Last day at work, 4 days 'til baby

It's just incredible how quickly the time has flown by! I'm sure it has a lot to do with how easy it has been to be pregnant. I had very little morning sickness. I felt fabulous, no majors pains or that sort of thing. I had heartburn, and in the past few weeks my hips have felt like they're going to pop off, but that's not even THAT bad. Yes, I had gestational diabetes, so I couldn't gorge myself on krispy kremes and other treats, but that's probably why I only gained 29.5 pounds, spot on for weight gain. Of course after such a fabulous pregnancy I'm going to have to have a c-section, what with the stubbornness gene this baby got from his daddy, but even that isn't all that terrible in the grand scheme of things!

This weekend my parents come in and I'll be gathering up some last minute things we need. We're having some friends out Saturday for the last childless (for us) cook out. And I'm going to try to take as many pictures of my big old pregnant belly as I can so I can always remember it. I can't believe it's been 9 months since those first 8 tests came back positive. It was right after DragonCon, right after going home to PA for a PSU football game, it was surreal for the longest time. It still is surreal. There's a little baby in my belly and in 4 days he's coming out and I get to see what color his eyes are, how much hair he has, what his nose looks like. I'm on the verge of tears constantly just thinking about that. I'm scared and so extremely excited about it all. I have no idea what life is going to be like after Tuesday. I can't even begin to imagine! But I can't wait to find out! And for pete's sake I'm going to be a freaking mother! For the rest of my life I'm going to be a mother! Wow...just wow....

Well, I don't see me being very productive today at work. I have on my agenda to go say farewell to a lot of friends on campus who I used to work with, and I'm sure it'd be good if I finished up some queries I have laying around, but if I don't, I'm not going to stress too much. I have bigger things to worry about from now on.

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Speachless Knitter

About a year or more ago, I started teaching ladies in my office to knit. We started with a plain old basic wash cloth. We've made hats and most recently a felted bag. Most have branched off on their own projects and what used to be one day a week lunch lesson is more of a nice little knitting group. It's been fabulous to watch them learn to knit and learn to LOVE to knit. Plus it's been great to have a little built in group to knit with as a little break.

Today they surprised me. I was in tears (not too hard to do to a 8.5 month pregnant woman) and speechless (a very very difficult feat!).

Together they all worked on individual washcloths that two of the ladies then pieced together and bordered to make a BEAUTIFUL baby blanket. The extra washcloths were given to me for baby's bath times.

I can't tell you how much this really meant to me. I couldn't even tell them. It was the most amazing wonderful gift I've ever received. So extremely special.

I took a few pictures with my phone to show it off.





They don't do it justice though!

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Let's just say I'm glad I won't be watching it happen!

The birth that is!
We watched some seriously graphic births in our first birth class Monday night. Damn...all that streeeettttching!? Holy crap. Looks pretty painful! I'm just glad I won't be watching my poor patootie going through that. Feeling it is one thing...I think if I had to see it happen the pain would be 100 times worse!

In all honesty, I'm actually looking forward to the birth. I'm excited. I can't wait for the experience. I know....I'm sick.

And how was my weekend? This is how my weekend was:
I fell out of bed. No I wasn't sleeping, I was crawling into bed, leaned to far over, and sloooooooooowly slid down until I hit the bed frame with my ass-cheek and then hit the floor. The bruise is absolutely impressive! This was Friday night. Saturday morning I woke up with my first, and worst charlie horse evar! Add to that my sinuses were tingly, so I knew I'd end up sick sooner or later. Sure enough Sunday I felt like death warmed over. Today I'm finally able to walk straight, sit without pain and breath through at least one side of my nose!

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Oh SNAP!

What's that you ask?
Well, it's a rubber band of course! One that's obviously snapped!

But why in the world would you be taking it's picture you ask?
Well, it's visual proof that my belly is probably too big for the pants I'm wearing!

You see, I was using the above pictured rubber band to hold the top of my pants together, since they are pre-pregnancy pants, and I cannot actually zipper them or button them completely. So under my lovely belly band I have them held together by this wonderful marvel of technology. Until about noon time. I felt the snap, but it didn't register in my pregnant mind what it may have been. Until I moved, and realized my pants felt a wee bit looser. Lifting the belly band to investigate, this little broken bit fell out and my ego completely deflated. *sigh*

I found another rubber band to get me through the day, but I think this means these jeans should be packed away for the next year or so.

