Emma's First Photoshoot - with Miguel Jacob

First Manicure

Well the big day has come and gone.  Emma is well in bed (and hopefully asleep).  She had a great day!


We started the day with a shower (which is still a new concept for her) and then a trip to my esthetician for a manicure.  She has had one pedicure before but not her fingers.  We were only "allowed" clear polish, but she was okay with that.  She was good and patient.

Pre-Styling Hair

We got to Mode Elle about half an hour early (on purpose) so we played with the stuff we brought including our hair baubles. She loves this giant bow we bought on our shopping trip expressly for this shoot.


There were 2 other girls there in various stages of photoshoot readiness.  One was a 7 year old, who, when the photographer asked her, said "I've done this before" with such conviction you'd think she was a seasoned model.  Her mom piped up with "Yes, once before."  It was cute.


We had a hairstylist (who was also the makeup girl, but Emma was not "made up" as no six year old should be), as well as an actual stylist who helped us make outfits from the clothes we brought.  Big surprise she chose the things we had pretty much chosen for ourselves.

Soft Wavy Hair

The hairstylist told us that Emma has the softest hair she's ever felt.  Then she proceeded to produce beautiful soft waves with a curling "wand" - like a curling iron without the clamp part.  Very quick and neat.  She then shooed us away to wait until the stylist was ready to help with the clothes.  I couldn't resist taking some phone photos of her soft, wavy hair.

What a Beauty

I think Emma has a perfect no-expression face.  You just have to catch it, I don't think she can "put it on" whenever she wants to.  I've had luck finding it in my last few photo taking days


Anyway, then we got to prepare our "first look."  The stylist chose the pink polka dot dress we bought specifically for this occasion.  Emma was so excited.  We got it on and she wanted to put on this dollar store hat she loves and ask to wear it for the photos.  I told her no but that I would take a few pics of her in it.  The shots I took did not turn out fantastic, but I'll put one in anyway.

Polka Dot Dress
"First Look"

The hairstylist took her back in, gave her hair a gentle comb out and put that big black sparkly bow back in.  That was her completed look.

The photographer (Miguel Jacob) was really great.  He was so friendly and approachable, I was pleasantly surprised.  He managed to get some good smiles and poses out of Emma.  I did not try to take any photos during the actual shoot, as I thought that would be in bad taste.  It was very serious and professional with the big umbrella lights and white backdrop.  A bit intimidating for a first-timer but the people were all so great I think she had a lot of fun.  I know I did!

"Second Look"

Then she got changed and had her hair put in a messy topknot and the "second look" got photographed outside in an alleyway.  I've always liked the stone wall look in photos and I think hers turned out great.  I did see a few pictures the photographer really liked.  He seemed impressed with some of the photos himself.

We had a great day.  When Patrick asked Emma if she liked it she said, "YES!" and when he asked her if she'd do it again tomorrow she said, "Yes.  Where?" and looked like she was ready to go out the door right that minute if we needed to do it again.  I guess that's a good sign.


We finished our road trip with some ice cream and a few minutes of "park" time (there were goats and a climber behind the ice cream place) and then everyone fell asleep in the car on the way home.  Just the way any fun day should end.

Toodles!

Last Day of School - And An Awesome Compliment

Today is Emma's last day of grade 1.  She is not as excited as I thought she'd be.  I'm excited for her.  I think, perhaps, she will miss her friends, as her school encompasses most of the city (she's in Catholic French Immersion and there's only one in town.)

Rose was mad she didn't get to
go to school on Emma's first day
(Sept 2014)

We've had some trials and tribulations with her schooling this year.  Her mid-term report card was less than stellar - both the "grades" (checkboxes actually) and the comments from the teacher (which were not very helpful).  Luckily we worked with the school to overcome some of the issues we perceived (sometimes incorrectly).

She started "reading group" and is now much more interested in reading, thankfully!  (I'm a voracious reader so I can't imaging my children not liking to read!!)  And I think the rest of it was just that she wasn't ready yet.

Transitioning from play-based Kindergarten to "regular class" in grade one has got to be difficult for these kids - and for the teachers who are used to kids coming from the previous style of Kindergarten.  Rose is going to start Kindergarten this fall, and she will get the full experience of all day, play based; whereas Emma started when it was still every other day, so their experiences will be different.  I'm so interested to find out how Rose's adjustment will be.

