So many people shutter themselves inside during the cold winter months. But there is so much quiet beauty outdoors that I cannot do that. Almost every weekend we make some escapade into the woods for a little jaunt.

I remember doing going for winter walks as a child. I remember the crunch of the snow under my boots and find that sound fascinating. I remember drinking hot jello out of a thermos and how yummy the snacks always tasted because one seemed hungrier in the cold.

Now I’m following in those same footsteps and taking John out for winter walks. He seems to marvel at the same crunching sound under his boots. I haven’t fed him hot jello out of a thermos but somehow I think he’d like it. So far we’ve opted for hot tea at home or coffee out at Starbucks.

I realize that so much of what we do as adults is what we are used to doing and have done… beginning with the adventures and things we did as children.  We are less likely to do things we are unfamiliar with.

Perhaps little John will take his kids on winter walks one day.

]]> http://classiccableknits.com/blog/2012/01/followinginfootstep/feed/ 4 http://classiccableknits.com/blog/2011/10/mothering-monday-2/ http://classiccableknits.com/blog/2011/10/mothering-monday-2/#comments Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:57:33 +0000 Christina http://classiccableknits.com/blog/?p=1961

The most influential book I read this year is not a mothering book, but it encouraged me as a stay-at-home-mom. Can you guess what it was?

The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character & Achievement by the New York Times wonderful op-ed columnist, David Brooks. Those of you who have spent any time around me this summer are probably rolling your eyes right now because you have heard me talk and talk and talk about this book.

Brooks combines study after study of the human mind, social behavior in the US and childhood development and weaves them into a fictitious couple to illustrate the findings of these studies. The book and the studies astounded me.

I had no idea just how vitally important the little things in life are to childhood development.

So… if you are a mother, want to be a mother, an Aunt or an Uncle of a child or if you want to understand humanity a little more – READ the book!

Green baby Shoes by Rose-Anne Russell

Wooden alphabet blocks by Magens Bay Designs

alphabet blocks by Little Sapling Toys

One of my favorite bloggers – A Cup of Jo – always has a Motherhood post among her monday write ups.

Her posts are simple, thoughtful and encouraging. Something that as a mother, you really need. Especially on a monday!

For some reason Mondays are the worst day of the week around our house. John is usually tired from a wonderful weekend – lots of rough and tumbly stuff with daddy when he can spare a moment and lots of variation from routine.

On Mondays we try to get back into the saddle of our weekly routine and well, it’s always rough.

So I thought I’d start some Mothering Monday posts. 1- to remind myself of the goodness of mothering and 2 – to hopefully encourage all of you starting your mondays with your little ones or the little ones you are around.

I don’t really want to call them “Motherhood Mondays” because – well, to be honest with you there are a few people in our day and age that are not mothers but do quite a bit of mothering.

With that… as you can see from the pictures above shoes and the alphabet are at the top of my mothering list right now.

In the shoe department I am trying to solve the dilemma of transitioning from summer  - where open shoes and no shoes were de rigueur  - to fall where we must where shoes to keep warm. John keeps taking his shoes off – even when I bought him the next size up.

I’m thinking soft shoes might be a good compromise…..

In the alphabet department I am realizing that it’s time for John to start learning his letters. Wow! How did we get here?

So much of mothering seems to be creating the right environment for a child to learn. Giving the child the next stepping stone when they are ready. Withholding some stepping stones when they seem overwhelmed or burdened by too much.

I was astounded to listen to John “read” our alphabet book to himself the other day (He tried but couldn’t go beyond A B C). He has a strong mastery of his colors and numbers up to 10 – I guess it is time for the alphabet!

You would think that because I lived over in Africa fungal infections and weird skin lesions wouldn’t bother me – I mean, hey, I’ve done that, seen that, had that happen.

Well, John has a fungal/yeast/whatever infection in his diaper area. I am told that it isn’t because I don’t bath my baby – I do. This fact is helping me through the “I’m a bad mom” scenario.  Never the less, this “whatever” infection has me in tatters. I’m freaked out by it as well as in tears because he seems to be really irritated by it.

I guess this is fairly common with disposable diapers!? I never thought I would hear myself say this, but I am ready to go out and buy cloth diapers AND I am hunting around on the internet for good soaker patterns!

My melt down stopped when I realized that I had the ability to make a “cloth” diaper this very afternoon and therefore give the creams the air and time to work.

I was given a bunch of the old style, cheese cloth looking diaper liner thingies at a baby shower. The lady said that she used them for burp cloths. I was also given some old fashion diaper pins – they were used for decoration at that particular shower. AND, Nancy L, made me a wonderful soaker that I have used for decoration, since I wasn’t ever going to touch a cloth diaper — ha, ha! NEVER SAY NEVER!

So, here he is in his make-shift cloth diaper.  How does he look?  Mary F — are you out there? Can you believe it? He’s wearing a soaker! Now I’m off to hunt down some cute soaker patterns — I think I really like the one Nancy L made.

Quiet knitting moments, listening to a good book on CD or my podcasts are few and far between right now. I feel like I have to steal them right now, usually from something else that needs to be done, clean the kitchen floor, vacuum, iron, you know, the every-day things. But after a morning and afternoon of taking care of a wee baby on the verge of crawling and a under-the-weather husband, I needed just a tiny break.

So while Little John was down for a nap, I made the husband a tray of tea and then took one cup for myself and headed off to the spare bedroom for a quiet sit & knit. It only lasted 20 minutes but it was blissful! I listened to “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde. Book/Knitting club is next week and that is the book we are reading. It’s been interesting….

Do you ever steal moments to knit?

There are many joys of motherhood (as well as frustrations, don’t get me wrong). For me, one of them is going into Baby John’s room and picking him up when he wakes up from his nap. He gets so excited to see me. Just look at that little face. What a sweetie!

I told JK the other day that I missed my calling as a nanny. But then I thought, “I have it all. Mother, Freelance Designer and CEO of my own company. I am really blessed.”

Take a moment and reflect on your own life (preferably while you have some good knitting in your hands). Despite these dark days or dark things in your life, there is usually a bit of light and delight.

Happy Knitting!