Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Hockey Knitting & Other Fun Stuff

Today I worked on the mousepad for my dad's company. He ran out of mousepads and has been handing out blank ones with systems that people buy (he owns a computer chain (retail stores0 in our province and soon to be in Ontario too!). Anyhow, here is an idea I am working on - I worked on drawing it all day today in Adobe Illustrator.

Right now my character above has a little bit of a "jewish" nose, lol, so I am going to have to fix that. Also, the next step, is color, but I have to see what my father thinks of it first, before I go any further on it.

This cute little number is from my new tenants. What a lovely gift! Sean isn't even born yet, and she brought me down a gift! I am going to have to write her a thank you card asap, and leave it for them. She brought it down tonight when she came to give me a check for tomorrow's rent. I wonder why it had a date posted for Friday though..... I'm going to let it slide this month again (last month it was because their mail wasn't set up at the new place yet), I wonder what this month's excuse is... If it happens again, in December, I think I may say something... but for this time, I'll let it slide.

I finally washed the snowsuit we'll bring our little guy home in. You can't really tell, but there is a cute little bear on the front chest. (Ignore the dirt on the left sleeve, it's dust, not dirt. When I hung it on the pipe in our laundry room to take a picture of it - some dust fell from on top of the pipe - after taking this picture, it came right off). Everything baby is just soooooo cute and tiny!

Jamie and I went to the Habs game tonight, we've been soooo spoiled lately with tickets. (Thanks to my mother's season tickets!) I have 2 more games in ONE week in November (Bruins and Flyers games I am pretty sure is who they're playing) and then one game in December for Jamie's birthday (the day before his actual birthday) and then no more games for us until March - when Sean will be about a month and a half to two months old, and we can get out of the house for a couple of hours to go to a game! Tonight, they gave out cheesy paper helmets for Halloween. I knew we were receiving helmets tonight, but I was under the impression that it was one of those small 6" collectors item helmets. My mother is going to be so disappointed when I show her this helmet tomorrow.

Of course, I took knitting with me to the game. Did you expect anything else? Here is proof that I was Habs Knitting. (I think I am going to create a sidebar button that says I'm a Habs Knitter or something, and post it! LOL)

What a friggin awesome game let me tell you. We won 4-2, and Abeischer did a great job blocking a lot of goals, only letting in 2. We scored once on an empty net at the end of the game, and then again 2 seconds later, literally, after they put their goalie back into nets with like a minute and a half left into the game or something. It was a great game to go to.


Today while grocery shopping I bought an Asian Pear so that I can have the wrapper. I had seen once on someones blog them using one to hold a cake together that they had wound. To avoid any knotting like the ball from the first tube I knit, I decided to buy an asian pear today at the grocery store, so I can have one of these foam thingies. There was actually a whole bunch of loose ones, so I threw them in my shopping cart, and took them with me on my merry way. (They're kind of delicate so I have extra now in case of ripping!)

I think for the next tube I knit with the 2 colors (not tube 3, but tube 4 will be a multi color one), I won't wind both balls together into one cake. I think I may wind both cakes separately and just knit them together. I thought I had them at the same length, but the green yarn is now coming out and there is a bunch extra and I keep having to pull the extra to untwist. (Hard to describe, sorry....) I'll try to take a picture tomorrow of what I mean.... if my pregnancy brain allows me to remember!
Tomorrow I have the dentist for my 6 month check up. I'm kinda running a little late though, since the last time I was there was the week I conceived. (Almost 8 months ago). The last time I was there, I declined an xray because I wasn't sure if I was pregnant or not, and they were very excited for me, for even trying to get pregnant. They are going to be SHOCKED that I now am almost 8 months pregnant (next Thursday marks the start of my 8th month of pregnancy).

The leg cramps have gotten a lot worse at night. (Actually, they tend to occur early morning before getting up for the day). Braxton Hicks Contractions have indeed started. They're a really weird feeling, because my stomach gets all tight and then relaxes itself. It's a weird feeling and really uncomfortable. I'm afraid to know what real labor pains are...

Today I booked a 3d/4d Ultrasound with Ucbaby. They are next to my dad's main office where Jamie works. I was going to book a 5pm appointment, for when Jamie gets off work, but he'd rather take off half an hour to an hour in the afternoon than to go at 5pm and then get stuck in traffic. So, we've got it scheduled for 2pm next Thursday (November 9th). I am very excited to get a 30 minute video of the baby, pictures on Cd-rom, and all that jazz. It's pretty friggin' cool what they do. I hope it's worth the money, because this is optional, in a private clinic, not covered by insurance or medicare.

I am taking the Complete Package, which includes:

Complete 4-D Package - $175.

View baby's activities (30 minutes) .
CD of jpeg images (3-D pictures).
2 printed photos of your baby.
Hearing baby's heartbeats.
Optional web hosting for 2 months.
Optional gender determination

** Entire session recorded to music on DVD for an extra $25, or VHS for $15

Of course, I'm going to take the DVD for the extra 25$ - what a really cool experience this will be.

This is what the images I will be looking at will resemble. Of course, this is someone else's ultrasound - but it's going to be neat looking at what my son will look like! I am sooo excited. There are before and after pictures on the website, that show what the ultrasound picture looked like, and what the baby looked like after birth - and it's pretty damn cool the resemblance of the accuracy. They only do these ultra sounds between 17-35 weeks of pregnancy, so I had to act fast. Thursday marks my 31st week, and next Thursday when I have my appointment marks my 32nd week - 8th month. Pushing it close! Oooh! I'm excited.