I'm a bit nervous to see Emma's report card, but it can't be much worse than her mid-term card was.  I am sincerely hoping there's been improvement.  The thing that gets me the most about her schooling this year is the lack of teacher communication.  If my child is not performing where you think she should be, isn't it the teacher's job to tell me that?  To suggest more work at home, or other resources?  We had to call the school and ask about reading help, no one told us that resource was there.  And if you don't think she's struggling why did the "report card" suggest she's barely meeting the minimum requirements for her class?

Maybe I just don't understand fully how the schooling system works.

Anyway, on to my awesome compliment.

I was walking back from Emma's bus stop and I saw a neighbour friend coming out from her apartment across the street.  I could tell she wasn't sure it was me, so I took off my ballcap (it's sunny at the bus stop) and waved at her.  She changed direction so we could have a chat.

I caught up to her and she said "It is you!  I couldn't tell.  I was thinking 'Who's that young girl walking this way?'"  Isn't that awesome?  I'm wearing a dress she likely hadn't seen before, but still!  I was quite pleased.

I guess it's time to get ready for work.

Toodles!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Summer Is Here - Let The Relaxing Begin!

Okay so I really don't think relaxing is any more or less likely to happen in the summer.  I am just eternally happy that the intensive dance rehearsal/recital schedule is done.  And school is almost done.  I may even be able to re-set my alarm to give me 10 more precious minutes of sleep in the mornings...but Rose will still be up nice and early.

Our weekend went very smoothly.  Dance was watched, food was eaten, kids had fun - success all around.  Our next big job is replacing a section of our fence - although we're turning that into a backyard party as well (hopefully!)  We already have the fence all down, and the post people are coming next week to do the posts.  Canada Day is our fence party day - family is rallying around (and maybe a neighbour or two) and we'll have lot of eats to keep everyone fuelled.

Now Monday nights have no required pick ups.  I just get to go home after work - I'm not sure how I feel about that!  I was enjoying the no-rush, get-there-by-7 feeling of my Mondays.  Sometimes I took a walk, sometimes I read a book, and every time I didn't have to put Rose to bed.  It was Rosie-Daddy night.  Not sure what she's going to think about that either!

The only weekly thing we have on now is the Tuesday night Mode Elle business.  Emma's photos are this Saturday so I have to go through her clothes and pick out something cute (because not everything she owns is cute...) for mix and match with whatever stylist is there to make the final choices.  I may even have to get out my ironing board.  Yikes!

I feel like Emma's already super excited for her Dance Camp - she gets one full week off from school then she's there for a week (which required some work schedule tweaking for pick ups and drop offs) learning yet more dance and having a mini recital at the end.  I can't get over how much she loves it there!  It's a good thing, I know.

Anyway, gotta get ready for work - somehow that doesn't change much during the summer!  Leave me a comment about your summer schedules, or what you're looking forward to doing with the kids and family.

Toodles!

Four Year Old Battles

I think Rose is going through the Frustrating (or Frustrated) Fours.

Four Year Old Rose

I can't answer any of her questions right, and I don't make her food right, and everything she says she changes her mind right after I've done what she asked me to.  For instance this morning: "I want an english muffin with one side regular butter and one side peanut butter."  So terrible mother I am, I made her an english muffin with one side regular butter and one side peanut butter.  She ate the regular butter side and then had a fit because "What I meant by peanut butter was more regular butter!"

I don't know if anyone out there has tried to remove peanut butter from other food items - sometimes it's possible to scrape it off toast, but english muffins, with all their tiny holes, are a lost cause.  So she just threw a fit and refused to eat it.  Ok, well I guess that's what I'm having for breakfast now.

Why does this happen?  Lately I'm getting a lot of "What I meant by no (or yes) was actually yes (or no)"  This makes it very difficult to actually talk to Rose about anything.  Anyone else go through Frustrating Fours with their kid?  I know this is happening now because she did not have "Terrible Twos" and I am being punished for that.

Anyway, if you have any ideas/tips/tricks to deal (or combat) this stage, please please share them.  Or even just some stories about how this happened to you too so I don't feel totally inadequate!

