Monday, December 28, 2009

Friday, December 18, 2009

Montessori Child's Apron


I finished this recently for a Secret Santa swap for a little boy who enjoys a good session of biscuit baking. The pattern was too easy, and I like how it is designed for the child to put on themselves, promoting learning and independence. I think our little chef deserves one too - its on the 'to sew' list for 2010.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Four months - Jordan update

We headed up to the chemist to see the health nurse and have a monthly weigh in - Here's the stats:

Weight 6520g up 490g, in the 25th percentile for his age
Length 66 cm up 4cm, in the 85th percentile for his age
Head circumference 42.8cm up 1.6cm 75th percentile for his age

Jordan is still a very smiley boy, loves being the centre of attention. He has discovered that he has a voice and has started blowing raspberries. There is usually one wake during the night for a feed but during the day he tends to cat-nap with a longer sleep in the afternoon. Photos to come...

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Three months old


Our little guy is three months old already! It brings a smile to our faces seeing Jordan and Kaiden interact with each other. These two are going to get into ALOT of mischief together when Jordan is older. Jordan loves lying under this dangly stars, and has started to be able to hold a rattle.
The stats from the weigh-in yesterday are:
Weight 6030g, up 750gms in 5 weeks (about the 40th percentile)
Head circumference 41.5cm (about the 75th percentile)
Length 62cm (about the 60th percentile)
He is now into size 00 clothes and about to move into the cot, once the right size bunks arrive for Kaiden.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Tommy Turtle



Jordan's nickname before he was born was "turtle", so for Christmas I made him one using another Funky Friend's pattern. I gave personalised him by embroidering Jordan's initials onto his underbelly. The cheeky thing snuck into Jordan's cradle this morning to say 'hello' before he is wrapped and put away ready for the big day. Then he went for a little look out in the garden although it won't be long before he comes out to play again. I used the same fabric as I did for the giraffe (from Lincraft) with some fabric from my stash for the underbelly.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Jordan's second month weigh-in

Time is flying. Jordan is two months' old already. He has gained one kilogram this month and here's the stats:
Length: 59cm, in the 75th percentile for his age
Weight: 5290g, in the 40th percentile for his age
Head circumference: 40cm, in the 85th percentile for his age.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Six week smiles





We are getting alot more smiles now and some baby "talk". Jordan charmed our visitors Arthur and Roslyn and has spent the week going to playgroup, shopping, the park and afternoon walks. The unsettled period has moved to 4pm (hence the afternoon walks) with feeds around about every four hours (if I'm lucky!), sometimes more frequently especially during the day.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

This week...

Kaiden started in the little kindy room at daycare. While he may miss his friend Liam, he does get to play again with his former bestie Frankie. He enjoyed his first day. He gets to go in the bigger play area with the older kids. Lunch and the afternoon rest is half an hour later. At his swimming lesson on Friday he kicked and paddled all the way across the pool. Jordan is growing quickly. This week we saw smiles for the first time which are just gorgeous, especially with the little dimples. We had the six-weekly visit to the paediatrician this week, a week early because Brett was worried about Jordan's boy-bits. Jordan was given the all-clear - he has a hydrocele which should disappear over the next 12 months. He also impressed the Dr with a huge pee which not only saturated the mat but the cover of the bed as well (I bet the receptionist who had to change the sheets was not impressed). The Dr discovered the Jordan has an innocent heart murmur which apparently can be be hereditary.

New stats for Jordan:
Weight 4.55kg
Length 56.5 cm (health nurse was a bit out probably because Jordan was asleep at the time!)
Head circumference 38.7cm

Monday, September 14, 2009

Very baby nappies


Before Jordan was born I made a couple of Very Baby newborn fitted nappies in the newborn size. I knew they wouldn't fit for very long, but I just wanted to have some of the teeny tiny nappies in our nappy stash. Well, at four weeks they no longer fit but have served their purpose well and have looked very cute. Some I made with a flannel outer from the Quilters Store in Salisbury, some I recycled some flannette pjs. (photo shows pj version).

Friday, September 11, 2009

At four weeks...



Above: Jordan enjoying Lauren's birthday party - he slept through the whole thing.

Today we went off to the child health nurse at the chemist for a weigh-in and measure. Here's the stats:
*Weight now 4240g (was 3530 at birth) now in around 49th percentile (same as birth)
*Length now 59 cm (was 53cm at birth) now in 96th percentile (up from 90th percentile at birth)
*Head circumference now 38cm (was 35cm at birth) now in 75th percentile

No wonder the 0000 bodysuits no longer fit and we have moved in 000s. There are only a few 0000 outfits that still fit him and for not much longer, the 000s are better with more room for his cloth nappy bum.

I weighed Kaiden at home and he now weighs 13.6kg which puts him in the 40th percentile for his age.

At four weeks Jordan:
* Loves a bath and always has from his first one
* Hates his nappy being changed and getting dressed
* Can go 3 1/2 to 4 hours between feeds (including at night if I'm lucky)
* Changes from day to day, some days has very long sleeps, other days not so
* Is most irritable in the early evening
* Has a tinge of red in his hair

Kaiden refers to him as "the baby" not Jordan - "Where is the baby?", "We feed the baby".

Conversations with Kaiden now go like this. We were passing a paddock of dairy cows so I ask Kaiden, "Where does milk come from". He smartly answers, "nipples". So true. (Months ago we were having a similar conversation at my Aunt's and he pointed to the milk carton). He has taken in breastfeeding - if Jordan is on his lap he pulls up his shirt ready for him to have a feed. Sorry buddy - won't work! He thinks Jordan drinks "pink" milk - strawberry flavoured of course, because that is Kaiden's favourite.

It feels like Jordan has been part of our family forever, in a nice way. Like it was his destiny to join us and now our little family is complete.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Two weeks old...



While Jordan is one month tomorrow, I'm still catching up on my blog posts. This is an update from week two....

Jordan is growing bigger every day. His eyes are more open and he is certainly taking in all that is happening around - especially his loud, singing big brother. Also at two weeks:
* Jordan's dry peeling skin has almost gone - it doesn't look so much like he needs some exfoliation.
* Is in 0000s (was from birth). Now winter has seemed to have gone, I had a look at what Kaiden wore (tiny five 0's) in his first month. They are so tiny and just no way that Jordan will fit them. So I gave them a good cuddle, had a sigh and packed them away. Just need to convince Brett now that it is OK to chop them up to make a memory quilt.
* Is still unsettled at night but watching less of sci-fi and more of the business channel around 2am (is that when the US stock market opens?)
* Is a real cuddly bunny and loves a good cuddle or lying on Mummy's shoulder to go to sleep. I'm taking in the moment of enjoying the soft baby breath on my cheek :).
* Has regained all of this birth weight, and a bit more, weighing in at around 3.8kg.
* Kaiden is taking opportunities to get into mischief, the latest being getting into Daddy's shaving cream (we were wondering why it was so quiet in the bathroom!). He still loves his little brother but is looking for some attention as well - asking for cuddles, mostly from his Daddy.

Monday, August 17, 2009

There's a house in my Mummy's tummy


I'm not normally into sharing belly photos, but I just love this one of K taken on Tuesday, a couple of days before Jordan's arrival. Most people have been asking us if K knew what was going on...I'm still not exactly sure but we were reading "There's a house in my Mummy's tummy" for the last couple of weeks, K came to the scans with us and he would often sit and feel Jordan moving and shout "Get out Turtle!". When he first saw Jordan in the hospital he yelled out "Baby" by the next day Pop had taught him to say "Baby Jordan" and he says that he is a "big brother". He is fascinated by watching Jordan feed and asks if he can get him a bottle. Sometimes he "helps" by getting a nappy or carrying in clothes or a towel at bathtime. So far he has taken to Jordan's arrival well, he is a wonderful big brother.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Christopher and Raff


I think Christopher liked his present....then it was time for a nap. So cute, and cannot, cannot believe that he is already two months old.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Baby photos



Here's the very cute Turtle at 33 weeks. It is amazing the detail from the ultrasound. We don't have a photo of Kaiden to compare it with because at the scan at the same stage Kaiden didn't want to show us his face but Turtle was a bit more co-operative! We had this scan to check the position of the placenta which showed everything had moved up and was looking good! Turtle has an above average head circumference and femur length so I wonder if that means a big head and long legs?

