Hearts, Flowers and Chocolate

Some say Valentine's Day is a contrived holiday, one not worth acknowledging. But give me any reason to celebrate, especially in the middle of February (one of the toughest months of the year for me) and I will gladly take it. And when we are celebrating the people we love the most, celebrating love itself, how can you complain? Especially when the holiday specifically calls for eating chocolate.

Yes, there were hearts. Many of them. I'm certain with more time we could have cut out even more hearts and found creative ways to hang them throughout our house. But we did the best we could. As Ava was going to sleep the night before Valentine's Day she said, "perhaps tomorrow we can hang more hearts...." That's my girl. You can never have too many hearts on Valentine's Day. 

Yes, there was chocolate. Lots of chocolate. If you've never realized how easy it is to make truffles, I warn you not to look at the recipe; you may never stop eating them. Making truffles has become something of a Valentine's Day tradition for me, so I was already planning on whipping up a batch. Then as I was looking through my dessert recipe stash I found one for whoopie pies adapted from Zingerman's Bakehouse in Ann Arbor. I felt I had to make them too as a way to incorporate our beloved old town into our Minneapolis Valentine's celebration. 

Will actually got a bit miffed when he found out I was making both truffles and whoopie pies for dessert. In his defense, he was tired, hungry and dinner was running a tad late because I was busy adding sticks of butter by the half tablespoonful to the buttercream filling, whipping it constantly as I prepared our feast (yes, I say "sticks" of butter - I won't dare tell how many went into the whoopie pies). I assure you, I heard no complaints while he was eating them. 

And, of course, there was Valentine's Day crafting. I found these irresistible heart barrettes from Purl Soho. A perfect project to use up all of those felt scraps leftover from cutting out hearts.

We had a love-filled, admittedly a bit hectic, Valentine's Day. Not all of us made it through to the end of the night - the boy has had quite a cough and was not in the mood for exclaiming "whoopie" at his dessert along with the rest of us. But amidst the fatigue and crankiness, the coughing and sniffles, the rushed dinner, the abundant cards and gifts, Will and I reminded ourselves that some Valentine's Day in the future (perhaps 30 years from now) we may find ourselves sitting at a quiet table feeling just slightly bored. And while today there is some small part inside of us that longs for a reminder of what it actually feels like to be bored, I know when it comes we will be thinking back to these days of abundance as precious fleeting times. So today we celebrate and rejoice in the fullness of our home, our family, our lives, our loves.

I hope you all had a sweet, love-filled Valentine's Day.

Once around the sun

Last weekend our boy turned one year old. In one year he has grown so much, learned so much about the world, just as we have learned so much about him. The night of his birthday I stayed up late after everyone else had gone to sleep and fell absorbed looking through pictures of when he was born and of him as a newborn. I then went back even farther and glanced through pictures of Ava as a little babe and noted such distinct differences between them even then - differences that are reflections of their contrasting personalities. Why do we ever imagine that two humans would be the same? How can we possibly be surprised by their differences? These two little ones, so perfecty complementary, make our family feel - complete.

On his one year birth-day we celebrated our sweet boy Eli, but internally there was also a celebration for this mama too as I reflected back on the days leading up to Eli's birth. He and I worked hard in those days - and really it was all just the beginning. I can see both how much Eli has grown in his one year and also have more of an inkling of how this is still just the beginning - how much more change and growth and learning for us all - is to come. His birthday reminds me, too, of how far we have come here in our new home. He was just starting to stretch my belly when we arrived here in Minnesota. A year and a half later our family has grown, as has our community and comfortability in this place we call home.

This boy of ours is pure joy. Even at one year old there is so much that we know about him, so much that is apparent of who he is and will be. He is strong, patient, persistent, engaged, a good problem solver, confident, a man of action, and, so far at least, a meat and potatoes kind of guy. I know his tickle spots. I know how to make him giggle. I know that some of the worries I had about him when he was born have subsided - and some of them will remain on indefinitely. I have observed many differences between him and his sister. Lately, though, as he grows and matures, I am seeing more similarities: his attention (though he may choose to pay it to something other than her favorites, books and animals); his gentle nature; his (mostly) even temperament. I am so very proud of him, and each day I grow more amazed with all he is learning and how he is growing. I love his deep gutteral laugh and wide toothy grin. I love the way he is so warm and snuggly in the early morning - our little snuggle package. I love his wild, exuberant, two-handed wave. I love how he climbs all over me like a monkey and teeter totters on his chubby legs as he practices taking steps over and over again. This boy, who will always be my baby even if he is now 'officially' a toddler, he steals my heart.

