baby – Page 2 – The Oaxacaborn Blog

LITTLE STYLE :: Aveline’s First Birthday – Handmade Felt Feather Birthday Crown, Stuffed Plush Toy Bunny, and Gluten-free Chocolate Cake

January 20, 2012March 22, 2014 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

Handmade felt feather crown - Feathered birthday crown

Aveline’s birthday yesterday was such a lot of fun! I can’t believe she’s a whole year old. We had a quiet little party for her, just Josiah and I, since our families are ~~millions~~ thousands of miles away — but it was joyous and beautiful and so full of laughter. (She even got to FaceTime and talk with both sets of grandparents!)

And can I just say I’m really happy with the way her feathered crown turned out? Even if the feathers did keep flopping over. I’m hoping to make a different birthday crown for her each year. My mom made us special birthday hats when we were little, and I thought it was the best thing ever.

What are your favorite birthday traditions — either from your childhood, or for your own children? I think it would be great to make a new handmade toy for her each birthday as well!

Oaxacaborn - First Birthday - Handmade Kawaii Plush Toy Creature

Oaxacaborn - First Birthday - Gluten-free Chocolate Cake

Oaxacaborn - First Birthday - First taste of cake

Oaxacaborn - First Birthday - Close up of baby taking bite of cake

Oaxacaborn - Baby birthday cake

Oaxacaborn - First Birthday - Baby in highchair eating cake

Oaxacaborn - First Birthday - Cake Crumbs

Oaxacaborn - First Birthday - Pink first birthday candle

Oaxacaborn - First Birthday - Cake crumbs on IKEA Blames high chair tray

P.S. Here is the gluten-free chocolate cake recipe I used.

Poetry & Words

WRITING & WORDS :: It was a year ago today that I first met my baby girl, and…

January 19, 2012March 22, 2014 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

…I thought that now, at one year later, I would finally have words for this.

Home from hospital with baby Aveline Alenka

Words for what it felt like to hold her, outside of my body, for the very first time.

Words for what it felt like to look at her living, breathing soul.

Widescreen baby portrait in black and white

2-Widescreen baby portrait in black and white

But I don’t.

I still have no words — only awe,

only wonder,

only joy.

So, so much joy.

To God be the glory, great things He has done!

Poetry & Words

WRITING & WORDS :: The Bestest Job in the Whole Wide World

January 17, 2012March 22, 2014 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

Toddler Aveline running down the sidewalk

Today, this has mainly been my view — the back of a very quickly moving Aveline. It’s been a “part of” kind of day.

Part of the laundry folded.

Part of an article for Babiekins Magazine written.

Part of Aveline’s birthday crown made.

Part of the bathroom cleaned.

Toddler Aveline stooping down to pick up bark off the sidewalk

But that’s ok. It’s been a day full of life, full of laughter, full of joy, full of peace.

Toddler Aveline kneeling on sidewalk holding bark pieces

I wouldn’t trade my position now with any one.

I love being a mama. I couldn’t think of a better gift in the world than my little, hilarious, laughing miracle.

Toddler Aveline tasting bark

Life in Photos

LIFE IN PHOTOS :: Spontaneous Hug

January 17, 2012March 22, 2014 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

I was photographing Aveline this morning while we were waiting for the furnace repair-man, and she ran toward me to give me a big hug. I turned the camera toward us and snapped a couple of shots blindly. I love the resulting photo! Can you believe the little bug will be ONE on Thursday?

Christmas, Life in Photos, Travel/Moving

LIFE IN PHOTOS :: Christmas in Upper Michigan

January 5, 2012March 22, 2014 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

We’ve come back, on a jet plane, from our magical snowy Christmas in the north! And I do mean “north”. We spent the first part of Christmas vacation in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, which is literally as far north as you can go without being in Canada. Purdy neat dere, eh?

My dad’s brother has an amazing cabin there, situated right on a river, which is where we stayed. My youngest brother and cousins got the tree out of the surrounding forest just before we arrived. The river had even frozen evenly enough to make a perfect skating rink. And did I mention it snowed every single day?

Oh, I wish I were sitting by the stone fireplace right now, drinking bottomless cups of coffee. I already miss my family terribly, and we’ve only been back in Florida for a couple days.

Little Style

LITTLE STYLE :: Aveline wearing traditional Oaxacan-style embroidered shirt from Mexico

December 23, 2011November 2, 2012 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

Baby Aveline wearing traditional Oaxaca Mexican Embroidered Shirt Dress

Thank you so much to our dear friends for this wonderful little shirt! I’m so excited it finally fits her. How fun to see my daughter wearing something that represents where I was born!

Handmade

HANDMADE :: Bold Modern Granny Stripe Baby Blanket – And New Items in the Shop for 2012

December 15, 2011November 1, 2012 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

It’s been a while since I shared any crochet project here other than my owl hats. But, I’ve been working on this blanket for a while now, and finally finished it up and mailed it off last week. It’s worked in granny stripes, but I think the mixed textures and varying stripe width gives it a more modern look than you’d expect.

I’m tossing around the idea of selling similar baby blankets in 2012. I haven’t really done any market research yet to determine what would be most likely to sell, though, and I would still have to work out a price point.

I’ve got another striped wool blanket in progress — this time in bold solid colors — but we’ll see if it ends up in Aveline’s room or in the shop. ;-)

In 2012, the shop will also see the addition of plush / stuffed creatures! Super exciting, right? I’ve been so inspired by these plush/softies. I’m making a crochet and felt monster for Aveline, so I’ll post photos of that in the near future as well (although probably not until after Christmas, unless someone puts magical elf sprinkles in my coffee before then).

What do you guys think? Is there is something specific you’d like to see in the shop in 2012?