Baby Sewing

I’ve been busy sewing for baby lately! Rather than double post, if you’re interested you can see the goodies that have been posted over on the Monkey Stitch blog, by clicking here.

Boy oh BOYS!

That’s right, our third sweet baby is another bouncing bundle of BOY!

Here he is!

Sucking his thumb

Just to compare, here are my other two at the same “age:”

Jack

Charlie

Five

I know it’s been weeks… months… since I updated this little old blog. I’m all set to do a post about Charlie turning 18 months, but realized I’ve left out a slightly important part of our little family’s life these past few months.

I’m pretty sure all (three) people who read this blog already know this (Hi Mom!) but…

four will soon become five!

Baby, 9 weeks

Baby, 15 weeks

In late August of this year, we’ll welcome our newest little one to our family!

Getting ready for baby... a nursing cover!

One of the few things I felt like I really "needed" for my second little one was a good nursing cover. I looked online, was shocked at the prices, and decided I could make one myself.

I made it reversible, with an adjustable neck strap, a pocket, toy loop, and collar with boning in it so I can peek in on Charlie when he's eating.

I'm hoping this nursing cover is going to make feeding Charlie in public easier than feeding Jack was! Jack was always kicking  or batting off the blanket, and now I'll have a toddler in addition to a nursing baby. I'm especially looking forward to using it on airplanes, as that can be a challenging place to nurse.

And for the pictures...

 

You can see how the neck is stiff so I can peek in and so Charlie can breathe!

Here's the front with the pocket and toy ring.

And the back... or front if I reverse it!

... and this is the matching burp cloth and wipes case I made with fabric scraps.

 

Here is a cover I made for a friend to give as a baby shower gift! I appliqued a paw print on the front pocket.

 

And another of the rag burp cloths to match!

Getting ready for baby... diapers and MORE burp cloths!

We're planning on use disposables for Charlie (and probably Jack, too!) for the first few weeks of his life, just to simplify my life without the extra laundry. But this pattern for a newborn fitted diaper were just so cute, I had to make a couple. Besides, they'll probably fit on Jack's baby later on, too. We have these two, two others and two small covers, so obviously not enough to use cloth full-time, but maybe Charlie will be so cute in these dipes that I'll have to make more!

I have a new obsession- burp cloths. I found a tutorial for these flannel burp rags, with frayed edges, modified it slightly, and just had to make a stack. I used some of the flannel I have sitting in my bin upstairs that I've gotten over the years on the remnants cart. These are so soft and cuddly, and seem like they'll be super absorbent!

Getting ready for baby... for the Big Brother

I've been crafting a few things for Jack for when Charlie comes. I'm thinking we'll give it to him when he comes to visit in the hospital. I appliqued a J to a plain canvas bag (sorry about the weird lighting),

and filled it will baby things, mostly made out of the same fabric that I made Jack's blanket out of a few months ago.

Jack's Blanket

He is very attached to his blanket, so I purposely didn't make anything for Charlie out of that fabric. No need to encourage sibling rivalry!

Diapers/ Bib/ Burp Cloth/ Mini Blankie

 

I used this Martha Stewart Black Apple Doll Template to make a cloth doll for Jack. It isn't my best sewing work, and Mike think it looks like the baby has a mullet. Oh well! I had to alter it, because the original doll has girlie hair and is wearing a dress. I don't think Jack will mind that it's a little weird looking.

I also made him a baby sling, blue with red lining (it's reversible!) to wear his baby in while I wear Charlie.

 

I didn't have him try his on yet, but I did have him try on another one I was working on- for sizing and doll placement. Don't tell Mike I put our boy in purple- he didn't seem to mind! :-)

I'm also planning on recording a CD of me singing some of Jack's favorite songs/ saying bedtime prayers/ reading a favorite book or two for while we're in the hospital, and hopefully I'll get to it sooner rather than later!

And lastly, I made Jack this bear shirt to match the bear outfit we have for Charlie. My embroidery leave something to be desired, but overall I'm pleased how it came out.

Getting ready for baby... cooking edition- Part 2

*Updated* Welcome URS Readers! This post and the one below it feature recipes I made this summer in preparation for my second baby! Be sure to check out Part One for a bunch more recipes! And check out URS for even more great ideas!

*Original Post* The other day I shared Part 1 of my freezer cooking extravaganza, which was mostly baked goods. This past weekend I got a TON of cooking done to stock the freezer with meals. I think I have enough for about a month of eating after Charlie gets here! All I'll have to do is pull something out in the morning and make a veggie as a side in the evening.

