achievements!

Oh man, I LOVE getting stuff done. I do. I love it when I snip the last thread of a quilt and then chuck it in the washing machine. I love changing the bobbin on my machine to a new color thread. I love putting the vacuum cleaner back in the cupboard, or the laundry baskets, empty, on top of the dryer.

So today was an excellent day.

Exhibit A: Piper will sleep if she is very warm. In the car, it is essential that she sleeps (because the alternative to sleeping in the car is screaming in the car). Normal quilts are too big, and a muslin wrap is too tangly. What she needed was a little lap quilt to cover her up but not overwhelm her. After deciding to whip out my large KaleidoRuler, this mini-quilt was born!

It's so cute. And it's just perfect for the car...and of course I finished it on the first hot week of the season! So long, winter. You've been kicked out. Spring is here, with a vengeance.

Exhibit B: The #1 increase in chores since I became a mother is laundry. Lauuuundry. My arch-nemesis. My best friend told me yonks ago that she dislikes folding laundry, and I scoffed at her. "I love doing laundry," I said. "Washing, drying, folding, it's all great! I just hate doing the dishes." I'm sorry for scoffing, Sar. Truly, madly sorry. Because I get it now. KIDS GENERATE LAUNDRY. How, I ask, HOW, can one tiny baby who has tiny clothes suddenly make my life full of TWO LOADS A DAY?

Argh.

Anyway I did some laundry. It's not folded, but, I'll do it after I finish blogging.

Exhibit C: Hand-quilting has begun on the Birds' Nest quilt. I plan to machine-quilt in big Xes across the top, but hand-quilting in the minty-blue squares makes me so happy! I am doing lassos here, but I might do big flowers in the other squares, or geometric shapes. Who knows? I'll make it up as I go along, me and my Clover removable ink pen.

And, finally, not a finished project by ANY means, but certainly my best creation. Today she played quietly with her new cube toy for an entire hour! I couldn't tear her away and began to get quite jealous...a feat for me as I am usually impatient for naptime so I can work!

As soon as she was done playing, though, I got such beautiful smiles. I live for these smiles, and I'm so glad she's finally of the smiling age.

She has two dimples on the right side and none on the left, and her eyes are definitely going to be blue or grey...not brown like mine. I was hoping for brown, but now I can't imagine her eyes any other way. Such a sweetie. I love her good temperament and her sense of humor and her hilarious and cavelier disregard for what happens when she tips herself from her tummy to her side. (A surprise every time.) I'm so lucky. Well, I'm going to go dote over her while she sleeps, and then fold some laundry. Tomorrow: Spotlight for more thread for the Birds' Nests quilt, a pattern for my Hallowe'en dress, and some quality time with my book. I can't wait!