Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Gotta love the devo face

"i look pretty mummy"

I've just been sitting on the couch wishing i could take a mental health day and enjoying 10 mins of quiet while jet was playing in his room. Then i hear "i look pretty mummy" and out comes jet covered in texter! Huff!!!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Free Online Training Pants Patterns & Tutorials

Free Patterns:
* Wee Weka Knickers
* Wee Weka Side Snap Training Pants (this is actually for a side snapped nappy but can be modified for training pants) S/M Size - M/L Size
* Ditto Daddy - Trainer Pattern 1
* Ditto Daddy - Trainer Pattern 2
* Easter Bunz Trainer Pattern
* Goodness Gracious Pocket Training Pants (Front Piece / Back Piece)
* There used to be another one HERE but it seems to have gone, still stuck the link in in case it comes back.
* Wool-in-two Training Pants

Tutorials Only:
* Mama or Minx
* Chloe Toes - Pocket style training pants

Paid Patterns:
* Ditto Daddy - lots of different styles to purchase
* Stellar Transitions
* Darling Diapers - Potty Dance Pants
* Fern & Faries T-shirt Trainers Pattern (uses old t-shirts!)
* New Conceptions Training Pants
* Bumbles Training Pants

if you know of any more please let me know & ill add them to the list :)

My first cable project!!!

I just made my first cabled project!!! Its a Nakiska headband. It was great fun!

here's some pics:

I cant wait to try some more challenging cables now, maybe ill brave the owl baby vest pattern next - Ive had my eye on it for a while but wasn't brave enough!

Friday, July 10, 2009

Jets First (full) Day of Preschool

A few weeks ago we decided to start jet in Pre-school one day a week, mainly to increase his social time with other kids. He plays really well by himself or with older children but not so well with kids his age...when i say not so well i mean i spend the ENTIRE time breaking up fights that he started, just usual toddler behaviour: refuses to share anything, hitting, pushing, grabbing etc but very frustrating for me ;)

So anyway, last week was the first time i left him there by himself (the week before we attempted it but we got there & he threw up all over the car park - rocky bought home a spew bug from work!) we had been in to visit a few times together before that. He only lasted till nap time then absolutely cracked it!!! so i had to pick him up early, but this week he did really well. he was a bit upset when i left & when i picked him up but he is in a fantastic mood tonight & is talking about all the things he did there so he must have had a good time, he said he wants to go back too which is good! One of the loverly ladies there made him a poster of his day with pictures of things he did (mainly just to prove to me that he was happy at some stage i think!):

& heres a painting he did me, he did rocky one too:

Ive just spent the whole arvo on line looking for iron-on labels to do all his clothes so we dont loose them all, this is the cheapest place i could find:

& if you google their name with "promotional code" youll find a bunch of places that can give you a code for a discount :) it only ended up costing me about $13 for 60 iron on labels - free postage too!!!

we are also starting to toilet train jet (not good timing doing them both together i know!) so thats fun! He is actually doing really well at it though which is great, he has known what to do on the potty for ages but just wouldnt do it & he just looks way to big to be in nappy's now (plus his poos are sooooo messy to clean up by the time he lets you change his nappy) so i cracked it & told him there were no more nappy's when we were at home during the day. we are still using them at night & when we are out at the moment - not sure what to do about that??? any tips?

Sunday, May 31, 2009

THANK YOU!!!

I just wanted to say a long overdue thank you to two loverly ladies.

First off, April - thank you soooooo much for the beautiful star blanket you knitted Bae!!! we LOVE it, its fantastic to use in his hammock over him at night because its round it tucks right into the pillow, the perfect shape, & its nice & warm too! it must have taken you hours & hours & hours to make & we really appreciate all the love & care that went into it!

