hitting the wall

I have hit a wall with my desire and want to knit. I am all knit out right now and it sucks because I have so much planned for the holidays around it! I haven't done a dang thing more on that sock. Never finished the first one (which means there is one more in that pair alone) but am just a few inches from the toe. L's sweater is still sitting on the needles exactly where it has been for the past week too.

Part of the problem is that I am just plain old tired in the evenings right now. So if the kids are all asleep by 8:30 or 9, I am not very likely to stay awake and knit until midnight or later like I have been doing. The other problem is just lack of motivation. I seem to hit this rut every time I come close to finishing a project. I can have something completely knitted and not seam it for MONTHS! What is that about? It wasn't even a week ago that I was in love with knitting these socks, and now, nothing...

So, tonight instead of knitting, I am writing and catching up on my blog reading. L is still awake watching trucks and trains on TV with dad, so that is the other reason. If I dare knit instead of pay attention to him 100% he will climb on my lap, under my knitting and talk non stop. Sheesh!

There, now I've gotten out my knitting confession and hopefully that will cure it all. Maybe I will wake up tomorrow with a new sense of purpose and dedication to my projects. But probably not.

A letter for A on her birthday

My dearest Princess P. I cannot believe that we are already a year in to your awesome and sweet life. It was one year ago, almost to the minute, that our midwife told dad and I that we could come in to the hospital. Words cannot describe how excited we were to meet you. An hour later my water broke and we were in active labor, and then almost 5 hours after that you came in to our world. Our dark haired, mellow, sweet and chunky little girl.


Watching you grow and come in to your own little personality over the past year has been a blessing in so many ways. You remind me to smile, laugh and be happy on a daily basis. Your constant joy at small things around you reminds me to pay attention to those around me. From your first smiles at daddy, to the way you love to cuddle in our arms and now give hugs and kisses, each moment with you is treasured.


You are the light of all of our lives. D and L love you so much too, it's apparent in their daily desire to be with you, play with you and love you. You are such a smart, loving and wonderful little girl and I cannot wait to see what this next year will bring for you and our family.


Love you tons,
Mama

Knitting Therapy

I've made a real effort lately to knit in the evenings once the kids are settled down for bed. It is currently serving two purposes... First, it relaxes me and is time where I can sit and do something that I enjoy. That alone is important. However, right now it also means that I am working on Christmas presents nightly, which given the amount of projects I've taken on in my head, is a very good and very important thing as we are mid November now.

Knitting helps me on many levels, it nourishes my creative side, it helps me become more patient (as all knitters know, you can't rush). I'll be the first to admit though that I get stuck doing repeat projects. Once I figure out how to knit something (longies, soaker, hat, scarves, etc) I tend to knit only those for a while. So my goal with Christmas is to branch out while I am making gifts. It's been really fun so far. I am more than 1/2 way done with L's sweater and should have it wrapped up by mid next week. I am a tad bit nervous that despite my gauging and measuring it will be small, but I have to keep knitting.

The other project that I am having an absolute blast with are these super easy socks. I won't say who they are for, heaven knows who all my addy has been passed around too and well, I don't want to ruin the surprise. But really, I was scared as heck to start them. It's honestly like knitting with toothpicks these needles are so tiny! The yarn is dreamy though, it's a self striping "Regia 4-ply wool Crazy Colors" in beautiful pinks, oranges, purples and reds. How's that for a mouth full?

Here is a sneak peak. Took these right before I started up again tonight and I am now done working the heel completely and starting the decreases! If I have it in me, I might be able to finish this one (still have the other to go) tonight!

I also feel the need to scream that my baby will be one in a matter of hours! I am not ready for that, I could have waited and made a birthday post (which will happen tomorrow) but I just really want her to stay little.

Here Lies Papa Smurf

So this morning I was busy nursing Miss A down for what I hoped would be her morning nap. L was supposed to be quietly watching Kung Fu Panda in our room, which he likes to do first thing in the morning. Alas, he appeared at the baby gate complaining of sticky hands and body. I got about two feet away from him and could smell the toothpaste. It was all over his hands, stomach and legs and I honestly thought that was the worst of it. Oh no, ha, how could I think such a naive thing? I walked in to our bedroom to find what can only be described as a smurf homicide. Gobs and gobs of neon blue toothpaste all over our sheets, pillows and duvet.

These pics are post "clean up/scraping", I should have snapped a few of him in his blue suite as well, but wasn't thinking about blogging at the time. I really should have known better. We lost an entire can of hairspray to the bathroom floor last week when he was going potty. These three year olds, man, I am so underprepared. The mass destruction that they cause in a nanosecond is mind blowing. The crazy thing is, this isn't toothpaste that we would normally have. Oh no, I gave in to the begging and pleading in Target for "Einstein" toothpaste to match his new "Einstein" toothbrush. Had he made this mess with his normal, undyed toothpaste we would still have a yucky mess on our hands, but I wouldn't be near as pretty!

Now we are off to do laundry, and pray that it comes out of my favorite sheets.

Super Awesome Longies

A package arrived yesterday that I had been excited over for a while. My dear friend Amanda agreed to crochet up some longies for Miss A and all she needed was for me to provide the yarn. She had these done really quickly (we both started a pair at the same time, mine still have a leg to go) and sent them off assuming that they would be way too big. I won't lie, when I took them out of the package I thought, "no way, maybe in another few months." Oh boy was I wrong! She has a little room to grow, but they absolutely fit her now.

So I proudly present A in strawberry lemonade by Amanda. She's wearing a very trim SwaddleBee diaper so there is a bit more room up top. When she wears her bigger ones she fills it out completely!

The mother of all nights

I know, I haven't even posted Halloween pics and what not, but election day is here, now and current and so I must focus on that. Cute kid pics to follow tomorrow, I promise. This post should have come earlier in the day, when I could still yell "Get out to the polls!" Honestly, I just want people to vote. I am not going to tell you who to vote for, even though I have my own very strong opinions. Never been one to push my beliefs on others though, what is most important is getting out and acting for what you personally feel is right. I am a firm believer in the statement that if you don't vote, you don't get to complain for the next 4 years, no matter what...

With that said....

I have never been so excited and hopeful. I may not sleep at all tonight!