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milestone

As this pregnancy progresses I have felt the baby kick or move around more and more. It has been very exciting for me because it took a long time before I started to feel movements, so I love it now that the frequency has increased and the feelings are stronger. Unfortunately they haven’t been strong enough for any one else to feel yet.

Yannick and I have tried sitting around for a half hour or so each night with his hands on my belly but it seems like this little kiddo has stage fright. (To me it seems like each time I think there *might* be movement Yannick shifts his hands and we have to start all over again). We’ve even tried just staring at my belly, because there are times when I know I’ve seen it twitch and jump…but of course every time I’d ask “did you see that?” the answer would always be a very disappointed “no” from Yannick.

It’s been frustrating because ever since I started mentioning how often I feel the baby now, he’s been trying to feel or see it to and hasn’t been able to. Until now! :]

Last night for the first time ever Yannick felt the baby kick! (Or elbow or knee or punch or something). I had pushed Yannick to try again because he’d wanted to wait a few days “for the baby to get stronger” and I didn’t want to wait. He put his hand on my belly and I swear within 8 minutes or so there was such a kick- it was the strongest one I’ve ever felt. The baby had been moving under his hand but I knew he wouldn’t feel the rolls and swishes, and then all of a sudden there was this lightning-fast jab and I knew he’d *had* to feel that one, and I asked him but before he even answered I could see by his face that he HAD felt it. YAY!

To those annoyed by the baby blather…sorry! I know I’m gushing but I’m just really happy because Yannick was getting SO disappointed with each passing day and last night he was so completely elated that he FINALLY felt it…it’s even more real for him now, and he kept trying to coax the baby to do it again. Baby didn’t obey.

In other news I picked up some yarn last night from Veronik Avery. Veronik and Mona work at (run?) the Montreal office of JCA Crafts and I’ve done some sample knitting for them in the past, and they had another job for me to do now. (I DO like to load up my plate, don’t I?)

The yarn itself isn’t in yet but they had one ball lying around so I could swatch over the weekend. I don’t know how much I’m allowed to show or tell, so this photo is my attempt at being vague and mysterious:

Have a great weekend! I’ll be busy as all 4 of Yannick’s nephews (4 boys between 3 and 10) sleep over tonight. Give me strength…


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hey wouldja lookit that- i’ve been knitting

First off, I must post a photo of Sam. He’s been complaining that the blog has been Sam-less for too long, so here’s a shot of him that Yannick took the other day.

Now then, on to the knitting.

Don’t ask me where I’ve found time to knit, but almost all of the progress you will see below was knit THIS WEEK. (Technically you would know that as these are updates on projects I showed you last weekend, but I felt like spelling it out ‘cus I’m amazed that I got so much done.) If I didn’t have the previous posts’ photos to compare to I never would have believed it.

This is the progress on the Clown Cardigan. (I call it that because it was original designed for Clown sock yarn, and I’m too lazy to come up with a better name). At the last photo I believe I had only been up to the neckline decreases on the first cardi front, so as you can see I have finished that side and the other cardi front. This was worked on both Tuesday night at the MKG meeting and in the car on Wed when my dad drove me to work ‘cus of the bad snow storm we had (why take a chance and drive when I can get driven and knit??).

 

This is the progress on the entrelac blankie. I LOVE this project! I love everything about it. I doubt you can tell but there are two complete rows (one blue and one white) done since the last photo. I also remembered to take the photo BEFORE starting the next row so I could lie it out flat and take a proper photograph. I worked on this in the car on the way up north on Sunday as my family went up to spend the day with Yannick’s family and his sister’s family, and then again by the fire during the day as a bunch of them went out to ski and snowboard (they live on Mont Blanc ski hill). I don’t ski. I don’t snowboard. I wouldn’t even if I wasn’t pregnant. “Hi, I’m Jennifer and I’m a klutz.” Enough said. So yeah- 2 rows done on Sunday. Woo hoo.

 

This I’m really impressed with. At the last photo I was about 10 rows from the top of the STUVW row (oh, and there are 6 rows of blocks, not 4 as I’d said previously). Now I’ve completed not only that row but the NOPQR row above it! I worked on this on and off in the mornings before leaving for work.

