'97 Prank

Thirteen years ago I was a sophomore in college (how sad to think it has been that long). I studied electrical engineering in Boulder. On campus, there was a ministry I was involved with that allowed me to meet some lifelong friends. A bunch of us decided to all live in the dorms so that we could hang out and meet new people. My dorm name was Baker Hall and I lived in a quad with 3 other girls. On the other end of the hall was a guys quad with 4 guys we knew well. We went to meals together and watched Football together and studied together. There was a lot of studying done by those guys. They were engineers and took their classes very serious. Often they stayed up until 2 or 3 AM finishing an assignment and what fueled their late night study sessions? Caffeine in the form of soda. These guys drank a lot of soda and produced a lot of empty soda cans.

Now it was 1997 and we were living in Boulder CO, capitol to granolaville and yumpies so all natural already existed in this town, but the whole Green thing had not caught fire in the rest of the country. CU was advanced for having all their recycling set up for every floor in every dorm to recycle newspapers and pop cans. It was a breeze to recycle because there were 2 trash cans in your dorm room, a brown one for regular trash and a blue one for recycleables.

Back to the engineer guys and their soda cans, well those pop cans went into the trash can every single time. I would remind them, "please put the cans in the blue can which is sitting 2" from the trash can," but they continue to put them in the trash. One civil engineer's excuse was that all the "recycled" stuff just ends up in the landfill after it gives us a warm and fuzzy feeling. Lazy! And I don't believe even back then Waste Management was only pretending to do something with the recycled cans.

So we started taking the cans out of their trash and collecting them in a huge trash bag in our room that we vowed to recycle on our own. My roommates and I were so dedicated that we began collecting cans from others in the residential hall. By December we had 2 huge garbage bags of cans.

December is finals time on college campuses. So now as students are studying hard I remember our wonderful prank. I believe David opened his door first to find all the soda cans stacked neatly in front of their door with a sign that read, "Please recycle." As the door was opened more the cans came tumbling down on the tile floor at 6 in the morning. Other guys down the hall heard the ruckus and came running. We were told that the cans just kept falling, the sound did not stop. So 2 months of collecting the cans and a whole night of taping string across the door and stacking the cans so they would fall into the room was so worth it. Such planning, so beautifully crafted. It was awesome!

Vail, Kentucky and many miles in between

Here's a quick update of what we have been up to this month: I've been crafty. I sewed the cutest booties from this book. They look great on, you'll have to trust me on this one since I can't get a picture where Miles isn't kicking his feet around. And I made a new skater hat since the other one was getting too small.
Peter went to the awful Bronco game where they got stomped by the Raiders. You remember the one, the complete embarrassment of a game (quick tangent: I have hated, yes hated McDaniels from the very beginning and I continue to hate him. I know hate is a strong word, but my love for the Broncos is equally strong). Above is a picture of dad and son in matching jerseys. I started Miles on avocados and he's not a fan of avocados like his mother (you can tell by his face). He loves bananas, but I will still get him to like the best fruit God made. We might have the next baby Mozart since he does fall asleep each night to Mozart and his dad likes to play Mozart on the piano. Miles has discovered splashing in the tub which is fun to see his face light up and since he can sit pretty much on his own now, he's not so scared of drowning.
Early October, the Summers clan went up to Vail to celebrate my parents' 40th anniversary. Can you believe there is a house that can fit our whole family? Yep and Miles was able to take naps while the 3 little girls ran around blowing their toy trumpets. We were so blessed to be able to use this amazing house that had a huge built in hot tub, game room, sauna, library, 10 bedrooms with attached bathes, etc.
And mid-October we flew to Kentucky for Peter's parents' 40th anniversary (I know wacky, both our parents got married in the same year). My parents went along and fun was had by all. We went to the Maker's Mark distillery and saw the whole family as this was the first time most of his family got to meet Miles.

Miles had his 6 month appointment a few days ago and he is in the 90% for height and 40% for weight, a little string bean. He keeps growing and changing everyday, I love him more and more.

Update

He is officially sleeping through the night! That's no wake up until around 6 AM. I'm getting sleep again and feeling whole. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers.

Adios Pacifier

Sorry for the lack of posts lately as my blogging is directly related to the amount of sleep I have been getting. For the past 3 weeks we have been finagling with how Miles sleeps at night. I have bought better nighttime sleep diapers. Stopped swaddling. Made sure he was warm enough or not too hot. Gone to disposable diapers at night. All of this has lead to a dependence on the pacifier.

