More knitting...

Finally been knitting again, although I might be a little insane knitting wrist warmers and mittens in August, but hey at least I will have them for when fall and winter come rolling in...

And for comparison here is what they looked like in the show. I have some other yarns to make more pairs in a similar color...

So I haven’t written in a long while, been busy with work, the kids, school etc. My Mom recently came to visit the kids. I also finally been knitting a little again. I finished one of the pair of my Doomsday Wrist Warmers. I got some new rocking shoes recently. Overall things have been just normal day to day, can’t complain, but nothing super exciting either. School is going well, looks like I am going to get an “A” in Math this semester.

Photography...

So I think I might have found a new hobby, Photography. I guess having a nice camera can inspire this hobby, but since we got the new Nikon D90 I really been enjoying taking picture. Here is a link to some photos I took of flowers and plants at the Philadelphia Zoo yesterday. I really think some of them could be print worthy. Not that I am trying to make money on my photos... =P

Click on this Picture to see the rest.

100% on my last paper!

Well this was my 2nd to last paper and I managed a 100%. It was a personal argument essay...

To Snip or Not to Snip

As a mother of two boys I have had to make a decision, along with my husband, about circumcising our two boys. This was not an easy choice for me with either child. I knew the process could be painful for my boys and I wanted to be sure the benefits of the procedure outweighed the risks. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states, “Scientific studies show some medical benefits of circumcision. However, these benefits are not sufficient for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to recommend that all infant boys be circumcised” (AAP). The AAP does offer some additional resources by listing common reasons one may or may not choose to circumcise a child. The thing I found most interesting about the information offered was their wording used: Reasons parents may choose not to circumcise The following are reasons why parents may choose NOT to have their son circumcised:

• Fear of the risks. Complications are rare and usually minor but may include bleeding, infection, cutting the foreskin too short or too long, and improper healing.
• Belief that the foreskin is needed. Some people feel the foreskin is needed to protect the tip of the penis. Without it, the tip of the penis may become irritated and cause the opening of the penis to become too small. This can cause urination problems that may need to be surgically corrected.
• Belief it can affect sex. Some feel that circumcision makes the tip of the penis less sensitive, causing a decrease in sexual pleasure later in life.
• Belief that proper hygiene can lower health risks. Boys can be taught proper hygiene that can lower their chances of getting infections, cancer of the penis, and STIs. (AAP)

“Fear” and “belief” - these words were off-putting to me. I was looking for firm reasons why I should or should not choose this procedure for my boys and all the reasons they offered to not have the procedure were described as simply fears and beliefs. Most parents have fears when making a choice about their child's health, but I feel we need to approach choices like these with rationality not our feelings, fears, and beliefs. Fears can be a good motivator to ensure we gather the information we need and ask the right questions, to know if the choice is correct for our child. In the end we need to decide from the evidence and not from our fears. We need to make an educated choice as to what is best for our children. I also considered causing pain to my child as a reason to not do the procedure. After speaking with the surgeon about the procedure this was no longer a concern. The surgeons use medication to minimize any discomfort both during and after the procedure. I also considered that any discomfort my child would feel, he would never remember being it was done just a day after birth. Let us now look at the list of reasons the AAP offer as to why one may consider circumcision: Reasons parents may choose circumcision There are a variety of reasons why parents choose circumcision.

• Medical benefits, including
• A slightly lower risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs). A circumcised infant boy has about a 1 in 1,000 chance of developing a UTI in the first year of life; an uncircumcised infant boy has about a 1 in 100 chance of developing a UTI in the first year of life.
• A lower risk of getting cancer of the penis. However, this type of cancer is very rare in all males.
• A slightly lower risk of getting sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
• Prevention of foreskin infections.
• Prevention of phimosis, a condition in uncircumcised males that makes foreskin retraction impossible.
• Easier genital hygiene.
• Social reasons. Many parents choose to have it done because "all the other men in the family" had it done or because they do not want their sons to feel "different."
• Religious or cultural reasons. Some groups such as followers of the Jewish and Islamic faiths practice circumcision for religious and cultural reasons. (AAP)

Religious reasons were not a factor for our family, but I am sure in families were this is a factor it holds a great deal of weight in choosing the procedure. Social concerns were a part of our consideration, but in no way a deciding factor. I do know this was a concern for my husband who is circumcised and felt the boys should look like him to avoid confusion as they grow. The wording here was also interesting to me. When I was looking over these reasons the word “slightly” stood out, but at the same time I mostly disregarded it. A lower risk is still a lower risk, even if it is slight. With choosing to circumcise I could help my sons lower their risks of urinary tract infections, cancer, sexually transmitted infections, and at the same time prevent other infections and conditions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also has found that, “Several types of research have documented that male circumcision significantly reduces the risk of HIV acquisition by men during penile-vaginal sex” (CDC). In a report published by the World Health Organization they found it decreased the risk of contracting AIDS by roughly 60% (WHO). When I weighed the offered risks of the procedure, with the benefits, I felt it was a clear choice. I believe having a child circumcised is a clear choice. Even if the American Academy of Pediatrics cannot say clearly that circumcision is the best choice for infant boys, I believe their information is clear enough to show most healthy boys would benefit from the procedure. I chose to have both of my boys circumcised. Both of my boys handled the procedure without incident and recovered easily. In both cases their circumcisions healed before their umbilical cords fell off. Having the procedure may only slightly improve the chance of not developing some condition, but isn't slightly better odds, better then no improvement to one's odds at all? Then one must also consider the greatly improved chance of avoiding AIDS once the child is sexually active. Much of our life is weighed out to us in odds. Why not offer children the best possible chance they have at staying healthy?

Works Cited

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). "Circumcision: Information for Parents.":n pag. Web 25 Mar. 2009. http://www.aap.org/publiced/br_circumcision.htm . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Male Circumcision and Risk for HIV Transmission and Other Health Conditions: Implications for the United States”:n pag. Web 30 Mar. 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/factsheets/circumcision.htm . World Health Organization (WHO). “New Data on Male Circumcision and HIV Prevention:Policy and Programme Implications” pag 3. Web 30 Mar. 2009. http://www.who.int/hiv/mediacentre/MCrecommendations_en.pdf .

Causal Analysis Essay, another "A" woo hoo!

