it's my girls' world

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  

 V was not really a blood relative of mine. In fact, I'm not entirely sure if we're totally related at all but in so very many ways and in absolute certainty in my mind, she was family. She had such a tough life, from being abused as a kid, to a brutally abusive marriage to a lot of abandonment but through it all, instead of becoming hardened and bitter, she was always kindhearted, gentle and thoughtful.

V lived with my grandmother for the past 25 years in Trinidad where I grew up….their relationship I know was not a blood one but to me it's what humanity is made of. My grandmother basically took her in when she really had no place else to go and V adored Grandma. Grandma cared for her, they went everywhere together, they cooked, did all their chores together and kept each other company. My grandmother who had four out of her five daughters in the US, didn't want to travel for too much as she didn't want to leave V for too long. She cared for V when she suffered from her seizures (which became very frequent towards the end of her life) and V helped her so much especially as Grandma  got older. As one of my cousins said, that house will never be the same. I can't imagine and I worry about how much Grandma will miss her.

But it's not only Grandma.  WhatV has done for me, and my family, and the kindness she has shown us through the years is something else.  Growing up, she was a bit like like a big sister to me. The one I confided all my pre-teen and teen angst too.  She was the one who gave me my very own copy of Growing Up and Liking It. Remember Patty, Donna and Ginny?? (side-note, did you know that Judy Blume wrote it?!) I would ask her all these different questions and she would be the one to answer gently and honestly- never judging or reprimanding. She kept all our little secrets and truly had our backs. We never washed dishes or cleaned up by ourselves. She always was around lending everyone a helping hand. And our birthdays! Even though she didn't have a lot of money, she always made sure to slip us a little pocket change for our birthdays. Up until now, she was so happy everytime she saw us when we visited Trinidad, never thought we stayed long enough and she loved my little girls so very much! 

So though I am sad, I am grateful. I am grateful that she was such kind, caring company for my grandmother. As hard as it is to say, I'm relieved that she's not suffering anymore. I truly believe in a perfect God with a perfect plan. But more than anything, I'm so grateful that she touched our lives. I'm grateful for seeing firsthand such kindheartness, gentle strength and inner beauty.

Rest in Peace, sweet V. Thank you so very much for all that you were.

Linking up for The Grateful Heart with Ember Grey

Have a wonderful week. 

A couple weeks ago, on my half birthday, a little lady turned two and a half- she told everyone who would listen-- " it's my half butday". She actually still says this up to yesterday. This is the last year it would make sense to do this but here's a little bit about my favourite little toddler.

She is about 24-25 pounds, depending on the day, her clothes and how wet her diapers are

She is still in diapers- Size 3 or 4

Wearing 18-24 clothes though I'm slowly bringing out the 2T dresses and pants for the length

Sporting size 7 shoes

Milk is her jam- she asks for it all the time. Sometimes she varies it and asks for warm milk or fresh milk (like I give her stale milk) but it's always milk-- the answer is often no as she gets milk twice a day but asks for it about 10 times. 

Her family--- especially her mama

Dolls and babies--- all those babies and dolls that C got and never really used is being put to good use. 

Pull ups- I bought pull ups a couple weeks ago for when she begins the potty training and needs to go. However, she is obsessed with the colours and look and always asks for them.

Her friends-- especially Raven, Elin and Brody. 

The cake baking app on the iPhone

Her kitchen- another gift for C that she uses way more

She is my foodie- this girl will try anything at least once. She will tell you if she likes it or not. And her jaw will clamp shut if she doesn't. Her favourites are chicken, eggs, cheese, potatoes, cucumbers, nuts and salads. Now she is asking for sugars or growmups-- both meaning candy.

Dislikes:

My hair in a pony tail-- she really gets very mad and pulls the hair tie off my hair. 

Not getting milk

She's not a morning person and wakes up very cranky-- hence the warm milk. I seriously think she's be a caffeine girl when she grows up

Still sleeps in her crib- we intend to keep her there until a couple months from now when the crib finds a new home 

She has been saying "that's not fair to me." Wondering where she got that from, huh C?

Reads her potty training books all the time like they're works of fiction

Can't say L. It's the cutest thing. 

She chats about anything and everything. Her vocabulary is astounding! From words like octagon and ellipse to remembering the words in the Planet Song

She gets totally mad when I tell her that I love her more. As she apparently loves me more. 

 

Day #25

Elsa is apparently making a smoothie. My friend Jenn gave her appliances for her kitchen and she could not be happier. 

Day #26

Sweating up a storm in sub zero temps #oversharing #whowantstoseeallthatsweat

Day #27

My parents were here a few extra days so my mom made sweetbread (and freshly baked bread and fudge). My kids loved the sweetbread most and still ask me for it. Sorry kids, mom's watching her calories and would inhale the entire thing if it were around.

Day #28

Wednesdays in the baby music parking lot. We had just dropped off C to dance with a babysitter. After our music class,we head back for C, drop A home with the baby sitter and come back to music with C. Let's just say Wednesdays are a little bit insane. 

Day #29

My little helper in the snow. She tries but she ends up making a bit of a mess in my neat piles.

Day #30

Practising in heels. I have a feeling she's going to have really big feet. This coming from an 8.5

Also the night of the amazing martinis

Day # 31

Leading to this in the wee hours of #31

Day #32

Superbowl Sunday. Chowing down on that chicken wing like her life depended on it. 

I also have this pic from 3 years ago when she was doing exactly the same thing! #daddysproud

Day #33

Snow day. I let the girls go out for five minutes in the back yard until A got in waist deep and C had to rescue her. And then that didn't work so I had to race out and do it myself.

Linking up with Jess  for It's The Little Things.
And also with Annie and Nat for Thoughts on Thursday.

Have a good one!!