What have I become?

All I ever do anymore is visit the doctor. Seriously. I had four Doctor's appointments last week and I have three this week and three next week.
Before last September I went to the Gyno once a year and that was about all I had time or inclination for. Now it seems like I have to spend every waking moment in an office, filling out paperwork and getting poked or prodded.
Now, don't get me wrong, it's not all that bad. I feel comfortable with all of the physicians I've been seeing. They are all kind, sympathetic, helpful folk. I'm just sick of spending all my time in their offices.
I go to the Chiropractor once a week now, and I truly look forward to that. Dr. Johnson has helped me immensely with every stupid little twist and twinge that pregnancy has thrown my way. I always feel better after an adjustment, and I like that he offers homeopathic alternatives and Chinese herbs. I've been seeing an opthamologist for the eye problems (still there, getting better slowly) and I went to the ear, nose and throat gal last week too. I'm going to the OB on Friday.
I guess the thing that really irks me right now is that I cannot drive anywhere. I'm still not up to snuff with the whole vision thing, so my poor mother and poor husband have been carting me all over the metro area to various appointments. I know they don't mind, and I thank them profusely every time I get in the car with either of them, but I am beginning to feel as if my illnesses, injuries and state of pregnancy are starting to infringe on their personal enjoyment of life. I'm sure that chauffeuring a blind, cranky, stuffy-nosed, hugely pregnant woman around St. Louis was not really on either of their "top-ten ways to spend an afternoon" lists. Not to mention the whole picking up of prescriptions and side trips to the health food store for homeopathic eye drops, which somehow end up rounding out the day.
I feel like I spend all my time in and out of medical buildings and I don't have any time to do anything even halfway fun. Not that I could afford it, I'm so broke from taking off work. I spent every cent I made last week on co-pays and drugs.
Okay. Enough. The pity party is over. No more venting. I will be fine.

I'm still alive...

... but just barely.
We lost in Chicago, 74-11. Their blockers were amazing, the floor was atrociously slick,, our girls were tough and skated their hearts out. We'll get 'em next time. The rest of the weekend in Chicago with my sister was wonderful. I went out to eat, played with the pug and read a novel. Bliss.
I no longer have the pink eye. I have, however, managed to scratch my cornea. I still cannot see and tear up at any light stronger than ultra dim. My Opthamologist is really nice and helpful, but with the whole pregnant thing, he won't give me any antibiotics stronger than erythromycin or any painkillers at all. It hurts like, well, like a sharp stick to the eye. I feel really dumb and gross and look like something that should be hiding in a cave, crouched over and muttering about a "precious."
Alas, I have not been knitting. I missed knit night this week, but I plan to return next week. I have to order some more Noro for Lizard Ridge.
I left the house today, Matt and Zach and I went to see Adam (brother-in-law the youngest) in The Lion in Winter at the Kirkwood Theatre Guild. He was great, very regal, very loud. We were proud of him. It was one of the first out-of-the-house adventures for me in a long time. I rarely get out, what with the whole sensitivity to light thing.
Mostly I sleep. In fact, I think I'll get some sleep right now.

Knitting content only

To avoid jinxing the league, I will refrain from discussing my hopes and fears for our upcoming bout in Chicago.
To avoid grossing you out, gentle reader, I will avoid mentioning my continuing battle with eye disorders.
Because I am constantly being kicked from within, you all will understand that the sprout is healthy and growing.

On to knitting progress.

This is block #3 of Lizard Ridge in its finished glory. I started it at Knit Night at Knitorious. I had a great time, met some nice folks and plan on going back next week. Shanghai Lily and Gypsi Curse came with me, and maybe we can get Strawberry Shortkick to join us next week. If we can, I think we'll have all the knitters in the league with us. Rachel's head may explode.


Here is Lizard Ridge block #4, just started last night. This is the final ball of Kureyon I have in my possession. I may look for some other colors while I am in Chicago. There are two yarn stores I'd like to check out, but I'm reluctant to venture into uncharted territory, since I will be running the risk of encountering strange and beautiful new yarns that will want me to buy them and take them home with me. I am on a strict budget for this trip, and I really do not want to risk it.


