Back to Lollipops

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Danielle

First of all, thank you. Thank you for your words. Your advice. Your encouragement. But, most of all, thank you for being here. For reading. For responding. It means a lot.

Now, as promised, let’s go back to the lollipops and rainbows. Which seems appropriate because today was, truly, a lollipops and rainbows sort of day.

halloween felt board fun. i am in LOVE with his Ewan’s jack-o-lanterns.
new books. his first one with chapters.
knitting strewn about the house. this whole family needs new slippers.
xander, my gregarious confident little guy.
a new “dry-erase” board.
birks in october.
Yellow!!
our new wedding rings, an eighth anniversary present to ourselves. (made by stout woodworks)
the way some trees just drop leaves faster than others. like they are in a rush for winter.

Remember These

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Danielle

Shorts, that is? I sure do, they were some of my faves last summer.

And now, they’re back. My friends, this is a true milestone. Ewan is wearing the same article of clothing two.years.in.a.row. Wow!

This, of course, is only possible because Ewan is now wearing underpants!! As it turns out he lost a size or two since ditching the big hefty cloth diaper rump. Imagine that!

So now the shorts are a bit shorter, but not in that bad sort of way, and he’s rocking them one more time. And I’ve packed up all the 2T clothes we bought for this year, we’ll get to them next year.

Oh, and I’m only changing the diapers on one boy. Thank goodness for that.

Just as Intended

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Danielle

A while back I saw this fun little canopy over on the blog Sew Liberated (inspiring place, it is).

I knew I wanted one in our home and had proposed to the husband that the living room would be the perfect place. He disagreed. The idea has sat on the sidelines ever since.

Well lately we’ve been finding Ewan asleep during quiet time in this little corner of his room, right next to his treasured books. And, well, it’s never seemed very cozy.

He typically attempts to spruce it up, dragging over pillows and blankets and his still-loved sling, but I knew we could do better. And then the playsilk canopy popped back into my head.

And with a few supplies, many of which we had on hand, and about an hour assembling and hanging, Ewan has a new, cozier little space to read or snooze or what have you during quiet time.

As soon as it was hung, Ewan made himself right at home. Dragging over books and a large pillow.

Before long he was hunkered down with a good story. (Side note – how darn cute is it that he knows many of his favorite stories by heart now and recites them to himself!!!)

Right now it is in the “good enough” state. Meaning that it may or may not change. I’d like to get a larger quilting hoop for the top, right now it is held up by the largest embroidery hoop I had on hand. I’d also like to dye and put up silks that match a bit better with the decor in his room. A bean bag chair below would also be a nice touch.

We’ll see if or when any of that happens. For now, Ewan is in love with his new cozy space and I can’t wait to see him curled up in it during quiet time. There will be pictures, for sure.

Big Birthday Gift

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Danielle

So, I celebrated a birthday a few weeks ago. Before having children of my own, this was a HUGE deal. I loved my birthday. I anticipated it. It was, perhaps, my favorite day of the whole year. Now, strangely, it doesn’t seem nearly so important to me. If anything, I find that the birthdays of my children (so strange to say that – children – wow, plural) are more significant and important to me. Those are the days on which I did something huge and important and momentous. Those are the days that I birthed.

Even though my birthday isn’t nearly as important to me as it once was, my family lavished me with attention anyways. I woke up to my toddler, shouting from the bed next to mine, “Happy Birthday to Mama!” (melt my heart) The two oldest boys in the house made one of my favorite breakfasts. And then about two weeks after the day itself, my big gift was finally delivered.

Big in all senses of the word. And I love it. It is such fun to play, such fun to introduce Ewan to having an instrument in the house. Unlike during my lesson taking days, I get to play what I want, how long I want, when I want. Refreshing.

For now, I’m starting simple as I relearn all that I have forgotten from so many years ago when I took lessons. In some ways, I’ve been surprised at how fast it comes back. In other ways, frustrated at how little I remember.

It may come back, it may not. I suppose it doesn’t really matter. All that matters is it’s here and I am loving being back at it.