Pregnancy wrap up

It’s been a long time coming, but I finally have gathered my thoughts and would like to share…

First things first. My Top Five Things I couldn’t do without during labor:

1- Goody No-Slip Hairband- because hair in my face drives me crazy.

2-Support- My support team was headed up by my husband, Keith, who was there encouraging me the entire time, never leaving my side. We also had awesome Christian doulas who gave us childbirth classes and accompanied us in the delivery room. They helped us A LOT.

3- A sense of humor. We had fun during labor. When it stopped being fun, and Keith’s jokes weren’t so funny, we knew that the birth of our daughter was very near.

4- Focus Cards- We used Bible verses as our focus points and cut out pictures from magazines to go with them. Here are a few:

5- Our faith in Christ. I’m not a super preachy blogger, but my faith as Christian is what sustains me on a daily basis and it was my belief in Him who created me, who created our child, that helped me during childbirth.

And now the details…

As most of my readers know, I was due October 30th, and our baby was born November 10th. ELEVEN DAYS LATER. Eleven very long days. One of those days, November 6th, I had false labor for 12 hours, brought on by castor oil. Don’t ever do the castor oil thing- no matter how many grandmothers tell you to try! It is not a pleasant experience!! The day AFTER the false labor ordeal I found myself quite discouraged. Keith took me to the theatre that night to cheer me up. We saw Camelot.

Early Saturday morning my water broke at 3 am. We almost immediately called our doulas (birth coaches), who instructed us to try and get some rest and to start timing contractions. We were to check in with them every hour.

I suddenly remembered that I left clothes in the washing machine overnight so I ran them again at 3:15 am. A very odd choice, I know. I never realized how loud the washing machine was until then.

Keith kept track of those early contractions with a stopwatch and I eventually ended up in the living room for an hour and a half so he could get some rest. I timed those contractions with Contraction Master, a cool online timing tool. All you have to do is hit the spacebar at the beginning and end of each contraction. EASY.

We left for the hospital once my contractions were more regular and closer together. We arrived at about 10 am and it was a pretty funny experience walking in. The old women at the reception desk start to ask “Can I help you?” before looking up, but once they see the ENORMOUS pregnant woman with her husband, carrying THE BAG, the boppy, the cameras, they just start pointing towards the labor and delivery wing.

The labor was uncomplicated, 14.5 hours from beginning to end. I didn’t use an anesthesia, although the nursing staff did ask. I was more afraid of the needle in my back than the pain of contractions and I developed a bit of a holistic approach to life in general while pregnant. Apparently the no-epidural route is not one frequently taken in our area and every medical professional seemed rather surprised by my decision.

I must admit that there was a moment when I thought to myself, “I am never doing this again,” meaning childbirth. Fortunately I got over that pretty quickly!  But all in all, childbirth was a very empowering and miraculous experience that I am forever blessed to have been a part of.

One month already?

It is hard to believe that a month has already gone by since our daughter was born! It seems to have gone by so fast, and yet we feel as though we’ve had her forever.

Here she is in the world’s cutest handknit kimono from Anna:

And here she is sleeping in her basinette while her furry sister keeps watch over her. (and no, our bed is not made- a detail neglected due to the infant in the house!)

We’re all doing well and sleeping well considering the circumstances. The baby eats about every 2-3 hours during the day and does a 4-5 hour stretch at night, then a 3 hour stretch after that…. so I think we’re doing ok. I tried the “3 hour schedule” and it worked for a week, but then she was doing the 3 hours routine at night over the weekend. And when you go from 4 or 5 hours at night to 3- that is no fun. i think she might be going through that 5-6 wk growth spurt, as she has been wanting to eat more frequently in the past few days.

When she nods off to sleep during the day, I’ll finally get to eat lunch or do a load of laundry… but as soon as I try to lay down her eyes pop open! And I never thought that washing & drying my hair would show up on my to-do list, or that a few simple errands, if timed incorrectly, would leave me in the car with a screaming baby trying to figure out a place to breastfeed her (thankfully I stopped at a relative’s house that was nearby).

All in all, things are going well! Thanks for all the wonderful comments and support!

She’s here!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please allow me to introduce our newest addition:

Mercy’s little sister! This little baby girl arrived Saturday, November 10th at 5:35 pm weighing in at 8 pounds and measuring 20 inches.

