A Vesty for Si-Guy

When I was 13 I sneaked into the Mormon Youth Dance, where I was supposed to only be admitted if I had reached my 14th birthday.  Well, no rules or coveted dance card were going to stop me!  I distinctly remember my best friend Nicole's older brother Gareth asking me to dance, and being sure I was busted and was going to be in unimaginable trouble.  I also remember the Heninger girls singing to me, at the top of their lungs "Dancing Queen" by ABBA.  For the next dozen or so years I remained just that, the dancing queen, living for the next Saturday Night when I could go again to the youth dance, and then young adult dance, seeing people I only ever saw there, and dance away the night.  Many of the people that are still so dear to me I met at the youth dances, including my sweet Jared, my good friend Justin, the Kanes... I'm sure there are more. I was something like Eliza Doolittle, minus the being picked off the street and taught to speak well, but I certainly could have danced all night and still have asked for more. 

I don't dance much any more.  Being a 30-year-old mother of two leaves little opportunity for such things.  Sad? A little.  But I'm over it.  I've found other things to love, and other things to do.  So, with the title of Dancing Queen stripped from me, I've got to claim another throne, and today I think I'll take the moniker, "Knitting Queen."  Not quite as disco song worthy, but I'm also over that.  I am the self proclaimed Knitting Queen and quite proud of it!

Last night I finished a vest for Silas. I actually wanted to make it for Eli, but it turned out to fit Silas just perfect, so a vesty for Silas it became.  And here it is:

Please tell me I am deserving of the title! I got the pattern here, and if you've ever wanted to knit such a thing I would recommend the pattern.  There are no seams and it is a very quick knit.  I love knitting baby things because they knit up so much quicker than huge big people sized things.  Sorry Jared, you're never going to get a hand knit sweater, I just don't have that much attention span.  I think I am to the point where I can design my own sweater/vest, so stay tuned (but not too closely, because it's going to take me a while.)

You can also tell me how ridiculously cute my child is, because a mom can never hear that enough!

Oh Ya, I have a blog...

So, it's been a while.  I have to admit, I've really enjoyed hated the little break I've taken from blogging. With Christmas and New Years and all the festivities surrounding the holidays, it's been nice to know that this space was okay without me for a few weeks. 

IF I had found the time, and IF I had taken pictures, there were many things I would have blogged about this past month:

The Raw Food class I went to - stay tuned for the Wiebe Family 30-Day's of Raw!
Eli's many wonderful Christmas crafts littering our home
The incredible makover of Eli's horrible lace-up shoes
Christmas at the cabin
Me: snowboarding; Eli: skiing!

Oh, and all the other little, wonderful, amazing things we have done. All those things.

So, I'm back.  I missed you. Don't worry, I'll not be a stranger!

The Adventure is Ending

Next week Eli will be three and a half. Three years and a half years!  If you had asked me three and a half years ago what kind of mother I thought I might be, I'm pretty sure my idea would be drastically different than the reality of today.

First of all, I know I didn't plan on still having Eli sleep in our bed - I'm pretty sure I agonized over what crib set to buy, thinking that my nursery needed to be coordinating and darling.  Funny, although it was ridiculously cute all decked out in cowboy print, I don't think Eli slept in the crib more than a couple times, and the crib was never in the nursery. When it was set up, it was in our room, right next to our bed. After we moved from Michigan we took it down, and for the last year have not missed our giant laundry hamper.

Also, three and a half years ago, when asked, I would have said that I planned on nursing until my baby was a year... maybe. Ha!  I'm not really sure where a year turned into 18 months, which ran into 2, and then became 3.   I know I would never have imagined I would be nursing my preschooler.  Yet, here I am, nursing my preschooler.  

