06.30.10

I almost fell asleep in pre-natal yoga this morning. It was so relaxing. And during the sun salutation, – I got really tired. Quite the workout for a pregnant woman. (Well the variation that my teacher does anyhow).

This afternoon I waited around for the plumber to come install my gas line for the BBQ. Did he show up? No. And it only started to rain around 5pm. He could have worked outside ALL afternoon. I was so mad.

Tonight I went knitting with some friends, and finished the sleeves on Zoe’s February Baby Sweater. I’ve started working on the body now. I am in love with the color and I love the way it’s knitting up. I think I’ll be finished this one in no time. Which is good, because I have four million other girlie knits on my list to do. Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about the boys.

There was a gorgeous sunset on my way home from knitting tonight. I just love the sky when it’s like that. And it was so late too when I saw this, almost 10 pm. I know the days are starting to get shorter and shorter these days, and we already had the longest day of the year, but it’s still nice to see the sun set late.

Ok, I want to go see if I can read the last few pages in the book I’m reading to finally finish it off. I swear, I only have like 15 pages left or so, and I keep falling asleep while reading. I want to move on from this book already, I hope I can just get through the last few pages. The book just has been dragging on. But I wanted to finish it. No idea why I just didn’t toss it. It’s the religious stay at home mom book. I wonder if I have any friends who would want to read it, and probably enjoy it. There's too much church stuff for me, a non-practicing Jew.

I leave you tonight with this hysterical 911 call!

Can you believe this nut?

06.29.10 :: 14 weeks

I am 14 weeks pregnant today.

The boys were being really silly this morning. Well, Sean was. Mack was looking at him like “do I know you?”

You know, there are moments that are truly sweet. Where there is no fighting going on at all, and they actually love each other. And they’re not actually sitting on each other. Moments like this, where they are hugging. It does actually happen. And it’s truly sweet.

I managed to get her cell into "silent mode" but even though the ringer is on high and ringer is activated it's still on "silent mode". No idea how to get it back. Argh. Sometimes I hate technology.

There are exactly 100 days left until the Habs season starts on Oct 7, 2010. Because you all care to know. I’m hoping to pack in as many games as I can comfortably sit in, until Zoe is born.

I started my pre-natal vitamins again today after talking to the pharmacist at the pharmacy next to my work. I am trying to take them at night (with dinner) instead of first thing in the morning. If the nausea comes back (I had no nausea from Thursday until today after stopping them for a break to see) then I’m done with them, and I’ll just take folic acid and maybe a calcium supplement. I’m willing to give the pre-natal vitamins one last chance.

Oh, winners! You want winners! Well, here you go!

The Wiener Hat by hotcheese :: Nadine
Sown, Seeded, Charm & Lucky by Lisa :: Kim
Strawberry Mittens & Flannery by SpillyJane :: Girlknits
4 patterns from Jeannie’s Ravelry Store (Winner’s Choice) :: Rosebelleknits
2 more copies of my entire sock collection in PDF :: Dawn & Caroline
Spring in Your Step and Trinity Sunrise by Kerry :: Sarah

Thank you to everyone who has participated in my month long birthday celebration. I hope that the comments you have been leaving don’t stop just because the contest is over. I love hearing from you. I love responding to comments. So keep ‘em coming!

06.28.10 :: 182 weeks old/42 Months/3.5 Years Old

 

Sean is 182 weeks old today/42 months olds, making him exactly 3 and a half years old.

I survived week one of both kids at swimming lessons at the same time this morning. Things took a little longer to get organized, but we managed before & after. Oh and the quarterback's daughter is now on Mondays at the same time. 7 more weeks of summer lessons to hope that he comes to watch, if he doesn't have to be at practice. (I will get that autograph. I will get that autograph.)

I am upset that I accidently bought cottage cheese instead of sour cream. Tacos didn't taste the same without sour cream in them at dinner tonight. Thought I was grabbing the Sour Cream at the grocery store, but there must have been one cottage cheese container stashed in with them. I tried 2 corner stores and a pharmacy before dinner, but only one place had and what they had was expired. I didn’t feel like going back to the grocery store at that hour, so I dealt with no sour cream at all.

