Indulging in a little retail therapy

Ok, so it was more than a little. But I swear I only made essential purchases and the "therapy" was greatly needed! My little brother, who also happens to be my best friend, went back to school this weekend and moved into his very first apartment! I honestly miss him already, which is pretty pathetic, but trust me if you knew the kid you would totally understand. I am sure many siblings feel that their sibling is the best ever, but mine really is! Matthew is by far the funniest, most caring and all-around most wonderful person I know! He never fails to make me smile and laugh, particularly when he knows I need it the most, which he more than anyone else always can tell. There has never been a moment in my life when I needed him and he wasn't there. The two of us have always been freakishly close, and usually our only fights occur when one of us feels like we aren't spending enough time together. I can tell him anything and know that not only will he patiently listen to my complaints, but he will tell me what I need to hear most and not just what he thinks I want to hear. He has always wanted to be a part of my life, even when I made it difficult on my family. Luckily, his school is only two hours away and because we are so close, I know that I will visit often. But, it was still really hard to drive away from his apartment on Saturday, mostly because I had just been hit in the gut with the realization that my "baby brother" is all grown up. I have no idea when this happened, but when I look at my handsome 6'1" baseball-player brother I see a man. A man that makes me proud every single day to be able point to him and say "that's my brother". A man that has matured into the kind of person that is absolutely adored by his peers and seems to take on a position of leadership among his friends so naturally. A man who is a born mediator and has a remarkable ability to easily diffuse tense situations, particularly within our family of strong-willed personalities. A man whose athletic talents combined with a quiet humility are beyond words. And most importantly, a man who even at the tender age of 19 gives me no doubt about the fact that he will one day be an absolutely incredible husband and father to a very lucky family. I am extraordinarily blessed to call this young man my brother, and I thank God every day for giving me this blessing. There is not a single human-being on this planet that I love more than him. I truly hope that I show him this every day and I hope that I can make him just as proud as he continually makes me. Matthew, even though you will probably never read this I love you so much bud and I will miss you while you are at William and Mary. See you in a few weeks!!

Well, I had intended this post to be about fashion, so forgive me for getting so mushy! Though the shopping couldn't completely take my mind off my brother's newly empty room, it certainly helped! Our local mall was lucky enough to have the first ever Bloomingdale's outlet open on Friday and Mom and I decided this was an event we couldn't miss! We both found some great purchases, including her Eileen Fisher pants, my 7 For All Mankind skinny jeans, coach wristlet and gorgeous navy blue Elie Tahari boyfriend blazer (pictures to come later). My fall must-have list now has three lovely check marks! We both agreed that the store had an awesome selection and the prices were terrific! The shoe and handbag section had us both drooling! Yet, the best part of this day had nothing to do with our major fashion scores. My mom and I had an amazing day together and it was wonderful to get to spend this quality  time with her. We haven't had that much one-on-one time lately, and even though a friend of hers went with us, it still reminded me of our special mother-daughter shopping trips we would take every year before school. I always looked forward to those trips, and I am sure she thought it was just because she was buying me great new clothes (and of course who wouldn't love that!), but to me they always had a much larger significance. It was a day that I got to have my mom all to myself, and because of the fact that my mom was a working mother and my brother and I were raised by a nanny, that meant a lot! I have never for a minute begrudged the decision my mom made to pursue her career because I know it was the right decision for her and I am immensely proud of all that my incredible mother has accomplished in the workplace. She gave me a wonderful example of how to balance family and career and I greatly admire her for that. But, I definitely valued those days when I got to spend time with my mom and didn't have to share her with anyone else. My mom has always been one of my best friends, and I valued her opinion on everything in my life, whether it was about clothes, boys, academic decisions or friend dilemmas. Our yearly shopping trips were always a time when I could pick her brain about all of these aspects of my life! I hope I showed her my appreciation of her time back then, but since I was a typical teen, it is very likely that it appeared to her that I took her time and generosity for granted. Hopefully, when she reads this blog (since she is still my biggest fan) she will realize how much every one of those long-ago shopping trips meant to me, and why it had very little to do with what we brought home in our bags. Much love to Barbara Wainman- the greatest shopping buddy, confidante and mother any girl could have! <3