Everyone is sleeping. There's a nice breeze, and I have some knitting to keep me busy. I am thinking about a bit about a new story. It has been a while, so we'll see how it comes along.
28 February, 2009
Get Thyself Outside
That should be a commandment for days like today. We had a picnic in the park.
Everyone is sleeping. There's a nice breeze, and I have some knitting to keep me busy. I am thinking about a bit about a new story. It has been a while, so we'll see how it comes along.
Everyone is sleeping. There's a nice breeze, and I have some knitting to keep me busy. I am thinking about a bit about a new story. It has been a while, so we'll see how it comes along.
Walks
I love taking walks with my toddler. I am forced (whether I want to or not) to slow down; to admire the littlest details, the tiny sticks left by a tree, the little flowers sprung from weeds, the fascination of neglected alleys... Another little gift of motherhood, I think.
Thank you, Peanut.
Thank you, Peanut.
25 February, 2009
They Are All Asleep.
At the same time! Can you believe it? One synchronized nap time!
WOOO!
Anyhow, that is just about all I had for you today. I have no idea what to do with myself with both of them asleep. I mean, how do you decide what overdue housework to hit first? I just mopped the kitchen, cleaned the stovetop, washed a load of dishes, did a load of laundry... What next? Do I clean up toys (it's futile, anyhow), or do another load of dishes, or scrub the bathrom ?
Or maybe I could sit for a minute and write a useless blog post?
Er, yeah. I have dishes to wash. Later.
WOOO!
Anyhow, that is just about all I had for you today. I have no idea what to do with myself with both of them asleep. I mean, how do you decide what overdue housework to hit first? I just mopped the kitchen, cleaned the stovetop, washed a load of dishes, did a load of laundry... What next? Do I clean up toys (it's futile, anyhow), or do another load of dishes, or scrub the bathrom ?
Or maybe I could sit for a minute and write a useless blog post?
Er, yeah. I have dishes to wash. Later.
17 February, 2009
Rainy Days and Tuesdays
Well, it is raining again here. (Yay!) Since I am stuck indoors with my toddler and sick baby, I do enjoy the rain from inside the house. Our weather has been typically Southern California- 90 degrees and sunny to 50 degrees and raining within a few days. Here's a couple of pictures I took last week, post-Santa Ana winds:
Peanut and I made homemade Valentine's for the family, using old invitations that were leftover from a bridal shower I hosted a couple years ago. We pasted construction paper over the invite part of the card and glued hearts cut out of construction paper on them, along with buttons from my button jar. (Peanut is fascinated by the button jar- she calls them "butts" and will ask for them, as in "peese, butts, mommy?"). After all that, she colored on them and we walked to mailbox on the corner to mail them.
I felt very crafty, making something with only materials in the house. That's my favorite, when you can make something without having to buy anything. It sort of justifies the large amount of crafty-sewing-knitting crap I have all over the place.
Also, per my last post, I am no longer on Facebook, as I find the idea of them owning the license to my family pictures utterly repugnant. Facebook, in my opinion, is becoming very big brother-esque. Creepy, so I'll just go back to posting here only.
Oh yeah, and I finished my first sock of my first cabling experiment. It came out gorgeous, in my opinion:
Later, kids.
Peanut and I made homemade Valentine's for the family, using old invitations that were leftover from a bridal shower I hosted a couple years ago. We pasted construction paper over the invite part of the card and glued hearts cut out of construction paper on them, along with buttons from my button jar. (Peanut is fascinated by the button jar- she calls them "butts" and will ask for them, as in "peese, butts, mommy?"). After all that, she colored on them and we walked to mailbox on the corner to mail them.
I felt very crafty, making something with only materials in the house. That's my favorite, when you can make something without having to buy anything. It sort of justifies the large amount of crafty-sewing-knitting crap I have all over the place.
Also, per my last post, I am no longer on Facebook, as I find the idea of them owning the license to my family pictures utterly repugnant. Facebook, in my opinion, is becoming very big brother-esque. Creepy, so I'll just go back to posting here only.
Oh yeah, and I finished my first sock of my first cabling experiment. It came out gorgeous, in my opinion:
Later, kids.
