Crazed Photographer For Hire

Friday:

Our big playdate with Caroline (i.e. adult coversation for Mommy with Caroline's mom!) a necessary trip to Publix and a picture of Annie in her favorite green racecar buggy, pictures of the girls having their respective rests, and of course our sweet Annie in the playroom after her nap.

The dancing queen ...

Saturday: Game Day

Can't you just feel the love all around?

There's a very special place in heaven for sweet Mary Barclay!

Watching Daddy mow the grass ...

Trying on Mommy's shoes ...

Getting ready for the game ...


The girls trying to contain their excitement over the fact that they're on the verge of having the house to themselves for several hours ...



Proof that no matter where you are, there is always a BABY STROLLER to be found ...

Ok, I've had it!!

And I've just realized there are about a bazillion pictures on this blog, and probably our parents are the only ones still reading!! So I'll save Sunday morning's pictures for the next blog ...

Best-Laid Plans

Because writing is truly my passion, and photography is a pretty close second, I have grand plans to photo-document (is that a word?) our weekend, starting this morning with our playdate followed by our super-exciting trip to Publix in the enormous green racecar buggies ... Yep, the next blog should be interesting ...

Dancing Queen

Since it's been a pretty busy last few days, today was our getting back to business day, which meant the never-ending delight of doing laundry, cooking (yes, you read that right) a little bit, going to the dry cleaners, and the weekly trip to get my allergy shots. Here's how that jaunt to the allergist went down:

We arrive, Annie decked out in her baby stroller t-shirt, leggings, Cars shoes and carrying a little black Halloween purse. In the waiting room, we find one other patient (a man) and the usual bowl of suckers. Annie has a sucker. I sign in to get my shots.

Annie plops down in a chair, eating her sucker and surveying the scene. There is a large bank of windows which overlooks the parking lot. She spots (God HELP us) a baby stroller. HUGE gasp from her ... "BABY STROLLER!"

"Yes, that is a baby stroller. See the mom with the baby? That's the baby's stroller." Me speaking in a relatively quiet voice in an attempt to offset my child's VERY excited (read: LOUD) screeching.

"BABY STROLLER!" Screeching continues, a virtual narrative of all that transpires with the baby stroller. I look at the man in the waiting room and smile, hoping he is a kind soul who understands the crazed thing that takes over my child when she sees baby strollers.

"OOOHHH, BABY STROLLER LEAVING!!"

"Yes, the mom has to go, so the baby stroller has to be folded up to fit back into the car." Quiet speaking continues, even as Annie's little face becomes a bit sad when the baby stroller is no longer in sight.

She turns around and plops back in her chair, still eating her sucker. She looks at the kind patient and points. I panic.

"MAN!"

Mortified, I still speak quietly. "Yes, that's a man; he's waiting like we are." Thanks to the good Lord in heaven, the man smiles.

Then the allergist emerges with a patient he's just seen to check on setting up her next appointment. Annie points at the doctor. I want to sink into the floor.

"MAN!! MAN WORKING!!" No comment from me at this point. The man-patient heads out the door, waving bye as he's waited his twenty minutes after his shots.

"OOOOHHH, ANNIE SIT IN MAN'S CHAIR!!!"

"Ok, fine, whatever."

Next, Annie heads to the garbage can to dispose of her little sucker stick. On the way back to the chairs, she passes the nurse's area where I got my shots. I work on digging a hole in the floor. She points.

"OOOHHH, LADY!!! LADY WORKING!!" Luckily (again) the nurse finds Annie delightful, and they strike up a conversation which somehow ends with Annie showing the nurse her dance moves ... this display ends with Annie spinning in circles until she falls down, causing her to see another sucker under a chair. I am now crawling out the window.

It would seem that for my child, life is truly a stage. Who knew I'd ever be the audience??

Life, In A Nutshell

Mom and Dad have been here for a few days this week, so here are a few pictures of them when they were over for dinner one night and also a couple of pictures Anthony took tonight after I'd just had a shower and Annie was on her way upstairs for her bath.

Annie's had a good two days at Moms Day Out this week, at least according to her little daily reports. There's a spot where "quiet as a mouse" can be circled on their papers but needless to say this phrase has not yet been circled on our baby girl's ... is anyone surprised?

The Hoarding Habit

I don't know if this is some phase Annie's going through, but God help her and her hoarding habits ... I swear ... when she takes naps, it's unreal all the things she needs to take to bed with her. Everything from toothbrushes, little tractors, miniature aluminum cars, shoes (could be one or both), 7,000 baby dolls, etc. It's truly a sight to behold.

However, her mean daddy and I have put a stop to what was rapidly becoming an out-of-control habit. Now, she just takes beloved Baby Ethan, lambie and a pacifier since we can now actually see her gigantic molars cutting through her gums.

Nonetheless, we didn't raise a quitter. Last night, after her bath she came to Anthony and said, "Annie go night-night" and patted her chest. Only one problem. Her chest sort of rattled a bit when she patted it. Seems she was going to smuggle two little post-it size pieces of paper into bed via her shirt. Why? I have no idea, but it is the funniest thing I have seen in awhile ...

Mommy Gone Wild

We may have hit an all-time low here at the Barclay household of Mommydom. To pass the time away this morning before Moms Day Out, we actually had a photo session with the beloved Baby Ethan.

In my defense, however, I cannot stress his importance around here ... still, a photo session with a baby doll is a bit sad ...

The Better to Eat You With, My Dear

Just a few pictures from our weekend ... most especially notice Annie's new "big girl" tennis shoes ... frightening how quickly she's growing up!! She's so proud of those shoes she even takes naps wearing them.

