Paper and Threads

I am trying to continue with a daily sketch, even though our days are full - with Henry and Syd at home and Rachel and baby Callum at the hospital.  I don't have a scanner and therefore chose to photograph my journal pages.  The light, the angle, the shadows are all an issue, but I want to document this wonderful week now rather than waiting until we return to New York after the holidays.   

A fun window display at Green and Stone art supplies on Kings Road.  I was on a mission to find bottle nipples and couldn't walk by the window without a quick sketch.

Henry and Syd went to Budakwai for a 75 minute play session on Monday and Thursday morning.  I sketched the children while I watched - although I didn't even try faces.  The child in pink with a heart on her shirt is Sydney.  The boy is orange - with a face - is Henry.  He insisted that he needed a mouth!

We went shopping for Callum supplies.  Mothercare on Oxford St. has the following clothes sizes: Early (up to 5 lbs), Tiny (up to 7 lbs), Newborn (up to 10 lbs).  We bought Callum a fluffy white suit and hat to come home from the hospital in Tiny - although he really should be in early!

EDM Challenge #98:  I saw these Santa and Snowman ceramic figures in the window of Waterstone and the small gold Christmas tree in the window of Pier 1 as I was doing grocery shopping along King's Road.  This is a wonderful week for us - especially now that Callum arrived and we know that Rachel will be back home with her family for our Christmas celebration.

Our last daily visit to St. Mary's Hospital - we just got word that Callum and Rachel are coming home tomorrow!  I took lots of photos of the hospital buildings from outside, but chose to sketch the exterior door to the maternity hospital where Rachel had her prenatal visits, hospitalization and delivery this week.  I wanted Callum to have photos of his hospital, since Henry and Syd were both born and live in New York City.

Callum and Rachel came home from the hospital today.  He has a really nice Moses basket in the living room and the two soft, furry duck toys were sitting in it waiting for him to arrive.  We are so happy!  Uncle Jason and Shannon arrive tomorrow for Christmas so we will have our in-house Pediatrician here.  Callum is eating well and was 4 lbs 11 oz at discharge!

Posted by Shirley at 3:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Henry and Sydney went to meet their new brother on Wednesday.  Callum James was born Tuesday at 7:38 AM - 4 lbs 14 oz - and 6 weeks early.  Fortunately, he was absolutely fine right from birth and both breathed and fed well.  We are all very relieved.  There was just no way that this baby was going to wait until his due date!  The plan now is for Mommy and baby to come home tomorrow.  Then we can celebrate sister Sydney's birthday (no one told her it was yesterday) and Christmas.  One of their uncles and aunts are flying in on Saturday - fog conditions permitting so we look forward to a wonderful family Christmas celebration far from home.

 This was Sydney at Christmas in 2004 and then 2005.  She started life even smaller - 3 lb 13 oz and was discharged from the NICU at dinnertime 12/24/2004.

Posted by Shirley at 12:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

My daughter and I both must have known subconsciously that our schedule would be changing completely this Christmas.  She set up the baby's room one day before being hospitalized and wrapped all of the presents.  I finished all of the gift sewing before going to Orlando on a 6 day business trip.  That made our change in plans possible - but still not ideal. 

Things are still stably unstable - and she is so disappointed and bored to be in the hospital instead of enjoying the wonderful decorations and festive activities of London.  Meanwhile we're having a great time with Henry and Sydney.  I loved arriving to her Christmas tree and Poinsettia plants and sketched them for my daily sketch on Saturday (12/16).  I'm testing a photo of the sketchbook page, instead of a scan to see if this will be a temporary solution to my lack of a scanner.  The colors seem grayed out. 

Posted by Shirley at 4:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Our Christmas holiday in London began 1 week earlier than expected.  My daughter was hospitalized with possible premature delivery and we came as soon as we could to help with Henry (age 3 1/2) and Sydney (who will turn 2 on Wed).  We barely had time to finish the Christmas cards and pack the night we received the call.  It is the first time that I didn't do the weekly EDM challenge in months. 

London looks beautiful with all of the Christmas decorations and holiday shoppers.  It is wonderful being with grandchildren and I hope to post some London photos instead of sketches over the next 3 weeks because I don't have access to a scanner.  Here is the first photo of the group,

                      Sydney who will be 2 on 12/20                  Henry who is 3 !/2

Posted by Shirley at 3:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

We cleared our apartment of desserts and sweets after Thanksgiving, so I brought home a candy from the candy dish in our Department office.  I am struggling to learn more about painting reflections and thought that the cellophane wrapper would be a huge challenge.  Fortunately, no one can see how poorly I achieved the desired effect in this scan.  I brought home a second piece yesterday and tried Jana's Mask-it trick, but that wasn't any better. 

I leave in an hour for a 6 day business trip without my laptop, and now realize how much I enjoy my daily review of the EDM group site.  I'll have lots to catch up with when I return.

Posted by Shirley at 7:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)