Big Girl room projects

Sewing a pillow cover is the easist project. Something like this takes just a few minutes. I didn't embroider it...I figured the fabric had enough going on.

I wanted a way to designate the corner as a 'reading nook'. This was an inexpensive project, the frames and paper cost less than $12. I love these quotes about reading :)

BGB Night Three

Another success. She slept in the BGB from 8-5:30. She woke up and started fussing (but stayed in bed) so I brought her in to cuddle with us until 6. Poor Betsy is so congested lately. I've noticed the move to BGB and baby proofing her room more completely has caused us to spend more time in there! The three of us read at least five books last night, played with baby dolls, Bets rocked in her chair and put herself in the bed. Ben always wants me to leave the room first so he can tell her 'Night, night!' and blow her kisses. In other news, Betsy's class is having an Easter Egg hunt tomorrow afternoon. I'm so bummed I have to miss it (work) but Ben has the day off and I'll bet he goes to see the Egg hunt and take pictures!

Success!

Night two in the BGB was a success. Betsy lost her ninnie at midnight and I went in to find and replace it in her mouth. Unfortunately I had to turn on the light which woke her up a bit but she self-soothed back to sleep. This prompted me to get Bets another big girl item...a night light. More so for my benefit when I come in during the night to find her lost ninnie I won't turn the lights on and wake a drowsy girl or better yet, trip over her baby gate and break my arm.

Sweet things for the sweet girl

First of all...is there anything sweeter than the morning stretch?


I started thinking I was going overboard with the prints in Betsy's room. Rather than sewing a sham I decided just to monogram a pillow case she can sleep on. I like this different way of monogramming. I always monogram things with her initials 'EJB' but I did this a little differently (using her nickname rather than her given name).

I made another basket liner, this time for Betsy's book basket. I'm trying to create a 'reading nook' in one corner of Betsy's room with her basket and rocking chair and maybe a reading light of some kind.


We're borrowing this Betsy sized rocking chair from our friends the Osborns while Betsy can fit in it. I sewed and monogrammed the cushion. It only cost $2 for the padding and the rest I already had.

A post about pillows

The summer I turned twenty-two years old I moved into my first apartment. The entire time I was an undergraduate student I lived on campus, in my sorority house. I was SO excited to finally move off campus and I intently planned how to decorate my room, picking a color scheme etc. My mom and Aunt Mary surprised me by sewing these beautiful pillows and a decorative table cover for my room, and sent them to me for my birthday. At the time I was SO touched, every time I looked at them I thought about the time they put into this project for me!

Now I get to do these kinds of things for my daughter. As I sewed these items this weekend it reminded me of how special I felt when I opened the box of custom sewn pillows from my Mom and Mary.


I love the quote "People don't remember what you did, they remember how you made them feel." I hope Betsy feels special, like my moms made me feel special.

Betsy and the big girl bed

Our solution to the crib climbing dilemma was to get Betsy a toddler bed. I never intended to buy Bets a toddler bed. I was planning to use a crib until she was 2 or so then switch to a big bed (most likely a twin day bed). As she is still so little I decided the toddler bed was a good compromise. It's only a foot off the ground so she's less likely to hurt herself if she falls. it has built in rails going down either side to discourage rolling out. Also if we have another baby in the future we can use this again. So here it is...Betsy and the big girl bed!




I have a couple more items in mind to make. One large sham for a standard size pillow....made out of the brocade with some sort of trim. And a travel size pillow (which is proving most difficult to find) with a soft cotton pillowcase for nightly use. The travel pillow seems like a better fit for Betsy right now. A standard pillow takes up so much of her space.

Wild Child

I'm not ready for this! Twice this weekend Bets has climbed out of her crib.

The first time I was in the sewing room with the door shut so the sounds of 'Band of Brothers' wouldn't wake her up. Betsy awoke from her nap, climbed out of her crib and wandered to the livingroom. She noticed the back door was open (when the weather is nice we leave it open for Maddie to come in and out) and she walked outside. I realized this when Madison started barking wildly. I went outside and found Betsy in her pink pig footed pajamas enjoying the lovely weather.

I wasn't sure HOW she climbed out until today. While I was hanging up Betsy's clean laundry she was reading books in her crib. She did a kind of push up, threw one leg over the side, and started flipping out of the crib. I scooped her up and put her on the floor.

