Juggling balls of wool and dirty nappies
The Yarn family was very pleased to welcome our new addition into our folds a month ago. Now I'm learning that it's not easy to knuckle down to hook a crochet project whilst attending to the needs of a newborn baby and two older children! Yes, my new baby, Rose, joined us at the beginning of October and since I've been trying to crochet her some booties. When my other two children were born I didn't crochet so this is a new juggling act for me. I joked when Rose was three days old that I hoped to finish the booties before she grew out of them. Unfortunately that didn't happen!!
Somehow I made the first pair disastrously misfigured. I went wrong and had to unpick several times. Apparently I can't count or follow a pattern when I'm tired. Finally I got one bootie right, then started the next one but used the wrong sized hook and made an odd pair. "Good grief woman" I thought, "you can crochet in your sleep. What are you doing?!" Baby brain had moved in and wasn't looking to leave. The most frustrating element of this attempted present for my newborn was that they should (according to the pattern) take an evening to do. This I can believe if you set your mind to it and have no other demands to see to.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="720"]
The failed attempts hang their heads in shame![/caption]
My current issue is that whenever I sit down one of three things happen:
This is not the best frame of mind to try and create. My crochet hooks feel rejected and my yarn stash is whispering my name. My crochet magazines are stacking up unread and many bookmarked patterns are neglected. Birthday presents (the relevant birthday having come and gone) are left unfinished and the sofas which are normally full of crochet projects and balls of wool are now strewn with muslin cloths and washing which needs folding.
Do I mind? Not at all. I love crocheting but I love my family more and being a mum makes me happy in a way nothing else can. It's one of the most frustrating, exhausting, trying, confusing and physically painful things I've ever done but I love it. I used to think about careers I wanted but when I had my eldest I no longer cared. Suddenly for me the world slotted into place. More than anything else in the world I was meant to be a mum.
I don't understand how women go back to work before the baby is 6 months old. Don't get me wrong, I'm not judging these women, if anything I'm amazed by their organisational skills. I feel I've achieved something just getting Merida and Finn to school breakfasted, in the right clothes, with P.E kits, packed lunch and the right books! Oh and if I can get dressed too that's a bonus.
One thing I find frustrating is that I don't have enough time to design anything right now. I love autumn and find it so inspiring. I had wanted to make loads of pumpkins for Hallowe'en, poppies for Rememberance day and explore the beautiful colours at this time of year. But I shall have to take lots of photos and find that inspiration when my brain returns.
Right....these booties. If I make them for a one year old Rose may fit them one day!
Somehow I made the first pair disastrously misfigured. I went wrong and had to unpick several times. Apparently I can't count or follow a pattern when I'm tired. Finally I got one bootie right, then started the next one but used the wrong sized hook and made an odd pair. "Good grief woman" I thought, "you can crochet in your sleep. What are you doing?!" Baby brain had moved in and wasn't looking to leave. The most frustrating element of this attempted present for my newborn was that they should (according to the pattern) take an evening to do. This I can believe if you set your mind to it and have no other demands to see to.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="720"]
The failed attempts hang their heads in shame![/caption]My current issue is that whenever I sit down one of three things happen:
- I am feeding my daughter
- I am winding my daughter
- I fall asleep
This is not the best frame of mind to try and create. My crochet hooks feel rejected and my yarn stash is whispering my name. My crochet magazines are stacking up unread and many bookmarked patterns are neglected. Birthday presents (the relevant birthday having come and gone) are left unfinished and the sofas which are normally full of crochet projects and balls of wool are now strewn with muslin cloths and washing which needs folding.
Do I mind? Not at all. I love crocheting but I love my family more and being a mum makes me happy in a way nothing else can. It's one of the most frustrating, exhausting, trying, confusing and physically painful things I've ever done but I love it. I used to think about careers I wanted but when I had my eldest I no longer cared. Suddenly for me the world slotted into place. More than anything else in the world I was meant to be a mum.
I don't understand how women go back to work before the baby is 6 months old. Don't get me wrong, I'm not judging these women, if anything I'm amazed by their organisational skills. I feel I've achieved something just getting Merida and Finn to school breakfasted, in the right clothes, with P.E kits, packed lunch and the right books! Oh and if I can get dressed too that's a bonus.
One thing I find frustrating is that I don't have enough time to design anything right now. I love autumn and find it so inspiring. I had wanted to make loads of pumpkins for Hallowe'en, poppies for Rememberance day and explore the beautiful colours at this time of year. But I shall have to take lots of photos and find that inspiration when my brain returns.
Right....these booties. If I make them for a one year old Rose may fit them one day!
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