Books, beetles and babies...

I have been tired and overwhelmed with all that has been happening of late and while I had no intention of taking an impromptu break, I think it may have been what I needed. I'm afraid we have been living amidst the difficulties of illness, mastitis, teething and the first stages of weaning.

And yet, there have been so many wonderful things happening too...

I have been reading - The Scarlet Letter and A Movable Feast. Reading feels like such a wonderful luxury when you have a baby. While feeling ill I gave up on the house work and spent my windows of free time while Cohen slept, curled up on my own bed reading. I wonder if I could get away with that more often... Thanks dearest sister for the wonderful books and for your blog post while I was sick. (I will have to get you a wonderful birthday present!)

I baked my first cheesecake and was surprised by the delicious results! It is wonderful to try something new. Why do I wait so long to do these things? I need to challenge myself more often with new things, be it baking or something else.

I have celebrated with my friends and their children, as each of the babies reaches there first birthday. My dear Cohen is next and I am so looking forward to his first birthday party.

The first Christmas beetles have arrived, which has always been a sign to me that Christmas is on it's way. Do you have Christmas beetles where you are? I love the silly things with their big bodies and tiny legs. I only wish they would stop trying to get into my kitchen.

There has been lots of photos taken, of Cohen, our adventures and the everyday. It's wonderful to take a camera with you, it makes you slow down and really look at things.

There has been lots of baby cuddles, there has been long and meandering phone calls that make you smile the rest of the day, there have been flowers from loved ones surprising me and nodding their heads on the dining table, there have been hexagons stitched, there has been long walks and there has been movies to watch while snuggled up on the couch.

I am so thankful for my husband and baby, my family and friends and all the little things that add up to make a wonderful life. I think sometimes you just have to take a step back to appreciate them.

A few photos from a lovely long walk around the lake yesterday.

PS. Do you like the new simple blog design? The background was looking a little to fussy and I have been admiring the simple white backgrounds I have noticed in blog land and the mosaic headers.

Still sick...

I feel as if a heard of hippos have been dancing on my tummy and inside of my head.

Sick...

Peekaboo! It is Fiona (above), Christina's twin filling in for her. Christina is sick in bed - the poor darling has what Cohen had - but she didn't want to miss a day of Blogtober. Being her identical twin I thought it would be okay if I posted something in her place. So here is a picture of me at GOMA this year amid a forrest of fur sculptures. Get better soon beautiful Christina - your posts are much better than mine!!! Love you. PS. Cohen is all better now.

My Creative Space...

We had a fitful sleep last night.

Cohen, because he was sick and could keep nothing down.

Myself because I went to sleep in the spare room to be closer to Cohen. I was unable to sleep however, listening out for my sick baby and not being in my own bed.

Hubby, who was woken up when I needed help, changing Cohen while I cleaned up and changed the sheets, only to have the baby be sick on him too.

Today Cohen has kept down a little food and breast milk and I am none the wiser as to whether he was suffering from a tummy bug, or if it was something he was given to eat by a well meaning family member? It breaks your heart, doesn't it.

Creativity is a little thin on the ground right now, but as promised, the progress of the frilly yarn...

-

My Creative Space, thanks to Kirsty.

My place and yours...

On the shelf...

Which is really on the step cabinet - very old books passed down through the family, a carved wooden hippo from the markets, a head sculpture we brought in Athens and carried around in our back backs until we got it home.

And a very small collection of the vintage bottles dug up by my father in outback Australia.

And, bedside...

I kept meaning to take photos of this and was reminded today when Cohen pulled himself up on to this side of the bed side cabinet,

and claimed the old photo frames and fossils for himself.

And while I am catching up, Miss Muggin's was thinking about beds. Here is a bit of ours, with a cheeky baby who can pull himself up to the side of it and magically lower himself down again. No more crying out in alarm for help to get his bottom back on the floor. He is like a jack-in-the-box now. He stands up using the side of the bed, he sits down, he stands up again.

Thanks Pip for the meme and to Potty Mouth Mama for picking the bedside theme.

Is there anything....

like a good dress pattern to get you inspired?

There is only one teeny, tiny little problem.

Make that two.

Firstly, I have not found/ brought the perfect fabric to make these dresses yet.

Secondly. I have never sewn a dress before.

Thank goodness for Mothers who are willing to teach...

Eye Spy... something cuddly.

I know, you might have guessed it.

Cohen is my 'something cuddly'.

I couldn't resist.

Bek's Eye Spy theme was the perfect cuddly excuse to slip this photo onto the blog.

My clever, cuddly, sweet chubby cheeked boy who climbed into and stood up in his cart all by himself.

You can spy more Eye Spyers here...