Maternity Cardigan DONE!

Whew! I finally finished a KAL! The BSG girls were knitting cardigans for the month of May. Took me one month to finish it, but I did!! Woo hoo, go me! Here is what I have posted on Ravelry with what I did, and when.

5.1 - Started knit using the small size of 37.5 in bust.
- Decided to use a KFB for my m1 increases

5.3 - Button holes on 9th and 17th repeat
- Second skein started around row 16

5.5 - Determined to make my increases only over the front and back of the cardigan, not the
sleeves. Increases would be done as follows:

K10; K3, YO (repeat 8x's); K46; K3, YO
(repeat 22x's); K46; YO, K3 (repeat 8 x's); K10

- 3 more rows of garter stitch before starting body and separating sleeves.
- do the first body row without doing lace - mistake on my part, but felt better to just start the lace pattern on row later.

5.9 - Decided that I'll do lace 20-25 times depending on how it lays.
- Third skein started on end of 4th repeat

5.13 - Fourth skein started on middle of 11th repeat

5.19 - Fifth skein started on end of 19th repeat

5.23 - Completed lace pattern after 20 times and thought it was the appropriate length

5.26 - Worked garter stitch for 12 rows and cast off with larger needles

5.30 - Picked up sleeves and underarm 7 stitches, worked garter for 6 rows. Decreased 4 stitches for rows 1 and 3. Cast off with larger needles

5.31 - Weaved in ends, sewed on buttons. FINISHED!!!

I wasn't too happy with the weird bagginess on the arms. I saw one of the projects on ravelry had a different type of knitting on the last 3 rows of the garter stitch on the top part of the cardigan. If I make this again, I will definitely be using that guide. I'll just have to remember to find it!

Here's a view from the front!

Here's a view of the final product from the back!

Bean Update - 22 Weeks

I know it's been too long since I last posted. Shame on me. I'll be 22 weeks on Thursday this week. Unfortunately, my fun loving early contractions have started again. Guess I'm not drinking enough water. I need to make sure to have enough fluids for the little Bean! She doesn't want to come out early, I pray! I'm fairly exhausted, although I'm not sure if that has more to deal with chasing around Peanut or just being pregnant in general. I feel like I'm starving all the time again though!

However, overall, I'm feeling pretty good with the pregnancy but getting back from Cancun on Sunday was sad. We had a fabulous time with our friends. Hubby and I enjoyed the sun and Peanut really enjoyed the pool and the ocean. She wasn't a fan of sand, though that was FINE by me!

Highlights for now include Peanut exploding not one, not two, but three diapers on the plane DOWN to Mexico. We ran out of clothes for both Peanut and I on the plane so she ended up half naked in a plastic bag from the waist down in her wrap on me. L(my friend's 22 mo old) and Peanut got along fabulously all week, minus L being a little too "loving", i.e. choke holding Peanut for hugs until she cried, lol. Peanut had a VERY busy week; took several steps alone, learned how to go down stairs alone, started knowing to wave when we say "Say hi" or "say bye", started giving kisses, loved the ocean but hated sand, enjoyed playing 'fetch' both in the water and out, complete water child and didn't burn (I think she's got my skin that tans as opposed to hubby's that burns instantly), and just seemed to thrive all week with both of us around. She was such a ham with everyone there too. All you had to do was smile at her and then she'd smile, wave, then play hide and seek. Thank goodness she's such a mama's girl, or I'd worry she'd go right off with a random stranger. I had a pretty fabulous time, though I'm happy to be home with carpet as opposed to the marble floors where Peanut fell almost daily on (ugh, but thankfully just on her butt - boney as it is!).

I'm almost done with my Febuary Lady Sweater. I'm on my 21st repeat of the lace pattern. I was thinking of anywhere between 20 and 25 repeats. I'm going to try it on tonight and see how it looks. Then I'll decide how much further I want to make it!!! Fingers crossed to have it done by next Tuesday!

I'm Back, kinda!

I keep attempting to update this web page. It’s ridiculous the amount of time that I’ve let slip. If you’re friends on Facebook with me, then you know how busy we’ve been. MLBrotz’ job is going really well. He’s traveling like a madman, but at the moment, he’s slowed down. Peanut’s health is doing vastly better, although she’s still on a nebulizer and at the moment, amoxicillin for another ear infection. That makes 9 since August, if you’re keeping track. I need to get her into have allergy testing done soon too.

Bean is doing well. I can’t believe I’m already 19 weeks pregnant. As much of a shock this pregnancy was, it has been so much of a blessing. God really does work in mysterious ways. However, I think this pregnancy is as different as the east is from the west! I’m still nauseous with this one at least once a week to the extreme. My energy levels have come up, just not to where I’d really like them to be! I’m not 100% sure if it’s from chasing after my almost 13 month old, or from the pregnancy!!! Probably a list of both! I can’t wait until my ultrasound to find out if Bean is a boy or a girl. Ugh, cannot come fast enough! Although, I’m quite certain, boy or girl, this one will have as much, if not more hair than Peanut did.

