Should have kept my mouth shut... really... should have....

When I pulled up the blog today to post I almost choked on my coffee :) I love being busy?!? Actually I do, I'm a whole lost more productive and resourceful and a master scheduler when I'm busy. I get all kinds of things done. But really love?

This week has been full of all the wonderful things spring should be. Planting vegetables (lettuce and radishes are first!), eating outside, easy meals, waiting for the temperature to rise enough to play outside in the sunshine, open windows, flowers growing like weeds, watching bunnies and squirrels and birdies, slides and walks. The added bonus is good naps and great sleep at night. Fresh air and sunshine just do something for that.

I've also been filling out my application for the tv show "Hoarders" or at least that's what I keep having nightmares about. We are carpeting our upstairs next week and therefore have been in the process of moving everything downstairs for the carpet people. We have moved everything I can help with (which was not much, Adam did all the work) and this Friday all the furniture comes down for the carpet to be finished on Monday. The process has sent my pregnancy hormones through the roof and I'm totally stressing out about the whole ordeal. Everything has been stacked in our bedroom and I don't have access to my side of the bed. I do guess some of it is my own fault as that whole side is my craft stuff stacked 6ft high. Needless to say, no need to buy fabric for the next century or so. I'm good to go.

I just keep reminding myself that this makes the house finished.... that has a nice ring to it.
Max loved all the moving about, he especially liked that all the furniture is stacked together in the middle of the room making for a lovely jungle gym to climb.

We had a doctor's appointment on Monday which included my 28 week glucose test. I failed it by 6 points. That's not a lot but enough that I have to take the 3 hour test on Friday. Baby girl is measuring two weeks ahead still and so now I have an ultrasound scheduled for the end of April to check on my fluids and her size. I am also being recommended for physical therapy for sciatica and my hip pain. Adam and I then spent our entire lunch with each other discussing names. We still don't have a winner folks, but I think we are getting closer.

I haven't had much time or motivation for yarning lately, but I've been slowly and steadily working on a birthday present, that is now late because of my lack of motivation.

But to be honest I'd rather stare at this

Is there anything sweeter than sunshine shining on a little head?

I love being busy

We've had an increasingly hectic schedule, and I'm not going to lie, I absolutely love it. I was telling Barb today, that I finally feel like I've hit my stride. We're busy, active, doing ministry, having friends, sharing meals and love and loss and life together with those around us. How can that not be awesome? It's totally what we're called to do and as tiring as it can sometimes be, we are so blessed and given so much strength when we do. I'm so encouraged by the people and things around me. It's an awesome feeling.

I've started my insomnia phase of the pregnancy. But that also means I get a lot of thinking, reading, and knitting done. Here's my latest two finished projects.

Little booties and a sweater to match the hat for baby girl's coming home outfit.

Speaking of Baby Girl, we still don't have a name - we thought we had one and then decided not to use it because it's pretty common in our area. We have some current contenders again, and so we'll see. She's also getting so big and is so active. She's actually less active than I remember Max being, but I guess she still has 12 weeks to prove to be otherwise. And really, I wouldn't mind a little calmer of a child in this one. I go to the doctor again on Monday, so we'll see how's she's doing then.

On the Max front, he's been loving all the busy-ness as well. He's been a great sleeper and napper lately and he's so agreeable when he does get some good sleep. He's such a little chatterbox lately and amazes me everyday with something else he knows that I didn't know he knew.

Saying squirrel (that's a really hard word and I love the funny way he says it)

He was watching this squirrel eat the corn we've put out. I love the little chair because it's like they think they're a peoples!

This is how I found him after his nap the other day. He was upset because he wasn't sure how to get down even though I've seen him do it a million times. And yes, I left him crying to run and grab the camera, I thought it was so funny.

Spring? Where did you go?

Yesterday and today have been downright miserable. But yet it's spring, and we have crocuses in our front yard and possibly some daffodils that have yet to bloom. Hopefully they will all survive this sad weather we are having. Tomorrow is supposed to be much more spring like.
Here's hoping it has more of this:

(both of these taken by Adam)

Projects
I finished the wool soaker, it was so easy because it was tiny and now that I have the pattern all figured out hopefully I'll be able to crank out a few in different wools I have laying around. It only take a little bit of yarn, so might as well.

