Seen and Heard

Seen and Heard: I cleaned house after Christmas and with a need to purge some things, we also went to our children's consignment store nearby to sell and buy. Maggie is really blossoming into such an independent little girl. It just keeps building upon itself and that is a really exciting thing to watch as a parent. She is an amazing helper, pretty well behaved, and she just loves all of us and shows it. When I told her we were going to this store, she asked if she could get a toy and I explained how she didn't need any toys since we just celebrated Christmas but we could make a deal: if she found something unique or that she needed, something from my "mental list" of things I was looking for, then we could talk about it. Right away, she asked if she could go to the back of the store to explore the toys. I started riffling through the shoes in the front with Max. Maggie brought back various purses that she wanted with stuffed animals sticking out of them and I said no (hard to do - they are cute, I agree!). Then she asked for me to come back with her. After scanning the toys, I suggested a backpack since we've had our eye out for one and they had some hanging there. She starts kindergarten this fall so the need for one is coming up and this is a good way to practice. I found a mini-backpack with Rapunzel on the front and it was pink. Maggie is petite and it fit her just right. She was so excited when I found it and for $2.50, we couldn't pass it up. At home that day, she grilled me on what you put in a backpack for school. She is really into learning to read and write and has started accumulating various notebooks and pens/pencils. She stuffed the backpack full with a favorite DocMcStuffins book, notebook, pen from her gymnastics class, comb, hair clips, chapstick, play phone, preschooler camera, and a new Hello Kitty hoodie. I really didn't think it would hold that much and she happily proved me wrong telling people "My mom didn't think it would fit all of this but it does!" beaming afterwards. Maggie and I have our quiet time together when Max naps in the afternoon. It was during this time that she was filling her backpack and she wanted me to come see the contents once she was done filling it. She quietly said to me after showing me everything with satisfaction "You know mom, a backpack is a sign of growing up." These moments kill me! Sigh. Raising my kids has been one of the best gifts I've ever been given. With Max, I know what is ahead for the most part and it's exciting.

Seen: Maggie getting her flu shot so bravely. I waited to tell her we were going until the night before or day of and when I did, she was so calm. The kids before her and after her were crying and nervous. That didn't affect her...she knew it was fine and was a model for all!

Seen and Heard: Max saying the cutest things, repeating all of us. We've made him repeat "Ewwww" a lot. I'm a happy mama watching him beginning to speak!

Solo

-Solo this weekend, almost over. Sleeping in bed alone and having the days/house to myself is nice and peaceful, but we miss DH!

-Mags was grumpy and cranky this weekend, boo. I'm getting tired of screaming fits. Are terrible twos starting early?

-3 hour naps rock.

-Piece of yesterday: I bought a bridal shower gift at Macys and was headed down the escalator with a stroller, purse, kid in my arms, and big shopping bag that was too small for what was inside. On the way down the escalator the bag crashed and burned. I watched in resignation and horror as the white bath towels were thrown out of the bag and scrunched up at the end of the escalator in all the black grease that keeps the escalator running smoothly. I wasn't really suprised this happened and couldn't do anything about it as it was happening, but jeez. Deep breath...then back up to the 3rd floor. It all ended well - the saleswoman helping me was grandma-age and very sweet with Maggie. She never gave me the look and I've gotten the look before due to cranky child. She exchanged the greasy towel, wiped off  grease on another package, told me where to find the elevator (duh!), and gave me a bigger bag so that I could actually carry it all out.  

-Ready for my own weekend away.

-Scored good finds yesterday. Library book sale and garage sales near my house. Maggie was excited to see this in her backyard (not the bucket :-). Someone also gave me a Trader Joe's reusable shopping bag, TJ's insulated cooler, and J Crew crochet granny square purse for free.

-I really hate flies buzzing around the house.

-Maggie was a champ today at the bridal shower. It was just what I needed. Thank you little one!

All in one

Been knitting (of course!) and I've finished Maggie's second pair of knickers. I've used this pattern both times. I love the elastic waistband and construction. I added ruffles to the legs and used swap yarn I got from a friend. They are for Maggie's next size up and after I was done, I realized they match the cutest little booties my mom got her that are turqoise with cherries on top. Both are a little big for her so in a month or two, they will be perfect.

I also just finished a little scarf for her. It was a fun, quick project with Debbie Bliss cashmerino aran. Inspiration to knit this was last weekend's camping trip but it will be great as the weather gets cooler.

As for projects I've ditched, I've had a friends hat on the needles for the past year but have frogged it. Love malabrigo yarn, not sure about the pattern. I've always admired this hat from afar since it came out in Interweave but after attempting the chart a few times, I became frustrated with the way the pattern was written. I figured it out, but got really annoyed in the process. The pattern is written by a guy and I'm not sure if this is because it's by a guy, but for me it leaves out essential details that I think should be there like "Hey, this is a cabling pattern" to start off or "follow the chart and then use the written instructions for the chart only at the end as you decrease for the crown". I'm not saying that this information isn't there, but it just wasn't that obvious.

My wheel is currently lent out to another friend and I went to spin group recently (girlfriends+brownies+chocolate chip cookies+wine=spinning good time) with my little spindlewood spindle and a colorful silk batt.

Had fun playing around with it. My craft friends know that I have a love/hate relationship with spinning, meaning I enjoy it at the group but outside of that I never touch it. On the positive side of things, I like to think of spinning as a craft to enjoy with friends and if it leads to a finished skein one day, great! but if not, no skin off my back. It's fun in itself just looking at all the yummy fiber and watching it be spun into yarn.

Lastly, an exciting find was a pair of knitted booties at a consignment shop. As a knitter, I could tell they were handknit and had never been used. Thank you to the special someone that invested time in these, we love them! They fit Maggie well and will probably last the next few months. The one change I made to them was swapping out the purple suede tie for a green ribbon. I swear I've seen the pattern on Ravelry somewhere but haven't found it yet. Looks like they were knit with koigu or another similar sock yarn and I love the colorway.

Maggie just woke up early from her nap, so off to play!

Deals and more deals

I've scored some great deals recently and wanted to show and tell. All on sale, marked waaay down and fitting for our budget.

I'll post more pics if I get the chance:
-a cute quilted halter dress and other cheap clothes for Maggie
-tons of kids books-the cheapest of them being 13 cents!
-Maggie's first dollie for $1 (it's kind of crazy looking, but at this stage they love bright colors, crinkling, and rattling)
-vintage buttons for her first knitted top (super pleased with how this turned out) -scrap fabrics, one a quilted top that is ready to be sewn into a simple baby quilt
-a ball of variegated soy/wool yarn for 50 cents
-vintage linens from a grab basket including a runner for our dining table, apron for me and play apron for Maggie to use for dress up down the road
-a beading book for 2 bucks, and
-a quilted wallet case that will probably serve some craft purpose eventually.

All told, I spent under $40 for sure.

That was last weekend and this week, we scored more used kids books, including a bunch of the Serendiptiy books. They are old school and I particularly remember my sister really being into them. They each have their own moral at the end of the story and the graphics are creative and cute. Maggie enjoyed Catundra this week.

Turns out my mom saved a bunch of our childhood stuff, including my sister's collection. She mentioned it the day I found these. Funny how things work like that.