Look who's One!

My little baby J has turned one!

We celebrated with a delicious Lumberjack Cake by Not Quite Nigella.  You must explore her site if you haven't already.  Her work is delicious.

We enjoyed a ride on the Carousel in Civic with friends who have made this a family ritual to celebrate birthdays.  Indeed it was such a sweet thing to do, I think we should also make it a birthday ritual.

If indeed we last that long in this part of the country.

Meanwhile, we are currently in a contract to purchase a house.  All is proceeding OK but we are not doing so without extreme caution.  Neither of us could say we are excited.  Neither of us can see that it is actually going to happen.  The events of this year have knocked it all out of us.

Floriade

Free digital slideshow made with Smilebox

For Eleanor Violet

Look at us, said the violets blooming at her feet, all last winter we slept in the seeming death but at the right time God awakened us, and here we are to comfort you. ~Edward Payson Rod

On the day we expected my new niece to be born a couple of seemingly insignificant things happened.

Until I knew the name of my precious new niece I did not make any connection with the fact that:

~ for the first time I noticed this lone violet blooming out my new back door, in a wintry dirt patch surrounded by mysterious bulb shoots, waiting to welcome Spring.

~ for the first time my little Eee picked me a bunch of the violet shade of pansies and violas blooming in our front yard.

They must have been for you,

our precious, dear, Eleanor Violet.

Happy Birthday Eleanor Violet

26 July 2011

With love,

All of us

xoxoxoxoxo

Visual Stimulation

Pleasure is spread through the earth

In stray gifts to be claimed by whoever shall find.

~William Wordsworth, 1806

As you might imagine, days are very busy here. I am enjoying Spring coming indoors through these beautiful tulips - a gift from my lovely family as they shop at the markets while I care for our new treasure - just a month old today.

Many many days I have thought of ways I could share with you all the various happenings of our lives yet the time to reflect and write seems to elude me. I am sleep deprived and the urge to lie down in bed with my eyes shut definitely most often wins. Lots of reflection happens as I sit and feed, nurturing my new child in the comfort of my arms as we rock together.

My other little pair are aptly cared for, educated and nurtured with lots of assistance from my wonderful Mum and loving husband. For this I am deeply grateful. The time they have given is invaluable.

Indeed it is certainly wonderful to learn about how our lives began with a real life model. We have watched as our baby's vision has developed. We have seen her eyes open more and more day by day, watched as she began to focus on our faces close by, seen her drawn to effects of light and shade. We have enjoyed designing our own graphics for her to view and stimulate the development of her brain. These days we have to cover her eyes so she will settle to sleep as sometimes it seems all too enticing to continue popping that head up to peek around at the happenings of our busy household.

Ess' overlapping circles coloured for baby

Ess explores shapes in black and white for visual development

My own attempt at creating for our little one

We are all very proud of our precious Ess as she has baked her very first cake, indepently. A delicious chocolate cake using a lovely recipe of Donna Hay's as seen on Junior Masterchef recently. It was absolutely delightful watching her in the kitchen by herself only asking for assistance to collate ingredients beyond her reach.

Ess has definitely taken a shine to baking over the years and is now devoted to Junior Masterchef which we actually came across by accident. She is now aspiring to compete when she is 10 or 11 years of age. We wish her luck.

The cake was delicious and we look forward to our next one...soon please my darling.

There has also been a little 'rippling' happening here. Even if I only do 10 or 20 stitches a day it is enough to give me a little space and something of my own to do. Something which nurtures me in amidst all the 'little people nurturing'.

Absolutely Adorable

In the sheltered simplicity of the first few days after a baby is born one sees again the magical closed circle , the miraculous sense of two people existing only for each other.

~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh | Aviator and Author

Cuddling and sleeping, nursing and resting,

stroking the softest silkiest skin

tickling tiny toes

rubbing eency fingers

This is what has been consuming my days.

We are all in the land of 'Absolute Adoration' here.

Do you remember that feeling?

Have you had the privilege off allowing a child to fill your being, consume your days, your heart?

I pray you do.

And to think that this is only a glimpse of the way that God feels about us.

I simply adore my new little treasure. She is an absolute delight.

