My Big ol' Baby Belly!

I had some professional belly shots done! Not sure what I'll do with them.. but since this is our last, I thought we should have somehting to remember thse days by.

ok- off to elevate my swolen ankles and contemplate my unpainted toenails.... If only I could reach them...

Today's Special: Leftovers

After finishing the Phish socks, I wanted to use up the leftovers, so I made this baby hat. I really like the hat, but it is a bit giry for any baby I know.. so it will go into the dontation pile.

Then there is this from the "What was I thinking??" department!

yeah.... I got the brillinat ieda to use up scrap from both Phish and Todd's socks to make baby socks.. AT THE SAME TIME!!!!yeah.. 2 pairs at once! it is getting easier now, but it was CRAZY trying to keep all the strands straight. the ones form Todd's socks will be for the squirt, and the others will get donated along with the hat. I made todds from 2 seperate skeins, so they are probably going to match. The Phish ones will be quite fraternal b/c there wasn't enough left to match up the repeat.

on the sewing front... I'm still waiting for more por-care to finish the last 3 small diapers and I'm making Andy & Ryan shorts in the Spiderman print I have left from their curtains and the diapers. Mom made a really nice jacket to go along with the hat and booties that match the airplane diapers. AND she made me a really pretty and comfortable maternity sundress. I mant to take pictures of the dress adn the PJs I made last week, but I forgot and now the camera is put away... you;ll have to wait for hte next photoshoot...

Phish Phinished!

So I finally phinished my phish socks. didn't take too long once I picked it up again. I did the "tail" in pattern in GS and I bound off with a SC picot. I'm really happy about how they came out! I really like working toe-up.. perfect fit! I'm making a premie hat/socks set to donate with the leftover yarn. I've also been chugging away at Cargo but that St St gets old fast... and it isnt' very exciting to watch.. I'll post pics when I've got more progress.

I also got a bit of sewing done too. I finished my nursing PJs. I did a lettuce leaf edge on the hem of the top and shorts and I did a decorative stitching on the bodice. I was SO excited to find the wooly nylon! they only had it in 1 color and it was the one I happened to need! I made a "snakeskin" HH for Ryan too. He wore it last night - as soon as I finished it! and I washed them all today. Guess which one he HAD to wear tonight???? I also sewed the velcro for a bunch more diapers - the last 3 smalls and 5 of the next size up. Now I just need to wait for my Procare and buttonhole elastic to come in and assemble them. I'm going to try using the buttonhole elastic in the leg so that I can cinch them up getting longer wear out of them. I may use it in the back too..

As for me & the squirt.. he still has no name.. we need to put the carseat in... I only want to sit on my ball...and I bought my new pump today (the old one was more than a little "tired" and the new one has the 2-phase let-down cycle so it will be more efficient).

Elves will fix your lawn mower

I've been too busy, hot, tired and pregnant to keep up with the weeds. The mower broke weeks ago.. we thought it was just water in the gas..nope. changed the air filter..nope. then Todd gave up and tried to hack back the overgrown hedges. First, he cuts the cord, then he gets a near fatal case of poison ivy.... and there our yard sits... no more trailer or demolition debris in my driveway... but the jungle was swallowing up the kids pool and sandbox..

I was whining to mom about my redneck yard yesterday and I was telling her about Todd's frustrating attempts at yard work. I told her how he said "...and the lawnmower is still broken..." and then I told her "does he think elves are comming to fix the stupid thing?"

so, today Todd calls me at work to tell me that my dad just dropped off the lawnmower. I didn't know he took it.. neither did Todd. hmmm I told my Mom that I was just whining and that I wasn't asking dad to fix it. she had no idea what I was talking about..... gotta love my dad!

I also had a MW appt tonight! I'm down to every week now! I have the GBS test next week.. not bringing the boys to that one! and I scheduled the rest of my appts! oh- he's head down and she won't try to stop my labor at this point! and appearantly having BH contrax every time I move is a "third baby thing."

It's official!

somebody hand me the keys to the minivan b/c I'm officially a soccer mom!!! we signed Andy up last week, but it wont start until school starts. He's SO excited!

Hmmm.. what else... I've started knitting on Cargo in a green "Galway Highland Heather" which is actually made in Peru! go figure.... I LOVE the hem technique she uses in this pattern! I'm enjoying the yarn so much that I may go get more and make a matching sweater.

I've also sewn a few diapers. I made the snakeskin ones and a couple more fitteds out of some old flannels and t-shirts. I'll take some pics when they are all done. oh- I also made a hat for Andy out of the Pumpkin colored LB wool-ease T&Q that I bought last fall.. better late than never! He really doesn't need a thick wool hat in the summer BUT he needed to feel like mommy loves him too (and I do!) I need to cut out the fabric for my shorts for my PJs tonight.

exciting life, huh? it's not easy to get a whole lot done when you're feeling like a wishbone...

