Yarn along

This week I am joining in with the Yarn Along with Ginny over at Small Things.

We've been spending a lot of time outdoors over the last week or so, the heatwave is still in full-flow and it's pretty warm around here! It's lovely to have such nice weather but boy is it it hot! I used to be able to lie out in the sun reading my book for Hours on end before I had Rose and Arthur but now... well, when you're rushing about sorting the kids out all of the time, it's easy to just end up feeling a bit hot and bothered!

I'm knitting a Milo vest for my friends baby that is due in September. Originally I started using the same yarn to knit a vest for Arthur but it was turning out to be only Just big enough for him... and it's a bit warm at the moment to be wearing knitted vests! I just finished it off yesterday, so I will block it and take a couple of photo's for you to see.

Arthur is now on the move! He's finally and 7.5 months figured out how to roll over! He kept getting his arm stuck underneath him for a couple of day's but is now rolling back and forth, then also wriggling around in a sort of circle. It's like he just wanted to take it easy for that little bit longer before getting mobile!

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How 7 months has flown by...

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Arthur is already 7 months old and I can't quite believe how quickly it has all gone, Rose's first year seemed to go by quite slowly looking back but with Arthur is feels like only yesterday that I gave birth to him. He's a very chunky boy now and sometimes I almost forget about what a tiny poorly baby he was, back when he was only a couple of weeks old. He's very laid-back compared to what Rose was when it comes to rolling...sitting...crawling... he's quite happy to just, lay there really! Rose will roll him onto his front and he's happy as anything giggling away with her but he hasn't quite managed to go over by himself yet. Rose goes and gives him a toy when he's upset, so I think he knows he can get away with being a bit lazy!

I seem to have finally found some motivation now when it comes to trying to lose my baby-weight. According to the scales I've lost a couple of pounds this week which is a good start, I just need to stay away from those sweet treats! I don't have a huge amount to lose... but it's so frustrating not being able to wear any of the nicer clothes in my wardrobe that I feel like putting on. I already have a limited choice of what I can wear due to breastfeeding, so it would be nice to be able to wear a few different things that I've not worn since before I was pregnant with Arthur.

The garden has gone completely wild. Everything seems to have doubled in size within the space of a couple weeks and I'm so behind on keeping on top of it all. I find it a really hard thing to get done at the moment, Rose is okay playing with me out in the garden but as we have a courtyard garden, there isn't a soft lawn to be able to lay Arthur down on and if I pop him in the Bumbo seat, he always seems to be able to reach over and grab things that I don't particularly want him putting in his mouth. My Nan is coming to stay for a few day's nearer the end of the month and she always helps me out a Lot in the garden, so I'm really looking forward to getting a bit of advice from her and finding out how to control the huge giant plants that have grown out there.

I've cast on Another knitting project... (I know, so unlike me!) and it's the Granny's Favourite cardigan from Ravelry. It's a lovely pattern, now that I've got the hang of the pattern. There is a LOT of writing to get your head around and with the huge range of sizing options, it can get a little confusing as to which numbers to actually concentrate on. I'm sure it doesn't need to be a whole Ten pages long...

A heatwave has been predicted in this part of the world over the next week, which would be a Very nice contrast to the wet weather we've had for most of the last few months. Hopefully we'll get down the beach again while the weather is nice, as Rose absolutely adores it down there... the sand does just get Everywhere though! 

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Lots of knitting going on around here...

I've been doing a whole lot of knitting recently. Mainly due to the fact we went away for a week and I had time to knit! Well, more time that I usually get anyway... I went through a few months near the end of my pregnancy with Arthur where I just didn't have the motivation to craft very much. I felt a lotttt more tired than I ever did when pregnant with Rose but that's probably because I was having to look after a Very lively toddler this time round!

This was a slouchy beany hat I was knitting for my Mum for Mothers day. I've finished it now but only took a rushed photo on my phone as I just wanted to get it off in the post to her.. The yarn is Noro Silk garden which I got from this lovely lady in the craft swap shop at the Instagrannies meet-up that was organised by my good friend Sarah. Aren't the colours just gorgeous!?

Isn't it horribly bitterly cold outside at the moment!? It's supposed to be Spring for goodness sake! So anyway, I'm attempting to make the inside of the house seem spring-like by having pretty flowers indoors. 

I just cannot believe the difference between the weather this time last year and now. Come on sunshine, please shine!