I really shouldn't be allowed to watch "A Baby Story" on TLC while pregnant.

I’m  taking a poll. If you have a daughter and got her ears pierced - what age did you do it at? If later on, why did you wait? If she doesn't have her ears pierced yet, why not? I started thinking about when I’d get Zoe’s ears pierced. I don’t have a daughter yet, so I haven’t had to go through it yet. I can’t wait though.

I saw this article and found it to be very interesting. I wanted to share it. The Journey of a bagel.

This afternoon I had the luxury of taking a nap. I got into my dish chair and started to read the book I'm trying to finish up (only have a handful of pages left), but I couldn't keep my eyes open. I think I napped for a good hour and a half. I really feel like I've been a walking zombie lately. I was hoping my energy would return now that I am out of my first trimester, but it hasn't. I guess already having 2 boys who are handfuls and very energetic is slowing me down.

ps- Just a reminder that I'm throwing a contest for this entire month! Details are here.

06.27.10

Today after the kids let me sleep in, (I stayed up last night a bit trying to finish the book I’m currently reading – I’ve got less than 45 pages left and I just want to finish it already), we hung out in the backyard. I got to knit a bit, and Jamie dug up the grass and a bit of the earth under the swing set (there is a designated sandbox area) for sand. I absolutely hate the sand at the park in our circle, as it’s always full of weeds and garbage. And the park up the street from our house always has that disruptive kid and he useless grandfather who barely speaks English or French for that matter, so we’ve been avoiding going there, as they seem to always be there. It was time for our own private sandbox.

The boys jumped right in as soon as Jamie put down all the sand we had. We still need a few more bags of sand to put down.

Sean decided to put every sand toy we own into the sandbox. Would you like some sand with the toys? I seriously was wondering where they would have room to sit, but they managed to squeeze their little tushies into the box.

And of course they both fought over the same single toy (rake type toy make has in his hands), because out of the 485 toys that were in the sandbox, they had to both have the same one. Boys. Ahh, I can’t wait for Zoe to arrive to balance it out a bit in this house. I need some more girl power around here.

This evening we had a BBQ at my aunt’s house. Sean & Mack had fun playing with their cousins Jakob and Henri. I got some knitting questions answered by Jenn. I’m wondering if it was just my pregnancy brain, or are Elizabeth Zimmerman’s patterns just sometimes hard to understand.


Here is the current progress on Zoe’s February Baby Sweater. I like how it’s coming out!

ps- Just a reminder that I'm throwing a contest for this entire month! Details are here.

06.26.10

This morning Sean had soccer.

We all went to watch, including my sister today as well.

Sean’s coach wasn’t there today, and didn’t leave the soccer balls with anyone. We had to borrow a soccer ball from a few different teams in order to hold a practice and game today.

Today was also picture day. Sean will get some “player cards” with his photo on it, to trade (give to his family) and a plaque with his picture on it as well as the team shot. My sister happened to be there and snuck a few photos behind the photographer.

I honestly think the photographer did a lousy job. First of all, he could have centered the team in front of the net. Now it looks like there is a poll sticking out a one of the kid’s heads (that happens to be my ex-boyfriend’s son – yeah, my ex-boyfriend’s son is on my team – I have the absolute joy of seeing my ex every Saturday morning. 8 or 10 teams for 4 year olds and I get my ex’s son on Sean’s team). I also don’t think he did a great job at getting all the kids to look at him for the photo. The package I am getting only costs 20$, so it’s not the end of the world, and if need be, I have the photos my sister took (I left my camera by the stands).

Mack was having fun in the sidelines tossing around a beach ball.

Sean & Zach’s weekly popsicle shot.

After soccer we met up with Zachary & his sister (and his parents) at a local McDonalds. We let the kids run around for about an hour then gave them lunch. Sean & Zach are tied at the hips, they are so cute together.

After Mack’s nap this afternoon we did some painting.

The kids had fun. They ended up mixing all the colors together and making a brownish blob on their canvas. Sean asked me to pick up more canvases, that he had a good time and wanted to do more. Mack enjoys art too. I love it.