Another thing that I decided that I might do, is a pregnancy belly cast. If I do, I'll order one off ebay (not from them), as it's a few bucks cheaper on ebay and it will come from Canada (BC I think). My sister-in-law is going to help me do it, probably at the end of November, when my belly is a little bit bigger, and she's in town for the weekend. I don't want to lug it to her place for my nephew's birthday, because that will be a jammed packed weekend, and I'd rather do it in the comfort of my own home, and also, where I can just leave it be to dry, etc. All these really cool things I want to do before my pregnancy is over!

Speaking of which, I need to email back those photography students to see if they are still interested in me modelling for them, in return for a cd-rom of pictures.

Alright, I better get to bed, tomorrow I've got the dentist and an appointment to put on my winter tires on my car. Tomorrow night, knitting with Montreal Knits!

SP9 Postcard


I got a postcard today from my secret pal! I was feeling a little lonely, as I hadn't heard from her in a while, and got this little surprise in the mail - which made me feel OH SO MUCH better! Thank you for thinking about me and sending this card that you saw while out shopping!

The text translates as: "Although you are trying to do just ordinary things, mostly they are to be excellent!"

And the my SP says that the text is written in a dialect, not basic Finnish. And she also mentions in her note on the postcard that the pattern in the socks are very "Finnish".

I love the postcard and I'm going to frame it and put it in my office!

Monday, October 30, 2006

30.4 Weeks

I've been knitting. Here is the progress for the Woven Trellis Scarf:

The first tube is done, all 90 inches of it (which is taller than me!)

I've wound up the 2nd ball of Polo for the woven trellis. For the 2nd tube, I'm incorporating into the green another color - which is the Millefili Fine yarn, which is actually by Filatura Di Crosa. The yarn that I'm mixing into tubes 2, 4, and 6 only, is 100% cotton. The Polo yarn, which I finally have the tag for the ball with me now in my office downstairs, is 60% cotton and 40% acrylic. I've never seen this yarn in stores, it ended up in my stash due to the most generous yarn fairy that visited me back in February (no sign of her since - lol). I just found a website that sells the Polo yarn, for 2.85 Euros each. Here is their Color card (and color 26 - which I'm using, is still on their color chart). 2.85 Euros is at today's exchange rate, 4.07$ CAD and 3.62$US. A pretty inexpensive ball of yarn. I wonder if it's a sale or something. I love the cotton feel to it, it doesnt feel like dishcloth cotton, so it'll definitely keep me warm, especially with 90 inches of scarf to wrap and wrap and wrap around!

Zeus cracks me up. It never fails to find him sleeping on our bed, with his paw or paws over his eyes. It's just soooo damn cute, I had to take a picture!

I wanted to post these the other day, but couldn't find where I put them, and while cleaning up today, I found them. I got them for my nephew for his 4th birthday, which his party is the weekend after next. I hope they are the right size, aren't they just the cutest. They're from Old Navy. They will be accompanying his other gifts, which include Curious George (the book - the original story), Star Wars Darth Tater Mr. Potatoe Head (below), a pair of Habs socks, a tam tam drum, and the slippers pictured above. A spoiled kid - I tell you. But, he was very very hard to shop for this year. I asked him what he wanted for his birthday this year, and all he said was a skateboard cake. (Which my sister-in-law is making him for his birthday)



Today, I baked.

I peeled and cored apples.

And made a whole wheat apple cake. Mmmm, looks delicious.
This is the cake before the batter went on top. Lots of cinnamon - mmmm - delicious!

I felt like taking a picture of myself today. Here is me, 4 days into my 30th week of pregnancy:


Belly growing bigger and bigger by the day! Well, I feel like it is - anyhow. Here is the shirt I'm wearing, (below), I bought it at Old Navy last week when I picked up the duck feet slippers. Speaking of slippers, I need to invest in a new pair. My last pair - got completely distroyed - so I chucked them out a few days ago. Time for a new pair. (Can't seem to find a single pair I own!)


Incase you can't read the shirt, it says "COMING THIS WINTER". Cute eh? January baby - will be here before I know it, and I'll be somebody's mommy! I still can't believe it!

Pre-natal aqua today was a lot of fun. It was a semi-private class, it was just three of us. Deborah, Marie and myself. Marie and Deborah are both 24 weeks pregnant, due the same week. Deborah and I were talking today, and we discovered that we both grew up on the same street, about 6 houses down from one another, and both of our parents still live on the same street. I know exactly which house is hers (was hers) - how funny is that? I hope to keep in touch with her - she's a little older than me (Jamie's age) and due a month after me. It would be cool to keep in touch with her after, she's also having a baby boy. I am going to see her on Thursday night at Deep End Aqua, which pregnant, we're allowed to do, so maybe I'll invite her out for coffee or something. It would be nice to have someone to have playdates with after! Even if she does live back in the west around the corner from our parents!

Tonight, I've just been chilling out, watching Lword Season 1. I'm almost done Season 1, and I have Season 2 ready to go. After that, I have Season 3 already downloaded on my computer (god bless the new u torrent downloader, which I've just discovered. I am also currently downloading Las Vegas Season 3, since somewhere I lost track of it, and so that I can catch up for Season 4, which just started on Friday night. (I'm a TV junkie, what can I say?) Nothing else to do as a stay-at-home soon to be mom who just does freelance! LOL. Speaking of which, I'm re-designing my father's company's mousepads.... need to get cracking on it.

