Simplicity 2388 Review

So I had a horrible time yesterday to get this uploaded!  So it is finally here.  Remember, check the sale at JoAnns coming up on Simplicity Patterns for 99cents.

I used Simplicity 2388.

See yah!

~trish

Inspired to be recover

 

 

Here is my best highchair ever.  It was about $50 at Target a couple of years ago.  After a few kids later, the cover had gotten a bit yucky!  SO I had to get a bit of stitchin done.  I hope you like it.  I absolutely love it.

 

 

Now I did manage to lose the latch part of the buckle, so I picked up a buckle from Walmart for $2.  It was originally a 3 point buckle.  The bottom strap I subbed for a 2 point, making the bottom strap a loop for the top to thread through.

We are loving it!  I think I might make a few bibs to match.

~trish

Party time! #1 is turning 6

So what do I love most about being mom!  Birthdays!  They were a miserably difficult experience to birth these wonderful children.  I never thought I could ever go through that much pain and live through it, much less be so happy.  I must say, God has a great since of humor.  It is horrible to go through it once, but then to repeat the process.  Hmm, must be a bit crazy.  So I love each birthday, because I am having another year with my child and I can celebrate that I went through the worst pain I can imagine and survived!  Wow!  My body is amazing for its strength!

So this week is #1’s storybook character parade and it works perfect with our costumes anyways.  So here is my little pig (1 of 3).

I still have 2 more pigs to make.  The overalls were a pair I had made for #2.  I added pink to the straps and the cuffs and was so thankful they fit here.  My husband and I had it out trying to put the snaps on them (this goes back to having 2 engineers that live and breath together).  I made the ears and tail out of felt and I used a good gauged wire left over from my wedding stuff.  I did pick up the nose at the party store.

So to celebrate at school, we brought in cupcakes.  To help make it special they had to be cute.

Here cake for her party is just finished. 

and my kitchen looks about like this.

Plenty of candy, another cake for just the family tonight.  What a mess!  I am so thankful for the Dollar Tree when it is birthday time!  I got her a balloon for each year!

 

I made custom bag toppers for her goodie bags. 

I am really trying to challenge myself to do more everyday stuff with my digital program.  I look forward to sharing some more of my ideas!

~trish

Wearing a baby sling.

I get a few questions on the baby sling, so I figured I would take some pictures.

#1 here is the sling

#2 Reach into the sling, to fold in half.

Here it is in half.

#3 Bring it over one arm and your head and let it rest on your shoulder.

almost, like you are wearing a sash.

#4 At the seam, you want to open the “pocket”.  this is the 2 edges.

#5 Slip the baby in, for demonstration purposes I used a bunny,

      

 

Not to worry my friends, no bunnies were hurt in the making of this how to post.

~trish

The last 2 weeks of blur!

Well friends, the last 2 weeks have been rough in so many ways.  As a mom that wants to succeed at the task, I had to take inventory or my strengths and weaknesses and had to come to reality about my personal limits.  Like I said, it has been rough, a few personal meltdowns and finally coming to grips with the decisions we made.

I can imagine the “dun, dun, dun” loud eerie music playing.

Okay, no one died! But, my husband has been working some crazy hours with his second job. I feel so blessed that he is willing to work so hard.  These crazy hours are about15-17 hours each day on the weekend and 2-3 nights during the week, him working until 9 pm.  I had no idea how fragile our home is without him.  Let’s just say in no way, can this momma go it alone.  We were getting the kids fed, educated, and dressed, but this momma wasn’t getting to be the momma I want to be.

Now this side job will last like this for about 2 months.  I know we could put our school aside for that time and just focus on being mom, but then there is always another side job that will put the same schedule on him.  On top of this, I have a little test I have to study for that is a major deal. (This goes back to that professional degree I have.) 

So momma is off having day in and out with all 4, with pure exhaustion making me just want to cry when the voices are echoing off the walls to sound like I have an entire herd of hyenas in here.  So I was getting snappy with my precious babies and losing all joy in every moment and realized something needed to change.

