Recharging my batteries.

Today is my last day of work for the week, and it's my "short" day: only 9 hours instead of 11.5 or 10.75. I've been puzzling a bit about what to write about lately. I have several ideas for posts that will take a bit longer to flesh out, and one post about a project that I'd hoped to finish weeks ago, but haven't managed to complete yet. I spent a good part of yesterday working on a post that won't be published until the end of the month, and another part of it helping out with this. And that's while working a 10.75 hour day...luckily Maggie took a long nap.

Dan is taking a little time off work, and rather than leave town in the dead of winter, we're just going to try to find fun things to do around town. Probably a zoo trip, at least, and we may try to find somewhere to go swimming. I think a four day weekend of sorts (we do have school on Thursday) will be good for all of us.

I should have plenty to write about next week, and have time to finish my project and work on some of those other posts as well. Last night, though, I just needed to take a break. No post tomorrow, and there will be a video on Friday. Thanks in advance for understanding.

[I tried to take a cutesy "woe-is-me" webcam pic to add to this but they were all abysmal. I both feel and look like crap at the moment...time for a break.]

Finally changing my update schedule

Woke up this morning with no posts close to completion. Most days I've had the next morning's post scheduled and set the night before, and I would say that I've been slacking, except that I spent last night doing laundry and taking care of things that needed to be taken care of. Life's just gotten too busy for a 5x a week update schedule, so from here on out, it's going to be M-W-F.

OK. Now go look at these cute puppies. Thanks!

10 Things I love about crochet

Actually crocheting! 

• I like to single crochet, half-double crochet, double crochet, triple/treble crochet, and pick up new and fun stitch patterns.
• Stitching into spaces.
• Making shell stitches, v-stitches, bobble stitches, gathers, etc.
• Borders! Getting creative with borders on blankets is so much fun.

Getting things done!

• The feeling I get when I've finally finished a project.
• Giving away finished projects. Especially when the person is surprised at the quality of the work.
• Using or wearing finished projects myself.

Shopping and gear!

• Yarn shopping! Online or in a store, both have advantages. In a store I get to feel everything; online I get to read what someone else thought about how the yarn felt (and read reviews to see how it was to work with).
• Pattern browsing! I just love to dream about what I'll make next. Here again is a good place to read reviews and see what worked, and what didn't.
• Susan Bates aluminum hooks. So comfortable to use. I like the shorter neck and cut-in slanted throat (rather than a tapered throat and longer neck like Boye hooks).

Video Friday: "The Luckiest", Ben Folds

Heard this on the Valentine's show on The Current last night and remembered how much I love this song. When I was pregnant and hormonal (or post-partum and hormonal) I couldn't get through a listen without sobbing my eyes out. Not so much now, but I still like it.

A Poem for Grandma Loretta

(Loretta was a late-in-life poetess. She self-published a book of mostly autobiographical poems in the 1990s called My Gifts of Love to You. I thought it only right to honor her, and work through my grief, in a LMSKG-style poem: rhyming couplets with awkward meter and religious overtones. Her poems always make me smile. This is a valentine for her, me, and everyone who joins me in grief.)

In the end, I'd been grieving this loss for years.

At your funeral, I shed only a few tears.

I was mainly just trying to get through the day,

though there were obstacles in my way.

First the van wouldn't start,

but I took heart:

Kevin came along with his truck.

We were no longer stuck.

We sped along through the ice and snow,

And we got to the church with only seconds to go.

I didn't have time to change into my shoes,

But no one seemed to notice--we all had the blues.

I read the scripture readings that you chose
Without worrying too much about my clothes.
The rest of the service went by so fast.
I was only a little sad that I didn't get to see your body at last.

The food was delicious, I know you'd want to hear.
Even my dad's side of the family came, which brought me some cheer.
Auntie Jena did a great job babysitting
(Though I bet Sam's antics made her feel like quitting.)

Then off to the cemetery we did travel
Snow crunched under our feet instead of gravel
Uncle Tony read some of your beautiful words
He got a little choked up but we all still heard
Of your love for the Lord and your courage in death.
I know you loved Jesus to your very last breath.

The drive home was long, since we (oops) missed a turn,
But we had plenty of daylight and gas to burn.
Jumping the van caused the radio to break--
So we had to talk the whole way to keep each other awake.
We managed to get home before the big storm
To our little townhouse all nice and warm.

My memories of you are happy and filled with joy.
I am so proud you got to meet and love my baby boy.
I will certainly miss your amazing hugs--
All soft and tender and warm and snug.
You gave so much to all who knew you:
Your family, friends, and "adopted" family members, too.

We are thankful that your body is no longer in pain.
We know that the diabetes and back problems and heart problems were all quite a drain.
We trust that even though you are away,
We will be reunited in heaven some day.

(Special note: Loretta's last big gift to the world was to start a pay-it-forward for Lent campaign supporting Eagle's Healing Nest, a farm/wilderness retreat for veterans returning home with emotional wounds to be healed. Please check out the campaign's Facebook community page and click on "about" for more information. I will write more about this as Lent continues.)

