Our home is a flurry (well, a relaxed flurry because I don't want to do anything that will put me on bedrest) of moving preparations.
We're busy packing up. Pictures and photos are down and boxed. Most of the books are packed away. Children's clothing is being vacuum-packed and stored. Toys are being boxed (as much as possible. At least, baby toys are.) Yarn and fiber stash is boxed (but not sealed...) Lists are being made. Moving companies of various forms (like Pods, movers, etc) are being contacted. Realtor is coming in to start assessing things. Final appointments are being made for vet care, dentists, naturopath. Stuff is being listed on kijiji.
All in all, we are preparing to move back to Winnipeg. In less than 2 months time.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Wool soakers galore
I recently started working through some of my stash crocheting wool soakers for the twins. Each took me less than a day.
And while I was going through the stash checking for a wee bit more blue or gold for the Bombers soakers, I found two wee balls leftover from my pink and brown shawl to whip up this small hat.
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| Size small and extra small (had to make up the latter pattern) |
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| Small pair of longies in yarn that the kids dyed a while back. |
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| Go Bombers GO! (coordinating pair of small soakers) |
And while I was going through the stash checking for a wee bit more blue or gold for the Bombers soakers, I found two wee balls leftover from my pink and brown shawl to whip up this small hat.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Twins Update
I got the ultrasound results today. Plenty of 'interesting' things to share.
Firstly, the twins are mono-chorionic and di-amniotic. That means they share an outer sac, but have their own amniotic sacs. The first part is new news. It also means they could yet be identical.
As you already know by now, they are both girls.
And we knew from the first ultrasound that they have a fused placenta.
We also knew the placenta is anterior (in the front).
Baby A, on my right, who also sits lowest (they are both head down) is slightly smaller in weight at 270g. Her sister is 348g. Baby A also only has one umbilical artery rather than 2. But they tested for flow through it and such and all looked good. Everything else is "normal".
Well, except for my right ovary which apparently has a couple of cysts. *sigh* Must be to go along with the cyst in my liver (also on the right).
I'll need to talk with the OB next month to know more and ask more questions from a specialist. (Today I met with my midwife.) Yes, I'm sticking with my current OB for now. In fact, even if I stay I'll stick with her because she is good at what she does and she's easy to talk to - which is why my midwife recommended her. As for the delivery, if I stay here, I'm as likely to have another OB on call when I deliver as her. I've also been informed (by the OB via my midwife) that I could consider driving out to McMaster Hospital in Hamilton for more options (available because of the level of the hospital and the fact that it is a teaching hospital with a lot more staff on site - particularly anesthesiologists). But I don't think I'll be considering an hour-long highway drive when I'm in labour, even if I catch myself early.
Anyhow, we'll be keeping an eye on the twins as they develop. One important thing to watch for is that they continue to have similar growth rates.
So, will they be identical? - We don't know. I'm rather hoping not. Robin and I are rather hoping it will be easy to tell them apart. There's not really any way to know for certain without expensive DNA testing. They could be fraternal and still look very much alike. So, time will tell.
*UPDATE* Later in the evening I had a chance to actually look into what monochorionic 'means'. It means they ARE most likely identical. And are more likely to have complications because they share so much. And with one having only a single umbilical artery... I really need to call my OB so I stop freaking out....
Abi and I popped in to Michaels today because I knew they had a sale on scrapbooking stuff and some stickers etc on clearance prices. I think we did well. I got two scrapbooks, plus extra inserts, plus about 40 loose sheets (in pairs), plus stickers for $35. Anyone who scrapbooks or who has looked at scrapbooking supplies knows that this was an incredible savings! It helped that I found a small selection of scrapbooks on for just over $3. Otherwise the two scrapbooks, even at 40% off, would have cost about the same as my final total. I picked up two coordinating floral design scrapbooks. They're not "baby" colours, but I wasn't planning to buy pastels or such or anything designed for "baby girls". I did have a lavender and a purple pair of books in the cart before I found these. They were all the same brand of book.
Now I'm ready to start prepping baby books. I already have a collection of pages I put together years ago designing an earthy-birthy baby book. The twins' books will be slightly different since I'll actually have to include more medical stuff than I'd imagined needing/wanting for my next pregnancy.
The first pages will have pictures from the pregnancy and the growth rainbows I'm tracing every week. They'll also each have a copy of the ultrasound photos. Then there will be pages from any blessingway / shower events before their birth. I'm also going to prepare some pages with blanks I want to fill in. You know, things like "first laugh" and "first crawling" and so forth. All those little firsts that we like to record. And, of course, spaces for pictures, hand and foot prints, locks of hair, remembering gifts and guests and visitors, and so forth.
