Trick or Treat

In my first year with a real house with real trick or treaters, I have learned one very important thing:

Four big bags of candy will last you just over an hour.

Note to self: Next year, more.

Pirate Slim had a good time and took his first picture of himself with the camera. The Little Lion helped pass out candy, and one of the neighborhood kids helped me decorate the porch.

Knitting on a super-secret project is proceeding, and all is well. (Except the pictures being held hostage on the camera....)

Happy Halloween, y'all. I'm off to bed.

Warsh the Slate Clean

Tap, tap.

This thing on?

Hello again.

What do you say we just warsh the slate clean? Start afresh. Forget the last three and a half months and call it a new day, a new blog, a new muthaknitter.

Hmm?

Here...




A humble warshcloth. The Mason-Dixon ballband warshcloth, to be exact.

It's one of a matched pair, out of the incomparable Sugar 'n' Cream cotton in red and Christmas colors (red, green and white). Two balls, two warshclothes. Both gifted in thanks for a wonderful vacation on Ocracoke Island after three very stressful months.

And, yes. Those are the only two knitted objects I have managed to complete in months. Thanks for asking.

Let's see. When last we left the Muthaknitter, much excitement was brewing re: a new house, a new baby and a move.

"Let me 'splain. No. There is too much. Let me sum up." -- Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride

Bullet points for brevity:

• We moved.
• The floors weren't quite done.
• They fixed them.
• Then we unpacked.
• My sister visited, and she helped us unpack some more.
• The Cap'n packed for Iraq.
• I tried to find a renter for the new house so I could travel.
• The two renters I found fell through.
• I packed the boys and I for a long trip.
• The Cap'n left for Iraq.
• The boys and I drove 3200 miles to Indiana, NC and Brooklyn.
• I read all 7 Harry Potter books in 3 weeks.
• The Cap'n came back from Iraq.
• We left for Ocracoke for vacation.
• We came back from Ocracoke.
• We unpacked again.
• The Little Lion turned 6 months.
• My sister came to visit. (We didn't make her unpack this time.)
• I celebrated my 31st birthday.
• I MET HER! I HELD THE SOCK!! REALLY!!! SQUEE!!!!
• The Cap'n's dad is visiting.

I know I'm forgetting some things, but you get the idea. It's been busy. I am tired. Really, bone-numbingly exhausted. Not "gee, I sure would like a nap," but more like pin-a-note-on-my-shirt "You must remember not to shake the children" tired.

No one told me how things change when the kids outnumber you. They are on tag-team nap schedules, and one likes to get up early and the other stay up late. It's a good damn thing they're cute, or they would have been on the evening news by now.

I am going to try to blog a little each week to dip my toes back in the bloggy water. I've been inspired by the new Vogue Knitting, and really want to start some new things. But I'm also anxious to put a few FOs behind me, and with some fringe here, a sleeve there, I should be able to make progress on them.

Anywho, a jolly hello out there to any readers I have left. I've missed the blog, and I promise to keep you all up to date on the new and improved Chez Muthaknitter, blogging from the block, NOFla-style. (That's north of Florida, for you DCizens.)

I leave you with the clan on the Hatteras to Ocracoke ferry, safe and sound and happy after a summer of moving and traveling. (Shiny, happy people alert!)

Things I Have Learned...

That the Cap'n is going to poop rectangular red masonry objects when he notices the (second, oops) big box of knitting and yarn supplies in the growing Pile O' Boxes. (Two-year-old in the 75th percentile in height for his age included for scale.)

That I have more sweaters than I thought I did. A shamefully large number of sweaters, in fact. And none of them handknit.

That I will dig through previously mentioned, menacingly large Pile O' Boxes to dig out the photo retriever thingy from the first knitting box because I love my loyal blog readership. (Hi, you two! Or on good days, three!) And we can have a proper, photo post.

Dining room past

Dining room present

Yeah, the laptop accessories reside in the knitting bag(s). That way I know where they are. It's called "creative use of space."

So, anyway, I finished packing the last of the boxes that we still had left over from our move two years ago. You win a gold star if you noticed the sentence construction: "finished packing the last of the boxes," as opposed to "finished packing." Wow. We have a lot of stuff.

Until the Cap'n brings home more boxes tonight, I'm hanging out with the D-Boys and grabbing a little blogging and knitting time. Yay, me!

Slim had his 2-year checkup and measured tall and thin (25th percentile). The doc wasn't worried, though, so his nickname sticks. And she said his picky eating habits weren't anything to stress about either.

Now for some FO action...I know the suspense has been unbearable. I proudly unveil to you...


A Square.

(Not exactly what you were expecting, huh?)

But it's a very special square. For one thing, it's going to go to Laura to help Rebuild Greensburg as soon as it gets a nice SOAK. Secondly, it's made from a leftover skein of Noro Kureyon from my Lady Eleanor. I believe it's colorway 188.

