Giggling with Daddy

Giggle, Giggle, Giggle

I am not quite sure how I remember how we discovered that making this particular noise makes her laugh... but it doesn't matter, anything to hear that cute giggle!

The Heat Is On

Gerry and I started reading Willa Cather's My Antonia last night. We're really enjoying it, when I remembered that I needed to make him bread for his lunch sandwiches for the remaninder of the week. I walked out to find Thing 2 laying across the heater duct. Not an uncommon event in our house when the heat is on, just never ceases to make me laugh. She actually pushes the plastic sheild off the duct so she can absorb all that heat. Sometimes she even uses the plastic cover as a pillow. We have strange animals!

Tube SocksThe yellow socks I knit Lulu before she was born fit her 3x... and that last was questionable. At the wedding we attended in October my pal Lynn was making baby tube socks and I thought what an excellent idea since all the effort that went into a heal gussest for her previous sock that she fit into for only a short period of time. So here they are... almost done, and maybe I will make a matching hat? Maybe not. I am working on some felted hats after this.

and 15 days later a new post...

She's happy, smiles and coos all the time. This picture was from 24 July she was 6 wks and 13 lbs of wonderful joy, and I am amazingly tired.

My best friend from HS, Geena, came to visit... and held Lulu a lot so I could manage to paint this platter. She left Monday when it was in the kiln, so I took her to the airport in Fargo. It took me from 10 am - 2 pm to prepare this platter for shippment having to hold Lulu crying nearly all day the 28 July. Thanks Gee, I don't think I could have done it without you! And thank you to my neighbor Tiffany who came over JUST as I was putting Lulu in a car seat to ship the pottery... she watched her and I saved about 20 extra minutes it would have taken to bring Lulu along... oh how sweet, Tiffany is her first babysitter!

This is over a week ago getting the RV ready to come home from the wedding in Wisconsin. Gromit loved the Boppy, and I found it was nice to use when knitting (a place to rest my elbows).

We camped at a State Park 15 miles from the wedding site (Camp Manitou) which is a great YMCA camp if you're looking for a fabulous place to send your children.
Lulu and I slept here (the kitchen table/bed) in the RV. She was a trooper.

The Dinosaur (RV) ran great, drove great, and I am SO glad we didn't get a motel room, or stay with family. This was a nice break from being cooped up in a house for the previous 5 weeks!

This is Claire & Matt Tiller! It was a wonderful wedding, although I missed the ceremony because Lulu decided the 30 min of nursing before it was not enough food... so we went to the RV and nursed more. I was a bit bummed, but that little girl is so darn sweet a mom just can't be disappointed!

This is the fired Hand Painted Wedding Guest Book Platter we gave them as a gift (string around finger to pay for it, especially since I ordered glazes today).

Out wandering...

We've been out wandering around the last few days between doctor appointments. The good doctor did a stress test on the baby on Wednesday. Baby is great, healthy, etc... doctor is now at a conference in Brainard.

So we went to the lake cabin with the dogs and threw sticks into the lake for a few dog laps. It was relaxing for all of us, and nice break from the house.


Gerry has been keeping our kitchen table fresh with lilacs the last several days since they've been in bloom. Nice to smell the flowers when sitting at the table reading or knitting.

We went in today for a U/S check on baby, everything is great... next appointment is Tuesday unless I go into labor before then.

I have been experiencing contractions now for over a month, just not enough to send me into labor. Lots of time to finish some projects, like updating my website and planning some Pottery-2-Go ideas. Cleaned up Ally's bed and trash, and unpacking bisque for business.


I finished knitting the baby hat that matches the booties I did last month. I thought they'd be too big for the newborn, but now that we're overdue and seems the baby is enourmous it may fit within the next month.

I also made this Cuddly Bunny (pattern from lion brand) out of the fleece skein I bought not too long ago. It looks more like a dog, with big ears... but baby won't care it's soft and squishy.


Our neighbors momma cat had 3 kittens who are so sweet and cute... I was calling this one Rascal, since it's so frisky and attacking my shoe, my leg, my hair. It's not afraid of people by any means. Just love the little kittens! There's a picture of me holding two of the little ones, you can see me 'momma cat' still holding onto our little one too... so big!

