When did my 8 year old grow up?

Seriously how did she get so gosh darn mature overnight?

I mean she is already wearing deodorant she noticed she stunk a couple nights ago and thought that

Putting her smelly pit right in my face would confirm this. I make disgusted face OK yes you stink we

Need to get you some deodorant. She was way too excited and jumped for joy? We can't leave the

House without her putting on lip gloss because at 8yrs old you  may run into someone you need to kiss??

Just for the record and to spare all the hating and controversy she is only allowed to wear lip gloss

No other make-up and the lip gloss is always in kid friendly colors so were not talking sex pot red.

I am ashamed to admit she is way more fashionable then I ever was and I ever will be she rocks the

Skinny jeans and always has up to date shirts and she definitely knows her shoes I shutter to admit

That my 8yr old is a mini Carrie Bradshaw. there is no bad fashion in Laylaboo world Now you might

Be thinking I spend a fortune on her I don't my treasures I find our in my local goodwill bins My

Favorite place ever!!! She watches tween shows but still kid friendly were talking Disney and nick shows.

Although she is now my new Switched at birth watching partner she loves that show we never miss a

Episode some would say that she is too young for the show but I say it is a great conversation starter

When a scene comes up or something is said she doesn't understand I pause  the show we watch it on

Netflix} and we discuss it and I explain to her about what is happen, now granted when a sex

Scene comes on I go past it but Laylaboo is smart and Say's gross they are having sex I don't want to

See that anyway.  She has crushes but is also a smart girl to know that dating is out of the question

You think I am exaggerating but half of Laylaboos friends have boyfriends and have been of dates that

Parents take them on with the boy! she comes home telling me this stuff and I want to lock her away

But I know that is not the right approach so we talk about it and I explain why this is not OK.

Gosh I am pretty sure when I was 8 I thought boys had cooties.

She spends a lot of her time twitting and has even got one of her fave singers to follow her she loves

Taking pics and putting them on instagram. And honestly I am OK with this because I cannot baby her

Her whole life  Do I wish she played with toys instead of listening to her mp3 player and being on the

Internet sure but then that would be forcing her to be someone she is not. she still plays in her room

She has a awesome imagination I hear her playing some games her favorite thing is dress-up.

I sometimes wish I could have that little girl back that she was but we all have to grow up and as

Of right now she is on the right track she knows who she is , she works real hard at her fashion

Designs she has a ton of fashion stuff that she does , she loves to sew and really wants to be a fashion

Designer and I fully believe she will be one. I had a friend say the other day to me that she couldn't

Believe Laylaboo was 8 she seemed so well behaved and such a young lady like a mini me.

Will was Laylaboo supposed to be acting bratty? and she is becoming a young lady. but I don't want

Her to be like me No I want her to be a better version of me make something out of herself and have a

Way better life. I wouldn't want to keep Laylaboo acting like a child or stop her creativity or her

From expressing herself . And I definitely don't want to baby her. I grew up this way and it is awful

I am not bad mouthing my mother I am just saying that I was babied a lot even as a teenager and when

I became a young adult I didn't even know how to do anything for myself or be independent I just

Learned by trial and error. Obliviously I think I turned out OK and I don't think my mom meant to treat

Me that way she was just raising me how she thought was right. I will always let laylaboo be herself

And never hold her back and be here when she screws up and to hopefully steer in the right direction.

Yesterday Laylaboo had a friend from school come over to play I seriously thought she 12 she had

Boobs bigger than mine which is not saying much and No I was not starting they were just noticeable

And her tank was not holding them well, her face was caked in make-up . I am sure my mouth was

Hanging open in shock as Laylaboo Introduced me but I tried real hard to act normal and remain

Calm even though every instinct in me was screaming get her out of my house and away from

good girl . But I shook these thoughts out of my head and quickly learned why Laylaboo

Liked her she was super nice and as they say looks were deceiving because she was quite shy.

She like Laylaboo loved fashion and was learning from Laylaboo how to sew. I still could not believe

This girl was only 9. When I inquired about all the make-up on her face she smiled and said it gets her

Noticed by the boys these too you know...proudly pointing to her chest. Last year no boys

Noticed me now they all want me. I gave her a sad smile and thought to myself how awful that

This 9yr old girl feels that way. When she left I had a talk with Laylaboo about her and why she liked

Hanging out with her? Laylaboo looked at me and said because she is really nice and gets what I am

Talking about with fashion plus mom she not afraid to be herself. I nodded . Then I said you know

You don't need to dress like that or wear make-up to get a guys attention right? Anyway you guys are

To young to be thinking about guys and getting boyfriends. Laylaboo laughed and said mommy I

I know what you are trying to say and I am not going to dress like her or wear make-up I am not

Wanting a boyfriend I am only 8. Anyway If some dumb guy doesn't like me the way I am then

He is not worth my time. I hugged her tight and thought to myself I must be doing something right.