It’s amazing how quickly time goes by and how busy you are with a newborn! My husband was fortunate enough to have about 2 weeks of vacation that he took after our little Babydoop was born. The first week was just the three of us and Mercy and it was the sweetest, most precious time. Women from our church’s MOPS (Moms of Preschoolers) Group coordinated dinners to be brought over to us every other night so we didn’t have to spend time figuring out meals and were able to just enjoy one another and adjust to our new family dynamic.

Mercy likes to spend time anywhere the baby is…

This is her sleeping on my slippers… on the footstool in the nursery while I was nursing the baby. We’re really thankful and excited about how well Mercy has adjusted to a baby in the house. She’s like a little nurse- whenever there is a squeak or whimper coming from the bassinette, Mercy will come find one of us and alert us to the situation!

Knitting? hmm not much. I did actually knit a little bit that first week while Keith and I watched the Sabres game… but it hasn’t happened since. Sleep takes precedence over knitting for now. My husband’s family has been here visiting this whole week so we have been busy. The extra help has been great, someone to watch her while Keith and I take a nap or eat our first meal of the day at 1 pm………… So the secret to losing baby weight is being too busy to eat?!?!?!

Thanks for all your prayers, well wishes, and support! Blogging may be intermittent in the next few weeks, but I’ll be back soon.

-Dana

Things to do when you are overdue

The following is a compilation of my own thoughts and points I read on carious pregnancy sites for those of us who go past our due dates:

What do you do when you are past your due date?

1- Utilize your caller id and voicemail- answer and return the calls that YOU want to. Your nosy neighbor doesn’t need to know the effacement of your cervix and you DON’T need to hear everyone’s “fail proof” inducement methods. It’s also annoying when every conversation goes like this:

“Did you have the baby yet?”

“No.” DUH.

“Ooohhhh,” they say, dripping with disappointment.

“Sorry,” you say, like you could really do anything different!!!

* for some reason email and texts are not bothersome…… 

2- Go ahead, have a pity party- but don’t let it last more than a few hours! There will be a time when you WISH that baby was still in your belly and not screaming bloody murder at 3 am (or so I am told).

3- Make plans- and do something fun! Go out with your husband on a date (every meal could be the “last supper”!). Get a pedicure. Meet a friend for coffee.

4- Enjoy your spouse in a biblical way! - hmmm apparently what got you INTO this pregnancy can get you OUT! Or at least have fun trying.

5- Walk alot- I walked a ton with my dog during my pregnancy and I tried to keep a positive mindset on every walk after my due date. Every walk could be the last one with my dog (at least for a little while).

6- Don’t let your doctor induce you for non-medical reasons unless you are OK with that. When my doctor’s office called me w/ the time of my inducement, I was like Ummm no thanks. Just because your Blackberry is buzzing that I am a few days overdue does not mean hook me up to an IV of pitocin immediately. Give me a week at least!!!

7- Spend some time doing something that you really like to do but never have the time for- like spend the afternoon knitting and watching tv. Or read a whole novel in a day. I don’t think you get that kind of free time again until you are like 75 or something.
8- Cook some meals to freeze for after the baby is born.

9- Find a babysitter to watch your little one so you and your husband can go out for dinner after the baby is born. Make a big production of your first date as parents!!! Who cares if it’s only to the little diner down the street w/ a buy one get one coupon? It’s an accomplishment to get out of the house and an important step to keep your marriage strong after the baby bomb hits.

10- Remember that ALL babies are eventually born. Your due date is an approximation, I think the only “precise” due date can be accomplished through IVF. Your doctors could be off by a week, your counting could be off by a few days, your baby might not be ready to be born yet.

As for me, I am trying to stay positive, even though I am getting incredibly frustrated. We had a bout of false labor or prelabor yesterday- seriously thought it was the real thing! Contractions were fairly regular for about 4-5 hours in the morning, then they fizzled out in the afternoon. My husband stayed home with me yesterday because we thought that it was THE day, but alas, we were wrong.

Maybe next post will be a baby one… or maybe on my hourglass sweater progress and vintage knitting bag…

Attack of the Cankles

Cankels- A derogatory slang term for fat ankles, where it is hard to tell where the ankle starts and the calf ends.

Like being overdue isn’t rough enough. Now I’ve got to retain water in my ankles.

So, my friends, due to this unforseen sneak attack of the evil cankles, I can only show you my finished Monkey Socks on sock blockers, and not my feet. I wouldn’t want to give you nightmares!