April made this blanket for Bae when she found out i was pregnant as part of a pay it forward thing, which no one ever responded to on my blog (there are two comments there but they are from people that loved the idea but didn't want to take part) - so if you want to then the post is here, i will warn you though you wont be getting anything as spectacular as the blanket April knitted me, i just don't have the patience for blankets!!!
Secondly i want to thank Hayley. Hayley very kindly gave me a whole stack of newborn cloth nappies which have made our cloth journey soooooo much easier than with jet (we just used terrys for him in the newborn stage). lots of them are her creations & they are just fantastic! he's wearing one in the pic below, if i was smart i would have taken a pic of all of them before he was born (but I'm not!), now most of them are either waiting to be washed, being warn or waiting to be put back together so i didn't have many to take a group pic of (slack arse i know!).
so..... A HUGE THANK YOU TO HAYLEY & APRIL!!!!
sorry its taken me so long!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Bae's Birth Story

Bae Theo Wolters

Birth Details
Born on the 18/5/09 at 11.10am Gosford Hospital.
Weight: 3.6 kilos/8.15 pounds
Length: 51cm
Head Circumference: 35.5cm

Why we chose his name
Bae – a Korean name meaning inspiration (Pronounced like Bay)
Theo – One of Rocky's (many many) uncles, who he stayed with in Holland when he was 19. He means a great deal to Rocky & shares Bae’s birthday so it seemed fitting to use his name as Bae’s middle name.

Birth Story
On Saturday the 16th I had a bit of a show at around 3pm, followed by some light contractions through the night (most of which I slept through). Once I got up in the morning they subsided & I only had a couple of very light contractions throughout the day. That didn’t stop Rocky from cleaning the whole house & running around with a huge smile on his face in anticipation of the big event.

I had another show Sunday afternoon & then more contractions Sunday night. They were a bit stronger, about 1 every hour or so but I still managed to get allot of sleep. I got up at about 6.30am on Monday & had a shower, the contractions quickly started to come quite regularly & grew more intense. I called our wonderful midwife (& family friend) Bernadette at around 7.20am, not really sure if I was in labour since the contractions felt different to the ones I experienced with Jet.

We left for the hospital at about 8.10am, luckily for me my contractions died down in the car, I think I only got 3 in the 30 minute trip! We arrived at the hospital at about 8:40am. I was a bit concerned that I wasn’t in labour because the contractions had subsided in the car (even though they started up again once it got out), but at about 9am Bernadette checked me out & said I was already 7cm dilated.

I spent the next hour or two going in between the shower & the bath, then settled into the bath & moved into the last phase of labour. I think I only had about 10 big contractions & then out he came (over about 15 or 20 mins). His head came out in one contraction & he was posterior so we could see his little face all scrunched up in the water, then he giggled himself around & with daddy’s help managed to wiggle his shoulders out with my next contraction & that was it – he was out! He cried straight away & fed within about 10 mins of the birth. Rocky was very excited that he got to deliver him & cut his umbilical cord.

I settled down onto the bed with our new little son while we decided on a name (after consulting his astrology chart!) & called the grandparents to congratulate them on the arrival of their second grandson! My mum was looking after Jet (who desperately wanted to come with us when we left) & as soon as soon as he heard we were on the phone he started pulling grandma towards the car. Mum bought him all the way to Gosford to come & meet his new little brother, only to have him fall asleep in the car from all the excitement, so she turned around & took him home again.

4 & 1/2 hours after the birth we were discharged & came home to all the grandparents & Jet who proceeded to point out that Bae had two eyes & ears & then settled down to hold him on the couch for the next 20 mins.

The birth was completely natural, no gas or other drugs used. I had no tearing, only a few tiny grazes which haven’t given me any trouble at all. Funnily enough the thing I’ve found most painful after the birth is my sternum, it made a popping or cracking sound at some point in the last stage of labour & now all the muscles in my chest feel very fatigued & sore!





Monday, May 18, 2009

Introducing...

Bae Theo Wolters born 11.10am today. Beautiful natural water birth :)

Sunday, May 17, 2009

40 Weeks Today!

I thought today might be the day, i had a show yesterday at about 3pm & had sporadic contractions through the night then when i got up in the morning they stopped! Ive had more of a show today & maybe a few light contractions here & there but nothing solid yet. Maybe bub is just trying to hold out to be a Gemini! If he comes any time after 7.40am on the 21st he will be so only a few days to wait....or maybe he is just indecisive like his mummy & cant decide if he wants to come out or stay in.

