Happy 60th to My Dad....

See??  I TOLD you that September and October are crazy birthdays for my family! 

Happy Birthday, Dad!  We love you!

So many projects....so little time!!

I haven't had a knitting update in a while, so here we go.

I finished my felted tote bag.  I'm a bit disappointed in it, only because it's so shallow.  I obviously went wrong somewhere.  Live and learn!  I might try to make another one. 

I started a hat for Will....it's red and navy acrylic.  I finished the knitting part last night and now I need to sew it together.  I need to review the chapter on sewing seams in "Stitch n Bitch" first, to make sure I do it right!

I also finished knitting my "Cascading Colors Baby Blankie" from Lionbrand, but when I was finished I felt it needed something.  So one of the tenants at work is helping me crochet a border around it.  I'll post pics of all this stuff when I'm done.

I have a million projects running around in my head.  Felted coin purses with handmade jewelry for Christmas, a different felted bag for myself, etc etc etc.  Plus I have a cross stitch  birth record started for the new baby!

I was introduced to a cool website by some of my knitty friends that I meet up with every week.  It's called Ravelry.  It's a free online community for knitters and crocheters.  It's part Facebook, with being able to add friends.  And the rest is taking pictures of your work and sharing, browsing and printing patterns, and a whole lot more!  I'm pretty excited with it!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful mother!  Here's to a fantastic day and to many more to come!

The Things We'll Talk About

Will and I have had some interesting conversations this week, I thought I'd share some snippets.

Last week we were sitting on the couch watching Noggin and I asked Will for a snuggle.  He told me that I'm supposed to snuggle with Daddy, which is true I guess...but why can't I snuggle with him too?  Then the other night as I was putting him to bed, he asked me to sleep in his bed with him.  I said "I have to sleep next to Daddy, remember?"  He said no, I need to sleep with him in his bed because Daddy is a bad guy.  :)

This morning, I caught him contemplating shoving a mini-soccer ball into the tailpipe of my car.  He looked to me for approval and of course I didn't give him the endorsement!  We had a nice, long talk about why we don't do that.  Sometimes it amazes me at what he gets into.

And finally, I'm always trying to teach him new things, like what Mommy and Daddy's real names are and where he lives.  I told him yesterday that we live in Shrewsbury, and asked him "Can you say Shrewsbury?"  He comes back with "My house is in Shrewsbury.  And Strawberry, blueberry and raspberry too!!"

Wordless Wednesday: Will the Photographer

Apple Picking

Apples are in season!!  I had signed us up with the playgroup to go to a Apple-picking event at a "local" winery (read: about a half hour away) today.  First, we got really lost.  Ah well, thank goodness for internet-capable phones!!  We pull into the parking lot, which is jam-packed!  It was also a festival today, with folk music, facepainting and barbecue. We never did end up seeing any of our friends from the playgroup. The winery itself was ridiculously full of people...and I had to go in because they only take cash outside for apple-picking.  If you want to pay with a debit card, you're in line with lots of other people, bumping and jockeying for position.

We get out to the orchard, and Will is loving it!    You are allowed to taste "one apple" per family so we let Will bite into a Mac.  Usually he gets his apples cut up small by Momma so this was a real treat.  We filled up two bags with Cortlands, Galas and McIntosh apples, with dreams of apple crisp in our heads.  Will nodded off as soon as we pulled out of the parking lot, and Momma wasn't too far behind.

One funny thing to mention is that we put all of the apples (still in the bags) on the dining room table when we got home.  They ended up falling over and some rolled onto the floor, scaring our dog.  Hilarious to watch!!  Will tried to help out but found a Gala apple and decided to take a bite.  I asked "Do you want some sliced apple, honey?"  Yes!  I went into the kitchen to slice it  for him, and before I can start I hear another "Crunch!"  Apparently, we made a monster out of him at the orchard!  This is how we help Mommy clean up the spilled apples...gotta eat them all.  :)  

Chilly Mornings

I love, love, LOVE mornings like these!  It's not quite autumn but it's chilly out there.  And last night when we got home from the library I could smell someone burning wood in their backyard.  I purposely left the slider open so I could smell it in my house.  I feel like baking something pumpkin-y.  Gotta love this time of year!!!

First Crush!

We went to a surprise 30th birthday party last night.  Yes, I'm aware that we went to someone else's birthday party on Brian's birthday!!  He was cool with it, though.  The party was for my sister-in-law's sister, and they have a huge family.  Sister-in-law introduced Will to a group of cousins/nieces/nephews and he was happily playing and running around with them, leaving Mommy and Daddy to eat in peace and socialize with adults.  Some of the kids had brought toys, so he was having a great time playing with mini Mr. Potato Heads or Matchbox cars.  Then came Maddie.

Maddie is about Will's age, and she had a bunch of figure toys in a toolbox.  She was a cute little girl in jeans and a pink t-shirt.  Next thing I know, they're holding hands and walking across the dance floor, going off the floor to play with her toys.  Awwww!  He was so content to share her toys and hang onto her every word.  When she decided she wanted to dance, he followed.  Of course, he then tripped over her feet, and totally knocked her over!  When the night was ending, the Daddies brought them over to each other to say goodbye.  Until next time...

