Knitting, the Next Generation

I have already taught my eldest to knit, in fact, she is the one who got me back into it. Now my youngest has decided it is time to pick u[p the needles and try her hand at it. She is making a skinny red scarf, garter stitch, to wear on days when it's "only a little cold."

My digital camera is dying, I really need to get a new one. But you can see her here starting a new row. She knit three whole rows all by herself, and was very proud.

As for myself, I managed to get a couple more rows done on the blue fuzzy sweater. Tomorrow I will be at work, and I'll work on the alien scarf if I get a lunch hour. It's typically a busy day for us, since most people want to have their babies in time to get the tax deduction. With all of our pre-holiday inductions though, I'm not sure how it will be.

Next week we all start back to school - the kids first, then me on Friday. I'm actually kind of nervous about it. This semester we will have 2 clinical days every week, and it's hospital clinicals. One day each week we'll be on the unit I work on. I loved the nursing home, but I don't know if I'll enjoy hospital nursing as much. Maybe it's just that I've been with the hospital for so long - I started there 12 years ago, though I took a 2 year break to have a couple of babies. I go to get my books Thursday. They promise they will be in by that day, though we are not allowed to pick them up any earlier. Don't know why, maybe to keep up from seeing just what we've gotten ourselves into.

Some Progress

I finished alien #4 on the scarf today. The pattern only calls for 6, but I may go with 7 or 8, just depends on how much yarn I have. I reversed the pattern for every other alien.

Tomorrow I have much waiting to do at two different doctor's appointments, so I should be able to knit at least one more alien. I absolutely love this scarf, though it rolls more than I'd like. I hope once I'm finished that blocking will take care of much of this.

I'm not usually a big fan of illusion knitting - too much time and too cutesey, or too, well, ugly. But this is perfect.

Back to the Grindstone

I actually enjoyed being back at work today - only two babies were born on Christmas Day, meaning I only had two babies to test. I cleaned my office, did a bunch of paperwork, and generally enjoyed not being at home. The weather has been terrible, and with the sick child now feeling better, the kids are going nuts pinned up in the house. And they are overwhelmed with all the new stuff they got for Christmas. Most of the day they have apparently been fighting over the keyboard and guitar.

Tomorrow I hope to knit some more on the alien scarf. I took my DVD player to work, and so I'm going to spend my lunch hour knitting and watching LoTR. I hope to have the scarf finished before I start back to school on the 6th.

The kids go back on the 4th. I can't wait.

More Merry Christmas

The kids have had a great day, middle child is feeling better, and I am now on cup of coffee #5.

They have decided to form a band.

Merry Freakin' Christmas

It is 2:30 am, and Santa has finished wrapping the presents and putting them under the tree. Santa is VERY tired. He also did all the dishes piled up in the kitchen and now he is going to take a shower and go to bed. The sick child is still sick, but, miraculously, is feeling better and is up and bopping around the house. Santa didn't mind, as she had been sleeping for pretty much the past two days. He is just glad she is feeling better.

Right now she is sitting on the couch (which also happens to be my bed) and is complaining about seeing a bug in her room. I would really like to go to sleep. I know I will be awakened with the sun so the kiddos can open their gifts - and I have to make our traditional Christmas breakfast of orange rolls.

Hopefully I'll manage to get a few hours in before the fun begins.

On the Eve of Christmas Eve

Today was my last day of work before the holidays, and it was actually a pretty good day. I only had 6 babies to test (I was right about there being no pregnant women left within 50 miles), and I'm pretty much caught up on my paperwork, so I got to leave at 3. I picked up my eldest and we went to the local mega-toy-store to exchange a Barbie my in-laws had given my middle child. She HATES Barbies. She's almost 10, and a tom-boy. They should know this, yet year after year they insist on sending her something she'll hate. And so once again I went to the store to exchange it. I got her some Magnetix, which she has been dying for. All the in-laws will know is that she loved the gift they gave her, and she'll think they're wonderful grandparents for knowing JUST what she wanted. And two hours of my life have been wasted standing in line behind a hundred soccer moms fighting over animatronic dogs.

