Walking with Dino

She's getting better at this every day...

It is finished

The Advent scarf is done!



We had our last class for the scarf tonight. I had everything done but that damn Day 12. I was determined to finish it, no matter what kind of mood I was in. Things didn't start well, seeing as I ran late (forgot my purse at home--*sigh*). But I settled in, got knitting, modified a stitch a bit, and all of a sudden I was done.

This being a dark red yarn, I need to put it up to the light to really show the patterns. So I went all Christmas Geek and threw it on the big tree and the little tree. I tried to get a closeup of Day 12, but my hands weren't steady enough and you don't need the headache of a blurry picture. I still need to block it, which will make some of the lace even more beautiful, so maybe I'll get a shot then.

I'm tempted to do this again in a white yarn I found in my craft room. And our instructor is already talking about a different set of textured patterns for next year. I can't wait.

Coming up: another Work in Progress event. We have 3 months to register and complete as many works in progress as we can. I have a 4-year-old sweater I'd really like to finish.

Christmas in Pictures

Hanging out with Daddy at Maw's house. Note her cute little sweater dress



Opening her Christmas presents from Grania. Note the cool Winnie the Pooh chair, just for her



"Mmmmmm, paper..."


The whole gang surrounded by presents



Checking out her new book



Opening yet more presents at home, wearing her new ladybug hat



With her new pop-up toy, and surrounded by just a few books...




Checking out her stocking




Walking behind her Dino walker



Merry Christmas!

Advent Scarf: Day 22

For the first time in a while, I got a day's pattern done on that day. I took these last night.



Not the sharpest focus, but you get the idea :)



2 more days!

Catching up big time

From top to bottom, Day 18 through Day 21. I love how the lily of the valley (2nd from top) turned out



In front of a light, so you can get a better idea.

S is likely going to bed early tonight, so I may have time to do Day 22, or at least get it started.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

When the 4(!) boxes of Christmas presents came from Nana and Tapa, we knew it was time to light and decorate the tree. We wanted the room to actually get it accomplished.


Ta da. S even got her First Christmas ornament snuggled on a branch in there.


She thought the tree was pretty cool.



Mommy showed off a few ornaments to her.

The gifts are piling up, and it looks like it will be a wrapping paper extravaganza around here in a few days.

Working my way backwards

I just went ahead and did Day 21 today, a Russian lace pattern called chained hearts. This knit up pretty quickly.



and up against the window



Tonight I'll start at Day 20 and work back.

Falling behind

Yesterday was knitting class, so I could take that damn Day 12 pattern and get some help. I swear our teacher Tricia ripped out at least one row in the 4-row repeat at least once. I thought I had it, but I came home and attempted just one more row, screwing it up yet again. I ripped the whole thing out and vowed to figure it out later.

I'm now a few days behind, but for some reason I'm not too worried. Unlike last week when I would wake up in the middle of the night wondering how I was going to finish Day X. I know I have some time over the next week or 2, so I'll get it done eventually.

Today is football and quality time with S. Here's a picture to tide you over.

Advent Scarf: Day 17

Elfin lace




Our pattern creator said she liked it because it looked like little faces. I'm not imaginative enough to see it, but I still like how it turned out.

I'm excited for tomorrow morning. I get to fix Day 12!

Advent Scarf: Day 16

I really liked this one. Here's one with flash, to give a slightly different perspective.



And without flash. J helped hold this still so I didn't get a blurry picture.

The scarf is getting pretty substantial. It goes around my neck down to mid-waist. I'm pretty excited.

Baby's First Christmas

I was going to write a long, drawn-out post about Christmas traditions when I was single, then the melding of traditions when J and I got married, and how it all went out the window this year, what with illness and exhaustion and a very mobile baby. But instead I'll just say the mini tree went up last night.


I strung the lights


S helped decorate the tree. We used all the Peanuts ornaments that J's mom painted when he was little.


S enjoyed the process


She thought the tree was really pretty



Happy almost-Christmas!

