Baby Bridesmaid {Quilt}

I couldn't help myself. I could not stop calling this quilt "Baby Bridesmaid". 

Why do you ask?  The satin is from a bridesmaid dress!  

My friend messaged me and asked if I could make a baby quilt using the dress she wore to her friend's wedding.  A memory quilt of sorts. 

I knew right away that the best quilt would be to make the Ruffle Quilt from the Moda Bakeshop. I thought that the Satin would not be fun to piece and quilt over.  So why not make it an accessory for the quilt. 

My friend sent me the nursery line. Wouldn't you know it?  No blue.  A girl nursery!

I did have a

Dear Stella bundle that had perfect baby's, but the peach just wasn't pink enough. So the search was on!!!   I stumbled on Cybthia Rowley's "Oh Baby" line.

Perfection. 

Before I knew it I had a patchwork top to quilt with flowers and leaves.

With a super warm and soft Minky backing.  

Then I Added the cut strips from the dress and did a rolled hem and attached the ruffles.

I wish I had enough of the dress to bind it with satin, but ended up using the same solid blue I used under the ruffles.

This quilt was UTTERLY scrumptious! 

And I was so happy to hear it was well recieved by the mom-to-be!! 

Excited to also be linking up a finish post for March!

WIP: Wednesday...already?

First off, I love having my kids and husband home on holidays.  But, man, I pay for it the rest of the week!

This week, I am actually surprised that I have a FINISH despite Baby Button's Birthday and Party!  However, to many WIPs and UFOs I could cry...

Finished:

I only have a sneak peek because I haven't edited all the pictures yet.  It was a really fun, easy Sunday project.  Especially because I could delay laundry until Monday!!

A special project for my pugs! 

Stay tuned...I have the pictures on HERE!!

In Progress:

Butterfly Kisses

I  finished the one elaborate blanket last week and am almost finished with the second.  Unfortunately, My basket filled with THREE more this week!

Rainbow Layer Cake Swap

I finally made a decision on my layer cake assignments for my Distant Pickles swap.  Purple and Red-Purple.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find the fabric I really wanted that was there before..and I can't order any online now because I have very little time since I need to mail it out.  The one thing I have learned, is that I really need to check out some of the other local quilt fabrics.  My shop doesn't have the most modern of fabric choices!

  Button was insistent on the stripe.  He kept yelling at me in baby talk and grabbing it from the shelf.  The quilt shop ladies said he was trying to tell me something!  Hopefully, everyone will like my choices?

No Progress:

Christmas quilt.  Hasn't budged.  This one makes me cry.  I think I will force myself to work on it tonight or tomorrow.
Thank you quilt. Fabrics still not cut.
Donation quilt (from Christmas time) Fabrics still not cut.
Baby Button's twin bed quilt.  Design finally decided on.  Fabrics not cut.  I am not even sure the fabrics are going to even work...


New Projects: 

Special baby girl quilt

I was commissioned to make a special quilt so I could include the embroidery prints I do over on Butterfly Kisses. 

I found a quilt on Tracey's blog again.  Hopefully she won't mind!  It just seemed to be the right quilt for this mom that wanted a "girly quilt.

 

The circle will be for the baby's name and feet prints!

 My fabric arrived last week.

Not all of it is for the quilt...I may have gone over my head in regards to my first foray into online fabric buying....

8th Grade Auction T-shirt quilt

Ever wonder what 72 middle school t-shirts look like in a pile?

This HAS to be done by the April.   I already have a plan in mind.  But first I want to scan each t-shirt into my EQ7 to see if my plan is actually a good one!!  Right now?  It looks like it will be AT LEAST a queen size.  Thank goodness for Ole Betsy!

Daddy's Little Girl

" Here she is

All peaches and cream

Our sweet little girl,

Our long awaited dream."

-Author Unknown

My dear hubby has been much on my mind lately.  I left him last weekend to go on a scrapbook retreat.   I honestly didn't hesitate because he has always taken care of the boys without any difficulty. 

I also know that he is quite capable of taking care of a baby.  He had to take care of our two older boys when they were babies when I used to work evening and night shifts as a young nurse in the Army. 

What is on my mind is that I still haven't asked him is what he thinks of having another baby.  Let alone what he thinks about having another boy.  What I haven't asked him is how he is feeling?  I haven't even asked him about how his grief is with this arrival of such a bundle of joy.  Least of all, I haven't asked him if having another boy makes him miss his little girl all the more.  I can honestly say that it has.  I wish she was here.

