# 20 Make 6 afghans for the NICU at Children's 6/1/2011

NICU stands for Newborn Intensive Care Unit.  My daughter Sarah was born 4 weeks premature.  She was rushed down to Children's Hospital in the Twin Cities.  Unfortunately after only 18 hours of life she passed away.  The people that work there have angel wings under their scrubs.  They were wonderfully supportive both that night and in the weeks after.  I used to donate money for teddy bears at Christmas time.  Then a daycare parent that volunteered in the NICU said that they accepted afghans.  I knew what my new project was. I have only donated two afghans to the NICU so far.  I have three more finished that haven't been sent, they will be sent with these six.  I have been crocheting since I was in the 3rd grade.  My best friend at the time Anna taught me how to make doll booties during the movie Bambi.  It is one of those snapshot moments, where you can remember exactly where you were and what you were doing.  Our third grade class had gathered in the school library for a movie, quite a treat for us.  Anna and I were at the back of the room (where there was light) whispering back and forth.  She had brought an extra crochet hook from home and extra yarn.  I know that my first attempt was not very good.  Over the years I have gotten much better and have been known to crank out a full size afghan in as little as 10 days.  I usually only work on afghans in the winter, they help to keep me warm while I am watching TV.  I really wanted to finish these, since they are smaller and quicker.  The last two were the solid color ones done with two strands of yarn.  My favorites are the round ones.  Mostly because they are different.  I think that they cover car seats better than the rectangle kind.  I also like to use bright colors instead of the pastels that are usually used for baby things. 

#22 buy a pair of capri's and wear them 10 times

Completed 6/4/2011

I don't like clothes that don't fit, although I have been known to wear things too tight.  Just ask my younger sister about the famous red satin pants.   Capri's (for me) fall into the category of ill-fitting clothes.  They are too short, high waders.  I wore pedal pushers as a child (I know I just dated myself), and hated them.  Mostly because they were my older sister's first (nothing against my sister).  Being the youngest of 4 children born with-in 4 years I grew up wearing hand-me-downs.  This was a necessary in our family due to finances and I did it with my kids as they were growing up.  Sometimes I would wait impatiently for a certain piece of clothing to make it to me.  The advantage of hand-me-downs is that they are broken in and very comfortable.  So that explains my aversion to capri's.  That and I think that they make most (not all) people who wear them look 'hippy'.  So in my search for capris I decided to go with a jean material that was tighter at the knees.  I thought this would make them seem less like high-waders to me.  Next was the sizing dilemma for me.  Gina happened to call as I was shopping.  I was told if they fit at the waist then they fit, so I bought a pair that seemed to fit.  The size down was too tight.  I think that they stretched in the wearing, because now I am constantly pulling them up and have tons of room in the waist.  I would love to tell you that I lost that much weight, but sadly not true. 
So, after wearing them 10 times, I have to admit that they are okay.  Days when it is too hot for pants, but too cool for shorts are perfect for capri's.  I am not going to run out and flood my closet with them ,but I am also not going to burn them in triumph (that I managed to wear them 10 times).  I'm glad that I chose the tighter ones around the knee.  I don't think I would've made it 10 times with the other ones.