Last night - well, this morning - I stayed up until about 0500, just on a big sewing roll. First I made the bodice, then I attached the lining. Next came the skirt, with its own lining, and then the gathered ruffle. Then I put it all together and here it is! It totally doesn't suck at all! Now I need Rob's help putting the zipper in, so we'll tackle that mutha when the kids go to bed very shortly. I quit to go to bed when I reached that point, and I purposely hung up the dress where I knew Chloë would be able to admire it when she woke up.
When I asked her about it, she screamed! "That's mine? It's for me? It's beautiful!!!" I'm sososososo thrilled that she feels that way about something I made for her. It's exhilarating!
I was able to cross off quite a few things on my pre-cruise to-do list today. It always feels good to be productive.
First, we went to For Eyes to get Chloë a new pair of regular glasses and a new pair of sunglasses. I just wanted the twofer $99 deal, but the lady talked me into scratch-resistant, polycarbonate, glare-resistant, what-have-you lenses. Uh. Well, these better last her a while. At least she looks pretty cute in them. And they may even be back before we go, so Steph won't have to deal with picking them up! She put a rush on the order for me.
Then we went to the bank, so I could empty out the contents of my trip savings account, and get some money orders travelers cheques. I wanted dual signature checks, obviously, so either of us could sign them, but they messed up and gave me single signature, and it would have been a big to-do to fix them and get the right ones. Nah. It's not like we'll be apart anyway, so Rob will just have to deal! The kids had already finished their bank lollipops and were starting to inch away from my talons, so it was time to mosey on outta there.
When we were buckled in, Rob called to say he was home. Swell. I dropped the Littles off with him, and then I called for my Schwan's card. Did I mention this on the WFMW post? I think I forgot. It's a little Schwan's debit card, hooked up to your checking account, and when your order is delivered, they swipe it and you tell them what day to take the money out. You don't even have to pay the day it's delivered, which is great for us military folks who get paid twice a month. (I know, I know, I don't get paid, blah blah.) It's a good thing.
After that, I called my grandfather, since it's his 82nd birthday today. Happy birthday, Grandpa! He was not doing well at all. It's been 20 years since his heart attack, and the docs back then gave him 20 years on his new ticker. Well, it seems like his number's up on that, and he's having trouble getting down the hall to the dining room without having chest pains and losing his breath. And he's diabetic, and today his speech was very slurred. I told him to call the nurse to check on him, or I would. He promised to press the button after we hung up. I knew he wouldn't, so I called my sister to tell her to check on him, too. I guess the nurse was entering just as they were getting off the phone, so hopefully they took good care of him. I will check again tomorrow. Man, I love that guy. I hope nothing happens to him while we're gone. My grandmother died while I was on vacation and couldn't get back, so I'm kinda paranoid about it!
Anyway. If you pray, maybe you could say a small one for him?
So, then, Chloë and I went to Kohl's so I could get two more Fiestaware place settings. I wanted a couple of new colors, but they only had a very limited selection. I ended up with another setting in yellow (buttercup? I forget its official name) and one in peacock (turqouise, for the little people). And since everything Fiesta was 55% off, I bought a salt-and-pepper set in cobalt and peacock. Love it, love it. I really wanted to get the pitcher too, in red, but I decided I'd be pushing my luck with Rob if I did that. (Probably would've if they'd had one in a box!) So now I have 12 place settings - enough to host Bunco next month and not have to use icky disposables!
After that, it was time to head to the skating center for Chloë's Brownies troop's end-of-year party. First, the girls climbed on their big bounce house/jungle gym thingy. It really looked like a lot of fun. I wanted to join them. They played a few arcade games, too. We ate pizza, and then Debbie passed out their new badges and patches. They earned four more Try-Its since the Christmas party (yeah, that's all... :{ ) and a fun patch for the skating party. Skating was next!
Man, oh, man, that place brought back memories for me. When I was a kid, say 8 through 12 or 13 years old, the skating rank was THE place to be. And for some of those folks today, it looked like it still was. There were a handful of people my age - or older - who were still kicking it old school around the rink, doing the same ol' dance-skating I remember doing. What a riot. I really wanted to get out there. Maybe next time, we'll go as a family and I'll bring my 'blades. I do have to say that I was not being very nice. There is one girl in her troop, M, who I really cannot stand. She is just an uppity little snot, and she drives me crazy. So to find her being a total klutz on the skates and falling down over and over and over, well, I laughed to myself. No, I'm not right. I know. So that was our day! Now I have to see if Rob will wake up to help me get that zipper in. Oh! What? What's that you say? You want to see a picture of Chloë in the dress? Well, I can oblige! Time to do the finishing! Fin. Baby Vivian is getting so big!
Chloë and her best friend, Brett, playing basket-ball.
Time for the pizza! It was unlimited, with a $2.99 wristband. Not bad. Not bad at all.
Chloë showing off all her new badges. Guess who's going to be doing more ironing tonight?
The girls pose with their troop leaders. From front to back, left to right: Brett, Chloë, Claire, Lelia, Emily, Gabrielle, Danae, Kori, MacKenzie, Debbie & Karen
This was Chloë's first time on roller skates. She was very nervous and very wobbly! She really didn't want to go on the rink floor, but I told her it was either that or time to go home. She opted to try the rink.
Miss Debbie to the rescue! She came around to help Chloë get onto the rink. (I was babysitting everyone's cameras and purses and couldn't leave my post.)
Finally, they made it to the floor, and Karen and Debbie helped her edge around on the wall. She hugged it the whole time, and it took her about 20 minutes to complete the circuit!
Pretty Danae stops by for a snap.
Chloë, absolutely screaming with delight that she had made it all the way back to Mama!
For her second go-round, she let go of the wall and refused Debbie's help! Now that's progress. She was doing really well until she got to the far end and had to go potty. Ooh, there was some rush-rushing until she got to where I could grab her, and I raced her there as fast as I could. She fell into the toilet! Oops. I had to let her hold onto me while I whipped up her dress, down her undies, and lifted her little self onto the toilet. It was amusing. She was so afraid to go potty with skates on!
It's actually not swimming on her, like I thought it would be. She remarked that she felt like a party princess in it, and she was overjoyed that I made it for her.
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