I am not ready to give her up!

It may be ridiculous, but all I can be right now is sad.

Summer hasn’t even started yet, and already it’s too short.  Two months?  That’s barely enough time to picnic, forget finishing our unpacking, fixing up the house, gardening, heading to the lake, and all the other things we want to do.  We’re going to blink and it will be time for school again.

Autumn used to be my favourite time of year.  I loved the weather, the leaves, the fact that most folk stopped coming to the lake – leaving it just for us…  I loved everything about it.  Now I’m dreading it.

Autumn this year means my baby is leaving me.  And the kicker?  I’m the one who convinced her to give grade one a try, she wanted to stay home and have me teach her.  But Ms. Jackson, the grade one teacher at Mayfair?  She’s fabulous.  Is so obviously passionate about her kids, and I just know Lily-Ann could learn so much from having her be a daily part of her life.  I’m just so not ready to give her up.  Not even close to ready.

Moving from Pre-k to Kindergarten was hard enough.  I still miss our Friday afternoons.  But the idea that come Fall I will only have my girl for a few hours every day???  It’s just too much.  I honestly cried myself to sleep last night.  It’s ridiculous, I know.  I can’t help it though.  I am not ready to give her up.

We haven’t even started Summer holidays and already I’m depressed and upset over Summer coming to an end.  How the heck am I going to make it through?  There isn’t enough time in the world to prepare me for giving up my daughter full time to the school system.  Can’t she go part time?  Honestly?  Truly?  Is that an option?  Because THAT would make it all better.

A brief update…

Just a real quick update, and an apology for not posting the last couple of days.  We’ve been fighting pretty hard to keep our littlest puppy going.  We’ve finally got her weight up to 2.5, but that’s far from being in the clear.  Poor thing is not doing really well, but she’s a fighter.  I will keep you all posted.  For now though, my energies are needed elsewhere.
Night!

There are certain times when a meet-up is mandatory.

There are certain times, when a person is delivering a certain type of news, when an in person visit should be mandatory.  Sometimes a phone call, text, or FB status update just aren’t appropriate ways to deliver tidings.  In those situations, lunch, coffee, or just an in person chat, should be mandatory.

Bad News

• If you are delivering news of a break up, do it in person.  It’s uncomfortable, so a meal is not necessary.  Just a quick get in, get out, meeting at a coffee shop works.
• If you are sharing news about a negative diagnosis or any kind of medical issues, do it in person.  A meal in a quiet restaurant, or take out in your dining room is best.  Food and wine always go a long way in situations like these.
• If a family member or loved one has suffered a tragedy or passed from this life, if at all possible that’s an in person encounter if I’ve ever come across one.  And this news?  There is no way for this to be good.  Do it at home, where you’ll both feel comfortable going to pieces.

Good News

• If you want to take your relationship to the next level (be it going steady, moving in, getting married, or what-have-you), that’s an in person conversation.  And it can happen in almost any context and end up pleasant.
• If you sharing news of your nuptials with individuals who mean a lot to you, but who couldn’t be there (whether you eloped, or just had a tiny service, whatever), totally something you do in person.  Invite the other party out to a nice restaurant.  Food and wine are definitely in order.
• If you’re having a baby, don’t break that news from a distance.  Head out to a nice brunch spot, share something light and yummy, and toast the new bun in your oven with a nice sparkling flavoured water.  Hugs, and potentially happy tears, will be shared!

So don’t let your sister find out from your Twitter feed that you’re pregnant, don’t tell your son over the phone that you had a private service and got married, don’t break up with someone via your blog, and don’t let your granddaughter find out you have three months to live by way of BBM.  There is just some news that is best delivered in person, whether it’s to share a hug, a toast, or a cry…  Certain news simply demands a meet-up.

As the Sparks would say: “Share and Be a Friend”.

Baby A’s First Photoshoot

I had the opportunity to photograph a lovely family of three – two thirds of which are completely enamoured with the newest third, as it should be.  It really was an absolute delight.  All three were completely natural and relaxed in front of the camera, and for the most part were able to just be themselves…  forgetting that I was sticking my nose in all sorts of interesting places.

So Baby A, I’d like to take this moment to say:  “You nailed it!”  Nice job.  You could have a future in front of a camera.  😉

Scraptastic Saturdays – Then and Now

I have been a scrappin’ machine this last week.  Seriously, I’m usually content to get a LO or two done every week…  this week though?  I think I’ve finished SIX of them.  Like I said, scrappin’ machine.  LOL

So…  what I decided to share, are two layouts.  I didn’t plan them together or anything.  But  when I looked back through the week, I realized I created two that focused solely on the wee girlie, and both utilized templates by ScrapElf from the Silly Side collection.   One features pictures I took on Thursday, one features pictures her Daddy took the day she was born.

Without further ado.  Here’s Lily-Ann.  Then and Now.  🙂

Then

Now

 

Then – Sweet Baby kit by Missy’s Bits and AliSarah  & Silly Sides Template by ScrapElf.

