whose blanket?

I discovered one of the most wonderful children's books, titled Sophie's Masterpiece: A Spider's Tale , written by Eileen Spinelli and illustrated by Jane Dyer. Sophie's Masterpiece is a beautiful tale of a spider named Sophie who spins extraordinarily lovely webs of very fine lace which awe everyone who comes across them. Sophie moves into an old boarding house where she meets a young pregnant woman who is in the process of knitting a layette for her unborn baby. The woman cannot afford to buy any more yarn for a blanket for the baby, so Sophie, now old and frail, weaves a very special blanket for the new arrival. A heartfelt and sentimental story (aka, a tear-jerker), Sophie's Masterpiece is also openly homebirth friendly, as, and the culmination of the story, and without any further description, Sophie describes finally hearing the newborn:

She was down to the farthest corner of the blanket when she heard the cry of the young woman's newborn baby.

Sophie's Masterpiece is now one of my all time favorite picture books, up there with Welcome With Love, written by  Jenni Overend and illustrated by Julie Vivas, The Napping House, written by Audrey Wood and illustrated by Don Wood, and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst. Sophie's Masterpiece has beautiful artwork, and the (undeclared) homebirth and the knitting/weaving references made my week!

The book also reminded me of all the blankets I have knit with love as gifts for others. I have made a number of baby blankets and one or two full sized throw blankets. Some of the blankets were very simple, some rather complex, but all were fun to make! Blankets are one thing I have a passion for knitting, that's for sure.

The very first blanket I knit was from JoAnne Turcotte's pattern Building Blocks Blanket, which I call Blocks of Love. I knit this blanket for Evelyn when she was two years old. Now, I'm not so crazy about the color or the yarn, but you live and learn, right? This was a very easy beginner pattern to follow.

The second baby blanket I knit is Feather and Fan Baby Blanket, also by JoAnne Turcotte, and was one of the more complex patterns I had followed up to that point! This one was also for Evelyn at two or three years old. I was very pleased with myself, and I call this one Light as a Feather!

 

With Lion Brand's pattern Diagonal Comfort Blanket, I knit two or three blankets as baby shower gifts, one out of a cotton blend in tan, brown, and green stripes, one out of a lovely yellow and green variegated wool-blend, and one out of Lion Brand Homespun. The Homespun was my favorite yarn to use, as it draped perfectly, plus I love bulky yarns; here is a picture (the only picture of any of them that I can find right now!):

 

 

One of my very favorite blankets is featured in the book Weekend Knitting by Melanie Falick, and the pattern is Fluffy Afghan or Lap Blanket by Nicky Epstein. I picked up Lion Brand Homespun for this project because I wanted something bulky and fluffy, but I was somewhat doubtful about the texture. I need not have worried, though, because now that the blanket is done, I am very happy with it. It is extremely soft and relatively thick, good for cold winter nights curled up by the fire and is super soft and fluffy!

 

As a holiday gift for Esme, I knit a Bunny Blanket Buddy from another Lion Brand pattern. This Snuggle Bunny is knit out of light blue cotton and is destined to have a set of eyes, a little nose and whiskers. I still have a couple months to add the finishing touches!

 

The blanket I am working on now is Evelyn's holiday gift. The pattern is Joseph's Blankie of Many Colors from Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne's book Mason-Dixon Knitting.

When I was knitting the third block on the blanket, Eva came in and asked what I was making. I told her it was a present for her. She kept guessing various odds and ends that it could be… a scarf… a hat… a pocket… a bonnet (she said, “I don’t really want a bonnet, but if you make a bonnet, I would try to like it, so it would be ok, I think”)… a flag… I was laughing my head off! Then Esme came in, took one look at my knitting and said, “Is that a blanket, Mama?” Hahahaha!

I am making headway on the Blanket of Many Colors, but here is the project as of about two weeks ago (I have another complete row of various colors around done now):

I have a queue of projects to keep me busy for a year from now, and three of those projects are blankets for various destinations. It seems like I never knit anything for myself, although hopefully after the holiday season, I will get something done!

Oh yeah, sign up for Ravelry, a free knitting and crochet community, if you are not a member yet, and check out my page to see my latest projects!

my reading list 2009, part ii

This is a continuation of my reading list for this year. Don't forget to read My Reading List 2009, Part I!

