How I Make when I Make {sew, baby, sew}

People ask me about how I make time for sewing when my life sounds like a zombie zookeeper’s. Okay, so I made that description up. But I do get asked it a lot. I make baby & tot leggings, bibs, burp cloths, skirts, blankets, and banners at Whole Parenting Goods.  First, I wrote this about starting an etsy shop. Then I wrote this about what I’ve learned about being a “maker.” But today I’m musing about the actual logistics of how I make the time in my life with no time to sew. 1) all work and no (sewing creative play) means I’m a dull girl. Because I’m driven to make by my desire to continue to feed that creative part of me, I find the…

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On Finding Satisfaction Where I Am

I feel like a broken record. Didn’t I just write a post about finding satisfaction right where I am? Did I? I wrote about making where I am awesome. Maybe that’s what I’m thinking of. But with every few months in the lives of parenting littles, times change. I even chatted with Brigid and Elise on the Caritas Podcast about how something as basic as how I approach Lent as a Catholic has changed since I had kids. Listen to it here and read the show notes here. As being a mom is already challenging (yes, I still give up treats as is our family tradition), I no longer have to find things that are penitential haha (mass with small kids. enough said). I’m dissatisfied…

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Weaning & the Sadness in the Change

My baby really isn’t a baby anymore. He’s 21 months and talking, running, slapping, laughing, and as of the other week, no longer nursing. This is the first time since I was pregnant with my oldest (over six years ago now!) that I haven’t been nursing or pregnant. There’s a bittersweetness there. Kathryn wrote about her youngest weaning and I nodded along with all her musings. Nursing doesn’t work for everyone. Some people don’t want to breastfeed, for others it doesn’t work out despite their best attempts, and still for others, they do a little of both bottle & breast and it works for them. I fully support FED IS BEST. Yup. For me, nursing has been deeply, achingly wonderful. My daughter had a tough…

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Mom Who Reads Self-Help Books

I’m an English major with a creative writing emphasis. And a lawyer. {and new hair!!} But all I want to read is behavioral psychology and child-rearing books. And self-help. Didn’t I write about this last year? I guess you can say it’s diversified? It used to be all Sharon Olds poems, and then all SCOTUS decisions {RIP, Scalia!}. Now it’s all Dr. Sears. Colleen asked what I’m reading now and I took this selfie. Yes, an English major said “selfie.” {{hides face in shame}} And yes, sometimes your almost four year old girl needs to be calmed down by carrying her in the carrier the tot won’t even go in anymore! // Better than Before // I LOVE GRETCHEN RUBIN. Gretchen, if you somehow read…

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Six Things I Try to Do Everyday with Each Child

This little lady. She’s something else. My three kids are 5 and a half, 3 and three quarters, and 1 and five eighths. I’m making up the fractions, approximately. Don’t sue me. The days at home with them have gotten easier in many ways. When I had three under four, I was really harried and often desperate for any reprieve I could find {blog, sew, blog}. Now that I’m breathing a little more deeply, I am trying to do certain things with each kid throughout the day. Of course there are all these studies about being present to your children, and what happens when they’re raised in the era of mama having a smartphone. But beyond those potential black holes for guilt, I just want to…

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7 Quick Ways for Mamas to Relax

I love relaxing. I love thinking about it, planning it, dreaming it, but I don’t actually love doing it. In part because I’m constantly thwarted from pursing my side projects by the actual task of tending to and loving up and chastising my offspring. But in other part because I really want to do when I can. So if the moment arises to relax, I will probably huddle over my sewing machine or computer to write & edit instead. I know tomes are composed about the art of relaxation. I haven’t read any of them. But what I do know is that mamas need quick ways to rest and relax because you never know when the call will come from said offspring from the bowels…

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