16 days old, plus random updates and pictures

I think this is going to be a ring sling baby.

See? He loves it!

Jordan likes the Moby, but today I tried the Maya Wrap Ring Sling and it worked much better for me. I took the girls out in the backyard for about an hour and a half, fixed lunch, and read a book to the girls with minimal interruption. See, I can totally do this. And not only that, but it's going to be awesome.

Carey came and weighed Robert again a few days ago and he was up, I think, 13 ounces? So he probably has gained over a pound by now. And he's working on a double chin.

Yesterday I was sitting in church just thinking about how amazing this all is. Three sweet children, and this little boy is just the sweetest, most wonderful little guy ever. I think he might end up looking like me after all, too.

I am so excited to get the homeschool curriculum we've finally selected and get started with Suzi. In one evening, I did several hours of reading and decided to go with Oak Meadow (kindergarten). We won't be starting until the fall because the first "trimester" of lessons is seasonally appropriate for that time, but I'm still excited to start going through the books. I'll post more about this later.

I need to go change Robert's diaper in a minute, but here are some Easter photos!

From the egg hunt on the 17th...

What the Easter Bunny brought...

Robert at the community sunrise service.

Cute little mama

I took a ridiculous number of pictures of Suzi wearing her little baby in this wrap I made (well, cut). This was the wrap I made and baby we bought for Suzi to have right after Ivey was born, but nothing worked out the way I thought it would. Suzi didn't end up attending the birth. There were plenty of other dolls she liked better than my oh-so-carefully selected one. I didn't even try putting the wrap on her because I was 99% sure she wouldn't have the patience for it. But, the other day, if only for a moment...

She asked me to help her carry the baby in a wrap. She was happy and proud.

She also breastfeeds her dolls as well as other non-human toys and I just love it. I looked forward to this with great anticipation when she was a baby. It makes me feel good about my mothering and the example I am setting.

And even if you think this is over-the-top, you have to admit, it is cute.

Our new toys

From the consignment sale...

Peeping chicks for Ivey (Suzi loves them too),

And a new(er) Ergo for Jordy and me. We had one already that we bought used from a friend, but this one is an upgrade. The old one will be out on loan to a friend this summer. We love the new Ergo, but we do not love the overpowering scent of the prior owner's laundry products. What is it with people and faux-flowery scents? Hopefully it will wear off soon. At least it doesn't reek of cigarette smoke.

I am having some trouble deciding if I should go to the next sale, which is in early April. I do not need anything. However, if I volunteer I get 70% of my sales rather than 65% and we are selling a nice jogging stroller. And if I volunteer I get to shop early, and if I spend four hours of my life volunteering it'd be a waste not to go to the early sale. It's such a privilege after all. Super marketing plan, isn't it?

P.S. Don't worry, we got Suzi some new toys too. A moon bounce ball to play with in the yard. A couple of new dolls. A pink dinosaur bank she loves to "feed." Swimsuits for this summer. A mini-chalkboard box. Probably some other things I can't remember.

P.P.S. I can see now I reallllly need to stay away from this next sale.

P.P.P.S. Hmm. Well maybe it wouldn't hurt just to drop by the 50% off sale.

December: the pictures I meant to share, but didn't

I really meant to blog about these sooner. Oh well, here they are now...

Me, Jordan and Ivey at a local Christmas parade December 1st. Jordan didn't just stuff Ivey into his jacket; she is in the Storchenwiege wrap.

But it kind of looked like he just stuffed her in his jacket.

Suzi was so excited to see Santa ride by!

Suzi and Grandpa.

Our tree through a pair of those holiday lights glasses. I wanted to see if the "noel" image would show up in a photo, and it did. You may have to enlarge the pic to see.

Jordan enjoying the view.

Suzi napping December 19th with one of her favorite Christmas toys. It's an ornament I got in a kid's meal years ago. She found it in my parents' ornament box while they were decorating their tree and loves it. "DA GWINCH!!!" She took the thing everywhere we went for about a month. It's still out because I didn't have the heart to take it away from her when the season ended.

Christmas Eve, after Suzi had opened all her toys, she decided to put the Mr. Potato Head parts on herself.


There are more pictures from Christmas that I'd like to share, but they're on my mom's camera. Maybe later.

