Happy Birthday Justin and Questions Answered

Happy Birthday Justin!! We love you.

Here are answers to recent questions.

What camera and photo editing tools do I use?
I use a Nikon D40. It is my first big girl camera and I absolutely love it. It is really easy to use and I pulled it straight out of the box and started taking pictures. I have since started to attempt to learn more about the different settings, but for the most part it is on the no flash mode or the auto mode if I know that the flash is not going to go off. I have the kit lens and a 55-200 mm zoom lens. I really want a 50 mm where I can play with the apenture more. That is the next thing on my wish list, which is growing at a rapid rate. Photography becomes very addicting and I am even more addicted to knowing more about the editing. I use Adobe Lightroom, an old version of Photoshop Elements, and occasionally (but not often) Picnik, which is an online editing program. It is really good, I just don't use it much. For those of you who know me at all, you know I am always wanting Photoshop CS3. I will get it someday. Again, photography is addicting, and also very expensive.

Where do i get all of Lucy's clothes?
Again, a very expensive hobby of mine! I am 100% addicted to buying clothes for her. I can not help it. She has a ridiculous amount of clothes. You probably do not want to know where I get most of her stuff. Because if I tell you, you will be sucked into the black hole of little girls clothing. It is hard for me to say I get most of her clothes at one store, because they are really from all over the place. I LOVE to find a new great kids store. The change of seasons is such a wonderful time for me because since Lucy is our first, I have a valid excuse to buy her a whole new wardrobe that fits and is weather appropriate. I actually get her stuff from all over the place, but most of it is boutique type stuff. I have several favorite lines that I have listed before - Pink Chicken (the green ducks dress from several posts back was PC - I got asked several times about it), Misha Lulu, Tea Collection, Lola et Moi. The list could go on and on. I also love places like Target and Old Navy for basics. I have decided that being in a dress does not mean that you can't get dirty. She has too many dresses to not allow her to play in them. So, she gets dirty even in her nice dresses.

Em - the dress with the hens and red buttons is made by Misha Lulu. I got it from a store in Fayetteville, AR called Bella Jacks. I bet it is going to be hard to find now. I had my bff grab that one for Lucy and I had her stalking the store for the hens dress long before it came in.

Several of you asked specifically about the AC/DC tee. We got it in a children's store in Manhattan called Peanut Butter and Jane. I have a funny story about this. We bought that shirt long before we even had Lucy's referral. We had a fun 4 day trip to NYC planned and we spent the entire time buying stuff for Lucy. She literally got a suitcase full of goodies that trip. Anyway, when we found that tee and took it up to pay, the girl ringing us up told us that they had just sent a box of presents to Shiloh Jolie-Pitt (who at this point had just been born) and she got the AC/DC tee as well! So, Lucy and Shi could totally rock out together some day!

What does Justin do for a living?
You know, I totally understand asking this question because I post some stuff that would make me wonder too, but I have to hold my tongue just a bit here. I divulge WAY TOO MUCH info about our family on this blog as it is. I love that one of you thought he was a movie star. Secretly, I think Justin liked it too! :) I will say that he is not in the acting business but is in the entertainment industry. I will also say that he is very talented. I can say that because he is mine and because he really is so talented!

How did we get Lucy to keep hair bows in and where do you get them?
We did not do anything. We were just so lucky that she has always been extremely tolerant of things on her head. From day one in Vietnam, I started putting big ole hats on her and she never put up a fight or fuss. Once her bangs started getting a little longer, I started putting the bows in. I think she was so happy to have her hair out of her eyes that she just left them alone. Again for those of you who know me, I am a firm believer of the bigger the bow or flower, the better! We have kind of strayed from our bow loving days because her hair is long enough now that I put it in piggies most days simply to keep it out of her eyes. But recently she has decided that she does not like to get her hair done and it is quite the task to keep her occupied enough to get it done.

As far as where I get them, most are from a store in Little Rock called Shoe Connection, the flowers are from Bella Jacks in Fayetteville, and the really big ones are from a store called Hip Hip Hooray. For me, I think that children's boutiques have the best really big bows. It is hard to find the big ones on an alligator clip, but I have done it.

Where do I find the energy to do so much with Lucy?
I would not really say that it is that I have a whole lot of energy, but more that I get easily bored. I would so much rather load Lucy up and take her to do something fun than sit around our house all day. We both get stir crazy really easily and since we live in a big city with so many options, we try and get out pretty much everyday and do something fun. Lucy loves it, she gets to learn, and it makes our days go by quickly.

I think that covers my most common questions. I have put an email address to the side under my profile. Feel free to email some time if you have questions. Sometimes I get comments with questions and I don't know how to get in touch with the commenter. Also, if you do email me, I have to warn you that I am sometimes VERY slow to respond. I get overwhelmed when I have a lot of emails that need a response, but I will get around to it. I promise.

Here are pictures from the zoo this morning. She was lucky enough to get a whole ice cream cone to herself.


There is a bird exhibit in the children's zoo where you can feed the birds and they will actually sit on your hand or shoulder. At first, Lucy was a little scared, but then she loved it.





Lucy had several turns on the carousel




Since Lucy still doesn't care about what flavor of ice cream she gets, I can choose one that matches her outfit so the drips just blend in! Rainbow sherbet it was.