We stopped by Leo's grave marker this morning to, watered the flowers and new grass. The second summer without his presence... it's not the same. Forever in our hearts and prayers.

39 Weeks... The Final Countdown

Tradewinds... I've never seen them before but the most interesting flowers so I bought them. The garden is plowed and ready for planting thanks to The Cultivator* No help to me who walks around and does squats to pull thisles out of the yard, but that's about it. I suck!

I started knitting a hat for the Littl' Dub, to match his/her socks. Somehow I put a purl strip in it... but it seems ok, and I am not much of a ripper so will just live with the mistake.

I also bought 4 skeins of yarn since I wasn't sure when I would be back to Monika's next. I love knitting with the ladies on Wednesday's! The Sockina are self striping socks... they are sooooo cool I can't wait to start them! The other yarn next to it are for fingerless gloves, and the baby yarn... well I haven't decided.

With no job and just waiting for baby, I decided to enter the Headwaters Animal Shelter 2010 Photo Contest (for calendar)... I entered the two pictures above of my guys... vote if you live here!!!

I am 39 weeks along:
BPM 140-146 (baby)
60% effaced
1 cm dialated

Things that people say:
"Oh wait until you have heartburn" 9 mos and so far nothing, I am pretty sure the difference is our diets & lifestyle. It seems like everyone projects their least favorite pregnancy symptom on you as if you're pregnancy will be just like theirs was!?

"What have you been craving?" Not sure why it bothers me, I haven't been craving any one thing throughout the pregnancy. I seem to have less tollorance for things I normally enjoy like cauliflower, and for a few weeks I wanted Starbursts which is not my MO for candy... but nothing in particular.

"Is this your first?" Well, duh, do you see any little ones tagging along with me... hmmm, for the past 4 yrs? Ok, granted some people don't know me in this town still. I am just not sure what that question is leading up to, but guessing it's to hear about all their pregnancy/birthing experiences.

"Are you excited?" OMG - You don't get 9 mos pregnant and not be excited to have a baby! What kind of idiotic question is that! No, actually I am giving the child up for adoption to someone more excited! (Just kidding mom, don't pack your bags!). I am excited no one is going to ask me these questions after the baby comes.

"By how high you're carrying I think (or 'my mom would say') it's a girl." Why do people tell you these things? Because they're all experts? Everybody carries babies differently.

People keep telling me I haven't "dropped" but every doctor appointment since March when the baby WAS breech, the doctor has felt the baby's head and it's on my pelvic bone. Oh and trust me I feel it... and the pressure associated with moving my bones. I am not sure where people think the baby will drop to? How much lower than my cervix can it go before it pokes it's head out? Does anyone ever take into consideration the little one is probably LONG since both of us parents are tall? Or that when 'lightning'/'pelvic station' changes occur it may not be noticable since it's a matter of body type?

"Do you know what you're having?" Ok that's a common question, and one I would probably ask too... but I keep saying, only God knows! I think after you hit a certain number of months we just need to wear a pin that says, "I DON'T KNOW!" It answers it all! I don't know what the sex is, so no I haven't picked out a name either. I don't know much anymore because I get so little sleep and the baby is sucking all my glycogen stores. I don't know what I am going to do since I was laied off... I am guessing a lot of breastfeeding. I don't know if I should if I will stay in the technical field or make a career change.

No epidural for me! Found out Doctor said 'no can do' because medical concerns. I was planning natural but guess that really puts breaks on any alternatives. The only total bummer is if I have to have a C-section it means they have to put me completely out. No use worrying about it now, I have a "can do it natural" attitude and also an open mind knowing I will chose what is best for both baby and me... and so will Baby's Daddy*

NEXT project: In spite of having made the 4 baby rattles that I am selling on Etsy... I didn't want to give my baby any of those rattles but rather something more 'original' and my style if you will. I came up with it last night. Baby rattle will be an eyeball on the optic nerve... how neat will that be! Well I think so and so does Baby's Daddy* so guess that's all that matters.

