My Wordy Blog: Desperately Seeking Shelly :: My Blog O'Deep Thoughts: A Change Will Do Me Good

Thursday, July 31, 2008

It's the Little Things....

I love this little picture of Maeve (yes, I blogged her name, I just can't help it--I like their names so much it's killing me to abbreviate =) anyways, I love this picture because it reminds me of my Grandma. My Dad's Mother always always always had her eyes closed in EVERY SINGLE picture! There was no sense in even asking her to retake a picture--because every time her eyes were closed. It was part of what made her, her. This little picture of the Maevinator just jogged my memory and I thought I'd share. I have so many little things to be thankful for, and my little closed-eye baby is right at the top of a very long list.
(and with eyes open too)

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Amelie Says....


Upon coming out of her room after being sent there as punishment--

"Mama, all of this water is coming out of my eyes and onto my cheeks! Oh no!"

Monday, July 28, 2008

Saturday, July 26, 2008

The Princess, The Pop-pop and the Fishing Pole

This kid is one lucky kid!
Her Pop-pop (of the East) loves her so much that he took her fishing (after going shopping for a barbie fishing pole for her!)
Pop-pop very carefully scoped out a special fishing spot for his grand-girl and they had a fabulous time!
Mr. Wonderful tagged along on their fishing date and took these fabulous pictures.
He is an excellent photographer's assistant!
A caught 3.5 fish (1 fell off before they could reel it all the way in)--I'm told they were a bass, perch and sunny. The proof is in the picture.
You go girl!
Mommy is very happy that A had fun...and even happier that I didn't have to go near, look at or touch a worm! Gross.

The Many *Mouths* Of Mavis



Friday, July 25, 2008

Whisper Whisper It's A Win-Win

Wanna hear a secret?
A hasn't taken a nap this entire week.
Not once.
And she devised her own plan so as not to get into trouble--she stays in her room (either playing quietly or rearranging her shoes) and listens for M to wake up from her nap. If she isn't sure whether or not M is still asleep she'll peek out the door and then shut it fast every 15 minutes or so. As soon as M gets up or starts crying A comes out of her room and announces,
"I had areally good nap!"
It's actually been working out ok b/c A has no problem just playing in her room, I still get alone (cleaning, reading, napping) time and A goes to bed at 7 b/c she's exhausted by the end of the night. It's a win-win situation folks!

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Strawberry {Blond} Short*Cake*

I took 100 pictures yesterday and got some really awesome shots of MB and A--unfortunately when I went to view them I realized my CF card was NOT in my camera and I had shot all of those pictures which then disappeared into space. Fie on you Canon and your absolutely zero internal memory! You take good pictures but you're a heartbreaker!

I went out later in the afternoon to see if we could get a repeat performance--it wasn't the same but M gave me a few sweet weirdly toothy smiles =) Her hair is growing in and it's the sweetest shade of strawberry blond--she might just have to go to the top of the list of my favorite redheads

(but no worries SarahV--if our babies marry I figure we can get some red-headed grandchildren.}



Wednesday, July 23, 2008

The *Tooth* Of The Matter

This poor kid's got one weird, lopsided, sinister, funky smile!

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

It's always a little bit of a mystery....

I"m sure that if you've done it before, you know that taking your kids to get their picture taken is a total crap shoot.
Sometimes--genius!
Other times...um, not so much.
There are so many variables--are they awake but not hyper?
Not too close to nap but also just far enough away from waking up?
Hungry?
Grumpy?
Etc..
A was in the studio to get pictures of her dance ensemble and it took a good 5 minutes of "posing" and cajoling by the photographer for us to get anything besides arms crossed and scowling! I was a little nervous--especially when the photographer put her in this position:
Yikes!
Luckily after a few rounds and A and the photographer were warmed up we got some really cute ones...
Which is a good thing since it took an hour and a half just to be seen for our "appointment"
Seriously, don't even get me started--but why bother to make appts. if they're not going to take your picture anytime near yours?
Just sayin' is all!
I like this over-the-shoulder-come-dance-with-me pose =)
Cheese!

And my favorite of all, sleeping cherub ballerina.
I love it when the cuteness comes out!

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Happy 3/4 Mavis Beacon!

My sweet little one is 9 months old today!
I love you my little joy-bringer, tooth chomper, neck squeezer, fast crawler, cruise-y cruiser baby!

Saturday, July 19, 2008

The Park: A.K.A. Where Gray Hairs Are Born

The Raven Beacon

The Raven Beacon
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a crying,

As of some one gently sighing, sighing at my chamber door.

"'Tis the Beacon," I muttered, "crying through my chamber door —

Only this, and nothing more."
Ah, distinctly I recall I was standing in the hall,

And each separate plaintive cry wrought its ghost upon the floor.

Eagerly I wished the morrow; — vainly I had sought to borrow

From my books surcease of sorrow — sorrow for the lost sleep and snore

—For the rare and radiant dreaming whilst I used to sleep and snore—

No longer here for evermore.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of the bed sheets, for certain,

Thrilled me — filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;

So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,

"'Tis the Beacon wide awake, entreating my entrance at my chamber door

—Some late baby entreating my entrance at my chamber door; —

This it is, and nothing more.

"Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,"Beacon," said I, "or Baby, truly your forgiveness I implore; But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came sighing,

And so faintly you came crying, sighing at my chamber door,

That I scarce was sure I heard you"

— here I opened wide the door; —

Darkness there, and nothing more. Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;

But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,

And the only sound there spoken was the whispered sound, "Snore"

This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the sound, "Snore!" —

Merely this, and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,

Soon again I heard a crying somewhat louder than before."Surely," said I, "surely that is something outside my window lattice:

Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore
—Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; —

'Tis the wind and nothing more."Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,

In there slept a stately Beacon of the saintly days of yore;

Not the least obeisance made she; not a minute stopped or stayed she;

But, with mien of lord or lady, perched in sleep beyond my chamber door

—Perched upon a pack n play just beyond my chamber door —

Perched, and sleeping, and nothing more.

Then this sweet baby girl beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,

By the sweet and quiet decorum of the countenance she wore.

"Though thy face be sweet and sleeping, thou," I said, "art sure not awakened,

Sweetly slumbereding little Beacon rolling during your Nightly snore

—Tell me what thy business is during this endless Night's chore!"

Quoth the Beacon, "Nevermore."

Much I marveled this ungainly Baby to hear discourse so plainly,

Though her answer little meaning— little relevancy bore;

For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being

Ever yet was blest with seeing Baby talking in her sleep beyond my chamber door

—Sweet little one sleeping just beyond my chamber door,

With such name as "Beacon" stating "Nevermore!"

Nevermore is sleep to be anything but luxury!

Nevermore a quiet night!

Nevermore place dreaming!

Just the Beacon awake and screaming!

Awake and screaming keeping me from dreaming keeping me from sleeping in and keeping you awake forevermore!

But the babe, sleeping then sitting in the pack n play, spoke only

That one verse, as if her soul in that one word she did outpour.

Nothing further then she uttered— not a hand or hair did flutter —

Till I scarcely more than muttered, "other children have slept before —

On the morrow she will sleep for me, as my hopes have flown before."

Then the Beacon said, "Nevermore."

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,"Doubtless," said I, "what she utters is her only stock and store,

Caught in some unhappy dreaming, though unmerciful she's seeming, awoke fast and cried faster till her songs one burden bore

—Till the dirges of my Hope that melancholy burden bore

Of 'Never — nevermore'."

But the Beacon still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,

Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of babe, and pack and play and door;

Then upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking

Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous Beacon of yore —

What this grim, ungainly, prospect this ominous babe of yore

Meant in crying "Nevermore."

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing

To the babe whose sweet eyes now burned into my bosom's core;

This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining

On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o'er,

But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er,

She shall fall back asleep!

Ah, nevermore!

Then methought the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer

Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.

"Beacon," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee - by these angels He hath sent thee

off to dreamland He hath sent thee both to sleep and then to snore!

Quoth the Beacon, "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "sweet sleeping babe! — prophet still, if babe or angel!

—Whether sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,

Desolate for sleep yet all undaunted, this sweet land your have enchanted

This home by sleepless horror haunted—

tell me truly, I implore —Is there - is there sleep to be had? — tell me — tell me, I implore!"

Quoth the Beacon, "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "sweet thing, my love-

By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore -Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn, It shall clasp a sainted slumber before the rooster crows--Before!

Quoth the Beacon, "Nevermore."

"Be that word our sign in parting, babe or Beacon," I shrieked, upstarting —

"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!

Leave no sweet smile as a token of that awake-ness thy eyes hath spoken!

Leave my quite slumbering time unbroken!— quit the sitting and the crying, crying through my chamber door!

Take thy hand from off my heart, and take thy form from off my breast!!"

Quoth the Beacon, "Nevermore."

And the Beacon, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting

On the pack and play sheet just beyond my chamber door;

And her eyes have all the seeming of a baby that's done dreaming,

And the lamplight o'er her streaming throws her shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor

Shall be lifted — and sent to sleeping

Nevermore!

Friday, July 18, 2008

Toddler Milestones: Things That Go *BUZZ* In The Night

Mr. Wonderful was outside playing with the kids one quiet afternoon when all of the sudden I heard:
"Honey! GET OUT HERE NOW!"
SCREAM! WAIL! CRY! SCREECH!
I was sure A lost a limb or an eye or something
(she certainly hadn't lost her head since she was screaming at the top of her lungs)
"I GOT BIT BY A BUZZY BEEEEEEEEEEEEEE AHHHHHHHH"
Poor little lamb! I scooped her up and carried her inside to inspect the sting.
I kept asking her to point to where she got hurt and she was just pointing at her foot and screaming and wailing...and I don't know much about stings and all I did know was that baking soda helps something or other so I make batch of baking soda paste and well, you'll see...

I'm not sure I've ever used that much baking soda before or whether or not it accomplished anything but after a few minutes she was less screamy and more smiley
(although that might have had something to do with the ice pop I gave her for her sadness)
Apparently she had taken her shoes off outside and had stepped on a bee--which is funny
(not funny haha funny coincidental)
because when I was three I got my first bee sting on the bottom of my foot too!
We must be related or something =)

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Toddler Milestones

Today for the first time ever, A asked me, while driving....

"ARE WE THERE YET?!?!"

Monday, July 14, 2008

Sunday, July 13, 2008

A Face Only A Mother Could Love

Here's M showing off her "concentration face" while crawling...

Friday, July 11, 2008

Extra Extra! Read all about it! Cinderella spotted at the park!

The girls and I hit the park this week early in the day and had the whole place to ourselves. A, as you can see, was dressed as Cinderella and enjoyed having the run of the place.


A eventually had to shed the princess gear so that she could play properly =)