So here's what's waiting in our freezer for Charlie's arrival:

Chicken Enchiladas

Stuffed Shells with Pumpkin- Except I made manicotti, not shells, and used sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin

Chicken Parmesan

Pizza Pockets/ Calzones- I made two batches, one with meats for Mike, and one with tons of veggies for me and Jack

Tomato Sauce (from our tomato plants!)

Stuffed Red Bell Peppers - I added sausage. Yummy!

Taco Soup

The following recipes I made from the Homemade Gourmet website. Where it calls for a Homemade Gourmet seasoning, I make up my own since I've never bought Homemade Gourmet products.

Italian Pear Pork

Garlic Basil Pork

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Asian Pork and Chicken (I made both- Mikey loves Asian food!)

And then there are the dishes I made for which I have no recipe... I just make it up!

Crockpot Lasagna (I freeze lasagna in a foil lined dish that fits inside my crock. When the lasagna freezes, I take it out of the dish, still in the foil, and pop it in a freezer bag. Then I just stick it in the crockpot, frozen, whatever morning we'll be eating it for dinner and it fits perfectly!)

Squash Casserole

Potato Soup

Chili

Cheesy Chicken Casserole

Chicken Broth (from veggie scraps, and bones from the chicken I cooked)

That said, I think I'm done! That is, unless I find an amazing recipe that I can't help but try out!

Charlie's Layette

I've been busy this spring/summer getting things made for our sweet new addition. Because the gender/timing of Charlie is just perfect, we basically don't need anything for him in the way of clothes/accessories, etc. So I've committed myself to not buying anything much in the way of baby stuff this time around! I still wanted Charlie to have a few special "just his" things, and I love making things for my kiddos. Thus, Charlie's layette is an assortment of items I've made just for him! :-)

Charlie's Burrito Blankie

Choo Choo Applique

Teenie Blankie with Taggies

Burp Cloth

Choo Choo and Initial Onesie

Coming Home Outfit?

Homemade Babylegs 

Booties

I found these mittens and booties on clearance at Target (for $1!). Even though we don't need them, I got them and made Charlie a coordinating lion onesie with sweet blue stitching around the neckline.

 

Charlie's Lil Bro Shirt to match his big brother's shirt!

 

Burp Rags in an assortment of prints/colors

Sea Creature Burp Rags and Bib Set

Getting ready for baby... cooking edition- Part 1

I know I haven't posted a recipe in a long time, but I've been a busy gal trying to stock our freezer with yummy meals and treats for after the baby's born. I'm still working on the meals, but finished most of the baking over the course of the past week. Here's what I've made so far. Believe it or not, I was able to accomplish well over half of it in one day! Here's what Jack did while I cooked... don't ask me why, but he is infatuated with playing with ice cubes!

Breakfast Cake

Blueberry Muffins

Oatmeal Cranberry Muffins- I subbed chocolate chips for the cranberries :-)

Zucchini Carrot Muffins

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Banana Sour Cream Bread- You should make this!

Quiches

Egg Muffins

Strawberry Nutrigrain Bars- so yummy!

1 Cup Butter or Margarine -- Softened
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 Cups Oats
16 Ounces Strawberry Preserves -- * See Note
1 Teaspoon Almond Extract

 

Cream margarine and sugar. Add dry ingredients. Mix well. Add almond extract. Press half of crumb mixture into greased 9 x 13 pan. Spread with preserves. (*Use Strawberry, raspberry, peach or other favorite).
Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Bake at 350* for 20-25 min. Cool and cut into bars.

I finished up most of the baking today, but I'm still hoping to make these Soft Zucchini Cookies at some point.

From each of the recipes I pulled out a few items to sample/ taste test, and wrapped the rest up securely for our after-baby freezer stash. It will be so great to be able to pull out yummy, nutritious, and homemade baked goods!

bye, baby bunting

I don't know if it's the anticipation of baby brother's arrival or just a normal stage, but Jack loves to pretend to be a baby lately. He brings me a blanket and says, "Mama, I want baby." I wrap him up and rock him, and the he wiggles around until I say, "Look! Jack's all grown up!"

And then we do it a hundred more times. Here he is playing baby with Daddy after bath time earlier this week.

I want baby!

Jack baby

Uh, oh! He's growing up!

It's a big-boy Jack!

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In other, unrelated news, my mom recently taught Jack the song "Bye, Baby Bunting." Unfortunately, he only picked up the line, "Daddy's gone a hunting." He sings that one line over and over (and over and over) until I can get a new song stuck in his head. Apparently he thinks Daddy is quite a hunter. :-)