Quilt update

It's been a while since I've given an update on Nora's One Hundred Good Wishes Quilt - and for once that doesn't mean that nothing is happening! I have been diligently piecing away and have now completed 13 of the 24 blocks needed for the main body of the quilt. More than half, which feels really great!

Right now the 13 blocks aren't yet sewn to eachother, I just have them laid out in order so I can see how it's going to look and feel some progress. I'm really happy with it so far, but seeing it like this makes me question my choice of border, binding and backing fabric. I'll have to see how it looks once I get all these blocks together and the inside border on.

I've found that I really enjoy sewing. I keep thinking up new projects, but I'm resisting the urge to start anything new until I get this quilt top done (I will probably not quilt it myself, since I'm not really set up to handle something that size). Next up will be Nora's crib quilt - remember the ladybug quilt? - I think I need to take an applique class, I'm really struggling with getting it to look good. Maybe I just need more experience with my sewing machine...

The mailman needs a calendar

Our mailman is clearly confused. I went out to check the mail this afternoon and there was a box on the front porch. A BOX... on SATURDAY. We never get boxes on Saturdays. Boxes come on Mondays.

Anyway, it was for Nora (of course - all boxes are also for Nora) from our January DTC secret pal. This month's theme was "learning adventure".

Here's the "learning" part - a shape sorter that is also a bucket with a lid that Nora can carry around. This is a great gift - if the smarter child book is right, this is a very good toy for cognitive development.


And here's the "adventure" part - a Crocodile Creek jungle animal placemat. I have to check, but I'm pretty sure we have a bib that matches this! Plus a Good Night, Sweet Butterflies book and a Chinese New Year lift-the-flap book, called Dragon Dance

AND, if that wasn't enough, our pal also sent the cutest pink dinnerware!


Thank you so much, secret pal!!

Beware - sale at the toy store

I really don't intend for Nora's blog to be all about shopping and "stuff", but I do have to share a terrific sale at Stewart Toys.

I'm still reading that David Perlmutter book, Raise a Smarter Child by Kindergarten and have been really interested in brain-boosting activities. Besides being a fascinating book, it has also served to redirect my retail therapy from cute little outfits to puzzles and toys (books, of course, are still allowed).

Imagine my excitement this morning when I logged on to check the Rumor Queen (yes, I check first thing every morning) and spotted an email announcing a huge post-holiday clearance sale - 40-50% all in stock merchandise. I ordered a red Rody horse (photo above), three puzzles, a shape sorter, a stacking toy, a ball-pounding ramp thing and a xylophone! All before my morning shower. It was such a fun way to start the day.

Go. Shop. Enjoy!

Mega Mail Monday ... x2!!

Mega Mail Monday is back with a vengeance! Today Nora received her hat from the CCAI Dec/Jan DTC swap and it's a Hanna!! Thank you so much, Sandy, we LOVE it! I tried taking a picture of the hat and mittens by themself, but it just didn't do them justice so I put them on Nora's stuffed panda instead. Soooo cute!

As if that weren't enough for one day, we also received our Jan DTC book swap package from Karen. It was three terrific China-themed books - The Red Blanket and Little Miss Ladybug & Her Magical Red Thread, both of which I was admiring in the China Sprout catalog and Lon Po Po, a book I'd never seen before but am absolutely captivated by. It is a Chinese Little Red Riding Hood story with gorgeous illustrations by Ed Young.


Thank you so much Karen and Sandy - you made my Monday!

Too much time on my hands...

I really don't have too much time on my hands, but I am feeling anxious, like I should be doing more to prepare for Nora. Even though her arrival is still many months out, it feels so much closer now.

I bought a book (at Borders, of course) over the weekend. It's called Raise a Smarter Child by Kindergarten and was written by a neurologist. It is fascinating.

We also received a phone call from our agency on Monday and a "Waiting Families Support Packet" from them tonight. The support packet is wonderful - it talks about the logistics of match day, travel arrangements, attachment... 20+ pages of really useful information, all new to us. I've already read it twice and will probably print off a hard copy to read tomorrow.

Oh, and we're resuming Mandarin lessons. This time we're taking a community ed class with my friend and co-worker "J" and her DH. Nicole will be our teacher again, which is great. Our previous dropout had everything to do with our lack of discipline and nothing at all to do with Nicole. We're excited, we're hopeful and I've had enough caffeine to make me feel like I can accomplish anything.

