Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!

This year was our first year doing the Santa thing... and by that I mean staying up ridiculously late trying to assemble large pieces of plastic:

Dottie was a huge help.

I think in the future we need to take "some assembly required" into account when making out Christmas Eve plans... Also in the future I plan on drinking during such operations.  We got it all assembled/stickered/wrapped/under the tree though:

The Halloween pumpkin is filled with her play Nativity set.  Seriously.  My child is a bit odd.

She was THRILLED:


Although the $1sunglasses were just as big of a success:

How did Santa know that I'm going to Florida in a few weeks?

Another something I didn't know -  gift opening with a toddler takes a really, really, really long time.  To the point where we gave up on the whole thing and just let her play with her kitchen.  Most of the food/accessories are still wrapped under the tree because we couldn't tear her away from it long enough to get her to unwrap them.

BUTTON

This shopping bag is just my size!

Moooom put down the camera and come back and play with me!

Which is fine.  Someday when she's bored and cranky I"ll blow her mind by bringing out the rest of the accessories.

We did manage to tear her away long enough to take a Christmas morning photo, though.  I like how in the first shot Matt and I look all tense while neither of the dependents is looking anywhere near the direction of the camera:


Then obviously some shit went down b/c the dog and child have switched places, the dog no longer has her jingle bells collar on, and Nigh-Nigh and Black Kitty have joined us.


This last shot would be the "Just take one with the flash and then we can give up" shot:

Eh.  Whatever.  I have to say the Christmas Morning Photo is one of my favorite traditions.  It's going to be so fun someday to flip back through them all and see how we've changed.  It already is, actually.

So yeah ... Hope that you had a wonderful Christmas!

Christmas Cards

Just a quick note to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and share the final Christmas Card:


Not exactly calm... but still adorable!

Also I completely disagree with Slate that Facebook killed the Christmas Card.  It might have killed the Christmas Letter (I' m fine with that) but I think we got/sent more cards this year than ever before.  Honestly I loved getting them.  And so did my kid!  She carried the photo cards around and would tell me all about the other people.  Super cute.  Although since my grandma has been sending her animal cards all month she thinks that everything that comes in the mail comes from NONNI.

And while we're on the subject of cards I think this someecard is hilarious:


HAAAAAAAAAA!!!  Also why I'm fine with the demise of the letter.... although nothing quite got me laughing like the letters my parents used to receive each year from their friend's cat.  Uh huh.  I looked forward to that one....

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

The Christmas Card Photo

So. Just like last year I thought it would be a spectacular plan to send a photo of the kid for our Christmas card. Right. I also had the grand plan that the perfect picture would involve her and her doggie. Do you see the fatal flaw in this plan? ‘cause I didn’t.

Both the dog and the toddler NEVER EVER EVER EVER SIT STILL EVER.

Right. So I set the scene underneath the Christmas tree (one skein available btw then it’s gone for-eve-er) of the kid reading a nice Christmas story to her dog:

It took me about 3 photographs to realize that there was no way I was going to be able to do this without a flash.

No way. And I really hate how flash photographs look. (does anyone know of any good bounce flash attachments/options that aren’t a million dollars?) Unfortunately by the time I realized this they were pretty done with this experiment:

What are you talking about? I’ll sit still as long as you keep the treats coming!

Well maybe not...

So I resorted to bribary of both child and dog...

Toddler:  MMMMMMM.   Dog:  Wait.  What's that I smell?

Toddler:  MMMMMMMMM     Dog:  Is that CHOCOLATE?!

Toddler:  MMMMMM  Dog:  She gets chocolate and I get dry milkbones?!  Yeah I'm done with this crap.

Toddler:  It's ok, Doggie.  I'll give you a hug.  Dog:  We're so done here.

GAH. So finally I gave up on my idyllic Christmas scene and just followed them around with the camera. I did get a great series of “many faces of the toddler” photos:










Before completely pissing her off:

Leave. Me. Alone.

So I gave up and broke out some photoshop...

Mommy, photoshop can’t fix crazy expressions and blurry photographs.

But gave up that dream pretty quickly.

So this year’s card is …. well..... it works. It’s not as perfectly adorable as last year but it works. And blurry crazy constantly in motion is kindof our life right now so I suppose it’s at least accurate. I’ll post the actual card sometime this week once everyone receives them in person!

Test Knitter?

So… anyone want to test knit this for me?

Yeah that picture was taken a loooong time ago. This one has been languishing in my sketchbook begging to be written up for months now. But I think I finally have it sized and typed and ready to go!


