Archive for March, 2007

• My most recent sewing projects

  Date: 2007.03.23 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

  This month (March) I have been diligently working on the girls’ Easter dresses. I actually began cogitating about the design back in January. The creative process takes time, you know. I started with the Easter Hats from 2006. Pat made some incredibly cute hats last season and the girls are still able to wear them. So she sent me the leftover fabric — which amounted to about a yard. So I began to look on-line at patterns which showed use of multiple fabrics. I finally decided on a Simplicity pattern, but didn’t want to spend the $10-15 on the pattern when it basically was only a yoke with 4 gathered tiers. I was going through my stash of patterns to try to find something similar to this design when I hit the jackpot.

  I found one of my old patterns that Grandma Downs used for me – the copyright on the pattern is 1978. It happens to be a Simplicity pattern. The pattern called for a solid color dress with contrasting appliqué on the yoke and contrasting trim on the tiers. I made some adjustments to better use Pat’s fabric, to better fit the children, and to update the style. In the photo you see the final product.

  Some special touches on each dress include an invisible zipper and rick rack trim. I customized the yoke appliqué for each. Alexis’ middle name is Hope; her appliqué says, “Faith, Hope, Love.” Rachel’s appliqué says, “Rejoice!” The twins love their new dresses.

  I am finishing with Rachel’s dress tonight. Hers is the same design only using petal pink cotton sateen instead of lavender. The solid color fabric and white rick rack trim was purchased at Hancock’s fabric. The entire cost for both dresses is about $25, plus about 25-30 hours of sewing. Alexis’s Easter Dress

• Good night, Sleep tight, and keep the diaper on!

  Date: 2007.03.20 | Category: Twins | Response: 0

  Every night, DH and I go in to cover the children.  just to make sure they are under the blankets for the majority of the night.  We use a very dim red light flashlight to accomplish this task.  I get to see my resting peaceful children one more time for the night.

  Last night, I almost lost it.  Here’s Rachel, innocently lying there asleep, completely in disarray. Her one-piece fleece pj’s have been UN- snapped, hiked up to her waist, and there she is, showing everything for everyone to look at.  Her diaper, flung to the opposite end of the crib, was carefully removed — one sticky tab still in place; the other tab was repositioned.  The diaper was dry. The corner of her bed was wet. She was dry and only slightly roused to have her diaper put back on. I laughed so hard. Of course it was funnier because I couldn’t laugh outloud for fear of waking up the girls.

  This morning, when I went in to get her up at the usual time, her diaper was already removed and she was waiting happily for her panties.

• the past few days

  Date: 2007.03.19 | Category: Twins | Response: 0

  this is the time of day that i try to cram as much as possible into. it’s 1pm and the kids are napping so that means today i will finish up our taxes. i hope we get a decent-sized refund. too bad the government won’t send our refund check directly to our credit card company LOL. i’m waiting for Mark to call us now. he’s one minute late already…

  last night i made the famous hot fudge cake in the crock pot. it was so good but the cake part was a little tough. i think it was b/c the br sugar was a little hard. but oh well at least everyone at HF liked it and Jean got her badly needed chocolate fix. plus there was a piece left over and I already ate it at the beginning of nap today. it’s like i’m addicted to eating something sweet whenever the kids go down for the night.

  Alexis poor child has been waking up randomly and just screaming. this has got to stop or i’m going to go crazy as a mother. i don’t know when the last full night of sleep has been. by full night i mean more than 6 hrs without waking up. and I also mean not waking at 530 am. i can live with 7am start of day but not 6 am or earlier. we are starting the wake up light philosophy and see if that will help her settle. I told her she can’t keep yelling in the middle of the night. she just has to ask nicely and quietly. ignoring her i dont think is going to work.

  *sigh*

• Trying Two’s

  Date: 2007.03.19 | Category: Twins | Response: 0

  Alexis is really pushing the limits these days. This entire month almost, this 22nd month of her life, is about to push me over the edge. I am very tired and worn down and I have a bad cold. Nevertheless, Alexis’ struggle to be dominant over me continues. Everyday she tries a new tactic to avoid napping. I can see the dark circles coming in under her eyes and I know she is tired. but poor child, she doesn’t know that she’s exhausted. I took them to the potty for one last pit stop before nap and Alexis couldn’t go… or maybe wouldn’t go. More likely couldnt because she had peed on the carpet in front of the futon just 30 minutes earlier. Finally, I issued an ultimatum: I’m counting to 30 and when I say “30″ you’re going to bed. I had to swat her twice to get her into her room because she kept collapsing on to her knees on her way to her room… Once she was in her room at least there was a lady bug crawling up the wall near her crib so she could be distracted by it, say night-night to it, and lie down and be covered up and start relaxing. I get so tired of fighting her. There must be something wrong with my approach. ???