Today, I'll leave you with this: A conversation with a non-knitter:

Amy says: did u get ur stick
Robyn says: it's a knitting needle, and yes i did thank you
Amy says: no prob

This was a conversation I had with my sister earlier. I was at her house knitting on Saturday before the baby shower, while she was straightening my hair. Apparently my knitting needle (bamboo) didn't make it back into my bag, so it was on her floor. My grandmother who was with us, noticed it while I was in the bathroom changing, and told my sister to pick up the large toothpick (she used to be a knitter - don't know how she didn't realize it was what I was just knitting with and give it back to me), but it ended up staying at my sister's house until she gave it to my hubby at work today. So, when she got home tonight, she asked me if I got my "stick". Ahhh... non-knitters! I need to convert my sister, but I do not think that will happen ANY time soon.

I mailed off 22 thank you cards today from Saturday's baby shower. That is how efficient I am. I don't like things like that dragging on. So, I like to do them, and send them off right away.

I also mailed off my needle case that I made for my Secret Pal. She actually received something in the mail today, that I sent her last week, a knitting zipper attachment, which she has already put on a sweater. It's a little zipper charm of 2 knitting needles knitting a sweater. I actually have one for myself, it's just too cute. If she doesn't post a picture (I forgot to take a picture of it before sending it to her), I'll photograph mine to show how cute this is!

Today I decided that this week, I'm going to sew myself 2 things for the baby and the baby's room. I have some cute material that I want to turn into a diaper stacker (which hangs on the wall near your changing table), and also burp cloths. The free patterns are online here: Diaper Stacker & Burp Cloths. I think I may get cracking on that tomorrow.

I've started thinking about my hospital bag. I've got the bag out, and the blanket that I will bring Sean home in (the one that his great-grandmother Rose crochet 30+ years ago - I wish I could have met this woman, we'd have had so much in common!) and the snow suit he'll wear home (January will be damn cold outside!). I have not packed anything else yet, but I've finally got my list of things that I need. So I'll be super prepared.


Alright, going to go fold laundry, and then off to bed. Maybe I'll be able to get up before noon tomorrow (today it was 11:30 am, which I thought was past noon, because I forgot to change my bedroom clock). I should do that tonight. That would be nice.

Sunday, October 29, 2006

I Can Conquer Knots

Today has been the windiest, craziest, stormiest, ickiest day ever. I just wanted to cuddle up on the couch and knit all day. (Which is kind of what I did do all day). Upon getting in from breakfast, (we met Jamie's dad, stepmom, sister & nephew for breakfast), I worked on finishing untangling my nasty knot - and I did succeed. I am very happy about that. No cutitng involved. No needing to re-join yarn. It just all worked out. Finally got that nasty nasty knot out.

This afternoon Jamie and I watched the movie Lucky Number Slevin. I really enjoyed this Drama/Thriller and definitely recommend it. I think Lucy Liu is just the cutest!

I worked on the Woven Trellis today - it's coming along great. I am about 66 inches into the first 90 inch tube. It's coming, it's coming. It's a lot of knitting in the round and a lot of moving the needles around for only 5 stitches on one DPN and 4 stitches on the 2nd DPN. It's getting to be a little repetative, and I'm only on the first of six tubes. The next tube I knit, I'm incorporating a 2nd yarn into it, so it will hopefully be a little more interesting. I'll take some updated pictures tomorrow.

I started watching the >Lword Season 1. I have Season 1 and season 2 on DVD. I've been watching Ugly Betty recently on Thursday nights and wondered where I have seen the character Daniel Meade before, and it just dawned on me - The Lword! Actor Eric Mabius, has been on The OC as the Dean, and Lword as Tim (still currently on it) and as well, Daniel Meade on Ugly Betty - one of the main characters. You see, I've seen the Lword before, part of season 1 anyhow. And then I didn't know what happened to it, and couldn't find it on tv, so I forgot about it. I've borrowed it on DVD, so I'm going to watch it, season 1 & 2, and I'm currently downloading season 3 off the internet. Season 4 starts January 7th, 2007, but I'm not sure on what station. I'll have to look into it. Showcase maybe? Even though it's a show about lesbians, the acting is good, and I like some of the actresses, and well it's just a really well done show. Storylines are very interesting!

I also wrote a lot of thank you cards today, and just have 3 more to write, which I'll do tomorrow morning before walking over to the mailbox to mail them off. Efficient is how I want to stay. Why send them out at leisure, when you can get them written and mail off and then you don't have to think about it anymore.

I think I may have pulled a muscle in my legs, both of them, in the same spot. It hurts and I can't figure out how I pulled a muscle in that spot. I can't even describe the feeling - but it's right where the leg meets the torso, kinda in the "private" area. I am not sure how I managed to get sore there - but I'm hoping that prenatal aqua will help those muscles tomorrow.

I Don't Like Knots

I've been struggling with a knot since last nice. It took me an hour and a half to even get it down to this last knot. The yarn started out in a cake, and then I guess because I used so much of it, it started to cave in, eventually all unravelling (I should have done something to prevent the knotting, but I didn't). Anyhow, I hope to not have to cut the yarn, not that it would be the end of the world, seeing as though it's knit in the round (the tubes for braiding) and it can be joined on the inside and no one would ever have to know. Perhaps I can get it unknotted - that's what I'm hoping for first. But there is ONLY so much I'm willing to try, you know? I'll keep you posted on my progress!

Saturday, October 28, 2006

Baby Shower #1

I had a really good time today at my baby shower. This one was with Jamie's step-family and a few members of Jamie's dad's family. It was really good to see Jamie's first cousin Bonnie, and his Aunt (and even his Uncle came by with Jamie's dad after the party - they live in Ottawa, so it's rare to get to see them!) Also, Bonnie has just recently (within the last year) lost 85 lbs, and looks fantastic! I am sooooo impressed with her new outlook on life and things, and I wish her the best of luck! I swear to god, it literally looks like she was cut in half. She looks fantastic!

