Chasing Charlotte and do.Good

Way back in February

I got an email from a woman named Kelly who was interested in ordering some

WillowBean Creations for her little one.

I get these kind of inquiring emails all the time, but this one was different.

She told me she was in the midst of adopting her soon-to-be daughter from a foreign country.

It sounds funny, but I could almost hear the nervous excitement in her voice

through the words on the screen.

I was instantly hooked, because my family has gone through adoption, too.

I'm from one of those big, intricate, crazy families that's had the fair share of

divorces, re-marriages, and adoptions which results in plenty of siblings,

not unlike many other families, I'm sure.

Step-siblings, half-siblings, adopted siblings...

There's a lot of us.

It's hard to explain to others, really.

And those words- step, half, adopted- I never really liked them, to be quite honest.

We're all just brothers and sisters.

You have no idea how many times I've wished for a Venn diagram when asked how many brothers and sisters I have... for real.

I don't really know where I'm going with this.

Like I said, it's hard to explain.

But what I'm trying to get to is that 3 of my 4 little brothers are adopted.

Which is probably why I felt an instant connection when Kelly emailed me.

Especially when I knew she was adopting her little girl from the same country my brothers are from.

Weird, right?

But wait- it gets better.

So...

Oh yes.

There was an email, and then a couple more emails, and then Kelly told me her daughter's name:

Charlotte.

And then she told me that Charlotte had Down Syndrome.

And I'm sure some of you have heard of my husband's cousin, Kelle, and her blog,

Enjoying the Small Things.

If you haven't, go check it out.

Oh, And get out from under your rock.

Long story short, Kelle's blog is great and fun to read and inspirational and all that good stuff.

Her daughter, Nella, also happens to have Down Syndrome.

I mentioned the blog to the other Kelly

(I know, it's a bit confusing with the same name... stay with me.)

as something she might enjoy taking a look at.

Then she told me that Kelle, and the words on her blog, were partly what inspired her to adopt a special needs child.

CRAZY, right?

I mean, out of all the millions of blogs on the internet,

what are the chances

that she would find both of ours that were connected in so many tiny little ways?

Well, I'm a sucker for small world coincidences like that-

so I was super excited to get to make sweet Charlotte a special present that will wrap her up at night and keep her warm and snuggled.

Over 6 months and 60+ emails later deliberating over the perfect present...

this is Charlotte's quilt:

It's one of the softest quilts I've ever made.

It's big (80x88") and warm and soft and everything you need in a quilt, really.

And it's bright. And fun.

And soft.

I wish you could reach through the screen and touch this.

It's so soft I decided to hand-stitch the binding on this whole thing so I could have it longer.

Not. even. kidding.

Here's a shot of the back:

It's a pieced back with random prints from the front and that solid aqua color.

The quilt is bound in a solid pink, which I think works really well to frame the front of the quilt as well as the back.

And you can see from the back that I machine-quilted 1/4" from each side of the seams.

Here's a special label I made for Charlotte's new quilt:

Congratulations

to Kelly and her husband,

who are still in the process of bringing their little girl home.

You can read more about their story on her blog, Chasing Charlotte.

And thank you for letting me take part in making something so special for your daughter...

***

Here are my October blocks for the Grace circle of do.Good stitches.

2 Wonky Log Cabin blocks...

I haven't made these kind of blocks in a long time, they were super fun and a good way to use scraps.

Maybe there's a new quilt to add to my list!

Happy Thursday... the weekend is coming, the weekend is coming!!

Back into it.

We're finally back into our groove.

Well, at least I am, anyway.

I was feeling pretty topsy-turvy there for a bit.

Not really comfortably seated in my new-but-still-my-old life.

It wasn't sad. Or bad.

But it just wasn't working for me.

I didn't really fit the right way.

For the past two weeks I've been trying to find my comfy little spot that means I'm good.

And I think I finally found it again.

Let's see...

This morning I found about $60 worth of beauty products in the toilet.

We're going on Day 10 of no (good) food in the house.

I ran out of Gain the exact moment I felt gutsy enough to tackle the laundry.

And yesterday, I got my first taste of projectile spit-up.

Well, I guess it would be my second first taste.

Thank you, Ellie.

And I don't mean literal first taste, because that would be gross.

But I'm sure it's bound to happen at some point.

Let's be real.

And, strangely, those events make me very, very happy.

(Well, except for the food thing. I like options...)

Yes. That's right.

Why?

Because, according to me, that means we're back to real life.

We've got an extra little puddle of baby to love on everyday now,

but life as we know it has resumed.

Willow was a serious booger for a good chunk of those last two weeks.

Like, to the point where I wanted to crawl under the table and just tell her to

leave. me. alone.

And cry.

Bad attitude, misbehaving, massive fits, driving my insane...

Yeah, serious boogerishness.

