09.20.09
Posted in Biard Family Updates at 9:13 pm by danielle
Since I have been on rest now for a while I have run out of things to do. You can only watch the same movies so many times right? Remembering my hobbies from my past I decided that perhaps I should try my hand at knitting again. Now let me begin by saying that when I have knit in the past I rarely, as in 1 out of 5 total projects, have finished an item. This isn’t because I become bored. I usually don’t finish because I don’t like the look or the feel of the item.
This time I was determined to try my best to like what I made so that I would not only finish but would then also use the item that I knit. I went to the store with a good friend of mine who is also a knitter and picked out a book of patterns that was for babies and that was specifically billed as being for beginners. Hey lets give me the greatest chance for success here. After buying the book and picking out my first pattern I then went with my friend to a yarn store. It was a bit of a distance from where we live but this store caters to the knitter/crocheter.
When we arrived at the store I was in awe. I don’t think I have ever seen so many different types of yarn anywhere. There were novelty yarns with fringe and balls to baby yarns and yarn made out of sugar. They had wools, bamboos and alpaca yarns. Really expensive yarn to reasonable and bargain yarn. It was really fun to just look and feel all the different types.
So with pattern in hand we began to choose the yarn. The pattern was for a sweater coat that was inspired by 1940 children’s clothing. It has four buttons and an overlap of the front two pieces. I wanted a good boy color as well as something that would work as a coat in a warm climate and as a sweater in a colder climate. With the help of the ladies at the store and my friend we were able to find the right thickness, gauge and yardage in the color and style of yarn that I wanted. It was also not terribly expensive.
Next I picked out some yarn for a more difficult pattern that I had chosen to use to make a sweater for myself after I made my son his coat. Due to the difficulty of the pattern and the fact that I wanted different yarn again - not a fan of mohair - I found that being at a specialty store was a great advantage. So a couple of hours later I emerged with the yarn to make two projects and the motivation to even finish one.
I began with the baby coat first. Makes sense to start with the smallest and the most easily finished item first. It took me a couple of tries to really get off to knitting. But it turned out to be straight forward and fun. It was a good change in routine for me from reading and watching movies. I finished the coat and was really happy with the result. I truly believe that having the right yarn and good quality yarn is a must if you are really going to take the time and spend so much energy on something that you make.
So I am now onto my second item. It is more difficult than the coat but I am 
finding that with research and lots of note taking a pre-reading I am able to work my way through the pattern without too much trouble. This item is a lace sweater for me. After working on the sleeves and really being able to see the pattern and the color come through I am very happy. I love this lace pattern. It is a good design that should be flattering and warm but it still has the delicacy of lace and feminine style. I will be excited to see how it turns out as a finished piece. Unfortunately I will have to block this item which turns out to be kind of difficult and something that people really don’t like to do. This is supposed to shape the piece as well as set the stitches so that it fits you like a custom garment should and so that it won’t warp out of shape in the future. I will definitely let you all know how that goes for me.
The next item that I have in my queue is an optical illusion art blanket. Again something not terribly difficult that I can make for the child. After that I have another sweater pattern that I can make for myself if the first goes well. All in all though this hobby can get pricey I am really enjoying my resting hours more and feel like I am making a small accomplishment at least. I have a few projects lined up and the possibilities are endless for the future. So watch out you may recieve something knit as your next gift from me.
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07.29.09
Posted in Biard Family Updates at 2:22 am by danielle
We have a baby shower coming up on August 22 so hubby and I headed back out to the stores to finish registering. When we first started registering we didn’t know if we were having a boy or girls so we just put the necessary stuff on the list like bottles and gender neutral stuff. This time we go back knowing that we are having a little boy and with colors already picked out…or so I thought.
Babies R Us is our first stop and we begin at the front of the store which of course is feeding/pharmacy items. Working our way around the store we come at last to the bedding items. Now as you know from the prior post we both talked and decided that primary colors were good and just throw in some classic Winnie the Pooh. Well of course hubby has the scanning gun and I have the list. He is now picking up sage and chocolate brown items. So I kindly remind him, “Honey those aren’t the colors we agreed on.” To which I get, “Well I don’t remember agreeing to the primary colors. I like these better.” So we have a discussion in the middle of the bedding section. Now I don’t really like things changing willy nilly especially after I told people our colors already. However some semblence of reasonability came to the rescue and I thought well since the man doesn’t usually care about stuff and this seems to be something he really does care about let’s just go with the flow here. Being a good wife I poke and prod and we end with the colors being…light blue, light green/sage and chocolate brown.
