License to Spoil

Doesn't this face just scream 'I'm in charge and I know it'? Our household is being run by a 20-month-old, and we're loving it. Addy spends the mornings hanging out with grandpa, eating breakfast, reading books and telling stories. Afternoons and evenings are grandma time; we play, read more books, do chores, and take naps.

It didn't take Addy long to figure out that she had us wrapped around her little finger. First she spotted the fish* in my studio - which is now her "feeeshy". It's bigger than she is, but she hauls it all over the house with her. Then she decided that my office chair (it's a great spinning wheel and weaving loom chair - totally adjustable) was her chair; it's now her favorite place for snacking. And I was ok with losing that chair; I still had my recliner where I could watch TV and work on the computer. Yeah, right.

I came back from a quick trip to the kitchen to find that Addy had claimed that for herself too. She'd hauled herself up, crossed her legs, and was mousing around like she'd been doing it all her life. Now whenever I leave the room, she climbs up, makes herself comfortable, and starts giggling when she sees me coming back.Addy's enjoying herself but she misses her mom and dad occasionally. Yesterday Dick found her sitting on the floor in front of a photo of mommy and daddy, reading to them from her favorite book (complete with smacking the bug, just like her mommy taught her). Totally an 'awwwwwww' moment.

*Gary won the fish at Sea World several years ago by knocking over milk cans with a baseball. It was 3 balls for $1. He won the red fish with the first dollar - and with his second dollar, he won the purple fish for me! He kept the red fish in his room until he out grew it, whereupon I claimed it for me - and now for Addy.

Crocus Bud Shawl

Remember the mystery fiber I got from Fearless Fibers a week or so ago? I finished crocheting the Crocus Bud Shawl (Rav link) on Sunday, then blocked it in sections over the last two days; it's much too long to do in one shot on my blocking board.

Today, I persuaded my two favorite models to help show it off. Addy was doing really well (doesn't she look like a little madonna? No, not the singer . . .) until she discovered how much fun it was to stick her fingers through the holes in the lace.
Marie's not quite as cute (sorry, Marie) but she's a little more reliable. The shawl is about 18" wide and over seven feet long, almost two feet longer than its preblocked size. The kid mohair is incredibly soft and the fabric drapes beautifully. I love how the colors shimmer in the sunlight. The pattern is a one-row repeat, easy to do but not boring, and makes a gorgeous shawl. This is one of those garments that's going to be an absolute pleasure to wear.

Tech specs: Crocus Bud Crocheted Shawl, size "K" hook, approx. 660 yards of 100% kid mohair yarn from Fearless Fibers.

Yabba Dabba Zoo

We've wanted to take the grandkids to my favorite zoo since summer began but each time we planned the trip, something seemed to come up (like new grand-daughters). But with Addy visiting from Colorado and school starting tomorrow for Naia, today was finally the perfect day. The Santa Barbara Zoo is great for younger kids; it's smaller than others in our area which makes it just right for shorter legs, and it has some great, kid-friendly exhibits like the climb-on-me turtle sculpture that Addy made friends with. The kids all enjoyed the little train that circles the zoo and Naia totally loved feeding the giraffes, with their long, purple tongues slurping up her offering. ($4 per person; a very cool experience and a great way to make $$ for the zoo!)

Miles' favorite things were running everywhere - he was in constant motion most of the day - and climbing on fences to get a better look at things.

(Dick is standing right beside him, ready to make the grab if things go awry.)

I thought Addy's favorite would be the monkeys - she loves looking for them in her books -

Mommy, grandma got me my own monkey! (And she hasn't put it down since she got it.)

but she loved the elephants. We got 'wow, wow, wow' when she first saw them; she would have stood watching them all day if we hadn't carried her away.
The zoo has added/enhanced the children's play area since we were last there. The tunnel was great for climbing and crawling; Addy loved following the big kids. The 'astro turf' on the hill was good for kids. Addy made it all the way to the top a couple of times; I had to catch her on the way down though - she got going so fast she couldn't stop. All three kids had a blast here; they didn't want to leave when it was time to see the rest of the animals.

I thought all this activity would wear them out and they'd fall asleep as soon as we got back in the car. Silly grandma. All three stayed awake the entire trip home. Just barely in Addy's case; she struggled to stay awake, not wanting to miss a single minute with Naia and Miles, but she passed out as soon as we laid her down on the bed.

And for Carolyn, the only flower photo I took all day. It's amazing how little time you have for taking 'pretty' pictures when you're wrangling three little kids.

Addy's Here!

Addy and her parents arrived Saturday. Addy enjoyed entertaining everyone on the flight from Denver; she's a veteran traveler, having flown at least a dozen times in the past year and a half. Addy loved meeting Leia; she was very gentle, patting Leia's arm and repeating 'baaaaby'.

Miss Leia is such a mellow baby; but she made her opinion known when dad had the audacity to change her diaper before giving her the bottle she wanted. Leia was hungry. And she made sure we all knew it. Other than that one time, she was an angel, sleeping through the continuous changes of scenery as we passed her around all evening. She keeps getting cuter every day.

