nobody puts gigi in the remote control drawer

The other night we could not find gigi at bed time. This is a cause for great concern. We looked under everything, behind everything, in every pile. Ruby was sobbing "I need gigi to sleep". We tried to sub gigi out with "new gigi" but that was a no-go.

I had a mama intuition and opened up the drawer in the coffee table where we hide the remote controls. Somebody put gigi in there. So far nobody is fessing up.

Poor gigi.

sorry but gigi is busy

First of all his portrait is up on the wall of the Uncommon Grounds in Albany, NY in an art show by the lovely Jen Haley. She will paint your custom toy portrait if you like! This makes him feel giddy but he is also the center of buzz and attention which keeps him quite busy.

If you are in the Albany area and you can check out the show it is running from May 12 to June 23. Then in December 09 in the Saratoga Springs, NY Uncommon Grounds.


When gigi is not appearing in art shows he helps out in the kitchen.

happy birthday great gramps

Today is great gramps' birthday! Later on we will go to his house that he shares with great mammy and we will have a party! We get to wear our fancy dress and Ruby will be bringing her new digital camera to capture gigi + gramps. Look for updates later!

gigi will have his portrait painted

Gigi is very excited. He is going to have a one of a kind Gigi portrait painted! Jennifer Haley, a local mom and friend has been commissioned and we can't wait to hang this very treasured art in Ruby's room!

making newspaper hats

Pop-Pop was over and taught Gigi and Ruby how to make newspaper hats. It was a lot of fun!

spring ahead

"Gigi was a little shy of changing his clock because he made his Ruby do it. So funny- couldn't believe it."- direct quote from Ruby on changing the clocks forward one hour
Gigi is excited for spring.

gigi + gogo?

We have tried for a while now to get the baby hooked on something like her sister is hooked on gigi. For all of the times when it has been a pain to have gigi in our lives such as when we can't find him at crucial boo boo or bedtime moments, or when Ruby wants to bring him places she should not like school, restaurants etc, gigi has been a great pal and we love him (hence his own website). The baby could really use something to help her settle down sometimes.

So since we have 2 other stuffies like gigi around (because mommy bought 2 extra just in case), we are giving it a try. We call the one we have been forcing on the baby "gogo".

Here they all are enjoying popcorn and The Lion King on VHS. As you can see, little progress has been made as she is clearly not clutching him near and dear like Ruby is her gigi. Oh well, we will keep at it.

gigi better watch out

When Ruby isn't looking, baby sister covets Gigi big time. What is it about that Gigi?

Must be his unique scent.

delicious chinese food

Ruby won't eat mac 'n' cheese but she will go to town on some sashimi. She calls it "delicious chinese food" and it is so cute we don't correct her.

Recently she and Gigi had some together. A little salmon. Mommy cut up the sashimi so that she could take small bites. Gigi was in charge of the chopsticks.

why have a dalmation when you can have a gigi?

A long time ago Ruby was a firefighter for Halloween. Gigi went along for the trick-or-treating at Daddy's work. I remember her struggling to carry it all but she did it.

gigi+ruby Halloween 2006

one time...

Gigi had to go to Urgent Care. Well not Gigi exactly, but Ruby. Gigi was her faithful companion as always and she tucked him right inside her coat. She had a sore throat virus but was obviously feeling well enough to do her lion "roar" while we waited for the nurse to come back with the results of her rapid strep test.

This was this past December 08'. I try to keep the girls busy and distracted by taking camera phone photos at times like this.

happy valentines day to gigi love ruby

Ruby gave each of her little friends a hand made valentine. Funny thing is, every drawing (except for lovey's) looked like gigi. Lovey's was a rectangle colored in blue because that is what lovey looks like.

join gigi's fan club on facebook

click here

gigi and the big move

Here is Gigi in his last photo at the old house. He was excited to move out of the city but a little nervous.

So far Gigi has made some new friends. "Lovey"- a baby blue silk pillow sham from PB Kids, "Baby Sally",-an extremely heavy life-like doll given to Ruby from Nana when her baby sister was born, and "Bunny"- a small finger puppet bunny who wears "bajamas". Ruby sleeps with all of these buddies now (which has made her transition easier) but Gigi is still #1. His status has often been referred to as "The Family Gigi".

where did he come from?

Maybe you are wondering how Gigi came into our lives? I will tell you.

When Ruby was in mommy's belly, mommy was out shopping. The nursery was finished but mommy felt that it was missing something. Not being a fan of stuffed animals herself, mommy was hesitant to buy any, but there weren't really any soft toys for Ruby to cuddle with in the nursery so when she saw a basket of 4 for $20 TY Plushies mommy caved in. She figured she would be a "good mom" and scooped up 4 to take home and put in the toy bucket in the lovely green nursery. Mommy would have much rather had her first baby's lovey be a funky, handmade, non-mass produced item, but sometimes you don't get to choose these things. They choose you.

4 TY Plushies came home that day. TY is the company who makes Beanie Babies, and these are larger but still floppy, squishy, well- plushy lovies.

There was a monkey, a brown bear, a tropical fish, and an orange koala bear.

The koala bear looked like this-




Now, after almost 5 years of good lovin' he looks like this and I couldn't even tell you where the monkey, bear, or fish is.

gigi way back

Here is a Gigi spotting from our old blog, Because I Said So. We had so many lovely readers but mommy decided it was time to switch things up. So now Ruby has her The Adventures of Gigi blog and mommy has her work website.


Nobody Puts Gigi In The Microwave



12.27.07 (Ruby age 3 1/2)
"Gigi" is the lovey. He is Ruby's prized possession even though she put him her new play microwave. His middle name is "Nuckynuckhead". Poor Gigi.

I rescued him but not before taking this photo. Her hair? That my friends is her new "Six Toty Hair Do" that she requested after receiving a bazillion toty's (this is what we call a hair elastic in our family) from her cousin Siri for Xmas.

you may be wondering....

Why a lovey deserves his own blog.

Well you can read about all of this on the sidebar, but last night during a show at the theatre, we decided that it is about time.

For years now (pretty much 3), there has been chatter about Gigi getting his own website. Really, his own book. A roaming Gigi if you will. The Adventures of this little fellow who makes Ruby so happy. He is everywhere. Sneaking into photos, sneaking into backpacks and coats when he is supposed to be home. He has been to the beach, the movies, he is a very faithful companion.

During Cirque Eloize at the theatre he kept lifting his head up so he could see the magical display of acrobatics, song, and dance. Ruby helped by holding him up during all of the good parts, and she whispered into his ear to remind him just how spectacular it all was.



Here is Gigi at the theatre. More from Gigi's past and present will pop up on the blog so you can see just how special he is.




When a tired Ruby was waiting in the lobby for her grandfather (Faashie) to pick her up they leaned against the wall to rest.

when ruby is at school

Gigi and his friends wait patiently. That is "papa bear" on the right. He was made out of Ruby's great grandfather's sport coat after he passed away when she was 9 months old. Then there is the Gnome jack-in-the-box that Ruby insisted on giving her baby sister for her first birthday. He sits atop a vintage Babar book. It was Ruby's mommy's book when she was little.