Family

Even though there is distance between them, I hope Lilly Mae and Sarah Beth can get to know each other well and become good friends.  During our family visit they played well together for the most part and enjoyed each other's company.  SB even cried after LM went home. 

In ten years I'd love to see the sweet innocence of these girls as teenagers the way I see it here.  Our only hope is Christ.  We are trying to teach this to SB.   She will make mistakes, I know.   I just pray that when she does, her response will be to stand in awe at the grace of Christ and love him more for it.

Pretend Play is the BEST Kind of Play

This is how we have fun.    It seems the more money we spend on toys, the less she actually wants toys.

Take a guess as to what she's doing here. 

Hide and Seek? no

Bored? no way

Seeing if she can fit in such a small space? no...wait...yes partly

Pretending to be a bunny in a hotel room waiting on room service? yes, you finally got it!  How'd you guess?

Summer Art

I'm letting SB paint this 3' x 5' canvas for our living room.  I limited her color palette.  She's taking care of the rest.  She's a genius!

Straight Hair, Lovely Dress, Beautiful Girl

Sometimes SB lets me play with her hair and dress her up like a little doll.  I decided to see if she would put up with me straightening her hair with a flat iron for church.  It's hard to tell how long her hair really is when it curls up.  Those lovely locks reach her waist!  I'm so tempted to cut it sometimes.

This dress is the one I made for Jason's wedding.  I really love the way it turned out. Very "vintagey".  (I don't think vintagey has made it in the dictionary yet.)  Aunt Alli made the hair clip which has frayed ends hanging from it.  I love 'em.

Do you wonder as much as I do how great it would be to get a genuine smile from her?  She's really a happy child.  She sings all the time, loves to play, and can't get enough kisses.   The photos speak lies!!!

Putting up with me...

...getting more annoyed...

...bribed with candy...

...threatened and bribed.  I'll have to try a new combo next time.

Do you notice the background?  That is my new floor.  It's what I've been doing for the last month and why my back hurts and why I haven't blogged and why I may need to be institutionalized soon.

rescue.me

"What is this?" you ask?  It's a logo for a friend who likes to rescue animals.  She and Katee, my sister, would get along well since they always end up with other people's unwanted pets.  

Oliver + S Ruffled Halter

Here is my version of the Oliver + S Ruffled Halter.  I found this free pattern here for anyone who wants to get their own.  Very cute, but it didn't come with instructions, not that I ever read them anyway.  I may eventually make an adult version... maybe. 
Stitch Magazine, which is where I got the halter pattern, has some great patterns if you're in the mood to sew something right here right now.  Of course you need a printer and some tape to get all those pieces together.  If you've never printed a pattern online before, it's not that bad, unless you are a dedicated tree hugger, because you will be wasting some paper.

  SB had some silly eyes going on in this picture so I photoshopped some super cute black glasses onto her lovely little face, just to cover up what is normally her most fetching feature.  In this photo, not so.  Don't judge me.

Potty Training

Dear reader,

 

If you have a late potty trainee, don't despair.  Sarah Beth is a month over three now and is just getting the hang of this.  Frankly, she's smart enough to have conquered this long ago, but has refused saying things like, "I'll NEVER use the potty" or "Will you buy me this toy if I start using the potty?" or "I don't really need a party for using the potty."  I read all I could find about how to potty train a stubborn toddler.  Based on all the personal advice, reading on my own, and downward glances, I've decided to approach it in the follow way.

• take some time off (a week or more if possible)
• get rid of the diapers completely
• fill her up with tasty liquid until dinnertime
• set the timer for potty times so I won't forget
• punish her for refusing to cooperate when it's time to potty (not for accidents)
• reward her with stickers and treats for doing a good job
• double the reward for poop
• be consistent
• pray for sanity in the process

Just a little FYI:  As I was composing this post, she went in her closet and pooped. . .  I love being a mother.