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February 29, 2008
Baby! Baby! Baby!
It's that time, everybody! A BABY Contest! I've been thinking about this ever since I got pregnant, so here it goes!
There was a bit of a wrinkle thrown into things because I will most likely know ahead of time the baby's birthday, but we still don't know the sex, or the weight, so that's what I'm going to have you guess.
Send an email to baby@januaryone.com with the following information:
1) Baby's Gender
2) Baby's Weight
3) And, in case of a tie break situation, please add your guess for the baby's first initial. Two letters - one for a boy and one for a girl. These initials will ONLY be used in the event that two or more people come up with the same winning answer.
ONE ENTRY PER PERSON. EMAILS WILL BE ACCEPTED UNTIL 11:59 PM EST MARCH 5, 2008.
DO NOT LEAVE YOUR ENTRY IN THE COMMENTS!!!! ANY ENTRIES RECEIVED VIA THE COMMENTS WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.
This is how it's going to work - the person who gets the sex right and the weight right wins. If no one gets both right, the person who gets the sex right and comes closest to the weight WITHOUT GOING OVER wins. In case of a tie, the person who gets the sex right, the weight right AND the first initial right will win. If there is no one who does this, the person who gets the sex right, the weight right and comes closest to the first initial WITHOUT GOING OVER will win. If after all that, I still have two people who get it right (or more) well then, all will win and I'll be expecting lottery numbers whenever MEGA is over 100K.
Here's some info for helping you decide:
Pictures of my belly - taken this morning.
See how high I'm carrying? Great for bladder control, sucky for indigestion. Currently I am 36 weeks, five days. When I had an ultrasound the other day I asked the OB if the baby was big and she said, "not particularly." Remember, babies gain about a pound a week in the last month and my baby will probably be born before 39 weeks.
So far I've gained a tad under 30lbs.
I was 6 lbs 2 oz when I was born a few days before my due date. My husband was something like 9 lbs 14 oz. (God bless his mother!) I'm pretty sure he was full term.
Not sure what else you need to know. Oh yeah! The PRIZES!
There will be ONE GRAND PRIZE! (One baby - one prize!) You will receive a $25 Gift Certificate from Blue Moon Fiber Arts AND a $25 Gift Certificate from The Loopy Ewe! PLAY ON!
Dudes! I'm having a baby!!!
PS - Happy Birthday Dani! WHOO HOO!
Posted by Cara at 12:04 PM | Comments (26)
February 27, 2008
Nassau
So I picked a color for the baby's room that's proving almost impossible to photograph accurately. The picture above is photoshopped to be sure. The actual color is much deeper and richer. It changes with the light but we love it just the same. It will look fantastic with ANY accents. If the baby's a girl, I'm going with purples! If it's a boy, well, then, I can go with greens or reds or oranges, pretty much anything. I could actually use all those colors if it's a girl as well, but somehow I'm LOVING the purple. (In case anyone is curious, the color is Pittsburgh Paints Manor Home, Eggshell, COLOR Nassau, 155-6)
G and I LOVE the room. Neither one of us can walk by it without stopping and going in and just standing there feeling the color. It is most certainly like the sea - the Caribbean to be exact - and it's cool and warm and RELAXING. I hope the baby loves it as much as we do.
Don't freak out about the pacifier the way my husband did when he saw it in the room. It gets around the NO BABY STUFF IN THE HOUSE rule because it was in one of those sample pack things we got from the Lamaze class. It wasn't specifically FOR our baby and I'm not going to be using it anyway. Props don't count in the mysterious world of Cara's superstitions. ;-)
By now, you've probably read a lot or heard about my fantastic SURPRISE baby shower that Ann threw for me last Saturday. You can read all about how Ann got one over on me here. Fun times! ;-) If you'd like to see some of the unbelievably generous and beautiful gifts I received - hit up all the pictures after the jump! THANK YOU!
These pictures are a representation of the gifts we received! Everyone was SO INCREDIBLY GENEROUS!!! Thank you all so much for thinking of us!! And of course, none of the stuff came home with me so I get to be surprised all over again! (Click each picture for a bigger version!)
My guru in all things mitered, denimed and log cabined made us the BEST GIFT EVER! Check out those blu jeans! They have BORN IN THE USA embroidered across the back! With the white onesie, the red baseball cap, the converse sneakers (not pictured) and the denim jacket my kid certainly IS the BOSS! THANK YOU KAY! (When I showed Georgie the picture he was blown away. Swear to god the guy had tears in his eyes!)
