Yesterday I was picking up in Megan and Sam’s room (well, not really “picking up” picking up would imply that I was sort of tidying. In reality, I was kicking a path to the dressers to put away their clean clothes and tossing anything recognizable as dirty clothes into laundry bins) when I noticed that there are all these little post-it-notes all over the room. On the dresser, on the wall, stuck to the end of the bunkbed and to the back of the door. There are even a couple stuck to the floor ,where you can see floor. They read:
Graceful
Funny
Kind
Beautiful
Clever
One of a kind
I asked Meg and Sam about them, and they told me that these notes are part of “The Plan”. (As an aside, I’ve always thought the children had a plan. They act in concert too convincingly for all of it to be a coincidence. I mean, think about it. Only serious planning accounts for their ability to tag-team me into insanity each day. Do you really believe for a minute that when all three of your children come downstairs after bedtime, one every five minutes for a solid hour and thirty-five minutes, while maintaining a strict rotation…that it wasn’t preplanned? Drink of water my arse. It’s a plan. I knew it.)
“The Plan?” I ask…trying to play it cool, if I act too eager they will know that I’ve known about the plan all along and they won’t reveal their cunning goal. (Joe claims they are trying to get the house. I feel that it is something much darker).
“Yeah, our Plan to become something” Meg says. “Every time we come into our room we remember what we want to end up as”.
I’m stunned. Simply stunned. I’ll pause here while we all appreciate the rewards of motherhood, actually…wait, I’ll throw in another load of laundry and pick the underwear up off the kitchen floor while you all appreciate the rewards of motherhood. There are days (admittedly, most of them are while you are picking underwear up of the kitchen floor while realizing that you no longer wonder how it was that underwear got to be on the kitchen floor) that you wonder why you are in this racket after all. Last night wasn’t like that.
This morning Meg went off to school wearing a shawl. Not a poncho, like every other kid in her school, but a shawl.
One of a kind. (The kid and the shawl)
Just to prove that I’m making good time…
the second mitten is half done, and…
The almost finished left front of the Rhinebeck Sweater (which SO needs a better name). Not even breaking a sweat yet, and I dropped a line to Aunt Maggie in Newfoundland, and she’s sending two more skeins. Furthermore, she’s sending them quickly. (I may love Aunt Maggie.)
Yarn Harlot
You are amazing. I knew it! I love that pattern. I think our kids should meet. So they can inspire each other. Brilliant plan. Must go wait for the school bus.
Wow. It’s those odd moments of motherhood when you think, “She’s going to turn out all right.” To be followed immediately by thoughts of “humans do not eat their young, humans do not eat their young…” (yet another long story)
Once again, Harlot, you prove me *ahem* some of us to be utter slackers in the knitting department. Here I was feeling all good about finishing up a little scarf project of my own handspun off a drop spindle (in two days no less!) after the horror of the Doctor Who scarf project from Hell.
Good thing I’ve no self-esteem problems. I’d be living in a bottle of Screech.
Queen Shween, man. You are “Lord Queen Ruler of the Universe and all the Lowly Inhabitants”.
That’s a damn good plan. Can your kids come and plan my future for me???
And oh, the projects. Too pretty for words.
Loving Meg’s shawl….
if you have that much of the sweater done after one day, i have little doubt of your ability to finish before rhinebeck. i told silvia i’d finish a boobholder before then, but i’m just as likely to have one boob still hanging out!
Aurgh. I just finished blogging about how I won’t let myself start a certain sweater until I have the current one done and neatly written up and charted, plus a whole litany of other (more important, career-type) things for which I have a tight deadline. And now I come here to see that you will have your Rhinebeck sweater done in six days, not twelve, without putting any other projects aside. This isn’t fair…how do you do it???
And can you teach us how to knit and read blogs at the same time? That might help me a lot.
Seems as if your daughters are already succeeding with their plan. Gorgeous Rhinebeck sweater-gotta love those aunts…
If you have that much of the sweater done by now, there’s no doubt about the 14 days. Did I say you set my level of expectations too high? Now it’s off the charts.
