Doll Making = A Success

A friend of mine introduced me to a site called Child's Own Studio, where a talented lady makes custom plush dolls to match children's drawings. I was blown away the first time I saw the dolls. How incredible would it be to have a actual plush doll of something you imagined and drew as a child! But the lady has waiting lists miles long. She is no longer taking orders for this year. In fact, I don't know who gets these dolls she makes because I've never actually seen her take any orders... Regardless, in looking through the photos of her creations, I got the crazy idea that maybe I could do this. I've dabbled in enough sewing I could maybe try this out. How hard could it be? Kids don't draw perfectly symmetrical things, which works for me since I hardly sew in a straight line...

Although Sofia's drawing is getting better every day, she's not quite at the draw from imagination stage yet. Most of her drawings are still abstract scribbles. Well that or she really likes Jackson Pollock's work...

Well I do have to give her a little more credit. She can draw a great smiley face...

So for this experiment, I enlisted the help of my niece, Mia, who is a few years older than Sofia. I asked my brother to send me a photo of one of Mia's favorite drawings. I didn't tell him why I needed it though. He said Mia loved drawing pictures of herself and her family so he sent me this beautiful self-portrait. 

I went to the store and bought fabric I thought best matched Mia's drawing. And then the fabric sat in my closet for about five months while I waited to "find the time" to sit down and work on the doll. Luckily that time finally came on Saturday night when I mistakenly thought it would be a good idea to drink a cup of coffee after 6 pm and therefore could not sleep when bed time rolled around. Kids asleep, husband at work, I guess I'll sew... 

Don't ask me how I did this. I really have no clue. My original intent was to print out the picture and use it as a pattern of sorts, but that didn't really happen. I just did everything free hand trying to stick to scale as much as possible. Some four hours later, this is what I came up with. 

Hey! Not too shabby! Actually... this is pretty awesome! I'm so impressed with myself. Don't look too closely. It is by no means perfect. I should have used something other than felt for her hair because it picks up the fuzz from the dress. And the dress isn't fully lined because I ran out of fabric after I made a mistake sewing the first dress. And one sleeve wasn't quite large enough so it's a little too tight and doesn't puff up the way the other sleeve does. And I didn't really think about how I was going to get the dress on the doll after I started sewing it together so I had to sew her into it a la runway model at Fashion Week. But for my very first time making a plush doll, I think this turned out quite well. 

The doll is now lovingly wrapped up in tissue paper and on it's way to my niece thanks to the postal service. I hope she likes it. I can't wait to see what Sofia and the boys' imaginations will come up with. 

10 months old!

Yesterday was Thomas and Jacob's 10 month birthday. I can't believe 10 months has already passed. And yet, it seems like an eternity ago that I was pregnant. Only two more months to go before my boys hit the one year mark. Where has the time gone? Time to start party planning! Pinterest here we come :)

Thomas - you cut your first two teeth this past month and it's like we have a whole new baby! So happy all the time. You are our sweet chubby wubby tipping the scales at over 20 pounds. So much lovable squishy baby. You can crush a can of those baby puffs like no one's business. While your brother is crawling around everywhere, you are content to just hang out, sitting in your play pen or lying in the crib. But your favorite place to be is still in someone's arms.

Jacob - you are our little mover and shaker. Once you learned to crawl there was no stopping you. The best thing about you, from a long list of wonderful things, is that gorgeous smile. You, fine sir, can light up a room with that gummy toothless ear to ear grin. And eyes as black as the night. You are still a petite little thing, maybe 16 pounds, and although we are still dealing with some reflux, you are a healthy little guy. I think you are always going to be on the petite side. Only baby I know with a six pack. To think about how teeny tiny you were just 10 months ago... You amaze me kid. You remind me a lot of your sister. Not so much how Sofia was as a baby, but more like what she's like now. A pistol. The two of you can sit in your play pen and play for hours together.

I won't lie. Having both of you is such hard work. But you are both such wonderful babies, it makes up for all the craziness you brought into our household.

Parenting Woes Post Preschool Signups

Sofia is now signed up for preschool. Can't believe that happened! Is she really getting old enough for school? I mean, I know she's been asking about going for forever. Even though she has no real concept of time, (everything that doesn't happen today happens tomorrow) she knows she doesn't go to school until she turns four. I can just imagine it now. The day after her birthday, she's going to ask to go to school. "But I'm FOUR!!!" Bless her heart.

I'm sure she'll do great, but this is definitely one of those things that, as a parent, give me heartburn. Did we chose the right school? Is she actually going to learn something or is this a waste of time and money? We put her in the three day a week class which is really for socialization which honestly she doesn't need help with. But the 5 day a week class is so expensive and not as easy to work into the schedule. Did we make the right choice? Dear God I hope she's not going to be a bully!

