Bears, bears and more bears!

Bear Power!

Sitting with Miss M. is George B. Pinkus Jr. I had Pink George when I was growing up, a pink (surprize!) bear that I loved and had forever until on my way back from college he fell in the mud and the attempt to clean him left him with a rust ring on his stomach (don't ask). My dad thought M. needed her own Pink George, so he searched high and low for a pink teddy bear and found one that I think fits the bill perfectly. And then he named the bear and sent it with it's own name tag.

George Jr. is not M.'s first bear, however. My dad got her her first bear last summer when he and my mom took their annual trip to Yellowstone and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. When I talked to them, he told me that the Bean had it's first teddy bear. He found it at Jackson Lake Lodge; there was another bear there, too, that he didn't buy... he seemed to regret that decision for the next few months, so I'm guessing he might buy it for her during their trip this year (along with a park ranger outfit that they thought was adorable).

In the picture on the left, the first bear is in the back on the left. Next to it is Grey Bear... another of my bears growing up. Well, my dad thought that the baby should have it's own Grey Bear, too... that bear is the one behind the rock light on the right. My parents also got her the Border's polar bear in the center and the little bear carrying the littler bear in the back. The clothed bear came from the baby shower my mother-in-law gave me and the center bear in front came from one of my mom's friends. The bear at front right is a "boo bear" with a plastic ice cube in it from Monica and Polly. I think we're going to need a bigger shelf for all the bears.

In knitting news, I have finished one sleeve and started the second on the February sweater. I switched back to the yoke color for the garter stitch edging at the bottom and I like the way it ties it together. I am really enjoying the sweater. The pattern stitch is easy to memorize, knits up quickly and is nice looking, to boot. I should probably go knit it up instead of blogging here since she's sleeping for a bit.

I wish it would warm up; I'm going to miss Wool and Co. Friday morning knitting again because it's freaking cold out! :(

I hate Mondays

That's how I feel this morning.

Silly girl spent most of the night "talking" and grunting in her sleep. I'm still trying to work on blocking out the non-essential noises since for now at least she sleeps in a crib next to the bed. Eventually, she'll sleep in her crib in the nursery (knock on wood), but for now, I hear everything. Not that I won't later... we bought a monitor that will stay with me everywhere.

The other reasons Mondays suck is that D. goes back to work for the week. I don't feel like I see him enough on the weekends, and then during the week I see him for an hour or two before I go up to bed to sleep while he takes the Bean for a few hours between feedings. But, then again, if he didn't work... well, none of this would be possible, so I can't really complain.

You can't tell in this picture (which over a month old) but the onesie she's wearing says, "Nothing's wrong, just testing you".

The other day I was talking to my mom and dad, telling them that I'm trying to be more loyal to my knitting projects, by which I mean, I'm trying to work on just one (maybe two) at a time. Since I don't get as much knitting time now, the way I jump around usually would mean nothing would ever get finished, so I am trying to focus more. I read on Dee's blog that she's doing the same thing. It feels good to get things done... like, my dad's felted clogs. My mom's and his clogs are going out to them in the mail today with felting instructions. Then, when they come visit next month, they'll bring them back nice and felted and ready for pictures!

One of my 2007 finished knits was the Harvey Kimono from Natural Knits for Moms and Babies.
I made the "boy" version because we didn't know if we were having a girl or boy, and I think she looks cute in it, but a boy would have looked silly in pink with a picot edge.

I also made a matching hat to go with it.

I might be a little biased, but I think she's just so cute. D. loves the hat on her; I have to agree.

The yarn is Lavold's Cotton Patine. It is soft, but made with many plies, so it is splitty. Also, it being cotton, does not hide woven in ends well. But, I think it looks pretty good.

No new pictures of the EZ February Sweater. There is progress, I'm working on the first sleeve, but it is not interesting looking, really. It is coming along pretty quickly, which is good, because if I don't finish it soon, the only thing it will fit is a large teddy bear.

Today is M.'s two-month appointment with the pediatrician. I'll be able to answer the "how much does she weight now" question. I wish I didn't have to take her out in this cold. I didn't even go to Wool and Company Friday because it was too cold to take her out. If the forecasts are correct, I don't even think I'll be able to go this Friday. I sure hope it warms up soon!

Wool and Company, Buttons and a Picture

Friday morning knitting at Wool and Company is the main indulgence I have not given up since having The Princess. She seems pretty comfortable there, and after all, she's heard the sounds of the group since she was in the womb, which is good, because if she were unhappy and I couldn't go, the week would be so much longer. Neil and Lesley run such a nice shop and I've met such wonderful people there. And one thing that I really appreciate is that I can nurse Miss M. there without having to leave the group. Now, granted, I use a really cute nursing cover, so nothing is "out there", but it's still nice that no one gets weird about it, since it is a perfectly natural thing.

Stepping off the soapbox... I am going to step on the stage and brag a little. See those buttons over on the side? The ones below the Fearless, Ravelry and Blogging Without Obligation? I "made" them myself! Ok, so I didn't design the logos, but I did figure out how to put them onto my blog and link to the websites, and it wasn't even hard. I looked at the html of the first buttons and used it as my template for the others. I realize it's not a really big deal, but it made me feel good that I could figure it out, because computer things tend to intimidate me. I have a fear (probably a bit irrational) that I might do something that will blow up the computer or render it completely useless. How would I do that by trying to add a button to my blog? I don't know, and if I don't know, I don't know that what I'm doing wouldn't ruin it all.

In knitting, I finished up the inner sole of Dad's second clog and have started the upper portion. What I love about the Ergo carrier is that even when M. is strapped to the front of me, I can sit and knit and she's comfy.

And speaking of the Bean...

Goody M. is ready to churn butter.