Whether he or she likes it or not, our kid is a VIOLET through and through (when G and I were at NYU (about 3 yrs apart - he left in 84 - I got there in 87) the sports teams were called the Violets. Now they're called the Bobcats. After the library card catalog. So much tougher, no?) Thanks to Nancy, the kid is NYU'd OUT! Thank you Nancy!
Blogless but OH SO COOL Regina knit us the most beautiful hat and (I think) Koigu socks. So precious! There were other goodies in the package too! THANK YOU REGINA! I'm so glad you could be there with us!
Virgina was in the HOUSE! Check out these super cool blocks! I LOVE THEM! Virginia has details on her blog about them. Thank you so much! We can't wait to play with them!
Here I am opening a gift from Ann.
A little back story is necessary here. Ann and I talk on the phone at least once a day - usually a lot more than that. For the last month or so she's been trying to torture me by telling me she's knitting a present for the baby and me. And then she was ripping it out. Then counting rows (she would clickety klatch on the phone and ask me if I knew what she was doing!) Then knitting some more. Then blocking. Etc, etc. I let her play her little game and honestly had no idea what she was knitting for us. (Just like I had no idea I'd be seeing it before the baby arrived!) So when I opened the box and saw that she had knit the CURLICUE I couldn't believe it!! SHOCKED! Such an endeavor, this blanket, and on top of everything else! I was floored!
My sister took home all the stuff that I will be able to use right away and I made sure she took the blanket with her. This ones coming to the hospital! THANK YOU ANNIE! You amaze me!
These adorable little shoes were knit by Cathy! She sent them along to Ann's and oh my god they are so precious! When I saw them I immediately asked all the mothers around me - will my baby REALLY be this small? Thank you so much Cathy! I really appreciate your thinking of us!
Vicki! What can I say about Vicki! Without Vicki, honestly, there wouldn't be an Ann in my life. So thanks Vicki - I have you to blame for all of this!!! No seriously - I love Vicki so much and she knit the most beautiful sweater and hat for our baby! It's gorgeous! And the pattern is fantastic. More on her blog as well. THANK YOU VICKI! WE LOVE YOU!!!!
Teyani sent a whole BOX of goodies! A gorgeous purple knit hat - with ears!
A duck that my niece just loved!
And a purple and red hat - my favorite colors! THANK YOU TEYANI! What wonderful gifts! THANK YOU!
Lola and Ava also sent a great box of stuff! So many riches! Included was this fabulous hoodie and hat! RED! PERFECT! Thank you girls!! I love everything!
What kind of surprise baby shower would it be without a BABY SURPRISE JACKET! Well, thank god for Margene! She came through BIG TIME! I can't wait to put my baby in this! (Details here!) THANK YOU MARGENE! WE LOVE YOU!
Just when I thought I was done opening all these magnificent presents, the doorbell rang! Another box!!
Terry, that goof, sent me lots of stuff, including this terrific onesie - I MIGHT BARF! I could use that in adult size! THANK YOU TERRY! YAY!
As I mentioned before, this is just a sampling! So many wonderful gifts - Georgie and I are beyond touched at the love you all have shown us and our baby. I can't wait to bring it all home!
Last but not least - a couple of other party pictures. First off, Ann thinks we all like her for her sparkling personality, but really, I just visit for the eats.
Coconut Marshmallows. Home made. These things ROCK and I'm not crazy for coconut.
Home made Baklava. She crushed the nuts herself and everything. Raves from my Mediterranean husband. And next to that is a carrot cake that Nancy brought from The Bronx. JEEZ! What a cake!
Here I am with my first baby! My little sister who's twelve years younger than me! Isn't she gorgeous!?!
And my favorite picture of all - a friend above all friends. Ann - I really don't know how to thank you and your family. THANK YOU MY FRIEND! I LOVE YOU!
Posted by Cara at 02:49 PM | Comments (31)
February 25, 2008
Like Mama, Like Baby
You think you're all so clever, don't you! Getting one over on me! Well, CONGRATULATIONS because I had no freaking clue. I was never so surprised in my life.
Not sure what I'm talking about? Well, my wonderful, stupendous, fantastico friend Ann, the Janice to my Marge, managed to conspire and plot, with much help from all over, a baby shower for me! It was ridiculous! My mom, grandmom, sisters and niece all came out to LI from Philly. People traveled from near and far. Sent wonderful presents. I'm still all verklempt and shocked and honestly at a loss for words. Look for a much more detailed post to come!