I heard a while back on a podcast, that it is the attributes of the stay at home mom that will change the world.  It lingered in my mind as I was facing the stresses in my life at the moment.  What echoed is that it was not the homeschool mom that is changing the world, it is the stay at home mom.  SO it shook me that it is more important for me to be mom, than it is for me to school teacher.  I never thought that I would have to choose between the 2, but this is where my world is fragile without my husband being readily available in my day.

So I made the decision painfully and heartbreakingly.  And once I mourned at the loss this year of being able to school my own children, I put my big girl panties on and got to the business of enrolling my kids.  I made the decision Tuesday, enrolled them on Wednesday, and they started on Thursday!

Here they are on their first day.  Now #1 started kindergarten. #2 is going to VPK.  #3 just wants to go to school, so she totes a backpack with her all day long.  Every time we stop somewhere, she ask if this is her school.  I am using this opportunity to tell her she needs to go pee pee in a potty, so she can go to school one day.

Now we are on day 3 of them going to school and wow!  I feel like I am coming back to my old self again.  So I am embracing the change. I am also changing things with the baby! 

She has been evicted from my bed. She is thrashing around through the night and I am not getting any sleep.  I am almost dried up and have lost all desire to nurse.  SO now I am trying to get her on a schedule to take her bottle and sleep through the night.  I had to get on the phone today and find a crib that would fit in our bedroom, because she has outgrown the bassinet.  Thankfully a friend came through with the coolest port-a-crib.

It is low to the grown, so it is not overwhelming in a small room.  Against better judgement, I will show you what my room looks like.  We do not have anything fancy, it is just the nuts and bolts of real life.

 

And I didn’t clean up from my sewing project.  I even sew in my little bedroom.  Here is my $20 Janome machine I picked up at Goodwill.

I dream of grander things, but today is not the day for them and that is that.  I will make due with what I have got, because I know one day I WILL have them the way I want, so I will practice patience.  None the less, I get a lot of sewing done at this spot.

So all this craziness and meltdowns is the reason I have been lacking any real thought to my postings and why I was late on my give-away.

I do want to share my excitement for the plans to my new family order.  I am giving myself this week to catch back up on my house.  But hopefully next week, we will start back up on the unit study side of the MFW kindergarten program.  I want to continue to show them God in everything around us and the one week unit studies are perfect for that.  The nice part is, the unit studies have so many activities, I doubt they will feel like “work”.

I am also excited to have more time to devote to making my home more stream lined.  Yeah!  I hope that by the end of the school year, I will be more at a maintenance level than a purge and organize level. SO I plan to keep FLYING with the flylady!

I better post my next giveaway, toodles!

~trish

High Chair makeover!

 

I am feeling back to normal, now that I have enrolled my kids into the public school system.  I can melt away telling you how my heart broke and the reasons we came to this decision, but I will leave it to another time.  I really want to share with you something I have been wanting to do and today, I did it.  I made over a highchair that was given to me.

AFTER

 

BEFORE

I do want to say, by Monday, I plan to start back where I left off in conversation, as if the last 2 weeks we were on pause.  So, Saturday night I will be pulling the name for the #2 giveaway.  So you still have a chance to win.  I will show giveaway #3 on Monday.

~trish

Baby Shower Gifts

 

This is what I am doing on our week off, plus a dr appointment, and doing speech class!

I have a baby shower coming up this weekend and wanted to make some little things for the new mom.  All of these items I have seen on other blogs and got some great directions and measurements from www.makeit-loveit.com under her baby label.

I used the printed fabric and a light green flannel for all the pieces.

First is the 2 bibs.

Then the huggies wipe covered and the diaper pouch.

Then I made a baby carrier cover with a padded handle to keep the noisies away from the baby.

I had plenty of fabric, because I bought it with the intention of making a dress for me.  I think I like it surrounding a baby better.  These items took me about 5-6hours to make, including time to change dirty diapers, nurse a screaming baby, and break up the typical sibling rivalry.  I am hoping the mom to be will love it.  I really should have made one for myself.

 

DON’T FORGET I HAVE A GIVE-AWAY GOING ON THIS WEEK.  YOU MUST COMMENT (on this blog, facebook comments do not count) AND BECOME A FOLLOWER!

