"Traveler" shirtdress

Here's another version of same shirtdress I made last fall, once again using Simplicity 2246 (albeit two sizes larger this time - argh!). I used a stretch cotton poplin for the bodice and a Lisette cotton twill for the skirt. Both fabrics have a lot of crispness and body to them, so I opted to pleat in the skirt's fullness instead of gathering.

I also added piping at the waistline, an idea I stole from one of Casey's recent posts. I thought it would add a little more definition between the skirt and the bodice. However, I found I prefer the look of a belt instead.

I am not sure why, but I'm not very thrilled with the way this dress turned out. I'm not so sure I like the style of the sleeves and I wish I'd chosen a bolder print for the skirt. There's nothing wrong with it, and I'll certainly be wearing it as I don't have a lot of other options! I'm a little more excited about version #2, which I plan to modify into a shirtwaist with a fuller skirt. Blue chambray fabric, you're next!

Sweet Lavinia

Lavinia is two months old now! We are entering my favorite part of the infant stage -- she gives us sweet smiles and makes pretty coos, her neck is getting strong enough that she doesn't need constant head support, and she sleeps well at night. She's definitely left that "lean newborn" look behind and is quite the pudgy lady.

It's been a challenge to adjust to being a mother of two, but I have had so much help I feel like I'm somehow cheating. :-P I am sooooo blessed that Edmund still takes 2+ hour naps every afternoon, as it gives me some time to rest or work more efficiently. Edmund is a great big brother and calls her 'Avinia (being unable to pronounce his L's without great prompting from Douglas or me). Very cute.

I've been finding some time to (slowly, slowly) do some sewing, and I finished up a new shirtdress last night. I'm (slowly, slowly) losing that post-partum weight, but in the meantime nothing that I wore last summer fits. Shirtdresses are great for nursing so I bought enough fabric to make two. Photos of version #1 coming soon!

Life in snapshots

Douglas surprised me with an iPhone in March. Before he handed it over, I barely knew what a smart phone was. I hadn't carried a personal cell phone in years. But oh my, it's a handy little thing! One feature I especially love is the ability to capture photos and video so easily. I'm a little bit lazy about recording things about my children as they grow, so this is a boon to me. Now I have a video of Edmund saying, "You're my sweet love, Mama" that I can watch over and over when I'm 99 years old. And when I'm too busy to haul out my "real" camera, I can still take snapshots of life. Here are a few from Instagram that I've taken over the past two months...

[from top to bottom, left to right:]

1) I made a huge double batch of Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple, and Red Lentil Soup while I was pregnant -- half to eat right away and half to freeze for post-baby. I added 1 teaspoon of garam masala to the linked recipe, which turned a good soup into greatness. Curry powder would also be a yummy option.
2) Douglas asked me what I wanted for Mother's Day, and I told him a bouquet of peonies. He delivered! And the smell of these beauties made my last week of pregnancy a little more bearable.
3) A newborn babe with the most beautiful little profile. That nose definitely comes through my husband's genes!
4) A border-print cotton poplin that is waiting to be turned into a vintage-style dirndl skirt... as soon as my waist loses a few more inches. ;-)
5) We took a break from packing on the evening of my birthday to enjoy dinner at my favorite local restaurant. I ordered their delectable sticky toffee pudding one last time!
6) The last view out our apartment balcony before moving. Goodbye, soybean field!
7) My curmudgeonly old cat, who continues to reside with my parents, was here to greet us in Nebraska. Well, maybe "greet" isn't the right word. How about "tolerate."
8) Now that I'm awakened several times in the night by a certain little lady, my morning cuppa has become a necessity again. It's like a beacon light in a great fog.
9) My mom's David Austin rosebush is still producing a few blooms for us to enjoy, though all the other roses have come and gone. What's not to love about this plant -- they look gorgeous, smell heavenly, and bloom often!
10) My toes are sporting Revlon's "Minted" nail polish right now.

"The freshest flower of May..."

