Surprises, Birthdays, and a KittyKat

This past...week? weekend? weekend prior?...was busy. It was full of fun, friends, and a few beers. 

It started with a car trip to the St. Louis area for a surprise (late) birthday party for one of Kyle's aunts, Lisa.

I love her. She's such an amazing person with talent in so many things. She deserved this.

Everyone came, including my sister-in-law and mother-in-law. That was another part of the surprise. Lisa had no idea they were flying in from Washington!

Many props to Liz and Jordan, Lisa's daughters. They arranged the whole thing.

Albeit, the waiting plan changed. Gabe about ruined it with his babbling. We were in the garage for about 20 minutes or so. It was all worth it.

We stayed the night at Liz's house and left the next day to go see my Kia. :)

Kia, being the amazing person that she was, made Selena a birthday cake! How amazing is she?!

Selena was so excited. She had no idea!

The cake was deeeelicious. I could go for another piece. Or 5.

Selena had a great birthday. She didn't know Aunt Amanda and Grandma Barbie were flying in for Lisa's party. It made her birthday all that much better.

I can't believe she's 6 already. Where did the time go?! :(

Oh yeah. That baby?  THAT'S MY KITTYKAT! :D I FINALLY got to see the little gorgeous bundle!

She made her Aunt Rachel go a bit camera happy. All in all, she was a great sport.

I got to snuggle on her and love on her and changed 3 diapers (yeah, bragging about that).

Kyle says no more babies.

Gabey says "Don't want one."

And THAT, my friends, is the blanket that would never be finished. Looks great with her, if I do say so myself.

All in all, it's been a lot of running around. Trying to get back into the swing of things hasn't been all that easy, to say the least. We'll all get there, though.

You're my brown eyed girl.

Hey, where did we go?

Nanu lovins.

Days when the rains came

down in the hallow.

Playin' a new game.

Laughin', and a runnin', hey, hey.

Skippin' and a jumpin'

in the misty morning fog with

our hearts a thumpin' and you,

my brown eyed girl.

You're my brown eyed girl.

My baby girl turns 4 today.

No I don't know how time stole that one from me.

It seems unfair that she was able to get so big, so fast, considering how traumatic everything was after she was born, but it really opened my eyes to just how much you can take things for granted and how quickly life can slip from you.

I love you, teeny T-Dot. More than all the stars in the sky.

Happy 4th birthday, baby girl.

Carpal Tunnel - I blame Kia.

So I have this friend. Her name is Kia. She's one of the most amazing people I know.

I met her through Kyle and, apparently, he hadn't wanted me to meet her back in the day. He was worried that a cat fight would ensue. He had no idea she and I would hit it off as well as we did, which was pretty effing well.

So, when I found out she was pregnant, I started going nuts. Even before finding out the gender.

Her sister, Sam, situated her baby shower. I made things.

Like this super adorable hat.

I took pictures at the shower, too.

I also made this blanket. This blanket is known as the Blanket That Would Never Be Finished. It's done in complete single crochet with sport weight yarn. It took MONTHS.

And now?

NOW POOKA'S HERE AND SHE CAN WEAR THINGS I MAKE!

Pooka came a month early. She's an itty bitty.

I was worried that the rainbow hat would be too small for her, that she'd never wear it.

I'm now told that it's one of the only things they have that actually fits her. 

But THEN.

Then I saw these little boots online and I HAD to make them.

Now I gotta find a way to get to see my lil' KittyKat. I haven't met her yet but I love her so much, just like her mommy.

Cold Season Prep

Last year..or early this year?..I made hats for all the kids. Gabe, technically, got 2 or 3. He refused to wear them, actually, but had no problem wearing someone else's hat.

This year, he's wearing his hat whether he wants to or not because I love it.

It took 1.5 days to finish. Actually, not even that. Maybe 8 hours in all.

The mohawk was the most time consuming part of it all.

All in all, he doesn't MIND it. And I may be trimming down the 'hawk. But I love it. Love it love it.

Three Little Birds

Rise up this mornin'.

Smiled with the risin' sun.

Three little birds pitch by my doorstep.

Singin' sweet songs...

...of melodies pure and true.

Sayin'...

"This is my message to you."

Don't worry about a thing.

'Cause every little thing is gonna be alright.

Baby boy, my head can't wrap around the idea that you're now officially 2 years old.

Let's face it, you hit the terrible twos around 18 months and it's all been a d

Homespun Yarn.

Have you ever tried working with homespun yarn? Because I have. And it's a PAIN for me. It keeps unraveling and fraying and..ugh. Maddening, really.

I bought some Lion Brand Homespun Yarn in Lagoon with the intentions of having it become the start of a blanket. That ended QUICK when I started using it, so then it stayed in my craft room.

And stayed.

And stayed.

And stayed.

I haven't touched it since January.

Until today.



I figured I needed to get some destashing out so I'd have an excuse for more yarn.

And the yarn was/is SO soft. It'd be a shame not to make something of it.

So I made this.

It's a baby cocoon/baby basket/babypod/a lot of names. It's a photography prop for newborns. They go into it like they're still in utero, but some are still small enough to be able to stretch. I wanted to make sure I used something soft when making it, and I didn't have any wool. The pattern called for that homespun yarn so I figured, "Why not? If it doesn't work out, I frog it and it goes back in the craft room."

It worked. By some miracle, it worked. I'm SUPER happy with the results and the way the yarn feels. SO happy, infact, that I want more of this yarn.

Seriously.

I know, I know, I'm /facepalm-ing it up enough for myself right now. But I want more in different colors. It's just SO soft. And SO pretty. And SO...GAH I WANT MORE.

Someone shoot me.

OH. Pattern for the cocoon can be found here.