16 February, 2009
WTF, Facebook?
"You are solely responsible for the User Content that you Post on or through the Facebook Service. You hereby grant Facebook an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, fully paid, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to (a) use, copy, publish, stream, store, retain, publicly perform or display, transmit, scan, reformat, modify, edit, frame, translate, excerpt, adapt, create derivative works and distribute (through multiple tiers), any User Content you (i) Post on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof subject only to your privacy settings or (ii) enable a user to Post, including by offering a Share Link on your website and (b) to use your name, likeness and image for any purpose, including commercial or advertising, each of (a) and (b) on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof. You represent and warrant that you have all rights and permissions to grant the foregoing licenses."
- excerpt from facebook's terms of service.
- excerpt from facebook's terms of service.
15 February, 2009
13 February, 2009
09 February, 2009
Things To Do Today
Laundry
Dishes
Remember:
that this moment is just that- a moment that will pass and fall into memory
the way this child feels is your arms- the warm heft against your skin
the perfect rose-colored arch of her upper lip
the gentle slope of her lashes
the dark hair, so fine it looks like down, like the feathers of a baby crow
Don't forget to listen to her breathe
Dishes
Remember:
that this moment is just that- a moment that will pass and fall into memory
the way this child feels is your arms- the warm heft against your skin
the perfect rose-colored arch of her upper lip
the gentle slope of her lashes
the dark hair, so fine it looks like down, like the feathers of a baby crow
Don't forget to listen to her breathe
03 February, 2009
Stuff.
Gave Dangerfeet a pacifier. Yay! Silencio, por favor!
Anyhow, we went to the library this past weekend, Peanut ran all over the place, and R's books were only two days late. Oh well. But it was really pretty.
Also, I have cute kids. You can't tell, but that is totally a mohawk on that kid.
Peanut was thinking about taking a nap. Or conquering the world. Something or other, I guess.
Me? I've been knitting, too.
You are all excused. Back to your regularly scheduled programming.
Um, good night.
Anyhow, we went to the library this past weekend, Peanut ran all over the place, and R's books were only two days late. Oh well. But it was really pretty.
Also, I have cute kids. You can't tell, but that is totally a mohawk on that kid.
Peanut was thinking about taking a nap. Or conquering the world. Something or other, I guess.
Me? I've been knitting, too.
You are all excused. Back to your regularly scheduled programming.
Um, good night.
01 February, 2009
If It's Too Loud, Turn It Down.
Oh Weezer, how right you are. Three hours of crying, so far. R took her (Dangerfeet) for a drive, to see if that would quiet her.
Oh my, how lucky we were with Peanut- none of this with her. She was a quiet baby. Dangerfeet? Erm, not so much.
My ears are ringing and my teeth are buzzing in the loudness of my newfound silence.
Oh my, how lucky we were with Peanut- none of this with her. She was a quiet baby. Dangerfeet? Erm, not so much.
My ears are ringing and my teeth are buzzing in the loudness of my newfound silence.
23 January, 2009
Overheard...
...Between R and our oldest daughter, Peanut:
R: "Do you want a sippy of milk?"
Peanut: "No!"
R: "Do you want to read a book together?"
Peanut: "No!"
R: "Do you want a magic unicorn to ride so that you can smite your enemies?"
Peanut: (Emphatic nodding).
R: "Do you want a sippy of milk?"
Peanut: "No!"
R: "Do you want to read a book together?"
Peanut: "No!"
R: "Do you want a magic unicorn to ride so that you can smite your enemies?"
Peanut: (Emphatic nodding).
21 January, 2009
200th post!
Can you believe it? This is my 200th post! Wowza!
I am so tired today. Dangerfeet slept relatively well last night (for the first time) and so of course Peanut was up about 8 times, sneezing and coughing and crying. Daddy's cold is spreading! Yay!
So that means that I slept for about four hours, spread into 45 minute increments.
Motherhood! Woo!
I have been thinking a lot about motherhood recently (surprise, right?).