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Project updates

Well, both big projects are moving along nicely. Both are about 2/3 of the way completed and I'm feeling really good about the progress being made.

Of course the first of the big projects is the baby blanket.

If you can see, I've started on the second yellow patch, and once I finish that it's the last bit of green and we're done! It's really looking nice. It's so soft and lovely. This baby is going to have an abundance of blankets, two hand made, one by me, one by his bubba (my mom). It feels good to be making something just for him.

And the other big project is the baby!


This was just after my 30th birthday a few weeks ago. The bump is definitely growing steadily. It's hard to miss that I'm pregnant now. I'm still feeling fabulous, with just a few minor complaints, which I won't list because it's just not worth it! It's really becoming very real now, and the time is flying by. It'll be baby time so soon, and I'm grateful that the baby's room is finished, the blanket is mostly finished, and the other small projects I have going aren't too complicated. Well one is a bit...I'll mention that here in a sec. It's nice to know I won't have the stress over anything major in the last few weeks I have left.

So, the other projects....well, I'm replicating a baby wall hanging that hubby has from his birth for this baby. It's cross-stitch, which thankfully I'm familiar with. No learning curve there. I'm batting that out quickly and shouldn't spend too much time on that. I'm planning to have it finished in a few weeks so when my parents come to visit I can get my moms help framing and matting them both and hanging them in the room. The other project is birth announcements. In my infinate wisdom and finite time frame, I decided to use stamping to create the announcements. No, I've never done any stamping, nothing remotely close to what I'd like to make. So I have my book, I'm trying to get ideas, and then I'll need to buy supplies, learn what I want to do, and then pump out probably 150 announcements. No worries though! I'm sure I'll get it done in plenty of time. Especially now that I decided I can wait to learn to quilt and quilt a baby blanket. *grin*

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Squish, bump, kick....

Just a few weeks ago I actually started to feel this little guy moving around. It was very subtle at first, and I have to say completely strange. Over the past few weeks it's gotten a lot less subtle, until this weekend. I was sitting on the couch with Nate, knitting a little on my blanket (which I hadn't touched in weeks) when "pow!" (picture that in comic book style) the little booger belts me but good! A jumped, looked at Nate and then laughed a bit. I moment later "bam!", again with the belting! Of course then Nate put his hand on my stomach and he got all quiet and calm (that's right boy! Fear your father! hee hee). By the end of the weekend, we had both felt him quite obviously on the outside. He's a kicker...and he's a mover too. One night I felt him up to the left of my belly button, the next night down to the right. He's all over the place! I'm glad he's still got room to move, it won't last long!

In knitting news:
I've only added a bit more to my blanket, but I have picked it back up, so hopefully it will move along a bit more now.

Other fun stuff
I started a prenatal yoga class a few weeks ago, and last week I started a belly dancing class. Both are great! I love the prenatal yoga class because it's a bunch of pregnant ladies, and at the beginning we talk about how we're feeling. I've met a couple girls who are due around the same time as me. The belly dancing is just plain old fun!

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Boy oh Boy!

Yup!
It's a boy!
We saw the little bits on the ultrasound this morning!

I've been working on more and more baby socks. I even bought some lovely sock yarn this weekend (Sock yarn doesn't count!). I love the little socks. Now I should make a nice blue pair!

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Baby socks...the new baby bootie!

Well, thanks to Wendy's wonderful sock pattern and a few frantic phone calls to Lisa, I finished a pair of adorable baby socks! I've never been a bootie fan, they're just too froo-froo for me. But the socks, they're just mini's and they are just way too cute! And damn quick too. They're so easy and quick, I even weaved in my stray ends!

So here they are, all alone, and sitting on the feet of my pregnant teddy bear at my desk:







I have more yarn with me to start my next pair...and my next...and my next...and my next....who knows when I'll stop! *evilknitterlaugh*

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Progress on the blanket

The baby blanket is coming along very very nicely. I've started on the second color, yellow. It moves along quickly, and even though now and then I miscount and get a bit off, it's still a very easy pattern.

This is the blanket today, before my lunch time knitting:

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Baby Brain

In the past month I have, on more than one occassion, discovered after leaving the bathroom that I forgot to zip up my fly. I think I just get so excited I can get the buttons closed one more time I forget about the fly!

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This I believe....