When I got pregnant with Silas I went out to dinner with my good friends Amy and Carrin and begged them for advice on the subject.  Eli was 18 months old, and I was still nursing him quite regularly. I knew he wasn't ready to wean (he was still gagging constantly whenever he ate solids, and puking most of it up) but I wasn't sure I was ready to be one of those crazy mothers who nurses two kids at the same time.  Actually, I'm not sure if I had seen many of those mothers: either there weren't many of them out there, or they were all hiding.  I'd heard enough "When he can ask for it..." comments to make me weary. But, that night, with the gentle encouragement of understanding friends, I decided that I was willing to let Eli decide when he was ready to wean, whether that meant he wean before I had the new baby, or afterward. And so, I carried on nursing my toddler, through the discomfort of my milk drying up in pregnancy and into the life of my new baby.  I was grateful for our nursing relationship when I was engorged in those early days, and Eli was happy to relieve, and when I needed to build up my supply so I could pump for a friend, but most especially for those times when Eli needed a little comfort, a little extra care, a sign that he was just as important to me as the new baby, who nursed all the time. Breastfeeding is really one of the defining factors of mine and Eli's relationship.

Le Leche League publishes a book called Adventures in Tandem Nursing, and I can't think of a better way to describe tandem nursing than as a great adventure. For most people in western society this concept is foreign, as it was to me not too long ago, but when I paid attention to Eli's needs, and considered my own, I found that tandem nursing was a perfect solution for both of us.  As we embarked on the adventure I realized that other tandem nursing moms were around, and they were surprisingly normal (shocking, really!)  I also learned how natural it was to continue nursing Eli, along with Silas.  While there have been times when we've had to set limits and make adjustments to our nursing relationship, I wouldn't give up what we've had for anything.

Yet, here I sit, and I don't think I can even remember the last time Eli nursed.  One week ago?  Maybe two?  He's asked a few nights this week, but is usually asleep before Silas dozes off, which is when I would normally nurse him. I have envisioned weaning as being a big event, but it has come so slowly and naturally that I feel perfectly calm about it.  I feel that Eli has chosen to wean because he is ready to move on, that he knows he can find comfort and love in ways other than nursing, and that he is blessed with confidence and security because of the relationship we have had. Perhaps we will have a few more precious moments together, but the weaning is definitely near, the end of the adventure imminent.

The LAST Winner!

Kay, seriously, this last seven weeks of blogging has been absolutely crazy. Fun, but crazy!  Giveaways are always exciting: sponsored giveaways are even better!  I'm still so thankful to Inspired By Finn for their necklace giveaway, and Down to Earth Toys for the toy boat!  But, through it all I've definitely felt blogging pressure that I'm not sure I LOVE.  I mean, when I started this blog I did it because of two friends, Cheryl and Sarah, who have family blogs.  Both are places I love to go to catch up on their lives, see pictures of their kids and feel connected with them though they are millions of miles away. 

During the last seven weeks I've felt I HAD to blog in order for people to be able to comment enough. I don't like to HAVE to do anything, really.  And frankly, sometimes I don't want to blog, or sometimes I want to blog about the mundane, silly things in life: things that may not be accompanied by an incredible picture, or an original craft.  You know, like how today on the way home from Church Eli asked us to sing "Away in a Manger" and then stopped us to ask how, if Baby Jesus slept in the manger, he cuddled with his mommy (which, obviously, he did - Jesus definitely would have co-slept!) Or, how Silas folded his arms, or rather just one arm, which I suppose isn't folding at all, but you get the picture, during prayer this morning!  I'm not sure if anyone at all wants to hear about such things, but I think they are worthy of recording, and since my blog has kind of become my record keeping, this is where I tend to want to put such things. 

I guess what I'm saying, dear readers, is that I really hope you aren't reading this to find anything more than the adventures of one mommy, babbling on as though someone cares.  Because I think it's fun, I will continue to post some of my crafts, but from this point on you are going to be getting a lot more of me and less of that.  Hope that's okay with you all! 

But, let's not end this adventure on a terse note, let's be happy and giveaway the very last giveaway!  Using Random.org, and counting ALL the comments, even the few somewhat LAME ones, the winner of my two crocheted hats is....

Cheryl Snell!!!! 

There were two particular followers who have commented religiously on every post over the last seven weeks, and Cheryl has been one of them, so I'm glad she has won.  Cheryl, you are just going to have to wait until you are back in Alberta in December to get these hats (which, BTW, I am SO excited for!)  All the more reason for you to see us BEFORE Christmas!


And, because many people have asked, and I have generally ignored, and since I am a machine with the crochet hook, if anyone wants to order either of the two hats in this giveaway, in any colour you would like, I would be happy to hook one up for you!  $15 for one, or $25 for two.  Just send me an email and we can talk shop. 

