I hate supporting a competitor...but this is FUNNY!

turn on your sound.

We got Elfed!

New Tiny Tales writeup

Tot Trends Weekly Magazine

Where did he learn this?

Tonight Trey and I were playing with his learning table, and he said to me "switch sides." When I didn't move fast enough, he said "do it now mommy." He is really talking up a storm!!!

giggles

This morning Trey slept until after 8!!! He was giggling, so Joe went in and he had his socks on his hands and was saying "mittens!"

Trey's newest sayings

Almost all done
sorry!
too big (everything is too big)
tada!
i see ...
by myself
mommy pee pee on the potty
what's that?
ok
all right
baby's turn, mommy's turn, daddy's turn
mommy sit down
christmas lights

and the best of all...

I love you!

Tiny tales on the shelf at whole foods

The whirldwind Christmas tour

Another week of work, then we are on vacation! Weee hooo!!! Friday the 21st we have Joe's holiday party. On Saturday I drive Quill down to the south shore to drop him of with my friend Nora who has graciously agreed to take him for the holidays (I did warn her about his gassy nature). Then on Sunday we leave for grampy's house in WV. We are there until the 27th, then we fly to South Padre Island, TX to celebrate Mimi's 90th birthday! On the 31st, we fly to Austin, then I fly back to Boston on the 1st and Joe and Trey come back on the 2nd. A lot of flying! For the long flights Trey has his own seat. I just couldn't bear a long flight with him on our laps.

The smartest child in the world

I know most moms say they have the smartest child in the world, but when I say it, it's true.

Yesterday when Trey and I pulled up to school, I was rummaging around in my purse for my badge. I said out loud "I wonder if I even have my..." and before I could finish my sentence Trey yelled out "BADGE!" Isn't that absolutely amazing! I know he knows the word, but its not as if we talk about it every morning. Just so smart.

First snow of the season!

We've had a dusting a few times already, but this is the 1st big dump of snow. I think we have 10-12 inches out there! I'm up early, hoping to sneak out to work since Joe is home with Trey, but I can't really tell if the driveway plow guy came. That would not be good. The driveway is long....

The forgotton one

Poor Quinn. Trey has picked up "Go away Quinn" and says it all the time. So heartbreaking. I think he must have gotten it from me - when Trey is eating dinner and Quinn comes sniffing around I tell him to go away.

We had the 1st snowstorm of the season last night. The news played it up, but when all was said and done we had about 1 inch on the ground. Joe got to stay home from work today, so we got to sleep in! And since we didn't make any noise in the morning, Trey slept in too! Quinn had to go out though, so Joe got up to let him out the front door to potty (we can't let him out the back b/c the door wakes up the baby). Joe futzed around the kitchen for a few minutes then got back in bed. About 45 minutes later we were woken up by Quinn's barking. He was standing on the front porch barking to come in. We had forgotten him!!! The poor dog probably laid down on the front porch on the snow and then got cold. His life has really gone downhill.

Crazy about books

Sales!

I've sold 84 Tiny Tales kits this month. Wee hoo! 38 to individuals and 46 to wholesale accounts.

I didn't fall off the face of the earth...

No I didn't fall off the face of the earth, it is just taking me a while to get back into the swing of things.

The weight loss spa was great, but hard work. Each hour was scheduled with activities, so it certainly wasn't a laid back vacation, but fun all the same. Spending time with Mimi, Mom, Mari, and Tina was fantastic! The weather was beautiful most days, and we rode bikes and walked on the beach. Hilton Head is very nice!

Trey obviously worked on his favorite song when I was gone, "ABCD" as he calls it. It is just about the cutest thing he does right now. When he gets to the end and the song goes, "now I know my ABCs, next time won't you sing with me," he sings "now i know my abcdefgh..." and starts all over again. It is like the neverending song.

Grampy Mance and Aunt Christine helped to keep Joe and Trey company when I was gone. I think they had a fun time, and I'm sure Trey was showing off his songs and somersalts. I don't know why, but there is a page in Polar Express with a truck on it, and every time we read that book now Trey gets very excited and says "Grampy's truck!" It doesn't look anything like Grampy's truck, but I don't have the heart to tell Trey.

Between fighting a nasty cold, a surge in Tiny Tales orders (including 2 wholesale orders), Christmas shopping, and my job, I can guess my updates won't be as frequent in December, but I promise I will try my best!

p.s. don't hold your breath waiting for a Christmas card from us. It just ain't happning this year.

Baby alligators !

Alligator !

