Stitching together a future for Bean

I'm making a quilt for my baby.

It's a sweet little country farm scene, complete with a tractor, cows and a red barn. I'd like to say I designed it, but I just "stole" it off the Internet, from some company that sells outrageously expensive nursery accessories.

I absolutely adore making it. It's a way to get ready for The Bean, to mark the time it will still take and the time that already lies behind us. One stitch at a time, I create something that will hopefully be lasting and meaningful for years to come. It's about joining different fabrics and making them make sense in a pattern and becoming beautiful as a whole - kinda like starting a family.

I'm not alone in this huge undertaking (I've never made a quilt before and even though it's a small one, 5 months isn't all that much time). My mother-in-law, Cindy, took one look at my printout and patiently listened to my vague description of the task ahead and was ready to help - that's the kind of woman she is and I admire her for that.

So now we pass it back and forth. She has all the "professional" tools and the sophisticated sewing machine and much more know-how than me. I have all the time and sitting prowess to do the by-hand work. She has the patience to find the perfect fabric, draw and cut out cute little cows. I have the neatness and endurance to hand-piece together a barn, plank by plank.

I'm so exited about this project I have to share it with anyone. I look forward to having something tangible to do in my hands, for the days when my belly precludes me from doing anything more strenuous than getting up and waddle around. I look forward to someday soon hang it over the rails of The Bean's crib, step back and pronouncing us ready to care and raise a baby.

There is something extremly comforting in making something so simple, yet time-consuming - just because we can - kinda like growing a baby.