Usually in these early years of school, the children have a mascot or class teddy bear to share. They all get to take a turn bringing him home. Last year, in Kindy, we got to keep the bear for the whole weekend. The bear travels around with you for the weekend for zoo visits, a ride on a train/ferry/bus etc and you take a few pics with the bear and pop them in a scrapbook. The scrapbook makes for an interesting read! I love reading kids accounts of things :)
Anyway ... this year when my daughter realised there was a bear to bring home we had a little dialogue that went like this:
Daughter: Mum! Can we make a special quilt for Benji (the teddy bear) so he will be comfy in my bed?
Me: Sure! (thinking we'll have him all weekend and it would be a nice mother/daughter thing to do).
Daughter: Great Mum! You're the best!
Me: I know
Husband: Rolls his eyes
Is this story sounding familiar to any of my regular visitors?
So .... it's our turn to have Benji.
Daughter: Mum! It's my turn with Benji!!!!!!! (she was super excited)
Me: That's awesome sweetheart! (thinking ... hang on it's Thursday? Last year we got the bear on a Friday and brought him back on Monday - alarm bells ringing)
Me asking the Teacher: So we document in the scrapbook and bring Benji back on Monday?
Teacher: No, bring him back tomorrow.
Me: Sorry, did you say tomorrow?
Teacher: Yup, just take a picture of him having dinner with you or something, you don't have to do anything fancy.
Daughter: I can't wait to make him his quilt!
Me: Gulp.
Here we go again ...
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| Bringing Benji Home from School |
After scrummaging through my meagre excuse for a scraps bin, it was decided that Benji shall have a blue quilt "because he's a boy mum" ... alrighty then.
I, luckily, had recently purchased some alphabet fabric called Potluck by American Jane Patterns for Moda from @cotton_factory_destash (Instagram account) so we used the letters to spell out his name ... see? Quilting is educational for kids!
The letters are 3" square so I chopped up the blue scraps into 3" squares to match. Then left it to my daughter to lay out in a grid of 7x7 (maths education - tick!).
I didn't worry about fabric placement or layout ... this was supposed to be her "thing" after-all.
I did all the sewing, quilting, binding, yawning and swearing myself though.
My daughter hasn't had a turn on my sewing machine yet and well, by the time she sorted all the squares it was time for DBBB (dinner, bath, book, bed).
So we popped some pics in the scrapbook of her laying out the squares and I told her that I would tuck Benji in with his new quilt after she went to sleep.
True to my word ....
Guess what happened when she woke up the next morning?
Daughter: Mum I feel sick, my ear is sore and my throat is burning ...
Me: Oh ... no school for you today bub. Looks like Benji is staying with us for the whole weekend after-all ...
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| Backing fabric is "A is For ..." purchased for Textile Traders Australia |
Next time, before pulling an all-nighter sewing a teddy's quilt, I'll remember to check my crystal ball.
... and yes, my husband did laugh at me again ...
Serena xx
Linking up with Sew Cute Tuesday, Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story, Let's Be Social and TGIFF.
Wow, you were amazing to get it done and tucked in with her at night. Too bad the crystal ball did not indicate you would have so much more time! :)
ReplyDeleteGreat story and you are an amazing Mom! The things we do for our kids...
ReplyDeleteYou must be one of the best mums in the world Serena, and I imagine Benji is delighted with his new quilt!
ReplyDeleteIsn't that always the way! We had a monkey called Monty at our kindy and he came home for a week at a time. It was before I was into quilting, so he didn't get a quilt from our household. The Benji quilt is lovely. Will you keep it until he visits again, or will it live at school. Personally I'd keep it as a memory of when Benji came to stay and mummy pulled an all nighter on a quilt for a teddy.
ReplyDeleteI was chuckling as well. I love your daughter's faith in you. Benji has a cute quilt. Who gets to keep it?
ReplyDeleteThat's such a cute story! Benji probably loves his new quilt, and will be excited to bring it with him. Now he just needs some teddy sized luggage. You got all weekend right?
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet story- I'm sure your daughter will remember this for a long time to come. She must be so excited to share what she did with Benji when she returns to school.
ReplyDeleteNow I am dying to read Benji's biography, as written by the pre-primary class.
ReplyDeleteThe things we do for them! :D Good thing they're cute hey? haha
ReplyDeleteSweet story and cute quilt!!! You definitely win the mum of the year award!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Serena! This is the best quilt/bear story ever! The quilt is so beautiful and Benji is a cute, big bear (didn't realize the size before the hugging photo). I wish Benji could stay more days in each home because it's sure every one would like to have him longer. I really liked this story and the idea of sharing the bear, haven't heard before. I guess beautiful little quilt is now your daughter's favourite. x Teje
ReplyDeletewhat a mum you are :) It turned out a very cute mini too!
ReplyDeleteBenji is very handsome and looks as though he loves his quilt - hope your daughter is all better now and that she enjoyed having Benji as an unexpected weekend guest!
ReplyDeleteThat's adorable! Lucky daughter!
ReplyDeleteSounds you have a nice family. Congrats with each other. Love your laughing husband.
ReplyDeleteI share your story with my daughter. She is a teacher for disabled children of your daughters age. Must be great to have a bear like Benji for her children. I will give her the bear and make a bear quit. Thanks for sharing your story.
That is really going above and beyond! Lovely mini quilt.
ReplyDeleteThat is so fun! I cringed with you...my oldest had to bring home "Duffy" the bear and we had a similar conversation. Instead of a quilt I had to buy a new outfit for Duffy on eBay since WE LOST HIS HAT!!! Arrgh. Your little quilt is so fun and it will be a special memory. I'm impressed with what you were able to come up with so fast. You're a great mom!
ReplyDeleteAww, you are the best mum ever! The photos are gorgeous and I love what you both came up with for Benji!
ReplyDeleteThat is so sweet.
ReplyDeleteokay, what on earth is pre-primary? I don't get the WA school system. I did pre-school (at 4) then Kindy-6 at primary school then 7-12 at high school. If she's in the year after Kindy isn't that then year 1?!
ReplyDeleteWhat are you doing with the quilt? I like Wendy's idea of keeping it as a memory of when he came to visit (all that hard work to give away for just for other little kids to snot all over it?! :) ). Keeping Benji for just the one night seems a bit odd though. Surely the weekend would make for better stories in the book! Seems like you found a loophole in that system though lol!
What a sweet post. I'm going all ooooh and aaaah :) Being mom is such a hard job and you are doing it well!
ReplyDeleteI think Benji is one lucky bear!!!
ReplyDeleteBEST thing I've read all day! I love it! My kid's have had similar experiences taking home a stuffie raccoon (do you have raccoons down under?) anyways, I have not made a quilt yet but there's always this year's turn! I will be following your blogging adventures! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete:) Your posts about your adventures with your kids always make me smile! And your husband's reactions always make me laugh! Congrats on getting Benji's quilt finished and in place while your sweet baby slept, LOVE that picture, so incredibly adorable!
ReplyDeleteYou are a Superhero! What a lucky girl and lucky teddy! Well I remember the overnighter I pulled to put together a kangaroo costume (for my Kiwi daughter) for her storybook day at school...You have gifted Grace a lifetime memory.
ReplyDelete