For those interested, our little B. was born Jan. 17, about 2 weeks early. Life has been a whirlwind since then.

She was 7 lbs 9 oz and 19.75" long. Things have been more hectic than I imagined because she didn't take to breastfeeding and I started pumping and bottle feeding her expressed milk. Pumping takes up a lot of time.

I feel bad posting when I don't have time to reciprocate, but I know some people probably wondered what happened to me.

If I could remember how to do an LJ cut, I'd go into more detail, but for now, here are some pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29858210@N02/sets/72157625891605384/

She's getting quite visible here at the Fair at New Boston.

We had the sonogram Friday and got to find out the sex as well as get a look at her. Even though I knew that there was a baby in there, it was still somehow stunning. I was like, "There's a spine in my stomach!"

I've made a printed cotton frock and a cap and under-cap so far: http://www.flickr.com/photos/29858210@N02/tags/baby/

I'm also working on a wool flannel blanket and robe blanket that will hopefully be finished soon. More to come!

The Captain Cook Memorial Museum is running a special exhibition that is displaying common sailor's clothing retrieved from the wreck of the General Carleton

We're back from our event and the clothes are (mostly) washed. In all my poise and grace, I managed to spill cherry ice all down the front of my white gown, getting it on the petticoat and my chemise in the process. Fortunately, I managed to get almost all of it out and I think some sun-soaking should get the rest out.

Here are the pics from this past weekend, going back to Vincennes, which I just uploaded. Only one pictures of my altered dress, since I'm usually behind the camera!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29858210@N02/

We stayed in a lovely B&B before we set up camp - also pictured. Corydon is a charming little town and best of all, there were several places within walking distance that served ice cream! It was quite necessary. The coolest of these was Emery's which had about 30 flavors as well as old-school candy.

Thanks so much guys for all the congratulations. It really means a lot and it made me realize how much I've missed you all. I'm going to make an effort to be present here. And there will be pictures of baby things, I promise!

We're looking at January 28 as our due date. I'm glad not to be hugely pregnant during hot weather, but I hope I don't go stir-crazy being stuck inside with a new baby during the coldest months!

The nursery is going to be Peter Rabbit themed, though I'm not going to paint murals or anything. I want to be able to just remove the decorations as the little one gets bigger without needing to repaint or anything.

I've already made a little linen cap, but I want to get the Kannik's Korner Infant pattern so I'll have some frame of reference for size for the clothing. I found a fitted crib sheet that looks like an 18th cent. print to me so I'm going to cut it up and make something cute! Pics will definitely follow.

***

This weekend is our first 1812 event. I don't know what to expect (other than half-ass unfinished clothing on our part) and I just hope it won't be as hot as Vincennes was last month. I'm not supposed to get too overheated, so if necessary, I'll bail to somewhere air-conditioned. I don't have anything correct for the period, so I altered my chemise a la reine by raising the waistline casing and removing some of the bulk of the fabric from the front. I also shortened it, but I'd meant to do that since I drug it through the mud at New Boston.

I still need to make a bodiced petticoat or something, because I don't think it's going to look right to have a petticoat tied around my waist. I have no idea what a pattern for such a thing looks like, but I'm just going to smush something together.

I'd like to share some news with you all: We're having a baby!

Something about the witching hour loosens my tongue - er, fingers.

I haven't been posting mostly because it seems nothing happens here worthy of the effort. There's sleeping, eating, sewing - the usual.

I'm looking forward to getting outside and doing some gardening. We cleared off the vegetable garden, but DH wants to build it up into more of a raised bed, so I'll have to wait for him to finish that before I can really get in there. I bought some more seeds, though I don't have any luck with them. The packages with their pictures of gorgeous flowers just seduce me into thinking, "This year, they'll grow like gangbusters!" Mallow, blue flax, bee balm, and lemon balm were among the packets I picked up.

Unfortunately for us, there is very little space in our property that gets full sun. All of our border beds are shaded by house, fence and trees. I'd love to have a huge cottage garden, but every year my efforts fail to meet my imagination.

Our large pine tree is not long for this world, I don't think, which is both a blessing and a curse. On the up side, there'd be a little less shade in the back yard and perhaps I could plant some kind of fruit tree. On the down side, we'd be able to see more of the trashy people behind us. Did I just say that out loud?

I really want to have a large property, part cleared and part wooded, where I could plant anything I desired, in any quantity. I'm enamoured of the idea of growing weird fruit like paw paws and medlars. I also want lots of native plants and heirloom herbs and vegetables. Maybe someday...

We finally got snow! All season, I've been watching everyone else in the country enjoy snow on the Weather Channel and despairing that I'd see any this winter. We got just enough to cover everything in white and make everyone stay home who didn't *have* to get out. The house was extra-bright from the reflected light and I was able to watch it swirl around from inside my snug house.

I also had the furnace serviced today (routine, nothing wrong) and the news was good: 30+ years old and still going strong. Granted it's not as efficient as a new one, but we keep our heat set pretty low and it would take years to recoup the cost of replacing it.

No news on the costuming front. I finally gave up on the idea of having a dining room in favor of having a craft/sewing room located between my living room and kitchen. It's not normal perhaps, but it's my house. :P I have sewn some curtains for the living room (only needed to do it for the past 7 years) and some valances for the back bedroom (previously fabric storage/junk room). The clean sweep continues as it has for the past however many months, as I try to reverse my hoarding tendencies.

I need to get back into my costuming zone and finish something new for the Historical Ball at the end of the month, plus I need to branch out into 1812 for the upcoming bicentennial. Some of the guys from Rev War are getting a unit together, so I need to see about outfitting us for a different era. On top of the pending 18th cent. projects, of course.

Best. Christmas song. Evar.

It's been how long since I last posted? *smacks self*

We spent this past weekend at our friends' 1820s house at their second annual Christmas party. We had a great time, like last year, but this time we had the added fun of a dance caller! The first dance we did was sooo fast, I almost wiped out several times because of slick leather shoes on wood floor.

We made a twelfth night cake for the party using a recipe from this month's Early American Life. The cake called for raisins, currants, candied orange peel, citron and angelica. I couldn't locate any angelica, but the cake turned out well. We also made the icing, but it was horrible. The directions instructed to put it in a dry corner overnight or for several hours to harden the icing, but we didn't have the luxury of time. Even after several hours of driving, the icing was sliding off the cake. It was yellow and lumpy and wet, and I think it scared everyone away from the cake. We baked the pea and bean inside and Sean found the pea! He received a crown for the honor, which you can see in one of the pics.

Pics here

Also, many thanks Porridgebird, for the cookie! :D