Oh No!

You're not going to believe this but the LCD screen on my evolt 410 isn't working.
Totally black.
Baby's due date is Monday so could come at any time and I may well be without a functioning camera.
Not happy Jan.
So now, after weeks of desperately wanting to go into labour I suddenly don't want to go into labour until I have a chance to have the camera fixed.
What are the odds?

PRODUCTIVITY

The List
* Paint the bassinet
* fix the back fence
* take quilt to quilter

The Results* The bassinet is all clean and white and waiting for baby's arrival
* The missing fence palings have been nailed back in place to ensure that the little ones don't venture through the neighbour's pool. A tree came down a week ago and knocked them loose and I haven't let the kids play in the yard unsupervised ever since. Of course, it took me forever to locate the fencing nails but my 2 assistants, Super Medium Girl and JW (who now has a lovely orange cape all her own) were very eager to pass me nails and offer helpful advice and insights. e.g. 'you're not very good at this, are you mum?'
* I visited Suzanne from QuiltSewScrap today and dropped off my quilt. She's delightful and incredibly well-priced, I can't wait to see how it turns out!

The Downside
* being that close to the fence made me realise that it needs to be repainted so making the list shorter has also included making the list longer. Isn't that always the case?

CARING

Thinking of Christchurch with a heavy heart.

PERSEVERANCE

There's no sign of baby yet but with my due date just 1 week away the finish line is definitely in sight. I am persevering with that, hoping that every little twinge is the start of something and distracting myself from it by wrapping up a few little projects around here. None of my babies have arrived early (or even on time) so I am pretty sure I have another week or 2 to wait before I get to snuggle this little bundle.

One of the things I did this week is complete my hope valley fabrics quilt and I love it! Slowly but surely I seem to be getting closer to a style of quilting that I really like. I have seen several of these modern cross quilts on flickr and etsy and decided to make my own version to have as a couch quilt this winter. It is not the largest quilt I have made but it is the largest quilt I have tried to quilt on the machine and that is where I am coming unstuck. I have had the unpicker out several times already and am really struggling with feeding it through the machine without bunching it up. Even straight lines aren't working well for me. It seems foolish at 39wks pregnant to undertake a hand quilting project that I hope to actually use this winter so I am thinking about sending it out to be quilted.

Do you have any northern Sydney quilter recommendations for me?

Thanks so much!

FOCUS

A smidge over 38wks pregnant and waiting for baby.

SHARING

We're getting very close to having the baby now and I have been doing some little things to prepare for the arrival. I've pulled the newborn clothes down from the top cupboard and sorted through all the impossibly small and lovely things, I bought a new liner for the capsule, I've been tormenting Mr Duyvken with baby name suggestions and I've been working my way through my to do list.
In amongst it all I've also been worrying about how we are going to fit this new baby into the house. I have no concern about fitting the new little person into our family but the physical realities have been hitting me hard over the past couple of weeks and I have been struggling for perspective. We have saved money, we have plans in with the Council awaiting approval and we WILL be doing something soon to make a little more space around here but it has all taken longer than we thought it would and so instead of being well underway by the time baby arrives we'll have to navigate our way through diy renovation after the baby arrives.
At least I now know that the bassinet fits and the baby's clothes are in our bedroom, there's a change mat and diaper supplies in the basket at the end of the bottom bunk and I have a carry basket I can put in our room or G's room during the day when the kids are playing and baby needs to sleep. Keep your fingers crossed that it all works out well!

Can you spot the little angel asleep on the bottom bunk?

KINDNESS

I was going to give Mr Duyvken the gift of not whining about the pregnancy for an entire evening but, not being certain I would be able to follow through on that gift, I organised some bike tubes as backup. Nothing says LOVE like an inner tube.

WISDOM

JW, after quietly considering my girth, says very seriously in her lovely deep voice:
"I don't think you are having a baby, mama, I think it's a planet."
I think she might be onto something :-)