And now a word about budgets ... we love them so much and follow ours so very closely that Friday found Annie, beloved Baby Ethan and me swinging through Jersey Mike's picking up sandwiches for supper (never mind that we had boring but nonetheless budgeted food at the house to eat.) Anywho, Baby Ethan had never had the excitement of watching subs being made, so of course I had to pick up Annie and Baby Ethan to watch the entire process ... not strange at all. Also during this time, Annie was chomping on Baby Ethan's arm to help her teething discomfort. Just imagine how we must have looked. Or don't. It's just too strange.

Or maybe not. On the way out, as I was holding the subs in one hand and Annie's little hand in the other, I found myself saying something I have never in all my 34 years on the earth said: "Annie, does Baby Ethan taste good?" Right out loud. With people around us. It's truly a miracle I have not been committed yet ...

Baby Strollers Baby Strollers Baby Strollers

Our conversation from yesterday's trip to Babies R Us: (you can guess who's saying what)

"See baby strollers?"

"Yep, I promise we'll go down that aisle."

"See baby strollers ... OKAY!!"

"See baby strollers."

"See baby strollers."

"See baby strollers."

"See baby strollers."

This went on for approximately 15 miles, or however long it was until we actually arrived at the store, got Annie strapped into a cart accompanied by our little Baby Ethan and commenced to shopping. And then:

"See baby strollers?"

"Yes, I promised we'll go down that aisle, but Mommy needs to look for something else first. And please don't scream so people think we're crazy."

"See baby strollers?"

"See baby strollers?"

"SEE BABY STROLLERS?"

"Ok, tiny, screeching child whom I do not know, I will take you to view the beloved baby strollers."

"BABY STROLLERS!! OKAY!! OKAY!!"

And then, I swear I decided on-the-spot that Babies R Us is a store created by the devil. There weren't just a few baby strollers, there were at least 7,000. Maybe more. Difficult to count when you have your eyes closed.

Baby Mine

Ok, so our baby started her second year of Moms Day Out today ... it actually was such an incredibly busy day for me that I hardly had time to think about it. Interestingly enough, there's another Annie in our Annie's class, and the "other" Annie has a twin (also in the class.) God bless the teacher. REALLY bless the teacher ...

When I was leaving the room after dropping Annie off ( she practically shoved me out the door so she could start playing) there were at least 4 of the 7 or so kids in the class screaming their brains out. Of course they'll adjust, but I swear it's almost comical. Maybe because Annie wasn't one of those screaming kids ...

I'm backtracking, but I had actually gotten her dressed to go this morning (which is a tiny but VERY choreographed little activity) and we were literally standing at the door to go to the garage and get in the car. She had her little backpack and was looking so cute. Then, just as I reached for the doorknob, I smelled it. Poop. (Not to gross anybody out, but bodily functions are just so very much a part of parenthood that I wanted to share.) So anyway, we went back to the living room, and I did the fastest diaper change EVER. I mean, this was a good one. I hiked Annie's little dress up, yanked her bloomers down, and within 4 seconds we were in the car to go. Amazing little story, huh? All you moms out there know exactly what I'm talking about ...

As for the pictures: yes, I know that is a most unladylike pose in the first one, but people, you try getting a 2 1/2-year-old to sit still, and I'll send you a million-dollar check.

Just don't cash it, ok?

Trying to Reason With Hurricane Season

Ok, I'm feeling a little bad about what I wrote yesterday ... please understand that I was NOT making light of hurricanes. Anthony and I have lived in Pensacola and in Gulfport, so we have experienced our fair share of tropical weather (of course Katrina was the horrific highlight of everything.) We were so very fortunate this time that our family and friends are all ok, and we pray (as we will continue to do) for everyone along the coastal areas ...

It's just that the meteorologists always crack me up when something big weather-wise is going on, though it wasn't so funny to be reprimanded by the one and only Jim Cantore when he called me earlier today.

Ok, that's just a lie (sorry, Mom.) He actually called me tonight ...

Another subject: Annie's first day of Moms Day Out is tomorrow. We haven't told her yet because she loved it so much last year that it may send her into a complete frenzy. Selfishly, I have very mixed feelings about the entire situation: she's just growing up so fast! On the other hand, the child talks non-stop all day (pretty sure that came from her Aunt Kelly because she sure was the talker when we were growing up!) so it might be a nice little respite, but we'll see.

I'll have a full report tomorrow ...

Come In, Meteorologists

Ok, to all weather people out there I must preface this with an apology. Well, except this part: since Anthony and I were living in Gulfport to experience Katrina, we've been following the happenings of Gustav today. And I know I wrote a pretty similar blog back then but still, weather people, PUH-LEESE, here's just a sample of the coverage we've seen and heard today:

"YES, SMART PERSON BACK AT THE STUDIO, I CAN HEAR YOU ... I CAN HEAR YOU ... YES, I CAN HEAR YOU ... I SAID I CAN HEAR YOU!!!!"

"Well, good, we weren't sure as it's been awhile since we've heard anything. What's it like out there?"

Seriously?

"WELL, WE'RE BEING BATTERED PRETTY GOOD HERE ON THIS OUT-IN-THE-ELEMENTS STRUCTURE ... IT FEELS A BIT LIKE BEING PELTED BY NEEDLES WITH THE RAIN AND REALLY, REALLY, REALLY STRONG WIND."

So why not report from an indoor location?

"Wow, well it looks pretty bad from what we can see since you just flew right off that bridge you were reporting from."

"YES, I AM BLOWING AROUND BUT I'LL CONTINUE TO REPORT FROM THIS OUTDOOR-IN-THE-MIDDLE-OF-A-HURRICANE LOCATION."

God love 'em, those meteorologists. And God love us because we were sitting right there watching ...