Jack's New High Chair

I don't know if I've mentioned it before but Jack has hip dysplasia, which makes it tricky now that he's 5 months old and ready to start solids. He's going to more than likely - we find out next month - need to go into a spica cast. Which means he's not going to be able to use either the wooden highchair we used for William, or the clip on highchair we bought for William. So I hunted and hunted and found this "anywhere chair". Went out and bought some fabric and batting for the grand total of $31.50 and sewed it up in about an hour or so.

Finally put the velcro on, and the only chair in our house that the anywhere chair fits on happens to be one of the kids chairs, but Jack couldn't care less. He loves it, its a new view of the world for him, and he ate his solids so much better tonight with being fully upright than semi laid back in his bouncer.

He looks pretty chuffed with himself, don't you think?

If you want to make your own anywhere chair pop on over to Made By Marzipan

As you can see in her tutorial she made the pattern to fit a chair with slats, hence why it doesn't fit our chairs, I'm just going to whip up an extension strap that attaches to the velcro end so Jack can also sit on our chairs at the dining table, and so the chair is more versatile when we're out and about.

Craft Room!

My own little space to get crafty...and leave a mess if I want to.

I spent the whole of Labour Weekend painting this room, walls, trim and ceiling, I am never putting my hand up to paint a ceiling again. Then I spent Tuesday and Wednesday nights putting together my new desk and bookcase. Thursday was moving everything in day. Tuesday I also scrubbed the floor, on hands and knees to get the paint off - that job is still not finished.

I've just spent a couple of hours in my craft room for the first time today - I love it! Can leave projects half finished when I get interrupted without having to tidy up after myself.

New Baby Card

A friend of mine just recently had a new baby boy. I got to meet him yesterday, and of course I had to make a card for them. I was getting a bit, bored? of just doing the same old cards so thought I'd find a new fold to try out. Stumbled across an Upright Z Fold card on another blog, and from there went in search of instructions on how to make one. And so I came up with this:

I used Stampin Up's So Saffron, Baja Breeze and Bashful Blue. I haven't long bought my card through Stampin Up, but I love how the colours just go together, didn't even have to think too hard about what colours to use. The duck stamp is also from Stampin Up - its from the Easy Events set...which I'm starting to like all over again.

Love this card, definitely a fold I'm going to keep for special occasions.

Busy Busy Busy

I gave myself the task of using up the fabric I had sitting on the table before my new fabric arrives. So last night I pulled out the last of the toweling and cut it into bibs, got 8 bibs out of it. Then started cutting the fabric from the table up into bibs, got through most of it. But I did give in and put the last of the polar fleece away. Think I've used it enough at the moment and there's still quite a bit there, will find another project for it. Also cut out a few taggy's awaiting more ribbon for sewing up. Then I was looking through my fabric drawers and was able to throw out a whole lots of scraps that are no good for anything, AND found some decent sized bits of fabric I'd forgotten all about, so out they came....now my pile is bigger again, but my table is tidier, and I've sewn up 5 bibs so far and a burp cloth.

How cute is this fabric?!

On the hunt for some fabric to make into a highchair for Jack yesterday, I stumbled across the sale table at the fabric shop, and found this super cute fabric. Made up a bib and burp cloth in it last night...isn't it just so so so cute??

Ages and Stages...

I've heard the question asked before "what's your favourite age?" (for babies/children of course), well pondering on this for some unknown reason this morning I thought, you can only really answer based on what you've experienced...obviously.

So far, there are things that I've enjoyed about each and every age and stage my boys have been through, and things I have equally not enjoyed...but could be convinced to go back and do again.

Newborns
I enjoy the snuggles, the fact that they need you, they're relatively easy - they just feed, burp, poo and sleep pretty much
I don't enjoy the sleepless nights

6 Weeks-ish on
I enjoy that you've got your feet on the ground a bit more, can start to form a bit more of a routine, if you so desire, they're starting to smile and laugh and they sleep longer at night
I don't enjoy that the guessing games begin - has teething started, is it wind, are they overtired, are they hungry etc etc

5 Months-ish (where Jack's at now)
I enjoy that he recognises us, readily gives us smiles and laughs, is making new, louder noises every day just about. His smiles can't be mistaken for wind anymore. Most of the time he's sleeping all night. He's still just on milk, no food yet. He's starting to explore his environment a bit more.