Dog Nap

I've been so busy with work and life that I seem to post less and less, and so tired that I misplaced my sense of humor and wit! I am not the only one though! Gromit here has been sleeping in the hallway well for most of his life as I work at my desk everyday, where the traffic was minimal between The Hub* and myself.

But since my Little Sis & her babies moved in he's been a little worn thin, and he seems to be a bit sad.

Anyhow, I had a headache and invited him into my office where we were closing the door to begin work for the day and he came right in and curled up on this old chair! It's the funniest thing because he's a BIG Chocolate Lab, weighing in at 90 lbs, tall and long. He's never been allowed on furniture, unless I am alone for the night then the guys sleep with me. The way he walked to the chair and crawled in was like he'd been doing it everyday of his life since he was a pup, and if this wasn't the biggest over sized chair ever in existence from the 1940's he'd never have fit!

Fall In Full Swing

Fall... my favorite season. Until moving to Minnesota I had never known what a Tamarack tree was much less that they shed needles like a leafed tree. This view is out my front window. Which I seem to collect a lot of pictures of! Well who can blame me when I work 40+ hours a week and only see this view... for which I am grateful because I know it could be the view I had in Boulder, CO... another building!

Somebody loves our Sesame! We find her on my bed every day saying "kitty, kitty" and "ears", "tail"... before she inevitably pulls on one end or the other. Sesame is a year or so and very patient with the baby, as long as she's not getting picked up.

My Boy

I mean the dog, he's my boy. I am so glad that he is good with my niece and nephew, especially since she is so young. I often find her sitting on his hind quarters like he's a chair, and Gromy just let's her... even though you know he's in a lot of pain with the torn ACL on his right leg (he doesn't even want us to touch his leg).

There was a boy slumber last night (video games, pizza, ice cream, etc...), so Lil' Sis and my niece had a night in the living room watching movies. Seems Sis got up to relieve herself and my boy jumped in the bed. Surely he was just worried about the baby being alone, and it had nothing to do with his own comfort!

Watching my girls prey

Loki and Sesame (aka Little Dog)

An average afternoon delight as I sit at my kitchen table and eating grapes and watching our cats watching the finches. It's only a moment that passes before Sesame is circling my feet with the most annoying mew (high pitched and stuttering) until I get up to let them outside.

Lokes is the first mouser on the farm, and she couldn't have come at a more perfect time! Just fresh from the city, living alone in the middle of the woods in a new town. I was sleeping one night and I heard a noise in the kitchen, after getting up several times I figured out it was a mouse. So I set a trap... the next day it was 4 am and I hear a 'clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk' I slowly approach the kitchen to find this little mouse with it's tiny head stuck in the trap but trying to push it's way out. All I could picture was an old cartoon, and I could swear the trap read ACME! Not only did it not snap the mouses neck, it seemed as if the mouse may have been strong enough to pry the trap off it's head. I thought eventually it would die or strangulation, so I left it for awhile. Tick, tick, tick... ok, damn-it, what do I do? I called Farmboy* in Colorado, he said to just kill the thing with a broom, but I could bring myself to do it mostly because I thought what the heck would a broom do, he also suggested a shoe, but I like my shoes too much to have them be murderers! So I scooped it up and put it down a sink hole in the driveway... with the trap still on it's head. After that I knew a cat was a good thing, allergic or not. Turned out she even got along great with the ferrets.

Sesame showed up last October... a drive and drop. She belonged to some one, she was clean, no bugs/ticks, and trimmed claws. It only took her 24 hours to wiggle her way into our home. It was touch and go at first if she would be a hunter (which if not, then there's no room for her here... jk) but when the warm weather settled in she was climbing trees and finding critters. She's a personality clone of our youngest dog, a pest with a heart of gold.

I believe they think they are dogs, just like our boys. The go out to relieve themselves, they come in to nap; they hunt all day and then come back at noon for lunch and 6 PM for dinner like clockwork. Until these two rascals joined us, I didn't know cats were so goofy. They wrestle each other, and then wind up in a tangle or hissing to end up licking each others like they were from the same litter.

