Creative Juices

I am confident that one of the reasons this particular new baby transition has been so wonderful for me is that I am in a habit of writing. 
So much healing has taken place as I have been able to write and read and ponder the powerful experiences I'm having. 
Writing keeps those experiences from consuming me. 
It is also a creative outlet.

Sullivan is 6 weeks old today. 
I think there are some expectations there. 
Like the babymoon is over.
I'll see my midwife and assistant tonight for that very last checkup. 
It is bittersweet, for sure. 

I'm so grateful to be able to look forward to it and be content with where I am and content with moving on. 

This week Sullivan has begun to slip into a bit of a schedule.  Eat.  Play.  Sleep.
He has been content enough that he's only needed me for the Eat part.  After I feed him, he'll lie on my bed or in his bouncy seat and smile and coo and wiggle.  Sometimes he falls asleep right there, but usually he'll start to fuss and I'll wrap him up and put him in his crib for a nap.  It has really given me some time. 

Maybe I should have used the time for housework or planning homeschool or working in my yard.  There are just so many undone things around here. 

But instead, I've been sewing. (giggle)

With my midwife appointment coming up, I wanted to make something for the assistant who is expecting her first baby in June.  She doesn't know what she's having, so I was trying to think of a gender-neutral project that wouldn't seem so gender-neutral.  I can tell she's a natural kind of gal.  I don't know her really well, but I picture her wanting to keep things simple.  Thinking of her reminded me of a series Dallin and I have been watching.  Lark Rise to Candleford takes place in the English countryside during late 1800's.  The babies all wore the same thing:  a muslin dress and a bonnet.  The gears started turning, and I suddenly had the idea of a woven cotton baby gown that will keep baby cool yet protected during summer.  I found a really pretty fabric in my stash that would work for a girl, so I made one for my friend who just had a baby girl.  It turned out so cute, and I wish I'd taken a picture.  I had the stuff to make a baby towel, too, so I made that as well and gave them to her at a cloth diapering event we went to together. 
But for Liz's surprise baby, I needed to stay neutral so I looked at my white/offwhite collection.  I was hoping to find some muslin, but I didn't have any.  I had a few options, but I kept coming back to an old sheet I pulled out.  I use old sheets to practice on when I invent patterns, etc.  I never imagined I'd make  a baby gift out of one.  But this one was sooo soft.  And I had a feeling the recycling idea would appeal to her as well. 
It turned out so well I'm having the tinyest bit of a hard time giving it away.  Now that I've got the story and pictures written down, that will be taken care of. :)
The cloth diapering event got my creative juices flowing as well, and I decided its time to make some wipes that actually fit in a wipes container.  Just a matter of cutting and serging fabric I already had.  I got to thinking that Liz will probably want to cloth diaper and with Sarajoy potty training I have way more diapers than I need.  I decided to throw some cloth diapering stuff in with the gown.  She'll be getting some diapers and I made her some wipes and a cute waterproof wet wipe bag that she can keep in her diaper bag.

Sullivan's schedule was thrown off a bit because he's having a lot of congestion.  We've had hot windy days with windows open, and it seems to be causing him some post-nasal drip.  I haven't minded at all, keeping him close to me in the sling and having time to let my creative juices flow here instead!