Jammies for the Kiddos

Do you find pajamas as relaxing, as comfy as I do? 

If you answered no, then it's either time to go shopping or get sewing because in my world, just the word jammies should make your shoulders relax (or giggle like my sister's kids in these camping pjs).  

This is one of the many reasons that I like to make them so much.  This past Christmas (I know Christmas, in September?!) I crafted these lovelies for two deserving kiddos.  

Ryder, like his Uncle Eric, is a big fan of anything mustache...

so I just couldn't resist adding this applique to the original knit pattern.  

For Breckyn,

the cat was a no-brainer

since she refers to the family cats as her siblings. 

And the paw prints on the backside may be my favorite part.

They were both excited about the PJs,

and I must say, so was I.

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

We tried to keep most things in the nursery neutral...

But...

The bedding.  This bedding.  How could I resist that fabric?!

All the lovely colors, the flowers the patterns,

the bee skeps,

the bees.

I found it all irresistible.
 And so I decided to make not one, but two sets of baby bedding.

The fabric line is from this "Sweet as Honey" line.

I was slightly disappointed when it showed up at my house a little brighter than I had expected.  Well, maybe I cried.  Alot.  But I'm chalking that up to the baby I have swimming around in this ever growing tummy.

I was able to bleach the pumpkin orange

to a lighter, more light peach shade,

and all was right in the world again.

I had lots of help from pinterest.  Oh that pinterest; SO many ideas! So little time. 

I was able to find tutorials for the crib sheets,

the ruffled bed skirt,

and even the changing pad cover.

Thank you Sarah for this chubby little bee!

I did improvise on the crib pads, but with all the straight lines and simplicity of a large rectangle sleeve with ties was really no amazing feat.

(Years ago a family friend gave me the changing pads that were stuffed inside the cover I created.)

I am so very pleased with how it all came together for the girly bedding set!

Snakes and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

If I'm being honest, I do not always like all things baby.  

So sometimes that means I have to come up with a way to do things on my own.  

To make them as a wish them to be...

This was the case with the boy bedding.  I found some bedding that was nice, just not me,

 and when you know you could like it more...that it really could be all you want, why not make it?!

And there is really such joy from being able to say that you did it.  

You MADE it all by yourself.

Just the thought of knowing that brings a smile to my face. 

And the final result is something that will make me smile each time I go into this little one's room.

That is if baby Thomas is a boy.

Oh the anticipation!

A fishing tribute to the Late and Great Grandpa Thomas

How we can't wait to meet you baby!

Shady Lady

I did it!

It doesn't seem like a big deal, but it is!

This clean white shade is one of the final touches for our future little one's nursery. 

And I did it.  All by MYSELF!

I chose the shade.

I hung the shade.

I adjusted the shade.

Then, I looked back at what I had 'created',

And it was good.

Thank you God for the calm confidence that comes from doing the little things that are not a big deal to anyone else but seem like such a grand accomplishment to me.

Showered with Love

Some days in life you wish you could play over...and do it all again

only this time in slow motion so you could let it wash over you once more and soak it all in.

Some days the love of others surrounds you and fills you up until you think you might burst.  

How very blessed we are to have others just as thrilled as we are to expand our family!

 Recently, we got a beautiful glimpse of the love our family shares for growing little one when my dearest sisters gave us the loveliest shower

 ....It was as if they climbed into my head and created the dream setting they found there:

A picnic complete with hand-packed box lunches,

vintage wicker baskets, 

and mason jar beverages

 (and even the desserts were in jam-sized mason jars)!

  The food was sooo tasty!

We scattered about the lawn in the dappled sunshine on quilts

while the country breeze cooled the setting...and made me long for the rural home of our dreams. 
The day was custom made for a picnic...see the kiddos soaking up that warmth?!

A BIG thank you goes out to two very special Dads who will be such a great example for my Eric as he joins the ranks of Fathers. 

Meanwhile on the other side of the lawn...

Games included a race to the clothesline to see who could dress their baby the fastest...
Poor Grandma took not one but two false-starts before it was actually her turn to go

(and I must say I've never seen Granny run so quickly-what a competitive spirit!)
The baby boy team won-YEAH!

(Really baby Thomas was the winner and gets to keep all the fun baby clothes that these two are modeling!)

Then it was off to picnic basket palooza with varied activities in each basket.

Some worked on this lovely ABC book for baby...with two educators in the group it took on a new life with a theme and rhyming...I can't wait to read the final results!

The Lehrman group assembled these colorful onesies for the baby

and Rose finished the edges with a secure zigzag later; let me tell you,

they turned out so cute that it's tough not to want to make more!

Then there were the Loundsies,

4-H champions in the giftwrap category made them more than qualified to put together a mommy survival kit for the hospital stay. 

Boy did they work their magic~I'm not so sure I want to even use the items they look so lovely all together in there!

The final picnic basket was full of diapers and instructions to leave messages for the new parents...

well the oneriest group received this task and boy did those future Grandmas, Aunt and Cousin have a good time with this one! 

Even baby's Great Grandma couldn't help but chuckle as she filled them out!

Did you read all the rhymes for each activity?!  If not, go back, look closely...well done Ruth and Rose!

We wrapped up the party by opening giftwrap!  We were so very blessed with gifts of all shapes and sizes and the day left me feeling like our little baby Thomas will not want for much.

The baby will be wrapped in  blankets of love, cuddled in kindness of friends, surrounded with hope and prayers of so many loved ones, just like we were this day. 

My heart still bursts with joy as I look back on all the loveliness that was this day...

and it does leave me wondering...What will this baby 'bee'?

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