Now – Potty kit for girls by Sugar Pie Scraps & Silly Sides Template by ScrapElf.

Scraptastic Saturday – Happy Halloween!

Hey There Finley!

Lily-Ann got to meet Finn today.  🙂  And it’s the first time I’ve seen him since he’s been home.  He’s doing great, and has got so much personality already (little stinker grins super big whenever he toots).  The wee girlie was just thrilled with him.  And…well…so is everyone else.  😉

I couldn’t decide on one picture to share, so here are a couple.

Enjoy!

 

Lily 'n Finn

 

 

Sweet Little Bits!

 

Scraptastic Saturday – I’m BACK!

Sorry everyone.  I’ve been an absentee blogger lately.  I have been taking a daily photograph, but life simply got in the way of my posting them.  I’ve been absolutely run off my feet the last while, but I am hoping everything is going to settle back down into our regular routine now.  Of course, those could end up becoming famous last words – though I hope not.  LOL

So, it’s Scraptastic Saturday.  That being the case, I’ve got a couple things to share.  🙂

As you likely read earlier in the week, “Little” was born!  YAY!  Well, “Little” now has a name:  Finn.  And it suits him perfectly.  So here’s a layout I did a little earlier in the week, when Finn was only a couple days old, featuring photos from when he was only minutes old.

Welcome Finn!

For this layout I used a kit by Sugar Pie Scraps called “My Boy”.  It is available at the Digital Scrap Cafe, here’s a direct link to the kit:  http://digitalscrapcafe.com/cafe/product.php?productid=18459&cat=0&page=1

In other scraptastic news, I am now running the Definition Challenge over at Enchanted Studio Scraps.  The whole month of October, everything has been done to reflect a spooky Halloween theme – which I just love.  🙂  This is SOOO my favourite time of year.  With that in mind, I decided to use the word “creepy” for this months challenge.  Hope you’ll decide to play along.

Creepy Definition

You can find the challenge rules, and download the wordart at:  http://enchantedstudioscraps.com/forums/showthread.php?p=113448

Well, that’s it for today.  Welcome to October everyone.  Hope it’s a spooktacular month for you.  😀  Full of the richness of the season, the warmth of the heart, and the fun of both Thanksgiving and Halloween.  Be good to one another!

Fabric Shopping!

Today I went fabric shopping.  I love fabric shopping.  All those colours and textures.  I just walk through the store and touch everything.  It fills me.  I really do love it.

Fabric stores are all about possibilities and potential.  Beautiful things to touch to see…  beautiful things that are just waiting to become.  Unfinished things just waiting for the right person to come along.  A good fabric store just makes me feel happy (but a badly set-up one fills me with anxiety).  I love my fabric store.

Today I bought some really cool denim (you’ll see it in the photo below).  It’s for a ring sling I’ll be making for my cousin Jamie.  She’s due in a few weeks.  Some slings are hard to shop for because people want such specific things, which aren’t always easy to find – and in some cases just aren’t available locally…  and I don’t buy a fabric I can’t first touch.  Jamie was fun to shop for though.  She wanted a casual fabric, preferably patterned, preferably with blue, green, or brown in it.  And initially she said no orange, but then took that back, and said orange would be okay too.  I couldn’t believe my luck… to find denim with a fun floral pattern in BLUE, GREEN, AND BROWN.  😀

Jamie, hope you love it!  😀

I also bought some new tulle.  Tutus and ring slings are probably my two favourite things to sew – and I now have fabric for both.  LOL  Jamie gets her sling and the wee girlie gets a new tutu.  Joy!

Fabric for Jamie

On another note…  only had one entry for my Scraptastic Saturday challenge.  So she wins the gift certificate for Sugar Pie Scraps store at ESS.  Congrats!

On our way out the door…

On our way out of my parents place, Lily-Ann showing Jewles where we were parked.  I know photos like this may be boring to many…  but seeing her from the back always blows my mind a little.  Gone are the baby, and even toddler proportions.  And when you aren’t distracted by her face, you just see it all the more clearly.  She’s very much a little girl now.  I don’t know when it happened, but it did.

Damon will sometimes put a diaper on the wee girlie before putting her pajamas on.  As soon as he leaves the room she’ll strip down, take off the diaper, then put the pjs back on without it.  She’ll then look at me and explain how her Daddy still thinks she’s a baby.  Lily will then hand me the diaper and say “I don’t need this”.  But, the next time her dad gets her ready for bed, she’ll let him put the diaper on again… and wait until he leaves the room to take it off.

Seriously… could I have a more sweet, more wonderful little girl?  Sure.  She has her moods too.  She’s awfully headstrong and determined (remind you of anyone?)…  but she cares a whole lot about those around her.  Makes me feel awfully awfully lucky.  🙂

gone are the toddler proportions