With just two more papers to go in my ENG 101 I am still holding strong for an A in the class. I am really excited. This is the first class I have taken in over ten years and it is nice to feel I am doing well. This will get me one more class closer to my goal. I feel silly being so excited over one college class, but in the end I guess it really only takes one step at a time to reach your goal in the end. =)

Home Sweet Virtual Home

           Facebook, it is seen almost everywhere. Social networking sites have found their way into our pop culture, but why? Just last week the popular show Numb3rs mentioned Facebook and had a small sub plot about one of the characters signing up. The show Ugly Betty also recently incorporated Facebook into its storyline. Betty signs up on Facebook because many of her peers were using it, but once signed up she receives a friend request from her ex-boyfriend. On 90210 the popular girls talk about uploading pictures to Facebook from their Sidekick mobile phones. Popular movies are incorporating socal networking sites as well. For example, in the movie He's Just Not That Into You, there is a reference to MySpace being the “new” booty-call. Facebook has even been in the news recently due to customer outrage over a change in the site's terms of service agreement, a change which was quickly rescinded. There has even been recent mention of the site being sold, which would mean all the personal data on the site would be sold along with it.

           What are these sites about? Why have they worked their way into almost every facet of our media? Is it that social networking really works? One friend joins, and tells another, who tells all their friends, and so on; this is surely part of it. How about simple peer pressure? Everyone is doing it! Personally, I started using MySpace because I saw it on the news. Then I was hooked, and moved to Facebook because other friends were there, and even joined a site called Ravelry, which is a social networking site for knitters. Facebook boasts “over 175 million active [users] (users who have returned to the site in the last 30 days)” (Facebook). MySpace has around 126 million users (Hempel). Consider this year's record breaking Super Bowl attendance of 98.7 million viewers and one can see why at 175 million active users, Facebook is so impressive (ESPN).

           How about social networking to go? Nearly every cell phone now has a browser; most now also have some way of interfacing with sites like Facebook and MySpace. The popular iPhone, SideKick and Blackberry brands have applications so users can post updates right from their phone, or take a picture and instantly publish it to Facebook. By doing this, do they add to the popularity of the site, or does the site add popularity to the cell phone brand? It seems to me that sites such as these gain their popularity from a circular effect. They become popular because they make things popular.

           These sites can be a wonderful way of sharing with friend and family that live far away or connecting with people who have been lost to the past. Perhaps the true reason these sites have become such a large part of our society is we are a much more transient. Gone are the days where it was common for someone to never leave their home town. Almost anywhere in the world now, one can find that an Internet connection is available. Sites like Facebook allow us to keep in touch with friends and family no matter how close or far we are from them. In past eras we would write letters home telling loved ones how much we missed them and about the places we had been, but in our society “home” changes and often. The U.S Census found between 1990 and 1993 that “The "average American" makes 11.7 moves in a lifetime … “ (Hansen). Therefore, people are making a virtual home, a place where we can connect, gather, and share.

           In a world where some people value privacy more so than others, Facebook offers, by default, a way to stay in touch while maintaining that much wanted privacy. Only the user's friends and family can see their posts, pictures, and thoughts. This is a comfort to Facebook users. It also makes the site more appealing to an older generation that is more weary about sharing personal information over the Internet. On the other hand, MySpace offers an avenue to declare one's presence to the world. If the user is at least eighteen, the default setting is set so everyone can see the profile. This can be great for those who want to become known to the MySpace community and in some case the world. This is one of the main reasons the site is so popular with bands and celebrities.

           Whatever the reason for their growing popularity, social networking sites seem as if they are here to stay. They have become part of our culture. As the younger generations grow, these sites will be as common as having a phone number to exchange; a small place in cyberspace to call home.

Works Cited

           ESPN Associated Press, “Record 98.7 million tune in to SB XLIII”:n pag. Web 4 Mar. 2009. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs2008/news/story?id=3882060 .

           Facebook, Facebook Fact Sheet “Users”:n pag. Web 1 Mar. 2009. http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?factsheet .

           Hansen, Kristin A., Population Profile of the United States “Geographical Mobility”; n pag. Web 3 Mar. 2009. http://www.census.gov/population/www/pop-profile/geomob.html .

           Hempel, Jessi, CNN Money “Can MySpace get its mojo back?”; n pag. Web 6 Mar. 2009. http://money.cnn.com/2009/03/05/technology/myspace_struggles.fortune/index.htm .

My Movie Review, Another "A" yeah!

Movie Review of Gladiator

           The movie Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, was released in 2000. The movie stars Russell Crowe as Maximus, Joaquin Phoenix as Commodus, and Richard Harris as Marcus Aurelius. Gladiator won five Oscars and two Golden Globe awards. This film is a journey of one man who changes Rome forever. It is one of my all time favorite films. I have seen it three times in the theater and countless more on DVD. The movie brings me to tears every time I watch it. The best part of watching this film is following Maximus as he travels on this journey, feeling the sense of purpose he has, and the pain he feels.

           Marcus Aurelius, the emperor of Rome is growing old; his son, Prince Commodus, has not grown into the man his father had hoped. Marcus Aurelius plans on making Rome a republic again and asks his general, Maximus to lead Rome to freedom after his death. Maximus, when not leading Rome's army, is but a simple farmer and family man. He serves his country, but wishes for nothing more than to see his family and sow his fields. Before the Emperor has a chance to announce his plan of naming Maximus his successor and his wish that Rome be a Republic again, he is killed by his son Commodus. By assassinating his father and stealing the throne Commodus averts the true wishes of his father. When Maximus refuses to pledge loyalty to Commodus he orders Maximus killed, along with Maximus's wife and son. Maximus escapes but is wounded. He finds his way home, but only to find his wife and son slain. He is then kidnapped and sold as a slave. He is purchased to become a gladiator, fighting for his life, his freedom, and eventually for Rome. With nothing left but the promise he made to the dieing emperor, you follow him on his journey. “The general who became a slave. The slave who became a gladiator. The gladiator who defied an emperor.”

           The theme of this film is that of power, corruption, and betrayal. Maximus wants nothing more than to return home to his family; he wants no power and that is why Marcus Aurelius trusts him to make Rome a Republic again. When Commodus steals the throne and kills Maximus's family, he dooms himself by creating a man who has nothing left to lose and only a dying mans wish to fulfill. This is made powerfully clear in the movie when Maximus looks at Commodus and says, “Father of a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife and I shall have my vengeance in this life or the next.”

           This moving could easily be compared to another classic journey, Troy. In Troy we follow Hector and Achilles to their fated battle, just as you can follow Maximus to the Coliseum and his battle with Commodus. In both cases it seems fate brings mighty men together and one must fall to the hand of the other. I enjoy Maximus's journey in Gladiator more than the story of Troy. The story in Gladiator focuses more on just Maximus, which allows you to make a firm emotional connection with him. In Troy the storyline is strong, but I feel torn between cheering for Hector or Achilles.

