We came down to Northern Virginia this weekend for my friend Erin’s super awesome wedding. My parents got to watch Baby Evan during the rehearsal dinner AND the wedding and they did a fantastic job. No broken parts and they totally wore him out. He slept for 13 hours last night. I had to go in and poke him to check for signs of life. We’ve decided to come visit much more often – one baby-free date night every 17 months is NOT enough.

The wedding was absolutely gorgeous and the the reception was one of the best parties I’ve ever been to. If you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing E dance you wouldn’t understand why I love wedding receptions so much, but let me tell you – it is EPIC. The drinking made it even better, although he probably won’t be doing THAT again for a while – in his own words, he’s getting way to old for this s***.

Most of my photos are on the computer and I’m writing this from my phone (woot! iPhone shout out!) because we’re on our way in to DC for a few hours, but I will have TONS to share when we get home to CT. My dress totally fit and didn’t even look that bad, although I still changed into a super comfy maternity dress for the dancing and eating portion of the night. It was awesome. Congrats again to my two amazing friends!

Have a safe and wonderful Labor Day!

After going through a short period where I wanted to stab my eyeballs out with a pair of needles (really really sharp ones), I’m enjoying knitting again. I got inspired from the oasis needlepoint studios so I’ve built up quite a little stash of projects and patterns and have big plans for a whole holiday full of knitted gifts this Christmas. Making stuff is just so SATISFYING, even if the stuff is riddled with errors and the ends are done all wrong and it costs me twice as much to make on my own as just going to Target an buying a stupid sweater. But these are ONE OF A KIND and HOMEMADE and SOOPER SPESHUL so I don’t even care.

Want to see what 10 months of knitting experience looks like?

(Warning: lots of dorky knitting details ahead! Feel free to be bored to death or call me old and lame. I know.)

Green shrug

This is the first adult-sized article of clothing I’ve ever made. I had issues (the stab myself in the eye kind) with the lace pattern, but it turned out all I needed to do was take a chill pill and adapt my counting skillz. The yarn is Serendipity Tweed by the Brown Sheep Company (60% cotton/40% wool) purchased from my awesome friend Megan’s yarn store*, Mothers of Purl Yarns. The pattern is available for free online here.

A better view of the pattern & the shape – I swear I’ve worn this EVERY DAY since I finished it.

Baby Evan’s Toddler Sweater

I’ve had this pattern and this yarn since the week I started knitting, but my plans to start it were always undermined by not having the right needles or not having a button or not understanding how to pick up stitches. I finally got over it, used the needles I had and started, only to realize I was going to have to knit it in an actual big-kid size instead of the baby size, which ended up taking FOREVER, but it totally worth it due to cuteness.

I’m actually happy it’s big, so he can wear it longer. Also, I totally think he looks like a Jedi in the hood, which I think is super cool. Because I’m a dork.

The pattern is the Baby Tunic from Knitting Pure & Simple (and it was a GREAT pattern, everything was explained super well and was easy for even a novice to follow). I’m almost embarrassed to tell you the yarn is Caron Simply Soft Heather in Denim (100% acrylic). Cheap craft store yarn is the bane of “real” knitters everywhere, but whatevs, it’s for a kid and I wanted it to be a)inexpensive b)washable and c)indestructible. Acrylic FTW!

Gender Neutral Baby Sweater – made pre-girl parts revelation

I bought the yarn (Cascade 220, 100% wool) from Megan’s de-stashing basket (for $4, what a deal!) and the pattern is the Plymouth Yarn Co’s Top Down Baby Jacket.  I made the same pattern for my niece and loved it so much I wanted one for my own baby. I left it button-less on purpose, in case I needed to go with something boy-like. Now I think I’ll get a pink & brown ribbon to thread through the holes & just tie it closed.

Pink baby shrug

I had a ball of the Brown Sheep Tweed left over after I finished my grown up sweater, so I traded it in for the same yarn in pink to make my first official BABY GIRL item. I found the free pattern online from a blog called The Shizknit (BEST NAME EVER? I THINK SO) and it was so unbelievable easy I had it done in one evening + 1 nap time. I follow the directions for the smallest size but it ended up being sort of big. Baby Girl might get to wear it this spring and then again in the fall, which is actually awesome.

