6 months old

At six months of age our days flow with Emerson's rhythm - play, comfort, feed, sleep, play, comfort, feed, sleep. 'Feed' often merges into 'sleep', as 'self settling' has become more of a foreign concept this month. I would have dwelt more on this sort of behavior with Cohen, concerned that I shouldn't be feeding to sleep as the health nurses suggested, worried that he would never be able to put himself to sleep, wondering what I should do to change his behavior. This time around I have found that I am less anxious about what I "should" be doing, more relaxed doing what feels right. I feel comfortable letting the phases come and go and following Emerson's lead.

This past month Emerson has gained a small, sweet bald patch in the midst of her growing hair. Her hand control has increased, as has her fascination with food, and she has begun eating solids introduced by way of baby lead weaning. A simple concept and a much more relaxed and natural approach. She is interested in food and eats from our plates when we eat, sitting in her highchair at the table with us. She is asserting her independence too, determined to sit on her own whenever possible, pushing herself into an upright position. Her confidence outweighs her ability. She topples over as if in slow motion, then cries out in surprised protest until righted again. Emerson wakes only once a night for a feed now. Though lately she has decided she would prefer to spend the rest of the night in bed with us. As a first time Mum I would have resisted this phase too. But as I have come to realise, advice is one thing, while reality is whatever works for us.

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One, two, three, four and five months old.

My Creative Space

My parents had a little bottle of sand art on their shelves that always fascinated me as a child. I remember collecting sand and soil where ever we went in attempt to create a bottle of my own. I think I enjoyed making these little jars with Cohen just as much as I would have when I was a child. We used this tutorial from flax & twin. It was messy fun and we are both super pleased with the results. Aren't they sweet?

These are a few more projects we would like to try soon -

Sidewalk chalk spray

Coloured rice art tutorial
Baking soda and vinegar experiments
Balloon bongo, rice shaker and guiro
Simple Summer time tents
Bubble wands
Rain Stick

Any suggestions to add to our list?
What have you been creating lately?

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More Creative Spaces here.

Yarn Along

I'm still impressed each time I make a cable stitch and see those lovely twists forming as the work grows. Cables were one of the allures of learning to knit. I loved the look of them. They seemed complex and intimidating. I thought that once I mastered the cable I would be able to knit practically anything. While unfortunately that was not the case, cables are one of my favourite things to knit. I'm currently knitting another cabled hot water bottle cozy.

The beauty and skill of poetry have always fascinated me. The more I read and learn, the more I am drawn to the charms of poetry. I was pleased to visit the Queensland Poetry Festival on the weekend and hear Robert Adamson read. While there, I brought a copy of home{sic} by Brisbane poet Julie Beveridge. I have been dipping in to it's pages when the children offer me moments of quiet. I have uncovered many little jewels already, such as these lines from the poem the last friday night flown solo - 

cab driver

right turns you into me

left turns you

out again  

I think Jacqueline Turner summed it better than I could hope to when she observed that, "Julie Beveridge writes domestic scenarios like no other. She combines love with stark observation to create nuanced images that are real, not staged. There is no fakery here, just beautifully strange words that arrive at the heart, making it ache and sing in equal measure." 

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Joining in with Ginny's Yarn Along.

Ravelry.

In the garden

Next stop on the garden tour are the beds along the other side fence. The house was a rental property before we brought it and the gardens had been left to fend for themselves. There wasn't much worth keeping, so we cleared the beds as much as possible in order to start with a clean slate.

This is the second garden bed as it is at the moment. Rows of veggies at different stages and more room for the seeds and seedlings not yet planted out. The green rain gauge in the corner of the bed allows us to keep an eye on the rainfall and water accordingly. 

Eight Roma tomato plants and four sweet potatoes - grown from cuttings from a friends plant.

Two rows of carrots, my first. I can't wait to harvest them and see how they have grown.

Rows of eschallots and onion seedlings. The escahllots were brought as a bunch from the supermarket. I used to keep them in a jar of water to prolong their lives, but I found that re-planting them worked perfectly and we just cut off what we need as we need it.

Four black Russian tomato plants at the front and rows of silverbeet, beetroot, potatoes, experimental garlic and snow peas in a frame. I'm not sure our region if cold enough for garlic. I have grand plans to have numerous and various tomatoes plants this season, in the hopes of fulfilling my dream of bottling tomatoes for use through out the year.

My first potato sprouts - these were potatoes from the kitchen that had sprouted. Another experiment.

Snow peas

The third garden bed, which is home to the worst part of the fence and full of tree stumps.

This is how this part of the garden looked originally.

A mulberry and strawberries in the third garden, and just out of shot a gooseberry and pineapple. The palm stumps should rot down eventually, in the mean time I am planting around them.

These Moments

Feeding and rocking Emerson to sleep reminds me of Cohen at the same age, more than any other daily ritual. It seems not so distant a time that it was Cohen in my arms. The weight of his tiny body against mine, his blue eyes fluttering as he swam in that liminal moment. One perfect ear visible. A patch of hair rubbed smooth on the back of his head, resting against my arm. Dried milk on his cheek.

