A confession

I've been putting off writing this post for a while. I haven't been able to stitch on The Astronomer for ages now. Nearly 3 months. I cant bring myself to pick it up.

I have recently been diagnosed with OCD. I am trying different medications but will not be trying CBT therapy as it is not something that has worked well for me in the past.

Stitching became such a mammoth task due to rituals and compulsions i had to follow before i could even sit down to stitch. Constant checking of symbols and placement of stitches became overwhelming. The smallest mistake would end in tears. I started washing my hands till they bled in case dirt or oil got on to my work.

Im done for a while. I WILL stitch in the future but for now i need to get my meds mix right and concentrate on getting better. I want stitching to be relaxing again and fun. not how it has been for the last few months.


So for now have some pics!

Esmai recently broke her nose while riding her bike. She went straight into a lamppost. The very next day she was back on her bike. Shes fearless! The lamppost was replaced a week later as she had dented it. She will be 4 next month!

Connor is doing amazing! He can now ride his bike without stabilizers and is learning to ride one handed. He is still enjoying being Home Educated. He is doing very well at beavers and has earnt a lot of badges. He recently had his first sleep over with the beavers and enjoyed every second.  Connor has just turned 8!!

I have lost a tonne of weight- well not a tonne. 8 stone since last January. All thanks to a stomach ulcer. Im enjoying the slimmer version of me. I still Hate clothes shopping with a passion though! 

Return of Smaug!!! ( Tribal Dragon)

 After Finishing Yule Fairy i have decided to continue working on Tribal dragon by Sparklies. I have only done a little partly as the holes are so small and i need my eyes testing.

What it looked like when i stopped

How it looks now

I dont know how far i will get with this before he has to go away ( were moving in a few weeks) but hopefully i can get a good chunk of the wing done.
I am planning on treating myself for my birthday and getting the threads for one of my HAED designs but its going to be awhile because of the move. I also need to choose a new chart as part of HAEDs reward program, i just dont know what!!

I stitched...finally!

I finally managed to stitch. Since my last update I had to have a unexpected operation. The operation itself was a day case, which went well. The only problem was while coming round from the anaesthetic I bit through my lip. From the front to the back. By the time I had left hospital that night it was infected.
Over the next few days I couldn't eat and slept constantly. My face swelled up. I had a fever, couldn't concentrate, shivers and was constantly dizzy. I ended up down A&E. Dehydrated and weak from not eating. I fell asleep in the waiting room. The first time I have slept in public since I was a child, I was so embarrassed! I had a raging infection and have been given Antibiotics.
Things are a lot better now. I can eat almost normally and all the swelling has gone. I can finally concentrate again and Im safe to look after the kids again!

Now I can concentrate I can stitch!
Im loving how this is coming together. You can see where her hair is. Her boobs are there and I can just make out where her arm is. The reds in here is beautiful. I think I will work on the background when I have finished the little bit of red left. Then it will be Her body to do. Looking at the chart is is a confetti bomb! Its going to take me ages to do but I know it will look amazing!

Page finish!

First page finish!

 

I was hoping to post this days ago but everything went wrong at the same time.

Just after we had coped with half term Connor had a massive GI Haemorrhage caused by HSP on Saturday. We took him to our local A & E where we waited for over 5 hours to see a Doctor, When we did get to see him, he went mental that  we had waited so long in the waiting room and within a hour of seeing him we was in a ambulance (being blued and twoed) on the way to a specialist surgeon in London. We got there at 4am and other then the ambulance driver knocking over a small wall and getting us lost we got there very quickly.
There was a surgeon waiting and a blood transfer which thankfully he didn't need. After lots of tests and waiting the bleeding died off and we was eventually allowed to go home. The whole experience was horrible. Not only because of Connors health problems but also the attitude of the staff and the child in the bed next to us in London constantly sweared and screamed at everyone which terrified Connor and Esmai. We are very glad to be home

Hopefully in a few days everything will be back to normal and I can start page 2

Yule Fairy update

Hopefully the next update will be a page finish!
Really loving the colours in this, the camera really don't do it any justice. I have some medical tests coming up next week so hopefully will be able to get loads done :)

Quick update- Lots of pics

Hello!

 

This is the progress on "Sleeping beauty" More then I thought I would get done. Excuse the crappy gridding im trying different types

 

 

It has been pretty busy round here. We went to LEGOLAND for the day which was loads of fun. Connor got his Driving and Boating licences.

