Tsarist Russia and baby

Baby and I are off to Washington DC tomorrow morning - for a visit with her grandparent's. I might be a bit away from this blog during that time (as I will not have my lap top with me).

She is getting cuter and cuter everyday. I love her laugh! Though I was sad today, I had to put away a bunch of her onesie's, they are too small. Everyone was right when they said they grow up too fast!! She smiles and laughs, but is still very attached to momma. I am applying for jobs but I hate the idea of leaving my dear little one. It breaks my heart. Its at times like this that I wish I lived in Western Europe, where they give mothers at least a year of maternity leave. Its so much better for the babies. I wish America would swing that way.

Just finished reading a great book about the last grand dames of Tsarist Russia. So fascinating, I love all things European royalty, particularly from the golden era, the late 1800's, early 1900's before WWI. This book, From Splendor to Revolution by Julia Gelardi, looks at the lives of four Grand Duchesses of Russia (two of whom became Queen's, one the Queen of Russia the other the Queen of Greece). One of the women it featured, Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrova (wife of Queen Victoria's son, Prince Alfred), was a hoot. She petitioned the Communist regime, right after the revolution, for the continuance of her royal allowance. Really?! You really think the Communist party, which killed half your relatives, would continue to give you a royal allowance? The country was starving, sheesh! You can either laugh at that or think she is delusional. I choose to laugh.