Bluebirdbaby

Being A Mother

(Photo from last Mother's Day)

Motherhood was never something I saw in my immediate future. My plan was to adopt in my late thirties, thinking I'd be this very independent gal who traveled all over the world touring (with a band) and never really had time to settle. So when I found myself married and pregnant in my early twenties, that future that I had envisioned since childhood suddenly broke into a million tiny pieces and floated away. But I was okay with that. I knew motherhood would open up a whole new world of possibilities.

I didn't realize that with becoming a mother, the identity I had always known, the person I had become, would suddenly disappear as soon as my screaming daughter was placed on my chest after a long and painful birth at home. The person I had grown accustomed to, who I had finally learned to accept and found comfort in, was suddenly a sleep-deprived, lactating, worried, anxious woman who now had an added appendage that was never there before. It took months to grow into my role as a mother. It wasn't love at first sight and there were many rough times before I could really settle into my new role. I often found myself longing for the person I was before.

But with all the evolving and adapting over the last 19 months, I will say that I wouldn't change a thing. The person I have become, who I have grown into and grown to love, is way more interesting, insightful, creative, loving, and compassionate than the person I was before. To have the honor of spending everyday with this marvelous, captivating, and amazing little person who has so much to offer the world, is a remarkable gift. I find great joy in being her mother and the gift of motherhood is something I will be forever thankful for.

I hope you enjoyed Mother's Day. See you around...

A Good Beach Day

Rainy Day Play

Blue

Apparently it's a blue-sky kind of week. The weather has been gorgeous and we've been enjoying every second of it. We only have a couple of weeks until the black flies come out, and then we're stuck inside again. Such a short window to enjoy the lovely weather!

Stephen took the day off to work on our deck. The floor is almost finished, then we'll be working on the railing. Finally, a screened room will be added and stairs that lead down to the ground. We think a hot tub would look fabulous up there in the future...

We've discovered Otay is definitely an outdoor cat. She whines and meows and jumps all over you until you open the door to let her out. She's just like a dog and will chase us all over the yard, comes when we call her, and digs large holes in the garden. Oh, and the sandbox...she thinks that is the best thing ever.

The little one has requested that every minute be spent outside, evident from the tantrums she displays as I try to get her in for lunch and dinner. She'd happily play outside until the sun went down, and I admit to expending a great deal of energy chasing her all over the yard, mostly trying to steer her clear of the road. But we have been enjoying ourselves. We've been walking everyday down the road to see the horses, chickens, tractors, and our friend "Mamee's" house. There are buds on the trees and flowers popping up everywhere.

This internet break has done me good. I've enjoyed it and do not intend to stop. I think I'll say to expect random posting for a while. I'm just enjoying everything that's been going on here. Books have been read, seedlings have been ordered, gardens have been prepared, flower beds have been raked and weeded, we've baked everyday, Stephen and I have been enjoying our quiet time reading at night, but mostly I feel like there is a certain "frantic" feeling that has disappeared. Trying to check e-mails, upload pictures, etc. all while multi-tasking left me stressed and frazzled. It's allowed me to be more present with myself and the little one. I almost wish we were back in the computer-less age.

As the little one and I were raking the garden yesterday I began to think of my mother. We had beautiful flower beds around our house growing up. We were always outside gardening or inside baking. I was trying to imagine how much of that would have been lost if we had a computer in our living room. How would I have felt if my mother was online instead of getting her hands dirty in the garden? (And this is in no way said to make anyone feel bad about their computer usage! It's just my feelings about how my time is spent.) Those times spent gardening and baking are some of my fondest memories. I want to make sure the little one has that too.

I have two new things to introduce to the shop, and while I felt I was under a time crunch to do so, I am just taking it easy. I'm enjoying the orders coming in and spending whatever time is needed in my little green room. I've made a goal of dressing the little one in only handmade this summer, so I'm excited to get working on some special things for her. Of course, I'll share some finished pieces here in the future.

So now I'm off to get some reading done in the sun on our half-finished porch before the little one wakes up from her nap. Enjoy your week! I hope you're sky will be as blue as ours.

I'm Beat

I've got the bag tutorial all ready to go, but I have no idea how to even make a tutorial with Typepad! Does anyone know? And if so, can you e-mail me with the details? It would be much appreciated.

