7 years later

So hard to believe I haven't posted her for so long. Must catch up.

A sundress for Alex

I had bought this Daisy Kingdom pattern for Alex thinking that she might like the sundress for the summer. She liked the dress, loved the flip-flops with flowers on them, and wanted it made out of exactly the fabric shown on the pattern envelope. Thankfully we found the fabric at Hancocks from a line by Spring Mills who bought out Daisy Kingdom.

http://www.simplicity.com/p-4485-childs-sportswear.aspxhilds-sportswear.aspx

I was going to work on finishing up some quilt tops but Alex thought that I should maybe make the dress for her first -- does she know her Gram or what? Not that I am easily distracted or anything, just have a lot of varied interests; and okay, I do flit from one thing to another frequently.

I made several alterations to the pattern - added rickrack to the flowers on the dress and tote so that they had some dimension; added a button to both sides of the tote so that she could keep her stuff inside the tote, gathered the front yoke so that it would fit the width between her shoulders and the straps would stay up. The front yoke piece was wide enough to fit Leigh's shoulders. Thank goodness I had Alex try it on first before I finished it up.

I think it turned out pretty cute; I'll also post a picture of her wearing it when I can.

She is fascinated with the reversible tote.

Back:
Front:
Next project will be from a pattern that Linda and I bought to make Marilyn and Leigh dresses when they were young. It is a sailor style dress in royal blue cotton with a white collar and red/white/blue braid. Should be cute and it will be much easier that the Daisy Kingdom one.

Latest quote from Alex:

When she was over yesterday, I was going through some boxes outside and had some things I was going to take back to the office on a table -- one of which was a gavel from my days as President of a statewide association. She says she knows that it was for and sits down and raps the gavel several times and says: "Order in the courtyard! Order in the courtyard!"

Reminds me of the old bit on the Art Linkliter show - "Kids Say the Darndest Things."

Farewell, Lady

Today, we had to put our dog, Lady, down. About 15 years ago, she adopted us. She belonged to the family across the street but she came over to visit us whenever we were outside so finally we just asked if they minded if we kept her. It was okay with them and she was part of our lives since then.

It is sometimes hard to let go but you can hold on too long. While we will miss her, we will have many memories of her that will always make us smile. One of those was the Christmas morning that I have finished putting the hors d'oeuvres out and went upstairs to change my clothes. When I came back down, she had walked around the coffee table and had eaten all the salami and cheese slices off the plate!

Nothing like it

Not quite sure what this blog is going to turn into, but just wanted a place to share with my friends and family all the really cute, ingenious, funny, and special things that my granddaughter does and says. I am sure that there are times when she things I am pretty peculiar because I am always laughing when she says or does something which I am sure to her 4-3/4 years old mind is very serious -- probably thinks that her Gram has at least one screw lose and who knows maybe I do.

I am so grateful that I have had this gift -- there is really nothing quite like it. I can remember when my daughter was born that in addition to the tremendous love I felt was a great deal of trepidation that I was responsible for this other human being. When Alexandra was born, it was nothing but love at first sight.

So, be warned. This blog will contains tremendous amounts of bragging, sharing of pictures, anecdotes, and adventures.

Just so you can appreciate how really, really cute she is, here is one of my favorite pictures of my daughter and granddaughter.