Eaten by a lego shark

Driving

Posing

Made out of lego

Made out of lego

Made out of lego

Made out of lego



Posing with Chebucca

Lego starwars

Connor also had a allergic reaction at school on Friday. I was there having a meeting when it happened,  but it scared the hell out of everyone. Were not sure what caused it. He came up in a angry red rash and his lips started to go blue. I rushed him to the doctors (which is just down the road from th school) and they refused to see him, even though I had his meds on me ( I haven't been shown how to use them) and said the best they could do is get a doctor to phone me. I have never been so angry and have made a written complaint to the practice manager. Anyway in the end I took him home showered him down and gave him his meds and his fine. He still has a rash but its going down.

Esmai has really grown

Esmai has really grown. Iwas trying to find a pic of hen she first wore this nappy but its on my old computer. Its not going to fit her for long :(

*Waves goodbye to my deadline*

I have been trying to word this post for days now.

I have done no stitching, none, at all.

 Last week my dad was eventually rushed to hospital. He had been poorly for a couple of days. Dizziness, nausea, palpations, pains in his arms, passing out, and a few other things. After a day my mum convinced him to talk to a doctor who phoned a ambulance and dad was rushed to hospital. Turns out he has had a major heart attack. Because he left it so long before seeking help he has done permante damage to his heart. We don’t know how much yet as we are still waiting for tests to let us know. He has been in hospital almost a week now. If he has the tests done today (unlikely) he will be home tomorrow if not he might be out by the weekend if his lucky.

I haven’t even been able to look at any stitching since he was rushed to hospital and have the feeling im not going to till his home. I just can’t settle. I’ve always seen him as someone who was immortal and invincible. The only time he has had any health problems was when ( a few years ago) he snapped his Achilles tendon while playing badminton, then drove  home, left it a few days then drove to the hospital to get it checked. And ended up spending months in a cast, yes he drove with the cast on too. So this has come as a big shock.

 

*waves goodbye to deadline*

 

T-minus 7days!!

Hi!!!


I was planning on showing a few pics of why i have been away but my camera is packed in my hospital bag as this time next week i should hopefully be in labour! I am being induced on the 11/7/12 at 7:30AM!!! Ouch its gonna be a early start! I have stitched and if i suddenly decide to repack my bag yet again ill make sure i grab a quick pic. We have also been decorating the whole house....what made me think we could get it finished in time ill never know.
So this post is just a quick one to  let you know im still about and i have finally stitched at last! The house is being done and i only have 7 days to get everything ready....where did i put the coffee????


Wish me luck!!!

Catch up

I posted a pic in my last post of my progress on “Yule fairy” it seems to be taking forever as there is so much confetti. I am doing all the bulk colours first then I will fill in the odd stitches and lesser colours as I feel like I am getting nowhere otherwise. I was hoping to have a page finish by the end of the month but I doubt very much that I will do unless I overdose on caffeine.

Saturday we went down the Warren, which is some woodland very close to us, only a few minutes in the car, in an attempt to tire Connor out. It’s beautiful down there if you ignore the graffiti, which there isn’t much of. There are handmade BMX and bike trails throughout the Warren. Some very small and some that are impossible to climb up. I took my bike down there when I was younger but chickened out of all of the jumps, what can I say I like my bones unbroken!

I hope you enjoy the pics

There was some tree climbing

Connor trying to get down one of the mini BMX ramps

Posing in a hollow tree

There are loads of bluebells through out the Warren

Steve found a tree swing....

.....Which didnt end well!

The kittens are doing very well and are starting to climb. Mainly trouser legs and the curtains. There into everything and each have very different personalities.

The baby is cooking well and I have just under 8 weeks till I am induced! I can’t wait, I’ve got to the point I’m constantly uncomfortable and have pulled some muscles in my stomach yet again even though I have been so careful.

Connors operation has worked very well. I’m still trying to get used to not being able to hear him snore at night. During the day he has endless energy and is impossible to tire out. His eating has got better his constantly hungry and eating (most of the time) like a horse. He has even put weight on and gone up a trouser size. He has a little belly for the first time ever!!

Connors operation

Hi there’s been no stitching to show. Mainly due to Connors operation and now I have a terrible cold/tonsillitis.

