Belle Bottom Bunny

I needed a toy that would whip up in a moment to finish off the gift my mother and I are putting together for a shower. I didn't want to add legs or arms and I didn't want to spend a long time knitting it. I also wanted to incorporate a bell I've had kicking around for a year or so waiting for the perfect toy. I wound up knitting Belle Bottom Bunny. She has a soft head, an i-cord loop for attaching a link, and a sweet jingle bell in her bottom. Best of all she only took 2hrs of furious knitting to make up.

Check out the video to hear her sing!

Yarn Along

Stomper is reading through a bunch of books given to him by someone at the daycare. We spread the book love around some and gave some to Grandma, Mimi, and the daycare so that everyone can have new books.

I am reading though the Princess Academy a second time so that book two, that my library bought at my request, will make more sense. I love our local library. Specifically the children's librarian she's really good about keeping up with series. 

I am knitting a few baby shower gifts. I thought I had more time but when we flipped the calendar to January I realized that I only had a week or so. I quickly knit up a pair of booties so that at the very least I could slip a little money in a shoe and call it good enough. However, I was able to purchase yarn and pattern to make an adorable little dress. 

When I was test knitting Ichy Lock, a cute dress called Claudine was also being test knitted and I wanted to give it a try, but I was already committed. When I was looking for patterns to knit I remembered that I had wanted to knit it and so I hunted it down. It is coming along quite smoothly. My only complaint is that it doesn't specify how many rows to achieve two row bumps of garter stitch and there aren't any construction photos of where to pick up stitches for the sleeves. That being said, the instructions are clear enough that the dress will look amazing even with my guessing. 

I am also working on a beret for me called Star Crossed and it has been put on hold until the shower knitting is over. 

I have started a new pinterest board of all the projects I complete in 2013. I can never seem to remember how much I accomplish in a year and I thought this photo board might help me keep track. If you want to follow it you can find it HERE.

Year in Review Part 1: Personal

January 2011

This past year has been quite and adventure. You never really know where God is going to take you. Last winter found me alone most days with a teething infant and so I sought out friendship with an old friend. I really enjoyed getting to know her all over again. It was awesome to go to her home, have her love on my son while I we worked our yarn crafts, eat a meal not made by myself, and watch our children play. 

In the spring, along side my husband, we planned and planted a larger garden than the year before, while my growing baby boy played in the dirt and ate grass. Summer came and our garden grew, then grew sick due to our own inattention, but we did manage to bring in a nice crop of snap peas. Next year we will do better, this year we did better than last year, and next year we'll be a little better. 

This summer we also provided respite for some family members and I taught at the 2's and 3's class during VBS. Jason's sister got married, and of course we all took part. Jason was the best man, I was a bridesmaid, and Stomper the cutest baby groomsmen. Summer of course led to fall and fall always brings harvesting. 

May 2011

In the fall we were given a load of cucumbers, summer squash, zucchini and tomatoes; we had a crop of green tomatoes (they had to be harvested due to blights); we bought apples; and we picked pears and blueberries at my mothers. Cucumbers were made into pickles, summer squash in to casseroles, zucchini shredded and frozen, tomatoes into sauce, green tomatoes in to relish, apples into sauce, pears into sauce, and blueberries were put in the freezer. My mother and I got together quite a few times to put food up and I think it is something we will continue to do. It is so much easier to preserve the harvest, we found, when there is someone to help bear the burden. Stomper had his first birthday with

First Birthday
photo by Nicolelee

lots of family and friends. We are slowly gathering enough money to build him a swing-set this spring, and our family and friends helped with financial gifts for his birthday. This fall Jason and I were blessed to go to a marriage conference at our church. It was so very helpful, it was more about how to have devotions together (at least that is what I took out of it) in order to grow closer to Christ together. I think that if we hadn't gone
through the conference, then what happened next would have been even harder. Early October we were given a call to warn us that we might be asked to take on an infant for Foster Care. Fostering an infant and then watching her leave my home was one of the harder things I have done. If not for my relationship with my husband and for my faith in Christ I think it would have been a lot harder.

We ended our year with family and friends at our house for Taco and Quelf Night, not a bad way to end a year.

Christmas

We started our Christmas festivities on Saturday the 17th with presents with Honey Bee. Saturday night we went to my parents house and Stomper opened up Honey Bee's presents. It was late and everyone was tired, but we opened up the gifts and my parents said "So-long" to their first Foster Granddaughter. We went home and in the morning had our own Christmas celebration as a family. Honey Bee gave Stomper and Papa her gifts to them and Stomper opened up her gifts (mostly clothes and a few toys).

