Knit Hats and Shane

One of my assigned jobs for co-op is to be a teacher's aid in the practical needlework class.  Jason will not let me leave him in the nursery and he isn't allowed in the classroom, so I haven't been able to actually go to class yet.  The teacher and I are friends and have first hour in the nursery together.  She asked me to help by creating and test knitting patterns! My favorite!

This is just a quick garter stitch hat knit flat on straight needles.  It's *almost* like the first hat I ever knit, only I was still teaching myself from a book and I didn't know there was a difference between knitting flat and in the round.  So my hat looked like this even though it wasn't at all what it was supposed to look like:

That hat has been the most awesome, long-wearing hat.  In fact, that baby in the picture-Shane-pulled that hat out of the box to take with him on his sailing trip this weekend. 

When Shane was about three years old, he had a hard time telling if his shirt belonged to him and if it was on right instead of backwards.  It caused him some anxiety, so anytime he got dressed, he asked, "Is-is-is this MY shirt? And does it go on like THIS?" If we didn't answer yes to both questions, he would cry.  I've used this story recently to teach Shane about being patient with annoying younger siblings.

So today, Shane pulled the hat out of the hat box and put it on.  He said to me, "Hey Mom, is this my hat?"  I turned around and said, "Yeah, but it's on backward. The seam goes in the back."  He smiled sweetly as he slowly turned the hat to face the right way... and he said....

...."Soooo.... Does it go on like THIS?"  I laughed and then I lost it and cried for awhile.  I cried again after I dropped him off for Sea Scouts.  In fact, I'm crying again as I write this.  It's a mom thing.  I love that boy, the toddler and teen, all in one.

The Plague

The Downens were hit with a nasty cold this week. Every single one of us was affected to one degree or another.  The virus combined with the first week of bitter cold found us calling a sick day and snuggling down by the fire under blankets.  We were even too sick to go to Homeschool Friday which was a total bummer because it was reptile day! I stayed busy with my projects until Heidi got sick and needed to stay on my lap all day.

One Miserable Baby

My first project was sewing up some fleece into warm pajamas for Shane and using the leftover fleece for a pair of pants for Lula.  Shane has been living in his pajamas for three days (being sick and all) and I still can't keep Lula dressed.  She is going to freeze this winter if she doesn't wise up and wear pants!  But the best project that I haven't started yet is diapers for Laura's baby!

This Nana just can't resist a 60% off sale on snuggly printed flannel.  Especially if her much-loved step daughter is planning on cloth diapering.  Little baby girl diapers are SO cute.  The cost for one Nana-made diaper is only $.73.  So far I only have the fabric washed, but I have plenty of time, right?

Stocking #1: Whose will it be?

I've been taking advantage of having a sleeping baby on my lap to start up the Smith Family Christmas stockings.  My original plan was to make stockings that look like ours, but I just can't knit another fair isle Christmas stocking.  I begged Ami to let me just knit striped stockings and in return I would knit enough for her whole family.

So there you have it! Another week at the Downen house with nothing new and exciting to report *smile*

No Sleep

We've had a rough couple of nights.  Because the baby room, where Lula usually sleeps, gets so cold at night (47 degrees last time I checked), we've had her sleeping with us...

"Who is that sleeping in my bed?"

And since Daniel still can't sleep alone, there are four people squished into a king-sized bed.  I'm ready to move to the couch or put a bed in the cold room for myself.  Daniel is still "extreme snuggling" and with Mark's broken/injured rib/side, he is not happy.  I think Lula is teething and growing because she is waking up throughout the night and consuming way more than I can produce.  This also is exhausting.

Guess who can crawl out of the Bumbo?

Okay, enough with the whining.  The latest "thing" in blog world is finding happiness in little things and blogging about it.  I've been very happy with my knitting lately.  I've finished up some wool pants, a leafy shawl, and now I've started a sweater for Evie.  This picture is for my friend Crystal, who knows me so well:

Pure Happiness

The sweater is knit from the neck down all as one piece so I don't have any seaming at the end.  I'm using yarn that I bought to make a sweater for myself many years ago.  The color is better suited for Evie:

Those green eyes just pop right out at you! They are so pretty!  That makes me happy :)

Halloween Sneak Peek

 I finished up a knitting project yesterday:

Spider Baby

And I'm having fun with my glue gun (and sewing machine) today:

Princess Hair clip

I learned many years ago in MOMS Club that if I want to get something done, invite more kids over!  The kids run off and play and leave me completely alone.  Even D is fast asleep on M's lap back in the office.  I'm using this time to finish up the Halloween costumes...

Witchy Hair Clip

La piece de resistance:

Witchy Skirt

I used a bat template to add a little flair.  I wish I made one for myself.  Hmm... what time does Joann close?