Slotzky The HuhMan and Other Tales

(DSL is back up and has been for some time...we apologize for the delay and now return you to your regularly scheduled programming. WARNING: You'll understand why there are no photos in a minute, but be warned that this is a text-heavy post.)

Jackson loves Frosty. With Thanksgiving behind us and the Christmas music in full swing at Chez y&g, we've heard a lot of "Frosty the Snowman" lately. Or, as Jackson calls him, "Slotzky The HuhMan." He digs Rudolph too, but I think he's really onto the "magic in that old silk hat they found" when it comes to Slotzky's...er, Frosty's story. I wonder if we'll get sick of singing it? I mean, seeing Christmas through the eyes of our almost-2-year-old is newfound fun for all, I swear. It's amazing.

Anyway, yeah, so I've been out. Er, offline. And even when I was online, I was offline. It seems that I'm pregnant again* - which is terribly exciting, albeit a bit more nerve-wracking this time - and I can't stay awake. I'm comforted by this debilitating symptom because it makes me feel like "we're on" with this one, but MY GOD...it's really, really, really hard to never be awake AND take care of your toddler. (Let alone blog, communicate with anyone or prepare for the holidays...)

So without going on and on and on about my new life on my couch, somewhere in between always hungry and always feeling sick, I'll just tell you that I'm back. Today felt a lot better (thanks to gathering at Turtle Bread with Ginny, Christina and Kristen!) and I'm hoping to be out of these woods soon...

When I was pregnant with Jackson, I felt extreme food aversions for a few things, namely: hummus (!) and salad (!). That did not bode well for this hummus-pita-salad-lovin' vegetarian. I've been on the lookout for aversions and cravings but I may be safe so far. I mean I HAVE to have orange-strawberry-banana juice about 10 times a day and can't live without fresh strawberries and strawberry poptarts (the kind from the Co-op), but that's normal in late November, right?

The one aversion I have noted though, is...I can't even believe I'm about to type this...KNITTING. I HATE KNITTING RIGHT NOW. There, at least "right now" at the end made me feel better. Like there's hope that my extensive stash and needle collection are not going to end up on Craig's List anytime soon. But seriously, a little help here? I mean, knitting is not supposed to make you feel sick, make you feel queasy, make you have to go lie down on the couch or...gasp!...off to the craft room to reclaim another old craft!

Yes, it's true. I have 7 projects on the knitting needles that I've sufficiently covered up in the basket on the buffet, so I don't actually have to see the yarn. I can't stand the sight of it. But in the meantime, I've gone back to cross-stitch and am madly stitching away (when I'm awake) on an adorable Christmas ornament with a train on it for Jackson. (He actually identified it as a "choo-choo" in its early stages, so that's a good thing...) Don't get me wrong, I love cross-stitch and have loved it since I was in 2nd grade or so. It's always been my back-up craft. I just hope this passes quickly** because I thought that I loved knitting too...

I knew I was in trouble when a few weeks ago I devised a list of all of my family members and something small and easy that I could knit for each of them for Christmas, on-time AND allowing for mailing delays. I completed this list and then I fell asleep on the couch. I woke up at 11pm that night (on the couch) and went to bed. The next morning I said to myself,

"well...there goes that plan..."
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*Baby is due in July '08...it's still very early...other than losing my crafting identity and all sense of control in my life, I feel okay...first midwife appointment is next week...once again, good juju, positive energy and prayers are readily and graciously accepted.

**I have a feeling that cross-stitch is here to stay for awhile though...since I took out my 20-year project (that I've been working on for 6 years, I just knew it was a 20-year project when I bought it) and thought I might like to knock off few chart sections on it. It's only a Frank Lloyd Wright saguaro cactus, on 28-ct. fabric measuring 5.5" x 17" (in cross-stitch talk, that's a million teeny freaking stitches...).

***There was no 3rd asterisk, but I have to also tell you that Dan is my hero. He was off work for the last five days and changed every single diaper that Jackson soiled during that time. He took the kid out for adventures, shopping, romped around the house, played every game imaginable, read every book in our house 50 times and was an all-around great Dad. Thank you, Dan!!! (Oh yeah, the Big Boy Bed Report: HE LIKES IT! No more crib sleeping around here...)