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1.31.2011

How I potty trained my child


(Image of a potty I actually used for my daughter)

I am sure there are many funny, weird, unusual, even tearful stories mommies can share about their children overcoming potty training. For me it was smooth and painless as it can be, at least for the first time, with my daughter.
Now, the time has come to train my son, and I thought this is a chance to share my previous experience-  perhaps it will help someone. So here we go:

Back to when I wasn't a mother, I had no idea how to deal with children. I never babysat for anyone, and wasn't involved in raising or even helping with kids of any age, wasn't familiar with any milestones in kids development, not to mention, how to help kids to meet them. So when I had a baby, the strangest thing I wondered about is how am I ever going to potty train my children?
Where I come from, it is very common to potty train kids at a very young age, by 1st birthday ( I even know a young mother who potty trained her 9-month old baby!!!!)
Anyways, I just could not imagine HOW could one explain to a baby not to "do their business" in a diaper anymore! It seemed like an impossible mission to accomplish. Period. But.... when my daughter started to walk around (12months), I started to notice that whenever she was "doing" something, she tried to hide behind a sofa or a chair, and she clearly expressed embarrassment if I were to look at her or ask her a question during that moment. I was amazed at how the need for privacy was sort of programmed into a human conscience from the very beginning! 
From this moment, I had a lot more confidence that the potty training WILL happen for us, because it's a natural process and Mother Nature had already did the prep work.
So it was summertime and once in a while I would take my daughter's diaper off  and let her run free. Of course, accidents started to happen. No worries, I was expecting them, in fact, I was counting on them. I realized that as long as the child is in diapers, he/she don't realize what is going on during...you know.. They feel something warm, ticklish, uncomfortable, but don't know what that really is! When the accident ( #1) happened for he first time, my daughter was simply shocked, confused and in tears! This is THE moment, I thought.  Calmly, with a smile on my face, I reassured her that everything was fine, and then directed her to the potty, explaining that THIS was the place where this kind of thing should take place.
After that, I kept her diaper-free more often, and every 20 min or so, I'd ask her whether she wants to use a potty. After a while she was initiating her visits to the bathroom herself! Accidents still happened occasionally, but I was able to leave her without a diaper longer and longer every day. Still put one on before nap and bedtime, until noticed that the diaper was completely dry anytime day or night. And so it happened....  by her 26th month, my little girl was fully potty trained. Nature took its course, and my fears and confusion were far behind me.  Now, it's her brother's turn. He is now 25 months, but boys are late bloomers, they say... So I am giving him a couple more months to catch up ;) Already he is showing interest in using the potty, pushing me out of the bathroom so he could do it all by himself ( and then play with toilet water while I am not looking - so sneaky, this one!)
So this how it happened for us. Hopefully, we'll be a completely diaper free family soon.
How was this process for you? Do you have a funny story to share? I would love to hear it, dear readers! I am sure someone somewhere will benefit from this.

1.29.2011

Custom pillow, anyone?

My latest item to join my Etsy store is a pillow for small children. Not only will it add a load of cuteness to the nursery/child's room, but it can also double as a toy! This pillow features 3 drawer/pockets where your little one can hide/stash some small things. Your child's name will be displayed on the bottom of the pillow saying , for example, " Alan's Little Hiding Places", or " Tom's Secret Stash" or whatever come to your mind!




1.27.2011

First Giveaway

Hello Friends,
Today I want to announce my very first GIVEAWAY! Nothing fancy or super expensive - it's my Blue Bunnies fabric Calendar, which turns into a tea-towel later on.
 I think it is a perfect item for my first giveaway because it signifies the beginning of a new year of the rabbit, the beginning of my new Etsy shop and my fabric design passion, plus this is one of my favorite fabrics I designed - so crisp and modern and cute all at once. I'll be happy for it to find a new home ;)
So If you'd like to have it, simply leave a comment below. A winner will be randomly selected and announced next Thursday, Feb 3rd. The calendar will arrive all sewn up for hanging, but rod is not included.

Update: this giveaway is closed.




1.25.2011

Color Splash

I found the cutest little shop on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/people/amye123

And ordered this:


I needed some cool objects/props to photograph my fabrics with. So these will be perfect for some of my designs! And when I am done with them....,I am thinking of putting them up on a wall in my daughter's room. Oh, I am so excited!
P.S All designs in this shop are unique, perhaps there is something that's perfect for you!

My adorable little clown...

My new fabric design




Detail

Soon will join my other fabrics in NewMomDesign Etsy store - come visit me! ;))

1.17.2011

Bunnies up for sale!

Have you gotten yourself a calendar yet? If not, it's not too late still.
Go check out my take on the wall hanging calendar this year, I am so happy with the way it turned out: cute, fresh and crisp! Various bunnies crawling all over the place are simply adorable! I am working now on coordinating fabric - I love them so much ;)


It is a DIY fabric calendar kit, all you have to do is hem the edges. And if you are not as friendly with your sewing machine, for a little extra cost I will do the work for you! 
It's on SALE now for $18.99 +$10 if you want to have nothing to do with sewing ( rod not incl.)
Sale ends Thursday, Jan.20.


1.12.2011

Rococo my way

This week the contest at Spoonflower is "Rococo". When I first saw the title, I remembered from school endless scrolls and leaves, and flowers as main decorative motifs, as well as excessively  decorated furniture, interiors and people too!
At first, I decided to skip this one, as I have no passion nor patience to design in style of this period. But then later I thought  - It's a challenge, take it, don't pass a chance to make something new and fresh out of something you don't really like! So I took the challenge and here is what I came up with:


My first design



And last minute, I decided to quickly try different color options and came up with this one, which is now entered into the contest. 

Why I've been absent + I need a rug!

I feel terrible for neglecting you, my precious blog and dear readers. Here are some reasons why that happened:

  • Holidays
  • My daughter home for the winter ( not attending daycare due to never-ending sneezy-nose-running- coughing colds she brings home during the cold months) So 2 toddlers running in a house all day long!
  • My fabric design passion just getting stronger and I find myself using every opportunity to design, or at least scribble down all the ideas flying around in my head :))
  • My Etsy shop - to expose all that's been created.
  • Upcoming basement renovation - preparation for it, research and well.... more designing! 
So I will try to post as often as I can - just bear with me :)

Right now, as all my family sleeps, I am sitting at my laptop, waiting for my stubborn hair to finally dry so I can go to bed. This is a good time to research and buy items that I need around the house. For example, I desperately need an area rug by my side of the bed. Our beautiful cherry wood floors are ICY cold during winter and my husband's need/habit to sleep in a very very cool room ( otherwise he gets a headache and cannot sleep) does not help either. Anyways, I was looking for a not-super expensive rug that would fit lovely within our bedroom decor. Here are a few from Overstock that caught my eye ( in the preference order):

Like the colors and patterns on this one
Love the texture and colors here


More of a safe choice, but the colors are great and I like the large scale of it



This one has a subtle beauty, love the pattern 


(all my choices are strictly mine and I am not getting paid for posting about these items from Overstock)

1.04.2011

My Magical Fruit

This week Spoonflower's contest is Botanical with restricted palette ( black/white also allowed) I decided on figs and the added a couple birds just for fun... I was not sure if we were supposed to used all colors in the offered palette, or just some of them. But ... I ended up using all. Pretty happy how it turned out ;)
It's so cool to see how many different designs are created from one theme and 5 colors!!
Up for sale here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/NewMomDesigns