Another Apron with Gin the Pocket

So the power went out last night in these bad wind storms we had. It had been flickering all day, and no power is really odd for us, but whatevs.

Ava was in the tub at the time it went out, and FREAKED at the darkness, but we quickly recovered with a “fire party” as she dubbed all the candles. (great, lol)

The battery powered camping latern we had in her room as a nightlight ran out half-way thru the night, it was 53 degrees in the place by 3am, and I had to sleep with Ava to make sure the candles in her room didn’t light the place up.

STILL no power this morning, but I finally saw the tree that crashed on the wires and called it in, AND it was “Halloween” at her school today, so I had to pull off something, in the wee hours of the dimmly-lit house.

LOL. I think we did ok. She LOVED it. But lemme tell ya… trying to get a toddler to hold still while I TRY to mimick a picture I saw last night on the internet…

not easy. Just sayin’.

A newborn… a tutu, a horse… the most darling trifecta.

So I bought a new (gently used) Canon 5D camera off Ebay, and the whole thing seemed too good to be true.
I’m driving the big dog now, folks.
I was heading to Chicago to visit my new niece, and of course, take 10000 newborn piks. I’ve been knitting and collecting props for 9 months.

I had the camera UPS’ed to his place, rather than chance it not making it to mine before I left town.

It showed up a day early. He called me while I was driving from MN, and said it arrived. He told me “it kinda looks old.” WTF? old? like, is it damaged? no. broken? no.

well, then shut your hole and I’ll see you a few hours.

So I race in the door and find the box. It’s all taped up and pretty, and he says “just kidding, I didn’t open it. “

I get it open, and everything is in there, looks like it was brand new packed from the factory. I dig thru the box, and THERE IS NO CAMERA BODY. None. Everything else but.

Then I open up another box in the box, and there is a circa 1992 1st edition digital camera in there. As big as my cordless home phone I chucked 10 years ago.

I burst into tears, fearing the HELL I was going to pay when my husband found out I spent a small fortune on getting snookered. It was the wrong time to buy a new camera, as we have other expenses right now. But I talked him into it citing “business purchase.”

I was dying.

Then my brother comes from around the corner… clicking away, going “say cheese” with my new 5D.

Never was there a more beautiful site.

And if my brother was not bigger than me, I would have totally kicked him in the nads.

Twice.

I must be in a sappy phase right now, cuz this chit gobsmacked me today:

“Life is pure adventure, and the sooner we realize that, the quicker we will be able to treat life as art; to bring all our energies to each encounter, to remain flexible enough to notice and admit when what we expected to happen did not happen. We need to remember that we are created creative and can invent new scenarios as frequently as they are needed.”

Maya Angelou

Although my life kinda feels like a Picasso at the moment, according to this gal:
it’s still art.
OK. If you say so, lady !

Speaking of art…
look what I made:

Ava had a blast “herding” them around, and pouring them “tea” and showing them her bears.
For the 1st four minutes.
Then? She got their coats and said “bye bye. bye bye babe-beez.”

Or the alternate title: 28,800 seconds of cuteness.
Sorry, it’s long. But then again, so was 2009.

Happy New Year, everyone !
Love,
Davez, Tracie, Ava Claire and Uncle Bloopers

(something went goofy with the music halfway thru… I’ll fix it later.
I got some bread that needs to be dunked in cheese.)

The holiday was low-key this year. We had a huge stormstorm that hit us, but didn’t really interfer with our plans, anyways.
We had xmas eve at Grammie and Grapa Jim Jim’s… and Ava had a blast with all her new toys.
Then she promptly went back to playing with her empty pill bottles and a plastic spoon.
Le sigh.

She got a new (antique) kitchen, tons of playfood and accessories, and took on ownership of my old babydoll highchair and cradle. Lots of fun stuff from the uncles, aunties, and family… I ended up stashing a few things intended for now, in the closet for March instead.

We hope your holiday was joyful and bright. Happy New Year !

I’m busy doing mom stuff… Ava is playing with her toys.

Then, without warning, she pees all over the floor, RIGHT next to her potty pot. With her underwearz on. Announces “mon -ee wet!” (monkeys on her panties) and starts running towards the towels. WHILE she’s still peeing.

The dog is lapping it up (ew, yet thanks) and the phone is ringing, (NO TOM NO LONGER HAS THIS NUMBER!!!!) and I slip on the piddle and crash with vengance.

She starts crying from the noise of it all (I have a very heavy arse) and the dog is barking at the TV. While sipping on piddle.

I think potty training is going just fine, don’t choo?

A few piks from our adventures in Chicago.
(click to view larger. Some piks under construction)

I’m such a slacker… new movie next week. Promise.

Roll tape my little cabbage patch kid…