I am really nervous for Laylaboo to be 9 because will be getting closer to being a tween and this

Worries me a bit but all I can do is hope I raised her right and that she remembers what I taught her.

I swear I don't remember life at 8 even 9 being so crazy when I was younger I don't  think I had so

Much to worry about and such grown up stuff to deal with. Maybe I am wrong and I just don't have

Memories  of any of it but I am pretty it is tougher to be  8/9 today.

So can you relate to what I  wrote? Do any of you have children close to Laylaboos age?

Please comment and let me know what you thought about this blog.

And As always thank you for reading and supporting my blog! I appreciate it .
 

Letting go.

Layla boo has two dolls that she really loves they are the old versions of the little mommy dolls.

One has crazy red hair that is sticking up everywhere because laylaboo use to hold her by the hair

When she was younger. And as her friends lovingly refer to her as the doll that looks like Chucky..

The other doll is a blond and of course pretty. She loves them both and sometimes play with them

But the thing she really likes is when I make them talk to her.

She likes to pretend that they are her two friends and sometimes they have problems and she helps them out.

The thing I love is having these dolls talk to her really get her to open up about important  things

Maybe things that are bothering her or even better is when she gives them advice on what to do.

I have been making the dolls talk to her since she was 4 or 5yrs old.

each doll has it's own personality and way of talking.

The other day Laylaboo said to me "mom I think I am getting a little to old for you to be making the

Dolls talk to me it is kind of silly. Is that OK with you"?

As I told her of course it was and that we all out grow stuff it did make me a little sad.

I was going to miss making them talk and sharing honest conversation with my daughter.

We talk about everything anyway and she is always honest with me ,but it was as if a special

tradition was being stopped and quite frankly I felt a little lost...

Yesterday when I was looking for something in laylaboos closet I came across them tucked inside

Of her box of memories and I felt myself feeling a little sentimental ,silly I know but it was as if

I was holding on to the last part of the little girl who was and now moving on to the mini wannabee

Tween who was only 8.

Because it seems like now days 8yr olds and 9yr olds don't play with toys they are way to grow up and cool for that.

Part of me wanted to go back to when Dora was laylaboos hero and all she really wanted to do was

be a princess or play dress up .

But I know I cannot hold her back or keep her bottled up as a little girl, She has to be able to spread

her wings and become the young lady she is supposed to be.

And this scares me because all I want to do is sit down and have a talk with all of us girls me

Layla boo and Alyssa and Kaylee her two dolls and maybe just maybe Layla boo can guide us

and helps us understand  that at some point we have to move on , let go and let grow up  rather

 or not we want to.

And a secret between you and me....Sometimes when laylaboo is away I like to sneak in her room

And grab her two dolls out of the box and sit on the floor with them and remember all the

conversations and memories Laylaboo and I had..

I am not really looking forward to losing other traditions and things we do that soon she will say our silly

or she is to big for and, what will I do when she tells me that she is to big to do something with me

or really doesn't want me to come along. . I will become that crazy mother who will

find a way to try and make her childhood last as long as possible because I am not ready for my little

girl to grow up .

How about you fellow readers has your child outgrew something or a tradition that you do

how did you handle it or maybe you didn't.

I would love to hear your thoughts and stories.

And as  always thanks so much for following me and reading my blog I really appreciate it!!!

Where are my rights at?

I have been living at my current apartments for 4yrs they are OK not great but not quiet ghetto.

For the most part I can deal with living here and I feel somewhat safe.

Fast forward to last summer when I had new downstairs neighbors move in and new next door

neighbors move in, picture the whole cast of My name is Earl throw in a few kids and you have got my neighbors no joke.

My Post is not about my next door neighbors though as many of my friends know I could write

a whole blog on them but let's focus on my downstairs neighbors.

Aside from the irony that I live upstairs but I can hear there children running up and down the hallway from 12am to 3am ,

 why are they awake I have no idea but between the constant running  screaming , and crying  it is enough to drive anyone crazy.

But let's get to what really has me disliking my neighbors it is there constant pot smoking.