As soon as it was finished it was requested for the stinky cabbage patch doll

Another hat was also finished for Mom to sleep in - here's hoping she won't need it for long.

I've knitted up a pair of booties that still need the seams sown and have cast on a baby girl sweater all in the same honeysuckle colored yarn as the hat I've previously posted so that there will be a set. I've also got to get cookin' on some birthday presents that are due up next week. It's always crazy when two of your best friends have birthdays within 5 days of each other.

We had quite a fun time with a progressive dinner this weekend with Sunday school friends.

This picture made me realize that I need to wear lipstick more often. I'll have to remember that.

Preggers....

I've been feeling increasingly slow (could I complain any more? Really I'm feeling fine, just gosh darn slow) already with this little girl and I'm just 26 and a half weeks. I don't think I mentioned at my 25 week appointment Baby Girl was already measuring two weeks bigger. I'm so thankful for her growth, but could definitely be spared another 9 pound delivery if possible, thank-you-very-much! They won't do an ultrasound until 34-36 weeks to get an idea of possible weight (I know those are normally off anyway, but the doc in Dallas was 2 oz off from Max, so I take a little stock in them).

I'm starting to get those comments and stares and sympathetic smiles when I'm in public. If you remember being pregnant, you know the ones I'm talking about. Luckily, people have not yet started to ask if I'm due this week or if I'm having twins... yet....

Yesterday during "nap" time (that's a loose word around our house, because there's a lot of playing that normally goes on before the nap is actually taken) Max started to cry like he was hurt, so I checked on him to find he had stranded himself on his window sill by pulling out his drawer, emptying it, climbing in (bending the rollers, I might add), legged up onto his radiator cover, pulling himself onto with window sill to see the birdies outside. UGH! Needless to say, the dresser has now taken residence in the dining room and we are at a loss as to how to keep the climber in bed. He knows what's wrong and right and would never do it if we were around, but there's not enough threats in the world to keep him from doing things when we aren't looking. I have to keep reminding myself that he's just 22 months old.

A friend from high school posted pictures she had taken of her pregnancy and I loved this really sweet picture she had taken with the shoes she wore home from the hospital years ago. So today I did a little duplication. Of course they aren't as beautiful (or professional) as hers, but this eased a bit of the guilt I've been feeling about not taking enough pictures of this pregnancy.

Yes those are my baby shoes :)


Lastly, here's some now Knitting WIPs to love the colors of.

This one reminds me of Easter

This one is the start of the wool soaker I talked about in the last post.

A few finished projects

I've apparently got a thing for hats lately. Here are the latest three projects off the hook or needles.

First is a hat made for Barb to sleep in for the rest of the cold weather. I'm so glad it fits her and is coming in handy. I've got the yarn near by to be cast on for a lighter "spring" one.

Next is Max's new spring hat. He loves his wool one so much but I think it's just getting to warm for it. So while at the yarn shop the other day he got to pick out new yarn for this hat in a pima cotton so hopefully it will be much better for the spring. I've reworked the hat three times. First I made it too small (the boy keeps growing!) and then too short so I added on a couple of rounds tonight to it and hopefully it will be a little better when we wakes up in the morning looking for it.

Lastly is the first thing I've made for the little girl (since we knew she was a she anyway) and it's a little hat for part of her coming home outfit. I"m planning on making a pair of booties or sock and also maybe a little cardigan that she'll wear along with the dress I came home in oh so many years ago. The dress is yellow, so I decided to go with something decidedly girly and loved the bright "honeysuckle" color in microfiber and nylon (hoping it won't be too warm).

Tonight I cast on stitches for my first wool soaker to use with cloth diapering. I'm excited to see how well it works. I'm only working a few in a newborn size until I decide if I like them or not.

I've joined a baby swap on Ravelry to trade a couple of baby things with a gal in California who's having a little girl the week or so after me so I get to come up with fun things I might not necessarily make for our little one to mail to her. I've got the patterns picked out and I'm just waiting for the yarn inspiration to hit.

Just a little bit of fun.

