…Lie Lay Sit Kneel.
There was a huge downpour while we were eating dinner, and as I was cleaning up the table after dinner I glanced out the window and spotted this double rainbow.
Apparently, a shawl I knit four years ago has generated some interest at Knitting Daily. How exciting! But when I clicked the link to my own page, I realized that all of my actual current projects weren’t even mentioned on my current projects list. So, without further ado, here are my current projects:
Clue #1 and the first 20 rows of Clue #2 of the Mystery Stole #3:
The Tango baby sweater:
Carrie’s “summer” sweater, Reid:
Never fear, sockpal, lombard street sock #2 is ready for the heel turn:
And finally, here’s the tiny 20-yard skein of my smooshy pink yarn, all balled up and ready to be swatched:
Whew! See, I really can blog about things that are not related to potty training! ;)
Dear Carolyn,
Today you are two and three-quarters. You’re starting to ask if you’re three yet. I think you just want a birthday party, since a couple of your friends have just turned three and had their birthday parties!
You have nearly figured out the whole potty training thing at this point. We are all so excited! We’ve successfully run errands with big-kid underpants several times already, and every time we both get a bit more confident in this new diaper-free life. The only downside? You have nothing to hold your pants up anymore – we’re going to have to find an easy-to-open belt! (You did not get the tall-and-skinny genes from me!)
Your latest obsession is audio books. We probably eat at Wendy’s a little more often than we should (although that’s the only fast food we ever eat) and they’re currently giving out audio books on CD instead of toys in their kids’ meal. You will now fall asleep to “Junie B. Jones Has a Monster Under Her Bed” nearly every night. You love it! You’re just generally so interested in letters and books right now, it doesn’t surprise me that you love the concept of falling asleep listening to a story instead of music.
In just a few short weeks you’ll be starting preschool. I had a hard time deciding whether to send you this fall or not. I’m concerned that you will most likely be the youngest in your class – by far – since the trend has been to hold children back a whole year. You will be four in kindergarten when many of your classmates are already six. But you are so smart, so social, and so eager to learn, I think I would be doing you a disservice to keep you back just because you happened to be born in the fall instead of the spring. Hopefully you won’t hate me for it in a few years!
The other day you fell asleep sitting next to me in a chair and I snuggled you on my lap while you slept. It’s been more than two whole years since you napped while I held you, and I couldn’t believe how much bigger you’ve grown. And yet, when you woke up, you still did your little baby sleepy stretch. See? You’re still my baby. Even if you are two and three-quarters.
Love, Mommy
It turns out I was too sick to go to the release party for Harry Potter 7. But Denis, Carrie, Nana and Poppy picked it up for me yesterday on their way to the grocery store. I meant to read it slowly, to savor it since it was the last book…but I couldn’t. I’m sure there are people who haven’t finished reading yet, so all I’ll say is that it was riveting. I plan to re-read the entire series at some point…but I have some sorely neglected knitting I need to do first!
In other news, Carrie isn’t completely potty trained yet, but she is -><- this close. She went and ran those errands yesterday in panties, and went to a public restroom when she needed to go. I haven't changed a single diaper (except at night/first thing in the morning) since Thursday, and there have only been two little accidents. I am so proud of her - and I really can't take much credit for it, it's like a switch flipped and she just figured it out. (Hopefully I didn't just jinx everything...)
I was cleaning out my refrigerator this morning, tossing a few things out and collecting plates to put in the dishwasher, when I heard the oddest sound. It started out as a loud, wavering “BeeeeEEEEeeeeEEEEeeeeP!”, and then resolved itself into “Beep! Beep! Beep!”…”Beep! Beep! Beep!”.
I realized it was a smoke detector going off, so I tried to stay calm. I’m sick and can’t smell anything, so I couldn’t tell if there was smoke. They dryer was running downstairs, so I ran down to the basement to check the laundry room – nothing, and the beeping was much quieter. I ran upstairs to check the second floor – nothing, and the beeping was quieter up there too. I checked the carbon monoxide detector – nothing.
So I called my mom, who ran over to try to help me out. I was trying to decide whether to evacuate the dogs and Carrie, but I couldn’t find any hint of fire anywhere. And no matter where I went in the house, the beeping got quieter – except in the kitchen. By this time my mom was here, and we determined where the beeping was coming from: the kitchen trash.
Denis had replaced the malfunctioning smoke detector in the foyer earlier in the week. And, apparently, he didn’t take the battery out before tossing it in the trash. As of this moment, the smoke detector is still beeping out in the trash can in the garage. I’m not digging through there to take the battery out!
I have absolutely no idea where the week has gone. None. All I know is that it’s already Thursday. Tomorrow, Clue #4 of the Mystery Stole comes out…and I’m not even halfway through Clue #1. Tomorrow, Denis’ parents are coming for the weekend. But tomorrow is also very important for one other reason…
The book – you know, The Book! – is going to be available!
I’m toying with the idea of going to the release party tomorrow night, so I can get the book as soon as possible. Would that be crazy?
Check out the pink smooshy yarn I made!
The yarn is currently drying out from its bath, after which I’ll use that 20 yard skein for some swatching. I’ve never knit anything from my own hand spun yarn. This is very exciting!
Oh, and I treated my completely unfinished wheel to a coat of walnut oil today with my dad’s help. It looks absolutely gorgeous now – the oil really brought out the grain of the wood!
Last night I painted Carrie’s toenails. She didn’t ask for it, and it’s been so long since I wore nail polish I’m not even sure why I thought of doing it. She looks so grown up with her pretty pink toenails!
In potty training news, Carrie finally filled up her sticker chart – we had a one-month break during which she refused to even look at a potty, so it’s been a while – and her reward was to go to the Strong Museum and ride the train. She was thrilled, and picked out her “party dress with the flowers” and a pair of Elmo panties. Which both needed to be changed when I made the mistake of taking a three minute shower, during which I was interrupted by “Mommy, I had an accident, but I wiped it up with clean panties.” Um…good job? Not really. The museum visit was pretty uneventful, until we were dashing to the car in the worst downpour ever (think extra-powerful shower type water) and Carrie tripped and wound up with her first skinned knee. Oh, and during her non-nap (quiet time? can I call it that if she’s not quiet?) I heard “Mommy, I need you, I went poopy in my diaper.” and I ran upstairs to find said diaper no longer on the bottom in question. Sigh. It’s been a long day.
I really think she’s nearly trained. (I think I’ve said that before.) She is accident-free as long as she’s bottomless. So this weekend the goal is to teach her to keep underwear dry. Wish me luck!
Here’s my swatch for the Mystery Stole:
The bottom half is on US4/3.5mm needles, the top half (with the beads) is on US2/3mm needles. I think I’d ideally like to use the size in between…but all of my size 3 needles are currently in projects! (I apparently gravitate towards projects that are all the same gauge at the same time.)
Anyway. So I don’t know what to do. I prefer the looser look on the bottom, but I think it’s just a smidge too loose. Maybe I’ll finish up a baby sweater sleeve that’s currently on 3’s and swatch again today. I could always order another pair of needles, I suppose. I’ll try not to stress that I’m already 10 days behind everyone else. I’m a fast knitter, I can probably catch up!
The beading technique is pretty cool, though. You use a crochet hook to put them on as needed instead of stringing them all on before starting to knit. It’s a bit fiddly, especially considering how teeny-tiny (1.05mm!) the crochet hook is, but it’s also a bit addictive.