Gorgeous, no?

I bought this ball of yarn Wednesday night at my knitting group (Di’s Delectables, 50% wool/50% alpaca plus metallic thread) and cannot WAIT to make something out of it. I’m thinking a cowl or a scarf, because it’s only 150 yards, and the colors will be fantastic up near my face. Doesn’t it remind you of an opal? I’m going to need a REALLY gorgeous pin or buttons to finish it.

So there you go – all the stuff I’ve made in the past few weeks. Next up is Baby Girl’s teddy bear to match the one I made Baby Evan (And maybe one extra one, to be given to a lucky person yet t0 be determined. Perhaps a hand-made giveaway? Anyone?) and getting started on my Christmas gifts for all my luckiest friends and relatives. Just don’t expect socks. I hate socks.

*I seriously can’t say enough good things about Megan. Not only is she an amazing knitter, she patiently taught me everything I know, lets me and the baby hang out in her shop anytime we want and is a super friend. I don’t buy NEARLY enough yarn from her to justify spending so much of my time at Mothers of Purl and yet she never complains about my freeloading. Although if anyone ever wanted to get me the best gift ever they could call Megan and get me a gift certificate. I might love them forever and ever. AND EVER. ARE YOU READING THIS DARLING HUSBAND?

Disclaimer, just in case: None of these people have any idea I’m writing about or linking to them and I apologize if they stumble over here and discover how badly I butchered their beautiful patterns/yarn.  I spent huge amounts of my own money on this stuff, no freebies at all.

Signs you are no longer cool or hip or happening or whatever those crazy kids are calling it these days and are instead just plain OLD:

1. You drive a minivan.
2.You drive a minivan into a city you used to be terrified of driving in.
3. You think $7 for valet parking is a great deal, especially because it means you don’t have to PARK a minivan in a city you used to be terrified of driving in.
4. You have to eat a First Dinner at 5 pm because Real Dinner isn’t scheduled until 8 pm.
5. You are totally baffled by the fact that people don’t go “out” until after 11:30. What are they doing until then?!
6. You don’t know all the words to Ke$ha’s Tik Tok.
7. You had to look up both the name “Ke$ha” and what that song was called. And had to double check it twice because is there really a dollar sign in that child’s name?
8. You buy a round of shots (and a Diet Coke) for $27 and can’t believe you were ever too poor to buy your own drinks.
9. You think all the guys look like douchebags and can’t understand what they’re wearing.
10. Your feet hurt even in flats.
11. YOU ARE 5 MONTHS PREGNANT.
12. You stab people with your car keys to get them out of your way when you want to leave.
13. You leave by midnight.
14. You wake up the next morning hung over – even though you didn’t drink any alcohol.
15. You can’t wait to get home to see your husband and baby.

OK, so this isn’t technically a BABY shower or in any way baby related – at least I don’t think it is, unless the bride Has Something to Tell Us – but I’m still SUPER excited about all the cute stuff I found in planning the decorations and favors for my friend Erin’s bridal shower. If I was at all capable of sticking to a budget I would seriously consider going to event planner school (is that a thing?) or just printing up a bunch of business cards and begging people to let me plan their parties. But, alas, I am incapable of not going WILDLY OVERBOARD with adorable things I find on Etsy and would get fired immediately when I spent twice what I was allowed.

Man, I love Etsy. Hardcore love. I think I’ll marry it and get it pregnant.

P.S. Erin, if you want to be surprised on Saturday, LOOK AWAY! Although if you secretly hate the color pink and think butterflies are tacky and break out in hives when in the same room as tiny soap, it would probably be best to check out the post below and prepare yourself.

