Blankety-Blank-Blank-Blank
June 28, 2008
At last check, around 3 or 4 rows ago, the Hoover Blanket measured 27 inches. I have 6 more inches of double knit stripes to go before I decrease and finish in garter stitch.
I'm already contemplating what to start on next. I really need to choose something smaller, or at least something with shorter rows so it will be easier to put down. I find that I get interrupted a lot these days. The jury is still out, but I'm thinking about trying to conquer a few tiny items for friends having babies before I start on something a little larger.
Over the past 24 hours the reality of next weekend has begun to sink in. Turns out that I was REALLY looking forward to spending time with my cousin. And that I"m pretty darned upset that it won't be happening.
Posted by jennifer at 03:15 PM | Comments (1)
Vote for Me!!!!
June 27, 2008
I actually managed to get something done! And take pictures! Truthfully? I get a lot of things done each day, they just don't involve sewing. I change a ton of diapers, prepare meals, do dishes, sometimes I even do laundry, and occasionally I manage a shower. It's a really big deal to me that I found the time to sew a skirt...
That skirt up there will be on display at Harper's Fabric and Quilt Company during the month of July for their skirt competition. I entered it for best original design. If you live in the area, please do me a favor and make your way to Harper's during July to vote. Winners will be chosen by the viewing public. I haven't seen the other skirts, so while I'd love it if you voted for me, there may be some other original design you just have to pick over mine. While you're there, enjoy Harper's; they have a ton of quality fabrics.
The skirt is made of quilting cottons. I used about a yard and a half of the main fabric and just two fat quarters of each of the others. The design was simple; the wrap around skirt flairs at the bottom through the addition of inset triangles of a contrasting fabric between strips of the main fabric. I simply rounded the corners and created a bias tape like top binding the extends to create the ties. If you want more details, leave a comment and I'll see what I can do for you.
Here's a detail shot so you can see the fabrics a little better:
In other news, an outbreak of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease is making its way through our church, and subsequently, my family. So, I've been a little under the weather and up for extra nighttime feedings with the baby at the same time. That was the worst sore throat I've had since I had my tonsils out in high school! And the risk of infecting others has caused my cousin to cancel her trip to see us. I, frankly, urged her not to come, but I'm really going to miss the time we would have had together. She was planning on being here over the Fourth while hubby is out of town to shoot a wedding in California. While I'll miss her help with the kids, it's her company I'll miss the most.
I even took extra pictures today so I'll have things to post when I have time over the next few days. Maybe I am getting the hang of this two kids thing...
Posted by jennifer at 01:19 PM | Comments (1)
All's well that ends well
June 09, 2008
I'll start by sharing that the show on Friday night went very well. There was very steady traffic through the gallery and we were both happy with how things looked on the wall. It's always nice to get your work up on a wall in a gallery, look at it, and hear what other people have to say about it. The only problem we had/have is extra cupcakes; apparently a lot of the attendees thought that the four tiered plates of cupcakes were an artwork! It was tough getting ready for it with a tiny newborn and a toddler at home, but it was worth it.
And now, I'm on maternity leave. I'm not planning on touching my studio for at least eight weeks. I need to focus on getting this family pulled together. It turns out that I just don't do the baby thing very well; I'm not good at newborn.
Looking back, I remember thinking "this too shall pass" a lot when the toddler was a tiny one. In my defense, he was colicky, had his days and nights mixed up, had awful acid reflux, and gave us fits nursing for the first few weeks. In some respects, it turned into a habit for me. I just kept telling myself that things would pass, from having to hold him through every nap to crying it out to get him to sleep in his crib, to cutting teeth, to tantrums at the drop of a hat. At some point (or maybe it was several...) I realized that I was wishing his life away. I don't think that this is what God intended for my life as a parent; I'm convinced that I should be enjoying it.
I'm finding that while much has changed, I'm still the same mama I was. I can't wait for the baby to sleep longer stretches at night. Or for him to be old enough that I no longer have to parent him all the way to sleep or big enough for the excersaucer or jumper. I don't want to wish his life away either, but I'm tired. And I'm at a loss as to what to do with him when he's cranky but the toddler needs me, or how to handle it when he wakes up screaming hungry while I'm trying to get the toddler in bed. I feel like I'm not able to be the mama I want to be to either of them.
