The fireball is 4!

Look at that adorable little face! 

My Owen just turned 4. It's been a much anticipated birthday for him. He's been counting down until the big day. He's put in his request for a certain kind of cake. He's told us what he wants for his special birthday dinner. He's made his guest list for his upcoming party, the one he told us that he needed to have. He's ready and the day is finally here!

Owen, so excited for his birthday cake!

I have thoroughly enjoyed being Owen's mother. This kid has been a ton of fun, as well as put the the work in the job of motherhood. Last year at this time I was reflecting upon my spitfire son, my warrior child, and he is still very much that. Owen is so full of life, so full of passion, full of fire.

I was flipping through Owen's baby book today and read the notations I made: "11 months old: Throwing toddler sized tantrums anytime your will is thwarted." And then, "20 months old: Still a tantrum thrower. It's been all out war these days, pitting your impressive will against the unbeatable one of mine. I always win, but it sure takes a ton to get the point across!"

Battles have been a commonplace between Owen and I for most of his little life. But therein is why I say life with him has been fun as well as a lot of work. I don't begrudge one single battle as I know that these little wars have been shaping my son, shaping his character, shaping his healthy outlook on life and what it means to be loved. These little wars were (and still are) necessary to teach Owen the important boundaries, the ones that would keep him safe, healthy and happy.

It's like this analogy I came up with a while back: Owen is like one of those tiny rubber bouncy balls. Let one of those things bounce around your kitchen and it will be bouncing all over the place; off the walls, floors, cabinets etc... and it's liable to brake something or land in a very dangerous place. Put that same tiny ball into a closed box and shake it up, allowing it to bounce at will. Nothing will be broken, no dangerous areas to land in and a perfectly happy little bouncy ball.

That's Owen for you with boundaries. Without clearly defined boundaries, he's liable to get into dangerous trouble. Define and teach him boundaries (as represented as the box) and you have a wildly happy boy, safe for the most part, able to be himself--a passionate little fireball.

These days, my little fireball is a joy to me. He is still as passionate as ever, although he has learned that I am like a benevolent ruler.  I love him dearly and show and tell him every way and every day. I am not afraid to correct him and I am not afraid to fight him.

It's my joy to watch him every day, whether it's as he's racing with his NASCARS toys, reenacting scenes from his favorite action movies, lightsaber fighting with his big brother, or slowing down with a good cartoon, his thumb and his blankie.

Owen, my boy, I still love being your mother! Happy 4th Birthday to you!

On the trail: the journey to a dress that fits

I just spent this past weekend whipping up a great pioneer costume for an acquaintance of mine from church. This was an interesting project and lots of fun. The costume was for a 10 year old girl. What made this project so interesting was the fact that this little girl is an atypical size, requiring not a child sized pattern, nor an adult sized pattern. The pattern had to be custom made to fit her body. To alter a patter to this degree required lots of measurement taking, a good grasp of sewing with a pattern, lots of numbers (math), and patience.

Before starting this project, I thought it was going to be a lot more difficult than it was. I haven't attempted sewing a dress using a pattern for over 10 years. I have used patterns before for smaller things like aprons, skirts and hats, but it always seemed like I couldn't understand them very well.

Having completed this project now, a process which took me only 4 days in all to complete, I realize that it was fairly easy for me. I suspect it's simply because I've been sewing long enough now to know what I'm doing. The patterns no longer confuse me and I can think out the whole sewing process in my head. Such a good feeling to know you have gotten proficient at something you love doing!

So here's a photo journey of the dressmaking process. In a previous session, I took extensive measurements of Stephanie to get her exact body shape in numbers. Then, using the adult pattern as a base, I marked up the pattern pieces to what I hoped would fit her with additional space to fit comfortably. I was having difficult time getting the proportions just right even with all my measurements. What I ended up having to do was get a child sized pattern for the same dress. I used the two patterns as the opposite extremes (one too large, other too small) and then marked up the perfect size in the middle more or less.

Here I am with Stephanie during the fitting of the mock-up dress I made out of muslin. I wanted to make sure all the changes I had made to the pattern would end up fitting properly.

It's a good thing I did this mock-up, sample dress. As you can see in this photo, the sleeves are way too long and too snug. The back of the dress, too, was too snug through the upper back, the shoulder seams straining to the point of ripping. Using a marker, I marked directly on this sample muslin dress the areas that I needed to add width, reduce width, shorten or lengthen.

Then it was time to go shopping for the fabric that we'd be using to make the final dress, bonnet and apron. Here I am with Stephanie's mom, Sarah, and the fabric they chose.

And finally, here's the results. Stephanie was one very happy and excited little girl in her new pioneer costume. I was very happy, too. This final dress fit her perfectly.

And now, I want to make one for myself.

A dream soon to be realized, hopefully

I have long held a dream: to own my own house. A place that would be my own, to do with just as I please; to paint, to landscape, to garden at, to have my children grow up in. I have had this dream since I was a little girl and now, nearing my 30th birthday, I still hold this dream.

I am closer to realizing this dream than ever before. I find myself day-dreaming and night dreaming about all the different possibilities. Like a child in a candy shop.

The painter and I have been waiting for years to even attempt a mortgage. Eight years ago, we moved across the country without jobs, newly pregnant, with the job market at an all time low for unemployment. What we optimistically thought would be relatively easy turned out to be several long hard months without work, searching for jobs, terrible morning sickness for me all while living in my sister's cramped house on her charity. Car payments, insurance premiums, moving costs, storage fees and life was piling up on our few credit cards.

An unfortunate circumstance, but not without it's life lessons.

The painter finally found work, becoming said painter. We found a great duplex apartment with an amazingly low rent. Eight years later, we still live in said apartment and the painter loves being a painter. However, the cost of being a stay at home mom, with only the painter working for money is that we have lived 7 years with debt that could never be repaid, credit shot to pieces.

However, as I said, it was not without life lessons. We have learned to live on a cash only, paycheck by paycheck, frugal basis. We use credit in emergencies only, which is a good way to live. We don't buy things that we don't need and we pay cash for the things we do. It has always worked out for us. We have been truly blessed and God has provided for all our needs.

A recent running of our credit reports showed us some very welcome news. All those negative marks are gone from our record. The hindrance to owning a home is no longer there. The time for searching for a place to call our own is now upon us.

An exhilarating feeling as well as daunting.

Where to start? What will be available? What can we afford? How much of a fixer-upper will we have to buy? Will it match my dream? Or will I have to settle?

Lots of questions, and at this point, not many answers. That's our process. What we've got to look forward to. God willing, though, my dream will soon be realized.