A tiny bit of progress on the stays

Eamon and Ziva and I went over to Seattle for the day to run a bunch of errands around SoDo - I needed to go to a pottery supply store, plus we stopped in at the Tango Zulu in Pioneer Square (that's the store I used to work at in Port Gamble) and we've both been wanting to go to Uwajimaya for a really long time.  It was a successful trip on all counts - Uwajimaya even had calamansi juice, this Filipino citrus drink that we stumbled upon last fall in an Asian market near our apartment in Groton, CT.  We became addicted to the stuff and were really excited to find it.  Yay!!

The only downside was that we didn't get home until almost 8:30, so I didn't get much time to sew.  My trick of putting the heavy books on the stays mockup actually worked, so they were finally mostly flat and I was able to hold up the boned half to myself and get a sense for how well they will fit, and it looked just right.  Because I don't have a lot of time for this project, I decided not to bone the other half and just run with it since the measurements match mine, and instead of just having lacing in the back, I'm altering it slightly to lace in front too, which is very forgiving.  So, tonight I cut out all of the pieces in coutil, and I'm hoping that tomorrow night I will be able to cut out the brocade and start stitching the boning channels.  Ideally, I'd love to have all of that done by Tuesday so that when the cable ties arrive all I have to do is trim them and insert them.  I do need to get a bunch of matching thread and something to use for binding*.  In the period, it looks like the most common material for binding was actually a long thin strip of leather or suede.  I might have to go with regular binding tape just because it will be easiest to find.  I will also need ribbon or cord for tying down the straps and lacing the corset.  The straps are stitched to the back of the stays and come up and over, and there is an eyelet** at the end of the strap and at the top point of the front of the stays where you attach the strap with a ribbon or cord.

Definitions
* Binding - bias-cut fabric, sometimes folded or double-folded, used to cover raw cut edges of fabric.  Sometimes raw edges are hidden by placing the fabric right sides together, stitching almost all the way around, turning and then closing the opening by hand (this is called "bagging").  But for these stays, I'll just be stitching the two fabrics together only at the center back and center front and then adding binding around the entire top raw edge and bottom raw edge.

** Eyelets - nowadays they are usually made with metal grommets that get stamped into the fabric.  But in the period, they were worked by hand.  You punch a hole in the fabric with an awl, which just kind of moves the fibers aside rather than tearing them, and then stitch around the hole to ensure that it doesn't fray.  Stays were not laced extremely tightly in this period - that didn't come until the Victorian era - but eyelets still need to be strong enough so that the stays can form the desired shape.  I do hope to make my eyelets by hand for these stays, but that's a lot of time I'm not sure I have!  Maybe that will be the sort of thing I'll do in between work and Ziva's swim classes, when I'm just sitting in the car with her while she naps :-/

Featherlite boning is of the very devil

Seriously.  I just finished boning one half of my stays mockup. This is basically "before" and "after" - on the left is the unboned half.  On the right, the boning has mangled the muslin into a curled up mess.

This stuff is evil!!  It comes packaged rolled up into a tight coil and even though I rolled individual pieces around my hand in the opposite direction, AND stitched them down alternating the curl, it refuses to straighten out.  So what's my solution?  I have all these massive reference books on costuming.  Turns out they are not just weighty with knowledge, they are also weighty with weight.  I hope these flatten out the boning a little bit so I can actually test whether these stays will fit me!!  

See, the measurements give for size medium are pretty darn close to my own, but it really is best to try it out with a cheap fabric I don't care about before I go cutting into the pretty stuff.  And speaking of the pretty stuff, here is the fabric I'll be using for the stays.  On the left is the coutil.  There's really nothing that exciting about coutil, it's just a heavy weight, stiff fabric, about half as thick as those canvas bags you have to keep buying at the grocery store because you left your reusable bags at home AGAIN.  They have those helpful "Did you bring your bags?" signs in the parking lot, but I actually need one at the end of my driveway.  

Sorry, where was I?