The baby's room was painted, too, and it looks better than I could've dreamed. G and the painter doubted my color choice but soon came around and have been proclaiming it the greatest color ever! I told them - I may not know much, but I do know color.
Then the biggest surprise of all came this morning. I went to the OB today for my 36 week check up and after determining that I'm not dilated at all, she didn't feel the head in the correct position. She told me it was either too high still or not in the right spot, so she did a quick ultrasound and it turns out the baby is breech. Very breech. It's high and the head is just under my ribs on the right. It's deja vu all over again because guess what?! This is pretty much the position I was in 38 years ago. I was born by c-section, and it looks like my first born might be born that way too. Needless to say, this wasn't the news I expected to hear today. I've been under the impression that the baby was head down. I've got some time to come to terms with what all this means and G and I and our doctor can make decisions about how we want to proceed, but I'm very disappointed. But you know what my wonderful husband said to me when I got home from the appointment? He said he'd been thinking about it since I called and the most beautiful wonderful person he's ever known was born by c-section, so what could be so bad? God I love that man. It'll all be good.
PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! DO NOT tell me all the things I can do to turn this baby and how c-sections are evil and hospitals are evil and doctors are evil and this is all some kind of plot so my doctor can go play golf. This is my birth and my baby and what's right for you and your family may not be right for me and mine. PLEASE! Keep your opinions to yourself. THANK YOU!
Okay. In case you haven't heard, BITCH is the new black and I am fully embracing my inner (and sometimes outer) BITCH.
I'll be back tomorrow with more about the shower, a picture of the baby's room, and possibly a contest. I was dreaming about having a "when's the baby the going to be born" contest, but now that it looks like it's going to be planned, the wind has kind of gone out of the sails. We'll see what I can think up!
THANK YOU again EVERYONE who was involved in this weekend's events. I have no words! THANK YOU!
Posted by Cara at 03:42 PM | Comments (139)
February 21, 2008
How to Belly Cast!
Thanks for all the comments on my belly cast and my beautiful nephew! I tell the baby all the time that the most excited people to meet him or her are Daddy and Eli! (And Mommy of course.) G and E are constantly asking, "When's the baby coming out?" Soon, my sweets. Very very soon.
So you want to belly cast too? This cast is the fourth I've been a part of - my own, of course, and my sister's three. It's ridiculously easy to make! I'm sorry there are no pictures - there are pictures, of course, but they're pretty revealing and even I'm not comfortable putting them up on the blog. Use your imaginations!
Supplies needed:
Petroleum jelly. (I'd get a new BIG jar.)
Plaster gauze. (We used this one which I bought at Michael's. Any craft store will have it. Even if you think you've bought enough, get another one. We actually ran out and probably could have used some more.)
Drop cloths or towels or newspapers. (This is a MESSY project. We always do it in the bathroom because surfaces can be cleaned easily, but also, if you're the one getting the cast done to you, you're going to want to get in the shower ASAP.)
Bucket or pan (You need to dip the gauze in warm water.)
Some kind of chair. (One that can also be wiped down easily - we used a metal folding chair.)
Husband, sister, friend (You can't do this yourself - get someone to do it for you that you feel really comfortable with - I wouldn't necessarily recommend three kids 7 and under helping out - but it was still fun!)
We do the boobs - and after the first cast we realized that keeping the bra ON is probably better than taking it off. Also, keep your underwear on as well. I wouldn't wear your brand new $60 nursing bra or your best undies. Things are going to get messy.
Step 1: Cut the plaster gauze into strips. You'll want some long ones that will cover all the way across your belly and you'll want some shorter ones to fill in places and really there are no wrong answers here. But it's good to have them cut BEFORE you start. Cut more than you think you'll need and keep the scissors close by so you can cut some more when you run out.
Step 2: SLATHER yourself with petroleum jelly anywhere and everywhere you want the plaster to go. Just gob that shit on until you ARE petroleum jelly. Go past the edges of where you think the plaster will land. Get help for this. You've got a big belly and there's skin you can't see/get to. Basically, when the plaster dries it will literally POP off your body because it doesn't stick to the skin.
Step 3: Get as comfortable as you can in the chair while still maintaining a big belly. You don't want to stand with the cast on - it's not bad per se, but it does get kind of uncomfortable and you're going to want to sit down. I sort of had my ass on the edge of the seat and leaned back.
