Madness, I Say

Yeah, that is sort of how the last week or so has felt. Unfortunately, both my daughter and I got the flu last week. What a write off! I was horrible, but in typical motherly fashion, recovered after about 2 days of being completely useless. Thankfully, Riley managed not to get it (both Ammy and I avoided him like the plague during the first few days, and after that, I wore a mask and made sure to wash my hands about every 5 minutes or so). So, needless to say, my birthday went by very quietly. I spent the day and night at home with my little ones, catching up on some Christmas knitting.

So far, I have these done:


They are my little non-scarf scarves (Fourteen, by name). I am in lourve with this thing. Not only is it a quick knit, but it is really warm and comfy.

I also got around to doing/finishing a few other things while I had nowhere to go and nothing else to do:
Sheldon (the cutest little turtle):


New hat:


There are a few other odds and sods, but I haven't really gotten around to completely finishing them (i.e. they still need the ends weaved in...lawd how I hate weaving in ends).

Oh, and in very exciting news, last Tuesday, Riley's belly button fell off!!! Yes, this was a super exciting thing (7+ months in the making). It also means that he won't have to go for surgery for the urachal sinus, since it is no longer causing any problems. We are still waiting for urology to get back to us, as well as the infant development centre, but at the moment, things are looking up (touch wood). And we are now down to a somewhat normal regime of appointments. We have monthly RSV clinic from now until April, and our regular family doctor appointments (yes, we got him switched over), but other than that, I don't think we have any more crazy 6 appointments in 8 days type of weeks any time soon.

Well, off to make Christmas shopping lists (we are heading out to the samko meiko warehouse thing this weekend). Wish us luck with that. :S

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Busy Beaver Says...

So Riley had his first pediatrician appointment yesterday. Everything went well. He gained 2 oz. over the weekend since he has been home, so no worries on that front. Everything else seems AOK with his health, other than the oxygen, of course. And, since I have been playing around with the new photo thingy on the computer, I thought I would yet again insert loverly pictures of my little man (all prepped out):

In two weeks, my two week old will be going for his four month old shots. Yeah, that sounds really messed up. It was really interesting to hear our pediatrician trying to explain to someone who is shadowing him that although Riley is two weeks old corrected, he was born in April, and is therefore three and half months old.

Ammy came home from a super fun filled weekend with Granny and Gramps.


These are both from the petting zoo...baby piglet and camel...sweet! (They had a llama, but alas, she did not even get me any llama hair to make into wool...some people!)



Swimming like a superstar:


In other news, my shoes died. Ok, maybe fell apart and died a disgraceful death would be more appropriate. They soles of them have been falling apart for a while (damn rain puddles), and the straps no longer velcroed together...and now the tongue completely came out AND the small strip of sole that kept the water from poring in has come out. So, sneaking around on eBay, I found these:

They are slip ons (see the small back part on the heel??), and they appear super comfy. I have heard some good things about volatile, with the exception that they tend to size a little small, so I got one size larger. These ones were actually on clearance in one of the eBay stores, so even after conversion and shipping, they cost me less than $20.00. Perfect. Cheap, comfy, slip ons. What more could I ask for?

And since I get bored without things to do, and love trying new things (plus the fact that I cannot ever seem to just pop on to eBay for just one thing without looking around and ogling a thousand other things), I got myself this:

For those of you who know what this is, kudos, and I am sure that you will delight in reading my loverly upcoming frustrations in connection with it. For those who don't, this is a drop spindle and fibre. I am going to teach myself how to spin wool. :) I love the colour combo of the "pumpkin patch" bag, which is what this is. I don't know, there is just something awesome about greens and oranges and browns and yellows.

Anywho, that is about all. Currently working on my PLAR portfolio, which will help me to obtain credits for personal life experience, as I am planning on returning to school next year (hopefully).

Tis all, and till next time.
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Stress Relief is an Amazing Thing

Wow...hard to believe just how much better I am feeling with the hospital stress all gone.

Spoke with our primary nurse from Mount Sinai yesterday to give her an update on Riley. She was super excited to hear that he was doing so well, and she was very happy that we were able to transfer him out of MS to somewhere with more flexibility.

But, on the topic of being calmer, I have started designing my own pair of pants for Riley. Will post the pattern when I have completed them, but so far, they are coming along ok.

Also, I spent a good chunk of the day doing something I haven't done in ages...planting. I know, I am slightly behind in the season for it, but I don't care. It was nice to get my hands in the dirt. We now have a few sunflowers, beans and tomatos. I am thinking I may also nip back and grab some cukes. I love veggies grown by my own hands. Haven't had them in about 5 years, but they are the best.