Firstly, the twins are mono-chorionic and di-amniotic. That means they share an outer sac, but have their own amniotic sacs. The first part is new news. It also means they could yet be identical.
As you already know by now, they are both girls.
And we knew from the first ultrasound that they have a fused placenta.
We also knew the placenta is anterior (in the front).
Baby A, on my right, who also sits lowest (they are both head down) is slightly smaller in weight at 270g. Her sister is 348g. Baby A also only has one umbilical artery rather than 2. But they tested for flow through it and such and all looked good. Everything else is "normal".
Well, except for my right ovary which apparently has a couple of cysts. *sigh* Must be to go along with the cyst in my liver (also on the right).
I'll need to talk with the OB next month to know more and ask more questions from a specialist. (Today I met with my midwife.) Yes, I'm sticking with my current OB for now. In fact, even if I stay I'll stick with her because she is good at what she does and she's easy to talk to - which is why my midwife recommended her. As for the delivery, if I stay here, I'm as likely to have another OB on call when I deliver as her. I've also been informed (by the OB via my midwife) that I could consider driving out to McMaster Hospital in Hamilton for more options (available because of the level of the hospital and the fact that it is a teaching hospital with a lot more staff on site - particularly anesthesiologists). But I don't think I'll be considering an hour-long highway drive when I'm in labour, even if I catch myself early.
Anyhow, we'll be keeping an eye on the twins as they develop. One important thing to watch for is that they continue to have similar growth rates.
So, will they be identical? - We don't know. I'm rather hoping not. Robin and I are rather hoping it will be easy to tell them apart. There's not really any way to know for certain without expensive DNA testing. They could be fraternal and still look very much alike. So, time will tell.
*UPDATE* Later in the evening I had a chance to actually look into what monochorionic 'means'. It means they ARE most likely identical. And are more likely to have complications because they share so much. And with one having only a single umbilical artery... I really need to call my OB so I stop freaking out....
Abi and I popped in to Michaels today because I knew they had a sale on scrapbooking stuff and some stickers etc on clearance prices. I think we did well. I got two scrapbooks, plus extra inserts, plus about 40 loose sheets (in pairs), plus stickers for $35. Anyone who scrapbooks or who has looked at scrapbooking supplies knows that this was an incredible savings! It helped that I found a small selection of scrapbooks on for just over $3. Otherwise the two scrapbooks, even at 40% off, would have cost about the same as my final total. I picked up two coordinating floral design scrapbooks. They're not "baby" colours, but I wasn't planning to buy pastels or such or anything designed for "baby girls". I did have a lavender and a purple pair of books in the cart before I found these. They were all the same brand of book.
Now I'm ready to start prepping baby books. I already have a collection of pages I put together years ago designing an earthy-birthy baby book. The twins' books will be slightly different since I'll actually have to include more medical stuff than I'd imagined needing/wanting for my next pregnancy.
The first pages will have pictures from the pregnancy and the growth rainbows I'm tracing every week. They'll also each have a copy of the ultrasound photos. Then there will be pages from any blessingway / shower events before their birth. I'm also going to prepare some pages with blanks I want to fill in. You know, things like "first laugh" and "first crawling" and so forth. All those little firsts that we like to record. And, of course, spaces for pictures, hand and foot prints, locks of hair, remembering gifts and guests and visitors, and so forth.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Ultrasound Photos
The news is.... 2 girls!
Unfortunately, after over 2 hours of ultrasound scanning I only have these 3 poor photos to share. :( Our first set of photos were better.
Baby A is on the right, and sitting lower. Baby B is on my left. So, reorient the pictures 90 degrees clockwise in your head.
Unfortunately, after over 2 hours of ultrasound scanning I only have these 3 poor photos to share. :( Our first set of photos were better.
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| Baby A - it's a girl |
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| Baby B - another girl |
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| The babies (not great capture) - sisters |
Baby A is on the right, and sitting lower. Baby B is on my left. So, reorient the pictures 90 degrees clockwise in your head.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
The Day the Saucers Came
In September I gave this reading at a friend's wedding.
Enjoy (while you wait for ultrasound updates).
It is a poem by Neil Gaiman titled "The Day the Saucers Came" and I refused to tell the bride and groom what my reading would be. They liked the surprise.
Enjoy (while you wait for ultrasound updates).
It is a poem by Neil Gaiman titled "The Day the Saucers Came" and I refused to tell the bride and groom what my reading would be. They liked the surprise.
