Before I go any farther I have to tell you something, beware it's kind of gross, but I know that any of you that have ever had a baby can completely understand. It's something that I had forgotten about with Marley, and I think it's better that way. Well here it is, I've turned into a huge dirtball. I went to bed last night in a t-shirt that I know had at least 2 spots of spit up on it, a little leaked through breast milk, and completely forgot about the fact that my bed had two places where Abe had squirted a little pee during a diaper change, and one spot that had a little bit of explosive poo on it (it wasn't still wet, if that makes any difference). I have to tell you that I do regularly wash my sheets and I am even pretty anal about it, they get washed every third day, but I guess this is just how it goes these days. But don't worry the sheets are in the wash right now, and I have already taken a shower.
Back to where I wanted to go with this... My Gimme Your Stuff Swap partner got her package, and from what I hear she was very happy with what I sent to her. I did get a picture before I sent the package out so here is what she received....Two skeins Classic Elite Silky Alpaca, one skein of soy silk lace yarn (the yellow and pink stuff), one skein of kool-aid dyed yarn (dyed by Marley and I), some kids toys, a couple bars of chocolate, jelly bellys, tea, handmade soap, a journal, flowered coffee mug, and some bags from a few local shops. I was amazed how quickly it reached her in Portugal, I sent it on Thursday and she got it on Monday. I am very excited to see what she has picked out for me!
My other swap, The Great Bootie Swap, has actually had some progress made on it. Booties are the perfect thing to knit while nursing, as long as I am not using double pointed needles. I have one pair completely finished, one pair that needs to be seamed, and one pair that will be off of the needles with only about 15 more minutes of knitting, then only one more pair to do. I am stumped for what to do for this last pair because I forgot to pay attention to all of the requests of my swap partners. The last pair will be for someone expecting a grandchild, but doesn't want anything yellow or orange (I've knit one yellow pair, one orange pair, and one pair with both colors in it). So we'll see what I can come up with. Here is one of my finished pairs, the Oscar Bootie.
Oh, oh, oh! Abe has gotten himself into some great kind of routine during the day! It involves two long naps that allow Marley and I to spend sometime as just the two of us. Yesterday I even got some stuff done around the house. He then has a couple of long periods where he is awake and playful in a 2 week old kind of way.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Swap Update
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Still Alive in Babyland
When Marley was born we were living with Declan's parents, and I feel like we must have missed out on some of this new baby insanity. Suzanne took care of cooking, cleaning, I think maybe she even did some of our laundry, needless to say there wasn't much more than keeping Marley alive and happy that had to be done on our end. Completely different situation now... I keep thinking "were we crazy for doing this again!?" then I realize that little man isn't even two weeks old, he has no set schedule, he cries/poops/sleeps/eats and because he is so little there isn't even the slightest return of a smile yet. But again I am learning to keep my sanity by remembering that we are just at the beginning and man is he cute and a really good baby. Also that other kid of ours, that one that I hope doesn't feel neglected, oh... Marley, that's her name, has been doing more than an amazing job being a big sister. She throws away dirty diapers, preforms for us while I nurse Abe, helps fold laundry, and just does an all around awesome job.
Declan came home last night and told me something that one of the teachers at work told him about parenting. She had asked Declan how things were going, and told him how she missed where we are at right now. She told him that now that she is older she looks back to the years she spent raising little babies/kids as the best years of her life, and that she wished she realized that while she was in the middle of it. I started thinking about that, and I realized that she's onto something. Waking up at 1am and 5am sucks, but never again will I have as much energy as I do right now. I could even say that it feels almost invigorating in a way. And there is something amazing about how such a little thing can completely throw your life/priorities for a loop, and there is also nothing sweeter than seeing Marley sitting next to him on the ground "holding his hand" while they watch a scary part of a movie.
At some point I will take pictures and show you the fruits of my Mother's Day, a beautiful lamp from Declan and Marley, and a trip to knitorious. I picked up some Elsabeth Lasvold Hempathy for this top in the summer Interweave Knits, and also some dyeabolical yarn in Avocado which I have started the pomatomus socks. Pictures another day, baby needs to eat....
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Abraham Elliott Gardner
So... he is here! Our wonderful, perfect, little boy met us May 3rd at 10:09am!
Here's how it all went...
4:30am Declan gets in bed after working all night long. I immediately get up because I kind of feel like I need to go to the bathroom. Once in there it seemed like something other than the regular peeing happens. Declan describes the sound as a water being poured into the toilet, not peeing. I have a feeling that this might be my water breaking but I am not sure. It wasn't the "big gush" that people talk about, it was just a little bit that continued to come out a little bit here and there. After calling Mom, Dad, Declan's parents and the doctor we decided to head to the hospital.
6:00am We get to the hospital and I am checked and I am still only at 3cm. They start the pitocin about half an hour later. My contractions weren't anything more than mild braxton hicks contractions at first, so they needed to get things moving.
7:30am They keep upping the pitocin, and the hopes of any sleep for Declan and I are soon crushed as the pains really begin to set in. Contractions are now ever three minutes or so and I am dilated to 6cm.