And forget taking care of myself. I realized one day when everyone else was finally sleeping that it was after one in the afternoon and I hadn't eaten anything all day. I was still in my PJ's at two in the afternoon last Saturday! And knitting? What knitting? I knit? Yeah, it's pretty much non-existent these days. The baby doesn't even sling well in the evening, so I'm finding that going to my knitting group is not going to work well for a while either.
I know it's all just for a season; this is just a time in our lives, but it's a tough time that seems to be eating me. And yet, I still feel compelled that there is something here to learn and be joyful about. I've been reading a lot at night while I hold a mostly sleeping baby who isn't ready to be put down yet (Yep, we have another one of those babies.). One of the books I'm working my way through is John Eldredge's Walking with God. Last night I read a section where Eldredge addresses just what I've been thinking about and it got me thinking. I don't want to wish away the time my kids are little and I really need to enjoy it, not just for me, but for them as well. I snuggled a little closer to the swaddled bundle I was holding and thanked God for the time I get to spend with him in my arms, babyhood is fleeting. And then I remembered that I am getting to read a lot right now. Granted, it's a 1, 2, 4 in the morning. And he will sleep. He'll get it figured out. Before I know it he'll be going to be at 7 and sleeping until 7 the next morning. In the mean time, I've decided to to my best to have a good attitude about only getting 5 hours of sleep in little pieces over 24 hours. It's worth it.
You'll have to forgive me if posts are sporadic these days. Blogging is not at the top of the list like eating, sleeping, laundry and diapering are.
Posted by jennifer at 08:45 PM | Comments (3)
Come one, come all
June 05, 2008
I don't have time to tell you what's up around here right now, but I did want to share this with you. Please join us. Come early if you want a cupcake...
Posted by jennifer at 08:16 AM | Comments (2)
Closing Time
May 19, 2008
I'll just apologize now for yet another photo-less post. I'm finding it hard enough to have the time to write a blog post these days, let alone find my camera, take a photo, and then get it uploaded to the blog. We'll settle into a schedule in a bit and I'll manage to capture some of the "Kodak moments" around here. Until then, we'll just all have to make do with what I can manage.
I too am learning to make do. Over the weekend I came to the realization that I do not have control over my sleep schedule right now. How much sleep I get is at the mercy of two (mostly the youngest) very small beings. I tend to view anything in my life that is beyond my control to be in God's hands, so I decided that I would simply trust that the sleep I did manage to get would be adequate. I also decided to accept that "adequate" and "enough" are not the same. Just the change in my attitude has helped, and I feel better. Still tired, but not so frustrated about it. It's really amazing me how much it helped. And I really wish that I had come to this realization when the toddler was a baby.
Speaking of the toddler, he has started "serenading" us from his crib at bedtime in the evenings with up to two hours of talk. Sometimes he demands that we come to get him (We do not oblige...), but most of the time he babbles rather loudly about us, other people he knows, and things that we did or talked about that day. I don't mind the talk, I even understand that it's a normal part of decompression from the day for a toddler to do this. But an hour and a half or two hours? Really? It's been cutting into his sleep in a major way and we've had a grumpy kiddo on ours hands in the morning. I assume that once he adjusts to the big changes around here, that he'll go back to his usual shorter evening narratives, and his day will come to a close more in line with him getting enough sleep.
I figured that I should let you know about a bit a blog housekeeping business. Some of the older entries seem to be attracting a ton of spam comments. I doubt that anyone will want to leave a legit comment on most entries from over a year ago, so I've been closing comments on the "offending" entries. It saves me a ton of emails and a bit of time deleting spam comments.
That's all I've got for now. I need to get back to work on things for the show. Today is the last day on Mother's Day Out for the school year and I have a lot I need to get done in addition to feeding and holding a newborn.
Posted by jennifer at 11:10 AM | Comments (3)
Walking the line
May 15, 2008
We finally bought the toddler his first pair of "real" shoes. He's stylin' in a pair of velcro Chucks now. Before these, all he'd had was soft soled Robeez. Truthfully, we hit the Converse outlet and bought everyone in the family new shoes except me. I still don't know whose feet those are; they're definitely not mine. We even got a tiny little pair for the baby.
Hubby headed back to work at the beginning of this week, so I'm learning how to manage two kids at home by myself. In some ways it's been easier than I expected, but in others it's been more challenging than I thought. I have yet to cross the bridge of what to do with a screaming baby when it's time to put the toddler down for a nap; I've managed to have a sleeping baby for nap time each day so far. But we are starting to see some frustrating behaviors during the time I spend nursing the littlest one. I think the thing that's bugging me the most is the fact that I can't be myself right now. There's very little playing chase and no trips to the park until I'm completely healed. It's a thin line to walk trying to keep the busy 22 month old entertained while not over-exerting myself, all the while holding a baby. It's led to this baby spending a lot of time in the swing.
