LillyB Crafts

Adventures in Potty Training

2010-03-31T09:48:00.001-07:00

As our son approaches the 2 1/2 year mark, we have decided to step up our efforts with regard to potty training. I know that boys take longer than girls, or so I've been told, and I'm not in any way concerned that he isn't or pushing him to be... I am just 100% done with diapers. Diaper rash, day diapers vs. overnight diapers, convincing him to lay still for 30 seconds to be changed- I'm just done with the whole process.

Now, he has been interested in the potty for about a year. We have a very snazzy potty that plays music when you use it successfully, which at the time I thought, "Great! That will be fun and he will feel rewarded. We'll be potty trained in no time!" Even Nathan is tired of the musical component of the potty by now, and has mastered turning the sound on and off to his liking. We've tried rewarding him with M&M's. We started with 1 for trying, 2 for a Number 1, and 3 for a Number 2. Little con artist... next thing we new he was copping 4 or 5 M&Ms at a clip, asking both Mommy and Daddy separately for his reward! I put my foot down the one evening and explained that if there's no potty action, there's no treat. He marched into the bathroom, sat down, and I swear willed it to happen. We're talking 4-5 drops, but in the interest of consistency... here come the M&Ms for successes big and small.

So we've done it all. Big potty vs. little potty. Sitting vs. standing. He's all over the map. Which brings us to last night. As is our ritual, before bath we march into the bathroom to make an attempt at the potty. He sits down on his toddler potty, and I sit down across from him and prepare to try and be entertaining. This is a fine line, as I need to be entertaining enough to keep him on the potty, but not so entertaining that he forgets why we're there. I read our "trying potty" book- no luck. At this point, he announces he'd like to try the big potty... standing. Now, at less than 3 feet tall and not having too much experience with going standing up, I'm certain this is not going to be a match. So, we get a stool for him to stand on. As I'm setting us up for attempt #2, he asks very sweetly if I'll wear his fireman's hat. No, I'm not sure why there is a fireman's hat in our bathroom, but as I am distracted with the whole stool set up I say yes. Once we're all settled, he steps up to the plate, and asks for the story just one more time. So here I am, sitting in my bathroom floor, wearing a children's plastic fireman's hat, reading "If you give a moose a muffin" aloud, holding my son's hand for his balance, and hoping for some potty action.

Sadly, no action was to be had. When the story was over, he happily climbed down from the stool and announced he was ready for his bath. He very sweetly reminded me that we could "try again after my baf." Good thing I can rock that hat.

Wedding Wonderings: The Favor of Your Reply...

2010-03-26T11:01:00.000-07:00

The ceremony and reception locations have been reserved. Times are set. Vendors have been hired. Now it's time to get some guests! Many couples find that creating, and finalizing, the guest list are two of the most difficult parts of wedding planning. The bride has her list, the groom has his list, and the parents all have their friends to invite as well. Consolidating all of these names into a workable guest list that will fit inside Raven's Stadium can be a challenge, never mind getting down to a regular reception site size!

Here are a few rules of thumb to get you started:
1. Decide how many guests you hope to have at the wedding, and then divide it up from there. For example, we'd like to invite 180, so 60 guests for the bride and groom, 60 guests for the parents of the bride and 60 guests for the parents of the groom to start off. From there, let the trading and bartering begin!
2. If your parents are paying for the wedding, let them invite their friends. It's not worth the argument, typically, to try and block out a few guests that you'll only have to say a quick "hello" to before returning to the dance floor.
3. Do not invite more than your reception site can hold. If you invite 250 guests, you are not guaranteed that the average 20% will regret bringing you down to your venues 200 guest max. No one wants to have to decide who will have to eat rooms away because they won't fit in your ballroom.
4. It is not necessary for your fiances "single and looking to mingle" friends to all bring dates. Perhaps one of your nice single friends would be a good match and their no date status will allow them to meet!
5. Have some general guidelines that apply to all parties. Ex. If we haven't met them in real life, we don't want them to come to the wedding OR If they didn't invite us to theirs, we aren't inviting them to our.
And most importantly 6. Proceed with care and love. You will all be family once all this wedding craziness is behind you, and you don't want this experience to leave a bad taste in anyone's mouth.

