My Longest Year

Things We've Handed Down: Love of Books

Evyn's book: "How to Get Married" was an impulse purchase at the bookstore.  I mean, how do you turn down a book about being a bride that's meant just for a five year old who keeps asking me how she'll know "who the boy is?"  Ashlyn's reading a clever book I found at a Usborne/homeschool booth in Washington.  "There's a Mouse About the House!" is a fun and interactive almost-game that's great for little hands and minds who love surprises.  It's a living room staple, as even the girls' friends love to sit and play with it.

evyn's work: the barbie series

So, I have a feeling that someday as I am flipping back through this online journal, this is going to be one of my favorite posts.

Evyn is venturing into photography.  After giving up on the stupid Little Tykes camera, I decided to let her use my old Canon Powershot.  She operates it quite well.  Every once in a while, she'll ask to use the camera, go fishing in our junk drawer for it, and disappear to her room for an hour.  She really has an imagination.  I've decided to start printing a few of them for her to put in an album.  She's very proud of her work and I'm loving all of the outlets she's exploring, including the camera.

She's really proud of this set and when I told her that I was going to post it to my blog for everyone to see she got a little giddy.  I don't think she knows exactly what that means, but she seemed to understand it was cool.  I take her seriously, but when I first flipped through these photos full screen, with her standing over my shoulder proudly waiting for my opinion, I couldn't help but giggle.  What must go through that little four-year-old mind of hers...

So, without further ado, I bring you the Barbie series (there is also a shoe series):

Evyn: "She's swimming up and down."

Evyn: "She's dancing; it's called a 'bya' " (this is a made-up dance move)

Evyn: "That's her swimming."

Evyn: "That's called 'her laying down in a swimming suit'."

Evyn: "That's arabesque."

Evyn: "That's laying down arabesque."

Evyn: "She's getting a haircut.  But I didn't really cut her hair.  I'm just pretending."

how we spent our christmas season

(This post is mostly for me...to remember my favorite Christmas yet, so apologies in advance if my family album bores you a little)

Making bell ornaments for the grandparents' trees...
 

that resembled the ones Mommy made when she was little...

Singing carols and giving hugs at the senior center:

Brushing Mommy with fairy dust makeup:

Stealing Santa's leftovers:

Christmas Day enchiladas (we don't budget calories during the holidays):

Sharing Christmas presents:
 

Enjoying Daddy's vacation:

Every aspiring ballerina should have a Daddy who appreciates the need to practice:

First candy canes:

Getting a princess lesson from Big Sis:

Letting Little Sis in on a secret---Mommy's jewelry box:

Walking Lessons with Sissy:




Visited by family...

...where secret pacts are made:

Chilling out over a candy cane and pink tree with sissy:

 

It was the best Christmas ever. 

a quilt of her own

 

I love the idea of my girls alongside me when I am creating and sewing.  Since Evyn was a toddler, barely bigger than the bolts, she's acompanied me to fabric stores and scavenged the thrift shops for something I can repurpose.  She's even modeled the finished pieces on an occasion or two, happy to be adorned in my handiwork. 

The other day, as I finished up an order for baby gifts, she sat in a chair next to me, playing with the fabric, marveling at the sewing machine, adoring the idea that something - a blanket, a toy, a purse - comes from all those separate pieces and ideas and detailed handiwork. 

I am actually more proud of myself when I see the wonder in her eyes, and I never get tired of hearing "wow, mommy!" when she sees a finished piece of craft - even my experiments gone wrong.  For all my faults as a mom, one thing I'm really proud of is having brought the idea of creating to her little world. 

When this idea for a fabric-and-glue quilt came to my email from Kids Craft Weekly I immediately thought of my fabric stash - the same one Evyn's little hands love to rummage through and throw all over the house (and tree).

I started with a rectangular piece of muslin and a bowl of watered-down glue and told her to go for it.

Being a perfectionist, she's loathe to try anything without a lot of specific instruction, so this was  the ideal little craft to stretch her comfort zone.  I held back and forced her to choose the fabrics and placement.

The finished piece is adorable, and I love it when it makes an appearance in her day's work (lately she's become a stay-at-home mom herself).

It's fun to see a little of yourself in them sometimes, isn't it?

 

things we've handed down: solitude

Maybe it's just her personality.  Or my idle parenting philosophy.  Or both.  Whatever the reason, my E. loves her alone-ness just as much as she likes to spend time with me.  When she was just a tot and J. was deployed, I'd bring her to my room when she woke up and shut the door and let her play while I rested for a while longer.  She'd scribble on some paper.  Talk to herself.  Read her books.  Sing.  Scribble some more.  She's always been able to entertain herself.  And now that she's a little older, that translates into lots of story-telling--between her Barbies, between two sticks, between her feet--whatever props are available--but always for the benefit of no one but herself.  She loves it if you tune in, but she's just as happy to be alone in her own world.  There was a time when I worried about that a little. Am I paying enough attention to her?  Does she feel loved?  Should I be doing more with her?  Basically, Am I screwing up my child? 

I still worry about that a little, but for the most part I've come to appreciate it.  After all, I was very similar growing up.  I always had my nose in a book, or in a craft, or some other project, be it alphabetizing my books or rearranging my room or planning assignments - yes, assignments - for my little sister.

I think its a healthy skill to be able to be alone in our own company sometimes.  To tune out the clutter and noise and busy-ness, retreat to ourselves, and just be - creative, at peace, in prayer, or contemplation - whatever we need.  Solitude can take on so many forms.  I think of sewing, rock climbing, thrifting, jogging, blogging, or in my daughter's case: a moment on the porch with a Cinderella figurine.

I hope she'll always be this happy by herself.  She'll need to be.  Right now I govern most moments of her day with routines and guidance and Hello Kitty bandaids and kisses.  But there will come a time when I can't quiet the noise for her--that rattling of things and people and tasks, expectations and even heartbreak. When I can't do it for her, I hope she can do it for herself.  With a little time by herself.

Links of Interest:  The Benefits of Alonetime from Psychology Today, Yours, Mine, and the Hours: an article for Single Parents, Solitude and Silence as Spiritual Disciplines