HAPPY VALENTINES DAY (a day late)

Oh what's that phrase...oh yeah, "Better late than never."

I don't think its just a phrase anymore, it seems to a MOTTO. The motto that I live by...

These were the Valentine's that I designed for Natalie for Valentine's Day. I mailed a few to my family. I was late mailing them...remember what I said. I had them in time....and it looks like Natalie will be late giving them to her friends at school too. I also mailed them to her in time, but I put their old mailing address rather than their current address on the Priority Mail box. She did NOT get them in time. They came back here. And I don't guess it even matters because her school Valentine's Day Party was cancelled.

If I only I would have known, I would have saved money on shipping, but I would have spent gas money going to BR to pick her up before the snow came because her school party was postponed. Her school let out early! You know that other phrase: "Hindsight is 20/20." I tend to use that one a lot too. I wanted to go to BR Thurday to pick Natalie up so that she could be here the next day for the snow, but I did NOT want her to miss her school party. Because of the snow (which had already melted) and low attendance, her school let out at noon. This inconvenienced her mommy tremendously. My sweet little Natalie missed all the snowman building and snowball fighing that Frogmore had to offer Friday.

I wished now I would have had the attitude that she'll have other Valentine Parties, but you never know if and when we'll have another snow like the one that was coming and just went to pick her up!

Oh well....I hope you enjoy the greeting even if it is a day late. I had intended to do a mini valentine's portrait session with her, but time just didn't allow it so I made this from one of her Christmas Portraits that could have easily been a Valentine's Portrait too because she was just wearing red and white. I chose to do it in black and white because often reds tend to clash with other reds just as they did in the case of the digital scrapbook paper that I chose.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

(a day late)

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

VALENTINE'S WEEK...

Since it was warm and springlike, I went ahead and sent this Gymboree outfit home with Natalie from the new spring line. I was also suppose to rain this day. This is a darling raincoat. I LOVE EBAY! These are some of the most recent Spring 09 clothes and I got all of them at great prices!

Doesn't she look like a little model?

I showed this idea to B while they were in last weekend. She loved it. I am so glad that she did this since Natalie's Valentines still have not been delivered. [long story that I won't waste yours or my time with] Natalie and Brittany did these to take to Natalie's "school" (daycare) little Valentine exchange thing. [I don't think they really had a party.]

Before they went to school, Natalie had to go to the clinic. A few days earlier, she had to do X-rays. Natalie has had a chronic cough since before Christmas (possibly since Thanksgiving). She's been on antibiotics at least twice, but it won't seem to go away. It's not so bad in the daytime, but each night it gets really bad. She coughs until her eyes look like they are about to pop out of her little face and they begin to tear up. And her face is so red; she looks like she is about to passout!

So of course, we (parents/grandparents) are very concerned. The doctor said this time they heard wheezing, but she could only hear it with the stethoscope. And it had occurred since the x-rays were made. She took a breathing treatment immediately (while at the clinic) and has been on some type of breathing treatment at home for the last few days. Please pray for my little sweetheart...that God heals her of this and with some kind of diagnosis. She doesn't sleep well because of this cough that gets so bad at night...so of course, no one else in the same home does either. It is hard to see your child (I mean grandchild) suffering and you can't do anything about it!

I hope Brittany doesn't mind. I took this from her facebook page. These two were taken at the clinic Friday. They went very early-- then Nataie and Brittany went to their schools.

She is playing with this little doggie that she got for Christmas. I don't remember the name of it, but she really liked it!

I asked Brittany to photograph the candy bars since I wouldn't be there to see them. I am so glad she did so this is one more thing in NATALIE'S WORLD that she won't forget!

This is the back side.

This was all of the ones that she was taking to school (I think).

