It's been too long. So, I'll begin my catch up with a bit of Halloween, which it amazes me has turned into an incredible endeavor, lasting about a week with all the activities....it's exhausting. I'm so glad Nov 1 came when it did, and doubly so that Miss Monkey didn't have school that day---some smart people there.  There was a nautical theme this year, the new mermaid costume was completed in time, and the Second born was ecstatic to wear the previous purpler version.

We've been regulars at Boo at the Zoo most of the past 6 years, this year was no different. Mermaids of course must ride dolphins or small polar bears.

Baby rode around as an inking octopus, and I've not hunted down the better pics of that costume. After the first outing I had to tweak it a little to make it more realistically shaped.  He wasn't especially enthused about donning the costume, but was out cold in the Ergo every time.  Note: costumes must be durable and ready to wear multiple times, minimum 3 this year (Boo at Zoo, Trunk or Treat, school costume parades, and of course Halloween proper evening)

There were many pumpkins this year as we attended an extra carving party, and of course baby had to have one as well, I think we totaled 7.  

A success all around. : )

dresses

My Papa's Shirts Dress II

My Papa's Shirts Dress I

My [partial] Papa's Shirts Dress III

Beach Dress

Jelly Fish Dress

Halloween Mermaid 2009

I had help, seamstress mentoring, so to speak, for most of these.  The mermaid costume being the most intense.  So grateful for the tutoring, I recently made a lovely little cape and an apron for two birthday boys (pictures coming soon).

more

Not sure it counts but these are my seedlings from earlier this year.

 

  Fuzzy cozy blanket for Baby E.

 

 Gift apron.

 

 Thank you notes for gentlemen that helped move our piano.

 Sugar scrubs Christmas gifts.

New Label : Things I Make

Super Blankets for new baby cousin.

 

Snazzy Dolly Diapers

Shower Sack

Resurrection of the Sock Monkey

When I was really small, probably same age Miss Monkey is now, I remember cutting foam up to re-stuff a sock monkey.  I'm actually not sure if Mom made it for me from scratch, but it's possible considering the era.  I have recollection of the way the foam felt under the shears, clipping it io workable pieces.  I remember his mirror button nose being too floppy for my discerning four year old taste, staring at my reflection for eons.  When Sock Monkey wasn't turning out exactly how I imagined, he was a bit lumpy and misshapen, I also remember being afraid to ask for something more or different,  fearing the answer, guilty of asking at all.  I'm working on this new gig, asking for what I want, being specific, and realizing that I needn't feel bad or be afraid of the answer.  I'm here just like everyone else, neither above nor below.  It's challenging.  Better to be a healthy example than to listen to my daughter say things like, "oh, well, I'm so thirsty....I guess I can't get anything to drink though..." like a little martyr-in-training, rather than ask for help.

There are moving tubs everywhere full of oddities, and F came up with Sock Monkey that probably hadn't seen the light of day in almost 10 years (I recall my college boyfriend thought it creepy).  The foam was shot and he was dirrrrty.  After an overnight spa-soak in vinegar/borax/bit-o-bleach, he washed and dried just fine.  But with further inspection, the first born decided she might like to have him re-stuffed, and I happen to have some lovely stuffing on hand from a quilt shop going-out-of-business. She also asked that his mirror nose be tacked down somehow---funny coincidence that.  Then, newly firmly fluffed, with buttons reinforced and non-noddy nose, he went to bed with Little Girl and has been under her arm practically all day.  I'm proud, Sock Monkey turned out just how I wanted him to, he's the embodiment of heirloom.

Sew Kewl

My sewing history is spotty; while I'm familiar with method I had very little practice. Ms. M, sewing mentoress, helped me learn a whole lot more last year when I got the idea to make some Papa's Shirts Dresses for the Little Girl. Essentially I dismantled several of The Man's shirts, picked a super simple Kwik Sew pattern, and with Ms. M, produced not only 3 uber-cute dresses for last summer, but eventually the fantastic Purple Mermaid Costume for Halloween '09.

Sew, lately, as I find more time on my hands awaiting the New Arrival, I'm proud of my creativity with my gratefully borrowed machine. Taking several outgrown pairs of Miss Monkey's tights I simply made leg/arm warmers with them. I also converted a coveted tu-tu—turned out to be too too small—into a wearable state cutting away the butt of the bottom, and replacing with tights of Her choice. While it's not ideal for her dancing repertoire at the moment, at least it's another item to add to the costume & dress-up box.

