Eleven

Happy Birthday to our Little Ro.

More on this tomorrow, just know that this little one is incredible and she contributes so much to our family, more than I could ever even express. But that won't keep me from trying......tomorrow.

Quiet

Sometimes this house gets so quiet you would never believe that 10 people live here.

This morning for instance, 5 big kids had already left for school and it was pretty much silent. So silent in fact that I had to go and investigate. I found three littles sitting in their room reading books. All three of them on the floor silently flipping through the bright colored pages of their favorite picture books. It was the sort of moment that you, as a parent, do not want to interrupt. So before I could break the spell, crash in on their rhythm with something so minor as a creaking floorboard or a clearing of the throat, I slipped away as quietly as I could and left them to their stories. Sometimes quiet is good.

Other times quiet means that someone is up to something. Like yesterday for instance when it was quiet for just a little bit too long. Quiet as in someone had gouged out half a pan of brownies quiet. Yeah, there's always a point when good quiet turns into suspicious quiet.

Like right this second I can tell that the quiet calm of book reading is over and from the sound of things Nuala and Oscar scaled the baby gate at the bottom of the stairs and are running around up in Micah's room. And with this new turn of events, I bid you good day.

Pow Wow

We recently loaded up two cars and took our entire family to the UWM Pow Wow.

I'm ashamed to admit that this was the twins first time at a pow wow. They've been to Indian Summer a number of times, but I've never had them sit for a Grand Entry before. They were very interested in everything that was happening.

Micah was happy because his school was one of the four drums there.

We didn't stay too long, but everyone had a nice time and some of us even got to dance a few intertribals.

I'm glad we went. Micah got to see a lot of friends and families from his new school, not to mention some teachers and even his principal! He seems to be adjusting really well to his new environment and I'm so thankful that it appears to be a good fit for him.

Before I Forget...

Saoirse will stare you down. She will stare you down and she will win.

She doesn't like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (what child, what adult for that matter, does not like pb&j?). She doesn't like potatoes. She really doesn't like sweet potatoes. She still nurses at least once every 48 hours, it's a gradual process, just when I think she's over it she's looking at me like I've been starving her for weeks, like I've been giving her nothing but peanut butter and jelly and sweet potatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Saoirse doesn't talk much, she has maybe 10 words and one of them is "yay" so I'm pretty sure that doesn't count, although I'm not sure why. It's a great word when you think about it and it certainly sounds like magic when I hear her saying it with loud gurgly 1 year old enthusiasm. You should hear her say "bubble" (yes, yes, the girl only has 8 words and one of them is bubble, what gives?) it is maybe the cutest thing you have ever heard in your life. Seriously.

Saoirse is tough. Rough and tumble tough. She likes it when I bite her fingers and growl at her. Two things I would have never even considered doing with my older kids, and please don't ask me how I came to know that these are things that tickle her fancy, they just are. Her laughter is contagious.

Saoirse likes the cats. She really really really likes the cats. She will drop anything and everything when she spots one coming. Her new favorite pastime is cat cuddling. She's not very good at it yet though, and so while Saoirse absolutely adores the cats, they're not nearly as impressed with her. Not yet anyways.

Saoirse still uses a pacifier, but only in her crib. She makes a big production out of showing us right away when she gets her hands on one during non-crib hours and then we make a big production of chasing her around the house to confiscate the contraband. We had the twins weaned of their paci habits at around 14 months. Saoirse is now 17 months.

Saoirse is nearly as old as the twins were when she was born. This boggles my mind. She is still such a little baby in so many ways. The twins were still little babies when she came home to join us, how the heck did we manage it? I can barely remember.

Saoirse wakes up first from the afternoon naps in our house, mainly because it takes the twins forever to fall asleep, so by the time they finally drift off, she's nearly done in dreamland. We get a nice quiet time together most days. Time for staring contests, growling and maybe even a finger nibble or two.

My Very Own Hoot

I finally found a hat that Oscar likes enough to actually keep on his head.

I've been eyeing this Spud and Chloe pattern for nearly a year now and I finally just decided to go ahead and make it on my own. Who needs a pattern anyways?

I started it at Knit Night yesterday and couldn't put it down until the last eyeball was secured tightly in place.

