Random Tuesday

1.  I finally feel like I’m back on the horse that threw me.  I had a great weekend, the laundry’s half caught up (which is sort of as good as it gets) I’ve re-established contact with everyone I love (they were sort of neglected through the Summit) and my inbox now makes me feel like I have a lot to do, rather than that I should torch the whole thing.

2. That last one isn’t really true, but it’s like the laundry. 

3. Our beautiful daughter Meg turned 20 yesterday.  I’ve already had one turn 20, so I was just stunned and amazed rather than incredulous.  I swear it took a month for her to go from this:

To this:

and I have no idea how anyone is supposed to handle that sort of pace – and why we’re all pretending that there isn’t a black hole of time around children that makes it do that.  Two decades? I’ve had her for two decades? Not possible. The person who figures out how you can have so many incredibly long days while you’re a mum, and then have it all seem like it went in a heartbeat is getting a Nobel Prize.   She turned out pretty darned good though. You’d like her.

4. My eldest daughter told me last night that one of the reasons she’s confident that she can learn to drive is because (and I quote) "Mum, if you can do it.  So can I."   On one level, I think what she’s saying is "Hey mum, I think I’m as amazing as you are" but really what do you think the odds are that she doesn’t mean what you and I think she means?

5. Jen has not had her baby.  We spent the weekend up at her cottage (she’s a generous person, that Jen) and did all sorts of wonderful things with little kids and ate and laughed and swam and there was a full moon, a meteor shower and a thunderstorm.  Still no baby.

6. This is likely because that would have made the baby two weeks early… and also…

7. Because the blanket isn’t finished, though I am knitting like a demon, and have 1/4 of the edging done and that means that I’m not going to be the holdup here. 

8. Jen doesn’t believe for a minute that I control the timing of her birth with my knitting – but there are still two things that are true.

9.  She has asked me to hurry.

10.  I am.

101 thoughts on “Random Tuesday

  1. I’m with Jen, you better hurry! the baby blanket is lovely.. is there a pattern for that, or just something you doddled up on your own?

  2. Happy birthday to your Meg. Glad you’re back on track for normal in your home. Laundry shouldn’t count in the overall housework scheme because unless you’re naked, it’s never done. The same can’t be said for sweeping the floors. The blanket looks beautiful!

  3. You may just be holding this up! My middle one was 3 weeks late – I finally washed the baby clothes – and the next day she came. Knit faster Steph!

  4. My Baby turns 24 this month and my other one is 21. I really can’t imagine where those years went. (We put that ‘new’ carpet in just before baby #2 was born it can’t be that old!…21 years!)
    Having had an August baby, I don’t need to imagine how Jen must feel right now! (It was a hot summer in 1987 too!)

  5. Jen looks great; be sure to tell her I said so! Happy Belated Birthday to Meg the almost-as-amazing-as-her-Mum! I agree with heide: we’re all wearing laundry. That is one lovely blankie, Baby On The Way will be so lucky to have it.

  6. well, this post makes me want to cry, because 1- my oldest is 17 starting gr 12, could be leaving next year for university and i am in total denial about the whole time warp parenting thing you mention and 2 – the baby blanket is just so lovely and 3 – a new mom is about to start the whole time warp parent-child continuum all over again… sigh. :[

  7. Happy Birthday beautiful Meg! Many happy returns of the day. And congrats to your amazing mum too.

  8. I have to get a full length mirror. If only to mitigate some of the shock and awe when I see pics like this.

  9. Those survivor dudes on TV have nothing on the mums of the world. The skills it takes to raise children to adulthood are amazing and too numerous to list. Congratulations to all of you!

  10. The baby blanket is beyond gorgeous! Please post the source or pattern so that those of us drooling with grand babies on the way can cast on and knit.
    Thanks in advance 🙂

  11. Maybe that is where the warp goes. After so long, it vanishes to the new moms, then vanishes for them back into the fold. Ike a new baby time möbius.
    Great looking blankie, can’t wait to see its new owner! The current mama looks awesome.

  12. Happy birthday to Meg! Knit faster, Steph! Jen’s comfort & sanity might depend on it.

  13. Beautiful.
    Meg, Blanket, & Mom.
    All three.
    @ Jen, You are amazing. That you can smile that smile while being that pregnant, in AUGUST!? Wow.
    Yup, Beautiful. All three.
    and forgetaboutthelaundry.
    Even if you catch it all up, it’ll be right back there as soon as the days knickers hit the floor. Knit. It’s so much better than laundry.

  14. The photo of pregnant Jen made me smile. Beautiful Mom-to-be. My “baby” will be 35 at the end of this month and time has not only flown by, it’s whipped right around and made her older than me…Amazing how that happened.

