Thursday, March 20, 2014

The State of the Careys

I haven't blogged at all consistently in a year. Boo.

I have been rather busy with my etsy shop. I found favor right away on there and consistently had my items listed on the front pages for the coordinating search results. That and not charging a ridiculous amount like most of the sellers on etsy has granted me a good deal of business. It takes up a good bit of my time and when I don't have a rush of orders Im trying to figure out something new to put in the shop in case my last bit of popular items turns out to be a fad.

All of that has taken what time Id usually blog. So since i have a bit of time now I thought I'd do a Carey state of the union post...

Laci is getting old. Shes a tween (when did we get this word anyway) but seems like a teen more and more boo hiss.

I remember thinking when she was like 2 that kindergarten was sooo faraway as I listened to my neighbor lament her daughter going to kindergarten. And now shes double digits . If we didn't home school she'd be in junior high. JR HIGH!  She's old and thereby so am I.

I'm not sure where the time goes. AT.ALL. Its terribly cruel how quickly our kids childhoods fly by. I can remember her getting diaper rash and now she's getting pimples. Luckily only one at a time but it is fodder for Ella to make fun of her. Who needs school bullies when you have sisters right?

Her voice even seems older sometimes. I don't like it :(  I'm not going to pretend Im super cool with my kids growing up. I'll be the one grabbing on to the last vestige of child hood kicking and screaming along the way.

Some things are cool though in that we can relate on things and talk on an older level. I started reading Sherlock Holmes books because I became Obsessed with BBCs Sherlock and since our kindle accounts are shared she started reading it when it popped up on her kindle. Things like that are nice, but I'm still not loving her oldness :(

She has similar interests as me that age- she loves mystery things, she likes Nancy Drew, and while I don't remember reading her I loved mystery books, still do. I remember for a few from that age my friend and I had a young detectives club (hey kristie : ) ) .

We would write in code to each other and solve mysteries. You know MYSTERIES. like things we totally made up but they were mysterious. We also did things like spread baby powder around her moms house looking for fingerprints. Im sure she loved us for that. We'd ride our bikes around town *because life was safer then thank you* looking for mysteries and protecting the unknowing masses from dastardly deeds. We even questioned random hooligans we'd run into.

Yep we were dorks. But we had loads of fun and we all know dorks grow up  to be the coolest.

Right now we are planning her birthday party that occurs so soon- end of august.

Nancy Drew theme and its gonna be killer.

I haven't decided if there will be a killer but there will be a mystery to solve.

Because we're awesome thats why.

I'm already sewing deer stalkers.

Whats a deerstalker?

Its a Sherlock Holmes hat!


                                                                                             ^ he wins the who wore it better contest


She wants the kids to wear deerstalkers.
Its too much lol.

I did find a nice houndstooth fabric with gold shimmers throughout so they'll be totes fab as they solve mysteries. BTW no baby powder for fingerprinting will be in the party favor boxes. Except maybe the ones they get handed as they head out the door. That's right. revenge for all the play dough you've people brought as presents to my kids parties!

She still likes little girl things like American Girl dolls and she tries hard to believe in Disney magic. She totally spotted Pooh's zipper years ago *can't we hide that better?!* but I think she still believes the princesses are real. Or did. I don't know. She has a crazy mother who acts like its all super serious so maybe.


 We do photos in my wedding dress as a growth chart . I knew one day it would be depressing. That day is here :( she's big enough now to stand in it. The first time it swarmed her. No I dont have the wherewithall yet to see a side by side :(  Maybe I will save that for her wedding day. Ill make sure someone is handy with the xanax.


Ella is Ella.

 I am not sure there are even words to describe her. Shes got  a lot of personality built up behind her crazy smile.

Shes super into fashion and can put together some cute looks and walks around like she's on a runway in Milan. She's also taken to daily wearing of tiaras so. yeah. Shes' gonna be fun as a teen.

She really pays attention to clothes. All her dress up costumes have to be handmade because Disney can't make their own designs correctly according to her.

She is of course correct. In an effort to save costs , I assume, they've pretty much made all the princess dresses cookie cutter not taking into account what they really look like on screen.

She's my chief consultant for the fairy tale section of my shop.
                                     For real.

I take her fabric shopping and let her pick out the fabrics. She knows how they move in the movie and the hues and shades . How the skirt should fall where the bodice should end.

I pattern test for a pattern designer who has started doing lots of princess dresses and for my feed back I consult Ella on what to tell her. Her thoughts have been invaluable!

