Margot's One Year Pictures

My old friend, Kris Livingston, is a mom with a talent for photography and she runs a little side business by taking pictures of pretty things, like babies and brides and senior girls.  I asked her to do Margot's newborn pics and fell in love with them, and the way she runs her business is spectacular, in my book.  One low price, and a CD full of great photos that I can do whatever I want with!  She came back to do Margot's six month pics and now she's done a wonderful job with Margot's one year pics!  I'm still trying to decide which ones to print, but here are the best of the session.  We went to Devou Park in Covington and I think they turned out really well!  I'm still waiting for her to email me one more of me and Margot together, but I'm itching to get these on the blog, so here you go!

Love this one!  Think I'll hang it as our family portrait.

I cropped this one a bit myself (sorry, Krissy!).  Love me a good foot photo!  And this one makes me laugh because Margot will NOT keep a pair of shoes on, so it's very fitting for her one year mark.

Think I might hang this one in her room.

Blue Steel, anyone?

Happy Birthday, Sweet Girl!

Margot's One Year Video from Rachael Fasciotto on Vimeo.

12 Months

Dear Miss Margot,

It's here, big girl.  You are actually, really, I'm not even kidding...one year old!  On your first birthday, I spent the entire morning replaying the day of your birth in my mind.  I remember waking up of my own devices, a luxury I haven't had since that special day.  I remember my first contraction and the thrill that came along with it.  This is it, I thought, she'll be here soon!  I remember the rush to the hospital, the frantic mad dash to get where we were supposed to be.  And I remember looking at the clock at 11:00 am and saying to myself I'm only doing this for one more hour.  If she's not here by noon, I'm quitting! Which of course, sounds absurd now, in hindsight.  I didn't have to keep sweating and screaming until noon, because you...my sweet, dear, amazing child...you were born at 11:16 am on Thursday, June 21st, 2012.  I remember the relief; looking down at you and knowing that you were extremely and supremely perfect in every given way.  My baby.  My Margot.

You, the one who spent so much time snuggled inside of me, were finally on the outside and I could see you with my own two eyes.  The second I touched you, I knew I would love you forever and ever.  I knew there was nothing you could ever do or ever say that would make me love you more or less than I did at that very second...than I still do today...than I will forever and ever.  You are so perfect.

Your first year was filled with adventures.  There were difficult times, but they weren't difficult for any other reason than babies and toddlers can be difficult to manage.  Sure, I've taken care of a baby before, but I've never done it with a two year old running around and at times I thought I might lose my mind!  You cried a lot, but not any more than normal babies.  You and I had plenty of sleepless nights, but now that those are over I look back and remember the sweet parts.  I'll never forget the night I woke up to nurse you at 1am, resentful and frustrated that I had to feed you AGAIN, and I heard the teenage girl next door pull in her driveway.  As soon as I heard her door shut, I looked down at you, all snuggly and warm in my arms, so tiny and so helpless, and I thought, Oh, thank God we're awake together!  Thank God it's 1 am and I KNOW where my daughter is.  Thank God she wants ME in the middle of the night and I am all she needs.

Someday I won't know where you are in the middle of the night, so between now and then, I'll do all I can to make sure you know how to make good choices and to learn from the bad ones.  I can already tell that your sense of humor will serve you well.  You have a way with people.  You make tensions ease, you turn frowns upside down, and it's not just because you're a baby.  It's because you have a gleam in your eye and a smirk of a smile that seem to say, "Hey...relax.  Life is good.  Let's enjoy each other."

You are especially charming at dinner time.  Dinner used to be stressful, back when you weren't on a schedule and I didn't know what to do with your sister and I could barely keep my own eyes open long enough to eat.  But now, we all sit down at the table, sharing good food and talking to each other.  You love to make noises and wait for our reactions.  You love to laugh and roar and for the last couple months, almost every dinner has included a raucous session of non-stop laughing from all of us.  That's just what you've done to our family.  And I love it.

You might be a big one year old, miss Margot, but you are still...and will always be...my sweet baby.  Your snuggles are epic, your giggles are unforgettable, and your eyes are like stars that fell from the sky.  I love you more than words and I can't wait to see what the next year will bring.  Happy Birthday, sweet girl.  You are my favorite work of art.