 

Last but not least are some squares for a mitered square baby blanket I’m working on. I completely stole the inspiration, idea and some of the directions from Shelly Kang’s wonderful blankie and Britknitter’s (Dianne) gorgeous blankie. Some of the yarn are my own leftovers and some were graciously given to me for trade or sold to me, or just given. A huge thank you to everyone who gave me their bits and odds and ends of sock yarn or similar weight. (If you’ve got more I’d love to take it off of your hands!) The biggest variation I’ve come up with on Dianne and Shelly’s patterns is that I am going to fill in the edges with triangles to make a complete square once done. I still have tons of that black Sisu sock yarn so I will use that to provide a unified border (I don’t have the patience for an i-cord border like Shelly, gorgeous as it is!). That bunch in the middle are already attached, and the others will be somewhere along the bottom row. I’m just working on placement for a bit because I didn’t realize that they all had that blue and white bit and I don’t want it to look like they were all from the same ball in squares side-by-side, so I’ll have to make up a few others to go in between. In any case, more photos on this as it progresses.

Ok, now I have to leave for work. Have a great day!


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hey wouldja lookit that- i’ve been knitting

First off, I must post a photo of Sam. He’s been complaining that the blog has been Sam-less for too long, so here’s a shot of him that Yannick took the other day.

Now then, on to the knitting.

Don’t ask me where I’ve found time to knit, but almost all of the progress you will see below was knit THIS WEEK. (Technically you would know that as these are updates on projects I showed you last weekend, but I felt like spelling it out ‘cus I’m amazed that I got so much done.) If I didn’t have the previous posts’ photos to compare to I never would have believed it.

This is the progress on the Clown Cardigan. (I call it that because it was original designed for Clown sock yarn, and I’m too lazy to come up with a better name). At the last photo I believe I had only been up to the neckline decreases on the first cardi front, so as you can see I have finished that side and the other cardi front. This was worked on both Tuesday night at the MKG meeting and in the car on Wed when my dad drove me to work ‘cus of the bad snow storm we had (why take a chance and drive when I can get driven and knit??).

 

This is the progress on the entrelac blankie. I LOVE this project! I love everything about it. I doubt you can tell but there are two complete rows (one blue and one white) done since the last photo. I also remembered to take the photo BEFORE starting the next row so I could lie it out flat and take a proper photograph. I worked on this in the car on the way up north on Sunday as my family went up to spend the day with Yannick’s family and his sister’s family, and then again by the fire during the day as a bunch of them went out to ski and snowboard (they live on Mont Blanc ski hill). I don’t ski. I don’t snowboard. I wouldn’t even if I wasn’t pregnant. “Hi, I’m Jennifer and I’m a klutz.” Enough said. So yeah- 2 rows done on Sunday. Woo hoo.

 

This I’m really impressed with. At the last photo I was about 10 rows from the top of the STUVW row (oh, and there are 6 rows of blocks, not 4 as I’d said previously). Now I’ve completed not only that row but the NOPQR row above it! I worked on this on and off in the mornings before leaving for work.

 

Last but not least are some squares for a mitered square baby blanket I’m working on. I completely stole the inspiration, idea and some of the directions from Shelly Kang’s wonderful blankie and Britknitter’s (Dianne) gorgeous blankie. Some of the yarn are my own leftovers and some were graciously given to me for trade or sold to me, or just given. A huge thank you to everyone who gave me their bits and odds and ends of sock yarn or similar weight. (If you’ve got more I’d love to take it off of your hands!) The biggest variation I’ve come up with on Dianne and Shelly’s patterns is that I am going to fill in the edges with triangles to make a complete square once done. I still have tons of that black Sisu sock yarn so I will use that to provide a unified border (I don’t have the patience for an i-cord border like Shelly, gorgeous as it is!). That bunch in the middle are already attached, and the others will be somewhere along the bottom row. I’m just working on placement for a bit because I didn’t realize that they all had that blue and white bit and I don’t want it to look like they were all from the same ball in squares side-by-side, so I’ll have to make up a few others to go in between. In any case, more photos on this as it progresses.

Ok, now I have to leave for work. Have a great day!


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hey wouldja lookit that- i’ve been knitting

First off, I must post a photo of Sam. He’s been complaining that the blog has been Sam-less for too long, so here’s a shot of him that Yannick took the other day.

Now then, on to the knitting.

