We got the results back from Ethan’s developmental evaluation.  He’s delayed in several areas and qualifies for their preschool classes and some therapies they’ll do in-class.  We’re not *too* surprised and are glad he can be treated.  We’ll be going for a “team meeting” in a few weeks to figure out the plan of action and scheduling for it all.  I’m hoping to also find out their feelings/experience in how successful this will all be.  I’m feeling pretty negatively, atm, and my Failures as a Mommy seem to be looming over me.  I know there’s a voice inside that keeps reminding me that Ethan has special needs and I’m not trained to deal with that.  But the much more insistent voice pipes up that I’m his Mommy and that’s.my.job.  Being his everything is my job.  I’m supposed to know how to deal with every situation.  I’m supposed to overcome the problems.  I’m supposed to know how to motivate him to learn things that he could, I’m sure, if he was inclined to do so.  But there lies the problem that’s always been there.  Ethan isn’t inclined to do so.  He has to be pushed, cajoled, threatened, begged in most everything.  Eating, peeing on the potty, sharing, telling us when he’s full or not feeling well, *colouring* with the crayons instead of just playing with them.  And I don’t know how to do that.  How to teach him to do it himself when he knows how but just won’t.  How to teach him to communicate with us instead of expecting us to just magically know.

I don’t think I’m being a “hover” parent or over-protective or anything of that nature.  “Over-protective parents make weak-willed children”, I know that.  I just don’t know what else to do.

And then, sometimes when I’m having an especially hard day and feeling especially low, I tell him that ‘Mommy needs a hug’ and he comes over and hugs me and tells me “Oh Mommy, I’m so proud of you!” just to make me feel better.  It makes me want to laugh and cry all at once.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen snow before Halloween.  Though it’s wet, snow it is.  Happy Snow Day!

Taken when I first posted this around 11am (this is the “betcha it won’t keep snowing, must capture for posterity”):

Taken as we started lunch around 12pm (the “huh, it’s actually sticking!”):
Taken moments ago around 12:45pm (the “wow, gotta show Ken this!”):
I wished our mail carrier ‘Merry Christmas’ as she brought a package up to the door.

The long list of things to tell the uncaring internets continues to grow, but until I take the time to sit my butt down and tell them you’ll have to deal with shorty little posts.  Who knows?  Maybe it’s the new me; too busy to speak coherently for more than a few moments every few days.

This weekend we carved pumpkins.  First time either I or Ken has done it since we were children ourselves, and definately (why do I *always* spell that word wrong?!) a first for the boys.  We’d made a promise to start celebrating holiday’s in a more decorative way, and since Ethan’s now understanding holidays it all works out well.  We had 2 pumpkins that Sharon brought down from Gram and Gramps garden.  Gorgeous, enormous things that provided myself with loads of pumpkin seeds to roast (Ethan tried and didn’t like so much, Victor set upon them like a rabid dog).

Ethan got to draw (with help) on the smallest pumpkin’s face:

Ken and I shared the larger pumpkin with a Soul Eater theme.  Ken’s was based around Shinigami- sama (here).
Mine was based around a part of the scenery in the show… the moon (here).
Not bad for a couple rookies, eh? Next year we’ll have a proper pumpkin carving kit (or tools) and we’ve learned a bit about carving (such as hollow out the innards more beFORE cutting shapes).

On the current project/obsession, my Oblique, I’ve finished the back as of today (started on 10/15).  It’s going to fit really well, I think.  I’m pretty excited as the back – being the largest (and most boring/repetitive) piece of any sweater – is always the hardest to get through (thus, I believe, why it’s always what a pattern will advise you do first).  I’ll start on one of the front panels next and alternate those two with the arms to keep things from getting too tedious.  I’m very happy with it so far!

Ok, so I’m never going to catch up fully.  Too busy, not enough time.  I’ve already spent too much time editing these pics but at least they were fun to take and fun to relive.

We raked the yard this weekend (for the first, not the last time) and the boys had a great time galavanting around the yard and keeping Ken from doing any work aside from amusing them.  He’s pretty good at it, though (18mb, shorter version here 7mb).  We taught Victor how to contribute (8mb) and he taught himself how to shirk (5mb).  There may have also been some running around, but there was a winner, in the end (8mb).

In other news, we’re potty training Ethan.  A combination of a bad day for me and a leaky diaper and I’d had enough.  The first few days were sketchy but things are proceeding well, now, with very few accidents the past few days (*knock on wood*).  Granted we’re reminding him to pee every.half.hour, but at least our diaper usage has plummeted.  He’s still in overnights but I have a good feeling that once the daytime training is mastered the nighttime training will come in hand quickly.  Victor is going through a “not peeing so much” phase (ramping up, I’m sure, for the 24m “pee all the time” phase) so we’re saving a few bucks.  For now.  I think we’re going to make an attempt at potty training Victor  around 2.5yrs since, apparently, there’s a window of opportunity we may be able to snag.  Here’s hoping, but not expecting.

I’ve started knitting my Oblique and it’s coming along well after an initial tear back to increase the size (different yarn means sizing quiffles).  I’m pleased with how it looks and am anticipating having it done.  I do think, though, I may have to interrupt it soon to make the hats/mitts for the boys.  Freezing weather overnight already indicates an early winter this year.   We’ve already got plans to make some quilted window cover thingies to help decrease our heat-loss.

Since I know I likely won’t block them until shortly before Yule, here’s a finished pic of the Yuletide stockings I made for our family.  I’m very pleased, and think Ken is too.

I’m trying to work on a cross stitch tree skirt that Ken gave me years ago (I’d show you a pic but it’s not available anywhere, nor can I find pictures), but it’s huuuuge (3′ wide) and something I can only do at night when the boys are sleeping (typically when Ken and I spend time together watching anime).  We’re going to have a tree this year, so I’m hoping to get it done, but if not it’s not the end of the world.  I’ll try, though.