I have been thinking about how I really believed before I had children that the state of motherhood itself would change me. It does, of course, but not in the way I really thought that it would. I thought I would be wiser, more patient, more kind. I am often more patient than I would have thought, but I so often fall short of those ideals I imagined before. I do have a much greater capacity for love and silliness than I would have imagined, and I can play and be in the moment more than I would have anticipated.
But the wisdom? I don't have it. The kindness? I try so hard to treat my children with kindness and respect, but I do snap occasionally (and then feel terrible about it afterwards).
I wonder what you imagined about parenthood that didn't quite turn out the way you thought it would. Leave a comment and let me know.
I have to lay down. Both kids (while covered in snot) are asleep, so I need to close my eyes and try to get 6 minutes of sleep.
I am so tired today. Dangerfeet slept relatively well last night (for the first time) and so of course Peanut was up about 8 times, sneezing and coughing and crying. Daddy's cold is spreading! Yay!
So that means that I slept for about four hours, spread into 45 minute increments.
Motherhood! Woo!
I have been thinking a lot about motherhood recently (surprise, right?).
I have been thinking about how I really believed before I had children that the state of motherhood itself would change me. It does, of course, but not in the way I really thought that it would. I thought I would be wiser, more patient, more kind. I am often more patient than I would have thought, but I so often fall short of those ideals I imagined before. I do have a much greater capacity for love and silliness than I would have imagined, and I can play and be in the moment more than I would have anticipated.
But the wisdom? I don't have it. The kindness? I try so hard to treat my children with kindness and respect, but I do snap occasionally (and then feel terrible about it afterwards).
I wonder what you imagined about parenthood that didn't quite turn out the way you thought it would. Leave a comment and let me know.
I have to lay down. Both kids (while covered in snot) are asleep, so I need to close my eyes and try to get 6 minutes of sleep.
19 January, 2009
Another Dispatch from Babyville?
No words for this. So tired, so in love with this one.
Really, a real post soon. Thanks for sticking around, despite the lack of actual material here. Soon.
Really, a real post soon. Thanks for sticking around, despite the lack of actual material here. Soon.
09 January, 2009
Dispatch from Babyville...
It has been a busy week. I really am intending to actually post a real actual post with actual words and things, but I seem to have exactly 3.2 seconds to myself each day, and I try to at least sponge off during them, as not to offend the neighbors. So, for now....
We've been a busy little household, what with adjusting to double the children in our house now (it sounds more dramatic to state it that way) and getting used to the schedule of a newborn again. It is a little more of a challenge now that I have a toddler, too. A toddler who really does seem to both understand that there was a baby in mommy's tummy and now the baby has come home to live with us. She's really amazing, that Peanut. Her vocabulary is expanding every ten minutes or so, and her grasp of concepts and her sense of wonder... well, they slay me.
Also, she's begun singing. Oh, it made me cry the first time I was treated to the whisper-singing rendition of "Twinkle, twinkle, wonder star... twinkle, twinkle..." She's pretty amazing.
Oh, and that new little baby, who holds her head up for thirty seconds or more at a time, who is beginning to smile at us, and who snuggles like a champion? She's pretty neat, too.
We've been a busy little household, what with adjusting to double the children in our house now (it sounds more dramatic to state it that way) and getting used to the schedule of a newborn again. It is a little more of a challenge now that I have a toddler, too. A toddler who really does seem to both understand that there was a baby in mommy's tummy and now the baby has come home to live with us. She's really amazing, that Peanut. Her vocabulary is expanding every ten minutes or so, and her grasp of concepts and her sense of wonder... well, they slay me.
Also, she's begun singing. Oh, it made me cry the first time I was treated to the whisper-singing rendition of "Twinkle, twinkle, wonder star... twinkle, twinkle..." She's pretty amazing.
Oh, and that new little baby, who holds her head up for thirty seconds or more at a time, who is beginning to smile at us, and who snuggles like a champion? She's pretty neat, too.
02 January, 2009
Introducing Dangerfeet...
29 December, 2008
Feeling a Bit.... Antsy.
10 hours, 4 minutes until my c-section.
Just letting you know.
I'm not antsy at all. Really.
Just letting you know.
I'm not antsy at all. Really.
It Came!
