Raising Kids

As Sanders 1 year birthday nears I've been thinking a lot about the future of our little family. Especially after the little "Disneyland episode" on Sunday.

Let me explain.

I like to take my children to Disneyland when they are around 3. 1. Because Disney is awesome. 2. Because at 3 things are just so, so magical.

We have toyed around with the idea of telling the kids at Christmas about our plans, but realized this special trip would likely be overshadowed by all the other things they get at Christmas.

When our tickets arrived in the mail last week I decided I could not wait one second longer to tell of the fantastic event coming our way.

I devised a quick little treasure hunt. Each child got to find one clue that gave a hint about another clue, ultimately leading them to the bathtub.

They found the package and opened it up. In hind site, I think instead of them finding the package that they found confusing and full of adult (not x -rated of course---we are talking about D-land) language, I should have just made a sign that said, "We're taking you to Disneyland!"

See, I had visions of jumping up and down, scream, and, if I was extra lucky, crying with joy. Mainly because that is what I would have down....except the crying is standard. That's just what you get with me.

What I got instead was confusion.

"We're going to Disneyland?"

Me: YES! We're going to Disneyland!!

"Oh."

Beckham and Karaia: When?

Me: In April. Well the end of April.

And that's when the crying began. And not happy crying either.

"Beckham why are you crying? You should be happy. We're going to Disneyland!"

"Well, I would've been happy if you hadn't have said, 'the end of April.'"

"Are you kidding me?"

"That is TOO far away!"

Now dear readers had he said this with a wistful, dreamy, voice this whole senario would be a far different memory for me. Instead, he chose to pull out his, teenage, how DARE you even think of making me wait so long don't you know who I am, voice.

To which he got promptly sent to his room with lots of counsel on what gratitude means.

Sigh.

Beckham seems to be going through a phase where he can only see the negative in the situation.

It makes me so sad for him and his future if he continues to be focused on such things. I've tried pointing out the good when he seems stuck on the bad, but it's a struggle.

Thankfully, I can tell he really is trying. I think he is starting to understand that Satan wants us to focus on the bad so we can't see the good Heavenly Father has given us. If there is anything Beckham loves see is the bad guy get taken down, so he is trying to do his part.

Here's to Beckham getting the title of THE MOST POSITIVE in high school!

Weight lifted by 9 inches

Karaia has been begging for about 6 months to get her hair cut. But the last time we had Daly family pictures she had short hair and I didn't want it to look the same.

Then she started school and I wanted her school pictures to document her long hair.....as well as her 7 year pictures to do the same.

The last straw for her, however, was her best friend's new short hairdo.

On a Saturday night a week or so ago, I whipped out my hair scissors, that I have never sharpened and had for 10 years that work perfectly well on short boy hair, and began the cutting.

Note to self: dull hair scissors do NOT cut straight lines.

Yeah, I know. It seems all logical now that it's in black and white.

Anywho, we got 'er done. Only we ended up being shorter than planned due to the uneven first few cuts. We cut off 9 inches in all.

(look at all that hair we cut off!)

For not knowing anything about cutting girls hair, I think I'll give it a barely passing grade.

The most import thing is that she LOVES it! She is constantly combing her hair and looking in the mirror.

(All cutied up for V-day)

That's all you can ask from a hair cut. That it makes you feel pretty and good about your self.

I'll be sure to invest in some new scissors before next time.

Round 3

Today in the mail I received a package.

A package from Westminster Fibers.

I knew it was a rejection letter, but for about five minutes I sat with it on my lap pretending that I would tear open the seal and in it find a letter containing nothing but manufacturer love. I knew it wasn't reality, but who says a girl can't dream? It felt really good to live the dream....if only for a few moments.

You can't stay in dream world forever and I soon opened the package to find my suspicions were right.



However, this time around I do not feel gut punched. Instead I feel hopeful. Let me share with you why.




First off, at least they actually looked at my designs AND came to a consensus.Which of course means more than one person looked at it.

Also my, "designs are very similar to several artists that we are currently licensing with that same look."

Which I am taking to mean that I am not completely void of talent! Sounds good to me!! Yes, I may be unoriginal, right now, but if I had gotten there first they may have signed me on.

Am I stretching it a bit? Perhaps. But I'm cool with that ;)

Thankfully, I had a fit of inspiration last week and already have a line that is almost ready to submit. I don't LOVE it like I love the first line, but I kind of feel like I need to just get my foot in the door and then work from there.

Round 3......bring it!

