Out of the Mouths of 21st Century Babes

Libba and I played hookey on Tuesday to go to the orthodontist, and we really enjoyed some quality mommy-daughter time. I was thrilled to have a chance to have some meaningful conversations with my youngest daughter, just me and her. Because of a radio commercial reminding listeners that our taxes were due in just a couple of days, our chit chat started going in that direction. Of course, I was thinking, "This is great, Libba is finally old enough to understand some of the technical details of "the American way". Very shortly, she let me know exactly how much she really understood. She asked, "What does the government do with the taxes that everyone pays in April?" When I quickly replied, "The money is used to keep all of the states running", she stated, "Oh, I thought the people who have jobs paid the government so that people who don't have jobs can get paid and support their families".

The Best

From the moment that we discover we are going to have a precious little baby, thoughts bombard us. We ponder the gender, we try to guess the hair color, we attempt to will the unborn child's baby blues to stay the color of a Spring morning sky. Of course, there are also deeper thoughts...Will I nurse? Will I insist that my husband help out with the late night crib parties? Will I stay home to raise the baby? Will I enlist help, and continue with my own career? Will I be able to give our baby THE BEST of everything? At first thought, "the best" brings to mind a large house, private schooling, an Ethan Allen bedroom suit, perhaps a Mercedes Mini Van; but when one looks deeper into "the best", words like nutrition, spirituality, protection are brought to the surface.

We base our boundaries and expectations on different things. We do some things the way that our parents did them, and we do some things the exact opposite way. We set expectations based on what was or was not expected of us as well as the way our own child learns and responds to us. We set boundaries for our children based on common sense and common knowledge of the great and not so great aspects of our communities While we grieve for parents who suffer unforeseen tragedies, we also learn from them so that we can hopefully prevent any further tragedies.

To an almost 12 year old who has been given an opportunity to join her fellow middle school students and the Senior class of her school in a community outreach program, "the best" is defined as being able to participate...on a Friday night....at the Mall...in groups of 2-3 students... with the Principal in the same building, but not necessarily WITH her...meeting at the food court for supper at a set time. The operative words in this scenario are "an almost 12 year old".
All she understands is that her friends are going, and the Seniors are "good responsible kids" (which 99.9% of them are)...that they are actually doing something to positively influence our community. What she DOESN'T understand is that on most Friday nights, the Mall is busting at the seams with shoppers, diners, and movie-goers. In some places, it is harder to maneuver through the crowd than it is to go through security at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport at 6am on a Monday morning. All she knows is that Mom and Dad are over-protective, not that Mom and Dad only want "the best" for her.

Like many girls, I have wanted to be a Mommy since I named my first babydoll Mindy. Like many girls, I made sure that my husband wanted children well before our 6th date. Like so many, I planned my graduate studies so that I would be finished by the time my 2nd child was scheduled to arrive. I can honestly say that I began planning for my adult life when I was almost 12. I was in the 6th grade. That was when nothing could hurt me, I could do anything, and my mother was a pain in my rear. I am sure that on at least two (hundred) occasions, I proclaimed, "Well, I will NEVER tell my daughter that she can't go". That was my definition of "the best". Twenty six (and 1/2) years later, I am telling my daughter that she can't go. This is my NEW definition of "the best". Why did I change my mind? 'because I'm her MOM.

Stepping Out on a Needle and a Stitch!

This is not actually my work, but I do have this pattern, as it is one of my all-time faves! It criss crosses in the back, and I love to trim the diaper cover with ruffles on the backside! This is an awesome spring/summer outfit!


I grew up in the Deep South, and if I didn't know better, I would believe that I was born wearing a smocked bishop dress. My mother learned to sew from my Great-Grandmother and my Grandmother, and I was their "dress up doll". I loved every minute of it, and I have always coveted their talents. My lack of sewing talent as a teen/young adult was not due to their lack of trying. Adolescence was mostly to blame. Anytime you you put 2 grown women in a sewing room with a left-handed 13 year-old, the apron is bound to turn out with a few abnormalities.

Anyway, several years ago, I needed some curtains. Marc looked at me endearingly and simply stated, "Well, you better call your mama and learn to sew". I didn't call mama, but I did call a friend to ask to borrow her machine. Several days and 3 broken sewing needles later, my girls had new curtains hanging in their bedrooms. Ask anyone who lives with me or who has stayed with me for an extended period of time, the machine is always threaded, I always have at least 2 projects going at once, and my girls have made me pinky promise that I will not smock them anymore dresses or make them anything else with a Peter Pan Collar.

