A Post Less Car-Wrecky...

Is it possible to instill a compulsion while a baby is still in utero? If yes, then my wee little girl is going to inherit a shoe problem. Behold...



Hand-me-down Robeez for Christmas from Pinta's Auntie J and cousin K who has long outgrown them. WHEE :) So excited. But that's not all...



The collection I started long before even getting pregnant. Um...yeah. I got nuthin'.



These little owl ones I bought just the other day at The Teazer in Mahone Bay (20% off mind you) simply because they go PERFECTLY with the little sweater. Lighting is terrible, but the pinks match up like you wouldn't believe. I spent half an hour putting what outfits I have with the bombardment of shoes I received. It was a good half hour. And, uh, I may have ordered two more pair (also on sale) online. C'mon...it's free shipping. I'm a sucker for free shipping. I'm likely to buy just about anything if you'll ship it to me for nothing. Heck, gimme two.

Anyway. I'm getting the inkling that it might be customary to to an FO tally for the year, as just about every blog I visit regularly has done so today. I however, do not have the brain power for this. It may be as simple as logging onto my Rav page and counting, but believe me, that is a monumental task for me today. I's tired. I can tell you I knit 3 adult sweaters and finished an afghan, with the help of one of my fellow Knitterpudlians. And a bunch of socks. And some kids stuff. Toys, sweaters...that sort of thing. Ya know...knitting.

Speaking of which...



A WIP. Another Top Down sweater by Cabin Fever, this time for Pinta Bean. It's sized one year, but that's alright. Nice to make stuff in advance. I like the colourway. It's busy, but then so are kids. This was the yarn that was in my stocking from the constable (wink wink, nudge nudge). He congratulated himself on being such a thoughtful guy when he saw it.



And one final Christmas gift was delivered today. A new rocker for the baby's room, perhaps the final installment of items to complete the picture. Well, some trim around the window would be good I suppose. I'm sure we'll find a minute or two before March to attend to that. Looking forward to spending many an hour here.

And that, my friends, is it for 2008. Have a good night y'all. Stay safe and party smart. Catch up with you in '09.

Until then...

On the 2nd day after Christmas...

My true love rolled the Jeep.



He's totally fine, which is just the most awesome Christmas present ever. His neck was a little sore and he had a slight bump on the head, but no cuts or scrapes or broken bones. And I was not in the Jeep with him at the time, which is also awesome, as you can clearly see the passenger side took the brunt of the damage. Snowy roads...total fluke. And now the Jeep is no more. Let the insurance hassle begin.

I think it took me until this afternoon to calm down. The rollover happened just outside of Lunenburg yesterday after his hockey tournament (he coaches little guys). We went back there today to where he'd had it towed to get all of the stuff out of the back (namely his hockey equipment, as he also plays). A quick stop at Have a Yarn helped to sooth my nerves a little bit. But I'll post about that another time. For now, I think I need a little lie down. Until later...

Foreshadowing...

I got a small taste of what I might be in for in a few months over the weekend. The constable was sick, the dog was weird and up all hours and the wind was howling, threatening to tear the house apart, or so it sounded at times. All of those combined conspired against my getting any sleep whatsoever, and so I saw the briefest glimpse of a me without much sleep for only two days. The extended version should be oh so charming indeed.

I did manage to knit a bit in between fits of sleeplessness and desperately trying to nap. First up, these:



Saartje's Booties knit out of Sirdar Denim DK for Pinta's soon to be cousin for Christmas. Soon to be as in like, likely to be born around the same time. Too cool. Oh yeah, Pinto Bean has now become Pinta Bean, and since the constable and I are having a bit of a hard time coming up with a name we're both sold on, I'm trying to convince him just to go with Pinta and our troubles are over. If only she were one of a set of triplets, I would be all over it (get it? Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria?).

Anyway...this is a great pattern. You can whip these little buggers up in a couple of hours. I plan on making a pink pair for Pinta and perhaps convince the BIL and SIL to take a photo of their bean wearing his and I'll do likewise. Matchy-matchy :)



I also brought this out the closet, where it had been hanging in anticipation, and added a little detailing which I think is charming. I can't decide between knitting a pink rosette and adding a snap closure or picking up the pink baby safety pins I saw at the store to use as a closure. I'll give it some more thought.