Step 4: Fill your bucket or pan with warm water. I don't know that the water technically needs to be warm, but why would you want to put cold water on your body?
Step 5: Dip one of the strips in the water - you don't have to soak it, just make sure it's all wet. Then artfully drape it across the belly!
Step 6: Repeat Step 5 until the entire area you want to cast is covered. As you go along, smooth out the edges with excess water and fill in places that seem like they might need more plaster. The plaster has already started to harden, but you can't hurt things by using MORE. In fact, if you don't use enough, it will be flimsy in areas and that's not good, so MORE is better.
Step 7: Once the area is covered and things are as smooth as they're going to get (or you've run out of plaster) sit there and look pretty. It'd be nice if you had some water to drink nearby because it can get kind of hot with all those kids running around and the bathroom starts to close in on you but hey! You can feel the cast starting to dislodge! Cool! The whole thing probably takes about a half an hour (but can feel much longer.) Don't rush it - it won't be completely dry when it pops off, but it will be dry enough on the under layers of plaster.
Step 8: GENTLY take the cast off once you're sure it's ready. Trust me. You'll know. Or you won't be able to take it anymore and you'll take it off anyway. It will literally just pull away from your skin.
Step 9: Put it on the chair or floor, but makes sure that the heaviest part (probably the bottom of the belly) is what's supporting the rest of the cast. It's nowhere near fully dry and you don't want to collapse it.
Step 10: Rip your bra and underwear off as best you can (I'd suggest wearing something you don't necessarily care about) and get in the shower. Use a washcloth to get the petroleum jelly off, but really, the plaster just disappears from your skin.
Step 11: Dry off. Admire your new cast. Try not to think about where you're going to put it in your house so no one sees it, especially your dad and your father-in-law. ;-)
Voila! Belly cast!
There are a million kits out there, but seriously, so not necessary. I think I bought a kit the first time we did one for my sister, but quickly realized (when the kit came with a jar of Vaseline and plaster gauze) that we could do this ourselves no problem. Also, if you google belly cast, there are a million and one websites out there to tell you how to do it - maybe better than I just did. Some people use plastic under the cast in stead of petroleum jelly, but I think I would have a hard time keeping it from slipping. It's true that the petroleum jelly coats the inside of the cast, but that's easily wiped away.
At a later date, you can always take more plaster and smooth out areas that you're unhappy with or need more reinforcement. Once it's totally dry, you can decorate it, display it, celebrate it, or hide it in the attic like we do.
Have fun!
Posted by Cara at 11:06 AM | Comments (13)
February 19, 2008
She makes the Venus de Milo
look like she's got no style*
Belly cast! DONE!
My belly looks so small (I guess compared to the boobage!) My sister definitely enjoyed exacting her revenge. I've done three casts for her and her verdict is it's a LOT more fun to be the one on the other side of the cast. The kids were super excited and had a blast. I didn't pass out and/or throw up, so I was very happy.
I'll give some details tomorrow - today things have moved into high gear at baby central. I found out yesterday that the baby's room will be painted next weekend. Yeah. I haven't even thought about color and the house is no where near ready, but next weekend it will be. P-A-N-I-C!
Here are some more pictures from the weekend. My (almost) 3 yr old nephew is completely and totally enamored with my belly. He loves this baby so much it's the most wonderful time! I bought a $20 fetoscope for G for Xmas and the kids love to try to listen. I'm pretty positive they've never heard the "heartbeep," but I can hear it pretty well.
Off to buy paint! UGH!
Posted by Cara at 10:19 AM | Comments (39)
February 14, 2008
V-Day
Yesterday afternoon I spent about 15-20 minutes on my hands and knees trying to decide if I was in labor or not. Clearly I wasn't. Last night I kept dreaming that my water broke. Over and over it seemed. I've come to believe that pregnancy definitely comes full circle. At the beginning you're paranoid about every twitch and cramp because you think it might be the end, and now, I'm paranoid about every twitch and cramp because OH MY GOD! It might be the END!
Then, this morning, I threw up.
But still, I'm not ready for it to be over. I find myself feeling a bit crampy here and there and suddenly I'm making deals with the baby. Don't come out, PLEASE, don't come out until X is done. Then you can come out anytime you like. Of course, the days continue to drag at a god awful slow pace, but yet the projects keep piling up and nothing seems to get done. Of course, I can't work as hard as I'd like. I'm in the middle of going through all these boxes of papers that need to be piled and filed and after about an hour I have to get up and lay on the couch for like two hours. Then I can go back and work for another hour. Then I have to rest for THREE hours. So you see why nothing is getting done.
