Dd (4.5) has had a v hard time lately, I want to get her a fantastic dress for Saturday ... any ideas?

[imaginaryfriend]

For anyone who's been following my thread about dd and her recent health problems this will make more sense. But without going into it all again here she's a lovely girl, has been a total trooper through an extremely tough few months and is going to a dear friend's party at the weekend. I've been so stressed about her that I haven't even thought about what she might wear and would like to treat her to something really special. I've been scouting around online and can't find a thing. Maybe I'm too late to order something before Saturday anyhow ...

She doesn't like pink, super girly type things but loves bright colours and flower / stripey type patterns.

Thanks budababe. She's a lovely little girl. And way braver than me!

Just looked at your profile. Ooh you fibber. You don't look at all crumpled.

I am so glad you got the bonkers spotty dress! I love it and haven't any dds to buy insane and beautiful dresses for. I think it will look gorgeous with her striking hair and colouring. So sorry to hear about her skin problems - really miserable for you all. I hope she has a fab time in the dress.

Also did not know you were a Thomas Hardy fan. Did I tell you ds's name? I must nose around on people's profiles more often, I tend to forget they are there [oldie emoticon]

Well ... you have met me in the flesh although it was a very slightly tiddly flesh, at the Christmas meet-up. It was nice and dark in there so my grey hairs didn't show. Nor my lines.

Oh my flesh wasn't tiddly, and you looked super groomed and chic. Not crumpled.

I have since become crumpled.

Get a dress to match dd's

I did see a very nice black skirt with large white polka dots on it ...

Get it! Get it!

ooooh, IM, i really think you should... you'll both be able to twirl in tandem. i hope you got it today. am quite excited about your DD seeing her dress now, you will post to tell, won't you?

I got it. Dp was very impressed.

I'm going to hide it in her wardrobe til tomorrow, then I'll put mine on when she's got hers on. She's madly into us wearing similar things at the moment ("we've both got jeans and flowery tops on!") so she'll be thrilled. Plus hers is a bit flasher than mine so I won't upstage her.

She's in dire need of a confidence boost she's seemed anxious, clingy and rather angry this last few days. Unusually so for her.

LOL that is superb that you got it IF

Please do tell us how it all goes

how deeply, deeply fabulous.

IF - how was the party? I bet you and dd looked fabulous - did dd have a good time?

I hope you are both ok.

Dd and I did look cool! And we had a really nice time at the party which was big and busy. Dd's quite shy socially so she ducked out of the usual things like musical statues and anything too raucous but she sat in for pass the parcel, was reasonably involved in the magic show and did her usual calm perusal of things going on around her, breaking off now and then to race back to report to me. She's such a self-contained little girl and very sensitive.

Although unfortunately her skin was paricularly ropey today so I had to fend off the usual barrage of questions as to 'what's going on there then' and there was a tight moment when the face painter arrived and someone asked dd if she'd like to be done and I had to say no. Dd has always loved having her face painted but I knew it would be a disaster plus very hard for the woman to do it over her various lumps and bumps. Then a friend came to our rescue and said why didn't she have a 'tattoo' type painting on her arm at which dd piped up, unsurprisingly, 'of a blue rabbit!' So that was all ok and made her feel even a bit special to have a different kind of body decoration. A few children asked me why her face was so sore and I said it was eczema, too hard to go into anything else. Dd gets a sort of cloud over her at the moment when it's mentioned and just lowers her head.

It's so great, and so hard, to be nearly-5.

great idea about the tattoo. glad you had a good time. i wish i had a magic wand for your dd, she sounds wonderful.

she sounds like a beautiful young girl.

what a fab idea with the tattoo.

Your posts are beaming with pride IF.

Oh, I can't tell you how proud, emma, she's awesome.

Me and dp are always wishing the same, Aitch.

Woohoo! Fab idea about the tattoo

Wasn't it just? Especially for dd who fancies herself as a bit of a goth / punk type!

I am so glad the party was a success, and love the idea of a rabbit arm tatoo. I do think that trend could catch on! Your dd sounds like a truly special little girl, you say on your profile she is your little miracle - I think she was meant to be with you!

That's such a sweet thing to say, thank you.

Oh wow. Did she love the dress? Was she surprised? Would have loved to see the surprise!

Sad about the face-painting and awkward questions. Poor little thing. I really really hope it gets sorted. She sounds a really special little girl.

Inspired idea of the tattoo!

Yes, I didn't say about how totally thrilled she was with the dress. She said 'wow, mum, that's beautiful' we put it on her and she spent ages twirling about and examining herself in the mirror! At the party she did that thing of shyly wafting the skirt part around under people's noses until they noticed and commented!

They're so obvious sometimes aren't they?