Getting Ready For Baby number 3!!

I am 31 weeks pregnant and as usual I have found pregnancy to be quite demanding physically, mentally and emotionally. I know I shouldn't complain because it really hasn't been that bad, it could have been alot worse, and I will have a lovely little bub in 7 weeks time but I swear my body wasn't made to grow babies. I usually get to about 20 weeks and problems start to crop up, like high blood pressure, painful contractions, exhaustion etc but this time none of that has happened until I hit 28 weeks. My previous two pregnancies have ended with pre eclampsia and I have been forced to have my babies right on 37 weeks. This one is headed the same way but Im coping ok and hoping for the best. Im resting alot and trying to keep on top of it emotionally as well as health wise and Im counting down to the ceaser that I am likely to have at 38 weeks.

Up until the past couple of weeks I have felt completely exhausted and drained of all energy and motivation but the past couple of weeks its like I have turned into the energizer bunny which I have decided must be my nesting instincts kicking in. I am completely focused on getting this house organised and ready for not only the baby but also so that the house can keep kicking along while I have and recover from my ceaser.

So far we have moved Chloe downstairs to her own room. In order to do this we had to move my sewing room :( back upstairs into our bedroom. The office also had to come out of the room and has been moved into the main living area. Chloes room is looking really nice, I just have to hang up her pictures and things and it will be done.  The nursery upstairs is a huge bedroom so the baby and Elyssa (20 months) will share. Elyssa has moved from her cot to Chloes old toddler bed and the cot has been moved to make room for some furniture that will be coming in June. I have washed all the baby clothes, wraps, blankets etc and put them in tubs waiting for the furniture. A basinette will go in our room for the first few months and Im also getting a rocker for feeding this time which I am really looking forward too, I have always wanted one.

The pram has arrived, a second hand Phil and Teds which is fantastic and I am buying a second hand car seat. I have also been doing a bit of baby sewing, I have made 16 triangular shaped pre-fold nappies and I have knitted a wool cover to go over the top. If I get time I think Ill do another couple. Im also going to find the time to sew a sun shade for the car seat and two fleece foot muffs for the pram.

So...I am feeling just about ready but it really does feel like the calm before the storm! A newborn as adorable as they are will throw life around here into chaos for at least a few months but the advantage of having my third baby is that I know that is going to happen, I know that it will all fall back into place and that as hard as it is a new life is so wonderful and amazing and I will be trying to cherish every minute because this is definitly my last bub. I can't wait to meet her!

Raggy Quilt

I have been wanting to make one of these for a while because they are a quick and easy project. Yesterday we decided to take the kids to the park but it started raining on the way and ended up in Warrnambool so I dropped into Spotlight. They had a sale on Flanalette so I decided to stock up. I made do with what they had though for this quilt, there wasn't a very big range. Ideally I would have only used two or three prints and then used solid colours but there was heaps of prints and hardly any suitable solid colours left so I just sort of grabbed a range of prints in different sizes and colours.

I made the quilt for my new little bub that is likely to arrive late June and Im glad I did it for her. The squares did take a while to cut out, a couple of hours,  the total sewing time was about two to three hours but it didnt help that the thread in my machine kept snapping. I should have invested in some better quality cotton. The seam snipping would have taken forever except I bought myself a pair of little scissors with a spring that made the job really quick, probably about 30 minutes, so overall a very quick and easy project! I didnt use any batting though, I just kept it more as a throw over quilt that can be used in the cot or on the floor as a rug and as she gets bigger its the perfect size for snuggling up on the couch in front of the TV.

I used a few different tutorials to figure out the best way to make it, if you want to have a try THIS is a good one. She doesn't quilt the squares though like I did.

Im going to make a few more of these as I have lots of friends having babies in the next few months. I might try a quilting shop though for some more flanalette options though.

With the left over fabric from the quilt I made I am going to make a Bunting for the nursery to hang on the wall above the cot. That will be in my next post.

Cords for Chloe that actually fit!

First of all I have to apologise for not blogging for so long, I struggle with pregnancy and although this pregnancy is going really well, keeping up with blogging was just a bit much. I also have been a bit slack with my crafting and gardening this year for the same reason so there hasnt been much to report. Ill do a gardening post in the next couple of weeks and I do have a few catch up knitting and sewing posts to do before this bub comes. Ive just hit the third trimester and now I am really feeling it physically and I still have a ways to go!

