2.5

calvin was two and a half last sunday. he is growing so quickly right before my eyes. he loves the word 'why?" at the moment. i mean seriously loves it. he is so curious about how things work and why things are the way they are. sam started having little talks with him as they snuggle off to sleep. these talks consist of calvin saying "talk to me about ______" and then sam talks about whichever subject calvin chooses and calvin inserts about 100 whys. last night i got the chance to snuggle with him and he asked me to talk to him about football. football? i gave it my best shot, but after a few unanswered "why's" calvin changed his mind and said, "ummm talk to me about daddy." that i could do. these talks have spilled over into our everyday conversations. calvin found a cicada shell the other day and looked at me and said, "talk to me about cicada's." then came the why's...

he has been a wonderful big brother. he is so gentle and loving to maeve and he has so many plans to do with her and things to teach her when, as he puts it, "she grows bigger and bigger and bigger".

he is very into the crystal that hangs in our kitchen window making rainbows while we eat breakfast so for his half birthday he wanted a rainbow cake. luckily i remember seeing one here. he loved making it and eating it! sam put one too many sticks of butter in the white cake recipe so it sorta tasted like a big sugar cookie... fine by calvin.

happy half birthday calvin!

maeve

she is four weeks old already. it has been crazy in some ways (but in not in the ways i expected it to be) and so amazing. she is a very mellow baby, which is so great in a second. she has the cutest scratchy little voice. she coos quite often (i think she is chatty like her mama). she especially coos at her brother. the is something magical about siblings. calvin loves her and kisses her constantly, all over, which i guess we all do...

here is a pic of her in the outfit i made. the pants are a perfect fit. they are roomy enough for the bulky cloth diaper and so soft. i want to make a few more, but i am still searching for the time.

more waiting, more sewing

here are a few more sewing projects that i have had a chance to finish since little miss has not arrived yet...

the martha stewart baby kimono (free pattern here). i love how it turned out, but the pattern is a little hard to follow and has some missing parts... but now that i have figured it out and done it once, i am inspired to make a few more. i think i will use snaps this time instead of ties for ease and speed of clothing changes. i made the smallest size, but hopefully the kimono style will fit for awhile.

and calvin got a new pair of pajama pants. i used a pair of pants that fit him well as a pattern and the method in simple sewing for baby by lotta.

so back to (waiting) enjoying each moment until baby arrives. maybe i will get some more sewing in, who knows...

a quilt

:: front::

::back::

::binding::

the quilt is done except for a few stiches on the binding that i plan on finishing tonight. i love the pink and green together. the colors and fabrics were not what i had initially had in mind, but after putting together countless fabrics in different ways this is what i ended up with and i couldn't be happier. now it just needs a wee babe to wrap itself around.

a homemade outfit for baby

here it is.... a whole outfit for baby made by me. i set a goal for myself to make an entire outfit for the baby, but i sorta knew that i wouldn't really do it. i mean come on, i have never really sewn any clothes, besides pants for calvin and those left a bit to be desired in the fit department.

but now here it is! shoes from this pattern .

for the pants i made up a pattern loosely based on a pair of pants that i had from when calvin was a baby and the pattern in the creative family book by amanda blake soule. i made these way better the second time. they are a one-nighter project (which is so satisfying at the moment...). i have a few more in the works for calvin.

the shirts is completely made up by me (based on a hand-me-down shirt that a friend gave me). i learned a lot making this shirt, as it is my very first shirt ever. the arms and neck are made with lingerie elastic so i am hoping this shirt will fit easily over her head and she can wear it for awhile. after making it, i altered the pattern a bit and i might make another one before baby comes (depends on when she arrives...), but for now i am happy with this one and think that it is wearable.

hopefully i will have pictures to post soon of a baby wearing this mama-made goodness!

gifts

i made coffee cozies as gifts for all the teachers i worked directly with this year. i used this great and easy pattern. i love how they turned out. happy end of the school year!

busy

::columbia graduation::

::waffle weave dishcloth::

::cloth napkins for the kids::

::dahlias planted in the porch planters::

::shoes:one pair to gift and one to keep::

::cloth diaper burp cloths::

the last month has been filled with graduation, lots of knitting and sewing, and spring planting. school ends wednesday and then i am ready for some relaxation time before baby makes her debut. if only the rain would stop so that i could lay in the hammock, sipping lemonade. i am trying to make the most of these rainy days and chip away at my crazy long, must do before baby arrives to-do list. i am off to do just that.