Toodles!

Rose "Graduates" From Imagine Dance

This weekend we had the pleasure of attending Rose's ballet class recital.  The 3 year old class is called Imagine Dance.  She even got a diploma for "graduating" from the class.  The sea of little pink ballerinas (with 2 small boy dancers, not so pink) is so cute!

Imagine Dance Recital

We brought all the grandparents, as well as our daycare lady and her daughter (who's our babysitter - an arrangement that works fabulously for us!)

After the recital we invited everyone back to the house for a luncheon.  I really like using the word luncheon.  It makes me feel fancy.  Anyway, it was a nice day, hot in the backyard, and we had sandwiches, cheese and crackers, veggies and dip and fruit and cake.

Rose With Her Rose and Diploma

Everyone in the family is greatly looking forward to next weekend when Kingston School of Dance is having their end of year performance at the Grand Theatre.  We have 10 tickets (in 2 groups of 5) so everyone we know can come watch Emma dance in 2 numbers this year.  And it's funny, we actually know a bunch of people who have kids dancing at this school this year.  I'm really looking forward to the event next Saturday.  We are having a to-do after that recital as well.  BBQ with people bringing things.  Should be a great time as well!

The Studio Has Beautiful Exposed Walls

The pictures I am posting here (on Blogger generally) are unedited, not usually cropped photos of what we took wherever we were.  In case anyone is wondering.

Toodles!

Why Do Large 4 Year Olds Still Love Laps?

My youngest daughter, Rose, is a girl who loves physical contact.  Sometimes it's the kind parents like to discourage (hitting, pulling, etc) but usually she just wants someone to sit next to her on the couch so you can cuddle.  It's very cute.

Rose is now 4.  She's big.  I'm not super big.  She really does not fit on my lap any more.  But she still thinks she's a lap baby.  On the couch this is acceptable as I can usually adjust to be comfortable, but at the dining room table, while I'm drinking hot coffee and trying to read my emails (or god forbid type something!) it is much less comfortable.

I really don't want to discourage her love of human contact, but how can I keep her off my lap for just those 15 minutes I need in the morning to eat and catch up with the world?  If she does manage to climb up there she then wants to "make letters!" or "push the arrow!" which is fine if I'm just browsing around, but after about 2 minutes my legs hurt and I have to get up.  Then she gets the computer and I'm left standing, drinking my coffee.  Not quite fair.

I know distraction is best, but the tv is already on, her Dad's lap is somehow inferior to mine, and I'm just a human contact magnet I guess.  Do your (large) kids still insist on lap time?  Do you let them and suffer the consequences? or have you find a solution?  Please do share any ideas or insights you've discovered!

Toodles!

Power Outage Causes Bedtime Struggles, But All Is Resolved

Tonight Emma had her Mode Elle modelling/talent class.  Took Rose to a few stores, and changed her into jammies (in case she fell asleep in the car on the way home - she woke up at 5am today) while we waited big sis to finish.  I got a message from my neighbour asking if my power was out while we were "shopping."  Of course I wasn't home so, no idea!  Then hubby calls 10 minutes later to tell me he stopped at home between his day job and evening work and guess what! - The power's out.  Guess neighbour was right.

Kids were kind of intrigued by the idea of no power, until I explained to them what that meant.  No tv or movies when we get home (we wouldn't have done that anyway, as it's Rose's bedtime by the time we get home); no nightlights (catastrophe!); and - horror of horrors - no toasted english muffins or anything else that requires cooking.

The power was not on when we got home - nor was hubby still home to assist the power-less bedtimes.  The battery backups in the basement were beeping like crazy, and Emma wondered why the dryer was buzzing so often and, wait a minute, it doesn't take batteries, does it?  Sometimes the way her mind works astonishes me still.

Anyway, Rose got to bed okay - it was dark, she was worried about it, so we had to find flashlights because the light from the hallway was just not good enough tonight.  I actually managed to find a few, some with rechargable batteries - and luckily there were a few with enough charge to last a few minutes at least.  Once she accepted the scenario she was asleep quickly.

