Cloth Diapering

This week marks 33 weeks. Only two months to go from here. In the last week or so the back achey-ness has turned a corner to frequent back soreness and the baby movements in my belly have turned from a delightful little flutter to full on twisting, kicking and punching. It's cute and fun during the day and then slightly annoying as I lie down to go to sleep at night.

I'm very much enjoying pregnancy. I even told Jesse the other day that I think I'm going to miss it. There is something about carrying this little guy and feeling his movements - stuff that only I get to experience - that is really special. I love these weeks of anticipating what he will look like, what his personality will be like, and how it will change Jesse and my life together. This is such a wonderful season to be in. Ahhh.

Wow . . . okay . . . let's transition from that sentimental mommy-to-be sugar-coated thoughts to cloth diapers, shall we? So . . . a long time ago (in an age where I used to work at a place that gave me too little work to do and free reign of the internet) I began researching cloth diapering. Actually, a friend of mine was pregnant at the time and I used to dole out my time-wasting abilities for free, so she asked me to do some research for her. What I found was intriguing.

Turns out . . . there are A LOT of people who cloth diaper nowadays. And, the ways of cloth diapering have drastically changed from the old prefold, pin and cover days. What I learned is that an up front investment of about $250 will save you about $2000 in the long run. Amazing! All it seems to require is a little courage, an initial investment and a willingness to do more laundry. So, I've (we've) committed, and we'll see how it turns out . . . poor Jesse.

I recently purchased 15 new diapers from Bum Genius (a brand that is highly recommended among many websites). And, I've made 20 cloth wipes out of an old jersey knit sheet to go with them.


Now, all I need is some laundry detergent advice (thankfully I'll be sitting down with a cloth diapering friend this week to discuss that) and a little bum to wrap in diapers (7 weeks and counting).

I'll let you know in a few months how it's all going. I'm hoping for the best.

I Love My Life

I was putzing around on a Saturday a couple of weekends ago when I looked up from my computer to this lovely scene.

It's silly moments like this when I realize I totally love my life.

Finally . . . A Quilt for the Baby!

I've spent the last month or so just sewing away around here. The sewing machine has become a permanent fixture on the dining room table and I couldn't be more thankful for how accommodating Jesse he has been to it. He truly is wonderful and patient because we all know that where there is a sewing machine there are buttons, threads, bobbins, scissors and scrap fabric strewn about everywhere.

We did, however, have to have a clear "boundary setting" conversation where Jesse requested that my sewing stuff not migrate from the dining room table to the coffee table. The coffee table (as I now understand it) is an appropriate place for remotes, magazines, food and sometimes feet. That's it. No sewing . . . or at least it can't be left there. I guess I can live with that.

Well, my son now has his very own quilt. It's an oversized crib quilt (measuring about 45 x 60). From what I understand from other moms in my life a crib quilt is pretty much useless, but for some reason I couldn't help it. It just seemed like this child of mine needed a quilt from his mom. So, here it is. I'm justifying the time I spent on it by assuming I'll be able to use it to throw it on the hardwood floor in the living room or eventually we'll use it on his toddler-sized bed. We'll see. For now, it's mostly just for sentimental value, and I think it's worth it.

The fish print is an Anna Maria Horner print called Mendocino Swim Class. It inspired the color scheme, and this is the color scheme that I've decided on to compliment the khaki and white in the nursery. The quilt design is roughly based on the Lap Quilt in Amy Butler's In Stitches book. I think I'm liking how it all came together.

The binding gave me fits again. Ugh. I don't like the way it turned out. It's very possible that the severely anal part of me that I try to keep hidden away will come out and re-do it. So far the more logical side of me has been able to talk it's way out of it, but I'm not sure it will last. Beware, oh seam ripper. All it will take is one more snowy day and I'll find myself aggressively seam ripping away. I'll hate the process, but I might be very happy I did it in the end. We'll see how it goes.

Nighty Night

28 weeks along. That means I've officially entered my third trimester. What?! Doesn't seem like it has been that long. I'm starting to get a tiny bit achy by the end of the day, but I'm still very much enjoying pregnancy.

I spent a couple hours on Tuesday night this week working on this fun project. I can't remember how I ran across it, but I got the idea here and instantly fell in love with it.

It didn't take long until I was off to goodwill in search for a couple t-shirts. I'm not sure how I ended up with two music related shirts . . . that wasn't intentional. But, it's okay because I think there will be more where these came from . . . I won't be able to help myself. So fast, so easy and so dang cute!

Looking forward to seeing him wearing these!

Nesting

Moving on to project number two for the nursery . . . While in town, Mom helped me finish the crib bumper - I needed serious help - and she created a crib skirt to match the recliner.

The idea for the bumper came from a long weekend phone conversation I had with Em a few months back. The design is loosely based on some bedding I saw at Pottery Barn Kids - oh how I love that set. Unfortunately, my paycheck doesn't agree. So, we invented our own version cause that's what we do.

