I'm Knitting Again

Still not full of the mojo or anything, but I'm working on some Christmas gifts. I can't tell you what on the off chance that someone they're for actually reads this. But I'll take pics and share after the holidays, if that's okay.

I finally have the yarn I need to make a sweater as a custom order. It's a simple top down sweater with a lace front. Simple so I don't have to think too hard or work to much to make it fit, and the lace insert keeps me interested in the project.

I still have some stuff to photograph and put up in my etsy shop, I just haven't felt like doing it. I have some pretty mittens to offer too. I would do well not to wait until cold weather has gone by, I think.

I need a secretary.

So, we had our ultrasound on Wednesday. It's only one baby, it's the size and shape it should be, and the heartrate is normal and strong. All is well in babyland. Yay! I wish I had a scanner so I could share. The baby is sucking its thumb in the picture. All together now....awwwww!

I swear I can feel it move now and again. I know it's early, and I didn't feel the first two until I was 18 - 20 weeks along, but from time to time I get a fluttery feeling that is awfully familiar, and not in a gas bubble kind of way. Perhaps it's because it's the third time I've done this and I know what it feels like that I'm just more able to tell the difference between normal abdominal rumblings (of which I have much...curse you, brusssels sprouts!) and the flutterings of a tiny baby kicking up a fuss and saying "Hello, Mama! I'm here and doing fine!"

I officially printed up my Christmas list for Santa this week. My family has long believed in making lists of stuff you'd like to receive and passing it around so that you have a shot at actually getting some of it. I like to do mine with plenty of Print Shop graphics and appendices of shopping specs and catalog numbers whenever possible. My aunt dubbed it my Christmas "epistle" one year, and it stuck. Here's what's in the epistle this year...

Queen-size flannel sheets in white, yellow, lt. blue or lt. green. LL Bean ones would be swell, but I'm not fussy. Seriously, those double brushed Bean sheets never pill. They're amazing. Expensive, and worth every penny.

A digital food scale. I have a crappy mechanical one that I probably paid a buck for at one time. Time to upgrade, plus I'm thinking I could weigh fiber on it.

Those lovely Harmony wood needle sets that they have over at Knitpicks. How nice to have a set of interchangeable circs and matching dpns! And they're so pretty, did I mention that?

Oven mitts. Big, thick ones. I'm tired of burning my hands.

A card table and chairs. I could use it for when I entertain, which is rare, I'll admit. But who doesn't need a handful of folding chairs around, and I could use the card table at my craft fairs.

I'd like a headset for my phone, for hands-free talking. That way I wouldn't have to put my knitting down to chat.

Black socks. Big, thick, warm ones.

Sonicare brush heads. Do y'all have a Sonicare? You should get one. I haven't had a cavity since I got one. Seriously. Best. Toothbrush. EVER. I especially like the small heads. Comfy.

I need a niddy noddy! I just thought of it this morning and had to tell sister to add it to my list. Sure would make winding my spun fiber a lot easier.

For the Pooper, who is too little yet to make his/her own list, we could use some new crib sheets and receiving blankies. I like those stretchy thermal blankies quite a lot. And I gave our bucket seat to charity thinking I was all done having babies. I'm going to try to go back to St. Vincent and buy it back for myself, but in the event that it's gone, this kid is going to need something to chill out in. You know, while I knit and talk on the phone...

That's all I could think of this year.

Mind you, I've done naught but the tiniest bit of shopping so far myself, and haven't had the kids' Christmas pic taken, nor have I given much thought to Christmas cards or putting up the tree.

But hell, it's still November. Well, today it is, anyway. I shall postpone my panicking until tomorrow.

No Mojo Monday

I've lost my mojo. And not just on Monday...everyday.

I'm tired, people. I'm too tired to knit, too tired to clean, too tired to cook, too tired to blog, too tired to do much of anything but grow this baby. Not exhausted, like I-can't-get-my-head-off-the-pillow, but tired. Not at all inclined to do much. Lazy is perhaps a better word for it. I can't be bothered.

I feel fine, all in all. I'm still a bit sick from time to time, almost always after I eat. Nothing seems to sit well with me. But the random sick is gone, for the most part. I have an appetite again, and it's welcome. The food aversions seem to have receded a bit. I still can't stand a lot of smells, though.

