First Born Child

Carl and I went tonight to watch Smith and Lennox while their mom and dad went to dinner.  Rachel, their mom, is Carl's youngest and she and husband Matt have 2 of the cutest boys alive.  We laugh that their names sound like a law firm  "Smith and Lennox".  They love to come to the farm and they particularly love their 'Poppa'.  I am 'Nana' to them and they like me alright, but I am nothing compared to Poppa.

Well, tonight Nana rose slightly in popularity.  Smith had a kindergarten class assignment.  It was to be a family project, they could get all the help they wanted.  There was a paper print out of a scarecrow that was to be colored and decorated in any way desired.  Rachel asked if I would help Smith with the project while we babysat.  I was on it!!!!!!

I must tell you, that I had the most wonderful mother ever in this area.  I cannot even compare.   Have you seen the commercial where the mom makes the kid an outfit to look like a president 15 minutes before the kid walks out the door.  Well, that was my mom.  My brother once told her that he needed to look like Abe Lincoln for a school project.  The problem was he told her about 20 minutes before we needed to leave for school.  Without missing a beat, my mother found some black paper and cardboard and within minutes made him an Abe Lincoln outfit, top hat and all.  I thought she was a miracle worker.  My mother was the queen of low budget costuming.  It didn't matter if my daughter Leah told her at 10pm that she needed 45 elf hats for a production the next day, my mom would stay up all night making them.  This was when she was in her 70's and early 80's.  She was a woman, oh yes, she was.

Well, tonight I channeled my mother.  I asked Smith what he wanted this scarecrow to look like.  He said he didn't care, he just wanted it to be the BEST!!!!!!  Oh, yes, he is indeed a first born child.  He has taken kindergarten by storm.  He was singled out for 'making good decisions' and will receive popcorn with the principal for a 'random act of kindness'.   He told me tonight that he figures there is pretty much nothing he is not good at.  In other words, this scarecrow had better not ruin his image as a top notch kindergartner.  The pressure was on.  We decided to make ours out of wool instead of paper.  Fortunately for him, I packed a bunch of wool and raffia and other items I thought scarecrow makers might need.

He cut out all the paper pattern, selected the colors to be used and even learned to sew on one of the arms.  The rest he left me to do, while he watched a movie with POPPA.  Lennox, who is a year younger and not as concerned with being an over achiever, stayed with me and stacked the spools of thread and was ready with the stapler if I needed any help.  He is a good boy and I will make him a scarecrow when the time for his class project comes.

Above, is the finished project.  It required much hand sewing, which I hate.  I could have hooked the whole thing faster!!!!!  And all I could think of while stitching all his little scarecrow parts was  "My mom would have done this soooooo much better."  And that's the truth.

Next time,
Janice