Birthday Letters: Four

Dear Satchel,

This has been a whirlwind of a year! You are an active boy. You are fearless and thirsty for adventure - leaping from the furniture, climbing trees and riding your bike as fast as your legs can pedal. You wear your bonks like badges of honor. There is no longer a hint of baby fat left on your lean body. And yet with all your rough and tumble boyishness, there is a tenderness about you that takes my breath away.

You are trying to read and spell. Your sense of language is astounding. You have no shortage of words to express yourself and I have a hard time believing you've only been on this planet 4 years. You are able to communicate your needs and wants with precision. You are quite clear about the things you like and the things you don't. I try not to laugh when you refer to me as "little lady", and your "majesty". You have loads of big words and yet you still say, "YOOK", "sumfing" and "lellow". I don't correct you because I know that I will miss hearing those words too soon.

You love creating and run to me joyfully to show me your latest "in-ven-shunz". You invented a "Lizard Launcher" with a shovel and a Lincoln Log. You created your own "Super Skates" with train cars and rubber bands. You've made your own pulley system with dental floss, spools and plastic hooks that were attached to your new socks. You've outgrown your socks! Not to mention, 2 pairs of shoes, and your second car seat!

Your favorite color is red. Your favorite food is cheese - goat cheese, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, gruyére cheese, jack cheese...anything that can be sprinkled with, dipped in or otherwise eaten with cheese.

Your love for nature continues and you actually wept one evening because you missed your "calopilla friends". I assured you that they would return and the joy on your face when you found your first fuzzy this season made my heart dance. You named it Parsley and contented with your time together, released it the following day. You love digging, love mud and sand and worms and bugs of all sorts. You imitate animal noises, and the birds you hear, and you do a great impression of your "Nomah". Your sense of humor is terrific, and you love "Knock Knock Jokes".

You dress yourself and you rock your own style. You can brush your own hair and teeth. And you are able to get a drink or a snack all by yourself. But the most noted changes that have taken place this year are that you sleep through the night and have given up your diapers! You have instructed us that you will only wear boxer briefs.

You are extremely passionate and that has made for some sticky moments between us. Moments where I have lost my patience, become borderline psycho and yelled. I always regret yelling and when I apologize for it, I'm astounded to find that you have already moved on and you look at me like what's the big deal and then you apologize to me for whatever it was the pissed me off. There seems to be no doubt in your mind that I love you. And you make it very clear that you love me too. You have taught me that we are both learning, both finding our way and when we lose our balance, we help each other up. We love each other not in spite of our beautifully flawed humanness, but because of our beautifully flawed humanness. You have taught me what unconditional love really is. You have taught me the meaning of authenticity.

We have both evolved this year. You, the boy with colorful marker on his arms and mud under his nails - I, the mom with the endless supply of Sponge Bob bandaids and bug tattoos. Together we solve the worlds problems with a bottle of bubbles and a handful of M&Ms. I look at you trying to recognize the traces of the baby you once were. You have changed in so many ways. But last night, you were laughing in your sleep again, and my heart leapt...your laugh, your laugh...is still the same.

Happy Birthday, Satchel!

All my love,
Mama
(automated to post at the time of your birth)

Party Plans

Satchel's Explorer of the World Birthday Party plans have been made: We're taking the wees to our local Nature Center to look for Salamanders and other critters...it's one of Satchel's favorite things to do and it's free. The explorer goodie bags for Satchel's friends are finished. On one side of the tote I made a freezer paper stencil of a Red Back Salamander.

And on the other side, I stenciled the initial of the wee party peeps.

Inside the tote: all tools one might need to find, catch and observe.

He asked me to make worm cupcakes again. I'll also be adding some bug cupcakes to surprise him. There's a little wooden bridge nearby so we can do our lantern walk again on the eve of his birthday. (recap of last year here and here) We'll cross the bridge and say goodbye to three years old and hello to four years old. Seems these little wooden bridges are all over our hood. There's 95 to be exact and 60 miles of trails that run throughout our town.

My boy will be 4 years old tomorrow and I have his annual birthday letter scheduled to post tomorrow at the time of his birth. His celebration is on Saturday!

*Sadly the photos for this post (and others) went missing. I've searched my drive, and cannot locate them.

Birthday Buggin'

Satchel is a bug luv'n babe. So many of his toys this year honor his current interest. Here are some related toys & gifts that are a big hit in our nest...

ExoBonz by Curious Toys is an anthromorphic building set that allows children to create their own critters. Extremely creative and very well made, Exobonz is a toy that nurtures the imagination. Not to mention, IT'S WAY COOL!

