Ballerina Diaries

It all started with Siella’s first ballet class at 2 years old, when I noticed a spark inside her. Since then, ballet and dance classes have evolved into quite the deal in our house. Gemma now follows in her big sister’s footsteps, and watching the girls share these young new experiences together melts my heart.

The girls are enrolled in three classes this semester, so the studio, Downtown Dance Factory, has pretty much become our second home. as it’s safe to say we are there all the time. The teachers are warm and friendly, and our days spent there are some of our favorite times of the week. Parents are allowed to sit in the room during the younger dance classes, while older pupils can be observed from large windows, outside each studio. Moving from Siella to Gemma’s class makes me realize how quickly time has passed, and it’s amazing to see how much the girls have already taken away from their young passion.

Whether my girls are in the studio or out in the park, tutus are on a constant rotation in their wardrobe. And when it comes to tutus, I have been a fan of Monica + Andy for sometime, and I am swooning over these Prima Ballerina Dresses from the moment I took them out of the box. In the upcoming weeks, we have a date to see The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center, and these dresses will be the perfect attire.

Since the girls received their dresses, they have asked to wear them every single day. Siella wore her dress three times last week, once with leggings, another time with stocking, and another with pants and a cardigan layered on top. In the photos, she is wearing the cherry hue, and Gemma has the wisteria. Their marigold colored frock is next on my list, and with cotton lycra fabric and adjustable straps, I can see these dresses in our wardrobe for a long time to come.

Apart from these adorable dresses, Monica + Andy offers an adorable line for babies, which includes pint sized dresses, plenty of onesies, hats, cardigan, cozy blankets, and layette sets.

Here in NYC, they recently launched their “We Deliver When You Deliver” Box Sets. Simply choose from their curated collection of hand-wrapped Cuddle Boxes, and they will ship to hospitals, baby showers, or offices, via their same-day delivery service. With all the bringing home baby essentials you need in one package, the hospital boxes allow you to focus on the important things, like cuddling your newborn. These boxes are ideal for all of my expecting friends! (Update: this service is no longer available.)

With a selection of 4 curated boxes and 12 beautiful layette combinations, sending a gift for a baby shower or directly to the hospital for baby’s first trip home is made super easy as well as beautiful.

And guess what? I have teamed up with Monica + Andy, and we are giving away 2 Cuddle Boxes to 2 lucky SITC readers! Simply head over to this link, and enter to win!! We will announce a winner November 28th! (Update: giveaway closed.)