Ah, yes.  To decide what to use for the outer fabric of the stays, I consulted with my friend Rebecca Maiten, who is a very accomplished seamstress and historical costumer (her website and the link to her Etsy shop is here: Lady Rebecca Fashions).  She steered me away from a printed cotton I was thinking of using, and said that out of the fabrics I already had in my stash, this olive green brocade would be the best choice for the period.  It's a teeny bit lighter in person than in this picture (taken with my phone, because my stupid camera eats up battery power and gave up the ghost) but this is a pretty good representation of it.  The pattern calls for steel boning, but that is apparently completely wrong, so again on Rebecca's recommendation, I have purchased a package of cable ties - like, industrial plumbing cable ties.  They are apparently the best modern alternative to whalebone, which is what would have been used in the 18th century (hence the term, boning).  I remembered reading a dress diary by Jessamyn Reeves-Brown in which she discussed using cable ties for a Renaissance corset. So while her gown was based on styles two centuries older than what I'm making, late 18th century dresses still emphasize an upside-down conical bodice shape that requires light but firm boning, unlike the very curvy corsets that used flexible spiral boning in the late 19th century to nip in the waist.

Now I just need to bone the other half of the mockup, wait for it to flatten (grrrr!), check the fit, and make adjustments to the boning channel placement.  The cable ties and sandpaper (to smooth down the ends, after cutting them to the necessary lengths) will arrive from Amazon on Tuesday.  THEN I will be able to make my stays, a shift, a pocket, at least one underpetticoat, and my gown.  Plus I need to style a wig for myself and make a shift and a dress for Ziva.  Y'know, that's all.  I already have a bum roll (a doughnut-shaped pillow that sits on the hips to fluff out the gown) which was part of my "1776" costume, so that's one thing off my list of to-dos!  Thanks again, Barb!

I did something!

Look, I cut things out!!  These are the pieces for the stays* that I cut out of cheap muslin so I can do a trial fitting before tackling my coutil.** I wanted to trace down the guidelines for the boning channels, but I had to stop here because I couldn't find any tracing chalk.*** I brought a lot of my sewing stuff with me to Connecticut last fall, so my best guess is that it's still in a box somewhere.  Grrrr!  So, this is the extent of my progress for now.  A friend of mine just opened a fabric store in downtown Bremerton, Dylan Fabrics, but like just opened, so she's still getting everything organized and on the shelves.  If she has tracing chalk in stock I will go tomorrow and get some (hooray for an alternative to JoAnn!!)

I am using the "Half-Boned Diderot Stays" pattern by Nehelenia Patterns, which I bought from (guess who?) Dylan Fabrics!  It's a pattern company that is new to me, so I'm excited to dive in.  I also bought the "Open Robe 1730-1760" pattern by the same company.  1760 is a tad early for this specific reenactment, but the Americas were slightly behind the Continent as far as fashions go.  The other thing I like about this pattern is that as an open robe, I can make a few different petticoats**** and switch them out,

Oh, and I almost forgot, I ordered fabric for my gown!  I got 10 yards of this block-printed fabric from India on eBay.  Even if I make the petticoat out of the same fabric, the gown won't require 10 yards, but it won't hurt to have extra in case of mistakes.  I'm a little nervous about when the fabric will arrive, since it's being shipped from India, but even if it's on the later side I should have plenty of time.  I have plenty to do until it gets here!

Here's a picture of the gentleman who portrays John Adams.  He's on the right.  On the left is, of course, the venerable Dr. Benjamin Franklin, with George Washington between them:

Photo credit: IL Martin

Doesn't the green in the fabric I bought match John's suit nicely?  I think it will be a good subtle nod to the fact that they are husband and wife.

