--- What A Long, Starnge, Trip It's Been ---

To the world, you are one person...but to one person, you are the world!

�Brain-Dead Carnie
2005-05-22 at 10:10 p.m.

Before I begin this entry, allow me to state that I am getting VERY tired of yelling, "Get back in bed, Carrie!" I am also tired of telling Kelly to ignore her when Kelly yells, "Mommy! Carrie is out of bed again!"
In other news...
We had their pictures taken today, finally! I have been very negligent in this area. My first kid got them done practically every three months. After #2 came, we were lucky to get there once a year. Our last photo session was when Carrie was a year old. She is going to turn three in August and today we finally got to Wal-mart for a shoot.
Kelly was good, and ready to ham it up for the camera the entire time. Carrie was due for a nap (isn't that always the way!) and after 3 or 4 shots, announced, "I am ALL DONE!" and that was it for her. The last two of the required six poses were of Kelly alone, and that was fine with her. I was really thrilled with the pictures! I dressed them in a flag theme, knowing the package will come in in June. They'll be right in time for 4th of July by the time I actually get them out to friends & family. The girl was great! It's a crapshoot when you go to Wal-Mart. The turnover is pretty high, it seems, and there is always a very young photographer. I have had some who had no CLUE how to deal with small children. I remember when Kelly was very small, we once got this young kid who gave her a toy to make her smile, then ripped it away to go back to take the photo. DUH! What does a small child do when you take away a toy? The photo session was a NIGHTMARE. This girl was awesome today. She had them blow on the toy giraffe she held, and when they did, she'd toss/flip and catch it. She was back at the shutter in time to catch thir huge smiles! WOW! Pay raise for that chick- I need to write to Wal-mart about her!
Yeah, $6.95 for the package deal and $12 something for the photo cd with ALL the poses. Can't beat that with a stick!
Please check out Kelly & Carrie's Picture Trail and see the wonderful job they did!
In other daily news, we spotted a small carnival in the mall parking lot yesterday. We used this as bedtime-bribery last night ("go to bed like GOOD GIRLS and we'll go to the carnival tomorrow!) and ended up there this evening after supper. (They still gave us a headache at bedtime.) The girls loved it, of course, but we had a bit of trouble at the teacup ride. Both girls were on a teacup, and they were the only ones on the ride. Carrie is leary of most rides and we were happy that she opted to participate in three events today- the last one being the teacups. The carnie operating it looked like he was about 100 pounds overweight, greasy, and probably in his early 50's. (Probably much younger, if you are vaguely familiar with carnies!) He was talking to Brian, he seemed very nice, even gave Kelly a free ride when we were out of tickets. Seemed to be lacking a bit upstairs, though, because when Carrie joined Kelly on the ride, he hopped up and spun the hell out of their teacup. I understand fully that he *thought* he was helping them have fun- and Kelly was thrilled- but Carrie is only two! Geez, the poor little thing looked like she was scared out of her mind until the teacup stopped whirling! She pulled herself together quickly, and was beginning to enjoy it, when the carnie did it AGAIN! Poor kid, that time I thought for sure she was going to puke. She never cried, but she just had "that look" and I could tell she was not thrilled! Finally I told him to STOP, because he was going to make her sick. He told me not to worry, he didn't mind and he would clean it up- as if that were the only thing I had been worried about!!!

Notice that Kelly is LOVING the spin. Carrie is holding on for dear life... trying not to blow chunks. Poor baby!
We got the hell out of there immediately following that ride, before I was tempted to kill the crazy carnie who upset my BABY!
The day ended with a trip to Lowe's where the little monsters had a blast sitting on the lawn tractor displays and the gazebos with porch furniture in them. We risked getting thrown out, but it was near closing and no one really cared what they did. They wanted to go HOME. The girls had a blast.
I hear lullabies playing on the baby monitor now, and an occasional cough. They seem to have settled in. Finally.
I danced with them each tonight, near their beds, singing softly to the music as they stared into my eyes. It's all I can do not to cry at times like that. Tears of pure bliss, holding someone I love with all my heart, but tears that a little one wouldn't understand. I remember Carrie thought one lullabye was a SAD one, because Mommy cried when she sang it once. Every time it played, even if she was asleep, she'd wake and cry. I think she's over that now because I managed to keep it together tonight as we danced to it... twice with each little girl!
The moment I saw you, I wanted to hold you
And keep you warm on a cold, gray morn...
The moment I held you, I wanted to kiss you
And welcome you here, on the day you were born.
:)