Peaches, Artwork and assorted stuff...

I have to get a lot better at posting on the blog, I know. Anyway, here is a bunch of stuff that has happened in the past month. Baby is doing well and getting big (and still a boy!) My in-laws were here for two weeks and basically bought anything we wanted for the baby (THANK YOU!!!!) So we ordered a crib and furniture for the nursery, we got lots of cute baby clothes, and (thanks to a tip from another pregnant girl I took a class with) some great gently used items from craigslist! We got a spare stroller and car seat for my husbands car, and a bassinet. It was a lot of fun (and exhausting) to shop, but as my due date gets closer, I realize how much more I still have to do!

Except for the past few days the weather has been lovely here, I've had a chance to relax and hang out by our pool (knitting a blanket and working on a tan). My tomatoes are finally starting to ripen and we ate an orange heirloom one with dinner last night! Luckily we live close to the East End farms and can partake of some of the locally grown goodness! We went peach picking in July at Lewin Farms. It was a nice day and not too hot. I made a simple peach cake from about half the peaches, which we brought to our friend's, Adam and Chris, wedding rehearsal party. It was a big hit!

Besides teaching 4 classes this summer, I had the opportunity to take a graduate class at my Alma mater LIU/C.W. Post. The class was on papermaking, and non-toxic printmaking techniques. Although it was exhausting (45 hours over 5 days) everyone in the class was extremely prolific and I created over 50 sheets of handmade paper, about 25 mono types, and another 20 pulp paintings. It was awesome. I'm currently framing some of the work for an art faculty exhibit at my school at the beginning of the year, and then it will be hanging in my home. It was very inspirational and the professor, Rick Mills, was my professor over 15 years ago when I was an undergrad. I dug out some of my old work to share with him. You can check out come of the work on my flickr page, they're under a set call Artwork 2007.

That's about it for now...I will post some more by the end of the week.

It's a BOY!!!!!

I'm really trying to get better at posting more than once a month, but it's so tough lately. So we had the 20 week sonogram today and found out that out baby bean is officially a BOY!!! I was convinced it was a girl, but to my surprise (and my husbands shock) turns out I was wrong, because we saw it all! You can check it out on my flickr page (I've updated with scans of the sonograms). But most importantly everything is where it should be, and in perfect working order. We were able to see the heart, kidneys, brain, aorta, stomach, the umbilical cord, everything! The heartbeat is going strong at 150 beats per minute. The technician measured the tibia bone on the baby and she seemed to think the baby is a little further along than originally thought (which is what I thought too, but I listened to what the doctors originally said). So the baby may become by birthday present this year! Otherwise everything is fine. I feel very good, my energy has come back though I still feel like I need a nap at like 7pm! I started knitting a baby blanket about 2 weeks ago (not knowing, I picked a nice neutral coco brown color), which I am hoping to finish by next week. Then it's onto baby hats (I can't wait to make the umbilical cord hat from the first Stitch n Bitch book!) and a sweater pattern from Simple Knits for Cherished Babies. But at least I have the rest of the summer to do all that. So now it's onto picking out a color scheme for the baby's room (I'm partial to sage green) and getting some of the essential stuff (car seats, bassinet, furniture, etc.) But more on that later!!

long time coming....

So I haven't blogged in like 6 weeks, because this is truly the most horrendous time of the year for me. But I have survived the end of the year art show, finals, grades and I now look forward to a fun summer of teaching classes for teachers, and taking a few classes myself (papermaking, printmaking, glass fusing/slumping, jewelry design.) All cool stuff. The best, coolest part of the summer is that I am now finally able to tell everyone that I am having a baby!!! SQUEEEEEEE!!!! Yes, I know that I cannot truly believe it, even though I have photo proof! I will post some pics of the last ultrasound on my flickr account and post one here as well. It is all going very well, and in a few weeks we'll find out if it's a boy or a girl. I know that there are a few people out there who think that's wrong, but I am a slight control freak, plus it seems like it makes everything so much easier. My husband and I have discussed names already and we're prepping the "baby's" room to paint and get new carpeting! It's going rather fast. I'm almost finished my fourth month. And (don't shoot me for saying this) I've been very lucky in not having any morning sickness or any other major problems. I'm hoping that bodes well for the rest of the time. Anyway more later on everything!