Definitions, for those not familiar with sewing and historical costuming terms:

* Another word for a corset
** Coutil is a strong, heavy twill fabric used in corsetry.
*** Tracing chalk comes in one-sided sheets. You put a sheet face down on the fabric and run along the lines on the pattern piece with a marking wheel, and the chalk markings are transferred to the fabric.
**** In this era, "petticoat" referred not to the unseen garments that added shape and lift to the gown (that would be an underpetticoat!), but to the skirt made of fine fabric, intended to be seen in the opening of a split overgown.  It could be the same as the main gown fabric or pull one of the colors from the design of the fabric.

Costuming stuff! Much to do and not a lot of time to do it!

As you may or may not know, last summer I portrayed Abigail Adams in an all-female production of "1776" put on by Reboot Theatre Company, Twelfth Night Productions, and Seattle Musical Theatre.  It was Reboot's inaugural show, and by all accounts a resounding success.  As a co-producer, I contributed funds as well as time and sewing know-how, assisting our amazing, talented costumer Barbara Klingberg. She did all of the designing, I just watched in awe and stitched whatever she gave me to stitch!  She churned out 24 historically correct and beautiful men's suits (cut for women's bodies) - that's breeches, waistcoats and frock coats - plus two elaborate and intricate gowns, one for me and one for Martha Jefferson!  All of this had to be made from scratch because, well, no one had done this before!  As a thank-you for my assistance, Barb gifted me my costume.

And now we're up to speed!  So, last month, I attended the Northwest Colonial Festival in Port Angeles at the beautiful George Washington Inn and Lavender Farm (check it out, it's such a beautiful location!).  I went with a couple of other ladies who are involved in a group called Somewhere in Time, Unlimited - historical costuming enthusiasts covering just about every era that sponsors some events and sends out regular notices about other groups' events as well (there tends to be a lot of overlap with membership in the other groups).  I wore my Abigail Adams costume, and at the afternoon tea we met John Adams and Benjamin Franklin!  The men were both wonderful interpreters and, as we were all also costumed, they set aside the roles for a few moments to talk shop with us (one of the ladies I went with had been Martha Washington the previous year).  John and I exchanged lines from "1776" and very nearly broke out in song.  It was lots of fun!  We took some pictures and chatted some more and they went off to finish out the day.

Well, what this is all leading to is that the gentleman portraying John Adams (who is about to play him in "1776" for the third time) told me about an upcoming event in Phoenix, AZ called Rebels and Redcoats (which goes November 4-6) and he wants me to come and participate and be Abigail!  He's hoping to get me a travel stipend to cover some of the costs of getting there.  Ziva can even come along and be "Nabby," the Adams's first daughter.

All that is to say - I've got a lot of sewing to do in a little less than two months!  As amazing as my costume was for the show, it would need a lot of alterations to make it authentic enough for living history interpretation, so if I'm going to put in the work, I might as well just start from the ground up.  I don't have a shift or stays (the costume had boning in the bodice, making it sort of stays-gown combination) so I will need to make those as well as a gown (and a pocket, if I'm feeling ambitious).  I have the cap I wore for the show, but I need to style a wig.  I also hope to make Ziva a shift and dress and accessories.  I've set up a Pinterest page with some fabric swatches as well as pictures of mothers and children and families to get an idea of how little ones were dressed, and it's kind of all over the place.  Some portraits show the children (sons and daughters) in almost Regency-esque chemise dresses with wide sashes, and others show the more typical 18th century shape - a bodice with a rounded point at the bottom and skirt gathered or pleated to it.  I think I'm going to try to replicate the latter.  But as far as I can tell, most commercial "colonial" patterns for children are of the "prairie" variety, so I'm going to make my first attempt at creating my own pattern for actual clothing.  Like, I've thrown together some pieces of fabric to make caps and aprons, but never for garments.  I'm starting small...literally!!

And finally, I will be blogging this whole project 1) to keep track of my progress and 2) so that I am accountable to myself and to you, dear readers!  I make a lot of ambitious plans and then lose steam, and I am determined not to let that happen.  Feel free to subscribe so you get an update whenever I put up a new post, and follow along!