Anywho, the little man (who, I might add, has established himself in a lovely pattern of bed around midnight, up around 5...how awesome is that??? 5 full hours of sleep!!!) is up and snuffling (and smelling like the wrong side of a horse) so...

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Home, Home on the Range

So, we started our day off with the visit from the oxygen people. Got our 3 tanks, and were shown how to work them. Good lord but they are super sensitive.

And, since the only issue *might* have been if he didn't gain weight without the fortifier, I called in to find out how his weigh in went. He gained 66 grams! Awesome, awesome...then I hear "but". What? No, no buts! I refuse.

Apparently the little bugger decided to have a bit of a spell, so they had to increase him from 10ccs to 50ccs in less than a 2 hour span. Not good. Our doctor decided that if he stayed stable, we could take him home after his 6 p.m. feeding. If not, then he would be there at least over the weekend.

So we decided to go up for the noon feed, and to get him dressed in his going home clothes and bring up the portable oxygen tank, believing wholeheartedly that he would be good for the 6 p.m. take home.

Look at how irresistible he is:


And here he is all strapped in with a very, very proud papa:


I wish I could sleep on a dime like this...seriously, doesn't this look so very far from comfortable?:


His first nap AT HOME (he is currently just to my right right now):


Needless to say, when we got to the hospital for his feed, he was back to 10ccs. We asked the nurse if this meant we could take him home today, and she told us that as soon as he was done with his feed, we could take him. Right then. No waiting until evening.

So all the running around we were planning on doing before we got to the hospital to pick him up...yeah, I have sent the other half out to do...

Well, I am off to ogle my boy.

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Amazing What Occurs to You When You Can Actually Relax

For starters, just because, umlaut, umlaut, umlaut! (Sorry, this word got stuck in my head earlier today for no apparent reason. Just thought I would share. And for those of you who don't know what that is, check here.)

Second, now that the stress of when I will be getting my boy home is gone, I feel much relieved. I mean, I know without a shadow of a doubt that I was barely keeping it together there for a while. I don't shirk away from that one. But I was stressed. And come on...seriously, how many people do you know could sanely handle 14.5 weeks of having a child they couldn't hold when they wanted to, change when he needed it, feed on demand, smell and sniff and play and double check that there are 10 little fingers and 10 little toes? Right. There is your slice of perception for the day.

Our first cuddles with great-nanny (who, I might add, was tickled pink with getting to see him...we wouldn't allow people to force the game of "you come down to toronto at such and such a time so I can see the baby"):


And on that note, if we skip back 14.5 weeks:

This was my first glimpse of Riley (after the initial red, screaming thing that just fought his way into the world before being whisked away to be saran wrapped). Kinda terrifying. Kinda completely terrifying.

Then we were blue...and I mean that quite literally.


One of the first holds...

my boob is bigger than his head...and pretty much all of him (yes, this will scar him when he is older).

Finally looking human...with the exception of that horrible machine which I hope to never have to name again:


Rolling along nicely...


Behind bars:


Finally off the obnoxious machine:

Look...even he is cheering.

Chilling in our bouncy chair (this was on his due date...June 28, 2009):


And now...and 98 days old...


For those of you doing the math, Riley will be coming home on his 101 day of post-uterus living. :)

I'm heading in to the hospital today to give him some loving and cuddles, a bath, and to pick up the rest of his swag that is there (the bouncy chair, the clothes, the bathtub).

A part of me is still thinking this can't be real yet. I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas.

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Busy Beaver

First and foremost, at the moment, I am home. Have been for a week (didn't want to jinx it). So very much happy to have my "house arrest" commuted back to my own home. When I first got put on this restrictive bed rest, I hated it...with a passion. But, after spending a few weeks in the hospital...a strange bed, with strange noises and strange people coming in and out all the time...I have to admit that being home in my own bed, in my own place, is a pretty sweet deal. There is still minimal bleeding going on, and still getting contractions and cramping a fair amount, but we have 8 days until my baby boy hits 28 weeks, which is when a lot of the complications begin to dissipate and he has a survival rate of over 80%. And yes, this is a great relief.

I have also been very busy, in a knitting and catching up on TV sort of way. I did several preemie hats for the NICU while I was at the hospital, however without access to a camera, failed to capture any photos. :( Pity, but I am sure that I will make a few more, since it is likely that I will need them.

Also have finished the following for my little angel:


Am currently working on a tank top for myself, post-baby belly. Not very far into it, so really not that exciting...but hopefully won't take too long. Still have a bunch of things that I need to finish, but baby stuff, and kiddie stuff, is just too much fun. (Plus, I love sitting outside right now, as we bought my daughter a two-wheeler bike on the weekend, so the hubby takes her out back, where I can watch too!)