I knit a sweet little maroon pebble vest for a lovely lady on Instagram who asked for a vest for her little boy, she's received it now and is happy so that's a relief!

I thought I would quickly show you the granny square cushion cover I finished a few weeks back. I only realised today that I hadn't actually taken any proper photo's of it, so I've done that now and it's gone onto my Ravelry page. I really need to update my projects on there... will have to do it when I get a spare minute!

Rose is currently napping and Arthur is pretty content at the moment so think I will carry on 

knitting a little more of the teeny cardigan that I'm making for my friends baby due in May. I don't have the right size DPN's needed for the arms so I've had to learn the magic loop method through youtube today. I have to say I'm finding it a little fiddly but then I suppose I found double pointed needles fiddly in the beginning too, I just need to get used to them.

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Our 2nd wedding anniversary!

I had a lovely day on Tuesday as it was our 2nd year wedding anniversary. Considering we weren't Supposed to be 'doing' presents this year (we are trying to save our pennies for Ray's big GP exam and our little arrival due at the end of the year, not to mention that big occasion in December that tends to cost quite a bit of money....!) I was thoroughly spoilt! 

Not that I reallllyyy minded all that much though! ;-)

Ray had hinted that I had to stay in for a morning delivery of the floral kind, he couldn't get to the shops to buy some nice flowers due to work apparently... but when the doorbell went I was surprised to have the delivery man hand me one Huge box, I thought it must be one Huge bouquet of flowers! haha

But inside the massive box was This shiny new laptop! :D I will point out that my previous laptop was really on it's last legs and as well as the hinge being so broken that the screen couldn't be adjusted at all, there were  dodgy wires on show... (not great when you have a very curious toddler in your home!), you couldn't unplug it even for a minute and the fan was so loud that Ray would have to turn the TV up high just to drown out the noise! So it was only a matter of time before it died and we Had to get a new one... but Wow was it a great surprise as I had no idea Ray had even ordered it. :-) 

I'm sat here tonight,  laid back on the comfy sofa as the laptop stays alive without being plugged into the plug point at all times... and it's pretty much silent as the fan is So quiet on this laptop. I'm chuffed to bits with it as you can Probably tell! 

I didn't expect flowers after that extravagant gift but in the afternoon the doorbell went again and I was given these beauties! The lilies are just Stunning and fill the room with the most amazing scent - Thank you my lovely xXx

Ray really earnt his brownie points that day as then in the evening my friend had Rose to stay for the night and we went out for dinner, then to a show at the theatre, it was amazing and it just felt so great to be out for a night out together in the evening time!

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Fox's are really going for comfort these day's...

Hi everybody,

It's been a little while since I've shown you a few photo's of what's happening in the garden so  I thought I'd do a quick post with a round up of what's growing out there at the moment.

Due to the mainly rainy and windy weather, it's been quite difficult to get out there to do any real gardening as I can't have Rose out there with me when she's going to get cold and wet.

Last week I was able to spend a good few hours doing solid weeding out there and it was starting to look tidy and under control until we started to get a little (actually quite big!) visitor every night/early morning.

A few mornings ago I came downstairs and opened the curtains at our french window doors to see a huggee fox sleeping on our sun lounger! I tried to scare it away but within a few minutes it returned completely un-fazed by my crazy self jumping, waving and shouting at it. It then began to dig up my flower beds right in front of my eyes! Since then, every morning I come down to find huge holes in my flower beds where it's been digging up my plants and masses of soil knocked down onto the paved ground - just perfect for Rose to traipse back in through the house! (we have cream carpets, very practical! haha)

So I was just wondering, has anyone else has problems with pesky foxes? Is there a way to discourage them from coming into our garden, we don't even have any bins out there for it to be attracted to... I guess I'm just wary of letting Rose go to play outside in the mornings like she usually does when it wasn't scared of me At all! Especially after hearing these kind of stories a while ago...

 

I've finished the mini quilt that I've been making for my nan's birthday present, so I will try and get some photo's taken today before I send it off to her and get a post together showing you the results. :-)

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May round up - Part two (even though it's nearly the end of June!)

Well I'm now 15 weeks pregnant and definitely looking like I have a bun in the oven... rather than just looking like I'd been eating my weight in cake! Everything is going well so far, fingers crossed! Although yesterday and today I am struggling to do anything with my left hand as my wrist feels about as strong as a twig... even typing at the moment is pretty uncomfortable but I will get a blog post written, even if it kills me!! Ray thinks I may have a spot of Carpal tunnel syndrome related to this pregnancy so I'm going to get myself a wrist support tomorrow, it's only in my left wrist at the moment but then again I broke that wrist when I was younger so maybe the bones are still lined up a bit funny..!?