It is all day and night, It comes up threw my pipes in my bathroom, In under my sink in my kitchen and I can even smell it in my laundry room.

Not to mention that they run there bathroom fan constantly for hours upon hours it is like a

Horrid rattle sound while I am trying to sleep, I suspect they think by running the fan it is

Getting rid of the smell which I am sure it is ,but it goes right into my apt.

Now I am well aware that here in Oregon if you have a medical marijuana card you can smoke

as much as you want. I am not one to judge I have heard that it does help people who are in

Pain or have serious medical conditions And OK I understand if it helps you but if you don't

Have one and you are effecting other people around you and intruding on my health , My

 freedom to breath and also make my apt smell like a pot house we have a huge problem.

I complained to my manger many times with nothing done, Called the cops many times

with no luck they finally came out once and found massive amounts of pot in his house

And guess what he has no card saying he can smoke, they also noticed he house was a pig pen and

 his child was laying in his own feces but DHS was never called? And he was let off with a warning!!??.

Which brings me back to topic where the hell are my rights? So I was giving two options either keep putting up with it or move out.

I have no problem moving but my point is why should  I have to move, fork out my money to rent  a moving van and pay for another apt plus deposit and so

.

My manger said she could move me to another unit in the same apartments but I would have to pay a deposit and so on as if I was a new resident moving in

I have lived here for 4yrs why should I have to be the one moving?

Yesterday the pot smoke was so bad in my house that I was getting physically sick to my stomach .

I called the police again and the dispatcher told me that if I couldn't smell it outside then the police could do nothing about it!

I said it is coming in my house my 8yr daughter is coughing and saying her throat is burning and it is giving me a really bad headache there has to be something done.

She said well we can send some one but there isn't much we can do.

So a couple hours later they said a patrol car to check out what is going on , the police officer knocks on my door and says's well we didn't smell anything so there isn't much we can do about it.

I am so angry I  feel like I am no rights and that no one cares.

Like I said you want smoke it then fine smoke it live your life but don't infringe on my life,

When I can't even open my windows on a summer day because the pot smoke is so intense it takes over my home ,
 or when I have to keep my bathroom door closed because he smokes in his bathroom and the smell comes to mine then you are taking away my freedom to live in my home peacefully.

I just don't know what else to do or where to turn for help?

I guess the answer well be to move but it is just so unfair and it is money I don't have to move!

So I am wondering what are every one's thoughts on this subject?

What would you do?

Have anyone gone through an experience such as this?

I would love to hear every one's thoughts and opinions and hey even advice.

 

Laylaboo's 8th Slumber party.

Birthday's are made into a big deal around our house so every year as we approach Layla boos birthday we sit down and plan a great birthday party if I do say so myself.

I must admit I think my calling is being a birthday party planner or even a event planner I love planning events.

In recent years we have had Laylaboos birthday party's at chuck E cheeses and she loved this! but she is getting older and ready to move on from chuck E. cheeses.

For her birthday last month we decide to do a fashion sleepover it would be her first sleepover party.

Layla boo wanted to invite 10 girls I was OK with this, we had the party on Friday and started it at 5.30.

we began setting the house up we kept the decorations simple a few happy birthday banners and a lot of confetti, We used a red table cloth to look as though it was a runway that the girls could walk on a bubble machine blew bubbles on the girls as they walked inside.

Table was covered with tons of snacks and drinks.

I must admit on the big day I was a bit frazzled and overwhelmed but thankfully I had my good friend Angie there to help me get everything ready her daughter Emilee is Layla boos best friend.

We made the "nail polish bottle look a likes". Which was just big marshmallows I purchased from the dollar tee } minor side note do not buy the marshmallows at the dollar tree they were disgusting that is what I get for trying to save a few bucks all the girls thought they were awful} you have been warned.

But any was you dip the marshmallows in colored frosting which I just bought the  Duncan Hines frosting creations frosting starters and mixed them with the small packets of flavor mix we did orange, purple and Laylaboos favorite mint chocolate, Then we topped them with Tootsie rolls to look like the top of a nail polish bottle
.
They turned out super cute and for the most part the girls enjoyed them but not the marshmallows.
Of course I found the pic on my favorite site Pinterest, I am not sure whom to give credit to as it was just a picture.