So far it's been pretty easy raising Sofia. All in all she's a good kid. Does she give me attitude? Sure, on a daily basis. Is she challenging at times? Of course, what kid isn't. Being Sofia's parent has not been rocket science. Keep her happy and healthy and try to stay patient as she learns about the world around her. But I have a feeling those care free days of parenting are soon coming to a close. Now I actually have to worry about what kind of person she is going to become. Not only do I have to teach her how to be a good person, I have to teach her how to deal with people that may not be good people. People who may not have parents as involved as we are. People who need a little help with knowing empathy and sympathy and good decision-making. And this is just preschool that she's starting. Reading the newspaper and seeing what high school culture is like now, I can't even begin to imagine how much it will change by the time Sofia gets there 10 years from now. We are talking totally different ball game than what I went through. I didn't have to deal with cyber bullying. Or worrying that something I send to a friend could go viral on the internet. When a friend said they'd die of embarrassment, I wasn't worried that they really meant it. I wasn't worried that a teacher might molest me. Or that someone might take advantage of me if I passed out drunk at a party.

Maybe I should stop reading the newspaper.

So why did I sign up for this parenting business again?

Oh yeah, because it's amazing. Because seeing my kids grow through their accomplishments is like no other feeling in the world. Because what good would life be without some challenges along the way. Because if you are doing it right, it's the scariest thing in the world, but it's also the most fulfilling.  It gives me a very good reason to be a good person. And because it's awesome to be loved by someone unconditionally simply because I exist. So to Sofia (and Thomas and Jacob for that matter) I hope you realize I'm doing the best that I can, that I love you a lot, and that if this preschool business sucks, I'm not too worried because I'm sure you won't remember it anyway.

The One About the Crazy Morning

So many times I hear people tell me, "I don't know how you do it!" Especially when I'm out running errands with all the kids. All in all, I take it one day at a time. But really, I feel like anyone could do this. You just deal. Sometimes are easier than others. Even so, there are many times of controlled chaos. Like this past Wednesday morning.

I had the most hilarious morning trying to get out of the house. And by hilarious, I mean in that tragic sitcom so-many-things-are-going-wrong kind of way. Keeping in mind I had to be at work at 7:30, here's a breakdown of my morning. Imagine "Flight of the Bumblebee" playing in the background the entire time.

6:00 - Wake up and realize Adam is not sleeping next to me. He usually gets home around 3:00 in the morning. Did he stay up? Listen for noise coming from the other room. No lights on, no TV on - just silence.
6:01 - Text Adam. "Are you still at work?"
    "Yes."
    "Will you be home in an hour?"
    "No."
Oops.
6:05 - Call really REALLY good friend, Jennifer. (I didn't worry about waking her, she's a very early riser) Please tell me she is able to watch the kids. "Of course I can watch them." Phew.
6:07 - Prioritize what I need to get done before leaving the house. Do I have time to take a shower? Probably not.
6:10 - Get diaper bag stocked and ready to bring to Jenn's house. The boys will just have to go in their pajamas. Fill the bottles, pack clothes, grab diapers... wait, is that the garbage truck outside???
6:17 - Run outside in my PJs after hearing the garbage truck and realize I forgot to put the cans by the curb last night. Did they already come by? Run to neighbor's can and see if his is still full. Put trash on curb. Phew.
6:19 - Re-prioritize what I need to get done to leave the house. Diaper bag, done. Wake Sofia now? No I should wait a bit more. Am I sure I don't have time for a shower? I'm pretty sure I can squeeze in a shower.
6:20 - Take world's fastest shower. A nice warm shower in the morning is just not the same when you have to take it in negative 7 minutes.
6:29 - Get dressed, brush teeth, brush hair. Do I have time to put makeup on? No.
6:35 - Break down the Pack N Play to bring with us. Organize everything by the front door. Did I get everything? Realize once I wake the boys up, they will start fussing. Make bottles to give them in their car seats so they'll stay quiet. There is nothing I hate more than crying babies when I'm already pushed for time and stressed out.
6:38 - Decide I better load up the car now so all I have to worry about is getting the kids in the car once I wake them all up. Take ginormous double stroller out of the trunk of the car. Throw in diaper bag and Pack N Play.
6:40 - Wake Sofia up. "Peanut, wake up. We gotta go. You're going to Jenn's house today. We don't have much time"
6:41 - It's a miracle. She actually wakes up! Get Sofia dressed.
6:46 - Does Sofia have time to brush her teeth? No. Grab toothbrush and toothpaste to bring with her.
6:47 - Wake up beautiful peaceful sleeping twin boys. Put them in their car seats. Give them bottles.
6:51 -  Lock up the house and hit the road. Oh my gosh, I am actually not that far behind. Never mind the fact that I work half an hour from home which leaves about 9 minutes for a kid drop-off at Jenn's house.
7:05 - Get to Jenn's house. Jenn helps me unload all the children and the Pack N Play and the diaper bag. Give her a quick run down of what's in the bag, when the boys were last fed, apologize for not brushing Sofia's teeth yet and Adam will pick the kids up but I have no idea when.
7:12 - Jump in the car and drive to work.
7:32 - Get to work and clock in - albeit 2 minutes late. Not too damn shabby.

And that, folks, is how I get things done.