Monday, June 30, 2008

Interesting sock book

I wonder if anybody has come across a book called "Crazy toes and Heals" I was reading about it in a Yahoo Group and then went to check out the author's webpage and it sounds great. I am very tempted to buy it. It is a self published book.

From the website:
http://queenkahuna-creations.com/crazytoesandheelsbook.html
  • Here are some features of Crazy Toes & Heels toe-up version...
    The toe is nice and round... no "points".
  • The toe-up sock pattern uses a technique to create immediate increases to get this look.
  • No heel flap to knit...
  • no gusset stitches to "pick up". You build a "gusset" then turn the heel. You are then to the ankle of your sock. Pattern includes a "slip-stitch" heel for durability, or a plain stockinet stitch heel.
  • If working on two circular needles, you can try the sock on for fit at any time.
  • Working two socks at the same time, you can wear them the instant they are done... no waiting to finish the second sock! (Or never finishing the second sock!)
  • Detailed, and I MEAN detailed, instructions guide you through knitting your socks on two circular needles from toe-to-cuff, or cuff-to-toe!

Since I have not been sucessful in learning how to knit socks on circular, this seems like the right book for me... I can't wait to get it!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Mastitis

My old friend mastitis, I can't not say I missed you... Last night I started to dream about wool socks, warm and soft wool socks on my feet... It was 3:00 a.m. I was shivering and I walked up, I can not say I welcome Mastitis back but I sure know her very well... I got up and found a sweater (to wear in my 80 degree bedroom), I did not even bother in taking my temperature, I know if I was that cold I was at least a 100 degrees. I got my heating pad out and damped two prefold diapers to put in between my skin and the heating pad. Then I pumped again. After that and went to get ice packs, put them in my breast and felt asleep. It was already 6:00 a.m. I was so tired I felt asleep deeply. Today I have been feeling very week, I have been trying to catch up on my sleep and drinking lots of water. As in the past, Tylenol will be my only help, as I don't like taking antibiotics. The reason for that is I get mastitis so many times that if took antibiotics every time I will be on antibiotics every other month. I can't afford that. I will be sick of my stomach and the antibiotic will change the flavor of the milk, killing all the good probiotics on it as well. I will try to manage just like I have done with my other two babies. I will survive!, I hope ;-(

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Happy 2 month birthday bebe!



This time daddy wanted to be in the picture. Ian turns 2 months today. He is 13 pounds which means he had doubled his birth weight.

Down here a picture of him taking a bath... You can guess by his expression how much he hates baths... I keep telling him: "Don't worry bebe, some day you will love it. I promise!" But he does not seem to believe me.
You can see the Michellin tire legs already taking shape...



Hoy Ian cumple 2 meses, hoy papi quería posar con el en la foto. Tiene 13 libras, lo cual significa que ya duplicó su peso de naciemiento. En la otra foto está tomando su baño, como pueden ver en la foto odia los baños, yo siempre le digo: "No te preocupes bebé, algún día te encantarán los baños de tina, te lo prometo! Pero como que no se la traga... Pueden ver en la foto las llantas de Michellin ya formándose...

Cafe Press Shirt







I was finally able to take a picture of Ian wearing his Cafepress shirt. He moves a lot and my cheap digital camera takes blurry pictures if you move a bit. The shirt says: I am a Breastfeeding, Sling Riding, Co-Sleeping, Cloth Diapered, Intact, Non-Vaccinated, Lucky Boy. Isn't that great? When I saw this shirt I couldn't believe it! I always though about making a shirt like this and when I saw it was available I just had to have it! Of course in this picture my model is also wearing the wool soaker mommy made for him. By the way, I love this soaker so much, I am making another one... I started to knit it yesterday. :-)
Por fin pude tomarle una foto a Ian con la camiseta de Cafepress. El bandido se mueve mucho entonces las fotos me quedan borrosas porque mi cámara digital no es muy buena. La camiseta dice: "Yo soy un afortunado bebé que toma leche materna, lo andan en un arnes en el pecho de mamá, duerme con los papás, le usan pañales de tela, está intacto (no fue circunsidado), y no ha sido vacunado." En cuanto vi esta camiseta tuve que comprarla porque todo lo que dice es lo que yo creo y simplemente no pude creerlo que existiera una camiseta que dijera exactamente todo lo que yo creo de cual es la manera mas sana de criar un bebé. También en la foto mi modelo lleva puesto la cubierta de pañal de lana que yo le tejí. Me encanta así que ya empecé a tejer otra. :-)

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Cute little project


I had so much fun making this... It was instant gratification. The peg board was $3.99, 1 acrylic green paint was $1, the 3 animals came already made for 59 cents each and a set of brushes cost $3.00 for a total of $ 9.76 plus tax (purchased at my local Michael's). I used some Wood Glue that I already had to glue the animals to the peg board. It ties up with the animal theme of our bedding set. I made it to have a place to put the baby's hats which here in "Hot City", California, are a most during the summer.

Monday, June 16, 2008

I got new diapers!

I was so eager to receive an order from Mother-Easy diapers... and finally I got them. These are one size diapers so they are really big of course they can be folded and set for small size (which is what we need now), but they are very bulky for a small baby. The fabric is different than the Kissaluvs that I love, it is more like a towel on the outside and a mesh fabric in the inside, which I think contributes the bulkiness, of course they absorb a lot which is the purpose of using this type of fabric, which by the way have an incredible washing capability as these diapers do not get stain like my Kissaluvs. They can go from the washer to the dryer, no need to sun them out for the most part, unless the diaper was too heavely soiled.

