Week Four: Whimsy

I don't know that I would ever describe myself as "whimsical". Even as a kid (or, at least in my faint memories of even being a kid), I slanted toward serious. Whimsy requires a certain level of exposure, a willingness to both immerse and commit yourself with no thought to the possible emotional retribution. Lili, however, is infused with the spirit of whimsy. Her fanciful imagination runs amok, and the moms can only hope to retain a tangible piece of that joy.

This shot was taken the day after I tripped on a phantom cat in our basement and fell on the floor while holding a pincushion. That's right--a pincushion. Six straight pins went into my palm, and a hand sewing needle (you know, THE BIG ONE) went halfway through the fatty part below my thumb. We're talking inches. It was awful. And I had to pull it out myself. Oh, and I'm behind on my tetanus vaccine (of course!) so I had to make a special trip to the clinic to get an updated tetanus shot (being approximately 15 years behind on that particular vaccination). In the meantime, I iced my stigmata hand every hour and tried to make it through my day doing everything with my other hand (by the way--shaving your right armpit with your right hand? Impossible.)

All of which is to say...whimsy was tough to come by on this day. But the girl and I did it. For one lovely, copacetic moment. And then she bit me. I only wish I were kidding. I'm fairly certain my doctor had to restrain herself from asking if I feel safe at home. 

The world's cutest snowman, courtesy of Lili. The carrot nose may be positioned above the button eyes, instead of below, and the stick arms may be coming out of the snow ears, but this guy is whimsy personified. Children born in Minnesota apparently have an inherent snow creation gene. This California Mommy still has a thing or two to learn.

Another Lili original, and a Mommy favorite. Nothing beats chalk, vintage, rainbow, kiddo whimsy. I adore how she makes the dots on the letter "i" in to HUUUUUGE circles, and how her trees reach to the tip top of the rainbow. And that grass? Well...that's just preschool artistic perfection.

Some solo Mommy whimsy, in Minneapolis' most entertaining bathroom. Bonus points for bokeh and Fargo ear flaps.

Cheers to whimsy, I say, especially in these grey days of winter. Thankfully, I have a lighthearted guru at my immediate disposal. I will continue to  follow her lead to the land of cheer and gleefulness. Bites to the arm need not apply.