If you’re here for the knitting, it’s not going anywhere. If you’re here for the sewing, I think there’s going to be more of that. If you’re here because you know me, welcome! Slowly, but surely, I’m going to be updating and re-organizing things around here. Hope you’ll stick around.

Cuz I’ve done some of it twice. I’m happy to say that I’ve just reached the second trimester of my second pregnancy! And I’m feeling much better, thank you. Just like the first time, I never got sick (unless you count that time I stuck my nose in a bottle of ammonia. That made me barf, but I don’t think it was related). I have, however, been extraordinarily tired. The traveling made this somewhat better and somewhat worse. But, since I’ve been back I’ve managed to stay awake past 9 and my husband has ceased to be so goddamn annoying (really, it’s me being more sensitive, hardly his fault for being himself).

I’m not planning to post any sonogram photos, but we will find out the sex of the baby. I’ll tell you right now that I think it’s our destiny to have all girls. For those of you doing the math, MJ and new baby (no nickname yet) will be 25 months apart. My due date is May 24th for a Gemini child.

I’m doing it right with my wardrobe this time and stocking up on flattering tummy skimming clothes with v-necks for nursing. It’s lucky for me that the styles in the store match my needs exactly! I never loved The Gap so much. Okay, maybe when I was 12.

You might be modeling in Taiwan if your photos are captioned, “Pleasant day for Washing”, “the Wet Love” or “Hondsome”.

Here are some things I’d like to improve on here:

1. Pay more attention to grammar. I am usually in a rush and don’t pay attention. Please accept my apology if it drives you up a wall.

2. Revamp design. This is only on the list because someone has offered to help me. Unsolicited, I might add.

3. Include more knitting content. I admit it, I have been using the baby as filler. I have been knitting and not blogging about it.

4. More stitching content in general. I’ve also been sewing and not blogging about it! In fact, I am wearing a pair of pj pants i made for myself right now.

And some things I’d like to master in my knitting:

1. Make a sweater with cap sleeves as opposed to raglan.

2. Gloves, mittens, i-cord, three needle bind off, hem with provisional cast on, more cables.

3. I’d like to use my Viking Knits book for something.

4. Make a little cash on the side with knitted goods.

I guess that’s it. Not quite as elaborate as the to do lists I used to make. I’ve got lots of FOs WIPs and have decided to address them as I please. I will control my knitting–not the other way around!

Speaking of lists–you will never guess who I ran into today. The Scissorina herself! We were both at the Delta baggage claim at Laguardia today. Talk about weird… it was a great real world way to commemorate a year of Sassy Stitchess here at the greatwhitewong.com. We vowed to see each other soon and now I’m putting it out here in writing so it will surely happen!

My second knitting date is with the Spiders this evening at The Point, yay! I’ve just finished a pixie hat for MJ, which I will photograph as soon as she wears it. I’m also working on the Phildar tank, but am rapidly losing interest as the weather turns. I may have to store it for Spring. I haven’t looked at my stash in so long, I wonder what’s even in there! A new project to come soon.

Okay, on to the photos…

For the full album of almost 200 pics, click here… consider yourselves warned.

We are ready to go! I took MJ’s passport photo myself

MJ loves the water! We are swimming in the Labrolette Bay at Windjammer Landing in St. Lucia.

Daddy plays peek-a-boo under water.

Now in Barbados, Dahved shows us the entire island. We had a ten hour tour!

Dahved’s surf “shack” perched on the Soup Bowl at Bathsheba. It’s one of the top surfing locations in the world and a gorgeous, quiet place.

MJ and Dad smile with no teeth

I’m a pirate! A surfer alternative to the pink sun bonnet.

Walking with mom.

Watching the waves come in.

Standing on the shoreline.

mmmm, salty!

You are warned not to swin on the East coast of the island, but there is a “pool” that gaurds from the waves under a large rock near Dahved’s place.

We had a great trip and lots of quality family time. Can’t wait to do it again next year!

Couch… I am sure this is an all too familiar scene to lots of people.

Brand new couch+insane cat=instant ratty couch. There are holes like this along the entire length of the couch and I’d like to make something that will HIDE them.

Ugly as sin stools.

This picture doesn’t even come close to how nasty these are. Mr. Sassy traded two old bikes for three of these and an awesome Weber bbq a couple of years ago. Definitely need some covers on these bad boys.

There’s other stuff too… but let’s not get ahead of ourselves, right? Wait, doesn’t everyone keep their baby bottles on the kitchen counter right next to the vodka?

I am wondering how many readers I have lost since MJ was born. Am I too heavy on the mom content? I hope I’m holding some interest from those who aren’t regular commentors. And you regs, please keep it up! I love all of your supportive words, not to mention the compliments.