Connors operation went very well. We didn’t tell him what was going to happen as I didn’t want him to be scared or worry about it. He put up a fight like always when it comes to knocking him out. The op took just under an hour, which was the longest hour of my life. He came round very quickly and was very upset and only wanted mummy. I could hear him as I walked into the recovery room. He was covered in blood and just wanted cuddles. We got back to the ward and snuggled up on his bed. He slept on me for about an hour, waking up every now and again to whinge and check I was still there. When he woke up within half an hour he was back to normal and was eating and drinking within 2hours of the operation. He done fantastic. He refused any painkillers when we got him back home and spent most of the next day cuddled up on the sofa refusing and painkillers but he was so well behaved, and has finally started taking them.

I think I might have tonsillitis which would be just my luck as Connor has just had his tonsils and adenoids out. “Keep him free from infection for 2 weeks” yeah like that going to happen.

We now have fish. About 20 of them, and a crab and a shrimp. There so cool and Connor loved watching them while recovering on the sofa under a duvet.

The kittens are doing well and now all have their eyes open and crawling over each other. They are so sweet and have been getting lots of cuddles.

So that all from me I’m afraid. Hopefully there will be some stitching soon, but for the next few days I’m not even going to attempt to pick up a needle.

More Kittens!!

Hi. No stitching to show, I have done some just not enough to warrant taking a photo, maybe soon J

So why has there been so little stitching. I pretty much explained in my last post baby madness has hit the house and we are trying to get everything sorted. We now have a cot so the last big thing to get sorted is a changing table which will make things easier for me. Other than that its small things and then just waiting (which is the bit I hate)

Kiki has had another litter of kittens. Four of them again and they are so cute. It looks like Simba (our male Bengal) finally worked out which way round she goes ...if you understand what I mean.... as two of the kittens have Bengal markings as his the only male Bengal who goes out in our area it’s pretty certain his now a daddy. Kiki is doing great so much better than she did last time. All kittens seem happy and healthy all are a pretty good size too which is good.

Connors pre-op went well his op is on the 26^th April so not long now. I’m mega nervous. He has also been registered at a local school and will be starting in September. The only problem to sort out now is school uniform. As his so tiny I don’t think we are going to be able to find uniform easily. Hopefully after his op he will have a growth spurt, everywhere I have looked don’t do 12-18month school trousers, not bad for a almost 4 year old.

Connor and I have finished our first adult puzzle together. It’s a 1000 pieces and only took us roughly 3 days. He really surprised me how well he worked out what piece went where. The puzzle is by Gibson I believe. It’s called “I love London” and is so funny when you look up close. Connor even found bits of it funny. Next we will be doing “I love boot fairs” it’s been so great to be able to sit down with him and do these, as I used to do them with my parents when I was growing up.

no stitching :(

Hi i thought i would post a decent update. There’s not been any stitching going on since my last post. We have been running around like crazy trying to get all the baby bits sorted as i now have 12 weeks till they induce me, and I’m getting more tired and painful by the day. There’s not all that much to get sorted. Some of the bigger bits will be picked up this week. We have been trying to declutter the house and get tidy and organised. After busy days of tidying up I’ve been spending most of my stitching time in the bath soaking in bubble bath and reading a book. (The house of sand and fog) which is brilliant i watched the film ages ago and it was the only book in the house i haven’t read.

I’m hoping to have some stitching done at some piont next week but it depends on how Connors pre-op and then his operation goes.

Quick update

Hi

Sorry for the lack of posting things have been pretty busy round here.

I finished all the stitching on the mystery present. Now I just need to get it finished and wrapped up.

I have been continuing with the baby blanket I started crocheting. And have lots of ideas about making blankets and cloth nappies. If anyone has any helpful links please pass them my way!

We have had loads of appointments since my last post.

We saw the specialist Anesthetist that will be knocking Connor out when he has his op. He has knocked Connor out before so I was much more relieved after the appointment. Connor will be having his operation within the next 6 weeks!

We had another baby scan. Bubba is cooking nicely but was being a pain and not laying the right the way. The scan became really painful after the sonographer got a little poke happy and heavy handed. We eventually found out that we are expecting a baby girl! Since then I have became an eBay addict and spent a little too much on baby shoes lol.

Connors parents teacher evening went really well. The manager was full of praise. Connor is socializing well and on target with all his goals. One happy mummy!

quick one

Hello

There seems to be problems with the word verification thingy so i have disabled it.

