Family Pics

Here's a pic of Pat, Matthew and I at a wedding a couple of weeks ago. Pat's eyes are closed, but I like that it shows me carrying Matt in his favorite position. Thanks, Rachel, for emailing me the picture!

P.S. I noticed later that I titled this post "Pics," and it shouldn't be titled that with only one picture! So, here's one more to make it grammatically correct. :)

Finally-an FO!

Pat is at a football game tonight in Las Lunes against Belen High School (outside of Albuquerque). My mom just called me and said that we won 35-13! Go Toppers!

Besides cheering for my alma mater this evening (in spirit), I finished the imitation Lucy bag! I have to admit that I'm pretty darn proud of myself. I saw something I liked, then created my own unique pattern based off of a web photo of the bag. I'm also proud of myself for following through and finishing a project! It's actually drying right now on my kitchen counter, and I can't help myself from going in every once in a while and looking at it. It was a lot of fun doing a felting project since you never quite know what you're going to get. I can't wait to get my new yarn/needle order from Knitpicks! Once I get the pics of the bag downloaded I'll do a review, along with stats, on how it all went.

I see more felted bags in my future, but someone someday please remind me of these UFOs: cross-stitch for Pat, sweater for Pat (poor Pat), black socks with duplicate stitch, Oz vest, two baby sweaters that need to be sewn up. Ah, a pretty long list, but hopefully it will be finished soon. I HAVE to get Pat's projects done by Christmas. Since I need a little pressure to get me going, I am puting those on hold until December 1.

Matthew is still having trouble with his naps, and I am coming to the conclusion that it will be a continuous issue for a while at least. It is very frustrating most of the time, but then he'll have a day where he'll sleep for over an hour at one time. I live for those days! I love Matt, but he is in such a better mood after he's had some sleep. Aren't we all?

A Nice Little Sunday

So Pat, Matthew and I had ourselves a nice little Sunday. When we woke up there was a steady rain outside, which is definitely not the standard in New Mexico. Pat and I had breakfast and drank our coffee while Matthew played in his bouncy chair. Matthew was able to take a little nap this morning, and I took that time to work on my imitation "Lucy Bag." I'd say I'm about half-way done now.

After Matt woke up we drove to Espanola, a town about 25 minutes away, to have lunch and go to Walmart. Now, usually I absolutely HATE going to Walmart, but since I've had Matthew I'm just so excited to get out of the house that even the thought of Walmart sounded exciting! For those of you who haven't had a baby yet, your perspectice certainly changes in ways no one can prepare you for! Matthew was a good boy the whole time and slept on the way home.



We also took a family walk today. The naughty dogs came and now have mud all over the lower half of their bodies. They remind me of the show I saw about hippos on PBS this morning. Did anyone know that the dominant male hippo is called the "beach master?"



I'm on my way through cyberspace to purchase some Options needles from Knitpicks. I've heard mixed reviews on them, so I hope they work out. I love the Addi Turbos I have, but they're just so expensive. I'm sure that I'll purchase some new yarn to go along with the needles. :)

Yesterday evening I didn't do much thinking on our walk--I was so furious at our dog, Buster, that I couldn't think of anything else. I had spent 2+ hours trying to get Matthew to sleep. I finally got him down, he was sleeping for 25 minutes, and that damn dog barked at a bird from INSIDE the house! Of course Matthew woke up, so he didn't sleep longer than 25 minutes at any one time yesterday afternoon. When I told my husband about it he said that I just need to be patient with Buster, that he's just a high-strung dog. Patience-shmatience! Pat doesn't spend HOURS of each day trying to get Matthew to sleep only to be foiled in the end by a dog. Here is a picture of the culprit and Matthew when Matthew was about 5 weeks old (poor little guy was still on oxygen). Here's another picture of our other dog, Boomer, as well.

After I finished the back, I put the Oz vest to the side for a while and started working on my own version of this "Lucy Bag." I like the design of having one short strap and one long, but thought that I could figure out a pattern for it instead of purchasing one. So far I have the bottom and about 1/3 of the sides completed. I'm using bulky-weight yarn and size 11 needles, and I'm thinking that I should have used size 13. Oh well. We'll see how this goes and what I can do (or not do) to make it better next time. Since I'm working in the round it's a great project to work on while watching TV or when I just don't want to (or can't) concentrate too much.

