Wow, how the time flies by...

So once again it's been what a month? Since I posted anything. In that time I've been so busy with different things I've not had time to do much posting. I'll start at the beginning...

J who's now 8months old has him 2 teeth with at least 2 more coming in and let me tell you he is one cranky teether! 

M has once again grown longer in the legs...I swear that girl is all leg...

S has been learning her alphabet and already knows A-F like a pro ;) M has been having troubles with mixing up letters...both girls know their numbers by sight and can count to 23 before they get mixed up...

Lil D is loving being a big brother in all ways possible, he can't wait for the day he gets to share his room with J and not just his toys.

We have 3 new additions to our family as well. 

There's Buzz the cat, he's a 14yr old grey, lovable boy. He came to live with us when his previous owner went into the nursing home. We also had his brother Smokey, but Smokey just couldn't handle the loud ruckus that is our home so we found him another home where he is MUCH happier!

We also have Sadie, she is a fullbred black lab, and 8yrs old. She's such a sweetie. She loves to play and is always looking out for the kids, the perfect dog for our family. She came to live with use from the humane society, she was originally living with my mom but my moms house is by no means set up for a large dog...so Sadie came to live with us. Sadie enjoys spending her days outside sunning on the back porch watching the kids play, or even running along with them. She enjoys sleeping on her bed in the middle of the living room floor at night. Her favorite treats are homemade...she is a truly spoiled girl but we love her all the same!

Nest up, is Tinkerbell, or Belle for short. Belle is a pit bull/lab mix, and just the sweetest little girl. She's 4 1/2months old. She came to live with us directly from the humane society. Her previous owner accidentally ran her over in his vehicle, they took her to the vet for care...and never came back for her...poor little girl :( due to being run over she isn't allowed to play much for 3months (1 1/2months to go) we let her play some but we closely monitor her to keep her safe. In 3months time she will be reevaluated and at the time we will see what further actions need to be done for her to get the best out of life. Belle enjoys laying on the couch and playing with her purple squeaky toy. Her favorite treats are homemade.

During the time I've not been posting, I've been doing quite a bit of sewing! Tomorrow I'll try to post about all the diapers I've made up for J!

Fawn Lily Dress and Tunic pattern!

Yes I know that once again it's been awhile since I posted anything...but today I need to tell about a new pattern...
I've been helping to test this AWESOME pattern for the past couple of weeks. I wasn't able to share pictures of what I made up using this pattern til today!

There is so many options in this pattern it's seriously just amazing.

This is a Cross-over yoke (top) made as an a-line dress with the cute pocket addition! 

This is a Button yoke made as an A-line tunic with the cute pocket!

This was the first one I sewed up. This picture was taken before I ironed it as I finished it at close to 2AM. 

It really doesn't take that long to sew up though. I just waited to sew til my kids were all asleep due to this being a tester pattern.

You can do cross-over or button yoke for the top. Then you can pick if you want to do gathered skirt, a-line skirt, or a pleated skirt for the bottom. And last but most certainly not least you can pick if you want the cute pocket (my girls call it the flower pocket) or an in-seam pocket.

I know I for one will be making many, many more of these dresses/tunics! I actually have some more cut out waiting to be sewn up! My girls seriously love this pattern, they keep asking for new dresses made from it!

Look for it on April 22nd! This awesome pattern will be part of the Wanderlust Collection by Willow and Co!

Time Flies...

Life has been interesting to say the least...
It's been busy also...
Very little sewing has gotten done that I can share right now...been doing some testing of dress patterns! LOVE the pattern! When I can swipe the laptop I'll be able to upload some pictures of the other sewing I've gotten done. Most of my days have been spent driving various people around...and I don't mean random people lol. One day it was the boys to a doctor appt. next was mom to a doctor appt. then there was the 4hr wait for daddy and beccas appt. so I've been busy lately.
Hoping things will calm down some now! I need to get the kids' spring/summer wardrobe done! The girls got so far 4 dresses each...wanting to make up 10 for each at least the work on the boys' outfits! Need to work on some new covers for J also but there I'm waiting on the buttonhole elastic I ordered to arrive! Waiting on the microfiber towels for new inserts too!
Planning to be busy sewing the next couple days! Or at least hoping to!

A Busy Day For Me...

My sewing machine had stopped working...but when S broke her arm and requested a polka dots arm sling I had to take the time to get it back up and running...after taking it apart and cleaning it out I got it to work again! YAY!
I don't have a picture of the arm sling but it's polka dots on the outside with monkeys on the inside and the strap is monkeys...
but what followed after getting the machine working again is:
For J: Knit interlock shirts

3 aren't pictured...

