Arthur is now a walking 1 year old!

Arthur is no longer my little baby, he is fast becoming a walking toddler!

This video was taken a week before his 1st birthday on the 2nd of December and he's much more confident now, he's walking all around the house.. following me everywhere!! He can turn corners now without toppling over so Rose hardly ever has a moment of peace without him following her and trying to wrestle her! They are definitely ones to enjoy some rough play, if I hear Arthur crying out I'll go into the room their in and check no ones hurt and Most of the time I catch him being rougher with Rose than she is to him. He's finally getting some pay-back time are being pushed around for months by his big sister! 

I've been finishing off a few more craft projects...

I crocheted these maybelle flowers aggess ago with the intention of making them into a garland and then for a month they sat forgotten about while I got on with other things, then when I returned to finish off the garland I decided I'd actually prefer the look of them as a cushion instead. I turned the flowers into the Maybelle squares and then added a slightly floral red backing fabric and I love the way it's turn out. It now has pride of place on my sofa.

I finished off the little cardigan I was knitting for Gem's bump... it's supposed to be unisex as they don't know the sex of the baby but the blue buttons are quite floral.. Oh well, I think they look lovely. Even if the baby is a boy, a little bit of prettiness never hurt anyone! 

I came across my Best ever charity shop find the other day. I never come across items like this usually but I was obviously having a very fortunate day! This crocheted granny square throw/shawl was put in the charity shop by some crazy person and it was priced at only £7.50! I absolutely adore it and it's made with 4ply yarn so must have taken forever to make, I can't believe someone got rid of it!

Last night I finished Rose's Maggie rabbit that I'm going to give to her on Christmas day. I'm super chuffed with her because I'm not very experienced with hand-sewing but the pattern was really detailed and it was actually pretty simple! I love her... 

Our house isn't looking very festive at the moment, as we are currently going with a brown box Everywhere theme this year... we are moving on the 3rd of January (back to Dorset!) and so we are having to pack everything up in the next couple of weeks. We're going to stay with my family for a couple of day's over Christmas so at least we'll enjoy a bit of Christmas cheer there instead!

I'm so exciting about moving but also a little terrified. It feels a bit like I'm going to be starting all over again with the whole making friends thing, I hated not knowing anybody when we first moved here to Chichester but I need to remind myself that it's totally different this time. Now I have the children as a way to meet people and I'm pretty chatty, so I should make some friends quite quickly.. I hope! We have a couple of friends that will live about a 15 minute drive from us but I'd like to get settled and meet some people that live directly in my area too.. Finger's crossed. Wish us luck!

xxx

A little catch up with my most recent makes...

I finished Rose's Sunday sweater the other week. She wore it a few times before I even got around to blocking it! It looks so much better after being blocked though and the stitches look so much smoother. I knit the 4/5 year size thinking it would be pretty baggy on her and last for a couple years but it fits pretty much perfectly. Rose is just so tall! People seem generally shocked when I tell them she's not 3 until January, she looks so much older already..

I wouldn't usually go for such a girly pink colour when knitting but this Cascade yarn is from the 'heather' range and is quite multi-tonal, there are little flecks of light and dark pinks in there. I like the prettiness of it though and it looks lovely with a lot of her dresses.

When I was back in Bridport last month I bought two skeins of this yarn by Araucania Yarns. It's called Puelo and is double knit weight. The yarn is 100% llama and is very soft, initially I was planning on knitting myself a hat and then like usual, I changed my mind.

I decided to knit Arthur a jumper, from a pattern that I'd had saved on my Ravelry favourites list for ages. It's called Livingston and is the most lovely jumper. The yarn knit up like a dream and is so soft on Arthur's skin. I really enjoyed knitting the jumper but the pattern was so much more complicated than what I prefer... you had to start knitting from the bottom up, then knit the sleeves separately on DPN's, then attach them all together on the circular needle, then there were instructions to break the yarn on several occasions while knitting the top part of the jumper. All in all there were a Lot of ends to sew in at the end!

You can't really tell from these photographs but the little wooden buttons have tree's engraved on them. Very sweet, I bought them from Cloth Kits a while ago. I'd actually only bought three for some reason a couple months back, then when I realised that I needed one more I popped back into the shop and after a search I found the very last button they had in the shop. It was like it was meant to be! 

I knit the 12 month size but as I was using double knit weight yarn instead of sport, it turned out more around the 18 month size. Arthur is a quite a big boy at 11 months now though, so it already fits him! It just has a small amount of room for growth on the arms and length. Perfect really. :-)

I've also knitted a pair of Edwin Creams and happily managed to get one pair out of a 50g ball of Rowan pure wool 4ply. I just had to make the ribbing section a little shorter and be careful not to waste any yarn. I think the next time I knit these I will knit with 2.75mm needles though as these are slightly loose and because I'm always pushing the buggy, they tend to roll up a little which is a bit annoying. The perfect excuse to knit another pair!

I've been sewing quite a few of these drawstring lined pretty bags for me to store my knitting projects in. I'm attempting to get myself more organised! They are rather addictive to sew because they are so simple though and I've even sewn one for Rose's spare nursery clothes. She starts going to nursery 3 afternoon's a week the week after next and I am really looking forward to have a bit of one on one time with Arthur, she is so ready to go though and will love it.

Rose and Arthur seem to be growing at an alarming rate these day's... Arthur will be 11 months on Saturday and Rose will be 3 at the end of January. I was looking back on some of my photo's on my laptop from over the last 3/4 years and I can't quite believe how much things have changed!

I mean... he's already able to stand, all by himself!!

I wonder what the next 3 or 4 years hold...

Ashley xxx

A few minutes of 'Me' time!

This afternoon, this happened (this would be a photo of Arthur sleeping in the buggy, just in case it isn't obvious!)...

...and amazingly, this is what was happening at the same time! It doesn't happen very often that they are sleeping simultaneously in the day. A treat for Mummy to have a few minutes of peace and quiet!

I managed to knit a few rows of Rose's 'Sunday Sweater'... I LOVE this pattern by Ginny from Small Things, it's written So clearly and it's such a pretty pattern. I already think I may be knitting this in another colour!

It's the first time I've knit with Cascade 220 and so far... I'm impressed! This pale pink colour from the Heathers range looks beautiful when knitted up and it's lovely and soft, not to mention excellent value!

xxxx

Heatwave!

We've had the most wonderful day here today. This morning Ray went for a bike ride with Rose in her bike seat down to the canal where they fed the ducks and watched the boats going up and down the canal. He sent me a video of Rose watching a boat going by whilst they were calling over 'Good morning!' and she looked completely fascinated by it all. It also meant that I had a good hour where the house was a little quieter with just Arthur and I in. Fortunately I managed to get him down for his morning nap quite quickly which meant that after getting dressed, I actually had a little luxury Saturday morning knitting time! Always a bonus!

We went down to a Fun day fair thing that was happening just out of Chichester but returned pretty quickly as it was heaving with people and Rose, who would have enjoyed it much more than us was actually sleeping in the buggy. So after a quick wander around, we returned home (stopping off at the shop for a few picnic goodies) and got everything together to head down to a really beautiful gardens that is a short walk from our house. Unfortunately there was a huge gust of wind through the house as we were about to head out the door and our hallway door slammed on a couple of Rose's fingers. The look on her face was just awful, it must have been so so painful. Luckily there wasn't too much damage and she's just scraped a little skin from above her fingernails on two fingers. But this meant that the walk round to the gardens was a bit stressful with me pulling Rose along on her scooter while she wailed away to herself. No amount of cuddles seemed to make her feel any better, so I ended up singing a Very long version of 'Old MacDonald' to her which she just couldn't resist telling me which animals to sing about next, it didn't stop her crying but we had a little pause between the wails at least!

I'd actually choose to have a simple afternoon in a park any day over a big busy event like the one we went to first of all. It was so lovely to spent some quality time together, just us. Rose was soon distracted from her sore fingers by running around the gardens chasing her ball with either myself or Ray (a little chocolate cake may have also helped here!). It was also peaceful enough that Arthur had a huge nap in the buggy and woke up a very happy chap. I could sit and knit a few rows of Rose's cardigan and have some lovely conversations with Ray.

Apparently the weather is supposed to be beautiful and even warmer tomorrow, so I plan to spend most of my time outdoors if possible!

xxx

How 7 months has flown by...

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Arthur is already 7 months old and I can't quite believe how quickly it has all gone, Rose's first year seemed to go by quite slowly looking back but with Arthur is feels like only yesterday that I gave birth to him. He's a very chunky boy now and sometimes I almost forget about what a tiny poorly baby he was, back when he was only a couple of weeks old. He's very laid-back compared to what Rose was when it comes to rolling...sitting...crawling... he's quite happy to just, lay there really! Rose will roll him onto his front and he's happy as anything giggling away with her but he hasn't quite managed to go over by himself yet. Rose goes and gives him a toy when he's upset, so I think he knows he can get away with being a bit lazy!