Satch played the Ladybug Game at his friend R's house and has been obsessed with it ever since. Ladybugs adventure homeward and encounter a Mantis, some Ants and Aphids. The game was created by a 6 yr old girl named, Kylie. It a sweet and simple game for pre-schoolers! One of the things I like most about it when you land on the brick that sends you back 3 spaces, you get to spin again.

The classic Cootie game is nostalgic. A fun build a bug game for sure.

Ants in the pants is another classic bug luv'n game. Played like Tiddlywinks, kidlets try to make the ants jump into a pair of trousers.

*I would really like to meet the geinus behind this version!

Satch received this game in the spring from his Grandma. Elefun is one of those giggle inducing games. Butterflies pop out of the elephant's trunk and the wees scurry about trying to catch them in their butterfly nets. I wish there was a way to rig it so the butterflies come out one at a time rather than a swarm, but the kidlets don't seem to mind.

Ants!

The ants go marching one by one hurrah hurrah!

Satchel is wild about this gift that he received from his Grandparents... an ant farm by Antworks! It is much cooler than the flimsy sand original farm I had as a kid. Antworks ant farms contain a specially formulated gel that provides food and moisture to the colony and helps thwart any bacteria that could potentially harm them. The green gel is completely clear so you see precisely what goes on below the surface and it is fascinating! The built in night light is an awesome touch.

Satch decided that he would name all his ants Alicia (because they're girls). However, when the Harvester Ants arrived, he took one look at those large mandibles and named them all "Tweezer".

The crew went straight away constructing their new home. In just a couple of days, it was quite a crib!

Calling All Kindred Spirits!

OK, so it's time to reveal one of the projects that I've been working so hard on. I'm thrilled to announce the launch of Mighty Girl Art !


Mighty Girl is an art empowerment camp for young girls that meets in a 30 foot modern Tipi located on a beautiful vista in Northern Virginia. We live in a society where a girl's self confidence is challenged daily by an assault of images which suggest that they are somehow not good enough the way they are. Mighty Girl Art Camp empowers young girls to feel good about themselves through a series of projects that fosters creativity and nurtures self-esteem.

My camp has been launched with the generous support of many wonderful beings. Without their help, I would not have been able to do this. I'm working on the finishing touches now...the special little details that will make the girls feel special and heard...like a little token of appreciation that I can present to them each day.

So, I'm sending this thought out to all of my sistas! If you have special little something that you would like to share with my Mighty Girls, like artist trading cards, positive affirmations cards...anything that will inspire, or encourage them, please contact me via the link at the campsite.

I'm also looking for some funky vintage aprons for the girls to work in. I think it will be another fun touch that they will get a kick. They will enjoy the bright, quaint fabric and it will make a powerful statement as these aprons will be used while they feed their souls. I also need to find a cheap or free boom box or self-powered speakers for my ancient discman so I can play some righteous grooves while they're creating and bust out a dance of joy or two.

If you can help with any of those things, please contact me via the link over at Mighty Girl Art! And visit often during the last week of July as I will be posting photos and letters from camp.

Have a good weekend! See you Monday Tuesday.

Wondrous Journeys

Click on the image for a peek inside...

Last eve, my friend P and I (and our wees) went to the 60 minutes of Lovely gathering in DC. I'm just crazy about Amy's work (as is Satch) and it was wonder-full to finally meet her in person. At the end of the gathering she asked if anyone had a child with a birthday coming up and I raised my hand as Satch will be 4 in just nine days! Then Amy announced, "I'm going to call Satchel on his birthday and read him a bedtime story". HOW COOL IS THAT!

Further proof that I'm the luckiest person on earth.

When I told Satch he was so excited and said, "AND maybe one night I can read HER a story TOO!"

I have some other news...which has to do with the art journal you see here. I'll tell you tomorrow....I need to finish these last sips of coffee before my energetic boy wakes up. In the meantime, the swallowtails are back and I know one little boy who is very excited to see them again...

And The Winner Is...

Lucky 14! Congrats Katrina...thanks for playing with us!

Most Alive Monday: Bear Wisdom

"Don't underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering" - Winnie the Pooh

Been up late working hard on a few projects, but today I'm taking advice from the bear.

*About Most Alive Monday: I've decided to make at least one "most alive choice" each day and post my favorite each Monday. This, of course, is to motivate me to consciously "live juicy"! I hope you'll join me and share your "most alive moment" in the comments section so we may inspire each other.

Unbuttoned Giveaway

The generous folks at Harvard Common Press sent me a copy of the new book, "Unbuttoned: Women Open Up About the Pleasures, Pains and Politics of Breastfeeding", a collection of thought provoking and heartfelt essays written by breastfeeding mothers (including the Dalai Mama, Catherine Newman) edited by Dana Sullivan and Maureen Connolly.

