tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74279132012-02-01T17:26:00.617-06:00Family. Work. Crafts. Balance is a craft.Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.comBlogger8721100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-55326237839265456342012-02-01T17:26:00.001-06:002012-02-01T17:26:00.624-06:00

Photographic evidence that we have a very patient dog.

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-34389708852485571512012-01-30T19:52:00.004-06:002012-01-30T19:52:00.046-06:00

In the past few weeks, Scout has really found her voice.  She became a babbler.  And it's pretty cute.  There's been lots of "dadadada" and "babababa," and then in the past few weeks she found the "mamama" and the "nanana."  We hear "dada" and "mama" and something that sounds kind of like "nola,"  and I'm almost ready to start calling them words.  But... For over a month she's been doing this

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-33759365359258259082012-01-26T17:30:00.005-06:002012-01-26T19:20:32.267-06:00

We were hit with the plague.  In the last 3 weeks we've been to the doctor's office more than the past 5 years combined.  Easily.  First Scout.  Then Rykert.  Then Rykert again.  Then me.  Then Scout again. I don't really get sick very often, and when I do I usually just proceed with life and pretend it isn't happening.  I apparently have a pretty high pain tolerance, evidenced by Scout's weird

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-51622234950653160262012-01-19T02:49:00.020-06:002012-01-19T02:49:00.076-06:00

Dear Scout, Today you are 9 months old.  Nine months!  That's three-quarters of a year.  It's been a busy and exciting month, and you've been discovering all kinds of new activities. You're developing quite the repertoire of tricks It started with patty cake, but now it's more a celebratory applause. You wave at everyone.  You wave hello and goodbye.  You wave to Nola. You've really

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-90178065463072010572012-01-16T11:22:00.000-06:002012-01-16T11:22:34.431-06:00

We've been knocked down by a nasty virus, and hence the blog silence. It all started last weekend.  Scout and I went to visit my parents and help celebrate my mom's birthday.  I'm going to admit that I was a little nervous about taking our day care germs on the road, because my mom has recently started chemo.  But we appeared healthy.  Twelve hours into our visit, cue the fever.  Scout was

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-72828040448408068232012-01-04T18:12:00.000-06:002012-01-04T18:12:01.407-06:00

Iowa had its big moment last night.  It comes every four years, and you could hear the collective sigh of relief this morning as the politicians exited.  This year, with only one party  searching for a nominee, it wasn't quite as bad as 4 years ago when we were getting harassed from both sides.  But nonetheless, I'm happy to have the political commercials replaced (with anything).  There's always

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-66655242979310434222012-01-03T18:49:00.000-06:002012-01-03T18:49:00.249-06:00

I really like dressing Scout.  It's like a real life version of paper dolls.  I actually don't do a ton of shopping for her.  We've received a lot of clothing as gifts and a lot of hand-me-downs.  Most of my shopping is just to fill in the gaps here and there, but I have a weakness for cute patterned tights.  Despite my better judgment, I have photographic evidence of this weakness. This is

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-63945899566593955592012-01-01T00:01:00.000-06:002011-12-31T17:10:33.235-06:00

I think this is when I am supposed to wax on about 2011.  The truth is there isn't much to say.  There wasn't much knitting, parts of it were pretty shitty, but overall it was probably one of the absolute best years ever for us.  Scout's arrival was a game changer in the best possible way.  And that's how I'll remember 2011. So a very happy new year to you and yours... Take 1:  I didn't

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-26702239136592691112011-12-31T17:23:00.000-06:002011-12-31T17:23:53.072-06:00

The weather has been unseasonably warm.  Kids who got sleds for Christmas will have to wait, but I'm certainly not complaining.  It's not often that you can do this on New Year's Eve. and neither is she...

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-35632471963927763822011-12-31T09:03:00.001-06:002011-12-31T09:04:44.894-06:00

I want to learn to play the ukulele now.  That's what she's playing, right?  Also, I like her new show on Fox.

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-22687756839831851452011-12-28T20:44:00.000-06:002011-12-28T20:44:59.445-06:00

We had a fantastic Christmas.  Despite the fact that my sisters and I are all relatively close to my parent's, it's becoming increasingly rare to have everyone in the house at the same time.  So, it was nice to have everyone under the same roof for the Christmas festivities.  The added bonus was near spring-like weather. Scout didn't have a clue what was going on, but was a champ all weekend.

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-80453941553647384402011-12-23T06:14:00.000-06:002011-12-23T06:14:00.959-06:00

In honor of Festivus, I present our 2011 holiday card celebrating all relevant holidays... Taking this picture was a comedy of errors involving a tripod, the self-timer, a family of deer pestering the dog, and a little photoshop magic. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season whatever you are celebrating.  The card was a design from and printed by Minted.com.