Off to the "spa"

Well, I am off to my trip to the weight loss "spa" as mom calls it. She has been several times and loves it. Mom, Mari, Mimi, and Cousin Tina are also going. They have gourmet meals (low calorie of course), nutrition and cooking classes, and tons of exercise classes to choose from. I think Joe is hoping I will come home knowing how to cook. It should be a relaxing week. I feel like I've been working 20 hours a day between the Baton Rouge project and Tiny Tales, so it will be very nice to relax and catch up on sleep. Of course I'll miss Joe and Trey, but they won't be alone for Thanksgiving as Grandpa Mance and Aunt Christine are coming to visit.

P.s. I am on the airport shuttle bus, and the girl across the aisle has plastic cat ears on. She keeps pulling out a mirror and adjusting her hair around them. Not sure what that is all about.

Brings back memories

Ahhh... the Miracle Blanket.

My best friend Carol is due this spring, so I am gathering my list of "must have" products. I went to the Miracle Blanket site, and man does this video bring back memories. Swaddling became an art for us! Trey couldn't sleep unswaddled, so for 6 months (if memory serves me right) we swaddled for every nap and at night. Once he got too strong for the amazing Miracle Blanket, i sewed velcro strips onto the blanket to make it stay. It wasn't pretty, but it did the trick. And remember parents...a swaddle is not a light wrap. Its not for warmth. You have to tightly wrap so they can't move.

Oh no you didn't go there

Tonight Joe told Trey that firemen eat squash.

2nd wholesale order - Whole Foods

I just finalized my 2nd wholesale order. This time to the Framingham Whole Foods as part of their Buy Local Gifts this Holiday Season program.

Picky Picky!

Trey is getting very picky about the books I can read to him. If I pick out a book he doesn't want to hear that night (and it changes every night), he'll let me get a few pages in then shut the cover and say "the end!" It is very funny. Any book about firetrucks, trucks, or tractors he will always allow. The other books it is hit or miss.

New words

Trey says "nose" when he wants me to blow his nose, and "diaper" when he needs a diaper change. He practically takes care of himself!

I just realized tonight that "dah" means "yes." I think he got it from Joe and I saying "yeah."

Someone taught Trey how to say "baby burp" and "baby toot toot." Now after we giggle about it, I am trying to repair the damage and teach him to say "excuse me!"

Doesn't this just melt your heart?

Since it is dark outside when we get home, Trey gets scared in the driveway. Tonight I got him out of the car and he said "Mommy hand. Walk. Dark. Sun night night." Isn't that the cutest??!!

Tonight when I put him to bed, he said "I love you!" as I walked out, even before I said it to him. Of course I had to go back to the crib and shower him with kisses.

This is what being a mommy is all about!

First "Professional" Haircut

Snip-its was very cool! We had to wait about 15 minutes, but he loved playing with the balls and spinning the steering wheels and saying beep beep! {side note - playing with the steering wheels and saying beep beep is his favorite thing to do at the playground. He will do that for 10 minutes straight. Racecar driver-to-be? hmmmmm}

He did ok during the haircut, I guess as ok as you would do with some stranger touching holding onto your head.

He looks very sharp!












After this we went to Kiddie Kandids at BabiesRUs to attempt Christmas photos. It was a disaster (not one photo was taken), then he threw the biggest fit on the floor of the checkout line. I think I read that you are supposed to ignore tantrums, so that is exactly what I did. But that is a story for another day....

MP3

Yesterday Trey rediscovered his MP3 player in the toy bin that Gigi got him for Christmas last year:


Except that he only wants to hear "Baa Baa Black Sheep" over and over again. So he will bring it to us and say BAA BAA SHEEP!!

Sweaters!

I love putting Trey in sweaters! Isn't this one adorable? Thanks Target!

First haircut

We are going to take Trey for his first big boy haircut this weekend. Not counting the 2 times I trimmed his bangs and around his ears, he has only had 2 haircuts. Those were done by Joe with the clippers. It isn't that long, but it is doing funny things lately and sticks out in the back. I'll be sure to sufficiently document the experience.

"Juice"

Trey LOVES juice. Mostly apple juice, but any juice will do. Poor thing....he doesn't know that the juice we give him is 9 oz water and 1 oz juice. It is really juice-flavored water. If he ever had a whole glass of just juice I think he would be so mad at what he had been missing!

He drinks more than any kid I know. So I don't know many kids, but I've got to believe he takes in more liquid than the average 2 year old. I've even asked his doctor about it and she said as long as he didn't wake up during the night needing liquid then there was nothing to worry about.