I'm also slowly making progress on pieces for the show. I managed to get a few minutes of sewing time tonight while the toddler was out with his aunt and Grandmother and the baby slept in the swing. Hubby and I even managed to eat dinner just the two of us; we were even able to have a conversation!
That's life, isn't it? Somehow managing just enough of what you need to stay sane and still take care of everyone and everything that you need to take care of. It makes me think of a line from an Indigo Girls song, but my sleep deprived brain can't think of the song. The lyric: "It's a thin line between pleasing yourself and pleasing somebody else." Somehow, I'm hoping to do both...
Posted by jennifer at 08:19 PM | Comments (2)
Finding Balance
May 13, 2008
There's nothing like a newborn to make your toddler seem like a giant. Now that we have a 7 pounder around the house, picking up the 25 plus pounds of tantrum throwing goodness for a diaper change seems a bit more physical than it used to.
The general consensus between hubby and me is that the new little guy has brought balance to our house in many ways. He seems to have a bit more of me in him than his older brother, and he's very laid back. We've even discovered that there is such a thing as "peaceful alert" time for infants. With two of them around, there's never a dull moment, always someone to pay attention to and they both have to learn to share. So, while we're all extremely tired, we're also thrilled with the changes our new edition has brought to our house. Well, except for that whole not getting to sleep more than a couple of hours at a time thing.
So far, the baby is the polar opposite of his older brother when it comes to nursing. While the toddler would spend an hour per feeding at this age, this little guy is extremely efficient. He can get the job done in only five or ten minutes most of the time. I was a little worried that he was being too quick about it, but two weight checks have proven that he knows what he's doing. He's gaining about 2 ounces a day, and already up over 7 pounds! I'm thankful for quick nursing; it makes it much easier to manage the two kids.
I am not getting much else done these days. I only knit a few stitches a day right now, if that, and while I managed to pick out and arrange fabrics for a work for the show, I haven't gotten any of the sewing done. Progress on all previous projects has come to a predictable screeching halt. I'm certain that it will pick up a bit once I'm a little more healed from giving birth, but for the time being I take it easy when ever both the kids are asleep.
I think I have a photo to add to this already taken, but I'm way too tired to go get the card from the camera and hunt done my card reader tonight. Check back, I'll try to add it tomorrow or the next day.
Posted by jennifer at 07:43 AM | Comments (0)
Welcome to our world
May 05, 2008
Our baby boy was born Friday, May 2 at 10:47 pm after only an hour and a half of labor. He was 6 lbs. 7 oz. and 18.5 inches long. We came home on Saturday. I'd love to tell you more, but I'm just too tired.
Everyone is doing well; he's sleeping in a sling on my lap as I type. I promise to post more details as soon as I can keep my eyes open.
I can't take credit for that awesome photo; that goes to my hubby.
Posted by jennifer at 09:28 AM | Comments (5)
1, 2, 5?
May 01, 2008
Now that the toddler is getting colors down, we've started working on numbers. We've been counting for a while; we use counting to 10 as a way to give him time to make good decisions. For a while he only knew the number 2. We'd say 1, he'd say 2. And then 2 again, and again after that. This week he finally started to count things using other numbers. He does great with 1 and 2, then he skips 3 and 4 and heads straight for 5. It makes us laugh every time.
I personally think he might have the right idea. I have so much to do right now, that skipping some of it and still getting to the end sounds like a good idea. There was too much work to do before I was told to take it easy for three weeks, now I'm just that much more off track on getting everything done. I hate the fact that I feel like I'm having to create things under the gun. So far things seem to be turning out well, but I really like to have time to plan and let inspiration strike when I'm working on a creative project. There's a whole gallery to fill in the next four weeks, and we only have definite plans for four works. I have a ton of work to get done, and in the middle of it I'm going to have a baby. Yep, we're that kind of crazy at our house.
What can I say except 1, 2, 5?
Posted by jennifer at 08:39 PM | Comments (1)
Overdue...
