The Start of Something New

In case you read this blog and aren't on Facebook - I've recently been posting about a new venture of mine, an Etsy shop! I had thought about opening one a while ago, and it kind of got put on hold (life and babies you know) and at the beginning of this year the idea began to take root again.

A few snippets of some of my PRINTLine designs

So, without further ado, here's how you can take a look at what I am starting on Etsy. As I've gotten back into graphic design I am seeing inspiration everywhere and have lots of ideas about new product lines to develop. I officially opened my shop on March 9th, 2012 with my first collection - The Bee Collection - featuring a boy and girl line of DIY Printable Party Products. There will be lots more to come! Check it out with the links below. 

My Etsy Shop

My Etsy Facebook Page

My PRINTLine Blog

(If you don't know about Etsy - it is an online store for handmade and vintage items. Since I live in Brazil, graphic design is something I can do that can be "shipped" worldwide.)

Multi-tasking Driver

You hope not to hear these two words in the same sentence.

After all, we did learn that to be a good driver you have to be a focused driver - checking your speed, keeping a safe distance from the car in front of you, using your peripheral vision and the side mirrors, being conscious of your blind spots, and of course, following all the traffic laws. 

So what happens when you have two toddlers safely buckled in the back seat who need attention and you are the only adult in the car?

Here are some things I have accomplished while driving:

- taken off shoes/socks,

- retrieved toys/books/sippy cups/bottles from the floor of the car, 

- adjusted floppy heads of sleeping children,

- fed the kids (and myself) snacks and drinks, 

- removed sunshades from the back windows,

- found, cleaned and replaced missing pacifiers,

- pacified the baby with hand/fingers when there is no pacifier to be found,
- kept children from hitting/pushing/kicking each other, 

- sung endless rounds of "Old MacDonald"
- fished in the glove compartment for a CD to listen to after "Old MacDonald" got really old,
- made phone calls and sent text messages (oops)  

I was thinking of all these things as I was driving into São Paulo this morning with Lucas. I am sure some mothers out there can think of other things they've had to do to keep themselves sane while driving! Since Lucas has started on a round of antibiotics, they have to be given at specific times. So while I was planning to arrive in São Paulo in time for his meds, this morning we got stuck in traffic and I fed him his doctored up yogurt (thankfully I had packed it with a spoon in case this situation arose) while we stopped and started our way down the jam packed highway. 

Of course, we all know the best way to travel with kids...

Why I try to schedule all trips over 1 hour at nap time. 

One Child Home

There is a little ache in my heart and an odd feeling around home that something is just not right. There has been an unusual quietness and just a little less sunshine the past two days.

But let's go back a week or so - Lucas had a persistent fever for five days, and when it was clear it was just not going to go away with ibuprofen we took him to the hospital to get checked out. Due to some travel plans that couldn't be cancelled, we found ourselves packing up in the middle of the night (Elena sleeping and Lucas wailing) to make a one hour drive back to our town and the hospital that is close by. 

The time stamp on our queue slip was 1:00am on the dot. Thankfully Lucas had settled down and he and Elena were content to watch TV and munch on snacks while we waited to see the doctor. After examinations by three doctors, urine and blood tests and an x-ray over the span of 8 hours with two trips back home to try and rest a bit Lucas was diagnosed with an infection and prescribed antibiotics. It was a little scary as one doctor threw around words like "meningitis" and "lumbar puncture" and the sleep-deprived mind is certainly prone to wander towards worry in the early hours of the morning so we were relieved when the blood tests came back positive for a simple infection. 

Unsure of how Lucas would react to the antibiotics and being told to monitor him for continuing fever, my mother-in-law graciously offered to keep Elena at her place for a few nights so Lucas could recuperate at home. So I packed up a bag of clothes and sent her off with her aunt and uncle to be taken to Grandma's house. 

This is where we find ourselves now. Lucas is doing very well on the antibiotics, and has been fever free since his last dose of ibuprofen at the hospital. We are keeping it pretty low-key around here. But it is such a different experience having only one child at home - mostly, it is just so easy to only care for one. Most days with the two of them the majority of my time is observing them together and preventing them from hitting/slapping/pushing/fighting etc. So to have only one is a breeze! It also helps that Lucas is not a fussy sick boy and while tired, is clearly on the mend. This morning Lucas was able to help me make pancakes for breakfast, something that is just not possible with another toddler lurking around (the small size of our kitchen is also a factor). Lucas has enjoyed playing in peace and having mommy around to snuggle and cuddle with him. But there is this little ache, and I find myself wondering just what Elena is up to.

So while it has been nice to spend one-on-one time with Lucas and catch up on a little rest, tomorrow morning as soon as Lucas is up and fed and medicated for the day we'll be heading in to pick up my little angel, and our lives will return to that hectic, crazy, loud, busy, challenging, tiring, happy place - and I wouldn't change it for the world. 

Love you two kiddos!