Eli's celebration was in some ways less grand than Ava's first birthday bash. Our lives were quite different then, living in Ann Arbor amidst a rich and vast community of friends. And, let's face it, having only one child makes accomplishing anything - like planning a big party - quite a bit simpler. But Eli's birthday celebration, spread over the course of a long weekend and shared with his Grandma and Papa, was perfect in its own way. A trip to the zoo where he leans up close against the floor-to-ceiling tank of tropical fish pointing and squealing at each blaze of color as it flitters by, dinner out at a favorite restaurant, a visit from friends who couldn't resist bringing him his first doughnut, gifts, cake (carrot), and most importantly, quite a bit of cuddling and family time. 

I finished Eli's birthday crown just in time with the help of Janet at Felt on the Fly, who sells the most fabulous 100% wool felt in every color imaginable and who so expeditiously rushed a felt order out to this procrastinating Mama.  I loosely followed the crown pattern in Amanda Soule's book The Creative Family. I was inspired by the absolutely beautiful crown that my dear friend Angela made for Ava's first birthday, starting a tradition we will cherish for birthdays to come.

I remember sitting at the dinner table before Eli was even in my belly, feeling this barely perceptible, but very much present feeling that someone is missing. With Eli here with us and the four of us together, that feeling around the table has changed to an ah yes, here we all are.

Happy Birthday, my sweet boy. We love you so so much.

This Moment

A SouleMama Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Three Little Elves, One Big Tree and an Itty Bitty Hat Tutorial

This weekend was one I anticipate for about 11 months of the year - the one during which we pick out our Christmas tree. This tradition is significant to me for many reasons. Yes, driving out to the tree farm and tromping through in search of the 'perfect' tree, taking advantage of the cheesy photo ops, drinking hot apple cider around the fire, visiting the traditional native american teepee that stands on the grounds, these are all fun adventures worthy in their own right of looking forward to. Still, my excitement encompasses more than all this. On this day we clothe our house in it's holiday dress - boughs of fir cloak the mantle and every empty horizontal surface I can find, our menorahs are brought out and dusted off, pine cones strategically placed here and there, the holiday book basket is filled, and of course, the christmas tree in its twinkling, delicious smelling glory stands tall lighting up our house with promise of celebration and family gathering.

We drove out to Krueger's Christmas Tree Farm where we found our tree last year as well. It is a family farm that strives to grow trees sustainably, respecting the land and ancestors who inhabited the land before us. We headed straight for the fraser firs (consistently our favorite) and found this year's tree. Ava (and Eve, of course) helped Dada cut it down. In my, albeit very limited, experience, nothing beats a fresh cut tree. In addition to the experience of hunting for it and cutting it down yourself, it lasts so much longer than a precut tree and drops so many fewer needles. 

I lived nearly 30 years before I ever had a christmas tree or even celebrated the holiday. And, no, I never missed it - never had christmas envy. Since I met Will, who has always celebrated - and cherished - Christmas, I admit I've come to look forward to this time of year like no other. I've been known to start singing "We need a little Christmas" in the deep heat of summer. Perhaps it is this newness, in part, that brings out a child-like wonder and excitement in me about the holiday and the celebration of it. I still cannot get over the fact that we have a tree in our house! Yes, a live, majestic tree whose woodsy aroma dances straight to my nostrils every time I near our living room. I just love it so.

I decided to knit pointy elf hats for Ava and Eli to wear on our tree hunting adventure and through this holiday season. I used Joelle Hoverson's pattern from More Last Minute Knitted Gifts. This pattern is so quick and easy and so very appropriate for this season. After I ran out of yarn just before finishing Ava's hat and had to buy a whole other skein, I decided to knit Ava's doll "baby Eve" her own pointy elf hat. I modified Joelle's pattern to fit Eve's head. As you may imagine, this was a huge hit with the girl. This was such an easy and hugely appreciated gift for a girl who loves her doll. I'm guessing many other little ones might appreciate matching elf hats for them and their babies, so I've written out my modified pattern for the doll hat in a tutorial at the bottom of this post. The details for the three hats I knit can be found on ravelry.

