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Sunday, December 28, 2008

Beads for the Forest Mimosa

I got the beads today! I cast-on tomorrow!


click on the pic to enlarge

Christmas Celebration

Our Christmas celebration is over. Alex is sleeping/nursing, he fell asleep about ten minutes after the last person left. He was so tired!

We had a great time, 11 people packed into my little bitty apartment. I cooked a feast for my family which included: Black Forest Ham, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Stovetop Stuffing with Gravy, Yum Yams, Cranberry Sauce, and a Chevres Cheese Ball.

My Grandma brought a Green Bean Casserole, olives, cookies, and fudge. My Mother and Aunt brought crackers for the cheese ball and milk. For desert, I made a Chocolate Chip Pudding Cake with Chocolate Glaze.

Gifts were exchanged and we had a wonderful time visiting with everyone. I really enjoyed this Christmas. I liked having everyone come to my house instead of going to someone else's house.

A Tearful Farewell to Co-sleeping Continues

December 26, Alex fell asleep on my lap, and I decided that rather than put him in his own bed and risk him waking up shaking again, that I would just let him sleep with us.

December 27, I layed down with him in his bed and nursed him to sleep. I tried several times to get up and move to my own bed, but every time I tried, Alex would wake up and latch back on or snuggle up to me and grab my shirt tightly. I ended up sleeping the whole night with him in his bed. When I woke up this morning at 9am, I was able to get up without disturbing him. He slept two more hours.

Friday, December 26, 2008

A Tearful Farewell to Co-sleeping Begins

Alexander is 22 months old, and has been co-sleeping with us since the day he was born. I have always read and have heard that when a child is ready to move to his own bed, we would know. And contrary to the grave admonitions of some who claimed that if we didn’t move him to his own bed by the time he was 1 year old he would never leave our bed, the time has come on its own.

For the past week or so, Alex has been climbing out of bed in the middle of the night and lying down on the floor next to the bed. Shortly he would realize where he is, and will climb back into bed. We have decided that, since he is showing the initiative to leave the bed, we won’t hinder him.

We moved the mattress from his crib (He broke his crib months ago, jumping on it... we disassembled it and threw it all out except the mattress, which has been living in a play tent in his room.) into our room and put it on the floor on Christmas Eve. Alex had fallen asleep on my lap during a movie. We moved him to his new bed and climbed into bed ourselves. The new found space was a little unsettling, but we managed to *gasp* cuddle each other till we fell asleep.

About two hours later, I woke up and could not get back to sleep. I looked over at Alex and he was sleeping soundly and hadn’t moved at all. I went over and checked on him, and came back to bed. It seemed like I was having more trouble than he was with this new arrangement! I fell back asleep.

An hour later I bolted awake; Alex had rolled off of the crib mattress onto the floor and was sitting up shaking and crying. I can imagine his surprise at not being in bed with us, or on my lap where he fell asleep! I reacted. I scooped him up and brought him back to our bed and we snuggled and I nursed him back to sleep. We slept the rest of the night comfortably, our situation back to normal.

Christmas Day, I decided that Alex should spend some time in his new bed during the day so that he could get familiar with being there. We spent some time in the bedroom playing, Alex jumped on his bed and played in the corners, I tickled him, and we had a playful pillow fight.

Christmas night, I decided that the best thing would be for him to fall asleep in his bed, rather than for me to put him to sleep and move him to his bed. I watched for signs of him getting sleepy. When he was starting to get tired, we went to the bedroom and repeated our pillow fight from earlier. He was beside himself with laughter and a little too worked up to fall asleep immediately. Perfect!

I lay down on some couch cushions that Shawn had stuffed between Alex’s mattress and the wall. We thought this was a wonderful idea, it gives me a place to lay down with Alex, and prevents Alex from rolling off the bed and startling himself awake. Alex lay down next to me and nursed, wandered over to our bed where Shawn was laying, wandered back over to me to nurse, investigated his new bed area, kicked at the walls... It went like this for about 45 minutes till he fell asleep. I moved back to my bed and snuggled with my husband again. I could get used to this!

About an hour later, I woke up to Alex patting my hip. He was asking to come into our bed. I pulled him up and he sleepily rooted for my breast. We fell back asleep. About two hours later, I woke up to find him back in his own bed. I didn’t notice him getting out of our bed, but there he was! I smiled and went back to sleep. Sometime during the night he climbed back into our bed and remained for the rest of the night. I woke up with him snuggled into my armpit.

I will write more as the nights wear on...