           This movie has a great deal of strengths. It is action packed. The cinematography is amazing, especially during the battle scenes. The battles are hazed, and bloody, and took great advantage of high speed filming to slow down the action for theatrical impact. The musical score is also fantastic, winning a Golden Globe for Best Original Score by Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard. It is emotional, enveloping music, which pulls you in deep like a siren's song.

           When I look for a weakness in this film, I struggle to find one. The only thing I felt could improve is pacing in the latter half. Some of the events between battles in the arena seem slow. In particular the scene in which Commodus is arresting or killing those whom he found plotting against him, it feels as if they are just quick filler shots. Some shots are almost confusing, like the scene in which you see one of the senators asleep and a dark figure creeps in and places a poisonous snake under his sheets. You never really see this senator do anything in the film to warrant him being killed but the scene is still there. Despite this, the film has a very compelling story.

           This movie is a vivid, fantastic journey that will take you on a roller coaster ride to a stunning, climactic ending. Fall in love with Maximus for his enduring spirit and cheer for him as if you were sitting in the great Colosseum of Rome.

Yeah! I got 100 on my essay!

The Memory Box

                    I sat alone in a cold, dark room. It was late January and we just had the first snow fall of the year the night before. The sky was gray and overcast with clouds. I sat in a hospital robe looking out at the frozen Susquehanna River from my bed.

                    There was a small knock at the door. It was a woman. I could no longer tell you her name. She was a grief counselor for the hospital. She had come to talk to me about the loss of my baby, Grace. Grace was born too early and passed away while I was giving birth to her. I was recovering from the night before. I was given support information, numbers to call, packets and pamphlets to read, but what I remember most of the counselor's visit was when she handed me a box.

                    The woman left after she gave me her presentation. I know it must not have been an easy job trying to console women who had just lost a child. Now that I was alone again I began looking over the box. It had six sides, it was hand-painted lavender, with flecks of white and silver. There was a bright gold dragonfly painted on the lid. Holding the box in my lap, I ran my hand over the lid. Tracing the dragonfly with my finger, I could feel the paint where it rose and fell. The box had a great deal of texture to it. It was slightly rough and chalky feeling. I opened the box to find a single yellow paper inside that read:

"Memory Box Artist Program

Touching lives through Creativity

This box is donated and created by Pat Sheely, a decorative artist. The pattern on the box is based on an original design by artist Same

The Memory Box Program (http://www.teraleigh.com/memoryboxes/ ) is comprised of a group of artists that donate their time and money to create boxes for grieving families. Each box is created with great love and a sincere wish to reach out in support and understanding. As artists, we hope that this box brings you some small comfort, and the knowledge that we know that your child was special and very, very loved.

Signed Pat Sheely

Member of the Penns Woods Chapter of the Society of Decorative Painters"

                    The underlined areas were filled in, by hand, with blue pen. Once I finished reading I placed the paper back in the box.

                    Still with the box in my lap, I turned my attention to the neat pile of things stacked at my bedside. I started by placing a small double-quilted blanket, which we had used to wrap around Grace, in the box. It was white with green squares, thick, soft, and had little bears printed on it. I held it to my nose and breathed deep. Its scent was of her, of that night. I folded it in quarters and placed it in the bottom of the box, laying it on top of the yellow note. It made a nest in the bottom of the box for the other things to rest upon. Next came a tiny pink hat. The hat was much smaller than a normal newborn hat, because this hat was made for premature babies. It was knit, but not by hand; it was machined. Grace had worn the hat the night before. It was still very big on her head, despite the fact it was made for a preemie. There was also a small white cloth bib with a lace edge and magenta-pink roses on each corner. She wore it in the picture the hospital took for us. Next came a handful of pictures that were taken by the nurses of my husband and I holding Grace and of my husband bathing her. I then tucked in a set of cards reading, “Girl Shives,” with her weight and length on the front, her foot and hand prints on the back. I placed the lid back on the box and sat with it in my lap, looking back out over the river.

                    This memory box was full of tiny items that belonged to my tiny little girl. The box had a profound impact on how I grieved. I kept the box close, taking it with me when going to see family and friends, so I could share the things we had left. The box collected a few more precious things along the way, the card from some flowers, my bracelet from the hospital, a tiny pair of pink socks my mother had set aside for the baby, and the few ultrasound pictures we had of Grace from earlier in the pregnancy. Even later still, we added her ashes to the box. We had her cremated and could not decide where she should be buried. Therefore, she now sits with her things in the small lavender box, wrapped in a pink blanket with lace trim. I developed a strong love for dragonflies because of the box. They reminded me of Grace. Still, when I think of her, or miss her, I open the box, and find the blanket she wore that night she came and went. I deeply breathe in the scents still stored on the blanket. It brings back the moments we had with her. Then I tuck it all neatly away, until the next time the lavender box catches my eye.

Knitting again...

So I been wanting to get some knitting in and finally got around to completing a project. It is to totally cute project called the Hallowig. So here is what it looks like...LOL

School Essays...

This was my first essay for my English Class. You can download it in word format here or read it below...(Update, I got a 96/100 A on this paper)

Dad's Challenge

                    It was a sunny summer day. My dad, who was off work, asked if I would like to go out shooting. I was excited to go. I had been waiting until he felt I was old enough to go. I was almost eight. The day had finally arrived for me to learn to shoot, and so much more.

                    I idolized my father. He was a Marine, tough and strong, but still very soft and kind. Well, he was soft at least when it came to me, his only daughter. “You can do anything you set your mind to, and don't let anyone ever tell you different,” he reminded me often. He was my hero.

                    We got the guns and packed them into the car. Then off we went. I was not sure where we were going. I asked my dad and he said, “It's not far.” We drove as if we were heading out of town. It was a road I had been down many times in my life. We continued down the long, straight road, with a few rolling hills. Emerald-colored pine trees lined the length of our drive. He turned off onto a dirt path I had never noticed until that day. We drove back into the woods until we came to a clearing.

                    We lived in the Pine Barrens. The ground is sandy, but firm, not like the beach. The Barrens are full of trees called Pygmy Pines. These pines grow only to about six feet tall in most areas. When I looked around the clearing, we were at a dump. It was really just a small sand pit the locals decided to use as a place for unwanted things. Around us, there were tires, cans, bottles, old sofas, and refrigerators. These items were piled together in the sinking sand pit, only to rust and decay away. Across the pit was a pine-lined ledge.