After I got home my mom told me that said middle child was "still asleep". She had gotten up for breakfast then gone back to bed. I check on her, found her feverish and breathing fast. I gave her some ibuprofen and called the pediatrician. He told me to give her an albuterol treatment and if she was still breathing fast after that go straight to the E.R. So guess where we went? After several more hours of my life wasted we were sent home with the "it's probably only a virus" line. Her temp was higher when we left the ER than when we got there, even after a dose of acetaminophen. I am now alternating Tylenol and Motrin every four hours. At least she's breathing a little slower. Since she has chronic asthma, I generally freak out when she has issues with breathing.

Got a few more inches finished on her sweater while we were waiting for the x-rays to come back. Blood work came back OK too. She did get the thrill of going to the drug store in her PJs and slippers, and got to tell everyone she just got out of the hospital. It earned her several free candy canes from the Wal-Green's staff. At least we're not going to be stuck in the hospital for Christmas. Her x-rays were good, and since her blood and urine cultures are going to take time to grow, they went ahead and let us come home and will call us if anything turns up. Until then it's just OTC meds and her nursing-school mom keeping an eye on her. God Help us All.

Work Sucks

I had 27 babies today. Twenty-seven. My God, there can't be ANY pregnant women left in a 50 mile radius. I have been on my feet for 12 straight hours (I usually only work 8) and I only got to pee once, didn't get lunch, and am SOOO tired.

Just finished cooking supper for my kiddos. I've started using a new cookbook called Saving Dinner that is really great. It has all the shopping lists, menus, etc. All planned out, eight weeks for each season. We are in the middle of the last week of Fall, (had to start somewhere) and so far my kids have loved all the stuff I've made, including the fish I cooked last night. This had NEVER happened before. And the recipes are quick too - so far I haven't spent more than 30 minutes on anything. My youngest child just told me how great it is that I'm cooking again, and my middle child told me she'd rather help me cook than watch Cartoon Network.

In school news, got my grades today - and I made the Dean's list. The one B that I got is for a 1-credit-hour class. So my GPA is 3.9. Maybe I will be a nurse one day.

Knitting is coming along. I've gotten 9 inches on the blue sweater and am now on alien #4 in the scarf. Oldest still hasn't finished seaming the pink sweater. And now I'm seriously thinking about what to make next.

Tomorrow I have to work again, then it's off for Christmas. Yay!!!!

Let the Holidays Begin

Today is my first day off since school let out. And I have to go back to work on Wednesday (the first day the kids are out of school). So I have a whole two weeks of holiday preparations to cram into two days.

The big plan for today - take eldest to work, babysit grandbaby, go to party at school for younger two children, take grandbaby to eldest's workplace to feed her, pick up youngers at school, pick up eldest at work, come home, help with homework, hopefully cash my child support check (which is now officially a week late), go to the grocery store, come home, do at least 4 loads of laundry, and collapse.

The big plan for tomorrow, more laundry, less running around.

You know, it really sucks when work seems more relaxing than being home.

No more school, no more books.....

Finals are finally over!!!! I managed to swing 2 A's and 2 B's this semester. I was one of only two people to pass the final in our Body Structure class. (Yes, just another name for Anatomy and Physiology). My brain is totally fried, and now I'm wondering what I'm going to do with all the free time I have until January 6th.

Grandbaby is now 4 whole months old - I can't believe it!! She's gotten so big and is now laughing at everything, eating baby food (which she loves), grabbing stuff, and just generally being too cute.

My younger girls are driving me absolutely nuts. This morning they both were complaining how sick they were - sore throats, stomach aches, nausea, headaches. I just looked at them as I was gathering up my stuff for work and said, "It's Saturday." Moments later they were both dressed and planning an entire day of frolic. Mean mother that I am, I told them that since they were recovered from whatever it was, they could clean their room. I left for work shortly after that. The mystery ailment must have befallen them again though, because when I got home, the room was still a mess. My mom doesn't make them do anything around the house, so whenever she babysits nothing gets done. Heck, I'm lucky if it's not 100 times worse when I get home.