How about Rhinebeck Rhapsody in Blue (or purple or periwinkle or whatever colour that is in real life — I’m never too sure when I look at digital pictures, since my own face often comes out looking decidedly green and honestly, I’m only slightly chartreuse at the worst of times!).
What a wonderful moment as a mother — underwear in the kitchen notwithstanding. And I love her shawl — is that a yarn harlot original?
The Rhinebeck sweater will be stunning. 10 days of knitting, my ass. Maybe we should start a pool on how quickly you’ll actually finish it. How can you knit that fast? I feel so inadequate. Pass me that bottle of Screech.
Beautiful girls… inside and out… ALMOST makes me want to have some of my own… and then DSS belches and DH laughs, and the urge fades…
Lets see… Queen of the World wants a name for her sweater which will be done AGES before a festival in Duchess County, NY? The Royal sweater? (which if it starts giving you trouble can quickly be renamed the Royal PITA)
I love the sweater I love your kids’ goals and dreams, proving that you are not only Queen of all knitters but also mother extraordinaire. An inspiration on both fronts. Clearly underwear is just part of a grand plan… (at least they wear it and change it!)
*sob* so last nite I was sitting, trying to find something other than the debates to knit to, when I realized.. my little plan of having an inch a day done on the Hush Hush was off by 2 days and I started knitting faster.. and here you are, one day later, with half a cardigan. I am not worthy.
Your kids are amazingly sweet. Your knitting, however, is what I’m envying. Do please post at least hints toward your sweater pattern–it’s very much like one of the projects hovering on my horizon (still vague, and not getting much closer).
How could she not be one of a kind with a Harlot for a Mom. You rock! Creating children with a sense of self is the best thing a mother can do. And who had any doubt you would follow through on more yarn and have that sweater done in time. The color alone is to ‘live’ for.
I think I’ve figured it out. You’ve been warping the space/time continuum again, haven’t you? I was wondering why my tummy was aching last night, that must have been it.
Now if you could just give us a little tutorial on how to do that, that’d be swell. After the cardigan is finished, of course.
how about the “kicking ass” Rhinebeck Sweater, because that’s what you’re doing: kicking ass.
the second mitten is beautiful, btw.
and speaking as a former child demon, you’re right, they do have a plan. and the part they admitted, well, that was just to throw you off the OTHER part of the plan.
Oh my gosh, I just got all teary eyed reading about your girls. That is the sweetest thing I have heard. And, I love that your daughter is wearing a shawl to school. You done good, Harlot!
There’ll be plenty of time for the SECOND sweater…
Oh, your girls are definitely all those things and then some! Excuse me, I have to stick up some post-its…
Absolutely perfect rewards of motherhood moment. I’m speechless. ‘Scuse me while I wipe the fog off my glasses….
DD & I are driving someplace. Earlier in the day I had been teaching her how to blow her nose with one nostril pinched shut while DH snickered a “have a nice day,” and walks out the door to a meeting at HappySoft, where they give away expensive electronics as party favors. (I used to go to those meetings too, once upon a time, and now I’m teaching a three year old how to blow her nose.) So here we are, in the car and DD pipes up. “Mommy,” she sighs, “When I grow up I want to be a Mommy *just like you*.”
So obviously that paid for the nose-blowing lesson.
(Right now she’s licking her stuffed cat to give it a bath. What ever blows your nose, I suppose.)
God help me, I’m looking at your progress and reading all these ‘oh, yeah, Soooo not a problem’ posts and all I can think is “No! Hush! Do Not Taunt The Universe!”
That said, the mittens and sweater are looking absolutely beautiful and I LOVE the color and holy cats you knit fast.
Go Team Canada!
Perfect timing. I was putting away underwear in my daughter’s room and collecting the dirties when I took a Harlot break. Good God women, but you hit the universal motherhood buttons! The drudgery of it all mixed with just enough mind-blowing moments of pure happiness to keep you coming back for more. Gives me the energy I need to face the washer again.
And I won’t even talk about the knitting progress. I second “The Queen’s Sweater”.
I love your daughters. I hope I can remember their plan someday in the future when I’m counseling teens who need help remembering what they want to become.
Duchess County you say? What about The Duchess, as the sweater’s name?
Wow… if only I could close to knitting as quickly as you seem to. I think that’s why I seem to stick to socks…
Holy f***! I knew you were fast, Stephanie, but… ok, that does it! You’ve rendered me speechless (almost). A great mom and a turbo-knitting monarch? What can’t you do?
Yes, your children have a plan. Many of them, in fact. But I like the one they have revealed.
Hmm. I note that Claudia hasn’t been seen here today. Wonder if she’s falling behind in her knitting. Hmm.
Amazing, Steph. Simply amazing.
beautiful
everything you describe here
Your children are wise beyond their years.
How do you do all that knitting so fast??? I’m quiet jealous of your talent. I’ve been working on a sweater since May and the 2nd sleeve is beckoning me to finish it…
Your kids are great. As is your sweater.
Okay, I’m reading this at work and people are wondering why my eyes are filled with tears…
thanks for sharing a wonderful moment like that…
Oh, and your daughters’ room sounds exactly like mine….no floor showing….*sigh*
I love the shawl and backpack pic. How about “competitive streak” for the sweater?
Oops, I meant to say sounds exactly like my own daughter’s room
LOL
Is that a world famous Mexican Wave Shawl I see bfore me?
You’ve got pretty cool kids, overall. I’m sure they make fun of you, but they also helped you photgraph the Dublin Bay Socks all over Newfoundland, right?
So, you were up all night making that sweater front right? Taking unlawful stimulants?
Wow, that sounds like a mighty fine plan!! And by golly, but I do believe you just might whip up an aran sweater in time for Rhinebeck! I didn’t think it could be done. Remind me never to underestimate a Canadian ever again.
Beautiful and amazing–sweater, thrums, children, the whole thing. BTW, my favorite name so far is “Competetive Streak!” Go, Harlot, Go!
Yeah, yeah, so your kids are great, they are one of a kind, yada, yada! YOU SHOULD BE KNITTING!!!!!!! Not cleaning up (kicking a path), doing laundry, or feeding them. This may be part of the plan, trick her into thinking we’re the best so she keeps up with our chores. (Hey-I have three of my own, I know most of the tricks hee hee). Are you still reading this? STOP! GO KNIT NOW!!!!!!!
Awww…kids are amazing! I cannot believe you’ve already knit that much in such a short time! Now I’m thinking you just may finish this cable sweater. Maybe you should make yourself a post-it note that says “HAVE FAITH”. 🙂
You’re a scary knitting machine ! It’s looking fab !
I’m amazed by it all. Do be careful, though — you don’t want to anger the Knitting Goddess with things like that last paragraph! Don’t get cocky!
Well, unless you want to entertain us with the aftereffects of her wrath. Then it’d be okay. *wink*
I’m just curious as to when you had the time to knit that shawl. I don’t remember reading about it
And here I was feeling all proud of myself because I knit until I finished a ball of wool on a Harlot poncho last night. And even then it was quite a while before I noticed that I was only doing YOs and not any rows of plain knitting.
Seems like finding your undies on the kitchen floor and wondering how they got there, may explain how you got the kids in the first place.
How about Nutty Canucky Cardy?
I think had that cop known your knitting speed, he might have given you a ticket after all… breaking them all? What else have you got up your sleeve??? (grin-grin)…
I just got back from nursing Huxley and was thinking that I hope he will turn out as well as your daughters, except as a boy (of course).
Keep up the thunderstorm knitting…….
“The Queen’s Cardigan”. A good name. You have heard this before and I’ll say it again: You are amazing. How the hell do you knit so fast? And your daughter is darling, and so is her shawl.
