Mom

Happy Birthday!

Someone like you only comes around every four years.

Love love love,

EDO

a little of this and that.

I've been dabbling in sewing the past week. I'm trying to meet my goal of sewing something other than squares. I chose the Quick Change Trousers from Anna Marie Horner's book Handmade Beginnings. Soulemama has made many a pair, her most recent being these beauties, and because I love everything Soulemama does I know I will love these too. 

Notice the phone?? It is always right beside me when I am crafting because I ask my mother about 101 questions. That woman is brilliant! She knows almost everything there is to know about anything. I found these fabrics the day I ran into Kim at the fabric store and I adore them. Well done Amy Butler!

I didn't finish the trousers yet, but I'm slowly but surely working on it. Actually, I have set my sewing aside cause my Mama is coming to visit this week and I figure things will come along a lot quicker with her in the room rather than on the phone. I mainly need her assistance on the quilt I still have to finish. The one I have been making for about two years. I'm so close and yet so far.

I got to see this little guy last night at Bible Study. Isn't he adorable? He's getting chubbier and chubbier. And he is so grunty. And he smells so good. And he is adorable. And he kept his eyes open for the longest time I have ever seen them!

I love seeing my husband with babies. Don't they look good on him? I keep trying to convince him he should have one of his own, but he isn't buying it. Sadly that means I don't get one of my own... yet.

For now I will love my pseudo-babies. And I will sew and knit to my hearts content.

Music Monday

Enter gross income on line 104. Subtract lines 324 and 104 for total deductions. Make sure to fill out your T2209 and T2202A. Carry it forward. Don't forget to pick up the car at the mechanic. Does that sound like the makings of a relaxing day? Well it ain't.

Luckily Mr. Mangan came in with a timely pick-me-up. Dan Mangan is a very creative and up-and-coming indie artist. As you can tell by this weeks selection he is a very good song writer with great imagination. I first heard tell of him through Aidan Knight although I believe that most people hear of Aidan Knight through Dan Mangan.

I really enjoy the pace of this song. From the concordant beginning to the violin to the lyrics to the clarinet and of course the smooth and reassuring bass. Its just the thing for such a day.



Until next time, keep your deductions in line (324).

EDO

my baby sophistocate

My dear friends, I am happy to share this little number with you. And I am proud to say it is 100% complete. Yes, I actually finished a project. And I must say that I love it!!

I have had this yarn up my sleeve for a while now -- with the intention of making this very sweater. I bit the bullet in January and finally embarked on my baby sophisticate journey and now I can't tell you how happy I am about it.

Isn't it adorable?? I especially love the old man collar. It's a like a little grampie sweater. A darling little grampie sweater. And the buttons -- just darling. I wish they were leather, but these will do just fine.

I had a brief moment of inspiration today which offered enough motivation for me to put the final touches on this. Under the armpits were a bit dodgy looking (some holes from where I picked up stitches), but a little bit of weaving in magic pulled them together nicely. And measuring where to put the buttons was a little stressful. I only had to re-do one. The second one I put on because it ended up being a little too far to the left. But that was only a minor mistake.

And now look at it! I can't wait to make more!!! I may even make the next one in a bit of a tweed. I think that would be darling. Maybe grey? I like things that can be put on either little baby boys or little baby girls. The more I can get out of these things the better!!

And this concludes my knitting updates as of late. I really need to slow down a little bit as knitting is a bit pricey -- I'm a bit of a yarn snob. Next month I have a smaller project lined up using yarn I already have lying around the house. I'm still very much excited for March's knitting project.

Have a good weekend!

get in line

I just checked online to see if I could reserve the second book in the Hunger Games series and get this, there are currently 198 requests for the book.

198 people are waiting to read the same book.

I think I'm going to have to find a friend who owns the series.

the piece o' cake

See that piece of cake down there in the post below??

Yeah, the giant chocolatey one??

It was possibly the yummiest cake I have ever eaten.

And the richest.

