Who Would Do That?

Lisa November 2, 2009 2Comments

Dear Mom and Dad,

How are you doing?   I am doing good.   I had a early day today, since Nana had to take a quick trip to the bank today….

Yea, how weird is that?   Nana says, when she was little she was this tiny little pixie-esque girl, that usually didn’t have many friends.   When she got a little bigger, still, not much in the way of being Little Miss Popular nor did she have a princess personality… (like me) she was never first and most often last to be picked on any team for any sport because let’s just say athletics NOT A STRONG SUIT.    She was never one for the guys to want to take out, or girls didn’t wish they were like her… and now… she is old, sassy and has cheeks the size of China.   We won’t specify which cheeks, since either set would be applicable.   BUT TODAY… IT SEEMS SOMEONE WANTS TO BE NANA… or at least has stolen her identity at the bank!   Yes, it seems Nana has been out to Maryland, and Delaware without telling any of us, and all while being here in Michigan with me!   How crazy is that!  Some days, Nana is just freakin’ right out… because she can’t even imagine someone doing stuff they do.   It seems that someone has decided to shop a bit on Nana and Poppy… and we had to go to the bank first thing in the morning to stop all the credit card charges, and file papers.   The people at the bank…. well, they loved me.   They were nice to Nana… and helped her get a new card.  (that she is now afraid to use). Poppy and Nana feel bad… the persons’ responsible are not too lucky in who they chose… since Nana and Poppy haven’t much of anything to take and owe more than they should to begin with.   Also bad news for them, is that I don’t think they could have picked a more cranky old fat lady than Nana… with all the steroid medicine she is on, who knows what gasket she’ll blow!  Maryland/Delaware may not have a hiding place sufficient for them.

Once we finished the preliminary garbage these people have created for Nana, we learned we may have to make a police report, but are waiting to hear from the officials.   So we went back to camp, where we did what anyone would do to cool off…   we sang 🙁  and sang 🙁 and sang some more.

Here I am singing with Nana!

Yea… we had a ball taking our mind off her worries…. singing 🙁 and dancing :-)….. This toy has a mirror and I can see myself in it…so you know what that means….

It means…. kiss the baby!

So we spent time unwinding from the day, and posting these adorable photos to take ‘our’ (Nana’s)mind off the crazy stuff that makes her sad.  I get pretty involved and focused when it is play time… and all my thoughts go to what ever I am exploring or doing.  Can you tell?

My face alone can cheer up anyone though… and I did a good job today.   I also have something new to show you.   I got my first tooth brush and hair brush yesterday.   But one small problem… I think I have it backwards..

Yep, I know…

Hair brush…. is for hair…

but… hmmmm…. it feels really good on the gums!

I had a fun time entertaining Nana today, and just when you least expect it, things happen… Nana and I were hangin’ out and Great Grandma Sally called to say hi… and in the course of their conversation… she told her about her day, and her friend who we can call ‘Charlie’.  Charlie lost her hand in an accident many years ago.   Yet the reason she was in Great Grandma’s day, is that she was at quilting class with Great Grandma Sally.   Yep Ms. Charlie sews and even knits with one hand.   No two ways about it… you just do what has to get done, and you don’t let anything get in the way… THAT IS HOW IT IS WITH Nana and her mom, just at the right time, when Nana needed a dose of reality to stop her from feeling sorry for herself… Great Grandma called.   So we have moved on… and won’t let some one dishonest make us forget that we have to make the best of what ever comes our way….

Until tomorrow, dear Mom and Dad, know that I had a lesson today, in what really matters.   Yes it is totally unfair that people can be dishonest… but old people keep telling me Life is Not Always Fair… it is though what we make it… and you and Daddy, are working hard at making mine so nice.   I cannot wait to see you, and show you all the faces that I make, and share my ability to make you smile IN PERSON!    I am today as always your Little Miss Adorable, your daughter,

Guillianna!

November BEGINS…and we are close!