I firmly believe that all pregnant women, whether we've met before or not, should automatically be friends. If on pregnant woman declares herself to another pregnant woman the more pregnant woman should welcome the less pregnant woman into the pregnant club. A pregnant woman should never be cold or snooty to another, or brush her off with an air of indifference. We should all be in this together. I will reread this several times as I progress through my pregnancy to insure I will always have be an open friend to all pregnant women.

(PS: I do not expect that we will all sit down to coffee together and chat for hours about maternity clothes and morning sickness. But is it too much to ask to act interested and open. You've been where I am going and it's nice to have a warm face that's just as excited as I am. You know who you are. Bitch)

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Inspired!

I'm still working on the baby blanket (yes, Lisa, lucky you I found a pattern! *thpt*)
I have about 6.5 inches finished. Only, oh, say 33 more inches to go. It's a pretty fast knit though, and so pretty and so soft.

And I'm already planning my next projects. I was inspired after reading a new blog I stumbled upon, JoFrog is Knitfrog, who happens to be a new mom (I'm very much attuned to all things baby, mommy, and preggy at the moment, as it should be) and I found her blog through Knitty bloggy baby bumpers, a group I hope to join up with shortly. Anyway, back to the inspiration. Ms. Jofrog had knitted matching socks for her and her new bub, and the bub socks were the most adorable teeeny bitty things I've seen. So much cuter than silly baby botties. And to top it off, I've been meaning to start a new pair of socks...and while yes, I still have not closed the toe on my first sock, yes just one, I plan to soon move to these itty-bitty bub-alicious baby socks. I just need to dig out that Ann Budd sock pattern thing I have to see if I can make them small enough. Oh, and incase you were wondering, my inspiration only goes as far as the mini socks. I do not plan to be as ambitious as Jofrog and knit myself a matching pair. At least not in the near future! I'm realistic folks!

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Imma knitting fiend!

Okay, lace. I gave up on it. I'm such a quitter. Maybe I'll finish it some time this month and give it away as a gift. But I was realistic. After not touching it Monday or Tuesday I knew I'd never finish it in time for Friday night. Ah well.

I did find a lovely baby blanket pattern though! And I've been knitting away at that. I just keep rubbing it on my cheek, it's so soft. I'm using some inexpensive acrylic yarn I picked up with a gift card and I think it's just perfect. I knew I'd find the perfect pattern if I just kept looking. And how's this for knitting karma: My boss had started a baby sweater long ago, and when she found out I was a knitter (and teaching a few people in the office to knit) she asked if I could take a look at the sweater as she had made a mistake and didn't know how to fix it. When she finally brough it in, she couldn't even remember what the mistake was. With the help of another office knitter the mistake was found, and I fixed it for her, found her place in the pattern and invited her to sit with our knitting group so she could finish the sweater. Of course the pattern for the sweater also had a pattern for a baby blanket. THE baby blanket! So I got a copy of it and off I went this weekend.

My husband has confiscated the laptop for work (it is his work laptop anyway) so I have to wait until he's done before I post pictures, but I will get some pics up of my projects soon.

And thank you all for the warm welcome back! It's good to be missed, and be assured I definately missed all ya'll too!

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Oh my goodness a new post!

Yes, yes, anyone STILL checking my blog is in shock!
And I'm going to try to keep up with the blog too.

I'm actually knitting, infact I have 3 projects that are mostly complete! The streakers shrug from Interwieve Knits in my lovely Manos, one sock with some knitpicks sock yarn, and my most insane attempt, a lace shawl in some mohairy unnamed yarn I got from a friend when she was moving. The shawl I started on Sunday, with the hopes of completing it by Friday for a holiday party. Hah! Yah, right. That just ain't gonna happen. So it may end up a gift for someone. But I will finish it. I started the madness, I will end it. And then I will never ever ever touch lace again. Nope. Not at all. I admire you ladies who knit lace! You amaze me! You're knitting chi is strong! Mine is weak. I celebrate when I get through just one row without extra (or not enough!) stitches. Never have I sworn more.

Oh yah, and there is this other project I'm working on. I'm only about 1/3 of the way through it, but it seems to be going well. Nice and smooth. That project you ask? Well, I plan to debut it sometime in June. And technically it's not just my project, my husband helped, and continues to help. Okay, okay, I'll tell you (if you don't alreay know and most of you probably due...hee hee freudian slip!)....it's a baby! After a few years of trying, a few months of not preventing, and a period of time we figured it would never happen, it did! And yes, this is primarily a knitting blog, but I will definately be spreading a bit of baby around, since that's just my life right now!

