Fates, Fruits, and Bubbies

I don't usually do personal posts here on Marginamia, but I just feel compelled this week. I am, after all, a mother, and you know we love to talk about our children!

My sweet Nona turned four (!!!!) this week. I can hardly believe it.

We had the loveliest day full of stories and memories and laughter and music and books and fingers full of strawberry icing.   We opened our windows to the fall air and watched children throw pretty, white balloons until they were exhausted and ready for more stories.

Nona has brought such joy into my life and into the world; to know her is truly to love her. I'm so excited to watch her life, to see what she creates, to witness her loving and dancing and discovering and giving and  surprising herself and just being awesome. I'm so tickled that I get to be a part of her amazing story. 

Since this is a blog all about creative endeavors, (and because mothers love to brag talk about all the things our children make and do,) I thought I'd put up some of her creations for this birthday tribute. 

Nona loves to make bouquets out of anything she can find; she hasn't met a plant she doesn't want to honor in a cup or vase.   I love to watch how proud she feels while she's making  and how ginger she is with the flowers. Each time she smells one, you'd think it was the first time anyone anywhere had sniffed a flower.  The photo up top with the dandelions and mushroom was my Mother's day surprise this year.  And she made me the the bouquet just below with rosemary from our back yard and it smelled wonderful. She picked the yellow flowers at the park and carefully tended them all the way home until she could get them into a cup. 

 She stares out this window a lot, so calm, pensive and serious, tapping those sweet little fingers on the window sill, every bird and butterfly triggering stories and queries. She really, really wonders about things, this one. There is nothing in this whole universe I love more than hearing the thoughts and questions that come after  one of her pondering sessions in that window. 

She also likes to make bead necklaces. I gave her two of my old gold chains linked together, some thick string in various colors, and a bowl full of all colors and sizes of beads to make herself some jewelry, but I think she's happiest when I'm wearing them. After modeling them, she informed me that they are, in fact, for me. Note how the beads go from small to big-- of course a child would do it that way! I love wearing them, too! 

Iggy Peck, Architect, by Andrea Beaty (brilliant illustrations by David Roberts) is a book we've been lucky to have available from our local library; now she finally has her own copy! Thank you, Aunt Bug!  The other books were ones that I have not had luck finding at the library, so she got them this year for her birthday. After opening and reading the books, I arranged them so we could enjoy the covers through her celebration!  I can't recommend these books enough, and the illustrations are so, so amazingly great:
For Just One day, by Laura Leuck, illustrated by Marc Boutavant
The Cat at Night, by Dahlov Ipcar
All Kinds of Families by Mary Ann Hoberman, illustrated by Marc Boutavant
Around the World with Mouk by Marc Boutavant (we like Marc's illustrations!)

A funny tidbit: I awoke on the big day to Nona sitting on the sofa covered in string and brown wrapping paper, most of her presents already opened. I thought I'd put them at a slightly taunting but unreachable height (not my brightest idea.) She was so proud that she had been able to get them down by standing on a chair and using a long spoon, and she genuinely thought I'd be glad for her. "Look, Mommy! I got a unicorn!"  And yes, I was glad for her.

Alright, enough of my gushing about a topic that quite possibly no one but me finds quite this interesting (thank you for indulging me.) On with the name list!

While I would never really suggest one of my children's names for anyone else, today I dedicate my post to my first born and use her names as the take off point for a list (her name belongs in each of the categories below, of course.)

Names inspired by The Fates from various traditions:
Decima
Morta
Clotho (the Greek equivalent of Nona)
Lachesis
Atropos
Moira
Delphi
Ananke
Nyx
Themis
Iliad
Fate
Coral
Fortunata


Plumish names:
Victoria
Mirabelle
Umeko
Ume
Luumu
Prune
Prunella 


Great names for babes born in October:
October
Opal
Hallow
Chrysanthemum
Autumn 
Aki
Akiko
Suzu
Orchard
Maple
Golden
Rosario
Cliona (a daughter of poet Libra. a bit of a stretch, but it's such a pretty name.)
There's also thesimilar sounding Cleone, which is totally unrelated, but too pretty not to mention.

Names used for grandmothers (both traditional and trendy), which I love for little girls' names (or little girls' nicknames):
Amma
Avo
Oma
Ona
Uma
Momo
Moma
Mimo
Mimi
Lola
Bomma
Yaya
Vovo
Bibi
Gigi
Lilo
Lally 
Soosa

What do think, readers-- Are there any grandmother or grandfather names you've heard being used out there that you think would be equally adorable on a little one?  Any fruit names you love? Your favorites from mythology? Any you'd love to see on babies born in Autumn?