Accessable Clothes

I remember just after coming back from UK having a conversation with my Mom. I'd just invested in a few Elizabeth Lee Designs and was working on getting one to fit. She questioned why I would put so much time and effort into something that I'd wear for 'such a short time.' LOL! Well, I was able to wear what I made that time for most of a year (too bad I didn't keep them! They'd have been worn another 2 years since BB).. Don't many people purchase wardrobe pieces that don't last that long?

Now that I'm expecting #4, I have a new dilemma that I didn't have so acutely before (AJ weaned when I was about 3 months along with BB). I'm not sure how long BB will nurse! We took her off nights when we moved (which is why I'm expecting), and she certainly hasn't regularly nursed enough all day to make up for it. But, my maternity wardrobe isn't nursing friendly! I'm thinking that it'll be fun to use the ELD210 openings (hard to see, but they're closer to the sides than the bust points on this pattern) on some of the 70s maternity patterns (thanks Mom!) that I've got. I love the pleated bust that opens out over the belly. At 9 weeks, my bump has bumped! So, it's bye-bye fitted skirts (or any waistbands for a while!) and hello dresses, and -if I make the time- some under the bump skirts? I do have several maternity tops, just lacking in bottoms.

So, what's holding me back? The lack of a zipper. I cut out an ELD210 Wednesday night, and yesterday I sewed the front together.. And there it sits. Because I didn't check if I had another zipper! Perhaps, Ben won't mind if I leave him with the children this evening and run off to Hancock's.

Thinking Out Loud

I've been thinking baby carriers. I know I do this whenever I'm expecting a little one. I think of how best to carry. I like my ABC for long walks and mainly older babies. I like my ring slings - the solarveil is perfect for the summer and I can carry my 3 year old in it! I gave away my original sling to a friend in OK who needed an extra hand. This baby is due in January, so it'll be chilly. I was looking at tube slings - I haven't made one yet. Then, looking at pics of how people carry babies in them I thought of the Moebius strip idea. I often flipped a side of the ring sling to make it a tighter fit (one rail was sewn too close to the rings on the original sling I bought). Would it work though? The tube sling is generally folded in half, then worn as a sash with baby tucked in the fold.. Having the twist sewn in may defeat this. Perhaps I shall play with this idea in fabric?

the In-Laws are almost here, I best pretend to get ready!

Breastfeeding Link

Not that I'm militant or anything but.. Thanks Krista for posting this link:
Breastfeeding Article at NY Times

Some of us think it's about time the establishment let the ones who can but choose not to feel guilty. Those that truly never have milk come in will have more support eventually this way - and perhaps better access to real breastmilk. Those that say the milk came, but they never were able to keep up will hopefully be able to receive more info on all the simple ways to increase the supply (sleep a little, that's the first step!).

I guess I am a bit militant and just didn't realize it. After all, I'm nursing a 2 year old!

Update on the Soap Opera

The Dr had me go in for a scan. There was no visible build up of fluids and my uterus and ovaries looked fine. The spotting ceased in the afternoon. All looks well with the tiny person growing inside me.

The tech said that the measurement placed the baby at 7w2d, but said that the due date was still the same (I was at 8w2d, so I asked if that meant I was really due in Feb). So, we're looking at Jan 30 still. Dad's birthday is Jan 29.. Ben said that means that 55 years ago my grandparents had relations about the same day that we did this year.
He really knows how to sweet talk, huh?

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Soap Opera?

I apologize in advance to those who actually like to watch train wrecks in progress, but I don't like soap operas. And yet, that is precisely how I feel my life is going right now!

I'm 8w2d pregnant with #4. All was going fine until yesterday. BB and I were lying down on my bed and suddenly she flailed and kicked me in the belly. I could feel the impact on the uterus! I gave her a talking to and told her she wasn't allowed to kick me because she could hurt the baby. Then, I mentally noted that I would have to watch for any spotting. Well, last night there was an 'off' odor and this morning there's been mild spotting (sigh). I called the Dr. and left a voicemail. Waiting for a call back and taking it easy.

Mother’s Log: Stardate Saturday

When I emerged this morning from my peaceful slumber I was greeted with this:

Thankfully, the girls weren't fighting. What they were doing, though, was putting Nesquik in the glasses (yes, all 6 cups) and eating it. They had the milk out, but it didn't seem to have been as important once they had the Nesquik.

I've been feeling better. Not well at all times, mind you, but better. I no longer feel like I may be making an offering every time I pass the porcelain altar. Thank the Lord, it looks like it's not all from morning sickness! Hmm.. that sounds like a lunatic.. But, seriously, if I had that sort of illness to look forward to all trimester? I think I might go batty!! But, today, both girls showed signs of loose "movements" - I'm so happy!