Raising little geeklings since 2007

Jordan works on a computer he is assembling for someone while wearing Ivey in the Ergo

We are now on the downhill portion of the cold, or at least the girls are. For some reason we all started at different times, and Jordan was the last to get it. Today before he went back to work I told him he should try the trick my mom told me about, in which you rub Vicks on the bottoms of your feet and then put socks on to stop your coughing and clear your sinuses. He said it'd be interesting to just put it on one foot and see if it cleared only the corresponding nostril.

This cold has really zapped our productivity for the past week. Here's what's been going on, in a list since I haven't posted in so long:

1) Ivey has stopped sleeping through the night. She used to go from about 10 or 11 to five in the morning, and she slept next to our bed in the cosleeper, which we prefer because we sleep better. Now we can barely put her down (see above photo). She sleeps in our bed and wakes up 3-4 times to nurse. On the bright side, as long as she is doing this it will most likely keep my period (and fertility) at bay. It seems like a habit is forming and I doubt it'll just change right back once her lingering cold symptoms are gone.

2) I just went to the optometrist and got glasses, and they seemed like a good idea at the time but now I am worried. I think they are too big and make me look like a dork, and not in a good way. I could do a separate post on this; it's that complicated of an issue. I would put a picture on here and ask what you thought but I'm afraid to. Jordan says I just need to own them. Well I do own them and that is the problem. I can't get another pair covered by insurance for two years. At least I prefer contacts and was planning to get some anyway.

3) Suzi is watching Annie. I love watching it with her, because it was one of my favorites as a child. My brothers (who were about 20 at the time) say I used to make them watch it with me. The thing is, my parents taped it off TV for me and I once hit the record button messing around with the VCR and taped over some of it. I was heartbroken. When we bought the DVD recently there were parts of it I didn't know existed, and it didn't roll and have snow like the one I used to watch. It was kind of exciting.

4) We took the decorations off our tree but the tree itself is still standing there, unlit. I really want to get it moved but I am hoping Jordan will do it. We took the ornaments off while Suzi was at my parents' house and she came home and said "Mama, they took the dec'rations off the treeeeee!" It was like she thought someone had stolen them. I had to explain it to her, poor thing.

5) Yesterday, Ivey officially rolled from back to front. I'm sure she would've done it sooner, but she hasn't had much floor time because we've been afraid Suzi might trip over her. Yesterday afternoon during Suzi's nap (after getting frustrated and crying a little) she did it. The challenge was getting her lower arm out of the way; she had been rolling from front to side for a long time! Next she wants to learn to sit up. She gets so angry sometimes in her bouncy seat because she doesn't want to lean back. I will be happy when she learns to sit up, because it'll make it more fun for her to play with her toys in the floor.

I'm hoping we will be cold-free and have things back to normal around here soon. I am not used to this at all! I can't even imagine how it must feel to be the mother of a child with a serious, life-threatening illness. I know I am spoiled, getting this upset over a simple cold...

All tangled up

Today my friend Megan called and asked if Suzi, Ivey and I wanted to meet her and her son Aiden at the library for storytime. The library is not far at all from our house, and we got there right on time, which was a miracle. Ivey enjoyed hearing the songs and stories while riding in our Storchenwiege wrap, pictured below. I stood in the back and did the Mommy Dance while she looked out the window. Suzi and Aiden listened to the songs and stories and then colored a picture. Then we checked out some books to read.

Pictures taken with a webcam, which is why they are grainy.

I have been trying to figure out a weekly schedule, and I think the library storytime might be the first thing I put on it. It's every Tuesday and Thursday, but you only go to one or the other. Tuesdays are better for us, because by Thursday we're usually scrambling to clean house or get something prepared for the weekend. I am going to use the Yahoo calendar for now to save me from making one myself, and add in the things that happen every week.

And the Storchenwiege wrap... I just love it. When I bought it a few months ago (it was on sale and too good to pass up) I was intimidated by its non-stretchiness, but I knew Julie would help me figure it out, and with a little practice it's now as easy to use as my Moby Wraps. It reminds me of fall leaves. And evidently, it reminds Ivey of how sleepy she is :-) The other day Suzi saw me carrying Ivey in the wrap and, with a concerned look, asked Ivey, "you all tangled up?"

This is going to take practice

Ivey and Carey, our midwife who caught her. This was taken 12 days after her birth.