Love forever and ever, to the moon and back a million times,
Mama

Tiny Dancer

Today was the day, people.  Sylvia has been waiting for MONTHS to go to ballet class.  She was so excited that she didn't even sleep at nap time.  Technically parents weren't supposed to be in the studio, but since there were only two girls and it was her first time, they let me in at the beginning.  I took a million pictures of her stretching, then I took this video, then I took more pictures with my phone because I'm THAT CRAZY LADY!!  It was worth it.  Behold!  The cutest First Ballet Class video ever in the whole wide world:

I wish I knew how to add subtitles, but listen for my favorite line at the very beginning: "Can you watch me do a somersault?!"  Bless that poor teacher's heart...she has the patience of a saint!  Enjoy:

P.S.  I have not forgotten about Margot.  I have a giant One Year post in the works with a letter and a video and all kinds of mushy stuff!  Her big party isn't until Saturday, so I have some time.

Magic

I have no pictures of tonight's most awesome event, so my words will have to do.

I usually go a little nuts when I see the first lightening bugs of summer.  Tonight, I was folding laundry in the basement, catching up on some mindless and much needed television, when I saw the twinkling in the trees through the sliding glass door.  I really only had two choices: go running through the backyard by myself, or...

I crept upstairs as quietly as I could so as not to wake my two sleeping babes.  I found a jelly jar and a poked a few holes in the lid.  I grabbed the sparkly pink running shoes by the door and tiptoed down the hallway.  I sneaked into Sylvia's room, stole a pair of socks from her drawer and knelt next to her bed.  I ran my hand through her hair and whispered her name until she started to stir.  I didn't want to scare her, so when she rolled over and looked at me, I whispered, "Hi, sweet girl!" and she smiled at me.  I said, "Guess what?  The lightening bugs are out!"  Then I showed her the jar and asked, "Do you want to come outside and catch some with me?"  She giggled, sat up, rubbed her eyes, and whispered, "Yes, I do!"

We stood on the back deck and I pointed out the yellow twinkling lights in the trees.  Her arms were tight around my neck and her long, lanky legs were wrapped around my waist.  She kept saying, "I see them, Mommy!"  She clenched the jelly jar while we headed down the steps and she whispered, "This is so fun."  I knew it was worth waking her up.

I tiptoed down the hill in our yard and she kept looking over my shoulder and gasping, more excited with each sighting than the one before it.  I realized that I probably waited too long, since it was really too dark to see the bugs after they were no longer lit.  I just can't think of anything more exciting than tracking down a dark, fluttering, spot with my eyes, holding out my palm until I'm right under it, and clasping it shut to feel the tiny bug inside.  I managed to do it once with Sylvia on my hip and we both giggled as we tilted our heads together.

I put her down on the ground, took the lid off the jar, and handed it to her.  I told her she had to be quick with the lid so our new friend wouldn't get out.  She shuffled from one foot to the other until I dumped our treasure inside, then she slammed the lid onto the jar and we twisted in tight together.  We watched that poor bug in his jar for quite some time before heading out to try some more.

We wandered down our hill and all around our house.  Sylvia was mesmerized by the street lamps and the neighbor's porch lights.  She pointed and gasped every time a light flashed near us and she shouted, "There, Mommy!  Catch it!" After each failed attempt, she'd say, "Oh, darn it!" then she'd point to the next one. We came close a couple more times, but it was just too dark to catch any more.  Before heading back into the house, I asked Sylvia if we should keep the bug we caught, or let it go.  She told me it was crying and we should let him go, so I knelt down beside her and twisted off the lid.  We watched it crawl to the top of the jar, spread it's tiny black wings, and disappear into the air.  Sylvia waved into the darkness and said, "Bye, bye, lightening bug!  See you another later!"

