Avast, me hearties!*

Thankyou everyone for the lovely birthday wishes for Pirate Jim! I'm terribly behind in blogging, but we had a small celebration for him the weekend before his birthday. I've been putting off the whole kids party catastrophe, but I think next year we will go there. This year, my parents (aka Nana and Grandpa) came to visit, along with some other special guests, for a bbq lunch.

Fireman PJ was on duty just in case the bbq got out of control. (That boy loves climbing ladders and being up high. It makes my heart stop and I am dreading the day he figures out how to get on the roof of the house. Or up a tree....)



After the bbq lunch, there was unwrapping of gifts. This one is from Nana and Grandpa. What can it be, PJ?


A Pirate Ship!!


Grandpa takes his grandparenting duties very seriously, and this includes major construction. This now lives in our backyard. I think we have to buy this house now, and live here for ever and ever, because I am not looking forward the day we need to move.

And do you think PJ might have liked it? He's the Captain!

And of course there were Pirate Crew on hand....Ahoy me hearties!!


And a pirate cake....
Made from this book. And because what I lack in parenting skills I try to make up for in baking, I over-achieved and made another cake for PJ's birthday-day at childcare.

It's a bit wobbly, as it's out of my own head, but the kids loved it.

Now I believe I have some First Mate duties to attend to! Arrggghhh!

*Ive been swotting up on Pirate lingo. Can ye land-lubbing scurvy bilge-rats tell?

Three years old today

Today my gorgeous, outgoing, independant boy turns three.

Where did that time go?

He can count to 17.

He can recognise his name when it's written down.

He can put on his own boots and knows his left foot from his right.

He can put on and zip up his jacket.

He can jump with both feet together.

He can balance and walk along the brick garden edge at childcare.

He can name all the ingredients for a cake and help me to bake it.

He can climb the ladder to the big slide at the park all by himself.

He can sing songs from memory, and make up his own.

He can keep a beat and dance to music.

He can help set the table for dinner, and clear it too.

He can make us laugh until we cry.

He can use scissors and draw faces with all the bits in the right place.

He can do so many things that make me wonder, every day, about he he got to be so grown up and clever.

But most of all he teaches me something every day, and he can make my heart feel like its going to burst from pride and love.

Happy third birthday Pirate Jim!





(inspired by one of my favourite knit-blogger mamas, annypurls)

Decisions, decisions

I have mentioned to a few people that I was completely stunned when I discovered the Princess was a girl. Speechless even. Beloved says my face was priceless at the moment I was told.

You see, when she was still on the inside, I was convinced she was a boy. 99.9% certain. I felt it in my waters.

Just goes to show what my waters know. Nuffin'.

It took me several days to come to terms with the fact that I had a girl. I kept opening her nappy to check. Yup, still girl-bits. I may have even said to my mum "What on earth am I going to do with a girl?". Because after nearly 3 years with Pirate Jim, I feel like I understand what makes boys tick. (Can someone remind me of that statement every 12 months or so? Ta). I was all prepared for another boy and not at all ready to start thinking about how girls work.

So now that I have a girl, there are so many cool things to knit. For some reason, I feel that "girls" knits are so much more creative and interesting that "boys" patterns. And more interesting colours too. Probably a bit gender-ist of me, but nonetheless that's what I feel.

And so with the huge range of choices available to me, I am completely and utterly paralysed by indecision. I have no idea where to start. There are probably only a couple of cold months left here - it will take me time to knit, then she'll grow, so maybe I should knit for next year, after all she was gifted so many lovely things that fit now.....(and if I was a half-decent blogger and friend, that last phrase would be linked to the post where I'd thanked everyone for their gifts, but well, I'm still working on that!)

But there is one thing I've decided on. Given there was purchasing of yarn whilst in labour with the Princess, some of said yarn should make a garment for her. Remember the Wollmeise?

150g / 500 m / 574 y of 100% merino superwash 4ply / fingering weight in stunning reds to almost orange colourway.

But what to make? There has been some discussion with helpful people about the February Baby Sweater (Rav link), which I love. Classic, but contemporary. But y'know, I don't really "get" EZ, and I know I'd just get all angsty about trying to follow her "pattern", especially after reading some of the issues other Ravellers have had with it.

And so, dear readers, I am seeking to draw on the wisdom and knowledge of Blogland. What should I make? Something for now, something for next year? It's going to be an heirloom (I hope), something special to keep.

Should I suck it up and try the FBS? Do you have another suggestion? I would really like to knit something for my daughter!

Tell me what to do before my brain explodes!