Baby Must Have #1

You need muslin wraps. I bought my first set when Levi was 6 months or so, and I have rued the fact that I never acquired them earlier ever since. They are indispensable, and their uses cannot be replicated by those tiny, receiving blankets.

They are about twice the size, and three times the price. Yes, the tag is rather staggering, four flimsy pieces of muslin for forty dollars? I suppose if you’re the handy type, you could buy muslin, dye it yourself and cut it into squares, but with a six month old on my hands, I preferred to fork over the cash. And anyways, the patterns are just so sweet.

I’ve used them for everything, a changing pad, a swaddler (perfect for bigger babies who don’t fit in the little blankets anymore, or for summer because they are so light) a stroller cover, a head cover (once again, thanks to the breathable fabric), a nursing cover, a thin summer blanket, a play mat and even a sling in a pinch.

On top of their amazing versatility, because they are so thing, they can roll up or fold up perfectly to fit down in the bottom of any diaper bag. Despite the thinness of the fabric, they are amazingly strong, and I have used them for the purpose of a makeshift hip sling to run into the grocery store more than once.

My son loves the bright colors and the softness of the fabric, which - like a good prefold diaper - just gets softer and softer every time you wash it. It holds up to being drug around, dropped in the mud, wiping a snotty nose (or filling in for an empty package of diaper wipes) and even getting slept on by the odd cat and stepped on by the husband if forgotten on the floor.

Muslin isn’t a new concept; we have just rediscovered it in the last 5 years. It has been used for hundreds of years, all around the globe in association with babies. I’m sure when Jesus himself was lifted from his dusty cradle; they wrapped him in natural organic cotton muslin.

I can only imagine how much easier those first six months would have been if I had received them as a shower gift. Personally, it’s my new gift of choice.

A Quick One

I had a good friend of mine move into her and her hubbys new home this last weekend. Very excited for them, yet envious. I love our home, but if I could move in again, I would do it all diffrently. We can't live in the past though.

The Dhalias in the front lawn are still blooming, I take cutting almost every day. I have several vases around the house full of them. I wish the red dhalias were too, but thanks to my mommy brain, I nearly killed the poor bugger during the last hot spell. And from what reading I've done about dhalias lately, it's time to split their bulbs. I figure this out, AFTER replanting them! Of course!

I tore down everything in the garden. The tomatos I allowed an extra week after pulling out the eggplant and the cucumbers, just to give the fruit a little more time to swell. I must have plucked two dozen unripened fruit from those bushes. Next year, I will plant the tomatos up a lattice on the side of the house, where they will get much more heat. Excited for that!

I layed down three rows of spinach, one row of kale, one row of brocoli raab and four rows of mini carrots in plot B. Plot A is resting this season, so I tilled the soil and scattered buckwheat. This si my first experiment with buckwheat, and I am anxious for it to start taking root.

Levi has started giving BIG hugs! He will see that Brendan is coming to take him from me, and he will squeeze me tight and bury his head in my neck as if to say "Nooo! Mommy!" It warms my heart.

I've been neglecting you, blogsot. I've been neglecting you too, garden.
Wasps and hornets and yellow jackets have taken up residence in my garden... not so much residence as daily visits to the huge tomato bush jungle we have towering over everything else. I dare not go out there unless it's early in the morning (yeah right) or after the suns gone down. It makes watering a pain, and I can't truly admire the beauty.

Little tomato plant, with it's only two fruit that have survived protect with netting

Next summer, I'm going to do EVERYTHING differently. It breaks my heart to see my tomato plant put out all of those flowers, only to have them wilt and die. And the few that are pollinated on hot days can't reach full size, and never ripen because of the cold weather... or they are eaten by caterpillars because their on the vine too long.

Cucumbers in front, butterfly shrubs, tomato jungle in back

It's funny; a garden is the ultimate euphemism for life, isn't it? You plant certain seeds; see which take, and which just aren't meant to be. You tend to your seedlings, some get cut down by the weather, taken out by pesky insects, but the few strong grow and thrive. You build them up, water them tenderly, and give them every thought and consideration. You pluck their fruits with the utmost care and then at the end of the season, you cut them all down, only to fertilize next season with the last season’s cherished vines.

A friend of mine, someone I wish I knew better, recently went home to her family in Texas... I must say, it tears my heart out to think of all my family back home in the big great state. I would give anything to visit and have them see Levi, and for him to see everything I see in them. To witness the awesome power the Lord has worked in all of their lives, and what our family feels like.

My chest aches when I see all her happy photos, the precious moments.

I just won’t think about it then, because it drives me crazy.

Swiss chard seedlings are tricky! All but two died here, I had to re-sow

I've torn out the eggplant, and sown kale, brocoli rab, Swiss chard, spinach and pear tomatoes for the fall. I think I'll scrub the tomatoes, because if it didn't get warm enough here in the summer, I think we are in for a more than chilly fall/winter.

I hope I have better luck with the greens, you don’t need bees for that.

Cat mint in front

Swiss chard is suprisingly hard to keep, you can see the aten away bitsof others that have died off here. Also, what is irritaitingly prolific in my garden? Cat mint! I'll have to dig it out and give it it's own corner. It trippled in size within the first week of being in the ground!

But the bean bushes are doing nicely! They are so resiliant! Both were snapped in two by the cat, and I mended them with a bit of nylon hose and two sticks to support them. I've got tons of flowers on one and a bean on another.

And just for fun? My zombie baby! He loves his finger foods, and will not STAND a spoon. On the occasion, he will alow you to give him food off your finger.

eating blackberries here!