These Boots....

I found a precious pair of hot pink cowgirl boots on sale, and being the shoe fiend that I am, I snatched them up for my hot-pink-kind-of-girl, Laney.

I bought a size 6, thinking she was in a size 4 1/2 and would be able to wear them through the winter.

I had her foot measured a few weeks later -- around the middle of August -- and found out that she was not, as I had guesstimated, in a 4 1/2 but instead in a 5 1/2.

Ooops.

Last weekend, I decided to try the boots on her to see if she could wear them or if I'd need to be in search of a new pair of boots.

Big mistake.

As soon as I pulled them out of the box, she let loose this ear-piercing shriek of delight and grabbed them right out of my grasp. She even sat down on the floor for me to put them on her -- a sight rarely seen, as dressing her is normally akin to wrestling a silver-back gorilla.

They looked, of course, absolutely darling on her little chubby feet, and obviously match her rather colorful personality. Satisfied, I started to take them off.

Yet another big mistake.

Laney, who also has a penchant for wearing tiaras (and making her brother wear them), was not yet ready to relinquish the boots. She threw herself face down on the floor, turned the same shade of hot pink as her boots, and cried like I had just ripped her beloved Myrtle bear to shreds.

I tried to console her but nothing would work.

Now, Laney is the ultimate queen of tantrums, so we butt heads... a lot. Not only does she cry, but (I have to say, this --right now -- is my favorite part) she will eventually stand up, throw something (like her pacifier), glare at you (while still screaming like a banshee), and stomp her foot.

This performance followed the lay-on-the-floor-and-scream performance.

Finally, I picked her up, carried her downstairs under my arm like a bag of dog food, and handed her to her dad while I put the blasted boots back on her feet.... and off we went to the grocery store, with me wearing an exasperated expression and flip-flops and her wearing a sundress, hot pink cowgirl boots, and pigtails.

She got lots of attention, of course, which pleased her to no end... and I plotted revenge. I'm only buying her ugly shoes from now on.

She may have won the battle, but The Princess will not win the war. I am the Queen, and I will reign. My crown is much bigger...

Previews of What's To Come...

I'm really writing this to myself as a reminder, but I thought some of you (who know Laney... or me) might find this amusing and come back tomorrow (or next month... whenever I get around to it...) to read more....

Laney is obsessed with her pink cowgirl boots.

And when I say "obsessed," I mean OBSESSED.

She's 15 months old.

It's going to be a rough 18 years....

Testing.. Testing... 1-2-3

My elementary school chorus teacher used to test the microphones this way before performances.... I never understood why. Any insight on that???

On another note.... y'all, school is kicking my butt! I'm teaching a class during my plan for another teacher who is out on maternity leave. Now, I am the queen of wasting time during my plan... I can always find something else to do besides grade papers and whatnot... but I've realized how much I actually accomplish now that I don't have a plan at all.

Like posting to my blog. :)

Lots has happened around the house...
1- We have neighbors. People have finally moved in to the house next door. Our dogs, however, are protesting the encroachment on their territory by baring their teeth and terrorizing the new neighbors' 10 year old son. Thank heavens they like animals....

2- Ethan has started Big Boy School. I cried.

3- Laney is finally showing signs of being a person instead of a demanding, crying, whining spawn of Satan disguised (in the presence of company, of course) as a precious, smiling baby.

4- School has started. Volleyball has started. I don't want to jinx it, but I think we might win a few this year.

5- C-L-E-M in cadence count! Yes, that's right, boys and girls! It's football time in SC -- and (although they are performing well) I don't mean for The Gamecocks! We'll have more to say about the season and how we're going to have to sell our kids on the black market to pay for tickets next season.

There's much more, but I'm squeezing this in while my kids are working on an essay, and the natives are starting to get restless....