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-32887290890322776762011-12-22T05:25:00.000-06:002011-12-22T11:21:43.201-06:00

While the term Giftmas has its own Urban Dictionary definitions, I've given it my own. Giftmas is celebrated in the week immediately preceding or following Christmas on a date determined based on work and travel schedules.  It is a mini gift giving holiday celebrated in a simple manner at home before the big Christmas festivities. That being said, Giftmas is not celebrated on December 23, as

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-6871596069122413642011-12-19T02:49:00.000-06:002011-12-19T02:49:00.255-06:00

Dear Scout, It's your 8 month birthday.  Eight months.  Your dad likes to point out that it's 0.66667. It's been another busy month.  We've spent a couple of weekends at grandma and grandpa's, your first Thanksgiving feast, and we have been busy getting ready for your first Christmas. So what are you up to: No teeth yet.  I keep thinking I see little pre-tooth spots on your lower gums, but

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-55052694108538479172011-12-16T08:38:00.001-06:002011-12-16T09:11:16.701-06:00

It took three attempts but we finally saw Santa. Attempt #1:  For some reason we thought it would be perfectly reasonable to go see Santa at a busy mall on a Sunday afternoon two weeks before Christmas.  You won't be surprised to hear that we aborted when the line was half-way down the mall  to the food court. Attempt #2:  Luckily we didn't get to the mall before we heard it was pet pic with

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-90908059148516868042011-12-13T20:15:00.000-06:002011-12-13T20:15:21.603-06:00

Back in July, when the temperature looked something like this: I decided it was the perfect time to order up some rustic wool and start knitting a Christmas stocking.  By early-August, I was mid-way through the heel when I decided the heel looked sloppy.  Rather than rip back and start over on the heel, I set it aside.  But I was bound and determined to get this completed before Christmas so it

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-50235461699588766882011-12-05T18:10:00.001-06:002011-12-05T18:10:00.082-06:00

It's been hectic around here.  We've been helping someone we love heal, and getting things together for the holidays. I don't have much to share today.  Instead, I'm going to send you back in time to an oldie but a goodie.  It's that time of year when the college football season comes to its ridiculous end, and prompts Rykert and I to further make our case against the corrupt BCS system.  Go

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-30000352689463185822011-11-27T07:34:00.000-06:002011-11-27T07:34:00.627-06:00

Seven years ago today, I got married.  And while in those early years, babies weren't on our mind, I feel pretty lucky that we ended up here.  Seven years really isn't that long.  My frame of reference: my parent's will celebrate 40 years this spring and my grandparent's have been married over 60. We met almost 11 years ago.  I know it was the Saturday of MLK weekend, but I'm not one for

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-20375223353369251072011-11-24T20:32:00.000-06:002011-11-24T20:32:00.889-06:00

It goes without saying, but I'm gonna say it anyway, that we have much to be thankful this year.  While it hasn't been all good of late, there's still much to be thankful for. So today, we celebrated Scout's first Thanksgiving.  And it wouldn't be a first holiday without a ridiculous hat. Turkey for you and turkey for me... It was a good day.  Good food, unseasonably warm weather, and good

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-31747666748640866572011-11-22T17:20:00.000-06:002011-11-22T17:20:00.065-06:00

When I was just pregnant with Scout, I started to re-read Jane Austen.  I was a little obsessed.  After I finished re-reading Pride & Prejudice, I watched the entire BBC mini-series.  And then I became obsessed with another BBC mini-series, Lost in Austen.  I honestly, tried to come up with a Jane Austen character name for Scout, but couldn't decide on anything though they are some of my

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-56250702848584597612011-11-19T02:49:00.021-06:002011-11-19T02:49:00.923-06:00

Dear Scout, Today you are 7 months old.  I almost missed the 7 month mark.  It snuck up on me.  It must've been the craziness of October's Halloween costumes. This month's pictures were taken in the wee hours of the morning before work and day care. You are getting to be a big girl, but you're still calm and mellow most of the time.  There's only crabbing when you are tired, hungry, or want

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-89302644505890829982011-11-16T06:22:00.000-06:002011-11-16T08:25:25.328-06:00

Sometimes, when life it stacking it on, what you need is to watch this... Note: this may not play on iPhones and iPads.

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-64259939073493965552011-11-11T11:11:00.000-06:002011-11-11T11:11:00.268-06:00

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-984104024726753432011-11-10T06:09:00.000-06:002011-11-10T06:09:00.811-06:00

As part of my quest to eat better, I've made a new commitment to cooking.  I really like to cook, but prefer involved recipes that take hours.  I don't have that kind of time to devote these days.  Instead, I started looking for things we could cook on week nights when we have an hour between the time I get home from work with Scout and when Rykert leaves for work.   I am thankful for the

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-26040433393760567132011-11-08T18:12:00.000-06:002011-11-08T18:12:01.087-06:00

My workplace has had a constant stream of new babies over the past few years.  There's never a shortage of advice, always with the best of intentions, and the sharing of ideas.  Which is how I brought this home. I'd been looking at various baby food makers, but just couldn't take the plunge.  They are kind of expensive particularly when you consider the short period of time that a baby eats

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-198303202813431252011-11-04T06:50:00.001-05:002011-11-04T09:30:36.771-05:00

People.  It's November.  I guess I'm still recovering from all the Halloween fun.  It's been a really busy week. Some random thoughts: One. Our street is not great for trick-or-treating.  We handed out candy and glow bracelets to 20 kids, maybe a few more.  In contrast, my parents gave out candy to 450 (my dad counted) before running out of candy and turning off the lights at 7:30.  They are

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-39230031839777816032011-10-31T07:54:00.001-05:002011-10-31T07:54:00.607-05:00

What a weekend.  We had a full weekend of Halloween activities. Friday we went downtown Iowa City for dinner and some kid's activities.  Scout was Princess Leia and she was joined by her cousins who were dressed as Hermione Granger and a very serious and professional attorney.  Let's hear it for appropriate costumes! Girl Power! Grace had a hard time picking a costume this year.  A week ago I

