Drum Roll, Please...

Presenting...

Grandbebe Quilt Number Four!

In Blue and Red vintage (mostly), fabric collected (mostly) by Dearest Sister.

Embroidered by DSis.

Patches cut and assembled by the both of us.

9-Patches machine pieced by me.

Handquilted by me.

Supervised every step of the way by Boy Kitty.

Quality tested by the Cousins.

Made with all the love grown-ups have for their little ones.

New Experiences

After living in northern Colorado for 16 years, Wonderful Guy and I seized the opportunity to go to the National Western Stock Show last month.  My cousin came from western Kansas to attend.  He is a farmer/rancher sort, so was going …you know…as a professional.  The Guy and I were rubberneckers mostly, but also wannabees.

 The outside of the expo center.  There are other critters on the other side, horses and cattle and such.  This was my favorite.

You see. I put the idea in Cousin’s mind that he might raise some fine fleece sheep, and he is okay with that.  Really he is. His plan was to work in attending some of the sheep shows, and with him in tow, my plan was to check out the fleeces. I educated him on what a spinner looks for, or at least, what I look for.  We chatted up the tenders of the fleeces, and he talked up some of the sheep people when I wasn’t around.

We spent some time in the evenings looking at my Fleece and Fiber Source Book (Deb Robson and and Carol Ekarius) checking out the really handsome breeds, the stylin’ breeds with their fine wool, and the ones that we thought might best survive the predators Kansas offers. Otherwise known as the ones with horns and/or the sheep with muscles....

What we figured out is that we have more to figure out before the decision is made and sheeps are purchased.  That is good.  I prefer prudent decision making to rash rushing off.

Then he spent the sheep money on a couple of Scottish Highland cows…which I do believe is his first love!

However.  We drove to Denver for the show on two separate occasions, one with the two eldest Grandgirls in tow.  Omifun!  (And also exhaustion)  There were stories to tell the parental units about pony rides and petting zoos and foot long hot dogs and funnel cakes and ice cream and cotton candy and Cousin getting his boots shined, but the story that got told first?  ‘There was a buffalo with blood on his horn.’  Yep. Blood and gore.  It could have been poop.

Here Grandgirl #1 is detailing the footlong hotdog she shared with her sister for lunch to her parental units.

Grandgirl #2 took about 4 steps to each one of ours! She was zonked within 10 minutes of starting the car.

(Both of the above photos are with camera phones.  No apology, only explanation)

What was a non-event happened at the learning center on the kid's floor.  Members from (I think) the Rocky Mountain Weaver's Guild were demonstrating spinning and weaving.  My grandgirls were all whatever...spinning wheels and wool...seen that....ho hum.  A woman was handing out little tufts of alpaca and telling the observing children that the ladies 'were spinning this alpaca fiber into yarn.' And my girls handed it right off to me.  Here, grandmama, this obviously is for you.

This is just because. She was having fun, and I got a genuine smile from her.

Why I Make...

The things I make...

easter egg hunt bags, made by Grandmama, pattern found on PurlBee
Because there is no better thrill.

None.

Why I Knit

And also, a (not necessarily totally) gratuitious grandbebe photo...

Here's Ginger...wearing one of the cutie pie undershirts I have knitted out of cotton for her enjoyment and her mother's ease of care.

I am seriously missing those grandbebe girls.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday!

Guess who had a birthday?

Guess how many?

She is not a grandbebe anymore.

(not sure what I am going to call her forthwith)

Gratuitous Grandbebe Photo

Just because I think they are awesome.

The girls, well, Grandbebe Girl the First anyway, being the one that talks, almost always asks if they can play the 'pinana', to which I always answer 'yes, single fingers,and be careful to not smash fingers opening and shutting the keyboard...'.

Because why not.

I remember the grandmother on my father's side rarely let me play the piano at their home when we were visiting.  As a gradeschooler. Who had taken lesson from age 5.  I was not going to be pounding the keys, in other words.  But then, I don't remember that we were allowed to do much at their home, except to read, and listen in on the adult conversation.  I do remember there was soda pop, though...

My point is...I am not that grandmother.

I generally don't have soda pop at my house.

