On the needles...

Due to all of the around-the-house time I've had...I also have a lot of new projects on the needles.

I started two projects I picked up at Stitches Midwest this fall. One is a feather and fan scarf pattern in Solo Silk. This is an easy knit because the pattern is quickly committed to memory. I have visions of knitting on this during "down" time at the hospital.



Next is a Butterfly Baby Sweater, made with Tess Designer Sock Yarns. I love the subtle changes in the green dye throughout the yarn. I was zooming along on this project, but got held up when at the butterfly border. I swear there is an error in the pattern and I'm waiting to hear back from the company before I move on and discover I have to rip it all back. It will be the perfect spring sweater for little C, that is, until she spits up on it.



I am also working on a secret baby project for Kim's baby shower in January. No pics of this one for now! And tonight I'll start my gauge swatch for my knit-a-long, the Central Park Hoodie.


**picture courtesy of Interweave Press

I'm knitting this project in winter 2009 along with my knitting circle of friends from Ravelry. Any online friends and family who knit are free to join in the KAL.

Inquiring minds...

I know I haven't blogged in a while, but for those who are wondering, that doesn't mean I'm in labor :( No contractions. No nesting. Just restless sleep and waking up at 4:30 am with nothing better to do than knit and watch Spanglish.

If you're susceptible to cavities,

you may not want to watch this.



hattip Brian

We just came back from Matthew's baptism in Rockford and I'll just say I'm glad to be home safe and sound. The highway was really white out conditions. We came up on some stopped cars and firetrucks, but with low visibility there really wasn't much warning. Our CR-V stopped nicely (God bless that car) but many other cars around us weren't so lucky. A Grand-Am skidded past us at an angle and hit another car. Then we watched a semi slowly jack knife behind us until it came to a halt, thankfully quite a distance from us. We worked our way around the stopped cars and made the rest of the trek home at a nice slow speed. Down the road we noticed that they were shutting down the west bound side. So, home we'll stay for the rest of the day. I hope all of you can plan to stay inside too!

Life has been busy this week with some sort of meeting or Christmas gathering each night. I was hoping all of the activity may bring an early baby, but instead it's just brought fatigue and cankles. That's right - I now have cankles. It's not a pretty picture. I'm also more emotional. I cried at my OB visit this week and again on the way to work today when I heard a Christmas song called "A Baby Changes Everything." My friend Julie was right when she suggested I may relate a bit with Mother Mary this Christmas.
I hope you all have finished your shopping and can stay relaxed and warm indoors this weekend. I heard another 12" of snow may be on its way tonight for us lakeshore folk.

Hand knits for Charlotte

Charlotte is going to be very loved, and I know this by all of the time my friends and family have put into making gifts for her. Last night I had my holiday ornament exchange with my local knitting circle. They surprised me by showering me with gifts as well!

Trish made a soft chenille jacket.


KaRi made the 5 hour baby sweater- it's so cute and tiny. I just imagine Charlotte will use it for doll clothes someday.


Lori made bibs and burp cloths and Dianna made some generous sized receiving blankets.


The masterpiece was the blanket, which was a joint effort. Trish, KaRi, Lori, Margo and Amy all contributed squares. I sort of knew this gift was coming because of a slip of the tongue at one of our knit nights in the summer, but I'm still pleased to see the final outcome.


I'm also long overdue to post a pic of Miss Dashwood. Shari mailed me this from Florida weeks ago. I'm just going to be crushed if the ultrasound was wrong and we're not having a girl, because she has so many cute things to wear! (The peapod is a little gift from her Amber, my college friend and Shari's daughter.)

A mini-superstar

Saturday we had the pleasure of meeting Kate Gosselin of "Jon and Kate's Plus 8." She was appearing at a book signing in Grand Rapids for her new book, Multiple Blessings.

I am a fan of her and the show, but I would not say I'm a fanatic. She definitely has a huge following, though. This was her third book signing in GR this week and still had hundreds of people there. Due to the surplus, we weren't really allowed to talk to her or even get our books personalized, but we had time to snap this photo.



And she did glance up at me long enough to figure out I was pregnant. "Oohh, a Christmas present" she joyfully exclaimed. Maybe!

My favorite golden globe nominee

Neil Patrick Harris - best supporting actor in television comedy for How I Met Your Mother. If he wasn't gay, he'd be my free pass. That's right NPH and Michael Buble.

And if you haven't been watching How I Met Your Mother...what's wrong with you?! For the love of God and all things sacred, watch it this Monday.

