Grandad's latest visit and some firsts to boot!

My Pa (Grandad) came to visit last week. Despite his grumbling back he did a sterling job of stripping down and repainting an old rocking chair that I was given by a lady on Freegle. The chair was thought to be pine underneath the white paint, but turned out to be beech & beech ply (?) so we weren't able to strip it & varnish it as we'd hoped. We settled instead for a warm beige colour paint, which ties in quite well with Isaac's nursery. I think it looks fab - thank you Dad!

We went into town one day and stopped for an impromptu cup of tea and Isaac's dinner at Derby Quad (the same trip that set me onto Ikea high chairs). Isaac had his first jacket potato and baked beans. Which went down very well! He just kept eating...and eating...and eating! I think it had something to do with being outside & seeing lots of new things which distracted him from what his mouth is doing because he always eats well  in public. He's such a show off: "Look at me! I'm eating!"

Isaac also had his first time in shopping trolley seat, the folding one rather than the plastic-leaning-back one. It was very exciting AND he didn't fall over! Wooh!

Unfortunately I was using my phone camera, hence the car behind is in focus, not my Little Man. Gah.

The weather was (and still is!) warm. I baked cookies and we talked & listened to old soul records. Splendid.

All in all it was a lovely week and Dad even stayed on longer to finish the chair. We love you Grandad! Come back soon!

Isaac's favourite toy

With dried mung beans in it, of course. It makes some fab noises! I tell ya, these home made toys are priceless :-D

Hat(s) & food

I saw on From A Sesame Seed that Shiloh has a hat very similar to the pixie-esque one I knitted for Isaac in the final few weeks of pregnancy. I have to admit lack of faith in my knitting skills, being more of a crocheter, and so put it away in the too-big-at-the-moment bag of clothes. While going through said bag today I found the hat and tried it on him for kicks and...it actually fits rather well! Not sure how long it'll fit for, but I'm glad to know that it does. Here it is:

Not everything I make is for Isaac, although it seems that way at the moment...*drums fingers impatiently on table top while still waits for new sewing machine*...

I found some other pictures on the camera while downloading the above image for editing.

Hmm, starting to show an interest in food perhaps?? He doesn't yet try to grab things, but he LOVES to watch the food LOL! Just another little observation. I love watching him change & grow, it really is the best thing in the world! I also love writing about it all because I can look back on things and remember how he was at the time. It all happens so quickly!

I had the most horrible (for me) dream last night. I dreamt that he started to get really skinny and looked quite emaciated. His face was gaunt and almost alien looking. It was awful. I had to give him formula, in my dream, and I can't believe how it made me feel! I felt guilty, sick, disgusted, bitterly disappointed - it was quite harrowing. I clearly remember making up a bottle with the powder and the water and it being in slow motion. I was thinking "I can't believe I'm actually going to give him this stuff, what happened to get to this point?" I woke up feeling terrible and rushed over to see that he was OK. Of course he was, but still. That such a little person can have an enormous impact on me is scary, yet reassuring in a way. I'm quite a detached person (in that I can quite easily remove myself from a situation for reasons of self preservation), but I don't think I'll be able to detach so easily from all things Isaac related, but I guess that's part of our programming, right? Not something I want to override :-)

Please don't take this as an insult if you formula feed your baby. I appreciate that breastfeeding isn't for everyone. We don't drink milk & don't want Isaac to either and aren't so keen on soya formulas so it's boob all the way!

Getting my craft (back) on…again…and breastfeeding gush

So I couldn't help myself. I've stencilled again!!

 

 

I think I like his face the most...smug, yet benign.I couldn't stop myself buying some plain tops today from H&M. Watch this space for more freezer paper antics!

Isaac at 12 weeks, with hat

In other crafty news, Isaac needs a slightly bigger hat. The one pictured left is now not quite big enough to comfortably keep his 19 week old cranium completely covered. It's amazing the growth that occurs in only 6 weeks! *scratches head & tries to remember what size hook was used for this hat*

Now for the breastfeeding. The more I learn about breastfeeding, the more I marvel at the wonder and beauty of nature. We went to our NCT weaning course on Sunday, yesterday. We got onto mixing breast milk with mashed up fruit etc in the early days of weaning to up the calorific value and so we talked about expressing. Now, I've given up trying to express because it's soul destroying to only get 1/2 oz from each boob each time. What I didn't realise is (and call me stupid for not) that if you do it regularly at the same time every day, your body actually starts to produce more at that specific time. WOW! That wow has 2 parts - A) I cannot believe that I missed that completely. You really do lose part of your brain post-birth huh? B) How incredible is that? How totally and utterly mind bogglingly amazing? Not only does the human female body  provide everything a baby needs up to approximately 8 months (depending on which government you decide to listen to), it constantly changes it's milk production to meet the exact needs of its growing baby, factoring in such things as illness (& the provision of antibodies) and calorific content AND it can schedule in additional production times/change feeding schedules/reduce feeding schedules in accordance with the baby/ies feeding from it. Now that's what I call absolute perfection.