The First of Spring

The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month. ~Henry Van Dyke

As we looked around outside today, trying to stay warm and wondering whether spring really had come, we were greeted with only grey clouds, cold winds and winter showers. I still have no complaints, I love the rainy days.

I still have something special to look forward to this spring.

In under one month now, we will have a new spring cherub to greet us, which will be brighter than all the flowers that spring will shower us with this year.

I have always wanted to have a spring baby, little Eee came a couple of days earlier than I was expecting, although she came on time. This new little blossom will certainly be here before Spring is over.

Wishing you a joyous Spring, or Autumn my dear friends and family in the north.

Focus - the new growth in winter

I adore bare wintry branches with buds forming upon them, set against the blue sky of a clear sunny day.

It reflects a little the way I am feeling at the moment, being with child!

Each time I have been pregnant my usual nurturing and creative pursuits seem to go on hold as my body assumes its full role in nurturing a tiny one within.

My desire to pick up a needle and stitch seems to be taking a little break.

The urges I usually have to go outside and dabble in my garden wanes, although I still visit there daily to harvest greens for a lunchtime salad. It was fortunate that my girls and I spent a sunny morning in Autumn planting out some winter greens for this purpose.

It is very fortunate it is winter and the rainy season as getting outdoors to water the plants doesn't happen as regularly as it might need to during summer.

It is not that I am tired these days. In the middle of my second trimester I feel well and healthy and full of life and energy. It is just focussed on my family, the ones I am raising and nurturing day by day.

So my life is very focused at the moment on keeping this little one growing well inside me just like the bud on the wintery tree, waiting for the right time to blossom.

Eee is Two!

Wishing you a day full of fun and presents and giggles

and candles and cake for your 2nd birthday

written on the card received from Granny

We enjoyed a delightful day at home yesterday celebrating the birth of dear little Eee. It was special because Daddy was home, unlike last year. Although big sister Ess was feeling unwell, she enjoyed helping me decorate a special little lady bug and her family of four baby beetles as a surprise for our growing baby.

It was small, it was quiet, it was special.

So lovely for us to revel in the delights of our two year old as a family.

Eee looked at us incredulously as we sang Happy Birthday to her on her waking. We have enjoyed a number of birthdays of late and I am certain she could not quite understand that it was finally hers. Upon seeing the bunting freshly hung for her she exclaimed "rainbow" and knew this was indeed a special day.

I made some decorative hangings to add to our birthday collection this year. I decided against the lovely Martha Stewart lanterns which I have seen around and made some origami diamonds. These were also greeted with much enthusiasm and called "rainbow".

For my precious growing toddler,

We love you just so much.

Happy Birthday!

Warm Day ~ Cool Day

The Day Before ~

warmth radiating from the concrete floor beneath my feet

heat warming me through the screen of my car window

I turn to see the sweet, calm face of my sleeping baby

the sun's rays shine on her face

my heart is warmed

my day lifted

peace

The Day ~

greets us with the freshness of a cool morning

no sun, no warmth

winds blow and the cool remains

I cuddle my baby clad with jumpers and jackets

we tickle, she giggles

my heart is warmed

my day lifted

fun and enjoyment

peace

Birthday Card for a One Year Old

Birthdays are good for you.  Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest.  ~Larry Lorenzoni

I created this sweet little peekaboo card for a precious little one year old, the third child of a friend of mine.  Neither of us can believe that she has turned one and in a couple of months my cherub will be two.  Wasn't it just the other day we were both sitting watching our older children play talking about having more babies?  Indeed it was.  Time flies!  There is no doubt about it.

This little card, combined with a set of these little puppets also handmade by myself, should serve to be a lovely little gift for this precious little one.  We hope she enjoys them for many days to come.

On being a Toddler

for little Eee

Some days you just need to be held.

Some days you just need to rest your head against your mother's breast.

Some days you just need to be rocked gently till you fall asleep on your mother's lap while you tickle your lips with the tag of your favourite teddy.

Some days you just need your mother's undivided attention.

