Baby Blanket - Crochet

One of my very bestest friends who I met in college, Laura, is having a baby boy next month and the baby shower was today.  This was one of my gifts to her.  This is the second baby blanket I've done.  This one turned out a little better than the first, but there was still some trial and error going on.  But I figured it out (yay!) and wrote out the pattern so next time I would know for sure what to do.  :)  Because, by the way, I made up this pattern!  It's not too crazy but not too boring either.  :)

 Finished blanket with border

 Close up of a corner

(And I just realized this is the part of the blanket with the
trial and error part with those shell stitches
OOPS
so we need to not look at that in great detail,
nor look at it for reference when making this)

...And so here is my attempt at showing the better corner, which I
cut from the full picture.  Unfortunately it isn't very clear.  Oh well.

Designer & Crafter, and finished product :)

(I wasn't finished getting ready! But I had to get a picture with me in it.)

Pattern:
Yarn: Bernat Baby Sports (1 big roll)
Needle: US G/6, 4mm
ch = chain, dc = double crochet, st = stitch,
To start: ch 120 (I would probably go a little less next time, but it needs to be a multiple of 3)
Rows 1-4: ch 3 (takes place of first dc), dc in each st (119), turn, repeat x4
Rows 5-8 (shell st): ch 3, in next st * dc 3 in same st, skip 2, repeat from * until there are 2 sts left in row, dc 2, turn, repeat x4
(In this particular blanket I did 15 sections)
To end (border): after last 4 rows of normal dc, * shell st another row, shell in corner, skip 1, shell st and keep going in every other hole, repeat from * to finish all 4 sides, end, weave remaining yarn into first row of shell sts to tie it all together

:)

The Kind of Mother I Want to Be

I'm looking forward to the time when I will be blessed to become a mother.  In the meantime, I'm trying to get an idea of what kind of mother I want to be, so I can work on becoming that now.

Making a list of the qualities you want to have as a parent is kind of like making a list of qualities you want in your eternal companion.  Similarly, this is a list of qualities I want to strive to develop in myself.

In no order of importance (because they all are):

• patient
• treat each child equally (of course they also have to be treated appropriate to age)
• treat children as people, with respect
• loving (even in discipline)
• kind
• discipline with an increase of love after
• implement consequences for actions - good and bad
• teach the Gospel at all times in every circumstance, formal and informal
• take time for the small and simple things, the small and simple joys of life
• tell children I love them every day (multiple times I'm sure!)
• fun! and active with them
• reliable
• consistent
• have routines, but also be willing to break them when appropriate
• spontaneous
• high but realistic expectations
• allow children to make choices, of course discipline as necessary
• read and study the scriptures as a family every day
• pray as a family every day
• not too lenient, not too strict
• optimistic and happy (of course there will be times, but I want to be able to take a deep breath and not take things out on my children, or husband for that matter)
• have a united front with husband
• be interested in and supportive of children's interests
• help them discover and cultivate their talents
• someone children can trust and want to ask questions to and talk about things in their lives
• if I'm wrong, own up to it, and don't let children suffer for it
• don't yell at or talk rudely/angrily to children
• be there for them
• spend quality time with them

This list will continue to grow, and I'm sure there are things I forgot to put down.  But it's a good starting point I think.  :)