Here are the rest of the photo's from our trip to Dorset, which feels like agggess ago now. Once I publish this post, I will get started on my most recent one which I already have the photo's for...

Nan had Rose for a good few hours on one of the day's when we were back in Dorset so we made the most of the opportunity of a bit of 'just us' time and had a lovely lunch out next to the beach followed but a nice walk.

We were So lucky with the weather and I think our minds went into shock at not having to constantly watch Rose and we both dozed off laying on the beach in the sunshine... very responsibly neither of us had any sun cream on and I burnt my arms quite spectacularly. No tan for me after it all just peeled away! 

We had a lovely walk around Langdon hill and got to enjoy all of the gorgeous bluebells, it was lovely to just be walking with one another on our own for a change as we end up talking about other subjects apart from the usual baby/toddler/rose related things... although, Rose still features in most of what we talk about!

On one of our day's away we drove half way down to Cornwall to meet up with Mum so we could spend a bit of time with her and she could have some quality time with Rose. We had a lovely picnic in the park enjoying the sunshine, it was so hot that we even went paddling in the stream along side the park to cool us down a little. It's really difficult living so far away from Mum when I'd like her to see Rose a whole lot more but hopefully it won't be long until we're living a little closer to her and in the mean time, we get to look forward to a visit from Mum in July. :-)

Our friends Matt and Amanda got married and their wedding was just perfect, absolutely beautiful. Rose was with Nan and Grandad for the whole day and evening so Ray and I really got to enjoy every moment without struggling to keep Rose under control! It's very difficult to get her to stay still and in any one place for any good length of time these day's.

Rose and I had a lunch date around Sarah's a couple of weeks ago and as it had been so lovely and sunny they still had their swimming pool set up. Sarah gave Rose a chance to dip her little toes in the water and she got a taste for the water... 5 minutes later she was in a swimming costume and walking around the pool with myself trying desperately to keep my shorts dry, I was having to stand up very straight!

Ray and I have had a bit of 'date day' instead of 'date night' today as my lovely friend Danielle has kindly taken Rose for the day and in return I will have her little girl on Friday, the girls love having one another to play with. So we've been to the cinema together (Ray has the day off after working the weekend) and I'm now enjoying the piece and quiet before my little girl comes home. :-)

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An update on what's happening in the garden and Rose has been meeting a few more animals!

Here are a few photo's of what's out in the garden at the moment... there was a sunny spell in between all the rain the other day and so I popped out to take a few pics to show you all. 

I'm particularly happy with my tulips, the ones I had in the garden last year were okay but they weren't as pretty as these ones. I really love the intense pinks in these flowers...

I've got so much to do out there but as the weather has been soooo bad lately, there just hasn't been a long enough dry period where I've had the time to go outside with Rose and get loads done. It doesn't help that every time I try to do any weeding, Rose continually keeps trying to climb into the flower beds beside me!

I was back in Dorset for a few day's at the end of April and while I was there, Rose and I took a little trip to my friend Kelci's family farm to see some of the animals.

We were so lucky as the weather was just perfect, gorgeous sunshine. Rose enjoys meeting two Very friendly sheep, I couldn't believe how tame they were! They happily let Rose feel their fleecy coats, she loved scrunching up her fingers in the fleece feeling the different texture.

I was amazed at how unfazed she was by the two sheep, she was a little more unsure of the horses as they were so much taller and bigger than she is but the sheep are a little more on her level I think.

Meet 'Tink' the horse, I thought it was a girl but it was actually a male horse!

See! Verrryy friendly sheep..!

She even had her first pony ride! :-) He was actually a Shetland pony, that's why she looks so massive on him! haha

Nan looked after Rose for me while I went away on a hen weekend, well it was just the one night but it was the first time that I had left Rose overnight anywhere and I was actually really worried about it. But I think Rose loved having some quality time with her Great Nan and Grandad and when I returned she was being so affectionate towards Nan, it really was lovely to see. Nan said she didn't show any signs of being upset when I wasn't there when she woke up on the Saturday morning, she was just happy to be given her breakfast... even if it wasn't by me! haha... She obviously loves her food just as much as I do!

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