Grandmama, Let's Play...

When last the Grandbebes came to spend the night, the toy basket was ignored.  Totally ignored.  And the girls brought over some books for bedtime and one movie.  In my considered opinion, a pretty lame one, and I have told Youngest Daughter that next time bring a good one.  One I want to watch...like Cars, or Toy Story, or Shrek...

But I digress.

My point is that while at Grandmama's, we don't need no stinkin' toys...we play GAMES!

It goes like this.  Grandbebe Girl the First asks 'Grandmama, let's play a game.'  And I answer, 'Alright, what game shall we play?'

And these are some of the games we have played.

• Hide and Seek
• Save Baby Jesus from the Monster
• Roll On the Floor
• Robots
• Chase
• Tickle Monster

Now while some know the rules to Hide and Seek and Tickle Monster and Chase...I bet few have heard how to play 'Save Baby Jesus from the Monster'.  Mostly it's played when Nativity Scenes are handy.

Grandbebe Girl is a bit hard pressed to play Hide and Seek really well.  She is very excitable about being found.  The anticipation gets to be too much, and she leaps from her hidey spots proclaiming her presence.

When I saw her parents arrived on New Years Day, I said to her, 'Your mom and dad are here.  Let's hide from them!', to which she readily agreed.  We scooched under the desk in the office, moving the desk chair in front of us, ostensibly 'hiding' us, but also allowing us to see them come through the front door (and really.. letting them to see us as well) .

As they entered, Grandbebe Girl Two wondered through the office to the front room...pointing to where we were crouched, as Bebe Momma smilingly asked where was her sister...at which point, Grandbebe Girl The First says...

'We're HIDING!'

All part of my plan to be The Fun Grandma!

Gratuitous Grandbebe Photos

I finally got through my downloaded photos, which sort of maybe went back to almost….Thanksgiving.  Why, that’s before Grandbebe Girl, the 4^th was born!

Here she is modeling the hand embroidered onesie by her great aunt Dearest Sister

Weeding out the poorest quality (personal and totally subjective opinion), and those that were almost duplicates, I think I am grateful for digital photography.  It sure makes it easy for me to take pretty decent photos.

But these are pretty easy subjects…

It also makes it easy and inexpensive to take a lot of photos!  Keeping up with the organization on my hard drive is taxing.  But not near as taxing as keeping up with developed photos in the ‘old-school’ manner.  I know. I have plenty of those.

In boxes.  Sort of…sorted.

I remember when I received my first camera for a birthday (pre-5^th grade).  I cranked through the first rolls of film that came with it.  The way my mother went about things at the time was to send of the film for developing to a lab that provided a replacement roll of film free of charge.  Now Momma didn’t just hop right to putting that film in the mail.  Money had to be loosened up for such expenditures, and after the film was finally sent off, developed, and then returned, it was not uncommon for many, many weeks to have passed since that last photo was shot.

I will say this.  It was always a surprise to see my pictures.  And there was not much understanding or growth in what would make a better photograph, because I sure didn’t recall from one time to the next what was going on when that ‘too dark’ one was taken, or why that ‘blurry’ one happened.  It was hit or miss, and always a gift to get a ‘good’ shot.

And what was done, was done.  There were no do-overs with PhotoShop!

Modeling a February Baby Sweater received for Christmas!

All that adds up to why I love my starter dSLR and my antiquated version of PhotoShop, and why it frustrates me that I don’t have more time to spend learning how to do ‘more better faster’ with both of them.

Another February Baby Sweater.

And therein lies part of the problem for me.  With so many possibilities, choices, and raw material, it is very easy to be plain overwhelmed, too.  There's so much I want to learn, so much I would like to do!

In the meantime, I have these little people to keep me occupied.  Really the camera does all the work!

She's Here

 And she's gorgeous.

Her feet tell the family story...long, narrow, with toes that will pick dimes up off the bottom of swimming pools.

And this photo of her momma shows more family history.

This one has no idea how her world is changing!

But then...she will have to slow down just a bit for anything to catch up with her...

She shares her mommas curls, if not the hair color.

I must have been very good this year to have such a Christmas gift.

