I have torn through a bunch of different technique books to no avail (crying is not an option for me) so next up is the No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley. http://www.nocrysolution.com I came across this via the work of Dr. William Sears who, as it turns out, is my new go-to source for parenting philosophies. I decided this after realizing that when I read something he’s written I feel good about myself as a parent as opposed to inadequate. So I figure if he recommends Pantley’s book it’s worth a read.

So here’s the scenario that has lead me to desperation (and blogging!) For six months Wills or Prince William, as we call him with royal irony (we are descended from the Kentucky Tudors and Will has no claims to anything resembling a throne), slept like, well, a baby in his crib. As I have since discovered, this was because he was unaware of where he was to some degree. Also, the swaddling helped. Now that he uses Incredible Hulk tactics on the swaddling blankets, this is out, and between the teething and separation anxiety that has set in, Will has decided that there’s no place like Mommy and Daddy’s bed. Nursing to sleep is not longer working either because he immediately wakes up freaking out. Pantley describes this as the equivalent of an adult going to sleep in a cozy bed and waking up on the kitchen floor.

Yesterday was the last straw. I have recently started working out (yes my metabolism has been traded in on an older model against my will–think mini cooper to pinto– and I can no longer eat cheese steaks), and my trainer (I have a trainer-long story) told me that I looked truly bad, ragged as he put it. Then I was out in public and a teacher that I had for 15 years in school did not even recognize me. Then Stephen kept asking me if I was “ok.” I’m seeing a pattern. So okay. The sleeplessness is taking it’s toll to say the least.

So the plan is to do all these sleep logs, and through time+patience+love to create new happy sleep associations for Will so he learns to fall asleep and once he awakens during the night (and is not in need of something) to blissfully drift back to sleep. Wish me luck!

If you’re still reading this blog, thank you for not giving up on me. This fall and winter have been trying for different reasons; family with health issues, job issues etc. I had 3 oral surgeries and we’ve been busy trying to stay on top of everyday living with all its dishes bills etc. There have been some wonderful things too, which I may blog about retroactively.

Much love to my readers, Sarah

Our neighborhood has a really nice pool that we enjoy going to sometimes. We are endlessly amused by the precocious kids in our neighborhood that swim there who are more technologically aware than I was in college. The other day we heard one seven year old say to another “Hey Williams… (Note: you could also insert any appropriate name here like “Cooper” “Connor” “Reilly” “Wiley” “Coyote”), why didn’t you answer your cell yesterday?!, I must have tried you ten times!” I imagined the conversation continuing as I dosed off in my chaise lounge, “how am I supposed to represent your interests in the tree house transaction? You know that Smalls is getting cold feet about the deal.”

I will point out here that I got my first “cell” when I was 23. Maybe these kids could give me some advice about diversifying my portfolio.

Watching her in action, she had quite a flare for, what I had always considered, the rather tame process of making deviled eggs. Everyone has their method, but Stephen’s Mom uses this cute little white pastry icing bag to deposit neat flowery dollops.

With Wolfie, I noted that I had never seen anyone put so much, how shall I say it? physicality into her work in the kitchen. She admits that not everyone sees cooking as a “full contact sport” the way she does, but I would argue that her methods, while unorthodox, are much more entertaining than your average cooking show. What zest for life! Stephen and I deemed her work to be quite tasty.

Via one of the blogs I read everyday, Decor8 by Holly Becker, I found this wonderful “mood board” of a room that I would like to spend some time in with some tea and a copy of Mrs. Dalloway. This was part of a contest held to come up with designs for a whole room inspired by Amy Butler’s fabric. This one was my favorites by Melanie Hohse of Kleiner Kaufladen.

http://www.kleinerkaufladen.de/

http://decor8.blogspot.com/2008/06/entry-11-melanie-hhse.html

I just saw this tonight and it looks like I may never work in this town again Really, you should not see it. Really. This is not endorsed by the Tudors. We did giggle in the theater when I came on screen for my 15 seconds (not minutes) of fame, but even so I don’t think I could see it again.