Our beautiful daughter, Lavinia May, was born Saturday, May 19, at 2:35 p.m. She weighed 8 lbs., 1 oz. and was 20-1/2 inches long. We praise God for the many answered prayers surrounding her birth!

Lavinia was born at home after a short labor of only 8-1/2 hours. I had been praying that my labor would start in the morning so that I would have more energy. The first sign that labor was beginning occurred at 6AM Saturday morning! I was about to head out the door to go to the grocery store, but I woke Douglas and he went instead.

[purple bellflowers that Douglas bought
on the morning of Lavinia's birthday]
My due date wasn't for another week, but honestly, I thought she might come anytime in May, so by her actual birthday I was thoroughly tired of waiting! We were all so excited to realize that Saturday was the day. This was another answer to prayer - in previous weeks, I had struggled with the thought of going through labor again, but by the time Lavinia arrived, God had prepared my heart to endure the trial with fortitude and joy.

As I said before, my labor was pretty short, which was another blessing. When Lavinia was born in the early afternoon, I was a bit shocked as I had thought it wouldn't be until dinner time or later! Good thing my midwife made the decision of when to arrive at our apartment instead of me; I was a bit clueless.

We're thankful for a healthy baby and a recovering mama. I'm a little slower to get back on my feet again this time, but my mom arrived on Monday to help and that is another huge blessing. I'm grateful to be a mother of two - my arms are full of God's goodness to me!

Springtime beauty

We have been having the most beautiful spring here in Indiana that we've ever experienced since moving here three and a half years ago! It feels like a gift from God as this will be our last spring to enjoy here.

God has opened a small door for us after we have been praying and waiting for one for the past three years. We'll be moving back to Nebraska shortly after our baby is born. At first we will likely have to live with my parents for a short while, but then we'll be moving to a house only a few blocks away once it is ready for us.

I'm excited to have some of the things I've been missing the past three years of apartment-living -- a yard for Edmund and the baby to play in, a place to take walks with the kids without having to drive anywhere, space for some gardening, and less cramped living quarters! Not to mention ready-and-willing babysitters just a few blocks away. ;-)

Meanwhile, Douglas will have the opportunity to work on some entrepeneurial endeavors. There's no knowing where the next few years will take us, so it is especially a time to trust God for provision, care, and guidance.

[Dutchman's Breeches -- a favorite springtime flower from my Illinois girlhood that does not grow wild in Nebraska as it does here in the eastern Midwest.]
Of course, we will miss our Indiana church and friends. We're trying to savor the things we enjoy about living here these last few months. Douglas likes the taller trees that you find in the eastern part of the Midwest. It seems silly, but I'll miss the grocery stores I frequent. :) (Though it will be fun to coordinate shopping trips with my mom or grandma, to have an extra hand with wrasslin' two babes and a shopping cart.)

"Have I not commanded you?
Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged,
for the LORD your God will be with you
wherever you go."
--Joshua 1:9

"Depression Quilt" pillow

Here's a small pillow that I made for Edmund recently, using a square recycled from a beat-up, vintage 1930s(?) quilt. This blue square happened to be the only one that was not mangled or ripped in some way. Using a seam ripper, I removed it from its neighboring squares, ironed a lightweight piece of interfacing to the back for stability to the old fabrics, and created a backing for the pillow out of plain white cotton in my stash. I made my own pillow form to stuff inside and this quick project was finished!

Edmund was very happy that I made it for him, but so far he does not want to sleep with it... so it's residing on his rocking chair instead.

Simple, delicious veggie wrap

Spread a large tortilla (I like the flavored kind, like Tomato Basil or Spinach) with a thin layer of Neufchâtel cheese. Pile some spring greens and alfalfa sprouts down the center. Grate 1/2 of a medium carrot over that. Take a handful of grape tomatoes, cut them in halves, and scatter over the carrots. Cut up a small broccoli floret into bite-size pieces and scatter on top. Roll up the tortilla and enjoy!

(I have made this for lunch [or breakfast] several times lately and it's very yummy and filling!)