Skim or Whole Milk

I thought this was going to be a post on hind milk and fore milk, but instead it is turning into my personal milking it pity party. I have nursed all of my children.  I amazed myself with the first one and with my husbands constant support, I nursed her for 6 months.  I had the same success with the next.  Well, #2 came along with such dissatisfaction that I could no longer take the heartbreak and aggravation of it all and we ended at 4 months.  It took 1 week to figure out that there was no way my body could have kept up with her appetite.  Still to this day, she out eats the first 2.

So sweet #4 is now 10 weeks old and I AM TIRED.  I mean completely exhausted.  My poor child is gassy since day 1. (I have tried changing our diet, but man, we eat a lot of onions, garlic, beans, and greens.)  SO I am really not eating good enough for her.  I feel like I am being tugged in several directions with the other children and emotionally I am not keeping up, because I am so wiped out with exhaustion.

So I chinned up and bought some formula today.  I will tell you, I feel like a quitter!  I am not a good quitter.  I have stuck through more things than I ever wanted to because I did not want to be a quitter.  I am having a bad mom moment.  But in my heart I know I need to do this for her and the rest of family and for myself too.  for me, because it takes a lot of energy to play fair and when I am wiped out, my snappy aggravated side comes out for everyone to play with, not very pretty.

What has me most heart broken is that I know that I am “just” supplementing to take some pressure of my body to produce.  But it is a slippery slope for me.  My supplementing usually only last me 2 weeks and then I am done nursing.  I am hoping to nurse from after dinner to morning and then supplement during the day.  If I can grab a nap, I will probably nurse her again.  I hope this plan helps me from completely stopping.  We will see!

 

I think this is in my make things easier category of life right now.

~trish

wearing a baby!

 

#3 was wanting to be a little mommy.  She was “wearing” her babies by throwing them into a pillowcase and throwing them over her shoulder.  At first, I thought she was wanting to be a hobo.  But after watching her for a little bit, I realized she was wanting to wear them.  So I grabbed some fabric and put together a little baby sling for her.

she is so cute, but not to be confused, oh my, this child here is a rascal! She will earn me every white hair I have.

~trish

nursing cover

 

A recent friend I met was sporting one of these nursing covers.  Now being on my 4th child and had nursed all the others, I never used a nursing cover before.  I have seen them, but I really did not have an interest in them for several reasons. First, all the ones I had seen were very bulks and it was almost like putting on another garment.  Second, I did not feel in need of one, because I am really good at maintaining cover and wearing my clothes and positioning the baby so nothing was in view.

I am not sure if it is now that I am older or that I have too much whirl-winding around me with the younger ones, but I wanted a cover.  I guess, I am just too tired to put up with the effort of trying to conceal myself from the public and it is easier to just cover.  The nice part about the cover, is that you do not need all those fancy tops to wear.

I was really excited to hop on the tutorial, here:

   http://blisstree.com/live/free-pattern-to-sew-your-own-nursing-cover/?utm_source=blisstree&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=b5hubs_migration

The nice addition that makes this easy to use is the boning at the top, that gives the cover a tent like shape.  Thus, allowing you to peak in with out lifting the cover, also, helps air flow.  BECAUSE NURSING MAKES YOU HOT!

Now the young lady in the pictures is my very young sister in law.  I had to take advantage of her holding #4 and I went a head and used her as my model.  I am getting a little bit  reluctant to allow my darling husband to take any more horrible pictures of me.  I truly believe he does it intentionally.

~trish

Baby Wearing

  

 

I have had several baby slings and carriers, but these are still my favorite.  And even better is that I made it.  I have tried the style, were you wrap them in different positions using the same piece of clothe.  But I found that I like these best, with a little up front work, it keeps it easy for me to use.  Here is a picture of me and my cousin wearing our babies.  Our babies are about a month apart.

You can have easy access to the babies from the side if they are tiny and as they grow, from the top.

The pattern is a good pattern, but the directions are misleading, to say it best.  You will need some experience in sewing, not because the techniques are challenging.  It is because the directions will not direct you to the desired finished product.  I have bought this pattern twice, most recently,because I could not find the other pattern.  The second pattern had an extra pattern piece to cut.  With that said, once you build it once, it is minimal effort to create again and again.