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-80429241511259402902011-10-29T09:26:00.003-05:002011-10-29T09:38:07.600-05:00

Last weekend was Homecoming for the University of Iowa.  Scout and I went with my sisters and nieces to the parade Friday night.  As we were walking through the ped mall, I looked down the way, and saw this It's called the Muscatine River Monster.  You can read the legend here.  I love it. Earlier in the week I drove through downtown and saw it on the roof of another building.  And last night

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-18729892312060537002011-10-27T19:57:00.004-05:002011-10-27T19:57:00.110-05:00

That brings us to the end of the Halloween costumes.  It was so much fun.  I'm still trying to decide which was my favorite and which she will be wearing through the weekend. Vote for your favorite and then tell me which one you voted for in the comments. <a href="http://www.blogpoll.com">Free Blog Poll</a> You might think that I'm either out

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-18516772724448119872011-10-26T17:40:00.001-05:002011-10-27T10:29:19.546-05:00

There's something about Wonder Woman.  At least for me.  I waxed on about it here, and undertook a significant Wonder Woman costume in 2009.  I know that this won't be Scout's last Wonder Woman costume; at least if I have anything to do with it.  And there are some really cute girl's versions on the interwebs here and here, for example. The first question was how to make it baby appropriate.  A

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-83976411099204789022011-10-25T17:41:00.000-05:002011-10-25T17:41:00.257-05:00

This costume was a late edition to the costume parade, and it turned out to be one of my favorites.  It started when I found a royal blue onesie, and it grew from there. The basic construction is pretty simple.  It's a circle skirt attached to a blue onesie.  I created the insignia by printing it out from the interwebs, and then tracing it to felt.  It's not perfect, and I didn't quite get it

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-74837592331570752622011-10-24T17:22:00.001-05:002011-10-25T08:37:18.249-05:00

A few years ago, I made my nieces Star Wars costumes.  They come by their love for Star Wars genetically.  Their parents wedding recessional was the Star Wars theme played on strings. Sadly, there really are only 2 female characters in all 6 movies.  The real reason why I wanted to make this costume is simple.  That hat.  It kills me. The rest of the "costume," if you want to call it that,

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-47369377114940437202011-10-23T19:12:00.001-05:002011-10-23T19:12:00.667-05:00

Like I said yesterday, the impetus for my Mary Poppins costume was a party at a co-worker's house.  It was a great excuse to get dressed up. I was, Mary Poppins. Rykert is a good sport about Halloween.  I like that and I appreciate his zeal.  However, his costume choices are usually a bit, for lack of a better term, adult.  For that reason, he's never been interested in a "couples" costume

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-51760842792979610102011-10-22T21:12:00.001-05:002011-10-22T21:12:08.786-05:00

After spending a lot of evenings working on Scout's costumes, I realized that I did not have anything for myself.  And we actually had a Halloween party on the horizon.  To that end, I took to Pinterest looking for ideas (it's my new Google for these types of things).  I fell in love with this Mary Poppins costume.   When you go to pop-up Halloween costume shops you'll immediately notice that

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-34668076237111198862011-10-21T18:58:00.000-05:002011-10-21T18:58:00.608-05:00

Like the ghost, the witch is a Halloween staple.  And not one that I've ever really understood.  But it's an easy costume to create.  Carrying forward the Wizard of Oz theme, the witch costume can be used to create either the Wicked Witch of the West (named Elphaba in the book and musical, Wicked) or the Wicked Witch of the East (named Nessarose in the book and musical).  The sole difference

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-17017047793114242382011-10-19T02:49:00.015-05:002011-10-19T02:49:00.197-05:00

We interrupt the Halloween costume parade to celebrate a milestone... Dear Scout, Today you are 6 months old.  That's half a year.  In another blink of an eye, we'll be celebrating your first birthday.  Yesterday you went to the doctor and got 4 shots.  You were not impressed, but calmed down quickly despite not having your pacifier.  But you are still growing like a weed.  I had my doubts due to

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-78919808545015715302011-10-16T08:25:00.034-05:002011-10-16T08:25:00.655-05:00

Who doesn't love the Wizard of Oz?  Anyone?  Like some of other costumes I made this year, I don't think this will be the last Dorothy costume Scout wears.  To further the Oz love, she is forced to listen to me sing songs from Wicked.  She pretends to like it. What are these things on my feet? This is a simple onesie dress just like the Little Red dress.  The only difference is the color of

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-77394003276814029762011-10-13T18:04:00.000-05:002011-10-13T18:04:00.532-05:00

Let's be honest.  Part III was not my favorite of the costumes and covering her legs freaked her out.  So let's move on... I love poodle skirts, and they are so fun and easy to sew.  I knew that I wanted to make Scout a poodle skirt, but wasn't sure what to put on top.  But through the magic of Pinterest, I found the perfect solution. I didn't use a pattern for the poodle skirt, though patterns

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-77900370701986142802011-10-12T18:43:00.002-05:002011-10-12T18:43:00.579-05:00

There were moments in this costume making process where I questioned my judgment.  I mean really?  When I was purchasing this green shiny fabric with only a vague idea of what I was going to do with it, I had some doubts.  But the costume fabric is really cheap this time of year, so I went ahead.  That night, I started on a mermaid tail after Scout was in bed and before I had taken the

