Molly Monsta

So this is my first real sewing project. Ever. I have never really been good at this sort of thing but since I had the Man Child I have been really into making things for the people I love with my hands. 

After I had all her parts sewn together, I cut out a small red felt heart and sewed Bean's (real) name into and stuffed it. The I wrote power words, like love and kindness and strength, on pieces of scrap fabric and put them all inside the monster so that Bean will carry my love with me every place she goes. This was a very rewarding experience, when I finally presented Bean with her finished Monster she took it in her arms and gave it a big hug and rushed off to show it all her toys. When she came back, I asked her "what is her name?" 

"Molly"

"Oh that is a good name, Molly the Monster."

"No, mommy...

Step one- lots of monster parts.

Step 2- hey look, a monster body!

Step 3- a bright pink head attached to the monster body.

Step 4- stuffing! cupcakes optional. sorta. not really. ok, you need cupcakes.

Step 5- love and a name. and eaten cupcakes. chocolate. with chocolate chips on top.
"Her Name is Molly. Molly Monsta!"

More Baby Wearing.

ok, so here are a few more... Also, these are all the Bean. and a surprise

Here she is questioning the intelligence of the person who designed this and her mother who put her into it.

Annnnd the wonderdog. Because she is amazing and had the presence of mind to get in a baby wearing picture.

Ahhh... It is soooo nice in here. Don't sit down, keep moving and stay in the winter sunshine and
 we will get along juusssst fine."- Said like a lady 

"Yo Sun, I dunno about this Sun. This feels really dangerous to me."
-Said like a gangsta

Oh, I thought this exchange needed to relived.

My Baby Wearing Post

So these will probably be way out of order, but here are some pics from our baby wearing journey.

Baby Bean's first time in a sling. We didn't really like that one...

Wow, this is the third time I've tried to publish this but apparently, blogger hates baby wearing. So here are 2. More will come

Weekend

So in my attempt at playing Farmama, The kids and I spent the weekend at my mom's house working in the yard and crafting. Here are some awesome pictures my mom took of us today. Oh most of them were taken on mom's hipster-matic app. so they look funny. really, read her blog. she will inspire you.

K Bean helping me cut back the lavender.

Tanking leaves (and ping pong stuff) to the burn heap. We didn't let her leave the ping
pong stuff to be burned... that would be bad.

AHHHH!!! Scary monster in the garden!

Garden Gnome

And now onto our craft- I am making Kaya a Monster. A monster made out of old pajamas. This cool book shows you how to cut up your old clothes and make them into other things- like Monsters!!! By using the old clothes you don't have to pay for fabric to get new dolls. Plus it is super inspiring, maybe I will learn enough after a few monsters, I'll know enough to start making my own things...?

All the Monster parts, plus mom's old elna sewing machine, and the book with the Monster instructions

There is the Monster body with no head. or legs.
She is a Nice Monster. Not Scary.

Now I'm stuck her becasue some how I fucked up the tension on the sewing machine and now the fabric curls up as I sew. lame. Tomorrow I will call my mom and see if she can help me fix it.  So even though I can't stuff her I turned her right side out so I could see her. Here you go-

Poland

Yo! This is a shout out to my Polish homies! Poland is the fastest rising country on my stats page! Sweet! If any one from Poland reads this, I'd love to know how you found me. Is it one person reading all my posts or a bunch of people? Soooo cool!
kat