Now, what got me back to my sewing machine the past week was a desire to sew some pants for my pre schooler that actually fit her. She is short but skinny and doesn't really have a waist or hips. I found this hipster, slim fitting pants pattern over at http://indietutes.blogspot.com/ . This is the pattern . The description was exactly what I was after. Chloe is very picky about her pants, they cant be too long, sit on her belly or be too restrictive or she just wont wear them. They can't look like boys pants either and if she can wear them with a dress or pinafore thats even better. I wanted to make some pants that could fit easily into her boots as well so that the bottom of her pants don't get wet as we walk rain, hail or shine to get to kinder, daycare and playgroup. Ok, maybe not hail.

Being tired and feeling heavy and big I decided just to whip up a few pairs from the fabric stash but once I got started I decided I needed to fancy them up a bit or the chances are she wont wear them. Plus whats the point of making them if you can't get a bit creative, right?

The first pair I made was from a pair of adult sized cords from the op shop. My machine struggled to sew the thicker material, I broke about 4 needles. Eventually I caught on I might need a different sized needle so I bought one, then my cheap thread kept snapping. I kept going though and I am happy with the results, although the waist band is a bit dodgy. I appliqued some hearts on it out of the same material. I left the edges of the hearts raw so that they will start to fray a little bit after a few washes. Chloe loves them.

The next couple of pairs were alot easier to make because the cord was thinner. I did some applique on one pair and added some owl ribbon to the other pair. This girlied them up a bit for her.



The secret is out!

Well, the worlds worst kept secret that is! Yes, if you haven't already guessed or been told, Im pregnant with baby number three! Am I excited? Yes. Was I initially? Quite honestly, no. It was a shock, a bit of a surprise. Now, however, I am so excited about this growing bump and seeing what we have created. The excitement this time has built slowly over the past couple of months as I came to terms with life taking an unexpected turn. As the logistics have fallen into place and I have realised we will cope in all ways and that we are good parents with two wonderful children already, I have been able to daydream about this little one, the newborn cuddles I get to have and the joy of watching a little bub grow into a little person. Will it be hard work? YES! Will it always be enjoyable? Probably not even half of it, but it is still going to be wonderful in its own way.

I am under no pretence about what lies ahead, I have resigned myself to the fact I am very likely to be housebound for most of this year which is my idea of torture, but after taking my current two little ones out today to the doctors, chemist and bakery for a coffee, I can definitly say that wasn't much fun either! In the middle of it all though there is always funny, adorable or memorable moments that make you smile. Like Chloe practicing her Ballet at the doctors as she always does and then Elyssa joining in, following her around the office trying to kick her leg in the air and do twirls. I also ran into a friend who has three little ones. I watched her cross the road and thought well, she still gets out. Then I stopped her for a chat and told her just that and she laughed and said it is very rare for her to take all three out, she avoids it as much as possible! She did give me a tip though, get a good double pram and keep them strapped in no matter what! Give them food, toys, everything IN the pram. A good tip.

So yes, this year will be tough...but then I think it will start to very slowly get easier...Chloe starts school next year so I will be back to just the two at home and the baby will be 6 months this time next year. Ben has started to show he is excited too, we are already arguing about the babies name. He has also come to terms with the fact that we are both going to have to give up our sewing/computer room as we will need another bedroom.

Then there is the wonder. Will it be a boy or a girl? My guess is a girl, although this pregnancy couldn't be more different that my previous ones. I have had a little bit of morning sickness but nothing like last time. I am tired but not overly, last time I could barely get off the couch. This time my morning sickness starts at mid day through to dinner, unlike the last two times when it was all day. I haven't had any migraines this time and my heart hasn't done anything wierd like last time. In fact it has been quite easy to forget Im even pregnant, other than the gigantic belly that appeared very early on, before I even realised I was pregnant! I have been in maternity clothes for a month and Im only 14 weeks!

So after the initial shock our excitment is gaining momentum, helped along by the ultrasound I had last week which was just amazing! Tiny little hands and tiny little feet. The bub moved around so much I was there for two hours while the sonographer did her best to get the measurements she needed. The little monkey kept standing on its head. The best part? Chloes excitment and love of the baby. She thought the little jelly bean on the screen was 'beautiful!' and she keeps asking me little questions about it like how it eats and if it swims around my body. She calls it a jelly bean and keeps asking to see my belly.