My first Big Belly project to convert 2 pair of jeans to wearable maternity skirt was less than ideal (the side panels pouffed, the belly band was less than great). I put it aside for a time before I decided what needed to be done. The finagling of a sewing room is an immense help. The house we're in has an odd nubbin of a room off the master, that's big enough and small enough to act a closet, yet has its own closet (weird I know). I finally got tired of stitching on the kitchen table with all my supplies stacked in the corner, moved everything down to the Nubbin Room. When Monkey has torn her heirloom skirt yet again, all I need do is uncover the machine to stitch it up.

Anyway, the blue jean convert-to-skirt had to be completely revamped. I made a small tear much worse while removing the first belly band, thus my decision to remove the pockets, slice off 5 inches down from the "waist", re-add new stretchy and my pockets of choice—it turned out great. Well, turned out great considering my novice tailoring skills. The skirt is not perfect, but it's comfortable, and at this point in pregnancy comfort is paramount. Anything binding can put me in a foul mood. By the way, it is hard to pin pieces to oneself with a ginormous belly…but I worked it in pure comic fashion squeezing my reflection in the lone terrified mirror. The effort caused me to wonder about body-forms, and what tailoring one's own maternity wear for the duration would be like. Do they make maternity attachments for the forms?

The most comfortable and practical items I purchased are ruched-side tops. One lovely red top I splurged on, A Pea In the Pod ($$!), still fits comfortably and is made from wonderfully soft, stretchy, cotton blend…yet to be determined the postpartum use "nursability" of this top. The two ruched under-tanks I picked up at Target have been indispensable. The "tails" are long enough with the gathered sides to cover the belly + uggo-band of maternity pant (even now as my shape has become more ridiculous) and thin/comfy enough to wear consistently as an undershirt. I did pick up one so-called maternity-to-nursing top from Lilac via MamaBargains, which, as of right now is cozy in the "On Our Way" bag with other hospital essentials. The maternity-to-post-partum jeans I purchased in the same transaction were a total fail, to my guttural dismay—currently consigned at Childish Things, Boulder's premier consignment shop. Otherwise, yoga pants, homemade skirts (below), and the sale-find of bigger soft jeans are my answer for the final big belly countdown.

I had a fabulous idea to hit the thrift store for bigger skirts to convert to belly-wear. I triumphed wonderfully with my first attempt. But the other two possibilities just weren't cooperative, and will most likely be relegated to material for Miss Monkey's wardrobe. It was a completely new experience going through a thrift store with an eye for the material rather than the items themselves. I turned a sheet into 2 changing pad covers, with enough left over to make a night gown for F. Her birthday, sew close, I will (hopefully) finish the newest Papa's Shirt Dress—really only part of a shirt combined with a print she picked herself—possibly with a little hat to match, per her request.

I am so grateful for creative outlets in this interim time!

Big Belly Krewe

<--------jean convert &

thrifty find-------->

Collection of Monkey Skirts;

converted from dress, from larger size, tiered from a pattern.

*sigh* there is just no way to keep my ankles from looking pregnant too!

Happy Halloween!

Two nights ago I "braved" the tail end of a recent storm to finish Fiona's Mermaid costume. The storm, while not a blizzard, dropped upwards of 18 inches of snow over two and a half days. Thursday last was Fiona's first sledding experience, woe to those who forget their cameras. It wasn't a very big hill, but it was a good sled with good friends and that's what really matters. Yesterday my little girl and I spent a solid hour smashing up the front yard snow building a snow-dinosaur-dragon & snow-fighting. I love the snow. Even though I shoveled 3 times in one day...I.Love.Snow.


Anyway, for a while before tonight with the costume in the works, Fiona has been chattering about "riding the dolphin at the zoo" and some mention of "a mermaid's saddle on the dolphin at the zoo." The first few times, I didn't get it. Then it finally dawned on me that she wanted to ride the dolphin at the zoo in her mermaid costume. OH! So that was our main mission today. Besides Boo at the Zoo, a definite bonus, we had to make it to the Carousel so Fiona could ride the dolphin as a mermaid. Mission accomplished.... ++candy.

Then we headed to Miss M's house for a small Halloween potluck. Always a pleasure to meet new people, and most definitely always fun to hang out with Miss M.




HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO ALL!

Sew...