 

But here is what I DO know.

I know that he lovingly tends to Jamie's tree. 

 I know that he is able to say her name without choking up.

  I know that he shares my blog with others. 

 I know that he is supportive of my blog, my online support group, and my craziness (like mailing my doppler to Canada yesterday to a CTT momma carrying a rainbow baby).

  I know that I sent him this link to an article that was brought to my attention on my online support group.  It is the story about three NCAA basketball coaches that all have a common bond.  The loss of their babies.  We are HUGE fans of college basketball (just ask my mom...I think she knows all the Big East teams after her visit)Dearest hubby immediately responded to my email.  He said that he had seen it featured on CBS sports during the tournament.  His quote "it was an unbelievable piece.  I forgot to tell you about it."

I wonder if he forgot to tell me because we don't discuss this issue outright, or if he really just forgot.

Why don't I ask?

I don't know.

 

Baby Bunting

"A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on."

-Carl Sandburg

First off, excuse this horrible photo!!   I have had sick kids and now a sick husband for over a week and a half.  I had to take these at night...not my favorite time of the day to take pictures.

This past weekend, however, I was bound and determined to concentrate on Button's arrival.  

I have been forcing myself to realize that we might actually have a healthy, hollering baby in our arms next week.  It is a tough thing to imagine!

  Because we don't know if Button is a boy or a girl, I really wanted to make a few special onsies for the first few weeks before we hopefully do some major gender specific bedding and clothing shopping!

So I did a Valentine's lollipop, a green/yellow rattle applique, and a sweet lamb!  JJ feels the V-day onsie is a bit girly, so it may not ever be used.

And speaking of GIRLY stuff.  I just couldn't help myself...matching hats........

A fabric flower daisy with a silver button center!  I love the yellow and green combo!

One rolled fabric rose with a leather button center.  One rolled ribbon rose with a pearl button center.  And a ribbon pom-pom on the side.  The buttons are from my "special stash"!

An Oragami Folded Fabric Flower with a felt heart button and a small pink button.  This one might go back to the worktable though....I think it needs a few more petals for a bit more volume...and a little more red fabric wouldn't hurt.

Now the REAL question is........

If Button isn't a girl, what lucky little baby girl will get these?!

Button's first outfit

 Is Button a Girl?   

Not sure!

I finally found two beautiful outfits the other day at the sweet boutique at the hospital/doctor' office.  If you remember, I couldn't find ANYTHING nuetral.

So I bought this off-white sleeper with the tiniest hand embroidery of a bear with beige/brown/green.

Go figure...When I brought it home, I felt like it needed "something".

I decided to make a girl accessory.  A headband with a flower and button accent.  And yes, I used fabric scraps again!

 I don't like the yellow color of the headband itself...so that is on it's way to being fixed as you read.  I also might make a wee bit smaller flower....we will see!

Hoping to show you the "boy" accessory I am working on today!  If not....maybe by the end of the week!

Carnival

The rides are bright and colorful.  People are smiling, laughing, eating as they wait in lines.  The games are noisy.  Delightful, happy screaming can be heard in the distance.  The rides move quickly and frenetically. Huge stuffed animals hang from the arms of big, burly men.  There are tears on little ones that just can't seem to win the coveted prize.  Sticky fingers.  Food encrusted mouths.  Babies crashed out in their strollers.  Moms that are irritated with the child that just doesn't seem to listen.  Mom and dads with cameras hanging from their necks in hopeful anticipation of the lasting memory. Moms that are drinking in the sight of their child's first pony ride.   Dads proud of their children for riding that scary rollercoaster.  Teenagers moving in packs, oblivious to the world around them. Little girls running with pig tails and colorful dresses.  Little boys with tussled hair, wearing their jeans and cowboy boots. 

A little girl with wispy blonde hair and the sweetest dress, passes by me.  Her thumb in her mouth and her other hand tugging her ear.  She looks right at me.  She could be my Jamie.

Jamie should be here for her first carnival. 

 She should be bright eyed and taking in all of the sounds and sights. 

She should be here....

Christmas Letter 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

I will start off saying that this year’s letter might be a bit different for us, so please hang in there through the end! 

