super top secret surprise announcement!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 12:09PM I've been promising for the better part of a week to deliver a very important announcement today. It is Valentine's Day, a day set aside for eating vast quantities of pink and red wrapped chocolates, delivering mushy cards, and secretly hoping for a flower delivery. (I am the lucky recipient of all three.)
So happy Valentine's Day to you. I hope it's filled with undying love, romance, cupid, restaurant desserts, happiness, etc.
OK. On to more pressing things.
I have a very important question to ask you.
Here's the question:
Which of these is a picture of me?
Option 1:
Option 2:
Option 3:
Option 4:
And because I'm a nice Yarnista, I'm going to just go ahead and help you figure this out.
Option 1: If I were an pudgy middle aged man -- and that is a big if -- I would not be wearing a speedo.
Or that crucifix. Do men think this is attractive to women? Men who are reading this, let me tell you: women do not think this is attractive. Ever. Under any circumstances. Ever.
Option 2: If I were a chocolate colored equine-canine -- and that is a big if -- I think I would have more modesty than this. Have some pride, girl!
Option 3: If I were Jillian Michaels -- which I am not, let's just clear that up -- I would call my workout DVDs something other than "Shred." Shredded is how I like cheese on my tacos. I do not prefer my humans to be put through food processors.
Option 4: Huh. Would you look at that. That looks suspiciously like the color of the studio wall from my Lookbook profile picture.
If that were me -- and at this point, I'm admitting that it is -- I would say that looks suspiciously like a new Irish baby is on the way. Like maybe, oh, about five months from now?
And because I know you're curious, as I am,
We don't know yet, but we will sometime in the next couple of weeks.
And because I know you have other questions like,
"Don't you already have a bunch of kids?" and "How are you going to run a company in this condition?" and "Will I still get my yarn?", I'll try to allay some of your fears.
Yes, I do already have three children. If my math is correct, this will be my fourth child. So by today's standards, four children is more than the national average. But this is not my 19th child, so let's not get carried away with the shock and awe. I know a woman who raised five sons to adulthood, and she likes to say, "One child takes all your time and money. Five children take all your time and money." And that is true enough.
When this little one comes along, my bigger kids will be 10, 8, and 5, so I'll have some built in helpers. (And they'll all be school age come September.) We did, however, give away every scrap of baby gear before we moved to Minnesota two years ago, so we must once again allow our house to be overrun with tiny clothes that need washing nine times a day, toys that rattle, and all manner of baby holding, baby safety, and baby carrying devices.
While it's been five years since I've had my own little one, I can remember through the haze of early onset dementia that I appear to be developing, that this necessary hemorrhage of money and space is very, very worth it.
Also, I am the official baby holder of Three Irish Girls, remember? (Here's a tip: Be extraordinarily careful about which titles you bestow upon yourself!)
I started this business when my first child was a toddler, and simultaneously worked dyeing yarn and teaching high school (you can read the story starting here, if you want) for years and years, so the fact that I will only be working one job this time is of great help.
Owning my own business also gives me the flexibility to work around the baby's needs -- I can bring him or her with me, they can nap in my office, they can spend half the day in a sling or on my back if they want to, and when they're big enough, they can stay home with daddy, who works from home.
The take away here is that I've successfully had (cute, healthy, sweet) children under much more challenging circumstances than this one. Besides, after three kids and over 1,000 babies held, I'm a veteran mama bear.
Yes to a few other things:
Yes, you will still get your yarn.
Yes, the spring collection is still coming shortly.
Yes, we are still publishing all the patterns we planned on.
I've been pregnant for a while, you just haven't known it. All is well.
So, there you go. My super top secret surprise announcement. Yay!
Closing my eyes and hitting publish...
Reader Comments (96)
This is a very good surprise!
YAYYYYYYYYYYYYY!
And your picture is so stinkin' cute.
Hurray for new Irish wee ones!! Now I really can't wait to meet you in March in Syracuse! How do you feel about your baby bump being patted? I promise to be on my best behavior... :-)
Congratulations! Babies are just such happy news :)
Having been through the 4th baby thing this past year, I can assure you that it is MUCH easier when you have older kids in the 'actually helpful' stages. So much easier. As in, you can actually go to the bathroom and not worry that some little person is going to bite the baby's finger just to see what will happen.
Kurt, I will do my best to count the existing children again when I get home. This time I'll use my fingers.
Nadia, that's good to know. Having a five year old, a three year old and a newborn was a big challenge. Three and five are just big enough to get into some serious mischief...
Congratulations Sharon! So very happy for you and your family! Don't feel the need to justify this to ANY one. Have a safe and happy pregnancy and keep some of that baby dust around for when I need to borrow for my family.
Congratulations! I am so excited for you!! I suppose, though, that this is just an occupational hazard of sorts, what with all that baby dust flying around the studio, right? Much love and happiness to you & your family this Valentine's Day from this preggo lady!
Wow, that is a GREAT and wonderful surprise! for the day!
Congratulations and Happy Valentines to you and family!
Oh wow - I SO did not see that coming! How exciting, congrats to you! I honestly don't know how you do it, but you sure do a fabulous job of cranking out the awesome accomplishments, what an inspiration you are!
Sharon! That's awesome! Congrats! What a wonderful happy lovely announcement. Babies are such a blessing and a joy. Thank you for sharing your joy with us.
Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congratulations! I totally wish I could have another, but the hubs has put the nix on that. 14 months is enough to give me baby-goggles! Can't wait to see which it turns out to be:)
Wow! Awesome News indeed! Congrats!
Yay! My sweet nephew and his wonderful wife are expecting their FIRST child (a boy). . . Congratulations!
Having many years of higher education under my belt Kurt (granted studying a Liberal Art and the Law, not a hard science!), I can assure you it's number four ... and as for these baby dust rumors...as Irish as I am, making the baby dust story appealing, I will not give up my right to being a proud Poppa/Poppa to be!
Yippie skippie! Congratulations!
No, I meant option #3 was the Yarnista picture. :p That's what I get for trying to be slyly complementary. I'm sure that Yarnista and Mr. Yarnista are very able to count to at least four.
Congratulations! I smiled all the way through this post. I am very happy for you and your family and I hope that all goes well while you're growing that little one!
Oh I am so super excited for you!! Congratulations to you and your entire family on this amazing blessing - thank you for such an awesome surprise!
Kurt. That is a very kind retraction. ;)
Ah, but Jillian devotes way too much time to this "working out" and "eating right" business. Not fun. Not fun at all.