Today is 'National Poetry Day'

When I was at University most of my friends were studying to be teachers. One of them found this poem by Peter Dixon which I found entertaining - especially as I had been a prefect in the sixth form of the rather pompous local grammar school. I'm sure quite a lot of the teachers there would have liked to 'bring back higher standards'!

'Oh Bring Back Higher Standards'

Oh bring back higher standards –
the pencil and the cane –
if we want education then we must have some pain.
Oh, bring us back all the gone days
Yes, bring back all the past . . .
let’s put them all in rows again – so we can see who’s last.

Let’s label all the good ones
(the ones like you and me)
and make them into prefects – like prefects used to be.
We’ll put them on the honours board
. . . as honours used to be,
and write their names in burnished script -
for all the world to see.
We’ll have them back in uniform,
We’ll have them doff their caps,
And learn what manners really are
. . . for decent kind of chaps!
. . . So let’s label all the good ones,
we’ll call them ‘A’s and ‘B’s-
and we’ll parcel up the useless ones,
and call them ‘C’s and ‘D’s.
. . . We’ll even have an ‘E’ lot!
. . . an ‘F’ or ‘G’ maybe!!
. . . so they can know they’re useless,
. . . and not as good as me.

For we’ve got to have the stupid –
And we’ve got to have the poor
Because-
if we don’t have them . . .
well . . . what are prefects for?

And The Winner Is.......

Thank you to everyone who left comments for my giveaway. Apologies that I'm a bit late with it - I've been a wee bit under the weather and Tiddler has changed from a quiet, sleep loving chap into one who has found his voice and refuses to nap. I haven't managed to get anywhere near the computer in ages!

I decided to use my 'cat and kitten' bowl for the names for the giveaway. I love this bowl and usually put my keys in it - otherwise I forget where I've left them.


The winner is Suzan from Scrub Oak - the package will be on it's way across the Atlantic very shortly!

P.S. Many thanks to everyone who wished me 'Happy Birthday' (or 'Hefty Birfday' as Nipper calls it), both here and on Facebook. I got some lovely presents - a copy of Sewing In No Time and a copy of Mason-Dixon Knitting, flowers, a large box of chocolates from Hotel Chocolat, a small box of Thornton's continental selection, a digital photo frame, a music thingy like an ipod shuffle but another brand, and a fab gadget that you attach to your wheelie bin to squash your rubbish down and therefore avoid being fined by the Council for having the lid open (I kid you not - I know someone who was fined!) - Mr Earplugs excels at finding 'useful' presents!

Belated Blogiversary Giveaway

Somehow I managed to miss the first anniversary of my blog - what am I like?!

So here is a belated blogiversary giveaway. Since I'm a bit bonkers about hand knitted socks, and have too much sock yarn in my crafty cupboard, I thought I'd pass some on, along with the very easy basic sock pattern from my local John Lewis, and a set of dpns.


Don't be scared by the thought of attempting to knit socks - if you can knit at all, then you'll be able to knit a fab pair of socks using this pattern, it's easy peasy! And, of course, you don't have to use it to knit socks! The yarn is 100% wool (Blue Faced Leicester I think), by Fyberspates, and is called Fiesta. There's approx 100 grams which should be enough for a pair of socks.


Since not everyone likes to knit I also have a 36 square charm pack in Arcadia by Moda. I didn't want to open it to show the colours but if you Google it you'll get lots of images.

And as you can't craft without chocolate there'll be a little chocolate something in there too.

I'm happy to send this little lot overseas. Just leave a comment and I'll put all the names in a pot and choose one on the 21st September. That's my birthday so I should manage to remember!

Tagged!

I've been tagged by Linda to tell seven amazing things about myself. I'm not too keen on the word 'amazing' as that feels like bragging and makes me feel uncomfortable, so I'll settle for seven 'achievements' instead:

1). Despite the very negative attitude of my teacher, I passed my O Level in English Literature with a grade A. During class I sat with a girl who constantly gave the teacher a hard time. I kept my head down but unfortunately got tarred with the same brush. The teacher hated me and gave me a really bad school report. Luckily my parents took the report with a pinch of salt and I showed him!