She's whiny and tattly still and I have a feeling the whine will be permanent. She's just drama. And while the drama is oh so fun in areas its not fun in the negative aspects but to get the fun dramatics you have to take the not so fun so its a fair trade.

In exchange we get lots of shows and weird stories, the best expressions and excitement.
She likes to snuggle and says really sweet kind things.

She's also just crazy.

Her imaginary friends have lessened their appearances but we do still at times hear stories about the Noone family. Mr and Mrs Noone hail from Australia with several children. When they first came when she was two they were kind of jerky but it seems like they've all ironed out their differences and now pop over for a spot of tea. Mr Noone may have been nasty because he took the rap for a lot of things Ella did for a good year.

Sarah the eagle died and came back from the dead so shes pretty fantastic.

The deer family is my favorite. Mostly because theres a flock of like 20 (idk is it a herd? ) and they all have some form of Bob in their names. I don't usually get through the listing of the names to hear what theyre up to.

Millie the mermaid comes around too but not much. She may have died. I haven't kept up on imaginary deaths.

She is pretty creative.

A couple days ago I kept hearing her belt a tune something about "you said forever but now you're gone" with a catchy hook. I even started singing it while I cleaned. Then I called for her and called her Selena (she likes Selena Gomez, the two or so songs shes allowed to listen to anyway) and she wanted to know why I called her that. I told her bc she was singing a Selena Gomez song for the last hour.

"Oh I wrote that" she said. What?! It was really good. Had I known it was hers I wouldve recorded her because of course now she can't remember it.

I think she's definitely going to be our creative one. Im not sure which direction she will take or if she will find a way to combine them but she's got an interesting future ahead.




I think this Valentines shoot captured Ella pretty well. She poses herself btw lol.  Totally fun fashion that works and at the  supa chic girl at the same time weird crazy nerd who does the oddest things - especially her wild dances she breaks into for no reason with abandon with wild eyed looks -  this is Ella.



Layla is monstrous and a paradox.

She is
SO.BAD.
 All. the. bad.

I know you aren't supposed to call kids bad blah blah new agey feely stuff. but she really is.

 But she is SO. SWEET.

Therein lies the paradox.

She is a mean little bugger who loves nothing more than making Ella mad and then biting her for being mad. Shes three adn still bites - but only Ella.

She yells and throws fits and does not know the meaning of wait a minute.

She will ask you over and over and over and over and over FOR THE LOVE before you even have a chance to but in and answer her.

She will not be put off.

She's always been that way and the only way to get her to stop is give her what she wants.

This kid is a leader.

Tony always joked her middle name was going to be Esther.

I mean I love Esther and all -a strong wise woman who becomes queen and saves her people. Esther is amazing.

Her name is so not.

But this kid is an Esther if Ive ever seen one.

A pastor who didn't know us held her one time and looked at her and said "She's an Esther. Wow she is gonna be a leader"

he did. and I was like now Im going to hear  "I told you so FOREVER"

So even though we didn't choose the name the traits are there.

 And let me say. Baby Esthers are so daggone draining!

I know one day shes going to be some amazing something in charge of  people- like shes in charge of  our entire household now - but dealing with them at the already irrational toddler/preschooler age is life sucking.

Everything has to be done to her specifications on her time line.  I can't even explain the angst that ensues if you make her wait for orange juice.

She micro manages everyone including me. I have to give account for where I am going where I have been and why it took x amount of time. She knows the inner workings of my body because she demands to oversee everything I do.

Ella is the victim most often of this. Ella can't do anything without Laci or Layla telling her what to do. And you know what, she listens to Layla. Older and bigger and is domineered by this pint size Glenn close in Devil loves Prada character we have under our roof. And thats been for two years nearly.

I knew when she was born and she'd scream at the nurses for trying to move her arms- like scream immediately like  a beast from the depths and turn a shade of crimson that no baby should be  and then cut that scream off as soon as they stopped touching her - that we were in for it. I  was worried something was wrong with her honestly when I watched those displays in her first few days but nope she just knows what she wants and wants it now and to perfection.

She has not changed.

God help us all.

She asks daily to move Disney world. Not just visit. Move.

Don't think for one second this sweet face wouldn't throw Cinderella out on the curb and take over that castle.

 Look out cindy
she knows where you live and she wants that castle
                                        Notice she didn't pose with her in the castle picture. She was measuring windows for drapes while we were distracted. 

While she does just the most awful things to her sister and blatantly disobeys EVERYTHING we tell her and destroys everything in her path and throws the BIGGEST angstiest fits (still turns red) 

She is the sweetest little thing. She loves to hug and snuggle and give you a million and five kisses all in the same one spot of your face. 