Ive been doing loads of stitching on a new project but cant say anymore as its a present . i have been taking progress pics so when i can reveal it i will do a mega post. Its not something that i would normally stitch so its been really refreshing and fun. It will also be my first finish of the year . i will be revealing it at the end of march.

I have now reached over 2000 page views!! I am 2 or 3 posts away from 100 posts so i might do a little giveaway depending on money at the time so it might be a late one.

Baby is cooking well and driving me mad. I keep getting really strong kicks right in my stomach which has made me throw up a few times! I had a scare a little while ago and had a small bleed but everything is ok.

Connor has his first parent – teacher meeting on the 8^th at his nursery. I am so excited as its a new thing the nursery has brought in. I get to talk to his key worker and find out what sort of things he gets upto and who he plays with. I know that he has friends now and that his behavoir has improved. Im really looking forward to hearing about what they have to say

update and baby#2

Hello. Well after my accident a few days ago I have done a little stitching. More then I had hoped to get done so I’m quite happy with it. It seems to have stitched up really quickly. I can’t believe how many different colors are in one area. The picture of the completed project doesn’t do it justice at all. Neither does my pic, there are loads of pretty colours in it. So far this is a joy to stitch on.

For some reason blogger has turn the pic around. It’s actually the top line going right across not down the side

So for a baby update. I am now almost 18weeks gone. I feel massive already but that’s mainly due to the baby being long and in a weird position. Its feet are by my spine and its head by my belly button. This is making me look nearer to 7 months pregnant. And also explains the kidney shots it’s been giving me. So far it has been agreed to induce me 2 weeks early but it might be sooner depending on how my health goes and how quickly the lungs mature.  It’s so annoying not being able to tell people how much longer I got because I don’t know. The pain is getting bad where my muscles are stretching I have now been about 11 weeks without any painkillers and my mood shows that I’m struggling, and I hate mornings with a new found passion.  In all honesty I’m kinda looking forward to the hospital bed rest the midwife is insistent I will need. Just think of all that time for stitching!!

Connor is really excited about the baby, he felt it kick a few days ago, and he said it made my belly feel like jelly! Charming right?  He is a little confused but not as much as I thought he would be. He is insistent that there is a baby in his belly too.

Talent! I has it.....

Yep its official I'm the worlds biggest idiot.
I haven't managed to do any stitching thanks to one of the more comical parts of EDS ( for other people of course) one of the biggest reasons I end up pretty much living at the hospital is most EDSers are extremely clumsy. So what did I manage to do then I hear you sigh.

I shut my hand in the cooker. Yep you can stop the puzzled looks , I'm not totally sure how I managed it. But it bloody hurt. It's still very sore even days after it happened. Bruising isn't too bad which is surprising but it's still swollen.

So have you stopped laughing yet?

After the whole cooker incident I then managed to trip over the vertical part of a door frame. Yep the bit that's actually attached to the wall.

That my friends takes talent!

Grab a cuppa , lots of pics :D

Wow over a week without a post. Apparently January isn’t our month. My mum ended up in hospital for a few days but she’s at home now and slowly getting better. She had a small accident and her pain killers stopped working so her body went into shock and started shutting down.

PROUD MUMMY WARNING! : Connor is now potty trained during the day!!! His been almost 2 weeks without an accident. He is still wearing night time pants at night but has used the potty a few times. I was starting to get worried as he is due to start primary school in September. So glad it’s finally happened lol

So first up is a bit of progress on “Tribal dragon” the new bit is part of the head.

 

Next up is Connors 2^nd pic with Santa. A local social club does a child’s party every year, they are really amazing.

I have had another scan now that I am over 3 months I can start to relax little. This is our little baby looking like a baby and not a blob!

 

Yesterday me and Connor made some yummy cakes. We had to colour in the cake cases and I got told off for going outside the lines!

Soon I will have a new start! It’s a Jessica Galbreth stocking. I fell in love with this as soon as I saw it on HAED but have put off starting. I plan on doing this for my mum as a Xmas present, although she might get it next year, I don’t want to under estimate how long it will take. I also want to do a xmas stocking for the new arrival but the one I have chosen is a simple cartoon one with snowmen...it’s so cute.

Jessica Galbreth

Snowmen stitcking

Grab a cuppa and some biccys. were finally back!!