I don't have any photos of Natalie's gift. I forgot to ask Brittany to take a photo of her receiving it, but I will mention it. I guess I should have photographed it before I sent it...actually I was doing good to get it in the mail in time for her to get on Valentine's Day. I sent it off Wednesday. Usually she gets her packages in 2 days, but just when you are really hoping she will get them quickly...it takes longer. Brittany called me yesterday, when she received it. THIS WAS THE CONTENTS OF HER PACKAGE FROM MIMI AND POPPA FOR HER FOURTH VALENTINE'S DAY:

• A Pink Plaque with three pegs for hanging her jackets for her room. It read: PRINCESS (she is poppa's princess)
• I found this cute little teddy bear holding a heart that read: SWEET--- I thought this was perfect since the bear was little and she is my little SWEET heart! (the first two items were the sentimental gifts. The rest are "happies" that I thought she would like.)
• Dora Mermaid Movie
• Pink M&M's
• HEART-SHAPED STICKERS THAT LOOK LIKE CANDY [I was thinking these would be good to put on the Valentine envelopes. I was not thinking that at best timing that the stickers would arrive after the party. Oh well...maybe she can still do it now...NO ONE CARES IF THEY GET A PHOTO GREETING AFTER THE HOLIDAY...at least I hope they don't because I am two holidays behind now...LOL!]

I know I am out of order. I still don't have images from our afternoon a week ago at the golf course and I still don't have much from Christmas. I was so hoping to backtrack, but it is so hard to go backwards in a fast moving forward world!

~~Natalie's Mimi~~

OUR LITTLE WILD THING (lots of images)

The above image is the Valentine's card that I created for Natalie to share with her friends at school and for me to send a few late greetings.

When they did not come in quick enough, I re-sized it and printed a few 4x6 for Natalie to share with her friends at school, but the quality of Wal-mart print can be so tacky sometimes and sometimes not. This was one of those times! So they late Greeting for everyone else except facebook and blog readers...YAY! YOU!

Gymboree called this Zebra line "Wild One". I had recently purchased many items (probably way to many) from the previous line, "Sweeter than Chocolate". So I limited my purchases of the Zebra stuff. I couldn't resist the boots and the swimsuit I that purchased before Christmas along with the other winter clothes (pink/brown clothing...sweeter than chocolate) that I gaver her as part of her Christmas gifts.

My new friend who I met through ebay...believe it or not made Natalie's Zebra tutu. Rachel (the friend) has a business out of her home (sound familiar?). She mades tutus, headbands, hats, cute, cute little baby shoes. She made my favorite Christmas Tutu for the studio! The Zebra Tutu was just as darling. Once I got the idea of doing "Wild Thing" for Valentine's, I also orderd her the pink leggins and Gymboree top to go with it. Okay...now I sound like an ad for Gymboree and Punkin's & Peanuts Baby. Actully we are doing ad work for Rachel...too bad Gymboree won't make the same trade-out arrangement with us! That would save me a ton of money! [Check out the link to see more of Rachel's items. Her website isn't finished yet, but you can purchase through ETSY!]

I took Natalie to Duncan Park to create some fun images with intentions of creating her valentine's cards. With no particular ideas of what we would do. Of course, she had to cooperate at her photo session before we could go play, but she really didn't seem to mind being photographed...I am sure I did a few more than she had in mind, but I am so glad that I did and I am so glad that she is much more cooperative about having being photographed than she used to be. Makes it more of a pleasure than a chore!

On NO! I accidently deleted one. These are just a few of my favs. I ended up with 88 that I kept. I plan to post most of them on facebook. So if you happen to be one of my facebook friends you can see more real soon.

Finally she is through doing portraits and we are headed to the car to change into play clothes!

I love her expression in this one

and I love how she stopped and looked over her shoulder at me.

I had soooo much fun swinging. After so many cool days in January, this was our first pretty Saturday. I am so glad that we enjoyed some of the day playing at the park!

I am also very glad that Cari joined up took this photo of me and Natalie. I will treasure it forever. I just love how it shows our excited at the park!

This should be my The End Shot.

But I wanted to include this one of Emma and Natalie. Emma and Brittany also joined us a little later too. It was about time to go by the Emma got there. We had not ate lunch yet and we were ready for our LaFiesta Fix!

SO HAPPY VALENTINIE'S FROM NATALIE AND HER MIMI!