Last night we lit our first fire of the season, mixed some egg nog and began my favorite part of the tree day tradition - trimming the tree. Every ornament tells a story of another season in our lives. As we unwrap these delicate adornments one by one, we are swept away on a journey of the years we've shared: this ornament is from our first year together; Ava made this wooden star at the Waldorf holiday festival last year; this gourd shaker (which was never meant to be an ornament) was a gift at the Medicine for the Earth retreat I attended when I was living, what feels to me now, a very different life; this one is the official White House ornament from 1999; the Buddah - one of my favorites - a gift from Aunt Leah; the jewish stars that nod to my Jewish heritage; the "I love my black lab" ornament - so endearingly hideous that we traditionally place it at the very back of the tree, hidden among the boughs that brush the wall; the delicate blown glass owl that was Ava's first ornament when she was just barely one week old; and the most special, our Owie dog angel - which is always opened with a moment of silence and moist eyes in rememberance of our beloved Owen who passed away two and a half years ago. The trimming of the tree is a nostalgics dream.

This day signifies that the end of the year holidays are upon us. Our house is dark no more with all the twinkling lights that hang happily from every corner. And the faces of our many loved ones filter in on cherished holiday cards that arrive daily in the mail. We are joyous in these dark days - and warmed by the fire, the lights, the closeness of our dear ones as the weather turns even colder.

 Tutorial: Doll Sized Pointy Elf Hat

This pattern is inspired by and modified from Joelle Hoverson's Pointy Elf Hat in More Last Minute Knitted Gifts - a wonderful book full of quick knits. 

I'll give instructions for a hat that will fit a doll with an 11 1/2 inch circumference and 4 1/2 inch tall (from forehead to crown) head. The hat can be easily modified to fit a different size doll head by using thicker/thinner yarn, different size needles, or by modifying the pattern itself (I will try to post easy instructions on how to do this soon).

Gauge

2.5 stitches per inch. Gauge is everything - check it, my friends.

Yarn

Bulky - one skein will make several doll hats, depending on your yarn and yardage. I used about 20 yards of Malabrigo Aquarella.

Needles

One set of four double pointed needles - whatever size gives you the proper gauge. I used size 11 double pointed needles to achieve the right gauge for the yarn I used.

Stitch Marker

You'll need one, unless you use your cast-on tail to remind you where the beginning of the round is.

Doll Hat

Cast on 30 stitches. 

Divide stitches evenly over three double pointed needles. You should have 10 stitches per needle.

Place marker (if you intend to use one) and join for working in the round. Alternatively, you can use your cast-on tail as a reminder of where the start of your round is.

Work in stockinette stitch (knit all stitches) until the hat measures 3 inches from the beginning with brim unrolled.

Begin to shape the crown:

Decrease Round: [K2tog, knit to end of needle] 3 times (27 stitches remain).

Knit 1 round.

Repeat Decrease Round every other round 5 more times (12 stitches remain).

Repeat Decrease Round every round 3 more times (3 stitches remain).

Break yarn, leaving a 6" tail; thread tail through remaining stitches, pull tight and fasten off, with tail to wrong side.

As always, I'd love to see your doll hats! Please link to them in the comments. Enjoy!

Thankful

Today I am thankful for...

• Will, Ava, Eli, Kuma, Lola and the rest of our extended family of loved ones. You fill my days with love, excitement and meaning. I love you all so much.
• a long weekend - which means extra time to share as a family and for me to bake, sew, shower (leisurely), and maybe go on a mama outing sometime over the holiday.
• Skype, which brings the faces of our distant loved ones into our home on this special day.
• new, but surely becoming old, friends here in Minneapolis, who will welcome us into their family and around their table on this day of thanks and gathering.
• dear friends back in Ann Arbor and beyond, who remain close over distance and maintain a strong, rich presence in our lives.
• our daily family meals keeping us close, healthy and in tune with each other.
• Will's job. There are so many out there struggling. We are so fortunate to have enough right now. And even more so in that Will loves his job, is challenged and inspired by it. 
• synchronized nap times, during which I am able to spend precious moments devoted to my various projects. They keep my hands busy, my mind vibrant and my soul calm.
• this space, in which I am able to share, reflect and record our days.

At the dinner table last night we went around and each spoke at least one thing we are thankful for. Ava said, "I'll have to think about it." Then after a while she said, "pie. I am thankful for pie." Indeed.

I hope you have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Halloween a la Beatrix

I've heard it said that children's obsessions are passing fads. New toys or ideas may be all the rage shortly before they are set aside; Picky little ones will eagerly gobble up apple sauce every meal for a week, then completely refuse it for a month (sound familiar, Eli?). And why not, I suppose, when there is so much in this world to explore? Who can blame them for throwing themselves so wholly into something as if to inhale every bit of it, learn as much as they can from it, then move on to another unknown (for there are so many when you are young - and more, even more as we grow). But some things last. Things that little ones (and big ones alike) hold onto dearly and for longer than thought possible.