Today was my first try at taking both the girls somewhere by myself. We went to our babywearing meeting. Everything seemed to be going well at first. I got Ivey out of her car seat and then walked around to get Suzi out on the other side. Then I grabbed my purse, the baby bag, and our Moby Wrap so I could get help with it at the meeting. I had Suzi carry her doll. Then, oops, I didn't have any wipes except for the ones in the big container in the van so I had to carry a couple of loose wet wipes in my hand to avoid taking the box in. And the Moby Wrap kept wanting to drag the ground when I walked, but on the plus side Suzi was being so sweet and wasn't trying to run into traffic or anything. She obediently held my hand in the parking lot and waited patiently as I opened the door of the library. Then we walked up the hall and I opened the door to the meeting room just a crack, said hi to everybody, and tried to open the door wide enough for Suzi to go past me.

Except... clunk! I thought Suzi was right behind me, but for some reason she'd wandered over behind the door when I wasn't looking, and when I pushed the door back I knocked her in the head. Crap. So on our first outing together I nearly knocked my daughter down with a door and made her cry. I clumsily coaxed her through the doorway so I could look at her head and ask if she was okay and apologize about ten times. She forgave me and, after a few minutes of sitting in my lap next to her baby sister, went to play with the other kids (and their toys). I'm going to have to buy her a Magna Doodle.

I should have taken some pictures today, but I didn't. My hands were full most of the time and a good opportunity just didn't present itself, so I thought I'd share the above picture of Ivey and Carey. It was nice to see everyone at the meeting though. Julie and Carey helped me figure out how to go from a regular newborn carry to breastfeeding in the Moby. Yay! The Moby may have just become my new favorite carrier, even over the Maya Wrap Ring Sling. We'll see.

Now both girls are asleep--the little one in my lap and the big one on the couch, all worn out from playing this morning. I am drinking coffee in the middle of the day and blogging in peace.

I love babywearing meetings.

Real men wear lavender

The other day when Ivey was crying and could no longer console herself by breastfeeding, Jordan picked up our Moby Wrap and asked me to help him "get this thing on." This particular wrap is lavender, but he didn't let that deter him. Now he's more practiced than I am at using the wrap, and he frequently carries Ivey in it to give me a break (she wants to be held a lot). Sometimes he even does housework at the same time.

We went to our local consignment sale recently and realized when we got out of the van that both our girls were asleep--yay! We put Suzi in the umbrella stroller and switched it to the recline position, and then Jordan carried Ivey in the Moby Wrap (we have another one that's black and green, which he prefers). I got to shop until I was tired without so much as a peep out of the girls. We got so many great deals! My Jordy is awesome and I love to see him bonding with our babies.

So, guys, don't write off wraps just because you think it's a girl thing. Wear your baby in that wrap! It may feel embarrassing to you, but it's sexy to your wife.

What Monk-Mee and Frosty talk about

I don't know, but Suzi was facilitating a serious conversation between them on our way back from Asheville Sunday.



Once we left the nurse-in discussion we had just enough time to drop by this awesome shop called The Littlest Birds. I think that is where Beth got her cloth diapers, so knowing it was there I looked it up. I was like a kid in a candy shop, so you can imagine how Suzi was. They had stacks of gorgeous wooden toys that were calling both our names. They had carriers, Plan Toys, a ton of cloth diapers... And we had less than 30 minutes to look, because they were closing at 4:00!

Suzi and Jordan looked around while I asked the lady working there a bunch of questions about CDing a newborn (I've never done it; we started Suzi when she was eight months old). She recommended Kissaluvs, which I liked but couldn't justify buying new. I ended up with Snappis, some newborn prefolds, a couple of Bummis covers (below) and a ProRap. We will see how they handle newborn blowouts and then look into buying more of whichever diaper cover emerges victorious. They're pretty though, huh?




Suzi fell in love with a Plan Toy drum, but it was $20 and we decided to wait on that. It may make a nice Easter or birthday gift. We will definitely be returning to The Littlest Birds at least once before August. She was sad she wasn't getting her drum, but I spotted a cute little snowman I knew she would love (on clearance, too) and that cheered her up. She'd been such a sweet girl all day and deserved a little something.


Especially when you consider what I got. In a pile on the bottom of the clearance shelf I spotted a beautiful fire-toned Storchenwiege wrap. I'd admired Julie's at babywearing, but never thought I'd get one because they retail for over $100! Well, this one had been marked down three times and the final price was $52! You can scarcely find a used one for that. My collection shrunk a little recently when I sold two hotslings to a new mom, so if you think about it I'm just trading up and diversifying. Just to be sure I'd gotten a good deal, I searched for one on eBay when I got home and found this. It's the same wrap I got and sold for about $46.50 (it was already sold, so I couldn't have gotten it for that). The listing was in German so I couldn't tell what the seller had said about it. It was used though, and they charged the winner 19 Euros to ship it from Hamburg to the UK--and that wouldn't have been a good deal for me. Therefore, this is one impulse buy I don't regret! The colors are perfect for a summer baby. I tried it out once with Suzi, but I'll need some help later figuring it out with a newborn.

