Jeslyn's Journey...and Beyond: Random Sweet Words and a Blanket

After swim class today, Isla and I went to JoAnn's fabric to buy fleece fabric for her knot blanket. Alberto and I have been complaining forever about the baby blankets we've been giving Isla at night. They're always bunched up in a pile either on the floor or in a corner of her bed - definitely not keeping her warm. So, I thought today would be the perfect day for us to go and pick out the perfect fabric for her new comfy blanket. It was pretty simple to pick the fabric...I thought it was going to be a nightmare since Isla is rather indecisive these days. You know the whole "I want that! No, I want that one. No, this one!" deal. Luckily, she was easy going today and we chose the cutest purple, pink, teal, and white colored owl fleece. We also chose a pink solid fleece for the opposite side of the blanket. They look so nice together.

Once we got our fabric cut and paid for it, we headed out into the parking lot to make our way home for nap time. While we were getting loaded into the car, a woman parked near us started to walk towards our car (saw her outta the corner of my eye - I was strapping Isla into her carseat). I finished strapping Isla into her car seat and started to make my way to the trunk of my car to load our stroller, and the lady stopped me and said "I just wanted to tell you that you're a very patient mother and your daughter is going to grow up into a wonderful person". I told her thank you and went about my drive home. I thought about it the whole way home, and, let me just say...there's nothing like someone displaying a random act of kindness or dropping some random, sweet words on you, just because. I feel like it's the sincerest form of flattery...when someone is watching you without you knowing, and, the are compelled to approach you and tell you what am awesome job you're doing at whatever it is that you're doing. It felt so nice to have that woman tell me that I am patient with Isla, because, I've been working on it A LOT. I've not been super patient with her in the past, and, I've yelled at her more times than I care to remember. She's so darn smart though, so, sometimes I forget that she's only 3 and she doesn't always know how to express her frustration or voice her wants and/or needs. Apparently, making a conscious effort to work on my patience has paid off, and, I am just so glad for it. Isla deserves to have a patient, loving, and caring mama and I will do whatever it takes to make that a reality for her.

OK - now, on to my blanket. It took me longer than I thought it would to make it...almost 2 hours. But, I am super pleased with how it came out! I used the below super easy video to get a few quick tips and tricks, and, before I knew it, it was done and ready for Ms. Isla to cuddle with. I put it on Isla before she woke up from her nap and she was thrilled with it! She requested that I lay it on her floor and let her lay and play on it. So, I did. She was so adorable, heh I felt so proud that I'd made her a comfy, cozy blanket to use and she actually appreciated it. I washed it this afternoon (after she was done playing with it) and and now, Isla is currently asleep with it for the first time. Can't wait to see if it's still on her when she wakes up in the morning.