                    Dad and I gathered up some cans and bottles we found in the area. He took them around to the ledge on the other side of the pit and then stood them up in a line. When he came back, he took his time teaching me about the gun. It was a .22 rifle with bolt action. He showed me how to load it carefully, and then he let me put a few rounds in the gun myself. He then reminded me of all the safety things I should do with a gun. “Never point it at anyone and keep it pointed toward the ground when not using it,” he reminded me.

                    Then it was time to shoot. I tried to lift the gun, but it was just a little too heavy for me. Dad saw me struggling, so he knelt down on one knee and placed the barrel on his shoulder. This allowed me to aim with ease. I pulled the trigger. POP! Can after can fell. Dad looked proud. For about half an hour, we continued to set them up and shoot them down. “You are doing really well,” he said to me with a smile. I was so happy. I was alone with my dad, my hero, and he was proud of me. I could shoot well.

                    Then my dad did something that, to this day I will never forget. He got serious for a moment. He pulled a brand new quarter out of his pocket. It was shiny, and it glinted in the sun. He handed it to me.

                    “Do you see any marks on this quarter?” he asked me.

                    Critically, I looked over it and said, “No, it looks new.”

                    “I want you to mark it, scratch it, dent it, make any kind of mark you can on it,” he said explaining my task. I was still puzzled as to what he was doing. Why in the world would he want me to scuff up a brand new quarter? I did as he said. I bit it. Then I threw it on the ground and stomped on it. I tried to scuff it with my shoe. I picked it up, and tried rubbing it across some tree bark. As hard as I tried, all I managed to do was make it dirty, but no marks appeared. Dad cleaned it off and looked at me.

                    Handing me the quarter he asked, “Did you make a mark?”

                    “No,” I replied with some question and frustration in my voice. I was still confused as to where this was all going.

                    Dad took the quarter from me and placed it on the side of a dead tree stump that was near us. He wedged it in a bit, so it would stay in place. I recall the gleaming profile of George Washington shining back at us in the bright sun. Then he took my hand, and we stepped back from the stump. With me safely behind him, he took aim, and shot the quarter. I was shocked. What was this? What was he trying to show me? The quarter bounced off the stump, and flew to the ground.

                    He went and retrieved the quarter. There was a perfect hole right through the center. He banged down the sharp edges so it would be safe for me to hold, and I would not cut myself. I was still a bit puzzled. Then he handed the quarter to me and said,

                   "Look at this. If you ever decide to point a gun at a living thing, remember this. Remember the power. This is what a gun can do to a quarter that you could not even scratch. Imagine what it would do to a person. I do not want you to think you can't protect yourself. If you ever need to use a gun to protect yourself, I want you to do it. I am showing you this so you can understand what you would be doing. A gun is a great tool. It can feed you. It can protect you, but its main purpose is to kill. Never raise a gun to anything you do not intend to kill."

                    I held that quarter in my hand, turning it over repeatedly. I looked at the perfect hole now where George's face once was. I remember thinking about the day, shooting the cans, and how much fun we had. I realized my dad had not only taken me out there to teach me how to shoot, but also to learn when to raise a gun, and when to pull the trigger. Perhaps the most important lesson of the day was the great responsibility that comes with making these decisions.

                    Looking back on this now, as a mother, I hope I can pass this along to my boys. Think before you act, because your actions can have great consequences. I think back on that day often, of Dad and me in the woods, of how much it impressed upon me. I think how lucky I was to have a father who would take the time to ensure I could handle a gun safely and, to teach me how to protect myself if needed. He also taught me how to be a responsible person when it comes to that moment in time when you need to decide if pulling the trigger is the only option.

John's 2 Month Appointment.

Well the little guy is doing great. He was 22 and a 1/2 inches long and weighed 11 pounds. He went from the 15th percentile in both height and weight to the 30th. The doctor said he was doing everything he needed to be doing and more, and gave him stellar marks. He has also recently starting "talking" to us and giving us real smiles. It's really nice to see him growing and doing well. He grew so much so fast he is already outgrown all his 0-3 month cloths and is in 3-6 month stuff already. It's defiantly a different experience then it was with Nick who was and still is for the most part so small.

John 's Ear Flap Hat

So Julie has these great patterns and I decided to make John a really cute 11 cable ear flap hat. He just looks too darn cute.

Nicholas' Christmas Ear Flap Hat

I was asked to write up a pattern for the hat, and here it is. Enjoy...

Nicholas' Christmas Ear Flap Hat

Materials:

• I used less then 1 skein of Plymouth Yarn Encore Worsted (Green) and Columbia Minerva Nantuk Sports Yarn (Red) double stranded to make up for the weight difference) I'd say no more then 200g of yarn, but you will want to add yarn if you are going to knit it longer then below.
• 16″ circular needle and at least three DPNs to match, to meet gauge (I used US8)
• 1 stitch marker

Gauge: 3.5 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch

Ear Flaps:
Cast On 7 sts with MC to a double pointed needle. (Make 2 of these)
Row 1: K1, P5, K1
Row 2: K1, M1, K5, M1, K1
Row 3: K1, P7, K1
Row 4: K1, M1, K7, M1, K1
Row 5: K1, P9, K1
Row 6: K1, M1, K9, M1, K1
Row 7: K1, P11, K1
Row 8: K1, M1, K11, M1, K1
Row 9: K1, P13, K1
Row10: K1, M1, K13, M1, K1
Row11: P to end

Row12: K to end
Row13: P to end

Repeat Rows 12-13 until flaps are desired length, mine were 3.5 inches long. Leave a long tail (8-12 inches), this will help when weaving in ends to close up any gaps the form.

Hat:
Cast on 10 sts to a circular needle, knit the 15 from the DPN for the first ear flap, then cast on 24 sts, 15 from the other ear flap, then cast on 10 more sts.

Join, being careful not to twist your work, place a marker. (Note: If you are going to add any stitch patters/fair isle details, the marker is at the center of the back of the head.