Product Review: chicks-n-chickens Lullaby Exercises

I just had my butt kicked by an exercise DVD--in a good way. What was it, you ask? Well, it wasn't an intensely choreographed routine demonstrated by a bunch of flawless ponytailed women in head-to-toe spandex. Actually, it was chicks-n-chickens Lullaby Exercises, with mom Darcy Novo Albrecht leading a group of lovely mamas and their babies in a simple, fun, and fast routine that any mom can work into her schedule. You're taking care of your baby anyway; might as well work in a little you time!

I loved so many things about this DVD.

The music is good! There are certain situations in which we must listen to music we did not choose. Sometimes that music isn't so great, such as the strange techno music on my Dance Dance Revolution games (NOT babywearing-friendly, by the way). The music Darcy chose for Lullaby Exercises is good. It's something I'd listen to by choice. During the workout I was thinking, gosh, it would be nice to have a CD of this! Then I remembered--there was one in the case! You can enjoy the music and play the sleepy songs to calm your baby. I am thinking of including at least one of the songs in my homebirth soundtrack.

The moms are so fun to watch. For me, there is nothing fun about exercising alongside a woman with a figure like a Barbie Doll. It was refreshing to see moms of all shapes and sizes leading the exercises with Darcy. It made me feel at home. Darcy is adorable and upbeat. I loved how she incorporated inspirational musings about calming and nurturing our babies in the routines.

I didn't trip over my own feet and fall on my face. This is important when you're wearing your baby! The few times I've tried any dance-type exercise program, the steps have been over my head. (I was a five-year-old dance class dropout.) But Darcy demonstrates and explains everything several times to make it easy, and none of the steps are too complicated in the first place. You can do the whole thing holding your baby, after all!

It facilitates bonding with baby while allowing mom to get what she needs. This is my favorite. When baby is screaming, your first priority as a mom is to hold him and love him until he feels better. You drop what you're doing and take the baby. Sometimes this calls for creative multitasking (when Suzi was a couple of days old, I once had to breastfeed her while on a sitz bath). Being so suddenly in demand can be frustrating, but this DVD helps mom and baby relax by turning a potentially tense situation into a bonding opportunity. I particularly love "Patience," the last song in the Sleep Set.

The price is affordable. I didn't check the price before I tried the workout. As I went through the routines and thought about what I would write in my review, I wondered what the price would be. I honestly figured it would cost at least $30, maybe $40. But, wow, it is only $14.95! For that you get the DVD with the exercises and the CD with Lisa Phenix's beautiful music. Shower gifts, here we come!

I am currently 15 weeks pregnant and my midwife approved of this workout. This DVD is perfect for me. I can exercise at home while I take care of my daughter--even if she's in a bad mood. I can't wait to try the routine with a little infant, and this fall I'll get to!

Order your copy of Lullaby Exercises and feel good about staying home from the gym for once. Exercise with your baby held close to your heart instead of leaving them with somebody else.

Sling giveaway alert

Kristin over at Bits and Pieces From My Life is giving away a sling! She reviewed three and is giving away winner's choice of one. The contest ends Friday the 13th at 9 pm. I really like this one, the Rockin' Baby Sling. It is beautiful but expensive, which is why I'm hoping to win one :-) It is getting harder and harder to explain to Jordan why I need to buy another baby sling.



I mostly got over my sling fever when Suzi got big enough to walk on her own, but now that I'm pregnant again I can't help but think how cute the new baby will look peeping out from a gorgeous new ring sling!

Kristin also reviewed a pouch sling from the same company and a hotsling, so go enter!

Motrin just bashed my parenting style

This morning as I was catching up on my blogs, I saw the headline of "Thanks, Motrin, I'll be wearing my baby anyway." Huh? What did Motrin know about babywearing? It turns out, nothing.

Go here to see what the genius marketing team at Motrin has come up with. Writing dumb things wasn't good enough for them; they went the extra mile and put it into a cutesy little video! Just in case they've taken it down, you can go to Mama's Nest for a full run-down of every stupid thing they uttered.