Clockwise from top left:
1. Shower invites from Tiny Prints
2. Two yards of fabric from JoAnn’s that I’m going to hem for a tablecloth (although this still isn’t done as of 11 pm on Thursday)
3. LESS THAN HALF of my milkglass collection I’m going to fill with pink/blue flowers as a centerpiece
4. Thank you notes (that match my colors!) from Target

Clockwise from top left:
1. ABSOFREAKINLUTELY ADORABLE print from Hugs & Kisses Designs (done by my friend Becca). She usually makes those with baby info but I forced convinced her to make a wedding one! Part decor, part gift. Uh, that WAS supposed to be a surprise. Oh well.
2. Prizes for the guests who win the shower games (which will NOT include wrapping anyone in toilet paper) – wrapping paper from Target, actual gifts are from Bath & Body Works
3. Mini soaps to be given out as favors from BLCBodyShop. She custom wrapped them in my colors and printed “A sunny future starts with a shower” without even once laughing at my corniness. They are coconut lime scented. I did not eat any. Yet.
4. Tiny paper butterflies to perch on the edges of all the guests’ glasses from byemma. I saw these and spent at least 30 minutes looking for a tutorial on how to make my own before I realized they were so inexpensive I couldn’t even buy the paper cheaply enough to make it worthwhile to do-it-myself. I LURVE THEM.

P.S. Do YOU have an Etsy shop? Please let me know. Unless you are Emily, because I have already called dibs on everything in her shop, so don’t even THINK about buying any of those clippies or dresses.

And I’m not even the one leaving!

My good friend (both on the interwebs AND in real life, which in itself is pretty amazing) Amanda is moving to Virginia in two weeks and I am sad. Her stupid husband is making her go. Ok, the Navy is making them go but it’s hard to be mad at a giant government institution rather than one guy. Even if he is a giant dork super nice.

Amanda is the kind of friend who says stuff like “One of these days we should go check out that museum” or “This summer, let’s go to the lake” or “There’s an apple festival in Salem this weekend that looks fun” and then ACTUALLY DOES IT. I am baffled by that kind of motivation. 99% of all my “Oh, we should totally go…” end with me sitting on the couch stuffing my face with Goldfish and watching a Law & Order marathon (yet another reason canceling cable might be good for me). They have made us let us tag along on so many fun weekend outings that last week when we WEREN’T with them, Madison, Amanda’s daughter (age almost 4),  turned to her mom and asked “Where’s Miss Suz?” unable to understand how it was possible to do stuff without us.

Besides inviting us to parties and barbecues and parks and beaches, Amanda is my magical porch fairy/hand me down baby toy provider. For the whole past year at least once a week we find presents/baked goods on our porch, always from Amanda & family, always delicious & useful. ALL of Baby Evan’s favorite stuff came from them, including a super duper awesome playhouse we’ll be taking ownership of after their going away party next weekend, where I plan to throw a giant fit and beg them to stay. But not before stuff that awesome house into the back of our minivan. It keep the kid entertained for FOUR HOURS last nigt.

OH. AND. WHO IS SUPPOSED TO MAKE A CAKE FOR BABY EVAN’S SECOND BIRTHDAY? I couldn’t even attempt something like the one Amanda made for his first birthday unless I am 100% prepared to cut off a finger/get very drunk/end up lying on the floor in tears after three hours.

Amanda introduced me to Twitter, to blog giveaways, to Gardener’s Lake, to the church we (sporadically) attend, and to a zillion other things. They play marbles with us and don’t even mind that E yells and I call people names. Madison loves Baby Evan (she’s started requesting her own baby brother) and does an amazing job of playing and sharing with him when they’re together. Their friendship has meant so much to us during the past year, especially in the transition from DINKs (dual income no kids) to Dad works, Mom stays home with a baby all alone and desperate for someone to talk to who doesn’t want to chew on her nipples.

I jokingly threatened to slash some tires to prevent their leaving, but I think Amanda’s a little afraid I wasn’t joking. But of course I was. Slashed tires would barely slow them down at all! Pulling some random bits out of the engine, now THAT would take a few weeks to straighten out.

Still kidding. Mostly. We’ll miss you guys!

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p.s. Today is the LAST DAY to vote in the BlogLuxe awards (bebehblog is nominated in the funniest category!) so if you wouldn’t mind clicking right over there on that little black button I would love you forever and ever too —–>