seasons, blessings, baby, family, love...

..

December 2, 2012
The day she was born.

December10, 2012

December 22, 2012
And then she just grew, so so fast.

January 2, 2013

January 12, 2012
Little Elsie truly is happier than she looks. She adores, ADORES ADORES ADORES, her middle sister. You should have heard the giggles Chessa was getting out of her today! 

January 31, 2013
There was once a little girl named Elsa Willow, and she liked to play in the meadow, and she had so many little ladybug friends... So we tell her...

 February 15, 2013
And the little Elsa kept on growing...

 February 18, 2013
And I will tell you an interesting thing about this little baby... She goes to sleep in other peoples arms. Namely big sister Chloe's arms. (She doesn't really know any other people besides sisters, mommy, and daddy.) I have never known a baby to do this. For example, big sister Chloe, when she was a baby, never went to sleep anywhere other than in my arms. So this is new to me, and quite convenient I must say. This photo here (makes me laugh every time I see it!) shows you what it looks like when Elsa falls asleep in Chloe's arms, and Chloe then lays her down, but she is still holding on.

February 22, 2013
She's a really happy baby!

March 4, 2013
Such sweetness, such a blessing. How very grateful we are that she came to be with us.



When we imagined what this child might look like, we said maybe dark eyes like Chloe, skin more pale like Chessa, somewhere just between them. I felt those dark eyes, and that fair face. Of course we also imagined that the baby was going to be a boy. This was the first time either Jason or I had feelings of having a boy, both other times we just felt sure of girlness. I guess this time we should have know too, cause three girls, yes it just seems so right. But we just went with boy, there was even a probable name chosen. We said if it was girl we would be surprised, and that we would laugh. When she was born we actually didn't even look to see if she was a boy or girl for about 10 minutes or so. And then we really did laugh. And goodness we were happy. And then it took us almost two weeks to name her.


Thank you so much for all kind sharing of comments, well wishes, love, and for the welcome back to this space.


It is one year ago now that I became pregnant. We knew, we felt, for so long that this child was coming to us. We also knew that the first months could be difficult, since I had been so sick before with both girls for the first trimester. We sure did not expect though that I would be so so sick for so so long. Through almost every moment of every day for almost the entire pregnancy I was not well (and that is an understatement, cause really I was puking 3 to 5 times a day...)

There was concern for my health, concern over whether or not it would be safe to have a home birth. Every day we put great effort into making me stronger. And all the prayers and well wishes from dear friends surely must have helped a lot. We always kept faith that baby was healthy and strong. Midwife said not to worry cause babies are so good at taking just what they need from mother.

My midwife also suggested that when people commented on my belly saying, "oh, you're so little", that I tell them to go suck an egg. That is perhaps the only piece of advice I did not take her up on, though I'm not saying it wasn't kinda good advice. My belly was measuring up just right the whole time anyway.

At the end, instead of being born in the second half of November as we had expected, or perhaps a little earlier since both girls before arrived early, this little one waited all the way until December to be born. Which gave mommy more time to get iron up to safe levels for home birth, and baby time to do some extra growing. Such a good thing to have time for the extra growing, cause just 5 pounds 6 ounces, I would not have wanted her to be any smaller. (Chessa was actually a bit smaller though. We just have small babies. I had kinda had high hopes for growing this one bigger, but then there was all the puking...)

And, 5 pounds 6 ounces, perfectly healthy wonderful little baby. Perfectly healthy safe happy home birth.

And why am I bring all this up again? Because like I said, it was one year ago that I became pregnant. I was sick all spring, looking forward to the summer, which when it came I was feeling not better at all. I missed so many seasons! And now they are here again. And I feel well again. So so well. What an incredible blessing to have good health! And to have this wonderful family of mine with these three sweet girls to journey through this beautiful year with.

The feeling of promise that this coming season offers is so inspiring to me. My family has so many dreams, each day we will bring ourselves closer to those dreams, we will embrace the work and joy of it all.

I wish to you as well a beautiful good-bye to the winter (your summer?) and a blessed journey into the new season!


...

this moment ~ when the sisters became three

Three and a half months, 300 photos, 3 billion kisses, or something like that.
She is of course much bigger than this now.
I will of course share much more soon. I am happy to be able to return to this space.
Wishing beautiful days to all...
With love, Renee


...

here with baby...

..

I have written on paper. I want to send letters to friends. If she stays alseep I will write here...  


p.s. 