No Idea (And An FO)

Others had mentioned it, but it didn’t really register, as much I hear, until I have the actual experience. But heaven help me, these grandbebe girls are the blueberry pie after my big family dinner of life!

And I love me some blueberry pie.

We gathered for the Lovely Step-Daughter’s birthday (as we can now, since she lives nearby!), and the Youngest fetched over her offspring and cuppycakes made for the occasion.

Grandbebe Girl comes trotting out to the patio, and on seeing Lovely Aunt, says ‘we bought a card for you…’ and goes to retrieve said card. Bringing it to her aunt, Grandbebe Girl opens envelope, extracts the card, and gives it to Lovely Aunt, saying ‘here…’

So helpful! And Lovely Step-Daughter was delighted!

Grandbebe Two is walking walking walking walking, saying peekaboo (after a fashion), making ‘flirty’ eyes, and adopts any smallish chair around as hers. And why not? Aren’t they her size, after all.

After lunch, back at the homestead, Grandbebe Girl said ‘Grandma, let’s play hide and seek.’ So, of course we did. Her momma helped her a bit, but she was always thrilled and excited and squealed shrilly whenever she found me. (I am very good at hiding.)

After a bit, however, her sister needed attention from her momma, so Grandbebe Girl was left to her own devices at the game, whereupon she told me, when it was her turn, ‘Grandma, I will count to three, and you go hide in the bathroom.’

When it was her turn to hide? She could never stay put. I would say ‘ready or not’, and she would be running out of her hiding place down the hall, ‘here I am!’.

Like I said…I had no idea at all how these grandbebes were going to work their way into my soul.

I took the opportunity to have her try on Sweet Peasy. I was on the 2nd sleeve without a fitting. I know…walking that edge…but it fits very well. She was a bit mystified about trying it on with the needles still through the stitches, but she trusts her grandmama (mostly) and the yarn is very softy indeed.

Here it is blocking.  And still drying, obviously.  I am still debating on the buttons.

It’s done now, except for sewing on buttons, but I think I will save it for a Christmas gift. I don’t think she will remember. Sweet Peasy, by Heidi Kirrmaier, out of Xian by Textiles a Mano.

Home Again Home Again (Once Again)

Every one is home now. And all is accounted for. Every toe and finger!

I have had a time of it. For five whole days, I was this one's second favorite person.

And this bebe momma deserves kudos for packing up her bebe 11 day after delivery, and traveling 450 miles with me, just to be with her sister. And doing it brilliantly.


Lovely Step Daughter 'stepped' right in and took care of whoever needed caring for.

The newest bebe momma knows how much I love her now.

Dearest Sister and I had a blast, with no need to share a bebe. We each could have our own...so to speak.

Like I said...she 'stepped' right in, and seemed to enjoy it. But these bebes? They make it soooo easy.

Honest. No one planned to dress them alike. Little Strawberry Shortcakes...

Other attire included hand embroidered onesies, gifted to the newborns by Dearest Sister.

There was also the Utah bebe shower, post bebe, and us Coloradoans, and Nevadans crashed it, as it were. This time I brought hand knits.

Other extracurricular activities included some sight seeing. Here we have the Great Salt Lake. Now we can say we saw it.

Also Dearest Sister and I had the opportunity to meet up in real life with some blogger people I have come to know through their blogs and their comments on mine. What a great experience that was. Thanks so much, Wunx and Kate, for the 3. Hour. Breakfast! Time flies when I am having fun. We will do it again when next I am in Utah to check on GB3. Dearest Sister and I had a blast meeting you.

All Grandbebes...

...all the time.

Or so it seems.

I am posting a new photo, a smooshier face one, because Eldest Daughter complained about my choice of yesterdays. I told her I was working with what I had. She threatened to swipe my password and take over my blog. This is what I deal with.

Daily. Impertinent daughters.

Last evening, upon leaving the hospital with Youngest Daughter, Grandbebe Girl, and Grandbebe Two, we were chased down by a nurse type person. (Dressed in scrubs type, and with plastic id cards around her neck. I suppose she could have been anything!)

"Mam, did you just have that baby?" (she was not asking me...)