I am lucky to say though, with Peanut going to bed at 6 PM, I have a few hours to myself in the evening to now get some laundry, cleaning, or even (wait for it…) knitting! I know, I know, it’s a miracle! It is hard to find time to relax while working a full time job on top of everything. I can’t sit down if I know there is a mess in my house. For instance, if Peanut makes a mess out of her toys in the living room, I can’t sit down on the couch and relax to watch TV if it’s all over the place. Just ask MLBrotz. He has had to force me to sit for 5-15 minutes while I’m on a cleaning rampage. Hooray for the nesting symptom of pregnancy!
Within the past two months, I’ve been able to complete a few projects. The following two photos are of a Sirdar pattern for a newborn that my coworker purchased for the birth of her granddaughter.

I completed Peanut’s Jersey for her 1st birthday party at the local AAA team. The team lost but we had fun at her birthday anyway!!!

This next image is the Baby Bunny dress that I finally completed for Peanut. It was knitted as a size 12 mo, but I think she’s got plenty of room to grow into it!!! The design was made our LYS owner, JoAnne Turcotte. That woman is fabulous!!! Peanut looks pleased with the outcome, as am I. I learned how to do fancy crochet edging! Go me!

And finally, I’ve decided to knit up the February Lady Sweater for my BSG FPB KAL this month. I’m making the second size for the 37.5 bust. I’m going to make it short sleeved since I’ll be pregnant over the summer and plan to wear this over a tank top. I’d like to make it so that I have the option of adding sleeves later. Here is my first start up photo. I’m using Plymouth Yarn Fantasy Naturale in Lilac. Apparently, lilac’s in right now to knit with!!!

October Update Found!

It’s been a long few months. I can’t believe that August was my last update. Almost two full months!! Everything’s been crazy with Peanut, life, and all that fun stuff. Life has been all over the place. It’s been a fun challenge learning to juggle work, being a mom, being a wife, and just being plain ole me!

Work is work. I don’t hate it, but I really would rather be home. There are so many things I want to do with my life that doing the job I do makes me feel like I’m wasting it away. Don’t get me wrong, I actually enjoy my job. It’s just not what I pictured I would be doing with my life. I also don’t get that satisfaction of a “job well done”. It doesn’t help that we are really slow and doing very mundane tasks to keep busy. It’s the work that has been put off for years since there were other pressing matters. Plus, my heart is at daycare at the moment.

As for being a mom, well, where do I start? It’s the most magnificent job in the world. Yes, it’s hard, demanding, exhausting, and so many other adjectives that I won’t go into. But I wouldn’t trade it for the world. That little girl is my entire world and it revolves around that little blue eyed blonde hair ball of sweetness. It helps greatly that she is 100% a mama’s girl, at least at the moment. I love her with every fiber of my being.

There is that part of me that goes, “Wait, I’m a MOM?!?! WTF did that happen?” So many times I don’t see myself as a “Mom”, but I do always see myself as Peanut’s Mama. I guess I thought I would feel like the view I saw my own mom as. But I don’t. I still feel like me, not like what I always saw my mom as. It wasn’t what I thought motherhood would be, but I guess I did somewhere in my subconscious, I did. Peanut is such an amazing girl. She fascinates me more than anything in the world. When she rolls over, I get so excited. When she grabs for a toy, when she tries to crawl, when she eats, well, you get the picture. Everything she does is so amazing to me.

I never knew I could love so much. I also didn’t know I could pray so much! I pray for her to sleep just one more hour. Pray for her stuffy nose to go away. Pray for her to be protected when I cannot. Pray that I can be the mother she needs and be a good mother to her. Pray that she grows strong and happy. Pray that she isn’t spoiled to the point she cannot live without me. Yes, that is a scary thought, but I think losing my own mother at sixteen puts things into perspective differently for you.

Yes, I get tired of always saying that my mom isn’t around, but it is SO much a part of my life that I feel I do.

August Update!

Wow, it’s been a long time since I last updated... So sorry for that. It’s been a trying time with Peanut, since it’s been a fairly busy month for her (as well as for Rob and I). I’m not sure where to start, so here’s goes on bringing y’all up to speed on the past month!

