I did it. I made the ugliest knit toy ever. Seriously. This thing was going to be a bear. I followed the pattern directions. I don’t know quite what happened, but monster-dom ensued.

I am capable of knitting cute toys. The elephant for one, Runny Babbit is another example. Please, I beg of you, do not think this is a normal sample of my knitting. This thing just sort of happened.

The stitches are even, the knitting is great. It looked fantastic, until I tried to do the ears. Somehow, I bulloxed them up, and oy. What would you do with a instruction like “sew diagonally across the top of the head to define the ears”? ‘Cause obviously, I didn’t do it right.

And we won’t even discuss the face.

Know what, I still adore the beasty.

That is all.

This is love. I’m sure I mentioned the elephant, well as you can see, he is complete, and well loved already. The pattern is Elijah by Ysolda Teague, but as Miriam has an Uncle Eli, we’re going to have to come up with a new name. I’m thinking Olie, what do you think?

I think he looks like an Olie, but maybe you have a better name idea. I’m sure that eventually Miri will come up with a new name, probably something quite original like Mr. Elephant, or Thomas; but in the meantime the elephant needs a name. So, help me out here!

The elephant was completed in plenty of time to meet Yarn Harlot, and the plan was to have Miriam in the Passover Dress, and take along the elephant to show off. Well, it all made it into the diaper bag, but I never got around to changing her clothes or bringing the toy out.

There was no disappointment though. Yarn Harlot finally made it to Chicago, and she was well worth the wait. She was charming, and funny, as we all expected, but she also came and hung out with us at Nana’s Knit, which was just the surprise of the day! That woman can knit. If you’ve never seen Irish Cottage Knitting, you need to find someone to watch. Wow. I’m never going to feel accomplished with the speed of my knitting again. Her needles just fly! I’ve never seen anything quite like it. The right needle is stationary under her arm, and the left does all the work, while her right hand “Vanna’s” and looks like it is presenting. I can’t explain it any better, but just wow.

South Suburban Stitch ‘n Bitch had a wonderful time, and will probably be talking about Harlot Day for weeks to come. Especially as we are all starting the same project.

Yup, we’re having a knit-along. Nine women decided yesterday that Windmill Berets will be ours, come heck or high water (which with the weather is not at all unlikely). It’s amazing to me the different yarn combinations we selected. I’ll post pictures as we go along, but I think these will all be beautiful.

Storms coming, so I’m going to end this disjointed stream of consciousness post with a quick sum-up. Miriam loves the elephant, we all love the Harlot, the Harlot loves babies, I love completed projects, and I love my friends who are all sheep, just like me, and caught the Windmill Beret bug.

Miriam is 6 months old today! Can you believe it? I can’t. Wow. 6 months.

So, I guess you want an update. I haven’t talked about her much lately, have I?

Yesterday I worked on baby-proofing the house. Why? Because she is gonna be crawling any day now. She ooches and rolls. She scoots. She has the arm and leg motions down, she just can’t keep both her head and tummy up long enough to get much distance. I don’t expect this to last. She’ll be crawling super fast.

I put her down in the middle of the rug, she “ooched” her way across and then was exhausted, so took a nap right there.

She has her first word, sort of. She says “hi”, and sometimes she says it in response to someone else saying “hi”. I took her up to my mom and sister’s school and they were showing her off. Mom said “Miriam, say hello to the principal” and Miriam said “HI”. It was the cutest thing.

She’s growing by leaps and bounds, and should hit 13 lbs soon. I hope. She’s a teeny tiny one, but there is nothing wrong with being petite. We saw another almost 6 month old baby on Sunday, a week younger than Miriam. He weighed 19 lbs! He was huge! Miriam is finally into the 3-6 month clothes, which is fantastic because we have some summer clothes in those sizes!

She can sit up on her own (with an occasional topple to the side, but increasingly rare) and loves sitting in the high chair or on the sofa. She can reach for something, and grab it with one hand, which my sister learned to her dismay. It seems Miriam has a favorite teething toy. Unfortunately, this toy is Aunt Megan’s eye-glasses. Miriam sees Aunt Megan, coos to be picked up, and then grabs Megan’s glasses off her face and shoves them straight into the mouth.

The rest of us can only watch and laugh.

Well, my little girl is babbling for attention, must go. talk to you later!

Num num num.  What is this bowl full of stuff that daddy has been eating?  Is it fun for playing with?

Yes it is!

Is it tasty?

Is it messy?

Oh heck yeah!  

It’s a good thing mommy got a dog.

Daddy sure seems impressed.

This post was brought to you by an inattentive daddy and a bowl of pasta with pesto sauce.

I’m tired now.  Tata.