Made with Love

The Not-So-Secret Confessions of a Second Time Mom, MommyFerg is hosting a handmade, WAHM review and giveaway- Made With Love. She has lots of prizes, and easy entries. Go check her blog out, and enter to win! Or not, because I'd like to win!

Show-n-Tell: A Newborn Cloth Diaper Review

Thinking about babies and seeing all my tiny diapers waiting for a tiny bum to fill them has got me thinking I could do a newborn cloth diaper review. I already have a few, and I'm branching out to see if I can get more-maybe even do a giveaway for some of them. If I have to buy them all myself, I'll do that, but I thought I'd present it to different diaper places. Let me know if you can think of someone who might want in.

I currently have:

Kissaluvs fitted, size 0

FuzziBunz extra small

Happy Hiney's Mini

Nifty Nappy Bitty Bums fitted

Thirsties cover size small

Bummis infant prefolds

Swaddlebees Simplex AIO size small


I need to create a button, for extra entries. Anyone want to help me out with directions or such?

Be prepared for picture overload!

I am a bad documentarist. I can never remember to take pictures as I go. I just get so caught up in my work that having to stop to take a picture is disruptive. But, I managed a few.

the pattern, ready to be cut

 My little paper pattern is getting a lot of exercise! I've cut three gowns so far, and I'm going to try to do two more. Three are for friends, and one is for me. The first one (that I wrote about last time) is the oops. I'm not going to use bias tape, I'll just fold-over and hem the edges and try to wear that one when the "birth processes" might get on it.

I forgot a few pictures...I told you!

So, this picture is after I've sewn something. I think I did half of the shoulder snaps and part of the side seams. Anyhow, it was enough that I needed a break.

Break time!! yummy ice cream sandwhiches!

 

Snaps! Who knew?!

So, here's the snaps. I thought four would work, but because those four were on such a short piece of snap tape, I went with three groups of 2, spaced out so they get the whole shoulder seam. I had a hard time figuring out how to sew them to stay, but not so the stitching looked like I went gung-ho on them.

sewing the seams so there are no raw edges

 I figured that strings and stuff would be irritating, especially on a laboring woman, or one who just wants to enjoy her newborn. I first sewed the wrong sides together, then turned it and sewed the right sides together. The raw edges end up being encased and out of the way! No unraveling :D

wrong sides first, then right sides

 After I did the front shoulder snaps, I did the side seams, then the back shoulder snaps. I just felt like that was more of a better progression because I just did.

sewing the back shoulder snaps

 It was difficult to sew right on the edge of the snap tape, because right at the snaps, it was just. barely. enough. room. to catch the edge of the tape and not have to get the snap under the presser foot. Just believe me.

 

 

Oh, the ribbon in the back. I forgot what his picture was about...

 The pattern just called for two ribbons, but I added three. One at the top, one mid-upper back, and one just below waist level (or at waist level, depending on how tall/short the model is)

Bias tape- the best thing since....snap tape!

I've used bias tape lots of times before, but I just realized a great thing! Bias tape has one side folded shorter than the other. I just figured that it was laziness on the machine's part that did it, and that it was approximated enough to work. Until now, that is. So, if you put the side with the longest fold in the back, and sew from the front, you can sew right along the edge of the top and it will catch the back side every. single. time. Sure, laugh at me, but I never knew/realized that!

Finished neckline.

Sewing the shorter side on the top, so it works!

 I ran out of tape, so I only managed to get the neckline and one of the back seams done. There's enough to do part of other back seam, but I'd rather not have to join bias tape, it's a pain! I talked to the girl who I'm giving it to, and already told her it was going to be late.

Back

 It looks like a big muumuu, but at least it's a cute printed muumuu, and you don't have to worry about who did what it in it last, "birth process" or other "processes"

With a ribbon, it gives it more shape!

 I added a ribbon around the waist, and it really helps give more shape.

On a pregnant model (shh, don't tell her I tried on her gown!)

Six month basketball

Oh, I also added a few inches, four, I think. The girl is about my height, I think, (I'm an awful estimator!!) and the first gown hit my knees. This one is right below it.

