his quilt

He has five shells crammed into his fist and a hula hoop dragging behind him - on Monday he turns two. A vocabulary quite unimaginable to us pours from him throughout the day and he laughs often. It is not uncommon to see him clothed in a bright red tutu. Time has revealed his own special nature; one of affection, humour and gentleness, one of determination, and sometimes fire. And as he navigates his way and tests his toes in deeper waters I am trying my hardest to breathe it all in.

I spent many stolen moments of Bijou's early years longing for the time that came before. Squinting my eyes to see the baby face features that had since fined, wistfully thumbing through photo albums and willing my memory to recall all the tiny moments. But what with the whirlwind adventures of Kindy and the imminent arrival of "big school" next year I have been taken firmly by the hand and hauled along this growing up journey whether I like it or not. Surprisingly each chapter has yielded richer prose than the one before.

In an effort to embrace Remy's growth and change I am beginning his bed quilt. Although still happy slumbering in a cot with no sign of wanting to move, this gentle and slow creating will hopefully aid me in the letting go of the baby.  With each choice of cloth I will imbue this bed covering with all that he is. Raw linen and botanical prints for his love of the natural world, whimsical nautical images in honour of his bed time friend, and vintage trikes for his adventures.  Little snips of faded checkered shirts and his first pair of jeans will no doubt find there way amongst this eclectic yet meaningful collection.  As it grows I will hunt out sentimental prints and hues to marry it all together. And while I cut and pin and sew I will think of him. I will try to look back on his infancy not with sadness but with joy and I will daydream a life for this boy of mine. May he touch the stars.

Steph x