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-31990952829830322092011-10-10T06:33:00.001-05:002011-10-10T06:33:00.082-05:00

I wanted to make Scout a red hooded cape.  It's as simple as that.  There are lots of cute Little Red costumes on the interwebs, and I think it's a particularly cute costume for a 3-4 year old.  But it's pretty cute in a 6 month size too. I'm going to be honest, I'm looking for more occasions appropriate for wearing a red hooded cape. MaterialsWhite onesie1/2 yard red gingham fabric1 yard red

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-23566673654320346402011-10-07T18:24:00.001-05:002011-10-07T18:24:00.077-05:00

When I started making a list of all of my baby Halloween ideas, I'll admit that we came up with a few that were just a bit over-the-top and bordering on inappropriate.  It crossed my mind, but there will not be a Lady Gaga costume this year, and besides which would we choose?  But there are certain costumes that are quintessentially Halloween, and our first entry into Scout's 2011 costume closet

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-88219741346702811702011-10-05T18:36:00.000-05:002011-10-05T18:36:00.756-05:00

For those of you who know me in person or who have been reading this blog for a year or more, you may recall that I love Halloween.  Love it.  This love affair started when I was in college, I guess, because I don't really remember Halloween being a big deal before that.  But when I was in college it became a big deal with tons of costume parties and trips to thrift stores to pull together last

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-66800991930650546012011-10-03T18:24:00.000-05:002011-10-03T18:24:00.102-05:00

We headed to the apple orchard this weekend, but alas the orchard was empty.  There were seriously no apples to be picked.  I'm not sure if it was a bad crop or just a super busy season.  But we had fun anyway. One of us was dressed for the occasion... While it isn't quite Halloween, we had to wear the bib because we are still in the spitty, pukey stage. There were, however, pumpkins to be

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-68013942226099204472011-09-26T18:40:00.000-05:002011-09-26T18:40:00.773-05:00

While I've always been a fan of the weekend, I have to say that I love them even more these days.  Fall has arrived, not just on the calendar, and with fall comes football.  And while we aren't crazy fanatics and we don't wake up at 6 a.m. on Saturdays to start drinking beer and tailgating, we do pay attention.  Between us we have fan allegiances to 3 different universities, and this weekend

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-26263253839024224992011-09-21T06:51:00.000-05:002011-09-21T06:51:00.174-05:00

Before I even thought about having a baby of my own, I loved knitting baby things.  I'm a firm believer that every knitter's first sweater should be a baby sweater.  I have a bin full of things I've knit but never used.  Before Scout was born, I pulled out all of the baby stuff, and hung it in her closet. Last week, fall arrived.  I was working late most days, and Rykert was home with Scout.  

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-39597073656091223992011-09-19T02:49:00.000-05:002011-09-19T02:49:00.182-05:00

Dear Scout, Hooray. Five months.  Seriously?  Five. Months.  I know I say this every month, but I just cannot believe how fast you are growing. I think I'm in shock.  I still love to tell the story about the day you were born, because it was crazy and awesome.  I doubt people want to hear it.  I was looking at your birth announcement the other day, and I couldn't help but wonder, "Who is that

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-85693111729000225972011-09-14T18:51:00.001-05:002011-09-14T18:51:00.699-05:00

I really thought things would have settled down by now, but alas.  Things are hectic mostly with my schedule.  I've been working long hours, squeezing in as many minutes as I can with Scout, working a bit more after she goes to bed, and then collapsing in bed or in front of the tv.  So basically, there has been little else and Rykert and I are like Old Mother Hubbard since we haven't been to the

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-64254800223368165592011-09-12T06:18:00.002-05:002011-09-12T08:28:59.020-05:00

I was going to post this yesterday, but never got around to finishing... I did something yesterday morning that I didn't expect.  I watched the 9/11 tribute, and well, it made me cry.  I didn't expect it because I've been kind of viewing the hoopla surrounding the 10 year anniversary with a certain level of cynicism.  Should it be remembered?  Absolutely, and not just on anniversaries that end

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-16280710052264540192011-09-07T18:33:00.003-05:002011-09-07T18:33:00.499-05:00

I cannot right another post about how busy I've been.  Or how we've all been struck by an annoying late-summer cold.  It's annoying and boring and blah.  I'm tired of talking about it and you don't want to hear about it.  So, I'm going to distract you. I love Tina Fey, because she's funny and smart, and she unapologetically made it in a traditionally man's world.  When Scout was just born, her

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-30416650167959364922011-09-02T05:55:00.001-05:002011-09-02T05:55:00.299-05:00

I was thinking about where I was a year ago today.  I was traveling on what was supposed to be a very quick trip for work.  But as is the norm for me, it turned into a travel nightmare.  On top of that, and what I didn't say at the time, was that I was also a little bit pregnant.  I spent the entire miserable airplane experience clutching a motion sickness bag, thinking that it was a strong

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-13678221509135337462011-08-31T17:23:00.000-05:002011-08-31T17:23:00.491-05:00

Just when I thought we had a pretty solid little routine going, last week hit.  It's been crazy.  I'll be happy to have these past 2 weeks in the rear view mirror. But the good news is that we have a bona fide roller on our hands.  Back to front.  Front to back.  She still gets irritated when she lands on her front sometimes when she seems to forget that she can go back over.  But it's for real