I can't tell you how much the Lady Eleanor knit saved my sanity during the middle of night feeding sessions post-delivery. I learned so much doing it, and I loved every minute. Until I can do a proper photoshoot (and knot the damn fringe!), I'm going to hold off unveiling the shawl. But I wanted to pass along the love of this yarn and the pretty colors that I got to enjoy. I hope it makes someone else feel happy in Kansas.

Now that it's quiet in the house (both boys asleep at once! Woo! And Hoo!) I'm going to watch Reno 911! and work on my most favorite current WIP, the Stripz sweater from Minnowknits out of Manos Cotton Stria.

This yarn has marinated in my stash since maybe early 2006(?) when I bought the yarn and pattern to make for Slim right after I learned to knit. When I cast on a couple weeks ago, I wasn't sure if I would have enough yarn to make the 2yo size for him, even though I bought an extra skein, so Little Baby is going to be getting this one.

The Cap'n pointed out that it would be smarter to only make sweaters for Slim, that way both boys would get to enjoy them. But that logical observation was made after I finished the back, so this one's just for Little Baby. Slim will get plenty of sweaters in the future. Besides, doesn't Little Baby look happy to get a new sweater?

To the needles!

Reason #38475 Why I Hate Moving

Going through and packing your closet and finding clothes that you wore for work (I had another dream last night that I was back at my old job) that definitely don't fit you anymore.

Yard sale, anyone?

Blog posting may be a little slow this week. The movers come Friday and we're nowhere near ready.

I know I've been teasing you with talk of an FO and some mighty cute WIPs, but I have to find more boxes first. Despite living in this cramped little space, our stuff has multiplied.

Much like the dog hair tumbleweeds that I'm pulling from every corner...

Hopefully we can quickly get the wireless up next week at our new house, but a higher priority is getting the gas turned on. No cold showers for me, thanks.

Back to the coal mines...

A House and a Home

Well, there's been action, but not here on the blog...


On Thursday, the Cap'n and I got the keys (and a hefty mortgage) to our first house here in D.C. We're so excited to be moving out of the cramped little apartment we've called home for 2 years now. Although, I am starting to feel twinges of nostalgia about it being the first place Little Baby came home to.

I have to admit, I've been feeling a little down lately, a little stressed/anxious/depressed. I think I'm coming around, but it's been difficult. So I appreciate you hanging in there with fewer blog postings.

I am hoping that the next month of packing and moving will yield some positive excitement, though probably not a lot of knitting time.

However, I'll try to post tonight or tomorrow with some exciting knitting/yarn content...some of it my FO, some of it other FOs, some of it straight-up yarn pr0n.

As JenLa said recently: "We've got a blockage!!"

Possum in the Day

I felt for this poor girl (I'm sure it's a mom) when I saw her in our neighborhood the other day as I was walking the kids home from the park. It's a bit how I've felt lately, like I'm not in the right time or place at the right moment.

It's been more than a week since a blog post, and I haven't been doing much knitting either. Lady Eleanor is on the last full row, and I'm dragging my feet on finishing her. I think I'm going to miss this knit. What do you do when you're having so much fun with a project you don't want it to end?

The Cap'n is gone again for work (4 times in the last two months since Little Baby was born), and the boys and I need to find more activities to do. We've hit Air and Space and Natural History twice each within the last month. Toddler yoga and music classes only fill up two mornings a week.

I've started packing for the move next month, but I need to get the place really clean for an open house that our landlord wants to hold in two weeks. The Cap'n thinks magic packing gnomes are going to take care of everything in the next 3 weeks, but I can really only get things done when the boys are asleep. Which doesn't give me any time to rest.

And if you have any good mojo to send us, please keep it coming our way to make sure this house closing goes well on May 31.

Little Baby weighed in at 12 POUNDS, 6 OUNCES at his 2-month checkup, which despite the 4-pound gain, only puts him at the 50th percentile. Yet he's so much bigger than Slim and his 10th-percentile-weighing-self. We'll get an update on him at his 2-year checkup next month.

So let's tally: 1. Moving, 2. New Baby, 3. Work absences (for the Cap'n). We'll forget: 4. Law school apps, 5. Summer birthdays (eek! I gotta plan Slim's party!) and travel.

Boy. I am tired.

Growing and Growing

Well, here's a second quickie blog post for today to alleviate the mortification of posting my before photo earlier.

Some things besides my waist are growing around here. My Lady Eleanor is now more than halfway done and has definitely left the travel knitting phase. I can barely work on it over the baby while he's nursing anymore either. The stitching may slow down on it a bit, unless I can squeeze in some time in the evenings with both kiddos asleep.

HAHAHAHAHA. I crack myself up.

Little Baby is definitely growing alongside Lady Eleanor. At 5 weeks, he weighed in at the Breastfeeding Center at 10 pounds, 13 ounces. That's 2.5 pounds in 5 weeks!! Can I get a woot-woot?? He's not so little anymore. (Toys shared by big brother.)


