Rocking Chairs and Rocking Babies

I've always loved rocking chairs. I loved rocking my own babies and I had a very cool bentwood rocker in their nursery. Now we have Patrick's grandmother's rocking chair. It's just the right size for me and there is nothing better than cuddling up with the grandgirls and rocking them in their great-great grandmother's rocking chair. The rocking chair that Katy has in her nursery belonged to my mother. I love the idea of her rocking her babies in my mother's chair. Mom would have loved that too. I love the sense of continuity that passing down these chairs gives to the family

We had an unplanned visit from Katy and the grandgirls this weekend. It was quite a treat. Her Highness is walking now. To say she's walking is an understatement. At ten months old she's also become quite the little climber. You have to watch her like a hawk or she climbs up on anything and everything.

This leads me to another rocking chair. This rocking chair is one of a pair that has been in our family since my sister Jan and I were around 4 and 6 years old. That's more than 50 years. They are child-sized platform rockers. I've never seen any others like them. They used to have arms, but my dad removed the arms because we kept pulling them loose as we grew up. We used these chairs for watching television well into our teens. They are very solidly built and have been reupholstered several times, most recently by my sister "Aunt B." One of them is at my house now and the other is at Katy's. Both of the girls enjoy them and they're very close to the floor so falling is not an issue. They also don't tip over easily except when you stand up in them and lean back. As you can see, we keep them very close to a wall so they won't tip backwards.

As you can see, Her Highness, was very pleased with herself for climbing up and sitting like a big girl. By the way, she also climbed up and stood up in the big rocking chair, but I ran and grabbed her instead of grabbing my camera. Probably the best choice, but I wish I had that photo.

One of my all-time favorite songs is "Rockin' Years" by Dolly Parton and Ricky Van Shelton. (If you're not familiar with it click on the link and give it a listen on YouTube.) The chorus lyrics are:

Rockin' chairs, rockin' babies, rock-a-bye, rock of ages
Side by side we'll be together always
And if you'll hold me tight when you love me
That's all I'll ask of you
And I'll stand by you thru our rockin' years.

I'm enjoying Spring Break this week and finally feeling better. I've been sleeping late and taking naps. Hurray for feeling better! Hopefully, my allergy medicines will continue to work, because the oak trees are blooming and everything in sight is covered with oak pollen.

Today, I cut out nine dresses in sizes 2T-4T which will be for sale in my Etsy shop within the next few days. Tomorrow, I'm having coffee with my friend Susan who is visiting from Waco. I can't wait to see her. It's been a good week.