T'would appear as though I have pink on the brain. This lovely mess is the dainty pink sweater I alluded to in a previous post. What I find exceedingly frustrating is that I seem to knit lovely things for other people and when I sit down to crank out a project for myself, arse it up more times than I can count. I haven't ripped back, cuz I flat out refuse to where lace is concerned, and I'm sure the mistakes aren't as plentiful as I think they are, but I do know that there are some spots where I've mangled the pattern and well, that will have to be part of it's charm I suppose. In any event, this is going to be wee so I hope she's not going to be the huge baby that her father insists that she will be. What is up with that anyway? I keep hearing, 'TEN POUND BABY' to which I keep asking, 'Do you hate me or something?'



More pink, this time for me. Plain vanilla socks in Tanis Sweetheart. Still adore this yarn. I had a pattern in mind for this yarn, but then went a-travelling and vanilla seemed more practical. Looking forward to finishing these, as they make cozy socks. And of course, I plan on making little ones out of the leftover. Mommy and me socks.

I've got last minute shopping to do and have been stalling all morning cuz it's cold and windy and I just don't wanna. Meh. It's just too cozy in here these days. Hank begs to differ. He'd much rather be out in the snow while it lasts. Maybe if he can keep from driving me nuts for 20 mins, I'll indulge him. Up again at 4 am to be let outside has not put him on my 'nice' list for today. Although he was allowed to open a present this morning. But that's really only because he needed a chewy to keep him occupied and the cupboard was bare. But he was pretty excited at the prospect of opening a present. So that was cute.

Anyhow, I'm off. Until later. Have a great holiday y'all.

Near Miss...

It's been one of those weeks, ya know? Nothing major, certainly nothing to get in a big stink about, but just an accumulation of about a dozen small things that when combined with pregnancy make me just want to sleep in tomorrow until my bladder simply refuses to let the sleeping go on any longer.

One of the things that had me in a bit of a tizzy was a sick computer. It had contracted some sort of virus, a rather recent one so I am told, which encrypted all of my photo files and hid them away somewhere. This was mildly devastating, as I, like most of you I'm sure, have a lot of photos on my computer. That's pretty much what the laptop is...a photo storage device. There was some redundancy built in, I had a lot of them uploaded online and about a year ago, had put a lot on disc. But of course there have been quite a few photos taken since then. Anyhow, long story short, the computer guy that came over today managed to find my photos and put them back where they belong and tomorrow I'm putting every single one of them on a disc, whether I truly value them or not. So that's a relief.



Speaking of photos, here's one of our Christmas tree. First official family Christmas tree in the new digs. It's real, which I haven't had for years, and really, there's nothing like that smell. I'm quite pleased with it, and I gotta say, living next door to the Christmas tree capital of the world has it's privileges. Sorry, but you can't get a tree this nice back in ye olde Ontario for $20.00. And it's so nice and full you can't see the trunk. Anyhow, it's exceedingly difficult to take a picture of a Christmas tree either a) lit up or b) so that you get a real sense of what the decorations look like. This was the best I could do. And it's the only time you're likely to see the blue tulle garland. At night, it's completely invisible. I thought it might show up with the lights, but well, it doesn't. At least I know it's there. Guess that's all that matters.



Here's someone else who seems to approve of the tree. There's been no issues with him and the new livingroom fixture whatsoever. He's not a leg-lifter, so that wasn't a concern. If anything, we thought he might be obsessed with sniffing the tree, as he's a huge fan of pine scent. I'm not kidding. I take him to Pine Grove, a nice little nature trail not far from here, and every two steps he's got to stop and inhale. When we first brought the tree in he seemed a wee bit confused by the whole bringing the outdoors into the house. I suppose that would be a bit counter-intuitive to a dog. But other than him grazing it with his back every time he walks by, he pretty much ignores it altogether. He's always been good like that; never one to get into things and chew.