Pat was at a football game in Albuquerque all day, so it was definately a long week for both of us. The Hilltoppers beat Albuquerque High 49-17, so now they're 4-0. GO TOPPERS!

Sleepless Nights...and Days

Unfortunately we've been having a difficult time getting Matthew to sleep during the night as well as take his naps, thus there has not been any blogging for a couple of days. He had been doing fairly well, so we're not too sure about what's going on. Last night he woke up four times, the night before , seven! Because of all this I've been super tired. I have tried to nap when he's napping, but he's been waking up about every 20-30 minutes. It's driving me crazy! He could be going through a growth spurt and needing to eat more often, but I think that the bigger issue is that he's been sleeping in our bed. Since I'm right there next to him he's been snacking through the night instead of having a few larger feedings. We're trying to get him in his bassinet more often, and I may even try to put him down for his nap in his crib. I just can't see it getting much worse than it already is.

I'm still working on the Oz vest, but it's pretty slow going right now. I'm about halfway finished with the back. It's not a difficult pattern, so hopefully I'll be finished be the end of the weekend. The amount of knitting I get done depends on how much Matthew is able to sleep!

I borrowed my mom's digital camera, so hopefully there will be some new pics up soon!

How Cute are These?!

I'm absolutely in-love-obsessed with these "longies" by Aristocrats. It's actually a wool diaper cover, and it looks perfect for the cold nights ahead. The downside is that one pair is $50, and my husband would not be very happy with me if I spent that much on one diaper cover. So, my plan is to take on a challenge: I'm going to try to knit a pair myself! First, I need to find the right yarn. Or should I use some stash yarn for a prototype? They yarn used for the longies is untreated, and I don't think that it should be difficult to find. I have several other projects in mind right now, but perhaps this could be a "work in progress" during those times when I'm able to concentrate on what I'm doing.

My grandfather and his wife just got home from their trip to Peru, so I'm thinking of visiting them in Santa Fe this week. I also want to stop by the yarn shop near their house. :)

Pat and I went to a wedding and reception for two of my high school friends yesterday afternoon and evening. We took Matthew to the reception, and he was such a good boy! I was extremely proud of him. He didn't cry once, but he did nurse and sleep a little. He also was held A LOT and got to dance with his mom and dad. It made me proud and happy to be with my two guys. ::GRIN::

Finished!

I just finished the Harvey Kimono (minus the bottons that I need to buy)! I am very proud of myself for finishing the project before Matthew outgrows it. I wish so much that I had a new digital camera, but you can find a picture of what it looks like here. I used a DK merino in tan, and other than that, didn't stray from the pattern at all. I hope that Matthew will be able to wear it for at least a couple months. Now it's on to the Oz vest...

Pat is coaching at a football game right now, so it's been a long day for the two of us. Matthew is a little stinker when it comes to naps, but I'm just as much to blame I'm sure. It took an hour and a half to get him down this morning, and he never really took an afternoon nap. I decided to change his walks to the evening so that he could have a longer morning nap, so I'm guessing that threw off his schedule a little bit. He just seems to have his "witching hour" from about 5-6 pm, so I thought that would be a good time for a walk.

I just got an update from my mom and so far the Hilltoppers are beating Santa Fe High 14-7. There is still one more half to go, but hopefully the Toppers will continue their winning streak. I really miss going to the football games, but since they start right at Matthew's bedtime, there would probably be meltdowns if we went.

I'm enjoying blogging and reading about others near and far, whom I know and not know, out there in this small world of ours.

Farmer's Market

This morning instead of our usual walk we went to the farmer's market. It's not a very big market, but there is still tons of delicious items to choose from. Right now I am eating a cinnamon roll bought there, and I have fresh flowers on the table. What could be better?

I usually buy a quiche each week from a baker vendor, but they're pretty expensive. So, I am contemplating baking my own quiche! I have made one before, but it took a very long time to bake, which is typical at high altitude (we're at about 7,000 feet). I would also like to start baking bread. A couple of years ago I spent a day at my Aunt Nancy's, and she showed me how to make whole-wheat bread. I have made it once since, but I think that I'll try it again. Perhaps this weekend?

Matthew is sleeping right now, but I did everything the experts say not to do: I nursed him to sleep, he's in our bed, and he's on his tummy. When he's on his tummy I do stay upstairs with him and check on him about every 5 minutes. Naptime is still a struggle for us, but he does seem to be getting better. When he was younger he would only sleep when being held, and he seemed to just catnap all day. Now he sleeps either in our bed or his cosleeper (we're trying to go to using the cosleeper exclusively) and can sleep for up to a couple hours. Being a mother is hard work, but it does seem to be getting easier every day. It has always been rewarding, however.