It's been a hectic weekend with little sleep. Apparently we can cross salmon off the little one's menu. A night of constant awakenings from her left both of us pretty tired. So I don't have the energy to post about much. But I would like to say that the pleated denim shorts are now available in the shop. I'm so happy I finally found the perfect weight denim. The store I get most of my apparel fabric from has slim pickings when it comes to denim. Usually one light weight denim, a couple of medium weights, and a lot of heavy weights. So when I saw this medium weight denim that didn't scream 1980's to me, I snatched up all that was left, knowing it would be perfect for these shorts.

In other news, I dragged out our old matchbox cars from the loft. Stephen had a set and I had a set, so together there are plenty for the little one to pick through. She adores them and "drives" them all over the house. Such fun to watch.

And forget about crayons and paint....markers are much more fun. Crayons always ended up in the mouth and not on the paper, but not markers. She'll color sheet after sheet of paper with these. Her new favorite thing is to color on the wood floor. Luckily I've found with a bit of water, it will come right off. Getting it off her face, on the other hand, is a bit trickier!

Week 9

For the Six One Way flickr group.

Yesterday the little one decided she wanted to spend time outside. A lot of time outside. A few minutes after going out, it started to rain. Didn't bother her a bit. The camera and I got a bit damp, but we stayed outside and had fun exploring newly emerging patches of grass that lead into the forest.
We threw sticks for Mac, ate lots of dirty snow, watched birds soaring high above, found acorns to gather, felt the texture of different trees, checked out our boats stored in the yard, jumped in puddles, went in and out of the greenhouse, and checked the mail...all in the rain. The camera held up (mostly stored under my coat) and I managed to get a few shots from our rainy afternoon outdoors.

I hope you're all having a wonderful week and able to spend some time outside!

Waldorf-Inspired and Parenting

This post is a hodgepodge of thoughts. I do not tend to get mushy and sentimental, so this is a side of me you may not hear often. I wrote this late last night, finished typing and thought "oh my...this is really too much." I thought about going back and editing it all, summarizing this very long post into a single paragraph. But then I realized that sometimes the raw emotions of a particular moment can really bring words to life. So I left this post untouched, just as it was when I wrote it curled up on the couch last night.

There's been a lot of talk about Waldorf education around here. A few weeks ago I joined the steering committee for a future Waldorf-inspired preschool cooperative. I first read about Rudolph Steiner when I became pregnant. The Waldorf idea intrigued me and I quickly wanted to learn more. I'm usually not keen on labels. I feel they are too restrictive, but most of the Waldorf theories connect with me on a deep level. It may not be for everyone, but for our family, it fits the bill. Shortly after joining the steering committee, I purchased the book Over the Rainbow Bridge and finished it in record time. I found it to be a very basic and gentle introduction to Waldorf education, parenting, and home life.

As the little one gets older, I find ourselves adopting a certain rhythm in our days. Our routine is not always the same each day, but lunch and nap time often ground us after a hectic morning. Some days I find myself waking up with that dreaded "how will we ever pass the time today?" feeling. This book talks about the importance of rhythm and how establishing certain days for specific activities can help a child develop a sense of time. So we made the chart you see above. Each day is designated for a certain activity such as wash day, baking day, soup day, painting day, hiking day, etc. A child doesn't really grasp the concept of "today is Monday", and are most likely to understand when you say "today is baking day." It eliminates the stress for me to fill our days with activities, and a comforting reminder that we'll have a familiar routine we can sink into week after week.

Yesterday we managed a challenging gluten-free bread recipe and even put a pot of homemade chicken soup on the table for supper. Just a few of weeks ago, I never thought I could do this with a whining toddler at my ankles. But I realized I have a little helper, and if I actually let her help, it can go pretty smoothly. I will admit, I'm really looking forward to next "baking" day.

Since my post about mindful parenting, I have really been working on being present. Every second of every day. When I'm playing with her, I am just playing with her. I'm not thinking of the dirty dishes, the diapers waiting to be washed, or the e-mails waiting to be read. I try to be patient, even in the midst of those toddler tantrums. I admit, patience is not one of my strongest suits. But it's getting better. Instead of playing with her when she's acting clingy, we do housework: cooking, baking, cleaning, laundry, sorting toys, and sweeping (her favorite). Sure, she slows a normally quick task down, but she's engaged in an activity, having fun, and learning at the same time. All the while right by my side, instead of clinging to my legs.

I've limited my computer time to be fully present. I am no longer on the computer when she is awake. I don't want her to think the computer is more important than she is. So much of my time can be sucked away with scouring the internet for information, and although I do learn a lot, I should be learning by doing. Our television (no actual channels come in here, but we do watch Netflix after she goes to bed certain nights) will be moved to the loft, so it will no longer be the focal point of our living room. Stephen and I are limiting our screen time to one or two nights a week, and are taking up reading and playing board games instead. If we don't want her watching television, why should we?

