A Few Sheep Shy of a Farm

Sorry for the lack of posts, we’ve been going through a bit of a rough patch lately . . .

We, the three (soon to be 4) of us are fine, but there has been a lot going on lately that has taken an emotional toll.

Last week a good friend’s father passed away. He’d been quite ill for a few months now and was 97 years old so it was no unexpected but D was upset for his friend . . . then we (he) decided we should take a little drive – 3 hours away to visit his Aunt and Uncle. After getting the Drs permission to go that far from home, we packed for the trip and left after the reception that followed the funeral on Friday. We had a nice visit with his Aunt & Uncle and with his cousin and her family who live next door and then made the return trip on Sunday.

Monday morning we received a phone call from another dear friend, someone he grew up with. Apparently, they had tried all weekend to reach us – their son, only 18 years old, had been in a car accident that previous Friday night and had been killed. This child, their middle child, is D’s Godson. We’ve spent the past 2 days going to his wake and funeral, the reception after and to their house to visit and share memories. The little guy has been with us through all of this and is showing a remarkable understanding of what was happening. We’ve been doing our best to explain on terms he can understand and to answer his questions and he’s been remarkably good when the situation has called for good behavior (like the funerals) and has brought many smiles to both grieving families.

Unfortunately, it appears we may have several more funerals to attend in the coming weeks. Another good friend’s mother has been sent home with hospice care and given only a few weeks. She’s had liver cancer for several years and it has become too much. She has made it clear she is ready to leave.

We have 3 family members who have either just had or are having surgery this week . . . one for cancer, the others less serious but still risky. My step-father’s father isn’t doing well and is being sent from the hospital to a nursing home; the prognosis there is also not good.

And so we are all on “egg shells” and emotionally exhausted at the moment. I’ve been too tired to even knit much the past few days.

Baby update

We did have another Drs apt. today. We passed the Non-Stress Test with flying colors – it didn’t take anywhere near 20 min to record the 2 periods of movment they were looking for from Baby Girl. We measure out just where we should size wise and everything seeems to be right on track for her to arrive in about 3 weeks time.

I did, however, gain 4 lbs in the past 10 days. Given the turmoil going on, the crazy schedules, the trip and the receptions and all it isn’t really that surprising. I have not been eating anything resembling my regular diet lately and we aren’t even going to discuss the 4 slices of homemade apple pie and blueberry pie I managed to eat over the weekend . . . though I will say, homemade pie tastes even better when you don’t have to make it yourself! And so, 4 lbs in 10 days. We’re still within a reasonable weight gain and so we’re going to overlook it under the circumstances.

We are mostly ready for the new baby to arrive. I have a supply of newborn size clothes that have been washed and put away; we have the cloth diapers though I’d like to wash and line dry them before we use them again and I’ve picked up a week’s worth of disposables; we have a crib, though it isn’t set up yet (she’ll be sleeping with us just like big brother did) so if it isn’t set up for her arrival I’m not going to stress; I did buy new crib bedding today as I decided I want to save his set for him as a keepsake and for her to have her own. The new set has pink butterflies! Who could resist pink butterflies?

The one thing that I do actually need to do before we get too much closer to arrival time is pack a bag for the hospital. The baby’s stuff is ready but I’m not entirely sure what I’m bringing. That will be my next little project, hopefully this weekend.

Knitting Group

I would like to thank the ladies from the Monday Night Knitting Group for the lovely Log Cabin baby blanket they gave me for little C. this past week. I’m really very touched, esp. now when things have been so overwhelming. I hope to have a chance to get a picture of it in daylight this weekend so I can post one here. Thank you!

That is how things are going right now . . . plugging along.

 As of Friday we will be at 33 weeks – and since they plan to induce a week or so early that means another 6 weeks to go.  And yes, I’m counting.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled to be doing this again and am so happy that we are having a little girl – but I’m also at that point where I’m feeling big, awkward and uncomfortable all of the time.  Sleep is next to impossible since there is no such thing as a comfortable position and I’m up 3-4 times a night to pee – and then the baby is up and squirming or kicking for anywhere from 30-60 minutes afterward, making it impossible to go back to sleep.  Eating isn’t much better, with my stomach up in my ribs and someone kicking it enought that I frequently feel like I’m on an ocean liner . . .  I believe this is “Mother Nature’s” way of taking the fear and anxiety out of the delivery process.  At least, that is how it is working out for me – I’m so ready for this to be over with that I’m not nearly as worried about the delivery as I might otherwise be.

