All posts by Dottie

Retro Round Up :: Beach Time!

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I don’t know about you, but with the sun shining like this, all I want to do is pack everything up and head for the beach! So, I’ve taken that as my inspiration for today’s Retro Round Up.  All things beach/pool/nautical inspired. ENJOY!

Even if you can’t enjoy the pool, I hope you can at least indulge your Barbie with this sweet vintage 1973 pool that can actually hold water so Babs can take a proper dip! From Etsy seller, Saturday Morning Matinee.

What is a trip to the beach without a sand bucket? Nothing!  And fortunately, there are quite a few darling vintage ones that add a nice bit of charm to any sand castle building fun.  I love the nursery rhymes around the edge of this one! From Etsy seller, Miss Chore Girl.

Look no further than here for the perfect beach robe. So cozy and made of absorbent terry cloth.  Plus the little duck print is too cute for words! From Etsy seller, Cindy’s Cozy Clutter.

OK, I’m going bananas over this little beach outfit for a 2-3 year old. Matching bloomers aren’t shown, but it is on sale and I’m sure it will go fast! From Etsy seller, Lulu’s Frou Frou.

These little plaid swim trunks are a great find! $20 each and in outstanding condition too. YEAH! From Etsy shop, Antiquesingmar.

This little hand-smocked sun hat is so darling for either a boy or a girl! From Etsy seller, InzeOdelia.

Miss Lish always has the cutest stuff! And this little bowtastic swimsuit is too cute not to share!  Especially thanks to the sweet modeling job by Miss Tova. LOVE!

Why not settle down at the beach with a good read, like this one? Oh, those Bobbsey twins! From Etsy seller, Greta’s Girl Den.

Or, you could just make your own with this wonderful pattern! I’d buy it just for the hat pattern!  Imagine a full matching outfit of amazingness! Yes, please! From Etsy seller,

This little sailor sun suit is a little cup of heaven if you ask me!  Sooo darling! From the gloriously named Etsy seller, Disco Divas.

Happy Monday!

Sweet vintage finds to make you smile

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Well, friends, I’m back!  And raring to go and share some sweet finds with you.  Oh friends, who doesn’t need a smile or two or ten! So, I found these little gems that I hope will not only make you smile but maybe end up in your kiddo’s closet soon!

Fuzzymama’s shop is brimming over with awesomeness, including this great table tennis set from NERF!

How cute are these little bookends? Total Irmi extreme darlingness! From Etsy seller, Olivia Vintage Kids.

Right now the Peach is going through a crazy vintage tiki phase and I’m always searching from great Hawaiian prints and this one was too cute not to share with you, my fine friends!  From Etsy seller, DeerHeart11.

This rain coat? Unbelievable.  I think Boden/J.Crew/Kate Spade needs to hop on this and make adult copies of this amazing little raincoat. From Etsy seller, Pretty Tidy Vintage.

For the musically minded baby, this darling little tee is a great find… From Etsy seller, Oliver’s Forest.

Etsy seller, BabyShapes, is one of my favorite and I can always count on finding some goodies there and I’m head over heels for this little shirt tank from the sixties.

The Peach is a big fan of kitties and I can never say no to a cute book featuring kitties–so two vintage kitty books makes my heart go pitter pat! From Etsy seller, Potato Cake Vintage.

Summer short sets were popular 50 years ago and they should come back, but until then, you can get this sweet combo of cuteness from Salvage House. Too darling for words!

Oh boy, this little green striped cardi is the cutest thing ever.  I think I need a little boy to buy this for! From Etsy seller,  Bug & Bear Vintage.

Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle, the cow wanted this darling little dressie! And who wouldn’t? From Etsy seller, Willow’s Room.

Happy Monday, folks and I’m so glad to be back!

Love and heartbreak.

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My apologies for being absent from Modern Kiddo this past month.

As I mentioned earlier, my Dad was diagnosed with mantle cell leukemia in late March and I took the month of June off from work to help care for my father in Florida and Boulder.

Sadly, my beloved Dad died last Friday. His obituary ran in the New York Times today.  Unfortunately it doesn’t include the fact that he was the most supportive, loving Dad in the world who kept every crappy piece of pottery I made, would send me back my letters from college red-penned with edits, and came up with a dance called The Buzzard that Morris Day ripped off and called The Bird.  My mom said it best—the heart of our family has been ripped out.  And it hurts. A lot.

Thank you so much, friends, to everyone who reached out to me during the last month. Every hug, comment, text, email, call was so so appreciated. And especially big thanks to Alix, who has been running this site with amazing grace for the past few weeks since I’ve been out.

