friday five: sweet little things i’m loving lately for lydia

Having a little girl is like living with a little doll who lets you dress her up, and it’s even better when she loves jewelry and tiaras and and has an affinity for anything and everything gold, sparkly and girly!  While I’ve loved every stage of motherhood, I have to say, this one is definitely my favorite, so far.  As we approach Lydia’s SECOND birthday way to quickly (HOW did that happen so fast?!) I’m loving the girly girl phase we have been in; she loves nothing more than to pile on the jewelry and head outside to dig in the dirt.  I’m also loving all the goodies my mother and I have squirrelled away for her – things that belonged to me as a baby (My grandmother was a master seamstress and made a lot of my clothes, which Lydia is wearing a lot of these days!) and things that belonged to my momma (check out the Nancy Drew books below).  I hope she loves tradition and sentiment as much as I do because this is just the beginning for her!  In lieu of a regular Friday Five post, I thought I’d share a few other sweet little things I’m loving for her lately, instead:

Every one of original Nancy Drew’s in my mom1’s collection has been given to my little miss.  Surface space is at a premium in the nursery, so, until baby girl is fully potty trained and we no longer need the changing pad, they will remain in the living room on my bookshelves, where they make me immensely happy every time I walk past them!  For today, though, a few of them are looking mighty fine in the cast iron bunny bookends my mom got her for Christmas last year:

Bunny bookends from Anthro; Gilded “L” from Hobby Lobby.

I have major envy over the most perfect, worn-in chambray shirt that hangs in my toddler’s closet.  I bought it in three sizes last year at H&M so that I would have a couple years covered; I just wish they would make one for grownups because it is the softest thing baby girl owns, not to mention it’s the perfect shade of pale blue.  I know it’s wrong to have an attachment to clothing but seriously, is this not the cutest little thing you ever did see?

Mermaid from Pottery Barn; Superhero print from Etsy.

My mother found this darling little handpainted tea set (which comes in an equally adorable wicker case) on our girl’s weekend to Charleston a few months back and bought it for Lydia.  We put on lots of jewelry and tiaras and sit at her kiddie table, eating cookies and sipping with our pinkies out while I hover like a crazy person in case she gives a piece a toss or sets it down too hard. 

This brass mermaid sign from Gypsy Warrior was too cute to pass up.  It will eventually make a great addition to her gallery wall, once I finally get around to hanging it up!

I went to clean out Lydia’s closet a few weeks ago and realized that the kid had more outerwear than her momma, as pea coats, vests and, of course, denim jackets, seemed to take up half of her closet.  Most of them were gifts, but, just like the chambray shirt above, I did buy denim jackets in three different sizes from Baby Gap to last me for a while and it has really come in handy, as she wears them pretty much all year long!  I try to only buy staples for her and well-made, adorable coats make getting dressed to go out so much easier; the camel pea coat with cat pockets and faux fur vest are my current favorites:

Cat pea coat and faux fur vest from H&M; Denim jacket from Gap.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!