The Halloween Costume

This year picking a costume for Halloween was not easy. For two years in a row Chloe was a bumblebee. Well this year, Chloe was going to be a vampire like her brother. I made the cape for her. First she didn't like the hood, then I cut the hood off, she didn't think it was long enough. So she decided she wanted to be a Mermaid. We went to our neighbor's house to borrow the mermaid costume. It was so long she would have been walking on the middle of the tail the entire night. She didn't like the way I was trying to make the tail not drag on the ground. "Mommy, I need it long so I can swim!" I explained that since there is no water on our streets for Trick or Treating she would need to keep the tail up and not drag it. Well that was it, no mermaid. So we went back to our neighbor's home and picked something else from her large dress up chest. After I adjusted the dress, added some sparkly buttons and a bow on the back, arm scarf, and crown we had us a beautiful Princess Costume. Phew! Oh and while getting Chloe's hair ready I happened to curl her hair wrong, and she started to cry because I had not done it right! Really?! The drama is starting a little too early! She is only 4!!!!
What did your kids dress up as for Halloween? Any similar stories?

How to Counter Act the Drudgery of Cleaning

Why is it that I put off cleaning my shower for weeks on end? I wait hoping that a little fairy might flutter in at night and poof all is clean when I wake up! To me the drudgery of cleaning at times is overwhelming and causes me to put off what I should be doing and well…write a blog entry or two, or catch up on the latest new home trends that are on TV . Today once again my princess enlightened me with a new perspective on cleaning the house. If one makes things fun, one can achieve their goals without dreading it. I might not have make-believe fairies cleaning my shower, but right now as we speak there is a real life princess fairy using my body sponge to scrub and clean the shower walls as she sings her favorite Sleeping Beauty song, “Once Upon a Dream”. Aaaah to be a child again! She called me in and showed me how she is washing the walls. She has also decided that while cleaning, she must take a break by throwing the sponge up in the air as high as she can, “Ta-da!” She said while performing her amazing tricks. Thank goodness for my little princess that reminds me that all the tasks one needs to do in life can be done with enthusiasm and joy–you just need a little bit of imagination and a bath sponge.

Precious Dress Up Moments

My friend Meleah sent me this picture of one of their crazy dress up moments. Little princesses can inspire moms, and apparently dads as well to get the dress up fever! My friend wrote me explaining the picture: "Believe it or not we are all in outfits from Lilly's dress up trunk. She did our makeup.... along with a little touch up from me. David is wearing his bubba teeth along with some very stretchy pants. Most of her outfits were hand-me-downs from nieces dance costumes. She dressed us. I still can't believe we did this."
Loved the outfits! These precious moments stay with us forever. Thanks for sharing!

Wardrobe Rehab

Pictures to the left are examples of Chloe's ability to mix and match :)


I am one of those moms who allows my child to express herself through her wardrobe (which interpreted means I have poor persuasion skills in getting my daughter to wear what I want). Chloe definitely has her own sense of what is appropriate attire for each occasion. Let me give you an example: Sunday she was wearing the cutest red and green plaid skort, white long sleeve shirt and had me put a thick green ribbon headband in her hair for church. 10 minutes before it was time to go, she changed her mind about the outfit. She kept the green ribbon in her hair, but put on a black dress with white poke-a-dots, and bright pink bows. This dress is too short for her to wear now, so I suggested (demanded) shorts or leggings to be worn underneath if she wanted to wear the dress. Well she came back with a green ribbon headband, black dress with white poke-a-dots, and her pastel pink and purple butterfly thermal pajama bottoms, purple socks and bright pink light up shoes. We did not have time for a "What not to wear" intervention and so Chloe stole the attention of all the ladies and girls at church when she waltzed in a few minutes late, wearing her eclectic interpretation of a totally acceptable church outfit. How is it that one in her mid-childhood years can be so bold and confident to wear what is more comfortable, not what is socially acceptable. I wonder if in her small world every day is dress up day? Little girls have a way of teaching us life lessons like this. Life lesson learned on Sunday....you can still be a beautiful princess and walk with confidence knowing that inside you are a princess, without the "cool, hip, or stylish" clothes, oh and if ever in doubt, you can always pair a cute dress with thermal underwear for leggings. We have been looking at littledressupshop.com to try to pick out what Chloe would like to have next, and she is just in love with the tinker-bell dress. Knowing her, she already has plans to pair that with something amazing in her dress up closet. Watch out New York I have a little fashionista in training!
Have you ever allowed your child to wear something this outrageous to a social function?

