A Bookish Life

While she slept

I made Cate this little outfit. Because pattern sizing is notoriously off for babies and adults, it is much bigger than promised and won't fit her until the fall.

The pattern was Simplicity 3656 (Shelly, this is the pants pattern I used last time too!) and came together very easily. With a few modifications of course.

I've been wanting to show this little ensemble for days, but I am also holding out on you. There's a new set of projects in the works and *gasp* I plan to reopen the shop soon to show them.

But in the meantime I'll show off quick little summer clothes projects, for C. and for me, and keep the secrets to myself!

In favor of Prettiness

In this new life of 30 minute breaks and intensive prioritizing, patterns of beauty begin to emerge. There are little moments practicing vowel sounds and smiles with Cate. There are moments of solitude in the kitchen, whipping up a batch of cookies from Martha Stewart's new book and snatched moments with friends on the phone or on the porch.

I take a few minutes to sew each day because I love it and it provides me with a renewed appreciation for the ability to create something lovely and new (that fits!) without the twin trials of shopping and purchasing.

Here is the Liberty top I mentioned, mostly finished. The back is pinned in the shot, but will get the hook and eye treatment as soon as I find those blasted needles.It fits me just right and even lends a real prettiness to a pair of jeans and navy cardigan. Better still, it feels like silk but being secretly cotton means that I can throw it in the wash when my little friend decides to spit up on it.

The next project is lying piled on the floor and I can't wait to get back to it.

Thanks for the vaccination day sympathy! When her dad came down with a bad case of food poisening, we started to worry. But we all made it through just fine!

To Wipe Away the Tears

When a little mouse has to go to the doctor for the first time in order to get tortured with evil (though good) shots, she should defintely get to receive a new little Liberty outfit. To balance out the soreness with dainty little flowers.

When the mouse's mama has to watch her receive said vaccinations, she should maybe get a new Liberty something too. Now I'm off to finish hemming the mama's consolation prize.

Cate in the blogosphere

Some pictures of "Baby Cake" playing with Abby. She really doesn't mind being petted and kissed. Abby seemed to love her immediately. She was fascinated by her tiny baby toes and her pacifier. And here is one hanging out with her cousins at the ranch.

6 weeks

We spend a lot of time hunting and stalking the rare, elusive baby smile.
It only popped up within the last couple days- after our trip to Austin and Granbury last week and once we were back in the quiet of our routine again. I was hopeful, but unaware how greatly and beautifully she would give in to the smile once she finally got the hang of it. And now it's showing up more and more.

In sewing news, I'm working on an Amy Butler skirt (for me), a laundry bag (for Cate/me), and two more baby shower gifts. There is no rest for the seriously weary.

I am also making great progress on my super fantastic new vegetable garden and getting into somewhat of a cooking, cleaning, entertaining, leaving-the-house routine. There's a lot of things to juggle.

And sometimes we take a minute in all the busyness and bustle just to cuddle.

A Whole Chapter on Cheese

It's easy enough to hold a book and a baby at the same time. Even though my sewing has slowed down considerably (along with everything else), my reading time has actually increased.

Here was a recent find that I snapped up at the library and finished off within the week. Service Included: Four Star Secrets of an Eavesdropping Waiter. Although her political comments and love life are sometimes a bit obtrusive, I really enjoyed the book's comments on food and gourmet culture. If you're a person who enjoys hearing about truffle sauce and foie gras, then consider picking this one up.
You can also read a little intro here, an article linked up from Arts and Letters Daily.

The First of Many

This was the dress/jumper I made for Cate from a bit of Anna Maria Horner fabric I had lying around. It's fully lined with a super soft muslin and pre-washed for easy cleaning in the future.  The shoulders detach with snaps so I don't have to wrestle it onto her, and the whole ensemble took about an hour's worth of nap time to make.

You can see my favorite little model here doesn't mind hanging out in her new dress at all. She consented to take this picture before demanding to eat by stuffing the outfit in question into her mouth.

I apologize in advance for the parade of permutations you will see of this jumper in the future. It's so easy to make and so much cheaper to make new clothes rather than buy them. It's also a way to indulge in all my favorite fabrics in tiny, miniature-person quantities.

Will there be a dress for the mama finished before the week's out?

3 1/2 weeks in

I promise that one of these days soon I'll be posting something other than pictures of my beautiful daughter. But, look here! Sometimes she opens her eyes and plays before settling back into a nap.

The last few weeks have brought a steep learning curve, but it already feels like she's been with us for a long time. She has had the pleasure of meeting three of her great-grandparents, getting licked on the foot by her dog, Amos, and going to church twice. She has also met her new friends, the twin Jackson boys (I made her a new dress for the occasion) and been to the Roden house and her Nanny's ranch-- where we exclaimed over the baby goats hopping about next door.

She doesn't read quite yet, but she does listen to readings from The Ambassadors, by Henry James and we watched Funny Face with Audrey Hepburn, among others, on one of many sleepless nights. Today will be our second attempt at delivering coffee together, we have a lunch date, and a wedding to attend in a week. It's a busy, busy life, but we're definitely having fun.

She's just so cute.

We are getting a little sleep around here. Some of us more than others, as you can see. You may also note the completed quilt Cate is laying on- finished just in time for her arrival. She also has a special blanket handmade from each of her grandmas, one a lovely green knitted throw and the other a sweet coral and yellow quilt with her name embroidered in the corner.

I don't quite have the words to describe how in love with this little munchkin we are. I know those of you with kids can probably guess how overwhelming it is. Brian calls her his peaberry, which is a tiny coffee bean that is prized in this house for its cuteness.

I have a couple sewing projects to work on- some for Cate, one for Eliza, and a few for my friend Larissa's wedding. I'm thinking this week, since I'm feeling basically recovered, I might pick up one of these projects during an afternoon nap time.

The littlest Daskam

March 11th brought us Catherine Ruth Daskam, the newest little beauty in town. Cate weighed 7 pounds, 1 ounce and took a little less than two hours to make her entrance.

Pardon the short blog break. When we can actually stop staring at her, we're trying to sleep!