Oh, and speaking of baby belly, this is what 9 lbs. looks like:


On TV catch up news, I have found an excessively interesting show (if you like odd shows like confessions of a call girl) on HBO...Cathouse. Killed myself laffing at it the other day. Of course, even stranger that I followed it up with ZOS, which is pretty much kill kill kill, fight fight fight. :S

Have a wonderful weekend planned of breaking out the teaching skills...having another session of let's teach batgirl to cook and knit. (One of my good friends, who I have named batgirl, doesn't know how to cook...or knit. The knitting, understandable...but how the hell do you make it 26 years and not know how to cook? Especially when you have a small child??? So, the last few times that she has come over, I have prepped food (i.e. defrosted and gotten the ingredients and so forth), but made her cook - with supervision. Going to have her make a crock pot stew this time, I am thinking. Easy, we have the ingredients here, and I can supervise with minimal effort from the couch. Plus, it is super easy, and she thinks she was given a crock pot once, so she *might* be able to make it at home if she tries.)

Also get to see my mononica...lurve that girl. She is coming over some time this weekend to keep me company and to put me to work doing the door prize things for my shower. WEEE...I like feeling useful.

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Updates and the Late Birthday Gift

Well, haven't I just been a busy beaver...lol.

Had an amazing weekend just past. Saturday, spent the day at Bronte Provincial Park with my bud Christina, her son and my daughter. They have this amazing barn for kids to play in...jumping things, and tire swings...just awesome. Sadly, they also have a great big sign posted "Adults Not Permitted" by all the fun stuff. :( Seriously, we need a Dave and Busters up here, stat!

Sunday was a nice quiet day. Sadly, the little one seems to have picked up a cold, so Sunday was spent in pjs and bed watching movies. I, of course, spent the day cooking...made this kick ass apple cinnamon bread....yummy!

This week itself, I am slightly on tenderhooks waiting for all my goodies from eBay to arrive...including my new phone (cuz the one I have is becoming crap), my wedding cake topper (go Jack & Sally go), a new calendar (just because) and needles (which are a gift for a friend of mine...her birthday is only a few weeks away).

Speaking of Mononica's birthday, we had a loverly chat last night. I recently got her into knitting, and she has been enjoying it (even though she does it in some backassward way that I couldn't understand or explain even if I tried...it appears that she goes through the back loops all the time...both knitting and purling). She is very ambitious and has decided (well, decided a while ago...during the weekend of needles) that she wants to make socks. She has been working on the same purse for the last few months, and a dog's sweater (from a library book that she has yet to return) for the last about 3 months. But, I don't doubt that she will eventually make socks. Even though I can see her making one, and being happy and proud of that. (Yeah, I keep telling the boy that if he only had one foot, I would be done his socks by now.) So last night came the discussion of "ok, I know you want yarn for your birthday...what kind and colour? What are you planning on making? What do you want to make that I can supply the yarn for so you have no excuse?" Of course, no straight answer was ever provided...I think I might just take her out with me, and make things easier on myself. I still have a few weeks, so I am not going to worry overmuch...yet.

And last night, lo and behold, I finished the sweater for the boy. The fit is amazing. I still have to do the zipper, but we are going to head out to pick that up tonight.

That is about all...gotta start on the leg warmers for the cheesy ass retro slumber party...really gotta start that soon...I guess the boy's other sock will go back on to the backburner for now...hehe

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Bits and Bobs and

I want one. This man is an evil genius in the form of a human.

Good lord has it been busy lately. Home and work. And with the little one starting senior kindergarten, I have been having to run interference with her and the learning books I got her. So, when I finally get her all settled down, after reading the 5 or so books that I have weedled her down to, I have barely enough time to knit. But c'est le vie. There are worse hardships in life.

Last night, I finished up the last mitten for kittens (WEE). :) I am going to idiot string them all (so that they don't get lost), but that shouldn't take any more than tonight to do. So, thankfully for the ones they are for, I can ship them out on Monday morning. I am also doing up another pair for one of the gals at work (well, for her son), but I have mastered them now to the point that they literally take me about an hour to complete. The bigger task? Making both the sweater and the vikings helmet for the boy before his birthday (2 weeks away) without him knowing! This weekend should provide me with ample opportunity to get a good chunk of one or both of these done, however, since the boys are all going out to do the tux thing on Sunday, followed by hitting up the bar for football. :)

UPDATE: And as an added bonus, my workplace husband wants me to make him the same sweater (but in different colours) that I am making for the other half, so I have the perfect cover for it over the next few weeks....AWESOMENESS!

5 days and counting

WEEE!!! Finally booked my tattoo consult. Very excited.

And, as an added bonus, and because I am that damn good, wedding gown + 3 bridesmaid dress = $387....hot damn I am good!

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