Fourth Year Freedom and Baby Crocheting!

FOURTH YEAR IS AMAZING! Not only do I not have to do much actual work or wake up to an alarm, but I also have time to do WHATEVER I WANT! I mean, the good majority of my classmates are galavanting all over the world while I read their blogs, Facebook updates and look enviously through all of their pictures.  Because, you see, I have a spouse who is not in med school which means he works while I have this glorious year to do whatever my heart desires.  He says, "go, travel!" However, I, the loving wife, choose to stay home and be Susie Homemaker for the next 2 months (and likely only 2 months of our marriage).  It probably sounds like I'm complaining or maybe you're gathering a hint of sarcasm, but truth be told, I am having fun doing ridiculous things that I will never have time to do in the future. I will likely use this blog to share my lovely endeavors.  Get ready!  Here comes my first and absolutely most time consuming obsession as of late: CROCHETING BABY THINGS (yes, laugh now.  I am THAT old lady sitting at home crocheting baby blankets and such...)

Honestly, if I didn't know better I would think that babies were falling from the sky!  As of the last week, we have two brand new additions to our "family".  One new nephew, Arron Michael, and one new "niece," Zoe Nicole.  And that is just in one week!

When I found out that our friends were having a baby girl, I got WAY too excited, partly because I live vicariously through them and their kids, and partly because I now have an excuse to buy and do all things cutsie!  I set out to make a baby blanket for Miss Zoe and proceeded to get laughed at by many (mainly hubs and mother) when sharing my plans.  They didn't doubt my abilities but rather my patience to sit for hours and hours working on the same project.  That alone motivated me to finish it!  Don't get me wrong, when I had to scrap everything 1/3 of the way through and start over, I doubted myself, but then I remembered that I had to prove them wrong!  By the time I was finished, I considered saving the blanket for my first born (boy or girl, who cares if it is pink! the dang thing took me weeks!) because I was pretty sure I would never crochet another blanket.  Ever.  Again.  My hands were crippled and arthritic... I had cramps and even crocheting nightmares! 

Anyway, here is the finished product:

Not too bad, huh?!  I think it turned out absolutely adorable and so did Miss Zoe's mom!  Needless to say, my doubters took back all of their nay-sayings and became believers.  

So, back to the present...

Jaime (the hubs) called the other evening on his way home and asked where I was...Wal-Mart (of all places).  He knows that I hate going to Wal-Mart, particularly the epitome of all Wal-Marts--the GALVESTON Wal-Mart.  So I walk in the door with bags and quickly hide MY purchases in the corner and places the COVER purchases on the table (milk, bread, etc.)  He didn't buy it for a second.  He spotted the bag and the inquisition started only to have my secret revealed: a bag full of new yarns and supplies.  Ugh, I'm such a sucker.  I am officially obsessed with making baby hats/caps!  I was complaining to Zoe's mom about my boredom with all of my new-found free-time and she suggested I make a hat to match the above pictured blanket.  After quickly referencing my handy Pinterest board of crocheting ideas, I chose a pattern and got to work.  

Here is the result:

Here is the same hat with a different swirly clip:

 Of course, the hat making did not stop there.  I've spent hours searching Pinterest and Ravelry and performing random google searches for ideas of different hats to make.  I love it!
Here is hat #2:

I didn't stop there.  I made Arron a his first baseball cap in a jersey gray but forgot to take pictures of it before giving it to him!  I would post pics of him in it but don't want to put photos of someone else's baby on the internet.  I guess I will just make another and post that one.  I also made him a skull-cap/beanie in royal blue.  It was a tad snug, but will fit for like a day, I'm sure.  LOL.  So far, that's all I have to show, but more to come I'm sure.  Until then... blessings!