Round 1 (MC): K9, k2tog, K 13, K2tog, K23, K2tog, K13, K2tog, K9 to end of round (70 Sts).
Rounds 2-5: Knit round
Rounds 6-10 (SC): Knit round
Rounds 11-15(MC): Knit round

Continue in 5 rounds of alternating MC and SC until you reach your desired length of the head of the hat. My hat was 3 inches from the beginning of the rounds, or 6.5 inches from ear flaps

Begin Decrease:
Start round 1 with your next color and continue switching colors every 5 rows.
Round 1: *K8, K2tog*, *repeat until end of round
Rounds 2-5: Knit round
Round 6 : *K7, K2tog*, *repeat until end of round
Rounds 7-10: Knit round
Round 11: *K6, K2tog*, *repeat until end of round
Rounds 12-15: Knit round
Round 16: *K5, K2tog*, *repeat until end of round
Rounds 17-20: Knit round
Round 21: *K4, K2tog*, *repeat until end of round
Rounds 21-25: Knit round
Round 26: *K3, K2tog*, *repeat until end of round
Rounds 27-30: Knit round
Round 31: *K2, K2tog*, *repeat until end of round
Rounds 32-35: Knit round
Round 36: *K1, K2tog*, *repeat until end of round
Rounds 37-40: Knit round
Round 41: *K2tog*, *repeat until end of round
Rounds 21-25: Knit round

You should now have 7 sts , use a needle to pull through and pull tight, weave in all ends and tighten up any gaps you see. I also added a tassel to the end, just cut 3 pieces of yarn, use a crochet hook to pull them though, and pass the ends into the loop, pull tight and trim ends. Also adding the ties for the ear flaps add 3 pieces of yarn, and braid, or you could also do an icord or even just pick up a few sts and knit back and fort 3-4 sts. I used the braid in this hat.

Note: This pattern was inspired by Julie her pattern is here. Also if you have a hard time getting the ear flaps onto the circular needle Julie has a great video on youtube here showing how to do it.

Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy!

Knitting like crazy

I decided to make an cute earflap hat that I seen, and started it, was going to make this pattern in a simple green yarn. (Pattern)

Well I got to knitting, only 2 days to finish it for Christmas...well here I am looking and I see, oh I not only have plenty of this green, but I have a lot of this nice red, so I decide to make stripes...So then I am thinking, why not make it an elf hat, and POOF! This is what I ended up with...hehe...

Now do I have enough time to make one small enough for John...hehe

Back to work...

Well I am finally back to work. Tonight is my first night back. I am working 5PM to 2AM. This allows us to not have to put the kids in daycare, which is nice. Not sure how long it will last, working 9 hours, and caring for the kids for 9 hours of the day only leave 6 hours of sleeping time, and that is if we do nothing else but work, kids, and sleep. Ugly part is if we do decide to put the kids back in daycare we'd also go back to working in the office, which wouldn't be horrible, but it is nice to be able to not have to drive to go to work. Plus all the extra expenses we'd have for childcare, gas, food, etc. But hey we will do what we have to do to make the kids life as best as possible. I really love having them home and I think it really is a benefit to them, but Nicholas is to the age I think he'd like the learning and being with other kids. John would only get more colds then he would at home...hehe.

Also I enrolled in my first college class in nearly 10 years. I am starting out with one class, just taking a basic English Comp 101. I figure if I can pass a writing class I should be okay for most of my other classes. It's an odd feeling to be 29, mother of 2, and be considered a student again. I am nervous about taking the class, but got to start some place, right?

I really haven't been knitting much, and I would love to be doing it, just can't find the time right now. Maybe I can start doing it during down time at work, now that I am back. Well at least when I am not updating my blog etc.

So I got to read "The Tales of Beetle the Bard" it's a book from the Harry Potter series. If you have read the books you will know the Tales are like the wizarding world's fairytales. I really enjoyed the book. I also want to read the new book by Christopher Paolini, "Brisingr". I will likely wait for it to come out in paperback. I don't have a lot of spending cash right now with the kids, work being up in the air, and school. Maybe Santa will bring it for me. I have a librarian for a mother-in-law and a book crazy brother so it is possible. Beck, my mother-in-law does tend to get me a gift certificate from a book store, and some tea, because she knows I drink it. I often get books from my brother as well but now that I have kids I get less gifts for me =P

Lets see what else has been on my mind. Well I found a new cereal I really like. hehehe... It's called Strawberry Fields by Kashi, way yummy, if you get to try it, I strongly suggest it. It's also organic which is always a bonus in my book.

Oh and if you read this blog for updates I strongly suggest if you don't already use facebook to get an account and add me there, I have been using it a lot for pictures and videos of the boys.

Will write again soon...

Can't Sleep...

Ok it's 4:23 AM and I just can't get to sleep. Maybe it was the spicy hot wings I had, or many the shock of how angry I was tonight. After eating at Hooters we decided to take Nichols to chick-fil-a for some ice cream and to let him play at the play land they have. It's cold now so he doesn't get much park time now, so it's a nice option. Well there were some older kids, maybe 6-7 years of age. They were all playing tag. Nick was pretty much on his own sliding etc. After the kids got bored or tag I heard Nicholas firmly explain "Stop hitting me!" and I looked up and sure enough one of the older children was in there hitting him. I said nothing, but he seen that I saw what he did, so they moved on, he then proceed to block the path to the slide, and I heard Nicholas say "Excuse me, Nick wants to slide". The Next thing I see is this little jerk kick Nicholas right in the chest, he goes flying back and starts to cry of course. So I stood up and said "Don't you hit my son again, and I seen him take off in the play set. I went up and found him, Nicholas was following him. I'm not sure if to hit him back or to play with him more. I told the boy to come down I wanted him to show me his mother. The mom was cool, and her other son told me he does this a lot and said he was sorry. I don't think I have ever been so angry at a child in my life. He was twice Nicholas' size and well old enough to know what he did was out of line. Nick was fine and was over it quickly, and I was proud of him for handling himself so well in the situation.

Then again he always does surprise me. We stopped into a store earlier and he spotted a shirt and said "Mommy it's yo gabba-gabba" It's a kids show I guess he watches some times. Jeremy and I have never put it on for him, but he knew all the characters names. He had Jeremy and I amazed. So we picked him up a shirt as a Christmas present. I guess we really shouldn't be that surprised. When I took John in for his 1 month check up, I had taken Nick with me to give Jeremy a little break. The pediatrician told me Nick is basically a functional 4 year old from just the little she seen of him while he played waiting for us to be done. He won't even be 3 until February. It was nice to hear he is doing well, at least in the doctor's eyes.

Well maybe getting this all out in text will help me calm down and sleep. I was at least happy the mom took care of it and didn't let the kid go back to playing, nor did she make her other 2 children that were very well behaved stop. She even had him come over and apologize a 2nd time after he stopped crying, which wasn't needed, but nice. She explained to him again what he did wrong and then sat him back down. She did seen frustrated in the sense that he does do this a lot and she isn't sure how to stop it. I kind of felt for her, but it was also hard since I was pretty well enraged at the child when I seen what he did.

Ok going to stop thinking about it now and hopefully get to sleep before the sun comes up.

We did get to take Nicholas to see Thomas again. I got a cute video I plan to put up. Actually putting it up in youtube now. Let me get the link. Oh I found another one from the car ride to see Thomas, Nick was rocking out to Christmas music, he kills me some times.