I Can't Stand Picking Up Stitches!

Today I went to my former elementary school (where I went as a student AND taught) for a staff luncheon. It was fun seeing everyone, and it did make me miss teaching, as well as socializing with my colleagues. Of course I brought Matthew, and I was a proud mama showing him off. He was a little crabby, but it was to be expected since we went in the middle of his nap time. I probably won't go back to teaching for a while. It's one of those jobs that ends up being WAY over 40 hours a week. A part time position next year would be ideal, but virtually impossible in the elementary arena (especially since I don't have a special ed license).

I'm making progress on the Harvey Kimono. Tonight I picked up the stitches for the edging, which is something I find very tedious. I always end up ripping it out and starting over! It's very frustrating, but at least it's over for now. Hopefully I'll finish the sweater tomorrow, Friday at the latest.

Tomorrow is farmer's market day here in Los Alamos. I love going and smelling the green chile roasting! Yum! When I went to college in Colorado, even though it's a border state, I missed Northern New Mexico food so much...there's nothing else like it.

Christmas already?!

This morning I started thinking about Christmas and the gifts I'd like to make for my loved ones. Much of my inspiration for Christmas gifts this year is coming from One Skein and One Skein Wonders. I know if I try any larger projects, they will never get done (like the sweater I started last fall for my husband)! I'm already thinking headbands, hats and scarves; felted bags and wallets; perhaps even a car-scraper mitt (from One Skein Wonders)? I'm always excited to start something new, but I MUST finish Matthew's sweaters, vest and hat first (before he outgrows them)!



Fall is definately in the air here in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico. I noticed this morning that some of the Virginia creeper is starting to turn red, some of the trees' leaves are turning yellow, and I never got warm on my walk even though I was wearing long-sleeves and pants. Fall is my favorite time of year, so I can't wait for more of the leaves to change! I have always loved fall, but I think that I love it more now because my husband and I met during the fall. The season brings back many memories of "firsts" with my husband, and we spent many weekends hiking that first fall together. I am also excited to take Matthew on his first hike. We're just waiting for his neck/head control to get a little stronger before putting him in a backpack.

My First Post!

After months of reading others blogs, I have decided to create my own. I keep an old-fashioned journal to document events in my son's life, but I need an outlet of my own, and I don't want to fill his baby journal with ramblings about myself (I often wonder what he will think when he looks back and reads it). I also need a place to document the plans I have in life--if they're not documented, they might never be finished. You see, I'm a procrastinator in the greatest sense. I love crafts of all sorts, especially knitting, but I don't have many finished projects. I love the act of creating, and perhaps subconsiously I hate to see a project end. I even have a few baby sweaters that my son is going to outgrow if I don't hurry up and finish them! The projects that I do finish are usually gifts, so I don't have much to show for all of my hard work. I hope that by documenting my projects, as well as other goals, I will feel more inspired to finish them. Perhaps I'll also feel more obligated!

Every morning my son and I go for a 45 minute-1 hour long walk. During this time he sleeps (yay!), and I have time for some reflection and day-dreaming, hence the blog's name. I usually think about the next knitting projects I'd like to do, especially what would make a good gift for the loved ones in my life. Recently I also have been thinking about how I'd like to decorate my house, where I'd like to go on vacation, and (now) what I would like to write in my blog. Countless other random thoughts invade my mind as well.

I am currently working on two sweaters for Matthew. One is from the book, Baby Knits for Beginners by Debbie Bliss, and the other is from Natural Knits for Babies and Moms by Louisa Harding. I seriously can't remember the name of the sweater pattern in the Debbie Bliss book because it's been such a long time since I knit the pieces! All I have to do is sew the seams, but I ran out of yarn. Since I'm 45 minutes away from the nearest yarn shop, and I have a 3-month old who is not always cooperative in the car (but most of the time he's a good boy), I have been able to make it down to get the yarn. The sweater I'm working on from Natural Knits is the Harvey Kimono. I just need to finish the second sleeve, sew the seams, and knit the edging. I love the Natural Knits book! My next projects are: Oz Vest and Beanie.

I apologize for the lack of pictures. I really need to get a new digital camera!