On the knitting front, I did manage to finish the pink sweater for daughter #3, and am now working on a blue one for daughter #2. Oldest daughter is making up the sweater, as she prefers her seaming to mine. Her sister may have outgrown it by the time she's finished, but it's out of my hands (and more importantly, off of my needles.)

I am determined that after this blue sweater I am making something FOR ME. I don't know what yet - it may just be a pair of socks, or a hat. But I have ceased taking requests for things. I've been actively knitting again for over 3 years, and I have yet to make one article I can claim as my own. Yes, I have made scarves, but they have all been claimed by my children and subsequently lost. I am now knitting another alien scarf, not because I love it so much (which I do) but because I was trying to explain illusion knitting to a girl at school, had the SnB book in my bag, and so we made a run to Wal-Mart for yarn. She since dropped out of school, don't know how her scarf turned out, but I left mine in my bookbag to work on between classes. I am now on alien #4 of the 6 called for in the pattern. And I have a feeling that once this one is finished my oldest daughter's boyfriend will be claiming it, as he has eyed it hungrily every time I've had to pull it out to stuff more books in. The original alien scarf was lost on the playground of our elementary school last year.

All Grown Up

My baby is growing up. She finally decided to get her ears pierced. When my girls are five, I allow them to get their ears pierced if they want. My eldest went the day after her birthday. My middle child, now nine, still won't go through with it. And my youngest, at seven-and-a-half, got it done yesterday.

She was a little freaked out, and was whining about it was going to hurt. Then she realized that the earrings were already in, and started laughing. She feels so grown up now.

I'm doing really well on knitting the sweater - finished one sleeve and started on the other. I had to make a run to Wal-Mart last night at midnight-ish because I couldn't find the fun-fur I was using on the cuffs. Fortunately, they had plenty and I also picked up some other junk I needed, like minutes for my cell phone and a new headset (as the last one fell out of the car at some point and I didn't realize it until two days later.)

Yesterday we made a little trip to the LYS, and saw a pack of really cool looking stitch markers for $35. There were five in a pack. Last night we made some, even better, and I spent about $10 on everything. So if anybody wants some fancy-schmancy stitch marker, gimme a holler (as we say here in the South) and I'll hook you up.

The Next Big Event

October 18 is the big day, we get the new Series of Unfortunate Events book. We won a free copy of it at the Potter Party's costume contest. Now, of course, my kids expect me to make them Baudelaire outfits for the Snicket Party. Nope. Not going to happen.

They keep tempting me though. My oldest daughter got a bunch of patterns on sale last week and pointed out that if I dressed in a particular Gibson Girl dress I could look like Aunt Josephine. Baby could go as Sunny. My eldest would go as Violet (of course). My youngest wants to go as the Quagmire girl, and my middle one wants to be Uncle Monty.

"Mom, all you'd have to do is dress the baby in one of our old christening gowns. Sunny always wore long dresses in the books. And I could wear a lab coat and take a rubber snake. "

"Mom, I'll help you sew everything. I know the pattern has three million seven pieces, but I'm home all day with the baby. I know I didn't have time to take a shower today and the sewing machine is buried under a mountain of baby laundry, but I could do it if you could help me find the machine and watched the baby for me."

"Mom, I could also use the costume for Halloween, and I could be Violet for Halloween, or maybe Princess Jasmine if you want to make me a Jasmine costume too because I don't like the one they have at the store because it itches and also I don't have dark hair so I would have to wear a wig for that and if I was one of the triplet girls from the book nobody really knows what color her hair is and then I could also wear the dress to church or even for picture day and...." (I must admit that at this point I shook my head and walked away. I'm sure my youngest daughter has already set the world record for the longest run-on sentence spoken without taking a breath, but frankly I'm just too tired to try to find out.)

Today I'm skipping school and taking a trip to the yarn store. I know, bad me, but honestly, I deserve some yarn. I'm making myself a shawl/shrug/thing to throw on around the house and snuggle up in. Yes, I said myself. And I want some yummy yarn to make it with. Estimated date of completion on this item: sometime around the birth of my first great-great grandchild.