April 30, 2008
I "lost" my library card. Not in the way that most people lose things; I actually know where it is. I just can't retrieve it from inside the dryer vent. Apparently it was in the back pocket of my jeans when I put them in the wash. And somehow it ended up on the lint screen, which would have been fine if it had stayed there when I pulled the screen out, but it fell. And it fell back into the lint trap, in sight, but out of reach.
I still returned our books on time, but I got to be the HUGE pregnant mama of a toddler who ran circles around the library while I explained that I needed a new card to the lady at the information desk. I even had to abandon her at one point to go and chase him down!
I feel as though I'm overdue as well. The original due date for this birth was April 28. I've spent the last few months stating matter of factly that this baby would be born in April. April is only an hour and half longer, and we still don't have an extra-uterine baby. I think this kiddo is just waiting to prove mama wrong.
Posted by jennifer at 09:52 PM | Comments (1)
Firsts
April 29, 2008
Still no baby. I'm trying to post a little something for you guys at least every couple of days; I don't want to leave you hanging for too long for fear that you'll assume our little one decided to arrive.
I happen to be the first pregnant gal I've known to have all of her restrictions removed. I can, according to my own comfort level, do anything I want now that we are past the 38 week point. Yippee!!!! I still don't want to walk very far at this point, but I will no longer feel guilty about going to the grocery store.
That also means that I shouldn't feel bad about getting back into my studio. Progress is slow at best, but it's progress none the less. I found out yesterday that I can't reach the back of my drafting table; it's just like the kitchen sink, the belly gets in the way! Since I'm working on projects that are 3 to 4 feet in size, it's a little harder to get things done. I can also only sew for about 30 minutes at a time, after that I have to get up and move around for a bit. So I still have a ton of work to do, but at least I'm getting somewhere.
The toddler earned his very first skinned knees today. He scored a bit of driveway burn when he took a tumble while mowing this evening. And he took it very well, after a few tears, a hug from daddy and some snuggles from mama, he got back on the horse and started mowing again.
I still don't know whose feet those are at the ends of my legs, but that's not a first. And I don't expect to recognize them until a few days after we have the baby. I just hope that I can get shoes on when we have to rush to the hospital. Our doctor did tell my husband something that was a first; she told him to run the lights and not to stop even if there are sirens behind him. The cop'll figure it out when he follows you to the hospital; he doesn't want to deliver your baby.
All of this has lead me to wonder if we're not going to be that odd couple who go from 4 hour labor to 48 hour marathon birth...
Posted by jennifer at 10:01 PM | Comments (1)
Pint Sized
April 27, 2008
The pint is a respectable serving size, right? We have a cabinet full of pint glasses in the kitchen; I drink water by the pint all the time. I'm finding that now that the baby has dropped so low, I can eat like you would not believe. And I'm REALLY hungry. Blackberries? Yeah, I ate a pint today and one yesterday. Ice Cream? I eat that by the pint too, and usually in one sitting. There's nothing wrong with that, right?
In addition to the extra large servings blackberries and ice cream, I was able to handle a couple of cravings this weekend. I stopped at our local donut place on my way home from the woodyard with wood for the smoker yesterday. I've definitely had my fill of sugar coated fried bread for a while. My brother-in-law and his wife stopped by tonight with their 2 month old. They came bearing a chocolate cake with butter cream frosting! I ate way more cake than I should have, but it really hit the spot.
I did manage a pint size amount of work in my studio today. Hubby and I are working on collaborative artworks for a show in June. I'm WAY behind schedule. Now that we're 38 weeks along, I figure I can get a little work done before we have the baby. We're not ready to disclose much about the work, but each piece will involve work from both of us. We will be showing the work for First Friday in June. Stay tuned for more information about the show.
While I'm at it, I'm looking to borrow a dress form to display a garment for the show. If you're in the KC area, or know someone in the KC area, with one you'd be willing to lend, please leave a comment. Thanks!
And nope, no baby yet. I figured from the title some of you might have the wrong idea. We're getting a little bit nervous at our house. We heard a story from some friends at church this morning about the birth of their second son IN THEIR CAR! Her labor was only 40 minutes long! Their first son was a 3 or 4 hour labor just like the toddler was for us, and she found herself walking around for a few weeks at 3 cm. Conversation at our house today centered around how to decide when to head for the hospital and when to just stay put. Isn't it better to have the baby at home than on the side of the road?
Hopefully our next little pint will make his or her entry soon. Until then, I'm going to get as much work done for the show as I can in between propping my feet up to relieve the swelling.
