Finished Projects!

I can finally talk about two of my most recent gift projects as they were both gifted.

First, I finished the Wee Welcome set sweater for baby J who was born on September 4th. I only hope it still fit him when he received it.



I used Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino in a grey blue with a chocolate trim. The buttons were a perfect match to the blue with a slight brown tint. I thought the little stars were super cute. I just hope baby wears it at least once.

The buttons are actually knit into the sweater. Not only was this easier to finish the project, but I felt it was safer for a baby as they are really secure on the sweater.



The second project was a birthday gift for our nanny, M. My daughter insisted on being my model, of course she loves to wear every hat before it even comes off the needles. She took it pretty well when I explained that this one wasn't for her.



I think this was my favorite hat so far! I love the way the Xs at the top melt into the decreases. The pattern really is well designed.

It's Apple Time!

And, yes, that means it is apple pie time.



The apples on the tree are ripe. I kept trying them here and there over the last few weeks and they were super tart. The puppies even sampled the ones that fell off the tree, using them as chew toys. As of this week our apples are red and delicious. I think I'm in love with our apple tree. I wonder if I can talk Pete into planting a few more. One tree is just not enough apples for pies in the freezer.

Second Guesses

So many times growing up, the big changes happened whether you wanted them to or not. Your family moved and you had no say in the decision. It was happening. It was easy to adapt even if you missed your friends, your life, your bedroom with the blue walls.

As an adult, you have to make the big decisions and live with the result of that decision. You have guilt, doubt and second guessing. Something along the way pops up that you don't really appreciate and the grass seems a lot greener when you picture it as it was. The other night, we found out that one of our neighbors owns the home that is keg-party central at Central. I sat up in my office and listened to the boom-boom-boom along with the large crowd chatter drifting softly through the chill of the night air. It was dulled by the distance, an overtone to the silence we have grown to appreciate and enjoy. I wondered if this was better or worse than the neighbor's truck outside my former bedroom window at 5AM slowly winding up as it started spewing exhaust through our open window. In all honesty, the kegger was the quieter of the two, but I was missing the truck that was never more than 10 feet from my head that evening. I was missing what listening to that loud truck meant.

I ache for my kids who just miss their friends. Every time they ask to see Peyton or Brenna, I have to answer to their disappointed faces. Big N will beg me to continue driving to Mari's instead of taking him to preschool in the morning. It has been 4 months and I am the woman keeping him away from his friends, the friends he misses more than his little 4 year old vocabulary is able to explain.

I know we made the right decision for our family. I have spent more time with the kids during their waking hours in the past 4 months than the entire previous year. Big N has already told me he likes that I am upstairs during the day. My husband has spent more time with the kids, too. However, I miss Seattle. I miss being able to go to the zoo on a rainy Saturday without much planning because you know its just drizzle and if it gets bad, you can go again next Saturday. I never realized how much I appreciated being able to go shopping after 5PM on a weeknight. I really, really miss the self-service center at the post office on 145th.

It's nice here, the people are wonderful, but its not home, yet. I'm sure it will be at some point, but it's coming a lot slower than I would like.


Kids playing in a moving box on the patio that Pete built.

Knit Coffee Sleeve

This was a fun, fast project I knit for a friend of mine! I can talk about it now that I have given it to her. She brings me coffee beans once in a while and I always appreciate them. I love coffee beans.

The pattern was free on the web. I had just a little bit of the wool yarn left in my stash. Now that it is complete, it looks like I have enough for a few more.

I will have to make another one and try felting it. It also might be fun to embellish it with buttons.

In case you wondered, Pete rolled his eyes when I explained what it was.

Night Terrors

My daughter, little N, is having horrible night terrors. She has never been a good sleeper, but lately she wakes up inconsolable. Her eyes are open, but she isn't awake. We end up carting her off to our room and trying to reason with her. First off, reasoning with a 2 1/2 year old is fun all by itself, but trying to reason with a child who is not awake is a whole new concept. I think it might be easier to reason with the puppies while they each have one of my shoes and are running down the hall.

She is so tired in the morning and appears to have no memory of the middle of the night. She wakes up so happy.

Little N went through something very similar last spring before we moved. It seemed to stop for a short while but has become a regular thing. It is back with a vengeance, if anything the current incidents are harder because she is bigger and kicks a lot harder in her sleep. She will end up on the floor in front of her bed sitting up, trying to keep herself from going back to sleep.

I just wish I knew what was scary. She mentioned a purple dinosaur and then it was horses. Its hard to not know how to help her.

There does seem to be a pattern to her waking, it is typically between 1AM and 2AM that it happens. I might try waking her up before hand to see if I can break the pattern. Perhaps bring her a cup of milk and cuddle with her for a bit and perhaps distract her enough to keep it from happening.

Hopefully someone will get some sleep in our house!

Back in the saddle

My husband has found a friend for me. He set up a time with his co-worker, G, so I can go bike riding. She rides every where, which means I am going to be sore when I'm done. I've hardly been on my bike in years, so I'm nervous and somewhat excited.

Pete even managed to talk me into upgrading my road bike a few weeks ago. I had really put my last one through a lot of miles, all before my daughter was born.


Hopefully I get the bike a little dirty and it's a route with a tail wind -- considering it isn't possible to find a route without a wind in this city.