Why Didn't Someone Think of This Sooner?!?

While shopping at Wal-mart yesterday, I saw these diapers:

 Like most kids, mine have, at times, rebelled against laying down to get a diaper changed and I have had to change diapers while the child was standing up.  WHY DIDN'T ANYONE THINK OF THESE DIAPERS EARLIER?!?!?  What a great idea for the wriggly little one who can't be bothered with laying down for a few minutes to get his or her diaper changed! 

What is a product you wish someone would invent to make a mom's job a little easier?

1 Year Anniversary Giveaway!

As of August 1st, my boutique will have been open for a whole year!!  It amazes me to see how much it's grown and changed since I first opened up. 

It may be my boutique's 1st birthday, but I'm celebrating by giving gifts to my wonderful fans and customers!  I also have some generous sponsors who have donated some of their products to the celebration.  Be sure to check them out!
Tutu Cute by Jill
Baby Bug Boutique
BrooKota Designs
Grape Soda Photography
Lilac Joy Designs
Michelle's Handmade Boutique
The Ruffled Edge
Sweetie Marie Designs
Nanna's Threads

It would have made sense to open the giveaway on August 1st, and that was my original plan.  However, I forgot to take into account the fact that I will be gone all day August 1st so won't be able to open the giveaway.  Therefore....I've decided to open it a day early!  Click here to visit the album.  To enter to win each item, all you have to do is click on the googledocs form under each photo, fill it out, and be sure to like both pages (Annalie's Baby Boutique and the sponsor's page)  Winners will be selected using random.org on Monday, August 8th at 2 pm and notified through email.   They will also be posted on my blog.

Good luck everyone!

WAHM-Part 2

In July of 2010, I realized that I could start my own page on Facebook and use it as a platform for selling things I made.  I shared my excitement with my older sister, and talked her into starting this business venture with me.  It was agreed that we would each pay for half the supplies, get half the profits, and do half the work.  She had an old sewing machine that a relative had given to her, and so we set it up and got to work trying to figure out how to run it.  She had never touched a sewing machine before, and I hadn't used one since I made a wrap skirt for myself while staying with my grandma during high school.  We soon realized that the sewing machine was too old and didn't work properly anymore (thus the relative no longer wanting it).  Not to be deterred, we decided that we'd just sew everything by hand until we could afford a new sewing machine.  The first thing I made was a pillowcase dress for Princess.  It took me 2 straight days of handstitching, but it turned out pretty cute.  I made a kerchief to match and we were in business.

I opened our Facebook page in the beginning of August, 2010 and we dubbed it Annalie's Baby Boutique.  We came up with the name by combining our names together (Hannah + Leah = Annalie) and by playing around with my daughter's name a little.  Thanks to some friends who spread the word about our new venture, the page was soon gaining fans rapidly.  The most exciting moment came when I was scrolling through the list of fans and realized we had our first fan who was not an acquaintance or a relative! 

We dove into the boutique head first, making shopping trips to JoAnn Fabrics and cutting out fabric like two scissor crazed maniacs.  We started out making pillowcase dresses, baby washcloths, burp cloths, snuggle taggies, and a few other miscellaneous products.  Before we knew it, the orders were rolling in...to the tune of approximately less than 1 a week.  Hey, it was a start! 

We knew that handstitching all our products wasn't exactly time efficient so I asked around and ended up borrowing my mother-in-law's sewing machine.  It was around 50 years old, very heavy, and the bobbin winder didn't work.  I used it for several weeks, teaching myself to thread the machine by watching videos on youtube.com.  And then, I moved it from the kitchen table to a small area I'd created behind the couch in the living room to be my sewing "room".  And somehow, the wiring went out during the short 4 yard move.  It was time to go shopping for my own sewing machine.  I ended up buying a Babylock Natalie edition...a $400.00 machine that was on sale for $200.  I love it and it was worth every penny of the 50% off price.