I can't express enough gratitude for the blessing of good friends. MJJ, hangin' out Friday night with Noodles was awesome. Fiona & I had a busy day Saturday, visiting pumpkin patch, then grocery shopping (always an adventure). Today I got a treat, a few hours of uninterrupted sewing at Miss M's. It's awesome. Here's what we got done so far...

Barbie Girl in her Barbie world...

But not really. The Jeep---is a hand-down from a good friend. Decals removed it's not really a Barbie Jeep anymore, but I can't resist the residual connection with the song. It's amazing how fast kiddos will pick up a skill that they want to learn. It was supposed to be a surprise on a random Saturday morning, and I almost succeeded in this. Except that Little Girl went out to the yard to play that morning, in a quiet moment I went to look for her. She answered me from the garage, "Mommy! I'm in my white car!!" That's a surprise fail. "Oh, um, Fiona, I'm not sure that's your car. We'll have to wait until Papa comes home, okay?" But she knew, they always know. So, until Gary got home I listened over and over again to "Is it MY car, Mama? It's MY car." To which I replied, "I don't know, we have to wait for Papa." A trip to Target for stickers, and a short tutorial, and she's off. Cruising around the back yard like she's always been driving.

And as a bonus, some video when Little Girl got the upper hand on Mama. I was incapacitated by little flutter-blasts + the insane cute.

It's a real October day, chilly, rainy, blustery...beautiful. We love the fall, it's a generative time for us. Fiona has decided she wants to be a purple mermaid for Halloween. And that "Mama's going to be a pink mermaid, and Papa will be a green mer[maid]." Gary hasn't exactly agreed to this, though he did say that if we procure a grey or white beard, trident, & crown, he would pose a formidable Poseidon. This will be the first time I've attempted sewing a costume, and the most complicated thing I've attempted to make sew far. Miss M & I already have a "playdate" set up for this project.

If you haven't been following football, Broncos beat the Cowboys (woo-hoo!) and are 4-0. Gary is reserving judgment until after they play the Patriots this weekend. I, however, am already on the bandwagon. Why? Because it's FUN. :)
Happy October!

Growing growing, gone & Bike-to-Playground

This week, it really sank in that Fiona is no longer in Toddler sizes. Each seasonal shopping trip it sinks in a little bit more, she's growing up, never a baby again. *sigh*
We were out and about & a sock purchase was in order, most of her socks are too small now. Looking at all the little person socks for sale, there's the gap between 4-6yr size and Little Girl size, 9 1/2 -4??? I'm still learning about children's shoe/sock sizing schemes, clothing is so much more self explanatory. So picking out polka-dot socks, they're so BIG---she used to have such tiny feet!

Mid-week we visited Miss M for a lengthy day in order to knock out that initial experimental period of creation for the Papa's Shirts Dresses. Gary has discarded several shirts, I got it in my head to make them into summer dresses for Fiona, and IT WORKED! Beautifully! Miss M is a seamstress-super-star, and her help was instrumental. It might've taken me a week or so to complete one dress---we pulled it together in a few hours. What a learning experience, I'm totally hooked. Buy a pattern, pick the material, voila! Clothes for entire summer! Bonus that the patterns cover size 4-6x and are reusable. Fiona adores it, she slept with it that night, and wore it the next day, all day, naptime, then riding her bike to the playground.

First bike ride: I was there at the handlebar the entire 3.5 block trip. She likes to coast. After getting a little speed though she seems to forget how to brake. So braking and stopping are the practice goals. She talked several times about how "we're a family...an' we all have bikes! we'll all bike ride together {one day}!" After a fall I was immensely proud to see her pop right up, and get right back on the bike without a prompt! I didn't have to say anything except, "Are you ok? (some assessment here)...wow! Great job getting back on the bike, Fiona!" She fell maybe 4 times, mostly due to curb'n'gutter combos, and all of which I caught her in some form or other. Again, another skill where the small details involved might be overlooked, like learning to walk off a high-centered wheel. Her first practice foray in the big world, I tried to show her the stop signs, the cars that were coming & going periodically, why it's important to move out of the street as soon as possible. Teaching her to pay attention to the world around her while at the same time focusing on the task underfoot. It's a challenge to find the right words, simplfied, and positive.

A gorgeous week, looking forward to long runs & bikes this weekend. NO MORE MISSED WORKOUTS, save for injury or illness (knocking on wood). Because I know truly, that I will feel it during HIM.