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Acknowledging God's Hand in My Life

Last week, I wanted to knit a pair of socks using two circulars, but... alas, I only had one of the necessary circulars...

My husband informs me three days ago that I need to organize my knitting needles and crochet hooks, before Alex loses them for me...

I get a coupon to JoAnn's, but I throw the coupon away, thinking "I'll never get to use this..."

Yesterday I got an anonymous gift card to JoAnn's in the amount of $25 for Christmas...

Today, I decide to go to JoAnn's to see what I can find.

While I'm putting on my shoes my son comes running in with a piece of paper which turns out to be a valid 40% off coupon to JoAnn's

I get to JoAnn's and wander back to the needles thinking that I can at least get the other circular I need... they were 25% off

Right next to the needles is a knitting needle and crochet hook organizer that is not on sale, meaning I could use the coupon on it! I think to myself, "if I get to the register and don't have enough money, I'll just pick up a couple skeins of yarn instead...

I get to the register and my total is $24.69

God is definitely looking out for me! I know it is a simple thing... going to the store is nothing spectacular, but it just seems a little convenient that all these things just fall into place. God is reminding me that He is there and that He loves me and wants me to be happy!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

A Secret Santa

I received a letter today, the return address block simply said "Santa". The Secret Santa wrote my address in a deliberate choppy block style that completely precluded identifying the penmanship of the author. I opened it, curious to see if the secret Santa would reveal themselves, but no luck.

Inside was a single piece of paper that simply read, "For fun." Wrapped carefully in the letter, were two gift certificates, one for me, to JoAnn Fabric and Craft Store... and one for my son, to Toys R Us.

I have no idea who would do such a wonderful thing! It was completely unexpected! We have a very tight budget, and to receive such an unexpected gift was wonderful! Our Bishop stopped by last week and gave us some money for Christmas, but it went directly toward things we needed for the house instead of just having some fun. These unexpected gift certificates can't be spent on things like food or bills... as the letter knowingly stated, it will be used "for fun".

Thank you to whoever it was who sent such a wonderful Christmas gift!

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Snow Boobs

We just took my almost 2 year old son outside to play in the snow... his first time as last year he was too young.

We have 3-4 inches here in Poulsbo, WA. and he was eating as much as he could hoark down! He had a blast!

Then he got cold and decided it was time to come in to warm up and eat sugar cookies and milk... momma's milk...

BRRRRRR!!!!! Cold little hands and an even colder mouth on my breasts! BRRRRRR!!!!!


Here is a video of him frolicking in the snow...

Sunday, December 14, 2008


Our first snow of the season! We are truly blessed to live in such a beautiful area.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

A (not so) Silent Night

Carolers just came to my door! It was wonderful! They were a bunch of the youth from my church and their teachers. They brought cookies and sang Silent Night for me. I gone caroling with my family, but I've never been caroled before... it was a new experience!

Forest Mimosa - Finished Swatching



I have swatched for the Forest Mimosa... can't wait to get the beads, and get started!

This swatch was done with size 8 needles... I love the fabric and the way it lays, but the guage is not right... it is too small. But I swatched to the right guage with size 10 needles, and I don't like the fabric. So my solution? I will add one chart repeat to each side of the center stitch of the pattern! It will be bigger, and I will get the fabric I like!

Monday, December 8, 2008

Building Blocks

Alex came running out of his room with a single block. He layed it carefully on the floor in the kitchen and ran back to his room, grabbed another single block and brought it back and stacked it on the first.... one by one he brought out enough blocks to build a tower almost as tall as him!

This is the first time Alex has done this, so we got the camera and quickly turned it on him. Lately though, he hasn't been wanting to be caught on camera... he wasn't pleased when he discovered we were filming him.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Henna, Act III


Today, my friend hennaed my hair again. This time with lemon juice as the activator.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Fire Department Christmas

Every year our local fire department drives around the city with "Santa" and his sleigh on top of the big red engine. They toot their horn and have all the flashy lights on and play Christmas carols and people walk along with the truck giving out candy canes to all the people who come out of their houses.

This year Alex got to see it for the first time! He was a little scared by it all and snuggled into my shoulder as we stood outside our apartment singing along with the carols as the truck went by. A very nice lady came up and gave us some candy canes and wished us a Merry Christmas. It is wonderful to see this every year, even though we don't celebrate Santa... People singing Christmas carols like "Silent Night" and "Oh, Come All Ye Faithful" and wishing people a Merry Christmas rather than a Happy Holidays.... it warms the heart.
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