If Natalie could type, I imagine she would say something like:

sajfkl;djakgjfdaoiujaijgkha

or maybe

“I’m sorry you haven’t been hearing much from my mama lately, but she’s been busy entertaining me. I demand a lot of attention these days, I hope you understand. But I don’t really care either way. As long as she’s playing with me, letting me chew on her fingers, feeding me, changing me, rocking me to sleep for my infrequent half-hour naps and making funny faces at me all day long, I don’t have a care in the world.”

And when you write back, you will say you forgive me and will wait patiently to hear more. And to see new work, because that’s coming, but maybe not for a little while yet.

Anyone want to weigh in on the subject of next year’s calendar? I’m leaning toward veggies and fruit, but we’ll just see about that.

• learning to nap on her own (and not in the swing); success! (awesome summer-weight blanket by Aden and Anais)

• enjoying our new screen doors, and a warm summer day.

• getting back on the yoga mat! If only for 10 minutes, during afore-mentioned nap. (and,  yes, that yoga block is in rough shape. Once upon a time perhaps a doggy teething toy?)

• today’s work-station, scattered with rattles, “Goodnight Gorilla” (new board book from Aunt Pat!), teething toys, and burp cloths (gorgeous patchwork burp cloth by Nina Beana!)

• aaaannndddd………(drumroll please)…. SOMEONE is 3 months old today! 12 weeks! How did that happen?

Well, not all smiles for a few days this week, but she’s back to happiness abounding. I’ve been grateful to have the book “The Wonder Weeks” (lent to us by a very thoughtful friend), which describes when and how different leaps in mental development happen in babies. The book describes how these leaps will affect behavior and mood, and I have to say it is pretty spot-on. It’s so nice to know that periods of fussiness are just that, small moments in an otherwise happy outlook on life. I highly recommend picking it up if you have or are thinking of having a little one. I think the info applies to the first year or two, and the website seems to have a lot of great info: thewonderweeks.com. And I’m not even being paid to say that.

maybe she’s not so sure about that?

{onesie and “clown pants” (as dubbed by Daddy) both from the lovely Sarah G. — The onesie was made by the fine folks at craftster.org and found at the Boston Bazaar Bizarre (which just so happens to be having a SUMMER show this year, on August 21st. Sure to be totally awesome.)}

I don’t have a lot of time, so I’ll keep it short and sweet. A list will do!

1. turns out I love being a mama. YAY! (not that I doubted that I would, but I’m pretty glad that I do.)

2. a tree fell in our backyard 2 nights ago. crazy, right?

3. my aunt moved her shop to an amazing new space! It’s called Ikonium Studio and it’s at 69 Church Street in Lenox, MA — Go visit! There you will find contemporary and traditional Turkish and American fiber art and craft, amazing Turkish rugs, as well as some fantastic paintings and a few things made by other crafty folks and yours truly.

4. I’m doing a show in 2  weeks! I haven’t really gotten back to work yet (still resisting, enjoying “maternity leave”!) but I have to. Today. The show is sponsored by BerkshireMade; Handmade in the Park, downtown Lee, MA, Saturday August 7, 10am – 4pm.

5. tomatoes! summer! swimming!

6. I am told our miss Natalie is very “advanced” — large for her age (10 weeks!), but also strong, smiley from day one and super talkative for weeks now. Also sleeping a lot, but I wont get into that, for fear of being stoned by other sleep-deprived mamas.

7. did I mention summer? With that comes weddings (that we have missed, boo!) and visits from friends and family, barbecues, birthdays of some of my favorite people, craft fairs (I’m only doing one, but you better be visiting lots!), farmer’s markets, tag sales (no, haven’t been to any, but we will), vacations (maybe next year?), and the Berkshire Fringe (starts next week!)!

Yay, Summer!

hello from Natalie-land!
All is well here! She is 7 weeks old today! I can hardly believe it. Our darling daughter sleeps At NIGHT (therefore not much during the day, but we can’t really complain about that), smiles so much and is just so beautiful and lovely, even when she’s crying, which is thankfully not that often.
It’s late-ish in the day, and that means I’m super tired… but I promise someday I will be back with more words. For today, I think all I can muster is a photo:

Earlier today, rockin’ the Moby Wrap.