My sister soon dropped out of the business.  She still helped me out with cutting fabric or watching my kids when I needed to get a lot of work done, but by October, it was MY boutique.  The profit was all mine and *gulp* the expenses were all mine.  I continued to add new products to the boutique and began branching out on the internet.  I opened a shop on ecrater.com because the price was right (ecrater is completely free :).   I knew several other boutique owners who used it and they seemed to be doing pretty well.  I started a Twitter account and linked it up to my Facebook page.  I started advertising on Facebook pages that specialize in helping small boutiques out (look for a complete list in WAHM-Part 3).  I ordered free business cards and other business merchandise at Vistaprint.com.  I signed up for craft shows and expos.  I worked hard at promoting my boutique and it was worth it.  I found out that you can't just sit there and expect people to find you, you have to go out and find them.

At some point, my products began changing.  As I tried out different ideas, I soon came to realize what I enjoyed making the most.  My boutique evolved from selling baby items to boutique style clothing for girls AND boys.  Most boutiques only sell girl clothing, but since I have a little boy too, I felt I needed to include boys in the picture. 

In January, I started my own website... and found out how much work that is.  I also realized that, while having your own website is a good thing, you're really on your own there.  On Ecrater and Facebook, I was one of many sellers and so people were more likely to stumble on my shop.  At this point, my website badly needs a makeover, but I just don't have 87 free hours to make it happen.

Since I started my boutique, people had been suggesting that I start a shop on Etsy.  I checked it out and was intimidated by the impressive photography and the professional feel to the shops already on Etsy.  I definitely wasn't at that level yet and didn't feel as if I could compete on Etsy.  Finally, in April, 2011, I bit the bullet and I went for it.  And I'm so glad I did.  It's been a great way to get more people to stop by my boutique, and I'm at a level professionally that it works well for me. 

So here I am today...my business is growing slowly but surely and I'm loving every minute of it (most of the time).  I was planning to put all my tips and advice in this post, but apparently I'm too longwinded, lol.  Look for all that WAHM-Part 3 which will be posted sometime in the next few days.

WAHM-Part 1

Oh, did I say a while back that I was going to be sure to post at least once a week from now on?  And it's been 21 days since I last darkened the door of my blog?  Oops.  Well, here I am.

I'm a WAHM mom.  Sort of.  I also babysit outside the home, but I take my kidlets with me so I'm not giving up any time with them.

I used to work part-time at a B&B and the library, but I was miserable dropping my precious little girl off at my sister's house everyday instead of being with her myself.  My sister would send me text and picture messages throughout the day to tell/show me what Princess was up to, but it wasn't the same. 

I was getting more and more depressed about working outside the home because I've always felt that my place was at home caring for my children and husband.  Sounds 50's, I know, but that's what I wanted.  For those of you who think that staying at home to be a wife and mother mean you're not accomplishing anything with your life...I happen to believe that raising future functioning mature responsible adults is a HUGE deal.  And a LOT of work.  I have hobbies, but at this season of my life, my family is my life and I wouldn't want it any other way.  Someday when the kidlets are grown and moved out *sob* I'll be able to focus on those hobbies more and cultivate new ones.

Oooookay.  Back on track here.  One day I went to talk to my Pastor's wife because I was so depressed about my job situation.
I said, "If God really loves me and wants what's best for me, why isn't He enabling me to stay home with the baby that HE blessed me with?!?"
She said, "Maybe God is trying to teach you to be content no matter what."
I said, *Gulp* "Wow."

Because it had just hit me like a ton of bricks.  I'm one of those pessimistic, the world hates me, my life kinda stinks people.  I'm never quite happy with what I have and being thankful is something I really need to work on.  I went home, did some serious time on my knees and came up realizing that she was right.  And somehow, admitting my lack of thankfulness to God and asking forgiveness changed my outlook.  I still wasn't crazy about the job situation and my boss wasn't any nicer, but it didn't bother me like before.  Less than two weeks later, I got a call from someone I knew from an ECFE class I took Princess to.  She was looking for someone to babysit her two children in her home and was willing to pay enough that I would be able to quit my job at the B&B.  I told her I'd talk to Hubby about it and let her know.  When I hung up the phone, I started crying because I couldn't believe how quickly God had provided for me when I changed my attitude.  Hubby was all for the change and so, I called her back and said "YES!" 

