Do you find that the start of December is all about planning and preparation? It certainly feels that way here and although we don't have a huge Christmas celebration, we do like a quiet, cosy family day with good food, a roaring fire, some fun and a glass or two of something to warm and cheer. So, I have lots of lists floating about at the moment, lists for food and drink shopping; last minute presents to buy and wrap; tasks that need doing in advance so I can relax on the day, and if I don't write them down then no doubt I'll be remembering all the things that I've forgotten some time between midnight and dawn on Christmas morning.
There has been some sock knitting going on in between the list scribbling (sock pattern and yarn details here). Apart from the top border it's been easy, un-demanding knitting that I can do in the quiet of an evening without using too much brain power and so perfectly suited to this time of year. I had hoped to have my badger pattern ready for release before Christmas but it's clear to me now that's not going to happen – there's still too much to do on it and no longer enough free time in which to fully concentrate. I'll keep you posted here with progress in the new year, once I have time to call my own again.
Part of our preparations this year have been putting the finishing touches to Amy's room. When she moved out in September to go off to Uni it was a very scruffy, tired-lilac coloured, out-grown bedroom with a well worn carpet and walls that bore the pen, make-up and sticky finger marks from the growing-up years. H has worked so hard over the last 2 months, painting, laying a new floor, putting up new lights, moving shelves and generally transforming it into a bright, peaceful and relaxing space fit for a uni student to unwind in between busy term times. Hopefully she'll love it as much as I do and I can't wait for her to see it next week when I go and collect her.
The added benefit is that I get to use her new room while she's away during term times. Because of Toby's dedication to bi-phasic sleeping* I've spent the last 2 years sleeping on a sofa bed in our living room (for years prior to that it was H who was the one sleeping downstairs but we swapped when he had a bad back and needed the firmness of the bed upstairs). It means that H and I can alternate, so that one of us gets unbroken sleep upstairs while the other is on wakeful night duty downstairs. The arrangement works out for us and means when Toby is up roaming the house at night we can encourage him to lie in a bed and watch a video or two (which calms and relaxes him) and then he'll gradually drift back off to sleep. I do know that standard sleep therapist advice frowns upon screen time before sleep, but our experience over the last 17 years has been that without it Toby becomes increasingly agitated and we get meltdowns – which are a lot more stressful for us all and delay a return to sleep even further, so we've been flexible and find that watching videos in the night is the lesser of two evils.
Anyway, the plan is to ease Toby out of coming downstairs when he wakes, first by there being no bed to get into when he does come downstairs, and then by gradually shortening the length of time he spends downstairs in the night. Hopefully over time we'll eventually be able to encourage him to spend the whole night in his own room, that's the long term goal anyway 🙂
Right, I'm off to jot a few more things on my lists. I hope your season of planning and preparation is going well. See you soon, J x
*Sleep disorders go hand-in-hand with autism with bi-phasic or multi-phasic sleeping patterns being the most common. Bi phasic sleeping is where the person goes to sleep for 3-4 hours, wakes for 1-2 hours and then sleeps again for 4-5 hours. Research suggests that bi-phasic sleeping was the norm for most people prior to the industrial revolution and there are many descriptions noted in historical literature.
little cotton rabbits 
What a beautiful relaxing room!! I hope your new approach to sleeping works out well for you all.
Great socks too!
I have lists everywhere Julie!! 🙂
V x
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The room is absolutely stunning! As an early intervention speech-language pathologist I work with toddlers and preschoolers with autism…I was not aware enough about how their sleep can be impacted. Thank you for sharing this, I will further investigate. You are an amazing mama.
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Very pretty. I just finished my daughter’s room as well. After 4 years of undergraduate school and now on to grad school — it was time to move on from the lavender walls.
Have a wonderful holiday.
Deb M
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The room is lovely and perfect for a student home on break. Love your socks. I’ve often read of the sleep cycles of older times and think they would suit me well, I often wake up in the night and toss and turn for hours before falling asleep again. Unfortunately, I must be at work at 8am, so it’s not an option. Enjoy the quiet of the season and the holidays…
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Would love to know the pattern of the bed cover. I think I remember you working on it a while back. Ta
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December is definitely planning and preparation for me! I hope you and Toby have a fabulous Christmas!