Nicholas See's Thomas
Nicholas Rocking to Christmas Tunes
Nicholas and his John Cena impression

Ok I feel a bit better, hope I can fall asleep now... hehe

Over due Update

I got a quick second while Nick watches some TV and John is taking a short nap so I wanted to update some if I can. The recovery time is going good. I feel good and I am feeling more and more normal as the days go on. I have even had enough energy to cook a few real dinners now, rather then just nuke something or defrost something, or have Jeremy cook. Jeremy's been taking the baby on weekends for me so I can catch some sleep. John has been going though a growth spurt and not sleeping much in place of eating all day and night long. Nick is really loving being a big brother. If he hears the baby cry he comes running to see if he can help in any way. He even likes to try and give the baby his pacifier or bottle. Jeremy had to work on Thanksgiving so I took the boys to his grandmother's for dinner. It was a bit insane having both of them by myself, but it went fine. I should be back to work my Christmas, which I am kind of bummed about. I guess it's just part of the mommy hormones. I have a hard time with the idea of spending less time with the boys. I had the same anxiety when I went back to work with Nick. I guess it's been a little hard this time too because work is changing a lot too. I will likely not be going back to my old job, they want me to "advance" my position. So I need to find a new job in the company. Same thing with Jeremy. The hard part about this is scheduling. We'd both like to continue to work from home, but to do this with any of the other jobs they are offering we need to consider schedules a lot more greatly then in our current positions. Doing phone work also means we need to install a new phone jack in the office, get a phone from work to work at home, and make sure our schedules don't over lap at all since I couldn't be on the phones if he had the kids etc. So I guess it's just a lot to worry about before I am even back to work. I am trying to think about it as little as possible for now, because it just stresses me out and I end up crying with the hormones right now. I know things will work out for the best, I just am too emotional right now to feel alright about the whole situation, plus I really like the job I do now, and my boss. Who wants to change things when they are good, right? Well Nick is hungry and I need to make a call or two. Will update when I can.

My Birth Story...

Okay for those of you that didn't get to hear about the exciting experience we had I figured I'd write about it. We had had a long day, we had gone out to dinner with my parents and food shopping for the house. When we got home we relaxed and caught up on some of our DVR stuff. Mom and Glen went to bed and Jeremy and I were finishing up a program before we headed off to bed. About 10 minutes before the show was over I felt a really strong kick, and pop, my water broke. It was about 12:50 AM Sunday Nov 2nd. I told Jeremy to hurry because I knew I would likely go fast and we had to drive to Harrisburg, normally a 40-45 minute drive. We woke my Mom, I told her I expected to have the baby in about 4-5 hours if it was anything like when I had Nick, and we left the house at 1:08 AM. Once in the car I was having contractions about every 4 minutes, each lasting about 2 minutes. Once we hit 581 My contractions speed up. Every 2 minutes lasting about minutes, so we were getting really close. We got to the hospital, Jeremy went in got a wheel chair, come out got me out, parked the car, and we headed up to the labor and delivery floor. I was feeling strong pressure in my bottom now and was getting really concerned. We got to the room, I told the nurse I was having constant contractions with bottom pressure and assured her it was going to be soon. She said "okay", asked me to get in a gown and left the room. I bent over the bed to have one contraction, then went and sat down on the toilet to try and get my pants off and the gown on. This is when I screamed because I felt the baby heading out. At this point it gets hectic, the nurses ran in and helped me walk to the bed. I was on all 4's because that was how I could get into the bed between contractions. They checked the baby to make sure there wasn't a cord around his neck and realized he was stuck at the shoulder a bit, so they asked me to turn over on my back, they helped me turn, and the doctor got the shoulder out, and told me, "Do what you need to do" I pushed once and he was out. Time 1:52 AM, Just before the clocks set back at 2:00AM. So from the time my water broke to having him in my arms was about an hour. It was insane.

36 Weeks and feelin' the pressure...

Well I am 36 weeks today and I been having a lot of contractions. I am not feeling most of them, but the home monitor is catching them. At this point it feels like I have a bowling ball between my legs when I try to walk. The pressure is intense. I was really hoping we could make it to at least Halloween before he came, but it's seeming less and less likely. The medication maybe able to hold me off until Friday, but I strongly doubt I am making it another week unmedicated with this much pressure and contractions with it...but only time will tell I guess. If I had to guess the baby is about 6 and a half pounds now so we are in a good weight range, and if he came he is in a great age range, he may have a little breathing issues, but not likely a hard time. Will update when I can.

So far so good...

The appointment today went very well. The baby was measured and right in the 50th percentile. They were also estimated to weigh 5 pounds 15 ounces, so basically just shy of 6 pounds. He has been moving around nicely as well. Normally they would have taken me off the medication this week, however since it's been working so well for me with out really any side effects, and the insurance is still paying for it, they are giving me an extra week on it. Down side I need to still do site changes (i.e. stab myself ever few days). Up side, it's likely the medicine will keep me from going into labor at least for the week. I was given the okay to make a quick trip to the store so we can get a few baby things we need before he gets here. So things are shaping up really well.

New Dose

Well the new dose seems to have been doing the trick. I am still contracting but much less. I will be 35 weeks along tomorrow so we are making great progress. I am to the point now however I am ready to have this baby. Even though I know he'd be early I am getting sick of the bed rest and sick of the huge belly, and I am just ready to hold my baby. The crazy part is I could potentially go another 5 weeks with out having him and that makes me insane to think about. I went 6 weeks with out medication with Nicholas before my water broke, but they also took me off the medication a lot sooner with him. They are going to get me as close to 36 weeks as they can with the medication so I am almost done with that at least. It will be nice to not have to stab myself in the leg ever 3-5 days to change the site. It be kind of neat to make it Halloween and have him them, and it be nice to make it to my due date because I would be recovering over the holidays, but I don't know if I can really wait that long. I guess it's a good thing it's not really up to me...hehe. Ok, I am done ranting now. Will update again some time soon.

My appointment...

My Friday appointment went well. I let the doctors know I been feeling more contractions and they upped my dose a bit. It seems to really have helped. Although the nurse staff for the pump didn't have me set all the doses correct the first time around and I had to call back and ask if they meant to leave out one of my doses or if we just missed one. So now that it's fixed and I am getting the extra dose I am feeling a ton better. I did pass a little mucus ball this morning but that could be because I was contracting a little over night due to the missed dose. Now that I am back on track we'll see how things go. Baby has slowed down on movement a lot, but really I am sure it's because he is so darn big. I am getting ready to put the DVD in and upload the last two ultrasounds to youtube. He has these HUGE chubby cheeks in the one, it's too darn cute. I am starting to get nervous he is going to be like a 10 pound baby if I go to term. We do a growth check this coming Friday so we'll see how big he really is. I am guessing he is over 6 pounds now, and that is a bit of a scary idea...hehe. If nothing exciting happens between now and then I will post an update Friday after my visit.

