Stomach Flu:

Well, it was my turn, I guess. Everyone else seems to have had it. This was the single worst viral illness I have ever had in my life -which is saying a lot. I thought I would die. This now makes FOUR major viruses since Thanksgiving. I am losing my good humor to say the least. I can't even remember what it is like to feel good and strong. How did I do so much stuff and so much work last summer? Now I can barely face my basic responsibilities. I feel so helpless, and weak. I want the winter to be over. I want to take long walks with the sun on my back in the late afternoon. No more of this. It's too much.

Now here's a picture of my daughter in her snowpants with junk and boogies on her face. Cute, no?

Yikes:

This person is really no longer a baby. She is almost TWO.

Her first year seemed very long, and then this second one has slipped by. I feel like we just had her first birthday party a few months ago, but no. She is such a little girl now. I really like it. Babies are great and all, and I miss my baby, but this is where it's at. This child can count a little bit, and sing the first three letters of the alphabet, and several other song beginnings. She identifies the letters 'A' and 'B' everywhere she sees them. She speaks in complete sentances most of the time now, and makes observations to me all thoughout the day. She is good company, and I like her. When I think back to the time before Rayona it seems like a million years ago. It's like she was always here.

Thank you:

For all the awesome response to Rayona's doll here and on Flickr. I am working as fast as I can on the next two for Etsy. I never expected to get inquiries, but it's a very pleasant surprise. The new dolls will most likely have all knitted clothes as I stated earlier, because I don't have a sewing machine that can do overlock stitching, and I worry about durability with play clothes. I may change my mind about that if I can come up with a really simple blouse or skirt pattern that I like. We'll see. I just know that knitted stuff will stand up to almost anything. Ray likes to take her dolls' clothes off a lot.


Anyway, I got REALLY sick this week. Really sick. I'm sort of better now, but not all the way by any means. Ray had ear and sinus infections. This is the third time since Thanksgiving we've been sick, and it's enough already. Between that and travel the house is still not as clean as I'd like it to be, and I feel powerless to do much about it. Yesterday was the first time all week I could really get up at all. This has to end soon. I need to get back to normal. I want to clean and bake, and do all the things that make this place a functioning home. Everything has just sort of stopped. I also would like very much to leave my house again one of these days, and not just for a miserable, coughing, nauseous, slog through the snow drifts to take the cranky, drippy, crusty, bundled up toddler to the pediatrician, either. There.

Happy New Year

We are having a lazy day. We both ended up being home for part of the day which was really nice. Damn, it's cold out there.

Poor little Ray is still fighting a cold which includes much clinging, whining, and huge amounts of green boogies. It's clear that she just doesn't feel well at all. She sleeps a lot, and wants to be held at all times. So be it.

2008 was a weird year for everyone it seems. I got to see my baby turn into a child most notably, and we didn't have any family tragedies, so I have to say over all that it was a good year, though financially it STUNK. A few things happened that I was really hoping for.

I have high hopes for 2009. I think it will be better in some ways, but there will be a lot of work to do. That's ok.

I think I may have completed more knitting projects in 2008 than ever before. I must have knitted every day to some extent. I hope to maintain this pace. My Etsy shop has done a tiny bit of business, and I hope for a little more this year. I am very excited about the waldorf dolls, and am dreaming up their little personalities while I await my supplies.

I hope you all are having a great start to your year, and look forward to seeing what the future holds for all of my bloggy friends.