Oh good, I'm glad that you like it.  Like I said, the colors didn't show up as well as I had hoped...some of them faded and others are brighter than they actually are, but trust me, it's much prettier in real life!  It's going to have flowers with french knots as the centers to act as the quilting part and hold the backing to the knitted front, along with running stitches and then some more french knots on different rows.  I have all kinds of ideas and a lot of high hopes for this blanket - and now that you've said that you like it I can breathe a sigh of relief!

What did your MIL think of the poncho?  Seeing as she's a knitter I'm kind of nervous about her opinion of it - us 'fiber artists' can be a bit critical of each other's work!

I find that using her name rather than 'Debbie and Brad's baby girl' helps me focus on her when I'm knitting. I want to make this blanket all about her so that you'll have a story to tell her about it when she's older ...'this person that we've never actually met thought so much of you that she knitted and made this blanket for you...see, it has your name sewn into the corner!  She said that she thought about you the entire time she was making it, so there's a little bit of love in every stitch!' (or something like that....) BTW, I hope that you're not offended by my using her name (and I don't think that you are, I just wanted to make sure)...

It'll come.  One day in the near future you'll wake up one morning and realize that it's all real - that it's Ashley poking you in the ribs and sticking her elbows out to show her daddy and brothers that she's in there.  That's how I was with Jake - one morning I woke up and as I was getting breakfast I caught myself telling Shea that I was feeding Jake.  That's when I knew that the reality had finally sunk in.  I think you'll be the same way; that it'll sink in slowly and quietly and sneak up on you!

I'm REALLY excited about this!  You're the first friend I've had the opportunity to knit baby things for in about 4 years (except for Janders, Lifehappens, Gideon and Dev, that is - but my friendship with you is a little different to my friendships with them).  Back then I wasn't knitting as seriously as I am now, and since then I've found patterns for all kinds of adorable little bits and pieces for babies and toddlers.  I'm not going to subject you to all of them but there are a few that I'm just thrilled to make for her (and you).

There are a couple that I've found that I'm not going to make.  Like the nursing tank top called 'Peek-A-Boob' http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring05/PATTpeekaboob.html - yeah, I'm thinking that if I wouldn't wear it, you won't either.  I'm all about nursing and specially made bras and shirts and stuff, but knitting your own nursing bra/tank top?  Not so much.

I'm pretty envious that you got a DVD of your ultrasound.  The best we got when I was last pregnant was a fuzzy still photo that looked like some primitive satellite imagery!!  I sometimes wish I could have another one.....

It's a lot more 'girly' in real life.  There's a lilac, a periwinkle blue, a dark violet and a reddish/pink that don't show well in the photo.  The bright pink and the bright green stand out really well, though!

I took this project with me when I went to the doctor's office in St Louis, and a LOT of people stopped and commented on how pretty it was - even the doctor said it was a beautiful color combination.  That makes me feel really good about it!

Yes, it's quite something to learn how to knit when you're over the age of 12 or so.  I take it for granted; I've bene knitting since I was about 7 - so that's an almost 30 year affair I've been having with needles and yarn!

Good!  I didn't think you'd mind, but I wanted to make sure.

I know exactly how I feel.  When I was pregnant I was a D, but when I was nursing I was easily an E.  I had a couple of DD nursing bras, the kind that had the flap in the cup - and I literally busted out the sides of the flaps. It was ridiculous!  I made enough milk to feed 20 kids - and when the babies started to go longer between feedings I'd get that let down reflex every 4 hours because my body was used to them eating that often and I'd soak my clothes or bedding...then I got mastitis and had to quit.  Man, nursing was a bad experience for me; I'm very envious of women who can nurse their babies successfully.  I didn't nurse Jake, and I really regret that.  The doctor advised against it, but I really wish that I'd have tried.  It such a bonding experience, you know?  It's a special thing that only moms can do, it's a testament to the miracle of human engineering.  We can not only make babies, we can house them, we can give them safe passage into the world and we can make nourishment for them.  It's really something spectacular when you think about it...

It wasn't an option for any of our kids either, that's why I'm envious!

That's fabulous!  It can be hard for siblings to accept the news that their parents are having another baby - they're sometimes worried that they won't get as much attention or that their moms and dads will somehow love them less when the new baby comes.  Whenever we go visit someone who's had a new baby, I like to make a point of taking a little something for the older siblings and making sure I pay them as much attention as I do the new arrival.  Actually, I need to talk to you about what your boys like so I can get an idea of what to make for them...I was thinking wrist bands, maybe with their initial on them?

You are more then welcome, and I'm having a blast doing this.  It's a really good experience for me - knitting is becoming akin to meditating; I'm really learning to focus whilst I'm working with my needles and the yarn.