For S:

Fleece Pajama pants

Her birthday present! Quilted ears to make them stand up - polka dots is jersey knit black is knit interlock...I can't want to see her face. Can't believe she's going to be 4 already! it's missing the gloves still but I got a couple wks left to get those done...I've been working on this after S goes to bed for the night...

5T Knit Interlock shirts:

S calls this a "Dancing Dress":

I made a pink one like this...and then 2 others that are slightly different that aren't pictured...

for Mom: 

it's knit interlock top - with who knows what for the bottom lol Mom found the material and wanted a night gown made out of it...so here it is...she says it fits perfectly!

Left to do (that's cut out): 9 more shirts for J and 2 pairs of pants for S...not cut out is pants for J and Baby D...plus some Dress up themed dresses for S to play with

yes I've been busy...it's great to see my kids wearing Mommy made clothing though! <3

Random Thoughts...

I've been thinking on random things lately and how interesting things have turned out...
Like my kids birth dates - no 2 have the same month or even day...no this was not planned by me or DH it just turned out that way as it was in God's plans... 8/5; 2/17; 9/18; and 11/7 are the months/days for the kids...interesting huh? I think so...
other random thoughts: S needs her pants extended as most of them I sewed up she didn't even get to wear before they were too short - and I sewed them up 2inches too long! they're now 3 inches too short! I expected a growth spurt but dang! not to that extent! so I've been thinking on how to do a ruffle to the bottom to extend them as they still fit other then length...
I gotta sew some pants for Baby D also...and J needs shirts...
Plus I should get sewing on S, Baby D, and J's Spring wardrobe as I know I won't have much sewing time so I should work on it as I can...planning for S to have dresses and more dresses for her spring/summer wardrobe...she sure does love her dresses too...Baby D and J will have tshirts/tank tops and shorts for theirs...
I also want to get my Felt pattern book back from my Mom so I can work on some Felt food and other things for the kids' play...
I also want to make some quiet-time books for the van for all kids...and 1 of those travel dollhouses for the girls...
I also need to work on finish organizing the house...and finish unpacking things...lol it had been put on hold with a newborn who's now a month old (where does the time go?!)

and now that Baby D is FINALLY asleep (it's after midnight here...) it's time for this Mommy to try to ease her mind that's running wild on what I can sew with what I have currently material wise...and get me some sleep!

A Much Needed Update...

So I thought I should update...lol...this is jus a summary of important things that have happened in the past couple months...
Last thing I posted (before Josiah's birth story) was about the shed...and finding the serger...
well shed is finshed has been for a couple months now...mom's stuff has left the house completely and is all in the shed - which lost a door to wind a couple wks ago so is now held shut for the winter with boards...the door needs to be fixed better to work properly but for right now it's protecting what's inside and that's what matters...
we've been living in the farm house since October 4th...it's great to have space to spread out and things I can organize MY way...the kids are loving the playroom that is finally sorted out completely...lots of toys left here some going to my brothers and some to my Daddy's but some also went "gone for good" as they were broken or the kids never showed interest in them...so why keep them around? we donated them...
Josiah was born in Nov...that was a long ordeal that I already wrote about...
Thanksgiving was fun! it was great to spend time with family without the drama that had been going on...
I did find the serger! it works great! I've put it to good use since I've found it too...sewing up pants for S (20 pairs) some shirts for Baby D (15) some shirts for J (15) and pants (15 pairs)
I've been sewing up some small fleece covers for J now...don't use the serger for those yet as I need more practice before I go trying to do elastic on a serger...when I'm done J will have 15 fleece diaper covers and 5 PUL wipe-clean covers...plus inserts for them...
things I still need to get sewn up: bigger shirts for J he's outgrowing the 3month shirts I sewed up for him already...S needs some longer pants as the 5T pants I sewed up are now 2inches too short...she hit a growth spurt lol...I also need to work on some pants for Baby D as I'm expecting him to outgrow what he has very soon...
still need to finish organizing the house...1 closet in my room still is piled full of boxes to be unpacked...I'd also like to make up some curtains for the house...blankets help to keep the cold out but don't look as nice...
life has settled into a routine, everyone is de-stressing from the months of waiting...Christmas is jus around the corner and I can't wait!

Josiah Edmund's Birth Story

this birth story starts nearly 2wks before the actual birth...but really the story goes back much further then that even...I'll start from the beginning...