I have my first ultrasound on Wednesday. We've decided, despite my "advanced maternal age" (translation: I'm too old for this shit) to forgo any genetic screenings. They're optional anyway. And since neither Mr. Poops or I believe that we would ever terminate this pregnancy on purpose, there's no point in getting worked up over what might or might not be wrong. We'll put this, like we do most things, in God's hands and take what comes.

He did change my due date to June 3 from the May 29 I got from an online calculator. And I have a book here that dates it differently too. Whatever. End of may, early June. It's all the same to the clam.

I've noticed that even at 13 weeks, my innards are feeling compressed. I get full fast, and breathing from the diaphragm to sing is harder--damn near impossible if I've just eaten. We're going to see how long the whole singing thing is possible and playing it by ear. I'm planning to cantor through Easter up to Pentecost if I can, but I don't see being on the schedule except maybe as a fill-in after that. It helps that choir practice ends for the summer with Pentecost. And my catechism classes will be done by May 13, so no loose ends there. This was good timing on my part, if you ask me.

So, there's not much knitting content to report on. I've been working on a hat for Bobo and a pair of mittens for the Bug for weeks now. I knit a couple of rows and then don't want to do it anymore. I'm waiting for yarn to come in even as we speak. I got some more TLC Cotton Plus to make a sweater custom order for a friend of mine, and some cotton from Knitpicks for washcloths that I'll pair with some handmade goatmilk soap as Christmas gifts.

I haven't been spinning much either. Again, it's the mojo thing. I did it for a bit the other day, but I got tired of it quickly.

This morning I'm going to make an attempt at cleaning the kitchen a bit. It's a mess and I'm tired of looking at it. Must. Make. Cleaning. Push.

Truth be told, if the guy wasn't coming to troubleshoot the pellet stove this afternoon, I doubt I'd bother at all.

Meh.

Stolen from CBear...

Only 'cause I haven't posted in an age, and this should hold you until I feel that something interesting is going on around here. 'Til then...some fascinating (?) facts about Poops.

How do you like your eggs? Over light. With a toasted English muffin to soak up the runny yolk.
How do you take your coffee/tea? I prefer my coffee to come from the Dunkin' Donuts drive-thru. In the summer it's a medium hazelnut iced coffee with cream and one Splenda, and in the winter it's a medium hot coffee with cream and one sugar. When it comes to tea, I like Earl Grey, hot (like Jean-Luc Picard) with a bit of honey and lemon, and if I can't get my hands on some real southern sweet tea, I make do with Crystal Light iced tea.
Favorite breakfast food: anything sweet. Pop Tarts, donuts, danish, leftover birthday cake...it's all good.
Peanut butter: only on bread. I can't get into dipping veggies or fruit in it or adding it to recipes. Except maybe baked goods. I love PB&J and PB and banana.
What kind of dressing on your salad? It varies. I think my all-time favorite has to be bleu cheese.
Coke or Pepsi? Neither, but I like both Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi equally.
You’re feeling lazy. What do you make? Reservations. No, seriously, folks. Probably cereal, or toast.
You’re feeling really lazy. What kind of pizza do you order? Sausage and onion, or a fully loaded from Brookside II, if I'm feeling festive.
You feel like cooking. What do you make? If I feel like cooking, the sky's the limit. I'm a decent cook when I try. I will make whatever fits my mood. In the summer, I love to grill, and steak tips are my favorite thing to make, with a homemade potato salad. In the winter, it leans towards casseroles: shepherd's pie, lasagna, something I can put in the oven.
Is there a food you refuse to eat? Broccoli. It's a vile weed. And smoked oysters. My sister and father love the things, but just the smell repulses me.
What was your favorite food as a child? I don't really know. I was a child. I bet it was something we didn't have all the time...like having pancakes for supper. I wouldn't say pancakes were my favorite food, but there was something about eating them at suppertime that made them so much better. And Sister and I would each have a cup of milk to which dad would spoon in a bit of his hot coffee. It made the milk warmer and taste like coffee, without it actually being coffee milk which is made with Autocrat coffee syrup. It was special.
Is there a food that you hated as a child but now love? Fried or steamed clams. I liked them when I was little, and then at one point decided they were nasty, but then as an adult I gave them another shot and changed my mind back. I'd eat a fried clam roll right now.
Is there a food that you loved as a child but now hate? I can't think of one. I still enjoy most of my childhood favorites.
Favorite fruit & vegetable: Pineapple and raspberries are my favorite fruits, and my favorite veggie is probably carrots, corn, and cabbage, though cabbage doesn't like me back.
Favorite junk food: I like them all. There are days I'd eat nothing but junk food. I should be dead by now, though perhaps all the preservatives are keeping me alive...
Favorite between meal snack: It depends on the day. Sometimes I want a bit of sweet, sometimes I want cheese and crackers.
Do you have any weird food habits? I don't think so. Nothing comes to mind. I can't stand eating with anyone who chews with their mouth open, smacks their lips, or hits touches their teeth to their fork. *shudders*
You’re on a diet. What food(s) do you fill up on? I'm trying not to "fill up" on anything, since compulsive eating is a problem with me. Ask me what I'd fill up on if I was bingeing...
You’re off your diet. Now what would you like? Glad you asked. Fast food. I want to start at McD's with a quarter pounder with cheese and some fries. I'd then hit Burger King and have a Whopper washed down with a chocolate shake. Then I'd finish it off at KFC with a couple of their fried apple turnovers. Maybe I'd hit Dunkies on the way home for a couple of Boston Creme donuts to have as a snack later...and I forgot all about Chinese food. I could eat that until I puke and then eat some more, I swear.
How spicy do you order Indian/Thai? I'm not a fan of Thai food as a rule since I've never had any outside of Thailand, and what I had in Thailand was so spicy I couldn't even feel it after a few bites, much less taste it. As for Indian, I like it a bit spicy. There's a nice Indian buffet right before the Mass. border in Nashua, and it's a nice blend of heat and flavor without taking the skin off the roof of your mouth.
Can I get you a drink? Will someone please show up at the hospital the day I give birth with a cocktail in a to-go cup? Please? I'd love a margarita on the rocks, no salt. But really at that point, any hooch will do.
Red wine or white? Red. The darker and sweeter the better. I love sangria of any kind.
Favorite dessert? Do I really have to choose? I'm a fan of cake. I will always vote for cake. But I've never spit out pie, or cookies, or anything else sweet for that matter.

