1st Day of school

OK so really it is first day of childcare but the feelings it triggers in me are the same.

CT had his first full day of childcare on Wednesday.  He and  his sister are both in 3 days a week to give me a chance to study.  This week I haven't been able to focus on study as the house is almost too quiet but I know that will be less distracting next week.  In fact I spent most of the last couple of days wondering when he will wake up so I could do x,y &z and then realising I didn't have to wait at all.

He  is doing well there not sleeping much and not eating much either but I seem to recall Jot doing the same thing when she first started at childcare.  I picked them up at 5 yesterday and fed them in the car but CT was too tired and cranky to eat.  I am picking them up an hour earlier today with the hope that I can get them home for their dinner, bath, bed routine as normal, CT needs a good meal in the evening, yesterday he only had two slices of raisin toast at childcare all day as it was all they could get him to eat :).

Here he is on his first day:

Oh my he is growing up so fast.  

I really miss him during the day - a weird feeling for me as all I remember about putting Jasmine into childcare was relief I was alone (but then I only had a couple of weeks before I went back to work).  Anyway I have been able to sew (not something I can do with the boy at home as he has started to pull on cables and has nearly had the iron off the ironing board twice).  I will do a quick post with some photos over the weekend but the teaser is I finished my SWOON quilt top.

I have also finished my 1st book of the year (technically my second finish but the first I started and finished this year) so I am feeling quite good about that.  That will also be posted over the weekend.

For now I am off to study.  Yup I finally think I can concentrate, I have 90 mins before I have to leave to pick up the kids.  See you tomorrow.

Finish and Pattern Review

I have for some time been looking for a good overalls pattern for CT.  I found and tried one from a book a few months ago and I was very unimpressed.

When my wonderful sister got me a gift voucher for Patterns Only for Christmas I decided to invest in a good pattern.  I ended up buying the Little Explorer pattern from Make It Perfect.  I know these patterns are good as I have made multiple versions of their Versatile Wrap Skirt (in fact it is my favourite go to pattern for a new skirt).

I was very excited when it arrived but had guest staying so had to put it aside.  Anyway I saw it yesterday and decided that it was time to search the stash for the right fabric for it.  I found a blue/grey drill and some dots which I believe is Remix by Anne Kelle. 

I love this pattern.  It took me about 3 1/2 hours from tracing the pattern to the button holes but I am sure it wont take that long next time.  I actually read all the instructions this time.  I did have one moment of confusion where there is a misprint in the cutting instructions but I worked it out quite quickly.  There was also one unpicking moment but that was more due to being distracted by the kids when trying to sew in the elastic than anything else.

Things I love about this pattern:

• The very cute appliqué
• The technique for adding the elastic
• The elastic waist means no gaping which annoys me immensely in normal overalls.
• The clear instructions.  I did have to read a couple of steps through twice, more likely due to the sleep deprivation CT is putting us through that the clarity of the instructions.

There is only one thing I didn't like and that was the appliqué on the pocket.  I found there wasn't really enough room for it and when I top stitched I went through the turtles head.  Minor issue and CT is certainly not going to notice.  I will just enlarge the pockets by 1/2 inch next time to make room.

I made one set of extra buttonholes in the strap as there is no way CT is big enough yet for the buttonholes to be on the end of the straps.  This means that we will double up the straps until he is tall enough for the change.

I also managed to put the pockets on the wrong sides, another minor issue that CT won't care about but it looks a little funny having the turtles bum on the front rather than his face.

I made the size 1 and it is a good size for CT.  It looks a bit small on him in the picture but that is because he is wearing a particularly fat cloth nappy.  When we changed the nappy it looked great.

Disclaimer - Toni from Make it Perfect has no idea who I am but I love this pattern and wanted to let people know about it.

{SIXTEEN} Blogtoberfest

I can't believe it.  CT is 10 months old today.  Yup 10 months old.  Where has this year gone?

My boy is a very happy chappy and is quite content to sit and play.  He is trying really hard to get onto his knees to crawl but so far he is just getting frustrated.  I will admit that I love having a sitter.  It was always hard to know where Jot would be 5 minutes after I put her on the ground but the boy will pretty much always be in the same spot (or within about 50cm) that I left him.

I thank God for him each day as he is such a blessing and a joy to have around (even after multiple nights crappy sleep).

24 hour quilt

My very supportive online quilt group of quilters from around Australia had a challenge over Anzac day to complete a quilt (or another project) in 24 hours. I wasn't able to take part on the day due to a number of reasons so the following week after a frustrating walk with CT I decided to see if I could rise to the challenge.
And so my personal 24 hour quilt challenge was born.

CT has a habit of kicking off his blankets in the pushchair and after rescuing or from a puddle for the third time in an hour I knew what to make. A pram quilt that can be tied on to the pram.

I made it in 22 hours (it would have been less but R decided I was being antisocial) from start to finish.

Jot likes it so much she wants one for her car seat. So that has become my next project.

Doh

I had a Doh moment the other day when I finally finished Jots winter nighties and to make it worse it wasn't just on one nightie but two out of three.  Luckily she doesn't seem to mind and who is going to be seeing them anyway other than family :)

Can you see it?  Yes in both the pink and blue nighties I cut the body so the print is upside down.  Doh!

Anothe Doh moment occured while putting together my first Swoon block.  I managed (and I am still not quite sure how) to end up with flying geese that were shorter than they were meant to be.  So some unpicking, a fair amount of swearing and solution g finding later (Thank you CT for staying asleep through all this) my first Swoon block is finished.  I love it and am looking forward to seeing how the rest turn out (without the Doh moment).

Anyway this is who I am blaming for my Doh moments.  The lack of sleep is taking its toll on me.

But he is so cute I forgive him.  Pictured above with R on Easter Monday.

The Baby - Is a ....

Boy!

CT was born on my birthday (what a great gift) at 11:34am weighing in at 3.8kg (approx 8lbs 7oz).

He is a gorgeous little boy who looks a lot like his sister.  We have been having a quiet two weeks getting to know him and really enjoy watching the interaction with Jot (who is constantly demanding to hold him then desperate to hand him back after every burp or spill).

We are so grateful to have him in our lives as he makes our little family complete.

Welcome CT