Yesterday, we had the fun of spending 2 hours at the Dr.’s office – waiting for him to see the little guy.  He’d been spiking a fever at night the past few nights and wasn’t eating much during the day or really eating dinner at all (highly unusual) and then he had a fever only on one side of his head for a while the other night (weird) so I had him checked out.  Turns out, he has his first ear infection.  We caught it before it had a chance to get bad (he’s not complaining about any pain) and he’s now on Amoxicillian – which isn’t helping his stomach any but at least we know what is wrong.

Speaking of not knowing what is wrong – we have  a rooster that isn’t well.  He seems fine mostly, isn’t acting ill per say, but he can’t stand up.  We’ve checked his legs and found no sign of injury  – no bleeding, swelling or obvious breaks – but he can’t stand.  We’ve got him in the “foyer” of the coop, where the feed barrels are and we’re giving him a chance to recover – if he isn’t better in a few days time he’ll likely “walk the plank” but we’re giving him a chance.

I’m also still plugging along on the baby blanket.  The rows are noticably shorter now but it still seems to be taking Forever! but maybe that is because I haven’t worked on it much the past few days  . . .

and on that note, back to the blanket.

The little guy and I went out several times last week – including to story time at Barnes and Noble on Thursday and to playgroup on Friday. As has been happening far too often lately, he wound up sick! By dinner time last night the was throwing up! 5 times in all over the course of the evening and night – the poor little guy was up at 2 am begging for a sip of water . . . which I gave him only to have him sick again within minutes . . . it was a very long night!

And first thing this morning I had another Dr’s appt. We’re currently on the every 2 week schedule . . . Things are moving along just fine. I’ve gained another pound, which is a little less than normally expected at this stage but since I’m up 21 lbs now in all and since we measure out exactly where we should be and that means the baby is growing just fine, the Dr isn’t concerned about the fact that I’ve slowed down . . . personally, I won’t mind if I don’t gain too much more since I’ve got the fun job of actually loosing it all (and the other 10 or so extra I had to start with) when this is all over with . . . . The baby’s heartrate is good and based on where its coming from the Dr. believes she has moved into a head-down position – very good news! So now we go back in another 2 weeks – and the next appt we have an other ultrasound and the plan is to figure out approx. how big she is!

Knitting wise I’ve mostly been working on the Prairie Blanket which is about 80% finished (yeah!)

Looking at it laid out like this I have a sneaking hunch that I messed up some of the pattern repeats in the first half of it and that it isn’t actually going to wind up being a square . . .  but I also think in the long run that won’t really matter.  And I love the feel of the fabric it creates – I think it will be getting a lot of use.

I’ve also been working on a baby sweater I found hiding in a knitting bag:

Its nearly done – just a few more inches on the bottom and a button band around the front and she’ll have a sweater to wear at some point this summer.

And I made a pair of baby socks – they are a little strange looking but if her feet are shaped anything like her older brother’s were, they will fit just about right – at some point.  I’ve got plans to make a few more pairs in different sizes . . .

And I’ve got this fun skein of CTH Supersock that is destined to become another baby sweater . . .

The color way is “Water” and its perfect since it has all the colors of the little baby things I’ve got sitting in the drawers waiting for her.  If I can get the size right, it will go with most of her summer clothes!

Yeah, that’s right, I’m going to blame it on pregnancy food cravings

I’m sitting here as I type this watching “Biggest Loser” and eating a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream! How’s that for irony?

Baby-wise things are moving along . . . she and I are growing – up 4 lbs in the past 2 weeks (and no, its not from icecream – really) and it turns out I’ve developed Iron deficiency Anemia.  That wasn’t a huge surprise since I’ve been borderline anemic most of my life . . . but it turns out that the anemia likely explains why I’ve been short of breath and tired a lot of the time lately.  I’m now taking iron pills and have been told that after a few days I’ll likely start to feel better.  That will be nice.

The little guy and I also managed to get a cold – I’m pretty sure we (okay, he) picked it up at the Musuem of Science when we went this past Friday.  He loved the museum! We’re thinking of becoming members and taking him often as he had such a good time.

The tide pool was easily his favorite – he just loves playing in water . . . now I just have to convince him not to splash the other kids or to drink the water! Say what you like, but this little guy is all Boy!

