Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Thank God for Halloween Candy
The Big Bad Baby Blanket is truly starting to live up to its name. I don't understand it. No matter how much I knit on it, I never finish. I haven't even made it to the last seed stitch border. I measure to see how much further to the border, and it looks like about two inches. I knit for two hours, measure again, and....I still need two inches.
The kicker is that this baby is probably going to prefer some little Sponge Bob blanket to this cashmere-blend blanket 'o luxury, anyway. I think I'll knit some hats after this.
The kicker is that this baby is probably going to prefer some little Sponge Bob blanket to this cashmere-blend blanket 'o luxury, anyway. I think I'll knit some hats after this.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
We interrupt this blog for a big thank you.
It's still crazy-land around here, what with the twelve-day work weeks and the housework and oh yeah, did I mention that someone in Illinois stole my bank card number and went on a $4,000 shopping spree?
It's the weekend now and all is better, and I just wanted to say thanks for all the kind comments on my last post. I'm glad you guys liked the pictures, and thanks so much for all the encouragement. I really have had a great time during this pregnancy, and I'm not hurt by the comments I've received about my weight so much as I am flabbergasted that people feel comfortable making such comments! But as my mom and I were saying last night, this is probably just the beginning. Some people will always let their opinions be known, whether it's that you are gaining too much weight during your pregnancy, or that you should just let that baby cry himself to sleep, or that your child should really be toilet-trained by now. Someone will always be there to criticize you.
There are so many reasons that I enjoy having a blog, but one of the biggest is the interaction it allows with other knitters, bloggers, knit-bloggers, and knit-blog-readers. I don't think I've ever encountered a negative comment left on my blog. And whether it's knitting-related or not, it's just wonderful to hear so many supportive voices.
Thanks again.
It's the weekend now and all is better, and I just wanted to say thanks for all the kind comments on my last post. I'm glad you guys liked the pictures, and thanks so much for all the encouragement. I really have had a great time during this pregnancy, and I'm not hurt by the comments I've received about my weight so much as I am flabbergasted that people feel comfortable making such comments! But as my mom and I were saying last night, this is probably just the beginning. Some people will always let their opinions be known, whether it's that you are gaining too much weight during your pregnancy, or that you should just let that baby cry himself to sleep, or that your child should really be toilet-trained by now. Someone will always be there to criticize you.
There are so many reasons that I enjoy having a blog, but one of the biggest is the interaction it allows with other knitters, bloggers, knit-bloggers, and knit-blog-readers. I don't think I've ever encountered a negative comment left on my blog. And whether it's knitting-related or not, it's just wonderful to hear so many supportive voices.
Thanks again.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Big and Proud
Despite the fact that my weight gain has been right on target throughout my pregnancy, people seem shocked by how big I'm becoming--or I guess I should say, by how big we're becoming. What's shocking to me, on the other hand, is how quick they are to tell me about it.
Yes, I am big. And I'm quite enjoying it, thankyouverymuch. Neener neener.
A sampling of recent comments made (to my face!):
"Wow! You're really big!"
"Wow! It's like you just EXPLODED overnight!"
"Oh my God, you are HUGE!"
"Andrea wasn't as big at nine months as you are now!"
"You are ALL belly."
"Wow...look at...that....."
And yesterday I finally received:
"Are you having twins?"
Um, no, I am not having twins. Are you having a momentary lapse of reason, in which you no longer recall how to engage in normal polite conversation? In which it is not acceptable to loudly proclaim how large someone is?
To you I say:
Yes, I am big. And I'm quite enjoying it, thankyouverymuch. Neener neener.My wonderful friend Nanda graciously agreed to take portraits of Rick and me, so last weekend we drove up to Cowtown and had a blast playing in the prairie. I absolutely love the photos and can't wait to get some printed out for an album. My mom only has two or three pictures from her entire pregnancy, and I've always thought that was a shame. Maybe because my own pregnancy has been such a great experience, I don't know, but I wanted to have some nice shots celebrating this time in our lives. Thank you, Nanda, for such a fun time, and for letting us take advantage of your talent. Y'all can check out several of the shots here. And I'm sure I'll be posting more of them every so often, too--just because I want to.
Neener neener.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Willpower? What willpower?
You know, part of me really thought I could stay away from Ravelry until the baby was born. Now that I'm on it, I realize it's better this way. Hopefully I can get some of it out of my system before January so the little one won't have abandonment issues.
Username: prairieknittah
Come find me!
Username: prairieknittah
Come find me!
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Musings of the day
Today is World Communion Sunday. In my limited church knowledge, I guess that means that more churches observe Communion today than on any other day of the year. My own church does not observe Communion every week, but it does commune once a month (and on World Communion Sunday).
My husband is going to be in charge of the monthly communions at our church next year, and needed to be at church for both services, as well as before and after the services, to see what all "being in charge" entails. As you all know by now, I am a very selfish person. My first reaction was something along the lines of "Well, what am I going to do at church for four hours while you're doing Communion?"
To which Rick wisely responded, "Can't you take your knitting?"
