Pumpkin Play

Abi and I spent yesterday morning at Nauman's Pumpkin Farm.  We started with the giant corn maze, working our way in from the entrance, but we could not finish and eventually found our way back out the entrance. Abi was not impressed by dead ends and just wanted to give up. I enticed her to try some more several times, but eventually grew tired of having to convince her.  Plus, there was other fun stuff to explore.

Rope maze and a few of the pumpkins laid out to choose from. Emphasis on a few.

We did successfully complete the rope maze.
And there was much fun to be had bouncing and jumping on the bouncy-hay.  I'm not sure what was under that blue tarp under the hay, but it was much like jumping on a giant water bed.

Plus, there was simply the hay border to run around on, pose, dance, etc.

These were the poses she asked me to photograph.
She also had fun climbing in the straw pile behind.
But most of her time was spent climbing the hill and sliding down the long tubes. Over and over again. Fortunately, I could just wait at the bottom. (I did slide down twice with her and I can say, twice was enough for my butt. It's not as corrugated inside as out, but there's a little waviness inside.)

The tunnels behind and up the hill.

Top of the tunnel

Really, really fun!

We tried the corn maze again later, starting from the exit, but still couldn't make it all the way through and once again retraced our way back to the way we entered.
Before leaving we chose a pumpkin to carve for our jack o'lantern.  Plus Abi got a mini one to draw a face on. Also picked up a couple of cooking squashes - unique varieties of course. Batwing and something 'warted'.  There is an amazing variety there of squashes and pumpkins.

Abi the Artist

Abi's made an incredible leap in her drawing and colouring skills in the last 2 weeks.  She went from scribbling over a picture she was 'colouring' to actually paying attention to the lines. (All by herself. I've never made attempts to correct or change her drawing and colouring.) Although she still goes over the lines with her broad strokes of colour, she is clearly cognizant of the forms and adds different colours to different parts of the picture.  In her drawing she's recently been working a lot of spiral forms, adding legs and faces and calling them dinosaurs or dragons. Sometimes she adds wings (for a dragon). Or spirals as rose flowers. Or just single lines in wandering shapes that she will look at after and decide what it resembles.
Last week she presented me with a picture she'd drawn of me. It had a head and face. It also had arms and legs where they should be (not protruding from my head), but no torso.  I asked where my torso and neck were. I then had to add that a torso is a body.  I think she added them in. (I can't find that picture.) A couple days later she brought me a new picture and there were all the major body parts - much to my surprise since we hadn't talked about it since.  This evening she drew an even better picture of me, hanging on the wall. (At the end of the video. And yes, she added breasts.) A few pictures later I pulled out the camera and asked if she'd draw a picture for Nana and Pa-pere. The video follows:

Argh - is youtube down or something? None of my videos are working.

Here are the pictures:

Nana and Pa-Pere (first time I've seen her draw short hair) with baby Mandy, Dorion, and Abi below. Deliberately made smaller and proportional in size. She insists she is bigger than Dorion - who is bigger than me as a baby.

Me/Mommy. With flowers adorning my hair (a later addition while it was on the wall and stickers were out.)

One of many spiral animals.

I'm no artist. Nor is Robin. At least not with drawing skills. I'll have to seek out someone more talented to guide her skills later. For now she keeps surprising me, especially this last week or so.  She's also started showing an interest in writing letters, but since she is left-handed I've been doing some research to help her in this regard. Robin writes with a 'hooked' hand, but I've been learning about the technique of turning the page and working with a straight wrist from below so that the things written (or drawn) can still be seen. Plus, less smudging.  In the video Abi is holding a fat marker, but normally she holds a pen or pencil better - and has since she was about a year old and started drawing.  She's never liked the art utensils designed for young children - the fat tools. They never made sense to her because she couldn't hold them normally.  I'd picked up those fat little markers as her first lil markers a year ago, but she has some finer ones that are easier for her to hold and I'll make sure to only buy thinner markers from now on because she can hold them better.

Also, I picked up a small package of plasticine modelling clay a couple of days ago, made a little dog figure and had to go out that evening. So I suggested (as a distraction) that she make me an army of dogs. She did. She quite likes plasticine.  I'll have to get more - for a larger army.

Bleh

I've been feeling the first-trimester-blehs lately. Tired, nauseous, meh.  And of course, the hour I'd love to lie down is mid afternoon when I need to head out to care for two more kids. I snag a wee rest around 6 when I get home while Robin makes dinner.
Thankfully it hasn't progressed past nausea.
But we definitely need groceries tomorrow.  I'm going to have to swing by Queen Street Commons on my way to work with Abi to grab some additional nutrition.  They make a killer breakfast bagel (usually still available mid-day; on wood fired bagels) and mini pizzas with delicious veggies (not green peppers. ick.) and quiches and burritos and more yummy stuff. And they don't cost a ridiculous amount. Couple bucks.
Plus, their 75c large ginger cookies are always delicious.  As are their other dessert goodies.
(Now I'm even more in need of food. Apple, cheese, and some grains ain't cutting it today no matter how often I snack. Like I said, in need of groceries.)