I've always been crafty (in more ways than one, my siblings would say).  When I was little, I designed and made clothes for my dolls and once, for my little sister.  Since my mom doesn't like sewing or crafts, I was self-taught (aka used the wrong techniques, end product didn't turn out well, etc.) But it was a start and that desire to create things never left me.  After Princess was born, I found myself drooling over custom made baby things that you couldn't buy at wal-mart and thinking, "I could make this."  But I wanted to do more than just make a few things for my own baby, I wanted to make enough to sell!  I wanted to make unique baby items that other mommies could enjoy and use too.  But I didn't have a sewing machine and I had no idea how I could market my products.  Then, one day, everything changed.  I clicked on a sidebar ad on Facebook for Listia.  While browsing the auctions there, I came across a taggie blanket made with adorable blue and brown guitar print flannel.  I fell in love with it and...lost the auction.  Which led me to follow the link to the seller's website to see if I could buy one directly from her.  I was surprised to be directed to her Facebook page and was really surprised when I realized that one could actually operate an online store of sorts on Facebook (disclaimer: Facebook rules state that an individual or business cannot actually sell products on Facebook due to liability issues, but can post products and direct potential customers to a website to purchase.)

I'm going to stop now before this post gets too long.  Check back for WAHM-Part 2 to hear the rest of my story and to get tips on how to start your own WAHM business!

New Experiences

Over the weekend, we went to Chicago to help Hubby's younger sister move.  The actual moving part only took several hours, but since we were all there, we made a vacation out of it. 

My favorite part was shopping at the outlet mall right across the road from our hotel.  Got some good deals on a few outfits for the kidlets plus I found some t-shirts to make some more dresses and hoodie shirts out of.  I'm completely addicted to making upcycled clothes right now (http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.173977972661135.39962.102347329824200).  Here's a picture of the dress I made on Thursday:

Princess and Little Man had a ton of fun playing with their cousins.  They also enjoyed their first trip to Chuck E. Cheese.  Much to Hubby's chagrin, Princess had no interest in playing games to win tickets.  All she wanted to do was ride the different rides.  Don't worry, Hubby appropriated some of her tokens and won enough tickets for her to pick out two very cheap tacky toys from the "store." 

Princess's favorite ride was the carousel.  To her right is Little Man who also enjoyed riding.

 

 

 

 

Little Man loved dancing to the music at Chuck E. Cheese (why didn't I bring the video camera?!?!) and was fascinated by the racing games.  He spent a good 1/2 hour sitting at a game with a steering wheel and probably annoying the other kids who wanted a turn on it.  No tokens needed, he was thrilled to be sitting there "driving."  When I tried taking him somewhere else, he threw a tantrum worthy of the hall of fame and toddled right back over to the game.

The kids are both taking naps.  I have a t-shirt and some fabric that's just begging to be turned into an adorable little dress.  See you all later.

Not Going to Say Goodbye

I realized tonight that I haven't update my "goodbye" letters since before I got married.  I really need to do that.

Next to one of my children dying, my biggest fear is that I will die without the chance to say goodbye to my loved ones.  As we're good Scandinavian/Germans, we don't really express our feelings towards each other so a lot of good things are left unsaid.  Thus the "goodbye" letters.  When I was in my early teens, I wrote a personal note to each special person in my life and stashed them away where they would be found in case of my untimely demise.  I also included a general letter as to what kind of funeral arrangements I wanted.  I updated the letters when I was engaged, but haven't done anything with them since.

