Why do we say we're head over heels when we're happy? Isn't that the way we normally are?

Things are better here, folks. Much better....... My goal this week is to only post fun stuff. First up? Baby blankets. I already have some adorable blankets that I used with Arun. I am in the process of designing a blanket to knit - I researched and researched but never found one that I liked, so I am creating one of my own. Arun's blanket was the Big Bad Baby Blanket from the Stitch n' Bitch book - I LOVE the blanket. It's big enough for him to use for a quite awhile and the Signature yarn is soft, washable and durable. However, my biggest issue with Arun's blanket is that 1) it was so incredibly boring to knit towards the end 2) it was WAY too bulky to tote around towards the end and 3) because of the weight of it towards the end, it made battling the carpal tunnel even worse. It was totally worth the time and effort because the blanket has become one of Arun's comfort objects in his crib and he sleeps ON it. NewKid's blanket will be a pieced one (so I can tote it around while working on it and it won't aggravate my carpal tunnel), but it is going to be REALLY funky (Grandmas need not apply - this will be FUN to knit) and will include a reversible cable (again, with the FUN). I just adore cabling, so I am looking forward to this. I am also trying to be careful about the measurements and such so that hopefully I can replicate if need be or even submit the pattern to share with others. This will be a long time coming, my goal is to finish sometime this fall.

Also regarding blankets, during NaBloPoMo, I won a little prize by being runner-up in a contest. Javis Davis offered a full crib set to whoever announced their pregnancy first. There was some confusion in the beginning and for a brief while, it appeared I had announced NewKid first. It turned out that I had not announced first, but Javis Davis generously offered consolation prizes to those that were briefly in the running. And honestly? I was glad with the way it worked out - we already have a crib set and I am glad that someone who needed one got it instead. And the blanket that Javis Davis sent me? Oh my.

Luscious, simply LUSCIOUS:

I chose the Minkee Dots (Sage) and the Chic Mink Stripes (Yellow) from the Menagerie fabric collection My mediocre (at best) photography skillz will never, ever do this blanket justice. It is sumptuous. Snuggly. Luxurious. And I can't describe the heft - it has a nice dense weight to it - it's not bulky, light and fluffy AT ALL, which I like. It's actually thin, yet solid - it will be just perfect for toting her around in the Baby Bucket this winter. And because it's thin, it won't be a pain to lug around on airplanes and such. I suspect this will not be an heirloom blanket lovingly passed from generation to generation because this blanket is going to get used, folks. Oh and it came with a matching pillow that I really want to steal for my own bed because Anjali will NEVER know the difference, right?

SO. Yesterday, Arun and I checked out a little day school thingie. It's at my grandma's church so it's a no-brainer for me to send him there - it's the same church I attended as a little girl. I still wanted to see his reaction. And it was precisely as I suspected - he took off immediately when I set him on the ground. He totally abandoned me and left me at the complete mercy of three toddler girls who set about to rifling through my purse, attempting to relieve me of my bangles, and confiscating my keys. I wasn't surprised at Arun's defection, he usually takes off with barely a glance backwards when we do things like this. Of course, it will be a different ball game when I have to leave myself, though - he still is not thrilled when I leave him at the nursery at the gym. Anyway, I've signed him up for the fall - he'll go 2 days a week, 5 hours a pop. Gulp. Sure, I've been leaving him with Cousin J since he was 5 weeks old - usually, she was coming for about 6-9 hours a week, but it was rarely for more than 3 hours at a time. I am still a little weirded out that we are starting this school thing so early and that I will already be looking at lunchboxes and backpacks THIS fall. The original intent had been to start at the age of 3, but that was back in our days of Armchair Parenting before we were looking down the shotgun barrel of having a newborn when our oldest is just barely 20 months. If our children weren't so close in age, we would have waited until Arun was 3, but Arun is getting to the point where he needs organized activities with kids his own age. And I have been researching different things that we can do - we currently do a story time, but I've also looked into music groups, gym groups etc. However, I quickly encountered a problem - the activities are usually for specific age groups - meaning, if I try to sign up for something with Arun, I have to find someone to watch NewKid (for example, we won't be able to do a story time this fall). I just haven't seen much where I can take both kids with me. It's not fair to keep Arun out of activities, so this day school is a perfect solution. And I am actually okay with it. Overall. Sorta.