Yarn Along

 Yarn Along with Small Things

Last night, I cast on newborn sweater for Emma. The pattern is called Puerperium Cardigan and is free on Ravelry. My first sweater! 

I am not currently engrossed in any books. I've  enjoyed looking through this very old edition of The Children's Year. My mom made things for us children out of this book when I was little and I am borrowing it from her. Most of the crafts are too advanced for my children, but I love having the ideas in the back of my mind. 

I finished a Milo for Nate! The color is actually much darker than it appears in these pictures. It is more accurate in the ones below. I am a little sad that it is so large on Nate, but better too big than too small! It will probably fit him much better next year. Very fun knit!

 Happy knitting!

update on our newest addition

Several weeks ago, we had an ultrasound that revealed that we are having another girl!!! 


Brett and I had both been sure all along that this baby was a girl, but then I was feeling more conflicted in the weeks right before we found out. All of our name discussion had been centered around picking a girls name. A boys name would have been easy. We disagreed over various names for a long time but finally found one that we both love. 

Emma!

We are undecided on a middle name though. We like Emma Rose and Emma Grace, but are still thinking. 

Emma is an active little girl, though so far much gentler than her brother and sister were. She doesn't seem to roll about and stretch out, just little pokes and kicks here and there. I'm sure the strength of her movements will drastically increase as she grows over the next couple months though! 

The past two months I have felt great! I have been able to wake up a little earlier, stay up a little later, and frequently not nap. We haven't undertaken any major projects but some smaller items on the to-do list have been checked off and the general state of our home is certainly more orderly. I have completed several knitting projects which were great fun. I hope to post pictures soon! My brain is currently spinning with plans for Christmas gifts and baby knitting. Christmas is not far away so I need to get moving on those! 

My hips and back are starting to complain about Emma's growing weight so I know my time of having it easy is growing shorter. I am not worried though; somehow it seems like everything that has to get done does get done, at one time or another. Sure, I prefer laundry to get folded in the same week it was washed and to grow things outside in the garden rather than in the back of the frig but I'm growing three humans right now and that's all that matters in the end. 

And for the record, growing humans is pretty awesome!! 

hens, children, and eggs

Our hens have been laying sporadically for a couple weeks now, but production is just getting into full swing. We usually get 4 eggs every morning and have 6 hens. I'm hoping two of them haven't started laying yet, although I am sure they will slow down a bit for the winter. The three roosters are impressive in size and crowing ability. I have about had it with them. They are either going to a new home or will become chicken soup very soon. I can't leave the children out with them because the roosters have tried to attack Nate. I will still be a teensy bit sad to see them go because they are so beautiful. 

Nate knows how to open the chicken pen and let them out, which is one of the highlights of their (the children and the chickens) day. Both Nate and Evelyn find the chickens highly entertaining. Even watching them out the window is great fun! Evelyn does not like to feel left behind in any way, so she was trying to figure out the latch. 

This egg had just been laid moments before. It was still wet, but you can't really tell in the picture. 

Carrying her egg back to the house. 

The prized job of gathering eggs is not one to be taken lightly. 

 

Cape May 2013

*This post has been sitting unpublished on my computer for a month now. Somehow the days and weeks have flown by and blogging was not on the top of my list of priorities.

 Not that I have had a clearly defined "list of priorities"; it just sounds nicer to say that instead of "somehow, I'm not really sure how, it didn't happen. Other things probably did happen, though I don't remember most of them right now." Better late than never....at least, that's what I tell myself all of the time, and not just about blogging.*



We had a wonderful visit to Cape May this year. The cousins are just old enough to enjoy being together...most of the time...and the weather was gorgeous. This time with my family in one of my favorite places is always one of my most anticipated times of the year, rivaling even Christmas. 

I managed to catch a few pictures. This is John diving at William who was attempting to make off with his bag of candy. "Going to the candy store" is a cherished Cape May tradition. 

We also had lots of family pictures taken, which I should try to get my hands on before they are somehow gone forever. Most of them were posted on facebook by various other siblings.

 I already can't wait until next year!