I want her to have a rich experience in her early years. I want her to feel connected with the natural world around her. We're planning on ducks and chickens this spring, and possibly goats this summer. I want her to know where her food comes from, how much effort it takes to grow the vegetables we put on our table. I want her to get to know the wonderful community of people in this area and how lucky we are to recognize at least a handful of people whenever we go into town. She lights up when we see their smiling faces and hands waving a cheery "hello."

The preschool cooperative has been an amazing resource for me. I feel very lucky to be part of the team organizing the future of the school. It has pushed me to learn more about Waldorf, which in turn has pushed me to be more present in mothering. It has made me even more grateful for the joys and challenges of raising a child, and the fulfillment motherhood has brought to my life.

Post Sugar

Well, we had a lovely Easter. I hope you all did too. The little one and I headed down to spend the day with "Baba." She wore her mama-made Easter outfit. I think it was a hit and definitely "Elisabeth approved" which means many more shirts like this will be added to her summer wardrobe.

And who would guess it's actually a bed sheet? I love to repurpose things and limit the amount of new material I use. Although it's not always possible with the limited time I have for scouting out vintage material. But this floral pattern immediately caught my eye and inspired this lovely Easter ensemble.

Here is the little one modeling another tester for my spring/summer collection. The design will change a bit, but I finally found some denim chambray I liked after my other source fell through. The broom came in handy and kept my usual "very fast model" in a relatively moderate active state. This means about half of the pictures I took are actually in focus. Yay for small feats!

Mud Season

It's getting close to mud season in our little town. The snow is indeed melting, albeit quite slowly. And with the melting snow comes many mud puddles. The longer days have prompted the little one and I to get outside after her nap. So yesterday we bundled up (the sun was marvelous, but it sure was windy!) and headed outside to play in the puddles and marvel at the little patch of grass emerging beneath the snow.

One puddle proved to be quite deep, for a little person anyway. She barged right through it without a care in the world. Those rain boots sure come in handy on a day like this.

As we were walking back to find the only patch of grass by the house, I suddenly smelled spring. You know, that mud/everything starting to come to life again smell? It was marvelous and in my excitement I exclaimed, "can you smell that mud?!" So the little one spent the next ten minutes trying to get her nose as close to the mud as possible, all the while sniffing. So cute.

The grass is not yet green, but I have a feeling we may not be far from it. We spent a good amount of time just looking at the grass and pointing to dried leaves and fallen branches. The first time the little one spotted this patch of grass she screamed with excitement. Yes, my poor child, that is grass. It's been so long since you've seen it that you've forgotten about it entirely. It's coming again. I promise.

And some other scenes from our yard:

Enjoy today! We're expecting more sun and higher temperatures. I suppose we'll be doing more of the above.

Painting

With the daylight lasting well into the evening, and a little someone's naps getting mysteriously shorter and shorter, I've tried to come up with new activities to do together. Of course, she'd be content to read all day long, the same books over and over, but mama is looking for a new activity. Crayons get thrown on the floor and stomped on until they crumble to bits, I don't even want to think about finger painting, and although she does like to run around with mama's Sharpies, I was thinking something a little more gentle and not quite as permanent.

So our first adventure in painting with watercolors took place two days ago and it was a big hit. We set up a little table by the window so we could watch the birds while painting and got to work.

The concentration on her face made me realize how old she's getting and how she develops new skills in a matter of hours. It's quite amazing to watch. After a good deal of time painting with the brushes, she eventually switched to watercolor finger painting. It worked ... actually better than the brushes did. Always willing to experiment and test the limits, she is.

As I was cleaning up I heard some crinkling behind me. I turned around to find her sitting on her first completed painting and tearing it to pieces while giggling. I quickly grabbed the other drying paper and tacked it to our bedroom wall. Now before bed and nap time she points excitedly to the painting and smiles proudly. She made something.

Thank you for all your comments and advice on yesterday's post. No, I'm not pregnant and had a good laugh at those suggestions! I'm cutting out orange juice again for a longer time to see if that helps. And tomorrow will be a long overdue crafting post!

The Ol' Switcheroo

Being fortunate enough to have some warmer days lately has made me think about spring. It's a long way off, but just being able to open a window and let in some fresh air motivated me to get things organized. Our old living room/play room set up was getting a tad stale, and the little one had lost interest in many toys. I packed away quite a bit of them, but looking at the above picture, I realize just how many toys she has. Mostly simple things like blocks, stacking objects, musical instruments, and puzzles. But I realize that we do have a lot and I'm really of the principal that "less is more."