Bonnie, also, brought me a Mother-to-be crown, which was a lot of fun, and I wore it the entire party!

Jamie's cousin Val baked cookies (she always does) and her icing techniques are just to die for:

Maybe she'll give me a cookie lesson some day!

To share a present that I got - my mother's Great Dane Bosco bought Sean a present. He got him the HUGEST dog possible. I have NO IDEA where I'm going to put this
- but I guess I'll find somewhere!

There was really nice decorations.

And cute baby booties as decorations as well.
(No they're not handknit, unfortunately, and yes, of course I had to ask!)

The most touching gift I received was the baby blanket that Jamie's Bubbie Rose crochet over 30 years ago. Jamie was brought home from the hospital in it, then his sister a few years later was brought home in it, and then Merlyn (my 4 year old nephew was brought home from the hospital in it, and now my son will be brought home from the hospital in it). I will put it away after he's brought home in it - for future children in my family, and then for their children one day. I think it is a really nice tradition. I think I'm going to get a nice box to keep it in, as well.

The one gift I was SHOCKED that I got, was a crib bedding set (I wasn't expecting it, since I have Merlyn's bear set, which was handed down to us), but I fell in love with this one set at the store that I ordered the crib from. Now, the set was 350$ plus - just for bedding - yeah, crazy, eh? So I kinda just admired it and moved on.... but..... to my surprise, Jamie's step-family chipped in a bunch of them, and got it for baby Sean. It's to die for. Sean better like Sheep - because his knitting mommy does!

There is an entire collection that goes along with the 4 pieces in the set. It's gorgeous colours, let me tell you. I'm loving it. And since I can't have it in my room - lol, Sean's room is the next best thing. From the collection I got yesterday: The fitted bed sheet, pillow, bumper pad, duvet and the bed skirt. I haven't taken it out of the packaging yet, but I just love love love love it. Here's the entire collection:


Sean got some REALLY nice stuff yesterday. I can't wait til he's born to wear some of the outfits he got! And I ended up getting 4 bibs yesterday, so the bib count is now at 49 bibs (plus 1 more in the hand-me-down box that Jamie's sister brought in from out of town yesterday, so that's now 50 bibs).... OY! Sean got: 228 diapers from Nana & Zayda, another bag of diapers from Jamie's sister, about 10 outfits from various people, a first year book and first year picture frame (the frame has a slot for one picture a month, and then a big one for the 1st birthday picture) both from my sister, a gorgeous photo album, the huge stuffed dog from Bosco, a Montreal Canadiens bib & matching booties (that was one of the bibs I got) - from my sister, a diaper bag from my grandmother, a feeding set by Safety First (for when he's starting to eat), a crib mobile, crib toys, washcloths, a teddy bear, some rattle toys, some Pj's - and some many other little things, that I can't remember at the moment. What a spoiled kid. Oh, and my parents, also got his name spelled out, but with Classic Winnie the Pooh letters. My mom wants me to bring it to next weeks baby shower, to re-open (along with the big dog from Bosco), so I'll photograph it next week - because the name thing is just stunning.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am EFFICIENT with my thank you cards. They've already been pre-selected (found them this week, and had to buy them - they're not official thank you cards, just blank cards, but I thought since it was photography and little boys, it was appropriate, seeing as though I'm having a boy).

Aren't they the cutest things ever? It's by Photographer Tom Arma. I just love his work. Since my engagement, bridal and wedding thank you cards (Yes - even the 200+ wedding thank you's) went out the day after the event, I plan on being as efficient with the baby shower cards. Mail doesn't go out on Sundays, so I plan to have them in the mail on Monday. I only have 22 to write for baby shower #1 - so that isn't a problem at all.

The shower started at 2pm, and I didn't leave until after 10pm. Some people started trickling out between 5-6pm, but some family stayed, and it was nice to chat with them. I really had a good time, and everyone was just so generous! And my mother-in-law did a fantastic job with the food, everything was homemade. Nothing store bought! (Well, except for the ingredients to make the food).

Lost: Found.

So I've been searching my home for the last week and a half or so, for 2 missing bras. Yes, you read correctly - BRA.... x2. Two good ones that I bought myself in my new engorged size (that I'm not happy about because if they get any bigger I will have to go to a speciality store, because normal sotres don't carry bigger than what I am now - oy - and well - these 2 bra's, that I purchased before my trip - actually - purchased for the dress to my cousin's wedding (I was a bridesmaid), and had one of the two bra's fitted to fit in the dress, so that I would be comfortable the entire night).

Anyhow, these 2 bra's..... I know I wore them in Europe. I couldn't say that I had seen them since I've been back (which has been over a month now - Sept 23 - Oct 28th) and I just couldn't figure out where they were.

They weren't in my bra drawer (I have 1 small drawer dedicated just for my bra's, mostly Victoria Secret hand-me down's of bra's my sister has ordered from catalogues (we dont have Victoria's Secret here in Canada, well not in my province anyhow) and it wasn't in my sock drawer accidently or even my underwear drawer (yes, I have a drawer dedicated to each one individually). Anyhow, I even checked to see if it could have fallen out (behind) of the bra drawer, maybe it fell into the storage below. Nope. I checked through and inbetween all the clothes I owned, maybe I washed them and they got folded between some clothes. Nope. I checked Jamie's closet and underwear drawer, for the same reason, maybe it got washed with his stuff, (I do all laundry together) and maybe it was in between two of his items. Nope. I checked downstairs in the laundry room (which now resides next to my office) several times, and it wasn't there. This has been going on all week. It couldn't be in the kitchen, nor in the dinning room, definitely not in Sean's room (there's like nothing in there except furniture and some clothes for him) and well, this has been going on for over a week. Frustrated, last night, at like midnight, lying in bed, laughing about it with Jamie, as I would love to wear one of my new bra's today to the baby shower and actually feel comfortable.... in something that actually fits, rather than something that's just a little too tight.... I decided to check all three suitcases that we brought with us to Europe.

