Archive for January, 2010
Why on earth would I think doing an outdoor photo shoot on a nice-ish January day is a good idea?
Especially when the monolithic swingset is singing its siren call tuned to just the right pitch to ensure that Ava will be drawn to it and our photo session will suffer an early death.
Here she is giving us her “That Girl” pose as she walks to her chair.
And, you know, she’s gotta check her lipstick before getting started.
Uh-oh. The Sirens begin their sweet, sweet song.
And off she goes with a skip and a hop…
before being unceremoniously hauled back like a sack ‘o potatoes by Daddy.
We try again…
and again…
before finally accepting the inevitable and getting the best darn shot of the day – totally unposed and unplanned.
P.S. Skirt and hat look familiar?
April 2009 @ 25 Months Old
We tell her this a lot. Oftentimes it’s said immediately following a hairstyling session in order to encourage her to actually keep the hard fought hairbows in place for more than 15 minutes, but I’ve been known (often) to spout it out at seemingly random moments simply because she IS so pretty (understatement). I do try to also tell her she’s so smart, so kind, so sweet, so everything because I don’t want her turning into a narcissistic teen (oh wait, they all do anyway I think) who is focused only on appearance…but I’m pretty much guilty as charged of repeatedly telling her how beautiful she is.
Did I mention she’s turned into quite the little mimic? I kind of get it now why people own parrots because it’s uber cool when any little creature (bird or kid) starts talking even if they are just ‘parrot’ing your lines back to you.
Did I also mention that she hasn’t quite grasped the concept of inside and outside voice?
Which means that when she tells me (and everyone close by) that I’m so pretty at 130 dB (minimum) while shopping at WalMa*rt I can’t really decide whether to melt into the floor due to embarrassment or because she’s so sweet that I just dissolve into a sappy puddle of momness. Especially since the WalMa*rt visit in question was immediately following my first post-op appointment and I was definitely not looking my best. No matter how I tried to shush her she would reach up and touch my cheeks and tell me (and others) again and again that “you so pretty, Mama.” J loved it, of course, and refused to help me distract her.
Now I’ll be the first to admit that I’m no raving beauty. In fact, I mostly got by with cute for a number of years which is (I think) code for you’re young, petite, and have cool hair but you’re not exactly traditionally pretty. I’m now old(er), have graying hair, am 20 pounds heavier than I want to be and I dress for comfort (read dressing for comfort as slobbish) any chance I get…but in my daughter’s eyes I am pretty and that’s more than enough for me.
Notice the crib in yesterday’s photos?
See anything different?
Guess who’s now in a toddler bed. And loving it.
Me? Not so much. I didn’t want to do this quite yet – not because I want to keep her a baby (except I really do) but because she likes her crib. She sleeps well in it and has never so much as made an attempt to climb out so I was planning to keep her in the crib until she was at least 16 (or until she didn’t fit anymore). Unfortunately my surgery made it impossible to lift her over the side and with J’s imminent return to work we had to make the change.
I expected the first nap would be traumatic.
Or not, apparently. She read her book, rearranged her stuffed animals to her liking, and promptly went to sleep.
And yes, the crib bumper is still in there. She likes it and it keeps her head from bonking into the bars so I’m all for it.
Of course, she was eager to take her nap because a playdate with Izzy was planned at a local playground for later that afternoon. It was warm (for January) and we wanted to get out for a little while. It was only my second post surgery excursion but I knew that between J and our friends someone would be able to chase her if needed while I sat down and watched/took pictures.
Thank heavens for her new BFF, Alexis – who is Isabelle’s older (teenage) sister.
She did the lion’s share of the toddler chasing and entertaining – leaving us parents to chit-chat and observe the goings-on. And allowing just enough time for me to slowly freeze to one spot on the bench since the sun disappeared shortly after our arrival and the temp dropped dramatically. I always seem to underestimate the effects of major surgery as J had to nearly drag me to the car as I was so sore from sitting in one place and so tired from being out for about an hour. An HOUR! What a wuss, eh.
Although it was awfully cute seeing Ava try to help me up, complete with a demonstration of how to stand, and support me as I hobbled/limped/walk-crawled back to the car. What a sweet baby, oops – I mean big girl – she is.
We read a lot around here. I buy books in bulk at a thrift store by my mom’s house every time I’m there (seriously – in bulk since they’re 4 for $1 and I’m not terribly picky on what I read as long as it doesn’t have Harlequin anywhere on the front cover). I probably have 100 or so paperbacks waiting to be read, along with another 25 waiting for me on the Kindle app on my iPhone. I do have a Kindle too – except it’s kind of been hijacked by J. Although, in all honesty, I don’t mind that he’s using it more than I am these days. I download and read them on my phone and he can read the same books on the Kindle. It’s kind of cool.
I digress.
Ava has a ton of books. I’m constantly buying them for her and, subsequently, reading them to her. Some we read a lot – I’ve pretty much memorized all of the Boynton and Carle books – and some new favorites are popping up, like Clifford and anything featuring Skippyjon Jones (heck, I love Skippyjon myself). Ava will also happily read to herself, to us, and when there’s no one else available, to anything who will listen. Dogs, cats, whatever. It’s so cute to watch her as she can get very animated when she’s reading out loud – - and also very fussy if she feels you aren’t paying the proper amount of attention. Reminds me of my 6th grade school teacher. I bet if Ava had a ruler she’d be smacking us on the hand with it just like Ms. Duff did.
My girl also loves her some Elmo. She not only reads to him, she also dances with him as he sings her the ABC song. Often. So often that I’m sorely tempted to de-voice him with a fork some dark night after she goes to sleep.
But as much as she loves Elmo, nothing compares to Pooh. Elmo can’t wrestle, hug, or comfort the way a ginormous Pooh (and friends) can. Especially the wrestling part.
Love these kinds of days with her. So much fun.
It’s a highly sought after commodity in this house.
I wanted one for Christmas but nobody came through so I found one on sale and snapped it up. I guess the animal print wasn’t so popular since it was languishing on the clearance rack but I’m not picky (J ~ stop laughing) and I proudly brought it home, justifying my purchase by claiming it would keep me warm during my enforced period of bedrest.
Well, it would if I were ever allowed to use it.
But honestly, if it’s not her with it then this one has usually claimed it.
And my Macy’s quilted cuddle wrap?
I don’t even have a chance with these two (well, three – one was just out of camera range tucked below my feet).
Yep, I could get used to these lazy days…