Aah, I want another beagle

BTW, how did they train that beagle to sit still....and to sleep in the hallway?

My good husband.

We are fairly late in getting our tree up this year. We have been busy, but I also was worried that we wouldn't have time to take it down right at the start of January. There's nothing worse about a live tree than when all of the needles start falling off if you barely breathe on it. But yet I refuse to get a fake tree - I like the adventure and tradition with a real tree, as well as getting something different every year.
Without a tree, the house just seemed so dismal this holiday season. So, I was extra surprised and pleased to find that Brian had gone out tree shopping by himself Sunday while I was at the shower. Not only did he buy the tree, but he somehow got it inside, put it up, and strung the lights alone. He did a beautiful job. Now our house glows with Christmas spirit.

Another shower!

Sunday was the third and final shower of the year for my husband's side of the family. With one son getting married and two sons having first babies, poor Patty has been stretched to the max these past few months. We hosted Julie's bridal shower at an apartment clubhouse in Grand Rapids on Sunday. The theme of the afternoon was a wine and hors d'oeuvres party.

The party started with a bit of hesitation. First we had a difficult time getting into the locked clubhouse and had to get a hold of the property manager for access. 50 minutes in to set-up, Patty and I grew very worried that our main planner, Jacqueline, hadn't arrived yet. She was bringing all of our tableware, tablecloths, centerpieces, wine, and our dessert showcase - a chocolate fountain. Patty made a call and quickly found out that Jacqueline and her family (including their newborn) were in a car accident. You can read her details here. Thankfully, they were all safe and sound, but her food and dishes were destroyed, as well as their vehicle. The bride and groom made a quick stop to Meijer for paper plates and plastic ware, salvaged most of the other party items from the wrecked truck, and arrived in the knick of time. We threw together the party and got the chocolate flowing. It all turned out beautifully.

The happy couple, Dave and Julie.



We had all kinds of hors d'oeuvres, including mini spinach quiche, turkey/swiss El Paso rolls, egg rolls with peanut sauce, veggies with hummus and much more.



We served rice krispie treats, pound cake, pretzel rods, strawberries and banana with the chocolate fountain. Messy but delicious.



The centerpieces and truffle favors survived the accident. The colors of this Valentine's Day wedding are red and silver.



Little Matthew - precious and healthy, with his great grandma Coe.



All in all, I was pleased with how things turned out. Julie received many nice gifts that will get her and David off to a great start.

Let it snow

I can't tell where our lawn ends and the road begins. Our snowblower will make it's seasonal debut today.

I picked up our car seat/stroller combo yesterday. Brian was thrilled to immediately assemble it. Now we really are ready for this baby.

Today I have to cook for Julie's wedding shower and a knitted ornament exchange with my Ravelry group. I hope the roads get cleared so we don't have to cancel.

You asked for it

Kim asked to see the closet since we've had our showers....I would say it's not as bad as it looks because these clothes range up to 24 months, many are hand-me-downs, and the shelves to the right are filled with blankets, towels and bibs, but then I remember there is an adult size dresser full of onesies and sleepers too! Yes, this will be a well-dressed baby. And at least she'll be too young to tell me if she hates pink.



Despite all these clothes, I couldn't help myself when I was shopping tonight for a Junior League shopping event (15% of all sales at select downtown Holland stores come back to the league). I "had" to buy these - but they were on sale AND I had a coupon, so no guilt here.

More gifts!

I had my final shower on Sunday, baby shower that is. My side of the family put together a beautiful shower at an old train depot in Plymouth, Station 885. The theme was Charlotte's Web and was complete down to a giant fuzzy spider hanging over the cake.





Most of the prizes were hand made, including chocolates shaped like Wilbur, Templeton and Charlotte, aprons, and lavender filled eye sachets.

I received so many wonderful gifts, and many handmade items. I definitely inherited my crafting skills from my mom's side of the family. They made me sewn, crocheted, and knitted quilts. Carrie told me my baby is going to have so many blankets that she's going to need to carry around 5 at a time! Good thing she'll be born in the winter. I also got an embroidered bib for every single holiday of the year...if I'm lucky, she'll get the chance to use her New Year's bib this year.

Here I am with my sisters - as my mom so lovingly puts it, I'm the "tubby" one.



My college friends - and look, Kim is preggers too!



There is a slideshow of all Meagan's pics - yes, there are many token "opening gift" photos.



Thanks for the wonderful shower Mom!

Look at this cutie patootie ornament available at Crate & Barrel for only $2.50.



I want to take him home! OH, and don't forget about these.