We didn't buy most of it. They were gifts (her "Baba" loves to spoil her!) and many were found in thrift shops for little money. But they do pile up. So it was nice to get a good sized bag put away. Her old kitchen set-up (the toy she plays with the most) seemed a bit cramped and inspired a good afternoon of rearranging.

In the kitchen's place, a bookshelf sits with piles of books thrown on the shelves. Small baskets for easier access will soon keep those books organized. I really do love moving furniture around. In our small and open living space it can seem impossible at times, but it's amazing how one little difference can really make a room seem entirely new.

Next on the agenda...paint!

*Pinch*

I've never really had that urge to pinch a child's cheeks because of their cuteness. But these photos and that adorable hat are sure making me think about it...

green week~five

We received a lovely package from Melissa over at Tiny Happy earlier this week. And guess what color rickrack she used? Green! (And I was so pleased to get one of her lovely gocco cards I had been eying on flickr. I love trees.)

Yesterday was a good mail day. The little one got the above package from a family member and it was wrapped in green paper. How appropriate! We also received some other lovely things in the mail that you can see here.

The resale shop we frequently visit also sells balloons. A lady walked out with a large bunch of balloons and the little one politely requested one for herself. So I chose the nearest color balloon and had them inflate it. It wasn't until later that I realized I had picked green. Perhaps it was a subconscious decision on my part?

And not green, but something I'm rather proud of. A wholesale order completed in record time. Phew! Now, back to the spring things!

green week~four

As I was sewing away in the green room, I started to think about what today's green week post would feature. Then it occurred to me...I was sitting in a room of green. And I have to say that finding the white balance adjustment on the actual camera last week has been the greatest thing ever. Anyway, it's a small space and you've probably already seen most of it, but here are some shots that might be new:

We had another stormy day yesterday. I love snow, I won't complain. (As long as it's gone by spring and the enormous piles in our yard don't hang around until June.) But gray days filled with sleet just don't strike my fancy. So the little one and I were feeling a tad housebound and antsy. After numerous attempts to capture her attention with an activity, I had the idea of sorting beans. Our pantry is full of jars containing various dried beans. One pot of dried beans + one wooden container for sorting = at least 20 minutes of fun.

green week~three and Six One Way week five

Alex and Elisabeth wear green. I was overjoyed to find a non-pink shirt at the resale shop last week. Green is good.

Her favorite snack (Snapea Crisps) is green. Although she's had them so much I think she may finally be getting tired of them. This bowl sat full the whole day and ended up being offered to the dog.

And her beloved blankie is green. I made this for her when she was a couple of months old and she is now quite attached to it.

And week five for the Six One Way group...

Jeans For My Girl

I bought heaps of material to make jeans using this pattern a couple of months ago. I will admit that all confidence I seemed to feel in the store when I found this pattern quickly seemed to disappear by the time I got it home. Jeans? For me? With buttons, a fly, and fancy pockets?! Surely I'm not that skilled with my sewing...

I'm becoming increasingly frustrated with trying to find clothes for the little one. I'm starting to dabble in shirts now because I can't find any in her size that I feel comfortable with her wearing. Jeans always seem to be too tight and not at all conducive to the amount of running, jumping, climbing, and dancing that goes on when wearing them.

So the other day I made these. The material is slightly stretchy and I always tend to make the legs wide so they are comfortable for her. The rise is big because I needed something to fit over her new cloth diapers that are a tad bulkier than the old ones. However, they were all in the wash when I took these pictures, so the pants look rather large over those slim disposables!

The pockets are my favorite part. With contrasting stitching and three red (this is all the festivity you'll see here for Valentine's Day!) vintage buttons, they really make these jeans special. And best of all, she thinks the pants are superb and we got many compliments on them while in town!

*I'd be happy to take custom orders for a pair like these! Just contact me at erin@bluebirdbabyslings.com*

Play

Our wooden animals arrived yesterday and the little one was completely engrossed in play. It got me thinking about one of the most challenging parts of being a stay at home mom: having a very needy and demanding little one. A friend and I were recently talking about the amount of self-engaged play you should expect out of a 16-month-old. The little one is sorely lacking in this area. She's demanded my constant attention since day one (well, don't all newborns?) and I have been waiting for a gradual shift of imaginative play on her own. But she still needs my attention at all times.

