Beauty

Did you read Moorea Seal's post about bullying and beauty? I did and I painted my nails the prettiest Barbie pink you've ever seen because I have been through it. Not the bullying part, but the struggle for self-acceptance.

I don't know any girl who hasn't had body-image issues, but it is surely different for each of us. I didn't learn to love my own body until my belly was big with Beatrice. I was always thin and if I went through an emotionally hard time, I got skinny. Then I just looked gangly and gaunt- not pretty!

I feel better now that I weigh a good 15 pounds above my adult average. I feel more like a woman and more like I can be myself. I'm not in any competition to be the skinniest girl in the room and that feels good. It's also nice not having loved ones worry about me!!

Besides, since returning to my faith after a long hiatus, I've realized that how I feel about myself really doesn't matter. What matters is how God feels about me and how I express my gratitude for His love in the way I treat all the people in my life.

A M A Z I N G

I found this dress today and there was no debate. I had to own it. Emma and Wendy were over and they tried it on. Here it is on Em:

This is a triple layer cupcake dress, circa 1960s with raised velvet polka dots in red on white chiffon. Emma is wearing 5 inch (no platform, poor thing!) heels because this dress is for a very tall, thin girl. (In fact, I think the girl who would fit this dress would have to be some kind of Brazilian super model with a 23 waist and huge boobs to go with her almost manly height. But, whatever, it is gorgeous.)

I also found a pair of vintage glasses that I want to put my own prescription in. I felt like myself when I put them on and that's what I look for in frames. James just got some awesome (awesomely HUGE) new frames that I will show you if he ever slows down long enough for a picture.

:P

Children at Home

This is not a Mommy Blog!!! But I am a mama and I like to show off my children. So here are a few shots of the kids enjoying our new home.

 Beatrice had her first dentist visit yesterday. She was a m a z i n g l y well behaved! She sat there with her mouth opened and didn't scream or bite anybody!

 All Ambrose needs is a quilt....

 ...or a bath!

Pretty in pink.

Hair, Pink Hair

You know how I feel about pink hair. Now I have my own full head of it.

It's taking a bit of getting used to, but I really love it! Especially now that I've trimmed it up and made it more my own...

I'm tentatively planning on wearing this lovely mane on Easter Sunday. Lucy is coming to church with me and I want her to feel comfortable with her bright hair. Normally, Easter is the one time I splurge on something really nice to wear. After all, Easter is the most important holiday in the Christian calendar- one ought to fix up! This year, a new dress is not in the budget, but my hair will go well with the blue and green dress I made a while back.

Shop Update

Some vintage lovelies have been added to the shop including these glasses...

There are also some new vintage kids/baby clothes. I'm in love with baby sailor clothes!!

Party!

Bea didn't have a super whoop-tee-doo party this year (because we aren't settled quite yet), but it was still pretty sweet!

 I had to decorate with balloons rather than streamers and balloons because the stores around here don't carry normal party supplies. They don't know what you mean when you say crepe paper or streamers. They just have wrapping paper and computer paper and tissue paper.

But I love how that looks!!!!

I made colorful cupcakes. Only a dozen because there were only a few guests- Bea insisted that "Dwake" and "Mama Lulu" be there!

Beatrice wore her pretty princess dress. There was a little tantrum though, when she decided she needed Am's onesie on as well.

Her birthday was a big milestone because she said, "I love you" for the first time!!! *melt*

The real party happened after hours and there are no pictures of that.

2

This is what a two year old looks like:

 

Beatrice is two today. I took these pictures on Sunday before church. Daddy used to take pictures of me and my siblings sometimes on Sunday mornings when we were all spiffed up. Those are some cute pictures! Maybe I can find some to share.
 

Beatrice is stringing up to 5 words together at a time now, making sentences that make sense. Her hair is long and often in ringlets. She is more independent every day. She requires a lot of... redirection. She loves going into the nursery to play with all the other children! I think she would really love daycare, but I would not.

Did you know that little James Ambrose is already 6 months old? He is. And he is just going and going! He loves playing outside and he loves his sister. But he does not like baby food. At all. He just wants big kid food.

This is what a six month old looks like: