Wild creatures

At last weekend's retreat, I knitted a small octopus toy for Bitty, using the technique I learned on this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yi94cU5dtJY

And adding my first attempt at a pom pom:

Bitty was intrigued for a minute, but it's no Thomas the Train. My husband and I enjoy throwing it around, though- it's like we're at a hockey game. Hope to add eyes to it sometime, but I think I'll try making the octopus into a cute hat or puppet next time. 

I stuffed the doll Sunday while watching Little Bit- he was otherwise occupied. 

Hope it's always this easy to get him in the shower!

Thinking ahead

As I watch Bitty sprawled out on the couch, feet in the air and chewing on his sippy cup, I sometimes wish I could freeze him in time. I also feel that way when I think about high school; surely we can come up with a nicer place to educate kids before my little fella hits fourteen. Talk about a gauntlet!

And apparently, some evidence suggests that it lasts longer than four years:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2013/01/25/high_school_forever_thanks_for_the_memories_adolescence.html

"Distorted reality," jockeying for position, "the giant box of strangers." The article, critiquing a longer work from New York Magazine, is interesting.

Being from a small town, I don't know if I just wasn't aware of all the groups I could have joined and enjoyed during my adolescence (like goth with steampunk accessories), or if some children are now choosing to reject labels. The articles don't seem to cover all the characteristics now shown by high school students, even the small sample I see coming through the courts. I hope that as adults are increasingly rejecting labels- as in politics, for example- the next generations follow suit.

Retreat! Retreat! Retreat!

I returned home today from a wonderful, much-needed retreat with the ladies of my church. Great company turned into friends, the food was good, and the park's landscape at every vista was stark and beautiful. I already want to go back.

http://www.tn.gov/environment/parks/MontgomeryBell/

During the Saturday night movie, I realized that "Idgie Threadgoode" in "Fried Green Tomatoes" shares the nickname I gave to Little Bit at the beginning of the story (given to her by young Chris O'Donnell's "Buddy" before his exit). 

I got home today and my guys were playing in the backyard, Bitty's pom pom bouncing on top of his hat. Lots of hugs all around, and I was immediately reintroduced into the family - I was handed a Thomas the Train on reentry into the house. My husband was in the midst of laundry when arrived, and he traversed the town to get pizza for lunch. It was better than a handmade "welcome home" sign!

Groovin'

I took Little Bit to children's choir this evening. Here at home, he dances at every little electronic tune from a toy or peppy commercial. He closes his eyes and sways back and forth, his little head bobbing with a goofy smile. At choir, he played with the toy trains until some rhythm sticks came out. At least he didn't let out a ninja yell like he does with the branches in the back yard.

My day off

Today was wonderful, except for my early flat tire. After getting my car to the shop, we ran around town, came back for some great leftovers for lunch, then I got several projects going.

I started on my new blanket, after finishing the edging on my first:

Then, I cut out the templates for my kitty cat finger puppets. I'll be ready as soon as I get the material! I think even the cats think I'm crazy now as I put their fur into a jar, Howard Hughes style.

Finally, I finished a painting that had been eluding me for awhile. I put a coat of blue paint on a wooden board a few weeks ago because I'd poured out too much on another project. I didn't know what to do from there until last week, when I decided to paint a scene out of one of Bitty's bedtime songs. It turned out pretty well!

Colorful day

I usually have to wake Little Bit during the week, but when we can sleep in, he calls for my husband over the monitor before the sun is up. But I'm glad we got the day started early; it was a lot of fun, and the weather was wonderful! 

Bitty was good at sharing his Crayola color wonder gels this afternoon. He would pick a gel and put a big glob into our hands, and it was anyone's guess what the color was until we slathered it on the paper. Those little bins hold a lot more paint than I would have thought by looking at them. And I'm happy they are colorless, especially when he targeted his board book, "Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?" Could he be the next Eric Carle? 

We also went to an estate sale early and found a pair of maracas, much to my husband's dismay. After Little Bit's bath, he ran around the couch and wanted to be chased with them. He would give them back to me if I snuck them back into the toy box. I may want to hide them eventually, but today, they were great!

The heart wants what the heart wants.

Bitty was not happy with me on Thursday night. It was a lot like this reporter in Colorado: 

http://now.msn.com/dan-daru-kdvr-reporter-makes-toddler-cry-on-live-television

I brought it on by "grounding" a couple of trains that he had thrown; apparently I wasn't playing with them correctly. The rest of the night he was tearful and kept pointing up at them in the top of the closet. This morning, I took a picture of them. 

And then I lined up the rest I could find- not including the bigger Thomases or the remote control one that steams, or the other hundred things that he could play with. 

So one of these days, I'm going to ask him what it was about these two. 

Mad hops

Looking forward to a long weekend to try and get the crick out of my neck- each night this week has included a half hour of half-sleeping on Bitty's toddler bed while he goes to sleep. 

And Bitty's been busy! On Monday, he demonstrated his first hop with both feet off the floor, and he's been starting the alphabet at "Q" and working to the end pretty well. He's also become adept at escaping me after his evening bath so he can make a streak around the couch, laughing the whole time. 

As for my week, I'm working on a shell edging for the blanket I blocked last weekend. I went to my church crochet group last night, to learn and to see if anyone could supply more material for my cat hair crafting. No takers. Come on, they're not shedding enough- it's January!

A Different Block for this Sunday

I'm loving this morning, with an ear on CBS Sunday Morning and trying a new technique with my knitting. What did I do without the internet? 

http://knitting.about.com/od/learntoknit/a/blocking_knits.htm

My first try at a knitted baby blanket on the loom is a little small, despite using the largest loom I have. So I'm blocking it- wish me luck! It is so soft, and the "Pound of Love" main color I used is denim.

Burning love

Bitty is visiting Granparentland while the husband and I celebrate our sixth anniversary. We miss the little guy and spent a lot of time at brunch talking about him- in Puckett's Grocery downtown, where we didn't have to cajole him to eat and be still. We then walked around downtown without worrying about him falling down a manhole or darting into the street.

I also got out my wood burning tool last night, since it would be pretty dangerous to use while he's wandering around. I had a little stool we got for him at an estate sale that I bought wanting to decorate:

My sixth sense is seeing bears.

And, as a complement to a chair I made for him, I'm working on one for a little stuffed friend:

Bitty scribbled the decoration in the middle of the shield.

Pretty Creative Parenting

As far as video games are concerned, the last first-person shooter I played with gusto was GoldenEye (and that was great- remember the split-screen four people could play at parties?!?). So I don't understand the current amazement with RPGs out today; apparently, neither did this father:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20931304 

How does one find gamers to target an avatar? I know several people who could make some money doing that. I think it was a neat solution, and pretty funny. And to those who would disagree- no, I do not have hand-eye coordination. 

Like It or Not

Although at times it's tough to understand the word groupings that Little Bit offers (and sometimes it's only trumpet sounds!), it is so interesting when he's adamant about a course of action. Even more so when he has an opinion, but I have to disagree with his attempts to change the channel while we watched Downton Abbey.

On Monday night, as I was bathing him, he wanted his new aligator bath toy to try to nibble his toes. After I "attacked" for what had to be the seven hundredth time, I turned the aligator around and protested that he was tired in a high, cartoon voice. Bitty looked at him, met his plastic, beady eyes, and very seriously said, "Mine, mine, mine." Well, then, back to work!

Also, yesterday morning he was as chipper as could be. He got up, ate, and got dressed while laughing and playing with his fleet of trains. He's usually a night owl and tough to get up, so I was happy to see a bit of his mommy in him. But this morning, even more than usual, he was back to being a daddy's boy. I came in and folded his blanket across the side rail of his bed; he rolled over and shielded his eyes from the lamp. Then he got up, walked to his dresser, and leaned against it with his forehead while groping overhead for the cloth on the changing table. Then he found the cloth and took it back to bed with him to get some shut-eye.

Seeing red

Took Little Bit to the pediatrician today because this morning he looked like he'd slept in a bee hive. Fortunately, the redness doesn't bother him a bit, and the pediatrician said it's not contagious. Despite this good news, Bitty gave the doctor and me a pretty hard time as his ears were checked; he can throw those thirty-five pounds around when he wants to.  So Little Bit and I both came back to a nap.

The quote of the weekend goes to my husband: "Just because there's something wooden at Goodwill doesn't mean you have to buy it." Looking forward to tackling those Goodwill finds now that the craft room looks beautiful again (and I've not got enough cat hair for anything, which is amazing in itself). I got my reindeer done before it went back into the attic.

I can't decide whether I made him look better or not, but at least each stroke was purposeful this time around. I'm sure he'll get some more attention before next Christmas- I'm thinking maybe a tiny sleigh in the antlers. 

And a little painting today will keep my mind off Downton Abbey, Season 3! So many spoilers online, I've not been able to get a fix. So I'm pumped!

Cat-tastic!

I got a lot accomplished today, including filling up my closet while Little Bit played angry birds. We made the mistake of leaving a phone within his reach, and there is no winner when it's snatched from his hands before he's had his avian fix. Even his little tee ball set from Christmas couldn't lure him away.

I also got my craft room cleared out after the holiday storage, just in time to use one of my favorite Christmas presents- Crafting with Cat Hair!

http://www.amazon.com/Crafting-Cat-Hair-Cute-Handicrafts/dp/1594745250

It's easy to find one of my cats these days- Kit Kat is digging the new access to Bitty's crib.

Growing up in this house means gradually getting used to all your fabrics being covered in pet hair. It builds character. 

How long has this been here??!?

2013 in review, so far

Argh, been feeling terrible and spending my free time on the couch with zinc cough drops and my newest book. My husband has stepped in with dinner and done fabulously- I love Panera Bread chicken stew.

The end of 2012 was spent putting up Christmas decorations after our trip to see family in Alabama. Got everything but the tree, which at the time I thought may stay up until April, but the next day the husband had packed it away. Bitty didn't want to ring in the new year in his crib, so he got to see the ball drop with a sippy cup of water while my husband and I kissed over his head.

At 1:00AM, he was still on the couch.

On January 1, we decided to make his crib a toddler bed, as he had become adept at escaping it.

He was very interested in it, but as bedtime comes, he likes it no better than the crib. My husband and I sit in the floor beside it and read to him, but the look on his face during the stories is like that of James Bond when a super-villain is telling him about his evil plans.  

Speaking of plans, we are very excited about our Container Store arrival today! 

A thing of beauty is a joy forever.