There are days I put her to bed and still think I can feel those little hands pulling at my legs, or hear that distinct whine that lets me know my time washing the dishes, reading a book, or checking e-mail will soon be over. I've been told to ignore it, to let her figure out ways of entertaining herself, but the whining never ceases when I do this and instead picks up in intensity. I always give in and drop whatever I'm doing to sit on the floor amidst the toys, or plop on the couch with a favorite board book. As long as I'm sitting there doing absolutely nothing but watching her, she will play.

It's recently occurred to me that I spend almost the entire day trying to find time for myself; trying to get her to play on her own. That means whenever I sit down with her I am only thinking, "how long will I have to do this before I can get up and finish those dishes?" I am so fixed on her entertaining herself for more than a couple of minutes that I end up not enjoying the play time we have together.

Those seconds of playing with her new wooden figures yesterday quickly turned into minutes, then a half hour went by and I realized she was running around creating little stories about the animals. She was kissing them, making them "dance" on the floor, feeding them her snacks, tucking them under covers for a nap, and well, entertaining herself for a very good length of time. Is it the toys? Do the toys she has not inspire any self-engaged play? Or is it a developmental leap because she's getting older?

I suppose it doesn't matter. I was just beyond thrilled to see her interacting with her imagination. I think mindful parenting is something that comes and goes in my life as a mother. I seem to be able to "live in the moment" when I am not stressed or too busy. But isn't that when we need it most? For much of the day my head is either in the past or future. I need to be here: living each second as if it's the last I'll ever have. It really seems so silly to just tell yourself that e-mails can wait, dishes can stay dirty, who cares if I actually finish a book in the next year, and to just be in the here and now with my daughter. Because who really wants to look back and remember they spent their child's first years worrying about a messy house? Not me, that's for sure.

So here's to living in the moment. What could be a better challenge in the midst of a very cold and snowy winter?!

Little Things From the Green Room

I had the pleasure of doing a swap with Lizz from ZooLooNaturals. The little one is so incredibly smitten with our dog Macaulay, but due to a slow paralysis of his hind legs, he is not able to join us upstairs very often. I can tell she misses him and it makes our time with him even more special. It's hard to witness the aging of a beloved pet. A big dog going on twelve, he is still like a puppy in every other way. I can tell he is confused and scared about his sudden fight to control his back legs, and it's so hard to sit by and watch knowing I can't do a thing about it. So Lizz agreed to do a custom wooden figure of Macaulay! I think the little one will be very excited about it and I can imagine the play that will ensue.

So for Lizz I made a custom pair of pants for her little one. The yellow print is a heavy cotton and I love the look of it with the brown corduroy. I also included a little something extra, but unfortunately forgot to photograph it before packing it up.

I've been promising an outfit for my niece in Utah. She's going on three now and her mother informed me that she only likes "comfy" clothes. So a soft pair of flannel pants and a matching cotton shirt should do the trick. The little one still loves her "squirrel" pants and insists on wearing them when our little visitor climbs up to the deck to eat the birdseed.

And isn't this shirt lovely? It's made with organic cotton by Speesees with a flock of birds on the front. It came from one of my favorite places: Edith & Edna in Portland. Above is the little one pointing to the birds. She loves it as much as I do. Now if only they came in bigger sizes...

Welcoming Home Friends

Our neighbors just returned from their yearly trip to Cambodia to do some amazing work with the foundation they started. I hope to interview them soon about their work for a future post. They truly are a very inspirational couple and we've been so lucky to have them as friends and neighbors. I decided to put aside my work in the green room for some baking while the little one was napping. I used my favorite gluten, sugar, soy, dairy, egg-free chocolate chip cookie recipe. It's amazing and always produces delicious results.

Can you read that recipe above? I hope so. I'm much too lazy to type it out. Basically you mix all the wet ingredients separately from the dry. Combine and stir well. DO NOT taste the batter. It is absolutely revolting and you will never believe the cookies will actually be edible. I use this mix which I think provides good results. I also use agave nectar or honey in place of sugar. Bake at 325 degrees F for 15 minutes or so.

They look like real chocolate chip cookies, don't they?! They taste a lot like the real ones too.

So when the little one awoke, we packed up the cookies and a card I made (using a photo of Fred's lovely woodpile) in her favorite basket, grabbed a cookie for the road and bundled up.