Here are the details:
Pattern: Leatherhead Hat. It’s knit in the round and features a really cool cable pattern. It’s completely made up of twists so there’s no cable needle necessary!
Sizes: Baby, Toddler, Child, Adult. I’m fine with you test knitting whatever size you want.
Yarn: Pattern is for Destination Yarn Souvenir but I’m fine with you knitting it out of whatever DK weight yarn you have handy.
Timeline: Soon? I’d like to get the pattern up for sale ASAP but I’m open to whatever.
Compensation: Both a working and a final copy of the pattern in .pdf form along with a coupon for 10% off one order of Destination Yarn. Also you can keep the final project. I’m only looking for feedback and not the actual item. I think this hat would make an adorable Christmas gift!

Let me know if you’re interested!

Can I take this off now, Mom?

Updated to add:
THANKS SO MUCH! Between this blog and twitter and the Destination Yarn Facebook page I was inundated with test knitters. You guys rule! But I think I have enough now. I’ll definitely post here when the pattern is available for sale on Ravelry. Hopefully soon! Until then you could always just use bubbles for a hat:

I love to smile for goofy pictures like this one but for the Christmas card? GOOD LUCK WITH THAT, MOMMY.

Tailgate Hat and Mitts

So… looking for a super quick last minute knit for the superfan on your list? How about a hat and fingerless mitts to wear tailgating?


Simple, attractive, and quick. The perfect last minute gift!


Both the hat and mitts were knit out of Destination Yarn Souvenir in the colorway Believeland.  One skein will make both!

I used size 6 needles – perfect for fast knitting but still small enough to create a fine fabric.

The Tailgate Hat and Mitts pattern (rav links) comes free with purchase of one of the Sports DK colorways!

Right now I have these three in stock:

Believeland, Sixburgh, Who Dey

I did have some Columbus but sold out of it immediately. Apparently Ohio State fans are the most hard core of the group. Who knew?

In other news I finished up my current Drive Thru (Can’t. Stop. Knitting. This. Pattern.) and am looking for something new to knit. Think I could pull off this hat?

I’m not really a beret person… but this is adorable.

It's the 16 cable hat... I bought the pattern but am still debating... I do have some lovely alpaca... hmmmm....

All the Baby News (and some new pictures!)

So. Right. This whole pregnancy thing…


1.) How far along are you?
Almost halfway. Soooo close to halfway. Sunday is the halfway point, actually. Or to put it in happier terms the baby is the size of a cantaloupe:


I should probably put up a belly pic to correspond with that… but I haven’t taken any yet. Blah. I’m probably looking about like how I did at around 22/23 weeks last time.

2.) When is the baby due?
I’m due on April 17. Which is my birthday. Although I’m convinced that this kid will be born on April 9. That way we have a birthday on the 9th and 17th of March and one on the 9th and 17th of April. It will be nice symmetry.*

3.) How have you been feeling?
Truthfully? I’m feeling apathetic. I don’t really give a shit about this pregnancy. I’m just Over. It. Yeah it sucks but then it’s over so do we really need to dwell on it? I often forget how many weeks I am and usually have no clue how big the baby is in terms of fruit or whatever. I’m just not interested. It’s fun feeling the baby move but other than that I could really live without this whole thing.

HOWEVER

I am beyond excited about this kid. I didn’t even come close to this level of excited last time. Like I can’t sleep at night I’m so excited. I CAN’T WAIT to meet this baby. I can’t wait to see their little personality develop and be there for the first smiles and giggles. I can’t wait to hear their toddler logic and learn what their likes and dislikes are. And to see the two (three if you count the puppy) of them interact? It’s going to be the BEST EVER.

3.) How have you been feeling?
Oh wait you mean how am I physically feeling? Yeah… Pregnant. Miserable. Woe. I was crazy nauseous and was so exhausted I could barely stand up by the end of the day. And then the migraines struck. So we’re living in constant fear of the next Big One. There’s just nothing worse especially with a toddler running around not really getting why Mommy can’t move. I’m hoping we will be out of that phase soon, though. .

I am starting to come out of it. I’m not nauseous or gagging too much any more. I can make it through the day – the whole day until bedtime – without being so tired I can’t think straight. And even with Matt’s work schedule ramping back up I know I can handle doing all of it alone. Big difference from a month ago when the phrase “I’m working past bedtime again” literally made me cry from exhaustion.

But the big difference is that this time I know how temporary it is. I know that I will get my life back eventually and that I will not feel like warmed over ass every day for the rest of my life. And every time I see my kid I’m reminded of how very worth it this is.

4.) Is it a boy or a girl? Will you find out?
Well.. what do you think?

Hi!!!!

We had the second ultrasound last week so we know. But haven’t revealed it to the world – yet.

New 3D ultrasound technology = smooshy baby pictures.