2). I was the first person in my family to go to university. I grew up on a council estate and my Dad worked in a factory and my Mum did part-time cleaning. We were pretty poor and I remember that a lot of my teachers were surprised that I did so well academically. I was very lucky to have a couple of teachers who could see beyond my background and were really supportive.

3) This cardigan, made for Miss Muffett, was my first 'serious' piece of knitting. Each row took 12 minutes to knit and I dreaded having to answer the phone etc because I would lose my place in the pattern. Even though no-one else will ever wear it I can't bear to throw it away.


4). I've been researching my family history off and on for a few years and so far have managed to get back to 1790. We are so English and 'northern' at that! My parents live only 2 miles or so from where my Dad's ancestors lived - they just moved off the moor and down into the valley!

5). I am a very poor traveller. I get really bad travel sickness and so any travelling is usually quite stressful. A few years ago I did a tour of Peru - Lima, Cusco, Macchu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and various Inca sites, lots of air and coach travel plus a train across the altiplano, altitude sickness and a touch of 'dehli belly' too. Frankly I don't know how I did it! I couldn't have done it without Mr Earplugs and it's definitely one of my greatest achievements.



6). Having Tiddler has to be my greatest achievement I think. I wasn't sure I could face another pregnancy when I lost a baby last year. Tiddler's pregnancy was such a worrying time, constantly thinking whether everything was going ok, never mind factoring in my age (43). We are so pleased to have him and he's a lovely little lad.

7). My 1st Blogiversary! I have just realised that I have passed the one year mark! Look out for a blogiversary giveaway coming soon (or soonish anyway!)

(Sheep photo from answers.com)

At least it's not Swine Flu!

It's been germ central here for the past couple of weeks. Nipper is very generous with the germs he picks up at nursery. He's had a nasty cough and has sounded like a dog barking! Miss Muffett had a nasty ears, nose and throat lergy and then poor Tiddler went down with a virus which had us at the local hospital for the afternoon. So worrying when they are so tiny (though Tiddler now weighs 13lbs and is moving into age 3 to 6 month clothing already). He's been coughing as if he's a hardened smoker, but as they said at the hospital, "at least it's not swine flu". He's also become quite colicky so we're not getting much sleep (I spoke too soon about him being a quiet baby!)


We had a momentous occasion this week with Miss Muffett turning into a teenager!

She was a bit disappointed not to have 13 candles but since she had a Thornton's toffee cake I think it would have been decimated by so many candles. She could open a shop with the number of presents she got - a benefit of having divorced and re-married parents and so a large extended family! I don't remember much being made of turning 13 when I was a kid. The big birthdays were 18 and 21. My 'big' present was a 'ghetto blaster' and a copy of Thriller on vinyl!

Nothing much else happening here at the moment. My parent's are visiting but the less said about that the better - lol! I could do 'a day in my life' but it would be filled with repetitions of 'fed Tiddler, changed Tiddler, put washing on, made breakfast/lunch/tea' so not very interesting reading! I hope to get a bit of knitting done at some point, but that really is hope over expectation so I won't be holding my breath!

Look at the size of the needle on this thing!

Perhaps I shouldn't blog about something quite so personal (contraception), but what the heck!?

I had an earlier than normal postnatal check-up - 4 weeks rather than 6 weeks - as I wanted to be cleared to drive again. Everything is healing up nicely and I 'passed' all the exercises to prove I could drive safely. Yay! The doctor then decided to give me the 'contraception talk'. Only a doctor would be thinking contraception just a month after birth. The memory of the latter stages of pregnancy and having a baby are contraceptive enough, thanks very much. Mind you I do know someone who got pregnant 5 weeks after having a baby. 5 weeks!! If Mr Earplugs gets any ideas he'll be getting the stick treatment - I'll be beating him off with one. If there is an opportunity for sex then there's an opportunity for sleep and I know which one I'd rather have just now!