Right, I've gushed enough for one evening. T'ra!

Getting my craft (back) on

What's this?? 2 posts in 3 days?! Goodness. Calm yourself Sarah.

So anyhoo, I've had my roll of freezer paper since before Isaac was born with the intention of stencilling many things. I've been building up a stash of fabric paint since then too (having painted some climbing flowery stuff on a hoodie of my own already). Last night I actually got around to doing some proper stencilling. I have to say that I'm rather pleased with the result!

I did a base layer of the yellow colour & then painted on the brown, white & black. I think I probably should've done a second layer of the yellow so the stripes underneath don't show as much, but still - I'm so pleased! I'm not a huge fan of many of the t-shirts designed for kids as they have stupid words on like Trouble Is My Middle Name etc. Also - plain tops are cheaper - hurrah!

So. If it sits still long enough, it'll probably get stencilled!

Hat II

I made another hat!

I told you I'd have another crack at it!

I gave in & used a pattern from Debbie Stoller's The Happy Hooker (the Seija Set, but without the blanket (obviously duh - got enough of those already - and not the stripy version because I only had this yarn). It went through a short phase of looking like a little Gestapo helmet before I put the ear flaps on, which was highly amusing for all who witnessed. Don't think the dog was very pleased to be used as a model, even if she did look very turn-of-the-century! Teehee!

If it's a girl I can put some flowers (or something) on it and if it's a boy I can put a tractor (?) on it (Simon's suggestion!).

I think that's enough hats for now.

What next...?

All fixed...mostly

Simon is officially master of the PTFE tape - I told him what Dad said about having put it on the wrong way round a few times & he did it first time :-) Then...we got in! Both of us at the same time. It was a bit full LOL, but that can be rectified by taking some water out (basic physics doesn't seem to have escaped me at least). However, there are 2 very small leaks on the same pipe, but in different places; they can't be fixed because the water is coming from a part that doesn't open up. Hmm. It will be fine. They drip very minimally and we really aren't bothered. It was really nice floating around it the water :-) I'm sure all will be fine for actually delivering the Wiggler in the pool. It's a bit annoying how much of the living room is taken up, but it's only a temporary measure with great benefit so I'm not complaining.

I made a hooded towel! I made the hood from this tutorial, but my machine wasn't up to the pleat in the back so I just sewed it on straight. It leaves more of the ends of the towel free for drying wiggly arms and legs. I didn't use any ribbon either. It was really easy; to think I'd been putting it off for ages. Sewing towelling is really weird. I bent a needle too - serves me right for being over ambitious machine wise. I think I want to make one for me :-P

I've made a decision about vaccinations (one of many yet to still make). If we do decide to have them/some/any, then I don't want the multiple dose ones (e.g.: MMR, DTaP/IPV/Hib <-- 5 in one go?!?!) or any multiple/same day dosing in-fact. Individual doses on different days when the Wiggler will have had a chance to recover from each dose. It's bad enough that an undeveloped immune system is given toxic chemicals to deal with, but bombarding it with more than one dose at a time seems even more barbaric. The doctor is gonna love me!

Had the scan, all is well. Wiggler is head down - wooh! It was also lying back to my back, so needs to shift around, but it's incredibly mobile (considering how little space there is in there) so I'm sure it'll be fine & wiggle its way back round. Didn't get a picture because it's really not very clear what's what anymore and you can only fit parts of it on the screen at once! So, not worth it all round. Plus we get to meet him/her soon enough.

The first baby girl has been born from our NCT group! Simon got a text from a very proud father yesterday - congrats guys :-D We know that there are 2 other girls to be born, but the other 5 - who knows? Saw one of the NCT Dads on his phone outside the hospital en-route to scan department - got a thumbs up so all is well with that bebe too. That's 2 now! 6 to go...

Maternity leave and mobiles

So here it is, ze mobile:

My lovely husband put it up for me today :-D They look a bit porky on this picture - I think my phone has distorted them a tad. If I could be bothered to take a proper picture with the Nikon I would, but I really can't right now.

I finished work today! WOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! The last day for 52 whole weeks. It's still quite surreal and hasn't really sunk in because it's the weekend. I know that it means that The Wiggler is now imminent. Hopefully not before-pool-arrives-imminent, but the due date is a darn sight closer than it was! Erk! My work mates very kindly bought me some crib blankets and a swaddling blanket - which is exactly what I needed - I wonder how they knew?! Hmm LOL! Anyhoo, we have pretty much everything we need now. I'm still debating a baby bath. Some people say they're a waste space, time and money. Other people say they're great.

We had our final antenatal class yesterday and went for a curry afterwards. Rebecca has arranged loads of coffee mornings at each other's houses over the coming weeks and a reunion in October. It seems so far away, but I know the time will fly. I've learned so much from the classes and genuinely do think they've helped both Simon and I on our journey through this pregnancy. So the ladies will be visiting my house on Wednesday for drinks & stuff - best get some biscuits in! Or...shall I make brownies...hmm?