Oscar was more than willing to model it for us.

In fact, I think he actually liked it!

Here's Nuala's new hat.

I made this one a few weeks ago, it was the first one of them all, but I didn't get a picture until right before nap time today.

She wasn't as eager to stand still for the camera, so I had to bribe her with the promise of a "tricker" when she wakes up. Ever since trick or treating, the twins have been calling their treats "trickers" and of course no one has corrected them because it's sweet, downright adorable really, to hear their little toddler language. Their play on words.

And just so you don't think that I've got the babies locked in a closet while I knit the days away, here's some proof that you can knit and nourish at the same time. We went to playgroup today and these three were happy as clams, smooshed shoulder to shoulder...

Elbow to elbow....Can you guess what they're doing?

It involves wooden spoons and impressive attention spans.

And sand of course. They just LOVE the sand table and spend a great deal of time here every single Tuesday.

Now if you'll excuse me, three littles are napping and I've got some knitting to do.

Chunky Yarn Therapy

I've been busy toying around with some new hats for the kids. It's a work in progress, and still a rather delicate game of numbers as I try to figure out sizing issues, but the construction is fairly simple and using super chunky yarn is a great way to learn. I've sort of just taken all that I've learned about hats and gone off-roading with a few improvised patterns of my own.

Ruari wanted a blue hat and hers was a breeze. I feel like I got the decreases just right and so the top isn't too pointy. I did a quick crochet around the border, which tightened it up a little too much, but we're hoping it will stretch out over the next few days.

This earflap hat was actually cast on for Maija but I got the sizing WAY off and so it ended up being for Saoirse instead. The flaps are a little bit too big for her, but the way I see it they'll just help keep her cheeks extra cozy and warm.....

This hat also got some crochet around the edge, along with a couple of i-cords and a few pom poms. I've never been that great at assembling these add-ons and so we'll see how long they hold up. Saoirse's pretty rough and tumble.

I really adore making things with my own two hands, it's peaceful and satisfying and really a lot of fun. I suppose it helps that I have so many people to knit for. Too bad I don't have a lot of patience otherwise I'd wrap these up as Christmas gifts. Oh well, I'll just have to knit something else for under the tree.

Knit Around

We spent the morning at the Zoo today, me and three littles, and it was exactly what all three of us needed. It's funny how the Zoo becomes a little bit boring by late summer, when you've already walked the paths a dozen times and seen the animals doing all their fancy tricks enough times that they just don't seem that fancy anymore. Until of course the cold fall weather sets in and you find yourself feeling those first few pangs of cabin fever as you realize that another long winter will inevitably keep you inside more than you'd like to admit.

And then of course you realize that you'd give just about anything to walk those paths and see those fancy animals every single day, even if they are just sleeping, so that you can get out of the house and get some fresh air. Plus, it's even more fun if you have a brand new homemade hat to rock out in. Saoirse was very much obliging to wear her new creation for the entire morning. Look at how she's just grinning away at her big sister.

I made this hat with some super chunky yarn on size 13 needles in about an hour.

I forgot how great it feels to finish something, to actually cast off! As soon as we got home and tucked in for naps, I grabbed my needles and started another hat in shades of blue for Ruari.

Would you just look at how much BIGGER Nuala looks than everyone else with those legs dangling down. I used to get stopped all the time by people with twin questions, but those days are long gone.

Cats

As if cakes and dances and parties weren't enough excitement for one weekend....why don't we just go ahead and add a couple of cats into the mix, shall we?

Allow me to introduce Kiely and Brenna.

Just saw a bird....

We brought them home late Thursday evening and so the kids woke up to a lovely surprise Friday morning. Everyone was thrilled, you should have heard them! The girls are in heaven, even Miss Saoirse is down right ecstatic about it. As for the "new girls", they're adjusting well. Brenna is taking her time and prefers staying under the bed for the most part. She did come out during the party yesterday to see what all the fuss was about and she slept with us last night so we're making progress. Kiely keeps Brenna company but comes running out the second you call her and wants you to pet her ALL.THE.TIME. They are both extremely sweet and it is very clear that the family we adopted them from loved them very much and raised them well.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a couple of cats to go cuddle with.