They've apparently launched a new ad concept in which they say "Awww, poor moms, we understand your pain." The thing is, they don't understand. I didn't wear my baby "because it would 'totally' make me look like an official mom." And I don't think I look any more "tired and crazy" than I did before. (Do I?!?)

"As a mom," they venture, "you know what it's like to have a unique kind of pain that's often underappreciated. From walking for hours in high heels to staying up all night, carrying a feverish child. The MOTRIN Brand wants you to know, WE FEEL YOUR PAIN." Who, may I ask, is walking around for hours in high heels? I didn't realize that was a requirement! Goodness, I'd better get started or else I might not look like an official mom.

If you think I'm overreacting, perhaps I should explain why this ad bothers me most. You see, I know the ad is idiotic. But what if a pregnant lady, one who had not yet discovered the joy of babywearing, saw this? Her back may already be hurting from the pregnancy, and the fallacies in the ad might just be enough to make her scratch the baby sling off her gift registry.

I'm not saying babywearing is always comfortable, but there are ways to deal with it. The babywearing group I attend once took an entire meeting just to discuss babywearing problems. (Every mom present agreed the benefits were far greater.) If a mom is having back pain, it's probably because she has the wrong carrier, the wrong size carrier, or is wearing it slightly wrong. For instance, slings (which go over one shoulder) are pretty good at distributing baby's weight. However, if you're going on a four-hour hike it'd be best to use a wrap or mei tai, both of which distribute the weight evenly on both shoulders.

What the people at Motrin don't know or have conveniently chosen to ignore is that babywearing is an ancient practice. This is not something "'they've' come up with" recently. It's been going on for thousands of years! It did see a decline in our culture, however, because it was misunderstood. I think misunderstandings still have a negative impact on the rate of women who wear their babies. Some moms think, because it's all they've known, that it's best to leave the baby in the floor in the car seat or push him around in a stroller. Babywearing is much more beneficial for baby's development, but it's tough to overcome a mom's preconceived notion of what is and isn't appropriate.

Small, benevolent non-profit organizations such as No Mother Left Behind (and women who make slings and wraps by hand) have worked too long and too hard to help women learn this life skill to have it ridiculed by a bunch of corporate idiots.

The truth is that babywearing has probably kept at least a few frazzled parents from shaking their babies to death. When a newborn is shrieking inconsolably at the top of his lungs and his parents have tried everything to calm him, it can be so hurtful and frustrating. Do you understand that pain, MOTRIN? It's far greater than the pain in my shoulders from carrying a little babe who weighs less than ten pounds.

*Updated w/ winner* Baby sling giveaway!

We had 88 entries total (one by email because she couldn't comment, and the last comment was a few minutes late--sorry!) And the winner is...

Here are your random numbers:

79 

Timestamp: 2008-11-02 13:19:44 UTC

Mrs. Sara! Gosh, a (different) Sara won my last giveaway! Weird. Sara, I will be emailing you in a minute. I'll need you to measure yourself and also send me fabric choice and an address. If Sara doesn't email me within four days I'll pick another winner.

If you didn't win, don't be sad. You can probably learn to make these slings yourself! I love these ida.net directions, and also Jan Andrea's for making reversible slings. Here is my post on making them. If you can thread a sewing machine you can probably make one, and it only takes an hour or two. If you've never used a pouch sling before, it would be best to start by watching an instructional video on how they work in general. Having an understanding of the sling's purpose makes the project much easier.

I will be having a November contest, but I'm not sure what it'll be, so check back soon!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



It's that time again... The Bloggy Giveaways Carnival is here!

I'm giving away one sling which I will make myself. I haven't made it yet because I'm going to let the winner email me measurements and fabric choice. (So it may take a week or so longer than usual to ship, but I'll do my best.) Above is an example of one sling I've made. I am also working on a batch of slings to send over to No Mother Left Behind! It's an organization that hooks families up with slings when they can't buy or make one for themselves. I encourage you to visit their site and consider donating.

Here are the different fabrics I can use to make the sling:

Please note: #3 is a sort of faux suede, and #4 is flannel (the same one I'm wearing above).

I can make a Daddy sling too. Probably the navy or khaki option would be best for a dad.

