Thank You God that I Lived Through this Friday!

Today the older girls were blessed to get some respite at their dear friends house for the whole day. They were loved up and sent back to me tired and hungry. I am so happy that they get a break from the constant strain that our family is under, they need the mini vacation to just go be girls and not worry about what is happening on the homefront.

Being that I was minus 2 and I woke up with a really happy heart I decided to do the unthinkable.........try to get portraits taken of Sweetpea. I was very sneaky though. I started with just some nail filing and it seemed to "naturally" flow to nail polishing which littlest button adores but Sweetpea has had a very negative reaction to. Well this morning she could not be left out of the girlie fun. She loved the way all our fingers were having a party after they were painted. Then we went into the bathroom where I had the curling iron ready and proposed that we try curling the short locks for a more feminine look. Blew me over when she agreed to it. It did not look at all good so we had a great time spraying it down and getting it to lay down straight again.

Time for a break so as to not push my luck, we had a snack and read some books. Then we did some therapy and before you knew it I looked at the clock to see we were running out of time. It is really hard to be sneaky and nonchalant about something when under a time pressure. I got the hose, dress and shoes out and the child knew I was up to something not good. It was full stop and I was prepared to let it go and not make it a battle when her curiosity overwhelmed her and I was able to coax her into the tights and dress because she really wanted to wear the shoes.......dress shoes need a dress wouldn't you agree?

Her hair came last and I had not a clue as to how to make it styled especially when she is twisting and turning all the while. I got something into the hair that did look cute and I left it, it was the case of good enough will do, and it really did.

I got the two buttons out the door and into their car seats. No minor feat with this Cinderella dress she was wearing. We had just enough time to get to the studio when the car wouldn't start. DEAD BATTERY. Those triple A's came after about half and hour but I knew I had lost my appointment slot. I decided to just chance it not knowing if another day Sweetpea would be so amenable to let me play dress up with her. They did let us take pictures and I prayed my thanks to God.

I find it a funny thing that as we do something now that Sweetpea does not want to do she voices her dislike very loudly and begins to act out but then for some reason that I can not decipher she does not go through with her threat to thoroughly object and defy. Without my having to bargain or beg she concedes to do what is expected of her and in the end appears to actually enjoy it, but would never admit it.

After taking pictures of her outsides, which by the way turned out stunning and I can't wait to share them later, we made our way over to the hospital to get pictures of her insides. She thought that was so funny, it's a big picture day. So many "why's" I was tired of the talking loop by the end of the afternoon and grateful when they both fell asleep in the car on the way home.

One of the conversations this afternoon was very telling and hopeful to me that I am making a dent in her logic about who she is and what is happening to her. She wanted to talk about our dog, out of the blue random conversation. So I was telling her that we got our dog from a family who did not want the dog anymore but we wanted that kind of dog. She makes this connection: "That's just like me. You take me that way too." I assure her that she is much more valuable and important than a dog and that we are so glad that we get to be her family. Silence. Okay, that's better than her canned instant rebuttal of "NO!".

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Some cute observations she has made is that we have foxes and kangaroos in our back yard. She is quick to yell for me to come to the window to see her discovery of them. When I look out all I see are the resident squirrels and they are not something I get excited about. It is just such a cute routine as they constantly fascinate and excite her.

A family tradition of sleeping under the Christmas tree. I didn't know if Sweetpea could handle it but she wanted it so badly that she did just fine ---- after she fell asleep, that is.