Stripey Goodness!!!

So I finished my suprise project! My prototype ribbed knit soaker shorts! It is SO hard to find nice boy things... even a lot of the soaker patterns are quite girly. Cute- but girly! my next project is going to be a pair of cargo pants or "longies" from Knitty.com! How cute are they????

Mom has recouperated enought to get to her sewing machine! it still hurts for her to sit there for more than a few minutes at a time, but she managed to make some ADORABLE booties and hat with some fabric I had leftover after making the airplane diapers. I'm tempted to get more fabric for a shirt to match too!



she also made this really sweet swaddling blanket. Don't you just LOVE that fleece????

It's a KOI!

the squirt was squirming this morning and of course he settles right on my bladder. this sends me running for the restroom. I headed directlyfor my ususal stall (why are we such creatures of habbit??) and relieved the pressure! when I get up to flush, I notice a HUGE dead KOI floating there!!!! so for a brief moment I'm thinking.. did I just have a fish????

I think I'd have been less grossed out by a turd....

See the Squirt

This was at 8 weeks to confirm that this baby actually made it all the way to the uterus and get a head count. one baby safe in the uterus! what a relief!


the rest of these were done at about 18 weeks. I'll be 32 weeks tomorrow! I can't freaking believe it! 8 weeks left. well.. more like 6 to 10 weeks left... never know!

I've been Dye-ing to try this!

What will it be? wait and see!

Phriday is Phor Phish & Phelting!

First of all.... The much discussed and never shown Phish Socks!!!!
So was it worth the wait??? Didn't think so...

So how did I spend my Friday night???? Mike stopped by and we all went to Farley's for dinner (MMMMmmmmm!!!!) then he and Todd went out and I put the boys to bed and got to work felting!

I felted my slippers.
Before

After


Ididn't show the cat toy...Wonder Why...

I also felted the crochet soaker. It didn't shrink much, but it really fulled nicely Thing is..The rise looked REALLY huge for a newborn. I showed it next to my first fitted for size comparison. I think may fold it over for the elastic casing. I was going to use a fabric casing hidden inside...
Before


After


I sewed this earlier in the week but this is the cashmere soaker/cover that I made. It is stuffed with the fitted shown next to the soaker above.


Aside from that.Wewe got a new..Wellll to us anyway... Laptop So far it is getting along well with the new camera and the wirelesnetwork. If we can get an internet connection at the hospital, we should be able to post baby pics fresh from the oven!

Felting follies

OK so here is my promised knitting content. pics to follow.. I forgot to take them last night... oops!

anywho.. the Phish are on stand by. I'm on pheather and phan overload! at least for hte foot half was st st, so I had a break, but I didnt' get bored with all stst either. then there was the goal of getting past those heels.. now.. I'll just knit util they are long enough and add some ribbing. thinking about a crochet picot bo at he top... I'll figure that out when I get there...

the reason I put phish on the back burner to begin with is to have my "Fuzzy Feet" ready to pack for the hospital .. and Ive only got about 10w to go!!!! so I turned both enormous heels last night and I knitted 2 more rounds before I added in a strand of LB Fun Fur in Red. not exactly the same red as the cascade 220 wool, but they look good togehter. the pattern says to knt a 3" cuff, but since theses are toe up I may jsut knit until I run outo of Cascade. I'll have fun fur left to sit in my stash for a decade or two.. or I may use it in a felted cat bed... anyway, I'm SO far off of hte original pattern, I hesitate to even call them Fuzzy Feet anymore! I made them toe up instead of cuff down. I changed yarns and added hte fun fur.. BUT I'll be felting soon!!!!

speaking of felting, I felted an old sweater and some swatches last night. the swatches were crocheted with a handspun MIL brought me from a trip to Scotland. (yes, she travels the world and brings me wool!!! I've got a pretty good MIL!) It didnt really shrink a whole lot, but it did full up nicely. so you are prebably thinking "yeah, but what's the swatching for and WHY did you felt your sweater???" well.. brace yourself.. we're going back to diaperland! I made a fitted diaper from stash scraps the other night and now I'm going to make some wool soakers to go over it and a few other fitteds I'll be making. I made the fitted with the MB pattern too. I also cut up the felted sweater and used that for the soaker/cover using the MB pattern. as I was cleaning up I realize dthat the sweater I felted was cashmere NOT wool!!! CRAP! Now I odn't mind hte felting/cutting of the sweater. it had seen better days and was going one way or another. but I don't know if cashmere will work like wool.. Anyone???

so I've got a soaker and a pair of slippers to finish then it is felting time!! YAYAYAY!! I don't know why it is SO exciting to watch all my work shringk into oblivion.. but it is fun! maybe b/c it takes the mistakes with it .....

if my snakeskin PUL ever shows up, I'll be going diaper crazy this weekend!!

oh and I sewed a nursing PJ top yesterday too....

