For Grace's benefactors

For months I've been stockpiling photos of Grace in various outfits given to her by family and friends. Would you like to see them?

You would? Great!

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Here she is all suited up to run her first baby marathon in an outfit sent by my dear friend Mrs. Donut. My favorite part about this ensemble is the high contrast racing stripe. It slenderizes her powerful baby thighs while drawing the eye downward to her shapely baby feet. On top, the curves of the polka-dot piping subtly complement her baby pot-belly, ensuring that even if she's not the fastest baby runner, she'll always place first in style.

(You'll also notice Sam's high-fashion rain boots, which he picked out all by himself at the local Salvation Army store. You gotta love a kid with thrift and style.)

After an exhausting day of exercise, Grace likes to kick back. Here she is lounging in a soft, organic cotton dress set hand-selected by Aunt Peanut. In honor of Aunt Peanut's kind patronage, Gracie makes a point of spitting up voluminously every time she wears this festive little frock. (That is, afterall, how Grace showed her appreciation for Aunt Peanut's doting during her visit last March.)

Every girl needs an outfit versatile enough to go from morning play date to afternoon picnic. Thanks to this adorable little number from Aunt Ree , Gracie's never under-dressed. A lace trim and tea-length cut add a touch of formality to the comfortable denim styling of these darling capris. And the hand-stitched peasant blouse is delicate and feminine with detailing that draws the eye upward to Grace's bright blue eyes and luminously bald head. With simple accessories like a hat, pacifier, and blankie, this girl's ready for anything!

No tour through Gracie's wardrobe would be complete without a nod to the evening wear that so flatters her classic baby physique. This stylish suit, also from Mrs. Donut, is embellished with a simple lace ruffle at the collar, making it the perfect choice dining, dancing, or sleeping.

It's no wonder that this girl turns heads everywhere she goes. Still, as gratifying as it is to have such a sharp-dressed baby, the best part of dressing Ms. Grace in these fabulous outfits is being reminded of the people I love.

"Wow!"

That is what I said (outloud) when I opened my new dishwasher this morning. My dishes have never been so clean. And the premier load even included un-rinsed pans and peanutbutter knives. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm still no fan of doing dishes. But having a major appliance that does the gross stuff for me helps me dread it a little less.

There's a lot more I could tell to this story: how getting rid of the old dishwasher is symbolic of finally ridding ourselves of the mess left behind by the previous owner of our home, how we're finally over it, how we'll live in peace and harmony forever more. And how, if we ever happen to run into said previous owner we'll be pleasant and cheerful and enthusiastic about all the wonderful work he did on our home without mentioning the windows painted shut, the vermin, the haphazard plumbing and wiring, or the piles of (as it turns out) dog crap. But no one would believe the rest of that story anyway. So I'll just leave it at this: I love my new (black) dishwasher. Thank you Michael. And thank you Lowes.

Shopping with Sam

My Blogger account is full of unfinished drafts. Yet for the last few months, this blog has been decidedly unfull of new entries. That, I've realized, is a ridiculous arrangement. So instead of getting myself together and giving ya'll an update, I'll just go ahead and clean out those archives. Starting with this little ditty from last October:


A few days ago, Sam and I spent a good portion of the day shopping for various Halloween related items. He's a bright kid, but on this outing in particular, everything he said seemed incredibly clever.

At Dollar Tree

The scene: the toy aisle, next to a display of reasonably priced ($1.00!) baby dolls.

Boss: Sam, look at these babies! Should we take one home? Do you want a purple one, a yellow one, or a blue one?
Sam: No want to!
Boss: You don't want a baby doll? Look, she's so nice. [I rock the doll, and then hold her up as if I'm burping her.]
Sam: No.
Boss: Just try it. Give her a hug.
Sam: Put away! Too scary!

The scene: the craft aisle. Sam has just picked up a bucket of small, multicolored foam beads.

Sam: Candy!
Boss: No, Sam, those are beads. To make a necklace.
Sam: Candy!
Boss: They look like candy, don't they, but they're beads.
Sam: Candy!


At the thrift store

The scene: we pass a young boy with very dark hair and pale skin.

Sam: Vampire!
Boss: Did you see a vampire? [Looking around for Halloween display]
Sam: Vampire says "good eeeevening."
Boss: That's right . . . [spots "vampire" in question. Hurry off in other direction hoping vampire's mother didn't overhear our conversation.]

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And speaking of Halloween, I'm looking for costume ideas. Give me some.