Malayna and Aidan

{Sept. 2006}

{Nov. 2007}

When we took the above picture at Wendy, Daniel and Aidan's house last week, Malayna insisted on holding the orange maracas. She remembered the picture we had taken last year and wanted Aidan to hold the tamborine, but he had other ideas.

I am so glad that Malayna and Aidan like each other so much. There was a small period of time over the summer when they would get on each other's nerves, but thankfully that ended. They would've had to deal with it either way - Wendy and I need to get together! It seems that whenever Malayna goes through a stage Aidan follows a few months later (they are just about 2 months apart in age). By the time Aidan is going through a yucky, trying phase I've already forgotten about the same behavior in Malayna. But then I hear Wendy talk about something Aidan's doing it all comes back.

What are your plans for this weekend? I have two shows: the first in Plymouth Meeting at Colonial Elementary School (230 Flourtown Road) from 10-3 and the second at the Rose Bank Winery (258 Durham Road) from 11-4. Stop by if you happen to be/live in the area! There will be snacks and wine at the show on Sunday. Did I mention wine?

I had to reschedule the preschool meeting. Jimmy wants to go, but he had a meeting all morning. Hopefully we'll get there next week. I'll be sure to let you know how it goes! Thank you for all your tips and suggestions - I'm going to write them down so I don't forget anything. If you have more, feel free to post them!

preschool

{wasn't this just yesterday?!}

I am visiting a local preschool tomorrow morning {sniff, sniff}. I want Malayna to start in January, and apparently most preschools think this is a strange thing. The director of one of the schools I called told me that they would take her on a "trial basis". Huh? She said that many kids take time to adjust (duh) and that if Malayna were crying too much or not going along with the program they would have to remove her from the class. She basically said that if Malayna had started in September, they would've taken steps to make her feel more secure, but since all the other kids are adjusted by January, she'd just have to suck it up. Doesn't that sound like a great school? Let me sign her up right now! It sounds so nurturing and caring.

The woman must've asked me at least five times if I just moved to the area. She couldn't understand why I didn't already have Malayna in a preschool. Apparently I'm an awful mother for keeping my child home with me these past four years. {Bad mommy! Stop spending time with your child!} To get her ready for school, the woman suggested that I take Malayna to some storytimes at the library and not sit with her - to make her used to being without me. Oh, yes. That makes perfect sense. Sitting five feet away from her at the library is the same as leaving her at preschool. She went on to give me more parenting advice as if I were asking for it. I could not hang up fast enough.

Thankfully, the preschool I'm visiting tomorrow sounds nothing like that one!

I would like to have a list of questions ready when I visit tomorrow. Any suggestions?

Cyber Monday and updates

{new fern card}

Did you know that today is considered Cyber Monday? Because of this, I'm having a big sale! I've discounted lots of items that will be discontinued after the first of the year, so get them while they're still here!

This past weekend was my last free one until Christmas. Next weekend (December 1 & 2), I have two shows - Saturday in Plymouth Meeting and Sunday at the Rose Bank Winery, the 8th & 9th I have the Watertower Craft Show in Chestnut Hill and finally on the 15th I have the Firebird Festival in Phoenixville. That last one is outside and starts around 4pm. Have I mentioned that I'm a warm-weather person? I'm not even sure I have a coat to wear that will keep me warm enough!

{my booth at the Waldorf show}

The Waldorf show was fun. I had some small clocks with the original patterns I created and they were quite popular - lots of people were buying them for gifts. I was surprised to find that young girls like them, too. The Waldorf School goes up to 8th grade and many of the girls would flock to my booth to buy pins and then bring their parents back to show them the clocks.

{new desk clock design}

Another popular item at the show were my new card designs - leafy, brown circles, brown fern, funky circles and fern. They went over so well, I sold out of them!

I hope to see some of you at one of my upcoming shows!

I'm back!

Malayna and I went to the Willow Grove Mall this morning. She likes to throw pennies in the fountain, get a soft pretzel, read a book in the bookstore and then get a cookie for the ride home. While we were sitting by the fountain, a little boy and his grandmother came by. Malayna looked at them and said to me, "I guess he has an old mommy, too. Like me."

Ouch.

blog break

I haven't been posting this week because I'm getting ready for my favorite show this weekend. If you're in the Philadelphia area, come by and see me! I'll be at the Waldorf Holiday Fair with lots of other great crafters. They also have activities for the children and homemade food - on Friday night, you can even dine by candlelight! The school is located in Mount Airy section of Philadelphia, right off of Germantown Avenue (aross from the Trolley Car Diner).

Go here to find out more information: Waldorf Holiday Fair.

Hope to see you there!

thank you, veterans

{dad - Vietnam, April 1968}

Thank you to all the women and men who have served and sacrificed for our country.

peeping Malayna

Malayna and I were in her room the other night, getting ready for bed. First I sang her a few songs (I sing the same four songs every.single.night.) and told her stories about when Luco was a puppy. We sit in the rocking chair and do this - although I don't know how much longer we'll be able to sit there together! She's more than half my height.

