Maria

Below is a picture of my daughter Lindsey when she was a little girl.  Lindsey loved her baby dolls...  but as with most little girls, she had her favorite.  

Maria sold for around $5 and I ordered her from the Family Weekly.  She was a girl doll.  There were boy dolls as well, and yes... you could tell the difference... if you know what I mean!

 Lindsey named her doll Maria because she loved the song from The Sound of Music, 'How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria'...  She  loved musicals!

One day Maria came missing.   She was nowhere to be found. After searching high and low, we finally concluded that a dingo the neighbors dog must have drug her off.  Try telling your three year old that her baby has been stolen by a wild animal and will never return!

So I did the only thing a mother in this situation could possibly do.  I lied...  just a little.

I told her Maria was misplaced, but we'd find her...

 I promised!

Then I made one of the best investments that I've ever made.  I ordered 3 more Maria's from Family Weekly.  

Something this tragic would not happen again!

The new Maria looked exactly like the old Maria.  

(The other 2 I put away until I was sure the dingo neighbors dog didn't run off with Maria #2, then I got them out and informed Lindsey that Maria was now triplets.)  

She was ecstatic!  

So now she had Maria, Maria, and Maria.  

Don't ask.  

Only one Maria lived to see Lindsey grow into adulthood and have a baby girl of her own.  That Maria was passed around at Lindsey's baby shower during a game of 'pass the Maria'.  

Maria went on to become Rissi's doll and was mostly a bathtub doll.  Maria drank a lot of bath water and peed in the tub.  Her insides became icky after a while.  A few months ago, after examining Maria closely I decided it was time to say goodbye...  and move on.  

It wasn't until I was visiting our local flea market last week that I thought again of Maria.  

There she was...  and she had a brother as well.

I thought of buying her...

But then decided...  maybe not.

Maria.  

Gone but not forgotten.

This is Where We are Right Now...

Gracie goes through phases.  

For months she'll be in her independent, leave me alone  

so I can look out of my window and

 bark at other dogs phase...  

Then suddenly, without warning, she's into the clingy 

 phase - where she has to be stuck to my side  every minute of every day...  hence her nickname... Velcro. 

 This is where we are right now.

  Now if Gary brings food into the room, she'll pull away from me for a moment to see if there's any chance of him sharing. Then it's back up beside of me in my chair.  If she could talk, I would guess she'd say, 'move the laptop, I'm coming up'.

Now that I'm working from home, I'm in and out of the house all day, and I always find her in the same position...

Curled up in my chair with my robe.    

You think I'm exaggerating... right?

Well wait a minute.  Let me grab my phone and get a picture.

I rest my case.

Dear Diary,

I want 

my mommy.

Gracie.

The Lost Cracker

I ordered a bassinet from Walmart.  Lindsey picked it up on Saturday.  Rissi's using it for Pinky (her bestest friend and stuffed bear) while waiting for her baby sister to arrive.

Rissie picked this nice rose from our yard and gave it to her mommy.

Lindsey forgot to take her rose home.  So now it's my rose.

Gracie begs, so Gary throws her a cracker.

It lands on her back.

And she searches for it.

as we laugh at with her.

Dear Diary,


Kept the mom and dad entertained for a bit...  They thought it was funny that I had a cracker on my back.  Hardy-har-har... Hey. I knew it was there the whole time. I could've reached around and grabbed that cracker if I had the mind to... but me... being the caring pet that I am (unlike some humans I know whom shall remain nameless), I left them have their fun and played along.  Gracie.