My biggest worry is how Elyssa is going to cope. She is very attached to me and sits with me for alot of the day giving me cuddles. She is only going to be 21 months when the baby comes so still a baby herself really. It is also leading into a difficult age, the beginning of the terrible twos then the ferral threes. Im trying not to think to much about it though, it will all work itself out.

I also worry about what personality this bub is going to have! We love both our girls equally but Elyssa is really easy going most of the time and Chloe well....isn't. She is full of life though and very entertaining but just not the easiest child to parent. She is also a shocking sleeper where as Elyssa is a brilliant sleeper. Sleep is very important to my ability to remain a rational parent! I suspect Elyssa is a one off though so Im not holding my breath that we will get another one like her!

So will it be a boy or girl? Quite honestly Im not overly fussed and neither is Ben. If its a girl we have about triple what we need. If its a boy, its a new adventure!

Christmas!

We have had a blast this festive season and it isn't over yet! I thought I had better get it all down before the little details start to fade in my memory. I am loving my new DSLR though and I have captured most of it in photos. Our festivities began early December with lots of break ups. So many that we didnt attend everything. In the space of a week we had three different break ups at the Cobden miniature trains, which is a great place for a function but I have to say that by the end of that week I was very much over travelling around that track with my legs squished in, constantly reminding the kids to sit down. It is good fun though and we are heading there again on New Years Eve.

Playgroup breakup

Kinder Breakup

We have also been to a couple of Christmas parties hosted by friends which was really lovely for us. This is our second Christmas since we moved to Camperdown and this year we have really felt like we have been welcomed into the community. One of these parties was on Christmas Eve and it was alot of fun for the kids and adults.

Piniata Fun!

Waiting for Presents

We also fitted in a few other Christmas traditions including looking at Christmas lights when ever we had the opportunity. Mid December we had a trip to Geelong so we stayed until dark and then went on the usual Christmas lights search. We also looked at Christmas lights locally after the Christmas Eve party. Last week we went to Warrnambool for Carols by Candle light and it was fantastic. Both girls had alot of fun and they did a good job entertaining everyone around them as well. Ben had a nice time but was a bit too merry as he had been to his work Christmas breakup earlier in the day. I couldn't get a sensible sentence out of him and the carols weren't as funny as he seemed to think they were....We searched for Christmas lights on the way home. It is noce having Chloe that little bit older this year, every other year she hasn't been old enough to enjoy things like the lights and the carols because she was too little to stay awake.

Having a dance out the front

I didn't get an opportunity to do cards and arts and crafts like I usually do with Chloe though, I haven't been feeling the best and didnt have as much energy as I usually have this time of year. She did do a bit of baking with Ben and myself though and she made some chocolates all by herself. She put some of these out for Santa. Chloe also did lots of Christmas crafts and activities at Daycare and Kinder so she really didn't miss out. Two good ideas that came home was a plate for Santa which we put his food on and also a reindeer food package, which was oats and glitter. It had a note on it that said to sprinkle it on the lawn on Christmas Eve so the reindeers know where to land. We did this at about ten at night.

Reindeer Food

Chocolates, milk and a carrot for Santa and his Reindeer

A couple of days before Christmas we had our friends from Melbourne come down to our place for a Christmas dinner party. We all get really into it and basically do a traditional Christmas dinner with heaps of food and treats. We cooked a huge turkey and served it with ham, cranberry sauce and lots of roast veg. Brenda made an awesome pavlova and Nell supplied the yummiest nibbles. We exchanged gifts and played monopoly until late. Good fun!

Christmas Day started at about 6.30. Chloe got up and came running into our bedroom to say Santa had filled her sack at the bottom of her bed. She then came running in and out with all the different things Santa had left her. We could then hear her going through Elyssas sack and showing her everything she had gotten while Elyssa looked over the edge of her cot. When I went into the bedroom to get them there were things everywhere! Very cute.

After the Santa sacks we all went downstairs and Ben made butter milk pancakes while the girls explored the presents under the tree. They weren't allowed to open any until after breakfast which just about killed Chloe, she was so beside herself she couldn't even finish one pancake! Elyssa kept running off with the presents.