A New Name

Today I picked up Princess Chloe from preschool. On our drive home she said to me, "Don't call me Chloe anymore Mom. I want to be called Tinkerbell." "Okay," I said, “Why do you want be called Tinkerbell?" "I just do, so don't call me Chloe anymore."

I wonder of picking out the Tinkerbell costume online has anything to do with the sudden desire to change her name? What goes on in her wondrous complex mind?

Good thing a 4 year old doesn’t know about the abilities to change one’s name legally!

I Can Fly!

Today Chloe turned 4 years old. According to her she is now much taller. “See momma? I am this tall!” she said to me as she stood as tall as she could while putting her hand on top of her head. This morning we opened presents and she was so excited to see her beautiful white sparkling butterfly wings. Well, for any other 4 year old princess these wings would be for dress ups and casual wear, but for my Princess Chloe they are an added bonus to her new talent. You see, Chloe is convinced that she can fly. The other day she started leaping at the bank and announced to everyone, “Look at me, I can fly!” She then leaps her largest leap possible, which is about 2 inches off of the floor, and then smiles and tells me, “See momma, I told you I can fly!” So, Precious Princess Chloe has a new pair of wingsto help her on her way to becoming the first 4 year old to take flight without the help of mechanical inventions. We put them on and off she flew into her own make believe world where princesses can fly, and princes protect their sisters from the scary dragons. Of course she did not want to take them off when it was time for school. After convincing her that if she brought them to school they might get lost, she reluctantly surrendered them to me. She absolutely loves her new set of wings. Thank you Little Dress Up Shop!

K. Elliott

What is the most unique, cute dress up outfit you have seen?

Just a little introduction of myself--I know you are all dying to know who K. Elliott is :)
Well I am the energetic (with a good night's sleep) mother of two children. My son Caleb, 6 1/2 & my daughter Chloe, 4. Both are wiggly, unique, super funny, exasperating, imaginative individuals. I love to cook healthy food, love playing tennis, especially love to dance, and I absolutely love to dress up. I still love planning what I will wear for Halloween, I plan what I will wear to Mystery Dinner Dates, and I plan what amazing princess attire I will wear when I go to a Ballroom Event. My daughter shares my love of dressing up. Every day after school she comes home, puts on a new princess outfit and then declares that she is ready to play. Many times she makes sure that I compliment her with the right adjective. For example, the other day I commented that she was beautiful. She reprimanded me and said, "I'm not beautiful, I am pretty!" So the next time I say, "Oh you look so pretty!" "No, Mommy." She replies, "I am an adorable princess!" You get the picture. I guess every outfit has it's own unique qualities that an untrained eye cannot identify.
My favorite dress up outfit of Chloe's is when she puts on her princess petticoat underneath her Princess Belle dress along with a crown, golden shoes and her white wings. Isn't it fun to see what a 4 year old's perspective is on fashion?!
I would love to know what is the most outrageous dress up ensemble your dress up princess has put together?

A Crown--The Most Essential Accessory

I guess I should give you a little background on how my princess Chloe became a princess. Well you see it all started with a few Disney movies, a beautiful white feathery crown, and of course Daddy, Mommy, and every other relative commenting on how Chloe was such a precious princess. You see we had no idea back then that it would be the beginning of our daughter truly believing that she comes from royal blood. For about two years now Chloe’s most essential accessory has been a crown. Not just any crown, it must be beautiful, shiny, and fit her head just right. And just in case you are wondering, crowns go with any and every outfit. Chloe goes everywhere in her crown. She receives many comments about what a beautiful princess she is– yet again reinforcing her imperial roots. According to Chloe the Crown is the most essential accessory. One must not leave the home without it! Well one day the most tragic thing happened to princess Chloe. While using the royal thrown (aka toilet), which as all princesses know—one must be able to wear the crown while on the thrown, princess Chloe lost her balance and her beautiful white crown fell into the toilet. She was absolutely devastated. She came crying to me, telling me of the mishap. We went and observed the damage. The crown had to go, much to Chloe’s disappointment. After much consoling I managed to distract her. Two days later was Christmas. I bet you can guess what her favorite gift was….yep, you got it, a crown. Now Chloe has decided that a princess must take off the crown while doing her business to avoid any accidents. I hope this lesson will help Chloe in the future so that she avoids what many of us experience (cell phones, jewelry, makeup, etc. all ruined by mishaps with the toilet) I am afraid this experience might have caused Chloe to be a little obsessive about the need for more crowns. She is a little woman in training—collecting her favorite accessory much like many women find themselves unable to pass up shoes and pursesJ. She will never be without her most needed accessory again!

As you can see by the pictures on the right, Chloe never left home without her white crown. (these pictures are pre-toilet incident)

K. Elliott