Update on Mom

I finally go tto talk to mom last night. she sounded tired, but in good spirits. but then it was almost 10pm. she had a rough time on wednesday with the pain, but the Vicodin seems to be working w/o any adverse reactions. she's been up and walking (wiht the help of morphine!). she said the first time was extremely painful, but it gets easier every time. she should be home tomorrow.

pics for pockets

OK- as I promised, here are the step-by-step pics I took while making the second set of MB pockets. I was experimenting with ripstop. I used 2 layers of it under a jersey knit with a microfleece inner. I'm thinking daytime diaper, BUT it should be nice and cool on his bottom...

Here you can see the width differance in the outer and inner layers in the crotch. rumor has it that this pattern tends to have a wide crotch and many people like to narrow it. any feedback from those who've tried it? how much did you take in? where did you take it in?

first.. I sewed the back elastic on. when I do my front flap pockets (which I'll finish/post once my PUL gets here!), this elastic will be done at the same time and in the same manner as the leg elastics.


then I added the velcro. Loop tape on the front and a crossover tab. (these are size "little" (10-20#) I'm hoping to skip the NB size b/c mine start out 8-10#s so I'm cheating it a bit with the c/o tab).


the hook tape closure tabs and loop tape washing tabs are sewn to the fleece (I was making 2 at a time and you are looking at both liners here). I've thought of sewing on little flaps of fabric to fold over and cover the velcro for washing, but then I'd have to eliminate the C/O tab or sew the velcro on it... I'll have to try that on my next one too...


After I serged from one end of the pocket opening all the way around to the other, (boring no pic.. sorry..) I added the elastic to the leg openings. I should have cleaned my sewing table first, but I disengaged the blade, did a few stay stitches at one end, pulled the lastin tight- really tight!and stitched to the other end marking. I turned the fabric and sewed off of the edge and trimmed the extra off.


OK - I promise some knitting content next time.. 'cause I really have been knitting too!!!!

hey- I told ya - Martha on crack!

Mama's Got a Brand Brand New Knee!

Mom's in recovery now. surgury went well. She should be walking on it tonight! I'll have more info later!

I'm still a hormonal wreck....

Freakin' Hormones!!!

for those of you who've never been PG let me explain about the hormones.. first of all most of what you see on TV/movies about PG & birth is complete fiction! but there is a bit of truth in the hormonal PG woman thing, but what really happens is that the hormones take normal emotion and amplify it. thing is.. it could be 10x it could be 1,000,000x or more... and you just never know when it's comming. so, if I get annoyed at you, it doen't mean it is JUST the hormones, it means that the hormones made it MORE annoying. got it? ok- good! don't ask me again! while I'm at it .. don't ask me stupid questions (no I'm not having twins, I know my baby is going to be big, and my uterus nad cervix is NONE of your business - unless you are Katy), do NOT offer me medical advice unless you are a trained medical professional and that advice pertains to your area of expertise. (ie: if you are a hospital security gaurd, you are NOT qualified to tell me I shouldn't walk up a filght of stairs! but if you are a Vegan Doc, feel free to suggest alternate protien sources..). and lastly... I do NOT need or want to hear how horrible your labor/delivery experience was (I'm sorry that your birth was not what you had hoped for, but that isn't my problem! I've done this before and I am intelligent and educated and my decision for a NCB is based on having a healthy alert baby and an easy recovery for me. I have nothing to prove and I really don't feel that I have to "prove" anything and for thaqt matter I really don't need to justify my choice to you!).

anyway, I've just been a wreck this morning... as you can tell.... I guess it is a 1,000,000x day... I got an email from an OL friend saying that she has her baby shower at work today and her friends are throwing a shower for her this weekend and she can't imagine what she still needs b/c her family shower (60 people!!!) was last weekend and she has so much stuff from her first baby, who is 3.... while I am happy for her.. I end up in tears! thinking noone loves me and that noone else is excited about this baby....