The easiest option would be for Mr Earplugs to have the snip, but since he's a lot younger than me he may well want to have more children should I fall under a bus! And really it's me who doesn't want any more children as at nearly 44 I think I'm lucky to have had Nipper and Tiddler. I did consider being sterilised during the c-section but it has a higher failure rate if done then and we really didn't want to be worrying about that. So, after much discussion, we decided that the hormonal implant would be the best option. It's a matchstick sized implant which is put in your upper arm and can stay in place for up to 3 years. Apparantly you need much less hormone than with the oral pill as it's being delivered straight into your blood stream, there are less problems with other drug interactions, and you don't have to worry about whether it's been absorbed if you are sick or have a tummy upset. Best of all you don't have to remember to take it.

I filled the prescription and was a bit confused when the pharmacist gave me a large bag - it's just a small implant, right? Well, the implant is small but I hadn't given much thought as to how it would be put in place. Just look at the applicator and check out that whopping needle (it's the whole section to the left of my thumb!)

The practice nurse was a real sweetie and gave me 3 shots of local anaesthetic in my upper arm, followed by a fourth for good measure. She was chatting to me about local schools (our LEA is one of the worst in the country) to keep my mind occupied but when she came at me with the needle my mind went blank and I must have been talking gibberish! I didn't look (would you have done??!) but I didn't feel a thing. She covered the area with steristrips and bandaged me up. Seems a bit extreme doesn't it?


Well, check out what it looked like when I took the bandage off the following morning:


So much for the bandage minimising any bruising. It's still rather sore now and I think it's going to be quite a few more days before the bruising fades. Thank goodness I only need to have this done once every three years.

I hate to think how they are going to get the implant out though - 'scalpel please nurse' I think!!

The Best, and Worst, of Weekends

The Worst:

- Travelling to a wedding on Friday afternoon and getting stuck in a traffic jam among the M25 roadworks.
- Whilst stuck in the jam - Tiddler screaming for a feed, Nipper screaming because Tiddler has woken him up, and me feeling like my head is going to pop!
- Having nothing to wear to the wedding due to 'post-birth-fat-tummy'!
- Being crippled by my new shoes (big blisters), then hearing a loud 'crack' when I stubbed my toe on the leg of Miss Muffett's bed. Said toe swelled up and went purple and now I can't get any shoes on at all!
- Being up all night following the wedding with suspected food poisoning. I was as sick as a dog and Mr Earplugs was even sicker. I can't blame an excess of alcohol as we didn't have any aside from the 'toast'. Trying to breastfeed whilst holding a bucket in case you are sick is quite a challenge! I don't know how we managed the drive home.

The Best:

- Attending the wedding of our good friends. They have been together a bit longer than me and Mr Earplugs, and he introduced them to each other, so it was lovely to see them finally get hitched.

- Catching up with all of Mr Earplugs Uni friends. We've created our own mini population explosion - 9 kids between us so far and not everyone has had kiddies yet.
- Managing a quick salsa at the wedding disco before deciding it perhaps wasn't the best thing to be doing just 3 weeks after my c-section!

- Discovering that in spite of the 'baby belly' I'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight :o)
- Tiddler finally deciding that he likes to have a bath!

(Tiddler isn't such a tiddler anymore. He's put on nearly 3lbs since he was born so perhaps I should call him 'Guzzler' instead).

Happy Birthday Nipper!

Our New Arrival

Here is our new arrival - only 30 seconds old! (Apologies to anyone who is squeamish!)

As you can see he was born by c-section despite me nearly having a nervous breakdown at the thought (several hypnotherapy sessions worked wonders!) He weighed 8lbs and 7ozs and was born at 12:44pm as we were last on the theatre list.

The whole experience seems somewhat surreal to me now that we are back home. It wasn't as 'bad' as I'd expected though they did give me too much anaesthetic and the block went right up to my upper chest and I could feel my chin and ears going numb - scary! We only spent two nights in hospital. That doesn't seem very long, does it? I was in for longer with both Miss Muffett and Nipper. My stitches came out on Wednesday and though the area is very sore I'm managing to get about and do a few things around the house. All in all, a pretty good birth experience, and much better than the previous two.

'New Nipper', as I kept calling him, will be known in Blogland as 'Tiddler' (Kitty referred to him as Tiddler and I really liked it).

