Happy Belated Valentine's Day!

Well, Valentine's Day started off pretty uneventful around our house, but quickly turned into a disaster of a day.  Claire got a fever around noon and started showing signs of illness, so we ran her to the doctor and found out she had a sinus infection.  We got medicine (one of which "may" cause drowsiness--whoohoo!), and spent the rest of the evening resting (well, I rocked quite the migraine, but Claire got rest).

Gimmie some love!

I did manage to get some pictures yesterday morning.  Claire wore her cute new Valentine's Day outfit, and I gave her her first gift, Hallmark's "Bug 'Em" Bug.

Mom's Bugging me!

She liked her bug to play with, and eventually I'll use it to give her unexpected gifts (that's the point of the cute little thing).

Buggy's are good for eating!

Unfortunately, because of illness I didn't get to try my new idea--instead of just any baby photo shoots, I wanted to try something like these: Baby's Daydreaming

I'm not too helpful at keeping my bow and arrow together!

 I love the creativity (and the fact that NOW her baby is awake in some pictures, since my baby isn't sleeping so much anymore).  So, after our bath this evening, we donned our red diaper and got in touch with our inner cupid and at least tried.

Disgruntled Cupid

The point of these pictures is this woman stages fairly elaborate scenes using everyday house stuff and sticks her (mostly sleeping) baby in the shot to look like she's dreaming it.  Or what have you.  Unfortunately, even though I have lots of random stuff laying around, I don't have anything that looks like anything else.  So, these were my first attempts at Baby Claire Cupid.

Happy Valentine's Day!

One for Your Seam Rippers

For Christmas I was gifted a Barnes and Noble gift card.  Dangerous temptation, for me.  So I shopped and shopped and settled on Amy Butler's Little Stitches for Little Ones.  I've never been completely sold on pattern books--mostly because I think the patterns are never as good as a single pattern you could buy.  But with all these cute outfits and baby toys, I just couldn't resist. 

I've never sewn real clothing before.  However, Butler promises "all projects are achievable" in this book.  I decided on the "easy" empire waist top and bloomers (difficulty level 3).  I diligently found the pattern pieces (quite the Where's Waldo, if you will), then cut out the extra pieces to measure.  I traced all the pattern pieces on parchment paper, which was a neat trick I picked up somewhere, so I wouldn't have to ruin the actual pattern pieces... thinking at the time, I could of course use these again. 

I knew I was in trouble right as I started sewing.  Unfortunately, Amy Butler might make a mean bag, but I think she forgot these clothes were for little people.  Little pieces.  Little seams.  I made the actual top of the top first, and I was pretty sure the entire time it wouldn't fit over Claire's head, even though I made the 3-6 month size:

 

It's all lined, plus the detailing of the V on front and the sleeves.  The dreaded sleeves.  More on them in a moment.  On the back (which appeared simple) I also had to use a real button and make a loop (quite the feat).  Of course, this goes back to--who are you making these clothes for?  It might look cute, but have you ever put on an outfit with "real" buttons on a three month old?  Ugh!

 

So now to the sleeves.  I don't know what size they're supposed to be.  I don't even know what they really look like.  One thing lacking in this book are nice, detailed pictures.  There are a few (and I think they're burned into my brain), but that didn't help for these complicated sleeves.  I actually started googling at this point to see if I could find outside help, only to hear many a woman's dismay over the exact same thing.  Plus a bevy of other complaints!  Well, at least it wasn't just me having trouble here!  So I improvised.  I actually started the second sleeve following the directions exactly again, thinking I'd messed up a step--only to end up in the exact same mess.  So these, while they might look nice, are not her exact sleeves.  Don't even ask what I did to them, I don't know. 

 

 After about this point, I figured this was a scrap project.  I mean, it was, as you'll recognize, this is the exact fabric from my diaper bag.  I indeed made a "scrap" project.  But what I mean is, I figured this wasn't going to work out or look decent, so I sort of started getting sloppy.  I continued to struggle with the horrible instructions, so I just went with it. Even still, I must have used my seam ripper more than my sewing machine!  Just an example of how horrid the instructions were, the bottom of this top is a rectangle cut out of fabric that you measure yourself.  Fine.  However, no where in any of the instructions does it mention which end is up.  So when it got to the point to put it on the top, I didn't know which way it went.  I read over the instructions about ten times, so frustrated.  I'm sure it's in some stupid place (as all the instructions were a little out of order, in my opinion).  So I just did what I felt.  I also like how she provided no way to finish the seams on this part of the outfit.  All the other seams are "finished" so they won't unravel.  I'll have to go back and improvise (again). 

 

After I finished the outfit, I was pretty hesitant to even attempt the bloomers.  I read over the entire pattern first, and since it was so small (and seemed simple) and I had just enough scrap left, I went for it.  I made the 6-9 size, since our cloth diapers add a bit more bulk, and after seeing the top and questioning the size, I felt like it was the right thing to do.  Now, I will concede that since I've  made plenty of pants before, that's probably why these were easier.  I liked the part where they say to sew the legs, but if I hadn't made pants before, I certainly would have had to seam rip apart the "skirt" I'd created.  Little details--a simple sentence more in the instructions would always help.  Here's the fit of the bottoms:

They're bulky, but by the time the weather is nice enough to wear this out and about, they'll probably fit.  The waist band left something to be desired.  As I told Matt, who had to hear this whole thing several times over, I just wanted to follow the instructions exactly, to prove they were stupid.  Indeed, I could have used about two inches less on the elastic.  I liked the legs though, they're frilly and cute and fun.  