This time we’re not playing our hand as close to the vest as we already have all of the gear in gender neutral colors**.  Our main reason for not wanting to tell everyone this time is simple: I really, really, REALLY do not want to hear anyone’s opinions on names. I know that the second we announce gender that will be the next question. And I just DO NOT want to hear it. And people are much more apt to try to weigh in before the ink is dry on the birth certificate. Also at least part of this whole thing needs to be a surprise.

So yeah - even if we do reveal the gender we won’t be revealing the name.

Either way I already think this kid looks like Matt:

Now I'll have 3 of them.

What do you guys think? Boy or Girl?


5.) Do you want any more?
Seriously what is with this question? Last time everyone was all “Congratulations! How are you feeling” this time it’s all “Congratulations! Are you going to have more?” Odd.*** But the answer is simple: I have no idea. I don’t think you can decide how many kids you’re going to have until you’re on the number before that. So we’ll decide on 3 after we see what life with 2 is like.

6.)  What does your toddler think of all of this? Is she excited?
Yeah. She doesn’t get it at all. She’s waaaay to distracted by my belly button. She kindof has a thing for belly buttons. So any time I say “there’s a baby in mommy’s belly” she points at my belly and says “BUTTON” I think she’ll be a good big sister, though. The only thing I’m actually worried about transition wise is when she realizes that she has to share her GA (my mom). I don’t think she’s going to handle that very well.

So yeah.. you’re up to date. Honestly I probably won’t talk about the pregnancy all that much more (see also: Over. It.) but that doesn’t mean I’m not crazy excited.

HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!!!

* I’m still pregnant on April 10th I will NOT be a pleasant person to be around. Fair warning.

**I still think that gender specific carseats/strollers/highchairs/swings/any large piece of plastic that costs more than about $10 are the dumbest thing in the world. SUCH a marketing ploy. And clearly the toy manufacturer’s way of ensuring that you buy multiples of each item because there’s no way any dad wants to put a boy in a pink stroller. Dumb.

***I think I’d understand this question more if we were on kid 6 or 7. But with 2? I mean c’mon. It’s not like we’re giving the Duggars a run for their money. Although I guess people want to know if we're planning on it?  I don't know.  It's all very strange.

The Unfinished Hat

So you know when something random completely inspires you? I bought my daughter a shiny new coat at Old Navy a couple of weeks ago when they were 50% off. Clearly she needed a darling new hat to go with it:

Yeah. Super cute.

I knew it had to be an ear flap hat that I could tie on her since she has been discarding her current hats in a heap the second I’m out of reach. Stash diving turned up some lovely pink Mmmmmalabrigo leftover from the Mod Cables Set. Perfect softness for against-the-face earflaps. Then I found some Patons in that same bright turquoise as the coat (I believe it’s leftover from my Norwegian Mittens). So my colorscheme was set:

I started with this pattern – the Cheery Flap Hat – but skulls and hearts aren’t really my thing. Plus the bright pink against turquoise just screamed flowers to me. So I drafted out my own chart:

Of course I did.

I didn’t end up using the colors exactly as laid out on the chart but the patterning is the same.  I also just kindof winged it when I got to the decreases.  I started following a chart but gave up after a few rows and just did my own thing.

Mommy does not like following directions.

The end result is complete happiness. It didn’t take long, it’s super cute, and she gets compliments on it wherever we go.

I like this hat!  It's as cute as I am.

She even seems to enjoy wearing it!  However I still need to block it, and I think it needs a pom pom on top.  So I'm calling it the Unfinished Hat.

In other news for those of you who are wondering whatever happened to Destination Yarn :

Unfortunately I had to take a pretty extended break as the mask that I wear to dye made me gag. Pregnancy = super glamorous. But I seem to be past that now and I’m back at the dye pots in earnest. I plan on updating the etsy site a whole bunch over this holiday weekend in preparation for Cyber Monday. If you want to be notified when I update you can check out Destination Yarn on Twitter, Facebook, or Ravelry.

Well Hello There.

Hello Intertubes! Have you missed me? I’ve most definitely missed you. But I’ve been kindof out of it working on this:

Baby at 10 weeks.  Already Adorable.

Yup. Baby # 2 is on the way! We’re thrilled but I’ve been so sick that I pretty much dropped off the face of the planet for a while there. Hopefully now that I’m only feeling like complete ass about 60% of the time (it’s a pregnancy miracle! Wait.) I will reclaim what used to be my life. I’ve already started knitting again:

This sweater is too big for me, mommy.

Oh yeah. My baby turned into a full on toddler while I was out of it. Crazy, that.



However it seems my knitting capacity is simple stockinette in the round on large needles:


Hey at least I’m doing something. Even if I am currently working on my third Drive Thru in a row.

So how’ve you guys been?