Paper dolls.

It started one day while Haven was napping and I drew Sonja an anthropomorphized bunny in a tutu and ballet shoes. I cut it out and she played with it all afternoon, but inevitably the paper tore and Sonja was dejected. 


I drew more "ballet bunnies" in the following days, but they kept tearing and it kind of stopped being fun.

Then I had an epiphany: we have a bunch of paper plates that I bought for using for crafts and I could glue the paper dolls onto them and then cut them out. It would certainly help them last longer than a single afternoon. I mentioned it to Sonja and she insisted that instead of ballerina bunnies, she wanted princesses. 


Fair enough.

It's been a few days now and I've gone from drawing princesses to drawing fairy princesses; a natural progression. 


I always draw the outline and colour in the skin (and usually the shoes - red by Sonja's request) and then Sonja colours in the rest, including the makeup. Yes, makeup. Sigh.

I realized after I took these photos that I had forgotten to draw the wings (and the ever-important buttons). This was quickly rectified. 


Sonja used the fairy princess from yesterday as a colour guide; she wanted their dresses, wands and wings to be the exact same colours. I'm pretty sure they are meant to be sisters, but Sonja hasn't confirmed that yet.

Notice the makeup. Yes, I believe that is supposed to be lipstick, not remnants from a fairy-princess chocolate-bar break. And she really, really loves turquoise eyeshadow. 


I promise Sonja isn't learning this makeup thing from me...

A princess from a few days ago. Poor thing has fallen out of favour since the fairy princesses came on the scene. 


Not sure, but I think she put her lipstick on with a trowel...

Just sayin'.

Poke, poke, stir. Pokepokepoke. Yes, that worm is in the water. No, worms don't live in the water. Poke, poke. Haven, that's not the best idea... Yes, Sonja, I know Haven broke the worm. Haven didn't mean to break the worm... but the worm didn't feel anything, I promise.

You know, Haven... we just got those clean pants on you and we're going to a friend's for supper, so you might want to stop sitting in the mud. Just an idea. Sure, you can wipe your muddy hands on my coat. I need to wash all my coats anyway. And yours too, by the looks of it.

Jett loves his new ball, doesn't he? I bet he would also really love it if you threw it for him. Yeah, he'd likely prefer that to you sticking it on your finger and taunting him with it. Just sayin'. But I get it; dropping the ball in the water makes a fantastic splashing sound.

Well, I guess a halfhearted kick in his general direction will just have to do. Good boy, Jett.

It's fine with me.

"Mama! What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to take pictures of Haven."

"She's running!"

"I know!"

"Haven! Mama's trying to take your picture! Stop running, Haven!"


"It's OK, Sonja, I don't mind if she runs."


"You want to take pictures of Haven running, Mama?"


"Sure, it's fine with me."

"OK, Haven! Run! Mama's taking your picture! Run!"


"Thanks, Baby."


"You're welcome, Mama."

If these photos came with a soundtrack.

Haven is really good at hauling herself up onto the dining-room chairs, but she's not so good at getting down from them on her own. 

She normally squeals and yells until someone comes to rescue her and the volume and tone escalate exponentially until you comply.

Sometimes I just can't help but drive her a little crazy by not bending immediately to her will. Taking twenty or thirty photos is a good example. 

If these photos came with a soundtrack, your ears would be ringing. No exaggeration.

A perfect recipe.

Honestly, when I look at these photos, I can't think of a single witty quip or philosophical whatsit. They're just plain cute.


Plastic tiara, lanyard, striped pants, monkey shirt/owl shirt, goldfish crackers, bottles. Otherwise known as a perfect recipe for adorableness. Of course, I didn't include the (out-of-focus) shots of Haven violently trying to rip the lanyard off Sonja's neck. ...they kinda put a damper on the sweetness.


Munch, munch, slurp. 


I'll just put the grappling and screeching out of my mind.

100 words: Sputtering and laughing.

I took Sonja to the pool today. I'll never forget her look of joy and fear as she slid down the slide, dropping into the water and into my arms. It took her about four times to learn to hold her breath before she hit the water.

She would come up sputtering and laughing and one time she even gagged, but she kept sliding until she figured it out. And I was part of the game: I had to spread my arms super wide before she could begin to slide. 


We were surrounded by people, we were all by ourselves.

Mittens on the playground.

It wasn't my idea. I suggested the library. Tall Tales bookstore. Anything or anywhere else.

But no; Sonja insisted we go to Beacon Hill Park, even though I warned her it would be really cold. I think she was convinced by the blue sky and nothing I said had any effect.

It didn't take long before Haven realized that sliding in the cold with boots and mittens on is not quite the same as it is with shorts and sandals. It took a little convincing, but soon she was climbing and sliding all over the playground. We only hit a snag when she took her mittens off and her hands were so cold they turned red. She alternated between yelling about it and demanding I blow my warm breath onto them. Did I mention she's a handful?

In the end, I insisted we cut our visit short; even though they were both having a blast, I was freezing and Haven's hands were like ice. I told Sonja we likely won't do a lot of playing in Beacon Hill Park for awhile, at least until it's warm again. She didn't look like she believed me. 

I get that look a lot.