I seem to have finally found some motivation now when it comes to trying to lose my baby-weight. According to the scales I've lost a couple of pounds this week which is a good start, I just need to stay away from those sweet treats! I don't have a huge amount to lose... but it's so frustrating not being able to wear any of the nicer clothes in my wardrobe that I feel like putting on. I already have a limited choice of what I can wear due to breastfeeding, so it would be nice to be able to wear a few different things that I've not worn since before I was pregnant with Arthur.

The garden has gone completely wild. Everything seems to have doubled in size within the space of a couple weeks and I'm so behind on keeping on top of it all. I find it a really hard thing to get done at the moment, Rose is okay playing with me out in the garden but as we have a courtyard garden, there isn't a soft lawn to be able to lay Arthur down on and if I pop him in the Bumbo seat, he always seems to be able to reach over and grab things that I don't particularly want him putting in his mouth. My Nan is coming to stay for a few day's nearer the end of the month and she always helps me out a Lot in the garden, so I'm really looking forward to getting a bit of advice from her and finding out how to control the huge giant plants that have grown out there.

I've cast on Another knitting project... (I know, so unlike me!) and it's the Granny's Favourite cardigan from Ravelry. It's a lovely pattern, now that I've got the hang of the pattern. There is a LOT of writing to get your head around and with the huge range of sizing options, it can get a little confusing as to which numbers to actually concentrate on. I'm sure it doesn't need to be a whole Ten pages long...

A heatwave has been predicted in this part of the world over the next week, which would be a Very nice contrast to the wet weather we've had for most of the last few months. Hopefully we'll get down the beach again while the weather is nice, as Rose absolutely adores it down there... the sand does just get Everywhere though! 

xxx

Rose can finally wear it...!

Agesss ago I knitted this sweet little dress for Rose. I've just realised it was almost a whole year ago that I finished it... time really does fly! Today I saw it hanging in her wardrobe and thought I would see if it fits her yet and it was a perfect fit! She seems to be shooting upwards at the moment so I'll have to put her in it as much as possible while it still fits her!

The bottom could really do with a good blocking really but I'm just too lazy. Plus I just don't know where I can do it and keep the pins out of Rose's reach! If only we had a spare room that I could shut the door to.

It was hard to take a nice photo of her wearing it as she was glued to a game on the ipad! We have been at a toddler group all morning and had a friend and her little girl round for lunch, so she was enjoying a treat... plus it keeps her Very quiet while I'm sorting out Arthur! 

I received some lovely new yarn in the post this morning. :-) I swapped it with someone on Instagram, she wanted some sock yarn that I wasn't totally keen on and in return I got this. I need to search on Ravelry for a couple of projects to go with these 2 balls.. I especially love the colour of the 4ply Rowan Siena, it has a beautiful sheen to it.

  

Well, time to crack on with the dinner for this evening... shepherds pie tonight. I need to try out some new recipes really, I end up cooking the same 8 or so meals in rotation. It has to be something fairly simple with these two keeping me busy at the moment though!

Love Ashley xxx

I know, it's been a little while...

It's been ages since I've even been on my laptop... since having Arthur I've just not had the time really to sit down and browse blogs like I usually enjoy doing. Then we treated ourselves to an iPad and I just end up using the apps on there to quickly look up different things...

Then yesterday evening I found myself back in blogland and realised how much I've missed it. I've been on Instagram a Lot the last few months (my username is countryrosecrafts) but it's not the same kind of diary that I used to love writing on here. Being able to write as much as you want with a few select photo's, a blog is such a lovely thing to be able to look back through the archives and remember what you and your family got up to months or even years ago.

I find that when I'm writing the blog, I have more motivation to get craft projects finished. Lately I've had so many different projects on the go and not getting many finished, so I decided a couple of weeks ago that I would try and finish a few of my WIP's before I start anything else.

I Finally finished my Alice Caterpillar mitts! I will have to take some proper photo's to put on my Ravelry... I really really need to update my Ravelry page. Something else to try and fit in!

I'm trying to get this cardigan finished for Arthur. I've just got the inside border to finish off now, I spent far too long this lunchtime picking up hundreds of stitches... not my favourite part of knitting I have to say!

 

On another note, Rose is looking Extremely grown up these day's. She's now going to nursery school two mornings a week, she seems to come on leaps and bounds every time I pick her up!

We've been doing a spot of baking... Not helping me shed those post-baby pounds!

...and Arthur's gotten a Lot bigger. 

We had a real scare when he was around 10 day's old, he caught a nasty virus off of Rose and Ray and was just too little to fight it off. We took him into A&E (I didn't even know if he was poorly enough to take him in, I've never actually taken Rose to the Doctors...) about 3pm in the afternoon and by 10pm we were upstairs in the paediatric HDU, then by midnight that night he was transferred to Southampton Intensive care on a ventilator. I've never prayed so hard in all my life!

