Wednesday, April 6, 2022

A Bibbidi Bobbidi Birthday

Happy Bibbidi Bobbidi Birthday to my Nana!!!  

Today, the matriarch of my Mom's side of the family turns 89!  Unfortunately, we won't be able to see her today.  But I am looking forward to seeing her a few days from now when I go up to Mom and Dad's house to help out the last few days of tax season!

Nana has always been a big part of our lives.  Jeremy and I stayed with Nana and Papa often as children.  Whenever my Dad had an accounting seminar in Portland, Nana and Papa would stay over with Jeremy and me to take care of us while our parents were away.  When I was in middle school, Nana and Papa moved in with us each fall and stayed with us through Christmas.  Then, they usually went to Florida and returned in early April and stayed with my family until it was warm enough to open their camp for the summer.  Then, we'd do it all over again.  Nana and Papa stayed at our house with us often, and they became a second set of parents to Jeremy and me.

I've always considered Nana to be my very own Fairy Godmother.  When I was a kid, Nana would help make our Halloween costumes.  I remember helping her with the M&Ms costumes my entire family wore when I was in 6th grade.  She also made some clothing for my American Girl dolls.  Last summer, I told you about the Harry Potter wizard robes that Nana made me for the book release party. 

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Another really memorable outfit Nana made me was my Princess Jasmine dress for our Spring Disney Concert in elementary school.  I was so excited to have a Princess Jasmine dress of my own.  I was completely obsessed with Aladdin and her purple dress with the pink overlay.  I remember going up to Joann Fabrics with my Mom and Nana to pick out the material for my dress.  I was so excited when she finished it.  To this day, I still smile every time I see Princess Jasmine in that purple dress.

When I was in high school, I asked Nana to make my prom dress because I wanted something that no one else would have.  (She made my Mom's wedding dress... so I knew she could do it!)  I picked out a pattern of a princess style gown and Nana made me a gorgeous pastel green dress.  She'd never made anything with boning or a corset style, but she pushed through it like a rock-star and I looked like a fairytale princess.

Through the years, Nana has also helped my friends with their sewing needs.  My best friend Katie had Nana make small changes to a few dresses.  Eliot's had Nana fix a few pairs of pants that have needed to be hemmed or fixed.  (This was before I knew how to sew... I help him with them now!)  I'm pretty sure Eliot's sister Sara had a few last minute changes on her bridesmaid gown in the days leading up to our wedding.

Thus, it's no surprise that the scene in Cinderella where the mice are helping to make Cinderella's pink dress always reminds me of my Nana.  The book with the pattern, and the thread, needles, yarn, sewing basket, scissors and ribbon all over the place always remind me of Nana's sewing box and going through it as a little girl.  I'll never see that scene and not think of my grandmother.  

I've always been obsessed with that scene... and I'm not alone.  In recent years, there have been more products available with Cinderella's pink dress.  It's always popular and it usually sells out pretty quickly!  I've found a few dresses, a skirt, and Loungefly bags that all have nods to this scene.  And I have quite a bit of that merchandise.

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Someday, I'd love to have a small sewing room that's themed to that scene.  I've slowly been collecting stuff to put in it.  I have some Cinderella plush dolls and some small artwork postcards.  I have a bunch of Pinterest pins for inspiration.  I also just got that gorgeous painting from Disneyland!  One of the most treasured things in it will be my Nana's sewing machine.  (Nana wants me to have it.)  I might never know how to use it properly, but it will always have a special place in my sewing space!

Even though it's the mice who make Cinderella's pink dress, it's the Fairy Godmother who puts Cinderella back together again after her evil stepmother tears her apart.

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Nana's always been there for me like the Fairy Godmother.  She's not there all the time, but she's always been there whenever I needed her.  I can remember many trips to Friendly's with my Mom and Nana after a rough day at school or when I was having issues with friends.  Mom and Nana always cheered me up and made me whole again.

Naturally, when Eliot and I were planning our fairytale Disney Wedding, I wanted to acknowledge Nana as my Fairy Godmother.  I got all of my bridesmaids shirts with "bridesmaid" or "maid of honor" in sparkly rhinestones.  I also got one for my Mom and Nori with mother of the bride and groom, and I wanted Nana to have one as well.  I could have put "Nana" on it, but instead, I asked that the seller give me one that said "Fairy Godmother" because I thought it was more fitting.

If I see Fairy Godmother merchandise, I always try to buy it for Nana.  A few years ago, I got her a mug from Hallmark with the Fairy Godmother on it.  Eliot and I gave her a Funko Pop another year.  Last Christmas, I found a Fairy Godmother Cakeworthy flannel shirt on Shop Disney.  (I'm annoyed with myself that I waited too long to order one for myself and it sold out!  Hopefully, Cakeworthy will release it on their site!)  I have a few things up my sleeve for my Nana's birthday gift.  Hopefully they all come together so I can give everything to her when I go home for tax season!

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I wish I could have been there in person today, but I'm definitely looking forward to celebrating Nana's birthday with her in person later on this month!  My grandmother is very special to me, and I hope she knows how much she means to me, and to all of us!

Happy Birthday Nana!!!  I hope you have a wonderful day!!!  °o°

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