Luckily for me, I am acquainted with several babies who don't seem to mind the collars, monograms, and smocking. Luckily for me, the greatest heirloom supply shop in the south is still in business in Mobile, and she has a WEBSITE!!! Luckily for me, I am not an adolescent anymore, and my mama's hints and tips really work! Luckily for me, I have figured out how to turn a "right handed" pattern upside down and backwards and produce adorable dresses, bubbles, etc.

Luckily for you......I am ready to actually sell my creations!! Luckily for you.....I will customize, right down to the buttons and snaps!

Check out the photos of two basic patterns. These usually take a week to make, shopping to delivery. Prices are: $20.00/garment, newborn -9 mos. $35.00/garment, sizes 12 mos.-2T. $45.00, 3T-6 years. $55.00 7-16 years.

I will post photos and details of all patterns available. This is a work in progress, so keep checking back!

***Keep in mind that the photos below are for reference only. ****







This is only a sample. It is NOT my work. I pulled it from the PBJKIDS scrapbook. I do have this pattern, and it can be made to your specifications.
This is NOT my work, but I do have the patten, and I can make this to your specifications.

I DID make this little suit. I am addicted to these for this Spring! They are so cute and versatile. They can be worn with a onsie or as shown. This bubble suit features a lined bodice, buttons on the shoulders and snaps in the crotch. It is accented with ruffles across the behind in a fuschia gingham and white piping on the leg openings. My pattern is 0-24 months.
I DID make these for my girls this Christmas. Notice there are no collars, ribbons, or smocking! This is the jumper view of a very versatile pattern, available in sizes 7-16. This view features a scalloped bodice, lined with coordinating gingham and attached to the skirt with ruffle trim. There are NO buttons, zippers, or snaps, and it slips easily over the head and hangs loose but not baggy. The pattern features approx. 10 variations, and some include sleeves, long or short. It can be "dressed up" for a special occasion or all the way "down" for a school picture! It can also be worn as a sundress. I can make it reversible, and it is monogrammable. "Fine accents", such as lace, inserts, entredeux, and ribbon, can always be added for extra charge.

THIS is ALSO MY WORK. This is the Bonnie Blue "Bailey" pattern. I purchased the pattern from PBJKIDS, and it ranges in size from infant thru 6, I believe. It features a hidden buttton placket in the back, which results in a nice pleat. This material was also purchased from PBJKIDS, and it is great to sew on!! However, any cotton material will work. As stated in the jumper description, this one can be dressed up or down. I will post a photo of the pattern and of the back of the dress asap.

The Definition of Family Time

Ordinarily, when people ask me if I spend a lot of time with my husband and daughters, I reply, "I spend every single waking moment with at least one of them. Marc often comes home after he drives carpool, and we spend an hour or so together, and we are always going to some event with our girls in the evenings." However, this past week, aka Spring Break, has shown me that the everyday activities are not always true time together, simply because they are "everyday", and the "everyday" junk is still there. Marc and I spend time together in the mornings, but he is still getting ready for work, taking out the garbage, teleworking from his Blackberry. I am still feeding, changing, and taking care of the twins while throwing something in the Crock-Pot and doing a load of laundry. We take Libba to Softball practices, games, and AWANA; and we take Maggie to the barn and to her friends' houses. Once in awhile, Maggie and I will run away to the mall to shop while Libba is at AWANA. Yes, I tuck them in and say prayers every night, and Marc always visits both of their rooms to kiss them on the foreheads before coming to bed for the night, but we are still making lunches, paying bills, walking the dog, mowing the grass...the "everyday" stuff of life.

Our adventure began as we all piled in the mini-van to drive half way to Naples to surprise Grandma Pat and Grandpa Chuck. It was 7:45 pm, and the downtown connector was still a parking lot, so we all let out the typical Atlanta sigh as we settled into our seats to make our way south. The radio was boring, and Marc can't telework and drive, so we actually talked! We guessed what the grandparents would do when they realized that they weren't really meeting Aunt Karen for the Good Friday Fish Supper. We talked about baseball, birthdays, and stuff. I reminded everyone that the Publix Greenbag Cooler must go everywhere with us, as the Easter Bunny said it would melt otherwise.

The weekend was wonderful. Grandma didn't have a heart attack when she saw us, but she thinks that is what we are trying to accomplish since we tend to surprise her at least once every couple of years. The girls played with their cousins, and we saw some good friends. Marc golfed, I shopped, and we spent lots of time together. There was no "everyday" associated with our time. We went swimming, sometimes twice per day. That would NEVER happen "everyday" at home. We went to Easter Mass with Grandpa and Andrea. That is definitely not "everyday" for our girls. They had lots of questions, but they enjoyed seeing how other Christians worship. Maggie played with baby Emma, and we couldn't stop talking about "our" twins. Libba pitched with Uncle Lou, who played baseball in college. Marc and I stayed up late together, and we didn't telework, take out our garbage, pay bills, or cook crock pot meals. I will admit that I had to do some laundry...it is my nemesis. The Easter Bunny's goodies made it to the Easter Baskets without melting.