see... the thing is.. with your first, you have the shower and e/o has to throw in their 2 cents on pregnancy, birth and parenting... it seems like the whole world is excited adn e/o shows up at the hospital to see the new baby... then if you have another close together... appearantly the world seems to think this is an accident! that noone could possibly WANT to have 2 under 2! guess what! WE did!! and I've NEVER regretted it for a minute! and I wouldn't change it for the world! but unti he was born it seemed like Todd and I were the only ones excited about it. I didn't really need more "stuff" just a twin stroller that Mom bought me... so I didn't need a shower, but I felt like I was missing out on the celebration of that PG by not having one. only a handfull of people came to see us in the hospital.. oddly enough, it was mostly people who lived out of town but were visiting for the holiday (Thanksgiving weekend!).

now, I don't really think it is a secret that this PG was a bit of a shock to say the least and it came at a pretty stressful time too! but when you concive a child while you are using birth control only hours after having a Priest bless your home, you can't rule out divine intervention... this baby wasn't exactly in our plans, but we realize now that we really do need him... unplanned CERTAINLY does NOT mean unwanted! not in our house! but again, the world seems to think.. "oh. another one? how are you going to pay for college? where are you going to put another child? you need a bigger car!" and my personal favorite "Do you wnat three boys?" yes, someone really said that! actually 2 people said it to me in less than 24 hours! but you know we've thoguth of that too and those things - well except the last! - keep us up nights. but, he's going to be here in a little more than 10 weeks no matter what....

I got a few congrats e-mails from friends, and my "mommy" friends are really excited for us, and now that it has sunk in, the grandparents are pretty excited - at least the grandmothers are.. hard to tell with the Papas (men!). but the rest of the family really could care less. Todd's sister - who we are nt' speaking too (that's another post all togehter!) sent us a nice card. not one of his aunts, uncles or cousins has called, sent a note or an e-mail...

and again no shower to celebrate the PG... Mom promised one if I had a girl b/c I have no "girl" stuff. but I have no girl either... actually after 2 boys, most of what I do have is broken, worn out, stained, or too old to meet safetly gidelines (carseats). that is if it dodn't get water/mold damage from the fire. most of hte babystuff was in a closet directly below the fire... breastpumps and monitors short out with that much water and anything that absorbs moisture gets moldy... so I actually do need the stuff this time too..

So, now that I sound like a selfish spoiled child.. I'm going to blame it on the hormones!

T is for Tuesday

T is for Todd-

he's been great about reminding me to do my kegals! and to encourage me, he does his PT exercises for his hand, well... now he's got almost full mobility back! it'll never be 100% again, but he could hardly move it before the second surgury.

T is for Tummy-

it's getting BIG! but so is the squirt. he still has no name and even if he did we wouldnt tell ya. some things still need to be suprises!

T is for tweaking - NO! I mean my diaper pattern... Todd was thinking that a front-loader would be better, but I wonder about the insert creeping out or the diaper leaking- as boys tend to leak out the top anyway... so what I'm thinking is to add a little envelope flap in the front. it may help catch leaks and keep the insert in. but I'm wondering if I should keep the back opening as an option too. any cd useres/sewers care to chime in?

T is for Things on the Needles - ok so it's a bit of a streach, BUT I've got about 1" up the cuff of Phish!!! WOO HOO!!! AND I'm half way throught the foot of my not-so-Fuzzy Feet. I've completely tweaked that pattern too.. It is toe up instead of cuff down, I changed out the yarn and I'm going to add in a strand of fun fur on the cuffs. it'll be red on red. I'm hoping to have those done to wear in the hospital.

T is for Tomorrow - Mom is having her knee replacement! she is scared to death, but anxious to get it done. it'll be a tough road to recovery, but she is committed to doing the PT and getting her life back. she's become pretty crippled over the last 9 months or so. she'll be walking on her new knee tomorrow! Please keep he in your thoughts and prayers as she goes through thsi operation and long recovery.

TTFN! I'll be back to post soem pics of the Nemo Nursary when I get a chance. We're going to use a 2nd hand changing table and paint it white like the crib. we use dhte dresser last time, but we got a new one for that room that just won't work as a changing table. we'll also need the extra storage space for the CDs. they are so cute I don't mind leaving them out for the world to see!

finally some pics...

Finally!!! I got the camera to work and Blogger wouldn't cooperate!

I'll start with Ryan in his Dora & Diego pocket trainers.. he LOVES them! I HATE this FOE! Ineed to replace it with the good stuff...

Procare pail liner in my Diaper Dekor+. just a bag with an elastic top!

Spidey Diaper from MB pattern below... pre velcro..bad pic.. I'll take soem step-by-step with the ones I'm working on now...

Nemo & Dad made with my copy of a FB.

Todd made me do it!