Finished reading:

The Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer, including New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn.
I enjoyed the series emensely, especially the character of Jacob Black. It was a fun read, relatively fluffy. However, I find myself embarrassed when customers are gung-ho about reading it and ask for it at work. I sooo want to take them by the shoulders and shake them and yell, "Make sure you think about the negative themes of codependency, abuse, and control that are the predominent themes in these books! They are absolutely glamorized by the author! Talk to your daughters! Read the series with them! Please!" So, yeah, if a customer asks what I think, I tell them. Uh-huh.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (reread) by Jo Rowling AND
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (reread) by Jo Rowling AND
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (reread) by Jo Rowling
In order to prepare for the release of the movie, I decided it would be a good idea to refresh my memory by rereading several books in the series. They are just as enjoyable as they were the first time around and Jim Dale is a wonderful reader!

Fool by Christopher Moore
Remember all the Shakespeare you read in high school and college? Well, it will all come to good use as you read Fool, the vulgar and darkly humorous version of King Lear. Fool is one of the most outrageous books I have ever read. Think Rosenkrantz and Gildestern are Dead, only full of bawdy sex jokes and laugh out loud comedy. Not my favorite Moore novel, but an enjoyable releif, nonetheless. 

Mason-Dixon Knitting by Kay Gardiner and Ann Meador
The patterns in this book are straight forward but still somewhat challenging. I love knitting with natural fibers, so the the patterns in this book fit right in--cotton, cotton, cotton! It is easy to adapt many of the patterns to your own personal style and budget. Not only do the patterns rock, but the stories and asides are entertaining, heartfelt, and funny and the photography is colorful and inspirational!

The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory, abridged (oops!)
I have been waiting for ages for this to come around on audio--and when it finally did, I was already one entire disk in when I realized that it was the abridged version. I was so hooked on the story by then that I did not want to stop, so, in less than three days, I got the gist of the novel. I would love to listen to the entire book one of these days, or another one of her books.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
This short novel was an inspirational fable and coming to age story of a young shepherd who decides to sell his flock in order to find his personal legend. The story is rich in spiritual knowledge; I see a lot of The Secret in the development of the main character on his journey (think Rhonda Byrnes, Oprah book club pick). Read by Jeremy Irons, the story telling was unbelievable!

Mother Plays with Dolls...And Finds an Important Key to Unlocking Creativity by Elinor Peace Bailey
Bailey's profound writing and beautiful poetry hits a particular inspirational note, helping many creative doll makers realize the natural therapy of creating, not only dolls, but through the unique gifts we, as women, can discover within ourselves. A fantastic book for those who need to rediscover their inner artist!

The Alchemist: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott AND
The Magician: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott
This six book series is a fantastic find! Michael Scott takes an original story and flies with it, taking history and twisting it with mythology into a fast-paced, action-packed, suspenseful modern-day fantasy. The characters are lovable and legendary at the same time. The cliffhangers are atrociously suspenseful, and as only the first three books have been released--the fourth book, The Necromancer, is due out in May 2010--I have temporarily put the series on hold. David let slip that the third book, The Sorceress, has a cliffhanger far worse than The Empire Strikes Back and any of the Harry Potters. I just cannot take that kind of torture.

Chronicles of Ancient Darkness: Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver and Geoff Taylor
Read by Ian McKellen, this is one of the most wonderful storytelling experiences I have ever had. Set over 6000 years ago, the story is undeniably original. My favorite parts revolve around Wolf's point of view, but the descriptions are appropriately rich (I say appropriate as the book is written for those in the 12-14 age group). Torak's adventure is epic in nature, and I fell in love with it not only because Ian McKellen reads it, but because it is an extraordinary coming-of-age story in its own right.

Up Next:

The Sorceress: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott

Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew America by Thomas Friedman

Lamb by Christopher Moore

Hoot and Scat by Carl Hiassen

Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond

handmade gifts: round one

'Tis the Season for gift making, what with David and Eva's birthdays last month, oodles of new babies along the way, and the holidays readily approaching! I've got a mega list of projects that I need to complete before the Winter Solstice and two or three for events before then, and I have been knitting like crazy these last six weeks in order to prepare for Handmade Holiday Overload. This year's spread is larger than ever, what with the tight-wad budget we're on at the moment. If I had thought ahead, I would have made some things to sell on Etsy in order to raise money to spend on holiday gifts, but maybe I'll think of that next spring...

I already made and gave David and Eva their handmade birthday items. They each got an adorable pair of knit Pom-Pom Slippers. Overall, I am pleased with how they turned out, though the pictures do not do them justice, I must say.

This pair is Eva's pair, knit with one strand of blue-green acrylic blend and one strand of multi-colored acrylic blend, doubled up for warmth. I added the pom-poms to the top of each slipper for a little pizzaz. 