Lastly, because both Canadian and American Thankgiving are now out of the way, I can say, without stepping on anyone's toes, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

The Super-est of Saturdays!

Anyone who grew up LDS most assuredly grew up surrounded by crafts which were crafted, once a year, on "SUPER SATURDAY."  It's an amazing phenomenon where Mormon women get together for an entire Saturday and craft, craft, craft!  Because it usually falls on a Saturday in November, most of the Super Saturday crafts are Christmas related.  This week we decorated my mom's house for Christmas, and as we opened up boxes and set out the decorations, I would easily say that more than half the decorations, dating back three or more decades, came from various Super Saturdays.  Here are a few:

But, I have to admit, my very favourite Christmas crafts are these two (I've asked to get them when mom dies!)

Actually, maybe I will just have to figure out how to make them, and offer the class at next year's Super Saturday!

This year I finally started making something I've been meaning to for years.  Before you are too impressed, let me assure you that this was not the workings of my mind. My incredible friend Chelsea went way above and beyond to create this beauty, and I have merely enjoyed her labours!  So, while it is yet to be completed, here's the finished pieces of my Advent Calendar!

 The Wisemen, their Camel, and Egypt, which isn't actually to the east, but Mary and Joseph take baby Jesus there after Herod goes crazy and wants to kill all the babies.

 The earth; Jesus made it.  And John the Baptist.

 The shepherds and their sheep (remember how I love sheep? Well, these ones add to my love, they are so very cute!) Bethlehem and some townspeople. 

 Jerusalem, EVIL king Herod, Simeon and Anna (they are at the Temple when Mary and Joseph take Jesus there to be blessed.)

Angels heard on high, the star, the Angel Gabriel, Donkey, Joseph, Mary, and Baby Jesus. 

There you have it: proof of another successful Super Saturday.  Hopefully in 30 years my kids will still enjoy pulling this work of art out and reminiscing over the years it was used and loved.  I've only got a few more days to get it complete, and when I do I'll be sure to post.  Until then, happy Christmas crafting to all of you!

My Mad Crochet Skills

Kay, so quite honeslty, I have done nothing but crochet the last few weeks.  I just love how I can sit down with a ball of yarn and a hook, and a few hours later have a beautiful hat to give away. Unfortunately, there is no way I have enough babies to give all my hats to.  I need to start making them bigger.  And maybe I should make some for me.  No, that would be silly.

Anyway, the Snow Day hat I made was so cute, and so fun, I have made a few more just like it.  There's the red one that is this weeks giveaway.  Then there are two of theses:

I've made a bunch more of the flower hats. Here's one:

Then, with the ends of the balls of yarn, I've made a few of these:

I love this one. It's just a bunch of different crochet stitches. Maybe I will expand my repertoire of patterns and write this one up.  We'll see.

Anyway, moral of this story is, everyone should have a baby girl so that I can get rid of these hats. Like, now.

Here it is...

Alright, I've slacked this week, but give me a break, I did so good the other 6 weeks.  Besides, my giveaways were supposed to be Canadian Thanksgiving to American Thanksgiving, and through my procrastination I have managed that perfectly.  So, to all my American friends, HAPPY THANKSGIVING, enjoy your turkey! And to all, this week's giveaway:

That's right folks, two hats.  A cute rendition of the Snow Day hat, and a girly flower hat.  Both are child sized (4-12ish...), although they stretch quite nicely over my big scull, so if you want to wear them yourselves, you can enjoy them too! 

So, here's the final rules, and I'm changing them up a bit, just so certain people who have tried so hard and comment so well can have a better chance (I am all about blog integrity, but I can do what I can to tip the scales):

1. Mandatory Entry - comment on THIS blog post.
2. Extra Entry - comment on any other post this week, including the two written since Monday.
3. Extra extra entry - I will count as many entries for as many comments you leave, even if you leave more than one on each post.  Now, be realistic and leave real comments, not lame one word ones.  I reserve the right to ignore any comments I feel suck. 

I will announce the winner of this last giveaway (thank heaven it's over!) on Sunday, November 28th, in the evening sometime.

May the best commenter win!!!