You may find it morbid that I have planned for my funeral and death, but it's practicality for me.  Here's why:

1 year old: diagnosed with asthma.
6 years old: stopped breathing completely, was flown via Mayo One helicopter to ICU, was intubated and put in a medically induced coma for 5 days, and was in the hospital for a week.  Because I was so young, I blocked the whole episode up until I woke up in the hospital out of my memory so I only know what my parents have told me.  BTW, if you've heard rumors that people in comas can still hear what's going on around them, it's TRUE.  On the advice of my doctors, my parents bought and played a lullaby tape for me while I was in the coma to soothe me.  When I woke up, I had the whole tape memorized and I knew what my parents and doctors had been saying while in my room.
10 years old: almost stopped breathing, flown via Mayo One helicopter to ICU (where I met a nurse who remembered me from when I was 6!), stayed in hospital for a few days.  Because I was old enough to remember this attack, I started having serious panic attacks every time I saw an ambulance or ran into any other "trigger" that reminded me of the asthma attack.  Still have some issues with this, but since having my kids, I've learned to handle it much better.
13 years old: went into anaphylactic shock at a friend's house after exposure to nail polish remover (which is when we found out that I'm severely allergic to chemicals of any kind), was flown via Mayo One helicopter to the hospital, stayed in hospital for a few days.
15 years old: don't remember many details, but was hospitalized for a few days due to serious asthma attack.
At this point, I started having so many ambulance rides to the ER and hospital that I'm not sure when they all happened.  Some of the attacks were severe, others were mild.  

Between all that was a lot of time spent just sitting (not laying because that makes it harder to breathe) in bed or on a chair taking a lot of nebtreatments and prednisone.  When I was in my teens, I was finally diagnosed with Sudden Onset Asphyxic Asthma.   

Anyways, the point of this is that I've always been very aware that life is fragile and can end at any time.  To be honest, when I was young, I didn't think I would live past the age of 18.  But here I am, alive and kicking and annoying as many people as I can.  Hehe.  I'm not easy to get rid of.  And now that I have two very precious reasons to live, I'm not going anywhere if I can help it.  But if I can't help it, I want to make sure they have some record of how much I love them and want to be here for them.

Don't take a moment of life for granted.

Growing Up

While shopping today, Princess did/said two notable things.

The first happened while eating lunch at Culvers.  Right after we sat down, a soldier in uniform chose to eat his meal at a table near ours.  Princess was awed by the uniform and couldn't stop staring.  I told her that he was a soldier and that he helped take care of us all and keep us safe.  She wanted to go over right then and there and ask him a question.  "Will you help take care of us after lunch too?"  She also wanted to say thank you to him.  I wish I would've let her go, but I was so focused on getting the kids to eat so we could hurry and finish our shopping that I told her she could talk to him when we passed him on our way out.  I should've remembered one thing: that a man eating by himself takes less than half as much time to complete his meal as a very distractable toddler and preschooler.  Princess saw him leaving just as he headed out the door and was very upset that she hadn't gotten a chance to talk to him.  But by then, it was too late.  I had missed the chance to finish teaching my daughter a very important lesson about the value of our military men and women.  She got half the lesson, but I think it would've meant so much more to her if she'd had the opportunity to talk to the soldier.

The second thing happened at Walmart while I was perusing my favorite section of the store, the baby department.  I was gushing over a pair of tiny adorable pink overalls hanging from the clearance rack.  Princess reached over from her seat in the cart to put her hand on my shoulder, looked me in the eye, and with as much sincerity as a three year old can muster, said, "I'm sorry, Mommy.  I'm not a baby anymore"
Please don't remind me.  As much as I love seeing my little ones grow, I miss the babies they used to be.  Little Man started walking on Father's Day and, while crawling is still faster and therefore the preferred method of movement, he seems so much more grown up to me now.  He is turning into a little boy right before my eyes.

Just a Phase

One of the most important things to remember about parenthood is EVERYTHING is just a phase.  The good stuff, the bad stuff, the stuff that makes you want to scream and beat your head on a wall...it's all just a phase and it will pass. 

Princess has hit a new phase that she's been in for almost a month now.  A V------ERY LONG MONTH.  Her new behavior consists of:

• Not taking "no" for an answer.  She can argue until she's blue in the face (and she does, at least 5 times a day!), but I don't change my answer.  This has not stopped her from arguing with me, repeatedly asking the same question, or just going ahead and doing it anyways even though there are consequences for those actions.
• Being openly defiant.  If I tell her not to do something, she looks at me and deliberately does it anyways.  If I tell her to do something, she walks away or throws a fit.
• Stealing food from the kitchen.  And by food, I mean mostly candy or food she's allergic to.  Both of which are bad for her.

