She has enough hair to host a clip.  Hallelujah. 

She has been sleeping some longer stretches during the day so I've been able to engage in some more involved crafty projects.  Just in time for the holidays which in the Schwarz-Madrid household is also birthday season as there are 5 birthdays between November 19 and January 4th.  Because it is holiday/birthday crafting, I can't actually show some of the stuff as some of the intended recipients actually read this blog.  But below is the preparations for Penelope's Thanksgiving dress, which turned out really cute.  
My friend Vicky finally succeeded in dragging me out to the suburbs (gasp) to her favorite fabric store Cloth and Bobbins.  I have to admit that it is definately worth the painless 15-minute drive.  I did find rick-rack in the perfect burnt orange color to trim the dress.  

Here is Claudia providing a size reference for Penelope's new sweater.  It's 'Helena' from knitty.com.  I knit it in some Nature wool that I had bought when Holly was pregnant to make something for her baby.  So much for good intentions.  However, the knitting goddesses punished my for my selfishness and I ran out of yarn with half a sleeve and the trim to go.  I filled in the sleeve with another red I had lying about and it almost matches.  I did the trim with a beautiful hand-dyed yarn I got the first year we went to the NY sheep and wool festival.  I'm going to make myself a hat with the rest of the skein.  Anyway, the sweater turned out nice and Penelope is a very appreciative recipient of the stuff I make for her (as is Diego, actually).  

Almost Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday.  I probably won't be blogging over the holiday, so Happy Thanksgiving to all.  I think our whole country can be thankful this year in spite of the economy.  

Can this be normal?

Look at how hairy she is!  Guess she won't be wearing a strapless dress to the prom.

laundry laundry everywhere...

I think I'm being punished for bragging about my new laundry room. Because all we do now is laundry. 3 loads a day. I kid you not.

Surfacing briefly from the world of laundry, milk and delicious baby to share some pictures and an update.

Baby Claudia is growing quickly into a wonderfully plump little thing.  She weighed 9.5 pounds at the doctors on Tuesday and I have no doubt she's put on a few more ounces since then.  She seems to be emerging from the 'content newborn' stage and has been fussing and crying a bit more the past few days.  (She stayed up fussing until 2:30 Am the night of Obama's victory.  She may be a Republican).  

The older kids are holding up well, especially since they are now over their various illnesses of last week.  

Chestnut Hill's ob department closed the night before the election.  I took Claudia up to say hello and goodbye to some of the folks I worked with up there.  It was very sad to see everyone on their 2nd to final night there.  Although I am personally looking forward to doing something different for a while, I know how lucky i was to have had the opportunity to learn from all the wise nurses, midwives and doctors there, as well as from the patients, and I will definately miss the place.  I hope everyone has a soft landing as they settle into their new jobs.

The night of the election, people in my neighborhood were dancing in the streets all night.  Seems like an auspicious start to the winter.

Best wishes

Jessi