Proof of Pregnancy (3)

The nesting has commenced. Not only have we started the great migration (shuffling beds and furniture from here to there), but I have become a purging machine. A machine, I tell you. Nothing shall escape me, no matter the amount of dust it kicks up, the sentiment it stirs, the potential it once held. Nothing should feel safe.

I've started purging the boy's room of all manner of flotsam and jetsam. Toys, trash, old books, old homework, parts of science experiments, rumpled up lego blueprints, all of it is out of here (or will be soon). And we've begun purging the "Man Cave" of it's (what we shall lovingly refer to as) shit. ToxDrop, here we come. Trash men, be ready. It all must go. And as if that wasn't enough (and believe me, it is,) I've been purging my studio right along with everything else.

We must find room for all the fabulous stuff I bought at IKEA this week. And buy I did. A loft, a mattress, a recliner, a shelving unit, bedding, toy bins, and a lot of random little goodies. (Apologies to my sister who graciously rode for 2 1/2 hours with her knees under her chin and tried to convince me it was actually quite comfortable. I know. I have the most incredible sister ever.) Once the purge-a-thon is over, we will have to start assembling said furniture. I swear my kid is going to have the coolest room on the block. But until then, I would recommend keeping your valuables behind closed doors.

It's Official (mostly)

You know the old joke, "how can you be kinda pregnant?" I think I have an answer to that. If you miscarried about 3 months ago, and then find out, lo and behold, you're pregnant again, it feels very nebulous. Like you're mostly pregnant; but you certainly don't want to go around saying things like, "We're having a baby!" Well, at least I didn't. Not for a while anyway.

But now I am 11 weeks into it and it looks like everything is exactly like a pregnancy should be. I've been sick and tired and they tell me this is good. (And really, I am glad, because I need a little a lot of reassurance that this is real and happening - every day.) I think I am over the sick part (mostly) but I'm pretty sure I'll be exhausted for the next two years. And I am starting to out-grow my clothes (mostly). And I have started to think (most of the time), at least to myself, that come February, we are having a baby. I've even started knitting for baby. So it must be true. We're having a baby. And mostly, I am really excited about it. But I would be lying if I didn't admit that there is a lurking little nagging feeling that pops up every now and then reminding me just how precarious and precious all of this really is.

So for now, I tell people that we are expecting. And that, I think, is exactly what we are doing.

Motherhood

I've had the unique opportunity to watch a mother and her fawn over the last two days. They must be living on the government property adjacent to ours. Last night, we saw them grazing along the two-track that leads to the lakehouse. It was magical to be so close to them. And the fawn was so curious about our vehicle that it kept inching nearer. The mother must have given her baby a cue of some sort (although completely invisible to me) because he suddenly bolted into the brush. She lingered a bit a then bolted too. (I did manage to get this photo of mom through the windsheild - not the best, but still.)

Then this morning, as I was eating my breakfast, I watched the same curious little fawn emerge from the brush at the side of our house and pick its way though our back yard and over to the little pond in back. I was surprised to see it alone, and then very quietly the mother emerged. She was watching and protecting, but still her fawn was learning how to survive in this strange environment of national park preserve and vacation-land mecca. She was showing him how to negotiate the humans, the traffic, the land and the water. She was allowing him to explore and learn and go a little too far before pulling him back with her silent signals. It reminded me what good mothering looks like. And how quickly our little ones grow and change and learn. Nature is a wonderful teacher.

Football Approacheth

We went and got Hayes's gear for football season this weekend, and he has "tryouts" this week. Opening day is somewhere in August. We're hoping for coach Stan again - he was amazing - even if he is only going to be assistant coach this year. Hayes learned some excellent fundamentals and always had fun. He absolutely loves this game.

I'm looking forward to another fun year. And now that we have a bit of a better camera lens, perhaps some better photos too. ;) Watch out BJFL - here we come.

Ready

I am so ready for another trip to the lake. I can't wait to see family and friends and participate in all the silliness that is July 4th in our neck of the woods. Just a week left to go....

Font Creation

I am taking two classes this summer: Digital Photography and Typography. I seem to be MUCH more comfortable in the typography class. It's more hands-on at the moment. This was my first font creation. We were not allowed to use any curves (it had to be a bitmap) and stair-stepping the bits seemed like cheating. Then I found out that the instructor wasn't so concerned with the strictness of the instructions, so I added some curve to the second font. I'm really pleased with how this assignment turned out.

Randomness

1. My sister is officially in town. Ahh! I can't believe it's actually happened. :) They've rented the cutest house on the block and I love that they will be so close!

2. I got the syllabus for one of my classes this summer and I can't believe how busy I am going to be. Who's idea was it to take two classes??? (but I'm so excited about typography!)

3. Headed to the lake this early Saturday morning. It's going to be a blast. And classes start while there. Thank god my Aunt and her son will be joining us so Hayes won't be too neglected.

4. The garden has taken a back seat already to the travel schedule (and school). I am trying not to guilt myself about it. At least there isn't much to harvest these days but peas and radishes. LOVE THOSE PEAS!

5. Did I mention my sister is in town?

First Fair Isle Knitting Project

I'm a big fan of happy accidents. They are not always so fun when they happen, but once resolved, they are, well, happy. I purchased some sock yarn several months ago, in order to make the most adorable argyle socks ever. (If you are a knitter, Glenna's blog is definitely worth putting in your reader.) Upon working the gauge in this particular yarn (which was clearly marketed as sock yarn), I discovered that it will never knit up to the gauge required, never. This can be extremely disappointing when it is the only knitting you have packed for a 7-hour road trip (thanks Knit Picks!). So the most adorable argyle socks will just have to wait a while.

In a funk, I started looking through my Ravelry queue, and remembered how smitten I am with these mittens:

I've never tackled a fair isle project before, but wouldn't you know, the yarn I have is exactly what this pattern calls for! From funk to fabulous just like that. So now I have the coolest bird nest mittens in the world to work on for the next Michigan trip (departing this weekend). And I am sure they will prove to be quite a challenge, hopefully a happy one.

Now, to make sure I have all the supplies I'll need on hand before we leave....