for players of the fabric button swap. Post date is today, June 30th, unless you’ve arranged otherwise with your swap partner. Thank you all again for playing and don’t forget to post photos to the group pool so we can all see.

by the way, Kat, i did not just ruin the surprise.

Slightly on topic of fabric covered buttons - i ordered these super cute pants from Smallville and i’m so impressed by her meticulous sewing and attention to detail. The dress tag totally does it for me. She also made a fabric bag to wrap the pants in and spoiled me (and Little A) with the extra robot buttons. Jimin’s partner is going to be lucky and spoiled. As for Little A, he’s going to be stylin’ in these new birthday pants (soon so soon);

We’re southbound to visit family for a couple days. i hope there’s lots to catch up on when i return.

(((((Anna thinking of you)))))))))) xo.

back for more strawberries and look at that cloudless sky - the berries are loving it and so are we. i wish we had more room in our car to bring the whole gang along.

The world is his playground;


and i follow;
until he gets down right muddy. i just wasn’t into that today;
good thing bath time is extra fun these days;

i wonder if i’ll ever tire of this theme. Right now there are some lovely bird and tree fabrics in my stash and i pulled many of them out for this batch of dolls;

Lishka;

Yogenya & Angelina;

Adleida;

Aleksandra & Spera and Ermolina;

Soroka & Margarete;

and these gals you may have seen posted already - Koia, Lisaveta & Sabina

and not bird or tree like but still cute - hedgehogs;

oh yes the season has begun. Each year around this time i return to Emma Lea’s u-pick for sweet berries and nostalgia. Nearly 4 years ago (in July) i ventured over the bridge and through the tunnel and over the bridge again to pick berries, all the while squatting in the hot sun while my not so little belly contracted. Little A was born the following morning. Today he loved to hear “his story” while lunching on the most delicious strawberries. He loved the wagon even more. We ate many, picked some and not too many so we can come picking soon and again. i can hardly wait until Thursday’s milk run for fresh cream. Yes i bought a cow!! and now i have the sweetest real milk, fresh and delicious, weekly. That cream is going to be so very yummy with my berries. ooh and maple syrup - mama i’m nearly out. Can you bring some when you visit next?

we are so ready for summer fun…

We went to visit the new baby beluga who is just 10 days old today. So adorable.

See the birth video here. i learned during Q&A today that when birthing their calf, the cord detaches during the process (seems inevitable from all the tail thrashing) and that the placenta isn’t birthed until much later…in this case about 9 hours later. i forgot to ask if most belugas are born tail first like this girl. As for nursing, she nurses several times each hour from a few seconds to a minute. baby beluga 101.

to my beautiful full bellied friend Anna. I can’t wait to meet you little one.

The soon to be big brother;

We anxiously and ever so patiently wait, support, be.

(((((OOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmm)))))

When the wind blows the clouds over, even if only for a little while… get out and bounce out some of the pent up sillies. i’ve been such a boring mom since i kinked my neck several weeks ago when i decided to roll down the hill with all the kiddies but today i had a go on the ball. Granted it needs a little more air for my weight but it sure is fun. Time to clear the cobwebs off my birthing ball in the basement. it’s time it had more use since Little A’s wee days when bouncing him to sleep was a daily workout. i’m going to make it a seasonal yard toy and store it on the porch. Boing;

We dropped out of swimming class and it was absolutely the best thing for us to do! Swimming classes no more. hooray. We’ve been taking classes on and off since Little A was 6 months old and it was fantastic up until he turned 3 when he had to swim without me and with a teacher. i’ve had some qualms with this whole teaching kids to swim thing for a long time now and it was such a dance as to go to class or not. Some days he liked swimming, other days not so much and mostly there was a lot of anxiety about going at all. He didn’t mind his teacher so much but he hated being on the island with the other kids if the other kids were crying (and there was always crying). He loves the water and to splash about. Slides and noodles and rings and most water toys are pretty awesome and guess what? he can swim pretty well. You’d never know that if you were watching him in a recent swim class. So yesterday was possibly the hottest day of Summer so far and Little A woke up adamant that we go to the outdoor pool. We spent hours there, in the water, resistant to ever leave. Splash;

Papa day is every Sunday. i also call it mama day because i get to take a long bath, putter about on line, sew or go out sans enfant while these 2 connect, bake, go to market… This sunny Sunday we all found ourselves in the yard at various times, kicking back;

Over the next while, as time permits, i will be posting some new dolls in the shop.

Koia, Sabina & Lisaveta are listed now.

More to come…

we’ve got it pretty good in our hood; friends as neighbors who will play and dance to the little one’s gourd music at a nearby manicured lawn (our own is overgrown of buttercups), community gardens abundant of color and texture - a feast for the senses and the photo happy, front porches south facing good for beer in the afternoon… summer days feel full despite being lazy and sticking close to home.