Knitting

The Minimalist Cardigan is done! I finished the knitting on Friday, blocked it over the weekend and sewed it together on Monday just before knitting group. 

I actually got blocking wires – steel rods frome a welding shop – on Saturday so that I would be able to block the sides straighter than they turn out with pins.  The blocking made it a lot easier to sew up, I think.  I had worried a little that the texture of the Moss stitch would make sewing it up that much harder but it worked out.

I had changed the gauge from 5 st/inch to 4 st/inch which meant doing a bit of math . . . there were a couple of things I would do differently but overall I’m happy with how it turned out.  Naturally, since I’m the size of the “Goodyear” blimp it doesn’t fit quite the way I’d like it to fit at the moment. 

I’m working the sleeves of the next sweater . . . I’m doing an EPS Yoke sweater in the style of the Icelandic Yoke sweater though, again, my gauge is different . . . but since its and EPS sweater gauge isn’t an issue. 

The plan is to knit this one up quickly as practice for this style of sweater and then to do a KAL with a couple of the ladies from the Monday night knitting group – we’re going to do the Fair Isle Yoke Sweater (or the Icelandic as an alternative) and I plan to steek the front and turn it into a cardigan. 

And since I just have to share the cute photos – this is the little guy on a rocking horse that a friend of mine from knitting gave me last night for him.  He was soooo excited when he saw it this morning and rode it on and off all day.

This is what was waiting for me when I went to lock up the hens last night! Isn’t it a colorful array of eggs? There had actually been 4 in the morning as well for a total of 13 eggs yesterday . . . we’re averaging about a dozen a day lately!

Knitting

I’ve been doing some knitting lately . . . not as much as I’d like but general house stuff was getting in the way for a few days . . . darned housework!  I had hoped to finish the Minimalist Cardigan by this past Monday and actually wear it to knitting on Monday night but that just didn’t happen.  I’m now 11 inches into the sleeves and have about 1.5 inches to go before the decreases begin . . . from there I think it will move along but its driving me nuts – I just want it done!

I did take about 24 hours out of knitting on the sweater to do a quick Chemo cap for a friend of ours.  I had made her a hat last spring but it turned out that it was a bit too big and she asked if I could fix it . . . I offered to knit another instead and that is what I’ve done.  I just have to sew the hem and weave the ends and it will be ready for delivery.  I’ll try to remember to take a picture of it before I give it to her.

I had finished the KP socks I was doing – originally started in July of ‘06 – but I only just got around to taking a picture . . . There is a post on the finished socks a few posts ago which now includes the photo . . . if you look closely you’ll notice that one of the socks has a different colored toe – that is because I ran out of yarn entirely before I could finish the 2nd sock.  I realize that the pattern I did was a bit of a yarn hog, esp. with the length of the leg – but I’m still dissappointed that there wasn’t enough yarn in the 2 skeins.  I don’t think they even make that particular yarn anymore but if they did, I wouldn’t be buying any more of it!

Baby

Things are moving along nicely with the new little one.  She moves and twitches and kicks  all the time now – and I do mean all the time.  She esp. likes to start dancing after I finally get her big brother to bed and am able to sit down to rest and knit – figures, right?

I realized the other day that we had 14 weeks until our due date – and that since they plan to induce me a week early we really had 13 weeks (and now its closer to 12) and the funny part was that my main “panic” is that I haven’t finished the knitting I want to have done before she arrives!   We’re basically ready for her – we have a ton of clothes from the first one and from my neices – she is sharing a room with her big brother (at least for a few years) so that is done – I have the cloth diapers etc all ready to go with perhaps just a wash to get any dust out – the only things we really need to do are pick up a few small odd and ends, put together the crib and get a bureau for her clothes. 

However – I’m figuring with a new baby in the house my spring, summer and perhaps fall Knitting will be limited to small things – most likely what the kids need and perhaps a few socks for variety.  So before we reach that point I’d really like to finish the Minimalist Cardigan, knit myself a Fair Isle Yoke sweater as a cardigan and pehaps finish one or two of the other larger projects that are already started . . . oh and I haven’t knit any baby stuff yet!

Isn’t he cute?

This is the little guy wearing the Fair Isle Vest that his Godmother knit for him along with some “Harry Potter” glasses – isn’t he cute? He was headed to Church – one of the few places he can safely wear something as nice as this vest . . . though I did make him leave the glasses home