To win:
1) Please leave a comment telling me your favorite brand or style of carrier. If you don't know yet because you're still pregnant and/or don't have any carriers, tell me that too!
2) If you want you can also tell me the fabric you'd like for your sling, but it isn't required. We can do that later when a winner is chosen.
3) It makes me a bit nervous, but I'm going to go ahead and say I'll ship this sling anywhere :-)
4) You don't have to be a blogger to win, but please leave an email address! You may want to type it as somebody (at) somewhere .com to foil the spambots.
5) The contest will end at 11:59 pm Saturday, November 1st and I will select the winner randomly. I'll email the winner (and post here) and if she has not responded with shipping information within four days I will pick someone else.
6) I have plenty of fabric in most of the choices, but depending upon the winner's measurements one or more of the selections may be precluded. I will request a first and second fabric choice from the winner.

Good luck to everyone, and may we all win something!


More giveaways at the Bloggy Giveaways Quarterly Carnival!

To be more giving

During church today, several of the prayers and hymns were centered on the theme of being more giving and loving. It inspired me to get started on a project I've been excited about ever since I heard of it a few days ago.

As you know, I recently learned to make baby slings. It's been like no other project I've ever attempted; I instantly understood the instructions, the needle glided smoothly over the fabric, and in just minutes I sat holding something that can bring peace into a stormy parent-child relationship. I feel so lucky to have had the use of slings during Suzi's fussy "fourth trimester" phase. A ride next to our hearts in the sling would often calm her when no amount of rocking or bouncing would.

Unfortunately, not all women have $50 to buy a sling, and most of them don't have a sewing machine either. This is why I was so glad to read about No Mother Left Behind: a volunteer organization which collects donated slings and redistributes them to mothers who need them. Just think--this organization could be the difference between an overwhelmed mother shaking her baby in frustration, or finding relief in soothing the baby in her sling.

They accept gently-used slings, slightly imperfect seconds from companies, and hand-made slings from individuals. I am waiting to hear back for more info on how to contribute (like what sizes they need most), but I am hoping to make some slings to donate. From what I've seen at work, I feel quite certain there are mothers right here in our community who need slings, too.

God has provided the skill, an outlet, and even fabric. Weeks ago I bought gobs of fabric for just a couple of dollars at a yard sale; at the time, I didn't know what it was for. Yesterday I found a roll of sturdy decorator fabric (at least four slings' worth) for $3 at Goodwill. I know there is more out there if I just look!

I think it would be fun to have a sling-making workshop. I don't know when or where, but we could bring our sewing machines, teach others to make slings, and make a bunch of them together! Let me know if you are interested!

P.S. To see how Suzi hurt my feelings at church today, read my post over at Mothering Without a Manual.

Sewing machine is getting a workout

Suzi and I are both happy with this one! It's made of flannel, so it will be perfect for this fall and winter. I made it a little big so we can both wear a sweater. Soon it will have a twin and I may do a giveaway with that one. Next, as Emily suggested, maybe I will look for some orange fabric and make Jordan a gameday sling!

Stand back, I can make slings now!

I just made my first two baby slings! The possibilities are endless; I keep thinking of all the fabric I have stored away which can now fulfill its destiny. I used these directions from ida.net and love the way my sling turned out, even though my fabric wasn't quite 45" wide. I am used to a hotsling, so it didn't bother me that my sling was a little shallower. I thought I'd take some pictures and add in my two cents here.

1) I measured from my shoulder to my hip and got 23". Double that was 46, plus 6 was 52". As luck would have it, that was the exact length of my fabric! It was a remnant (my favorite way to buy). Stacie's instructions said a 45" wide piece of fabric could make two slings, but I made two slings even though my fabric was several inches short of that. I just grabbed the nearest available piece of already washed fabric since I didn't want to wait.

2) When hemming the two long edges, I folded it over twice so no edges were hanging out. It made it look nicer. That is probably obvious to all you sewing ladies.


3) I folded the fabric in half, wrong sides together, so the raw edges met. Then I folded it in half again and drew a line where I wanted to cut my "smiley face." The ida.net directions say you should end up about 2-3 inches above where you started.


4) My smiley face was a little pointy, but I fixed it after unfolding.


5) I sewed the smiley edge together...


6) Then I learned how to do a French seam! (I'd never heard of it until now.)


7) Then I sewed down where the hems met the seam, and on my first one I even reinforced that with a little zigzagging over the crack. Now I realize that was overkill.


I am just in awe of how simple this was. I didn't even make a mistake! Go here for the full directions and her diagrams. Thanks Stacie!