The pediatrician was great - we felt a very good vibe. She was excited for us and I just know she'll be loving toward our kid. Philosophy wise we meshed well and the office was friendly and big and I'm confident. Also, at least one of their offices is open 365 days a year. Very nice.
The other day my mom told me she really wanted to see my nephews and niece on Thursday and I was like what's Thursday? Valentine's Day! It's such NOT a big deal in our house. Kind of the way we feel about Thanksgiving - like if you need a day to remind yourself to thank all the people around you - that's kind of lame. Same thing with love. I'd like to think that my husband and family and friends know how much I love them because I tell them and show them all the time, not because I gave them lots of candy on a particular day in February.
That said, when I got home from taking my husband to the train station this morning I found the sweetest box of Curious George chocolates on my desk chair. The box said, "I'm bananas for you!" I totally burst into tears. Many of you may think it about your own mates, but I KNOW I'm the luckiest girl in the world. My guy has taken such unbelievable care of me and our baby - there aren't words to describe my gratitude. Not that I didn't think he would, but he's stepped up in ways that I couldn't even imagine. Thank you my love! Thank you!
I started a new pair of socks. I wanted another pair of monkeys because garter stitch and monkeys are about all I can handle these days and I wanted to go in a different direction with the yarn. So far all of my monkeys have been heavily variegated, but I sort of fell in love with Claudia's Chocolate Monkeys and I wanted to try more of a semi-solid. Then I decided that I wanted them to be red. And that they should be my going home from the hospital socks. My baby will be head to toe in red so why shouldn't my feet be clad in red? (Of course, the way my luck is going it will be 90 degrees that day, but still!) So life-affirming. And seemingly a good color for labor, you know? Placenta socks, if you will. ;-)
I went through my STR stash and pulled out all the semi-solid reds I had on hand. There were a lot of them, surprisingly and it was kind of hard to decide. Then I found this skein:
Mystery Monkeys
The only thing about this skein? I have no idea is what it is. I'm 99.9% sure it's STR - it feels the same and looks the same and was in with all my other STR (yes, I do keep the STR separate from all the other sock yarns!) But there is no label. Or at least none that I could find. And I compared it to all the other red STRs and it's definitely different. So don't ask me the colorway, or if it's available or anything because I have no idea. Mystery Monkeys. I'm thinking the yarn was some kind of stash gift and destined to be my birthing socks. [ETA: I'm fairly certain it's not Ruby Slippers. I made a pair of jaywalkers from Ruby Slippers and the repeats are very long. The repeats in the mystery yarn are much shorter and there are more color variations.]
I've barely started them, but I'll have some train time tomorrow as I'm going down to Philly for the weekend. This will most likely be my last trip down there before the baby comes and changes everything. We're doing a belly cast this weekend! I've done one for my sister for all three of her kids, so it's pay back. Pictures next week hopefully! Have a great weekend!
Posted by Cara at 12:04 PM | Comments (35)
February 12, 2008
Bright Spot!
Guess what?! We got some good news today! They won't be starting the construction on our apartment line until Sept 08!!!!!! WHOO HOO!!! They are, though, still going ahead with construction on the apartment line next door to us, so it's not like we'll have peace and quiet until September (who are we kidding? We'll have a BABY!) but it is the absolute best news in a bad situation! Sure, it will be VERY loud in the apartment, but hopefully not totally unbearably so. We have seriously been considering a hotel. I'm hoping the absolute worst of it will only be about a week or two and our bedroom is the farthest point from the drilling, so maybe, just maybe, we can stay at home! I'm not sure I can tell you what a tremendous relief this is.
Tonight is supposed to be our last childbirth class, but the weather is pretty crappy. I hope it doesn't get postponed because I'd really like to be done with it. Also, tomorrow we're going for a prenatal pediatrician appointment. When I called to make the appointment they asked me the baby's last name. Can I tell you? I totally hesitated! It's not that I don't know what the baby's last name will be but more like OH MY GOD THIS KID IS REAL WITH A LAST NAME AND EVERYTHING!! So exciting! And scary! And wonderful! All you parents out there: what's the one thing you wish you had asked your pediatrician that you never did? Just curious!
Thank you for all of your good wishes! I can't tell you how much we all (the three of us!) appreciate them!