I carried her up the steps, took off her shoes by the back door, and carried her to her room.  When I laid her back in bed, there were no complaints and there was no whining.  She yawned, snuggled her dou-dou bunnies, and rolled to the side.  When I covered her with her blanket, she reached up to touch my face and said, "That was fun, Mommy."  I said, "I had fun, too, Sylvia.  Sleep tight.  I love you so much."  Through a yawn, she said, "I love you, too," and closed her eyes.  I tiptoed out as lightly as I tiptoed in. 

I know I don't have many years to do this.  Someday, she'll be up long into the dark hours of the night and she won't care one little bit for lightening bugs.  After I shut her door and made my way down the hall, I decided to do this every year for as long as I can.  I won't be able to make this much magic forever, so I hope she grows up remembering tonight.  I hope she remembers the way her arms felt around my neck, the cool, late night summer air, and the red checkered lid to the jar.  I hope she remembers the twinkling lights in the trees and I hope that whenever she sees them for the first time each year, that she thinks about home.

Summer. Day One.

Holy hell, I'm tired.  It's only been summer for one stinking DAY, but the Fasciotto girls did this day RIGHT!  I can already see some key differences between this summer and the last one.  Last summer I was tired in that I was up all night with a baby and worried about where I would nurse her if the zombie apocalypse hit the zoo or the pool or the library when we happened to be there.  This summer I'm sleeping at night, so it's a different kind of tired, probably nothing more than these STUPID seasonal allergies, but still.  This summer will be spent yelling "Stay close!" to Sylvia as she runs ahead of me through crowds of strangers, and "What's in your MOUTH?" to Margot, who may or may not have eaten bird poop today.  I came to a grand and important conclusion today, and it's this:

I'll always be tired for the rest of my life, so it's high time to just shut up and get on with things. 

Everyone I know is tired.  It has nothing to do with the number of hours of sleep we get and everything to do with the amount of worrying we do all day long, so tired is tired and we all have it and now let's move on.

I woke up today determined to tackle The Tired.  Because I woke up tired after a good seven hours of sleep and I was all, "NO way, Tired!  NOT today!  We're going to the ZOO!  It's SUMMER and you can SHOVE IT, Tired!  Get out of the way!"  So I took both girls to the zoo by myself.  I know, it's not that big of a deal.  I saw two moms there today with EIGHT children between them, and I followed them long enough to determine that they were NOT from a day care.  People do this all the time.  I just haven't attempted two kids by myself at the zoo yet, so I was nervous.  Between 7 am, when the girls woke up, and 8:45 am, when we actually walked out the door, I almost gave up ten times.  I threatened Sylvia within an inch of her life when she threw her royal fit because she couldn't wear dirty clothes from the laundry hamper OR her pajamas.  I'm pretty sure I said this: "If you don't pick one of the ten shirts in your drawer, we are never going to zoo EVER - for the rest of your LIFE!  GET DRESSED!  I'm not doing this with you anymore!"  And then I flung myself on her floor on my back and covered my face and tried not to cry.  I don't know where she gets it.

I was sure I'd forget something from my mental checklist (sunscreen, stroller, lunches, DON'T FORGET THE DIET COKE!) and after I strapped the girls in the car I had to go back into the house no less than three times to get things I forgot (once for sunglasses, once for my phone, and once for....I can't even remember, but Sylvia was cracking up laughing at me and I did NOT appreciate it, but it was better than whining and crying so I didn't really mind).  As we were heading up the street, blue skies and sunshine all around, singing The Zoo Song, I started to feel confident that this day was going to turn out okay...and it totally DID!  People, we ROCKED that zoo trip!  It was amazing and we're totally going back there four hundred times this year. 

The best part about the zoo is that Sylvia gets to call all the shots so she feels important (lunch at 9:30 after seeing our first animal?  You GOT IT, GIRL!  Eat that sandwich.  At least you're eating!) and I don't have to stress out about anything because we have a pass, so what do I care if we see ANY animals at all?  I don't.  The only thing I had to be really careful about was the potty.  I made sure we hit EVERY family restroom we could find because the time between, "I have to go potty!" and me getting covered in pee is remarkably small. 

I brought plenty of snacks.  I took a few pictures.  All in all I'd say it was a roaring success! 

The third item I went back into the house for was Sylvia's sweater!  Thank goodness, too.  It was COLD this morning!