This change actually makes some of our shopping a finding of things we like a lot easier. It appears that these color combinations are the combinations of the season. Now they don’t really come all together but we can find blue and brown and green and brown. So our colors are now officially changed. The babies stuff and room will be a mix of the pastelish blue and green mixed with a dark and manly brown.
Don’t get me wrong it isn’t that I don’t like these colors. They really are a great combination. A combination, I might add, that I didn’t think that my husband would like but great colors none the less. It was just that we had this big discussion in the car one day about colors. I specifically wanted to know what he thought and what colors he prefered. I’m sure you all can guess the jist of his answer…yep - I don’t care. Then after I suggest some and he says ok to them to have him not only change his mind but be kinda opinionated about it? Yeah I’m sure you can all understand my…frustration/amusement.
Well I am definitely learning a few things. First being OCDishly on top of stuff and then getting bent out of shape when things change is ridiculous. Second not knowing that things will change is even more ignorant on my part. And last what difference in the scheme of things does it really matter anyway. Life is short and it isn’t like we painted the room already or bought a bunch of stuff. I am just glad we got this straightened out before I registered for a bunch of stuff that we would just have to take back.
So long story short…baby is styling in the trendy colors of chocolate brown, baby blue and sage and I love my husband who keeps me on my toes.
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07.22.09
Posted in Biard Family Updates at 7:39 pm by danielle
So after a wonderful day at Disney I found that I was having a difficult time. We didn’t get a lot of sleep the night after because we got up early to head to church but after I spent quite a bit of time relaxing and keeping my aching feet and legs up. I ached all over. But in the end I think that the trip was well worth the pain. Unfortunately I don’t think that we will get a chance to go back like I was hoping. We had tickets that would allow us to visit 3 times in 45 days but alas I don’t think that will be possible.
It looks like a lot of things won’t be possible now not just Disney. Since I felt so great during the second trimester I have been walking almost daily. I get up to a 10:30 or 11:00 minute pace and feel great. The dogs sometimes have a bit of a hard time keeping up but the walks have been good for them too. Following my walks I do at least an hour worth of yoga which helps with flexibility and aches. 
I will definitely keep my videos and do them through any pregnancy I have in the future. Dog Beach Video
So I just had a doctors visit - one month apart no big deal there. I weigh about 156/157. So that puts my weight gain for this pregnancy at something like 14 pounds. Not outstanding but the steady weight gain seems to make my doc happy. Unfortunately I have been having contractions which I thought were purely Braxton hicks. Well the doctor was a bit more concerned after my exam. So no more exercising and lots of rest is necessary for the next two weeks when I go back for another check-up.
Being off of exercise and having to rest has been a difficult adjustment. I really don’t like just sitting around and I really don’t have much to do. I don’t know if it is the resting so much or the whatever is causing the contractions but I 
have definitely been feeling more tired as of late. Either way I am trying not to worry and really follow the doctors orders.
Contractions, Contractions and more…Contractions. two weeks later
The contractions have not ended but have been more pronounced and regular as of late. My most recent doctors appointment showed me minus one pound and still having contractions. So I am still on rest not BED rest but “stay off of my feet as much as possible and no exercising” kind of rest. I am also supposed to call the doctor or go to the hospital if I have more than 4 in an hour so that they can check them and stop them if necessary. Oh yes we are having fun now.
So the contractions continue and I now find that my little boy can kick like a toddler throwing a temper tantrum. Of course he decides to do these acrobatics in the middle of the night. Needless to say this is not helping my tiredness or heartburn.
The other thing not helping is that poor dear hubby seems to have come down with the flu. I turn over in the night and he is gone. When I got up in the morning there he is laying on the floor in the bathroom. It truly was killing me to not be able to take better care of him but whenever I got too close he would yell at me. I was able to keep him supplied with water, crackers, and tylenol. But with all the washing of my hands I will be surprised if I don’t get eczema. He was running a fever there for a while that had me worried but we managed to keep it below 102 and he was able to recover quickly. It took a few days for him to have enough energy to do anything but at least he wasn’t running a fever or throwing up. Thank God I did not get it and was healthy as is to be expected of a woman in “my condition.”
Ah there is never a dull moment here.