Broadband a-go-go......

My modem has officially died. So I'm sitting here at school trying to catch up on my email and stuff. The provider should be out sometime next week to figure out what's going on, as this is the second modem I've burned through in less than a month.

It's funny, but when my connection is great, I don't seem to spend much time on-line, but when I'm on a lousy connection, like the dial-up I have at home, (best speed to date-30.2) I think of about a million things I need to look up, do, etc. and the slowness frustrates me so much I can never do them.

I have three tests this week, so not alot of knitting going on. Still working on the sleeve for my daughter's sweater, but alas, no pics since I'm here at school.

I'm now in the phase where I'm looking for my next project. I'm going to do a sweater for my middle child, same pattern, then I dunno. I'm thinking about actually doing something for myself (gasp!).

Up all Night

I'm pulling an all-nighter because I have a test in the morning. Yes, I know, bad study habits, but this is about the only quiet time I get to study. Tonight, however, I'm not alone. Baby is in here with me since we're having a fussy night. Although right now she's zonked in the swing. And I believe if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

My eldest child is trying out the knitting machine, making a sweater. We had tons of black cotton yarn, and so she decided to do something with it. Also a good way of putting the machine through it's paces. I can't wait until I get some time to have a go at it. Though it is nice to have something on the needles to do while I'm waiting between classes or at a doctor's office or something. Of course I would NEVER knit at work or in class. Right.

Had my first win on an auction on ebay today. What a thrill. Got some stuff for Baby. This stuff could get really addictive. Also bid on some clothes for the other girls, but those auctions won't end for awhile, and I'm not holding my breath.

Well, I guess it's back to the books - I really am enjoying school, but the studying is going to kill me. When I was younger I never had to study, guess that's why my study habits are so horrible now. Off to put on another pot of coffee....

The Potter Party

Finally scanned in the pictures we took at the Harry Potter party in July. We had such a blast, and we even won the costume contest. Since we had already pre-ordered book 6, we got to choose another book. We got a free pre-order ticket for the new Series of Unfortunate Events book, due out this month, I think.

Anyway, my middle daughter went as Ginny Weasley. You can't really tell from the picture, but I had used temporary hair color to dye her hair red. It looked really cool. I made an iron-on of the Gryffindor patch and put it on a polo-type shirt. The socks I knitted, you can kind of see the gold and burgundy peeking out just under her skirt. My oldest daughter sewed the skirt, and we both worked on the robe. The wand I made with Sculpey and a paintbrush. When we walked in everyone knew she was Ginny.

My youngest daughter went as Fleur Delacour's little sister, Gabrielle. For some reason this is her favorite character, and she also likes the Beauxbaton costume. I did the same thing for the patch on her shirt that I did for my middle daughter, but we made her more of long cloak than a robe. The material is much lighter, sort of airy. The skirt and socks I bought at a school uniform store. Her hair is naturally blond, so no tricks there. Since getting into the books herself, she no longer wants Slytherin stuff. She used to like Slytherin because their color is green, and it matches her eyes.

My oldest daughter went as Tonks. She used that spray-in stuff to turn her hair pink, and made the T-shirt herself, borrowing the design from a band's cover art. You can't tell in this picture, but she was 8 months pregnant with Baby at the time. She and my youngest had to explain to people who they were. Oh, well, I guess everybody can't be freaks like us.

And of course there's me. I went as Mrs. Weasley, and everybody knew who I was supposed to be, too. I knitted the tam, my daughter made the skirt, and the shirt I bought. It took us a long time to find the right purse, but we finally found one that I think I could load several days work of stuff in, and still have room for more. I also dyed my hair red, but it doesn't show up in the picture.

We had such a great time, and are really looking forward for the movie to come out in December, so we can once again let our freak flags fly.

Spamming the Blogs

While perusing my little piece of heaven here, I noticed that I had a spam comment. So I turned on word verification. I think this is a pain in the ass, but I had to do it. I mean, not many people visit me here, but when I get a comment, I want a real comment, you know?