Some parts of Mommyhood are less than fun.......

......Even though that may be true, as I tell my kids, anything hard to do will probably be awesome once you finally accomplish it.

I'm trying to tell myself that with potty training Tennyson.

We have been at this for nearly a month, A MONTH, and it is almost like the first day.....every day.

The thing that is especially frustrating is, this is not my first round with potty training a child. I have, successfully I have reminded myself often lately, potty trained two other children. Karaia was by far the easiest done in 3 days. And when I say done, I mean, wake-herself-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night,-walk-herself-to-the-bathroom-and take-care-of-business kind of done. Beckham took a few weeks, but no where near a month.

Tennyson, sigh, is super stubborn. He says all the right things, "I not a baby. I a big boy. I go pee in the potty!" 30 minutes later he had contradicted his mantra.

Of course I am, still, taking him every 30 mins. and he manages to squeeze a few drops out each time to satisfy his old mom, but there is rarely any initiation. He tells me he wants to be in charge of it himself, so I try and give him the benefit of the doubt.

Every once and a while I'll ask him, "What is your body saying?"

To which he replies, in the highest, squeakiest voice imaginable, "I want a snack!" or "I want to play with toys!" or "I want to color!" Apparently his body speaks in falsetto.

On one such occasion I said, "It is time for a potty break."

"No! I already did."

"When?"

"Because"

"What time?"

"Tuesday and Wednesday!"


See now that explains a lot. I mean, I've been trying to get him to use the toilet everyday. But apparently he only goes on Tuesday and Wednesday. My bad.

Someday this will be funny.

Which is why it is written down.

I think I'll pull it out when his poor wife is trying to potty train their two year old son. Maybe it will give her hope.

Sander's 11 months

Sanders turned 11 months Feb. 2. Which means, he is almost 1!

Sanders is a super happy, super busy baby.

He crawls everywhere, walks around furniture, and likes to sample any fine cuisine he happens to find on the floor.

He adores cars, balls, books, and pretending to be a motorcycle (he learned that one from Tennyson).

He gets his groove thang on whenever he hears music, especially Signing Time. Think Ray Charles type moves in a little 11 month old body and you've got his style down to a T.



Sanders likes to eat chalk, but is quick to hand it to me when I tell him, "No."



He also likes to open drawers and doors just to see how they work. He hasn't entered the empty-everything-in-the-drawer-just-because-I-can phase yet, but I am sure it's coming.

He is quick with a smile and can often be heard singing , well, more like humming, throughout the day (one of my favorite sounds ever!)

Sanders does not like to stay in one place too long, which makes diaper changes and getting dressed a rather interesting sport. Sometimes a full contact sport if he is particularly wiggly.

He is working very hard at using a fork.

He LOVES to point things out with his cute little index finger.

His favorite thing to point out is lights and a picture of the Canadian changing of the guard we have on our wall.

We are just so in love with this little guy and are glad he is part of our cute family!

4 things

I was tagged and it's been awhile since I've done one of these. It will be good to look back and remember what I used to like back in the day.

Four shows I like to watch
1. Biggest Loser
2. Phineas and Ferb (funniest, cleanest, cartoon ever!)
3. My Three Sons ( You know that old, old sitcom? Nothing like old time problems being fixed in 30 mins.)
4.Divine Design

Four things I'm passionate about
1. My family
2. Fabric/ Designing fabric
3. Blogging/writing
4. Collecting tutorials

Four words or phrases I say a lot
1. Stop dawdling
2. For sure
3. Tennyson what is your body telling you?
4. You did it!

Four things I have learned from the past
1. People can change
2. People are always more than they first seem
3. Family relationships can be hard, but they are worth fighting for
4. Proper, good, communication helps to solve most things

Four places I would love to go
1. Paris
2. London
3. Australia
4. Disney World
(now are you singing, "one of these things is not like the other...."?)

Four things I did yesterday
1. Laundry
2. Played motorcycles with Tennyson
3. Helped Beckham with watercolors
4. SEP with Karaia (She did awesome!)

Four things I'm looking forward to
1. Paris
2. London
3. Disneyland (so many fun places this year!)
4. Reorganizing my office and sewing rooms

Four things I love about winter
1. An excuse to stay indoors and read a good book
2. seeing how excited my kids get when it snows
3. Snow days
4. Yummy, warm, comfort food

Four things on my wish list
1. Amy Butler's Weekender bag pattern
2. A few select fabrics of Anna Maria Horner's
3. topiaries for my front entry way
4. shelves flanking my fire place