We took a lovely walk down the road to drop off the "welcome home" basket. The little one insisted on her bike and not the stroller or carrier. Thank goodness it has a handle for me to push it. We had a great visit with Fred and Kitty and heard some fabulous stories about their trip. And to top it off, they loved the cookies and didn't have a clue they were gluten-free until I told them.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the winner of the Bluebird Bag giveaway!

A Bluebird Bag Giveaway

Have I bored you enough with craftless posts?! After my last shop update I needed a moment to breathe. I've been very fortunate to have some custom orders roll in, so I've been busily working on those and haven't had much time for anything else. A month ago I got this idea to make a sturdy canvas bag with a bluebird on it. I am not in need of another bag, but still felt like I had to get this idea out of my head and make it a reality.

Two lessons were learned doing this:
1) My serger definitely has issues with thick material
2) All cotton webbing is not the same

But, I am pleased with the end result. It's not perfect by any means, but so very functional. A trip to the farmer's market, toting books home from the library, lugging around diapers and sippy cups...it's the perfect bag for any of these.

I hand painted the "bluebird on a wire." I was very fortunate to find cotton webbing online that matched exactly.  My color choices were really about what I had on hand, but then again, I love chocolate brown and blue together. Stephen thought I was a bit loony for choosing these colors, but I assured him they were "in." (They are, right?)

The cotton webbing was a find on Etsy. I was under the impression that all cotton webbing was of the same thickness. Oh no, not this stuff. It's like a band of steel runs through it. It's so incredibly thick!! There was no way I could do my usual "turn under and finish edge" deal, so I had to serge the ends to keep them from fraying. Again, serger was not happy. Even my trusty pal seemed to put up a fight.

And guess what? It's "Elisabeth approved" and I think she will be sad to see it go. But it will go to a new home next Wednesday morning. Just leave a comment on this post by next Tuesday 9 p.m. EST. And who knows...there may be more things in the bag too!

And totally off topic, but I know there are some vintage Pyrex lovers out there. I picked 8 of these cute tea cups up months ago. When I brought them home Stephen rolled his eyes and they've been sitting unused ever since. So the first person to e-mail me at erin@bluebirdbabyslings.com will get them.  Taken.Thanks! I'll even pay for shipping.

Have a great weekend!!

How to keep a toddler happy when you're sick

Thank you for all your well wishes. I am feeling a bit better. Perhaps it was a 24-hour flu? One of the hardest things about being sick and a stay at home mama is figuring out how to entertain a very active toddler when I can hardly move.

So what captured her attention for at least ten minutes? Washing her dishes after lunch.

Drinking water from the faucet.

Filling cups of water. (And then dumping the water on the floor.)

Even though she was completely soaked by the end of it, she was happy and self-engaged. The best part was mama got a ten minute rest before having to clean up a dripping toddler and puddles on the floor.

Pancakes and Pianos

Pancakes and pianos? Yes, that's all I've got this Monday morning. It's that time when we're deep in mid-winter: the light is lacking, the photographs feel uninspired due to the lack of light, there isn't a whole lot of outdoor exploring, our daily routine is becoming a tad mundane, and well, it's cold and it's Maine in late January. But nevertheless, things have indeed been going on here. Perhaps I just feel they aren't "blog worthy." So if this post comes across as a bit of hodgepodge, let's just roll with it, okay?

You can bet that on at least one of the weekend mornings blueberry pancakes will make an appearance. The little one knows exactly what needs to be done to get these pancakes on the table and is always willing to help. She does the stirring, the blueberry eating, the batter testing, and always tries the first pancake. Since we are gluten/dairy/egg-free, we use this mix. It has cultured buttermilk in it, but the little one seems to tolerate it fine. It calls for eggs, so we use this egg replacer.

On Saturday we made a trip to our favorite local bookstore and found this fabulous wooden piano on sale. The little one has taken to climbing up on the real piano and stomping on the keyboard with her feet. So we thought this "Schroeder-sized" piano would keep her attention diverted. She adores it.

She either has to have that fancy black shoe on the top, or a book of music which she thumbs through until she finds just the right piece to "play." I really don't think I've ever mentioned her intense love of music. I would even go as far as saying it's in her soul. Anything that produces a beat will get her up and moving. She started conducting out of the blue when she was 10 months old. She'd never seen anyone do it before. Yesterday she successfully sang "Twinkle, twinkle" never missing a pitch. Of course, words were not included, just some cute humming. But boy, we were so proud. I wouldn't be surprised if she figured it out on this little piano before too long.

And I have to leave you with this gorgeous sunset from last night. Isn't it amazing?! The entire sky was a mass of pink and orange. So very beautiful.

