The newborn Quinn.

I went to see a new mum and her delicious bundle of joy the other day. One month old and completely sleepy, making those tiny baby sounds that one forgets about about when yours becomes a screaming giggling chatty little busy man. He moved in such a small baby way – that does tend to freak “new to baby” people out (even me a little). I was there amazed at how well she seemed to be going, remembering my just hanging on – but loving it too.. It took me back in ways I would not expect. Yes I was clucky again for newness! Goodness yes, but after hearing the broken drifting conversation between the two new mums – as I made sure my one year old was fed, I was fed and he did not break their house… would I go back to the virgin couple with newborn mode? h**** no! Knowing so little figuring everything out as you went, reading books and crying out “MY BABY DOESN’T DO THAT!!”. By far the worst (and still is) is the constant second guessing yourself and the caring about what other people thought when it came to diapers, clothes, how he was crying, should or shouldn’t he be having a dummy, when were his naps, breastfeeding blah blah blah…(you mums know what I mean). GO back to that, I don’t think so. So in a few words, being a mum to a small boy and not a baby anymore. Loving it, I feel like I have my feet, my routine and my life on track. Being back in that foggy haze of new mum land.. as much as those wonderful hormones rocked my world… so so happy I will never be there again, in quite that way. When and if number two comes along I will be a slightly more mature (maybe?!) seasoned mum and will know whats ahead and will have made all those decisions already. So that I can get on with my life in a way that means no conversations about diapers, dummies and the like. My baby turned one on Saturday, he really is looking very little boy now. I love him so much like this, he makes me burst out in laughter all the time, his absolute love for anything and everything, the giggles when he buries his grubby hands in cat fur, his furious passionate screams when nothing goes as planned… Ahh my son you are taking on life full steam ahead.

Link

Inspired: Angie Lewin

One whole year ago I thought I should blog about this amazing lady. Finally I am getting around to it! Angie Lewin, a British Printmaker/Artist business woman extraordinaire . I brought her book with my birthday money when wandering around my favorite bookshop “Minerva” in Wellington last year. I saw the cover and was drawn in. LOVE her work, I get it… It makes me want to make stuff.

To be honest I only recognized her work, I didn’t actually know who she was. But now I do! I have read the book cover to cover and spent much longer looking at all the pictures. It never stays on the bookshelf long before I take it down to flick through and feel inspired to draw, paint, design.

Here are some piccies of some things I have made pretty much directly inspired by her work.

A wardrobe door mural for Quinn’s room.

A baby mobile I drew then traced in illustrator – this has been printed and glued together several times as gifts for people having babies. Something fun for baby (the black and white picture) and the print is a bit more grown up for the big kids suddenly surrounding themselves with loads of baby stuff. Seems to go down pretty well with both!

Poor Quinn got the slightly more messy prototype (as will probably be my kids lot in life) I found the best one was one with proper thin nylon rope from a hardware store and small pom poms as the ‘beads’ great way to use up yarn, much quicker than these crocheted beads and the nylon thin rope looks much tidier. But you get the idea!

There are quite a few random sketches and things aswell, none really that interesting! But the point is I am getting my arty self moving.

You don’t need to book to be suitably inspired – just go to her website. Or buy all sorts by her and similar artists through this online shop.

Overdue for an update

Well life has changed a bit around here and this woman has decided that she is not super woman and since she can (thanks so much to her amazing man) she will be a stay at home mum (that does not work in every other spare minute allowed to her). I now have a very deep respect for all those freelance type people coupling work with parenting. When I get a nap time I genrally catch up on emails then thats it… the little man is awake and I am being Mum again! I stay far saner if I admit it’s too hard and shelve working until it makes sense again! I just love being present for the little guy even if its taking the time to watch him play. He has already grown more than I can cope with… I know he is still little but seriously from tiny baby to bouncy fun mad little baby in what seems like weeks is actually 9 months! Time flys when your a parent! Wooooosh.

So, no working for me – which means changes to the website again. Might flick it into a standard wordpress template with some adjustments, import the posts from other blog and just make it all one blog again until some other scheme means it morphs into something else!

Winter Wonderland

Out of the kitchen window

In the past few weeks winter has well and truly come. Quinn and I frequently find ourselves stuck inside waiting for rain and cold to pass. Rather out of the norm not long ago it was snow. Snow that fell ALL DAY. This happens not too often in Christchurch, (however it did happen last year – which we missed because we were in Cambridge) so I worried and felt child-like excitement all at the same time. I worried about the electricity supply rendering our only form of heating useless (planning on getting a logburner too.. eventually) I had Quinn’s wardrobe all decided should the power go off. I worried about Kylie who headed off to work that morning when it was only sleeting and his attempt to get home again on roads with cars not organised for such weather. But he did get home early enough to take Quinn and chuck me out the house so I could take some photos. Have I not a good partner? Here are the results:

Poor old Ducks, one duck came up to me for food. I chased him off the snow and back into the “steaming” pond.

Baby Quinn

Its been a very long time since I have had anything to say here. I guess with baby making and working hard to get all the important stuff done before the arrival of the little guy I might have had the time but certainly not the brain power! Infact I am posting now to see if I can kick back some brain power. Because I am currently OBSESSED with my wee guy. I felt it happen too. I still had my facilities even after he was born, but in the last three weeks all I can now think about is Quinn Quinn Quinn. Talk about some funky amazing hormones to make sure this guy thrives. When he is napping elsewhere but on me in the Moby wrap (where he is snoring right now) I just collapse on the sofa and watch TV! This is my attempt to kick start myself back into brain use, through blogging. I can perhaps fill you in on all the things I have been making in the last few months… which is MANY, mostly of the baby persuasion! First though here are some piccies of the coolest thing I have ever made. EVER (thats the baby). After this I will try to refrain from too many baby photos…

Some knitwear I made a wee while ago: