Leaves Q&A #3

Would you like the leaves pressed or unpressed?
No need to press, thanks! I think they look more "natural" unpressed.

They will be coming through the customs as "knitted ornaments" as I think the Customs people might get suspicious of something marked "leaves".... could possibly be finest Canadian weed.
You make a very good point!!

Leaves Q&A #2

Are these leaves supposed to be small? I made one from yarn I used to make a baby blanket, so it is fairly thick yarn, and the leaf was much smaller than expected. It's height was about 2 1/2 inches and less than 2" wide in the center. Does that sound right to you?
Yes, they're fairly small. Depending on the yarn and the needles you use, they range from 2-4" long. If you want to make them a bit larger, do another row of YOs, to get to 11 st total, then decrease the same way.

Leaves Q&A #1

How soon do you need it?
I'd like to receive all the leaves by October 11, though the sooner the better. I have to assemble this thing and get it photographed well before the end of October to make the deadline for my book.

What will happen to the tree once it is complete?
You know, I hadn't thought much about it--I've been so wrapped up in the book. I will hold onto it at first to use in any publicity appearances for the book--I think it'll be a great showpiece. (The finished tree will be about 4' tall). When all the book hoopla is done, I may donate it to a children's hospital or shelter. Does anyone know of a place that would accept it?

Hey Knitters!! Call for Leaves

Please help me knit a Tree of Life to be featured in my upcoming book, Knit It Together. (See, we're knitting the tree together. Get it? Get it?)

Here are all the details.

Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you!!

Update: click here to see all updates and Q&As on this project.

Wedding Pics

A friend recently asked to see photos of my wedding dress, so here goes:



I made the dress (with mucho help from my maid of honor) from a Vintage Vogue patter.



I knitted the shrug (very helpful with the stiff October breeze).



The shrug slid off at the perfect moment...

Pain au Chocolat Hack

This is my favorite breakfast treat:

1. Buy Costco croissants (they're a steal!)
2. (important!) Freeze them
3. Take one out, and make knife slits through the middle (as if you were cutting it open like a hot dog bun)
   
4. Slide a bit of bittersweet chocolate into the knife slits
   
5. Pop in the toaster oven at 300 for 10 mins

Heaven.

Happy Birthday to Me!

The hardest thing to do...

Sometimes, the hardest thing to do is to say what needs to be said, and then shut up. Not soften, not backpedal, not repeat what you've said and add layers to your argument. And not ask for an immediate response.

In fact, when you say what needs to be said, it often needs to be digested.

So, there are actually three steps. (As a techwriter, oh, how I love a nice process.)

1. Say what needs to be said
2. Shut up
3. Walk away

Not easy.

But I've learned something: just as giving up anger is something you do for yourself, and not necessarily for the person you're angry with, saying what needs to be said is its own reward. Whatever reaction you get is secondary.

PT#22: Leaving the Skin on Your Hands

Having a baby in the house involves a lot of hand-washing. Not only are you suddenly changing (an inordinate number of) diapers, but when you learn about your newborn's immune system (which basically doesn't exist for the first few months) you instantly become a germ-o-phobe. If you want to have skin on your hands by your child's first birthday, stock up on:

• Gentle soap - Softsoap makes a nice aloe vera version. Antibacterial soaps aren't necessary
• Ultra-rich, non-scented hand cream. I like this stuff, my brother-in-law swears by this stuff

PT#21: Boppy boppy boppy!!!

Ahhh, the boppy! (There are tons of different colors.)

I'm still using mine, and it's been a godsend. Warning: graphic nursing talk ahead!

It shows a lady sitting cross-legged on the carton, but that doesn't work. The best way to use it is in a chair with arms, to hold the pillow up. We have a gliding rocker in the nursery, and that's heaven! If you want to use it in bed or somewhere where there are no arms, you'll need to put pillows (or what I used - a bunched-up robe) under it to raise the baby's head to the right level, otherwise you'll end up slumping (ow) or the baby will be dragging painfully at your boob (double-ow).

I also always keep a burp cloth draped over whichever side his head is on, to catch spit up and spray (so bizarre when your boobs keep spraying!) The boppy comes with a zip-off cover that you can toss in the wash - and you can get more covers a la carte.

I hope there is a lactation consultant at the hospital for you. If not, consider calling one in for a consult - it was very useful. Insist, if you must. I had to ask three times, because my chart showed that my guy was nursing on schedule, but we had the technique wrong, so it was very painful. It's not supposed to hurt!