Posted by Cara at 03:55 PM | Comments (70)
February 09, 2008
Tiger Beat
Some people think they have the Tiger Beat set covered. I beg to differ!
This song came up on our cable music. Baby and I were rocking out! Who else remembers taking the plastic cover off the Tickle deodorant bottles and using it as a microphone? Not to mention my brother on the (flash) lights while my sister and I choreographed our dances. Ahh the 70s!
Posted by Cara at 01:06 PM | Comments (32)
February 08, 2008
Cover Me
I'm not having the best day. Yesterday and today I was awakened by drilling. 8:22AM and 8:12AM respectively. Now, that's not so early, I know, but when you're very pregnant and you finally find a comfortable position you do NOT want to be woken up. You know how they say that you shouldn't EVER wake a sleeping baby? Well, I think that goes double for a third trimester pregnant woman. PISSED doesn't even start to cover it.
And then, a couple hours later, I threw up.
I haven't thrown up in a few weeks. I don't know really how long it's been, but it seems like a long time ago. Throwing up when you're almost 34 weeks pregnant is AWFUL. Way more awful than throwing up when you're 9 weeks. Or 12 weeks. Or even 25 weeks. Throwing up when you're 34 weeks pregnant just about did me in for the day. I am EXHAUSTED! I saw stars. I had contractions (BHs - no biggie.) I pissed myself. And then I collapsed into bed barely able to move. (Before I get a million emails telling me all the horrible things throwing up might portend, I could still probably throw up every day. Usually I can let out a few small burps to contain things but today, after bending over a lot and taking pictures (see below) I think I just stirred things up too much and instead of little burps there was a big burp and when I decided I should head to the bathroom just in case - well - once I was in there - all bets were off. I have no other signs or symptoms of anything other than late stage pregnancy. It's all good. Or tolerable at best.)
Also, while I'm bitching, the last couple of weeks have gone by SO SLOWLY! It seemed everything was on hyper speed for a while and now I'm like moving in slow motion. It's very strange. And also slow. Not that I want to have the baby tomorrow (I'm SO NOT READY!) but still.
Okay. Let's get to the good stuff. What else you gonna do when you're super pregnant? Knit a blanket!
Yes. I've started a log cabin blanket. For the FAMILY. Anyone found to be calling this a BABY blanket will hereby be banished from the blog. This blanket is for the FAMILY. NOT the baby. Got it? Good. Anyway, a while back Elann had all of their Den-M-Nit colors back in stock and I took advantage, buying 20 balls of each color (except the white.) Don't ask. I just did it.
At first, I thought I would do something similar to the Verde Log Cabin - only with red as the center patch for each square. And then I changed my mind. Now I'm going to do something like this:
Right now, I just want something easy. And colorful. And FAMILY oriented. ;-) For the colors, I'm using Rowan Handknit Cotton. I tried to choose really bright brights.
Of course, there are no blues, because I've got the blues well covered!
There will be nine squares total and I've got one down, one in progress and seven to go. Who knows when I'll get it done - but I'm enjoying myself!
ETA!
I'm not worried about the denim bleeding into the colored yarn or the shrinkage factor. Or I was, but now I'm not. I consulted my denim guru and she gave me tips. First off, I'll be washing all of the squares BEFORE I seam them. This way, if there is some bleeding, I can decide how to handle it. Also, I will be washing the blanket in COLD water - which will eliminate some bleeding and also the shrinking thing (although I've heard that the handknit cotton and the denim shrink at the same rates.) I will also be using a dye magnet, like Shout Color Catcher. I'm fully aware at how messy FAMILIES can be. This blanket will be washable.
Have a great weekend!
Posted by Cara at 12:53 PM | Comments (46)
February 05, 2008
A Prince of A Monkey
Even with all the excitement during the big game on Sunday, I managed to finish my Purple Rain monkey socks. I love them. 'Natch.
For all of you who've been living under a rock, through no fault of your own I'm sure, I'll give you the particulars. The pattern is Monkey by the genius that is Cookie A. All the credit for the Picot Edge mod should go to Margene because she's the one who did it first. Wizard Woman Tina dyed the yarn - STR. Purple Rain colorway. Don't ask me if it's available. If it's not on the website, it probably means the colorway's not in the rotation at this time. Don't hate me because I have a large stash of the stuff.
I am definitely NOT sick of this pattern yet. In fact, yesterday I cast on for a new pair, but I'm not loving the harmony between the colorway and the sock. I may go a completely different direction in colorways on the next pair. I have to go through my stash again and make some decisions.