Lisa November 1, 2009 0Comments

Dear Mom and Dad,

Today is the beginning of a new month, and we are about a month from being together. I wonder what you will feel when I meet you at the airport… my heart is already racing just thinking about it.   I bet you that you won’t be able to sleep a wink on the ride to Michigan, dreaming about snow, and cold weather… building snow people and oh yes of course… HOLDING ME!

I had a great Sunday.  Nana and Poppy talked to Momma on the phone today, and it was good to hear her voice…. Nana said… it makes her happy to hear that you two are okay.  

Look at this pose I took today…

Well as we were looking at all my adorable poses of the day… Nana said hey, hold the phone campers…

I don’t know but … look and tell me what you think….  MOM AND ME – Does this make me a MINI MACK?

or how about this one…

After you get a good look at me… look below at this….now Im a TINY TUCK!

So… maybe Nana is just missing you guys… but she says… every day, in some little way… she see’s each of you in me, and my personality.    Which let me tell you… I HAVE ONE AWESOME LITTLE PERSONALITY!

More of me and my personality for you today… hoping it will brighten the day, and help it speed on by…  the way I see it, I am running out of time to finish my list of things I plan on doing with you and for you…. I know how fond daddy is of my formula… and well, I am willing to share.  I know that since you two are not used to a whole bunch of sleep, well, I plan on keeping you in good sleep deprived condition when you come . Everyone is always fond of the Princess presents… so that I definately have mastered and listed several times.  

Yea, so, the time for making a list… is waining… and I have so many things to show you, and enjoy with you.  We hope to have a birthday, Thanksgiving, Holiday celebration when you come…. so just put that on your list too! 

I am a little planner… and the wheels are turning… just you wait and see. 

and not only do I plan on sharing my chicken carrot stick graduates with you… I bet after military “chow”  or MRE’s (meals ready to eat) you will be liking my kinda food!

I love you both very much, please remember that, and how excited we all are for you to hang at camp!   Until tomorrow, I am as always your Little Miss Adorable, your daughter,

Guillianna!

Happy Halloween!

Lisa October 31, 2009 6Comments

Dear Mom and Dad,

October 31, 2009, and we have made it to the end of another month you and I.   Hard as it has been, being apart  – we are so much closer to our reunion.  That’s what is known as the the Poppy “half full” mentality – rubbing off on your little spirit stick.  We are weeks away from our visit and only a few more months before just maybe… your time in the land of sand will be complete, and you will be home!

Today was my first Halloween as you know, and as you probably also know, that means…THE BLACK BEAST, aka Mr. Nikon had a field day today… and I was to the beast,what ‘Heidi Klum’ is to Victoria’s Secret…

This photo extravaganza also means… much uploading,  and a selection process that is excruciating to just select a “few” to view.  It will require patience because it is 11:00 here, and chances are Nana will not get this love letter done for quite some time… for now, just know…. I had such a spooktacular day!

Mommy had a Halloween skirt and shirt for me, and Nana got me the onesie I am wearing that say’s MY FIRST HALLOWEEN!   Here I am in the skirt and shirt Mommy gave me…..

Here I am askin’  WHO NEEDS A COSTUME WHEN YOU ARE ALREADY A PRINCESS?  Today was full of all kinds of wonderful things… Nana had explained to me that TRICK or TREAT meant you go and get candy one night a year…. you put on a costume and ta-dah… candy!   So I was pretty excited… I don’t know what this candy stuff is, but okay.. sounded fun… inquisitive little Gugu Bug that I am, I thought hmmmm, what costume and where does one trick or treat?  I woke up late this morning after my first babysitter episode ever… which was totally awesome.   Nana and Poppy had tucked me into my crib and I slept until nearly 10 am… CRAZY HUH!

We had some important stuff to do before TRICK or TREAT time, so we picked up Aunt Alyx from school, and Aunt Mikayla and Aunt Arri from work, but Aunt Allyssa had class until three.  Poppy too had to work all afternoon, but  Uncle Nick was in Novi at school, and  when finished we were all to meet. 