Now, nearing four, he pretends to nap as I rock Emerson. I assume he thinks I can't hear the pat of his socks on the floor boards and the click and knock of Duplo from behind his closed door. His brown eyes surely twinkling with his perceived mischief. Meanwhile, Emerson swims in the same in between state, with the same blue eyes, that she may or may not yet keep. A crow's call forces her eyes open as she struggles against the tide.

Moments like these I try hard to stem the hum and chatter of my brain. Laying aside the mental to do lists, fleeting thoughts and anxieties. Simply trying to enjoy the moment. As if meditating on all that is Emerson. Ensuring that I hold on to this memory. Her eyelashes finally meet. I hold my breath as I lay her down. Backing out of the room for another glimpse.

Home

Yesterday, home was morning rituals of cuddles and stories. It was the texture of dough, the smell of yeast and the comfort of fresh bread. It was collections of natural treasure displayed in bowls, baskets and bottles. It was conversation with a friend while our babies fussed, ate and explored. It was being neighborly and sharing. It was weeds thrown on to the grass. Crusts thrown to the birds. Clothes fresh and full of sunlight thrown into a basket. Home was cups of tea, stitches knit, laughter and reading the last page of a book. 

And it felt good to be home.

This Moment

{this moment} - A 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. - SouleMama 

Sometimes

I forget that a problem shared is a problem halved.

A little distance brings with it a new perspective.

A shell placed on the window ledge reminds me.

Yarn Along

This is my third stripey garter stitch baby blanket. I always have one on the go now and add to it here and there, between projects, or when my concentration is lacking. I have made one for a friends little boy, one for Emerson and this blanket in progress is for friends who are expecting. 

Handmade blankets seem to be my go to baby gift and I'm a bit addicted to stripes. I love the simple look of these blankets, which were inspired by the Purl Bee's 'Super Easy Baby Blanket.' I use 8ply wool and 4.5mm circular needles and cast on 100 stitches. Then I simply knit stripes using either 50 or 100 grams of wool for each stripe. These blankets also make for perfect car crafting, as I don't need a pattern and it requires more time than actual concentration. Whenever Dave is driving I throw this project into the nappy bag and try to add a few more rows. 

I have been reading 'Sister' by Rosamund Lupton. It is next months book club book. It's a lot darker than the books I generally choose myself. I find that after reading it for awhile it puts me in to a strange head space. I'm not very good at distancing myself from the characters and it's quite emotional and depressing. I shall need something a little lighter after this. 

Any suggestions?

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Joining in with Ginny's Yarn Along.

Ravelry.

In the garden

The first of our three veggie garden beds at the moment.

The garden bed when we moved in, empty except for weeds, a stump and some palm trees.

Parsley, violet, basil and mint

Strawberries, lettuce, egg plant, capsicum and a dwarf mandarin 

Cherry tomato, snow peas and the compost bin

Self seeded tomatoes in the lawn.

Yesterday our mortgage broker sent us an email to congratulate us on the first anniversary of buying this house. It was a few months after settlement that we actually moved in, because we needed to undertake some major renovations. I remember I couldn't wait to get started on creating a garden, despite being pregnant. That excitement remains. I thought we'd take a wander in the garden today, as I've had a few requests to see photos of the veggie beds.

There's a lot going on in preparation for Spring, so I'll just share the first of the three beds today. I started work on the first veggie patch in November last year, but it was destroyed by falling branches during tree lopping. I began again in this corner instead, watching the garden grow as my tummy did. Tottering back and forth with a full watering can because we didn't have a hose long enough to reach. Eventually there were as many weeds as intentional plants, as I could no longer bend my pregnant body over for long enough periods to weed, but still there was a harvest and I was incredibly pleased.

This is the second incarnation of this bed and it is currently full of strawberries in flower, the first green fruits showing, thus the bird netting. Along the front, violets have recently been added for colour, alternated with the herbs. A practice I picked up from a friend. The cherry tomato plants are looking much healthier than my last lot of tomato I planted, which succumbed to disease. They also succumbed to a possum, who would leave the half eaten fruit scattered on the lawn. When I noticed two tomato seedlings coming up in the middle of the lawn I encouraged Dave not to mow over the small plants by staking them. They are now in flower, the clever things. (There are more tomatoes in the second veggie bed.) I threw in a few snow peas in the place of the cherry tomato seedling I did loose. Since starting the garden we have had a year round supply of lettuce and basil, which I have only just cut back.

It may not be the most beautiful veggie garden, but it is slowly growing in to the kind of garden I envisioned and I can see it's charms. I love spending a little time here each day checking the plants, pulling the weeds and day dreaming about what Spring will bring with it.

Weekending

Yesterday the sea was calling Dave. Usually it is the waves that gain his attention. Before the children and I have even awoken, he and his board are often making their way into the water. He seems happiest by the sea, looking out at the waves.

Yesterday he shared some of that magic with us as we wandered the paths between sea and forest in The Burleigh Heads National Park. At the peak, we stood overlooking the rocky foreshores and Tallebudgera Creek. The water so clear we could see fish swimming in the creek far below us. The walk, the forest, the colours, the view, it was all simply beautiful.

Weekends were surely meant to be spent in such a way as this.