And the most decadent.

And the smoothest.

And I think the bite I took before taking the photo was the last bite I had.

I enjoyed at six bites of this beauty before putting down my fork and calling it a night.

I thoroughly enjoyed them.

But six was enough.

For me at least.

Erik manhandled the rest of the sucker.

And boy was it good.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

Wishing you a lovely weekend! 

*** *** ***

a slew of photos

Remember that nostalgia I've been having? It motivated me to take a peak back into the Jansen Archives. These are a few of the photos that made me pause for an extra couple minutes.

Jonathan and me watching Mom change Justin's diaper -- a common sight I am sure. Again, I'm in a onesie, my fave. I love Jonathan in this one. Look at how affectionately he is looking at the baby. And stroking his head. What a sweetie-pie.

I think my mom made me pose for this one, but I still love it. That was my favourite towel. And those stepping stools in the left of the picture were my favourite to look at. My mom painted a delicate floral vine thing on them and I loved them.

Me and Justin ready for my sister's wedding. Isn't he cute?? We were promised jellybeans after the wedding, but he wouldn't walk down the aisle so he got to eat them on the way down. My mommy made my lovely dress. I remember being disappointed that I didn't get to carry a bouquet like the ladies, but I adore the little flower basket now.

I was cast in a school play called Back At The Creekbank. I even had to sing a solo in it. I still remember the words... riddle me riddle me ree i see something you don't see, riddle me riddle me ree and the colour is black. a snake. no. a cow in the meadow. no, look behind you it's your shadow! riddle me riddle me ree i see something you don't see.   I remember needing to bounce in order to sing properly so there I stood center stage, facing the crowd, bouncing. I think I had two lines other than my solo. That was my acting debut.

Look at how cool I was! I still own and wear this shirt. How old do you think I am here? I have no idea, but too young to still have a shirt from then. The shirt is 100% see-through and it's too short for me and I really need to throw it away, but I love it! I wear a long tanktop underneath it and usually match it with a linen skirt I received from my future SIL in grade 10. Go me! This also happens to be the shirt I was wearing when Erik first saw me. And he promptly fell in love with me so I think I'll just keep it. It's obviously a lucky shirt.

These photos were common in the Jansen household. I'm so glad my mom took them because it's fun to see our heights compared to each other. This isn't what we are like anymore -- Justin towers over me! But look at how little he was! Presh!

And. One of my favourite family photos. I like it because it's just us. And we're laughing. And it's just us.

Have a good night!

Kaden's Birth Story: The Delivery.

Picking up where I left off in Part 1 of Kaden's birth story. 
 
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I was unaware at the time, but Mandi started having the mild tightening again around 2100. They were faint and she just slept through them, but she knew she was having them when she was awake. At around 2230 they were becoming a bit more noticeable, like the night before. She didn’t wake Kev, but called the nurse in to do another strip because they wanted to know of any changes.

At 2320 I received a text from Mandi. “It may be time”.

I responded asking if they wanted me to come now.

There was no response so I called Kevin and asked how they were holding up. Every part of me wanted to rush over, but I didn’t want to be the over eager doula. He said they were just doing a tracing and that he’d call back. I got dressed and sat there ready to spring into action.

At 2333 Kev texted “sure” and I was on my way. This was during/after the first contraction that Mandi needed to focus on.

I arrived at the hospital at 2338 and waited for the emergency lady to buzz me through. Then, at Labour and Delivery I waited a little bit more.

Some cranky nurse came to the window and said, “It’s kind of late, you know.”

To which I replied, “Yup, Mandi called me though so I’m here.”

Cranky Pants hummed and hawed and said, “well, ok, but…”

She buzzed me in.

Mandi was the furthest room from the entrance so the cranky nurse scurried past me saying, in a rather condescending tone, “I’m going to make sure you’re allowed.”

I respectfully stopped outside the door, but I overheard a nurse say, “yup, you’re at 7cm” so I waltzed my ass by Ms. Cranky Pants to Mandi’s side.