We had a really nice day together as a family. I made a big Christmas dinner with all the fixings and we watched Christmas movies and spent a lot of time in our jammies.  Sunday night we went to Jason's parents house for presents and to say "So-long". Then Monday morning we said "So-long" to Honey Bee (see previous post for an explanation).

The rest of our week I cleaned a bit and wrapped a bit and picked out pictures to print off. The festivities kicked into high gear on Friday with a dinner at Jason's Grandparents. We dropped Stomper off at my parents house for a new family tradition on Friday night. My Mom wants to do "Christmasy" things with her grandkid(s) on Christmas Eve. She gave him a new toy to keep at Grandma's house and spent some time together.

The Hamlins 2011

We picked him up for Christmas Eve service at our church, then back to Grandma's house for some eating, then home. Sunday morning I couldn't wait for Stomper to wake up, so I woke him up. We had stockings in bed just like I used to when I was a kid, then breakfast, then the tree, then we went to Jason's sisters church for Christmas service, then to Jason's parents for brunch and tree, back home where we all napped, then my parents came over to swap gifts, and finally to bed. Monday morning Jason had to work, but Stomper and I were picked up by Jason's Mom so that we could go to Christmas at Jason's other Grandma's house. We were there all day opening gifts, laughing, and of course eating. Whew!

The hat I knit for Stomper doesn't really fit him so between Christmas and New Years I knit him a new hat that fits much better. I also managed to finish Jason's Christmas stocking (not pictured). I am hoping in the next year to make one for Stomper and possibly myself. Jason was very happy to finally be able to wear his new winter hat (I made him wait almost a year for it) and I am back to knitting the other fingerless glove for myself.

I should have more knitting photos and a contest soon!

Tirelessly Sleepless

First an appoloy: I cannot show you pictures of our little bundle of joy (henceforth nicknamed Honey Bee). I can assure you that Honey Bee is beautiful, wears a very cute knitted hat that I made her, and constantly melts her Papa's heart with every gaze.

As you can imagine there isn't a lot of sleeping happening around our house these days. Jason took a few days off for paternity leave last week and so for a fleeting moment I received several glorious chunks of time for sleeping. Not so much anymore. Every few days Honey Bee lets me get a partially interrupted night of sleep (by getting up only once in the night) but usually she's up from midnight to 1am and again around 3 to 4 and then Stomper is up by 7, so I sleep/nap/rest in between those times. Please forgive me if you see me and I do not know a) the day, b) the time, c) your name, or d) the last time I ate a meal when it was hot.

During the odd day that I am home all day we snuggle, read books, nap in the chair, eat, poop, and relax together. We try our best to enjoy each other and learn to adapt to sharing our favorite people.Stomper likes to help me burp Honey Bee and has only a few occasions tried to burp her face when Mama wasn't paying attention. Mostly he rubs her head, kisses her head, and burps her on the back. I think, because he gets so much attention from family during the week, he hasn't shown too much jealously. Then again, we've only had Honey Bee for 3 weeks, so that could change.

Honey Bee is growing and I estimate that she is pre-9lbs. She is much smaller than Stomper was at this age and it's a bit of an adjustment. The one good thing about her being a bit smaller is that she is wearing the newborn - 3month clothes longer. I think by this age Stomper was in the 3-6month clothing. I did some Christmas shopping recently and rather enjoyed buying dresses and cute pink things. It is such a shame that Honey Bee is growing and that I am forced to shop for her.

To help ease some of my stress I have hired a very helpful teenager to do some minor housework around the house. She very gracefully and without complaint sweeps up the dog hair, scrubs out the pots, scours the toilets, and gives me what many Mama's need: conversation.

Our families have been helping us out immensely with free babysitting for Stomper while we run Honey Bee to her various appointments. I am able to take both kids and their stuff to places, but it is a bit of a heavy juggle.

Please forgive me if you see me and I do not know a) the day, b) the time, c) your name, or d) the last time I ate a meal when it was hot.

October Snow

The historic snow storm that has hit the northeast has been a lot of fun up here. We took Stomper out for a very quick romp in the snow. He loved it. His mitten fell off right away, but he didn't mind. He was rubbing the snow with his bare palm. This winter is going to be a blast I think. We borrowed a snowsuit from Grandma's Daycare so all we need now is a pair of boots to keep his toes warm.

The horse really stands out with the snow on the ground, he was fascinated.

Papa showing him how to make a snowball

We did attempt to put his mitten back on.

