fashion queen

fashion queen, originally uploaded by je ne sais quoi.

have I mentioned SHE is the one who goes for frilly frou-frou? This was her cousin's tinkerbell outfit, lent to us for Adelaide. I had stored it away when we got it because it was just too big. But recently I was going through her closet to look for some hand-me-downs for a friend of mine, and I found it. I got it out and hung it up with her other outfits, not thinking too much about it.

Well, usually, after she wakes up, I will change her diaper, then walk her over to her closet and stand there trying to decide what to put on her. Lately, however, she's started exerting the force of her own personality and trying to pull and make choices herself. Of course, the first time Princess Poopy Pants spotted this deliciously diva outfit, she had to wear it. The hat? Gymboree. I know. But she wanted it, and who am I to trump child-like creativity?

Happy birthday, baby

chocolate-flavored paper plates ROCK!, originally uploaded by je ne sais quoi.

Some kids cry when they're sung to. They turn their nose up at the cake and just want to be done with the whole thing...not Adelaide! Once she'd finished off her cake, she went for the plate, too.

She had a great 1st birthday. :-)

I said I wouldn't succumb to the whole "princess" thing

I said I wouldn't succumb to the whole "princess" thing, originally uploaded by je ne sais quoi.

Aw, but mom got her the crown, and she has such this little "princess" thing...I have never encouraged frilly and feathers, and I've never intentionally "blinged" her...but she LIKES it. SHE wants to wear the frilly dresses and change her shoes three times during the day. And what can I do...it's about letting her be herself, after all. That's all I want.

Happy Birthday, Adelaide!

One year in a life, originally uploaded by je ne sais quoi.

I can't believe she will be one year old on Saturday. What a year it has been!

Mommy Seuss

She won't sleep.

She won't sleep at night, or during the day -- it doesn't matter at all what I do or what I say.

She screams and she jumps, she tosses about. She throws her bottle and pacifier out.

Her anger is real -- her face is so red! I don't know what to do...but she must go to bed!

I feel like a mommy who is bad and uncaring, but I can't take much more of this tantrum that's blaring.

She needs to sleep, and she needs to sleep long. I know this, I do, but it still feels so wrong.

I have no more tricks up the proverbial sleeve, and gas costs way too much to just up and leave.

I have sang, I have held, I have snuggled, I have rocked, and now I just sit and stare at the clock.

When will it stop? When will she rest? When will she lay her head in her nest?

These answers I have not, though a headache I do. So I'll just take more Excedrin and change some more poo.

And now that that's done (and she continues to wail), I seek a happy ending to this sad tale.

But my only solution (I can't tell a lie) is to let her stay in her bed and cry.

*sigh*

His first day of Kindergarten

His first day of Kindergarten, originally uploaded by je ne sais quoi.

Here's a mosaic of his first day...he was so calm, I was so anxious...he was so happy, I was so sentimental...
1. All ready to go -- his brand new backpack he designed himself on LL Bean and his "WILL" lunchbox (in LSU colors, of course, *sigh*)
2. Come on, Mommy! Let's GO!
3. He's so relaxed. He was totally calm, picked up a book that was in the backseat, started looking at it on the drive, no worries for him.
4. Welcome to Runnels, Will! Here is your cubby for your lunch and your snack...
5. And here is your locker for your backpack and other items. Look! It has your name on it!
6. We love you Will! Have a great day...
7. Cool, coloring. I'm all set!
8. Okay...he's at school, coloring, and has already talked to a few of the kids...guess it's time for us to leave now...and I have a Kindergartener.

Wow.

me

making peace with myself
Originally uploaded by je ne sais quoi.

I took this today when I was laying around trying to get some good shots of Adelaide. Not entirely sure how I feel about it, except that it is me...

Having fun together

Daddy is on the computer. Will wants to be on the computer. Will sits on daddy's lap on the computer. Adelaide thinks she is as big as them. Adelaide likes to play with Will. Adelaide likes to play with Daddy. Adelaide decides to join them.

Fun ensues. 

shoes you can use

Will wouldn't leave his shoes on...guess who won't take hers off? She looooooves her footwear. Seriously. 

blahhhhh

  

They had so much fun together in the splash pool

let's talk business
Originally uploaded by je ne sais quoi.

It was a great purchase. I even had fun -- yep, I put on a swimsuit and a coverup and went out and played in the water with them. (It is HOT here, okay?) We all had such a fun time -- Adelaide is just a fish, and Will was able to splish splash away without worrying that he'd knock over the baby -- it's only a splash pool, so if she fell on her butt, she just fell on her butt, no big deal. Anyway, it was just awesomely fun. lots of photos of it on flickr, but here are a few to sample...

ahhhhhh!!!

ahhhhhh!!!
Originally uploaded by je ne sais quoi.

They don't call it a "Splash Pool" for nothing...

splish splash crawl

splish splash crawl
Originally uploaded by je ne sais quoi.

water water everywhere

water water everywhere
Originally uploaded by je ne sais quoi.

my big boy

my big boy
Originally uploaded by je ne sais quoi.

little droplets

little droplets
Originally uploaded by je ne sais quoi.

I like water a lot

I like water a lot
Originally uploaded by je ne sais quoi.

We bought a really cute splash pool on clearance at Target this week. (Summer clearance here is awesome because hello, you can use this thing like through November at least!) I thought it would be something that the kids could enjoy equally...and it was! They loved it. Here she is checking it out initially. More pics to come...

How big is the world

How big is the world
Originally uploaded by je ne sais quoi.

This photo has been getting a lot of attention on flickr, so I thought I'd post it here. I like it, but I'm really surprised by the reaction because I didn't post it thinking it was anything all that great. Ben says that it's the way the perspective works with the title, that she looks so tiny and the world looks so vast. Anyway, it seems to strike a chord with people, so tell me what YOU think!

Happy little fish

  

Will's swimming lessons

That's him swimming like that! I couldn't beleive how easily he remembered it all from last year.







He's happy to be at swim lessons.









That's him with his face down in the water like that! Wow!








Look at that kick splash!