Yesterday, everything hit the fan.  I was having issues with a customer that ended up taking most of the afternoon to resolve even though I needed to be working on other orders.  Hubby was upset with me for...I'm not even sure what he was mad about, but his mood dragged me down all day.  Little Man was going for a record for loudest, highest, most ear-piercing screech of all time.  My new camera STILL hadn't come in the mail and I needed it for some new orders.  And Princess was at an all-time record for bad behavior.  I honestly don't think she obeyed me once yesterday.  She was her usual huggable self (which is probably a self-preservation technique with the way she's been acting lately), but she was horribly disobedient.


At one point, I was so upset about the issue with the customer who just. wouldn't. let. it go. that I asked Princess for a hug.  She cuddled for as long as I needed it then went back to being disobedient.  By suppertime, everything had built up and I was thinking (and possibly muttering under my breath) some words that should not have been coming out of my mouth or entering my head.  Princess got ahold of a dry-erase marker and scribbled on the tablecloth.  Just about everything inside and out of our house has scribbles on it because this kid WILL NOT stop coloring on everything she can reach.  I completely lost it.  I said some horrible things to my 3 year old who said some horrible things back.  I threw a tantrum.  I yelled.  I hyperventilated.  I finally walked away and got control of myself.  And then Princess spilled her full glass of milk.  Okay, breathe, count to 10, get a towel and clean it up.  Give her some more milk with her supper and move on.  As soon as I set her cup down, she knocked it over again.  And it was not an accident.  Smoke was coming out of my ears and sirens were going off.  Princess looked up at me with concern on her little face and very sweetly asked, "Mommy, do you need another hug?"
YES!  I most definitely needed another hug!  And some chocolate.  And possibly a brochure for obedience school (do they accept three-year-old humans?)

God, give me patience and wisdom with this child you have blessed me with.  And help me to remember, no matter what, that she is indeed a blessing.

And Today's Mantra Is...

Allow me to set the scene:
Enter house with toys and laundry strewn everywhere.  In the background, one child is removing dvds from the shelf and throwing them on the floor.  The other child is on the floor kicking and screaming loud enough for people to hear her across the state line (which although is not that far away, is far enough away that this decibel level of tantrum throwing is highly unacceptable)

In the foreground a frazzled mother clutches a can of Dr. Pepper and repeats to herself:  "I love my children, I love my children, I love my children, I love my children, I love my children, I love my..."

The child on the floor takes the tantrum up a notch, causing the windows to shatter while the child throwing dvds on the floor moves on to emptying the kitchen cupboards.

Mother: *sighs*  "I need chocolate."

End scene
 

Ab Workout

The baby is 13 months old, and I think it's time for me to come to grips with the fact that the baby belly isn't going anywhere without a lot of help from me.  By the time Princess was this age, I was able to wear fitted shirts without any problems.  Granted the stretch marks had marred the appearance of my less than perfect abs, but at this point I would kill to have that stomach back.

It's time for me to get back on the ab workout.  I have a good workout routine that I did faithfully for about a week last winter, but methinks it may take longer than that to get back in shape.  Finding the time though...

I'm happy with my weight and I got back to my pre-pregnancy weight easily, but Little Man did a number on my stomach.  After some research, it appears that baby #2 does this to a lot of women.  So all you mothers-of-one who are a little smug about how your stomach "sprang" back into shape post-pregnancy, I dare you to get pregnant again.  Because, yes, I too was a tad smug over my appearance after giving birth to Princess.  Little Man has completely stripped me of all smugness, however.

Speaking of Little Man, he has recently started screeching.  Repeatedly, loudly, annoyingly.  It's one of those behaviors that make me want to, well, not like him very much.  I have tried several different methods of teaching him not to screech, but nothing has been successful thus far.  Any suggestions would be VERY welcome.  If you don't have any suggestions, please feel free to send me a pair of earplugs.

Unsolicited Advice: Even if you have hangups over your body image, don't make comments about the way you look in your daughter's presence.  Even young children can pick up on those attitudes and end up having issues of their own.