Knitting has been slow. I feel like I'm back in the first trimester again where getting my brain into pattern reading mode is a challenge I'd rather exchange for sitting like a lump in front of the television. I have started a dainty pink sweater for you know who, so I'll post about that in a day or so when there's a little more progress.

For now though, I'm going to go into lump mode until it's time for sleep mode. Until later...

It's a...

I've been trying to come up with some cute and clever way of doing the 'big reveal' of the results of the 3d ultrasound today, as I know there are at least a few people out there who are mildly interested in finding out what we're having (I've gotten your messages ladies).

Anyhow, all relevant immediate family have been contacted now and it's late and I'm tired, so I guess it's time just to be out with it.

We are having




a little





GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



To my Knitterpudlian compatriots, have 'atter with the pink yarn.

Pictures are amazing. I think she actually looks like me. So weird and cool at the same time.

Anyhow, gotsta sleep. It's been quite the exciting day. Until later...

Oh So Happy...

Chicken Betty tagged me for a Tree of Happiness meme and I think I'm supposed to list six things that make me happy. Seeing as I'm suffering an awful bout of reflux/heartburn at the moment and though dog tired, the whole laying down thing makes it worse, perhaps listing some happy-inducing items might take the edge off. So here goes.

One: My home. Alright, I'm just going to give up now and let you know that the majority of this list is going to be touchy-feely fromage, but it's all true. The fact that I have a home and it's ours and it's cozy and warm makes me tremendously happy. It's my ultimate haven, my shelter in the storm (literally I suppose), the only place I want to be most of the time. I'm a true home body, totally content to be here and putter around.

Two: The people in it. My home that is. The constable, Hank...they're always glad to see me, and I them and we share our own strange language and rituals and we just generally enjoy one another's company. They both make me laugh tremendously, and there really isn't anything better than that. Plus Hank is really soft and fuzzy, so there's a tactile component as well. You can't help but get a little happier when you're kind of grumpy just by petting his head.

Three: Sleep. Oh how I treasure my sleep. There is nothing in this world better than a really good nights sleep or a long guilt-free nap in the middle of the day. I defy you to convince me otherwise. And with this whole pregnancy thing, though I haven't encountered much sleep interruption, I'm even more keenly aware of the difference a restful night can make the next day. And yes, I'm well aware I'm on borrowed time with this one. Just let me enjoy it while I can.

Four: A great meal. Much like sleep, there's just nothing like it. A great meal enjoyed with equally great company is the marrow of life. And it cannot be rushed. You must be able to languish over a meal for a good long time, with lots of wine and scintillating conversation. Those kinds of moments not only feed the belly but the spirit as well.

Five: Along with friends and family, which I was going to go into greater detail about, I think I'm going to have to reserve this one for solitude. Chicken Betty touched upon this one as well, and I too find it vitally important that I carve out my alone time in my day. Which at the moment isn't terribly hard to do. I work from home and my hubby works shifts, so being alone is an almost constant state of affairs. But there are times when things are busy or I'm around people more than I'm not and I find that to find that inner equilibrium, I need to just be alone and collect my thoughts. Whenever I get out of balance, being alone brings me back to center and makes me much happier.

Six: Again, kinda cliche and a little on the sugary sweet side, but I gotta say it: being pregnant. This has been one of the happiest times of my life. Everything has gone so well so far and seeing as this is something I (and we) have wanted for quite some time, I've tried not to take a moment of it for granted. I've wanted to be totally present for every experience and just soak it all up, letting everything else fall by the wayside if need be. Despite the discomfort and crankiness at times, I feel very lucky to be a part of all this. It's, like, uber-cool.

See? Heartburn is gone. Attitude is everything. I'm off to bed then. Until later...

Last Solo Flight...

One round trip ticket to Ontario on Westjet: Reasonably priced, with a seat sale on both ends

One rental car picked up in Hamilton: Also reasonably priced, with a ten percent discount

Being able to surprise your BFF on the day of her baby shower: Priceless.

Her husband and I had been planning it for about a month, sending super secret squirrel emails back and forth and it went off without a hitch. She was all surprised and discombobulated and I was delighted that I could be there for it. I left Friday, returned Monday so was back in my hometown area in Ontario for, what, a little more than 72 hrs., but it was a blast. The shower was a major success, if I do say so myself.