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-58869973488245344362011-08-25T17:32:00.001-05:002011-08-25T17:32:00.513-05:00

I love books.  Not just stories and high quality writing, but physical books.  While I will admit that since receiving a Kindle a few years ago, I've come around to digital books, and it's admittedly quite convenient to have access to Kindle books on my phone and iPad.  But there are two areas where digital content will never, in my opinion, replace paper books:  (1) cookbooks and (2) children's

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-54883247107524261602011-08-23T17:25:00.000-05:002011-08-23T17:25:00.793-05:00

I want a do-over on the weekend.  I had big plans.  I was going to do a cooking extravaganza which would result in freezer stocked with dinners.  Rykert and I were going to leave Scout with my sister and nieces and go to a movie.  But the best laid plans... At the end of last week, Rykert came down with a virus (fever, headache, fatigue, blah) and Scout had a fever from her 4 month shots.  I

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-3972647909983450092011-08-19T02:49:00.022-05:002011-08-19T02:49:00.036-05:00

Dear Scout, 4 months has been memorialized as the time when Scout had her hands in her mouth constantly. Today you are 4 months old.  You're still growing like a weed, and last week we had to pull out the 6 month sized pajamas.  (Sniff, sniff)  You weigh 13 pounds (we unofficially weighed you last week, and we were close - 38th percentile) and are 24 3/8 inches long (60th percentile - above

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-60572932980423106612011-08-17T18:10:00.001-05:002011-08-17T18:10:00.646-05:00

Before we moved into our current house, we lived in an absolutely awful apartment.  It was 2 bedrooms on the third floor, in a so-so neighborhood, and our neighbors were, to put it nicely, odd.  It didn't have air conditioning, and was dingy.  It basically was the one of the worst (though one of the cheapest) apartments around except for one day of the year, the 4th of July, when the tiny balcony

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-57787233805238061252011-08-15T18:05:00.000-05:002011-08-15T18:05:00.494-05:00

The Iowa State Fair is a unique cultural experience.  It attracts people of nearly every demographic, and offers an interesting people watching experience.  I had planned to sit this year out since taking a 4 month old in the heat seemed like it would be no fun for us or her.  But the weather recently made a change for the better (from hell's fire to pleasant summertime), so we decided to meet my

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-27715816667788088242011-08-11T17:27:00.000-05:002011-08-11T17:27:00.075-05:00

When I first started blogging, I didn't tell anyone about my blog.  It felt self-indulgent and I was more comfortable with random strangers who might come upon it than I was putting myself out there to my friends and family.  But slowly, people found it, and I became less crazy about telling people about it. Lately I've been wondering why I don't have more readers, more followers, more

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-52982224122085978672011-08-10T06:36:00.000-05:002011-08-10T06:36:00.093-05:00

After my post on my initial babywearing experience, I had an email exchange with ERGObaby customer service.  I told them that my only complaint with the original Ergo that I had purchased was that it was a bit hot, though understandably I know that wearing a baby strapped to your chest in the summer is going to be hot.  They very kindly offered to send me an ERGObaby Sport to try out. It just

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-54448511328348634072011-08-08T07:00:00.004-05:002011-08-08T07:00:16.054-05:00

After piecing together the crinkle toys, I had a lot of the rainbow ribbon left.  Isn't it pretty? With a few more minutes at hand, I decided to make a small blanket for Scout.  To spell her name, I first printed large letters in Word.  I cut them out, and traced them on to Heat 'n Bond Lite fused fabric.  Cutting the letters out constituted a significant amount of the time devoted to this

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-57892484298774210762011-08-05T17:16:00.000-05:002011-08-05T17:16:00.927-05:00

If last week's linky round-up didn't push you into the kitchen and get your mouth watering, I've got more this week... Artichoke Bread.  I will probably add some spinach. Spinach Dip in Mini Bread Bowls.  If I ever have a party... Buffalo Chicken Bites.  I'm making these babies soon. Chicken Parmesan Wraps.  I want to make this for dinner.  Soon. Spinach Lasagna Rolls.  I think these would freeze

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-12183095293927634682011-08-03T17:41:00.000-05:002011-08-03T17:41:00.521-05:00

Here's the thing, the naming of a baby was much harder than I ever imagined it would be.  I thought we'd decide on something as soon as we knew the gender, and that would be it.  Though my superstitious side always planned to keep it secret until I could take a look at that little face and make sure it was a good fit.  As an aside, there were lots of people who thought we were playing it coy

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-8373859330668728742011-08-01T05:42:00.000-05:002011-08-01T05:42:00.225-05:00

Once I discovered that I could wear Scout in a baby carrier, and she would actually (gasp!) take a nap, I decided to embark on some crafting.  I knew I needed a small project, and for some reason my knitting mojo disappeared shortly after Scout was born.  Actually, it disappeared before. We were given a bunch of different small baby toys as gifts.  Scout really isn't very interested in them just

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-46248187146866727972011-07-29T17:50:00.003-05:002011-07-29T17:50:00.297-05:00

To distract you from the fact that I have very little to blog except cute pictures of Scout, I give you my top links for this week as seen via Pinterest and beyond.  This week's topic: FOOD. I must make these mini ice cream cone Rice Krispie treats very soon.  I think I have mini cones left over from the ice cream cone cake pops I made last winter. Mini pies in a jar.  Love it. S'mores