Willow taking a much-needed nap at the hospital. Being a big sister is hard work!

But now?

Now we're back to her fiesty-but-likeable attitude,

her funny little mischief that makes me laugh,

(but where she can't see me, of course)

her little spats that end with either a hug or big fat smooch on the lips,

and

she has made me fall in love with her all over again.

I'm glad to have her back.

I was starting to worry.

All the hospital craziness is over with.

We got to bring Ellie home.

We've accomplished the New Baby doctor appointments.

We remembered how to change diapers and work as a team.

Ok, pretend Willow is smiling and that the quality of the picture is a thousand times better...

The idea of our little family of four has turned into reality

and

I think we're rockin' it.

Wanna hear something super cute about the blanket Ellie's got?

Willow made it.

She sure did.

I had a small stack of little squares that I couldn't do much with,

so I asked Willow if she wanted to make a present for her little sister.

I gave her the stack of fabric

and told her to make a square without having any matching ones touching each other.

I sewed it all together, quilted, and bound it while she was taking a nap (it's very small)...

And there you go.

Awesome blanket for Ellie.

Willow is super-duper proud of it.

And I discovered that a stack of fabric squares keeps Willow busy for about an hour.

Everybody wins!!

My Sister is a Momma :)

My little sister became a Momma

on May 17th at 4:42 am.

May 17th also marks the 1 year anniversary her hubby returned home from Afghanistan

Baby Cash was 9 days overdue!

He weighed in at 8 lbs, 12 oz and measured 20.5 inches long

I'm so glad he's here and healthy!

Isn't he so cute?

I wasn't able to be there since our due dates are so close together and she's all the way in Texas...

... but she was surrounded by family and people who love her, so that makes me happy.

Mom, Dad and Cash are doing great!

It took so long to post because getting people to actually send photos is like pulling teeth in my family!

And we just happen to be getting ready for a little one of our own..

I love you CJ and I'm so proud of you!

The Truth Is...

I've been writing posts in my head.

You see, according to me, I've been keeping up to date with all this blogging stuff.

I need to remember to actually write those mind-posts down so that I can look back and remember...

I write this blog more for me and for my kids and for my wanting to remember all the little stuff.

Willow the (grumpy) carpenter

I don't write a diary.

Although I do have about 15 really pretty ones with about one entry a piece.

I don't have baby books for the girl- soon to be girls- with an 's'.

I know. Weird.

Yeah, don't judge.

All of our pictures are on the computer,

and even though they are backed up,

there's just something about the possibility of losing them that makes

my heart race and my hands shake for just a split second.

And I'm sure my eyes get all wide and scared-looking.

She's dressing herself now... this is tame.

Back to the point... I'm realizing this is how I will keep memories.

I never thought I would be

or ever really even wanted to be a 'blogger'

- it just sounds so... dumb.

Really, it does.

Please don't ever call me that.

However, this is where I get to write, sound off, dish, express, show off, relate, and be me.

And those things are very important.

So, I think I last left off a while ago.

I was recuperating from my daughter.

Ha, that sounds so awful. But true. I really was.

It's been kind of surreal over here.

I can definitely feel a real change happening.

Winter has turned to Spring, although very briefly, and now we're heading into Summer.

I love Summer.

We are realizing that this family of 3 will become a family of 4 in just a matter of days...

We've known this for 9 months, but now it's just so immediate.

So about-to-happen-any-minute.

Rooms are being rearranged to accommodate a Big Sister and a new baby...

The nursery/big girl room is almost done and I can't wait to show pictures

(and brag about my good deals)

No. But really. I found a brand new crib for $29.99.

Not kidding.

And just wait to see what I did with the rest of the room...

Willow is all of a sudden changing from our baby into a little girl.

A girl.

It's this unexplainable transformation...

our little one is growing up just in time for us to add another little one.

Willow's cousin Peyton took this picture. I love it.

Amazing.

And she has a new morning ritual which seriously melts my heart every. single. time.

When the hubby leaves for work, she's right there, ready and waiting,

to chase him out the door so she can give him a

'car smooch'.

She's very particular about how it must go, and he knows exactly how it's supposed to work.

He has to get in the car,

she gets to shut the door for him,

then he has to start the car,

she bangs on the window,

he opens it,

and then she tippy-toes waaay up and he leans waaay out

and they smooch.

Sometimes once, sometimes 3 times.

It's usually Drew who asks for 'just one more time'.

And I get to watch all the magic from the front porch.

I get to see both their faces.

I'm pretty sure it's the best way to start the day in the whole world.

***

Oh, and there was somewhat of a family reunion this weekend on my hubby's side.

Remember Leesburg?

Well, it was kinda like that- but better.

They get better every time.

They really do.

The reason this time,

not that they really need one,

but we all got together for his Aunt Kris' wedding.

