KCWC Day 3

No fun pics to share today.

But that's OK, because the kids and I had such a fun day hanging out with friends today.  I haven't felt well so we've been a bit house bound and we were all aching to escape the house today.  Good friendships and fun revived us all.

I did, however, raid my friend's pattern stash while I was at her house.  She has quite a little stash of patterns ALL in Lissy's size.  And I found EXACTLY what I was looking for!  A raglan sleeve (my current obvious obsession) tiered dress.  I cut it out this evening while watching a movie with my mom and sister.  My mom helped me pick out the fabric from my stash......a piece of fabric she bought for me before I even had kids that I've just been too afraid to cut into because I wanted to find just the right thing for it.  Well, its officially cut up and I can't wait to get it on the machine and see how it looks. 

Tomorrow's another busy day playing with friends so if I have no new pics to share, I won't post.  But know I'm still taking part in KCWC.  I putter away each day.  I have 3 pj pants almost done for Kian, and 1 pair annoyingly near completion for Logan, in addition to the dress I cut out tonight.

 Oh how I love KCWC!

KCWC Day 2

Today, Felicity's winter PJ needs are now fulfilled.

This is her "baby deer" nightgown.  I was given this flannel from a friend who was destashing.  Its THE BEST flannel I've ever sewn with, and I sew with a lot of flannel.  Its Moda, and I suspect it will hold up for years.  Because of that, I made it as big as I could without (hopefully) making it look too baggy.  I left a bit of room in the neck, left the sleeves as long as I could (Lissy would prefer them a bit shorter), and I left the length long.  I also made the body wider.  This will give Felicity LOTS of room to grow, and knowing how she grows, she could be in this for years.  It'll be a true test on this beautiful Moda flannel.

And here's her whale nightgown.  This one is her favorite I think.  She requested it to be long, like the baby deer one.  So this one will probably fit her for a while too.  My friend found this polka dot flannel, and the rose bud flannel I used in yesterday's sewing, at the thrift store.  She sweetly snatched it up for me, knowing I sew with a lot of flannel, and gifted it to me.  So, these 3 nightgowns I've sewn in the last two days have cost me NOTHING.  OK, I used thread and elastic bought for previous projects, but you know what I mean.  All the little creature patches were made with scraps from my "pockets and patches" drawer.  Thrifty (or free) sewing is my FAVORITE kind of sewing.

KCWC Day 1

We don't do store bought PJ's here because they're doused in chemicals.  So come winter, I need to make sure we have lots of flannel all around so my three stay cozy.  During the warmer weather, Felicity sleeps in her dresses.  My girl wears dresses 24/7, literally.  My sister gives me props for letting Lissy wear whatever she wants to bed.  I think that's very gracious of my sister considering I just honestly don't care as long as she's warm (or not too hot in the Summer), and, its one less thing to argue about.  For winter, I wanted to make her some nightgowns.  Can you believe my sleeping in dresses girl has never owned a nightgown?  I decided to draft my own pattern to keep it simple and practical.  Its all about speed right now.  I've got to pump out the flannel love fast as its finally starting to cool off.  The boys need pants.  So here's Felicity's first mama made flannel nightgown.

She loves it, and now wants to wear her nightgown 24/7.

I don't think I'll let that happen as much as I did her wants to wear dresses to bed.  The grocery store in a nightgown?  Nope.  :)

Its just a simple A line design with raglan sleeves that sews up super fast.

This was my prototype as I've never drafted a pattern, other than tracing pants, before.  She asked for a tag in the back because she could never tell which way to put it on, so instead, I just added the hedgie patch to the front.  He's cuter than a tag.

More sewing after the kids are in bed.  I have another two nightgowns in the works, each tweaked a bit, and flannel PJ pants galore for Kian.

Kids Clothing Week Challenge!!!

EVERY time KCWC happens, I miss it.  The timing is not the best for me, personally, but I'm just saying the heck with it.  I WILL be participating this time around.  And I CAN'T wait!



Want to join in? 

Here's the link to Elsiemarley where you sign up.  But if you are a blog friend and are participating, I'd love it if you left a comment letting me know you're doing it too.  I hope some of you join in so we can share in it together and encourage each other. 