I just had to pop in and finally announce the arrival of our daughter, Natalie May Coyle!
She came into the wold with an early morning waterbirth at home, with the help of an amazing team of midwives and friends, last Wednesday May 12th at 1:23 am. She has sparkly big eyes and her papa’s brown hair; 8lbs 6oz, 22 inches. She was 13 days late, and is already surprising us with smiles and coos, and gazing back at us from her first moments.

We are now spending our days and sleepless nights gazing at the adorableness of this starry-eyed little one, mostly in disbelief, really, that we created her. I’m sure I’ll be back soon enough with more stories; I promise I will share some of the story of her birth eventually, which was definitely the most amazing, intense, challenging and profound experience of my life. I must say that I am so beyond happy that we chose to have her at home, and I think a tub full of warm water is a wonderful place to come into the world.

(we're so in love with this hat from Cloo Gifts Etsy shop)

With lots of blissed out love,
xoxo
Laurie

needing some distractions…

today is our “due date” — but no real signs of this baby coming our way soon, so I’ve decided I need a little distraction, and I also decided it needs to be positive and send goodness into the universe, so here’s a little grateful list for today, Thursday April 29, 2010, in no particular order:

• the fact that I am about to become a Mama any day now

• having had a healthy and easy pregnancy, the prospect of a healthy and easy birth

• a gorgeous new nursery and new studio, all ready and waiting to be used

• a green couch!

• the beautiful washer and dryer in our new basement bathroom (and the washer works on hot AND cold water!)

• birds, bears, bunnies and other creatures of spring

• leaves on the trees, even tiny ones

• our Curly Willow tree that has grown from a twig to a 15-foot tree in 4 years

• daffodil bouquets from my hubby

• offers for distraction and fun from friends

• HappyDog’s unbridled passion for squeaky toys

• sea-salt brownies (I KNOW, right?)

• pre-sliced mangoes and pineapple

• imagining my hubby as a papa — and all the joy he will bring to this little one’s life

• imagining our HappyDog and the little one as best friends; we imagine it is inevitable.

I also want to thank you for holding us in your thoughts today, on our official due date, and for hanging in there with us as we stay patient and wait for the little one to decide when she (or he!) is ready to greet the world. We will of course keep you updated, and will post something here soon after the birth. {But, you know, not too soon. We are planning to take it easy and revel in the beauty of this new life; thanks, I knew you’d understand}

Just in case you were wondering….

36 weeks & 4 days — due April 29; we all can’t wait to meet this (not-so-little) little bean!

Also, it is spring!

That’s my very first crocus of the year! We planted these bulbs last fall during the big wall-building/porch renovation project, and it seems they like it here. Spring is a little later to arrive here up on the mountain, but it’s happening!

I don’t usually do stuff like this, but this course just sounds too cool to not tell you about! (course starts April 12th)

The Handmade Writer is an e-course taught by Amy Spencer of Bring Yourself. I do not really consider myself a writer,  but then I have to remind myself that writing a blog post is certainly writing. And an Etsy listing, or even a tweet! If you are thinking of starting a blog, looking for tips on making your writing more expressive, or are just interested in honing your writing skills, I highly recommend you look into this course.

From the Bring Yourself website description of the Handmade Writer:

“Take a crafty approach to creative writing and use the fabric of your life to tell your own extraordinary stories.

“The Handmade Writer e-course will help you gather together material from every source imaginable. You will learn about the craft of writing and how to sew these fragments together to build your own pieces of creative writing. The e-course has been inspired by the strength of craft communities as well as the impulse to transform everyday finds into something amazing.

“…Handmade Writer is the ideal place to take your writing a bit more seriously and will give you the motivation to find space for it in your busy life. By taking a crafty approach, you will start using material from your world to inspire your writing. You will be amazed by what you can achieve and at the end of the six weeks you will want to keep on writing.”

Sounds kinda great, eh?

(Would love to hear if you sign up and how it goes!)