At first it was once a night I would go in to reinsert the paci. Slowly it picked up, but I assumed it was because of the other finagling, not an oral fixation on the paci. Well, it reached a peak when we went to Palisade Colorado for some peaches and Colorado wine. I was waking up about every 45 minutes at night and for his naps putting that dreaded thing back in. I was getting zero sleep and Miles was rocking the yawns around the clock.

That was it, cold turkey, no more pacifier when we got home. I would have started right then and there, but I don't think the guests in the hotel would have appreciated a crying baby at 1 in the morning.

I was going to be strong and firm, let my baby self sooth himself to sleep so at 18 I would not have a grown man dependent on the pacifier. Intellectually it sounds easy, but emotionally it has got to be one of the hardest things in the world listening to your baby cry and cry and cry.

The first night I vowed to sit by his crib the entire time ensuring his safety. Right. Let's just say I caved and gave him the pacifier which quieted him immediately. Ok lesson learned, he's not cold, wet, hot, sad, lonely, etc. He just wants he pacifier. The 2nd time that night I was going to be firm. He cried 1 hour and then I caved.

So me zero, pacifier 2. Awesome.

New plan, I cannot sit in the room with him because nothing I do calms him down. Not patting, not shhhing, not holding, not walking, not standing on my head, you get the idea. Only thing that works.... the pacifier.

Last night he did fairly well, each time he awoke, he cried briefly and was back asleep. Until 2AM rolled around. He cried for over an hour as I lay in my bed waiting and praying for him to fall back asleep. He finally did. Me 1, Pacifier 2.

Today, he has gone down for his naps without much out of him. He awoke and fussed for about 5 minutes. I went in to check on him shortly after to see if he really needs to get up and his thumb and his pointer fingers were in his mouth while asleep. Thank God he found his thumb and a little bit extra to suck on.

I realize I am probably creating another big problem for down the road, but I will deal with that when the time comes and after I have gotten more than 2 hours of consecutive sleep.

Do 18 year olds still suck their thumbs?

Flying

Miles first trip on an airplane. What a great traveler! Next up Kentucky to visit his Aunts, Uncles, cousins and grandparents.

He can roll!

So Miles rolled over twice July 30th and here's a picture after his 2nd successful roll. But it has been 2 and 1/2 weeks and he has not done it again. I guess he mastered it, check, no need to do it again.
A few weeks ago, Miles got together with some friends from the neighborhood. He was hamming it up for this whole photo shoot.
This picture makes Miles look so different. He looks big maybe because the shirt he's wearing. They do say horizontal stripes make you look wider.

my boys

MIA

looks like it has been 4 months since my last post. lots has happened in 4 months. i gave birth to a beautiful baby boy miles jameson gedney on april 24 at 10:04am. labor was hard work and i'm just now thinking i might want to do it again to give miles a sibling.
miles had health issues and i had milk issues which made the first 6 weeks awful. but we survived and we are having such fun now.
God gave us a gift of miles' smiling early at 5 weeks which warmed my heart at just the right time. Since then he is growing leaps and bounds each day. Just yesterday at 14 weeks he rolled from his stomach to his back twice. And his giggle is infectious. Did I mention how much I love him? Love Love Love Miles!

Big Foot

I just finished this baby ugg bootie. Yes just one because it looks super cute, but what you cannot tell from this picture is how big this bootie is. Angus would have a club of a foot to fit. My problem is gauge. I knit loose so my project always end up larger than the pattern calls for and I am lazy not doing a gauge sample. So it is my own fault. The question: should I make another CLUB ugg (maybe Angus will have one club foot and one regular) or just start a new one with smaller needles?

I got this pattern from ravelry.com and here is what a completed set looks like:I aspire to be a good knitter...

The pattern so I can make the second bootie
Sizes: 3-6 (9-12) months.

Materials
Yarn: Suede by Berroco (100 percent nylon, 1-3/4 oz/50g ball, 120 yds: 1 ball #3714 "Hopalong Cassidy" (main color); 1 ball #3714 "Wild Bill" (sole color)
Plush by Berroco (100 percent nylon, 1-3/4 oz/50g ball, 90 yds): 1 ball #1901 Crema (finishing) One pair sizes 4 and 5 straight needles (or size to obtain gauge for smaller siz), and 1 pair size 5 and 6 straight needles (or size to obtain gauge for larger size)
Other Supplies: large-eye yarn needle; row counter (optional)

Gauge: 24 stitches = 4" (10cm) in st st using size 5 for smaller size; 21 stitches = 4" (10cm) in st st using size 6 for larger size.