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Baby journal



I had this great idea for Kaiden which I borrowed from a magazine where people could sign a page with a message for him when he was born and we put in their photo with the message. Except it is still half-finished as I took the photos but didn't get everyone to sign....So this time for turtle I have made a little journal that has tags so people can write on the tag when they meet him or take the tag away with them to write on if they prefer and it is easy to return. I have left most of the pages blank so I can put in photos of the birth, meeting Kaptain K, with visitors etc. I started this at the Scrap with V retreat and one week later it is finished!

Monday, April 6, 2009

Introducing "turtle"



Last Wednesday we went for the 20 week scan and saw "turtle". The baby has been honoured with that nickname after Kaiden said they looked like a "turtle" on the tv screen. All is well and we were blessed with some marvellous pics of the little one all snuggled up. I'm starting to get some good kicks now and Kaiden loves to say hello to "turtle" and tells them to "get out!" (not yet I say, they have to grow in there for a little while longer...)
And just so you can see, this was Kaiden at the same stage...and look how cute he turned out!

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Mathilda's market


Last Sunday I spent a wonderful morning admiring other people's crafty works with my partner-in-craft Nerida . And while my booty come no where near the wonderful haul for girls showcased on Nerida's blog craftjuice, I did manage to pick up this for K. There is a big hole in the market for quality boys' wear I think. The cord pants come from the Little Brown Mouse (unfortunately or is that fortunately? their website is down at the moment so I can't see what else they have in store.)

Sunday, March 22, 2009

My EB Swap


Sewed by Renae using Ottobre 4/2006, modelled by Kaiden. All fit well and the colours look great. K loves wearing it...we just need some cooler weather. It was a fun swap, and a lovely surprise to open the package and see what someone else had made for K. And as an extra surprise Renae had also included some lovely soft, velour Bubblebubs prefolds and a diaper cover - I'd nearly forgotten how little newborns are and the velour feels so soft.
Thank you Renae

Cupcake Dress Revealed

Dress back

I made this dress for Xena's daughter Jazynthe in the EB children's clothing swap.
Dress front

All in all pleased with how it turned out. Took alot of time to sew given that the dress is 16 different panels, all sewen together and topstitched, plus adding the trim to the bodice and hem panel. Jazynthe has a big smile so I think she liked it - not sure how the fit was though, it's always hard when you don't have a model the right size. It was loads of fun picking fabric and sewing for a little girl for a change. It made me stick to and finish a project on deadline. Thanks to Ingrid for organising.

WIP
Before I started working back at work four days a week, I tried to make Wednesday's my WIP day. I did one WIP Wednesday and to finish one item off, a pair of shorts for K. I preferred this pattern in the baby cord, not so much this version. The denim is a bit stiff and I don't like the different fabric for the pockets. I do like the topstitching in red though. Sorry the photo is a bit washed out because of the flash - must remember to take photos during the day!

Monday, March 2, 2009

Pirate fun!



Kaptain K's mate and neighbour, Luke, celebrated his 3rd birthday with a pirate-themed party. In line with the theme, I decorated a couple of shirts as a present for Luke, one with a pirate applique from a past Handmade issue and the other with machine embroidery. I also embroidered a shirt for K.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Summer holidays


Last Saturday we headed off for a week of camping at Maroochydore. Kaiden just loved it. His favourite things being "chasey birdie" (running after birds), swimming, feeding the ducks and huge eels which lived in a pond at the camping grounds and riding on a train which went around the grounds twice a day. We also headed off for a day at Underwater World. Kaiden was fascinated by the sharks and could have spent more time just watching them and the "Dories" (from the moving "Finding Nemo".

Australia Zoo

Earlier in the month we headed off to Australia Zoo. I was surprised at how much there was to see and how clean and tidy the Zoo looked. We had a great time.
Watching the crocodile show

"Hoo" are you?

Twirly skirt


I made this skirt and matching hair clip for Nerida's little girl Mackenzie using this tutorial . As I was making it Nerida went on a skirt making frenzy so I just prayed that a little girl could never have too many skirts. I just loved the Michael Miller fabric.