this moment

What are old dance costumes for?

Yarn Along

I'm a day behind, but I'm Linking up with Ginny's Yarn Along today. I'm reading (and will be for quite some time) Susan Wise Bauer's The History of the Ancient World.  She would be on my list of most inspirational women.  That combined with the fact that I love world history almost makes this a guilty pleasure to read.  I bought it for myself for my birthday in February and have made it about 250 pages in.  I'm trying to read it during the kids' quiet time each afternoon instead of watching a TV show - but I have yet to master the art of knitting while reading so sometimes the TV wins out.

As for knitting - in true knitterly fashion I have several projects on the go.  I'm finishing up a Pebble vest although I'm not sure who it is destined for as of yet.  I'm also still working on a spring cowl that is traveling around with me in my purse.  Today (and featured in this picture) are socks I'm knitting as a thank you gift for my friend Heidi who came for a week to help out after Charity arrived.  She's a good friend, this Heidi-girl.  Worth all 40, 000 stitches of a pair of socks.  I'm knitting them with Knit Picks Felicity Sport in the Groovy colourway with this pattern (so far).  Heidi saw the yarn in my stash basket and liked it so that part was easy :)

What are you knitting and reading these days?

First Days...

Our baby girl Charity Sophia Dow was born nearly two weeks ago - March 11th, 2012 at 12:33am.  She was two weeks early so she only weighed in at 5lbs. 12oz.   My parents along with my friend Heidi were here visiting and helping with the other two little ones while I had a chance to heal and fall in love with this wee one.  It gave Keith the time to fall for her too.  I have been trying hard to move slowly and savour each day of newborn-ness. They really are fleeting.  Life is busy and full right now - with   soothers and night-feedings and the warm weather, walks to the park, dirt and puddles.  I hope to post here again soon.  In the meantime, for your viewing pleasure - Charity.

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this moment

Wind Man (who runs so fast he makes wind) and Purple Girl (who changes the colour of things into - you guessed it - purple, and freezes things).  

A Birthday for Lucy

My sweet baby girl turned 3 last Friday.  I tried to get this posted on the day but the photos weren't cooperating.  I remember her arrival like it was yesterday - perhaps because there is another baby girl due to arrive soon and I've been reviewing that process in my mind more often lately.  I remember her tiny face and her perfect eyebrows that one nurse said looked like someone had drawn them on.  She cried - oh - she cried.  She was hungry and things take a couple of days to get going in that department so until a nurse finally suggested we "top her up with a bit of formula", I was at a loss with that little perfect girl.  I slept on the couch for the first four months of her life, with her in the bassinet beside me. Finally she was ready to room-in with her brother and she's been with him ever since until this past December. She has grown into an independent "big" girl who would prefer to get messy than get cuddled.  She is creative and resilient and really really funny. She is a little mum to all of her babies and stuffies.  She is also a very loyal little sister to Izer.  It has been a great joy to see them love and look out for each other (most of the time).  When I asked her what she wanted for her birthday she told me she wants her daddy.  Well, cake - and her dad.  Keith has been working overtime lately so the kids have been missing him.  I tried to let go of my nesting urges to clean clean clean and let them get a bit messy on the big day.  They played with a sink of water in the upstairs bathroom and made caterpillars out of egg cartons. In the afternoon they got to decorate purple cupcakes with bright pink icing.  I hoped it would take them 45 minutes or so to do all of those cupcakes.  It took about 15 minutes and that was because I was bottlenecking the process with my slow icing skills. I suppose I greatly underestimated the desire to eat the cupcakes post-decorating.  On Saturday we took them to the toy store to pick out a present and then to the swimming pool. I was so proud of how brave they are becoming.  I think Lucy is part fish.  I have one button to sew on to Lucy's birthday sweater.  Almost there.  I'll post pictures of the finished product soon.    

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