8:00am Declan goes to the cafeteria to get breakfast while I give in and get an epidural. I had wanted to try to go as long as possible without, but I was at my breaking point. I tried the birthing ball, counter pressure, breathing techniques, but nothing was helping. I was also to the point of almost vomiting from the pain. The nurses claim once the epidural kicks in I will feel a lot better, still able to feel pressure, but not the sharp pains.
9:20am Definite pressure! Lots and lots of pressure, and pain, and uncontrollable shaking. I buzz the nurses to tell them that there is something down there wanting to come out. They check me and I am at 9 almost 10cm. The doctor is called and is on his way.

Wednesday, April 30, 2008
This past Sunday I was able to spend sometime knitting at Knitty Couture and while there Thi told me about their next KAL for May, the Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman. I had cast on a couple of times for this and had no luck, I imagine it had something to do with the yarn being way toooo thick for the needles I was using, but oh well. So while there I picked up some Creatively Dyed Sock Yarn in a really pretty natural, goldish, yellow color. I figured I would need to get a head start on the KAL since BBG (Baby Boy Gardner) will be here hopefully next week. Well I got a huge head start... I finished it! I am so in love with it too. Everything about the pattern and yarn is perfect. The yarn is an incredibly soft merino sock yarn and the pattern, well the pattern is almost inspiring. Everyone has been telling me to relax and take it easy since BBG is almost here, I have even been told not to come into work anymore, so I really didn't feel bad spending Sunday night and most of Monday knitting away at it. I suggest reading
The Opinionated Knitter while knitting the BSJ if you have a chance. Obviously you don't have to do it at the same time, but I feel like it really made the EZ experience.
Friday, April 25, 2008
progress, prefolds, and poop (the baby kind)
After a promising progress report from the doctor (I am now at 3cm and 70% effaced), I am beginning to wonder if this won't be the last quiet weekend, or at least the last weekend where it will just be the three of us. After all of this talk of inducing early and being so impatient for him to come, I am really going to try and enjoy our ever shrinking time as just Marley, Dec and I. We've worked ourselves into such a great routine, we know each other's habits, and we all get along well, which makes it difficult to imagine throwing another kiddo in the mix. I've begun to fantasize about the new routine we will soon begin, but my daydreaming is sure to offer none of the reality that will soon be here. But I suppose all of this is half of the excitement.I have to tell you that I am enjoying seeing the results of the Baby Name Poll change almost daily, but kiddo is still unnamed.
In knitting news, I am almost finished with my stash of soakers. I have been using the curlypurly pattern and just experimenting with yarn choice. I am trying to use up so
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Well things are unfortunatley moving slower in baby land than I expected/hoped, espicially after my little scare at the beginning of this week. I was hoping that would have yeilded some progress, but no. I am still where I was last week, 1 cm and 50% effaced. I understand this is normal, but I would love to be an exception. Besides that crappy news, baby is doing great... lots of movement, great heartbeat, etc. My sleep deprived body is seriously stressed out and I have actually begun losing weight (3lbs. in a week!), which is normal but strange considering with Marley I was packing on the pounds until the day she came out. I did find out that next week we can talk about "how long I want to stay pregnant". Umm, doctor I'm now considered full term, I'm ready now. She mentioned inducing if we are at all interested, which was not an option with Marley, or atleast no brought up as an option, so I am very much on the fence. I figure I've tried it the non induced way, why not give it a shot being induced. You figure one girl, one boy, why not one of each birthing method? But if we were to induce the earliest they would let me do it would be April 29th. I have had a lot of requests for next week, so maybe I can defy my doctor saying "I'm sure I will see you next week" and make that happen. Oh and Declan has begun to refer to my moving around as the same thing as a bumble bee flying "seemingly impossible when it comes to laws of physics". Thanks honey.
But because the universe can't be that cruel (A note before I go any farther... I understand there are women that go 2 weeks plus beyond their due date, I understand that I am still not 40 weeks, but don't go rolling your eyes when I bitch and moan. I am just as miserable as any other woman who is this pregnant. Besides, I have not at all tried to soak up sympathy, besides complaining on my blog and to family, until now. I want the doctor to feel bad for me, and I will begin to force tears in hopes of the universe seeing and making this baby come now! Seriously, I almost mowed the grass today, because I felt bad that Declan has no time to do it, and I apparently have all the time in the world) Okay, back to where I was... Because the universe can't always be that cruel... we came home today to find a package waiting on the back porch. It was from a friend of mine from highschool, and in it was a cloth diaper starter kit! How awesome is that!? There were 8 newborn diapers, some diaper covers, cloth wipes, one of those spiky balls to make drying time go faster, and a little gift for Marley- some headbands. They are all from Cotton Babies in South County, who also offers a program where you can bring back the small diapers towards a purchase of larger ones, great idea.
I also finished my second pair of booties for the Baby Bootie Swap! That's a good thing. Tommorow Marley and I will go out looking for a few more goodies for the Gimme Your Stuff Swap and hopefully I will have started and finished pair 3 for the Baby Bootie Swap. If this baby is coming, sooner or later, I figure I better get things like this out of the way. And I promised myself I would put up pictures or maybe even a link or two to Cotton Babies and bootie patterns, but for some reason Yahoo won't load and I can't figure out how to add another tab or doing anything interesting on Mozilla.
