He was so much fun to knit.  Okay…he was actually supposed to be a snail, but I was really tired and I was hurrying to finish him before I had to go to bed, and I completely goofed the shell.  I know exactly what I did wrong, and I’m planning to start a snail as soon as I get done typing this.  It turned out for the best anyway.  I think he looks great as a slug.  The shell would have hidden his lovely stripes.  Sorry if he looks a bit fuzzy in the picture.  These were taken very quickly (it was raining) with my iPhone.

Speaking of rain, it’s been raining for 2 weeks now.  I am so tired of it.

Time to go knit a snail.

*all photos are taken from little sapling toys or ecoayris etsy listings*

From little sapling toys:

bludgeoning toy!

From ecoayris:

I bought the Triceratops and Bat teethers.  I’m seriously thinking about picking up the skull one too.

On the baby front, we cut two teeth last week and started eating sweet potatoes.  Yes….two teeth in one week.  Ouch.  Thankfully he’s started sleeping better.  He hasn’t been sleeping well for a couple of months now, and it must have been the teething.  They (the elusive they) say that teething symptoms can start 2 months before the teeth cut through and I think we were definitely seeing some of that.  Also we bumped his bedtime up by a lot.  He used to sleep in his swing in the evenings until I went to bed.  The older he’s gotten, the less he wanted to do that.  One day it hit us that, omg he isn’t going to sleep until I go to bed!  So now, we get in bed early and he falls right asleep.  It’s made for a much happier baby.

Thank God for camera phones.  Who has time to download pictures off a camera?!

That’s about all the time I have.  Another poopie diaper calls my name.  Seriously, I guess sweet potatoes = mega poops.

Remember all that silversmithing stuff….yeah….I’ll get to it one day.  Although this is giving me time to build up an awesome stone stash.  Before Jacob was born, I remember thinking that my maternity leave would be the perfect time to learn to silversmith.  Go on, laugh at me, you know you want to.  Ah…first time parents.  I haven’t had the time, but even if I did, I doubt operating a torch in my sleep deprived state would be safe.

I love being a mother though.  Everyday is a new adventure.  I am lucky enough to be able to take Jacob to work with me, so I don’t miss anything.  He giggles, laughs, kicks, smiles, and loves me completely.  He is totally a momma’s boy.  I’m enjoying it because I know before long momma will have cooties and everything will be no girls allowed.  I never knew I could love someone so completely.

Jacob Daniel Berry
Born February 3, 2009 (3.5 weeks early)
7 lbs 7 oz
19 1/4″ long

I love him so much!

Pretty much everything has been on hold since he was born.  I haven’t been knitting anything, and I never even got a chance to set up my silversmithing stuff.  That’s okay though,  I’m guessing that an oxy/acetylene torch + sleep deprivation + distraction  = bad anyways.  I have been reading though, and amassing quite a collection of cabochons for when I do start with my silversmithing.  In the process, I have rediscovered a long lost love for stone and am thinking about trying to cut my own cabs!  But, wet saw + sleep deprivation + distraction = bad too, so that will have to wait as well.  Honestly, I don’t think I need hobbies anyway…staring at Jacob is enough for me.  Speaking of….its time to feed him.

Right after birth (but all cleaned up and in the nursery):

Cute faces

With Daddy

Enjoy!

This was taken 2 nights ago at a little over 34 weeks pregnant (actually, almost 35 weeks).

I’m also on the verge of a new hobby, which has me totally excited (and also scared).  I took the plunge and ordered a whole ton of silversmithing supplies.  I don’t even want to discuss how much I spent on them.  I feel like I have everything I need, even though I’m sure I will discover some little tool that I can’t work without that I will have to order.  Now, I’m just waiting for it all to arrive.  I’m going to start experimenting as soon as I get everything, but I am going to wait on a few things until after I have the baby.  I’m a little worried about the flux and pickle (especially the pickle) and the effects it might have on the baby.  So, soldering will probably have to wait.  Honestly, I probably won’t even have it set up and ready to go in time to even think about working with pickle before the baby is born.  None of my stuff is supposed to arrive until next week.  Then I have to figure out where to get my tanks filled for my torch.  Then I have to actually set up a work area.  Then I can think about getting started.  That’s a lot, especially considering that I have the energy of a 90 year old right now.  But still, I’m excited.  Oh…and I’ve started collecting stones for when I feel confident enough to start on bezel settings.  If you have any good silversmithing links or advice, feel free to leave them for me.

Anyway, speaking of energy, I’m sleepy.  Night.

First off, I am huge.  I think I’m starting to get my own gravitational pull, seriously.  We are working hard to get our house baby ready.  We have the bed ready and a swing.  We also have a bunch of clothes, but I still need to wash them.  That’s on my list for tomorrow (assuming I don’t get consumed by my regular laundry duty).  My baby shower is going to be on the 24th, and I should get lots of neato stuff then too.  I went to the doctor last Tuesday and had an ultrasound.  Everything seems to be going great.  He’s already turned and has his head pointed straight down and already on my cervix.  (Sorry if this is TMI)  The doctor checked, and my cervix is “closed tight” (her words exactly), so there isn’t anything to worry about.  He’s just getting ready.  She does believe (and I agree) that I will probably end up having him a little bit early.  Early as in 37 – 38 weeks instead of 40.  She also believes that this could cause me to have an easier labor (hey…that rocks).  But, she said she could be wrong.  Bottom line, he’ll be here when he’s good and ready.  We’re going to plan and prepare like he will be here sooner rather than later though.  Oh, and we have a name, but I haven’t decided on what to call him for blogging purposes yet.

I’ve been knitting.  I finished my Sweet Baby Cap, and it is so cute.  I’m going to have to make another one soon (hopefully before the baby gets here).  I started another pair of Charade socks and I’m already past the heel on the first one.  And of course I’m still working on the Cleopatra Wrap and Bayerische Socks.  I don’t have any new pictures though because I’m lazy and haven’t downloaded them from the camera.

I have exciting artsy fartsy news.  I’m going to teach myself silversmithing!  I just ordered two books on the subject, and I plan to begin collecting supplies (ie stones!).  I plan on doing lots of reading and learning and preparing so that I can start playing sometime after the baby gets here.  This will of course take a little more planning than I did when I decided to teach myself to knit.  I can’t just go out one day and buy a book, yarn, and some needles.  This will require an actual set up, a work bench and lots of tools.  Which means Mike and I will need to figure out where I can do this.  Even though it’s more of a long term project, I’m still super excited.

Anyway, I think that’s about it.  Sorry it’s been so long since I posted.  I’ve had a lot going on.