Olympics - four years later

Here's what Snick looked like during the last Summer Olympics.

I have fond and bleary memories of those days, watching all the events while nursing and rocking and soothing our new baby.

Here he is last week, during the Opening Ceremonies. He lasted about 15 minutes.

He's super excited about the Olympics. He insists that his favorite event is water volleyball. I don't think that's an Olympic event, but we'll just keep that to ourselves.

Nesting

We are getting ready for a new little person around here!

When Snick was a born, a friend gave us five kitchen garbage bags full of adorable baby clothes that her boys had used very, very gently. I hardly had to buy him a thing until he was two! In fact, she gave me so many clothes that we always moved up to the next size before we made it through all the outfits. I ended up giving away a lot of them, but I saved an under-the-bed sized box for each size through the baby stage. Which, really, is plenty! So the point is, we haven't had to do much shopping!

Instead, I've been clearing out junk from our house - lots of trips to goodwill! - and sewing. It's probably just because I work here at home instead of having a "real" job, like I did when I was expecting Snick, but it seems like I have been doing a lot more nesting this time around.


First, I made this cut chenille blanket. I used a tutorial from Aesthetic Nest. I made one for a new niece last fall, and I loved it so much, it was at the top of my list for our new baby. A little tedious, sewing all those straight lines, half an inch apart, and then cutting in between, but totally worth it after it's washed and dried and crinkly.

The other project I've been working on is a pieced quilt based on this tutorial from Cluck Cluck Sew. I really love how it turned out. I accidentally bought enough fabric (and made enough blocks) for TWO baby quilts. Anybody out there having a baby soon, and loving this color combo? I'm thinking I'll sew it up quickly before the baby comes, because who knows when I'll ever get the chance to sit down and sew again!

 

The embroidery on the back says, "Welcome to the world, little one * 2012".

I love that feeling of anticipation. Waiting to meet a new little person that Heavenly Father is sending to be a part of our forever family. I can't wait! Remind me of how magical this is in about six weeks when I'm dying of sleep deprivation, ok?!

People are Amazing

One day, my husband came home from work with this pretty package under his arm.

Inside, a beautiful knitted blanket for the baby.

I was so grateful, but became even more so when I read the printout of an email he had received from the blanket's maker. He had written her to thank her and here's how she responded:

"Actually, the thanks have to come from me. Your child will come into this world having already given a gift beyond value.

"I worked on your baby's gift on endless trips to and from Williamsburg and Richmond, in more doctors' offices and waiting for more calls from physicians than I can remember now. Beginning last October, when we cycled through that heart-stopping vocabulary - lump, biopsy, tumor, lymphoma - and thankfully ending in a soft landing of much more gratefully received vocabulary - genetic disease, benign, operable. And all of these unthinkable words being used about our daughter.

"All the while, I was blessed with the gift from your son of something to do with my hands so they wouldn't betray my fear, my anger, my helplessness to my little girl, who at 18 and then 19 still counted on us to be intelligent, capable, and strong. Each stitch a breath, each row a prayer.

"So thank you from the bottom of my heart. My daughter is well, and I am so beholden."

We will treasure this one forever.