Month: April 2009

I was so happy this morning when I got up and it was Friday.  What a beautiful day we’ve had.  Turns out my boss was feeling generous and he gave me the afternoon off.  Jacob had a PD day and was hanging out at my Dad’s.  So, I picked him up early.  First thing we did was go meet the new arrival…

This is Patrick.  He was born on April 22nd at 8:02 p.m.  He only weighed 5lbs 11oz.  We weren’t expecting him for another two weeks but… Welcome little buddy!  Isn’t he adorable.  I had a hard time putting him down.  I could have sat there and watched all the little faces he made for hours.  And, his little fingers.  Oh, and, this little guy has the longest eyelashes I’ve ever seen on a baby.  I’m an aunt!  (Well, not really because technically, I’m not related to either of his parents but, I’ve just decided I’m going to be Tante Mimi.)

This is my teenage son all ga-ga over a little baby.  I told him he still wasn’t allowed to have one ’til he was at least 27!

After we left the hospital, we went back to my father’s where Jacob showed me his new guitar (which will take him years to pay off) and I inherited his old one.  It’s actually quite small but, I figure, it’s ok for me to learn on.  I learned three notes today (just don’t ask me what they are).

When we got home, we hung out in the great outdoors.  We brought up the patio set, did a little demo (the old vanity from my bathroom)…

Jacob and I literally threw this ugly thing over the deck so that it would shatter like this.  It was so much fun. 

Then I did this:

Then we did this:

It was so perfect.

Now we’re going to watch a movie and I’m going to knit.  I have to finish Patrick’s stuff on time.  He’s so small I hope it fits!

To take a break from life this weekend.  I turned off all my ringers, mentally disconnected the cable and did what I wanted.

First, I did the necessary: a load of laundry and some dishes.  Then I cleaned out the office/spare room which had been looking like it had been ransacked since the renovations.  I had managed to shove a lot of things in that room so the guys could easily move around.  But, when everything went back, for some reason, there was still lots of stuff left in that room!

Anyway, I did that and it looks wonderful. 

Next I attached my yarn.  I have yarn everywhere in the house.   So, yesterday, I decided it was time to catalogue it all on Ravelry.  They have a “stash” where you can input all your stuff.  I was happy.  I got to do three of my favorite things (four if you count drinking lots of coffee).  I listened to music (the Twilight soundtrack – I’m a loser), played with yarn and took pictures of yarn all day. 

This little picture doesn’t do it justice.  That “Stash” tab of my Ravelry makes me very happy. 

This is what my house looked like when I went to bed.  I should probably point out that I had been doing this since about noon yesterday and it was pushing on 11:00 p.m.  This is what’s left; the stuff with no ball-band or left-overs that I don’t want to put in the left-over bin (yes, I have a Rubbermaid container of just left-overs). 

 

This last picture – this is how all of my yarn is stored now.  I’ve seen a few moths around and I’m taking extra precautions.

I also discovered that my ball-winder doesn’t only wind “galettes” of sock yarn.  She does big stuff too!  Youpi.  They’re not as pretty – they’re actually quite sloppy.  Maybe that will improve when I get my hands on a swift.

Back to work.

Oh.  I didn’t work on the jumper yesterday.  I’m at the chest part.  I figure a little push and I’ll be done the jumper in no time.  I think the bonnet is going to be quick too.  No sweat.  (Man, I better not get too confident  or the gods will punish me…)

White hair that is.  I can’t believe it.  I thought I would get one and that would be the end of it for another couple of years.  I suppose I’m at the age.  I have to accept that my body is not as young as my mind.  I have some hair die that will fix that right up!

I started working on the little jumper and it’s coming along.  I think it’s quite cute.  I’m not really following the pattern.  The pattern calls for a full P.J. with feet and all.  Patrick will be baptised in late May, early June.  I don’t want him to be too hot.  So, I turned it into shorts.  Then, I didn’t want a plain edge, so I put in a scallop edge.  Then, I wanted them to be able to change his diaper if he did a doo-doo so I put in a button band at the crotch (I would like to take the credit for this idea but, someone on Ravelry had already done it).  I’m about to start the back button band. 

Mind you, when I look at the legs, they look awful long.  They are, however, about 8 c.m. shorter then they called for with the feet (that’s 8 c.m.’s, not 8 inches).  Maybe it’ll be like some capris.  Haha.