They have their regular one size diaper for $11 which is a good price (same as a fitted kissaluv) but I got the Stay Dry One Size Diaper thinking it would hold more liquid but now I realize it has a mesh fabric in the inside which they claim keeps the baby feeling dry as it separates the skin from the damped fabric and also prevents stains. This are more expensive ($14 each). Now I don't know if Ian feels dry even when he is soaked, but the part about the stains is TRUE! and this is a big plus for me as it really saves time not having to sun the diapers. It was a hard decision to switch brands because I do love my fitted Kissaluvs but as Ian outgrew the size 0, I realized I couln't afford buying new diapers every time he gained a few pounds, so I decided I needed to look into one size diapers. Now, Mother-Easy also carries the Sandy fitted diaper that looks very cute and it comes in two sizes; Small and Large, since the sizing range is wider I might endulge myself with a couple of these and a couple of their AIO'S to try them out. They have a separate Sandy for newborns and a Sandy for toddlers.

Due to the bulk, I am going to need bigger covers as well. I will probably order them from them since their Air Flow covers are my favorites. That is the whole reason I purchased their diapers in the first place. I figured if I love their covers, their diapers most be great too. And they are, if you don't mind the bulk like I said. Now they make the covers with beautiful prints on ecological themes. No other cover is 100% leak proof, as far as the ones I have tried. These are just the best, and the good part is that it does allow the flow or air like its name says.

There is never going to be a perfect diaper, you have to sacrifice fitting for investment protection, and putting up with the bulk if you want to save money in the long run. So far, this are my two cents regarding Mother-Easy Stay Dry One size diapers, I can't wait to try their other diapers. I will keep you posted of my opinion as I get to use these more. Here is a picture of how they look on Ian at 7 weeks (12 pounds):



Este es Ian con los pañales nuevos que le compramos, son excelentes porque se ajustan a diferentes tamaños. Se prensan con broches entonces no requieren gazilla. También me encanta el hecho de que no se manchan debido a una tela especial que tienen por dentro.

Happy father's day!



Every year is so hard to think of the perfect Father's Day gift... This year we took pictures of ourselves and made cards with them for daddy and both granpa Rodger and abuelito Carlos. Those we send via internet as both granpas live far away... We do miss them a lot but hopefully they will come to visit this summer to meet baby Ian.
Todos los años nos quebramos la cabeza pensando que regalar para el Día del Padre... Este año decidimos tomar estas fotos de nosotros y hacer tarjetas con ellas para el papi de la casa y para los dos abuelos quienes como viven lejos recibiran su tarjeta por internet. Los dos nos hacen mucha falta pero ojala que nos vengan a visitar este verano y vengan a conocer al bebé.

Monday, June 09, 2008

If you want cheeks like these...

If you want cheeks like these:
All you have to do is this:

Breastfeed!


Sunday, June 08, 2008

Wash a bunch of baby outfits is no fun...

I decided to get rid of the covers that leak. I am tired of washing the baby's outfits and he is tired of getting a change of clothes with every change of diaper... I am keeping only the ones that work, which means I might need some extra ones after all... Perhaps some hand made woolen soakers ???

Saturday, June 07, 2008

A prayer for all babies...

As I breastfeed my baby and I look at him, so incredibly innocent and helpless, makes me think of all the abused babies in the world. I have seen videos of people shaking babies, slapping babies in their little faces, etc. Most of the abuse is neglect, they are left alone crying for hours, thrown around, etc. And what about the unborn babies? There is no difference, inside or outside the womb, it is the same baby. What makes people think that because they can't see the baby, it is OK to make it go away with a medical procedure? What kind of world do we live in? and What kind of society prosecutes the same "violent action" as a crime only if the baby is out of the womb. It's the same baby. The same innocent creature, there is no difference. So join me today in praying for all of those babies whose mothers are considering abortion right this minute, join me to pray for all of those neglected and abused little ones who are helpless at the mercy of their parents even though they did not ask to be brought to this world. May God send angels to protect them and have mercy of their innocent little souls. Please take a minute now to pray for all suffering babies of the world.

Friday, June 06, 2008

My baby is getting really heavy. It is hard to carry him around already and he is only 6 weeks old. He is already 11 pounds!

I am a little depress at my weight. Yesterday I had to go buy clothes 2 sizes bigger than my normal size. I didn't want to keep using maternity clothes. I know it takes time to go back to your normal weight, but I didn't think it would take so long. Since I gave birth I have only loose 3 pounds... At this rate, is going to take me all year to go back to my former weight. Luckily my husband like chubby girls, so I am OK as far that goes. :-)

Mi bebé se está poniendo muy pesado. Me cuesta andarlo alzado y apenas tiene 6 semanas. Ya pesa 11 libras.

Estoy un poco deprimida por mi peso ya que desde que tuve a mi bebé solo he perdido 3 libras, a este paso me va a tomar un año volver a mi peso normal. Gracias a Dios a mi marido le gustan las gorditas... así que por ese lado estoy bien. :-)

Diapering tips...

Diapering tips I learned this week:
1- Use both a regular cover and wool pants at night.
2- Use prefolds as doublers inside a fitted diaper.
3- Switch to a size of clothes bigger to allow space for diapers and a more comfortable fit.
4- Buy "one size" fitted diapers at mother-easy.com to save money in the long term.

Sunday, June 01, 2008

I placed the Florence back on Ian to see if it would fit. It fits perfectly, which means by the time I finish the front (probably a month), it won't fit. So, I think it is a no go for Florence, which is a shame because it was comming out really pretty.

Here are the socks I was talking about. I just finished the toe of the second sock. I am using some cheap merino wool from China that I got from Ebay a long time ago. It is harsh to the touch but when you wash it (it is machine washable), it gets really soft.