I was starting to get worried - Emma was wearing the battery down on my phone playing games and I was not really looking forward to straining to read by candle or flashlight as the sun went down.  My big plans for the night were blogging and having a Palm Bay while watching tv - with a chaser of going to bed by 9:30.  I know, exciting night, right?

Well, wonder of wonders, the power came back on about 15 minutes before Emma's bedtime.  So she finished wearing down my phone and then she went to bed - not much fuss, just a story and then some reading-on-her-own time.  So now I am living the dream, drinking my Palm Bay and watching some tv while blogging.  Life is good.  And it's not even 9pm!

Toodles!

Is It Swimming Weather? or My Kids Are Crazy!

My kids went swimming today - today is June 7th - no one even looked at the temperature in the pool because us grownups are too cold blooded to even think about getting in.,  Although, the car did say 22 degrees (Celsius) that is nowhere near swimming weather to me!

Sundays are usually good days.  Nanny takes the girls to church, then they often go to their aunts to play with awesome young cousin with a sibling cousin on the way.  After that (while cousin naps) they go back to Nanny's for movie or swimming (when the weather is nice) or park play, then we all gather there for dinner.  Tonight we had pork steaks with corn on the cob, rice and salad.  So delicious.  The kids even ate some.  That's a feat in itself some days.  Everything is quiet upstairs now (8:30 pm).  Time for Mom and Dad to sit quietly and unwind, watch tv, and try hard not to eat snacks we don't really need because we had a perfectly delicious and calorically dense dinner.  I'm about to fall asleep, but I think that's more due to the wine I had with dinner, than the time of day.

Next weekend is going to be more busy, as will the next 2 weekends be.  Dance recitals abound, as well as following family gatherings.  Luckily my families are happy to help out, bring foodstuffs, and help to tidy.  I'm hoping the weather will cooperate for the next two weekends as well.  If it gets hot we do always have access to Nanny's pool to cool off after a hard day's work!

Toodles!

Shopping Success!

Emma is a great shopper.  I'm so surprised we had such a smooth day out looking for shoes and clothes.  We were done by noon!  She got stuff she needed (and some stuff she didn't) and I even got a pair of shoes that were on 70% off!

Now the girls are outside playing with their friends, I've got laundry hanging outside and we have a batch of spaghetti sauce in the slow-cooker.  It feels like a productive day.  Although now we have to start thinking about dinner - steak and corn on the cob - because lunch was a long time ago...

Toodles!

Tomorrow We're Going Shopping!

Somehow my weekends are rapidly filling up this month.  With the end of our extra-curriculars and the end of school, time is counting down like crazy.  I just realized that this is the last free weekend I have to take Emma for a new outfit and new shoes before her talent headshot photoshoot at the end of the month.  So while Patrick takes Rose to ballet, Emma and I will troupe around town trying on all manor of clothes and accessories.

I don't think Emma has clued in to the idea that she won't be doing her free art at the Tett this week.  I hope she doesn't catch on, I really don't want to spend then entire day out and about.  I like the girls having their weekend afternoons at home, outside, with their friends.

Emma thinks we're just going to go to the mall - I don't think that's the best place for her to find shoes.  We already tried WalMart but she's between sizes there.  I guess actual shoe stores (I miss Kiddie Kobbler) will be on the agenda tomorrow.  I just know that narrowing down choices will be quite a chore.  And truthfully I don't even know what we need for this photo session.  Because she's a child we have to take all clothes, shoes and accessories, but there will be a stylist there to help her put together outfits etc.

I'm looking forward to this excursion as an opportunity to actually talk to Emma about the endgame of this modelling and talent course.  She says she wants to act more than model (so far).  I'm unsure if she even knows what acting actually is.  Today she had to stand up in front of her whole school - she raised the most money for her Jump Rope for Heart - and she seemed to think it was a little terrifying.  I will say that I think she is less self-conscious and shy than she was, but whether that's just growing up, or this course has something to do with it I have no idea.

Anyway, if anything exciting happens on our adventures tomorrow I will be sure to share them, but until then...

Toodles!

