Mom Story: Inés from LaCasita de Wendy
My name is Inés Aguilar, I'm a fashion designer and entrepreneur with my own brand la casita de wendy. I live in Madrid with my husband and 1 year daughter, Valentina. My house is also my studio and we have a little fashion school here called El Estudio where we show how to develop fashion collections and how to run a small fashion company. In la casita de wendy we are focused in ethic design and we have this manifesto to explain our philosophy.
What kind of house do you live in - are you and the kids happy here or is there anything you find lacking or would like to change?
We live in a detached house, and we have two floors for living and two floors for working. We are really happy living here because we have enough space and a little backyard.
What do you like best about living there?
I love having a small garden, in my city this is not very usual. We also have a swimming pool which is great for the hot summers in Madrid. I love everything about living here.
Do you like to spend time decorating your home and your child’s room?
I would love to have more free time to decorate, but I'm always quite busy with my company. In Valentina's room I spent more time painting and decorating while I was pregnant.
Do you keep your child’s play area separate or do you believe they should have a space in every part of the house?
Valentina has a room with toys but she is always around us, so she ends up playing in every room, mostly in the living room which is often a mess.
Where do you look for interior inspiration, favorite magazines, websites, or blogs?
I love decoration blogs like decor8, or design sponge's sneak peaks.
What are your child’s favorite items in your house?
Valentina has many toys she loves like her wooden horse or her tiny tent, but at the end she wants to play with my markers or with her dad's computer.
What places in your neighborhood do you like to shop at?
There are not many shops in our neighborhood but we don't shop much, my husband is very much in to conscious consumption and we buy our veggies in a local cooperative. We also make our soap and yogurt and we grow sprouts and have our own little vegetables garden. For Valentina we try to buy handmade stuff online from crafter's and artists.
What is it like to raise a child in your town?
Raising a child in Madrid depends on the area you live in, if you are in the city centre there are a lot of events and beautiful shops for kids, but there is also lot of noise and pollution, we live far from the centre in a quiet and very green area so we enjoy walking and playing outdoors.
Who do you consider a good example for your child?
It's difficult to answer, I guess her family, her grandparent's, we would love her to learn all from them.
What is a normal day with your child? What do you do on the weekends?
In a normal day she stays at home with us (she doesn’t go to nursery yet). She use to playing around us while we try to work, which is very difficult!! Her dad takes care of her all morning long so I can do all the calls and answer all my mails. In the afternoon we spend some time playing in the park with her and when she goes to sleep we can work a lot in our jobs (we both work at home). In the weekends we have to work very often, so the routine is quite similar.
Tell us a funny story, quote or remark your child recently made.
One night Valentina managed (we still do not how) to get out of her crib and later we found her smiling while sleeping under the bed.
Any books you can recommend for parents on how to raise children?
In Spain there is this popular book Besame mucho (Kiss me a lot) by Carlos Gonzalez that is interesting, but we are not very much in to reading books to raise a child, we believe in our common sense and instincts.
What is your ‘how-to-raise-children’ advice?
Believe in your instincts, we are all prepared to raise a child. Don't believe in strict rules cause kids are not machines…and one important thing: trust your kid.
What kind of DIY projects do you like to do with your child?
We love painting with her, but she is too small to help me in DIY projects. I use to make her some toys or clothes, I hope she will help me soon!
Are you a crafter or DIY person?
Both! I love crafting and I enjoy making stuff for Valentina or to decorate the house so much.
Books, websites, local shops you would recommend for tips and ideas about kids crafting?
I love many blogs like Fine Little Day or Bloesem…also Kireei, a great Spanish blog very inspiring, but I love using my own ideas and imagination to create.
How do you like to celebrate birthday's and other special days in your house?
In spring or summer we love making picnics in the garden. In winter time we make parties in the attic where we have la casita de wendy's studio. We have a friend who does very nice catering called PINCHÍN who makes very funny cakes and sweets for Valentina.
Does your child have friends over often? If yes, what activities do they do?
When other babies come around they love playing with Valentina's wooden blocks or playing with our ribbons and fabrics. If they pop in here in springtime they enjoy the swing in the garden. In the summer they like the swimming pool.
Are there musical instruments in your house?
Yes, we have many instruments at home, like a xylophone, an ukulele and drums …my husband loves playing and teaching Valentina.
What are your all time favorite books for children?
I love sharing my childhood books with Valentina.
How do you buy your books? Bookstores? Online?
I love buying old books in flea markets and sometimes in bookstores from the city centre. I also find nice stuff at Amazon.
Are you a ‘cook’ or ‘food lover’ or both?
I love food and my husband is good at cooking but I´m not so he is always in charge of the kitchen. Having him cooking for me and Valentina is liberating and in a way is like eating in a restaurant, because he is always asking me what I feel like eating.
Where would you like to go on vacation - with or without your child?
We always go on vacation to the north of Spain, Asturias, it's an amazing place very green and with amazing beaches.
What kind of souvenirs do you bring back home?
We take all kind of leafs, seashells and little stones.
How do you prepare for a trip, any useful tips?
We travel with a lot of stuff, the crib and all accessories for Valentina and of course we always forget something! A useful tip is to write a list.
What are your tips for traveling in a plane or on a long road trip with your child?
For long trips we try to entertain her singing, she has three or four favorite songs we have composed for her, the songs we sing when she cries…it's the only way to stop her, but it's exhausting!! We are thinking about buying her a dvd for the car with some of her favorite tunes.
What a gorgeous Mom Story, thank you Inés for sharing it with us!
*If you are interested in being considered for a Mom Story, please contact Tiffany - tiffany.bloesem(at)gmail.com
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