, "Wow, this girl takes some cool pictures," I must be honest wiht you. The real genius behind this awesome photography is former Dior Homme designer Hedi Slimane. Check out his site at www.hedislimane.com/diary. I think he has a really interesting perspective, and his pictures range from flowers, to superstars (yeah that's Kate and Amy up there), to skateboarders to...

...the Simpsons made of sand?!

He definitley doesn't limit himself to the expected.

(all photos from hedislimane.com/diary)