I used the pattern from Lazy Girl Designs, but took some suggestions from this blog, Sweet 'n' Sassy Girls. Here's what I changed from Lazy Girl: 

• I used snap tape instead of velcro and a button. Snaps are less risky for "accidental" openings.
• I added a third ribbon for extra coverage, just in case. Lots of visitors for a new baby and his momma. I'd like to make sure that everyone only sees the baby! LOL
• I added a few inches to the hem, and rather than a ruffle like Sweet 'n' Sassy did, I just put a few extra inches on it. I thought about the ruffle, but then there's the gathering and spreading and it was just easier to lengthen it.
• I turned the seams and used bias tape rather than zigzagging them. Zigzagging is just so casual, not what I'd do for a present, that I'd like to look professional. I'll add bias tape to the sleeve hems and bottom hem once I get more.

And it's one size fits (almost) all, so just because I have it fitting my six-month belly, doesn't mean it won't fit a nine-month belly. Plus, the ribbon isn't attached so she can tie it as tight or as loose as she needs.

So I just need one more pack of bias tape to finish it, and that'll be it! This girl's baby is due the middle of August (the 14th, the same day as Noelle would have been due, so I always remember her due date!). Another girl is due in the middle of September and her shower is the beginning of August, so I've got some time there. The third girl is due in September too, not sure when, but she and her family moved (via the Army) to Turkey, so I'm going to try to get hers out next.

It's BAAACK!!

My creativity flew away for a long time, but it's back! I've got my sewing machine dusted off and my kitchen table has been repurposed again. I have an extra room for my craftiness, but there's currently a crib, a futon, a bazillion boxes and NO table in there. You only though they were all unpacked, but they really just went into the "office." 

So the kitchen table has been borrowed. I've got several baby due-dates coming up (besides mine!) and my plan is to make hospital gowns for the mommas. I don't think either of them read this blog, so I think I'm safe :) I had to make a prototype first, kinda like the first kid or the first batch of cookies. LOL

So, here's a few pictures of the prototype gown-disclaimers first: I can't find my camera, so my phone did a stand-in; it's not 100% done, I don't have bias tape for the raw edges; and my mirror was filthy! 

still kinda shapeless, but at least i know no one pooped on it!

 Not too keen on this print, but it was the cheap fabric for the rough draft. I might keep it for delivery, when all the "birth process" is most likely to get on it :P

i know now that contortionism is out in future careers

The back-note the three ties-less likely to get the draft and the unfortunate feeling that your bare bum is exposed!

ignore the belly in the corner, I tried to suck it in!

And I even did the shoulders with snaps to go around IV's, cords, lines, and whatever else is deemed medically necessary!

So, rough draft completed, on to the real one tomrrow. The fabric I have for her is totally adorable. If she wants to wear it during birth and get the "birth process" on it (see, I'm keeping this post gore-free!) that's fine, at least pictures will have her in a pretty gown. My hospital gown I wore when Brendon was being born kept gaping at the pocket and showing...too much. These--no pockets! Yay!

On the Richter scale, this day is HUGE!

Wow. If days had a scale, like the Richter Scale for earthquakes. The higher the number, the worse the event. So, I think today would be a 7 or 7.5. But, I think it has the potential for lots of other things to raise that number. So, what's gone on to make it so bad? Ha, glad you asked, because I'm about to tell you!

First, I woke up every 2 hours. See, I'm on-call today, for work. I kept having nightmares like, they called of staff that was in overtime (on a Monday!?) and called me in, instead. Nevermind the fact that overtime and on-call pay is the same hourly wage! I knew they would call at 5:15, and I kept telling myself that, and I would just expect to be awoken and told to come in. I told myself that, and I was OK with it. But my body didn't listen. I kept wondering what time it was, if they had called, where's my pillow, what's that noise, why is the A/C blowing. Gah!

Second, I spilled about a gallon of water on the bathroom floor and forgot to rinse the conditioner from my hair. The water leaked around the shower curtain, so who knows how much it really was, but it soaked up two towels, my PJ's and the rug. In my hurried state, I quickly jumped out of the shower to clean it up and never got back in. So, I forgot to rinse the conditioner from my hair. I thought it felt kinda different, but I thought I just had stuff on my hands, as I was putting it up. Now, it's crunchy and stiff. I'd rinse it in the sink, but I haven't done the dishes yet.

Third, Brendon threw his iPod in the tub (filled with water) because he didn't want to watch Toy Story, so he got a time out and could only read books. I went back to cleaning the tub. Well, he didn't want to read books, and he let me know it. He was trying to climb on my back and legs and I was bent over the tub and toilet trying to clean. This is the last week we have to clean and return the keys to the apartment office, so I was so thankful to not have to work, but number four kind of makes me wish I had.

