"A handcrafted doll is one of a kind, an individual which carries the spirit of the maker in its stitches and absorbs the spirit of the child who loves it."
Meet Bubba, Noah's new doll. This was my first sewing project ever. Well, unless you count the few straight lines of the napkin holder I made in 7th grade Home Ec class, which I don't. I used a combination of instructions from three different books, and decided to make him really bright so he won't get lost. OK...that last bit is a lie. Actually, I ordered the cotton velour fabric online and what was supposed to be a color called 'grass' turned out to be fluorescent green. He is made in the Waldorf tradition with natural materials, merino wool hair and wool stuffing. His face is embroidered with a neutral expression to allow Noah to create any expression he wants with his imagination. I think Bubba turned out pretty well, even though he could probably be seen from space.
Noah enjoys carrying him all around the house, usually with Bubba dangling by one leg. Here Noah is being more nurturing and using two hands.
The pushcart also makes a very nice buggy for giving Bubba rides back and forth across the living room. 
As a side note, I am aware that in most pictures I post, Noah is in his pajamas. I would like to say that is because I always take pictures of him in the morning, which is when these pictures actually were taken. The truth is that Noah often spends the entire day in his pajamas. I justify this by the fact that he will not leave any kind of sock, shoe, or slipper on his feet when he is wearing pants, and as a result his feet are always cold. At least the pajamas have footies on them and he cannot take them off. That's my story and I am sticking to it!
-Jen
After pouring the red water into the molds, I added the loops and froze for several hours before hanging them on our little crabapple tree.
And here is a short video of the budding musician in our family jammin' with his Daddy this past weekend. It's a bummer when you need to turn the page, but your little arms are too short and you practically fall off the piano bench. Please excuse our morning hair and the fact that we are all still in our pajamas!
Ta DA! A shoe!
Or the moon rising between the trees in the late afternoon sky. Noah noticed it too, and stared at it for a while with a look of wonder on his face.
Or the way that if we stood in just the right spot, we could see the sunset through the missing slats of this old barn.
Despite the cold temperatures, Noah did not complain. Instead, he gazed at the wintery landscape and chattered to me about what he saw as his cheeks got rosy red. 
If only I could understand what he said. For I am sure he saw so much more than I.
Reverence for nature. Outdoor free-play (even in the rain or snow) in naturalistic surroundings provides opportunities for the child to explore. The child should have dirt to dig, places to climb, a source of water for play, trees, flowers that smell good, bugs, birds, a garden with edibles. Ideally, play should involve all of the senses. Seasonal changes are celebrated with a nature table containing objects found during nature walks. Each morning the earth is greeted with a song or verse.
Limited media influence. Waldorf encourages limited, if any, television viewing for young children, no character clothes or products, and no computer use for young children. This allows the child's imagination to developed freely, without the constraints of commercialism. 
Storytelling. Early education in Waldorf schools is based heavily on traditional fairytales and storytelling. Often the stories are told from memory and are acted out with figures or puppets to make the stories come alive.
Respect for the child in his/her development. Waldorf education acknowledges and respects the development of the child as a physical, mental and spiritual being, and allows development on all three levels to occur in their natural time.