She was lying on her left side with Kevin sitting in front of her so I crawled onto the bed beside her and started rubbing her hip and bottom. Mand was tense and her hips were raised off the bed when I arrived, but she instantly responded to my touch and lowered her hips into the bed.

I was afraid of asking her to relax because the last time she laboured she sang that ridiculous “relax, don’t do it” song in her head – not very relaxing. So instead I used words like “loosen” and “release”. It worked like a charm.

I arrived at the birth suite a 2345 and Mandi was already 9cm dilated when the doctor arrived five minutes later at 2350.  The doc said she would be at 10cm with one more contraction. At 2400 Mandi was ready to push, but the pediatrician hadn’t arrived so she was asked to resist the urge. She didn’t even need to pant to refrain from pushing – she just relaxed.

Three more contractions came before the pediatrician arrived at 2410 so Mandi flipped onto her back, ready to push. She had to wait for another contraction to come and even said, “of course none comes now that I it to!” Mand’s legs were shaking uncontrollably as we waited and she kept apologizing for it. Her doc laughed telling her there was nothing she could do about it. The nurse needed to be on Manid’s right so I jumped over and joined Kev on her left.

While we waited for the next contraction the Mandi’s doctor asked the pediatrician if she could bring the baby to Mandi’s chest. The pediatrician said that would be fine and she would take him away if she needed to. She said he could stay with Mandi for a few minutes, but that she would need to take him to the warmer to check him out thoroughly and, obviously, she would take him immediately if things weren’t looking good.

When the next contraction did come she pushed and pushed. She had her head back so I touched her chest and she pulled her chin up. She didn’t want to hold her legs like she did last time, but put her hands under her buttocks, as her hips were the most painful. 

I saw Zeus’ head coming and was all choked up when I told Mandi that I could see him and he was coming!!

Little Zeus was born at 0015 after one giant push.

He came out kicking and screaming and angry so he was brought immediately to Mandi’s chest. Mandi got to have him skin-to-skin for five minutes, which was awesome!! The little man’s apgar’s were 9 and 9. I got to cut the cord again as it grossed Kevin out. The boy needed no suctioning, no oxygen, and no extra attention. The pediatrician checked him out and said that he was perfect! And big! He weighed 5lb and 7oz!!

My tears were freely flowing, as you can imagine, and my heart was bursting with joy. I couldn't even talk because every time I tried I would just squeak/choke out something incomprehensible. I was so proud of Mandi and so relieved that the baby was so healthy. And my adrenaline was pumping because of the whole experience. 

Kevin went with little Zeus to the nursery and I stayed with Mandi. We were told we could join the little one after an hour or two – they wanted to make sure Mandi was doing well. She had the tiniest of tears, but she was just fine. We sat in bed together and I showed her some of the pictures I snapped before they took the boy away. We hand expressed 3ml of colostrum because a nurse came saying he was a hungry little fella and then we went to join the boys at 0100.

They put the little one on her chest again when we got to the nursery. They put him upright high on her chest and he grabbed on, pulled himself down and over to her nipple and then proceeded to latched himself – completely unassisted! It was one of the coolest things ever! I know it happens often and it’s a natural instinct for babies, but he was six weeks early!! Amazing.

Kevin and Mandi settled on the name Kaden John for the little boy. A good strong name for a tough little guy.

Kaden's Birth Story: Pre-Delivery

Birth is, without question, the single most amazing thing I have ever witnessed. I may even be so bold as to claim it as the single most amazing event one can be a part of. It is impossible to be present for such a miracle and to not see the hand of God, our Creator, at work.

It has been over a month and I am just getting to writing about Kaden John’s birth. Notes scrawled in my journal will be my lifesaver in recounting the events because those few days seem like a vague and distant memory. Parts of it, at least. Some of it is etched so vividly in my mind that nothing could erase it.