Weekend anxiety

I felt a bit stressed out this past weekend.  Patrick was away Saturday, the girls didn't go to church Sunday, and I just felt so disconnected with everything.  I was at the end of my monthly "visitor" and the weather was all over the place and I had a few acute bouts of my "mom anxiety"as I like to call it.  You know, when you can't handle anything, especially related to your kids.  Like when they tell you they feel sick and then you're constantly "on" just waiting for the moaning and groaning or "Mom!  I'm gonna throw up!" and you can't sleep or do anything that requires attention because half your brain is occupied thinking about where the closest toilet is, or any other receptacle for catching the mess.  Ya, fun times.

My first "mom anxiety" involved taking the girls to the Tett so Rose can have her dance lesson.  The Tett Centre is a fabulous Kingston resource for anyone interested in arts.  Every Saturday they have a free drop-in session with an artist who has a studio in the centre.  It's kid oriented on Saturdays, but they are supposed to be running more adult geared stuff too.  Anyway, I can drop Emma off at art, then go upstairs with Rose and then go back to art while Rose is dancing.  For some reason this week being separated from Emma for so long (Rose and I were early for dance so we sat upstairs for a long time) caused me distress.  And I know, in my logical brain, that she's totally fine and she does this every week - the artists know her and know we are up at KSD - and there are other dance sibling there with and without parents, but my "mom brain" wouldn't stop dwelling on any- and everything that could be going on in the art area.  Of course, when I got down there she was fine and had done a ton of stuff,

Next item in the "mom anxiety" world was the sprinkler.  It was hot Saturday afternoon so we had the sprinkler out.  Lovely neighbour girl was visiting, got her swimsuit, everything was fine but I couldn't deal with the fact that they were barely in the sprinkler.  So I wanted to turn it off, but that made everyone mad.  So I tried to sit and read my book while they played willy-nilly in the yard and on the climber and in the sprinkler, but I could not focus on reading.  The girls were great, they played fine, they asked for freezies, they told me when they were done, but that still didn't quiet the nags inside my brain.  Maybe part of it was knowing I couldn't "tag out" and let Patrick watch them for a bit since he was working.  I don't know, but I do know that I could have been inside as I usually am when they're playing, but for some reason having the sprinkler out really amped up the anxiety.

There were Sunday episodes as well, but I don't want to bore you with all my personal issues.  I just need to talk about them sometimes.  Believe it or not it helps the anxiety to talk about it.  Especially to people who I may not even know, because who cares if you're judging me and my ridiculous brain?  Oh wait, my "mom anxiety" cares...

Toodles!

Dance is Eating Up My Life! (not really...)

The girl's dance studio has an end-of-year performance which is actually put on as a ballet at the theatre in town.  It has 2 acts, one is ballet exclusively (I think) and the other is all the other dance styles (tap, contemporary, swing, etc.).  Of course Emma would be in both acts as she does ballet and contemporary - that means she has rehearsals every day on the week leading up to the performance.  This will not be easy for us. Patrick is out of town Wed to Fri that week and most of the rehearsals end at 8 or 8:30.  Rose needs to be in bed before that or I will have to carry her sleeping self in and out of the car every night to pick Emma up.  Also one night he is away I have to work until 6 so getting Emma there for 5 may prove challenging.  And then there's the night she has her modelling/talent class - she's just going to miss that rehearsal.  I remember this inconvenience from last year, but then she was in only one class, and only the first act and so there were half as many rehearsals.

Rose, on the other hand, has an in-studio "recital" that we will all get to see without spending $20 a ticket and all our free time taking her to rehearsals.  This is because she is in the 3 year old dance class.  And thank god, as there's no way she would be able to stay up for a 7pm performance, and we get snacks after this in-studio show.  The kids have so much fun performing and I can't wait to see both the shows, but I'm a bit anxious about all the work we have to put in it first.

And if I'm anxious about all this, I can only imagine what will happen if any "talent" people like Emma's headshots at the modelling agency we're using.  Driving to Toronto is not my favourite thing to do on a good day, but if she wants to do this, and enjoys it, then I will totally be the chauffeur mom that I need to be.  We're starting this stuff the weekend after the dance performance, as the photoshoot is at the agency's offices in Belleville.  And I have already scheduled her a manicure for that morning but she'll be disappointed that she can't have colour.  There are a lot of rules in this modelling world.

Toodles!