Scenes from our day

~Post-breakfast vacuuming~

~Beds are made~

~Green snacks: Veggie Booty and sliced pears~

~Making mama tea~

~Latest favorite activity: jumping on mama's bed before bedtime~

Have a lovely weekend. See you on Monday.

Just Like Us

I think one of the most amusing things about having a little one is the imitating that goes on. She watches us ever so carefully, during times when we think her attention is elsewhere, and then surprises us by doing the exact thing we were doing minutes ago. Yesterday I turned around from my pancake making activities to find her reading the paper. Her face, the pose, everything about this just made me want to laugh and cry in the same moment.

She has this imitation down to a "T." Complete with reading out loud and turning the pages. She points to pictures and reads the captions underneath. She puts the paper down and sighs, picking up her mug of water, and then goes right back to reading. Obviously the pancake making activities were put to a halt and I ran to get the camera. Oh, these are the moments I hope to never forget.

Due to the carbon monoxide fiasco, we had the pleasure of getting to know a lovely neighbor. While at her house with the little one we not only discovered she collects buttons, but that she also adores thrifting. She graciously gave me a bag of vintage buttons (and another bag made its way home yesterday) and we made a date to go thrifting at two of our favorite local spots.

So on Tuesday we headed out for a little thrifting fun. I finally (after months of searching) found a chenille bedspread in absolutely perfect condition. The price tag couldn't have been better either. It's all washed and ready to go on the bed. I'm anxiously awaiting our next trip already...

Out

We woke up to a chilly morning yesterday. It didn't deter us from our (almost) daily trip in town. Even being an introvert, I have found that I need to get out daily to be energized. It gets me motivated for the day ahead and I'm more productive. The twenty minute drive never becomes a chore for me. Lately the little one has been using the "sunglasses" her cousins gave her when the sun is in her eyes. It's amusing to peek back and see two pink hearts staring at me.

The music for the road is always different. Yesterday was a Steely Dan kind of day. I've played their music countless times in combos and have fallen in love with their unique sound. This song was a favorite of mine; I not only played the trumpet, but I also sang. A lot of fun and many good memories.

The drive is mostly pastures with farm houses here and there. We point to the trees, to the houses, to the birds flying above, and slow way down when we get here. We have to almost come to a complete stop to say "hi" to the cows and make an insane amount of mooing noises. Only then can we move on...

I've never really enjoyed driving, and having a little one that usually needs to be entertained while on the road doesn't make it any easier. But there's something about this drive that is meditative to me. The rolling hills, the people who always seem to be outside regardless of the weather that offer a wave and smile, the cows busily munching on their piles of hay, the frozen lake, the dips and turns through pines and meandering through fields of snow. It's all so peaceful and certain. It's always there; no matter what.

So the drive has become a relaxing and soothing activity. The little one knows exactly where we are and where we are going. She starts mooing 100 ft. before we even see the cows. I'm sure the drive has become a stable and expected part of her routine as well. When we finally reach town there is much clapping in the back seat, followed by enthusiastic pointing as we pass over the river. She knows what comes next.

The (not so) Little One

This blog is certainly not void of pictures and tidbits about the little one. But I feel like I'm a tad overdue with a real update. So let the fun begin...

Some of the more exciting developments lately are the additions to her limited diet. The last time we tried goat's milk yogurt it was a complete failure. Five months later we are good to go. She loves her blueberry yogurt and gets a slightly perturbed look on her face if you get too close while she's eating it.

Another favorite which is always followed by the "more" sign is Green & Blacks organic dark chocolate. Just dark folks. Mainly because it doesn't have any dairy in it. I honestly thought she'd spit it out when she requested I share one day. Oh no, she gets two squares a day now and savors every bite. As seen above, melting chocolate in your mouth can be quite a messy activity. For the record I would like to admit that I don't look like this after eating my pieces.

Her favorite activity is stacking anything and everything. This is the bulk of our play these days. Luckily, our very kind neighbor gave us some great blocks. They've already been put to much use. Thanks Mary!

She still loves to read, although we're in the slightly destructive "let's snap the book binding in half" phase.

Oh yes, and there are her friends. She already has more than I ever will. She and her playmate above have been going strong for about ten months now. That's a lot in baby time.

Her favorite article of clothing would be her "new to us" rain boots. Loves these. Doesn't even matter that they are two sizes too big. I wish I had some.

And even at 16-months she will still put everything in her mouth. Thank goodness we've moved on from balls of dog hair, but I'm not sure finding bugs in her mouth is any better...