Unbuttoned is a wonderful read on a subject that is near and dear to our hearts. Breastfeeding is natural, and yet such a highly charged subject, so filled with emotion.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of this amazing book, simply leave a comment (with a way to contact you) by midnight May 17th. The winner will be picked via random generator and will be announced on Tuesday May 19th.

Have a good weekend. See you Monday.

All In A Day

The tree pollen count was high so that limited us to one quick jaunt outside. Satch found his first caterpillar of the season and we brought it home for an overnight in our bug jar. He named it "Parsley".

Then we had to come up with indoor activities. I began stringing some beads to wrap around a giant straw hat that I plan to wear on our family holiday at the beach in August. I saw a similar, pricey hat in a catalog and decided to recreate it myself for approx. 1/4 of the price...and frankly, I like mine better.

Satch sat beside me sorting through my bucket of beads and went wild over a chunky striped glass bead. I gave him a piece of faux leather cord and he created his first necklace.

I offered him a silver clasp, but he rejected it and came up with his own cold connection closure.

I showed him a simple knot and loop closure which met with his approval and he was so proud of his creation, he wore it all day. Sans the clothes pin, of course.

After dinner we went to the "Track Lab" event at our Nature Center where the children learned to identify some of our local wildlife by their tracks and scat. We listened to animal calls and Satch identified the call of the Chickadee and I had one of those proud parent moments. The children were given a piece of air dry clay to make their own animal poop sculptures, but we chose to make tracks instead. The kids loved the whole poop idea, but Satch wanted to make something else. I asked the speaker for a foot mold and she gave us a rubber fox mold. We now have a lovely fox track for our nature basket.

Eureka! Uneka! Totally Super Freeka!

The summer season is almost here and things are beginning to get hoppin'! Satch had a party marking the last day of Creative Zone class and I made Dragonfly sugar cookies for the kidlets.

I got the clearance from Satchel's doctor to take him to the Billy Jonas concert to do some "Bangin' and Sangin". He was eagerly awaiting it for nearly a year and I'm relieved that I didn't have to disappoint him.

The location for the picnic performance was moved from the park to the community center due to some pending rain.

Billy was AWESOME! His lyrics are intelligent and his performance was engaging. And frankly, I don't know anyone else who can bang a water bottle and make it sound so darn good! Satchel got his wish...he heard his favorite song, "Old St. Helen".

Billy has a new cd out entitled, "Happy Accidents" and he played a song from the album. It's every bit as fabulous as one would expect. After the show, I bought Satch a red "Bang A Bucket" T-Shirt - his favorite color.

Most Alive Monday: "Muver's Day"

"What matters is timeless, dazzling devotion" -Walter McDonald

I tried real hard to come up with something to give the grands for Mother's Day and all I could muster with a 4 yr old boy hopped up on steroids were these flour sack dish towels, upon which I transferred one of Satchel's recent drawings.

Things here have been...well... MANIC. You know that expression, "bouncing off the walls"? Yes, well I'm pretty sure I've now witnessed the definition. I called our doctor and asked that he either discontinue Satchel's medication, or send me to a resort until June. I kid you not, it's that insane. He's mean, he can't stop moving, he whines 24/7 and when he's not whining, he's either crying, screaming, or saying a/o doing extremely obnoxious things. The doc agreed to d/c the steroids rather than send me to Club Med.

And I received these wonderful gifts from my loves: A book of poetry and a camera strap.

I know it sounds very romantic, but the truth is, Robert asked me what I wanted. Not that I'm hard to figure out or anything. Exhibit A: I do have a wish list. Exhibit B: a virtual stranger once sent me a truly spectacular gift - case closed. To his credit, this time he didn't ask me what I wanted multiple times because he kept forgetting or deleting the email that says, "Re: DO NOT DELETE" in the subject.

Satch made me this amazing illustration!

"It's a pirate ship with some water and some rocks n' stuff!"

*About Most Alive Monday: I've decided to make at least one "most alive choice" each day and post my favorite each Monday. This, of course, is to motivate me to consciously "live juicy"! I hope you'll join me and share your "most alive moment" in the comments section so we may inspire each other.

