Archive for the ‘on being a mom’ Category

Meet the cradle.

It is almost done with….for now. And I don’t think it’s has ever had a proper introduction.

When I was pregnant with Addie, I was gifted this handmade cradle from a dear family from back home. It was built by a dear friend of mine, painted white by my mother with a hand sewn skirt, and shipped out to her first grand-daughter Addie. I painted a lion (Aslan to be precise) laying in a garden of flowers,  just days before my first child was born. The Narnia books have always meant a lot to my husband and I, and this we felt represented so much of what we hoped for our little girl.

Since her birth, each of my babies have spent their first few months here. They have all loved being swaddled, and so it has done just fine. Ella is now over 8 months old, and is growing out of it quite quickly, but since we are just days away from moving….she will have to wait a bit more for her big girl crib. In the mean time, this cradle has served us so well and so I’m saying “Good-bye old friend. I hope to see you again some time soon.”

It’s my bit of magic in the nursery.

Conversations with a just turned 4 year old.

Ian: Mom, close your eyes and come here.

Me: I cover my eyes, hold his hand and walk across the room. I love these games.

Ian: Open!

Me: I open my eyes.

Ian: See, this is my art!

Me: ART. Junk as art. I love this. Cool Ian, tell me about it.

Ian: See, everything is balancing and it won’t fall down!

Me: Ok. That is art.

Balance. He’s got it down. I’m still figuring it out.  Real slow.

*My favorite part: See that Mr. Incredible’s figure hanging for dear life on that rope over there? That’s me. But it’s all good. There is a Fisher Price fire engine just on the other side. Pretty good planning for a 4 year old.

This month is so sentimental to me: It’s a month full of birthdays. The birthday of my two Irish twins (Yep…12 months apart, baby!) and my Mothering Birthday. I had never really ever thought of it this way: my eldest daughter’s birthday is really my day too: the day I became a Mom. And this month it’ll be 5 years of mothering. Wow. FIVE. Sometimes it seems like a lot, and other days….I it is just the beginning.

5 years ago:

I was in the middle of my first birth.

I held my first baby.

I felt her soft scalp and understood why they call newborn’s hair “velvet”

I found my true calling.

I cried my first tears of joy after a long wait of trying to conceive.

I became amazed at how natural it felt to care for and be responsible for this fresh new soul straight from Heaven.

I felt more heroic then ever before: I gave birth!! My body is incredible and made to do that!

I learned what all parents say they are amazed with: the instant love you have for your child

I gained a love for my husband I’d never known.

I learned a new meaning of ‘tired’

It was the beginning of life as I know it. And I love it.

(And I have to comment on this photo walking towards the door: How did I open my own door in those days? Mother’s of twins and Irish twins can appreciate those kinds of minor details!)

For more baby love, check out this new favorite movie trailer of mine. Completely awesome.

Ella started eating rice cereal (which is comedy at it’s best) and on the box, I saw her twin. Little Baby Gerber. If I were a die-hard, I would have tried a bit harder to get Ella’s mouth to open a bit more. But this is basically why I can’t get enough of her cuteness. It’s too much sometimes…we all go a little nuts over her. This morning it was her coos, yesterday it was her cheeks, and the day before, it was her awesome thighs. The loving never ends. And truthfully, I am just glad we already have a portrait of Ella…completely free of artist fees:) Ya, Ya. It’s on a cardboard box, but we’re on a budget these days.

1. Waking up this morning to bed full of children who love snuggling me and the baby….and manage to make it a pleasure to get up for the day.

2. Listening to my 4 yr old sing “One short day in the Emerald City” from Wicked last night over and over again until she finally fell asleep.

3. Having the excuse to not do laundry yesterday because I visited a friend with just as much newborn sleep deprivation as I have.

4.  Watching my kids make what toys they don’t have out of paper and scotch tape.

5. Eating Ella’s cheeks all day yesterday, and waking up to see that she still has just as much cheekage today. Yummy.

I love my job. I love my kids. The little moments of beauty far out weigh the chaos, and I just love observing these little people learn about their world. And I love their world. I love to be in their world.

My goal for today: to crouch down a little lower, and view the universe with a bigger heart and bigger eyes. And maybe, if I’m lucky, trick all the kids into taking a nap!

Happy December everyone!

I am still digesting my Thanksgiving dinner, as I suppose you are too. But while these lazy days last a bit longer, I wanted to pop in and say Thank You for all the blogging friendship and support! I love reading all your lovely comments, and wish I could respond to each and every one. I try to…and I am just thankful this weekend  for all your kindness! I am thankful this season for really the good, wonderful people in my life.