Rain

I told the kids all morning the rain was coming.  Watch for the rain.  Play outside while you can.  They did.  And waited.  As they sat down to lunch, I heard it coming.  I slipped away and stood in my doorway, watching neighbors hurry to get things out of the rain.  And then I walked barefoot into it.  Turned my face up to it.  The cold drops covered my face like tears, the wetness on my cheeks feeling so familiar.  I stand and just let it fall on me, all around me.  Watch the earth get blanketed in a curtain of it.  I hear the kids at the table, now aware of the rain.  They excitedly run about, yelling, looking for me.  But I stay where I am in the rain, almost unable to move.  Not wanting to move.  Feeling like God's touch is falling down all around me, on me.  My sweatshirt soaks through.  My feet start to burn with cold.  I hear the kids, nearly as a dream.  And then they're there.  "Mama!  I don't want my corn bread."  I snap back into reality.  I watch them grab "raining boots" and run into it.  I listen to their made up rain songs while they dance in it.  I watch my three blessings embrace the rain with the joy only children have, wishing they could hold on to that joy forever.  Wishing I knew how to find it for myself.  And so I join in.  We swing in the rain, a muddy 2 year old on my lap.  We run in it.  We dance in it.  We let it fall on us past the point of being soaked through.  Past the shivers.  Past the goose bumps.  We sing in it.  We laugh in it.  We stay in it until the drops get as big as marbles.  Until the earth is too slippery to run on anymore.  Until the cold and wet are finally too much.  The children request hot baths, and I run the water, even though its past nap time.  And as they soak up the warmth, I go behind them, picking up muddy clothes and wiping up dirty footprints, a mess I'd usually be upset about.  And I smile, letting go, knowing the memories that this mess created.  A mess so easily cleaned up in exchange for a lifetime memory, on a day when it was very needed.  God is gracious, and I am so blessed!

Meet Twoey

Kian's new buddy.

"Baby Twoey" got his name because we were teaching Kian to answer "two" when asked how old he is.  When I asked him what his baby's name was, he responded "two"!  :)  "Two" turned into "Twoey", making it a little less confusing.  And so, here's Baby Twoey.

His hair is a bit out of control.  There's a lot of yarn on that little head.  It looks great here, but Kian has a tendency of carrying Twoey around by his hair which pulls that mop straight up, where it stays in a large poof.  Poor Twoey looks electrocuted half the time.  I'm trying to fix this, but my attempts have  been futile.  I think I'll just accept that its just part of what makes Twoey, Twoey.

Here's Twoey's fancy upcycled pants.  They're made from pants which used to be my Nana's.

And a matching pair for Kian.  They look a bit weird on him with his cloth diaper.  I think the problem is the bulge of the cloth plus the straight long pockets.  The cloth diaper puffs those nice, long, straight pockets out in a funny way.  BUT...that may be remedied soon.  Potty training begins next week.  Wish me luck.  He's beyond ready.

Two

Today, our baby turned 2.

I look at him and I wonder, "how can this be?"

How can he be big enough to TELL us how old he is?

How can he be big enough to blow out his birthday candles?

How can he be big enough to open his presents all by himself?

Kian has been our easiest baby.  Maybe because he's our third and we have a bit of practice?  Maybe.  But I'd rather give him the credit.  His attitude on life is amazing.  He's always been content to just go with the flow of life around him, always been loving, always been happy, always been a great sleeper, always been quite the comedian, always had that sparkle of wisdom in his eyes, always been joyful, and always been a Mama's boy.

Kian is a joy!

 

Two is a hard birthday for me.  Always a bit bitter sweet.  After three kids, I've learned that this is the age where their babyhood starts to fade away.  Don't get me wrong, I look forward to watching him grow and all he'll learn.  I can't wait to see what a wonderful little boy he will become.  But third time around, I know his true baby days are fleeting.

This little Mama's boy needs me less.  He does things by himself, and he's so pleased!  He tests boundaries to figure out his placement in our family and in this life.  He has started asserting himself, sometimes in anger.  He has been fighting sleep.  We have definitely started disciplining him more. 

As his birthday neared, of course I was so excited for him, but I was a bit sad for myself.  I was thinking about how he needed to snuggle less and how he was requiring more discipline, and I got that bittersweet feeling.  Then, tonight, the night of his birthday, he was AGAIN having a hard time going to sleep.  We struggled with him for a while, putting him back in bed each time he got up.  We thought he had finally gone down so we headed to bed ourselves, but then we heard him up again.  Zac went to get him and all was silent.  Then I heard Zac's deep sleep breathing.  I headed into the living room to find my husband and our newly independent boy snuggled up asleep.

He still needs us.

He still snuggles.

He's still SUCH a joy.

Happy birthday little man.

Thanks for being such a great baby.

I pray you'll be an even greater little boy.