All By Myself

Mothers everywhere look forward to the day they no longer have to put on every shirt, buckle every seat belt, and fill every sippy cup. Our children come into this world fully dependant on parents to care for them in nearly every way. As they grow and mature this dependance wans. Before you know it they are helping you put their legs into their pants and arms into their shirts. This makes dressing them so much easier. We look forward to the day we no longer will have to change diapers and wipe noses and wash hands.

Then it happens. The day comes when your child decides that he or she is big. Suddenly he or she doesn't want anymore help with these things. "I can do it all by myself!" It rings out in our house by the hour. My little Lauren now confidently dresses herself everyday (often in 4 or 5 different outfits per day). She buckles her own seatbelt. She asks for privacy please when she has to go to the restroom. She wants to pour her own drinks, take her own bath, wash her own hair, blow her own nose, and put on her own shoes. My little girl insists on this independance. She is growing up right before my very eyes. Just had to capture a bit of her before she really can do all that by herself.

Lauren loves to put on make up "all by herself" when no one is looking. This first photo was after the first time I caught her putting on my make up. When I told her that was naughty she said "but I wanted to be pretty just like you." How can you be mad at that? Girl knows how to work a lady. So I told her that she had put on too much make up. I tell my girls the key to make up is "not too much."

So this next photo with me in it is the next time she put on her own makeup. Here I told her again that this was naughty and she said "but mama, it is not too much see!" Notice there is significantly less makeup on her in the second photo.

Lauren is all girl. She loves to walk around in makeup, a fancy dress and shoes and sunglasses with a purse. Watch out world! Our little diva is growing up!