A good bit of advice, methinks.

"Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!"

--discovered while researching quotations for needlepoint.

Happy

I'm just so happy today.

Fiona Lily Rose (which is how I think of her... all three names, one abbreviated!) is sound asleep in the cradle Papa made. Christian is playing trains in his room. I brushed my hair, put on makeup and finished Fi's thank you cards. The dishes are done and the baby laundry is tumbling in the dryer. The plants are watered, the bills are paid and everybody is bathed.... and its not yet one in the afternoon.

Sure, there are race cars all over the coffee table, art supplies spread out on the kitchen island, 2 more loads of laundry to be done, none of the beds are made, garbage needs to go out, I'm down to my last 8 diapers and there are no groceries in the house. But I'm alone with my three year old and my three week old, and I feel no shame and no sense of urgency. The race cars are beginning to blend in to the background, art supplies have never seemed like clutter to me, laundry is the most passive task around (honestly, the appliances do the heavy lifting), we'll be climbing back into our unmade beds in about 8 hours, the garbage will find its way out today and Grammy's on her way to take Christian to Target while I take Fi to the grocery store to split my errands.

A tedious list of to-do's? Maybe for the reader, but today, I'm just happy and I don't mind a bit. In fact, as far as I'm concerned, the day is a success already.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is my Mother's birthday, (Happy Happy Happy Birthday Mom!) and in case you're keeping track, my new baby is one week old today. I promise a new baby post soon, but as this is the first time I have sat down at the computer since coming home from the hospital and I have a very small window of time in which to do so, I am reposting a blog from Mother's Day last year, in honor of my lovely, kind-hearted, selfless Mom's birthday.

The drawing/painting above was a gift for her last year, and the entry below describes what (and who) inspired it.

{{As with all good crazy people, my story involves both my mother and my childhood. When I was little I had a lot of bad dreams. Terrible horrible no good very bad dreams, nearly every night. I still have a lot of them, actually, just with a fraction of the frequency. But when I was just a wee thing, my sainted mother taught me that more often than not, I could be in control of my dreams, partly by thinking of lovely things as I was falling asleep,and partly by making myself aware I was only dreaming and since it was my own mind, I could make it anything I wanted to. (Did I have a choice but to become an artist with that sort of wide-open creative encouragement, come to think of it?)

Anyway, we would play a little game at bedtime where my mom would say something like, "I'll see you in Dreamland... I'll be wearing a pink dress with white polka-dots and butterfly wings and a lime green tiara. I'll meet you at the gum-drop tree. How will I know you?" And I would describe in great detail my dreamself and her attire. It was never quite the same from one night to the next, but my mom nearly always wore pink with white polka-dots in some form or another, and I was always one for tu-tus. Sometimes I was a mermaid swimming in a purple sea, sometimes some sort of winged creature but it was a delightful little tradition and it did the trick.
From time to time in my adulthood we have talked about it, and once at a family gathering when my nephew was telling us about his bad dream I engaged the whole extended family in a very elaborate Dreamland reunion which sort of unlocked a lot of really wonderful memories for me of whispered fairytales and enchanted dream meetings with my Mommy, the person who taught me what love and beauty and magic were.

So for Mother's day, I did this little drawing for my mom, of our grown-up(ish) idea of how we'd look in dreamland. Of course, in our dreams we're both seven feet tall and weigh about ninety pounds, but what I think its really about is how we'd look if we looked on the outside like we feel on the inside. I guess that means I'm a fairy-CanCan dancer with an affinity for Jane Austen, horn-rimmed glasses, pearls and tattoos (I'm a complicated creature) and my mom is femininity personified, the queen bee and a nurturer of all living things, an angel in an apron with whom I share my sense of whimsy and my love of beauty.

Hope you like it, but mostly it was a labor of love and the target audience was my mother who is admittedly easy to please, so if you don't, well, I just don't care. That's what Mom's are for. }}



And now, here's her real birthday present:

F i o n a L i l l i a n R o s e

7 pounds, 14 ounces ~ 19 1/2 inches ~ June 9, 2009

Thank you for being everything you are, Mom. We all love you so much. The role you had at her birth was more encouraging, empowering and precious to me than words can possibly describe. Hope your birthday is wonderful, in the midst of the busyness.

Love, Elizabeth, Justin, Christian and Fiona

p.s. If you'd like to wish my Mom a Happy Birthday, leave a comment here, or over at her blog.

Nursery Vignettes

More from my mom's impromptu photo-shoot. These are all from the nursery, which is still very much a work in progress. In fact, the furniture isn't even all in place yet, but I've been working non-stop for the last couple days, since little Fiona should be here any minute. Or so they tell me... she was due a week and a half ago! But we'll be SO ready for her when she arrives.

A corner of the crib.

Luggage, because a girl has to travel in style.

