Saturday, July 26, 2008

Top Secret Knit Project Revealed!

You may recall that I've been re-learning knitting (ever so slowly) and even posted a picture of the beginnings of my repeat performance of the first project that was top secret.

The first project was a gift for my lovely friend J who is expecting her first babe in September. The gift has been safely delivered by my own personal cross country couriers (thanks S & I!) to BC and I can now post pictures without spoiling the surprise! I'm a bit shocked that I don't have pics of J's blanket (how could I have overlooked recording my first-again knit project?), but here is a shot of the repeat performance that I am making for my babe:



(Hi, Hubby!)

I must give credit to S from SnB at Knitomatic for giving me the idea for this design. I procured her yarn choice (Mission Falls 1824) and the stripe idea, but made it my own. Instead of uniform stripes I decided to do a spontaneous pattern of thin and fat bars and I chose different colours as well. I also decided against fringe.

The garter stitch without a set pattern for the striping makes this a perfect portable project. No pattern to check or rows to count. It's easy to pick up and put down as time and tingly pregnant hands allow. (J was just telling me on the phone this morning that she hasn't been able to pick up a crochet hook for some time due to the pregnancy hand ache! Sorrow!)

Here is a picture of J having her first crochet lesson last summer when she was in town:



Baby update: We just heard from the genetic counsellor that my DNA is negative for retinoblastoma (the childhood cancer that made me a 2D Girl at 14 months of age)! Yippee! This means my cancer was a wild card and I won't pass it on to our babe. I was 99.9% sure it wasn't hereditary, but the genetic counsellor explained things in a way that convinced us to get the testing done.

The results came back just a few weeks before I would have to begin extra ultrasounds to check Babe's eyes, as an early detection method. Less trips to the ultrasound lab at Mount Sinai is music to my ears. The folks at Mount Sinai are lovely, but the lab is super busy and often backed up. Have you ever been in a waiting room with a bunch of pregnant women who may be waiting for over an hour for their appointment?! It can get ugly.

Our hypnobirthing class starts in a couple of weeks. I haven't been practicing the relaxation every night. Probably something I should be a bit more dedicated to if I really want the hypnobirthing to work for me. I'm almost finished the book and will pass it on to Hubby by Monday night.

Do you remember my crochet/Xbox debate with Hubby? Well, this morning Hubby shyly (ie. asking permission voice) told me he has a chance to 'babysit' an Xbox unit for a week. He also has the week off from his writers' room. I was so dumb struck this morning that I couldn't respond. Talk about a rush of mixed emotions. There is so much to get done before Babe arrives. So much to do that I doubt we'll get it all done if we work non-stop for the next ten weeks. I wisely thought it best to keep my mouth shut until my brain had a chance to think things through.

This afternoon I shared my thoughts with Hubby: permission granted, with the understanding that he balance his week between writing, domestic stuff, and the addictive Xbox. I do not want to be known on the street as the crazy 7 month pregnant woman who threw the borrowed Xbox onto the driveway in the middle of a thunderstorm. Not to mention that we'd have to buy Hubby's friend another Xbox. (I am very, very sensitive to the idea of being some voracious nag who denies her Hubby most of the things that make his life fun and boy-like. I feel a one-week loaner Xbox is a decent compromise from the 'over-my-dead-body' statements of the past.) Fingers crossed that it will be a win-win compromise.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Rainy Sunday

So, we were up early today. That is normal for us. I'm always conscious of not making a lot of noise when we are up and around in the wee hours of the morning because we have a tenant in the basement and we live in a semi. So, I had to find something productive yet puttery to do to kill time until I can really make some domestic noise.

I finally cleaned up my email! Organized my folders. Saved or deleted messages. Even went through my 'sent' folder! Email nice and neat now!

So, plans for today include: sand and mud a few holes in a couple of the master bedroom walls; prime one wall and around the window; write some thank you cards; friend over for dinner.

Yesterday we saw Cabaret at Stratford! It rocked! We enjoyed a yummy dinner at Foster's Inn across the street from the Avon Theatre and then drove home. Good day trip!

I'm hoping to set up my Ravelry page this weekend. I am off work tomorrow, so perhaps I will get that done.

Baby update: she is moving A LOT! I tend to notice when she curls up in a specific area of my uterus. You can even see my belly bulged out where she's squished herself. I like to rub her when she squished up somewhere, because I can feel her body all hard and round where by belly is bulged out.

Tomorrow I have a midwife appointment. I'm taking the dreaded pregnancy diabetes test - yucky orange pop drink followed by a blood test.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Mmmmm... swimming

Outdoor pool.

Free of charge.

Easy biking distance from home.

Good water temp.

Weightlessness.

Beautiful sky.

Apres swim Italian gelato.

A very nice Sunday evening date with my hubby.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

A Saturday morning

I woke up at 3am and haven't really slept since. Maybe a few winks around 6am, but was out of bed by 7 anyway.

I'm hoping to get my legs and bikini waxed this morning. I want to try out the outdoor pool in our neighbourhood tomorrow night. I have two maternity bathing suits that keep taunting me.

Other plans for today:

make brownies for girls' movie night at T's (started)
knitomatic trip (long overdue)
wrap some baby shower gifts for mailing to friends
laundry
girls' movie night!

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Crafty Cottage Week & new support for the gals!

I just had a lovely crafty retreat week at a cottage in Minden. The bugs were hell, but it didn't matter since my friend and I went there to craft our hearts out.

Here are a few shots of what I accomplished:


Me starting on curtains for the nursery.



The finished product! I took ready-made panels on 50% sale at Fabricland, shortened them and jazzed them up with ribbon and cool tie-backs.



Shot of baby cardigan almost finished. I struggled to darn in the ends and sew it up enough to finish the edging. I've developed pregnancy related tingly/numb hands, so holding the darning needle was torture!



Encouraged by my quilting friend T I helped stitch and design the beginning stages of this quilt. It may take us another year to get together for some dedicate quilting time, but at least we've started it!

I also made progress on my top secret knit project and I was able to start the summer shrug. I think I will get the sleeves and edging done this weekend. I'll have to pass it off to someone to darn and sew for me. My numb little fingers just can't take it.


Hubby stayed with us for the first two days. At week's end we missed him so much we resurrected this sad baking potato in his image. It was T's inspired idea. I loved it!



25 week self portrait! Baby likes to hang out on the left side, down low. The midwife says her head is low right and her back, bum, and legs are low left. Otherwise known as oblique position.

I found out the hard way that I can no longer wear underwire bras. My belly has grown so much it reaches my boobs. The underwire rubs the skin on top of my belly raw. Ouch! I've since been fitted with a very comfortable bra at Secret's From Your Sister. Thank you Sista!