Mother Rising

"Write what should not be forgotten" - Isabel Allende

For oh so long I've been wanting to create a yearly blurb book for my family. In fact, it was the whole reason I started blogging in the first place. When I became a mom, I found that I didn't have time to journal. Those who know me will understand that I can't resist a blank page, and a handful of words can easily turn into layers of paint, photos, pull-outs and found objects...such is the fate of the multi-media artist. The blog limited me to two mediums - words and photos which seemed like a good compromise. I chose the title, "Mother Rising" because I often wrote when I had risen (during Satch-naps or when he was in the arms of his dada) and in those early days of infancy, when time was but a blur, the entries were sporadic. When the fog settled, I started coming to this page in the stillness of early morning to peck out a few pixels and sip coffee while waiting for my son to wake up. I can tell you that the birds begin their dawn recital long before the sun rises. The title of this blog is now apt.

My love of documentation started as a wee girl, when my mom presented me with a hard back diary...that locked! Somehow the lock and key made it seem more official, powerful, magical. It was the color of spicy mustard with burnt orange details - very 70's! As with most fickle loves of childhood, my love of journaling was replaced by horses, treehouses, pogo sticks, and so on. I didn't return to my journal-love until I was in my early 20's...and it was then that I realized the value of moving thoughts out of my head and on to the page. If nothing else, it freed up space. And it was a relief to know I had a primitive external drive for which to store my memories.

While I was away from the blog recently, my brilliant cousin, literally rebuilt my Mac. He ripped out the single processor, slapped in a dual. He added a dvd burner with light scribe. He installed Time Machine to back up my data automatically onto an external drive so that I never have to worry about what happened last year (the rubble from which I'm still sorting through). And if we have another tornado warning like last year, I can just grab the Lacie in one hand, Satch in the other and head for our safe spot with all our memories, art, and photos in a shiny piece of metal that fits in the palm of my hand. He pimped out my Mac with a new OS and all the latest apps. It's so slick that I barely recognize it and now I am finally able to use booksmart and slurp my blog into blurb. I love the way he linked our macs so he can get inside mine and tweak it from his cool cottage on Long Island.

It would take another page or two to express how much I adore my cousin, Philip. As a toddler, he had this talent for figuring out how things worked and then creating it. He didn't just play with his toys, he examined them. I suppose I should not have been surprised, years later, when he built his own car - A CAR! I should not have been shocked when his ignition broke and he rigged it to flip-switch. Have you seen a car start with a light switch? And though his voice is now deeper and he's grown into a tall, lanky and handsome man - when I see those blue eyes, I remember the quiet, playful, round faced little boy with serious ideas. And I'm grateful that this vision is permanently etched in mind and has not faded into the folds of my cortex.

Blurbing is painfully slow. The slurp is quick, but the editing is a slow crawl at best. Still, I made the most of the free time and was able to create the first three volumes. The fourth volume will be created after Satchel's birthday this month as each book concludes with celebrating his birth. These family albums are entitled, "My World, My True".

It was important for me to take time away from the blog to work on this and a few other creative projects. Creating journals is the whole reason I started blogging in the first place. Over the years, this blog has become a bit more than a journal. It's a place where I talk to other creative moms about how they orchestrate their lives. It's a place where I share what's in our book basket or in our toy box. However, if you've been coming here long enough - to watch me talk to myself , you'll know that it is still, first and foremost, my diary...only without the lock and key!

Little did I know that making my diary public, would bring so many wonderful people into my life. I'm grateful for these connections. And I thank you all for making this great big world feel much more cozy.

Have a good weekend. See you Monday!

Liberating Laughter

Mince. Inch. Stumble. Pray
For the grace to fall
And not be rescued, pray for the scramble-up,
For the liberating laughter that knows —Alison Luterman

Satch likes to invent things. "Mama, Mama" he squealed joyfully, "this is my in-ven-shun...I have to practice".

Annual Ladybug Picnic

We had our annual Ladybug launch in the garden and the girls were feisty! We found a cozy spot for our Mantis egg case and are waiting for them to emerge.

It's been no picnic for our family though!

One day blurred into the next beginning with that mysterious illness that landed us in the ER. The moments to follow were filled with fitful sleep from residual trauma, and days and days of irritability. Just when we thought our lives would settle into their familiar grooves, the trees bloomed in all their beautiful splendor, releasing a thick, evil yellow cloud that enveloped everything. Satchel's eyes nearly swelled shut and were red and painful. They days to follow were filled with trips to the doctor for prescriptions that induced blood curdling NOOOOOOOOOs and some kicking mama; day after day of hosing off the deck and sidewalk to keep from tracking the pollen inside; nights of fitful sleep and loads of irritability. Then the rain came and just when we thought it washed that spider out, we landed in the ER once again because of a sudden, rapid and extremely labored breathing with wheezing. (Why do these things seem to happen when we should all be sleeping?) Satchel was having an allergic asthmatic reaction, his O2 sat. was very low and he was given an oral steroid and nebulizer treatment to open his airways. There will be more kicking and screaming over the next 4 days in order to administer new meds.

