Feelings.....

Ahhh yes, "feelings"  We talk a lot about feelings at our house.  I have a 4 year old that rivals any PMSing woman or puberty-driven teenage girl when it comes to "feelings" and emotions!  We talk a lot about being in charge of your emotions!  We have books and let me tell you.... she's got them down.  She knows and understands every emotion known to man!  "Mom, can't you see that I'm frustrated right now?  I feel lonely {ahem, because her 3 year old sister is playing to her specific instruction...}" and as she continues to be corrected "but listen mom, and look!  Don't you see that I am upset?"  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yes, child... I see that you are upset.  Do you need a hug?  But you will still be corrected or punished after I hug you :)

Why am I talking about this other than the fact that these emotions consume a large portion of our parenting right now?  Let me show you.

Meet my "grumpy day" outfit!  YIPPEEEE :)

When I first saw this fabric, I wasn't a fan!  Too "Halloweeney" for me.  Well, then it grew on me... and I couldn't stop thinking about it.  NO witches or craziness... just some rather cookey looking people including the 3 knitting ladies that I LOVE!  So when I brought home this fabric - Lily giggled and called it "sassy".  Hmmm.... I don't like sassy.  So we looked again.  "Grumpy!" -- Yes Lil's, they look grumpy.  "Mom, sometimes I feel grumpy like that too."  BINGO. 

And so was born the "grumpy outfit."  We decided this was a good way to show we were feeling grumpy instead of acting like a grump!  We'll let those cookey little people on that sweet little top do the talking.  SCORE.  Maybe just maybe this will save me a moment or 2 of raw 4 year old emotion.... maybe :o)

WHAT?  Scandalous!  Yes, there is an open back!  WHAT WHAT?  Ok - in all reality, we'll wear this with a t-shirt underneath.  We planned it for winter and I just haven't gotten my hands on a black long sleeves tee yet!  Well, honestly - I haven't tried... just finished this today and we had to get it on and photographed :) 

And look... there she is :)  Lily is a delightful child.  She is full of love for others!  She asks deep questions about life that make us really stop and think.  In fact, just the other night she was singing "praises to Jesus and God" in her bed when her little sister started crying because Jesus got hurt.  Lily's response?  She crawled into bed with her and shared the whole story.  "Mom, I told her the rest of the story! He is alive again." -- how awesome is that :)