In a couple of hours, I'll be hopping on the train and heading back home to my sweetie and the pups. I've had a great visit with Mr. B and his parents, as always. It is kind of sad, but exciting at the same time to think that this is one of my last visits to them as a family of three. Things will change with the coming of Alex, and in a good way, but as B's reign as an only child and grandchild is coming to an end. I was lucky enough to get to go to Kate's OB appointment and got to hear Alex's heartbeat with the doppler. He's alive and swishing around like nobody's business and is expected to make his appearance in ten weeks or so.
As always, we had good splashy fun in the tub (he did, I got wet on the outside!). This child loves his bathtime so much that he will stay in until the water is room temperature and then 
fight to stay when you drag is blue and shivering body out. The first night he was in the tub for over an hour and I had to re-heat his water and add more bubbles.
As you can see, he is getting a tad more cooperative about having his picture taken and will at least remove his pacifier for me. Next we'll work on voluntary smiling on command.
Finally, the funniest thing was seeing him wake 
up with the same degree of bed-head that his darling mother used to have at that age. Hers was only worse because her hair was longer, but she always woke up with rats nests on the back of her head.
Stupid Blogger.
I wrote a post a couple of days ago with a progress report on the quilts I'm currently working on for my grandson Benjamin and his baby brother Alex who will be born in a couple of months. The post was done complete with photos and Blogger ate it. Humbug.
Getting Alex's quilt ready for hand quilting was my first priority because I could then work on it while watching TV at night. So, here it is. Looking at it now, I'm wishing that the outer border was a blue background print, but I think when the quilting is done it will be fine. I'd never before tried a triple mitered border, and it worked out just fine. The red border is actually sewed to the white bor
der so it won't flip around after washing. I have started the hand quilting with a shooting star template that I used a few years ago on a quilt for one of my great-nephews. I am outlining the puppies and kitties and then quilting around the inside of each octagon and again 1/2 inches inside.
Benjamin's Robot quilt was pieced by his Mom using the "Just Can't Cut It" pattern. She used a variety of robot prints and didn't follow the pattern exactly (that's my girl!). It is larger than twin size and I'm quilting it on my Bernina and Juki following some of the designs in the fabrics for the smaller squares. I have a rocket ship printed from Electric Quilt for the large squares. I haven't quite figured out the outer border yet. Today, on one of the squares with planets (like the one shown) I quilted "Where's Pluto?" and then #9 as my mark of protest over Pluto's demotion in our solar system. I'm not a very experienced machine quilter, so each project is a learning experience. I am feeling more confident as I go and have even done some motifs and words without drawing them out first.
This old dog may be able to learn a few new tricks after all!
Tomorrow morning, very early, I hop on Amtrak to go visit with Mr. B. and his Mommy~yippee!!
