Ravelry was the best and worst idea

Nap time is almost over and I've accomplished, oh, NOTHING. I love Ravelry and it's consuming my life!!!!

...Later...

I stepped away from the Ravelry, did some dishes and homework and I'm back. I was home during sunlight hours today, so I took a couple of pictures. This my first real yarn treat to myself - Cascade Baby Alpaca Chunky

I wish I could have taken this outside b/c the color is a really nice blue (and so is my table cloth right now... not so smart).

I'm also taking a few minutes to write thank you notes. The first recient? MIL. Why? Because we finally got my vehicle back from the body shop and it has a starter in it! Yay! This is actually the second starter MIL has given me for Christmas - but we crashed the car the first one was in, so a new one was needed. Anyhow, if a warm car isn't a good reason for a thank you note, nothing is.

B is for Big Boy Carseat

Deuce is now riding in a brand spanking new Britax Marathon, instead of the well-worn, well-loved Graco Snugride (in the background) he's been traveling in until now.

And that's Claude. Very helpful.

Notes from the Office

I slept, or Lord I slept, until 9AM. It's a beautiful thing. I have a wonderful husband and a wonderful son who were both perfectly silent until 9AM. I am blessed today in every sense of the word.

(That's a lot of joy right there!)

I have to start some risotto for "dinner" with my ILs. I call it "dinner" b/c it's at 12:30 which is not the dinner hour so far as I'm concerned. But I'm going with it.

I don't stir risotto constantly (bad! bad!) so that gives me lots of time to clean out the office/craft room/hunting storage/library disaster area room.

I have quite a to-do list based on some of the stuff I unearthed in there:

1. Write more thank yous - I can't even close my thank you card box.
2. Get DeuceDad to build new bookshelf
3. Hang pictures that came out of nursery (a year ago!)

All those important activities will have to wait 4 more weeks until my class is over. I have a renewed desire to apply myself b/c I just found out I got an A on my midterm!!!

Exhaustion

For the first time since blog inception, exhaustion has set in.

This morning I did nothing. In fact, I didn't even drink a cup of coffee until I realized I was nearly comatose. We went to a very fun all day party, played the new game I got for Christmas, Cranium Wow, came home.

Hopefully that was a good rest day, and tomorrow will be a little more productive.

Hello Ravelry, It's so nice to finally meet you!

I got my invitation! My name on Ravelry is deucemom (surprise). I only have 5 more weeks (4 more weeks? can't count) of class and then I can begin an in depth study of all things crocheting! Hee haw!

I am going back to my Alma Mater for a career fair today, and taking the opportunity to visit Misty Hollow, which is an really neat local craft store and the place where I took my first and only painting class.

I'll let you know if I get any good stuff!

A is for Aversion

Deuce has a strong aversion to peas.

Week 1 Day 1

Holy cow I'm out of shape!!

I just did Week 1 Day 1 of C25K and it was hard! I'm glad I'm doing it because my fitness level is pathetic. I'm also regretting agreeing to this b/c of the logistics if nothing else.

I decided to do the workouts at lunch time MWF in our office gym. This will keep me from having to go outside (it was 1 degree this morning), it will save me money by not joining a gym and it will make the most of my time away from Deuce. It will also leave me sweaty and stinking for the remainder of the day.

So here's my dilemma. I can fit in a quick shower if I don't have to do my hair or wear makeup. Do I:
a) only wear makeup in the morning MWF (I work with all dudes, no one will notice)
b) ditch the exercise at lunchtime thing altogether?

For this week at least, I'm taking the clean and fit road. I will shower after the workouts. Better healthy and blotchy than flabby and madeup. (Sounds good...)

Somebody STOP me!

I'm on a roll with signing up for new stuff - I need help! I'm on week 5 of my 10-week project management class, I'm still only 6 rows into The Afghan, I bought more yarn and scrapbooking stuff today, I signed up for the ABC along (b/c I'm a front passenger on Carly's bandwagon), and I'm starting the Couch-to-5K on Monday.

I've lost my finger-lickin' mind!

In 5 weeks, when my class is over, I can start anything I want... I'm just so excited to be through with it, I'm putting the cart before the horse a little bit.

So given all that, what does Saturday night have in store for me? Dinner, playing with some of Deuce's new toys (in the last 2 weeks we've aquired a walker (thanks DeuceGrandma!), a Jumperoo, a play table, and a load of other new toys. It's scandelous.), and maybe finish up the pages I started that the pictures arrive for. If I can get my kitchen table cleared off before I go to bed tonight, I will sleep easy. But I'm not holding my breath!

