Being Crafty

Last week, a made a blanket for a baby shower gift. I got this really cute dinosaur fabric and didn't want the extra to go to waste so I thought I would make a matching bib or two. Mina taught me that you can never have enough bibs. The bibs turned out to be a real hit and they are so easy to make. Today, I made one for Mina and took some pictures so I could share the process with you. This is the perfect project since I can finish it in less than 30 minutes while Mina is napping.
To start, I had to make a pattern. I found a bib I liked (a nice big one) and traced it then added 3/8" around the edge for a seam allowance.
Next I had to choose fabric (two types). I used a cute sock monkey flannel for the top. The bottom is the outdoor nylon (think parachute) that I used for the bottom of the dinosaur blanket. This is fairly waterproof but still thin and flexible - perfect for a bib. Last week, I used PUL (diaper cover fabric) as the bottom layer, making the bib super-waterproof. If I'm making a bib, I am going to make it waterproof... it just makes sense.

fabrics and pattern

After that, place the two fabrics with wrong sides together and pin the pattern on. Cut out the bib, following the pattern. Then turn the fabric so the right sides are facing each other and pin along the edges.

Sew around bib 3/8" from the edge, leaving a couple inches open at the bottom to turn the bib out. When you are done sewing, cut off extra threads (cutting notches in the fabric along the collar portion makes a cleaner finished product but is not necessary). Turn the bib right-side out through the opening at the bottom. 

Right side out

Now you will need to cut some velcro and pin it to the bib where it closes. Be sure the soft loop piece of velcro is on the underside of the bib and the scratchy hook part is on top (bottom part of bib, top side). Pin in place. Then topstitch around the entire bib about 1/4" in from the edge, tucking the unsewn ends at the bottom under so they get sewn closed. 

Finally sew on the velcro. I usually sew it on as I'm doing the stitched border then just return to sew across the remaining open edge. 

I've found that even if my sewing isn't great, topstitching helps create a neat, finished product.

Last step: take pictures!

Matching monkeys

Because one sock monkey is never enough

This project brought to you by sleep, it's a beautiful thing. Sleep is brought to Mina by hats. She hates them, but they seem to make for long naps... no idea why, but if she's sleeping I won't question it too much.

Confessions

I haven't written a new post in a week. It's not that I'm lazy but I'm not super-busy either. I actually can type with a baby in one arm so Mina is not an excuse. It's just that I haven't had any exciting, cute, or happy Mina stories to share. This past week has been frustrating. My darling little girl has decided she only wants to nap for 20 minutes at a time, if ever. And if she does happen to fall asleep for five minutes, she wants to eat when she wakes up... even though I just fed her. So this past week has been me feeding Mina then desperately trying to wash a couple bowls and some plates while she naps, then feeding her again. And this cycle just repeats with some diaper changes, a bath and playtime thrown in. The plus side is that she is going to bed a little earlier and still sleeping to the same time in the morning... she gets about 10-11 hours a night. So I know I can't complain. But when I stopped getting those glorious two or three hours in the afternoon, it was like my world turned upside-down. I hear kids have a way of doing that to you.
I think Mina and I are finally working out our differences and have settled on some sort of schedule where I'm not feeding her every hour. But it was really painful getting here. It took some crying (I won't say from who) and a LOT of frustration... and some more crying. At first, I tried to get Mina back on her usual routine but quickly realized that just tired both of us out. So we adjusted. I hope I haven't lost my "me" time in the afternoons forever but right now the whole family is happier if we keep Mina entertained, encourage her to sleep in the afternoon, but don't force it if she doesn't want to. Right now I am amazed because she fell asleep while we were walking back from the store and is still out. It has been at least 40 minutes. Woohoo!
I thought getting past the 3-month mark was a huge hurdle and it would get easier from there on out. I guess I was wrong. Will it ever get easier? Probably not. My parents are still taking care of and worrying about me. I'm guessing, like most things in life, it ebbs and flows. Some days will be nothing but smiles followed by a week of crying. I would say to just roll with it, but I tried that. And every time I told myself it would get better, I just felt worse. So don't roll with it. Allow yourself a mini pity-party if necessary, then get help. Having Ben home the past couple of days has been amazing! I didn't have to change every diaper and if Mina refused to be set down, there was someone else to hold her. At the risk of sounding uber-cliche, I am going to propose that it not only takes a village to raise a child but it takes a village to raise a mother as well. Just over three months in to motherhood and I can already see how the support of my friends and family and especially my wonderful husband has kept me grounded and made me a better mom.

This 20-minute nap was great while it lasted

On a completely unrelated note, does anyone have advice for getting rid of a mouse family that has taken residence in your home? Baby mouse was cute but papa mouse is a giant and they have not made this week any easier.

Mina's Favorite Things!!!! months 0-3

Mina is 3 months old today! I cannot believe it has already been three months since I first met my beautiful baby girl. Instead of doing the reflective-style post I did for her two-month birthday, I am going to share some of Mina's (and mommy's) favorite things from her first few months. There is also a chance to win a prize so keep reading.

