Molly The Photographer

Molly has recently been saying 'I love you' all the time! It's probably because of the reaction she gets, but I like to think it's because she really, really loves me haha. When I was taking some photos a couple of weeks ago Molly asked to have a try with the camera, and these are the pictures she took of me. I love them, I mean I don't look like a model or anything but this is how she sees me from her angle (not my best angle I have a turkey neck, I mean!). It won't be long before she prefers a world that does not involve me, not because I'm a terrible parent but because, what children want their children involved in their narrative? So for now I'm soaking up these years as they keep flying by faster and faster. 

Some other pictures by my girl: 

Here's one she asked me to take of her when she was done playing photographer:

I love her spirit. 

Me and her

These have to be may favourite pictures with Molly other than these baby ones.

I know I'm a broken record. Everyone loves their children! But when they were handing out daughters, I got the cream of the crop. She is just so awesome.

This weekend we went for cake, she chose Ginger this time. We're going through the whole John Lewis collection (which is ending soon SOB!) We rode a bus. We bought Wreck It Ralph since she's been asking for it all week. Watched it with popcorn and our duvets on the sofa. And snuggled a whole lot. 

Baby Molly update: She is now having dry nights! They've been pretty much dry since she potty trained, but she was still wearing a nappy just in case. So, when we ran out if them this week I asked her if she wanted more, or if she would like a special blanket underneath her sheet just in case. She asked to try the blanket and here we are- no need for it!

Other news, we asked her what she'd like to dress up as for Halloween, she's quite intent on being a pizza! My girl, everyone.

She has also asked for Christmas for Lego Batman. WITH NO INFLUENCE FROM ME! As a Batman obsessed gal I'm just reminded again how awesome my little girl is. If I could keep her mine forever she'd never have friends or a husband/wife.

July Portraits

Had I kept up with a picture a week every week of Molly, these would be the pictures I'd have chosen. 

The I promise not to forget moments in my phone prompt me to remember that time Jamie and K-man were lying on the floor dosing when Molly looks over and goes 'Look Mummy, look at the sweet boys' before she went to join them. And the way that she asks me to 'give' her a story, and what a privilege to give her that gift each night. They also remind me of when I was strapping her into her carseat after we had paid for our petrol and she just told me she loved me, out of the blue. And of course not forgetting the ponies, my own little girl to play my little ponies with. I loved my little ponies, and anything horse related as a child and my heart just swells playing ponies with her. I have also found that I want to buy her everything My Little Pony as I am living out my childhood pony fantasies through her. HA. 

Things Molly says:

As I ended up not doing the picture a week every week, I have been trying my best to note down phrases and memories to 'promise not to forget'. I thought these pictures captured Molly at three very well. Independently going 'on holiday' with her suitcase full of bracelets, coins and hair ties on her 'cowboy' Steed.

Some of my notes on my phone:

I really appreciate Molly's love for sandwiches, it rivals my own.

Last night was a fairy tale, singing and dancing with microphones around her bedroom.

Calling klaus a 'Rolley-polley sausage'. 'Doggy and I are havin' a 'nuggle' and 'Awwwh he's so nice he's so sweet!'

The way she says 'I tried my best' when she does a wee on the potty.

The way she 'swims' past me in the bath, and pats my tummy.

The way she tries to sing 'gee ceffyl' in welsh. It's more like 'hee haval'.

'Look Mummy, look at our sweet boys!' (Jamie and Klaus were asleep on the floor)

Upon asking Molly what sticker she would like: 'Would you like a star Molly?' 'No, I'll have a spider.'

When I put sweetcorn in a pan: 'Bravo Mummy'. 

'Alfie was playing with me. He's so kind.'

Molly's Third Birthday

OK so I'm gonna go backwards from February 10th this week all the way up to July, so it's gonna be busy, annoying and photo heavy. But I'm ok with that. Also I've ordered disks to put my pictures on. 

It was Molly's birthday the day after the party so we both took it off work to spoil her. We decided to stay in for most of the day so that she could enjoy her enormous pile of gifts (thank you friends and family) and eat cake (thank you Aunty Rhiannon)! And in the afternoon take her for a little walk.. to find Totoro!! We had planned to go to the Swithland Woods but she was so tired from the party we decided to stay close to home. Jamie walked ahead when we got near the fields to hide them. She was so excited! I love being able to do stuff like this. I want to make the Totoro finding a thing until she gets a bit older, and then I would love to take her to Toys R Us on the eve of her birthday late at night to let her choose a gift.

Looking back, Molly's first month of being three was just so magical.

She gets sassier and more vocal everyday. I love it so much. She's hilarious, you can follow a bit of a commentary on Twitter.

I wrote this back in February: Last week Molly was 'driving' us home in the lounge and as we walked around she kept stopping and going, using her 'pedal'. It was so calculated. Each time we stopped and re-started, there went her pedal and her gear stick.

Happy Birthday Molly, I hope you felt really special. 

The Winter Woods.

coming to get you dad...

I got you, I got you!!

You know sometimes I think yeah, I'm beginning to get the hang of this camera thing, and the other times I just think, damn you can't use this at all. This walk was one of the times I thought I had a good thing going. 

I had to post these even if I've been trying to edit them for four weeks and it's nearly Christmas and I haven't done one festive post yet! 

I think that's the first time I've really managed to get Molly's glee at chasing daddy. One day that game won't be the best thing ever anymore and we'll talk about the days when Molly wanted to do everything with us. For now, we're just lapping it up. And.. I CAN'T WAIT FOR CHRISTMAS!!!!!