She grabs my face in both hands and says "I just love you. Your face is so cute."

She gives her sisters these genuine and grown up sounding compliments applauds them for character traits and gives them tight neck squeezes. 

 Im not sure how so much beauty and beast reside in such teeny package but its no wonder her personality is explosive!




 Beauty                                                             &                                   Beast

                                               and "Vampirate" that's what she said she was lol. A Vampirate. 

                                            She kept running in and with an ARRRR she'd steal random stuff and scamper off. When I found her treasure chest she would bite me to protect it which I suppose is the Vamp part....  I think this is actually an accurate portrait of her innerself. Ive never seen anything more capturing of Layla than this right here.


On the grown up front:

I'm my own sweat shop but I love to create so its great to do so on someone else's dime. I love sewing- taking this flat piece of fabric and turning it into a 3 dimensional useful item that is pretty to boot is so fun and fulfilling. 

Layla thinks I possess something called Mommy Magic (ok that MAY be because my answer to every how question from her is "mommy magic" but I'm a little propaganda bc Tony has taught them that everything is because he's awesome. )

I love being able to make things for the girls as well and the fact I taught myself is affirming. I do wish I learned much sooner, but all things in their time I suppose.

I recently started making our bread. 

Bread at the store has sooo much junk and terrible stuff in it anymore that I'm not sure you can call it a food item.

Bread is flour, water, sugar and yeast. That's IT.

Why have generations been telling us its too hard just buy it?

I mean I had a serious fear / no way i can make that complex surrounding bread. 


So do my friends.

I think its a conspiracy among the older generations that we know all our computery stuff so bread is their domain and they kept us in the dark.

Its SO easy people. 

And SO good. and better for you.

I'm going to do a post soon on my favorite recipes.

My kids love me for it too. Theyre more excited for homemade bread than cake. 

Layla tells me " Your mommy magic is so deewicious mama"

That is as fulfilling as life gets I think.

I told Tony the other day: "I came into this marriage with no skills at all and now look at me, baking our bread and sewing clothes. Not a bad return on your investment"

Hes also upgraded me to chef status from just a cook. So apparently I'm rocking it in the kitchen.

Probably why we need to lose weight. gah.

Tony is headed up the CSX careeer ladder. He isn't talking much about it but he's taking initiative to further his career and make a better life for us - and him.

The threat of getting called up as an engineer really sucks. He holds a position now where he works locally and doesn't have to go out on trains which is nice for us - and I think him. I mean I hear a hotel a few nights a week and Im thinking i can get my sanity back, but he tells us he wants to be home. 

If he gets called as an engineer he will be back out on the road.

We currently in Atlanta while he trains for a new position in the yard. He'd manage things I don't know if its techncially a manager position because most train talk makes my ears bleed just like the words I need to go to Joann Fabrics does to his. But its a promotion hes an overseer of sorts and it opens doors to other opportunities. Hes also talking about finishing his business degree which will open more doors for him within the company.

People have a  lot of negative to say about CSX and really things are a mixed bag at conductor level- great benefits but a lot to deal with and threat of firing daily - but they have great programs to raise up the employees that have the wherewithall to do so .  They really do try and better their employees and give them opportunities to move up in the company, that used to be pretty common but seems to be dying out as everyone is insistent on everyone going to college so its nice to see a company that does a lot ladder climbing from within its own ranks. 

Not sure what all is in store for us over the next year or so while he decides what to do but its nice to know there are options.

On the adoption front we are stalled. 

Haiti is going through its own growing pains and things are changing often often often. 
Also do to all the things on Tony's end career wise and not sure what is going to be going on for him the rest of this year talking to people who know the adoption world and my agency we've been the best thing is just to wait on our homestudy til January. Somewhat frustrating because we were waiting for Haiti to pass their new laws and thought for sure by THIS January we'd be well on our way but thats not what is happening.

It is better though and really with the state of Haitian adoption what it is right now when we start up next year we really may be no further from getting a child than if we started this January. There are just a lot of messes being cleaned up (while they create more...) apparently the learning curve to a change in policy is steep so progress is quite slow. 

It will turn out for the best.

Sometimes I wonder why we were called and with such urgency to adopt last year when we weren't going to make headway but God knew what all was going to happen and he knows our personalities and what all would be opening for us too and how it may affect our decision to adopt. 

Also, lets be real. 

Layla is so much still. I don't know how I or this little Haitian child would deal with her.

Its best for us all if she has time to calm down.

Like that's going to happen...






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