My Kiddos' Quilts

Sewing is one of my "hobbies" -- if you can call it that.

But there's a myriad of reasons why it shouldn't be. For the sake of argument, I'll name a few:

1. It's super expensive.
2. It's very time consuming.
3. My ability to iron is non-existent. I create more creases than were there before. I get frustrated and throw things just thinking about ironing. Don't believe me? Go ahead and ask me about ironing Eric's shirts ... I dare you.
4. I never wash the fabric first - ever. I always forget.
5. I make rookie mistakes, all the time. The seam ripper is the bane of my existence - half the time, I just cut off the mistaken seam and make whatever I am sewing smaller. Don't even get me started about cutting things properly... I always have to buy extra fabric, just in case. Which makes point #1 even more poignant.
6. I hate pinning - I do it when I have to (and avoid it when I don't), but I hate it. And I always get stabbed, at least 3 times. Usually it draws blood.
7. By the time it is all said and done, I am such a perfectionist that I hate just about everything I've ever made. Unless it's from middle school - because then I can say with pride, "I made this when I was 12!" Given my skills have never progressed, it becomes less of an accomplishment when I say, "I made this yesterday..."

I wish I was exaggerating at least one of these points ... but I'm not.

And yet, so often, I find myself sitting at my machine for yet another project.

Back when I was pregnant with Aaron, I decided I wanted to make a quilt for each of my kids.

I made Aaron's before he was born and felt quite a range of emotions as I debated whether or not to give it to him - I hated it and felt like such a failure. Eric reminded me that Aaron would love it and me simply because I made it for him - and that it would keep him warm and get dragged through the dirt and be a companion for him when he was sad.

So I gave it to him.

Then I worked up the courage to make Audrey's just after she was born and had a similar feeling. But, remembering the points Eric made back with Aaron's quilt, I was ok giving it to her.

Fast-forward to Adelynn. I've been sitting on this fabric for 5 months - dreading sitting down to make it. I told myself it was because I couldn't decide on a pattern, but really?!? It's because I knew it'd cause me a terrible headache and I wouldn't like it in the end so ...

But I fly to Utah today and the thought hit me, "What if my plane crashes and I die - and Adelynn grows up thinking I didn't love her enough to make her a quilt!"

Dramatic much?

I wish I was kidding, but that is quite literally the thought that drove me to spend the better part of yesterday afternoon making Adelynn's quilt, mending Aaron & Audrey's quilts, and fashioning pillows out of the extra material for my baby girls so they would have one like their brother ... Just in case I die.

Aaron & Audrey have been using their quilts/pillow in the car and Adelynn's will be no exception.

I made so many little mistakes ... However, I figure, these quilts are like parenting. 

They are made with love - while they may not be perfect, if that love is strong enough, the kids won't dwell on the flaws (though I will, for sure). They'll remember that I love them and forgive the mistakes.

I know, I know - I should work for Hallmark ;)

Well, here they are - three little kittens in their three little quilts atop their three little pillows.

They are pretty cute, huh?
Recently, Aaron has been trying to call me, "Jessie" after hearing others use that name.
I told him that everyone in the world gets to call me Jessie, but only 3 people are special enough and important enough to call me, "mama." I asked if he knew who those 3 people were and he got excited, started to wiggle, and though he knew the answer, he wanted to hear me say it so he replied, "no." I told him, "Only Aaron, Audrey, and Adelynn get to call me mama!"
He was so excited and hasn't called me "Jessie" since.
I love being mama to these three kittens!