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You are a wonder. Good to hear that you have worked out a “sleep plan”… although it sounds like an awake plan, that you all can live with & continue to function. Such hidden challenges that can suck the life out of you.
The new bedroom looks so fresh & inviting for Amy & whoever is on night duty. It will be a lovely refuge for Amy over the holidays.
Enjoy your lists, days and nights. May the Holidays be gentle on all of you.
With great admiration,
Lori from Port Perry
🏡🎄🥧🍰🍪🥃🍻🍹🍾🎊🎉🇨🇦🌬🇬🇧❤️
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Where did you get that lovely teapot with the warmer? My daughter would love something like that.
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Hi Julie, just a note to wish you and the family a peaceful and happy Christmas. Enjoy Amy being home, her new room is stunning, she will love it!
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bravo ! quelle chambre magnifique , c’est un beau cadeau de Noel. votre travail est d’une grande qualité, vous avez toute mon admiration. De bonnes fêtes à vous et votre famille DD
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The socks are magnificent, as usual! Amy’s room (yeah, right!), looks so calm and beautiful. If it weren’t for my mess up, I’d be lying on that bed today, taking it all in. You do have a way with styling. And, it would seem that I’m with Toby and his sleeping habits, more and more, so forgive me if I nod off later. See you in….. three hours.xxxx
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LOVE EVERY THING LOOK SO NICE.
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LOVE EVERY THING LOOK SO NICE.
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LOVE EVERY THING LOOK SO NICE.
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LOVE EVERY THING LOOK SO NICE.
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LOVE EVERY THING LOOK SO NICE.
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LOVE EVERY THING LOOK SO NICE.
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LOVE EVERY THING LOOK SO NICE.
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LOVE EVERY THING LOOK SO NICE.
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LOVE EVERY THING LOOK SO NICE.
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Hi Julie
This is the first time I comment on your blog
I just love everything you put on the blog, your photos are always so beautiful,
your knitting is so enticing, make my fingers itch to do some knitting myself, your socks are lovely.
Your daughter’s room is perfect and peaceful.
As someone said above, you are an amazing Mama.
Have a wonderful Christmas.
Christa from a hot Australia
(I do have some of your patterns to knit up some sweet bunnies, I’m going to be a Ouma again in May and will have some bunnies knitted by then.)
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I enjoy your posts so much. I crochet and knit but for me the posts about Toby make me feel that we are not alone. My son just turned 18 and is autistic. He is very smart and is getting much better socially in public (he will actually respond to people and this is a big step)so I understand about the sleep issue so well. Dustin gets up in the middle of the night and will sometimes stay up for hours and then go back to sleep for hours and then it repeats. Like your experience we find allowing electronics helps him to get relaxed enough to rest again but his doctor frowns on this but we have to do what is best in our own situation regardless. The room you have made over looks beautiful and cozy, I am sure she will love it. Thanks again for making me feel that someone understands. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
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Love the room. Enjoy. Merry Christmas to you and your family
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This is my first comment here on your blog but I’ve been checking in with your posts for awhile now. I just love your blog and all of the wonderful pictures you share of the outdoors, your knitting, your blazing fireplace, etc. The pictures relax me as soon as I log on and I take that deep Ahhhh breath as I scroll through them. You are an amazing Mum and the sheer amount of knitting you accomplish makes me realize how little I’ve been doing lately. Also, I love your knitting bunnies, hedgehogs, teddies, etc. They make me smile everytime! I wish you a lovely Christmas season and a healthy, happy 2019, Julie.
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I was reading about how people used to sleep like that the other day. It must be very hard for you both to have such disturbed sleep. Good that you’re hopeful to reduce Toby’s time up at night, I hope that it goes well. Amy’s new room is absolutely gorgeous, well done H, I can imagine it was hard work, but I know she’ll love it. Cool and calm and relaxing, and that blanket has always been one of my favourites. I’ve been ignoring the preparation and planning a bit here, but I guess I’ll have to get on with it all fairly soon. CJ xx
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bless you , you are doing such a wonderful job!!! Does Badger come complete with a flat cap and jacket?????!!!!!! I do hope so!!!! Your patterns are just joy giving bundles of perfection! Thank you! xx
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Love those socks the pattern is so neat. Wishing you and yours a pleasant xmas time.
