Comfy Blanket I

Last week, while I was getting BG ready for Sea World, I got a phone call from my brother.  The thing about my brother is that he never calls to see what's up.  It's always something important.  And yay!  My sister-in-law's water broke.  The baby was born happy and healthy, almost three weeks early at almost 7 lbs., so he was ready to come out.

This story starts so much sooner than a phone call last week.  It starts with a phone call I got from my SIL while LG was still cooking.  It's when she was telling me that she also had a bun.  I immediately objected.  SIL is such a copycat because the last time I was pregnant with BG, she was too.  Her boys follow my girls by 9 and 6 months.  I still love my SIL.  More than other people.  So when she asked if I would make her bun a blanket to come home from the hospital in, I said yes.

This is a big deal.  I don't knit for other people.  In the two months that it took me to make a blanket, I thought of all the other things I could have made.  All the stash I could of stashed-down.   But I love my brother and his family.  They have always been so kind to us, even when I act like a butthead - in a loving, big sister way. 

The big deal about this blanket was that she wanted to bring the baby home from the hospital in it, so it couldn't be late.  And I did it.  I finished the blanket in time for her baby shower.  The baby shower that I missed because I had mastitis and the antibiotics made me too dizzy to drive.  I tried, almost got the car packed before I realized that I just couldn't do it.  So, I told her that I would pop it in the mail right after the weekend and the holiday Monday. 

Did I mention I got this phone call at 7am Tuesday morning? The Post Office hadn't even been open yet.  I hastily took pictures of the blanket in the early morning sun, took BG to Sea World and then punched Post Office into the GPS.

I found the coolest Post Office.  It was right by the Naval base and the size of a warehouse.  It must be where all the Naval guys send their mail while deployed.  It was really old, too.  The boxes were gold colored with little stars around the keyholes.  I thought about running back to my car and grabbing my camera.  Then I thought that I shouldn't run the risk of getting detained under the Patriot Act because I had a 6yo to pick up after lunch.  But it was a really cool Post Office.

Only bummer is that they don't guarantee overnight delivering the pea-bodied, mountain town that my SIL lives in.  She got it the day after they all came home. 

For being a big o'blanket, I really enjoyed knitting this.  The idea of the blanket came from one that Senora Fuerte made.  I'm such a copycat.   It's the Yarn Harlot's scarf stitch for the border and straight stockinette stitch for the body.  All the little fuzzies that I picked up while knitting show on the chocolate colored yarn, but being so soft makes up for it.

Ravelympics
I seriously suck at this.  I haven't knit a stitch on my Wallis Sweater since before the last time I said I sucked.  Then this morning I got inspired.  I dug through my stash for my cotton yarns and cast on.  It's a small project that I may be able to finish in the next couple of days.  Maybe it will count as my Ravelympics project.

The Red Group

The start of another exciting week and it was raining.  I had planned a Picnic in the Park with the Red Group that was then moved to a coffee house because I didn't think anyone would want to sit on wet grass. 

I've been a little more comfortable with the Red Group from the beginning.  I like to tell myself that it is because the group is a little more diverse in age, ethnicity, whatever else.  But today I was thinking it's probably because I'm not the only new member.  Because it is a wider range of kids, 2009-2010, there are new members each month.  It's also fun to see the pregnant girls. 

I've also become known as "the girl that knits real good."  I think that it was actually Blue Group that I gave me that name.  I've hosted a knitting group at my house and they seem to be really popular.  I'm happily surprised to find a lot of knitters in this group, though only one has heard of Ravelry.  Most of the girls learned a long time ago and just need a refresher to remember how to cast on or knit stitch.  They seem more like learners than needy knitters that want you to do everything for.  In exchange for getting some new knitting friends, I'm teaching basic knitting skills.  It's very difficult when there are a bunch of babies that want to be played with.

This weekend, I got an email from the organizer of the Red Group.  She was wondering if I would like to be an Assistant Organizer.  All I have to do is put up at least two events a month, they don't even have to be at my house, and be a cheerleader for the group.  Okay, I added that second part.  I don't know how I couldn't be a cheerleader though.  I'll be able to add my own events without asking someone else to do it.  I'm mostly a weekday morning events person.  I have BG in the afternoons and family time on the weekends.  I'm going to try it for a couple of months and see how I do.

They asked me because I come up with good ideas and am crafty.  If you are like me, you really need encouragement to get the craft thing going.  Good thing I read blogs.  You guys are my inspiration!  I also came up with Mommy Swaps - exchanging small, inexpensive themed gifts.  I got that idea from the knitting swaps.  Every month I do a picnic at a different park, this is mostly because I want to learn about the parks in my community.  I keep forgetting to get the free community paper from the library, but I'm sure there are a ton of ideas in there, too.  See, I'm not really that creative, I just use what is around me.  She also said that she thinks that I would bring a lot of fun to the group. feeling special

Kidlets

Okay, change of plans.  I'm just going to do a kidlets update once a week.  And it's not today.  Try as I might, I'm not that exciting of a mom and my kids are pretty mellow.

Ballet Socks

 

I don't know if I love these socks more, or the pictures that I took of them.  I played a little with what I guess is my computer's photoshop.  I know so little about photoshop that I'm not sure if it's a name brand like Kleenex or just what you call facial tissue.  The pictures were taken inside on a rainy day and not the best lighting.   I have no idea what I did, but as I lightened up the pics, they also got this grainy, vintagey look that I love and was perfect for little ballerina feet.

These are basic toe-up socks with short-row toes and heels.  Then I added YOs in the garter stitch cuff.  It's a little tough to see, but BG also has ribbon running up her legs.  (Rav link)

These were perfect for Trick 'O Treating on Halloween.  She had the ballet look and was still able to wear her tennis shoes, so the group wasn't slowed down by Ballerina Princess with the dainty shoes.  This happened a few years ago and the other parent said we had to use walking shoes from now on.

Kidlets

The other day BG and I were watching TV.  Probably iCarly, JAG or the Olympics.  Then LG just started shrieking and giggling.  She had discovered the little flip cards on her excersaucer.

 Chicklet @ 6mths

She was completely entertained by flipping the cards up and down.  Down and up.  Now that she is a little sitter that wants to be a little stander, I finally get a break from always holding her.  This is very nice since she currently only allows me to hold her.  I feel bad for BG and DH.  It's just a phase that all babies go through and one day she won't like me as much.