Here he is looking a bit more civilised:

He's quite a quiet baby, more noticeable I think because the other two were real screamers. He likes nothing more than a good feed followed by a good kip with my boob still in his mouth! Miss Muffett thinks he's quite cute and Nipper has taken his arrival reasonably well though he seems a bit cross with me. Not so cross as to deny me the lovely bunch of flowers that he made for me at nursery though:

Fingers crossed that the quiet times continue!

A Labour of Love

No, not that kind of 'labour'. New nipper is still tucked up inside and we will be setting off for the hospital at 7am tomorrow morning. By lunch time he should be with us!

No, this labour has been the knitting of a crib blanket:

Each row took approximately 5 minutes to knit and I ended up with around 180 rows (kept knitting till the yarn ran out). Altogether that's about 15 hours though it felt like much longer!

Soule Mama knitted a lovely blanket for her new baby and she mentioned that it was a variation of a 'feather and fan' pattern. So I looked up what this pattern was and it seemed pretty simple so I figured I'd give it a go. There's no actual pattern to follow, rather just a stitch and row repeat (18 stitches repeated over the row with 4 rows making up the pattern with a few extra stitches at the beginning and end of the row to form a border). Another 'winging it' project for me - lol! Here's a close-up, believe me when I say that it's much easier to knit than it looks:

I have some nice cotton yarn but was worried about making a mess of the project and wasting it so decided to use some baby acrylic double knit that I had in my crafty cupboard. I didn't have a clue how many stitches to cast on in order to get a blanket of the right size so I did a trial run of the pattern stitch and row repeat and hazarded a guess. My finished blanket is the perfect size for a moses basket. I'm really pleased with how it turned out and now wish that I'd made it big enough for a cot and out of the cotton after all!

In case anyone's interested here's my 'recipe':

2x 100g balls baby acrylic double knit.

1 pair of size 4.5mm needles (as I wanted it to knit up fairly quickly).

Cast on 116 stitches (6 x 18 for the pattern repeat plus 4 stitches at the beginning and end of each row to form a border).

Knit the first 4 rows to form a border.

Start the pattern repeat:

Row 1: Knit

Row 2: Knit 4, Purl to the last 4 stitches, knit 4.

Row 3: Knit 4, *knit 2 together x three times, yarn forward then knit 1 x six times, knit 2 together x three times*, repeat from * to * to the last 4 stitches, knit 4.

Row 4: Knit.

Do as many 4 row repeats as you like but ending with a row 4 (I did 42 repeats).

Knit the last 4 rows to form a border.

Cast off.

If I was going to do this again I would probably knit 6 or 8 rows for the top and bottom borders, and likewise 6 or 8 stitches at the beginning and end of each row for the side borders.

Pregnancy Update:

Well, tommorrow is the big day and I'm pretty nervous. I'll be away from blogland for a little while I think but will try to pop up a picture of the new arrival. Thank you for all your good wishes, I will be thinking of them all!

Things I Probably Shouldn't Be Doing At 38 Weeks Pregnant!

1). Building shelving systems:

Though it's so good to have the toys going 'up' the wall instead of across the floor (Mr Earplugs did help) and we can now find what we want to play with.

2). Yanking all the ivy off the garden wall. We've been trying to keep the ivy in check but it's a constant struggle and it's getting into the borders and the lawn, not to mention growing about 8 foot high in places, and ruining the pointing:

So, it had to go:

Now we have a lovely ivy free wall which we can repair:

And a space to put a small shed (we have a shed already but it's too big and rotten in places so that'll be going soon too!):


3). Spending a couple of hours traipsing around Heathrow looking for the 'spectators area' which is signposted but doesn't actually exist anymore! I had a few choice words to say about that! We were able to watch some planes taking off by hanging around the car-park (which you're not supposed to do apparently??). We also found a spot outside of the perimeter fence where you can watch the planes coming into land. They are so low at this point that you feel as if you could reach out and touch them. It was quite an experience and Nipper loved it. Wish I'd taken the camera!