Now, David's slippers are the same, only larger, and knit with one strand of black and one strand of white acrylic blend. I only added the poms to his slippers to be kind of goofy, but they surprisingly look pretty good!

And here they are, opening and modeling their new slippers at their birthday party!

Esme will be getting a pair of knit slippers for our holiday celebration, and I will be knitting Eva and Esme each a blanket for car traveling. For Eva, I decided to go with a pattern from Mason-Dixon Knitting (Gardiner and Shayne, 2006) for a log cabin blanket made of blocks of different colors knit together. I already have a good start on it so far. I am using Peaches'n Cream Cotton Yarn in a variety of colors, and I'm trying to keep the warm colors on one side and the cool colors on the opposite side. Here's a sneak peek:

My father-in-law requested a pair of fingerless gloves and my mother-in-law may also get a pair of slippers. My parents want a knit blanket, and David is getting a knit something from Sexy Little Knits (Paige, 2006). Eva will probably get a pair of mittens and a matching hat/scarf. I am still surfing patterns on Ravelry for ideas for other gifts, but these projects will definitely keep me busy for a while!

misrepresenting homebirth

I am outraged that such a misrepresentation of birth options was presented by The Today Show, a show that I once respected and admired, in a story titled, "The Perils of Home Births," originally captioned, "Extreme Birth." While my prayers and sympathies do go out to any family who loses a child, it is important to consider that tragedies do happen in childbirth, no matter the location or attendant. Birth tragedies do not solely take place for women who choose to homebirth. It is also important to note that the United States has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the western world, after all, and one of the lowest percentages of homebirth rates.

I encourage the producers of The Today Show to air a more unbiased story of the importance of birth choice and birth options, the wonders of midwifery and homebirth, and how homebirth can be a safe alternative for many healthy, normal pregnancies and deliveries. I signed the petition Demand Accurate Reporting of ALL Birth Options. I am asking you to sign this petition to help reach the goal of 5,000 signatures. I care deeply about this cause, and I hope you will support their efforts, as well. The petition will be presented to the producers of The Today Show next week.

Here is a link to the video "The Perils of Home Births" presented by The Today Show.

the flu vaccine

There is so much information circulating about the influenza vaccine, and it is exceedingly difficult to decipher. The facts are influenced by politics, media, vaccine manufacturers, and are often blurred by marketing tactics and opinion. After doing a TON of research on the subject, I believe that the risks of getting the flu vaccine far out way the risks of possibly contracting the flu virus naturally. I say no to the flu shot, not only for myself, but for my family as well. There are many precautions you can take to prevent the flu. Wash your hands frequently, get adequate rest and exercise moderately, drink plenty of water, cover your mouth when you sneeze/cough, avoid close contact with people who are sick, and eat a healthy diet rich in natural vitamins and minerals. Breast milk also gives a major boost to the immune system of nursing children. Mama's milk is rich in nutrients and natural immunities that will help protect nurslings from contracting the flu and other illnesses. One good resource about the flu virus is Flu Facts from the National Vaccine Information Center. The best thing you can do is learn the benefits and risks of the illnesses themselves as well as the vaccines and make an informed decision for yourself and your family.

reiterating the risks of male circumcision in infants

Sometimes it helps to remember that parenting is not black and white. What works for one family may not work for another. Aside from abuse, I firmly believe every family has the right to make their own choices, in birth choice, vaccination, discipline, and even circumcision.

As a postpartum doula, one of the code of ethics that I follow is to NOT bring my personal opinion and choices into my relationship and care with clients. I am to give them information on both sides of a parenting issue and let THEM make their own educated decisions. It goes like this with circumcision, vaccinations, infant feeding, diapering, etc. I already know what I believe as I have the right to informed consent, as do my clients. And my clients need to be given the same respect in their parenting decisions. If they are given unbiased information, facts, and resources on BOTH sides of an issue, they will be able to make their own decision. A lot of times, it will be what I consider to be the RIGHT decision, sometimes, though, their decision is vastly different than mine.

With circumcision, I personally believe the procedure it to be abuse and genital mutilation, taking the rights of personal choice away from the boy who the procedure is performed on. But it is still a common procedure, with over half of all male infants receiving the procedure in the US. Ethically, as a birth/postpartum professional, I cannot and would not look down on a family who makes that choice for their sons, whether it be for religious, congruous, or mainstream reasons. It is their path to walk.