A couple of weeks back I commented on Mary’s blog in response to this meme. It reminds me of a class exercise my Spanish teacher made us do in high school. Everyone brought in a jar with their name on it. Every day you had to write something nice about a classmate and drop it in their jar. At the end, each person’s jar was filled with really nice, substantive compliments on everything from fashion to character. Mrs. Phin told us we would probably save them forever and so far, that’s been true for me! My high school was so small that you could basically guess who wrote what (ahem, if you had used a computer to type your comments up, that would have pegged you too… only a couple of people would have done that!). It was really fabulous to hear about what others really thought of you sans hs bullshit. This is basically the blog equivalent… only public.

SOoooooo,

If you comment…
1. I’ll respond with something random I like about you.
2. I’ll tell you what song/movie/recipe reminds me of you.
3. I’ll name something we should do together.
4. I’ll say something that only makes sense to you and me (or just me).
5. I’ll tell you my first/clearest memory of you – that I remember.
6. I’ll leave you a quote that is somehow appropriate to you.
7. I’ll ask you something that I’ve always wondered about you.
8. If I do this for you, you must post this on your journal so you can do the same for other people.

Spread the love, spread it thick.

Knitting is not a new mommy hobby. I am trying very hard to envision it as any mommy’s hobby! It’s obviously possible since so many of you make such gorgeous things in what seems to be a timely manner. Although I am very impressed with Maia’s sleeping abilities once she is asleep, getting there is a bit of an issue. We get about 9-10 hours straight once she’s down, but starting around 8:30 we do this horrible dance of sleep for ten minutes, cry, awake for 10 minutes, and so on and so forth. About 2 hours of this. Sometimes the stretches are longer, sometimes they are shorter. I am on the edge of my seat while she’s sleeping and SO TIRED that I don’t even want to pick up the knitting. I’ve also started a consulting gig; I often wind up responding to emails or editing a paragraph or so before running back upstairs. Last night I may have found the magic button. I shouldn’t have even said anything… now it won’t work two nights in a row! shhhhh…

My midwife, the owner of Brooklyn General, is a knitter and sewer. She happened to mention that sewing is quicker than knitting. Between that comment, the awesome fabrics I’ve been seeing, the sewing opportunities that exist in my own house (ugly stools, ripped couch, cute baby), and some other real life & blog friends who’ve taken the leap, I decided that for my 30th birthday I would like a sewing machine. And le’ts make it the fancy kind that you hook up to the computer and can embroider with while we’re at it. WOOHOO! So, I don’t have it yet, but here is what is arriving soon:

Singer Futura CE-200

Hopefully I will have the time to use it… this little lady keeps me pretty busy!

We get our sillies out…

We have also taken time to relax…

I miss you all… especially my Spiders!

About 4 inches on the sock and a bit left over from sock #1 that I found in my notions pouch after I finished seaming.

If I hadn’t backed out a couple of foot rows, I wouldn’t have had enough!

Finishing this sock only took me four months (yes, that’s sarcasm). I can’t exactly remember when I cast them on, but I know I was only a couple of inches in when I was knitting on them pre-baby in the hospital. Three months later, they are complete! I haven’t tried them on yet though because the heat is UNBEARABLE. Go ahead and leave me nasty comments on my parenting, but the kid is sleeping diaper-only in light air conditioning right now. It took me about an hour to convince her that she could go to sleep, but really I think she was just miserably overheated. Stripping her and putting her down did the trick. No rocking for me tonight mommy, please don’t touch me!

It also occurred to me today–over late lunch/early dinner at red bamboo brooklyn–with some familiar faces and some new ones (hey, guys, leave me comments so I know your blogs and can link to you!)–that I tried on the first sock with fat pregnant ankles. Dude, they better fit after all of this. Oh, that sounds like I was frustrated doesn’t it? Not at all! This pattern is perfection and looks fantastic. Truth is, I am not a sock person. I think I’ve mentioned that I was leaning that way before, but now I am sure of it. The thing I like most about socks? Kitchner at the toe. How sadistic is that?!

So, how did I finally come to finish a project? Behold, a major milestone in an infant’s life has recently occurred:

To the untrained eye, this may appear as no big deal. Baby in bouncy seat–big whoop. However, I am sure you baby savvy peeps out there recognize that MJ is actually LOOKING at toys. And people, she is talking to them. This means that she is capable of entertaining herself for short periods of time. So far I have used this time for:

1. extended stay in the wc
2. kitchnering toe of sock
3. making an actual meal, like, with the stove
4. well, it’s only been a couple of days…

She’s also started to get to bed at a reasonable hour (shift from 11:30 pm to 9 pm so far)… and stay asleep for 7-8 hours at a time! That’s happened for three of the last seven days. I know has nothing to do with knitting, but these are the exciting things in my life at the moment. The fact that I am blogging uninterrupted right now is a milestone in itself. I am giddy! Try not to get too excited, who knows when this will actually be consistent

Aunt B serves up a cocktail

Before we went home, Aunt B mixed us a fancy cocktail–yum yum. Mine was very light and very yummy!