Hello my lovelies how are you? I hope you all had a great Xmas and new year. Ours was quite Xmas day. Our first one at home by ourselves, it was lovely. We were all spoilt ( no stitchey stuff though )and I ate way too much! Boxing Day we went round my nanas for cold meat and mash which is one of my favourite meals! Yum yum! New Year’s Day we went round to my granddads for party games which was great fun as most of the family turnt up. Im sorry for not updating sooner but i have been drained 3 Days in hospital was a killer.

Connors health took a turn for the worse and after a quick visit to the doctor we ended up at the hospital. He couldn’t sit up by himself and was very sleepy. His tonsils were so swollen that he couldn’t swallow liquids or eat.  After while he was put on a drip as he was dehydrated after 6hours sleep during the day he really perked up. So we went home with an appointment the next morning to see the ENT specialist. Well we went back up the next morning and had been given the wrong time so we ended up missing him. We stayed in that day so they could keep an eye on Connor and do a sleep study that night. His sleep study showed that he does stop breathing in his sleep. By this time his tonsils was not swollen. We saw the ENT in the morning and his tonsils are naturally large. We are waiting for an appointment with a specialist anaesthetist as his so tiny, and then he will have to have an operation to remove his tonsils, ananiods, and grommets. Should be sometime in the next 2 months as it’s no longer an emergency. Then he will have another sleep study to check his breathing has improved. The ENT also reckons that his sleep apnea is why his not growing. The growth chemicals are released in deep sleep but because he stops breathing it means that the chemicals are not being released. So once we have his apnea sorted he should start growing. Maybe for the first time in almost 2 years! He still wears 12-18 months which is terrible as he will be 4 this year!

Perky Connor

I managed a little bit of stitching but not a lot as lights go out at 9 for parents too L mainly white on a snowman one but not worth showing a photo. I have kept up to date on all your blogs and your all doing so well I can’t believe how many finishes there has been already ....so come-on fess up ...what’s your secret? I plan on stitching tonight but I’m not rushing to finish the “A new baby” pillow just yet. I didn’t manage it before Xmas so will properly keep it till her first birthday which gives me 7-8 months to get it done. Ill properly leave it till last minute though. I would like to say a big THANK YOU!!! To Mouse after the plea for help in my last post she emailed me detailed directions and now it makes complete sense to me! Thank you! You are a star!

Grab a cuppa, its a long one!

Happy Hogswatch!!



Death as the Hogfather



Remember his checking his list twice!

Death and Albert

So you better have been good! I love the Hogfather, one of my favourite books!

I promise I have had all intentions of stitching but things just haven’t worked out that way. Morning sickness is still what I seem to spend most my time trying to avoid. I’ve tried everything from lemonade (which helps a bit) to ginger biccys which baby don’t like!

On top of that Connors health has taken a turn for the worse. Over the last 4 months his started to really snore (think 80yr old 60 a-day smoker snore!) he has started to stop breathing awhile asleep which is very worrying. Sometimes as often as 3 times in 2minutes. I have been to the doctors several times and the first time was given a asthma pump for him the second a course of antibiotics, neither of the doctors looked at him checked his temp took any history or made any attempt to work out what was going on. I was told that I was being over protective.

 My aunt had him over night (my first night away from him) and confirmed that something’s wrong, so I took him to the doctor again. I and the doctor don’t see eye to eye in fact we have had major problems in the past. He has no bedside manner, his English is very poor and he admits he is too blunt. But that being said he is a damned good doctor.

Anyway it turns out Connors tonsils are 9 times the size they should be. Which explains why he stops breathing, has been choking on his food and snoring. It’s not tonsillitis though. The doctor isn’t sure why it happened but we are waiting for an emergency appointment with an Ear Nose and Throat specialist. He will be having an operation to have them removed as soon as a surgeon is available which means were just waiting for a phone call. Possibly by Xmas or the New Year. If they get any worse he will have to go to A&E and have them removed by emergency op.

So as you can tell I’m pretty stressed but by the New Year at the latest he will be better.

I have been reading all your blogs and everyone’s work is amazing. I do have a favour to ask though. I have seen cross stitch pillows boarded with fabric. An example here: ~~~~ can anyone give me a very simplified way to make it? It’s for a Xmas present. I attempted to make one today but it just doesn’t seem to be going right. I have found instructions but mostly in French and the English ones were very confusing. Please help! I’ve got to get it finished and wrapped and delivered.



Pillow



And please Remember be carefull who's holding the mistletoe



Hope you have a great one!