Just a few pretty things on top of the dresser, waiting to find homes.

Some little boxes I painted and her silver rattle, a gift from Grammy and Papa.

The beautiful piece of furniture I snapped up. We're working on temporarily converting the fold out portion of the desk into a changing station. It has sturdy pull-out supports. Its a little hard to tell in the picture, but I painted the inside of the top portion pink, with white polka-dots. It turned out very sweet.

A sweetly colored set of blocks I couldn't resist embellishing.

I just noticed that in this post and the last, most of the pictures include something I painted. Admittedly, you'd be hard-pressed to find a room in my home without one of my paintings or painted things, but that's also what happens when your mother is your photojournalist. I think she loves me. The feeling is mutual.

I fully intend to post a TON more pictures when the nursery is completed, but I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if the room's occupant arrives before her nest is entirely feathered. Indeed, it is my great wish!

P.S. The best place for baby updates when the time comes will still be my mom's blog: Debbi Thinks Deep. We hope to have big news very very very soon.

Vignettes

This isn't exactly a full-scale "after" photo shoot, but my Mom had some fun while babysitting and took a few pictures of some of the finished areas in the new house. Actually, everything is really coming together, and I hope to post more soon, but I will very soon (like, within the next hundred hours) become a mother of two, so we may have to wait on another Grammy-photo session.

A small sampling of the trichromatic color scheme in our master bedroom. It was originally just black and white, but I decided to paint the walls yellow.... and I love it! Every morning when I wake up I appreciate the sunny, clean, graphic quality. I should really post more pics of this room, it might be my favorite so far.

A small scene from my living room. All of these sign letters are vintage, except for one. I'm hoping to collect lots and lots more, so keep your eyes open for me.

A painting from my son's room. The two small flags on the mast on the right are the signal flags for his initials. His room was probably too messy to get any other pictures, and truly, I still have a lot to do in there. I've been promising a "tent" for over his bed since we moved in. It's probably a 2 hour project, max, so I will deliver on that promise as soon as I can after the baby. It should be really cute.

This should give you a tiny idea of what has been keeping me so busy lately, other than springing back into action and trying to make the most of my time once the Doctor took me off of bedrest. The house is so nearly finished (on the inside anyway) that I can taste it. Can't wait to show off more!

Home

Our new house...

And here's a little "before" tour:

Staircase, in the living room.

Justin painting the living room, viewed from the dining room.

Kitchen, from left to right...

kitchen and bay window...

to the fireplace in the family room...

and the rest of the family room.

That's the downstairs for now. By now, we've painted and we should have our wood laminate floors in half the downstairs by this weekend. I believe the blinds will be installed on Friday and the new carpet for the living room, dining and upstairs will be installed in a couple of weeks, by an unfortunate twist of fated timing, after we've already moved in. Just a small set-back though; we're on a roll and we're determined not to sweat such things.

I'll post more pictures once I have a little more progress.

Love!

A Wee Little Update

Too BUSY to post often or much, but I do think an update is in order.

The busyness is packing and organizing and, frankly, nesting. Yes, I've got it bad, and early. I have an almost irresistible urge to start sewing clothes for the baby, which may not be striking unless you know that I am not much of a seamstress. Sure I made some lovely throw pillows, and I can sew a seam by hand with near-machine precision, but that perfectionism actually makes sewing somewhat of a complex predicament for me and I don't think I've ever sewn a garment, other than an apron. Nonetheless, the only thing preventing me from sewing an entire layette is the fact that I have to pack and get us moved!

The loan funds tomorrow, and we should close on Thursday, which means we'll have accomplished our lighting fast 24 day escrow. Big fun! The hubby has his marching orders (from me) and is all prepped to start painting this weekend, after which we'll be laying down the new floors and setting up camp. Don't tell him, but I have planned a little Valentine's day floor picnic in front of our new fireplace. I just realized that means I'm planning to eat a meal on the floor with my six-months pregnant tummy in all its glory, and though it might be a challenge, its doable thanks to prenatal yoga. (Thank GOD for prenatal yoga!)

Speaking of tummies, our baby girl, who is yet to be named, is dancing around like a little ballerina and we're about to enter our third trimester. Yes, we can do the math and ascertain that gives me approximately three months to get my new home in order and beautiful, so I have a feeling I'm going to owe my friends and family big time after this spring.

My little boy (now three!) is excited about the new house, his new room, and the "tower." He checks in frequently, asking what the "baby gorl" in my tummy is doing, whether she's sleeping or wiggling, etc.

We're just about as happy as can be, and unfortunately (<---- that's tongue-in-cheek) my happiness is borne of being busy, leaving very little time for writing, painting, etc. But its been nice to visit with you, and I'll keep you posted.