And guess what? The bras were in there. With a book I didn't even realize I hadn't seen, with some pantyhose shorts, and my Havannah flip flops, that I didn't realize were missing either. LOL.

I can't belive Jamie packed up the suitcases without checking to make sure that I had emptied all of them COMPLETELY.

Now I'm not blaming this on him at all - it could have been my fault too, I could have told him that I was done with the suitcases - that's very possible too - I just don't understand how I overlooked that section, it was not a closed pocket, it was in the mesh bag (see through) part of the interior of the suitcase!

I'm blaming this on pregnancy brain. It's an excuse for real, you know!

Anyhow, my bras are back safely in their drawer, and we can all go on with our lives now. Back to regular scheduled programming later.

Friday, October 27, 2006

A Full Day of Crafting!

I forgot the other day to post a picture of my new yarn organizer. I got it at the dollar store, for 2.75$ (It's not a DOLLAR store, now is it?? LOL) and well, got Jamie to hang a hook from the ceiling in the corner behind the door of my office.

And voila - a perfect yarn organizer, for storing the yarn that I want access to (the rest is put away in rubbermaid tubs) and the cats can't get to it. (Unless they decide to check behind the door, and attach the bottom mesh bag - LOL). This was found in the "kid" organizing section of my local buckeroo store.

Today, I got up actually early (8 am - when Jamie left for work) and got started on a project I've had in my head for about a week now. Organizing my DPN's (bamboos only). I had bought them in a kit (11 sizes in 5.5 inch length needles and and 13 sizes in the 8 inch needles + 2 extra sizes that my SP8 sent me that happened to be 8 inches long needles that I added into the set). Anyhow, I've been wanting to make a case for them, just wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it... So here, she is closed:

And above, here she is starting to get opened.

Above, here she is opened, but with the flaps still fastened (VELCRO BABY!)

And here are two views of the needle case (from either end)!

I need to add a ribbon on it, so that it ties when closed, but I need to find matching ribbon first. I don't have navy blue ribbon. I think I'm going to see what Walmart has in the ribbon department the next time I'm there. If not, it can wait, no rush. Also, I need to re-inforce my velcros (They're the stick-on kind and I don't find them too sticky - lol....) But that will be for tomorrow.... too tired now.

I am soooooooooooooooooooooo impressed with myself and my sewing skills lately. I've SOOOO improved on using my sewing machine, and I'm playing around with different stitches as well. I love my sewing machine. Sooooooo happy that my parents got it for me for my 21st birthday. It's too bad that it sat in the box for the first couple of years though. Very mad at myself about that however.

I was still in the sewing mood this afternoon, so I made a bag, from a pattern that I got from Walmart by Simplicity. I altered the pattern a little, to my liking. It's meant to tie the two straps into a bow/knot, but I didn't want to - not into the bow/knot thing for the style bag, so I overlapped them, and used a cool stitch on my machine to stitch them together. I used the same material as I did for the outside of my needle case that I made today. I love the pattern.


Speaking of materials.... Is anyone up for a material swap? But for material scraps? Pieces large enough to use for something else, whether it be tissue cozies, or square to make a patchwork bag, or something, even pieces a little larger than that, but you're sick of what you have, and want to trade for some new stuff?? If so - let me know - I'm up for swapping extra fabric!!!

This afternoon when Jamie got home from lunch, he drove me up the street (the hospital where I will be giving birth is at the end of our street - our street ends at the hospital, but then continues on the other side, I believe) and because of the lack of parking near there, I ran in, and dropped of the pre-regsistration papers for my son's birth! Wow - 10 weeks to go, and he's registered! Kind of makes things a little more official, eh? I think the woman at the desk who took my papers looked at me weird when she asked me about my insurance to pay for the private room I selected and I told her my insurance company was called Cash. You know that stuff that doesn't grow on trees? (I don't have insurance for that, and Jamie's dad offered to pay for our hospital room - he suggested that for our well-being, to take a private room - that IS if it's available when we get there......!

That's it - that's all for now folks. Going to go into bed and watch some TV and knit some Woven Trellis Scarf. Very excited for baby shower #1 tomorrow, and I'm wearing a dress!!! And possibly make-up too. I'll take pictures, promise!

I Heard a Rumor... Na-na-nah-na-nah

I heard a rumor that the Yarn Harlot will be at Chapters in Kingston soon. Nothing's listed on her site for anything upcoming except some event November 5th in CT, USA. So..... I emailed her. Kingston's not even a 3 hour drive from my house. As long as it's not the same weekend that's Merlyn's 4th birthday party in Beauce (3 hours from my house) - then I'm SOOOO there. You see, even at 8 months pregnant, I can do the treck to Beauce (doctor says it's okay, as long as I get out of the car every hour to walk around and use the bathroom) then I can do the treck to Kingston! Oh - anyone want to come with me, providing the date is good?

I'm dying to meet Mrs. Stephanie Pearl-Mcphee!

*UPDATE* - Stephanie has emailed me back, she's doing Kingston, Ottawa & Montreal. She *thinks* Montreal is November 9th or 10th, and she'll post it asap on her blog - when she knows. Anyhow, if it's the 9th - great - if it's the 10th - I guess I am going to have to get up EARLY on the 11th to drive to my nephew's 4th birthday party, cuz I ain't missing the Yarn Harlot!

