Dorothy's new hat

You can see Faith's Sts Francis and Clare medal there. On the back it says "Where there is darkness, let me bring light."

There's a smile!

The hat is from sportweight Felici self-striping yarn, merino wool with a touch of nylon. The little buttons on the side are from a dress all the older girls wore that finally disintegrated. I might write up a pattern if anyone is interested. 

It's warm and soft and perfect. Just like those two.

I've been framed

New house has rooms framed!

These will become two more bedrooms, bringing the final total to five. Current bunkings planned: Faith and Abby, Bede and Gilbert, Trixie and Gloria (Dorothy older), Sean, Phoebe (Dorothy now.) That gives us an "extra" room, but with all those doors around we might be inclined to spawn more villagers, so eventually there could be more in the mix. Also, Bede may or may not make a good roommate and could end up with his own room. We will see.

Please be seated

Dorothy sitting up. She's a little person. (For instance, today she ate about one third of a banana.) Also there seems to be some misuse of the bouncy chair going on there, baby. Pretty sure you're not supposed to roll on your tummy in it.

mbti

Me: ENFP
Sean: ISTJ
Faith: INFJ
Abby: INTP

My brother died

Last week. Or something. December 14th, the same day as that awful business in Connecticut.

He had cancer, for five years, and now he's gone. And I miss him.

Christmas morn

So this happened.

Bede got a VIACOM and a SEGA shirt. They continue his collection of logo shirts: he has Warner Brothers, PBS, Nickelodeon, Google, Universal, and Coca-Cola.

Dorothy with her stuffs.

Little girls with ponies and a castle.

Bigger girl with pony.

And other bigger girl with dragon.

Husband and father of a decidedly increased tribe.

Aww, look! He got me a box of ammunition! That's love.

Gilbert and his LEGO.

Bede got Minecraft magnets, which he is using to spell "Google".

It's snowing here. Really coming down.

Little church on the prairie

The view out our church windows at St Damien of Molokai Catholic Church. On the edge of the world.

hat progress

Not bad.

There's a cross hidden there, coming out of the ribbing. 

A discovery

I put my phone in a Ziploc bag so Dorothy wouldn't get drool on it and was surprised to learn that the touchscreen still functions.

A fool's errand?

I decided to knit hats for our two priests at the last minute. I really have until Epiphany to get them done. I can manage that, I think.

A sick boy

Poor Gilbert came home early because he is ill.

polly wants a cracker

Dorothy has begun hungrily looking at my food and attempting to grab it. She cries when the food goes by her on my lap, on the way to my mouth, if she doesn't get a taste. She can sit upright for a little while, having more trouble with balance than strength.

All that means, teeth or no, she's ready to eat (sob!)

Mmm, soda cracker. Nutritious? Not really. But it's fun, and the texture is crisp then dissolves quickly, and sweetens a bit as the salivary enzymes go to it. She liked it!

Nice day with the little girls

Gloria and Trixie eating apples. Trixie recently lost a loose tooth and can now eat un-cut apples again.

Dorothy watches the bigger girls play and probably wishes she could figure out how the heck they walk around.

But she's pretty happy, even if she can't.

some drama

Four of my children are gone to Christmas Drama Camp this week. 8-5, Monday-Thursday. My house is very quiet and we keep trying to talk to the people who aren't here. 

Bede deeply wanted to go too, but we don't have a spare adult to act as his 1-1 aide. Next spring I'll try to get him set up for the weekly homeschool class at the performing arts center where the kids take drama. Those classes are about two hours once a week, well within our grasp. Although, some of his desire was for a water bottle and lunch bag like the attendees got. And cookies. He woke up with them and got dressed to the shoes, even though he was being told (repeatedly) that he was staying home. "I AM NOT STAYING HOME WITH MOM! I DON'T LIKE STAYING!" He was okay once he was given a bag with a few cookies and told he would get to go in the spring. Poor dude!

He's just fine now though.

See?

Old dog, new trick.

I've used a ring sling for every baby, but tonight is the first time I've used a mei tai. See! how the baby is happy on my back! Marvel! at my free hands! Wonder no more! how I will cook dinner!

Ignore! the dirty mirror!

ETA: And now she's fallen asleep.

There is a crack, a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in.

The footings were poured last week at the new house! That was the last thing we were waiting on. We can move in next week if we like. I am going to wait to move until after Christmas, though. I think. I might be just crazy enough to attempt a move before then, but it is Highly Unlikely.

Here are some of the Wee Glees listening to Sean read today's Advent scripture. Everyone likes it when we add a candle. The Light increases.

Here's Dorothy, hiding behind Faith.

So the question now is one of light and doors. The double glass doors that currently lead to the outside patio will soon lead to two rooms. This will cut way down on the delicious natural light that streams into the living room. In order to keep as much as possible, I am inclined to keep the glass doors, even though they will lead into bedrooms. They can be curtained off, after all, for privacy when it is needed. None of the bedrooms in our house are occupied by only one person anyway, so true "privacy" is moot. In that way I hope to retain at least some of the light. Our builder is skeptical but I think it will still be rather a lot.

Disana wool soaker

With Dorothy, I usually use man-made materials for her diaper covers. I have a real soft spot for wool though, and have used it to the exclusion of other cover material in the past with other children. There was a lengthy period where I had three in wool at once - that's where being a knitter is the most useful!

I have one wool cover for her, a Disana soaker. These are such nice covers! Here's Dorothy in hers, with a pinned prefold underneath.

And here she is with Gilbert. Aww.