Dylan Wants to Knit

Which isn't a bad idea, really, though Kee Min's eyes popped when he heard that ("but, er..."). Boys can knit too!!! I figure, let a kid learn what he wants to when he wants to. He can decide later in life if he wants to keep knitting or not. Besides, haven't you seen the book "Knitting with Balls" for men? Might teach the boy some patience.

I Hate Mealtimes

This lack of tolerance to sugar (and milk, including soya milk) is really making mealtimes difficult, to say the least. It's 10am and I am *still* wondering what I could eat for breakfast that I am (1) not already sick of eating and (2) can actually eat, cos just about everything has sugar in it. Even Gardenia bread makes me ill... *groan*

What to eat...what to eat?

*sigh*

Knit Knack Paddywhack

Gimme a ball of yarn!

(=

The knitting's coming along, rather well, if I say so myself. I'm a quarter way through knitting Lauren's kimono wrap, and just got me more yarn to complete this little (in every sense of the word) project. I'm totally determined to have her come home in a full set of Mummy-Knitted clothes. *grin* Hope I'll manage to meet my own deadlines! 3 more months before her arrival! So excited!

My Planned Knitting Projects

I have to be nuts to think I can actually complete all of these... but here goes anyway:

1. Baby's first blankie
I'm not following the gauge with this one... I just like the pattern. Hopefully my re-knewbie knitter "agaration" turns out ok... heh heh...

2. MJ Booties!
OK. These are just too, too cute to pass on, ya? And with the apparent success of my mini test bootie, I think I'll try to knit at least 3 pairs.

3. Baby Mittens
Wish I could find nicer patterns for these, but I guess mittens generally look like these. I'll try to match them with the booties - hopefully there's enough yarn!

4. Play Rug
This is not quite a priority, yet, 'cos she probably won't need one until she starts sitting up, which will be a while later. Maybe a maternity leave project then.

5. Teddy Bear
I bought a book with a pretty nice teddy bear pattern and I really want to try it. I've already got the yarn type in mind. *grin*

6. Baby Kimono Wrap
This will be the first proper garment I'm attempting. Have already started on it. Hopefully my gauge conversion turns out right!

7. Baby Cardigan
I *want* to do this, but it'll be done pending the success of the Kimono Wrap I guess...

8. Playing Blocks
Again, not a priority until she's old enough to play. But they would be easy and mindless to do. Hahaha... mindless is always good for me. I'm totally not intending to use my brains during my maternity leave, I tell you... hahaha...

Oh the plans... Hold me to them!

My first test bootie

Not bad hor? hahaha... Now I can make the real thing. :D

Knit Knacks

I bought a super uber knitting needle set today. I'm absolutely mad. It cost me S$110. And it's not like I'm some super uber knitter. Yet. I doubt I ever will be, but I'm determined to be able to knit decently at least. It's my latest obsession. Heh... I've got all these knitting projects lined up for myself, starting with a baby blanket for my little one who's on her way. I've made tonnes of mistakes on that one already, but no matter still. I think baby will like it nonetheless. Just a small blanket measuring approximately 40x90cm. Won't last her too long, but I hope it'll be like a toy for her when she gets bigger... It'll be her very first blankie. :D

And then there are booties to be made. I love these and hope to make a few. :D Other projects possibly include this and this and this!

I've totally gone knuts over knitting.

A Nuisance

Dylan wanted a pet. Mum said no (but of course she would).

Dylan: Why?
Mum: Because it'd be a nuisance.
Dylan: But Megan and I are nuisances, and you have us.
Dad: PRECISELY.

In Memory

My Uncle passed away at 6.50am this morning in China.

He had been suffering from cancer for more than a decade now, but for a good part of those many years, he had been doing rather well. I think he was in remission for quite some time, but it came back in the last few years, and recently got rather bad.

We had all been hoping that he would at least hang in there a while longer, perhaps until winter when the weather would be better. The hot summer air had made it more uncomfortable for him this period.

My uncle was born here in Singapore, but due to a decision taken by my grandfather years ago to relocate the family back in China, my uncle was sent back as a little boy with my granduncle and a couple of other uncles just before the Cultural Revolution started. My dad was passed over for this return trip because he had taken ill at the time and could not travel. No one else ever went back, nor returned to Singapore. My uncle spent the rest of his growing years in China, away from his family.

Years after in the early 80s when the Singapore Government decided it was "safe" enough to let some Chinese relatives of Singaporeans visit on sponsored social passes, we managed to apply for my uncle to return for a month long visit. That was the first time I'd ever met my uncle, though my dad had told us many stories about his growing up years with my uncle, who was the next born after my dad. No doubt despite the distance all those years (and communication difficulties - my dad was schooled in English, my uncle in Chinese, and neither could easily write letters to the other back then; distance calls were not exactly the most affordable too), my dad and uncle were close. No one would deny they were brothers. I took to my uncle very quickly too - he was really very much like my dad, from looks to mannerisms and their love for chicken wings.

Like my dad, my Chinese has never been particularly good. Can't really write or read it well, and my spoken Mandarin is rather the pits. Nevertheless, I've always felt close to my uncle. Blood really is thicker than water. I'd try now and then to send the occasional SMS or email over in Chinese. I think my uncle understood my efforts to communicate, few and far between as they were. I wish I could've said more.

We visited him last year. As usual, I never managed to say much - can't speak Hainanese, don't understand Cantonese, Mandarin the pits. But it was nice sitting down for meals together with my uncle and family for three, short days. I was hoping he would be strong long enough for my baby to come, then I could at least send a photo over. He'd been asking for the longest time when we were going to start our own family.

I miss my uncle.