Elyssa running off with a Christmas present



Ben cooking the pancakes

 After breakfast we opened the presents very slowly, one at a time. It was lovely. The girls loved everything they recieved. Chloes big present was a Cabbage Patch Doll, like one I had when I was little. She gasped with excitment when she saw it. Elyssa also got a baby doll, a newborn baby born which she has really taken too. They also got a toy wooden high chair to share, a box of play food and some homemade dolls clothes I got at the market. Chloe also got a Recorder and a Jack in the Box which she has wanted for AGES! I had to search to find one. Elyssa got a couple of other toddler toys but of all the things she got her favourite wasn't even a Christmas present! A friend gave us some toys the day before that her kids had grown out of, one was a pull along barking dog. Elyssa hasn't stopped pulling it around. The girls were so tired after opening the presents and the late night that they both went back to bed at ten in the morning. Ben and I had a really relaxing morning cooking the Chritmas lunch and tidying while listening to music.

Present time!

Chloes new pettiskirt

 This year was our turn with Bens family so Bens mum and his brother arrived just in time for lunch. We ate Turkey, Ham, Pork and roast Vegies. We had dessert alot later in the day because we were so full. Belinda had made a plum pudding with brandy cream sauce which was really yum. For dinner we had salad and Garlic prawns.

In the evening once the girls were in bed we played Monopoly which I won. Go me! It was alot of fun. Boxing day started with a cooked breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon, followed by more pancakes. Uncle Nic and Chloe played the Wii, then we had a monopoly rematch which Nic one. I went down badly this time! After leftovers for lunch Nic and Belinda headed off home and we went for a walk to the park. Chloe pushed her pram with her new doll in it. It was very cute. She pushed it in the swing at the park. When we got back Elyssa had a sleep and Chloe and I got crafty. Her recorder came with some paints so she got busy decorating.

Tomorrow we are continuing the festivities and heading off to mum and dads for a few days. Chloe is very excited although she is already complaining about the drive and we haven't even left yet! Overall Christmas day was really relaxing, the girls were great as was the company. This really is my favourite time of the year.

News from the Square Foot Garden

The girls and I went for a walk to our plots today at the Community Garden and for the first time we found someone there who was visiting at the same time as us. We usually go out of hours just because it suits us better but we often wonder who owns all the other plots. Today a lovely older gentlemen riding his bike followed us in and Chloe started asking him questions straight away (of course!) and asked him which plot was his. He showed her both of his plots and exlained all the different things he had growing. By the time Chloe came back to me she was holding her hat and it was full of broad beans and dill. What a lovely fellow! So for dinner tonight we had broadbeans with our Apricot Chicken curry. Chloe had fun podding them with Ben. We also picked some Spinach for dinner tomorrow night and heaps of Rhubarb as it was starting to take over the garden bed. I offered some to our new friend but he refused. I think he just liked the idea of little kids eating the food he had grown.

 

Podding the Broad Beans

A little bowl of goodness

Rhubarb

I haven't decided what to do with the Rhubarb yet. I might make some Jam and then cook up the rest and freeze it.

Other than the rhubarb and Spinach though, some of my vegies are definitly not thriving. My tomato plants are doing ok but my celery is going yellow and my peas have died. My Rocket has gone to flower but they were a dodgy looking plant from the beginning, I got them for $1 reduced to clear. My lettuce is finally growing but my Beetroot hasn't grown at all. Im about to do a google search to see what is going wrong. I wonder if I have over fertilised or if they just aren't getting enough water....

Chloes New Party Dress

Chloe has out grown her favourite red party dress. I am going to miss it because it is just gorgeous. The best part about having another girl though is that it will get worn again in a couple of years. I bought some fabric from Crafty Mammas recently and decided it would make the perfect party dress. I just needed to find a pattern. I came across this tutorial over at From an Igloo and decided it would be perfect. A little bit special with a big skirt for lots of twirl.

I was also up for a bit of a challenge with this project and liked that the tutorial included shirring, which I had never done before. It also had a button hole in the back, which is never easy..



She NEVER stands still



Check out the Shirring :) it was really easy

Overall it turned out really well, in fact better than I expected. It was a good use of some special fabric and I like that the dress should fit for at least a couple of years. It has a big hem on it and the shirring makes it a bit stretchy so there is room to grow. It has long straps too so it can grow with her.

Robot dancing

The hard part is convincing her to take the 'special' dress off. She was so excited when she first saw it she went and gave it a hug and a kiss!