It really was the scariest few day's of my life so far. He actually recovered from the virus quicker than they expected him to and was only in Intensive care for a few days before being transferred back to our local hospital. As a woman that had only recently given birth to her second baby, I don't think all the extra added hormones helped me feel any better either! I was terrified that I wouldn't be able to carry on breastfeeding as it's so important to me but they had an amazing pump at the hospital and they were actually able to feed Arthur my breast milk through his NG tube. I thought he may have forgotten how to feed after so many day's without feeding from me but he was back on the boob like he'd never been away! haha

As you can see from the photo's, he's definitely fighting fit again! Thank goodness...

 

I plan to get back to blogging regularly again. It definitely makes me think to use my 'proper' camera more often. These day's I just end up using my iPhone but the photo's aren't as good as when I take them on the camera..

Well I hope you are all well, I'm sorry it's been so long but hopefully this will be me back blogging again. 

Love Ashley xxx

My attempt to get back in the blogging world before baby arrives!

So, tomorrow I will be turning 38 weeks pregnant. Believe me when I say that I already feel way further along than that though! This pregnancy has been a whole lot tougher second time round... probably mainly down to me having to care for a hyper toddler at the same time as growing this baby. I probably sound very dramatic as I know so many of you women have done exactlyyy the same thing at some point along the line. I'm an only child, where as Ray is 1 of 7 sibling's and I now have a wholeee new respect for his Mum!

I've been measuring rather big this pregnancy and at my 35 week appointment my midwife measured me as over 40cm's when I should have only been 35. This meant that I went for a growth scan on my birthday last week and the baby is actually measuring 3 weeks bigger than he should be at this stage... and apparently has a rather large head!! (Ouch!) So after having a perfect homebirth with Rose first time round, my plans have changed somewhat and instead I'll be going into the birthing centre at the hospital to have the baby. I felt quite upset about it originally but have now come round to the idea of it and after going for a tour around the maternity unit today, I'm actually feeling really positive about going into hospital. The most important thing is mine and the baby's safety and I'll still have a gorgeous bundle at the end of it all... even if he is a big bruiser! haha

So I thought I would update you all (unless you're on Instagram) on how much Rose has grown! She's now 22 months and a complete handful! She seems to have reached the 'terrible two's' a bit early and we've been having plenty of tantrums and tears around here... I have everything crossed that it's just a phase she's going through and we'll all come out of it at the end okay! One thing's for sure, she's not gonna know what's hit her when this baby brother of hers arrives!

Even though I've not been blogging much recently, I have been doing a bit of crafting... I'll give you a quick catch-up. I'm afraid these are all Instagram photo's so some of you may have seen them before but I need to get using my Canon much more again!

I made this little snuggle comfort blanket for the baby... I'd seen quite a few other baby's with them but they were sooo expensive, so I thought I would give it a go making my own instead and I was really happy with the end result.

I knit/crocheted this tea cosy for a lovely lady who's a family friend of Ray's family, she loved it which I was relieved about!

I finally got my act together and finished knitting this little cable vest for the baby. I made a couple of little mistakes on it but thankfully they don't really notice unless I were to point them right out. 

I've been working on my 'Alice Caterpillar' mitts, I've Almost finished them but am working on Christmas presents at the moment so they've temporarily been put to the side...

I started a blue baby blanket for the baby and I've actually finished it! I just need to take some good photo's on my camera to show you the end result. I knitted it in Debbie Bliss 'Glen' yarn that I bought at the Knit and Stitch show in London and am over the moon with it, it's so so soft and cosy.

 

I've sewn an apron for my Nan for Christmas. (I've made her aware that getting down on the floor to cut up the fabric was pretty much impossible with my size at the moment and so she'd better wear it at least once even if she hates it!)

And here are a couple more shots of Rose... just in case you forgot what she looks like! haha

(Ray took her for a trip into town yesterday to get an all-in-one rain suit, it's fleece-lined and means that she can now have as much fun as she wants splashing in puddles! Before, we were getting through countless changes of clothing because I'm just Not quick enough to keep her out of the water... seriously, she'll spot a puddle a mile off and just Run for it!

This was my size 2 weeks ago... 

...and I'm now at this stage, of feeling the size of a whale and bouncing on the birthing ball daily trying to tempt the little one to come say hello already! 

Sorry, I know it's been a bit of a long babble this post.. at least I've kind of caught up with myself now so I can get back into a regular routine with my blogging. Oh how I've missed it... :-(

I hope you are all well and I'm planning to come on by to your blogs to catch up with them too...

Love Ashley xxxxx