11 things I hate about crocheting

1. Hooks that are so small that the yarn slips off.
2. Hooks that are so big that they don't have thumb indents and I have to just wrap my hand around them like a claw.
3. Too much slip stitch. The amigurumi in Stitch 'N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker are all slip stitch in the round. Just, no.
4. When my squares come out looking more like 4 pointed stars.
5. Yarns whose textures make it difficult to see my stitches. (Homespun I am looking at you.)
6. Assembling amigurumi. Because I dislike:
7. Stitching invisible seams (or any seams at all).
8. Weaving in ends (and now you know why I don't like stripes! So many color changes.)
9. Surface embroidery (with a special place in hell for french knots).
10. Intarsia. Can't do it. At all.
11. Stitching into a foundation chain. Haaaaate. At least I usually only have to do it once per project, if I'm following my anti-seam rule. 

Stay tuned for a list of things I love about crocheting, which is why I still do it even though I dislike the things above.

Babywearing Guest Post: Jill

[Today's guest post comes from my friend, Jill. I have known Jill for over 20 years now (how time flies!) and we've been through various life stages together. She owes me since I introduced her to her husband. :) ] 

Baby Carriers

For Melanie

     When I had my first baby Maddie, in February 2010, I received a carrier to borrow from a family member. It was an over the shoulder sling pod kind of thing. It was pretty horrible actually. I’m pretty sure these were recalled or discontinued or something. [Mel says: Yup, they eventually were.] I only put her in it twice for 2 reasons, 1. I felt really uncomfortable and felt like she was being suffocated as I held her and 2. She HATED to be carried/cuddled/swaddled and generally confined to any small space.

OMG MOMMY! I’M SUFFOCATING! 

     The next carrier I used was a gift from Melanie and Dan. [Mel says: This one is called a Mei Tai, pronounced "may tie". I bought it from a WAHM on Etsy.] It worked really well, but Maddie was way too independent and did not like to be confined to a carrier. She would wiggle herself out of it and cry and scream to get free. It was ridiculous. She was ridiculous. Believe it or not, she was an amazing baby and didn’t need to be held, she loved to sleep for 14 hours a night and take 3-4 hour naps in the day, and walked by herself at 8 ½ months, so....slings were not really something we needed for her.

     My second baby Emma, was completely opposite. She is the biggest snuggler ever, and I honestly don’t know what I would do without my slings. I would say if you have more than one child around, they are absolutely necessary. I use the carrier that I got from Mel and Dan around the house a lot with Emma. It’s nice because it is easy to put on, easily adjustable, and she can look around and move her hands. I can exercise with her in this one because it is light and breathable. She fit in it as a small newborn and will fit in it through toddler age I think. It is super comfortable. Downsides....hmmm....I seriously don’t have a real downside. I like this sling a lot and it is easy to use if you only need it for a shorter period of time. I don’t use it for longer periods of time, just because I feel like the moby is more supportive to my back since it restricts her movements.

     With Emma, I also bought a Moby wrap. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this wrap. It was especially useful when she was a tiny newborn because it just hugs the baby to you and she is completely supported. It was like I had a newborn duct taped to my body. Except it is way more comfortable than being pregnant! I still use it now when I am working with her. I live/work at a group home and sometimes need to help out with direct care. I can lift and care for other people easily when I have her in the moby wrap because she is wrapped up so snuggly to me. She falls asleep in the moby a lot. It is versatile and you can carry the baby in different positions, but I haven’t really tried another way yet because Emma is so content with the one way. The downside to this wrap is that it does have a learning curve. It can be kind of complicated at first and you have to learn how to use it for it to be beneficial to you. Once I learned and practiced putting it on several times, I was able to put it on while holding the baby without having it drag on the floor. [Mel says: Wow! I always dragged my wrap and I didn't hold the baby while I put it on, haha.] But....it did take me several attempts. Another downside is that it is WARM. very very WARM. If you are moving around with a baby strapped to you with yards and yards of fabric, it is bound to get hot, so it’s not really ideal to use it in the summer months when it is really humid. I anticipate using this sling well into Emma’s toddler years. [Mel says: once Emma hits about 25 lbs and/or gets more wiggly Jill may find that the Moby keeps getting loose and opt for a woven wrap instead.]

 

[Mel says: Emma's a bit low here, but we'll forgive Auntie Manda. Jill normally wears her "close enough to kiss".]

As far as nursing goes with these slings, I was one of those people who didn’t care who saw my boobs while I was nursing, and my boobs are way too big to be dainty and hands free. I always had to hold onto my boob with one hand while I was nursing so I didn’t really get the hang of nursing in a sling. I don’t think you could nurse in the sling that Mel and Dan gave me and be super discreet about it, but you could easily nurse in the moby if you have tiny boobs and no one would ever know.