A green bean is a green bean is a green bean

I tried my hand at making baby food this evening. It's very easy - cook some food up and put it in the blender. My first attempt was destined for failure. Deuce can't stand jarred green beans or peas, so he gets zero green vegetables ever. It's not fresh veggie season, so I got some frozen green beans - which I don't mind and are worlds better than canned.

Oh yeah, not popular. Not popular at all.

Next step is to cut them with sweet potato or squash or something else he likes. It was worth a try.

What will come to be known as "The Afghan"

While DeuceDad was home last night, I started The Afghan. It's February/Amethyst from Living Arts's Birthstone Afghans book. It's a 4'x5' monstrosity of crocheted cables, which I've heard are not for beginners. I did the foundation row and one row of the actual pattern, and it's complicated, but not that bad, stitch-wise. The bad part is that in order for it to be finished by Grandma's birthday part (February 16) I have to crochet about 2" per day, or about 2 rows. What are the chances this actually happens?

I can see it now - I will spend some of my valuable crocheting time trying to post some kind of progress ticker on the blog and then get crabby when I have to crochet furiously on the car ride to the party.

Pic of progress so far to follow.

Things that go Fuss in the night

This "only b-milk will do" kick is really taking it out of me. Deuce nurse 6 times yesterday, two of them in the night. I'm so glad it's Saturday!

I'm on my own today because DeuceDad had trouble at the plant this week and has to work all day, and then is doing archery league tonight. It's been baby heaven this morning, then napping and a glorious glorious shower for DeuceMom.

The housework is there glaring at me, but new scrapbook paper on the kitchen table and 85 oz of new yarn for an afghan for my grandma's birthday is beckoning, reminding my how short naptime really is. My exhaustion is saying "nap." My brain is saying "scrap." My fingers are saying "crochet." The angel on my shoulder is saying "clean."

And yet, I blog.

Gimme Gimme Gimme

The scrapbook swap was a great success! I got rid of some of my scrapbook paper, but even 4 women hungry for fresh stuff couldn't make a dent. More importantly I got enough Christmas paper and other new paper to make about a dozen pages. Rock!

I think fun was had by all, and am considering making it a yearly thing.

I have a major case of the gimme's right now. I want to get new craft stuff and not necessarily do any actually crafting. I have a whole list of scrapbooking and crocheting projects to do, but shopping just seems like more fun.

Deuce also has the gimme's. He is now refusing formula. He will eat food and drink water, but it's b-milk or nothing, milk-wise. Not that I mind. It's like being picked first for the team. He's just the cutest thing - he's made up his baby mind and will accept no substitute for b-milk.

So this weekend we have to work on the sippy cup to make sure he's getting enough fluids during the day, clean house, and I will make time to craft come h-e-double-hockeysticks or high water (we have high water, so there is actually a chance hell makes an appearance).

Yay Crochet at Lunchtime!

Today was the first Crafty Lunch and it was really fun! I brought crocheting, one person brought knitting, one person brought cake(!), and two people just came to chat. It was fun and we're doing it again next week.

It was also great to stay in since we're having gail force winds here!

I was disappointed with both my projects. Rebecca's purple/pink scarf has been taken apart and yarn messily wound one too many times and it's a rats nest. I'm staying true to what I said and quitting. I already made her a purple scarf and have enough of the yarn to make a hat. I can't keep torturing myself. Oh, and yes, the has eyelash yarn, but in my defense it's for a 2 year old!

And the Valentine's dishcloth that I came up with (and which was going to be called I Love Dishes) didn't come out well at all. I thought I could just do a back-post hdc for the heart to get it raised up. It's raised, but not enough to know it's there unless you really REALLY try to see it. Maybe if it was a solid color? I'm going to search around on the internet - maybe there's a better way to get a raised pattern.

I have to get ready for the scrapbook paper swap tomorrow so I don't know if I'll crochet any tonight. I'm still a little tired out from being under the weather yesterday. Seems like a good excuse to put on jammies and snuggle babies!

One Goooood lookin' baby

By request, here are some Deuce pictures!
This is the hat and booties Aunt FSIL made. Somehow his head is growing out of the hat.


Here's my stocking cap (also getting a little snug on the head)

Crochet pics

Here is the first scarf I ever finished (my first first one is still in my bag...)

You can kind of see how I was only picking up the front loop and it makes a weird stripe (although that stripe makes a great washcloth!)

Here's the mitre scarf that needs fixing. It was supposed to be a treble crochet down the length but I did double by accident and I don't like the width. Plus it's freakishly long and may become 2 scarves.