Anyway, I'm just resting up & trying to get as much sleep as i can so i have some energy for the birth. I'm actually looking forward to it - i had a great birth with jet (although if you asked me at the time i would have told you it was bloody awful & i never wanted to do it again). With him i was one week overdue, i had a show in the middle of the night then got contractions through the day but i didn't know that was what they were, they were only like light period pain. Then when we were eating dinner they started to get stronger. I think we went into the hospital at about 10 or 11 & he had a water birth at 5:50am. i would say there was only about 3 hours of pain, no tearing, i used a bit of gas but no epidural or anything else (i did crack a tooth on the gas mouth piece though - oops!). So they say you can halve your labour second time round - if that's the case this time should be a breeze!

ill sms a pic of bub & the birth details here once he is born - hopefully not to long away :)

Friday, May 15, 2009

More Longies!

A friend from the ABA (Australian Breastfeeding Association) had her 5th bub at the beginning of april & she is a fellow cloth nappy user so i decided to make her some longies for her bub (these are the little turtle knits picky pants ones.

I made the small & the medium size, theres quite a difference between them! Hopefully the small will fit her now & for another couple of months, the medium might even fit her next year?

Heres some pics:

Ive ordered the Ladybug Loops pattern because im not keen on how chubby the legs are with this one, but i havent got it yet. When i do though im sure there will be even more pics of longies on this site!!!

Saturday, May 09, 2009

Crochet Felted Nursing Breast Pads

I found a pattern for felted breast pads on Ravelry & since ive managed to crochet one thing i figured id give these a go. Somehow i ended up with more stitches than the pattern said i should but hey, they look ok! Ive felted them up & they look like their the perfect size - just got to lanolise them now, then wait for bub to arrive & my milk to come in!

Heres some pics, this is both felted & unfelted:


& these are ones after felting:

& before felting:
Sorry, no action shots this time ;)

Thursday, May 07, 2009

My First Crochet Project :)

Ive been wanting to learn to crochet for a while but havent been able to work out how to do it! Anytime i picked a pattern to try i just couldnt get my head around it, so i asked the wonderful ladies on nappycino for a suggestion & Claire reccomended the Brrr Baby Beanie, so i gave it a go & i did it!!! :D

Heres some happy snaps:Its a bit big for Jets baby:

Im so happy ive finally made something! Now all i have to do is figure out what should i do next? ;)

Saturday, May 02, 2009

Wooly Outfit for Bub #2

Ive been knitting so i thought id share!

I knitted a pair of picky pants for bub #2 & thought id make a jacket to go along with it. I did size 0-3 months for both patterns.

Here's the jacket, i used snaps instead of a button, i don't think its meant to fold over quite that much but i figured it would keep him warmer. This isn't my favorite jacket pattern, the bottom sits a bit funny but hopefully it looks ok on bub!


& here's the pants, i just love the picky pants pattern! i did the ribbed waist with an i-cord tie & ribbed cuffs at the bottom. Jet actually has a matching pair (same wool but i used the little turtle knits longies pattern which is skinnier in the legs), i don't think Ive ever blogged about them though!:

Teddy likes it but its a bit big for him!


& a little small for mr frog (plus its not really his colour!!!):

& one last pic:

Not long to go till bub gets here now - I'm 38 weeks tomorrow! We still haven't got any idea about names, we have a list of about 50 but I'm just not really that into any of them, guess we will just have to wait & meet him!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Setting up mobile blogging!

Im just setting up my mobile so i can sms a notification when bub is born. Not long to go now - less than 4 weeks till my due date :)

Friday, April 10, 2009

White Chocolate Chip & Banana Muffins - Yummo!!!

I was just reading a post on Tracy's blog about some yummy muffins she made...& i couldn't help myself, i just had to make some too, they just looked to delicious (i am 7.5 months pregnant after all - i can blame cravings cant i?)! Here's her recipe if you want to make some too (go on, you know you want to!)