I’m pretty confident at this point that I’ll make my deadline.  This little thing has only taken be, so far, less than 10 hours.  When I get into a chart for the top, it might take me longer.  I don’t anticipate spending more than 30 hours on this piece, then maybe 15 on the bonnet.  BUT, I have to find some cute booties to make with this.  I don’t want the poor kid to have cold feet!

I’ve started reading New Moon.  It’s the next book after Twilight, the one I was so obsessed with a few weeks ago.  It’s pretty damn good.  There’s two more after that…  youpi!!!  I have all of them already. 

It’s funny because every time I talk to my little sister, Taylor, about the books, she asks me if I’m at the good part yet?  She’s so funny.  You can tell she’s dying to tell me what’s going to happen but, I always make her stop.  I don’t want to spoil.

Yesterday, in the mail, I got the movie Flowers in the Attic.  Remember that book by V.C. Andrews?  And the movie with all the blond kids?  That’s what I’m doing this weekend!!!  That, and cleaning.  Ugh.  But, either way, I’m totally committed to doing less from now on.  I’m burned out.  I have too much on the go.  My mother (thank goodness for her) suggested I let some things go.  I have to learn to say no apparently, according to Tina (my bestest good friend).  I need to rest, and sleep through the night (I think I should probably clean the house a little).  I’m tired – as evidenced by the dark circles that have taken up permanent residence under my eyes-balls. 

I AM COMMITTED!

Well, the dress is finally finished.  I think it came in at 98.5 hours.  It’s beautiful and I’m very proud when I take it out and people “ahhhh”.  I worked really hard on it and I’m not afraid to show this one off.  I’m not going to downplay how hard it was or how long it took me.  BUT, I’m also going to tell people that the pattern, which was originally in German I think, was not very well translated.  I found it difficult to follow the instructions – they weren’t always clear or… I would read “work M2 (chart) two times”.  I would work the chart, two times, then go to the pattern for the next set of instructions and it would read:  “at the same time, decrease 18 stitches across the next right side row”.  Oh my GOD!  Seriously!  That was 20 rows or something.  It was sort of frustrating.  

Anyway, here it is.

 I also got the buttons on my baby surprise.  It’s cute.  I hope it fits the baby.

I’m making progress on my Noro Socks too. 

When I started a pair of socks with the Noro last September after the K/W Knitter’s Fair,  I hated it.  It kept twisting on itself and the colors were so loud.  I had just bought it ’cause it was on sale and everyone else was freaking out for it.  I figured there must be something to this stuff.  I have to admit, it’s not that bad to work with.  The colors all blend together nicely and are actually quite pretty when you knit them up.  The instep pick-up bothers me when you’re working with verigated yarn because you almost NEVER match the color.  Then you see a line.  The line bothers me.  Not enough that I would undo it and take apart my ball so that I could find an end that matches for the instep pick-up.  I’m not that anal.  I like the socks. 

Now, I have to start working on all the other pieces.  Apparently, Rachelle’s due date is the 7th of May.  That’s like…  28 days away!  Holly CRAP!  I’m hoping that I’ll have a month after the due date.  It’s not reasonable for me to ask Rachelle to hold him in ’til I’m done right?  (Right?). 

In all this, I found my first white hair.  I can’t believe it!!!  I was sitting there, brushing my teeth before bed and there it was, sticking almost straight up.  I yanked it out, naturally.  32 years old and this is my first one.  Not too bad.  So, what caused it.  The dress, genetics, stress, life… who knows.  It was there though.   There’s not denying it.  Now, I’m always on the look-out fore the next one.

This week, I also went for my first laser hair removal appointment.  Dude, that shit hurts too!!!!  I figure, how much can a laser hurt.  But, it really, really does.  I held my breath, gritted my teeth and tried to be tough.  It’s bloody expensive too!!!  I don’t think I would have ever paid for it out of my pocket.  Gift certificates are great. 

That’s about it.  I’m pretty excited about the fact that I have four days off, in a row.  I’m a little miffed that I’m not going away.  But, I had to be here for Rachelle’s baby shower.  It’s worth it.  When I realized I had to stick around this long weekend, I thought I would have tones of time to knit and just chill out… have some ME time.  Not so much.  I have stuff every daythis weekend.  Only a few hours to steel here and there.  That’s ok though.  It’s about family and friends this weekend.  It can be about me next weekend.

Today, I’m spending the day with my Little Sister, Taylor.  She just finished the last book in the Twilight series.  She said the last book is the best one.

Now, I think we’ll go paint our toes, then maybe make banana bread, watch a chick movie, have dinner.  Youpi!

Happy Easter!