The specs:

 

Pattern: Monkey Socks

 

Yarn: Merino 4 Ply from The Knittery

 

Needles: Size 2 DPNs

 

Started October 1, 2007

 

Finished November 2, 2007

I am officially into making socks now. This pattern was alot of fun and knit up rather quickly (even considering my side projects). The 11 row lace pattern repeat keeps your interest and before you know it, time to turn the heel!

I’m not quite sure what socks I will make next, I have a few in mind (Tyrolean Stockings from IK and I really want a Nancy Bush book) but none that I currently have yarn for. I will most likely try to clear up a few WIPS and work on my stash until after Christmas, that is if I have any time to knit IF this child is ever born… and right now I feel like I will be pregnant forever….

Nesting Sewing

Does sewing count as nesting? I thought after finishing this “final” project I would go into labor for sure, and yet here I am two days later…

On Saturday I suddenly realized that the diaper bag we had was a little large for the hospital trip and that I wanted a fun bag as well. A few hours later and voila! Nappy Bag Part Tres.
Modifications:

Fabric/ Lining/ Interfacing-

The patterns calls for canvas to be used as an interfacing in between the light to midweight cotton lining and exterior. I happened to have these two matching home dec weight fabrics on hand so I nixed the canvas in between the lining and exterior.

I also nixed the interfacing on the pockets since I used a home dec weight fabric and they seem just fine. Horray for no interfacing- makes sewing go by much faster plus no broken needles!
Pockets-

I made 2 pockets on each side instead of 3, as I have found that I don’t use the mini-pockets in my other nappy bag.

I also made only 1 “bottle pocket” located on the opposite side of the cell pocket. I am not planning on bottle feeding my baby and even if I were to do so, I would throw a little fridge pack bag into the main compartment, not have milk in a bottle in the unlined/ uninsulated pocket. SO, I call the bottle pocket the “mommy H20 pocket.”

Key ring loop- I can never find my keys in any purse/ bag I own, so I added a key loop to hook them on.

Wait! There’s more:

I also made the matching changing pad and case to go along with the bag for the first time. I opted for flannel as the top instead of terry cloth simply because 1- it was what I had on hand and 2- I didn’t want to spend 5.99 a yard for terry cloth, especially considering this will most likely be, umm, soiled at some point.

I’m really happy with the way the whole project turned out, personalized to my tastes and needs. My husband is a little wary of the feminineness of the diaper bag. I think he’s afraid that he will be stuck carrying it… and to confirm his fears we ran into some friends at church who have a 7 month old daughter. Sure enough, the daddy was carrying the super cute brown and blue quilted diaper bag and mom had the baby. Not exactly what he wanted to see!

So now we are double and triple packed for the trip to the hospital that feels like it will never come. The new diaper bag has this cute little hat in it:

And the snacks that I have packed for Keith have had to be replenished at least 3 times. Because, hey, if you are hungry and there’s nothing in the pantry, there are plenty of snacks in the hospital bag.

So off I go to scrub my floors and baseboards, drink raspberry tea, do jumping jacks, and take Mercy on yet ANOTHER walk today until we both look like this:

… because you know my grandma told me all those old wives tales and this pregnant momma is desperate!

Marathons of different sorts…

This is what I was looking at a year ago today before the sun rose in San Francisco:

The Nike Women’s Marathon, my first marathon, blogged here. It is so incredibly hard to believe that just a year ago, I was ahem-pounds lighter than I am now, primed and ready to run 26.2 miles. Training for and running that marathon was so awesome- I truly hope that I can do it again someday. SOON.

Now I am as primed and ready for a different kind of marathon, labor & delivery, then parenthood, though I definitely DO NOT feel physically in shape for it! At 39 weeks pregnant, with one week to go (we hope no longer!) I am huge, move awkwardly, and definitely cannot run very far at all. After my last dr.’s appointment, at which I was dilated “a fingertip” (not even 1 cm), I was determined to make my water break (which obviously didn’t work). I ran the first 4/10ths of a mile of my walk with Mercy. Let me tell you, that was the MOST difficult four tenths of a mile I have ever run in my life- my legs were just feeling so wrong, so taxed, so overworked from carrying all that extra weight. Needless to say I will not be trying that again prior to having the baby! I am a little nervous now about the hill I have to climb in regaining fitness, considering how difficult that little run felt.

I’m just desperately waiting for this baby to come… one week to go, one week to go… I keep praying that I will go early!!!