I feel like I've been bludgeoned. I just want him to feel well.

Mom to Mom: Suzanne Simkin

I'm pretty certain that I've discovered one of the coolest Mother's Day gifts ever: This "Lucky Mom" shirt by the mama owned company, PeaceLoveMom! It's super soft, and the detail in the crown is fabulous! I also love the subtle 24/7 beneath the crown. I love it so much, in fact, that I decided to talk to the company's founder, Suzanne Simkin. Suzanne is offering a 20% discount on my favorite shirt to Mother Rising Readers. Simply add the coupon code: RISING.

It's my pleasure to introduce...

Mom: Suzanne Simkin
Of: Samantha (8 yrs old) & Hannah (8 yrs old)
Where: Atlanta, Georgia
Site: PeaceLoveMom
Blog: PeaceLoveMom Blog

1. In what ways has becoming a mother changed you?

I feel that I am changing constantly - it is not just one major change. It is a continual change over time. Each stage my children are in, I feel that I too am in a different stage - different demands with new lessons to teach my children and new lessons to learn from them. Motherhood is both rewarding and humbling because you are experiencing great success and failure- sometimes in the same day!

2. What message would you like to share with other mothers?

Celebrate Motherhood & feel good about what your are doing. Be happy and comfortable with who you are. Your children will follow your example. Motherhood is a privilege & we have the world's future in our hands.

3. What inspired you to create the Peace Love Mom line?

I did not create PLM. In fact, the word "I" does not exist in our company. A team of different Mothers with different backgrounds and styles inspired us to form the foundation of PeaceLoveMom. We started with a poem we wrote called "The Language of PeaceLoveMom". Each verse represented a core belief that we felt all Mothers share. Below is the first line to each verse:

We believe in motherhood
We believe that motherhood is life’s most precious work.
We believe in our children’s future
We believe in the bond of motherhood.
Welcome to the Celebration!

4. What sparked the idea, and what steps did you take towards making it a reality?

After spending many hours in what we like to call "the Mom Board Room" (playgrounds, ball field, classrooms- anywhere our children were), we found that we were surrounded by dynamic and inspiring Moms. Although moms have different styles of mothering, we all share a common goal. We want to rear our children to be happy, self confident, and independent adults. With these Moms in mind, we set out to create a lifestyle brand company that would be "A Celebration Motherhood". A Celebration of all that we do, we feel, and we yearn for. With our mantra "Motherhood does not define us. We define it." and our "Language of PeaceLoveMom" to guide our concept, we identified key items that were essential to the foundation of our company:

* Our messages needed to be meaningful to today's Mom
* Our designs & colors needed to reflect the current fashion trends
* Our tee shirt needed to have the fit & feel our target market wanted to wear

With our company direction and product goals in place, we began formalize our business strategy. We knew owning our own business could not be a hobby. We needed to earn an income. We also needed ensure that we had the determination required to run a successful business and the flexibility to stay focused on our family. There was no task we would not tackle, but we were smart enough to recognize our weaknesses. When we needed help, we asked. After 2 1/2 years in business, we have created a strong PeaceLoveMom team. These women not only share our PeaceLoveMom vision but they bring with them diverse talents and points of view. It is this collaboration that makes PeaceLoveMom successful and a true celebration of motherhood.

5. What did you learn from the process?

Your business can and should reflect your core values. You can use your business to make a difference in the world. Even if it is a small gesture, the small things start to add up. With PeaceLoveMom, we can push our "Motherhood" agenda. We support organizations and events that are important to us. Our contributions make a difference in the lives of Mothers and their children. We are proud of the impact that PeaceLoveMom makes.

6. How do you orchestrate your creative life and motherhood?

The creative inspiration for PeaceLoveMom comes from being a Mother. PeaceLoveMom was designed to share life’s many moments of motherhood. We are both inspired and empowered by mothers everywhere and this is reflected in our meaningful messages and creative designs. The challenge for us is not nurturing a creative life and motherhood - that is the exciting part of what we do everyday. The challenge is understanding that Mom-preneurship ( as we like to call it) is different from entrepreneurship. We have redefined our typical work day to reflect the needs of the PeaceLoveMom celebration of Motherhood while still maintaining time and energy for our own personal celebration of motherhood. It is the success of this balance that drives our creative inspiration.

7. What moves you, grounds you, fills your well?

My children who amaze me, my husband who makes me laugh, my family who supports me, my friends who are constantly redefining how the world sees women, making memories that last a life time, and doing anything where I can be outside. Live, Love, Laugh. PeaceLoveMom!

*Most Alive Monday will resume next week!