As you can imagine, I am gutted wit grief and still in shock—it all happened so fast—and will probably take at least the next week or so off from posting to focus on mourning and being with my family.

Thank you all for understanding.

The Last Father’s Day.

Real Life : Dottie

A couple of months ago, I found out my Dad had mantle cell leukemia–stage 4.  It is a very aggressive cancer and unfortunately, it is winning.  Dad was too ill to get the next round of chemo, so I am currently with him and my mom helping him through hospice. I am typing this through tears.

This will be my last Father’s Day with him. So, I thought it fitting to run this piece I wrote last year.

……………..

A couple of weeks ago, I found the picture above of my Dad from his days at Newsweek and had to share it. Actually I wanted to share more than just this picture. I wanted to talk a bit about how amazing my Dad is. I know everyone’s dad is amazing, but I’m glad this guy is my Dad.  He is always there for me.  A voice of sanity in an, at times, very shaky world.

So, I decided to enter him in SF Chronicle writer (and parenting blogger) Peter Hartlaub’s “My Father’s A Hipster” contest, with the following blurb that had to be under 100 words:

Here is a picture of my Dad from his days working for Newsweek in L.A. Equally comfortable hanging out with cast of Laugh In or a few Black Panthers, my Dad rocked the seventies with his outstanding style that would make Andre 3000 jealous. He is the only man I know who uses the phrase, “that cat” and actually sounds cool saying it. Even though he spent my childhood traveling and working late covering major news stories of the seventies and eighties, he always made me feel like I was front page news—above the fold even.

PS: But he still corrects my grammar. Once an editor always an editor…

Of course, he’s so much more than 100 words.  He was THE first black journalist hired full time at Newsweek, breaking color lines in the sixties. He was mentored by Katherine Graham from the Washington Post. He was a founding member of the National Association of Black Journalists which later became known as the Maynard Institute. He has won a Pulitzer for his work. And, folks, he interviewed Cher in the seventies. CHER!

But more important than that, my dad attended my Father Daughter Valentine’s Day dance in second grade and when he found out that any girl with a heart sticker under her folding chair got a special surprise, my dad overturned every chair until he found one with a heart sticker on it.

He crammed $50 in my hand before prom as “mad money”. Here is how the conversation went:

Dad: “Do you know what mad money is?”

Me: “No.”

Dad: “It’s for when you get mad at your date and need to get out of there. BE SAFE!”

He said I was, “the second most beautiful bride he’d ever seen.” I love him so much for that alone.

And when I was recently stressed over my career he said, “to be truly responsible, you need to be responsible for yourself first.” Clearly the man has a way with words.

I could go on and on and share more and more pictures, if only my parents weren’t so tightfisted with the slides. But here’s another one of his Newsweek photos I love.

But back to the contest. The “winner” has yet to be decided, but Dad’s pic did make the front page of the SF Chronicle’s Style Section.  Who could say no to that bow tie?

Happy Father’s Day, Dad! Thanks for being a wonderful example of how to be a working parent and make the most of each and every moment.

I love you!

PS: He didn’t win!  He was ROBBED!  No offense, but c’mon! I talked to Peter about this and even he acknowledges the total radness of Dad.

June is busting out all over!

Retro Round Ups!

{Friends, our sweet Dottie is still in Colorado with her family dealing with some rather heavy, emotional things….yet somehow she managed to pull together a Retro Roundup for everyone. We love you and we’re thinking of you Dottie. xoxoxo }

Well, friends, it’s been a heck of a June.  But throughout this crazy month, I found a few wonderful little items that I think you’ll enjoy as we cruise into warmer weather.

For example this little nautical number is just begging to go to America’s Cup! From Etsy seller, Vintageous102607.

How much is that doggie on the adorable dress?? From Etsy seller, Sweet Shop Vintage.

Yee haw! This would be perfect if you plan on taking a kiddo to Tiki Oasis with its Hulabilly theme. From Etsy seller, Little Mitten.

I’m really not that big a fan of bikinis, but this one—well, I’m a BIG fan of this sassy one! From Etsy seller, Little Sister Vintage.

These little shorts have some big personality. Perfect for summer! From Etsy seller, Lil’ Milli Jayne.

Bubble bath cuteness going on here!  And word games too! From our girl, Lishyloo.

The name says it all in this shape matching game. From Etsy seller, Fuzzymama.

Gus was a ghost of Latino descent who clearly loved kitties. This book is clearly a page turner.  From Etsy seller, Baby Shapes.

photo gusghost.jpg

It is after Memorial Day now, so your kiddo can wear these white beauties with pride! They are so darn cute! From Etsy seller, Vintagesellect.

Happy Monday!