Progressive Pioneer posted an interview with me on her blog. She asks some really great questions, and it was actually quite a good experience to answer back. It gave me some time to reflect on motherhood and my business, and everything in between. It’s a journey which still keeps me on my toes!

Wishing everyone (American and not) a wonderful weekend.

xo

sarah jane

7 am

Ian: Good morning mom. I’m a cat.

Me: OK. Good morning my cat.

I roll out of bed with the baby.

Addie + Ian: Meow Meow-mow meeeee-ow. (Translation: Can we listen to Mr. Mistoffelees? {from CATS})

We are listening to Andrew Lloyd Webber and dancing like 8o’s rock star cats all before breakfast. I love my life.

Breakfast.

Me: Ian what do you want for breakfast? Toast or fruitshake?

Ian: Cheese and spicy stuff. And beans.

Me: We don’t eat salsa for breakfast.

Ian: I want salsa for breakfast.

Me: (remembering that Ian usualy eats nothing for breakfast) OK. I’ll make you salsa for breakfast. (Hey…at least it’s fresh from the garden salsa, OK?)

Ian: (after getting his plate of food) I want a popsical.

Me: No popsicals for breakfast. Eat your salsa. (Did I really just say that?)

Play time.

Me: Ian, come here. I just finished cutting out your paper doll.

Ian: No mom. I’m fishing. (His fishing pole made out of a fabric tape measure clamped to a small pencil sharpener for the hook).

Me: Where are you fishing?

Ian: The Nordic Sea.

Me: What are you fishing for?

Ian: Alaskan bears.

Me: Did you catch one?

Addie interupts: No mom. Our family is allergic to bears.

Well, then. That’s that.

What did you do this morning?

The other week I received a request to design some September appropriate embroidery designs for the blog Sew, Mama, Sew. I couldn’t have been more excited! I have wanted to offer some free embroidery designs here on the blog, and I never really got around to it. Hand sewing is so therapeutic, and I rarely do it for the amount of “other things” there is to do around the house.

But I decided this week to try out one of my patterns, and even get the kids involved. Oh, it was so wonderful! My hyper-active-super-hero-or-bust 3 year old even spent a good half hour going in and out with his very own blunt darning needle! I think it was the most focused he’s been in days:)

Remember this post? Thankfully my kids have always loved to sew, and I loved every second of it, too. I am determined to hand sew more often. It’s good for the soul.

These two embroidery patterns are available at Sew, Mama Sew! blog in two different sizes. I intend to sew some on my kid’s new school bags (which have still yet to be made, if they ever do get made!). So enjoy! My blog is in the process of getting a facelift, and I’ll soon have more free downloads here to choose from. But for now, enjoy Sew, Mama, Sew!

Oh and I must take this chance to shout out to the vast, infinite cyber space why I am in the best mood this morning: my 2 month old, colicky, allergy-ridden, fussy baby slept through the night last night. For 10 hours. These are the choice events that make a Mama very very happy! Ella, mind trying that again?

{via www.allicoate.com}

I had forgotten how a newborn gives me such an added awareness of life all around me. Breastfeeding is God’s gift to mothers as it forces us to sit down a while, making life slow into it’s proper pace. And good thing too. As life gets more full, quiet reflection is the prescribed remedy. Ahhhhhhh…..I’ll take some more of that please!

Hello! Wow, thanks for all the congratulations! It has been a wonderful week.

There is nothing so wonderful as having a newborn: I am intoxicated by her smell, her floppy body that I can hold in one hand and her “meow’s” and “coo’s” and “squeaks.” I am in love! We are adjusting fine, and let me tell you….my body is sure happy too! I have sexy ankles again. Well, ok. They sure seem skinny and wonderful after the 9 months I just went through. Anything is sexy after that!

I promise this blog isn’t going to turn into a “look how cute my baby is” blog. I promise. But real quick: look how cute my baby is!

Thanks again for all your sweet emails and messages. Parenthood is wonderful, and has been just the reminder we have needed of what is most important and worth living for. Motherhood is bliss. It really is. My children are in love with their new sister which was apparent upon arriving from the hospital when Addie immediately gave her new sister her pillow, blankie and her favorite doll. “Sisters share, Mom. That is just what they do.” These are precious moments.

I’ll be back with updates on the shop and when I plan to reopen. We’ll be ready soon!