There is actually no need to invite everyone you ever met to your wedding. This is a very intimate and special day for the two of you and your families, and it commemorates the start of your new life together. Have as many of your friends and families as you'd like, but know that there are very few people you "have to" invite. In most cases, with a few exceptions, the attendance or omittance of any one guest will not make or break the success of your day.

If there are specific guests that you would especially like to have in attendance, or guests traveling from far away, it is always nice to send a Save the Date Card. My friend Amanda at http://doiliesanddaisies.etsy.com/ and http://dawncorrespondence.etsy.com/ helps couples to create fun custom Save the Dates and Invitations. Particularly with the, Save the Dates, it's a great opportunity to inject a little personality into your correspondence. Ask about coordinating all your wedding correspondence from Save the Dates through to the Thank Yous!

I especially recommend sending out Save the Date Cards if you are planning a destination wedding, a holiday wedding (4th of July, Memorial Day, and Labor Day Weekends are all popular for both weddings and other social plans) or another potential conflict (think major events- marathons, concerts, conventions). That way they can get hotel accomodations (if needed) and travel plans in place before they book up! And remember, you can send someone an invitation that didn't get a Save the Date, but you can't send someone a Save the Date but not an invitation! XOXO

Thank you, baby...

2010-03-18T06:13:00.000-07:00

This morning we had a minor moment, when my son burst into tears over an injury. While playing in his room, instead of getting his coat on, he stepped on the lamp cord in his room. This cord runs down under his bedside table and straight into the wall, meaning that if he stepped on it, the table is no longer where it belongs. "On the plug end?" I asked in horror, but he assured me it was on the long flat part. The lamp remained plugged in. "And you fell?" I asked again, searching for bruises or other wounds. "No" he replied. So... now I'm confused. "So what happened after you stepped on the chord?", I asked now, starting to doubt that this was the tragedy I had originally been lead to believe. "Nofing," he said, "I came a get my coat on and tell you."

After a tearful telling of the tale, and a thorough assessment of the foot in question, it was determined that the injury was, in fact, imagined. After several kisses to the bottom of his foot, the redressing of sock and shoe, he was ready to march to the door and out into the world. As he slid out of the chair he looked at the floor between it and the wall and said, "Eww, Mommy! It's dirty down there. We need a bacuum." Left with no words I just smiled and said, "Thank you, baby," took his hand and lead him to the door.

I'll also note that despite said incident, I was thrilled that all three of us paraded out the door on time to the minute. We were armed and ready to face the day ahead, and we were do it fairly happily on this (finally) warm day. We got into our cars and pulled of in our individual directions to seize the day. Too bad no one remembered it was trash day...

Easter Egg Olympics

2010-03-16T13:05:00.000-07:00

We're in training, people! Now that the winter Olympics are over, my son has been exploring other competitive outlets. We've played "Run and Tackle", where I sit in the floor, we both have footballs, and then he runs at me as fast as he can, knocking me flat and yelling "Touchdown!" complete with the requisite hands over head. We've jumped on the couch, the trampoline, and the bed. Now he has settled on preparing for the family Easter egg hunts.

Being the youngest cousin on one side of his family, and the second youngest on the other, he will have to really prepare to compete this year. We are, again on both sides, competitive by nature and feisty with it. Last year he just ran around and around while the other kids hunted eggs... the purpose of the game lost on him. This year, with a little coaching from Mom Mom, he is feeling primed and ready! We've been playing "Easter Eggs" every day since she introduced the game last Saturday, and I must say he is getting very good.

This year he has also discovered that some of the eggs contain... wait for it... candy! Last year, because his mother can be a little lame, most of his eggs were filled with Cheerios. The realization that finding an egg could lead to M&Ms or even better, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, has absolutely added to the allure. He is now a man on a mission, chomping at the bit while we hide them and bursting into the room when we are done like a prized Thoroughbred out of the starting gate.