For dinner we wanted pasta, but there wasn’t any sauce in the house. I need to make another large batch of my meat sauce to freeze. We didn’t even have any emergency jarred sauce to use. I was going to make a cream sauce (with a cream of broccoli soup base) but then couldn’t find on the internet an easy recipe on how to do that (any one have any ideas?). So instead, I called my step-mother-in-law and luckily had all the ingredients to make a creamy tomato sauce from scratch. Whipped some up, and 30 minutes later, dinner was served – and was delicious – in my opinion.

Tonight I watched the movie Remember Me with Amy. Jamie had hockey tonight. I would never have thought in a million years that it would have ended the way it did. Amy had already seen this movie, and now I know why she wanted to watch it again, the main character plays Edward in the Twilight movies! I worked on Zoe’s February Baby Sweater while we watched the movie.

Here’s a free 5 points for Pampers Points Collecters (.com & .ca): GTGSUMMERFUN5PT

ps- Just a reminder that I'm throwing a contest for this entire month! Details are here.

06.25.10 :: 8 years

Met Jamie 8 years ago today. (2002)
Above is a picture during our first week together.

At the bowling alley in July 2002. Probably the last time I actually went bowling too.

August 2002, in the town where his sister lives.

On our wedding day. (Sept 18, 2005)

On Jamie’s 30th birthday (December 10, 2005)


In Boston, MA, March 2006 (Right before getting pregnant with Sean).

New Years Eve 2006, Sean 3 days old.

June 17, 2008, seconds after Mack’s birth.

May 30, 2010 at a friend’s wedding.
Zoe in my belly.

It’s been an incredible 8 years.
Our family is almost complete.
We’re celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary this September.
I couldn’t ask for anything different.
Here’s to many more years of love, health & happiness!
Can’t imagine my life any other way.

Today after work I met my sister for Mani/Pedis. During the pedicure I got to sit in a massage chair. Oh, it was soooo good. My neck really needed it!

I love getting my hands & toes painted, but I hate doing it myself, because, I suck at doing my other hand, and well frankly, I’m starting to not be be able to bend down and reach my feet anymore. I had a heck of a time shaving my legs the other day.

Our lovely toes! (We didn’t get the same color but a similar shade – mine’s more purple brown and Amy’s is more bronze brown).

And our French manicured nails. Love it!

This evening we went out for dinner with my in-laws to a local joint I hadn’t been to in forever. The kids meals came with dessert. Mack wouldn’t eat his meal, but the dessert, yeah, no problems there. The kid is obsessed with chocolate. He did eat food off everyone else’s plate though before dessert.

Tonight I watched the movie Kick-Ass with Jamie. It was funny. About super heroes! I worked on Zoe’s February Baby Sweater while watching. It’s coming along nicely. I LOVE the stitch pattern. I will take an updated photo of it over the weekend.

ps- Just a reminder that I'm throwing a contest for this entire month! Details are here.(New prizes were announced yesterday).

06.24.10 :: 105 weeks old

Mack is 105 weeks old today!  

Since today is a Québec Holiday that we don’t really care for (since we’re Anglophone), we spent the afternoon waiting for Mackenzie to get up from his nap, then headed over to my parents house for dinner. Sean got to go in the pool with my dad’s best friend’s 2 kids, but I didn’t even bother bringing over my bathing suit. I had left the kids bathing suits over there the last time we went swimming, so they had suits there to use.

Dinner was fabulous. I got to have Lobster for the first time this summer. Oh, heaven. Don’t worry, I looked it up online, and apparently I am allowed 2 x 6 oz. servings a week while pregnant. I have Lobster probably once per summer, so I don’t eat anywhere near as much.

We had leftover birthday cake for dessert tonight, it’s the cake that just keeps going and going. Mack absolutely ate every crumb off his plate. Glad to know he liked it!  After all, it was for his birthday!

My silly boy.

 
Some of the flowers in the front yard are finally blooming.
No idea what they are, but they’re pretty.

These seem like standard flowers. Not sure what they are either… but it makes me want to pluck the pedals and say “He Loves Me. He Loves Me Not…” and bring me back to childhood!


When we got back, Sean wanted 5 more minutes of Caillou to watch before bed. Yeah, he didn’t make it even 2 minutes. It was late, and he was popped. It was so cute.