Totally Uninspired... Until Today

I live in a world of financial uncertainty. I live in a home without a regular co-parent. I am in a relationship that has spanned the state, the continent, even oceans. I have a fridge and cupboards that are very seldom full. I am behind on rent, and bills and have no car insurance.
I have been very depressed and ill thinking about these... obstacles. I have been unmoved by my children's cries for attention because my head is swirling with the need to solve my families problems. But over the past week and a few days I have encountered such love and support that has blown me away. The women in my life that love me and my children have been so amazing these dark days. (Tuesday) I truly thought I had hit rock bottom when one friend had me over for tea. Just a simple moment of rest while she held the Man Child and we sipped her favorite winter blend out of matching cups. (Thursday) An amazing hike-with-babes on what might be my new favorite walking place with dear Raintree. We walked up the Big River haul road and looked back over the river to the ocean and marveled at the blessed place we are so fortunate to live in. (Saturday) One of my dearest and oldest friends came out of nowhere (ok, a surprise trip home from the city for a family thing but still) to show up on my door step when I needed her most. And she had cookies. Home made cookies. Home made by her mom cookies. Yeah, you wish you had a friend like that. Then she cleaned my kitchen. Her kindness and love left me in tears. I'm actually tearing up thinking about how much her visit meant to me. -my kitchen is still clean- (Sunday) A light night visitor with eclairs. And a light mood. Yeah, I have friends who just show up with baked goods. What? (Monday) A late night tea with my tea friend. She needed a space and a power cord and I happened to have both. Sometimes company and another person in your home is all you need to go to bed happy. and more tea. (Wednesday) An amazing surprise trip with the kiddlets to see a very dear friend I thought I had lost. We weren't able to talk much because of a beautiful pit bull and Bean but just being in her presence made my spirit feel a little less crushed. And finally, today- back with Miss Raintree at Big River. We stayed on the beach this time because the tide was way in when we got there and we saw seals and otters playing right in the river. And Bean really wanted to play on the beach. It was such and amazing day. I think it really helped cap off this week of pain and sadness and healing.
What I have realized over the past few days thinking back on my women friends and the little-huge ways they all helped me thru, is that are more ways to love people than just the sexual mate love or the fruit-of-my-loin mother/father/child love. There is a great and powerful women love that few women are allowed to realize. I love these women who have touched my life. The ones I have know for what seams like forever but really just since grade school. The one who helped deliver my son and encouraged me to ba as strong as I am. The one who's family has a whole different set of problems and struggles than mine but can still commiserate and lend a shoulder to lean (or sob) on. Every woman in this world needs her friends close to her. She needs a group, not just one or two but a whole group, that she can rely on. She needs to be that to her friends too. Like baking crazy dietary cookies in the middle of the night because she just knows that they will make someone's whole week better when delivered first thing in the morning. Or answering the phone to listen about single life drama in the city- weekly soap opera updates! umm yay! Or reassuring her mom friend that "you are a great mother and don't let any one tell you otherwise!"
Take the time in your life to think of the women closest to you and thank them or help them because we are stronger together.

Wow! They Are Both Still Asleep...

How long will that last?
I adore being a mom(my), and even though there are days when I want to go all public-school-system and lock one or both in a padded closet, being the mother of these 2 amazing little ones has been a wonderful ride. The K Bean has taken to inserting "I love you" into just about every conversation-

"Babe, do you have to use the potty?"
"No, I'm busy. I have to get my kids out of the road!"
(She has 3 kids named Molly, Garry and Sally)
"Ok... Do you have to use the potty?"
"YESSSS! You stay here and watch my kids."
"OK"
"MOOMMMMYYYY! I need you!"
"Ok, here I come, what do you need me for?"
"Turn the light on. I love you."
"I love you too. K the light is on."
"When Daddy is a big girl, he's gonna be a ballerina."
"...?"
"All done!"

AND...

"Please don't lay on the baby, I'm pretty sure he doesn't like that."
"K. I love you!"

AND one more...

"Hey wait! Don't sit on the dog, you might hurt her!"
"Yeah, Isis is too fit to ride. She is too big. Baby could ride her!"
"Well, I think that maybe you are too big and Isis can't hold you up?"
(Not even going to address the fact that she ran in and was trying to drag Man Child off the bed to help him ride the dog. I did stop her though. He thought the whole thing was pretty darn funny.)
"Ok. I love Isis."

When the girl first met her guard dog

About a year ago.

"Me too, she is a good dog."