4). Clambering around with Nipper on the equipment here with a view to getting him a play-frame (not from here though as they are a bit pricey). Mr Earplug's Grandad left him a bit of money when he died recently and we know he would love the idea of a play-frame for the kids. Unfortunately we have a slightly stroppy neighbour who I'm sure will make a complaint about it. I tried to head this off by asking the local Council's advice but they were useless. There isn't any legislation that specifically covers kiddies play equipment so they wouldn't give me any advice. So we'll have to put it up and see what happens and possibly apply for planning permission! I ask you - planning permission for a play-frame!

Following the ivy yanking and the kitchen refurb we're left with this:

So from now until the 12th we'll be skip-filling (got one coming tomorrow).

Pregnancy Update:

Well, so much for me saying I'm going to take it easy. We've had far too much to do! I think the iron tablets must be giving me a new lease of life - lol! Having said that, I'm quite tired as I can't find a comfortable sleeping position. I'm also having severe braxton hicks. I only had mild contractions for a few days before Nipper was born and none at all before Miss Muffett came along. These are so painful that I have to practice a bit of deep breathing! Hope that doesn't mean that new Nipper is coming early! I'll be having an afternoon at the hospital later this week for a 'pre-op' visit and a trip to the path lab next week for blood samples to be held in case something goes wrong - don't like the sound of that!

Re the registrar telling us we couldn't have skin-to-skin contact - I went to a 'c-section class' and was able to talk to a theatre midwife who said that it will be possible. We just have to tell the midwife and anaesthetist on the day and they will make it possible. I figured that might be the case. Shame that the 'higher-ups' who are often giving you information don't actually know the reality! Isn't that often the way though?!

And finally, something which I did, but which probably should have been done a few weeks ago really - set up a 'baby station' in our bedroom:

My lovely (if somewhat dated) gliding rocker came from Ebay for just £24 and a trip by Mr Earplugs to collect it. I also washed the moses basket:

So if new Nipper comes early I think we might just be ready for him - aside from the fact that we'll have to wait about an hour for m-i-l to get here!

Kitchen Re-fit

Before:

(Horrible units, even more horrible floor!)

During:

After:

(I was a bit worried about our choice of units but they've grown on me!)

(So glad this is finished and that we don't have that awful green floor anymore!)

Pregnancy update:

Nothing much to report really. I'm taking my iron tablets and so feel better than a couple of weeks ago. I've finally accepted that I have to try and slow up a bit. I popped into town for a coffee with a friend and had to get Mr Earplugs to drive in to pick me up as I knew it would take me forever to walk back up the hill to our house!

Baby is definitely making a descent and I'm carrying him very low. He is very wriggly and causes considerable discomfort very low in my pelvis. I'm also doing the pregnancy 'walk' big time now!

We had an appointment to see the Consultant last week but once again ended up seeing a Registrar. I was a bit annoyed as at this point (37 weeks) I'd rather like to meet the person who's going to be operating. The appointment didn't go too well with the Registrar questioning why I was having a c-section and making me feel that it wasn't necessary. She was also very negative and dismissive of things I was asking for ie I asked about having skin-to-skin contact with the baby whilst being sewn up and she said that there wouldn't be room available for that during the op. I've decided to speak to the Midwife and Anaesthetist on the day as I'm sure it must be possible (and 2 fingers to the unhelpful Registrar who ought to work somewhere other than obstetrics!).

A Bit of a Round-up

I've been completely out of Blog land for the last month or so - just been too busy with the kitchen re-fit and all the decorating. You really do realise just how much stuff you have when you need to clear a room out. I seem to have done nothing but shift stuff from room to room lately! But it's all finished now and I'll put some before and after shots up at some point.

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I received a lovely present from Raina last week. She had mentioned that she was going to send me a little something as a 'cheer-up' following the sad demise of the Go-Go. I received the most beautiful necklace which Nipper has taken rather a shine to due to the iridescent beads - he's fascinated:

And also.........hand knitted socks! Gorgeously soft cashmere socks which fit perfectly:

I was overwhelmed. So much time and effort goes into anything hand made. I don't think I could ever let go of a pair of my hand knitted socks. Thank you so much Raina for your very thoughtful and generous gift. It certainly was a fabulous 'cheer-up'.