So watch out family, here he comes! He is primed and ready and anxious to start... the hunt is on!

Wedding Wonderings: First Things First

2010-03-13T07:13:00.000-08:00

In our second wedding feature, it seems best to start at the beginning. Inevitably, the first thing that friends and family ask a newly engaged couple is "Have you set a date?". This seemingly innocent inquiry brings lots of couples feelings of anxiety that they are already behind the 8 ball moments after getting engaged. This is, of course, crazy.

The first step in wedding planning should not be selecting a random date out of thin air, and then embarking on an exhausting search for a site with that specific day open. That is how you end up in a big hotel ballroom, while 2 other weddings are also going on, when what you really wanted was something intimate, private, and historic. It is far easier, less stressful, and efficient to start by researching sites that appeal to you, and then sort out the date from there. By all means, have a preferred season, but if 10/10/10 isn't available don't let that derail your search.

If you don't already have a sense of what style of venue appeals to you, I would recommend trying on several different options. Go see a mansion, go see a hotel, go see a country club... the worst that can happen is you'll hate it and you'll leave. There's no commitment in visiting, and you may discover that something not originally on your radar is the perfect fit.

Which brings up another good point... there is no perfect location. There is, however, a location that is perfect for you. Focus on your big picture, not the color of the tile in the bathroom. Selecting a venue is very much like selecting the dress or the groom... when you know, you know. If you can see yourself having your first dance in the ballroom, or being toasted by your Uncle Bob from the 2nd floor landing, or it just feels like "you"... go with it. Your wedding day is about the two of you as a couple, and you are what will make is special and unique and yours. Be open to lots of options, enjoy the fun of exploring the area and the many sites it offers, and allow yourself to embrace the adventure of this first step in your new lives together.

Food Lion Vs. Football

2010-03-10T16:35:00.001-08:00

The other night, I was lamenting the need to go to the grocery store on the way home from work. I arrived at daycare at just 2 minutes shy of the deadline, so while I wasn't officially late, it would be good to be quick in our departure so they can have dinner too. I got Nathan all psyched up about going to the store without using a shopping cart, a treat reserved for when we need less than 5 things. As anyone with a two year old will tell you, embarking on a shopping adventure without the confines if a cart is a risky endeavour, but with my little man convinced he is a big boy we dare to try it every so often.

I called my husband to say we would be a few extra minutes as a result of our side trip, and was thrilled to hear that he was actually in the parking lot of Food Lion to make an unrelated purchase for himself. He offered to pick up what we needed while he was there, and just like that we were on our way directly home. As I contemplated tears of joy, I heard a wail rise up from the back seat. Upon seeing our house, Nathan burst into tears, sobbing "I'nna go to da Food Lion!" Much to my surprise, he was devastated that our planned field trip would not be happening.

He cried while I took in my purse. He cried while I took in his diaper bag and the mail. He stood on the front lawn and cried while I locked up the car and tried to coax him inside. In my rapidly increasing frustration that we got home early, only to spend all that time crying in the front yard, I said, "Nathan, what do you want to do instead of going to Food Lion?" He replied, "I'nna play football!"

So, there we were when my husband pulled into the driveway. Nathan in his sweats and tennis shoes, and me in my dress clothes and 3 inch heals, playing football in the front yard. There was tackling aplenty, the touchdowns were many, and the victory dances were impressive for all the neighbors to see. And sure enough as soon as Daddy held out his hand, Nathan dutifully took it and marched proudly into the house, football under his arm. Once we were in and settled, Eric looked at me and said, "I don't get it... why are you playing football outside all dressed up?" Excellent question, my love, excellent question...

It's a Glamorous Job...

2010-03-06T13:36:00.000-08:00

I received a stressed out email from a client late yesterday indicating her need for a challah at her event this evening. I replied "Not to worry", I would happily pick up a challah for her and have it at the mansion at the appropriate time. After completing my new appointment tours for the day, I gathered my things and headed to the local Giant to secure the bread.