Here the whole outfit is--there IS room to spare, thank goodness, however, it's pretty hard to get on.  There is a little elastic in the waist, but not enough to squeeze through big chunky arms (oh dear).  And of course the button is a bear to hook when she's wiggling.

You know I look good...

I do think it turned out cute, though, so does Claire:

E-Trade baby, eat your heart out!

Now I'm kind of sad that I started getting sloppy at the end because I figured the project was unwearable.  However, I've been told you can't tell, and that it looks very nice, inside and out.  I like my projects to be a certain standard, though.  You know, even my pj pants have finished seams and a reinforced crotch.  Just saying.

You didn't reinforce my crotch?  What kind of Mommy are you?

  

But it's wearable!

I feel pretty, oh so pretty...

And Claire approved!

Get me my agent, I'm ready for my close up!

  

I guess I need to start practicing sewing complicated baby couture, since her new obsession (watching TV) was compounded today watching what else, Toddlers and Tiaras.

I want to win Grand Supreme Little Miss!

 She looks pageant ready!  Unfortunately, I don't think she'll be getting this outfit in a larger size.  I've also read that people had a terror of a time with the booties and the jumper (which was going to be my next outfit, rats).  I'll just say this--I think with a pattern book, you get what you pay for.  In this case, fancy baby photos showing off the clothes, but not showing much detail in the actual instructions.  And the drawings to show steps are lacking.  I know what a gathering stitch looks like, seriously, why not give some more details on those complicated sleeves! 

Claire Turns Three Months Old!

And what a three months it has been!  Originally Claire and I weren't going to get to hang out today because of parent teacher conferences.  However, thanks to the Snowacalypse, we got to spend today doing girl things--Claire being cute, me cleaning.  Claire, unfortunately, isn't a fan of the snow.

Even though I'm in my snowsuit, and we're inside, I'm cold.  I hope I don't fall in the snow!

 On the growing front, Claire now averages 5 ounces a bottle.  She also still fits in most of her clothes (although I stowed the newborn stuff out of spite).  Some outfits, like this one, don't have much fit left in them.  However, others fit with room to spare.  Kind of funny that different styles of clothes have different fit even at this young age.

This outfit isn't tight.  You just don't know couture baby when you see it.

 Her 3-6 month outfits are a little big, but we had a mini-fashion show today just to play around with a few new outfits I've had my eye on.  Then later I realized I still have a whole closet of 3-6 hanging up!  So after all my reorganization of outfits today, I have to eventually access those outfits, too.  But you can see, the fit is a little funny on a few.

Possibly the most difficult picture to take--it's supposed to highlight her little legs in her big outfit.  She just kicks so much!

 Claire is still rocking her cloth diapers.  I'm not having any trouble with them, and since they're one-size, we're not going to grow into a new stash.  I have refreshed a few this month, from our "used" stash, but they're all doing well.  I can't wait until it's warm outside so I can sun my diapers!  I refuse to do it in the cold.  Oh, we're eagerly waiting on our new hemp inserts.  I think our Blizzaster has delayed the shipping.  Boo.

Ever the vain baby... but she's so cute in cloth!

That's a BumGenius 4.0--notice I can't button in the middle anymore.  Seems to make her uncomfortable, and I like symmetry, so I can't button one side tighter.

Please... no more paparazzi!

And of course, our coveted red Fuzzibunz... it's my favorite.  I can't wait until summer when we can rock a diaper in public (under our adorable 4th of July dress?  I think YES!)

Claire can also raise up really well.  She's off her chest, looking around, squealing!  At daycare (they have harder floors--darn our plush carpeting) she's a roll-over wizard.  Apparently she rolls so much, they have trouble getting any tummy time.  We don't see as much rolling, but again, carpet, plus blanket... understandable.  She's got to have a lot of energy to do it more than a few times.

Oh I see what you're doing there... Silly Mommy!

Claire has also started holding things.  She prefers certain toys (which is odd, in my mind, because she doesn't seem aware enough for preference).  She pulls at blankets (and loves my old baby blanket--I'm afraid I'm going to lose it to her!  I still need it to sleep!), Mommy's hair, and can wield a mean binky.

Don't mind if I do...

She's aware of things around her.  I didn't even knew she would like this toy until today.  Let's face it.  I didn't know we HAD this toy until today.  She's got too much swag!

Hands are tasty--since we've started sucking thumbs around here, there's no need for toys!

She's drooly, and even though she's firmly grasping a toy, all she wants is to put something in her mouth.  She solves this later.  Notice how well she sits in her bumbo!  She probably sits in it for thirty minutes a day.

I'm going for it!  Look at this toy!

She's got some really cute outfits, this is one for Daddy.  She doesn't really like AC/DC.  I'm thinking of making her a Taylor Swift shirt--She at least LIKES T-Squint!

Don't shake me all night long!

TNT!  Dynomite!!

She looks like a young Daddy... in a headband and in pink, dancing to AC/DC. 

Claire certainly has a lot to work on and look forward to in the coming month.  We've gotten her to laugh a few times.  Most notably, on our recent snow days, while watching The Runaways--she likes to be wiggled and have you sing "Chchchchchc Cherry Bomb!" (although that seems highly inappropriate).  She also would like to keep working on her balance.  And told us that she's slowly going to work up to skipping her 2,3,or 4 am feeding.  Since the experts agree until she's three months old she really shouldn't go almost 12 hours without a feeding, we certainly don't mind (well, maybe a little).  We've already added a feeding at 10pm, which helps about half the time.

This smile's for you!

  See you next month!!