Kaden’s story begins in the wee hours of January 10, 2012. My annoying phone rang in the middle of the night and Erik fumbled around to find it in the bed. He checked the number and it was Mandi so I quickly answered it (it only rings a few times before the answering machine picks up).

It was Kevin’s voice on the other end of the line. “Mandi’s water just broke.”

That was all I needed to hear because at 33weeks and 5 days your water isn’t supposed to break!

“I’ll be there in a minute.”

I jumped out of bed, grabbed my camera, stuffed a couple things into an overnight bag, remembered my toothbrush, checked the clock to see that it was 0300, and was in the car and on my way within 60 seconds.

I caught every green light and was in Winfield within 15 minutes without speeding – a drive that usually takes 25 minutes. I called Kevin while I was on my way (illegal, I know) and we decided that they would wait for me to meet up at their house so I could jump in the car with them in case anything happened en route. Sawyer was born within 75 minutes of Mandi’s first contration, in case you don't remember, so who knew what Mandi would be capable of the second time around?

I arrived at Kevin and Mandi’s and we hustled into their car. Sawyer was very awake and very sweet on the drive to Vernon. She held my hand the entire way. We made it to Vernon Jubilee by 0340 and Sawyer’s Oma and Opa met us there and took her home with them as we headed up to the maternity floor. 

In the triage room they confirmed that Mandi’s membranes had, in fact, ruptured (it had woken her from her sleep and gushed so this was more of a formality) and her doctor came in to examine her. Mandi’s cervix was thankfully not dilating yet and she wasn’t having any contractions. The nurses kept Mandi on the monitor for about 30 minutes tracing the baby’s heart rate and movement and everything looked great.

Next came the decision of whether or not to allow Mandi to deliver at VHJ. Their nursery is equipped for babies born at 34+ weeks so there was the possibility of being transferred to Kelowna or Kamloops as they will take babies as early as 32 weeks (everyone else goes to Vancouver). According to her ultrasound Mandi was 33+6 and according to dates she was 33+4 – not quite far enough along. The staff had to discuss whether they felt they could care for little Zeus (Kaden’s in utero name) or not. We were thrilled when we were told Mandi would get to deliver at VJH!

By 0600 we were settled into Labour Room 6 and Mandi was on bedrest and receiving her first round of antibiotics. She also received a steroid to help mature Zeus’ lungs. They were hoping to get two doses of this steroid, scheduled 24 hours apart, into Mandi. The steroids are most effective if you can keep the baby in for at least 48hours so we were hoping for at least that.

Sometime in the morning an obstetrician came in to do an ultrasound. He confirmed that the baby was head down and he reaffirmed that they were comfortable delivering Zeus at VJH and that Mandi’s doctor would still be able to do the delivery if all went well.

At 1300 they did another tracing and the strip showed some regular uterine activity – small uterine tightenings every six minutes. Mandi couldn’t even feel them so they weren’t concerned. They said they were going to do tracings only once a day because they can irritate the uterus and encourage labour along. Obviously they would do more if Mandi’s condition/labour indicated a need for it, but they were hoping to stimulate her uterus as little as possible.

At 1400 Mandi and Kevin went for an ultrasound. The technician estimated the baby to be around 5lb 11oz which is awesome for 33+/- weeks. The ultrasound showed a normal amount of amniotic fluid, a long cervix, and a bigger than expected baby – all good things!

Erik came to visit in the evening bringing pizza for all of us and extra clothes for me. And then he went home at around 2130 and I headed off to sleep at Kevin’s parent’s house, about 5 minutes from the hospital.

At 0407 on January 11, 2012, I received a text saying “been having some contractions but nothing regular. I haven’t bothered to wake up Kev yet so feel free to keep sleeping as well.”

Knowing I wouldn’t sleep, I got up and showered then made my way to the hospital at 0435. Kevin and Mandi were dozing so I headed to the bathroom (which was giant and wonderful) to do a little bit of emailing and reading. At 0500 Mandi asked if we could rub her back and hips – her only contraction of needing attention from either of us.