A little video..

As it's Thanksgiving in America and I've been meaning to do this forever I finally got together a video of a few of the clips I took of Molly from February 2011-Jan 2012. I wish I had filmed more but there we are. My family are what I am most thankful for :) This little one in particular. I apologise for the quality but I can't pay for Vimeo so I had to compress it quite a bit. I can't believe it's taken me nearly six years to use iMovie! I had also forgotten how much babies change in the first four months let alone the first year! It's so strange to think that this little person was my little Molly. She's so confident and independent now. I can't ever imagine her not speaking. We have to really watch what we say now which is new- I'm not used to censoring my conversations with Jamie. Anyway I hope you like my first ever video :) I'm so happy to tick it off the list of 'things to do'.

What we've been at.

This is the spot my father and his friends filled with leaves and hid inside thus creating the 'Amazing, talking pile of leaves!' Or something like that. It is the spot where he used to pick me up onto the wall to walk along and discuss the 'Amazing, talking pile of leaves' and other important things. And it is the spot I found myself walking past with Molly last month. It's funny how the world keeps turning and suddenly you're the parent.

We've spent last week nursing illness, listening to music and staying warm! We didn't go trick or treating, or carve a pumkin but I did try to make gingerbread which went horribly wrong :| Jamie did buy Molly a panda costume when she was at her most poorly but she refused to wear it on Halloween- ha. So, this week I am going to try again with a new recipe and get ahead with my christmas shopping. Molly is sorted- I just need to get everyone else off the list. Ha. Feeling festive? I'm dragging it out for as long as possible because come January I'm fed up of the cold!

I don't wanna ever forget tonight.

I have a scheduled post for today but tonight I want to make note of the most perfect evening. So over the last week Molly has been potty training. She took to it right the way and I'm glad we waited, she was ready. And she's grown up so much since doing it too. Anyway, Jamie's out tonight and I gave Molly a late dinner because I had some phone calls to make and I wasn't going to give her a bath, but then she did a wee on the 'big girl toilet' - not her potty but the ACTUAL toilet so I was like, ok have a bath princess. So she had her bath and it was past her bedtime and I was going to bundle her into bed (it's been a lonng ass day 8-5 yo) and then she was like horsey-horsey on Mommy's bed (it's this dancing on my knee routine while she dries off). Then I was tickling her and it was great I was like, the funniest tickle monster ever. THEN we ended up IN my bed where we were 'hiding' and making a tent and giggling together and I wanted to freeze that moment and hold onto it. Then it really was bedtime she was still nakey so pyjama time it was. Then story time, which, every night I want to bottle. And finally time for our 'stars' song. This is a new thing. Possibly my favourite thing.. We sing Twinkle Twinkle and the North Star song from Peppa Pig and it is just magic. 

If you don't believe in magic, sing star songs with the person you love most in the world because it is, magic.

Happy Friday :)

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter from my little Easter Bunny! Remember last year? Well, they still fit!! I'm so pleased. I tried to whip some up for myself too but they didn't turn out quite so well ha! I hope everyone is having a wonderful Easter. We did plan to visit Calke Abbey however the weather wasn't looking brilliant and my car isn't as full of petrol as I like it to be so instead we've enjoyed the festival eating bagels, hot cross buns and crumpets with lots of nice films and tea. We've not gone overboard with gifts (I would of liked to of bought her another Blabla bunny) just a little white chocolate egg to add to her collection. After I gave her room a quick tidy for these pictures she found her little Christmas box so I gave her some of her own buttons to arrange in it. She loves boxes and little trinkets and at one point this morning gave each button a little kiss. Everyone's commenting on how much of a little girl she is growing to be at the moment and I couldn't agree more. She's now singing words to songs and today repeated all the sounds of the letters on her flash cards. She still can't identify them from each other but now she's repeating me I feel like we're getting somewhere. I'm so proud. Once this weather warms up it will be time to start potty training and before I know it she will be starting school. She's still our 'beebee' for now though and I've never seen a cuter one* :)

*I might be biased ;)

5/52

"A portrait of Molly, once a week, every week, in 2013." 

Roaring is both a joyful and tiring business. I promise not to forget the way you took my hand at the post office and squeezed, reminding me that even at nearly two I am your base of reassurance and comfort.

Who knew light could be so perfect in a car park? Next Sunday my tiny baby will be Two! I remember vividly both the pain and happiness I felt when she had her first birthday. I have never willed time to stand still until the moment I met her. I wanted each feed, each kiss, each cuddle to last forever. But time does not work that way, and keeps speeding on by no matter how much fun you are having. This week I'm going to try and keep things simple, get as much work done as I can as well as enjoy Molly's final week as a one year old. We have decided we are giving her a few small gifts, a new outfit and a family day filled with simple cake and two-year-old fun to mark the occasion. Thank you for all your suggestions last week I can't wait to take her to a local play house and then go and get some photo booth pictures next door :) 

1 week, goodness.

Snow Day,,

Molly's snow day last year wasn't quite as snowy! Though my camera seemed to do better.. Anyhow, you'll have to forgive the blue nature of these, it's the best I could do with the software that comes with. How cute is that little hat??! This was before we got the lethal ice. Well it's all gone and yesterday we had lotss of rain. It feels like England again. I'm working today, doing homework this evening and then going out. It's a busy week, so if I don't blog again, happy Tuesday :)