And then some.

It included:

Jammied, coffee-fueled mornings.

Way too many kids (and grown ups) on the 'Boing Boing'. (aka trampoline)

Impromptu dress-up sessions accompanied by mini concerts.

Patio talks.

In-depth, tear-streaked conversations.

"When did that happen?"s and "I can't believe it"s about all the beautiful young women that were just little girls last time around.

Lots of laughter.

Lots of love.

Tons of memories- old being relived and new ones being made.

Babies being passed from person to person.

Sharing birth stories.

Anticipating the arrival of new babies...

Oh, and a wedding!

I can't believe it all got smooshed into one weekend.

And since I barely took any pictures (I know- I'm so bummed)- I can just send you here.

And here.

And even here to check it all out.

Thankfully, Drew's cousin Kelle is an amazing photographer and captured every single little moment.

Every one.

I did manage to snap a few, however.

Willow and Peyton :)

And she got to meet her cousins... Lainey and Nella (above with Uncle Tim) for the first time.

They came all the way from Florida.

Willow asked me today if she could take Lainey and Nella to story time today, wearing tutus.

That girl loves her cousins.

Speaking of cousins, the Virginia family all got to meet Baby Gabey for the first time.

He's also known as Uncle Ferguson, Mr. Grunts, Cornelius, Eduardo Fiesta Montego, Creepy Snakes,

and basically any other name BUT his own.

It's this weird thing my hubby and his brother do.

They don't use anybody's real names.

It's very confusing to others, but I find it absolutely hilarious.

Uncle Graham (or Jan, Kelly, Linda, Remus, Darryl, Rita etc.)

has called Willow 'Edna Jo' since birth.

Pretty, right?

Oh, and Francis! He love to call her Francis as well.

And Drew is fond of calling her Fanny, Lady Fanny, Lady,

Ung Lady

(not to be confused with Young Lady- totally different)

Nugget, Silly, Silly Nugget, Chuchumunga, Chuchy... and the list just goes on and on. And on.

I've learned over the years, especially through family reunions, that it's a genetic disorder.

Everybody has a different name.

Even dogs.

Nobody's safe.

***

And last, but certainly not least, my sister Chloë is about to have her baby boy.

I mean, I don't want to jinx it, but her due date was Sunday, so what's there to lose at this point, right?

She's SO over being pregnant.

And SO ready to go into labor.

And SO hot in the 105 degree heat.

My mom's with her all the way in Texas.

And they're just waiting.

Catching up, having fun and waiting.

All without me.

Because I'm due in 16 days.

In typical Chloë fashion,

my sister warned me that if I had my baby before she had hers she would never let me live it down and would always hold it against me.

Forever.

And I totally believe her.

So I will do my best.

And I am SO tempted to show you a picture of her that she just sent me, 3 days overdue.

But I won't.

Because I'm a good sister and I don't want her to hold that against me either.

I'm Starting To Think It Might Be Weird Here.

Willow has been measuring time in poultry. Yup, you read that right.

For example:

"Yeah, I'll be there in 2 chicken nuggets."

or

"Okay, sounds good, I'll call you in chicken minutes."

She does all of this while having surprisingly real-sounding and hilarious conversations, including fake laughter, lots of "yup, mhmm, ok, I got it"s, and "call me back"s with random people on her 'cell phone':

What can I say? We're hi-tech.

***

Then there's the whole silverware thing.

It's a daily occurrence around here.

She takes whatever utensils are in the drawer and lines them up.

On the floor.

Sometimes they're in an arc, sometimes rows, but always arranged by type.

Apparently, she doesn't approve of the commingling of silverware.

***

Oh, and lately, Dora has really been pissing me off.

And I know that's not normal.

Sometimes I just want to flick her oversized, football-shaped head right off her shoulders...

It's a problem. I'm aware.

***

No matter what time of day it is, no matter what Willow is wearing at the moment, if she spots her red "sleddin' pants", she's naked in .02 seconds and sliding into those snow pants like she's in a life or death mission delivering medicine and supplies in the Iditarod.

No joke.

There was a pair of pink rain boots that used to be in constant accompaniment with the red "sleddin' pants", formerly known as the "suit pants", but they no longer seem to be part of the ensemble.

Darn.

***

Come bath time, there is always the discovery of marker on her body.

Always.

Where she gets them, I do not know. I thought I confiscated all the drawing tools after the

"Floor Mural Debacle of 2011"

...also known as the last time I took a shower while she was awake.

***

I'm sure you've seen these around somewhere, haven't you?

If you haven't, you've been living under a rock, because they are everywhere.

Just sayin'.

Well, it's a good reminder, and I'm sure it makes sense for 98% of the people out there...

but not us.

Nope.

No, this is how we roll:

More fitting.

Like I said, it's weird here...