I’ve definitely noticed a slow down in my brain function of late. I’ve become so forward thinking about what Ben would need for the day, that I often rush out of the house with everything he needs, only to realize part-way there that I’ve forgotten to eat breakfast. Shucks, even doing simple math or spelling a word (something which I used to pride myself on) takes its toll.
So I’ve made a promise to myself to do at least one creative thing a day - no matter how simple - just to get the juices going. I started today slowly with a simple Photoshop tutorial. Hopefully, the cobwebs will get a good dusting!
MATERIALS Bernat® Satin (100 g / 3.5 oz) 1 ball of #04431 (Wine Mist Heather).
Size 5 mm (U.S. 8 ) knitting needles or size needed to obtain gauge. Cable needle - CN.
GAUGE: 18 sts and 24 rows = 4 ins [10 cm] in stocking st.
STITCH GLOSSARY C4B = Slip next 2 sts onto a CN and leave at back of work. K2 then K2 from CN. C4F = Slip next 2 sts onto CN and leave at front of work. K2 then K2 from CN.
INSTRUCTIONS
Cast on 78 sts. 1st row: (RS). K2. *P2. K2. Rep from * to end of row. 2nd row: P2. *K2. P2. Rep from * to end of row.
Rep last 2 rows twice more, inc 12 sts evenly across last row. 90 sts.
Proceed in Shadow Cable Pat as follows: 1st row: (RS). Knit. 2nd and alt rows: Purl. 3rd row: K1. *C4B. K4. Rep from * to last st. K1. 5th row: As 1st row. 7th row: K5. *C4F. K4. Rep from * to last 5 sts. C4F. K1. 8th row: As 2nd row.
Rep last 8 rows twice more, then 1st to 4th rows once.
Shape top: 1st row: (RS). *K6. K2tog. Rep from * to last 2 sts. K2. 79 sts. 2nd and alt rows: Purl. 3rd row: *K9. K2tog. Rep from * to last 2 sts. K2. 72 sts. 5th row: *K8. K2tog. Rep from * to last 2 sts. K2. 65 sts. 7th row: *K7. K2tog. Rep from * to last 2 sts. K2. 58 sts. 9th row: *K6. K2tog. Rep from * to last 2 sts. K2. 51 sts. 11th row: *K3. K2tog. Rep from * to last st. K1. 41 sts. 12th row: P1. *P2tog. Rep from * to end of row. 21 sts.
Break yarn, leaving a long end. Thread end through rem sts and draw up firmly. Fasten securely. Sew back seam.
David Suzuki has a really neat Copenhagen Climate Summit campaign calling for Canadians to contact (email / phone) Stephen Harper. Go to: http://beta.davidsuzuki.org/share/call-the-pm to let him know how you feel. Perhaps you can think of something creative like this:
Refresh your blog site - life is going to change in the next week, so why not let your online diary reflect the same?
Make batches of plum jam and plum pies (see previous post). Harvest the hazelnuts from your 3 hazelnut trees that you’re always blaming the squirrels for ransacking each year before you get a chance. Give your herbs and veggies the TLC they barely get each year (come to think of it, the basil and tomatoes did taste sweeter this year).
Bake the easiest thing around: Banana + _______ (insert any fruit) loaf! We did have to cut ourselves off after the third one though for the sake of our sugar levels and the fact that I haven’t been able to work out for 2 months now.
Learn to cook with the objective of making it flavourful as opposed to not burning it (jury is still out on this one).
Clean the house (although I refuse to clean it for a third time, darnit!).
Take on a weekly DP Photo Challenge - this one is tough though since balance is an issue, and quite frankly, your pregnant body likes to swing around your centre of gravity rather than stay firmly on it.
Put together that baby mobile you’ve been working on for the past 5 months (picture to follow).
Get the all-time high score in Bejeweled and Dr. Mario (the poor circulation in your legs will thank you for this one…not!).
Five days post-due and no pregnant-body changes really noted. I’m trying my darnest to keep positive, and Chad and I are relishing the free time together to do all the things we say we never have time for, but it’s hard not to feel somewhat disappointed after all this build-up and the due date comes and goes (even though I know he will be here soon). I confess - I’ve asked Chad to screen phonecalls because I don’t think I could handle another “He’s not here yet?” statement/email from a well-wishing, excited family-member/friend - sorry everyone! I read somewhere that only 5% of babies actualy arrive on their due date, and of the 95% who don’t, just 3 out of 10 arrive before the due date while 7 out 10 come after it! A little reassuring.
They say that the nesting instinct gets intensely stronger before the baby is born, which is true to some extent. I personally think it’s more the fact that I have to find something to do to fill the day. In fact, this post could have alternatively been titled Log Report of a Post-due Pregnant Lady who has been on Leave for 3 Weeks Now =)
Found this neat blog post with famous portraits, as well as (very) short blurbs on how we know them - including a biography of the National Geographic ‘Afghan Girl’. Worth the scan through, if not just to see how photographers framed some of the most famous shots of our time.
I found this interesting (nerdy) growth excel sheet that someone put together online where you can track your child’s growth. After you put in his/her key details, then you periodically put in their weight and height, and it will create a graph overlay on top of average percentiles.
