The Atkinsons

Knitting, Pregnancy, and an Olive Update

Gosh, life sure does go by fast. Here is a brief update on some of the things going on in the Atkinson household (if you care about that sort of thing.)

Knit.

I finished my third Christmas stocking. I have to admit I have been kind of feeling like I didn't like how all the colors went together. I hate that I have the ability to knit these amazing things that take me forever and then I can not like the end product! I hate that I can see finished colors or projects and know what looks good but I just don't have the vision for how things will look when I am picking out yarns! I will openly admit that I had a complete breakdown and cried for at least an hour, decided I would throw out my needles and never knit again, and then picked myself up and dusted myself off and told myself that maybe all my projects may not turn out perfectly but I do make SOME things that I do like, and in the end despite what the finished product may look like I find so much joy in the process, so it's all going to be ok! ok? 

P.S. I blame said break down to being 5 months pregnant.

I have picked another color for my next stocking but I can always knit more until I feel like I really have achieved the color scheme I want, or whatever- and I can always sell or give away the ones I am ruling out. So that is what I am telling myself for now. However, I have for the time being decided to give the stockings a break (I can still get the forth one done before Christmas) and start on a more pressing issue now that I know the sex of my baby, a blanket! I looked at lots of options and decided that I would tweak the pattern of a larger blanket and see how it turns out (cross your fingers.) I've had some successful and some not so successful attempts at altering patterns but this pattern is quite easy and it doesn't require any sizing like clothes so I should be ok. (As long as I like the colors when I'm done!)I'm basing it off this simple Martha stewart blanket pattern but a lot smaller and with multiple color blocks, wish me luck! It really shouldn't take me long so you should see the finished product soon! 

I think the yellow may be replaced with something a little less... bold.

Pregnancy.

Well here i am, 5 and a half months pregnant. I feel like I got here fast, life is just too busy for me to really have time to think about it. In general I have pretty easy pregnancies compared to a lot of women but I also have some of the same symptoms everyone else has in the first few months- impulsive vomit episodes, leg cramps, you know all that fun stuff. I have to say though with Olive my 5th month was by far the hardest and I am finding it to be the same in this pregnancy, but in a different way. I have had spells of complete exhaustion where getting out of bed and functioning seemed like the most daunting task and I have been emotional beyond compare, like crying every ten minutes (like in said knitting story.) So far I have not been the mean emotional person, you know the one that blames everything on everyone and hates the world (at least I think I'm not) but mostly just my hormones do something cray cray and all the sudden I'm in a puddles of tears with no explanation. Also in yoga class if my teacher comes by and does any sort of adjustment when I am in a pose it makes me want to cry. It's a little weird, but I think things could be worse. Besides that I am ecstatic to be having a boy! And for Olive to have a sibling and to expand our family- big changes coming in October 2014 Hooray! 

Olive.

My little Olive. She was born with such a sweet spirit and though she will definitely struggle with a Mom that can't pick her up all the time and is holding another little baby in place or her, she will definitely make such a sweet loving older sister. 

So many little things I want to remember about my Olive right now. She has changed so much and in a lot of ways it's easier and in a lot of ways it's harder. She is so much more aware and understands more, although she still doesn't really prefer to talk much. She has little phrases she likes to say like "where are you?" and "there it is!" (when she finds what she is looking for) She recently started asking "where are you going" (which made me realize how often I ask her that) and on occasion she will shock me and just say words with the accompanying sign- but then decide she doesn't want to say it again, typical :) So the words are in her brain, she doesn't really see it necessary to let them out. (And sometimes will hit my face if I try to get her to say words when she does not want to... thanks Olive.) The one thing that will always get her talking is music, she loves to sing! Recently we love Old MacDonald, the Ants go marching (in which she marches by lifting one leg much higher than the other,) and the wheels on the bus. She has always gone down for naps and bedtimes very easily but has recently started to put up some resistance. I think she has figured out that life goes on when she is in there and she is not all too happy about it. She still loves to point to things in books or outside and have me say what it is, and if we see any bird, ant, or butterfly we let out loud gasps and get very excited! She loves to have me dress up her little animals in her clothes or in toy clothes and she loves to imitate little things that I do. (Whenever she imitates my sneezes it is just about my favorite thing ever.) She is starting to be more independent but is still a total Mommy's girl, unless on occasion mommy is upset with her for something and she thinks Daddy can save her, I allow for this to happen (for now) because I think it makes her Daddy very happy. She is so adventurous and happy and I feel so beyond blessed to have her in my life. I know I'll look back and I'll want to feel that I've fully cherished everything that comes with this short period in my life, and so I try each day to do so. I love you little Olive.