After the songs and stories she got up, went over to her window and said, "Let's see if it's a good night for looking in people's houses." She then lifted the shade, looked at our neighbor's house and said, "Yup!" She was right - we could see right into the neighbor's brightly-lit kitchen. Good thing they have shades on the other windows!

new patterns

{new patterns!}

I've been creating new patterns for use on milkshake crafts products lately. Most of the patterned paper I use now on my clocks now are papers that I've purchased, but my goal is to eventually use only patterned papers that I've designed and created.

The patterns above started out as pencil drawings. I then scan them, take them into Photoshop, color them and create patterns. It's pretty repetitive and anal. I love the process. The problem, however, is finding the time to complete all those steps. I have a sketchbook filled with little doodles, which I need to enlarge, clean up and scan for use in a new pattern.

{custom bookplate with my original pattern}

What do you think? What colors would you like to see? How about other themes for patterns?

singing

Malayna and I used to go to a music class when she was younger, and ALL she wants to listen to when we're in the truck are those stinkin' tapes. When she's in Jimmy's car, he's allowed to play loud "rock-and-roll", but she informed me that she likes daddy's music better than my music. Whatever. It's my music and I don't want to share it anyway!

I sing those music class songs all day - after you hear them once it's like they burrow themselves into your brain and you can't get them out. So to pass the time in the truck yesterday {if you can't beat them, join them}, I was whistling along with one of the songs. Malayna said to me, "Mommy, could you please calm down."

Meanwhile, she's doing this when she's supposed to be napping: (Try to ignore my loud laughter!)



She's singing Whip It by Devo. Hmmm. Maybe we should stick to the music class tapes.

she speaks her mind

{We stayed home on Sunday. See below.}

Malayna, Jimmy and I stopped at Peace A Pizza on Saturday to pick up dinner. I've been wanting to try their pizza for a while, and we were passing their new location on our way home from Home Depot. We went in to order and had to wait about 20 minutes. Luckily, Malayna had brought along a book, so we spent some time reading while we waited. While we were reading, another family came in and sat next to us - mom, dad, two boys and a girl about Malayna's age.

{Before I tell you what happened next, you should know this: Malayna went through a phase this past spring during which she was extremely afraid of any bug with wings. She seemed to spot them everywhere we went and would then throw a huge fit that included screaming, crying and flailing of her arms. Oh, how I miss that phase.}

While we were waiting for our pizza, someone came in the door and let in a very large flying bug. As soon as I saw it I knew what was going to happen next. It flew directly at us. Malayna revisited her earlier bug-fearing phase and started to scream and cry. I really couldn't blame her - that bug was giant and it flew right by her face.

Of course, all this commotion caused every single person in the place to turn and stare with their mouths hanging open. One of the young workers there even imitated Malayna's whining. {So helpful, thanks!} The little girl next to us was probably scared out of her mind at this creature making these strange noises for apparently no reason. Malayna noticed her staring and yelled, "I don't like that girl! She's yucky!" I told her it wasn't polite to say things like that and if she couldn't calm down we were going in truck to wait. {Meanwhile I was feeling really bad for the little girl - she didn't do anything wrong! Why couldn't she pick on the worker who was mocking her? I wouldn't have a problem with that.}

Of course my telling her that just made her angrier and she repeated, "But she's yucky!" I scooped her up and told her it was time for us to wait in the truck. She kicked and screamed and made an even bigger scene while I tried to put her in the carseat. She eventually calmed down and acted like nothing ever happened. Ugh. Is that frustrating or what?

This isn't the first time she's blurted out her feelings for all to hear. As it's happening, I'm torn between either telling her to stop saying things that aren't nice or letting her speak her mind. I do not want to tell her she has to be nice when she's feeling out of control, or sad or angry. I want her to speak her mind. I just don't want her to take it out on other people.

Afterwards we talked about what happened. I told her she CAN be angry, or afraid or sad, but it's not okay to say mean things about other people. She can, instead, tell me she's feeling sad, or angry and I will listen. That I can give her a hug if she needs it. I'm afraid if I push the "nice" factor I'll take away her feistyness and make her just another quiet, nice, goes-along-with-the-program little girl.

trick-or-treating

{she gave us TREATS!}

Malayna and her "best, best buddy" Aidan had a great time trick-or-treating last night. We {the parents} were worried that they wouldn't want to go out - both of them are resistant to change and not crazy about all the scary Halloween stuff. {Is that just a three-year-old thing?} We were happily surprised to see both of them very excited. They had little patience for things like eating dinner and waiting for the grown-ups to be ready.

They were both so surprised and excited about people giving them candy. After the first few houses, they would look in their bags and say, "she gave us TREATS!"

Malayna was a baby {what a surprise!} and Aidan was Superman.

{Luco did NOT like this}

{too much sugar?}

{maybe just a little too much...}