Little Dana... weighing in at 16lbs 10oz! We had our 4 month check-up on Monday and our pediatrician said that we could start introducing rice cereal and other pureed fruits and veggies. But I don't think mama is ready! He is still solely on breast milk... and even though I have the Beaba BabyCook from Williams-Sonoma and a lovely baby food cookbook, both gifts from my grandmother that I am soooo excited about... I am just not ready for the spoon. I can't explain it! My friend, another new mama, assured me that they don't go directly to college after their first bite of food, but I think I am leaning closer to the six-month mark to begin our adventures at the table. However, I have been making a series of iron-on T-shirts with a food theme. The first is an album cover...

The second is a scan of the cookbook that my mom fed my sisters and me from. It's this wonderfully worn little paperback called Feed Me, I'm Yours. I must have picked up a slightly-used T-shirt from the laundry pile, because when I hit this one with the iron, the familiar aroma of baby spit wafted up. He looks so sweet in his Ts and cloth diapers! The only thing he's eating right now is his hand!
One T-shirt left to decorate... Still knitting the Monkeys... Still living with my folks!

Last week, I had two days off in row with a terrible cold, which makes for good knitting time... I finished the six repeats of the cuff of my first Monkey sock, the most popular sock pattern on Ravelry. I think I was about the 9,0005th person to cast-on for these.



I felt so badly on Friday, I didn't want to hold the baby all day and risk getting him sick(er.) So he spent most of the day kicking and cooing on his playmat/toy canopy thingy. And then... he rolled over!!! Again and again, I lost count at about nineteen times. I snapped a quick video with the camera to send to his aunties who live up north.

On Saturday, we celebrated my first mother's day early because I had to go to work on Sunday. We went to a wonderful plant nursery, and I got a red tea rose to trellis on our front porch and a pretty decent sized Japanese Maple to plant in the front yard. D. bought a white oak (Quirkus alba) to plant in honor of his son. Pics to come!

I miss my home! Shortly before The Flood, my one true love hung our front porch swing, creating a new knitting and tea-sipping nook. He also planted about a dozen large white azaleas for me to enjoy! I leave a wonderfully colorful acrylic afghan (crocheted by my mother, back in the day) out front for extra comfort. My friend who taught me how to knit was horrified at my love of acrylic thrift-store sweaters... and I have another confession to make-- I love acrylic blankets too! They are so easy to wash and are good for outdoor use! I also want to get a recycled plastic rug for the front porch to give the area a more home-y feel.

I'm still suffering from a terrible cold, complete with runny nose, cough, sore throat, headache, occasional sweats... Yuck! The good news is that baby is muuuuccccch better than mama. He has an occasional lingering cough and a boogie or two that needs aspirating. His daddy is an angel, letting me sleep in and trying to convince me to go to the doctor. How about casting on for the Monkey socks instead?

Where have we been all this time? Homeless... well, staying at Mama D's Bed and Breakfast. Shortly after my last post, our house flooded due to a major plumbing disaster, and we moved in with my parents. The repairs are still underway. In fact, we JUST got around to agreeing on and ordering our new flooring. I got lovely new kitchen tile out of the deal, so that is my silver lining. Also, it has been wonderful staying with my mama! Every woman needs a wife! She has been so much help as I've juggled work and motherhood. And to top it off, both baby and I have a cold. I'm feeling like a total slug today, sipping a cup of Nursing Tea and watching the baby doze on the couch.

What's knitting, you ask? The Orange Daisies are complete, save for the ends being woven in. While grabbing life's essentials out of my house and not-so-carefully throwing them in the back seat of my wagon, I selected three balls of sock yarn... Ok, it's been taking me about a month to knit a pair of socks, and we're probably only out of our house for another week and a half... So I'm not too clear on the logic there; let's just say I was in a panic.

Two of my selections were yarn I bought last May at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. I was so sad that I wasn't able to make it this year. What a different place I am in! Last year, I was a few weeks pregnant and didn't know it... Now, I am a working mother.

Baby, daddy, and I were in D.C. last weekend, and we didn't even go to a yarn store! Can you believe it? I am still yarn fasting. We did go to the lovely Textile Museum, though. Baby's First Museum!

Spring is over... It's getting pretty darn warm here, and the mosquitos chase us inside after late afternoon stroller rides. Before the flood, I packed up all my hand-knit socks and moved them to the attic! Bye-bye, winter!