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-47339774783328846542011-07-27T17:57:00.000-05:002011-07-27T17:57:00.207-05:00

A month or two ago, I discovered Pinterest.  I'm coming to this party a little late, I know.  I was immediately addicted and found myself scrolling through recent "pins" using their app in the evenings when I should have gone to bed and in the wee hours of the morning when I should have gone back to sleep. For the uninitiated,  I thought I was the last to join, Pinterest is, to quote their

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-51483208209351694222011-07-25T17:01:00.002-05:002011-07-25T17:01:00.168-05:00

From day zero, Scout has loved to suck.  She came into the world with sucking blisters indicating that she had probably been sucking on her hands or fingers on the inside.  Of course once she was out in the big, wide world, it was much more difficult for her to find those beloved fingers.  During our second day at the hospital, I asked the nurses for a pacifier.  Stat.  She took it and was

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-61459011610768185872011-07-22T18:11:00.001-05:002011-10-11T08:43:12.240-05:00

Again, my apologies if you came here looking for knitting. My mind is obsessed with baby stuff. For the benefit of anyone who was clueless like me, I'm providing this review.... Apparently, bringing a baby home means bringing a lot of stuff home. And despite my hopes of keeping things to a minimum, the stuff keeps on coming. Our house is turning into a veritable Babies 'R Us showroom. So here's

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-22273598425096203892011-07-21T18:30:00.001-05:002011-07-21T18:30:00.370-05:00

One of my absolute pet peeves is when people talk about being "too busy."  I know I've done it from time to time.  The thing is that we all have the same number of hours in a day, it's just how we prioritize what we do with those hours.  When I was on maternity leave, my priority was Scout and so I did very little besides taking care of her.  Sometimes my priority is actually making things or

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-54412458217650703382011-07-21T08:33:00.000-05:002011-07-21T08:33:12.601-05:00

I'm making some changes around here, so things might be a little sloppy for a bit...

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-32078200421956883742011-07-19T02:49:00.001-05:002011-07-19T02:49:00.712-05:00

Dear Scout,I absolutely cannot believe it, but today you are 3 months old. 3 months!! I just can't believe how time is flying. Last week we sat you in your bouncy seat, and I remembered how tiny you were the first time you sat in there. It's amazing. You're definitely not a newborn anymore. In fact, unless you are really tired, you do not want to be cradled like a baby. You want to be in a

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-52086014760326130712011-07-17T06:46:00.001-05:002011-07-18T10:04:24.582-05:00

I saw it, and I couldn't resist.Sadly, Scout hates it, because it's not her brand. She takes one good suck and then spits it out with a disgusted face.I think it will be my new go-to baby shower gift.

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-62185135902155845942011-07-14T19:58:00.002-05:002011-07-14T19:58:00.224-05:00

This blog turned 7 years old a few weeks ago. It was rather unceremonious. Actually, I completely forgot about it. It goes without saying (but I'm going to say it anyway) that the content of this blog has changed dramatically over the last 7 years. Initially, it was a place to post really bad pictures of knitting projects in progress, and I'm not exaggerating when I said nobody read it. It

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-42204227335850013352011-07-12T06:27:00.005-05:002011-10-17T13:50:31.518-05:00

Warning: This turned into a rather lengthy post. If you don't care about baby carriers, then move along. I'll be back again soon... I'll be honest. The whole concept of "babywearing" didn't seem like it would be a good fit for me. The term really made me think of two things. A George Carlin bit where he talks about his grievance with parents who "wear" their babies saying, among other things,

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-30795223017071807582011-07-06T06:31:00.000-05:002011-07-06T12:56:16.658-05:00

We had planned on going to my parent's house for the Fourth of July weekend. Our plans were almost thwarted, but we made it and had a really great weekend.Scout celebrated her first 4th of July in style.And because I'm mean, I made her pose in a lady liberty crown.Unlike last year, when the festivities were cancelled due to rain, the weather was perfect. Perfect for a lemonade stand.They made

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-30578191093901887322011-06-28T07:28:00.001-05:002011-06-28T12:36:15.581-05:00

We made it through my first week back to work. And by "we," I mean, well, me. It was incredibly hard to leave Scout last Monday morning and head to work all day, but I met them for lunch and was reassured when they arrived in clean clothes, diaper bag in tote, and seemingly no worse for wear. It's not that I thought that Mr. Mom wouldn't do a great job at solo parenting, but I was still nervous

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-27891510834121761382011-06-19T02:49:00.002-05:002011-06-21T08:53:19.624-05:00

Dear Scout,Today you are 2 months old. As of two days ago, you weigh over 10 pounds. I had to pack away the newborn sized clothes. When you were first born, I was pretty sure you were going to be a brown eyed girl, but everyday your eyes are getting lighter blue. When people see you the first thing they say is what big, beautiful eyes you have. The jury is still out on your hair, but the little

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-10284340502536739652011-06-13T12:49:00.000-05:002011-06-13T12:49:00.167-05:00

I'm still here. We've just been busy and enjoying every moment of maternity leave.Scout is doing fantastic. She will be 8 weeks old tomorrow, and she is a very mellow baby. We know we are lucky to have such a calm baby who pretty much just goes with the flow. She's not super fussy, and pretty much only cries to communicate - hungry, wet, overtired. She's been sleeping through the night*