Yarn Tasting... shhhh
I spent the afternoon at a "yarn tasting" / "yarn roundtable" event hosted by Knitty and Shall We Knit?
Good times. Good company.
Unfortunately, the first rule of Yarn Club (at these events) is that you can't talk about yarn club*. So you'll just have to wait for the next (spring) issue of Knitty to be released.
*Clearly this is an exception to the usual rule that we knitters love to talk about yarn and our projects and share plenty of photos.
There is another exception to the usual rule... when you want to get a pattern published by a big-name publisher (magazine or otherwise) you generally don't share details before it's been accepted and published. The twin shawls I'm working on would be an example of this. I'd love to submit them to Knitty. However, I would have to re-knit them in a warmer yarn for a fall submission (I missed the summer submission date of Jan 1). And yarns that are not discontinued. The yarn I pulled from my stash fails both of those tests. I won't mind knitting them again. The current projects are not in my colours... and yes, they happen to be pink and blue but that was ONLY because those were the yarns I had available in my stash with sufficient quantity to play with designing.
Speaking of pink and blue for a twin design.... we get to see the babies again tomorrow and will hopefully learn the sexes.
Good times. Good company.
Unfortunately, the first rule of Yarn Club (at these events) is that you can't talk about yarn club*. So you'll just have to wait for the next (spring) issue of Knitty to be released.
*Clearly this is an exception to the usual rule that we knitters love to talk about yarn and our projects and share plenty of photos.
There is another exception to the usual rule... when you want to get a pattern published by a big-name publisher (magazine or otherwise) you generally don't share details before it's been accepted and published. The twin shawls I'm working on would be an example of this. I'd love to submit them to Knitty. However, I would have to re-knit them in a warmer yarn for a fall submission (I missed the summer submission date of Jan 1). And yarns that are not discontinued. The yarn I pulled from my stash fails both of those tests. I won't mind knitting them again. The current projects are not in my colours... and yes, they happen to be pink and blue but that was ONLY because those were the yarns I had available in my stash with sufficient quantity to play with designing.
Speaking of pink and blue for a twin design.... we get to see the babies again tomorrow and will hopefully learn the sexes.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Wee Hats and Bigger Hats
After knitting my Juneberry Shawl following Christmas, I had a wee bit of the lovely Briar Rose yarn remaining. It took me a few days, but I eventually realized I should knit a newborn hat with it! So I did. And when I was finished there was still a tiny bit more remaining, so I knit a complimentary hat using it for stripes. The blue is Cascade 220. The second ht is deliberately NOT IDENTICAL. In addition to being striped, I added an i-cord knot at the top. Alas, this purple-y yarn does not photograph well (with my camera and poor lighting).
I also had this bulky Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky that someone on Ravelry sent to me (emptying their stash) when I was buying some fibre from them. This whipped up quickly into a hat that I had no intention of keeping (really not my colour), but Abi insists it is hers. It's big for her.
This is my hat, but Abi's a cuter model (especially in her fairy outfit from Santa). I had bought this delightful Misti Alpaca yarn many years ago when a local yarn shop was closing. I had two lovely hanks and one became a cowl for Abi with some of it being added to her blanket.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Snow Day - not today
We did get a wee bit of snow after Christmas. Just enough to go tobogganing.
(click to embiggen)
I stayed at the bottom of the windy hill while Abi and Robin made several trips up and down. After Robin realized (silly Robin) that he was a wee bit too big for the toboggan, he would follow Abi down. Correction, first he tried to stay ahead of Abi, and ended up causing her to crash into him a couple times before he realized that he was causing more harm than good. I was simply laughing and shaking my head below. In the last photo she ended up in the grass - the perfect stop if you ask me. As for there being other people walking up the slope that Robin thought to 'protect' by running ahead - I'm sorry, but you have to expect this on a tobogganing hill. Half the people there kept walking up the middle of the slope anyhow! Sheesh. There sure are a lot of foolish families.
(click to embiggen)
I stayed at the bottom of the windy hill while Abi and Robin made several trips up and down. After Robin realized (silly Robin) that he was a wee bit too big for the toboggan, he would follow Abi down. Correction, first he tried to stay ahead of Abi, and ended up causing her to crash into him a couple times before he realized that he was causing more harm than good. I was simply laughing and shaking my head below. In the last photo she ended up in the grass - the perfect stop if you ask me. As for there being other people walking up the slope that Robin thought to 'protect' by running ahead - I'm sorry, but you have to expect this on a tobogganing hill. Half the people there kept walking up the middle of the slope anyhow! Sheesh. There sure are a lot of foolish families.
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