Project Runway

My oldest daughter is 5 and having her own opinions is an understatement. That girl knows what she wants when she wants it and if she doesn't, she'll let you know that too and stick with it. Oh yeah, she'll stick to her guns even when she doesn't know what she wants. And when it comes to clothes, I no longer have a say.

Oh sure, I buy the clothes, all cute and coordinated, but does she necessarily wear them that way, um, no. Once it's in the closet, anything goes. I've found that if I don't interfere with her getting dressed, she'll just do it. Granted, sometimes modifications need to be made according to weather, but generally, she's wearing clothes and that works for me. We all know what the alternative is when she doesn't pick out her clothing. :oP

When I take Peri to preschool, we're usually met with giggles from parents and odd looks from her peers, but everyone pretty much expects that Peri dresses to the beat of her own drum. They're usually tickled pink by her choices. And speaking of pink, no outfit is complete without it. Also, her idea of color coordination is usually, "Look, my shirt is pink and my skirt has pink." Never mind that they're completely different colors and shades of pink; if it's classified as pink, they match.

Lately, I've been documenting my future Project Runway contestant. Now you can all say you knew her when. I'm just waiting for the day when she becomes a trendsetter and what she wears today ends up on every girl next week. Until then, I shall continue to document and smile.

Yes, she's wearing two headbands.

Did you notice this is her favorite dress? Keep in mind, she wore this outfit when it was sunny and warm outside.

Over the weekend, Jim and I were working in the yard and asked Peri to go put some pants on to play in. She put on the outfit above and started to head out. "Peri, you need to wear pants." To which she responded by pulling up her skirt and revealing a pair of shorts. "I did!"

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Hip Hip Hooray!

Full of goodies for the coming summer months, the newest edition of Modern Handmade Child is here! Hip Hip Hooray!

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A toddlers favorite friend - ELMO!

Birthday Hat with Headband by andjane
Sasame Street Crayon Roll Up by HappyBabeeandBeeyond
Fun Children's Hat by TizzyDee
Elmo Applique A-Line Jumper by SewSoNancy
Elmo Pillowcase Birthday Dress by madly2005
Elmo Pinwheel bow & headband by jjkgirlythings

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EtsyKids Design Challenge - We Have a Winner!

Congratulations to the winner of this month's challenge 21. PAGEANT CUSTOM BOUTIQUE 5 PIECES OUTFIT DRESS 2T TO 7 by: FRANCISBEL This lovely dress up comes with a little purse made with pink and gingham fabric accented on the side with grosgrain bows,and a cute headband accented with a grosgrain ribbon bow. Excellent outfit for those sunny outdoor adventures. Please be sure to visit Francisbel Boutique for more beautiful outfits.

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Becoming Aware of ASD

Today I had my first ever parent/teacher conference with Peri's preschool teacher. Is it just me, or does the thought of going to these feel like you're being pulled into the principals office?

As I sat outside and waited for my name to be called, it seemed oddly reminiscent of school office visits past. Not that I was a bad kid (I was too terrified to ever act out) but it was that same feeling when you are called to the office for any number of reasons. The first thing that goes through your head is, "What did I do?" Except this time, not only was I thinking "What did I do" but also "What did Peri do?"

I realize these meetings are purely informative but no one wants to hear bad news and so you sit there and wait for it. I was pretty sure she couldn't tell me anything I didn't already know. We made small talk and honestly, I wish we could have just done that the entire time. Because I knew it was coming. The inevitable was confirmed when she said she kept holding off filling out Peri's evaluation because she wanted to be able to put excellent on everything, but she and I both agreed that I would have questioned whether she knew which child was mine and did she even evaluate her. :oP

Peri is currently in an early intervention program to help with her delayed speech/comprehension. Over the last couple of years, she's made a lot of progress, but she still isn't grasping communication and relationships with peers as well as she should be. And a couple of weeks ago, her teacher there called me and mentioned that we may want to start evaluations for ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder). I signed all the paperwork and hopefully those evaluations will start soon. I know she'll test positive and I'll be relieved when she does, because as a parent, I can learn how to better meet her needs.

So hearing notes from both teachers only confirms that they're both seeing the same struggles with Peri. And that as a parent, I'll need to do things a little differently when it comes to how to best help Peri.

When the early intervention teacher told me about testing, she was walking on eggshells. Apparently, a lot of parents don't want to hear that there's something wrong with their child, especially if the word Autism is used. But what parents need to understand is that it has nothing to do with them and their ability to parent, and that understanding your child and their special needs can only make yours and your child's life that much easier. When you're all on the same page, the book makes so much more sense.

Is this a downer? Not at all. It's just a hurdle that my family and I will train together to jump. We're going to be Olympians by the end of this. I'll keep you posted on the progress. :o)

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a couple of things I didn't know...

In my magazine reading this weekend I've stumbled across a couple of interesting things that I didn't know about and I wanted to share...

1. Are you wondering whether that piece of fruit you're about to serve your kid is organic? Look at the PLU code on the sticker or packaging. If it starts with a 9, it's organic. If not, it may have been treated with pesticides.

2. Having a Raccoon in your backyard may make your child sick..These animals choose a spot to repeatedly us as a latrine, and their feces can carry a dangerous parasite known as Baylisascaris procyonis. According to a recent study in Emerging Infectious Diseases, raccoon latrines were present in more than half of the back yards that researchers investigated in suburban Chicago. Raccoons are common across the country, so check your yard every other week for small pieces of poop, the diameter of your thumb, suggests study author Kristen Page, PHD. Use disposable gloves to put them in a plastic bag and douse the area with boiling water.

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Tutorial: Satin Ribbon Rose

Sweet hair accessories are all the rage for gals of all ages, from the wee babe with just a few wisps of hair, to school girls and teens and even us mamas, too. EtsyKids team member bbsforbabies, created this great YouTube tutorial for how to make her Satin Ribbon Roses. This simple, high impact project, is definitely on my weekend crafting list! My girls could use some new hair accessories and these little roses, are simple enough for them to make AND oh so adorable when attached to bobbie pins!



Thanks bbsforbabies for sharing! Check out her lovingly made animal security blankets and other creations for babies and tots in her Etsy shop.

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