Mama Bird Pocket Diapers

First off.. I have showed the Phish socks who's boss and I've rocked BOTH heels and started up the cuffs. and they are now officially know as the Phish socks b/c I have had Phish stuck in my head for DAYS now!!! make it stop!!!!

Anyway.. Mama Bird... Click the title to go to her page with the patterns and the instructions for the AIO and fitteds. I made 2 pockets using her "little" pattern. (Note: pictures to be added once I figure out how to upload my new camera onto the old computer)

To Make Pockets:

Materials:

• Procare or PUL for cover ( I used Procare with cotton overlay after MUCH convincing of the big brothers that it was SCRAP fabric, NOT their curtains!!!)
• fleece, micro fleece, or seuadecloth for lining (I used fleece - more scraps!)
• lastin (more scraps! I used 3 5" pieces)
• velcro
• mama bird pattern and big paper to trace it on.

Directions:

• print pattern and tape together as instructed.
• trace 2 copies onto pattern paper adding an extra 1/4" seam allowance.
• move marks for elastic to edge of original pattern. the elastics will actually be sewn into the seam allowance!
• cut one pattern out along the AIO line. mark this one as the Lining.
• cut the other along the fitted line. mark this as the Cover.
• yes - I know that the prev. 2 steps are OPPOSITE of the AIO directions, but go with me on this!
• cut out your fabrics (fleece with lining pattern and your barrier fabric and optional overlay from the cover pattern.
• transfer markings.
• Sew lastin at edge of fabric on ws of cover between back markings. I start at one end and keep the lastin taught unitl I get to the other end and cut off excess. (I used my serger for this, but you could zig zag it too. optional- repeat with lining.
• since I used an overlay, I serged the overlay to the barrier all the way arround being sure to keep elastic taight. I didn't trim much of anything off of hte edges, just a hair.
• sew loop tape to front of cover.
• lay lining on the RS of cover. Use clothespins or binder clips to hold the 2 together (pins=holes=leaks!) be sure to line up the edges. YES the fleece is wider in the crotch. it is SUPPOSED to be!
• serge (or overlock or zigzag) around the edge. start at one end of the pocket and sew around to the other end.
• now, sew the lastin to the FLEECE side of the leg openings at markings. I used the same procedure as for the back elastic.
• turn RS out.
• top stitch SA on the pocket opening. do NOT top stitch the rest of the diaper.
• you'll notice that the fleece will roll out at the leg. this is what it should do! this is softer on baby and helps prevent wicking.
• sew velcro onto tabs. add crossover tab if you like.
• prewash & dry in dryer to reseal barrier fabric.
• stuff and put on baby!

Rocked the Short Row Heel

.. just in time for it to kick my ASS!!! It was so perfect! except for one little detail.. I started it about an inch too soon! my first toe-up heel - I guessed wrong.

I got yarn samples in the mail on Monday for Squirt's christening gown.. and I'm ordering it! YAY!!! it is SO lucious! Even Todd was wowed by it.. and he only cares about yarn when it is knit into socks for HIM... oh - the yarn.. 50/50 merino/silk!!! 1# laceweight for the gown and 1# DK for the blanket.

I've got a question for any veg/vegans reading this... what are your thoughts on animal fibers like wool, cashmere, silk, angora etc. I mean, the animals like to be sheared and/or plucked! and the fibers are SO nice to wear and to work with!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEAR!

Today, Andy is 5! a whole hand! I can hardly believe it! It seems like yesterday he was born...and now we are signing him up for Kindergarten. KINDERGARTEN!!!

We had his party with his friends on Saturday. All week, the weather kept looking worse and worse.. I was in a cleaning frenzy! cleaning, unpacking and organizing my house from top to bottom! by Satuday morning, I was on the verge of complete physical and mental collapse... I was rescued by the Grandmas ans Amanda who help set up and decorate for the party. I think God realized that I'd had quite enough and the rain stopped in the morning. Todd and his Dad set up the bouncer. the sun came out! SO after all of my cleaning, we ended up having the party outside... as soon as it was over, the clouds came back. we took the bouncer down. it started to sprinkle again. Thank you God for listening to me! I was SO wiped from the whole experinece that I was in my PJs in bed on a saturday night - and it was still light out! and you know what? I was GLAD!

To make my weekend even better, I got to sleep in to 9 on "Saint Mudders Day"! and parked my arse in front of the TV knitting most of the day! (making GREAT progress on FISH! started my first Short Row heel!).

at least my house looks good! It got pretty muddy after the party, but no biggie! Dad also installed the chandalier over the dining table adn the track light over the bar. I love Ikea! I like the kitchen light SO much, we're thinking of forgoing the ceiling fan and getting a matching chandalier for the entry. pics to follow...