My freshest baby is already one month old.  It’s been a whirlwind and feels like she’s always been a part of us at the same time.  I love holding her with her soft little cheek against mine, feeling her baby breath, and thinking that this is my very most favorite thing I’ve done in my whole life.  I LOVE having a newborn.  I love the treasure of having a little person that is both a part of me and its own at the same time.  I love soft skin and fuzzy shoulders and whispery sneezes.  I was going over old posts about my other babies and love what I said when Ian was tiny:

I just look at him and say to myself, “Remember this–how he looks, how it feels to hold him. He won’t remember this time– it’s all mine. These short months of tininess are God’s gift to mothers. The sweetness, perftection, complete dependence are just for me– to treasure, to see everytime I look at him, for the rest of his life.”

I don’t know how to say it any differently.  I love having a baby.

I thought I’d show you some handmade gifts from lovely friends on Eva’s 1 month birthday.  I waited until a bit too late in the day to have good light, but here are some more pictures anyway.

My kindred spirit April made Eva a super cute quilt.  (You can see better photos of the whole thing here.)

And the sweet gown and flower are from my talented friend Jodi.

Thank you friends for being excited about my little girl too.

And happy one month birthday tiny Eva.  We’re sure glad you’re ours.

I love having a Moses basket for a newborn.  It is so nice to have a cozy place to lay baby down right next to me wherever I am in the house– on the couch while I’m reading to other kids, on the floor next to my sewing table, in my room next to my bed.  It’s her own little sanctuary that even the 2 year old understands is the baby’s bed.

So, when I was dreaming about Eva coming I decided I wanted to make a Moses basket and write up the pattern to add to my SweetPod collection.

Here it is!  It’s been in constant use for the past 4 weeks (Really, it’s been 4 weeks?!) and I’ve decided it passed the functionality test.

It has a removable, washable quilted bumper pad,

and a mattress with a removable, washable cover.   I’m just about done with the pattern writing.  I have had such a hard time making myself sit down and write it, but I made a lot of headway today and will be ready to send it out to testers by next Friday for sure.

I have to say up front this is not a quick project or an inexpensive one, but as a mama of 6 I definitely think it is worth the work and money to have a super cute, comfy place to lay my perfect little bundle.

Anyone want to try it?  **I’ve got all the testers I need, thanks!** I’ll need 2 testers.  If you’d like to be one send an e-mail to jessica {at} seedpodcraft {dot} com and let me know how quickly you think you could get it done (give yourself at least a week) and what kind of sewing experience you have. Luckily, all the supplies should be available at your local JoAnn’s and quilt store.  I’ll let you know whether or not I’ll need you as a tester by Wednesday and get the pattern e-mailed to you by Friday next week.

I’m still working on that birth story post, so in the meantime I thought I’d post some more pictures of our sweet little girl.  She’s been such a blessing– and sleeps 5 or 6 hours every night!

While we were on our trip to Idaho in June I knit this little diaper cover.  I had yet to knit a diaper cover that would work– but on baby #6 I finally did it!  I used the Warm Heart Woolies Plain Wrap pattern (you’ll need to sign in to ravelry for that link to work) and Malabrigo worsted yarn.  Malabrigo is SO soft and felts easily, so it works really well for a diaper cover.  I added aplix hook and loop to fasten it which makes for easy changes.

It is so fun to snuggle a baby with a soft, fluffy bum.

My mom came nearly a week before Eva was born.  I was so glad to have her here and wish more than ever that I somehow lived close to family.

She welcomed our sweet baby girl with a bright quilt in signature Granny style.

It’s a good place to wiggle.

Eva Joy

8 pounds 5 ounces

21 1/2 inches long

Born peacefully at home on August 19th, 2:46 AM

Barry posted a photo from my iPhone minutes after our Eva was born– before we knew how much she weighed or what her middle name would be, so I thought I’d fill in a few details.

She’s perfect and super cute and loved by all.

One of these days I’ll type up a birth story, but for now I’m just busy resting and nursing and staring at her…

I’ve been pregnant a lot of times, but I cringe at nearly every picture we have of my swollen, life growing self.  I have several really flattering ones of me sleeping in the passenger seat of our van, belly bulging, head tilted back, mouth open, during our most recent road trip.  Lovely.  And there are a few hurried snap shots taken right before we’ve rushed off to the hospital with a couple of our babies.

But this time I’m quite certain I’m never going to do this again.  This is the last time I’m going to harbor a whole other being, to give it a beginning, to share my space so completely. The last time I’ll feel a baby stretch and push and try out new limbs, or feel the excitement and anticipation of meeting my little person who has become so familiar.  This is a pretty amazing, miraculous thing my body can do, and I’ve done it over and over because I know that when it comes down to it, there isn’t anything more important or more valuable that I could do.  Saying I’m thankful to be a mother is an understatement.  In so many ways I feel like I was born when my first baby was born and every one has taught me more about who I am, what our family can be, and what life is really about than I could have learned any other way.

I wanted some way to remember the beautiful part — so we braved the mosquitoes in the warm evening light and Barry took some pictures we could treasure.

And now I’m counting the minutes.  The end is the hardest part because there is so much uncertainty, so much wondering and waiting.

Here’s Eva’s corner in my room– full of things that could each be a blog post in and of themselves.

There’s the new Moses basket I designed that will be my next baby gear sewing pattern (the SweetPod Sleep Spot maybe?), new handknit booties and hat for a fresh head and toes…

the newborn diapers all freshly washed and waiting…

a newly slip-covered rocking chair and a hexagon stripe quilt…

On Monday I had contractions every 10 minutes ALL DAY LONG– from about 7:30 in the morning until 9:30 or so at night.  While I could tell that it wasn’t quite the real thing yet I also felt like it could turn very real any second.  I was on a roller coaster of thought and emotion.  I wasn’t ready!  I need this one last week!  My shelves and refrigerator were empty– so a major grocery shopping trip was accomplished and eased some of the unready feelings.  We braved the new Ikea to buy that new dresser we really needed when the last baby was born so we could have a place to keep clothes and blankies.  I think my body was just trying to tell me to get with it, stop dilly-dallying.  There will be a baby coming next week, or the next.  My days with Hunter as the baby are numbered– as are my days of needing help rolling over in bed.

Last night, as the sky looked like this:

I relished in the wonderful day I had swimming with my kids and stocked my freezer with 3 pans of Chicken Enchiladas.  Today is Lasagna day.

And I’m feeling ready– with each day a little more.