I am amazed by how different two Giants can be mere 10 miles or less apart. After finally locating a sales clerk and getting directions to the bakery I found a virtual challah buffet. Plain whole, plain sliced, sesame seed, poppy seed... I was set! Ironically, the one near my house may or may not have had challah at all. Good thing I didn't stop there on the way home last night, as I had intended.

I get in line at the self-check line. There is one women in front of me and lines everywhere else, so I decide to pick this lane and wait. What I failed to realize at this time is that this woman had a full cart of groceries, had never self-checked before, and had BO that made my eyes tear. She would forget to scan her bonus card, need to rescan several items, and require the help of an "associate"... twice. I felt like I was trapped in the opening to Office Space, where every lane turns to the slow lane as soon as he moves over to it... and his old lane takes off.

I did get my challah, and get it back to work in plenty of time. It was a 35 minute adventure, 3 blocks from my work. It's a glamorous job, I know.

Wedding Wonderings: Love is in the Air

2010-03-05T09:33:00.000-08:00

As you may know, my full time career is as an event planner, specializing in weddings. It's a wacky and wonderful line of work that I find very gratifying and fulfilling. I have the pleasure of working with couples from all walks of life, couples who have been together since 6th grade and couples who met 6 weeks ago and just can't wait to take the plunge.

In the course of my 7 years in the industry, I am often fascinated by the seemingly mundane circumstances that can bring a couple together. This week I had the pleasure of meeting with 3 wonderful couples who met in the course of their every day lives, going about their business only to be struck by cupid in the most unlikely of places.

One couple, planning their wedding after several years of dating, met at a bus stop. She was meeting a friend to take the bus to a concert, he was a concerned police officer worried about a pretty, young women waiting outside, alone at night. He offered, innocently enough, to wait with her until her friend arrived and from there the spark of love was born!

Her parent, interestingly enough, met on a blind date for her mom's birthday. Her girlfriend, who set them up, still claims she gave the best birthday present of all! And 27 years later, I think they would agree!

And finally, my favorite of the day, is the couple who met over chicken gizzards. Both stopping at a local grocery store at a time that was outside their regular routine, he was looking for chicken gizzards and she was picking up the makings for dinner. Since the hot food station, where the chicken gizzards are served, wasn't open just yet, he was killing time waiting when a beauty crossed his path. She disappeared around the corner just as the station was being filled. Hoping he was a faster shopper than she was, he quickly bagged up those chicken gizzards and high tailed it to the register to find her. He anxiously panned the room, fearing he had missed her, when suddenly she appeared at the end of an aisle. He approached her and boldly, but sweetly, asked if she would be open to taking his number. While she was initially skeptical, he offered a cell, home, and work number for her convenience, and reassurance.

And I, happily enough, met my husband of 6+ years in the bank. So, love is out there- both romantic and friendly. So go out into the world with a warm smile and an open heart and see what awaits you! This kind of simple, everyday romance is what weddings and marriage are all about!

Welcome to 2 1/2

2010-03-03T10:24:00.000-08:00

I have often heard my girlfriends with older children lament about the drama and trauma of the dreaded "terrible twos". As my son approaches the 29 month mark, I felt confident that we and simply circumvented this pitfall with careful parenting and by having a child with a sunny disposition. I was sure that we would continue to happily move through our days learning new things, playing with friends, and all the other things that loving families do together. We were in a happy and peaceful place... and then there was yesterday.

Upon waking, I was greeted with the usual, cheerful greeting of "Good morning, Mommy!" while finishing my makeup. After a quick change, a vitamin, and brushing our teeth, Nathan and I settled in to get dressed and ready to leave for the day. Since Nathan hates to change out of his PJ's, I did a solid job selling him on how great his motorcycle T-shirt was. I then fixed him a chocolate milk, turned on Mickey Mouse, and went to dress for work feeling confident that things were well under control. I returned to find him covered from chin to belly in chocolate milk. Apparently the humor of Mickey is not lost on Nathan and laughing with milk in ones mouth always leads to a splatter.

