just right and then some

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my 5 yr old son likes to ‘read’ to his little sister and he does a very nice job of it

getting the gist of the stories without actually reciting word for word,

but there are some books that he will carry to me, crestfallen,

saying, “mama, i can’t remember what this page is about”

with tears hanging at the corners of his dear eyes

that break my heart into sad little pieces.

this never happens to him with joanna and eric johnson‘s books.

in freddie’s blanket they have once again found the perfect balance

between her sweet, memorable story lines and his richly detailed drawings.

not only do they tell a good story,

but at my house

they also plant seeds that are

the beginnings

of beautiful

family

conversations.

while reading

freddie’s blanket,

it came to light that

i swaddled them

each in blankets,

though theirs

were “not

nearly as cool”, they informed me, nor as cleverly shaped as the  ‘baby envelope’.

it also surfaced,

among other things,

that their uncle ken

was quite prone

as a young child

to sleep in odd spots,

just like freddie does

throughout the book.

as i was looking for my own copy

just this morning,

i found it in the hands

of my 4 yr old girl

as she sat quietly

‘reading’ to her baby brother.

after telling the story on page 2, she points and says,

“papa rocked me in a cradle when i was a baby like you”,

when she came to page 15,

“your hands have to be this (holding up her hand for size)

for mama to let you hold her guitar all by yourself”,

and “i think this beetle plays the trumpet just like our big sister” at page 25.

right near the very end, she leaned up close to him and said quite solemnly,

“when you are as old as me you will sleep in a big boy bed like freddie, too”.

then she ‘read’ through the patterns at the end of the book

with awe in her voice saying, “patteren.  patteren…”

as she turned each page

and i thought to myself, this is

the kind of book we need more of.

want one of your own?

leave a comment on this post

saying which of the book’s patterns

(pictured above) is your very, very favorite.

i’ll draw a name randomly on monday, the 16th.

‘morning’ taken from 5:3 in the psalms.

44 thoughts on “just right and then some”

  1. I love the Freddie pattern! I have a Phoebe in the works for my daughter and would love to make a Freddie for my son 😀

  3. I love the baby envelope, and would love to make it one day.

    I’m Mapleleafknitter on ravelry, thank you for letting me know about the giveaway!

  4. I just love all the patterns but I guess my favorite would be the one of freddie himself.

  5. I love the platypus. I know some kids that would love one. That sounds like an awesome book one that encourages talk and reading.

    lotsofhermies on Rav

  6. What a lovely story! I hope my daughter will one day “read” like that to her little sibling. Enjoy those beautiful memories! 🙂

  7. I have long wanted to make the baby envelope blanket. I can imagine a newborn baby cuddled up in a nice soft blanky like that and your kids are right, it really is unique and lovely.

    All the “patterens” are beautiful – it’s not often that I actually want to make every pattern in a book, but I think I’d make an exception for this one.

  8. With a new baby due this fall, I am most intrigued by the envelope blanket. It’s been 7 years since I’ve had a baby to swaddle. Maybe I could get my daughter to knit some for me! Thanks for hosting a giveaway.

  9. Oh I love the baby envelope… I have no up coming children though…

    The May Platypus is awesome too… I already know my daughter will want a matching dress…

    I am MamaMay on Ravelry.

  11. Oh, I would love to win this book, I have the other and read it to my K class, this would be such a welcome addition.
    Thank you so much for this giveaway and have a blessed weekend.
    Kate

  12. I simply adore the Freddie pattern. I made Phoebe and her sweater both in Phoebe’ssize and my daughter’s size. What a hit!!! I would love to make Freddie for my son! Thank you for the beautiful post.

  13. Well, I love them all but I guess my favorite, favorite is the blanket. I have a new baby boy and would love to knit it up for him while reading the book to my 2 older daughters. Thanks for the chance!

  14. I like the platypus. He is so adorable. I love the picture of him and the little boy looking at each other. I think they must be having a serious conversation! 🙂

  15. Excellent book review!!

    Besides the wedding reception, some other interesting places Uncle Ken also fell asleep: under a split log fence where he had been climbing and beside the cement sidewalk all the kids had been watching someone make. He refused to nap in his room, but was just too tired to make it thru a whole day without falling asleep somewhere.

  17. I love the blanket pattern – so different than most and yet looks cuddly still.

  19. I am so in love with both of the playtpus’, and I know if I made one of the baby envelopes.. all of my friends having babies, and grandbabies would want one for theirs!! This whole idea with the books is awesome!!

  21. Wow! Trying to choose one pattern is difficult! I do love the baby envelope,and, of course, Freddie. There should be many more books out there like this one! The illustrations are wonderful! 🙂

  22. My favorite is the baby envelope. I would have loved one of these when my daughters were babies.

  23. Your post brought tears to my eyes! Yes this is one of these books that can be passed down thru the family. And I love that Phoebe’s sweater was followed with a book about a brother (as I only have sons). I can’t decide with is the best pattern, I would like to make the blanket and give it as a baby gift. Love the overalls, favorite pattern but alos need the playtapus (sp?) in matching overalls too. ravelry cedarchestquilts

  24. The baby envelope! I’m expecting #7 and wish I’d seen this before now! ravelry amchart

  25. I can’t imagine how I have missed your books and patterns! They are all adorable. I have 3 new babies due this year…2 GGB and another GB….I am thinking we need every pattern here!

    signed…. a NEW Fan!!!
    I am so happy a knitting friend pointed me in this direction

  27. My favorites are the overalls, the baby envelope and Freddie. One of my dear cousins is having a baby in the fall, I see a book and a gift (to make) in my immediate future.

  28. While the Freddy pattern is wonderful, I think my favorite aspect is the matching boy and platypus overalls are the best! I would love to be able to give this book and a homemade stuffed toy to my son later this year – thanks for posting about the giveaway on Ravelry.

  30. Thank you for sharing such a beautiful part of your life with us. 🙂 It sounds like a very amazing and powerful book. 🙂

  31. I would love to make the “baby envelope” for the daughter of my best friend who passed away last Nov. Her baby is due around the anniversary of her death.

  32. I am now ded from teh cute! I love that platypus are the main characters in this book.

  34. I am in love with the baby envelope! I want one for my next (as yet unconceived!) child, and the book for the future big sis 🙂 ravelry margotjohnson

  35. The baby envelope is my favorite! I’ve wanted to make it ever since I first saw the pattern!

    HermioneWeasley on ravelry

  36. I love Freddie and May and think my son and daughter would be thrilled to have me make them for them. My daughter, the older sibling, loves acting out books with her dolls. My son just likes doing what his big sister is going.

  38. Hi I’m Cshell. Not having any luck singing into wordpress for over a week, it’s infuriating. Anyhow, I absolutely Love THE WHOLE BOOK ! Especially the blanket…. thanks for sharing!

  39. A dear friend of mine has had numerous miscarriages. She and her wonderful husband are now expecting their first child in October…it is so VERY exciting. The baby envelope will be the PERFECT gift to make for this little one…they will be able to wrap it in love from me (1600 miles away!).

  41. I love all the patterns in this book! I am looking to make the baby envelope for my cousin who is expecting. Since that would be my first project from the book, I would have to say it is my current favorite!!!

  42. We have the Phoebe book and love it! I am so jealous that they were able to create such a wonderful package — knitting and a great/cute story all in one! I’d love to see the Freddie book!

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