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Speaking of the Go-Go....I got an 'offer' from my insurance company for the write-off of the car.....£150, less my excess, so £50! I was rather cross at this to say the least! I got online and found half a dozen Micra's similar to mine with values ranging from £300 to £600 so downloaded the adverts and sent them, and a rather snippy letter, off to the insurers. Sure enough, ten days later I got a revised offer of £400, so result! However, I think I'm now going to equate insurance companies with 2nd hand car dealers and estate agents!

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I think it's about time I blogged some awards. Some of these are from before last Christmas so apologies all round!

Both Linda and Caroline awarded me the Premio Dardos award:

I'm afraid I can't remember specifically what it's for and when I tried to translate it I came up with 'prize darts' which wasn't really any help! But thank you Linda and Caroline!

The lovely Mel Mel (private blog) gave me the Hot Blog Award, which speaks for itself, and also the Marie Antoinette Award for being 'real':

This one was a little bit tongue in cheek as she passed it on to me after I'd regaled her with tales of all of us being up all night with a nasty tummy upsetting germ - and you can't get more real than that I guess!

Kitty passed along the Best Blog Comments Award:


And Linda very generously passed on the Lemonade Award:

for blogs which show attitude or gratitude (which was very kind of her since I hadn't blogged the first award she gave me!).

Having left it so long to blog them there's no way that I can list and link to everyone who deserves these to be passed on. So if you follow me, or are on my blog list, or have ever left me a comment then please consider yourself awarded with any or all of the above.

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I've also been tagged by Sara and Linda.

Sara tagged me for 'six random things about me' but as I did one of these before I thought I'd do a 'six things which get my goat!' instead, so here goes:

1. Since I started driving Nipper to nursery 4 times a week I'm noticing other people's bad driving habits (no doubt I have plenty of my own!). Top of the list has to be people who don't bother to indicate, especially at big junctions and mini-roundabouts. This leads nicely onto number 2....

2. People who decide to ignore the rules regarding who has right of way. This is another mini-roundabout problem and also crops up a lot as there are lots of parked cars around here.

3. And another driving related one - people who park across my drive, especially as the whole rest of the street is empty but they can't be bothered to walk the few extra feet! It's become so bad now that we have applied to the Council for a marking to be painted across the driveway. Hopefully people will notice that, though why they can't see the driveway in the first place is beyond me. (Mr Earplugs has been getting a tad stressed about this as he's worried that I might go into labour early and someone will be blocking the drive).

4. Irresponsible dog owners. Don't get me wrong, I quite like dogs ,but have never owned one and don't know much about looking after them. But I do know that I wouldn't let my dog jump up at strangers, nor would I let it off the lead in a park where there were lots of small children playing. Miss Muffett was slammed into a wall when she was about 5 years old by a dog which was charging around the entryway to the park. It might not have been so bad if the owner had come over and helped but he just walked straight past and didn't say a thing. I had plenty to say! I've also had clothing ruined by dogs jumping up and scraping their dirty paws down my clothes, and had a picnic in the park spoiled by a roaming dog which figured it was a slap up meal just for him.

5. This one could be tagged on to no 4 really - dog mess on the pavement! It's a nightmare when you tread in it or get it stuck around your pram wheels. If a dog owner can't be bothered to pick it up then at least get them to do it in the gutter where it's less likely to be trodden in!

6. Another driving type one - cyclists riding on the pavement at break-neck speed. I have every sympathy with people wanting to ride on the pavement as the roads are so busy. Unfortunately a lot of them forget that pavements are supposed to be for pedestrians. I've been hit twice by cyclists zooming along and zig-zagging through people, and we had a scary near miss with Miss Muffett when she was small.

Linda tagged me with a 'Reading' meme:

Who is your first favorite author and why?

I think this would have to be Enid Blyton. I read the 'Wishing Tree' books, then the 'Mallory Towers' series, and of course the 'Famous Five' books. I think I liked the 'mystery' aspect of the Famous Five.

Do you still consider him/her to be among your favourites?

Not really, though if I was a kid again I'm sure I'd still like the 'Famous Five' and I do still like mystery novels.

Who is your all time favorite author and why?