Thursday, October 26, 2006

30 Weeks

This morning I watched the movie Novocaine, as I never went to bed. I was just way too wired. At this point, it's almost 10pm, and I still have not gone to bed. I am planning to go shortly, as soon as I'm done posting this entry. Novocaine was interesting, and I liked Steve Martin in it. I am a Steve Martin fan. Not only do I like him as an actor, I like his novels as well.

Today marks my 30th week of pregnancy. In honor of Belly Shot Thursday (when the week changes for me), here are 2 belly shots.

Belly is getting bigger and bigger by the week - I feel like I'm carrying around a basketball if you ask me!

This morning after watching the movie I got the urge to take all my photo albums out of the boxes that they've been in since we moved into our house back in May 2005, and put them on the bookshelf that Jamie put into the storage space under the stairs to the basement. Jamie fixed it up in there so that I had space, and there is no where else really to put out the photos, so I put them in there. All my albums are labelled, (I love my label maker) and so it was easy to put them on my shelves in chronological order again. There are 4 shelves full of my albums, it seems that in 2005 my picture taking kind of trickled down. I have a mad amount of photos between 1998-2004, but after 2004, it kind of dies. I do still take tons and tons and tons of photos, I just don't print as often as I used to. Which is too bad, but also, my money situation is way different now than it was back in 2004.

Today, I went by my old school where I just graduated from to pick up my diploma, and of course since I didn't have the girl's extention number and no one was picking up at the front desk, the girl was on lunch when I went - so I had to kill time (I was NOT coming back!) Anyhow, while killing time, I discovered some fashion students having a sale, and ended up picking up 5m of this awesome fabric. It's a peachy pink color, and I have lots of plans for it.

On the material front, I photographed the quilt material I bought for baby Sean. I found the proper quilt backing today at Walmart, and just need to figure out how to sew it together. Isn't the pattern just stunning? I almost just want to frame it, rather than turn it into a quilt.

My secret pal received the keychain that I sent her. Here is the card I sent along with it:

Here is my progress of the Woven Trellis. I absolutely LOVE the way it's coming out. I decided that I may just weave in the MilleFili Fine yarn into 3 of the 6 (alternating) strips that I have to knit, so that it comes out with a touch of the extra color, and nothing too overwhelming. What do you think?

Here is the progress of strip number 1. I have here, 15 inches of the strip. Each strip has to be 90 inches long (CRAZY, I KNOW!!!) Right now, I have about 23 inches done. 90 is a long long way off. 90 is wayyyyyy taller than me, actually. But I love that it'll be braided, so it'll lose some height/length, and also, it will be wrapped around my neck a couple of times, so the length is what you need. I wonder how long it will take me to knit this!??


Tonight while my meat sauce (double batch) was cooking on the stove, I did a mudmask. One of the ones that I purchased yesterday at the pharmacy. Boy does my skin feel so silky and smooth right now, and I hope that it removes some of these lovely blemishes from my face... that would be nice. It was also be convenient if that happens before Saturday (baby shower #1).


Some other interesting things of note: I called Tide To Go today, to see what their policy was for a broken Tide To Go, and they will gladly replace it for me. I had to give them a serial number that was on the cap - and my address, that was all! I had tried emailing them twice, but apparently they are having email troubles or web troubles, because I got an email back saying that they cannot respond due to technical difficulties, so to call if it's important. I got that email a week ago or so, maybe it was a little longer than that, but I tried again just the other day, getting the same automatic response, so this time, I tried calling. And actually got somewhere. Very happy about that.


You know what? I wish my bathroom cleaned itself. That or I had a housekeeper. That would be nice. Maybe one day. Until then, I'll leave the bathroom duties for tomorrow. Not in the mood to clean it tonight.


Well, I am BEYOND zonked, haven't been to bed since Tuesday night to Wednesday morning, and I should get some sleep tonight, that would be nice.

Insomnia

It's 5:49 am. I went to bed around 1:30 am. I stared at the wall tossing and turning for about 2 and a half hours. I couldn't sleep and I was hungry. So I poured myself a bowl of Sugar Crisp and came downstairs to my office. I started knitting. I watched the movie Stick It, which was cute. I like gymnastics, and thought it was cute. Plus, Vanessa Lengies, who plays Joanne Charis in the movie, is a native Montrealer, whom I've spent 3 weeks traveling Europe with, back in 2002, when I chaperoned my sister's high school grad trip to Europe. She was actually 3 or 4 days late coming on the trip, and had to meet us down in Europe, because she was filming American Dreams for NBC, where she played Roxanne Bojarski. I never watched American Dreams, but I know people who did and liked it. Anyhow, movie was cute, and I thank my sister for loaning it to me.

Now I'm watching the movie Lucky 13, with Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls). I'll let you know how it is once I'm done. I am actually more comfortable sitting in my office chair watching movies on my computer, than I was lying in bed.... weird.

Woven Trellis - coming along! Pictures to show later on today!

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

I Have Knitting A.D.D.

This morning I once again did NOT make it to the Deep End Aqua class offered at my local Y. Waking up and making it there (around the corner) for 10:35 am (in the pool) was just not working for me. So I slept in until about noon. I got up, and decided that I HAD TO learn how to make a tissue cozy - right there and then. Still in my pj's and still with messy hair and morning breath - I took out the material that Cynthia sent me and took out the tissue cozy that Cynthia actually once made me in a previous swap - and came up with this:

I am pretty damn impressed with myself, and my use of a sewing machine (improving daily!) I love using my machine, and just can't stop wanting to use it. (Don't worry - my knitting will always come first in my heart - but sewing - wow - who knew I had it in me?) Anyhow, I love the little knitting fabric cozy, the fabric with Cynthia herself designed and had printed onto fabric. (Tres cool!) Well, the amount of material that Cynthia sent me - was the most perfect amount for this cozy. Too bad there was none to spare - it would have been awesome to do more with this AWESOME fabric. Well, now that I can make a tissue cozy on my own (I even printed a "pattern" for one, but it was for PUFFS, which are a much bigger tissue pack thatn the standard sized ones, so I tossed it out).