Yes, a p.s. at the beginning. I can barely write this post. I cannot see more than half the post. We will just hope there are not too many typos at the end. I wonder what I wrote down there (cause it was actually last week when I wrote most of this...)
(The issue is with the old barely functioning computer, not with me. I am functioning just fine. Well for the most part anyhow...)
(I will just push publish now and hope for the best...)
(Okay, after publishing I could read. I think just a couple typos. Getting up, not betting up. Morning hours, not orning hours. You could have probably figured that out on your own. I still can't get to the bottom of my writing to edit...)


Thank you so very much for all the kind comments and emails (and phone calls and little packages!) for Elsa Willow. The love and support has been so felt and appreciated.

It will have to be okay that there are no pictures.
(Not even wanting to mention the computer (broken) troubles. And please just say yes, of course all of our pictures will be able to be saved...)

I do so wish you could see her!
(And can you imagine how much our familes are really wanting to see her? No pictures for anyone.)
(We are taking pictures, they are just having to wait stored on our camera.)

(And you see this is not what I might want to be writing about now that I am having a moment to.)

Hello! How have you all been?
Cold and wintery and sweet and still pretty newborn here in our home.
We can hardly believe all the sweetness that our little Elsa is.
Big sisters are just as wonderful as we knew they would be.
All just so so in love.
Baby and I are still just home. Not like we ever venture out much in the winter anyhow. Although Jason and the girls did just head out to near the lake to do some snowshoeing.

So cold here. We had a good snowstorm in December that left everything so good and wintery white. And it has been so cold since that much of the snow is still here.
It was supposed to be nearly 20 degrees below zero the other night!

We just stay inside cozy and warm. If I do not have a nursing baby in my arms, or a sleeping baby in my arms, or a wide awake super adorable baby in my arms, then I usually spend my time in the kitchen. Baking bread, cooking dinner as early in the day as I can get to it, having fun looking through cookbooks and doing some meal planning.

We have been doing some homeschooling in the morning. Chloe and I are still actually finishing Greece (never happened last year with all the pregnancy illness) and about to move on to Ancient Rome. Chessa and I are finishing some fables and then moving on to a saints block, which we are both very much looking forward to. It is nice to be all getting some work done together in the mornings.

Oh, speaking of mornings, I have been betting up between 5 and 6 AM. I thinkI should try to keep it around. 5 is kinda too crazy. But so nice in those quiet, dark orning hours, and then the sun beginning to lighten the sky...

Well, she sure has stayed asleep. I think I will have to go knit now. How nice.

Hope everyone is happy and well!


...

december baby

..


On December 2nd, the first Sunday of this Advent season, our own little child of light was born to us.

And she is a girl! Elsa Willow. Born at home. Happy and healthy, all 5 and half pounds of her.

(No photos to share yet. And not much computer access for us. But hopefully I will be able to return and share more, soon-ish...)

So here we are, watching this beautiful white and wintery world outside our windows, watching this sweet and perfect little one sleeping in my arms, or dancing her new big brown eyes around the room...

We are all well, as I hope you and your families are too.
I hope everyone has been enjoying Advent days full of peace and joy.
Happy Solstice, Christmas, and Winter Holidays to all!

Love, Renee


...

wool love, baby love...

..

And now it is the middle of November, cozy days (super freezing days actually...) I feel good and happy that I have been able to knit up quite a few warm woolens lately.

And I will be having a baby sometime soon.

We prepare, I knit, we look forward and feel so excited about this magical season that is coming, and this little one who has come to be a part of our family.

Dear friends, who have offered so much love and support during all these past months, are very much in my thoughts and heart. I have obviously been quiet here, and will soon be even more so, but I will be sure to check in when I can to share our happy news with you.

I hope everyone has a beautiful and full of joy coming holiday and advent season.

With love...

(and I guess knitting notes, pattern details, (not to mention blocking..) and the rest of the woolens will have to wait until after baby is born...)

....

autumn making for my family

 ..

I have finally returned to my sewing, and how good it feels. I feel so much myself when I am pressing fabrics at the ironing board, snipping with the scissors, stitching away at the machine. And the girls are in such need of clothing. I don't know how much I will get done before the baby is born, but I am at least making some progress.

I finished a new top for Chloe a few weeks ago, made with some old green calico. We call these "farm shirts". They can be worn outside while playing in the dirt, gardening, to the the farm. They will get dirty. They may get worn to pieces, as Chloe's last two did. So we aren't going for super pretty fabric here or anything. Mostly actually I am just going for something that fits. Goodness these girls are growing.

I am also almost finished with two new autumn skirts. The brown striped fabric is for Chloe, the golden hemp/cotton muslin is for Chessa. Again made with older fabrics, and the girls are preferring these more earthy colors these days.

