Did you know I make phenomenal deviled eggs?  Well, I do.

So happy to be off work when we have weather like this!

I neglected to buy a sled, so Ben improvised.

Today I turned 31.  As a treat to myself I requested off today and the next two days from work.  How I love being home with my boy! 

I woke up before him and took a long hot shower.  I used ALL my lotions and scrubs.  Then I knit while Jack ate breakfast.



After he helped me put the curlers away, and declared my hair "silly," we bought cupcakes.


He easily convinced me to eat at least one right away.


The nanny came over and I excused myself to a relaxing, unhurried lunch. 


Followed by a soothing massage at the student clinic ($23 an hour is hard to beat!)


When I got home Jack was just going down for a "nap."  Naps have morphed into "quiet time."  He doesn't sleep every day anymore. But he will stay in his bed for a couple hours, playing and reading quietly to himself.  I'm fine with that.  More knitting, this time with Ron Swanson.


Ben came home early and we did presents and cupcakes!

Then we talked to my folks on facetime.  Mom read a book to Jack.   Then he went outside to shovel snow and throw snowballs.

Our sitter came back (eventually, Brian covered for a little while because the snow backed up traffic) and we went on a real, true date.  Dinner at Le Central.  DELICIOUS!  My lamb shank isn't pictured because I forgot.  I was in a mini food coma by then. 

We picked up a few small treats at Target and came home to a sleeping boy.   Not pictured: Watching New Girl in my jammies with my hubby.

What a wonderful day!

Ugh.  I was back-up-back-up today (call #3) and I got called into work at 05:40 this morning.  Did two patients at a time in our main room.  Transfused two units of blood.  Got blood pressures down from 190s to 140s.  Took out 10.3 liters gross of fluid (8 net).  Called in a faulty alarm to biomed. The usual.  But not usual for a Sunday morning.

Laid low this afternoon knitting and watching Two Towers.

Jack got to attend his friend's birthday party.  I was sad to miss out - Trish throws amazing parties. Ben took this video of them playing live action Angry Birds. 

Then after nap Jack asked to play Kinect. He loves this game where he builds a castle and then destroys it as a dragon.  When the game puts a crown on his head he calls himself a queen- not a king, mind you. 

Ha ha! Having a child is finally paying off in labor. If only he would learn not to dump the snow where the path should be.

I made this top out of the most luxurious yarn.  I LOVE Anzula Squishy.



The color is most like this first photo. 



I added the sleeves to the pattern - they turned out great!  I'm worried about the neckline.  It felt really well when I tried it on mid-knit.  But now that it's blocked and the ruffles weigh it down, the neck is stretching too much.  I might track down some trim at you-know-where to sew along the inside for stability. 



I also finished the first gauntlet from the Downton Abbey knit-a-long. But that means I'm still two episodes behind, so don't talk to me about anything recent!

We are having a rough winter.  There's a lot of changes on the horizon for us, though I don't want to talk about anything until it's really final.  But there's a lot of stress and hope involved. 

On top of that we've had a lot of stressful events.  Difficulties with work for both of us.  Ben had to go to urgent care for a profusely bleeding nose.   Jack had a big fall today, with a goose egg bump and vomiting afterward.  Our nanny hasn't worked a full week since Christmas break due to multiple sick days. 

So yeah, I haven't been posting much.

In between all of this I try to knit a little, play with my kid, keep the household functioning, and watch Parks and Rec reruns to quiet my mind. 

I think back to a song Ben put on a mix tape for me the first year we were dating, when I was 18 and he was 19. 

Here's wishing you the bluest sky,
And hoping something better comes tomorrow.
Hoping all the verses rhyme,
And the very best of choruses to
Follow all the doubt and sadness.
I know that better things are on the way.

This haircut is courtesy of Tow Maters Tall Tales and a bowl of M&Ms.