Casting Off, Casting On

Patons Cardigan with Straight Sleeves

 

Patons Next Steps 3

 

Yarn: Patons Shetland Chunky Tweed, colorway Earthy Brown

 

Needles size 9 & 10

I knit this to wear for the end of my pregnancy and for the months thereafter. I like it alot- the shape, color, and especially the wooden buttons that I scored for 10 cents apiece! Sadly, I think that after the baby is born this cardigan will be much, much too large. I am contemplating gifting this to my grandma for Christmas. The question now is, should I wear it for a little while first before giving it away? Or is that faux paus?

As of the 15th, I completed Monkey Sock #1- and have yet to cast on for #2. Maybe, just maybe, I will have a pair of Monkeys before the end of Socktoberfest.

After casting off the ribbing on my Patons sweater and fastening the buttons, I couldn’t help but cast on for a two more projects:

The Hourglass Sweater

and

The Seamless Yoked Baby Sweater. It’s a free pattern from Knitting on the Net, and it’s seamless! Not that seaming a baby sweater is as much work as an adult sweater, but still, it’s nice to know that there is little finishing required on this one.

There SHOULD be little finishing required on this baby in my belly, seeing as how we are 13 days away from our due date. However, there are NO signs of her coming early, as much as I have been hoping. I have been walking and walking and walking, with no “activity” according to the physician.

My cousin’s wife went into labor 14 days early with both of her children, within 24- 36 hours after eating Olive Garden’s eggplant parmesean. Keith and I dutifully went to Olive Garden on Sunday, and the legendary time came and went. I was hoping SO bad! I told myself that because I saw a rainbow in the sky labor was going to happen! Ah, well. All babies are eventually born. I just hope that I won’t have to be induced.

I am ready for this baby belly to be gone- it’s a magnet for stains. Seriously, I probably won’t be able to wear much of my maternity clothes ever again or give them to anyone because I keep getting stuff on them. My belly is like a target, just waiting for crumbs, splashes, or any other kind of stain. What was worse yesterday- a bird pooped on me! I was walking with Mercy down the main street in our town, wearing a black top and pants, when suddenly a bird pooped on me and the debris landed smack dab in the middle of my belly. On a black shirt! In front of Starbucks during the evening rush hour no less!!!!!!!!!!! I’m told that this is good luck, but I beg to differ!

Ready to roll

My Patons sweater is blocking. ~Giant sigh of relief~ I forgot how time and space consuming sweater blocking was! I also forgot how stinky wet wool is. I would never want to be on a sheep farm when it’s raining. PHEW! But space-wise, I seriously run out of room on these pieced sweaters. Back to the Monkey Socks today!

Time seems to move quite slowly at the last few weeks of pregnancy, at least for the pregnant woman. I am at 37 weeks as of Tuesday and I am at the “OK I’m done” point! Pregnancy is exciting, as is preparing for the baby, but you reach a certain point where there’s not much else to do to prepare yourself. We’ve done the childbirth classes, we toured the hospital, we’ve read the books, we’ve talked to our friends that are brand new parents and seasoned veterans… now we wait.

The vain side of me is just DYING to have an actual waist, wear normal clothes, and be rid of this hugeness that comes with pregnancy. I want to be able to go running again, eat sushi again, and eat feta cheese.

3 more weeks!

Happy Socktoberfest!

Whoa! I’ve been missing for a few weeks. All is well, just busy with a million things and a little bit of lost knitting mojo. Pregnancy is on week 36 and counting…. my word am I ready to have this baby!!!

Can you believe it is October 1st??? I surely can’t, especially since the baby is due October 30th! Also, today marks the beginning of Socktoberfest. What do you have planned?

I received this lovely skein of Merino sock yarn from SP10 and I have been eyeing it for the Monkey socks that everyone has gone bananas over. I just love those Seabreeze colors!

I also have some left over yarn from my Dublin Bay Socks that I’d like to make into baby socks.

Last year I started but didn’t finish a pair of socks for Socktoberfest and was quite disappointed. I’d like to chill a little on the “need to finish”, especially since I have a few other items in queue that are of time sensitive nature- like I need to knit another baby hat for my baby and some kind of booties for her too! I sure love watching the Socktoberfest Flickr group and watching OTHER people finish socks after socks. It’s like living vicariously through others’ knitting.

I am still working on my Patons Cardigan, making steady progress, and I am now on sleeve island. I had hoped to wear this home from the hospital, but it’s getting down to the wire. I suppose the stockinette would be fairly easy early labor knitting, right? Or am I crazy to think that I could knit during labor? If the early contractions are far enough apart at first… at least I would feel like I’m doing something!!!!

Enjoy the first day of Socktober!