Upon finishing my tissue cozy, Angela showed up. I got ready and we headed out to the west of the island, first stopping at Fabricville. Apparently one is opening on Decarie, right around the corner from me, but there is nothing about it on their website, and there is no email address for them on their site - so I can't even contact them to find out - and no one in the store knew when it was opening. I got some cute fabric there - some for Sean (some seseme street material that I don't know what I am going to make with it yet) and some other material for me, and some for some needle cases that I think I want to make and try selling on Etsy.

Ok, wanna hear weirdness????? I'm at Fabricville filling out a membership (which in the end I didn't need because my I.D card from the college I just graduated from - apparently gives you the equivalent to the membership - seeing as though it's a fashion school. And the fact that I've graduated was not asked, and the fact that I didn't attend the fashion school but instead graphic design, was not asked either - so what information they don't know - saved me 15$ for a membership, and still saved me money!) I'm all for saving money! Anyhow, but before my membership was cancelled off their records, I was filling out the membership page, and who renewed her membership, TODAY of all days, and I just missed her in the store? Take a wild guess!!! My ex-boyfriend's mother - the one I contacted earlier last week about the quilting guild/classes/information! This is wayyyyy to weird. So it made me feel guilty for avoiding her last email, and I emailed her back tonight, telling her that I was at Fabricville today, and that I am only okay with us talking "quilt-talk" if it's okay with Eric (her son, my ex). I mean, she's a really nice woman, a breast cancer survivor, and a wonderful person with a good heart, but I won't feel comfortable talking to her, if her son isn't cool with it. He was the one who dumped me, after all, not wanting anything to do with me - but then again, that was over 6 years ago, in 2000, and well, we're older and wiser now. Let's see what she responds.

Angela and I hit up Walmart to see what they had in their fabric liquidation bin, and I ended up getting some fabulous material (Not in the liquidation bin, but anyhow) for a GORGEOUS quilt for baby Sean - I just have to figure out how to back it - it's pre-cut into quilt size, and the pattern on it - just gorgeous, I'll try to photograph it tomorrow. It's almost so gorgeous I'd want to frame it and hang it on his wall as a poster instead. Just wait til you see it!

We did a few other errands (I had a return to do - Angela was looking for professional work clothes for her new job (she got promoted - go Angela!)) and then when I brought her to the metro when it was time for her to leave, we stopped into the pharmacy, where there is a post office, and I mailed off my Booty Swap package - as it had to be in the mail by this Saturday, October 28th, and I wanted to make sure I got it mailed on time - I didn't want to have to use pregnancy-brain as an excuse for forgetting, LOL. It has been sitting wrapped/packaged for a few days now, and I wanted to make sure it got on it's way! I hope my partner Lissa likes her package, I told her to email me when she gets it (I forgot to photograph it - hopefully she will), and I will invite her to my blog once she gets it. Anyhow, at the Pharmacy I bought myself 3 face masks - I want to do one tomorrow - maybe it'll help my 3 pimples go away BEFORE my baby shower on Saturday. (I'm getting very excited to see everyone!). I bought a Calming Face Mask with Aloe Vera & Mint, a deep cleansing face mask with dead sea salt & seaweed, and an exfoliating treatment with cream & oatmeal. I think that the Deep Cleansing one with the dead sea salt & seaweed, will be the one I will use tomorrow, and the rest I will save for a time I need a calming feeling and an exfoliating one! LOL. I love face masks, but I never buy them for myself. They were 3/5$ instead of 1.99$ each, so I was like - Why not. Not much of a savings, but heck - it's my face! I might as well treat it once in a while to something that feels good! It's been ages since I've done a face mask. Oh, I love doing them!

So, after choosing the face masks, I went to go check out the knitting magazines, and just HAD to buy myself the latest issue of Vogue Knitting. I even cast on tonight, the scarf that is on the cover of the magazine: The Woven Trellis:

I found some similar thickness yarn in my stash, from the yarn fairy (back in February), and this is the color I am going with:

It's a German yarn, called Polo. I left the label upstairs, I'll give more information tomorrow when I photograph what I've knitted up so far. It's actually coming out the same size as what the pattern calls for with the Classic Elite Lush (angora/wool) yarn that they use. I just knew that I was not buying more yarn to make this project when I have plenty of yarn at home. So, I also decided, that for the braids, I'm thinking about incorporating this yarn into the knitting:

This MilleFili Fine Yarn, was also a gift from the Yarn Fairy. It's actually really beautiful (photographs nicely, but not as nicely as it is in "real life"). It's super fine, so it may be just the right added touch into the scarf, so it's not just one solid color. What do you think? Your opinion counts - even though I'm the one that is going to wear it! (Man I love making scarves for myself!) What I love about this scarf, is the braids in it. It's actually knitted in strips and then braided afterwards!
What is sad - is that I have knitting A.D.D.. While I still have another scarf started, and my socks to close the toes (one sock is 2 rows away from grafting and the other sock has to be decreased before grafting), and Clapotis also almost ready for the final decrease section, I'm really bad, and can't commit to finishing one project, that I need to have a few projects going so that I don't get bored. Does this ever happen to you??? I think that's all the projects I have on needles right now, I can't think of any others.... for now, anyhow! Woven Trellis pictures tomorrow, promise!