No problem, I thought! The pants are still fine, we'll just put on a different shirt that matches and be out the door. Foiled again! Because the motorcycle shirt was such a hit, he was devastated to remove it and completely adverse to any of the other shirts in his room. Crying and melting to the floor ensued. So, I had to wrestle my now limp child out of a wet T-shirt and into a dry one with no help from him. My sweet little boy had now morphed into a sad, screaming pile of little boy in the family room floor and we had 5 minutes before we are supposed to leave... right.

In an effort to smooth out the rough edges, I offered him a banana (a favorite snack) before leaving for daycare. I explained that if he would like to eat it in the family room while watching TV he would need a plate, in a feeble attempt to spare my sofa from little hands and mushed banana. This resulted in a plastic plate being thrown to the floor, more tears, and more temper. We regroup... he's going to eat it standing in the kitchen so no plate will be required. I then made the mistake of placing said banana on a paper towel on the kitchen table while we wipe tears and blow our nose. Contact with a paper towel, as you may not know, renders all bananas unfit for consumption... more tears and temper. Deep breaths all around.

We did all arrive safe and sound to work/daycare, albeit late. There was a hug and a kiss when I left him, though they were reluctantly given. I indulged in 2 minutes of crying in the car out front, and then, as my friends would say, I put on my big girl panties and got about the business of the day. Off to my "real" job...

We're Off and Running!

2010-02-25T10:50:00.000-08:00

Phew! It's been a busy but wonderful few days! After a one week break from my day job, I am back at the mansion and wedding tours are in full swing. The balance between the new shop and the "real job" has been a little tough to establish, but I know I'll get there.

LillyB Crafts had a very big day this week, as I sold my first item to a stranger! I will admit, there was this moment once the shop had launched and my items were posted that I thought "Oh, I hope my parents don't have to buy EVERYTHING for this to be a success". It's like when I was a Brownie (Go Girl Scouts!) and had a quota of boxes to sell... anything that was left, Mom and Dad bought. As I stood in our office reading the confirmation order email, I promptly burst into tears at this first small victory. We are off and running!

I also wanted to take a quick moment to thank all of the friends and family, near and far, who have showed their support. This has been an unexpected opportunity to reconnect with those who have drifted in and out of my life, and for them to share their newest and greatest endeavours. I feel very blessed, and more resolved than ever, to embrace this new adventure and make it a shinning success!

A fellow Etsy friend of mine (http://www.dawncorrespondence.com/) had a great blog the other day about her journey to create her own stationary and launch her own shop. It compells me to share my thoughts too, so check back later this week... Much love!

A Fashion Footnote- PJ's

2010-02-19T12:40:00.000-08:00

Allow me to start by saying that while I am certainly guilty of the occasional fashion faux pas, I do typically take care with my appearance. I have been known to wear high heals to the grocery store if they are the best shoe for the pants I'm wearing. I wear dresses in all seasons, even when it's cold out. I can and do walk in 4" heals. I am a fan of "What Not To Wear".

Bearing that in mind, today I was reminded of a fashion choice that never fails to amuse... PJ's in public. Now, I am a huge fan of pajamas. It is a known fact that within 30 minutes of arriving home at the end of the day my husband and I are both in our PJ's. They are comfy and cozy, and sometimes even cute, but there is one primary difference between my pajamas and those I saw today... mine stay in the house! I saw two women today out in the world, running errands, living their lives out and about in their pajamas like it was the new way to go.

In the interest of full disclosure, I should point out that I too once wore PJ's out of the house. It was college and all the other cool, anti-establishment, stayed-out-too-late-the-night-before kids were doing it. It was the unofficial uniform for most of my 9:00 class sophomore year. But it never felt quite right, and as I progressed into the College of Business, I saw it severely and rightly banished from my wardrobe. Class = cute, home = jammies.

The desire to live in lounge wear home and abroad rose up again after my son was born. The comfort of elastic waistband pants was not, and is not, lost on me. However, even after a few days, I was anxious to at least front that I was wearing real clothes when we had company over or went out... that's what maternity jeans are for.