2015: Looking Back and Looking Forward

I have been meaning to write one of these "wrap-up the year" posts for a while.  Just now I was trying to open a different link on my computer and randomly opened my blog instead, which reminded me to do it!  It's telling, though, that I haven't posted on my blog since I did my 2014 wrap-up.  And it's not like 2015 wasn't eventful - it was highly eventful!      

This is the format I used last year based on a post by my friend Liz Roscoe, and I'm just going to use it again because it works really well.  It's actually interesting to reread my answers from last year, because I can assess the goals I set for myself and whether I lived up to them...

2015 Recap

1. What did you do in 2015 that you've never done before?

This one's actually tough.  I moved across the country and back, but I've moved before.  I enrolled my daughter in regular daycare, I guess?  She had done a couple of days of drop-in care while I attended a conference in March, but that wasn't really enough to give either of us a real sense of what it would be like long-term.  I thought it would be hard on me, but knowing that she loved it so much and was getting such enriching experiences out of it really helped.  

2. Did you keep your New Years Resolutions and will you make any this year?

I'm leaving last year's responses exactly as they were so I can answer honestly!!

2015 goal #1:

- Set aside time every week to sew.  Doesn't matter what, just get in that craft room and MAKE STUFF.

• Well, I didn't sew every single week, but I did more sewing than I thought I'd be able to do while we were in Connecticut!  Even without a dedicated sewing space (clearing off the dining room table and hauling out the machine), I was able to make a costume for Ziva for Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire AND a Regency ensemble for myself for a Jane Austen Birthday ball.  I'm pretty proud of both outfits!  I wanted to set a similar goal for 2016 - do some sewing every week - but two weeks have gone by and the only sewing I've done has been for Amadeus, not my own stuff (I'm officially the Assistant Costumer for a local production, and I'll actually get paid a stipend!) 

Goal for 2016:

- I think the first goal I'm going to set will be to have my sewing room clean and tidy and all of my various projects organized by the end of January, so that whether I'm sewing for Amadeus or for myself or Ziva, I can just go in there, find what I need easily, and go to it.

2015 goal #2:

- Be more present for my baby girl.  Get off the computer, get off my phone, get off my butt and play, read, sing, explore with her.

• The unseasonably warm, sunny fall we had in Connecticut did prompt me and Eamon to get outside a lot with Ziva, and with her being in daycare while I worked part-time at Mystic Seaport, she got tons of opportunities to play and run around with other kids her age, so that was really great.

Goal for 2016:

- I do still need to work on this, but just a few days ago, even though it was pouring rain, I made a point of bundling both of us up and just taking a short walk down the right-of-way next to our house so Ziva could get some fresh air and splash in puddles.  She wanted to stay outside longer, but it was getting cold and I tempted her back inside with the promise of hot chocolate (her first time trying it- and I think it was a hit!):

 

2015 goal #3:

- Get a job as a children's librarian!!  I think I have a really good shot at one and I really want it to work out.

• I worked for the summer as a supply storytime librarian, but I didn't get a full-time job. 

Related goal for 2016:

-Still the same.  I don't have any librarian job prospects at the moment, although I did get to the interview stage for a long-term temporary upper school librarian position at a very prestigious school, which is gratifying in its own way.  There's a Library Assistant position with Kitsap Regional, but I've also just been sending applications to jobs that I might vaguely enjoy - bookstores, travel companies, you name it and I'm applying for it!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yup!  Lots of people.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Nope. I am thankful that my family is intact and close friends are all in good health.

5. What countries did you visit?

I had big plans to go up to Montreal while we were living on the east coast, but they never materialized.

6. What would you like to have in 2016 that you didn't have in 2015?

Geographical stability, and I don't have to wish for it, we'll have it!  Plus, a full-time job as a children's or school librarian.

7. What date from 2015 will be etched in your mind & why? 

March 4th, because that was the day Ziva just got up and...marched fourth!  She had been able to stand on her own, and had taken a few halting steps previously, but on that day she finally took off!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?  

Making my first entire Regency ensemble.