The camera charger, not the baby. I am still pretty excited, though. The UPS tracking shows this: "Delivered to female adult." Is it me, or is that weird? The battery is charging, the infant car seat is installed, so I can go have a baby tomorrow. It's good.
Also, a funny moment from today.... R and I are walking in the parking garage towards the hospital for my pre-op appointment.
He says (this is completely not made up) "I think I am going to have a poop baby."
After a moment, I replied, "You're so romantic."
Hilarious, right? I thought it was.
Also, a funny moment from today.... R and I are walking in the parking garage towards the hospital for my pre-op appointment.
He says (this is completely not made up) "I think I am going to have a poop baby."
After a moment, I replied, "You're so romantic."
Hilarious, right? I thought it was.
28 December, 2008
So How Was Your Day?
So, today I did some dishes, played with my kid, ate a pile of carnitas we made yesterday, and I went to the hospital. Yep, contractions were about 3 minutes apart, pretty intense. Called dad, packed up Peanut, and drove down to the hospital. About halfway there the contractions started getting further apart, less intense. Got to the hospital, got checked in, got checked, got monitored for an hour and a half.
Turns out, not in labor. So, drive back home, get Peanut back from dad's (where she was driving her new Dora trike around their living room in her pj's), and drink some water. We get to go get this kid no matter what on Tuesday morning (scheduled C Section), so it wasn't so stressful. Just a little surprising, since I had no experience like this last time. It was a bit surreal to put on the gown and lay in the hospital bed... but I am glad to be back home.
We even borrowed my dad's camera, since my camera battery charger has disappeared off the face of the planet. I ordered a replacement from Amazon, but it won't be (supposedly) delivered until tomorrow. So until we get a charger, I am blogging photo-less. It feels weird.
In any case, I may post tomorrow, but be prepared for a quiet week, followed by many ubiquitous baby photos. Tuesday morning, send good thoughts my way.
Turns out, not in labor. So, drive back home, get Peanut back from dad's (where she was driving her new Dora trike around their living room in her pj's), and drink some water. We get to go get this kid no matter what on Tuesday morning (scheduled C Section), so it wasn't so stressful. Just a little surprising, since I had no experience like this last time. It was a bit surreal to put on the gown and lay in the hospital bed... but I am glad to be back home.
We even borrowed my dad's camera, since my camera battery charger has disappeared off the face of the planet. I ordered a replacement from Amazon, but it won't be (supposedly) delivered until tomorrow. So until we get a charger, I am blogging photo-less. It feels weird.
In any case, I may post tomorrow, but be prepared for a quiet week, followed by many ubiquitous baby photos. Tuesday morning, send good thoughts my way.
24 December, 2008
A Free Christmas Gift Pattern For You...
Merry, merry.
Now I know this is probably too late for you to knit up for Christmas unless you are a super fast knitter, but I sort of cobbled together a quick scarf pattern based with great affection on the Elizabeth Zimmerman February baby sweater from the Knitter's Almanac that I am knitting for my sister and thought I would share...
Here you go:
Gull Scarf
Cast on 27 stitches with a long tail cast on. Knit three ridges of garter stitch. (This will be about 6 knit rows).
Begin the gull pattern, beginning and ending with three knit stitches:
Row 1: Knit 3, Purl 21, Knit 3.
Row 2: Knit 3, *K1, K2TOG, YO, K1, YO, SSK, K1 (Repeat from *two more times), Knit 3
Row 3: Knit 3, Purl 21, Knit 3.
Row 4: Knit 3, *K2TOG, YO, K3, YO, SSK (Repeat from *two more times), Knit 3
Repeat until the scarf is about as long as you want it to be.
When you get to nearly the end of the yarn (or as long as you feel like making this), you will end with three ridges of garter stitch. (This will be about 6 knit rows). Cast off in purl.
Pattern notes: This is 7 stitches long over 4 rows, so you can add repeats of the gull pattern if you want a wider scarf- it just needs to be multiples of 7 plus an additional 6 stitches for the garter edges.