Don’t ask me where I’ve found time to knit, but almost all of the progress you will see below was knit THIS WEEK. (Technically you would know that as these are updates on projects I showed you last weekend, but I felt like spelling it out ‘cus I’m amazed that I got so much done.) If I didn’t have the previous posts’ photos to compare to I never would have believed it.

This is the progress on the Clown Cardigan. (I call it that because it was original designed for Clown sock yarn, and I’m too lazy to come up with a better name). At the last photo I believe I had only been up to the neckline decreases on the first cardi front, so as you can see I have finished that side and the other cardi front. This was worked on both Tuesday night at the MKG meeting and in the car on Wed when my dad drove me to work ‘cus of the bad snow storm we had (why take a chance and drive when I can get driven and knit??).

 

This is the progress on the entrelac blankie. I LOVE this project! I love everything about it. I doubt you can tell but there are two complete rows (one blue and one white) done since the last photo. I also remembered to take the photo BEFORE starting the next row so I could lie it out flat and take a proper photograph. I worked on this in the car on the way up north on Sunday as my family went up to spend the day with Yannick’s family and his sister’s family, and then again by the fire during the day as a bunch of them went out to ski and snowboard (they live on Mont Blanc ski hill). I don’t ski. I don’t snowboard. I wouldn’t even if I wasn’t pregnant. “Hi, I’m Jennifer and I’m a klutz.” Enough said. So yeah- 2 rows done on Sunday. Woo hoo.

 

This I’m really impressed with. At the last photo I was about 10 rows from the top of the STUVW row (oh, and there are 6 rows of blocks, not 4 as I’d said previously). Now I’ve completed not only that row but the NOPQR row above it! I worked on this on and off in the mornings before leaving for work.

 

Last but not least are some squares for a mitered square baby blanket I’m working on. I completely stole the inspiration, idea and some of the directions from Shelly Kang’s wonderful blankie and Britknitter’s (Dianne) gorgeous blankie. Some of the yarn are my own leftovers and some were graciously given to me for trade or sold to me, or just given. A huge thank you to everyone who gave me their bits and odds and ends of sock yarn or similar weight. (If you’ve got more I’d love to take it off of your hands!) The biggest variation I’ve come up with on Dianne and Shelly’s patterns is that I am going to fill in the edges with triangles to make a complete square once done. I still have tons of that black Sisu sock yarn so I will use that to provide a unified border (I don’t have the patience for an i-cord border like Shelly, gorgeous as it is!). That bunch in the middle are already attached, and the others will be somewhere along the bottom row. I’m just working on placement for a bit because I didn’t realize that they all had that blue and white bit and I don’t want it to look like they were all from the same ball in squares side-by-side, so I’ll have to make up a few others to go in between. In any case, more photos on this as it progresses.

Ok, now I have to leave for work. Have a great day!


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hey, look – i have been knitting

I’ve been babbling lately about the house, the SuperBowl, and the baby. How come no one reminded me that this was a knitting blog?
I am thisclose to finishing the Knitter’s Gloves. They are due Tuesday night at the monthly guild meeting, and since I only have minor stuff like sewing on snaps and weaving in ends left, I am going to put it off until Monday so I can get some more fun knitting in. I had been knitting the gloves with black Sisu sock yarn and the chance to work on anything with color is so thrilling right now! First up is the Debbie Bliss Alphabet Blanket. I used my provisional cast-on adaptation (that’s the yellow cotton on the bottom). I’m using an acrylic from Wal-Mart. I know, I know, acrylic + baby blankets = bad news in case of a fire. I will make sure to keep my baby away from all fires when this blanket is around. Because of the charts this is NOT portable knitting. The charts are easy to follow but I enjoy keeping this at home for when I have a good chunk of knitting time. I’m about 3/4 of the way through the second row (from the bottom) of 4 alphabet rows, then comes the tedious part of knitting a sideways border around. I’m thrilled with how it is coming out, though, and really enjoy working on it. It’s got a chart but it’s kind of mindless at the same time- a really nice combination.