We went for a drive today. Ben wouldn't tell us where we were going, so it was an adventure! We drove over to Morgan Hill and bought some cherries at an orchard. The children loved them!


Then we drove around by the lake and over to the Coyote (something something) hiking trail. We walked about a mile of it. It's a good thing I keep a stroller in the car, AJ was NOT up to the walk (probably from the illness now that I think of it) and rode from about 3/4 mile out and back. BB got to ride up on Ben's shoulders. She loves touching the leaves when she can reach them.

We also stopped at Home Depot on the way home. We picked up some pots and seeds and strawberry plants. The children and bugs are eating the strawberries too quickly from the measly one plant we have, so more were called for! Ben wanted kitchen herbs - there's a plant window in the kitchen, but it's been empty since it was put in, now it's got planted seeds. And, we planted an avacado in a pot to see if it will sprout.

I hope to feel better this coming week. It's been so bad that knitting makes me nauseous! I've knit one round on my sock all week.

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Dodging the Draft?

Dilemma of the day: I have this adorable maternity pattern that my mother gave me years ago. I would have made this pattern up so many times, but sadly the back piece is missing! Also, the neckband piece is missing, but I'm sure that would prove easier to draft as it's just tracing the seam of the front, then draw a complementary inner curve and add seam allowances.



The original back didn't have much shaping, but I've never drafted on my own and I would need to make the armscye curve to match the sleeve. Perhaps it's time to query Rowena? Here's the pattern piece page from the pattern:



The dress has a high back neckband.. So, the general idea (I hazard a guess) will be to measure the front piece (minus the excess fabric from the pleats) and wonder what the finished bust measurement ought to be (since they didn't actually print them on the pattern or envelope back then), and then just trace the shoulder edge and side seam and curve the hem slightly as shown and draw a back armscye that looks similar to the one in the picture and will fit well between the shoulder and side seams! Whew! I think it may prove to be more work to type out than to actually make. I feel better just posting about this!

Aha! There is a finished width at lower edge (74.25"), so that will help me! And, I know the finished back length.. That may help somewhat.

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Serger Practice

On Thursday, I pulled out my serger that my dear husband gave me for my birthday almost 2 years ago. I dusted it off and asked it to forgive me for being so negligent of it in the last year, pulled out the codebook and followed the threading directions. I even used scraps and checked the look of the stitches and used the foreign codes in the book to diagnose and cure the ails of the tension.



The serger forgave me. Most of the seams came out great. I stretched the sleeves out a bit with the coverhem, but figured out my mistake and hemmed the nursing access brilliantly. The center back seam can use some help, but I'll see if washing/drying will fix that first. Overall, I'm quite pleased with this performance and hope to dye it into usefullness at some point. Perhaps for now it can be retained as a nightgown or house dress. Neck and skirt hem are all that need to be finished to make it 'wearable.' I just have to decide how exactly to do the neck and take the time to hem it! (Hems often get left for weeks around my sewing room)

New Dress

Jaywalker Toes

We decided to go for a walk to the store. Since I can walk and chew gum at the same time, I thought I might as well take along my knitting (and leave the gum for later). My toe-up Jaywalker started the morning like this:



We walked to the local Chinese restaurant and had lunch. Then, across the parking lot to the bank. Ben wanted to go into the game store, so I found a handy bench and sat down and he went on in. When we got home my sock looked more like this:

The Blehs Have It

Oh Boy! Did I ever have morning sickness this morning. Can you imagine? Morning sickness in the *morning*?

Maybe I'll just have morning sickness with every other pregnancy. Wouldn't that be lovely? I didn't have any with #1 (boy), I had horrible awful every day sick to my stomach and runs with #2 (girl), and just the occasional feeling off like I had gone too long without eating with #3 (girl). Welcome to #4.. this has come on with a bang!

I was looking at some of those pregnancy sites last night (which perhaps led to the unbelievable ail this morning). I'm actually in week 6, not 5. I forgot that LMP = 1 week; they don't say LMP, then 1, 2, etc... So, today I'm 6w3d, and the ill got me going like crazy on a relative! Due date is currently Jan 30, subject to change (subject to scans). My Dr will be out of town the last 2 weeks of June and apparently is booked the first week of July, so my appt isn't until July 13. I get a scan and my first Dr's appt all in one day.

The only thing I feel like eating is vegetable soup or something brothy, and I think I'm out. I guess I could check.. I want some salt (I've got that after sick nasty head feeling), so I'm baking some fries in the oven. I'm hoping that'll put me in the mood to drink more fluids. I usually can with food. I read that nursing while pregnant should be treated like a twin pregnancy in the amount of food and fluids consumed, so that means I gotta pick up the pace!