I know M. Night was going for the feel of a B movie, but even with my low expectations, I was still disappointed. I wanted so much to like it! I’m not one to go along mindlessly with critics but this one in the LA Times summed it up pretty well. I do believe in the director’s development as an artist and maybe this was a risk he needed to take (people are always criticizing him for being too precious about his work) but personally, I cannot watch kitch-y gore. I’ll hope for better with his next project, or at least something I can watch with my eyes open. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/reviews/movies/la-et-happening13-2008jun13,0,5525800.story

Call me crazy but I was laughing out loud during this movie. PBS on a Sunday evening anyone?

Warning: spoilers ahead. I have to say that Elizabeth Gaskell (the author whose three novels are the basis for this film set in a small English town circa 1840s) threw me for a loop. Perhaps I shouldn’t pin it on her until I read the books. What I mean is this. I guess after one has read (or watched) enough Austen, you start to expect a certain formula for how things get resolved. For instance, when one of Gaskell’s heroes, the young doctor, is wronged through a series of foibles caused by women clamoring for his affection, you are waiting for clear resolution to this injustice. It would have been nice for a Mr. Darcy or a Colonel Brandon to step in, with riding boots perhaps,and silently right all wrongs behind the scenes with a big wad of money or an persuasive argument, making the best use of his society connections. So I waited, but no one really came to the rescue of this guy in a satisfying way, not even himself. Eventually the doctor was accepted into society again, but his name was never cleared in a Shakespearean or in a Law-and-Order-closing-argument kind of way.

I guess the difference here is that the victim of injustice is a man, one of the few in this town of women. Maybe that’s the point? Admittedly, I haven’t read the book so maybe they left the punch out of the script although I doubt it. Where is my justice on each account? Oh well. Do I ask for too much?

The movie was an amusing portrait of a small town. It reminded me of Eliot’s Middlemarch in that way. I particularly enjoyed the way the actresses played up (don’t hit me) the generally female propensity towards passive-agressively controlling everything and making even the smallest decisions wildly complex. And of course, who can resist Judy Dench. Dame Judy gets me every time!

Peace Rose, will have champagne color bloom. I had one last year and it was precious.

Shasta Daisies and Blue Campanula. No flowers yet.

First Sarah Bernhardt peony came out yesterday.(Who can resist a plant named after a Parisian actress? I confess to an impulse buy for this reason.)

http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails?artobj=45995

photos of peony to come…

I tried to plan it so that something is blooming at all times, but because the garden is between two buildings, it has its own microclimate that makes it behave unseasonably. My daffodils still aren’t out so I guess they’re not coming (?) Sorry I don’t know all the names of these plants. I’ll have to do some research. Feel free to chime in you botanical experts!

Balloon Flowers, will be purple

Blackbeard? I think that’s a pirate. Bluebeard? the little flowers are a frosty blue and the leaves are frosty green. Where’s my flower book?

Fern, name? has magenta flowers and strongly scented leaves

Hydrangea, light blue

Lavender, French ? Help me out Amelia…

Lilacs! First year for a blossom and I only planted the volunteer 2 years ago.

Stephen is taking me to Yang Ming for dinner tonight. Yipee. All I wanted for my birthday this year was tasty food. I think I may be ordering this.

Also, a highlight was attending the premier of the film 21 staring Kevin Spacey, which was very red carpet-exciting. The actor, Jim Sturgess (from Across the Universe) came out at the end as a surprise and the crowd went crazy. He looked super British wearing pointy shoes and a stiff trench coat. He was really entertaining during his Q & A, doing uncanny impressions of Kevin Spacey etc.. I wanted to ask him how he researched roles for his 2 movies that were connected with the American experience, but it was hard to put into words so I didn’t. Besides, one could hardly get a word in edge-wise with all the quesitons. I found it strange that all a room full of film makers could think to ask about was how the real life “Ben”, who happened to be there as well, actually cheated to get the money (presumably so they could re-create his efforts) and then what he did with it. Oi vey I guess they wanted to fund their films. As part of the discussion it came out that Jim Sturgess was offered $1000 to sing the Beatles “Girl” in one of the bars on Sixth Street. Had I been there, that may have been another highlight.

The interview with Helen Hunt was really interesting. She talked about the process of making her film “And Then She Found Me” in which she co-stars with Colin Firth and Bette Midler. The film was puzzling but that’s another story. It was purchased by a distributer so you’ll get to see it for yourself someday. One film that hasn’t been bought yet, but that was really sweet and riotously funny was a movie called The Promotion with John C. Reilly. There’s a tap dancing scene and he’s fabulous. I hope it gets distribution. It’s the story of two grocery store employees that are vying for the same promotion. So cute.

