the tornado will pass...

...they used to happen daily and last for hours at a time. Thankfully, we have been able to eliminate most of these daily "tornadoes" since introducing strict dietary changes. The tornado meltdowns still occur, but at much more infrequent pace and less severe than pre-diet episodes.

...A tornado ripped through our house the other day, after months of minor flare-ups. It was intense. And exhausting. I had forgotten how loud and physical these moments can be, and the thought that this used to be a daily occurence makes me so thankful to be where we are now.

...for those out there new to this episodes, I wanted to take a moment to pass on what I have learned in hopes of shedding any support for those who are going through it right now.

1. It will pass. As abruptly as it comes, it will end the same way. Whether it's for 30 minutes or four hours, it will end. just be patient..if we are at home, I know that speaking to him or trying to physically reach out to him during these "storms" will only make things worse. In the safety of his room, he can ride it out. When the storm is over, he will most likely come to me and apologize well after calming down. It is only after some more time passes can we sit down and go over what had happened (but in a very short and direct manner..."lengthy" discussions only start it up again)

2. Don't take it personal, because it's not. My son spends hours a day keeping it together at school, and when he comes home he is exhausted from keeping it "in check" for so long. Whereas his friends may judge him for acting "weird" or getting upset, he knows I will not judge him. I will not leave him, and because of that, their is a safety in being able to let it out at home....he just has a hard time in figuring out how to express those emotions vocally.

3. Look for any cues that may help to "catch" it before the next occurence. While you may not be able to predict all of the meltdowns, just being able to intercept a couple here and there will make a big difference...for both of you. Your child can gradually learn his own triggers and learn other ways to calm himself/herself down. If I see it coming, distraction to something else can usually steer us clear of another storm.

4. your child loves you...and it's because he/she loves you so much that your child feels comfortable shedding all of his emotions with you.


...print out this picture...place it your drawer. Go to it when you need a little reminder that others have gone through this and that you are not alone. It will pass...and know that your child loves you more than anything in the world.

the original drawing...

...here's the original piece that started the digital prints. I just love how the texture turned out, and have decided to list it in my shop (along with some print versions as well).

...off to enjoy this rainy day and get some work done! (rain and I always make for really productive days....must be the British in me)

he just had to do it...

he just had to do it..., originally uploaded by mummysam.

..mum's dress wasn't finished, and oh how he needed to connect those dots.

...he just had to finish it for her. He couldn't help but think of how proud she'd be when she puts it on and sees it all done.

(I just finished this print today, and it looks so lovely! It's just been added to the shop..)

my literal thinker...

...to others it can come across as rude (and I myself have slipped and reacted with frustration many a time) and defiant, but he really is just answering the question the most truthful way he knows how to. You ask him. He answers. Simple as that.

...we had a day recently that was not going so "swell", and I exhaustedly stated , "you need to give me at least one ounce of respect". His response: "you can't measure respect in ounces". My initial emotional response was of extreme frustration, but a split second before I responded, a light bulb went off. He's right. You can't measure respect in ounces, and he was simply giving me the correct answer. I know this about him, and have so for years now...it's just sometimes you forget, and go about your old routine of expecting things of him the same you would expect of his sibling. It's not that he will never get idioms, in fact he understands quite a lot of them.
He just needs simple explanations, or mini "teaching lessons" as I call them, so that he knows how to handle them when they happen from someone else in the future. Being such a visual learner, I think the mental image that he receives after hearing a message takes over the ability to step back and interpret the meaning behind that particular moment.

... you'd think after this light bulb of mine went off, I would have thought first before I asked him to toss his dirty dish into the sink. Of course not....and he tossed that dish perfectly.

...sometimes you just need a moment to sit by yourself and have a coffee...




...it's kind of hard to do that sometimes...if I am just patient for a little longer, perhaps he will slither off for just enough time to let me enjoy a few sips :)

on his way out...

...he's right. I don't get him. At least I think I don't, until I sit back and realize just how much I do.

parenting woes...

...ever have those days where parenting suddenly throws you for a loop, you are out of ideas, and you may unravel at any second? Well I sure do.....maybe I need to take my own advice from a few years back and lock myself in the bathroom with the last ice cream. (oh and how that worked like a charm!)

Welcoming prints to Etsy!

...Introducing high-quality prints on my Etsy shop! With an amazing printer headed my way, I will be shipping prints starting next week on beautiful 300gsm archival moab paper. I am so so excited!!!! head over to my shop for more details :) (and yes...so far today is much better. Thank you for your support!)

somedays are just like that

...somedays you need to just write down "today sucked" on a piece of paper.

..today was that someday.

...and it's only 3pm

...somedays are just like that.

the beauty is in the order

cars fabric design, originally uploaded by mummysam.

This new textile design is based on my son's daily interest in lining things up when he was younger. When he was two years old, daily trips were made to the local tennis court where he would spend a good couple hours lining all his animals along the outlines of the court. We used to always time it as the sun was coming overhead, in order to watch the changing shadows of each animal. Once home, the animals would be replaced by Thomas the Train engines and his box of cars, and the lining up activity would resume.

Looking back at his childhood almost 9 years later, I see all of the "red flags" that I was completely oblivious to back then. Little did I know what this indicated....I just saw it as something beautiful to look at....and I still think it is, don't you?

too cold

...working on some quick sketches for an idea brewing in this little head :)

but it's mushy peas!

...it's devastating when something you loved so much as a kid gets spit out from your child's mouth with the biggest gag performance to hit the stage

..."but it's mushy peas!", I say. I mean, that statement alone should open up his eyes and result in complete agreement that his gagging episode was purely unjustified. I know he hates anything with a mush to it, but aren't mushy peas an exception to the rule?

...so wrong. so wrong.

...where the nice chairs go

.. a new textile number I have been working on...




...and some chairs to accompany it!

windows can be distracting

..I really should have a studio with no visual access to the outside world. Oh, and also the coffee pot, teapot, bed, phone, computer, bed....etc.

...I am too easily distracted