Random Craft Post #2

"Bunny needs clothes so he won't get cold outside in the winter when we go out to make Frosty."

Who can say no to that? Not me. Plus, I had my sewing machine sitting out on the table and wanted to make something during nap time.

What you'll need:
Sewing machine
Thread
A half yard of cotton quilting fabric (no stretch) - I used the fabric from an old skirt I found at the thrift store and another little piece of scrap fabric I had in my sewing box
Velcro
Elastic

What I did:
This isn't so much a tutorial, but a brief explanation and pep talk. You can make doll clothes! If I can make doll (or bunny) clothes, then you can too! Honestly, I have never made doll clothes. I just recently  made my first shirt for Em and onesie for Declan...with lots of errors. They can still be worn and I can easily hide those errors though and I'm fine with that. Like I've said, I really am not a perfectionist in this area. I don't put high expectations on what I create so I have fun regardless.

I pretty much just looked at one of the kids' shirts, cut out pieces from my fabrics according to what I thought would work and started sewing. I made lots of mistakes but got this done while the kids napped. It turned out fairly decent...unless you're a sewing expert or have better eyesight than me. :)

Tips when making doll clothes:
-Add velcro for closures so your little guy/gal can easily take the clothes off and on.
-But...depending on the age of your child you can add other things like buttons, ribbons, etc to help them learn new skills
-Make the clothes a little bigger than you would think so they come off and on easily
-It's all about trial and error
-Have fun!

The great thing about doll clothes is that they don't have to be perfect at all. Not at all. They're great to experiment with, be creative with, practice for making real clothes, and your little one will love them no matter what. Em didn't inspect these or notice the inside-out sleeves (oops), or the arm holes that are different sizes, or the pant waist that is very goofy looking.

Em loved these and immediately asked if I'd make bunny a hat to go with it. :)
If I can do it, so can you!

Declan at Five Months

Wow, this is so late! I took the pictures but haven't gotten around to posting this so now Declan is 5 1/2 months! Oops.

Well our little man has gone through quite a few changes this past month.

Daddy's buddy

Declan weighs about 20 pounds now. It won't be long before he passes his big sister up at this rate!

Little cutie pie

He went through a 4-month wakeful period that lasted the entire month and we are just starting to see the light at the end of the up-at-least-every-hour-phase. He'd be up to eat or fuss about 7 times per night and it was pretty tough. I am tired. But being second-time parents makes those exhausting moments not seem so bad because we know that this is just a phase. It will pass. It won't last forever. Plus, this little baby will be grown up before we know it so right now I'm just trying to soak up all those extra middle of the night cuddles with my little boy!

Declan started rolling over this month. He hasn't rolled from his back to his tummy, but he has rolled from his tummy to his back at least half a dozen times now. It won't be long and he'll be rolling across the entire house!

Another big milestone that Declan has accomplished this month is sitting up on his own!!

My sweet peas...

 This one makes me a little teary eyed because now he just seems so big! :(

He's so cute sitting up next to his big sister, playing, and mostly watching her play. He's pretty sturdy on his own and it only took him about a week to really master sitting up without any support. He rarely topples over now, even though we usually take necessary pillow precautions just in case. :)

 Some things we're discovering about Declan:

-He's turning into a very noisy little guy like his sister. He babbles and sings, screams just for fun, and gets very VERY loud and lets everyone know when he gets tired. He's a passionate guy like his sister.
-He is not a fan of crowds. He'll get fussy and upset if it's too loud, there's too much going on, or if he can't eat in peace. Emery is so opposite of this (she loves crowds). He must be an introvert and she must be the extrovert!
-Along those lines, when it's bed time he will only eat and fall asleep if I go into a quiet room. He gets very crabby and refuses to eat unless it's quiet.
-Declan is an early riser. He is up and ready to roll by 6:30 am at the very latest. He's usually ready for bed at night between 6:30-7:30 pm.
-Declan adores his big sister. He just loves to watch her and thinks most everything she does is hilarious.
-Declan doesn't like millions of kisses...and pokes, and jabs, and hugs, and squeezes from Em though. It's all part of having a big sis that adores her little brother! :)

Em can get Declan to laugh better than anyone! He just giggles hysterically at her silliness! 

Super daddy!!