  15. What a talented and lovely young woman! Happy birthday, Meg!
    Regarding the driving comment from your eldest daughter (another lovely and talented woman), just remember that you induce labor (or not) with your knitting skills. That, m’dear, is a rather fearsome talent!

  16. My #3 son turns thirty next week, which will leave us with only one still in his twenties. I could swear that it was just last night when my husband and I congratulated each other for parenting them through their teen years without sdomeone landing in jail. Whoosh. Time flies and that’s the stinkin’ truth!

  17. What a fabulous picture of Jen. She looks beautiful. As does Meg. Time does fly – I am convinced of it. My baby heads off to university in two weeks…..

  18. Oh wow, Jen must be ready to hold that baby. Even if it hasn’t dropped yet. EEk!
    Gosh, that brings back memories of my last baby. I was that size and had a month to go and ended up at a wedding (where all of the ladies made sure to tell me I wasn’t ready to have it yet :P)… the baby? A month late… worth it but still…
    Good birthing vibes!! (and good baby-knitting vibes!!)

  19. Lovely blankie, lovely Mom-to-be.
    What is the border pattern? It’s really pretty.

  20. I watched that warp thing happen this morning as my 29 year old gave birth to a sweet little girl of her own. Didn’t I just give birth myself?! Childhood goes much too quickly, but I hope to regain some of that lost time back with tiny Jordyn.

  21. I love how beautifully your daughters have turned out; Happy Birthday, Meg!
    I love the delight in Jen’s face. I love the blanket. I love that you spent time focusing on your loved ones and let the blog wait its rightful turn. Meantime, best wishes to Jen for a safe, and fast delivery. Just tell her not to blink or her baby will be 20.

  22. Knit, in the name of all that is wonderful, knit. That woman needs to have that baby soon!
    xxx

  23. Beautiful, beautiful blanket! I know what you mean about time going by so fast with children. It seems like just the other day I brought my daughter home from the hospital. Now she’s out on her own. Where did the time go?

  24. I’m thinking your oldest is saying, “Mum, you’ve given me great confidence in myself, and the belief that a woman can do anything she sets her mind to.” Rejoice in that, and ignore that other possibility completely.

  25. That baby still hasn’t dropped so, if you drop a stitch, you’ll have time to fix it. Re: kids, I have a beautiful photo on my desk of my nieces at about 1 1/2 and 3 years old. The older one starts college in two week and the younger one actually had a job this summer–a good job. Oye!

  26. happy birthday meg! you were one beautiful baby, and are now a beautiful woman. 🙂
    the blanket is lovely, nice work!

  27. Stunning blanket, stunning belly. My baby turns 37 this year, his little sister just turned 33. My GRANDDAUGHTER is starting 8th grade shortly. How did that happen? Meg is beautiful.

  28. I met Jen once in person – and based on the timing – it was probably just about 8 months ago. (I think the week after she’d lost her Fiddlehead mitts). It was just after I’d had my second and she was just announcing hers. So, of course we talked about having seconds and birth stories etc. Since then, I’ve been thinking about her and how she’s doing and am so happy to see an update here!! Lots and lots of good vibes to her from me. And positive thoughts to things going GREAT this time around.

  29. Oh, Stephanie, please hurry with that baby blanket! Jen looks like she might burst!
    Congratulations on Meg’s 20th birthday. She’s lovely.
    One of these days, your girls will all be “off the payroll” (quote from a friend) and you and Joe will stumble around the house wondering how to fill your time! Ha!

  30. Happy 20th birthday to Meg! She now shares her birthday with my granddaughter, Kate (born yesterday at home while her big sister, both grandmothers and one grandfather waited downstairs). I hope Jen’s new baby has as gentle an entry into the world as “my” Kate.

  31. Happy belated Birthday, Meg. Hope it was a good one. Lovely photo. Poor Jen looks like she is saying hurry up Steph – this is getting difficult – knit faster – LOL. Good luck to all.

  32. As an architect said to me once (when I looked approximately like Jen), that’s quite a cantilever!
    And I’m with you on the long days, short years bit. Congratulations!

  33. Jen’s tweets about the traditional cottage skinny-dipping are particularly interesting given that she had company. Knit — you may believe there aren’t pictures, but I see the gleam in her eye.

  34. Happy birthday to Megan (20? My baby girl is not that far from 30. Still freaks me out a little 🙂
    My niece is a little more pregnant than Jen, she was due last Friday. She’s getting grumpy with people who keep asking “Hasn’t that baby come yet?” and it worse this weekend with 2 family parties… 🙂

  35. Happy Birthday Meg! I love,love, love the blanket and for her sake I really hope Jen has that baby soon!

  36. Of course she means she’s as awesome as you…what else could she mean. My 25 year old asked me if I was going on Safari on sunday….unfortunately I don’t think she really thought I was going on Safari so I changed my clothes. I’ll save that outfit for when I do, if I ever do. 🙁

  37. And the race is on…between the baby and the blanket. I don’t know – seems like a close call to me. Knit like the wind, sister.