He has 2 10oz cups of milk in the morning, an 8 oz cup of water during snack, a 10oz cup of water-juice at lunch, a 10oz glass of milk before nap, an 8 oz glass of water during afternoon snack. When I pick him up from daycare, he usually goes through a 10oz glass of water, then another one during dinner, then another one of milk before bed. That is 86oz of liquid a day! That is 2/3 of a gallon. Isn't that crazy? He still eats ok too. I'm just amazed at this kid's liquid intake.

new food

Re: my previous post about the way Trey eats apples, I'm glad to report he is showing signs of being a better child eater than me. This weekend he happily tried ketchup and loved dipping his french fries in it. He also chowed down a mini-burger and turkey sandwich (although he kept calling it cheese). Not at the same meal. I still have never had ketchup (although I don't really consider that to be a problem), and it took a good 18 years for me to have the bread touch the meat.

And the best of all.... he chowed raw onion and loved it!

I've been waiting 21 months to hear this

Listen

We are open in Baton Rouge!

Opening day went off without a hitch!

Colors

Trey is learning his colors. However no matter what you point to and ask what color it is, he will say proudly Green!

Calling all feedback!

Now is your chance to be heard!  I am going to have the design of www.tiny-tales.com tweaked a bit to keep it fresh.  Don’t be shy…let me know what you like/don’t like.  I need feedback and ideas!!! 

 

1st wholesale order!

Wee hoo!  My 1^st wholesale order has been confirmed for 24 kits.  The store is Isis Maternity, which is a well known local baby store with 3 locations.

 

www.isismaternity.com

 

 

Boycott iParenting Media

Get this. So to top off the fact that I didn't win, they sent me this email today:

Promotional Opportunity

Congratulations on your iParenting Media Award(s)!
Increase your sales in 2007 by adding the most credible award seal
available on your product packaging. You earned it - now tell people
about it! We celebrate your accomplishment(s) and are providing you with
the iParenting Media Award Classic and Hot seals at a special savings
right now through November 16, 2007.

{apparently if you win you don't get the little stickers for free...you have to buy them}

to which I replied:
Why would you send this to someone that didn't win? That is so
unprofessional. You talk about your ISO9000 certification, but then you
can't keep straight your winners and "losers" in your database?


So I know that is a catty response and they are going to think I am a disgruntled "loser", which I guess I am, but still! I can't believe they sent me that email. I even double checked online to see if I won, but there I am with a status of non-winner. and when I try to follow the link to see how much they charge for the stickers, it says "access denied." argh. so annoying.

Here's to new friends!

Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away. Can you believe it? One of the things I'll be thankful this year is new friends. A woman named Tracey found me online and said she loved Tiny Tales, and we have struck up a great friendship over the past few months. She has a small business called Tiny Sprouts and makes the most adorable hand embroidered baby gear. We talk online almost every day, and give each other advice and encouragement about small business ownership(at least I hope I do that for her!). So here's to new friends!

BTW - support her business when you need a baby gift (in addition to Tiny Tales, of course): www.tinysprouts.com

Nice

Trey's new favorite adjective is "nice." It used to be "fast." Fast motorcycle, fast firetruck, fast car, fast bicycle, fast truck, fast mommy's truck (this is a bit of a stretch, lest you think I am speeding down the highway in my SUV with a baby in the back seat). He learned the word nice a few weeks ago when he started to be scared of the drain. Joe taught him nice drain. Now it is nice drain, nice vanessa, nice truck, nice school bus, nice firetruck, nice neen (Quinn), nice fireplace.

I just don't know what to say about this

This is new. I'm not quite sure when or why he stopped liking apple skins. Kindof reminds me when I was young and used to fold a piece of bread in half, take 1 bite out of the middle, then throw the rest away. Did you ever know about that mom and dad?

I love these adorable conversations

Our conversation on the way home from daycare:

Me: what is my name?
Trey: mommy!
Me: what is your name?
Trey: baby!
Me: what is daddy's name?
Trey: ham!

An Open Letter to Joe

Dear Babe -

 

It makes it just a tad bit difficult to get our baby who is obsessed with rocks into the car in the morning when you build a porch made of rocks.  He wants to walk on the rocks, touch the rocks, say "rocks rocks rocks rocks" for about 5 minutes.  I love it and think it looks wonderful...I'm just sayin'.

