Itty Bitty Hats

Staying home to raise Anna has been a wonderful experience so far, one for which I am very grateful. I love watching Anna grow, and it's both rewarding and challenging each day.

While I do not miss my "old job", I have realized recently that I miss the tangible projects or deliverables (for lack of a better word) that come with a job. The pride and sense of accomplishment that comes when you finish a report, make a sale, or complete a big presentation. After thinking about it a bit, I realized that every job I have had since college has been measured primarily on completed projects or deliverables. Consulting it was finished "deliverables" to clients - lengthy reports, or documents presented. Sales it was of course completing a sale - both winning and losing. At Target it was negotiating a particular project. All things had very final and definitive ends. For me that was rewarding and was something that I could look at and say either "wow, you did a good job" or "well, I think I learned I should probably do this different next time".

Raising a child doesn't really have those same definitive tasks. As soon as you master something, that something changes into a new something - completely different than you thought. It's constantly challenging and rewarding as I mentioned previously but in oh so different of a way. A human being is a work in constant progress. A beautiful thing.

So...after finally figuring this out I realized that I needed a new hobby. Something where I could find that sense of completion and accomplishment. So, I have taken up knitting. Yes, I did say knitting. Those of you who know me will be laughing at that - it is a very unlikely thing for me to decide to do. But, so far I enjoy it. I bought some supplies, a book and watched a few videos on the Internet and am working on making some baby hats (from an adorable book called Itty Bitty Hats by Susan B. Anderson). My first "real" hat is pictured here. It's Anna's first ski cap, to match her ski fleece from Grandpa D.

It will take me a long time to master this, and perhaps I will tire of this before I reach that point...but for now it's offering me a way to finish a project and tackle a tangible task. Watch out...you just may find some knit-wear in your stockings this Christmas. HA HA HA!!!