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Birthday Girl!

Yup. Me.



Does that look like a 29 year old to you?!



Me neither! *grin*
But yes, I am 29 years old today. Yay me! So it is perfectly acceptable for me to be vain on my birthday.

We're going out to celebrate tonight with some friends and some drinks and maybe some dancing too!


So I have done a little knitting since the last time I posted here. Actually, I'm teaching 5 people to knit in my office. What a challange. Not because they don't catch on quick, but I've never taught knitting, or been to a knitting class myself, so I'm finding it really difficult to explain how knitting happens. But they are all enthusiastic and they keep telling me what a great teacher I am, so I'll keep teaching them!

So, yah, any knitters in the Chapel Hill area who want to go out with the Birthday Girl tonight, I'll be at the West End Martini Bar around 9 tonight!

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DragonCon!

Anyone else going to DragonCon in Atlanta?
I am!
8 more days baby!


*Yes, I know I've dropped off the earth. I'm still there, but it's looking up. I start my new job Sept 6, after a weeks vacation, including DragonCon. I haven't been knitting, and bad person that I am, my final SP package still has not be packed up and sent (yah, I probably gave myself away if my SP reads my blog). I even have a thank you gift for Susan, but haven't packaged that up either (Susan, I need to get your mailing address too!) Plus I started my "13th" grade biology and chemistry classes at night, Monday thru Thursday. Wow, I won't even get into how terribly awful the guy is who "teaches" my chem class. It makes me cry. So there's my update. If you're going to be a DragonCon, email me before Thursday! I'd love to meet up!*

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WELCOME ZACHARY!

I have a new NEPHEW!
He was born today!

Way to go Paula (and Brian)!

My parents are now GRANDparents and I. Have. A. NEPHEW!

*and at this point this is all I know, information from my teary mother just 15 minutes ago*


7lbs 13ozs, 23in long, born at 6:28pm.

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Pictures as promised

*Warning! Picture intense posting!*

The baby sweater I made for my sister:





This was our weekend fun last weekend with Bronwyn and Ian. This is a trick taught to us one morning while sitting on the porch with some very dear friends after a night of imbibement. Flying June Bugs. First, you catch a June Bug, and let me tell you they are quite abundant around these parts. In fact only after I moved to NC have I seen beetles this large! They're light Japanese beetles times 10. They don't bite, and I don't think they actually eat as destructively as the JBs. Anyway, catch a few, and with thread tie the end to a back leg, right up against the body. It's kind of oookie, but just wait for the fun you'll have! Then you just let 'em go! They'll fly around in circles in their "kite" string and many laughs will be had as you duck and try not to let them land on you. (Yes, it's hard to see the bugs)






Tying the bug up, a primer in pictures (click for biggie goodness):





This is Inca in the vetch field behind my parents house.


Here's an shot of the field. In the winter it's great for sledding. But the walk up is long and hard...we usually joke about putting in a little mini ski lift to pull us back up after the ride down.




This is Obi out on the dock at the Cabana Boy's parents house. Obi is terrified of water, but he's even more distressed to be seperated from his daddy. Nate swam out to the dock and I took the paddle boat out and Obi paced the shore for awhile. Then he just said fuck it, and jumped in and swam out. Getting him to swim back was interesting.






Here is our sexy new van, a 2005 Honda Odessey EX-L. Her name is Moya and she is wonderful! Great ride, some sweet comfort, and plenty of space. We'll be taking her down to Atlanta GA for DragonCon in September.






And the pictures you've all been waiting for!
First, the unopened "blue" box. So very very sparkly! Or Glittr-y as the case may be.



And the contents! Note the blue theme throughout? All the yarn is just spectacular, and I can't wait to knit it up...once I decide on what it's going to be!


The funny thing about that scarf is, in the card Suzanne calls it "something that feels like a cat". I made my husband feel it and his first response.....yupper, "feels like a cat"! Love it! I can't wait until it cools down so I can wear it.



So I hope you all enjoyed all the pictures. I suppose I'm kind of like picture camel. I save up all my pictures for one big release. I guess that's more like a reverse camel....