Back in March I skipped my AF but didn't pay much attention as so much stress was happening with the house my Mom was in plus other things...so I thought it was stress related honestly...April/May I started having morning sickness that I thought was from stress/nerves also so ignored it all...finally around June I felt what was an "odd feeling" I could not place...it got stronger I thought "omgosh! I'm pregnant!" but still in my mind I didn't believe it was possible with everything going on all the stress/nerves with the house and all...I went to the doctor who confirmed I was pregnant but still I didn't believe it...finally on August 1st (26wks) I had an ultrasound...I seen baby and that's when I started to believe it was actually true we were having another baby...I was kinda worried with everything going on then what was going to happen but I knew it was meant to be...
my EDD was changed...moved forward by 2wks due to ME measuring bigger and baby being bigger by nearly 3wks on ultrasound...now starts the beginning of the end...

October 22 was my "due date"...but I didn't think I'd have baby on that day as I've always gone 5days over with my kids...October 26th I felt contractions...that got to 4mins apart and painful but it was all in the front not in the back like I felt before...we went to the hospital...monitors hooked up to check me...I was 2CM dilated (by contraction pain I felt I was MUCH more though) baby was high...I was monitored for 8hrs while contractions continued 4-6mins apart...I stayed at 2cms dilated and baby came down from -3 to -2...I was told I could go home as it'd be awhile yet and I was to relax as best I could...so home we went...contractions stopped totally for a bit...
October 29th I had a non-stress/movement test done on baby to check placenta and all as I was 1wk over now...on monitor I had 2 contractions in 10mins...but I didn't really feel them at all...
October 30th painful/close contractions started again...I called the nurse on call (OB Charge nurse too) she said come in for monitoring and checking to see what's going on...so we did...2cms dilated still contractions 4-6mins apart on monitor for 2hrs...we walked, I did the birthing ball, I did the birthing stool, we rocked, the list is endless...doctor checked me after another 2hrs - 2cms baby's at a -3 again...we got sent home again (it was a fill in doctor my doctor was due to arrive back the next day from a conference)
contractions continued but tampered off in pain/timing...
Nov 1st I felt strong/painful/close contractions again...my doctor was back and said to come in for a check and monitoring...check I was 2cms baby wasn't even findable...doctor said we'd talk induction on the 4th when I came to see him and he'd be checking me...it was a relief to hear I'd be over with this all soonish...or so I thought...
we seen doctor on the 4th I was scheduled to come in at 7AM the next day (the 5th) and I was given cytodec as a cervix softner in hopes that's all I'd need to get my body going better with what it was already trying to do...3 cytodec later I was a 4cms with a "non-exsistent birth canal" it confused the doctor...he couldn't feel my birth canal at all...or baby...he called up an OB/GYN for a consult as it was all new to him...the OB/GYN asked him somethings and said start pitocin in the morning and see what happens...
pitocin was started on Nov 6th...I'd get 2min apart contractions then I'd need to pee and contractions would stop almost completely...I got topped out on protocall for pitocin here and it was doing nothing at all pretty much...my doctor was stumped...called up the OB/GYN again and talked to him...
doctor came and talked to me...he didn't know what was going on I had him, the OB/GYN, and 1 other doctor all stumped...he was going to leave me on the pitocin overnight to see if it did anything...I had the urge to push in there once but I was only 4cms dilated when not contracting and baby was at a -2/-1 the whole time...he watched me during a contraction and I did open up more but then it's like it closed back up and baby went back up...I was told to sit on the toilet for a bit, try the birthing ball, and walk...so we did...no change...
November 7th doctor came in, checked me (4cms Baby at -2) he said he doesn't have a clue what to do...I had been in labor for 12days with it being augmented for 46hrs at the time...csection was planned...another doctor called in to do it (my doctor assisted)...a nurse that I've formed quite a bond with during this whole thing sat in by me as DH couldn't bring himself to be there to watch...even though he'd not see a thing due to the curtain...
csection started at 8AM with me getting a spinal...the doctors/nurses prayed (part of why I love this hospital) with me...and things started...8:13AM baby arrived...took a min but I heard his scream...I couldn't see him so I cried a little he was a cutie I was told...I jus wanted to SEE my baby...they held him up after a few mins of cleaning him up/out and he was a cutie...
Daddy met baby in the hallway as they called a "Dr Red to the break room" over the intercom...my doctor said "a fire in the break room!?" I thought "no bring my baby back!" as they have to pass the break room to get to the nursery...shortly after "cancel dr red" I took a deep breath...all was ok...
I was finished being stitched up and taken to the recovery room...I was there about an hr then taken to my room...where my hungry son was waiting on me  he's a little sleepy from the narcotic they used to boost the spinal plus all he's been through the past couple wks...but he's a calm laid baby little boy who does NOT look no 10+lbs at all but almost holds his head up already so can tell where his weight is lol
csection is a new thing to me but I'm not doing so bad...a little burning more then pain so doing good...

8:13AM 11/7/13
weight: 10lbs 4.7ozs
Length: 20inches
Head: 14.5inches