7/22, Peanut got a double ear infection. That sucked, but it cleared up within a week with antibiotics and after she was happy-go-lucky Peanut again.
7/25-8/1, Peanut started to roll from her back to her belly. She doesn’t do it often, and most of the time she gets stuck in a contortionist like move, where her head will be looking up, and her legs will be twisted to be knees down. It looks uncomfortable, but apparently she’s enjoying it! She’s also really enjoying her exersauser now that she can play with things. She realized that if she hits the different toys, they make different noises. Rob also worked the Boy Scout 100th Jamboree and got to meet Mike Rowe. How cool is that?!?!?
8/11, Peanut had her 4 mo check up. She weighed in at 14 lbs 2 oz and was 23.5 in long. The doctor gave us the go-ahead for solids. She’s also been batting at objects like crazy now. She finds it hilarious to hit the toys that make noise!
8/12, Rob got the new job!!!! We’d been praying for him to get the position, so when he got the call, we were ecstatic. We assumed he’d start the day after Labor Day, but his former employer let him go within the first week, so he starts today! Thank goodness that the new job decided to let him start earlier than anticipated because that would have sucked otherwise!!!!
8/13, Peanut cut both her bottom two teeth!!!! Man, are those little suckers sharp as anything!
8/14, we tried solids for her, but her tummy didn’t appreciate it! She did enjoy avocados and the bananas though. She keeps trying to eat our food any time she sees us eating.
8/17, Peanut began the 4 mo regression stage. FML. It’s still going strong, well, not AS strong, but she started waking up again every 2-3 hours, where before she was finally sleeping and only waking once a night then up for the day around 6-7. The past 2 days she’s been up 2 times (bed at 7, up at 11, 2-3ish, then up around 5 for the day), which is much better but still sucks.
8/ 18, Rob got a new car. We purchased a 2009 slightly used Volkswagen Jetta. It gets much better gas mileage than his 2004 Dodge Dakota, so at least that’s a bonus. Especially since he’s going to be driving from our place to practically NYC (not going INTO the city at least). We’re keeping the truck for now since we’ll still need to haul stuff and it’ll be nice to have an extra vehicle on hand in case one of our other cars needs work or an oil change, etc.
8/21, Peanut got ANOTHER cold. Boo!!! At least the doctor said it’s not her ears this time. She’s just got a stuffy nose and most likely a headache and sore throat (I know this because she gave the darn thing to me too). Other than that, she was quite the happy baby this weekend. Which made me very sad to take her into daycare this morning. She's starting to discover she's got feet. It's too funny. She grabs at them, then squeals and they move because she kicks her legs then she gets frustrated because she can't get them. Oh man, the HOURS of entertainment I'm getting from this little child!!!!

After all this is said and done, I’m still trying to find time to knit. I’m ALMOST done Jess’ wedding gloves. Now whether she’ll wear them or even need them, is up to her. I won’t be offended if she doesn’t. I’m still working slowly on my Tiger Eye Lace Scarf. I only have 3 more episodes of True Blood to finish it. I WILL FINISH A KAL!!!!! And I’ve also started on Becky’s belated birthday present which is a blue and white Mohawk hat in Penn State colors for football season. I’m hoping to have that done this week. I’ve ripped out the sides so many times because I ALWAYS forget that the sides pick up stitches every TWO rows not EVERY row. UGH! But that’s really it. I’m hoping to get some craft projects up and on my etsy site by mid September to sell. How awesome would that be? Maybe I can convince Rob for me to be a stay at home mom?!?! Ahh, that’s be nice!

Mid July Update!

I’ve been working on my stories. Right now, Black Tulip has been in my head. I’ve got the entire story laid out in an outline form, but now I’ve gotta actually write it. It’s like Emily and Jer are BEGGING me to write their stories. I keep trying to work on it, but if I’m not listening to the right music, I can’t get into it. My inspirations are bands like Shinedown, Halestorm, Ramstien, Lacuna Coil, Tantric, Fair to Midland, Breaking Ben, Seether, and more. It’s quite amusing to know that I cannot write the story well if I’m not listening to these.

I swear I’m still knitting, though just not as much as before. Peanut keeps most of my attention when I’m home. I love that, but there are times I cannot wait for her to be able to do things like color, play with toys, etc so I can get things done around the house. But it’s okay. I’m sure once she’s doing all of that, I’ll be wishing she was little and only wanted to be held all the time. She is so cute and adorable though!

Back to knitting, I’m still working on my Tiger Eye Lace Scarf. I’ve got 12 full repeats done on both sides and am still going strong. I thought I’d only be able to get 11 done before I ran out of yarn. Boy was I wrong! I’ll probably be able to get 17 or 18 repeats done before I run out. But that’s only 450 yards of yarn, and I need to use up 900 before the end of August. I don’t think I’ll be able to get Jess’ wedding shawl done for her wedding over labor day. Maybe I can convince Rob for a few hours each week to take care of the baby while I knit this thing! Who knows. It’s hard though, because I’m breastfeeding so I’d need to stop every 3 hours anyway (or sooner!). Ahh, the things we do for our little kids! But they’re so worth it!!!!