I spoke too soon,,,

Gracie got called a boy again today!

We dared go to the park just in a t-shirt and black leggings with earrings and sparkly pink shoes, but WITHOUT a hair bow, clip, flower, or pony. Nothing!!

Then a nice retired man approached me at the park today and asked me if I was LDS?
Then he asked me IF THIS WAS MY SON?

RRRR!!!!!

You would think that I would just storm off one of these days and give them what for but I actually kept talking with him as he followed us around the park for about an hour.

It's okay though because yesterday I went to the beauty school to get my hair done, bravely took Gracie with me, ended up being there for 3 stinkin' hours (aaah, but Gracie was so good). You would have thought we had brought in FREE DONUTS and DRINKS for all the girls that were flocked around us the whole time. They all wanted to take Gracie home. She was acting all coy for them, dancing, and smiling too. Even a couple of animal sounds sent them over the roof. But she WAS wearing white girly tunic shirt, AND A FLOWER in a her little side, top pony tail.

Thus this is the reason I NEVER LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT HER HAIR DONE!

I promise this is the last time I will harp on being called a boy again. Promise!

Gracie is the best sleeper in the world!

She took her nap yesterday from 3 until about 6 pm. (Late nap). Then she went to bed at 9:45 pm and didn't wake up until............................................................
11:45 am. That is FOURTEEN HOURS!

That is not the first time she has done this. It is usually around 12 hours (8/9pm to 8/9 am) Gracie you're awesome babe!

I slept for 10 hours (12am-10am), both trying to get better from being sick. And Luke got up this morning without us to go help clean the church at 7 am. I am so lucky to have a husband like Luke and a baby (not so baby) like Gracie.

Just a little St. Patrick's Day bug bite...

I have to make my home a little festive before it's too late!
So we found a dead tree branch,
strung a few beads,
and hung some $1.00 4 leaf clovers I bought last year at JoAnn's.
Luke even strung one dangler for me for FHE.
And then you just gotta have some glitter, hence the "lucky" sign...
cause we are LUCKY to have each other and family.
Then I strung the white, green, and gold beads and clovers on some green ribbon to make a garland for our huge mantle. I love it... and the "Kiss Me, I'm Irish" sign.
But then I had a friend's baby shower. A little girl who is being born on St. Patrick's Day. What a lucky girl. So I made this... (it is sparkly)
And this one, because the natural color for a tutu is pink after all! I was so pleased with myself I couldn't stop beaming for the rest of the night and showing it to Luke over and over. Each one only took me an hour. I am waiting to see how the stitching holds up when it is worn, if I stretched the onesie enough for the baby to wear and stretch it on and off? We will see. This is beautiful pregnant Stacy who loved them too!

I tinkled in my potty!

Yeah... I'm cool. Much cooler than mommy tinkling on her skirt. I did it in my potty for the first time! Mom and dad were way excited for me. What do you think about that?

I just peed on my skirt!

Yep, exactly what I said. I rushed in the house after holding it quite a while. Took Gracie up to bed, changed her diaper and sat down on the toilet. Next thing I hear is not the usual rush of waters on the porcelain but more like cloth absorption. And I look down in the toilet and there is the back of my skirt soaking up my pee! Aaaaaaaargh!

I have officially had an embarrassing bathroom mistake. I am just glad I wasn't at work or school or a job interview or on a date, etc. That would have been sooooo bad!

Now I am wondering if it would have happened during one of those times, what would I have done? What would you have done?

I need to know so I will know what to do if it happens again. bah hah hah!

No longer a boy... Pigtails! Talent agency eat your heart out!

I CAN'T think of the last time Gracie got called a BOY. And that is a super good thing! I tried not to be sensitive about it. She got called a boy despite her dress and pink clothes and earrings. Without a headband on people see a little hair and light so you can't see it and they think boy. That is why I have always been so adamant about her wearing a headband and flower.
People always asks me how she keeps them on. Well I say-- she has been wearing them since she was a baby so it's like she doesn't know that it's not a part of her head and she knows I will put it right back on if she does take it off. (Dad on the other hand helps her take them off!)

But I am happy to say that for at least a month or two now we have been making some very cute PIGTAILS on top, and in back! And now she actually gets BEDHEAD and
we have to use a COMB! Get out of town. I have never loved using a comb/brush so much! And I can't stop putting my fingers through her hair.
We went on a bike ride yesterday and she got called the cutest little girl by people in the post office, people that were feeding ducks, and people by the swings and slides. I LOVED IT!
There was no hesitation about WHAT she was and people just gushed over her. And in the post office she even had a bike helmet on!! Wahoo! (she rode on my bike not this one)
And now for the feather in her cap and mine (a little bragging that doesn't mean much because I am sure they talked to every child in Walmart that day but it still made me feel good, vain I know!):

A TALENT SCOUT from the Tru Talent Agency stopped me in Walmart on the sewing isle and said that Gracie was just what they were looking for, and especially for the JCPENNEY CATALOG shoot that week. She had the cutest blonde hair and blue eyes and personality. He said that modeling would be a perfect start for her for the rest of her life to be in entertainment/acting/ and advertising. I went away very FLATTEREDof course! When they called me the next day to set up an appointment downtown and a picture shoot, I decided NOT too (thanks to my first instinct and others' input). Although it might be fun a few times, I think it probably is a SCAM to get my MONEY... build me and her potential up and then make me pay for pictures and a portfolio like they do for hundreds of other cute children. There are LOTS of cute kids to prey on and everyone thinks their child is the cutest.
And even if it wasn't a scam, Luke and I decided that this was NOT the kind of LIFESTYLE that we want Gracie to grow up in. I think it would be hard to grow up knowing that you are a model and being told you are cuter or better than everyone else. All she needs to know is that her parents think she is the CUTEST girl in the world, WE LOVE HER, and she is a CHILD OF GOD. That should do her well enough. Talent Agency: EAT YOUR HEART OUT!!!

Clothing Make-overs!

Trying on Luke's jeans after I patched them. YEP! Gracie fit too. And Luke is so tall they went up to my bustline and were still slouchy. Luke didn't think it was very funny. Actually both Luke and I are the skinniest that we have been for years. It feels good.
I sewed "LUKE" over the "NY" shirt I had but never wore. And stitched around the vinyl heart to make it match. I added little bows on the sleeves too. And then I wore it too a couple's Valentine's Party. It was a hit. Now Luke will get one next year that says " I HEART HOLLIE!"
Gracie is modeling her new green outfit. Made from the top of a green jacket dress and a thermal shirt that both were too short.
Added ribbon with fabric glue and sewed on the flower with a button in the middle:
It WAS a ONESIE which I don't like for this age anymore and NOW:
I did reverse applique for the first time (the butterfly) and used the bottom of an existing pink shirt to make the band on the bottom of the above shirt. Then I used the top of the same pink shirt for the shirt below. Just added the way too short thermal shirt bottom and sleeves to it. Added the blue ribbon as a tie and the heart to finish it.These pants are kind of funny but still cute. I had a lot of stains to cover.

I think it all turned out pretty darn cute. Now I will be less scared to do it again to more clothes that need a little help. I think the best was wearing Luke's pants though. What do you think?