 

McCalls Pattern 5678

 

I have also made the sling.  I actually prefer this sling verses any I have owned.  I like that it sits the baby more at your abdomen, verses your chest.

I hope you enjoy!

~trish

Potty Chair on the go.

This is our beloved potty chair.  I got it for under $5 at ikea.  I thought when putting a potty chair in my van that it is a common thing to ride with.  I was shocked that, no, not very many mommys are riding around with a potty chair.

I put our potty chair in a couple of years ago.  A small inconvenience about potty trained children is their tiny bladders at the most inconvenient times.  So I put a chair in the van and away we went.  I keep wipes in the van and water to give it a good clean after each use.  I can not tell you how many times and where it has been used.

My favorite it my son.  He does not like the auto flushing toilets at walmart.  One time, he refused.  So once we got to the van, he pulled the potty chair out, set it in the parking lot on the yellow parking line and relaxed for his 15 minute movement.  Ahh, I realized this is just mommy-hood.  I sat at the edge of the van  with the door open watching my son on the potty having a movement and watching people coming and going.  Thankfully, we had a car parked next to us, so noone really could see him. UNTIL!  A car pulled in to park across from us.  I thought she was going to need the chair, she almost peed herself, laughing so hard.

So our green potty is always in the van.  And I am excited to have #3 using it on our trips to the lake.  She is still wearing a diaper, but her daddy invited her to use it after her sister was done with it.  Of course, sitting under a nice oak, is a nice place to relax.

 

~trish

Baby Bonnet – Simplicity 3840

  

Years ago, I was at a moms meeting and a new mom showed up with a very similar hat on her baby.  I instantly loved it, but I guess we did not click, because I think I chased her badgering her for more information on the bonnet so I could make one too.  I did fudge one and made a pattern for #3.  Well, I found this pattern at a simplicity pattern sale.  Now I bought this after I swore off any more children, so my mom scratched her head on why I would still buy it.  But I had to have it.

I used all the scraps I could find to make this one.  It came together quick.  There are 2 pieces to cut, first you cut 2 layers of fabric and 1 of interfacing.  The second, is the overlay.  I almost skipped the overlay, but decided to try it any how.  I love it, it makes it so cute. Now the nice part about this pattern is this specific pattern gives you the pattern for each size.  How nice that I did not have to be stuck making a copy of the pattern.  I will say, I did not bother reading the instructions.  I just threw it together.

I cannot wait for her tiny head to get bigger and for her to be able to hold it up on her own.  She will be the cutest.  Yes, I did put this on her to model while she was sleeping.  That is what proud mommas do.

~trish

Sweetness of 2 sisters

Isn’t this just adorable.  #3 is constantly looking out for #4.  If she doesn’t have a blanket, she is dragging one from somewhere through the house to get it for her.  #3 is always giving little pecks on the head with a good swap of a pat afterwards. 

I am most impressed with #3, for the fact that this girl would not be easily described as gentle.  She tumbles, jumps and can make the strongest, roughest water seem like ripples.  BUT when it comes to her new sister, she is soft spoken, tender, and loving.  Then in 4 split seconds the terror unleashes ciaos and mayhem to the rest of her siblings.

I feel so blessed to have #4, not just for the joys that she has already given me in the past 2 weeks, but also the joy to see other sides of my children that only she will invoke. 

Each child I have had is like another window being open to bring light into a different corner of my other children’s being.  I feel amazed to learn and see all their wonders that God has made them to be.

~trish

At home with the newest.

I have a very timely baby!  #4 is the first to arrive on her due date.  She did get a little help, as I said earlier I was having pre-labor for a couple of weeks.  Sunday, I started with contractions off and on at 8:30 in the morning and were irregular for the entire day.  Our Mother’s day show was everyone pointing to, “look YOUR contracting”.

Well, went to bed and woke up with stronger contractions every 20 minutes at 12:15 am on Monday.  I had had enough. It hurt and I was not going to be able to go to sleep, so I figured it was time to go and see what was going on.  So we went.  Got there at 3:15 am and found out I was more like 7-8 minutes apart, I just was not feeling them.  Well, things got better with 3-7 minutes apart.  Then a little nap and everything stopped. Ah, this has been my past 2 weeks.  I did progress from 2 cm to 3 cm.