6 Months
Solids start, they're even more interactive.
I don't enjoy that the questions can begin any time from now on "is he crawling yet?" etc etc

12 Months
Their birthday!
They can eat anything you see fit pretty much, they're starting to come out with real words, they're starting to walk.
I don't enjoy the questions that continue "is he walking yet?" "is he talking?" etc etc

18 Months plus (where William is at)
They're so helpful, they just want to do everything your doing! They're coming out with more and more words all the time. They go from crawling to walking in a matter of days, to running a couple of weeks-months later. They're so busy, but they can entertain themselves.
I don't enjoy the tantrums that can be turned on in a split second and stop just as quickly for who knows what reason?!

See I really do enjoy every age and stage for different reasons..and I'm sure I'll have reason to enjoy every other age and stage thats yet to come.

Taggy Blankets

Last year, I made up a couple of patchwork taggy blankets for William. Then I set about making taggy blankets as gifts for friends who had babies. So it seemed a pretty easy decision to make some to take to market too. They don't take long. The hardest part is choosing which colours and fabrics and ribbons to put together. I think I've picked pretty well. I've made 8 over the last week or so. Along with 6 burp cloths, and 2 pairs of shorts.

 

I don't really think I have a favourite. I didn't like the cow print one to start with, but its grown on me, I like how the ribbons have turned out.

I've just ordered more fabric so that I can make up some sets of bibs, burp cloths, taggy's and whatever else I can make out of a fat quarter.

Banana and Choc Chip Pancakes

Its a horrible, wet day today. I decided, at about 9am, that I wanted something yummy for lunch, and something that William would eat. So I thought to myself "I'll make pancakes!"

Then to add to the flavour, instead of having to top them, William isn't so keen on toppings and sauces just yet, I decided that seeing as William LOVES banana at the moment we'd have banana pancakes....then I thought, why not add some choc chips?

So I took the good ol' Edmonds Pancake Recipe, and changed it a bit to suit the flavour I wanted today.

1 cup Flour
pinch Salt
1 Egg
1 Banana, mashed
1/2 cup Choc Chips
150ml Milk

While I was waiting for my little helper to tip the flour into the bowl, I put the salt, egg, banana and choc chips in, and mixed it up with a fork. I think this worked better than putting the flour in first like normal, the egg gets spread through the flour more. Then the flour got tipped in, more mixing with the fork. Then my little helper helped to pour the milk in, and I mixed and left it to stand for 15-30min (I didn't time it). Then came back and cooked them in a hot buttered pan.

They were eaten too fast for a photo, but were seriously yummy.

I had mine with maple syrup. William had his plain.

New Furniture For The Boys' Room

Jack doesn't have a set of drawers, William does, but Jack doesn't. That could pose a problem when he gets too many clothes for the hanging organiser and plastic drawers that his clothes currently occupy, also where William's clothes first started.

William's current drawers are a set that my twin sister fixed up a few years ago, and somehow we got them. They look great and serve the purpose well...but...I like things to match.

So I began the hunt on Trade Me for some cheap, matching drawers for the boys. Found an auction for 2 sets of drawers and a bookcase, not quite matching, but close enough. $1 reserve. Got the lot for $47. Figured even with some paint to do them up they'd make a cheap set.

How they started

 They sat in the hallway for a month until I decided it was time to get onto them. Took a trip to Mitre 10 and picked a paint colour...Resene Mantis, and got Mum's sander off her to give them a sand before painting.

I started with the big set of drawers first, did one at a time in full. Sand, and 3 coats of paint. Replace the handles and start the next one. One day per item.

1 down, 1 to go

I thought the bookcase needed to tie in with the drawers more than just being the same green. I knew I had some blue metallic card in my cardboard drawer so I printed out two sheets of stars and got the hubby to cut them out. Then I stuck them on when the paint was dry. He didn't think it needed the stars...I'm glad I put the stars on.

Second set of drawers with the bookcase next to it. I think it ties in nicely.

 I'm more than happy with how these turned out...now to get them out of the hallway and fit them into the boys room and switch all the clothes over! That's a big enough job in itself.