The craftiness is back.

When I was pregnant, I pretty much went into survival mode. I didn't want to bake, didn't particularly want to knit, didn't want to read books or sew. I fed the littles, taught them what they needed to learn, took them swimming and just made it until my next doctor's appointment.

As I was looking at my likes/dislikes post, I realized that since I have had him, it's like I have woken up. I want to knit, bake, sew, read, teach the kids all sorts of exciting stuff, cook adventurous meals. Pretty much everything except for clean the toilets and fold laundry ;) I feel like I have come out on the other side of gestation. It is wonderful. Now I just have to pace myself.

Here are some projects I am working on currently. I have conundrums with the first couple. I am a very indecisive person so I need all of you crafty friends to tell me what to do.
Pretty excited about this one, actually. This is going to be a blanket for George (obviously). The Curious George fabric is fleece and the blue fabric is flannel because I wanted to back it. But we have indoor pets and fleece attracts fur, so I got flannel. I prewashed it because I anticipated that the flannel would shrink. It shrank. A lot. Enough that I will have to cut a considerable amount of the CG fabric. I think I have two yards, so it will still be a big blanket. But still.

So tell me, crafty friends, what to do? Go ahead and cut the CG fabric down to flannel fabric size and bind it together? Or just put the blanket binding around the CG fabric and have it be one layer. I think it will look good either way. The flannel combo will just give me a thicker blanket, though smaller.

Blurg. This one is ridiculous. George is growing extremely fast, so I need to make him so new fitted diapers. So I bought this flannel. Cute, right? Well, one evening, he was actually being pretty mellow so I went ahead and cut the fabric.

Um, yeah. I hadn't prewashed or dried it. So now I am not sure what to do. Should I sew around the edge so it doesn't fray and then wash and dry it before putting it together? Or should I just put one together, wash and dry it and see how it ends up?

Oh, the dangers of looking before you leap.

This is going well, though. I am making the Hourglass Sweater from the book Last-Minute Knitted Gifts. I got the yarn before I left Idaho. It is gorgeous and soft, though I hear it isn't tough and pills like mad. Oh, well. It is going to be my Christmas sweater, as long as I can finish it in time. I just finished up to the sleeves yesterday, so I just have the sleeves and yoke to knit in the next few weeks. Doable, right?

I also sewed a flag for Isaac's Tiger Cub troop, I'll have to take a picture of that soon. And there is a baby sweater that needs seaming, though I am not sure it'll fit anyone.

And more crafting on the horizon. Not enough hours in the day!

Cuties

Love this picture. He is such a jolly little guy.

Usually, he takes a nap in the swing in the morning and I go and take a shower. This morning, however, he did not. While I was rushing to get a quick shower in, he fell asleep in Issy's arms. So sweet.

A quick list of likes and dislikes

• Like: flannel sheets for cold nights. Our room is really drafty, so it's super snuggly.
• Dislike: potty training. Not a fan. I really shouldn't complain because the boys were ridiculously easy to potty train- they initiated it shortly after they turned two, did it in a matter of days and rarely had accidents. Suffice it to say, it has not been going that smoothly with Adelle.
• Like: baking. I hadn't felt much like baking until just recently. That makes me happy. Makes the kids happy.
• Dislike: large piles of laundry for folding and putting away. I really don't mind actually doing the laundry, I am just not great about then getting it where it needs to go.
• Like: soft, red yarn. Perfect for a Christmas sweater. We shall see if I can actually complete it.
• Dislike: stuffy noses for my two youngest. Tis the season :P
• Like: huge grins from my 2 month old. It makes his eyes wrinkle and his chubby little cheeks puff out over his double chin. I am charmed.
• Dislike: waking the baby up when he is sleeping to take him somewhere. It takes effort to get him to sleep, it seems wrong to ever wake him up.
• Like: homeschooling. I love watching them learn, and the time it allows us to spend together.
• Like: my return to craftiness. It makes me sad when I don't have the energy to craft, but it I feel like it isn't something that can (or should be) forced. I like having projects lined up.
• Dislike: postpartum hair loss. I built a person, I should be able to keep the nice hair. At least till he weans.
• Like: fire in fireplace.
• Dislike: smoke from building fire in fireplace. Whoops. Apparently I need to get on the roof and make sure the chimney isn't blocked. And I feel a little dumb for that not occurring to me in the first place.
• Like: Snuggles from my toddler. She has liked me more since I had the baby. That makes me very happy.
• Dislike: Not enough time. Which now makes me think of this post. There is just more that I want to do than hours in the day.

Life is pretty great in our corner of the world

My pear tree in the backyard.

I love that there are 5 colors of leaves all on one tree.

My little teeny peanut is growing into a big, big boy. I haven't had him officially weighed lately, but I think he is somewhere close to 15 lbs. Give or take a bit.

Real boys don't mind playing in pink bouncy seats ;)

Waaah! He is growing out of a bunch of his clothes! I squeezed him in this one again because I really like it. Goodbye 3-6 month clothes.

My sweet, sweet girls.

Teaching everyone how to knit. Isaac, in true Isaac fashion, is very very meticulous and persistent about it. He is so awesome.

Wormy on a nice autumn day. Liam is always interested in all of God's creatures, down to little rolly pollies and worms.

Upside down Delle delle.

I did not pose this. He still draws a crowd.

Can it just stay fall forever?

As I sit here on this early November morning, awaiting a cold front to take my beautiful 70 degree days away, I am wondering where the last couple of months went. Really? Where did they go?

George turned 8 weeks old yesterday. It seems like not that long (and yet forever) ago that I was hugely pregnant, hot, and waiting for labor to start. And then it did and he came and now it seems like he has always been a part of our family. He is pretty easygoing as long as the mommy/food source isn't too far away. I can't really say that he sleeps any better at night. But perhaps I have adjusted my expectations.

We have just entered our 5th week of school and are still in that beginning of school honeymoon phase. I love it. Adelle has been taking awesome naps since George was born, he usually has a good stretch that he sleeps in the afternoon and we have been free to dig into literature, history, math and all the good stuff. The weather has been lovely and we have been enjoying our nature study. I love this neighborhood- it is so full of beauty and trees and life. Now if only it were nestled next to some mountains...

And yet, I feel winter looming. Because I know that is what comes after fall. The beautiful leaves will fall. The trees will be bare and the air will turn blustery cold. I will want to snuggle in and not leave the house. Which will be fine in December when we have advent and the anticipation of Christmas and a tree of lights and evergreen branches.

Oh January. And February. I steel myself against you every year. Yet every year, you get me. The branches will remain bear, Christmas will be over, it will still be grey and cold. The kids will get surly with our school routine and we will all long for playing outside and sun and fresh, warm days. Sigh.

I am trying not to borrow trouble, really I am not. Maybe this will be the year that winter doesn't get me.