Summer Days
2008 @ 7:34 am
So, Cassie’s getting a little bit bigger and more alert as the summer progresses–we’ve got some smiling and a pretty strong neck. Maia is still being a great big sister. There’s a little more interest in putting Cassie’s pacifiers in her own mouth, but it’s not all that bad. We’ve had playdate upon playdate to keep us busy and we’ve managed to get to the swimming pool (our favorite is quite a distance) a couple of times.
Maia’s favorite activity at this pool is to “be the monkey” and swing from the railing. She also does this at home on our bathroom sink. I’ve heard her give very precise instruction on how to “be the monkey” to her friends–she’s really into it. Since this pool is shaped like a bowl with no steps, she’s pretty much relegated to the railing or someone’s lap. We signed her up for swimming lessons at the Y starting this week because the kid has NO FEAR (unlike mom, ahem) of water. She’s gotta learn to swim by next year or it will be disastrous. Mostly for my nerves.
All in all, it’s been a great start to summer!
a dollhouse. really?
2008 @ 9:56 pm
I was never one for doll houses. Sure, I admired the one Mimi (grandma) had in her Florida room (what IS this room anyway?), the one with the working chandelier, but I never desired one of my own. I liked looking at the exact replicas of real homes at the local craft store, but thought they were ostentatious to say the least (yes, I believe I felt this way as a girl, even without the vocabulary). Maia hadn’t been that into dolls, not like her friends, until recently. Honestly, i didn’t see a doll house as part of our journey together. But then I saw this one for sale for $10 just five houses down the street last weekend. And it wasn’t just the price that dictated the decision. I want to live in this house.
It reminds me of a summer rental on Long Beach Island (NJ) or something similar. As such, I’ll be building in an outdoor shower. It came with one piece of furniture–a wooden bed. Soon I’ll start the search for other small creature comforts, but the first order of business was to populate for Maia. I suggested all manner of smaller plastic buddy live in the house, none of which fit the bill for Maia. Obviously, only a doll goes in the doll house, duh. I remembered I had picked up a set of create-your-own wooden finger puppets from Brooklyn General a year or so ago and I got busy on a test doll. These guys are the perfect size and my fuddy-duddy finger doll was immediately accepted as resident of the house.
She reminds me of Miss Beadle from Little House on the Prairie. It’s gotta be the hair.
There will be more of the family to come… and I expect I’ll wallpaper and knit some rugs too 
And I thought I wasn’t into doll houses *sigh*.
things are going to get confusing…
2008 @ 8:16 am
Thank goodness for digital dating of photography. Without it, i am sure I would confuse my two girls down the road…
2006:
2008:
I guess I don’t look as much like I’m going to collapse this time around, huh? Or I had already had my coffee when the photo was snapped. Joey the cat doesn’t look a day older–and she’s now 17!
too cute not to share…
2008 @ 4:50 pm
Thank you Tiny Prints… we used them for Maia’s birth announcements too and they were great both times!
update from the homefront… and a big reveal
2008 @ 9:13 am
We are all home! Baby #2 spent 5 days in the NICU and they decided she was strong enough to send home. At some point I may share this story, but for now I want to move past it. She weighs almost 5 lbs now, yay! These photos are from the hospital yet, I haven’t done an upload in a few days…
Now that I have two girls, I’ve decided that keeping up the initials only thing will be too difficult. I’ve already slipped with MJ a few times and CA just doesn’t flow as nicely. So, here it is–the big reveal of my daughter’s names:
Maia Jordan
&
Cassidy Aliyah
Henceforth referred to as simply Maia and Cassie. Okay, maybe the real reason I’m changing it up is that the names just sound so good together
and now for a brief announcement
2008 @ 8:06 am
Hello all–our baby arrived a bit early on April 30 at 6:38 pm. She weighed in at a mere 4 lbs 3 oz, but is healthy. She’s 16.5 inches long and should be home in a few days…
My midwife, mom and Jason were amazing and brought this baby into the world with minimal stress for both her and her mama–it is a gift I will never be able to repay.
A little bit of Love
2008 @ 11:51 am
Not so bad!
* Photo album for and of MJ (this one’s due in a week and half way done)
* Girly Style Jacket for MJ (also due in one week, cut not sewn. Someone will be two years
old!)
* Sew more stardust baby shoes
* complete baby hat made from Heather’s handspun
* sew jersey baby bunting (pattern from Jennifer… where the heck did I put that?)
I think this hat will be a little big for a newborn, but maybe it will still fit as fall sets in. I used a bit of handspun from my friend Heather (blogless, but hellomello on Ravelry!). It’s a silk/merino blend that I combine with some random stripes of Manos Silk Blend I had leftover from another project for the new baby.
I’m so pleased that my list is actually getting smaller! This Sunday the daddy will be taking MJ to Central Park for the Earth Day celebration and us gals (tbd) will be having a sewing marathon. That should take the list down a bit more…
Feeling good, if not bloated–5 more weeks to go, give or take.
have a great weekend!
2008 @ 9:57 am
Mj and me in our matching aprons (courtesy of my sister via sale at Anthropologie)
A Snowy Day
2008 @ 9:31 am
There was finally a play-worthy snowfall last week! Jason and MJ went out in the backyard while I stayed in and prepared hot chocolate. Complete with homemade whipped cream MJ packed the snow down for snowmen, but decided that eating it was the best way to enjoy the snow. I remember liking that too! I also remember my grandmother (raised in VT) telling us about pouring maple syrup over a tray of new snow. I’ve always wondered how that worked, wouldn’t hot syrup just melt the snow? Well, a quick search of The Daring Book for Girls reveals that the syrup must be heated to 230 degrees so that it pours out in ribbons over the snow. We may have to try this in lieu of hot chocolate next time!
Single Sock Spider Swap
2008 @ 8:05 am
WOOOOOOOOOOOW! This was hands down the best swap I have ever participated in. From soup to nuts, this one went according to plan for everyone involved. This was the very first Spider swap and it was an extreme success. Not only did everyone’s sock fit, they were all so beautiful! Everyone stepped up and knit gorgeous, fancy footwear. Perhaps there is something about wanting to impress your knitting comrade that pushed this one to the next level? Surprising a stranger is nice, surprising your friend is ever better…
I knit up a single Eleanora sock for Jess–it was completely addicting, but i am really happy not to knit another one. If for the size zero provisional cast-on and hem alone Pic to come when she posts–I didn’t want to stretch out the sock with my large and in charge feet!
And what did I receive? From Sandra, a gorgeous Twisted Flower Sock (Cookie A). The blue of this sock is beautiful and the pattern is enticing–I can’t wait to make the other. Check out that heel–super fancy! And not to get too sappy, but Sandra was one of my very first knitting friends–like pre-Spiders and everything–so it was pretty cool to reconnect this way
More details once I cast on!