Fourth, Brendon threw my phone in the toilet I was trying to clean. I know, I should have learned my lesson, and now I have. But he would not leave me alone and he would not stop whining. Hello, terrible twos. So I gave him my phone to play his little games on. Something happened, maybe a text to interupt it, and he came to me. I guess I didn't fix it quick enough because he got mad and threw it in the TOILET! It was in there maybe 2-3 seconds, but that was enough to shut it off. Now, it's buried in rice, along with the iPod.

Fifth (isn't that enough? no?) I called work to tell them my predicament, that I'm with out phone access and I fully expected them to say, "Oh, I doubt we'll need you, but ok, we'll email you." Instead, I get "We'll most likely need you, but I don't know when."

Pray, pray really hard that I'm not needed because I have a lot I need to do, mainly laundry and grocery shopping. The laundry is all the dirty stuff collected from the apartment that we just carried over here, yes, in trash bags. Most of it has been dealt with. There's one basket and a small pile, plus the winter stuff. Like I said, that'll probably be around for a while.

Ok, time to get lunch ready and get Brendon up from his morning nap-he REALLY needed it! I'll post more about my cloth wipes challenge, that I'm flunking, so far!

Wipes Challenge: June 22-July 22

I've taken the plunge. I'm joining up with April from Mama on a Green Mission. The reason-to save money and our trash! I felt a little disappointed that I couldn't participate in the last challenge, but it was just impractical. This I can do. The Challenge is to use only cloth wipes from June 22- July 22. Since BAM's sitter uses disposable diapers, I'm not going to make her use cloth wipes, and besides, it's not ME doing it...well, in a sense, it is, but I can't change that much. When Brendon is home (at least with me, I doubt MCM will be big on this...) I'll be using cloth wipes with his cloth diapers. 

my wipes solutions

I've made a few different wipes solutions to go with them. The left one is made with apple cider vinegar, very dilute-so it won't burn the butt. The middle is baby lotion and baby shampoo-both lavender. The left one is vitamin E and baby shampoo, regular. I used the vitamin E one today, and at first I sprayed the wipe, but that was silly, so I sprayed BAM's butt. He giggled and said "more?" Ha!

recognize the fabric? it's left over quilt stuff!

I made several styles of wipes, mostly because I got lazy and bored with how I was doing it. I have a few that are turned and top-stitched, several that are zig-zagged edges in flannel. Then today I whipped up a batch that are zig-zagged with a cotton side and a chamois side. Say it with me OOOH-AAAAH! They're super-soft. Can you imagine how luxurious it would feel? *ahem* Anyways. Then I got lazy and did a single tiny stitch around the edges. In the wash, they did fray, but I'll trim the long pieces and they should be ok.

smooth, like butter!

Oh, I just thought of something. Do I need to store the extra solution in the fridge? I think I read something like that somewhere. Eh, I don't think so. So, who's with me? Take the Challenge!!

A new place to call home

So, we finally got out of the apartments and the neighbors that park in our spot, stomp up and down the stairs, and whine (well, the little girl whines, and the mom whines back). We found a cute little house not too much further down the road, about 5 minutes. It's a older house, but it's been built onto recently. There's four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a front living room, a kitchen/dining room, and a den. A nice sized yard (yucky grass though), a garage and a back porch. All-in-all, it's a fairly nice house. We officially moved in this weekend...yesterday, to be specific.

Our first night in the house had some little bumps, like I can't find the cord to the griddle, so our pancakes were made on the stove-not too bad. Mark almost cut my finger off in the dishwasher, but it just bruised and became a little swollen, so not too-too bad. And Brendon wouldn't go to sleep, until about 9:30. That was pretty bad. He was so excited, plus the room was a little different, the bed was different, and the noise was gone. Seriously this house is soo quiet. It's like, we have no one else living here--Oh wait, there is no one else!

I've got pictures, but just on my phone, and I am way to lazy to post them from there. I'll put them on facebook, most of you that read this are my friend anyways, so just go check them out, once I put them up there.

Brendon's favorite part of the house is split between the carpet, standing on the couch to look out the window, the yard and the fact that he can run laps around the house! LOL He lays down on the carpet and rubs the back of his head back and forth and grins.


On the baby front: we're having a BOY! I'm about 5 1/2 months, 22 weeks, for those who know weeks. Morning sickness is a thing of the past-AMEN! My belly will not be hid anymore, and I have reached the point where I will wearing the same handful of clothes for the rest of the summer/fall.