Thus, I was mollified into getting to church at 8am this morning, confident that I could get several rows in on the baby blanket while Rick learned his new duties. Except that once I got to church and started seeing people I hadn't seen for a couple weeks, I quickly forgot my knitting and started working on Communion myself. Tricksy church folks, making Katie forget her knitting!
Normally, I get a little peeved when expected knitting time does not come into fruition. Like most busy knitters, I don't get to knit nearly as often as I want. My knitting time is precious to me. In fact, any "alone" time is precious to me, and I am often not a very social creature at all. But today, I didn't seem to care. Communion started when I got to church, and continued as I took the bread and cup with my fellow church-goers, and as I washed the cups after service. To me, communion is a time of mindfulness, of living fully in the present, aware of my surroundings and my senses. I don't necessarily feel closer to God during this ritual. But today, as I took the bread and cup with everyone else, Communion was different. Perhaps it was because I had a hand in preparing that bread and filling those cups, or perhaps it was because my son, unbeknownst to him, was experiencing this ritual with me. Perhaps it was because my husband served me communion today, and I am so proud of Rick all the time that I get weepy if I even start to talk about it. I felt close to everyone in the pews today, and thus, closer to God.
I'm learning to enjoy rituals of the church, for the different ways they can affect you when you least expect it. Perhaps it just requires a certain willingness to give up your own desires and share your time with others...for a short while, anyway.
My husband is going to be in charge of the monthly communions at our church next year, and needed to be at church for both services, as well as before and after the services, to see what all "being in charge" entails. As you all know by now, I am a very selfish person. My first reaction was something along the lines of "Well, what am I going to do at church for four hours while you're doing Communion?"
To which Rick wisely responded, "Can't you take your knitting?"
Thus, I was mollified into getting to church at 8am this morning, confident that I could get several rows in on the baby blanket while Rick learned his new duties. Except that once I got to church and started seeing people I hadn't seen for a couple weeks, I quickly forgot my knitting and started working on Communion myself. Tricksy church folks, making Katie forget her knitting!
Normally, I get a little peeved when expected knitting time does not come into fruition. Like most busy knitters, I don't get to knit nearly as often as I want. My knitting time is precious to me. In fact, any "alone" time is precious to me, and I am often not a very social creature at all. But today, I didn't seem to care. Communion started when I got to church, and continued as I took the bread and cup with my fellow church-goers, and as I washed the cups after service. To me, communion is a time of mindfulness, of living fully in the present, aware of my surroundings and my senses. I don't necessarily feel closer to God during this ritual. But today, as I took the bread and cup with everyone else, Communion was different. Perhaps it was because I had a hand in preparing that bread and filling those cups, or perhaps it was because my son, unbeknownst to him, was experiencing this ritual with me. Perhaps it was because my husband served me communion today, and I am so proud of Rick all the time that I get weepy if I even start to talk about it. I felt close to everyone in the pews today, and thus, closer to God.
I'm learning to enjoy rituals of the church, for the different ways they can affect you when you least expect it. Perhaps it just requires a certain willingness to give up your own desires and share your time with others...for a short while, anyway.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Oh the dilemna
There's just something about October. Even if the temperatures are still in the 80's, I just feel better because it's October. Of course, I'd have been feeling good this last month too if I hadn't been too cheap to buy a pair of maternity shorts. Most of the summer, I hadn't gained enough weight to need new shorts, so I just bought some capris and some jeans. When my weight suddenly exploded in September, there was no way I was spending money on a pair of shorts that I would only wear this one month and then have to give away, when I could just....wear Rick's shorts!
Yeah. Real attractive. I guess it worked for all those weekend days spent cleaning out closets, but still. I'll be happier in my maternity jeans in cooler temperatures.
So...in case anyone out there is still interested in the mind-boggling awesomeness that is my life right now, here are the updates:
1. Rick and our friend Adam have completely finished rewiring the house. After only three years, we no longer have to run extension wires all through the house for internet access! Woohoo!
2. The baby's room is completely cleaned out.
3. The baby blanket is about 75% done.
We have soooooo many more projects left to do before January. So many that I probably won't be getting much knitting or blogging done. So wouldn't you know it? My invitation to Ravelry came in. I've been avoiding it for about a week, but I know I won't be able to resist much longer. And then? Then? The only thing that will be able to tear me away from my computer will be the start of labor.
Yeah. Real attractive. I guess it worked for all those weekend days spent cleaning out closets, but still. I'll be happier in my maternity jeans in cooler temperatures.
So...in case anyone out there is still interested in the mind-boggling awesomeness that is my life right now, here are the updates:
1. Rick and our friend Adam have completely finished rewiring the house. After only three years, we no longer have to run extension wires all through the house for internet access! Woohoo!
2. The baby's room is completely cleaned out.
3. The baby blanket is about 75% done.
We have soooooo many more projects left to do before January. So many that I probably won't be getting much knitting or blogging done. So wouldn't you know it? My invitation to Ravelry came in. I've been avoiding it for about a week, but I know I won't be able to resist much longer. And then? Then? The only thing that will be able to tear me away from my computer will be the start of labor.