Mandi received her second dose of the steroid that would help mature the babies lungs and she continued having mild contractions about 10-15 minutes apart, but they didn’t require much of Mandi’s attention. She just dozed on and off.

The tracing strip on the morning of January 11 showed some decelerations to the baby’s heart rate after contractions, which meant there may have been a bit of a kink in the baby’s umbilical cord. His heart rate would pick up quickly afterwards so there was really no cause for alarm. Zeus was still being active between contractions so things were still looking good.

Wednesday proved to be a rather uneventful day. We lazed around the hospital, watched a little TV, I washed Mandi’s hair and Sawyer came for a little visit.

The doctors were talking about inducing Mandi at the 48-hour mark. They wanted to leave her until then because they wanted the steroids to be most effective, but they didn’t want to put the baby at a greater risk of infection due to the prolonged ruptured membranes.

I decided we should all turn in early so I went to Kevin’s parent’s house around 2000. I didn’t actually go to sleep until 2230, but I really wanted Kevin and Mandi to go to sleep so I left the hospital.

a friendly face

It's always exciting to see a friendly face. I was at one of the local quilting stores and happened upon this:

The glare makes it a bit difficult to see, but you are looking at this pattern, created by this friend of mine, and found nestled by Amy Butler's lovely fabric here in Kelowna.

It's funny, but I couldn't help feeling proud of Kim. Is that strange or a just a normal response? I had the pattern in hand and was two feet away from three other customers when I realized I was about to brag about knowing the woman in the picture. I stopped long enough to play the conversation out in my head and realize it was ridiculous.
Me: "Hello there. See this lady here? Well, she's my friend and she created this pattern. Isn't that amazing?"
Other Customers: "yeah?"
Me: "Yup."
Awkwardly is the only way that conversation could have ended.

Kim, I am proud of you and it was nice to see you today.

Music Monday

Good day. Today I have an interesting treat for you. Its actually a commercial but I really enjoy it. Specifically its for a pair of headphones that are supposed to be amazing for only $150 which isn't that bad considering other pairs which are endorsed by Dr. Dre sell for double that. I can say that I will never own a pair of these headphones but I will enjoy their advertisement. Another interesting thing to note about this advertisement is that it is completely youtube based. They are advertising for their own product but a higher viewership is going to earn them mo' money in the future so why not produce adds that are mostly unobtrusive and interesting. Why not?

I believe that the song in this was created by a studio that works to produce music for people who need it and not by a specific artist. The dancer's name is Marquese Scott and he has a lot of videos of himself dancing to some pretty cool dubstep songs and remixes which has earned him the name Marquese "Nonstop" Scott. Pretty cool what he's able to do with his body, I also like that he keeps his eyes pretty much lifeless through the whole song, like its just the music that is driving his body to dance. Pretty cool.

Now that I've written the words "dubstep" I have to admit that I've been getting into it recently but I'm just on the very surface. I only really know artists that any teenage Mtv viewer would think is cool; Skrillex, Deadmau5 and other knuckleheads I don't really want to support. I intend to find some interesting dubsteppers and shall report back my findings to you Mondains.



Until next time, keep your beets fresh and your turnip tables rollin'

EDO

the latest little sister dress

This particular dress was actually completed a while ago, but I haven't gotten around to posting about it until now. It isn't exactly complete -- it's nearly complete.

I am notorious for almost finishing things. I have about ten different items around here needing finishing. Everything I have knit since the summer (aside from the Christmas presents) is sitting in a basket by my couch waiting to be finished. The projects are either waiting for buttons or weaving in. Or seaming in some instances. I get to being 95% done and then I jump onto the next project. Or I go into a knitting lull. Or I can't find the right buttons. Or I get busy. Or something comes up.

You may remember this dress from here - I knit one for my little niece, Hailey Jade. You can find the original pattern at this website, in case you're interested. Tora Froseth, like Elizabeth Zimmerman, is brilliant.

