We're Moving

This has been on my mind for quite a while, but I think it must be done:

Ernie and Mimi are moving!

I, Wonder Woman will still be here in all its crafty, crazy glory but just like kids shouldn't play with scissors, I'm not sure this is the right place for our wee ones.

If you would like to follow their adventures, please e-mail me at madebymyrnie(at)gmail(dot)com or leave a comment with your e-mail address and I will send you the link once we get it set up. I'll leave comments open on this post for a good long while to be sure we get everyone on board who's coming a-board!

I'll be spending the next little bit migrating our kiddo posts over and getting housekeeping set up at the new digs.

In other news, look for some new crafty things later this week, a few tutorials in the near future...it's going to be fun around here!

Ta!
Myrnie

Never Underestimate...

Ernie at her imitating-best:
ponytail on top of head
tiara/headband
skirt
pink shoes

All set to go!


We try and limit "screen time" for Ernie. We don't have television, and she gets one movie a day which probably only happens 2 or 3 times a week, normally. It's not a big deal, that's just how it normally shakes down. And I don't like dealing with her jelly-brain and glazed eyes after a tv overdose.

Keeping it real: This was NOT the case when I was morning sick, let me tell you! It's also relaxed quite a bit when she's very ill. And when she's at grandparents' houses.

The unexpected result has been her fascination with all things "dvd" as she calls them. Sees a picture of a reindeer?

"A same! A dvd!" (She has a Rudolph movie.)

Mommy wearing a headband?

"A same! A dvd!" (Molly Mahoney wears a headband in one scene of "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium")

Ernie wears pigtails? That's the "Castle in the Sky" movie. (Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli. Fantastic stuff.)

Cats are from "Kiki's Delivery Service" and pants are ALSO from "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium." All deer and rabbits are from "Bambi" and elephants are "Dumbo." Her little stretching dance is from "Totoro" and when I'm old I'm going to be "Granny" from "Howl's Moving Castle." (Or "Hoodwinked"...but that means SHE gets to be Red when she grows up.)



So, you can imagine the impression it made on her to see Bolt AT THE THEATRE during our Christmas travels.

I knew she'd enjoy her first real theater experience, but it's gone a little bit farther- Bolt followed us home!

Multiple times, she can't get in bed until she takes Bolt OUT of her bed.

I found her jumping up and down in the baby's room during the baby's nap. I scooped her up and fled to the basement, trying to get there before the inevitable wailing started. When we reached the playroom down there I set her down, and she FLUNG herself at the floor, screaming and sobbing- I'd left Bolt in Mimi's room.

We couldn't leave for a play date until I'd opened my car door, and in my best doggy-fetching voice crooned "Heeere Bolt! C'mon, boy!" and then tossed the resulting lump of imaginary doggy to the back seat and her waiting arms.

She's not terribly affectionate, either- she dumped him on the floor.

I've kind of worked at keeping her away from Dora, Bob the Builder, Disney Princesses (ok, not so much on that last one)... most of those seemingly addicting-like-Pringles characters that come with their own marketing teams. I didn't realize it wasn't their fault. It just comes with showing movies to toddlers!

Anybody else's kids LOVE movies? Or have imaginary friends?

Guess Why We're Not Sleeping?

Total naps today: 2
Total nap duration: 90 minutes

For a girl that normally takes 3-4 naps, about an hour each....ouch. I guess some things are just too fun to quit. She just rolls around in her crib like a little top!

After this video was taken I started practicing a new Sonatina I found this week, and she ended up under the bench kicking my feet, and then kicking the piano pedals! I think we need to start using bigger blankets... but it is so funny to see her rolling around the room, and doing that magical "baby levitation" (I'm never certain HOW she moves...but she does.) One more milestone down...I'm sorry, but I just brought this baby home from the hospital, right? How can she be five months already??

Week In Review

I have an entry half-written, another one I'm trying to build up the technical know-how to post (anyone know how to embed an audio file??), and just enough brain power to leave you with a few photos from this week.

Valentine's presents for my sweeties, Wonder Daddy and Ernie. Two cozy rice bags, one lavender-scented, the other plain. Put them in the freezer, they're boo-boo bags. Put them in the microwave and they're great for sore muscles. Put them in the microwave and then your BED, and no more cold toes!

Isn't this fun fabric? Soon as I get some more bubble mailers, this is going in the post...and a certain lovely sister-in-law, married to a very musical brother-in-law needs to send me their new address!

Cute little tootsies...a hard shot to get with no flash!

Necklaces for 6 bridesmaids. I'm hoping I can finish the earring sets before Friday, and the "surprise" I'm including in their order. I'll post pictures... *grin*

Om Nom Nom

By request, here is my youngest daughter.

Anybody else think she's teething?

Om Nom Nom.

Time to Decorate!

I've never decorated for Valentine's day before, but something about this long, cold winter makes me want to bring TONS of color into our living spaces. I've already brought out my silk lilac arrangement for the living room, and I love how it pops against the basil-green walls.

Last night after the kids went to bed, I started work on garlands- I LOVE them! I've been wanting to make some ever since I saw so many fabulous examples on Etsy around Christmas time, but simply ran out of time.

I made 5, 4-foot, garlands. One is in the mail to Aunt LoLo to brighten up her Valentine's day, the other 4 are draped over my front-room curtains. (Historical Tidbit: Those curtains are made of the fabric remnants from my wedding dress.)

I had three little glittery hearts that didn't fit on my last garland, and they became fun little dangles for my dining-room chandelier.

(Hey, I just noticed how CLEAN my house looks when you can only see the wall and ceiling!)

(Doesn't that huge yellow wall look...drab? It's a work in process. Please send my decorating fairy. Or come and cover for Wonder Daddy at work so he can, you know, spend all his brain power on what to hang on the dining room wall. )

Everything is strung on some fantastic vintage string I found during my last thrift store outing.

Ernie helped me make and hang these little tinsel hearts- I don't know how long I've been carting these pipe cleaners around (but it's at least 9 years.) They make lovely little hearts, don't you think?

Beautiful Life: Time with Family

Time for Melissa's linky-fest again! This is my contribution to her weekly "Beautiful Life" link carnival.

**************************************************************************************
Family is what has been beautiful this week.

I started visiting my mom's folks every week for lunch when I left work , at the beginning of my (permanent) maternity leave. When Aunt LoLo left work for her permanent maternity leave she joined me and Ernie, and BBJ shortly thereafter. Next came Mimi, who came just a few weeks before we had to say our final good-byes to Grandma. I feel so blessed that two of my children had the chance to know their fantastic, thrifty, optimistic, kind, great-grandmother.

Now that LoLo has taken her family across the country, Mimi, Ernie, (and my toddler-wranglin' Mom) go and visit Grandpa every week.


We've also spent quite a lot of time with my little sister, Aunt Bert, this week while my parents are celebrating their anniversary in sunny Hawai'i (*sigh*). There are 10 years separating us, and I moved out when she was 11. She is such an amazing young women, and so talented (do you know many high schoolers that whip up charcoal portaits of your children in their spare time, or turn in history papers in french just because it seemed funny at the time? Good thing her teacher speaks french...)

Bert and Ernie drawing still lifes

A portait, courtesy of Ernie. Love the eyelashes... and the spelling!

I am grateful to live close to family, and that we can visit those who aren't so close...loves to everybody! We miss you all... see you soon!