I don't know if Ava's long term love of Beatrix Potter books speaks to her personality or the quality of the works themselves; probably both. But for one reason or another, Ava has been an avid reader of Potter's collection for over a year now. She knows the exact shelf upon which they reside at the library, and when we arrive she immediately veers off toward it murmuring something like, "maybe we can bring home a new Beatrix Potter book." 'New' meaning 'one we don't currently have at home', since we have read most of them. At some point we realized Ava wasn't just listening to these tales at story time but actually memorizing them word for word. It's impossible not to chuckle when I overhear her from the next room 'reading' to her dolls, "It is said that the effect of eating too much lettuce is soporific" or "Mr Drake Puddleduck advanced in a slow sidewise manner." Speak a word incorrectly - or worse, omit a sentence - and you will be corrected. 

Illustration by Beatrix Potter from The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Ava's appreciation for Beatrix Potter's books has piqued my own interest in the life of Ms Potter and, as such, I've been doing some of my own reading. Not one to usually read biographies, I must say I've really enjoyed being submersed in her world during short intervals while baby Eli is nursing. Interestingly, her books originated as picture letters she wrote to children, and these picture letters are currently on display at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York. A review of the show ran in the New York Times a couple weekends ago. Peter Rabbit was originally conceived as a picture letter to a boy who was ill and needed some cheering, and was based on the adventures of Potter's real beloved rabbit Peter Piper, whom she took with her everywhere she went. Also of note, Beatrix specifically requested that her books be small in size so that they would be easily handled by children, a feature Ava particularly appreciates.

Sorry for the blurry picture, but I couldn't resist this moment. This is not orchestrated.
I found her this way - and often do.

So it was with little hesitation that Ava decided we would all be characters from Beatrix Potter books for Halloween. For herself, Moppet.

Illustration by Beatrix Potter from The Tale of Tom Kitten
source: http://www.fiction.us/potter/tk/tk.htm

Whenever Ava said she was "Moppet" for Halloween people heard "a Muppet" and confusion ensued. I took to carrying around The Tale of Tom Kitten just to point out who exactly Ava was talking about because, you know, these things are important to particular little girls - and (let's be honest) their mamas too. Moppet is the grey kitten in the middle of the illustration above. 

I modified the cozy winter hood pattern from Liesl Gibson's Little Things to Sew to create Ava's Moppet hat (I blogged about the making of the hat in this post). I found her pinafore at Hunt & Gather, a vast antique store in our neighborhood that reminds me of several friends back in Ann Arbor who I know would absolutely flip over the place.

I drafted a pattern for the tail out of the same wool fabric used for the hat and stuffed it with wool batting. The grey sweater and leggings were items she already had in her wardrobe and were layered over various articles to make sure she was toasty warm without having to cover up her costume with a coat (a crime in my book).

The paw mittens were a last minute addition, both to keep her hands warm and to bring a bit more felinity to the whole ensemble. In the end I was so glad I finished them in time, as I think they really added to the costume. I used the mitten pattern from Little Things to Sew (the same I used for these) and added circle appliques to create the paws.

There was no confusion when Ava told people who Eli was for Halloween. I used the same pattern to create Eli's Peter Rabbit hat that I used for Ava's Moppet hat (it is also blogged about here). I created Eli's rabbit tail by lightly felting some wool stuffing into a ball and attaching it to his pants.

The piece de resistance of Eli's costume was his jacket, which had to be just the right shade of blue and "with brass buttons, quite new." I used the Out on the Town Jacket pattern from Sewing for Boys, which produced such a lovely, well made piece of outerwear that it would be a shame if he only wore it during Halloween week.

I was lucky to find the perfect fabric for the jacket while checking out a new (to me) sewing store in the area. I used a fine light blue corduroy and lined it with a blue and brown plaid. I searched through a huge bowl of vintage buttons in the store and found this mismatched set. Really, it couldn't have turned out more perfect.

The booties were knit by Mimi (for Ava when she was itty bitty). I intended to sew up some slippers for Eli since they, too, play an important role in the story. It didn't happen. So let's just say this little Peter Rabbit had already lost his slippers in Mr McGregor's garden.

Happy Halloween!

May your day be festive, safe and full of treats!

