Thursday, March 24, 2011

Bathing, Eating, and Smocking

Good Thursday afternoon! The in-laws left this morning, and Eli and I may have shed a tear or two. :) It's so nice having help around during the day, and I can imagine I might just have to move back into our parents' house when I am a mama of more babies. This week has flown by, and Eli got spoiled rotten with attention. Today, he literally fussed and cried until I sat on the floor and played with him for awhile. He wanted all eyes on him it seemed.
 I didn't get too much done this week, but am planning on going full force this week tying up all these birthday loose ends. I'm glad Matthew and I have decided to not to "big" birthday parties every year. They require a lot of to-do lists, coffee, and running around town.
 Every baby needs some bath time pictures taken, but I'm pretty sure I haven't taken any since Eli had his "first bath" pics. For a while, I was always the one giving him the baths, and was too busy holding and scrubbing a naked baby. Now, bathtime is Daddy and Eli time. I'm quite convinced Eli likes these baths much more than when I gave them to him. The tubs get filled up until the water is at his shoulders, tons of bubbles are added, and toys surround him. They get in there together and sing songs and splash around, usually while I clean up dinner. So, maybe you can guess why I don't usually take my camera into the bathroom now. I braved some inappropriate pictures and took some of my fish faced boy. He loves doing this with his mouth...
 I made a soup the other day when it was chillier and rainy, and I must say, it's become one of my favorites. It's easy, and has kale, which makes you sound special and gourmet. Here are the ingredients:
 Plus...some italian sausage.
 Heat your chicken broth first, boil your diced potatoes in it, and then add your cooked sausage and kale. Simmer until the kale gets wilted and soft, and add cream to your liking. Red pepper flakes give it a little kick, but I don't add those to mine. Just Matthew does. 
    
While my soup was simmering, I was oohing and ahhing over this box on my doorstep. My mom used to smock when my brother and I were babies. She would sell these clothes to stores around town, and make some for us too, of course. I have a closet full of precious smocked dresses waiting on some little girl one day, if the Lord wills. When my mom married my dad, she taught his mom how to smock. Apparently, my grandmother was better than my mom at it because she took the time to make it perfect, and my mom never did. So, along comes my baby, and I want to make tiny smocked clothes instead of paying $70 all the time. My mom has taught be the basic stitches so far, and I have tried to practice on my own, but I discovered I need another tutorial before I'm left to my own devices.
 My dad went to visit my grandmother and showed up at my house with this box. She is extremely organized and has kept all her smocking things in a box for years. They are in perfect condition, and I was so excited to see all the pressed plates and goodies in this tissue-paper lined box.
Here's one nightgown she smocked but never finished sewing. I'm not so sure smocked long nightgowns for adults are in anymore, but it's definitely a treasure for me to have. This book came along in the box, and although some of the patterns are a little older, I could use them on something other than an adult nightgown.

 I love how she tied every plate and bonnet up so neatly with thread, and I love these tiny little pelican scissors. My hope is that I can learn to smock and use the same patterns and instruments my grandmother and mom used to make their babies' and grandbabies' clothing. I'm not quite sure there is much better than handmade children's clothing, in my opinion.


Man, I'm wordy. Matthew just got home and asked what I was writing about. Baths, soup, and smocking I told him. He went outside to shoo squirrels off our lawn. They must be more interesting. :) Back to cake pops, tissue pom-poms, and bumblebees.

4 comments:

  1. cake pops!!!! we are officilly coming to the party!! one handed typing,,,

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  2. I LOVE Eli's fish face sooo much! Sean and I got a kick out of it!

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  3. Those bath pictures are so cute!

    I love that you have all those old things of your grandmother's. What a treasure!

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