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

12-13 Hours of Sleep Just Don't Cut It Anymore

If I don't get at least 12 or 13 hours of sleep, there is no sense of trying to get me out of bed. For the last week, I have been sleeping at least 13 hours. That means, if I want to *try* and make it to my aqua class tomorrow morning at 10:35 am, then I must go to bed around 8 or 9pm tonight, but that is soooo not going to happen, as I only got up today just after noon, and there is no way I'll be able to fall asleep that early tonight. I even went to bed early last night - at 11pm, and there was just no waking me up, and there is no point in setting an alarm anymore.

I am struggling to find a gift for my 4 year old nephew's birthday. He's not 4 yet, but he'll be 4 in November. We're going to visit for the weekend in 3 weeks, and attend his birthday party, but I just can't seem to find anything for him. I did pick up a Star Wars Mr. Potato Head, just cuz I thought it was cute, but I don't know if he'd be into it. Worse comes to worse, I'll give it to my Star Wars Obsessed hubby.

Today, I didn't get much done, except my eyebrows waxed (boy did that feel good afterwards). I feel like a whole new person now - I guess it uplifted my spirits a little bit. What else? I also did an errand for my father, and then did some retail therapy in the area that I was in. I bought a few things for Sean, even though I'm having 2 baby showers in the next week and a half, I just saw a few things that I wanted to get him, and well, if I end up getting similar, I have the bill, and it's returnable. So I'm not worried. I also did a little secret pal shopping, and I can't wait to send her out package number 1! I just need to find the right size box to ship it in, so that it can all go into one shipment, and not in two seperate boxes.

Tomorrow is Wednesday, and I will draw the lucky winner's name for my blogaversary draw! Everyone who left comments on my blog's birthday, their names will go into a jar, and someone will be a lucky winner!!! Woohoo!

I also did some baby shower thank you gift shopping today, I needed a few gifts for those hosting and donating their house or their time for my baby showers. All the gifts were easy to pick out - I don't know why it's so hard to shop for men - women are just sooo easy to shop for! Even 4 year old nephew's are hard to shop for (it was easier when he was younger!!)

Anyhow, I am going to get a few chores done, and then watch Nip/Tuck at 10pm, and then go to bed. I want to try and make deep end aqua tomorrow morning.

Monday, October 23, 2006

Baking my Fears Away

I had to sleep in today. There is no setting an alarm clock anymore. That just doesn't work. Snooze gets hit about a hundred times. It's just too damn impossible to get out of bed, I guess it only makes sense, because I can't fall asleep at night, so I'm up late, and so I can't get up in the morning.

Fear. Fear has been bothering me lately. And I know that our son's birth will be such a joyous occasion, and one of the happiest days of my life. I look forward to having my body back and not being in so much constant pain, discomfort and irritated. I'd be lying, though, if I said I'm not scared shitless. That I am. Scared shitless. Scared of contractions and scared of pain. Scared of hospitals and nurses and doctors that aren't my own, if my doctor is not on duty. I can see it now - the birth of any future children of mine, will be a breeze - since I'll have experienced the first one. But going into this blind - I'm scared shitless. And watching A Baby Story on TLC isn't really helping either.

I forgot to take a Belly shot on 29 weeks (last Thursday). I was having a depressing day, and didn't get out of the day before's pj's - so I took a picture today, upon remembering that I wanted to do weekly belly shots on Thursday. Here is me today, 29w4d and wet hair from Prenatal Aqua.


So, to distract myself from my fears (seems like they're a constant thought in my head), I decided to bake.... and bake...

First I started off with muffins, blueberry of course:



And then finished it off with some chocolate chip cookies. I think the non-stick spray stuff I used, what is it called, Pam (?), burned the bottom of my cookies... but they're not badly burned, so that's a good thing. A light crisp!

I wanted to show the scarf I'm working on - for myself. I have finished the deep red part, and now I'm working on the deep chocolate brown middle section. (Orange will be at the end). Nice fall colors!

I also wanted to show off the fun sparkly knitting needles I'm using. Boy are they just fun! I'll post another picture when I'm done knitting the scarf.

Speaking of prenatal aqua, I'm really enjoying my time in that class. Today it was just 3 of us, one girl that I met last week who is due a month after me, and another girl, my first time meeting her, she's 36 weeks pregnant. And I thought my belly was big! I can't even imagine my belly getting to that size in just a few short weeks! I really enjoy going and learning what other girls are going through and experiencing. And guess, what? The girl who is due the month after me, had the exact same experience in the crib shop near my house. The guy refused to speak to her in English and so she walked out, and he lost yet another sale. She ended up going to the place where I got the crib, and she hasn't bought anything yet, but she'll probably go back to the same place where Sean's crib is from. I can't believe this guy. Rude as all hell! He's losing out on business, what can I say? His loss. Not mine. Plus, I'm getting better service at this other place, so I'm happy.

Nothing much else is going on around here. Tonight, I'm going to TRY and get to bed at a decent time. Tomorrow I'm getting my eyebrows waxed - I'm overdue, and I feel that I'll feel like a whole new person after getting them waxed tomorrow. I've never been so excited about getting my eyebrows waxed before! I feel like it will just rejuvenate me. It's something I need. Tomorrow I also plan on making some meat sauce - that will take about 3 hours to make, so I will have to set my mind to it - and do it!! Also - some laundry to finish, both for us and for the baby. I want to make sure that all the stuff in the house is washed before the two baby showers this weekend and next. This way, I can then concentrate on washing new stuff.

Alright, I am posting and then shutting down my computer for the night. I must get back on track for sleeping. I can't keep going to bed at 3 am or so... it's killing me! I will go to sleep early, even if it kills me!