The New Year's resolution about Diet Coke. Let's pretend I never said anything about that.

Another Milestone

Happy Anniversary to us! Today marks our one year LID anniversary - we have been officially logged in with the CCAA for a full year. Right now it's looking like we'll get Nora's referral in July or August 2007, which would be 17-18 months from LID or 25-26 months since starting the process. This would likely mean travel sometime between September and November. Feels good, really good.

I think they missed me at Kinko's

There was a time, at the height of paper chasing and in the middle of a zillion fabric swaps, when I was at FedEx/Kinko's several times a week. Now I hardly ever go there. In fact, I so seldom go there that I became concerned that they were missing me. To help rectify this situation, I've decided to start the I-171H renewal process.

I'm not quite sure of everything that I need to do to accomplish this, but I'm fairly certain that we at least need another copy of our birth certificates and marriage license, an updated home study and new fingerprints. Our state requires an annual home study update, so that's in process anyway. The part that I figured I could start on today is requesting new copies of our birth certificates and marriage certificate. Since we were both born and married in another state, I needed to request everything by mail and send copies of proof of identity (i.e. photocopied drivers' licenses). This is where Kinko's comes in. It was exactly as I remembered it.

Exploring Chinese cooking

We received a Borders gift card as a Christmas gift (thank you Holly, Jason & Jane!) and decided that it would be nice to get a Chinese cookbook. Today was another dreary day, so we decided to go over to Borders for a while and found what I think looks like a really great Chinese cookbook. I can't wait to try out some of the recipes. Maybe we'll even prepare something special for Chinese New Year!

I'm also looking for a knife skills class, btw, because the way I chop now it's gonna take me all day to make anything. If you don't like to chop, this is a book to avoid!

First two quilt blocks!

I've finished the first two blocks of Nora's One Hundred Good Wishes Quilt!!

I have about a zillion more to go, but even this little bit gives an idea of the pattern and the scrappy feel. I'm really happy with how it's going so far - the star points are coming out better than I expected and I love using my new sewing machine.

Ouch (part 3)!

Tonight after work, I went to the clinic for my third (and final) hepatitis vaccination. I thought that, except for typhoid which needs to be taken closer to our travel date, my travel vaccines were complete. The very nice immunization nurse - who, by the way, is very passionate about her job - now tells me that this may not be true. Depending on where we travel, I may also need Japanese encephalitis (a series of three vaccines over a 4-week period) and malaria (which I think is oral). If there should happen to be an outbreak I may also need protection against the whooping cough, delivered by a vaccine called TDAP.

As if this weren't enough, I then asked about the bird flu and left with a research assignment. The nurse is also going to get some more information and give it to me when I come back for the typhoid vaccine.

To anyone currently in process, be sure to talk to your health care provider about travel vaccinations at least six months before your expected travel date. It really does take that long.

And, note to self, remember to schedule a follow up appointment as soon as Nora's referral arrives.

Music for Baby

Thank you so much to our wonderful Dec DTC Secret Pal for the marvelous musical gifts -- two Songs for Learning cds and a Little Tykes piano! I haven't listened to the cds yet, but I can tell you that the piano promises endless fun. I've played with it several times already. Nora's going to love it!

The start to a productive year

The new year is off to a productive start at our house. Today I not only finished cutting 848 1-1/2" and 121 2-1/2" background squares for Nora's quilt, but I also finished her butterfly bookends.

I'm not sure I ever mentioned it here, but several months ago I purchased unfinished wood butterfly bookends for Nora's room. I couldn't find anything pre-finished that I really liked, so I decided that I would paint something to match her bug art and wall letters. It took a couple of trys, but I finally have something that I can live with.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Happy 2007!

Those who refuse to make New Year's resolutions because they always break them anyway miss the point. Making resolutions is a cleansing ritual of self-assessment and repentance that demands personal honesty and, ultimately, reinforces humility. Breaking them is part of the cycle.
~Eric Zorn~

That said, I resolve to exercise more and drink less Diet Coke*. Really. I mean it. I'm going to have Nora to chase this year.

*I've already had one 24-oz bottle this morning