Awakened the demons....

I'm afraid that I have awakened the demons. The "priss" demons.
I took Avonlea to get her first "professional" manicure at a local kids salon. It was pretty darn cute. They give the kids a prize, and a nailpolish to take home, and Avonlea got to sit and have her little nails soaked, massaged, and painted all for a well worth it $5 tab. We will be going back.
Suddenly, all she wants to wear are dresses, walk around in Mommy's heels, and get her nails done. :) It's ok. I don't mind. I'm sure Auntie Sarah will be having her throwing a ball around in no time. :)

Color Me Happy....

It was a cloudy day, but the air was warm and so we broke out the sidewalk chalk that I have been waiting to open since last fall. Then Papa stopped by to color on the driveway with us and play a short game of teeball with my little muffin. We finished this glorious evening covered in chalk, dirt, and slurping down not one, but TWO "pos-i-cals" after dinner. ;)

It's days like these that make me feel like the Mom that I want to be, in-between the to-do lists, grocery shopping, errands, chores.












Stay tuned....there is more where this came from....

embarrassing story #1

I knew that it would happen.
My parents have a slew of stories about my sister and me and how much we embarrassed them out in public. Truth: most of those stories were of Sarah doing the embarrassing....actually....I'm fairly certain ALL of those stories were of Sarah.

I digress....

I always knew it would happen. I have been blessed with a mostly very happy, very friendly, coy and flirty little babe, especially out in public. And so, I haven't really had a terrible we-are-leaving-this-store-right-now meltdown, and she just started stringing words together enough for her non-mommy and non-daddy relatives to finally understand. Thus, I thought I had a little more time. Just say'in. Wrong.

Cue story #1....

We are out to dinner at a favorite pizza place...my parents, my sister, and the babe and me. It is 2 hours post-bedtime. Babes is bordering freak-out mode, and after one injury-induced meltdown, and mommy's scolding about how we can not, in fact, leap from her high chair to her grandmother like a little flying squirrel, I attempt to distract.

mommy (wide eyed and feigning excitement): Avonlea, would you like to take a bath tonight or a shower with mommy in the morning???
* internal dialogue: please say shower, please say shower...its so late and (mommy needs a break) you need to go to bed. *

avonlea (thoughtful):..... hmm...shower...mommy.

m: good answer! remember the last time we took a shower, and we played with your alphabet letters in the tub?

a: yes.
*pause*
*pause*
and i wash mama's BUTT.

m: *blink...blink*
yes.
*pause*
yes. you did wash mommy's butt.

a: and 'gina!

m: *huge blink, stifling laughter as Avonlea beams with pride*
yes. yes, you did wash mommy's vagina. thank you. and thank you for sharing that.


there was a lot of oh-my-god-i-cant-breathe-from-laughing-so-hard minutes after that little gem.

let the fun begin!

and oh we will be a'bloomin'....

The babe is getting bigger. Soon, I wont be able to call her "the babe", and she will become "the girl". My heart already breaks for that change.
Things have been....I don't even know what to call them. Let's just say that we have all been getting used to things and this new way of life. And in the sadness, I haven't felt like taking many photographs.

Until spring came and whispered it's warm breath upon us last week, even with the sleepy snow still on the ground.
So, the babe and I went outside, sans jackets, to splash a bit in the puddles and revel in the sweet smell of wet earth and emerging crocuses.

When I uploaded the photographs tonight, I realized that I still had christmas photographs that I hadn't even looked at yet. And so I will share my two favorites of the babe, although there are some fine family moments on that upload. Maybe we will save those for another day.

We need a little spring in these parts... it's time to wash away the winter and melt away the snow and ice.
It's time for new beginnings.
New roots with gorgeous blooms.

*and oh, there will be some gorgeous bloomin' going on in these parts*

It's time.

We're getting there. We are holding our own, don't you worry about us.
And we feel these soft winds of love that you keep blowing our way. And it gets us through the hard days. And it gets us through the amazing days. So, thank you.

And so I say goodnight...it's time to get some sleep....I hear there's some sunshine coming our way.

:)

Avonlea meets Benji

We traveled up to see my friend Blair and her new baby, Benji.

Feast your eyes on this little butterball.

Avonlea's in love.

so am i.

I need more vacations like this. Blair is good for my soul, and the babies are good for our hearts.

Thank you, B. For lifting me up when I needed a little sunshine.

We can't wait to see you again.

musings....

Driving...

Mama: "Avonlea...look in that field...do you see all of those geese?"

Avonlea: "yeah!"

Mama: " they have to fly away when it gets cold. Where do you think they are going?"

Avonlea: ".......to Santaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

:)

my delicious little elf

What do you get when you pair $1 leggings from target with some froggy boots and the cutest cloth diaper ever?

This is what....

Some of you may think it's cruel to dress your toddler up like an elf...but man.....she is so delicious! How can I not? besides....she had more fun than I did. :)

I know I haven't posted in forever. But life is sad here in my little gingerbread house. And I have been trying to be the very best mommy that I know how to be.

And that requires $1 target leggings. and froggy boots. and silly photo shoots. and gingerbread cookies while cozying up under our favorite blanket watching Elmo's Happy Holidays video. Over and over. And over.

When I'm with my littlest elf, things here aren't so sad. And everything is merry and bright.

So Merry Christmas....

Enjoy your holidays, whatever it may be, with full bellies and new memories. Lots of love, overflowing hearts, and laughter. I know we will.

And may all your Christmases be white...

MUAH!

my little star

This is what happens when your 20 month old puts the star on the tree.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

I am loving this christmas season, sucking the marrow out of every moment. She is so fun, so little, so smart....

I cannot WAIT to see her face on christmas morning. :)

Merry christmas!!!

reds for benji

In anticipation of my best friend's baby due mid november, I had a little photo shoot during Avonlea's nap time one day.

Blair told me she was doing her nursery in whites, creams, and wood with hints of red and vintage finds. So, that got me a'thinkin....

Avonlea and I went shopping in the morning for some vintage-y reds, and found them in this little truck, some crayons, and this fun double decker bus. I set up shop on my porch railing with my 50mm lens, a macrofilter, and some good ol' fashioned sunshine.

Here are my finished products...I had them printed and framed and gave them to Blair for her birthday.

I can't wait to meet Benjamin, and hope he loves his prints as much as I do!

Care Bear- I expect to see pictures of this infamous nursery soon!

:)

love you!