Where did the time go?

I only have 12 weeks left in this pregnancy. TWELVE WEEKS! It hit me this morning, I was figuring out how far along in weeks I was. With Brendon, I knew down the the exact day how far along I was each day. This one? I had to stop and count to figure out what month I was in...kind of sad, right? So I have 12 weeks left. Gavin doesn't have a middle name. His room is in shambles with boxes all over it. His crib isn't even a crib and isn't in his room. The walls are a pinky-peach (though I know what I want to paint them) that needs to go. His newborn clothes are still in a musty box, though I have no clue if I need to buy long sleeve/long pants newborn clothes or not.

I'm just so worried that nothing will get done before he comes. I've been having a lot of Braxon-Hicks contractions each day. Today, I've had 5 or 6, but I learned from Brendon that the BHC's don't mean a thing.

I was all ready to help Brendon potty learn, but I'm not doing as well as I had hoped. He's not interested at all. I try not to push, but I've seen him poop and pee with out any discomfort from a dirty diaper. So, I'm letting it go. I've accepted that if I have to have two in diapers, I'll do it. Besides, it'll give me an excuse to have to buy more adorable cloth diapers! LOL

I love the prefolds I bought for Gavin. I've been using them in my pocket diapers for Brendon. I think they hold more than microfiber inserts, and the infant size fits perfectly. I've also grown to love hemp inserts, though I find only a hemp insert leads to more leaks because it doesn't absorb as fast as Brendon pees. So a hemp plus a microfiber is what I use at bedtime. I also have one AIO that I'm testing out for Bitty Bums. So far that's been going well, though I want to use it through the day more.

My next diaper purchase will be more covers and prefolds, I think. Because if Brendon is still in diapers, he can wear the OS ones and Gavin can do the prefolds and covers for a while. One of my registeries has FuzziBuns diapers on it, I'm not sure which one, but maybe someone will by some?! :D I think I need to trim it down, I mean, after all, it is my 2nd boy. Maybe I'll go do that now, but there's just too much materialism appealing to my wants right now. Things that I made do with-out, but would have been soo nice.

Mark and I are trying to come up with a way that I can stay home after Gavin is born, permanently. Unless I choose to work part time/PRN or something. Pray that Mark's side business picks up, too. I might pick one of these companies to sign with as a consultor/demonstrator/representative for. I've been thinking about Uppercase Living. I'm having a party and I'm going to talk to Bryana about it. Everyone is doing almost everything else and I don't know anyone else doing that (and she lives in Vermont or somewhere up north).

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!