Health

All this organ craziness (uterus-related stuff included - it's fine) has necessarily redirected me to focus on my health.  In particular, what I consume.  Now, I don't consume a whole lot of 'bad' stuff.  I mean, it takes me a good month to eat a dark chocolate bar and I rarely indulge in anything else.  We don't eat a lot of fast food (can't recall the last burger; did have pizza the other day), but I had become accustomed to a daily cup of coffee.  And I harass Robin all the time about not preparing enough vegetables (potatoes excluded) for our meals (yeah yeah, I could do it myself) - although we did enjoy cauliflower soup last night.  Abi helped prepare it.  She then told me it didn't have any vegetables in it! But corrected herself a few minutes later by adding that maybe it did have vegetables, but daddy pureed them.  So apparently that might be the key...  She did help with the pureeing and with putting in the small dollop of sour cream.  And since she helped, she could take pride in the meal. A handy toddler tactic ;)

Anywho, I'd already decided to cut back on refined sugars.  At least to not bake with them or add them to my coffee/tea.  Honey's just as good or better.  Now I'll cut back more on coffee - and not simply substitute with black tea.  I'll just have to have more vegetable 'cravings' too.  It worked the other day when I hinted I might have a craving for a stuffed roasted red pepper.  Later also got a stuffed squash. So my additional reminders seem to be paying off - that and Robin's knowing that growing a baby requires more than meat.  (Let me say that Robin really is a wonderful cook and works hard at it. He can make a meal from 'nothing' - at least, I'd say there was 'nothing' to eat if I looked in the cupboards and fridge. And if I was the cook and shopping we probably couldn't afford a house. Or, at least not all my yarn - harharhar.)

My naturopath prescribed the use of castor oil to reduce the cyst on my liver. Got a fresh new bottle since I discarded the old bottle from when Abi was a baby.  Or, I think I did. If not, I certainly should.  That castor oil was a life saver. It should be on every baby-supplies shelf.  Say farewell to tummy pains with a nice castor oil massage. (Make sure you know how to rub that belly in the proper direction - I find myself teaching a lot of moms young and old. How come this isn't basic training for new parents? #grumble) Anyhow, I'm sure the oil will get use with the new baby too.

Related to health, I'm diving back into the world of pregnancy and preparing for a baby with joy.  Time to brush up on some things - such as re-reading Birthing From Within.

Pants

I have a ridiculous collection of pants. The problem lies in having too many sizes. Only three or four ever fit me at a time.  I have the pants that fit me for years and years pre-baby. Those were put away when I became pregnant over four years ago.  First I just went up a size or two to accommodate a little bit of weight. I simply wasn't fitting into my usual size, but I was no where close to needing preggo pants.  Then came the preggo pants. After birthing I was back to the comfy, slightly over-sized pants. Then back down to my pre-baby pants. Only problem was, I finally had to admit to myself that even with a belt pulled taut, those pre-baby pants weren't fitting any more. Yeah, they were a fair bit too big.
The preggo pants of course were packed away for future pregnancy.  As were the not-yet-big-enough-to-need-preggo-pants pants.
And then the 'original' pants were packed away and I had to buy a new set of pants.So, I have four collections of pants, none of which I'm willing to get rid of because who knows what size I'll need after this baby is born.
It seems so silly, to me, to have such a large collection of pants and so few that fit me.
After this baby, which will be my second and last pregnancy (thank you), I'll be clearing out my pants collection! Oh, what a glorious day that will be.  I don't know why, but this collection offends me. Maybe because it seems wasted space - and we really do not have a lot of storage space. Granted, I think my yarn stash might take up a wee bit more space... but that's not the point...
Where was I before I started undermining myself?

That's the exciting story of pants in my life.  Personally, I'm looking forward to being able to wear the orange pants I bought in Germany again, if only for a little while.  When I grow back into them.

By the way, this whole pants rant (tee hee) is really about being pregnant and growing.

Mittens for You to Knit

I'm very excited to see my friend's mitten design in the new Interweave magazine Jane Austin Knits 2011. The lovely Anne can tell you all about her own design at her blog. Go look. And then choose your yarn. Or follow the links to see more from the magazine.
Her design was also featured on this morning's email issue of Knitting Daily - which is how I knew of the release.
I've been waiting with almost-as-much anticipation as Anne to see the final result. I remember when she started with an idea. Then a chart. And a swatch... And then acceptance from the magazine. Oh, and then the very short deadline to knit up the samples for the magazine. It's very exciting! You know, as a designer and knitter and friend. Not necessarily in that order.