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07.13.09
Posted in Biard Family Updates at 6:58 pm by danielle
Disney has generously offered a special for the year 2009. On your birthday you can get entrance into Disney World for the low price of…wait for it…nothing. That’s right folks. You too can get into the magic kingdom (some refer to as the tragic kingdom) for free on your birthday. I have to say that I was really excited to find this out. So on my birthday this year we went to Disney and got in hubby and I for the price of one ticket. 
This was one of the best birthday presents that I could get. I love the whole Disney theme park experience. They may have some policies and politics that I don’t agree with but Disney knows how to do a theme park experience.
We were joined that day by a couple that we have been friends with for a while and one of my best friends and her five year old. (If you can manage it I suggest going to Disney with at least one child - it makes it more fun and you have an excuse to act their age instead of your own.) This particular five year old is very well behaved and a lot of fun.
On direct orders from my little five year old he and I were to ride the Haunted Mansion ride first off. It was cool inside which was awesome since it was a bit toasty for the pregnant lady. It wasn’t scary not even for my little buddy who we made sure was laughing when the walls began to stretch in the room with no doors. Yes it was hokey but totally a blast. 
We rode the Winnie the Pooh ride (trippy in the 70s sense), others rode the splash mountain and California Adventures roller coaster, jellyfish ride, rocket swings, and a whole host of other rides. The parades were awesome and the fireworks are absolutely some of the best that I have ever seen.
All in all this was definitely one of the best birthdays that I have had and I really enjoyed it with some of my favorite people.
Of course this was not the only gift that my sweet husband got for me. He also got me some very beautiful flowers and some movies that I really wanted. I am so thankful for him! One thing that he knows is that I love those thoughtful gifts that say that he was thinking about me.
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07.05.09
Posted in Biard Family Updates at 7:21 pm by danielle
Every year my in-laws throw a big fourth bash. It begins at some ungodly hour in the morning when one group goes to the Huntington Beach parade. I not being a morning person and not really into what I call hokey parades and my mother-in-law agrees (some inducement there) decided that I was sleeping in and not going. After the parade everyone returns to the house and the hanging out and eating begins. This continues all day long until we walk our much fatter selves down the to the beach and watch the fireworks that are shot from Huntington Beach pier.
This year we were invited to a friends for…yes more food. So we and a friend along with her son went to this other party mid way through the day. There was of course lots of food, friends that we haven’t seen in a while. Most who had not seen or known that I was pregnant. 
Also to the joy of my friends little one there was a bounce house. To those not familiar with bounce houses. They are the those blow up monstrosities that you can rent and little kids spend hours bouncing up and down and pummeling one another in.
After our friends neighbors set of smoke bombs and fireworks under the gas tank of their truck we decided that we were due back at the in-laws for more feasting. It was a very toasty day so being close to the beach was definitely preferable. 
At the appropriate time we got ourselves bundled up (it had cooled down quite a bit) and headed to the beach. My friends’ son ended up in some of my running long sleeve shirts and hubby’s sweat pant shorts which were just shy of fitting like actual pants. It was very amusing and we were all glad that it was dark so no one else could witness his fashion statement.
In my opinion there are few places better to watch fireworks than at the beach. The fireworks of course were beautiful and we had a great time watching them with around a million of our closest friends and neighbors from Huntington Beach. After the fireworks that are city sanctioned we walked back to the house with a very tired little guy.
Mia of course was shaking and hiding when we got home so I spent some quality time comforting the poor thing so that she could promptly run off and beg more food.
It was busy but was definitely another wonderful and successful Independence day.
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06.30.09
Posted in Biard Family Updates at 1:41 am by danielle
Well since we are having a boy you won’t see any pretty pinks or pastels. Primary colors are very versatile for items that could be for either a boy or a girl (should we have the latter in the future.) So with that in mind we are focusing on red, royal blue and tan or white. These colors are all over boy items and girls to varying degrees making them the perfect mix.
Along with our primary colors we decided to add Classic Winnie the Pooh into the mix. Many of the illustrations from the original books are accented with blues and reds with Winnie the Pooh being a tan color. This version of Winnie the Pooh unlike the Disney version is less expensive, is able to be used with more flexibility and of course some items are more difficult to find.
This is a perfect example of the classic Winnie the Pooh.
He is easy to draw if you’re going to do murals or crafts which when we have a room for the little guy will come in handy. Also I plan to use key pieces as accents and not make Pooh the main attraction. This helps when you can’t find all the accessories and necessities that you want. Pooh is cute, cuddly and can grow with our child. In other words the perfect character theme.