Hi Steph! Your Rhineback sweater is so great! (it is very similar in color to the yarn you sent me!–thanks again!) Great work–you are a speedy harlot!
Your daughter has got style 🙂
Crazy Harlot Sweater. CHS.
Is there any question, Ms. One-of-a-Kind?
A note to the parents who are despairing of ever seeing the floor in their children’s rooms: my sister was like that when she was a teenager. Our mother once took a picture of her room, for… well, I suspect it had something to do with showing them to her (my sister, that is) when she was tearing out her hair because her own kids were messy beyond description. I’m pretty sure that moment will be accompanied by wild cackling from the mom unit.
However, now that said sister is an adult, she’s ridiculously houseproud and you can see all the floors in her home. It passes. Unfortunately, not until they move out on their own.
Wait, that’s not a shawl; I’d say Meg is wearing an open poncho.
Not-Called-Rhinebeck is gorgeous. It was clear that was the yarn you were dying to use; I’m so glad they had more of it for you.
my daughter’s not even a year old yet, but that’s just the kind of thing i look forward to. thanks for sharing such a great story!
and of course, great knits
How wonderful that your girls have grown up in a house where dad and mom adore and support each other so much! All kids should be so lucky to have that example. It always shows in the kids. Congrats!
Holy cow. You’re like, almost a quarter finished with the knitting in all of what, two days? I’m in shock. And awe. You SOOOO kick ass.
Wowie, look at you knit. Those mittens are so cool, and the sweater-formerly-known-as-rhinebeck is beautiful. Don’t hurt yourself. 😉
I have often said to my two sons “I could have had girls.” Your daughters sound wonderful. Just for laughs, here is a typical son experience in my world:
My Husband calling me at work one morning after dropping number one son off at day care.
DH: As we were walking in the door S says to me, Dad, does your penis have a bone in it?
I said no. Then he asks, well does your tongue have a bone in it? (I start getting worried that he’s being abused at day care.)
Me: Did you ask him why he wanted to know this.(I’m sure he’s being abused and start to get my coat.)
DH: Yes, he said that he was wondering why he could move his tongue but couldn’t move his penis.
Me: (With releif and wonder) What did you tell him?
DH: I told him to ask his teacher.
Amazing!!!!! How DO you get so much knitting done, so quickly and still find time to blog?? I am very impressed!!!
How about “Suicide Sweater” for a new name? Has a certain catchy alliteration.
Wow! Seems like you are raising 3 wonderful young women. They have made goals for themselves and they are embracing their individuality. I applaud them!
And I vote for the Crazy Harlot Sweater!
Peace
Bonnita
I am making the harlot poncho for my granddaughter in PINK (her choice). Love the pattern. Would someome please tell me what the “crochet cast off” is. None of my friends seem to have heard of it.
Many thanks. Would appreciate an email response. I don’t understand the blog system yet.
Lucy
Promise that you will say at Rhinebeck, “What, this old thing?”
I’ve got a post-it pad right here and am going to imitate YOUR kids.
The One of a kind was beautiful. Bet she’s pretty from the front, too. (though I understand if you don’t want the whole www world to see her!…)
For your sweater, may I humbly suggest: Dutchess’ Jewel. Apparently Rhinebeck calls itself the Jewel of the Hudson and Parlor of Dutchess (as in county)… see: http://rhinebeckchamber.com/history/
That shawl picture—makes life worth living. Mine–so I can only imagine what it does for yours.
So cool that she is tweaking the whole poncho thing. So cool that her shawl goes with her backpack.
Try to remember that your life is perfect. xoxo Kay
WOW you are a speed knitter and an amazing mother too! your kids are a wonderful tribute to your success! looking forward to meeting up with you upclose and inperson at Rheinbeck in the stunning sweater! and are you going on sat or sunday? Karola
What a wonderful story – it’s brilliant and perfect. I love the shawl she wore to school, too. Yeah!
slot car racing after
http://slot-car-racing.sxb-log.com/