Sewing Clothes

Yes in recent days I decided to give sewing clothing a try.   For many years now I've been cranking out the quilts and various other items from my sewing machine but I had yet to venture back into the world of clothing (I vaguely recall trying once and it being an utter disaster so I never really went back)   Well with a better machine and a bit more knowledge on the general subject of sewing I thought I'd give it a try.   

I started with the Polly Peasant Dress pattern that I had for a while that seemed super easy with a bit of a twist - I started one morning and by bedtime the dress was complete.    I had to make it a size smaller because the fabric I had wasn't going to stretch to make the 2T but that's ok - Mae is tiny! :)

I gathered all of my supplies and started piecing together the fabric.  Mae also wanted to cut fabric and so I found her some tweezers and some 'fabric' and let her 'cut'  :)  She enjoyed it and then she toddled off to go play with her brother. 

The next day I decided to use the sleeves that I had cut using the same floral fabric and made the blouse version with a straight hem using the same pattern.   It was pretty quick especially since I had tested the pattern the day before and this time I put some elastic in the sleeves. 

Ace was very much paying close attention and wanted me to make him something and so I went to Pinterest and found a very simple pattern for pajama pants!  I went to the store and got some Star Wars fabric, but I was too cheap to buy a whole yard so I only bought half thinking that would be JUST enough... it was barely enough for one leg!  So I went to my fabric closet and found some navy fabric and then went to work doing a little patch work with scraps of the fabric.  I had made the promise that I would make them "before bed" one day and I began after dinner - so they took about an hour from start to finish and they are far from perfect because I was ready for kids to be in bed. :)

Next up was the Lucy Tunic that I made reversible with pockets - Mae loves pockets! Instead of buttons I used my new Snap Source snaps that I just purchased with the attaching tools. 

She really accessorized it on this day! ;)

I have found it a fun activity and both kids are happy to model and wear my clothes. While  I certainly won't stop buying them clothes, this is a fun activity and challenge.  :)   My next few projects are going to be The Pleated Penny Dress and a baby doll carrier for Mae to tote her babies around on her. 

Mother's Day

It's hard to believe I've celebrated five Mother's Days - it's hard to believe that my 'little' guy is turning five in just a few short months.   Every moment with my kids is a joy.    My request for Mother's Day this year was to be able to sleep in, have a bacon maple bar, and do family pictures.   All my requests were answered and then some!   I have a wonderful family.  

The weather was beautiful and the subjects were (mostly) cooperative and the tripod and timer were ready to go on the camera!



This is my favorite!

 

Me and my littles!

A Big Girl Bed

I have to say - I have been quite remiss in journaling Mae's journey toward independent sleep compared to how well I documented Ace's.  Perhaps because this mommy is tired after two littles who aren't huge fans of sleeping.   Nonetheless it is Mae's story and I should write her story and how it plays out. 

And so a bit of back story to go with the post.  :)    When Mae was 11 months old we got her a 'floor bed' - went a bit of the way of the Montessorri line of thinking and found her a 3" mattress and placed it on the floor.  Never having had a crib since we co-slept this was a good height to start out with.    She nursed to sleep the first night and slept the first stint of sleep in her own bed. 

This worked pretty well for a few weeks but she would wake up seemingly quicker and quicker.  I recall that Ace seemed to have trouble staying asleep in his 'bed' when it was just a mattress on the floor and so I went on the hunt for a toddler bed that was low to the ground and when she was 13 months old she got her first (mini) big-girl-bed. 

As she got older, she got wise to the fact she could get OUT of the bed and often that led to a power struggle and so one day I broke out the pack and play and she quickly went to sleep 'on her own' and with 'self soothing' - no tears required, just got bored and slept.   As a result the second half of her second year if she wasn't co-sleeping with us, she was asleep in the PnP and often she'd sleep through the night in there.   Almost always napped there.  

I decided I need to break that habit and she also was starting to grow up enough that she needed the space in her room and the PnP needed to be retired as a permanent fixture in her room and so with much hesitation mommy folded it up and returned to the disciplined efforts of Mae sleeping in her toddler bed and starting in February we started the slow process of total elimination of sleeping in our room at any point in the night.  (Very slow.)    This also meant that when she got sick in March I chose to sleep in her room so that we wouldn't lose the ground we had gained on the effort to keep her in our own bed.   It was then when I decided she needed a bigger bed so there'd be room for mommy too!

Her final nap in her toddler bed.

So the hunt was on - everything was procured and I put her bed together.  She was so excited to have a big girl bed and very much following in suit with her brother - she's slept every night (nearly) all night since she's gotten her bed.   She's growing up and is doing so great!   We are all so proud. 

 

Mae loves to climb on her bed, she's only fallen out once (we put a bean bag down below so it's a soft spot to land) and she's a quick learner to avoid it in the future.   She's adorable and I love her.   Although I already miss looking over at her and seeing her smiling in her sleep, or having her cuddle me as we sleep.   It's one more sign my baby is growing up.  Although to help me not miss it as much I can focus on moments like these that we went through.  Oh sweet girl.