So far we are registered at Target and Babies R Us. Both stores have a selection of classic Pooh items with Target having the most. However you will see Pooh in the setting of those gender neutral pastels for which I have a dislike. This limits the items that we will eventually choose for the child’s room.
We have already purchased a stroller travel system which you can see below. According to consumer reports the Chicco was rated the highest for safety, ease of use and durability. The red and gray was the best looking one for us. Due to Target being out of stock we went ahead and ordered it to be sure that we got what we really wanted. It was really fun watching hubby put it all together (without reading the instructions.) He was very determined and in the end figured it all out with very little difficulty. I think the goal was partly to see how intuitively it was designed. It was impressively easy and light weight. So far we are pleased with the purchase and I think that we will get a lot of use out of the system since it really is easy to move, open/close and has plenty of storage.
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06.29.09
Posted in Biard Family Updates at 7:23 pm by danielle
Last year we (my mother-in-law and I) planted 3 tomato plants in a planter. Unfortunately they were pathetic and really didn’t produce many tomatoes. So this year we decided on a two step plan to be more, let’s say, “successful”.
First we got more plants - just in case. Second we decided that planting the tomatoes in the side beds would perhaps be a better place for them than in large pots. So we proceeded to plant them 3 per an area in 3 different sections.
Several weeks go by and the plants look wonderful. They are growing well with a beautiful dark green color and no bugs. Now months later we seem to have raised mutant plants. They now reach over the top of our 6 foot fence. They also have needed to be fortified with poles instead of just the typical tomato plant cage. As you can see we are growing a small jungle of tomato plants that just may take over.
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06.22.09
Posted in Biard Family Updates at 8:34 pm by danielle
The second trimester for me had been the complete opposite of my first. I have been feeling great. Hallelujah!
With plenty of energy and not really needing naps I go for a walk or do at least one hour of yoga every day. Also I was able to gain back the 10 pounds I lost by 16 weeks. As of 20 weeks I am at a positive 4 pounds which pleased both the doctor and my husband (he was a bit concerned).
Of course there are lots of new and interesting things that come with the second trimester. Like I can really eat! Also I am discovering back pain, leg cramps and that this child can really pummel my insides. I have felt this kicking since the 16th week and consistently since. This really makes me think that we will be having a baby boy in our future - perhaps a soccer player.
The pictures below are of my growing belly. Kinda pathetic growth at first but we are definitely enlarging quickly.
Week 17 Week 21
Also some of us on hubby’s first Father’s Day enjoying the beauty of the beach and the sunset. Of course we can’t forget our favorite animals.
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06.20.09
Posted in Biard Family Updates at 8:03 pm by danielle
Now there are many different opinions on people wanting/not wanting to know the baby’s gender. Some people want to be surprised on the day of birth like so many generations before them. Others want to be able to plan everything from colors to baby room design and accessories.
In talking to some of my non-American friends I discovered that this surprise on the day of birth trend was an American thing. I was asked why people would want to wait by several of them. This was a very interesting discovery.
We are on the non-surprise side of the issue. Life for us would just be so much easier if we knew. Of course it was a surprise - at the time. Also I have a real dislike for the gender neutral items that are so often given at showers and available on items from bottles to booties. Another reason we chose to know was that with limited space at our disposal we just don’t have the luxury to have around items that we won’t use.
During the second ultrasound it was very clear that we are having a boy. Now things on my To Do list are starting to pile up ie finish registering, pick names, choose colors and of course work on shower themes with those throwing them. A mothers work is never done.
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06.15.09
Posted in Biard Family Updates at 8:03 pm by danielle
Our second ultrasound was done on June 12 (roughly 19-20 weeks) to check whether the baby was developing properly.
They check for:
- cleft lip and palate
- spina bifida
- heart chambers present and working proper
- vessels in and out of the heart properly developed
- anatomy correct (ribs, spine, long bones, etc.)
An added bonus for this ultrasound is that they can also tell you what the baby’s gender is - if you want to know.
Thankfully the baby has developed healthy and anatomically correct. The only thing that they didn’t get a good look at was the vessels going in and out of the heart. Doctors really like to rule out problems so naturally we are scheduled (July 10) for another ultrasound to be sure that the vessels are formed properly. Otherwise our baby is in perfect health and very active.
The ultrasound was a 3D version so we were able to tell the gender - a baby boy, that he has my nose and my husband’s sleeping positions.
It’s a boy - see the arrow
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