. After that I made the cupcakes I was going to try and be super mom and make the sleepover girls in sleeping bags idea which I saw quite a few photos and sites to go to on pinterest so I do not remember where I got the idea, but as I was saying I really wanted to be the cool mom who made these let's just say they resembled nothing of little girls and looked a whole lot like aliens but laylaboo and her friends didn't seem to mind Although.

  we decorated flip flops that I purchased from old navy, can't beat 1.00 flip flops. the girls used glitter. ribbon markers, stickers and so on they all had a lot of fun.

we also made sharpie tie dying shirts I of course got the idea from pinterest I believe original credit goes to the blog sun scholars.blog spot.com or at least that is where I was lead when I pinned this idea. Any was  since this is about Layla boos birthday and not a how to do craft I will let you guys know how to make the sharpie tie dying shirts in next post.

The girls had a lot of fun doing this I loved hearing the girls saying over and over this is  the best party ever that made me proud.

  The girls pretty much entertained themselves they played musical chairs, they danced and played telephone and in general were a great group of girls to have around.
as it got later they watched movies and I thought they were going to start getting ready to go to bed this could not be further from the truth .Most the girls stayed awake until  3ish in the morning I was exhausted.

Laylaboos last friend fell asleep at 5am by then I was like I'm going to sleep!!
I really enjoyed having all the girls over and it was really fun I had just as much fun as Laylaboo did.

On the Saturday the girls awoke and stayed even longer what can I say they are friends we have known for awhile.
as thank you gifts we found cute backpacks and filled them with beauty stuff lip gloss, fashion notebooks and  other fun fashionable things. The girls all really loved there thank you gifts and we really enjoyed having them over it really made Laylaboos birthday the best ever!!

She is already planning her 9th b-day !!!
and that is not until next march. Have any of you thrown a slumber party for your daughter how did it go ? I look forward to hearing about your slumber parties!!

 Here is mine and my friends attempt at making the nail polish candy they did not turn out as great as the photo on pinterest but hey we did our best.

 The flip flops all decorated and designed.

 The girls all busy making there flip flops and my friend angie helping out.

 The remaining girls who stayed the night were out like lights excluding laylaboos one friend who stayed awake until 5am!

• 
  

Fashionably cool at age 7.

Layla boo may be only 7.

But she is well aware that fashion plays a big part in life, And that unfortunately looks play a big part in how people treat you and judge you weather you like or not.



She is always worried if something she wears look good or maybe dorky or, god forbid looks to little! I am like your 7 your not suppose to look like a big girl.

 and even though I try to instill in her to do your own thing and wear what makes you happy kids can be mean and tease you, but for the most part she has not had that problem.

she is not one to laugh or tease anyone  based on there clothes or for that matter anything but the other day we were at walmart and this old guy passed by in the highest short overalls I have ever seen they went all the way up to his thighs and as nice as I wanted to be all I could think to myself was no one wants to see that!

I did not make a comment and was wondering if Layla Boo even noticed when she looked at me and said wow mommy he must of got up this morning and said I look sexy, I laughed the comment was funny but I also said well if it makes him happy then who are we to judge.

But I had to think to myself that sometimes you would think that people have just got to know that they look horrible!!
I always try to stress that we should never judge someone on how they look  but times like that leave you wondering if it is really all about how they look.

A lot Layla boos classmates have started wearing training bras and talking about if there too fat or how hot they look and this concerns me they are only 7yr old girls, They should not be worrying about this stuff I don't even remember caring a t age 7 what I looked like or for that matter wearing a training bra, I was a late bloomer unfortunately so I didn't wear a training bra until age 12 sad but true.

The other day Laylaboo asked when she could have a training bra I said she probably would not need one until 12. she smiled and said good I don't want to deal with wearing one hmm well at least at the moment she think's that this answer is OK I don't know about when she gets a bit older

. And really I hope 12 is  a much better age for Laylaboo then it was for me I was a skinny bean pole kid who was as flat as could be with horrible acne who was picked on a lot so for me I try to forget the age 12

. I just wanted her to enjoy being young not worry about her looks who is wearing what and trying to keep up with what is hot or not. And I certainly don't want her thinking she is fat at age 7.

I always stress about liking yourself and I no matter what I think about how I look I never put myself down in front of laylaboo I don't want her to grow up with a negative imagine of her body.

The other day she was looking in the mirror and she said I love my beautiful brown eyes and I think my body is just ok the way it is And that is what I love to hear her say.