I have another dress already cast on -- using the same yarn, in fact. Actually, I have started and taken apart the dress three times already. It doesn't seem to be working out the way I want it to. But that's another story, for another time. Back to focusing on this little gaffer.

Cute eh? This was my first attempt at variegated yarn and I think it's fabulous. The yarn is fabulous, variegated or not. It's called Madelintosh DK and I could go on forever and ever about how lovely it is. The best thing about it is that it's 100% superwash merino wool -- warm and machine washable!

Only one more knitting project to share with you. My nearly complete baby sophisticate. Coming soon!

Dr. Abdulai

I just browsed the posts I wrote about Ghana and I cannot believe I never wrote about Dr. Abdulai and the Shekhinah Clinic!! I don't have time to write about him now, but I wanted to share this press release with you.

US Embassy Ghana Awards 5th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Award

U.S. Embassy Ghana will present the 2012 Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for Peace and Social Justice to Dr. David Fuseini Abdulai in recognition of his unwavering commitment to the poorest and most vulnerable citizens of Tamale.

Since 2008, the U.S. Embassy has presented the Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for Peace and Social Justice to a Ghanaian citizen who best personifies the philosophy and actions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Dr. King, the 1964 Nobel Peace laureate, played a pivotal role in the African-American civil rights movements in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s.  The purpose of the award is to recognize a Ghanaian citizen, who, in the same spirit as Dr. King, is helping to build a culture of peacemaking, dialogue and conflict resolution while promoting respect for human rights and peace in the communities where he/she lives and works.

In 1989, Dr. Abdulai founded the Shekhinah Clinic in Gurugu in northern Tamale. The mission of the Shekhinah Clinic –funded entirely through donations and staffed by 27 volunteers – is to provide free medical treatment and other services to the poorest citizens of Tamale. In 1999, he established a second clinic in Wamale in southern Tamale. Presently, the two clinics serve an average of 120 people daily on a strictly first-come-first-served basis with the exception of emergency conditions.

In addition, Dr. Abdulai started the Meals-on-Wheels program to provide lunch to an average of 150 destitute and mentally ill people daily, covering a 65-kilometer radius. Since its inception on January 6, 1992, the Meals-on-Wheels program has not missed a day providing food to the most needy.  He also provides medical services and consultations to prisoners in the Tamale Central Prison and to those living in the Nkanchina leper colony. A skilled advocate, Dr. Abdulai has succeeded in leveraging partnerships or donations from a number of donors and organizations to provide the maximum benefit possible to those most in need.

source: http://ghana.usembassy.gov/pr-01182012.html 

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

Wishing you a work-free weekend! 

*** *** ***

Baby Surprise Jacket

I am forever indebted to Elizabeth Zimmerman for creating this lovely pattern. I truly adore this little sweater and I can't wait for little Olson babies to put it on (no, I'm not pregnant and have no plans of becoming pregnant in the near future). I hope it fits my Olson babies -- I hear they make 'em big.

Back to the pattern, my Baby Surprise Jacket. This pattern took quite a bit of trust as I wasn't sure where EZ was taking me. The sweater is knit in one giant piece and then it is assembled at the end.  Below you can see what the just-finished-knitting-and-has-yet-to-be-assembled piece. Doesn't look like much, eh?

It took a little flipping and flopping to figure out just what EZ wanted, but one simple fold rendered this. See where we're headed? I'm so glad I trusted Ms. Zimmerman.

And one last fold revealed this lovely little sweater. Gah! Isn't it sweet? I just need to stitch it up along the top of the arms.

And the back (in case you're interested). You can see where she (Lizzy) placed the increases and decreases that gave the sweater it's shape.

And with the buttons Erik helped me pick out. He's good at that. I hate picking out buttons -- I feel too much pressure because the buttons can completely change the look of a piece. I love these little guys Erik picked out though. They're a good size, a fun shape, and they bring out the orangy/reddish/pink yarn I used.

Now a closer look at the shaping involved in this little number. And you can also see the blend of colours as an added bonus.