Just for kicks and giggles, here are three small, plain hats all knit from one skein of Kara soysilk. I bought this yarn to make a new hat for Sweet V, but ended up with enough for V, her new cousin C and a tiny one for the sprout! What a good deal. Hats will be handed out soon to V and C.

Now back to the regularly scheduled laundry change outs and baggage packing routine.

Lost my last post.

It seems that blogger flushed the post I spent all afternoon working on. Sigh. Here's a couple photos to hold you over until I can dedicate another hour to setting up an interesting and informative post with lots of name dropping and links.

Come check out the Arch Rival Rollergirls travel team as they battle the Windy City Rollers at the Stadium, 1909 S. Laramie in Cicero Illinois on Saturday January 20th. Hopefully I'll be able to post from Chicago with all the derby info after the bout! Wish us luck as we take on the League responsible for our existence! If we can beat these ladies, we can conquer the world!

Here's my godson #2 wearing a hat that I made for him. He's cute.

Here is Lizard Ridge block #3, color 182. I was worried I would get bored with this project. Seriously, I plan on knitting twenty-five of the same pieces. Twenty-five! Talk about monotony. Fortunately, the amazing color changes in a single ball of Noro Kureyon are enough to keep me going. Still, just in case, I am planning on starting a sock tonight and finishing Penny the peanut's sweater on the plane on Saturday. If the sweater goes over well, I may write up the pattern and post it here. If.

Two down, twenty-three to go!

I've made some progress on Lizard Ridge. Here we have my first two rectangles. I'm stubborn and picky, so I decided to make some slight alterations to the pattern. Instead of 24 squares, each 3 repeats, I'm doing 25 rectangles, 5 repeats each. I also decided that I'm just going to stick with the very bright colors of Kureyon.
I have used #40


and #159


Now all I need is more money to buy more yarn. I've been too sick and gross with the pinkeye to work, so I'm broke. Also I don't want to inflict myself on the knitters of St. Louis, so I sat at home last Wednesday iunstead of going to Knit Night at Knitorious. Sigh. I'm trying to get better so I can go this week, but If I'm still gross and contagious I'm staying at home.

Why me?

So it is official, I have pinkeye. It is itchy and gross. I'm a bit perplexed as to where it came from, no one I know has been infected recently, and I haven't been around any small children in a while. This just may be the way the winter cold that is going around has decided to manifest itself in me. If that's the case I'll just deal with it. I guess it could be worse, I could have the cough and sinus stuff that everyone else seems to have. My doctor recommend a boric acid wash and that seems to be helping. The itching goes down when I rinse, but I am still contagious. I am trying to get someone to work for me tonight. Okay, enough nasty health stuff. On to the good news.

I saw my obstetrician today, everything is fine with the sprout. Sprout has a strong heartbeat, is very active and kicked for the doctor, which is more than s/he will do for Daddy. Poor Matt, whenever he tries to feel the baby kick, sprout freezes and refuses to move until Matt takes his and away. It's almost comical. I'm sticking with the whole "You have such a calming effect on the baby!" line. I'm trying to be patient with this kid, but I'm sure it's even more frustrating for Matt. Oh well. What can you do?

Now for knitting content.

Here is my first Lizard Ridge square, rectangle, whatever. I'm using Kureyon color #40 for this one. I have fondled Noro yarns in the store before, I've even considered making a cardigan from one of their pattern books, but this is the first time I'm actually knitting with this yarn. I totally understand why everyone is so in love with it. The colors are amazing, the yarn is soft but not delicate feeling, and I think I actually knit faster because I am so excited to see which color is coming next.



The pattern calls for you to switch back and forth from the outside of the ball to the inside, which helps create those awesome color changes. I can't wait to see how this ends up, I'm pretty sure that each square is going to be a surprise.

As promised, photos galore!

Okay, lets get back on track, shall we? First , let's do Christmas.
It was a great year yarnwise for me. I got cash and gift certificates to Knitorious, my LYS. Take a look. Let's start with this Noro Kureyon. I bought three skiens for my beginning of Lizard Ridge, which I have been wanting to make for the sprout since I first saw it. I plan to get a skein or two at a time, and have the blanket finished before sprout's arrival. Let's see how that works out. I may be setting myself up for a crash and burn, but oh well. If I don't finish it before the sprout gets here I'll have something to work on during all those sleepless nights I'll be having.