Monday, April 06, 2009

Dream Parenting

I just wanted to share a link to a site i found that offers a kinder more gentler approach to getting your child to sleep through - its called Dream Parenting so check it out if your having issues!!!

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Ring Sling for a Friend

We headed down to Sydney for a few days last week & i was going to visit a friend i only see a couple of times a year who has just (well...3 months ago) had a new bub. Last time we were chatting on the phone she was wishing she had a few different slings so i thought id make her one.

I picked up more material from Campbells Cash n Carry (im growing to love that shop!) for $2 per metre, im not exactly sure what it is but its a nice olive colour (not my colour at all but i knew she liked it). I used the sling rings i bought ages ago (cant remember where) that are a bit thick & heavy & they are a bit smaller than the ones i used on my sling. Its a bit hard to pull the material through them, im not sure if it will loosen up with washing? it does the job though, so hopefully she liked it! I used the instructions on Sleeping Baby again. Heres some pics:


I also knitted her bub a caterpillar. I stuck a cat toy with a bell in it in the head so it rattles & i knitted it out of that fairy floss stuff you can get a lincraft so its nice & soft & fluffy! sorry the pics are a bit blurry, i snapped them on my phone last minute before we left!

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

I made a Hot Mama Nappy Bag!!!

I am so very proud of me right now!!! Ive spent the last two days neglecting the house work & while ants have run rampant ive managed to actually sew a nappy bag! Its a Hot Mama Messenger Style Diaper Bag by Wired up Designs - i bought the pattern over a year ago & just never got round to attempting it, but i have a whole room to do sewing in now which makes it easier to make stuff cause i can just walk out & shut the door on all the mess when i dont have time to do any more!

I thought it would be way to hard but i just took it one step at a time & eventually i got there! Its out of the same material as the ring sling i made (which only cost me $2 per metre from Campbell's Cash n Carry!!!), it probably isnt a sturdy enough material for a nappy bag really but hey - it matches my ring sling! Heres a couple of pics -



I actually lined it with some white PUL i have lying around (i bought a couple of metres of the stuff in a co-op a year or so ago), you probably arent meant to use a material like that to line it but i figured it would make it water proof, so i did it anyway.

Heres the inside of the bag. Theres 4 largish pockets for nappies, wipes etc, a mobile phone holder, a little key holder that you can snap over your keys, a change pad (which i made too) with a little loop to keep it in place & a wallet pocket (which my wallet is far to fat to fit into):


Theres also two of these drink bottle holders on the outside (one on each side):


& the shoulder strap has padding in it & everything!

Heres the change pad i made to go with it, your meant to use the same fabric to back it (so it would have been purple on the back) but i wanted to keep my fabric so i just used PUL - makes it water proof anyway! Its topped with maiden mills fleece & has wadding on the inside so its nice & soft & cushy!


Notice that there are absolutely no close ups of any of my sewing...thats because its pretty freakin dodgy in lots of places...but i dont care! im just so glad that i actually managed to complete it! & it only took me two days which is pretty good for someone with my complete lack of sewing experience i think.

So what should i try & sew next??? i picked up some more cheap material today so ill have to find a new project for it :)

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Trip to the Second Hand Baby Markets

We went to the second hand baby markets this morning & picked up some bargains (as always!). Excuse the picture quality, im having trouble locating the camera so these were taken on my mobile.

I got this big cardboard book for 50 cents:


A stack of clothes for varying prices:

A sheepskin cot liner (its folded in half here) for $7. Im planing on using this one for over the pillow on my happy hangup (the baby hammock) because regular sheepskins are a bit hard to fold over it:

A sheepskin car seat liner (i dont think this one was ever even used) for $10:

A toddler seat for our pram for $20 (normally $100!):


A pram & baby for jet $6:

Mum bought jet this scooter for $15 - not sure if thats cheap or not?


Some maternity clothes for $6, the skirt is a bit big, might have to stick some elastic in it:


A(nother) nappy bag (well, its a nice one!) for $5:


Think thats it! I love going to the baby markets, you can pick up such great stuff at really cheap prices. Its especially good for clothes although you mainly find newborn to size 2 there, you cant get much for the bigger kids which is a shame.