I can understand why this pattern has stood the test of time and continues to be knit over and over and over again. I think Elizabeth came up with this pattern in 1968.

And that, my friends, is just a little peak at the Baby Surprise Jacket. I hope to make many more, but they will have to wait. I'm going to try a thicker yarn and try make the sweater a bit bigger... we'll see how that goes.

Coming soon: some more precious knitting... and possibly Kaden's birth story.

nostalgia

Nostalgia is getting the best of me, as it often does. Little encouragement is needed to 'take me back'. I find that it is rarely a particular time or event that occupies my thoughts when I'm feeling this way. In fact, my memory is quite poor when it comes to specifics. Inevitably there are those events I sometimes revisit -- family vacations, reunions, playing in the yard at home, road trips in the maxivan, that time such and such happened -- but even those memories are accompanied by a pervading sentiment.

It isn't the particulars I'm drawn back to... it's the moments, the impressions and the underlying ambiance.  You know? I think of how I felt sitting on my daddy's lap, or having my brothers teach me how to dive over the edge of the pool (ugh, a story for another time), or piling in the van for yet another road trip, or singing in the playroom, or playing farm in the yard, or learning to ride a bike, or having picnics in the yard, or having my nieces play with my hair, or performing dances in the playground for our families when we were camping, or just being part of a big and wonderful family.

I love to sit in those moments and let the feelings wash over me -- security, friendship, affection, liberation, joy, belonging, support, safety, peace, confidence, curiosity, hope.

You know?

I don't know when I started being such a sentimental person. I think I always was, but the longer you live the more you have to be sentimental about. And who cares? I love being sentimental. I love days that I feel nostalgic. I love sifting through memories of this wonderful life I am blessed with.

You know?

three

Here are my three favourite little people. Maybe I should call them three of my favourite little people. Not the best picture, I know, but it's all I could manage with two toddlers and a kicking newbie.

On Sunday Maelle called me Auntie Ashley for the first time. Completely unprompted (though she had never said it when prompted for me either). She had called a couple other ladies "auntie" first, but mine was the first name she strung together entirely on her own. Yes, I am proud. And I love her dearly.

Three little babies. Well, one little baby and two small children. Three of them. I still can't believe it.

Tomorrow I hope to muster the energy and motivation to write Kaden's birth story. It seems like such a daunting task, but I know it won't be too difficult once I get started. Here's hoping.

Music Monday

Hello Mondains. I just had a lovely weekend with some lively and fun friends. We went to Manning Park in British Columbia. Imagine nine twenty somethings in one cabin, our poor neighbors. If anyone who reads this was the neighbor to nine rowdies at Manning this weekend... we're not sorry, deal with it. We were in bed by 11pm every night.

Part of our commotion was due to the band M83. They have received a lot of recognition in the past year and for good reason. This song and video is a winner for sure and its even fun to dance to.

Here is M83 with "Midnight City"



All in all it's fun. I'm diggin' the sax-o-phone.

Until next time, don't let your children escape.

E

What's this?

Do you know what this is?

It doesn't look like much, but this, my friends, is a whole lot of loose ends that I need to weave in.

I am nearly done my Baby Surprise Jacket (BSJ). Nearly. I still have to weave in the aforementioned loose ends, I need to sew up two seams, and then I need to pick out buttons!

Know what that means? February's new knitting pattern is almost complete!! January's project still needs arms and buttons, but February's is almost complete!

I am tempted to cast on another BSJ immediately as I have thoroughly enjoyed knitting this one. There's only one thing I would do differently -- next time I will use a single colourway.  This particular project was crafted by alternating three different skeins which is why I have so much weaving in to do! I would do something more like the sweater in the link next time -- a single, self-striping skein.

I will take more/better photos when I am alive and functioning during daylight hours. I am starting the last of five night shifts so this week has been a bit of a write-off (though I have managed to knit up this sweater). I can't wait for you to see just how darling it is!