Yet More Photos

Are you tired of Baby Leia pix yet? Me neither . . . . Leia came home today and tomorrow she'll meet Aunt Rachel, Uncle John and Cousin Addy. She's becoming quite the social butterfly.
The new dad is already feeling sleep deprived. After just one night. He was looking for sympathy but Dick and I just laughed at him. Poor baby.

Two Days Old

Leia is a very calm, good natured, and alert baby. She whimpers occasionally but has yet to really cry, even when she's hungry. Leia spent much of the day with her eyes open, intently watching everyone around her especially sister Naia (7), brother Miles (2 1/2) and Aunt Marie.

Miles holding Leia for the first time.

The only troubling news is that poor Leia suffered a hairline fracture in her right collarbone during the delivery. The doctor says it will heal on its own; we just need to make sure Leia lays on her back, rather than her side when she's in her crib. Even with that, Mom and Leia should be sprung from the hospital tomorrow morning. Hooray!

Introducing . . .

Leia Kalise

Born August 13, 2008, 3:29 p.m.7 pounds, 10 ounces; 19.5" longMom, dad, and baby are all doing great. Welcome, Little One.

Mystery Fiber

One of my very favorite indie dyers found some 'mystery' yarn after she dyed a recent batch of fiber. She blogged it (here: scroll down to July 31) and I, half-jokingly, begged to buy it. It's shiny! It's purple! and - since Deb agreed to part with three skeins - It's mine!
It's 100% mohair - not part silk like we originally thought - and about fingering weight.

The minute I saw it on Deb's blog, I knew it would make a fabulous shawl - but which one?? I swatched the Eva's Shawl (here's the Rav link to 111 completed shawls) but the pattern was too contrasty with the yarn's color variations. Thought about the Zig-Zag Stole and the Green Crocheted Shawl, even bought the patterns, but they just weren't right either. Went through all the shawl, wrap, stole patterns on Ravelry. Twice. Nothing.

Until I saw this. I'd noticed the pattern in the recent Webs catalog, but the photo doesn't look nearly as gorgeous as Gigi's shawl. So this - is the first third of the Crocus Bud Shawl. I'm thrilled with the pattern - super easy but not boring. It doesn't look like much now, but it will look a whole lot different once it's blocked. Can't wait to get this finished!!

Olympic Spinning

I finished spinning and Navajo-plying one bobbin of this last night while watching the Olympics. I'm letting the second bobbin 'cure' till tonight when I'll ply it while rooting for Team USA.

This is 'Purple Mountain Majesty' (I think; it could be Frosted Fields. I need to keep better records . . . ) from Spinderella's Fiber Mill in Utah. One bobbin, about 60% of the 8 ounce roving I started with, gave me approx. 160 yards of 3-ply yarn. (ETA: the second bobbin gave me about 100 additional yards of 3-ply.) My spinning is still more inconsistent than I'd like, but the 3-ply technique evens things out and makes it look pretty. I loved spinning this stuff and I love how it sparkles in the sunshine. Good thing I have more Spinderella's in the stash or I'd be off on a buying spree right now.

Lemonade

Got the blahs? Life giving you lemons? Break out the silk! I should have been working on WIPs or weaving for the O-Loom-Pics weave-along, but instead I grabbed this skein of stashed Schaefer Helene (wool/silk blend) that I got on sale last year and made the Fan Bookmark Scarf (Rav link). Finished it in less than 24 hours, took another 12 hours to gently block it, and voila - a new FO. Silk. It's the new lemonade.

Gorgeous

I haven't felt the urge to make a crocheted afghan in a long time. Until I saw this. More photos here (Rav link).

Sleeping Princes

Naia and I got home from the yarn store to find grandpa asleep in the living room and Miles asleep in the bedroom. They came home from the latest Mummy movie and fell fast asleep. I guess that's an endorsement - so exciting it wears you out.

Armed For Battle

As Oreo gets progressively sicker with stomatitis, she's unable to keep herself groomed. I've been combing her fur and washing her with disposable pet wipes, but she's gotten to the point of having to have a vet-ordered bath.

Oreo's the most patient, easy-going cat I - and the vet - have ever seen. She takes her daily meds without a fuss and didn't fight me even when she had to be medicated through an I.V. But I figured all bets were off where a tub of water was concerned.

Dick helped arm me (sorry) for battle - thick dish towels on both arms, held in place with painters tape. I put a towel in the bottom of the tub so Oreo wouldn't slide around (learned that lesson a month ago during the first bath. Slipping cat = unhappy unhappier cat.) She wasn't pleased, but after a short struggle when I first put her in the water, Oreo just sat there and let me get on with it. She didn't even object when I poured water over her back and sides, something she strongly disliked the first time. And I think she actually likes having her back scratched - not enough to want to do this again anytime soon though . . . When I opened the bathroom door to let her out, she turned to give me a dirty look, then sat down and started grooming. I really expected her to run and hide.As I write this an hour post-bath, Oreo's sitting at my feet. She won't let me put her in my lap - she wants me to know she's still p**sed - but she also doesn't want me out of her sight. She's such a sweet puppy kitty.

Some warped weaving humor. Too funny.