Posted by jennifer at 09:51 PM | Comments (2)
Another Beautiful Day
April 26, 2008
I had a bloggy dream this afternoon when the toddler came up the front steps with a fistful of dandelion flowers for me of taking and posting a nice, well-lit photo of them in a vase for you guys to see. I will confess that it was mostly dark before I could have taken the photo and the dandelions don't look nearly so perky right now. No photo never would have done justice to the cuteness that is my son half walking, half crawling up the steps saying "Mama, flower." I don't need Mother's Day now; that was it.
We started the day by going to a pancake breakfast and rummage sale; I made some great finds. I bought a couple of sewing patterns for 50 cents a piece and a really awesome wooden crate with rope handles from "Cape Cod Cranberries". The weather was nice today. The guys got almost finished with hanging the tile in the shower upstairs. The toddler spent his day with Grandma and came home sporting the perfect new haircut. I was able to get a few small things done around the house, take a nice long bath, and spend quite a while on the couch working on the Hoover Blanket. Hubby smoked the best ribs ever, and we ended the evening with a family trip to TCBY for frozen yogurt. I couldn't ask for a more wonderful day.
Slowly but surely this tortoise is winning the race. I managed to get most of the rest of the toddler's things out of the nursery and into his new room today. And the blanket is now 22 plus inches long; it's only headed for 36, so I'm quickly nearing the 2/3 mark. And since I'd love to get there tonight...
Posted by jennifer at 08:09 PM | Comments (0)
The belly runneth over
April 25, 2008
You know you're really pregnant when you outgrow maternity clothes. I had the unfortunate experience of trying to get dressed today. My one remaining pair of maternity jeans (I'm embarrassed to say that I split my favorite pair in the rear end a while back!) will no longer go all the way on. And I'm finding that many of my maternity shirts will no longer cover the exposed part of my belly. I spent the day today with the lower part of my belly hanging out for all the world to see, and that was after I changed out of a maternity shirt that didn't even cover half my belly!
I ventured out to the grocery store tonight after we put the toddler to bed. I feel the need to set the record straight: hubby offered to take my list and go for me, but I insisted on going. He made a valient effort, and I did let him carry the bags in and put it all away while I sat on the couch with my feet propped up. It's been near two weeks since I went to the store. Last time I bought in bulk and told myself (and anyone else who would listen) that it was the last time I would shop before we had the baby. I was wrong.
The contractions have started again, but nothing regular or major. My buddy Linda joked a week or so ago that the baby was waiting for me to finish the blanket. I really hope that's not true...
I did finish something yesterday. I finally pressed the fabric box I made for the toddler's room (see this post), and it is filled with diapers on his dresser as I type. I'm really dying to get started on some new projects in the studio, but I know that I just can't right now. I also know that there won't be time for it for quite a while with a new baby around.
And still we wait...
Posted by jennifer at 06:07 PM | Comments (1)
Nope. Not Yet.
April 24, 2008
My feet are so swollen that my toes look like stuffed sausages. The only comfortable position is with my feet propped up. My back finally started hurting when I stand for more than a few minutes, especially when it involves being in front of the sink. Oh, and I'm having trouble reaching the faucet. And then there's the indigestion. All of this resulted in only 4 hours of sleep last night. I think I'll get more than that when we have a newborn! Ok, I'm finished complaining now.
The baby is not here yet. And we're ready; we're all ready. Tonight the toddler spontaneously said, "Baby love". It's his equivalent of saying "I love baby". We're thrilled that he volunteered love for his unborn sibling.
I'm guessing that I'll be posting sans photos for a bit. It's just too hard to get pictures taken when my feet are killing me so much. And to make matters worse, I actually have things to take pictures of. My knitting group had a yarn swap last night. My VERY generous knitting group. I came home with more than twice as much yarn as I left with and two books that I've had on my wish list for a while. Now I'm really ready to finish the Hoover Blanket so I can move on to something else. I have a ton of yarn and ideas!
I also have the best hubby in the world. Turns out that they don't have Chocolate Lasagna at the Olive Garden anymore; so I'm still craving chocolate cake with butter cream frosting. Hubby spent a significant amount of time trying to track down just the right cake Monday afternoon. He ended up making me brownies with ice cream. (We'd seen some brownies on Food Network the day before that set me off craving that as well...) He picked up the house and vacuumed yesterday too. I'm feeling pretty special!
Now, if we could just have the baby.
Posted by jennifer at 08:18 PM | Comments (2)