9. What was your biggest failure?

I don't know if this counts, but I discovered that I'm a much better parent when I am not solely responsible for entertaining Ziva and creating a rich learning environment for her.  I mean, obviously Eamon and I are parenting her together, but being the stay-at-home parent, I feel like I'm always falling short and not giving her all of the opportunities she deserves to explore and create and play.  It's strange, because I am hoping for a career doing those things with other people's kids, but somehow when it's my own kid, I just feel like I can't do enough.  Part of that is her being an only child.  She just loves being around other kids so much, and when we're home, it's just me and her, unless I make a point of having a playdate (and while we were in CT, I didn't really make friends with enough other moms to have a regular thing going). Having her in daycare and knowing that she was getting all of those things took some of the guilt away and made me appreciate and make more of the time I did spend with her.

10. Did you suffer injury or illness? 

No, I think I actually managed to get through most of the year without really getting ill - and that includes doing two theater shows, moving to a different state, starting a new job, Eamon attending schools at the Sub base, Ziva being in daycare, AND traveling over Christmas and spending the holiday with Eamon's family.  Nope, it wasn't until the beginning of 2016 and we were back in Washington that I got sick! 

11.  What was the best thing you bought?

Tickets to Broadway shows!  I got to see "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder" on one trip to NY and "Something Rotten!" on another.

12. Whose behavior was worthy of celebration?

This is an odd question.  I'm not really sure?  I read a lot of stories over the year of people doing nice things for other people out of the goodness of their hearts, and I'm sure there were way more stories like them that didn't make it into the news.  So, whoever did a good deed, even a small one, that is worthy of celebration.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled?

See answer to #25, below.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Fabric and sewing stuff, and travel costs - train tickets or gas.

15. What did you get really, really, excited about? 

The annual Regency Assembly in New Haven, CT!!  Eamon and I went way back in 2008, and I enjoyed it immensely (Eamon pretended to for my sake).  When we found out we would be in Groton for the second half of the year, that was one of the main things that reconciled me to the hassle of packing up the house, moving cross-country, and then doing it all over again after only a few short months.  We were only about an hour's drive away from the location of the ball, and only 40 minutes from the dance studio where the dance historian leading the ball would be teaching monthly workshops.  My involvement in those events was a huge highlight of the stay in Connecticut for me.

16. What song will always remind you of 2015?

Baby Beluga by Raffi.  Since meeting the belugas at Mystic Aquarium, that became Ziva's favorite song.  And we even have several other sets of words to that tune, like Abby My Cousin which I "wrote" to help get Ziva excited about seeing her cousin and uncle and Grammy over Christmas!

17. Compared to 2014 were you ___________ in 2015

a. Happier or sadder? Happier.  I'm a pretty positive person in general, and even though there was a lot of upheaval and kerfuffle, I made the best of it.
b. Thinner or fatter?  Thinner. I'm not really sure how it happened, but it seems I got back down to my pre-pregnancy weight of 125!  Now that the colder weather is settling in I can tell it will creep up again - I always eat more when I'm cold!
c. Richer or poorer? Poorer. I just cannot seem to land a permanent job.

18. What do you wish you had done more of? 

I wish I had used the pool at our apartment complex more!  Even though it was an indoor pool, and therefore could be used even in the worst weather, the weather made it hard to motivate myself to get out of the apartment at all.  See next question.

19. What do you wish you had done less of?
I wish I hadn't let the few days of bad weather that we had (which were really very few) keep me cooped up, especially for Ziva's sake.  I really don't like rain - especially cold rain - but I want to do my best to not pass that along to her.  Sometimes I just make it an excuse not to go anywhere, and she deserves better than that.  Especially now that we're back in Washington for the winter, I need to just rally my spirits, bundle us both up, and find a way to have fun regardless.  There are always hot showers and hot beverages, but you don't get a do-over on toddlerhood.  She should  splash in puddles and pick up worms and build mud walls, and I just need to suck it up and give her those opportunities.   