After spending great time with our extended family, we loaded up the minivan once more, and we took off for some time with just the four of us. We froze the Publix Greenbag and a huge bottle of Smart Water, in hopes of getting the Easter Bunny's goodies safely back to Buford. Busch Gardens will never be the same! It was wonderful! We rode roller coasters over and over again. On several occasions, we allowed the girls to ride without us as we waited at the bottom, and I wasn't scared. I was sad that they were old enough to not be attached to us at all times. I was glad that they they weren't in the double stroller and that I didn't have to participate in the "mommy swap" ride program, but I mourned the fact that they really didn't need me. However, we spent all day and night together, laughing, joking, playing, and loving. Marc and I didn't see one fight between sisters, and Maggie didn't roll her eyes at me all day! The Easter Bunny's goodies survived after spending the entire day inside the Publix Greenbag Cooler
inside the hot minivan!

We arrived home from Florida on Wednesday. Marc went straight to the Braves vs Cubs game, and I went straight to the laundry room. The trip was worth the laundry, though.

Friday morning, we woke at 5:45 so that we could be on the road to Thomson by 7am. Our mission of the day was three-fold. First, we were going to visit my grandparents (Florence-88 years old; George--92 years old) at their home on our family farm. While I talk with them on the telephone weekly, we had not seen them in about a year, so the time was very special to all of us. Secondly, we were meeting with a photographer for a family photo shoot. As we had hoped, the sky was clear and blue, the pasture was cut, and the horses behaved. The Dogwoods, Wisteria, Azaleas, and Camelias were in bloom, and it was a perfect day. Far from "everyday", for sure. The final mission of the day was to have a portrait made of MawMaw and PawPaw with my family as a gift to my mother. They are the anchors of our family. They taught my Mother how to live everyday with what she has, not without what she wants. They raised her in the Word and in the Church, and MawMaw prayed for the man who would someday marry my Mother. When my Mother married, she and my father lived everyday with what they had, and they worked for what they wanted. My grandparents were their mentors and their friends. When they started their own family, my parents raised us as they were raised, and my grandmother was my mentor, my seamstress, my friend. My grandfather was my fishing buddy who taught me how to ride a bike, read to me from his Catholic Bible, let me light his pipe after dinner, but never let me see the fear and anguish that he felt inside from his years in the South Pacific during WWII. We went on long walks in the Spring Hill gulley, and he never showed favoritism between my brother and me. As a young adult, my grandparents were always "there" for Marc and me, and they love us unconditionally. Because of what they have taught us, verbally as well as through example, we raise our children to live everyday with what they have and work towards the things (they think) that they want. They have shown us the rewards of living simply and living for the Lord. They have shown us how to live "everyday" and how to make the most of the rare days that don't fit that definition. They have shown us how to be married for 67+ years.

We arrived at 9:30am, and we arrived home at 9:40pm. We enjoyed twelve hours of family time, and I didn't cook or wash anything. Libba didn't pitch one ball. Maggie didn't take one lesson. Marc watched The Masters with a master. I copied some recipes and told my grandmother how beautiful she is and that she is not old.

I was with my family for 9 days. I spent every waking moment with them. I didn't have to scold anyone. I didn't have to cook. I didn't drive to softball practice or riding lessons. I took as many photos as humanly possible. I gave lots of kisses and hugs. I spent my time loving them.

Reflections....