This week, I have seen a slew of statements from various sources about the CDC possibly pushing through routine circumcision of all infant boys born in the United States. The CDC lists their official stand here: Male Circumcision and Risk for HIV Transmission and Other Health Conditions: Implications for the United States

In regards to these recent news headlines about recommending male circumcision for HIV prevention, I have some concerns about the plausibility of using circumcision as a prophylactic measure.

Neonatal circumcision is surgery and carries many risks, which include bleeding, disfigurement, and death. An Atlanta boy and his mother were recently awarded 2.3 million dollars as payment for a botched circumcision, in which part of the boy's glans was accidentally amputated. A Canadian boy, Ryleigh McWillis, died from hemorrhaging to death following his August of 2002 circumcision, leading the Canadian government to further discourage parents from having the procedure performed. It seems a bit far fetched, to say the least, to expose a boy to these real risks on the theoretical idea that he may possibly be part of a population with who takes part in risky behavior 20 years down the road.

Not only does neonatal circumcision carry serious risks, it also violates a man's right to choose. If a grown man, after being presented with all the facts, decides on a circumcision, that is his right. However, subjecting infants to a non-medically necessary procedure to which they cannot give consent violates those infant's right to choose how their genitalia look and function or if they want to use a more conservative approach, such as abstinence or condoms, to decrease their risk of contracting the HIV virus.

It is also important to remember that, in the United States, it is currently illegal to make a token cut on the genitalia of a female minor, even if no tissue is removed. According to the constitution of the United States, all persons should be entitled to equal legal protection, regardless of sex.

Typically, proponents of circumcision cite only the short term risks of circumcision, while they unfairly cite both the short and long term risks associated with having an intact foreskin. Evaluations of circumcision as a preventative measure need to take into consideration the long term complications that can arise from circumcision, such as erectile dysfunction, keratinization, painful erections due to excessive skin removal, meatal stenosis, skin bridges, sensitivity loss, etc. I urge the CDC to consider those factors before putting a recommendation into place which would result in even more boys being exposed to those long term risks.

Additionally, the Randomized Control Trials sited in the CDC research and circumcision recommendations (which can be viewed at the link above) show only a reduction in risk for female to male transmission, not male to female transmission, or male to male transmission. In addition, this reduction was only over a two year period, meaning that the protection was only for that time frame; it is unclear if the protection will continue beyond two years or not.

It is crucial to keep in mind that the studies sited by the CDC is limited only to one culture, that of Africa. African culture is very different than the culture of the United States. Rape, dry sex, and other practices common in African culture are not practiced in American culture. To make a recommendation to circumcise millions of newborn males for a hypothetical benefit 15-20+ years down the road, based on studies conducted in another drastically different culture is questionably unsound and should be subject to further evaluation.

Finally, no national or international medical association recommends routine circumcision. Also, major worldwide HIV/AIDS organizations, including the World Health Organization, French Nation Council on AIDS, Australian AFAO, and many more, do not support the use of circumcision as a prophylaxis in countries where HIV is low prevalence and relates to specific high risks groups. The United States falls in to this category.

I am happy to report a new statement from the CDC was released on Thursday: Status of CDC Male Circumcision Recommendations. I am interpreting this statement as the CDC taking all the advocates condemning the practice of infant male circumcision seriously.

We are making progress by informing people that they do have a choice, informing them of the statistics and risks of both sides of circumcision. Letter writing to your government representatives and to the CDC is already making a difference. We cannot change every policy overnight, but we can keep fighting of our rights and the rights of our children.

Keep up the letter writing to help prevent painful, permanent and involuntary body alteration of children!

The Birth Survey

The Birth Survey is grassroots volunteer community that is "dedicated to the promotion of advancing transparency in maternity care." The Birth Survey shares honest, objective information about birthing caregivers and settings. The survey is filled out by women who share their own personal birthing experiences and essentially rate their maternity care, their OB or midwife, and the place where they gave birth (hospital, birth center). By viewing various reports, you can get an accurate idea of, for instance, a particular hospital's intervention rate. One of the primary goals of The Birth Survey is to help women make informed choices regarding their birthing care. The survey only takes approximately 30 minutes. Plus, if you pass this information on, you have the opportunity to win various prizes!

Come join the weekend fun as we mark the one year anniversary of the national launch of The Birth Survey! Starting now and ending at midnight on Sunday (Eastern), we will be giving away “door” prizes and other fun things. http://www.birthactivist.com/2009/08/happy-birth-day-birth-survey/

So? What are you waiting for? Go win stuff!