This is the blue and white entrelac blankie of my own design. Ok, I didn’t make up entrelac, but I decided how big the blocks should be, how many stitches to cast on, and I will make up some kind of border (I’m thinking either garter strips or a full garter border with mitered corners) once the main body is done. I’m using Patons Decor in the two shades and I love it! It’s nice and squooshy and I find that the blue and white combo is so crisp that it works equally well for a boy or girl. My favorite color is blue, anyways. This is completely mindless knitting so I had kept it in my (large) purse to carry around for waiting rooms and car trips until I had the deadline for the Knitter’s Gloves. Now that those are (almost) done this comes back in the rotation. I really want to have the baby stuff knit before the baby gets here, and what with the move and all I’m worried I’ll run out of time.

This is the “Clown Cardigan”, so named for the Clown sock yarn the pattern was written for. I’m using one of the Regia Canadian colors…I forget which one right now. This jumbled mess (from being squished in the bag for a few months) is the back and most of one of the front pieces.

I am making one minor change to the pattern. It is supposed to be knit with the knit side being the right (as opposed to wrong) side.

The knit side.

After much consideration, I find that with the subtling changing variagation in this colorway, I much, much prefer the purl side. So I have adapted the decreases and any other pattern notes to be done on the NEW wrong side – the knit side.

The purl side.

There’s just something cute and scruffy…less “polished” about the purl side.

On the house front we had another visit this afternoon. I haven’t heard from our agent yet to see how it went, but it is rather exciting to have such interest so soon. Scary too…there might have been a small part of me that didn’t want there to be any interest so we could just wait out the time then get ready for baby here in the home we’ve lived in for the last 5 years. But I want a larger house, and I want a garage, and a separate dining room, and I know that while it will be hard at first, it will be over soon and so worth it in the end. So it’s ok. But still strange.


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it’s officially official

It’s done. We signed the papers on Sunday. Our house is officially “on the market”. The sign went up outside yesterday evening while Yannick and I were both out. Our neighbors were…surprised. We *probably* should have told them that we were thinking of selling. Oops!

We took a little drive around last night looking at some houses we’d found on MLS. Today I’ll email our agent and let him know which ones we want to arrange visits for. This is going to be a mad rush with a lot of work to do. I think I need a nap. 🙂


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it’s officially official

It’s done. We signed the papers on Sunday. Our house is officially “on the market”. The sign went up outside yesterday evening while Yannick and I were both out. Our neighbors were…surprised. We *probably* should have told them that we were thinking of selling. Oops!

We took a little drive around last night looking at some houses we’d found on MLS. Today I’ll email our agent and let him know which ones we want to arrange visits for. This is going to be a mad rush with a lot of work to do. I think I need a nap. 🙂


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it’s officially official

It’s done. We signed the papers on Sunday. Our house is officially “on the market”. The sign went up outside yesterday evening while Yannick and I were both out. Our neighbors were…surprised. We *probably* should have told them that we were thinking of selling. Oops!

We took a little drive around last night looking at some houses we’d found on MLS. Today I’ll email our agent and let him know which ones we want to arrange visits for. This is going to be a mad rush with a lot of work to do. I think I need a nap. 🙂


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an open letter to any pregnant woman who is told she needs to self-inject insulin:

-Don’t read my post from yesterday!

No, seriously, don’t! Or, if you already did, or are now just curious, go ahead and read it, but then make sure you read this:

What in the world was I worried about?

You don’t feel a thing. Let me repeat that. YOU DON’T FEEL A THING!

I couldn’t believe it! Yannick was sitting there, and I’d prepared the syringe and squeezed whatever flab of skin I could grab on my leg, and I just held my breath and *did it*…then realized- this doesn’t hurt. Forget “doesn’t hurt”…something can’t even hurt if you can’t even tell that it is happening! I was watching the needle going into my skin and I SWEAR I kept thinking that it was broken and the needle was retracting into the syringe like those joke knives kids have, because I couldn’t feel the slightest little thing AT ALL.

Yannick was cracking up because I kept staring at him, saying, “it doesn’t hurt.” “No, really, you don’t get it, it doesn’t hurt.” “No, you’re still not getting it, I didn’t feel it at all. It hurts more to test my fingers.” “Stop laughing and listen to me! I can’t even tell it was done, and I just did it.”

So if you have to do it, just do it. I couldn’t believe that you can’t feel it, I still am kinda dazed that it was so easy and painless, and in a strange way, I’m looking forwards to doing it again tonight. It’s kinda cool playing with needles. 😉

(Note to self- hide the big, glass jar where I dump the syringes BEFORE people come for an open house!)