Great Weekend

Well, I had been looking forward to my weekend for quite some time, and I was not disappointed. I love well-taught craft classes, and this was one. It was held in the basement of loop, a most beautiful shop in lovely Islington. I forgot to take pictures of the actual shop, but I'm guessing that the owner won't mind that I've snagged these photos from the website:


Teach was an amazing Norwegian knitter. She used to work for Rowan, and brought with her a SUITCASE full of truly amazing knitwear. Hopefully you'll be able to make out the perfectly fitting vintage jacket she was wearing:

All 7 of us had a super time:




Some of us will be meeting up on Ravelry, where my name is purlhussy.

I then met up with me family in Canterbury where we stayed with friends. Yummy fish pie, and I was forgiven for leaving the chocs I had bought in the taxi (grrrr). This morning Foxy was a super good boy. Awake at 6:30, but back in his travel cot at 8:30, and he slept until 11. He's a good boy to his mums. Before leaving we did get to the Christmas market, which was exactly as I had remembered. Foxy enjoyed some squirty cream off the top of my hot chocolate:


Life is GOOD!

just testing

Bursting of the dam

I do miss Thanksgiving. Such a great holiday -- all about the food, and no presents. I hope all you Yanks are having a wonderful time. The other thing I like about Thanksgiving is that it is like a dam preventing the Christmas season from seeping too far back into November. Every year I am asked if I am going to celebrate. No. It's a work day, followed by another work day. Not at all pleasing.

BUT. I have the most wonderful weekend coming up! Tomorrow I am going to London ON MY OWN, for a knitting class. It's all about finishing techniques, and I have 4 projects that need finishing. It should be very satisfying. Then, I am meeting Foxy & Nearest & Dearest in Canterbury for a night with friends. It's a particularly appealing time of year because Canterbury hosts a German Christmas market. I love it. Especially the sausage/hot dog stall.

So, I should have lots of pics & fun things to post about. I have been quiet lately because we have been enduring so much Foxy illness. It really gets wearing, and no one wants to read about that. For the moment, he is well.

Red Letter morning

I am just below my pre-pregnancy weight! Yay me! I am very happy about this. It also means that I am no longer officially over-weight. I am in the healthy weight range folks! I am still far off my ideal, but who isn't?!?

Hopelessly Behind & A Funny

Yes, that is life at the moment. Ah well. I have lots of lovely blog posts planned in my head, but don't seem to be making the time to actually construct them. I may do soon as we have finished watching the West Wing! It has been a long road, and we are pleased with our accomplishment.

In the meantime, a funny. The first anecdote for my speech at Foxy's wedding. As you know, he has been ill A LOT lately. So the ladies at the creche have been keeping a special eye on him. They rang me up the other day to report that he was playing with his willy A LOT. And pulling very vigorously. Did I want to get it checked out? They had not seen a boy attend to his manhood with quite such determined concentration before. "No, no, that's fine -- that's just my boy."

Good Morning

What a GREAT morning Foxy and I had! Nearest & Dearest left early for London, and all went SMOOTHLY on my own. Miracle. First, he slept and slept. So I was showered, dressed, tea and his toast made before I finally went and woke him up at a quarter past 7. LOVE that kid. He was super about nappy and clothes, don't know why, and finished every scrap of his 2 pieces of toast & jam. I also ditched the bottle this morning. He had about 100 ml of formula from his beaker! Yippee! Only one bottle per day left to phase out.

We left the house on time, both of looking super, I might add. It was pouring with rain, but even that could not dampen my spirits.

Never mind that single parents do this with say, 3 kids, on a daily basis. I am still happy.

Breakfast Time

Lest you worry that all is challenging at casa de Fox, check out this adorable breakfast footage:

Challenges

OK, I am clearly in the mood for writing this morning. I have definitely noticed over the past few weeks that Foxy and I are at the beginning of a tricky patch. In general, 12 - 24 months is my least favourite period of childhood. It seems to me that you have a totally mobile, clueless, but willful ball of energy to contend with. It's too early for bribes, star charts, and the like to help mould behaviour, and you can no longer simply put the child in the appropriate position, place, etc. Certainly this part is especially challenging for me because I love order, and I really value compliance in children. Plenty of people think a little naughtiness is a sign of spark, and actually LIKE some cheek. I am not one of those people.

In the grand scheme of things, the sleep thing which causes so many parents so much grief is easy for me because I do not mind when Foxy cries, if I think it is in all of our best interests. Take just now. The boy is TIRED. He went for a nap and then woke up 20 minutes later. No. I think not. He cried for 15 minutes and is now asleep again. It's not pleasant, but I can do that, and I have a pretty good sleeper. But what to do about his hissy fits over nappy & clothes changes. I HATE getting into the wrestling match. It goes against every fibre of my being, as it is like I'm arguing with him, and that is just too dumb for words. Still, the clothes must go on, so I end up rugby tackling when distraction doesn't work and/or I loose my temper.

I hope this does not last till he's 3. All else is good, but boy do I dread a full nappy.

Still here

I had an e-mail asking if the family is ok, as the blog has not been updated in an age. Too sweet! I am late for the normal reason -- photos. Like, I should have some to illustrate stuff, and well, I don't. I hosted a babies' halloween party last Friday. It was so much fun! Harry was a very chavvy Woolworth's clad pumpkin, there was another (posh) pumpkin (suited her perfectly; this baby has no interest in crawling and so sits like lady muck with a maelstrom going on around her -- as if to say, "What are you all DOING? My Mummy brings me things), some spiders, a pirate...I'm sure I'm missing some. Anyway, do I have any photos? Of course not. I was too busy chatting and making cups of tea. I was super glad it was a success, as I was mixing up some different Mums I know, and everyone seemed to like each other.

Sadly I am at home right now writing this because, yes, Foxy is ill AGAIN. He emptied his tummy in grand fashion on Friday evening, and has been on the loose side all weekend. Yesterday afternoon he started wheezing again. Probably because we insisted on a pub lunch and wander around in the perfect Autumn weather. Ah well. He seems better this morning. I think he'll be able to go back to school tomorrow. Must.Not.Take.Him.Outside.Today. So dull!!!!