Thankfully, I was scheduled to be induced the following morning.  The Doctor decided to just induce me on Monday, since I was already there.  I was a bit bummed. 

I have been induced for #2 and #3 and HAD to have an epidural with both.  And both times, the epidural did not work perfectly.  #2 required being punctured twice to get it set.  The labor and delivery was enjoyable, but the aftermath was horrible.  I had migraines for about 5 days.  #3’s epidural only worked for my left side of my body and not the other.  So I felt everything!  My husband and I both desired for me not to have another epidural for fear of the dangers and it not being a great success yet.

The induction followed much like the last one; quick, fast and amazingly painful!  Within 3 hours it was done.  I ended up with contractions about 1-2 minutes apart with each contraction opening me another cm.  literally, I went 5 cm, contraction, 6 cm, contraction, 7 cm, contraction, 8cm, contraction, 9cm, contraction, 10 cm.  All of this 2 minutes apart, with no time to relax from the pain.  BECAUSE although I really needed the drugs, I had absolutely no time!  I even asked at 4 cm.  When I hit 10 cm, she was out in 3 minutes. 

WOW!  That was painful!  I mean, I am glad I can join the women of strength who have done it with out drugs, but man, it kind of scared me mentally.  I stand firm that every woman is made as God has intended her to be.  Some of us are blessed for birth, some for pregnancy, and some for none of it.  Well, I am not blessed with the ability to handle pain.   But thankfully, I survived and felt incredibly great within 15-30 minutes.

#4 came out on her due date at 8 lbs and perfect.  I am quickly recovering, even though I am getting the full experience of the forceful cramping of my uterus, her previous home, to shrink.  But besides that We are doing great!  AND HERE SHE IS!

~trish

Days shy of 37 weeks

 

Well, I will be 37 weeks on Monday.  I went to my last appointment, this past Wednesday and found out I was already 50% effaced.   Alright!  I am excited to have a baby that is not going to make me wait too long to see her.  This is so far the quickest that I have progressed for birth.  The last one I was induced and had not dilated or effaced by 39 weeks.

I am keeping up my normal routine, with the exception of not running to the phone when it rings and staying home for the most part.  At home, I am still in full mode, laundry, cooking, picking up here and there, and sewing.

Well, I am hitting the point of being uncomfortable.  This morning the belly is miserable.  Tight all over, pressure, but no contractions yet.  I have only naturally started birth with my first one, my other 2 were induced.

So in many ways, this is still a raw experience, untamed by the multitude.  My experience with the first was Miserably uncomfortable around my back and at my belly button.  What is now known to me as pre-labor contractions with back labor. 

I still remember at the time, sitting at my desk at work wanting to cry, because I just did not feel good/right and no idea why.  I have to laugh, because just understanding what was going on, would have stopped my whining (somewhat).  I had no idea, I was a newbie and I was unsure of it all.  Now, it is a little laugh, my eyes closed, and I quietly breathe.  Knowing each bit of pre-labor contraction is a sign of it coming.  Well I finished that day of pre-labor at the Dr office, saying what is going on, am I in labor?

My answer, ”NO!  Honey, you will know when you are in labor and there will not be a hint of smile on your face.”  (Can you believe after that I still stuck with him all these years and babies!)  I love my doctor even when I am chastised and boy does he have to get onto me now and then.  SO he sent me home, said relax and start your maternity leave today.

That was not much fun!  We had just moved into our first home and everything was in boxes through out the entire house with just a path.  All I had was a glider, a phone, and the mindset that I was too pregnant to do a thing.  Now that is one I have to laugh at now.  So I called every girlfriend I had, to catch up on and spent the day running my mouth.  BY the way, that first home was in the middle of no where.  Look on a Florida map and find the location that has the least amount of roads per square inch and that was where I was at.  It was an hour to WALMART and at least 30 minutes to town for the grocery store.

I couldn’t take it by 3 pm, I was off to my moms.  An hour drive down 1 road.  SO her and I went to a scrapbook class.  Me, being the miserable daughter I know how to be from time to time, taunted her that if she wasn’t nice I would have this baby tonight and not go to my baby shower the next day.  I am sure at the time, the only thing she was doing wrong, was stealing a little of the spotlight from this all about me, soon to be new-mom.

