Fruit man and first time in a shopping cart:

Arlin loves fruit/food. I usually find him here:

 Deciding which fruit to eat first:

 Summer picnics have been a blessed way of sparing my home from fruit messes

 I roll him a fruit and keep painting (after oohing and aahhhing).

 

 Arlin's look of wonder as he rides in a shopping cart for the first time!

And then a look of pure joy:

The next day....

Dear Arlin (6 1/2 months)

Dear Arlin,
I am holding you on my lap, you are asleep and have been since 10:30 am; now it's 2:50 pm. Your two front teeth are coming in. I have seen large bulges on your gum line and now even your upperlip looks different. I thought your bottom teeth would be first because I could see little white spots below your gums for several months now. You have awoken twice, but fell back asleep when I fed you. I am happy to let you sleep, you need it and I am enjoying this break (even if you are still on my lap and I can't get anything done). Dad and Elliott are at church, I am in my church clothes and shoes waiting for you to wake up, but probably won't make it today.
  Lately, you have been very clingy and cry for me if I leave the room. We have traveled a lot in the last month and I am sure you have noticed your world feeling less secure. Yesterday, you started babbling (bababababa) and pulled yourself up to standing several times using the luggage I was unpacking. You officially crawl now on hands and knees and are extremely dexterous and strong. At Grandma Ka's house, you leaned out of my arms to grab hold of the inside of the refrigerator door as I opened it, and, standing on one shelf and hanging on to another, you balanced there alone with a huge grin. I laughed so hard admiring your feat and had to pry your monkey fingers from the shelf to hold you again.
  You love your brother, Elliott, but sadly, the reason you are sleeping so long is because he is gone; you don't get much chance to nap in peace.

Aunt Candice

Candice came to visit! It was so epic we have only a few photos....

I wanted to leave this next photo out because I am having skin issues...but I'm trying to not be that vain.

We mostly spent time together while helping me get my life back on track (clean out the refrigerator, clear out my closets, exercise, etc.) Candice babysat the 2 boys one morning, we made the pilgrimage to Cafe Besalu in the rain, and we made Raspberry Blood Orange Bars (like lemon bars...) Delicious!

Here is Elliott in the morning before Candice came. (I spy the dried apricots that gave him stinky toots).

And here is Arlin, yawning:

baby shower invites

I made these baby shower invitations for my friend who is due to have a baby girl in 3 weeks!

I love how they turned out with some of my favorite scraps of fabric and vintage buttons. I saw the idea online, but only had one, poor photo to follow, so I took my own pictures to share the idea and show off :)

1. print invites leaving 3-4" space for baby buggy

2. cut oval/baby buggy shapes from scrap fabric

3. glue fabric in place with glue stick

4. machine stitch legs (follow example in photo)

5. hot glue matching buttons for wheels

Vintage Baby Clothes

While unpacking from our move, I found:

...the suitcase filled with cute baby clothes I thrifted during college!

Some of the clothes are already too small for Elliott, but there are shoes and wool suspender shorts he can still wear.

The real prize, however, is this darling vintage child's smock:

I love the colors this seamstress chose to make a simple, blue checked cotton look feminine with the dainty ric-rac embellishment and red bias tape tie at the back.

The construction of this smock dress is also compelling. It is made from a 15.5" strip of fabric 36" wide (back then, cotton yardage was all 36" wide as opposed to our modern 45" or 60" wide yardage). Since the back edges were on the selvedge, they aren't hemmed. The top has a small channel for the bias tape tie, and the bottom has a tiny rolled hem with ric-rac on top.

The sleeves are U-shaped cuts with tiny rolled hems with ric-rac.

When the smock is gathered and tied, the U-shaped cuts stick out like little angel sleeves -adorable.

I want to make a collection of these all in different colors and trimmings.

If Elliott were a girl, you can guess what he would be wearing! He loves his lentil frog.

Knit Overalls

Elliott's new duds.

I finished these knit overalls today (bind off straps, sew on buttons) but I did the actual knitting a year and a half ago on the plane to St. John Virgin island. Good memories :)

I followed this free pattern using old/'vintage' worsted weight wool and size 7 needles; buttons from my stash.

I need to improve my short row shaping, you can see little puckers (above).

This pattern fits babies very well; here is the crotch gusset to accommodate their diapered derrieres.

Elliott update

Elliott is growing up before my eyes...I know every parent says that, but I'll join the chorus because it's true.

Elliott.....rolls all over the room looking for things to play with, squeals, plays with his voice and practices sounds, reaches for me when he wants to be held, and has started to copy things I do - mainly when I make buzzing/bubble noises with my mouth. When I do something he really likes, he smiles and gets excited and then I can almost see his little brain trying to get his mouth to follow suit, and lately he as been successful in copying.

Naked as a jaybird:

Getting tickled by Adam:

Hop on Pop:

Side show entertainment at a coffee shop while house hunting (we needed a tea break):

Blowing bubbles:

Nearly mobile:

tricks with dad:

Dad's home!

Cracking himself up:

Video of the new squeal:

one month old

(drawing by our nephew, George)

Elliott is one month old!

I can't believe this little man has been in my life that long.

I can tell he's feeling better and better about life on Earth - he's sleeping more, eating well, and now has clearer vision.

He showers with Dad:

I am also feeling better about being a mom. I have figured out what to expect from a normal day, how to get a few things done, and how to relax on the couch for hours on end (it's more difficult than it sounds).

(after picking blackberries with Micah)

Of course I loved Elliott right at first, but now that we have bonded more, I can tell that I feel differently. Every time I look at him, my heart melts. I can't imagine anything more adorable or wonderful. I find myself hoping he's having a good day and feeling happy!

Elliott has huge eyes:

In the baby carrier with Dad!

Sunday afternoon in bed with Dad :)

At the mama's lunch group: