Measuring the Months

As I began to write a letter yesterday, dating the top of the page, I paused. I knew, vaguely, that March had arrived on Saturday. Turning the calendar page was the only indication that this month might be any different from February, or January, even. But it wasn't until this moment of writing the date on a clean white page that I thought, wow it is already March. How did that happen?

I've been measuring the months not by the pages of the 2014 calendar but by the weeks and months of Amos' first year. A month ago he was barely crawling, now he wiggles, scoots and crawls around with speed, if not complete ease. As of this week, he will have been in our arms and our life for nine months. Often it seems like far longer and other times it seems like these months have passed so quickly. At first we observed the slow progression of his development skills added to skills, muscles learning control: a smile, a gurgle, a grasp. These celebrated milestones have given way to constant learning, exploration, and curiosity. Sometimes it's hard for all of us to keep up.






March also has me craving color. The basket of oranges in the kitchen, slices of red pepper, the gorgeous ruby filled strawberry crostata that we've been making at the bakery where I work. I appreciate beautiful fabric any time of the year but I've been especially enjoying it this week. Amos crawls on the floor and finds the dusty corners that I wish he would stay out of while I iron the just washed fabric into crisp flat sheets. I'm making bibs for a couple of friends so I made some for him, too. It seems a little silly to spend time making something that it supposed to get dirty, but these bibs are more effective than the dishtowels I sometimes tie around Amos' neck. I like having pretty (food covered) fabrics in my kitchen and I love making things for my loved ones. I'm gearing up for another studio reorganization so that Amos and I can spend more time in there together me sewing, he exploring.