http://blogs.fl1blogs.com/threetimes/ Chronicles of first-time motherhood en-us Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:28:46 GMT CakePHP http://blogs.fl1blogs.com/threetimes/this-should-make-aunt-christina-smile/ While we as adults have had years to learn to feel self-conscious about our dance 'abilities', these little ballerinas are blissfully unencumbered by the need to shake their stuff.Jackie and her fellow dance-mates at The Studio of The Dance Arts in downtown Seneca Falls. Jackie began practicing for this ages ago... Thu, Sep 18th 2008, 17:13 GMT http://blogs.fl1blogs.com/threetimes/she-lies-for-fries/ Back to blogging...for a few different reasons I took the summer off from writing - but on the ride home from work today I decided I would make a post tonight. Summer and my blog-break are over...time to get back to normalcy.As I was pulling out of the parking lot after picking Jackie up from school today I asked my daughter how her day had gone. She said “good.” Then the following conversation ensued… “Mama (all of the sudden my daughter is from the Deep South), I think we need to go to Old MacDonalds so I can eat some French fries.” “Daddy is making a special pizza for dinner tonight.” “I think I need some French fries right now.” “Jackie, I just told you what we were going to have for dinner. Daddy will be sad if we eat on the way home because then he will have to finish a whole pizza all by himself!” “I will only have three French fries right now. Just three - okay? One, two three.” “I think we should just go home.” “Well, I think you should want Jackie to be happy.” “I do want you to be happy.” “French fries make me happy. We just won’t tell daddy.” It is amazing that at just under the age of three Jackie has already begun her dissent towards sneaky, conniving and manipulative. Very common traits for a woman to have.She is so advanced. I bought her French fries.some pictures that were taken over the last two months... Fri, Sep 12th 2008, 14:17 GMT http://blogs.fl1blogs.com/threetimes/flower-girl-for-hire/ Over the weekend Jackie was the flower girl in Jim's cousin John's wedding. When John and his then fiance Jenni told us at Thanksgiving they wanted Jackie to be a part of their wedding I felt both delighted and petrified. I was afraid that perhaps they did not truly ever have the honor of witnessing Jackie during a true 'toddler' moment. Jackie is very, shall we say, set in her ways. I envisioned Jackie in one of her stubborn moods - and then me begging her to "Please, Just walk down the aisle" as she lay on the floor of the church screaming "No, I don't want to!", which is basically an everyday occurence minus the house of God.For the last seven months I honestly thought Jackie would reach new heights of disobedience during this wedding, and that John and Jenni would go on to consider a childless marriage.My little girl completely amazed me. I could seriously rent this child out to people who find kids in weddings 'cute'. She was such a pleasure to be around this weekend, she was so adorable - absolutely edible. I didn't even miss the fact that I missed the open bar because of pictures... that much.Now - here come the pictures!Lots of them, because Jackie was really dressed up - and you probably won't see that happen too often - and also because this is my blog and I feel like posting ALL of my favorite pictures from this weekend... if you don't like it, go read about Alaska :-) Rehearsal Dinner - Ryan & Jackie cut a rug right before the ceremony...after the ceremony on the lawn at the Willard Chapel with bubblesgetting a little bored, and ready for a napPoppy to the rescuepictures at the Belhurst Castle before the reception so cute right?and then - we dance the night awayJackie, you are so great! I don't give you enough credit sometimes... and even though you called your Di-Di a HUGE PAIN today and told me to JUST CLOSE MY MOUTH AND GO AWAY when I tried to explain to you why you didn't need to put sunscreen on tonight when it was pitch black outside, pouring rain, and we had no intention of going outdoors - you're still the sweetest little girl in the world.By the way - you've got sweet dance moves for a two year old. Mon, Jun 30th 2008, 17:26 GMT http://blogs.fl1blogs.com/threetimes/blank-canvas/ she was playing so quietly in the family-room, I didn't want to disturb her...so I left her alone for an entire ten minutes.I am an idiot. look how proud she is of herself.she's a piece of work. Thu, Jun 12th 2008, 14:06 GMT http://blogs.fl1blogs.com/threetimes/hide-your-valuables/ As I was cleaning up around the house this morning Jackie decided to go up to her room and read some books to Beast and ‘Bunny Baby’. This is a daily ritual – usually after dinner and before bed she spends an hour or so pulling all of her books from her bookshelf and reading them one by one to her stuffed friends. I told her to have fun and that I would join her when I was finished with my wifely chores. While cleaning the bathroom I was reminded of the fact that my toothpaste had been missing for a couple days… I had been using Jim’s (yes we have our own pastes) since Wednesday morning. Now here’s the thing – I was quite certain Jackie had taken it somewhere. She has been known to take random items that belong to her father or me to keep for herself – or give them to her stuffed animals. I have found Elmo holding my hairspray, Pink Care Bear wearing my bathing suit top, Barbie with my cell phone, and Tigger Poo is usually the keeper of the remote control. So, I went in to my daughter’s bedroom and asked her if she could stop reading to her friends for a minute and help mommy find her toothpaste. She said “Sure.” And then pulled one of her baskets from the shelf her Grandpa Tim had made for her. Inside this basket was a small pile of stuff Jackie had recently pillaged. I asked her what these things were and she told me they were “Jackie’s treasures.”Here is what we found...A picture of my father who passed away when I was eleven Jackie: "the guy with the clouds"Coupon for Diapers from P&CJackie: "Dora ticket"Ralph Lauren Tag with an extra button and some threadJackie: "rectangle card with string"Free Sunglasses Promotion from The Limited if you spend $50Jackie: "Lady paper"AquafreshJackie: "Mommy's Blue Toothpaste"Tucker's Yellow ballJackie: "Tucker's yellow ball"TamponJackie: "Candy" Sat, May 31st 2008, 10:24 GMT