Better

S is feeling better. I'm feeling better. I finished the first draft of my work project. The weather is getting slightly warmer. And I'm caught up on my Advent scarf (minus that pesky Day 12, which will be resolved this weekend).



Can't wait to see what Day 16 brings!

One step forward, and hold...

As stated, it was an easy, relaxing section. Which I needed. My freelance work is heating up, S is suffering from her cold, and time is precious right now. Day 14 is sitting on a cabinet upstairs, and I'm really hoping to get caught up tomorrow ::fingers crossed::

9 month appointment

S had her 9-month appointment yesterday. Good timing, as she had a cold so the doctor got to check that out while we were there.

She stood up all by herself on the big-person scale, and weighed in at 20.1 lb. She is 27 1/2" long and has a 17 3/4" head circumference. She's off the charts as far as motor skills, and is doing great.

Her doctor and I talked about various things like what she's eating (and what she should be eating), her milestones, etc. He basically said to keep doing what we're doing, and he'll see us in March.

It took forever to get out of there, because everyone wanted to stop and say hi to S and give her some cuddles.

Yay for good appointments!

Catching up, giving up, and moving on

Days 10 and 11 are done. I finished them up at the beginning of Day 12 *sigh*



A little more in focus, as I didn't have them near a curious child who was crawling toward my scarf.



I ripped out Day 12 twice yesterday, or was it 3 times? But that's the beauty of this. I can hold off on Day 12 until my next knitting class, and move on to Day 13. It will make my scarf unique ;) Day 13 said something about it being a relaxing pattern, and that's what I need right now.

Catching up

Day 8 is done. I was worried about this, but it turned out beautifully



In front of a lovely winter background



Aaand, Day 9 is done. I like

Kid pictures to make some people happy

I whipped out the camera while S was playing today


Checking out one of Daddy's Celtic CDs



"What's on my head?"




"Pink bears are yummy"





She was probably after the cat

Back in the saddle

Day 7 is fixed.

Hit a knitting wall

Yesterday's pattern was a little off, and I couldn't figure out whether I should just modify and soldier on, or rip it out. By the time I reached that point, I was halfway through the Day 7 pattern and had developed a cold.

Plus my freelancing at work has picked up, so my stuffy head has to think about science while S naps.

This morning I gave up, ripped it out, and tried again. By row 3 something was off. Again. And I still feel icky.

I'm either going to just do Day 8 and come back to Day 7 later, or I'll do both later when I feel better.

Boo.

Advent Scarf: Day 6

Yeah, I've definitely turned a corner



I banged this out this morning before the baby woke up. She's still sleeping (never wake a sleeping baby) and I can focus on my other knitting later tonight.



It's lightly snowing and is apparently going to be "brisk" outside today. S and I are going to settle in and enjoy the day.

Advent Scarf: Day 5 (and a confession)

To begin this post, I'd like to thank my daughter, who had a bad night, meaning she's been in bed most of the afternoon. This enabled me to do my 16 rows of horseshoe lace. And a load of cloth diaper laundry, and a load of dishes, and some Christmas decorating. Ahhhh....

She's stirring now, so on to the pictures (and the confession)


The scarf so far in front of the window


Tossed on the carpet

The confession: I don't like lace. Let's amend that: lace makes me nervous. I feel like I spend most of the time stressed about dropping a stitch and messing up the whole pattern, and having to rip back to the beginning only to be stresssed again.

But a funny thing happened today--I loved doing the horseshoe lace. Loved it. It was so nice and relaxing. I sat back with the NFL on TV, a mug of chamomile tea on the side table, and knitted lace. And it's beautiful.

Maybe I've turned a corner...

Advent Scarf: Day 4

Today's pattern was a fern pattern, and I think it turned out really well.



I took 2 pictures just to get a better idea of how it looks so far. Above is hanging from my (surprisingly steady) hand, and below is tossed on the carpet.

Can't wait for tomorrow!