A little thrifty fun

Stephen suggested the idea of tagging along to my (almost) weekly Saturday morning trip to the thrift shop. I think my mouth actually dropped open and I stuttered as I tried to find the words to express my amazement and absolute joy. A family thrifting adventure?! Now this could be exciting.

I wasn't in search of anything special. There's such a turnaround at this little thrift shop that I really never have any idea what I will find. We were delighted to find that it was a half-off day. When I spied a little film camera in the "vintage" section (I don't know if I would exactly call this vintage), I knew it would be coming home. Ever since I can remember, the little one has wanted my camera. So I thought perhaps this could work as a decoy.

She loves it. Really loves it. I found two old canisters of film to use in it too. She took a whole roll (24 photos) of the rug. Flash and all. But oh what fun it was to see her really enjoying herself.

There were the blue shoes I couldn't resist. Shoes are usually the only thing I will not buy used, but these were in great condition and really well made. Still a bit big, but as you can see above she insisted on wearing them. We've discovered they're great for tapping.

And then there was the slide in the toy room. Now, most of you probably know we are not fans of plastic toys. We only have one: a toy cell phone purchased a month ago for entertainment on a long car ride. It worked, but I admit to actually confessing to the lady behind the cash register that this was our "first plastic toy ever." She looked at me in amazement as if to say, "what else are toys made out of??" But we spotted this slide and Stephen the little one fell in love.

It ended up in our car a few minutes later and now resides in our dining room. Hey, I guess it's all about making the long Maine winters a little more bearable. And besides, it kind of goes with the swing.

Outdoor Love

Yesterday we had a bit of unusual weather: 55 degrees in Maine in January?? Unheard of! I certainly got a kick out of seeing people walking down the streets in short sleeves. It feels especially odd after a really cold spell just last week. Subzero temperatures and record setting high temperatures back to back? Something about that just doesn't sit right with me. We woke up to a yard full of mist, so I knew something was up.

We soaked up the rays while the "heat" lasted and spent a good deal of time outside, trying to maneuver around melting piles of snow.

There was a little snow eating, of course.

We played with our snow shadows.

We checked out the wood pile and found a rather large stick Macaulay (and the little one) thought was the greatest thing ever.

We threw Macaulay sticks and pointed to the huge pile of snow two times the size of the little one.

Then we came inside, had some rice crackers and herb goat cheese (did you know the little one can have goat cheese now? So exciting!) and found a bit of inspiration from nature inside. These books are usually found on the coffee table, the bird one being the little one's favorite. I personally enjoy Season of Promise. So many wonderful embroidery ideas are inspired by this book.

Enjoy today, whether you're outside or in! And a big thank you for the kind comments on yesterday's post. You all bring a smile to my face. Your words are much appreciated.

A Weekend Trip

I've mentioned our love for the local bookstore plenty of times in the past. The Maine Coast Bookshop is a great little store with a terrific selection of books, and for a nice bonus there's a cafe attached. The little one and I usually head in there every day or so, mostly because it's the only place she just loves to be. We can spend a good two hours in there and I still have to chase her around to get her coat on before we leave. Yesterday we all took a trip in to get a hot chocolate and do some book browsing.

One of the best things about this great local store is the people who work there. Above is Lisa, one of Elisabeth's most favorite people. They have a special bond and Lisa is always the recipient of many hugs and kisses.

I really believe in supporting local businesses. Sure, I can browse Amazon and get plenty of books at a discounted price, but where's the fun? There's no real experience in doing that. I can't physically flip through the pages, read excerpts, or ask the staff what they thought of it. There's nobody to recommend a good book or a smiling face at the checkout. Who exactly am I supporting when I buy a book off of Amazon anyway?

So now I do only my browsing on Amazon or other blogs, then special order everything at this bookstore. Plus, there's the fact that the little one thinks nothing is better than running around in a store full of books all day. She browses, rearranges, interacts with the lovely staff, greets customers coming in from the cold, runs to the cafe to give Lisa a hug, plays with her favorite toys, and generally just has more fun than anywhere else. We've actually stopped going to playgroups because she likes the bookstore more.

Stephen enjoyed his mocha, chili, and a good book while I sipped my hot chocolate trying to keep an eye on the little one. After a good two hours of chasing her around a large store, I am usually in need of a rather filling lunch. She has certainly perfected the art of running.

One of her favorite things to do is push this cart around the store. She's usually pretty good about not running into anybody, but mama tends to help a bit turning the corners.

Another favorite would be the