The Princess and The Pea

 

Oh how I love this book.   I mean, I really love it, favorite books of all time love it.  I was green with envy the moment it started popping up on blogs because it hasn't been released here in the US yet.  We are big fans of the author, Lauren Child, and have read Clarice Bean over and over again.  And just like Charlie and Lola, we often serve 'green drops', 'orange twiglets', 'cloud fluff' and 'ocean nibbles' here for dinner.

Manda graciously offered to send me a copy of this book and I jumped at the chance.  A copy for me? All my very own?  You betcha!  But she totally surprised us all the with the goody she added in the package...

ten doll-sized quilted mattresses-

and a tiny felted wool green pea-

Are you gasping with disbelief like we did?  Manda, you are totally original with this idea, Emma is thrilled to say the least (and so am I).  This has got to be one of the cutest ideas I have ever seen or heard of.  This further proves my point, I am no longer attracted to mass-produced goods, not when things like this fill my home.  Thank you so much Manda.  So incredibly thoughtful (and not to mention talented) you are.

Let's see if Madeline has what it takes to sleep on the mattresses, will she feel the pea???  is she a true princess??  Will she wake up with dark circles from lack of sleep?

On another subject, Kristina asked me to put up a picture of myself so she could see what I look like.  The whole idea of posting pics of ourselves is an interesting and fascinating one for me, there seems to be as many that do as that don't.  No complicated, deep-seeded reason for me not doing it, I just basically hate every photo I see of myself.  I really don't like to be photographed, I much prefer to be the one behind the camera.  If I ever find a photo that I think looks ok and represents me well, I'll throw it up here, till then you probably won't be seeing 'me', just hearing my ramblings, which will hopefully suffice for now.  One day I might surprise you.  But what about you guys, what are your thoughts on why you do or don't post pics of yourself?

I did just look down and realized that my orange and pink outfit matches my new book, so here's a picture of my upper thigh.

Emma's bedroom has reached a critical stage.  I can't stand the amount of stuff in there anymore.  To use Ian's explanation for anything he doesn't like, "its too much".  I had all these fantasies and daydreams about what I was planning to do in there, but right now all just  needs to be put aside for some basic, full on, deep cleaning.  So as soon as the kids have been safely delivered to school and I have those precious few hours to myself, instead of working on my handbags, I will enter the zone (aka Emma's bedroom) with a trashbag and donation box.  After that, the whole room is going to get a facelift, by me, not Debbie. The time has come, just please don't tell her.  How do you moms get your kids to let go of things?  It doesn't work here.  She holds on to everything.  I tried to persuade her once, discussing how some other little girl might love to have that, you no longer play with it, etc...and after an hour alone in her room, all she could find to give up for donation was three naked Barbies.   

 

Comments

[angela]

i believe that was always one of my favourite stories. yes, must see if i can find myself that book again too. i finally managed to get myself charlotte's web once again.

but the love and the sweetness of the quilts and the pea, just to daydream along with the story...

that is utter beauty in itself. and shows a kind and lovely heart.

i think that is the sweetest pea i've ever seen.

angela

[Shelina]

I love your site! And just had to comment to this post. The princess and the pea book and gift are so adorable. Makes me want to make myself a bed. The pea looks hard to make. You must have an obsession with peas, since the first post I read was the book about the pea who had to eat candy everyday. :) Yum.
Getting rid of kid stuff: two ways that worked for me.
Designate a person to give stuff to. If you are giving stuff to someone your kid likes, they may be more generous. too generous sometimes :) It might also help to tell the child what they should be looking for - anything broken, anything you don't like playing with anymore, anything you are too old to play with, etc. If you designate a box for put in the basement/attic for later, that will get stuff out of the room that they are not willing to completely part with yet.
Explain to your child that there is more room to play when it isn't so overloaded with stuff. See how much more fun play is when you have space?
We have also put away toys to allow for more room.