I wrapped Margot in a blanket since I did not dress her appropriately and she promptly fell asleep! Morning nap? Check!

Margot slept while Sylvia ran around like a madwoman on the playground.  And I sat on a bench.  Score.

I told her to make a turtle face and this is what she did!  Hilarious!

Snack time.

Petting zoos have brushes now!  Those goats have it MADE.

Neither child wanted to look at the camera, but there I am, all proud of myself!

I'm sure the next time we go it will be a total disaster, but today was a really good day.  As tired as I am, I am SO excited to be home for the summer with these awesome girls who just so happen to live at my house!

My Girls

Maybe the hint of summer around the corner has me in a good mood, but lately I've been praying for time to stop and my girls to FREEZE in the moment!  Margot is starting to interact more and more with Sylvia every day - the other night she swiped a toy from Sylvia's hand for the first time ever - on purpose - and we all did a double take.  She also started putting her toy basketballs into a hoop and then clapping because she's soooo proud of herself.  She likes to "sing" when anyone else is singing, which means she babbles and yells and tries to be louder than us, which is hilarious.  But my favorite part of this age is watching them snuggle.  Sometimes, when I'm nursing Margot before bed, Sylvia will tiptoe into her room, sneak up to the side of the rocking chair and coo, "Awww.....she's so cute!" Then she'll give Margot a little kiss on the head and say, "Nigh-night Margot.  I love you."

And my heart becomes a puddle of goo.

Here are some "keeping it real" pictures:


Ignore the fact that it's 4:00 in the afternoon and she's wearing her pajama top with black leggings.  Instead, pay attention to that ponytail and those rocking bangs!  My girl is getting so big...

Saturday, after I put Margot down for a morning nap, I couldn't find Sylvia and the house was quiet - never a good sign.  I discovered her in her room, putting her stuffed animals down for a nap, tucking them in with her and reading to them from her gigantic princess story book.  Usually I feel like I'm putting her on hold while I tend to Margot, so I asked her if she wanted to play and she said, "No thank you.  I'm reading to my friends."  So I grabbed my camera instead and took some pictures!

Sylvia picked out a Mother's Day cake from Kroger, one of those bigger-than-a-cupcake-but-not-as-big-as-a-real-cake deals.  She was VERY excited to eat it after dinner on Saturday, and Sylvain was working, so I broke out the fancy French dessert plates and we had a lovely girls-only Mother's Day celebration!  She painted her hands with icing.  Margot and I actually ate the cake.

Two things about Margot: 1) She's losing her mohawk and it kind of makes me a little bit sad. 2) She's still wearing these adorable jammies (sized 9 months!) that used to belong to Sylvia.  I was sad when Sylvia grew out of them so I'm kind of glad Margot is teeny tiny enough to still wear them.  They are SO COZY!

Sleepy Baby!

I did my best to capture a profile so I could make a one-year silhouette of Miss Margot.  Look at those sweet cheeks! 

And finally, here's the funniest picture I've ever seen.  Sylvia and I were snuggling on the couch watching Poppy Cat (which has now become a part of her bedtime routine...sigh).  Sylvia was snuggled on top of me, which never happens anymore, so I asked Sylvain to grab the camera and take a picture.  The camera was within reach, so in the ten seconds it took him to get the camera, Sylvia decided snuggle time was over and this happened....

I got smacked in the head and she fell off the couch!  Not our greatest moment.  But worth capturing, I think.

Finally, since I'm keeping it real tonight and hoping to remember what life was like in May of 2013, I guess it's worth noting that Sylvain's job at CCHS was not renewed for next school year.  We have mixed feelings about this turn of events.  On the one hand, losing a job stinks.  On the other hand, he's been contemplating a change for some time, so this is a good way to get out of a job he didn't love and move on to bigger and better things.  What those bigger and better things are, we have no idea.  But I have faith in him and in God's plan for him, so I know that whatever happens will be the BEST for us and our family.  I just hope that something happens soon because not knowing what's coming is a tiny bit stressful for a Type A Control Freak like me.  Any day now, God.  We'd love to know your plan.  We'll wait patiently but....pick up the pace, will ya?