(The little bit of snow in the air is a bit that he threw)

{This Moment}

{This Moment} A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember.

~via SouleMama

Completed

I have finished Teacup and sent her out to her forever home. Phew! I am a day late on my self set deadline, but I couldn't have sent it out yesterday (Sunday) anyway so I guess I'm right on time!

It has been a labor of love. Teacup was knit on some very small needles and the yarn I used kept splitting on me. I am not 100% pleased with the way the hair turned out, I think if I use the same yarn for hair again I will use larger needles and if I make a doll this small again I will use smaller yarn for the hair. Every project I knit I learn something new, and I am thankful for the experience of knitting this little gem. I wasn't happy with the second set of clothes I made her. The position of the butterfly was not right and they were far too big. I reknit the clothes and added more shaping to it and I really like the way it turned out.

I am making leaps and bounds of progress on the four bears. I finished up the clothes for the boy bear and now I just need to attach four ears, four noses, and four faces. Easy Peasy! I should be done in time for Sunday deadline. I hope to attach ears and at least one nose and post some pictures of the bears tomorrow or Wednesday.

Pattern for Doll can be found here.

A dress pattern can be found here . For the pink one I made it's a raglan sleeve start like the sweater I knit for a baby recently and once I had enough for the sleeves I started a lace pattern I found in a book.

There is no link for the modifications I did to the one piece suit, but if you contact me I can tell you what I did.

Six Month Check-Up

Sixth Month Check Up:

Weight: 19 pounds naked (50lbs fully dressed)

Height: 27 1/2 inches

Percentile: 75% for both .. perfectly Proportionate!

New Feats!

• Chewing Semi-Solid Foods
• Spitting Out Strained Foods
• Practicing Sitting and Falling
• Nearly Crawling (just backwards for now)
• Gets on Hands and Knees
• Love Affair with Jumping (either in his Jumparoo or in your lap) 
• Just Beginning to Attempt to Put Small Objects (like food) into his mouth
• Becomes Very Angry When We Eat and Don't Offer Him Anything
• Eats Whatever We Put in His Mouth (cauliflower, broccoli, brussel-sprouts, green peppers...)
• Rolls Over from Back to Front
• Is Learning "NO" every times he gets a Diaper Change and Tries to Roll Over Back to Front
• Blows Raspberry's and Spits and makes Other Strange Lip Noises (thank you Mimi!)
• Likes his Mamma the Bestest Out of All the Wonderful People in His Life
• Gets Scared (this is new TODAY!)
• Sleeps in His Own Room
• Sometimes Sleeps All Night
• Wakes up at 3am and cries and cries and cries and cries
• Sometimes Sleeps in Until 8am (usually after waking up at 3 and crying)
• AND THE MOST WONDERFUL THING EVER THAT HE DOES!
• The Bink stays IN! (thanks to his two teeth!)
• and comes out
• and goes back in sideways
• and comes out
• and goes in backwards
• and comes out
• and goes too far in so that his bottom lip is over the top of the bottom half of the bink
• and comes out
• and gets a stern talking to by Owen
• and then gets used as a chew toy
• and comes out
• and gets tossed on the floor
• and then he cries
• and Mamma picks it up and gives it back
• and it goes back in his mouth
• and he sucks on it thoughtfully for a few minutes
• and then .. well you get the idea

In his Bed

Right before the week-end we decided that Owen needed to get into his own bed.
He had been waking up a lot during the night and just crying. We would bring him into our bed and he'd sleep fitfully but Mumma got no sleep. A sleep depraved Mumma is never a good thing so into his room he went.

We had one night where he cried in the middle of the night for like an hour, but since then we have had no problems. If he does wake up in the middle of the night I re-bink him (put his pacifier back in) and leave again. In the morning he wakes up happy and cheerful, which is exactly how his Mumma feels after a full nights sleep.

The only issue we have however, is that I put him in his bed fairly close to the middle and this is how I find him every morning. Sometimes with out any covers on.

Calling Auntie

Trying to call Auntie, or at least text her!

Six Months!

I apologize for the lack of photos. I hope this makes up for it! No photo's were taken last month, we were sick for most of it.

Enjoy!

Playing With Izzy

Super Bowl Sunday

Four Months a Month Late

Now I have two teeth!
I like to eat foods out of a little mesh feeder.
I have eaten: carrots, apple, pear, peas, green beans, pineapple.
Mamma also lets me chew on raw peppers when she is cooking.

Mamma thinks I weigh over 20lbs!