Youngest replied, 'about 11 days ago', whereupon we showed the brew fest band.

On entering the 'bebe halls', with one's own bebe, the new bebe gets tagged. With one of those wrist bands one might get at an all day brewfest to show one has paid for free beer all day.

The band shows that we brought our own bebe, and aren't leaving with one we shouldn't be leaving with, I suppose, even though, I think this person might have thought Youngest was leaving after birth without permission...like...'I have had enough and am blowing this joint!'

Anyway. Woman In The Scrubs With ID Tags was assured after seeing the brewfest band and let us proceed with bebes intact. We are glad that they are doing their job, and that no one is going to be able to walk out of there with our Grandbebe Bean...

Sounds like Middle Daughter and Grandbebe Bean (who has a real name now, but I am thinking is going to stay Bean in my heart for a while) is going to go home tomorrow. A far cry from night before last. The women in this family have a remarkable power to bounce back.

I am having a ball with Grandbebe Girl, and Grandbebe Two. So much one on one time I have not had with them, surrounded as we are by so many other 'favorite people' where we live, and distractions galore. Here I am one known entity.

And I am loving it! At least until Aunt Lovely Step Daughter and Greatest Aunt Dearest Sister show up tonight.

I will be all upstaged.

They will probably bring candy and presents.

Grandbebe Bean

Arrived August 18 about 5PM.

After a long labor and not enough progress, doc decided to use a c-section.

Bebe Bean is wonderful, and didn't even have to use the NICU. She went directly to the run-of -the-mill regular big girl (and boy) bebe nursery, at 5'1".

Middle Daughter has had a few problems, but all seems to be going smoothly now. Certainly, they remain our bebes now matter how old they are.

I am glad I arrived before the event to see her...before. I am glad I am here for the recovery.

When Middle Daughter asked about her bebe, and was assured that bebe would be going home with her, she started crying. "I am not ready!" Well, that is why I am here....

And why Dearest Sister is coming...

(and now that we are here)...Why I brought Youngest and the other two grandbebes...which, by the way, we are having a fine time!

Also. Why Lovely StepDaughter is coming with Dearest Sister.

We will make sure all is ready.

Heading Out

She's coming tonight...or starting on her way, tonight anyway.

And I am heading to Salt Lake City tonight. (Attention, Kate and ~Wunx!)

I am glad that I get to be there as soon as I am going to be.

With brand new camera in tow.

GB3 Update

Doc says if tests show Bebe Bean's lungs are ready, birthin' will happen tonight. Otherwise, bebe will happen on Thursday, at 34 weeks.

So yeah.

What am I doing? I really don't know yet, except waiting to hear.

Then I will head up there.

How? I don't know.

Remember Dearest Sister's visit? She may head up to SLC to participate in the events. We were just talking about how we used to not have any August birthdays in the family. Now it's a big birthday month!

Thanks for the good thoughts, folks. Keep 'em coming, please.

Grandbebe Three

Middle Daughter called last night. She is in the hospital. Her water has broken about 7 weeks too early.

She is recieving all the professional attention she needs, and the drugs required to prepared Bebe Beans lungs for the world, to stave off contractions for as long as possible, and infection, too.

The plan is to hold off things for ten days, at least. Hope they are successful.

Bebe Bean is about 4-5 pounds, and not in distress at the moment. So that is good.

I am not sure about Bebe Momma and Daddy.

Looks like the cousins will be closer in age than originally thought.

Looks like I will be going to Utah sooner rather than later.

(Probably going to mess up another of Dearest Sister's visits to see me!) (And there goes the quilt show, most likely...)

Ah, well. Nothin' for it. Please keep the good thoughts going to Salt Lake, won't you?

Hot Off The Press

Or the new camera, as the case may be.


Look at that perfectly round little head!

She has inherited the family toes.

There is nothing here that I can say.

Except I may have to return there for more schmoochie of that ear...

That is love. And trust.

(Whatever shall I name her, my new camera??)

(Grandbebe Two already has a name!)

Also. I had the opportunity for the first non-professional dirty diaper change, whereupon Grandbebe Two peed in between diapers. Good times!