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-8121160251703810102011-05-19T02:49:00.002-05:002011-05-19T02:49:00.874-05:00

Dear Scout,Today you are one month old. And what a month it has been. It's been, by far, the craziest, and I mean crazy in a good way, and fastest month of my life. Even though we had 9 months to get ready to bring you home, it's clear that we still have lots to learn. You're teaching us new lessons every day.Your first month was filled with lots of firsts after your rather sudden, though

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-10125120247346119702011-05-09T12:29:00.003-05:002011-05-09T12:36:41.107-05:00

It would have been pretty easy for Mother's Day to pass us by this year. I mean, it was a big one, my first, but we're still adjusting to our new life and doing it with some pretty crazy sleep patterns. But on Saturday, we planted our garden while Scout slept. And then on Sunday, we spent the afternoon at my sister's and at brunch with my sisters, nieces, and parents.On Saturday night, I told

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-17547145940809792622011-05-03T11:55:00.000-05:002011-05-03T12:06:34.734-05:00

Note: This post has been in progress for quite awhile. But with 2 weeks distance, here it is...It feels trivial to write about the details of a birth. I mean, she's here and that's all that matters. How it went down has absolutely no bearing on who she is or will be. I had one singular goal when it came to childbirth and that was to eventually arrive home healthy, happy, and with a healthy

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-86372581016632703192011-04-21T08:47:00.002-05:002011-04-21T08:54:54.655-05:00

Scout Frances ToledanoBorn: April 19, 2011 at 2:49 a.m.Weight: 6 lb 12 ozHeight 19 3/4"At 40 weeks, 3 days, she arrived rather abruptly and without any pain meds (not by plan), and it's honestly still quite a haze. We are doing great, and heading home from the hospital today.

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-9008277812085500592011-04-16T21:43:00.000-05:002011-04-16T21:56:01.766-05:00

I didn't expect to be posting a 40 week post. I really thought we would have a baby by now. But there was no evidence to suggest that was likely. And I've been well aware that a "due date" is more like a "due month" in that babies can safely arrive anywhere within 2 weeks before or 2 weeks after and be considered "term". So here we are, and even though it's only a day late (so far), I feel

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-63639663498281089632011-04-12T17:23:00.000-05:002011-04-12T17:23:00.708-05:00

After I made the silk flower headbands, I decided to use the leftover elastic to make a few with felt flowers. The first are the simplest kind of felt flowers to make, but it does require a bit more precision with the glue gun (you can see why in the picture). I think that I may like them more than the silk flower versions. What do you think? I also found a tutorial online for a felt rose. The

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-2309849468073697082011-04-11T17:45:00.000-05:002011-04-11T17:45:00.063-05:00

I used to be diametrically opposed to overly cutesy "hair" accessories for baby girls. You know the kind, right? Bows, rosettes, and a little bit of lace or eyelet stuck to a bald baby head. Or a satin elastic band with the same bow that looks an awful lot like a novelty wedding garter. I'm not sure why I disliked them so much, but I did. But through the my travels through etsy, I've been exposed

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-79641233615187215302011-04-10T18:20:00.000-05:002011-04-10T18:31:33.604-05:00

Do you know what I'm really really good at? Conceiving and starting projects. I have notebooks full of ideas. Lots of ideas. I constantly send myself emails with links to cool tutorials and projects from across the interwebs. And I start projects with gusto. But following through? Not so much. I get distracted by new ideas. I get frustrated by the speed bumps and less fun parts of projects. As a

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-33306373473439087002011-04-09T09:35:00.001-05:002011-04-09T09:50:16.760-05:00

(Note: I had a mis-fire on publishing this post. So if you are using a blog reader you may have seen an earlier, unfinished version of this post. Sorry about that.)I'm still here. I learned this week at my doctor's appointment that something like 90% of babies are born between 39 and 41 weeks. I also learned that if things don't happen naturally by 41 weeks, it'll be time to bring in some modern

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-35824033071546366172011-04-07T06:28:00.001-05:002011-04-07T06:28:00.505-05:00

I am ready to say that I am finished with the baby's room. All it needs is, well... a baby. And I could not be more pleased with the way it turned out. Let me start by saying this, when it comes to our house, we're pretty utilitarian. Decorating isn't a primary concern; we're all about function over form. Of course that doesn't stop me from reading lots of design blogs and wishing that my house

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-29469133592152331582011-04-05T17:08:00.001-05:002011-04-05T17:08:00.174-05:00

In January, the first seed catalogs arrived. And I said, quite emphatically, that I wasn't going to do a complete garden this year. Maybe just a tomato plant. And some lettuce. There has to be lettuce. It came time to start the lettuce, and I did. And then the snow melted, and I saw our sad raised beds, and I said, again with conviction, maybe we can plant a garden but just use nursery seedlings

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-11972448779310624542011-04-03T11:35:00.000-05:002011-04-03T17:30:36.497-05:00

I think this baby grew significantly this week. Even if the measurements at the doctor's office don't confirm this, I believe it is true because of the stares and bordering on inappropriate comments I've been fielding at work.Depending on who you ask I either look like giving birth is imminent (according to woman in front of me in line at Barnes & Noble) or small enough to go a few more weeks (