 We announced to the boys In March that the arrival of a baby brother or sister was due November 13th.   They could not contain their excitement!  To be big brothers…what a boon!  They debated about whether it would be a boy or girl.  They argued where he or she would sleep.  They guessed at different names at the dinner table.  They debated whether it should be a “J” name.  They battled with us constantly to find out what sex we were having, even though I stubbornly refused to find out.  The dust settled when the school year ended, and the family was excited to enjoy the preparation of the nursery over the summer.   Oh the bliss!

On June 24^th, our lives were forever changed.  We received the worst news a parent could ever imagine to hear.  At our routine ultrasound, they discovered there might be something seriously wrong with the baby.  After an amniocentesis, a fetal MRI, numerous high level ultrasounds, countless appointments with doctors and specialists, the verdict was given.  Our baby had a lethal skeletal dysplasia, or in layman’s terms, a fatal dwarfism.

 Despite recommendations, we decided to hold onto hope that he or she would have a “normal” dwarfism and give the baby the best possible chance and carry to term.  As the weeks went by, it became increasingly clear that our hello would also be our goodbye.  We instead changed our course to prepare for the worst and hope that we would at least not lose the baby before the delivery.  We gathered our courage and strength, and hoped that we could celebrate this child’s life, as short as it would probably be.

We planned all that we could to make sure we had a professional photographer, a special outfit, and a plan of care for comfort.  We also decided to wait for the surprise of boy or girl, since it would be one of the only things we could be excited about.  The baby went to most of big brother Butter's tennis matches.  There was wiggling and squirming while listening to Bean's guitar.  We endured the ferocious Houston heat while watching little, big brother Bunny's play in summer baseball tournaments.  Never was there a more active baby to remind us of its presence.  And every night, we settled to sleep after a nightly hug and kiss from Bunny and sometimes a lullaby from mommy. Despite the baby’s failing health and mine, we were able to make it a couple days shy of 36 weeks.  It was decided that a cesarean section would be the best way to deliver, due to both baby and my health complications.

On October 14^th at 7:39am, Jamie Lynn entered this world with the tiniest cry. Like her brothers, she was nice and hefty at 5lbs, 4oz despite being four weeks early.  She was a mere 14.5 inches long from her perfect head to her perfect little toes.  With her too small limbs, and chest too tiny to survive this world long, Daddy quickly baptized her with the healing waters from Lourdes, France gifted to us by Father Drew.  After a short snuggle with me, he swept her away to be introduced to her big brothers.  A short time later, which felt like an eternity, we were all reunited as a family.  We were able to dress her in clothes washed and smelling like home.  We exclaimed over her shocking full head of the whitest blonde hair.  The boys declared her “cute”.  We adored her tiny hands and her, oh so perfect, feet.  Aaron was enthralled with his sweet baby girl. 

We were together as a family, as she drifted away, her perfect little footprints etched on our hearts forever at 8:54am.

Her immediate family arrived to celebrate her life at a memorial Funeral Mass on November 14^th.  With Father D__ presiding, Mary T__ singing solo, and family gathered round, we said our final goodbyes and wished her well on her journey.  As Father D___ said during his homily, if we had opened the funeral to all family and friends, it would be a packed house indeed.  He couldn’t have been further from the truth.

And this brings me to the conclusion of our letter.   It has always been clear to us in the past, but more so now, that we are loved by the outpouring of prayers, thoughts, and letters from so many near and afar.  We are heartily thankful to all those who made donations to the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep organization that provided us with the most beautiful photos of her.  To those who are just getting this news, we apologize.  This has been the most difficult burden to bear, and even more painful to share.  I apologize for not delivering a more traditional G_ Family Christmas Letter.   However, to not tell Jamie Lynn’s story, would be to dishonor her life and her memory.

For our family, the year of 2009 belongs to Jamie.  And always will….

Mommy, Daddy, Butter, Bean, and Button

"An Angel in the Book of Life Wrote Down our Baby's Birth,

And Whispered as She Closed the Book,

Too Beautiful for Earth."

Jamie Lynn

Announcing the birth of our daughter….

  We were blessed to spend a little over an hour together as a family. She is now a beautiful angel in heaven watching over our family.  We thank everyone for their kind words, thoughts, and prayers through this difficult time these past few months.   In lieu of flowers or gifts, we would appreciate donations to the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Organization that sent a volunteer professional photographer to take photos of Jamie at no cost to our family, for lasting memories.  Donations can be made at nowilaymedowntosleep.org in her name.