We were at target the other day and I decide to let Laylaboo pick out a outfit for back to school now for a lot of kids this is normal they go back to school shopping.
For Laylaboo this was the first time I usually got to the goodwill outlet here in Oregon and bring home bags of clothing and that is excitement for Laylaboo so you can imagine the look on her face when I said go ahead and pick out a outfit!

she had a huge grin and went wild. by the time we were walking to the fitting rooms Laylaboo had filled the cart way high.

insert my horrified face 2 hours later when I am sitting in fitting room ready to fall asleep.  OK I finally announce let's pick out an outfit and head home I am tired.

she put almost everything back and was left with just a few items.
Then she said I have a lot of clothes at home mommy So I am just going to get this shirt she had picked out a black sleeveless shirt with ruffles at the bottom it was simple but cute.

I was semi annoyed she had tried on all those clothes and picked just one shirt but also slightly amused because she took after her frugal mom.
We then needed to get her some shoes for school I was ready to go to famous footwear or Fred Meyer when she instead she had to go to pay less to get the shake it up shoes they had because shake it up was her favorite show.

I tried to explain that in my experience pay less shoes hurt your feet and fell apart but she just really wanted them, So we went and she got them they were cute they were high which meant that she would need knee length socks we couldn't find any that she liked and we were getting frustrated when Laylaboo said " O I know mommy I can just cut my tights and make them into knee socks is that OK? I was like sure

So first day of school arrives and Laylaboo rocked it and looked fashionable. I am so proud  of her because she looked  fashionable yet we only spent 20.00 altogether on shirt and shoes the pay less shoes being the most expensive!

{And by the way we had to return the shoes they did hurt her feet I  tried to warn her}

  I hope she keeps being frugal yet always finds a way to be fashionable and most important I hope she always remembers that beauty is in the eye of the beholder even though we as a society tend to forget this including me

.

Fashionable  fist day of second grade!

Rainbow Bubble Snakes.

This craft is from last summer.

It Is called Rainbow Bubble Snakes.

I found it on pintrest but I believe original credit goes to Houseingaforest.com . I do Hope I am giving correct credit

.  Here is how to make this craft,  you will need a empty water bottle, Duct tape /or Rubber Bands. Dish soap and Food coloring and a old sock that you don't care about, And a container so you can dip the Rainbow Bubble Snakes.

Start by cutting the bottom off of  the water bottle put a sock over the bottom and secure with a rubber band and or duct tape.

Put some water into a container add dish soap and a little food coloring any color. Dip the bubble blower into dish soap and start blowing.

The bubbles come out like long snakes. Laylaboo thought it was awesome! Soon we had a lot of the neighborhood kids coming over and wanting to do the craft so we helped them make some Rainbow Bubble Snakes.

I rate this craft 10, It is fun, easy and inexpensive. What could be better.

 Laylaboo and neighborhood kids doing Rainbow Bubble Snakes.

The truth sucks when you'r seven

The other night I was getting laylaboo ready for bed, We were doing our nightly routine of reading a book.

We read a book called "You think It's easy being the tooth fairy". By Sherri bell Rehuwoldt, It is about how the tooth fairy has a hard time collecting teeth and the many things she has to deal with.

As we finished the book Laylaboo asked me, Mommy is the tooth fairy real?
I asked her why she was asking and she said kids at school had been saying the tooth fairy is your mommy and daddy.

She said I want to know if this is true.

I debated for a few minutes on what should be the correct answer ,should I  tell her the truth and risk her being upset and maybe even mad at me for lying to her or should I just leave it the way it is and let her still believe there is a tooth fairy.

Well I decide the truth was best she was going to find out any way so I decide to tell her, I said that I am the tooth fairy.

she got quiet and looked a little upset, I waited for her to say something or ask me another questions but she keep looking down then she said softly is there a Santa clause? I said no honey that is me too, then she quickly looked away and yelled well great there is nothing left to believe in anymore!

I looked at her and said now wait a minute there is a lot of things in this world left to believe in  there are miracles that happen everyday.

And besides Santa and the Tooth fairy are just part of childhood to make happy memories and to make things exciting but just because you know the truth now doesn't mean that you have to be sad and not be excited about things.

She laughed, now that I think about it mom I know why last year all my presents were already wrapped in Santa paper because you wrapped them not Santa I just thought Santa was in a rush.

  I must have had mom brain and I forgot and wrapped all of laylaboos presents in Santa paper.
I tucked her in and kissed her goodnight, As I was leaving the room Laylaoo said Mommy'' I said yes laylaboo, Do I still get Christmas presents and money for my tooth? I said yes  of course!

She smiled and said OK now I can sleep better,  Now the only thing I am not looking forward to is when she starts asking about the birds and the bees!!