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-71343595949308208032011-03-29T06:37:00.000-05:002011-03-29T06:37:00.715-05:00

Months and months ago, once I passed the initial discomfort of the first trimester, I started a project to sew bibs. I thought it would be the perfect gift for all of the new babies that were due around me. But I was overly ambitious in my scale and attempted to complete way too many. And so they languished in a state of near completeness... Terry cloth on one side and flannel on the other. The

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-19245592610821624192011-03-27T12:23:00.001-05:002011-03-27T12:25:43.773-05:00

Another week closer.And with the baby's room pretty much complete, I've lost my photo background.Another trip to the OB this week, and there's nothing to report. Except that things are moving forward precisely as they should be and seem to be moving toward the big show, which is, of course, a good thing. I'm very happy to report a continued clinically boring pregnancy. We also took the first of

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-11120685765393450572011-03-19T21:02:00.001-05:002011-03-19T21:28:23.681-05:00

I was told at the doctor last week that this baby could come anytime. I mean there's no reason to believe that it will be sooner rather than later. But it has to be said that it freaks me out a wee bit. Earlier this week I was convinced that I was going into labor. My belly was getting rock hard (which I'm told are just Braxton Hicks) for longer periods of time, I felt incredibly feverish, my

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-21989888353212054972011-03-15T17:11:00.000-05:002011-03-15T17:11:00.223-05:00

I missed posting for Week 35 last Friday or Saturday. I had this incredibly clever post about the good, the bad, and the ugly planned, but didn't get pictures taken and then just moved on. And then it was a very busy (in the best possible way) weekend. My sisters (along with a location provided by my mom) threw me a really nice baby shower last Saturday. I'll be honest when I say that I was on

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-85334242978992437302011-03-08T17:56:00.002-06:002011-03-08T18:08:08.587-06:00

Among the baby hats that I knit last year, I really like this striped hat.I wanted to knit a sweater to "go" with it. I went through the unbelievable number of patterns on Ravelry, and decided to knit the Baby Valentine Sweater. (Ravelry Link.) It was fun to knit, and has my favorite construction technique - rounded garter stitch yoke with a lace patterned body. I'm happy with the result.

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-49923730081485504602011-03-06T15:35:00.000-06:002011-03-06T17:09:52.005-06:00

This baby is getting big. (I HAD to take edit my head out of this picture. I'm running out of clothes that fit. My t-shirts are having to work really hard. But I did have my lovely assistant as I attempted (and failed) to take a decent picture.)This week I was scheduled to have 2 classes. One, on all things breastfeeding, was cancelled. But I did attend infant safety and CPR, which was

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-22088094101273630442011-02-28T18:17:00.001-06:002011-02-28T18:17:00.696-06:00

We had a pretty productive weekend. Well, there was plenty of lounging, and I may have watched hours of a Law & Order SVU marathon. We may have watched a couple of high-brow movies that we found on an end cap at Target for $4.75 (Super Troopers and The Great Outdoors). And frankly, by the time you factor in the late fees we incur at the Red Box, we are usually money ahead to purchase DVDs. But I

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-42883385063764480722011-02-26T15:17:00.000-06:002011-02-26T15:40:33.983-06:00

I've had the most confusing week. For some reason, I thought Wednesday was Tuesday. And so I've been off a day ever since. But here we are at 33 weeks. A few weeks ago, I stopped with the fruit pictures, because I had leveled off and it was multiple weeks of "squash." But this week's email, indicates that the baby is now the size of a honeydew.She feels much bigger. And I look like she's

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-21716365772900264822011-02-21T17:02:00.001-06:002011-02-21T17:02:00.644-06:00

Oy. I missed posting for week 32. Last week was pretty busy, and I just forgot. I don't have a picture today.I spent the weekend at my parent's. On Friday I missed a curb and fell, but luckily caught myself on my hands and knees. It was quite the vision of grace. By Friday night my foot was pretty swollen, but I could put some weight on it by Saturday and it appears to be a little better still

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-61536924170162512172011-02-16T06:19:00.000-06:002011-02-16T06:19:00.498-06:00

Last year, I had a "plan" to open an Etsy shop. In preparation, I, among other things, knit a whole bunch of baby hats. Of course, work and life intervened and I never got things in order to move forward. So I had a whole bunch of hats sitting in a box. However, they will not go to waste. I now have a whole bunch of baby hats in multiple sizes for Whatshername. And they are apparently thematic

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-44987733511071574572011-02-14T06:42:00.003-06:002011-02-14T14:18:51.908-06:00

I have to admit that I'm not a die-hard fan of Valentine's Day. I mean I love all of the pink and red stuff associated with it. But I've never celebrated the day with much fanfare, and I have zero expectations associated with it. I personally prefer 365 days of small gestures of love and respect (and equitable division of household labor) to one day with one grand gesture that will be forgotten.

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7427913.post-82168869347367244732011-02-13T12:01:00.001-06:002011-02-13T12:01:00.257-06:00

Whatshername is growing. I know this as a fact because I can feel my skin and muscles stretching. So far, I'm still feeling pretty good. I have a few minor, completely normal complaints here and there, but nothing too big. And well, it seems pretty trivial to write them down. Though their triviality hasn't stopped me from complaining about them to Rykert who now, on mornings when he is home, has

Libbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12355987199405482645noreply@blogger.com0