Archive for May, 2010

May 13th, 2010

Little John

by Christina

My sister, Heather, sent me this photo she took of John while I was at their house on Friday. I was helping Rachel with a sock that she was making. John decided he would help me pull out the yarn  – so cute. I wonder if he’ll take up knitting — who knows. It’s up to him. He is a all-around boy – he loves making, what I call, “boy noises”, deep rumbling sounds. It is rather startling because you don’t expect it from such a little guy. I took a video and will up-load it soon — you all will enjoy it.

On another note: John’s rash is much improved! Ah! The skin is healing nicely and he doesn’t seem to be bothered by it any more. I’m so happy. It’s the roughest thing when your baby looks at you with tearful, pleading eyes and you can’t do much about his distress.

May 11th, 2010

Total Melt Down

by Christina

Oh, my goodness, parenting definitely gives you some weird adventures. But this one led me to a total melt down this afternoon…

You would think that because I lived over in Africa fungal infections and weird skin lesions wouldn’t bother me – I mean, hey, I’ve done that, seen that, had that happen.

Well, John has a fungal/yeast/whatever infection in his diaper area. I am told that it isn’t because I don’t bath my baby – I do. This fact is helping me through the “I’m a bad mom” scenario.  Never the less, this “whatever” infection has me in tatters. I’m freaked out by it as well as in tears because he seems to be really irritated by it.

I guess this is fairly common with disposable diapers!? I never thought I would hear myself say this, but I am ready to go out and buy cloth diapers AND I am hunting around on the internet for good soaker patterns!

My melt down stopped when I realized that I had the ability to make a “cloth” diaper this very afternoon and therefore give the creams the air and time to work.

I was given a bunch of the old style, cheese cloth looking diaper liner thingies at a baby shower. The lady said that she used them for burp cloths. I was also given some old fashion diaper pins – they were used for decoration at that particular shower. AND, Nancy L, made me a wonderful soaker that I have used for decoration, since I wasn’t ever going to touch a cloth diaper — ha, ha! NEVER SAY NEVER!

So, here he is in his make-shift cloth diaper.  How does he look?  Mary F — are you out there? Can you believe it? He’s wearing a soaker! Now I’m off to hunt down some cute soaker patterns — I think I really like the one Nancy L made.

May 8th, 2010

The Garden

by Christina

The garden and I are in the midst of a odd relationship right now. I’m feel like I am so pressed for time that I actually sometimes resent it’s presence in my life.

Yet, when I get out there I feel so relaxed and at peace that I regret that I didn’t go out and dig in the garden sooner. There is just something so wonderful about the miracle of the garden.

This year I decided to dig up the garden by the side of the house that was the perennial garden, put some good soil in and make that the tomato/pepper/herb garden.

The garden in front of the back deck became the perennial garden.

In the process of digging up the tomato garden I went out to our back woods, to the pile of grass clippings we had put out there last summer and found the most wonderful, black, rich soil you could ever imagine. That firmed up my resolve to compost. So last Saturday JK spent the day with me and we built a compost cage! I couldn’t be happier and I know my garden is pleased with me.

May 7th, 2010

Respect the Spindle

by Christina

Have you seen this new book? Oh, my goodness, it is a wonderful new spindle spinning book by Abby – THE spinning Abby and is one of the best spindle spinning books I have seen in a long time.

Sunday afternoon I sat in a big comfy chair in our sunroom and read and read. However, soon I was getting the itch to spin.

So out came my little Spindolyn (a supported spindle, soon to be available at Stitches & Scones) and I started spinning. I had sooooo much fun! I think my two wheels are going to feel neglected soon – the Spindolyn is so much fun!

May 6th, 2010

Knitting Zimmermann

by Christina

For those of you keeping up with my crazy project, there’s a new post over on Knitting Zimmermann.

May 6th, 2010

My boys

by Christina

I don’t think it fully hit me until this Saturday morning when I took this picture – I am the only girl in our household. I am surrounded by three lovely boys. So strange -

Our good dog, Bobby, has come to adore John. He often sits by him and acts as his “guardian angel.” Every day John crawls over to Bobby to touch him and so far I have been able to catch him and get Bobby to move. I’m also trying to teach John not to touch the dog… but we’ll see.

My little baby munchkin — such a sweetie

May 5th, 2010

A Knockoff

by Christina

Two weeks ago, after reading BrooklynTweed’s post about his Romney Kerchief, I was so inspired to knit something simple and fun, no planning or plotting involved, just me, the yarn and my whim, that I cast on my own version of a kerchief.

With one skein of JoJoland Melody superwash Color#MS26 and #3, 24″ circular needles I cast on as you would for a shawl and off I went. I used YO increases rather than invisible ones like BT did. I also changed up the garter ridges, placing two close to each other separated by a wider space.

I love the results. I wish it were in cotton so I could wear it all summer long. I would like to dry it in Ty Dy Cotton, but we don’t have any good colors as my LYS, =( Ah, well.

I enjoyed this project so much. It was my comfort knitting, my zone-out knitting. I think I’m going to cast on another….

May 4th, 2010

Ready to give

by Christina

Sunday night I sat down and put the buttons on Little Laura’s cardigan. I always hate sewing on buttons. If I’m not wearing the sweater immediately after it gets off my needles, a project can languish on my desk for days or weeks. Yes, I really don’t like sewing. I was never any good at it and even the smallest thing like sewing on a button seems to go wrong.

This time it was more of a calculation misdemeanor. I had made 5 button holes and had purchased 4 buttons. UGH! So I dug out my tiny little pint jar of saved buttons and sifted through to find some that would look nice. Thankfully I had some dainty little glass buttons I had saved off a blouse and adorned Laura’s cardigan with them.

Which reminds me, I really need to go button hunting – I hear there are so me antique shops nearby that have good antique buttons….