A year in the making!

I'm finally, finally finished Dominique's 2 year painting. My parents had portraits made of all their kids at about 2 years old and I always thought they were so fun to look at. We still look enough like babies, but we're old enough that you can recognize us too. So I had the bright idea of having pictures done of my kids, only I can't afford it, so I am making them myself. It only took me OVER A YEAR to make Dominique's. OK, so I was a little busy, taking care of my kids, two other kids, doing another painting, painting Emora's clock, giving birth to Emora, adjusting to life with 3, going to Canada... Which is why it took so very long to finish it. I'm pretty pleased with it, especially if I stand back pretty far and squint my eyes! ha, ha. I love all the details, but the skin is SO HARD to do and I'm never really happy with that part of it. Of course, I never noticed until I got to the part where I had to paint her skin that she is showing a lot here. With Ivan's all I had was one hand and his face. I've got legs, feet, arms, hands and face for Dominique! It was quite frustrating, but now it's done and we are happy to have it on the wall. I've got some time to chill out and relax before Emora's turn to have her's painted. I should actually be practicing mixing and painting skin tones, but that doesn't sound like fun, especially since this one dragged on so very long. Dominique is not sure she likes the picture. Everyday since I started with the actual painting part, she tells me that I need to paint her, but she requested to be pink. I should have painted all her skin pink, that would have been a lot easier. Maybe another time... humm teenagers in monochrome?

Anyways, here's the progression. I drew it out a long time ago and started with the paint in July when we got back from Canada. I did her necklace first, then her clothes, the bike (I think the handlebars are my favorite part), her skin, hair and the background. The background was great since I didn't care so much about the details. I did all of that yesterday and today. The fence was one of the fastest parts and some of my favorite part too.

Dominique didn't want her picture taken with her portrait and none of these came out all that great. I even bribed her with candy- the little stinker. She's already so much older than in the picture, that her face has changed and she doesn't fit on her old bike. But I think you can see some resemblance still, especially in these two shots.





I also accomplished another momentous task this weekend. Today I packed up Emora's 6-9 month clothes and hung up 12month ones. She's a chunk I tell you. 18lbs and 27.5 inches. I suspect she will lose some of her roundness when she starts crawling. She is almost there. She gets on one knee with the other leg sticking straight out to the side, up on her arms and rocks back and forth. I think she's also sprouting teeth and has been terribly fussy about it. Plus she started saying dada and nana. I don't think she is actually calling for them, but she is making the sounds. I keep telling her mama, but she just stares at me. Besides, she doesn't need to say my name, we can all tell she is crying for me. She doesn't even want me to set her down much, which I suspect is some of that independence and fear of independence thing.