It's A Boy!!!

After inducing, 30 hours of labour, 2 hours pushing, 1 emergency c-section, 2 weeks early ... may I present:

Ethan David Luke Raymond
6 lbs. 4 oz.
20" long
September 26, 2007
11:07 p.m.

Mom, Dad and baby are well!

Grandma and grandpa are delighted but exhausted!

WIP Wednesday

Here's the current status on the baby pinwheel blanket. I started with a 1/2 ball of James Brett Marble yarn ('Patagonia', in autumn colours), and have just joined in the 2nd full ball. I think that once I've finished with this ball, I'll save the last one for the edging ... pattern yet to be determined. The blanket is about 3 feet across, currently, and will likely be about 4 feet once completed. Thank goodness for the Denise needle set I bought last year! I found extra long cables in 40" and 50" sizes on ebay, which are really coming in handy for this project. When the stitches get too cramped on the current length, I just hook in another cable and away I go ... love it!

The Invasion of the Monster Zucchini

This thing has to weigh at least 10 lbs!!!!! We've had quite a bit of rain this week, so I haven't been out to check on the plants. Last time I looked, there wasn't even a tiny one to be seen ... then look what happens. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day today so as I was wandering around the backyard with the dog, I thought I'd take a look under those HUGE leaves and see if there was anything lurking ... oh, yeah.

Check out how many I picked ... three monsters and 2 small ones. Thank goodness I happened on Adam's blog this a.m., where he was extolling the virtues of his zucchini cake recipe. Guess what I'll be making tonight????? ... and likely for the next week and beyond!

Here's a peek at the EZ Surplice Sweater found in the Summer 2007 Vogue. I didn't really give it a second glance when I flipped through the magazine initially, because truthfully, I wasn't overly impressed with the stripey pattern or the colour choices (alright, I thought it was downright ugly!!!). However, I have since become enthralled with all things "Elizabeth Zimmerman" and decided to give it a 'go', minus all the extra colours/way too many stripes. I'm using my ever favorite Scheepjes 'Donna', in an olive and pumpkin combination which should be suitable to celebrate the upcoming birth of my cousin's son-to-be. I like that it 'grows' with the baby and therefore should fit him for at least a little longer than it took me to knit it!

A Hat for Emma

Back in June, I wrote about little Emma who was born very prematurely, here (scroll down a bit). I had made her tiny preemie hats to protect her little head. The first one was for a baby 24 weeks pregnancy size ... man, was it ever small ... not even doll size! Well, I got the word this week that Emma is growing and is now 8lbs and needs a new hat. Her head has been kept shaved, so that all the various tubes/monitors, etc. could be readily attached. She's still in Children's Hospital, but this week had the pacemaker and all associated tubing removed and seems to be doing OK ... thank you, Jesus! Her Grammie tells me that she's quite the little fighter!

In every stitch, in each hat that I've made for Emma, is a prayer for her well being, that God would restore all systems and functions in her body to optimum health and that her mom and dad would be able to bring her home soon!

On 'Baby Alert' ...

Cell phones are fully charged and turned 'on'; pagers are at the ready; we're on 'baby alert'!!!

It looks like the baby may be delivered early. It's at the 36+ week mark, but Kala is having some toxemia/blood pressure issues, so we were at the hospital yesterday having yet another stress test. This past Sunday there was concern that she'd have to be induced or perhaps have a c-section as her blood pressure was steadily rising. However, yesterday, it had come down 6 points, and the baby seemed 'happy'. The doctor (who is actually on holiday!) is quite concerned and has called her several times. He has put her on blood pressure medication and ordered bed rest in the hopes that we can keep baby inside for at least another week, or longer. Not an easy thing for someone who has no hobbies and is already bored out of her mind. So, while she was over yesterday, I got out some big needles and chunky yarn, cast on, and taught her how to knit. She picked it up so quickly and is well on her way to having a lovely red tweed scarf for winter.

W I P Wednesday

Another 'pumpkin' hat from Itty Bitty Hats ... minus the pumpkin colour. The wide ribbing doesn't really show well in the photo ... much better on an actual head.

And ... I've successfully re-started the pinwheel baby blanket -- whoo-hoo!!! After botching it back here, and trying numerous times to get it going again, I've finally been successful. Who would have thought it would be so difficult to work with 5 stitches in the round????? I mean, good grief, I've conquered cables, colourwork, steeks, etc. surely a little thing like this shouldn't be the death of me??? However, it very nearly was. I've started this thing at least a dozen or more times, only to botch it shortly after casting on. I found it so awkward. Finally, I switched to bamboo needles and then only cast on to 3 needles (instead of 4) and then added the 4th as I increased to more stitches. Success! I guess, initially, it was a bad combination of metal needles (too slippery) and then using too many needles. Whatever -- it worked; I'm happy; that's all that matters!!

Hubby's Birthday!

This past Thursday, it was Hubby's turn to wear the famous 'birthday hat'. He's not one for a lot of fuss, so it was just us, my sister and her dog, 'Leopold'. We had a relaxing afternoon, sipping G & T's with lime :) in the backyard, while our dogs wore each other out.

Supper began with prawn cocktail; prime rib roast with all the trimmings; then a heavenly lemon meringue pie which my sister made and brought ... one of hubby's favorite things. He doesn't see pie very often in this house, and certainly not made by me. Pie crust is not one of my many talents and I don't even pretend anymore. It's either store bought, or family brought.



Here is my 'nephew' Leopold, chewing on one of Brinkley's bones. This little monkey, who's all of 8 pounds is quite the little toughie. I'd hidden the bones at the bottom of Brinkley's toy wheelbarrow. Leopold climbed up the side of it and proceeded to haul every last thing out until he reached the bones on the bottom. I swear the bone was very nearly heavier than he is! He then dragged it all along the family room carpet, across the tile floor in the kitchen (where it made an awful clank when he dropped it for a moment) and then finally into the dining room where Brinkley was lying and then all but thumbed his nose at Brinkley and sat down to have a good chew. Cheeky thing!

He decided to push the envelope just a tad, by trying to acquire the second bone, which Brinkley was guarding. Needless to say, a 'discussion' ensued, with neither party backing off (100lb retriever vs. 8lb. floor mop (shih tzu) which then necessitated a time out in opposing corners for each of them.


And a good time was had by all!

OOOPS!!!

The following is clearly a case of "what not to do"!!!

Don't put eggs on to boil early in the a.m. and then suddenly have a brainstorm for a new design; run down the hallway to your workroom; start designing a new project; completely forget that eggs are on the stove. :(

I heard a big "thump" on the tile floor in the kitchen and thought my husband must be up and has dropped whatever on the floor. Then, there was an almighty crash. I'm thinking "that's two ... what a bumble-futz! After the third crash, I thought I'd better investigate. The lid had blown off the pot and was sitting in the middle of the floor, followed closely by one shattered, very hard boiled egg. The others were cemented to the bottom of my non stick pot. The pot had boiled dry and all of the eggs had exploded. The worst part??? I didn't even remember that the eggs were on to boil until I saw them splattered all over the floor!!!

The pot wasn't redeemable and has been given a decent burial.

I guess my days of multi-tasking are over :(