A friend of mine sent me this video. It’s pretty funny. We’re looking into a mini-van and they thought I’d get a kick out of this video. Well, I did. And I want to share it with you.

ps- Just a reminder that I'm throwing a contest for this entire month! Details are here. I’ve rounded up a few more prizes. Here’s a list of everything that will be given away on Tuesday so far (working on a few more surprises):

The Wiener Hat by hotcheese
Sown, Seeded, Charm & Lucky by Lisa
Strawberry Mittens & Flannery by SpillyJane
4 patterns from Jeannie’s Ravelry Store (Winner’s Choice)
2 more copies of my entire sock collection in PDF
Spring in Your Step and Trinity Sunrise by Kerry

I might have a few more surprises, so keep on commenting to win!

06.23.10

SPECS:
Pattern: Zoe's Button-Up Baby Wrap
For: A photo prop for after Zoe’s born
Yarn: 2 skeins of Adrienne Vittadini Mia (had literally just enough)
Needles: US 17 - 12.75 mm
Size: for a newborn
Timeline: June 22 2010 (4 hours approximately)
Modifications: Knit pattern as written.
Opinion: I love it. I can’t wait to have a little baby to put into it.

Well, as you noticed above, I called my baby by name. Jamie and I finally decided on the spelling of her name, and our daughter will be Zoe Violet. Zoe’s been our girl name since we were pregnant with Sean. It was our girl’s name again when we were pregnant with Mackenzie. After 2 boys, I finally get to use the name. We were going to use Zoey Rose, but then 2 things changed. 1 – Jamie’s cousin had a Hannah-Rose, and calls her Rosie. I don’t want to step on any toes, so we’re not going to use Rose. Also – 2 – we decided to use Zoe instead of Zoey, since we can find name personalized things with Mackenzie & Sean, so it wouldn’t be fair if Zoey can’t get stuff with her name on it. I was thinking also maybe Zoë, but I don’t think Jamie likes that. Why, I don’t know? I think it’s different. I’m totally okay with it just being Zoe Violet without the e with the ë. I’ve liked the name Zoe forever. From as far back as I can remember. I also liked the name Noa, or NoaRaeAnne (I think I invented that one, used to use it as a screen name e-ons ago when I used to post on opendiary.com – when it was free before moving to blogger). Jamie’s late grandmother was Rae, but Zoe is higher up on my girls list for names. The Violet, it’s another flower, in honor of the late Rose. We might use Rose in hebrew (Varda) as Zoe’s hebrew middle name. (Still trying to work out the details of what her hebrew name will be). Oh, and I can paint her room Violet. How about that. My new found obsession with purple (since being pregnant with Mack!) I also love the name Abigail/Abbygail, thinking about using it as a hebrew name. I saw it on the list of hebrew names, but not sure if it’s appropriate. I thought it would be cute, because Zoe & Abby are 2 of the girl characters on Sesame Street. I’m a geek – I know. I have a couple of people I can ask, I’ll toss them an email, because Jamie seems to think that Abbygail is not a hebrew name. This website tells me otherwise. I think Abbygail Varda sounds really nice for a hebrew name.

In other knitting news, I’ve started a new knitting project. It’s the Baby Valentine Sweater. I got to the start of the lace pattern and I stopped working on it tonight as I need to re-read it tomorrow with a well rested mind. (It’s past 10 pm now and my pregnant brain don’t function so well at this hour). I am in love with this color of yarn (Colinette Jitterbug’s Whirly Fig). I just love working with Jitterbug. (To date my fave piece I’ve made is my Ishbel.

I had a good evening out with some knitting friends tonight, and we found somewhere that the service is great, the food is good, and so is the lighting. The place is owned by a family member of mine, and we even have a table reserved for us. Who could ask for anything better? I’m glad I was actually able to eat dinner, because the nausea is just killing me. A friend of mine suggested that maybe it’s the pre-natal vitamins that I am taking that is making me nauseas. (This article is interesting to read). She had that as her problem, so I’m going to see if by not taking them for a few days, if I am feeling better. If that is the case, I will switch and just take folic acid instead of the entire pre-natal vitamin. The only thing I’m loving is my really strong nails. They’re growing beautifully because of the pre-natal vitamins.

