Wednesday, February 19, 2014

everyday gold

(jewelry dish for my most worn)

I love jewelry but I tend to forget to wear what I have. I seem to always wear the same pieces, tossing on my same to-go items. What I love most about jewelry is that you can keep little trinkets with you at all times. I guess that means I'm a little sentimental, but if I can be sentimental with a little ring or locket, I suppose that's better than an attic full of keepsakes. Though I'm probably headed in that direction now that I'm a mother.

There are a few things I've worn every day for years. It is so hard to image ever changing that, though I'm sure I will. I'm sure the things I'm sentimental about now will go to the backseat with the first department store mother's day necklace chosen by Levi.

I also love how jewelry can tell a story. Unlike clothing, you can wear if for years and years, and keep that story, memory, or trip with you. It makes for the perfect heirloom, souvenir, or gift that can take you back or keep someone who is gone close to you.


I used to wear a gold mini silver dollar my dad gave to my mom when they were newly married, but I thought I lost it. My mom thoughtfully offered this charm to replace it, carefully selecting a chain from a shop in Chicago to perfectly match the gold. She gave it to me for my 25th birthday the year she died. She purchased the charm in Sardinia when we lived there for a year when we were kids, and is an emblem from the island. It is one of the most special things I own. I did find the other necklace, so now I have both.


I also wear these earrings everyday without fail, unless it's some kind of special occasion. I don't even know where I got them, but I think they were a gift from my parents when I was in middle school. Possibly eighth grade graduation. I vaguely remember that they are from JC Penny or Target. I've had them for so long I feel naked without them on.

 (Western Electric Co. employee appreciation charm bracelet for 20 years of service to the company)


These next two pieces are new to me. My Aunt let my sister, cousins, and I peruse our great Aunt's Jewelry that was passed down to her over the holidays. The charm bracelet is an employee gift from Western Electric I'm guessing from sometime in the 1970s. There is a charm for 10, 15, and 20 years of service to the company, with the larger end charm a heavy gold with a diamond. I LOVE this bracelet. I love that a company designed jewelry as a gift for their employees. I love that people actually stayed at jobs for that long. I try to wear it as much as I can.

The second is a very cheap hammered gold pinky ring. It has little half moon impressions. I also took this from the Great Aunt's stash over the holidays. I had been wanting something just like it, but didn't even know how to go about finding it. So when I saw it staring back at me in the jewelry box, I snatched it right up. She must have had little fingers like me because it wouldn't have fit anyone else anyways.


I have lots of other favorites with sentimental value, but my other go to favorite right now is this little bangle from Madewell. Nothing special, but just my taste.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

six months


I'm a week late on this post, but I've been thinking about it for a while now. I keep thinking, 'oh I need to include that in my post,' and as soon as I take note, Levi is off doing something new again. He has progressed leaps and bounds this past month. Everything has changed so so fast. He started the month hardly rolling, just starting solids, still needing a bit of supervision while sitting, and basically staying in one place when I put him down. He's ended the month with a hearty appetite for so many foods (sticking with all fruits and veggies at this point), sitting up for as long as he wants, dashing around in his walker, holding himself up standing, rolling around all over, and just beginning that pre-crawl scooch. We've gone from sleep regression to sleeping through the night (!) back to sleep regression (sigh). He's become such a mama's companion, loving to be held and carried by me. Naps in bed with me always result in his longest, most restful sleeps. He seems so much older than before. So much more in control. So curious and always the explorer. He loves interacting with books and joking around with us. He loves to splash and roll in the tub. Not only do I love him more than ever, I really like this kid.

The Deets at Six Months 

Levi is
  • 17lbs 12oz, 28in tall. He is average weight but in the 94th percentile for height. Skinny mini. 
  • Eating purred apple, pear, plum, peaches, prune, squash, sweet potato, zucchini, and peas. Eating cut up banana and avocado. He loves them all and prefers to hold the spoon (or drink from the bowl) himself.
  • 'Drinking' water from a cup 
  • Starting to get a tad clingy (which I secretly love)
  • Wearing 9 month clothes
  • Growing out of his infant car seat. After a lot of research, we just purchased the Britax Marathon G4 Convertible care seat.
Levi loves
I'm loving
Getting a handle on this working mom balance will forever be a struggle I think, but I so cherish the time I get to see Levi in the day, even if it means late nights. I'm looking forward to getting out more with Aaron this coming month, and seeing Levi crawl. Somehow I continue to love him more and more, and cannot wait for this next stage.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Peridot



I'm not really a big birthstone person. Mine is ruby which is terribly expensive, and I think the color is either too girly (pink) or too garish (bight red). Not that I wouldn't mind having a large beautiful ruby ring that is just the right color, but I'm not expecting that to come around any time soon.

Both Levi and my mom have August birthdays, and thus share the birthstone peridot. My mother hated her birthstone, so as a result so did I. She never wore it, and disparaged the stone as an "ugly green" whenever it was brought up. I typically agreed- I usually saw it in bight brassy gold settings that off-set the light limey green in a sort of citrus way or in a silver setting that seemed the cheapen the whole look somehow. 

So when Levi was born in August I didn't even think of the stone. He's a boy anyways and I didn't like the stone. Today though there was a post on Design*Sponge on peridot and it made me think of the stone in a new light. Here's a snippet:

"Peridot is one of the only gemstones that comes in only one color: olive green. Depending on the iron count in the gem, though, gems can appear pale yellow/green all the way to a rich deep olive color (the most prized version). While the origin of the name “Peridot” is unclear (some people think it comes from the Arabic word "faridat", which means “gem”), it’s clear that this particular gemstone has been around – and popular – for a long time. Peridots were mentioned in the Bible (as “Pitdah” in Hebrew) and are believed to have been first discovered in Egypt, though they’re now sourced worldwide. Fun facts? So far, peridot is the only gemstone found in meteorites..."

My grandmother had a beautiful ring that has her and her husband's, and her children's birthstones. I do love it and can imagine having something for me to wear with Levi's stone. Maybe it's worth giving it another try.
                                                                                             *image from Design*Sponge, designed by Max Tielman

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