They are both great hunters, Loki will take down chipmunks and squirrels and eat them in one sitting, while Sesame hunts mice and shrews, and of course the hummingbirds (that stinker)! Not many mice around here these days.

I have never seen either with a finch like the ones in the picture, but they sure do annoy the little birds! However, out here they are quick to run across open spaces because they know they are the prey too, but still there's nothing funnier than watching the sparrows dive bomb them relentlessly!

Fruits of No Labor

Another day went by that I was not in the garden, but instead I was having cocktails with my friends after work. It really interfered with my work-out too, sorry Gee! But we did enjoy spaghetti squash for dinner, leftover beans & zucchini, salad and Gnocchi. ‘Twas my first time trying gnocchi and a challenge for me to cook because I am not so good boiling water… yes, it’s true and I am not exaggerating.

Our guests are staying a week so that Polkah-Dot can have surgery. I suggested it because first and far most important the Ark Animal Hospital is awesome, and they absolutely love what they do. Second, veterinary service in our neck of the woods is actually affordable (not cheap). Piper & Michael gifted me a bread book they picked up in town, which is good timing since my last batch of bread was a less than wonderful.

Piper & Michael played some of her original songs while I worked. It's always a joy to have them visit.

I picked some lovely clover (without bees) while taking a short walk with My Guy* and stuck them in a “Rock Pot” that I use to sell in 2006, and I've not really made any since then. Every house that has a child and dandelions in their yard should have one. It should be a staple like flour and butter! I sold them for cheap, cheap, cheap.

This particular one has My Guy’s* name stamped into it.
I pick wild flowers and rocks for My Guy*. If you look at any nook-n-cranny around my house where I sit for long hours (office, kitchen, etc…) I have either piles of rocks or some of my reject bowls filled with rocks that I gathered while walking around the property. I was talking to my mom a couple weeks ago about my rock gathering problem, and it seems it started as soon as I could walk, and seems to have never ended… maybe I should have been a geologist?

The barn wood shadow boxes are made by Tiffany, a local artist & art teacher.

Frog Relocation

I was dipping pottery in my (basement) studio when I heard Farm Boy* tell me there were a bunch little frogs in the sump pump. We're not sure how they got into the house but in any case... he was going to move them into the swamp. The next evening I went down to take a shower and there were 2 frogs with me! OK, I love wildlife probably more than the next guy... but not so much in my house. Immediately that evening 6 frogs were relocated, and next day 3 more were relocated into the swamp.

I have yet to posted anything about our home projects at the farm, but this is the bathroom....

It has been under construction since October 2007. As old farm houses built in the 1940's go it has one bathroom, so I feel very fortunate that we have a shower in the sauna (where the frogs were)! The new tub is cool, jets and all, but for everyday I like a shower. We have marble wall tiles and slate floors to install... they will be awesome and complementary to the HUGE sink we bought.

About the sink, it's perfect for the 2 of us. First of all I have to quote one of my best friends Jess after getting married herself, "Sharing is soooo hard!" This sink solves all our problems, seriously... ok, well really close. One of the reasons I don't really invite people over... you have to have long arms to reach the TP.

When it's a completed project it will be really awesome. then it's on to the closet, the floors, the office, etc...

Now it's time to say good-bye...
These are the final days for the Hen Who Crows. We've put up with the not so rooster craw she does, and have been feeding her for 2 years. I heard some old quote recently "The hen who crows lays no eggs." I thought it was a euphemism for something... maybe it is and I just don't get it, but for me it is what it is and it's she has not provided one little egg, and she is NOT a rooster.


The garden is doing wonderful, except those plants that just didn't want to grow this year... 'you know which you are (spinach and watermelon).' We've harvested a wonderful head of cabbage, which made it's way into my crockpot for a traditional cornbeef n' cabbage meal. It seems that will last us until Sunday at least!


The pipeline company was doing some low fly bys this morning, so I went out to see the plane and saw a fabulous and rather large deer, which reminds me of why I love it out here.


Note: *101 names for my husband (all very nice).