I loved 'Wuthering Heights' by Emily Bronte, which we studied for 'A' Level, probably because it's set close to where I grew up and the language of the characters is real . That really appealed at the time as I went to a grammar school and there were very few kids there with a 'local' accent.

Do you still co nsider him/her to be among your favorites?

Absolutely.

Who is the most recent addition to your favorite authors and why?

Probably Jodi Picoult. Her books often deal with difficult subjects and she looks at them from all angles.

If someone asked you who your favorite authors were right now, which authors would first pop out of your mouth?

Probably Jodi Picoult as I haven't read all of her novels yet. I love Sue Grafton's 'alphabet' series of crime novels. I also really like Nicci French but have to be in the right mood to read them. I like a good crime/thriller/mystery novel.

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Pregnancy Update:

I have only 5 weeks to go now! It has come around rather quickly, especially since I thought I had 2 more weeks than that. I've been feeling a little bit under the weather with tiredness, dizzy spells and breathlessness, and feeling a bit twitchy about the upcoming c-section. I figured it was just down to being in the latter stages of pregnancy and chasing around after Nipper (not to mention no longer being a spring chicken - lol!) Turns out that I'm anaemic and have been having the classic symptoms. So it's iron tablets for me from now on which means I have to also limit my intake of milk, tea and eggs. What'll I do without my first cup of tea of the day??

Everyone keeps commenting on how small I look (even though I feel like a whale) so I thought I'd put a recent photo up alongside the one taken at 25 weeks to see if there's much difference:

I guess I am bigger, though I don't look much bigger considering 10 weeks have gone by. Let's hope I don't get too much bigger then over the next 5 weeks.

(And this has got to be my longest ever blog post - congratulations if you made it all the way to here!)

Hats

A little while ago Mr Earplugs collected Nipper from nursery and left his hat and gloves behind. Since it was still rather nippy, and he only had one set, I thought I'd better do something about it. Initially I was going to just buy a set but both our local Woolworths and Adams stores have gone to the wall and I couldn't be bothered with traipsing around looking for a hat! So I figured I'd knit one!

A quick trawl of the www and I found a pattern for a 'Pixie Hat'. As usual I didn't have the right yarn or needles and couldn't wait to get started either. So I figured I'd have a go with some pure wool sock yarn which I bought in a fit of enthusiasm whilst forgetting that pure wool wouldn't be that hardwearing and would likely felt when I mistakenly put it in the washing machine. Here it is:As I recall it's Fyberspates, 100% wool, sock yarn, in 'Blue Lagoon'. It feels quite thick for a sock yarn but since I've only knitted one pair of socks as yet what do I know?! But since it is a sock yarn I figured my existing set of dpns should do the trick. I wasn't sure what size to knit since I wasn't using the right yarn or needles and I wouldn't call Nipper a 'baby' but then again neither is he a 'small adult'. I went with 'small adult' in the end on the basis that it should fit him for a long, long time!

I had conquered my fear of dpns when knitting my first socks last year but was somewhat alarmed when I realised that this hat called for 7 of them!

That was quite some feat and to be honest I think I'd have found it easier to use a circular needle and just go onto dpns for the shaping. But I got the hang of it and here is the finished article:


Nipper looks a real cutie in it though I may have to make the 'stalk' disappear as he gets older and needs to look 'cool' (my friend's 5 year old insists on looking 'cool' - at 5 years old!!)

Following the success of this hat Miss Muffett decided she wanted one. We opted for the Saturday Afternoon Hat (which took longer than 1 afternoon for me to knit it!) but again I didn't have the right yarn or needles. So I decided to do a combination of both patterns and use my existing dpns and 100g of double knit acrylic which has been kicking around the place for donkeys years!

I cast on the number of stitches required for the Pixie Hat, did a few alternating knit and purl rows so the bottom wouldn't roll up, added in several rows of the Saturday Afternoon Hat detail, then reverted to the Pixie Hat pattern for the top shaping.

It seems to have worked out ok and Miss Muffett is very pleased with it.

Now I just have to whip up a pair of mittens to match Nipper's hat before the weather warms up too much (don't think that's likely to happen - lol!)

P.S. I can't remember where I found the Saturday Afternoon Hat but it was likely on Ravelry.