for the big sisters

It's a Frandsen family tradition for the baby to bring gifts to his older siblings. Reuben inspired the making of these little baby care sets, using the wee darlings I gave the girls for Christmas from Aunt Boo's Babies (I linked her "sold" page because her shop is pretty much empty and here you can admire and hope she starts working more soon...not that I am...) Felt birdy toy, linen embroidered bib, rattles (crocheted cotton wristlets with rose quartz and labradorite), silver spoon (hammered silver wire), washcloths and blanket made from Reuben's own scraps.

pleasure

I've never heard of a greater infant smiler than my own wee man. Every feeding is followed by sleepy bliss and slow-crawling smiles, and I can often coax them out by kissing his cheeks. My baby books may disagree, but my Reuben knows pleasure and quick smiles are part of his code. I've spent much time trying to catch one; these just-off-peak blurs are my best evidence:

baby baby mine

I have had grand plans of sorting the couple of hundred baby photos we have (can't erase a one) and writing out the birth story (exhilarating but hard) and writing a new e-mail that goes to current addresses (Nathan sent a next-morning one using a 3-year-old list of "who we send newsletters to") and...I still will. May very well.

But until then, by order of my sister Mindy, here are some photos of Reuben. On his one-week birthday, which was two days ago. It already makes me catch my breath that he is bigger than that now; I both feel slightly faint that this much time has passed I may not have cherished enough and panicked at the thought of the very recent past: I need the postnatal recovery of all body systems to continue, God-speed!

Reuben Anders Wilde Goates, 8 # 7 oz, 21", 5:56 pm, 11/4/08. Another post soon on being born on election day: a most auspicious time for birth and beginnings.

family now complete

much more later!
from daddy here: http://goates.blogspot.com/

mama to mama

Amanda Soule has started a new website: Mama to Mama. It's beginning by gathering help for mum-to-mum craftivism, a lovely concept that is pretty much handmade service opportunities: crafting for good. Her own description writes:

I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again."
-Stephen Grellet

As crafters, the reasons we create are many. Just one may be to spread a little bit of peace into the world, to make a small but meaningful difference in one person's life through a simple act of crafting with intention. Mama to Mama seeks to find ways to connect handcrafters with mothers, children and families in need of a little bit of handmade love.

The first project, due December 10th, is gathering newborn caps for a Maine-based organization that benefits Haiti, and offers an easy PDF pattern for making knotted caps from old T-shirts. Read all of the details, and send 'em in. A family at our school recently adopted 3 beautiful children from a Haitian orphanage, so our family has been particularly sensitive to the need in that struggling country. Luckily, I have a boxful of old tees :), and my girls will love helping with the choosing & sewing. I'm personally grateful for a good service start to our holiday gifting and wanting, and will post pictures of our caps soon. And want to see yours!

Photo tag

Heather photo-tagged me today: show the 4th photo in your 4th folder. Hers was much more appropriate for Halloween: a mouse tumor (her husband is a biologist). We're just a season off: goat & Mare, sledding in 2003.

morning light

My little stack of blankets & burpers (isn't there a better word for these? seems kind of coarse).

All of the blankets are single layers, bound with bias tape: the two flannel with packaged ones, and the bamboo fleece with tape I made. I made the flannel ones thin to be good swaddlers, in case that's this baby's preference, and 45" square. The packaged tape is kind of scratchy, so I decided not to use it for the burp cloths. I just stitched a double layer, quick-turned & top-stitched. With inexpert leaf & cloud motifs machine quilted on top. Audrey turned everything last night into a talk show, "Lights", so I narrated the whole process of making the green toile one. If her imagination ever gets a direct line to youtube, then I'll imbed the tutorial :). Marian is halfway done sewing a burp cloth with the fabric she chose; hopefully we'll be able to work on it tomorrow & show you on her blog.

Did I mention how much I love this bamboo? The last blanket was big, so this was just 36" square. And I can't wait to put a naked baby on it. My family is going to be so thrilled when I stop being pregnant and sneakily turning down the heat :). They're all freezing...