Yay we made it to 34 weeks!

Today I am 34 weeks pregnant. This is now the longest I have ever been pregnant...lol

If the baby was born today they should have very little complication, if any related to being premature. We are very excited to have made it this far. The p17 shots and the T-pump along with the bed rest seem to really have done the trick this time.

It will be really nice to go to term and be able to take a healthy baby home from the hospital with out having to have a NICU stay. That is our hope at this point. A nice easy birth and a nice healthy baby to bring home.

The last Ultrasound we had showed the baby having very chubby cheeks so we are hoping he doesn't get too big for me...hehe. I get another growth check not this Friday, but the following Friday.

I am totally bored at this point, and still have at least another week of the pump, but we are making progress. Almost there...

33 Weeks!

Well we made to it 33 weeks. I can't believe it really. Last night I was playing on the computer with Jeremy and all of a sudden I got a baseball sized lump show up, it was huge, and hurt. I don't remember Nicholas being this active or strong. And Nicholas was a very strong baby when he came out. My pelvis has been really sore. It feels like his head is sitting right down on the bone. I have a feeling we are going to go soon, but just hoping to hold off as long as possible. It be nice to be able to bring the baby home with out a NICU stay. I am also starting to feel a little panicked. There is a crap ton of stuff that needs done and I can't do it being stuck in bed. I haven't even packed a hospital bag yet, the babies room isn't done, we haven't washed any of the old baby close yet, or sorted even by size. Not to mention the house is getting a little behind, and we have all that freaking wood to stack. I am stating to have a bit of anxiety about all the crap I am going to have to cram into the 6 weeks of recovery time just to catch up. Jeremy can only do so much and he is working full time, and caring for himself, Nicholas and I, so there isn't much time for all the extra stuff. Hopefully some family can make it in when the baby comes, or before. That should give me a little help at least on getting some of the behind house stuff done.

Doctors appointment...

My appointment today went well. Since we are 32 Weeks now I am starting to get non stress tests. Basically they check for contractions, listen to the baby's heart and make sure he is moving around well, and measure the fluid around baby with an ultrasound to make sure it is were it needs to be. My next goal now is to make it to 34 weeks. 34 weeks is when Nicholas was born so I would consider that a huge success.

I am however starting to feel ready to deliver in the sense that I am done with being in bed all the time. My patience with being stuck in bed is running thin, but at the same time I know it is too early for the baby to come now. I guess I am just starting to get bored finally.

On a home note, we did finally get our wood stove installed completely. We have been test burning it the last few day. It is going to be great this winter. We had to do a few burns now to burn off the smell new ones have, kind of like breaking it in.

Unfortunately not all of the hard work is done, even with the stove installed. We got a really great deal on a lot of wood, only issue is, the wood needs to be stacked in the shed before it gets to be winter, and it's a lot of wood. Here is a picture and keep in mind there is already a bunch stacked in the shed.

I am hoping I will be able to help stack once the baby comes, but if I go to term it maybe too late for me to help. Unfortunately for Jeremy this means he needs to stack it all himself. It's pretty crazy, but needs to get done, but over all I think we are both happy we won't need to rely on oil heat this year. Although we may fill the tank once before the season starts to have it as a back up if needed, but I think we would almost use electric back up before oil this year. We haven't decided if we should make the investment or not yet. I am sure we will make up our minds soon. Winter weather isn't that far away.

32 Weeks and still counting...

Today is an exciting day...I am 32 weeks pregnant today! This is really a very comforting feeling. Today the baby moves into a percentage that if it came today, and lets hope it doesn't, but if it did it would have the same chance of survival as a full term baby. I feel like having a party in my room today to celebrate. I am still hoping to get at least 2-4 more weeks before he comes, but today is a big milestone. With less then 60 days until my official due date it is starting to feel a lot closer then it has. I added a tracker to the top of the page as well. My doctor told me last week if I make it to 35 weeks my medicine I am on can stop. The medicine is to stop contractions. So I have a feeling we'd have it shortly after that if we make it that far. We shall see.

Nicholas got to go visit with Thomas

Jeremy got to take Nick to see Thomas the Tank Engine at Strasburg Railroad. You can see a few pictures Jeremy put up on his blog here. You can also see some videos of it on here

31 Weeks today

Well made it another week. We are 31 weeks today. Nothing exciting going on for me. My good friends Steve and Doria are in Labor and Delivery. It looks as if her twins are coming with in the next day or two. She is 34 weeks, which isn't too bad, but I know she was really hoping to make it full term. I just want to keep them in my thoughts and prayers. The she is fine and the babies get here happy and healthy.

Check up went well.

So I am 30 weeks and 2 days today. They checked me out and I am still holding strong at 1.3cm. They also checked the baby's growth, he was in the 61.7 percentile for over all growth, and 3 pounds 12 ounces. All looked well, and they don't even want to see me again for an ultrasound at this point until mid October. I will still have weekly prenatal visits to check blood pressure and for contractions etc. It is starting to feel like we are in the home stretch. We have single digit weeks left (9) until our due date so I guess really it is getting closer. I just hope we can make it at least another month, that would get us to when Nick came and I feel comfortable things would go well at that point. Of course 2 months be better. I have a lot less anxiety and stress as each day goes on, and feel for secure each day the baby will be fine, but as with anything in life, you don't know what you will get till it's here.

30 Weeks Today!

Today I am 30 weeks pregnant, what that means is today if the baby were to come it would have the same chance of surviving as a full term, 40 week old baby. It be more likely to have other health issues, but it could possibly be fine as well. It is little to hold on to, but it is something. Every day past today is a blessing and means the baby has that much more of a chance to be healthy.

Some Random yet Adorable Pictures of my Son

We did a lot this summer...

Jeremy and I knew it was extremely likely for me to end up on bed rest again with this baby so we packed a lot of stuff into this last few months.

We went to the Baltimore Zoo with Grandma and Grandpa Shives and my cousin Tracker.

We took a day trip out to Hershey area and visited Indian Echo Caverns and Zoo America.

We took a trip to Pittsburgh and went to the Pittsburgh Zoo and the Pittsburgh Children's Museum

Nick got to play in the water area, and got to play with "trolley" from Mr. Roger's

We took another day trip out to the Strasburg railroad and Dutch Wonderland

and Nick even got to hug a Princess

We have had a really good time, and done lots of other things too. Now we just need to get his new brother here safe so we can share all these wonderful things with him too.