Great Aunt Pam was coming to TRICK or TREAT with me.  And Great Grandma and Great Papa were meeting us too… why you ask…?  Not for TRICK or TREAT but because today Aunt Mikayla got her very first car.   She is about to begin student teaching, and all the campers have been sharing a car.   She so needed one, and thanks to some really wonderful friends – special people who have watched her grow up, she was able to get one!  She has a 2005 Pontiac G-6 and a smile on her face that made Nana so happy for her.  Now she as a senior in school can get to her student teaching and fulfill her requirements to become a teacher, her dream come true… I am still not clear on this happy tears thing… but Nana says, her tears are happy…. “what ever”, when this happens to me, and I start crying happy tears well someone just better give me a heads up on that one… for now it is just plain confusing.   Like Trick or Treat for example…. Nana says you go out, in a costume, and get Candy!  Okay… I am game, let’s go!… So here I am going out to my very first TRICK or TREAT….. where you ask?… not next door, no…not in a subdivision… no….but in FLINT Michigan! 

Now what do I say… TRICK or TREAT?   and I am a LADY Gugu BUG!

Well alright…. let’s do this… and we were off to Flint to see Great Great Aunt Ida, and Cuz Nanc… who are always checking up on me.   We go to her home and ring a bell… and hang out eating cookies and some pineapple!   Yes I tasted both, and loved both!  The beast tried to snap a few of Great Aunt Ida and Cuz Nanc, but he captured them with closed eyes, and they would shoot Nana if she had posted them!   Even their mouths were open at my bug beauty I guess?  Because clearly it couldn’t be the fault of Nana whos eyesight lately is slacking..   and I mean slacking…. don’t be surprised if my photo shoots are blurry, because Nana’s havin’ some eye trouble!

   I was totally cute, and all LADY bug….

You want me to do what?    CRAWL…. Hmmmm…. Let’s think about this… yes bugs crawl… baby Guillianna, hmmm not so much…well fine we can try!

So now … Nana said… candy?   What is this…?  Giselle my Giraffe?  Here in Flint?

But no… this was not Giselle, this was a TREAT.   Was this CANDY?   It was a treat for me!   I cannot believe it… so amazing this Trick or Treat thingy…

I tell you… I could get to love this “candy” thing… what, you say Nana didn’t explain it right?   Not Nana… she says she never lies…. but yes… I thought candy was something you ate… maybe I should try to chew on this… I do everything else!  Come on Nana… I am asking her…. fess up… did you tell it to me straight or are you just trying to confuse me more?  Just askin’!

Well, to be sure, that was pretty awesome… I had fun, I dressed up, I was adorable, and… I got a present… and I will cut Nana a little slack  AGAIN, because Great Aunt Ida, proved Nana is not a liar… she even had a package wrapped for the other campers and guess what…IT WAS CANDY and LOTS OF IT! 

Hoping you have a good cup of coffee or a nice cold drink of soda, because don’t think for one moment…. we are done here today… nope….we had more Trick or Treating to do… from Flint to Farminton Hills…. time was a flying by, and we didn’t make it to Seattle, where Great Grandma Sally is, or to Pensylvania, or California or to any other state where my adoring fans live… we didn’t even get anywhere else in Michigan like she had hoped, but we did get to a second Trick or Treat location… where I was greeted by my Great Grandma Sharyn who had noodles cooked to perfection for me, and my Great Papa, had brought us all pizza and salad.   I stuck with noodles, and loved it… but that was not all…  I had a special lady bug quick change to do… cause you know… big bug butt doesn’t really go in a baby car seat well… so Nana had a quick change for me… here it is…

Okay… let me see now…

I was a fluffy lady bug… who could hardly move her lady bug bottom and now…

I am a lady bug…

In a DRESS?   I have little lady bug wings?

Are you sure about this?

I mean, yes, I am adorable, but …. really? 