When she mentioned that she would be having a shower way back sometime in October, I went berserk and didn't stop for an entire month. Behold:



And that wasn't everything. I included another receiving blanket, a sleep sack that I had sewn, a memory book and some stuff to throw in the diaper bag. Included in this photo are a pair of Fetching in alpaca, some felted slippers, socks knit from Fleece Artist Nova Socks, a top down cardigan from Top Down for Toddlers...umm, what else...a couple of knitted washcloths. Too fun. I did actually get a few photos of the opening process, but for some reason, my computer won't recognize them on my memory card. Must print them soon lest they be lost forever.



I think this may have been the biggest hit all 'round. My Knit Nite ladies went nuts for it while I was in the process of creating it (which spawned two more like it from NovaKnitter) and it seemed to resonate with the shower attendees as well. It's Debbie Bliss' Cabled Tank Top knit with DB Baby Cashmerino. I have two balls of deep indigo in my knitting basket waiting for my own little version of this. It's so so sweet.



I was really pleased with how this one turned out as well. I wasn't so sure in the early stages of knitting if I would like how it turned out, but when it was finished, I thought, and still do think, that it's as sweet as can be. Top Down Cardigan from Top Down for Toddlers (Carrie, you should seriously get this book, you'll love it) sized for one year knit out of Bernat Jr. Jacquards in the Country Kid colourway. Acrylic and nylon I believe, but quite soft. Perfect for early fall weather over top of those denim overalls!

So that was my stealth knitting for most of the autumn. What a blast it was to get it all together and keep it all a secret...whee. I had a few comments that perhaps a nearly seven month pregnant lady shouldn't be travelling in the skies and on the roads alone at this time of year, but I figured, as the title suggests, that this will be my last solo flight for a very long time. Plus, the baby is easier to lug around like this than any other possible configuration. Less stuff to contend with. Only my own.

Now it's time to settle into the long dark winter and wait for the excitement of the spring. Tomorrow we find out what this little bean will be and perhaps even what he/she might look like (one of those funky 3d ultrasounds). I'm quite excited. Pinto seemed to enjoy flying (or perhaps not, as the case may be...one never really knows) as I was kicked all the way from Halifax to Hamilton and back again, the most active in one sitting that the baby has been. It's hard to believe that there is only 90 days or so left...it's gone by rather quickly. And with Christmas and New Years and then my b-day tacked onto the end of that, I'm sure this next little while will buzz by as well. Exciting times.

I've been tagged to do a meme as well, and I will get to that in another post but for now I'm still a bit knackered from the trip and I have some Christmassy type things to attend to, ie. get packages ready for sending. I'm forever dragging my feet on this and end up paying dearly for it, literally, in the end. Last year I decided to let myself off the hook with any sort of Christmas related knitting, except for perhaps myself and the constable, so that's a relief. No pressure there. Just looking forward to enjoying the holiday with my feet up.

Until later...

Lame Duck Pregnancy...

According to my ticker, there's one hundred days left. One hundred days to that rather arbitrary number of a due date. Whee.

Some drive-by blogging coming up...



Hat. Skull Isle pattern from Son of Stich n' Bitch. Knit this in like, two and half days. Haven't picked up the needles since. But I love my new hat.



Two more sleep sacks. I love these things...they're so sweet.



Doing some more onesies as well. I was hunting around at Frenchy's for some and it was just more of the same of what I've already picked up. Then it dawned on me that I could scour the bin of men's t-shirts for usable material, most of which wasn't worn at all. So I've got a stack to work on, some of which I'm thinking might be good for gifts.

And that's it. I'm starting to tire easily again, getting back in the habit of napping, which I must admit I'm not all that upset about. The fact that they are more like three hour complete and total black-outs is a little bothersome, as the better part of my day has disappeared once I regain conciousness. Sleeping at night is getting complicated...just not comfortable. I suspect, like everything else, this will no go away or improve. *sigh*

Anyhow, I'm trying to blog and watch Dragon's Den at the same time and I must admit, Dragon's Den is winning. Until later...