My Mother's Day Gift

Jeremy got me a new necklace for Mother's Day. Not something everyone knows, but when we lost Grace, the hospital gave us a memory box with a DragonFly hand painted on it, since then the dragonfly is a nice reminder of her. So I though this was very nice.

More Baby Hats

I found this really cute pattern for a baby cabled hat. I decided to make one for all the boys. The new baby to come, nick and even Jeremy. The smallest one I followed the patter for newborn size, for Nick's I use a larger yarn and needle to make it big enough for his head, and for Jeremy's (which I haven't started yet) I will use the same large yarn and needles, and just add some length so it will fit on his head.

Oh yeah, isn't he the cutes damn kid you ever seen...LOL

Nick's splippers

I made these a while back, they are felted slippers. He really enjoyed them last winter. Not sure why I never uploaded the pics. I had them.

Sue's project

Before Sue left for Florida she asked for a winter set, a head wrap, slippers and a scarf. I am done the head wrap and slippers, not sure what I want to do for the scarf yet, so haven't started it yet. But here are the slippers and headband. The slippers need felted still, but I am waiting to do that with Sue so they will shrink to the right size.

Knitting Backlog

With all this bed rest it's a good time to catch up on some things that have backlogged a bit. This was a hat I knit for Heather's new baby and it ended up being too small, more a preemie size then a newborn, so I held onto it for now.

Doing nothing can be hard.

It's amazing, we work all our lives to achieve a life a pure leisure and then then it's forced upon us it's quite a different story. I guess my case is a bit different because I have the fear to deal with. Everytime I sit up, or go to the bathroom, take a shower all I can think about is that my water might break, and the baby would come too early. If he does come early will he be okay? If I get a tickle in my throat,I dread that I might have to cough, and will it be too hard and make my water break, and forget about sneezing. When you lay in bed all day you get sore, your back, neck, hips, legs, even your feet hurt because they can swell a bit from laying. I you get so weak, turning over becomes a monumental act and you start to wonder if all this is worth it. I hate my self for questioning that. With Nicholas I was so scared I never had a chance to doubt. All I was focused on was getting him here safe. Now I have Nicholas and we are past the first danger zone for the baby it's hard to focus on anything. I am scared, and I want a healthy baby, but I can't do this again. The weird thing is I want more kids, but I think adoption will be the way we go if we do this again. We can't take this down time as a family. It's hard on all of us. Jeremy is basically a single parent right now taking care of two kids, Nicholas and me. I can't do anything by myself. Even a simple shower I need his help to get set up. He is taking care of the house, all the means, and all 3 of us. His Grandmother and Aunt Nancy came to visit the other day. It was really nice to get a visit. It helps break up the time of constant nothing. You can only watch so much TV, read so much, play games, etc before it all becomes the same thing over and over. They did bring some pre-made food which was really nice. It helps Jeremy a lot to have quick things he can just pop in the oven to feed all of us. So Wednesday will be 29 weeks. we are making progress, but it seems like the days are each a week long. Jeremy doesn't get to spend a lot of time with me, between working, cooking, cleaning, taking care of Nicholas, the house, shopping I don't really get to see him that often. It kind of depresses me, and I feel at times like he is avoiding me, but I know it's irrational. I know it's just all Te crap he needs to do in a day, but I guess being alone all day and night for weeks at a time can cause some irrational thoughts. Ok enough of my insane rambling, just glad to still be home, and making it a day at a time. Hopefully this baby will get here and be as happy and healthy as our last.

One more week down

Today is the start of our 28th week. One more week down, hopfully at least 4 more weeks to go. I have another check up this Friday so I am just praying all stays well. I feel good and I can feel the baby moving a lot. As excited as I am t get the baby here I am hoping we still have 2 more months before he shows up. I am still shooting for Halloween that would be 37 weeks and 2 days, well with in the safe time to have the baby. Only time will tell. And we'll take it a day at a time.

Preterm Labor

Well a lot has been going on since my last post. On the 8th I went into preterm labor. I went to the local Carlisle hospital. The doctors were able to stop it for a few days, but I started contacting again. My local doctor decided to move me to the bigger hospital in Harrisburg, in case the baby came early. Harrisburg has a NICU that can support a baby that was 25 weeks, and the specialist I see are also practice there. They tried a new medicine and got me to stop contracting. They felt safe sending me home on the new stuff on bed rest. I had a check up last Friday and things were looking a little worse. So they checked me again today to see how things looked and things looked better. So for now I am home on strict bed rest. I am even typing this laying down in bed. I only get up to use the rest room at this point, and once a week for a doctors visit. Today I am 27 Weeks 5 Days along. For those that may not know a normal pregnancy is considered 40 weeks. Some information I have read have said a baby "can" live as young as 24 weeks, but likely will have many issues and have a high mortality rate. At 30 weeks, the baby is just as likely to live as a full term baby, but still likely to have other issues like lung issues, etc. At 32 weeks with a good NICU many baby's will be fine, but there is still a chance of issues. By 36 weeks there is very little chance of any issue at all. So our first goal is to make it to 30 weeks. As long as I stay down on bed rest I think we can make it. I did get a chance to update our ultrasounds on youtube, the post below has the new ones showing in it already so you can access it from there. I will update more when I have any information or we make a mile stone. I may also try and update some of the knitting I been doing. Bed rest has allowed me to get some stuff in my queue done.

Baby ultrasounds...

This is all the ultrasounds from 12 weeks to current. I been updating them weekly on youtube. Enjoy! He is due November 19th 2008. We plan to name him "John Lee"

Old Video of Nicholas

Learning to walk...

12 Weeks and 1 Day...

So if you know me, you know pregnancy is not the best time for me, but one of the very nice things about having a complicated pregnancy is you get to see the little guy or girl in your tummy a lot. In addition to that, seeing super state of the art specialist has it's perks too. One of the nice things my MFM office does it give you a DVD of your Ultrasounds. Me being a computer geek of course can rip this so you all can see it too. This is our new little "lightning" (as Nicholas as named it) at 12w 1d gestation. Most of the best baby shots are near the end. Oh and if you turn your sound on you can hear the heart beat too...ENJOY! I know I did.

Hope

Does he look like me here or what?

OMG he is just too darn cute some times...

I love it!

Nos it's not just for your car any more it's an energy drink. I about feel over laughing when I seen this in the store. It's priceless, but for $3.00 a bottle it was worth it as a novelty...hehe

My Hottie of a Hubby....and the cute kid too...

Got some new pictures up to share finally...