Thanks for all the kind comments on Oblique - and on my belly! This pregnancy thing is so weird. All of a sudden, sort of like, you're this completely different person. Not just mentally and emotionally - but PHYSICALLY! What happened to me? I don't remember what it felt like to NOT be pregnant.
The drilling today is driving me nuts. BONKERS. C-A-R-A-Z-Y! So I think I'm going to eat some breakfast (or MORE breakfast) and take a walk in the fog wearing my new cozy sweater and new socks. My polling place is pretty close by so I think I can make it there and back without too many breaks. If you live in a primary state, I could care less who you vote for - that's your personal business and just like I don't think anyone should tell you who you should (or shouldn't) marry or which god you should worship - I don't think anyone should tell you how to vote. You should vote the way YOU believe is right for you and your family. But you should definitely VOTE.
That's my public service message for the day. Have a good one!
Posted by Cara at 10:00 AM | Comments (21)
February 04, 2008
Like A HOUSE!
Seriously - I completely peed in my pants jumping off the sofa after THE CATCH. We were taping the game and watching it on tape so we were a couple of minutes behind and I told G to pause it so I could clean myself up - best pants pee of the entire pregnancy! - and when we started the game up again we could hear the people upstairs screaming and yelling. So we knew they scored the touchdown. It was the only bummer in an all around thoroughly enjoyable game! The baby was STOKED! I swear to god - when the Pats scored their touchdown to go ahead 14-10 the baby kicked me so hard and so violently there were tears in my eyes. When the Giants won? Only lovely rolls of contentment. This baby knows where it's AT!
Anyway - enough of football. There's knitting to talk about!
Before I talk about the sweater, can we just discuss how FREAKING HUGE I am?! I must have popped or something because people keep (or kept) telling me how little I am belly-wise, but I don't think I look little in these pictures! JEEZ!
The other night I was trying to fall asleep and I kept getting this itchy tingling electric sensation along the top of my belly. I'd scratch it and tickle it and it'd go away and then just as I was falling asleep it would come back. For like an HOUR. Ann said it was my skin stretching. (Apparently "skin" is an okay word.) Anyway - so here I am. Huge. And 33 weeks.
The sweater! It looks HUGE too. Somehow it doesn't seem as big on as it looks in the pictures. I lightly blocked it by rolling it up in wet towels and laying it out hoping it wouldn't grow too much. The only thing that really changed were the sleeves and they seem to have gotten longer. I need buttons for it still. But otherwise, I really like the sweater!
Oblique
Pattern: from Knitty, by Veronik Avery.
Yarn: Beaverslide, Catbird, 90% Wool/10% Kid Mohair. I used about 6 3/4 skeins. FABULOUS YARN! ABSOLUTELY one of my favorites. I can't wait to use it again - and I will.
Needles: Addi Turbo, US size 9 (5.5 mm) and 10 (6.0 mm).
Pictures: By Georgie. I'm not sure why he puts up with my and my photographer ways. It's so hard to relinquish control!
What did I change? Well, for one thing, I did the bottom ribbing on size 10s per Emily's comments here. I used ThatLaurie's modification for the sleeves - knit them with provisional cast ons and went back and added ribbing at the end. They still turned out too long, but oh well. I made the body a bit longer and definitely made a size larger than I normally would have. (I made the 46" chest version. I most likely would've made the size smaller if I wasn't as big as a HOUSE.)
I can say nothing bad about this pattern (very well written!), the yarn (one of my all time favorites) or the sweater! SUCCESS all around!
Tomorrow - SOCKS! Or maybe the new project. No, most likely SOCKS! I have a finished pair! YAY!
Thanks for reading!
L, C
PS - Lest anyone think we've been holding out, the word her was italicized in the poem I posted on February 2nd because the poet herself italicized it - not because I'm sending out any secret sex signals. We do NOT know the baby's sex. Thank you for speculating though.
Posted by Cara at 10:11 AM | Comments (44)
February 03, 2008
If it's a boy...
his name shall be PLAXICO. But only because we already have an ELI in the family.
I totally pissed my pants on the play before the final touchdown. And I finished a pair of socks! What a night!
Posted by Cara at 10:31 PM | Comments (24)
GO BIG BLUE!
Incidentally, I started a new project. ;-)
Have a SUPER Sunday!
Posted by Cara at 12:21 PM | Comments (11)
February 02, 2008
Third Annual Bloggers (Silent) Poetry Reading
The first year I posted a poem about infertility. This year things are different.
First Birth
I had thought so little, really, of her,
inside me, all the time, not breathing--
intelligent, maybe curious,
her eyes closed. When the vagina opened,
slowly, from within, from the top, my eyes
rounded in shock and awe, it was like being
entered for the first time, but entered
from the inside, the child coming in
from the other world. Enormous, stately,
she was pressed through the channel, she turned, and rose,
they held her up by a very small ankle,
she dangled indigo and scarlet, and spread
her arms out in this world. Each thing
I did, then, I did for the first
time, touched the flesh of our flesh,
brought the tiny mouth to my breast,
she drew the avalanche of milk
down off the mountain, I felt as if
I was nothing, no one, I was everything to her, I was hers.
Sharon Olds. The Wellspring, 1996
For more information about the Bloggers (Silent) Poetry Reading, celebrated each year on February 2, go here.
Posted by Cara at 09:21 AM | Comments (14)
February 01, 2008
Leap Year
I can't believe it's already fucking FEBRUARY! Thank god I have an extra day in this short month because, um, my baby will be born in MARCH. How is this possible?
I'm feeling pretty miserable these days - not that things have changed much - but I'm beginning to totally understand when women tell you that pregnancy is so uncomfortable at the end for a reason. So that you will BEG for the baby to come out! Right now fear and uncertainty still outweigh the discomfort but every day the scales tip a bit more. And I'm not even that big. Seriously - everyone tells me how small I am for how far along I am (which bothers me a little bit to be honest. Not sure why, but it does. I've suffered from belly envy the whole pregnancy) which I guess is a good thing - the bigger I am the more uncomfortable, right? At least I've slept well the last few nights. Sometimes I don't even get up to pee! YAY KEGELS!
Things are behind in the house, for a change, and now, as I've mentioned, they started drilling closer to my apartment. Right now they're on the 08 line and I'm on the 12 line - so two doors down. That's not so bad - I can kind of forget about it and they're not jackhammering all day long continuously, but Georgie left the apartment the other day and exited on the OTHER side of the building where they're doing work as well. He called me soon after and asked me to go look out the window to see what floor they were drilling on. I have a direct view and could see that they were drilling the balcony directly above my floor (they're repairing the outer walls and giving us new balconies - so they have to drill off the old ones.) It was the overhang on my apartment balcony (not MY apartment - but the same floor.) He kind of went crazy when I told him that because he said the noise, FROM THE HALLWAY (not even IN the apartment) was so horrific he thought his head was going to explode. He starts talking about hotels and where are we going to live and all I can think about is bringing home this baby to such horrible noise and trying to get used to breastfeeding and baby care and recuperating and I burst into tears. I can't think about these things! I don't want to live in a hotel! I want to be in my own home, where I'm most comfortable!
Of course, I called the management office for some kind of timetable (which I've been doing for months) and of course, they haven't called me back. We've lived in this building for 16 years and like all buildings, it's got it's issues. My apartment is still very nice and all that, I just hate to leave and god forbid anything goes wrong. We will be moving, eventually, but we can't find a house in the next six weeks and honestly I don't even want to and I'm trying VERY hard to not stress about all this. ETA: The Board in my building is utterly useless. Every election is another chance at backbiting and blame and it all gets quite nasty. There are over 500 apartments in my building - it's like a little city - so you can imagine the bureaucracy and power struggles. I can't wait to move!
So, of course, I turn to my knitting. Oh how I miss Oblique. There's nothing better than being in the middle of a project - especially a project that's going well. Every night or every time you sit down to knit you just plop down on your corner of the sofa and pick up where you left off. You don't have to think about what your going to knit today. Don't have to think about anything really - just dive right back in. I love that. I miss that. Last night I turned the heel and knit the gusset on my second Monkey sock but somehow socks don't count. I mean, they count, but they're too fast. I want something I can sink my teeth into. BUT it can't be too complicated. My brain can't handle that. I have a few ideas that I hope work out in the next week or so, but in the meantime I'm feeling a little lost.
I still haven't blocked Oblique. I have to do that today. So hopefully on Monday I'll have Oblique FO photos AND a new pair of socks to show off. Wouldn't that be fantastic?
Today, though, I must get back to cleaning. No more rest for the nest. Have a great weekend everyone!
PS - If you think I talk about my pregnancy too much on the blog, you should be glad you're not Ann. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Nipple!
Posted by Cara at 10:53 AM | Comments (21)