Project Wedding Dress

Last year I read a magazine article about Project Swimsuit. (btw---I think it was in Parents magazine--I'm looking for it & let you know when I find the info) It was about this mom who every year took a picture of her daughter in this one bathing suit. Sounds simple enough, but it was amazing to see the little girl grow up in this sequence of 20 or so pictures. She literally goes from being a baby who basically "swam" in the suit to a beautiful young woman who filled it out like she bought it for herself.

After a year of thinking about how cool this project is and how I wanted to do something like it for Lizzy, I pulled out my wedding dress and shot a few portraits of her wearing it. I'm thinking I could do this every year since I don't plan on giving my dress away anytime soon. Plus, she loved the dress up "game." However, she did have some trouble keeping it on, especially when standing up. It's a lot of dress, at least the bottom half!

patience, my dear...she's 2

Some days I am just so freakin' tired of being a stay-at-home mom. I need more patience obviously. This sounds ridiculous and trivial, but if you've been there I'm sure you can relate.

It's 2:35. She got upset because I took away her sticker book (after repeatedly saying that we were done playing with it) and told her it's time for nap. Then she didn't want to read any books, yet she kept demanding that mommy "read story! story! storrrreeeeeee!!!" She said she was thirsty, so I went downstairs and got her some water, and then she cried out for juice. (If I would have brought juice, she would have cried out for water. That's the way it usually goes. Can mommy catch a break here?) I say that she can have juice after nap and as pleasantly as possible tell her to "go to sleep" and "have a nice nap."

So here I am. whew.

As I sit and type, I hear her upstairs in her room, not crying, but just whining a bit. I'm waiting for her to get up and come out of your room and say sweetly "nice nap" or a hurried "go pee-pee! go pee-pee!" or some other wiley diversion.

I'm thinking...please Just Go To Sleep! Mommy needs time to herself. Mommy also needs to clean the house, dig in the backyard, do laundry, clean the kitchen, pick up toys, sweep the floor, and ten zillion other things, but please, for the love of God, Go To Sleep so mommy can at least have a 1/2 hour of escape/quiet/me/rejuvenation time.

sigh.

Anyone? Anyone?

Don't have a heart attack...

Actually *I* will have one if any of my readers are still tuning in to this blog. It's been dark for so many months now. I lost the blog bug back in April/May, and...brace for it...I haven't even read any of my usual blogs either! There, I said it. So shoot me.



So....err...isn't my little girl getting big?

Diversion didn't work? Oh well, can't blame a gal for trying.


I'll just start with this: It feels good to be sitting here typing and looking at the swaying leaves outside, thinking of what to share with you. I must say though that it's very difficult to share these days, as blogging seems to have become quite a dangerous pastime of late. Who knows what little quip said off the cuff will come back to haunt me? Should I just throw caution to the wind and take the leap? You'll have to stay tuned for that, b/c for now I truly don't know.

I do know that the best blogs are those that do "take the leap" and let it all hang out, so to speak. I've never been a good risk-taker. For instance, we were just in vegas and I cringed at my hubby putting a $25 chip on the table. Need a say more?

I can fill you in on how Lizzy is doing. She's an amazing talker now and can even sing a few songs. Let's see, she usually goes in this order:

1. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
2. Rock a Bye Baby
3. Frere Jacques
4. then the english version: Are You Sleeping?

Other favorites she likes to sing too:

1. Backyardigans (pirate treasure songs are her favorite)
2. Wiggles (although not so much these days)
3. ABCs

She likes Doodlebops songs (especially Bird Is the Word), but doesn't really know any by heart yet. She can't sit through one of these shows though; gets up after about 5 min into it. Which is great, b/c I can't stand any of it either, other than an occasional song or two. I just don't see the value in that show at all. At least for a 2 1/2 year old.

Oh she's growing so fast!!

And I'm starting to think that I am ready for #2. FINALLY. You'll be the first to know when that happens. sorta.

ok, not really, but I'll pass it on when it happens, k?

In other realms, I haven't done anything with my mother's group so far this year. but I'm still signing up for next year. go figure. Chalk it up to really wanting it to work, and I'm giving it one last try. sigh. There are actually some really nice women mixed into the...well, the not so nice ones. I am always shocked when some of the mothers remember me and say hi while at the park. It's embarrassing sometimes b/c I don't always recognize them. (Gee, maybe I need to try a little harder...ya think?)

One of my better mom friends just up and moved several states away (btw, I'm in CA folks, so several states is FAR out here)...anyway, that was a very sad time and it really affected me. I was just getting to know her better and looking forward to hanging out more, etc. Then...poof! gone. What's worse is that Lizzy always asks where her daughter is, and I have to try and explain that she's not here, she moved, etc. Not the easiest thing for a 2yo to understand.

On a better note, she IS understanding more & actually using the potty these days. YAY. I still can't get her to do #2 in there though. (sorry older Lizzy if you're reading this) and oh man, it's hard not to get frustrated by that. any advice on how to get there? I know I'm ready! :)

Well, I don't want to sit and type through her whole nap--she takes such short ones. I've got to get my bathroom cleaned and maybe, just maybe, do a quick run. Both are sorely needed!