Me, I'm knitting mittens too. Mine are simple mitts for Abi, but I am pleased with the yarn. It's my own handspun. Using up the bag of romni wool fibre I bought many years ago - for non-spinning purposes. I deliberately plied it loosely, but that was before I had plans for the yarn. It was Robin who suggested I make Abi new mittens. And to keep them warm, I'm using small needles (2.25mm). And the fluffy yarn is proving to be less-than-cooperative at times, but they are coming out lovely and warm. They're a little tight to get on, but she can fit her hand through the cuff. So they'll simply be nice and cozy tight to keep the wind out - and to keep them on!

Note how the barber-pole yarn transforms into beautiful fabric.

6 weeks and a couple days

You may have caught the FB post about eating two thanksgiving dinners... for two. Or maybe you missed it. That's okay. I'm telling you now, more plainly, that Abi will be a big sister. Our family is growing.
By standard measures (which are ridiculous, by the way) I am 6 weeks and a couple of days pregnant. (But really that means the embryo has existed for 4 weeks. And a couple days. Because you don't get pregnant on the last day of your period. What a ludicrous method of counting. As if people don't understand ovulation and how conception works in the 21st century.)
Only 34 more weeks to go until we meet the baby. Or so. Thereabouts.
Fewer weeks until we will know if it's a boy or a girl - and yes I intend to find out again because, no, I am not patient enough to wait.
You can do the math if you like on your calendar, but I don't like to announce a "due date". It's a "normative" date. That means, on average, the 'norm' is about 40 weeks (which is actually 38 weeks by the way, but they have to tack on an extra 2 weeks to date it by the last day of your last period. See how silly it all is?)
As I was saying, if I was going to give some standardized date, it would be around June 5th (look at that, you don't even have to check your calendar now). But I don't say that or think that way. It's foolish. It's not as if a baby has a timer that buzzes when 38 weeks are up. Just because some measure found an average of 38 weeks for development, doesn't mean it literally takes that exact length of time.
And don't even get me started on the misuse of the body fat index...

Sorry, where was I? Oh, the joyful news of a new baby. And that it is due around early June. (Not late May, because I'm pretty sure running early isn't in the genes.)

And to answer the typical questions we've been fielding:
Yes the baby will be born here.
Therefore, no, we will not be returning to Winnipeg before June.
Yes, I once again intend to have a natural home birth with a midwife.
Yes, we are still returning to Winnipeg in 2012. Shortly after the baby is born. And yes I'd rather move with a newborn than while pregnant. Especially since I do not want to transfer my midwife care and I want to make sure I can have my baby in the comfort of my own home.
Abi is elated. She talks constantly about how she wants to care for the baby. She'll rock it to sleep and sing it lullabyes. She'll hold it. (She'll change diapers I like to add...) She'll teach it to draw and read and... the lists go on.
Abi has also stopped nursing as of my last ovulation (when I was certain I was pregnant). Yay, I get a 9 month respite. She respects that I need my energy for the baby. She still hints that she'd happily start nursing again if I said yes, but she doesn't push or beg. So I think that went well. We'll see what happens when there is a baby nursing...

That's the big news around here. I don't have any related photos to share, but you can see what the baby looks like, sorta, here. Eww. Squishy little thing.

Lace and Spinning

You may be aware that I love lace.
I find there is great inconsistency in how lace yarns are 'listed' or categorized. I was curious to compare some of my favourite laces to see how they look, side by side.

L-R: 1) My handspun single. I am making this a 2 ply, but it's still a lace weight. (see below for plied photo)
2) Black Grignasco Merino Silk - this is probably one of the finest lace yarns I've purchased and is a 2-ply. As you can see, my handspun single is pretty close in thickness. (Look at the shadows too.)
3) Red Baruffa Cashwool - I'm looking forward to knitting with this. A light 2-ply lace.
4) Spice Trail Montague - ah, my favourite yarn base, Montague by Waterloo Wools. Same yarn used for my Battle Weary shawl, my Green Embrace, and my current Tread Softly shawl. It's a tightly plied, 2-ply merino-silk lace yarn. The yarn has lovely stitch definition because of the fiber content and plying.  Especially when compared with how loosely the other lace yarns are plied.
5) Orange Wellington Fibres 2-ply mohair/wool (80/20 blend) - I've had this (and a green skein) forever. I really must knit it.
6) Yellow Centolavaggi - a loose 2-ply lace. From my 2011KALendar shawl.
7) Green Shelridge Farms soft touch lace - another loose 2-ply
8) Green, hand-dyed knit picks bare lace - a 'medium' ply, 2-ply lace. A bit wider than the others.
9) Handspun single - Mermaid colourway of some fancy fibres sent as a sample with another order.  I deiberately spun this thicker than the other singles I've been making (for lace) because of the angelina content. Plied with some plain white for more of a DK weight yarn. (see below)

My favourite remains the Montague for its stitch definition and colourways.I'm looking forward to knitting up the black with some small needles in an intricate lace shawl (for my mom...). I think it will take a while.  The green hand-dyed also has a lot of purple in it (we were actually aiming for a more ocean-themed colourway with blues... totally did not turn out that way). It's for mom too.

