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Thursday, August 16, 2012

Things and Stuff

Since all the big kids are back in school here, we're enjoying visiting some cool kid spots during the week without the crowds and the danger of being run over by older kids.





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I've been working on the kids' Halloween costumes for about a month now. The main component of Veda's costume is a knitted piece, which I'm about 60% finished with. As soon as I finish with hers, which I hope will be soon for the sake of getting both costumes ready in time to get lots of Halloween use of out them, I'll start on Linus's. I'll be knitting a hat and then sewing a vest for him (without a pattern for the vest - wish me luck!).

Veda's costume is the first thing I've knitted in many years. The last thing I knitted those years ago was a baby blanket for my own maybe baby. I remember how deeply sad I felt every time I picked it up to work on it. Honestly, it was a pretty stupid project for an Infertile to take on. As soon as I thought it was reasonable to call it done, I stuffed it in a closet and gave up on knitting.

What happened to the blanket? I've used it a couple of times with the kids. Did I take it out and feel all warm and fuzzy about it? Nope. It actually made me feel exactly the way I felt about it when I was knitting it. Infertility is weird like that.

But this project for Veda? It makes me feel exactly the way knitting should make someone feel. Every time I pick it up, I'm so enamored with how beautiful the stitches are and proud of mastering the new cast-on I had to learn. I've also noticed that I'm far more patient than I was when I started knitting about ten years ago. It's become a more meditative activity. It's good.

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We've been doing an elimination diet with Veda to test for food allergies, and I believe we've found the culprit. SOY. There are a couple more steps to make sure that that's the thing (and the only thing), but I'm almost completely certain. While we've been doing the elimination diet Veda's GI symptoms have abated (well, until we introduced some soy back in), and she's grown about 1/2 of an inch within the last month and looks to have filled out a bit more. I'm excited to think that we've finally gotten to the bottom of things. At the same time, a soy allergy is going to be a PAIN IN THE A$$. Do you realize just how many things contain soy? Practically all processed foods. Ice cream, crackers, frozen foods... it's everywhere. And for this vegetarian mom and dad, it throws some serious complications into dinner. No tofu... no freezer section veggie burgers...it's going to change things up.

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Remember this little pooch?



That's our little Mimi. I got her as a puppy five years ago. Five years goes fast, and it seems that Mimi is no longer a spring chicken. A couple of problems have sprung up for our girl. She's become incontinent, which is common for spayed females, but it seems to have happened a little early for Mimi. She's going to be going on a medication to help her have some more control, but sadly she'll have to be on it for the rest of her life. She also has some pateller luxation, which means that one of her knee joints sometimes slides out of place. It's painful enough for her that it causes her to limp for a few days at a time and have trouble getting up and down. Her case isn't serious enough to require surgery, so we'll treat her with medication when it's bothering her. It's going to cause arthritis down the road, but we'll deal with that when we get there.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Things You Did Today 8/8/12

This morning we had our first playgroup with the other mommies and kiddies in our little town since school let out for the summer. The kids were excited to go. Veda decided to pack up Baby Stella's carrier. "I need to pack my things!"

The Baby Stella carrier is so far the only way (other than stripping Stella's clothes off) that Veda has any interest in dolls.

For context, here's the Baby Stella carrier with Stella strapped in.


And here are the things Veda "needed" to pack. 



I can already tell this girl is going to need a big purse.


In other news, Linus is obsessed with rocket ships. OBSESSED. He says he wants to be an astronaut and be the first man to walk on Mars. (Before you think he's THAT precocious, this statement was made in response to a question in a book about astronauts.)

Yesterday I made a lasagna in the slow cooker. It's not as great as traditional lasagna, but it doesn't heat the house up like the oven would. Anyhoo, the kids couldn't say lasagna clearly. And they also refused to eat it. Then Linus called it launchpad. And they started eating it. Whatever it takes. So lasagna is now officially known as launchpad in our house.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Things You Did Today 8/7/12

I like to use grocery bags to collect kitchen scraps to save time when I'm cooking, to line the tiny bathroom garbage can, and to collect stinky diapers. So, it's natural for the kids to associate grocery bags with garbage.

Add to this that Mr. Linus has adopted a habit lately of hugging his favorite toys and telling them he loves them.

This morning my husband asked me to meet him at the Panera near his office while we were out to deliver the workout clothes he had forgotten at this house this morning. He was running a little late, so the three of us galumphed into line to get a bagel to appease the kids.

What was I holding? The grocery bag of workout clothes.

Linus embraced the bag in a great show of sincerity and screamed, "I love you, garbage!". And because Veda didn't want to be left out, she joined in on the screaming fun.

I was a little embarrassed, but mostly I was laughing.

I did tell them to stop screaming. But mostly I was doing the silent laugh when they weren't looking at me.