CHRISTEPHI

For some reason, I was unable to find time to sew a single stitch for several weeks.  (Ever wonder how time gets away from you so quickly?)  But once I got started, things progressed quickly!  I have five of my SWAP garments done. I sat down and did both pairs of Vilkas velour pants (Ottobre 4/2008, #2) in one evening.  One pair is chocolate brown stretch velvet I got from Chez Ami last year (remember this skirt ?) and the other pair is from organic cotton sweatshirt knit I got from Fabric.com.  When it first arrived in the mail, it was a little brighter than I had anticipated and looked like a construction zone or hunter's vest, but Hubby picked it out of the pile and repeatedly told me how much he liked it, so I opted to keep it instead of exchanging it. Next I made the Puolukka bodysuit (Ottobre 6/2009, #1).  It may seem a bit strange to make a "baby" garment for my nearly-four-year-old daughter, but in addition to being warm, I thought it would afford nice cove

Next week we start our 2010-11 school year.  Of course, Miss M is only in preschool, so it's a very easy school year.  I expect we'll do about an hour a day of "schoolwork" and the rest of the time will be spent learning through play as kids ought to do. Today Miss M wanted to do a craft, so I gave her some pieces of cardboard to decorate and we assemled them into a wagon.  (Yes, the wheels are from Laughing Cow cheese boxes...it's dangerous to have in the house as I tend to eat it all day long till it's gone!) It's perfect to carry her sidewalk chalk! Little Guy likes to ride his big sister's tricycle. It's follow-the-leader on wheels! In sewing news, I finally started sewing my Fall SWAP.  Yesterday I made two pairs of knit pants and today I nearly finished a bodysuit (like a long-sleeved t-shirt that snaps between the legs...it'll be great for wearing under pinafores and skirts!)  Once the top is finished, I'll get so

Miss M asked to use her rubber stamp set the other day.  While I was tending to Little Guy, she sat peaceably at the table making this piece of art. Lolo  means grandpa in Tagalog.  I drew the face of the far right cat (I'm no artist!) and she gained the confidence to draw some of her own. She even finished mine off for me! I love their striped tails!

As every mother knows, that first year of their kid's life goes so FAST!  So many changes and stages all within such a short period of time.  Little Guy learned to crawl this week. And on the same day, he stood alone (without holding onto anything) for more than just a few seconds.  I've been taking time every day to just play with him, snuggle him, enjoy him as he is because before long he won't be a baby anymore! Miss M is already growing into a tall preschooler. She isn't a toddler anymore. And Oh! The ideas she comes up with! "Daddy, will you type me at work?  I'll type you back, okay?"  By this she means, she'll wake up before Mama does, launch the word processing program on the family computer (conveniently left on by daddy when he went to work), type "d-a-d-d-y" and press enter.  Yes, this actually happened. "Mama, you know, tadpoles turn into frogs and are baby frogs."  How does she come by this knowledge anyway