Note: Directions are the same for both sizes. For the smaller size use the size 4 and 5 needles; to make the larger size use size 5 and 6 needles.

Stitches Used in This Pattern
K – knit
P – purl
St st – stockinette stitch, knit 1 row, purl the next row
Yf – yarn forward (increase)
P2 tog – purl 2 stitches together (decrease)
SKP – slip 1 stitch, knit 1 stitch, pass slipped stitch over knit

To Begin
With smaller needles and Wild Bill cast on 26 stitches and knit 1 row.

Row 1: k1, yf, k11, [yf, k1] twice, yf, k11, yf, k1.
Row 2, 4, 6, 8, 10: knit (when you reach the yf knit in the back of the stitch).
Row 3: k2, yf, k11, yf, k2, yf, k3, yf, k11, yf, k2.
Row 5: k3, yf, k11, [yf, k4] twice, yf, k11, yf, k3.
Row 7: k4, yf, k11, yf, k5, yf, k6, yf, k11, yf, k4
Row 9: k5, yf, k11, [yf, k7] twice, yf, k11, yf, k5.

Next
Change to larger needles and Hopalong Cassidy.
Rows 11,13,15,17: knit.
Rows 12,14,16,18: purl.

Shape Instep
Row 1: k 29, SKP, turn.
Row 2: sl 1, p 7, p 2 tog, turn.
Row 3: sl 1, k7, SKP, turn.
Rows 4 –13: repeat rows 2 and 3 five times.
Row 14: repeat row 2.
Row 15: sl 1, k7, SKP, knit to the end of the row.
Row 16: p 21, p 2 tog, purl to the end of the row (35 stitches).

Next
Work in st st (knit 1 row, purl 1 row) for 2", ending with a purl row.

Then
Change to Plush and work 2 rows knit, then bind off in knit.

Finishing
With Plush weave yarn under and over the stitches on sides of booties and over the instep. Sew bottom seam of booties and back seam.

Skater hat

This is a skater hat with a brim that I knitted for a baby due to be born at the end of the month. I used this pattern from Ravelry and this blog site, but I used size 4 needles to get the baby size. I have since made another hat, but I need a baby model to see if I need to adjust the size or fit. More knitting to come.

belly pic

Almost 34 weeks



Two weeks ago I had a midwife appointment where I gained 4 pounds in 2 weeks! Wowsers! I guess it has been the 80-100g of protein I'm trying to eat each day (normal recommended amount is 50g). Or could it be that I had stopped working out completely.

I have gained a healthy 20 pounds so far and have put exercise back into my routine including yoga a few times a week and running/walking.

The question I get most often after hearing about my retirement is "what have you been doing?"

Good question, I have so much spare time, it is wonderful!

In no particular order, I have been:

Lunching with friends and family.
Registering at BabiesRUs, Target, REI.
Researching cloth diapers.
Going to see this group in concert.
And this group in concert.
Eating mexican food.
Mini vacation in Breckenridge with the girls.
Taking birthing classes on Sundays.
Reading Committed for book club.
Reading It's Really all About God for bible study.
Watching Ellen because she cracks me up (that's the only daytime television I will watch)
Knitting baby stuff because it is so much quicker to knit a baby hat, vest, booties than adult size.

So as you can see life is good.

opera

What comes to mind when you hear opera?

Boring
Fat Lady?
Boring?
Unintelligible?
Boring?
Culturally antiquated?
Boring?

Before I met my husband, my only encounters of opera are what I saw on tv.

I have since been to 4 different operas and they are quite enjoyable. On Saturday we went to the Barber of Seville at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. We saw Cosi fan tutte at the Ellie as well and then the Marriage of Figaro at Macky Auditorium at CU.

Of course the shows done by professionals at the Ellie were polished with nice sets and incredible singers and musicians. The shows put on by the CU opera department were still nice and felt accessible for novices like me.

And actually all operas have become accessible as there are subtitles that are easy to read on the back of the seat in front of you. The songs are written in such a way where lines are often repeated multiples so you can watch the body language of the singer and not stare continuously at the subtitles.

This art form is absolutely amazing as the full orchestra plays while these talented singers make the story come to life. It like a Shakespeare comedy set to music with deception, romance, humor, mistaken identities, and true love.

one week ago...

i was wearing this:


today i'm wearing a lot more clothes as the snow falls and i am the snow shoveler since peter had to travel out of town.

one week ago i was reading A Fortunate Life by A.B. Facey, eating from the buffet and eavesdropping on college kids bragging about the party the night before. Oh and avoiding secondhand smoke from europeans and disenchanted youth sitting poolside.

today is 29.5 weeks of pregnancy and i'm wondering what really needs to get done in the next 10 weeks. baby registry, birth classes, baby room, peditrican research, taxes, etc.

one week ago, biggest worries were avoiding a sunburn and drinking the mexican water.

today's worries seem to do with allegies and a head cold.

my big white belly one week ago seems more attractive today!