Through the Patch

Time and again I am reminded of how powerful traditions are in shaping our lives; and ever more so when your family includes small children. For these beings, who do not yet register the meaning of "October 24th", for whom a single calendar year may span a lifetime, seasons, holidays, and traditions literally provide the framework for the year, for their lives. They exist in a magical state in which every morning awakes with wonder of "what adventures will today bring"? 

In her lifetime, Ava has been to the pumpkin patch twice before. But this year she has a new recognition, an understanding, of what we do there and what it signifies. These traditions are markers not just for the little ones, but for us parents too as we think back to previous years and consider how much our little loved ones are blossoming, filling in their skin and becoming with every day more of who they are. So many pumpkins in a patch, each one unique. I observed the other families who were at the patch with our same intentions this past weekend. The air was surprisingly warm, the sky hazy and bright. Their cameras, too, clicked away trying to capture this moment. Because we adults are so familiar with time and how it passes. How it accelerates.

Even this sweater, knit when baby Eli was in my belly and I could only wonder about him, this sweater that seemed so enormous when I finished it - as if he'd never grow big enough to wear it. This sweater is another physical marker of the passage of time. One that he will too soon outgrow and leave limp and neatly folded in the back of the closet as he moves on, stretching further and further.

We snap a picture and freeze a moment. A moment so brief it was over just as soon as it began. And we hold on to that image, a reminder of a time that will never be again - for these little ones are already bigger than they were two minutes ago. And, yes, so are we; though the change in us is so much less perceptible. 

Somehow bringing home a trunkful of orange and green orbs makes it feel official. With Halloween a week away we have entered this glorious time of year so filled with celebration. The decorations go up and stay up, rotating as the months turn through to the final days of the cold season. The pace of making speeds unrelenting, with ideas for projects, gifts, crafts, decorations churning in my head. Oh, how I love this time of year and these traditions that give us the sense that, yes, we have been here before; though everything, really, is different.  I wish you happy and productive days leading up to Halloween. And remind myself (and perhaps you as well) to savor these very special days ahead.

KCWC Days 2 & 3 - Halloween Hats

For days two and three of Kids Clothes Challenge Week I fed two birds with one seed so to speak and worked on the kids' hallloween hats. As I've mentioned before, Ava has known for months (without wavering) what she will be for halloween this year. I won't give away her secret yet, but I'll say that she will be a feline character from a classic series of books - and that her costume has required me to go hunting through local antique stores to find a pinafore and tucker that fits her. I'm certain that few people will have any idea who she is dressed up as when she goes trick-or-treating, but hopefully that doesn't deter her or dampen her spirits. She is quite excited about her choice.

For both hats I used Oliver + S's Cozy Winter Hood pattern from Little Things to Sew. If you love sewing for kids and don't know about this book, you are missing out. It is beautifully put together with a variety of useful and creative projects, and the patterns are so well written. Every pattern that I've used from this book has resulted in a high quality product. And I usually learn at least one new thing with every pattern of Liesl's that I follow. 

For both hats I used wool for the outside fabric and flannel for the lining. I really would have preferred velveteen for the lining, but - get this - Joanne only stocks velveteen in dark colors. Why?? I'm not blown away by the fabrics I chose, but I do think they work and are, most importantly, true to the color of the characters we are portraying. My girl is a stickler for details. Both hats sewed up quickly and easily.

two little kittens

Given his inability to speak intelligibly as of yet, the boy surrendered his power of authority to his big sister and she chose his halloween costume (yes, months ago) for him. I suspect she will enjoy making many other major life decisions for him in the future - at least until he grows bigger than her. Without giving it away, I will say that Eli is going to be a rabbit from a classic story who has a penchant for stealing vegetables from his neighbor's garden and wears a blue jacket with brass buttons, "quite new." For all those who have no idea who Ava is, I'm certain many will recognize him.

To be honest, I'm not entirely satisfied with how Eli's bunny ears turned out. The Oliver + S pattern includes bear ears, so I had to draft both sets of ears for these hats. Mainly, I wish Eli's ears weren't quite so floppy and would stick up more. If I was thinking clearly at the start of this project I would have used interfacing or some stiff batting to perk them up. But, I'm going to let it go and won't blame anyone for mistakenly calling him a dog. He won't know the difference anyway, right?

Assuming he keeps his costume on, this boy will be a cute one hopping around the neighborhood.

For day four, I'm hoping to experiment with knits. It will be my first time, so wish me luck. I hope you all are feeling good about your progress and having fun with your sewing!