So while the market produce remained on the bench and in the esky,  while the half-prepared final meal of the day remained in the frig, while big sister Ess resolutely gathered everything she needed for our afternoon snack (which you refused), your Mummy gave you her undivided attention.  She sang, she hummed, she rested with you.

No more whinges, no more crying, no more angst.

Simply a warm, content little bub, nestled down in Mummy's lap, then cradled in Daddy's arms beneath his jacket, bundled off early to bed.

Simple Beauty

A single rose can be my garden... a single friend, my world.  ~Leo Buscaglia

As I sat outside on this beautiful Autumn morning enjoying a piece of cake a friend had shared with us, I looked up and saw this pretty sight.  Right away the words "simple beauty" sprang to mind and the essence of those words filled my heart. 

Such simplicity to enjoy sitting in your little garden, with your little baby on your knee, eating a sweet snack and singing sweet songs.

With my baby on my knee, tra la la, la la la

I'm as happy as can be, tra la la, la la la

With my baby on my knee, tra la la, la la la

Tra la la la la, la la la la la.

A New England Nursery Song

We're off to Kindermusik Village this morning where we'll no doubt sing and enjoy this simple song again.

First Steps

pitter, patter...

These tiny feet have taken their first steps.

It was a few days ago on Friday 13 February.  Do you have any idea how hard it is to take photos of little feet that are now on the move, very rapidly, albeit not always walking yet, but always toddling somehow somewhere? Finally I have managed to get a few photos which are not too blurry to recognise.  I  have the utmost admiration for people, like Kirsty of Appleseed Photography, who specialise in photography of children.   Her photos of newborns are stunning and she also captures the very special gentle innocence of young children.  Our walls are graced with her simply stunning photographic art showing the superb way she captured the essence of our family last June.

Little Eee, you strode out at about 5pm.  Fortunately Daddy was home and both Mum and Dad watched you take your first half a dozen steps, before Ess raced in to hug and applaud you as well.  You were so cute and so proud of yourself to be independently walking.

Not a lot of that has happened since, as you still like to scoot around on your bottom.  The scoot has become more of a bounce these days as you pick up speed.  So cute! 

These little feet will pick up speed as your confidence grows and I know that in no time at all they will be wearing through shoes as you walk and talk and grow just so quickly.

Dolly Delights

“We say that a girl with her doll anticipates the mother. It is more true, perhaps, that most mothers are still but children with playthings.” ~ Francis Herbert Bradley

These sweet little dolls were a gift from myself to my sweet little girls.  I used the Ruby Doll Pattern of One Red Robin.   The one on the left is for Ess and she has named it after herself.  She has quite taken to it which is heartwarming.  Little Ess dolly comes most places with us but must stay in the car to look after it while we are out.  She also rides around the house on the new Mouse Wheely Bug which Santa left here very generously a few days ago.

The dolly on the right aquired her name while she was being made - funny how some things you create just come up with names as you make them!  She is Maggie.  Little Eee calls her "bebe" which is so very sweet.  Thus her name is "Maggie Bebe".

"It's so gorgeous!" was the cry from Ess' lips when she opened her parcel.  Maggie Bebe has received many kisses from little Eee, cuddles as well, before she tosses her aside to continue her journey riding on her little toy truck.

Do you like my new little family of Matryoshka Dolls?  I have enjoyed some time after Christmas relaxing with my family and participating in some "making".  These are so sweet.  Ess' kindy teacher showed me a set she made and offered to loan me the pattern.  Of course I could not refuse so I used her pattern in Australian Homespun No.64 Vol.9 No.9 to make "Nesting Nellie and Her Girls".  Now we are wondering which girl in this household will claim ownership of the dolls - so until Mum gets to making things again we will claim joint ownership.

"Well, hello, dolly! It's so nice to have you back where you belong."  ~ Jerry Herman 1931-

Also, I'm not really a painter but I have been very tempted to make these gorgeous little painted egg matryoshka dolls....one day!