Amy’s room is lovely and sure looks like a relaxing place. xo
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Hello Julie, I’ve always enjoyed reading your blog, and hearing of your family aims and achievements over the years, the new sleeping arrangement sounds good so I hope it works well for you all(and what a beautiful bedroom). The sleep pattern you mention has become my norm since I retired, and I enjoy it, I love the quiet hours. I enjoy history and my favourite period is that which covers the Industrial Revolution – perhaps I’m a throwback (my sons would probably say yes to that). I have some of your patterns, and I’m looking for some suitably beautiful yarn to use, an enjoyable task. The knitting is something I will be able to do in those quiet hours. I wish you all peace and a happy holiday time.
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The teapot and warmer and cup are lovely. Where did you get them? They would make a lovely gift for someone very special to me! Thank you!
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Dear sweet Julie, how could Amy NOT love that room and love you and H for making it so lovely for her!?! She will love it I’m sure. Wishing you the best of luck with Toby and the goals you have planned. And I’m hoping those Lucky Me socks are for your toes! Hoping you get to curl up by the fire Nd enjoy family time with Amy home and all of you together.
Merry a Christmas my friend.
Bonnie
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Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family, Julie. It has been great to read your blog, follow your patterns and admire your photographic skills but so much more to be allowed a window on your life. I marvel that you are very busy with Toby, emotional with Amy embarking on her uni experience yet still have time for business, knitting and us. Inspiring is the word and long may it continue.
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Amy’s room looks beautiful and I’m sure she will love it. Such a calm space. I still have a 26 year old who can’t sleep through a night!
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May I send you all my best wishes from Italy ? I do really hope that you will reach your all the night in his room goal with your son, as I can imagine it would improve your lives no end…so let’s hope that this Chrismas wish finds its magic. All the best and thanks for your lovely pictures. barbara
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Your room is fabulous and so calming. Agree that planning aids the preparation. Sending warm winter wishes to you x
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Oooooh, I love those pretty socks Julie — I hope they’ve already warmed your toes! Amy’s new room is beautiful — it looks so warm and welcoming and just perfect for breaks between school terms. Hoping you’ve managed all that was on your lists and have a relaxing few days ahead of you! Merry Christmas! XOXO
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Amy’s room is beautiful – I think we need a picture of her face when she sees it. Thank you for your beautiful posts through the years and for making my life so much richer with the beauty you create with your magic fingers. Toby is very lucky to have a family like yours, who give him so much love and understanding. Wishing you and your family a Happy New Year with countless blessings. XXXX
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Hello, I’ve been thinking of you and wondering how Christmas went. I want to wish you a very happy 2019, your work and patterns brighten our world!! Thank you!!! xxx
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I absolutely adore your blog. I am working steadily on getting my knitting skills up to par so that I can make one of your adorable patterns. My nineteen-year-old son has cerebral palsy and epilepsy. My son has a lot of trouble sleeping, especially if his seizures aren’t well controlled. Thank you so much for sharing parts of your life with all of us.
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I just found your bog. Your words speak to my soul! Thank you for sharing. I look forward to following you. I have two children (actually both are now young adults) on the autism spectrum. Thank you for sharing your experiences. The photo in front of the fire with your tea and knitting is absolutely wonderful!! I LOVE your tea pot and warmer. Do you mind terribly if I ask what brand it is or where you purchased it? Looks like a perfect way to relax! Sending hugs from across the pond! Renee
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Would you mind sharing where your teapot and warmer came from? My daughter would love that! Beautiful post as usual x
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The socks and room looks wonderful.Nicely done. The loads of hard work do reflect in the final touches and it came out to be fantastic. The minimalist shelf is what I surely will be making this summer. The knitting and quilting accessories goes in my craft storage for now as I am moving to newer place. But will surely reply back when I have the shelves ready. Keep Writing…
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I knit a lot and my room is full of yarn and my projects. At first it was very messy but now i started to organise my socks and sweaters and yarn in organisers.
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