OUR BABY WAS DELIVERED TODAY!!!

ok not that baby! he's still safe and sound in my belly twisting and twirling and ready for some beach time.

this morning our living room looked like this:

and the baby came early and so now our living room looks like this:



















Oh right I mean our baby grand was delivered today. Doesn't Peter look so handsome at the keys?

Life is good. Peter is practicing as I'm typing this blog. We leave for Cancun tomorrow morning. I retired. Baby will be arriving in about 12 weeks. And the sounds of live music are here in our home to welcome Angus into the world. We are blessed.

it's official!

after almost 10 years of service, i said goodbye to my after-college career. i was laid-off/volunteered to leave today at 9AM. It was my last time driving to highlands ranch early in the morning during rush hour traffic to get to work. last time logging on the my pc. most likely last time i'll talk to most of my coworkers. last time checking my email. last time chatting with josh, my cube buddy. (picture of coworkers in 2001.)

quite honestly it was bitter sweet saying goodbye to this job. i've probably waited 9 years to get laid off and i am fortunate that it was on my terms and not a surprise. at the same time, i was such a girl and got choked up talking to my coworkers in massachusetts and cried in my car leaving the parking lot as i talked to my husband.

don't miss read me, i'm ecstatic to be blessed with 3 months to prepare for baby angus and that my husband supports me in this decision to give up on-call weeks where i would get woken up at all hours of the night and expected to hit the ground running troubleshooting.

but i feel a loss and wonder what do i do next. it's surreal sitting at home knowing that i will not go back to lucent ever again.

so what is next for me? well i'll start by taking a nap since i stayed up erasing my pc last night. tomorrow i might watch a movie and read my book club book for next wednesday. maybe monday i'll start thinking about cleaning out the baby's room that houses all of peter and my clothes. register for baby stuff. organize the garage. hang out with my stay at home mom friends. sew some cute aprons. knit. photography. blog. really the options are endless and the answer is "anything i darn well want to."

i leave you with this quote from kenneth from 30 rock just because it's funny, not because i agree. "I feel about as useless as a mom's college degree."

And I'm out!

dentist and midwife appointment

today was a big day for me. first off, this is two days in row that i'm posting a blog, go me!

i went to the dentist and got a glowing review. no gingivitis, no cavities, and everything looks great. i love hearing that from my dentist because it affirms that i really don't need to floss but 1 week before my appointments. see peter is really good about flossing everyday. me, i'm more casual about the habit. see when i'm ready for bed, i'm ready now. i don't want things like taking my contacts out, washing my face, flossing and brushing my teeth to get between me and my bed. so washing my face and flossing usually get dropped from the nightly rituals. but when my dentist appointment gets ever closer on my calendar, i begin to floss. and tada! perfect bill of health for my teeth and gums. that's how it's done kids.

this evening was my midwife appointment. i've packed on the pounds this christmas season, 5 pounds in one month. my uterus is measuring at 24.5 weeks which is perfect. and to my delight my midwife is ok with both my vacation to mexico in early february and my running habit. hello treadmill. i admit i ran yesterday and it felt like i had to pee the entire time and the extra weight on the front side takes a few minutes to get use to, but i love how i feel when i run even with a baby on board.

i will leave you with a picture of my archenemy.

24 weeks and growing

this pic is from last week and i feel much bigger this week although some people keep telling me they can't even tell i'm pregnant. they have to be kidding, that's a large food belly.

i measured and i'm 34". i wish i had measured more earlier in my pregnancy so i could calculate the rate of growth. there has been loss of mobility on my part, but Baby Angus has been doing flips lately. today at work he was especially active or since i'm usually still at work, i noticed his movement.

i bought a maternity coat this weekend because all indications point to a long and cold winter in colorado. it could be snowing when i go into labor come april. the coat was on sale, big plus.

i also acquired some work pants, which are cute, but don't quite fit enough to stay put on my belly. they tend to slide down because of gravity and wanting to be around the smaller part of my waist. my solution is to walk with my hands in my pockets while i actually am holding the pants at my belly button. i look oh so cool.

that's the excitement on the pregnancy front, more tomorrow after my midwife appointment.