London Bound

In what promises to be a grand last hoorah (that is, before the second baby comes along), Elizabeth and I are going to London...that's right, just the two of us.  We are there on official Squam business (we get to decide what's official, so take that with a grain of salt!), taking a workshop, in the English countryside, with an incredible textile/sculpture teacher that Elizabeth has had her eye on for quite some time.  Once the workshop wraps, we will be hanging out in London for a few days- shopping, dining and taking in the sites.  My camera is packed and at the ready- I can hardly wait to share this adventure with you!

My husband just returned from 2 1/2 weeks abroad for work, so I have been on full-time baby duty for the better half of the month (add a few days of the little one battling the stomach flu, just for good measure).  While I am excited for some alone time, I am pretty anxious and sad to be saying goodbye to my little guy (I haven't even spent a night away from him since he was born).  I know that he is in good hands- but oh my- will I miss him.

Just the other day, before the snow melted, we went sledding together.  I pulled him to the park on the sled, and he giggled with joy the entire way.  It's hard to imagine loving a sound more than I love that little laugh of his.  I'm holding this image close to my heart as I set sail for London...

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Letting Go?

With the arrival of our second baby in July, we are going to have to make some changes around the house.  I will be giving up my studio so that we can turn it into a nursery.  While there is a part of me that believes kids should share a room- and I have no doubt that ours will at some point in the future- I don't always think it is in the parents best interest to have their babies share a room.  I have watched my friends and family members struggle with two little ones sharing a room.  One cries, the other wakes up- and so on, and so forth throughout the night.  I know I am not strong enough to endure a nighttime chorus of crying- it would push me right over the edge.

And so...the studio must go.  But before I throw in the towel on having a space of my own, we are considering what might be done with our attic.  It looks like this, minus the bed and furniture (this is a picture from when the previous owners lived here):

It is a nice enough space, and right now, we use it for nothing but storage.  The only issue is the temperature- freezing in the winter, and steamy sauna in the summer.  To make this a year-round room, we would need to make a few improvements- new windows, a new layer of paint, perhaps some carpet.  Once you have kids, I have noticed that it becomes harder to justify spending money on yourself.  When we redid the basement, it was to make a playroom.  When I splurge on something, it is usually for my little guy.  So I am wondering whether I can justify splurging on creating a nice space for myself to continue my crafty pursuits?

Along those lines- feeling inspired by this article that my mom sent me!

As well as Anna Marie Horner's attic studio!

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15 Months

I was looking back through my recent posts and realized that it has been quite a while since I shared a picture of my little man- you know, the one who is running me in circles and keeping me on my toes.  Whenever I pull out my camera he either runs away, or becomes pout-y.  Would you just look at that face?  And those lips?  Such attitude!  And how can I not mention the hair- so curly, and wild- it seems to suit his personality just perfectly.  I'm not sure, when the day comes, that I will be able to cut it without tears (mine, and most likely his, too).  Anyway...here we are....15 months old.

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In the Quiet of the Snow

Over the weekend, I visited my family in Michigan, and was lucky enough to encounter a beautiful snowfall.  I have missed the quiet beauty of snow this winter, although I haven't missed the shoveling, and general inconvenience of it, especially with a wiggly toddler to bundle.

While Vijay was napping, all warm and cuddly, I headed out into the serene whiteness with Honey, our family dog.  As soon as we stepped foot outside, she stopped, leaned back her head, shut her eyes, and took a deep breath, as if to savor the moment.  It was the sweetest thing...and reminded me to do the same.  Isn't it funny how much animals can teach us about interacting with our natural world?

Ever since Vijay was born, I have been running hard, maybe too hard.  Between full-time child care and part-time work (don't even ask me how that works), I am finding myself becoming more and more tired...which leads to me becoming uninspired.  In that moment, Honey reminded me that this year, I need to learn to pause, and breath deep.  Appreciate the little, fleeting moments that make up my day, and stop rushing from one thing to the next.  As our family grows, I want to slow down, and appreciate this time that we have together.  Soon- with one more added to the mix- the days will become even more hectic.  Until that time...I am practicing deep breathing, one quiet, snowy day at a time.

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Two Under Two

I am still reeling from the shock of it...but here we are, expecting our second at the end of July.  Come this summer, I will be mother to two under the age of two.  A recipe for insanity?  Perhaps...but we are feeling so very blessed!

(also feeling a big dose of relief- this helps explain the overwhelming sense of exhaustion I have been feeling for the past three months...it all makes sense now!  and here i thought I just needed to eat more greens!)

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