So we ended the evening and I made the long drive home about 10 pm.  That entire day, I felt fine and had no lingering symptoms of the day before.  So no big deal.  Until just after midnight, for the ritual pee journey.  I waddled out of bed, stood up and swish!  I thought I had peed myself and would have left it at that, except I then sat down and went pee.   Being the clever first time prego I was, I realized that if I had peed myself, then I shouldn’t have to still go pee. DING, DING, DING!

Woke the honey, took a shower, and excitedly headed to the hospital 1 1/2 hrs away.  Hence, contractions had not started yet.  Oh, the contractions did start about 20 minutes into the ride and they were BAD!  I was having back labor.  Oh, And I did not take a single birthing class or watch a single movie.  (Too much effort to have the energy after work to deal with any of that.)  So I am screaming.  Note to newbies, the Triage Nurses do not deal well with screamers, especially when you are only 1/2 cm dilated at 2 am.  I was told to go home, Me no way, not without my drugs!  So I was sent to walk.  I hollered through that hospital lobby for almost 4 hours, That was when I made it to 3 whole cm.  I think they fudged it to get me out of there!

After that, 3 hours later, my first born was here.  I am skipping that excitement.  My attitude only got better and I believe my mom left there shaking with fear and shock at the beast that can really come out from my inner-self.  And of course, I did not make the baby shower.

So here I am on baby #4.  Knowing that all cramping and discomfort are a good thing.  Anxiously waiting for a bloody show, and comforting myself that it could happen when My water breaks.  Really, lets just get this show on the road and reminding myself that it still can be next week before it happens.  I am ready for it to happen NOW!  but I am wanting to be patient.

I will have to see where the day brings me.

Take care, and hope for a few good contractions for me.

~trish

All Flannel diapers

I hope I am not making you feel a little pooped.  I should be ending my series on clothe diapers soon.  If these topics are not for you, just hold on and I will be done nesting and move onto nursing, LOL! – Which, you probably will not care for either.  NO, I have a ton to talk about all the time.  So hopefully, I will be clear of other things to go back to other subjects.  Until then, ONTO DIAPERING!

I made the all flannel clothe diapers and they are lovely!

I did go girly!  I enjoyed the different flannels to make the outer layer.  These diapers are for the 10-22 lb baby and not the older ones, hence, they are girly.   I ended up creating them with 3 layers and the terry clothe (old towel) absorption layer.  I have not added velcro, because quite honestly, I am not sure how big.  For the moment I am planning to leave them pin-able.  I figured I can go back to put the velcro on later.

I plan to make these all in one diapers.  After realizing, that I can make 6 diapers in a day with company visiting for half of it, 2 loads of laundry, and the rest of my chores, i.e., cutting out during the morning learning shows and sewing during the naps.  I plan to make them all –in-one diapers, instead of trying to just change inserts.  I figured I might get my stash to 20-30 diapers with the inserts.

We will see how time is.  I should have about a month before my disposable stash is outgrown or dissolved.

~trish

More home made diapers, size large

Like I said earlier, I need bigger diapers.  So I made some.

This is completed with velcro straps.

Isn’t it cute, being modeled by #3.

 

Here are a few pictures I took, as I made this pattern.

These are the measurements from my purchased 22-45 lb diapers.

This is what my pattern looks like.  After the fact, I brought the corner down an inch before connecting to the crouch points.  I did this so that I don’t have a point at the top.  I found this helps with the hem at the top, but is not mandatory. Here is a better view.

 

What I do want to show you is the vinyl after washing.  I am a bit disappointed in it.  The one on the right has been washed in my white/whites Hot cycle, because this is the best cycle for me to wash diapers.  This is not the best cycle for vinyl. Live and learn.  The Vinyl is still attached at all the seams, but it is no longer fused with the fabric.  In all aspects, it works AND my daughter wears it comfortably, but I do not like the look or the sound.

So I decided in this adventure, I am doing all flannel and no leak barrier, WOW am I brave.  I am going to get a good microfiber insert and learn to be aware of dampness.

~trish