Here is a skein of trekking xxl color 109. I'm calling it smoky heather, since trekking only numbers their colors. It is much more purply-grey than it looks on my monitor. This yarn is intended for socks for Mom. She picked it out, I just have to choose a pattern. I am open to suggestions. I was thinking something along the lines of Broadripple or the ubiqutious Jaywalkers. You know. Lacy, but not too lacy. She plans to wear them with her clogs and jeans. I love that my mom is planning an outfit around the potential of hand knit socks. I love that she is as excited about having hand knit socks as I am about making them. Mom, you are the kind of person a knitter loves to have around. I promise to make your socks by your birthday. (That gives me about five months, which I think is a fair goal, considering that in three months I'll be all busy with the whole breastfeeding routine.)

Here are two skiens of sock yarn, the blue colorway is Cherry Tree Hill's "Green Mountain Madness," the purple colorway is Bearfoot Mountain Colors (my favorite sock yarn) in "Wildflower." These are seen here posing with two of my other Christmas presents. I'm loving "I like you: Hospitality under the influence" by Amy Sedaris. I've been itching to try some of the recipes in this book, "Lemon Chess Tarts" in particular. The teapot belonged to my great grandmother. Aunt Darlene gave me the teapot, along with the family highchair for Christmas. I do not have a photo of the highchair. My mom is refinishing it. I am very excited about having this highchair. My Grandfather built the highchair before my Uncle Marty was born. By the time the sprout uses it, it will be seventy years old and have held, at least 17 children in the family, and countless others who stopped in for a bite. The teapot is considerably older, it sat on my great grandmother's kitchen table for as long as anyone can remember. I am lucky to have it. It will sit on my kitchen table now.

Here's my haul of knitting books from Christmas. I have been on a hat kick as of late, and quite a few friends and family members got either a hat or gloves or a set of hat and gloves from me. I am thrilled with the "Folk Hats" book and I actually plan to make the crazy Samurai Kabuto as soon as I can get Mattie to agree to wear it. When asked, he said "Um, oh wow. I'd wear it at some point." The itty-bitty hats book is chock full of cute baby hats, most of which I will be making asap. I figure between the sprout and all the other babies I know, there will be no cold heads in St. Louis next winter.
The Domiknitrix book was from the Ingley clan. Alan has asked for the mohawk hat already and there is a beautiful "Mod Coat" that I am really wanting to make, but I am balking at the prospect of shelling out the cash for 35 skeins of bulky weight merino yarn. I mean, it's the middle of January already and by the time I finished a merino coat, it would probably be August. I'm being realistic. Please understand that I still may make this coat. I did vow to refuse to go on a yarn diet in a public forum not too long ago.

Here's the sprout's haul from Christmas.
A super soft blanket from Grandma and Grandpa Thenhaus; the much coveted sushi outfit from Psychobaby, courtsey of Princess Anne; The Night Before Christmas with classic illustrations from Aunt Patti; finger puppets form Nonna and Buck; and a stuffed dog from the Hel-Kat. Not too shabby for someone who hasn't even been born yet. I can't even begin to imagine what kind of haul this kid is going to get once it is born. I realize that I am in for one spoiled child.

This is Penny the peanut, or, the dog formerly known as Dolly.
She is the same pug seen on the blog before, but now she is all plumped up. Annie is in love, and Miss Penny has managed to charm the entire family with her cuteness and snuggly tendencies. We were all sad to see her go when Annie took her back to Chicago. The reports I 've been getting state that she had become the ultimate city dog. I am working on a sweater for this city dog.
So that's all for now. Hope it can hold you over until I have more time.

I used to post every day.

Now I'm lucky if I get around to it once a week. I have about fifty photos on the camera waiting to upload. I did so much gift knitting I got dizzy from cables. Did everyone and their mother make Fetching for their loved ones this winter? I am on my way to the ARRG board elections meeting and the sprout is kicking me all the time. My ObGyn says I should be happy that the baby is so active, this way we know that s/he is healthy and thriving, but I am starting to resent the rhythm section in my abdomen.
I resolve to get several picture-laden posts up this week and to keep them coming for the rest of this year. I will not be a slacker, I promise.