It's snowing here today, the first of the season. It'll be a wintery mix before all is said and done, but for now it's just snow.

Yay!

Halloween Hijinks

And what a Halloween it was. One for the record books, I think. Here you see the girls in their costumes. This is the one I took before the party on Saturday that I couldn't upload then. Here it is now. The living room is a wreck--your eyes are not deceiving you. Emma had spent the better part of the day pulling out every toy she owned. It's not nearly that bad now. Then again, I've not been in the living room much this morning and she's been kind of quiet. I shudder to think what she's doing in there. I should probably check...

Yesterday was Chief Baboo's swearing-in ceremony. He made a nice speech and Sister pinned his badge on him. Here's the article from The Citizen...

http://www.citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071101/CITIZEN_01/711010057/-1/CITIZEN

Now, the free paper (The Sun--marvelous publication!) had a better picture and a better article all around, but alas, they're not online so you'll have to take my word for it.

Oh, and the pic on the front of the Sun? Yeah, Poops is in it! Poops, and Buggy, and Ma, and Dad and Grammie Bonnie...all in it. I'm a local celeb now. Dad said he's going to have an autograph signing from 2 to 3 this afternoon. I personally shall probably be on the couch by then.

I'm sicker than ever. I nearly hurled trying to get to the Mill for the swearing-in. Honestly, I thought I might have to pull over and toss cookies. But I'm not a puker, so it doesn't come easily and I spend a lot of time trying not to puke.

I made it through hurl-free.

But I still had to sit through Sister's Halloween party at Leavitt Park and I really just wanted to lay down on the couch.

All I want to do these days is lay down on the couch.

I want to lay down right now, and it's 10:30 in the morning.

HOLY CRAP! HOLD THE PHONE! WHAT'S THIS I SEE IN THE UPPER CORNER OF MY LACONIA DAILY SUN?

"NOW ON THE WEB!"

No shit, it really is. Here, here's the picture that I'm in! I'm the one snapping pics with Sister's camera while Baboo is sworn in. That's Ma right beside me, and Bug in front of me, and Dad and Bonnie are on the other side of Ann's head! Woot!

Linky poo here!

http://www.laconiadailysun.com/LaconiaPDF/2007/11/1L.pdf

Oh, how exciting that my paper is now a PDF. I can die happy.