(well, excluding the bow placement and actually sewing on the ribbon)

I’m too excited and pleased to not share right.this.moment.  So here it is:

What do you think?  Now imagine a woman wearing that in public and does your opinion change for the better or worse?

More or less.  I know I haven’t said much lately and there’s a good reason – I’ve been busy!  Fall is my most active season and when I’m most likely to shirk sitting to type over other things (knitting! children! cooking! stuff!).  I promise, though, that I’ll catch up here soon.  Ken needs to stay late a few nights this week so maybe I’ll have some late-night time.  This is mostly a placeholder to let you know I haven’t forgotten (completely) that I need to tell you all about Victor and Ethan and knitting and soap and (even) cross stitch (*gasp*).

Body done!

Now I just need to knit the underside of the brim, cut the interfacing and assemble it (and take pictures outside with better lighting… maybe wearing something less “bright, blue fleece”ish).  Um, and buy some ribbon.  I’m thinking an orangey-red.

Also, did you know that, like playing a record backward, sometimes the best way to view tele is upside-down?  No?  It’s the way we do things in our house…

Christmas stocking (alllmost finished the last of them – mine)

Classic Cloche

Socks for Victor (in progress)

Winter hats and mitts for the boys (more multi-coloured though since they’ll be made with scraps left from our stockings).

Maybe-Purse for me (something like that made with scraps from Versatility)

Oblique

Swallowtail Shawl

Sproing socks (here, partly done)

Starsky jacket frog and redo

Depending on scheduling I’m also planning on making the following before Yule:

and

Don’t I just crack you up with my optimism?!

And here’s what I’ve been yammering on about…

Scarf Version

Hood Version

Sleeves Version

Cardigan Version (front)

Cardigan Version (back)

Shrug Version (front, open)

Shrug Version (front, closed)

Shrug Version (back)

I like the comfort of the Shrug but the look of the Cardigan – I think the cardigan shouldn’t be laced to the top/across the shoulders part since that pulled at my arms.  I love the sleeves, too!

I read a blog by the name of Looky, Daddy! written by Brian, a SAHF with 3 girls (1 + 2).  His writing is funny and honest and I love reading it.  This year and last he’s done a photo masthead month from pictures that readers send in to him.  We made the “cut” both years and I give them to you for your amusement.  See if you can spot anybody from my family.

Last Year’s Mastheads

This Year’s Mastheads.

Thanks, Brian.

I finished the Versatility last night.  I won’t be able to wear it today because I decided I’d need to set the colour better.  I’ve never bothered with blocking my work before (gasp!) and setting the colour is a whole bigger step than that – especially since it’s wool and hot water (and vinegar).  It’s in the pot now and I’m maybe a bit terrified worried it’s going to be ruined and all my work will be for naught. *deep breath*  Here’s hoping for the best.

In the meanwhile I need to finish my Christmas stocking (last one!).  I’d wanted to cast on for the Cloche I’m going to make (though the colour is a slightly lighter, more yellowy-orange) but I need the needles from my stocking to make that and for once I’m not going to put aside the stocking project in favour of a new project.  I’m too close to finishing and the stockings look awesome (imho).  I can’t wait to show you!

So in my quest to finish the Versatility I went to a store in Milford for the buttons – a real, actual yarn store (there are 2 in my area).  I found gorgeous buttons, expensive but perfect.  I, however, did so before starting on the knitting and the buttons turned out to be too small.  Boo!  So I took them back, expecting a refund.  Nope.  Not yours.  They don’t do cash refunds, just exchanges and store credit.  I was… livid.  Who does that these days?!

So I’ve calmed down since then, bought bigger buttons that will work and look nice (and were way cheaper), and realized that I can use the store credit for good, not evil (though I’m never shopping there again – most of their yarn is too pricey anyways).  I can get enough wool to make one of two cardigans.  I like them both, Ken only likes one, which do you like:

Oblique (scroll down and look how cute it is buttoned up!) or Must Have Cardigan (if you GIS that name you’ll see loads of others and it looks great on everyone).

Well then.  Remember, a bit ago, I’d mentioned my new and undying love for the Swallowtail Shawl I’d seen someone else do stunningly?  And I professed that I’d do it just like that (though maybe a tad smaller, maybe not) and gave a few colour choices?  On a lark, yesterday, I ebay’d that yarn.  Curious to see if any of the sellers had it at a better price than some online retailers I’d seen it at (lowest price being $7.50/skein).   By chance I stumbled across an auction for 10 skeins of it.  Cheap.  I confirmed that it was for the entire 10 (and not just 1 of 10) and watched and waited.  At 7pm last night I pounced (twice, damned automatic bids!) and won 10 skeins for $43!  That’s, if you’re mathmalogically challenged, $4.30/skein (and less than I’d figured on spending for the 6 skeins the pattern will need)!  Of a MSRP $8.50/skein yarn!

Now, it’s neither of the two colours I’d picked (blue or red).  It’s a colour called Tiger’s Eye mix.  Since different cameras/lighting situations show yarn colours differently sometimes, here’s the yarn I bought and here.  I think it’s lovely, and am totally stoked at my find!  I don’t know what I’ll do with the extra yarn, but it’s alpaca/wool mix so it’ll be feltable, if I want, light-weight and super warm.  I’ll find something.

Ken forwarded the most amazing game to me yesterday.  Fantastic Contraptions is a flash-physics based, super fun, easy but hard game.  If you don’t play at least go through the tuturial (to understand the basics) and then check out some of the other players designs.  A.ma.zing!