20. How did you spend the winter holidays?

We were in Connecticut for most of Chanukah (apart from a weekend trip to Cambridge to join the festivities hosted by dear friends) and we spent Christmas in St. Louis with Eamon's family on our way back across the country. 

21. What is the most embarrassing thing that happened to you this past year?

On my last day of work at Mystic Seaport, I was selling tickets to two visitors from France, and after telling them about the museum and explaining the whole last-hour half price deal completely in French (and one of them even complimenting me on my "perfect" use of the language) I managed to tell them that their two half-price tickets ($12.50 each) came to a total of $80, because I said "quatre-vingt" instead of "vingt-cinq,"  That was pretty bad!!  

22.  Did you fall in love in 2015?

I did fall back in love with fall ;-) Having lived in Washington for three years of almost zero foliage, being on the east coast for the autumn - and it was a spectacular one - was a real treat.

23.  What was your favorite restaurant?  

BRAVO BRAVO!!  A terrific place in Mystic that Eamon and I discovered way back when he was in sub school.  We got to go twice while we were living in Groton and the food was just as delicious and amazing as I had remembered.

24. What was your favorite TV program?

Still Jeopardy and Downton Abbey!  Although there are also my guilty pleasure Travel Channel and HGTV shows...

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate in 2014?

Before this election cycle started, Donald Trump was just kind of a blowhard idiot who made a lot of noise.  But what he's doing now is validating the very worst of American traits, jingoism and xenophobia, and I do actually hate that about him.  I mean, I guess shining a light on all of that disgusting bullshit is good, but I hate him for playing to it so openly.  

26. What was the best book that you read?

I...didn't read very many books for myself.  I did discover some really great books for Ziva, though.  I think my favorite was "All the World" by Liz Garton Scanlon with illustrations by Marla Frazee.

27.  What was your greatest musical discovery?

I enjoyed a lot of music over the course of the year, but I wouldn't say I had an "Aha!" moment when it came to a certain piece or a certain composer.

28.  What did you want and get in 2015? 

Time to visit with friends and family on the east coast!

29. What did you want and not get in 2015? 
I pretty much got everything I wanted!

30. What was your favorite movie of 2015?

I think "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" was the only new movie I saw in 2015.  And it was pretty awesome!

31. What did you do for your birthday & how old did you turn?

I got to go to Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire for my 33rd birthday!  Well, on my actual birthday we were driving the 8 hours from Groton to Lancaster, but my birthday weekend was spent enjoying the Faire. 

32. What's one thing that would've made 2015 more satisfying? 

Same answer as last year - more sex.

33. How would you describe your fashion in 2015? 

"Can I breastfeed in this?"

34.  What kept you sane? 

Puzzles, Jeopardy, working part-time (though that came with its own stressors) and visiting people!

35. What celebrity/public figure did you admire the most? 
I answered "Barack Obama" last year, and it's still true, and largely for the same reasons.

36. What political issue fired you up the most? 

God, which one didn't??  There's a lot going on in politics that has me tearing my hair out.

37. Who did you miss? 

While I loved seeing people on the east coast who I hadn't seen in a really long time, I did miss our friends back in Washington.

38. Who was the best new person you met?  

I met too many wonderful new people to name them all - my castmates and the production teams in the two shows I did, "1776" and "Sense and Sensibility."  Putting on a show with a group of people really turns you into family, and I am so thankful to know them! 

39.  Tell us a lesson 2015 taught you:

Home is where the family is.

2014: Looking Back and Looking Forward

Is that sappy enough for ya??

Instead of letting the Facebook algorithm decide what was most memorable/interesting/exciting/newsworthy about this past year, I'm going to follow the lead of a friend of mine and fellow Navy wife, Liz Roscoe, who posted a retrospective over at her blog, "Ramblings of a Sailor's Lady."

http://ramblingsofasailorslady.blogspot.com/2014/12/2014-recap-and-onward-to-2015.html.