HOME

The long weekend is winding down, my newly THREE year old (as of today!) is sound asleep by 6:30, bless his heart and the house is very very quiet. In this room, its just me and SuperGirl (that's the baby girl swimming around in my tummy) wondering at the the peace that can be found in the white noise of the blowing heater and whirring computer. I'm exhausted, but for all good reasons.

We signed papers on the house today. It is big and lovely and open and airy... all the things a new house ought to be (in California anyway). I couldn't be happier, and yet for reasons I can attribute only to emotional overload and pregnancy hormones, I'm a bit of a teary wreck today.

Nevertheless -- it is our home. I can feel it. The bedrooms are cozy (read: small) but there are four of them, and the downstairs living area is decidedly not small, which is really where we'll spend the most of our time anyway. My especially favorite part is the kitchen and its bay windows, island, and openness, and the back yard, while small, is overflowing with potential in my imagination. The back yard is facing North, so it will be nice and shady when its hot outside. Halfway up the staircase it turns and there is a landing that has two sides facing out bordered with railing that Little Boy Blue has already stood upon and christened "The Tower" and so the tower it shall be.

So now the business of escrow and appraisals and inspections and papers, papers, papers to sign. But on Valentine's day, we'll have our new home. What could be more romantic?

A Long-Delayed Update...

Long time no see...

I was flipping through my mom's lovely blog this morning and suddenly realized I haven't posted since November. The truth is, my head is so full of baby and house hunting and birthday parties and nesting that it's rarely even occurred to me to put virtual pen to paper. For the loyal few that might be wondering just why my head is so full, I found it in me today to write a little update, though please forgive the lack of flowery prose.

Simply put, I've been the very best kind of busy, and my mind is hardly even wrapped around all the wonderful developments in our life.

First of all, we found out last week that we're (pretty sure, more than likely) having a girl! So every time I close my eyes, I see a sweet little beribboned blond head, ballet slippers, a pink little baby curled up cozy in a creamy bassinet, and my beautiful little boy holding hands and leading his wobbly baby sister through the garden of our new home. Which brings me to the next big item occupying my time.

We're house shopping yet again. We have made five offers on homes this week. One has accepted another offer, so we're down to four, but the options are still quite good. Each home is beautiful in a unique way, and every one has at least a little back yard. No patio homes for us! I'm desperate for a yard I can tend myself and lay out a quilt on the pokey lawn to sun and picnic with my husband and babies. I don't need much, but a little soil, greenery and sun are enough to make me breath a little easier. And each of these houses has a little bit - just enough - of what I need. The reality of the situation is that we may not get any of these homes, as the market for bank-owned homes is still pretty competitive, but we have a dedicated realtor who is moving heaven and earth to have us moved into our new place before the baby arrives.

Last but not least, my little boy has a birthday coming up next week, and so as the preparation for Christmas transitions swiftly into the preparation for birthday, my days are as full as ever. With all the expenses we're anticipating of buying a home and moving, this is a birthday on a shoestring, but I've been preparing my whole life for that. As I've said before, one of the most valuable lesson I learned from my parents is How To Do a Lot With a Little, and that's exactly what I intend to do.

With that in mind, I must sign off to return to party planning, birthday shopping, baby-dreaming and mentally decorating an unknown home. But its been nice to share with you little piece of my bliss.

A Handmade Christmas

Thanks to my mom, my most prolific source of inspiration, and her insatiable taste for things unique and handmade, I've recently been introduced to the MULTITUDES of handmade/homemade "indie" goodies available for online shopping. Add to that my every autumn urge to paint, piece, sew and render things lovely and my sister-in-law's "never met a project I wouldn't tackle" approach to art and crafting and an idea begins to brew in my mind.

I'm talking about a handmade Christmas. I've had ideas of things to make for my loved ones filed away in the "some Christmas" category of my mind for years, and I think this just might be the year. I think it sounds a little ambitious, but I don't plan on doing it alone. There are suitable, one of a kind gifts for the men, women and children we love at Etsy, and better still there are craft sales and boutiques just about everywhere you turn in your own neighborhood this time of year -- including the one at my house. Last year was the first of what I hope will be an annual boutique I held with a few of my creative friends and family members where we sold jewelry, candles, art, ornaments, gifts, and decor stuff we each made in our own little kitchens and craft rooms. With a little Christmas music, some hot apple cider and my moms snickerdoodles, we sold a few things (some of us sold a LOT of things) and just generally had a really great time. This year friends and neighbors have started to ask us if we're doing it again, and when.... and you know you've got to give the people what they want.

I don't think this will be as easy as the typical year where 75% of my shopping is done at Target the rest at cute little shops and yes, even the mall, but I do think it'll be fun. Now, I don't imagine I'll be able to find homemade equivalents of the bike we intend to buy my son, and the sunglasses my husband visits weekly at No Fear, so I'm not going to be ultra strict about this, but I do plan on altering my mass-produced/thoughtfully rendered ratio.