Christmas Books

When my daughter was about seven years old, she asked me one day what I did at work.  I told her I worked at the college - that my job was to teach people how to draw.  She stared at me, incredulous, and said, "You mean they forget? ~ Howard Ikemoto

A couple of simple little Christmas books have been wonderful inspiration for Ess and Eee to do some drawing in the lead-up to Christmas.  It is simply a blank book filled with a few pages to be drawn on, wrote in and simply enjoyed in the days before Christmas.  We cut some red A4 cardstock to two A5 size pieces and folded them.  We cut some A4 paper trimming both the long and short sides to ensure the paper was just smaller than the cover.  The paper was folded in half and one page was stuck in Eee's book with adhesive just near the fold.  A few more pages were placed into Ess' book by threading lovely gold embroidery thread through two skewered holes in the spine of the card and tying with a pretty bow.  (Sadly this is not clearly seen in the photo).

 

So far little Eee's only has a little red line in it.  She is preferring to place crayons and pencils in and out of the container these days.  Thank goodness she is getting the idea that the floor is not a good place to draw on.  She does love scribbling on big pieces of paper laid out on the floor for her to scribble as she sits.  Hopefully the book will contain some lovely 15month old baby scribbling soon. 

Ess however is very taken with her Christmas book and has drawn in it each day.  She then places it on her dressing table in her room each evening.  Mummy then takes it out in the morning, putting it in a prominent place to remind her to enjoy some drawing activity when she wakes.  (That's on the rare occasions that she doesn't beat me out of bed in the morning!).

I might start a little tradition with these books, making one each year for the girls to fill in.  We can pack them away with the Christmas decorations and enjoy them again once another year has past before adding to the collection with a new book containing drawings and stories of a child a year older.

Cupcakes for Christmas

""Pooh", he said, "Christopher Robin is giving a party."
"Oh!" said Pooh. And then seeing that Owl expected him to say something else, he said,
"Will there be those little cake things with pink sugar icing?"
Owl felt that it was rather beneath him to talk about little cake things with pink sugar icing, so he told Pooh exactly what Christopher Robin had said, and flew off to Eeyore. 

Oh Poor Owl, how could cupcakes be beneath anyone?

Don't these ones look delicious!

I have been making cupcakes. Not the edible variety however, much to my Generous Gentleman's dismay.  One of Ess's Kindy teachers became interested in our projects after discovering we had both been making Felt Food.  She then very generously loaned me the pattern folder she and her friend had been using to compile a generous number of felt food items.  I have been very lucky to be able to copy them.

Now I am on a mission to make as many felt food items as I can before Christmas to give to little Eee as part of the play kitchen she'll receive at Christmas time.

I think these have all turned out very sweetly.  The pink ones are definitely my favourites. They are made from fabric which the flowergirls wore at our wedding.  I love seeing that put to good use.  

Memories continue on in the making and in the everyday playing.

Baby Cloth Book

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends;

they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors,

and the most patient of teachers.

~Charles W. Eliot

I recently found How to Make Books: Fold, Cut & Stitch Your Way to a One-Of-A-Kind Book. A fabulous book which has inspired me along many lines. I have always loved book-making and have really enjoyed everything I have produced for Ess since she was born.

Now it is Eee's turn. So inspired by this Stab-Stitched Cloth Book in How to Make Books, I have made her a cloth book to flip and finger and flick through to her heart's content.

I think I like mine more than my inspiration. Isn't that what personal satisfaction in creativity is all about? Have a flip through yourself here.

One is never too young to enjoy reading a book. This cloth book allows independence for my baby in book reading.

I hope this will be a companion for my little lady as she grows, teaching her the joy of reading. The joy of language as we speak about the pictures with her. The joy of reading as she learns to understand that stories are associated with books.

The joy of creation of something which is your own design made with love for another to grow with. The joy of reading together as we snuggle and form bonds as a mother and daughter, also as a larger family as we read together making those ever so important emotional connections.

These little owls have found yet another use in this little book.

These little flowers and butterflies have also featured before on Ess's library bag seen in the abovementioned post.

My darling little Eee absolutely loves it. She sits with it, flicking through, pressing the flower centre buttons and making her "reading book" vocalisations which are so adorable. Kind of like "brrrrrbrrrbrrrbrrrrrrrbrrr" with her lips moving from side to side. Almost like a very light "raspberry" but so very hard to explain in words.

This is my final page. My dedication to my little baby and all my love from her Mummy.