  38. That baby blanket looks amazing, and by the looks of Jen, you better hurry!
    Hope your daughter had a wonderful birthday. I have a theory about August babies, as today is my birthday and I know about 10 other people whose birthdays are also in August, including my husband. It has something to do with October festivities and the frivolity that is apparent in people during that time of the year.

  39. Happy Birthday Meg!!!!
    And no worries on the baby coming soon…still riding proud and pretty darned high…doncha fink?

  40. What a beautiful pregnant lady! I have no such photos of myself since I am usually the one behind the camera at my house. Of course, I wouldn’t have been that gorgeous anyway. Can’t wait to see the owner with his/her blanket…
    It is definitely a time warp thing. Two of mine in college in the fall, and the other two in middle school/high school. Hard to remember they were ever small.
    The only solution is to knit, obviously.

  41. You guys are awful nice! This baby is going to come when it’s good and ready just like my last one. I make people who know their own mind – though I am flattered and thrilled by the loving gifts from fine friends.

  42. Welcome back, relieved everything’s ok, you had me worried. The blanket is stunning; warm wishes for an easy delivery and a healthy baby! I have 8 married kids, and I still can’t believe it.

  43. I can see why Jen wants you to hurry, but tell her you can’t rush perfection…and I mean in regards to both – baby and the blanket.

  44. Dude, I don’t even think I’m ready for Meg to be 20. When I met her she was still young enough to appreciate a chocolate reindeer lollipop.

  45. Happy Birthday Meg! May you see many more good times this year.
    Knit on Stephanie! That poor woman is looking stretched and uncomfortable!

  46. Happy b-day to Meg, who we all know has already made her mom just all kinds of proud.
    Only having heard of one driving mishap of Joe’s, I’m not sure what the eldest meant. You drive well? You drive like Mad Max? You drive as if the car will explode if you exceed 5 mph? You like bumper cars exceedingly much?
    And, having a set of twins among my siblings, I also have to ask just what Jen thinks she’s having. Mom was bigger, but not by much — and one of my twin sibs was 8 lbs. plus some, the other just a hair under 8 lbs. (The singletons in my family tend to weigh in at 9 lbs. plus.)

  47. Wow, that blanket is the bombdiggity! Absolutely gorgeous!! I bet Jen is ready to put it to good use 🙂
    Glad you and the fam had a good time at the cottage and got reacquainted, and glad to have you back here, too.

  48. First of all I’m abt 1/2 way thru the day since I have a child abt to turn 13. I still remember those days I thought would never end. and yet here we are. Also it still amazes me that a woman VERY pregnant is able to pass that thing thru her body and pop out a human. Amazing.
    and tell your friend she looks FANTASTIC!!!!

  49. Happy Birthday, Meg! My husband just brought our younger daughter to grad school today in Washington, DC, (we live in NY). A bittersweet day for me, and yes, I wonder where did the time go? It was like yesterday we were bringing her to the bus stop for her very first day of school!

  50. Happy Birthday, Meg! And I LOVE the blanket!!! What a special gift for a lovely person! I know what you mean about babies being born, you turn around and they’re in college. My youngest will turn 41 soon and my 2 oldest grands will be in high school next year. Cannot believe how all that time has flown – I don’t feel a day over 30! (But just turned 70 – another August birthday)

  51. I have to agree. One minute I had three daughters 7 and under and the next thing I know, they all decide to get married within 5 months of each other. Now I have 6 grandkiddos. Eight years ago, I didn’t think I would ever have a son-in-law. LIFE— It just FLIES by. I’m so glad I have my knitting to relax…..

  52. Your post brought tears to my eyes about how fast the years have gone (15, 13, 10). My oldest is driving alone now, my middle son is as tall as I am, youngest is starting to wear my shoes and has eyes on my closet. I swear I just bought diapers and sippee cups a week or so ago. It just goes to show that it’s how we parent on a day to day basis that counts with our kids. Jen is beautiful and her smile says she’s so ready!

  53. Damn! Finish that blanket because that poor girl needs to deliver that baby!! Much good luck and prayers for a safe and healthy delivery.
    Belated Happy Birthday to Meg. She is such a cool person!

  54. I love it when my favorite blogs intersect. I have been reading Jen’s blog for years, well before little Fenner was a gleam in her eye. Best wishes for the knitting and the birthing! I dream of someday meeting you all for beers at Lettuce Knit…

  55. Holy Scmolies! Hurry up with that blanket so Jen doesn’t topple over frontwards.

  56. Happy Birthday Meg!!
    My daughter is only 7 but sometimes it seems like she’s 20. I wonder if maybe when she’s 20 it will seem like she’s older or maybe I’ll get lucky and remember how she was at 7. But I definitely agree about the time black hole I can barely remember when she was a baby.
    Hope you enjoyed today knowing that you gave birth and raised the lovely young woman that Meg has become. Good job to Mom and Dad!