I’ve managed to round up a few more pattern prizes for the next giveaway. A lucky winner will win these patterns by Lisa: Sown, Seeded, Charm & Lucky. Don’t you just love these pattern names? I am working on a few other prizes, so I’ll keep you posted this week. Hoping that Tuesday’s final giveaway (I can’t believe it’s almost the end of the month already!) is sent off with a big bang!

We had an earthquake today mid-afternoon. I wasn’t even sure what was going on until it was over. It felt as if there was an 18 wheeler in my garage/driveway, revving. The worst of the damage here, was this toppled over umbrella in our backyard. I checked the house over, just to make sure. When I got back inside, still not sure what happened, I wasn’t the only person updating my facebook status stating “Was there just an earthquake?”… turns out, it was around 5.5 or 5.7 (depending on what source you find) on the Richter scale, originating between the Ontario and Quebec border between Montreal & Ottawa. The earthquake wasn’t scary or anything, but I had no idea what was even going on until after it was finished. I don’t ever think I’ve experienced an earthquake in Montreal.

Today’s Link Love:
- I wish I was more advanced in sewing, I’d love to make these shoes for Zoe.
- I’ve definitely collected plenty of changing pads over time with my 2 boys, but this tutorial is neat.
- Totally making this knitted shirt for one or both of my boys. It’s just too freakin’ cute.
- Loving the ENTIRE new Macy Gray album Sellout. Her voice rocks.

ps- Just a reminder that I'm throwing a contest for this entire month! Details are here.

06.22.10 :: 13 weeks

13 weeks pregnant today.
It’s going to go too fast, isn’t it?


Thank you to whomever sent me this kit in the mail.
I love it! Totally wanted it!
I want to thank the proper person, so please tell me who you are!

Sean saw a Pillow Pets commercial this morning. He says he wants one because it’s even machine washable. I couldn’t stop laughing for like 20 minutes. The stuff that comes out of Sean’s mouth sometimes… I can’t believe how smart this kid is. He uses logic in everything and retains everything.

I started taking Dicletin, and I just couldn’t get out of bed this morning. I had to force myself out of bed. I heard that this medication can make you really tired until your body gets used to taking it. I really hope that my body adjusts soon, because I almost much prefer the nausea of the zombiness. Honestly!

This evening Jamie had ball (in the drizzling rain), and I sat on the couch and caught up on Modern Family (not sure why I watch it, it’s so bad!) and caught up a bit on Parenthood. (I’ve still got 3 more episodes to catch up on). I worked on some knitting, starting & completing the project in 4 hours. I will show you tomorrow what I whipped up. I even had JUST enough yarn to make it. Details to come tomorrow, with pictures. Promise.

Today’s Link Love:
- Love this photo.
- This dress.
- This necklace on this awesome website.
- Wish I were more talented at sewing, I’d love to make a pink/girly material nursing cover. I’m going to attempt to nurse again after I give birth.
- Love this tutorial on how to make your own playdoh!
- Love this sock animal rattle tutorial!
- Love this diaper pouch tutorial as well.
- Love that I picked lettuce from our garden and made a fresh Caesar salad. YUM!
- Love that I was cleaning up my crawl space and found another missing bag of maternity clothes, which included my fave maternity jeans that I thought went missing and was gone for good. Still missing a fave three quarter length black shirt, but I’ll find something else to replace it, because I think it’s gone for good, unfortunately. (I think I’m also done with loaning things out. I never get everything back that I loan out, so it’s not even worth it anymore. Some people just don’t take care of your stuff, as you would their stuff. If I borrow stuff, I always make sure it goes back to the person who gave it to me).
- This video:

Today’s Contest Winners!
Betsey's Braids: KNIT GIRL KNIT!
Roar, a Dinosaur Hat: ANIE!
2 Winners of my sock collection: Carolyn & Nicole!

Next week I’ll be giving away Strawberry Mittens & Flannery by SpillyJane as well as one winner that will get to choose 4 patterns from Jeannie’s Ravelry Store! I am trying to round up a few more prizes for the next giveaway, so stay tuned!