So I say to you all, before leaving the house, take 5 minutes to regroup. I support jeans, yoga pants, and those cute "running" suits made after 2000 (see J. Lo) as fantastic comfort solutions (1980-90's swishy jogging suits are still a no go). We haven't met yet, and we may not officially meet today, and so I have no need or interest to see your sleep wear. As Clinton Kelley would say "If I had to put on clothes to leave the house, you should too!"

And, in case you need more reasons why PJ's should stay home, you don't want to end up like this:

Betty Booped

It's a slippery slope, folks!

Adventures in Grocery Shopping

2010-02-18T15:57:00.000-08:00

I find that as I approach my 30th year, and our schedules become more and more full with wonderful opportunities, I am constantly looking to steal a few minutes here and a few minutes there to fit new things into the day. With that in mind, I prepared to tackle the weekly grocery shopping.

I did my due diligence, making a list before heading out for the day. In the interest of efficiency, the plan was to take my 2-year old to daycare, and head straight to the Giant. Is it any wonder that, in the inevitable excitement involved in getting our coats and hats on, grabbing his diaper bag and my purse, and making sure we have our football and a Thomas train, the list was tragically left behind.

So, after a quick stop home to retrieve said list, I am armed and ready at the Giant. I decided to try the "scan and bag as you go" option for the first time. I chose today for two reasons: 1. Without Nathan, I can be in sole control of the scan gun and 2. Being a weekday, during the week it was a quiet time, allowing me to annoy as few other shoppers as possible while I stumbled through. There was also a brief fantasy of my husband being enthralled by the scan gun, much like registering for wedding gifts, and insisting on taking over the food shopping, but that seems destined to remain a fantasy.

I can offer a few helpful tips, should you decide to give it a try:
1. Don't put the items in the cart until they have been scanned. Going back to see what you've done and what you haven't will drive you crazy!
2. Bag as you go! I made the mistake of filling my cart first, and ended up blocking 1/2 the aisle while I got my already scanned things into bags.
3. Be prepared to spend more. It seemed like I'd be spending less, but in the end perhaps it was the thrill of the scan gun that lead me to spend about $30 more than I would have liked. Or food is just continuing to get exorbitantly expensive....

SO that was today's adventure. I now know that while not cheaper, it could be faster if I got good at it. It was satisfying to see my savings rack up when I did save, and I liked seeing the running total as I was shopping. Another mom in the store told me today she is a slave to the scan-as-you-go. Maybe I'll try it again next time... or maybe we'll go with the Peapod!

What are your thoughts? Has anyone else tried this, or the delivery options? I'd love to hear your feedback!

The Journey Begins with a Single Step

2010-02-17T10:40:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome, to LillyB Crafts! This is my first blog entry as I start my new business, LillyB Crafts, on Etsy.com. I am a married, mother of 1, working full time as an event coordinator just outside of Baltimore. My Etsy shop is full of hand crochet items ranging from baby items, such as hats and blankets, to winter wear for kids and adults.

This blog will inevitably contain musings from the many facets of my life- family, event planning, opening a new shop, and the creative process as well! I hope to have entries showcasing the many other talented artisans I know and continue to meet through Etsy, and my own family and friends!

So today, I'm taking some of the practical steps. Launching this blog was high on the to-do list, and I am excited to get started. Setting up the shop has been both challenging and rewarding. I do often find I have to force myself away from the creating part of the process to focus on the more practical listing, but hopefully a balance will emerge so that both are equally rewarding. I've also set up a new email address to keep all the new LillyB Crafts correspondence clear of all the other flotsam and jetsam our email gets clogged with. I'm also in the process of creating a Facebook Fan Page, so look for that exciting development later this week! I feel like I officially becoming an entrepreneur!

I'm proud to join so many of my friends and family by embarking on this new journey to market my creations to the greater community. I am surrounded by talented people who have paved their own way... I am inspired by your entrepreneurial spirit and I look forward to joining you!