I am still knitting on my scarf, which I have done in Rowan Cashsoft DK yarn in the "Madame" colorway, which is a really pretty bright pink. I am planning on knitting this with two skeins of the Cashsoft, which is about 240 yards of DK weight yarn. I am using a US size 8 needle, but you could go up a size or down a size without impacting the size of the scarf too much. Gauge doesn't matter too much, since it's a scarf. I would say that if you are a really tight knitter using a larger needle would be good, but use your own judgement. You may even want to knit a few rows of the gull pattern as a test to see what you think about it, first.
In any case, happy knitting and a happy holiday- whatever you choose to celebrate.
Now I know this is probably too late for you to knit up for Christmas unless you are a super fast knitter, but I sort of cobbled together a quick scarf pattern based with great affection on the Elizabeth Zimmerman February baby sweater from the Knitter's Almanac that I am knitting for my sister and thought I would share...
Here you go:
Gull Scarf
Cast on 27 stitches with a long tail cast on. Knit three ridges of garter stitch. (This will be about 6 knit rows).
Begin the gull pattern, beginning and ending with three knit stitches:
Row 1: Knit 3, Purl 21, Knit 3.
Row 2: Knit 3, *K1, K2TOG, YO, K1, YO, SSK, K1 (Repeat from *two more times), Knit 3
Row 3: Knit 3, Purl 21, Knit 3.
Row 4: Knit 3, *K2TOG, YO, K3, YO, SSK (Repeat from *two more times), Knit 3
Repeat until the scarf is about as long as you want it to be.
When you get to nearly the end of the yarn (or as long as you feel like making this), you will end with three ridges of garter stitch. (This will be about 6 knit rows). Cast off in purl.
Pattern notes: This is 7 stitches long over 4 rows, so you can add repeats of the gull pattern if you want a wider scarf- it just needs to be multiples of 7 plus an additional 6 stitches for the garter edges.
I am still knitting on my scarf, which I have done in Rowan Cashsoft DK yarn in the "Madame" colorway, which is a really pretty bright pink. I am planning on knitting this with two skeins of the Cashsoft, which is about 240 yards of DK weight yarn. I am using a US size 8 needle, but you could go up a size or down a size without impacting the size of the scarf too much. Gauge doesn't matter too much, since it's a scarf. I would say that if you are a really tight knitter using a larger needle would be good, but use your own judgement. You may even want to knit a few rows of the gull pattern as a test to see what you think about it, first.
In any case, happy knitting and a happy holiday- whatever you choose to celebrate.
20 December, 2008
I Can Do It!
Dora the Explorer and Obama make me want to write that in Spanish. Chavez makes me not write it in Spanish.
I am, of course, referring to my crazy knitting schedule I have imposed upon myself. The Yarn Harlot writes about the same sort of thing here. I am getting there, though. I finished my dad's Christmas hat yesterday and I am about a third of the way through my mom's Christmas scarf. I also have about 6 inches left on my grandpa's Christmas scarf which is becoming a Christmas neckwarmer, since I HATE that Moda Dea yarn (it gets little hairs into my throat and eyes and I HATE it) and because I just found out my dad bought him a cashmere scarf a month ago that has not been worn once. So I am not investing more time in a scarf that won't be worn- I"ll just be finishing enough to join it together with a quick seam.
In any case, I did actually finish the rest of the Christmas knitting/sewing. If I end up with any extra time this week, I may make a babydoll quilt and pillow for Peanut. R is going to go get her a couple more things to open this week, but we're basically done. I can't believe it...
I am, of course, referring to my crazy knitting schedule I have imposed upon myself. The Yarn Harlot writes about the same sort of thing here. I am getting there, though. I finished my dad's Christmas hat yesterday and I am about a third of the way through my mom's Christmas scarf. I also have about 6 inches left on my grandpa's Christmas scarf which is becoming a Christmas neckwarmer, since I HATE that Moda Dea yarn (it gets little hairs into my throat and eyes and I HATE it) and because I just found out my dad bought him a cashmere scarf a month ago that has not been worn once. So I am not investing more time in a scarf that won't be worn- I"ll just be finishing enough to join it together with a quick seam.
In any case, I did actually finish the rest of the Christmas knitting/sewing. If I end up with any extra time this week, I may make a babydoll quilt and pillow for Peanut. R is going to go get her a couple more things to open this week, but we're basically done. I can't believe it...
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