As I reflect on my life, there are many special moments that I remember, and there are many that I am looking forward to. As I have said, I firmly believe that experiences are much more valuable than possessions. Yes, I am rebuking the possession that I cannot live without...my minivan....along with my cat, my handbags and luggage, even my Mac! These things are the "fluff" in my life, not the hard core center that drives me to live each day to the fullest. The memory that comes to mind today, that forever altered my perception of family, birth, and all things sibling, is the arrival of my baby brother on April 1, 1976. Believe me when I say that he was NO April fools joke! He came into our world mid-morning, the day that he was due, and he tried his hardest to make his debut in the back of my mama's Maverick as my daddy sped down Spring Hill Avenue, often crushing the Azaleas as he had to cut traffic by driving down the median! I was 4 1/2 years old, STANDING UP in the front seat, wearing an orange and yellow flowered bubble suit, covering my ears and screaming to the top of my lungs. I think I received at least 2 pops on the legs during the 5 mile ride of my life! As soon as Jonathan was born and home with us, my life turned upside down. My daddy had a son. From that point on, I had to sit in the backseat of his Cessna when we took our routine Saturday morning flights around the southeastern coast of the United States. From that point on, I had a real person to play school with...and give lots of demerits to. From that point on, I was supposed to be the big sister, the mentor, the example. Over the years, we had fun, and we had fights. We loved each other, and we hated each other. Our father became gravely ill when we were young. Jonathan was 11 when the heart attack occurred high above Birmingham in the Cessna. He was the co-pilot, and I was at my friend's house (thank God). Dad coded, and Jonathan landed the plane. For the next three months, we didn't know whether dad was going to live or die. It was in those three months that we grew up FAST! After that summer, I was still the mentor and the example, but Jonathan was the one who helped me. He helped me cope, and he helped me get through Algebra 2. Our father was healed by the grace of God, but upon his healing our Paternal Grandmother was diagnosed with end stage Liver and Pancreatic Cancer. Again, Jonathan helped me cope, and he helped me get through Chemistry 2, along with my ACTs, SATs, and AP exams. Our grandmother passed away in September, 1989. I was a Senior, and he was in 8th grade. I was the "wise" one. He was the "smart" one. Over the next several years, I went to college, and he went to high school. We graduated on the same weekend, and I moved back home, but he moved to Boot Camp...then to Europe...He served our country in ways that many can never fathom. We both married and started our families, and our parents are still alive and well. They have taught us how to live for His Glory, and through example, they have shown us how to raise a family. My brother came into my life on a day of practical jokes and little white lies. We don't "celebrate" that part of April 1 in our family. We celebrate him. We celebrate the experiences that made us who we are.

"It's not about getting through the storm. It's about learning to dance in the rain."

All In A Day....

I have lots more to say, but (as usual), I don't have lots of time, so I am referencing some passages that I will come back to later. A friend of a friend recently lost her 2 year old daughter to a terrible form of Cancer. Their amazing faith through their daughter's brief, yet painful struggle has brought them to a point that even now, just three weeks since they suffered such a terrible loss, they are rallying troops worldwide to fight this cancerous monster. Their strength is found through scripture, and their hope is found on their knees, with family and friends surrounding them. Here are a few scriptures that have helped them. They can also help all of us....

For Hope and Comfort: 1 Peter 1:3-9; Revelation 7

Other passages: Matthew 19:14...Jesus says "bring the children to me..."
Psalm 147:2-3

Hug your children.....spend time with them, not money on things for them....you will remember the experiences, not the Webkinz and IPods!

What's greater than a 12 year old choosing her first pair of high healed sandals? Witnessing the look on her face as she walks down the shoe aisle to test them as if she is on a runway! Like I said, it's about the experiences!!

Has Psychology Just Gone Too Far?

Early this morning, Stay at Home Moms (I shall refer to us as sahms from this point forward) all across the country, and in many other parts of the free world, watched the television--and rewound their Tivos several times until they were sure that they had heard the statements correctly--in complete SHOCK AND AWE. No, they were not witnessing a terror attack or someone being attacked by marine life. They were watching the promo for today's Dr. Phil show. The topic of the day was described in a way similar to this: "Tune in at 5pm et to see why most sahms have 20-40 hours per week of undiscovered free time"!
Well, obviously it didn't take long for this to filter through the FB statuses of many of my friends, thus stirring up a great deal of heated discussions. One friend of a friend stated that perhaps the great Dr. P will be analyzing our sleeping patterns, because she very rarely experiences "free time" unless she is sleeping. To that, here is my response, "

I don't even get that much sleep every week! My challenge to the people who own this theory is to trade places with me (sahm) for one day. MY leisure time comes while driving my minivan. I have to have my eyes off of the children and on the road; I cannot answer the cell, for fear of an accident; I have to have both hands on the wheel, thus I ... See Morecannot open drinks, check homework, build a geography project, read the monthly required novel (that I already read when I was in Middle School). I cannot swat legs or point fingers. It is sheer bliss....That is why I believe that those who get the most routine and consistent leisure time are commuters in Atlanta or other large metro cities. Their commutes yield AT LEAST 1 hour per day of vehicular solitude. The said vehicles are usually NOT mini vans, but nice, goldfish-free shiny sedans that do not feature The Wiggles, Hannah, Jonas, Justin Bieber, or any other "cute boy singer" of the week on their sound systems. SO, whoever says that moms have "free time" needs to head to the closest carpool line, sport "of the week" practice, piano lesson, ballet or gymnastic class to get some real-world definitions of LEISURE TIME....The last time that I took a bubble bath, I was accompanied by at least one child, one cat, and several cell calls and texts, only to get out of the tub to be greeted by 16 emails, all from people wanting something from me..the day before, of course."

All that being said, it won't come as a surprise to anyone to know that I didn't have a chance to sit down to watch this episode. I haven't had 20-40 hours a week of free time since I was a tween.