I wouldn't say I attach a huge amount of significance to New Year's - I mean, dates are pretty arbitrary (just try predicting when Chanukah will be next year relative to the Julian calendar!) and time passes no matter what date it is - but this was my first full year as a mother, so that deserves a bit of reflection in itself.

So here goes:

2014 Recap

1.     What did you do in 2014 that you've never done before?

- Pretty much anything related to raising/feeding/sleep training/accomplishing everyday activities with a baby.    

- Hired a babysitter (that's kind of part&parcel with the above, but it merits its own mention because it feels SUPER GROWN-UP)

2. Did you keep your New Years Resolutions & will you make any this year?

I was so sleep-deprived and foggy at New Year's last year...if I made any resolutions I sure as heck didn't write them down or keep track!

2015's goals are:

- Set aside time every week to sew.  Doesn't matter what, just get in that craft room and MAKE STUFF.

- Be more present for my baby girl.  Get off the computer, get off my phone, get off my butt and play, read, sing, explore with her.

- Get a job as a children's librarian!!  I think I have a really good shot at one and I really want it to work out.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Lots of people!  Some of them had their second, third or even fourth kid!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Robin Williams's death felt like a personal loss, even though it wasn't. Other than my very own 18-year-old cat who I rescued as a kitten on my high school campus, my family and friends are all doing okay.

5. What countries did you visit?

We were going to go to Canada over Thanksgiving but had to cancel because Eamon got a horrible stomach bug. So, no other countries visited this year.

6. What would you like to have in 2015 that you didn't have in 2014?

More time. Time for myself to rejuvenate and recharge. More sleep (though the lack thereof is largely my fault at this point).

7. What date from 2014 will be etched in your mind & why? 

May 10th. That was my first night "out on the town" for which Eamon was on solo baby duty, getting Ziva fed and bathed and to bed on his own.  It was a personal milestone for me as well as for him, and an important step in our parenting journey.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?  

I applied for and got a job I wasn't able to accept.  I got hired as a children's librarian with the DC public libraries, and even though I didn't end up taking it, it was very validating and I was proud of myself. 

9. What was your biggest failure?

There were a lot of times I felt like I failed as a parent, but really, I was doing okay.

10. Did you suffer injury or illness? 

No, but the first time my baby girl got hurt because of me, I cried longer and harder than she did.

11.  What was the best thing you bought?

Oddly enough, a serger.  It's something I got just for myself (i.e. not for the baby or having to do with the baby) and it represents my goal of doing more sewing, perhaps even more complicated sewing, and learning a new skill.

12. Whose behavior is worthy of celebration?

I'm going to say the Pope.  I'm as far from religious as they come, but he has impressed me over and over again with his humility, charity, generosity of spirit and message of reconciliation.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled?

Just about every Republican politician in this country.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Baby clothes. I'm a sucker for clothes as it is, but having a baby to buy for is just dangerous.

15. What did you get really, really, excited about? 

I get really, really excited about a lot of things. But the film of "Into the Woods" was probably what I was most anticipating this year, and it didn't disappoint!

16. What song will always remind you of 2014?

The lullaby "Close Your Eyes," which my mom wrote the tune for many years ago, based on a children's book we loved.  She and my brother recorded a CD of songs for Ziva, and that song is on it - I don't know how many times I've played that CD in the car and sung it to her at night.

17. Compared to 2013 were you ___________ in 2014a. Happier or sadder?  Happier - I wasn't pregnant anymore!
b. Thinner or fatter?  Thinner, but I have come to terms with the fact that I will probably not lose the last 10 pounds to get back down to my pre-pregnancy weight ;-)
c. Richer or poorer? Strictly speaking, poorer, since I only worked very part-time, but I'd say getting to be home with my baby girl has been pretty enriching.

18. What do you wish you had done more of? 

Slept.

19. What do you wish you had done less of?
Noodling around on my phone when I could have been playing with Ziva  I mean, she is very content to keep herself occupied, and sometimes it's good for her to do that, but she needs the best of me right now.

