Oh boy.

An over-achiever I must be.
Somehow I don't think the average Mom of two starts a clothing company, a year later opens a store, and then three weeks after opening the store takes original said clothing company to market...I just don't think that's normal. Now, nobody thinks it's normal that I work until 4 or 5am sometimes. I guess I don't think much of it - who else is going to get it done? It's kind of like changing a poopy diaper. Somebody has to hold their nose and do it, or there's going to be a lot of screaming to listen to later...
So, I'm going somewhere with this. Market is stressing me out, probably more than opening the store did. SO many details - and being on the selling end of market is an unknown for me, whereas the store is something I've done all of my life and is extremely familiar. In the store I'm (overly?) confident that I could handle anything that happens - market, I'm nervous. I called Paris today, where our show is and also where I am staying, to ask what happens to packages that we have shipped that may arrive before we do. The woman at the front desk laughed a little and said they go into a big room, and that they come in by the truckload this week. She said when we get in, we get to venture into this "big room" and find them. I'm assuming she meant find them ourselves. Fan-TAS-tic. Because that's exactly what I want to do while I should be setting up my booth. And when I'm nervous as hell. Search for a needle in a haystack. Outstanding.
I also realized today that it might be good to have something to hang our garments on when we're showing them. Hangers, maybe? Whoops. Silly details.
Progress has been made on the line sheets - this was one of those instances where you have know when to throw in the towel and pay a professional to do it for you. Thank goodness for Molly, my new handy-dandy graphic design whiz (and yoga princess). She whipped something amazing up overnight, and it's just a matter of plugging in the right information and pictures. Molly, you're the best. Maybe she can give me private yoga lessons too, being that I haven't been to the gym since I started the first company last year...

Why no posts, you ask?

Because I've been busy. Seriously, no lie, crazy, terribly, non-stop busy. And, I'm working SO much at this point, that I just can't bring work home (even blogging) with me anymore or I'd be working around the clock. I've officially moved my entire "creative" work station to the store. I had a work counter installed, just like the one I have at home, but now the one at home is bare and a little lonely looking (weird). All of the tulle, and fabric, and scissors, and ribbon, and sparkles, and flowers, and even my sewing machine.....at the store now. So, now I can work on my tutus and sewing projects in between customers and a bazillion other things during my 12 hour stints at the store. Sweet, I say. Having all of that stuff out of the house kind of took a major load off - I don't feel as stressed when I'm at home. I don't always feel like there is a "project beckoning".
I've worked at least five open to closes since the store opened, and haven't had a day off in 10 days. I'm up late doing laundry now because I have tomorrow off completely - no store at all - and I want to spend it with the kids, not doing laundry. I'd rather stay up until 4am doing laundry and only get a few hours of sleep than have to do it tomorrow. To just be honest, I miss my kids. Being that I used to be home full-time, this has been a major switch for all of us. I want to concentrate on them tomorrow, not the mountain of laundry in the basement.
Well, here's the DL on the store. It's been good. We've surpassed our expectations by quite a bit. I placed more orders earlier in the week, so among other things we will have an entire new stock of aden+anais by Wednesday. This time I also ordered some of the towel sets which I think are absolutely adorable. We are also getting in some really cute toddler boy outfits by an Etsy designer - pants with matching long sleeve t's in sizes 2T-4T. And...the birthday hats will be in soon. If you want one of these, I'd pop in quick because I only ordered a few - a few with the number 1 and a few with the number 2. I'm SO excited to get these - they are beyond-words cute. We have more knit hats coming in by two different designers, and more rocker t's. There are a few other possible orders I'm wavering on, and a few more that will be ordered closer to September and October, but I think everyone will be happy with what's coming this week for now. Hopefully these shipments will last longer than a week. :)
So, obviously there is no more stay-at-home-Mama in the house. Jaxie had his first day at daycare a week and a half ago and is...well, not quite adjusted yet. His teacher is amazing - very motherly and loving with the kids which is great. Every time I walk in the room she always has them cuddled around her reading books or doing some sort of art project that they need a LOT of help with. She's very patient. Anywho, he's fine in the car on the way there, fine walking through the main door, fine down the hallway, but the second I put my hand on that doorknob to his classroom the wailing starts. And I'm talking full tears, screaming at the top of his lungs, clinging to me with his legs, and pleading "Mommy" (the worst). However, I did wait outside the door on Friday and noticed that pretty much as soon as I left he stopped, so that made me feel a little better. I don't think he's napping well because he always looks exhausted when I pick him up. And of course, the first thing he does when he gets home is run to the fridge, yank on it and say "ba-ba"? And....I give him one. Oh yes I do. Guilt works wonders.