I've felt a bit under the weather the past few days- but that has not kept us from having fun around the house.

The other day I asked Max if he wanted to go pick up Papa from work and he ran out of the room (I thought to get his shoes) and came back dressed like this.

Papa and him love to play, when I woke up later than the other two of them the other day, Adam was proud of the "fort" he had made for his son.

Today I got the perfect Mama gift. After I woke up and ate breakfast, I was given permission to go back to bed and slept until 11am. Adam took Max to Romper Room at the Parks District and to play on the playground while I slept so it would be quiet.  Absolutely wonderful.

You Capture - Quiet

There has been a serious lack of quiet around here lately- as I always say, Max is a very busy boy. Very very busy. I've lately had people telling me this left and right... maybe they're just being nice instead of saying my kid is a terror or tornado or has some sort of behavioral disorder. But really I'm standing by the firm believe that he's just extremely busy.

Today however I got some quiet. There was a good nap time for my busy boy, my house was clean, the dishes were done, the sun was shining, I had a glass of iced tea and a new knitting project on the needles. The chairs on the porch called my name very softly and I answered by sitting there for a full three hours, quietly, except for one conversation with my mother in law, and saying hi to the mail lady who brought me the best kind of mail, a wedding invite. I watched birds play in a puddle, people walking their dogs, a squirrel with a treasure in his mouth, and swear I could see more green popping up in my flower beds as I sat. I thought I would knit the whole time in the frantic way I have been, but I found myself repeatedly just sitting and staring.

It was nice, all the sitting and staring, but the best part I have to say, was the quiet.

Written this week for:

What we are up to

It was a fun day around here yesterday. We rearranged Max's toys yesterday slimming things down and putting some upstairs. While upstairs we found some "new" to him toys that are at a different level of development. He's been loving to pretend and immitate lately and all of a sudden the best toy upstairs was my old Cabbage Patch Preemie. When it was time to go he wouldn't leave her, so we brought her downstairs and they've been almost in separable since. I've found her naked in the bathtub, he stood watching tv and patting her back for 15 minutes straight today, he insisted she was stinky and needed new clothes and a hat and was upset when I drew the line at not putting her in a jacket. He rocks her to sleep and puts her night night and shares his snack with her. And I'm encouraging it all because in a few short short months he'll have a real live little person sharing this space with him and the more accustomed he gets to it, I believe, the better.

Have no fear, he also found a transformer that talks and that's how he woke me this morning, with "Hi I'm Bumblebee..."

I should be specific and say that this was the 6:30 am wake up call. We also had a doozy at 2:15 am when Max decided to open his door and run into our room claiming it was time to wake up... Oh how to reason with a 22 month old at 2:15 am? Send your husband after him. That's how I did it. Adam took him back to bed, closed the door and then put a baby gate in the doorway so should he try it again, he would not be able to make it very far. He must have had trouble sleeping because he had done the same thing around 10:30 and claimed over and over it was time for Mickey Mouse. He had never done it before, and now the gate goes up every time or else I don't think I would be able to sleep for fear of what he was getting in to.

Max climbed into my soup pot today... He thought he was funny for a split second and then started to get a little panicky saying stuck over and over... and it reminded me of this picture

He used to fit in a mixing bowl and now doesn't even close to fit in the soup pot.

Oh- io

Ohio was a blast. Max rode his first horse and I shopped way way too much for sweet little girl things. How is everything infinitely cuter for little girls than little boys.

We didn't make it to see everyone :( but much time was spent with all these cute little babies that had been born. Max loved each and everyone of them, and I thank the parents for not being over possessive at all and letting Max have a taste of what big brotherhood will be like for him in a few short months. Since we've been home, he's been hyper aware of little babies everywhere we go and whether they are happy or sad and what they are doing. It's been so sweet to see.

Here are a couple of my favorite pictures from the week. They certainly aren't all of them (I think I took around 200) but I know I shouldn't wait any longer to get this post up.

Max with Pop-pop and Grandpa Roger

Playing with Grandpa Roger

Walking with Gigi

Lovin on Grammy (Mi)

Jaxson

Landon

Baby lovin (I think this is Landon)