6. Activity Gym - this is becoming more exciting by the day. It started as just a mat to lay on but then Mina became interested in all the fun hanging things that rattled and the bright colors. Now she loves the mirror. Every day is a new adventure.

5. Bibs - You may notice in pictures Mina is either naked or wearing a bib. If she isn't, we probably just took the bib off for the picture. Our lovely baby spits up... a lot. When she isn't spitting up, she is drooling. This makes waterproof bibs especially helpful. We have about 20 bibs so I don't have to change her outfit three times a day and do even more laundry.

4.  This Owl - Just a few weeks ago, Mina became absolutely crazy about this gift from Uncle Matt and Aunt Elizabeth. She will be in the middle of a fussy time, but this owl will always bring out a smile. I'm not sure if it is the big eyes or the rattling sound, but Mina loves it.

3. Whale-of-a-tub: Mina loves bathtime! And daddy even taught her how to splash which makes things so much more fun (especially for mommy).  The whale-shaped tub came with a baby whale that sprinkles water over her head. She finds this so much fun.

2. The Swing - we were lucky enough to have friends loan us a swing configured to hook up to the wall socket. That's a good thing because we would have gone through sooo many batteries. Mina loves the fun mirror and mobile above her head and mommy loves how it puts her to sleep every time. It is also nice to have a place other than a crib to just put her down so I can eat and pee and fold laundry - the important things. 

And finally MINA'S FAVORITE THING!

1. Cloth Diapers - it surprises me , but this is probably one of the best decisions we've made for Mina. One day while the diapers were in the wash, Mina pooped all over the one cover we had left out. We put her in a disposable and she immediately started crying. It may have been for a number of reasons, but I think she likes cloth better too. We are saving a ton of money and the fabric is nicer on Mina's sensitive skin. And not putting a ton of diapers in landfills is a nice perk too. Also, a cloth-diapered bum is just so cute!

A couple of Mina's not-so-favorite things

- Hats - this is a sad one for me since I knit her so many cute ones but she wants nothing to do with hats. She will put up with some of the bows we got her but she really doesn't like things on her head. We usually only get them on her while she is sleeping.

- Swaddling - I heard it everywhere: all babies love being swaddled. Well, not mine. This is the one picture we have of Mina in a swaddle. It is her first day of life and she is already kicking out of it. She needs to be able to move her arms and legs. This is probably why she doesn't like the carrier either. Maybe she'll enjoy it more when she can face forward. 

Now for the fun part. I hope the post can be helpful in choosing things for yourself or gifts for soon-to-be moms. Of course, these are Mina's favorites and every baby is different. Anyway, each of you  has a chance to win a gift from Mina. Leave a comment telling me which favorite is your favorite and why. One lucky person will win one of Mina's favorite things. I promise it will be something everyone can use. Hope you enjoyed this first edition of Mina's favorite things.

Mommy-Made Diapers: Wordless Wednesday

And it actually fits and works somewhat decently!

Defeated by the Internet

The title of this post was supposed to be "Procrastinating" and I was going to tell you I should have been fixing the wool diaper cover I knit but felt like writing instead. As luck would have it, the internet stopped working. Unable to write, I did something productive and fixed the diaper cover. About two weeks ago I started knitting Mina this beautiful wool diaper cover. Wool is supposedly great for nighttime but we didn't have money to spend on diapers (so sad). I had some extra wool yarn lying around so I decided to try my hand at knitting a cover. I found a great pattern online. I even taught myself some new skills. Mina was sleeping when I finished it last week so I just decided to lanolize it (process of prepping wool for use as a diaper cover) without trying out the size - big mistake. It soaked overnight and I waited a few days for it to dry completely. I was so excited to finally put it on Mina... the leg openings just wouldn't go up her chubby thighs. I was angry so I ignored the cover for a few days and worked on other projects instead. Today I finally had the courage to try again. I redid the last couple rows on the legs and I think it will fit but I have to wait for Mina to get up from her nap to find out. It is not worth waking that beautifully sleeping baby for.
I also made Mina another PUL cover today. I got fancy and added leg gussets. The first one I made her had a hole that just kept getting worse and worse. I tried to make it work, but all things must come to an end. This new one, my third, has no hole (at least not that I know of). It is cupcake patterned and super-cute. JoAnn's carries Babyville Boutique, a line of products and instructions for making cloth diapers. It makes things really easy and fun. I've been pretty happy using the diapers at home but prefer other diapers when we are out. The fold-over elastic that makes these so easy to make also wicks moisture from inside the diaper to the outside. It also frays and picks up lint around the edges. I have seen diapers made with these supplies for sale on etsy. I, personally, would not feel right selling something of this quality and I hope it doesn't turn people away from cloth diapers or other work at home moms selling quality products. But it is really fun to be able to put this cute diaper on Mina and say I made that.
Speaking of Etsy, if the wool cover works well tonight, I will put it up on my shop for custom order. I am planning on putting a couple other things up as well, so keep an eye out in the next few days: http://www.etsy.com/shop/IttyBittyKnitting