Friday, August 19, 2005

Happy Birthday Dear Eric, Happy Birthday To You!


My first thought this morning is that we need to get more pictures with daddy in them. I think this one is about a year old. After that my thoughts venture into birthday territory...how lucky we all are that 37 years ago our Eric came into the world! What an amazing man we have in our lives. Jack loves daddy because he's happy all the time, and loves to snuggle. Max loves daddy because he makes our house "full of laughing." They both love that he's silly, chases them, jumps around, and makes gross sounds. Zöe loves that he feeds her all the yummy foods she loves, and takes her for adventure walks outside in the backyard. I love Eric for all of those same reasons (except the gross sounds), and for the three children who expressed them. I love Eric for making our lives full of fun with enthusiasm, energy, and light. Happy Birthday to Eric, and Happy Birthday to us. Today we celebrate our good fortune that you were born!

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Chop Chop


Last night at Salon 77, Mandy cut 14 inches off of my long, long hair. What a liberating experience! I haven't had it this short since seventh grade, and other than that I think 1992 was the last time I even had it slightly above my shoulders. So, hooray for a new 'do. I am loving the feeling of shortness! This morning when I stepped on the scale I was four pounds lighter, literally. Now I know my hair couldn't have weighed that much, but I'm taking it as a good sign.


I've been busy making dresses to sell at Art in August, which is this Sunday. My friend Holly puts together an amazing garden party/crafty show every summer with a dozen local artists. I was so happy with the dress I made for Zöe last week that I decided to make more. I figured out how to increase the size and I bought some great fabrics, so I've been able to make seven so far in three different sizes. I have two more ready to sew in an even larger size. In the end I'll have four sizes total with 10-12 dresses in all. It's been fun, but I think I'm getting a little weary. Yesterday I took my sewing machine into the shop because the thread kept jamming and getting all twisted up around the bobbin. I was certain that I had a big problem on my hands. Boy did I feel a like an idiot when the guy showed my the problem...I simply had it threaded incorrectly. I must be getting tired, because threading it is something I can normally do with my eyes closed. My feeling of stupidity was quickly surpassed by my relief that the machine is fine and I can keep on sewing.

Friday, August 05, 2005

Better Than A Barbie



Actually I never had a Barbie, Skipper was the only fashion play doll I was permitted to own. It just so happened that I liked Skipper better anyway, so that worked out nicely for my mom. But in the end, my little Dottie Z: The Living Doll totally takes the cupcake. She walks, she talks (in her own language even!), she smiles, grins, laughs and cuddles. But even better, she's a running, moving, climbing, twirling girl body just perfect for dressing-up. We'll worry about all that awful teenage-girl stuff later. Last night I finished the first real dress for Zöe that I've ever made. I'm so excited! I've been turning the pattern idea over in my mind for a few weeks now, and it came out exactly as I'd hoped. The thought of hems and finished edges (armholes, neckline) was intimidating to me, so I used the serge stitch on my sewing machine for all of the "raw" edges. It was much easier and I really like to look. The fabric is all cotton; the stripe is by Michael Miller, and the dotted fabric is called "soft spot" by Alexander Henry. I purchased both at the one-acre-large Fabric Depot. There is a vertical opening in the back at the neckline with a hook-eye closure, and a little pocket on the front of the apron. I've got some great 1930's vintage reproduction fabric, and I'm itchin' to make another one already!

Wednesday, August 03, 2005

All About Teeth


I FINALLY finished the tooth-fairy pillows that I sold as auction items for the Preshcool way back in March! I made one for Jack when he lost his first tooth, inspired by a pillow my friend Rebecca made for her son Parker. I'm happy with how they turned out, especially since I'm very new to the "sewing thing" and it's been a while since I made the first one. The tooth itself is a small pocket, sewn tightly enough to securely hold the homeless chomper until that lovely fairy whisks it away to tooth-land. It's big enough to hold a folded certificate of some sort, coins, paper money, diamonds, raisins, or whatever the fairy fancies as adequate payment.


We were able to use Jack's very own tooth pillow once again last night, as he lost the second of his top front teeth. It was wiggly beyond all wiggliciousness, but he still wouldn't let me "take it out." (We are unable to use the phrase "pull it out" without inspiring Jack to try and glue his loose tooth back in with peanut butter.) As he was getting dressed yesterday he pulled his shirt over his head, and the thing just popped out and rolled across the floor. If you ask me, that little central incisor was trying to make a break for it. It must know something about that tooth-fairy that we don't know. What could it be, I wonder?

Monday, August 01, 2005

Dementors and Bludgers and Muggles, oh my!


I finally finished reading The Crimson Petal and the White by Michael Faber. At almost a thousand pages, that in itself was no easy task. I really liked it. Set in Victorian London and centered around the life of a 19-year-old prostitute, the characters are amazing and the descriptions of period costume, habits, and social stations are fascinating. It's a simple enough story, rather hard to imagine that it could cover so many pages, actually. But it rolls along at a good clip, and is told with such depth and detail that it's easy to become immersed. A few of the lesser characters and their plot lines drag a bit, but not nearly enough to cause boredom. It's easily made up for by the unbelieveable lives of the more key characters. A good read! Soon I will be moving on to Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters, as I begin yet another adventure (this time about a lesbian music-hall singer) into the steamy underbelly of Victorian London. But in the meantime I must read the new Harry Potter book The Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling. A new Harry Potter never fails to deliver a solid, fun, and exciting read.


In other news, we're in our second week of swimming lessons for Jack and Max. They're both doing great. They love playing the games and they're comfortable in the pool, but they're not keen at all on getting their heads underwater. I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to begin lessons. Zöe and I join the boys for free swim when their lesson is over, and we all play in the pool together. Today the boys made great advances in submerging themselves all the way up to their ears! Woo hoo! I think they're inspired by their little sister, for Zöe Dott is emerging as the true water-baby of the family. She floats on her belly with only a little support underneath, and spends most of the time with her face IN the water, blowing bubbles and drinking the yummy pool juice. I think I'll start her with some parent/child lessons in the fall.