Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Bubbles

Thanks for all your advice and support on feeding. I think it has definitely improved this week and I'm feeling a lot more positive about everything.
The girls worked out how to actually blow bubbles yesterday and not just throw the liquid everywhere.
Grace's new favourite colour is orange (she should probably been born in the 70s) and Milly decided she needed blue pants. I couldn't get a picture while they were wearing them so here they are drying on the line.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Mail and Sewing

Eva and I managed a walk to town today. It was so nice to be out of the house and walking quite comfortably. Something I didn't manage after the caesar with Grace and Amelia for a couple of months. So everything is going ok, well except for the feeding - a whole new experience for me as I didn't breastfeed the girls successfully, I tried to express for them for a while, but they were mainly bottle fed. I really wanted to try breastfeeding this time and I still am, but it's an hour by hour thing. It is taking a long time to get her to attach correctly and when I tried expressing I was only getting blood and the pain this has caused is just awful. Feeding time around here involves more swearing than an episode of Goron Ramsey. But I am preservering and hoping it gets easier soon.
I received some lovely mail last week. Sue knitted a gorgeous jumper, cardigan and hat for Eva out of the softest wool.
Some great fabric from Aunty Cookie. My photos don't do the fantastic brown linen fabric justice.
I managed to get to my sewing machine last night - the girls had been waiting for new pyjama pants for ages and they really are so quick to make. Pyjama pants are also a really good way to test a pattern as they don't have to be perfect. So I tested a new pattern for making winter pants and they seem to fit. The girls have picked out some corduroy for some new pants and have helped cut them out. Now to find another quiet hour to sew.

Monday, April 21, 2008

Eva's Birth Story

We are slowly trying to get in a routine, despite Eva not knowing the difference between night and day. It was good timing to have her at the start of the school holidays so I have Chris home for the two weeks. It was not good timing having her on that particular day.
We were in Yallingup all ready for Matt and Ali's wedding. I had been to the day spa with Ali the day before and had my toe-nails done - they had avoided touching the rest of my feet so they didn't bring labour on, I had a new (very large) dress and Mum and Dad were there to help with the girls so we had a night out without them.
We were having breakfast and I was meant to go and get my hair and make-up done about 9. By about 8.30 I had decided that this was not going to happen and told Chris he wasn't going to be able to play golf that morning. We went to tell Ali that I wouldn't be coming. Luckily she is such an easy going person and dealt with the news so well and we headed to Bunbury to the hospital.
I am seriously impressed with anyone that manages to have a baby without drugs of any time. Eva was posterior facing and I have heard that it is a bit more painful, but I was still nearly screaming for an epidural, which made everything bearable. I wasn't too stressed about whether I had a C-section or a not, but I am glad the doctor was all for trying a VBAC. It nearly ended in a C-section as she hadn't turned and I was so disappointed at the thought and so relieved when he said he would try and turn her with the forceps. So that is what he did and then she was out. It was so nice this time to hold her straight away. I didn't even see Amelia when she was born until that night and only had a passing glimpse at Grace as they whisked her away. It was really nice to have time with just Chris and Eva and to wake up that night knowing she was just next to me.
I still don't have any pictures of the girls in their flower girl dresses from the wedding, but I have heard they did a fantastic job and were perfectly behaved the whole day and the wedding was fantastic. That is one wedding anniversary I won't forget.
I am sure I had the prettiest toe-nails in the hospital.

Friday, April 18, 2008

Three Sisters

Eva and I are back at home now. It is really nice to be home and to see the girls excited about their little sister. Thankyou for all your lovely messages and well wishes. We are slowly adjusting to life with a newborn and remembering what it is like to be sleep deprived.

I will write more about the birth later, but here is a picture of my wedding bouquet that Ali and Matt brought to me on Sunday as I didn't quite make it to their wedding.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Eva

Eva Arabella
12th April 2008
3.24kg 48cm
Kate & Eva are still in hospital.
Kate will write more when she gets home.
Cheers - Chris

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Knitting in Progress

I started some new Thuja socks - I'm sure I'm going to be spending a bit of time up at night this winter. I'm using Lorna's Laces Worsted in Bittersweet.
A Debbie Bliss Baby Shrug using Rainbow Wool which I want to love, but I just don't like knitting with it. I love the colour and the fact it is Australian, but it feels really harsh to me. I'm glad I'm almost half way.

Monday, April 07, 2008

Pig and Flower Quilt

I finally finished the pig and flower quilt for my niece Lyssie. I have really enjoyed finishing some long unfinished projects in the last few weeks. It always means I can think about and plan new things.
I really enjoyed not following a pattern for this quilt and designing it myself.
I had one big bit of fabric for the back, but it wasn't wide enough so I used scraps from the front to make it wider.
The machine quilting looks ok from the front (not so good from the back). It definitely improved as I went along.

Sunday, April 06, 2008

Spinning and Quilting

Some spinning from this week. I love the greens and the blues in this roving.
I'm trying to spin a bit thinnner and a bit more consistently.
I definitely need to practise plying.
This quilt top has been sitting around a few months now. My least favourite part of making a quilt is laying it all out and getting it ready to quilt. I did make sure I put a lot of safety pins in it as I was very lazy doing the little cot quilt and it moved a lot as I sewed (did you notice there was no close up pictures after I quilted it?). I started some free form quilting of flowers and swirls and so far so good.

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

The finished cot quilt

I had another trip to Bunbury to the doctor yesterday and everything seemed fine so I'll have another trip there next week when he wants to work out 'a plan'. Hopefully the plan will involve doing nothing until after my friend Ali's wedding at the end of next week.
The cot quilt is finished and the cot has sheets on and is all ready to go. Mum and I went through all the old clothes this morning so another thing is organised.
I've been slowly getting some more toys and bags ready to go to the Fremantle Arts Centre. This morning I finally got them photographed and packed ready for Mum to drop them off.