Complaints? People were smoking in Austin like it was the eighties or like they were in a Francois Truffaut movie. By the end of the week, after being in enough dives and movie theaters, I was hacking away and confined to the hotel room with Stephen and Rachel running to CVS every hour. This is a little thing called the South by Southwest flu my friends, which as one attendee described it “runs longer than Cats on Broadway.” I caught something else on the plane and I have just recovered fully 3 weeks later.

Stephen has a whole different side to share seeing as he spent the week with designers and makers of websites. I think he made some great contacts for the future and got to talk to people as super brainy as he is.

I don’t know why we didn’t really take pictures…busy I guess. Here’s one in front the The Driskill hotel with leftovers.

Seeing the house that design heiress India Hicks lives in (in the Bahamas!) gives me painter’s remorse and I think you’ll see why. Sorry honey.

via Domino

I’m mostly excited about the weather!!! It’s 70 degrees down there. And the food. I love vacations for an excuse to eat different kinds of food. The music part of the festival is a huge deal so maybe we’ll get to experience some of that too.

www.sxsw.com

DD1: Good Morning, welcome to Dunkin Donuts.

ME: Good Morning, could I have a sausage and egg sandwich please?

DD1: Sausage Egg and Cheese?

ME: No Cheese, please.

DD1: No Cheese?

ME: No Cheese.

DD1: (cashier to latte maker) Sausage Egg no cheese.

DD2: (latte maker to cashier) No Cheese?

DD1: No Cheese

DD2: (latte maker to sandwich maker further down the line) Sausage Egg no cheese.

DD3: (sandwich maker to latte maker) No cheese?

DD2: No cheese.

DD3: (Sandwich maker hands me the brown bag and says with a big smile simply) No Cheese.

ME: Thank you.

I’m excited about subscribing to this blog, Un Coeur en Provence. So sweet. There’s an English and a French version. Thanks to Holly of Decor8 for the introduction. http://coeurenprovence.blogspot.com

Now in search of a topic…

I was tagged by Kj http://ragekaje.blogspot.com ages ago, so I figured I should respond. Now tagging is a custom you would think I would know nothing about (I just caught on to YouTube not long ago) but I do understand the concept. I’ll try to be full of surprises and random facts. Sadly, I cannot think of anyone to tag (Kim if she’s not busy http://inspiredliving-keepitmoving.blogspot.com or hasn’t been tagged yet.) Regardless, I’ll do my part…

-(Not a surprise) I am married to a (sometimes tortured) genius. He is technically inclined in every possible way. He could probably build a bridge from scratch just for fun. I am not that up on current technology (ahem…to say the least) and I have trouble opening cans. Stephen is an infinitely patient man.

-My head (yes, head only) is featured for 1 second (literally) in an upcoming movie trailer for a certain suspense film scheduled to release this May. Exactly 56 seconds in, (I know because it took me 3 tries to pause it) you will see me next to the extra with bad hair and behind a certain celebrity. (The trailer was out for 1 day on YouTube before it was revoked because of copyright infringement. You know the film of which I speak. It looks sort of lackluster and even gross, but I suppose my vanity will get the best of me and I shall be forced to see it.) I do NOT recommend seeing it for the record. Actually, certain friends and family are not authorized to see it in my opinion (that means you Patti, Wolfie and Pastor Dave.)

-Personal Historical fact; My mom put a love note in my school lunch box everyday until I was in 7th grade and told her to stop. Was that mean? I love you Mom.

-One retail obsession I have is Rachel Riley’s line of clothing. www.rachelriley.com I read about her idyllic life a few years ago in Vogue; ah yes, former English model, living in a French castle with famous photographer husband, designing children’s clothing for her three perfect enfants … tending her rose garden, dusting her grandiose chandeliers. Her clothing is well made, old fashioned and tempting. I like to keep up with what she designs for each season.

-Favorite movie: Enchanted April with Josie Lawrence, Miranda Richardson and Alfred Molina. I don’t know why this beautiful movie is not out on DVD.

This image is from the blog of a French textile artist that I like. Happy New Year!

http://julialikes.canalblog.com