 

Love Always,

Your Wife

Crazy 8

I’ve never heard of this store, but I think it just launched.  It is owned by the Gymboree store, which we love, and it is called Crazy 8.  They only have a few stores in NJ, CA, TX, and NY.  Shipping is free from their website right now.

 

www.crazy8.com

:(

Tiny Tales didn't win the iParenting Media award. :(

Halloween update...

Joe caved and bought candy.

Halloween, schmalloween

Joe has never been big on Halloween and answering the door for trick or treaters.  I was really into it the 1^st couple years we lived in our last apartment (which was in a house) and in this house.  However, last year we had a couple of older, thuggy, kids that sortof turned me off to the holiday.  Plus I always eat too much candy.  I know next year when we take Trey around it will be really fun.  But for this year I just don’t feel like answering the door and having all that candy in the house.  We are going to hide in the downstairs den and turn off all the lights.  Is that horrible?

Taking it to the next level

I think 2008 will be the year that I try to land wholesale accounts for Tiny Tales. I've had interest from stores here and there, but I don't have time to take a sample to every store to meet with the buyer. That would take forever! So what people do is go to big wholesale shows. There are hundreds of exhibitors and 40,000+ store buyers. Regular consumers can't attend - only buyers. I would set up a booth and persuade some stores to sign on as wholesale accounts. You can even take orders there and ship once you get back home, so you don't have to take a ton of products. The biggest is the NY International Gift Fair in early February. I called and they gave me a guest pass since I said I was thinking of being an exhibitor at a future one but wanted to walk the show first. If I feel I can handle the effort it will require (some of the booths are amazing and professionally designed) and the cost, I will do the Boston Gift Show in April. It is run by the same company and only slightly smaller.

Mystery Solved!

As previously mentioned, about a month ago Trey started inexplicably waking up anywhere from 5:50am to 6:15 crying, when he had been sleeping until around 7. My morning routine is to wake up when Joe does at 5:30, take a shower, check my email on my blackberry, get ready for work, so that way when Trey wakes up I can focus on getting him ready. We had no idea of the cause of his early waking.

The weekend before last he got up at 5:50am, and because I am a nice wife I went into Trey's room, calmed him down, and got him to go back to sleep by telling him I would sleep in there with him. The only place for me to lay down in his room is on a big ottoman that goes to our Pottery Barn chair and a half. I have to be really curled up to lay down on it,so its not like this was a good deal for me. Anyway, about 6:30 this horrible noise came out of his stereo that we keep on a static station. It was a very loud screech. Of course I was jolted awake, and so was Trey. What a horrible way to be woken up! Then it all became clear. This was similar to the noise the monitor makes when I have a new email coming in on my blackberry - some type of interference. And what happened about a month ago? I got a new hand-me-down blackberry from Grandma T (which I LOVE by the way)! I check my email around 5:50 or 6 each morning, and the new blackberry must cause interference with his stereo. It all makes sense.

Needless to say I leave the crackberry firmly in the off position now and check my email on the computer.

So this is what an "off" day looks like

This morning Trey slept until 7:30! This is very late for him lately. He used to do 7 or 7:30 all the time, but in the past month he has been waking up around 6am (see next posting re: mystery solved). Anyway, I was thinking to myself - "great. he is getting the sleep he needs apparently." Well...I think he got too much sleep. He started off ok, throwing duckie, monkey, and binkie ("bee-too") in the crib like we have been working on. Because we were running late, he didn't get to watch any Bob the Builder like we normally do when he wakes up at 6, which made him upset. Then he couldn't decide if he wanted milk or juice, so he drank 10 oz. of each, with a few thrown cups in the mix. At school he wanted to watch the bugs on the sidewalk instead of going inside.

I guess they didn't have much better luck with him at school. His daily sheet from today said "Trey had a tough day listening. He didn't listen to what he was supposed to do and spent a lot of time kicking both friends and toys."

Playground

Trey had a fantastic day on Sunday. As usual, he went with Joe to Starbucks and Whole Foods. At Starbucks, Joe gets a coffee and Trey gets an apple fritter. That will usually keep him occupied in the grocery store. Trey didn't always get to go with Joe to the store - when he was in his grabby stage, it was too hard for Joe to take him because he just wanted to grab everything on the shelves or in the cart. But now that Trey can talk, they have a blast and love going together on Sunday mornings. Joe tells him the names of everything and he practices saying the words. Then when they get home, Trey and I unload the groceries very slowly because he likes to reach down in the bag and grab things one at a time and hand them to me. Every item he says "here you go!" and I say "thank you!" I'm sure it is quite the sight, but it is our routine and we love it. It is so cool to see him use the new words he learned that morning (although Joe usually has to translate).