Here's my favorite scarf - it has a hole in one end to pull the other end through. I'm such a disaster all the time, I need help staying dressed. And that's Claude. He's a big help.

This is the basket weave blanket that needs edging.

And is is my favorite thing I've crocheted - our nursing blanket. Deuce and I have spent many happy hours in this blanket.

Is it Spring 2007?

It's 65 degrees and sunny outside and I don't care because I'm home sick. Sounds familiar. (For background, I was out of work last spring with pre-eclampsia).

I do have to venture out today for some essentials, and because the library got the copies of Super Baby Food and No Cry Sleep Solution that I reserved. I'm feeling much better anyhow.

It's incredible, when I look back on it, how I was home for 8 weeks this spring and didn't enjoy the weather, the time off, anything. I felt so horrible. Even my limited to do list for today (shower, one thing from grocery store, library, lay around and read) would have exhausted me completely. Apparently high blood pressure does that to a person. What I wouldn't give for that time now that I'm back in good health.

Oh, one more thing to work on today - figure out how to post pictures! Maybe I need to figure out photobucket or flickr or something. I want to post some pics of completed projects (modeled by Deuce of course).

Enjoy your day! I'm going to go lay down!

Since you asked

Deuce isn't my kid's actual name. There was some concern on the moms board I post on. It was a legitimate question, considering the source, b/c that group has seen similar names given to innocent unsuspecting children.

Just wanted to clear that up.

Bottoms up!

In baby news, Deuce has been lifting his bottom or front but not both - until now. He's on hands and knees rocking back and forth and scooting backwards! Crawling is imminent! Crap!

So Christmas got boxed up and put away and next weekend's project is the whole crawling around picking up choking hazards and chemicals thing. I'm excited to see him accomplish, but it's so strange to think that we had seven months with him being immobile and that's all we get. Ever. Deuce-motherhood can be bittersweet.

In crafting news, I took Rebecca's scarf apart once b/c I didn't have enough CC for the whole length. I restarted, 9 sts across (meant to do 10, but that's the beauty of a plain old sc scarf), alternating 2 rows of MC w/ 2 rows MC and CC together. Looked good, but still too short for it's 2 year old recipient. So I took it out AGAIN and restarted 5 sts across, alternating 4 rows of MC w/ 4 rows MC and CC together. I love this little girl, I do. But not this much. One more mess up and she's getting a puzzle.

I set up a scrapbook paper swap for Thursday - I'm so excited about this! Guests are bringing stacks/loose paper, whatever they aren't using to trade with others. We're going to eat (of course), then everyone just spreads their goods out on the table and takes what they like. I'm doing this in particular b/c I don't have ANY 12x12 Christmas paper, and I have TONS of baby's first Christmas pictures. So yes, it's self serving, but I have so much paper to trade too.

Okay, next week is starting whether I like it or not, so I'd better put the coffee pot together.

The Eternal Question - Is This A Good Idea?

Last night I was considering if I really want to invest time into a blog. I mean, there are people in the real world that deserve my attention, right? But I'm going to try it out. My rationale is that it could be a creative thing that doesn't require me to clear off the kitchen table or battle my cat for yarn.

Justified!

Crafty Lunchers? Lunchy Crafters?

In an effort to avoid the single-digit weather outside, some of the women at work and I are going to meet up at lunchtime and either chat or bring a craft project with us. I know this seems insane. And quilting bee-esque. But it's cold and we're sick of sitting at our desks alone when it's cold outside!

I have a scarf in the works that's easy enough to crochet while talking, so I'm excited about that.

I just can't get over the feeling that it's a little odd to crochet at lunch. Or for a 27 year old to be crocheting at all. So the alterior motive is to hang out with some other twenty- and early thirty-somethings that also do crafts.

Maybe if we come up with a better name for our group. Right now we're going with Crafty Lunchers. I mean, we have to put something on our Outlook calendars. If the group takes off maybe it will name itself.

Adventures in Deuce-Motherhood

Welcome to my first blog!

I've been thinking for a long time about starting a blog as an outlet for some of the stuff I'm doing and thinking in the process of Deuce-Motherhood survival. I've never been one that excels at balancing everything I want and need to do so I'm constantly a work in progress.

Add to my usual struggles the birth of my beautiful son, affectionately known as Deuce, in June 2007, and I feel like I'm on an amusement park ride without the seatbelt!

I owe DAP to my BIL's girlfriend (probably future sister-in-law, here on out known as PFSIL). Her blog kasiaiscarly.blogspot.com inspired me to start this blog. So she gets some of the credit and some of the blame for the fact that I'm spending my time this way!

Lots to do, lots to learn,
DeuceMom