So as I formulate my plan to make or buy handmade gifts for as many people on my ever-growing list as I can manage, I think I'll keep you updated on my sources. If I find something cool, I'll share it with you. If I make something cool, I'll post it (and I suppose if you see anything you like, you can buy it too, wink wink). And if you have any brilliant ideas or resources to help in my quest, comment or email me, and I'll share your ideas too.

Check out Modish

Does handmade swag from indie designers make you swoon, too? Then check out Modish, a veritable feast of goodies, and all things wonderful. Swing by to enter to win a BIG prize through the end of November... all the lovely items you see here and then some. We're talking about a jackpot here, folks. Spread the word and take advantage of your chance to win. I want those owl cards, though, so feel free to send them my way if you DO. :)

A Goodnight Kiss

Last night, full to overflowing with love and joy, I was talking to my husband about my favorite time of day. It may not sound all that exciting, but every night when I put our son to bed, there is something to learn, something to smile about and something to move me.

I'm too tired to write a description that will do justice to my nightly motherly bliss, between a day of ambitious organizing, the growing baby in my belly and the growing toddler in the next room... but like his sweet prayer, I have something too precious to keep to myself.

After stories and songs and prayers, after the goodnight kisses and exchanged "I love you's" my little one whispered a secret to me before I made my way to my own bed....

It was three little words I never could have imagined I would hear:

"God kissed me."

I'm sure he did, too. I can't remember the age of my innocence, so I don't really remember what that feels like. Or, I should say, I didn't. Because, through my child yet again, God touched me - and I suppose that feels something like a kiss.

A Simple Prayer

Sometimes the simplest words can be the most beautiful. If having a child hasn't taught me that, then I just might be incapable of learning.

Every night I say prayers with my son, who will be three next January, to give you perspective on his age. First we say the prayer I used to say as a child, the one that starts "Now I lay me, down to sleep..." which is followed by asking for blessing for "our Grammies and Papas, Aunties and Uncles, our cousins and our friends." Then we simply thank God for all of our blessings and ask for forgiveness for our sins. After the "amen" we started several months ago to say the Lord's Prayer. My little boy follows along and pronounces words the best he can, and his "Our Fodder" is enough to melt any heart.

But last night, he wanted to say his own prayer. He was adamant that he wanted to do it alone. So I kissed him goodnight and turned out the light and stepped outside his room, reminding him to say his prayer before he went to sleep.

As soon as I was outside the door, this is what I heard:

"Dear 'Word,' Goodnight. Thanks for evewything. I love you. Amen."

I had to go back in there. I told him how happy he made God because he wanted to talk to Him, and because he had said he loved Him, and told him how much God loved him too.

He didn't say anything, just snuggled down into his blankets and closed his eyes, grinning.

I love the rhythm and meaning of the Lord's Prayer, and say it often in addition to my personal, specific prayers. I have always taken comfort in its language and depth.

But last night, I found beauty in the simplicity of a prayer that I wasn't supposed to hear.

Bats in the Attic...

and a bun in the oven.

Yes, I'm referring to myself.

Lo, the previously mentioned personal announcement: I am with child. Expecting. Knocked up (can you be knocked up if you're married? I'm not sure about that.)

Or, as one friend refers to it "sick with baby," as seen in a poorly translated foreign film or something.

I've been too "sick with cold" this week for this to completely sink in, but rest assured that my husband and I are delighted and thankful and feeling very blessed.

If you can be just a tiny bit pregnant, then that is what I am. It is very early. In fact, our original intention was to wait a bit longer to share our news with those outside the family. But, as my doting husband is prone to unbridled enthusiasm when he is happy or excited, there was a wee slip-up that resulted in him announcing the pregnancy via his status on Myspace to his 120-odd closest friends, family, musicians and comedians. These of course included probably upwards of 50 mutual friends, many of whom were my best friends and close family members who hadn't yet heard the news. I've decided to find this endearing and innocent, which it certainly was, but I also figured... hey, I have an even bigger audience! With even fewer people I know!

So, there you have it. That's the rationale behind announcing my pregnancy via blog. I promise to share a lot of my joy and none of my ultrasound pictures.

And now you understand why I have bats in my attic, too.

That Fickle Muse Again

No sooner did I decide I was going to add a new blog to house my personal political snarkiness than I completely lost my inspiration, and very nearly my stomach for politics, in one fell swoop. All of the vapid celebrities peddling their Obama hype and Palin-as-the-personification-of-stupidity sound-bytes have finally drained me of my good humour over all of this. I hope my will to overthrow the heights of liberal arrogance with sarcasm and a smile will one day return, but for the time being I have other things on my mind. Look forward to a personal announcement.

XO,
Elizabeth