Now, before you scroll down to look at all of the pictures and then blurt out something like "could this be the most boring nursery ever?" or "doesn't this child need some stimulation?" just hear me out, okay?

For the big pieces of the nursery (i.e. recliner, crib bumper, crib skirt, curtains) I wanted to go super neutral because just in case Jesse and I enjoy this child-rearing thing (the jury is still out - I don't want to get all presumptuous) and we have any more children I don't want to remake these large, time-consuming items . . . while chasing a child around my house. So keep that in mind, and give me a little grace. Cause, I could totally pull this stuff back out for a girl's nursery if I needed to, right?

So, here's the final product (you may need to click on the pictures to see it closer).



Oh, how I love the way it turned out. So clean, so modern. Mmmmm.


I very loosely used a pattern from Amy Butler's Little Stitches. Her pattern helped with the measurements and it gave me the idea of the pockets (see those on the ends). The rest I just sort of made up, which isn't difficult for a bumper.

The part that got difficult for me was the binding. Oh, the binding. I had no idea how to do it, and I needed to put binding all the way around the edges to secure it all together. Boy was it a disaster before my Mom came in to rescue me! I was so lost! She took over and used my sewing machine to bind it, and she did a beautiful job, as always.


To finish it we attached the velcro, which I'm loving. I like it so much better than ties. It's so clean and simple. Ahhh. Just the way I like it.

Alright, from here on out I promise we'll get more exciting with the nursery stuff. Thanks for bearing with me through the boring world of brown, light tan, white, khaki, etc. I love it so far, but that's probably because I've got the bigger picture in my head.

I've got a crib quilt in the works. Plus, a mobile and some wall decor lingering in my head somewhere. It's all itching to be made . . . must find time!

The First (and Last) Recliner

My Mom came into town a couple weeks ago. Actually, just in time to celebrate my birthday with me. It was a real treat! I got to have her all to myself for nearly a whole week, and it was so good, and so refreshing. I loved it.

We planned this trip knowing I was going to need her help around the house to prepare for this little nugget who arrives in May, so we planned for her to come and manage a couple of BIG projects that were over my head.

I have a knack of overworking her when she comes to town, and I didn't let her down this time either. Poor thing.

Here's the first of the projects - before Mom worked her magic.


It's a super comfy recliner that we got from Jesse's parents. They conveniently decided a couple of months ago that they didn't want it in their living room any longer. Score one for the nursery!

It's going to be a little big for our tiny nursery space, BUT it is a perfect size chair for my 6'2" husband. So, I'm making a very strategic decision to accept an oversized chair for the nursery (rather than a small, cute one that would look better, but surely cramp his back/neck) so that he can sit in comfort while holding a screaming child at 3 AM. Because that's what's really important, right? Husband's comfort trumps cutesy nursery at 3 AM.

Well, over the course of 2.5 days Mom wracked her brain, cut, sewed, wracked her brain some more and sewed some more - wrestling with it until it was done. Here it is. Just gorgeous!


I went with a very neutral color - "light tan" is what they call it I think. I bought 12 yards online from Hancock Fabrics - great quality and fast shipping, by the way. I figure once we're done with it in the nursery I'll be able to bring it into any other living space in the house (course that would require us to move . . . as there is no where else to put it at our current place), but the concept is still true.

Anyway, Mom worked REALLY hard on this project (did I say that already?). So much so that she passionately vowed that she would never recover another recliner. Hmmm . . . I don't blame her.

She covered each piece of the chair separately, so I can remove and wash the pieces as necessary. Isn't that amazing?

She's really good. I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out. Thanks, Mom!

A Purse for Em

I get the privilege of sharing my birthday with one of my very favorite people. It sounds a little weird coming from someone who shares her exact same DNA, but I could go on and on about her. She is fun-loving, instantly lovable, kind, generous, incredibly competent, responsible, joyful and she always gives others the benefit of the doubt (including me). I love her with my whole heart and I can't imagine my life without her.

Every year I think . . . this is the year that I will be able to put together a package and send it just in time for our birthday . . . and every year (for some reason or another) I fail. How is that possible? Thankfully, this year (and maybe for the first time) she also sent a gift to me late too. Whew.


For several months, I had intended to make a purse for her, but I just hadn't decided on a pattern, that is, until I came across this one. I think it's perfect for her. Just dainty enough and just practical enough.


I picked up the Amy Butler print at a local quilt shop, and I'm so happy with the way it turned out. I used a pretty stiff pellon/interfacing to help the purse keep shape. For some reason, though, the only kind of interfacing I could find was REALLY stiff. My mom and I laughed and laughed as I forced it through my machine - I think she was actually just in shock. And, then we laughed again as I attempted to turn it inside out when it was completed. Let's just say it took a lot of muscle and some bizarre contortions to make it work.

Course, it wasn't until I was finished that I realized I sewed the handle on inside out. Ugh! The navy blue on the outside of the handle really should be the lining, but after all that effort my mom and I collectively decided (or somehow just convinced ourselves) it looked just as good on the outside. So, shhhh, don't tell anyone.

Happy birthday to you, Em. I love you.