  57. Happy Birthday to Meg! I have been amazed that children I’ve known as babies are suddenly 10 and I wonder how did that happen!
    What a beautiful baby blanket.

  58. Just last night I told my husband that when our boys were little kids, I daydreamed about them being teenagers and in high school, graduating in the “2000s.” But I never thought about them being 25 and 23 year-olds. Weird, they’re grown and we’re in uncharted territory here, people!

  59. One of the reasons I came to Sock Summit is that my son now lives in Portland (from North Carolina) while he attends graduate school. I was thrilled to see that my first born was surviving nicely in PDX. However, I cried like a baby when he took me to the airport at the end. I just wept. He tried to comfort me by saying “It will be alright Mom. Just knit me some socks. You’ll feel better.” I did and he was right, I feel better.

  60. Best wishes to your Meg! Wait–both my kids are in their 50’s! How could that be??? I keep thinking I’m in MY 50’s!! It sure creeps up. The baby blanket is sensational! Not a surprise.

  61. My oldest is 30 and my youngest is 25. It was just yesterday I was pregnant with them. Where did the time go???
    Jen looks like my youngest did at the family reunion last year a full month before her youngest made his appearance. I thought she looked wonderful. As does Jen.

  62. 1) Meg is beautiful Strong work, Momma.
    2)The blanket is beautiful. Strong work, Master Knitter.
    AND
    3)For the love of god, people, stop speculating on the size and height of Jen’s bump. It is the perfect size to be birthed by Jen, as after all, her body grew that sweet babe and it will birth it beautifully. Second babies? Well, sometime they don’t “drop” until the first push and then take a deep dive. And at that gestation, L&D nurse or not, I would have stabbed someone who told me I didn’t look “ready”. That baby will come when it is good and gosh darn cooked. Hooray for healthy full term babies!

  63. Someone did get a Nobel prize for explaining the phenomenon (or at least I thnk he did. Or at least he should have.) His name was, Einstein, Albert. It’s the folded space time condition that I always refer to as time warp, where time and space fold back on themselves and touch each other like a length of cloth or yarn if you prefer, so that the beginning of the strand is just about touching the end a dozens of spots in between while it’s still rolled into a ball. Or the back of the sweater touches the front even though they were really far apart on the skein, or even on separate skeins at one time. Block, the sweater, lay it on the bed to dry and two spots that were far apart in time and space, (I take a long time to make a sweater) are touching. My baby turns thirty-three in another month and a half! We’re not even going to discuss how fast I got old! Or how young I was yesterday!

  64. My “babies” are 20 and 22. The oldest is 6 ft. tall.
    The days are long, but the years are short.

  65. Similar to your daughter, I just had a major birthday. I turned 30 last month. I still feel like I should be at least 15 years younger. I can’t have spent that much time here on earth right? At least in my 20’s, I did rediscover knitting!
    Congrats to you both!

  66. 1: happy Birthday Meg!!!
    2: My son is almost 8 month old already. Time flies by like crazy! People told me that would happen, but you never believe it until you experience it.
    Jen, you are beautiful! don’t let anybody tell you otherwise.
    Steph: go knit on that beautiful blanket! baby has to be cozy and warm when he gets out of the hospital 😉

  67. Would you consider sharing (or telling me where to find) that lovely border on the blanket? I have been looking for a nice border for a ahswl and that looks just perfect.

  68. Amazed that Jen can still smile! My back hurts just looking at her picture. The due date may be two weeks out, but don’t make her wait that long for the finished blanket. 😉

  69. Oh mY GoD! That’s an awesome pregnancy picture..yeah, definately a baby in there… hurry Steph hurry!

  70. Knit faster!
    Happy birthday to Meg!
    Yes, sadly, I fear Amanda did mean what we all think she means.

  71. Seeing that picture of Jen just made me think once again: pregnancy is such a freaking amazing thing! How is that even possible, that a woman can have a baby right there inside her like that!
    And your two pictures of Meg: also, how does this happen? A baby grows inside you, pushes its way out, is totally helpless and dependent, and then bam!–a full-grown person.
    Amazing, life is.

  72. Happy Birthday to your Beautiful Meg! I know how hard it is to believe they’ve grown so fast. I have two sons, 30 and 33 and a grandson, 2 years old now. Seems like only yesterday my boys were babies! The blanket is absolutely beautiful but from the looks of Jen, you’d better knit as fast as you can!

  73. My baby, 22, started teaching K-4th grade this week. Where does the time go? Love the blanket.

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