One morning, during our Kiawah vacation, Alain took the girls out to the beach to build sandcastles (it was too cold to swim). I stayed behind as I needed some down time to buy groceries, clean a little, etc. When I walked into the bedroom that Sophie and Clara were sharing, I was overcome by the girlishness of the room and all the things they'd brought from home to make them comfortable. They'd definitely made the room their own. I felt this strong need to capture a few things....
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This is the shared dresser that separated their two beds. By next year Sophie will surely have moved on from Critter Club books but I love the glittery letters and soft colors of the covers. Each night she'd sneak her flashlight under the covers to read while Clara fell asleep. And Clara's little ladybug nightlight.....one day soon she won't want or need that anymore. I know because Sophie just gave up her nightlight a couple of months ago. Gulp.
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A bunch of shells the girls collected on the beach were lined up on the dresser. I'm sure Sophie did that. It really warmed my heart.
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I know it won't be long before Sophie stops carting her stuffed animals on our travels. I only allow three on each trip ~ otherwise she'd bring twenty. I still get sad that Blue Man, the infamous Blue Man, gets left behind nowadays.
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And Clara's loveys.....all three of them....they go everywhere with us. How much longer will this last? On this trip, our first attempt at having Clara share a room with Sophie and sleep in a "big girl bed", her bed was covered in extra pillows that we used to buffer her and hopefully prevent any falls from the bed. I'm insanely excited to report success!
The girls are growing so quickly. Yes, they can drive me totally insane. Oh my, yes, they fight way too much. They can be really messy. But I love, LoVe, LOVE having two daughters. I've made my peace with pink. I embrace their interests and do my best to soak up the best moments. It won't be long before teeny magazines cover the dresser and no stuffed animals, loveys or nightlights will be necessary to comfort the girls away from home.
In the future I know I will miss these days and just seeing photos of their favorite possessions on that long-ago vacation to Kiawah will melt my heart!
What a sweet way to capture this moment in time, to capture all those things that are important now so you can remember them later :) Love all the little details, the shells, the stuffed animals, the light, the book!
ReplyDeleteSuch a darling post, Audrey. I think it's so important to capture the little moments in the lives of our children. They grow up so fast.
ReplyDeleteI had seen the shells in your recent posts and had been admiring your header. Sophie made a lovely display. And I love that she sneaks a flashlight under the covers to read. And Clara's little doll baby is so cute!
I remember years ago when our extended MacBeath family went to Baker's Creek near Lake Louise. Terry and I were staying in a cabin with Bertie and Peter, my youngest sister and her husband, and their two very young girls.
They decided to let their youngest girl Natalie sleep in a big girl's bed bed by herself. She was barely walking, but they surrounded her with pillows, and her sister Sara had a twin bed in the same room.
I can remember hearing them go to sleep, laughing and talking for a long time. I was thinking "What on Earth are they talking about? Natalie can't even talk yet."
Later that night I woke upon hearing a noise. I went out to the kitchen, and here's Naddy standing up on a high stool reaching for an apple in a basket of apples that was hanging in the kitchen. She calmly clambered down and started eating it. I whisked her back to bed after she had finished. I told her parents the next morning, and they were shocked because she was barely walking. Ha! Obviously she was more capable than we realized.
I will always treasure my memories of the talking and the laughter of the two young girls going to sleep. And also Naddy on top of that high stool reaching for the apple. She always has been and always will be one determined young lady.
Have a happy day!
Oh, Audrey! You have made me all kinds of sentimental reading this!!! Carrie had a favorite "binky" - an afghan that my Grandma crocheted for her. She used a particular corner to sooth herself by rubbing it on her lip and that corner finally started to fray. I folded it over a time or two and sewed it, and she still looked for that corner every time. Ha - we called it "Mr. Corner." It's so sweet that you took some time to document this time in your girl's lives. I love the way Sophie lined those shells up. Just so sweet!
ReplyDeleteSo, so beautiful. And yes, it is very lovely to have two daughters :)
ReplyDeleteTheir room is so beautiful with the sea shells, dolls etc...
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