*sigh*

The first time it happened this weekend I thought we could wait it out, just because she did it once (and she almost did it a long time ago) doesn't mean she is going to do it any time she wants out! I think I was wrong. She's just bound and determined to be a big kid these days.

Here I go now, looking for crib rails so if we turn the crib into a toddler bed she won't fall out all the time.

TMI post

If you're easily grossed-out turn back now. If you're brave, scroll down.










































Today I considered changing the title of this blog to 'Life is Stinky'. Because today has been smelltastic. This morning I woke up and ran a couple errands. I even brought a donut home for Ben and sweet Betsy. While I was gone Ben had put Betsy in her playroom while he took a shower. He made one crucial error in judgement...he left Bets in a diaper sans clothes.

When I walked in from errand running I found a harried husband and a screaming-recently-bathed-baby. It seems Betsy (deemed 'YOUR daughter' by Benjamin upon my arrival) had removed her diaper (that she had just pooed in) and smeared the poo in the carpet, on her, and on her toys. DIS-GUS-TING. Ben had it all cleaned up when I got home but as soon as I walked in he decided he needed a break (outside, to mow the yard and wash cars). This whole experience was gross, gross, gross. One pacifier, one tea set, and one wash cloth were eliminated in the clean-up process. The moral of that story is, unless they are REALLY tiny, and don't do much more than just lay and doze, slap a onesie over that diaper. Trust me on this.

After such a traumatic morning Betsy really enjoyed her donut. REALLY enjoyed it.




After the poop-debacle, and donut Bets and I went outside to play soccer and enjoy the wonderful weather. We had a really nice time playing for hours! Bets and I even had a picnic. Ben was super productive (lawn mowing and car washing). Betsy got cranky again (she has two teeth coming in) so I put her down for a nap. When she awoke and started fussing I went in to pick her up and found a TERRIBLE sight. POO! EVERYWHERE! AGAIN! I think her teething is giving her an upset stomach.

I yelled..."DAAAADYYYYYYYYYY"

Ben called back "What?"

I yelled "I NEEEEEEED BACK UP!!!STAT!!!!!!!!"

Ben ran in and helped me get Betsy bathed, her clothes and bedding and changing table cover washed... oh man. It was awful AGAIN. However Ben has a strong stomach and we were laughing a little over going through this TWICE in one day. Betsy played for a couple hours and she fell asleep at her normal time. She was a happy happy girl today, I think she's just having a rough time teething.

In conclusion parenthood has it's gross moments but it has the most enjoyable moments too (like the dance party we had in our living room this evening).

Betsy project, my project

Betsy decided to not let me help her eat anymore (?). She likes to use her spoon, even when eating her PB and J sammich.






Today I baked cupcakes for a coworker's daughter's birthday party. I made red velvet with cream cheese, yellow cake with chocolate frosting and white cake with vanilla frosting. My 'mess up' cupcakes were brought to Betsy's teachers this afternoon (minus two I saved for BB).




Small re-purposing project...I bought this to put pictures of Betsy at her birthday party. I cut out pictures of some of Betsy's cousins (from last year's Christmas cards), and our family friends, and replaced the Betsy pictures. Now she can see all her kiddo friends every day!

Date night

Last Friday we met our sweet friends the Osborns for dinner at a Hibachi grill! The Osborn kids were staying with their Grandparents for the weekend but we brought Bets along for dinner. John and Laura LOVE little Betsy. As soon as we got to the restaurant John asked "Does Betsy need to come sit with me?" She watched the whole process of Hibachi grilling from John's lap and intently studied the chef's technique.

P.S. Ben SO dressed the kiddo for date night. He has a thing for Betsy in overalls and Sperry's.

The Next Mia Hamm

Before Ben's soccer game (Tuesday) I got Bets ready to go. It was super windy and knowing that I decided to pull her hair back so it wouldn't hang in her eyes. SHE had different plans. I foresee many future battles on this topic. (She won this round, notice her hair is DOWN at the soccer game).



We got to the game early and ran into grandpa! He and Betsy played soccer for a while. First she practiced her throw ins, then she and grandpa worked on left footed kicking, then she watched the big boys do warm up drills.









Worn out, on the way home.