And the cardigan! I sure can be a slow knitter sometimes. A hooded brown cardigan for Chloe. It is done except for the buttons and blocking. I will share more details soon...

And more soon on what I have been making for baby. It's not all super exciting, things like a nursing pillow, some newborn fitted diapers. And of course some good knitting too.


I am going to link with two of my dear friends this week... Ginny and her fun Yarn Along, even though I guess I left out the book part this time. And I am so happy to be finally for the first time joining Nicole and her Keep Calm Craft On!

What have you all been working on?

Now to return to this teeny tiny super cute adorable sock I am knitting.
Oh wait, I guess I should go finish making dinner first...

Happy creating!!!


...

moments from the first weeks of autumn...

..

Oh how happy the aspens make me!

It makes me laugh how often these two, horse and child, look up at us with the same expression.

These girls and their horses! Or really I should say these girls and their daddy's horses. Cause you see the girls would have had to wait for horses, but daddy could not.

 

And do you see here.. it was cold enough for wool coats, but apparently warm enough to wear no socks. Hmm?..

The feel of these recent weeks is so perfect and autumny, it could be nothing but October, beautiful.

Hope you have all been having wonderful days too!


...

greeting the new season

..

There had been a great feeling of the changing season all through the month of September, and the first day of autumn felt just right and so so good. Although it hadn't been the original plan, we ended up spending most of the day at the lake, which was wonderful of course. (Also we were celebrating not just the first day of autumn but Jason's birthday too.) This place is very special to us. We used to live on the hillside overlooking the the lake, it is where Chloe was born. It is is one of our very favorite places. Right now we are keeping our horses out there, it has been nice to be spending more time there lately.

And the first autumn day was bright and sunny, with a good wind blowing and making us think of St. Michael riding through the forest on his snowy white horse...

Our autumn days have been full and beautiful. I have much to tell you about.. cozy days full of knitting and sewing, a visit from friends, and homeschool days too of course. So I will return here soon...

Wishing you all happy and beautiful days in this new season ahead!


...

first, summer good-bye...

..

It was an interesting summer. It was very rainy, that was very nice. But my pregnancy pukiness never went away, that wasn't nice. And it doesn't feel like there were enough flowers. Still it was beautiful.

(And oh yes, there is a garden. But I haven't much wanted to talk about it. Last year we grew enough vegetables to eat abundantly from the garden all season, with enough put away to get us through the winter as well. This year, well, I have been focusing my energies on growing this baby, and that is good, and there is always next year for more of a garden.)

(And the potatoes sure are looking great, and the collards are so yummy.)

Now we have said good-bye and begin a new season...


...

off to the orchard...

 ..

Galloping, galloping, here we go... Off to the orchard, don't be slow.

Up in the green orchard there is a green tree... The finest of peaches! you ever did see.

 The peaches are ripe and starting to fall...

 And here is a basket to gather them all.

Yes, peaches! The last day of august found us driving 2 hours away to an abandoned orchard.

(I laughed at myself on the way as I realized that it was the furthest I had been from home in more than 5 years! It was quite a journey for us, a very fun family outing...)

Every year we have a very good apple harvest, visiting various wild trees in our area. Sometimes we have plums, earlier this summer there were lots of apricots. We have never harvested peaches before!

Orchards are wonderful for so many reasons, so very beautiful, there is just something very special feeling about being in one. And they give us food.

Many bushels of peaches were gathered. Many peaches were eaten while picking, many peaches have been eaten in the days since. And so so many peaches have been put away into the freezer to feed us in the coming months.

We have never had this many peaches before, ever ever ever.
If you add up all the peaches we have ever had in all the last 15 years, this is still way way more peaches. (Organic peaches are so expensive, not something we are able to buy often..)

So our recent days have been all about peaches. And gratitude. And peach stained hands.
And peaches in our porridge, and on our sunday pancakes, and the best peach cobbler we have ever had.

~

And while we were in the orchard Chessa and I were singing some of our favorite orchard circle time songs (mostly from Let Us Form a Ring, Acorn Hill Anthology). And early this morning when I started writing this post I had these verses and songs in my head. The girls were having some outside time before lesson time, and then they came in asking if we could have circle time. We started our homeschool year on Monday, slowly and gently, and there had been no morning circle time yet. Today Chloe told me she was wanting it so so much. So we all joined in with this orchard circle time which we have done every year since Chloe's kindergarten year, seven years in a row now. It was very nice and just right.

(And I really hope to be sharing some homeschool posts soon, it has been so long...)


The sun is bright,
the sky is blue
Let's go to the orchard,
you can come too... 


Happy new September days to you all!


...