20. How did you spend the winter holidays? (Ed. note - this originally just said "Christmas" and that seemed unfair.)

We celebrated Chanukah at home, making latkes, lighting candles and singing blessings, and it was really sweet to see my daughter really starting to notice what was going on.  I sing to her all the time so I think she just enjoyed hearing my voice, and of course what 15-month-old isn't fascinated by candles??  But it's a tradition I hope will become as meaningful for her as it is for me.  On Christmas, Eamon had duty, so I went to see "Into the Woods" with a friend while her husband and two daughters played with Ziva, and then we all went to her mom's for Christmas dinner.  It was terrific!

21. What is the most embarrassing thing that happened to you this past year?

Sitting in the library storytime circle, "flying" Ziva over my head and having her spew a spectacular fountain of spit-up that covered me from chin to crotch. Not our finest hour.

22.  Did you fall in love in 2014?

Yes, with my husband, all over again, watching him blossom into his role as daddy.

23.  What was your favorite restaurant?  

We didn't really eat out very much, but Bella Luna in Suquamish makes a damn good pizza.

24. What was your favorite TV program?

Ongoing: "Downton Abbey" and "Call the Midwife."

New: "Forever."

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate in 2014?

I do my best not to hate people, but I make no bones about hating their actions, or their prejudices, or their ignorance.  I have zero tolerance for bigots, bullies and bozos.

26. What was the best book that you read?

I...um...didn't read any book much longer than a board book.  True story.  And I call myself a librarian.

27.  What was your greatest musical discovery?

A Swedish composer named Dag Wiren, whose Opus 11, Serenade for String Orchestra, I heard on Classical KING FM 98.1 and just adored.

28.  What did you want & get in 2014? 

I wanted my baby girl to be healthy and happy, and although she has her moments, she is, in weather parlance, "mostly sunny" and in excellent health.

29. What did you want & not get in 2014? A dog. Some day!

30. What was your favorite movie of 2014?

"Into the Woods" was awesome, but I actually enjoyed "Saving Mr. Banks" more than I thought I would.

31. What did you do for your birthday & how old did you turn?

I turned 32 in 2014.  I was in Los Angeles for the Fall Baby Bash - Mom's is Sept. 27th, Ziva's is the 30th, Mom's sweetie's is Oct. 5th and mine's on the 16th.  We met up with my friend Rose at Pickwick Bowl, ate junk food and passed the baby around while everyone bowled. We had a blast!

32. What's one thing that would've made 2014 more satisfying? 

More sex.

33. How would you describe your fashion in 2014? 

"IDGAF."  Like DKNY except with fewer f***s given.

34.  What kept you sane? 

Facebook, parent/child activities, yoga, and puzzles.

35. What celebrity/public figure did you admire the most?  Barack Obama.  I don't know how he hasn't just gone crazy from everything he has to put up with.

36. What political issue fired you up the most? 

Guns...no pun intended.  Becoming a mom has really brought this whole thing into focus for me. It's absolutely shameful that nothing is being done to curb gun violence and gun crimes.

37. Who did you miss? 

So many people!  I just don't live that close to most of my friends and family, and although I made it down to LA several times, it's still hard.

38. Who was the best new person you met?  

Sean Decatur, the new president of my alma mater, Kenyon College. I got to meet him briefly at my 10th (!!!!) reunion and then later at an alumni event in Seattle.  He's a good guy, he loves the Beatles, and he seems to really understand Kenyon's ethos and how to help it continue to do what it does best.

39.  Tell us a lesson 2014 taught you:

Parenting and being in the Navy are very similar. You can never really make plans, you are subject to the whims of children, and there are no sick days.

Historical footwear!!

Footwear is always the hardest element of re-enactment costume, because shoes are made so much differently than they used to be, and often of materials that simply didn't exist in period.  Sure, there are some modern styles that can be adapted, but then there are companies like American Duchess that make accurate, beautiful shoes you can be proud to wear with the costumes you've worked so hard on!

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