After that Trey and I went to our local playground. It is at the preschool, so everything is toddler sized and very safe. We took his bicycle and sidewalk chalk. We spent an hour there (in the cold I might add) drawing, riding, and playing. We had a great time, and he even sat on the swing! He had never done it before (not counting the times I used to put him in the bjorn and he would swing with me), and this time he was tentative but stayed for a minute or so. I pushed him very gently and kept a hand on his coat, but for the most part he was balancing and holding on himself!

Also for the 1st time he used the pedals on his bike. I was pushing him, but he kept him feet on the pedals and steered. Except for when he almost went into the wall and said "beep beep wall," which is what they teach him to say at daycare when you want someone to move. Usually he sits on his bike and moves it flintstone-style.

He had a long nap (2 1/2 hours), then spent some time helping Joe on the front porch project. Then our friend Chris (he was a groomsman in our wedding) was in from Colorado for the day before heading up to NH for a meeting. This was the 1st time he had met Trey and Trey was showing off all of his tricks. He really is turning into a ham!

A perfect Sunday! So perfect in fact, I forgot we had Baby Loves Disco tickets! Oops.

The project is coming along nicely

I'm sure it is much faster with the lil' helper involved!

the 1st online review of Expecting Tales

http://www.coolmompicks.com/2007/10/and_then_there_was_the_time.php

Only a few more days...

I find out on Thursday if Baby Tales won an iParenting Media award.  http://iparentingmediaawards.com/.  I applied in August and the waiting has been so hard!  

The new call center

This is the building that will be the permenant site of the new call center in Baton Rouge.

Oh how I missed this sweet baby face!

New career?

Add voice over artist to my resume:

866-217-1938

Going to LA

I'm on my way to Baton Rouge today. The call center opens 2 weeks from today and I can't belive it has come so fast! We will open in a rented temporary location while our building is being finished. Never did I think after 9 years of technology projects would I have an opportunity like this. It has been so much fun in spite of the fact it has been non-stop action. Stepping out of my comfort zone makes it fun to come to work. If I can't stay home with baby and work on Tiny Tales, then this has been a good deal.

I was thinking about all the roles I have played on this project:

Project Manager - ok, this is a given and what I knew I would be doing when I ageed to take this project.

Travel agent - recommending hotels for all the people we have traveling down there. Coordinating trips between the team so people could share cars and save money.

CFO - I review, approve, and sign off on all purchasess related to the project. I keep track of spending as compared to budget, and make tradeoffs where necessary.

Interior Designer - despite assurances to the contrary, all decisions on paint, carpet, tile, chair fabric, wood finish, etc. were left to me. The VP said it would be a group decision, but when it same time for the decision to me made, no one was around!

Real Estate - when it became clear our building would't be ready in time, I had to fly down last minute and find a temporary site to put 70 people in for a few months.

The visit this week is to make sure all the setup is going well and we are ready for opening day. I'll post photos when I get back!

Big Shoes to Fill

I was in the living room today, and I hear this "clomp, clomp, clomp" coming towards me. Trey had put on my shoes and was walking around the house.



Later when I was putting away clothes in the bedroom, he put on some of my heels and click clacked around. I didn't get a good picture of that.

Halloween Fashion Show

Vote in the poll (right) for what Trey should be for Halloween!

{Don't let his expressions in these photos influence your vote.}

Trucker

This is one of Trey's daily daycare notes from last week"

"Whether we are inside playing in the classroom or outside in the playground, Trey LOVES to play with his trucks. It doesn't even matter what kind of truck, he loves fire engines, cement mixers, dump trucks, and even school buses. He pushes them, pulls them, rides them, fills them, and dumps them!"

Joe's Project

Joe is redoing our front porch. He tore up all the brick, knocked out the brick wall, and is putting in crushed bluestone.

For your slackers...

You can now subscribe to the Frankovitch Family blog so that posts are emailed to you. A good way to keep up with all the news.

A walking advertisement

Trey wants everyone to know he supports grampy's business, Weirton Lumber! Doesn't he look sharp?





I LOVE his smile ~ it is so big!!

Winter is coming

A few 45 degree mornings and I started to worry about Trey's winter gear. This winter with Joe home I know they will spend a lot of time outside and playing in the snow. Joe is even talking about teaching him how to ski.

With our LL Bean credit card, we get coupons every month for free stuff. Can't beat that! Check out Trey's new hat, coat, and boots!