I Look So Pretty

The other day Abby put on a dress, looked in the mirror and said, "Oh, I look so pretty."  It reminded me quite a bit of this blog post that went viral a few months ago - Waking up Full of Awesome.  For some, there are only brief periods in our lives when we feel invincible, when we don't care what others think of what we are wearing or how we do our hair, when we feel pretty or strong. 

Abby is very into dressing herself these days and she comes up with some doozies.  I have been joking that I want to create a sticker that I can put on Abby's shirt that says "I dressed myself today".  It could be a disclaimer that I would never put horizontal striped, purple pants with a yellow polka dot skirt and an orange pumpkin shirt on Abby in the middle of February.  But, you know, she looks in the mirror so proudly after putting that outfit together and says "Mommy, I look so pretty."  It almost brings tears to my eyes to think that in a few years she may not say that to herself (and certainly not out loud).  When is the last time you looked in the mirror and thought "I look pretty today" as you head out the door to work or to school or wherever your day make take you.  I hope it was this morning.

We have two little girls and there is so much in this world that we know will try to take the feeling of awesomeness away from them.  We try as hard as we can to let them be individuals and encourage them to be proud of who they are and how they act towards others and that no one can tell them otherwise. 

I read blogs and books that talk about raising strong daughters.  Some say we shouldn't say to little girls "you look so pretty in that dress" and instead we should say "what is your favorite book these days".  I disagree to some extent.  I realize we shouldn't always focus on appearance but I also think that it helps build a girl's self esteem and confidence so that she can look in the mirror and say "I am pretty and smart and I feel awesome"!  And, by all means, she can also tell you about the books she is reading, the after school programs she participates in and the sports she plays.  It is all about finding ways to make our daughters feel good about themselves and who they are and who they want to become.

The Magic of Disney

After months of anticipation, the time had come to take our trip to Florida to visit my parents and to spend some time surrounded by the magic of Disney.

We arrived in Ft. Meyers and spent some time at my parents condo.  The girls had so much fun at the pool and especially at the beach the next morning.  We were at the beach and in the warmth of the sun by about 9:30 a.m.!  The beach is gorgeous and full of shells - but it still has plenty of sugar fine sand to squish between your toes.  We had a great time walking the beach and picking up shells.  My mom and I walked a bit further to a small cove where we watched dolphins in the distance.  It was so relaxing!

 Beautiful turquoise water

 Abby liked finding the little, tiny shells.

We had some great meals and hit up the famous Florida store - The Best of Everything!

Look at those eyelashes!

We were even able to sneak in a Red Sox spring training game - much to Bruno's delight!

After a weekend in Bonita Springs, it was off to Orlando.  Unfortunately, Grace had not been feeling well on Saturday (she had to miss the game) and even on Sunday she wasn't 100%.  But we were determined to have fun.  So we braved the horrendous traffic, pouring rain and relived a favorite memory of Grace's from 4 years ago when we went to Orlando - we went to the Rainforest Cafe.  Well, it was truly a "zoo" in all aspects.  My mom and I decided to order a half pitcher of sangria - only it tasted like red pop (a Michigan term).  It didn't quite do the trick - ha!  Oh well, we made it through the fake monkeys hollering and the pretend elephants trumpeting and weathered the, again fake, thunderstorms. 

Big smiles in the midst of Rainforest craziness - best grandparents ever!

The next day it was off to Disney.  We were all excited when we got there - although a little dismayed at the lines...everywhere... I asked my mom if the lines are just one of those things you block from your memories of past trips.  There were lines to park, lines to buy tickets, lines for them to search your bags, lines for them to take your tickets, lines for the bus to get to the park, lines to get into the park and lines for every ride.  Luckily some of the rides have a Fast Pass option which is fabulous.  We hit up Small World, the carousel, a 3D Mickey Mouse movie, Swiss Family Treehouse, Magic Carpet ride. 

 Ok, I have NO idea why these are turning and I don't know how to fix it so just tilt your head - ha!

Of course the highlight, hands down, was meeting the characters. Even with all the waiting and lines and sea of people, the girls were absolutely perfect.  Not a single meltdown or whine the entire day.  And at the end of a very long day, the automated lock to our condo didn't work (apparently it is run on batteries and the batteries were out).  So that was stressful but we did get back in to the condo a few hours later - whew!  We kept telling Grace it was just another "adventure" for her to remember the trip!

Throughout all the lines and craziness that goes along with the Disney experience, it truly was magical to see the looks on the girls faces.  The awe and wonder of seeing all that surrounded them that day was priceless.  The excitement of seeing Mickey and Minnie and the princesses was palpable.  I wish I could bottle that feeling of seeing the expressions on their faces and the sparkle in their eyes.  These are the reasons that parents brave the lines and the crowds and the cost of Disney.  Thanks to my mom and dad for a memorable weekend!