I am not sure about this Nana…

Not one bit..

but if you say so…

Trick or Treat Papa and GG-ma?  I am a bug in a dress….

Go figure?

I have traveled to from Flint, no not with wings, but to TRICK or TREAT, for ‘candy’…  Noodles, and cottage cheese….

You game?  I have been an awesome sport so far!  What did you say You love it… you love my costume!  Awe… gee thanks, I am so glad….I don’t look silly?   Hey do you want Nana to get you one too GG-mm?   I bet there is a boy version Papa?   Come on…. let’s do it… What do you say..Next year , we can all be princess bugs!- Okay?

So I had a blast… becoming a Princess LADY bugette… and we all had such a nice  TRICK OR TREAT together.   All the other campers stayed and passed out candy at Camp Nana to all the trick or treaters who came to visit them…they let me be the one to go visiting… and I say it was so nice of them.  THANKS CAMPERS!  Now here are a few shots taken by the beast for  you guys so you see me in my costume too.   Here I am…. my spooky look.

Hey do these stripes make my butt look big?

I can’t tell…. ?

Do I look short?

Hey where are my feet…Nana, you cut my feet out of the photo!

How will mom and dad see if I am wearing my shoes?

I am so lucky…while I would have loved to see all my family everywhere… and gone trick or treating at the homes of all who watch me…every day… I send you all HAPPY HALLOWEEN WISHES… and hope you will forgive today’s VERY LONG love letter… but that is what this site was for… to make my Mom and Dad feel close – as close as close can be, to ease them just a bit by letting them feel they were there… every step of the way.   And Nana… well sometimes there is just no stopping that woman… she runs on a bit… but it is all in the name of love…

I got more treats from Great Grandma and Great Papa…. oh so lucky! Thank you for my stacking peek a boo toy… I LOVE IT!

Priceless memories captured for you and daddy… with all our love…

And it is true, BY THE END OF MY DAY I WAS PRETTY ‘TUCKERED’ OUT, BUT NANA AND THE BEAST HAVE ONE VERY SPECIAL PHOTO JUST FOR YOU…

When we returned to Camp Nana, the Ms. Kristin, Uncle Nick, Aunt Mikayla, Aunt Alyx, Aunt Allyssa and Aunt Arrianna,  had each carved me a pumpkin!   I had six pumpkins Mom and Dad… and another treat waiting for me… one from Ms.Kristin’s parents…. Great Aunt Pam gave me the Pumpkin Bear, and Ms. Kristin and her Parents the softest Bear Blanket EVER!

I had one last costume change… and put on my Trick or Treat Jammers…. and lets just say… I had an awesome day. I am pretty loved arounnd here… and while I NEED YOU TO HOLD ME SOON, AND CANT WAIT TO BE PLAYING WITH YOU, I hope today shows you… Iam doing good, and Nana is pretty sure I am one totally LOVED BABY by all!

Night Mom and Dad, until tomorrow, I am as always, your Little Miss Adorable, your daughter,

Guillianna!  After all of the photos and the day is done…it is clear that for Nana, Halloween has never been about scary stuff, or candy… but instead it is just like every day, or any of dozens of holiday’s,  it is and always has been about the ‘treats’ that friends and family bring to our lives… IF SHE COULD HAVE, SHE WOULD HAVE VISITED WASHINGTON AND GREAT GRANDMA SALLY, AND OH SO MANY OTHERS who have held this family together with treats for years.   Thank you friends and family…we hope you have treats on Halloween, and every day!   All our Love!  Camp Nana!

A First for Nana!

Lisa October 30, 2009 1Comments

Dear Mom and Dad…

Today I was so good, and worked so hard on my crawling.  This is pretty much how it went today… The French- in those who perform ballet  learn by standardized positions, 1, 2, 3 they have a lingo all their own, well I do too…I have the PRINCESS-CRAWL POSITIONS, and this is how I roll here at camp… First….Princess-Crawl ‘A’   or PiCA…

Above  is Princess-Crawl Position “a” which stands for ALMOST….Next…

 This is Princess-Crawl Position “C” for STOP everything I AM DOING AND CLAP!  After all, I did try to get into position, a little applause is always nice,  and deserved, right?  No it is the PiCC position.  So we have PiCA, PiCC mastered so far…. you guys with me?