Amy, I did see on your blog where you were Suzanne's SP! At first I thought, "wow, what a coincidence that she's sending her packages to a Suzanne!" I also saw her packages on her blog. I'm so glad you spoiled her as much as she spoiled me! She really does deserve it!

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Blue blue blue

Nope, not sad! That was just the color theme of my third SP package! And I promise promise promise I took pictures of it, and once I get my lazy butt around to uploading them (really, no excuse since we have high speed internet now) I'll put them here. Everything was so pretty and soft and just wonderful. My wonderful (not so) Secret Pal Suzanne has really really spoiled me, and made my first SP participation fabulous. And she's going to make me fabulous too, or atleast help out...because some the lovely Rio yarn is going to become a skinny scarf which I hear is all the rave in the UK! *wink* The Drake likes to be on the cutting edge!


Now, not that I was tagged with this, but I found it on a friend's blog.

id·i·o·syn·cra·sy
Pronunciation Key
n. pl. id·i·o·syn·cra·sies
A structural or behavioral characteristic peculiar to an individual or group.

Write down five of your own personal idiosyncracies. Then, if you wish, tag five people from your live gerbil or friendslist to do the same.

1. Never leave the house once: Nope, I always forget one thing or another and have to run back in to grab it. I think my personal best was 5 trips back in before I was ready to go. But I do say I get it honest. My dad is the same way!

2. Soooooo: And I hate this one. When I talk I start and/or end most sentences with soooo. Especially on the phone. I'm trying to stop this one.

3. Stuffed animals: If my husband wasn't there to stop me, I'd still be buying stuffed animals like a kid. I love the cuties! Thank goodness I knit now! I can just make my own cuties!

4. Makeup: I refuse to wear it. Hate it. Hate it I say! It feels horrid. On super special occasions (Halloween, really) I might put on some eye shadow...lipstick a little more often (though I've developed a super-love of flavored lip glosses). I am the Un-Girl.

5. I am the Un-Girl: I know, I said that already, but I have to say it's a subject all it's own. I like dresses, but I hate heels. I like nail polish and long nails but I also like digging in the dirt. I don't wear makeup, but I like to look pretty. I can't think of any other category I've ever fit in...I'm not preppy, or punk, or goth, or boyish....I'm an un-girl, one who is girly in her own non-girly way.

Now, I've gone and tagged Lisa, Heather, Amy of AmyLovie, Amy of GoodtobeGirl, and my longshot tag Crazy Aunt Purl. Muahahahahaha

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And the winner is......

The Honda Odessey.
We decided it was the best for the price, nice and comfy, good extras.
Barring any complications we'll be signing the paperwork this evening and driving the new girl home. My new girl. Woot!

Yah, cause the last new vehicle we bought was the cabana boy's Dodge truck, which was cool, but his. Then I got the sub, which also was cool, but used. Now it's my turn. I picked the color inside and out too. And it's real purty. Leather seats even! Not that we wanted them, but the best gas mileage only comes in the leather seat model. Ah well. Heated leather seats. I'm not complaining!

Dan Irving: Anywho - my Dad owns a Honda Odessey and I have to say, while I'm one of those gas-guzzling SUV owning types, if I *was* a mini-type I'd have an Odessey. I've helped drive the van up to Long Island NY where the other half of my family lives and it was a pretty comfy trip. Edumunds shows a consumer rating of 9.2 which isn't too shabby. My dad isn't very mechanically inclined (in fact he is somewhat retarded in that aspect) but he's been able to keep the regular maintenance intervals. The van is about 5yrs old now and still runs really well.

Glad to hear it! The reliability and longevitiy was definately a factor.

Helen: can't help you much...we had a Dodge Grand Caravan in '92, kept it til 2002. Bought another one. had a MAJOR accident (2004) and man, hit a guy, hit from behind by garbage truck and two other vehicles and ended in a tree...when i went back to see the van, i was amazed at how beat up it was..and i tell ya, our injuries were totally minor compared to the look of this mess...man. unbelievable. so i hope your choices are as safe as ours! we are now on our third Grand Caravan

The rental we have now is a Caravan. It's not bad. Sounds pretty safe too! Didn't get too good of a rating from Consumer Reports though (none of the newer American vans did though). We've got one Dodge, and decided to go foreign for this one. Wow though. Wow. I have a whole new respect for safety ratings, air bags, and all that now. Really really glad to hear the Caravan has served you well!

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