PT#20: Where is the baby going to eat?

While one of the nice things about breastfeeding is that you can feed the baby anywhere, at a moment's notice, it's nice to have a special place set up at home especially for nursing (works equally well for Papa to give bottles.) First of all, you'll need a nice chair. The back should come up behind your head, because there's a very good chance you'll fall asleep in it from time to time. A rocker is really nice, and helpful to calm down fussy babies (My older one wouldn't fall asleep without the rocker; the baby will fall asleep anywhere...) Dutailier is the best brand (made in Canada!)

Around this chair, you'll want a reading light (yes, you can read and nurse!), and a table or shelf for a drink, the bottle, a notepad... y'know, stuff. You might want other things within reach, too, like music and a shelf of baby books.

Finally, you need a boppy. Boppies are wonderful - it's a big crescent-shaped pillow that fits around your waist and holds the baby in the right position. In fact, I'll write a whole boppy tip, tomorrow!

PT#19: Where is the baby going to sleep?

For the first few months, at least, you'll probably want the baby in your room, because we're talking feedings every 2 hours or so. Options include crib (if it fits in your room), bassinette (like a cross between a crib and a Moses-basket), a new contraption that has three sides and attaches to your bed, or right in the bed with you.

This is a very personal choice, and it's a good thing to talk about before you come home with the baby. But then remember - when Mama gets home, she has every right to change her mind. As many times as she needs to.

PT#18: Breastfeeding: A Parent's Guide

Breastfeeding: A Parent's Guide

This is a no-nonsense guide that I referred to over and over. In contrast, I couldn't get through the introduction to the La Leche League tome someone gave me ("If you don't breastfeed you're evil" was the gist.) This is just practical information.

Forgive me for straying into TMI territory, but I had EVERY SINGLE problem in the problems chapter, but I got over them all, and breastfed for longer than some of my in-laws thought proper. You don't need antibiotics for a very mild case of mastitis - a hotpad will do the trick.

And look! Another older edition for a penny!

PT#17: D.W. Winnicott

D.W. Winnicott

There are many books by him on the market. This is the one I have, and it's a nice collection of essays. His very very comforting point (though I can't find the exact chapter right now) is that you know your baby better than anyone, and that your instincts will be correct the vast majority of the time, and you shouldn't subvert your instincts and common sense to whatever "expert" happens to be in vogue.

PT#16: Happiest Baby on the Block

The Happiest Baby on the Block

This doctor set out to figure out colic, and damned if he didn't. Even if your baby doesn't have full-blown colic, these techniques are invaluable, and they work!

Bonus tip: swaddling works, but my babies were so big, they'd squirm out of their baby blankets in two minutes. The solution? A single flat jersey sheet. Wrap it around and around... they're not getting out of that! My oldest still sleeps with his; it's his "summer blanket."

PT#15: Your Child's Health

Your Child's Health

This nice heavy tome, or one like it, is a great relief when your child gets ill in the middle of the night. It tells you what to look for, and whether to call the doctor tomorrow, now, or hop in a cab to the ER.

Look, the 1991 edition (which I have) can be had used for a penny (plus shipping)! Aaak! All my bargain-hunting synapses are exploding!

PT#14: Take Books with a Grain of Salt

You can drive yourself nuts trying to figure it all out from books, and here's why: for any and every approach to parenting, there is a book. Most of them contradict each other, and most of them take the tone "if you don't do it this way, you are ruining your children." Talk to people you trust, and most importantly, trust your own instincts.

I remember early on with my oldest, there was some issue we were grappling over, and I asked a family friend who had 6 kids of her own and has run a pre-school for 30 years. What should we do? "Whatever works," she said.

That said, my next few tips will be for the books I found most helpful.

PT#13: Perchance to Dream

Sleep now. Get as well-rested as you can before the birth. Maternity/paternity leave sounds like a nice break, but you will not sleep a solid 8 hours for a long time.

PT#12: Rob-ease or Roe-Biz?

Best baby shoes, do not come off, and allow the foot to develop naturally. Totally unnecessary until baby starts to "pull up" to standing. Available at Nordstrom's and Amazon.com and lots of other stores--also, Target has pretty good knock-offs.

PT#11: Rubber Baby Buggy Sockies

Best baby socks, the only ones I've found that don't come off almost instantaneously. (They come in different brands - they're the ones with little puffs around the ankles, like baby pom-poms.)