December 22, 2011

Mall Santa. 2011.

I'm borrowing my grandma's pictures for this post since I didn't have any hands free to bring my own camera:

Santa!

So!  Time for our annual trip to see the Mall Santa (here's 2009 and 2010).  This year my grandma made them adorable matching red corduroy outfits to wear.  So when I was telling my daughter what the plan was for the day I said something along the lines of  "you'll put on your red dress from Nonni and we'll go to the mall to see her" Specifically not mentioning S-A-N-T-A.  Considering her current line on him is "I DON'T WANT HIM IN MY HOUSE" it seemed prudent not to tell her she was going to have to ... gasp.. sit on his lap.  Also when you break it down the santa myth is pretty damn terrifying.  I haven't been pushing the issue.

(see also:  he sees you when you're sleeping = NIGHTMARES)

Anyways!

All morning she was a holy terror.  Fits and fights and all of the ugly that a 2.5 year old is capable of.  She doesn't usually act that way.  I guessed that she got wind of the whole Santa meet and greet and was having a complete freakout via acting out.  So I sat her down for a little chat:

Me:  What's up sweetie?  Why are you acting like this?
Her:  lip quivering
Me:  It's ok honey you can tell mommy anything and we'll try to fix it.
Her:  clearly trying not to cry but eyes filling up
Me:   Sweetie it's alright.  Whatever it is we can handle it. 
Her:  bursts into tears

I DON'T WANT TO MATCH MY BROTHER!!

Oh. Ok then.  Matching outfits are HIGHLY UPSETTING and filled with much sadness, woe, and bad behavior. Clearly she must be a special little sparkly and fashion forward snowflake at all times.  And here I was trying to force her to wear the same thing as someone else.  Poor kid.

I let her pick out a dress to wear after that.  No point torturing a kid with corduroy.

On to the mall!

She loved the train even if she was a bit unsure at first:
Santa!
Santa!
And loved riding the escalator over and over again with Pappa Nonni:
Santa!
But when we got to Santa?  "I DON'T' WANT TO SIT NEXT TO HIM. I DON'T WANT TOO. NO. PLEASE NO."  My mom tried to talk her down and reason with her but I saw the look of terror in her eye, knew that there was no way it was going to happen without brute force, and just went for it:

Santa!
That'll work.
I think she acutally had a really good time, though.  Despite the whole S-A-N-T-A part.  And the trip was beyond worth it for this:

Santa!
Before his sister got involved he was actually pretty into it.

because of this:

Santa!
My first Christmas, My son's first Christmas.  You're not seeing double.

Perhaps next year she won't be as terrified... although flipping back through previous years she's never been down with this Santa thing.  Or the matching outfits now that I think about it..

December 21, 2011

My Mom's Memory Card.


I'm sorry, mom.  I had to.

So.  My mom does not have what she calls the photo gene.  She takes terrible pictures and doesn't ever think to do it since my dad is a straight up photographs in jured shows photographer.  Anywyas she accidentally left her camera at my house after visiting santa yesterday and I thought it would be super funny to download her card.

It also could end in disaster.

I figured/hoped that most of them would be of my children.  But you really never know.

Here's what I found:

my mom's memory card
This pic is from November 2010.  So we're to assume that she a.) hasn't downloaded her pictures and b.) hasn't taken enough pictures to fill a card in OVER A YEAR.
Then we have exactly seven pictures from my brother's wedding (Dec 31, 2010).  All terrible and all for some reason cake related: my mom's memory card my mom's memory card

Then inexplicably several images of the gargoyles in her backyard.
my mom's memory card
Maybe she was trying to be arty?

Then some of my daughter doing a craft at her house.  Including this awesome:

my mom's memory card
I will paint ALL OF THE THINGS.


Then two pictures that I can't believe I"m even posting:

my mom's memory card
Taken on March 18.  Oh so pregnant and my daughter's leg was oh so broken.  But we're at the zoo!  Having fun!  On the phone with a doctor's office!  Sigh.


my mom's memory card
I don't... i can't... wow.

Then a few from her trip with my grandma.  I posted the group to flickr b/c I know my mom will never share them (or even download them, I guess):

my mom's memory card my mom's memory card my mom's memory card

And then, finally, a few really fantastic shots of their new dog:

my mom's memory card my mom's memory card
After that it was me using the camera so I won't include them in this.  Nothing nearly as fun as the last time I downloaded a mystery memory card.  But still pretty amusing.

Tomorrow?  Actual Christmas related content!  Yay!

December 7, 2011

Just a Pillowcase Dress... Except.

So this is just a basic Pillowcase Dress: Pillowcase Dress

There's a million billion tutorials for these online and at this point I don't even know which one I used.  It's made out of corduroy so that's fancy, I guess.  But overall just a pillowcase dress.
Pillowcase Dress
Except.

My almost-3 year old made it.
Pillowcase Dress
No, really.  She picked out the fabric (Squirrel-ys!), was adamant that the straps be Black Leow (black like a kitty), and sat on my lap while we sewed every seam.  She was careful not to get her hands too close to the needle as we fed the fabric in and was completely in awe when I showed her the finished product.

Thanksgiving
It's just a simple, basic, pillowcase dress.  But I couldn't be prouder.
Thanksgiving
Hanging out with my cousin on Thanksgiving.
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