Basically I'm just killing time while here at school - brought my knitting but forgot to bring my needle case. I have been using the Denise needles, and they are great. But I need to put the half of the sweater I've already finished on a holder, and I don't have anything with me.

Today we took about a dozen cans of powdered formula to school for the Katrina victims. My kids' school is taking up stuff, so I let everyone at work know. The formula rep brought in tons of formula samples. He's bringing in more tomorrow too. Baby is breastfed, so we also sent along all the bottles and formula we had received for her.

Looks like it's time to go back into class. Then to work, then home. I can;t wait till this week is over.

Anywhere but here.

Today is one of those days where I don't know where I want to be. When I'm home, I want to go out. When I'm at school, I want to be at home, and when I'm at work, well, I never want to be at work. But I just don't know what I want to do or where I want to go. I just know that it's not here.

Finally got around to taking a picture of the sweater I knitted for the grandbaby. I used Caron Simply Soft, and made it a little big since Baby was born in August and won't be wearing it for a few months. She's already outgrown the gorgeous hat my daughter made for her, though she did have the best hat in the nursery. And we can always make her another hat to match. I got the pattern from the book Style Your Own Kid's Knits. I must admit that when I first looked at this book, I wasn't too impressed. The motifs in the back all looked my then-6yr-old had drawn them. But I received it as a gift for my birthday, and I love it. I'm thinking about modifying the basic pattern for the knitting machine, and making matching sweaters for Baby and my younger daughters.

Baby had her first official doctor visit yesterday - she's up to 8lbs. 5 oz. (a gain of 17oz. from her birth weight) and has grown 1.25 inches. She's awake more during the day, and about three times a week we can get her to sleep for 6 hours at night. Right now her mom's giving her a bath - which she doesn't seem to be enjoying too much.

As for myself, I'm off to bed. I guess I finally figured out where I want to be. Asleep.

And the beat goes on....

After an almost year-long hiatus, I'm back. Miss me?

Life here is pretty much the same in alot of ways. Still living with my mom, still broke, kids still driving me nuts. But things have changed too.

For one thing, I'm a grandmother now!! Three weeks ago my daughter gave birth to the world's most beautiful baby. And she named her after me. I was in tears. And yes, the bunny and hat were knitted. By my daughter. The blanket was a gift from a friend of mine.

Also, my kids now have visitation with their father. And I get a (very) little child support. So far they'd seen him three times. After seven years of nothing now he expects them to be all happy. They don't even know him. Another rant for another day though.

I'm also back in school - nursing school this time. And I'm actually really enjoying it. Even though I have three tests this week. I made an A on the one I had today. And the one tomorrow I've over-saturated myself studying for. The one Friday is Anatomy. This test is in biochemistry, and since I'm already a biochemist I'm not worried. My only problem is I want to over-answer the questions, like "define ATP". I went into a long explanation about the chemical structure and chemical equations and reactions and stuff. They just wanted "ATP is used by the body for energy". No joke. At least it was only homework. And my teacher counted it right because I did mention energy somewhere in my answer. Next time I'll just try to keep it simple.

As far as the knitting goes, well, slowly would probably be the right word. I'm working on a sweater for my youngest child, almost done actually. We recently acquired a knitting machine, and I'm waiting for fall break so we can crack it out and play with it. SO far I think I'm really going to like it for making blankets (I've made four baby blankets this year) big pieces for sweaters. For fancy stuff it seems like it would be easier to hand-knit, but I really haven't had a chance to do much playing around.

Finally got my autistic child into the sleep lab. They put her on melatonin at night and gave us a light box to sit her under in the morning. It has helped SOOOO much. At least, she's sleeping at night, so now I can sleep some too. She's now getting 7 to 8 hours on a good night, where she was only getting 3 to 4. And she's doing better in school, though we do seem to be having alot of "autistic moments" in the afternoons. I chalk it up to the visitations and the new baby. I gave her a hard rubber teething ring to bite (as that's generally what she likes to do when stressed) and that has also helped.

Hopefully I can update other stuff soon. Good to be back.