What were we thinking at the time?  Oh man.....we are SO in trouble in about ten years!!!

Happy Birthday to My Husband!

Happy Birthday, Brian!!  Today is the "fourth time you are turning 30" and we just want to tell you how much we love you!!

Not sure how we are going to celebrate today...but if Brian has anything to say about it I'm sure we'll be at Red Robin for his Birthday Burger!!

Bring on the Birthdays!!

Whew.  September and October are seriously busy months around here!  Between mine and Brian's families we have so many birthdays that I've lost count!  September:  Brian, both of my parents and two of his brothers.  October:  my brother, my sister-in-law, and of course, Will!  There are a few more things in there, like our anniversary in October.  (Nine years on the 7th!!)  Add that to all of the fun fall stuff that I want to get in and our calendar is solidly booked until November!!  It always makes my head spin.

Fair Time!

It's the beginning of September and you know what that means?  Fairs and carnivals, and festivals too!

I've scoured the papers to see what's out there and made plans to go to a bunch.  We drove down yesterday to visit with my parents in Woodstock, and to take Will for his first Woodstock Fair experience.  It was cut a little short, due to him being worn out and later, sick.  But we still enjoyed the animal exhibits (his favorite is the sheep, where he can talk back and forth with them) seeing the sights, and of course, the food!  The fair always smells so intoxicatingly good.  Funnel cakes, apple crisp, candied or caramel apples...corn dogs, smoked turkey legs...I love it all.  Of course if I ate it all, I might not love it so much!  We only stayed a short while, but I think the first fair trip was a success. 

Side note:  I wish I had the bounce-back ability of a toddler!  Last night we came home early instead of staying in Woodstock because Will had a fever and was absolutely miserable.  He was like that the rest of the night.  This morning, he's back to his happy, chattery, hungry self!  And fever-free too.  Huh.  We'll still spend the rest of today at home base, just in case.

A Series of Dominoes

Don't you LOVE how one small mishap can turn into several, then morph into a disaster??

Some mornings I hate the fact that I am a working mom.  This was definitely one of them!  I had another housing court appearance today, and I was not well-prepared.  Housing court starts at 9am sharp, and it's one of those things that you do NOT want to be late for.  I'm pretty sluggish in the AM, and Will definitely takes after me in this category.  (Honestly sometimes I wonder who is pokier, me or him?)  So usually I try to prepare a little bit the night before.  No prep this time....d'oh!

First I insisted on staying snug as a bug in a rug this morning when Brian woke me up.  Domino.  I had the sinking realization in the shower that I left the tenant file I needed for court today at work, and would have to stop there first.  Domino.  Will demanded pancakes and I didn't have time to make them.  But I made him a frozen chocolate chip waffle so I wouldn't call this one a Domino.  I'm rushing around like a madwoman, trying to put on a little makeup and some decent court clothes on this pregnant bod....Domino!!!  Then Will decides that we're not going to "Auntie's" today and gives me a hard time.  I lose my cool and snap a bit, "You ARE going to Auntie's...don't argue with me!"  He gets a little teary and says "why you mad??  You make me sad."  Crrraassshhhh.....  The guilt trip stops me dead in my tracks.  I immediately bent down to give him a hug and apologize.  I felt badly all day for snapping at him for him just being himself, a toddler who wants his Mommy to stay home and watch Disney movies and drink "sneezy juice" with his doggie friends.  (i.e.  drink from a pretend pitcher that makes us sneeze)

I'm certainly glad that these feelings and these kinds of days are far and few.  Tomorrow's a new day, but I still feel bad.  :(

Conversations with my Little Firefighter

Conversation in my bathroom this morning....

Will: "Mommy, what's this?"

Mommy: "It's a grab bar, honey. Mommy uses it to step out of the tubby." (Mommy is as graceful as a bull in a china shop when pregnant!)

Will: "Why??"

Mommy: "So when Mommy gets out of the tubby she doesn't slip and fall and get a BIG OUCH."

Will: "Oh, if you slip I bring my firetruck! And I help you with the hose and ladder! And I wearing a big fire hat."


He was especially happy that there would be an opportunity to wear the aforementioned fire hat. Can't help smiling after conversations like these!

Getting Physical

At my last doctor appointment, I was telling the obstetrician about this strange pain that starts in my lower back, shoots down over my butt, down my right leg and into the foot. It's like a hot, sharp knife some nights and can bring me to tears instantly. Some days I just have it in the very small of my back, but every day it is there: at least a dull ache. She said that it was pregnancy-induced sciatica, and strongly suggested physical therapy.

I've never had physical therapy in my life. I've been VERY fortunate to never be injured to the point of needing rehabilitation or PT. But the teary nights after being on my feet and mobile all day between work and being a mom/wife were enough for me to say "I'll try anything!!"

My first appointment was today. The therapist gave me a thorough exam, making me stretch and bend and walk across the room while he observed. Then he showed me some exercises that he said that would help. I felt kind of silly doing some of them, getting on all fours and kicking my legs. But I've got to say, on the drive back to work I marveled at how much better I felt! So I'm signed up for PT twice a week for the month of September.

Yeah, the sciatica's a pain. (ha ha ha, I kill me!!) But I'll take this complication over the gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia from my first pregnancy any day!