Keeping my hands busy

When I asked my cousin to teach me how to knit, it was explicitly so I could have a crafty pursuit to do in college when space and time were both at a premium.  Knitting, so I had heard, had the potential to be a social craft—something I could work on while talking about Great Ideas and all that.  Little did I know it would also be what I turn to whilst blathering about nothing at the breakfast table.

My toddler is not a particularly quick eater, except when it comes to cherries, but I want to set a half-decent example and not race away from the table as soon as I’m finished with my food.  Don’t get me wrong, I still make my escape to throw laundry in the wash/do other jobs that are just easier when my helper is strapped in and entertained, but I like to have something sitting beside me to keep me at the table a little longer, and not scurrying off to the computer.

Enter knitting.  This is the Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief (Ravelry link).  I saw it on a Yarn Along post at Small Things (can I tell you how much I love the things she knits?  They’re beautiful, but simple enough to do without overtaxing one’s brain).  I liked the look of it, but loved it more, I think, when I saw the name of the pattern.  I am such a sucker for good names—anything with a sort-of-geeky name gets extra points in my book, which may be why my queue also includes a shawl called Scalene.

Notes on Ravelry.

Oh, and I know I still owe you a 3 month post for Little Brother.  I’ll work on it this weekend.

Photos from the week

Last Wednesday we finally made it to storytime at the local ice cream shop.  Just for showing up, kids get free ice cream, and a free book.  The boys were nice and shared their ice cream with us.

Little brother turned three months old (a post with a picture from our photo shoot to follow).  He celebrated by attempting to roll over.  Big brother had to help comfort him when he got tired of pictures (Big brother is saying “shhh” in the picture).

We had two trees taken down in our side yard.  I contemplated asking the tree guys where they were going next, because Big brother was absolutely glued to the window most of the time they were here.  The big piles of mulch where there used to be 35+ foot trees are still disconcerting.

Two weeks in pictures

We were on the road last Monday, so here's a double photo dump.  I finally got Little Brother to smile for the camera.  He smiles for us a fair amount, but when the camera comes out, it's all business. 

We hit the road for Ohio last Thursday after A. got off work.  Big Brother was asleep before we even started playing "Family Vacation," and Little Brother wasn't too sure what he thought of that musical interlude.  Both boys enjoyed time with their great-grandparents, cousin, and aunt and uncles.  Big Brother also enjoyed his first hot dog at the "World Famous" Hot Dog Shoppe. 

We drove back on Monday, just in time for Grandma S. to arrive for the Quilt Show.  Unfortunately, when she's here, I seem to slack off on the pictures, so you'll just have to imagine it.  We brought a cold back from Ohio, and had a really rough night with Big Brother right after she got here.  Welcome to Michigan Grandma!

Big Brother has been rapidly developing new interests, including rice hair treatments and fort building.  Also, helping me sew, going for tricycle rides, telling us he needs a diaper change, and cheering for my high school football team.

9/3/2012.  Edited to fix broken picture link.

Photos from the week

More time outside this week, despite my foreboding about the coming autumn.  We finally brought Big Brother's Tee-Ball set outside.  Thus far, the best part is putting the ball on the tee.

Our sophisticated outdoor storage solution.

Big Brother's self portraiture.

When Big Brother gets up from his nap, Little Brother is usually asleep.  When we hear Little Brother stirring, Big Brother perks up, signs "Baby," and after I confirm that it is, indeed, the baby, he runs to the bassinet to peer inside.

I've gotten on another be-a-cool-mom-and-do-fun-sensory-stuff kick.  We tried shaving cream+fingerpaint.  A lukewarm success.  Hands had to be wiped every ten seconds.  And it's not like the child usually has qualms about getting messy, at least when the mess is edible.

Gametime reprise.

9/3/12.  Edited to fix broken picture link.

Photos from the week

It feels like summer is coming to an end.  School supply sales are all over the place, and just this morning it was a little cool to be out in short sleeves.  The nice part of that is that it's also now cool enough to use the oven!  We made a couple loaves of banana bread, and even had soup for dinner once!  We've also made a couple of servings of juice in the new blender.  Grape strawberry juice is delicious! 

Big Brother has developed an interest in blankets and actually snuggling underneath them, so Little Brother's new quilt from his great-grandmother is a big hit for both boys. 

My aunt came through on her way north to pick up my cousin from camp, and brought some new toys for Big Brother, including some blocks that belonged to my sister and me.  Mom gave them to our cousins when we were older, and now they're coming full circle.

Two months

Little Brother is two months old!

  

This month he went on several road trips around Michigan, slept through my cousin's concerto performance, learned how to smile (about once a day), started watching the Olympics, continued to receive lots of love from his big brother, gotten his first round of shots (like a champ), finished the library summer reading program, had a growth spurt or two, slept, and ate.  What a difference a month makes!

 

This week

It seems Peter can't make up his mind about water.  On the one hand, he loves water--drinking it, pouring it, splashing it.  On the other hand, we went to the neighborhood splash pad and he just stood there watching.  Chasing the other kids was far more fun.  But going to the lake with Dad?  Nothing better.