I know what you’re thinking….You would think Position ‘B’ would have been the logical next PRINCESS-CRAWL POSITION, didn’t you?? But NO, FIRST A, THEN C, NOW … it is Princess-Crawl “T”.

The Princess-Crawl Position “T”  for totally trying, and try, try again!  I call it PiTA! 

 So we are movin’ now…

PiCA, PiCC, PiTTA – (are you getting this … NANA thinks she is a rapper now…. and EVEN HAS A SONG FOR CRAWLING… IT does SOUND LIKE RAP very bad rap but yes… still Nana PLEASE!)  Is there to be no reprieve for me?  Chanting continues….

PiCA, PiCC, PiTTA…. Rest!

PiCA, PiCC, PiTTA…. Rest!

What is the ‘rest’ part stand for you ask ?

Well it’s not an acronym… here is the next step in Princess-Crawling..

Shocking… I know..

But shown below is the last step in the Princess-crawl to date….this Mom and Dad … is ‘REST’….

And rest is my favorite part…. but believe me, I really “worked it” good today!  

Last winter, Nana made two separate plans with all the campers… First, she made plans last January of 2009 to take Aunt Arrianna to see Phantom of the Opera for her 18th birthday.   When that date came nearly 9 months later, Nana had the campers go to the theatre with Poppy, and she and I hung out – and did cool baby stuff.  It worked out good, and she and I did celebrate with dinner out that night.  Second was an event for all of the OLDER AND MATURE CAMPERS, to see a comedy show.  Aunt Mikayla will be having her birthday next week and so last January she made plans for her and Poppy to take the campers to a special comedy concert being given as her birthday treat. Even though her b-day isn’t until next week this was the date of the performance.    Nana – is a pretty serious camp director, taking this whole babysitting thing to a whole new level. She is not really a slacker when it comes to the ‘princess’ and the needs of a princess…I am with her 24/7 so …well, in a nutshell, she is a little attached at the hip to me.   This being FRIDAY and all, we met up with Great Grandma Sharyn and Great Papa, where they let me stay at CAMP GG-MA for a few fun filled hours…. I had a great visit, and Nana says all the campers laughed so hard.   The laughter was truly needed here at camp.  Poppy and Nana, well let’s just say… Nana is a little ‘stress bucket” sometimes.   We all had a nice time, but this was a first for Nana… and her separation anxiety… well… it is HUGE!   But she survived, and I loved being PRINCESS Gugu for the great grandparents.   GG-ma made me a scrambled egg, I had Chicken and Carrot Sticks (yes –  a babyfood graduates thingy I usually love that resemble those vienna sausage things that gross some out… well these Chicken Carrot Stick things are awesome!) GG-ma read to me, and Papa played with me… I had vanilla pudding, and was treated like royalty… WHAT AM I SAYING,  I am royalty.  I was so good, and Nana,well she is recovering nicely…   All is well in Michigan… cold and rainy lately, but fun fun fun, and I am so close close close… to being back with you and daddy, to crawling, to becoming a toddler!   Before you know it Momma, it will be me saying to you… “hey mom, you have to let me spread my wings!”  

Until tomorrow, when I show you my special day attire…(the Halloween costume) please remember I love you both, and I miss you both, and as always, I am your LittleMiss Adorable, your daughter,

Guillianna!

And by the way – silly – campers, I am not going to be tricked by a fake baby?

I am way to smart for that….

and I will not be challenged into crawling by a stuffed dolly!

 Or will I….

Okay, last one try…

Look at this face… workin’ workin’  workin’

and yea, no crawling just yet mom and dad, but not to worry… all good things happen in there own time… see you soon!   Your sweet baby, GUGE!