Not content to simply purchase mill-spun lace yarns, I of course have to spin some. Here's my current collection of tools:

Far left - a top whorl suspended spindle that I made the other day.
Next - my new supported spindle by Thomas C. Forrester that makes lovely lace. So far I've spun one set of alpaca singles.
Blue - my newest turkish suspended spindle in size 'medium' from Threads Thru Time
Orange - my tiny turkish spindle also from Threads Thru time, which is great fun for carrying around and making lace.
In package - a Knit Picks turkish spindle. A friend is currently borrowing mine and this will be hers. It's a large size.
Bottom: the 'stick' I used for stick-spinning.
Not shown (oops) - my new Rakeshaw spinner that works much like the stick. Mine was made by a local guy and purchased through a guild member. (Yes, I've joined the KW Knitters Guild this year - finally).

And here are the 2 most recent mini skeins I spun:

Singles - showing how the 'mermaid' is thicker. As you can see, the tiny spindle does not make very large amounts of yarn. It's still a lot of fun!

Mermaid single - this wee ball maxed out what my tiny spindle could hold. It wasn't very difficult, by the end, to wind the yarn on to the arms, but I wasn't about to finish with a small amount of fibre left.

Teal singles

Teal plied together.

Mermaid plied with a white wool-silk single whipped up for this purpose. You can't really see the shiney angelina here. I think I'll knit something like a small Yule ornament with this.  It is very loosely plied - deliberately so.

Last night I borrowed a book on the history of Orenburg lace knitting. (The knitters Guild has an incredible library that I now have access to.) I look forward to learning more. I've also been reading Wrapped in Lace and Knitted Lace of Estonia, which have a lot of information about regional lace styles and methods.

Mystery KAL - spoiler alert

As you should know, I'm leading a mystery knit-along for a new design of mine called Tread Softly. The KAL is over on Ravelry, but it's closed to new members now. The complete pattern will be available in January. It has been a lot of fun to share my design and watch other projects in progress. I only see a small fraction of the WIPs. Sometimes I go to the Projects page from the main pattern page and look at more. It's also been quite the ego-booster, I must confess. A lot of wonderful praise about the pattern. I knew I loved it, but one never knows how others will appreciate the design. Especially when it's a mystery. Each new section is an entirely different pattern of stitches around a forest theme.
So far I've released 5 clues (the most recent came out 'today' - technically I put it up late last night).

The shawl at the end of clue 4 - plus a few rows of clue 5.

The central leafy and floral motif.

Bear paws and berries on a branch. (Or some saw these as flowers such as bluebells and maybe lion paws. They can be whatever the knitter wants - within reason.)  Some of my knitters have been replacing the nupps (the 'bumps') with beads. Those look lovely too.

Clue 4 - some paw prints going the other way towards the edge.

Celebration weekend

In celebration of Robin's birthday (on Thursday) we went out geocaching on Friday (he took the day off for a 4 day weekend) and Saturday. These photos are from our morning at the Huron Nature Area.
Sunday we had cousins over for a turkey-free thanksgiving dinner. We enjoyed cranberry-BBQ meatballs, sausage stuffing, roasted orange veggies, sweet potato casserole, and jalapeno cornbread muffins for dinner. Dessert was apple-crisp pie and pumpkin pie with freshly whipped cream. All lovingly prepared by Robin and delicious - as usual.

A cache hidden in an old car - I have no idea what it's doing at the Nature Area...

We saw and 'rescued' (from the sidewalk) a few fuzzy caterpillars.

Guess who ended up having to transport Abi's stuffed animals, as usual.

It was a beautiful and scenic day.

Can you count the fishing lures/bobbing-things? (I don't fish, so I don't know proper terms.)

I was on the lookout for paw prints to prettify my Tread Softly pattern when I release the final version in January.

I spotted some prints on the path and upon closer inspection found this little guy. He was more interesting.

We saw a few monarchs, but often further away. Of course I didn't manage to get the camera out and to the right settings in time for a good, detail photo. But I rather like how this turned out.

Today we have another Thanksgiving dinner to attend with friends. This time with turkey.

I almost forgot to add this video from our outing. I always miss the original 'version' of what Abi's doing and it's never the same when I try and goad her to do the same thing for the camera.