When I took Baby Dos downtown to the doctor, I actually took out the Jaywalkers for the first time in almost 6 weeks. I've been utterly monogamous (and loving it!) with Lady Eleanor since Little Baby's birth, but like I said, she wasn't going to make a Metro trip with me and Little Baby in the sling.

So the socks are growing by a few rows, though I hate to work on anything else while I've got such momentum on the Lady.

The stash has grown a little, but only from prize yarn. I won this lovely, soft Merino Oro laceweight yarn in an oatmeal color from Wanda. Thank you, Wanda! It's perfect for a lace shawl. Leave me comments on your favorite patterns....

Our excitement over the house is growing too. I don't know if I've mentioned this on the blog before, but right now the Cap'n and I sleep on the futon in the living room with Little Baby nearby while Slim has the entire bedroom to himself. It's the only way that any of us can get any sleep in this 550-sf apartment.

I can't wait to sleep in my own bed in my own bedroom again! July can't come soon enough...

P.S. I tell you: Stay-at-home mothering can be good for the soul. As I was dancing around the living room this afternoon singing and acting silly, both boys had eyes only for their momma. Great times.

Of course, they were probably thinking, "How did we end up here?"

Home Again, Home Again...

And we are doing a jiggity-jig.

The wedding this weekend in South Carolina was beautiful, and we had a great time celebrating with friends we had not seen in a while. The drive was long, but both boys did well. I also got in some good knitting time on Lady Eleanor. I'll try to get more photos up as soon as I find my camera.

We had more than just the wedding to celebrate, too. Our house offer was accepted!

There's so much going on right now...as usual. Life is never boring around Chez Muthaknitter. I'll try to update more tomorrow.

Feeling the Love

Gather ye blog time while ye may.

There are two restless, but still napping babies in the house, so after getting a couple more stitches in on Lady Eleanor, I want to get down some thoughts in the peace and quiet.

We've got the love around here.

Brotherly love...

This one pretty much sums up their personalities: Slim with his mouth open talking or screaming and Little Baby with his eyebrows knitted up as if to say, "what's with him?" (And Lady Eleanor resting in the background...)

Slim adores the Little Baby. He wants to hug him and pat him and share toys with him. And pacis, let's not forget those.

I'm already seeing some benefits of having these two so close together. But as I was describing to the Cap'n and to my midwife, it's overwhelming. I've not got the baby blues, but I feel outnumbered and outflanked for the better part of the day.

Perhaps I've got to get a new strategy. Think like the Spartans at the Hot Gates and outmaneuver the siege. Those boys haven't gotten me pinned down yet.

Baby Love...

It's been a different experience with Baby Dos. There wasn't the immediate adrenaline of infatuation brought on in large part by first-time parenting anxiety. It's been more like, "oh, here you are, kid. You're wonderful."

He's such a good baby, a good eater (not so much a sleeper) and already starting to smile. I adore him, just like I do Slim, but in a different way. And he's fit in so well to the family. It's like he already wants to be sitting up and taking part in the conversation around him.

Stroller Love...

Our Excellent Adventure continues. (KnittinSis thought it was a "Bill and Ted.") I can't believe how easy our new Phil & Ted is to maneuver and get out and around the neighborhood. It was expensive, but it's already paid off.

Knitterly Love...

The Lady Eleanor went on a ride with the Cap'n, our realtor and I to look at more houses. I'm 2/5 of the way through the tiers of rectangles, but just now through 1/3 of the yarn, so I think I may end up making it a little longer. I'm going to use up every smidgen of Noro I have.

Neighborly Love?

We put in an offer on a second house that I like better than the first one we tried for. I am crossing my fingers. There were a bunch of kids' toys on the porch next door, so we might even have some neighborhood play buddies for the boys. I like the location of this house better (closer to stuff to walk to) and it's in much better/move-in condition. Send some house vibes our way.

City Love...

Check out the new yarn pusher on the block! Neighborhood Fiber Co. is run by the awesome Karida, who plays a large role in my ongoing yarn obsession (though she probably doesn't know it). For one, she first gave the Cap'n recommendations of books to buy for me as knitting Hanukkah presents, so she is ultimately to credit for Scarf Style and the current Lady Eleanor. Also, she taught the sock class that got me hooked on socks, too! And she probably thought she was just working at a yarn store.

I'm going to take credit for inspiring Kingman Park (my favorite!). Go. Look. I dare you not to love it.

Husbandly Love...

Reason #52,789 Why I Love the Cap'n: Everytime he comes home from work trips (like today from an embed with the National Guard in Indiana), I can't help feeling fluttery and happy to see him. He's the best.

Sorry no knit pictures...but we'll try more tomorrow...I'm going to try to make shorter, more frequent posts so it doesn't take me so long to get these posted.